Jenna found Mike still sitting in the living area, flipping through the TV channels. He dropped the remote as she sat down, and gave him back his phone.
"Hey. What's up?" the turtle asked.
"They caught three of those men who abducted me."
"That's good. Are you relieved?"
"Yeah, yeah I am," she answered half-heartedly. "My parents are anxious for me to come back, and I'm starting to feel very guilty."
"So it's time to go?" Michelangelo suggested.
"I told my dad I'd arrange something with you guys, and call them back later today."
"We should probably gather everybody up then." Mike started to rise.
"Can you hold off for a little bit? I'd like to talk some first."
He sank back down on the couch curiously. "Okay. What are you thinking?"
"It's hard to explain. I just hate that I have to disappear. Will I ever see any of you again?"
"Unfortunately, that's kind of up to you. We don't travel so well, particularly between continents." Mike seemed to be trying to keep the atmosphere light, but it didn't work.
"Have you ever been outside the city before?"
"Couple times. It's risky, you know? Shell, even setting foot outside is risky."
"I don't know how you do it, Mike. Live underneath a city like this, usually only coming out to try and protect Manhattan. Seems like it would be easier to run away, and live somewhere less populated."
"It would be easier," he agreed. "But, you gotta think, there's a reason for the stuff that happens. Even the thing which transformed us. Donnie once told me something like 99.9% of mutations are actually harmful. What are the chances of us turning out the way we did? It's mind boggling, even for a genius like him.
"It's honestly made me think twice about who we are, and what it is we really do here. It could look like nothing but a big accident to someone on the outside, yet I don't accept that. And I don't think being here in New York is an accident either. I feel more like we're a part of something that's bigger than we are.
"Sometimes, I could go a little crazy down here...we're all tempted. But I get through it by believing there's a reason, a purpose behind everything."
Jenna nodded. "It's a brilliant way to put it."
He snorted under his breath. "I wouldn't say that, but it does keep me sane. Having friends like April...now Luke, and you...it also gives me hope for the human race."
She leaned back for a long moment without saying anything. "You've got more hope than I do. Doesn't seem right somehow. I've got the whole world at my fingertips - I can go anywhere, do anything. But all I want is to escape." Jenna shook her head. "Right or wrong, it's how I feel."
"There's no shame in admitting it. But you don't wanna escape your parents."
"No...I love them more than I knew I could love anyone. That's why I'm going back. This experience with you guys has left me more exposed than I have ever been. It should frighten me, but instead, I feel...freer. I don't want to lose it."
"You don't have to," Mike offered. "You know your parents are on your side. You just gotta make up your mind you'll be this open with them, for starters. After that, who knows?"
"I sure don't, Mikey. You've all changed me - d'you realize it? I can't be normal again. Not that I was to begin with." She shifted on the couch, suddenly glancing toward the Lab. "Is Donnie okay this morning?"
"Yeah, he needed some more rest. I was told he had a late night." Mike ended with a secretive smirk.
Jenna felt heat rising, and prayed it wasn't visible. "Oh. Neither of us could sleep. I was working on some things in the Lounge, he ended up joining me for a while. We just played the piano and talked for a bit. Um...we didn't...that is, nothing happened," she stammered.
"Did you want to do something else?"
"I...uh..." She laughed nervously. "I don't know. Can we change the subject?"
"I think we need to get everybody together for a pow wow, and figure out what to do next."
"You're right. No sense putting off the inevitable."
A few minutes later the entire clan filled the living area; Luke even let Donnie get up to join them.
The purple-masked turtle met Jenna's gaze shyly and started to smile, until he saw her own pained expression. As they sat down she relayed the entirety of her phone call with her father that morning.
"So they caught some of the men involved,".Leonardo said slowly. "But not all of them."
"No, not all," she confirmed bleakly.
No one said anything for a long moment.
"Well, we want to make sure that you get back into safe hands," Donatello said finally. "The problem is, we don't know how they got to you to begin with."
"I've thought about that," she allowed. "Makes me wonder if we were watched, or followed. It's a frightening thought. I feel like I'll be looking over my shoulder for the rest of my life, and wondering who's out to get me. Are they spying on my parents? How many are even left?"
"These questions will be there, no matter where you are. For our part, I think we should tread carefully, and make them do it your way. Have the meeting take place somewhere of our own choosing," Don suggested.
"With good coverage for hiding," Raph added. "I don't want April or Luke taking you back, and getting them implicated somehow. I'm all for us returning you to the surface ourselves."
Splinter nodded approvingly. "Yes, we want to be in control of the environment. Somewhere away from people, where you can be invisible, but able to interact if you need to." Here he glanced at April and Luke. "You spend more time on the surface than the rest of us. Do you have any ideas or suggestions?"
After an instant of hesitation, Luke raised his hand. "My parents restored an old brownstone in Chelsea Square. There are many construction projects going on over there that would provide some great cover and places to hide. Because of their location on an alley, they were able to put a garage in too. I'm sure your van would fit."
"We need to see it," Leo said decisively. "Can you take us there?"
"I suggest waiting for nightfall to investigate," Splinter inserted. "As hard as the delay may be on Jenna's parents, it would be the best opportunity for a meeting you are attempting to conceal. All of you need to see exactly what you will be facing in the neighborhood at that time in the evening, before you set up anything."
"Makes sense," Jenna said quietly. "All right. I'll tell my father we're working on it, and tentatively set something up for tomorrow night. I can always change it if I need to."
As soon as night fell, the turtles piled into the van with Jenna and Luke. Raphael drove up front with the doctor beside him to provide directions. After a quick stop at April and Luke's apartment building so the man could pick up a couple of things, he told Raphael how to get into Chelsea.
