Thanks for all the reviews. Here's the next chapter. I seem to have bloodhounds after me... Gotta run!
Italics are phone conversations.
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Chapter 11
April nearly panicked as she held Leo's limp body just outside the door of her apartment. The blood on his arm caught her attention and pushed away the panic. Her mind reverting to what needed to be done. She put Leo's good arm over her shoulder and pulled him into her apartment, kicking the door closed with her foot. After carefully laying him on the couch, she ran for the first aid kit in the bathroom and returned to the living room. She cleaned the cut gently and tightly wrapped it. It would need a few stitches, but she didn't have what was needed to get it done. Don would have to fix him up more, but at least now it was covered and wouldn't give Leo an infection. She checked his pulse worried he had passed out from some drug or poison.
A strong and steady pulse eased her racing heart.
She sat back, still kneeling on the floor, wondering what had happened. Where were his brothers and Raison? And Keith? April stood and crossed the room, retrieving the shell cell she had been given and dialed Don's number. She frowned not getting an answer. So she tried Mikey's cell instead. Getting the same thing, she rubbed her chin puzzled. She started pacing. Why weren't any of them answering? She quickly dialed Raph's number.
An all too familiar ring filled the quiet apartment and April let out a groan. What was Leo doing with Raph's shell cell? What was going on here? She disconnected the call and continued pacing.
The ringing of Raph's shell cell came again.
April stopped pacing and stared at Leo. He didn't move. And the cell was still ringing. She sighed and walked over to him, pulled the cell from his belt, and answered it. "Hello?"
"Leo where are… April?!"
"April!?!"
"Shh…"
April was surprised to hear to arguing voices on the other end, but she quickly recognized Rai's voice. And Raph's in the background. "Guys what is going on?"
"It's complicated at the moment, but is Leo with you?" Rai asked
April walked away from Leo so she wouldn't startle him if he woke up soon. She hoped he would wake up soon. "Yeah. He's totally out of it on the couch."
"Let me talk to her." Silence. "Is he ok?" Raph asked.
"Well he looks exhausted and has a cut that Don needs to stitch up, but he'll be ok. Where are you guys?" She started pacing again. Something was way wrong and worry was starting to get the best of her.
"Rai and I are on our way to you. We'll explain the rest when we get there."
April's eyebrows went down in deep thought. "Mikey, Don, and Keith aren't with you?"
Silence.
"No," Raph answered softly, but still gruff. "See ya soon."
"Ok." April disconnected and sighed, dropping down onto a chair. She couldn't imagine what was going on. But from Raph and Rai's tone of voice and the fact that Leo lay out cold and hurt on her couch, she could tell it was bad. Worse than bad. She rubbed her tired face and leaned back, keeping an eye on Leo. What was he doing out alone if something had happened? What was he protecting the others from?
She stared off at the wall for what seemed like hours when she finally heard the knock on her apartment door. It really had only been ten minutes. The clock now read 2:42. Leo had been here for twenty minutes at least and he had only stirred once. It was only a minute ago. And very slightly.
April got up and wearily opened the door.
Rai and Raph came in, faces drawn, and stopped a few feet into the apartment. Both stared at Leo. Both didn't speak.
April closed the door and walked up next to them, staring at Leo for a moment before settling back on the chair she had been sitting in.
Rai took the other chair and collapsed down.
Raph started pacing.
Neither seemed to want to talk. April didn't really want to talk either. She watched Raph pace for a few minutes before breaking the silence. "What happened?"
Raph continued pacing, glaring at whatever object he was facing.
"Raph?"
Rai sighed. "Keith betrayed Leo and led him up to an ambush. Then he led the Foot down to the lair. We just came from there and the place is trashed and empty."
"They got their slimy hands on Don, Mikey, and Sensei," Raph growled. "And now look at Leo! Keith's going to pay big time. And I mean way big!"
"Keith wants to meet in Central Park in an hour," Rai continued. "Having Leo come with is out of the question."
April nodded. "He might pull the cut open even more. And he's not up to it physically."
Raph stopped pacing. "Will he be ok? You know... did he get… infected or anything?"
April shook her head. "No. He isn't and shouldn't. I cleaned and wrapped it very good. Unless he's uses it strenuously before it's stitched up, there shouldn't be a problem."
Raph nodded and continued pacing.
"There's got to be a way to free the others," Rai said. "I doubt Keith will bring them to Central Park."
"He'll more likely just bring the whole Foot army trying to catch us!" Raph snorted.
Rai nodded grimly. "I don't doubt it."
"There has to be some way?" April said thinking.
"If just Raph and I meet Keith, it'll probably turn out bad," Rai mused. "Just one of us, even worse. And if no body does, it might mean signing the others to death." He shook his head. "We need to even out the odds, if only by a little bit."
Raph froze in his tracks and snapped his fingers. "Casey!"
"Casey?" April and Rai echoed.
Raph nodded. "Yeah. Then it would be three of us. Shredder wouldn't dare send all of the ninjas with Keith. He'll have Mikey, Don and Sensei guarded. Heavily guarded in case we try something."
"So if we were to find out where Keith took them, we could ditch the Central Park trap before it goes too far and go rescue the others," Rai said. "Or better yet, set up some sort of diversion to keep Keith busy until we find the others."
"Exactly." Raph ripped out his shell cell and dialed. "Hey Casey, get up and get over here. We need your help." Pause. "April's. Now hurry and get your sleepy butt over here. We've got a problem." He snapped the phone shut. "After Casey gets here, I have a few ideas to tell ya. Shredhead won't know what hit him."
Rai nodded as he rubbed his chin.
April nodded, hoping this would turn out well. She took another look at Leo and noticed him stir again. This time more than the last. Once he woke up, he wouldn't be happy about what happened. And he certainly wouldn't be happy with having to stay out of the action. But April would make sure he stayed. He didn't need to get more hurt than he already was.