Chapter Text
Across the city drove the remaining seven, four turtles, one fox, and two humans. Michaelangelo the turtle adorned with the bright orange mask, stared into the maze of intersecting lines. Gray lines crossing over gray lines broken up by the occasional pink, orange, or blue uniform line.
"Y'know Donnie-bro, if anyone were to have a disintegrate thingy-ma-jig I think it would be Baxter Stockboy," said Mikey looking over at the turtle in purple, now both sat at the same height.
Donatello paused for a moment "yeah, I wonder if Karai kept Baxter's old lab in the Footclan Base. What do you think of that, Leo?"
Leo continuously kept his pupils on the road ahead watching for stray infected. "I think we should go pay her a visit and see for ourselves. Where to, Mikey?"
"Left onto 5th street!" Mikey exclaimed excitedly.
As Mikey spoke the directions Raphael slumped in his seat watching as April and the black-haired boy, Casey joked around, Casey was bizarrely explaining his time in community collage. April laughed alongside Casey on the floor of the Shellraiser. Raph stared down at the red fox sitting a foot away from his seat, a perfect crease formed between her eyebrows and a serious stare burning at the kama in her hands.
"You wonder how Tigerclaw is doing right now?" Said Raph trying for a conversation between the two mutants.
Alopex snapped out of her trance "not really. I assume he's doing fine, I just hope he doesn't mess up his chance at redemption," Alopex stared up at Raph in the seat, a slight somber glistened in her eyes.
"I always hated him since the moment I fought him, but as much as I hate to admit it, I hope the same. I hope he isn't failing as badly as he did in the Footclan," Raph cackled, however his antics only received a slight smirk. That was enough of a win.
The once frightening building of the Foot, a place of terror and fear, was now just the residing of their sister. The group gathered up at the steps of the building before being let in by the guarding Foot.
Mikey excitedly burst through the door of the throne room "Karai!" Said Mikey with a bright smile on his face. He opened his eyes, seeing not Karai, but a young adult with long black hair sitting, her legs lazily over the side of the throne. A PSP gaming system held in her fingers "where's Karai, Shini?"
She looked up from her game staring at the seven. "She's probably still asleep, I'll go get her. What do you need anyways?" Shinigami stood from the throne pausing her game before waltzing over to the group.
Leo moved a front "we wanted to ask if you guys still had any of the equipment or research Baxter had,"
"Oh, I'm sure Karai might know," her lips coated with a layer of dark purple lipstick moved in perfect precision as she spoke. No matter how late or early Shini always seemed so dolled up. "Wait here for now,"
As she made her way towards the door she stared back curiously at the fox before walking out. She moved down the hall and up the stairs to the main bedroom. She knocked three times on the dark wood door.
"Knock, Knock, Knock!"
"Karai〜" said Shinigami dragging out her name as she opened the door. She stepped towards her bed, Karai laid wrapped in blankets and sheets. Her short pinstraight hair unruly spread along the pillow covering, Shini reached out her hands gently shaking her awake. "カライ、お兄さんたちが来たよ {Karai, your brothers are here}"
"えっ…何？{huh... what?}" Karai sat up slowly rubbing her eyes and blinking softly up at Shinigami.
"お兄ちゃんたちが来たよ、起きて…フクロウに話しかけてみたけど、一言も話してくれなかった。たぶん、君が一番好きなんだと思うよ。 {your brothers are here, you need to get up... I tried talking with the falcon and she refused to say a word, I think she likes you best.}" Shinigami repeated herself as Karai slowly rose from the bed, planting her roots firmly on the floor below.
She grabbed her robe from the bed frame wrapping the soft cloth around her pajamas before slipping on her slippers. Shinigami chuckled, wrapping her arms around Karai resting her cheek next to Karai's. "Oh please it's much too early for you to be this mushy," retorted Karai. Shinigami giggled, moving Karai out of their domicile.
Mikey hugged Karai as soon as she stepped foot within the doorway. "Glad you're not dead, sissy!" Karai eeked in surprise before wrapping an arm around the shell of her brother.
"What brings you here, I assume it has something to do with the Krang..." said Karai as Mikey let go from the hug.
"Yeah that's right, those alien freaks need to pay bigtime," said Casey Jones, a wide toothed gap in between his teeth as he smiled.
Alopex gazed at the young woman in front of her, she's heard the stories the turtles have said about her. "We've come to ask for any of the equipment Baxter Stockman once had, do you have any of it?"
Karai swiveled her head towards the red fox "You're Alopex, correct? A while back Baxter's M.O.U.S.E.R.S broke in and stole information regarding mutations, and equipment. However I think we still have some things, I'm sure you'll find what you're looking for,"
Donnie excitedly rocked on the heels of his wrapped feet upon hearing the answer. "I wonder why Baxter would need information on mutations, especially with the business he's running."
