The Shellraiser barreled down the streets, rattling over the potholes as it made its way toward the Bowery. Mikey was practically bouncing in his seat, boredom written all over his face. Beside him, Cat was playfully flipping through one of the comics she'd grabbed from the lair, her legs dangling in the air, and her eyes scanning the pages quickly.

"Another day, another Kraang hunt," Mikey sighed, leaning over the side. His eyes darted to Raph. "Hey, Raph! Fire the weapons!"

Raph didn't even look up. "I don't think so."

Cat leaned over to Raph with a mischievous grin, tapping him on the shoulder. "Oh come on, Raph! Just one shot! I promise it'll be fun. Like... hit that mailbox! Boom! It'll be hilarious!"

Raph shook his head and grunted, clearly uninterested. "Not happening."

Mikey shot her a mischievous grin. "See, that's your problem. If I were in charge of weapons, I'd be firing at stuff all day long. That mailbox? Blam! The newsstand? Boom! That port-a-potty? Splat!"

Cat giggled loudly, bouncing in her seat. "Oh! And that grumpy guy over there—blam! Totally had it coming!"

Leo rolled his eyes from the front. "And that's why you're not in charge of the weapons. Now, get back to your station and tell me which way to go."

Mikey pouted dramatically. "Hmm. Okay. Uh, you should've turned right three blocks ago."

The team groaned in unison as Leo muttered under his breath.

As the Shellraiser came to a halt, Donnie peered out, his voice suddenly serious. "This must be the hidden Kraang lab."

"Let's trash the place!" Raph grinned, cracking his knuckles, already eager for a fight.

Leo shot him a look. "Hold on, Raph. This is a recon mission. We go in, find out what the Kraang are up to, and then trash the place."

Raph crossed his arms. "Fine. Wake me when we get to the trashing part."

The team filed out, heading for the entrance of the dimly lit lab. It was eerily quiet inside.

Raph's voice echoed off the walls as he took in the scene. "Oh, man. Someone beat us to it."

The place was a mess—dismembered droids lay scattered across the floor, and strange insect-like illustrations covered the walls.

"It looks like one of their mutagen experiments got away from them," Leo observed, cautiously stepping deeper into the lab.

Donnie examined the wreckage with his usual intensity. "Seems like they were doing experiments on arthropods. Weird."

Mikey, ever the curious one, was already spinning around on a chair. "Yoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-ha!" he cheered, looking for something to entertain him.

Nearby, Donnie found a centrifuge. "Hey, this equipment's still good. Nice centrifuge."

Raph snorted, rolling his eyes. "If I ever get that excited about a centrifuge, just put me out of my misery."

Cat bounced over to Donnie's side, her eyes wide with excitement. "Centrifuge! Oooh, look at that! It's like one of those spinny science things. Can I spin it?" She started twirling around, not exactly doing anything productive but definitely adding to the chaos.

As Mikey continued to make noise, Donnie suddenly looked up, noticing something. His eyes widened. "Hey, Mikey—how big do you think one of those arthropods might be?"

Mikey thought for a second, tapping his chin. "Well, a bee's about four millimeters. A wasp's like six."

Mikey froze as a giant shadow passed overhead.

"What the heck is that?" he pointed, his voice suddenly serious.

Above them, a giant mutant wasp descended from the ceiling. Its body was black and yellow, with glowing green eyes and veins pulsating with strange energy. It screeched, making its way toward Raph first.

"Get it off! Get it off! Get it off!" Raph yelled, swatting at the creature as it tried to bite him.

Donnie sprang into action, using a nearby broom to knock the wasp back. "It's going after us! We need a plan, and fast."

Cat didn't hesitate. She leapt to her feet, charging at the wasp with her tessen in hand. "Oh, no, you don't!" she shouted, swinging the tessen expertly and slicing at the wasp's wings. It screeched in frustration but kept coming.

Mikey grinned, eager to jump in. "I know! I'll catch it with my kusarigama chain!"

Leo shook his head. "That wasp's too strong. How about this? Mikey, you get it to chase you, and we'll ambush it."

Mikey groaned. "Why don't we ever do my plans?"

"Because they're your plans," Leo said with a smirk. "Now go!"

Mikey, undeterred, ran toward the table and jumped onto it. "Hey, wasp! Come and get it! Whoa!"

