The drive back into the city was long due to congestion on the road. They had been on the road for at least an hour, barely moving. Traffic in the city was hardly ever light but there were times when it was worse than others. It just so happened that they had picked a time where it was at its peak.
Tello sat in silence, arms crossed with his eyes fixed on a stain on the floor of the van, trying to figure out what it could be. In the back of a hollowed-out van? Knowing Bishop and the kind of men under his employment, it was probably blood.
They drove him to Casey and April’s store. There he had access to the secure tunnels that led to the lair. He would also have the chance to tell their human friends what was going on. At the very least Casey and April would be able to get a message to the Foot. If things didn’t go well, there might still be a chance of being rescued.
“We’ll wait here,” the man at the wheel said as they pulled in behind the building.
“Wonderful,” Tello replied before jumping out.
He was more than eager to be out of that van. It was still mid-morning. Not the best time to be out, but as long as he didn’t draw attention to himself, he would be able to slip into the back of the store unnoticed.
“April,” he called out as he entered the storage room.
“Tello?” April ran into the back and pulled him into a tight hug. “Where have you guys been? Splinter and Sliver have been beside themselves with worry. You’ve been gone for over twenty-four hours.”
“Really?” Tello exclaimed as April took a step back. Since they had left early in the morning and it was only mid-morning now, he had thought that only a few hours had passed not a full day. What had Bishop done to them in that time?
“We were ambushed by Bishop,” Tello answered, doing his best to stay focused on the now. “He’s holding the others captive and won’t release them until I replicate the treatment I used on Donatello to stabilize him. He’s got cloned turtle children that will die if I don’t.”
“That’s horrible,” April gasped.
“Yeah,” Tello sighed. “Puts me in a tight spot. I don’t want to help the guy but what choice do I have? I’m headed back to the lair to get the mutagen from the lab so I’ll be able to tell Splinter and Sliver what’s going on. Can you call Karai and let her know what’s going on, just in case things don’t go well?”
“Of course.” April nodded. “Are the others okay?”
Tello nodded. “Bishop delivered Donatello’s baby. It’s a boy and they’re both doing fine. Mikey and Rachael are a little banged up from the fight but are otherwise okay. Everyone just wants to come home.
“I’m terrified,” he confessed as tears filled his eyes. “I can’t go through this again. It’s taking all that I have not to implode.”
April pulled Tello into a comforting embrace. “You are so brave. I know this is hard, but you can do this. Take a deep breath and focus on what you have to do, what you can do.”
“Thank you,” Tello said, returning the hug. “There’s one more thing before I go. Do you have something here that you can use to scan me to make sure Bishop hadn’t placed a tracking device on me?”
“Of course, I do,” April replied.
Of course, she does, Tello thought to himself. Leo and Donny have several items stashed here at April’s shop. Weapons, nonperishable foods, and various gadgets, including scanning devices that detect trackers.
April pulled one of the trackers out and gave Tello a once over. Much to his surprise, there was no tracker on him, at least not one that Donny’s devices could detect.
Trusting Donny’s devices, Tello headed quickly to the lair.
Even though the tunnels were secure, Tello stayed on alert. It helped him keep his mind form focusing on all the things that could go wrong. If his mind was allowed to wander into the realm of what ifs then it would leave him paralyzed.
The fear of being followed, captured, or killed was very real. He wasn’t sure if going back to the lair was the right thing to do but he had no other choice. As much as his mind was screaming to try to confuse anyone who could possibly be following him by taking the ‘scenic route’, Tello knew time was of the essence and decided to take the most direct route.
When Tello reached the lair, he hesitated to enter. He knew that emotions would be running high and he wasn’t sure he would be able to handle it. His hands trembled as he unlocked the door.
“Master Splinter,” Tello called out as he walked along the track. “Master Sliver?”
The pair appeared on the platform. There were streaks in the fur on their faces from their tears. Going and entire day not knowing the whereabouts of their children must have been pure anguish for them.
“Tello,” Splinter called to him. “That is going on? Where are the others?”
The fear in Splinter’s voice cut Tello to the core. It closed his throat and it took him several tries before he could speak. Every second Tello couldn’t speak, the fear in their eyes intensified.
“Are they alive?” Sliver pleaded.
Tello managed a nod. “Captured,” he choked out.
“Did they find Raphael and Donna,” Splinter asked. “Were they also captured?”
Tello shook his head. “They weren’t here when we left. They haven’t returned?”
“No,” Sliver replied tartly. “We found a note, saying they had decided to spend some quality time together, alone.”
“Get up here,” Splinter ordered. “We will find a way to save the others. Who took them? The Dragons? Bishop?”
Panic filled Tello to the point that he was finding it hard to breathe. It took all of his will to walk. “Bishop,” Tello rasped. “He wants me to formulate a way to stabilize his clones, using the mutagen from my dimension. He’s holding the others hostage until I’m able to deliver.”
His heart hammering in his chest, the room began to spin and Tello crumpled to the ground. “I can’t watch them die again!” His eyes fell on the third rail. It would be so easy to reach out and grab it, ending his suffering.
