The Girl From Another World ( TMNT 2007 Universe )

Chapter 9 - The Foot

Jazmin

Red and Leo ran ahead of me, myself moving a few paces slower. It was difficult to focus on where we were going and the sights and sounds of New York at the same time.

There were so many bright lights and people. Perfectly normal people walked along the sidewalks and across the midways. Their voices carried up to me as we lept across the rooftops, the clear English astonishing me. I'd never heard it spoken so fluently, except for when I'd been home.

Not all Settlements of Earth 7 spoke my language like the one I was currently stationed at. Some had picked it up from the few humans besides myself that lived on the planet and some spoke it as their reason for rebellion. Each race had its own language. I'd personally taught Hammond how to speak English in my eighteen months at Settlement 31. Occasionally, he'd slip back into ancient Lochnessian Code, using certain sounds emitted from his throat to communicate. But no one working at the diner could understand him.

"Jazmin!" Leo called.

They had stopped and I hadn't been paying attention. I was grateful he'd said my name before I barreled into Red. By the constant glare he wore, I was sure he wouldn't enjoy that.

I skidded to a halt, keeping my distance from the red masked turtle.

"Yes?"

"This is it." He gestured to the building we were currently standing on.

"Okay. So how do we get in?"

"How do we know she's in there, Leo?" Red asked, crossing his arms over his chest. I looked away as his biceps bulged.

"We don't. But it's worth a try."

We went around to the back door of the building, the turtles quiet as mice. Me not so much. The chains on the heels of my boots jingled as I walked. Red kept glaring at me. At one point, I stuck my tongue out at him. He tried to come after me again but Leo stopped him with a firm hand on the turtle's chest. I gave him a smug smile.

We filed into the dark warehouse, myself sandwiched between Red and his brother. I couldn't think of a more awkward position to be in. I knew they were only trying to protect me, atleast Leo was, but I could protect myself. I just needed a chance to be able to show them.

Leo darted forward once we were inside, leaving me with his brother, the door shutting behind me courtesy of him. It only took a second for the room to be flooded with light. Leo stood across the room and Red came up behind me.

"So this is where you found it?"

"Yep." Leo answered, pointing to a large pile of boxes with a thick green finger. "It was in one of those."

Beyond the boxes were numerous aisles of empty pallets. The whole scene looked suspicious. Why have an empty building in this shape? It definitely looked like someone had kept a bunch of things here and then up and cleared out.

Odd.

"Raph found it."

The said mutant made his way over to the box with a symbol on the top I didn't recognize. He picked it up and held it out for me to see.

"And this is the mark of your enemy?" I sought Leo for confirmation.

"Yes."

Suddenly a noise could be heard. It was like the squeak of a boot against the concrete floor of the warehouse. The three of us looked at eachother. The only one wearing boots was me and I hadn't moved.

Somebody was here with us.

"She's here." Leo whispered as he silently removed his swords from their sheaths on his back.