The wasp, its attention now fully on Mikey, started chasing him around the room.

Raph looked on, clearly unimpressed. "He's really turned running away screaming into an art form."

Donnie chuckled despite the situation. "Well, at least he's good at something, right?"

The wasp lunged at Mikey, its stinger inches from him. Mikey dodged at the last second, causing the wasp to slam into the wall instead.

Leo narrowed his eyes. "On my mark... Now!"

Mikey threw the kusarigama chain, entangling the wasp's legs. It tripped, falling to the floor just as the team leaped off the cabinet, ready to strike.

"Ha! How you like me now?" Mikey cheered.

But the wasp quickly recovered, dragging Mikey with it, knocking Raph and Donnie into the wall in the process.

"A lot less than I did a few seconds ago," Raph muttered.

Leo and Donnie jumped into action, ready to help Mikey. But before they could, the wasp charged again and managed to sting Leo's arm.

"OW!" Leo yelped in pain.

Donnie rushed to Leo's side. "Let me see it."

Leo winced, his eyes squinting. "Pretty sore, but I think I'll be... fine."

Donnie inspected the sting. "Mutations are generally anthropomorphic. I've never seen mutagen create giants like this before."

Raph scoffed. "Yeah, real fascinating, Donnie."

As Leo examined the area, he noticed something hidden behind a stack of newspapers—a green egg.

"Whoa," Leo said, pulling the papers away. "Look at this."

Donnie quickly stepped over. "It's some kind of egg."

Cat grinned. "Stand back. I'll handle this."

Raph raised an eyebrow. "I'm betting on the egg."

Before Cat could grab it, Leo stopped her. "Wait! We're not hurting it. We came here to find out what the Kraang are up to, and this egg is our only clue. We should take it back to the lab and let Donnie analyze it."

Raph crossed his arms. "Great idea. Let's take the mutant wasp egg into our home where we live. What's the worst that could happen?"

Leo ignored him, picking the egg up carefully. "It's not safe leaving this here. I'll just keep an eye on it."

Mikey elbowed Cat. "I'm beginning to think he like that egg more than you," he teased, causing Cat to pour.

Raph raised an eyebrow. "Well, the egg talks less than her, so there's that."

The lair was unusually quiet as Leo carefully cradled the glowing egg in his hands. The weight of it seemed to press down on him as he entered, his eyes never leaving its pulsing surface. Raph couldn't help but voice his concern immediately.

"I got a really bad feeling about keeping that thing in the lair," Raph muttered, narrowing his eyes as Leo set the egg down gently on a beanbag chair.

Cat, who had been sitting on the couch, tossing a shiny rock in her hands, perked up at Raph's words. "What's the worst that could happen? It's just an egg." She bounced to her feet, walking over to get a better look at it. "It doesn't look dangerous," she said with a casual shrug, but there was a playful glint in her eyes as she leaned closer. "I bet it's full of really cool alien stuff, like, maybe... superpowers or something!"

Mari, who had been sitting on the couch with a book in hand, looked up from her reading with a frown. "What kind of 'superpowers' could it have? That thing looks like it came straight out of a nightmare. Why would you even bring it here?"

Leo shifted the egg slightly in his hands, his tone firm but not dismissive. "Guys, think of all we could learn from it. This is a one-in-a-million opportunity."

Mari scoffed from the couch. "Yeah, sure. A one-in-a-million opportunity to have mutant wasps attacking us."

Raph scoffed. "You know what's inside wasp eggs, right? Here's a hint: Wasps!"

Mikey, who had been hanging upside down on a chair nearby, rolled his eyes. "That's not a hint, dude. You gave it away."

Cat couldn't help but giggle at Mikey's usual antics. "It's kinda true though! Wasps are totally terrifying," she said with a dramatic shiver. "But also, what if this egg turns into something way cooler than a wasp? Maybe, like, a totally gnarly mutant superhero?"

Mari raised an eyebrow, her arms crossed. "I'll believe that when I see it. It's still an egg full of danger."

Leo, giving her a sideways glance, moved toward the lab. "Let's just find out what the Kraang are really up to. We can't jump to conclusions."

As they entered the lab, Leo carefully placed the egg on the beanbag chair. Donnie immediately jumped into action, inspecting the egg with his usual fascination.

"This is fascinating," Donnie muttered under his breath, pulling out his scalpel.

