Part 5: Break & Enter

New York, 13:03 pm, July 2nd, 1999

Brioni

"Think I'll ever find an apartment, Mike?" I mumble.

"Sure, just keep looking,"

I was kinda planning to find an apartment before I moved back to New York...guess that plan got spoiled.
I don't remember it being so difficult to find an apartment last time...oh, well, I guess I just gotta keep looking.
Meanwhile, Mike promised me I could stay here as long as I like. That was pretty nice of him, but I wanna move out as soon as possible...don't wanna be a burden...and I wanna get my own place.

I fold the newspaper together and place it on a big pile of junk. Maybe we should get this place cleaned up, since it looks like I'm gonna be staying here for a while...

"Um, looks like the fridge's empty..." Mike says.

"Then we should be thinking about filling it up, huh?" I reply.

"Nah, I kinda thought we would go out and eat tonight," he grins.

Go out and eat? Where would that be? Where could he go? Hold it, does he mean like on a date?

"Out?" I give him a skeptic look.

Somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, 18:15 pm, July 5th, 1999

Raph

So, we're on our way to save Leo. Let's hope we'll make it. I wonder how he's doing...hope for their sake that they haven't hurt him!
Gawd, I hate sneaking on planes...We always have to cram ourselves into places that are to small...especially when you have a shell.

Kylie gets to sit in a comfortable passenger seat with Sheila, while me and Don are stuffed in the luggage room. So unfair!
Bet she's having her meal now...wonder what she's having. Maybe some chicken and those little puddings...
Why do I torture myself like this? And I thought I was hungry before...

Somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, 18:17 pm

Don

Oh, it's so hot in here! I feel like I'm gonna melt into a puddle and slide down a crack in the plane and drop 20 000 feet down to the ground.
Might as well do it, now that Paula-- shit, depressing thoughts again...

Sometimes I wish I was more like Mikey, nothing ever seems to get him down...but, of course, he only hurts inside while we hurt on the outside...No matter how optimistic someone is, there's always something to bring them down sometimes...

I'm sure I'll forget Paula some day...just don't know when.
It's gonna be harder since she suggested that we should keep in touch...I start to forget about her, and then--boom! One call from her and I'll be down Depression Valley again...

Boy, I wish I'd brought a little fan or something...

Somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, 18:20 pm

Kylie

Yuck, I've never liked airplane food...the pudding was good, though. Poor Raph, stuck in with the suitcases and stuff...poor Don, too.

Sheila is crying. Obviously, she didn't like the airplane meal either...

"Shush, darling...look! Here's Mr. Sockmonkey! You like Mr. Sockmonkey, right?" I smile desperately at my little daughter and show her the stuffed animal she loves so much. Sheila shuts her mouth for a second, studies Mr. Sockmonkey, and then gives another cry that would scare a lion.

The old lady beside me gives me a searing look above her glasses. Looks like this is going to be a long flight...

Location unknown, time unknown, year unknown

"Hehe," Faust laughs, "This is just too easy...I have two of those freaks on an airplane and that Kylie chick and her little daughter...I could end their lives in a matter of seconds!"

"No, you don't, Faust!" Oktava growls.

"Don't worry...I think I wanna play with them a little more!" Faust laughs again.

New York, 02:23 am, July 3rd, 1999

Jade

Hmmm, today should be, what, July 2nd? If I remember it correctly, Cindy and Jared would be back in the evening of July 4th or something.
Hopefully, they took Justin with them-- if they didn't leave him with one of his countless nannies, that is...

I guess it's safe for us to stay here... there's lots of security guards, and they all know who I am.
But as for Leo...well. Nah, It's not gonna be a problem...they'll let him in since he's in the company of me.

"Leo, c'mon," I say and make a hand gesture for him to follow me.

"Wow, is this your house?" He says and goggles at the house.

"Naw, it's my sister and her stinking rich husband's house..." I sigh, "Remember I told you about Jared and Cindy?"

