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The happy trio made their way over to the drug lord's brownstone's rooftop. Nice and easy. Each member felt a different emotion flurrying inside of them— Raph felt determination; Talia felt anxious; April— as weird as it was— felt a little excited. Obviously, she had never done something like this before. However, now she could confidently scratch 'infiltrate criminal property' off her bucket list. If she could make it out without so much as a cut, that would be a bonus.

The deck flooring was made out of tiled wood, with a protective black railing that went all around. Other than the wooden table and chairs set in the middle, the tapered soft-slate potted plants scattered randomly through the area, and the glazed roof hatch, one could guess the drug lord had no care for such lavish details.

"At least Irina spruced up the place," Raph remarked. "To think she wasn't a plant person."

Talia touched one of the plants, observing its wilted state. "I would think again," she said. "These plants are just for show; it's hard to say how long they've been neglected."

"Maybe she put them up to add a sense of 'normalcy' to the building," April suggested. "The best way to make yourself less suspicious is to pretend there's nothing to see here and hope others buy it."

There was a drop of passive-aggressiveness in April's voice— something she added on purpose. She didn't know if it was meant for Talia or Raph or both, but the point was that it was there and Talia and Raph heard it loud and clear.

Raph rolled his eyes. "Are you still petty that Talia blew you off to go on this mission with me?"

"I'm more petty about you lying about the flash drive than anything for that matter."

"Well, my bad if my family cares too much about you and Talia's safety. Like, no offense, but why do you care so much? You don't see Talia getting on my ass about it."

"That's because she's a nice person. And if you want an answer as to why I'm annoyed, then it's because I don't like liars— and it's especially infuriating when one of them is your friend."

"By that logic, why don't you go rant off to Talia?!"

"Yeah, maybe I will!"

Raph and April scowled at each other. Talia felt like the ceiling was crumbling above them. This was certainly not the time or place to argue— not when they had a mission to follow through.

"We need to calm down," Talia said, trying to be the diplomat here. As much as she knew Raph and April each had a point, the last thing she wanted was to be caught in the middle of their argument. "The lies can't be taken back. Our objective is to figure out the connection between my mother and Irina and if that connection leads back to The Shredder. Is that not more important than you two bickering?"

Raph and April looked opposite of each other, which was their silent way of saying 'you're right.' Talia sighed, feeling relief that she pulled all the stops on their argument.

"I feel like now is the best time to bring this up," April murmured. "Talia, you know the theory I was going to share with you this morning?"

Talia nodded. "Yes. Is that something you want to share now?"

"I actually tried to tell you back at my apartment, but since you weren't kinda listening, I'll have to repeat it. Which, I guess isn't a bad thing since Raph's here and he has to hear this."

Raph frowned. "Hear what?"

"Long story short— Talia and I decoded some numbers Genesis left for Talia to find," April explained. "The Numbers were actually a case file number— 'The Ricky Yao' case." She looked at Raph like she almost expected him to know already.

Talia saw Raph's shoulders tense up. She saw how he immediately turned his gaze to the potted plant next to him. Talia wondered, why is he acting so strange all of a sudden?

"Okay, but that case is closed. It's been closed for two years. What could she possibly want with it?" Raph inquired.

"Genesis was a walking enigma, man, so who knows." April sighed. "But Ricky Yao— I mean, 'Hun'— and the case itself has to do with drugs. Before Hun got arrested, it was said that he was on his way to develop a drug so potent that it would forever change the narcotics trade. But since everything from his drug laboratories were confiscated during the drug bust, there went Hun's dream of becoming the number one drug lord in New York City. I mean, Genesis was also known for fighting fiercely against drug trafficking, right?" she asked Talia. "And since she wanted you to find this case. . ."

Both Talia and Raph stared at the redhead, waiting for her to get to the point.

"Well. . . what if Genesis found something hinky in the case? Like, I don't know. . . something about Hun? The mystery drug, maybe?"

Talia thought about it. It was highly unlikely, seeing that the case was an open-and-closed one, but if her mother took an interest in the case, it was for a reason— big or small.

Raph, on the other hand, shook his head. "No," he said. "Nothing hinky happened in that case. Hun is finished. His gang is finished. Whatever drug he was manufacturing will never step foot on the fucking street."

April's forehead wrinkled. "Raph-"

"No." Raph snapped. "Genesis was probably being paranoid. The end."

April looked like she wanted to say something else, but ended up changing her mind, seeing that there was no effort in changing Raph's mind. Talia was confused as ever after what she had just seen and heard. She was missing something here, but if she were to ask, she had a feeling she wouldn't get a straight answer, so she decided not to speak of the matter.

"I'm assuming we can go in now?" Talia asked after a minute of uncomfortable silence.

Somehow, remembering the mission made Raph relax his muscles. "Yeah, we should. Maybe we get lucky and the roof hatch isn't locked."

Any plans to move forward were put on hold when the trio heard the sound of a door swinging open. They quickly spotted a row of planter boxes and used those as coverage, just in time to peek from behind and see two people emerge to the rooftop. The couple were dressed in white lab coats and it appeared they had just completed some laborious task, as they had on their lab goggles and gloves. One scientist dug into his pocket and pulled out a small box— a pack of cigarettes, it seemed like.