"Stop!" Leo barked, his voice sharp as he stepped between Donnie and the egg. "What are you doing?"

Donnie raised an eyebrow, looking at Leo like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Dissecting it."

Leo was firm, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Absolutely not! This is the only egg we have. We need to learn how it develops."

Donnie sighed, stepping back with exaggerated slowness. "Well, then I guess I'll just keep staring at it," he muttered sarcastically.

Leo's jaw clenched. "Good idea. From over there," he said, gesturing to the other side of the room.

Cat, who had been bouncing over to examine the egg with the others, raised an eyebrow at Leo's behavior. "Okay, this is a little weird," she said, looking between the egg and Leo. "Are you sure you're good, Leo?"

Leo didn't answer. He just sat down on the floor near the egg, staring at it with an intensity that made the others uneasy.

A few moments later, everyone else went to the kitchen, but the air felt charged with tension.

Donnie broke the silence first. "Okay, Leo's acting totally weird, right?"

Raph shot a look at Mikey, who was already munching on snacks. "Yeah. It's like he's obsessed with that egg."

Cat, ever the optimist, nodded. "Let's ask Splinter what to do."

Donnie's face fell as he checked the schedule. "No dice, guys. Looks like he took April out for a training exercise."

Mari ran a hand through his head in frustration. "Okay, look, we gotta destroy that egg before it hatches."

From the other room, Leo's voice could be heard, but it was quieter, as though he were in a trance. "You guys go ahead. I've got this."

Donnie's voice came from the kitchen, quieter now. "Agreed, but he won't let us get anywhere near it."

Mikey, always ready to act, grinned mischievously. "Well, maybe we make him come to us."

Suddenly, Leo's eyes seemed to shrink, dilate, and twitch, as if something inside him was stirring. His breathing became heavier, each exhale accompanied by a strained moan that seemed almost metallic and demonic. It was clear that something was not right, and it was only a matter of time before the situation would spiral out of control.

The next day, Mikey bounded into the lair, a pizza box held high over his head. "Who wants pizza?" he grinned, his voice upbeat. "Leo's favorite! Jellybean, anchovy, and jalapeno!"

Donnie glanced up from his work, raising an eyebrow. "Isn't that your favorite?" he asked, a touch of skepticism in his voice.

Mikey only nodded vigorously. "Just go with it!"

Donnie shook his head and opened the door to the lab. "Leo?"

Leo, sitting at the table, didn't respond, nor did he seem to notice the pizza. His expression was distant.

Mikey, ever the optimist, tried again. "Leo?"

Still no response. Mikey exchanged a worried glance with Donnie.

Then, Raph, ever the fan of distractions, jumped in. "Oh, boy. That not-at-all-stupid Space Heroes show is on!"

Mikey immediately perked up, eyes lighting up. "Oh! Captain Ryan! Now we're talkin'!"

On the screen, Captain Ryan stood, his hands clasped around a beautiful woman, only for the camera to reveal that the woman was, in fact, a hideous alien disguised as a human. The dramatic reveal made Mikey laugh out loud.

"Look at this! He's fallen for a disguised alien!" Mikey chortled, pointing at the TV. "Classic!"

In the show, Captain Ryan, unaware of the truth, dramatically declared, "Gentlemen, I've finally found the woman I am going to marry. Say hello to the future Mrs. Captain Ryan."

Raph rolled his eyes. "Yeah, that's totally going to end well, buddy."

Crankshaw, another character on the show, chimed in, "Dr. Mindstrong, Captain Ryan has fallen under the control of a deadly hypnoticon!"

Captain Ryan replied, completely oblivious, "How about some sugar, baby?"

Mikey giggled, tossing a glance at Leo. "Hey, Leo, you're missing a great one, buddy!"

Still, Leo didn't respond. His eyes remained glazed over, fixated on the egg across the room.

Mari, sitting nearby, furrowed her brow as she glanced at Leo. "Seriously? He's been like this all day?" she muttered, irritated but with concern creeping into her voice. "What's the deal with him and that egg?"

Cat, bouncing up from the couch where she had been flipping through a stack of magazines, chimed in with her usual bubbly energy, though her tone was curious. "He's been obsessed with it since he brought it in! I mean, it's just an egg. Why's he acting like it's the Holy Grail or something?"

