Good evening, everyone! I hope you are all having a nice start to your week, and that you are ready for an action-packed update! If you are, please get reading and enjoy the next part of this story!
Casey grunted, scrambling to his feet as he threw himself against the wall to reload his gun. "Damn it, the hell are you guys doing over there?!" He shouted.
"Well, Raph's having trouble getting the keys because his fingers are all big and stuff!" Mikey replied.
"Your fingers are just as big as mine, I don't see you getting your ass over here trying to get them! Damn it, you couldn't have thrown them just a little farther, Jones?!" Raph snapped.
"Look, if I can get over there without being chewed up, I'll give you a hand!" Casey said.
"You could give your hand to me instead, buddy boy!" Pennywise suddenly exclaimed before pouncing down from the ceiling.
"I am really getting sick of your stupid face." Casey clenched his teeth as he flicked the safety off the gun. "Tell me where April is, and maybe I won't shoot a bullet through it."
Pennywise giggled. "Take a good look, Arnie, maybe you could go on a nice loveboat ride down in the sewer for all eternity!" Just then, it began to open its mouth wider than what should have been possible. As it did, Casey furrowed his brows, and suddenly, the phone at the guard's station began to ring. As a light began to rise from within the creature's throat, Raph squeezed his eyes shut as his chains began to give from how strongly he was pulling against them.
"Damn it- Casey!" He shouted, one of the bolts holding the chain plate in place shooting out from the strength of his pull. It gave him about an inch or two extra to move forward with, grasping the key ring between two of his large fingers. "Got it!" He shouted, tossing them to Leo. He quickly undid Raph's chains, about to toss it to Mikey. "No. Open the cell door, Casey needs help." Raph said. Leo glanced between them, nodding as he tossed the keys to him. Raph undid the cell, sliding it open before tossing them back to Leo. As the phone rang off the hook, Raph slid to a halt when he saw Casey's eyes begin to glow, his feet slowly separating from the floor. Raph shouted, charging at the deranged clown and tackling it. When this happened, Casey fell to the floor with a thud, shaking his head as he snapped out of the dangerous trance. He whipped his head toward the sound of the phone ringing, sprinting toward it as he grabbed it off the hook.
"Casey, thank God you're alright." Doctor Sleep said.
"What the hell do you want?" He asked.
"I called in an attempt to warn you about the lights. That is what you just witnessed. This is what was done to April down underground. I could sense it was close to completely capturing you. You must not fall victim to it. But Casey... I can see what you've done. Remember to use what I've taught you. You've been doing very well. Save your friends and remember that you have allies who will aid you as you reveal the truth to them."
"Hey!" Raph shouted as Leo and Mikey undid their chains, running toward Raph to help him fight Pennywise. "Cut the gossip and help us out here!"
"Yeah, great, gotta go, doc!" Casey exclaimed as he hung up the phone, about to run over to the others when suddenly, the door to the unit flew open.
"Freeze!" An officer shouted as they flooded the room, weapons drawn.
"Oh great, not again!" Mikey groaned. "Leo, we can't handle them AND this psycho clown!" He bit his lip.
"You take care of them, I've got this!" Raph shouted, cracking his knuckles as Pennywise giggled lowly.
"Stuck between a rock and a hard shell, huh?!" He cackled. "So what's it going to be?! I'll gobble up whoever survives your little pathetic showdown!"
"Our business is not with the turtles!" Someone suddenly shouted. Rebecca made her way to the forefront, and Mikey beamed when he saw a sight for sore eyes alongside her.
"Donnie!" He exclaimed. "You guys, it's Donnie!"
The near sighted turtle stood tall, wearing a determined expression as he stood at Rebecca's side. "It's over, Pennywise." He said, Leo slowly smiling at the sight of his brother. "Tell us where April is. You're outnumbered, and you have nowhere to go."
The clown furrowed its brows, chattering its teeth as it shook its head. "Oh, please, spare me... you know it was all a game, don't you, Donnie boy?"
"You are under arrest for the endangerment of dozens of city children and the assault and murder of over a dozen police officers. You're going straight for death row." Rebecca narrowed her eyes. "You can do this the easy way or the hard way." She was still wary, a bit unsettled by the creature.
"Welcome to the twenty first century, asshole." Raph said, tightening his grip on Pennywise.
After a few moments of silence, the clown grinned widely, shaking as it began to laugh maniacally. Just then, the lights began to flicker.
"Oh, that can't be good." Casey breathed, looking to Rebecca. "Get out of here! Go, now, leave!" He shouted. Rebecca widened her eyes, looking up just as the lights were about to go out. Just as they did, Donnie quickly scrambled, the group hearing many objects clattering. When Donnie activated what seemed to be a high beam light, Rebecca gasped, scrambling back as she saw all her officers levitating, their expressions blank.
