A/N: Hello, sorry for the late chapter. Between writer's block and deleting the chapter, and rl changes, I didn't have a lot of time to write. This is part one of the finale. I hope you enjoy. Thank you for all the support.
Casey didn't do emotions. He preferred to pump iron to soothe his nerves or bust some Purple Dragons' skulls to calm anger. The tension in the room couldn't be beat with a couple of well placed fists. Breaking his gaze away from Donatello and the large mutated goop monster who were the center of attention, Casey looked over the large group of mutants. Some that he dared to call family.
Furthest from the former human, the former lab experiments huddled together. Jennika stood the closest,keeping Lita behind her shell with a gentle hand. Her sharp eyes narrowed as her beak wrinkled distastefully. The albino turtle stood on her tiptoes, trying to look past scales and shells. Given her small frown, she was failing. Another gray-scaled hand was on the girl's shoulder, not quite pushing her down. Mona wasn't looking where her hand was placed, fingers limply hanging. Her violet eyes were watching Don gather his materials with interest. Mondo tried to look nonchalant, but his pink tongue flicked a little too quickly. Venus would flinch at the sound, barely giving the gecko a disgusted look.
"None of you have to be here," Leatherhead's deep voice said as he put a large hand on Venus's shoulder. His reptilian eyes looked over the small huddled group. The mutants looked at each other briefly. Silently they questioned each other.
"Leatherhead is correct," Splinter's wizened voice added. "My sons will ensure that Mister Tim will not be a threat." The former experiments loosened a little, but didn't move an inch.
"It is very crowded in here," Don hinted as he picked up a beaker with a pair of metal tongs off his Bunsen burner. Orange liquid bubbled inside the glassware.
"Were you not the one to claim that we are part of your clan?" Venus questioned.
"We're staying right here. Besides, I am curious how this will turn out. So heat is needed for the reaction? Did you need some sort of catalyst to create that formula? What sort of enzyme are you using to alter his DNA?" Mona droned before Mondo snored jokingly. She elbowed her brother but grew silent. Casey laughed at the interaction. Don looked unamused as he carefully carried the beaker closer to the containment field.
"Uh, shouldn't we be wearing a suit or something?" Mikey asked from his position closest to the containment unit. His blue eyes looked at the orange liquid nervously. Don swished the beaker lazily. "You know, I don't want to be in an aquarium eating food pellets," Mikey said.
"Then just stay back then," Raph grumbled as he pulled his younger brother away from the orange liquid and closer to him. "I ain't cleaning your tank if ya become a turtle." Leo gave the brothers a stern look. The two settled their wrestling at the eldest brother's look.
"Let's get this show on the road," Casey said, shaking off the strange anxious energy, "So we can beat this guy's face in." He lifted the bat in his hand. It bounced threateningly in his hand. April just put a gentle hand on his bicep.
"You're going to scare him," April whispered. Her green eyes darted to Don who was filling a syringe with the liquid. "Don, maybe I should handle the retromutagen. Just to be safe." The purple-masked turtle nodded. He set the beaker down carefully as April weaved through the reptilian bodies. Subtly she nudged the brothers backward. Her soft hand couldn't move the turtles, but they stepped back at the gentle touch.
She took the syringe away from Don's olive green hand. He stepped back to stand in line with his brothers. "My son, once Mister Tim is returned to his original form, you will return to your bed." His brown eyes narrowed at his taller son. The turtle looked sheepish, rubbing his wrapped plastron with a small wince.
"It doesn't hurt that bad. I am feeling much better," Don protested. His brothers gave him a frustrated look. Venus clicked her tongue in disagreement. Jennika rolled her eyes and an almost amused look crossed her face.
"My friend, it is my recommendation that you rest for a couple more days," Leatherhead rumbled. Lita nodded her agreement, pink eyes concerned.
"Can't argue with yer doc," Casey added, pointing to the chair in the corner, "Sit yer shell down." The olive green turtle looked offended. But he didn't have a choice as the scaled hands of his brothers guided and nudged him to the seat. With a single raised brow from Splinter, the stubborn turtle finally got off his feet.
A white shape weaved through the crowded bodies before stopping at his side. Lita patted his arm comfortingly. Don gave her a half smile before looking toward April.
"Are you all ready?" she asked whether to her audience or the mutated human, Casey didn't know. Without an answer, she swiftly plunged the syringe into the puddled base of the former human. The orange liquid sunk into the green ooze.
Casey could see it swirl through the green, turning a muddy brown. The mutated man's form quivered violently. An awful scream echoed through the small containment container. He slammed into the walls of his cage. Brown eyes darted around the room.
