Hi everyone! CHAPTER 80!!!! Can you believe it?
So I've been imagining another big change for Lily but it won't happen for another year in this story. So instead, we get a chapter that is mostly focused on Athena post-college. The Robinsons are a little more involved this time too. They aren't as involved in this story because I had already done all my writing on the family in all my "Meet the Robinsons" stories. But Wilbur will continue to be a big impact in this story, especially in Lily's life. Without further ado, enjoy this chapter and review, tell me what you think!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything related to "Meet the Robinsons," "TMNT," "Toy Story," "Criminal Case," nor "Lord of the Rings." I only own Lilianna, Ryan, Venus, Athena, Karena, James, Justine, Isamu, and Anna.
August 31, 2048 - Westport, Connecticut, USA
WILBUR'S POV
After I got dressed, I went down the stairs and was greeted by the smell of pancakes. I smiled, thankful that I had a wife who took care of me. I walked up to her and kissed her on the cheek as she poured the batter into the saucepan.
"Good morning," I greeted her sweetly.
"Good morning," Karena replied. "Is Diana up?"
"Yes, she's up and getting dressed. I hope she isn't too nervous about her first day of school."
"Don't remind me," Karena said, her smile suddenly fading away.
"Don't tell me you're nervous?"
"Diana's never been away from us before."
I gave her a deadpanned look.
"Karr, we both have jobs. Diana's been away from the both of us before. I'm sure school is nothing new."
"I just mean, Diana's going to be around people she's never seen before. What if it doesn't go well?"
"Everything will be alright," I soothed her. "Diana's a smart kid. I'm sure she's gonna do great."
"It's nice to hear Wilbur Robinson being so optimistic," Karena replied, this time with a smile. "Is there something else going on?"
"Actually, yes. Today's Athena's first day at T.I.M.E. and she's going to be orienting with all of us. I'm looking forward to officially showing Athena around headquarters."
"I'm happy for Athena, following in her mother's footsteps. She's going to be an amazing teacher. So what will Renet do?"
"We haven't had a team coordinator since Chief Scott passed," I explained. "And that was five years ago. I'm confident Renet's going to be promoted once she's finished training her daughter."
"And speaking of daughters, I should go see if Diana's ready to join us," Karena said, putting the spatula in my hands. "Would you finish breakfast for us?"
We kissed. Karena went up the stairs to get our preschool daughter while I finished the pancakes.
New York City, New York, USA
LILIANNA'S POV
"Thank you for helping me out."
"No problem," I replied to my youngest cousin. "Preparing for a first day on the job is a big deal."
"I'm so nervous," Athena said, brushing her hair for what seemed like the hundredth time. "What if I mess up?"
"Athena, relax! It's just orientation day with your mom. And when you do teach for the first time, you'll knock it out of the park!"
Athena chuckled.
"A Yankees game sounds amazing. I wonder if T.I.M.E. does something like that with their employees."
"I'm surprised you're into baseball."
"Casey got me hooked. He took me to a Yankees game for my 21st birthday and we had a couple beers together. Gee, a beer sounds good right now."
"Athena, focus! Breathe!"
We suddenly heard knocking on the door and we turned to see my father standing there.
"I thought I heard your voice!" Dad greeted me with his gap-toothed grin.
"Hi, Dad," I replied, walking over to him and hugging him. "I'm just here helping Athena get ready for her new job. She's got first-day jitters."
"Oh, I remember having those jitters all too well," Dad replied before turning to Athena. "I was a nervous wreck when I taped my first lesson to my students. I went through it again when I taught for the first time in person."
I gave my dad a confused glance.
"Dad, you were excited to teach in person. What are you talking about?"
"But Athena, don't let your nerves get to you," Dad continued. "When you feel nervous, just take some deep breaths, drink some water, use some coping skills."
"That's right!" Athena exclaimed happily. "You're a teacher, too! So how did you cope after you were nervous?"
"This is going to seem silly, but when I started teaching remotely, I imagined I was teaching myself. It was just me and the camera in the barn. I took deep breaths when I needed to and kept going. At first, I was worried I wasn't teaching my students anything. But then one day, one of my students reached out to me, told me about how he appreciated all my knowledge and how I inspired him to pursue a career in biology. And then after a while, I was just myself, doing what I love doing - passing knowledge to the next generation. And Athena, I know you have that same passion. You are going to be amazing at T.I.M.E. Just be yourself and take a quick break when you need it."
Athena blew out a sigh as she took my father's advice to heart. We heard another knock at the door. This time, it was Auntie Renet, dressed in her blue jumpsuit with a gold jacket.
"How are you doing, sweetie?" Auntie Renet asked her daughter before realizing I was in the room. "Lily, hi! It's so good to see you!"
Auntie Renet and I hugged.
"Athena asked for my help, so here I am," I explained.
"I hope you'll be around for a long time," Auntie Renet replied. "You've been Athena's role model since she was born. Athena, are you doing alright?"
"I'm a little nervous," Athena explained. "But Lily and Uncle Donnie have been a huge help. How do I look?"