Mari gave her an exasperated look. "Because it's not just an egg, Cat. It's the egg that's been turning him into some kind of zombie." She threw a glance at Leo, who was still unmoving. "And I don't know about you, but I don't think we should be leaving that thing around here."

Cat, tilted her head and gave Leo a concerned glance. "Yeah, that's... not normal, huh?"

Raph huffed, frustrated. "Come on, dude, this is getting ridiculous. Look, Mikey, where are you going with Leo's signed Space Heroes comic book? The one he keeps wrapped in plastic?"

Mikey held up the rare comic, grinning mischievously. "Well, we're out of toilet paper, and I thought this would do the job nicely. Oh, yeah, that feels great. Hope Leo doesn't see me."

"Really?" Raph deadpanned. "You're using his rare, signed comic as toilet paper?"

Mikey didn't respond, but Donnie let out a sigh. "Wow, Leo's further gone than I thought."

Mari, standing from her chair and walking over to Leo, shook her head. "This isn't normal, Donnie. I think Leo's been acting weird ever since we brought that thing in." She stood near him, her arms crossed. "Maybe we should just destroy it before things get worse."

Cat nodded, crossing her arms. "Yeah, if Leo's gonna get weird about it, I say we chuck it in the trash. No way we need another mutant problem in this lair."

Raph threw his hands up. "All right, that tears it. I'm destroying the egg tonight, myself."

Later that night, after the others had tried and failed to break Leo's trance-like behavior, Raph quietly crept toward the room where the egg rested. It was still sitting on the soft beanbag chair, its faint, eerie glow casting strange shadows across the walls. Raph tightened his grip on his sai, determined to end this once and for all.

He raised his sai, ready to strike, but before he could, the door suddenly slammed open, and Leo appeared in front of him, blocking the blow with a speed that was unnatural. His eyes were completely black, glowing with an eerie energy, and a low growl rumbled in his chest.

Raph stopped in his tracks, his expression hardening. "Leo, what are you doing?"

Leo's mouth opened, but the growl that escaped wasn't his voice. It was distorted, metallic, like something else was speaking through him.

Raph braced himself, trying to keep his composure. "If that thing hatches, it might try to eat us."

Leo's lips curled into a cruel smile, and then he hissed, green saliva dripping from his sharp teeth. Raph shuddered, but he refused to back down.

"All right, this freak show ends now!" Raph lunged forward, his sai aimed directly at Leo, but Leo blocked him effortlessly, his strength far beyond what Raph had ever felt from him.

Raph gritted his teeth, frustration boiling over. "Come on, bro. Snap out of it!" He swung his sai again, but Leo dodged, swiping at Raph with a viciousness that left Raph barely able to keep his balance.

In the chaos, Leo's katana flew out of his hands, embedding itself in the ceiling with a loud clang.

"Not today, Leo," Raph growled, pushing forward again, but Leo just snarled at him, his eyes burning with a dark, malevolent light.

"You're not yourself, Leo," Raph said through gritted teeth. "Let me help you!"

Leo's unnatural roar echoed through the room as he lunged at Raph, attempting to bite him. Raph managed to kick him aside, sending Leo stumbling, but the moment he did, Leo came at him again, faster and more ferocious than before.

Just as Raph thought he had the upper hand, Leo got in close, his fangs bared. Raph barely managed to block him with his sai, but Leo bit down on his arm before Raph could react.

Raph gasped in horror as Leo pulled back, a wicked grin on his face. "Did you bite me? You bit me!" Raph staggered back, clutching his bleeding arm, eyes wide with disbelief.

But before Raph could process what happened, a sudden movement caught his attention. A sharp, high-pitched yell echoed through the room. Cat.

"Raph, look out!" Cat shouted, rushing to Raph's side with her tessen in hand. Her face was full of determination, but there was also fear in her eyes.

Leo's focus shifted immediately to Cat, his eyes darkening further, and he lunged for her, moving in a blur of speed. Cat barely managed to dodge Leo's swipe, twirling her tessen and aiming for his side, but Leo parried the blow with an unnatural strength, knocking her back into a nearby table.

"Cat!" Raph yelled, his voice strained with panic.

Cat quickly rolled to her feet, eyes blazing. She wasn't going to let Leo hurt Raph. She charged at Leo, striking with a flurry of tessen blows. Leo was fast, but Cat was quicker. She ducked under one of his wild swings and managed to land a blow on his side, sending him stumbling back.

