April felt her heart pounding as she supported Leo's head, with a combination of fear for her wounded turtle brother and anger at the ones who did this to him. Mikey was kneeling on his other side with wide eyes, looking much younger than he was. Seeing the brother he idolized in such a vulnerable and weak condition had to be scary for him, not to mention bring back terrible memories. She could see the regret written plain as day on his face… regret for swearing to his brothers that he wouldn't take any more risks with his mystic power until he had Draxum's approval. Before April could think of anything to say to him, she felt Leo tense, a sharp, tremulous groan escaping his clenched teeth.

"Easy, Leo," she soothed. "Just take it easy." Mikey took his brother's hand in his, managing to keep his own voice comforting despite his obvious fear.

"Don't worry, Leo… we're gonna get you outta here. Just stay with us."

Leo didn't say anything, but April saw him squeeze Mikey's hand.

Donnie's sharp voice came from the doorway.

"Mikey, we'll cover you guys! Help April with Leo!"

As quickly and carefully as she could, April lifted one of Leo's arms over her shoulders and stood, pulling him up with her. He swayed as if about to fall, but Mikey quickly took hold of his other arm.

"We've got ya, bro."

"M-my… swords…" the slider grunted. "Where's… my swords?"

"We got them… don't worry about that now," April said, hoping he wouldn't try to summon them. "C'mon, we gotta move."

"I can… walk…"

"Not alone, you can't," April replied, her voice tense. "Leo, please… you've gotta lean on me."

Leo grunted again, slumping in her hold as he took a step.

"April, y-you guys… got t' go. Just… leave me. Get out…"

"You get your brain scrambled or something?! No way!" she cut him off.

"April…"

"No, Leo!" April snapped. She took a deep breath before continuing, her voice still stern. "Listen, we're all family. I love you guys and I'm not leaving one of my brothers behind. We're gettin' you out of here, whether you like it or not, so quit bein' stubborn and lean on me!"

Finally, Leo let out a defeated sigh and did as she said. Then Raph's voice rang out.

"Regular Foot comin' up th' stairs! April, Mikey, stay close, we'll clear th' way!" Then his voice grew fierce and angry. "Bring it on, 'cause I'm not lettin' you Foot jerks lay another hand on my brother!"

The sound of clashing weapons followed, and Mikey quickly pulled out his nunchucks.

"I'll cover your back."

April nodded, continuing to support Leo as they moved toward the stairs. His breathing grew more strained, and April could hear his stifled grunts as he limped beside her. When they reached the top of the staircase, the first thing April saw was the felled Foot Clan fighters scattered on it. None of her turtle brothers fought to kill, she knew, but she couldn't resist the dark thought that she hoped they were in a lot of pain.

"Steps here, Leo," she said. "Careful…"

Leo let out another soft groan as they headed down, April and Mikey guiding his steps. Raph, Casey, and Donnie were ahead, but kept glancing back to ensure they were keeping up. As they approached the bottom, Donnie pulled down his goggles and scanned the wall.

"Stop." His voice was soft but harsh, and the others immediately did as he said.

"More Foot," Donnie muttered. "Ten, from the heat signatures. Two Krang infected ones, others regular human."

Raph's eyes moved to Leo, and April saw his jaw clench before he spoke in a tense whisper.

"We can't risk Leo. April, stay here an' look after him till we clear it. Mikey, cover them… more might come through the window."

Mikey nodded, his jaw firm with determination. As the others charged out to face their enemy, he turned to April and helped her carefully lower Leo so he was sitting propped against the wall.

"Leo?" she urged, stroking his bruised face. "Leo, we need to slow down the bleeding."

The slider winced, his voice strained as he gestured to his waist.

"Bandages… in pack."

April nodded and immediately opened the pack; of course, the official medic wouldn't go anywhere without some first aid supplies. There wasn't much, but it would have to do.

"Need help?" Mikey asked in a tense voice. April shook her head as she went to work.

"It's okay, I can do it."

In truth, there wasn't much she could do other than fashion a crude pressure bandage. It was hardly appropriate for something like this, but hopefully it would hold long enough for them to get out. Just then April heard breaking glass from above, and her heart sank. Mikey immediately moved to face the stairs, nunchucks held ready.

"Stay with him, April!"

Just as he said it, a distorted figure emerged at the top. It was a Krang infected soldier, its yellow eyes glaring menacingly at them as it hissed. But Mikey showed no sign of fear, only braced his feet as he set his nunchucks spinning.

"C'mon, Krang-face!" he growled. "Just try an' get past me!"