"Hmm I dunno... anyway, thank you, Karai," said Leonardo.
Karai nodded before leading the group out of the throne room and into the hallways of the Foot. Mikey gazed around at the smallest details of the hallways, the spiders hiding in tiniest of crevasses and small flakes of dust on ledges. "Is being the Shredder boring?" Asked the orange turtle.
"Oftentimes, there's way too much overseeing of things..." Karai admitted sleepily walking down the stairs to the laboratory.
Karai looked over to Shini walking by her side, she was mouthing words that took Karai a moment before understanding. Karai paused just before the laboratory doors. "As the krang invasion was just starting we managed to save a mutant, the only word we got her to say was her name, Koya. She refuses to speak a word to anyone, very guarded,"
"We fixed her injuries and afterwards told her that she was free to roam, however she refused to leave the laboratory. Don't be shocked if she's silent," said Shinigami, the group nodding at their words before opening up the lab doors.
The lab was just how Karai remembered various equipment laid about the lab, on occasion water dripped out from the faucet into the metal basin below. Behind the piles of papers, blueprints, and notes sat a young fledgling.
April's blue eyes flickered around at the space, clearly raided by the M.O.U.S.E.R.S. in the center of the room behind the stacks of papers was a mutant fledgling with gray and blackened stripes, the large wings quickly came to guard herself upon the entering of the group.
April looked at Karai as she said "feel free to look around, try not to make more of a mess." Karai ended her words before quietly approaching the falcon.
She watched from a distance before following the excited footsteps of Dontello towards the sheets of information and spread equipment.
Koya didn't speak a word, as Karai kneeled down next to her. Koya parted her wings slightly gazing her vibrant blues into the soul of Karai. Koya was glad to have seeked shelter within the Footclan, however she must not stay long. Karai's deceitful facade is not to be trusted, Koya closed in her wings around her view.
"If you would like to stay, I believe we have a spot available in our training programs. You won't have to live on the streets, get food for free, and a place to sleep at night," spoke Karai, her eyes softening at her wings clenched around her.
Koya didn't speak, her feathers ruffled at the suggestion.
Karai took the ruffling as a clear 'no,' she sighed softly trying to reason with the twelve year old. "I know it's not the best option, but you're too young to be on your own, at least this way you will be cared for until you're old enough. My brothers, the turtles have plenty of friends that can help you too... I just want what's best for you, Koya,"
Still, Koya did not speak. Her head shifted to stare at the turtles looking at the various items Koya had observed for hours. Her head shifted as Karai softly sighed once more.
"Please think about my offer,"
Raphael sat at the pile of papers Donatello directed him to as looked through various technological items. Sifting through the papers glazing over the words anything having to do with the Krang, remnant information on mutations, or anything relating to Krang technology. Papers having no related information were cast aside.
Leonardo scrounged around the laboratory looking from top to bottom for anything potentially useful. In the far back corner Leo stood poking at the various tools and artillery. Donnie spoke of something called a 'transdimensional chip,' apparently it was the mother board of making those portals actually function. Leo pried apart different scrapped machinery and carefully removed the boards from within. Each looked slightly different then the last, little boxes and wires forming a vague depiction of a town or city on each cool colored board. Leo approached April and Donnie across the laboratory placing various scraps, cords, and other small things into brown cardboard boxes.
"Are any of these important?" Said Leo holding out the scavenged chips and boards.
Donnie quickly glanced at the pile in his hands before quickly making a decision. "Probably not, but place them in anyway,"
Leo handed them over to April packing items up before turning back over to the purple masked turtle. "Do you really trust Mikey to look through Baxter's desk?" Leo glanced over to Michelangelo, getting increasingly closer to the curled falcon.
"Yeah he probably knows what to look for, with how much time he spent in my lab this year I would be surprised, ranging from not at all to somewhat if he learned nothing at all."
Leo hummed at Donnie's response, he hardly looked up. "He's too grown up, I mean he leaves the lair whenever and I trust him enough to even let him do that!" Leo whined sadly. "I still remember when we were all kids cuddling during thunderstorms,"
Donnie giggled "oh please, you sound like dad, now,"
Leo smiled back, turning away from Michaelangelo.
Mikey pranced around the desk opening and closing draws, pulling things out, and sorting through piles. He looked occasionally at Koya, so frightened and untrusting, his eyes softened at the sight. "Y'know I happened to overhear what Karai said earlier... just by chance,"
Still, Koya did not speak.