But then Leo roared in rage, spinning around and swiping at her, his claws reaching out for her neck. Cat barely blocked it with her tessen, the force of Leo's blow sending her crashing into the wall. She groaned, dazed but determined not to give up.

"Raph! I'm fine, just—just keep him busy!" Cat shouted, her voice strained.

Raph's vision blurred as the pain in his arm intensified. His heart pounded in his chest. He couldn't let Leo hurt Cat. He couldn't let Leo become something he wasn't. "Leo! You need to stop!" Raph roared, but Leo only snarled in response, bloodshot eyes locked onto him.

As Cat attempted to regain her balance and take another strike, Leo saw an opening. He lunged at her, his mouth open wide, and sank his fangs deep into her shoulder. Cat screamed in pain, her tessen dropping to the ground as she fell to her knees.

"Cat!" Raph cried, but he couldn't move fast enough.

Leo's lips curled into an evil grin, but before Raph or Cat could process what happened, something worse emerged.

The egg—now cracked—released another mutant. Another deadly creature born from the mutagen.

The lair was eerily silent, and tension hung thick in the air as Donnie, Mikey, and Mari quietly made their way through the lair. Mari, still recovering from her injury, moved cautiously but steadily, her eyes scanning the shadows. Mikey, his usual chipper demeanor absent, was on edge, sensing that something was terribly wrong.

"Uh, where's Raph?" Donnie asked, his voice tinged with concern as he rubbed his eyes, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep.

Mikey, still groggy but aware of the situation, answered, "He said he was going for the egg last night."

"What about Cat?" Mari wondered.

The three turtles peeked into the next room, their hearts sinking. There, standing unnaturally still in the middle of the lair, were Leo, Raph, and Cat. All three of them had the same eerie, unnatural black eyes. Their postures were rigid, hostile, and entirely foreign. Their once-familiar features were now twisted into monstrous, infected forms.

Mari's breath caught in her throat as she stared at the sight. "Oh no..." she whispered, her hand instinctively moving toward her tanto, the weight of her injury momentarily forgotten.

Donnie's stomach churned. "This is bad," he muttered, stepping back slightly.

Mikey's voice cracked with panic. "Cat? Raph? Leo?" he said.

"Uh, Raph?" Donnie ventured cautiously, his voice tight.

Raph snarled, a low growl reverberating from deep within his chest. "Get away from the egg."

Mikey, now visibly scared, took a small step back. "Something's really wrong... They're not themselves anymore."

Donnie's eyes flicked to Raph's arm, which bore the unmistakable bite mark of Leo's infection. His face turned pale. "Look at his arm," he said grimly.

The three turtles stared at the dark, infected wound on Raph's arm, the bite mark pulsing ominously.

Mikey's voice trembled. "He got bit... Leo must've bit him—wait, Cat got bit too—look!"

As the three of them processed the horror before them, Leo, Raph, and Cat began to move toward them with unnatural, jerky steps, their roars growing louder, echoing through the lair.

Mari raised her tanto, her stance defensive but determined. "We need to get out of here," she said, her voice laced with urgency.

But before they could move, Leo, Raph, and Cat lunged. Leo's speed was unnatural, and Raph's strength was terrifying, his eyes burning with a predatory rage. And then, Cat attacked, her Tessen slashing the air as she joined her brothers in the fray.

Mari, though still fighting the effects of her injury, stood firm in front of Donnie and Mikey, her weapon ready. "Go! You need to get to the lab, Donnie! I'll hold them off!"

Donnie and Mikey hesitated, their eyes wide with disbelief. "Mari, no!" Mikey protested, stepping forward. "We can't leave you here!"

Mari shook her head, her voice hardening with resolve. "Donnie has to make the antidote. Now go!" She swung her Tessen, expertly blocking a strike from Cat. "I'll be fine. Go!"

Donnie looked at Mari, his mind racing. "But—"

Mari's eyes softened slightly, but her determination didn't falter. "Donnie, you're the only one who can stop this. I'll be fine, just hurry."

With one last lingering look, Mikey and Donnie bolted toward the exit, leaving Mari to hold off the infected trio.

The fight raged on as Mari danced around the infected Leo, Raph, and Cat, using her tanto to parry and strike as best she could despite the fatigue in her body. Each blow she landed was met with a snarl, and the infected brothers and Cat fought back with vicious abandon.

