Sharks by KC

Leonardo jerked up on the couch, holding his cry in. Once he was certain he was safe, he glanced around himself. He breathed a sigh of relief. Splinter and his brothers were still asleep. Well, except for Raphael, but he could be across town for all they knew. At least he wasn't here right now.

He let out a shaky breath and stood up. Experience had taught him that he wouldn't be able to go back to sleep tonight. Instead, he got up and checked the room, making sure that no one was there. So paranoid, all the time, worry, worry, worry. He didn't know why, but he could never shake off the feeling that they were in danger. Not completely. Once he was certain that they were alone, he went into the kitchen and made a cup of coffee. Donatello would complain later that the stuff in the pot was always too black and cold, but he didn't care. It was Don's fault he didn't get up early enough.

Leo glanced at the clock and laughed to himself. "Yeah," he whispered, "he should be up at four thirty in the morning. If I'm up, everyone should be up. And they all wonder why I'm so wide awake in the morning. Damn nightmares." It was the fifth time in a row he'd woken up out of fright. It was beginning to be annoying. Some 'fearless leader' he was.

His gaze went to the t.v., then the exercise room. Train or zone, train or zone, what to do? As usual, training won out, and as soon as he tossed the cup into the sink (onto an ever growing stack that was beginning to threaten their safety) he walked into the exercise room and looked around.

If he turned the lights on, the others might wake up and ask him why he was up. Leo wasn't in the mood to lie right now. He left the lights off and checked the objects lying on the floor. Cross-bow? Too loud. Projectiles would wake them up. Daggers? Nah. Staff?

He smiled and nodded, picking up the heavy iron quarter-staff. Donatello hated its weight, preferring his wooden staff, even though it was only a few pounds lighter. Leonardo had never been able to feel much difference, but he knew he was a bit stronger than his brothers. Except Raph. Raphael liked the iron staff better, too.

He swung the staff around a few times, adjusting to its weight and length. Suddenly he whirled it around in one hand, then spun it in a complex motion that would have cleared a crowded room in seconds. Of course, that would only work if he was by himself. If his brothers were nearby, he had to check himself for fear of hurting them. After a few minutes of random attacks, he settled into the time-consuming routine of katas, practicing them over and over, until he got bored and went back to random attacks.

He closed his eyes pictured the alley fight they'd been in a week ago, then carefully erased his brothers from the picture. Now, in his imagination, he was alone with seventeen young punks with various weapons. Leonardo smiled and stood ready.

The first one attacked, whirling a chain over his head. No problem there. The staff caught the chain, which rapidly wrapped around the end. He jerked back as hard as he could, and the gangster flew over his head and the fence several feet behind him. Sixteen.

Now five of them approached, but only one of them was a threat. He rolled as the shotgun blast echoed to his right, then came up and knocked the gun out of the kid's hands. The staff's end slammed up into his face, taking him out of combat, and then slammed into someone's head. Before the human fell, Leonardo was already pulling back and spinning the staff out to catch the rest of them in one long stroke. Eleven. Without losing a step, he pole-vaulted over their falling bodies and into the main fray. Whipping the staff around him, four more dropped to the floor. Seven.

This time there were more guns, but they were only automatic magnums. He swept the offending gangmembers off of their feet, then used the staff to knock several bricks loose from the wall, where they crushed a few skulls on the way down. Three. Throwing the staff at one of the kids, he rolled between them, then came up behind them to catch the staff and spin it over his head, knocking all three unconscious. Flawless.

He opened his eyes and sighed. The room was still dark, and he was alone. A week ago, the fight had lasted ten minutes, nine and a half minutes longer than he had just fought. Mike and Don had worked in from the front, Raph had lashed at the gang from the back, and he had been in the middle. Working with a team was harder, especially with swords. He had to be careful he didn't hurt his brothers.

Leonardo glanced back up at the clock, gleaming red in the kitchen. Six thirty. Where did the time go? Still, he could hear Splinter waking up, so it was time to get the rest of them. He just wondered where Raphael was. He would never have said it to his brother's face, but every time Raphael left, Leo got nervous that his slightly younger brother would get hurt, even if Raph was as good as he was. Almost as good, anyways. He started off to where Don and Mike were still asleep.

