Lexine walked through the city streets as her shoes clacked against the cement sidewalk. She hummed her mother's song softly to herself as she watched the shops, looking into the windows as she passed by.
She hadn't talked to April in a couple of days and wanted to reassure her that they were all alright. Also, Lexi knew that someone had to do April's paper work for her other wise she'd be a mess. April was a smart woman, but tidy she was not.
Lexine smirked passing a Starbucks as she stopped outside the door. She bit her cheek in thought for a moment before pulling the door open and walking inside. She immediately thanked herself for choosing to go in as the dark smell of coffee and espresso filled her senses making her mouth instantly water. She waited in line getting her regular as she got April's favorite as well.
She carried the drinks, sipping hers on occasion making her back to April's shop. She felt someone nudge her shoulder as April's drink fell from her hand, she went to grab it in her quick reflexes, stopping and letting the cup fall to the pavement. Whoever nudged her most likely would have seen her powers in her quick reaction. She sighed looking at the tan liquid soak the street at her feet as she raised her head to the passerby. She quickly straightened her back standing upright, pushing her blonde hair out of her back away from her shocked face. She slowly let the realization slip in as a small uncertain smile went across it.
"Tom…Hi." She said surprised as he looked almost pleased by seeing her and not shocked at all. His smiled slightly drifted as his direction did down to the spilt coffee covering at their feet.
"I'm so sorry Lex, lemme get you another coffee." He said as she waved him off.
"Oh no, no. You're fine." She said in a smiled as he returned one.
"It's the least I can do." He offered as she looked at him for a moment. She shrugged.
"Well, alright sure. I mean, if you don't mind?" She said not trying to sound too pushy as he kept the smile shaking his head.
"No, not at all. It is my fault." He said putting a hand on the small of her back to guild her back in the direction of the Starbucks. She went with his push as she furrowed her brow slightly from his hand placement. He retracted it as she looked over at him, giving her a sheepish grin. "So on your way to work?" He asked as he held open the door for her.
"No actually to visit a friend." She said with a slight nod of her head as she got in line, standing beside him.
"So, what did I spill anyways?" He asked as he was next in line, giving her a smirk as she couldn't help herself but to return it, putting her head down as she felt her cheeks warm up a bit.
He was an attractive man, boyish charm and red hair always a spiky mess on his head. She didn't want to admit it, but she always did have a little crush on him. Their dorm rooms were in the same hall and they spent a lot of late nights together over coffee and science questions, bickering back and forth on the right, or easier equation. He always was picking the harder of the two as she picked the faster route.
She told him April's drink as he nodded his head telling it to the barista. She smiled with another thanking nod, as he opened his hand for her to walk towards the pick up area, slipping his wallet in his back pocket of his cargo khaki pants.
"Thanks again, really Tommy, I mean…" He chuckled, his lips parting showing off his white teeth as she tilted her head admiring him for a moment. She had forgotten how much she enjoyed his smile and the sound of his laugh.
"Please, you're insulting me. It's only a coffee. And, again it was my fault, and the least I can do for an old friend." He said turning towards her as she gave another blushing grin, tucking her golden hair behind her ear.
"Well, thanks." She shrugged as he nodded his head taking the drink from the barista and handing it to her. She felt his fingers linger along her skin for a moment before he shoved his hand into his pocket.
"I guess I got that drink after all. So this friend, does she except punctuality or would she mind a few minutes spared?" He asked as Lexi kept her smile on with another shrug.
"She doesn't know I'm headed there, so couldn't hurt. I wouldn't mind catching up with you." She said heading for the café area as he let her lead the way keeping his grin.
He pulled a hair out for her as she sat down placing the coffees on the small table in front of her, crossing her legs. He took a seat across from her folding his hands on it as he leaned forward.
"I won't keep you long, I'm sure this friend likes her coffee hot." He joked as she nodded her head.
"As most do."
"So wow…Lexine Torino. What's going on? How have you been? You look….Well, fantastic." He said motioning his arms out towards her before leaning back in his chair. She looked down from the compliment, a soft giggle leaving her throat as the feeling of her cheeks refuse keep the warmth come over them. She lifted her head towards him as she tucked her bangs behind her ear.
"Thanks, you look good too." She said noticing a slight hint of red go on his cheeks.
"Well you know, lavatory work makes a body good." He said patting his chest as she let out another giggle.