"Donny, what's happening?" Raph asked, nervousness in his tone as his hands reached to his sais. All eyes drifted to the seated turtle. Don paled as his brown eyes kept on the ooze mutant.
"I don't know. It worked on the samples I took," he said. His face twisted with guilt. "What have I done?" He shifted his weight to get to his feet. A small white hand held fast to try and keep him on his seat.
"Oh, I think I am going to be ill," Venus gulped. Her mint green hand over her beak as she pointed toward the containment unit. Casey followed the finger to see what made the squeamish turtle woosy. Instead of a large green blob taking up most of the containment unit, a dense red splotch covered the bottom of the glass container. It oozed through the feeding opening. "Please, excuse me," Venus muttered, muffled as she hurried out of the room.
Casey could feel his stomach turn at the fleshy looking puddle. It slowly dripped out of the containment unit. He reached out to April who looked paler than normal. Her empty hands shook as he took them into his. He guided her away from the puddle, her eyes were glued to the mess. There was more movement as Mondo followed after Venus, also looking pale. Mona Lisa followed after her brother. The others stood still.
"You should probably sit down, babe," he muttered to the woman who he held. Her green eyes were focused on the remains. He looked to Splinter for advice. The old rat looked morose as he soothed a distraught Donatello. Jennika had gathered Lita into her arms, turning her away from the grisly scene.
"Wait, something is happening," Leonardo said, dark eyes focused. The mutants perked up as they watched the mess. Jennika kept a wiggling Lita against her plastron, to prevent the little girl from seeing the viscera. It quivered disgustingly, making Casey's stomach twist comfortably. Slowly the fleshy material, twitched and crawled into a more solid shape. Right before everyone's eyes, what was once a shapeless mass morphed into something that looked human shaped. Muscles twitched as skin grew over the red mass.
The movement stopped as a nude human laid just outside of the containment unit. April looked away bashfully as she noticed the man. "Wh-what happened?" Lita asked as her face was pressed into Jennika's plastron. The female turtle didn't look away from the human who was slowly getting to his knees.
"Alright , Donny. Knew you could do it," Casey complimented the olive green turtle. The purple-masked turtle looked relieved. The other brothers were quick to also throw compliments.
Splinter cleared his throat to silence his sons, "Perhaps we should make our guest more comfortable." He pointed toward the man who was now trying to cover his dignity. Leatherhead stepped forward,dropping his large lab coat over the man.
Tim wrapped the material over himself tightly. His brown eyes looked over the mutants. Raph's hands twitched toward his sais. The other brothers attempted to look nonchalant,but Casey could see the way they readied themselves to attack.
"Mr. Tim, I do not believe we have been properly introduced," Splinter broke the stillness. He stepped forward, hands on his walking stick. His body language was calm, tail curled lazily by his feet. Casey knew that the rat could burst into action even though he appeared unthreatening. "My name is Splinter. These are my sons; Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo." He motioned to each of the teens.
"I know your names," the man spoke, voice like gravel. Casey reached for his bat with one hand and pushed April behind him with the other. Tim cleared his throat with a cough. His brown eyes looked over the group. "What are you?"
"We are turtle mutants," Don spoke up from his seat. "Red ear slider turtles to be precise."
"And ninjas," Mikey added with a grin. He pulled out a nunchuck to spin lazily. Master Splinter's stern look had the teen slow the weapon to a stop.
Tim looked at the humans in the group. "So they are not aliens?" he asked, making eye contact with Casey. The vigilante chuckled at the question. April smiled softly, shaking her head.
"No, we are New Yorkers through and through," Raph said, "So are we goin' to have a problem?" He bristled, slightly. The emerald green turtle took a step forward. Tim looked at the turtles over, briefly pausing a bit longer on Leatherhead.
"Lita," Jennika hissed as a heavy weight hit the ground. The group watched as the smallest turtle hurried closer to the human. She slowed as she reached Splinter who stood closest. Her pale hands grabbed the rat's robe as she hid half behind him. The man's face softened as he looked at the small turtle. He turned to speak with Raphael.
"You will not get any trouble from me, Donatello," the man answered. The red-masked turtle grumbled his correct name under his breath. "I should be thanking you. You had no reason to help me," Tim continued.
"It was the right thing to do," Leo said. "We couldn't just leave you, after what that scientist did to you." The blue-masked turtle was completely relaxed now, moving to stand at Splinter's side.
"D-d-do you have to g-g-go now?" Lita asked from Splinter's side, twisting his robe in her hands. The rat placed a paw on her head.
"I am certain that Mr. Tim would wish to return to his family, my child," Splinter explained, stroking the top of her head. "You would wish the same."
"Splinter is right. I got a daughter at home and she is missing me now," Tim answered. The girl slumped a little at that answer. "You know, I betcha that you and her would be good friends. If that's okay with your family."
