Author's Notes: A few important ones. For those of you keeping track with the seasons, this occurs between seasons three and four; therefore everything past season three is no longer existent. It has become fanfiction…as opposed to the canon fiction it was before. Also, not everything you read here about the Mayans are based on fact- though much of it is. Finally, a reminder that the narrator is not an outlet for the author's voice- hopefully this chapter will offer better clarification.

Rated 'M' for violence, language, sexual content, and a plethora of offensive material including but not limited to drug use and underage drinking.

Disclaimer: The traps have yet to catch anything, so the TMNT characters still belong to someone else. Do you think I would be eating seven-cent ramen noodles while typing if I were making ay money off of this?

Equilibrium

-Mozeka-

Cold. Darkness.

The perfect breeding ground for hatred.

In the absence of light and in the void of warmth, evil shall thrive, and spread, and find a way.

Evil was pissed.

X

"I'm pissed."

Raphael's eyes swept around the lair and he noticed no one stopping what they were doing to look up in utter disbelief. Leonardo was sitting on the couch with a cup of green tea as he half-heartedly watched Mike, who was currently reprimanding Mario for falling into a bottomless pit. Donatello was typing away furiously at the computer, and all seemed right with the world.

"This is Bullshit."

No one seemed to rise to the bait; they were all comfortably settled in for an undetermined length of time. They had contacted April and Casey last night after the incident, and it was agreed that they would keep their distance until further notice. So here they were, four teenage turtles barricaded in their own home, prepared for the proverbial long winter.

Well, Raph wasn't a hibernating type of turtle.

"Some fucking coward is afraid to face us himself, so he's throwing money at it."

Leonardo gave an inaudible sigh. Aside form being the most logical safety precaution, he thought that lying low for a while would be good for them. For ninjas, shadow warriors who live a life of secrecy, they had been operating in the open a lot lately. Purple Dragons, common street punks, an entire clan of ninja, Stockman, Bishop, random maniacs, garbage men, a number of thieves, and now every mercenary with basic math skills knew of their existence. A few lessons in restraint, patience, and invisibility were in order.

He expected it to be difficult; after years of a sheltered home life, they had been suddenly exposed to the surface world. Humans, friends, hockey games, battles, adrenaline rushes, adventure…

Leo suspected that Mike and Don welcomed the reprieve with open arms, catching up on their games, research…and writing off their hotheaded brother as just that. Perhaps Leo understood Raph more than anyone suspects: danger was indeed intoxicating. When you're matching strength and skill against an opponent, pushing yourself further than you've ever been, adrenaline rushing through your veins, proving your superiority…

But there were more important things in life: like his family's safety. No thrill was worth endangering his brothers, friends, or sensei.

He expected to become restless. He expected Raphael to become edgy. But here, it had been one day into the retreat, and the sai wielding turtle was already looking for an avenue to let off some steam.

Leo glanced over at his other two brothers- they were leaving Raph alone to his building tension. Setting his cup on the table, Leo looked over at the livid turtle. Why did he always have to be his brother's avenue?

"Yes Raph, it's unfair. It's dishonorable and cowardly. We all agree."

Finally given a focus point, Raphael stepped closer to the couch. "Then why don't we do something about it, instead of sittin' around here on our tails?"

Leo made the gesture of rubbing his temples. "How many times do we have to go over this? It's not just one enemy- it's several private contractors. We have no way of cutting off the source when we don't even know who it is. There's no reason to take unnecessary risks that will put the people we care about in danger."

For Raph's part, he hadn't drawn a weapon, so the discussion had hope for de-escalation. "But we could catch one of these punks and question him." His eyes shone with a hint of excitement.

Don decided to interject, having heard this argument before. "They work on a strictly need to know basis. The client keeps as much anonymity as possible. The contractors know the target, the price, and a possible method of contact that usually requires proof of a kill. The mercs don't know anything else- they don't care. It's like squeezing blood from a turnip."

"Don't worry Raphie- boy," Mike called over the music of Mario's water-world, "Someone will slip up. They always do."

Raph grinned. "I don't think there could be a bigger slip-up than you, Mikey."

The orange-clad turtle stuck his tongue out at his brother as he turned off the Nintendo and popped the game up. The TV blinked back to the news station and Mike hunted for the remote. The sound of a news reporter drifted through the lair, "…museum heist last night, leaving police baffled."

He paused in his search for the remote control and they all listened to the brunette in front of the camera.

:"Investigation has yet to reveal any information regarding signs of entry, the time of the robbery, or any possible suspects. The only item reported stolen was a priceless Mayan artifact: a perfectly preserved statuette of an ancient rain deity. The exhibit is on loan from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and was scheduled to be shipped by air for the first time this Monday. Officials say that the remaining artifacts were shipped this morning, immediately after the police investigation. If you have any information regarding the robbery, please contact your local law enforcement."

