Chapter 8
To The Rescue
A/N: Well, I'm back with another chapter. I hope you all like it. Thanks to all those who have reviewed my story. Now, I'll send some shout-outs to those people:
Ana-The –Romantic: Thanks for the review. I really appreciate all the feedback you have given me. Keep up the good work on your story. Please review this chapter.
Lioness-Goddess: I figured u would like this chapter. Yeah, it seems like Leo's gonna be mad at Erin for leaving. You'll have to read to find out though.
Pacphys: I know I nailed the talk between Leo and Erin. I'm glad u liked that part. Keep reading and reviewing.
JeffyzGal2: I pretty much like the same episodes you do, too. My favorite is "The Shredder Strikes Back" saga. I call it my "After Eye Surgery Episode" because the first part aired the day after I had eye surgery. It's special to me, and I have it on DVD. Do you like "The Big Brawl" saga? I do, although I wish Leo had won the tournament instead of Mikey.
Readrrr Grrl: Thanks for the nice review. I appreciate it. Please keep reading. I think you'll like this chapter too.
Shellsboy24: Thanks a lot sweetie. Leo is not a goofball, but Shredder definitely needs to die. Why do you have to pick on poor Leo? I think u do it just to torture me-lol! Anyway, enjoy this chapter.
Now before I begin the story, I must tell you that the fight scenes in here aren't detailed. The reason for this is because I really didn't know how to write them, and I had a bad headache while I was writing some of this. So I apologize if some of the chapter seems lame. I'm new at this, and I try my best. Ok, now for the fancy disclaimer.
Disclaimer: I don't own the Turtles. If I did, I wouldn't be writing this fan fiction. Instead, I would be living in Florida and vacationing in Disney World. Turtles are owned by Mirage Studios, Inc. I own all the characters not related to the Turtles. Any flames of this story will be cut up by Leo's katanas. You have been warned! Now, on with the story.
Leonardo awoke with a start. He'd just had a terrible dream about Maureen being tortured by the Shredder. He rubbed his eyes and yawned. He looked at the clock and saw that it was seven in the morning. Leo saw the note next to the clock and began to read it.
Dear, Leo,
I'm sorry that I've left you, but I had to. I want to get my sister back, and I couldn't wait to do it. Please don't be mad at me or blame yourself. I know you'll think it's because of the story you told me.
It's not your fault. I've been wanting to leave for a long tine since we got here, but I couldn't think of leaving you while you were wounded. Now that you're a little better, I've set out to find my sister and bring her home. I don't want you or the others to follow me. This is something I have to do on my own. Give my best to Raph, Don, Mikey, Splinter, Casey, and April. Don't worry about me. I'll be okay. Just take care of yourself.
Love,
Erin.
Leonardo put the letter down, tears filling his eyes. He couldn't believe that Erin had done this. What had she been thinking? Didn't she know that Shredder could seriously hurt her? Was she scared about what Brad could do to them?
"Hey, Leo, what's up?" Raphael asked.
"Erin's gone," Leo replied softly. "She left last night to find Maureen."
"You're kidding!" Raph gasped. "She left you a note?"
"Yeah," Leo answered. "She says she doesn't want us to follow her."
"Is she nuts?!" Raph bellowed.
"Is who nuts?" Michelangelo asked.
"Erin," Raph said. "She left to find her sister."
Mikey gasped. "We have to find her!" he cried. "She could get hurt!"
"We know that, Mikey," Raph said angrily. "She doesn't want us to help her out."
"Do not worry, my sons," Splinter interjected calmly. "We just need to plan this carefully."
"Are you saying that we should go after her even though she told us not to, Sensei?" Leo asked.
"That is exactly what I am saying, Leonardo," Splinter replied. "Even though she does not want us to help, we will do it anyway. We are a family, and families stick together."
"Master Splinter's right," April agreed. "We are a family. I'm coming with you to help find them."
"Me too," added Casey. "I wanna kick the Shredder's butt."
"No," said Splinter firmly. "You are not trained in the art of ninjitsu. It will be too dangerous for you."
"Look, Master Splinter, I know you're right," said April, "but I promised Noleen I'd take care of them. I have to do this."
Splinter saw the determination in her eyes and sighed. "You are right, Miss O'Neil," he said gently. "You did promise to take care of them. You may go, but you must be careful. It will be very dangerous since we are also dealing with Mr. Carson as well as Shredder." He turned to Casey. "You will come as well, Mr. Jones, so that you can protect April."