"OK. You sure it's alright for me to-- I mean are there anyone here-- what if The Foot--" he says, concerned.

I smile at him. "It's OK, you're my friend. And this house has more security than Fort Knox, so don't worry. Jared and Cindy aren't home, I'm pretty sure of that,"

We walk up the path to the house. "Take my hand, Leo." I whisper, " Even though you can't see them, there's security guards everywhere, and they have to be sure that you're friendly. They don't spy on us inside the house, however." I nod at the bushes and Leo looks curiously in that direction.

He takes my hand. "I can see them," he says.

I widen my eyes. "Really? You must have great night vision!"

He only laughs, and I give him a weird look.

I pick up my key I always hide in my shoe, just in case, and unlock the door. It's dark inside, and I flick the light switch on.

"Maybe we should get something to eat." I decide, and Leo follows me into the kitchen.

We finish a big portion of cereal, some cold turkey, some coke, club sandwiches, a bowl of jelly and a big slice of apple pie each in no time.
It's kind of handy having a rich sister with a big fridge after you've been captured in a dungeon for a couple of days without food...

"Thanks," Leo says, "Um, I hope I didn't eat too much?"

God, this guy never stops apologizing! I wonder where he got all of those good manners from?
He acts like, heh, a gentleman. Or should I say a gentleturtle?

I give him a crooked smile. "Naw, my sister's fridge is always full."

New York, 21:15 pm, July 2nd, 1999

Mike

I've finally managed to drag Brioni out to go eat somewhere. We're walking down the street-- me totally covered in clothes and my old trenchcoat over that, and her in blue jeans and a black top that says "The Truth Is Out There".
We're not exactly dressed for a formal occasion. We'll probably hit a pizza or taco joint or something...

"Boing! Boing, is that  really you?" someone yells, and Brioni turns around.

"Savy!" Brioni yells, and gives the girl in front of us a big hug. Savy's got deep chocolate skin and pale blonde hair.
They probably dyed their hair together, if my intuition is still ticking...

Then they let go of each other and squeak and scream, jumping up and down. They remind me of a certain episode of "Friends" where Rachel's snobby old friends come into "Central Perk". I almost laugh, but quickly slap a hand in front of my mouth. Better not attract too much attention.

"So, you're still into X-files, I see," Savy says and points at Brioni's top.

"Yeah, same old me. I haven't been gone that long, Savy!" she giggles.

"Still the contacts, too," Savy remarks.

"Really? I thought I had taken them off now,"

"Aww, never mind, " Savy smiles, "and who's this guy?" she nods in my direction.

"It's uh, Mike," Brioni says quietly.

"Hey, Mike," Savy says brightly and reaches out her hand for me to shake.

"Uh, I, ah," I stammer, not knowing what to do.

"Is he your boyfriend?" Savy goes on.

"Um, look, sorry to say this, Savy, but we have to go...we're in a real hurry! I'll call you, okay?" Brioni says desperately.

"Oh, okay," Savy says.

Brioni grabs my hand and pulls me after her down the street. I look behind us, and I see Savy standing there with narrowed eyes. I look again, and then the spot where she stood is empty.

Paris, 14: 45 pm, July 5th, 1999

Paula

"Hey, Paula," Charly greets me.

"Oh, hi, Charly," I mumble and wave my hand at him half-heartedly.

"You don't look too happy, sis," Charly remarks.

"No shit?" I answer and slump down on a chair next to him.

"C'mon, tell me what's wrong, or I have no other choice but to tickle you until you do," he smirks.

That's Charly for ya. He's concerned, but has to joke. Guess that's what makes him so lovable.

"Don't bother," I mutter, "it's nothing...just a little guilt,"

And confusion, and worry and fright and I miss--

"Guilt, huh?" Charly smirks again, "What did ya do this time, sis - rob a bank?"

The weird thing is that I don't even know why I feel guilty at all-- it was a smart decision not to come with him!

