Always a Turtle (TMNT Book 6)

Buzz Buzz

"Can this night get any worse?" I heard Sophie mutter, holding her head. We were all standing by the edge of the roof, watching to where Kirby took April.

Mikey looked as if he were hiding something so I smiled and gently nudged him, "What's wrong?"

"How do we know that was Mr. O'Neil?" he asked as he looked up at me. He turned his attention away to look at the others curiously.

Leo sighed and looked at the empty Mutagen canister. "Do you know many middle-aged, red bearded bats lately?"

"We gotta go after her," Donnie stressed out making Julie look at him suspiciously. I blinked at that look but didn't comment. Maybe Julie thought that because we each had someone that she should have someone as well.

Internally, I shrugged and looked around wondering where the many Mutagen canisters went. "What about the Mutagen? They're everywhere." I looked at Leo as I spoke, wondering what he was going to do about it.

"April's dad comes first. Let's get back to the lair and figure out what we're going to have to do," the blue masked Turtle finished with a nod. Everyone agreed reluctantly.

So we returned to the lair. The walk there was quiet and somber, everyone thinking about what to do and how to do it. Not even Donnie spoke up for an idea. When we walked past the toll booths, Melanie appeared from the dojo looking at in silence. Naomi followed soon after, blue eyes narrowing a little behind her mask.

The ones that went out on a patrol sat down on the couch. All except Donnie who began pacing instantly, grumbling and muttering. Naomi and Melanie came up beside Raph and Sophie. They all began speaking in low voices which made me curious and look over to try and catch what they were saying. Naomi may have known what was going to go down all together considering her future readings and such. But at the same time... She could be clueless as any of us.

Finally, the small group broke apart and with a sigh from Naomi, they looked at Donnie and Julie who was watching Donnie pace. Finally, Donnie started blurting out stuff quickly. "I can't take it! I'm seriously freaking out! Seriously stressing here!" He took a deep breath while pausing in his walk. He craned his neck back and closed his eyes. "Think calm thoughts... Calm.... Thoughts..."

Nobody said anything for about three seconds. Mikey broke the silence with, "You think he's a vampire? Sucked her blood and turned her into the walking dead?" He raised his arms for a moment, even giving his eyes a glassy look to them.

"Are you," Donnie muttered as he looked over to Mikey. He drew closer to the orange masked turtle and screamed in his face, which Mikey only smiled evilly. "Trying to freak me out!?"

Another long pause. I leaned back against the couch, boggling my brain for ideas. Sensei walked past us, coming from the rooms and going toward the dojo. I watched him, confused as to why he was by our rooms but didn't question it.

"Sensei," Leo interrupted. Splinter turned to look at his son for a moment. I paused, wondering if Leo would spill the problem out about Kirby to Sensei. "Say we're trying to catch a stray pet... Like a cat. What w-"

"A cat!?" Splinter looked mortally terrified. I couldn't help but giggle softly. A hand smacked me upside the head and I turned to see Naomi standing by me but watching Leo and Splinter rather me.

Leo shook his head to change the animal. "A... A parrot...? What would be the best strategy?"

A deep and strangled sigh escaped Sensei as he answered his blue masked son, "Food of course. Any animal can be lured by food." He paused and looked at us all curiously, rubbing his thin beard. He lowered his hand again while turning to Leo, "Now... What is this truly about?" He finished, tilting his head a little with an ear lowering a tad at the tip.