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Chapter 02

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"Call." Raph tossed a Milky Way and three Crunch bars into the pot.

Mike slammed his cards down. "Finally! I gotcha this time, Raph – read 'em and weep!" Mike was showing a nice straight, ace high. He began to reach for the prize.

"Ah, ah – not so fast." Raphael grabbed Mike's wrist and dropped his cards. "I believe flush beats a straight."

Everyone laughed. It was another game night at April's, tonight's pick courtesy of the turtle currently sitting on the largest pile of 'money'.

"Aww…" Mike groaned. "C'mon, Raph, that was the last of my money!" He crossed his arms, pouting. "Hey Donnie – gimme a loan, would ya? C'mon, I'm good for it!"

"Hmm." Don responded, "Somehow I'm thinking that would be a poor investment on my part."

Mike looked pleadingly at their oldest brother. "Leo?"

"Forget it Mike, you already burned through the first loan I gave you. Besides, look at Raph's pile! How are we ever going to take him down if you keep eating all the profits?"

"Aw, c'mon guys! I won't eat any more, I promise!"

"Here Mikey," April cut in, "I'll give you some of Casey's, since he apparently doesn't need it." She didn't sound thrilled about that fact and the brothers knew Casey was in for it when he did arrive. She gave Mike a heaping handful of assorted candy. "Serves him right for being so late," she grumbled.

"Awesome! Casey's loss is my gain." Mike promptly tore open a wrapper and tossed a bite-size Snickers into his mouth.

"Mikey!" Leo looked at him annoyed.

"Just one, I promise! I need the sugar to think." He grinned a chocolatey grin at them.

"Actually, the sugar is most likely causing you to lose more focus." Donatello rolled his eyes. "If such a thing were even possible. Whose idea was it to place a boatload of candy in front of the ADHD turtle, again?"

The room rippled with laughter once again. "AD-what-D? Whatever. I don't speak geek." Michelangelo began to undo yet another wrapper.

"He MEANS -" Leo grabbed Mike's hand, causing the candy to fall, "- you have trouble paying attention." He dropped his look to the fallen candy to emphasize the point.

"Oh. Right." Mike giggled in spite of himself.

Leo put his head in his hands. "Whose deal is it?"

"C'mon Leo, we're not beat yet. I didn't realize you liked this game that much." Donatello clapped his brother lightly on the back.

"I don't. But Raph creams us every time – I just want to wipe that smug smile off his face for once." He looked shrewdly over at Raphael, who appeared quite pleased with himself, as a matter of fact.

Raphael chuckled. "You're up, Einstein." He pushed the cards towards Donatello. Suddenly, he reached down towards his belt. "Eh, hold up… phone's goin' off." He took a look at his cell. "It's Case."

"Haha! Casey called Raph? He must've been too chicken to call you, April!"

"Mike, shush." Leo looked serious. Everyone's attention was suddenly on Raphael.

"Okay, just stay where you are, and don't get seen." Raph was standing up, nodding at the others to do the same. "We're on our way. Yeah, I'll be sure to tell 'er." He snapped the phone closed.

"What's wrong! Is he alright!?"

"S'alright Ape, Casey's fine. Just ran into a little trouble an' could use some backup." He headed toward the window, opening it up and motioning for the others to file out. "Saw somebody prowlin' around the shop downstairs an' chased 'em off." He turned towards April and looked at her squarely. "Keep yer doors and windows locked. You got yer phone?"

"Y-yeah, here it is." She swept it off the counter.

"Keep it close."

"Raph," Leo interjected, "maybe one of us should stay behind, make sure April's safe."

"She'll be alright Leo, Case said he scared the guys off anyways." He gave his brother a look that said, let it go, I'll explain later. "She can protect herself pretty well now anyways." He gave her a strained smile.

April puffed up a bit. "Right, don't worry about me! Just go get that dummy and bring him back here."

Leonardo perched deftly on the windowsill. "Alright. Remember your training, April. And call if you hear even the slightest noise."

"Understood!" She closed the window after him, locking it securely. Her face fell. She knew Raphael hadn't been giving her the whole story; she was a lot more perceptive than they gave her credit for. Dammit Casey, she thought, you'd better come back alive, you jerk.

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"Alright Raph, you want to fill us in now?"

Leo sounded pretty annoyed, as he usually did when he wasn't in control. Ordinarily, Raphael would've let their leader stew for a bit, but there wasn't time for any screwing around. "It's the Foot – Case caught 'em snoopin' around April's shop, like I said." He leaped down the fire escape to the street below, the other three turtles following behind.