"Oh, har har," I grumble.

He smiles. "C'mon, Paula...don't you know you can tell Dr. Charly everything?"

I get a lump in my throat. Yeah. Everything but this.

"You wouldn't understand," I say hoarsely.

"Why not?" he frowns.

"It's..." I begin.

Unbelieveable? Crazy? Strange? Surreal? Pick anyone you like!

"What?" he asks.

New York, 21: 35 pm, July 2nd,1999

Brioni

"So, who was that chick?" Mike asks.

"Hmm?" I say distantly, "Oh, Savy? Just a friend of mine,"

"Oh." Mike stirs his coke with his straw for a while, and then he glances at me. "Sorry if I embarassed you or anything-- you know, since you had to break the conversation so soon and all...she looked kinda miffed."

"No problem, " I lie, "she'll understand."  Knowing Savy, she'll be sulking for a week or something. But that's just her nature, she doesn't mean anything by it.

"You couldn't have shook her hand, cause if you did..." I give him a conspiratorive look.

Mike nods and goes back to stirring his coke.

"But, still-- I feel kinda guilty," he goes on.

"You could buy me a chocolate fudge sundae and make up for it," I joke and smile at him.

He gets his constant smile back, and goes off to the counter.

I wonder what Savy, or make that anyone, would say if they knew I was in the company of a mutant turtle because he had helped me run away from Germany where I shot a man-- heh, maybe we should pay my folks a visit?
"Hey, mom! Hey, dad! This is Mike, and he's a ninja turtle who's killed a lot of people, and, guess what--  now I've also killed someone!" Gads...

I'm glad my folks don't expect me back yet...this gives me time to make up an explanation, or at least to practice acting calm in front of them.

Mike comes back with a big chocolate fudge sundae, and it smells just great, but I've lost my appetite.

What am I going to do? Meeting Savy kinda reminded me that there are other people in this world. It was a real kick in the ass back to reality.
She reminded me of the life I had before...before I went to Germany...before I met Mike.

But, then again, this isn't Mike's fault...it would've happened anyway. Otto and his gang would have still turned up, and I would've still had that gun, and I would've still paniced, and...blood.

My stomach turns and I grab my head. This is just too much.

I've accepted the fact that I had to kill that man-- had to do something-- to spare Mike's life-- it was self defense!
That's not what's troubling me anymore. What if they come looking for me? The body is still in my apartment, we didn't--

"Brioni? What's wrong?"

It's Mike. He puts a hand under my chin and gently lifts it to get my attention.

I blink once or twice and give him a weak smile. "Nothing's wrong...I just thought about something, that's all,"

"I thought you were gettin' sick there for a moment..." he sits down beside me in the booth," You sure you're alright? " he says with earnest worry.

"Yeah, I just thought about...about what happened in Germany," I whisper, "what if they find out where I am?"

"I...I dunno-- I don't think they'll find you, if it's those German guys you're worried about. But if it's the police--" he looks at me, "Well, that's another matter."

"Thanks for helping me this far," I sigh, but force a smile, "you can have my chocolate fudge sundae, if you like,"

Mike just smiles at me.

New York, 23:58 pm, July 5th, 1999

Raph

I look at Don's apartment with a mixture of anger and shock. It was lucky for him that he left when he did...

The sewer den can't be looking much better.
Maybe we should go down and check it out...or maybe someone's waiting there for us.

"Don," I say to him, where he's standing over his smashed computer, picking at the pieces, cursing quietly.

"Those assholes..." Don mumbles to himself.

"Don?" I repeat, and this time he looks up.

"What?" He looks at me questioningly.

"What do you think we should do?" I ask.

Don scratches his neck and gazes up at the ceiling. "Wait until they find us-- or go look for them ourselves,"

"Yeah, but where?" Kylie asks.

"That's up to us to find out-- you're not coming, remember?" I say softly.