As he met the creature, April heard an all too familiar whooshing sound. Her heart began pounding even harder as she snapped her gaze back to Leo. Sure enough, he'd summoned his katanas; how in the world he managed it in this condition, April couldn't say. His eyes cracked open, determination written on his face as clear as the pain. Leaning heavily on one of the blades, he began pushing himself to his feet.

"Leo!" April snatched his arm and tried to pull him back down. "Stop, you can't fight like this!"

She thought stopping him would be easy, considering the shape he was in, but he just gritted his teeth and pulled his arm away with a strength she had no idea he still had.

"N-no… gotta… help…" A yelp from Mikey interrupted, and April looked to see him land hard on his shell and lay winded for just a moment. But it was long enough. April's heart seemed to stop as the Krangified soldier took advantage, lunging forward, swinging a razor tipped tentacle…

CLANG!

Leo seemed to have closed the distance in a second, his katanas blocking the blow. At first April and Mikey could only stare, but then realized how much just that move had cost Leo. His whole body shook with effort and ragged breaths, his teeth clenched, and sweat trickling down his face. The Krang soldier let out a vicious hiss and slashed out again. Leo stumbled back and tried to block, but the blow easily knocked his swords from his weakened grip. A clawed, deformed hand closed around the slider's neck and lifted him in the air. Mikey scrambled to his feet, gripping his nunchucks with a look of utter rage on his face.

"Let him go!"

The soldier let out a growl. Then, to April and Mikey's horror, it threw Leo hard. He slammed against the wall with a harsh grunt, then crumpled to the ground.

"No!" April cried, racing to his side. Wrapping him in a protective embrace, she directed a fierce glare at the Krang soldier.

"You want him, you gotta go through me!"

The Krang soldier narrowed its eyes, clearly not at all intimidated. But before it could move, Mikey had leaped in front of April and Leo, his ninpo activating in a flash of orange. With a fierce, angry cry, he swung his elongated chains so they wrapped around his opponent. With a sharp twist of his wrist, he yanked the Krang soldier forward with one hand, bringing his other down hard. The nunchuck clutched in his fist met his opponent's head with a sickening whack, and the soldier went down with a thud.

Mikey didn't spare another look, only turned and rushed to April. Kneeling, he placed a hand on Leo's cheek.

"Leo?"

The slider let out a soft moan before his eyelids parted a little. The corner of his mouth twitched up in a weak grin, and he reached up to feebly grip Mikey's hand.

"Nice… goin', lil' bro," he murmured. "M'… p-proud of ya…"

April felt her throat tighten as Mikey's eyes grew overbright and a tremulous smile came to his face too. But before he could say anything, the sound of running footsteps alerted them to the others' return. Judging from the alarmed looks on their faces, they'd heard at least some of the fight.

"Mikey!" Raph exclaimed "Are…"

"I'm fine!" the youngest turtle interrupted. "But Leo tried t' fight, and he…"

Donnie had pushed past Raph and Casey before Mikey could finish and knelt to examine their wounded brother. His already grave face didn't change much, but April saw his jaw tighten before he spoke in a tense voice.

"We've gotta move, now." Taking one of Leo's arms, he draped it over his shoulders and pulled him up again. "You good, Nardo?"

Leo cringed, then gave a small nod.

"M'… f-fine," he rasped.

Raph swallowed hard before he spoke again.

"Okay, everyone stay sharp."

April stood to support Leo on his other side, and the others moved into a protective ring around them before the group began moving across the room.

"Foot are coming in the front, so that way's suicide," Donnie said, looking at his wrist device. "But I found a place we might be able to get out. We'll need a diversion, but I have an idea that'll work if…"

Raph's voice interrupted, full of concern.

"Mikey?"

April looked up to see that the youngest turtle had stopped in front of another window and was standing as if frozen, his entire body stiff and his fists in a white-knuckled grip around his nunchucks. Most alarming of all, though, were his eyes. They were fixed on something outside, wide, unblinking, and scared.

April felt her heart sink; there were only a few things she knew that could frighten him like this, and Leo's words rang through her head like a blaring klaxon.

He's… back. The… Shredder.

Before she could say anything, Raph moved to look out himself. April's dread deepened when he also went tense, his eyes going with the exact same fear on Mikey's face.

"It…" he whispered. "It can't be…"

As if from a distance, April heard Donnie, his voice almost trembling… something that almost never happened.

"Raph…?"

The eldest turtle backed away a few steps; his eyes never left the window, but his grip on his sais grew so tight April could see his fists trembling.

"Leo… Leo was right."

He finally looked at them, and April could see that the color had drained from his face.

"It's him. Shredder."