"All right!" yelled Casey. "Time to kick butt!"
"But how will we find Erin?" asked Mikey. "We don't know where she's headed."
"Not to worry, Mikey," reassured Donatello. "I planted a Turtle Tracker on her. I can just pick up the signal and locate where she is."
"That's our Donnie," Raph said with a smile. "Always thinking. So, when are we leaving?"
"Tonight," Splinter replied. "We'll be able to hide well in the dark."
"Sounds like a plan," Raph commented. "What do you think, Fearless Leader?" he asked Leo.
"It's fine, guys," Leo said. "I just want them back."
"Good," Splinter said. "We will have a short training session to prepare. Then we must pack our things."
New York City
Meanwhile, Erin was approaching New York. She had hitched a ride on the back of a truck that was headed to the city. As soon as it stopped, the driver got out and unloaded some boxes. When he went to put them down, Erin snuck out and ran away. She spotted some Foot Ninjas on a rooftop and went to follow them. She had to find her sister.
When Erin arrived at Foot Headquarters, she decided to just enter directly. She would confront Brad and make him tell her where her sister was. She spotted Brad and a man she didn't recognize in a big room.
"Hello, Erin," said Brad. "So nice to see you. Now, where are the Turtles?"
"They aren't here," answered Erin. "I came on my own to find my sister."
"But I told you to bring the Turtles with you," said Brad sternly. "Why didn't you obey me?"
"Because I didn't want them to follow me," said Erin. "I wanted to do this myself."
"Well, now you will pay for not obeying me," snarled Brad. He started to advance on Erin, but Shredder stopped him.
"Wait," said the man in metal. "All is not lost. The Turtles will surely know she is gone and come searching for her. We will still be able to destroy them."
Brad's angry look turned into a smile. "You're right, Master," he said gleefully. "We will be able to catch them. We should put her with her sister. That way, the Turtles won't find her."
"Good idea," Shredder agreed. He snapped his fingers and two Foot Ninjas appeared. He told them to take Erin to where Maureen was. They bowed and did as they were told.
Maureen looked up when she heard the door open and saw her sister. "Erin!" she cried. "What are you doing here? Where are the others?"
"They aren't here," Erin replied. "I came on my own to find you."
"Are you crazy?!" Maureen cried. "If the guys were here, we'd be home by now! We'd be asleep instead of being here! Why didn't you tell them you were leaving?"
"I did," Erin answered. "I left them a note. I'm sure they've read it by now and know that I'm gone."
"Well, that's good," Maureen said cheerfully. "Maybe they'll come to rescue us."
"No, it's not good," Erin contradicted. "Shredder and Brad want them to come. They'll get destroyed for sure. I wish I could warn them."
"Use your Shell Cell," Maureen suggested.
"Good idea," Erin said. She went to her bag and rummaged in it. "It's not here!" she gasped.
"I thought you carried it with you," Maureen said.
"I must have forgotten it," Erin moaned. She sank to the floor and buried her face in her hands. "What are we going to do?" she wailed.
"Don't worry, Erin, I'm sure the guys will come," Maureen assured her. "They won't let us down."
On the way to New York City
Meanwhile, the Turtles were on their way to save Maureen and Erin. Donnie was in front with April and Casey so that he could navigate. Raph, Mikey, Leo, and Splinter were in the back playing a game of B.S. It was a card game that Erin had taught them.
"You got any twos?" Mikey asked.
"Mikey, we're playing B.S., not Go Fish," Raph corrected him.
"Oh, yeah," Mikey said. He looked confused. "How do you play that again?" he asked.
Raphael sighed with frustration. "I'll show you, bonehead," he said. "Here's three twos." He laid three cards face down on the floor. "It's your turn, Leo," he told his older brother.
"Huh?" Leo asked. He wasn't paying attention to Raph.
Raph looked at his brother with concern etched in his face. "You okay, bro?" he asked.
"I'm fine, Raph," Leo replied. "I just feel like it's my fault. If I hadn't told Erin what happened, she wouldn't have left." Tears filled his eyes, despite his effort to keep them locked in.
Raphael went to his brother in blue and hugged him. "It's okay, Leo," he said gently. "You shouldn't blame yourself. I think Erin would have left even if you didn't tell her anything."
"You think so?" Leo asked.
