***
"Uh, gee, boss. Do you think it’s a good idea to give her a gun?"
Shredder turned casually towards the rhinoceros mutant. "She's your sister, Rocksteady. Have a little trust in her."
A red beam shot past, blasting a hole in the wall behind them. An inch or two to the right, and it would have hit Shredder. He looked at her. A small, sadistic smile played on her lips as she kept the laser aimed at his head.
"I like."
***
Leonardo rubbed his neck again. He had four slender bruises along the side of his neck where Veronica had held him. The scratches on his shoulder were healing nicely though.
"She's stronger than she looks," Angel commented, changing the bandage on his shoulder.
"How could such a small person do so much damage?" Leonardo wondered aloud.
Raphael twirled his sai between his fingers. "She’s nuts, remember? You’re lucky she didn’t bite you or something. She did burn down her entire school."
"And now Shredder has her." Splinter shook his head. "I do not like this. She is too unstable for him to control. The results will not be good for either side."
***
Krang walked over to where Veronica stood beside the transport module controls. "And just where do you think you’re going?"
"To the surface," she said matter of factly.
"May I ask why?"
"No."
He watched her get into the transport and shoot off into the tunnel. He didn't really care what she did.
***
The module drill broke ground right on target for once. The door opened with a prolonged hiss and Veronica stepped out. The more she rode in that thing, the more she hated it.
She looked around at the dripping pipes and scurrying rats. Now, where do I go from here?
She closed her eyes and let her instincts lead her. She walked past three tunnels and crawled into the next. Her instincts were always right, and she knew better than to doubt them.
***
Leonardo was practicing his katas in the training room. No one else had wanted to practice with him, as usual. As he turned, he saw a shadow leaning against the doorframe.
He got into fighting stance but Veronica just stood there. Staring at him. He relaxed enough to ask her what she was doing here, how she found him.
She only smiled and turned, her skirt twirling as she walked away.
"Hey, wait!" Leonardo followed. She managed to keep a step ahead of him. He'd taken a shortcut and she still ended up ahead of him. She moved gracefully, her pale features glowing like an angel. She seemed like a dream just beyond his reach.
She finally stopped abruptly and turned to face him. Leonardo skidded to a stop just a few feet from her. He wasn't looking forward to being within arms reach of her again. He had his hands over his shoulder, grasping for non-existent hilts, before he remembered that he didn't have his swords.
He saw that Veronica was staring over his shoulder. Yeah, like I'm going to fall for that old trick.
After a minute, his curiosity got the better of him and he looked over his shoulder. Nothing.
He turned back and was startled to find Veronica right in front of him. Inches away. She bent slightly at the waist to meet his eyes with her own crystal blue.
She said nothing.
They stood there for what seemed like eternity. Leonardo too frightened to move, Veronica just watching him.
"You'll do."
Leonardo blinked. You'll do? What did that mean?
Her hand shot forward and brushed against the bruises she'd inflicted. Her touch was feather light this time. He barely felt it.
He grabbed her wrist and pulled it away from his neck.
"What do you want?" he asked again.
Veronica brought her hand down so that his arm encircled her waist.
"You."
Leonardo stared in shock and tried to get away. He let go of her wrist only to have her grab both of his in a death grip.
She leaned in close, her body pressed against his, her lips brushing against his skin as she spoke. "Don't fight it, beloved."
Leonardo pushed her away violently. He felt sick. Only days ago, this woman had tried to kill him.
She tried to approach him again but he kept backing away. "Look, you're not really my type. It wouldn't work out between us. I'm a good guy, and you're a psychopath, we're from two different worlds."
"It could, for awhile anyway," she purred.
Leonardo never thought he'd be afraid to fight any opponent, but he knew he really didn't stand a chance. She was insane, unpredictable, and certainly didn't fight fairly. And she moved so fast! Before he could blink, she was behind him, blocking off the only exit.
"I won't take no for an answer, beloved."
Leonardo went over his options in his head, trying to come up with a plan. "My brothers will come and find me."
Veronica just laughed. "They won't get here soon enough."
Leonardo cursed under his breath. She was right. The others probably won't come get him from the dojo until dinner, and that was hours away. He didn't even know where he was in relation to the lair.
Leonardo thought over his situation in silence. He went over it a third, then a fourth time, all the while Veronica waited patiently.
He suddenly leapt at her, hoping to catch her off guard. He did and they both hit the ground. He braced himself to run but Veronica grabbed the ties of his bandanna and pulled him down. She wrapped one leg around his waist to hold him.
She brought her face very close to his. "You are mine."
Leonardo struggled as she slipped the bandanna from his face.
***