T h r e s h o l d

Leonardo

I have been charged with leading my brothers. They follow my orders without question, at least on the most fundamental level. Therefore they follow me. When I make a mistake, they suffer for it.

But I promised myself that I would always be there, suffering along with them.

I can't remember how it happened. One moment we were winning the fight, the next, we're stuffed into the back of a van. It must have been my fault. I didn't see something. Something important. I don't know what.

Things were blurry. Hazy.

But it doesn't matter. Not now. Not yet. When we're out of here. Alive, safe. Maybe then.

What's important is getting the heck out of here. Getting all of us out of here.

I can feel my brothers in the van along side me, though I can't see anything. The light is dim, almost none existent. It's pasty and flickering as we pass streetlight after streetlight.

On.

Off.

On.

Off.

I think it will drive me insane soon, but I can't be sure.

I think it was a tranquilizer dart, the thing that they used to knock me out. My brothers too. What else could it have been? It's hard enough to knock one of us out, to catch one of us off guard. But all of us? Maybe a gas. Odorless? My head is foggy, like someone wrapped a thick blanket around my senses. The back of this van smells stale though, like over-cooked meat and something else, brandy, I think.

On.

Off.

On.

Off.

I haven't been awake long. It's was cold and my shell feels bare without the weight of my Katana's.

They must have taken them. I wrap my arms around myself and slump back against the cold, steel walls. Just a moment. Just one moment. My eyes are sliding shut. I can feel my body giving in to the urge to just rest, for a second, for a moment, when I heard one of my brothers groan softly.

Mikey.

I don't move from my position. I barely have the strength to sit up-right. Whatever they did to me, whatever the used on us, it's taking its toll. The adrenaline, the spike energy is crashing fast. Like someone decided to fuck me fast and hard and then just throw me aside. Not that I'd know anything about that. I've only ever been screwed over by life. My thoughts are all messed up now. I shouldn't be thinking about things like that in a place like this. In a situation this dangerous.

I feel like crap.

I have been since I came round. And the pain isn't helping.

"Bro…" I mutter, "Hey, Mikey, you awake?"

"Hmm …Wha…?"

Relief bubbles in my chest at the reply. Mikey sounds dazed but the pain that I expect to hear, lacing his words, is missing. And for that, I am thankful.

"Mikey-"

"Leo?" I can hear him scrambling up, just a little way away from me, "Leo, what happened?"

There's an edge to his voice.

"It's fine." I mutter. I sound too weak. Vulnerable. I can't let Mikey hear that in his leader. In his older brother. Have to set an example. Always have to set an example. Be the strong one. I clear my throat, "We were knocked out and dumped in here. But if you're awake now; Don and Raph shouldn't be asleep for too much longer either." I can hear that I'm rambling, answering more that he asked. But I think I need to reassure myself, hear my own voice. It feels weird. I sound weird.

Mikey seems satisfies though, because the next moment, he's prattling on again, "You okay?"

"Yeah." I grit my teeth, "I'm fine."

On.

Off.

On.

Off.

I can see his face, in the flickering lights, if I squint hard enough. But it's too brief to catch anything and I can feel the nausea starting to set in.

I look away.

"Leo." His voice is almost a whisper, "Do you think we're gonna be able to get outta this?"

I bite back a sigh, "We've been in worse situations before, Mikey, we always pull through."

"I didn't ask about before. I asked about now."

"Yes Mike. We'll be fine."

When he speaks again, he sounds tense, "Okay."

It's quiet again, and it's not like Mikey but I'm too exhausted to really care. Man... I'm a terrible brother. But I'm just so tired. My eyes are starting to shut and it's not long before I fall asleep.

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