"Come on, Cat, snap out of it!" Mari shouted, but Cat's only response was a terrifying growl as she lunged again, this time landing a strike that Mari narrowly dodged.

Mikey and Donnie reached the exit, but Donnie hesitated for a split second, glancing back at Mari, still holding her ground against the three infected.

"You need to go, now!" Mari shouted. "Donnie, Mikey, I'll keep them distracted. Get the antidote!"

With a final glance, Donnie nodded, and they disappeared through the door, leaving Mari behind to hold off the infected trio. She swung her tanto with precision, but it was clear that every movement took more and more of her strength. But she wasn't about to give up.

Inside, Donnie paced, his mind working furiously. "Here it is," he muttered, his voice cold. "The parasitic wasp infects animals with a virus that brainwashes them into protecting its eggs."

Mikey, now worried about the long-term effects of the virus, asked, "You think that's the kind of wasp that stung Leo?"

Donnie quickly flipped through his notes. "A mutant version, yes. Then Leo bit Raph and Cat and passed the virus to both of them."

Mikey's eyes widened in fear. "So, once the egg hatches, will they go back to normal?"

Donnie's grim expression told Mikey all he needed to know. "Not quite. Look what happens to the caterpillar guarding the egg."

He flipped to a disturbing image of the caterpillar consuming itself, the parasitic cycle of the mutant wasp unfolding before their eyes.

Mikey recoiled. "It's eating him! It's eating him! AAHH! What are we gonna do?!"

Donnie, deep in thought, muttered, "Well, I might be able to create some kind of antibody, but first, I need a sample of the virus from the egg."

Suddenly, a loud bang echoed from the door.

"NO!" Donnie shouted.

The door slammed open.

Leo, Raph, and Cat stood in the doorway—free and more vicious than ever. Their black, hollow eyes gleamed under the dim light, and their snarls sent chills down Donnie and Mikey's spines. Green saliva dripped from their fanged grins as they stalked forward.

But something was missing.

Mikey swallowed, gripping his nunchucks. "Wait, where's—"

A shadow moved behind the infected trio.

Mari.

She stepped into the light, her yellow mask barely clinging to her face, dark eyes void of recognition. Her tanto was gripped too tightly, her stance unnaturally still—as if the infection had twisted her instincts into something primal.

Mikey's stomach dropped.

Mari had lost.

She had tried to hold them off—and she failed.

"Mari too?" Donnie whispered, his throat tight.

Before they could process it, Leo, Raph, and Cat lunged.

"Stay away! Stay away!" Mikey screamed, narrowly dodging a swipe from Leo.

"We have to get to the egg!" Donnie urged, pulling Mikey back. "It could be the only cure!"

But Cat was fast.

She darted toward Mikey, her tessen slicing through the air with unnatural speed. Mikey barely rolled out of the way as she struck again, her movements too calculated, too precise.

"Cat, it's me!" Mikey shouted, trying to reach her.

But she didn't hear him.

A shrill snarl ripped from her throat, and she lunged.

Mikey had no choice—he blocked with his nunchucks, sending her staggering back for a moment. But she recovered instantly, her black eyes empty.

Raph tackled Donnie before he could react, slamming him hard into the ground.

"Donnie!" Mikey called, but Mari was on him next.

She moved like a shadow, her tanto slashing down toward Mikey's shoulder. He barely twisted out of the way, feeling the blade graze past him.

"Mari, please!" he gasped.

She didn't hesitate.

She swung again, but Donnie managed to kick her back, knocking her against Raph.

"This isn't working!" Donnie hissed. "We need a plan—NOW!"

Mikey panted, trying to think. "We need the egg, right?! Maybe if we just—"

A sharp CRASH filled the lair.

They turned—too late.

Mari and Raph had the egg.

Mari held it in her hands, her expression twisted in eerie devotion, her infected mind protecting it with unwavering instinct. Raph stood beside her, guarding her like a rabid attack dog.

"No!" Donnie's heart sank.

Mikey reached out desperately. "Guys, please, you guys gotta snap out of it!"

But there was no flicker of recognition.

Leo and Cat blocked their path, cutting them off.

Donnie and Mikey barely had time to react before Mari and Raph vanished into the tunnels with the egg.

The door slammed shut.

They were gone.

