In the Shadows

Chapter 20

-Xander's POV-

"The Kraang," Raph whispers.

"So these are the infamous Kraang you've been talking about," I say, keeping my voice low.

"Yeah. What are they up to?" I closely observe the Kraang. They're carrying glass containers of glowing green ooze out of a portal. Mutagen. My head starts to pound and I hear a robotic voice in my head.

"The one called Shredder has stolen Kraang's previous supply of mutagen and has also mutated the one known as the target known as Alexandra Javierez." The voice was flat and robotic. I'm pretty sure I'm reading their minds or something. I close my eyes and focus on what they're saying. "This is what is called a set back in Kraang Prime's plan to take over the planet known as Earth, but Kraang will succeed. Kraang will also capture the target and bring the target to Dimension X."

"But Kraang, the target is being protected by the ones who call themselves Turtles. Kraang calculates there being a chance that is slight of the target being easily captured. I hope Kraang has a plan that is a good plan."

"Kraang does have a plan that is a good plan. The plan will work because the plan has been planned by Kraang, who is the one who came up with the plan."

"Wait, Kraang. I fear there is someone who is eavsedropping on Kraangs' plan." I open my eyes and see a pink laser beam flying my way. It hits me in the face before I could dodge it, blinding me.

"Ow!" I shout. I fall backwards, covering my sightless eyes.

-Raphael's POV-

I catch Xander as she stumbles back and move us out of the way of the Kraangs' gunfire. She's groaning and swearing. I take her hands away from her face, and the whole area around her eyes is burnt.

"Raph, I can't see shit," she says, blinking rapidly. "What do I do?"

"I'm getting you out of here." I pick her up bridal style, and about a dozen Kraang surround us. I throw down a smoke bomb and hurl throwing stars at every Kraang head I see. I pick Xander up again and head for the fire escape. I suddenly feel electricity pulsing through every fiber of my body and I pass out.

-Xander's POV-

My vision is just barely starting to clear up. All I can se now are colors. Right now, blobs of pink, blue, and grey are surrounding us, and Raph collapsed. I don't know why. Something bright pink hurls my way and ties my arms to my sides. I concentrate and create a barrier of weeds around me and Raph. I kneel beside him and place hand on his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry Raph," I whisper, trying not to cry. "I got you into this. I'm the only one who should be involved. I'm so sorry." He begins to stir and brings a hand to my face.

"This is not your fault. Don't even think that it is, because it isn't. How could it be, anyway? Before tonight, you didn't even know who the Kraang are." I just decide to spill about my psychic abilities without a second thought.

"I was eavesdropping into their conversation with my mind. They were talking about a plan to take over the world and how I was some sort of target. They want to take me to some place called Dimension X."

"Over my dead body," he growls. The Kraang start tearing through the barrier and Raph tells me to get rid of it. "I need to teach these motherfuckers a lesson. Nobody messes with my girl and gets away with it alive." I know we've been together for months, but it still makes my knees turn to Jell-o when he calls me his girl and gets all protective like that. I lower the barrier, and my vision clears up completely. Raph takes out every Kraang in sight, rage and hatred setting fire to his emerald eyes. When he's done with his little pounding spree, we look around for a way to get the glowing pink laser chain off of me.

I find a remote and press a random button. The laser chain disappears. Raph and I head to the fire escape and we hear a shrill cry behind us. Before I could turn, I'm lifted into the air by a blue and pink pterodactyl. I suspect it's a Kraang pet.

"Put me down you alien freak!" I scream. I writhe and kick to escape the creature's grasp, but to no avail. The creature takes me through the Kraang portal and into a huge testing lab. Kraang everywhere. The creature drops me and five Kraang take me to a huge holding cell. On the other side of the cell, a huge mutant aligator lies sleeping. He wakes up, sees me, and roars. I try not to freak out, for I'm in about the same situation he's in. "Woah, chill man! Chill! I'm not gonna hurt ya." He starts to calm down, and the crazy look leaves his eyes.

"My apologies," he says. His voice is gruff and raspy. "My name is Leatherhead. Who are you? And how did you get here?"

"My name is Xander. I was kidnapped by the Kraang's blue pterodactyl-thing. How'd you end up here?"

"I was found by the Kraang. They mutated me and continue to experiment on me. That same fate, unfortunately, awaits you."

"No way man. We're bustin' outta here."

"I've tried before. I was successful once, but ended up back here. They've upgraded their security levels, and now it's near impossible to excape."

"Yeah. Naw." I walked to the door, where a few Kraang were passing by. "I'm not afraid of these brainless bitches!" I make sure they hear me. They turn to me and I smirk my signature victory smirk.

"Kraang are not what you call brainless. Kraang are more intellectually and technologically advanced than the life forms on the planet known as Earth." Now I'm getting a bit annoyed with these arrogant punks. Time to puth them in their place.

"You may be all brain, but do you have any heart? I'd take a bullet for this guy any day, and I barely even know him," I say, pointing to Leatherhead. "Would you take a shot for a fellow Kraang? I just want you to know that this heart ain't afraid of you assholes, alright? I. Fear. Nothing." I walk away from the door and sit next to Leatherhead.

"That was not a very wise move," he tells me.

"I've either got them intimidated or pissed off. Either way, it works to our benifit."

"How is that supposed to help us at all?"

"If they're imtidated, they'll keep their distance, and anger is self-destructive. By the way, do you know how to open a portal to Earth?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Because we're busting out of here. Tonight." We continue waiting until the right time to break out. All the while, I'm thinking about Raph. He's probably really pissed right about now. I've got to get back to Earth.

Sorry this took forever. I hope you enjoyed it. Chapter 21 will be coming up as soon as I can get it written. I'm going on vacation for a couple of weeks and I won't be able to do a lot of writing. I'll probably be back with a new chapter for all my stories as well as a new story. Thnx 4 reading! :)