Chapter 11
Bummer
Tana paced nervously, her eyes glittering. Tristan watched her, his eyes going back…and forth…and back…and forth…
"STOP IT!" Tristan yelled.
Tana paused and her tail began to twitch back…and forth…and back…and forth…
Tristan groaned," Has any ever told you you're absolutely hopeless?"
"Yep!" she giggled.
Tristan groaned," I'm outta here…"
"No!" Tana blurted," you can't leave! They'll catch ya!"
"They will not!" Tristan yelled back," You are driving me crazy, Tana!"
She pouted," Okay, I'll be quiet!"
He shook his head, frustrated," How the heck am I going to go through life LOOKING LIKE THIS?!"
She giggled," I think you look cool, Tris! I mean, think about it. Are your senses enhanced? Are you stronger and more agile? I KNOW I am!"
She stood on her hands, and began to walk, her tail waving crazily behind her.
Tristan groaned," Okay, I'm just going out for a walk, okay? I'm not going topside."
"No, Tristan, you can't! Leo said-"
"I could care less what Leo said! I'm going!" Tristan snapped.
"Look, just wait another hour. I'll go and take a nap! Just don't go anywhere!" Tana snapped as she left the room.
Tristan waited until he saw she was sound asleep before leaving, muttering," Chloe, you make crazy friends…"
***.
"Well, that went well." Charis ventured timidly as they walked down the sewer tunnel.
Alex snorted as she looked at her two broken nails. Leonardo added," Um, so, before you girls were caught, uh, I was coming to tell you that…Somehow the media got a video of Tristan, and there's a huge reward for him. So, we're going to have to lie low for a while…especially now that we know that poacher is still alive and kicking."
Chloe asked," He's the guy who tried to hunt down Leatherhead?"
"Yeah." Raphael grumbled," Nearly killed LH, too."
"Who's Leatherhead?" Charis asked timidly.
"Oh, you haven't met him yet! He's really nice!" Chloe grinned and added," I kinda owe him my sanity."
Raphael chuckled," You have sanity?"
She pouted," Shut up, Raph."
Mikey grinned," That makes two of us, bro."
"Shut up, you little twerp."
Alex frowned, "Leatherhead is a really weird name for a person."
"Yeah…only Leatherhead isn't a human…so his name kinda suits him." Chloe commented, as Donatello added," He's a mutant, like us."
Alex frowned," He's a turtle, like you guys?"
"Um, no…he's a-."
"A mutant Croc!" Mikey interrupted," I'm the one who first made friends with him! atr frist, he thought we were his enemies, and he nearly killed us, but then we found out he was cool, and he's like a brother now!"
Alex's eyes widened and she asked," He's friendly?"
"Weren't you listening?" Mikey frowned.
Chloe cut in," He sometimes loses his temper, but I doubt you girls would make him mad, he's really, really nice. He kinda reminds me of Beast from the X-men, cause he's smart, but at the same time, he has a dark side, you know?"
Alex shook her head, "Chloe you're crazy."
"Takes one to know one."
"Shut up."
***
Tristan paused as he looked around.
"Okay, damn it, I'm lost."
He took another turn and stopped," great…Maybe if I go topside, I can get my bearings."
He started up the ladder and opened the manhole slowly.
The wolf-boy crawled out and covered the manhold back up as he looked down at his elongated feet.
With a thoughtful grin, he ran and leapt at the fire-escape, catching it, it he hauled himself up, testing out his new physical strength. He liked it, as he scrambled to the rooftop and breathed in the evening breeze.
Running faster then he had ever run before, he turned to the neighboring house and leapt, laughing aloud, he ran harder, and with greater confidence, he performed an aerial flip over the next gap.
He didn't know and didn't see that someone was watching him-
-And following him.
***
Tana was sound asleep when the others finally came home.
Alex looked around balefully," Where's Wolf-boy?"
Chloe yelled," TRISTAN!"
Desdemona rolled her eyes," He needs to learn some manners…"
Leo looked around and his eyes widened," He's not here…"
Tana yawned as she came out of her room," Hey everyone. What took so long?"
Chloe snapped," Where's Tristan?"
Tana's eyes widened," He's not here?! I TOLD him to stay!"
"WHAT?!" Chloe yelled.
Tana flattened her ears and snapped," Look, I was going a little loony, and he said I was driving him crazy. So I told him I'd take a nap. He was wanting to go for a walk, which is WHY I went to my room, to get out of his hair…apparently it wasn't enough."
