Countdown

Raph regained consciousness, groggy, his head feeling fogy and full. He opened his eyes. He lay slumped in the driver's seat of the van. His left cheek was killing him, throbbing with pain, and he was alone. Alone. He came alive with one thought.

Leo!

The van had been driven behind the bushes, tucked away in safety, far away from the research plant, far away from danger, suspicion or detection. He yanked on the seatbelt that kept him upright and swore beneath his breath. Fuck, if Leo got out of this alive, he was going to kill the bastard. Stumbling out of the van, hauling out the precious duffle bag, their backup if everything else failed, he slammed the door shut, fumbling for the keys and wondering why he even bothered. It chirped shut and it took all of his power not to bolt out and straight to the plant. He needed a better strategy than that, but damn it, Leo was the strategist and he'd decided that the best choice was to knock Raph out and play the martyr.

Tilting his head up, he squinted to see against the gloom of the night. The cloud cover was good, of course, that's why tonight had been so perfect, so perfect until it had gone so very wrong. He checked the Sais in his belt- still there. He was running out of time! Leo was running out of time and so was Mikey. The hills were idyllic, full of grass, flowers, trees and bushes, as well as huge open plains. It was beautiful, but this was no New York. There were no shadows to hide in, buildings to scale and Raph had no idea how to use this to his advantage. He wasn't a nature boy; that too, was Leo's thing, and he cursed his elder brother again, "Damn it, Leo, I know we need the info right now, but ya didn't have ta go in alone!" He hissed.

Pulling out his shell cell, he checked the time, the count-down, and felt his heart drop to his stomach. All of a sudden, he felt very sick. He had to go now. He'd be exposed while he ran up the incline to reach the research plant, but he had no choice, no time to plan further. Grabbing the bag from the ground, and slinging it over his shoulder, he sprinted into the open, out towards the research plant owned by the foot, run by Chapman, and outfitted with weapons an defences like no other. It was a fortress, with more warriors that one could count. Raphael charged in anyway.

Go, go, go.

Raph tore up the incline, trying to stay low, but then gave up and ran as hard as he could up the hill. His breath came in ragged bursts. His heart thundered in his chest. Spotlights blinded him as he sprinted across the grass closest to the building. They pierced his eyes, making him grimace. He ducked behind the nearest car, the grass tearing up his shins as he skid, ducking and rolling into cover. He pressed his shell against the cement of the building, and felt the vibration of machinery inside. He could hear it too, the purring of a monster. He had to get Leonardo out- he had to be there to see Mikey wake. Panic twisted his heart.

He didn't hear any sirens and it emboldened him, as he gripped the building and pushed himself upright. At first, the building had seemed to be a stretch of white-painted cinderblock, with no windows or doors, but now he could see the huge fans which cooled the machinery inside, the parking lot which curved around to the back. The entrances must be there.

Spinning around, he saw no-one, and raced across the parking lot, around the corner, pressing against the wall as he approached. Fuck stealth. Right now, he would be damn lucky just to get his brother out alive. Ducking behind the vans that littered the lot, he slunk into the shadows, searching for something, for some way in. The huge doors that were stamped across the building had to be opened automatically, from within no doubt. No chances there unless he wanted to be detected right away.

There had to be another way. There was always another way- a grate, a window, an air-vent. An air-vent. Raph ran his hands along the walls, feeling in the blackness of the back lot, for something, anything. He almost groaned with relief as icy, gritty mesh met his fingertips. He felt around for a moment longer, frustration growing. Fuck it, if this thing didn't work, he was just gonna slice through the doors and damn the consequences.

Luckily, the grate was big, and from its size, Raph judged it was a waste duct. Wrinkling his beak in disgust, he wrenched it open, the flimsy ties giving way easily under the strength of his panic. "Fuck it, Leo, the things I do for ya." He muttered beneath his breath, fighting back the waves of panic as he hoisted himself up, clutching the sides that slid away beneath his fingers.

He clawed his way up, the weight of the bag dragging him down, as he found hand holds in the seams that welded the duct together. Scrabbling at the entrance, he blinked his eyes to adjust. Fluorescent tubing assaulted his senses and made him wince. Mikey needed him, Leo needed him, whether he'd admit it or not. He had to keep going.

Go, go, go!

He knew the risk. There was no way to get in, and get back out again. It was clear that their defences were overwhelming. Leonardo had realized that straight away- it was why he had gone in alone. No sense in both of them dying. He swallowed back his fear with a scowl, "Idiot." Raph suppressed a growl, hoisting himself up when he was sure the coast was clear.