Lita shrunk a little, hands twisting more. She buried her face into the rat's robe. "R-r-really? Even th-th-though I n-not-"
The human stood up and stepped closer to the small child. The brothers tensed at his motion, Don getting to his feet. Tim stopped moving forward a respectful distance from Lita. "I would be proud if she became friends with the kindest person I know."
"Perhaps we can arrange a meeting on neutral grounds," Splinter conceded, "But first we must return you back to your family. Raphael, can you escort our guest to the Battle Shell?"
The red masked turtle snarled, but waved his hand for the man to follow. Mikey bounced behind the pair. "I'll go with 'em. Just to make sure Raph doesn't get into trouble," Casey offered as he gave Splinter a nod.
"With you going, they're sure to get into trouble," Don quipped from his seat.
"Ain't it your bedtime, Don?" Casey shot back. The olive green turtle looked unamused.
"Mister Jones makes an excellent point," Splinter mused. Leatherhead offered to help the genius to his room. With a pout, the crocodile manhandled the ninja out of the lab. Casey slipped out of the lab after the doctor and patient.
A throat clearing behind him made him jump, spinning to face Leo. An amused look on his leaf green face. "I'll be joining your little escort mission," the leader explained.
"Ya know we ain't going to beat his face in. Just goin' to talk to him is all,'' Casey complained as the two walked to the garage.
"Noted," Leo responded, dark eyes distant. "I have been thinking a lot about how to handle Bishop and the EPF." Casey remained silent, curious on why the turtle was telling him his worries. The eldest brother stopped at the garage's heavy doors. "If we kill Bishop, we would just prove him correct. The EPF would still function as it does now."
"Sure, but at least the major creep would be gone. The next guy could be a pushover," Casey reasoned.
Leo shook his head, "Or he could be worse. We have to discredit the whole organization. Don tried using forums and news outlets, but hit a deadend. But with Tim back to being human, maybe he can help us in some way."
Casey shrugged, "Ehh, I don't know, Leo. That guy was part of H.A.T.E. How do we know he ain't just goin' to get his buds and storm this place?"
"I will be sure to have him know what would happen if he does," Leo answered, voice cold and dark. Casey froze as Leo stepped in front of him to enter the garage. He had an easy smile on his face. Casey shivered at the sudden shift.
The human followed quietly. He watched Tim enter the back of the Battle Shell. His brown eyes looked over all the computers in the vehicle. Mikey sat across from the human. Foot bouncing on his knee. He was talking animatedly to the human. The human listened patiently, but his eyes looked to Raph behind the steering wheel.
"Ya got him started. Don't look to me to bail you," Raph said, a small smirk on his face. Leo gave the human a sympathetic look as he slipped into the back of the Battle Shell beside his brother. Mikey paused his rambling to scoot away, giving the older turtle some space. Tim looked relieved as the youngest stopped speaking.
"I call shotgun," Casey yelled out as he ran to the door. He plopped himself down in the seat. With just enough time to fasten the seatbelt, Raph peeled out of the garage. The vehicle grew silent, even Mikey didn't say anything. It was getting a little uncomfortable and awkward. "Do ya even know where ya goin', Raph?" Casey asked as the armored car took a sharp turn.
Amber eyes glared at him before looking back to the street. "Ya, asked him when he got in." Silence returned again. Raph gripped the steering wheel tightly.
Leo cleared his throat. "Tim, we have something to discuss," the leader said, tone measured. The human looked uncomfortable at the turtle's intense gaze. "We are taking you back home, but we need something from you."
"You need money? I got plenty and it is the least I can do," Tim answered. Mikey looked excited at the prospect.
"We don't need money," Leo answered.
"Uh, speak for yourself, Leo," Mikey interrupted.
"I could use some extra dough," Raph added. Casey just gave the emerald green turtle a subtle thumbs up.
Leo gave his brothers a look, shaking his head. "We don't accept payment for our help." The reminder calmed the younger two turtles. The eldest looked back to the human again. "What I was going to say is that my family's existence has remained a carefully guarded secret that only a few have been trusted with. I want your word that you will keep it that way." The turtle's dark eyes narrowed. Casey shuttered at the chilled way Leo relayed his mission, cold and sharp like the katana he wielded. Raph spared glances over his shoulder, amber eyes fiery.
"Of course. I won't say a word," Tim answered. "But I can tell my wife and kid, right? My wife Angie, is great and she won't blab. I think she would like your sis, Angie is a nurse. My daughter Charlotte is an odd duck, but you won't find a sweeter girl." The man's voice grew fond as his eyes began to water. Leo's narrowed eyes softened just momentarily. "I know y'all just want to keep your family safe. That all I want too," Tim said, "We ain't so different."
