Chapter 4: Negotiations
A/N: Well, here's the fourth chapter. Sorry it took me so long, but I've been very busy with schoolwork as usual. I really hope you enjoy this chapter. Thanks to all of those who have read and reviewed so far. You guys are the reason I'm still doing this. Enjoy the chapter.
Disclaimer: I don't own the Turtles. That would be a good graduation present, but I guess I'll just have to settle for the DVD of the Lost Season. TMNT are owned by Eastman and Laird.
Dr. Brendan Chaplin logged off his computer and sat back with a sigh. He had been working hard at trying to restore the Stocktronics laboratory so it didn't go to waste. The young scientist had been trying to recruit people via the Internet to see if they wanted to help rebuild the lab and work there. Since Stockman was, reluctantly, working for Agent Bishop he had abandoned the building.
Chaplin hoped that he could get a crew of people to help him with this cause. But right now he had to get ready for his date with Karai. He had asked Karai if he could take her to one of the fancy restaurants in New York, and she had agreed.
Chaplin got ready and headed over to Karai's apartment. He was excited that he actually had someone to take to dinner. He had never been popular with women in high school or college. They all thought he was too geeky and nerdy to pay attention to. But now he had someone who appreciated his intelligence and respected his efforts. Not only that, but she was very beautiful, too. Chaplin was very grateful for what he had. If it hadn't been for Oroku Saki, he wouldn't have gotten a good job, and he was glad that Karai had continued to employ him.
Chaplin knocked on Karai's door and waited. When there was no answer, he became a little concerned. Where could she be? he wondered. Then he remembered that she was probably still at Foot Headquarters. "Karai needs a break," he said to himself. "She's been working too hard."
Dr. Chaplin headed to Foot Headquarters and gave his name and identification to the guards outside. After he was permitted to enter, he went straight to Karai's office. The door was closed, which made Chaplin believe that Karai was inside doing paperwork again. He knocked on the door, hoping that she wouldn't ignore him.
Inside the office, Hun heard the knock. "Come in," he said. Normally, he wouldn't be so polite, but he felt that since he was working in an office, he had to act professional no matter what his true feelings were.
As he entered the office, Chaplin was astonished to see Hun sitting at Karai's desk. He thought Hun hated Karai and had separated himself from the Foot because of this hatred. What was going on?
Hun was equally surprised to see Chaplin. He kenw the young scientist had taken over Stocktronics in the hopes of building it up, but he hadn't expected Chaplin to be at Foot Headquarters.
"What brings you here, Dr. Chaplin?" demanded the large man.
"I was just seeing if Karai was here," replied Dr. Chaplin. "She wasn't at her apartment building."
"Yes, Karai is here," said Hun. "She's in the dojo with the Foot Ninjas. Why do you want to see her?"
"We have a date," answered Chaplin. "I'm going to take her to a fancy restaurant for dinner."
Hun refrained from rolling his eyes at Chaplin's comment. He couldn't understand why Karai would want to go out with a nerd like Chaplin. Then again, he wondered why anyone would want to go out with Karai, either.
"Well, I'll go get her then," said Chaplin. "Thanks for your help."
"No problem," Hun responded. "Have a nice date." Then he mentally cringed after the words came out of his mouth. If the Dragons heard him say that, they would think he'd lost his head. Still, he felt that he had to be polite to Chaplin, no matter how much the scientist annoyed him.
"Thanks," Chaplin said. He left the office and went to search for Karai. As he wandered the halls, he tried to remember where the dojo was. He remembered taking a tour once but couldn't recall where the dojo was located. He was about to give up when he heard the clanging of katanas nearby. He followed the sounds and peered into the dojo.
Inside, Karai was teaching some of her Foot Ninjas some extensive moves. She felt that they were doing well and would make her proud. If he had accepted her father's offer, Leonardo would probably have been among these Ninjas. She shook her head to rid herself of the thought. It was utterly ridiculous! Leonardo was her enemy and would soon be destroyed if her plan worked.
