One week later
Back at TCRI, things haven't been so easy since Arianina and the others got mutated. They lost all the mutagen they had worked hard on for a year. And now they have to start over again from scratch and make it up for lost time, starting with cleaning the mutagen room from the spliced ooze and fixing the tube.
Inside the room, Eric, in his new mutant form, watched the repaired team putting the tube back together. They wear a protective bodysuit, gloves, boots, and goggles. The team carefully sealed the tube in tight and secured it till one of them almost fell and tripped from the clean floors that the cleaning team finished.
"Be careful! I want it to be locked airtight!" Eric shouted at the workers, letting out a growl at the end. He looks down at his hands, almost human-like alligator. Ever since he got mutated, his mutant side was fighting him and trying to take over him like a caged animal wanting to be free and take control of its capturer. He should've known that allowing a field trip in was a horrible idea. "This new body is hard to channel." He growled. "She will pay for the damaged she caused to me and my plans."
"Eric Sack, my my." A familiar voice spoke from behind him. Eric turned around, and standing by the doorway was Bishop with a smirk on his face.
Eric snarled. "Bishop? What brings you here?" He is still mad about their last encounter.
Bishop walked in and observed the room. "I came to check and see how you are managing, and it seems I am right." He informed him. He faced him. "I told you about the bug."
"I can make an antidote for this!!" Eric growled. "I just need the materials for it, and I will be back to normal!" His teeth were showing as if he wanted to scare Bishop. But Bishop remained unmoved.
Then Bishop looked away. "It's most likely to happen, Eric." He stated.
"What are you talking about?" Eric glared.
Then Bishop turned back to him, giving him his full attention. "You think the mutants have figured out how to remove their mutagen? No. And I doubt that no one wants to go back to normal." He added. "I wish you the best of luck on your recovery Eric. Goodbye." Then he walked to the doorway and left, leaving Eric by himself.
Eric growled. After that humiliation last year, he refused to be humiliated by Bishop again. He just needs the materials to make his mutagen again and a cure for his mutation.
And by a stroke of the moment, Rockwell came in. But the expression on his face showed a sign of bad news. "Sir, I have a report of our shipment." He began.
"what is it?" Eric asked him, waiting to hear some news he hoped would be good.
"Well...I am afraid that the materials for the mutagen won't be able to arrive till three months." Rockwell explained. "So we need to put a huge pause on it until we can get it." He added.
Eric froze in place. "So I am forever stuck in this form?" He implied.
Rockwell sighed. "Our doctors have tried everything to cure this mutation, but it proves to be impossible." He reviewed with a concerned expression. "I am deeply sorry, my friend."
Eric was growling like a wild alligator. He left the room and walked inside a chemistry lab. Then suddenly, he threw a table against the wall, shattered the beakers, and tore apart a chair in a blinding rage that frightened the scientist. After his raging tantrum, he roared loudly. "One day, one day, I will get that girl Arianina and destroy her!!! Inside and out!!!" His roar echoed throughout the building.
The heart monitor was beeping, beeping, and beeping. It echoes the hospital room while a grown man lies in bed with a breathing gas on. He looks up at the ceiling, breathing in and out along with the air machine. Then he turned and saw a young girl sitting by him.
Her little brown pigtail was downcast around her face, looking down at her hands pressed together and kicking her legs. She was being reticent, almost too quiet. Then she lifts her head up, showing her face. Her forest green eyes were filled with tears, and her nose was dripping mucus; she must have been crying.
The man smiled at her. "It's gonna be okay, Arianina." He spoke in a soft voice. "I'll be fine."
Arianina sniffed. "But Andy said-" she was then cut off by loud shouting from outside the room.
"What do you mean you are out of options!?" Abigail's voice was heard as she shouted loudly.
"Abigail, we did everything we could to save Ben's life. But the disease is already making progress fast." A male voice spoke back. "I fear his time is already up."
"And you call yourselves doctors!!? You all are nothing too weak, cheap shakes!!" Abigail shouted. "Either you do something, or I will sue you all for this!! You hear!!!? I AM GONNA SUE YOU ALL!!!"
"Abigail! Please!!" But is cut off by a crashing noise.
Arianina flinched and whimpered in fear. She curled herself up and was shaking. Then she felt a hand on her arm; she looked up and saw her father staring at her with a weak smile.
"Arianina Nova Luck, I promise you that you will be okay. You are a strong and clever young soul." Ben reassured her in a weak voice. "Be strong for your mother and your mga lolo't lola."
Arianina sniffed. "I can't. I am not strong like you and the others." She cried. "Who will watch Jistu with me? Who is going to take me to Luna Park? And..who will save me from the scary monsters?" she sobbed.
Ben touched her cheek, giving it a soft rub. "sweetie, don't you dare say that. You can't let fear overcloud you." He whispered. "Don't let anyone take you down. And never let your flames go out, my little spitfire..." suddenly, his hand dropped down, and the heart monitor beeped flat.
Arianina gasped. "daddy!! Tatay!!!" She sobbed.
The door opens, and come in are two doctors. One checks his pulse and lowers his head down. The other let out a soft cry.
