Chapter 3

Leo looked right then left, desperately searching for an escape and found none. Already the swarm filled the streets heading directly for them. The helicopter hovered dangerously close, ready to expose their location.

"Raphael! How about that plan?" he asked, his voice tight, his eyes locked on the aircraft.

"On it!" In a flash, Raphael reached into his belt and withdrew his shell cell. As he dialed the call, Leo led them over to a hut on the roof. They couched, making themselves as small as possible in the dark shadows. After Raphael snapped the phone shut, he grinned up at his brothers. "Help is on da way."

"What's going on, Raph?" Don asked. "Who did you call?"

"I called-"

Mikey's shrill shriek cut through the cool night air, interrupting Raphael.

"They. Are. LANDING!" Michelangelo bellowed as he started crab walking backwards.

"Who would have known they had someone with their pilot's license on their side?"

"These girls mean business," Leonardo spoke up. "Quickly. We got to get moving."

"But where to Leo?" Don asked, his usual calm now shattered.

"Yeah, Leo," Mikey piped up. "This is like Villain Row. Nothing but run down warehouses and junk yards."

"Precisely," Leonardo's voice was calculative. "We will hide out in a run down building. At least there we will stand more of a chance instead of here in the open. The second they land that helicopter, we can get a head start."

A blur of blue, red, purple and orange streaked across the roof top. Leo believed their luck was on their side until he heard a cry for help from Michelangelo.

"Huh?" Leonardo paused and looked over his shoulder. Immediately fear gripped him like a steal claw.

Michelangelo clung to a fire escape as he held onto the tip of Donatello's Bo. Don held on the opposite end for dear life as he dangled above the streets. Fan girls yelled wildly as they reached upwards clawing at the air, each one desperately trying to touch.

"AHH! I felt his bandanna!"

"I touched his shell!"

"I tickled his feet!"

Donatello looked at his younger brother in sheer terror. "Mikey! For the love of mercy! Get me out of here! Now!"

"I'm trying Bro! Hang on! I won't let them have you!"

"AHH! I touched his-"

"Now, Mikey! Now!"

Raphael leaped to their aid. He quickly jumped off the roof, landing gracefully on the fire escape. His muscles rippled as he grabbed onto the Bo. He reached his hand out to Don, who gratefully clasped on onto Raph's thick forearm.

"Thanks Bro," Don panted. "You saved my shell. I never felt so violated in my life."

"Thank me later, Donny. We got to keep going. We are not out of the fire yet."

Don gave a sharp nod and followed Mike and Raph to the roof top where Leonardo waited. They continued in their flight once more until they found a run down old factory. Only once inside, hidden in the shadows, away from harm, did they stop for a breather.

"Think we are safe now?" Mike whispered.

Leonardo cautiously crept towards a window. He looked out through he cracked pane to assess the situation.

"For the moment, Mike. It appears so. However we have to be on our guard. This is not the time to relax. They are unpredictable and obviously have more cunning then we perceived."

"They are resourceful," Don agreed. "Girl power indeed."

Leonardo motioned for his brothers to fall silent. Together, the turtles remained statue still in the darkness. Listening. Waiting. Prepared.

"Ah, this is bogus," Mikey muttered. "They are obviously gone. It's to quiet." He rose from his crouched position and stretched. "That's right. The mighty Teenage mutant ninja turtles outwitted the enemy once again. We so rock! We are invincib-"

The sound of breaking boards echoed through the empty building. A collective gasp escaped the four turtles as they glanced towards the door in unison.

"They are coming," Donatello blurted. "They are more formidable than the robot mousers."

"It. Can't. Be! But how?" Mikey inquired, instinctively taking a defensive pose, his fingers lingering on his nunchucks.

"Females have one characteristic that they are born with. One thing that gives them that advantage," Donatello offered. In a hushed voice, as if he was divulging top secret information, he added, "ESP."

The others gasped.

"What do we do?"

"Be quiet, all of you," Leo instructed. "They may be here, but they don't know we are here."

As if on cue, one of the girls shouted, "May as well come out. We know you are here."

Raphael glared at Leonardo. "Don't know we are here, eh?"

Leonardo groaned in frustration. "Well. How about you? I don't see you doing anything. What about this great plan of yours? When is is going to fall into effect because anytime now would be great."

"Soon, Fearless." Under his breath, Raphael muttered, "I hope."

Just as the group below them started to grow, there was a another scream from outside the building.

"I see one! He is on the ground! Let's get him girls!"

As quick as they came, they dissipated.

"Finally, "Donatello blew out a sigh of relief.

"But that was too easy," Leo interjected. "What caught their attention all of a sudden?"

"Yeah, "Mikey added. "They said they saw one of us. But all of us are here."

They turned to Raphael once more.

They red banded turtle answered them with a smug smirk.

~TBC~