Stronger

Chapter Sixteen

   Mikey sighed. "I get it. I really do. And if I were in your position, I would have been bouncing off the walls, touching everything too. But . . ." He looked at his two brothers. They both were silent, like they were listening to their conversation. Sighing again, Mikey grabbed the last two cups and while Donytoo watched, fed them the medicine.

   "Ugh, Mikey?"

   He was about to give Leo his last spoonful when he heard the feeble voice of Raph. Quickly stuffing the spoon into his brother's mouth, he waited until he had swallowed it before grabbing both cups and running out of the room. Donytoo followed slowly behind, still gawking at all the color.

   "I'm here," he said, throwing the cups at a nearby table and grabbing his oldest brother's hand. "I'm here."

   "You did it again?" Raph asked, coughing slightly.

   "I did what?"

   "Paid that mysterious guy a ton of money?"

   Mikey fidgeted. "About that--"

   "WHO THE HECK IS HE?"

   Everybody stood up in a flash, staring at Donnie who had his eyes locked on Donytoo. The second Don took a step back and chuckled. "Well, I'm you."

   "Oh, no, you are so not!" Donnie powerwalked to the other purple turtle and stood his full height, which was still a few inches shorter than him. "I do not speak like that!"

   "Wow, I had no idea the medicine worked so quickly," Donytoo said, hoping for a break.

   Mikey stepped in front of Donnie and wrapped his arms around him. "I'll explain this in a moment," he promised.

   Donnie looked down at him. "Okay, but why is he wearing one of my masks?"

   "He's wearing his own."

   "He is not! What type of dirty trick IS this, Mikey?"

   He attempted to walk closer to Donytoo, but Mikey held him back. "Wait! Just wait for Leo and then we can all talk."

   Just then, Leo appeared out of the lab, stumbling a little bit, but mostly alert. He regarded Donytoo with little more than a glance and his face was drawn out and serious. "Yes, we will need to talk."

   Something about him instantly put Mikey on edge, but he nodded and watched as everybody piled onto the couch except for the second Donnie. Those two purples kept eying each other with narrowed eyes.

   Mikey gulped when they all settled in, waiting for him to speak. Leo looked on edge now, like he wanted to say something, but he forced himself to relax and recline against the chair, essentially forcing Mikey to speak first.

   Taking a breath, he lowered his head and studied the floor like it suddenly interested him. "I lied to you guys."

   Raph sputtered and out of the corner of his eye, he saw Donnie whirl around and face him, his eyes wide.

   "But when? And how?" he asked.

   Based on Leo's face, he knew his oldest brother had come to that conclusion some time ago, but he was still not pleased that he had gotten that correct. But he goaded Mikey on with his eyes.

   Shuffling around, he said, "I had to go to Brief." Over the cries of Raph, he continued, "But I had to! You guys were sick and nothing was working. That was why I wanted to go on 'patrol' yesterday night. Because I wanted to get more medicine for you guys." He inhaled slowly. "And then on the last trip I made--"