From The Shadows: Goodbye || BOOK 3 (TMNT)

Chapter 6. Scar

     Sasha turns her head back to face Athena. She smiles. "I don't think we'll be seeing much of each other."

     Sasha's arms caved. She lowered them and took off sprinting toward the edge of the building. She jumped to the next and kept running. It didn't take long before her figure began a small spec and disappeared in the distance and into the night.

     When they could no longer see her, Raph fell to his knees and hunched over. Athena rushed to him, kneeling beside him. She placed one hand on his back and the other on his plastron. 

     "Are you okay?" Raph grumbles.

     "I'm fine, I'm fine," Athena says. There was barely a scratch on her. She only suffered minor bruising. 

     Athena places one of his arms around her shoulders. With her free arm, she picks up to box. "Come on, we have to go. Let's get you some help." 

     The descent down the building took longer than usual and the process of dropping down into the sewers below was rather difficult. Raph was not capable of moving much faster. Athena remained patient although rather anxious. She wanted to get back to the lair much quicker.

     Eventually, after slow stumbles and groaning, Athena and Raph came upon the lair. Casey and Mikey sat exactly where they had been when they left. Mikey heard the footsteps. He sat up and turned with a wide smile. It instantly dropped.

     "Dudes!" Mikey whispered urgently. "What happened?!"

     Casey turns. "Bro. Who beat your ass?"

     Raph rolls his eyes. "Not now, Casey."

     Athena pointed at Donnie's door. Mikey shot up and raced passed them. Athena led Raph to Donnie's door. Mikey gave a brief and quiet knock before pushing the door open. Donnie was fast asleep and didn't wake at Mikey's gentle nudges. Casey entered the room and, without much thought or guilt, began violently shaking Donatello. It took a few seconds for the turtle to process what was happening but, when he did, he sat up with the utmost fury and annoyance.

     "What the hell is wrong with you? I'm trying to sleep here."

     "We need your expertise, Dee," Mikey says.

     "What could you possibly..."

      Donnie stopped himself. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught the silhouette of Raph and Athena in the doorway. He squinted and his mouth dropped open.

     "What the hell happened to you?"

     "Long story," Athena whispers.

     Donnie stood up from his bed and pushed past Casey and Mikey to help his brother. He took Raph's other arm and placed it around his shoulders. The extra help made walking that much easier and faster for Raphael. 

     They headed for the lab—Casey and Mikey following.

     They set Raph on a table. Donnie gave him a quick once-over before gathering all of his medical supplies and first aid. 

     "You better get to explaining," Donnie says, bringing the supplies over. He begins wiping the blood away and disinfecting all the cuts.

     Raph winces and draws a sharp breath. "We were attacked."

     "Obviously." Casey rolls his eyes. "Who attacked you?"

     "A Foot soldier." Athena sets her box down and folds her arms. "A new one."

     "It was Sasha," Raph answers bluntly.

     For a moment, everyone froze.

     "Are you sure it was her?" Donnie inquires.