Whew, finally getting this chapter up! These last few weeks have been hectic for me at work, but that probably because of the end of the year holidays we're having. I hope you guys are all doing well and I hope you enjoy this chapter. Merry Christmas and happy early New Years.


Chapter 11: The Bar

The bar was lively with creatures of all sorts drinking and placing bets on their games. It was a favored establishment for many and sandwiched in a part of New York that was considered a paradise for illegal trading. It was a kind of place that made a certain commander want to puke.

Zuko was taping his fingers on the table with impatience. He really wished he didn't have to come here, but he was willing to do anything if it meant he could get a very rare item.

"What's taking Zixx so long?" he grumbled. "I hope that orb of his is worthwhile. I'm getting tired of waiting!"

"Relax, Zuko," chuckled a familiar voice. "I'm right here."

Zuko looked up and noticed Zixx take a seat in front of him. The bounty hunter smirked and propped his feet up on the table, looking as if he didn't have a care in the world. Zuko frowned, ignoring the bounty hunter's sloppy attitude.

"It's about time you showed up. Do you have the orb?"

"Depends on if you brought the money."

Zuko grid his teeth, but placed a suitcase on the table. Zixx's eyebrows raised with interest. He began to open the suitcase, but Zuko quickly closed the lid.

"Perhaps we shouldn't be exchanging our goods out in the open like this?"

"Are you afraid we'll get caught?" Zixx questioned with a chuckle. "Take it easy, Zuko. No one here would give us away. All creatures are doing business of some kind in this part of the city."

Zuko glanced around with uncertainty at the other aliens and creatures that were probably bounty hunters conducting their own type of selling. "I still don't like it."

"You don't trust me?" Zixx asked, shaking his head. "And after all the trouble I went through to get you the orb..."

Zixx stood up to leave, but Zuko grabbed his arm. "Okay, fine! We'll do this your way, Zixx. But I better not regret it."

Zixx's smirk returned and pulled out the orb. Zuko reached for it, but Zixx held it away out of reach and shook his finger.

"Now, now, Zuko. Let's not be so hasty about this."

"We had a deal, Zixx," Zuko frowned. "Give. Me. The. Orb."

"Yes, we did. But, you know...I think I'm going to need a little more...'encouragement' to part with it."

Zuko growled, knowing what Ziix meant by 'encouragement'. "I brought you the money, now hand it over!"

"I managed to capture an extra prisoner for you, Zuko. This one is important too, so I should get a little something extra for the labor, don't you think?"

Zuko wanted to tear the man apart, but he forced himself to calm down. "Who is it? Not that it matters to me. But he must be important if you're bragging about it."

"Oh, he is!" Zixx chuckled. He looked around and gestured Zuko to lean in closer. "Remember those Turtles you met on our last encounter?"


Donatello, Cody, and Serling followed Zixx's tracking signal and Serling looked around at the marketplace with disapproval.

"I don't think young Master Cody should be here. I don't trust these creatures. I hate to admit it, but I rather he stay in the company of you Turtles than these...ruffians."

"I'll take that as a complement," Donatello smiled a bit. "And you don't have to worry. As long as we follow the plan, nothing bad is going to happen to Cody."

They followed the signal to the bar. "The signal ends here. Zixx must be inside."

Donatello gestured to the roof and the three circled around to the back of the building to find a way up. They climbed up to the roof and looked down through the windows. They couldn't see much because the bar was dimly lit. Cody spotted Zixx sitting at a table with a Triceraton, and they looked as if they were enjoying themselves.

"Do you think you can listen in on their conversation with the tracker, Donnie?"

"I'm already working on it," Donnie nodded as he began pressing buttons on his gauntlet. They could soon hear the conversation perfectly as if they were standing there beside the two.

"I must admit, Zixx. You really had me worried," Zuko chuckled before gulping down a cup of alcohol. "But for once, you've really came through on our deal."

"It is I who should be thanking you, Zuko," Zixx smiled, closing the suitcase full of money microchips. "Thanks to you, I can put this life behind me and start living the life I've always wanted."

