New York City could be a dank, dull sort of place that could get under your skin if you let it. In spite of the number of unsavoury characters it could also get a little boring. Seeing Sacks jailed, defeating Shredder and sending an alien warship back to space were moments that brough with them a tremendous feeling of satisfaction and pride, which the brothers had revelled in, but now, the mundane of the everyday – or every night – was getting too much. The bad guys were a little too predictable and a little too easy to knock over – or in Raph's case – knock out. Even Leonardo was struggling to get some enthusiasm together for patrol. As Leader, he felt it was his place to keep his brothers excited and interested in their role as Guardians of the City. They had been given the Keys alongside recognition and respect which had been the start of their special relationship with NYPD. Four years on it was still going strong. Their close human allies April O'Neil and Casey Jones had moved in together and Vern Fenwick was still as annoying as ever.
Leonardo raised a brow ridge as he looked at a picture of Vern squashed between the couple. Like Mikey, Vern made no secret of his feelings towards April, even when Casey began to date her it seemed to make no difference. The eldest turned towards the weapons on the wall and removed his katana's, sheafing them safely across his shell, a photograph of Splinter watching him as he did so. His father had been gone for nearly two years and it still hurt. He placed his hands together and bowed, the knot in his stomach getting tighter. He missed his father so much. It wasn't easy to step up even more than he had been but he knew it's what his father would have wanted. These three needed a role model and a Leader who would keep them in line.
Noticing the other's had already gathered their weapons his walked over to where they all usually congregated before heading off out. Tonight though that part of the lounge was empty. Leonardo checked his watch. He was 10 minutes early so fair enough. He crossed his arms across his chest and waited. It was quiet. Too quiet. Where was Mikey? His little brother was never quiet. Noticing that Donatello's lab door showed a thin sliver of light Leonardo made his way over there and was about to grip the handle and open it when something stopped him. From inside he could make out the voices of his brothers – all of his brothers – and Michelangelo was sounding excited. Leonardo leaned in closer, his head a mere inch away from the hardwood door.
"This is going to be awesome…" Michelangelo's voice was a whisper, but it buzzed with excitement.
"For you.." snorted Raphael "Tell me again how I ended up with Fearless" At the mention of his nickname Leonardo's interest picked up; though he hated the way they used it to mock him.
"You are integral to the whole operation" replied Donatello firmly.
"I'm what?" Leonardo could imagine the look of confusion on his bigger brother's face.
"Important. You're important. Just make sure you remember the plan brother and you know the code word" Donatello's words were as clear as day. They were moving. Leonardo shifted himself back to the usual meeting place in time to see the three of them emerging, attempting to pull himself back into some sort of steady, serious mode though inside he was feeling as if he was in turmoil. They were making plans. They were making plans without him.
"Give them a chance" said inner Leo "They are probably trying to help you". He coughed and cleared his face of any readable emotion.
"What have you three been up to?" he asked, trying to act casual whilst all the time his brain whirred with different scenarios "It's not like the lab is a favourite hang- out" Michelangelo suddenly looked guilty. He really was an open book. He stepped in closer towards Donatello as if trying to shield himself.
On cue Donatello smiled "I was just sharing my latest invention… we were ready so I thought I'd see what they thought".
"And what invention is this?" Leonardo dropped his arms to his sides.
"Oh, nothing huge, just been working on a tracker system for our inevitable bad guys".
"Or good guys" piped up Michelangelo "Ow!" He received a swift kick from Raphael. The look he got clearly said 'shut it'.
"We have the cameras" stated Leonardo, his eyes narrowing "Why work on a tracker?"
"I was just messing about, thought it would add some value… but we'll see…Shall we go?" Donatello was already heading over to the door with Raphael close behind. Leonardo caught his younger brother by the shoulder and stopped him.
"What's going on?" Leonardo kept his voice quiet but firm.
Michelangelo squirmed "Nothing… he was just showing us the thingy me bob".
"You never go in the lab!"
"I do when he shows me things" the answer was quick and almost rehearsed "Donnie's super clever but he explains stuff so I can get it".
"You comin' or what?" Raphael re-appeared "I'm with you tonight". He did not look happy about it.
"We're splitting up?" Leonardo shut the main door and followed the brothers out through the tunnels.
"We've done it before" reasoned Donatello from the front of the group "We cover more ground that way".
He was right, of course, they did cover more ground that way. Usually though Raphael went with Mikey and Donatello buddied up with Leonardo. It was just easier.
"So how come we're switching?" pressed Leonardo "And how come nobody told me we were switching?"