"Y'know, there are so many cool places in this city we've never seen," the red-masked turtle remarked.
"My parents moved to Chelsea about four years ago. They loved this house. Fixing it up was sort of a hobby, and escape from our all-consuming jobs. We did a lot of the work ourselves. After they died, it was too hard to stay there. I can't bring myself to live in the house, but I also don't have the heart to sell it. So it sits. I come out here from time to time when the mood strikes me, but it just feels empty. Kind of pathetic, I know."
"It's only been six months, Luke. Something like that happens, seems like it would take time to remotely get over it. I haven't known too many humans, but pathetic isn't how I would describe you."
"Call me even stranger than I used to be then."
Raph snorted. "You can't claim to be strange while you're hanging with us, Doc."
The man managed a sheepish smile. "Maybe it shouldn't be a contest."
"Or maybe you ain't got no reason to be so hard on yourself, Man."
Luke shrugged. "Some habits die hard."
It was after 9pm when they pulled into the alley on the side of the house. Luke jumped out of the van to get the gate and the garage open. Then he led them into the house through the back, jogging ahead of everyone to turn off the alarm. He performed a quick once-over of the first floor, making sure all the window coverings were in place before turning on the lights, and giving them the grand tour.
Inside the Master Bedroom on the third floor, Donnie paused to talk to Luke alone.
"You guys did an amazing job. Do those doors open?" The purple-masked turtle motioned across the room.
"Yes. There's a terrace off their room, on the front of the house."
"Will you show me?"
Don pulled his hood back up to disguise himself while Luke unlocked the french doors, and stepped outside into the night air. Donnie followed him onto the balcony and gazed wordlessly at the neighborhood for several seconds. He pulled out his digital binoculars and started a slow sweep of the area. As he searched, he spoke to Luke without looking his direction.
"Is the Seminary campus very busy at nighttime?"
"Not right now, I wouldn't think. I believe they're on break."
"So not a lot of students around."
"Nowhere near as many as usual. What's your take on this?"
"I'm think we have the perfect vantage point."
"What do you see?"
"There are two construction sites - side by side, four streets over from here. Because we're on the third floor, it's pretty unobstructed. Take a look, and I'll tell you my idea."
Luke took the binoculars from him, and focused in on where he'd been gazing.
"You see the one on the left has easier access from the south - a vehicle could get in there. But the one on the right is completely fenced, gated in. That's a pretty good barrier, but I'm sure any of my brothers could get over it quickly. We would have an out if something went wrong. A vehicle couldn't follow them in, and it would take longer for a normal person to get over. We can position our own van to the north, on the construction site to the right...and we have a get-away vehicle if necessary. Then it's a short distance to your place."
"Well, it sounds good, but what if they catch sight of the van? What if you were followed?"
"Oh, we have all kinds of built in tricks to deal with a tail. But what do you think of the rest of it?"
"I think it could work. We should talk to the others."
The group gathered in the bedroom, huddling in a circle on the floor. Donnie relayed to them what he and Luke had talked about first, and then the man glanced around to ask a question of his own.
"Which of you is the best driver?"
All three brothers instantly looked at Donnie, who shrugged in turn.
"Donnie's out of the picture; his shoulder only gives him room for surveillance on this job. Who's the second best?"
Raph smirked while lifting his hand.
"Okay, then Raph drives," Leo filled in. "Donnie can be a lookout straight from the terrace, which will put Mike and me on the ground."
"I'll be on the ground too," Luke volunteered.
"Hold it - what?" Mike interjected. "You'll be on the ground? I thought you weren't gonna be involved in this part."
"I'm already involved," the doctor argued. "It makes sense to have more than one vehicle nearby, and a second lookout with another vantage point.
"I don't like that, Doc," Donnie objected.
"Too bad. Unless you're willing to physically restrain me, I'm doing it. I've earned the right, haven't I?"
"It's not about what you've earned or haven't earned, Doc," Leo replied. "We just want you to be safe."
"I'm twenty-seven years old. I think I'm 'grown' enough to make these decisions for myself." Luke folded his arms severely.
Donatello sighed heavily. "I already said I don't like it. But I don't suppose we can honestly tell you what to do in your territory, can we?"
"Nope," Luke said shortly, and then carried on. "So both Leo and Mike will go with Jenna?"
The blue-masked turtle nodded. "We want to be in a position to intervene if we have to. Jenna, how does all of this sound to you?"
She held up her hands helplessly. "I trust you, guys. It's in your hands. Just tell me what to say to my dad, and I'll see that it gets set up."
"We should go over these details with Master Splinter, and get his opinion too," Leonardo determined. "Then we'll talk time."
There was discussion well into the night, but close to 3am they had a plan set, and grudgingly accepted the fact that Luke was going to be directly involved. Everyone retired to try and get some sleep, with Donnie and Mike returning to their bedroom upstairs for the first time in over a week.
Don stared at Mike's mattress above him for several minutes without speaking, but felt like his brother knew he wasn't asleep.
"Donnie?" Michelangelo finally called down from the top bunk.
"Hm?"
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah. The sling irritates me, but my shoulder isn't in terrible pain."
"I'm not talking about your shoulder. I was asking about Jenna."
"What about her?"
"I know there's something between you two. I may not be a genius - but I'm not blind."
"She intrigues me, Mike. That's all there is."
"You sure, Donnie?"
"There's no room or possibility for anything else. Jenna is going home, where she needs to be. We all knew it'd come sooner than later. It's not like I expected anything less." He forced finality into his tone to get his brother to drop it.
"Your feelings won't disappear just because she does, Don."
The purple-masked turtle groaned. "Again. Nothing there, Mike. I'm tired, so will you let it go?"
"Yeah, Donnie." Mike sounded wistful, but at least he shut up after that.