Mikey paid no mind continuing to ramble on speaking as he sifted through Baxter's work. "I have friends that started out as complete enemies,"
Koya perked interest at the words.
"Like Bebop and Rocksteady. However Bebop only really goes by Anton, and Rocksteady as Ivan. They used to work for the Shredder, you probably don't know him. He was a psycho determined to kill my father, Splinter, he eventually did," Mikey paused soberly. "Anyway we were complete enemies until Shredder died, and after a few other things they decided that what they were doing was wrong so they changed and 'paid back their debts,' or whatever Donnie says,"
Mikey shifted from his piles looking up at the guarded Falcon. Koya parted her wings slightly, staring her blue eyes down at the turtle below the chair.
Mikey smiled slightly "I make friends pretty easy, and that's what happened with Bebop and Rocksteady. I think you would like them, they have two kids Hob and Sheena,"
Koya opened her beak "what are they like?" She whispered quietly, her voice was dewy and warm like a loaf of bread.
Mikey saw as Koya opened her wings up a little further he grinned happily. "Sheena is just a baby, only one, she's quite sweet and Rocksteady always speaks Russian to her. Hob is five years old. He's quite rambunctious normally, but he seemed quite scared about what's going on..." Mikey paused. "I'm scared too and I'm sure you are as well, sometimes we need the right guidance from others, that's why I'm sure my brother Leo will fix everything!"
Koya's eyes glimmered slightly, her wings still slightly parted.
"If you want to come and meet them you can come home with us!" Mikey gleamed with unbounded joy. Koya nodded slightly before enclosing the wings around her form.
5:30 A.M. T.C.R.I December 29th, 2018
The four entered the dark gray, looming building. Papers littered the floor, the bright overhead lights shined down on the white polished flooring. The ceilings were dark with the lack of sunlight moving through the glass panes. The walls, a professional gray, plants neatly trimmed, and the Earth Protection Force logo slapped at the front of the room just above the receptionist's table. Ivan stepped forward alongside Anton, surveying the space around them. No receptionist sat at the desk, no person sat in the lobby.
Inside the metal inclosed elevator on the right side of the lobby the four packed inside tightly. Anton looked from Ivan to the glossy metallic walls to the tiger squished between the wall and the panel of buttons. Looking over the lines and lines of buttons, Tigerclaw pressed the metallic button in which the center glowed when pressed.
"Ding!" spoke the elevator, the doors closed shut as the pulleys above whirred to life in elevation.
"How do you know where the mutagen is?" Xever asked, switching his head over to the left Takeshi.
"The tops of buildings is where all nefarious things happen," responded Tigerclaw in his rough voice.
Anton leaned into the large form Ivan sneakily gripping his hand in his, their fingers intertwined between the rhino and the warthog. "Or basements," chimed Anton.
"Or anywheres' for that matter," spoke the Russian.
The elevator doors dingged once more before opening up to rows of office cubicals, each their own sad tone of beige, papers lined in neat piles, computers ready to use, bright lights hung overhead casting a stale glow. The four naturally split looking for the hidden mutagen behind the walls, down a labyrinth, or in a secret Krang laboratory.
Anton searched rapidly opening closets, drawers, doors, every empty find kept him looking for more. Ivan took a slow approach, following Anton behind his tail analyzing each thing he touched. The metal of the door knob scuffed, a door labeled "utilities," the wood having years of small scratches built upon the solid door.
Ivan looked closer, his one eye slowly veering off course. Ivan unashamedly grazed his vision over Anton's face and hands digging through each item. His eyebrows furrowled in concentration, a slight wrinkle forming between the two brows, his lips clamped together forming a straight line. He watched as Anton stood turning to face the cubicles, entering one of the beige boxes speedily pacing to the desktops. The computer sprung and danced to life with the click of a button, Anton immediately tried typing in a few lines into the passwords box.
Anton sighed expectingly, knowing that the attempt would never have worked. God, the way he exhaled almost made Ivan smile in glee. Anton was such a smart man when it came to anything technological, or finding his way around, Ivan's heart grew in fiery passion, a slight rosy dust on his cheeks, and love on his mind for that beautiful man.
Anton immediately got to work on his "techy," stuff, however Ivan was hardly paying attention, far too dazzled by the man leaning over the desk.
"There's nothing here saying anything about green ooze," Anton's voice was just enough to break Ivan out of his love-sick daze. Anton clicked through several more files, each more boring than the last.
"Maybes' the EPF classified that information from the rest of their workers," spoke Ivan looking for Anton's reaction.
Anton looked back nodding his head "I bet that's what happened,"
A voice spoke far, far across the room "Hey you two! We found a stairwell, we should follow it up!" Shouted the voice of Xever.