"I know so," Raph replied. "Those two were really close to each other. Erin was worried about Maureen. She was bound to go after her sometime. I always saw it in her eyes. Right after we found you, Erin vowed to get revenge on Shredder. I told her not to do it, but I guess she didn't listen to me. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
"Yes, I do, Raph," Leo said. "I'm just afraid I won't be in any shape to fight."
Raph gave his brother's arm a squeeze. "You're doing fine, Leo," he said reassuringly. "Donnie says you're healing nicely. You've got the bandages off at least. Are you sore?"
"A little," Leo answered. "It's mostly my shoulder."
"Well, I'm sure Splinter will have something to give you," Raph said. "Right, Sensei?"
"Yes, I will," Splinter reassured him. "You will be able to fight, my son. I will not let you sit this one out."
Leo felt better, but he was still nervous. He didn't want to face Shredder with injuries. That wouldn't be good if that happened.
Up in front, Donatello was telling April and Casey about what was on the tracking device. "I think we should stop at the Lair so that we can formulate a plan," he said. "I don't just want to go bursting into Foot Headquarters without knowing what we're getting into."
"Great idea, Don," April said. "I think the guys will agree with you."
"Yeah, you're starting to sound like Leo, Don," Casey commented.
"I'll tell him you said that," Don said with a smile. "We're coming into the city. It's daylight now, so we can't do anything anyway. Let's just get to the Lair so we can eat something and plan."
"Sounds good to me," Casey said, putting the truck into gear and driving down the road. He put on the radio and sang along to a few of the songs. April knew Raph would laugh his head off if he could hear Casey's off-key singing.
When they reached the Lair, they immediately started formulating a plan. They decided that April would stay at the Lair to monitor the security system at Foot Headquarters. This way, she would be safe from anyone attacking her.
"But what if the Foot Ninjas search the Lair?" inquired Mikey. "They might get her!"
"No, they won't," said Leo firmly. "They want us to be there. If we're at Headquarters, there's no way they'll search the Lair, Mikey."
"But what about that Carson dude?" pressed on Mikey. "He could go after her since she's Noleen's friend."
"Mikey, don't worry," said Leo reassuringly. "Brad wants us, not April. He made that perfectly clear in that phone call. He won't harm her, but he wants to harm us."
"So, what's the plan?" asked Raphael.
"Get in, get the girls, and get out," replied Leonardo. "Does that sound good?"
"Yeah, I guess," said Raph. "But what's the strategy?"
"Just to be cautious," answered Leo. "The only thing I care about is getting Erin and Maureen back and stopping Shredder and Brad."
"I understand your motive, my son," said Splinter, "but you need to be prepared. I suggest that we have a training session followed by meditation to prepare us for this battle."
The Turtles bowed to their sensei and headed to the dojo. The session went well, despite the fact that Leonardo's thoughts were elsewhere. He tried to snap out of it when Splinter told him to focus, but then the thoughts would come back.
"Leo, wake up!" snapped Raphael who was partnering him. "You don't want daydream when we're at Shredder's fortress. That's the sort of thing he wants you to do."
"Sorry, Raph," apologized Leo. "I just can't help worrying about them."
"Well, try not to," said Raph sternly. "You need to keep a clear head."
After the training session, the Turtles sat in the lotus position so that they could meditate. Leonardo wished he could go to his special place, but Splinter had forbidden them to leave the Lair. Instead, he envisioned his special place and pictured that he was there with Erin and Maureen. It made him feel better, and the tension drained out of him.
But suddenly, his special place dissolved. Leo found himself looking at Foot Headquarters. He saw Erin and Maureen in a cell with Shredder and a man Leo figured was Brad Carson. He was yelling at the girls about something. Then, Leo saw him strike Maureen and Erin across the face. Leo gasped when he saw this horrific scene.
Raphael saw the distressed look on his brother's face and grew worried. "Leo, are you all right?" He asked anxiously.
Leo snapped out of it. "Guys, Brad's hurting them!" he gasped. "I saw them with Shredder and Brad. Brad was yelling at them, and he slapped them! We have to rescue them!"
"What was Brad talking about?" asked Splinter.
"Something about the girls joining the Foot," replied Leo. "I just know they're scared. We have to find them."
"Do you think the girls would join the Foot?" asked Mikey.
"No way!" answered Raph. "They'd never do that after what Shredder did to their mother!"