Leonardo would never admit it, but sometimes it was fun to wake everyone up. Especially when Mike didn't want to get up.

"Wake up!" he yelled when he was in his brothers' room.

They glared at him with bleary eyes, and Leo thought he could hear Donatello mumble something under his breath. Mike, however, rolled over and tried to go back to sleep.

"Oh, no you don't," Leo laughed, moving to the head of the bed. He took a firm hold on the edge of the mattress, then pulled it up. There was a startled cry, the sound of something sliding, and then a heavy thud on the floor. Leo let the mattress go, and as it settled back, cold air blew over Mike.

"Enough, enough!" Mike yelled. "I'm awake. Geez, dude, couldn't you just give us five more minutes?"

Leo glanced back at the clock. Six thirty three. Close enough. He closed his eyes, had a mental image of a large fin. It took him a few seconds to shake it out of his head. "By the time you actually get to the kitchen, you'll be late by five minutes. Good enough?"

As their big brother left, Mike looked at Donatello. "Dude, is it just me, or was he bugged out about something?"

Don shrugged and yawned. "If he was, we'll never know. If he wasn't, big deal."

Not really hungry, Leo had started back for the exercise room when he noticed Raphael coming in the door.

Don't even start with me, Leo," Raph growled in warning, "I'm not in the mood for it."

"Like I care where you've been?" the other lied, turning his back. "I just hope you're up to practice."

Raph paused and looked up. Leonardo was already halfway into the exercise room. He hadn't even given him a hard time for coming in late. Or early, one or the other. Raph shrugged and started for the kitchen, wondering what Mike was making.

"Oh, not cold coffee again!" Don groaned, pouring out what looked more like molasses than liquid caffeine. He stared at it a moment, wondered if he should make a new batch, then decided he was too lazy this morning and took the cup with him.

"Pancakes with cheese, tabasco sauce, teriyaki and last night's curry!" Mike smiled, starting to scoop the mess off of his plate. "It's like morning pizza."

"Mike, do your tastebuds even work anymore?" Raph asked.

"Probably not," Don laughed, then grimaced as he took another sip. "They've surrendered years ago. Where's Leo?"

"Exercise room," Raph answered, glancing at what barely passed for breakfast. With a shudder, he got up. He had eaten already anyways.

"That's weird," Mike said. "He usually never misses breakfast."

"Maybe he saw what was on the menu," Don sighed, finishing the coffee and tossing the cup into the sink. The pile of dishes shook precariously, and they all turned a horrified glance at the menace. After a few seconds, though, it stopped rumbling and held its balance. A collective sigh escaped from them. Safe for another day.

"Mike, you've got to clean that up," Don said, as Raph left the kitchen. "It's gonna kill one of us some day."

"Hey, it's not all mine. Half of those things belong to you," Mike argued, finishing and throwing the plate behind him. It landed to the side, reinforcing the stack. Maybe it wouldn't fall until Thursday. "At least I don't use the plates for bacterial cultures!"

"Looking at them now, I wouldn't say that's true," Don said. "There are things growing on those plates that probably have their own political systems by now."

"They're not that bad," Mike insisted, glancing at it. "They're just a little dirty, that's all."

"I'll remind you ya said that when the Blob oozes out of there."

"Donatello, Michaelangeo, we are waiting," came their master's voice.

"I don't see why," Mike grumbled. "We always get paired against each other."

"What, do you wanna fight Raph?" Don asked.

Mike left the question unanswered and went inside.

"Pair off," came the immediate order. Splinter was on the sidelines, watching from a safe distance, hopefully. "Michaelangelo and Donatello," Mike rolled his eyes, but he and Don started to fight off in a corner, practicing moves they had not yet mastered, and yielding most of the floor to the older pair.

There was a brief pause as Splinter looked at the other two. Leonardo already had the practice katanas out, and Raph was ready for the starting bell. He closed his eyes anxiously. "Leonardo and Raphael. Begin!"

Raphael let out a loud yell and leaped at his older brother, sais out. Leo sidestepped, trying to smash his left hand down into Raph's back, but his target was out of range too quickly. Raph turned and lunged again, and Leo used his downward momentum to duck and catch Raphael's ankle for just a moment, setting him off balance. Surprised, Raph rolled and came back up. They stood and started to circle, weapons at the ready, looking for an opening. The whole motion took three seconds. Splinter let out a breath, then realized he had been holding it unconsciously.

