*Well, here we are, getting ready to start another journey. I've been working on Dominion for over a year (a long time for one of my fics), but it still isn't technically finished. Due to the nature of me not actually being ready to post and the impending move my family has to make, I'm going to stick to a schedule of posting every other day for the time being. With the exception of today, where it makes sense to post the first two.

If you aren't familiar with my stuff, there is a lot of history invested in my series, and many original characters. I don't provide a lot of opportunity to catch up this time around. If you check Legacy of Loyalty on Facebook, you can be introduced to several people if you're interested.

Dominion is the most complicated thing that's ever come out of my head, and also the most personal. I vented through this fic more honestly than I expected to, though it won't be apparent until later. I've been in a dark place for a while. You could say this story was written because of trying to find my own way out. But you're not here to listen to me ramble. :)

I own nothing related to the Ninja Turtles. I hope you're ready, because the original tagline stands: It's going to be so much worse than you think it is.

The blue-masked turtle was neither restrained nor unconscious, yet Doctor Yasmin Ribiero felt no fear as she leaned over him. The lazy brown eyes which met her gaze were heavy, but she knew better than to allow anyone else near him yet.

It is much easier to maintain control apart from outside distractions.

She finally broke eye contact with her subject to glance down at the tablet in her hand. The current reading on the screen made Yasmin shake her head with a frown. His blood pressure continues to drop. This isn't the outcome I expected, not after my preliminary testing on the young one's blood. I incorrectly assumed that one would be no different than the others, but their DNA is proving more unstable.

The brunette looked up from the tablet with a sigh. I can still glean plenty of information from these four, but I'd hoped for more time. As to how this one's vitals currently stand, there is no telling how detrimental the inhibitor will be for their immune systems.

The legendary took a deep breath and released it slowly before speaking. "It's so quiet here."

"You like the quiet, don't you, Leonardo?" She carefully kept her voice at the same level as his.

He nodded dreamily. "There's never enough."

Yasmin pulled over a desk chair to sit at his side. "I know. But that is life, yes? Never enough rest. You are feeling quite peaceful now."

"Yes."

She smiled encouragingly. "Good."

"Have I been asleep?"

"No, but close to it. You can rest your eyes if you prefer, Leonardo. You don't have to stay up talking to me."

"...Voice is nice," he murmured.

"I think you have a nice voice, Leonardo, and you are so pleasant to converse wi-"

The jarring sound of a cell phone going off made the Doctor twist her head and purse her lips in annoyance toward the nearest lab tech harboring the device.

"What have I said about cellular phones in the labs?" Despite anger, her voice remained intentionally light. The turtle's delicate mental state could be influenced by any change in her inflection.

"Begging your pardon, Doctor, but it isn't mine. The phone came in with that one." The apologetic man indicated the turtle beside her.

Yasmin crossed her arms as she clicked quietly across the floor to retrieve the offending device. The phone rang two more times, and then went silent. Within seconds, however, the same number flashed across the screen once more as the call repeated. She considered turning the cell off, but then another thought occurred to her.

It would be interesting to test the true measure of my control.

Returning to the turtle, she patted his shoulder to gain attention. "Leonardo, do you think you could sit up for a minute?"

The creature blinked as he shifted weight on his elbows with difficulty.

Ribiero noted the unnatural strain his muscles experienced from the effort. "Are you calm?"

"Yes." He sounded more alert than before. "What do you need?"

"I think someone is calling you. Would you like to let them know you are all right?" She extended the device toward him, and he accepted it with trembling fingers.

"Hello?" Leonardo answered without emotion. "Calley? Oh...no. I'm okay...it's fine. I wasn't asleep yet, just...unwinding. No, don't feel bad." He raised a hand to muffle a yawn. "Maybe we can talk about it later – I am really tired. Yeah. I love you too. Tomorrow...bye." He clicked off the phone and handed it back to the Doctor. "She worries."

"Who is Calley?"

Her subject settled back on the table, eyes half-way closing. "My wife."

"Is she waiting for you?"

"They're not home. Most of the family went to Washington with Caleb."

"Caleb?"

"One of our doctors. He's getting an award from the President. It's a big deal."

"That sounds amazing," she said casually. "You have a very supportive family, don't you?"

"They're the best, and Calley..."

Yasmin squeezed his muscular arm to coax him to continue. "Yes?"

"There's no one like her."

"Have you been together long, Leonardo?"

"A few years."

"And what of children?"

"We have a son, Tim."

