Dude, This is No Vacation (A Sonic-TMNT Crossover)

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Four

Kay's heart was racing as she sprinted through the quiet sewers, having already retrieved her bo from the dojo. She silently hurried past the living area and Splinter's room, stopping when she got to the lair's entrance to listen carefully for any sounds that were not hers. After taking several moments to calm her breathing, she couldn't help but wonder why she hadn't at least seen Splinter yet. If anyone was going to hear and stop her, it would be him. He was notorious for that kind of thing.

Satisfied that she was alone but knowing that would not be the case a few seconds from now, Kay turned to the entrance and reached above her to pull on the lever that would open the brick wall. The stones slid across the sewer floor loudly. She bolted the second the opening was large enough for her to fit through and didn't stop, though she could barely see in the absurd darkness of the underground. She knew that if the Turtles hadn't heard her leaving before, they would definitely know now, and they would be after her as quickly as they could scramble out of bed.

Kay panted as she ran at full speed, slipping every now and then on the grime that covered the sewer's walkways but still managing to push forward. She hoped she was accurately following the route Leo had always taken when venturing to the surface.

Sounds of splashing and voices behind her alerted her to the fact that she was now being pursued as expected, spurring her onward at an even quicker pace than before. The guys were fast; they would catch her in a heartbeat if she didn't get to that turnoff in time.

That's the one, she thought as she made a sharp right and pressed her back to the wall, breathing as silently as she could manage while she waited for the Turtles to pass her by. Just seconds later two dark shapes left a breeze in their wake as they darted past the blackened tunnel she was hiding in. They wouldn't understand, she told herself when she felt guilt begin to creep in. They don't think I can handle this any more than I do. They'd talk me out of it, but I can't turn back now. I just have to know exactly what is going on around here, and I know Karai can give me answers.

After waiting a decent amount of time, Kay decided it would be in her best interest to move now. The guys would know she wasn't fast enough to outrun them and circle back to look for her. It would only be a matter of time before they caught sight of her with their heightened night vision. Kay quickly and silently moved further into the pitch-black tunnel, stopping only when she saw a small beam of moonlight shining ahead of her. There.

Gripping her bo in her left hand, Kay sprinted to the light source, located the ladder, and began to climb. She found the manhole cover when she hit her head on it, then tried to push it aside, shoving with all her might while trying not to fall. It wouldn't budge.

Behind and below her, someone cleared their throat.

She froze, gripping the top rung of the ladder fiercely. After taking a deep breath and steeling herself to fight off any opposition she would certainly face, Kay turned around and searched the darkness for the source of the noise. It was impossible to know who was here with her, but she spoke anyway. "Don't try and stop me."

More splashing noises were heard as whoever it was made their way towards her. She felt the ladder shift slightly when they began to climb up to where she was. Hot breath on her neck let her know that her guest was right next to her. Kay gripped both the ladder and her weapon even harder.

Suddenly the manhole cover moved, allowing just enough space for her to slip through. Kay glanced up at the clear night sky and then back at the figure at her side.

The red bandana was all she needed to see, and it shocked her. "Raph?"

He nodded once at her, then tilted his head as an indicator for her to climb to the surface. Still surprised and slightly confused, Kay pushed her bo through ahead of her and then pulled herself out, taking a huge breath of fresh air as she reached the top. When she turned back to look at Raph again, he was already putting the manhole cover back into place.