Ashlee was tired. It was too late, or too early, for her to be awake. But she was too angry and sad to fall asleep. She did not like the situation she was in.
She sat, arms and legs crossed in Donatello's lab. Ashlee watched as he analyzed the drugs, Leo closely watching over his shoulder.
Donatello sits back, lifting the goggles to the top of his head. "I told you, Leo. Nothing fancy."
The leader frowns. "We're going to head back tomorrow. I don't believe this is it."
"Whatever you say," Donnie mumbles, rubbing his hands over his eyes.
Leo left the lab, leaving the smartest brother and their new friend. Ashlee stood and walked over to Donatello.
"Why do you listen to him?"
"I don't blame him. You need to sleep." Donatello stands. "We have some guest bedrooms you can borrow."
"I want to go home."
Donnie looks down and shakes his head. Sighing, he lifts his head and smiles, walking past her. "Follow me."
Pouting, Ashlee stubbornly follows the mutant. She watched him lead her from the lab through the turtle's home. He was much taller than her but thinner than his brothers. Either way, she was terrified of them. How could she trust them? She couldn't; that was the simple answer. What if they weren't as good as they claimed? What if they were luring her into a trap, befriending her before they eat her?
Donnie opens the door to a spare bedroom. "Here we are."
Ashlee entered the room. There wasn't much in there. A bed and a closet. It was something she really wasn't used to, but Ashlee didn't mind. She had no intention of staying here for long.
"Try to get some sleep," Donnie says. "If you need anything, I'll most likely be up all night. You know where to find me."
Ashlee felt guilty for being so stubborn and untrusting. But she could not and would not let her guard down just yet. Donnie left before she could thank him.
Slowly, she sat down on the bed, looking around. She laid on top of the sheets, staring at the ceiling. Rolling to her side, Ashlee faced the door. She was terrified. Everything that had happened was too much. Surely, she was dreaming all of this.
Ashlee closes her eyes, hoping that falling asleep would wake her from her dream.
It did not.
The purple dragons led Nathan and his friends to what they could only assume to be an old, abandoned church. They had been here only once before when the dragons had picked up Nathan and his friends when they had been walking home from school. They all hated this place and hated who lurked inside. Fear was the only thing they could feel.
The group came across two doors. Soldiers, dressed in black, opened them, allowing the Dragons to enter, pushing their recruits in front of them. Forced to their knees, Nathan and his friends avoided as much eye-contact with the man who sat before them on top of a stone throne.
"Speak," the man growls.
Silent, at first, Hun nudged Nathan's shoulder. "They're... real."
"Who?"
"Those turtles! They really are real."
"Of course they are." The armored man stood, fists clenched. "It is time you've met my other associates."
The doors behind them opened. Nathan turned, watching everyone who began walking in. The group was led by a girl, decorated in Foot armor. Behind her, a mutant tiger, dog, fish, and fly followed, being escorted by The Foot's soldiers and, to Nathan's surprise, Kraang.
The band of mutants, robots, and the girl all kneeled bowing their heads towards the armored man.
"Master Shredder," the Tiger says.
They all stand, taking positions next to and around the Purple Dragons.
"Call the girl," The Shredder orders.
Confused and, quite frankly, scared, Nathan looked up at the Master and shook his head. "She hasn't done anything wrong. Ashlee-"
"Call the girl," he orders again.
"But-"
The tiger mutant lifts the boy from the ground. "Do it, boy."
"What do I say?"
"Tell her you'd like to meet her and her new friends tomorrow night. The same place they attacked you earlier," the girl says, smirking. "Have her put Leonardo on the phone for us."
Nathan grabs his phone, staring at it. His heart races. Should he do this? He knows he surely shouldn't.
"Clocks ticking," the dog growls.
Sighing, Nathan moves his thumb over to Ashlee's name in his contact list. Pressing the small phone icon, he calls her and puts the phone on speaker.
Ashlee had finally been able to close her eyes. Although still scared, she felt that she might honestly be able to catch some sleep. That is, until she heard her phone ringing.
Angrily, she sat up, assuming it was some sort of scam. But when she read Nathan's name at the top of the phone call, her heart sunk.
"Hello?"
"I need you to do a favor for me," Nathan says frantically.
"I'm done doing those kinds of favors for you, Nathan."
"Not that. I need you and those turtles to meet me tomorrow night."
"Why?"
"I need to talk to all of you."
"But-"
"Please? Can you put Leonardo on?"
Ashlee frowns, standing from her bed. She walks from her bedroom to Donatello's lab. She doesn't know which room was Leo's.
"Donnie?" Ashlee whispers, opening the door to peek inside.
The turtle, who was mid-sip of his coffee, looks at her. "Yeah?"
"Where's Leo?"
Donnie stands, walking towards her. "Why?"
"I need to talk to him."
Donnie opens the door all the way, allowing him to walk past her. He notices how she holds her phone near her ear. "Who are you calling?"
Biting her lip, she tells him. "Nathan."
"Hang up."
"Don't," Nathan tells her. "Please."
"You shouldn't be talking to him. He's dangerous. Hang up."
"Just let me talk to Leonardo."
Ashlee shakes her head. "He just needs to talk to Leo. Just for a little bit."
Frowning, Donnie leads Ashlee to his older brother's room. He opens the door to the clean room. Leonardo sat on the floor, eyes closed. Hearing the two enter, he opens one eye, annoyed about being interrupted.
"Put it on speaker," Donnie says.
Ashlee does so.
"Leonardo?" Nathan questions.
The turtle recognized Nathan's voice. "What do you want?"
"I just want to talk."
"Then talk."
"I need to speak with you, your brothers, and Ashlee in person."
"When?"
"Tomorrow night. Same place."
Leo smiles. "Ashlee won't be there."
"She needs to be."
"But she won't be."
"Yes I will," Ashlee says. "This is my business."
"She won't be." Leonardo shakes his head. "Tell your master we'll be there. On our terms."
"But-"
Leo clicks the red X on the phone, hanging up on Nathan. Ashlee pouts. She didn't even get to say goodbye.
"What was that all about?" Donnie questions.
A smile crosses the leader's lips. "What did I say? I knew there was more to this."