21. Battle Over New York
New York City is a stranger to earthquakes.
The steady bustle of people and machines is a white noise, and the blinding lights that insure no darkness in the sun's absence is ambiance. But this was different.
Donnie looked up from the metal piece he had been grinding into shape, feeling a new vibration that wasn't coming from the tool he was working with. Leo ceased flipping aimlessly through pages of a book he wasn't even trying to read, seeing the dust that had been undisturbed for quite some time falling on him. Mikey pinched the cymbal of his drum set between a forefinger and thumb to halt the ringing, watching things around the lair shift and shake. Raphael took a breath as the punching bag swayed, hearing the low rumble that couldn't be written off as road construction above their heads.
One by one, they appeared in the open central of the lair, exchanging glances. Ardyn poked her head out of the dojo, a curious expression on her face. Naturally, Leo broke the silence.
"What's going on up there, Donnie?"
They filed into the lab behind him, eyes on the screens. It was almost unbelievable.
"Oh my gosh," Donnie breathed. "Shredder did it. The portal's opening."
Ardyn clenched her jaw shut. She watched as the portal shifted and began spitting out oddly-shaped debris.
"Amazing," Donnie muttered. "This thing is coming through piece by piece."
"Those are pieces?" Ardyn looked over to him.
"Hacking into the main data core," Donnie spoke more to himself than the group. Okay... Ship's designate is the Technodrome."
Ardyn leaned on the makeshift desk that used to be hers, sifting through the cameras. The pieces that were flying in between the buildings were much bigger than said buildings, and had many unsettling devices attached.
"Ship's commanding officer goes by the name Kraang," Donnie finished.
"Man, I don't know that guy," Mikey pointed to the screen, "but I hate that guy."
"What's the ship's purpose?" Leo stepped forward.
"It's a battleship," Ardyn spoke up, drawing four heads to snap in her direction.
"How'dya know?" Raphael asked.
Ardyn played back the footage and zoomed in on one of the pieces. Her clawed finger, still wrapped from her training in the dojo, pointed to a device attached to the side that was facing the camera, "Look here, armored plates. And I'd bet those things aren't for navigation." Her claw drew an imaginary line on the screen below what definitely looked like some sort of cannon.
"She's right," Donnie confirmed, his screens pulling up more information. "If Kraang were to finish building this thing, it wouldn't just be a ship. It would be a war machine that would end all life here. It would be the end of the world."
Ardyn stood and crossed her arms, "That doesn't make sense."
Leo looked at her with a brow ridge raised.
"Why would someone that lives here want to wipe it out? Shredder wants power, not an apocalypse."
"Well, when we see 'im, I'll ask," Raphael retorted.
"There is something we can do," Donnie continued.
"Go on," Leo urged.
"The atmosphere around the Technodrome would be toxic to anyone with a standard cardiovascular system."
"Meaning?" Ardyn asked.
"We may be the only ones that can survive around that portal," Donnie elaborated, "the only ones that can get close enough to shut that thing down."
"But how?" Mikey asked. "We're being hunted. They think we're monsters."
"Yah," Raphael agreed. "We're gonna need the cops at our backs, not tryin' ta lock us up."
Donnie licked his lips, "Unless..."
Ardyn pinched her brows as he turned and left the lab. The other three followed close behind.
A compartment near his bed opened up, revealing the canister of purple ooze. Donnie eyed it apprehensively, as if unsure.
"One sip," he explained in a hesitant tone, shooting a nervous glance between his brothers, "and we'll stay the same on the inside, but look like humans on the outside."
He handed the ooze to Leo, all eyes on it. The very room seemed to hold its breath.
"Your boyhood is drawing to a close," Splinter's voice rang out in the deafening silence, clear as a bell and steady as a rock. "You are becoming young men."
Raphael crossed his arms as Leo looked to their father.
"The choice," Splinter said, "is yours."
Ardyn looked between the brothers, her gaze falling on Leo last.
He held the canister out in a loose grip and looked at each of his brothers, "I'll do whatever you guys say." He lowered his head, "It's your call."
