Secret in the Sewers

Chapter 22: Blade of Archimedes

Willow looked around the woods, which were turning red and orange with the threat of nightfall. The air was getting cold and she sighed, rubbing her arms and shivering. Probably should have grabbed a jacket before she left.

If only she could pop into a coma real quick and jump back out in three months when it was nice and warm. The forest would like beautiful, full of frogs and deer.

Now, they're just full of leafless trees and crazy parents who want to kill her boyfriend. She'd never be able to look at a stuffed animal turtle the same again.

"Willow!?"

She turned her head sharply at the sound of Leo's shout into the woods. She'd been walking for some time now, but of course he caught up.

He has two working legs boosted by steriod mutagen.

Why couldn't he just move at the pace of a real turtle, just this once? She was trying to save him.

Willow sped up, trying to be as quiet as possible, but her dead leg dragged through the fallen leaves as if it was a elephant.

It wasn't long before Leo caught up, having followed the trail she left behind. He called her name again and ran up, grabbing her shoulder.

"Willow, you-" He wasn't sure what to say.

She was stupid and reckless and crazy and—

He pulled her close and hugged her tightly. "You scared the mutagen out of me."

Willow pulled away. "Leo, I... I know you won't want to but—"

"Leave?" He guessed. "Yeah, not happening. You're coming back with me before your crazy mom finds you."

"Little too late for that."

Both of them whirled around, eyes wide as Willow's mother jumped down from the trees. Around her were dozens of others dressed in the same attire and they pulled out swords, pointing them toward the pair.

Willow glared. "I came to you willingly. Let him go."

"Doesn't look like he wants to go." Willow's mother smiled. "It's cute."

Leo growled. "Why do you want to open some stupid box so bad?"

She only smiled and gestured further into the woods. "Come with me and you'll find out."

A few of the soldiers moved forward, swords pointing at them. This was an order.

Leo and Willow exchanged glances before following after her mother. The woman smiled and led them further into the wood.

"I suppose once this is all over, you won't be too fond of me." The woman said. "I really wish we could have met under better circumstances, darling."

Willow blew out a quick, disbelieving breath. "Yeah, and then eventually I'd find out you killed my parents and helped the Kraang take over New York."

The woman stopped and glared. "They weren't your parents. I am your mother. You know your father."

Willow glared. "I have two dads and one mother, none of those three are you."

"What makes Tiffany Hollow a better mother than me?"

"You left me. She raised me. She accepted me and took me in, along with Mark, and they both loved me. I wanted to eat fish for every meal and they were okay with that. I wanted to be a reporter and they were okay with that. I wanted to... Everything I've ever wanted, they helped me get there. You? You died."

"I'm alive." The woman insisted. "Don't take me for granted again. I just want to be with you, Willow."

"No. You want to open a box." Willow spat. "My biological mother died the night a ship fired into our home."