Chapter 12

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

We made a quick trip to the lair, so Donnie could get a few things to work with. He had a strange old laptop, and some other gadgets with him now, as we all sat on the edge or in the back of the truck. Splinter had insisted he come with us, even knowing the risks.

And I couldn't exactly tell him no.

"Okay, I think I found them" Donnie finally spoke up, and I walked over to him, looking over his shoulder.

"Where are they?"

"About thirty miles west of here. Looks like they're travelling pretty fast-"

"Then we have to intercept them" Raph was now behind me, and I kept forgetting how tall he actually was.

"Think we can make it in time?" Leo asked from beside Donnie.

"Well, there is-"

"We must leave immediately then" Splinter was now beside me, seemingly appearing from no where.

Had to admit, he was a very sneaky rodent.

"Splinter's right. We should be able to reach them before they get to their destination"

"Which means we'll need a lead foot to drive" Raph went to move around me, but I stopped him, grabbing his wrist. He looked down at me, a little confused.

"I got this"

With that, I moved between Donnie and Leo, letting them help me down, the others starting to move as well.

"Donnie, I need you in front with me, everyone else can ride in the back" I turned to them, each one of them nodding.

"I think we'll make some windows" Raph grunted, punching the side of the truck and making Mikey jump.

"Whoa, warn me before you do that"

"Put one up the front too, so we can talk then will ya" I rolled my eyes, shaking my head as Donnie followed me up the front. I heard another thump as the boys jumped in the back, and I reached for the drivers side door-

"Ah!" I yanked my arm back, the pain shooting up my side and a burning going through my shoulder. Donnie was instantly at my side, hand gently on my arm.

"Should I drive?"

I shook my head, looking up at him "No, I need you to guide me, but..."

I bit my lip, and he looked worried, putting his laptop in through the open window.

"Jade, what's wrong?"

"Donnie, I'm gonna do something, and I don't want you to get mad at me"

"Why would I get mad?"

I closed my eyes, focusing and beginning my shift. I felt my nose melt, then disappear into my face, the nose holes melding into my changing skin, which was becoming a pale green as the texture of my skin changed.

I grew, sprouting up almost too fast, feeling my arms build up muscles, like I'd taken steroids, my legs doing the same thing.

"Whoa..." I could tell Donnie was amazed, but I wasn't done yet.

I felt my back stretch and change, becoming hard and start to slightly separate from the rest of me, my chest start to flatten the separate in a similar way.

Finally, I felt my fingers and toes meld together, thickening and lengthening all at the same time.

Finally, I opened my eyes to see Donnie staring at me.

I looked down, opening and closing my hand, then looking back up at Donnie.

"Is that what I look like?" He went to move towards me, to touch my face, but then seemed to decide against it.

"Pretty much, just without all the gear" I told him, sounding exactly like him.

I was now, for the most part, Donnie's doppelganger. I had memorized everything about him. Although, I never expected to use it-

"What's the hold-oh?" Leo came around the side, looking a little confused.

"Jade is me" Donnie said, then shook his head almost in disbelief.

"So, you're not mad?" I asked him, shifting my now much larger weight. It was strange to now be eye level with him...

He shook his head "Just shows you've been paying attention"

"Okay, twin Donnie's? We need to go before it's too late, yes?" Leo got our attention, and we both turned to him, then to each other and nodded.

I grabbed for the drivers side door, feeling like I could very nearly rip it off it's hinges. I pulled it open, seeing Donnie was already getting in on the other side, moving the laptop so I could sit down.

"This feels so weird" I muttered, getting myself adjusted and turning the key, the engine coming to life. I looked over at Donnie, who was already back on his laptop, shifting the car into gear and slamming my large foot onto the gas, feeling it jolt forward. I quickly spun the steering wheel, being careful not to rip it off with my new strength, and back onto the road.

"Keep going straight about five miles, then you'll need to turn left" He said, his eyes barely moving from the laptop as I pushed the gas for all it was worth, feeling it bumping around on the road as we flew forward.

"Hang on guys!" I yelled, then seeing Raph's head half come through the new hole he'd made out of the corner of my eye, looking from me to Donnie.

"Too weird.." He muttered, disappearing back through the hole.

"You're telling me" Donnie muttered as I dove through the traffic we were now getting swerving left then right.

"Turn here!" He pointed suddenly, and I barely missed the turnoff, blaring through the lights as I did. Thankfully the rain was still heavy, so anyone who saw us would have probably just seen green blurs.

I heard a few heavy thuds in the back, and an "Ow" from what I thought was Mikey.

"Sorry guys!" I slammed my foot on the pedal, and we lurched forward again. Soon, we were on a freeway with traffic.

Which was, unfortunately, getting heavier the further we went along.

"Okay, we gotta stay on this road for about seven miles, before there's a turnoff"

"All right, just tell me when...before we hit it"

"But I did..."