Leo sliced forward, and Raph swayed back, then had to duck as the sword passed over him again. Then the second sword came straight toward his right shoulder. Raph brought his sai up and caught his brother's sword in the prongs, then twisted. The blade broke in half. Leo didn't miss a step, instead pulling his hand away and slamming his brother's jaw with the hilt. Raph fell back a step, and out of the corner of his eye he saw the broken sword thrown away. The second katana was hurled at him, and he had to twist out of its way so that it hit the wall harmlessly. Splinter groaned inwardly. Another practice sword destroyed. Leonardo went through them like they were nothing. So did Raphael.

Before Raphael had regained his balance, Leo lunged at him, catching his shoulders and throwing him to the ground with all his strength. Raph caught himself, only inches above the ground, then tried to sweep Leo, who just flipped over him to the weapons rack. The eldest brother drew two daggers and bounded away, just as Raph pulled a long sword from the bottom shelf. Splinter's eyes narrowed. Here's where it always got dangerous. Both of them were masters at most of the weapons in the room.

Raphael brought his blade down toward his brother's head, but it was blocked by one dagger and countered by the other with a slash to the midsection. Raph would have been gutted if he'd been any slower, but Leo knew he would slip back a few inches. The sword was pulled away and thrust forward.

"Shame you ain't got a pair of sais," Raphael taunted as Leo took a step back. "Then you could break the blade."

What he had mistook for an evasive move turned into a spin that brought Leo beside him to knock the blade out of his hand. It spun across the room and embedded itself into the wall, next to dozens of other similar holes.

"Sais are useless," Leo said, "when you're skilled enough." Taking advantage of Raphael's lack of weaponry, he came at him, slashing with the daggers. The light glittered on the polished steel, dazzling his eyes.

Knowing better than to attack now, Raphael backflipped away, frustrating Leo, who hated missing unless he meant to miss. The iron quarter-staff, forgotten earlier that morning, was conveniently nearby. Raph scooped the staff up and started to spin it, and Leo took a step back. Now his brother had a longer reach.

"What's the matter?" Raph grinned. "You're not afraid, are you?"

"Of you? Never."

"Then why're you backing up?"

Raphael swung the staff in an arc that almost caught Leo's head. Instead, Leo ducked and rolled forward before Raphael could get the staff back around. Raph was swept off of his feet, but he whipped himself backward, caught the floor with his hands and somersaulted back up. The staff slipped out of his hand and rolled out of reach. Leo tossed a dagger at him, and Raph caught it deftly, holding it ready.

"Thanks for the weapon," he sneered.

"What, you actually need one to fight me?" Leo snarled.

Splinter looked up sharply. Apparently a few of Raphael's taunts had done their job. Both of them were angry, a rare occurrence for Leonardo, which meant that they were fighting full force. This could become bloody fast. He was so intent on this pair that he didn't notice Don and Mike had stopped fighting and were watching their brothers.

Raph lunged, then swung back, avoiding Leo's slice and attacking again. Leo leaped over him, ducked as Raph tried to stab him, and drew his blade up. Neither made contact. Then Raphael suddenly came in from his side and brought his blade over Leo's arm, drawing a long gash over the skin. He almost laughed out loud until he realized that Leo had sacrificed part of himself to cut into Raphael's shoulder. He yelped in surprise, stepping back but still on guard.

"Got ya," Leo smiled, laughing despite the pain. Or because of the pain. When Leo was ticked off, you could never tell. When he fought, he was a completely different person.

On the other hand, it was obvious when Raph was enraged. He growled and set himself up to attack. "Just wait, 'brother'," he said sarcastically, mockingly sweetening his voice.

"Bring it on, 'brother'," Leo mimicked, bracing himself.

"That is enough," Splinter called out, fearing any more injury. They had something to do today. "Stop!"

Neither of them looked at him, wondering if the other would obey. Blood had been spilt. Now it was personal. Still, Splinter was master. Leo was about to back away obediently, but Raph snarled and dove at him. There was a flash of metal as they rolled, and then Raphael was on his back, Leo above him with his dagger poised over his throat.

