Part 6: Paralyzed

New York, 07:23 am, July 4th, 1999

Brioni

"Hey, Brioni, know what day it is?" Mike says brightly.

I turn over in the bed to see that he's standing on the floor in front of the bed, grinning widely.

"The 'Kill-Mike-Because-He-Woke-Me-At-This-Unearthly-Hour' Day?" I suggest grumpily as I glance at the watch on the nighstand.

Mike only laughs. "No, it's fourth of July, the national day!" he says, "Also, The Independence Day," he adds in a scary voice.

"Yipee," I mutter, and turn around again, burying my nose in the pillow.

"No, definitely not a morning person," Mike mumbles to himself as he wanders off towards the kitchen.

"What did you say?" I ask him, even more grumpy.

"Nothing, nothing,"  Mike says in a high-pitched, innocent voice.

I give a little growl and go back to sleep.

New York, 11:14 am, July 4th, 1999

Leo

God, I hope they haven't captured Don and -- eventhough he deserves it some times -- I hope they haven't captured Raph!
Something bad never fails to happen when one or more of us are gone-- guess they know that's the best time to strike.
We can't stay in the same spot our whole lives just because of that, though...I couldn't have kept the other guys here even if I wanted to.

I haven't heard from them for a while, by the way. The last thing was when Mike called me to say he was going to Germany.
He's so lucky... always has been. He writes good stories, but I never actually thought he was going to get them published, considering he's... well, to put it bluntly, a turtle. He's never been to school! Guess he's just a natural.
He was so happy, and I was happy for him, too.

If anythings happened to any of them-- I try to not think about it, and just hurry.

Here's Don's apartment, finally. Oh no, it's--

I carefully nudge the door, and as I thought, it's open.
They must've been here already...I walk over to Don's computer that's lying crushed on the floor, and give a quiet moan.
I'm too late. They've even ripped the couch open and spread it's contents all over the place. God, how I hate them.

I'm all alone. What am I gonna do?

New York, 11: 18 am, July 4th, 1999

Jade

Leo's been running around for a while now, taking short-cuts and staying in the shadows. He's hard to keep up with.
Luckily, he just entered an apartment, so maybe I won't have to chase him around anymore.

I sit down on a trash can outside the apartment and wait. Ten minutes later he comes out again, looking very upset.
Whoever or whatever it was he was looking for wasn't there, I guess. Maybe it's one of his brothers' apartment.

I sigh and get to my feet again. Looks like he's not going to stop yet...

New York, 05:00 am, July 6th, 1999

Raph

"Look, either you tell us where our brother is--" I say angrily.

"You're gonna know where your brother is very soon," the man says.

Soon, more ninjas sneak up behind him. They're many. Many, but not too many, right?...
Maybe Don and I could-- no. We need help.

Just don't let them see that we're afraid. Be tough. We can't run from this, they'd only capture us. We have to try.

New York, 05:15 am, July 6th, 1999

Kylie

It's just impossible to sleep tonight.
Raph, where are you now? Are you doing alright? Have you found Leo yet? Are you captured?
I wish I could do something... I wish I was strong.
I'm not much help in a fight. Sure, I was in a gang when I was younger, but all I learned there was how to throw a good punch. I don't have any of the precision, experience or strenght they have.

What if he gets killed? Oh, I just can't think about it...

I hug my knees tighter and look absently out of the window, out on the moon that's almost disappeared. In a while, the sun will come up. Raph and Don have to hide before that, they can't go walking around in public where anyone can see them.
Heh, it almost sounds like they're trolls or something, who will explode when the sun comes up...

I sigh and shake my head. All the weird things that comes into your head when you're tired! Sheesh!

I put my head down on my pillow, but just as I close my eyes, Sheila starts to cry.

New York, 05:04 am, July 6th, 1999

Don

It all happens so fast. Raph lunging forward, the man tripping him somehow, Raph's muffled growling, dozens of black-clad men all in a pile, me hurrying forward, hitting them down one after one, but not reaching Raph-- too many!
Raph barking at me, "Run, damn you, run!"

I pause for a second, then reason that I can't save him by myself. I have to get help. If I don't escape, then who will save us?