"I'm sure he is a fine boy."

"Uh huh." The turtle's voice was fainter, though he smiled.

"Doctor Ribiero!"

A tense voice over her shoulder made Leonardo flinch, and she immediately patted his hand reassuringly. "Shh. You're all right, my friend. Relax."

The creature's brow smoothed over. When his eyes closed, she took the opportunity to direct a death glare at the intruder. "I asked not to be disturbed, Edmundo." Her even voice belied the serious expression.

"Yes, Doctor, but the red one needs attention."

Yasmin huffed softly under her breath. "Very well." She led the way across the room, giving the resident lab tech a reproachful look. "The legendary is at peace. Make sure he remains that way."

The young man saluted smartly while they continued their calm retreat. The moment the pair hit the hallway, Yasmin's pace quickened.

"I don't understand why this is so difficult," she clipped. "If you behave calmly, they will behave calmly. Such is the effect of the inhibitor."

Morais swallowed. "Doctor, we really should hurry."

Brown eyes narrowed at her second-in-command. "He was supposed to be left alone. If the red one is anywhere other than I put him-"

"No one bothered him, Doctor. They were merely observing! But when his cell phone rang and he couldn't find it, he became combative."

Yasmin resisted the urge to chuckle, lest Edmundo doubt the gravity of the situation. It seems they are just as tied to their devices as any other American.

"The other techs wanted to drug him further, but I stopped them bef-"

"You did well in that, at least." Yasmin kept incredible poise in her heels now, despite the fact that they were nearly running. "As it is, two out of four were drugged multiple times upon capture, regardless of my strict instructions. They already suffer for it. We are not trying to kill them, Edmundo!"

"Yes, I know, Doctor!"

She raised her eyebrows at the sharpness of his tone, and he ducked his head slightly.

"We thought we were prepared, but-"

"But they can honestly be contained without this much fuss," she corrected. "I suppose there are some things I can't trust to anyone else."

Yasmin inwardly groaned at the bellowing yell which greeted them before they'd reached the next lab. She lightly pushed Edmundo aside to get through the door, and then laid eyes on the wildly thrashing red-masked turtle. The metal restraints were keeping the creature pinned for the moment, but the manner in which the table creaked loudly beneath him suggested the real danger.

The Doctor wanted to berate every man in the room, but dared not risk it. "I want all of you out of here – immediately."

"Doctor, he cannot be reasoned with--" An unwise tech interjected, to which she instantly crossed into his personal space. The seven inches the man had on her frame disappeared as he shrank before the wrath in her glare.

"Get out of this room." She enunciated each word meaningfully. "Where is the phone?"

"On the desk there, but he-"

"I don't want to hear it. Go, and don't return without my express clearance." She turned away from the retreating techs before her temper was lost completely and strode to the manacled turtle's side.

Edmundo stood a couple of feet behind her, apparently unwilling to take another step. "It may be a little late to fix this."

Ribiero didn't look back. "No. I told you – all of you. The mind inhibitor only works under the correct conditions. It alters their perception – makes them more open to suggestion. Watch, and learn."

She squared her shoulders, determined not to display outward fear. Yasmin leaned over the creature so he would be forced to look into her eyes. "Raphael. It is all right now. The bad men are gone."

His returning growl wasn't encouraging, but she wasn't dissuaded.

"Shh. I know they upset you, but I made them leave. Once you are at peace, I will set you free."

The anger and suspicion in his golden gaze was faltering already. "I'm...they're gone?" His voice was so ragged, Yasmin wondered how long he'd been yelling before she'd arrived.

"Yes. I will not let them bother you again. You don't mind me being here, do you?"

He cocked his head while considering the question, and the tension in his frame eased against the steel manacles. "No...but I wanna get up."

"I encourage you to rest, Raphael, because you are clearly exhausted. But I'm happy to set you free, if you promise not to hurt me."

"I won't."

The Doctor maintained eye contact with him for several seconds, before being convinced by the glazed indifference washing over his features. She heard Edmundo gasp behind her when she removed the first of the restraints lashing his wrist to the table, but chose to ignore the man.

The act of turning the turtle loose had a pleasantly soothing affect on her muscle-bound subject, and she smiled to see his eyes growing heavy. Before they closed completely, he raised his head a couple inches.

"Wait...where's my phone?"

She stepped away from the table to retrieve the device, tracing the screen to reveal a missed call and a couple of text messages. "I have your phone here, Raphael. It appears someone was trying to reach you. Who is Olivia?" Yasmin knew the answer the question already, but maintaining polite conversation was an effective tool for earning trust.

