When Shadows Rise | I

Ch. 47 | Exposed

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LAST CHAPTER OF WHEN SHADOWS RISE! I do want to ask: what did you like about this book? Anything you wished to see more of? Any favorite characters so far? Theories? I want to read them all! Don't be shy to comment your thoughts :)

The soccer game ended later that night, and the Hamato family drove back safe and sound back to the house. Mikey was babbling over Roosevelt Prep's winning score. Miwa was busy texting on her phone. Nobody openly acknowledged the elephant in the room (or rather in the comforts of the family's SUV), but it was evident in Leo and their father sharing glances and looking back every now and then at Mikey and Raph that they were mentally having a conversation about it. Raph, to say the least, hated it when they did that. Why couldn't they say what was on their minds? He wasn't a child that he couldn't understand how precarious the situation was.

When their father pulled into the driveway, Raph only realized that his older brother and sister were still here. It was late; shouldn't they get going back to campus?

"You guys don't have class tomorrow?" Raph directed his question to Leo and Miwa as he slammed his side of the door shut.

"About that—" Leo said, unbuckling and hopping off, "—I think it's best if Nee-Chan and I stay here for tonight. After what happened today, we want to be there in case something happens."

Next to Donnie, Leo was practically a perfectionist. Always showed up on time, never falling behind on his studies. So for Leo to say that he was willing to miss a day of school was so. . . bizarre. Foreign. It was like having an ink stain on a perfectly-ironed white shirt.

"Come on, Leo. That's really not necessary—" Raph tried to persuade him.

Leo was resolute on his decision. "It's plenty necessary, Raph. Shredder's soldiers are unpredictable. They could ambush us in our sleep at the expense of their master's orders."

Raph groaned. Maybe telling their father about the attack came with its cons. Once Leo turned on his overprotective side, it was hard to find the off switch. "Now you're just jumping to worst-case scenarios!"

"Shredder knew two out of the three assailants' identities who broke into the drug lab. And now because his soldiers saw you and Mikey using your skills to defend Talia and April, plus another student—"

"Are you trying to say that we shouldn't have done anything at all?"

"No. That's not I'm saying. What I'm trying to say is that Shredder gained more than what he expected— the third person's identity— a Hamato ninja— which he now guesses could either be you or Mikey."

"We don't need you or Nee-Chan's help in holding up the fort. We can—"

"It doesn't matter. You guys need the numbers, the skill. We need to be on high alert."

"Leo," Miwa said, nudging her brother's shoulder, "this isn't like the time when Raph was six years old and fell off his bike and you had to be behind his shoulder every step of the way because you were afraid he would fall. Dad taught all of us the same way; Raph and Mikey will be fine."

Raph nodded in satisfaction. Finally someone said it! Though, he didn't know why she had to use that specific embarrassing moment as an analogy. "Exactly! I don't need you, my strong and mighty big brother, to show up and prove that we can't achieve anything unless you're here. You need to step back."