"That is does. I've been alright."
"How are your sisters?"
"Oh, their good. They um…Their good." She said stopping herself before she mentioned too much. She knew Jade liked to keep their whereabouts to themselves as she should they were hunted by two of the most famous gangs in the city, or so her family has been told. She took a slow sip of her coffee as he nodded his head. "What about you, how's things?"
"Good, good. I got a job here in the city. Pays fantastic. I actually get to work with one of my meteors which was always a dream come true for me so it's really nice." He smirked as she nodded her head.
"Good for you, I'm glad." She said with an enthusiastic smile. "Well, I better get this coffee to April before it turns into ice coffee." She said getting from the table as he stood as well.
"Oh yeah, of course. It was good catching up a little." He smiled as she nodded her head.
"It was, you take care of yourself Tommy." She said leaning over the table and hugging him as he gave one back.
"You too Lex." He said as she pulled away, walking out of the coffee shop. He sat back down at the table watching her walk down the street as another smirk went over his face. He took out his cell phone, flipping it open as he pressed a speed dial. "It's set." Was all he said as he clapped the phone shut, getting from the table and adjusting his blazer.
"Hey Lexi." April said as she opened her apartment door putting an arm around her friend as Lexi hugged her back. She handed April the coffee as she smiled. "Aw, thanks. You didn't have to."
"Oh well, I thought since I was getting one it would be mutiny to show up empty handed." Lexi joked.
"Good call." April smiled. "So what brings you around?"
"Well, thought I'd stop by and tell you everything is alright. Haven't seen much of each other lately." She shrugged as April let her in the apartment, sitting with her on the couch.
"Oh I know, how's that training going?"
"Well, we all broke ground and Fiona more so than all of us."
"Fe? Really?"
"Yeah, she apparently has a very powerful mind with the counter balance of her imagination."
"That makes sense." April smiled sipping her coffee. She looked down at Lexine's stonewashed jeans and noticed a splash of light brown going up the side. "What happened?" She asked as Lexi looked down trying to dust it off with her hand.
"Oh, ran into an old friend."
"Literally?" April chuckled as Lexi nodded her head.
"Yeah, he bought you…"
"He?" April said cutting her off. "What does Donnie think of that?"
"Donnie isn't the jealous type." She shrugged. "He called when I was in the lair with Donnie fixing my leg up after some training. We had a small spat about it but all and all he seemed alright with it. I told him I loved him." She shrugged. "He tired to say it first but, you know Donnie he got flustered and tried to construct a sentence using science analysis as his way of explaining his feelings, but failed so I said it for him." She smiled.
"So you really do love him huh?" April asked nudging her shoulder.
"Yeah, I really do."
"Well, took ya long enough!" Casey said as he walked into the living room from the kitchen.
"Hi to you too Case." Lexi chuckled.
"So what's takingyou so long?" April asked with an arched brow as Casey looked at her.
"I say I love ya all the time babe."
"Once!" She said standing up. Lexi chuckled as she got from the couch.
"I'll be in the shop looking over your profits if you need me Ape." She said patting her friend's shoulder as April kept her glare on Casey.
Lexine shook her head with another laugh as she jogged down the stairs opening the door to the shop. She let the familiar musky scent of old books and dusty furniture rush to her as she stepped in, flicking on the lights.
She went behind the counter pulling out the binder as she saw an old couple looking in through the window. They were holding hands as the man leaned in kissing his wife's cheek softly as the old woman turned letting their lips touch for a moment before a huge smile appeared on their faces. Lexine felt a slow smile cross hers, leaning against the counter as she hugged her arms around her torso, gripping on her biceps as she watched him point out something to her as she giggled looking up into his eyes. She noticed a slight sparkle still as they came closer walking down the street.
April came down the stairs with a smile as Lexi lifted her head over to her trying to mask a chuckle.
"Are you two going to make it through that miner extraction?" Lexi joked as April rolled her eyes.
"I believe so."
"He's just like Raph. I only think he's said it to Jackie once." Lexi chuckled.
"You'd think I'd be better friends with her than you seeing as though we basically date the same male." April said leaning against the counter with a sigh.
"Jac is a complex individual. And the more you think about it the more your head hurts." Lexi chuckle. "She doesn't trust easy, I'm surprised after a month or so she gave into Raph. But I suppose they have the same demeanor about them."