I run with a bunch of men on my tail. I almost break my legs as I gather all my strenght to just run faster, and faster, and faster, gaining some distanse between me and my chasers-- got to get away. Sweat covers my arms and forehead and neck as I fling myself over a fence, hearing my back make a cracking sound.

I pay no attention to my back, just scramble to my feet and run on, until my legs almost buckle under me.
Why couldn't he have waited? Just so we could have a made a strategy? Or was there even time? Sometimes it seems like Raph has no idea at all about what he's doing...damn, hope he's gonna be alright!

Casey should've been here, or rather Mike. Just someone.
I grin bitterly. Leo. Leo is who I need-- his plans, his strategy, his "famed" attacks...
You're the one who's best at these "how-to-save-our-friends" stuff, but now you're the one who needs to be saved-- and all I can do for the moment is to run...

New York, 07:45 am, July 4th, 1999

Mike

I poke her side with my finger, and she feels very soft. I never thought a babe like that would go around wearing my T-shirts!

"Aww, c'mon, Brioni..." I complain.

She gives another one of her little grunts and turns over again.

"Leave me alone-- I'm still tired," she mumbles.

I've been lying on the couch for what, four or five days now? Of course I would like to get my bed back, but I don't mind.
I love having her around.
She's fun, even though she's not exactly a morning person, and she's nice and she's awfully cute. And after the impression I've got, she kind of likes me too-- in a way. She did say I was fun, anyway...

"Brioni..." I continue my whining. I'm bored out of my skull.

"OK, OK, I'm up!" she jumps up from the bed, stumbles onto the floor and instantly trips over a box of comics.

"That was your fault," she accuses me sleepily, and obviously still grumpy, as she's lying in a pile on the floor.

I sit down on my haunches, hovering over her. "Want me to help you get up?"

She shakes her head, "No, I can get up myself--" she turns her glance towards me, but suddenly claps her hand over her mouth, her eyes widening, a silent laugh escaping her lips.

"Whatsamatter?" I ask curiously and shift in my position. This causes her to giggle. "Um, I hate to break this to you, Mike, but-- I can see straight up--" she raises her eyebrows and that movement speaks for itself.

I quickly sit down, feeling my face turning red. "Heh, er, I'm sorry," I grin sheepishly.

"No biggy," she makes a careless hand gesture, then realizes the double meaning of what she just said, and bursts out laughing. " I mean, heh, I mean, it's not sma-- oh, geez, what I'm trying to say is...," she draws her breath, giggles a little, then clears her throat, "Well, just have to admit that maybe that shell doesn't cover everything in some situations,"

I continue my blushing, a big, stupid grin still plastered over my face. She sits up on her knees, touches my arm, and gives me a warm smile. We just stare at each other for a long while, my big grin fading into a little smile. She cocks her head to one side and gazes deeply into my eyes, as if she's searching for something.

Just as I'm beginning to feel uncomfortable, she clears her throat, breaking the tension.

"Was it the fourth of July today, you said?" she asks casually and rubs the sleep out of her eyes.

"Yeah," I nod in agreement.

"What do you usually do on these occasions?" she stretches herself and yawns pleasently, like a cat.

"Waddaya mean-- you wanna celebrate it with me?" I ask her, a surprised expression on my face.

"Yeah, okay...that would be...nice," she smiles again.

New York, 16:54 pm, July 4th, 1999

Leo

I've been watching this place for several hours now. Nothing seems to happen.
I guess it's safe to venture out now-- just have to be a little careful about it.

The familiar smell of old breakfasts and sweat comes to my nostrils as I enter the sewer den, lurking in the shadows, tip-toeing forwardly as quietly as I can possibly manage. I hear a sound, and all my senses are alert as I unsheath my katana.
Then, hearing a can getting knocked over, I spring into action and run into the kitchen, which is obviously where the sound was coming from. The only thing I scare is a stray cat. He hisses and jumps up on the kitchen table.

I breathe out in relief and approach the cat. "Come here, buddy," I say mildly, " I won't hurt you," I slowly reach out my hand, but he lashes out a claw after it. I swiftly jerk my hand back, and it barely misses his claw.