"And what kind of life is that?"

"A man full of power, of course." He held up the orb and smirked. "At least now I know I'll have one less Turtle to worry about."

"I'm curious, Zixx," Zuko asked. "How did you manage to capture the Turtle anyway?"

Donatello and Cody's ears perked up with interest. Cody could see Donatello gripping his bo staff tightly as Zixx gloated.

"It was actually pretty easy. All I did was trick him into believing he could get whatever he wanted if he used the orb's power, but he's really just torturing himself! If only he knew what would happen before accepting the orb what it could do, then he never would have taken it. Now his brothers are disappearing into non-existence, and he doesn't even know it! And get this, he's probably having the time of his life! Even if he wanted to, he could never come back to this world!"

Donatello shouted in anger and burst through the window, landing perfectly on both legs. Every creature froze and stared at Donatello in horror, not sure what to expect by the Turtle's sudden appearance. But Donatello's eyes locked on Zixx only.

"Donnie, wait!" Cody called him through the communicator. "What about the plan?"

Donatello ignored the teenager and glared at Zixx. The bounty hunter looked shocked at first, but he then smiled.

"Well, if it isn't Donatello. I didn't expect to see you here."

"SHUT UP!" Donatello screamed and tackled the man. Zixx tried to get away, but Donnie wasn't letting him slip through his fingers. Not this time!

Cody gasped as he watched Donatello violently beat the man with his bo staff. He turned to Serling.

"Serling, we have to stop this! Don is acting crazy! Let's suit up!"

The excitement encouraged the drunk creatures in the bar to fight among themselves, but a few others fled the building. Zuko tried getting Donatello off Zixx, but the Turtle fought them both. He knocked Zuko to the side before grabbing Zixx by the collar.

"GIVE ME ONE GOOD REASON WHY I SHOULDN'T KILL YOU MYSELF, ZIXX!"

"Donatello, calm down," Zixx actually looked scared and tried getting the Turtles hands off him. "Surely we can talk this over?"

"NEVER!" he raised his fist, ready to give Zixx a bloody face.

"Donatello, stop!" Cody yelled inside Serling's mech suit. Donatello turned to the teenager with hatred, but Cody did not back away. "This isn't helping Michelangelo. Remember why we came here."

Police sirens filled the air and Constable Biggles entered the bar.

"Hello, hello, hello, what's all this, then?" he asked, looking around at the mess Donatello and Zixx had caused during their fight. He frowned as his robotic eyes met the two. "Disturbing the peace, are we?"

"Constable! You have to help me!" Zixx begged. "This turtle is crazy! He almost killed me!"

"Arrest these two, men," Constable ordered. The human officers stepped forward and put Donatello and Zixx in handcuffs.

"Constable Biggles, wait!" Cody cried, climbing out of the mech suit.

"Young Master Jones? What are you ding in a questionable place such as this?"

"Please, sir. You can't arrest Donatello. I know this looks bad, but it's not what you think. You see, we were after Zixx because he took someone dear to us and then there was a Triceraton..."

"I see no Triceraton," Constable glanced around at the empty bar. Cody noticed Zuko had disappeared too. Constable turned and began walking to the floating vehicle.

"I'm sorry, Sir Cody Jones, but I must uphold the law and these two have caused quite a mess." The officer began marking off the list of crimes with his metal fingers. "Disturbing the peace, damaging property, and from the looks of Torbin Zixx, attempted murder as well."

"Please, Constable!" Cody begged, blocking Constable's way and forcing the police bot to stop. "I promise, I'll take full responsibility for Donatello. I'll pay whatever the charges are. Just this once, let him go?"

Constable stared at Cody sternly for a minute before nodding and ordering his men to release Donnie. "Make sure he stays out of trouble from now on, Mr. Jones. Next time he won't be so lucky."

Cody thanked him and pulled Donnie to follow him back home. So much for their original plan.

"The guys are not going to like this," he thought.