Where back! Thanks for waiting for chapter 2. We hope you like!
Thanks to Glazier blue and sorry her name is XxTurtletracerxX. I have two betas to help me get this awesome story out for you guys!
"I know Donnie's out there somewhere Raph. I'm not saying we shouldn't stop looking, but we do need a plan!" Leo had actually been trying to calm his hot-headed brother down, but as always the conversation somehow ended up in a screaming match as everything Raph said was just so callous and stupid.
"I HAVE a plan! We go out there and tear the city apart until we find him!" Raph retorted as fear and fatigue rushed through his system without his control. Sympathising with the panic was their youngest brother Mikey who sat in the TV area glancing between the two with wide eyes, deciding whether or not to climb onto the 'hyper train' and intervene this argument.
His brother Donatello had just vanished right under their noses just after a battle. Like Raph he wanted to be out there searching for him, but they had been tearing up the city for almost a week already, everyday the desperation grew. Leo's plan of going by a map did sound a better course of action... but that would mean time, and that was something the turtles didn't have... of course wasting time searching the city didn't rank as a time saver either... Shell! Even just standing still seemed suddenly hard... Oh god! What if... what if they were already too late? What if Donnie had been killed by the dangers on the surface? There had been no trace of him. All they had found was his bo-staff in the streets just by their moving van.
Mikey tried to shake the terrifying thoughts from his head. What if he never saw his brother again? Uncharacteristic of him, this thought had kept the young turtle very quiet.
"How can you just stand there Leo knowing that one of our brothers is in danger? He... he could be getting tortured or... even 'eaten' or something right now? Where's your freaking moral compass now eh fearless?" Raph had always been good at arguing and Donnie deserved to have someone argue for him! He had just been there one moment and gone the next. The battle was over and Donnie had just gone to retrieve the van parked on the road down the street when he had vanished. What should have been a five minute job had turned into five long terrifying days and it had become ridiculously easy to just lose it. Truthfully the red brother was lashing out because as well as been super worried, he felt pretty dam guilty. He should have gone with Don to get the van. Even the shadows had not been safe since the attack on the President. It had become an on-going rule since then that they at the very least stay in twos. Why was it different that one night? Five minutes and now they may have lost their little brother! This fact alone seemed to amplify Raph's desperation. Though he was a self-proclaimed hard arse, he was at his wits end. They all were.
"But what if we are already too late?" Mikey knowing this was already a full-blown brawl, he might as well voice the fear they were all thinking. At his words both his brothers stopped and turned towards him.
"You mean you think he's dead?!" Raph glared at Mikey as though he had committed the worse sin before taking a menacing step in his direction. Mikey instantly recoiled by the look in his hot headed brother's eyes.
How dare they be talking like that! Raph sneered. They were justifying on giving up the search by writing him off as dead! No the red clad turtle was not having that. He wouldn't abandon any of them, dead or not! "If he's dead, then we find a body!" He shouted at his youngest brother accusingly but then stopped when he saw the tears filling up his eyes. Mikey was scared. Scared of never seeing Donnie again... and likely scared of him! Raph's fury was still bleeding out faster than his heart was pounding but he seemed to have been cut off at the knees as the helplessness crashed down on top of him.
"Raph" Leo stepped forward shielding their youngest brother while trying to regain his self-control. "Listen to what I'm saying! Donnie didn't just vanish. Someone has taken him. We need to find out who and why instead of just running around beating up every thug we know!"
"You mean like the... Shell! Oh my... of course. Why didn't we think of this before!? The Shredder?" Raph looked up as the realisation smashed him in the face.
"What?" Both Leo and Mikey looked up from their position in the room. Of course! It was so obvious. Their purple clad brother was a genius. If he was in trouble, he would have found a way to contact them. But instead the tracer on his phone had been cut dead. No signal from anywhere. The van keys had been found in the van, which meant he had reached there first. What or who could take down a genius ninja without so much as a sound... accept maybe other ninjas.
"You really think Shredder has Donnie?" Mikey asked, his teeth clenched just enough to make his voice sound strained.
"Who else? Fearless is right, this was planned. It couldn't be just any one to take one of us down. Whoever took Donnie knows what we are capable of. It had to be Shredder!" Raph had grabbed his weapons and was half way to the door before he had finished his statement...What had that evil alien done to his little brother? A new wave of panic soaked through them as they pictured the big metal suit creature hacking into Don's body while demanding their lair's location. He was in trouble and he needed them.
