A Turtle That Was Hidden (TMNT Book 2)

Cold Places

Back at the lair, me and Mikey retreated to the video games and I watched Mikey as he played the few games they had. Naomi went into the dojo with the happy Sophie following at a quick pace. Donnie sat on the couch, messing with something I haven't seen him with before. Leo and Raph began practicing on the dummy, Leo going first and Raph keeping it in check so it wouldn't fly off. 

"You almost had it!" I exclaimed as Mikey lost his third and last life. He slouched a little and I patted his shell. "You'll get it next time." 

He looked up at me and smiled, straightening up a little as well, "Thanks, Mikito." 

"No problem." I answered. 

It got a little awkward there and then I heard Leo pounding hard on the dummy and then Raph saying, "Whoa, whoa, Leo. I think you got him. Maybe you should let him go." 

"Oh, I get it." Leo sighed. "You're making fun of me for letting a helpless man go." 

For once, I heard Naomi coming. I turned around. It was actually Sophie I heard, but at least I didn't get scared when she started speaking. "Wanna get some ice cream?" 

"We just ate." I said. 

"So?" Naomi shrugged. "I just don't wanna listen to that." she pointed at Raph and Leo. I expected something to happen, but nothing did, so I ignored it. Her eyes were looking at me with a "really?" look. "Besides, Sophie hasn't tried any." 

"So it'll be like desert?" I asked. 

Naomi shrugged. "Sure. Why not? Let's go." 

Sophie jumped a little in the air with happiness and we both followed Naomi out to the surface. Her and Sophie were instantly on the roofs before I could even climb out behind them and close the cover. 

"Hey! Wait up!" I called out. 

They slowed down, but only but a click or two. I caught up with them as they stopped on the roof where Naomi and I usually wait for the ice cream guy to get out of the truck. We watched him leave the truck and we jumped down. 

Sophie stayed back while Naomi opened the back door up. It took a little while longer because there was an extra lock. How she solved that, she took a ninja star and had it snap open. Then she opened the door and a cool breeze came as she did. 

"Welcome to the desert table." Naomi smirked, climbing in. 

"Table?" I asked. "Don't you mean truck?" 

"Well, there are boxes." Sophie said. "It could be the desert box." 

"That makes more sense." I nodded. 

Naomi already had three bars in her hands, plus one open and eating it. Sophie took a curious glance at some Dilly Bars and opened one, eating the chocolate outside first before eating the vanilla inside. I went for some orange pops that had the nice mixture of vanilla inside. 

We all ate happily before we heard the store door open. Quickly, we gathered what we wanted and hightailed it out of there. 

"Hey!" I heard someone call out as we jumped to the roofs. 

"Looks like we got caught for once." Naomi said. 

Sophie looked at her, "You've never got caught before?" 

"No." I answered. "Usually we leave before he opens the door and heads toward the truck." 

"Partly my fault." Naomi smiled, jumping across one roof. 

"Because you're a mind reader?" Sophie asked. 

Naomi stopped on her roof as we jumped over. Her blue glare was like fire, and me and Sophie smiled innocently. We had the same mind likeliness, I'll give her that. No wonder Naomi really didn't change. 

That's when I heard the loud crashing sound. Naomi looked at me and held up my hands, "I didn't point!" 

"Point?" Sophie repeated. 

"She likes to point at things and make bad things happen." Naomi explained. "Like that one time making a giant spider break through a window." 

"That," I growled. "Was not me." 

"Uh huh." Naomi sighed, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms. "Sure. Now let's go find out what that was." 

"Still have your curious ability." I muttered after her. 

Sophie looked at me. She needed to catch up on a lot if either me or Naomi have to explain everything. But, she dismissed happily and went to catch up with our leader at the moment. 

Naomi paused at one roof, looking at the building where we heard the glass shatter. Sophie sighed, "Well, I found the place." 

"Obviously." Naomi snapped. "Let's go." 

We jumped through the glass and waited on the beams above the building, watching what was happening below. 

The boys found Chris and the one leader from before and were fighting them along with some Purple Dragons. Leo and Raph were fighting the one skinny guy that liked to kick out, Donnie was versing Chris, Mikey was getting some Purple Dragons before helping Donnie with Chris. 

"Should we help?" Sophie asked, already itching to get into the heat. 

With a slow sigh, Naomi looked at her, "You're still not ready to even fight Mikito let alone a top-rank martial artist." 

"Hey!" I exclaimed. "I can at least beat Mikey." 

"Yeah, try Raph or me sometime." Naomi said. "There's your challenge." 

"But can we help?" Sophie begged. "Please?" 

We both looked at Naomi with or best begging eyes and she looked at us again, then falling for it again. With a quick glance away, she had her face in her hand. Then, without an answer, she got out her staff and extended it. Sophie and I glanced at each other and gave a high three, then got out our weapons. Naomi jumped down first, kicking out at the one guy that Raph and Leo were fighting with, but he knew it was coming so he flipped up on his hands and kicked her against a wall. 

Sophie and I jumped down, Sophie knocking away a Purple Dragon and me landing on Chris's shoulders. Mikey whooped and I smiled at him, but then Chris grabbed me and threw me against him. 

"Sorry, Mikey." I said, getting up then helping him up as well. 

He just nodded and twirled one nun chuck, and leaped back into battle. I jumped after him, dodging Chris's blows and trying to find an opening, which was hard because he seemed ready for everything. So I took a swing with my hilt at his legs. He blocked that then kicked me away again. 

At the same time, Donnie, Mikey, Sophie, Naomi, Raph, and Leo jumped back to review their options. Then the FootClan came and Leo sheathed his swords. 

"Retreat!" he called out. 

"Now?" Raph snapped. 

We all hopped up to the ledges near the window, exiting the broken thing. 

"Yeah," Leo continued. "It's all part of my stay 'alive plan'." 

I looked behind at the building and I thought I saw a shadow enter the building that seemed oddly familiar. It stopped before the glass and looked at me. Silver eyes stared past through the shadows. With a slow blink, it retreated inside with calming movement.