Chapter Seven - The Runaway
Sarah sat by Casey's window and sighed. It had been two days since he had gone to help the turtles without her. She assumed there were more than one after the incident she had had in the sewer tunnel a few weeks prior to the attack on the red masked turtle. Her anger had fizzed and had been replaced by worry.
Something bad had happened. She had already known about the unconscious one and had hoped that he was doing well. If not for his sake, then for her little sister's sake. From what she had seen, he would without a doubt get along well with Rachael.
She looked around the small apartment until her eyes came to rest on her suitcases. It had only been that morning that she had moved out of the motel and into his place. She couldn't stand it anymore. Being paitent was not one of her strong points... then there was the silence, the waiting and most of all, the feeling of not knowing. The knowledge was keeping her awake and she found herself tossing and turning all night. She knew that there wasn't much she could do at this point. Other than the fact that she almost knew nothing about the Foot, her health wouldn't permit her. Her cheek was still tender and the bruise was now black with a purple tinge on the outer edges, other than that, any kind of exertion brought on a migrane and she knew that she had to take it easy, there was no point in doing a job and only getting half way through, but then again, there was something she could do.....
... she knew of the sewer den and had gone back twice, but had never gone in. Now it was time. Time to find some answers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sarah smiled to herself as she crept along the shadowed sewer. She had gone overboard when she had changed, but she also knew that it was neccessary... just in case.
She paused and looked down at herself. She was in full battle gear ranging from the top to the pants, she even had her hood on and guantlets on her arms. She crabbed her dagger and gripped it like she would an ice pick - the blade in front of her with her fingers curled tightly and her thumb on the top of the handle. Who knew what lay ahead?
The door was open so she quickly slid inside, her senses on full alert, her eyes quickly darting around the room. She took a few more steps in, then lowered the blade. The room was empty. Resheathing the dagger, she headed toward the back of the room. Something had to give her some answers. Nothing. Whoever had trashed the room had done a good job conceiling any evidence of the mystery turtle and whoever he was with.
She spun around as she heard someone coming down the sewer in her direction. With her back to the wall, she once again unsheathed her dagger. Now she would get her answers.
As the figure entered the room, she pounced. The figure stared in horror as a black clad ninja leapt from the shadows. He dropped his knapsack as the dagger was placed at his throat.
"I dunno where they are! They're gone and I dunno when they'll be back!" Sarah said nothing. It was her guess that he thought that she was someone else.
"I know they're mad. Please don't tell Master Tatsu. Please don't!!" He pleaded.
"Who's mad?" Sarah whisphered, disgusing her voice, so that he couldn't tell that she was female.
"Shredder" Sarah stood there for a moment. Shredder? She didn't know the name, but she recognised the symbol he had stitched onto the flap of his knapsack. The youth was a member of the Foot.
He didn't have any training, that she could tell as soon as she had laid eyes on the undiscipled youth. She didn't consider him a threat, so she lowered the dagger and resheathed it as the youth let out a sign of relief. He spun around and faced her. Noticing that his attacker wasn't wearing a red headband, he then knew.
"You're not with the Foot, are you?"
"No" Sarah answered, where the youth relaxed a little. She then knew that his soul wasn't into it, so there was still a chance for him.
"You're a woman!"
"Got a problem with that?" She hissed. He put his hands infront of him defensively, eyeing her belt that contained her dagger.
"No, just surprised" he muttered. He didn't want to upset her.
"You and me both" she said as she had another look around the room. "Look, don't worry, I ain't gonna hurt you, even if you are a Foot member... besides, if I wanted to, you'd be unconscious by now."
"That's comforting" he said sarcastically. Sarah paused, that had sounded harsh, but she had meant to scare him a little.
"Look, I meant what I said, I'm not one to worry about unless you give me a reason too"
"Mmm, oookay" he paused for a moment. "So, what are you doing here?" He asked.
"What are you?" Sarah shot back, she too was curious as to why he was here.
"I asked you first!" He asked with a faint smile, trying to cover his nerves. Sarah decided the only way he was going to talk was if she tried to be nice.
