Chapter Four -
Leo held his arms fast around her, careful not to hold her too tight. She sniffled, putting her hand on his chest. His heart stopped beating for a split second as she paused.
"L-Leo…?"
He backed off quickly. "A… a chest plate, Randi." He stuttered. "I'll explain in a bit." He looked over to Don and Mike, who still stood in the doorway. Don tipped his head towards the door. Leo nodded. He then turned and bent down, placing a hand on Randi's shoulder.
"I'll be right back, okay?" She nodded in response. Reaching back, she guided herself to sit on the bed. Leo joined his brothers at the door, then looked back once more. Pausing, looking at her, he then swiftly turned and exited the room. Closing the door behind him, he walked to the kitchen, where Don and Mike had retreated to.
"What do you want to do, Don?" He asked, leaning against a chair, trying to clear his mind. He needed to focus on the task at hand, not… not what was running through his mind.
Don glanced over at Mike. "I'm thinking…" He said slowly. "That we obviously let her know who we are." He looked at Leo. "Unless you already have. I'm thinking that's… um… gonna be important. And not the way it usually is." He coughed then, and Mike smirked.
Leo frowned.
"But first," Don found his voice again. "We get her to the hospital. Safely."
"Of course." Leo nodded.
"We find out what we're dealing with." Don continued. "That's my biggest concern here."
Leo nodded again. "Sounds good. We'll move in fifteen." He looked around. "Where's Raph?"
Mike piped in. "He's been in the dojo. Bein' awful quiet though."
"I ain't been in the dojo." All their heads whipped over to look at Raph, who stood in the doorway. He pushed off the wall and walked into the room fully.
"We can get her to the hospital… But how're we gettin' her in there safely?" Raph continued. Don glanced at Leo, who clenched his jaw.
"So I went and got us some help." Raph leaned forward, smirking at Leo. "I figured you wouldn't mind, seein' as how you've apparently been busy, an' all."
Don cleared his throat quickly, hoping to avoid the fast approaching 'discussion' that was about to take place. "And…?"
Raph leaned back in his chair then, shrugging. "I brought April."
Mike jumped up. "April's here?" He left the room, and they soon heard a shriek and a "Mikey!".
Don smiled thinly. "Let me go give her a hand." Raph raised a brow at that, and Don threw him a pained look. "From Mikey." He shook his head, then looked at Leo. "Fifteen then?" When Leo nodded his agreement, Don continued. "You'd better go with your friend, then. It's been awhile and I'm sure she's a bit... Out of sorts."
In the room, alone, Randi had a lot of time to think. This was something she was trying very hard not to do. It was better if she didn't. Of course, she wasn't sure if she was better off listening or not. She heard a woman's scream…
Suddenly, the door opened, and she jumped.
"I'm sorry." Leo whispered. "It's just me." She relaxed at that, then felt tears begin to leak down her face again. "Hey, hey…" Leo said softly. "I'm sorry I was so long… My brothers and I had something to… discuss."
"Your… family?" She asked, turning her face towards his voice.
"Yes."
"I'm at your house?"
He shifted a bit uncomfortably. "You can call it that, yes." It was now or never. "Randi…"
"We're underground, aren't we." She stated it more as a fact than a question.
"Y-yes." He said, surprised. "How did you…"
She tapped her nose, then winced at the pain. "I could smell it… musty. Something else I can't… identi-…" She stopped, putting a hand to her head. "I don't feel well." She swallowed hard.
"Deep breaths, Randi." He said, rubbing her shoulder gently. "You're right, we are underground. And for good reason, too…"
April sat on the couch next to Mikey. "So, what's up, guys?"
Mikey grinned. "Leo's got a girl in there."
April rose a brow at him. Don leaned on the chair next to the couch. "Long story. Friend of his, apparently. She was attacked by the Foot… We need to get her to the hospital."
"Is she bad?"
Don shifted. "Something I can't help with." He looked back at April. "Raph had a great point. We need you to help us get her into the hospital."
April nodded. "She being followed?"
"We're not sure." Don gestured out with his hands, leaning forward more on the chair. "Rest assured, you'll be safe with her. We'll make sure of that." April nodded at that, and Don continued. "We just can't get her in."
"She's blind." Raph said bluntly.
Don looked at him, and grimaced. "Well, yes, there's that too." He said, looking back to April, and then down at his hands.
"I see." April said slowly. "Okay… so when do we leave?"
Don glanced at the door Leo and Randi were behind. "As soon as we get the word."
Randi put her head in her hands, eyes shut tightly.
"I'm sorry, Randi." Leo whispered. "I… feel as if I lied to you."
She sighed deeply. "You didn't lie, technically… I never asked whether you were human or not."
"I should have told you. I never should have…"
"Leo." She interrupted. "I… you know, that this will take a little getting used to, right?"
He nodded. "Yes." His voice caught in his throat.
"Then let me think, ok? Let me… deal. Please."
"O-ok." He said. "Ok."
She gave a bit of a sigh. "Your brothers… I've met them, apparently."
"Yes." He said. She nodded. "The one in here with me… That carried me, with the soft voice?"
"Donnie. Donatello."
"The one that made the girl scream?"
"Michelangelo. The girl was our friend, April. She's human." He was quick to add. "And my other brother is Raphael."
She nodded again. "Renaissance-era names."
"Yes." He said, then silence descended on the room.
It was quiet for a few minutes before she spoke again. "I want to see you, Leo."
"But… Randi…" Leo stuttered. Was she delirious? How was this possible?
She reached for him, though, answering his questions. "Let me feel you… see you."
He said nothing, but leaned forward. Her hands, soft and warm, ran over his face, up over his head... She grinned. "You have a wonderfully smooth head."