"Got ya," Leo whispered again.

"Look down," Raph laughed. Leo felt the tip of Raph's dagger press at his midsection. Both of them were ready to strike.

"I can survive a stomach wound," Leo growled. "Can you take a slit throat?"

Raphael's eyes narrowed. Who knew if Leo was serious or not, especially in this mood? "You won't survive, not if I twist the blade enough," he said, very serious now. Almost professionally serious. It was like a promise.

"I said, that is enough," Splinter ordered, suddenly standing beside them. Realizing that neither of them was about to back away, he grabbed Leo by the back of the neck and pulled him away. Raph leapt to his feet. The old master positioned himself between the two. "Stop it. What on earth has gotten into the two of you?"

"You know I'd never hurt him," Leo argued, then added almost silently, "not permanently, anyways."

Raphael, who was closer, heard him. "Just name the place, Leo," he whispered just as quietly.

Splinter sighed and shook his head. "Take care of those cuts, then come to kit-" he broke off as he remembered the threatening dishes. "The den. There is something you four need to do. Together," he added before he left.

With a look of awe on their faces, Don and Mike left with Splinter. It was unusual to see the two fight so savagely.

Leo sighed, replacing the weapons they had used before he started to bandage the gash. Raphael was done before him and was about to leave when Leo called him back.

"What?" Raph growled, turning.

"That was a good fight," Leo admitted, finishing and standing up.

Raphael was silent a moment. "Yeah, it was." Neither of them said anything else, and just left silently.

"So, what're we doing today?" Mike asked, sitting on the floor in front of the couch.

Donatello lay sprawled on the couch, tinkering with a Gameboy that had been giving him problems. After a few minutes, the lights came up on the screen and the little Nintendo came down and "dinged". He tossed it next to Michaelangelo, who immediately started playing with it.

Raphael came in ahead of Leonardo, who sat a few feet from Splinter. The old master was cross-legged on the opposite couch. Raph just perched on the edge of the couch, threatening to tip it over backwards.

Instead of answering Mike's question, Splinter pulled out a newspaper page and lay it in front of them. There was a large photograph of several odd items on a table, with a picture of a great white shark behind them. Leo closed his eyes for a brief moment, forcing himself to forget his dream, then started to study the items. A license plate, a suit of armor, a ratty fur coat, a long dagger, and a human hand, plastic of course.

"What do all those have to do with each other?" Mike asked, barely glancing at them before returning to Tetris.

"All of those were found inside the stomach of a rather large shark," Splinter said. "It is the dagger which caught my eye. I have not seen it for several years now."

Leo glanced at the dagger again. "What's so special about it? It looks like a normal dagger."

"Indeed," Splinter agreed, "but at the bottom of the hilt, can you see the markings?"

All four of them leaned closer. The Tetris music started to get on Raph's nerves, so he reached over and turned the machine off.

"Hey!" Mike cried, "I was almost to level nine!"

Ignoring his brothers, Donatello noticed the odd symbol on the dagger. "What is it?"

"A chain with a circle inside," Leo said, drawing in a breath. He looked up at Splinter, who nodded.

"Suffice to say, it is evil," Splinter said cryptically, "and must be hidden away."

"Can't we just break it apart?" Raph asked, spinning a sai in his hand. "I'm real good at that." He glanced sideways at Leo, who glared back.

"You must not break it!" Splinter ordered him. "If that happens, the evil inside would escape into the nearest person and give him incredible power."

"How bad?" Don asked.

"Think Hitler on steroids," Leo affirmed.

"And do not use it, either," Splinter said. "That would be even worse. The evil inside the blade could create something even more hideous."

"So where is it?" Mike asked, restarting the game at level nine. "The S.E.A. museum?"

Splinter looked up in mild surprise. "Yes, how did you know?"

"I saw it in a comic," he answered, then groaned when he piled too many shapes on each other and lost. He turned the game off angrily. "The Shark Environmental Aquarium. They overhauled some office building and turned it into a shark exhibit."

"Shark Environmental?" Raph asked incredulously. "What do they mean by that?"

Mike shrugged. "Beats me." He turned quickly, holding his hands up defensively. "Don't you dare."

Raph, who had started to lean forward, backed away wordlessly. Donatello grunted and adjusted his weight before the couch toppled.