Anton peeled away from the computer looking over to Ivan before filing out the cubicle. Curiously following towards the sound of Xever's voice he found the other two standing near the entryway to the stairwell.
"It's likely the old Krang operations are blocked off, we'll tread carefully." Said the voice of Takeshi leaning against the doorway before twisting out the door into the cold concrete stairways.
Xever followed soon after with Ivan and Anton moseying close by. Each step of their feet echoed quietly throughout the concrete asylum. Stepping up to the landing, Anton swiveled his head to the left to a white closed door. He carefully stepped forward forcing his feet on a quiet landing upon the cold flooring. Pressing on the metal bar the door opened slightly just enough to see inside. A cramped pitch dark hallway with a single overhead light at the end giving off little to no light. The dark brought a slight static to his vision staring into the shadows of the hallway, thick dust settled into the air of the long white painted bricks, and the scent of must filled Anton's sensitive nostrils. By watching as many horror films as he did he knew as soon as he stepped a toe into the dark abyss he was sure to die getting chased.
Seeing enough he closed the door, forgetting to blot the sound of the slamming door. The sound echoed down the flights, the slammed door amplified down, down, and down. Anton's eyes widened as he turned to the group beginning to climb up the stairs, each frozen, unmoving as their eyes flicked around. Anton squinted before he finally heard it.
Down just two flights of stairs a gnawing sounded followed by low breathy growls down in the throat. Takeshi stared down at Anton, fear struck his eyes and a hint of anger. Rushing sloppy steps began to run up- each one faster than the last. In a flash of movement Ivan reached out his arm grasping Anton tightly. His eyes widened with a certain kind of fear, not for just the circumstances.
Ivan pulled Anton quickly up the stairs as each one sprinted upwards hoping to find any which way. Ivan looked back quickly catching a glimpse of a man rushing up the stairs after, a long head with a lower jaw protruding wide open, mouth leaking drool from the depth of his throat, his skin doubled and folded adding sagged layers of cysts.
Ivan gripped Anton closer, pulling quickly, his heart racing; he could barely see a thing. Items blurred, his chest heaved with each breath rushing down his throat burning a path down the tunnels of his airways, and his mind rushed, flicking his focus across everything from one corner to to the next.
Upon another landing Ivan and Anton sped toward the right a black armored door stood in their way. Ivan slammed his weight against the door, it bent but did not break.
Ivan slammed against the door once more pressing his shaky weight against the hard black metal door. It bent further, but it did not break.
The infected climbed up, pausing at the intersection between the left and right side he swiveled right before leaping towards the two mutants.
Anton shrieked as the door finally burst. Anton gripped onto the arm of Ivan sprinting alongside Ivan as the two twisted through the slim hallways, right then left- left then right one right after the other. Anton looked behind his eyes pricked with tears as he stared at the man with a wide grin and eyes laced with sick fury. He was pulled to the left, Anton pressed himself against the metal door holding his breath.
Ivan rushed through his hazy vision grabbing the nearest item, a black armored rifle. Ivan grabbed the five round magazine forcing it to the magazine catch. Anton's strength dwindled, his legs and arms weakening, quivering under his grasp.
The infected shoved his way through the door, his arms reaching through before his head peeked out from the edge. His spindling finger reached and curled tightly around Anton's leg; he kicked and squirmed loosening his once firm grip
Ivan raised the rifle, the chrome lined barrel pointing towards the infected's twisted misshapen skull. His finger laid on the trigger and with a sharp splitting sound, his head blew backwards splattering blood against the doorway.
His hand limped and collapsed to the ground, Anton kicked the corpse to the slide slamming the door shut and blocking the entrance. His legs quivered and his stomach turned, Anton slid down to the ground, his back scraping against the wall. His eyes squeezed shut and his arms flew to soothe his nauseous stomach.
'Think, think,' said his mind. Bile rose up in the esophagus each time the infected's face squealed in his head. He took slow deep breathes through his aching dry lungs, he racked his head again and again for another thought.
In the early afternoon, Hob slunked up to the couch curling his body into Anton's lap. Warm sun through the cold winter days filtered through the windows and through lace curtains landing upon the fur of the little ochre cat. Hob purred resting his head upon Anton's chest. He basked in the memories of Sheena sleeping cuddled up in Anton's arms for the very first time, or when Sheena fell back asleep in his arms late at night. He missed her bright blue eyes, her pink skin, and her cute little snout. He longed to have Sheena back in his arms once more, and to have Hob cuddled to his chest.
Anton opened his eyes looking straight ahead. Ivan sat facing toward the back wall of the weaponry closet, his shoulder quaked and his breath hitched every few seconds.
