“LEO WAKE UP! EMERGENCY BRO!”
Leonardo jumped up grabbing his swords standing protectively over the now awake grumpy Raphael. There standing in the doorway was Casey Jones who looked to have been for a run. “What is it Casey?!” Leo asked climbing off the bed since it didn’t seem like an actual emergency, the hockey vigilante smirked. He moved aside when a shoe was violently thrown his way, “Something has happened to Master Splinter!” April cried out appearing beside Casey.
Leo paled looking at the two as he and a grumbling Raph followed their friends into the main room of the apartment where Donnie and Mikey were eagerly waiting for them with the mutanimals, Karai and two Claw members. Slash moved slightly so Raph could sit beside him, the grumpy teenager sat beside his long-term friend/brother who lifted an arm for the teenager to cuddle into his side. Raphael did just that as he listened to the conversation.
“What happened?” Leonardo demanded looking at the room which had taken a dive into silence.
“Your father said he would pop a message, don’t ask me where I didn’t ask. That was last night after his partial argument with Raphael. He hasn’t been seen since…well….” Alopex looked off to the side, her brother placed a hand on her shoulder as he eyed the room. “Since what?!” Leo looked at Tigerclaw who sighed, “I ask Dantzer and Arum to see if they could locate him. This morning about an hour ago, Dantzer forgot to report in not that I blame him, he hardly does but Arum always does. So when I noticed my partner hadn’t, I traced his steps to find these” Tigerclaw explained as he pulled out a cloth and once he unravelled it.
There lying on the coffee table were three items covered in what looked like blood, “Is that…?” Donnie gasped as he looked down at the objects. There on the table was Splinter's cane and Arum’s daggers. Beside the objects was none other than the symbol of the Crux Clan. Leonardo let out an angry shout as he turned his back on the room, it certainly woke those who were half-asleep. Donnie and Mikey turned to see their older brother trying to take the weight of the world on his shoulders yet again. The two sighed ready to say something when Leonardo suddenly hit the floor hard.
“What the hell?!” Leo shouted at Raphael who stood there with his famous smirk and his arms crossed, “Feel better?” Raph asked with a hint of sarcasm. Leo only nodded accepting the hand up, he wrapped an arm around the red hooded teenager. Raph continued to smirk especially when he saw the looks from the others. The pregnant teenager loved every minute of the shocked looks, a kick to his stomach made him grumble to himself but soft hands rubbed his back in comfort. Looking up emerald eyes connected with sharp blue ones, Leo lifted Raph’s chin to close the distance between them when a noise dropped their focus on each other. “Ahem!” April’s voice brought two identical glares her way, she held her hands up.
“Tigerclaw, Dantzers tracker just came online!” Alopex called looking at her small tracker screen. Tigerclaw nodded, “I will remain here with Raphael and the mutanimals for the time being. Clan Hamato I wish you all luck” Tigerclaw announced to the room, he expected some type of complaint from Raphael but when none came from the already yawning teenager. Tigerclaw just shook his head wrapping him up in his arms, Raph sank into them.
The ‘turtles’ stood in shock looking at their hothead who didn’t even protest, “Donnie, Mikey. Let’s go” Leo ordered, his eyes connecting with his partners before they all left out the door. Karai and Alopex leading the way. Slash and the mutanimals gave the group their own words of ‘luck’ and told them they were on standby in case anything else happened. After ten minutes of following the signal which had been boosted by Donatello, the group arrived at what looked like a warehouse. Using the shadows to their advantage, they snuck through the warehouse using the stacked up boxes as cover, something seemed off and it was screaming ‘trap!’ to Leonardo, who signalled for his brothers to be cautious. They had to remind themselves constantly that they weren’t turtles, they were human so the extra protection of their shells was gone.
Taking in the situation, Karai quietly gasped when she saw the state of Dantzer, who hung from the middle of the room with chains wrapped around his body. Members of the Crux Clan surrounded him as they prodded him with electricity. Karai winced when one of the prods left a severe burn mark on the assassin's throat, Dantzer hadn’t even acknowledged their presence like he normally would. He looked defeated, something was off. Karai looked across the room where her eyes connected with piercing yellow eyes of Alopex, the assassin only had eyes of concern for her partner who was in a state of despair.
Once they had scouted the whole warehouse, the group was ready to strike when the doors to the warehouse were blown up by none other than the Kraang. Mikey jumped when the window beside him exploded.
“Krang! Grab the one known as Dantzer!” A Kraang droid said to another as they directed their fire towards the Crux Clan. The Hamatos realised they could use this to their advantage, with some smoke bombs they accurately extracted Dantzer from the warehouse without the Crux Clan or Kraang even realising the assassin was gone. Alopex remained at the back of the group covering the rear in case there were any unexpected surprises.