Athena twirled around in a navy blue blazer on top of a white shirt and a navy blue skirt. She wore blue pumps on her feet. Her long blonde hair was tied up in a bun.
"Athena, you look beautiful," I complimented her. "But you also look very professional. Heck, you look more professional than the way I dress, and I work with the police department!"
"First impressions are everything," Athena replied.
"Yes, but Athena, you'll be a teacher," Auntie Renet explained. "You'll eventually learn to be yourself and you'll want to dress more comfortably. And when you're comfortable, you will do well. Right, D?"
"That's right," Dad answered. "At least this is only orientation, so all you'll be doing is learning about your job."
"I'll also be your guide for the first month of your job before I transition to my new job," Auntie Renet continued. "So at least you won't be alone."
Athena let out another sigh. And then, we heard another knock. This time, it was Uncle Mikey, whose smile faded when he saw me.
"Lily?"
"Hi, Uncle Mikey," I greeted him with a smile.
The orange-clad turtle grinned and ran up to me, picking me up from behind. I giggled before he set me down.
"It's so good to see you!" Uncle Mikey exclaimed happily. "We don't ever see you anymore."
"James and I have been busy at home with work, our patrols, our marriage."
Uncle Mikey gasped excitedly. I felt confused.
"You're finally having a baby?" he asked.
I blushed and turned red.
"Well, that's not awkward at all," I replied, gazing down.
"Daaad!" Athena exclaimed in annoyance. "You can't just ask someone jf they're having a baby! When Lily eventually does get pregnant, she'll tell you. Besides, weren't you here to see me?"
"Oh, yeah! Here you go."
Uncle Mikey gave his daughter a lunch sack.
"You made me lunch?" Athena asked in awe.
"Good luck at your new job, sweetie."
Athena thrust herself into her father's arms, and he returned the hug.
"You're the bee's knees, Dad."
"I love you too, my little goddess of wisdom."
Athena blushed.
"Well, we should go before this gets any more weird!" Auntie Renet announced. "See you all later!"
"Good luck!" the three of us yelled after her.
"Lily, are you alright?" Dad asked me.
I prepared myself to speak, but I knew better than to lie to my own father. I closed my mouth, shook my head, and started to cry.
"Oh, Lily, come here. Let's go talk in my lab."
My dad, his left arm wrapped around me, walked me to his lab. I sat down in a chair and faced him.
"Dad, the truth is, James and I have tried for over a year to have a baby. But every month, I get my period. What am I doing wrong?"
"Lily Mae, you are doing nothing wrong," Dad assured me with a gentle smile. "It took me and your mom six years to have you. We never gave up, though there were times where I wanted to give up because of my anatomy. Now Lily, how often do you get stressed?"
"Not as often as before, thanks to Anna. But would stress play a part in trying to conceive?"
"Oh, sure! In your case, you've been working hard in your studies and in your dissertation. The last years of graduate school are the hardest. But anyway, James could be stressed, too. It may not just be you."
I let out a sigh, never realizing my husband would be stressed out in life. James usually acted cool and calm when I'm around him.
"So besides talking to my husband and trying to relax myself, do you have any suggestions?"
"I remember there being a tea to help you get pregnant," Dad explained. "But I can't remember what that tea is called. I'll have to get back to you on that. You could also try taking prenatal vitamins."
"But Dad, I'm not pregnant!"
"No, but it can't hurt to start. Your body may be missing some important nutrition that is needed to house a baby."
It was my turn to ponder in new information.
"I'll think about it," I replied.
"Okay. Now don't you have somewhere to be?"
I smiled.
"School. I need to transform into Aumanil and get back if I'm going to get there on time."
"Lily, isn't it five in the morning over there?" Dad asked.
I smacked my head, forgetting about the time zones.
"Well, I guess I could get back and get some more sleep."
"Lily, you're already awake. It's not good to go right back to sleep after you've been awake for a while. Why don't you spend the next hour with me?"
"I suppose it can't hurt."
Dad and I walked into the kitchen and drank coffee together before we went our separate ways.
ATHENA'S POV
I followed my mom into T.I.M.E. headquarters where I saw lots of unfamiliar faces. My mom helped me get my new badge and credentials from the security office. Then we walked into a conference room where there were a handful of people sitting in chairs around a table. I sat down in between two women and exchanged smiles with them.
All too quickly, nine o'clock came around and I watched my mother stand up with a smile on her face.
"Alrighty, let's get started. My name is Renet and I'll be your teacher for the next month. First, I'm going to do a roll call, which is usually no trouble at all. If I say your name, just raise your hand. Let's see, we have Alejandro Castillo, one of our new technologists?"
Alejandro raised his hand and my mom checked him off the list.
"Alexa Gonzalez, new to security? Athena Hamato, our new teacher next month?"
I raised my hand.
"Now, Athena will be a very important person in this room because she will be taking my place once her orientation is over, but I'll explain more about that in a minute. Now, Ava Light, one of our new electricians? Jim Shu, robot tech-- wait a minute, Jim Shu? Do you work out every day wearing gym shoes?"
