Chapter 1; Enter the Lotus
'The Lotus' was something of a modern phenomenon in the city. Other than the fact that 'The Lotus' was a thief of the highest calibre, leaving nothing at the scene of the crime to give them self away. The police had worked all of their informants on the street and found to their dismay that the person in question was not allied with any of the local gangs. It seemed that this thief was impossible to capture let alone successfully identify from the shots that graced the screens of numerous precincts across New York.
However like any good thief 'The Lotus' left their fair share of calling cards, first and foremost was the presence of a fresh white lotus in full flower. Some times it was laid gracefully besides an unconscious security guard, in other instances, most notably those when this thief was disturbed the flower would be found hanging from the wall. It's sap seeping painfully from the fleshy wound in its stem only to forlornly drip towards the ground. There were even times when some reasoned that the flower was added as an afterthought, indicating that the thief would risk capture by returning to the scene of the crime in order to identify it as their own doing. It was generally agreed that it was an odd thing to do. Not that it assisted them in capturing the person in question.
More often than not the often sickly scent of the plant itself would hang in the air. Other notable features of this particular thief was their cat like agility and grace, each fluent movement that the camera's caught showed a person who was more than a little aware of their surroundings. They moved slowly, each foot placed down with graceful ease, before often springing into action at the mere hint of company. There were times when the thief would retreat from facing her would-be captors head on by ducking into the shadows, but at other times they became far more dangerous. Concealed upon their person lay a single sword. When cornered the weapon was drawn with grace and ease, the weapon always given a customary swing in order to test its weight before the tip would be lowered and the attack begin. Usually, the police were relieved to report; the thief would use their weapon to corner their company before throwing some sort of dust at them. In other incidences it was a fine mist, the victims reporting that the spray was heavily scented like that of the flower the thief now claimed as their own. Either way it was becoming less of an issue what the thief was using to subdue any quarry they crossed, the point of the matter was that they were getting away. And that was a fact that the New York Police Department could no longer escape.
Male, female, old or young this thief needed to be apprehended and soon, before they succeeded in making a complete and utter laughing stock of all the security measures that New York had to offer.
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How did Raph do it? Leonardo had been out wandering the streets of the city since mid-morning. Working on the assumption that Raph had taken up the mantle he had been bitching about for so long it only seemed right that Leo fulfil his brother's duties of brooding in the city. However, unlike his brother he had no problem in calming down, and so by lunchtime Leo was now decidedly calmer, significantly colder thanks to the cool fall that New York was having, and indeterminably bored.
Breathing into his hands he glanced up at the digital clock attached to the side of the Channel Three news building. 18.17 Twenty past six ... Leo could feel his thoughts taking on a slightly desperate whine that came with absolutely nothing constructive to do, Raph could stay out all night . Letting out a long sigh he hurried on, without his coat to hide his rather freakish form there was no way that he could head to the cinema, or even walk along the high street and while away the time staring in shop windows. Resigning himself to a boring couple of hours before returning to the spotlight Leo decided to go up. Entering into a side alley he pulled down the ladder to the fire escape before beginning the long climb up to the city skyline. At least the view would be different. He hoped.
As the hours of dusk began to set in Leo moved onwards towards yet another rooftop, twice now he had come nearer to April's store in the hope of having somewhere to hide out. And twice he had decided against it, what if Master Splinter was there waiting? Or if April had been told to call the moment she heard anything from the usually cool leader? No ... it wouldn't be 'Raph' to just go home ... sinking down onto the ledge of an apartment block he watched April's store keenly. With the lights off and the curtains drawn the building looked like it was dozing in the autumn dusk, something he wouldn't blame them for. Whilst he waited he heard a call on his ShellCell, picking it up he looked at the display screen before hanging up. Putting it down on the raised lip of the slate grey building he began to count the number of midnight blue clouds that were streaking across the darkening sky.