Mikey stood frozen, breathing hard. "Wh-what do we do now?" His voice was small.

Donnie and Mikey dragged Leo and Cat up the steps, struggling under their weight.

Mikey grunted. "Man, they're a lot heavier than they look!"

Donnie wiped the sweat from his forehead. "We need to get them inside and figure out what to do."

As they barricaded the doors, ensuring no more infected could get through, Leo suddenly stirred.

His voice was eerily calm.

"Donatello? Michelangelo," he murmured, too slow, too deliberate. "What happened?"

Mikey froze. "Leo... you went crazy, dude. So did cat and-. And—" His voice caught in his throat. "Mari and Raph... they took the egg."

Leo blinked, his black eyes vacant.

"Oh..." His voice was too even. "Don't worry. I'm better now. You can untie me, Mikey. Untie me so we can go find them together."

Mikey's hand hovered near the ropes, but Donnie grabbed his wrist.

"NO!" Donnie snapped, his voice sharp with realization. "Look at his eyes!"

Mikey hesitated, and that was all Leo needed.

His body suddenly twitched.

Then—he lunged.

Mikey barely dodged in time, but Leo snarled and snapped his teeth, trying to bite him.

"Leo!" Donnie shouted, instinctively slapping him across the face.

Leo growled.

But it wasn't normal—it was distorted, metallic, like something was twisting inside him.

Then—his voice changed.

"It is useless to resist," Leo's voice was demonic, hollow, inhuman. "It is only a matter of time before the egg bursts, and the hatchling will feed on us all."

Donnie's hands shook. He fumbled for a needle and sample vial, injecting it into Leo's arm as quickly as he could, trying to extract some blood.

"Sorry to burst your possessed bubble, Leo," Donnie muttered. "We may not have the egg, but a sample of your blood should help me create a cure."

But Mikey's breath hitched.

His eyes widened in pure horror.

"Wait!" His voice cracked in alarm. "Bite! You've been bitten! You've been bitten!"

Donnie froze.

"What are you talking about?"

Mikey pointed frantically, his face pale. "Right there! Your neck!"

Donnie's stomach dropped.

His fingers shakily brushed against his jaw, where warmth oozed from a fresh bite.

His heart pounded.

His voice dropped to a whisper.

"I must've been bitten during the fight... Now I'm infected too."

Raph sat hunched on the stairs, his blackened eyes locked onto the trembling egg in the center of the lair. He barely moved, his usual scowl replaced with unnerving devotion.

Mari stood beside him, arms crossed. Her usual sharp gaze had been replaced with something eerily empty.

Leo and Donnie entered, their movements stiff and unnatural. But they weren't alone.

Cat followed closely behind, her usual nervous energy twisted into something sinister. She idly twirled her tessen, but the usual playfulness was gone—her grin was sharp, unnatural.

Raph barely acknowledged their arrival. Instead, his gaze flicked toward the egg as he crouched beside it, carefully placing it down like it was sacred.

"What about Michelangelo?" Raph rasped.

Parasitica Donnie, monotone and detached, replied, "He is no longer a threat to the egg."

Mari smirked, shifting slightly. "Then it's almost time."

Raph exhaled slowly. "That is good."

Parasitica Leo's voice was deep, reverent. "It is glorious."

The egg shuddered violently.

A tense silence followed as the infected siblings waited.

Then—footsteps.

Mikey stepped into the room, his expression unreadable.

Raph's head tilted slightly. Mari stepped forward, blocking his path. Cat circled him, eyes flicking over him like she was assessing prey.

"Michelangelo," Leo rasped. "You have come to join us."

Mikey grinned. "Yeah," he said smoothly, stepping forward. "I finally understand what's so awesome about this egg."

The egg trembled at his words.

Parasitica Cat giggled, an unsettling sound. "You feel it too?"

Mari's voice was sharp, expectant. "Then you know what comes next."

Mikey kept his smirk up, even as a cold sweat dripped down his back. "You guys are in for a surprise."

"Here it comes," Parasitica Raph murmured, watching the egg.

Mikey struck.

He lunged forward, jamming the syringe into Leo's neck.

Leo hissed, thrashing violently as the antidote coursed through him. Mikey didn't hesitate—he spun, slamming the second syringe into Raph.

Raph let out a guttural roar, stumbling back against the stairs.

"What have you done?!" Parasitica Mari snarled.

