Episode 11: The Mutagen of Revenge – Part 2

"This can't be happening!" Ethan hollered to nobody in particular, his voice echoing off the damp, moss covered stones. He pressed his hands over his face, his fingers moving through the damp, red fur. He felt sick, his body filled with adrenaline that made him sick to his stomach. Jess was gone. Kaela stood, paralyzed next to him as Ethan fell to the ground, his knees splashing into the sewage water.

If Master Hamato was still here, this wouldn't have happened!

I keep leading us straight into failure!

This can't be happening! This can't be happening!

"Ethan!" Kaela suddenly shouted, grabbing at his arm and pulling his hand away from his face. "We have to go get her, now! They will have gone to Shredder's lair, I bet. We can still get her back."

"There is no way we are getting into Shredder's lair and getting back out alive!" Ethan cried back. "He has a whole miniature army of mutants, Kaela! They'll know we're coming!"

Kaela went silent at the truth being thrown back into her face. Ethan groaned and raked his claws across his own face as he let them plop into the water.

We have to do something, though. Ethan thought. What would Master Hamato do? He could envision his old Master walking straight through the front doors and beating everyone to pulp single handedly . . . then again that wasn't what happened with Shredder. They needed more resources.

Sam.

Ethan stood up. "I have an idea." He said. "Let's get back to the lair and contact Sam. Maybe he will know what to do."

Kaela nodded firmly, looking relieved that Ethan had finally stood up again. With that, the two burst back to the lair. It didn't take long for them to get there, panting and gasping for air. A stitch had grown in Ethan's side, but he couldn't stop now. He snatched up the slip of paper that Sam had given and Kaela quickly dialed the number into her phone. Ethan waited, trying to catch his breath while watching Kaela nervously. She held the phone to her ear for what felt like a year. Finally, she said, her eyes cast down to the ground, "Sam, it's Kaela and Ethan. We were attacked again in the sewers and Jess got kidnapped." Ethan realized that she was leaving a message. He didn't answer. Feeling defeated, and slumping over to get control of his breathing, Kaela continued, "We think she's been taken to Shredder's lair. We really could use your help."

Ethan looked up, "Tell him we are going there now."

Kaela looked at Ethan with wide eyes, but complied. "We are heading there now to get her back. If you get this message, please meet us there." With that, she pressed the end button. Ethan's mind scrambled for another idea to widen their chances of victory, but could think of nothing else. And they likely didn't have much time with Bebop and Rocksteady already having a huge head-start on them.

"What do we do now?" Kaela asked, brushing the hair behind her ears and looking just as frightened as Ethan felt.

Ethan nodded towards the exit, "We go get Jess back."

"Right." Kaela said slowly, "Do you have a plan of how we are going to do that exactly?"

"We can think of one when we get there." Ethan said, putting his naginata back into his back strap. Kaela folded her ribbon hastily and shoved it into her belt. "We need to get her out of there." Ethan continued and the two ran back to the barriers and out onto the abandoned, red colored railroad towards the surface.

Jess could not remember anything but a severe pain that bloomed from the top of her skull. It felt like a rock had been thrown into it. With a groan she opened her eyes, the searing light above glancing across her eyes and making her squint her eyes and groan more as a painful throb burst through her head.

"Where am I?"

She tried to open her eyes again to the intense white light above her and instead found the shadowy figure of a disgusting fly over her. She recognized him from when they had invaded Shredder's lair several weeks ago. Long furry feelers hung from the corners of his mouth and huge eyes that looked like they were built of tiny green mirrors stared down at her. "Welcome to my lab!" he buzzed menacingly.

Her eyes now adjusted, Jess looked around. She was bolted to what looked like a giant slab of gray metal, restraints over her arms and legs. Her green bandanna had been pulled down to hang around her neck.

She could feel liquid had matted her hair and she was almost positive that it had to be blood caked on it. In front of her was a large dash board of electronics, levers, buttons and flashing lights. Across from it was the huge vat of mutagen that dangled like a huge green chandelier over the rest of the lab.

But they weren't alone.

Standing nearby were several other recognizable individuals.

Shredder – silver armor and pointed helmet glimmering in the green light, his glare pointed directly at her. Did he ever look happy?

Next to him was Karai, her green serpent eyes staring at her.

Finally, standing next to her were two Purple Dragons – Hun and . . . Mako.

She groaned inside and felt her hatred for him only grow more. He looked nervous as he watched her with apprehension, even a little pity in his eyes. Jess couldn't say that she felt like forgiving him right now though – no matter how much she liked him. But if there was anything that could set her rage on fire and turn it to ashes it was the all consuming fear that she felt.

