Episode 6: Doomsday Dealings – Part 3

This was bad. Really, really bad.

With burning flames at their backs, large stacks of metal crates at their sides, and an expanse of black water walling them in, it was clear that fighting was their only way out of this.

And their adversaries were likely the three most deadly enemies that could have been picked.

Shredder stepped forward, seemingly confused as he looked between Jess, Kaela and Ethan.

Swinging his naginata, Ethan crouched down, ready to defend himself, but his heart was pounding against his chest. Every nerve of his body stood at attention, ready to direct him anyway he needed to. Then, clarity appeared in Shredder's eyes and he laughed, booming, mocking. "So, it seems that you have had an encounter with mutagen, did you boy?" Shredder had recognized him, despite the fur, ears and tail that made him look so different.

"You've met these freaks before?" Sub-Prime asked.

"They are allied with the Turtles and that pathetic rat, Splinter." Shredder said and with a quick thrash of both of his arms, his blades shot out, glimmering in the light of the lamp at the dock, sharp and menacing.

Sub-Prime grinned, "Oh!" He said with a sense of fake pleasantry. "Goodie. I'd be happy to cut them to tiny pieces then." Two Kraang-colored buzz saws protruded suddenly from between Herma's fake fingers, buzzing excitedly. Karai still had a coy smile on her face and slowly drew a blade that had been strapped to the small of her back.

"Ethan, there is no way we are going to win this fight!" Kaela hissed, "We need to get out of here now."

Ethan began to think of any possible exit that didn't end in them getting murdered by one of these three. The fly known as Stockman had flown away, hiding near the crates. He wouldn't be an issue. Before he had the chance to come up with any solution, Shredder addressed them again. "I will ask this question only once more: Tell me where Splinter and the turtles are, or prepare to learn why they call me the Shredder."

"We told you last time, we have no idea!" Jess yelled back.

Shredder made good on his promise. He burst forward with a yell, throwing his cape off in one fluid swipe. Karai followed close behind him, so quick on her feet that she could have passed Shredder easily, but she stayed behind.

Thinking quickly, trying not to panic, Ethan turned to the other two, "Kaela, you get Sub-Prime. Jess–."

"Shredder's mine." She quickly said, spinning her kama's in her hands, her eyes burned with determined fire.

"Be careful." Ethan gave as a last mutter and the three jumped out of the way, just as Shredder's blade smashed into the wood of the docks, splintering it and throwing tiny bits of wood in every direction. Ethan had only one solid moment to flip out of the way, putting more distance between the Shredder and him, when Karai's leg flashed in the corner of his eye.

Wham!

He hit the ground hard and felt the wood splinter against him, but his fur protected any serious damage. He flipped back up and faced Karai, naginata poised for attack.

"Y'know," She said, smile on her lips, her eyes a poisonous green. "I'm almost happy that my venom didn't kill you. I wouldn't have gotten the chance to see you mutated. It's adorable."

Ethan had no idea if Red Panda's could blush, but he ignored her comment and hoped for the best. "Cute, Karai." He commented. "But I'm not falling for this act again." He ran forward and swiped at her legs. She jumped, moving through the air as gracefully as a bird and landed, dragging her heel on the ground in a wide circle to slow her momentum. Her blade rushed forward and Ethan managed to recover, blocking her blade with the wood of his naginata and he saw several splinters fly off in slow motion.

"Who said it's an act?" Karai said, her faces inches from his own. Ethan couldn't help but hear some honesty in her voice – but she was a kunoichi and they were good this kind of thing.

"Me." Ethan swung up and tucked his legs in and slammed them back out into her chest and she fell backward, sliding against the wood of the dock, a glare on her face as she grunted from the pain. Ethan landed and lifted his naginata for another attack, the sound of Shredder's blades ringing in the background.

Shredder swung with vicious force, throwing Jess back towards the wall of leaping flames. He was so quick it was like he was everywhere at once, his blades dancing through the air in quick jabs and lingering strikes that she seemed only barely able to dodge. A wild, but precise swing struck her in the side and she felt pain blast through her chest as she fell to her side, but she stood back up and slide her way backward from another killing blow. She felt at her side – it was dry and she counted her lucky stars that he hadn't hit with the spikes. She didn't have much time to focus on her wound as Shredder swiped both of his arms down, the wind on his blades she felt across her face and chest as she stepped back again. If she was forced back anymore, she would be standing in the fire. "Pathetic." he said. "Your master has not taught you well."

Jess didn't have time to reply as he lunged forward, a third blade protruding from his gauntlet between the other two that fenced his arm in. She cartwheeled to her side and spun to meet him, dodging another strike with her kama's and throwing his force backward a few steps. Now she had only a few good feet before she would be fenced in by water. "Which brings the question, child, who is your master?"

Strike.

Dodge.

Swipe.

Duck.

Stab.

Intercept.

Hit.

