Chapter 14
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I leaned against the doorway of the tunnel to the hanger, my eyes still trained on the cage as the others got themselves prepared. He was out, like he'd been over the last day or so that he'd been here, but I couldn't help the horrible sinking feeling in my heart that something was going to go terribly wrong with him here.
No one else but Donnie seemed to share my worry, at least from what I could tell.
The only thing that gave me any comfort, was the fact that we were leaving at least four people here that could knock him out if they needed to. Donnie and Ithiell were going to be staying behind tonight to find a good way to take down the Yeerk security, which would be the start of our plan to get that Yeerk Pool ship at least into our hands.
We figured it was the only thing that would get our large, yet shadowy friend back to its home. Even if we were able to get it back to its normal size, there was no way he'd fit into the fighter, and from what we could tell, the Yeerks didn't have any other kind of cruise ships about.
Rtaia and Mihra wanted to stay behind, because Rtaia had told us she was about to hit a breakthrough with Sequaes cure, which was a relief. If we could help the big creepy creature, we might just be able to at least retake our city.
Then... with a Pool Ship hopefully in our control, we would be able to slowly retake the world.
But first... we needed supplies.
"Jade?"
I jerked, seeing Donnie there, smiling down at me. He shifted his glasses as he stood in front of me, his hands going gently on my shoulders.
"Hey" I tried to smile back at him, knowing he'd stood in front of me for a good reason. Blocking my sight of the cage... and of Jake.
"How are you?"
"Yeah, can't wait to get out there to be honest"
He nodded "Just take care"
I moved forward, hugging him and enjoying his warmth for the moment "You too"
"I'll watch him, don't you worry"
"Donnie?"
He hummed a little, and I felt his warm breath on the top of my head.
"Please take care. I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to you"
"Jake won't get out. Trust me" Was his response, although he seemed a little unsure himself.
I moved myself back at little to look up at him, my hands still on his waist, seeing him look down at me, worry on his face.
I knew we were both thinking the same thing.
"Are you two lovebirds done yet?" We heard Leo's voice, both of us breaking apart to see him standing there, sheathing his katanas.
"In aboooout..." I moved and grabbed Donnie's face, bringing him down to kiss me, before moving away and smiling.
"Okay, now we're done"
Both turtles chuckled a little, and I watched as Donnie and Leo fist bumped each other.
"Keep her safe, brother"
"Donnie" I warned, and he looked sheepishly at me, shrugging.
"She'll probably keep me safe" Leo chuckled, winking at me.
"You got that right" I gave Donnie another hug, before kicking his bum and getting him moving over to where Ithiell was tapping away. I watched him for a little, before turning my attention back on Leo.
"You ready?"
"As ready as anyone can be" I responded, my eyes trailing back to the cage.
"Jade" Now Leo was in the way "It'll be fine, all right?"
"Leo, I-"
"Duuudes!" Suddenly Mikey was there, arm around each of our shoulders.
"Hey Mikey"
"So awesome you're coming with Jade" Mikey moved away, looking genuinely excited.
"She aint goin with you, ya dummy" Raph was there, knocking his brother on the head, hearing Mikey let out a low whine as he did.
"She aint goin with you, either" Mikey shot back, sticking his tongue out, and Raph just rolled his eyes. I couldn't help but laugh a little.
"I feel so loved guys"
"Just remember, she comes back to me!" Donnie called from over at the computer.
"We'll see!" Mikey giggled, and I pushed his shoulder a little.
"Greedy little bugger, aren't you?"
Mikey just smiled sweetly at me. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at him.
"Don't worry honey, I'll come back to you in tact... or if you're lucky, in fun size pieces you can work out how to put back together" I called to Donnie, watching as he stopped what he was doing, turning to look at me.
"Not funny sweetheart"
"You worry too much Don" Robert was suddenly there, and before I knew it, the ones of us that were going out on the raid were all in one big group.
"I worry cause I can" Was his response, turning back to his task, and I turned my attention back to everyone around me.
"All right, we all know the plan?" Leo asked, looking at each and every one of us.
"Yep. Three locations. Three teams. Go in, grab, throw in truck or whatever vehicle they have, take off and ditch the vehicle, get a pickup by Ithiell when we're ready" Marco counted it off on his fingers as he said it.
"And then blow the truck the hell up" Rachel added, grinning.
"Something like that" Leo confirmed, half rolling his eyes at Rachel's enthusiasm.
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I floated above the buildings, with Robert not far from me. Below us, Leo was ducking in and out of the shadows, taking out whoever he ran across and dragging them back into the darkness with him to hide their bodies.