Hoping to make it out of the door before Leo launched into another one of his lectures... No such luck. Raph had just got as far as the entrance when his leader somehow appeared in front of him. Leo's new skills from the Ancient Ones training turned out to be graining Raph's gears much more than he wanted to admit.
"Where do you think you're going Raph?" The grinding voice in question asked. "You are NOT really just walking out of the lair to storm the Shredder's fortress!" It wasn't a question.
"Uh ya I really am! Donnie's there I know it and we have to go and get him!" Raph yelled. He hadn't even realised that he had taken up the attack position until Mikey was forcing his way in between them.
"We don't know if Shredder has Don. Even if we did we can't just go strolling in there. What's wrong with you Raph! You trying to get yourself killed!?" Leo noticing his brother's fighting stance quickly mirrored it. Raph wasn't getting passed him only to go land himself in the same cell as their clever brother. He wanted to find Don as much as they did. Heck the leader had been having a very difficult time remaining focused these few days. Donnie wasn't dead. He would know in his heart if he was. A few times he and Splinter had tried to reach out to him in meditation, but had only been met with a mental brick wall. In private Leo had felt close to having a panic attack of his own. He shouldn't have taken his eyes off him, not for a second. He knew something had been wrong just after he had been missing for 10 minutes... but Leo couldn't show his worries right now. Maybe the Shredder did have something to do with his disappearance, or maybe they were just grasping at strews... but it was a place to start... However there had to be a safer way than sneaking up to Shredder's front door. They had to come up with a new plan right now. "We don't know where he is, and he is hardly likely to come walking back through that door and tell us -"
Leo was suddenly cut off by the sound of the lairs automated doors opening behind him and the shocked, gasped faces of Raph and Mikey looking over his shoulders pause him long enough for him to guess who had in fact just walked in. The brothers looked at each other for a long beat before the leader could find the mental capacity to actually turn around and see none other than Donatello... A very muddy, pale face of Donatello who looked like he was ready to fall!
Oh shell!
…...
Between bouts of darkness Donnie was aware of voices. He couldn't depict who was who, only that it was the voices of his brothers, talking way too fast. He was aware however of many around him, holding him up and shifting him about like a rag doll... Further adding to his inner relief he suddenly felt his father's furry hand resting on his forehead. His thumb stroking across his brow... that was nice. The slight massaging movement relieved the tension in his head, and it was so warm, perhaps too warm. Was Splinter's hand supposed to be this hot? The hand reminded him of just how cold he was. Not good.
"Holy sewer-apples! What do we do?" Ok that was Mikey. They must be worried about him.
Splinter mumbled something that sounded urgent. So this was what it was like being on the receiving end of a medical emergency for a change... It was an amusing, but an unsettling thought. A reminder that most of his brother's medical knowledge came from Wikipedia... But they were quite level headed, most of the time. Plus Master Splinter would know what to do. Speaking of his father the moment his sensei's hand disappeared he felt a sudden rush from the floor. The movement was so fast that it sent a shock wave of pain through his skull. He wanted to gag at the shattering pain spiralling through his temple. There was a sound of rushing feet along with more quickly spoken words, broken by huffs as they struggled to keep up with...who he assumed was Raph carrying him. But somewhere, between here and wherever he was going, he blacked out again.
The next time Donnie was aware of something was when he involuntarily jerked in surprise as a steady stream of lukewarm water pelted gently against his arms and shell. The shock made his eyes flicker open. There were only two mumbling voices around him now. Everything was a blur, but he could see his legs, was he in the... in the bath tub?
It was the feeling of heated dread that held him firmly in this one position as he realised what was going on. They must be trying to bring his temperature slowly back up, not to mention getting Donnie clean from the grime of the streets. The water falling off of him from the shower head and down the drain was already discoloured from the mud, but at least he could see his olive green skin again.
He knew there was a presence beside him and another one behind. The person sitting behind him was supporting his neck and upper body up into a scrunched seated position while scrubbing his shell. Donnie could finally see that he was practically lying on the guy, while feeling his other presence beside him lightly soaking the last of the grime from his arms. The squeaking sound of the knob turning made him jump, but the slightly warmer water hitting him felt good. If his temperature had dropped too low then the best thing to do was to place him in cool water and gradually warm it up to prevent him from going into shock... but still... They were giving him a shower! Donnie hadn't had to be bathed with his brothers since he was 7 years old, back when they still had to conserve water.