Most of us chuckled.
"Excuse me, I am Jim Shu," a middle-aged Chinese man responded.
"Yes," Mom replied with some awkwardness. "Well, let's move on. Robot technology, right?"
Jim nodded.
"Now, oh! That's everyone! Perfect! Now we can get started. My name is Renet Hamato and I've been the teacher here at T.I.M.E. for over twenty-two years. I've been training for the last five years to become the new team coordinator of the criminal investigation force and in a month, I will finally be transitioning into that role. As I mentioned before, Miss Hamato, my daughter, will be taking my place as the new teacher for T.I.M.E. Now, most of orientation will revolve around learning Latin. The knowledge of the ancient Latin language is required in order to work at T.I.M.E. If you do not know any Latin, then please don't stress. That's what I am here for. This first week will be spent learning the general basics of what we expect at T.I.M.E., as well as learning about your specific jobs. The last three weeks will be spent learning Latin in this room from nine until noon. And then your last five hours will be spent orienting at your new position. Athena, you'll simply work with me and learn the curriculum. Any questions so far?"
We all shook our heads.
"Perfect. Now, there will be some tablets that will pop up from underneath the table. Now, your login will be tricky to remember at first. Your username will be the first four letters of your last name and then your first and middle initials. Your passwords will be your employee number. It will ask you to change your password to one you will remember. Do not write your new password down and do not share it with anyone. Sharing it with another coworker will get you and your coworker terminated. At T.I.M.E., we take security very seriously because we do have a branch that specializes in time travel. And that is the main reason why I am here. So, everyone, log in and change your passwords. I will give you five minutes."
I mentally smacked my head at the username given to me: HamaAS. It sounded like a name that belonged in the Middle East. But knowing that there was nothing I could do to change that, I changed my password. In no time at all, I was logged in.
"Alright, now you're going to open whatever internet browser you are most comfortable with and click on New Employee Orientation," Mom instructed us. "There are a variety of rules you will learn about how we do things at T.I.M.E. But first, a little about T.I.M.E. The Temporal Investigation, Management, and Exploration Agency was founded in 2024 by Christopher Scott, who was a police chief for New York City. At first, there was only one branch of the agency: the Temporal Crimes Division, formed as a result of the 2024 presidential election and time interference. But Chief Scott realized we needed more than a time-traveling time stopping crime. And so that is where we came in two years later, and today, the five of you are joining our ranks to ensure the Temporal Crimes Division are able to use their Time Machine to prevent crime from happening in the past. And our number one rule is to be sure we do not ever talk of time travel outside this building."
I raised my hand.
"Yes, Athena?"
"Didn't Cornelius Robinson invent time travel first?"
"No. Chief Scott, who had also graduated with a doctorate in science, founded the first Time Machine using spare parts. His assistant, Amy Young, who is our chief today, helped him perfect it. When we discovered another scientist had built his Time Machine, we had to warn him to not tell anyone about it, not even his own family. Ironically, his son Wilbur is part of the Temporal Crimes Division as our historian."
Mom cleared her throat.
"The purpose of T.I.M.E. is for all divisions to work together to preserve history in this day and age, and we only hire the best. So, on behalf of Chief Young, who could not make it to this meeting, I welcome all of you to T.I.M.E."
After a grueling three hours of orientation, my mom and I went out of the building and got into her flying car.
"So where to, now?" I asked.
"Lunch. I usually meet Aunt April at the pizzeria for lunch. Dad usually takes good care of us."
"So what else do you do when you don't teach?" I asked.
"I prepare my Latin lessons."
"Why Latin? Why not Spanish or French?"
"Because Latin was one of the very first languages of this world," Mom explained. "And most people spoke Latin before Christ was born."
"So what if you needed to speak, say, Aramaic? Or Greek?"
"That's where Wilbur comes in. Along with being the historian, he's also quite the translator."
"How does Wilbur know every language? Wait, does he?"
Mom chuckled.
"No. Marina, for example, is Russian. She's the profiler of that division. Kai, the tech expert, is from Hawaii, so Hawaiian and other Oceania languages are his jam. Theo, the forensics expert, has Mongolian ancestors, so he easily knows Chinese, Japanese, and Korean."
"Do I need to know all these names?"
"Not necessarily. After all, all you'll be doing is teaching orientation and Latin to the new employees."
"So I don't get to join in on the action at all?" I asked, now feeling annoyed.
Mom chuckled again, which annoyed me even more.
"Maybe someday, Athena."
I let out a sigh. I wanted to teach history to children so they understand the value of history. Just teaching adults, while I was just becoming an adult myself, was already going to be a trial. I grew even more nervous, and the nervousness carried through the rest of the day.
DONATELLO'S POV
I was doing some repairs on the Shellraiser after I ate dinner with the family. I had decided to jam to Sixpence None the Richer this time, slightly banging my head to their cover of Don't Dream It's Over as I worked. The cover was over 45 years old and it aged very well.