'The Lotus' moved swiftly through the city streets, her feet padding softly along the slick tarmac as she hurried onwards. The list she had been given was almost complete, which was always a good thing since it meant she could leave this strange city sooner rather than later. Her target for tonight was a Bohemian Vase from the Mei-Li period; a beautiful piece of sky blue and ivory china depicting the unsuccessful attempts of the Huns to invade. By all accounts and via all pictures she had seen of the piece she had to admit that this particular trinket was rather beautiful, and would be a joy to behold in her black clad hands. Smiling in anticipation at the thought she continued past her target for that night, the importance of a petite girl dressed in jeans and a snow jacket lost on the eyes of a bored turtle sitting across the street.
Drawing his knees up to his chest Leo turned to his cell to look up the time, 18.49 Close enough Pushing himself up from the buildings edge Leonardo turned to leave, his attention only drawn back to April's decidedly quiet store by the sound of the internal alarm going off. Picking up his ShellCell the eldest brother carefully attached the device to his belt before heading cautiously to the wrought iron fire escape the building had to offer. Descending rapidly the single turtle crossed the street to see if anyone was in April's empty store.
"April?"
Peering through the net curtain and smoky glass Leo frowned some more, though the alarm continued to blare from within there was no apparent sign of intrusion. Something wasn't right. Moving to the side of the building the eldest brother reached began to wish he hadn't let Raph get the better of him, he could be in the lair, meditating and instead he was creeping around a locked building looking for what would most likely be a stray cat. If only he could be that lucky ... Having crept down the far alley Leo was in the process of checking the back of the building when the first of many shadows fell across him. With a wry smile on his face he turned to face the first foot shoulder, his hand already reaching up to retrieve a blade that was not there. The smile faltered for a moment as a third shadow fell across him, closely followed by a fourth and then a sixth. Rubbing his eyes Leo shook his head slightly whilst seeking some method of solving the looming crisis. Before he got an opportunity to speak to anyone that might pick up, the first Foot man made his move. Ducking beneath the kick Leo let out a hiss of breath, having spent the day out in the cold his muscles were now tight and sore. With a co-ordination he had not seen before the six men moved in to attack and then retreat, testing out his boundaries before ducking out of view, dallying and then moving in once more. Fending off blow after faux-blow was a tiring exercise, that following a day of little food or warmth began to quickly take its toll on his body. Throwing away one swinging leg the turtle slipped on the slick concrete to drop to one knee, and it was from that point onwards he felt the tide turn. Quick to react two of the men moved in to grasp him from behind pushing his body downwards, whilst two of his compatriots moved to rein blow after blow onto his chest and upper torso.
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The alarm within the store was an old one that did not succumb to the wonders of modern technology, so after only a moments attention wasted on attempting to get the alarm of the antique store to stop 'The Lotus' had got to work.
"YAAAAAGH!!!"
Even over the din that the alarm system made the cry of another was impossible to miss. Curiosity took her to the window, and a blind hatred for the men in purple suits brought her outside. Drawing her sword she abandoned all notion of fair play towards her opponents, and Chinese pottery in order to dispense some justice on behalf of the man they repeated held down and struck. 'Lotus' moved with the grace of a cat on the prowl, each one of her steps soft on the ear yet firm on the ground. Holding the shining tip of her katana upwards she brought it down with a swinging hiss towards the back of the first man. Gaining purchase a small smile spread upon her face as her action attracted the attention of the others. With two remaining behind to keep an eye on the injured man the thief continued to dance with her soon to be victims. Their attempts to corner her were greeted with agile, graceful movements out of the way, the one time a man succeeded in grabbing her arm Lotus brought up her knee into his groin. She may be a warrior at heart, but she certainly understood, and knew when to fall back on cruder tactics. Pushing the winded man over she delivered a swift blow to his throat before turning to the other two that hovered, every time she moved towards them they moved back, watching her with the same intensity she afforded them. Seeking a weak spot to apply pressure to in what she presumed would be a single co-ordinated attack. Deciding against giving the men that sort of opportunity Lotus called to the beaten, stationary figure the remaining two held in place, "Help!" Working as a team should guarantee a victory.