How embarrassing.
Turning his head slightly it took a moment before Donnie could see who was here; even though he was sure he already knew who it was. His father noticing that he was awake smiled gratefully at him but there was a great deal of worry in his eyes. "Be still my son. We have almost finished." Although Splinter spoke quietly Donnie didn't miss the range of emotions in his tone. There was sadness, a great deal of concern... but more than that, there was anger. Was Splinter angry at him for going missing? Surely they must have known that he wouldn't have separated for so long on purpose?
Donnie was about to open his mouth when another glance down at his own body cut him off. Now that he was clean the bruising around his limbs and the swelling on his leg was all too clear. He wasn't sure how bad he was, but he was sure Splinter did. That's why the rat looked angry. He wasn't mad at him, he was mad at who ever had done this to him. Donnie blinked as he tried to think back as to what exactly had happened, but sighed miserably when he pulled up a big cloud of nothing. He turned his thoughts away from that topic, instead focusing on how many aches and pains he was going to have tomorrow, and for the coming week. Mostly from his hip he could tell. It wasn't until he looked at it did he remember how much it hurt. Splinter had already cleaned it and the cool water was helping at the moment but it was already starting to throb again.
"Take it easy Don. We'll have you fixed up in a moment," Leo's voice was behind him. So that's who was holding him up. Just like when they were turtle tots. When the four of them had started to get too big for the tub they had to start going in twos instead of fours. His eldest brother here had always been his bath buddy. However now at 16, it wasn't as much fun... but it didn't seem the time to be bothered about his pride. He could hardly move. But there was something he did want to know, something important. He wasn't sure why it was important, he only knew that it was.
"What time is it?" Donnie asked rather urgently.
"The time?" Leo said like it was an odd question, maybe because it was. "Really Donnie it doesn't matter how late it is. You're home. That's all that's important," Leo patted his shoulder reassuringly. Donnie didn't argue. All he had wanted to do was find his way home, but for some reason he felt like he was on borrowed time. The ticking of the clock in the main Lair was a constant reminder that his victory could be taken away from him again at any second. This thought made the young teen hold his father's side that much tighter.
"My son?" His father said, trying to ground him through familiar tone and phrasing. He didn't want to disturb his boy, but now that Donatello was awake they had to gather as much information as they could. "Donatello who did this to you?" He asked tenderly but still the sense of urgency was there. Even Leo stopped scrubbing his shell so he could listen. Tonight they had been ready to explode, particularly Raph. He had been ready to march out of the lair and tear the city apart, as nothing more than an excuse to fire his anger around like a gun. But now Don was home. All that anger could be put to better use, and aimed in the direction of the monsters responsible for making his most passive, but brave brother look like Raphael's punching bag.
Donnie tried to think. All he had was a small handful of images that didn't make any sense. Images that were just too horrible, too terrifying... but they seemed to have burned into his eyes. There was mumbling moans of agonising pain surrounding him... Others trying to cry out for help... but they couldn't. He remembered when it was his turn... the dim lights went out to be replaced with a flashing green light beam. He blinked his eyes as he wanted to see what was going on, but the direct light blinded him as it quickly scanned over his body before coming to pin point a particular place on his skin at the top of his leg for an... an injection... or abstracting blood? Either way it hurt. A cold and dead white face loomed over him... No. Not over...in front of him. HIM! Donnie remembered that he could see himself in the man's glasses. They were like two small perfectly round black mirrors, silly things really….. At least they should have been, even in the dark he could see that face pierced through his very soul as he came at him once again. When he was finished with his leg, he soon came back with a new needle that looked half the size of a rifle.
Where was he going with that? If only looks could kill, but the man didn't have any fear of him... not while he was bound. In fact Donnie remembered a few times he chuckled at them. The genius was at a loss to find anything funny. The large syringe looked to be coming towards his face! Wait the needle? No this was something bigger, with a rounder tip. Where did the needle go? Was he finished with that?
