Shadow Mutation (Book Seven) [UNDER MAJOR EDITING]

Chapter 27: Fighting For His Life

"She just can't give me a straight answer," Casey grumbles. "It's always lies with her. I can't tell you. You wouldn't understand. My life sucks. Blah blah blah."

He shoves his hands in his pockets, exhaling heavily as he slows to a stop. He looks over his shoulder, instantly feeling a pang of regret. He said he wouldn't pry at what she didn't want to say and he did promise not to let anything hurt her. His heart sinks, making his shoulders slump as he droops his head.

"Great job, Casey Jones. You are an idiot," he whispers, kicking a stray pebble with the tip of his shoe. "Geez...you find out that a girl was in love with you five years ago and you just have to go and do that? She was twelve!" He closes his eyes and shakes his head slowly. "Yeah...that's probably the only reason she liked me."

A sudden cold draft blows past him, making his heart rate pick up and his eyes widen with hope. He spins around, looking at the dark spaces on the empty streets.

"Zilla? Shadow?" he calls.

There's a low growl as two white eyes appear in a patch of darkness. Casey instantly tenses, realizing with disdain that he doesn't have any of his vigilante gear. All he has is his backpack.

Beast Mode slinks from the shadows, still baring her pure white fangs. The teen backs up, holding his fists up.

"You again?" he asks. "Looks like you didn't learn your lesson. You don't scare me, kitty."

The fur on her shoulders raises, making her look a little larger. Casey looks up as a screech sounds, a shadowy hawk alighting on a window sill and glaring at him with the same bright white eyes. He backs up a little, feeling a little more daunted by the sight of two animals.

"Alright, so I've got a chicken and a house pet? Bring it," he says, forcing himself to sound confident.

The hawk lets out another screech of anger, its talons clicking against the window ledge. A rumble sounds from Beast Mode's chest as another two shapes appear; a panther and a stag, both shadow mutants like their friends.

Casey's eyes widen. "Woah...heh...Wallace has got some great animals stored away, huh? So...Beast Mode, Hawk Mode, Shadow Panther, and...dang..." He points at the stag. "Sorry Pointy, not sure what to call you."

They stalk closer, taunting him with his oncoming doom. He stands his ground, although his heart is thumping in his ears and swears he can hear the blood rushing in his veins. Every part of who he is makes him want to stay and stand his ground, but his voice of reason rings clearer in this moment. He's weaponless against four dangerous mutants. There's no way this can end in his favour.

He turns and skates away as fast as he can, hearing the creatures roar, screech, and stamps in response as they give chase. He starts panting, skidding into an alleyway and instantly moving to the fire escape. He scrambles upwards hastily, knowing that if he does this, at least he'll lose the stag's pursuit.

He reaches the rooftop, taking off in the first direction he can think of. He glances behind him sparingly, his heart sinking when he sees that all four beasts are still following him. Even Pointy has somehow managed to keep up. He notices a few rocks scattered on the next rooftop, leaping across and snagging them.

"Take this, uglies!" he shouts, whipping the rocks at them as quickly as he can.

Two of the stones meet their marks, hitting Shadow Panther and Pointy in their faces. They both react instantly to the sharp pain, Shadow Panther yowling and hissing as Pointy merely stamps his hooves and flares his nostrils. Beast Mode doesn't slow down, as does Hawk Mode.

Casey keeps running, scrambling for his phone and pressing the first speed dial number he can. He puts it to his ear, flinching every time one of the mutants behind him screeches.

"Donatello," a voice answers.

"Donnie! You've gotta help me!" he shouts.

"Casey? What's going on?"

The boy pants heavily, his lungs burning as he skates as fast as he can across the rooftops. "Necromancer sent his-"

There's a sudden roar from behind him as Beast Mode lunges for him. He yelps and tries to throw himself out of the way, narrowly avoiding her dangerous claws. As he does that, the shadow stag's antlers latch onto his phone-free arm. Before he can react, the mighty animal throws him, sending him sailing across the rooftop. He lands on the hard ground, his breath being knocked from his chest as he bounces from force of the impact. He winces as he feels the sharp stones cut into the skin of his exposed face, a strained breath leaving him as he finally rolls to a stop, his body's weight suddenly too much to support. Just as suddenly as the deer hit him, a wave of energy completely left him.

No wonder wolfie passed out after fighting Beast Mode, he thinks.

As he struggles to his knees, Shadow Panther takes his chance to attack. He lets out a yowl and sprints towards the boy, going so fast Casey can hardly comprehend his movements. The beast smacks the teen with one mighty swing from his paw, sending the weakened boy rolling across the flattened terrain once again.

This time, he goes flying right off the edge of the building rooftop. He doesn't scream, too stunned by the sudden drop to react. In a last ditch effort to save himself, he throws his hand up and searches in vain for something to grab on to.

His hand latches onto the rough metal of a fire escape railing, the force of breaking his fall sending shockwaves up his arm as a rush of air leaves his lungs. His phone is still secured in his hand as he strains to hold himself up, feeling even weaker.

"Casey? Casey, what's going on?!" Donnie demands from the phone.

Casey inhales sharply as Hawk Mode appears above him, letting out a shrill shriek as he swoops downwards, his sharp talons aiming straight for Casey's hand. But, just as the bird of prey is about to hit his mark, the vigilante's fingers slip.

He falls the rest of the way to the ground, the air whistling in his ears as the shocked calls of the animals above him sound out. He makes impact with the ground, his head slamming against a stray pile of trash as the other half of his body hits the pavement. His phone clatters from his fingers and cracks as his vision spirals, his body completely sinking downwards as he feels himself growing sleepier and sleepier.

The ringing in his ears sends him off into blackness.