The dojo was quiet, lit only by the soft, flickering glow of candlelight. Master Splinter sat motionless at its center, surrounded by silence. A photo rested beside him—an old image of a father and the daughter he was still trying to bring home. Karai's capture weighed heavily on him. The pain wasn't loud, but it filled the room.

Just outside the doorway, Leo stood still, watching their sensei with a clenched jaw. He didn't speak, didn't move. Beside him, Cat lingered, arms crossed tightly, her expression unreadable.

After a quiet moment, she said softly, "He hasn't moved all day..."

Leo nodded. "I know."

Their voices faded with the flickering light, replaced a moment later by the echoing footsteps of Raph approaching from the tunnel, holding a pizza box in one hand.

"Pizza's here," he said, his tone casual—too casual.

Mikey popped up immediately, eyes wide. "You got one pizza? I could eat that whole thing myself!"

"Would you relax?" Donnie muttered, not even looking up.

"Relax?" Mikey smirked, already rummaging through his belt pouch. "This calls for something special." He threw a smoke bomb at the floor with a grin. "Booyakasha!"

"MIKEY—!" Raph groaned.

Donnie coughed in the smoke. "Seriously?"

When the smoke cleared, Mikey was on all fours, pawing across the floor. "Where's the pizza?!"

Cat walked past him without a word, snagging a slice from the box in Raph's hands. As she took a bite, she was glaring at Raph, and then walked away.

"We should be doing something," Leo said flatly. "Karai's still out there."

"Leo, not this again," Raph muttered.

Leo turned on him. "Yes. This again. She helped us. She fought against Shredder—and now she's in a dungeon because of it."

"She was raised by the guy, Leo," Raph said. "That doesn't go away overnight."

"I believe she's on our side," Leo said. "And we have to act."

There was a brief pause. Mari stood off to the side, leaning against the wall. She didn't speak, but Cat caught the look she gave Leo—a quiet skepticism. Cat's eyes lingered on her just a second too long before turning away.

Leo looked around the group. "Well? Am I the leader or not?"

Raph shrugged. "More or less."

Leo frowned. "So I'm only the leader when it's convenient?"

He turned and walked toward the exit. "Fine. I'm checking out Shredder's lair. See if it has a weak point."

No one moved at first. Then Donnie stood up with a sigh. "Wait. We'll come with you."

"But this doesn't mean we're going in," Raph added, grabbing Mikey by the shell as he continued crawling around on the ground.

"Pizza?" Mikey mumbled. "Pizza??"

As the others followed, Cat lingered for a moment. She looked back toward the dojo where Splinter still knelt, unmoving. Then she glanced once at Mari—her face unreadable—before trailing behind the rest in silence.

Outside the Shellraiser, the city stretched out under a hazy night sky. The vehicle rumbled along quietly, its interior dimly lit by the glow of Donnie's monitors.

"I'm thinking we might have better luck if we tunnel up from underneath Shredder's lair," Leo said, his voice sharp with focus.

Mikey popped his head between the seats. "Ooh! What if we tunnel down from above? That'll blow their minds."

Raph leaned against the wall with a tired groan. "You can't tunnel down from above, genius! That's just... fallin'."

"We're not tunneling anywhere," Mari muttered from her spot by the door. "This whole thing's reckless."

"It's necessary," Leo countered.

Donnie narrowed his eyes at his screen. "We'll see how necessary it feels when we're surrounded by Foot Bots."

Cat sat near the back, curled up with her arms crossed, eyes flicking toward the floor. She hadn't said a word since they left the lair. Not even when Mikey started humming his "mission music" out loud.

Raph finally noticed the silence and turned halfway in his seat to look at her. "What, no commentary from the pink airhead back there?"

No response.

He raised a brow, smirking faintly. "Cat got your tongue? Heh. Literally."

Still nothing. She didn't even blink—just stared straight ahead.

Raph's smirk faded. He shifted awkwardly, cleared his throat. "Uh... I mean, you okay or...?"

Cat didn't answer. She didn't even glance his way.

Raph glanced at Donnie, then looked back at her, frowning slightly now—but before he could say anything else—

"Huh?" Donnie leaned forward at his screen. "Is that a guy?"