Donatello groaned. "And the stupid alarm didn't go off this time?" He shook his head. "I give up. Patching it up over and over is pointless, I'm just going to have to reinstall a whole new system…"

"So where's the urgency?" Leo asked. "You seemed pretty adamant that we all come along." Raph was leading them towards the west side. "Let me guess, 'a couple of Foot' suddenly became 'a lot more Foot'?"

"Bingo. He was talkin' pretty fast, but from what I gathered, those guys he was tailin' met up with a few of their buddies. I guess they did a number on him, 'cuz he said he was gonna look for a place to hole up 'til we get there."

"He's injured?" Leonardo's brow furrowed.

Raphael sucked in breath. "He didn't sound too good."

"Alright. Don, you got Casey's position yet?"

Donatello peered into his phone. "Got him! Washington and Twelfth, down Twelfth a little bit."

"Hmm. It's going to take us a little while to get there on foot. What do you think, Don? Should we turn back and grab April's van?"

Donatello scrunched up his face, thinking. "I don't know, it might not be a good idea at this point. By the time we get back, get in and get on the road, it will take just about as long. It might take longer, depending on traffic."

"They got some street fair goin' on down there," Raphael interrupted, "some of the boulevard's been closed off all week."

Leonardo frowned at his brother, thinking: And just how would you know that? Sneaking out at night again, no doubt. But there wasn't time to argue. Instead, he said, "Right, we hoof it, then. Let's take this underground, guys – we'll be able to move faster down there." Leonardo headed towards the nearest manhole, opened it and waved his brothers in.

They moved quickly, Leonardo in the lead with Donatello at his side and giving directions. Don periodically kept checking his phone as they went, and noted at one point that Casey's signal stopped moving. He tried to sound upbeat as he told the others; it probably meant that Casey had most likely found a good place to hide and wait. Probably, though dead bodies weren't known to move much, either. Don grimaced, pushing the idea out of his head.

"Okay, we're getting close. Time to get quiet, guys." All three nodded in understanding. Leo climbed the ladder there, peeking out from underneath the manhole cover. When he was sure it was safe, he moved out onto the street, the others filing behind. He fell into the shadows, keeping along the brick wall of the nearest alley and motioning for the others to join him.

Leonardo's jaw literally dropped. As he peered around the corner, he could see that the street was crawling with Foot soldiers. He quickly turned back to his brothers and began signaling his orders. He pointed at Raphael and Donatello, and then motioned upwards and outwards. You two, up on the rooftops – he then gestured towards himself and Mike and swept a hand low – we'll stay on the street. Addressing Don and Raph, he then made a very specific hand signal – do not engage. He focused his stare on Raphael in particular, whose sour expression told them that he took great offense to being singled out.

Breaking the stare, Leo pulled his phone, signaling next for Donatello to come over and take a look. When Leo had Casey's signal up on his own cell, Don gave him an almost reluctant nod to confirm that it was correct. That's the extent of my help, I suppose, he thought. Sending me off againto babysit Raphael, while he and Mike have all the fun.

Leo stowed the phone and looked up at them again, pressing a finger to his lips. Stay quiet, all of you. Before sending them off, he grabbed Raphael's arm, repeating the same signal from before. Do. Not. Engage. Leo narrowed his eyes.

I can't believe it, Raph thought. Now I'm gettin' lectured through sign language. He's seriously turned nagging into an art form. Raphael bared his teeth, shrugging off Leo's hand. Immediately he started up the fire escape, Donatello in tow.

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There's too many of them. I don't like it. Leo didn't see any obvious reason why there would be so many of their enemies here. Don had kept a pretty detailed map of the properties bought up by Saki's organization, and he couldn't recall seeing any in this area. Could be something new. He wanted to believe it. But the soldiers weren't behaving in a way that would indicate that they were guarding property. They're patrolling too wide an area… they're looking for something. Someone, he corrected himself. But they most likely wouldn't go through all of this for Casey, he knew that. Which was why they were keeping this mission to the shadows, Leo wasn't about to walk his brothers right into such an obvious trap.

He afforded a look at Michelangelo, who was following his movements perfectly. He suddenly felt an older sibling pride swell in him. As spastic as Mikey is most of the time, he thought, it always amazes me how well he actually performs when it matters. He checked the phone's GPS again. They were nearly on top of Casey now. Leo peered in through a nearby window. It was dark, but from what he could tell, the building looked abandoned. That's got to be it – he's in there somewhere. He looked at Michelangelo and nodded, Mike returning the gesture with a wink. Leo turned away, his mouth twisting, trying to stifle the smile that was forming there. Performs well… but never serious. He turned his attention back to the building and began to creep around the back, looking for possible entry points.