"We don't have to run every single damn detail past you" snapped Raphael gruffly "We had a discussion and we decided it would be good to do it this way, though you carry on like this and it could just be one night only!" He glared at Donnie before stomping off to the front whilst Mikey stopped still and looked uncomfortable.
"I get it, no need to lose your temper Raph!" replied Leonardo firmly "I was just asking that's all".
They all arrived topside in silence, swinging up onto the rooftops away from the land below. Donatello pulled a device from his belt and checked it over "Okay we'll go East – you guys head West" he instructed. He noticed Leonardo's face "If that's acceptable". He knew it was usual for Leo to give the orders but tonight he could not risk the eldest going over East side so he figured claiming it for himself and Mikey would be easier rather than arguing his corner if Leo had pushed him in another direction.
Leonardo nodded. Donatello visibly exhaled, as did Michelangelo with the youngest even wiping his brow. Raphael wasn't even listening and was instead already standing over at the corner of the roof doing what looked like warm up exercises.
"Okay, so we'll meet you back here before dawn" Though the cops knew of their existence the regular person on the street did not so it was easier to avoid them altogether. Michelangelo hated that. He was desperate for more human friends.
Donatello knew this was a risk, taking the youngest with him, but it was a bigger risk leaving him with Leo who would no doubt ask further questions and the turtle in orange would break and tell him everything. Michelangelo was safer with him. Raphael on the other hand would keep quiet and he would also revel in the fact that he knew something which Leonardo did not.
As they parted ways Donatello noticed that Leonardo was watching them, god damn his brothers intuition, which was obviously telling him something was off. Or was that just Donatello's guilt talking. He didn't know but he thought they had better move out quickly before Leonardo decided to query them anymore.
"Let's go" He briefly smiled at Michelangelo who grinned back.
"Whoop whoop!" shouted the youngest he slipped his hoverboard under his feet and raising it a couple of feet off the ground. He was obviously at peace with his guilt "Did I do good?" The question was posed a little more loudly than Donatello liked.
"Shhh.. we aren't out of ear shot" he replied sharply "You don't want to blow this whole operation by celebrating too soon little brother".
Michelangelo looped the board in a circle "Never!".
They stayed together as they traversed across the skyline, every now and again Michelangelo would do a trick and let out a shriek of excitement. Donatello was just glad they were away from the others and hoped that Raphael would stay true to his word. Leonardo couldn't know anything. Not yet. If he'd known what they were really up to he would have either stopped it altogether – or tried to – or worse than that, take over. The take-over would lead to all the fun being zapped out of whole thing which would be disastrous. He needed fun. He needed to keep control of this. The device in his hand beeped and flashed a green light twice. He stopped dead still.
Michelangelo shot forward past him and off into the distance. His brother didn't have the longest attention span. Donatello couldn't help but smirk as the youngest did a u-turn and came back.
"Sorry D. Got a little forward there" He landed next to him and jumped off the board, tossing it over his shoulder and strapping it to his shell.
"We're here" announced Donatello his tone serious, looking back at the device he saw that the green light was still flashing "The signal is indicating that we're right on top of it".
"Whoa..you mean it's in there.." Michelangelo looked down.
"According to this and I trust this bad boy so let's find a way inside" He'd been working on this invention for a couple of months and he'd tested it on the small sample of ooze that he had in storage – thanks to Casey not all the evidence from the encounter with the alien Krang had been lost and a lot of it had been given to Donatello for analysis – including the purple ooze.
They headed to the edge of the roof and looked down "Don't people live here" began Michelangelo as he observed the stairs which ran up the side of the building.
"Yes, people live here but our specimen will be a person – or at least they will look like a person remember?"
Michelangelo grinned "Oh yeh, forgot that".
Donatello shook his head. Could his brother remember anything?
"So. Are you ready for this?" Donatello pulled two small vials from his waist band, the contents glowed a vibrant purple.
"I was born ready!" Michelangelo rubbed his hands together and then held one out expectantly.
"You know what's going to happen?" Donatello decided to check before he handed over the vial "If you don't want to go through with it, I understand, there is no pressure".
The youngest snatched one of the vials out of his hand "No way bro, I am so ready for this!" Two seconds later he emptied the contents into his mouth and burped.
"Mikey! Slow down! It does wear off you know; we have to time it just right" He was wasting his breath; Michelangelo was already visibly paling as he let out a groan clutching an arm across his abdomen.
Opening his vial and with a quick "bottoms up" Donatello drank the entire contents.