"Mmm, okay. I was interested in the owners of the joint...." she was interrupted as she heard something coming from the sewers. They had company. "Stay here and keep quiet!" She said pulling the dagger from her belt. She silently walked into the sewer, her eyes and ears open.
She walked a short way away from the sewer when she heard someone following her and she slid into a nearby shadow. She held her breath as two foot members walked passed her in silence.
"I saw something, maybe the kid is here"
"Nah, the sewer den was empty, noone's been here" the other one muttered. "We're wasting our time, those freaks haven't been back either, let's get back" Sarah raised an eyebrow, angered from what they had called the turtle, but didn't act on it. Now was not the time. She had to wait and gather information. They rounded a corner and she followed in silence as they went up the nearest ladder into the street.
Sarah waited a moment then went up the ladder and into the alley. Something on the corner of her eye caught her attention. She reached out and crabbed the youth, pulling him into the shadows with her.
"I told you too wait behind!" She hissed quietly.
"But I..."
"Don't try my paitence boy!" He went to respond as a member was about to walk past and Sarah quickly cupped his mouth with her hand.
"I thought I heard someone" the member said to his partner. The two looked around.
"Maybe the kid is here, stay alert" after a minute they walked off and Sarah relaxed, reclaiming her hand back.
"That was too close" she whisphered.
"Look, I didn't want to stay there alone, so I followed you"
"So I noticed... how come they want you?" The youth looked down, ashamed.
"What did you do?" Sarah questioned as her angry eyes narrowed behind her hood.
"I ah..."
"What?" She demanded.
"I told the master about the turtles"
"You what!" She yelled, then paused, realising her mistake. "Quick, go home, they'll be back any minute"
"But I..."
"Just do it!" She snapped. He looked at her for a second, then ran off.
"Stupid kid!"She muttered to herself, it was because of him that the apartment had caught on fire and the turtle was badly hurt. Her train of thought was interrupted as she heard a shriek and recognised it as being the youths'. She ran into the street, to see two ninjas trying to push him into the back of a van. Sarah pounced reaching for a capsule in her belt. Thick black smoke rose from the ground. The youth froze as all he could see was thick smoke followed by a short burst of hits. He stiffened up when he saw a black clad ninja reach for him.
"C'mon!" Sarah hissed softly. The youth reached and took the helping hand. They heard a noise and spun around as the front doors opened and four more ninja stepped out. Sarah gulped hard. She was not fit to fight four at once.
"Run!" She turned on her heel and ran for her life dragging the youth with her. They ran back into the alley and headed for a fire escape. Sarah jumped and crabbed onto the end and pulled it, looking behind her. They were getting closer. She shoved the youth onto the ladder as the first of the foot reached them. She spun on her heel and delivered a mighty side kick to the lower abdomen. As he doubled over she kneed him in the chin, then turned to the ladder.
The youth looked down at the girl who was fighting for him. He saw one approching, one that she had not seen and he opened his mouth to give warning.
"Behind you!"
Sarah crabbed her hanbo from her belt as she heard the warning. She raised the hanbo just in time to deflect a strike. She fought back and raised her hanbo to strike her opponant in the chest. This time she did not hesitate. She scambled up the ladder and pulled it up just as the next ninja approached it. She said nothing to the youth but headed up the ladder, a migrane taking form on the right side of her head. She knew she had to be careful, but it was something that was unavoidable. This youth was her best bet at the moment. They climbed the fire ecape in silence, until they got to the rooftop where they cowered in the shadows.
"So what now?" The youth asked.
"Nothing, you go home." Sarah answered putting the hanbo back into her belt.
"But don't you want your answers?"
"Maybe another time" she answered rubbing her temples.
"Are you okay?" The youth asked and approached her. She brushed him off.
"I'm okay, I've got a migrane that's all"
"I've got some tylonol in my knapsack, c'mon" he reached for her hand and dragged her across the roof of the building. Sarah said nothing, but kept her eyes open in case those ninja did follow. The migrane had increased in strength to the point where she could not concentrate and had trouble keeping her sense of balance. She allowed the youth to lead her back to the sewer den after they carefully made their way down into the street, keeping to the shadows and remaining alert to any wandering foot members.
~ Chapter Eight ~ Up Soon!