Leo peered at the clipping. "Corner of 4th and Bradley," he remarked. "This was the grand opening?"

Splinter nodded. "You must bring that blade back, or failing that, at least hide it where no one will ever find. Is that understood?"

Leonardo looked up and nodded. The other three thought their master's voice seemed harsh, but the eldest didn't seem to notice, so they didn't say anything. Leo's gaze drifted to the digital clock. Seven thirteen.

"We'll go in at seven tonight," he said firmly. "Light'll be low enough then, and it should be closed if it's a public place. Don, see if you can find a map of the inside, and the most likely places that dagger'll be."

"If it's so evil, what do we do with it?" Raph asked slowly.

"Bring it back here carefully so I may destroy it," Splinter told him. "Only Leonardo may handle it, though."

"Why?" Raph asked, suddenly suspicious.

"He is the only one I can trust with it," Splinter said.

Leo stifled his inner groan. Now Raph would be giving him a hard time through the entire trip.

"What, are the rest of us too clumsy?" the second eldest griped. "Too stupid?"

Splinter stared at him intently, and after a few seconds, Raphael had to look away.

"Leonardo will be the only one to handle the dagger," he repeated, standing. Leo stood up with him and followed his sensei into his private study.

Raphael jumped up and headed for the door.

"Raph, where--?" Mike started to ask, but Raph cut him off.

"I'll be back later."

Don sighed and climbed off of the couch, moving toward the computer on the far table. "Well, baby," he said, flicking it on, "let's see what you'll tell me today."

Mike looked around himself. No one was around, and Numero Uno Son hadn't given him any special assignments. He flipped the t.v. on and started to flip as fast as his short attention span would let him.

*

"Master?" Leo started.

Splinter settled onto the large cushion on the floor, relaxed, then opened his eyes. "Yes, Leonardo?"

"Shouldn't we tell them?" he asked, kneeling before his master. "It's too dangerous not to let them know."

The old rat smiled. "What would they do if they knew?"

"Try to control it on their own," Leo admitted, "try to prove they could. But they might be able to."

Splinter shook his head. "Even so, I cannot take that chance. They could lose their souls, or even pose a threat to all of us. It would be too terrible for us to have to fight one of our own."

Leo glanced down at the floor.

"What is it?" his mentor asked.

"That's why you want me to handle it," he said slowly, "you know I'd kill myself if I lost control."

The room was totally silent for a moment.

"You know the danger," Splinter sighed, "but you also know how to protect yourself. It should not come to that. You must promise me that it will only be as a last resort. I almost lost you that way before."

Leo looked up sharply. "I swore that I would never try it again. I wouldn't break a promise."

Splinter shook his head. "You cannot comprehend the horror I felt when I found you, kneeling and pointing a sword at yourself in the dark..."

The student looked away, unable to face his master. "I was...out of it..."

"'Out of it'?" Splinter mimicked.

Leo shook his head. They had spoken of his suicide attempt several times. It hadn't even been ritual suicide, just a weak attempt at ending his life.

"I felt so worthless," he whispered. "I thought you would be better off without me."

"A defeat as great as the one you suffered would naturally lead you to think that," Splinter said gently. "That is why they left you alive. And that is why I trust you the most. You are not afraid to sacrifice yourself."

Leonardo sighed, then pushed the thoughts from his mind. As long as his brothers never knew, then he would be fine. "Master, what spirit does the dagger hold?"

Splinter reached behind the cushion and brought forward a large book, its pages yellowing. He opened it, turning to the appropriate page, and indicated that Leonardo should come beside him.

Leo knelt beside his master and started reading the foreign text. "A Japanese sorcerer? No, it's an--" he looked up shock. This was worse than he had first supposed. "An oni? I have to fight a demon?"

Splinter chuckled at his son's reaction. "It will not be as difficult as you imagine. The dagger has a sheath attached, which is part of the magickal shield. You will be fine."

"Who else is after this?"

The master leaned back, a little pleased that Leo had asked that. "I cannot be the only one who knows about the dagger," he said cautiously. "There are a few sorcerers in this city. I have felt their presence on many occasions. For the most part, they are honorable, but there is one who I am certain is wicked. Emil Rammstein."