"I know," she says and rocks Sheila up and down in her arms for a while, until she stops crying.

"At least Mikey's in Germany, so he won't get dragged into this," Don sighs.

"But we could really need his help right about now," I sigh and pick up a sai from my belt, turning it around, studying it absently. This baby's gonna draw blood again, I can just feel it...

New York, 02: 43 am, July 3rd, 1999

Leo

We're walking across the hall upstairs when we hear some movement behind us.

"Auntie Jade?" I hear a tiny voice say.

Jade gasps and spins around, staring wildly at the little boy.

"Justin...! God, you scared me," she tries to sound calm.

"Who's this man, auntie Jade?" Justin asks and looks curiously at me. I tuck my trenchcoat closer around me, trying to hide my features as best as I can.

"Uh, this is just a friend of mine...now, go back to sleep, Justin. There's nothing to worry about," she assures him.

Justin clucthes the stuffed bunny rabbit he's holding in his hands tighter, and his lower lip sticks out in a pout.

"No, " he refuses, " I'm not gonna go to bed! I wanna know who he is!" he turns his gaze to me, once again, "Hey, mister, what's your name?"

I clear my throat. "Leo."

Jade plants her elbow in my side and hisses quietly at me, "Don't encourage him!"

But it's obviously too late. "Hi Leo my name's Justin how come you wear that nasty old trenchcoat and are you auntie Jade's boyfriend or something are you planning to have children soon so I can finally have some cousins or is she too old?" he rambles on until he finally has to draw his breath.

"No, he's not my boyfriend," Jade rolls her eyes at Justin and firmly, but gently shoves him towards his bedroom.
"Night, night, Justin. Give your auntie Jade a goodnight kiss, and we'll talk in the morning, OK?"

Justin stands on his toes and reaches up to give Jade a goodnight kiss. Just before he goes into his room, he whacks her over the head with his bunny rabbit.

"Hey...!" Jade protests and shakes her fist after him. She only catches his laughter as he disappears into his room.

"That kid," she grumbles, "he always has to show off in front of strangers..."

"Thank God it was dark," Jade mumbles, barely audible. I don't think I was meant to hear it, either.

New York, 18:23 pm, July 3rd, 1999

Mike

Brioni's been kind of distant -- which's not a surprise considering the situation she's in -- but I worry.
She's actually stopped looking for an apartment, she just sits by the window. She's been doing it all day...she did get up once and called that Savy woman, but I guess the line was busy.

"Mike..." she suddenly says hoarsely, still looking out the window, "What will I say to my parents? What will I do?"

She turns around, and I realize she's been crying. Why didn't I notice?

"Hey, Brioni," I say mildly, "Please don't cry,"

"And my poor uncle -- maybe he's dead now -- maybe they shot him...because of me...I was supposed to help him. Mom and dad're gonna hate me forever!" she shakes her head, "I sound like a baby..." she mutters.

"Calm down, I sure they won't...it was self defense, Brioni...they were breaking into your house," I slowly approach her, not knowing if she really wants comfort or not.

"But, Mike," she says with cold reason, "we just ran away -- that was a bad move-- that really makes it seem like I did it on purpose, get it? Bet the police won't believe me, especially since you're my best witness,"

I just look at her, my mouth hanging a little open, but I don't know what to say. She's right. The body's in her apartment, and even if they don't know where she is now, they'll find her-- someday, somehow. She's right about her uncle, too. They'll let him take the blame.

"Brioni--" I begin, but don't know what else to do than to just hug her, tightly, just letting her cry on my shoulder. Like she did in Germany...

New York, 09:17 am, July 4th, 1999

Leo

"Auntie Jade! Aaahhh! There's a monster in the bed! A monster in the bed!"

An earbursting scream wakes me up, followed by the sound of little feet running away from me. A few seconds later I hear some muffled sounds coming from downstairs, and someone crying.

"No, Justin, calm down! Nobody's going to eat you," Jade says loudly.