"That is true, they are two peas in a pod. Like another couple I know, actually another three I know."
"Donnie and myself are not that similar." Lexi said going back to the binder. April smiled.
"Similar enough."
"I'm more…" She stopped and chuckle. "I usually have to initiate the…Well, 'love making'." She said using her fingers in quotations. April covered her mouth as coffee spirited out into her palm as she started to cough. She finally cleared the liquid from her throat as her laughter started. Lexi smiled and joined in. "It's true!" She chuckled.
"Really never once?" April asked as Lexi chuckled.
"He had a few beers in him." She shrugged. "Which were basically force fed to him by Raph and Casey." She chuckled again.
"Oh yes, I remember that night." April smirked. "Didn't you two disappear at one point?"
"Yes, which was his doing." She smiled remembering the way he gentle whispered in her ears through slurred words the things he would do to her. The mixture of his sweet breath and the over taking poignancy of the beer washing against her cheek. She felt a slight shiver from his husky voice, soaked with alcohol as it ran into her head and the faint feeling of his finger tips gliding their way across her soft skin starting from her neck down her body until his tips slid their way into the top of her jeans.
"Where did you two…go?" She asked.
"Roof top. Near the heating duct." Lexi smirked. "Of course we didn't actually do anything until we got home because Raph and Jac found our hiding spot and used it as their own." Lex said with a slight pout.
"Well, when Casey and I go away on business again you two can have the roof all to yourselves." April joked.
"Unfortunately, I doubt that'll happen again any time soon." Lexi said rolling her eyes with a chuckle.
Donnie sat at his lab desk going over video files he had gained access to from Frank's training facility. Scrolling through files, after files trying to figure out when all this activity with the Foot started. The bright glow of the screen came over his face and shoulder as he leaned forward, his elbow braced against the edge of his desk as his chin fit into his palm.
He furrowed his brow in thought as his eyes started to ache from staring at the screen for so long without a break. He leaned back in his chair in a stretch, placing his hand to his face and pinching his fingers at the bridge of his beak, rubbing his eyes.
As he opened them he noticed a video from a surveillance camera Gregory, the girl's father had set up. The date had not been a week old as he leaned forward again trying to enhance the quality of the picture. He clicked rapidly against the keyboard for a moment as the picture widened the full length of his screen before him, noticing a new face amongst the Foot technicians and Dr. Stockman. A younger male, had to be at least early twenties, a lab coat draped across his shoulders as his bright red hair was a spiky mess on his head. He enhanced the picture again when the shrill beep of the security alarm rang through the lair.
Donnie jumped in his chair as it push out from his desk, making him grip the arm rests for balance. He jumped to his feet going over to another computer as he clicked on the cameras he had set up throughout the sewers.
He noticed a young girl, blond hair walking through very carefully yet quickly with a grace he's seen before. He shook his head enlarging the picture and focusing on the face, noticing the familiar features of her beautiful face. He narrowed his eyes before leaning from the desk.
"She shouldn't have set off the alarms, they known her scan by now." He murmured to himself. He reached for his bo staff heading for the brick doors towards the sewers.
Lexine traced her hand along the grimy sewer wall trying to keep her balance in the minimal light. She had scowled Donnie a million times, telling him to put better lighting in here as he always gave the excuse of Ninja and being able to use the dark to their advantage. She sighed catching herself, once again as her slick heeled shoes slipped on the wet concrete floor.
She stopped for a moment wrinkling her brow as she strained to her the fast approaching echo of foot steps splashing in the water. She positioned herself in a stance, trying to keep steady as she saw the shadow round the corner. She saw his outline at first before letting a breath out she was unaware of holding pass her lips.
"Jesus Donnie, you almost gave me a heart attack." She said putting her hand in her chest in another breath. He stopped a couple feet before her, bracing his bo in front of him as she leaned up slowly eyeing him carefully. "What?"
"You triggered an alarm." He said in a deep voice unlike his filled with uncertainty and threat echoed through the curved walls. She arched a brow slightly, thrown off by his tone as she looked around at where his cameras would be. "With what I'm not sure?" He took a step towards her as she noticed him shift his bo out in front tight in his grip.
