Sound Of Thunder (TMNT Love Story)

Chapter 36

Althea had been placed in a holding cell down in the Decepticon dungeon. She could hear the sounds of injured Autobots around her as she crept into the corner. This place was beyond scary. She was starting to believe that she would never be rescued. That was until she heard something in the darkness. With one strong hit, a metal grate slid over to her foot. A bright light blinded her until she saw the bearer of the flashlight. "Donnie!", she said getting up quickly. She ran to him, unaware of who else was with him. A soft grunt behind him, showed her that the whole gang was here. "Raph, I'm sorry", she said immediately going over to him. "No Thea, I'm sorry. I was just being too protective. I promise from now on, I'll take it easy", he said taking her hand. She smiled up at him and for once the tough turtle cracked a little and returned her gesture. "I hate to break up  the love fest but we need to go", Leo said stepping in. They all re entered the sewer line and within a few minutes, Althea was lifted outside into a forest. "I can't believe you guys found a way in", she said as they began walking. "It wasn't that hard to find actually", Donnie said putting away some equipment. "Speaking of this place, what is it?", Leo asked. Althea froze. She knew she couldn't tell them. It would jeopardize her mission but it would jeopardize them too. "Um I'm not particularly sure", she lied. "I was being moved and someone ambushed us and next thing I knew I woke up in that dungeon." By the looks on their faces, they were believing her story. Well all of them except for Raph. "You had to have saw something", he probed. "Well if I did, I don't remember", she pushed back. That seemed to satisfy him for the most part. "So if that is all, lets head out", Donnie said. "Where are we going?", Althea asked. "Back home", Raph informed her. "All of this has been a little much especially for you. We also need to head back to before the Foot Clan decides to take over New York in our absence", Leo added. Althea knew she couldn't do that. She had to finish her mission. For herself and for her parents. She felt down in her pocket for something that could help her but she didn't have to worry about it. A bright flash enveloped the group and Althea felt herself grow warm as everything went dark.

It seemed like ages before Althea woke up to a horrible smell. She got up quickly and looked around. She was still in the forest. The turtles were all on the ground, out cold. She rushed over to Raph and began looking for a pulse. "They're alright", a familiar voice behind her said. Optimus and the rest of the Autobots were behind her. They looked pretty beat up so she assumed they had got into it with the Decepticons. Ratchet was the only one in robot mode. His arm was outstretched with a device she had only seen once. She had seen it in the Autobot lab back in NYC. "What did you do?", she asked. "Just knocked them out. We had to hit you too for it to work but some smelling salts took care of that.", Ratchet said bending down to her level. "We know all about them", he told her. "We have a boat waiting to ship them back to New York without detection and they can make it back to the sewers without being discovered." This wasn't exactly what Althea had in mind but if it was going to keep Raph and the turtles out of trouble, she was all for it. She just nodded as Ironhide and Optimus drove up and a few N.E.S.T soldiers who got out and began loading (and struggling) each turtle into the two trucks. Althea took the time to give Raph a kiss on the cheek. She didn't know when she would see him again but at least he was going to be safe. "I love you my favorite red turtle."