He had to find the central computers. That's where Leo would be. But Raph has been out for a long time...the question was; If Leo was still alive. The thought snuck up on him and he pushed it away. Fuck that, he wasn't thinking like that.

Checking again, he pressed himself against the tiled corridor, sticking to what little shadows there were, making his way through the twisted hall. Fuck, there wasn't much time. Go, go, go! Sprinting, he tried to remember every villain they had fought. Where did they keep the computers. Low down, in a cool place, near the centre. Fighting to get his bearings, he vaulted down the staircase, thankful for the training that kept him on hunter's feet. Even so, the metal clanged and he continued on his way down the passages. He had to get away from the scene, had to find the mains. There was no time for stealth, for destroying evidence and creeping slowly. If he didn't move now, both he and Leo were going to be blown to hell, along with the rest of this place.

He cursed Leo for putting him in this position, and cursed these bastards for putting Leo in this position in the first damn place. They'd had little choice, and Raph was thinking that maybe he was just sore that Leo had knocked him out before he had the chance to do it to his brother, "Lucky fuckin' shot." He muttered beneath his breath. He hadn't expected his brother to act like him, after all.

Fact was, the chances of getting out of here alive were slim, but Donatello needed the information on these computers to save Michelangelo. Their little brother was running out of time. He had hours at most, for Donnie to find a cure to the virus that ailed him. The virus they had got fighting these bastards. They had the information for the cure. All Leo and Raph had to do was patch Donnie into the computers and he'd be able to hack in and get the information. The plan after that was to blow up the godforsaken hell hole and piss-bolt out. They had to do this, or Mikey died.

When it became apparent that this was a kamikaze mission, Leo had taken matters into his own hands. And no way in hell was Raph going along with his plan.

It wasn't long until he heard it. In the silence and stillness of the building, the sound of fighting broke through. Above the hum of the machines, Raph could hear it. The sound of knives, swords and the trading of blows.

If there was the sound of fighting, then his brother was still alive. Hope stirred in his chest, and he swallowed in grim determination, wrapping his fingers around the hilts of his Sais. It didn't take him long to find the room. The door was open and the stench of blood poured from the room. He snarled in panic and raced into the room with abandon, Sais in hand, eyes scanning the room, taking everything in quickly. It took him a few seconds to find his brother. He was surrounded, in a defensive position, his back against the various computers, guarding the plug-in Donatello had sent them. From the looks of it, the download had gone smoothly, and Don had gotten what he needed. Relief stirred inside him, so heavy that he nearly sunk to his knees. Oh thank fuck. At least Mikey would be ok.

Which was more than he could say for Leo. From the bodies strewn on the floor, Leo had been doing a damn good job of fending them off, and the lack of duffle bag meant that he'd planted the explosives. However, he was backed into a corner, and Raph could see that he was struggling for breath. He was tired, far too fucking tired. He had been fighting too long and too hard on his own, and it was starting to show. Raph could see the way he leant against the machines, the falter to his perfect posture. His knuckles were white where he gripped the hilts of his swords and Raph could see the blood where it streamed from his battle wounds, clotting and ugly. His skin seemed sickly pale under the fluorescents.

When his eyes fell on Raph, they widened, and Raph could see the panic flaring through his brother, jolting him like a live-wire. He knew that this wasn't part of Leo's plan. Raph was still supposed to be knocked out, safe in the van, out of sight from the world, protected. He wasn't supposed to be here, surrounded by foot ninja, machines and bombs about to go off.

"Raph!" Leonardo's voice sounded almost choked and Raph could see the way he fought back his desperation. The enemy couldn't see his weakness, "Raph, get out of here!"

Before Raph could open his mouth, they sprung on him. He spun his Sais, snarled in anger and leapt in. They had no time for this shit; they had to get out now. The plan was working, all they had to do was get the hell out of here in one piece. He stabbed and slashed and kicked, move after move after move, but they just kept coming. So many. A kamikaze mission. Grinding his teeth, he fought, brutal and unwavering. From the other side of the room, he heard Leonardo's renewed struggle. He knew Leo would never give up when fighting for family- and a damn good thing this was too, because they'd need a fucking miracle to get rid of these bastards.

A real miracle. When his next opponent came at him, it wasn't with knives that left shallow cuts, fists that left bruises. His opponent approached, grabbing a long metal hook and whipping it at his face. He raised his arms, leaping back swiftly, ducking the blow. The hook brushed his arm, slicing it open and making him growl low in pain, his eyes flashing.

The hook was swung again, and he leapt out of its way, clearing it. It hooked in the machinery above, and as he ripped it free, live-wired unhooked, writhing above their heads, sparking the floor. Raph's eyes widened at the sight and he called out, "Leo! When I say run, run!"