(Careful, there's four just across from you) I warned him, knowing he could probably see them himself from wherever he was, but letting him know just in case he didn't.
We were the only team of three, because we had odd numbers, so we had to be a little more aware. Mikey, Marco, Cassie and Amanda made up one team, and Raph, Rachel, Tobias and Ax made up another. They had the larger food stores to hit.
We were going after the meat stores.
I was a little surprised there weren't more controllers around. Leo had taken out most of the controllers without any help from us, and now we were almost at the storage shed that Leo had indicated on the map.
I landed beside Leo when we were almost there, shifting back to myself as Robert stayed in the sky.
"It's deserted" I muttered to him, and he turned to look at me, his eyes glistening.
"This is normal. Just stay by me and it wont take long at all"
"Okay" I nodded, looking at the guards.
"Oh, and Jade?"
I turned back to him as he slowly nodded at me, and it clicked what he wanted me to do.
Legs reversed and fur replaced skin, hearing and then seeing Leo slowly take out his katanas, readying them as I shifted.
"You ready?"
(Not... okay, now I am) I replied, now fully tigress and crouching as low as possible.
"Follow me"
He slipped in and out of the shadows, getting slowly closer to the controllers at the door. I followed him as closely as I could, finding that he was hard to keep up with, even as a tigress.
He put his hand up when we were mere feet from them in the darkness, and I stopped right behind him.
(Okay, there are three behind the shed, and two to the side and those two at the front from what I can see. I can also see one of those cold trucks headed this way. I hope that's normal)
I saw Leo nod, and I relayed it up to Robert in case he couldn't see us.
Before I could move, Leo had exploded into action, taking out the two guards at the front, slicing the lock on the shed door and pushing it open.
"Take the back, I'll get the other side!" He hissed, and in seconds he was gone. I started to run, moving my legs as quickly as they could and skidding around to the back of the building, seeing three controllers look up from what looked like a poker game, two of them with cigarettes in their hands.
(Don't you know smoking is bad for you!) I told them, seeing them all jump up, overturning the table as they did so. But I was already there, claws extended and leaping on the first one's chest, knocking him down and hearing a sickening crack as he hit the floor.
"Andalite!" Came the second one, scrambling for whatever kind of gun he had, but it was too late. I was on him and grabbed the gun in my sharp teeth, chucking it away as quickly as possible
The third one-
TSSEEEW!
(Ahf-) I cried out as it cut across my flank, letting out a sound of anguish.
He went to aim again, but found he was without his gun. Or his arm in fact.
Pure terror washed across his face just before I leapt back onto him, knocking him down and clamping my jaws around his throat. Soon, he stopped moving.
(Uh, bad news guys! Few more controllers heard the sound of a shot, and are coming to investigate!) I heard Robert shout as I saw Leo skid around the corner, not looking happy, before indicating I follow him.
(Sorry) I managed to get out as we moved to the front of the shed, and Leo started to grab boxes, hefting them outside. I shifted into a Hork-Bajir, helping him.
"Can't be helped" He finally said "Just means we have less time, and more enemies to fight"
(I'm sure Robert wont mind)
"We gotta get that truck first" He grunted, looking at all the boxes we'd grabbed.
(We got what we need?) I asked, looking around and hearing the sound of footsteps.
"This and the truck should do nicely for a while" Was his response, turning around and readying himself to attack. I shifted into a Jinnaw, just before the first of the controllers skidded around the corner, weapons aimed. I could count at least seven.
"Andalite!" One yelled, just before Leo dove forward, and I growled.
(I am not an Andalite, you idiots!) I roared, making a few jump as I followed Leo's lead, biting and clawing away as I heard the controllers getting sliced beside me.
"Doesn't matter!" Leo growled a little as he kicked one in the face, and I turned to him-
(LEO!) I cried, diving over and knocking him down just as a controller fired a Dracon beam. The shot just singed my fur.
"Thanks Jade" Instantly he was up, and the controller was split in two. I cringed a little, hearing a yell and jumping out of the way as a controller swung something downwards, barely missing me. In seconds I was on him, slashing into him and moving onto the next controller.
(Serah would kill me if anything happened to you) Was my quick response as I hit the last one, turning to look at Leo as he finished off his opponent.
He smiled, just before we heard another shout, both of us looking over to see at least five more controllers pop into view.
"Oh come on" Leo groaned as he lowered his katanas to his sides, looking annoyed. I coiled my legs, ready to pounce, seeing Leo raise his katanas with alot of effort it seemed, getting into a fighting stance.