"I need a little more warning dear"

"All right, all right, my wish is your command"

"Would you two stop! You're freakin me out" Raph's voice again, and I sighed, shaking my head a little.

(Would this be better) I thought spoke to him, dodging a large caravan, hearing someone yelling.

"Uh...no"

"Then shush and let me drive!"

"Ah, Jade!"

"I see it Donnie!"

"Ah!" He yelped again as we barely skimmed past a larger truck, their horn blaring.

If I thought of it, I would have yelled something obscene, but there was no time, the tires skidding a little before they caught the road again, and I was able to dive around another lot of cars.

"Whoaaaa!" Everyone in the back cried out as the truck almost slipped sideways, and I did everything I could to right it before we almost hit a large trailer and a car, straightening us up and flying around them. Even Donnie was bracing.

"Sorry guys! Slippery!" I yelled, my eyes locked on the road, flying through traffic and pretending I was a professional racer.

"Okay, next one coming up!"

"Got it!" I spun the wheel, feeling us slightly clip a car as we moved across, horns now blaring and tires now skidding mercilessly.

We barely missed hitting the barrier, and I heard Donnie make a slight sound of disapproval.

"I'm a much better driver than this, honest!" I told him, knowing he now probably didn't believe me as we thumped over a curb.

"Left!"

"Are we catching up?" I asked him as I spun the wheel, and the truck followed, almost skidding again. I heard everyone in the back of the truck crying out again.

"We're still pretty far away, but-"

"Donnie, give me something. A shortcut...anything to get us there faster"

"On it" He had both his blue screen and laptop going, occasionally pointing which way to go.

I felt sorry for the guys in the back, but I knew they had agreed to this.

"There's a dirt road coming up, it-"

"No, dirt roads will be mud in this weather, and we can't afford to get bugged down. Find something else!"

"I'm trying!" His voice was getting high pitched, and I could tell he was stressed.

"I know you are" I wanted to assure him, but I knew I couldn't just yet. I had to keep avoiding traffic.

"Are you having fun arguing with yourself Donnie?" Leo poked his head through the hole now.

"Yeah, totally" Donnie was still annoyed. I couldn't blame him. I was asking him to do a next to impossible task.

"Just take it easy on those turns...other Donnie"

"Can't promise anything" I replied as Donnie pointed, and we lurched left. Leo's face slipped back out of sight.

"Bam!" He suddenly yelled, hitting his computer, then laughing triumphantly.

"Donnie?" I asked, wanting to turn and look at him, but barely avoiding another car.

"We're in luck! They're now on a path that's getting closer to us...and I found a way to cut through!"

"Closer? What? How?!" I couldn't believe my ears.

"I...I don-TURN TURN TURN!" He yelled, pointing frantically and I spun the wheel, almost tipping us, but managing to land safely, almost running headfirst into another small truck like ours. I just happened to glance in the window as we went by, seeing the two men in the car gaping at us.

"Thought we agreed you'd give me more warning!"

"Sorry!"

"This is insane!" Mikey's head now popped into the hole.

"What is?" I asked him, seeing him turn to look at me.

"Fighting Donnie's"

I saw Donnie shove his brothers head back through without looking, hearing Mikey yelp.

"So how are we getting closer?" I finally asked, my foot to the floor now.

"I'm not sure. Looks like they made a wrong turn? Either way, we are now on an almost intercept course!"

"Thanks Donnie" I went to reach for his hand, realising how weird it must be for him, pulling back.

I was surprised when he actually took my...well, his...hand, squeezing it reassuringly.

"Donnie's holding hands with himself!" I saw the orange beside me, letting go of Donnie and shoving Mikey's face back through the hole.

I heard Donnie laugh a little. Then the snort...

"Whyyyyyy?" Came the whine, then "Shut up Mikey" From both Raph and Leo.

"Almost there! Are you ready?" Donnie suddenly turned serious, and I took that moment to look over at him.

"Let's do this"

We fell silent, looking out the window and waiting for the next command or turn.

"There!" We saw a large blue van shoot by at an intersection, and I spun the wheel, almost tipping us once more.

"Goddamn it!" We slammed back down, me keeping my foot on the accelerator.

I felt like it was getting further away as the truck finally responded, then seeing something swoop over our heads.

"It's Ithiell!" I yelped, and Leo was back in the hole.

"What's going on?"

"Ithiell is chasing the van too! I thought he was..."

A sense of fear ripped through me then. Was it too late to save my family?

I saw a streak of light shoot from the fighter, hitting the ground on the left side of the van, and the van itself swerved madly.

(Ithiell, we're here!) I called out to him, seeing the fighter now pull back almost above us.

A few tense seconds, then (I thought that might be. What the hell are you doing?!)

(Shouldn't I be asking you that!) I snapped back (Where the hell is my family?!)

