Reckless. [TMNT 2012]

34. Tiger Hunt; Casey

Song: Lion - Hollywood Undead

Relief floods my veins. Raphael is here! Now Michelangelo and I might stand a chance against Tiger Claw.

   "I'm here, too." April steps out from the shadows of the elevator. Her red hair is pulled back and her face glows with the anticipation of a battle. Determination tampers with her pink lips as she squares up beside Raphael.

   "How did you know where we were?" I ask, my eyes giving away my astonishment.

   "We split up from Leo and Donnie. April and I saw that shell-brained announcement that Tiger Claw made from the other side of the city," Raphael answers. He looks eager to rip the giant kitty cat apart. "He told me to meet him and Donnie here, but he didn't mention that you two would be around here. What're you idiots fighting these guys on your own for, anyway?" he questions with narrowed green eyes.

   "Tiger Claw has some kind of weird control thingamabob," I explain, my tongue twisting with my words. "Mikey and I were gonna get it away from him, but we kind got caught," I add as I scratch the back of my head. It's no secret that stealth isn't my strong suit, but I still hate to admit it.

   "Tiger Claw is on the roof!" Michelangelo exclaims as he points upward. "He went up the-"

   All of a sudden, a crashing sound interrupts him. Rocksteady has leaped back through the window, and Bebop is flipping back inside as well. They both appear very displeased.

   "Sonny, you're going to pay for that!" Bebop squeals in rage. He immediately starts firing lasers from his belt at us.

   I roll out of the way just before a laser hits me. As Raphael and Michelangelo rush to deal with Rocksteady, I turn my full attention on Bebop. Avoiding lasers by twirling my weapon around, I slowly get close enough to smack Bebop.

   Suddenly, a sharp pain in my leg causes my hockey stick to stop spinning. I let out a groan of pain and drop my weapon, wrapping my hands around my wound. A jolt of searing agony shakes my body.

   In my moment of distraction, I forget to defend myself. Bebop seizes the opportunity to blast me right in the stomach. Flying back into a wall, I sink down to the ground and clutch my leg pitifully. I can feel a burn slowly starting to make itself known on my abdomen.

   "Casey! Are you ok?" April gasps in alarm as she rushes to my side. She touches my stomach lightly, but my wince makes her jerk her hand away.

   I struggle to stay conscious through the pain as Bebop paces toward us. "Looks like a point for me, and none for you!" he exclaims gleefully. He starts to dance around and make obnoxious celebratory noises.

   "Not so fast," April jumps up to defend me. Her tessen extends at her side and she leaps straight up into the air. She comes down hard and fast onto Bebop with a dark glint in her eyes. A clanking sound rings out across the room as he tessen attacks his belt. The rebound of the metal makes Bebop lose his balance, and April uses the opportunity to launch herself at him a second time. This time she uses her elbow to nudge him away, while she gives the warthog mutant a good few blows on the back. He goes down, but a sharp blow to April sends her sliding across the slippery floor.

   Reaching into my pocket, I whip out a hockey puck and throw it at Bebop. As he starts to stumble backward, I try to get to my feet. However, the stabbing pain in my leg and stomach are too much- I can't get up fast enough. Within seconds, I have an angry warthog towering over the top of me, his eyes blazing through the cover of his shades.

   "I think you'd better take that back, boy," Bebop growls as he whips a laser gun out of his pocket. He holds it at my forehead and the device slowly starts to charge up, getting ready to fire.

   Suddenly, a flash of green body-slams into Bebop. The warthog mutant gets pinned to the floor and punched in the face over and over again. I don't even realize who saved me until the turtle lifts Bebop up by his collar. It's Raphael.

   Bebop struggles out of Raphael's arms and thrusts his weapon into the turtle's plastron. I finally find enough strength to jump up and run to his rescue. Using my taser, I electrocute the warthog and shove him back towards a window.

   Smelling like charred flash, Bebop stumbles around blindly. Rocksteady is beside him, looking just as beaten as his friend. You can practically see the birds tweeting around their heads.

   Raphael, Michelangelo, April and I advance toward them. Both back up with scared expressions on their ugly faces.

   "Now-uh, looks," Rocksteady stammers. "We don't-uh want any troubles."

   "Yeah, can't we sign a peace treaty or somethin'?" Bebop begs, his hands clasped together. "I've got an epic stash of rare goodies that strong guys like you might be interested in!"

   The four of us exchange glances. Then I step forward, smirking. "Sorry, we don't take bribes," I state.

   All of us advance forward abruptly. We startle Rocksteady and Bebop so much that they fall right out of another window. They grab onto each other and scream as they fall.

   Peering over the edge, I watch the two mutants dangling off a flagpole. Rocksteady clings on for dear life, and Bebop clutches his partner's foot. They look up at us helplessly. They aren't going anywhere anytime soon.

   "Wow, that's a long way down!" Michelangelo comments loudly. Bebop and Rocksteady look downwards, then started screaming and panicking.

   I back away from the window and dust my hands off. "Those freaks will be down there for a while," I say, satisfied. Glancing at Raphael, I add more humbly, "Thanks for the save."

   Raphael shrugs gruffly and says nothing, though his eyes gleam from the knowledge of our friendship.

   "Uh, dudes?" Michelangelo breaks the awkward tension between Raphael and I. His sky-blue eyes are staring out the window, watching something above the building. "Bebop and Rocksteady climbed to the roof!"

   "Tiger Claw is up there!" I exclaim in frustration. "Now they're going to team up! We don't stand a chance without the other guys."

   Raphael heads for the ladder. "I'll go myself," he decides, putting his sais away so he can climb up.

   "Are you crazy?!" I grab Raphael's shoulder and pull him back towards me.

   "You guys don't need to get hurt anymore," Raphael replies without looking me in the eyes.

   Examining Michelangelo, I realize I'm the only one injured. The little turtle has his wrist held at an awkward angle, almost as if it's broken. He also has a cut traveling down the side of his face. April is also beaten up; she cradles her ribcage delicately. However, the fire in both their eyes shows they aren't ready to give up. And despite my injuries, I feel the same way. We aren't going to let Raphael go alone.

   "We aren't leaving you alone, Raph," April insists with a confident nod.

   "Just do as I say," Raphael orders, still unable to face us. He just continues to stare at the floor.

    I suddenly realize how hard this must be on Raphael. The enemies we are about to face are the same ones that took Charlotte's life from her. And though Raphael would never admit it, he was in love with her. His heart shattered like a vase when she died, and he has obviously blamed himself ever since. This is his moment to get revenge- but he cannot do it by himself.

   "No!" I shout stubbornly. "We aren't letting you go alone! We're a team, and we're gonna go out like one if we have to."

   Michelangelo's soft voice breaks in. The highlights in his eyes sparkle as his pupils dilate. "You know this is for Charlotte, but she wouldn't have wanted it to end like this," he reminds Raphael gently.

   Raphael's green eyes fill with pain and he turns his head so we can't see it. He inhales sharply and, full of renewed determination, nods at us.

   "Let's go kick some mutant butt."