Detour: Shredder

The brothers sat before their master, thinking of what he'd just revealed to them. Now they were studying the implications, thinking and rethinking the "message" and comparing it with what they had witnessed this past year since the invasion.

Uppermost on their minds, Splinter's statement: "We must stop the Shredder from doing whatever he is planning. Millions of lives depend on this."

"We have until the big celebration at Shredder's to plan," Leo finally said. "Whatever he is planning, that would be the best time to infiltrate and discover what's going down."

"We'll need help," Raph pointed out. "It ain't like we're gonna blend in, ya know."

"I know. I'm sure Casey would be willing to help," Leo replied.

"April would be useful," Don pointed out. "I've got some ideas about accessing their security, and we'll need someone on the inside to help with that. She could blend in as a guest- if we can get her in. Professor Honeycutt and Leatherhead also need to be involved, especially with the security aspect of it."

"But will they help?" Mikey wondered. "I mean, I know that the Professor will probably say yes, but L. H. might not want to be involved."

"If it's to help the Utroms, he will help," Leo pointed out. "I may not understand every bit of your vision, Sensei, but you would agree that the Utroms are the targets?

"Yes. We know how much Shredder wanted his revenge on his own home planet when the Utroms escaped that time," he nodded. "I may not myself understand the full implication of this vision, but the general meaning is clear. My master has charged me with protecting the Utroms, as he did; as his fellow Guardians did."

Leo nodded grimly. That was the obvious interpretation of the vision.

"It's too bad Master Yoshi just couldn't tell you outright what Shredder was up to," Mikey spoke, and Raph smacked the back of his head. "Hey! What was that for?"

"Just because I felt like it," Raph replied. "Visions don't work that way, you should know that."

"My sons, it is only an unclear vision," Splinter said quietly. "I do not know anything for certain except that the Utroms are in danger from the Shredder. We must find out what the exact danger is."

"We will, Sensei. I wonder if he has constructed his own transmat machine," Leo mused, but Don shook his head.

"I doubt that- judging from what tech we know he's gotten hold of. Weapons, parts of their attack ships, computer programs- this is something much bigger."

"Well, it's a cinch he didn't build no rocket ship!" Raph laughed, and they all joined in. There was no where in the City where such a thing could be hidden.

"Well, let's get to work," Leo said. "Don, you go to Honeycutt and Leatherhead. Raph and Mikey can contact Casey and April. I'm going back to spy out their H.Q. for a while. Meet me there."

They bowed to Splinter and started to leave, but Splinter suddenly called to Leonardo to remain for a moment.

Leo knelt back down in front of his father, waiting. Splinter seemed to be thinking deeply, and Leo wondered if he'd either changed his mind or forgotten what he was going to say- which, he laughed to himself, was highly unlikely.

Then:

"My son, I want you to remember my words regarding Karai."

Leo sat there, stunned. He felt as if he'd been hit in the face- no, hit with cold water.

"I want you to remember my words, Leonardo. She cannot be trusted."

Leo looked as if he'd been caught in a guilty secret- which, in fact, he had. He swallowed, and tried to look noncommittal, but he knew his father was onto him. But how? He hadn't done anything- yet.

"I know that you have been watching Shredder's headquarters more than your brothers," Splinter explained. "I know that you have even taken Michelangelo's turn."

"But Sensei, that was because-"

"Please! Do not use your brother's nightmares as an excuse!" Splinter was adamant- and pained. His son had been- well- not honest with him. "You have some idea of perhaps 'running' into Karai- you think that perhaps she will give you clues as to the Shredder's plans." More of a statement than a question; more of an educated guess than a shot in the dark.

Leonardo now hung his head. He should have known that something like this would be sensed by his father.

"It is true. I think that if I can talk to her, I can find out what Shredder is planning. I don't mean that she will just out and out tell me," he hurriedly explained when it looked as if Splinter was going to interrupt. "I just- well, I just know that she will say- something- that will help us figure out what Shredder is up to."

"My son, Karai cannot be trusted. She will never betray her master, even in a hint," Splinter tiredly said.

"Please! You don't understand!" Leo came as close to pleading as he dared. "She isn't like Shredder! When he wanted to retrieve that antigravity device that kept Beijing floating in the sky, he was not concerned for the millions who would have died. She came to us for help to prevent the death of those millions."