Eat him? I almost grin. Don't worry, I don't think I could stomach that hyperactive, little guy...

"Justin, you've got to calm down. That was just Leo. Remember you met Leo yesterday?" Jade gives a deep sigh, "Well, I guess now you know why he was wearing that trenchcoat."

"No, he's not a monster," Jade goes on, " No, he doesn't live under your bed at night," Now I can hear that she's having difficulties with keeping herself serious.

"Leo, would you please come down here?!" she shouts, and I reluctantly get up from the bed, rubbing my bruises that are now aching pretty bad.

I walk slowly down the stairs, and at the bottom of them, I can see Justin standing next to Jade, staring wide-eyed at me, following my every move with a mixture of awe and fright.

"Hi, Justin," I greet him hoarsely.

"Are you the bogey man? Mommy told me that he's green," Justin blurts out.

"Justin!" Jade scolds him, "Apologize to him at once,"

"Heh, no, I'm not the bogey man," I give them a half-hearted smile.

"Sorry, bogey m--I mean Leo," Justin says and stares at his feet.

"Leo is a turtle," Jade explains calmly and smiles at me.

"Like the ones in the zoo?" Justin lightens up.

"Not quite," Jade says and grins.

New York, 01:46 am, July 3rd, 1999

"The prisoners...they've escaped." the young boy mumbles.

"What did you say?" the tall man asks angrily.

The young boy clears his throat. "They've escaped," he repeats and cringes.

There's a slice in the air, and the tall man calmly steps over the young boy's bleading head, the dead eyes staring nowhere. The tall man looks down at the staring eyes. "I never liked you anyway," he mutters and walks into the hall, cursing.

Someone taps his shoulder, but he's already heard them approach.
"What is it?" he says without turning.

"A note," another young messenger says, and holds out his hand.
The tall man grabs the piece of paper and unfolds it. The note reveals two numbers, obviously phone numbers, and two names. One that's unfamiliar, and another that he both knows and hates. There's also two adresses. Both New York ones.

"Who sent us this? Who gave it to you?" The tall man asks.

The young messenger shrugs. "I don't know-- it was just lying on our doorstep."

Don

We haven't been down in the old sewer lair yet, but I figure it must be a mess. They've probably turned the whole place up-side down...
Splinter, you always hoped that The Foot would stop this stupid little war, but I guess you didn't get your wish...even now, years after you're dead, we're sitting here like two fools, waiting for them to show up so we can beat the hell out of them or something similar.
Then again, maybe they'll kick our butts. Somebody's gonna get hurt eitherway.

They called. How they've got the number to, or rather knew about Mike's apartment, is beyond me. Mike's place was a mess like always, almost looked like someone had a fight or something. But that's just how bombed his place always looks.
Hope you're enjoying Germany, Mike, cause you're not gonna be too happy to see that nasty old mess again...or at least I wouldn't. For you it's not "messy", it's "homey"...

I can barely keep my eyelids open. I look at my wrist watch. Geez, it's almost five am! I pull out my thermos from my backpack and pour myself a cup. I came prepared.
Raph, who's perked on a fence over me-- as ready, suspenced and paranoid as ever-- snorts at me.

"Gads, you never go anywhere without your coffee-- do ya, Don?" he mumbles.

I ignore him and pour the rest of the coffee down my throat. Maybe this'll keep me awake.

I find myself staring fixedly at the coffee cup, and groan quietly. Why does everything have to remind me of Paula?
Even this damn coffee cup reminds me of when we drank coffee together in the hotel room when she had just woke up-- can't I even drink my coffee without being reminded of her? Maybe I oughta quit drinking the stuff-- it's not good for me anyway...

"Konnichi wa, freaks,"

I drop the thermos on the pavement with a loud clunk, and grip my bo tightly. Raph is already on his feet and he looks like he's planning to make the guy a new nostril any minute now.

"I think the correct phrase is sayonara, jerk," he says and approaches him.