Desdemona moaned into her hands.
Chloe growled, "When we find him, remind me to kill him!"
Leo took her arm," Hold on Chloe, I want you to stay here. You were already in danger once this evening-"
"Leo he's my brother!"
"And that makes him my brother as well." Leo told her quietly.
Chloe relaxed a little, looking at him in surprise.
Leo turned to his brothers," Let's find Tristan."
Tana had her face in her hands.
"I'm sorry…I'm sorry." She kept muttering.
"Tana, it wasn't your fault. Tristan should have known better." Desdemona told the young girl adding," He is going to get it when they bring him back…"
Chloe took a deep breath.
"I hope he's okay."
***
"Hey! I got tracks over here!" Raphael yelled.
The four turtles looked at the huge wolf-like pawprints and Don observed," Doesn't seem like he was in a hurry."
Raphael growled," I'm going to teach that runt a lesson when we find him."
Leo said sternly," He will be taught a lesson, but not by you, Raph. He's Chloe's brother, remember."
"Yeah, that's the only reason why I'm out here looking for him, instead of back there in bed!" Raphael snapped.
"Ooh, somebody's grumpy!" Mikey sang, as Raphael snarled," Maybe I oughtta teach you a lesson, Mikey."
"That's enough guys!" Leo warned.
Donatello froze," Oh no…"
"What is it Don?" Leo asked.
"He went topside." Donatello pointed to the tracks, which led to the tunnel ladder.
Leonardo groaned," Ok, so, we'll teach him a lesson when we find him."
***
Tristan paused, sniffing the air excitedly, his tail wagging as he grinned," This is great! I love being a mutant!"
"That's good to know."
Tristan snapped around, his eyes widening as a tall, thin man walked a little closer.
The dude looked like the Terminator dressed in a nice FBI suit.
The wolf-boy tensed, growling," Who are you?"
"Someone who saw your image on the news tonight. I have a proposition for you." The man replied, smirking a little.
Tristan shook his head," Not interested."
"Oh, but you haven't heard what it is yet."
Tristan snapped," You give me the creeps, man, that's enough for me!"
He began to turn away, but he heard a quiet," Never mind. It's obvious you're too scared."
Tristan froze and turned slowly. His grey eyes glowered as he responded," You ever hear your momma tell you to trust your gut? Well, my gut tells me you're bad news."
"There is much you could do for the American people, Mr. Mab."
Tristan growled," How'd you know my name? My LAST name?" he snarled.
"We have ways of finding information. There is much we could do for each other. You would no longer have to hide in the underground the city…or try to disguise your appearance. You would be a hero."
Tristan was thinking about the man's offer, when the terminator look-alike added," Think about it, Mr. Mab. If you decide to accept my offer, just come to this rooftop. We'll be watching and waiting."
And just like that, the man was gone.
Tristan raised an eye-ridge as the wheels in his head kept turning….
A hero…doing good for the American people. Hell, it sure sounded good…
"TRISTAN!!!"
He jumped slightly as he heard the loud roar. Raphael attempted to grab him by the scruff of his neck, but he was too tall. Instead, he glared as he hauled the wolf-boy to the ground, snarling," What the hell were you thinking?!"
Leonardo landed beside them and pushed Raphael away, snapping," Later, Raph! Right now we gotta get underground!"
Tristan snarled as he mule-kicked Raphael away and jumped to is feet, snarling, "Who the hell do you think you are, turtle-boy?!"
"I'm thinking you're an idiot! What if someone had gotten to you before we did?!"
"I'm thinking at least I wouldn't have had to hear this crap about my being an idiot!!!" Tristan snarled," I'm not like, a six-year-old!"
"No, you're a 14-year-old ACTING like a six-year-old which is worse!!!" Raphael snarled as they made their back to the sewers.
Tristan snorted as he muttered rebelliously.
Leonardo bit the huge lecture building in his throat and said quietly," Tristan, you worried your sister and your mom…and you worried us, too. Since you're Chloe's sister, that makes you our brother. We're not trying to get on your nerves, this is for your protection."
"What if I don't WANT your damn protection?!" Tristan snarled.
"You'll get it anyways…Cause you're family. Family sticks together." Raphael said bluntly.
"Not my family." Tristan muttered, but they all heard him.
The rest of the journey was quiet.
Back topside, Agent Bishop was smiling. He was expecting to gain a new ally very soon. Very, very soon.