Shadow Mutation (Book Seven) [UNDER MAJOR EDITING]

Chapter 20: Asking for Advice

Casey doesn't see or feel Shadow at all for the next week. On Monday, he reports to Mr. Lewis about the mechanic shop, then focuses on his math classes. After school, he visits the Nezbits and starts getting a lay of the land, soaking in all he can about the art of car maintenance and repairs. Things feel better, but Casey keeps looking for things out of the corner of his eye, hoping that every cool draft will reveal something more.

But, as she promised, she's MIA and he hates the awful feeling it leaves behind. He tries to hide it, to ignore it, but it's really hard to act happy when he misses her presence so much.

On Friday afternoon, his phone buzzes as he's working on homework in the library, and he darts a glance at his screen.

Blondie
Wanna come with me to the lair after school?
Mikey said they've got a mission.

He perks up. He doesn't have a shift at the Nezbits's tonight and a distraction is welcome, but he can't help the dread that follows his excitement. Last time he trusted a "mission," Raphael almost died.

An awful thought crosses his mind, intruding. Maybe if someone gets hurt by a random shadow beast, Shadow will talk to him again.

"Don't even," he mutters. He'd never wish that on any of them, never again, not even to see her. He doesn't even know why he'd let himself think that.

He texts her back, a simple "yes."

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When the final bell rings, Casey grabs his vigilante gear and meets up with Annalise for the walk to the lair. It isn't long before she tries to strike up conversation.

"So...how's Shadow? Have you seen her lately?"

Casey blows out a breath of air, briefly closing his eyes. How Annalise always manages to hit on the topics he doesn't want to talk about, he'll never know. After a second, he frowns.

"You didn't even meet her," he says.

Annalise shrugs. "Mikey told me about her. Snuck this, too."

She shows him her phone screen and, sure enough, there's a picture of Shadow. Casey is in it, too. It looks like it was taken while they were talking in the lair, judging by the distance between them and the camera. He can't see Shadow's eyes, just her outline as they sit on the living room bench, but Casey has his body turned enough that he can see the tiny smile on his face.

"Delete that," he says.

"Aw, come on, you look nice. Not as grumpy as usual," she says, pocketing her phone. "So? You seen her since then? Sarina told me something about mutating a soccer ball."

He sighs. "I don't know, we had a fight or something. I haven't seen her since."

"Oh..." She frowns. "That sucks. I'm sorry."

"Whatever. It's not like we're friends."

He hates how much he wants to play soccer with her again. He hates how he can't stop looking over his shoulder. He hates how much he misses her.

They arrive at the lair to find it abuzz with energy. Donatello and Sarina have their heads together looking at his t-phone while nearby, Leonardo and Destiny talk to Master Splinter and Michelangelo plays video games. Raphael works on his punching bag, athough his strikes are far weaker than anything Casey is used to. Metalhead II walks out of the dojo with an armload of weapons, greeting Donatello with a happy beep and getting a pat on the head as a reward, which looks quite funny considering how tall Metalhead II is compared to its predecessor.

"Lisey!" Michelangelo says as he pauses his game, leaping to his feet. "Waddup, girl?"

She giggles as she hurries to him for a hug, squeezing tight. "Hi, Mikey. I just wanted to see you," she says. "I missed you."