We saw the controllers start to move towards us-
CRUNCH!
Suddenly there were cries of agony, and in front of us, instead of controllers, there was now a truck. A not as white truck, mind you.
"Sorry I'm late" Robert's head poked out the window, looking at the two of us as we finished of what was left of them.
"No time for jokes, we gotta move"
Robert jumped out of the truck, throwing the back doors open as he shifted, and him and Leo grabbed the multiple boxes we'd grabbed, hauling them in as I kept watch, and occasionally had to take a controller down.
Leo shut the back doors, then ducked as a shot went over his head. I dove over, finishing of the idiot who'd tried to fire at him.
"We gotta move!" He and Robert jumped back into the truck, and I jumped on the roof, digging my claws in as I heard the wheels screeching, feeling the truck tip a little before finally shooting off, with me barely holding on.
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(Truck is gone) Robert said almost a little cheerily, landing on one of the larger boxes and starting to shift back.
"We heard" Leo rolled his eyes a little as Robert was now sitting on the box, jumping off it and landing beside us.
"Wake the entire neighborhood why don't you" I added, pushing him a little. Usually, I'd get a shove back, and some snarky comment.
Instead, I got a shrug and a small smirk.
"I'll try harder next time"
"Jade?" Leo turned to me, and I nodded, tapping my communicator and seeing Ithiell's face come onto screen.
"Hey, we're ready for pick up at these co-ordinates" I tapped again, sending him our location. He looked down, working away before looking back up.
"Got it. We might be a little bit, Marco's group got a little uh... trapped, so we've just gone to lend a hand. We'll come get you as soon as we're done"
"We?" Leo asked.
"Yeah. Donnie had to come with me. Some kind of electrical thing they got stuck with. All good though, we're sorting it"
"Uh, okay. Just take care" Leo said, and Ithiell nodded.
"Will do, Ithiell out"
His face was suddenly gone from the screen, and as soon as it was, I got a terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach.
Ithiell and Donnie both had to go out... which left Rtaia and Mihra still at the base. That thought should have made me feel better. But... there was a horrible nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach I just couldn't ignore.
That feeling seemed to get worse the longer we waited. Ten minutes ticked by... then twenty...
"What in the world is taking them so long?" I muttered, starting to pace.
"They probably still need to ditch the truck or something. Don't worry, they wont be too much longer" Leo put a hand on my arm, probably trying to make me stop pacing, and I just looked up at him. He must have seen the worry on my face, because his eyes narrowed.
"Jade? What's wrong?"
I sighed, closing my eyes and finally deciding to just tell him.
"Leo, I've got a terrible feeling. And the longer we stand here, the worse it gets"
"What about?"
"I just get the feeling that something is wrong back at the base. I mean..."
"Go then"
I looked back up at Leo.
"Look, if it's going to ease your mind, then go ahead, back to the base. Ithiell shouldn't be too much longer, and we'll meet you there"
"Thanks Leo" I smiled up at him, even as my mouth hardened and shot out to become a curved beak, starting to shrink.
I took to the sky, watching as the two boys waved me off, climbing higher and higher into the sky.
Then panic didn't ease one bit as I flew, my mind going through a million possibilities.
Was I just imagining it?
Would I get there and everything would be fine?
Did all my worried talks with Donnie warp my mind?
Part of me was desperately hoping it was just that, and I was just being silly and that I'd get there and everyone would be sitting around doing their own thing, and would stare at me like I was nuts. Which, I probably was...
I slowly started to repeat the scenario in my head, knowing I was probably just worrying too much, and that I'd come back and everything would be fine. No one hurt, Jake still in his cage...
The thought eased my worry only a little, knowing I'd feel better once I was there and I could see everything was fine for myself.
I started to panic again as I climbed over the last mountain, not sure what I'd come to find when I reached the base, but hoping against hope I was wrong.
I'd have to tell Serah or-
All my thoughts stopped dead, and my mind went into a small meltdown as I was finally able to see the door of the hanger.
It was open. And something was sparking halfway up the door.
(Oh no...) I dove down, flaring my wings at the last second, my mind trying to make up the story in my head that Ithiell had left it open, or it was just faulty...
As I landed, I grew quickly as I could and half running towards the doors, looking up and surprised to see one of Raph's sais in the door.
But... no, there was no way he could be here. He was on the mission...
Slowly, my eyes turned to the look into hanger itself, now stopping dead in my tracks.
It was completely destroyed.
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Aaaand this is where I leave it!
What happened? Will you find out?
Only time will tell! :D
Constructive criticism appreciated!