“Listen to me,” Sliver said softly into his ear, appearing seemingly out of nowhere. Her hand was on his carapace, patting ever so gently in a steady beat. “Focus on your breathing.” Her other hand was on his chest. “Take a deep breath and let it out slowly.”
Closing his eyes, Tello concentrated on the sound of her voice and timed his breathing with her words. “In and out….”
The tightness faded and breathing slowly became easier. When his eyes began to focus, he saw Splinter sitting in front of him with a bag in his lap.
Reaching in the bag, Splinter pulled out a canister of mutagen. “Is this what you need?”
Tello nodded and wondered how long his panic attack had lasted.
“Drink this,” Sliver said, handing Tello a cup of tea.
It must have been a while, if they had time to make him tea.
It was herby, most likely something without caffeine and sweetened with honey. Tello was never much of a tea drinker but he found comfort in the warmth of it. Whatever herbs that were in the brew helped to settle his nerves.
“Thank you,” Tello said before taking another sip. “I’m sorry….”
“Don’t,” Sliver stopped him. “Do not apologize. None of this is your fault. We hadn’t considered the fact that you’ve been through something like this before. We should be the ones apologizing.”
“I’m not going to be able to do what Bishop wants if I keep panicking,” Tello stated. Setting the cup on the ground, he reached out for the bag with an unsteady hand. “I should head back. The sooner I get this done, the sooner this will end.”
“Do you need anything else,” Splinter asked as he handed over the bag.
For this to be over, Tello thought to himself. He wanted nothing more than to curl up under a blanket and wait for it all to end. “Just the mutagen,” He answered, shaking his head.
“Would you like us to walk with you,” Sliver offered. It was as much for their peace of mind as it was for his. They needed to make sure he made it to his destination.
Tello nodded. “That would be nice.”
“Okay,” Sliver said, helping Tello to his feet.
Together the trio made their way back to April’s shop. Splinter scouted ahead while Sliver walked beside Tello with her arm around him. With them there, Tello was able to focus on his breathing and allow his mind to go numb.
He vaguely remembered April helping him out to the van. All he wanted was to sleep. Laying on the floor of the van, Tello curled himself around the bag and closed his eyes.
One of the Bishop’s men roughly nudged him on the shoulder to wake him but said nothing. It took all of Tello’s strength to move, every inch of him felt heavy. Slinging the bag over his shoulder, he followed the men out of the van.
He was led down the hall and into a lab. The tightness in his chest was back. It was all too similar to the way Shredder treated him. The men left him alone as soon as they reached the lab. He expected, at any moment, to see Mikey, chained and primed to be tortured as a way to motivate him to work.
Dropping to his knees, Tello did his best to focus on his breathing but the memories of Mikey panicked and begging not to be submerged again, echoed in his mind. Whether his eyes were open or shut, he couldn’t shake the memories.
His eyes burned with tears. Everything hurt.
“They told me you weren’t doing well.”
Tello turned his head to see a robot with a holographic head. All he could do was stare, dumbly up at the contraption. He wasn’t even sure if it was real or is he had lost his mind.
“This should help,” the robot said and injected Tello with something.
“What?” Tello managed.
“It should help with your anxieties so you can work.”
“Who are you,” Tello asked as he closed his eyes and waited for the drugs to take effect.
“My name is Baxter Stockman,” he replied. “I am here to assist and learn.” Judging by the tone of his voice, he wasn’t thrilled to be Tello’s assistant. “I’m also here to keep you on task and make sure you don’t try anything.”
“I will do what Bishop wants,” Tello stated as the tightness in his chest started to diminish. “I will need to run some blood work on the clones he wants me to stabilize.”
“That can be arranged,” Stockman said. “This is my lab so I will be able to get you anything or answer any questions you might have. I am a renowned scientist.” The air of superiority was not lost on Tello.
“I can’t tell yet of you’re in better or worse shape than the Baxter Stockman of my dimension,” Tello stated, looking Stockman over. “I’ll let you know once I get to know your situation better.”
Curiosity piqued, Stockman asked, “What happened to my counterpart?”
“He was mutated into a fly,” Tello replied flatly. “He also claimed to be great but wasn’t really. Average at best. He messed up a lot. Which is why he ended up being mutated into a fly.”
“I assure you that I am a genius,” Stockman insisted.
“Then why are you a robot?” Tello shot back, managing a half smile.
There was no humor in Stockman’s glare. “It seems that the medicine has done its job in helping with your anxieties. Is there anything else you need so you can start working?”
“Time,” Tello said and pulled a canister of mutagen out of the bag with a steady hand.
“That, is limited,” Stockman said as a matter of fact. “Venus is already starting to show signs of destabilizing.”
“Then, bring her to me now.” Tello got to his feet and looked Stockman in his holographic eyes. “The sooner I start, the better.”
“Okay,” Stockman said, turning to leave the room while Tello took stock of his surroundings.
He had all the materials he would need to formulate the stabilizing mutagen for the clones. The question was, would he have the time.
