Chapter 13:
Deidra woke up with a vibration from her phone against her side. She took a quick intake of breath and looked over the back of the couch to look where Raphael was the night before. It was empty and cleaned from what she saw. If any blood had touched the floor of the lair, it was completely washed away somehow by that morning. He had a lot of injuries to heal up from. He had bruises everywhere, not to mention cuts and gashes. She had to hand it to him though; he did have great will power to keep awake like he did. She knew she would have had a problem with injuries like that. Maybe it was his tough shell.
The still vibrating phone in her hand brought her back to the present and she answered in a bit of a rush.
"Jenson," she spoke into the phone back in authority mode.
"Rise and shine, agent," Seeper said into the phone and chuckled a little knowing that he woke her up. She could just picture his snarky smile on the other end of the phone.
"Hell… what time is it, Seeper?" she grumbled and rubbed at her eyes. Under the sewer she couldn't tell if it was morning, noon or night.
"Around four-thirty in the morning," he said proudly and earned a groan from Deidra, "I wanted to give you a heads up. We recovered a black sedan in the river last night. Witnesses said that they saw members of the Purple Dragons pushing it in."
'So that's what they were doing out last night,' Deidra thought to herself and then focused back on the conversation, "Do you think that it's our car they pushed in?"
"It's a good possibility," he sighed, "We will be running tests on the interior and the trunk space. But from what I see of it, I am thinking that we struck gold."
"Yeah, congratulations, now he's going to be abducting girls in a whole different vehicle," Deidra groaned and made Seeper stop dead in his tracks, "You thinking that they have a connection to our suspect?"
"That's kind of stretching it, isn't it?" Seeper asked since he was confused about how much excitement he should have about finding the vehicle.
"I don't think so," she shook her head even though he couldn't see it, "They are always in the job of goons for hire. Maybe someone paid them to push the sedan into the Hudson or just get rid of it. You never know."
"You got a point."
"Well, what time do you want me in?"
"Don't," Seeper said simply.
"What do you mean 'don't'?" she said slowly to make sure she was processing everything correctly.
"I mean you need a day off," Seeper said nonchalantly, "We all do. Look- before you argue with me, the uniforms are patrolling down in the areas at high risk so they have the streets covered. Algut's boys have some questioning on some Purple Dragons to do, but nothing over the top. Darson and Edmunds are all over the sedan and the chemical composition on the Delone girl. What are we going to do other than twiddle our thumbs and say the same stuff we already have?"
"I can see what I can get out of the gang members."
"And scare the shit out of them," Seeper strained into the phone, "You nearly tore apart that Sanchez kid."
"Only to prove he wasn't murderer material. Besides some of them may open up to a woman."
"Then let the women detectives take care of it today."
"What if you find something?" she asked and got off the couch to examine the area where Raphael was, "And what about Miss Velmont?"
"We will all be contacted if anything has changed. He hasn't grabbed another girl. As far as we know she is still alive," Seeper sighed into the phone.
"And tortured."
"Just get some rest today."
"Yeah, wakeup call at four-thirty in the morning is a great way to start a long relaxing day."
"Good morning, agent," Seeper said as he hung up his phone and Deidra put her phone on the back of the couch.
"Yeah, morning," she rubbed the back of her neck to work out any kinks from sleeping on the couch. She rubbed her other hand over the cement where she knew Raphael was the night before.
"They took him to his room after you passed out on the couch. I thought that you would have given up a bigger fight to help patch him up."
"They knew what they were doing. I didn't want to get in their way," Deidra turned to her side where Analise stood with two large cups of something warm, "I know you aren't a coffee drinker. What's in the cups?"
"Tea," she smiled and handed her the second cup, "Splinter is going to start practice in about fifteen minutes or so. I came in to wake you up."
Deidra took a sip and looked over the lip of the cup to the floor. She could swear she could still see him injured on the floor.
"He's okay," Analise smiled and took a sip from her own cup, "They even had to knock him out so he would go to sleep. He won't be at practice this morning."
"Seeper called," Deidra mentioned and avoided talk of Raphael.
"What did he say?" Analise asked as they both walked toward the dojo.
"They found the sedan. Apparently the dragons dumped it in the Hudson last night," Deidra downed the rest of the tea and gave Analise the cup before they were too far from the kitchen, "That's why they were out last night. Apparently Raph was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."