Arianina cried. "Tatay!! He can't die!! No!!" Another doctor came and picked her up. And he hugged her. Arianina hugged him back as she sobbed on his shoulder.
"I am so sorry Arianina." He apologizes to her. "He was a great man and a great friend. He will be greatly missed." He walks to Abigail while holding Arianina. "I am so sorry, Abigail; Ben is no longer here."
That angered her. "No longer here!!? I knew I shouldn't put my trust in you!!" She grabs Arianina by the hand and pulls her down to the ground. "You all are murderers!! I will see that you are all sued for putting my husband's life in danger!! Come on, Arianina!! We are leaving!!" She pulls Arianina's hand and drags her away.
"No!! But Tatay!!" Arianina cried.
"He is gone!! Dead!! Never coming back!!" Abigail shouted at her. "That idiot was a fool for allowing them, all for what? To help those who are sick and never taking care of himself? I hope he can rot in hell for being a no-good fool!!"
Arianina gasped. She had never heard her mother say that about her father.
"And as for you, you will get the same treatment he went through!! Starting now!!" Abigail yelled at her face and gave her a hard slap on the face.
She gasped loudly and shot up. She touched her cheek, hoping the touch of that slap was real. But felt no sharp pain. She looks around, not in the hospital, not in the backyard, still in the subway train. She panted, still shaken by the dream she had. Arianina looks to her right at the mirror placed by the wall.
It had been a week since she got mutated and stuck in the sewers along with the rest. And it remained the same no matter how often she looked at herself in the mirror. A mutant turtle with long brown hair, forest green eyes, and clothes ripped and torn. She flops down on the mattress she uses as her new bed and stares at the ceiling. She felt Bello nibbling on her cheek and turned around to face him. She then lets out a sob as he comforts her. She is away from her home and staying with turtles. She doesn't know or if they can be trusted. She curled herself in a small ball and sobbed.
Meanwhile, in the kitchen. The turtles gather around the table. Donnie was holding a pen while in front was a sheet of paper. Leo sat next to him while Ralph and Mikey sat across them. After a week of being grounded for bringing the new mutants in, they need to start fetching food and items for them since they are now staying in the lair, hopefully temporarily.
" Okay, we are gonna need lots of food." Raph started. "Not sure what kind they are used to eat, though."
Mikey faced him. "You make it sound like they aren't allowed to enjoy pizzas." He fumed.
" Well, we only got four waken turtles and one in a bad coma," Leo added. "We got to be careful with our budget now." It's true. With eight woken turtles and one rat in the lair, money will be really tight."
" Aw, man.." Mikey whined.
Leo pats him on the shoulder across. "Hey, we can still do pizzas." He reassured him. "We just have to know what kind they will enjoy."
" Yeah. But Judi doesn't remember, and that wood one hasn't left her room for weeks." Mikey pointed at Arianina's room.
Donnie clears his throat, trying to change the subject. "We can discuss food later, next we should get some bedding, some shampoo, and conditioners." He added them down to the paper, making a list.
" That should be easy, right?" Leo faced Donnie.
Donnie only shrugged. "Well, it depends on what vitamins their hair needs." He answered. "And after, we better do something about clothing. They are pretty much used to it."
" Too bad we can't bring Julian since he is trying to get Judi to remember or get April with her college work." Mikey sighed.
" We have to make do with what we can, Micheal." Donnie just shrugged.
Mikey looks down. "Right.."
Raph hummed. "Okay." He nodded. "Since we got our plans, time to get moving."
The four put on their hoodie and their disguises. Mikey quietly walks to a subway train that is lifted with light. He opened it and saw Julian holding a sleepy Judi, sitting on the mattress they share as a bed and with a small lamp lighting the room. It's not a lot, but it's enough to give them a spot to rest.
Mikey clears his throat, getting Julian's attention. "Okay, we're heading out. Need anything along the way?" He asked them.
Julian hooded. "Yeah. Can you get oranges?" He asked. "I need to be sure Judi gets her vitamin." He added.
"Sure." Mikey smiled. "Later." He heads off, joining his brothers as they head off to the surface.
The turtles enter the next aisle, scanning the shelves. Raph holds the list while Leo pushes the cart, and Mikey and Donnie put the items in the cart. The supermarket shop is the biggest in New York and has everything the guys need for their lair: food, electronics, bedding, bathing, and decor. Yet as big as it is, it tended to attract many customers. The boys need to stay low and keep on with their shopping. And hoping no one can suspect a thing.
Donnie put a bag of apples in the cart, and Raph checked it off. Leo pushes the cart, which is getting heavier, with food like lettuce, tomato, broccoli, strawberries, bacon, chicken breast, nuts, bread, and boloney. They even put in four bedding sheets for the woken turtles, some candles, new clothes to fit their shape and shells, and clean pillows.
Leo grunted, pushing hard. "You sure you don't want to trade places, Raph?" He asked Raph.
" No, thank you," Raph smirked. "Keep pushing."
" Aw, come on!!" Leo whines, pushing the cart as they enter the next aisle.
Mikey put in a bag of oranges, hoping he got enough for Judi. Donnie put in hanging lights for each room.
