A Turtle That Was Hidden (TMNT Book 2)

Keeping Me Up (Naomi's POV)

I gave Mikito the Who’s the Doctor CD I had so she would leave me alone for the rest of the night. I had my hopes up and when I gave it to her, she disappeared from my sight for good. At least until tomorrow.

This week, for me, will be very stressful indeed. My journal may not be filled, but I always hope.

When everyone left the main room, I went up to the surface once again. The wind blew in my face and I could feel the small gash that Shredder left on my bandana above my left eye. I liked it.

I closed the manhole cover and headed to the roofs. Some nights I stay up just because I can, but tonight will really be fun. Although I can’t read everything in the future, I can still sense things.

Jumping from roof to roof, I stayed in the shadows. My mind wandered around, making sure I was alone. Although here soon I wasn’t going to be, I just want to be alone currently. Silence, for me, is the best cure for the stress I deal with, even though I don’t act like it.

Wondering. Wondering. Thinking. Thinking. Mind exploring until… There. Knew I would sense her. Her thoughts really seemed troubled tonight. But then again, they have been since last night.

With quick and silent movements, I made my way a little away from the thoughts I had cornered. I knew that she knew I was there because I’ve been in her mind too many times, and she knows when I’m near now.

So I blocked off where I was headed and just ran. I also blocked off at what I was looking because now she’s grown so used to me going into her mind, she’s been learning to track me by using my thoughts. The only way to keep her out is to think of something else rather than what you want her to let you think.

This is how Splinter defeated me. Instead of thinking of what he was going to do, he thought of his past, Mii-wa, and weaponry. It caught me off-guard so I lost. Although I didn’t like loosing, it taught me not to use my skill all the time. Don’t get me wrong, I still use it, but not as much for combat anymore.

Now her thoughts have seemed to drop. Roads. Very smart, but not smart enough. Smiling, I turned sharply and thought of a black cat running through woods, which I do a lot sometimes. Then with a concentrated jump, I found her in an alley, looking out at the street.

 Silently, I jumped up on the steel ladders and ledges that are sometimes found on most New York buildings. She hasn’t sensed me yet because I love knowing how to confuse others with my mind. When I was close enough, I jumped down behind her.

She turned to face me, but I had already crouched down and spun around, swinging my leg around and tripping her. With another swift movement, I had my staff out, extended and pointed at her neck.

Her silver eyes widened, “Naomi!”

“Who else would it be, Reiley?” I asked with a tilt of my head an evil smile. “Honestly.”

“You really need to stop scaring me like that.” Reiley breathed, grabbing the end of my staff. I helped her up. She rubbed the back of her head. “One of these days Shredder or Chris is going to be with me. What will you do then?”

“Fight or flee.” I said casually, decreasing my staff’s size once again and putting it in the new pocket Sophie made for me to put it into.

Reiley brushed herself off, “You really like using that skill of yours, don’t you?”

“Do you really need an answer for that?”

“No, because it’s very much obvious.”

“Alrighty then.” I looked up at the roofs. “What today?”