Trust in the Shadows

Follow the Leader: Part 2/Invasion of the Squirrelanoids: Part 1

Alyssa's POV:

Back at the lair, I'm sitting with my knees pulled into me, looking away from everyone as Donnie paces back and forth.

Donnie: "We didn't follow his lead."

Mikey: "How are we gonna explain this to Master Splinter?"

Splinter: "Explain what to me, Michelangelo?"

Raph: "It's Leo, Sensei. Karai captured him."

Splinter: "Hmm. I knew it would come to this eventually."

I turn towards Splinter out of curiosity.

Donnie: "Come to what, Sensei?"

Splinter: "Karai wants to take revenge. She believes that I took one of her loved ones away from her."

I look down, trying to understand Splinter's meaning, and then I remember the reason Karai and I became friends in the first place: We both lost our moms.

Mikey: "But it's not true, right?"

Splinter: "It is very much...The opposite of what she thinks."

I'm shaken from my thoughts as Splinter speaks in a stern tone.

Splinter: "Find Leonardo. That is what is important right now."

{Time skip}

In Donnie's lab, we gather around Donnie's desk and watch some security footage on Donnie's computer screen.

Donnie: "Ok, so I hacked into some security footage. There! It's Karai's van."

Mikey: "They took Leo to the Bradford Dojo."

Raph: "Let's do this!"

Mikey: "Wait, so you're leader now?"

Donnie: "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold up. I'm the smartest, so--"

Raph: "Look. Let's not argue about this. Leo needs us. And listen this time, we fight how Leo wanted us to fight. The way he fights."

So, we head out to the Bradford Dojo.

Donnie: "Can't sneak in. Security camera."

Raph: "No sweat. I got this."

Raph reaches behind him and pulls out a pigeon.

Donnie: "It's not just one. The entire roof is bracketed with surveillance."

Raph pets the pigeon and sends it into the air. It lands on the roof behind the security camera and calls out for other pigeons to join it in blocking the security cameras' view long enough for us to sneak into the building through the skylight. We then peer in through a window up above to find Leo tied up and gagged. When he sees us, his eyes look panicked, and he shakes his head, mumbling. Ignoring this, we take out the Foot Bots surrounding him.

Donnie: "We can't understand what you're saying, Leo." *removes tape*

Leo: "It's a trap!"

Then, more Foot Bots enter the room as a sliding door opens behind us to reveal Karai.

Me: "You got two choices, sister.-*unties Leo*-Let us go or walk away from this inside a sandwich bag!"

Karai: "Sorry, Alyssa. Can't let you go. It's not really that personal with the rest of you turtles. I just need you for bait."

Leo: "She wants Splinter."