"Gadget…It's me." She said softly as he looked at her once more, her eyes widening a bit in hopes he would believe her, awaiting his answer. He let his bo drop at his side as she sighed closing off the space between them. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders as he smiled taking in her familiar scent. Coconut and vanilla. His smile widened as his grip tightened a bit before releasing her from his strong arms. She leaned back letting her lips slowly graze against his, his grip tightening around her back once more. She turned her lips upwards into a smile against his as he pressed against hers, wanting her teasing to end as she gave in letting her lips pout into a kiss.
"I hate when you do that." He said softly as she chuckle.
"I know, but it's a good way to decipher that it's me." She said in a soft seductive tone that made his knees almost buckle from under his weight every time. He caught himself as he looked down at her beautiful blue eyes, face smiling as he nodded his head.
He let his hand drop at the small of her back as he felt something along her fabric. He furrowed his brow looking over her shoulder as she followed his expression turning herself. He put a hand on her shoulder keeping her in place as he lifted her shirt from her back a bit.
"What is it?" She asked a little apprehensive as he smiled pealing a small microchip from her clothing.
"Well, at least we know what triggered the alarm." He said arching his brow as he held it out in front of him for her to see. She turned his hand examining the small chip within it. "It's looks to be a tracking device." He said lifting it in front of his face as he examined it for himself. She crossed her arms over her chest.
"Where would I have picked up one of those?" She asked more to herself than him.
"Where were you today?" He asked tucking his bo staff under his arm as he started to peal away the tracker leaving the chip otherwise intact. She thought for a moment.
"April's." She shrugged.
"Well, that's ruled out." He said looking over at her before returning to the chip. She nodded her head in agreement slowly going back to her thoughts.
It slowly dawned on her as she lifted her head, her lips parting slowly as her eyes went wide. He looked over at her, and stopped what he was doing reading her expression.
"What?"
"Chaplin." She said softly as he leaned in.
"What?"
"Tom. That guy I was talking to in the lab the other day. He, we ran into each other today on the street. He spilt April's coffee and offered to buy me another. He placed his hand on my back as at first I thought it was just a jester but…Now, that I think about it. His mentor he mentioned he worked with his mentor." She stopped for a moment thinking back to her years at MIT. The fights they had about smart worthy people that deserved noble prizes and are gifted minds. She gasped placing her hand to her mouth. "Stockman."
"Are you sure that's what happened?" Jade asked as Lexi nodded her head sitting at the kitchen table. Donnie paced behind her, his arms crossed over his chest as Michelangelo and Raphael watched him move back and forth. Leonardo stood beside Jade as Fiona and Jacqueline sat on the edge of the couch, listening to the conversation.
"He's trailing us. He knows you, that was his motive, you." Donnie mumbled behind her as she looked over her shoulder at him, still pacing.
"Don, you're makin' me sea sick. Sit your shell down!" Raph said as Donnie ignored him.
Lexine sighed reaching her arm behind her to touch his as he passed. He stopped looking down at her as she gave a meek smile with pleading eyes. He moved towards her as her fingers were able to curve around his large forearm, pulling him towards the table. Jacqueline kicked out a chair for him as she sat next to her sister.
"So wha-are-we gonna do?" Jac asked as she looked from Lexi to Jade. They both exchanged a glance before looking towards Leo and Don. Leo sighed uncrossing his arms.
"Well, we know that this isn't a game anymore. This is real, they are searching for you again."
"They're searching for us to get to you." Lexi added, looking towards Donnie as he nodded his head. She placed her hands over his as her thumb grazed over the top of it in a soothing motion.
"I say we stand and fight." Jac said pounding her fist against the table as it shook from her strength. Jade lifted her arms from it as she sighed at her hot headed sister.
"You always say that." Fiona said rolling her eyes. Jacqueline narrowed hers on her little sister as a flame went to her palm tossing it out towards Fiona. She jumped from the couch putting a force field around her as she narrowed her eyes pushing out another, small and headed only in Jacqueline's direction as Jac was thrown back against the fridge. She got to her feet in a growl as her arms engulfed in flames, about to run towards Fiona as Fiona's deep green eyes turned the shade of emerald, waiting her sister's attack.
Jade held her hands out keep the two back from each other as she extinguished Jac's flames.
"Enough!" She said looking back and forth between the two. "Your bickering is not helping! You want to fight, fine! Do it in the dojo, not out here where people who are concerned with this family are talking about a way to stop this!" Jade said letting her powers drop as Jac narrowed her eyes.
"So, I don't care 'bout this family?"