The TV clicked off with a blink, and Mike stood, stretching. Don all but huffed at the television. "People like that really get to me. They take something that serves an educational purpose, and they pillage it. They demean its value by selling it to the highest bidder- a private collector no doubt."

Mike walked over to pat his brother on the shoulder. "Poor Donnie. He's still sore about not getting to see his little dust show. It's okay- I've got something that'll make you feel better."

With that, he disappeared into his bedroom only to reemerge with a bulky object in his hands. Dumping it unceremoniously into his brother's arms, he mused, "And it's not even your birthday."

Donatello placed the curious object on his desk for a closer inspection. Although it appeared to be stone, it was far too light a substance. It had been crafted into the bust of a humanoid she-jaguar donning some sort of headpiece. Within the headpiece were streaks of an ember mineral that captured the light and glinted like lightening bolts. Reflective turquoise gems were embedded into the chest and scattered downward, between the breasts, and ended at the emerald mineral product that lined the bottom inch of the statuette. When he turned his lamp to the object, the different gem-like materials caught the light in prisms, imitating the movement of rain.

The purple clad turtle was nearly breathless, "This has to be the stolen artifact…but how?"

Mikey beamed with pride. "I'm not the stealth ninja champion for nothing. The bag was strapped over that bulky scabbard- I knew she couldn't feel anything. A sneaky exchange with something that weighs about the same, and presto! She can now enjoy an antique piece of concrete at her leisure. Indiana Jones, eat your heart out!"

Raph pat mike on the shell. "I always knew yer devious nature would come in handy someday."

Leo gave an approving smile, "Good job, Mikey."

"I know. I'm the bomb."

Michaelangelo spent the rest of the evening crooning and striking dramatic poses. No one argued.

X

The lair was dark- the only light was provided by the television, where a B rated horror movie was playing. Michaelangelo lay sprawled on the couch, his mouth hung agape in mid snore. He had fallen asleep watching TV long after everyone else had the sense to retire to their respective beds. The movie's young heroine raced down a long hallway, trying desperately to elude her pursuer who continued to walk at a steady pace. Finding a door unlocked, she threw herself into the darkened room.

"Uhn…don't go in there…"

Mike shifted on the couch, dropping the bowl of popcorn to the floor. He gave a snort but didn't wake. The movie's suspenseful music filled the den as a shadow appeared in the lair's small pond. Footsteps echoes from the television as the dark figure rose to the surface, taking a silent breath of air. It glided through the water to rest beneath the bridge.

A timid female's voice called out from within the TV set, "Hello? Who's there?"

The figure emerged from the water dripping wet, and took a few moments to gauge their surroundings. Noting the turtle on the couch, it made its way into another room.

A blood-curling scream sounded through the den, causing Michaelangelo to shoot straight up. "Aww man…when will they ever learn? Get to a public place or something- don't go running to the basement!"

Donatello's room doubled as a lab; monitors, measuring tools, a desk cluttered with papers, seemingly random piles of wires…

…An ancient artifact…

The intruder snatched the jaguar from its resting place and turned to make a quick escape.

"Persistent, aren't you?"

Michaelangelo stood blocking the doorway, a chuck in each hand. He couldn't believe it: he duped the thief, and now she was trying to dupe the duper. She took a step back, obviously unarmed, and froze at the sound of a throat clearing behind her.

"Mind explaining how you got in here?"

Mike supplied the answer before she could react. "There's a trail of water leading from our little pond. And I'm not cleaning it up."

Don eyed the girl suspiciously. She got points for ingenuity, but it still didn't explain how she found their location or what was so important about this one artifact. Surely it would have been less trouble- and less risk- to simply steal something else of equal or greater value. Perhaps it was the thrill factor. He considered what he was looking at: she was in her early twenties, about 5'5", and even with her hair in the wet bun, he recalled it being long, straight, and a very dark brown. Her skin seemed naturally tan, and though she was overall average, her features seemed to have an implied strength. He was guessing that she was of Native American heritage, or something similar.

Her brown eyes caught his stare and held it with a gaze that betrayed none of her thoughts. Without blinking, Don asked, "How much do you think you can get for it on Ebay?"

A new voice sounded, "Not to mention the shipping costs." Leonardo stood in the doorway. Mike had stepped into the room during their staring contest, and Leo now stood in his place. Raph was leaning casually against the frame.

"Try takin' that to the post office."

Don looked back at the girl and realized that she had never looked away. She still held the blank poker face, only now her brow was knitted. She gave a visible but inaudible sigh before replying, "This Mozeka is a danger to the city."