I heard my lab doors open, and in came Athena, now wearing her white shirt over navy blue yoga pants. Her bun was no longer in place. Instead, Athena had her blonde hair in one braid.
"Hey, Uncle Donnie."
"Hey, Athena," I greeted her with a smile. "Venus is in the greenhouse."
"Actually, I came to talk to you."
I paused and glanced at my youngest niece. She had a frown on her face. I immediately knew why she wanted to talk to me. I set my tools down and beckoned her to sit down. I sat down with her.
"Did your first day not go well?" I asked.
"It was okay. But the work isn't what I had in mind."
"Oh? What did you expect?"
"I don't know, Uncle Donnie," Athena replied, burying her head in her hands. "The first half of the day wasn't so bad. I pretty much learned the basics of what T.I.M.E. is about and I worked alongside my mom the rest of the day."
Athena sighed.
"Uncle Donnie, I went to school to teach history to high school students, like what Wilbur wanted to do. I love history. And I've always wanted to pass my love of history down to the next generation. But I'll be teaching adults, people who are older than I am. I'll be a fish out of water!"
I chuckled. I knew all too well how she felt. I put my right hand on her left shoulder.
"Hey, I was a fish out of water, too, when I started out. I was only 20 when I started teaching. I was teaching adults my own age. I thought I was crazy for taking the job for that reason! I had just become an adult and here I was teaching people who were either two years younger than me or many, many years older than me. Oh, I was a nervous wreck!"
"Why did I decide to take the job at T.I.M.E.?" Athena asked.
"I'm afraid you're the only one who can answer that question."
Athena frowned.
"Because my mom thought I was the best for the job. T.I.M.E. is amazing, don't get me wrong. It's just not what I thought it would be."
"Hey, I never imagined myself being a college professor," I replied. "But when Cornelius offered me the job, how could I not take it? He thought I would do an amazing job because I was so smart and he knew I wanted to share my knowledge with the world. Now, Athena, let me ask you something: are you a Christian?"
"Yes," Athena answered with a puzzled look. "What does that have to do with anything?"
I simply smiled.
"We have our dreams, right? We can absolutely try to pursue those dreams. But what if God had planned something better for us because he knows what is best for us? Maybe God placed you in T.I.M.E. because he needed you there to serve his purpose. Athena, you are wise beyond your years, just like your father. What if God put you in T.I.M.E. to share that wisdom with others? To share the do's and don'ts of time travel? To share the do's and don'ts when attempting to repeat history?"
Athena paused to process what I told her.
"So how did you move forward with your job?" she asked. "What did you do?"
"I did what you are doing right now. I spoke to someone I loved and that one was my wife. We weren't Christians at the time, though. But I remember what she told me. She asked me, what if I was placed there for a reason I could not comprehend? This may be your biggest contribution to society. So why squander this? And I repeated those same words to her when she became a reporter. And then eventually that student sent me a message and I knew right then that I belonged there. I am where I needed to be."
Athena sighed.
"I don't know, Uncle Donnie. It just sounds like I'll be doing the same thing every month. Teaching the rules of T.I.M.E. one week and then teaching Latin the rest of the month. And then starting the entire process over again with different people. How accomplishing does that sound? I want to make a difference in someone's life, not do the same thing over and over again."
"And that right there is quitter talk," I sternly replied. "If that is the tone you are going into your job with, people are going to notice you don't like your job and you will get fired. Athena, your job is to help people transition into their new jobs with the knowledge they need to succeed. You're transitioning right now. And please, don't judge a book by its cover. It's only your first day. It will get better. Sometimes, putting a smile on someone's face is making a difference, and you're good at that. So use that!"
September 1, 2048
WILBUR'S POV
I had just clocked back in from my lunch break when I heard knocking on my door. I looked up to see Renet and Athena entering my office.
"Well, hello!" I greeted them enthusiastically. "Athena, welcome to T.I.M.E.!"
"Thank you," Athena replied, not returning the smile.
My smile quickly vanished.
"Oy! Are you okay?"
"She's having jitters," Renet explained. "I'm trying to convince her that her new job will help her make a difference in the world and she's not convinced. Not even Donatello helped."
"I think I know how I can help," I replied, my smile returning. "Renet, please return to your office. Is it alright if Athena orients with me today?"
Renet blinked.
"Oh! Well, sure, I guess. Behave, Athena."
"Mooom! I'm not a little girl anymore."
"Careful, Athena," I warned her. "You sound like my daughter, and she's only three."
Renet walked away and Athena sat down next to me.
"Why did you do that?" the daughter of Michelangelo, wearing an orange shirt and black pants, asked me. "I'm supposed to orient with my mom."
"Because I wanted to tell you that I was in your shoes once," I explained with a kind smile. "I wanted to teach high school students, too."
"Really? How did you know what I wanted to do?"
"Your uncle told me. I called him after Diana got back from school and asked him for advice. But that's not the point. When Amy flew all the way to Todayland just to interview me for the historian position, I was shocked, but I was depressed, too. I had applied to hundreds of teaching positions and not one school wanted me."