The turtles made eye contact with each other. Their body language grew more relaxed as they silently came to a decision. Mikey broke eye contact first, reaching for his portable game system. Blue eyes stole glances toward Casey. Raph looked back to the road, giving Casey another look. The human realized that they were looking for his input too. He gave them a small nod.
"You can tell them," Leo allowed, sinking into a more relaxed posture in his seat.
"Aww, can the first play date be in our house?" Mikey asked, "I got some great ideas for snacks." His grin was a little too wide.
"Sounds like yer up to something," Raph grumbled. The orange-masked turtle gasped offendedly.
Casey relaxed a bit more as well. The brothers seemed to trust the human who was now relaying his phone number to Leo as the two younger turtles quipped back and forth. Casey thought he was a good judge of character and he trusted Leo's instincts. He would just make sure that Tim knew that these weird freaks were under the protection of the one and only Casey Jones before he left.
She grit her teeth once again. Her molars were going to be flat at this rate; her face in a permanent scowl. Pink eyes looked up at her, almost melting the hard ice in her chest. Jennika gave the small turtle a forced smile. "D-do you like them?" Lita asked, holding up her hands, just under the shamrock green turtle's nose. The burning smell of fingernail polish caused Jennika to nearly gag. She backed her head and looked over the now pink claws. Bits of paint coated the white scales around each finger from childishly unsteady hands.
"They look great," Jennika answered, stiffly. She gently lowered the younger's hands from her face.
"Of course. Our darling Lita is an artist, just like her aptly named brothers," Venus complimented as she shook her own hands. Her claws were white with delicately placed cyan dots. She blew on her drying claws with a pursed beak. "Now, Jennika, which color suits your fancy?" the mint green turtle asked. "I recommend a lovely shade of blue or lavender."
With a large smile, Jennika answered, "Yellow." Venus looked unamused, hands stopping their motions.
"Mona, dear, if you are not currently using said polish, would you be so kind and enable Jennika's misguided decisions," Venus said as she inspected her claws.
Mona Lisa looked up from her own claws that were a rainbow of colors. A chaotic blend of colors. "Oh, yes. Here you go." She handed the bottle to Jennika. She looked at it bored, not bothering to reach for it. The bearded dragon looked at Lita, "Hey, you're going to stain that mask Raph lent you if you don't let your nail dry." Lita's hand fiddled with the knot on the red fabric.
April's laugh softly floated between the mutant group. Each paused for a moment to look at her. "I never had a lot of girl friends before. This is almost like those shows my sister loved when we were tweens," the woman said as she guided Lita's hand away from the old tattered mask slipping on her face. Deft fingers tied the mask even tighter, long tails were tied into a bow.
Jennika frowned as the other mutants chattered. The conversations were nonsensical and pointless. Jennika sighed as now Venus and Lita were trying to convince April that painting their shells was harmless. Having heard enough, Jennika pushed herself away from the table. The mutants and human looked at her. She muttered some excuse and left the kitchen. Jennika frowned, anger and impatience boiled her blood.
She stomped through the Lair, looking for the ninja brothers. Excited chatter sounded from the dojo as three of the turtles exited. Mikey led the way with Raph on his heels. Leo took the rear with a wide grin on his face. "Hey, Jenny," Mikey greeted, "Want to go skateboarding with us? You can borrow Don's bike since he is, you know, resting."
"You're not going to take down Bishop?" Jennika asked, "You're going to goof off too?" She looked at Leo and Raph. She would have thought that the hot head wouldn't just stand around painting fingernails or skateboarding. She thought that Leo as the leader would handle the threat to his family quickly.
Raph crossed his arms, "You don't have ta worry about Bishop. We'll handle the creep as soon as Donny is out of bed."
"Why wait for him? He's holding you back," Jennika argued back, crossing her arms as well. A snarl distorted the emerald green turtle's face.
"He's our brother and an important part of our team," Leo answered, tone even. His brows pinched together slightly.
"You have Mona Lisa and Leatherhead who can handle any technical problems. Even April," Jennika refuted, "the Foot wouldn't waste time when there is a mission." The brothers' faces grew a little stern. Even Mikey lost his smile. Raph bristled angrily.
"Don isn't just a piece in a machine to be replaced with another," Leo answered. "I know you want this threat eliminated. We do as well. We have the best chance if we are all at full health." The leader of the ninja reached out and put his hands on her shoulders. "I don't know how Karai runs the Foot, but here, we are more than soldiers or a squad, we are family. We all succeed together or fail together."
