Chapter 8: The Researcher
Two hours have passed since the group left the lair and exited New York City, Raph and Mikey had fallen asleep, Leo couldn't sleep due to his injury still hurting and bothering him somewhat, so he just relaxed with his legs up on the dash board in the passenger seat next to Donnie who was driving everyone to the destination.
April knew Leo was ignoring the pain, she hated seeing that with people as it seemed unnecessary. She only sighed as she looked around her surroundings, she liked the inside of the Shellcharger, it was very nice, roomy, clean and organized. She particularly loved the little christmas lights all around in the vehicle as she would sit back and stare at them, Donnie was pretty much playing music on the radio as well and she liked it.
Casey stood up from a chair he was sitting in across from April where he and Mikey were covered in snacks after making a large mess already, he let out a stretch and yawned. "Yo D. What's this hatch on the floor?" Casey asked as he was looking down at it and standing near it, April also looked at it as she didn't really notice it until he said something which gained her curiosity.
Donnie peered over his shoulder to see what he was talking about and realizing when he noticed it, "Oh that." He said as he turned his eyes back on the road but also flipping a switch up above him, the hatch on the floor began to open which spooked Casey as he jumped back. "It's something I also whipped up for Leo and Raph. Introducing the Stealth Bike." Donnie added, this gained Leo's interest as he peered behind to see the bike.
A decently large black three wheeled bike raised up from the hatch, April, Casey and Leo stared at it. "It's fast and can drive 120 Miles per hour, armor plating on back that can rise upward and cover the top of the bike putting it into stealth mode, bulletproof tires, the engine even goes quiet when in stealth mode but results in slowing the bike down as well. Even comes with oil slick to get tailers off." Donnie stated as he put the bike back down and closed the hatch.
"That is so sick!" Casey shouted, "And you built that bike and this armored vehicle?!" He asked with an overly excited look on his face as he ran over and stood behind Donnie. Donnie gazed at him, "Well yeah… we gotta get around somehow. I found this vehicle in a large sewer tunnel that led to the outside just sitting there, so I took it and built it into this. The bike is custom made." He stated.
Casey went sparkly eyed, Leo was just lying back in the passenger seat and April who sat on a side couch on the side back of the vehicle as they both were just silent and listening. "What about the Shellcharger?" Casey asked, wanting to know more about the vehicle they were in itself. Donnie raised an eye but Casey's interest pleased him as no one really liked his explanations and lectures on science and how stuff worked, "The Shellcharger can drive up to 100 miles per hour, it is heavily armored like a tank and is weaponized, so this baby can take a lot before getting destroyed, but like any other armored vehicle, its greatest weakness is being flipped over." Donnie shrugged as he really didn't have anything to help with that if it ever happened. "Tires are bulletproof, has land mines, missiles, oil slick, tacks, you name it and this puppy has it." Donnie stated with a smirk and gazed at the hundreds of switches and buttons around him and the passenger side.
The Shellcharger was rigged with multiple weapons, it could take up to twenty five missile hits before the armor were to be destroyed completely. The vehicle only had one window which the front driver view so driver could see the road, everywhere else was covered and heavily armored to the bone, there was also multiple screens in between the driver and passenger as camera's were placed all over the vehicle and the monitors displayed them, as well as heat vision camera and thermal readers. Casey's favorite was the ram in the front of the vehicle, he could tell it could charge through almost anything.
Morning had approached them after a few more hours had passed, Leo managed to fall asleep and the rest were still asleep as well, April, Casey and Donnie were the only ones still awake and it was pretty much silence the whole time with just the music they were hearing. April was getting tired as she was up all night long due to her long nap at the apartment, she laid back on the small couch and couldn't stop thinking about her sister, Dragor and the statue regarding the blueprint for another world teleporter. There was still so much to this Dragor mutant that was unknown, so many pieces to the puzzle having yet to be answered or found out about, but that's why they were on this little trip anyway, to hopefully get those questions answered, everyone knew they had to work together to put a stop to this Dragor to save New York, but not just New York, the whole world.