"Я хочу домой, я хочу домой..." mumbled Ivan under his breath, and he kept repeating the the same foreign words. Anton listened as closely as he could, and even with his limited Russian, he still couldn't understand the Slavic's distressed words.
He crawled across the tiled flooring sitting himself down next to Ivan. "Rock?.."
Ivan did not speak, nor move.
Anton paused, his eyes relaxing staring at the man, Ivan never once cried, honesty, Anton thought that was completely impossible for him. "Ivan baby?" Anton reached out a hand gently placing it upon the surface of his shoulders.
Ivan shifted his head facing Anton's saddened face. "I feel so embarrassed..." spoke Ivan before tearing his face away from his partner.
"Why?" Asked Anton, he grabbed Ivan's hand interlocking then tightly between his fingers. He stared at the sad grays of Ivan's skin.
"I do not know," it was better than admitting to anything more. He wiped the remaining tears creeping out from the folds of his eyelids before looking back at the warthog.
Anton paused, staring into his eyes, just as blue as the big open sky. After all this Krang gunk cleared, they'd see it once more in its full deep glory in the little white home with three rooms filled leaving one with a missing piece in their hearts. "Sure you do, you just won't tell me," Anton spoke quietly.
Ivan paused, "da, I guess that is true.." Ivan leaned against the man by his side.
"Are you gonna tell me?" Ivan knew he wasn't asking, he was going to tell him eventually.
"Yes, I will not, now we need to find that mutagen and get out of here," Ivan looked from the floor to Anton speaking slowly.
Anton met his eyes squeezing his hand softly. "At the lair then,"
Ivan nodded firmly, Anton stared into his weary blue eye. He reached out his hand landing one on the side of Ivan's face pulling him closer. Their lips met briefly sharing their scolding love amongst themselves, they broke away and with a clear mind Ivan reached out for another AR15 rifle.
He handed it off to Anton before sweeping as many bullets into his pockets, Anton followed in his footsteps raiding the weaponry closet.
Xever and Takeshi burst through the doors on the left sprinting as fast as wind could take them. Takeshi fell to the ground when his lungs could no longer breathe and his legs would no longer move, he kneeled on the white tiled floor different from the ones in other parts. The floors were speckled with blue, mothy red, and yellow? At least Takeshi thought so, through his haze of no oxygen, it could've actually been a shade of mustard or maybe it was orange.
"Tigerclaw... where are we?" Peeped a voice to the right. He stared at the red scorpionfish before looking around. His mind had finally cleared space for easy thoughts.
Takeshi looked around the room, bright fluorescents overhead, wooden cabinets laid underneath hard white and gray tables. Microscopes set out on tables, shelves stocked full with boxes, chemicals, peri dishes, pins, cords, computers, lenses, the works. "What do you think?" Snarkily replied Takeshi as he got off the ground.
Xever scoffed "idiotia. If I had to guess the ooze should be here,"
Takeshi nodded firmly at his words, however not at the first word mumbled under his breath. He sighed letting go of the rude remark before speaking. "Where's Zeck and Steranko?"
Xever paused "I don't know, we must've lost them. I hope they made it out fine." Said Xever sifting through anything laid out over the tables, through papers and microscopes.
"...I'm sure they're fine, an infected like that won't kill them," Takeshi said softly, beginning the same action as Xever. They were decent fighters, Anton was clever enough, and Ivan was plenty strong enough to rip an infected in half.
Takeshi pried open light brown drawers skimming the insides, each paper bland yet mildly intriguing. If Baxter was here he would probably know more about what a Triceraton 'star compound reactor,' is or a Krang 'multidimensional residue,' or even a Krang 'power cell,' Takeshi folded the papers stuffing a couple into his pockets.
Takeshi moved around opening up closets, and pulling boxes down from the shelves; in which most were almost the same each time.
Xever gazed into the clear tubes of Krang crystals, glowing dimly, and shimmering in shades of light blue and pink. Each one garnered his eye. He picked one up with a bright yellow label with the words 'do not shake,' written in red across the surface of the glass vial. Xever placed the vial back down upon the intruding thought, he stood for a few seconds before picking it back up once more. The temptation burned at his mind, surely the effects won't be too awful. He shook the vial, the crystal clanking against the glass sides, cracks formed along the crystal's edge bursting from within glowing brightly. Xever's eyes widened as the glass broke in the collision of the crystal's implosion.
"Xever! What did you do‽" Shouted Takshi.