Inside, Michelangelo had to struggle to hold back a sneeze. Jeez, and I thought the lair was dusty... this place is the warehouse that time forgot. He blinked rapidly, trying to get his eyes to adjust. Leo was crouched along the wall nearby, taking a moment to get his own bearings. The place was starting to come into focus. It was pretty dark, but Michelangelo could make out the shape of a large room, mostly empty. He strained to hear any noise, but it was utterly silent. Is Leo sure Casey's in here? He knew Leo wouldn't pull out the phone now, the light would most certainly give away their position. Squinting, Mike could just barely see the outline of some junk along the far wall. Well, if he's in here, that would be the only place to hide. As if he could hear Mike's thoughts, Leo made eye contact and nodded at him. He then turned in that direction and began to creep forward. Whoa! I always suspected Leo had secret mind-powers! I'll bet it some ninja technique he's not sharing. Hey Leo, if you can hear this, gimme a sign! Turn around and look at me right now!

To Michelangelo's disappointment, Leonardo did not turn around. Aw… so much for secret powers then. Wait! Unless you don't want your secret to get out - of course! That's gotta be it. Hey Leo, it's cool, I won't tell! C'mon Leo, look at me! –

Leo suddenly stopped moving. Michelangelo's heart skipped a beat. Oh shi-

But Leo did not turn to look at his brother. Instead, he bent towards the floor, investigating something there. Oh.Jeez, that was freaky! Exhaling the breath he'd been holding, Mike moved to crouch next to his brother, but found himself unable thanks to the steel at his throat.

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The higher ground was pretty light on enemies, nothing like the street below, but enough to keep things interesting. Raphael held up a hand, telling the one following behind him to stop. He had assumed the lead as they reached the rooftop, to which Donatello happily complied. Though Raphael had vied for the position of team leader, he grudgingly had to accept that the job would always belong to Leo. As consolation though, the others always looked to him as an unofficial second-in-command when Leo wasn't around.

Raphael peered carefully over the edge, looking for sign of his brothers below. After a moment he signaled for Donatello to join him. As they watched, two turtle-shaped shadows darted and weaved around the environment, making their way cautiously along the street.

Raph turned towards his Donatello. Using the signals Leo had taught them, he spoke to his brother. He pointed to Don, gesturing towards the street below, and then held two fingers up to his own eyes. Keep an eye on them. He then laid a palm on his chest, cocking his head back with a bloodthirsty smile. I'm gonna take care of business.

Don squinted at him, then held up the same sign Leo had used. Do not engage… He followed it by turning both palms upwards. What about that?

Raphael's face was utterly devoid of expression. He just stared at Don.

Don looked away, rolling his eyes. Oh, right. How could I forget. He crossed his arms and looked at Raph, exasperated. Following orders might kill you.

Raph smiled wide. Glad to see we're in agreement. He tapped his wrist, then held up an open palm, followed by two fingers. Back in five minutes.

Donatello nodded grudgingly, agreeing silently to Raphael's orders for the sake of the mission. He wasn't thrilled with sentry duty, but knew that arguing about it wasn't worth compromising the task at hand. Remember, he told himself, we're here to get Casey, that's all. Don't let your own hang-ups get in the way of that. He sighed (quietly), watching as the two brothers below slinked along the backside of a large building.

Somewhat bored, Donatello began to reflect on the conversation they'd all had days before. I appreciate that they think they need me so much, he thought, I do.But I can't let this go on. Maybe I should reconsider my… fighting style. It might make them take me a little more seriously in battle, anyways.

It was a question the passive turtle dealt with often. His brothers, they could do it. They each had their own reasons. Leo, it was easy for him to shut down when he felt his family threatened. Don figured that there probably wasn't anything Leo wouldn't do for them, really. For him, it was a necessary evil. Michelangelo probably had the least amount of remorse – not because of heartlessness of course, but because he just didn't offer enough thought to the matter. Mike didn't really focus on the dark stuff, and you had to admire him for that.

Raphael, well, he was of the same mindset as Leo, but – no. No, there was more to it than that, and they all knew it. It was true that Raph shared the 'big brother' sense to protect them all, but the ultimate direness of their situation was a constant weight on his shoulders. It's where a lot of the anger comes from, thought Donatello, he'd never show it, but I think he's scared of the danger we're always in. Raph literally had no remorse. To him, every dead Foot soldier was one less they needed to worry about.

So Donnie couldn't kill. So what. It doesn't make me weak, he thought. What he didn't know was that his brothers would not have disputed that fact. Though it had been his philosophy since he began fighting, he still felt ostracized; always felt as though he was not pulling his weight because of it. And now, even after Leo's 'you're too important to us' speech, Donatello couldn't help but feel that they still didn't believe that he was a real asset in battle.