"I've heard that name before," Leo wondered. "In the alleys, late at night. He has a cult following."

"Not a large following," Splinter affirmed, "but a significant one nonetheless. He may try to steal the blade as well."

"Would he know how to use it?"

"No. He is rather inept."

Leo leaned back. That was even worse. Then the evil might not be contained to one person if he used it. It would spread. He sighed tiredly.

"You did not sleep well," Splinter said suddenly. "I heard you practicing early this morning."

"Just a nightmare."

"This is the fifth time in a row," the master prodded. "What was it?"

Leonardo didn't want to answer, but he had to. Nightmares had driven him to his attempt on his own life, and Splinter had a right to know if that was happening again.

"I thought it was just a bad dream," Leo started, "but it kept coming over and over again. And then, with what we're doing tonight..."

Splinter put his hand on his son's shoulder reassuringly. "Tell me."

"It's a shark circling around me. After a few seconds it dives and pulls me under." Leo shrugged. "I'm not a prophet. It's just coincidence."

"Do you believe that?"

Leo held silent.

The master looked down at him. "You would not, out of fright..?"

He shook his head. "I swore I wouldn't. I was foolish then--"

"Leonardo, you were not foolish," Splinter said firmly, gripping his shoulder and forcing him to face him. "You were full of despair and misery. Your lack of confidence is your greatest enemy. It nearly accomplished what countless enemies did not. Promise me that you will return alive."

Leo looked up into his father's eyes. "I promise that if it's possible, I'll come back. I can't promise anything more."

Splinter nodded, evidently satisfied.

Leonardo stood up, about to leave. This conversation was becoming too

uncomfortable.

"Where are you going?" Splinter asked curiously.

"Practice," Leo answered. "Dagger toss."

Splinter nodded approvingly, watching his son go.

Time passed relatively quickly. Leonardo heard Mike whipping something else up to eat halfway through the day, but he wasn't hungry. Possible death had a way of killing one's appetite. He came out of the exercise room around six, his left hand a little sore from all the target practice he'd put it through, but it might be worth it. There was no telling if he would have to throw with it, and he couldn't afford having an "off" hand. Not when his brothers' lives might count on it.

"Maybe we should move your bed in there," Mike quipped from the couch. "You practically live there."

"If he's gonna sleep there," Don started, still typing at his keyboard, "we'd need to move the couch, not his bed."

Leo smiled and glanced over Don's shoulder. "Anything useful?"

Don nodded silently, handed him two print-outs and looked back worshipfully at the screen.

Leo took the papers to the table in front of Mike and spread them out. One of them was a map, and the other was a print-out of what the museum had on exhibit, complete with a feeding schedule.

Mike looked at the maps. "Looks more like a Zelda maze than an aquarium."

Leo had to agree. "You said they renovated an office building? That doesn't seem like the right place for a museum."

"Humans are funny," the youngest said. "I heard they pay money to see a giant ball of string down in Kansas somewhere."

"It'd be cool to see it unraveled." Leo studied the map, then marked two different rooms. "The dagger'll be either here," he said, pointing at the great white exhibit, "or in the storage room."

"What's so important about this dagger, anyway?" Mike asked. "So it's evil, big deal. No one else knows about it, right?"

There was no answer.

"Right?" This time Donatello turned to look at their older brother.

"It should be an easy hit and run," Leo said, "but we might have company."

"Who?" Mike asked.

"Emil Rammstein?" came Don's voice.

Leo looked up sharply. "How'd you know?"

"I went surfing," he replied. "He's got his own webpage. Some pretty weird stuff on there."

"He has a web page?" Leo asked, surprised. "That's so weird."

Not everybody lives in the sixteenth century, Donatello thought, but he just shrugged. "Yeah, I went searching for daggers, mysticism, and religion. He popped up an hour ago, and I've been reading it for awhile."

"Anything interesting?" Leo asked.

"Yeah," Don said. "Something about a demon, possession, and weak minds. Sound familiar?"

Leo looked away and began to study the route to both museum rooms, and possible escape routes.

Donatello got up and sat across from Leonardo. "When were you gonna tell us?"

"Splinter preferred that you didn't know."

"And you?"

"I wish you didn't, either," he admitted. "It's better that way."