Jennika looked away from his intense dark gaze. A lump formed in her throat as her eyes burned. "I'm going to sleep. Have fun," she muttered. Leo gave her a sympathetic look before leading Mikey away. The youngest brother gave her a bright smile and brighter blue eyes. Raph stayed behind for a moment. His posture relaxed.
"I want to go after him too," Raph admitted, "But we gotta do this together. Trust me, running off by yerself just makes things worse." The red-masked turtle patted her shell roughly as he passed. His amber eyes were almost soft. "Get some rest."
Jennika walked silently past the bedrooms. Curiosity had her peek into Donatello's room. Brown eyes looked up at her entrance. The turtle was sitting up with maps strewn across his bed. "What are you doing?" Jennika asked, stepping closer to read over the drawn lines..
"Mapping out the best way to enter the EPF's new labs," Don answered. "The sewers appear to be the safest option. Streetside will not be viable, too open." He yawned as he folded up the maps. "But not much I can do now, but rest." He sighed.
Jennika felt sympathy for the bedbound turtle, but a smidge of anger; he was the reason Bishop was still around. "I will leave you to rest," her tone was blunt. Don nodded as the former Foot soldier left the room. She continued past the other bedroom before entering Lita's. Her hands clenched into fists. She plopped down on the extra mattress that was added last week for her. It was crowded by the numerous potted plants that Lita was growing, but the lamp was warm and comfortable. Jennika laid on the lumpy mattress and tried to sleep. It was impossible; her thoughts whirled around the EPF and Slash and Bishop.
An hour later, Lita was carried into the room by Master Splinter. Jennika could hear the rat master gently speaking to her as he settled her on the bed. With a kiss to her forehead, the father exited the room. Jennika waited patiently. She watched the girl sleep fitfully. Nightmares, she reasoned; it made the anger at the EPF return with a burning. An idea niggling at the back of her mind. It was dangerous and reckless. Looking at the tossing and turning turtle, Jennika knew that it would be worth it.
Lita woke up with a start, heart beating hard against her chest. Her breaths came out hard and fast. She tried to remember how Leo told how to breathe. How Mikey calmed her before. He told her to look around and count.
Her room was mostly dark, the only light coming from her nightlight,Master Splinter must have turned off the grow light. Her fingers twitched against her plastron nervously. "J-jenny?" she called out nervously. Silence was her only answer. "J-jenny?!" she called out a little louder. Her heart racing in her chest. She got to her feet and padded to the other bed.
There was nothing there. Her blood ran cold as she hurried out of her room, grabbing Raph's old mask. She tried to tie it into the bow that April did. It was loose and messy, but Lita couldn't worry about that when Jennika was missing.
The Lair was dark and quiet. Everyone was asleep. She worried with the tails of the mask she wore. She walked past the other bedrooms quietly. A metal door closed as she climbed down the stairs to the living space. Lita stopped, crouching to hide in the shadows, behind the doorway to the kitchen.
A shape turned away from the lab door. Lita slinked a little closer to get a better look. Jennika walked quickly toward the Lair's exit, a small bag at her side. Lita followed quietly. She should call for her brothers and tell them about Jennika. But that would get Jenny in trouble or maybe they would get into a fight. Lita frowned at the thought. The girl quickly ran into the kitchen. Sitting on the counter, was Raph's shell cell, just like she remembered. She grabbed it and hurried back to follow Jennika.
With her ears perked, she could hear the Lair door shut. The albino followed quietly. She stopped at the door. Her hands started to shake. She hadn't been outside since she came home. It was dangerous out there. But Jenny was out there too. With shaking knees, she opened the door nervously.
Her breath caught in her throat as she took a step out. Everything was starting to swirl. She steadied herself on the door as she looked for Jennika. At the far tunnel, she turned the corner. Silently, Lita followed as quickly as she could. She couldn't hear her footsteps over her heartbeat. But she couldn't turn around. She couldn't fail her first ninja mission; Jenny leaving would be failure. Leo would be so disappointed.
Lita turned the corner. Jennika was still far away, but the girl could see her. The other turtle was looking straight ahead, unconcerned about anyone following her. Wherever the older turtle was going was far away. Lita was starting to get tired. When she was about to open the shell cell, Jennika started to climb a ladder. Lita stopped following and crouched low to the ground.
The former Foot pushed aside the manhole cover at the top. Lita watched as her shamrock green foot disappeared into the night sky. She ran to the bottom of the stairs, but Jennika didn't close the top. The girl put the Shell Cell into the hood of her cloak before climbing the ladder.
Carefully she pulled herself up and out of the hole. She rolled on the asphalt. She pushed herself to her feet as she looked for Jennika. Rats squeaking drew her attention. Lita ducked behind a trashcan as she saw Jennika. The other turtle wasn't looking back at all as she continued her trek.