"You a little jumpy, pal?" I mumble, " I can understand that-- me too," I add and sit down on the old couch.

Finally I look around in the sewer den. Sure, it's messy, but no more than it usually is. They haven't trashed the place...
Maybe it's safe for me to spend the night here-- I hope.
Since April, Casey and Shadow moved to Australia, there haven't been many places we've been welcome, so I wouldn't know where to go if I couldn't stay here...

We all miss them dearly-- apart from a few aquaintences here and there, they're our only true human friends...
But now there's Jade. I hope we continue to know each other... she's pretty nice to me. I could go back to her sister's house, but I really can't risk it, since I might be followed.

I should go and check out Mike's apartment next...hope they haven't destroyed his place like they did with Don's.

New York, 17:03 pm, July 4th, 1999

Jade

So this is the sewer den. Their home. It's a little messy, but no more than I'd expect. All in all, it's not too bad. Except for the smell, of course.
It's strange that Leo haven't noticed me yet. I know that I'm trained to move quietly, and that I'm quite good in martial arts, but still-- he's more experienced and skilled than I am, by far!
He must be preoccupied, worrying about his brothers or something.

There's a cat, wonder if it's his?

"Mrrrow," the cat says and jumps down from the table. He moves swiftly in little jumps over the floor, working his way towards me. He leaps into the shadows and strokes his head against my legs, purring loudly.

"Miaow,"

"What is it, buddy?" Leo lifts his head and gazes towards the shadows.

Dilemma. Am I supposed to let him see me, or is it best to watch him from a distanse, so I can know that he's safe?
If I go out now, he'll ask why I followed him, and then he'll tell me to go on home...

Leo walks over the floor, and I back away and silently slip through a passage way, pushing the cat gently away from me.

"What is it?" Leo asks the cat again. I hear him calling for the cat, and seconds later I hear him swearing under his breath.
The cat must've managed to claw him this time. I'm laughing inside as I watch them from my safe spot. That guy's so polite that he can't even swear properly...

Paris, 05:15 am, July 6th, 1999

Paula

Suddenly I got this feeling that something wrong was happening, and I woke up. Now I can't sleep. Someone's invading my dreams with thoughts of Don. Or maybe I'm doing it myself. Our subconscience takes issues we're afraid to talk about or live out in real life and molds it into our dreams, sometimes making a really jolly, confusing mess out of it.

I had the craziest dream. Don was sitting under a street light, drinking his coffee, and then a giant rhino came and tried to eat him. He barely got away, and he ran and ran down a long road, the rhino coming after him. Suddenly he crashed into something, and I realized that it was me.
The rhino had disappeared, it began to rain and he told me that he wanted to stay out there with me, even if it rained.
The wind began to blow, and I kissed him and walked away, holding an umbrella. He just sat there, gazing helplessly after me, and I could hear the rhino coming back.

There just can't be any meaning to this dream. What should that be-- that I want to see Don get eaten by a rhino? Yeah, right!
I giggle softly at my own soppy joke.
Then how come I can't sleep? I just can't get him out of my head anymore...

I can't even tell Charly about it-- I want to tell someone!
I know I made the perfectly right choice, the perfectly sensible choice, the perfectly sane choice.
I know I couldn't have done anything to help them. I know I shouldn't get involved with Don. I know it's not smart.

OK, so I couldn't join them in their little crusade to save their brother, that was never an issue for me-- but can I go back after this summer vacation is over and, and...?

There must be something about Don that makes me-- that makes him-- that is-- oh, why on earth did I have to get a crush on a mutantturtle on the internet?
I used to fantasize about meeting him-- I'll admit that. Little did I know that he was a turtle for crissakes...!

He's just so... so...and so-- I can't even find words, goddammit! What is it about that turtle?

New York, 05:45 am, July 6th, 1999

Raph

Gaah. Where the hell are these guys taking me?
Come on, Don, tell me that you managed to escape? You just have to.
We walk past the dirty brick cells, closed with heavy iron bars, and I try as hard as I can to peer into them.
Which cell could Leo be in? Shit, they're all empty. Are they holding Leo some place else, or has he escaped?