"But Brad might have been threatening them," said Don.
"Don's right," agreed Leo. "He might have told them he'd kill us if they didn't join. Erin and Maureen would do anything to save us."
"Well, they ain't gonna join the Foot if I have my say on it! Casey said menacingly. "We need to go in there and get them out!"
"I agree with you, Mr. Jones," Splinter said. "We will go tonight to save the girls."
That night, the Turtles, Casey, and Splinter set out to rescue Erin and Maureen. April's words of encouragement and hugs had boosted the Turtles' confidence. They knew they couldn't fail with friends like April and Casey at their side.
They left the Battle Shell in an alley near Foot Headquarters. They didn't want it spotted by humans who would ask questions. They then crept swiftly and silently toward the building where their sisters were being held.
"Okay, here's the plan," Leo said as they approached the building. "Raph and I will look for the girls. The rest of you need to keep the Foot Ninjas busy while we search."
"Roger that, Leo," Mikey said with a goofy smile on his face.
"Mikey, this is no time for jokes," Leo said seriously. "We need to be quiet and careful."
"Yeah, so shut up, bonehead," Raph said, hitting Mikey on the back of his head.
"Raphael, enough!" Splinter chastised him. "We need to focus on the task at hand."
Leonardo nodded at them and beckoned them forward. A few Foot Ninjas were stationed outside the building, but the Turtles took them down easily and entered the building. Once inside, they became surrounded by a whole fleet of Foot Ninjas.
"Okay, you know what to do," Leo said. The other nodded and began to attack. While the Foot Ninjas were busy, Leo and Raph snuck away to look for Erin and Maureen.
Raph looked up and down the corridors. "So, where could they be?" he asked.
Leo turned on his headset. "April, do you know where the Shredder might keep prisoners?" he asked.
"Hold on, Leo," April said. "I'll use Donnie's tracking system." There was a pause. "Okay, I've located them," she said. "They're on the seventh floor."
"Any obstacles that we need to worry about?" Leo inquired.
"Not really," April answered. "Most of the Foot Ninjas are with your brothers."
"They may not stay there for long," Leo said to Raph. "We need to be careful and silent. Thanks a lot, April," he said to her.
"You're welcome, Leo," April said. "Just bring them home."
"We will," Leo promised her. Then he and Raph set out. As they made their way up, they realized that April was right. There was barely any activity around them. Suddenly, they heard two voices near them. One of them was familiar to them, but they didn't recognize the other. Leo motioned to Raph to get into the rafters. They listened to what the two men were talking about.
"I was just informed that the Turtles have arrived," Brad said. "Do you want to carry out the plan?"
"Not yet," Shredder replied. "We will wait." He turned on a television monitor that showed him the first floor. "Wait a minute," he said. "I only see two of the Turtles. Where are the blue and red-clad ones?"
"Perhaps they are looking for the girls," Brad suggested. "Either that, or they were too scared to come, the little chickens."
"I'll show you who's a chicken, you scum bag!" Raphael growled, twirling his sais in a menacing way.
"Raph, calm down," Leo ordered. "We need to get the girls out of here. We can kick their butts later."
"All right," grumbled Raph. "Let's go get them."
The two Turtles continued on their way up via the rafters and vents. When they reached the seventh floor, they saw two Foot Ninjas outside a locked door. Leo and Raph jumped down and took them out easily. Raph took his sai and pried the door open. They saw Erin and Maureen shackled to the wall. Leo used his katanas to cut them free.
Maureen threw her arms around her big brother in blue. "Oh, Leo, I'm so glad you're here!" she cried. "I knew you'd come."
"How did you find us?" Erin asked them.
"Donnie planted a Turtle Tracker on you," Raph replied. "We knew it would come in handy."
"Are the others here, too?" Maureen asked.
"Yeah, they are," Leo answered. "Now, let's get you girls home."
Together, they crept out of the cell and made their way out. But suddenly, they were confronted by Hun and a group of Foot Ninjas.
Hun grinned nastily. "Going somewhere, freaks?" he sneered.
"Look who's talking," Maureen retorted. "We're getting away from here."
"I don't think so," Hun said, grinning wickedly. He motioned for the Foot Ninjas to attack.
"Erin, take Maureen and run," ordered Leo. "We'll hold them off."