"Um, what're you guys talking about?" Mike asked, worrying if they were about to start arguing.

Don glared at Leonardo. "Oh, nothing," he said, "just that our fearless leader here might be leading us into a fight with an oni, that's all. We could get possessed, or that thing might pop out and slaughter us. Nothing to worry about, there."

"An oni?" Mike asked. "But I thought they couldn't possess people."

"A few can," Leo told him. "The strong ones."

"Yeah, and we're prime targets if we go get it," Don fumed. "I can't believe you didn't want us to know, Leo! What would happen if we were possessed? Would you kill us? Or yourself?"

"Why do you think I'm the one who'll carry it?"

Donatello's eyes went wide for a moment. He opened his mouth, then shut it. "No," he shook his head. "There has to be some other way. So we don't risk you..." his voice trailed off.

Leo smiled to himself. His brother wasn't angry about being left out, he was worried that one of them might die.

"Don't worry," he assured him. "Nothing bad will happen. All we have to do is stay clear of this Emil character, and we'll be fine."

Don relaxed against the sofa, then glanced at the clock. "Where's Raph? It's six thirty."

"He'll probably be here by seven, maybe a few minutes after," Leo sighed. "I don't think he was happy when he left."

"When is he ever happy?" Mike snorted.

"Well, I'm sure he'll be ready when he gets here," Leo said, looking over the exhibit list. "This place has great whites? I thought they couldn't be held in captivity."

"They're just there for a few days," Don told him. "Then they're back off to the ocean. The permanent ones are the makos, norse sharks, leopard sharks, tigers, bulls and hammer heads."

"Just sharks?" Leo asked. "No dolphins, turtles, or sea horses?"

"I think they have a few piranha," Don said. "And some barracuda."

"What a wonderful place," Leo said. "Nothing but sharks."

"Leo," Donatello started, but the older one cut him off.

"I know which ones are dangerous," he said. "And those bulls and tigers are known killers. Besides, they might not like humans, but we're still on the menu, remember? The sooner we pull this off, the better." He stood up and started walking to his room. "Get ready. We'll take off soon."

"Without me?" came a caustic voice from the door.

Leo didn't even turn. "Of course not. At least, now that you're here."

Raph frowned as Leo left the room. "Awright, what'd I miss?"

Donatello sighed as he settled into a sofa. "That dagger we talked about earlier?"

"Yeah?"

"It's evil. Really evil. It has a demon inside that'll possess anybody who uses it wrong."

"What kind of demon?"

Mike sat up, pulling his nunchuckus out. "An oni."

Raphael sighed. "Let me guess. Splinter and Leo both knew about it?"

Donatello got up and retrieved his staff. "I think it only happens if it draws blood."

Raph nodded and went to his room. Reaching beneath his bed, he pulled out another pair of sais and replaced them with the old ones. He held the metal up to the light. They sparkled with a sharp edge that worried Mike.

"Uh, Raph, that fight this morning? Was it for real?" the youngest asked.

Raph hesitated just for a moment, then nodded. "Pretty much." He slipped the sais into their holders just as Leo came back, katanas sheathed and a pair of daggers on one side of his belt. He didn't explain and they didn't ask.

"Let's go," he ordered, and they followed him out, Raphael coming up last.

At six fifty-five the group was standing on the roof of the building beside the Aquarium. The lights were already off. By seven they were inside the top floor of dark building and starting down the fire-escape stairs.

"I can't believe they have eighteen floors perched on top of an exhibit," Don said. "It seems so stupid."

"Two floors for the sharks, and the rest for the lawyers? It's more like they got some mascots than a museum," Raph quipped.

"So many stairs," Mike huffed three flights down.

"At least we're not going up," Leo offered.

"Although it couldn't hurt," Raph whispered. "Knock off a few of those 'breakfast pizzas'. Then your belt might actually fit."

"Hey, I am not fat!" Mike said.

"Will you two shut up?" Leo growled.

"Why?" Raph asked. "It's not like anybody's gonna hear us."

Leo rolled his eyes and didn't answer. Something was wrong, he just knew it. He had a terrible feeling that something was going to happen if they didn't get downstairs as soon as possible.

"Come on, this is taking forever," he suddenly said, dropping down through the narrow space between the stairs. The railing flew past his face and behind him, only inches away, but he didn't worry. His aim was perfect.

