Days until Trial – 7
Current Status of Witness – Alive, in transit
Location – Classified, within New York State
"A family meeting? At nine! C'mon!" Kicking a stray tin can Mikey pouted at his older brother. For the past hour and a half the five of them had been chilling out under the eclipse, munching pizza and sipping soda. And now, right now, just when they had finally talked Leo round to the idea of kicking back Splinter was calling a meeting at April's. And the general consensus was that it sucked major ass. Lovingly packing away his telescope bought them another five minutes in the fresh air and misplaced sunshine, but in the end even Donny had to concede defeat. Pulling his telescope onto his shoulders he looked up at the moon one last time before letting out a long sigh, and reluctantly following after his already moving brothers. The night was peaceful now that the Foot had gone on the retreat once again. With their numbers dwindling and their activity negligible there was a sense that something 'big' was coming, Slowly speculation on what that might be came into the conversation as they headed in.
"Rec'on it's gotta be a jewel or so'ethin'."
"Raph, why would Shredder want jewellery? It's got to be something more than that." Leo reasoned.
"Oh, I dunno, a nice sapphire might really bring out the red in his eyes!" Mikey pointed out, opting to skip as well as run, walk and generally act up. "Ya know a really big one. Cud put it atop of his helmet, like a lantern or sumthin'!"
"Mikey?" his three brothers spoke in near unison.
"Yea?" Stopping in his latest series of hopping, the youngest turned around on one foot to stare expectantly at his siblings.
"C'mere …" raising one hand up Raph beckoned his brother to come over.
"Nu-uh!" Shaking his head, Mikey stayed put, the tip of his tongue poking out the side of his mouth. "I know whad that means …"
"Raphael is not going to hit you up the back of the head for living up to genetic expectations," Turning from one brother to the other Donny waited for a response in the affirmative "are you?."
Uncertainly Mikey slowly shuffled forwards, his hands hanging low around his middle whilst he waited. This would be new … Raph was going to actually not slap him up the back of the head for saying something stupid. Eyeing his brother suspiciously he came within striking distance, his face openly showing all signs of complete mistrust.
"C'mere." Raph repeated beckoning his brother to come closer.
"Nu-uh! Here's good!" Stamping his foot Mikey repeated the gesture, "Right here!"
Sighing his other brothers moved onwards leaving Mikey standing behind with Raph and a lingering Casey.
"We're going to be late!" Leo called back after another two minutes were wasted on the awkward standoff. Pausing at the bend in the path he watched on with Donny, who in turn was nervously fiddling with the strap of his telescope case. Sure, he knew he couldn't get it out again … but still, his eyes cast wistfully back towards the skyline, squinting slightly to capture the golden light as it passed over the moon.
"Shuddup!" Raph finally growled, Mikey was right, anticipation was way better than the hit. Walking past him he jogged to catch up his other brothers, Casey slapping Mikey up the back of the head in Raphael's place.
Snickers greeted Mikey's outraged "Hey! No fair!" but at least they were moving again. And Mikey was being quiet. Five shaded figures slipped out of the leafy safety the park afforded them and into the cold, hostile lanes that made up New York City. Whilst they moved, what little grit the floor had to offer crunched under foot, the minor sound emphasised all the more by the lack of residual activity that should have awaited them. But, once again, as there had been many other nights, there was no lingering ambush, no drive by from an armoured car, no taunting dragons. Things were getting so slow that there was almost a desire to hunt down, and initiate one of the other gangs of New York. And just as Raph was about to suggest this to Casey Mikey piped up again …
"Wanna know whad I think would look really hot on ol'Tin-Skin? A nice set of pearl earrings, or maybe a set of emerald chokers. Or … or …" stopping dead he brought up one hand with a triumphant smile. "Black silk! Sum nice sexy black lingerie, cos lets face it that metal has gotta chafe! An' can ya just imagine his dry cleaning bill, if he moved into the blacks then there would be no more nasty blood stains ta worry about!"
"MICHELANGELO!" full named by all of his brothers. Mikey's triumphant smile faded somewhat. Looking at the horrified expressions his family had to offer him he paused, sucking in his cheeks he shifted his weight slightly. "Whad?"