A new image. An image of the man coming at him with some strange liquid in a large syringe but with no needle... because... because it was for him to ingest NOT inject! "Leo... help me!" He thought. Donnie wanted to spit it out, but his mouth seemed to be locked in one position... in fact his entire head had a vice like pressure around it not allowing him much movement. But the tight pressure was feeding all the way into his mouth and down his throat. Kind of like been incubated, only not to breathe, if anything it was making him gag as he could only breathe through his nose... and he was awake!
"Raphie!" The man grabbed him roughly by the chin forcing his head up a little as he yanked at the piece fixture in his mouth before injecting the contents down his throat, but it never touched his tongue. As the liquid was forced down, he felt it burn through the plastic... He couldn't stop it. Donnie wince repressing tears as the man bruised his cheeks before resealing his mouth. His lips felt slimy from sweat and tears. It was gross.
"Mikey... Father where are you?!" His arms throbbed and twisted as he tried to yank them free from the restrains above his head. None of the others around him could help him... Donnie flinched at the unpleasant memory. And then there was that ticking. What did that mean? Time had been placed around all their necks... but they all lived on a different time table... Time was running out for him, but how?
Tick tock tick tock - "Donnie! Don are you alright?" Leo brought him back tenderly brushing his cheek. He wasn't just shaking from the cold any more. How was he going to explain all of this to them, and about the...others....wait! There were... others! There were other prisoners like him.
"Oh god! I left them behind!?" Donnie jumped so suddenly he almost splashed his brother with water in the face. They both looked at him quite alarmed. "There were others there...not all of them human..."
"What do you mean NOT human Donnie?" Leo jumped on the statement.
"Not all the time...I...I had to leave them behind!" He looked at his father with desperation, pleading for forgiveness. His eyes started to sting with shameful tears. "I wasn't thinking... Something happened, they chased me... I saw the junk yard. I knew I could hide in there..." Despite the pain Don pulled his knees up to his chest as some unsettling images started flooding back into his brain, his breathing becoming short and shallow. "I just told myself to run." he sobbed.
"Please Donatello be calm. You did the right thing," Splinter shushed trying to sooth him. "I would rather you have found a way back than have turned up beyond our aid," he assured his child, but Splinter could tell the lack of facts was giving Don little comfort.
"He's right Donnie. If you could have saved anyone, you would have..." Leo added. He wasn't used to seeing his most logical and level head brother so devastated. The leader looked at the bruising around his wrist and ankles where he must have been bound. What horror had his brother seen to render him so scared, almost like a child? "Don you said 'they.' They chased you... Did you know them? Was anyone familiar?"
Donnie shook his head. They had rather a large selection of enemies to choose from, but there were many blank spots in Donnie's memory, no suspects seemed to be jumping out to him. "I knew there were more...but I only remember that face..." Donnie closed his eyes repressing another sob. "I only remember him! Donnie trailed off as a headache started to push forth from the back of his brain. "I'm sorry... I can't remember any more right now."
Splinter and Leo exchanged a look of concern. Disappointedly Leo sighed as he rubbed Donnie's shoulder in a vague attempt to console him. His other siblings waiting in the kitchen were not going to take this well.
"It is quite alright. You have bruising on your head." Splinter said a little too understandingly. "Perhaps your memories shall return to you later, once you have rested." Donnie nodded, but a part of him hoped they wouldn't. There was one thing the clever turtle could remember. Not a memory as such, more a feeling... that feeling was pure fear. Fear that he had never felt before. With all he and his brothers had seen and done, this was something he had never expected. Was that why he couldn't remember everything? Was he repressing this black hole in his mind, or was there some chemical in his system helping him with that? Either way he would find out later.
As a scientist he had never been one to think about the existence of things like 'miracles'... but his escape had surely been one!
Overall Donnie was just too exhausted. The turtle's body becoming numb and prune from the long period of sitting under water spray, which was now sending cold shivers up his spine. Leo noticed and with the help of Sensei they grabbed each arm as Donnie struggled but managed to get out the bathtub to be wrapped in a long cosy towel by his father. The furry hands on his back and head left the third-youngest to sink into his embrace. Splinter took a moment enjoying the hug as the father thought that he would never have this chance again. Then Leo placed his arm around his brother, gently coaxing him away to start walking in the direction of his bedroom.
