Worlds Below.
Disclaimer: I own only the idea for this story. The characters are all from either the Beauty and Beast television show, or from the TMNT.
Chapter Seven:
The dark form silently watched the five shapes move off over the rooftops, their dark silhouettes quickly blending with the night shadows, a thin smile crossed his face, as he glanced at the enhanced photo on the digital camera in the palm of one hand, ' Seems someone that the boss would show an interest in.' He mused to himself, while quickly trading the small digital camera for a cell phone speed dialing the number of one of his coworkers, who also happened to be on duty that night.
"The turtles are heading your way. Keep tabs on them but do not; I repeat do not interfere" he ordered, "We have a new player. Observe keep your distance and await further commands." He snapped briskly.
"Understood" the voice on the other end acknowledged.
"You better! You know the boss has ways of dealing with those who happen to disappoint him." He warned his fellow employee, it was not exactly a subtle or gentle reminder that when you worked in their company you did as you were told or suffered the consequences.
Agent Bishop, was a cold calculating and vindictive man and he had ruthlessly climbed his way to the top of one of the government's top secret agencies. Oh yes, there were rumours and hoaxes and the usual crack pots that tried to blow the cover over their job, the mysterious tales of the men in black, commonly known as MIBs. But for the most part the citizens of this great country believed whatever was fed to them to make them feel safe and secure in their homes.
He headed down to street level where a battered van sat, inside the van was tracking devices, high tech gadgets and everything they might need for routine surveillance. He radioed Bishop asking for secure channels and relaying the important information to report. He knew he wouldn't have to wait long, and in less then five minutes he heard the calm steady voice of Bishop coming through to him.
"This better be good Agent Taylor I am at the moment rather tied up with pressing business." Bishop snarled foregoing the usual preliminaries.
The device they were using to communicate with was not available to the general public, it was a holo communicator and due to it's advanced technologies no one could intercept or overhear those who used such a device.
"We found the targets, Agent Smith is keeping tabs on them as we speak, however they are out with a new subject." Taylor answered calmly, " I'm scanning the photos to you as we speak. His introduction could change our plans. Do you wish us to carry on or await new orders?" Taylor asked.
Bishop furrowed his brow as he reached for the pictures that had come through on his end. Any new mutant or alien life form always intrigued him, after all it was his job to know these things and whenever he could use it to his advantage. He firmly believed that you did not leave opportunity knocking and this was a clear case of opportunity practically breaking down the door. His sharp eyes seemed to devour the leonine face under the hood. A grim tight smile crossed his face for the briefest of moments.
"Agent Taylor, new orders. Leave the turtles but do whatever it takes to get him. I need to study him."
"Understood Boss, send us a helicopter or two." Taylor answered crisply.
"Try to take him down without his friends to interfere. I'll send the copters and what other help I can to make your task easier." Bishop warned.
Taylor nodded "Acknowledged base."
XXXX
Mike popped back on to the roof top holding the coveted prize, a cardboard box that steamed in the cool night air, the tantalizing aroma enough to make a turtle salivate like a Pavlovian dog.
"I'm talking about a deep dish, extra cheese, stuffed crust, major topping pizza." Mike declared lifting the lid with his free hand. Instantly many hands were vying for slices of the pie that was within, "A meal truly fit to care for those after work out munchies."
"I'm surprised it made it this far Mike" Raph commented.
"He was under a time limit" Don pointed out kindly, "Not to mention Leo vowed to shiskabob him the next time he took off with our money; and our pie."
"Hurting Mike is always a great incentive and it makes you feel good about yourself afterwards" Raph agreed as he smacked Mike on the back of the head for no apparent reason, "Least it always works for me."
Vincent chuckled as he bit into his slice of pizza, long strands of cheese dangled between his mouth and the pie. The look on Vincent's face said that this was something that he was not really accustomed too as of yet.
Mike removed Vincent's cloak, that he had wrapped all around and about himself to complete the mission, "Thanks for the loaner Vincent, our plan was essential to it, in other words we couldn't have done it without you."
"You are welcome, but I would never have risked to do such a thing myself. Father feels I should stay hidden, and not reveal myself." Vincent explained.
Leo nodded "He cares for your welfare and your well being, but in New York it is easy enough to blend with your surroundings there are so many diverse groups of people here, not to mention the street people that most citizens tend to turn a blind eye, noticing very little of what is around them."
Raph smacked his lips "People are dumb and we ninja play to that,"
"I wouldn't go quite that far..." Don began countering Raph's statement.
Leo tensed, "Hold off guys I think we may have some company moving in. Vincent get out of here. You don't need to become involved with our enemies."
Vincent stood up scowling slightly "Perhaps I could stay and assist you." he offered.
"No offence Vincent but we don't need your help and your Father would be opposed to it" Don insisted.
"Don's right get out of here." Raph snapped at their friend.
Vincent turned his head debating he could see the dark forms moving in from other buildings. While he knew his friends were right he didn't want to leave them behind either. He had no desire to seem a coward.
"Vincent just go!" Leo barked, "NOW!"
Vincent snarled and whirled about taking off along a clear path leaving his four friends behind and hoping that they would be all right. He knew that this was what they were trained for, but he was also aware that sooner or later one of the turtles could die from a lucky strike of their enemy. He also knew he had promised Father, but it felt so wrong to him to turn tail and run away.