April never really wanted a normal life, she was and still is very grateful to have met and come along with the turtles, but she didn't expect a life or death situation and the fact of stopping an enemy who wants to take over the world. April sobbed silently as she turned herself over but perked her listening to Casey, Casey was sitting upside down next to mikey eating some chips, "D. Why does Leo keep the cracked sword? Isn't a sword no worth keeping once cracked? Or any blade at that?" Casey asked as he munched a chip loudly.
April peered over her shoulder looking at Casey who asked the question as it seemed to bother him, she moved her look to where Leo was who was practically passed out like the other two and noticed he did still have his two swords in their sheaths, but she didn't know one of his blades got cracked and she became confused wanting to know answer now too.
Donnie glanced at Leo as he remembered, Leo had shown up fast when he, Raph and Mikey were in trouble as Dragor caught the three of them spying on the Purple Dragons. Leo had saved his and Mikey's life due to the two of them not overcoming the fact of fear of Dragor, "He tends to keep any blade even when cracked until it actually breaks and/or shatters. He says a blade is still useful and can be strong even if it is cracked, and he honestly isn't wrong all though the blade will break easier if applied with enough force causing the cracks to spread and actually fully break it. So, he doesn't replace a cracked blade until it actually breaks, same goes with Raph's Sai's." Donnie stated.
"But what bothers me… is the fact his blade cracked and didn't actually shatter or break instantly after impact with Dragor…" Donnie began questioning himself, April sat up and looked over to Donnie who's eyes were on the road as he talked. "What do you mean?" April asked as she glanced over at Casey who munched another chip loudly, "I mean the fact of Dragor's strength seemed overwhelmingly too strong, he rammed through a wall no problem but couldn't break a sword? Even being hit by him could shatter or break your bones, even us if we were hit on the shell." Donnie stated.
April raised an eyebrow "Don't you guys have the same bone structure of a turtle?" she asked. Donnie shrugged, "Not entirely, ever since we got mutated our bone structure became more human-like, just like any animal or human, you need a spine and ribs in order to stand on two feet. Sure, a turtle's ribs are normally fused with a turtles shell, but not in our case, our ribs don't go all around though like humans." "That is so cool! So you guys are like turtle humans!? Wicked!" Casey said who munched a chip. "That's pretty much what a mutant is you doofus…" April stated as she glared at him. "Can't your shells still protect you though?" Casey asked.
"Sure they can, our plastron and shell are bulletproof to an extent, like Raph he broke part of his shell in an accident when he was younger, but that's because when we were younger, our shells weren't as strong, just like anyone, you develop strength over time as you get older. But I'm implying the actual impact of the force Dragor applies, just like a human, your skin protects you." Donnie began, "Like a kid falling off a monkey bar and breaking their bone from the impact but skin isn't affected." April stated coming to realization. "Exactly." Donnie said, "So that's why I am confused on how Leo's swords did not snap from the impact, any weapon could've easily snapped from the strength he possesses." Donnie shrugged.
April placed her hand on her chin and shrugged as well. "Great… more questions needing answers… This Dragor is complicated.." April sobbed. Donnie agreed with her, it was complicated and he was the intelligent one and was also struggling as when he does come up with an answer for one question, another question just comes along right after. Donnie tossed Casey something, Casey pretty much reacted fast to it since he was staring at Donnie and caught whatever it was, he held it up and noticed it was a custom made phone, "T-Phone, so you can stay in contact with us when we get to Kana." Donnie stated. "Wicked! Finally got my own phone, does it have games?" He asked as he messed with it, "Sure it does, it's like any phone, just way more secure." Donnie said, giving Casey a smile.
"We'll be arriving where Kana is close to dark, April, you and Casey will have to try and talk to her." Donnie stated, April only shot a look at Donnie, "Wait what!? I thought you guys were actually going to confront her!?" April questioned, "That would be plan B, I knew you were going to come along to begin with, so I wanted you to try confronting and talking to her, and if she refuses then we would pop into the picture. But we've exposed ourselves enough, we can't keep showing ourselves to everyone we encounter." Donnie said, glancing at April who shrugged. "Fine, you said she likes to keep herself secret though…" April began, "Yep, she has no source on social media except through a top secret document in the greek mythology science research labs, that's where I found her. She does research secretly for the government, think of her like an undercover detective, we'll have to meet her when she's home, she's hard to find when she's actually out and about. Plus you can read people based on expression, so you can tell if she's lying or not." Donnie said.
