The Call (a TMNT fanfiction)

Chapter 27: Death Glares & Decisions

"Lexa, tell this animal to move outta the way!" Raph growls. I look up from the table--where I am sitting, talking to Leo. I sigh when I see Mallory standing up, covering half the TV, where Raph is trying to watch it.

"Oh? You want me to move? Okay, I'll move." Out of rebellion, my friend moves right in front of the television screen so he can hardly see at all.

"Where's Mikey?" I ask. As if on cue, the orange-clad turtle comes strolling in. His face animates when he sees me, and he hurries towards the table Leo and I are sitting at. Mikey grabs my shoulders and shakes them, with a huge grin on his face.

"Guess what I got you, Lexi!"

I raise my eyebrows and smile, but don't reply.

"C'mon guess."

No response.

"I'll give you a hint if you want..."

I grin, but shake my head.

"Alright, alright, I bought you a--" Raph jumps up and slaps his hand over Mikey's mouth. He whacks his little brother upside the head, and then mutters something. He sits back down.

"Oops..." Mikey laughs sheepishly. "I keep forgetting I can't tell you."

Leo laughs at him. Mikey--taking offense to the laughter--points a finger at the eldest turtle and glares at him.

"Look, just because you already knew what to get your girlfriend for her birthday doesn't mean you can laugh at me," Mikey says, crossing his arms. Leo flushes a little.

"Mikey..."

"I'm joking!" Mikey reminds, shaking his head in disbelief. "Come on. It's like you're offended that I'd match you with her."

"Mikey, it isn't Leo's fault that he's perfect," I say, smiling. Leo glances at me when I say this, and he smiles too, a small, tender one. 

I watch Mallory and Mikey start a new game of Survival City. The game takes place in the time of a zombie apocalypse. I suddenly remember that I need to tell Donnie something Doctor Faulkner had told me.

"I gotta go see Don for a minute," I announce.

Leo laughs half-heartedly. "Okay. I'll be here..." He makes a face. "You know...watching Mikey and Mallory kill zombies."

I pat his cheek. "You poor thing."

Because he knows I can still hear them, Raph shouts, "Wow, I thought she'd never leave."

I laugh while making my way to Don's room. When I'm granted permission to come in, I find him sitting at a desk with piles of experiments surrounding it. But at the moment, he's staring at a blue-print of some sort that's sitting in front of him.

"Hey, Don," I greet. "You know Doctor Faulkner?" It's a dumb question. Of course he knows Doctor Faulkner. They act like they are twins separated at birth. 

"Yes," Don answers, his eyes perking up.

"I talked to him yesterday and he told me that the breaking apart of the substance was a success. No problems. He also told me to thank you for all your input on how to pull it apart and dry it. Because of you, we're that much closer to finding a cure."

Donnie jumps up, beaming. "That's amazing! My ideas have a chance in actually making a difference!"

I suddenly have my heart go out to him. I feel his happiness transfer over to me. He realizes that his intelligence could save hundreds of lives.

"Like I said, the process is almost done.  Once we find the chemicals that reverse what the substance initially does, we'll find our cure." More and more people have been dying from the Epidemic (that's what the scientists have been calling it). So far it's only spread around New York, and a little bit of Jersey.