The trio above gaped.

"Is it just me, or is he getting impatient?" Mike asked.

"Worse than Raph," Don agreed.

Raphael shot him a withering stare. "At least he's finally doing something right. Let's go!" He dropped down after Leo, quickly followed by Mike and Don. When they hit the floor, one right after the other, they found Leonardo already done bypassing the alarm on the door and picking the lock.

"Leo, are you--?" Mike started, but his brother interrupted him.

"Quiet," Leo ordered them, creeping around the corner. They all fell into a hush as they heard the noise coming from down the hallway.

"Someone beat us to it," Raphael hissed.

"They won't get that dagger," Leo vowed, moving into the hallway and heading toward the noise. The small group almost glided across the floor, past pictures and murals of deep sea predators. A dim, blue light suddenly shone on them, and they all looked up. They had entered the main exhibit.

Huge vats of water behind giant walls of glass stood before them. Heedless of closing time, a pack of norse sharks circled endlessly in the barely lit water. Their teeth stood out prominently. Across from them was a display of pirhana, with at least half a thousand fish inside. Farther down the hall, a large gray tailfin with a white bottom loomed out of sight.

Leo closed his eyes and turned back to the hall. They moved several more meters before stopping at the corner. The leader peered around to see whoever lay on the other side, then drew back with a puzzled look on his face.

"What is it?" Don mouthed.

"What's the AFL?" Leo asked as quietly as he could. The men beyond them had clothes with those initials on the back.

"Ain't that a union?" Raph said.

"Animal Freedom League," Mike corrected. "I saw it in a comic."

"That would explain the bombs they're setting near the glass," Leo nodded. "At least they're not after the dagger."

They started moving again, passing so silently that the dozen of men in black jumpsuits didn't notice them. They reached the room with the dagger quickly, and went toward the glass case.

"Think there are any alarms on it?" Don asked, studying the box's frame.

Raph reached down and pulled the top open. Nothing happened. "Guess not."

Leo gave his brother the 'you are such an idiot' look but reached inside anyway,

"Be careful," Mike cautioned him.

Leo smiled nervously. "Relax, I won't--" he abruptly stopped as his hand grazed the hilt.

"What's wrong?" Raph asked, betraying concern for a moment.

"This isn't the dagger," Leo said. "Someone's switched it!"

"Are you sure?" Mike asked.

"Positive, there's no energy in it. This is a regular knife." He grasped the hilt. "It's still warm. Whoever did it is still here. Split up and find him, but don't attack until we're all together."

They nodded and spread out, Mike and Raph heading down the hallways, Donatello scrambling downstairs. That left Leonardo to follow his instincts. He paused and considered. If that Rammstein person had stolen the dagger, where would he take it? Better yet, how would he try to get out, since he obviously knew that someone else was after the blade? The least obvious place. Somewhere no one would want to go.

Leo glanced up at the glass wall, then took a step back as he saw the great white staring directly at him. Its gills were moving, and its fins were slowly undulating, but its black eyes were pointed right at him. Its jaws hung open, revealing teeth as large as his hand and as sharp as his swords. It was easily three times as big as he was, maybe four or even five times.

He forced himself to look away. It was behind the glass. He was safe as long as it was behind the glass. As he looked around, he caught a flash of movement in the corner of his eye. Above the norse shark tank, he could see a metal railing spread out over the water and circle around the walls. There were two doors on either side, and one of them was open just a crack. His hand dropped to the small communicator and flipped it on, waiting for the others to pick up. One by one they noticed the tiny lights on their own communicators and responded.

"I think they're above the tanks," Leo whispered. "See if you can narrow it down. They just moved out from the great white exhibit."

"I follow you," Don replied. "I think I might have a lead down here. Head down to the barracudas, first floor, to the right."

"Hey, fearless leader," came a sarcastic voice when Mike and Don had signed off.

"Yes, Raph?"

"What are we gonna do about those AFL nuts? You know they're gonna blow all the tanks up and let the fishies swim free."

Leo nodded, even though his brother couldn't see him. "Just stay clear of them. We'll be above them. With any luck, they won't see us."

"Hope that luck ain't bad," Raph replied, then turned off his communicator.

Part 2