TMNT: Life or Betrayal: Chapter 11: Misdirection

Mikey entered his father's dojo to find him meditating in his usual position. Obviously, the only way to get the permission that he needed would be to interrupt, something he always hated doing. It was always ironic to him that for doing something that was supposed to ease his mind, his father could be quite crabby when his meditation was interrupted, however briefly.

He respectfully sat cross-legged before his father and bowed his head, looking down at his hands resting in his lap.

“Sensei,” he said.

Splinter's eyes remained closed as he took in a self-restraining breath.

“What is it, Michelangelo?” he asked.

Mikey flinched internally at his father's anticipated reaction and nearly forgot what he had wanted to ask.

“A-April just called and asked me if I wanted to hang out with her at her apartment for a little while,” he began, keeping his eyes to his hands. “Would it be alright if I went?”

Splinter opened his eyes and lifted his head gradually to gaze at his hopeful son. His head cocked slightly to one side.

“Tonight?” he asked.

Mikey, remembering who he was speaking to, resisted the urge to remark sarcastically and chose to nod humbly.

“Hai,” he replied. “Can I go, please? It would really be nice to get away from here for a little while.”

“Yes, but my son, your brothers are not here and will not be for a few hours. It is just as well for you to remain here to unwind,” Splinter reasoned.

Mikey shook his head and finally lifted his eyes to look at his father.

“With all due respect, Sensei, I really wanted to be with a friend for a bit.”

Splinter stared into his son's pleading cyan eyes with a painstaking hesitation.

“Well, then why not invite her here? It is much safer, after all,” Splinter suggested.

Mikey reached a hand back and nervously rubbed the back of his neck, knowing his upcoming argument was going to sound weak.

“Y-yeah, but the thing is, April's pretty upset with the guys over this,” he explained. “I-I'd kinda like to keep them separated for a while to avoid conflict, you know?”

Mikey watched his father's stern expression with hopes that he would see it begin to soften at his frail argument. Much to his delight, the resoluteness in Splinter's amber eyes wavered and he sighed.

“Very well, my son,” he said, “you may go, but I have a few conditions.”

Mikey smiled and bowed his head down again. “Of course.”

“The same curfew for patrolling applies,” Splinter began. “I want you home by eleven.”

Mikey nodded once. “Hai, Sensei.”

“I do not want you running the rooftops by yourself. You must get as close to her apartment as you can through the sewers, understand?”

Mikey cringed. He had hoped that he would be able to take the scenic route, but alas, this was a compromise so he knew to take what he could get.

“Hai, Sensei...”

“No special trips. You go straight to April's and straight home,” Splinter pushed. “I mean that.”

“Where else would I possibly go?” Mikey thought, but swallowed the question and nodded again.

“Hai, Sensei.”

Splinter sighed, wishing so deeply that he could just tell him “no” and it would be over.

Mikey felt a pang of guilt, sensing his father's objection and worry. He scooted closer and rested a hand on Splinter's knee.

“I'll be alright, father,” he reassured. “I promise I'll be super careful. You don't have to worry.”

Splinter looked up and smiled fervently at him. “You'd better,” he said under a chuckle.

With enthusiasm only Michelangelo could maintain, he thrust himself at Splinter and wrapped his arms around his neck with a laugh.

“What, are you gonna whoop me if I come home with a scrape?” he joked.

Splinter laughed and squeezed him once around his shell.

“Don't test me. I just might. You never know what kind of mood I am in.”

Mikey laughed and released his father before standing up to his full height.

“I am serious, though, Michelangelo,” Splinter urged. “I want you home by eleven, and I don't want you doing anything else.”

Mikey bowed. “Hai, Sensei. May I go now?”

Splinter nodded. “Yes, you may go.”

Mikey respectfully bowed again and went on his way.

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Karai landed at the edge of the rooftop of an apartment complex and peered over the side into the dark alley below as if waiting for some sort of movement in the still darkness. She returned her gaze to the device in her hands and watched the red dot on the screen continue to move down the map of New York.

Seconds later, Bradford and Xever landed behind her and watched her expectantly.

