CH:30 Monkey Business

After we comforted each other and with a bit of prying for my freedom, we decided we probably shouldn't spend too much more time in the bedroom together as it will raise suspicion with the other Turtles... 'Mostly Leo in particular', I couldn't help but think as all of those weird looks he keeps giving me when ever I'm near Raph's room flash through my mind.

Before I jumped down from the upper platform I had a look around to see what the others were up to. Sure enough Leo is on the centre training platform. While he is practicing, he shot me a weird look again as I came out of the room with Raph right behind me. I ignored it, 'After all if he's not going to explain what's bothering him then I'm not going to waste my time worrying about it.'

I noticed Donny's lab door was open and light coming out of it. "Looks like April is here", I say as I'm kind of curious about what they might find on that flash drive.

Raph just scoffs while he starts walking towards the couch to join Mikey watching TV and says, "You go enjoy your nerd stuff."

I couldn't help but look at him as I wondered what happened to all the kind-hearted warmth he expressed not just a moment ago. I shook the thought out of my head and went over to Donny's lab.

I found both Donny and April sitting at his computer desk with April's yellow laptop on her resting on her legs. Don is working on the decryption of the files on the flash drive while at the same time April is looking through the notes that he already unlocked.

As I walk up to them I look at their screens just to be confused by what I'm looking at. My language translator works great as long as I'm just talking to people. Unfortunately it doesn't translate wrighting or numbers that I try to read. Since I've been staying with the turtles, I have been trying to learn the actual language so I can help Donny out better with his projects but it's a long process.

April snapped her head up and says, "Donny! I think I found something. These notes are hard to follow, but it looks like Rockwell was able to modify the mutagen."

Looking over their shoulders I couldn't help but ask, "Why would he do that?" Scaring the crap out of both of them as I forgot to announce my presence beforehand.

After they both calm down April says, "He thought he could use it to create a neurochemical that would temporarily give someone psychic abilities."

Shocked Donny asked, "You mean that monkey was psychic?"

April answers, "It's more like he was reading our emotions. After all he was only hostile while you were hostile."

Clearly still ticked off about the whole thing Donny says, "Yeah, well, next time I'll be sure to think friendly thoughts while I'm beating a little sunshine into him." As he slams a fist into the palm of his other hand. All I can do is muffle a chuckle at his attempt to seem tuff.

Clearing my throat a say, "We should probably track him down before he attacks someone else. I mean if he's reacting like this to aggressive emotions then we probably shouldn't let him roam free in New York."

Donny shivers at the memory of being practically beaten to a pulp and says, "Yeah you're probably right. Let's go grab the others. Then head up to the surface, spread out and search"

With a bit of a smerk on my face I suggest, "Or we could just all jump in the Battle Shell and I could lead you directly to the monkey. After all I'm pretty sure he will put out an interesting energy if he really has psychic abilities." I finished with a bit of a side eye towards April that goes unnoticed.

So we meet up with the others and explain what we found. Then I run off to Raph's room to quickly change into my ninja outfit, before we all pile into the elevator and head up to the Battle Shell to go look for the monkey.

While we are driving after the monkey in the truck, he always seems to be two steps ahead of us. Just avoiding the Battle Shell every time we think we have him cornered.

Frustrated I snap and say, "Okay who is thinking about the monkey?!"

Confused they kind of just look at me and each one raises their hand. April speaks up and says, "Obviously we're thinking about the monkey. We're looking for him aren't we."

As an exasperated sigh slips out, I scratch my horn with frustration as I say, "Look, clearly he does have psychic abilities and can sense when people are thinking about him. Thus, if we keep thinking that we want to capture him, obviously he's going to do whatever he can to avoid being captured again. Considering there's a good chance he was tested on and tortured last time he was in a cage."

With realization hitting their faces they all feel kind of stupid for not thinking of that sooner.

Then Leo asks, "Well, if we can't think of the monkey then what do we think of?"

I just shake my head thinking, 'Teenagers... Gotta explain everything to them...' and with a sigh I say, "Maybe you should just focus on driving Leo." I close my eyes and refocused on the monkey's position, making sure I'm only thinking about helping him. "With that out of the way, the monkey is heading west On Bleecker."

Leo jerks the wheel right just before he misses his turn.

Keeping my concentration intact, I say, "Now he's heading south on Delancey."

We come speeding around the corner to find ourselves in a dead-end ally and Leo slams on the breaks. I open my eyes and say with certainty, "He is here. Somewhere."

We all pile out of the vehicle and look around. April stand in the middle of the alley acting a little weird as she starts staring at a dumpster in the far corner and begins walking towards it. With my curiosity fully grasped, I couldn't stop watching her. She approached the dumpster and lifted the lid. Pausing for a moment before she reached her hand in very slowly. When she pulled it out the monkey was gently holding on to her hand as it climbed out of the dumpster.

The moment the giant monkey was out, he looked quite calm as he was staring at April. But that changed quickly when Mikey threw out his extended nunchuck chain and wrapped it around the monkey, successfully capturing him. Saying, "A-ha! Gotcha that time!" Making the monkey start screeching and roaring.

With a bit of annoyance in my voice I say, "Happy thoughts guys." And the monkey starts to calm down a bit, I think mostly with the help of mine and April's calm thoughts. I made sure to keep thinking that all we want to do is help him.

As April tries to help calm the monkey down even more and begins approaching him Raph says, "Great, we got the monkey. But we're not any closer to finding Dr. Rockwell."

The moment Raph says the doctor's name the monkey roars incredibly loud and starts panting right after. Startled, April takes a step back quickly but the moment he stops roaring she leans in closer to look in his eyes.

Looking over her shoulder at us she says, "Actually, we're a lot closer than you think."

Confused I ask, "What? How?"

April gestures towards the monkey and says, "I think this is Doctor Rockwell." As the monkey just gives us a pleading look.