That night in T.C.R.I was pretty quiet. The only noise you could hear were computers beeping and the silent echo of a few Foot soldiers' steps in the hallways keeping post.

Alopex was assigned by Karai to keep watch for the night and of their newest captive mutants, Mona Lisa and Cleopatra, who were still unconscious in their caged containers.

The control room was steely and cold, Alopex liked it cold. However, the mutant arctic fox was restless.

She occupied herself in front of what looked like a complex looking control station that kept things in order. Along with a wide screen that showed a number of different security cameras showing different scenes from inside and outside the facility.

Nothing exciting yet, the captured mutants was likely as baits to lure in the she-turtle. Eventually she'll noticed them gone and come looking for them. Alopex was sure to leave a clue at the apartment they broke into.

She gave a great yawn licking her nostril. Her mind trailed back to the recent argument she and Karai had.

Karai had been much tenser, and more of a nag, than usual. Alopex held her muzzle in thought and wondered the reason behind Karai's unusual tendencies.

Perhaps her comrade was starting to get restless about completing her objective to revive their master.

'Is she really keen to bring Shredder back so soon?' the thought perplexed the mutant fox.

Unless, could it be that there was something more to her plan than she's letting on?

Now Alopex was just assuming worst-case scenarios at this point.

Everything they stood for was for the honor of the Foot clan. For Karai to resume the Shredder's lost project was no easy task. Although Alopex was loyal to the Foot, just thinking about reviving Shredder gave her chills.

Alopex remembered having had spotted the four mutant turtles. They were likely to be the ones Karai was talking about. Karai would mentioned countless times how she had loathed those specific set of turtles and wondered if it had been them. It was Alopex's current duty to gather any and all stray or newfound mutants, so why doesn't Karai aim for those four turtles?

It was until after the Foot Clan had assaulted in capturing mutants in their underground refuge for the Shredder's mutant army those two years ago.

However, Karai's main concern was having her sights set on finding just one particular turtle. Nobody has yet been able to capture her, yet. The mutant carried something that Karai wanted.

Karai's research indicates a specific blood type being a key source for completing Shredder's recovery and to finish project Mutant Override. However there isn't much information other than the she-turtle's basic physical examination.

Everything else in her personal data file had been labeled as "missing experiment", along with a few others.

Instead of finding her Alopex was able to find the she-turtle's leftover companions, to say the least.

Alopex turned to their caged containers and eyed them as they were still unconscious. She then suddenly came across something strange that she hadn't noticed before about these long tailed mutants - it something that wasn't commonly found in the physique of reptile or amphibian-like animals alike.

Hair

She narrowed her amber eyes. Only mammals or warm blooded creatures were able to poses something as ineffectual as having a mane.

Alopex gradually walked in front of the clear glass cages observing the comatose mutants.

"What a peculiar thing for a mutant to have."

Her claws hovered over one of their containers, thumping her dull nails on the glass glancing back and forth inspecting them.

The brown-haired one was a lot more petite than the other one. The black-haired one had strange gills and was scalier. It was unusual how they looked dissimilar yet bore the same feature of having manes.

It was very strange indeed.

Perhaps bringing up these details to Karai would be something interesting after all.

The fox was not new to the process of mutation. She too was the product of an experiment from mutation.

Alopex then glided toward the computer typing in numbers and codes until she pressed on a clear switch triggering a machine inside the caged containers. Inside a machine extended out a needle aiming at the prisoners' upper arms as to draw out blood samples.

"Let's see what you're really made out from."

After the dispute between the turtle brothers, the she-turtle Venus saw herself out of their home and lair in silent defeat.

It was when her accusations against them as 'assassinations' were greatly mistaken. Seeing how she made a fool of herself, she left as quickly as she came into their lives.

Her new objective now was to find out her father's real killer and bring justice to her master's namesake.

Venus continued making her way slowly down the murky cesspool lines, her injuries still ever present.

Not far behind, Leonardo was able to catch up to the she-turtle. When he did find her he saw her pause leaning against the moist walls to take a breather.

Leonardo remained low key within in the shadows, trying to come up with a way to approach her.

After two aggressive encounters with her, he now knew better to be careful.

His mind then took him back to when he had a moment of chance to gaze at her eyes before. Despite Venus' hard exterior he knew by her eyes that she was a good person. He'd only hoped this time those kind eyes were generous enough to show up before him again.

Just above Venus there was a sewer lid with miniature holes peeking through the outside world above her. Through the small source of light that leaked through it, her senses were overwhelmed by the sounds of city life under a busy street with honking taxi cars passing by.

Leonardo thought the small sheer lighting made her look serene.

Perhaps there was more to her than just her resentment.

Try as she might, Venus could not find a vacant manhole to get out of the sewers. Unfortunately for her she was already getting used to the sour smells of the sewer water.

'If memory served me right, Irma's apartment is nowhere near this place', Venus was led by the small view from the manholes she passed by, not recognizing the street above her.

Realizing now she was good and lost.

Venus wasn't familiar with much of New York in general, at least not the city itself.

Ever since she had moved to America those many years ago with Chung I, she had been kept away from humans and their city with the other mutants underground.

The city life was something she remembered back in Shanghai, China. Her stomach suddenly felt prickly as melancholy wrapped around her heart. She would forever cherish the memories with her father back in China. Beautiful China, if only she could go back again but now that was all done and gone she had to focus on her current situation.