"Jackasses. We should have known they were up to something. Not the type of group to organize a walk in the park," Analise frowned and walked into an empty dojo, "Hm, I wonder where the boys are."
"Spiffen themselves up for us," Deidra joked.
"Doubtful," Analsie rolled her eyes and saw Splinter come into the dojo by himself.
"Good morning, students," he bowed his head toward them.
"Good morning, sensei," they both chorused and bowed back.
"My sons have a very early morning patrol to do," Splinter said in response to their confused expressions, "They will not be joining us for morning training."
"They are looking for Hun, aren't they?" Analise asked with furrowed eyebrows.
"Yes," Splinter nodded and pushed them toward the center of the room, "They are eager to take down any more attacks before they begin."
"If they went out for revenge, I think we should have been able to as well," Deidra frowned as she sat down.
"They are angered by their brother's injuries, but they do not seek just vengeance, Deidra," Splinter reminded her, "They seek justice and peace for those people still unaware of the danger. They believe that the monster could have been prowling again."
"No, he didn't grab anyone else," Deidra shook her head, "I would have known."
"Enough of wondering, it's time to meditate," Splinter joined the girls in the circle, "Now close your eyes and concentrate on emptying your mind…"
After training Deidra walked up to Raphael's room and carefully opened his door to make sure she didn't wake him up if he was sleeping. Splinter and Analise were going over specific moves since Michelangelo wouldn't be back until the afternoon. She would have stayed too, but she felt like she needed to be somewhere else. That somewhere else ended up being Raphael's room.
Raphael was in a bed on the floor instead of his hammock in the corner which Deidra guessed was what he usually slept in. One of his legs was elevated and wrapped in a few different wraps to keep down the apparent swelling. His head wasn't wrapped like she thought it would be, but his scrapes on the top of his head were held together with butterfly bandages. His eye that was swollen shut the night before looked better and the bruises were already turning a gross looking color- which, in her experience, usually meant they were healing. Most of the cuts were covered with gauze or wraps. Overall he was better than the bloody pulp he was the night before.
"So ya just goin' to stare at me, or do somethin'?" Raphael asked in a rough voice.
Deidra smirked and stared at the top of what could have been a dresser, "Just looking for the keys for your Ducati."
"Good luck trying to find those without my help," he chuckled in the back of his throat knowing better to use too much of his lungs if he wanted to start walking by the next day.
Deidra looked at his face and found that his black eye was open, "You're healing fast. Although I am a bit surprised."
"By what?"
"That you could get any more gruesome," she joked and pushed him in the arm, careful to avoid any sore spots. She paused for a minute, "Mike said that you've been in worse shape."
"I have, and probably will be again," he shrugged, "Why? You worried or somethin'?"
"Or something," she shrugged, "What were you doing going out on your own like that?"
"What you going to lecture a turtle when he's down?" he still held his smirk, "Because, to let you know you don't seem like the lecturing kind- and to tell ya the truth, I ain't the listenin' kind either."
"I've noticed," she nodded and sat down in a chair that went along with the desk at the side of the room. She brought it closer to the bed so she could talk to him better.
"Where are the others?"
"Ana and Splinter are in the dojo practicing what we learned today," Deidra glanced over her shoulder to elaborate, "Leo, Mike and Don all went to patrol to make sure that thing didn't grab any girls… and to find Hun."
"Hun is mine," Raphael growled, "We got some business to take care of."
"I can see that," she nodded, "I don't think they'll find him today. He seems like one to hide in the dark."
"Aren't you missin' work?" he asked suddenly and took a quick look down at her leg where she was clawed. The wrap was gone and a scar was starting to form, "You're leg ain't botherin' ya, is it?"
"No, Lieutenant gave me the day off," she chuckled a little to herself, "What you worried or something?"
"Or somethin'," he nodded and leaned back into the pillows behind his head. He closed his eyes for a few seconds and seemed to readjust his arm that had the most injuries.
Deidra watched him for a few seconds to see if she could figure him out. When it is just him and her, he seemed more civilized and even charming. But when it had to do with the rest of the world watching, he was a complete douche schnozzle.
He opened his eyes again and caught her watching him, "What?"
"Why are you so different when you aren't around your brothers?"
"I'm not all that different," he looked away from her, "Your imaginin' things."