Lita darted from trashcan to dumpster to follow her at a distance. Jennika stopped suddenly and Lita pressed herself as close as she could to the dumpster that smelled like fish. The girl wrinkled her nose. Jennika looked up at the fire escapes at either side of the alley.
Dark shadows appeared on the metal ladders. More shadows landed around Jennika. Lita reached for the Shell Cell. This was bad, really bad. She pressed the button to open the phone when a woman's voice called out. " I was starting to worry about you."
"Mistress Karai," Jennika responded.
"Were you successful?" Karai asked. Lita couldn't see her. She tried to stand a little taller.
"No, they suspected me," Jennika answered. "But they offered mercy to me."
"Don't be fooled by their false kindness," Karai responded. Lita frowned at the woman though she couldn't see it. How dare this bad lady talk bad about her brothers. "It matters not. You surely have retrieved what I asked of you." Lita couldn't see what was happening. The Foot ninja were moving slightly. She could hear Jennika cry out indignantly. "What is this? Where is the amulet?" Karai asked. Lita leaned forward against the dumpster, trying to see what was happening.
A sudden pull at her shell had her feet in the air. She squeaked and clicked as she hung in the air. "I found something, Mistress Karai," a male voice said right behind her head. The crowd of ninja parted to reveal Karai and Jennika.
The turtle looked at the younger with fear in her eyes. The other woman stood taller than the turtle, dressed in silver armor. Its spiked shoulder pieces were almost as scary as the claws on each hand.
Karai just looked with curiosity, holding a vial full of orange liquid. "Bring her," the woman commanded. The man carried Lita closer as she kicked and squirmed desperately. She was dropped at the woman's feet. Lita didn't get up and tried to shrink into her shell.
Karai was scary up close, her green eyes looking down between her and the orange vial. "Let her go, Karai. She is not a threat," Jennika spoke out. Lita could see that her shamrock green feet took steps closer. She slipped between Lita and Karai. "I have the amulet," Jennika continued, reaching deep in the bag and pulling out the necklace.
The woman looked curiously at the cowering little turtle. She reached out with her free hand and grabbed the little girl's arm. Lita took a quick breath, trying not to move. The two long claws were too close to her unprotected side. The woman ran a finger over the tattooed numbers. "One would have thought that you would want her to return with us," Karai noted.
"I was going to trade the amulet for your help," Jennika answered, "But I'll give it to you if you let her go."
Karai released her hold on Lita's arm, turning to face Jennika. "I do not believe that you are in a position to make any sort of deal." She motioned to her soldiers. One stepped forward with a metal helmet. As it slipped over the woman's head her voice changed, "I will take you, her, and the amulet."
Jennika leapt forward, throwing the amulet as far and high as she could. She ducked into a roll, reaching into her bag. Karai flinched as the turtle swiped a now clawed hand at her wrist. The orange vial dropped to the ground.
The glass shattered, spilling the liquid on the ground. A rough pull had Lita stumbling to her feet as she heard a pained grunt from the man behind her. "Don't touch that. Run," Jennika ordered, her normally dull and blunt voice panicked.
Lita spun on her heel and ran away. She could hear more grunts as footsteps followed behind her. She dared to look over her shoulder as Jennika swung her fists. The clawed gauntlets in her hand sliced through cloth and flesh. The older turtle turned on her heel quickly and ran toward Lita, scooping her up. The girl whimpered fearfully, all words were escaping her as she pressed her face into Jennika's shoulder.
She heard Jennika take a sharp breath as dove into a roll. Concrete scraped painfully against exposed scales. Jennika was on her feet again. Dodging and weaving. Then suddenly there was silence as the older turtle stopped running.
Lita's feet met the ground as Jennika put her down. The shamrock green turtle was breathing heavily. A thick coppery smell filled the air between them. "Are you okay?" Jennika whispered. Lita opened her mouth but nothing escaped. She nodded quickly instead. Scaled hands stroked the albino's face nervously. Talented hands tied the worn red mask tighter as they traveled to the girl's small arm. She flinched at the stinging pain. "Just a scrape, it isn't too bad," Jennika muttered. Dark eyes left the smaller turtle to look around their hiding spot. The two were nestled between two shipping containers. With just enough space for Jennika to fit.
Lita flinched as Jennika brushed her hand over her face. The older turtle's brow was furrowed nervously. "Give me your cloak," she ordered bluntly. A hiss passed through the small girl's clenched beak. April gave her this cloak. With a tug, the material was pulled off the younger turtle. She reached out to try to grab it from Jennika. Tugging the material, something clattered to the floor between them. Raph's shell cell laid between them. "Okay this is good," Jennika said. Pinning down the younger with her eyes she continued. "You are going to run and jump into the river. Stay under as long as you can. You can call your brothers to pick you up after you resurface."