"What?" Athena asked, looking floored. "But you're Wilbur Robinson! How could you not get the job you wanted?"
"I learned a long time ago that being the son of a famous inventor didn't get me anywhere. I had to work for my own life, even if my dad offered to pay for my schooling and my move here. So when Amy interviewed me, it terrified me. I thought I wasn't going to serve my purpose and follow my dreams. But it turns out, God knew of my dreams all along and led me to T.I.M.E. I took the job. I moved here. I oriented at T.I.M.E. and trained under Penelope Sage, one of the original historians. When I realized what being a historian was really like, I fell in love with my job. I get to go back in time and analyze fresh historical documents! And I could do it without getting yelled at by my dad. I have the coolest job in the world because God led me there because of who I am. Athena, you have the same interests as I do, but at the same time, they are different. I have to believe you have a purpose here or else you wouldn't have accepted the position."
"Wilbur, I'll be doing the same things every month--"
"No, you won't," I assured her. "Your class will change every month. You'll meet new people every month with unique abilities to share. You are one of those people right now. I mean, how often does a new employee become a teacher? Your mother was the only teacher up to date, and in a month, it'll be your turn to hold the post. And your mom and I share that same confidence that you will use your wisdom to guide every new employee to the best they can be. You were one of the most popular kids in high school, so I know you have that ability to see the best in people. Use that ability! I know the first few days can be scary. I should know because I was scared. Athena, you have every tool at your disposal. Use them to guide you and to guide every class that walks in that conference room to learn from you. We all believe in you, here."
"Wilbur is correct," I heard a fellow teammate with a Russian accent say at my door. "Amy would not stop talking about you, Athena. I'm Marina Romanova. I work with Wilbur as the profiler for T.I.M.E. I hear you will be T.I.M.E.'s new teacher."
"Salve, Marina. Nomen mihi est Athena."
Athena and Marina shook hands.
"You've studied Latin," Marina replied in awe.
"Je parle français et japonais."
"Okay, now you're just showing off," I said with a smirk.
"You speak French and Japanese as well?" Marina asked. "You are certainly your mother's daughter."
"Arigatōguzaimasu," Athena thanked her in Japanese.
"You are going to fit right in," Marina replied. "We may be the ones using the Time Machine, but if you ever need to talk, I'll be in my office and so will Wilbur. Wilbur has been learning the psyche since he started working here."
"I have a cousin who is studying to be a profiler, too," Athena said, finally speaking English. "I may have to introduce you two to each other sometime."
"I'd love to meet your cousin!"
"That reminds me, may Wilbur and I speak alone?"
"Of course. Wilbur, I'll talk to you later."
"Of course, Marina," I replied, and then she left. "Athena, are you feeling any better about this?"
"Actually, yes," Athena answered, finally smiling. "Showing off my multilingualism made me realize I was looking forward to teaching Latin the most. And you're right. I love lifting up people's spirits. I feel more confident in myself now."
"That's awesome! Now, just out of curiosity, have you thought of getting your own place to live?"
"Ugh, yes. But I don't have the money for it."
"But you will, soon. We're a government agency. You'll be paid enough to afford a home."
"It's going to be hard being away from my family again. I've been living with them since January and now the possibility of me being on my own has returned. I love my family."
"You should talk to Lily. She's been there, too."
"That reminds me, is there any way I can use this job to help find Baxter Stockman?"
"Unfortunately, no," I answered. "You won't be able to, not with your job description. I've been carefully monitoring the timelines to make sure Stockman hasn't disturbed anything and so far, he hasn't broken any laws."
"It's been months since Stockman mutated himself again," Athena replied. "And we haven't been able to find him. Not even Anna has found him."
"There's only so much her gift of foresight can see. She can't see when things will happen. Stockman has done a terrific job of hiding so far."
"So he still has a chance of bringing back the Shredder?"
"He's been using his camouflage wonderfully. Who knows where he's at right now?"
"Chinatown?"
I shook my head.
"It's been abandoned again after Aumanil found him. I think it's safe to say he's not in New York State."
"Could he be in Todayland? Would Todayland be the perfect place to conduct cloning experiments?"
I buried my head in my hands, not believing what I just heard, but also in disbelief that it may be a possibility.
"I hate to admit it, but that actually makes sense. Todayland does have a shifty alleyway where deals are made."
"Did you explore the entirety of the city or something?" Athena asked, floored.
"Yes. And my dad's been worried about it before. Your cousin Ryan still lives in Todayland, right?"
"Yes."
"We need to ask him to do as many patrols as he can," I suggested.
"Are you sure that's wise? Justine goes to school and she works. She's rarely home. Ryan's got Isamu to take care of. And if I was a mother who happened to be a kunoichi, I know for a fact I would not be bringing a two-year-old child with me on patrol."
"Then what do you suggest?"
Todayland, North Montana, USA
DONATELLO'S POV
"Thank you all for meeting me here," Wilbur said, starting the meeting. "And thank you, Donnie, for letting us use your office."
"It sounded urgent," I replied. "What's going on?"
