100 Theme Challenge - 53. Keeping a Secret

100 Theme Challenge
53. Keeping a Secret

“Donatello!” Master Splinter called sternly, coming into the lab behind a frantic Casey. “Please tell me what has happened.”

Leo and Raph separated quickly upon hearing their father’s voice, both shooting hard glances in Don’s direction. Don avoided meeting their eyes, maintaining a neutral expression in the hopes that they would think he’d been too preoccupied to have heard their conversation.

“They rescued my mom for me,” Casey answered before Don had the chance, “but something’s wrong with her.”

“Casey wanted to leave to check on his mother,” Leo said, stepping up to offer further explanation. “Since that wasn’t a good idea, I decided that Raph and I would bring her here. We were careful to follow all of Don’s safety protocols.”

“Mr. O’Neil and I think we’ve discovered how the mind control devices work,” Don added. “Leo’s plan sounded like our best option because I also needed to observe a functioning device with an intact necklace attachment.”

“You were seen?” Master Splinter asked, glancing at Leo’s bandaged arm.

“The Kraang showed up after we grabbed Mrs. Jones,” Raph said. “It’s almost like they got some kind of signal even though we used Don’s signal jammer.”

“It wasn’t that they got a signal,” Don interposed, causing the others to look at him. “It’s more like they weren’t getting one; not even something registering as their signal being jammed. When the image went out on the necklace because of the hood, the programming in the mind control unit must have issued a system shut down. Doing that effectively shut down Mrs. Jones as well.”

“What are you talking about?” Casey demanded. “What did they do to my mom?”

“It’s the way the mind control device takes control of humans,” Mr. O’Neil said as he entered the lab with Mikey. “Donatello figured it out.”

The man looked expectantly at Donatello and the young turtle took up the explanation. “The device is attached to the back of the neck because that gives the electronics inside of it access to the brain’s neuro pathways. Once it has control of those, it can tell the body how to act and react to outside stimuli, like for instance when the Kraang had Mr. O’Neil deliver April to Karai.

“The necklace attachment augments the primary device by providing the Kraang with additional information, so now they can have more real time control as opposed to programmed responses. I think what they’ve also done with them is to build in a feature that overrides signals to the brain when the images from the necklace go black. When I say they’ve shut down Mrs. Jones I’m not referring to something you’d do to a robot, I’m talking about overwhelming her higher functions by way of the pleasure center in the brain.

“When I noticed that her pupils were dilated I realized there were a number of explanations to account for it. From what Raph and Leo said, she didn’t suffer any type of head trauma nor do I see any signs of drug use. The mind control device I dismantled does not inject chemicals of any kind into the skin. I was on my laptop checking on the most feasible explanation when you all came in. That’s when I read that excitement or arousal can cause the eyes to dilate.”

Don stopped talking, feeling highly embarrassed and unsure as to whether his listeners truly understood what he was saying. He glanced at Mr. O’Neil who gave him a reassuring look.

“April is staying with Mrs. Jones right now because she may at some point exhibit,” Mr. O’Neil paused to clear his throat, “outward signs of what she’s experiencing. She may even begin to verbalize those feelings.”

There was an awkward silence following his remarks as everyone absorbed what had been said. Even Mikey seemed to understand, but then Don was starting to wonder how much of Mikey’s naïve behavior was all an act. Don was certainly amazed to learn that his youngest brother had no problem keeping a secret.

“Hey Raph, what’s the name of that building where the Kraang hang out?” Casey asked, breaking the silence.

Relieved to change the topic, Raph answered, “TCRI.” Then it dawned on him that it might not have been a good idea to give Casey that information. “Don’t even think about going there. It took all of us to get inside before and we nearly got killed getting back out.”

“Yeah? Then maybe it’s time to quit using stealth and just start blowing things up,” Casey said grimly.

“It isn’t as simple as that,” Leo told him. “The entrance is fortified and guarded by dozens of Kraang bots. Even if you had a rocket launcher you wouldn’t get past the first floor.”

“Then what am I supposed to do, sit around here and do nothing while the Kraang sex up my mom?” Casey asked, his anger palpable.

“Mr. O’Neil, how long can Mrs. Jones survive without sustenance?” Master Splinter asked.

“Without food, anywhere from four to six weeks, without water anywhere from seven to ten days,” Mr. O’Neil answered. “She’ll survive indefinitely if we hook her up to an intravenous line.”

“I don’t have that kind of equipment,” Don said. From the corner of his eye he could see that Casey’s hands were curled into tight fists.

“I can get what we need from a medical supply warehouse,” Mr. O’Neil offered.

“It probably isn’t safe for you to go out shopping,” Leo reminded him. “You already took a chance when you went up to get the medicine for Casey.”

“Sometimes you don’t have the option of playing it safe,” Mr. O’Neil said. “I’ll be extra cautious.”

“How about me and Casey give him an escort?” Raph asked, moving away from Leo to stand next to his friend. “We can watch his back and help carry stuff once he’s done shopping.”

Don saw a flash of something – pain, annoyance, jealousy? – cross Leo’s face. Then Don noticed that Mikey was staring at him. As soon as Don caught Mikey’s eye, the youngest turtle winked.

“I’ll grab a few more items then so we can begin to set up a proper sick bay. It’s something Don and I had talked about doing,” Mr. O’Neil said.

“That is an addition our home seems to have more of a need for as of late,” Master Splinter said dryly, glancing at Leo’s arm again. “Raphael, you and Mr. Jones may accompany Mr. O’Neil on his supply run. I urge you to take great care to avoid the Kraang should you encounter them; this is not an opportunity to seek out a fight, it is merely a protection detail.”

“Yes Master Splinter,” Raph said meekly.

“One more thing,” Don said. “The Kraang seem to have adjusted their response to my signal jammer. From what happened to Raph and Leo, I’d guess they are going to start investigating any jammed signals by going to the last known location of the jammed device. Since the jammer has an effective radius of half a mile you’ll probably have a few minutes before they pinpoint where you are. If you see someone wearing a Kraang necklace, assume that the Kraang are on their way and start moving.”

“I’ll start moving all right,” Casey said from between gnashed teeth.

“Maybe I should go with them,” Leo suggested, looking hopefully at Master Splinter.

“No,” his father replied. “You will remain here and recount to me tonight’s events.”

“I can go with them, Master Splinter,” Mikey said brightly, his expression eager.

Master Splinter stared at him through narrowed eyes for a moment and then nodded. “Do so, but remember that you are under Raphael’s command.”

“Gotcha,” Mikey said, ignoring Raph’s groan as he bounced out of the lab behind Mr. O’Neil.

That Mikey was up to something by volunteering to go with them Don had no doubt. When Don looked over and noticed the slightly relieved expression on Leo’s face, he began to wonder if his little brother was playing Cupid.