Raphael stood from where he leaned against the railing. He grabbed the canister in a solid grip, eyeing it pensively. He met Ardyn's eyes.
Hers were wide, almost crystalline, and full of hope. This was what they'd worked for. This was what they had both dreamed of, fought for. And yet... somehow it seemed so long ago that they had wanted it. Things weren't the same anymore.
Raphael heard Ibis's voice in his mind. The rasping tones of her excitement the first time she had been allowed to patrol with them. She'd spread her wings and raced him, having taken his route apart from the brothers. He'd never seen so much joy in one person.
They'd perched atop a water tower, looking down on all the lights in the skyline. Their breaths had been heavy and uneven, catching up with their effort. The smile on her face hadn't faltered once.
"I'm never taking a taxi again," she panted.
He let out a breathy laugh, "You wouldn't fit in one."
She'd elbowed him, giving a laugh of her own. "I wouldn't give this up for the world. There's nothing like it."
"Not even being down there?" he'd nodded to the sidewalk where several people chatted and laughed.
She scoffed, "What, being normal?"
He met her eyes, wild as ever, as he nodded.
She cracked a mischievous grin, "What fun is that?"
He gripped the canister, his expression becoming determined.
Ardyn watched, along with the others, as he stepped past Leo and drew his arm back. It flew from his fingers, launched like a missile, and crashed into the cement wall of the lair. Ardyn's jaw worked as the broken pieces fell to the floor. A decision had been made. Like Ibis had said, there was a job to do, and it was time to be strong for those that couldn't do it alone.
April had gotten the call. It was incredibly lucky that she had still been near Chief Vincent. Her heart had sped up as Leo spoke. This was a risk, at a time where they had everything to lose. But the world needed them, whether they would be celebrated or not.
Chief Vincent stood in the alley with her team, as instructed by April. It was secluded enough not to draw too much attention from the citizens of New York, if there were any left that didn't have their eyes and cameras trained on the hole in the sky. Only the best and most trusted were brought along. It was going to be one hell of a process to keep this under wraps, but every hunk of space crap that flew over their heads was a reminder that they were outgunned.
Outgunned and incredibly desperate.
"You're sure they're coming?" Vincent asked, keeping her sharp stare on the alley.
April didn't move, "They're coming."
The team of trained guns lie in wait, weapons pointed at the manhole covers the creatures were supposed to appear through. Vincent was used to pressure, but this was beyond anything she'd been trained for. Not only was the threat not from humans, their supposed salvation was a group of green creatures that had broken into Police Headquarters and stolen evidence. They were in a lot of trouble.
The first sign of movement did not go unnoticed. Green fingers lifted the covers, sliding them to the side. It was hard to comprehend what they were seeing, if they weren't present the first time the creatures were seen above ground. Chief Vincent did her best to retain a mask of seriousness, but her eyes betrayed her when they widened at the sight of the four green figures and, what she assumed to be, the creature of smoke that broke through the ceiling.
April watched as the boys emerged from the ground, Leo offering a steady hand to Ardyn to help her up. The brothers kept Ardyn half-behind them, Leo putting his hands into plain view as they walked forward.
"Hold your fire," Chief Vincent ordered.
Donnie's eyes found a sniper on a fire escape as the guns on ground-level lowered their weapons but kept them ready.
"What are you?" Chief Vincent asked in disbelief.
Mikey was the first to answer, unusually anxious in his voice, "We're not really into labels..."
"Some call us freaks," Leo answered, his voice calm. "Monsters."
"Let's jus' say we're four brothers from New York who hate bullies 'n' love this city," Raphael began.
"And right now, we're the cities best hope," Donnie finished.
Chief Vincent almost gave a dubious laugh, "Why should I believe you?"
"You don't have to take it from us," Leo assured. He slowly lifted his hand to point at Vern, who stood beside her, "Take it from him."
All eyes were on Vern now, who seemed reluctant.
"Go ahead, Vern," April egged on. "Tell her about the arrangement."
Vern gave a nervous chuckle, "What arrangement?"
