Legacy Mutation (Book Eight)

Chapter 24: Foot Rising

The Hamatos bid goodbye to their friends, heading out of the school. They talk and laugh as they go, ready to walk home. They know that their patches are going to run out soon as well.

"Kids!"

They perk up and look towards the voice. The four turtles, disguised as humans of course, smile and wave at them. Their eyes light up.

"DADDY!" Venus squeals, racing towards Leonardo.

He scoops her into a tight hug, kissing her nose. "Hey Ve. How's my special girl?"

"I missed you," she whispers, burying her face in his neck.

"I missed you too."

Asher and Dakota hug Donatello, babbling about recent projects and how crazy living with the Joneses were. Mitch and Dean give their dads small hugs, albeit Mitch's is more enthusiastic. Copeland begrudgingly greets Raph, who just smirks and kisses her forehead.

"No trouble with boys?" he asks.

She shakes her head. "Nah. Dean's girlfriend was a pain in the shell though."

Nearby, a dark shape watches the reunion. He waits until they start heading home before dashing away. Giant metal feet hit the pavement lightly as the unknown shape dashes towards an abandoned building. He slows down, yellow eyes flicking around and watching for spectators. Seeing none, he enters the dark building.

It's dark inside, nothing that the strange figure minds. He simply keeps walking, searching for the person that ordered him here.

"Xever, you got my message," a smooth voice says.

The fish mutant chuckles. "Hello Emery."

The leopard girl grins deviously and crosses her arms. "Bradford and Stockman are here already, and Tiger Claw is on his way. Did you manage to hunt down Steranko and Zeck?"

"Indeed." He scratches his wide chin. "Is it true?"

Her gaze darkens. "Yes. Stockman thinks he'll make a full recovery...slowly."

"It hasn't already been slow?"

"Don't sass me, fish. He'll come back, and just in time." She turns, motioning for him to follow her down the hall. He obliges. "What did you see?"

"Just as you said," he says. "So, the turtles have children, families."

"They've been lulled into a sense of security," she replies. "You know Steranko and Zeck almost captured Raphael's daughter. They got away...but they won't next time." Her lips curl a little as she reveals her pointed teeth. "Ever since that December night when they ruined everything..."

They pause, their footsteps echoing in the empty hallways as they move.

Xever breaks the silence. "We'll have our revenge. Just wait."

She pushes a door open, entering another dimly lit room. A giant, clear orb glowing with a green substance hangs overtop of a giant expanse of cells and levels. On the main level, a few mutants wait patiently; a giant skeletal dog, a fly, a rhino, a warthog. Each and every one looks to the pair as they enter.

"Well?" Bradford growls.

"The turtles do have families," Xever says. "Just as Emery told us."

"We tolds you. Turtles girl got away from the Bebop and Rocksteady almost ten years ago," Steranko rumbles in annoyance.

"Aw snap, it's been a while, my horned friend," Bebop agrees, the same tone to his voice.

"How is he?" Emery asks, ignoring their comments.

Stockman buzzes incessantly as the group moves towards a cryogenic freezer. On it, the tall form of a man lays motionless, the steady beeping of the monitors nearby the only signs that he's even alive. The freezer is thawing, slowly bring the man out of his comatose state.

"He'zzz been in a coma for yearzzz, but I think I've finally managed to synthesizzze the mutagen you collected, Mizz Emery," Stockman says. "With a little more work, we can get him fighting again. Zzz!"

"When the time is right, of course," Xever adds.

"Good. Dat's very good," Steranko rumbles.

"We're getting back to work, my peeps! Aw yeah!" Zeck whoops.

"Quiet, fool. No one can know that we are here!" Emery snarls.

The energetic warthog shuts up swiftly. The leopard purrs a little at the thought of finishing the battle they started so long ago. They're all older, but that doesn't mean that they're weaker. They're ready.

"The turtles won't know what hit them," Emery promises softly.