April sighed somewhat annoyed with this idea, but he wasn't wrong and agreed to it, by how Donnie explained her based on what he knows, she seemed like someone who avoids humans or any kind of social contact, so trying to get answers from her weren't going to be easy at all. She glanced at Casey who was still laying upside down and was playing games on the T-Phone and chuckling, she sobbed a bit and lied back down on the couch letting herself fall asleep.
Casey glanced at Donnie whose eyes were on the road, "So D. Wanna tell me what's going on so I ain't left in the blue?" He questioned. Donnie peered over his shoulder and looked at Casey confusingly for a second, "The other's didn't tell you?" Donnie asked. Casey shrugged as he looked back at the phone and continued his game, "Not what with going on and about this little trip, Mikey told me about you and your brothers and that was it." he stated.
Donnie sighed as he thought Casey already knew the situation, but apparently not. "Where should I start…" Donnie began raising an eye trying to think, he explained the situation to Casey so far and why they were going to meet Kana regarding getting answers about this Dragor they had encountered and plotted a world take over on earth that only this group knew about apparently. "So it's like your destiny to save the world? When you can just ignore it or let others know about it to let others stop him?" Casey questioned.
Donnie shrugged, "I guess you could say we just took action without knowing it, we all want to stop this guy, so that's what we're doing. We're not going to confront some cops and be like, Hey, stop this guy because he's attempting world invasion. We're mutants, we can't expose ourselves to the public." Casey sighed but understood and flailed around angrily as he lost a game.
A couple hours have passed and it was almost getting dark, everyone was pretty much awake now except Casey and Mikey who were both snoring decently loud, it would be dark in about an hour and they all would arrive in an hour. Donnie turned a small knob next to him which turned on the air as it was honestly pretty hot where they were, "Welcome to San Jose california guys!" Donnie shouted excitedly.
"Should I wake Casey since we're almost there?" April questioned as she glanced at him. Donnie shrugged, "Can let him sleep longer, Kana won't be home until like eight or nine, so we'll be waiting for a bit. I'm not parking close to her house cause she will suspect an armored vehicle too close to her house, people have been after her before." Donnie also stated as he turned into the city. "People are after her?" Raph questioned, "I thought she was undercover…?" April added. Donnie shrugged again, "I'm not one hundred percent sure, but in her files there was a lot of criminal names that stated that they were after her for information and attempted assassinations on her because she is important to the government with the knowledge she possesses in that head of hers."
"She knows how to fight and defend herself, so the only place she isn't guarded is when she's home as she requested it. I also forgot to mention, she stays with her grandmother." Donnie stated with a small chuckle finding it somewhat funny. Donnie pulled into the street they needed to be on, it was dark out and there weren't many lights at all on the street so it was darker than most other streets, he parked decently far from the house as he pointed at the house showing April who had walked over to him to see. Donnie also handed her the blueprint that was on his tablet as it was almost eight on the dot, "How often do people come after her?" April asked, "Not often, but occasionally, considering she is really hard to find it's not often at all, So I really don't know." Donnie stated with a shrug.
Raph woke up Casey and Mikey once it was a little over eight, Leo was still relaxing with his feet up on the dashboard patiently waiting, Donnie rested his chin on his hands on the wheel as he watched the house for Kana to come pulling in, Donnie smiled as he noticed a car drive by them and into the driveway of the house, it was her as she parked and grabbed a few bags and walking up to the door and heading inside, Donnie noticed she glanced over at their vehicle for a second, so she probably suspected them.
Donnie waited a few minutes before giving the go so it didn't seem like a coincidence or suspicion that someone came knocking as soon as she got home, "All right, she's home. She glanced at our vehicle so please be careful you two…" Donnie said worriedly to them as he turned facing Casey and April who stood up.
