April, Casey along with the girls, Elizabeth and the turtles, were on a bridge, while Mikey and Donnie were preparing a raft in the river below them. "Well, what are we still hanging around here for? The sun's about to set! Let's raft down the river like we said that we're gonna and get this camping trip in gear! Yo, Leo, what do ya say? What's going down, bro?" Casey asked Leo.
"Down? The river, I suppose." Leo replied.
"Yeah, right. Okay, Leo." Casey murmured.
"Attention ladies and gentlemen and teenage mutant ninja turtles! This is the first and final boarding call for the U.S.S Turtleriffic! The most happening party cruise at this side of, um, uh, Casey's grandma's barn house! Tickets please, tickets!" Mikey shouted.
"Oh, I got your ticket right here!" Raph shouted. He jumped down, crashing into the water, splashing Mikey.
Everyone got on the boat as it slowly took them down the river as nighttime rolled around. "The river's so perfect. Flowing just as it has for tens of thousands of years. Ancient, mysterious, alive." April said.
"Gee, April, you make it sound almost spooky." Mikey replied. Suddenly, a noise startled everyone.
"W-What was that?" April stammered. A small owl flapped its wings as it soared across the raft flying away.
"It's just a barn owl, nothing to be scared of." Casey laughed.
"Sometimes, sometimes Casey can be so cool, like now. Focused and grown up, mature even." April said to Donnie. Casey let out a loud burp.
"You were saying?" Donnie asked.
"Oh my gosh!" April exclaimed. Everyone looked over to what she was looking at to see a large nuclear power plant. "I didn't know that we live so close to one of these."
"I saw in the local news that they're closing this place down." Casey answered.
"Finally, someone's come to their senses." April said.
"Ah, yes, nuclear power plants. Once heralded as the future of energy. But they become the purple dragons of energy productions. Hard to clean up after even harder to get rid of. But it looks like those cooling towers have already been rigged for demolition. So, this is one nuclear plant that no one has to worry about anymore. Any questions, class?" Donnie asked.
"Hey, Leo, help me out here, bro? Up there on the left, is that the turn to ox bow lake that Master Splinter told us about?" Casey asked Leo.
"Hmm? Yeah, that should be the way to Norwhattacagi." Leo answered and looked back down into the water again.
"Norwhattawhati?" Mikey said.
"Norwhattacagi. That's what the Indians that used to live here called the lake. It means, lake of the lost tribe." Donnie told him.
Casey steered the raft, docking it by the shores of the riverbed and everyone got off to set up camp. As the tents were set up, they gathered around the campfire, telling jokes. "Oh yeah, well I got one for you! How come Utroms are always lonely?" Casey asked everyone.
"Beats me." Raph replied.
"Cause they ain't' got no body. Get it? No body." Casey replied.
"Hey, I got one, Case! How do you measure an Utrom?" Mikey asked him.
"In inches." Mikey answered. "In inches! They don't have feet!" Yuuki and April laughed before looking over at Leo who was standing away from the group, looking out to the river. April glanced over at Yuuki, who shook her head. April sighed and got up as she left walking over to him.
"Are you okay, Leo? I know that something's been bothering you." April questioned.
"Yeah, I-I don't know. Well, I guess I do. It's just can't stop thinking about the last time that we've faced off against the Shredder. That the only way that we could have defeated him was by blowing ourselves up. I couldn't protect, my brothers, my master,... and Yuuki. I feel like such a complete failure! And no matter how I try to rationalize it, justify it, it always comes down to the face that I wasn't good enough. April, look!" Leo stopped when he saw something coming out of the water.
"Uh, guys, we-we have company!" April cried out. Everyone got up when they saw something coming closer towards Leo and April. They ran over to them as the fish-like creature collapsed on the ground at April's feet. "And she's hurt?"
"Mikey, quick in my backpack! Get me the first aid kit and my techtalm." Donnie quickly told him.
"Sir, yes, sir!" He ran to go grab it.
"Somebody help me turn her over!" April shouted.