"Wilbur and I were talking at T.I.M.E. today," Athena explained. "And we're in agreement that Baxter Stockman is not in New York State."
"Are you sure?" Ryan asked, holding Isamu in his lap.
"Yes," Wilbur continued. "We've all patrolled the areas we live in. And we haven't seen a trace of Stockman since February. But Athena and I have a hypothesis on where he could be."
Cornelius dropped his jaw.
"Here?!" he asked in shock. "That's impossible. Our robot sentries would have spotted him."
"That's because he's not human anymore," I explained. "He mutated himself again."
"I've been going on patrol every night after Justine comes home," Ryan chimed in. "I haven't even seen him."
"But I remember a place downtown that's desolate," Wilbur replied. "Athena, Ryan, Donnie, you remember the ice cream shop where we found the hive that led us to the parasitic wasps?"
"You think Stockman is down there?" I asked, feeling floored.
"That could explain why my sentries have not spotted him," Cornelius replied. "Are you thinking of doing a special search down there, Wilbur?"
"Absolutely. But we need all the help we can get."
"I'll go if I can find a sitter for Isamu," Ryan replied.
"Why don't you give him to Aunt Billie?" Cornelius suggested. "I won't be able to go down to the hive, but Franny will want to join you, and yet she's usually the one who takes care of Isamu."
"Done. Now we need to figure out a way to bring Lily and Anna here without interfering with their lives."
"Don't forget about the rest of the Hamato Clan in New York," Athena reminded us. "They're an hour ahead of us."
ANNA'S POV
The entirety of the Hamato Clan, minus Justine, who was working at the hospital, and James, who was not a ninja, met up at the Robinsons' house where we met up with Wilbur, Franny, Ryan, Donnie, and Athena.
"So who is the leader in this patrol and what is the plan?" Lily, dressed as Aumanil, asked.
"I am," Leonardo answered. "Wilbur will come with me, Raph, Donnie, and Mikey all the way to the throne room. Franny, Aumanil, and Mona will be close behind us and will be stationed at the elevator on the lowest level. Anna, Athena, and April will stay on the second level. Venus, Karai, and Renet will man the first level elevator. Ryan will stay on the surface to monitor the perimeter. Is everyone clear?"
"Uncle Leonardo, I should stay on the surface," Venus chimed in. "I'm the leader after you."
"I disagree," Aumanil replied. "I'll stay on the surface. I can sense everything going on around me. Anna can't. Venus will be better off taking my place by the throne room."
"And I'll take Venus' place on the first level," Ryan replied in agreement.
"Alright, ninjas," Leonardo promoted us. "Let's dig in!"
While Aumanil stayed on lookout, the rest of us dug our way into the hive. Wilbur led all of us through the many levels of the hidden hive. Ryan, Karai, and Renet remained on the first level to keep watch there. Then, I eventually stopped at the second level with April and Athena.
"What's the story here?" I asked, hoping someone can answer me.
"Wilbur used to time travel a lot as a kid," April explained. "He made a mistake in the past trying to warn his dad about his roommate and changed the future as a result. And as a result, this underground came alive, ruled by Queen Lizzy, who had Cornelius invent all these robo-ants to take the time machine away from Wilbur. While Wilbur did fix the past, there was interference from Lord Dregg when the guys and I fought him here on Earth in 2017. Lord Dregg came to Earth from galaxies away just to get his revenge on the Turtles and Mona Lisa, and because of his presence, the hive stayed. This hive was eventually used by Donnie's parasitica wasp that had been frozen for years. Raph, Mikey, and Wilbur almost fell victim to this wasp in the throne when Lily and Donnie saved their lives. I'm amazed this hive is still here."
"Why?" I asked. "What is the purpose of the hive now?"
"Wilbur and I came up with this crazy hypothesis that Baxter Stockman may have found this hive while going into hiding," Athena chimed in. "Another weakness of Lily's is she can't sense anything through lead nor underground."
"Is that why Aumanil is on the surface?"
"That was Aumanil's choice," April answered. "And she's right. And it all depends on how you ask. Wilbur believes Lily is a Force-sensitive being who can sense everything around her. I was born half-Kraang because my mother was experimented on and I was born with my psychic powers as a result. And Lily inherited them from me. In fact, Lily may be more powerful than I am. Her father and I have trained her well. She can read minds. She has visions of what is happening in the moment. She can fly. She can use any sonic blast to her advantage and use them herself. She can heal. She's fast on her feet because of her training as a kunoichi. And she can wield a lightsaber just as well as Wilbur."
"So, she's what my father calls a jack of all trades?"
April laughed.
"Yes, she is. It's no wonder she remained undefeated until you came along. She's excellent at adapting."
"I wonder how the guys are doing," Athena chimed in as we all glanced down.
DONATELLO'S POV
After leaving Mona, Venus, and Franny at the elevator, my brothers and I followed Wilbur into the throne room. But when we got there, it was empty.
"Well, Wilbur, it sounds like Athena's suggestion is a disproved one," Leo spoke.
