There's a short buzz, like a warehouse electrical system turning on, and Sarina lights up. Her eyes peel open and she blinks slowly, her brain whirring as it kicks up to normal speed and her retinas adjusting to her unfocused surroundings.

Once it becomes clear, she finds that she's in Donatello's lab, her back up against the wall. She frowns and starts to get up, only then feeling the tug of something metallic against her wrists. She cranes her neck around in alarm, just able to see that her wrists have been chained to some piping on the far end of the lab. To make it worse, there's some kind of cage surrounding her that's made with crude metal, all patched together hastily. The only semi-positive thing she can find is the fact that she's been hooked up to a battery via her forearm.

She tugs against the restraints, her eyes flashing rapidly as she again looks out at the lab. She kicks at the base of the cage, making it rattle, and starts to shout as loud as she can.

"Donatello! DONATELLO!"

She waits, trembling more and more with every passing second. There's a creak at the doors and Michelangelo appears, moving towards her with heavy, guilty steps. Sarina relaxes somewhat, but the chains around her wrists are still keeping her on high alert.

"Michelangelo, what's going on? Let me out," she pleads.

He kneels in front of the cage, his face sunken with sorrow. "Can't do that, Sari," he says. "We...we're worried that you might be a traitor. I want to, but..."

Sarina's eyes flash and she shakes her head. "What? That isn't true, I would never!" she insists. "Is this about the fight? I swear, I had good reason to hide my abilities. I..."

She remembers the fight, how she lost all her inhibition and revealed her powers. She can see the stunned faces of her allies. She can hear the Kraang ordering one another to recollect and capture Sarina. Her chest tightens.

She swallows and shakes her head. "I...I had good reason..."

He doesn't say anything for a moment. Then, he takes a deep breath and bows his head. "Everything happened so fast, no one really knows what to think."

"Go get Donatello," she says. "I must speak to him."

"Sure thing, dudette."

Sarina is again left alone. She stares helplessly at the door, trying to calm down. She is usually a very calm person, but right now she can't get a grip on herself and instead, all she's thinking about is the fact that her newfound friends think that she's a liar.

She hears approaching footsteps and Donatello enters, looking even more exhausted than Michelangelo did. He's got dark circles under his eyes and his entire posture is slumped. Sarina's immediate response is to try and get up, to try and run to him, but she's stopped yet again.

"Donatello," she breathes as he gets closer. "You know that I would never betray you. You know that," she insists.

He sighs and kneels in front of the cage, one arm resting against his knee. "We're going right to the hard stuff then, huh?" He sighs. "No good afternoon or anything."

"I would say that, but my afternoon hasn't exactly been good," she retorts. Her eyes flash again and she desperately tries to get closer to him. He doesn't look her in the eye. "Donatello...please, speak to me. Tell me about what's going on in your head right now."

He exhales heavily, sinking down so that he's seated before her. "You escape TCRI right when the Kraang are at their weakest, you hide in the sewers with us," he starts, keeping his words slow and deliberate. "You seem, in all aspects, completely harmless, but then you race out of the lair and the Kraang show up the second you reach the surface. Can you honestly say that that isn't suspicious?"

She blinks hard, mouth twisting, and her head slumps forward. "No, I cannot. In every right, it seems as if there is something amiss."

He leans closer to the bars separating them and she feels her heart leap into her throat. How is it possible for someone to look intense and yet pained all at once? His mouth alludes to seriousness, forming a tight line, but his eyes are soft and wounded. He intrigues her like nothing else.

"What did you mean when you said that you were 'afraid of this'?" he asks. "Did you know that the Kraang had a way of tracking you?"

She swallows and slumps back against the wall, opening and closing her stiff fingers. "I feared that the Kraang would be able to track my energy signature, since I am made up of Kraang technology," she admits, regret softening her features. "I didn't find it important to mention to you at the time, but now I realize my mistake. Until yesterday, I had forgotten that that was a possible problem."

His head snaps up and Sarina doesn't have a hard time imagining a light bulb appearing above him. "Hmm," he mumbles, turning away as he delves into his own mind for a bit. "Like the power cell, I never gave that any thought." He looks back at her. "So, there's no physical tracker and you had no idea about whether or not the Kraang could track you?

"For the most part, the tracking was just a theory that I had mulled over many times before," she replies. "I felt I could not escape unless I had somewhere to hide, and if the tracker was indeed there, my freedom would be short lived. That is why I was so eager to leave when you and Destiny showed up. If you could remain hidden from the Kraang, than surely I could too." She almost smiles. "The sewers are fantastic at jamming signals, so that worked out in my favour."

She stops her speech and waits for Donatello's reaction. He strokes his chin, continuing to stare at her questioningly. She waits a little more. Any second now, he will open this cage and release her.