"To prevent the deaths of millions," Splinter repeated. "And also to prevent the Shredder from retrieving the device?"

Leo froze; his words wouldn't come- he felt as if his father had disarmed him in front of his brothers- why did she come to them? To save millions- but the device- he tried desperately to recall that entire conversation, that entire experience. If it hadn't been for Karai, the Turtles would still be in China, probably in some facility. After all, it wasn't like they could find their own ride home. Karai had helped them hide, and had made sure that when Shredder arranged for hers and Dr. Chaplin's return, they had been brought along as well.

They hadn't retrieved the device. Professor Honeycutt had disabled it, rendering it useless.

But had that been part of Karai's plan?

Splinter's sigh interrupted Leo's anguished thoughts.

"My son," he said tiredly. "My son- you cannot trust this woman. Do you harbor feelings for her? Is this why you feel the need to risk yourself, to risk your brothers, in believing that you can trust her?"

Now Leo reeled from the unexpected question. That Raph had hinted this many times to him was one thing; to have his father making the same observation-

Leo bowed to the floor in submission.

"I swear to you, Master, that I do not feel anything for Karai except frustration and sadness at her serving the Shredder-"

"Leonardo! Do not toy with me! Do not swear to such a thing! Do you harbor feelings for this woman?"

Now Leo was weeping without making a sound.

"I- I- do not know."

The words were so faint, even Splinter with his sensitive ears barely heard it. He hung his head, his body sagged with those few words from his son's mouth.

It took all of his resolve, all of his strength- and all of his love to say the next thing:

"I forbid you to contact this woman."

No threats; no "or else"; no question about it.

He didn't shout, he didn't sound angry, he carefully kept all trace of emotion out of his voice as he uttered those six words.

"Hai!" Leo hoarsely responded, bowing once again in submission, then arose and left.

Belatedly it occurred to him that his father had not made him swear to it.

This, more than anything, drove home the point: Splinter trusted him to obey his father's command.

Raph would have gone straight to whomever or whatever Splinter had forbidden him to avoid. Don would never have been in the position in the first place, unless it had to do with something so amazingly scientific that he would have deemed it worth the risk. Mikey would have found a roundabout way to "accidentally" do what he'd been forbidden to do. All of this he was certain of- if they had not be asked to swear to it.

But not Leo. He knew that he could not go against his father's orders- if only because he had not made him swear.

Leo shook his head ruefully; his father knew him too well.

"Raph would say it's because I'm such a Sensei's pet," he managed a small smile, but Leo knew deep down, Raph would also understand Leo's real reason for complying- it was Leo's sense of bushido. It was Leo's character.

It was just Leo being Leo.

He'd gone against his father once before, when they had thought the Shredder finished, and the gang wars had started. He had made that whole episode their fault- he now understood that he could not blame all of that on their "getting rid" of Shredder.

But he had also apologized, and his father had understood.

But this- this was different to Splinter.

Leo sighed, and went to spy out H.Q.

And if I see Karai, I will not contact her, or draw attention to myself so that she knows I'm there, he swore- to himself, if not to his father. I will honor Splinter's command.

Meanwhile, H.Q. is being spied on by other unseen observers.

The two men silently watched the comings and goings of many trucks. Most were directed to the back entrance. A few apparently special ones were waved through to a separate part of the complex, where they seemed to "vanish" from view after passing behind a large structure.

The first radioed in the report.

"Lots of movement, Sir, but nothing to help us discover what Saki is planning."

"Keep watching," the voice of Bishop came back faintly. "We have time. Our man on the inside will be in touch shortly. Just keep track of the trucks- and any other 'interested' parties."

Bishop's second-in-command looked at his leader.

"Can this person be trusted, Sir?" he questioned hesitantly. "After all, he managed to contact us- that concerns me, if I may say so."

"I agree," Bishop nodded. "It concerned me as well. But knowing now what I know of this- man- it makes sense that he would be able to find a way to contact us. I think that we may trust him- as far as we dare. I'm willing to bet that his desire to revenge himself on our Mr. Saki will outweigh any thoughts of trying to double-cross us."

Then he turned away from his assistant, absently straightening his tie.

"If he knows what is good for him, that is. Besides, we have what he desperately wants. You could say we have him by the short hairs- figuratively speaking," and he walked away, laughing.