She wasn't going to get out of this.

"Let me go." She said it quietly, trying to keep her voice from shaking.

Shredder stepped forward. "I have other intentions for you, girl." he said. "You and your foolish clan have been a thorn in my side for some time now." He slowly moved toward her, his cape flowing behind him until he was circling her. She could see the ripples in his arm, the gleam of his armor, and the damage done to half of his face. Her scar had far from faded when he had stabbed her in the shoulder only a few weeks prior. He would not have forgotten that. "Now you are going to give me information I desire, whether voluntarily or by force does not matter to me." with a sharp sound of metal grating against metal, his long prongs appeared on his gauntlet, extending out like stingers and he slowly placed one of them below her chin.

Her heart jumped in her chest at the sudden feeling of the pointed tips and she could feel a trickle of blood appear from the shallow vessels under her neck. "There's nothing I know!" She cried and then cursed herself for not being brave enough to keep her mouth shut.

The prongs disappeared and Shredder stood in front of her now, only an arm's reach from her own face. Hun looked bored behind his master, but Mako looked terrified. If I get out of this alive . . . Jess did not finish her sentence in her own head. She had to think of a way out of this fast – maybe she could lie to him?

"Father," Karai said, "I told you – they have no idea who the turtles or Splinter is. They won't know where they are."

Jess wanted to agree with Karai, but terror had gripped her tongue and held it inside her mouth. She was beginning to find it hard to breath as Shredder stared her down. "Maybe you should listen to her." Jess managed to get out, her voice trembling, "She's right – I have no idea where they are."

"Perhaps." Shredder finally said slowly and he leaned in closer, his face mere inches from her own. "You go to school though, don't you child?" Jess wasn't sure where this was going and leaned back, her head against the cool metal behind her and her head throbbed again. Shredder spoke with deadly quiet and emphasis, "Where is April O'Neil."

"I told you, I don't know." Jess felt pleased that she had managed to stay strong at least in that – although, looking back on it, she half wished she had hesitated long enough to think up a fake place. Maybe then they would go check and she would be able to escape.

Shredder turned to the others.

"I don't think she knows Master Shred—." Mako began timidly.

"SILENCE!"

He immediately yelped and gave an apologetic look at Jess. The effect was lost on her.

"You don't know what my plans are for you yet," Shredder said slowly to Jess, although his face was turned from her, "But you are about to." With that he nodded to Baxter Stockman. Jess did not like the sound of that. The bug buzzed over to his table and began sorting through formula's.

"What are you going to do?" Jess demanded slamming her wrists against the restraints, but they didn't budge in the least. Shredder walked away without another word and then turned to Stockman, "You know the procedure. I will be in the weapon's room when she is ready. Then, she will tell me exactly where they are." He vanished around the corner with an affirmative buzz from his servant.

"SHREDDER!" Jess screamed, slamming her wrists against the restraints again, ignoring the pain it caused to her hands and to her head. "Let me go!"

Baxter Stockman continued to busy himself with the buttons on the control panel and Hun chuckled. "This is revenge, silly girl. You shouldn't have messed with the Purple Dragons." he said, adjusting his sunglasses that he always wore and he turned and tromped away in his pointed crocodile shoes. Jess watched on in desperation.

Karai watched Hun go as well and then turned to Jess. "It'll be fun," She said cockily, sliding away from the table where Stockman was busily working and she stepped up to Jess. "Watching you fight your own siblings is going to be fun."

Glaring, Jess was half tempted to spit in Karai's face. Fear had vanished when Shredder had left, and the anxiety had even blurred away in the wake of the anger she felt towards this kunoichi. "I'm sick of you messing with my family." Jess hissed through her teeth at her.

Karai shrugged and pushed her long bangs that framed her face away from her and leaned in. "I have to admit, you and your families fighting style is pretty interesting. The Hamato Clan does have a few good tricks up their sleeve. I almost wish it was your brother that we had here, but he was actually smart enough to dodge those two idiots. Seems you aren't quite the same. You remind me of Raphae—." Karai choked on her words, as if she was surprised by what she was saying.

Jess remembered Ethan doing something with talking about the turtles with her before. Obviously something had flashed in her mind. Mind control. Ethan had to be right, Jess concluded. There was something going on with Karai. "Do you remember the turtles?" Jess tried desperately, hoping to reach to Karai.

The kunoichi looked at the ground with uncertainty.

"We are ready!" Stockman buzzed.

Karai snapped out of it and glared up at Jess, "Stop trying to get inside my head. It won't work." She said stubbornly and she threw her fist into Jess' stomach.