She waits.

Any second now.

Any...second...

She frowns. "Donatello, please set me free."

He shakes his head. "I can't. Splinter asked for this and he's the one who will give me the all clear. Until we know for sure—"

"I protected April and Casey! Is that not proof that I am on your side?" she demands, her eyebrows furrowing.

"It could be a part of your wiring. If you're coded to protect April for the Kraang—"

"I protected her from the Kraang," she corrects. "By your logic, that means I went against any supposed programming."

"Sarina," he says, again being soft and gentle. She finds that, as of late, she sort of hates when he's like that. It makes it very hard to stay annoyed with him. "I want to believe you. I want to trust you, but...I can't say the same for the rest of my family. That was one of the worst Kraang attacks we've ever experienced, and it happened because of you."

She wishes that crying was more natural for her, because oh boy...does she have a lot of frustrating, tear-worthy emotions going on right now.

She flexes her wrists against the chains again. She could easily break free; all it would take would be a quick blast from her palms, but she doesn't do it. It's hard enough knowing that the trust she tried so hard to gain has been compromised. She refuses to give them another reason to be afraid.

"This is so..." she whispers, trailing off as she searches for the correct term, "messed up."

He nods. "Yeah."

There's a soft knock at the doors of the lab and both mutants look up to see April standing there, hands braced against the handles. Nobody says a word as the redhead enters and walks straight toward Sarina, eyes focused the entire time.

"Donnie, could you give us a minute?" April asks.

Donatello hesitates. "Uh..."

"It'll be quick. I promise."

He glances between the two of them once more before he stands and leaves. April sits down in front of the cage, criss-crossing her legs, and folds her hands in a steeple over her mouth as she leans her elbows onto her knees. Sarina's eyes flash as they stare at one another.

"What are you—" Sarina starts.

"Ssh, I'm trying something," April murmurs. She shuts her eyes and hums low in her throat. "Actually," she adds. "Tell me whether or not you're a traitor."

Sarina keeps her face straight. "I am not."

April says nothing for another long moment, then opens her eyes as the tiniest of smiles lifts her lips. She relaxes noticeably as she drops her hands to her sides, dragging herself a little closer to the chained cyborg.

"Well, I believe you," she states.

Sarina blinks. "Really?"

A nodding response. "I have certain abilities that can give me feelings about people," she says. Sarina nods, already aware of such powers. "The Kraang side of you is unnerving, but...I can't help but feel like you are telling the truth. I want to trust you." She bows her head slightly. "And...you did save my life. Thank you."

Sarina is too relieved to say much else other than, "You're welcome."

"I, uh...also want to say sorry for how I treated you," April adds, rubbing the back of her neck. "I was paranoid—the Kraang and I don't have the best track record—and I'm sorry for taking that out on you. I hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive me."

The cyborg doesn't answer right away. Truthfully, her idea of April prior to this moment had been less than stellar. She imagined a beautiful, headstrong girl with a blatant disregard for the feelings of others, especially Donatello's, but now...Sarina has to admit, April is more complex than she imagined. She has made mistakes, as humans do.

Sarina nods. "I forgive you," she says. "I have made many mistakes and misjudgements as well. It seems that they are unavoidable."

"Sadly, yes." April smiles a little wider and shifts. "If you want, I can go and convince the guys to at least take the chains off."

"That would be nice."

As April starts to stand, there's a sound from outside like someone running into a wall. There's a few exclamations of worry, followed by a shout and sharp words. Sarina cranes her neck to listen in and April straightens to her full height, eyes wide.

"I'm telling you, Donnie, something's wrong," Leonardo says. His voice is urgent and strained, laced with anger. "Let me in."

"Splinter said that we should keep interactions to a minimum," Donatello's voice comes second, more timid but standing strong all the same. "One person at a time, if anything. April is already—"

"I need to talk to Sarina. Traitor or not, she has to know something about this."

The response is too low for either girl to register, then there's more scuffling sounds. The lab door creaks open and Leonardo appears. His mask is slightly crooked, as if he tied it on hastily, and his eyes are blown wide. April moves to him as his brothers and Casey crowd in behind him, confusion and disbelief on every face. Sarina tries to tug away from the bonds.

"Leo, what's going on?" April asks, reaching out to touch his arm lightly.

Leonardo brushes past her and heads for Sarina, urging the others to come further into the lab. Sarina straightens up, eyes flashing rapidly as Leonardo kneels in front of the cage and stares right into her eyes. His chest lifts and falls far too fast for her liking.

"Leonardo," Sarina says, keeping her tone soft. "What is it?"

He purses his lips. "It's Destiny," he says. "Something is wrong and I need your help."