Donnie moaned having lost his warmth, but his big brother smooth tone whispering about his bed gave the purple sibling some strength to take a step leading up to the second floor. Raph and Mikey watched from the side lines knowing that their help was futile at the moment. Sure they could have carried Donnie up to his room, or even asked how he was doing once they saw their lifeless brother being pressed against Leo's side slowly ambling across the living room. They both turned to Splinter who smiled slightly, but his ears gave it away as they started to descend against his face.
"Donatello will be alright…at least physically. Please come to join me in the dojo once Leonardo has returned. There are things we must discuss." Straightening his posture Splinter strolled to his sanctuary where all his prays occupied the space. He hoped that a few more will be answered. The rat sighed rubbing his face allowing just a few seconds to let his guard down. Taking a deep breath and closing his eyes while listening to his sons mumbling. When Leo had returned they entered the dojo, sitting in the cross-legged positions. "Stay calm, don't lose control" Splinter reminded himself everyday when his boys ventured outside into the open air of Manhattan. The anxiety of not knowing if his children were safe or injured struck the rat to constantly meditate for hours. And now his smart child had not only been captured but came back with broken memories of his disappearance, wounds of torture but much deeper ones emotionally. What had happen to him left more questions than answers.
Splinter opened his eyes looking at each of them. Leonardo staring straight ahead, Raphael's fists clenched in his lap, his face towards the right. And Michelangelo always had a difficult time keeping still, quietly tapping his fingers. Although his sons had white eyes due to the mask Michelangelo was openly expressive. The worry on his face never wanting to be hidden, which was one of Michelangelo strengths, never been afraid to show how he really felt.
"Donatello still has much to reveal of what he can remember, but I called you all in here now because Leonardo and I have gained some small insight as to what might have happened to him." This perked up his red and orange son. "What did Donnie say Sensei?" Raph leaned forward a little more with Mikey copying him.
"Donatello remembers a human male face. A face that I am sure is going to bring him many nightmares. And that there were others captured there along with him. However there was something he said about them not all been humans... Other species perhaps? Mutants maybe or aliens... At this stage we can only guess." As expected this caused an instantly round of questions to fire.
"If Donnie memory is right, someone is going around kidnapping mutants!" Leo not been able to hold back. The look of disgust was evident. The question of who and how could someone have the ways and means of doing this is massive! Mutants or whatever they are not the easiest to contain...But bigger question is why?"
The rat silenced them with his hand before they could all start. "My sons I know this is a new and worrying discovery, but still many questions must be answered and that won't be until Donatello is fully rested. We will have to wait."
"But we have to find them! We have to find out what they did to him and if there are others, we can't just leave them!" The younger spat angrily.
His father raised a brow. "And how do you suppose we do that Michelangelo?" Mikey fell silent. After a moment his head fell crestfallen as no spontaneous ideas came to mind. Splinter sigh and reached for his cane to help him to stand... Old age had most certainly crept up on him in the last few days. He sauntered over to his youngest son placing a hand under his chin.
"I am sorry. I did not mean to sound so negative Michelangelo. You are concerned about your brother, I understand. But Donatello is the only one who has the answers...even if he doesn't remember everything right now." He sigh as he prepared himself for his next words. "What we must also consider is that if Donatello escaped, whoever did this may still be searching to recapture him." Splinter didn't miss the look in each of their eyes at that. The room may have been silent, but the protest from each of them was deafening! Now came the warning. "This maybe a new threat to us, or one we have faced before... but until we know the motives, I do not want any of you at risk. In the mean time we must find a way of keeping Donatello safe and help him through his ordeal." He removed his hand looking at his two oldest. "I understand how frustrating it has been and to remain patient is harder still when you want to keep everyone protected. But for now all we can do is remain calm by whichever manner you desire." Originally Splinter was going to tell them to start meditating, but looking at how his red clad child's teeth were grinding, and the fact that he had not said a word as of yet was not a good sign. "Dismissed"
The brothers snapped to attention at their father's formal address and all bowed along as they stood from the floor. Raph however had his hands balled and shaking as he tried to contain the anger bubbling in the pit of his stomach. As they made their way to the door, Leonardo stopped after his brothers had left.
"Sensei" He said so quietly that it was lucky the rat had good ears. "We will find out who did this to Donnie, and we will do our best to protect him and the others. I promise."