"Yo, Dan, pass me your lighter," the scientist said, removing a cigarette from the pack.

His buddy 'Dan' rolled his eyes, but he complied. "Can't you ever bring your own stuff, Steve?" he asked irritably.

"I forgot, alright? Besides, you do the same thing, so you don't have the right to complain." Steve brought the lighter up to the tip of his cigarette. When he blew out the smoke through his mouth, his friend proceeded to cough.

Dave complained, "If you're going to smoke, then at least smoke something that has a weaker smell. That's why slim cigarettes were invented, you know?"

"What the fuck do you take me for, a prude? The Count has been making us work our asses off lately, so excuse me if I'm trying to find a way to cut the stress. Like, I still don't understand why he's making us work twice as hard. What's so special about this drug we're trying to create?"

"All I know is that some big fish from Japan was interested in the drug and made a deal with The Count. When this stuff hits the black market, it's going to make them very rich."

"Which also means we're going to get good paychecks."

Talia and her friends looked at each other. Some things were definitely not making sense— for instance, The Count. Everyone assumed Irina was calling the shots behind the drug operation, but here they were overhearing that she wasn't? And 'big fish'—

Dave took off his goggles and scratched his head. "To think I should be home with my girl, man. I feel like if I spend more time with her, our relationship can work out. I mean, the spark isn't even there when we're having sex!"

"She's probably tired of your dick," Steve snorted. He flicked the ashes off. "Maybe you have erectile dysfunction."

"Who said you aren't good at comforting," Dave grumbled.

"I don't even know what you see in her, Skippy. I know, like, ten other girls who would probably give you better satisfaction in bed than she would."

April looked like she wanted to scoop out her own ears with a fork. "I could care less about dicks and relationship problems," she muttered. She mouthed to Talia and Raph, 'How are we going to get in?'

For once, Raph agreed with the redhead; they were wasting time. He and the others couldn't just wait for Dave and Steve to finish their ridiculous conversation; there was no way to sneak in if the two lugs were practically blocking the entrance. Unless. . .

Raph reached for a smoke bomb hidden in his pocket and threw it out in the open. Once it smashed to the ground, out evoked a smoke screen that caused Steve and Dave to cough and wheeze seconds after. The smoke allowed Raph to slip through and take out the scientists with a few swift kicks. When the smoke settled down, he went over to the roof hatch and gestured for Talia and April to come over.

"That guy said 'The Count," Raph said. "That name was on Genesis's list."

"Which means there's a ninety-nine percent chance this 'Count' is more dangerous than a drug lord." April pumped her fist in the air with no enthusiasm. "I love it here."

This had grown more serious than Talia thought. Could it be that Irina was simply working for 'The Count?' Or what if they were working together? If that were true, then it did explain why Irina allowed 'The Count' to use her brownstone to facilitate the making of this potent drug.

Talia glanced down at the unconscious scientists'. "I thought you said you weren't going to bash any heads," she said.

Raph shrugged. "I said if we're lucky," he clarified. "Besides, that wasn't bashing. They'll live."

"How long will they be knocked out?"

"I dunno. Thirty minutes, give or take? Which is why we have to go."

As the three climbed their way inside, with Talia being the last one to close the hatch, she felt her stomach twist into knots as she thought of the scientists' discussion. If 'The Count' or Irina or whoever was really running this drug laboratory, what drug could they possibly bring to the table that any drug lord hadn't already? Was it possible to create an entire new drug that would forever change the narcotics trade?

Just thinking about it had her anemia acting up.

The inside of the brownstone was just as simple, if not depressing, than the roof deck. There was nothing hung up on the walls (except for the light sconces, but that didn't exactly count) and no sight of any furniture. The trio heard different kinds of sounds coming from behind the closed doors as they headed down the passageway— even a distinct smell that belonged in a chemical factory slipped through the tiny door crack underneath.

April covered her nose and mouth with her sleeve, muffling her gagging sounds. "What on earth is that smell?"

"What do you think?" Raph said. "How do they even get the stuff to make these drugs and no one finds it suspicious?"

"Black market, maybe?"

"Is it hot in here or is it just me?" Talia asked, starting to feel a little stuffy. The temperature inside felt more humid than outside.

"Yeah, it's almost making me regret wearing this trench coat," April grumbled, removing her fedora to scratch her head.

Before Talia could say anything else, her nose caught another smell— something bitter, with undertones of fragrances found in things like soaps and cleaners. It also struck a familiar chord with Talia, as it took her seconds to realize what it was.

"Antiseptic," she said, which earned looks from Raph and April. "Can't you guys smell it? It's like when you enter a hospital and the first thing you smell-"

"Wait." Raph held up a hand. He whiffed the air, his eyebrows knitting afterwards. "It does smell like a hospital, but why is that the case if this is a drug-"

Slap, slap. The trio heard the sound of multiple footsteps nearby, causing the wooden floorboard they walked on to make a creaking noise.