"Where's Leo?" I ask.

New York, 10:18 am, July 4th, 1999

Jade

Justin is sitting at the kicthen counter, eating ice cream-- for breakfast.
I know I shouldn't let him, but I needed something to calm him down with. He's staring up at Leo, his eyes big and round as he slurps the ice cream into his mouth, making a big mess.

Leo is pretty special, but he's even more noticeable against the squeaky clean, white kitchen-- like someone drew a big, green spot on a white sheet of paper.
We can really see the differences now. It's so strange. All this time they've been living under the streets, and we never knew about them, hurrying past, unaware of the foreign creatures that took recidence in our sewer systems...almost sounds like a novel or comic or something!

The strangest thing is -- although they've never been a part of our community -- they're just like us!
Probably comes from studying us, watching us, learning, I guess.

I never got a chance to really fully understand what he is, be amazed, be surprised. It was just like "I'm a turtle," and "Oh," and then suddenly, we got kidnapped. Weird, really weird.
Maybe that's why I treated him like a person all along. I talked to him before I saw him.
I was distracted before I got time to be afraid. And, oh, there's the fact that he called 911 for me and kind of saved the day.

Now he's been talking, telling me and Justin everything. I heard most of it in the cell-- or prison or dungeon or whatever it was-- but I was still fascinated by the story.
He added some things here and there that he forgot to mention the first time, too.

He talked about his sensei, a rat...told us more things than I heard last time. Talked about how he died several years ago, how he brought them all up, how he was, and then I kind of figured where he got all his good manners from, where he got all his, shall I say, galantry?
That sensei sounded like a very nice old rat to me, but of course -- Justin was scared.

"A big rat? Auntie Jade...?" he said and tugged at my sweater, giving me a scared little puppy-dog look. I only stroked his hair and said that it wasn't at all dangerous. How anyone can be afraid of a long gone, old rat, is above my head.

Now Leo was gazing absently at my sisters copy of Mona Lisa, hanging on the wall.
"What are you thinking about?" I wonder.

"Hmm? Nothing...just that it's pretty weird that a completely unknown mutant turtle, of all things, is named after such a great artist," he sighs.

"Leonardo Da Vinci? You mean that's who you're named after?" I ask him, then I frown at myself , "Yeah, of course... Leo's short for Leonardo,"

"Yeah, didn't I tell you?" he lifts his gaze from Mona Lisa to me.

"Nope," I shake my head.

"Heh, I was sure I did-- we've told this story so many times, you see-- me and my brothers," he gives me a little grin.

"So, where are your other brothers now?"

Suddenly he jumps to his feet. "God, how could I have forgotten them? Maybe they have been captured, too...or at least Don!
He was still here in the city..." he rambles.

He may be right, they could've--

"Leo, why don't you go and check on them, and if nothing's wrong you can come back here, if you like," I put my arm around Justin's shoulders, "and tell us more."

"Yeah, that'd be cool, Mr. Leo," Justin says. He seems to be more fascinated than scared now. Besides... his "big, strong auntie Jade" is here to watch out for him.

Leo smiles at us as we follow him to the back door, so he can sneak away. He puts on his trenchcoat and his hat, and breaks into a steady jog.
I wave at the guards in the bushes, signaling to them that Leo's friendly. Hope they don't see anything unusual about him...

You know, something's not right when you let a guy who's just been kidnapped and tortured like that, run away to save his brother or brothers and very possibly be tortured again. God, this is gonna be my biggest mistake ever, but---
I pick up the phone and dial the number for the guesthouse. "Bridget!" I say in a polite, endearing voice, "Could you please take care of Justin for a while? I have to, um, run some errands,"

I'm only going to follow him from afar, only to see if he's okay -- I owe him that much!

Go to Part 6: Paralyzed
Back to Presentation of "When In Rome..."
Back to Fan Fiction
Back to Lola Cubish's TMNT Sewer Lair