"When you're in front of them you like to play macho, a lot," she began to describe, "Especially when Leo is around."
"I do not."
"You do too. Every time I've seen you two around one another you are at each other's throat. It's like you are always-" she nodded and suddenly a light lit behind her eyes, "You're jealous."
"Of what?"
"Could be multiple things," she shrugged and leaned toward him to put her elbows on the edge of the bed, "You tell me."
"You're seeing and imagining things," he frowned, "Trying to play up your boyfriend."
"My boyfriend?" Deidra chuckled to herself, "I don't have a boyfriend unless something developed when I was sleeping."
"What that little date didn't do anything for you last night?" he asked and his eyes shifted back to hers.
"That is really none of your business," she leaned back into her chair.
"Ah, and there it is," he looked at his ceiling, "You like my brother."
"Doesn't mean that he's my boyfriend," she argued, "What are you, ten?"
"Old enough to understand attraction," he took a quick glance at her, "So what are you doing unescorted in another guy's room?"
"Seeing how he was doing," she huffed. She was letting him get to her. Why? She had no clue.
"What would Leo say?"
"What would it matter?" she growled, "I am my own person."
"Until Leo says different."
"Until I say different, NO ONE controls me."
"Yeah, let's see how long that lasts. He does like to stay in control."
"Then there is a rapid change coming," she got out from her chair and Raphael's head turned completely toward her.
"Where you goin'?"
"To fix you something to eat," she said still angry, "You haven't eaten since last night."
"But you're mad at me," he noted.
She stopped at the door, took a deep breath and then looked back at him, "Doesn't mean I'm going to let you starve while Splinter is still in training. After you eat we'll need to change the bandages on your arm and a few on your leg. They're already bleeding through."
Raphael watched her leave through his doorway more than a little confused. He made her angry; it was that way with most people he talked to except for Casey or Michelangelo who always made it into a joke. The really weird thing was that she was still going to help him. Change his bandages for him, even.
"Weird girl," he snorted and looked back up at his ceiling. After a couple of seconds a smile began to grow on his face again, "She is pretty cute when she's pissed, though."
Analise fell back onto the mat in the dojo and looked up at the faint lighting above her head. Splinter leaned over her and chuckle a little at her expression, "Are you admitting defeat for the day?"
"For the day, sensei," she nodded and laid her arms out to either side of her.
"So be it," he nodded and held out a hand down to her. She took it willingly and jumped back up to her feet, "Michelangelo and the rest should be coming home soon enough. Maybe we could have a movie night all together."
"Maybe," Analise nodded and followed Splinter out of the dojo. She wiped access sweat from her brow with a small sweat towel and then rested it on her shoulders. They both walked toward the kitchen to start on lunch for the guys when they got home, "I just hope a giant wolf man or Purple Dragons don't rear their ugly heads and ruin it for us."
"Now that you've said that, they will," Deidra said from the stove top.
"I didn't jinx-" Analise stopped in mid sentence and smelled whatever her friend was cooking, "What the heck are you making? It smells amazing!"
"Perogies," she smiled and turned up her iPod which was in a speaker set next to the stove top. She danced a little to it as Analise joined in a little and Splinter settled himself at the table.
"Can I have some?" Analise asked as one song ended.
"Eventually," she nodded and put the finished ones she had on a plate and turned off her iPod. She gathered what she could in one arm and carried the plate in the other, "These are for the invalid."
"You're making Raphael lunch?"
"Kind of breakfast," Deidra shrugged and walked back up stairs, "Tell the guys that I put a pizza in the oven if they wanted to eat that."
"Sure, the injured gets the good stuff and we get pizza," Analise rolled her eyes and then thought it over in her head, "Although, it is pizza."
"I also have some sushi in the refrigerator," Splinter offered and began to get up.
"I'll get it, Splinter," Analise put her hand up to stop him and rummaged through the refrigerator. She set the group of sushi between the two of them and popped in a piece as she thought over something.
"You seem more thoughtful than usual," Splinter observed.
"Her and Raph is like Leo and Raph," she pointed up the stairs after Deidra, "It's hard to read what's going on. And between Deidra and I, that's saying something."
"Are you unsure of her feelings toward them?"
"I know how she feels for the most part toward Leo, but not to Raph," Deidra frowned, "I thought that she saw him as a big jerk. Maybe I am over analyzing it. Maybe I should just let what may be, be. She'll talk to me about it if she needs to, right?"
