Turtles Forever

Aliens Among Us

In New York City, the Turtles, Yuuki, Mona, Venus, and Alopex, dodge government security agents stationed around the rooftops in hopes of catching a glimpse of the President's speech.

Leonardo perched at the edge, his grip tightening on his katana hilts as he surveyed the scene below. He noticed a few agents on rooftops nearby. His usual disciplined calm had sharpened into something brittle—like ice stretched too thin.

"We're too out in the open," Leo muttered, his voice low. "We might as well check in and ask to be dissected."

Yuuki hovered just behind him, her dark hair catching the wind. She said nothing, but her brow furrowed as she studied him. His stance was rigid, his breaths too controlled. The coldness in his eyes unsettled her.

A few feet away, Donatello fiddled with the scanner on his belt, his fingers brushing dust off the screen. The device flickered with readings that made his eyes gleam behind his mask. "C'mon, Leo," he countered, not looking up. "This is history in the making! Space exploration could change everything."

Mikey balanced on a ledge, squinting toward the podium where the President was supposed to speak. "Do you think they'll mention pizza in space?"

Alopex flicked an ear in amusement. "Only you would think of that."

Raph huffed. "Yeah, well, maybe if we—"

His words died as a shadow darkened the sky. A massive flying saucer loomed above them, its metal surface gleaming under the dying sun.

Mikey's jaw dropped. "Whoa. Is that part of the show?"

Donnie's fingers flew over his scanner. "No. No, that is *definitely* not part of it."

Smaller crafts phased into existence around them, shimmering like heat waves before solidifying. They were sleek, angular, nothing like the usual designs Earth's military used.

Mona's sharp eyes tracked the movement, as she frowned. "This is a setup."

"Ya think?" Raph growled.

Security agents shoved the President into his limo just as the first laser blasts struck the pavement, showering debris. The car peeled out, tires screaming, but pods fired from the saucer cut off its path.

Leo didn't hesitate. "We move—now!"

---

Bishop leaned back in his seat, fingers steepled as he watched the live feed. The satellite relay beeped steadily, confirming the holograms were flawless. His backup team stood at attention, awaiting orders.

"Perfect," he murmured. "Just according to plan."

One of his men shifted. "Sir, the President's limo has crashed—"

Bishop waved a hand. "Expected. The S-Grays will corner him. When the panic reaches its peak, *we* step in as the heroes."

---

The President's limo screeched to a halt in the narrow alley, wedged between overturned trash bins and cracked brick walls. Smoke curled from the crumpled hood, the towering S-Grays emerged from the shadows, their sleek silver armor glinting under flickering streetlights.

Raphael was the first to move. He lunged at the nearest "alien," sais flashing. The creature barely had time to raise its blaster before Raph's weapons sank into its chest—

***Splat.***

Greenish-blue goo erupted from the wound, spraying across the pavement. Raph grimaced, shaking his hand. "Ugh. These guys got *issues*."