Don arched an eye ridge. "I hope you have more to back this up."

She glanced around the room, then took a few steps out from the center, and between Don and Mike. It was getting a little hard to breathe in there.

"This 'artifact' is in the image of a rain deity, but it's more than that. This is a Mozeka. A 'functioning gift.' This was never placed in a greeting chamber or given as a token of union. Mozekas are more than decoration- they're believed to be a gift to the people, sent from a higher power. They serve a purpose. In this case, the Mayans called upon in when in drought, and it brought them rains."

Michaelangelo shot Leo a doubtful look, and the blue clad turtle stated, "Not that we don't appreciate the lesson in Mayan vocabulary, but even if the thing worked, I don't see how a little mystic rain is going to put the city in danger."

The young woman shook her head. "There is always science behind the mystic. Magic is just a term for something not yet explained. And that's the problem: the science of how it works." She paused for a moment, her eyes on the Mozeka, before continuing, "Once triggered, it emits a powerful, yet organically innocuous electrical surge that reaches a distance of miles. Just how many, I'm not sure. This wave stimulates the air particles, magnetically charging the H2O so to speak. Humidity will gravitate for miles, drawn toward the energy source. The water molecules gather, grow larger and heavier, until they fall to the earth."

Don tried to suppress his genuine interest. "That's fascinating and would lend to explain the thriving rainforests of that region, but it's yet to account for any danger."

The brunette turned her attention to Donatello, seeming to speak directly to him. "That was all good and well eight-hundred years ago…when there was no technology that harnessed electricity."

His eyes grew round in realization, but she continued anyway. "In today's day and age, especially in a city like this, electrical interference can be disastrous. A surge like this is certain to cause numerous fatalities…life support systems will go offline, occupied elevators will crash, airport navigational support will blitz out, and every system ran on electricity will experience an overload."

Don wasn't fascinated any more; he was horrified. He supplied, "Everything from personal computers and televisions to the power plant itself will experience an exponential amount of energy with inadequate output resulting in shorts, failures, and overloads, causing city wide explosions."

"That's what I said." She was glad that someone was taking her seriously- it wasn't exactly the kind of thing that you could go to the authorities about.

Leo interjected before anyone could get carried away to the point of hysterics. "Wait. If it's been hundreds of years since it's even done anything, why would it now? People have been poking and prodding it since they've discovered it, I'm sure; we don't even know what the 'trigger' is."

The impromptu instructor held up her hand in correction. "Actually, that's not entirely true. During the activation ritual, they carried the Mozeka from one of the lower temples up the thousand or so steps to the highest temple. The Mayans, much like the Egyptians, are known for their architecture- only the Mayans have great temples instead of the slightly grander pyramids. The only thing required for activation is a sufficient change in altitude…"

This time is was Leonardo's turn to supply an observation, "The news report said that Monday, the exhibit was scheduled for its first transport by fight."

"Exactly. I've already arranged ground transport to Belize, where it can be kept out of museums."

Donatello shook his head. Just when she was getting some credibility…"That's just a temporary solution to a very dangerous problem. It won't stay under wraps forever. Who ever you're sending it to will pass away eventually, and it will seem to anyone else as something to be sold. We have to find a way to neutralize it."

Raph spoke up, "I can neutralize it for you…"

Don brushed it aside. "We don't want to simply destroy it. That could cause an adverse reaction. Or it might not- we don't know, but we shouldn't take the chance."

Finally, the guy said something that she could relate to. "Exactly. The chances of accidentally triggering it are too great. We shouldn't fool around with it at all."

Don could tell that this was going to take some Democracy. "Look…Kina, was it?"

"Kine."

"Keen-aye?"

"Just call me Kai."

Mike interrupted, "Would someone just buy a vowel, already? I'll even be Vanna White."

The young woman rubbed the back of her neck. "Kai. Kai is fine."

Don continued, "Well, Kai. I can see where you're coming from. This is certainly a delicate matter, and I assure you that I'll use every precaution in dismantling the item."

Kai nearly choked- and she thought that the one in red was arrogant. Maybe it ran in the family. "Let me get this straight. You have full comprehension of the consequences if the Mozeka is activated, yet as an amateur to the mystic technologies, you're taking it upon yourself to put countless lives in danger because you want to tinker?"

Donatello kept his cool composure, but his voice hinted at the insult at being called an amateur. "I happen to be very knowledgeable of technologies you haven't even dreamed of. From origins that you don't even know exist."

"Well, then I'll have to look over your credentials and references some other time. I can't in good conscience hand an ancient technological time bomb over to Curious Tortoise."

The techno-turtle's eye gave an involuntary twitch and Mikey backed up a few steps.