Splinter looked up at him. He recognised that hostile posture. How tightly he was holding the door frame as though he was holding onto his last bit of self-control. The old rat had been watching his family fall apart over this last week. A part of Splinter wished he could have spoken to Donatello alone first... Now Leo was automatically trying to shoulder all the responsibility for a situation they felt sure was just starting. But he had needed help lifting and moving his son around the bathroom and Leonardo had been the better choice at the time. Michelangelo wouldn't have been able to hold back his emotions at seeing his brother in such a state... And Raph would have become too angry at whoever was behind this, quickly becoming frustrated towards his injured brother for the lack of information… His strongest son's anger currently radiating from him was better in the direction of the worn-out punching bag.
"I know you will do everything you can, but please remember Leonardo that anger and revenge will overtake your control and only leave devastation in its wake... Stay level-headed and objective. There may be forces working here that we do not yet understand." the old rat master said with an edge of warning to his tone.
The blue turtle nodded turning to leave. "I promise." He repeated. Leo slid the door closed before making his way to the upper levels. At least Donnie was home now. His resourceful brother had found away to escape... But he couldn't get over the look in Don's eyes has he talked about the others he had left behind. Leo knew his brother. Donnie would never have left anyone if he had had a choice. But who's to say who these 'others' were? Were they really in trouble? The Hamato clan were normally the targets, but was this particular situation bigger than them? Should the leader be concern more about these others and what was going on, or just be happy that his brother was home? Leo shook his head dismissing that thought. The situation Don had faced was so terrible that he was forced to either fight and die or flight and rescue later scenario. That was always a hard one... but he was glad that Donnie had made the right decision, even if it was killing him now... They had to find out what was going on. Don wasn't going to let this rest, neither should they just as long as his brothers were not in any danger.
As he reached the upper floors, he could hear Mikey munching on his snacks while watching the TV. Raphael of course was swing kicking his bag. He didn't stop them. This was there routine. Their defence mechanism and way of calming down when the situation was…perturb.
At first Leo was going to go and sit and watch over his injured brother, but decided against it. Donatello was out before his head hit the pillow... He would leave him to sleep for a while before he had to get up and face all of this again. Leo sighed and instead went to go and make himself some tea and meditate. At least he could sleep a bit easier tonight and not worry if his brother was dead or alive.
If only Leo had listened to his instincts. Had he have known, he would have rushed to his purple clad brother's room. He would have seen the drops of sweat glistening down his forehead. His hands gripping the quilt until his fingers throbbed. Gasping has a deep burning heat inside his body quickly spread through his veins until he couldn't breathe. What was happening to him? Donnie was asleep but his eyes were wide open in fear as the horrendous images played over and over.
"No! Stop!" Donnie mumbled unable to call out any louder. His sore hand's fending off the unknown attacker in the darkness. He then turned in his bed and to his horror, he saw the other bound next to him. He knew his eyes were blue, like his brother Mikey. Maybe that was why he found comfort watching over him, but he didn't even know his name. Donnie focused on him as he couldn't stand to look at the others. It was too painful. The man would hit them when they started to cry. They all cried. The floor they stood on seemed to sway and bend... or was that the drugs? He didn't know. But the other was closest to the large double doors that kept them in there... Freedom so close and yet so far!
The frame of the door had a reflective surface. The other was watching his own reflection, and Donnie knew behind the gag that went all the way down their throats, the other was silently screaming watching himself! "I'm so sorry, so so sorry..." was all Don could think and even prayed that the kid would soon not feel any more.
Everything was going by so fast when suddenly all became to an abrupt stop! The double doors flew open and the cold night air bit him, but it didn't help the burning spreading under his green skin... Then figures in black suddenly appeared. There was so many of them and they were holding a new person bound between them... This time it was a human woman.
"Put this one at the back. I will get to her in a moment." The dead white face and black round mirrored eyes ordered.
Donnie choked. It was the chain around his neck chocking him... and it was ticking! Donnie looked down at the clock around his neck... Time was running out and his body was getting hotter with every second that passed. There was noise of humming of an engine coming from outside, together with a loud cringing white-noise drowning out the screaming. All mixed together as another person was strung up at his other side. It was unbearable. Donnie would never forget her voice as long as he lived... The new victim was begging for her life. Confused as to why she was here. But she would soon learn why and she would sooner learn to be quiet. They were all quiet in the end. They were just ghosts now.
Tick-tock, Tick-tock. The clock would soon stop...