"Donnie, we'll be fine." Casey stated as he chuckled exiting the Shellcharger, April sighed as she held the tablet close to her chest and followed him out. They both stood on the sidewalk across from the house decently away, the door behind them to the Shellcharger closed and it made Casey jump slightly. "Big toughy is scared of a door close?" April giggled, Casey shot straight up, "No way! It was just too sudden, is all…" April began walking down the sidewalk towards the house raising a hand, "Sure sure…" She mocked him. "Hey! Come on, wait up! It was just a scary game earlier that has got me pumped up!" Casey shouted frighteningly as he ran to catch up to her.
April and Casey crossed the street towards the house as they approached the driveway. April glanced at the Shellcharger and sighed, she walked straight towards the door not afraid at all as she wanted to be useful for once for the guys, April and Casey stood next to each other in front of the door where April then knocked on the door. Both April and Casey yelped at the sudden door open and face in their faces, it was the grandmother who opened the door and peered at them closely squinting her eyes as the two clung to each other frightened, she had strange make up on her face and her hair was tied up with a towel. "Oooh! You must be here for cookies!" The grandmother stated excitedly, April pushed Casey off of her, "Umm no miss, we're here to talk to Kana.. It's something important." April said with a smile.
The grandmother squinted her eyes again, "Cookies sound great too though!" Casey said excitedly as he did want some. The grandmother laughed which left Casey and April confused, "Good luck getting anything from her, come come!" She said excitedly, grabbing Casey and April and dragging them into the house. April and Casey were left shocked as they sat on the couch confusingly, the grandmother came walking out of the kitchen with a fresh batch of cooked cookies and sat them on the table in front of the two. Casey drooled a bit and excitedly grabbed and ate some cookies as April only sighed, "I'll go get Kana and let you guys chat, I have to go watch my show in my room anyway. Toodles!" The grandmother stated as she waved her fingers at them and went upstairs calling Kana's name loudly, "Want one? They're amazing!" Casey stated as he waved a Cookie in front of her.
April glanced at the Cookie that Casey was waving in her face and only sighed, "No, Casey. We're not here for cookies, remember." She glared at him. "Your loss." Casey shrugged as he munched on more cookies. April glanced as she heard footsteps coming from the stairs, it was Kana who literally had a gun in her hand pointing it at Casey and April, April instantly raised her hands, Casey noticed this and looked over to see why and saw the gun which spooked him immensely causing him to freak and flip the somewhat hot pan that had the cookies on it and smacked himself in the face with it and fell to the floor. "Woah Woah! Kana, we're not here for trouble!" April shouted worriedly and frightened, Kana angrily glared at her still pointing the gun, "You're from that armored vehicle, aren't you! Any kind of Armored vehicle nearby normally wants trouble!" Kana stated angrily as she walked down the stairs slowly, "Look, yes the vehicle is ours, but I promise you we're not here to start anything bad, we just need help and answers, please, we drove all the way from New York!" April stated, giving Kana a serious look.
Kana glared at April, they were just kids, in all her career life she hasn't had trouble with kids. Kana lowered the gun but still angrily glared at April, Casey was still on the floor as he pretty much made himself dizzy. April slowly lowered her hands in relief, "Then what do you want? If it's information, you can forget it. I don't even know how two teens even found me..." Kana stated as she stood on the end of the table. April sighed, "A friend of ours found you through a lab research file of the governments… Do you… know what this is? Please, the world is in danger if we can't get answers." April questioned as she raised the tablet to Kana, showing her the blueprint to the teleporter.
Kana glanced at the blueprint and showed a little bit of surprise, April knew instantly she knew what it was by just looking at it. "Never seen it before, go home! I already told you, you can forget it." Kana said angrily. "You're lying." April said giving her a serious look, April and Kana both glared at each other but then both looked down as they heard a loud munching sound, it was Casey who was eating the cookies off the ground and chuckled innocently when he noticed them looking at him.
A beeping alarm set off in the Shellcharger which spooked all the turtles, Donnie instantly glanced at a monitor to see why the alarm was going off, he noticed a bunch of vehicle lights approaching from behind that were armed to the teeth and pulling up fast to Kana's house, all the turtles came together and looked at the monitor and out the front window, "What's going on Donnie!?" Raph questioned confusingly, Donnie shrugged "I don't know, they don't look government, looks like a cult, they might be here for Kana!" he stated.