He smiled slightly. "Well, it is kinda hard to grow hair…" Her fingers dipped down to his mouth, tracing his lips.
"I'm glad you're smiling." She said softly. "You have a nice smile."
He took a breath. "I'm happier to see you smiling, to be honest." He said. He felt breathless all of a sudden.
She sucked in a breath. "Leo…"
"Yes?"
Her eyes closed suddenly. "I feel sick." She wavered as she sat, and Leo quickly put a hand behind her, stopping her from falling.
"Don!" He yelled for his brother.
Don heard his name, standing up quickly. April jumped a bit, looking at him. He glanced once her way, then jogged off towards the room Leo and Randi were in.
"What's wrong?" Don peeked his head in the door.
"She's sick." Leo put a hand to her forehead.
"She's gone through a trauma, Leo." Don said, folding his arms and leaning against the doorway. "I highly suggest leaving. And soon. She should have been in the hospital for a long time now. And do you realize the prints we've left? I don't want any evidence lost."
Leo sighed. "They'll never track them by prints." He said, but stood. "You ready?"
Don nodded, and Leo looked back at Randi. "Get the guys and April ready. We move now." Don nodded again, then left the room.
Leo knelt next to Randi. "You think you can walk?"
She nodded. "I've been... On my own for years now." He put his arm around her, and she wrapped hers around him, trying to stand. She struggled for a moment, then swayed. He caught her and lowered her to the bed again. "I'll get Mikey."
Less than ten minutes later, they made their way down the tunnel, in the direction of the nearest hospital. Randi, who insisted on trying to walk, could only go so fast, so she, flanked by Leo and Mike, trailed behind the rest. Raph, never one to wait, went ahead of the rest, making sure it was safe. Don and April strolled a little ahead of Leo's group, talking quietly.
"How ya doing?" Mike asked softly. Randi opened her eyes and tilted her head towards him slightly.
"I'm ok," She said through slightly gritted teeth. "I'll be ok."
"I'm Mikey." He grinned. "In case Leo didn't tell you."
"I'm Randi." She whispered, closing her eyes again. Mike frowned. He wanted to keep her alert more.
Leo walked silently though this, concentrating on his thoughts and keeping Randi standing. He wished she'd just let him carry her…
"We're comin' up on it." Raph's booming voice broke through the silence suddenly. Randi jumped, and Leo grimaced.
"And, we're clear." He said, walking back to the rest of them.
Leo nodded. "Okay, so we get Randi to the surface, then Don, you get April and Randi as close as you can to the entrance, then watch for them outside." Don nodded at this, he'd already agreed to the job. "We'll cover the rest of it." Leo continued, then took a deep breath. "We ready?"
"Yeah, yeah, Leo." Raph broke in. "This ain't exactly brain surgery here." Don frowned at his brother, but Raph ignored him.
"Let's just do it, huh?" Mike said suddenly. When everyone looked at him, he grinned. "What? I'm starving."
"Oh jeez." Raph breathed.
"Focus!" Leo said, a little too roughly for even his own tastes. Don walked back, putting a hand on Leo's shoulder. "We… April and I, are going up now to make sure it's clear. We'll get it done. Let's move."
Leo paced back and forth in the sewers below the hospital. They'd gotten Randi up onto the streets, and it was Don and April's show now. Raph watched his brother pace idly.
"Yer drivin' me nuts, with all that pacin'. You know that, don'tcha?"
Leo gave his brother a pained expression. "And? What better can I do without…" He stopped abruptly as the Shell Cell in his belt began vibrating. "Donnie? Talk to me."
"I just talked to April." His brother's soft voice came through the receiver. "She's ok… but they want to keep her overnight for observation…"
"We can't do that." Leo broke in. "They'll find her." Raph eyed his brother at his words.
"I realize this, Leo." Don continued patiently. "But she needs medical attention. You have to realize this." He stopped, thinking for a second. "Look," He continued finally. "I'll be right down, ok? I don't wanna compromise anything by talking on this thing for too long. I'll get Mike." And with that, he clicked off the phone, and Leo sighed heavily.
"Well?" Raph said expectantly.
"Don's gonna grab Mike and come back down…" He cut off as they heard a small splashing sound, and, soon enough, footsteps coming towards them.
Don and Mike came into sight, and Raph grinned. "Can we head out now?"
"Where's April?" Leo ignored Raph, looking at Don.
"She's with Randi." He replied, looking back at the direction they'd come from, with more than a little uncertainty.
"What's going on?" Leo asked, looking from Mike to Don again.
"Leo," Don splayed his hands in front if him. "They're gonna keep her for the night. Now, what happened was, we took her up there, gave her a good excuse as to why her clothes were covered in sewer water, and I watched the door while April took her in there. Now," He continued. "April agreed to stay the night with Randi. Something, I admit, I'm not too thrilled with." Don trailed off a bit, looking back the way they'd come again.
Mike snickered, and Leo shot him a look. "Any idea as to a release time?"
"Hopefully, sometime tomorrow." Don said, looking down. "Leo, I'm concerned here."
Raph sighed, leaning back against the wall. "Look, so we keep watch over night, stay in contact with April every so often…"
Leo nodded. "Obviously we've got a situation here."
Raph grunted. "No shit, Leo."
Leo threw him an angry look. "This is not the time, Raph!"
Mike sighed heavily. "Don and Raph can take the first watch. Then Leo and I come back to relieve you?" He said.
Don looked at Mike. "Sounds good." He agreed, then began walking back.
They watched him go for a moment, before Raph threw a grin at Leo. "You're losin' your touch… Fearless Leader."
Leo took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. "Get up there and help Don."
Raph blinked, but didn't reply, just smirked again and followed Don back up to the surface.