Tension

Past

Leonardo was getting ready for the mission to come, his gestures outlining years of habit. He was placing his good old katana on his back when he felt a familiar presence behind him.

Mikey was standing on the armory's doorstep. The turtle came closer to Leonardo, grinning.

"We're ready," he said in a conspiratorial tone. "Raph is grumpy, but…" He glanced backwards to check that they were alone. "It was awesome to see him bite the dust for once! I mean, of course Splinter takes care of that from time to time, but he's Splinter, it doesn't count. He's invincible!"

Mikey winked at Leonardo, who did his best to smile and not show how much these words rekindled painful memories. His brother believe that their father was invincible. Leonardo had been firmly convinced of it too, before reality proved him oh so wrong…

Reality, by Shredder's hand. Shredder who was at this precise moment alive somewhere in New York, planning his next move against them…

You can't interfere. You can't risk changing the past.

"Leo, are you okay?"

Leonardo realized that Mikey was watching him strangely. He gave his brother a forced smile.

"Of course I'm okay. Let's go!"

Leonardo checked one last time that he hadn't forgotten anything and left the armory with Mikey in his wake to join Raph and Donnie.

Splinter told them goodbye right before they jumped the turnstiles. "Be careful, my sons."

"Hai, Sensei," they chorused.

Leonardo turned away quickly and left the lair, a sad smile on his lips.

He had missed these ritual words.

Guided by Donnie, the four turtles arrived safely in front of the factory where the Kraang were supposed to meet. Indeed, a dozen of droids were aligned in the street, waiting for something or someone.

"There are more of them inside," Donnie whispered, looking at one of his many doohickeys.

Leonardo nodded. "Then let's be especially careful. We're going to enter through…"

His brothers were already gone. Leonardo facepalmed.

"Of course."

He hadn't missed that at all. With a sigh, he followed them through a half-opened window. The factory was huge and plunged into darkness. Leonardo watched its equipment, wondering what was manufactured there. At least it didn't look like a chemical factory. Motors maybe?

He found his three brothers hiding behind a set of machines and glared at them, which they completely ignored.

"What are they up to?" Raph asked, pointing at another group of Kraang ten feet away from them.

These Kraang wore costumes. Half of them were looking at a monitor while the others stood guard.

"If only we knew," Donnie whispered. He leaned forwards, probably in the hope of glancing at the monitor.

Leonardo caught him at the very last moment and pulled him behind the machine. A Kraang was turning around to watch his surroundings.

"We're too exposed," Leonardo whispered. "Let's climb to the ceiling."

His brothers nodded, and soon the four of them were hiding behind the girders. Donnie sneaked close above the monitor to see what was keeping the aliens busy and came back almost immediately, a half-somber and half-excited expression on his face.

"These are blueprints for exoskeletons," he said. "They intend to manufacture exoskeletons!"

Leonardo bit his lip. The Kraang already had robotic bodies, why should they need exoskeletons?

"Very interesting, Donnie, very interesting." Mikey nodded intensely. "And, uh… what's an exoskeleton?"

"Well, it depends," Donnie began with his teacher's voice. "Some animals, like turtles, have an exoskeleton that protects them from predators. It's made out of bone and…"

Raph cracked his knuckles.

"… And in the present case," Donnie went on, wisely shortening his talk to avoid bodily harm, "an exoskeleton is a mechanical super-armor that can increase a human's physical strength."

"But which human?" Leonardo whispered.

"I would like that," Mikey mused. "Having an armor to increase my strength, I mean. I'm sure Raph is cheating. He must already have an exoskeleton!"

Raph puffed himself up, satisfied because his superior strength was being acknowledged. Leonardo smiled inwardly while Donnie raised a finger.

"Yes he does! It's called a shell."

"A second exoskeleton, then," said Mikey who didn't want to give up on his idea.

"Whatever. I suggest that we don't let the Kraang make them!" Raph exclaimed, taking his sai.

Leonardo assessed the situation. "I would like to know what they're waiting for. Let's move away and wait before we interfere."

