Chapter 18: Karai's Confession

A/N: Yep, another chapter is here. Man, I'm fast, aren't I? Thanks to those who have read and reviewed thus far. Your encouragement has been so awesome. Buckle up because it's going to get interesting.

Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters belong to Nickelodeon. I own the plot and nothing more.

Raph jumped the rooftops with Don and Mikey following behind. No matter what Don said, he had a feeling this plan was going to work. All they had to do was corner Karai and get her to talk. As long as she didn't have any Foot Ninjas with her, it would be easy.

"Raph, do you really think this is going to work?" Don asked him.

Raph sighed in frustration. "Donnie, we've been over this," he said. "Yes, I do think it's gonna work. Now shut up and follow my lead."

"Hey, guys, I think Karai's over there," Mikey pointed out and gestured at a figure who was also jumping the rooftops.

Raph smiled. "Perfect," he said. He jumped the rooftops until he was directly in front of Karai, who instantly drew her katana.

"Out for a little stroll?" Raph asked her.

"Maybe," she answered.

"I noticed you don't have your underlings with you," Raph commented. "What gives?"

"I gave them the night off," Karai replied. "And where's your leader?"

"He was injured thanks to you," Raph growled.

"Oh, that's right," Karai said. "I forgot about that. Is he still alive?"

"Yeah, but he doesn't remember all that happened that night," Raph responded. "That's why we came out here lookin' for you. We want answers, Karai. Why did you attack Leo? Was it just to mess with his head, or did someone tell you to do it?"

Karai laughed. "I don't think that's any of your business." She lunged at Raph, but he was ready for her and swept her legs out from under her, pinning her to the ground. Don and Mikey surrounded her to make sure she didn't escape. Raph grinned, happy that he had Karai right where he wanted her. He pressed his sai to her throat to let her know who she was dealing with.

"Oh, when it comes to my brothers, it is my business," he replied. "Now, tell me what I want to know."

Karai glared at him, incensed that he'd gotten the best of her. "I was ordered to attack Leo," she said.

"Did Shredder tell you to do it?" Mikey asked her. His blue eyes weren't sparkling with their usual mirth and mischief but with cold fury. Mikey meant business, and he hated Karai as much as his brothers did.

"No," she replied. "She told me I had to do it, or she would blame April O'Neil's death on me."

"Wait, it was a girl who asked you to do this?" gasped Don.

"Did she say who she was?" asked Mikey, a hopeful glint in his eyes.

Karai shook her head. "No, she didn't," she responded. "All she said was that I had to attack Leo, or I would be blamed for April's death. When I asked her why I had to, she said that he knew too much."

The Turtles exchanged shocked looks at her words. They knew exactly who Karai was referring to.

"Ah, so something's up," said Karai. "You want to fill me in on what's going on?"

"Not on your life," growled Raph.

Karai shrugged. "Fine, have it your way then." She threw Raph off of her and used a smoke bomb to disappear.

"Okay, what just happened?" asked Mikey.

"We just found out that A ordered Karai to attack Leo," replied Raph.

"And that A is a girl and that she threatened to pin April's death on Karai," added Don.

"Let's get to the Lair and tell Leo what we know," ordered Raph.

The others nodded and followed him. Raph was glad that Karai had been willing to give them some information, and at least now they knew why she had attacked Leo in the first place. And at least now they knew that A was a girl. It wasn't much to go on, but at least it was a start.

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"So A ordered Karai to attack me, and if she refused, A was going to pin April's death on her?" Leo asked the others.

"Yep," answered Raph. "All Karai knew was that it was a female who spoke to her."

"You didn't tell her about A, did you?" Leo asked them.

"Nope, but we know it was A. When Karai asked her why she had to attack you, the woman said it was because you knew too much," explained Don.

"I just want to know how A knows all these secrets about us," mused Raph.

"Maybe they read April's journal," suggested Robyn. "She was always writing in journals ever since her first English class."

"Yeah, I remember she kept a journal," said Mikey. "Remember when she had to stay down her after Karai attacked her? We saw the journal as she was unpacking her stuff."

"Oh, yeah, I remember that day," Don said.

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April began unpacking her bag in the spare room they'd made up for her. She had just unpacked her journal and was going to write in it when Mikey spotted her.

"What'cha got there, April?" he asked her.

"Oh, this is my journal," she replied. "You write down your thoughts every day and keep it as a record of your life. I have to do this in school, but we usually have to write about certain topics the teacher picks. I decided to keep one for myself so I can write down whatever I want."

"Can I see it?" He reached for the journal, but April held it out of his reach.

"No, Mikey, you can't. It's private and for my eyes only. Understand?"

"Yeah, sure," he said. "That was really nosy of me. Sorry."

"That's okay, Mikey," she said. "I can understand how you'd be curious."

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"And then Mikey told us about it, and we tried to look at it when April was in the shower," remembered Raph.

22222

"Hey, look," whispered Raph. "It's April's journal. Wanna find out what she's got to say about us?"

"I do!" whispered Mikey eagerly.

"Guys, we shouldn't," chastised Leo. "It's wrong to look at someone's private thoughts."

"A little peek won't hurt," said Don. He was secretly hoping that April had written about her love for him, though he wasn't going to tell his brothers that. He picked up her journal and began to open it when the bedroom door opened, causing him to drop the journal on the floor.

April stared at the Turtles and noticed that her journal wasn't where it normally was supposed to be. "Were you guys looking at my journal?" she demanded.

"I told them not to, April," Leo insisted.

She picked up the journal and glared at the Turtles. "I told you this was private!" she scolded them.

Don looked sheepish. "We're sorry, April," he said softly.

"Yeah, we shouldn't have looked at without your permission," Raph added.

"We were just curious," chimed in Mikey.

"Well, next time you want to read it, ask me first," April told them.

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"She was so mad that day," said Mikey.

"Yeah, that was the first time I ever saw her get really mad at us," added Donnie.

"So, after A shoved her, she might have taken the journal," mused Leo, getting back on topic.

"I didn't see her journal with the stuff the police gave Dad," said Robyn. "So I think A took it and found the secrets in there to use against you."

"And that's how she knew about you being April's sister and being in the institution," said Don. "April probably wrote about visiting you there."

"But how do we track down the journal?" asked Mikey.

"We can't," answered Don. "Whoever has it will make sure not to leave it where others can see."

"Yeah, but A might just slip up again," said Raph. "And when she does, we'll be sure she pays for what she's done to all of us."

Suddenly there were multiple chimes, telling all of them that they had a text. As one, the Turtles and Robyn pulled out their phones and opened the text. They gasped as they read what had been sent.

Stop digging for answers, or you'll die the same way April did. –A.

A/N: Oh, man, now the game is really on. I told you A wasn't dead yet, and she's not. So now you know that A is a girl. So who is it? The answer will come in the next chapter. That's right, after finally waiting for so long, you'll get the answer you've been anxiously waiting for in the next chapter. In the meantime, feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.