"Thanks for the warm welcome, Raffy." Pennywise said as his head slowly turned. As it did, the normally brash turtle drew back as he witnessed something out of the Exorcist. It then opened its mouth wide, blood and guts spraying out as he scrambled back.
"Ugh, sick!" Raph shouted.
"Don't let it get away!" Leo said, about to tackle the creature when it clawed at him, Leo grunting as he hit the ground.
"Leo!" Donnie shouted, tossing something into the air. Leo caught it, realizing it was his katanas which had been confiscated. As Pennywise charged at Rebecca, Donnie dove in front, shocking Pennywise with his bo. He then tossed something else through the air, Mikey catching his nunchukus.
"Thanks, bro!" He smiled, gripping the weapon firmly.
"Raph!" Leo shouted. "Grab Casey and Rebecca and get them to safety!"
"What about you guys?!" Raph wiped his face, catching his knives as Donnie tossed them to him.
Before Leo could finish, Pennywise twisted around rigidly, its teeth bared as it lurched forward. As it did, Rebecca blinked in shock as it transformed before her eyes.
"Becca..." A little boy now spoke to her, frowning. "Why're you pointing that scary gun at me?"
"Rebecca." Casey hissed. "Rebecca, don't listen to it. This is what it does, don't-"
Before he could finish his sentence, Rebecca fired an entire round, her jaw tightening as she stared wide eyed at the bleeding boy on the floor. "Seal the unit. We're evacuating the station." She said tensely.
"Look... we can't let this thing-"
"Now!" She shouted as the other officers began to recover from being controlled by the creature, as if waking from sleep. "Get everyone out of here before it recovers!"
Raph swore under his breath as Leo nodded, being left with no choice but to comply with her order. They helped the other officers out, Casey staying with Rebecca until she was the last to exit, shutting the door and putting the alarm on. When she looked through the small, bullet proof window, she saw the clown then, standing and grinning darkly at her.
"You know it's going to find a way out, right?" Casey asked, the two exchanging a glance.
"Then consider this bought time, Jones." Rebecca replied. "Do what you need to do and figure out how to kill that damn thing. I'm putting the station on lock down."
"Finally, we agree on something." He shook his head. "First thing's first. We need to find April." He said. "And I know exactly who has an idea of where she is."
"Then stop talking and get moving." Rebecca said, Casey nodding as she watched him stride down the hallway. She spared one final glance inside the sealed off unit before making her way back up to the main area.
Meanwhile, Mikey beamed as he hugged Donnie. "Man, I thought we were never going to see you again!"
"I thought the same." Donnie replied. "I don't know how you guys managed it... but Rebecca finally believed me. She was the one who let me out."
"Don't thank us. We were in the same boat as you." Leo said, turning when Casey approached him. As he did, he exchanged a glance with Donnie, the pair nodding.
"Sorry about what happened back at the business district." Casey said.
"That was my choice." Donnie replied.
"Ready for take two?" Casey said then, taking out his hockey mask to cover his face with.
"Let's go back and gear up. If we're going to get to Grayson, we need to know for sure where he is and make sure we're prepared for anything this time." Leo said.
"After what he did to us? I'm ready to rip his arrogant head off." Raph curled his lip.
"Not before he tells us where Pennywise took April." Donnie said. The five headed out of the police station, making their way toward the lair.
Splinter paced about the space, a small, blinking device around his ankle. He had been returned to the lair with the device, preventing him from leaving the underground and go after his sons. When something caught his ear, he perked up, his eyes widening as he quickened his pace toward the lair entrance. When he saw his sons enter along with Casey, he exhaled slowly, sighing with relief.
"Sensei! Dad!" Leo shouted.
"I am here, my sons." He replied, approaching them.
"Oh man, we totally just busted out of jail! We even locked the crazy clown in there!" Mikey exclaimed.
"Rebecca's letting us all off." Donnie added. "I think she got all the evidence she needs to clear our names."
"Oh, that is a great relief." Splinter said.
"We still need to find April though, dad. Have you heard anything about Grayson's whereabouts?" Leo asked.
"I saw on the news that he is no longer staying in his usual residence or place of business. No one is disclosing where he has gone into hiding." Splinter said.
"What the hell is that on your leg?" Raph asked then, pointing to Splinter's ankle.
"Really?" Donnie rolled his eyes. "Let me handle this." He cracked his knuckles, taking out a small tweaser as he crouched down. He tinkered with the device a bit before the light shut off, the device unlocking before Donnie held it up. "Elementary, my dear Watson." He smirked as he tossed the now useless ankle bracelet aside.