The trio looked at each other in panic. Talia randomly took a step toward a door, reaching for the knob. She had no idea what could be on the other side, but that wasn't important at the moment. "In here!" She whispered. Thankfully, it wasn't locked, so everyone filed in in a heartbeat and closed the door as quietly as possible.

The footsteps grew closer and closer, in which the trio also heard voices chattering mindlessly. Talia felt her heart rate go up a couple notches and so in the complete darkness, she grabbed onto what she thought was April's arm. However, the footsteps soon became distant, meaning that whoever walked by simply carried on and left (to the trio's luck).

Talia sighed. Thank god. She still held onto April's arm and then realized how sturdy and bigger it felt. "Have you been working out, April?" She voiced.

"What are you talking about?" To Talia's utmost surprise, April appeared next to her, apparently having her arms unoccupied. "I know I've been making some progress in P.E., but wow, I didn't think I made it that far."

"Then who. . ." Talia's voice trailed off once coming to her conclusion. Oh.

"Me," Raph said. Talia thought he was going to add 'duh' at the end, but since his tone got his sentiment across, he didn't have to.

Talia knew it wasn't possible, but if it was, then her face would be on the ground right about now. "Sorry," she said. She let go of his arm, her face feeling hot— and not just because it was probably ninety-degrees.

When she backed up a few steps, her back hit something hard and tough, which also made a rattling noise. Talia sucked in her breath. She and her friends didn't exactly make sure to check if the room was empty or not, but now that she hit something, might as well see what it was, right?

But as soon as she turned around, she almost regretted it. She couldn't tell if the sound that came out of her mouth was a gasp or a tiny scream, but it alerted April and Raph, who looked at her.

"What is it-" April didn't get to finish, as Talia yanked her to her side and pointed to what was in front of them. As soon as the redhead saw ahead of her, her eyes widened just like her best friend's.

Raph groaned. "Don't tell me— you guys saw some ghost, right?"

"Not a ghost, Raph," April gulped, her eyes still fixated on what she was seeing. "Not a ghost."

Raph was going to say a witty remark, but it was never uttered, as the sight before him had him trapped in a shock-like trance like Talia and April. At least eight beds occupied the space in front of them; Raph thought the beds looked exactly like the ones used in the mental hospital in the horror movies. But the beds alone weren't creepy enough— creepy took the form of individuals hooked to what looked like IV tubes and lying in each bed. At first glance, there appeared to be no similarities amongst the inhabitants. Men and women; young and old; various ethnicities.

April shivered. "This is totally giving Splice and The Human Centipede vibes."

Raph went over to one of the beds— occupied by a man who looked like he was in early twenties— and slightly lifted the blanket, exhaling after he checked under. "His limbs are still in one piece, so definitely not run by psycho surgeons."

Talia blinked. "What's The Human Centipede?" She asked cluelessly.

"You don't want to know," April said.

"It can't be that scary."

"That's what Mikey said before watching it," Raph recalled. "Guess who couldn't sleep that night and demanded he sleep with me with a nightlight because-" Raph held up a finger and in a high-pitched version of Mikey's voice, screamed, "ahhh the doctor is going to tear me in half!"

April shook her head. "Did you even tell him the synopsis?"

"I did, but he didn't believe me. You can't blame me for that."

As April and Raph divulged into a conversation mentioning Mikey and horror movies, Talia was drawn to the girl laying unconscious on the bed next to her. The girl looked old enough to be in high school— someone who definitely shouldn't be in a place like this. The girl had delicate and pretty features, but there were also details Talia noticed that made her believe this girl went through some challenges: grimy hair, soiled face, and bruises on her arms. But there was something else, too— her neck sported two holes, which were already inflamed. It occurred Talia to also inspect the other seven and once doing so, realized what these eight people had in common: two puncture wounds to the neck.

"Guys, check this out." Talia beckoned her friends over. She turned on her phone flashlight and focused it on the girl's neck. "All these people have identical wounds to the neck."

"A bite mark, maybe?" April guessed.

"What kind of animal would create a mark like that?" Raph mused.

"Well, you have to admit it kinda looks like a vampire bite."

"If vampires were even real. It had to be a snake or a spider."

April scoffed. "And all these people here are being treated by a bite caused by the same snake or spider in a drug laboratory? I don't buy it. Besides, snakes can't reach a person's neck and spiders are too small to create a bite that big."

Raph crossed his arms. "Since you're playing theorist, what do you think happened here?"

"That Irina rented space to this Count guy to use these poor, kidnapped people as guinea pigs. I mean, that's what it pretty much looks like."

No one couldn't come up with anything to say. First The Foot Clan, then a drug lord, and now a Count possibly running a sick experiment? This was getting messy.

"Let's continue searching the place," Talia suggested. "There are plenty of other rooms to look. Maybe one contains the answer to all of this."

April and Raph gave murmurs of agreement. Before leaving, though, April took out her phone and with the flash on, took a picture of the scene and of the bite mark.

They had to get to the bottom of this. And fast.