Leo blinked. "What?"

"Infrared only. He's not showing up on regular cams."

Donnie pointed. "Leo, hit the brakes!"

Leo slammed the brakes and the Shellraiser skidded to a stop.

Something slammed onto the hood, then rolled off into the shadows.

The team burst out of the van, weapons ready.

"What did we hit?" Mikey gasped.

"A guy," Donnie said. "An invisible guy."

Leo narrowed his eyes. "Is this some kind of Kraang tech?"

"Maybe," Donnie muttered. "But we're not alone."

Raph moved toward a duffel bag lying on the street. He crouched down, unzipped it—and immediately flinched at the sound of a metallic meow.

"...Weird," he muttered, then froze as movement stirred overhead.

Foot Bots dropped from the rooftops, landing all around them, weapons drawn.

"Guys..." Raph reached into the bag again. "You're not gonna believe this."

He pulled out a familiar metal helmet.

Donnie's eyes widened. "Is that—?"

Raph nodded grimly. "Shredder's Kabuto."

They barely had time to react before the Foot Bots charged.

Leo snapped his blades free. "Here we go."

The fight broke loose in seconds—blades clashing, smoke rising. Leo cut through the front line, Donnie twirled his staff into a defensive wall, and Mikey flipped through the chaos with reckless joy.

Mari struck hard, efficient and ruthless, tearing through bots with her tantos.

Cat stayed toward the edges—quick and elusive, but distant, detached.

"Come and get some, sucka fool!" Mikey shouted, mid-air and mid-spin.

But the Foot Bot was faster. It caught him mid-leap and slammed him into the pavement with a thud that echoed down the alley. More of them poured in from all directions—too many to count, too many to fight.

"Let's get out of here!" Donnie yelled, backing toward the Shellraiser.

"Booyakasha!" Mikey grunted, hurling smoke bombs to cover their retreat. Thick smoke billowed up as the team scattered, slipping through the chaos and diving back into the vehicle.

Leo slammed the doors shut behind them and spun toward Raph. "You got the helmet?"

"You know it," Raph said, clutching the duffel bag tight, the edge of Shredder's kabuto peeking from the zipper.

In the shadows above, a shimmer flickered—then solidified into a figure crouched on the rooftop. Anton Zeck tilted his head, visor glinting under the moonlight. He raised a tiny tracking device between two fingers and flicked it down with a smooth snap.

The beacon clicked onto the roof of the Shellraiser without a sound.

"Zeck is coming after you, my ectothermic friends," he said, grinning beneath his visor.

The Shellraiser rumbled through the quiet streets, city lights casting brief flashes across the team's tired faces. The weight of the battle still clung to the air.

"This is perfect. Perfect!" Leo grinned, pulling Shredder's helmet from the bag like it was a trophy.

Mikey blinked. "Yeah! Wait, what?"

Leo held the kabuto up proudly. "Shredder's helmet. We can trade it for Karai."

"Are you serious?" Raph groaned. "You're delusional, you know that?"

Across from him, Mari leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "I'm with him. We're not exactly dealing with rational people here, Leo."

Cat, sitting near Donnie, didn't even look at them. She tilted her head toward Leo instead. "You think it'll actually work?"

Leo nodded. "It has to."

"I hope so," Cat murmured, eyes on the helmet. "She doesn't deserve to stay locked up like that."

"Even if she tried to kill us a dozen times?" Mari asked, a sharp edge to her voice.

Cat didn't answer. She didn't even blink. She looked at Donnie instead. "How close are we to the lair?"

Donnie adjusted the screen. "Few blocks out. Still being followed though."

Raph leaned over toward Cat, trying to ease the tension with a half-teasing tone. "You didn't say anything earlier. What, didnt get enough beauty sleep?"

Cat turned just enough to glance at him—and then looked right back at Donnie without replying.

Donnie raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

Raph frowned, confused for a moment.

Outside, on the rooftops, Anton Zeck zipped from building to building with flair, easily keeping pace.

"Ha ha! Hello there, reptile buddies," he sang, drawing closer.

Inside the Shellraiser, another blast shook the vehicle.

"Plasma cannon!" Donnie shouted. "He's getting closer!"