(April and the Animorphs are getting them out, I thought...) A sigh, then (I thought I'd see if I could help)

"We're almost there" Donnie's voice broke through my fight with Ithiell, looking to see he was right. Slowly, very slowly, we were gaining ground.

That's when I saw the arm out the window...

"Lookout!" Donnie yelped, but I was already swerving left as the shot barely missed Donnie, instead incinerating the mirror.

"Too close!" Donnie yelped.

(Ithiell, cover fire!)

(On it!) Another streak of light, and the arm ducked inside.

"Okay, plan of attack?" Leo asked, looking at me.

"We gotta try and stop that van...and safely"

"All right, I'll try and get on the roof" He slipped back, then a screeching sound behind us, before a thump on the roof.

"I really hope that's just Leo" I muttered, looking over to see we were almost behind them, and I moved to get beside them, making sure my window was coming up on the side of the van. I didn't want to risk Donnie being hurt.

"Jade?"

He realised what I was doing.

"You know why, don't argue" I responded, hearing a thud above our heads, realising it was Leo that was now above us as we came up-

The van suddenly swerved, smacking into us and causing us to skid and slide away.

I heard a yelp, then a Katana was suddenly between me and Donnie as I fought to keep us on the road.

"Watch it Leo!" I warned, finally able to get the truck steady, seeing the van had been able to get a little in front of us.

"Sorry" Came his response, and the Katana vanished, with me flooring it again.

"Donnie, can any of your gadgets slow it down?" I asked finally, as we started to come up on the van again. It tried to hit us, but I swerved just in time, hearing Leo have to hold on. Thankfully, no sharp and pointy objects were shoved through the roof this time.

"Uh, no... I...

"I'll fix this!"

Another screeching of metal, and I saw out the drivers side mirror Raph had cut a bigger hole through the side of the truck. I saw him hanging out the side as I tried to pull up again, a shot from Ithiell distracting the driver.

"Now!" Leo, from above, and I saw something metal fly past, hitting the back tire and causing the car to fish tail. I saw it start to skid, and that moment I heard and saw Leo leap, almost slipping off the roof but managing to drive a Katana just a little through the roof, hanging on as it started to spin around.

"Dammit!" I slammed on the gas, flying forward and using the truck to stop the van from spinning wildly, hitting the drivers side door roughly, glass shattering everywhere. I looked over to see the driver of the van start to lift a gun at me.

"Donnie!" I snapped, letting go and feeling him grab the wheel as I reached across.

I snatched the gun out of his hands with incredible speed, hearing him yelp and try to hit me.

I barely felt a tap, getting angry and almost shoving him down on the seat, seeing his passenger bring their weapon up to take a shot.

I grabbed their wheel, spinning it madly, making the two vehicles hit again, and start to spin.

"Jade!" Donnie yelped.

"Don't let go Donnie, I got this!"

I hoped Leo had a good grip, cause if this didn't work, it was all up to him.

(Hold tight Leo!) I yelled as I slammed hard on the breaks, feeling the truck start to slide, trying to keep a good grip on their steering wheel as we started to tip to the side.

"Oh noooo!" I heard a massive thump, feeling Donnie start to slide, grabbing his arm and keeping him in the truck.

We suddenly thumped back down, both cars upright. I saw the driver and passenger of the van start to scramble to get up, to get-

"Hey there" Leo was suddenly pulling their passengers door open, grabbing the guy in the passengers seat and throwing out of the truck, then punching the driver out.

Leo and I both shared a relieved look, and I took a deep breath.

"Donnie" I turned to him, seeing he was pretty much almost on my lap. He smiled up at me, fixing his glasses.

"Everyone else okay?" I called, looking back through the hole and seeing Mikey and Raph were in a tangled mess, and Splinter was standing with his hands behind his back.

He was all class that guy.

"We're good" Raph grunted, untangling himself from his brother as Mikey made a strange groan, not moving.

I saw the rain start to come down harder now, barely hearing Ithiell's fighter start to land in the empty street.

"Donnie, go go" I turned, pushing him and feeling anxious as he finally sat up, moving and kicking the door open, with me following. I moved past him, heading towards the back of the van.

I almost broke the doors clean off, looking inside and seeing several people had been laid down on the ground, almost piled up like...

I had to remind myself that humans would be useless to Yeerks dead, going and checking the pulse of one. I let out a short sigh, realizing they were alive.

"Start moving them into the fighter, and I'll make sure they get somewhere safe" Ithiell was there, and he picked up a smaller girl, starting to carry her.

Soon, I found myself handing some of the people I went to school with to the turtles, watching as they carried them into the fighter, one by one.

It was when we got to the last two people that the horrible realization dawned on me.

Serah wasn't here.

'x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Oh dear, where be Serah?

Who knows!

And as always, Constructive Criticism appreciated :D