"So, what is she? Some kind of fish?" Raph asked.
"It's strange. I could've sworn I've seen someone like her before." Venus murmured to herself.
"What was that?" Donnie asked her. Venus shook her head.
"Nothing. It must be my imagination." She told him.
"She doesn't have gills and she's stopped breathing. And her heart, I can't find a pulse!" April shouted.
"According to my techtalm, these markings, they're burns, radiation burns. She's been exposed to a massive dose of radiation." Donnie explained. Venus knelt down next to April and began to use some of her chi to try and heal some of the burns.
"Casey, help me out here. I'll see if her throat's clear and begin the mouth to mouth." April instructed Casey.
"Guys, I hate to be the barer of bad news, but they are more fish people, and they are not looking happy!" Mikey shouted as four more fish creatures rose out of the water and began to inch closer towards the group.
"They must think that we're hurting her. Keep them away, we need more time!" April shouted. Leo quickly pullled out his swords and lunged at a creature who grabbed him and tossed Leo into the lake.
"Leo!" Raph shouted. He growled and charged at creature, pulling them both into the lake.
"Raph!" Mona cried out. Elizabeth squealed as she squirmed in her arms. Two creatures surrounded Mikey tripping him on his feet, dragging him towards the water. One out maneuvered Donnie, pulling him in as well.
"April! The walking fish sticks got the guys!" Casey shouted.
"That's it. We've got to go help them!" Yuuki shouted. She rushed towards the lake, while Mona and Venus tried to stop her. She jumped into the water and Alopex jumped in as well, following behind her.
"It's no good, April. The fish lady's not responding. And what about the guys? Those fish dragged them under the water and they ain't coming up! What should we do?" Casey asked her. April didn't respond. "April snap out of it!"
"April?" Venus questioned her. April still didn't respond then she began to spoke in a strange voice in a trance.
"We...we are the last five. The last of a once proud race. We began as slaves in the lost city of Atleantius but we would suffer at the hands of the cruel Atleateneans for only so long. There was revolt, revolution. I was only a child then. It was all confusion, chaos. I remember Atleantius sinking beneath the waves and my mother telling me that we were, finally, finally free! Our tribe swam the seven seas, searching far and wide for a place to call our own. The currents led us to a new, unspoiled land where we could live in peace, where we could survive and raise our young. Where we could be no one's slaves ever again. We have found our true home.
But we are a long-lived people and time moved ever onward. Soon the fresh unspoiled land the seas had led us too was not so fresh anymore, not so unspoiled. Faster than we've ever really believe there was nowhere left for us to go. We moved closer to the river, but it did no good. My people began to get sick. The responsibility fell to me to tend the few remaining eggs. Our last generation, our last hope. They clinged to life, but just barely. I do all that I can, but I fear it is not enough. I am only one and I am so tired, so tired...so tired."
"April, April! April, come on! Snap out of it! We gotta do something here!" Casey shook her again. "April?"
Yuuki and Alopex swam deeper down into the water seeing the four fish creatures fighting the four turtles. One punched Raph in the chest, knocking him back. Raph grabbed the creature as it swam after him, flipping him over to the ground. He swam up, meeting with the other two girls. They looked down seeing Leo fighting against one holding it back his swords. The three swam down towards the two. The creature grabbed a tire from the ground, but Leo sliced it in half. It tossed a pice at Leo, who blocked the tire with his shell. Yuuki and Alopex swam over and threw a punch and a kick at the fish creature, knocking it back. Yuuki and Alopex moved out of the way as the creature swung its webbed claws at them. Leo grabbed Yuuki by her wrist pulling her behind him. Raph tossed the creature that he was fighting with, sending the fish man colliding into it.
Alopex turned her head to see another one of the creatures had Mikey tangled up in some seaweed, holding him in place. She growled and swam over. Leo, Yuuki and Raph followed behind her as she kicked the fish in the face, knocking him away from Mikey. Leo and Raph sliced at the weeds, freeing him.
