Leo glared at the Mighty Mutanimals, who had just saved them from a Kraang ambush. Slash looked away guiltily.
After he cleared his mind of anger, Leo realized just how stupid he had been. What he had said to Cora... he didn't mean it. What she had told him hurt, but he shouldn't have been rude.
It was a mistake and now she was who knows where in a city invaded by aliens.
It only made Leo's frustration rise to know that Slash, who had once almost killed them all, was back, trying to be some hero.
"Perhaps you should come to meet our benefactor." Leatherhead suggested. "Then you should surely change your mind, Leonardo."
"Besides," Mikey added, "everyone deserves a second chance."
Leo sighed and glared. "Fine. But if this is a trap... Your shell is mine, Slash."
Slash nodded and the turtles followed him and the others to a warehouse not far from the docks. Leo stepped inside right after the Mutanimals and suddenly they all ran off into the shadows.
Everyoe pulled out their weapons, bracing for impact as someone moved in the darkness.
A light switched on and illuminated a desk and a man in a chair. He whirled around and flashed them a grim smile.
"Greetings, ninja turtles."
"Kurtzman!?" Leo exclaimed.
"Good to see you boys, it's been a loooong time." The man grinned.
Leo looked to the side as the Mutanimals walked forward and all the lights turned on. A smaller figure in their presence caught his eye.
"Cora!?" Leo exclaimed. "You knew about these guys?! And you didn't tell us!?"
"Contrary to your beliefs, Leo, I don't know everything going on in a city thats been besieged for months." Cora told him bitterly.
"We found your friend here at one of the shelters under attack." Kurtzman said. "Turns out, she's great at blowing up Kraang."
Raph looked back at Kurtzman. "We thought you got mutated like the rest of New York."
Cora turned her focus to the investigative reporter and Leo reluctantly followed her gaze.
"Nope. I made it through." Kurtzman leaned against his desk. "I tried to find you four, but you were gone. Fortunately, I tracked down these noble warriors to help keep up the fight against the Kraang."
"Wouldn't exactly call them all noble warriors." Leo muttered.
Slash growled.
"He was affected by mutagen." Cora pointed out. "You can't blame him for anything he did."
"You're defending him!?" Leo exclaimed.
"Someone has to." Cora glared. "You won't."
Leo looked at her in hurt sharply.
"Nobody in the outside world really knows what's going on." Kurtzman cut in. "The military, the media, they're no help. They're all controlled by the Kraang, but now that the turtles are back, we can stop the invasion, together."
"What!?" Slash demanded.
"No way!" Leo declared.
"I'm not teaming up with him!" Slash pointed his finger at Leo angrily.
"That's enough." Kurtzman put his foot down. "We can't afford to waste anymore time."
The old man pulled up a screen and projected it onto a wall. "The Kraang are building a mutagen missile and it's almost complete."
Donnie's eyes widened. "That's enough mutagen to-"
"Mutate the entire world!" Rockwell interrupted.
"It's rude to finish other people's sandwiches, Rockwell." Donnie huffed.
"Well then, you'll have to speak faster."
And then the entire room erupted into arguments.
It didn't last long before shadows ran across the rooftops. Kurtzman, the only one not arguing, quickly noticed them.
"Oh no!" He exclaimed. "They've found me! I don't know how, but they've found me!"
There was a huge thud as something slammed into the door and Cora jumped slightly, grabbing Leo's hand as another thud echoed through the room. The two of them glanced at each other and a silent truce passes between them.
Then the windows shattered and the door burst inward, kraang droids rushing through. Cora and Leo released, one pulling out a grenade and the other unsheathing two katanas.
One of the giant, blue, ape, kraang bots charged them and Cora threw a grenade, making the bot stumble backward. Leo launched forward, slicing through the bot and disarming it.
"I forgot how much you like bombs." Leo stated, throwing her a small smirk as a peace offering as he beheaded a bot.
Cora smiled. "Just don't ask me to punch anyone."
He grinned and jumped past her, slicing through two bots and kicking them away. Leo turned to her and held out his hand.
"Care for a dance, milady?"
She looked at him like he was crazy, but took his hand anyway.
"Hold on!" He ordered, spinning her around.
Cora yelped, her feet flying outward and knocking three bots away. Leo dipped her, slicing through another. Cora laughed as he pulled her back up.