Bradford felt his impatience rising watching the teen's slow, seemingly non-existent progress and leadership skills.

“Karai,” he grouched. “This is useless. Stockman's device is leading us nowhere!”

“Dog-man is right for once,” Xever added. “We cannot return empty-handed and we will run out of moonlight if we keep moving at this pace.”

Karai stood to her full height, but continued to watch the GPS.

“Will you fools have a little patience?” She growled. “Michelangelo is obviously not in their lair at this time, so we can't track him there right away. We have to follow his trail on Stockman's GPS until they resign there for the night.”

“We would already be rid of them if you had not retreated the first time!” Xever spat.

Karai whipped around and pointed her kunai just inches from the mutant fish's face.

“Shut it, Nemo!” she retorted. “You've had your share of failed attempts too, so I suggest you cooperate with me or I'll be having sushi for breakfast tomorrow!”

Xever snarled at her, but begrudgingly kept his mouth shut.

Bradford snickered at his aquatic teammate's indignity as Karai returned her attention to the GPS.

“This way!” She called out, jumping across the alley to the nearest fire escape and then onto the rooftop of the neighboring building.

Xever, Bradford, and several foot ninjas followed her lead.

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April stared at the taunting algebraic equation on the smudged up paper in front of her. Several repeated attempts and every time she wound up stuck in the same place, even after checking her process by referring to her fairly precise notes she'd taken in class.

She groaned. “Is this equation even possible?”

Tap tap tap!

She jumped and her pencil went flying at the unexpected sound of something or someone tapping at her bedroom window. She swiveled around in her desk chair to see a chipper-looking Mikey illuminated by the streetlights, waiting on her fire escape.

He waved when they made eye-contact.

“Mikey,” she breathed and released the handful of her shirt from her grasp. She rose from her chair and pushed the window open.

“Hi, April,” Mikey cheered. “Sorry if I scared you.”

“I didn't think you were coming,” April said. “You were supposed to call me.”

Mikey smacked his forehead. “Oh shoot! Sorry, I guess I was so excited I forgot.”

April grinned and shook her head. “It's fine, come on in...”

Mikey abruptly held up a finger to his mouth while his eyes darted all around them.

“Shoosh! Do you hear that?” he whispered.

April fell silent and listened all around her, but could not detect any unusual sounds.

She shrugged. “I don't hear anything.”

Mikey jumped onto the rail of the fire escape and then to the roof above them.

“What are you doing, Mikey?” April whispered.

“Shh!”

Mikey moved to the A/C unit just above April's window and ducked behind it while he carefully scanned the rooftops around him. On a building diagonal to him, he could just make out a black, female figure barely illuminated by a light from a nearby billboard. A slight movement and several taller and larger figures followed behind and just as quickly, disappeared into the night's shadows.

Mikey growled. “No...” He hopped back down to the fire escape in front of April.

“What's going on?” April asked, noting the look of urgency adorning Mikey's features.

Mikey urged her back into her window and closed it behind him.

“The Foot are on the prowl tonight,” he said. “I gotta warn the guys.”

He reached into the pocket of his belt for his phone, but to his surprise, it wasn't in his usual pocket. He checked the other, but found that it wasn't there either.

“Uh-oh...”

“What's wrong?”

Mikey ripped off his belt. “My phone,” he said as he shook it, hoping his phone would come flopping out, “I think I left it in the lair.”

“Oh, that's no problem,” April soothed, “I can call Leo from my phone.”

Mikey pushed the window open again. “Good. You do that, and I'm gonna go find the guys.”

“What?!” April dropped her phone on the carpet, using both hands to grab Mikey's arm before he could go anywhere. “Are you crazy? You can't fight in your condition!”

Mikey shook her loose. “I gotta try, April. Karai had a lot of Foot with her, including Dogpound and Fishface. My brothers need my help!”

April sighed.

“Don't worry, I'll be back here before eleven, so we'll still get to hang out for a bit,” he reassured with his signature grin.

Before April could argue any further, Mikey was out the window and running the rooftops, fighting against his sore muscles.