Let Me Save You (A TMNT fanfic)

Chapter 20 - Infiltration

I do not own 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' nor any characters affiliated with the series.

Chapter 20 - Confrontation

*Dani*

My eyes were closed as I leaned my head back against the van's wall. April and Casey had gone out earlier and stole a News Van from the station, and it helped that April was actually friends with the driver. Now, the brothers and I sat cramped in the back while Casey and April sat in the front. Casey was driving skillfully through the New York City streets and only occasionally did I feel as though we might crash. I took deep breaths repeatedly trying to slow my rapidly beating heart. A small nudge caused me to open my eyes and I looked down to see Raph's hand was opened slightly. I gratefully put my hand in his and my heart began to slow. I was able to put myself at ease for a few minutes, but that ease quickly faded when the Sacks building came in to view. My grip tightened on Raph's hand and he squeezed mine gently, trying to reassure me.

"Turn here," Leo commanded to Casey.

Casey nodded and quickly made the turn, causing the van to lurch slightly. Leo continued to guide Casey towards the building and I did my best to avoid looking out the window. Instead I went over the plan in my head and went over various complications that could arise once inside. With every idea I had I was able to make a plan to overcome it, using what I knew about Casey and April's abilities as well as my own to overcome it. Then the van came to a sudden halt and my muscles tensed to keep myself from falling forward.

"We're here," Leo said quietly. "Donnie was able to do a scan of the building before we left. He was able to find a path through the sewers that lead to a maintenance room that would take us inside the building undetected." He looked to April and Casey, then to me. "You three will split off before we hit storage to go to the laboratory and get Sacks."

We nodded together and I glance at April and Casey. Casey had his hand on April's shoulder and April's face was pale with fear. She caught my gaze and I gave her a small smile to let her know I was scared too. Donnie then opened the door and we filed out quickly and quietly. I stuck close to Raph, but I made sure to keep an eye on April just in case she needed help at any point. Though it seemed kind of obvious that I wouldn't need to help her with the way Casey and Donnie kept glancing at her.

"Dani," Raph whispered, "if anything goes wrong, I want you to promise me that you'll take April and Casey, and run. Don't argue with me on this because I'm not letting them take you again. I know you told me I didn't need to worry, but I'm going to. So if after we split up and something goes wrong on your end, promise me you'll get out before things get too complicated, don't try to keep fighting."

I pursed my lips and didn't reply for a moment. He was asking me to forget the plan and run away. Every part of me wanted to tell him no. To tell him that protecting New York, protecting the world, was more important than protecting myself. But I couldn't say that to him. He would be fighting Shredder, but worrying about me.

I pressed my hand against my thigh and crossed my fingers slightly, praying Raph didn't see me doing it. "Okay, I promise." I lied. "Just don't worry about me when fighting Shredder. You'll need to focus on him, not me."

Raph nodded silently, but I knew he was disagreeing with what I said just like I did with him. I just hoped he would actually listen to me so he wouldn't endanger himself and his brothers. I wanted to take his hand again, to reassure him that everything would be okay, but he seemed closed off to me now. He had moved away a few paces and he wouldn't look at me. I frowned and walked over to Casey and April.

"Hey, Dani-ja," Casey said with a smile.

I looked at him with a raised eyebrow in confusion. "What?"