"My oldest daughter. I ought to call her."

"You might try answering her messages first," she suggested evasively.

"Hate texting," he grumbled. "Darn buttons are too small."

"Why don't you let me help?" Her hand stroked the side of his head lightly.

"What'd she say?"

Yasmin recalled the text field. "She offered to take Isabella to bed with her. Said she's been a little restless."

Raphael's forehead furrowed, troubled. "Makes sense, her mama being gone...I shoulda been home already."

"It sounds like Olivia has it under control, Raphael. How old is Isabella?"

"She's...almost 10 months. Kari's never left her before. What'd Liv say about her?"

"Just that she was going to take her up with...Jake?"

"Oh...yeah. He's good with Belle." There was begrudging respect in his voice.

"Would you like me to thank her for you?"

"Yeah. Tell 'er I'll see them in the morning, I guess."

"I would be happy to." Yasmin tapped out the reply, and set the device back down. "You appear to be feeling better now."

He nodded vaguely. "Is it late?"

"It's getting there, Raphael. You can rest now, if you like."

"Sounds good."

Yasmin reached to pat his shoulder, but was startled by Edmundo's sudden proximity to her side.

"Doctor, you have a call," he whispered.

She swore all of the color had drained from his face, but that wasn't a good enough reason for another interruption. "They can leave a message."

"No, Doctor. It's him."

Ribiero's heart skipped a beat. "Oh...well..."

"The com-link is cued up already. He waits for you on-screen."

Yasmin worked hard to control her breathing as they hurried into the hall. "The timing is very odd," she said to herself.

"Doctor, I think he knows."

She shook her head. "He couldn't, not unless..." Yasmin paused with a wince. "Men cannot be trusted, can they, Edmundo?"

He shrugged. "There are other options."

"And we are going to have to take advantage of them. Edmundo, I want you to collect a head count. I need the specific whereabouts of everyone on the premises, and those who are not currently present. I will expect the information within the hour."

She took a deep breath of preparation before going into the next room, and walking up the the desk which harbored the large screen. "Good evening, Ambassador."

"It took long enough," the familiar figure returned flatly. "I gather you were not expecting me."

"My apologies. I was caught up in a project, but now I am all yours."

"I'm well aware of your 'projects', Doctor, and the tremendous risk you have been so bold to take."

"I don't know what you mean."

The following silence across the video was deafening.

"You think I don't know you've taken them?" he accused finally.

Ribiero cursed inwardly. Someone did talk. It cannot be helped now – we will have to start at square one. "Ambassador, we had an opportunity – a rare one-"

"An opportunity to destroy the very premise upon which our partnership was built!"

"Nothing is destroyed!" she protested. "We used the inhibitor. No one knows they are here-"

"I know they are there, and this betrayal runs deep, Ribiero."

"Don't call it betrayal, Ambassador. We meant no harm. We were only trying to-"

"You've interfered too soon, thus putting our entire plan in jeopardy!"

"W-we can fix this. Their minds are pliable in this state. They don't know where they are or who has them-"

"So you will put them back," the Ambassador ordered curtly.

"Yes. Yes, Ambassador, we will return them."

"At once. And if your mission this evening has in any way compromised what we have worked so hard for, you can consider our partnership concluded. You don't want to be found unfriendly when my people arrive, do you?"

"No, Ambassador."

"Then pray the damage you have done is not as great as I fear."

There was a flicker and then the screen went dark, leaving Yasmin alone with shaky breath.

"Doctor?" Edmundo's voice startled her upright in the chair.

She regained composure in a flash. "I gave you a job."

"And I will do it, but..."

"He knows, Edmundo," Yasmin confirmed. "We must turn them loose."

"Turn them loose?" He was incredulous. "Doctor, in their condition, how far will they get?"

"They are groggy because I wanted them to be. The inhibitor makes them respond to suggestion, but apart from my instructions, they are still free to act by instinct. If we take them back where they were found, they ought to be able to get home on their own."

"And they won't remember-"

"Edmundo, why are you making me explain this? We have too much to get done in a short amount of time!"

"But what of their physical conditions? You are aware of the complications they're experiencing, especially the two that-"

"Yes, I am aware, but there is nothing I can do about it. I told the Ambassador we would put them back, so we must."

"Do you believe we were betrayed, Doctor?"

"I can think of no other way for him to have knowledge of tonight's events. Edmundo, I need all of the men accounted for. We are going back to level one."