As Donnie passed the electric aisle, he thought he spotted something from the corner of his right eye. He turned his head and let out a gasp. One of the tv screens shows the five teens' high school pictures and their last location, TCRI. And they are on the news. "Oh no.." he whispered.
Another tv by the pictured one shows news with a reporter talking from the same building. "Hello, New Yorkers. I am at TCRI Lab Incorporated. Rumors spoke of five young teens having disappeared and were unfounded." The reported spoke. The pictures show up on the screen with their names and what schools they go to. "Young Ginerva Benci, the youngest worker of TCRI. Primrose Marylane, daughter of the renounced company owner. Arianina Luck, daughter of the deceased physicians, and Judith Miller and her twin brother, Julian Miller, two foster teens that have yet to find a home." The reporter is shown again, and next to her is Falco. "Here with me is one of the workers, Victor Falco." She faced him. "Dc. Falco, what can you tell me about the disappearance of these teens? Do you believe that your workplace is holding them hostage?"
Falco scoffed. "Ma'am. I am a man of science. But I haven't seen them at all." He answered. "When I heard young Benci is gone, I felt a deep concern for her. She works hard to keep her family off the streets. I just hope wherever they are; they are safe and unharmed."
The reporter spoke. "Well, TCRI has requested the New York Police to search for them all over New York, from high towers to underground sewers, and return them to their home." She informed. "If you see these teens, please report them to the police."
Donnie froze in his place, searching all over New York, from high towers to underground sewers. It means they can find the lair, and it would expose them to the world and take both the turtles and the mutant teens to who knows where, like TCRI. Creeping behind him is the rest of the three. They seemed to have seen the news and heard it all.
" Okay. I think I speak for the four of us." Leo spoked. "We need to get what we got and head back! Quick!" He shouted in a panic.
" Agreed!!" The three replied.
And like a rabbit with its tail between its legs, Ralph pushed the cart quickly, not caring if some flew off the cart. Donnie paid the cashier all the money he got, and the four ran off. The cashier looked confused; they had never gotten the chance to scan their purchase. They don't care if anyone gets in the way; they need to get back to the lair before the police forces can reach the lair. They ran to the abandoned subway stairs and disappeared.
A figure came out of the shadows, Agent Bishop. And he watched them running out of the store and into the abandoned stairs. "So that's where they go to." He mumbled, narrowing his eyes behind his sunglasses.
The turtles ran as fast as they could back home. They jumped into a huge hole and landed behind a waterfall's hidden entrance. Donnie has it turned off, and the four enter with all their groceries and clean fabrics. Then he turned it back on.
Leo stopped and almost tripped. "Dad!!" He shouted.
" Yes?" Splinter's voice asked from behind. Leo turned around to the source of his voice.
They find Splinter sitting on the benches next to Ginny, who is crying into a handkerchief. Her body shakes with each sob.
"Ginny? What's wrong?" He asked Ginny.
Ginny sniffed. "I and Master Splinter was watching tv, and the news came on, and they were talking about me and the other four." She cried. "They think we have disappeared! And my family believed I was dead!" She sobbed loudly.
Splinter pulls her in for a hug, comfortably rubbing her back shell. "There, they're my child." He spoke softly. "I know it's hard. I know the feeling of losing your old life." He remembered the feeling he had from his mutation.
" But I can't be a turtle!!" Ginny shouted. "My little sister! My little brother!! My brothers!! Grandma!! They can't survive!!" Her face is covered with tears and mucus.
Leo walks to her and touches her shoulder. "Hey. It will be okay." He reassured her.
" No, it won't!!" Ginny yelled at him. She then shoved him away. She jumped off and ran to a subway train that was close to Leo's and close it. A lock sound is heard, meaning she locks herself in.
Leo rushed after her and tried to open it, but it was too late. "Ginny! Ginny, come on!!" He frowned, knocking on the door.
The twins came in, having heard everything. They listened to the news as well, and it worried Julian. With everyone thinking the teens have disappeared, they will believe that the two are dead too. Julian held Judi's hand tight.
" Is she okay?" Judi asked her brother.
Julian faced her. "She's going to be fine, sis. And so will we." He answered her.
" Why? What's going to happen to us?" She asked again.
" Well…" Julian struggled to find the correct answer.
Then Mikey stepped in. "Uh, hey. Judi, want to watch a movie with me? Julian can join." He suggested, trying to get the new's topic out of the way.
" Uh..okay." Judi smiled at him, turned, and headed to the tv room.
Mikey sighed in relief. He saw Julian give him a nod, thanking him for avoiding the topic. The two followed after Judi.
Meanwhile, Donnie checked the sewer's security cameras. So far, no police forces have found their entrance, location, or any that can give them away. He sighed in relief at it; at least they are safe, for now. He left his lab and faced his attention to Arianina's room. It has been a whole week, and she never left her room, not even going to the bathroom or getting food. He probably guessed she didn't even bring herself as clean as the others had.
He let out a sigh. Then he pulled out his phone and dialed a number. He waited for the other line to pick up.
" This is April O'Neil. Who's calling?" April's voice spoke from the other line.
" Hey, April, can you come here?" He asked her.