"April?!" Casey tried to shake April again, getting her to come to. The fish woman raised her hand, placing it on April's cheek as she stared back into April's eyes.
"The responsibility, the responsibility fell to me to tend for the few remaining eggs. Our last generation, our last hope! They cling to life, but just barely. I do all that I can, but I fear it is not enough. Not enough, not enough."
"Fading...We're fading away." April murmured.
"Hey, you okay?! What a happened? You went all freaky on me." Casey said.
"My mind is spinning. She's showed me so much, it's too much to take in." April replied.
Leo and Donnie grabbed Mikey as they began to swim back up, along with Yuuki and Alopex who was running out of air much faster than them. Raph followed behind them. The four fish creatures completely surrounded them, preventing them from reaching the surface. Raph glared at the creatures, getting ready to fight them again as they began inch closer.
The fish woman's hand fell from April's face as it went limp falling on the ground. April tried to feel for a pulse. She shook her head, sadly. As the four fish creatures were approaching the four turtles and Yuuki and Alopex. They suddenly stopped. They looked up and began to swim back up towards the surface, leaving them alone. The group quickly followed after them, breaching the water for air. They crawled out of the water as they saw the four fish men heading towards April and Casey to the fish woman. Alopex began to shake the water off of her like a dog, getting Leo, Raph, Mikey, Donnie, and Yuuki wet again. April, Venus, and Casey moved getting out of their way and the picked her up. They carried her towards the lake and her body drifted in it before it turned into seafoam, sinking towards the bottom. The four fish men left without a word, heading back into the lake, leaving the group as they watched them. Then April's eyes widen in realization what the fish woman had shown her.
"Wait, wait! Her burns! They're radioactive burns from the nuclear power plant! The eggs, Casey. She was trying to save her eggs!" April shouted.
"Um, uh, what eggs, April?" Casey asked, confused.
"Her eggs. Her babies. The nuclear power plant, its leaking radioactive fuel, right near where the merwoman laid her last eggs. Don't ask me how I know but I know! And we got to try and save them!"
They group headed back to the power plant on the raft and walked along the shores of the bank, searching. "I don't know, guys. We've been to pretty nasty places being ninja turtles and all. But this place really gives me the creeps!" Mikey exclaimed.
"What do you think April? Is this it?" Casey asked.
"I can't tell. Some of this area looks familiar from the vision, but it's hard to be sure." April said.
"According to my readings, the workers have safely contained and cleaned up the area inside and immediately around the nuclear reactor." Donnie explained.
"Let me guess, this is one of those good news and bad news scenarios, right?" Raph asked.
"Unfortunately, yes. It looks like they've neglected to clean up everything else beyond the plant itself. Especially over this way. This creek's water is completely contaminated." Donnie continued. "The nuclear rod cooling pool is leaking into the creek. And worse..."
"I hate it when there's a worse." Mikey replied.
"That dike over there, it's about to burst." Donnie pointed out.
"That's it. The river! That's where the merwoman's eggs are buried! I'm sure of it This is what she wanted me to see! This is what she showed me in the vision. We have to something to save those eggs. If the eggs hatch and the babies swim through that leaking radiation, they'll all perish!" April shouted.
"Then what are we waiting for?" Raph asked.
"We need a plan. But with all this radiation around, we need a safe plan." April asked and turned to Donnie. "What do you think, Donatello?"
"When they take down cooling towers, they always rigged to blow up and implode inwards. We might be able to re-rig one of these, so it falls outwards and creates a new barrier. One that will block the leaking dike." Donnie answered.
"Yo, what about the radiation?" Casey asked.
"The cooling towers themselves aren't radioactive. We won't need bio-suits or anything." Donnie explained.
"Then the first thing that we have to do is sneak in there." Raph replied.
"Right! And like the three musketeers used to say, "One for all and all for ninja mode!" Of course, I'm paraphrasing." Mikey shouted. Raph slapped Mikey in the head. "Ow!"
"What is wrong with you?" Raph frowned.
"What?" Mikey shrugged.
