The Last Ninja Turtle

By Courtney Kays

Chapter 2: The Surprise Attack

"You have what?" Raph spat out when Donny told them what wrong with him.

He honestly did not think any of them could get sick. Even when they were very young their immune systems managed fight off everything. They probably owed that to the mutagen for their stability. Once in awhile they would have colds or short-term spells of nausea they were very common with every animal. What Donatello said he supposedly had was a human sickness. Surely his genius brother could of made a mistake.

"Yes, asthma. It could go away or can simply be controlled with medication. If I'm not careful, I could have it for the rest of my life." He said while holding hand full of papers he had printed from the internet.

Leonardo looked slightly shocked as Raphael. What Donatello was speaking of was serious. "Do you know how bad you have it?

Donatello shrugged and wrinkled his brow. "I seem to have a moderate case. The only time I've had problems with my breathing were when I was around strong chemicals or over exertion. If I can avoid things like that for a little while I should be fine." All of his brothers nodded and looked much calmer, except Michelangelo.

"I've heard you can die from diseases like that." He said in a low serious voice that surprised his older brothers. Donatello only smiled reassuringly.

"Don't worry about that, Mikey. If I have any more problems, I'll take care of it." He only sighed and turned to go into the kitchen.

Leonardo and Raphael glanced at each other, wondering why Michelangelo was so worked up.

Donatello had been making notes for the past three days. So far he did not have any breathing difficulties. He still trained with his brothers and when he felt too winded he would step out for a little while and continue later. Taking short breaks when working with his chemicals and oils used in his inventions helped him avoid coughing. It had been working like a charm and just to be the safe side he would check his breathing with a sythascope Casey gave him for a birthday present. With the headset on, he listened for any blockage in his lungs with the end pressed on the plates of his chest. There was a slight wheezing echoing there, but nothing serious. He jotted down his check up on his makeshift notepad to keep a record of his condition. He was lucky to have had only one breathing attack and he knew if he had anymore them he would have to do something about it soon. But he was feeling fine now and for now that was all that mattered.

He remembered how upset Michelangelo was when he announced he had asthma. Donatello was as frightened about it as he was, but being the logical turtle he was, he knew knowledge was the key to get around it. He might be able to find some books about it at the second hand bookshop. The sound of music coming from Mikey's room broke him out of his thoughts. He was either reading or writing again and Donatello wondered if he would like to take a trip to the shop with him. He was sure Leonardo would not mind a bit. He was a bit more protective of them going out alone since Splinter passed away. Knowing that Mikey going with him would calm his nerves.

Wrapping his knuckled on his brother door put to a stop the music. "Hey Mikey, are you up for a visit to the bookshop?

"Oh heck yeah!" Michelangelo crowed and jumped up to get his coat and hat. "I need to find a sequel to one of the books I'm reading. I'm dying to know to happens.

Donatello grabbed his coat and flopped on his hat. "How's your novel coming along?

Michelangelo sighed and grave him a lopsided grin. "It's coming.

They took a short cut across Central Park and began following a street in the older part of New York. Both of them had their hats pulled far down over their heads and their hands deep in their pockets. New York was the perfect city to blend in. There so many different kinds of people and unusual things walking around, no one bothered to give two stocky turtles dressed in trench coats, even with a bo strapped around the back. They almost reached the building where the shop was when they noticed another trench coated figure was racing across the street cursing like a mad man.

Donatello and Michelangelo quickly sprinted and hid in an alley and watched where the figure was going. "Oh man, what is Raph doing now," Mikey groaned. Sneaking out of the alley they followed him to a large empty parking lot behind a building. Raphael had been dealing with gang members again by the looks of it. The unfortunate group of five or six boys were soon closed in by a very angry turtle.

"Five bucks ol' Raph is going to let them go with a warning." Mikey giggled. Hardly any of them messed around with criminals anymore. They used to go looking for them on scouting missions daily when they were still dealing with the Foot. With that all in the past there was no reason to start any trouble, until it found them first. However, Raph was a different story. He would go looking trouble. They all knew that back in the day Raph would kill without qualms if he had to. Now they wondered if he calmed down on his raids or if he was just a bad as he was as a teenager.

