Chapter Twenty-Eight
A Dilemma
A few hours later, Mutopia was awake again.
The residents had had breakfast and were already starting the day with their usual activities.
Pandora was in Sonia's playroom with the Chameleon, Kemeko, and the Geckolings.
Freya and Loki were sitting at a small table drawing whilst Kemeko was playing with some dolls on the floor and Sonia was laying on her belly near her reading a magazine.
Since she awoke that morning, Pandora had not stopped thinking about what she saw last night, seeing Callum leaving his room.
She guessed that maybe he had left the room to go to the bathrooms, but he didn't go in that direction, so she wondered maybe he had gone to the canteen.
Back in New York, there had been times she had seen Michelangelo go into the kitchen for midnight snacks, or midday snacks since they were nocturnal. Maybe Callum was doing the same thing?
Or maybe he couldn't sleep and he was walking around the sanctuary? She had seen the other turtles and even her mother doing that, even her granddad Splinter had taken walks around the lair when he couldn't sleep.
"Pandora?" the Lizard/Turtle hybrid jumped slightly as Sonia's voice brought her back down to earth "You alright over there? You've been pretty quiet?"
Pandora looked up at Sonia.
"Huh?" she asked.
"Something on your mind Geisha?" Sonia asked.
"Nothing really." Pandora insisted crossing her legs and holding her Ninja Bear close to her.
"Except?" Sonia asked as she gazed at Pandora, not sure if the Hybrid girl was telling the truth as she was avoiding her eyes and hugging her bear tightly.
Kemeko and the Geckolings were too busy playing to notice the older girls talking, so Sonia decided to take the opportunity to speak to Pandora properly.
She sat up and crawled over to the Hybrid then sat opposite her so they could talk more intimately.
"What's up Pandora?" asked Sonia looking at Pandora with a serious yet gentle look in her eyes "You know you can tell me anything right?"
Pandora nodded with a small smile.
"So what's up?" Sonia asked.
Pandora took a deep breath.
"Last night." she said "I got up in the middle of the day to use the bathroom, then as I left I saw Uncle Callum leave his room."
Sonia raised an eyebrow.
"That's it?" she asked curiously.
Pandora shook her head.
"No." she said "I saw him leave his bedroom, then he walked in the direction of the main village."
Sonia frowned as she listened.
"He left the residential area?" she asked to which Pandora nodded.
"I don't know why." she said "Maybe he was going to get a snack from the kitchens? Uncle Mikey does that back home!"
Sonia didn't always eavesdrop on matters that weren't her business, but she often liked to listen in on gossip and the canteen was always a good place to listen.
When Hugh had told Tyroth and the Knights about the Hate Preacher and then found out about the attack on him, she too wondered who might have attacked him.
She looked at Pandora then looked up to think harder.
"Pandora?" she said "You don't think your Uncle left his room to leave the Sanctuary do you?"
Pandora cocked her head on one side.
"What makes you say that?" she asked.
"Nothing." said Sonia "It's just that, did you listen to your parents and Uncles talking to Hugh two days ago?"
Pandora shook her head.
"No?"
"Nope! I was enjoying my pudding, Ice cream and apple pie!"
Sonia couldn't help but chuckle at how innocent Pandora was, as well as a lover of her puddings, just like her Uncle Mikey.
"Apple pie?" asked Loki "I love pie!"
"Not now Loki." Sonia called over her shoulder "Maybe Louie might have some for afters later?"
"Sweet!" Loki commented "Even if it means I have to eat my veggies! Yuck!"
Sonia and Pandora laughed then looked at each other.
Before Sonia could say any more the door opened and Michelangelo walked in.
"Heya kids!" he said cheerfully "You having fun?"
"Hi Uncle Mikey!" Pandora squeaked and beaming as she saw her favourite Uncle come into the room and the other children followed suite at greeting the orange-masked turtle.
"Just coming to check on you." Michelangelo said "Master Splinter's finished training for the morning."
"When will I get my lesson Uncle Mikey?" asked Pandora, her eyes sparkling excitedly.
"Splinter's going to have a rest for a while then he'll come and get you sweetie." Michelangelo reassured Pandora.
"Okay!" said Pandora, feeling a little disappointed.
Since she had started training with her Granddad Splinter, Pandora was always excited to get started, sometimes it was hard for her to sit still since she was always wanting to practice her moves, which delighted the turtles and Mona as she was enthusiastic to learn, but she had to rest as well.
"The kids have been good as gold Mikey!" Sonia reported "They're a piece of cake!"
"There's cake?" asked Loki looking up again "I love cake!"
"Me too!" Freya agreed.
Sonia shook her head and laughed again.
"It's a figure of speech!" she said.
The Geckolings looked confused then looked back to their drawings, meanwhile Kemeko just carried on playing on the floor.
Michelangelo chuckled as he looked at the Geckolings.
"They'll understand when they're older!" he laughed then looked at Sonia.
"Enjoy yourself for longer kids!" he said "Lunch will be in three hours."
"Okay Uncle Mikey!" Kemeko and Pandora said together with a smile then Michelangelo walked out of the room.
"Can't wait to have my one to one ninja time with granddad!" Pandora grinned.
Sonia smiled then looked serious again as Michelangelo left the room.
"Listen Pandora." she said "I got a feeling about your Uncle Callum, after what you just told me."