She called the Foot Ninjas to a halt. "Excellent work," she said. "You have done well so far. Keep practicing and you will excel to great heights. That is all for today. You are dismissed."
The Foot Ninjas bowed to her and left the dojo. When they were gone, Dr. Chaplin peeked into the room and came in. "Nice lesson, Mistress Karai," he said. "You really are a good teacher."
Karai turned around in surprise. "Dr. Chaplin!" she cried. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm here to take you out on a date," he replied. "I made reservations for us and everything. I know I told you about it."
Oh, shit, Karai thought. She had completely forgotten about it. She remembered accepting Dr. Chaplin's offer last week, but her plan for destroying the Turtles had driven it out of her mind.
"Yes, I remember," she told him. "I have just had a lot on my mind. I'm very sorry."
"No problem," Chaplin said. "I understand. It must be hard running all of this without your dad around."
Karai's face softened. "Yes, it is," she replied. "However, I do what I must do. Shall we go?" She was about to exit the dojo with Chaplin when the Foot Elite suddenly appeared. Chaplin let out a yelp of surprise. He had forgotten that the Elite could do that.
"What are you doing here?" Karai demanded.
One of the Elites held up the Sword of Tengu. "Mistress Karai, the Sword of Tengu has been repaired," he said. He handed her the glove she would need so that she could hold the sword.
Karai smiled an evil smile. "Good," she said. "The plan is finally in motion."
Dr. Chaplin was confused. "What plan?" he asked.
"My plan to destroy the Turtles," Karai answered.
"But you helped them," Chaplin protested. "You aided them in destroying the demon Shredder."
"That was different," she said. "The demon Shredder was not my father. I know that my father would want me to avenge him."
Chaplin shook his head. "What are you going to do with that sword?" he asked her.
"I am going to summon the Foot Mystics," she replied. "They will aid me in destroying the Turtles."
"You hate the Foot Mystics," Chaplin pointed out. "You never respected them. Besides, the Mystics aren't bound to anyone. They became free once the Heart of Tengu was destroyed."
'Yes, but I am going to use my power of persuasion," Karai told him. "If they refuse to help me, I will end their lives with this sword."
Chaplin thought it was a dumb plan, but he wasn't going to tell her that. "Good plan," he said. "So, are you going back to your apartment to get ready?"
"No, I am not," she answered.
"You can't go to the restaurant dressed like that," he protested. She was dressed in her Foot uniform. If anyone saw her in that, she'd be taken to jail.
"I am afraid I cannot go out tonight," Karai told him. "Perhaps we can do this another time."
"But, Mistress, you've been working all day," Chaplin pleaded. "You deserve a break."
"My work here is not done," Karai said icily. "I must try to summon the Foot Mystics here. Once I have persuaded them, I will go home."
Chaplin couldn't believe this! His girlfriend wanted to break a date to destroy those damn Turtles! It was obvious she didn't care about him. Who needed her? Maybe I'm better off being single, he thought. Being in a relationship certainly wasn't working out. But he knew that if he broke up with her, she could ruin him and maybe even kill him. He couldn't have that; she was the reason he still had a job.
"Well, I'm leaving now," he told Karai. "Call me when you get a chance. Good luck on your plan."
"Thank you, Doctor," Karai said graciously. "Have a nice evening."
Chaplin made no response and just left. As he made his way to the entrance of the Headquarters he almost ran into Hun.
"Leaving so soon?" the larger man inquired. "I thought you were going out on a date with Karai."
"The date's off," said Chaplin bitterly. "She said she has better things to do."
"Well, she can be like that," replied Hun. "Maybe you should break up with her. She obviously doesn't care about you."
"I would if it wasn't for the fact that she keeps me from being poor," said Chaplin. "Besides, she's the only woman who likes me for who I am."
