Deep within the darkness of the sewers were the sounds of steps, two people splashing through the shallow water that ran through the system. The pair were making no effort to be quiet, joking and laughing, swapping stories.

"...She wanted it Georgie-boy, you better believe it!"

"Bullshit. No way you slipped one to some jail bait blonde behind a club. You're making it up."

"You go on believing that George. When we get outta here, I'll show ya the marks. That bitch knew how to party!"

"Marks don't prove nothing man, not one thing. Coulda come from some 50 year old hooker. Where's this damn tunnel anyway?"

"Two blocks over. And let me tell you, I never had to pay for a piece of ass. That girl was perfect. Blonde hair, perky tits, ass like... hey, what the fuck's that?"

The splashing sounds slowed as the two became more cautious.

"Is that something glowing?"

"You been to a club in the last decade George? One of those glow-sticks that they take with 'em these days is all. Some kid staggers home wasted, drops it down the storm drain."

"I dunno Gary, there's a lot of – holy shit! You see that? Something moved!"

"Probably a rat. Shit George, you're getting too old for this game if a little rat's gonna get you freaked."

"Didn't look like a rat."

"What else is it gonna – fuck me! What is that?"

The pair stopped dead, torches focused on the sight before them. Something was moving in the glowing mess. Four somethings.

"Some kinda – tortoises?"

"Shit George, how the hell a tortoise gonna end up down here? Can't exactly flush 'em."

"Well they sure ain't terrapins. They're huge!"

"I heard that turtles grow huge in the ocean."

"Think they came from the river?"

"Shit, how should I know? Come on, let's get on with that tunnel."

"You wanna just leave 'em here? That ain't right Gary."

"Right, you wanna keep 'em as pets? Look at that shit all over 'em, probably toxic waste or something. Touch that and your hair'll probably fall out and your balls'll shrivel up into walnuts. Not that either of them'll make much difference to you."

"Screw you. Can't leave 'em here. Maybe we should report 'em to decontamination or something."

"Yeah, waste half the frigging day!"

"It's procedure."

"Fuck procedure!"

"We gotta. Might be dangerous, that stuff."

"Shit-fire, save me from bleeding heart animal lovers."

&&&&&&&&

Agent Bishop stared through the bars at the creatures within the cage. Turtles, the scientists had told him. Ordinary turtles one could buy in any pet shop. Or at least, they had been, before being doused in whatever the hell that green goop was. Now they were... something else.

At least four times the size of normal turtles for a start. Their bodies were changing shape too and they were reacting to the world around them in a way not typical for animals. They seemed almost to be absorbing what went on around them, learning from it.

"You;re trying to tell me that these things aren't extra terrestrial? That they're some kind of – mutation?"

The scientist beside him nodded. "Whatever this chemical is that they were exposed to seems to have brought on radical physical changes. I plan to run further tests on them, see just how far-reaching these changes are..."

"Why not merely dissect them, see how the chemical has affected them that way?"

"With respect Mr Bishop, we don't know how long this chemicals effects will take to react. There may be changes to their genetic make up initially, but whether or not there are further changes remains to be seen. And observation of these turtles may tell us far more about the long term effects of the chemical than dissection could."

Bishop nodded, not entirely happy with the plan but knowing it was probably the best way to learn about the chemical. "I'm going to want some answers. Fast."

"Fast! Fast!"

Bishop and the scientist both turned their head, startled. One of the mutated turtles had crept closer to the bars and was balancing precariously on its hind legs, front legs resting against the bars, the changes in its feet already clear. It seemed impossible that the interjection could have come from the creature and yet...

"Fast!"

The turtles mouth twitched, almost as if it were trying to smile.

"Did the reptile just talk?" Bishop wouldn't normally have shown so much shock, but this had been the last thing he had been expecting.

"Oh. My. GOD!" The scientist went into paroxysms of delight, pressing his face up against the cage. "You can talk? Say something else!"

"Fast! Fast!"

"This is – this is HUGE! They're sentient! Intelligent!" The scientist reached through the bars and tickled the turtle under the chin. "Aren't you a clever little thing! Aren't you!"

Bishop massaged his temples. "You'll be giving them names next."

"Fast!"

"We have to report this right away!" The scientist gave the four turtles a last, amazed look before hurrying away. Bishop scowled angrily. Those – creatures – were freaking him out and it looked like he'd be stuck with them for a long time to come.

But when the orders arrived, less than twenty-four hours later, he wasn't altogether displeased with them.