Note: References to my Fanfics 'Oh Sister where art thou?' and 'Falling inside the Black' appear in this chapter.

Chapter Forty

Scouting

At Chicago Airport, Leonardo managed to get into the aircraft without being seen by the ground crew.

As he entered the plane, he threw in his and Kemeko's backpacks, then he threw in a small suitcase into the hold, as he did so he saw it bounced a few times and he winced as he watched.

"Sorry." He muttered then ran over to grab it and the rucksacks, then ran to the back of the plane to hide from the men who were loading the last few items of luggage onto the plane.

As he watched he saw one of them take a box with fragile stamped on it which he careless tossed to the side and Leonardo heard something break within.

The turtle tutted slightly feeling rather disappointed that the men weren't careful but then again, he had done the same with the small suitcase, but he couldn't really do it any more carefully than he could.

Once he was out of sight of the ground crew and behind some crates, he unzipped the suitcase, and the lid came up to reveal Kemeko folded up inside.

No sooner was the suitcase opened than she took a breath and unfolded herself gracefully almost like a snake uncoiling itself.

"Ah that's better." She spoke.

"Sorry about throwing the case in like that." Leonardo said guiltily.

"It's alright dad." Kemeko said with a smile as she stretched herself out "It was my idea to hide in that thing."

She looked down at the suitcase and Leonardo shook his head.

"I don't know how you feel comfortable in there."

"Been practising for a long time." Kemeko said as she reached down and touched her toes "and it's helped a lot when it comes to crawling in tiny spaces or hiding."

"True." Leonardo agreed then hide further behind the crates.

"Well, we're in." he said, "And no-one's spotted us, so we can hide back here till we get to Japan."

He looked over the crates to see the man in the hold give a thumbs up then he jumped out of the hold to join his comrades on the ground.

"That's the last of it!" he called out.

"Okay! Let's wrap up here!" the two stowaways heard the comrade outside.

"Sounds great dad." Kemeko smiled as she stepped back and sat down on a couple of suitcases.

"I have to say dad! This is a lot of fun! We're going off on an adventure together."

Leonardo looked at his daughter and smiled.

"I'm glad you're looking forward to this Lotus." He said as he sat with her.

"You know, had things been different and I was able to tell you another way about your parents and your family history, I was going to say that we were going to go to Japan, as I had promised you, we would go together when you were old enough."

"Really?" Kemeko asked.

Leonardo nodded fervently.

"When your mother died, I spent years planning what to do and say when the time came to tell you the truth, and it was so hard as I could never find the right words, constantly worrying about your reaction."

"And I reacted terribly." Kemeko sighed as she looked down at her hands "And I hurt you, in more ways than one." She reached up and stroked Leonardo's shoulder where she had stabbed him.

Leonardo looked at his shoulder and placed his paw on Kemeko's.

"I know you didn't mean it precious." He said, "It was an accident, and I stand by it till my dying breath."

"But what about everything else?" Kemeko asked "I left the lair, I was caught by the Foot, Pandora, she followed me, she was caught too and tortured, a clone of me got her out and went back to the lair, I could have destroyed everything! All because of my stupid actions!"

"Lotus…" Leonardo began.

"No Dad, I know what I did! I was at fault when Shredder got you captured! It was my fault you were tortured, that Pandora and Aunt Mona were experimented on by Dr Arden! When Uncle Don and Aunt Mona were poisoned and put in comas, and Uncle Raph…"

Kemeko felt a sob come from her throat as she burst into tears.

"It's because of me he may never speak again!"

Kemeko then felt Leonardo wrap his arms around her.

"No baby, no Lotus, no!" he soothed "None of that! None of that! Nobody blames you for what happened!"

He held his daughter close as she sobbed, he sighed as he knew she still blamed herself and he hoped when they travelled to Japan, she would be able to let go of her guilt.

He was about to speak but then the plane moved making them both jump.

"Looks like we're on our way Turtle Child." He said as he held Kemeko close.

Kemeko nodded and snuggled against her father.

"When we get to Japan." He said, "Our journey to healing will begin, I promise you, it'll all be alright."

