Polar Opposites

Chapter 12: Outsider

"Activated." Cora announced, watching as Casey waved his hand back and forth around the camera on her screen.

Splinter looked over her shoulder from behind a wooden chair, watching as April and Casey set up homemade cameras around their new lair.

The pair walked in a few minutes later.

"I can't believe the turtles wouldn't let us come with them to look for Karai." Casey grumbled, plopping down next to Cora.

"We're not stealthy enough for them." April complained. "Oh please, we've been through everything together the last three months and now they think we're not good enough?"

Cora clicked over to the tab showing their signals. Everyone was staying pretty clear of the Kraang. She also detected two more signals, but they were faint and strange.

Splinter approached them and shook his head. "You must be patient. Your time will come."

Cora pulled up her notes and added a quick note to tell Leo to make better excuses before he leaves April and Casey behind.

She glanced up at Splinter, who was sweeping quietly, but he looked up and made eye contact with her. Cora quickly looked back down at her computer again and began to type nonsense.

Then her screen switched to the camera view without her permission and Cora saw Mikey making a face in one of the cameras. Leo stood behind, his hand on his face.

"The guys are on their way back." Cora announced.

"Do they have Karai?" April asked as Splinter perked up, pausing his sweeping for an answer.

Cora looked back at the screen, switching the camera view to one that was closer. "No. Just the guys."

Splinter sagged and stepped away silently, resuming his sweeping. April sat down next to Cora and watched him.

"I feel so bad for him." She said. "Splinter just wants his daughter back."

Cora nodded. "Yeah."

The doors opened and everyone looked over as the turtles walked in. Cora smiled at Leo encouragingly, but he avoided eye contact.

What happened? Did Shredder get Karai? Did she die?

"What happened, my sons?" Splinter questioned.

"Shredder and the thieves who stole his helmet. They got Karai and tried to trade her to get out of the city. Leo helped her escape, but we lost her." Raph explained.

"She pointed west and said 'comet'. Donnie can you look for any places with comet in their name?" Leo asked.

The other turtles glanced at Cora momentarily, who simply blinked at Leo in surprise.

"Uh, yeah." Donnie grabbed his computer hesitantly and opened it. After a few moments of typing, Donnie looked back up. "I found three locations. Comet Cleaners, Earth v.s. the Comet Creeps is playing at the Argosy theater, and then there's a Coney Comet roller coaster on Coney island."

"Oh! Oh! Oh! Can I check out the roller coaster?" Mikey begged, turning to Leo. "Please!? Come on Leo, hook a turtle up!"

Leo moved him to the side and looked at the others. "Donnie and April, you take Comet Cleaners. Raph, Casey, you take the theater. Mikey and I will check out Coney Island."

"Oh yeah boy!" Mikey cheered. "Thanks Leo."

Donnie tossed Leo an orange spray bottle. "This is the retromutagen. There is enough for three doses in each one and it will be weeks before another is completed."