Coughing up air and feeling like she was about to cough up much more than that, Jess doubled over, but still was held fast to the table, making her back arch uncomfortably. A beeping sounded and the restraints left from Jess's hands and she fell to the ground at Karai's feet.

"What are you going to do with her?" Mako asked nervously. It was hard to focus on anything with how much pain Jess could feel. She tried to focus on something to help her keep her mind on what was going on around her. To see if she could escape. Mako had moved in front of the control panel. "Ssssstep asssside!" Stockman shoved him out of the way and pressed a large red button.

As Karai got Jess to her feet, she could see a long metal arm appearing from the ceiling, carrying in it's pincer-like hand a long tube of red liquid that was placed into a slot near the top of the mutagen vat. With a loud sucking sound, the liquid vanished from the tube and mixed into the green vat of mutagen. "You can't be serious!" Mako shouted.

Karai shoved him out of the way, "If you get in Master Shredder's way, things will be even worse for you." She threatened him and Jess could feel metal grating beneath her as she was dragged. Suddenly in a horrifying haze she realized that she was being dragged to the mouth of the mutagen tank. They're going to mutate me! New energy found its way into her limbs and she began to thrash against Karai desperately, throwing her body in every direction, flailing to get away. Karai slammed her fist into her stomach again and Jess gasped out air and spit onto the metal, her hands trembling beneath her. She struggled to get up and felt herself get dragged closer.

The green could now be seen, bubbling murkily only a few feet away from her. Jess gave another attempt to get away, but her body had weakened and she could feel the edge of the opening to the mutagen with her hand. "Karai! Stop! Don't do this!" Jess tried to gasp out and then with a final push, she felt the air in front of her and then liquid muffled her scream.

Jess had never felt anything more agonizing.

It was like drowning.

The liquid burned at her skin, surrounding her in a horrific bubble of green, filling her lungs and flooding her insides with its searing pain. She could feel bones rearranging, snapping into place and she writhed in the liquid, desperate to claw her way back up to the surface. She could feel growth coming off her skin and then, right when she felt that she was going to drown, the liquid began to fall away from her as she was thrown down like water in a drain.

She landed hard on the metal grating below the mutagen tank and she sobbed aloud, gasping for breath she watched mutagen drip through the holes in the metal and down into the darkness below. She gasped and felt at her neck. The first thing she felt was her green bandanna and she thanked her lucky stars that that hadn't somehow mutated to her. But the next think she touched was soft and reminded her of how Ethan's skin felt now.

Furry.

She looked down at her hand and was almost sick.

Although it luckily still had five fingers, they had pads on them, and curved claws. White fur covered her body. "W-what am I?" She looked up at Karai, Stockman and Mako that were looking down at her – Mako, with horror.

"Why did you do that?" he asked the fly in horror.

"Shredder will need more mutantssss for his army!" Stockman replied with mirth at his results. "An Arctic foxxxx will be a nice addition." he burst into giggles and then nodded to Karai who jumped down to Jess' side.

Jess remembered the things Ethan had said.

Her sense of smell had become suddenly acute, her hearing more accessible of a sense. Arctic Fox? Jess wondered bewildered and then she realized with a strange sense of movement behind her that she had a tail. Horror sunk into her body as she realized what had happened to her. The mutagen tank above was slowly beginning to fill up again. Karai picked her up from the ground by the wrist.

Jess wanted to fight back again, but she felt weak. It was hard to move her body and passing out seemed definitely like an option. "Help me you idiot." Karai snapped at Mako.

The Purple Dragon she had liked so much put his arm around her shoulder and helped lift her with a little bit more gentleness than Karai had done. They towed her back up the stairs to the control panel where the fly was busying himself with something else.

Mako tugged at her shoulder as if making for another hallway, but Karai tugged harder in the other direction and threw Jess back onto the table, the restraints returning around her wrists and legs. Jess hung limply against her bonds and tried to grasp what had just happened to her. Another wave of nausea hung over her stomach like a rain cloud. She could feel fur all over her.

She was a mutant.

Why is this happening?

"What are you doing now?" Mako whined.

"It isss time to make her another recruit in masssster Sssshredderss army!" Baxter Stockman's excitement filled buzz rang in Jess' ears, but she could hardly compute what he was saying. He was tinkering with something and then pulled out something squirming with a pair of metal tongs.

Whatever it was squealed excitedly.

What is that?

Stockman flew over to her side and she tried to turn her head to see what he was doing.

"Say hello to my little worm friends!" Stockman leaned forward.

Then, very suddenly, Jess felt horrific pain at the side of her head and despite her lack of energy, she screamed and heard it echo around her over and over again and then everything faded away into blackness around her.