Raph and Casey didn't even give him the benefit of trying to weasel his way out of it. "Wha'! Crossdressin' Shredders aint so'ethin' I want t'be dreamin' o't'night?" As his little brother took off up the street with a whoop of joy Raph, Casey and after a moment's hesitation, Donny took up pursuit.
Shaking his head in sheer disbelief, Leo could only mutter "Thank God it's a slow night …" before following his brother's lead and taking up the chase.
x-x-x-x
So far, so good. The small jet had been parked in the loading bay of the La Guardia airport for the past two hours, and no suspicion had been raised. Taking sanctuary in the small toilet Patrick adjusted the satin black tie for the third time. In order to maintain the illusion of being an important business man he had been instructed to change his clothing. So now his well worn forest green turtleneck sweater lay on top of the small suitcase he had brought onto the craft in Chicago. A flawless white shirt with neatly ironed in creases covered his wide frame, the full sleeves concealing the Templar vest that stretched over his back and limbs. Hanging on the back of the folding door was the much lauded prize of his new wardrobe – a black dinner suit jacket, and as long as it was accompanied by the sunglasses and wig there was no reason why he couldn't pass for one of his minders. Or at least that was the plan, this flight contained the 'decoy' whilst the 'witness' was smuggled in via transit.
Apparently there had been frantic phone calls and a change of plans during the landing. Naturally Patrick had been changing at the time, so he was not supposed to be aware of the change in plans. The rumour that floated through the cabin made it sound like the Dragons were already back to their old tricks.
x-x-x-x
The light of the TV screen cut to black as the hastily recorded transmission ended for the second time. The static from the switched on television flooded the room whilst the small troop shared expectant glances, all of which inevitably returned to Donny.
"Well, that would explain a lot." Donny muttered, his eyes flickering away from the four sets of eyes that kept returning to him. "I suppose this is the part where I dig something up?"
"Give the man a prize …" Raph muttered quietly, shifting his weight around on his spot on the floor. "So yo'want us doin' what?"
"To ensure that this case makes its trial date Raphael" Splinter his request sound as normal and as natural as sending one of his sons out to get some dinner.
Nudging Raph in his side Casey leant over to whisper in his ear, "P'haps he'd like us t'part th'seas too!" Snickering Raph nodded his head in agreement, talk about asking for the impossible.
"How?" Mikey piped up, ignoring the quiet chuckling that came from the sofa behind him. He knew he probably sounded really stupid right now, but that was a pretty tall order, even for their Father.
"Once Donatello has pinpointed the most valuable pieces of evidence it is going to become our responsibility to see that it remains intact." Taking the time to look at each one of his children Splinter took special care to make eye contact with Raphael, satisfied that his silence would remain he continued his sweep of the room.
"How?"
"By watching over it, and if the situation arises it may need to be removed for safe-keeping."
"So we guna getta play 007?"
"I suppose that is one way to look at it Michelangelo."
"Sweet!"
x-x-x-x
Alice Winchester walked the same route home everyday. She assumed she knew everything there was to know about her neighbour, for instance his cousin was recently married to a lovely young woman from Michigan. Standing at the tip of the curb, she glanced up the street, and then down before crossing, her eyes skimming over the non-descript blue SUV twice. Both times her eyes glimpsed the behemoth at the wheel of the vehicle, with his long blonde hair, and cold narrow eyes. Both times she failed to notice the intensity with which he in turn was watching her. Satisfied that the road in the small community estate was clear Alice stepped out into the road, her cold hands grasping the black straps of her bag to stop if from slipping from her shoulder.
In the vehicle the large man gave a small nod, with which the black clad man whom he sat with turned the key in the ignition. Shifting the car into third gear the car lurched from the curb to slowly creep into the street and towards the unsuspecting woman. Winding down one window the large man in the passenger seat slid one arm out, to gently lay his large hand down onto the roof of the cab. "Seatbelt …" he snarled to his companion, his narrowed brown eyes never leaving Alice's delicate frame. Hearing the click of metal biting into metal he gave a small nod, and simple, detached instruction. "Drive."
And with a horrific crash, Alice Winchester, main prosecutor for the trial McCormack & Norman, was gone. One of first of the many integral links in the chain to come crashing down.
In the car, Hun merely smiled, "One down," he informed the man on the other end of the line. "Two to go."
In his office the smile on the face of Oroku Saki was almost as cold as the frostbite that was descending down over the city.