"Indeed," Splinter nodded and was amused by her talking it out without any of his input.
"Thanks Splinter, you are awesome at advice," Analise popped in another piece of sushi.
"You're welcome, Analise," he looked up and saw the other three turtles step into the lair, "Welcome home, my sons."
"Hello," they echoed back and yawned.
Michelangelo came directly over to Analise and leaned over her from behind, "I am pooped. Carry me to my room."
"I am not that ninja-like yet," she giggled and patted him on the arms, "Deidra made you guys a pizza. It's in the oven if you wanted some."
"She's one of my favorite people for the day," he immediately ran to the oven and pulled out a fresh baked pepperoni. Michelangelo pointed to the pizza and looked up at his other two brothers, "You guys want any?"
"I'm going straight to bed," Donatello yawned and leaned on his bo staff, "I want to get up in a few hours and do more research on how we can stop that wolf mutant."
"Have a good nap, Don," Analise waved at him as he walked up the stairs to his room.
"No thanks, Mikey. Where's Deidra?" Leonardo asked and looked around the immediate area, "Did she go to work?"
"Nah, has the day off," Analise pointed up stairs, "She went to take care of 'the invalid'. She took him something to eat. She can't help but actually help anyone in trouble."
"She may need some back up then," Leonardo turned from the kitchen and walked up the stairs.
Analise looked to Michelangelo who had half of the pizza hanging from his mouth, "Mikey, one piece at a time, please. I don't want you to choke."
"So, how were they?" Deidra asked and looked down at the empty plate he had on his stomach.
"They were all right," he shrugged slightly to make it seem like he didn't mind them. She knew differently with the many appeased noises he made as he ate, "They weren't poisoned, were they?"
"If they were poisoned I wouldn't be putting in the effort on these bandages. I would have stood there and watched you gasp for your last dying breath."
"Whoa… dark," Raphael smiled wide, "I knew there was something that I had to like about you other than being a motorcycle enthusiast."
She had finished on his arm and was now working on his leg. Her hands smoothed over the injures and reapplied any anti-biotic that had rubbed off completely. She worked intently until the wrapping and bandaging was all back in place. At first she still seemed a little steamed at him, but it slowly faded and they both fell into a silent contentment.
"So, you do this before?" he asked as she finished putting the balm on t he lower part of his leg.
"A few times over," she nodded and reached for the wrap.
"I think you missed a spot," Raphael said a little quickly. Deidra looked up at him a little amused and then looked down at his leg. She blew over his leg and shivered a little at the action.
She shook her head and rolled her eyes, "I think I got the better portion of it."
"If I die of infection, I will blame you," he crossed his arms over his plastron.
"I will take that chance," she began the wrapping and smoothed down the warp as she went which made him shut up for the most part.
'Leo, you lucky bastard,' Raphael thought to himself.
"Well, you look all patched up and ready to go again," she wiped some excess on her pants and made to stand up, "Here, give me your plate."
"You aren't leaving yet, are you?" he asked and handed her the plate anyway.
"Did you need anything else?" she asked.
"Well, not so much need, but…" he struggled, "It's just boring as all hell when there's no one else is up here. And throwing a ball at the wall and catching it will only pass so many hours."
"What do you have in mind?" she asked and sat back down in the chair beside his bed.
"Well, what do you do in your free time?" he asked when nothing came directly to mind. She sat up a little straighter in her chair. No one really asked that when trying to find something to do other than Analise. It was refreshing.
"Depends."
"On what?"
"My mood, or what else I need to do that day," she shrugged and dug out the iPod and speaker system she had playing in the kitchen, "Music is always an option."
"Please tell me you aren't one of those Justin Beiber girls," he groaned as she began to set it up.
"Don't insult my music tastes," she said with a glare. He breathed a sigh of relief. Thank God she wasn't.
After the first song that came on Raphael looked over at her, still in the chair with her feet up on the side of his bed, "You know, I think we can come to an understanding. You're okay in my book."
"Likewise," Deidra nodded back at him.
Outside Raphael's room Leonardo stood with his shell to the wall. The music sounded almost identical to what Raphael usually played. Not exactly his tastes, but that was okay. It was only one factor. He sighed and walked away from Raphael's room and toward his room. He really needed to rethink his next approach.