The four turtles, along with Alopex and Casey, quietly sneaked inside the power plant, while April, Yuuki, Mona with Elizabeth, and Venus were on look out. The group hopped over the fence, towards the plant. Donnie followed behind them heading in a different direction to the tower. He took cover behind a trashcan and a racoon was sitting on top of it eating a banana peel. "Boo!" Donnie startled the raccoon, scaring it away, dropping the peel on the ground. Donnie pulled out his shell cell. "Okay, April, I'm just about there. Another 30 seconds and I'll be in position."
"Roger that. I'll signal the others." April told him.
"Mikey's party line, who's your daddy!" Mikey answered on his.
"Donnie's in position." April told the group.
"Can you say diversion?" Raph suggested. He used his sai and snipped a wire from a electrical box above him. A loud alarm rang out through the power plant and some of the workers from the power planet ran out as they were alerted. Donnie snuck inside the tower and pulled out a panel.
"A little creative rewiring, and we should have ourselves a new dam in about 60 seconds." Donnie finished rewiring the tower to explode. He placed the panel back and set the timer and ran out. As he ran, Donnie slipped on the banana peel on the ground. "Whoa!-" falling on his butt. He groaned as he sat up. Donnie's eyes widened as he saw one of the power plant workers, standing in front of him.
"Whoa! You-What the heck are you?" The man exclaimed in shock, seeing Donnie. Donnie got up, pulling his staff out.
"Um, just, uh, a little guy in a green piece costume?" Donnie answered with a meek smile. The man tried to grab Donnie, but he flipped away from the man.
"Green piece, huh? That's all I need to hear." The man scoffed. Donnie slapped his staff against the man's wrist and arm.
"Listen, big guy, we don't have time for this! Please accept my apology!" Donnie shouted.
"Apology? For what?" The worker questioned. Donnie smirked.
"For this." Then he smacked the man with his staff on the back of his knee, knocking the man down and unconscious.
April and the three girls saw Leo, Mikey, Raph, Alopex and Casey jump over the fence and ran over towards them.
"Where's Donnie?" Venus asked them worriedly. April tried to call him on her shell cell.
"Donatello? Donatello, can you hear me? He's still not answering!" April shouted, worried.
"Why did you have to be so big!?" Donnie exclaimed. He struggled to carry the worker, who was still knocked out, trying to get out of the plant before it blew up. Donnie fell to the ground as the weight of the large man toppled on top of him. He looked up and saw Leo in front of him. Leo bent down helping Donnie up as he grabbed the man's upper body while Donnie grabbed his legs.
"Come on, let's go! Fireman's carry!" Leo shouted. Leo and Donnie ran and jujmped over the fence and the bomb exploded, destroying the tower. "Fire in the hole!" Mikey shouted. The group ran taking cover in the woods as the blast covered the power plant. The nuclear tower fell down right on top of the dam, blocking the leaking waste. As the smoke settled, the power plant worker woke up, alone. He gasped as he got up.
"Oh no, no, no!" The nuclear plant worker cried out, seeing the destruction.
"Come on, guys!" April cried out.
"Let's get outta here!" Casey shouted. A truck drove up and another power plant worker climbed out, seeing the destruction.
"This is not a good way to start the day." He sighed. The man was carrying a radiation detector as he walked over to the other worker.
"Environmental do-gooders, sir! We gotta go after them!" The worker told him.
"Are you kidding? Whoever did this, did us a favor. This whole area's contaminated! We have to a crew right away and clean this up. Why wasn't this area checked?" He narrowed his eyes at him. The worker shrugged his hands. "Whoever dropped that tower may have saved a lot of lives, a whole lot of lives!"
The turtles, April and Casey the girls quickly hopped back onto the raft, sailing away from the plant.
"So, do you think that we did any good back there, April?" Donnie asked her. "I mean, did we really save the last of the merpeople of Atleanteus?"
"Well, Donnie, I don't know. I guess, we'll never know." April answered.
Beneath the power plant, the eggs hatched one by one as the new babies popped out and swam away.