Raphael slowed down once he had the criminals against the fence. They were gibbering to one another, not knowing what to do.

"What the hell! The thing had knifes or somethin'É" One of them croaked out without taking his eyes off the advancing form.

"Ah manÉ.I've heard about this guyÉ" Another whimpered. "He can take down twenty armed men in seconds. Moves fast tooÉ.

"I've heard another thing about him too." One member hissed and reached for the pocket of his coat. "He ain't bullet proof.

Michelangelo's sharp eyes saw the man's hand move and growled. "Oh no, Raph get out of there!" He could not see if his brother noticed the gun as he continued to close in on the gang.

Both of the turtles darted out of the alley and shot toward the armed man. Even with their ninja speed, the bullet fired and headed straight for Raph before they reached them. Michelangelo tackled the man only seconds the bullet hit it's target. Raph shifted and weaved as fast as he could, the bullet only grazing the top of his right shoulder. He was very lucky. The gang scattered when one of their members was pinned to the ground by Michelangelo. The man yelped and managed to pull himself away and ran down another street. Raphael only shook off the pain in his arm and sprinted after him. It did not seem like he noticed Michelangelo or Donatello as he ran past them.

"Raph!" Donatello yelled.

"What the hell is his problem?" Michelangelo cursed, throwing his hat to the ground. "He almost got himself shot!

"He did." Donatello muttered, pushing a piece of torn cloth from Raphael's trench coat.

"Man, Leo is going to kill him!" He shook his head and took out of his chucks and motioned Don to follow. The both of them followed the crazed turtle for a few blocks, trying to catch up.

Donatello began to slow slightly, panicked when he reliesed that the more the air he was sucking into his lungs the harder it was to expel it. Wanting to help his brother he continued to his pace. He was feeling dizzy and soon the air entering his lungs was caught in his chest. It hurt so badly, like a vice had clamped down on his chest. His lungs were screaming for oxygen and he could not obey them. Donatello finally stumbled and fell to his knees.

Michelangelo turned his head over his shoulder and saw his brother on the ground gasping for air. "Oh not again!" He franticly looked back and forth to his angry brother chasing the gang and to his other brother lying in the street. "Raph can save himself." Michelangelo jerked himself into the other direction to help Donatello.

"Donny!" He cried and skidded on his knees to reach him quickly. His brother was hunched over, trying to force the air out. "Oh okay okay. UmmÉcalm down. Okay? Just breath slower." He trying to do what Leonardo did to help, but it did not seem to be working. Donatello kept gasping and the wheezing sound was one of the most horrible things he had ever heard coming from him. His eyes were closing and his face was turning blue. "No! C'mon Donny, just breath slower!" Michelangelo kept rubbing his shell, wondering if it was doing any good.

Finally after god knows how long, Donatello finally forced a few more coughs out, clearing his lungs. Sucking in air, he calmed down and his wheezing subsided.

"Oh thank goodness." Michelangelo whispered. "You okay, Donny?

After a few more coughs he said weakly, "Yeah. I had a attackÉ" Michelangelo looked very relieved that his brother managed through his second breathing dilemma. He helped him up and noticed a figure turning a corner toward them.

Raphael squinted his eyes and jogged up to them. "What the hell happened? Did Donny have another one?

Michelangelo looked a mess, still shaken up from Donatello's close call. He was too upset to argue with Raphael and he knew he get a long lecture from Leonardo. Don was very weak from his struggle with his lungs. The lack of oxygen left him lightheaded as it was slowly flowing back into his system. "If you want to help," he muttered in his throat as he grabbed Donatello's shoulder to balance him, "You can help him back to the lair." He half wondered if Raph would take off again, knowing that a long-winded lecture was awaiting him.

To his surprise, Raphael did not say a word and grabbed the other shoulder.

TBC