Raph snickered, shaking his head. "Still a nerd, Donnie... but I missed you being around."
Donnie smiled and nodded. "Thanks, Raph."
Casey seemed uneasy despite the lighthearted conversation. The entire time he was in that prison unit, he was barely able to focus his mental powers against the creature, depending solely on the weapon in his hand, rather than the one in his mind. Just then, right on cue, the phone rang. All of them silenced, Casey sighing as he took the initiative to approach the phone, picking it up. "Hey."
"Hello, Casey. I am glad you and the turtles were able to make it back safely." Doctor Sleep said.
"Thanks." He replied.
"I can sense some uneasiness from you." He said then. "Casey, the things weighing on you, the panic, it takes away from focus. Don't beat yourself up over that. Believe me, I know all too well some of the factors that can hinder one's Shine. The time will come when you are more prepared to fight against the creature. Your next steps are good ones. I will tell you, however, that Grayson is very cunning. I dealt with his sister, and the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. If I could tell you where April was myself, I would... but Pennywise has prevented that. I will tell you that Grayson will be expecting you. There's no doubt that he knows about your success in freeing your friends. All I can tell you is to not underestimate him."
"Thanks." Casey nodded. "All I care about is finding April and make sure Grayson pays."
"Believe me, Casey... the wicked always get their comeuppance." Doctor Sleep said. "I hope to hear from you soon." He said before the call disconnected, Casey placing the phone back on its receiver.
"Alright..." Casey said as he turned around. "How are we finding this son of a bitch?"
Donnie took in a breath, Leo smiling and nodding at him as he went over to his lab area, taking his seat. "Do your magic, Donnie." He said to him.
"Should be easy enough. I can easily find out what kind of device Roberts has and send out a capture signal which will establish a one way tracking connection to the GPS function on his phone. Once I do that, regardless of whether or not his GPS widget is active or not, I can-"
"Donnie, less talking, more typing." Raph cut him off, Donnie rolling his eyes in annoyance. After a few minutes, Donnie squinted his eyes as something popped up on one of his computer screens.
"Ooo, did you order a surprise pizza?" Mikey asked, beaming. "Is that beeping letting us know the order is ready?"
"No, Mikey, I literally just explained- never mind." Donnie shook his head, unable to help but smirk at his youngest brother's naivete. "Alright, I have a location." He said as Leo leaned over his shoulder to look on. "He's staying at the Plaza Hotel."
"Gee, you would think Trump would ban him from there. He always talks about 'draining the swamp' if he ever becomes president someday..." Raph snickered. "Like that'll ever happen."
"Look, we need to figure out how we're going to go about this. We can't just bust into some five star hotel. He's probably got every security resource he can get his hands on, too." Leo said.
"Because busting out of the New York City police station was a walk in the park, right?" Casey asked sarcastically.
"I don't give a shit what stands in our way." Donnie said to everyone's surprise as he rose from his chair. "He, with the help of Pennywise, falsely framed us, kidnapped April, and put countless lives at risk. We will get in that hotel and we will get answers out of him."
Leo, though surprised, gave him a nod. "Alright. Donnie, bring up a blueprint of the building, let's see what we're working with here."
Inside the police station, Rebecca grimaced as she watched the security cameras, Pennywise seeming to stare right at her through them. "This thing hasn't moved a muscle for over an hour. Anything from the mutant database?"
"No, m'am." An officer answered.
"We don't even have a classification? Not a single hint on how to deal with this?" She asked irritably.
"I'm sorry. We've got nothing." He responded, and she slammed her hand on the desk. "Damn it, this thing has been on a wild hunt through our streets and we have no idea how to even properly contain it! Get on the phone with the commissioner of mutant relations and tell them to put out a high alert." She exhaled sharply, looking back to the security camera as she jumped. Pennywise's face was even closer now, almost pressed against the camera. She tightened her lips, shaking her head. "You don't scare me, asshole."
"Everyone is afraid of something, Bucko Becky." Pennywise chuckled from the other side of the camera. "Only a matter of time until I figure out what makes Bucko Becky book it!" He burst into a fit of maniacal laughter, Rebecca gritting her teeth.
"Have your laugh now. I'll be the one laughing when you get an equivalent of the electric chair, you sick freak." She spat, turning to one of the security guards inside the surveillance room. "If he makes one move, you notify me immediately. Do you understand?"
"Yes, m'am." The guard replied as Rebecca spared Pennywise one last glance through the screen before making her way out.
Night soon came, and Roberts clenched his teeth, his jaw rigid as he received word on his news app that the turtles were no longer being held in custody, and that a different mutant was being held in their place. "Persistent sons of bitches." He hissed, tossing his phone onto the lavish mattress of his hotel room. "I swear, the moment I become governor, that damn woman can kiss her job goodbye." He turned, going over to the minibar, taking out an expensive bottle and popping the cap off. He poured himself a drink, taking a sip before the phone rang. "Hello?"