Raphael leveled his stare at 'The Falcon', cracking his knuckles.
"Oh, that...arrangement," Vern cleared his throat and lowered his voice to speak to the Chief. "Look, the 'Falcon' is still the 'Falcon'. I just may have gotten by with a little help from my friends."
April gave him a look.
Vern sighed, resigned. "These four are the ones who took Shredder down the first time. I was kind of... more of a wingman."
"We've been doing our part to protect this city," Leo confirmed. "From the shadows."
"And we think we've got somethin' ta offer," Raph added.
Ardyn and April locked eyes, relief in their faces.
"We're gonna need strategy," Raph put his hand in.
Leo smiled and dropped his hand over Raph's, "Instinct."
Mikey nodded and laid his hand over theirs, smiling at Donnie, "Logic."
Donnie stepped forward and topped the pile with his own hand, "Boatloads of heart."
They looked back at Ardyn. She smiled and stepped forward, laying her clawed hand over their green ones, "And devotion."
It was a flurry of movement. Chief Vincent's team mobilized with a single command. They had to be fast, efficient, and most of all, stealthy.
"Load up!"
"April, Casey, and Vern will need an escort to Pier 90. The electromagnetic force of the portal is coming from there. Forwarding you the coordinates," Donnie called to Chief Vincent.
Leo turned and put a hand on Ardyn's shoulder, "Go with April. No doubt Shredder will have guards surrounding the portal. I need someone who's trained on the other side of this."
Ardyn nodded, a determined expression on her face. She turned to go, but Leo grabbed her arm. She turned to meet his gaze.
His mask of confidence was betrayed only by the pleading in his eyes, "Don't do anything...reckless."
She eyed him for a moment, pondering the meaning behind his carefully chosen words, then nodded. "You either."
Leo let her go and made his way to the van. He looked to Chief Vincent, "Send a team. Take us to the Chrystler Building. We'll make our way up to his ship and take down Kraang on his home turf."
As he loaded into the van with his brothers, he shot a glance back at Ardyn. She had her hand on the door of Casey's Challenger, and met his eyes.
There were a million and one words in that brief second their eyes met. Things they both regretted, things they wished they had the courage to say... things they were afraid they might not get to say. It was the fermented form of the longing look they'd given each other in the beginning; before the shared books and language lessons, before the mutagen... before the heartache. This was longing, this was apprehension. All in a glance.
Ardyn's mouth pulled up in a reassuring half-smile, and she nodded to him before ducking carefully into the car. Leo nodded as well, stepping into the van. he took a cleansing breath, drawing himself from his anxiety and focusing on his duties.
The roads were cleared by the police escort that accompanied the van. Chief Vincent, though still appearing unsure, was doing a damn good job of adjusting.
"We're 90 seconds out," she informed them. "I've got tactical gear, weapons... communications standing by."
"All we need is cover to get up there," Leo answered. "When we do, we've got to find that beacon that's drawing those pieces together."
"If we can send that beacon back where it came from," Donnie continued, "and our team on the ground can close that portal on our command..."
"Goodbye, Technodrome," Mikey nodded.
"Goodbye, Kraang," Raphael finished. "Team effort."
"Team effort," the others agreed, bumping fists.
Ardyn shifted uncomfortably in the backseat. Her wings were too cramped back here, but the tinted windows were ideal to hide her. April and Casey were silent, but Vern didn't possess the ability.
"All right, they're splitting up," Vern narrated. "Wait, why aren't we going with the turtles?"
Ardyn looked at him, "They're busy."
"When something bad happens, you want to be with the turtles!"
She clamped a hand over his mouth, "The turtles are going to fight the big mean alien in the sky. We are staying on the ground to shut the door when he leaves. If you can't handle that, 'Falcon'," she hissed the name, "I'm sure Casey would be kind enough to drop you off."
Vern's wide, semi-fearful eyes met hers and he shook his head in her grip. She released his face, "Good."
Casey eyed her uneasily in the mirror. Her eyes met his briefly before looking back out the window.