"What do you mean?" Pandora asked, her eyes showing some slight fear and confusion.
"Listen kid." Sonia said "I'm sure your parents and Uncles told you about the bad people they fight?"
Pandora nodded.
"And I wish to join them!" she said "When I'm a big girl!"
"Yes, but Pandora." Sonia spoke again "About the bad people, Hugh the policeman who came the other night, he showed the grown-ups a video of a man saying cruel things about people, saying they were evil because they weren't like him?"
Pandora frowned. It was true, she hadn't really been listening but she remembered the angry look on their faces when they were looking at Hugh's phone and she remembered Jack talking about Tyroth giving a scare to the nasty man yet the dragon was reluctant.
"I remember." she said softly.
Sonia nodded.
"He was attacked." she said "Apparently someone went into his church when he was in there and attacked him in such a way it drove him crazy, and Hugh questioned Tyroth asking if he had anything to do with it."
Pandora stared at Sonia and let the words sink in.
At the same time, Sonia was worried, Pandora wasn't yet a teenager, and was still young and naïve, and thus didn't have as much experience in the way of the world, whether it be from a mutant's point of view or like the humans above.
"You saying maybe Uncle Callum was responsible?" Pandora asked.
Sonia bit her lip.
"I'm not saying that Pandora." she said "But it's something to think about and Callum was watching the video as well."
Pandora looked down as she thought hard.
"Do you think I should tell the grown-ups?" she asked.
Sonia frowned harder as she thought for a moment.
"I don't know." she said looking toward the door.
Meanwhile, Tyroth was sitting on a bench by the canal staring at the rippling water dreamily when a voice broke into his reverie.
"Boss! Boss!" he looked behind him to see Sharky running over.
"What's up?" he asked standing up.
"You're not going to believe this!" Sharky said "But you better come!"
"What's the big emergency?" asked the Dragon to which he followed mutant Shark to the Rec room where the other Chicago Knights, the Turtles and Mona were staring at the TV with wide eyes along with some other shocked Mutopians.
Seeing the Dragon enter, Jack pointed to a space on one of the sofas next to Sephie to which he sat down gratefully and looked at the TV.
"Good evening Chicago, I'm Ruth Peters! Three hours ago, police were called on scene to the House of the Hate Preacher who was mysteriously attacked in his own church yesterday afternoon, where they found three terrified and sobbing children who lead them to a scene of horror down in the Basement. Within there they found the wife of the Straight Truth Parson and his younger brother tied to beams and tortured along with their protest cards burnt to ashes. Both have suffered nasty injures which included being wrapped in barbed wire and crucified to the beams! Luckily the children were not harmed but were extremely traumatised and have been put into the care of close relatives. Once again Sally Banners is on scene and talking to the police investigating! Hello Sally!"
The scene then changed to Sally who was on the scene where there were fire fighters as well as an ambulance service and forensics.
"Hello Ruth! Yes I'm here on scene where it appears that the attacker may have struck again! From what we've found out the wife and younger brother were found in the basement, the brother was crucified and wrapped in barbed wire and the wife was tied to a beam and stripped topless as well as had the same satanic symbols carved into her body, the same ones that were carved onto her husband. Also their many offensive signs were piled up and burnt to ashes, luckily the fire didn't spread through the house, and the victims have been rushed to hospital. As of now the police and forensic teams are inside the house trying to gather evidence, I'm here with Police Chief Beaugrgaurd who is leading the case, hello Commander!"
Sally then turned to Hugh who leaned into the microphone.
"Hello Sally, yes, this is the second incident involving an attack on members of the Straight Truths Baptist Church, so far we've not been able to gather any evidence on the previous attack that might give us a clue, but according to the connection between the two, we have a theory that there is someone who has it in for those who preach hate, there haven't been any suspects or any leads as yet, but I appeal to the public, despite how you feel about these attacks, to come forward if you have any information."
"Thanks Chief! Back to you Ruth!"
Tyroth muted the TV and turned to the others.
"Another attack?!" he exclaimed.
The Knights nodded.
"Who the hell is doing this?" asked Sarah.
"Damned if I know!" Kate said "But I stand by what I said before! Those bastards deserve everything coming to them!"
"For once I agree with Kate!" Percy said with a nod "They brought it on themselves!"
"Yeah!" Raphael said.
"You reap what you sow!" Michelangelo added.
"That's true! Karma comes to bite you in the butt." Sephie said "But again, these people aren't like the ones we've fought! Yes they're a public menace, but they're not murderers, rapists or drug dealers."
"But words can hurt just as much as actions!" Jack said.
"Everyone!" Tyroth barked getting everyone's attention "This isn't helping! We need to think here!"
"About what?" asked Raphael "There's been another attack but the police have no idea who did it, and there's been no evidence!"
"So far no." said Tyroth "He looked back at the TV, I wonder if Hugh might come to us if he has found anything, he won't say anything to the press, but he might come to us if he has something."
"I hope so." Leonardo said "As much as I agree those bastards deserved what they got, we need to find out who this attacker is, as he might be something we should all worry about, not just those he's targeted so far."
So Sonia has spoken to Pandora after she's let slip that she saw Callum leaving the residential area, seems the Chameleon can smell something fishy, also the Knights and the Turtles have found out about the second attack, yet still have no idea if Hugh has found out anything else.
Stay tuned for more coming soon!