[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/CRteBS6.png?1[/img][/center]
The snapping jaws of the advancing horde of robots were like a chorus of angry insects behind Leo as he ran behind Alopex stride for stride. She was the faster of the two by a wide margin, but she was holding back to make sure he made an escape as well. They were following Old Hob, the mutated alley cat, who had ushered his people towards the sewer entrances while Leo and Al kept the robots at bay.

But that seemed to be a vain effort. For every robot he cut down with his sword, two more seemed to take its place. One had managed to get a bite in on his right calf. The sharp metal beak didn't manage to fully break the skin, but he had a few puncture wounds to show for it. What was even odder was what happened when the bite happened. The others seemed to ignore Al completely, swarming to Leo. He had seen that kind of behavior in things like piranhas on nature shows. But these things were mechanical. It must have been part of their programming. Take one target out when it was unable to move.

Leo wasn't sure if these things were going to kill them or not. The more sinister idea would be they were just here to incapacitate them for some nefarious means.

They turned a corner in the junkyard, and saw Hob standing by the entrance to the sewers. Next to him was Herman, the mutant hermit crab that rounded out Hob's little band. Considering what Leo and his family were, even he had to admit Herman gave him the creeps some times. The hulking mass of exoskeleton, legs, and eyestalks were all a bit too much to handle sometimes. But he was by far the most welcoming of the Mutanimals, not counting Al.

[color=aba000]"Get down!"[/color] Hob yelled. 

What happened next seemed to go in slow motion. Herman tossed the small dumpster he used for a shell off, revealing a rocket propelled grenade. From around the same corner Leonardo and Alopex emerged, another wave of the small robots. Herman fired the weapon, and the two fleeing mutants dove forward as far as they could. A great ball of fire and heat exploded behind them, wiping out the battalion of automatons. 

[color=9e0b0f]"Direct hit! Enemy forces wiped of the map, sir!"[/color] Herman called out in triumph.

Leo stood up and looked back in amazement, then turned back to Hob, [color=0054a6]"You have rocket launchers?!"[/color]

[color=aba000]"We don't call ourselves an army for nothin', kid,"[/color] Hob growled. [color=aba000]"Now get in the sewers before more of them show up."[/color]
[hr]
Bishop felt his heart pound in his chest. More of them. There were more of them. It was a veritable army of mutants. Things in New York were far worse than anyone in SHIELD was willing to admit. Hordes of mutants hiding in the nooks and crannies of the city like an infestation of cockroaches. This is what he had warned top brass in SHIELD about. It's why they shuttled him of to SWORD. It was the place for crackpots. Who needed to worry about alien threats when there were enough of them already on the planet?

It was why they shipped him off to New York after the Turtles appeared. He wouldn't leave them alone. Said it was just the beginning, and now he finally had the proof that the city was a breeding ground for freaks. It made sense. A condensed, large population, there were bound to be more of them here.

He was going to make sure that they were counted, and observed. All of them.

[color=bc8dbf]"They were going underground,"[/color] he said to the two scientists with them. "Will the robots be able to track them?"

[color=7ea7d8]"It will slow them down,"[/color] Stockman admitted. [color=7ea7d8]"It adds interference to their intranet communications and scanning abilities. But they'll still be able to track them once they re-calibrate."[/color]

The annoyance welled up in the agent, [color=bc8dbf]"They might be able to escape by that time."[/color]

[color=f6989d]"Don't worry, Agent Bishop,"[/color] Perry assured him. [color=f6989d]"They have their DNA sequence now. They won't get far."[/color]
[hr]
[color=00746b]"So that was,"[/color] Casey looked over at Raph, breaking the silence they had shared since leaving the Purple Dragon meeting.

[color=ed1c24]"The Shredder,"[/color] Raph nodded.

[color=00746b]"And he's."[/color]

[color=ed1c24]"An ancient evil ninja zombie who's apparently trying to take over New York's underworld, yea,"[/color] Raph grumbled to himself. His father had told them that Oroku Saki was smart, cunning, and ruthless. But Raph never would have guessed that he worked this quickly. He had already claimed the Dragons for his own, and had transformed them into a significant threat for the turtles. It had only been weeks since the Shredder's return. What would happen with even more time?

Another wave of silence passed between the two teenagers as they traveled the New York streets in the dead of night. Raph was glad that it was easier to move at this time. Less humans on the streets meant they could take their time going from alley to alley. 

When they passed into one near Jones's apartment, Casey kicked a trashcan in anger, [color=00746b]"God damn it!"[/color]

[color=ed1c24]"Whoa, dude! What the hell!?"[/color] Raphael yelled back.

