Note: Some characters in this chapter belong to my dear friend and fellow writer Tyroth Darkstorm.

Chapter Thirty-Five

The Sharks stood on the four areas of the Foot Headquarters and looked up.

Ripster narrowed his eyes and clenched his fists.

"This ends now Paradigm." He said softly "Your reign of terror has gone on long enough! My brothers and I will stop you!"

He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths.

"I don't care if I live or die, but for the lives of the people here in New York, the people we care about back in Fission City, for my family, we will stop Paradigm for good!"

A buzzing from his phone brought him back to earth and he scooped it up and he saw the text message on the screen.

'READY!'

Ripster smirked then sent a mass text out.

'SHARK ATTACK!'

He soon got a response from everyone saying the same thing and he dived into the ground, and he began to swim through the ground to get to the underground areas of the Foot Headquarters.

"We'll stop Luthor for sure dad!" he silently prayed as he swam through the concrete and dirt.

"And I'll protect my brothers! I promise you!"

His memories began to creep back to him as he thought of the day his father took his last breath, and how he promised that he would keep Fission City safe, and Paradigm behind bars.

Flashback

Ripster stood outside the door of his father's room in their house, clasping his hands together.

Streex, Jab, Slammu and Bends sat on some chairs looking anxious and silent.

It had only been three weeks since they were reunited with their father, and it had been the happiest time of their lives.

Truth be told they were shocked at his appearance as well as angered at what Paradigm had done to him, but they pushed away those feelings as they had embraced him and spoke about how much they missed him and how they were happy to finally be reunited with him.

But that happiness had been short lived as their friend Doctor Lena had discovered that he was dying from complications from the mutation, and he didn't have long.

Ripster then made it his mission to make sure he and his brothers had spent as much time with their father as they could to make memories, or rather new ones since their mutations and Paradigm's defeat and mutation.

The door soon opened making Ripster jump, and he turned to see Lena.

The pretty dark-skinned woman was looking pale and sad.

"Lena?" Ripster spoke softly.

"I've done all I can Ripster." She said sadly "But there's nothing more I can do, he's asking for you, all of you."

Ripster swallowed a lump in his throat, and he turned to his brothers and Bends.

"Let's go boys." He croaked and the others stood up, holding each other's hands in comfort.

Slammu tried to hold back a sob.

"He can't die guys!" he said lowly 'We only just got him back!"

Ripster put a finger to his lips as he led his brothers through the door and over to a bed that was covered with a large screen.

Lena was standing next to it, her head bowed and tears falling from her eyes.

She gestured with her hand for the Sharks to go in.

Bends stood next to Lena and held out his hand to hers to which she took it, appreciating his comfort.

Ripster meanwhile walked to the side of the bed where he saw his father laying there on the bed under a sheet with a slit over the eyes, yet one deformed hand was visible and Ripster at once grabbed it and squeezed tightly.

"My boys…" a raspy voice was heard, and the four Sharks knelt before the bed.

"My four precious sons."

Ripster swallowed the lump in his throat.

"Dad." He said "I…we…I…I hope we did you proud, Paradigm is behind bars where he belongs, and he can't hurt anyone else, we did our best to protect the city, and the world…"

"And I couldn't be prouder of you…" Bolton's voice was heard and the Sharks each shared a weak smile.

"In the years since that fateful day, I have watched over you, guided you, and all of you have succeeded in keeping one step ahead of Luthor Paradigm, and you have protected the city and the world well."

'We did what we could dad!" Streex spoke.

"Totally!" Jab agreed.

"For sure!" Slammu added.

"And we will continue to do so, keep the city safe and keep Paradigm where he belongs, behind bars!"

"I wish I had revealed myself sooner, but I was scared it would upset you too much, so I watched from the shadows, and gave you the information needed on Luthor's next move."

"You don't need to explain yourself dad." Ripster said fervently, "We're grateful for everything you did! If it weren't for you, we would never know what Paradigm's next move was!"

He felt his father squeeze his hand tightly.

"I'm glad I helped you…and I only wish I could stay longer and enjoy a new life with you…. despite my condition."

Slammu sniffled and wiped a few tears.

"I wish you could as well dad!" he said.

"Don't be sad Coop…I'll always be with you…no matter what…"

"Dad?" Ripster asked in fear.

"I'm sorry I can't stay…. believe me when I wish I could stay longer... I love you so much…"

"No dad!" Jab cried.

"Dad?" Streex said standing up and placing his hands on his father's other covered hand.

"I'm sorry my boys…" Bolton spoke "I want to stay…but I cannot, but believe it when I say it…I am so proud of you, and I will forever be watching over you, and I know your mother will be too."

Ripster squeezed Bolton's hand tightly.

