EPF Purge Camps AU Oneshots - 906 words
Donnie skidded around another corner. The collar's front seal lit up again and he jabbed his fingers into it.
"How are you still so fast?!" April shouted from behind him.
"Focus on the plan!" he passed back over his shoulder.
She huffed and forced her legs to pump faster. He continued scanning their surroundings until the correct door came into view. She managed to catch up to him now. He grasped and twisted the handle, but nothing happened.
"Did you not think to find a key first?" she hissed.
"Who do you think my brothers are?" he shot back, testing the door again.
She pinched the bridge of her nose. "One of has to go find one!"
He stiffened and widened his eyes. "No, I can... I can do this."
Sensing the uncharacteristic fear in his voice, she relented. He refocused on the doorknob and stuck his nail inside. After a few moments of working at it, the wood cracked open. An alarm began blaring at the same time.
She hurriedly pushed him in and slammed the door behind them both. "Do your thing, Donnie!"
He turned to the large screens with an overexcited grin. It vanished immediately. How... how was be supposed to turn these on? Did he just... he tapped the keyboard. They all lit on at once and he reveled in the small victory. A red glow illuminated a few of the keys and he reached up to poke the seal on his collar. It didn't turn off. He tried again. Still it remained on.
"April, it's not turning off."
His sister darted over. "What?!" she gave it a hard press of her own. "How is it just now not working?!"
Pounding footsteps echoed outside the room. They both widened their eyes in panic.
"Donnie, hurry! Raph and Leo are counting on you!" April tried to encourage.
The softshell looked up at the biggest computer. He reached for the keyboard again. His hands hesitated inches away from it. Her brows furrowed in worry.
He shook his head in an attempt to clear it and forced his hands to move. "I'm fine."
"Open this door or we break it down!"
He jolted and swung the mouse toward a random file. Somehow, it was the right one.
"It's unlocked, you idiots!"
His head swung to her. "April!"
"I got it!" she pressed her back to the wood and twisted the lock.
File after file he flew through, trying to find the one that controlled all the doors. It was next to impossible to tell which, though. By some stroke of luck, he ended up finding it at the last possible second and clicked the next thing that popped up.
The door exploded into splinters. April was launched backwards and he scrambled to stop her from hitting her head on the console.
"You have been a pain since the day you got here, Donatello."
He glared at the woman who spoke despite his trembling. "Good."
Briana pulled something from her pocket. "John may not have killed you yet, but I'd be more than willing to if you don't give yourself up."
"Donnie, do not!" April elbowed his side.
"Unfortunate," Briana lightly touched her thumb over a button sitting at the very top of the remote she held. "One last chan--"
"He is not going anywhere with you."
He perked up at the voice, even after everything. Briana cried out as her body hit the wall directly behind her. The soldiers that had surrounded her were thrown either way by a mess of thin pink vines.
Draxum and Yuichi appeared in frame of the door.
"Did you find the file?" the rabbit asked.
Donnie nodded. "Everyone's free. We can leave."
"There are reinforcements coming," Draxum warned.
April pushed herself up before yanking Donnie to his own feet. She grabbed his wrist and ran. Draxum and Yuichi took the lead.
The group reached the end of the hallway, which the sheepman managed to smash a hole through. They weren't out of the woods yet, however. The actual exit stood before them, flooded with other escaping mutants and yokai already. Leo and Raph were directly outside, guiding everyone out as quick as they could.
Leo noticed them all first. "You guys made it!"
Raph followed his gaze and grinned excitedly. The four of them scaled the fence easily met them both on the other side. Donnie found himself immediately wrapped in Raph's arms and Leo's arm.
"We're so glad you're alive, DonTon," Leo whispered.
Donnie didn't answer, but soon reciprocated the hug. He decided to not think about why they were acting like this. It was a problem for future Donnie now.
"I'm glad you guys are too," he replied.
"I don't mean to ruin this much needed moment, but..." April started. "We still gotta get outta here."
"O'Neil is right," Draxum agreed. "There will be time to grieve later."
Raph lifted his brothers by their shells and placed them on each of his shoulders. Donnie suddenly panicked.
"Wait, wait, wait, what about--?"
A vine shot out and cut through the collar's material. Donnie sagged in relief. Leo glanced over at him in worry and reached his left hand out to pat his arm. Donnie met his gaze in surprise. Leo offered a smile and Donnie gave a wobbly one back.
Everything... everything would be okay from now on.
Okay, not quite Donnie angst like I had planned, this one kinda ended up getting away from me, but I hope you enjoy this regardless.
Also, uh, ignore the fact this gives something away, and just d-don't worry about it, okay?