Leo watched Vincent's flight path, muttered to his brothers "I hope the Foot leave him alone" he pulled his katana listening to the soft ring of the metal as it came free from the scabbards, and stood at the ready with his backs against his brother's carapaces.
"I'm sure he can lose them if they do try to follow"Don remarked, "And it looks like they just want us." He said as the shadowy Foot soldiers landed on the roof and came towards the ninja brothers.
XXX
"Eagle has flown the nest. Team one keep tabs on him, Team two keep your ears open and insure he does not go to ground, the hunt is on. Let's take him out" Agent Taylor called to his operatives, "Close in and make no mistakes, this is the prize gentleman."
Vincent moved to a fire escape and was about to plunge down it when something came out of the dark shadows, a silent shot and a weapon directed his way. Vincent backed up growling softly baring his teeth. He scented something in the wind, and he furrowed his brow above his eyes before he scrambled off in a new direction, in hopes of evading those who were after him.
XXX
Mike blocked a sword blow from the left while trying to disarm the soldier of his weapon, but the orange masked turtle lacked the leverage and before he could correct the mistake was almost disarmed himself. Mike countered by grapping a staff directed his way and hitting it into the stomach of the soldier who eased his grip allowing Mike to pull the sword from the soldier's hand, "Don't you dudes ever get the gut feeling that messing with us is bad news?"
Don blocked a high strike and swept another solider off his feet, before jamming his bo to the rear, hitting a soldier in the neck.
"Nice move Donny"Raph complimented his brother as he punched one soldier in the face, "That is going give him a bad out look people." He remarked seeing that he had hit the soldier in the eye. Raph was as usual focusing strongly on his opponents and bringing them down in short order.
Leo kept part of his focus on his brothers, and part on the battle that waged around him. He knew his brothers were skilled and could care for themselves, but that didn't mean they couldn't make a mistake or find themselves in trouble and Leo wanted to be ready to act if any of his brothers needed him.
XXX
Vincent was starting to realize that there was no safe place to get down into the tunnels where he might be able to lose his pursuers. It seemed no matter where, or when or how he tried to get down there was someone waiting below him ready to drive him back. Not to mention the people that Vincent could scent nearby who were closing in on him and constantly shooting at him. There was no doubt he was being hunted.
Now every fire escape, drain spout and other means of getting below were a danger or a threat to him. He didn't dare go to a 'friend' topside for he knew that these enemies would follow and perhaps endanger them as well.
He raised his head allowing the hood to fall open as he snarled in anger, his hearing picked up the slight whirring chopping noise of a helicopter coming into the area, as the hunters closed in around them.
"He's getting agitated. Let's bring him down." Taylor demanded as he shone the spotlight on Vincent, causing the beast below him to wince and shield his eyes. Taylor shot and the dart hit Vincent firmly.
Vincent roared in a mixture of pain and fury, he lunged at one of the people on the roof top, picked him up by the throat snarling into the terrified pasty white face of the hunter before tossing his crumpled lifeless form into another corner.
Vincent felt another dart hit in his back and he snarled before taking off, at a much slower staggering run.
Another Agent drew closer and shot at Vincent this one too, Vincent killed with a quick slashing strike of his hands.
XXX
Don's chest heaved as he brought his staff down on the Foot soldier's head.
"Where'd they all go?" Raph wondered looking at the still forms on the rooftops, he was still eager and ready for battle.
"It looks like they are heading home with their tails between their legs" Mike reported laughing, as he pointed out the surviving Foot beating a hasty retreat.
"I don't understand" Leo muttered, "Why would they attack so quickly just to leave unless..." He gasped eyes growing large, inhaling sharply as he realized the truth. "Divide and conquer. Quick we have to find Vincent, make sure that he got home safe." Leo announced.
The others scrambled quickly to obey Leo each of them suddenly gripped with that uncomfortable desperate fear, that it was Vincent the Foot had wanted, and his life was now in danger. They had played into the enemies hand's and none of them cared for that in the least.
Yet it was, they all knew, the only thing that made sense considering the short intense battle.
XXX
Taylor watched as finally the beast crumpled to the roof top. " He must have a high metabolism to have gone so far after so much tranq in his system.' He told himself. From his perch in the copter he could see the other agents warily surrounding the beast, they had learned from the dead to be careful, the beast was dangerous. As most injured animals would be, at least it was no longer a threat to the citizen's of New York.
Taylor watched as Vincent raised his head one last time, the agents quickly shuffled back, then with an exhausted groan the beast collapsed and laid still. "Bring the copter down. Let's get this thing contained and back to base before it wakes up." he ordered simply.
All in all it had been a good nights work.
XXX
Raph held up a tranquilizer dart "I'd say he did run into some trouble."
Leo narrowed his eyes "We have to see if he did make it home or is now captive." He announced.
The other three turtles cast wary uneasy glances at one another, none of them cared to break the news to Father that Vincent may have been taken by the enemy, but they all knew they could not leave him in the dark about his son's whereabouts either.
Leo looked off at New York's skyline knowing by the look of the sky that they didn't have many hours left to look, "Raph you and Don see what you can learn up here. Mike and I will go talk to father." he decided.
They separated, not talking but silently wishing the other team luck.
TBC