Lita tried to ask what she was going to do, but her voice was gone. Instead she just pointed at the older turtle. "I'm going to draw their attention away," Jennika answered as she wrapped her bag with the cloak. She held it close to her plastron. Lita squeaked as she shook her head. Jennika sighed pushing the shell cell into the girl's hands. "I made this mess and now I have to fix it." She pushed the girl away gently, hands brushing against her white shell. A funny laugh came from the older girl. "I guess you two convinced April. Now go quickly," Jennika insisted.
Lita held tightly onto the phone in her hand as she ran away. The quicker she got to the river the quicker she could call her brothers. Her small feet hurried as fast as she could. With her beak slightly in the air, she could smell the fishy river. Just a little further and then her brothers would make those bad ninjas run.
A loud ringing woke Leo from his sleep. Without looking he reached for his shell cell where it was supposed to be. He opened it effortlessly. "What trouble did you get yourself into this time, Raph?" Leo asked, slipping his mask off of the nightstand it was hanging on. It wouldn't be the first time his brother called him in the middle of the night. He grabbed his swords and strapped them to his back.
Silence was the only thing on the other side of the line. Leo jumped onto his feet, running to retrieve Mikey as his stomach sank. Curses should be sounding from the other side. Or the sound of violence. "Raph, talk to me," the leader pleaded, letting his door slam behind him. He wasn't concerned about waking the others.
"Sure, who's on the phone, Leo?" Raph's voice asked, too close to be on the phone. Spinning quickly, Leo saw Raph peeking halfway out of his room. He blinked his eyes as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. His red mask was hanging loosely around his neck. The leader looked down at the phone; Raph's name and picture on its tiny screen.
Raph frowned as Mikey peeked his head out from his own room. "Ugh, I hate telemarketers," Mikey groaned, rubbing his head. Leo furrowed his brow and pressed his phone to his head. Faint sniffling came from the other side of the phone. HIs younger brothers were growing concerned as Leo put the phone on speaker. Questions formed on both of their faces.
"L-leo?" Lita's voice shook with fear. Raph and Mikey immediately straightened at the soft voice. Raph was quick to retreat back to his room.
"Lita, where are you?" Leo asked as Mikey ran back to his room as he called out to Don. More sniffling came from the phone. Raph, Mikey, and Don reappeared to huddle around the phone armed with their weapons and masks. The purple masked turtle had his own shell cell out and opened.
"D-don't be m-mad. I f-followed J-jenny," she whimpered. Raph hissed out a curse in Japanese, hands clenched tightly around his weapons. Leo didn't bother to correct his brother. "I'm s-s-sorry. S-s-sorry," Lita continued to sniffle. Leo found himself trying to shush the blubbering turtle.
"She's by the river," Don answered. He pushed more buttons on his shell cell. Brown eyes were focused on the screen as Raph nudged the olive green turtle to move. Mikey bounced on his toes.
"Stay there, Lita. We'll get you right away," Leo ordered, "Stay calm and keep in the shadows. We'll stay on the phone until we get you." He started to run as well.
"Okay, Leo," Lita cried, "C-come q-q-quickly. I'm s-s-scared."
Mikey snatched the phone from Leo, "Hey, Lita. It's your best brother. Wanna hear a story while you wait?" A sniffle was the only answer.
Don cleared his throat, a worried look on his face, "She is going to have to move." His voice was tight, rising with fear.
"Why?" Raph asked.
"Since I had so much time to do nothing, I put a Slash tracking app on my phone," Don started, he shook off any further explanation. "He's four blocks away. He could track her down." Mikey stopped his nonsensical story abruptly, blue eyes looking at his older brothers as they ran through the main living areas. Raph was spitting curses as the four ran. Loud enough that the others woke.
Leo caught the phone that Mikey tossed as his brothers were explaining the situation. "Lita, you need to move. We have a friend that lives nearby. She is a nice older lady," Leo was speaking quickly as Don walked quickly beside him, holding his phone to show a map with two dots.
"Quickly, Lita, as quick as you can run straight ahead," Leo ordered. Frightened clicks sounded from the young girl on the phone. The leader looked away from the phone to see all who gathered. Venus held hands with Mona Lisa. Mondo licked his eyeballs quickly while Leatherhead's pupil narrowed threateningly. Leo looked back to the phone in his hand. "Take the next right, Lita," he called the direction. The first dot turned the wrong direction. Leo held his tongue. If he told her to turn around it would eat more time.
