Secret in the Sewers

Chapter 2: Turtle Trust

Leo paced in the livingroom anxiously, not taking his eyes off of the unconscious female on their couch. Even in her sleep, she clutched that leather-bound book like her life depended on it. April and Casey had to pry it out of her hands.

Donnie was in his lab, wiping all traces of data related to their lair off of her phone.

Everyone else was anxious too. After the girl passed out, Casey and April had explained that this human, Willow Evans, went to their school.

She worked for the newspaper and always uncovered people's secrets. It seemed to Leo, that this girl was the worst person in all of New York City to find out about them.

Mikey seemed to be the only one looking on the bright side and he was perched on top of the couch, grinning down at her.

Willow's eyes suddenly shot open and she lurched up, causing Mikey to screech in surprise and fall off of the couch; right into her lap.

Willow was screaming, Mikey was screaming, Raph was rolling around in laughter, and Splinter was simply watching. April and Casey were preoccupied trying to pick the lock on her notebook.

Leo marched forward and pulled Mikey off.

"Willow Evans." Splinter smiled gently. "I apologize for our lack of manners. We were all startled by your presence. Allow me to serve you tea."

Splinter turned around and headed off to the dojo. Willow stared after him in utter confusion.

"Well?" Raph crossed his arms.

Mikey grinned and offered her a hand. "Come on, trust me, Splinter is super chill. Ish."

Willow glanced around hesitantly before her gaze leveled on April, who was nervously covering Casey. Willow stood up and held out her hand.

"You give me the book and I'll go talk with the rat." She ordered.

"What book?" April asked.

Leo snatched it up and tossed it to her. "Deal."

"Really, man?" Casey huffed.

Willow looked over the book before nodding to herself and tucking it under her arm. She headed off to the dojo and we all followed.

Splinter was sitting, waiting patiently with two cups of tea. Willow looked at him with a small frown before sitting down across from him.

"I have been informed that you are invested in reporting news. The spread of truth is a noble and dangerous quest." Splinter told her.

Willow raised an eyebrow. "If you're trying to flatter me into not revealing you to the world, it's not gonna work, buddy."

Splinter frowned. "Do you know what would happen to my family if we were to be discovered?"

Willow paused. "The government would most likely capture, interrogate, and possibly experiment on you."

Splinter nodded. "We are not savages or criminals, we simply wish to survive. I was even a man once before I was mutated into a rat."

Tilting her head, Willow frowned. "What if you carry mutated diseases and they spread to the public?"

April scoffed. "Oh please, if that was the case, we'd know by now. I've been with the turtles for ages."

Splinter directed the attention to Raph, Leo, Donnie, and Mikey. "These turtles are all I have. If you ousted us, we would be in grave danger not just from your government, but from enemies of my past."

"Enemies?"

"My brother wishes revenge on me and leads an army in search of us. My sons stand between them and New York. They are protectors of this city in the shadows."