Sarah sat by Casey's window and sighed. It had been two days since he had gone to help the turtles without her. She assumed there were more than one after the incident she had had in the sewer tunnel a few weeks prior to the attack on the red masked turtle. Her anger had fizzed and had been replaced by worry.
Something bad had happened. She had already known about the unconscious one and had hoped that he was doing well. If not for his sake, then for her little sister's sake. From what she had seen, he would without a doubt get along well with Rachael.
She looked around the small apartment until her eyes came to rest on her suitcases. It had only been that morning that she had moved out of the motel and into his place. She couldn't stand it anymore. Being paitent was not one of her strong points... then there was the silence, the waiting and most of all, the feeling of not knowing. The knowledge was keeping her awake and she found herself tossing and turning all night. She knew that there wasn't much she could do at this point. Other than the fact that she almost knew nothing about the Foot, her health wouldn't permit her. Her cheek was still tender and the bruise was now black with a purple tinge on the outer edges, other than that, any kind of exertion brought on a migrane and she knew that she had to take it easy, there was no point in doing a job and only getting half way through, but then again, there was something she could do.....
... she knew of the sewer den and had gone back twice, but had never gone in. Now it was time. Time to find some answers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sarah smiled to herself as she crept along the shadowed sewer. She had gone overboard when she had changed, but she also knew that it was neccessary... just in case.
She paused and looked down at herself. She was in full battle gear ranging from the top to the pants, she even had her hood on and guantlets on her arms. She crabbed her dagger and gripped it like she would an ice pick - the blade in front of her with her fingers curled tightly and her thumb on the top of the handle. Who knew what lay ahead?
The door was open so she quickly slid inside, her senses on full alert, her eyes quickly darting around the room. She took a few more steps in, then lowered the blade. The room was empty. Resheathing the dagger, she headed toward the back of the room. Something had to give her some answers. Nothing. Whoever had trashed the room had done a good job conceiling any evidence of the mystery turtle and whoever he was with.
She spun around as she heard someone coming down the sewer in her direction. With her back to the wall, she once again unsheathed her dagger. Now she would get her answers.
As the figure entered the room, she pounced. The figure stared in horror as a black clad ninja leapt from the shadows. He dropped his knapsack as the dagger was placed at his throat.
"I dunno where they are! They're gone and I dunno when they'll be back!" Sarah said nothing. It was her guess that he thought that she was someone else.
"I know they're mad. Please don't tell Master Tatsu. Please don't!!" He pleaded.
"Who's mad?" Sarah whisphered, disgusing her voice, so that he couldn't tell that she was female.
"Shredder" Sarah stood there for a moment. Shredder? She didn't know the name, but she recognised the symbol he had stitched onto the flap of his knapsack. The youth was a member of the Foot.
He didn't have any training, that she could tell as soon as she had laid eyes on the undiscipled youth. She didn't consider him a threat, so she lowered the dagger and resheathed it as the youth let out a sign of relief. He spun around and faced her. Noticing that his attacker wasn't wearing a red headband, he then knew.
"You're not with the Foot, are you?"
"No" Sarah answered, where the youth relaxed a little. She then knew that his soul wasn't into it, so there was still a chance for him.
"You're a woman!"
"Got a problem with that?" She hissed. He put his hands infront of him defensively, eyeing her belt that contained her dagger.
"No, just surprised" he muttered. He didn't want to upset her.
"You and me both" she said as she had another look around the room. "Look, don't worry, I ain't gonna hurt you, even if you are a Foot member... besides, if I wanted to, you'd be unconscious by now."
"That's comforting" he said sarcastically. Sarah paused, that had sounded harsh, but she had meant to scare him a little.
"Look, I meant what I said, I'm not one to worry about unless you give me a reason too"
"Mmm, oookay" he paused for a moment. "So, what are you doing here?" He asked.
"What are you?" Sarah shot back, she too was curious as to why he was here.
"I asked you first!" He asked with a faint smile, trying to cover his nerves. Sarah decided the only way he was going to talk was if she tried to be nice.
