The Shift, Donatello Temple

The Extraction Team

Flashes of someone else's past shoots through my brain.
I see my parents, but they're not, themselves.
I scream as pain shoots through my head like a bullet ricocheting off its walls.
My head hits the ground.
"Donnie?!"
Shouts a voice, but I'm too far gone to respond.
I manage to stand up.
I trip over myself as I try to run, waiting for the pain to stop.
I don't get far as the pain anchors me down.
Then like a veil is lifted, it stops.
I stay there in the ground sweating with my heart pounding as fear is on my mind.
"Donnie, can you hear me?"
She asks.
"Yes."
I say, cringing as the pain lingers a bit.
"What's happened?"
She asks looking at Rone.
"His mind is connected to the staff, Judger must be doing something to it."
He says.
"Who?"
"I hacked into the SCOs files. And downloaded as much as I could. This guys been all over the place killing criminals and crime lords. He mainly targets the bad guys so this is completely uncharacteristic."
"What else did the file say?"
I ask.
"He's been doing this for almost 20 years. The last place he was spotted was the Blocks, the night Keepers made his last push at us. Who ever he is, he hasn't slowed down or aged in almost 20 years. According to the file, he's in his mid 50s."
"So how was a 50 year old man able to overpower me?"
He looks back to the computer.
"Around that time, Keepers was working on something called a BioSuit. A suit that would grant the wearer superhuman abilities for a short period of time while worn. But he never perfected it, it would always kill the wearer almost immediately after. The suit was bulletproof too."
I sigh.
"Okay so how do we know this is talking about him?"
I ask.
"Because there's a picture."
He turns the screen to face me.
A man, crouching on the corner of a building, a hood draped over his face revealing only his eyes.
8 handles jutt from his back like wings.
"How do we find this guy?"
I ask.
"Woah you're In no condition to go after him."
Says Alice.
I look over at her, and lift my shirt.
"You're, completely healed."
"Yeah and I don't need a medic. I need you to stay safe."
She frowns.
"I pepper spayed him the other night. I can handle myself. Besides what happens if one of you gets hurt and there's no one there to help you this time?"
She says, staring at my unbruised chest.
"Well."
I look back at Rone.
"What?"
I ask.
He strokes his chin.
"We think he's wearing a bio-suit. Keepers is an expert tracker, if he wants to find you, he will."
"What's your point?"
Jackie asks.
"My point, is maybe there's a reason Keepers hasn't chased him."
He says.
"What are you getting at?"
"Think about it. He didn't react when you shot him with enough energy to kill a rhino. Why does he even want the staff?"
Rone asks.
"He hasn't aged since the 90s, Donnie I think I know why Keepers hasn't gone after him."
I shake my head.
"It's not a bio-suit. Donnie, he's a Nolite. He's like you."
I shake my head.
"That's not possible. I thought I was the only one."
"Evidently not."
Says Jackie.
"How do we counter him?"
I ask.
"Wait a moment. One thing I've learned in my years as a soldier, and a commander, is something they don't teach you in boot camp. Just because you can take him on, doesn't mean you should, or even have to. I think Keepers is afraid of him, and let's not forget Keepers is still out there. He doesn't have to be our enemy."

I stand atop the rooftop, waiting for him.
I hear metal bootsteps clunking towards me.
"The staff has already been claimed by another."
He says.
The staff is useless to him, it's bonded to me until I die.
"We both know what has to happen."
The air is still as I turn to face him.
He towers over me.
"What we can't share it?"
I ask.
He takes a step forward.
I can't move back, the edge of the building is behind me.
"This is the only way."
An axe extends in his hand.
"There's more then one way."
I dodge to my left.
With a loud metallic clang, Sam's metal form slams into him like a truck.
The two of them go flying through the air.
Sam's drags him through the gravel for a few feet, delivering right and left hooks across the mans face.
Judger lifts his arm with the axe, but Sam forces it down with his boot.
For a moment it looks like he has the upper hand, until the man catches his fist in his palm.
Sam and I stare in shock.
A punch to the steel lips knocks Sam off of him.
He grabs Sam by the shoulders and throws him over the edge.
I charge towards him as fast as I can.
He turns to me.
leaping into the air I slam my fist into his armored cheek.
My knuckles crack against the steel of his helmet, but this time his head turns from the force.
I'm more prepared this time.
He cocks his fist and punches me right in the chest.
I slide back before he lunges at me, the two of us go over the edge.
Sam slams into us.
The three of us struggle as Sam carries us through the air and away from the city.
Rone's plan is going good so far.
Sam and I punch left and right, and the man just takes it.
Once we're in the forest, Sam breaks away letting us plummet.
The two of us separate and tumble in the snow for a moment.
I lift myself off the ground, and when I look up, I see him.