"I swear, if this guy scuffs the paint—" Mikey started.

"We've got bigger problems," Mari cut in, nodding toward the tracking alert on Donnie's screen.

As if to prove her right, two more figures joined the rooftop chase.

"There are so many freaks around here," Zeck muttered, spotting Tiger Claw and Rahzar. "This town is really going downhill."

Tiger Claw narrowed his eyes. "They have the Kabuto."

"Finally," Rahzar growled. "Been too long since I cracked a shell."

The Shellraiser skidded to a halt. The doors slammed open.

"Don't let them get the helmet!" Leo shouted, leaping out first.

Raph grabbed the kabuto and followed. Donnie swung Mikey like a nunchuck into Tiger Claw, and chaos erupted.

"Hot potato!" Mikey shouted, tossing the helmet mid-air.

"Got it!" Donnie called, catching it as he climbed the fire escape with Leo. Mari was right behind them.

Cat paused for a second, then nodded to Donnie. "Go, I've got you covered."

She stayed low, slipping up behind Raph without a word and spinning to kick back a footbot who tried to blindside him—without acknowledging him at all.

He noticed.

On the roof, Fishface and Stockman-Fly blocked the path. "I believe you have something we need."

"Deodorant? Got it," Mikey offered, pulling out a chain and launching it toward Stockman.

"Behind you!" Cat called to Donnie.

The fight grew more brutal. A billboard above creaked and gave way—falling directly onto the group below.

"Mikey! Raph!" Leo shouted in horror, trying to pull the debris off.

"It's no use!" Raph's voice was strained.

"Just go!" Mikey added. "Save Karai!"

Cat stood frozen for a second, her eyes wide, staring at the wreckage. She clenched her fists, then turned and ran after Leo.

Leo raised the helmet and shouted, "Freaks! I've got your helmet!"

As the enemies lunged, Raph threw down a smoke bomb. Leo sprinted through the alleys, vanishing into the dark with the kabuto in hand.

In the shadows, a banana peel clattered against a trash can.

Tiger Claw snarled. "Over there!"

In the opposite direction, Leo peeked out of a dumpster, smirking. "Smooth."

Then he gagged. "Ugh. Diapers."

He climbed out—only to bump into a cloaked figure.

"Seriously?" he muttered.

Zeck.

Leo scowled and held up the bag. "This what you're after?"

He kicked Zeck square in the chest, shorting out his invisibility.

"Nice haircut, buddy. Here's your bag. Have fun with your friends."

And just like that, Leo took Cat's wrist, and they ran.

The air outside the Shredder's compound was thick with danger, the kind of silence that prickled at the back of the neck. Leo moved through the shadows with calculated purpose, every step echoing like a drumbeat in his head. At his side, Cat crept silently, tessen gripped tight in one hand, her eyes wide but focused.

The bag Leo carried felt heavier with every step—not from its weight, but from what it represented.

Inside, Shredder was waiting.

They entered the chamber together, the faint light casting long shadows. Oroku Saki stood near his throne, towering and calm, his claws gleaming under the dim glow.

"Why does the fly walk into the spider's web?" Shredder asked, his voice smooth and sharp.

Leo stepped forward, unwavering. "Because all the spider's henchmen are out."

Shredder's gaze drifted past him—to Cat. His eyes narrowed slightly in recognition. "Ah. And you brought the child."

Cat bristled but didn't shrink away. "I'm not a child," she said, voice cold. "And I'm not afraid of you."

A flicker of something—amusement or disdain—passed across Shredder's face. "You should be."

Leo opened the bag, revealing the gleaming Kuro Kabuto. "The helmet—for Karai."

Shredder gestured to a nearby Footbot. "Very well. She will be brought up from the dungeon."

Cat's fists clenched slightly. Her breath hitched when she heard the word dungeon. Leo's expression darkened.

"You raised her from infancy," he said, voice shaking with controlled fury. "And now you lock her in a cell? How can you do that?"

"In any conflict," Shredder replied, "the winner is the one prepared to do what the loser is not."

Moments later, the Footbot returned, dragging someone to their knees with a sack over their head. The muffled voice made Cat flinch.