“How much further, this guy's heavy!” Karai cried out as the group sprinted across the rooftops, they had been running for about twenty minutes. Leo looked back at Karai and Donatello who were carrying the assassin, the group came to a halt as they arrived on top of the mutanimals old warehouse. “This should do, place him down here guys” Leo said gesturing towards the vent. Karai was ever so gentle in placing the unconscious assassin against the vent, Alopex glared at her when Dantzer’s head connected with the metal. Karai only hissed in her direction. “Guys! Break it up!” Mikey shouted getting in between them. The two just turned their backs on one another.
Alopex kneeled down beside her unconscious partner as Donnie assessed him, the assassin not moving a bit. “Anything Don?” Leo asked, coming to stand beside his brother who glared at him, “Not yet, give me a few minutes and…”. Donatello was cut off by an explosion to the side, the group whipped around to see the kraang or more specifically the flying kraang shooting at them. “Guys! The Crux Clan can fly!” Mikey cried out alerting everyone to the wolves of the clan heading in their direction with what looked like jetpacks. “Mikey! Donnie!” Leo cried out in warning, the two snapped into action to defend the downed assassin who was being overwatched by Alopex.
“Leo! What do we do?!” Karai shouted over the clashing of the swords, she was using her own blade as she fought against the large wolves who showed no remorse. Leo gasped as he brought his katana’s up to meet his opponents, the group were surrounded and he was out of ideas. Looking across the roof he noticed Mikey and Donnie were being surrounded, “Mikey! Smoke bomb” Leo called out, Mikey turned to look at his brother with fear. He had run out. Alopex found herself against six opponents who kept trying to grab her partner, “Come on Dantz, I could really use you right now!” she cried out as a blade sliced her side. She let out a feral growl which came from her adrenaline. The group had been battling for forty minutes, “Donnie! Mikey! Get out of here! Call for Rein….” Leonardo couldn’t finish as he was knocked flat on his back, his brothers turned to see their older brother in a situation with a sword about to come down on him. “LEO!” Karai cried out as she tried to make her way to the eldest brother.
Squeezing his eyes shut Leo waited for his demise only to gasp when something came in contact with the sword that should have killed him, a cry of pain filtered through the roof. As the one who tried to take out Leonardo soon found themselves killed by famous steel claws. A hand came down pulling him to his own feet, looking up and his blue mask came in contact with the notorious Kuro Kabato belonging to none other than the Shredder.
The appearance of the Shredder made the Crux Clan retreat and any remaining Kraang soldiers disappeared altogether, confusing the group. “What are you doing here, Shredder!?”. Oroku Saki turned to look at Leonardo’s demand, he shook his head walking past the huddled Hamato Clan and over to his brother. The small group watched as Oroku Saki knelt beside Dantzer and Alopex who looked at the Shredder with a warning in her facial expression. The Hamato Clan didn’t know what to expect of their old enemy but they certainly didn’t expect him to pick up Dantzer bridal style and turn to face them.
“Take me to your place of refuge. There is much to discuss. In my word I will not harm any of you” Oroku Saki said to the confused group.
“How do I know you won’t go back on your word?” Leo asked, holding his katana’s close. Donnie and Mikey were behind their older brother with wary looks aimed towards their once enemy.
“Leo as much as I hate to admit it. Oroku Saki doesn’t go back on his word” Karai admitted looking at her adoptive father who nodded at her. “I have information on your father and if you do not take my word, take my brothers”.
“Who’s your brother?” Donatello asked suddenly, confident enough to speak but he spoke from behind his shield of a brother who remained on edge. The least the group expected was for Oroku Saki to gesture to the unconscious assassin in his arms. “Figures” Karai mumbled earning herself a warning look from Oroku Saki mainly out of habit while Mikey only smiled. Leonardo turned to look at his brothers and Karai who had a small whispered conversation and soon enough they had come to a decision.
Turning to face Oroku Saki, the small group smiled as Leo spoke, “You can come with us as long as the information you are withholding is the truth and so help me if you harm any of my family, I will hunt you down and kill you without remorse” “It will not come to that” Saki’s reply caught the blue leader of guard. “How do you know?” Karai asked only to see the familiar smile appear on Saki’s face. “I just know”.
Thankfully no one felt like talking as Mikey shouted, “Try to keep up!”. The group were on the move again but on their way back home unaware of the piercing eyes of a familiar face turned enemy following them from a great distance.
Ta Da! Shorter Chapter but stay tuned for some more on the way! \_(0^0)_/
Thank you for the reads, votes and any comments! : )