Hun decided not to pursue the matter any further. It was obvious that Chaplin was smitten with the young woman, and nothing he said would deter that. "So, did she tell you what she was gonna do?" he asked Chaplin.
"She said that she was gonna summon the Foot Mystics in order to destroy the Turtles," answered Chaplin. "I told her it wouldn't work because of the Heart of Tengu being destroyed by the Turtles."
"And?" pursued Hun.
"She said she would use the Sword of Tengu to summon them instead," explained the doctor.
The larger man snickered. "I highly doubt this plan will work," he said dryly. "I already told her that if it doesn't work, I get to annihilate the Turtles myself. Don't be surprised if she tries to use you to cover up her mistakes." With that, he left the young scientist to muse on these thoughts.
Defeated, Chaplin headed to his own apartment. He knew that if he challenged Karai, she would more than likely do something horrible to him. He would be out of a job and forced to leave New York! What was going on with Karai? Why was she so obsessed with destroying the Turtles? Had she always hated them, or was she once friends with them? Chaplin had suspected this, but she had never told him about how she first met the Turtles. Maybe he would ask her that if they ever went out on their date. That is, if she wouldn't go ballistic when he brought it up. He decided to put these thoughts out of his mind and got ready to watch a Star Trek marathon.
Meanwhile, Karai had her own agenda. After Chaplin left, she headed to the room where the Foot Mystics used to reside. She stepped up to the pool that the Mystics had used to attack the Turtles and Splinter. It was because of this that she had also found the Lair, which resulted in her attacking and demolishing it. Karai only hoped that this would work. The woman took the Sword of Tengu and placed it above the pool. Then, closing her eyes, she began to focus only on the Mystics to summon them to her.
Elsewhere, the Foot Mystics were just wandering when they felt a sudden pull of energy. Even though they did all they could to resist the energy, they were unable to. The Mystics disappeared and found themselves in a room they knew all too well. What made them angry was who was waiting in that room to greet them.
Karai was pleased that the Sword had done its work. "Hello, Mystics," she said. "Long time no see."
Metal bristled. "What is the meaning of this?" he demanded.
"I summoned you here because I need your help," replied Karai. "I have devised a plan to destroy the Turtles, and you are going to play a prominent role in it."
"We will never serve you, usurper!" snarled Fire. "We were freed from you once the Heart of Tengu was destroyed. It is a pity that you survived the night our true Master came to power. But no matter. It will be our pleasure to finish you off."
As one, the Mystics advance on her, but Karai was prepared. She instantly brought out the Sword of Tengu and activated it. With a blast of energy, the Sword sent the Mystics against the wall.
"No!" Wind hissed. "This cannot be! The Sword of Tengu was lost. How did you find it and repair it?"
"I have my ways," Karai said mysteriously. "But enough about that. You will serve me and help me to carry out my plan. If you refuse, I will simply use this Sword against you, just as the Turtles' rat master did. The only difference is that I would end your lives permanently. Is that understood?'
Fire looked like he wanted to say something, but a stern look from Metal made him stop. "Yes, Mistress," all the Foot Mystics said.
The young woman sheathed the Sword. "Good," she said. "Now, let me explain my plan to you. A few months ago I captured Leonardo and subjected him to physical torture. I planned to end his life once and for all, but his wretched family came and rescued him." She gritted her teeth in anger over this.
"What is your point?" Metal demanded.
"My point is that I want Leonardo and his family destroyed!" Karai shouted. "This is where you come in, but you are to do nothing until I give the word. For now, I want you to keep an eye on Leonardo from here and report to me when he is fully healed."
"But, Mistress," Water began, "if he is wounded now wouldn't it be better to strike while he is vulnerable?"
"No," replied Karai. "I would rather he have a false sense of security. Attacking now would be too easy. It is best to wait when their guard is down. Once he's healed, I will go over the rest of the plan with you. I am going home now. I will see you tomorrow. Good night."
