Trappola per un topone, (Trap for a big rat), is a story in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic published by Rizzoli. It appeared in issue 28, 1991, of the Italian children's magazine "Corriere dei Piccoli".
Appearing in Trappola per un topone[]
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Summary[]
The disguised Turtles go to the Airport to see April O'Neil off as she prepares to leave for Hawaii on a special assignment. Raffaello tells her not to work too much and spend some time tanning. Her flight is called and as she proceeds for her gate, April tells the Turtles that she’ll see them in two weeks. Michelangelo hopes she has fun as the guys watch her flight take off.
Then Donatello calls attention to a problem in the airport. An announcement over the loudspeakers informs travelers that all departing flights have been suspended. All incoming flights will be diverted to the closest airports. Donatello says that it appears April left just in time. A pilot starts to run past and Donatello asks him what’s happening. The pilot answers that the computer that governs air traffic has gone haywire. He adds that it looks like someone deleted the operating system that makes it work. The Turtles find that to be incredible but Donatello says that it can happen.
Maybe it can happen once, but… Down in the lair, the Turtles and Splinter listen to a news broadcast which says that the archives of Manhattan Bank have literally vanished. It is the second bank whose computers have gone crazy. Donatello says that at this rate the city will be paralyzed. Convinced that it is not a coincidence, Splinter believes that someone is behind it all. Leonardo asks if he suspects Shredder, but Splinter says it doesn’t seem like his style, though they can’t be sure. Using a map, Splinter points out locations in the city, and tells the Turtles that from tonight, they will be monitoring New York’s main computers.
The next day, the Turtles deploy to different locations. Leonardo monitors City Hall. Donatello keeps an eye on the subway system control center. Michelangelo has set up a post across from the police station. Beneath the Advanced Research Institute, Raffaello reports that everything is okay. Above him, inside the central control room, two guards meet to make sure they’ve checked the computers. They agree that they don’t want someone to destroy the data banks under their noses. Determining that all is quiet, they head out without noticing a rat with a disk in its mouth. The rat inserts the disk into a computer and begins typing. Then it jumps down with the disk and the computer blows up.
Shortly after, still at his post, Raffaello complains about how boring the job is and that he wishes he had pizza. He hears someone speaking and peeks around the corner to see a man praising the rat and accepting the disk from it. Raffaello realizes that it is the Rat King. The man says that now the archives of the research center are his and soon all major computers will run only when he is granted rulership of the city. Raffaello leaps out to confront him and states that Rat King has always been insane, but he seems to have gotten worse. Rat King sees that he is alone and scoffs that he is by himself. Raffaello asks how he thinks he’s going to stop him. In response, Rat King begins playing his flute and Raffaello finds himself swarmed by rats.
Back at the lair, Raffaello tells the others about the army of rats and how Rat King managed to get away. Leonardo says that if they don’t get back all that’s been stolen, Rat King could really become King of New York. For a big rat like that, Donatello states, one would need a custom-made trap, but wonders what they can use as bait. Splinter reminds them that there is a certain lady who attracts him more than any other. Michelangelo acknowledges that Rat King has a crush on April, but that she’s in Hawaii. Splinter turns to him and says that’s not a problem and that he just needs to… He begins whispering to Michelangelo, who exclaims that he categorically refuses.
Later, inside a building, a rat begins squeaking excitedly at Rat King. Surprised, Rat King says that he will check right away. He proceeds down a corridor and sees April walking ahead of him. Rat King rushes up to tap her on the shoulder and tells her how happy he is to see her. April replies that the words are beautiful, but she says ‘never’. Rat King brings out a handful of disks from his bag and tells her that he can place at her feet what is most precious to him, the software he stole from all of the computers in the city.
Spinning around, “April”, who is actually Michelangelo in disguise, snatches the disks from his hand. Michelangelo says that it’s just what he wanted. Rat King is not pleased about the trick, but before he can do anything, ropes drop from above to entangle him. As Michelangelo finishes tying him up, Rat King shouts that they can’t do this to him. The other Turtles begin to check the disks on Donatello’s minicomputer and are soon relieved to find that all of the stolen information is there. Unfortunately, they forgot to keep an eye on Rat King, whose rats have gnawed through the ropes. Rat King runs for the exit and warns that they have not seen the last of him. They will not stop him from establishing his glorious ratocracy.