She needed to meet up with others soon, if only her wounds would allow her to move quicker.

Venus slowed her pace to a complete stop, giving her full attention on adjusting the loose bandages around her forearms. Observing her bare hands she saw them noticeably scorched but luckily they were beginning to heal.

"You should really leave those on until you fully heal"

Venus snapped her head up as she heard a softly spoken voice.

Her hands reacted by reaching for her sword, until she felt air from where she usually grabbed her weapon. A hint of panic hit her lungs until she saw the blue clad turtle walking out of the shadows towards her.

She sighed a small breath of relief, although, her guard was still up.

"Are you following me?" Her eyes glazed at him with perplexity,

The instant Leonardo looked at her eyes, his mind drew a solid blank. There was suddenly an moment of silence between them, until frenzy took its effect on the stern blue leader realizing how awkward the moment just became.

"Uh, no-no, I wasn't, I was just um, I uh-", Leonardo finally remembered when his elbow hit the hilt of an extra sword tied behind his shell and immediately held out her belongings,

"This, you left this behind and, well, I just wanted to give back what was yours."

'Way to play it smooth Leo', inwardly criticizing himself,

Leonardo had planned to simply give back her things, wish her good luck and be on his merry way. But something about her kept him where he stood, yet he couldn't put a finger on what it was.

Venus glanced at the weapon held out in front of was indeed hers, a prized possession from her Master Chung I. He bestowed it to her as its new owner when she had accomplished a level of in her training of Kung Fu. Chung I had strictly advised her to only use the sword during a life or death situation.

'How much more reckless could I be in a lifetime?' She scolded herself.

Venus peered at the blue clad turtle, the same virtuous eyes that Leonardo had been acquainted with before,

"What was your name again?"

"I'm Leonardo"

Venus blinked and looked back down at his extended kindness for returning her weapon.

"Leonardo," Her features softened.

When she uttered his name chills formed on the back of his neck.

"Thank you" she suddenly winced when trying to reach for it and recoiled back in slight pain.

Leonardo reached out to her as he saw spotted blood against the white bandages Donny had put around her shoulder where the gunshot wound was.

"You're still injured! You didn't have to leave the lair so soon you're more than welcome to stay with my brothers and me until you're better"

Venus panted a shaky breath as her head began to spin. A flow of nausea suddenly consumed her feeling a sharp sting at the pit of her stomach. She was not one to tolerate pain like this but fought hard against it as she clenched her fist using her willpower to not throw up.

"It's not my place to stay," she shifted herself as to not strain her shoulder too much, "I was wrong enough to accuse you and your family for the destruction of mine, I couldn't possibly stay any longer than I needed to."

She regained her senses and stood straight, masquerading the seething pain she felt on her shoulder and acted like it didn't burn.

"Thank you again for you and your family's kindness, but I need to find –", Venus turned to continue to walk forward until she couldn't bear the pain on her shoulder once more and grasped it instinctively.

"Whatever it is it can wait, with your condition you need to rest" Leonardo suddenly grabbed her forearm, his eyes shook with concern for her.

Venus nudged him off, "My first priority is to find out who killed my father! You should be able to understand, if your Master Splinter was in place with mine wouldn't you risk your life to find out whom it was?"

Leonardo took a step back from her.

He wanted to reproach her for putting herself at risk, what with her wounds still fresh— bearing in mind her dilemma, Leonardo knew she was right, he would do the same, if not more and has.

"I'm … I'm sorry, I know it isn't my place to tell you should do, and you're right, I would do the same and I have, but you know, you don't have to go in this alone"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, uh, despite our rocky start I know you're a good person and I would like for us to trust each other,"

Venus looked intently at him.

"If you allow my brothers and me to help you we can search for the ones who did this to your father, what had happened to him wasn't your fault and nobody deserves to go through this kind of thing alone."

Venus allowed Leonardo's words to sink in while swallowing hard on the sudden lump in her throat.

The reality of having lost her beloved father and master had felt too surreal. Venus hoped somehow he still was alive, that somewhere he was waiting for her to find him again. To tell herself the truth would only make her life more strenuous to live. It took all her sanity to refuse herself to not succumb into misery.

Venus took a moment to think about the help that was offered to her by had been reluctant since their first meeting. Yet this Leonardo had proved himself to be a kind soul. First in treating to her wounds, and second to returning the very weapon she had set her mind on to killing him with. In her case, his help would be more of gain than a loss.

"It's just, I do not wish to drag you into something that wasn't your fight to begin with,"

Before Leonardo could take the hint she spoke again,

"But, you have shown me kindness beyond measure, and I would live a fool's life if I would not accept your help." Leonardo saw her smile kindly to him, yet it held a hint of sadness in it.

He inwardly sighed with relief, granting her a sincere smile in return.

"Um, you wouldn't happen to know where Ludlow Street is located?" Venus felt her cheeks hot with embarrassed to even ask, but it was a good first step.

Leonardo couldn't help but chuckle at this,

"You've asked the right turtle."

Short, sweet and to the point I always say!

Also don't be surprised if I end up editing this sometime in the future (lol)

This chapter is on the short-side but as I start to get the story going there will be more to input. I worked on this thing night and day and I always seem to update my stories around 3 in the morning...why, I have no clue.

Enjoy everybody and Please R&R, it's the main reason why I keep my stories going :) !

Gabzgirl xoxo