"Act like it!" Jade snapped back as Jac felt her arm engulf again. She felt Raph's hand on her other shoulder as she looked over at him with a sigh letting the flame drop.
"Fine." She said leaning against the counter.
"Our training isn't done with, we still don't know what we are up against. All that we know is that they're out there again. We should keep undercover for the time being…"
"YES!" Fiona said moving her arm in a swing toward her body, fist clenched. The others slowly turned towards her as she opened her eyes, dropping her smile. "What…? Mikey has a lot of comics!" She said with as shrug. Jac rolled her eyes as Jade shook her head.
"Anyways…We should contact April, tell her and Casey to lay low for awhile. If they're tracking us from above then their most likely already aware of their apartment. Along with ours."
"Ah…not again!" Fiona whined as Jac threw an empty can of soda at her.
"Can it geek-zilla! Grown ups are talkin'." She said crossing her arms as Fiona stuck her tongue out.
"I'm not for certain Fe. I'm just taking precautions."
"Are we really going to let them do this to us again?" Lexi asked gripping onto Donnie's hands as she looked up at Jade. Jade furrowed her brow leaning from the table she braced her arms against as they crossed over her chest.
"No." She said in a dark tone as Lexi softened her gaze. Jac lifted her head with a smirk towards her older sister.
"Damn right! We worked way too ha'd for this to just let 'em come in again and take it! Fuck that! We fight for what's ours! We fight for our family and our honoa'." She said standing up and putting her hand out in the middle of the table. Jade smirked unfolding her arms and placing her hand on Jacqueline's giving it a slight squeeze. Fiona jumped from the couch placing her hand on Jac's as all three looked down at Lexine. She stood slowly looking at her sisters before slowly placing her hand on the groups.
"I don't want to be the one that messes everything up." She said with worried eyes as Jade smiled.
"You can't."
"Yeah brainiac we'll be thea' to help ya out." Jac smirked.
"What if the serum works and we all…"
"We know our powers and we'll use them. Fear cannot consume us any longer. We have fought against it and defeated it time and time again and I will not stand to have it loom over my family any longer." Jade said moving her hand on top and giving all her sister's hands a squeeze. "We fight as one. Agreed?" Jac smiled as Jade's eyes landed on hers giving a slight nod.
"Agree." Jade moved her gaze towards Fiona who nodded her head faster, more enthused.
"Totally! Agreed!" Jade smirked looking towards Lexi. She could still feel the worry and fear running it way through her sister's logical mind and heart as Jade took her other hand putting it on Lexi's.
"We need you Lex, I would never let anything happen to you, none of us would." She said looking around the room at her family and friends. Lexi sighed putting her head down.
"Death is not my concern." She said softly. "Letting you guys down is." She finished letting her head droop lower. Jade smiled letting the other girl's hands drop as she let her hands cup around Lexi's soft features making her brilliant blue eyes look up into Jade's hazel ones.
"Nothing you could ever do, in the goodness that is your heart let this family down." Jade said as Lexi gave a small smile.
"So you in brainiac?" Jac asked crossing her arms over her chest as her eye brow arched slightly with a smirk. Lexi looked towards her red headed sister putting her hand out.
"All in."
Jacqueline and Fiona pounded fists as Jade smiled at Lexine, as they both turned and smiled towards their other sisters.
"Now all you two hafta do is find your counter power." Fiona said before Jac and her both snorted back laughter. Lexi and Jade both sighed rolling their eyes as the two of the laughing girls walked towards the living room with their red and orange banded boyfriends.
"So, good speechfearless." Lexi joked nudging her eldest sister's shoulder. "Should we just refer to you as Leo now? Or…What?" She asked taking a seat next to Donnie with a sense of sarcasm behind her words. Donnie smiled as Jade rolled her eyes turning towards Leo, taking his arms and wrapping them around her waist. He smiled leaning against her.
"That would be a compliment." She smiled as she felt Leo do the same against her cheek.
"I'm guessing you overcame your fears?" Lexi asked changing the subject to a more serious tone. Jade nodded her head before looking over her shoulder at Leo.
"With a little help." She said kissing his cheek.
"I can tell. You're…" Lexi started tilting her head slightly before smiling. "You're happy. Glowing almost." She said as Jade smiled wider putting her head down as Leo hugged her closer against her plastron. "My sisters back." She finished with a smile before laying her head on Donnie's shoulder.