He sighed. "I will take care of it."

Ribiero rose. "I'm going to oversee a sample and the injections – it is the only thing left for which we have time. We can't afford to be unfriendly with the Ambassador, Edmundo. Not in days such as these."

The man was visibly agitated. "This is beginning to seem like a greater risk than it's worth."

"They are coming," she said bluntly. "Whether we are friends or not, that can't be prevented. I would rather maintain some control, but...in this, there's no alternative. The best we can hope for is a small role to play in the new regime. Now go – do your part, and I will do mine."

The woman stared pensively into the darkness outside the room where she was being held prisoner, waiting for her eyes to adjust. The sight of her friend being hauled off by a dreaded enemy was a bad sign in itself, even if it weren't for the true mission of his captors. It's now or never. I have to make this work.

She fiddled with the shackles linking her wrists together, and worked up every ounce of nerve she possessed. If I push them too hard, they'll simply kill me. I have to strike a balance between arrogance and fear. But if I don't get myself outside soon, the team will be gone, and so will my opportunity to join them. I can't put this off any longer. What is the phrase some are fond of? Do or die? It's time for one or the other.

She took a few deep breaths and felt her senses automatically sharpening, instinctively improving as adrenaline surged. The woman walked to the door locking her in, and slammed her lithe body against it. Once, twice, and then a third time for good measure.

When it didn't seem to garner the attention she needed, the woman chose another tactic. She backed up to give herself space for a running start, and collided with the reinforced glass pane which stretched from floor to ceiling. It was supposed to appear as an act of desperation, though she intentionally didn't hit as hard as she could. The point wasn't to literally escape. She had to do something much riskier.

The woman rolled upright off the floor and backed against the adjacent wall with a growl as an over-sized thug entered the room.

"I fail to see how giving yourself a concussion will help matters, idiot. If you have any brain cells left, you will sit down now, and wait patiently for Kumne Muhsin to arrive. Or you can refuse, and try to run away again. Then I have the option of killing you myself."

She resisted the urge to laugh scornfully. Her earlier move which had resulted in containment wasn't a true attempt to get away. If I wanted to escape, I have more tools at my disposal than they're aware of. But I need to stay close to them if I want any chance of stopping this.

The threatening figure strode her direction, towering over her "slight" frame with a deep scowl. She continued standing in one spot, and held his gaze without flinching or speaking.

"Sit down," he commanded a second time.

"It bothers you that I'm not afraid, doesn't it?"

A firm hand crashed into her chest and batted the woman against the wall. Her muscles tensed to recoil and keep her on her feet, but she recalled the necessity of committing to her image. Therefore, she crumbled as though the injury were a grievous hurt, before slowly sitting back up.

"If you value life at all, you will heed what I say, stupid girl." He lowered his voice as he hovered inches from her face.

"Vagari scum!" She spat the term like it was a curse. "I've been here my entire life, and was subjected to more evil than most people realize exists! If you want to scare me, you'll have to try harder."

"You've lived here your whole life?" A second voice cut in from the door. "What a baseless form of existence."

The woman gathered her courage to stand and face the newcomer head on. Though she had never met him in person, the figure's short, stark blond hair gave him away for his uniqueness. Muhsin was the exact one she'd been waiting for. "I could care less what a murdering scavenger such as yourself thinks of me."

"Those are mighty words to come from an insignificant insect," he returned dangerously.

She folded her arms with the most unconcerned expression she could muster. "Yet you can't handle an insect who isn't intimidated by you."

"I think perhaps you haven't experienced enough to understand fear properly," he answered calmly. "Regardless, the Vaga has heard some interesting things concerning your history, and desires to meet you. I'm eager to see how long your bravado will hold up under his scrutiny."

The woman didn't move when the large adversary came her direction. She doggedly refused to break eye contact as he stared her down, but her legs felt so weak, she didn't know how they continued to support her. "He won't scare me either."

The Kumne chuckled. "You have no idea. I'm supposed to bring you to him myself, but there is a side trip to take first. It will provide an opportunity for you to learn some humility before facing the Vaga."

The woman displayed the appropriate sense of terror while being forcefully propelled from the room, and then marched rapidly to the exit of the building. Under the cover of the shadows outside, she finally beamed. It couldn't have worked out better than if I'd planned it. Which I did.

The enormity of what she was attempting didn't catch up with her for a few more seconds. I've no idea if I can do any of this. But it won't stop me from trying.