"Nothing," Xever answered sheepishly, placing the broken bottle down, flicking the shards off his fingers. When Takeshi finally turned away he snagged another crystal 'I'll just be more careful,'
They searched, and searched until their back ached from crouching under tables, and their muscles fatigued from the very act of simply moving. Xever laid on the cold floor surrounded by piles of various objects and papers that seemed to never end. He stared at the pristine white blanket over top, a hard ceiling of containment. 'I want to go home,' whined Xever silently, he longed for the streets of São Paulo, the petty thieving, the smell of food down every street wafting delicious dreams and wonders of food. His stomach growled in pain, he laid an arm over top of his abdomen.
Xever opened his eyes once more, he flinched upon the sudden figure of Takeshi standing looming over top. His vibrant oranges, and his steely gaze burning into his corneas. "Get up," he said sternly.
Just like a whimpy dog Xever immediately sat up, just like in the Footclan. "What is it?" Xever asked, squinting the bright lights out of his vision.
"I believe I found something important, however you need to pick the lock,"
"What is it exactly?" Xever asked, standing up following the tall mutant tiger. To a thick metal door, beneath the head the handle was a simple keyhole.
'You think the EPF would've had better security' thought Xever before quickly saying outloud "find me two pins,"
Takeshi quickly looked around before returning with two long pins the top folded in in a similar shape to a 'T,'
Xever immediately grabbed the two long pins from his finger, bending the two into an 'L,' and one of them with second smaller 'L,' near the tip. Jamming the two inside the lock he poked and prodded at the small springs connected to the driver pins inside the inner workings of the lock. After shaking the tools inside the lock for a while a small click sounded, a successful unlock. Xever proudly stood opening the door up for Takeshi "after you," he said with a sly grin on his face.
Takeshi scoffed, "wipe that off your face, you're too proud of yourself," he looked ahead and propped up neatly on a stand was the last canister of ooze. The tops of the glass sealed by light colored metal, evidence of the Krang's technology apparent in every detail from the violet glow, to the bright glowing hue of green. Each shade and tone overlapping in a beautiful mixed galaxy of mutagen. So beautiful, and a horrible sight. Takeshi's bones and flesh ached in remembrance, the burning pain through his veins at just the age of thirteen. He could still hear Alopex's cries into the embrace of his arms. Takeshi quickly shook the memories from his mind before hesitantly reaching out at hand.
The metal and the glass smooth beneath his fur covered paw as he stared into the glowing canister. "We mustn't lose this, you hear me," Takeshi spoke lowly, a small growl in his voice.
"...I promise," the word was foreign in Xever's mouth, he never made promises. He couldn't help but feel a sense of giddiness deep down, he couldn't yet comprehend exactly why. He was happy to have succeeded in something so simple.
"We should get going, go find Anton and Ivan,"
"If they aren't already sucking each other's faces," laughed Xever, only a slight faint smiling crease appeared on Takeshi's lips.
Ivan and Anton stepped out into the hallway shoving the corpse's body to the side of the hall. They had a mission, get the ooze and pay back their debts, for their time has come. A burning determination appeared in their souls, one that wasn't there back in that closet. Ivan stayed close to his rifle at the ready, loaded, pointing upwards, with the finger resting above one the metal right above the hook of the trigger. Anton heard his heart pound in his ears as he cautiously turned down the corner of the hall.
Ivan paused, releasing his breath upon seeing nothing, a thin layer of sweat secreted from his pores on above his brows. Sweat coated Anton's hands as he gripped his rifle a little tighter, remaining mindful how close his finger got to the trigger.
Their throats ached with dry air, and the smell of fear drifting from their bodies. Anton reached back with a free hand gripping Ivan's hand in his, the hallways remained dark at the sides, and the lights remained bright overhead. A headache shifted and strangled Ivan's head, he squinted his eyelids blocking out the light.
Anton suddenly stopped down the corridor, his grip strengthening like a coiling snake. His ears listened in closely, the room to the right down the hall, a door wide open light spreading through the doorway like a plague gracing the earth. A wailing, high pitched like a woman's voice, her sobs full anguish.
Anton looked back, Ivan's expression was frozen. He pulled him closer pulling him along, the sobs grew loudly each out of breath and her voice losing the strength to continue. Anton stood next to the doorway, holding his rifle close. He turned towards Ivan one more time before peering in.
Spread along the floor was a woman, long sickly withered hair spread across her back and face. She hunched over the ground, her shoulders trembling with each breath, her sobs calmed for one moment before sobbing harder the next. Her work tights ripped; the fibers mangled, and her shoes ditched from her feet. Her dress shirt white and crisp with a few wrinkles up the fabric. Clearly an office worker, how she ended up in the EPF corridors remained unknown.