Jess flew back several feet from the force of Shredder's knee in her chest and she spun through the air and smashed to the ground. She wasn't about to let him get the best of her. His blade slammed down and she moved her head just in time as the blade sunk into the wood of the docks. She spun, kicking Shredder across the face and lunging up, landing back on her feet behind him. Her foot throbbed from the hard metal she had connected with.

She burst forward and swiped with her kama's. One was blocked by armor, the other slashed his shoulder and she stepped away, red stained the blade of her kama. Not much – but she had drawn first blood and she smiled. Shredder wasn't as invincible as he had first appeared. Shredder touched his shoulder and then turned to her, his scarred face in a horrific grimace. "You insolent girl."

Pink blasted from behind Jess and she head the sound of Sub-Prime laughing, but she could not let herself be distracted. Distraction meant death.

Kaela spun through the air, relying on her break dancing practice to dodge another blast of pink from Sub-Prime, his hulking metal body clanging as it moved forward, the sound of buzz saws ringing in her ears. One misstep and she would be reduced to ground beef. As expected, the blade came showering down and she moved just in time, the blade hitting the docks. She jumped, landing up on the arm, the sound of the buzzing saw behind her. But another saw on the other arm was headed straight for her.

Good.

She leaped forward, running up the metal arm and the buzz saw slammed into his own arm, cutting a gash into it as she twirled over the machine, swinging her dart behind her. It slapped Sub-Prime directly in his pink, angry face and he yelled in fury as she landed behind him. She could see Stockman hiding behind the crates. "You stupid girl! Soon, all of you will bow before the glory of Kraang Prime!" He twisted his whole body around and two compartments in the shoulders of what was once Herma opened, firing several silver rockets her way.

She jumped out of the way, slamming hard on her shoulder – it was not her most graceful save, but with a loud explosion, half the dock vanished into the water, several crates coming with it, splashing the docks with water. Maybe it wasn't a bad save after all. She swung the ribbon, moving it with momentum from her waist and it slammed into the gash Sub-Prime had made on his arm and he yelped as he tipped, nearly losing his ground and falling into the water. "Come closer you idiot girl and I'll rip you to pieces!" His buzz saws were out and running again, a smile on his Kraang face, the machine on his eye spinning excitedly, the scopes extending. The buzz saw shredded through sound, making it impossible for Kaela to hear the hiss of Karai a few feet behind her.

Karai swung her blade and it cut through the air near Ethan's head, barely shaving off some of the fur on the side of his face. It was nearly impossible for him to focus as he felt worry consume him for Jess and Kaela and he kept turning his attention to them and Karai was taking advantage of those moments. Time to change tactics. Ethan turned his eyes to Karai, making sure his own were fixed on the black slits. Her arm stretched forward, transforming, her hand vanishing into the form of a serpents head, it's eyes green like hers, teeth out to strike. Ethan breathed in deeply and slammed his staff into it's neck and rammed it into the ground. Karai screamed and Ethan burst forward and swung his staff like a bat, hitting her shoulder and she fell to her side.

The perfect opening had presented itself to strike at her neck, but he withheld – he couldn't do it. There was something inherently wrong with her – he knew it. Something inside her was controlling her, he could feel it like one could feel the sunlight on their face. She swung her foot up and it connected with Ethan's jaw and suddenly he was seeing stars, reeling backward. "You're not bad at all." Karai said, straightening up, back in battle position. "I like challenges." Her smile grew wider. "Want to try my venom again?"

"No thanks."

Ethan could see that Shredder had just landed a blow on Jess – they weren't going to win this fight.

Jess felt the pain explode in her arm and for a few moments she felt incredibly dizzy. This time there was wetness on her arm, dripping down to her elbow and then off to the docks. It was red and sticky.

Adrenaline kicked in, rushing through her veins and she swung her kama at Shredder as he pounced forward for another attack. She slammed his forearm out of the way and then with the hard bottom of her kama slammed it into his face, but the plate over his mouth caught the blow and she felt it reverberate off her arm. Another kick and she flew back towards the water.

She had to ignore the pain, but she knew – her common sense was telling her – she was not going to beat Shredder. He was too fast. His strikes had too much force behind them. "Perhaps I will send one of your limbs back with one of your siblings as a message to your dear master that I am not to be trifled with." His words dripped with hatred and she turned to look at his menacing form pressing down on her.

"You talk a lot." she snapped back. She righted herself, shaking off the pain and she gripped both of her weapons tighter. "I wish that face plate was more effective."

Shredder roared and ran forward towards her. She moved out of the way, cutting with her kama, but she missed. His elbow connected with her rib cage and her breath blasted out of her mouth in one quick puff. She struggled to keep herself up, her knees trembling. She wasn't far from a hole that had been recently blasted by Sub-Prime. An idea began to form in her head as Shredder turned to face her again – fire in his eyes.