Before she could react, Mikey twisted past her, jabbing a syringe into her arm.

Mari let out a distorted screech, her body convulsing as the infection fought back.

Parasitica Cat screamed, lunging at Mikey with her tessen.

Mikey barely ducked, rolling aside as Cat's tessen sliced through the air where his head had been.

"Sorry, sis—nap time!" Mikey jammed the last syringe into Cat's neck.

Cat gasped, stumbling back, her legs shaking.

The cure spread through their systems, taking hold faster than Mikey expected.

Leo slumped first, his limbs twitching.

Raph fell next, groaning as he hit the floor.

Mari wobbled, her voice raw with resistance before her knees buckled, and she collapsed beside them.

Cat swayed on her feet, her body shaking violently before she crumpled to the ground.

Mikey stood there, panting. The only one left standing.

For a moment, there was nothing but the sound of his own breath. Then—the egg cracked.

Mikey's stomach dropped.

Five wasps crawled out.

Mikey's eyes widened in horror.

"Five?! Are you kidding me?!"

The wasps came toward his unconscious siblings, so Mikey got in front of them. "No, no, no—stay away from them!"

He grabbed his skateboard, swinging it at the nearest wasp, sending it flying into the wall.

The others were still too weak to fight, leaving Mikey alone against the new threat.

He scrambled toward the Shellraiser, his heart pounding. But before he could reach it, the wasps pounded on the vehicle's sides, rattling it violently.

"Come on, seriously?" Mikey groaned, throwing himself into the driver's seat.

Raph's voice broke through the tension. "Hey, wasps! Come and get it!"

Leo, groggy but alert, groaned. "Looks like we're gonna be wasp food after all."

Mikey slammed his hand onto the cannon controls.

BOOM.

Trash balls obliterated the wasps mid-flight, sending their remains splattering against the lair walls.

Silence.

Then—Mikey leaned back, exhaling loudly. "Saved your lives again, dudes. I am on a roll today."

The lair was a mess—shredded wires, mutant goo, and broken furniture littered the floor as the siblings groggily moved about, cleaning up the remnants of their battle.

Raph stood with his arms crossed, still processing everything that had happened. "I can't believe Mikey actually came through."

Leo sighed, rubbing his temple as he took in the scorch marks left by the Shellraiser's cannon. "I can't believe he fired the Shellraiser cannon inside the lair."

Mikey, standing proudly in the middle of the destruction, grinned like he had just won the lottery. "I told you guys you should let me shoot it more often. Pizza me."

Donnie rolled his eyes, unimpressed. "No, I'm not gonna 'pizza' you."

Cat, still sprawled across the couch with a blanket thrown over her, let out a dramatic groan. "Can we 'pizza' me instead? I almost got eaten by a bug, so I think I deserve a pizza."

Mari snorted. "You also bit and infected me, so I think that cancels out your pizza rights."

Cat gasped, clutching her blanket. "You wound me."

Mikey flopped onto the couch beside her, throwing an arm around her shoulder. "Don't worry, sis, we can split a pizza."

Cat perked up immediately. "Deal!"

Mari, sitting nearby with an ice pack on her head, let out a long sigh. "Can we just agree that was the worst thing we've ever been through?"

Donnie, clearly still annoyed, nodded. "Agreed."

Mikey, leaning back in his chair, shrugged nonchalantly. "I guess you're right. It's not like I did something incredibly brave... and saved all your lives."

Leo exhaled, finally allowing a small grin. "You did save our lives."

"Soooo... does that mean I get pizza?"

Leo narrowed his eyes. "It means you used my favorite comic book as toilet paper."

Mikey scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Yeah, but I only did it so you'd chase me."

Leo took a slow step forward, his expression unreadable. "Well, it worked."

Mikey's eyes widened in realization. "Wait, stop—"

Leo lunged.

Mikey screeched, scrambling over the couch as Leo tackled him, pinning him to the ground.

"I'm a hero!" Mikey yelped, laughing as Leo ruffled his mask playfully.

Cat, watching from her spot, kicked her feet in amusement. "I dunno, Mikey. Heroes usually don't cry for help."

Mari, still holding her ice pack, leaned back with a smirk. "This is way better than TV."

Laughter filled the lair, the tension of the battle melting away into their usual chaos. They had survived another night of mutant madness, but at the end of the day, they were still family.