"Mmm, okay. I was interested in the owners of the joint...." she was interrupted as she heard something coming from the sewers. They had company. "Stay here and keep quiet!" She said pulling the dagger from her belt. She silently walked into the sewer, her eyes and ears open.
She walked a short way away from the sewer when she heard someone following her and she slid into a nearby shadow. She held her breath as two foot members walked passed her in silence.
"I saw something, maybe the kid is here"
"Nah, the sewer den was empty, noone's been here" the other one muttered. "We're wasting our time, those freaks haven't been back either, let's get back" Sarah raised an eyebrow, angered from what they had called the turtle, but didn't act on it. Now was not the time. She had to wait and gather information. They rounded a corner and she followed in silence as they went up the nearest ladder into the street.
Sarah waited a moment then went up the ladder and into the alley. Something on the corner of her eye caught her attention. She reached out and crabbed the youth, pulling him into the shadows with her.
"I told you too wait behind!" She hissed quietly.
"But I..."
"Don't try my paitence boy!" He went to respond as a member was about to walk past and Sarah quickly cupped his mouth with her hand.
"I thought I heard someone" the member said to his partner. The two looked around.
"Maybe the kid is here, stay alert" after a minute they walked off and Sarah relaxed, reclaiming her hand back.
"That was too close" she whisphered.
"Look, I didn't want to stay there alone, so I followed you"
"So I noticed... how come they want you?" The youth looked down, ashamed.
"What did you do?" Sarah questioned as her angry eyes narrowed behind her hood.
"I ah..."
"What?" She demanded.
"I told the master about the turtles"
"You what!" She yelled, then paused, realising her mistake. "Quick, go home, they'll be back any minute"
"But I..."
"Just do it!" She snapped. He looked at her for a second, then ran off.
"Stupid kid!"She muttered to herself, it was because of him that the apartment had caught on fire and the turtle was badly hurt. Her train of thought was interrupted as she heard a shriek and recognised it as being the youths'. She ran into the street, to see two ninjas trying to push him into the back of a van. Sarah pounced reaching for a capsule in her belt. Thick black smoke rose from the ground. The youth froze as all he could see was thick smoke followed by a short burst of hits. He stiffened up when he saw a black clad ninja reach for him.
"C'mon!" Sarah hissed softly. The youth reached and took the helping hand. They heard a noise and spun around as the front doors opened and four more ninja stepped out. Sarah gulped hard. She was not fit to fight four at once.
"Run!" She turned on her heel and ran for her life dragging the youth with her. They ran back into the alley and headed for a fire escape. Sarah jumped and crabbed onto the end and pulled it, looking behind her. They were getting closer. She shoved the youth onto the ladder as the first of the foot reached them. She spun on her heel and delivered a mighty side kick to the lower abdomen. As he doubled over she kneed him in the chin, then turned to the ladder.
The youth looked down at the girl who was fighting for him. He saw one approching, one that she had not seen and he opened his mouth to give warning.
"Behind you!"
Sarah crabbed her hanbo from her belt as she heard the warning. She raised the hanbo just in time to deflect a strike. She fought back and raised her hanbo to strike her opponant in the chest. This time she did not hesitate. She scambled up the ladder and pulled it up just as the next ninja approached it. She said nothing to the youth but headed up the ladder, a migrane taking form on the right side of her head. She knew she had to be careful, but it was something that was unavoidable. This youth was her best bet at the moment. They climbed the fire ecape in silence, until they got to the rooftop where they cowered in the shadows.
"So what now?" The youth asked.
"Nothing, you go home." Sarah answered putting the hanbo back into her belt.
"But don't you want your answers?"
"Maybe another time" she answered rubbing her temples.
"Are you okay?" The youth asked and approached her. She brushed him off.
"I'm okay, I've got a migrane that's all"
"I've got some tylonol in my knapsack, c'mon" he reached for her hand and dragged her across the roof of the building. Sarah said nothing, but kept her eyes open in case those ninja did follow. The migrane had increased in strength to the point where she could not concentrate and had trouble keeping her sense of balance. She allowed the youth to lead her back to the sewer den after they carefully made their way down into the street, keeping to the shadows and remaining alert to any wandering foot members.
~ Chapter Eight ~ Up Soon!