His brother barely had time to shoot him a confused look, before he crouched low, ramming his sai into the machinery, thanking every deity that he knew mechanics. He ripped it out of the metal, leaping back as hot oil seared his hand. He hissed in agony, jumping out of the way as oil, boiling and bubbling, spilt onto the floor. Dumping the duffle bag, he bellowed, "Run now!"

The words barely left his mouth, when the sparks from the wires caught the bubbling oil below, and ignited in a mighty whoomph. Alarms screamed, deafening, and overhead sprinklers showered water down. As the spray hit the oil, the flamed burned brighter, going up in smoke as machine after machine caught fire. Raphael stumbled back, the cloud of smoke blinding him, seizing his lungs as he groped for the exit.

The next thing he knew, a hand had grabbed his wrist and was hauling him out of the room, down the corridors. "Move, move, move!" Leo somehow found the strength to yell as he pushed them out. Raph bolted as fast as his legs could carry him, adrenaline blinding him to his pain. It was the only explanation he had for them to be able to move this fast. They had to get out now! That bag that he'd left would blow soon, loaded with explosives, and that wasn't all...

That was when he heard it, the beeping in his belt, soft as the whisper of death. The countdown had reached zero. This was it- their own private Armageddon.

And then it hit them, wave after wave, just like they'd planned it, explosion after explosion rocking the building to its core, to its very foundations. Raphael could hear them, his ears ringing from the noise. They were still far away, but they were getting closer, closer and closer, the series of explosions that could mean their death if they didn't hurry. He felt Leonardo's hand tighten around his wrist as they weaved in and out of corridors, heading for what Raph could only going pray was the exit.

The first, delirious thought in his mind sprung to the surface. Great, another fucking waste duct. He almost laughed as they vaulted down it, sliding on filth as wave after wave of heat crashed after them. He slammed into the grate, mind kicking into gear, aching fingers finding his sais in his belt, jamming them into the cracks and prising the grate away, tumbling through it, his brother following soon after. They landed on the asphalt, but Raphael barely noticed, pushing himself to his feet, he bolted across the parking lot, his brother racing beside them, the heat at their heels.

Shit, shit, shit, in a few more seconds, the big one would hit!

Leo seemed to realizethis too, because he sprinted with renewed vigour, grasping his brother's wrist again and for a second, Raph was grateful. The last thing they needed was to be separated in the blast, injured, exhausted and vaulted to the earth.

Raph was gasping for breath, which came up short, smoke making it impossible to breathe as it seared his lungs. He felt it before he heard it, the roar that shot flames into the air, blinding him, a wave of heat knocking into him as his ears rung and he stumbled, pushed off his feet and into the grass below. He ducked into a roll, thrown down the hill, the grass and dirt grazing his skin, scraping it and making him gasp. He fought for purchase, sliding down the hill, coming to a stop at the foot, sprawled on his side, reeling and dazed and wondering if anything had broken. Seconds later, he felt, rather than saw, his brother land beside him.

Somehow, he found the strength to move, as heat washed over them, suddenly thankful for the hill that shielded them from the worst. Turning over, he reached out and gripped his brother's arm harshly His vision swam, and his brother was little more than a green blur. He swallowed and worked his throat, trying to manage the energy to speak. Eventually he croaked, "Ya... alright?"

He heard nothing but a soft, breathless mumble before his brother cleared his throat and managed a choked, "Yes...you?"

Raph just nodded, praying his brother could see him. He shifted with a wince, staring up at the sky, watching the flames that exploded into the darkness, shattering the night with brilliant light. He struggled to find his breath as the haze cleared. Finally, he swallowed and ground out his words, body too exhausted to even turn his head.

"Leo..." His voice was a growl, low and deep and roughened by smoke, and if he wasn't so damn tired, he'd have his brother by the throat, up against a goddamn tree, to prove his point, "Ya ever pull somethin' like that again, I'm gonna fuckin' kill ya."

Leonardo was quiet for the longest moment, just nodding, before quiet laughter escaped his throat, the delirious laughter of someone who had defied death, who had survived the impossible, who was bloody and tired, but alive. And, despite himself, his anger and ebbing panic, Raphael joined in, giddy and exhausted, as adrenalin poured out of them in a rush.

Against all odds, they had survived. Raph rested a hand on his brother's arm, gripping tight, eyes slipping shut in relief. In a few seconds, the place would be swarming with emergency services; in a few moments, the fire would spread and they'd have to jump into the van, and drive out of there pretty damn fast.

But for now, they were alive, and that was more than enough.

A/N: Been a while since I wrote this kind of short story. Hope you enjoyed. Tell me what you think? Thank you for reading!