Heavy breaths grew louder as the small dot slowed. It stopped completely. "Lita?" Leo asked, trying to keep his tone even. He looked up from the phone as the brothers entered the garage. Raph quickly hopped into the driver seat of the Battle Shell. Mikey took the shotgun seat as Leo stepped into the back of the car. Don slid onto the seat next to him, holding his shell cell to show him the map.
Two more shapes entered the vehicle across from the brothers. Leo looked up to see Splinter settling into place. Venus crossed her legs gracefully as she looked around. The turtle in blue didn't argue and didn't question.
Raph floored the gas pedal as he peeled out of the garage. Leo turned back to the very silent phone. "He's close," Don muttered. Splinter's tail twitched across the floor. Venus looked over their faces and started to scratch her arm.
"Lita, you have to move. Mrs. Morrison is nearby," Leo said.
"B-but Slash c-could hurt h-her. Sh-she's an old l-lady," Lita stuttered, her voice barely audible. "I'm h-hiding r-really g-good l-like you t-taught me."
Leo tightened his grip on the phone as Don desperately pointed to the dot representing Slash. It was in the alleyway. "Be very quiet, Lita," Leo ordered. The mutants in the battle shell were just as silent. Leo couldn't breath as Slash's dot grew closer and closer to Lita's location. Everything seemed to pause as the dot stopped moving.
Mikey looked back over his shoulder as Raph looked in the rearview mirror. There was no movement for a moment. Slowly, the dot continued its path, going further away. Leo released a breath. "I d-did it," Lita breathed.
"You did great, Lita," Leo complimented. The mutants in the van relaxed. A smile crossed Mikey's face. Raph released his death grip on the steering wheel.
"Okay, h-how do I g-get to the l-lady's house?" Lita asked. Leo instructed her to turn around and take the correct 'right' this time. He watched the map closely. Slash was turning around the block.
Something about the movement made Leo's mind start whirling. "Take the next right," Leo said, trying to keep as much space between the girl and the larger mutant.
Startled clicks started on the other side of the phone. A loud thud followed and the clicks stopped. "Lita?" Leo called out. "How far are we from her?" he asked and turned to Raph.
"I'm going as fast as I can," Raph said, "She should be around here." Leo looked in front of the vehicle. The street was completely empty. The red-masked turtle slammed on the break.
Mikey was out of the vehicle before the wheels stopped. With his nunchucks whirling, he paced the alleyway. "Lita? Imouto?" he called out. Leo could hear his brother's voice through the phone in his hands. Venus helped Don out of the vehicle as the two of them searched the garbage bins around the Battle Shell.
Raph slammed the door as he left the vehicle. Mikey had to dodge trash cans that Raph threw recklessly. "Lita? Where are you?" he called out. He kicked a cardboard box. Splinter padded beside his son and put a paw on his shoulder.
Leo looked up at the fire escapes, hoping that the girl was hiding above them. A shadow sat staring at the family. It pressed itself lower as it saw Leo staring. "Show yourself," Leo called out, pointing a katana at the shape.
The spectator lept off the fire escape and landed on the ground in front of the leader. In the dim light, shamrock scales were clearly visible. In her hands a gray cloak hung limply. "I'm sorry," Jennika said. She lowered herself to the ground. Her head bowed submissively.
"Shell ya are," Raph roared as he stomped up to her. He pulled her up by her plastron. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't put ya six feet under?"
Jennika looked right into his eyes. "I can't. You have every reason and right to end my life," she said bluntly. "Just before you do, take the bag," she continued, holding out a small bag to Mikey who was walking to the hot-headed turtle.
The seagreen turtle took the bag carefully, "Don't tell me there is a bomb in here."
Jennika smiled a small smile, "Smoke ones, flash bangs, shurikens, caltrops, and of course, retro mutagen." Mikey flinched at the last point.
Raph shook the turtle in his grasp. A paw placed itself on his shell. Splinter's face was firm in a way that Leo only saw when they battled the Shredder. "Jennika, were you intending to collaborate with the Foot?" Splinter asked. Mikey held the bag far from his body.
"Yes," She admitted. Emerald green hands shook as Raph snarled. "You were taking too long to go after Bishop." She looked away ashamed, "I thought they would handle the problem quicker." Raphael tossed her to the ground, he pulled out his sais.
"Guys, we don't have time to deal with her," Don called out from behind the group. Raph kept his eyes on Jennika who remained low to the ground. The others looked to the purple-masked turtle. In his olive green hands was a Shell Cell. The cracked screen made the owner quite clear.
"Retrieving Lita is our priority," Venus spoke. She crossed her arms across her plastron. "Jennika, if you are truely repentant, you will accompany us to retrieve Lita." Her green eyes narrowed.
"We can decide your fate after," Splinter conceded. "Donatello, how do we enter the EPF's facility?"