Chapter 5

A shrill scream filled the air.

"What the heck was that?" Donatello asked, as he shuddered. "It sounded like a wounded animal or something."

Leonardo tensed. "Someone is in serious trouble," he pointed out. "I wouldn't doubt it is in relation to those girls."

Michelangelo went to the door and peeked outside. "Raphie, you never did get to tell us your plan," he said. "Is this part of it?"

Raphael shook his head. "My plan was..." He told them about his genius scheme. "I thought the plan worked well," he bragged.

Another scream carried in the wind.

Raphael paled and his smirk fell into a long frown. "Casey! Oh, shell! They got him!"

Donatello appeared by Raphael's side, shaking his head. "You sent Casey after them? Are you crazy?"

"Yeah, Don," Raph snapped. "I'm crazy, okay? I didn't think the chowder head would be dumb enough to get himself caught."

"Umm," Don replied. "This is Casey we are talking about right?"

Raph snorted and stormed over to Leonardo.

"Well, Fearless. Your turn for a great scheme," he spat.

"We could go home," Mikey suggested.

Leonardo nodded. "Let's go and get him. And then get home."

Without another word, the turtles left their sanctuary in search of their friend. It didn't take long for them to stumble across the alley that was over-flowing with determined fan girls.

"Look. It's him," Mike gasped. They stared down from their perch on a roof top.

"How are we going to get him out of there without hurting someone ?" he inquired. "I mean. Look at them. They are insane!"

Leonardo busied himself with assessing the situation, looking for a weakness.

"We split up. Donatello. Michelangelo. You two take the sides. Raphael you stay here and I will go ahead. We will surround them and force them to let Casey go."

The other turtles nodded obediently. They broke into a formation and took their places. Leonardo was the first to make their presence known.

"Let our friend go!"he ordered, his voice threatening and firm.

Instantly every eye looked skyward.

"Hey guys. They're back!"one of the females cried out happily. "Hold onto Mr. Jones! We can use him as bait."

Leonardo narrowed his eye ridges dangerously and tensed. "Let him go. I don't want to hurt you."

From beneath the pile, Casey called out in a weak and tired voice. "Leo? Is that you? Help me! Please!"

From across the alley, Raphael shouted out,"You okay, Case?"

"Define 'okay,'" Casey whimpered.

The group parted, except for a collective few that kept Casey in place. They gave the turtles enough view to see that their friend was unharmed.

Leo gave one last warning. Using his most menacing tone, he ordered: "Release him."

A tall raven haired woman stepped forward. Her appearance was that of someone you would not mess with; tattooed sleeves on both toned arms, a ring in her nose and lip, and her hair in a spiky Mohawk. Chains dangled around her slender waist to hold up her ripped black jeans. The word Venom was hand-painted across the front of her black tank top. She folded her arms in front of her large chest, staring boldly into the night.

"Only if you come to us," Venom barked, as she smacked on a wad of chewing gum.

"We don't think so," Raphael hissed.

The woman shrugged. "Suit yourselves. Take him away girls!"

"No! Wait!" Leonardo called out. He leaped from his hiding spot to the ground. "Here I am. Now. Let Casey go."

Venom smirked victoriously. "I meant all of you."

"You lied!" Leonardo scolded.

The woman shrugged. "It's what I do. Now. Obviously the others are around here. In fact, I bet they are there, there and there." She pointed to each exact spot.

Leo frowned. "What makes you think the others are even here?"

Venom chuckled darkly. "Leonardo. Seriously? We are fan girls. We know everything about you guys. When you sleep, what you eat, even how much you go to the bathroom in the run of a day."

Off to the left, Mikey's voice cried out. "EWWWWW. That's not fan girling. That's freaky and obsessed."

Venom shrugged. "Same thing, isn't it?" She looked back at Leo. "Now which is it ? The rest of you guys? Or do we have to drag Casey away. Bertha, over there would just love to man handle him." She titled her head towards a heavy set woman who batted her eyes at Casey. Casey shrank aside and grimaced.

"Leo. Help!" he squeaked.

Leonardo sighed. "Very well. You win." With a nod of his head, he indicated for the others to reveal themselves. Slowly, one by one the other three turtles joined their eldest brother.

"Now what?" Raphael whispered in a tight tone.

"We wait for them to let Casey go. Then we try to get out of here the quickest way possible."

A group of the strongest females closed in around the turtles.

"Don't try anything stupid," Venom barked.

Through gritted teeth, Leo answered,"You have my word."

Venom snapped her fingers and Casey was immediately freed. The frightened man looked at Leonardo, waiting for instruction.

"Get out of here, Casey," Leonardo informed him assertively.

"But.. Leo. What about you?"

The leader of the clan shook his head. "Don't worry about us. Run and get away. We can handle it from here."

Slowly and cautiously, Casey inched away before he turned and departed in a half run, half limp.

Leonardo watched as their friend escaped, hoping he could get away and get help.

The fan girls formed a circle around the turtles, corralling them into the corner.

Venom tossed back her head and cackled. "Now, turtles. You are ours!"

~TBC~