"Hey, buddy." Casey smirked on the other end of the line.
Grayson hissed. "How in the hell did you get this number?!" He shouted, glancing back at one of his security men, motioning to them to keep vigilant.
"That doesn't really matter, does it? You probably think I'm pretty stupid for calling you, huh?" He asked.
"So." Grayson managed to keep his cool after his brief moment of shock. "You managed to convince the chief of police to break your reptilian friends out. I hope you don't expect me to credit you that. It was a matter of circumstance. So, Casey Jones... what do you seek by reaching out to me in this matter?"
"You know what I'm looking for, asshole." Casey curled his lip. "Did you honestly think I would let you walk away?"
"You don't have a choice in the matter. You are a boy who's just beginning to repair a broken reputation as nothing more than a vigilante delinquent, and I am a man who has far surpassed you in building such a foundation for myself. I'm a pillar of the community, Casey. It's going to take a lot more to knock me off my pedestal than the meaningless threat you pose me. All you have to know is that I will succeed in my intent to take down certain parties which inconvenience me."
Casey chuckled then. "You know... it's times like these that I'm really glad you do a lot of talking. It helps you distract yourself from loving the sound of your own voice, and it gives me good practice to tune you out while I'm trying to focus."
Just then, the door to the room opened, Grayson whirling around when the sound met his ears. "You idiots! Restrain him!"
To his further shock, one of the windows flew open, Donnie hopping inside as he activated the metal tiered shield extensions in his bow, the appendages extending into a large circle as he deflected the bullets from Grayson's men. Once they paused to reload, Donnie took the opportunity to disarm them, easily subduing them as Casey pursued Grayson as he made his way to the balcony.
"Donnie, follow me when you get a good handle on things here!" Casey shouted, Donnie nodding firmly.
On the rootop of the hotel, Raph paced about impatiently. "You're absolutely sure that this is the only way he can go?"
"Yes, Raph." Leo replied. "He can't get out through the windows, and Donnie said he would make sure to bar him from the second floor doorway or the stairs. If he goes up the balcony, it goes straight to the rooftop where he could access the door to the stairwell."
Grayson moved quickly, getting on his cell phone. "They're in pursuit. Get the chopper over to the roof of the Plaza, now!" He snapped before shoving the phone back in his pocket. As he reached the rooftop, he halted when he was suddenly met with the remaining three turtles, shaking his head. He was about to flee back down the stairs, when he was met by a swift thrust from Casey's foot, knocking him down. Before he could collect himself, he was hoisted up by Raphael.
"Hey, where do you think you're going so fast, pal?" He smirked tensely. He waited for Leo to collect his cell phone, searching for any other devices before giving Raph a nod. "You're just in time for a little surprise pool party we planned for you." He then turned, tossing Grayson into the rooftop pool. When Grayson surfaced, Mikey jumped in, grabbing him and giving him a noogie.
"Hey, come on, lighten up, dude! We're just messing with you!" Mikey exclaimed.
"Just like you messed with us." Leo said as he stood before him, crossing his arms. Raph, Casey, and Donnie, who had caught up to them, all loomed over him with darkened stares. "You're out of luck and you're out of options now, Grayson. It's time to pay for what you've done. And you're going to start by answering some questions we have. You can either cooperate, or make this harder for yourself."
At this, despite his current situation, Grayson began to chuckle, water dripping from his face and soaked suit. "Uh... was that supposed to be funny?" Mikey asked. "If it was, I don't get it."
"You're all neglecting one very important thing." Grayson said. "I have control over this city of ignorant sheep. And do you know why? Because their minds are mere fodder for it. You know of whom I speak of. And if you think he's going to stay in one spot for long... not until the time comes for his next slumber will he do that. Before that... like me, it will eliminate those who stand in its way!"
At the police station, Rebecca gasped when she received a distress call from the surveillance room. "Shit-!" She exclaimed as she strode quickly down the hall. She halted when she came upon blood and gruesome murder, several bodies strewn about the room. She slowly looked up, the light flickering as it stood before her. She noticed that several of the screens were broken, the glass having flown outwards, as if something had actually broken out of them.
All the broken screens had been from cameras in the cell Pennywise had been contained in.
Well, we are once again leaving this off on an ominous note! At any rate, the turtle brothers have been released from prison, and are determined to find April. Will they succeed before it's too late, or will they succumb to yet another trick by Grayson and Pennywise? Stay tuned for the next chapter to find out more! Until then, thank you for reading, and leave your thoughts in a review! See you next time!