He stroked Kemeko's hair and kissed her.

"I promise…" he murmured.

Back in Chicago, the Knights had made it to the abandoned school and had split into teams of two to observe and keep in touch via their cell phones.

Jack teamed up with Sarah.

Percy teamed up with Heather.

Jake was with Amber.

Sharky was partnered with Kate and Devina was on her own.

Kate was glad she wasn't given Percy as a teammate, and Jack was wise not to put the Viper and Grasshopper together, mainly because he risked a problem with those two frenemies, and it would botch the mission.

Whilst the Knights were hiding from the Gangsters and were positioned at some broken windows or in dark corners, Devina had suggested dressing in street clothes and was able to get closer to listen in as well as see clearer what was happening.

Jake had wanted to join Devina, but the Vampiress said right now it would be too risky for him, and since she was a vampire she could get away quicker.

Jake had been disappointed as he knew he could have easily blended in being human, but he understood that because he was more vulnerable, he agreed to hide with the other Knights and observe from the wings.

From his position in the school a window above the bleachers, Jack looked through some binoculars to see many gang members talking and socialising.

Many gangsters were sitting in groups and reading from paper documents that had been handed to them by some people walking around and the Knights could see clearly that the individuals walking around were smartly dressed and some were wearing ninja suits and it was clear to the Mutant animals who they were.

"What do you see?" Sarah asked as she sat next to her leader.

"Only a lot of criminals talking and conversing." Jack replied, "I wish I could hear what they were saying!"

Sarah sighed as she agreed, even though her talent was being able to run very fast, she didn't have the enhanced hearing as some might have, like the Hamato Clan and anyone whose animal abilities allowed them to hear better and she envied them.

"At least Devina's walking amongst them," the cheetah said, "She might be able to report back anything of importance."

"True that!" Jack replied, "I just hope those idiots down there don't get suspicious!"

Meanwhile Devina was walking around the gym, listening in to the conversations between the gang members and she could hear with her enhanced hearing as well as her sharper sight what was happening.

She wore white cargo pants as well as a grey hoodie and green beanie hat as part of her disguise and no far, nobody had paid her any heed and saw her to be one of the gang members.

Amongst the crowd of gangsters, she could see several Asian men and women conversing with them.

Narrowing her eyes, the Vampiress kept still and listened.

"So, what's our assignment here?"

"Look at this list."

"Right…"

Jake and Amber stood together from their position by a side door and watched.

"I can see many Asian men and women amongst the ranks of gangsters!" Jake said.

"Me too!" Amber agreed "And I can see from their uniforms, they bare the symbol! There's no doubt the Foot are in Chicago!"

Jake glared.

"Why the fuck are they here?" he snarled.

He could help but feel anger and pain as the memories of what they did returned to him.

The Venomous Five torturing him and his younger brother, Callum back then, now Diablo.

It was because of them that Diablo had come to be.

The Foot had played the role in making Callum become Diablo, and it was because of them that he had lost his younger brother to madness.

"I don't know Jake." Amber said, placing her hand on Jake's shoulder bringing him back to earth and to the mission.

"But we can only observe for now, rushing in to confront them will be suicide!"

Jake glared, but he understood what Amber meant and he took a deep breath before turning back to watch.

As Heather and Percy watched from their position behind the bleachers, Heather narrowed her eyes when she saw several gangsters from previous battles.

"Percy look!" she said pointing at one of the gangsters, a young woman with dark skin and long black hair down to her upper back wearing a red tank top and beige cargo pants.

Percy looked and he cocked his head on one side.

"It's that Miesha?" Heather asked.

"Who?" Percy asked.

"She was part of a group we stopped breaking into a computer shop about a month ago!" the Dragonfly confirmed.

Percy took another look and he realised.

"Oh yeah!" he said, "I didn't recognise her at first."

"Once again, they get a slap on the wrist then they're back to their old ways." Heather sighed.

"I know, sucks right?" Percy frowned.

Kate and Sharky meanwhile had found a window that was leading to the basement under the old gym, and they observed from there.