From his place on the floor Leonardo raised his aching head, though his muscles ached, he gave a slight nod of his head. Gritting his teeth against pain that he was sure would ensue he put all of his weight against the balls of his feet, powering himself up and free from their grasp. Raising his hands in the hope of deflecting blows he expected to come. Instead the sweet smell of lotus filled the air causing his already light head to swim. Looking across to his strange ally in black Leo idly wondered if this was what it had been like when Raph and Casey had met for the first time. Barely able to stand let alone contemplate such random thoughts, he sank downwards; his ungraceful fall broken by two surprisingly strong, yet thin arms, "I am sorry, yes?" a gentle voice queried in his ear "But I have job to do ..."
"The phone ..." Leo muttered sleepily, he'd have to call his brothers, let them know that something was wrong. Moving sluggishly on the ground he winced, the sedative properties of the lotus unable to disguise the fact that a rib or two were broken.
Looking around her Lotus nodded in simple understanding, re-sheathing her sword to pick in between the fallen Foot soldiers and to the device. Intrigued by the persistent flashing on the outside of the plastic casing the thief opened it up.
Dammit Leo, where the Hell have you been? Raph yelled into the communicator.
Yea! We've been worried aboutcha! Mikey chimed in, cutting off the end of his volatile brother's tirade. Has anyone told ya ya do a real good impression of Raph?
Frowning Lotus held the device up to the fading night sky, the tiny digital camera Donny had attached, capturing a clear shot of a black mask spread over a narrow face, the added touch of silver gauze stretched over the eye sockets giving it justifiable menace. Upon seeing the stranger the three turtles paused.
Leo?
Lotus held the ShellCell in her hand, saying nothing to the voices that chipped out. Looking around her immediate area she held up the camera to the front of April's store, successfully capturing the image of a shop front half shrouded in the blue-black of descending night.
Leo!
Dropping her hands down to her side she swung the device back and forth repeatedly leaving the brothers with half blurred images of fallen Foot Clan. Ignoring the call for response she glanced towards the open of the store. Pulling the door to she continued to Leonardo's side.
LEO!
I don't know who the fkin' Hell you think you are ... but if you've done a damn thing to ... Raph began to bark into the microphone, feeling his anger slowly surge up with each care free image that their mysterious black clad 'friend' chose to show. Amused by the angry stream of words that began to pour from the communicator Lotus bent down to gently shake the blue turtle. Smiling fondly at the memory of his willingness to fight, it only took her a few moments to get a response from the dazed boy. She liked it when they were like this; mildly alert, yet too relaxed by the flowers traits to do anything to stop her. Leonardo's glazed eyes flickered slightly at her touch, his aching chest no longer a worry to him at that moment in time. Attempting to move, Lotus stopped him from doing so, there was no need for an injured warrior to exasperate already troublesome wounds. Instead raising the cell up she let the teens see it was where he lay.
"Th...s" he breathed softly, gratefully returning to the peace his induced state afforded him. On the part of Lotus her smile widened slightly. He was grateful. Withdrawing her hand she studied the small key pad before finally settling down upon the right button to press. Wincing at the bright camera light that went off when she did so she gently placed the ShellCell down by the turtle, satisfied that her work tonight was done.
Seeing their brother lying compliantly on the cold concrete of a back alley succeeded in making Raph's blood boil. Reaching to yell at the stranger one last time Donny noted that the phone had moved again, abandoned on the floor before Leo's battered chest. Leonardo himself didn't look too good, his usually bright green skin was covered in dusty footprints, his chest particularly afflicted by this discolouration. On the tip of his bandanna were what looked like spots of fresh red, the sight of which set off another angry tirade from Raphael. Leaning over he yelled into the receiver again, LEO!
LEO! Goddamit, pick up!
Lying in the side alley, the three watched on as the daylight faded out. Time and again they yelled at their brother to get up and move, Hell give them some indication of where it was he lay was all they needed. Of who, if anyone, was with him. As the cool night set in so did a growing fear of doubt. Doubt that they would not reach their brother in time.
By the time they did find him the night was at its coldest, the scent of lotus hanging heavy in the air.
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A.N - The game is a foot ... questions, queries ... just leave a message after the beep ....