April glanced at the windows as she noticed a bunch of sudden bright lights being shined through the windows in the front of the house, Kana and Casey also did. "I knew it! You did bring trouble!" Kana said, raising the gun and pointing it at April again who raised her hands frighteningly. "Oh for the love of god, Kana look, I'm not kidding or lying here, I have no idea who they are but if you put that down I can help you! Honest!" April stated, looking at Kana seriously showing her she wasn't kidding. Kana flinched an eye angrily but lowered the gun with an annoyed sigh, April quickly grabbed her phone out of her pocket and called Donnie who answered quickly, "Donnie, what's going on!? Who are these guys?" April asked as she peered through a window blind noticing all the vehicles surrounding the house.
"Not sure, but all I know is they are after Kana, so probably more bad guys wanting information out of her!" Donnie stated, April shrugged "Can you handle them?" Donnie laughed, "Can I handle them? I can deal with them, I've been wanting to test this baby out all day with its weapon system!" Donnie put April on the inside com of the vehicle so he could communicate with her from inside the vehicle without having to hold the phone to his ear, Donnie quickly flipped a dozen switches above himself and some buttons, which powered on the Shellcharger and its weapons.
"Leo, Raph, remote controlled weapons!" Donnie shouted and pointed to where they needed to be, Controls popped out from the side of the wall with monitors above them, one was a mounted Mini gun, and the other was a mounted tranq gun. Raph and Leo were shocked in amazement as they both had sparkles in their eyes and instantly ran to the controls, Donnie flipped another switch above him which powered on the high beams of the headlights, which literally gave light through the entire street in front of them and on all the enemies that were parked in front of Kana's house.
Leo flipped a switch which powered on the mounted tranq gun, "Shoot their tires, Raph." Leo said as he turned the gun towards all the enemies where Raph did the same. "Easy peasy!" Raph laughed, he was going to make sure none escaped or attempted something with their vehicles by shooting out their tires and Leo would pretty much knock out the enemies when they came out of the vehicles with high tranqs that knock out even a bear instantly for a day straight.
Casey glued himself to the window as he noticed the Shellcharger power on and weapons pop out of it from the top, he was overwhelmingly amazed and excited to see this go down. Kana practically joined Casey as she was also amazed, "Holy cow!? I'm guessing your friends are operating that?!" Kana questioned, "Ohh yeahh!" Casey said excitedly. Casey moved away from the window and counted with his fingers as he mentioned what the Shellcharger all had to Kana, "Bulletproof windows, Heavy armor, bulletproof tires, mounted weapons, inside weapons, built in side tools such as oil slick, tacks, ya name it! It even has a stealth bike inside below it!" Casey said. "It looks military, that's how you guys get around without cops on you, huh." Kana questioned, Casey nodded.
Kana instantly widened her eyes and gasped in shock, April and Casey looked at her confusingly, "I know who these guys are now! They are part of a cult called Arcane Enigma, they've been after me for a long time now and they're a huge and I mean huge gang, so even if your friends took out this group, more are to arrive, probably on their way now!" "Hear that, Donnie?" April asked as she had him on speaker, "Yeah I heard! If this is true, you'll have to hop in and come with us then, I can easily ram through them and park close enough for you guys to get in and get away and lose them. Staying here won't be any good as a large weaponized war will break loose if more are going to arrive and fill this street with vehicles putting everyone in these houses in danger and stray bullets." Donnie stated, "This is your choice though, Kana. We're just strangers to you after all."
April and Casey glanced at Kana waiting for an answer, April nodded her head at Kana "I promise you, you can trust us." Kana sighed and shrugged, "Fine, I rather take my chances with some strangers than the worst known cult in history. They want me, not anyone else, my grandmother will be fine left alone here, Arcane only focuses on going after one single person at a time, they don't involve innocents unless they actually help that person they are going after. So they'll be after you guys now…" Kana said as she looked at both Casey and April worriedly but also grateful for their help. April chuckled and smiled at Kana, "Trust me, we've been through worse."