Anton slowly stepped inside, careful not to scare the distressed woman. Ivan approached the doorway, each of their faces sharing the same pity for the crying woman. "Ma'am are you alright?" Anton spoke quietly, his voice soft and calm.
He approached once more a few steps away from her. She paused, her tears stopped. Anton froze as she sat up straight "I don't mean to scare you ma'am, we can get you out of here and to safety," Anton spoke once more.
Her breath hardened, breathing in and out quickly. She arose from the ground, her unstable feet padding against the floor. The cold soaking through her tights and to her deathly pale skin, before either of them realized what happened they already knew. She turned slowly, her eyes pale and blank, a ghostly white coated her skin, blood dripped from her gums and down her chin.
She shrieked, lunging at Anton, her long blackened fingers gripping the sides of his body, her gnawing teething reached out for a bite just as a bullet hit her arm. She fell back just enough time for Ivan to grab Anton by the wrist and yank him out the room, they sprinted down the corridor and twisted into the hallways. Anton turned his head catching a glimpse of the infected woman, her feet sprinting down the tile, the bottoms of her tights forming holes in the threads. She shrieked loudly, pain in her throat and in the depths of her soul beneath the thick mind numbing blanket.
Thoughts ran rampant through the haze of running a coherent thought was barely uttered only halfway out the folds of his mind before being muddled by a thick pool of sludge. Down the hall was the stairways further up, Ivan didn't hesitate before making the split decision to run up. The further they went the walls seemed close around them, getting closer, and closer. Anton's breath picked up feeling the walls pressed closer around him.
Above the steps Ivan saw the glory of a pristine white door, he barely even read the sign before swinging the door open, the two continued running, the sky was bright, golden rays bursted out from the clouds and the morning air fresh. Their feet skirted across the concrete roof stopping just before the ledge, Anton stared down the long drop down. His vision warping from the nauseating perspective, the building curved and the ground seemed to descend lower and lower into the crust.
Ivan looked behind seeing the woman chasing up the stairs, her screams and wails full of pure blind rage ripped from her throat. Ivan pulled Anton and him out of the way, the infected stopped just before the ledge the same as them before shifting her focus to men.
Ivan pulled his rifle off his back facing the barrel towards the infected, she gnarled her teeth ready to pounce once more. However, she never got the opportunity before the steel bullet hit her shoulder, she stumbled but did not falter. Ivan squinted his eyes, he held the rifle steady in his grip, the rifle recollied in his arms as the bullet left the barrel.
Her head fell back a perfect hole through her forehead and her feet stumbled before tumbling over the ledge.
The trees stretched up tall bark traveling straight up the trunks. Leafs wilted turning hues of sunsets reds, oranges, and yellows. Through the bushes of the forest home crouched Ivan a dark brown rifle held in his hands, heavy and old.
His attention was snapped as a twig echoed through the forest. Ivan watched as a redheaded fur coat, long thin legs, and antlers spreading and twisting like branches stepped out from the maze of trees. The deer stopped feet away from the bush staring it down with its round blackened eyes. Innocence looked Ivan in the eyes.
Ivan gripped his fathers rifle tightly in his hands, his arms quivered and ached with the lack of muscle that only comes from years of living. He raised the rifle focusing his eyes, he held a breath of air in the folds of his lungs.
The redhead deer stepped forward reaching his head towards the partially welting leaves collecting the ripe red berries. Each vivid berry crunched between the deer's molars. The deer brought his head back once more, staring down Ivan crouched in the bushes. He blinked slowly and softly for the last time.
Ivan stared at the deer's wide and round black eyes, he already knew what was coming. Ivan relaxed his thin arms releasing a breath before raising the firearm once more. He steadied his arms, directing the barrel ahead. Blonde wisps of hair covered Ivan's forehead, he closed an eye squinting the other. He placed his finger over the trigger, and the rest came easily enough.
A clean shot, he heard the steps of his father behind him heavy and sharp. Followed by the soft and equally sharp footsteps of his brother, Boltak. "Тебе просто повезло {you just got lucky}," he whispered to Ivan as their father inspected the fresh carcass a hole through the skull of the once living deer. "Я всё равно лучше тебя, и папа это знает! {I'm still better than you, and dad knows it!}"
Ivan didn't respond to his brother, or perhaps he couldn't even remember what he said. Still, he seethed with boiling rage, he wasn't better; could barely make a shot and still got all the glory from their father. That should've been him in that position, not someone that gloated about how much 'skill,' they had and completely overestimated how much they actually do.
Ivan twisted the rifle to his back and released a breath trapped in his lungs. The sun glowed casting rays as warm and cozy as a knitted blanket. He grabbed Anton's hand lacing his fingers between his, they barely had time to rest before the door swung open.