Both the Viper and Shark could see some criminals they had stopped in the past and felt the same disappointment as Heather and Percy.

"I really hate the justice system!" Kate growled "Seems that nothing gets done with these bastards when we catch them in the act, it's either short prison time or community service, and they're back to their old ways again!"

"Tell me about it!" Sharky groaned.

Meanwhile within the centre of the old Gym, Hanako and Kodama walked amongst the gangsters as the Foot Ninja handed out assignments to them.

Kodama rubbed his chin as he watched.

"I am impressed Hanako-Chan." He said, "You sure know how to bring those onto your side."

Hanako smirked back at Kodama.

"Trust me Boss Kodama." She said, "I can help you in all the ways I can!"

Kodama smirked as he walked around the space and watched.

"That pleases me Hanako-Chan." He said, "And I look forward to seeing the results."

"Results?"

Devina had been listening in and she heard their words, even though they had spoken little as they were trying to stay discreet, she knew they were brewing something huge.

"They must be extra careful about what they say out loud!" she said to herself, "It's like during the Second World War, from what I was told, Careless Talk Costs Lives, yet in this term, all talk must be kept silent and in code!"

She took out her phone and texted Jack what she heard.

Jack's ears pricked up as he heard his phone beep, and he took it out to read the message Devina sent.

Sarah looked over.

"What is it?"

Jack frowned.

"Devina's thinks she's learnt something down there, but that we must retreat and converse."

Sarah's eyes widened.

"She has?"

Jack nodded then sent a mass text out to the other Knights.

'Everyone re-group'

About fifteen minutes later, the Knights had gathered on a rooftop a few miles away from the school.

They all sat in a circle around Devina who explained what she had heard.

"From what I gathered." She said, "The woman leading the Foot Clan."

"Hanako." Jack said.

"Yes, Hanako." Devina said, "She and Boss Kodama are working with the 95th Street Gang to perform different assignments around the city."

"Same run of the mill crime?" Sharky asked.

Devina nodded.

"Then not too different to what we already know." Kate growled in disappointment.

"They were very discreet in their speak as well." Devina reported "I had to really listen in more on the meaning behind their words as they spoke, it's like they're being careful."

"Most experienced criminals are." Jack said, "I should know, given my background."

"But did you find out why the Foot are here?" Jake asked impatiently.

"I didn't no." Devina said, "I tried to listen in on Hanako and Boss Kodama, but all they spoke about was who they were planning to give which criminal what job, and mentioned nothing about what happened in New York, or us."

"Well, that's one thing we can relax about." Sarah said, "That they don't know we're here."

"I didn't say that Spots." Devina corrected "I said I didn't hear them speaking about anything related to us, and from what I saw, many criminals we've fought before were present at the gathering."

"And if they were there, no doubt they would have spoken about us!" Percy said in a worried voice.

"Yes," Devina said, "That's what's concerning, but in the year's we've fought them, they still think we're just in costume!"

"True." Everyone said.

"But if Hanako's there, and she has been told about us by Arashi and Dr Arden, she might work out the puzzle! Connect the dots!" Amber said.

Everyone went pale as Amber's words sunk in.

"Then we do have a reason to worry!" Sarah said.

"Everyone!" Jack clapped his hands "We mustn't panic about something we don't know about, but what we will do is report to Tyroth and Sephie then ask him about what we should do about this issue, as well as inform Hugh!"

Everyone went silent but after letting Jack's words sink in, they all agreed they had to report to Tyroth to decide the next course of action.

"Right." Jake said standing up "Shall we head back to Mutopia."

"Lets!" Jack said "Come on guys! And remember, not a word to the Hamato Clan!"

"Not a word!" everyone said in unison as they stood up and started to make their way back to Mutopia.

So Leonardo and Kemeko have stowed away on the plane to fly to Japan, it's only the start of their journey and Kemeko's way to be healed.

Meanwhile the Knights have been listening in on the 95th Street Gang, Hanako and Boss Kodama and are to report back what they saw to Tyroth.

What will the Dragon suggest next? Well you'll find out soon enough!