"Your negligence of the problem- stowing it away and hoping that it'll just disappear- is nothing short of immature irresponsibility and thick headedness."

Her eyes flashed. "I simply refuse to make others pay the price of stroking my ego. I know what my limitations are."

"As do I."

"Egotistical."

So she wanted to play this game? Fine. "Presumptuous."

She raised an eyebrow. "Arrogant."

"Arrogant!"

"Arrogant."

He scoffed. "Ignorant."

"Ignorant!"

"Ignorant."

Mike turned to Raph and Leo. "Kitchen?"

Leo returned, "Kitchen."

Mike repeated, "Kitchen."

Kai jumped when she felt the hand on her shoulder. She turned to see the one in orange smiling at her. "Woah, jumpy aren't we? Why don't we leave the pretty little rain-maker in here, and talk in the kitchen. There's food…you like food, don't you?"

He was speaking to her as if she were a frightened animal, and after some reflection, she realized that she might have looked it. Her arm was wrapped so tightly around the artifact that her knuckles were white. During the conversation, she must have inched back further away from the group, and her normally collected composure was lost at being called ignorant. She was out-numbered and out-powered, but no one seemed to have the intention of hurting her. She placed the Mozeka back onto the table reluctantly, then followed the turtles through the den and into the kitchen where her hopes were confirmed.

"I take it that you only came for the artifact. You should know that we're not going to hurt you so long as you don't endanger my family."

It was a comfort to hear those words, but it also meant that her fear was evident. Damn.

The turtle in blue continued, "My name is Leonardo. My family and friends call me Leo."

"What do I call you?"

He gave a considering look. "That's up to you, isn't it?"

The meaning was clear. She made a mental note to call him Leo, at least at first. The one who herded her into the room spoke. "I'm Michaelangelo, but you can call me Mike. Or Ninja Extraordinaire, or Battle Nexus Champion. Or just champion will do- Oww!"

His head jerked back slightly as the one in red snapped Mike's bandana tails. "I'm Raphael, or just Raph. Don't matter much to me which one you use."

The other one, though, she recalled from the night before. "And you're Don, right? I guess that's short for…" She thought for a moment, "Donatello, perhaps?" He nodded and she smiled. That wasn't a difficult leap of logic.

Leonardo filled a pot and placed it on the stove. He then pulled out several small bags and placed them into five cups.

Guess they were having tea.

Raphael watched her watch his brother. He wasn't quite sure what to think; here they were, grounded because of some great outside threat, yet they were having tea with an outsider. An intruder, no less. An intruder that knew how much they were worth dead. Then again, she was the one who told them to begin with. He could recall a few good decisions on her part, that being one of them. The other night, she dropped her hand from her weapon when told. Point. She came tonight, completely unarmed. Double point. She was able to rile Don into the closest thing to a name-calling match he had ever seen his brother engage in. Point on amusement alone. It wasn't enough to trust her, but he didn't completely dislike her either.

"Five two."

Kai looked at Mike, who had spoken. "What?"

"Five two."

She blinked at him and he elaborated, "Last night, you called us five-foot tall turtles. We're five-two."

She cracked a smile. "Oh. My mistake. I guess the description wasn't that accurate."

Finally, a topic Raph wanted to talk about. "And what do you know about it? If you're not a merc, how did you get that kind of info?"

She looked at the cup that was placed before her; the steam rolled and coiled upward, filling her senses with the scent of jasmine tea. "I have a few friends in the business."

He wasn't sure he believed her, but whatever helped her sleep at night. It wasn't his business. He was, however, concerned with the information that she could provide, so he let her continue, "I actually did look into it, hoping that I could come up with something to maybe barter back the Mozeka with. The only thing out of the ordinary at all was a small symbol. I have no idea what it's supposed to mean."

Raph asked, "Could you draw it?"

She nodded and Mike got up to find a pen and paper. Leonardo took a drink and commented, "You have a thing for bartering, don't you?"

She replied, "I've learned that people always want something in return- equivalent exchange. People don't seem to care about loyalty or honoring their word anymore. The right thing is only right when it's convenient or profitable. I don't like it, but that's the way it is- I just take the proper precautions in dealing with people now. I don't assume anything anymore."

Leo mused, "It sounds like you're doing a lot of assuming. Assuming that everyone you meet will be like the last."

Mike returned with a pen and pad. She took them and streaked a few practice squiggles to get the ink flowing. She then set about the short task of drawing the symbol. She thought that it looked like a tulip, or perhaps a rounded crown…

"The Foot?"

X

Some of us in the room remember the Mozeka from years past. Those of you who do, have no doubt figured out what Kai is. For those of who don't, all will come in time.

Isn't that what they say?