You better be here, Leo! I don't wanna be dragged all the way from Paris just to find out that you broke out all on your own!

I wanna yell and scream, and kick and punch those assholes and make a riot, but I can't. They've got my hands tied up and my mouth is covered with some old rags or sumthin'.

Shit, what if this is all a trap or something? Maybe they haven't got Leo at all! It's very possible-- they all wanna capture me, so why wouldn't they use a rotten trick like this? To pretend they've kidnapped Leo so I had to come rescue him?

Why didn't I just stay in Paris? With Kylie. What if I never see her again?
Give it up, Raph-- you know you have to stick up for your brother, can't just leave him here..

New York, 05:42 am, July 6th, 1999

Don

I just can't run anymore. I slump down on the ground, tired, my breath comes in steady, quiet gasps.
I wipe the sweat of my brow, and lean my head back against the wall in the alley, opening the collar of my trenchcoat just a tad. It's a miracle that I still have my hat.

Suddenly, for no apparent reason, I think about Paula, and I find that I'm smiling.
I'm sitting here on the ground, worn out from running, knowing that two of my brothers are captured and that the last one is out of the country so he's unable to help me, I can't even call him because he gave us no phone number-- and I'm friggin' smiling!

There's no end to my foolishness, is there? I sigh to myself.

What am I supposed to do to help them? This life is just too unfair-- if I was a human I could call the cops or the feds or something...but on the other hand, if I was a human, I wouldn't be in this mess in the first place...

Come on, think, genius-- and you're supposed to be the smart one and all? I give another sigh.

New York, 05: 42 pm, July 6th, 1999

Kylie

Sheila's still not asleep, so I'm walking up and down on the livingroom floor, rocking her gently, trying so hard to make her sleep. I've changed her diaper, I've given her her milk-- what else can I do?

"Rock-a-bye baby, don't be afraid-- no, that's not the way it went..."

Sheila is still sobbing, but I can hear that she's going to fall asleep any minute now.
Don't be afraid...heh, maybe I was saying that more to myself than to Sheila. I'm worrying so much about Raph.
Gads, hope he's OK. Please be okay, Raph...

"Hush, little baby, don't say a word, papa's gonna buy you a mocking-bird, but if that mocking-bird won't sing, papa's gonna buy you a diamond ring..." I sing softly.

But what if the baby has no father? Then who's gonna buy that diamond ring?

My little baby daughter is finally sleeping sound and safe against my shoulder, and I put her carefully into her crib.
Maybe I'll check my answering machine-- now that I'm awake, anyway. I close the door to Sheila's room so she won't be awakened by the noise, and then push the button.

New York, 23:32 pm, July 4th, 1999

Brioni

We've had a pretty fun day. First we watched a couple of movies, then we played-- believe it or not-- Nintendo 64!
I didn't even know any 25-year-olds had something like that...and my laughter triggered another one of our pillow fights.
And, boy-- does his livingroom look like a minefield now! I had just cleaned it, too...

Mike's been in the kitchen for quite a while now.
Now he's coming out, carrying a tray of various sundaes and desserts and some funny looking stuff that I think are supposed to be houer doeuvres.

"Come on, " he nods at the fire escape ladder, and I give him a questioning look.

"Well," he says, "where else do you think we're gonna be able to see the excellent fireworks?"

"Oh, " I say simply and climb up the ladder and on to the roof, him following close behind, balancing the tray with great concentration.

"Wow," I look wide-eyed at him, " how did you do that?"

"Ah, it was but nothing, Mylady, " he grins widely, "only a simple gesture that is quite common to me,"

I giggle and shake my head. Mike is so silly.
There is a loud bang, and the sky explodes into millions of colors, shining like stars, and then trinkling towards the ground, dissolving themselves in mid-air.

"I love fireworks, " I sigh in awe.

"Yeah, " Mike nods, his eyes not leaving the night sky, " it's just explosives, color, some cardboard and cheap junk, but still--"

"Mmhmm," I mumble and follow his gaze at a big purple one, "it looks pretty good against that dark sky,"

I notice that his arm is wrapped around my shoulder, but I don't bother to shake it off. It feels kind of good. Safe. Warm.