"Is this a good time to apologize for being a total jerk and assuming absolutely horrible things of you?" Leo asked.
"Probably not." Cora sighed. "But it's a good time for me to say that I was incredibly wrong to blame you for the invasion and even more wrong to think you didn't care."
Leo set her down and caressed her cheek gently. "I promise I will never hurt you again."
Cora smiled and fiddled with his bandana absent-mindedly. "Right back at you."
Leo let go and took a step back. "We should probably attack the Kraang now."
Cora laughed and nodded.
Pigeon Pete suddenly fell from somewhere above them, holding an active kraang blaster. Cora yelped and ducked to the ground as it started shooting everywhere.
Leo's attention was drawn away and he launched back into the battle as Cora and Pete started wrestling over the blaster.
She yanked it out of his hands finally and turned, shooting the Kraang bots with horrible aim.
"Mr. Kurtzman!" Pete suddenly freaked out and Cora turned just in time to see the old man fall to the floor.
Leatherhead ran over to the detective and grabbed him as the others provided cover. Leo ran over to Cora and grabbed her wrist, pulling her through the Kraang toward the others.
"Ninjas, fall back!" Leo ordered.
"Mutanimals, we're leaving!" Slash yelled.
Everyone raced out of the building and Leo made a split decision before leading the Mutanimals to their new base. Splinter and the other humans were surprised, to say the least.
Cora huffed and fell back as Splinter and April started working on Mr. Kurtzman's wound.
"All the intel I have on the kraang missile is... on this drive." Kurtzman told them, holding out a small device to Leo weakly. "You and the turtles... have to work together."
Leo grabbed it and frowned. "It's broken."
Donnie stepped over quickly and snatched it up, but the drive flew from his hands, right over to Dr. Rockwell. The doctor examined in for a moment.
"It is unfixable." He decided, tossing it back to Donnie.
Donnie nodded and set it down before looking at Kurtzman. "Do you know how to shut it down? Or where it is?"
Cora walked over and picked up the drive.
Kurtzman gritted his teeth. "It's... it's..."
He passed out.
Cora looked up with determination. "I can do it."
"You can't possibly-" Dr. Rockwell was cut off by Mikey.
"Oh, pish posh." Mikey shoved Donnie's computer into Cora's hands. "Stick to bananas, my good monkey."
"I'm not a monkey!" Rockwell glared. "I'm a mutant."
Mikey rolled his eyes. "That's like saying that I'm not a turtle, or that Splinter isn't a rat, or that April isn't a Kraang."
"I'm not a Kraang!" April exclaimed.
"The facts don't lie." Mikey shook his head. "Sometimes you just gotta accept the truth."
"I found it." Cora cut in. "It's at fifth in broadway."
Donnie's jaw dropped.
"You heard her." Leo looked around. "Let's go."
"What's the plan?" Donnie asked.
"We ninja in from above and then drop down and disarm the missile." Leo decided.
Slash scoffed. "I say ground attack. They won't even know what hit them."
"A ground attack is way too risky!" Leo glared.
Raph got between the two alphas. "I think the only way this can work is if we do both."
"Forget it, Rafael." Slash turned away. "Leave this to the Might Mutanimals."
"Leatherhead, wait!" Mikey called. "Hold up!"
Leo sighed. "Just let him go, Mikey. It's not worth it."
"We need a way to drop down on that missile, Cora." Leo looked over. "Any buildings near the location we can use?"
"Actually, Donnie's been iching to test his..." Cora trailed off and winked at the purple turtle.
Donnie grinned. "I've got just the thing!"
"Okay. Let's see it." Leo stood up and headed for the door, but he paused when Cora got up as well.
He gave her a look and Cora crossed her arms. "I'm coming. Don't argue, the fate of the world is that stake."
"B-"
"Not buts." She patted his shoulder and walked outside.
Mikey stuck his tongue out at Leo and blew a raspberry as he followed after her. Leo sighed and everyone out ran out, following Donnie to a rooftop.
"Not this again." Raph groaned as they approached a water tower.
"Just trust me!" Donnie called down.
"Are we gonna flood the place?" Mikey asked, tilting his head thoughtfully.
Something inside of the water tower started to expand, growing and cracking away the shell. It blew up and floated above them.
"I call it the turtle blimp!" Donnie grinned proudly.
"Woah."
Leo turned to the others. "Alright. Let's save New York!"