"Of course, good idea," Mikey said, filled with goodwill. "Let's move away discreetly, before they notice that we're here. Or before someone sets an alarm, like this one." He waved with his nunchucks at a big red button close to them on the wall.

Leonardo merely had the time to open his mouth before said nunchucks hit said button. A shrill siren resonated inside the factory.

"Mikey!" Leonardo and Donnie exclaimed while Raph was grinning in anticipation of the upcoming fight against the Kraang.

Mikey smiled sheepishly at his brothers.

"Oops."

For the thousandth time, Leonardo wondered how he had managed to find himself in this predicament.

A multitude of Kraang coming out of nowhere - or more precisely, coming from a nearby portal to Dimension X - was pouring inside the factory. Leonardo's anxiety levels were reaching new records while he kept an eye on his three brothers and their enemies, making sure that no improved and too-strong-for-them Kraang arrived.

At least Raph seemed overjoyed.

"Donnie, Mikey, try to find the portal they're coming from and close it," Leonardo ordered. "I'll stay with Raph."

"Roger that," Mikey exclaimed as Donnie nodded.

Raph shook his head while he stabbed droid after droid. "I don't need your help, Leo."

Leonardo rolled his eyes and opted for diplomacy. "I don't doubt it, Raph, but we'll be more efficient together."

And they were efficient indeed. The Kraang weren't causing them problems, they were just very numerous. As soon as Donnie and Mikey had managed to close the portal that allowed the aliens to come inside the factory - a task broken with many a "Mikey, no!" and "Don't touch this!" but which was ultimately a success, like Leonardo had hoped considering Mikey's gift with Kraang portals - Leonardo and Raph quickly finished the droids.

"Look at that. And to say that I was afraid the night would be boring."

Donnie, Mikey and Raph tensed while Leonardo sighed heavily. Obviously they hadn't been fast enough, and the people that the Kraang were waiting for had arrived before they had a chance to hide once more.

"Her again?" Raph grumbled.

"Karai," Donnie mumbled, his tone colder than ice.

For once, Mikey wasn't smiling.

Their half-sister-raised-by-the-murderer-of-her-mother-and-who-still-didn't-know-it stood in the factory's entrance with a group of Foot soldiers armed to the teeth. She smiled, satisfied with their reaction.

It wasn't exactly a welcoming smile, and Leonardo instinctively took a defensive posture. He waved at his brothers to do the same, which they did without protesting.

"Leo, I swear that if you try to negotiate with her…" Raph whispered.

"It's not on my agenda," Leonardo said through gritted teeth.

Karai nonchalantly unsheathed her weapon. "I had come to retrieve blueprints, but fighting turtles is a nice bonus. Until I can have the rat."

Leonardo gripped his swords tighter and forced himself to take deep breathes. He could see more and more Foot ninja sneak inside the factory. His brothers and he were too exposed.

Besides, Karai might very well have reinforcements. Tiger Claw wouldn't be in New York, not so early in his past, but Bradford and Xever would, and Leonardo didn't see them. Unless Shredder had entrusted this mission to Karai only?

In any case, there were too many unknowns.

"We're leaving," he whispered to his brothers. "The windows. On my mark…"

"Are you kidding?" Raph exclaimed. "And what about the exoskeletons' blueprints? Do you really want the Foot to have them?"

They don't matter, the Foot never used them, Leonardo wanted to say. We've had Footbots instead, and believe me, they've made our lives difficult.

Karai waved her hand, and Leonardo heard the unmistakable sound of stretching bows. He swore inwardly.

"That's right," Karai whispered, her smile predatory. "We didn't trust our allies, you see. As you know, my father has a slight tendency to paranoia. Well, anyway…" Her stare became icy. "You wouldn't want to leave before the guest of honor arrives, would you?"

She shifted slightly and bowed towards the door.

Leonardo's blood ran cold. A shadowy figure was entering the factory, a figure that he would have recognized anywhere.

It was Shredder.