Love Never Lost

Parasitica: Part 3

Brooke's POV:

After ordering from our favorite pizza place, we stand in the entryway of the lair as Mikey calls out to Leo.

Mikey: "Who wants pizza? Leo's favorite! Jellybean, anchovy, and jalapeño!"

Donnie: *whispered* "Isn't that your favorite?"

Me: "Just go with it."

We all take a slice of pizza and eat it, but Leo doesn't turn away from the egg at all. Ok, Plan B. We turn on the TV as one of Leo's favorite episodes of Space Heroes comes on.

Raph: "Oh, boy. That not-at-all-stupid Space Heroes show is on!"

Donnie: "Oh, you're missing a great one, Leo."

Again, nothing. Ok, Plan C.

Me: "Hey, Mikey, where you going with Leo's signed Space Heroes edition issue one that he keeps wrapped in plastic?"

Mikey: "Well, we're out of toilet paper, and I thought the pages of this rare and valuable comic book would do the job nicely. Hope Leo doesn't see me."

Allow me to go on record and say this was not my idea. Yet again, Leo remains focused on the egg.

Donnie: "Wow, he's farther gone than I thought."

Raph: "All right, that tears it. I'm destroying the egg tonight. Myself!"

Brooke: "Alone?"

Raph: "Babe, relax. It's Leo. What's the worst that could happen?"

{Time skip}

Why does he ask these questions? Why?

Donnie: "He got bit. Leo must've bit him."

Leo and Raph draw their weapons as their eyes are black from the effects of the wasp's sting on Leo's arm and Leo's bite on Raph's.

Mikey: "Bros, snap out of it, dudes."

Me: "Raph, come on. This isn't you."

They both give charge as we rush out of the lab and shut the doors, Mikey's nunchucks holding them shut.

Donnie: "That oughta hold them. Mikey, the garage door!"

Mikey: "On it!"

{Time skip}

Once the others are quarantined, Donnie uses his laptop to figure out a way to create an antidote.

Donnie: "Here it is. The parasitic wasp infects animals with a virus that brainwashes them into protecting its eggs."

Mikey: "You think that's the kind of wasp that stung Leo?"

Donnie: "A mutant version. Then Leo bit Raph and passed the virus onto him."

Mikey: "So, once the egg hatches, will the guys go back to normal?"

Donnie: "Not quite. Look what happens to the caterpillar guarding the egg."

We watch onscreen as the photos change to show that once the egg hatches, the larva eats anything that doesn't look like its mother.

Donnie: "I might be able to create some kind of antibody, but first I need a sample of the virus from the egg."

Then, Leo and Raph approach us with a collective snarl. We rush out of the kitchen when Leo pounces on Donnie and Raph onto me. We each hold them off as Donnie directs us with what to do.

Donnie: "We have to get to the egg. It could be the only cure!"

I give Raph a strong kick into the water, Mikey wraps Leo up in his nunchuck chains, and the three of us walk into the lab to see that Raph's taken the egg to an unknown location.

Donnie: "He's out there somewhere, waiting. We'll barricade ourselves here."

Mikey: "So what about Leo?"

We drag Leo into the lab to make sure he doesn't escape. As we hammer nails into the lab doors, Leo speaks to us in his usual voice.

Leo: "Donatello? Michelangelo? Brooke? What happened?"

Mikey: "Leo, you went crazy, dude. So did Raph. He ran off with the egg."

Leo: "Don't worry. I'm better now. You can untie me, Mikey."

Me: "We can't do that Leo."

Leo: "Come on, Brookie. We can find Raph together. You know you want to."

I do want to find Raph. I need to ensure he's safe, and then we can give him an antidote. Wait, Brookie? He never calls me that unless...

Me: "No, I know that's not Leo. Let. Him. Go!"

Leo snarls and speaks in a distorted voice.

Parasite (as Leo): "It is useless to resist. It is only a matter of time before the egg bursts and the hatchling will feed on us all."

Donnie hits Leo in the head, and Leo falls back onto the ground.

Donnie: "Sorry to burst your possessed bubble, Leo. We may not have the egg, but a sample of your blood should help me create the cure."

Mikey & I look at Donnie's left shoulder with a gasp.

Mikey: "You've been bitten!"

Donnie: "I must've been bitten during the fight. Which means-"

I look to my right shoulder to see a bite mark.

Me: "We're infected, too."

Donnie: "Not you, just me. The only side effects in humans are headache, nausea, and shortness of breath."

How is that any better? Right, no possession! So, Mikey and I still have a chance, I hope.

TO BE CONTINUED