"Let me go!" Karai shouted.

Shredder stepped forward. "Now, the Kuro Kabuto."

Leo didn't move. "How do I know you won't attack us the second we hand it over?"

Shredder's low chuckle echoed through the chamber. "Of course I will. Did you truly believe you'd leave here without a fight?"

Leo set the helmet down and unsheathed his swords.

"Stay behind me," he whispered to Cat.

She didn't. She stood beside him, fans drawn.

The fight erupted in a flash. Leo clashed with Shredder head-on—swift and sharp, dodging powerful strikes, answering with precision. But Shredder was stronger. Faster. One brutal hit sent Leo flying across the chamber, crashing hard into a stone pillar.

"Leo!" Cat called out. She ran at shredder, only for him to sidestep her and kick her shell.

"Pathetic," Shredder spat. "But that is to be expected... when your sensei is a weak-willed coward like Splinter. It was dumb to come with just the two of you."

"They didn't."

Shredder turned just in time to see them—Raph, Donnie, Mikey, and Mari dropping down from the rafters, weapons drawn.

"Guys!" Leo and Cat gasped in relief.

Raph smirked, lifting the real kabuto from his belt. "What? You didn't think we were gonna sit this one out, did you?"

Donnie nodded. "Besides, none of us wants to be the one who has to explain to Splinter why we didn't try to get Karai back."

"And now it's Shred-head smackdown time!" Mikey added, twirling his nunchucks with flair.

Mari stepped forward beside them, eyes sharp on Shredder. "Let's end this before he pulls another trick."

Cat, already at Leo's side, tensed at the sound of Mari's voice. Her fingers tightened around her tessen, but she said nothing.

With a roar, Shredder charged, claws gleaming. Raph threw a volley of shurikens—Shredder deflected them easily.

"Give me that helmet!" he growled.

The kabuto flew through the air, passed from turtle to turtle. Mikey caught it, but Shredder snatched him out of the air and tossed him aside. Leo stepped in, slicing fast—but Shredder struck hard and knocked him across the room.

"You fools truly believe you can defeat me?" Shredder spat.

"No," Mikey groaned from the floor, "but we stalled you long enough to rescue Karai."

"You'll never leave here alive," Shredder snarled.

Donnie held the kabuto with a smirk. "You want it? Take it."

He tossed it.

Shredder caught it midair, claws closing around it—only to find a blinking device tucked inside.

"What—?"

Boom. A burst of white smoke exploded in his face, blinding him.

When it cleared, the room was empty.

Shredder stood still in the haze for a long moment. Then, slowly, he bent and picked up the kabuto. He placed it on his head once again, lips curling into a cold, knowing smirk.

Back on the rooftops, the team sprinted into the night.

"Thanks, guys," Leo said breathlessly, glancing at his siblings.

"We had to come," Raph replied with a shrug. "You're the leader, right?"

Leo gave a tired smirk. "Eh... more or less."

"Let's get her out of this sack," Donnie said, crouching.

Leo yanked the fabric away—and froze.

It wasn't Karai.

It was a bomb.

"Let me go!" came Karai's voice—but it was only a recording.

Donnie's eyes widened. "That's not Karai. It's a bomb!"

Cat's mouth dropped open. "Wait—what? Are you kidding me?!"

Leo's face paled. "Not cool."

"GO!" Donnie shouted.

They bolted, leaping just as the explosion rocked the rooftop behind them.

As the team landed hard on the next building, smoke and fire lighting the sky behind them, Cat stumbled but caught herself. Her breath hitched.

Raph offered her a quick nod, almost like a peace gesture.

She didn't return it.

"Are you okay?" Mari asked, her voice uncharacteristically soft. She put a hand on Cat's shoulder and she yanked her shoulder away, glaring between Raph and Mari.

"Let's just get outta here," she says to Leo.

Mari narrowed her eyes but said nothing. Raph let out a heavy sigh. Mikey glanced awkwardly between the three of them, wanting to try to lighten the mood but sensing it wasn't the time.

They moved forward together—but the rift was clear. Cat stayed close to Leo and Donnie, barely sparing a glance at Mari or Raph.

And in the shadows of the night, the wedge between them only deepened.