A Turtle That Was Hidden (TMNT Book 2)

Shredder's Way

“Do what?!” Sophie and I cried simultaneously. Only Sophie continued saying, “But that’s your best way to fight people!”

“I know how to fight,” Naomi snapped at her. “It’s just easier knowing what’s going on before they attack. Shredder is unexplainable…”

“Mikey!” Leo turned to him. “Get ready to use a smoke bomb.”

Shredder started toward us, “Now tell me where Splinter is and I promise you that your demise will be quick.”

“You’ll have to catch us first!” Leo announced. “Now, Mikey!”

Mikey threw an egg down, but instead of smoke, only the actual broken egg with yellow yolk laid on the sidewalk. “Okay, that one’s on me.”

“And you wonder why we didn’t want you using them all.” Sophie gave an exasperated sigh.

Shredder leaped at us and we scattered instantly, trying to get our weapons out. We surrounded and circled him, trying to find a weak spot.

Naomi came up beside me, “If you’re going to be serious about this battle, I suggest you put your hilts together…”

“Why?” I asked, getting both swords out anyway.

She glanced at me. “Why don’t you trust me?”

I shrugged. Naomi pushed me out of the way as Shredder punched out. “I thought you said you couldn’t read his mind!”

“I knew he was taking the advantage of our concentration being disrupted by us talking!” Naomi snapped. “No more talking!”

Shredder came at Naomi again, and she dodged his blow, but he kicked up and hit her under her chin and sent her flying back into Sophie. Raph and Leo growled and ran at Shredder as me and Mikey did as well, Donnie behind us. With a spin on foot, Shredder sent Raph against the back of the Wolfs Hotel’s sign, creating sparks everywhere.

Mikey dodged under Shredder’s punch and jumped over his tripping leg, trying to get to Raph. I ducked down, spinning in a full circle to stab at Splinter, but he took my sword and threw me and it away.

Naomi came to me and helped me up. She had a thin line of blood coming her mouth and trailing down her chin. “You okay?” she asked.

“Should ask the same about you.” I groaned, grabbing my swords.

“I’m tougher than I look.”

“So am I.”

Then we turned to Shredder as Donnie and Leo got thrown. Surprisingly, Sophie was still dodging his blows. Naomi ran up to me followed by me and Naomi ducked down. I used the back of her shell and jumped into the air, connecting my sword hilts and spinning them around, then jabbing down at Shredder.

He had kicked Naomi away again already, but then he moved just an inch away from my blades, grabbing them and pulling them apart again. Before I knew it, he had jabbed my stomach with the hilt of one and it sent me flying against Naomi again.

Sophie was still trying to find a weak spot and Donnie came up, jabbing his staff out. Shredder took it and made Donnie hit himself in the face with it before he tossed him away like a rag doll.

Raph and Mikey came back and Mikey jumped on a beam, trying to balance on it. I pointed at Shredder and Naomi glared at me, but Mikey got the point and used his nun chuck chain to grab ahold of Shredder’s wrist as he was about to finally tag Sophie.

Mikey jumped off the ledge, opposite of Shredder and made Shredder go up into the air by a chain. Shredder cried out and Naomi leaned against her staff that still wasn’t broken surprisingly.

With a slash with his wrist, Shredder had a blade coming from his arm’s armor and cut the chain and a letter from the Wolfs Hotel lights again. It cracked and fell down. But right on Mikey.

“Mikey!” I cried out, running faster than anyone to help Mikey. Everyone helped Mikey out from under the light fixture, but we all really beat up so I collapsed on the light when Mikey made it out.

Shredder landed in front of us again and I jumped up, grabbing my only sword left. We waited until Naomi growled and jumped up at Shredder. He jabbed out his blade, but she countered it with her own.

For a moment, it seemed like she could read his mind, but then when she went to kick his stomach, Shredder grabbed her and threw her away, Naomi not moving again. Raph and I got mad and ran at him. I slid under his punch and tried to latch my legs around him to make him fall, but raised his fist to stab me with his blade.

He swung down, but I didn’t get stabbed. Instead, Sophie countered it with her Wakizashi. I kicked up and hit Shredder, but it was short lived. Sophie got thrown away and Shredder kicked me away with her.

Donnie swung his staff down on Shredder’s shoulder armor and it snapped on contact. With a swinging kick, Donnie was going through the air and landing beside Naomi.

Raph roared out and began parrying with Shredder. With my given chance, I crawled over to Naomi to make sure she was okay. Donnie was getting up again, but he was so weak and hurt that he had to keep his hands on his knees.

“Naomi?” I asked.

Her eyes moved a little then opened them. They were unfocused and she had a cut above her left eyes, causing blood to pour over it. “Mikito.”

“Oh, good.” I sighed.

“Raph…” she looked past me. I turned around and saw Raph get kicked away. He was on his side and he stayed like that for a few seconds before getting on his elbow and grabbing a Sais that laid beside him.

I helped Naomi up and she leaned against me. I watched in horror as Shredder pinned Leo against a wall, his blades digging into the concrete and on either side of Leo’s neck.

“Tell me where Splinter is and I’ll let you live long enough to watch him die,” Shredder’s low register voice growled at him. He let the third blade slide out only enough to nearly reach Leo’s face.

“Leo!” Sophie called out, but she collapsed as well.

We all watched. Naomi looked behind her then said, “Look out. More mutants.”

I jumped as I heard this slopping sound. Donnie, Sophie, Naomi and I each went over to Raph. Naomi helped Raph up and we took Leo back as Shredder let him go to see what had made the sound.

A large red fish-like thing reached his hand out, “Help me.”

Then a large tan dog-looking mutant came behind him.

“Let’s go,” Naomi muttered.

We turned and left, heading for the sewers. Nobody looked back as Shredder roared out in defeat.