As soon as she left, Fire rounded on Metal. "What were you thinking?" he demanded. "We serve no one. Why should we even serve the usurper that dares to blaspheme our Master's name?"
"Patience, Brother," said Metal. "When the time is right, we will make our move."
"And when we do, this city and all its inhabitants will be ours," added Earth.
"I say we destroy Karai now and then destroy the Turtles," suggested Fire.
"Karai has the Sword of Tengu," Water reminded them. "If we strike now, she will know."
"We should keep an eye on Karai and the Turtles," suggested Wind. "There is no doubt that she is using us for her own personal gain. Once she has succeeded she will destroy us as well. When that happens, we strike."
The other Mystics agreed to this, although Fire was reluctant to do so. He knew that serving Karai would only lead to trouble, but he felt it would be better not to pursue the matter. Once his brothers got an idea, they tended to stick to it until it was carried out. For now they would serve the usurper known as Karai, but what she didn't know was that vengeance would come for the Turtles and for her.
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The Ancient One opened his eyes with a gasp. He had been meditating when he had been struck by a bad feeling. He knew that this feeling had to do with the Turtles, though he had no idea why he knew this. Something was going to happen to them! The Ancient One felt that he had to go to New York, even though he knew the Ninja Tribunal would not approve. Still, he had to try to persuade them to let him go. He got up and made his way to the Tribunal monastery.
The Ninja Tribunal were discussing matters among themselves. Even though The Ancient One was a member of the Tribunal, there were times when they wanted to discuss things out of his hearing. They were angry that he did not want to stay in the monastery itself, but had instead opted to stay at his own home. As the doors burst open and the Ancient One entered, three of the Tribunal members gazed at him with annoyance.
"What are you doing here?" demanded Chikara.
"I have been in deep meditation, Masters," answered the Ancient One. "While meditating, I was struck by a feeling that the Turtles are in danger. I must go to New York to warn them."
"Your place is here," Kan said sternly. "You chose to serve the Tribunal and that is what you will do. I am sure the Turtles can handle whatever it is."
"With all due respect, I do not think they will know what is coming," said the Ancient One. "They may need my help."
"You speak foolishness," Chikara scoffed. "This feeling you have is nothing more than false prophecy. You want to abandon the Tribunal just because of a feeling that you have, which is ridiculous. Most of the time, the feelings we have are a hindrance rather than an aid. I would advise you not to heed it at all."
"I do not want to abandon you at any costs," replied the Ancient One. "I am merely concerned about the Turtles and Splinter-san. They are family to me, and I want to make sure they are well."
"You must guard against this concern," said Juto. "Do not worry about what you cannot control and concern yourself with what you can control. The Turtles are great warriors and have learned much from us. They will be able to encounter whatever obstacle is in their way. Is that understood?"
"Yes, Masters," the Ancient One said, bowing to them. Then he departed to his home, feeling very frustrated. The Tribunal had no idea what his feelings entailed. The old man knew that some evil was going to try to destroy the Hamato family, and the Tribunal would be responsible for that as they were for Yoshi's death. As he entered his home, his eyes fell upon two letters written by Splinter. One contained the news of Leonardo's capture at the hands of the Foot, while the second one told of his rescue. The old man knew that Leonardo's recovery would be long and painful, and if this evil threatened to destroy them, he knew that the oldest Turtle wouldn't be ready for it in his state of mind, if he was awake. The Ancient One decided to write a letter to Splinter to warn him of the danger and to invite them to come here. He also decided to get gifts for Splinter's sons as a morale booster. They were his family, and he was going to help them whether the Tribunal liked it or not. He had lost a son to their foolishness, but he would not lose any others. With that last thought in his head, the Ancient One began to write.
A/N: Well, that's it for this chapter. I changed the title of the story because I wanted to have a third story in the AWP saga. I hope you liked it. If you have any questions, just leave them in your review and I'll get to them when I have time. Please read and review. Have a shelltastic day!