[color=00746b]"The Dragons,"[/color] he started to explain. [color=00746b]"I stopped fighting them because they changed. Were no longer just a bunch of roided up losers messin' with my neighborhood. Now I now why. And now it's real hard to stay on the sidelines. Even though I need to. The good ol' Jones luck rearin' its ugly friggin' head."[/color]

As they turned the corner towards Casey's place, Raph began to ask, [color=ed1c24]"Why do you feel like it's your responsibility to-"[/color]

[color=f7976a]"Casey?"[/color]

Raphael stopped in his tracks, staring directly at the red head standing in front of Casey's door. Her mouth hung open in amazement, and he could already hear Leonardo's scolding floating through his mind.

[color=ed1c24]"Oh this is so bad,"[/color] Raphael grumbled.

[color=f7976a]"Y-you're one of the turtles,"[/color] the girl stammered out.

[color=ed1c24]"Jeez, lady, what gave it away?"[/color] Raphael rolled his eyes.

[color=00746b]"Hey...April,"[/color] Casey grimaced. [color=00746b]"What are you doing here?"[/color]

[color=f7976a]"You forgot a book...was coming to bring it back,"[/color] she replied before motioning to Raphael. [color=f7976a]"What are you doing with a mutant turtle."[/color]

[color=00746b]"Long story-Holy crap!"[/color]

A metal creature jumped over April, snapping jaws soaring through the air straight towards Raph's face. With a lightning quick uppercut, he drove a sai through the lower part of the jaw and through the robot's head. Raph looked at it with confusion before tossing it to the ground, freeing his weapon, [color=ed1c24]"Casey, get her inside. Stay there. Dunno what the hell that was, but I'm guessin' it ain't good, and it ain't the last comin'."[/color]

[color=00746b]"You sure you're gonna be okay?"[/color] Casey asked.

[color=ed1c24]"Yea, time for me to go find my brothers. Somethin's up."[/color]
[hr]
The sewers felt safe to Leonardo. It had always been the place where his family had hid away from the dangers of the surface world. He was happy that Splinter had finally released the family to explore the surface, but in this moment he'd be lying if he said he wasn't happy to be back below ground.

[color=aba000]"What the hell were those things?"[/color] Hob pinned him to the side of the sewer with cat-like speed. The mutant cat's brown and gold fur stunk this close, and his breath wasn't any better with his fangs bared. His one eye glared with hatred at Leo, [color=aba000]"And why were they after you."[/color]

Leo struggled to get air, pushing the forearm of the other mutant off his throat, [color=0054a6]"No clue! Never saw them before! Need to keep moving!"[/color]

[color=00aeef]"He's right, Hob, back off,"[/color] Al added in.

[color=9e0b0f]"Private Leonardo's assessment is a sound tactical plan, sir,"[/color] Herman agreed. [color=9e0b0f]"Staying here increase the enemy's chances of intercepting us."[/color]

[color=aba000]"Fine,"[/color] Hob hissed and let Leo go. [color=aba000]"But I'm not going around with him."[/color]

Hob slunk off into the darkness, motioning for the rest of the Mutanimal Liberation Army to follow. With a apologetic look, Alopex shrugged and followed her new family. Leo wouldn't deny that it hurt.

Before he could dwell on it too long, his communicator went off. He answered, and was relieved to hear Raphael's voice, [color=ed1c24]"Bro, you're not gonna believe what just happened to me."[/color]

A sinking feeling entered the pit of Leonardo's stomach.

[color=0054a6]"Let me guess,"[/color] Leo sighed, [color=0054a6]"you got attacked by a robot?"[/color]

[color=ed1c24]"Oh crap, you too?"[/color] Raph gasped. [color=ed1c24]"Are the others alright? The Den?"[/color]

The thought hadn't even crossed his mind until now. If he had been attacked, as well as Raph, that meant these things might have the Turtles' sent or something. If that was the case, they could track it back home. Donnie, Mikey, and Splinter could be caught easily unaware by a large group of them, and even worse it would mean the Turtles would lose their safe haven in the city. Leo couldn't allow that.

He instructed Raph to rendezvous with him, and then called the Den. Luckily, Donnie picked up right away. Leo ran the situation down to the genius, who quickly formulated what Leo just head, [color=92278f]"They'll almost certainly get here if we stay. But I'm not gonna be able to stop these things without a lab."[/color]

[color=0054a6]"Oh Donnie, no,"[/color] Leo knew where this was going.

[color=92278f]"Come on, it needs to be tested, and we need to keep moving. What better excuse!?"[/color] Donnie was way, way too excited.

[color=0054a6]"Fine,"[/color] the leader of the Turtles relented. [color=0054a6]"I'll meet up with Raph, and we'll make our way to the subway tunnels. This better work, Donnie."[/color]

[color=92278f]"Come on, when [i]don't[/i] my inventions work?"[/color]

[color=0054a6]"You just jinxed it,"[/color] Leo grumbled. [color=0054a6]"Thanks a lot, bro."[/color]