Tumbling out came Xever and Takeshi panting, pressing themselves up against the closed door like a makeshift barricade. "What happened?" Asked Anton.
"The- the infected they chased us!" Yelled Xever his voice squeaked of fear.
Takeshi remained quiet, his lips closed and his head followed down to the ground below his feet. "We were leaving the laboratories with the last vial of mutagen... as we were getting chased my gripped slipped and it fell through the railing of the stairwell," his voice quivered toward the end and he looked away from their faced. Embarrassment and shame filled his cheeks.
Anton went through the motions of surprise, anger, and strangely sadness. It took awhile for anyone to really say anything. "So we failed..." Anton said in a hushed whisper.
7:08 P.M. Baxter Stockman's apartment December 29th, 2018
Snow flakes drifted down from the skies and the sun rested early for the day. Smoke drifted through the air, heavy and suffocating. The couch indented with the weight of a man, Baxter sat up grabbing the box he placed on the table he flipped open the red cardboard lid pulling out a thin white and yellow tube filled with tobacco. The box felt light in weight with few cigarettes remaining.
'I should pace myself a bit better..." Baxter thought shamefully, he looked to the ashtray resting on the wooden coffee table. Gray flakes shaped like the snowflakes outside laid in piles on the cold porcelain. He pressed down on the fork of the lighter spinning the spark wheel until a perfect translucent flame appeared above the hood. He pressed the flame against the end of the cigarette resting between his lips before quickly pulling the flame away from the paper.
He holds the cigarette between his lips for a few seconds feeling as the smoke partially fills his lungs. The sounds of the infected roaming the streets down below faded, only the taste of smoke on his tongue and the paper tube between his lips were the only thing that comforted him in that moment.
Once the cigarette was finished Baxter snuffed out the lit paper on the ashtray shaking off the ash from the cigarette. He smelled the aroma of smoke sinking into the couch around him. He listened to vague sounds of the TV, the smoke as thick as snow and comforting similar to the warmth of fireplaces. He basked in the cushions, his head resting upon the old decorative pillow, as he stared up at the dimly lit ceiling above. Sometimes streaks of purple drove quickly by his closed blind, his heart would drop to his stomach hearing the wiring of the Krang.
"Brrring... brrring!"
Annoyingly buzzed his cellphone, Baxter reached out looking at the contact, it was the assistant he hired, Dr. Chaplin. He was thirty years old, only just five years younger than he was. However, Baxter always feared that he may potentially be more of a genius than he is. He quickly pressed the answer button.
"Hello?.." answered Baxter.
"Stockman! It's good to see you answered, you should come down to the lab. I have something truly wonderful about the whole Krang thing, you're really gonna get a kick out of it!" Chaplin exclaimed excitedly, God his voice irritated him to no end.
"I don't know if you haven't noticed, but there are infected running around the streets, I'm not going outside, Chaplin!" Yelled Baxter.
"Pssh, I'm right outside your apartment, if your landlord isn't already dead you should tell em' about the gapping hole in the front entrance," Chaplin cackled.
Baxter immediately sprung up from the couch in revelation. Sprinting his feet he spoke "I'll have to tell you about that later! Give me a minute," before hanging up.
Running out the door he caught a wiff of his sweater, a stench of smoke and alcohol radiated from the threads. Baxter closed the door standing in the entryway of his apartment, messy and disgusting. A burning feeling rested on his cheeks and shame fell heavy in his heart. He ran to his bedroom pulling out another long-sleeve sweater, this one was brown with small stripes of de-saturated blue and tan.
'This will do for now,' he slipped it on over his bare skin before he left his room he suddenly remembered. 'My hair probably smells of smoke too,' his cheeks burned even more. He barely came to work as is, Chaplin probably already thought he was lazy, why would he need to give more of a reason to think so.
He reached for a bottle of cologne spraying it over himself in hopes to hide the smoke hurried into his flesh. He ran to his bathroom realizing he hadn't brushed his teeth in several days, he felt sick to his stomach quickly grabbing his toothbrush. He brushed till the toothpaste throthed and breath no longer reeked. He ran out the bathroom sweeping his remaining pack of cigarettes into his pocket planning to smoke later in his office and grabbing his keys from the hooks.
He stared at the pristine white lab coat, mandatory to wear in his labs, for protection he stated himself. He grabbed his coat and ran out the door. He sprinted down flights of stairs running to the main entrance, he paused staring at the doorframe of the once intact entrance. 'I'll remember to yell at Rocksteady later.' He sprinted out the hole in the walls and towards a light blue car with chipping paint, obviously Dr. Chaplin's car.