"It's only a throne," Raph replied, observing the room. "And of course, Aumanil's not here to help us find what happened!"
"Stop it!" I angrily yelled. "Yelling won't do us any good."
"What about Anna?" Mikey asked. "Can she find anything?"
"I think you got something there, Mikey," Leo answered. "Lily can only have visions that are happening in the here and now. Anna's visions may have already happened or they will happen. Mikey, you take Anna's place on the second level."
Mikey left to retrieve Anna and the four of us stood and pondered.
"So if Baxter Stockman really wasn't here, then where would he be?" Wilbur asked.
"Maybe Anna can help us with that," I replied.
"Our patrols have been peaceful all around the country," Leo said.
"Yeah, but we only have family in New York, Todayland, and California," Raph replied. "How are we gonna find him anywhere else?"
"You forget Sheriff Pride has joined our patrols in Oklahoma," Leo chimed in. "Which I think should be our next place to look... with Justine leading the patrol."
"Justine is not going to go for that!" I exclaimed. "She may have forgiven her father, but it doesn't mean they're on good terms."
"Leonardo is right," Anna chimed in, walking into the throne room. "Michelangelo explained the situation to me. I've been exploring every aspect since our mission started and there has been no trace of Baxter Stockman anywhere in Todayland, past, present, or future."
"Stockman never came to Todayland?" I asked.
"Nor will he ever come to Todayland. I somehow got a glimpse of Stockman's mind. He won't come to Todayland because security is too tight with all of Cornelius's robot sentries around the city."
"And the only security in Elkhorn is Woody," Raph finished our thoughts.
"Which makes Elkhorn an even likelier target," Leo said. "We need to see Justine."
JUSTINE'S POV
I had received a text from Ryan this evening saying that Isamu was under Billie's care at the Robinson mansion. I went straight there after my shift at the hospital.
"Hey!" I heard Spike say. "Ring my doorbell!"
"No, ring my doorbell!" Dmitri spoke.
"Ugh."
I rolled my eyes and rung both doorbells. I then opened the door and walked right only the living room with Lefty coming out to see me.
"Hi, Lefty," I greeted him. "I'm just here to pick up my son."
I took the travel tube into the train room where I found Billie charging up her toy train.
"Oh!" Billie exclaimed happily. "Justine! How was work?"
"Very tiring," I answered, truly feeling exhausted. "I'm a nurse at Todayland Hospital. You see a lot. Cancer patients, broken arms, suicidal ideation. Ryan told me that Isamu was here with you?"
"Yes. Isamu! Your mom's here!"
"And so are we," Leo suddenly announced.
I turned around to see the entire Hamato Clan, minus James and including Franny, entering the train room through the travel tube.
"Wow!" I exclaimed. "This is quite the meeting! What's going on?"
"Let me explain," Ryan started talking. "Wilbur and Athena believed that Stockman had set up a lab in the old hive downtown. But we found nothing."
"Which brings us here," Anna chimed in. "I found Stockman's mind and he avoided Todayland because there was too much security in the city."
"And then I revealed your father joined our patrols in Elkhorn," Leo chimed in. "And he's the only security Elkhorn has. We now have reason to believe Stockman may have gone there."
"That's ridiculous!" I exclaimed angrily. "I told my father what Stockman looks like. There's no way my father can be fooled."
"But Justine, you've lived in Elkhorn for all your childhood," Donnie chimed in. "There has to be a place where Stockman could hide to build a lab. Elkhorn is not on the map, which, right now, makes it the perfect location for him."
Tears came to my eyes. The last thing I wanted to do was return to Oklahoma again.
"I've just started working at Todayland Hospital," I cried. "How am I supposed to go back to Oklahoma to help you find Stockman and provide monetary needs for my son?"
"You still have your clothing brand, don't you?" Franny asked. "You continue to make clothes for Tallulah's shop and she pays you your share."
"Justine, we would like you, Ryan, and Isamu to spend a month in Elkhorn," Leo explained.
"So who's going to patrol Todayland for that month?" Ryan asked.
"I will," Donnie answered. "I'll stay in a hotel room for that month."
"You will do no such thing, Donatello," Franny replied. "You can stay with us in Wilbur's old room."
"What will the rest of us do in the meantime?" Aumanil asked.
"Just keep on patrolling," Leo answered.
"In the same cities?" Anna asked with a raised eyebrow. "No, we have to find a way to cover all 51 states."
"Hey, I know!" Aumanil asked with a gleeful grin. "Anna, you can fly to Chicago."
"Why Chicago?"
It was Athena's turn to be gleeful.
"To be with your boyfriend!"
Anna blushed.
"You blush now, but Athena's got a point," Donnie replied. "Not only can you see Jasper in the Chicago area, but you can also patrol the entire state of Illinois and the surrounding states. And I think I get it. Along with North Montana, I'll also patrol South Montana, North Dakota, Alberta, and Manitoba."
"Just don't forget that you need a passport to get into Canada, D," April reminded him.
"It sounds like I'll patrol Northern California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Wyoming," Aumanil volunteered.