"Dad…please!" he begged.

"John…be brave…protect your brothers, look after them, I trust you….and you're not alone, Bends and Lena are there for you too."

"I'll do my best dad." Ripster promised.

"Bobby, Clint, Coop," Bolton then addressed his other three sons, and the three Sharks looked up.

"Be brave, be strong…. look after each other…I know you'll be alright…I'll be watching you, along with your mother, I love you so much."

Ripster looked down at the sheet and he saw through the slit in the sheet Bolton's eyes rolled upwards then slowly closed.

"Dad?" he cried leaning forward "Dad no! Please don't go! Not yet!"

The other three Sharks looked at him with horrified expressions then looked at their father.

"Dad!" Streex yelled.

"No! Please!" Jab begged.

Slammu just stared then lowered his head and put his hands to his face and sobbed.

From the other side of the curtains, Lena and Bends heard the Shark's mournful cries and it confirmed for them that Dr Bolton had taken his last breath.

Lena started crying softly and Bends pulled her into a comforting hug, his own tears falling.

Ripster knelt down and lowered his head to his father's hand as the tears fell.

Streex meanwhile put his arms around the shoulders of Slammu and Jab and let them sob into his shoulders as his own tears fell.

"I'm glad we got to meet again, father." He whispered, "Rest in peace."

End Flashback

Ripster blinked away tears and he soon appeared in what appeared to be a room that was filled with boxes.

He looked around and was about to check his cell phone when the other sharks soon appeared as they leapt out of the ground.

"Jawsome!" Jab cheered "We're in!"

Slammu looked around slightly nervous.

"I hope no-one heard us." He gulped.

Streex scanned the room and sniffed the air.

"It's pretty quiet here." He said, "Yet we can't count that as safe just yet!"

Jab looked around then turned to Ripster who was standing silent and his eyes slightly watery.

"Hey Rip? You okay bud?" he asked cocking his head on one side.

Ripster turned to Jab and quickly blinked and wiped his eyes.

"I'm fine!" he lied "I just got a bit of dirt in my eyes on the way in."

"I wonder if the Turtles and Monalisa got inside without problems?" Streex asked.

Ripster was about to answer when he saw a message appear on the screen of his cell phone.

"Got the answer right here bro!" he replied, "The turtles and Monalisa are inside!"

"Sweet!" Jab said.

"Okay guys." Ripster said "Remember the plan? We stick together, move silently and quietly."

"And if we run into trouble?" Slammu asked.

"Hopefully we won't!" Ripster replied "But we silence them! No holding back!"

The other sharks agreed.

"I just hope the Hamato Clan will be alright." Slammu said in a worried voice.

"I'm sure they will be." Ripster said "This is a common thing for them to do."

"Doesn't mean something might go wrong." Jab spoke but Streex clapped his hand over his mouth.

"Don't jinx it!" he hissed.

Ripster shook his head.

"Come on boys." He said, "Let's shut down Paradigm once and for all!"

The Sharks glared and agreed then began to follow Ripster out of the storeroom.

Meanwhile, the Hamato Clan had made their way into the Headquarters.

All of them had decided to split up and go solo so they covered every area of the Headquarters.

Monalisa crawled through one of the vents on the West side of the buildings, being a lot smaller than the turtles, she was able to go through silently.

She moved along silently and looked through the openings in the vents where she saw many ninja patrolling the hallways.

Many were walking up and down and chatting, and some were leaning against the wall.

Many were speaking Japanese, so she was unable to understand what they were talking about which did frustrate her a little but she knew the turtles, especially Leonardo to understand it fluently so if he picked up anything he would let her know.

"I wonder if any of the V5 or those Seavite freaks are around?" she thought "My fans are sharpened and ready to slice and dice!"

Moving along further, she began to think about how much easier it would be if the Chicago Knights were with them, but she knew along with her mate and adopted brothers they couldn't keep asking them to help with their problems as they had their own back in Chicago.

Yet a thought crossed her mind that they would love to meet the Street Sharks.

"When we succeed in this mission, we'll invite them to Mutopia, I'm sure everyone will love them! Especially Sharky!"

She chuckled imagining the mutant Shark's face should be meet their new friends.

"Man, he's in for a big surprise!" she thought with a giggle.

She quickly covered her mouth as she thought the noise would attract attention, but luckily it didn't as she saw the ninjas through a vent still walking around and doing their daily business.

Shaking her head, Monalisa kept her mind on the mission and continued to crawl through the vents.

"When I see that Freak Arden…he and I are gonna dance!" she snarled.

So the Sharks and the Hamato Clan have entered the Foot Headquarters, the tension builds!

Such a sad flashback there, but the Sharks will promise to do their father proud!

Keep checking back for more coming soon!