Sub-Prime's saw connected with the dock again, throwing more wood in every direction as Kaela moved out of the way, flipping her ribbon dart around her body. It connected with Sub-Prime's shoulder, but it did little more than dent it. The fake human hand that had once been Herma's reached forward and snatched Kaela from the air, lifting her higher, the buzz saw spinning inches from her face and she kicked and struggled, panic bursting from her heart. "I bet you'd look pretty cute with a scar like mine." he said, snickering again as he stared up at her, the scopes on his eye contracting again and then spinning.

"Kill me and you'll never know about your dreams." Kaela shot in the dark, hoping negotiation could save her, the blade centimeters from her face.

Sub-Prime's expression immediately changed and the saw retracted back away from her face. "What was that, urchin?"

Kaela swung her momentum, still grasped by his hands, and she felt her throat bruising from the force, but her ribbon dart had enough momentum to swing forward and slam directly into Sub-Prime's annoying mouth. He spat in anger and screamed like a child having a tantrum and let go of Kaela. She tumbled out of the way, inches from Jess and Shredder. Just behind her she could hear Karai's blade sliding against Ethan's naginata.

"You and your siblings are finished!" Karai spat, spinning her blade in her hand expertly.

Ethan was afraid she was right. He could see that Jess and Kaela were near one another, and although both seemed to have damaged their opponents, there was no way they were getting out of this with a fight. There had to be a way out. He looked at one of the large walls of crates. They had to get over that wall.

An idea flashed through his mind.

Those crates couldn't be more than fifteen feet.

He snatched a small blade from his belt and Karai prepared to defend, but he wasn't aiming at her. He threw it as hard as he could and it slammed with a resounding Clang! sinking into the gray of the crate. "GUYS!" Ethan yelled and they both turned from their fight for a few moments. Ethan pointed at the blade he had thrown and they knew immediately what he was thinking.

Kaela swung her ribbon dart again and slammed it into Sub-Prime's side, forcing him to slide to the right to keep his momentum in his large clunky machine, putting himself directly in front of Shredder. Jess ignored the blood on her arm and ran for the crate until she was directly under the dagger. Kaela wasn't far behind.

Ethan turned and burst forward. Karai wasn't far behind him. "Karai!" He yelled. "You aren't you! Something is controlling you!"

"Lies!" Karai hissed. Ethan halted in his tracks and slammed his staff into her stomach and she doubled up, falling to her knees.

Shredder's eyes met Ethan and he sprinted towards him and his sisters. Ethan turned and jumped onto Jess' shoulders and Kaela followed, flipping up onto his own shoulders. He felt the weight, but kept his momentum. Jess yelled in pain from her wound.

Kaela's fingers curled around the lip of the crate and Ethan grabbed Kaela's legs. "Go, Jess!" Ethan called. Shredder had reached Karai who was recovering. A few more moments and he would be on them. Jess spun and climbed up Ethan's side and then up Kaela, landing on the top of the crate. Ethan then began to climb up Kaela's side, using her shoulders as hand holds and a few moments later felt the sturdy feeling of metal on his back. He spun and with Jess' help, grabbed Kaela's hands and lifted her up just as a beam of pink blasted a hole through the crate and Shredder slashed, a gash appearing in the metal. Ethan gave one last look at Karai who glared up at him and then the three sprinted away, vanishing into the darkness of the New York streets.

"Those – stupid – idiotic – morons!" Sub-Prime raged and blasted another hole in a nearby crate, forcing Stockman out from behind it, buzzing worriedly as his wings fluttered behind him. Shredder turned to Karai. "I have a new mission for you, daughter." he said.

She turned to look up at him.

"I want you to find those three fools. Find out where they hide. Then we will destroy them."

Karai bowed. "Yes, Father."

Ethan opened the door to the dojo and helped Jess in. Her bleeding wasn't steady, but he could tell the wound had depth to it. Master Hamato immediately appeared from the backyard. "Set her down here." He pointed at one of the pillows used for sitting on the tatami mat. Kaela and Ethan helped Jess down onto the pillow. Each had their own scrapes and bruises, but Jess had been worked over by Shredder.

Master Hamato lifted her sleeve and Ethan could see a puncture wound there. Master Hamato immediately began to dress it. Jess was breathing heavily, but she would be fine. Ethan couldn't help but feel worried as he looked at his sisters. "Oroku Saki was there, wasn't he." It wasn't really much of a question. Ethan nodded and to his surprise, Master Hamato smiled. "You must have fought admirably if you are all alive after such an encounter." He began wrapping white bandages over the wound he had just taken care of.

Ethan and Kaela grabbed some of the medical supplies and began to nurse bruises and bumps. Ethan had a few minor lacerations from Karai's blade, his fur matted and bloodied in a few spots. Master Hamato poured mugi-cha for Jess to help her calm down and then turned to them. "I finished meditating." He said. "The shadow is here, among us. It is growing in strength and power. With our current tactics, we do not stand a chance. The time to hide and defend is over." He grimaced, "The time to go on the offensive has come."

After the feelings that had come tonight, Ethan knew that Master Hamato was right.