"Want a cherry?" Mike asks and picks up a cherry from the top of one of his crazy and colorful refreshments.

He puts the berry in my mouth, and I try to bite it, but he pulls it away, so I have to struggle to eat it, and suddenly, the stalk loosens from the berry, flungs through the air and into his eye.

"Ouch," he says and rubs his eye.

"Sorry," I giggle.

"Aww, it was nothing," he grins.

"Let me fish it out for you," I offer and lean forward to look at his eye.

New York, 22:59 pm, July 4th, 1999

Leo

I had to wait until it was dark before I could get to Mike's apartment. I didn't mind getting the rest, either.
The sun hasn't gone fully down yet, but it's dark enough.
The sign on the other side of the street flashes WALK, and I hurry over. Walking towards Mikey's place I glance up at his window. Are the lights on? No, he isn't supposed to be back yet. I have to walk closer to see if they're really on or not--
Hitting the ground, beak first, I yelp out in surprise and pain. Who tripped me? I roll over on my back and look up.

Oh, man, this can't be happening. They've got me again.
I try to get up, but someone plant a foot on my chest. I moan and reach for my katana.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," a man hisses.

I freeze as I see that they've got guns. That's strange. They're not supposed to use guns. Aren't they ninja? No-- they are.
These people are members of  The Foot. I can tell. They must've learned from all the times we've won over them.

I glance up at Mike's window again. Have they noticed where I was going? I can't let them know about Mike's apartment, too.
That is, if they haven't already broken into it...
If Mike even were there, he wouldn't have seen me get attacked. I'm just a little too far away.
They drag me into the well known alley besides the apartment building next to Mike's where they tie me up. Again.

As they force me over the fence, I look back. Didn't I see somebody moving in the shadows over there?

New York, 23:53, July 4th, 1999

Mike

Brioni leans over me to remove the cherry stalk from my eye, and I can feel her warm breath on my forehead.
I've never been this close to a woman before. Except maybe April, but that's totally different. She's our friend, and she's married to Casey, and she's older-- she's almost like a big sister or even kind of like the mother we never had.

But Brioni...

I can't believe she wanted to spend fourth of july with me...kinda crazy when you think about it.
My brothers always told me I was lucky, but this is just too good to be true. She's so...I make her laugh, she makes me laugh, I love to hold her-- the few times I've done it, that is-- I love just being around her, the very air of her...she's makes me nervous and relaxed-- both at the same time.

Man, am I falling in love? She's...why is she here?

"There-- got it!" she says with a fanfare, and holds up the cherry stalk.

"Thanks," I chuckle and steal some whipped cream from a bowl of ice cream with my finger. "It's good...try some," I smile.

She dips her finger in the same bowl and nods thoughtfully as she tastes it. "Yeah, it is."

"Here's some of that whipped cream," she grins mischieviously and squirts a big blob of it at me.

"Hey, I'll get you for that," I growl playfully and run after her, like we've done in our previous pillow fights.

We run some rounds on the roof, but finally I've got her cornered. "Haha," I say triumphantly and hold out my arms to block her path, "you won't get past me now,"

She squeazes herself against the safety edge that surrounds the rooftop, as I walk closer.
I frown. She's getting that serious look on her face again, and she's gazing so hard into my eyes that she nearly burns a hole through my skull. Metaphorically speaking.

Again, she touches my arm, and I freeze, completely unaware of what to do.

Come on, kiss her. Go on.

My breath becomes shallow and fast, but still almost unaudible as she gets up and put a hand on my face. A hot hand.
She takes another careful step closer, but I'm afraid that she'll back away if I even move the slightest bit.
She slowly moves her face closer to mine, and I can feel that my pulse is rasing.

Her lips touch mine for a split second, and they're almost numb after her touch. I put my hands on her back and feel the soft skin under the fabric with my fingers.
She doesn't break away, only closes her eyes. I kiss her lips very delicately, but she quickly draws me closer and we are locked in a hot embrace, our tongues massaging each other gently and slowly.
Just holding her and the taste of her lips makes my mind explode.

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