Chapter Text
Existing is a type of existence. Surviving too. Losing is a whole other ballgame.
Maybe if I did more than exist, then I wouldn't feel so depressed and scared. I fear that my life will be cut short as the lives of my family have.
Witness protection, an organization to keep bad guys guessing. I had come home one night to find something horrible. Things were not as I had left them.
I screamed and panicked for a short while, then finally pulled myself together enough to call the police. They came and I was moved to a place I didn't want to be: New York City.
You couldn't leave New York City. It wasn't possible. I fought against them the whole way, but they succeeded. I was placed in New York, in a brownstone building in Manhattan.
I had to survive, and I could not rely on the police. I didn't trust them, and I felt trapped. I felt like bait, waiting without a guarantee of being saved from the shark.
In my quest to survive, I sought a way to learn to defend myself. I was not going to sit and wait to die. No, I was going to find a way to leave and/or live.
In my quest to live, I sought a way to escape New York. Beside my brownstone was a manhole, and I took many precautions in setting up my access. I secretly switched out the cover, making a wooden copy to make it easier to remove.
I took small wooden crates down to a dry spot. Many larger crates pepper the alley in which the manhole stayed. I began looking for other ways to hide the manhole, using a carpet to cover its existence. The old cover I put in one of the large crates full of bullet-proof material.
No one came to see what I was doing. My escape would be quick.
I also went to see which way I needed to go. Looking up sewer plans was not an option, so I did a combination of having a close up map to the ocean above ground, and use the covers to track which tunnel I needed.
Escaping to a ship was my plan. Any cargo ship I could stow aboard. Getting out of the sewers was something that was difficult because I had to get out as close to the docks I could. I was just barely close enough.
Getting money was the next step. The preservative food crates were taken to another spot close the docks. I was working to do this, and I was almost sure I had invisible help. I left a note of thanks.
The money I gathered, I never took all at once. I emptied my accounts, then made sure to get any checks later. I stored the money with the preservatives, learning as much as possible and keeping track of everything I had.
The note I left for my secret help was also an offer to take them with me, giving them an option to continue life in another state or country. I made sure to check the next night for an answer.
I was surprised to find not only an answer, but four obviously depressed humanoid turtles.
"Hello." I said, walking up to them.
They were huddled around the lamp, blankets draped over their shells. One with a blue mask and swords got up.
"Who are you?" He asked.
"My name is Elizabeth Keifer. I left the note, wondering if you would like to come with me. I figured you might want to get out of New York while you could. New York's a death trap. I'm not supposed to be here. The state governments thought it was a good idea to quote 'hide' me here. I'm not hidden here, I'm trapped, caged in the most dangerous state of America, California being second. So, yeah, I'm getting out, making a new life for myself."
I looked at their faces, seeing the hope, and the pain. I looked back at the first one.
"I want to help. You look like you need it, badly."
He gave a small nod.
"What's your name?" I asked kindly, softly.
"Leonardo."
"I've heard about you. You're widely known."
He tensed, stepping back.
"I accept you." I said. "I want to help."
He stared at me, then looked at his brothers.
"What do you think, Mikey?" He asked.
Mikey, a turtle with an orange mask, nodded.
"I believe her." He said.
"You guys hungry?" I asked.
"Not really." The one in red replied.
I went to small crate and lifted the lid.
"Hey Mikey, catch." I called as I tossed a small bag of potato chips.
"I know you are not all that hungry, but a little bit won't hurt." I said, then turn to the one in purple. "Did you want anything specific?"
"Coffee." He replied.
I smiled, "I don't have any right now, but I can get some. I just need to know what coffee beans you like best. Those store better than grounds and I can get a grinder. The machine might very well have to be you."
He nodded and I touched his shoulder.
I looked at Leo, "I know the look you all share."
Leo tensed, Raph looked up.
"I understand and know it well. I can only guess, so I won't say, but I will tell you how I know."
I looked at all of them.
"My parents and my brothers were killed. So I know what it's like -- to lose a family member."
They looked at me with wide eyes. I went over and hugged Mikey, who after a moment hugged back. He was shaking and I gripped as hard as I could.
"It's okay, Mikey. I gotcha. I'll keep you guys hidden and safe. I'll also grab more stuff for the trip."
I then looked at Leo without letting go of Mikey.
"What do you guys need?" I asked. "Blankets? Anything?"
Leo shook his head.
"We've pretty much got things covered." He replied.
"Then I'll make sure to get coffee and a few heavy blankets, like -- quilts. I've only got one and it's pink. So I'll get darker colors. I'll also get the coffee machine so you can rig it." I said, pointing to Don. "That should make it a little easier."
Don nodded. I looked at Leo again.
"Did you guys want a heater down here?" I asked.
"That would be nice." Don replied.
I nodded, "Okay. I'll get that. We can't hook it up to my building or they'll charge me and we'll need that money later."
"We've got our own accounts." Don replied.
"Great, then -- can I transfer stuff to one of them? I'm attempting to disappear, so I'm working on emptying and closing my accounts. In fact, I have a lot of cash stored in these crates. I just haven't gotten a new identity yet."
"Donnie can help with that." Raph commented.
"Yeah, once we've got a portable hooked up, he can use my laptop."
"Don and I will get that tomorrow night." Leo said.
"Cool, and I'll make sure to get the other things tomorrow after work. I've got one more paycheck to get, then I can put it in my two weeks notice."
"You have a life here. Why help us?" Raph asked.
"Because where I'm at isn't living, it's surviving, and I'm not going to put up with being trapped. Right now, I'm headed for Central America, then I'm going to Florida. We can get a car there and travel to -- anywhere else. I would prefer Nebraska or Colorado, but that can be determined later."
Leo nodded, "That's a good plan. Guys?"
They agreed in their own ways.
I nodded, "Good. Now, do you guys want me to stay down here with you, or did you want me to check in, in the morning?"
"We'll be fine." Leo replied.
"Okay. See ya in the morning guys."