"And before I do my patrol in the Midwest, I'll patrol Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Colorado, Utah, and Nevada in that order," Anna chimed in."
"How are you going to cover all those states, Anna?" Raph asked skeptically.
"I'm off the weekends. I'll take off immediately after my class on Friday and explore one state at a time."
"Just be careful, Anna" Aumanil warned her. "Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Nevada are mostly desert. Your water stallion may not be effective."
"I've got a car, don't I?"
"Well, then while I 'vacation' in Oklahoma, I'll explore Kansas, Nebraska, Louisiana, and Arkansas," I replied.
"Well, that's great," Leo said. "We've got the western United States covered. "Now who'll cover the eastern side?"
"Venus and I have always wanted to explore the north," Mona Lisa chimed in. "We'll explore the Canadian border states."
"That's Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, upstate New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine," Leo replied.
"I'll cover the rest of the northeast," Wilbur volunteered. "That's Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland."
"I'll cover West Virginia, Virginia, and Kentucky, "Raph chimed in.
"Karai and I will go to Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee," Leo replied.
"Which means Athena, Mikey, and I will travel to the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida," Renet said. "We're due for a vacation, anyway."
"Wait a minute," Donnie chimed in. "Who's going to go to Alaska and Hawaii?"
"I will go to Alaska," Mona Lisa answered. "I've always wanted to visit there."
"And I'll pay a visit to Hawaii," Anna answered. "It sounds like we have our work cut out for us for the next year."
"I agree," Leo replied. "We can't all go at once. Fifty-one states is a lot to cover. We just have to decide when."
"I'm allowed 21 days of vacation time," Wilbur chimed in. "That will easily cover my side of the investigation."
"I have double those days of vacation," Raph replied. "Venus, you can handle that, right?"
"As long as someone takes care of my greenhouse," Venus answered.
"I'll do that," Donnie replied.
"Thank you for giving me time, Leo," I said with a smile. "Ryan and I will have to discuss when we'll be returning to Oklahoma. I, too, am allowed 21 days of vacation."
"Let me know so I can stay in Todayland for those 21 days," Donnie told me.
We continued to negotiate which one of was going to travel to what states on what days from now until this time next year.
Pacific Bay, California, USA
LILIANNA'S POV
I finally arrived home after a long patrol and a long meeting in Todayland, and I felt exhausted.
"Lily!" James exclaimed. "It's only eight o'clock and you look exhausted!"
"I am exhausted," I replied, collapsing on the couch.
"Did you have school today?"
"No, thank heavens. I only have to report to school once a week for my research and then I actually teach a college class twice a week."
"Wait, what?" James replied with shock. "You teach? Did your dad challenge you to the task?"
I chuckled.
"No, Russell did. Apparently a year of teaching your field of study is required for my doctorate degree. And it's always on the second year. My dissertation could then take two to four years to write before I can become a doctor. But anyway, I spent this evening in Todayland following up on a lead Wilbur and Athena had."
"And?"
"And it was a dead end," I answered, letting out a sigh. "So the Hamato Clan agreed to search all around the country over the next year."
"Holy cow! What areas have you agreed to cover?"
"Northern California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Wyoming. Northern California will be easy since we live here."
"I take it you'll want me with you?" James asked.
"Yes, please," I answered with a loving smile. "This will be nice for us, too, seeing places we've never seen before."
"So when would you like us to patrol and explore?"
"We have to plan very carefully. Most of us only have 21 days of vacation, myself included. The good news is Venus and her mother can go at any time since she works from home. Wilbur's got his states that are a day's worth of driving. I'm actually the most worried about Anna."
"Oh? How come?"
"She is not only covering six states down here besides Southern California, but she's also covering five other states in the Midwest when she eventually visits Jasper in Chicago. And she's in law school. And she has a full-time job."
"Wow! That's a lot. But Anna's a strong woman."
I smiled.
"She's wanted to see a lot of the country anyway," I replied. "So this may be good for her."
I let out a sigh and then smiled again.
"So, when were you thinking of getting away?"
"Well, I'm in grad school myself," James explained. "But my only breaks are a month-long Christmas break and a week-long spring break."
I grinned.
"Then let's spend your Christmas break up north."
"What about your family? They'd love to see you. Maybe we can split this in half, somehow. Do Oregon and Washington over Christmas, and then Idaho and Wyoming in the spring."
"We do have summer break, too," I replied. "How about this: Washington and Oregon for Christmas, for sure. Washington before Christmas and Oregon after Christmas. We'll spend the few days around Christmas with our families. Then we'll spend your spring break in Idaho and spend one week of the summer in Wyoming."
"That sounds wonderful."
We pulled each other in for a kiss.
"Now, would you like to go to bed tonight?" James asked me.
"Why wouldn't I want to go to bed?" I asked with a giggle.
James giggled sheepishly.
"Well..."
Suddenly, I felt myself being lifted. James was carrying me up the stairs and into the bedroom. We then made love in our bed before slumber took over our bodies, amidst the excitement of new adventures.
