"Remember guys," Donnie said. "We only get a short window of time to do this. The portal will open where our dimension and this one meet in Shredder's fortress. Once the portal opens we have to go. If we don't, the portal will close, and we will be trapped here forever."

"We got it Braniac," young Raph said. "Beat the Shredder, get ta the portal."

The rest of his family nodded. There was no turning back.

Everyone piled into the refurbished tunneler, armed to the teeth. No one really felt like talking.

Both Raphs had already begun scowling, fidgeting with their sai. Splinter and the two Leonardos sat in meditation together. Silent, calm and centered.

Donnie looked at the Mikeys on either side of him. Identical grins on their faces, they each clapped a hand on his shoulder. They were ready.

….

"Shift to gear 7!" said April. "That last layer of bedrock is going to be tough!"

Donnie flipped a switch and ground the tunneler into high gear.

"We're almost there!" he cried. "Everyone get ready!"

There was a faint clinking of metal as weapons were drawn.

Splinter gripped his walking stick firmly.

"My sons. I have never been more proud of you all."

"Here we go!" April shouted.

***BANG***

The tunneler crashed through the last layer of rock bursting into the Shredder's fortress.

With a hiss the tunneler's doors opened and the resistance leapt into the empty room.

"Wait a minute..." said Raph. "Ain't there supposed ta be Foot flunkies or somethin'?"

A mirthless laugh echoed behind them.

"Don't worry fool," Karai grinned. "We will be more than enough to destroy you all!"

With a sweeping gesture of her arm, the silhouettes of Karai Legion and the Foot Elite appeared from the shadows.

Donnie gripped his bo staff tight. He couldn't use the blaster until he reached the Shredder. He only had three shots.

"Take 'em down!" April shouted.

Battle cries rang from the warriors as they engaged with Karai and her underlings.

Karai immediately pounced upon the older Leo savagely slashing at him with deadly accuracy.

The old terrapin twisted away from her blows while trying to land his own. The metal of their swords hissed and sparked as the two deadly ninja danced around the room.

Both Raphaels had their hands full with one Karai Legion each. Shell to shell they furiously swung their sai searching for a weak point in the metallic armor.

The young red turtle threw his sai straight into the eye of a Legion. With a crash the robot collapsed. Using the back of his older counterpart, he leapt high over the second robot slamming his remaining sai down on its head.

"YES!" he cried pumping his fist in the air.

"Don't get cocky kid!" the older turtle yelled.

Raph scowled as he collected his weapons.

The older Raph chuckled. "But nice shot."

Jumping back into the fray they ran to help the Mikeys and Master Splinter who were surrounded by the Foot Elite.

It was all Splinter could do to keep himself away from their devastating attacks. It seemed old age had caught up with him.

Similarly, both Mikeys frantically swung their nunchaku, deflecting the blasts directed at them. The young Mikey could see the toll having only one arm was having on his older self. He tried to compensate as best he could.

"Watch it!" he cried deflecting a naginata swung perilously close to the older turtle's head.

"Thanks Mikey!" the older turtle said grinning.

"No prob Mikey!" cried the younger turtle.

"My sons! Focus!" Splinter said catching a blade meant for his face.

Donnie rushed another Foot Elite about to stab Splinter in the back, his bo staff solidly connecting with the Elite's jaw. Reeling the Elite barely had enough time to dodge the gleaming sai aimed at his chest.

Together the red, orange and purple turtles began pushing the Elite back. All of them, except the lead Elite, still engaged with Splinter.

The old rat had been losing ground steadily, fatigue sapping his strength.

The Elite flashed his weapon across Splinter's shoulder.

"Ungh!"

The old rat gripped his shoulder as blood began to flow freely from the gash.

Young Leo heard his master's groan of pain. Dispatching the Karai Legion he faced with a viscous slash across its chest, he ran to place himself between the Elite and his wounded father.

"Get away from him," he said menacingly.

The Elite laughed darkly, circling the young turtle. He lunged forward, but rather than attacking the blue banded ninja, he again attacked the injured Splinter. With a cry Leo swung his katana blocking the Elite's sword. He didn't see the Karai Legion he had damaged pointing the barrel of its blaster until it was too late. The beam hit him squarely in the chest. A sharp burning sensation spread across his plastron.

The young ninja collapsed to the floor.