"No, we're not leaving you," said Erin determinedly. "We're gonna help." She hit a Foot Ninja in the knee, causing him to drop his sword. She grabbed it and began to fight. Maureen joined them. Leo and Raph were surprised at the girls' fighting style. They didn't know how the girls could do it.
"How did you do that?" Leo asked them when some of the Foot Ninjas had been beaten.
"We watched you in practice and memorized your moves," Erin answered. A Foot Ninja advanced toward her, his sword raised. Erin did a flip and dodged him easily. She used a beam as a bar and swung her legs, hitting him in the face.
"Nice one!" Raph called to her.
"Thanks," Erin said back.
"Okay, I think that's all of them," Leo said. "Let's get out of here."
But before they could go, Hun seized Erin and twisted her arm back. "Drop your weapons, or the girl dies," he threatened.
"Erin!" Maureen screamed. She started toward her sister, but Leo held her back. Maureen watched helplessly as her sister struggled in Hun's grip. Why weren't Leo and Raph coming to her aid?
"I told you to drop your weapons!" Hun repeated. "Or do you want your little friend to die?"
Leonardo and Raphael dropped their weapons. Maureen gasped as the sais and katanas fell to the floor. She couldn't believe that Leo and Raph were obeying him.
"That's better," Hun said. "Now, you three and this brat will be good little hostage and return to the cell."
Maureen couldn't take it anymore. She ran at Hun and kicked him in the knee. He released Erin, but made to attack Maureen. He was met with a whack across the back of his head. The burly man went down quickly and didn't get up.
"I've always wanted to do that," Casey chuckled. He was followed by Donatello, Michelangelo, and Splinter.
"Great timing, Case!" Raphael commented.
"Come on, let's go home," Leo said. He led the way downstairs to the first floor. Suddenly, the Foot Elite materialized in front of them. They parted to let Shredder and Brad through.
"Well, what a surprise," the Shredder said mockingly. "I can't believe you walked right into my trap. What a bunch of fools!" He laughed mockingly and looked at the Elite. "Elite Ninja, attack!" he commanded.
The Elite lunged forward, but the Turtles were ready to meet them. Erin and Maureen cheered their brothers on, hoping that they'd win. Suddenly, an Elite Ninja lunged at the girls. Leonardo saw this and blocked the Elite's ax with his twin katanas.
"Erin, you and Maureen get out of here," he ordered. "We'll take care of these guys."
"Okay, Leo," Erin said. She and Maureen tried to sneak away, but Brad spotted them and barred their way. Maureen gasped as she saw a gun in Brad's hands.
"Going somewhere, ladies?" he asked mockingly.
"Get out of the way, Brad," Erin commanded. "April's called the police. Soon, you'll be going to jail or the murder of our mother."
"Oh no, I won't," Brad retorted in a triumphant way. "I'm not finished yet. After I kill you two, the Shredder will take care of your mutant friends. Say your last good-byes to the ones you love." He put his hand on the trigger.
Suddenly, Leo ran at Brad and knocked the gun out of his hands. He landed on Brad's stomach, his sword aimed at Brad's throat.
"Leo, no!" Erin screamed. "Let the police handle it!"
Leonardo glared at the man in hatred. "I should kill you right now for the things you have done," he said. "However, my code of honor won't allow it. I'll let the police handle you."
"No, you won't," Brad contradicted. He flipped upward, causing Leo to fly and land into a pile of shelves. "You're the one who will pay," he said.
Shredder jumped up and used his spikes to cut the supports on the shelves. They teetered precariously and began to fall.
"Leo, no!" Erin cried. She pushed Leo out of the way. Before anyone could get to her, the shelves fell, trapping her beneath them.
"Nooo!" cried Leo. Then the Shredder produced a bomb and set it to one minute. Then, he and Brad fled.
Leo ran to where the shelves were and started digging frantically. Raph and the others were telling him to hurry.
"Come on, Leo, we need to book," Raphael said. He saw that his brother wasn't going to listen. "Mikey, you and the others take Maureen," he ordered. "I'll come later with Leo and Erin."
Mikey nodded and took Maureen out of the warehouse, closely followed by the others. After they had fled, they were worried about Leo, Raph, and Erin. Then the building exploded in a burst of flame, collapsing to the ground.
A/N: Well, that's it for this chapter. I had to do a cliffie there. So, did Leo, Erin, and Raph survive, or did the Shredder and Brad get the victory? Find out in chapter nine, coming soon. Please read and review.