And so, I stay here on lookout, where it's safe. Some ninja, he thought, some warrior. His internal clock said Raph had two more minutes, but he was feeling too antsy. Leo and Mike had disappeared into the building they'd been casing, and Don was feeling the adrenaline begin to surge. Well, y'know… maybe I should make sure Raph's alright.

Donatello started off in the direction he'd seen his brother go in.

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Leo had stepped in something sticky. As he kneeled, the familiar metallic smell filled his nostrils and his worst suspicions were confirmed. Blood. Damn. He squinted, trying to see if the blood trailed off in any direction and picked out another object in the darkness – Casey's cell. There it was, lying ominously in the crimson puddle, its owner nowhere to be seen.

The sight of the phone gave Leo a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. Again he thought, I don't like this, when he heard Mike's breath behind him. The sound was deafening in his ninja ears. He stood and turned angrily, already beginning to recite the speech he would give to the younger turtle later.

Leonardo froze. "Karai."

She said nothing, instead pressing the dagger in closer to Michelangelo's neck. Mike winced slightly at the pressure. Leo let his eyes flick away from her briefly, meeting those of his brother. "Release him."

Mike gave him another quick wink, showing he understood. Release him – it sounded like Leo was speaking to Karai, but it was actually code. Leo didn't want Mike to try and break free just yet. Good, Mikey, hang in there, he thought, I'll get you out of this.

Karai broke her silence. "I will not. You and your brothers must surrender to me."

"So it's finally come to this, has it? So much for your honor." Leonardo knew that their truce was shaky at best, yet he couldn't help but feel severe disappointment at seeing her here.

"It is not my choice. My master is most displeased with my performance, Leonardo. I must provide him with some results… or face exile."

"So he would cast you out, for not delivering his enemies to him? Some 'father'."

She was defiant. "By allowing your family to slip under the radar, I have brought great shame to my own. My master does what he must do."

"So that's it then? You'll kill us to fulfill the Shredder's ambitions? I had thought better of you."

They were enemies. This was the truth of it, though their relationship was not that simple. There was no hatred between them, no burning desire for one to eliminate the other. They were enemies in name only; two soldiers fighting on opposite sides. Though his brothers would never have given her a second thought (he'd actually stopped Raphael from killing her once in the past), Leonardo could not help but feel empathy for her situation. He saw the struggle in her, knew that she stood ever at the crossroads between her honor and her duty to Oroku Saki, the man she called Master. The man she called Father.

He looked at her long, now. Are we not both bound by duty to our fathers? She'd said to him once. It was true in a sense. He knew that she felt the same burden, the weight of responsibility and love for her master. They were both commanders of the opposing army, tethered to this seemingly unwinnable war. But the difference, thought Leo, is that my heart is in my cause, whereas yours is conflicted.

Maybe that was why he, aside from his brothers, was able to pity her. At first the others had given him a hard time about it, making lewd jokes mostly, but Leo never reacted. Oddly enough, the teasing never seemed to get under his skin. He'd just get quiet and withdrawn. It was awkward enough that the jokes stopped soon after they began. Don had long suspected that Leo and Karai even met in secret, but when he spoke of it, Raphael brushed that theory off as ridiculous. And though Raph refused to believe that Leo would consort with the enemy, deep down he did have his own misgivings. Could it be true that the oldest of them actually had feelings towards this woman? If he did, it was something that only Leo knew.

"It does not have to be so, Leonardo. If only my father were never to see or hear of you again, if you were to disappear from the city -"

He cut her off. "You know we will never do that."

Her face looked pained. "I beg of you to reconsider. It does not have to be this way."

"When will you understand? Your 'father' is a tyrant, Karai. Without us, he will bring so much more suffering to the people in this city. You are blind to his ways." Leo said sharply, "Your love for him has made you weak."

She scowled. "That may be so, mutant, but are you not just as weak?" His words had stung her, and she attempted to return the favor. "Let us see what you do when one of your family is threatened." She threw an elbow into the side of Michelangelo's head, sending him reeling to the floor. Before either turtle could react, she threw the dagger, the whole of it burying itself into the soft tissue of Mike's thigh.

"AAHH!" Mike yelled out, clutching his leg.

Leonardo wasted no time. He threw the weight of his body into Karai, knocking her back and away from his brother. "Leave him alone!"

She fell, but rolled at the last second, managing to recover quickly. Leo, on the other hand, came crashing down hard, leaving himself entirely defenseless. She laughed. "You see? You too, would make great sacrifice for your loved ones." Somehow, she'd managed to pull her sword in the confusion. It was now positioned neatly under Leonardo's chin, pinning him to the ground.

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