When a life changing accident befalls the Hamato family, it's only the beginning of trouble. Taking advantage of their ordeal, Shredder has tasked Tiger Claw with implementing a terrifying plan that threatens not only the turtles, but the whole of Manhattan. With the clock ticking, will they come to terms with what has happened and be able to pull together in time to stop their nemesis and save the city?

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Status

This story IS COMPLETE. I will be posting new chapters regularly and the story will conclude at the end of 2017.

Length

70k+ words, 36 chapters.

Genre

Hurt/Comfort and Adventure

Setting

This story is set in the later series of TMNT 2012 universe, however it immediately deviates from the canon storyline and does not return. There are no significant OC in this story.

Rating

T: Teen

The story contains depictions of injury, violence and innuendo that may not be suitable for younger readers.

And finally...

This story is, obviously, fanfiction. It was written with two thoughts in mind. Firstly, because I am a fan of TMNT. I have zero financial gain for this story and post it here purely for the enjoyment of fellow fans. If I am, at any point, requested to remove it by the TMNT license holders then I will fully comply with their wishes.

Secondly, this story was started because I wanted to practice my writing and storytelling techniques, particularly quiet drama scenes which I find particularly difficult. As such, as you read this story I would really appreciate any comments you could leave that would help me in my quest to improve. Thank you in advance!

Lastly, a big shout out to the lovely CelandineGranger for being my beta-reader. If you haven't checked out her amazing fanfics yet, do so!

oOo

Prologue: Fallen Foe

The gloom of nightfall was cast over the towering skyline of New York City. It was a cold, cloudy evening, filled with a persistent drizzle that threatened at any given moment to increase into full blown rain. The wind swept into every corner, leaving no escape from the elements to anyone spending the night outdoors.

For this reason, most had elected not to venture from their cosy houses and were instead warmly tucked up indoors. From the populous high-rise apartments of Manhattan Island, to the tree lined streets of the outer suburbs, most people were cosy within their dwellings. The few that ventured out huddled under raincoats and umbrellas, with their gaze cast downwards as they avoided the puddles that were forming on streets and sidewalks.

But even on a night such as this, evil didn't take a break. They did, however, elect to limit their wrongdoings to operations that could be carried out under shelter. After all, they disliked being cold and wet as much as the law-abiding citizens.

It was for that reason that the warehouse, assumed to be abandoned, was humming with activity. Stood above where the work was happening, Tiger Claw watched with arms folded as boxes were packed up and loaded into the unbranded, awaiting trucks. They were parked as close as possible to the building, to minimise both visibility of the activity and exposure to the weather.

"Pack everything up," he ordered, superfluously. If he stood, giving instructions, then it looked like he was busy and meant he didn't need to lower himself to the grunt work happening below. "Leave nothing behind."

"Work swiftly!" he added, his deep voice ringing with command. "The turtles know our location, we must not give them chance to return!"

In truth, he didn't think it was likely they would be back for some time. A slight smile played at the corner of his mouth, as his unpatched eye drifted to the stained area of floor where one of the turtle scum had fallen. The marks were now browner than the vivid red they had been before, but they still stood out starkly on the speckled grey of the concrete.

He could have ordered the area cleaned, but since they were abandoning this depot anyway it amused him more to leave the blemish visible, as a reminder of their success in seeing off their nosy enemies. Seeing the adversary fall, hearing the sudden cries of anguish and then fury from those that remained, it was a sound that Tiger Claw hoped would ring happily through his furry ears for some time.

The turtles had taken the foolish decision to abandon all that they had fought for, so the three could retreat with the body of the fourth. If the situation was reversed, he would not have hesitated to complete the job, even at the loss of one of his allies. Depending on which ally, he may even have enjoyed it.

The lack of commitment to the cause, that was what made the so-called heroes weak. That was why they failed to stop the force that was The Shredder in his ongoing conquest. Instead the cubs were as insignificant, yet annoying, as buzzing flies.

This warehouse held a vast amount of the goods that were being dealt illegally to fund Shredder's evil empire, as well as several crates of potent chemicals hidden amongst the more mundane items. Had the turtles succeeded in destroying it, it would not have stopped the onward march of the carefully crafted plans. Merely hampered them.

Yet Master Shredder would have been most displeased at the dent caused to his bank account. Given his penchant for taking out his frustrations on those under his command, Tiger Claw was pleased that the payload had not been lost.

However, now that they knew the location, eventually the turtles would return to finish the job. It would be too tempting a blow to strike against their foes for them to resist, and too great of an opportunity to try and discover the master plan. Yet it would take time for them to regroup after being forced to retreat. Doubtless, it would be three that returned instead of four.

Stroking the fur on his chin as he considered further, Tiger Claw realised it was the perfect setup for a trap. If the turtles returned and found the warehouse deserted, they would simply leave again. But, if he could make it look like it was still in use, they would venture deeper inside to destroy it. At which point, he could destroy them.

Destroy them, or capture them for Master Shredder? It was a difficult decision. In one paw, he wanted to see the end of all the turtles, preferably with as much pain and suffering as possible in recompense for what he had endured due to past failures of their causing. But in the other paw, the rewards from Shredder should he succeed in capturing their mortal enemies and be able to present them could be worth more than the brief, bloody gratification of destruction.

"You!" he commanded, pointing to several of the human Foot Soldiers that were lurking in such a way as to appear busy, while really be letting their robot equivalents do the bulk of the work. "Fetch empty boxes. Stack them where the full ones once stood."

"And tell the drivers," he added, "that once the trucks are unloaded they are to return here immediately!"

Not wanting to raise the ire of their commander, the Foot Soldiers quickly scattered to do as instructed. However, it didn't take long before the clank of clawed feet on the industrial metal staircase alerted Tiger Claw that he was being approached.

He turned to face Bradford; or Rahzar as the skeletal dog was commonly named. The mutant tiger waited with a stony face for the question he knew was coming.

"Why the empty boxes? It slows down clearing the goods!"

"Because," Tiger Claw started, a purr rolling around his words as he relished both the plan and the ability to lord it over the other mutant, "when the Turtles return it will lure them to try and finish what they started earlier."

A grin slowly spit Rahzar's skeletal face. "And this time, we'll be ready. Readier than before."

Tiger Claw nodded. "We will finish this, once and for all!"