Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT or make any money from it. This just for fun!
"Tainted Blood": Chapter 1
The four terrapin beings sat quietly; perched outside the perimeter that was Agent Bishop's observatory. The logo E.P.F. (earth protection force) was a dead give-away of who had sent their unexpected guests. Everything around the facility was quiet.
Apprehensively, the eldest turtle adorned in a blue bandanna motioned for his siblings to follow. They silently slinked their way across the grounds. Leonardo led them up to the nearest building; his eyes continually scanning the area. He wasn't sure about this idea.
"Think there's anymore of those Stockman clones in there? I've seen enough smug, ugly faces to last me a life time." The youngest, orange-clad one smirked. "I mean we already have Raph."
"Can it Mikey."
The bigger turtle made his way through a window, holding it open for his brothers. It slipped as Michelangelo was halfway through. Irritation crossing his features, Mikey forced it back open to stand beside his brothers.
The interior was cold. Cement lined both the floor and the long hallways. An eerie sensation filtered throughout the space in front of them.
"I don't like this."
"Quiet." Leo whispered, his senses going sharply alert. "There. Down the hall. I heard something."
"Don't you always?" The youngest groaned. "Can't for once we be running away from the obvious trap?"
"Where's the fun in that." Raphael grinned. Lazily twirling his sais, he caught them between the tongs before bounding down the hall
Mikey chewed his bottom lip. Any comic or movie would tell you not to go down the endless, dark hallway. Catching up to the red banded turtle, he skidded to a halt, taking in the small, cramped space they arrived in. Thee entire room was stock full of test tube-like pods; each one containing a clone of disturbing likeness to Agent Bishop himself. A constant humming noise registered from the machines maintaining them.
"Think the guy's ego is big enough?" Mike said, flinching as his voice echoed off the concrete walls.
"Mikey keep quiet. You want to get us—"
"Intruder alert! All personal please report to cargo area A-3. Security perimeter has been breeched. Repeat. All personal please report to cargo area A-3. This is an intruder alert." The female mechanical voice continued to drone on the recorded message.
"Investigation's over. It's time to go." Leo bluntly stated.
"But Leo, we didn't get a chance to—"
"Fieldtrip's over Don!" Raph yelled, grabbing his stubborn sibling by the arm.
A hissing noise met their ears. Movement from inside one of the pods stopped the turtle in his tracks as the liquid within began to drain. Several others of the glass prisons came alive with sound; the figures stretching and clawing to be released.
"Please gentlemen. I suggest you stay."
The familiar voice caused them to unsheathe their weapons. Standing shell to shell with each other, they glared at their upcoming adversaries. The glass stasis pods slid open. The first clone took a step onto the cement flooring, the remaining fluid dripping off in droplets. It wasn't long before they found themselves surrounded.
"Show yourself Bishop! Where are you?"
A dark chuckled came over the intercom.
"Needless to say, where you're not. Although I'd love to chatter, I have more important things that need my attention. I'll leave you to bond with your new playmates."
Without hesitation, the closest slime covered being lashed out at the group. The imposters were just as swift, if not more so than the original.
"You know, dealing with one was bad enough." Donatello cried, side stepping to avoid being hit.
His brothers couldn't have agreed more. Original Bishop could hold his ground against all four of them; now they had many to contend with. No matter how many blows or times they were down, these new Bishops would just keep coming back. What's more was that several others were immerging from their pods. Glass pieces shattered as one was growing impatient to get out.
Shards flying everywhere, a large tear ruptured the interior of the pod. Small squirts of metallic silver collected on the floor. Paying it no mind, the rowdy battle continued oblivious; sounds of hard smacks from skin on skin resounding off the bare walls. Like a magnet being pulled by the opposite attraction, it spread to the closest organic host.
Facing his current adversary, Mikey blocked an in-coming blow at his left. He caught it off guard with a right hook, and intended to finish it over with a roundhouse kick. He did a double take, noting that it was glued to the floor. The clone momentarily ceased his actions. It backed away almost fearfully, witnessing the silver liquid start to envelope the mutant turtle. For a brief moment the two locked eye contact. A smirk came to the clone's lips, quickly breaking the trance, and leaving the turtle dumbstruck to pull at his appendage.
Mikey cringed, feeling the cool liquid slide up his foot. He gave another forceful tug, but to no avail as the odd stuff remained pooled around his limb. He felt panic begin to rise. Already it was climbing towards his fingers, his poor leg felt tingly and numb.
"Uh, guys?" Grasping it once more he gave a yank. It didn't budge, instead remaining still; the silvery mixture creeping its way up to coat over his green fingertips.
"Guys?!"
"What is it Mike? Ya—" The red clad ninja crossed the room within just a few strides before reaching his brother. He grabbed around his shell, pulling at the youngest, while simultaneously trying to defend him from the clones. It wasn't long before the other two adolescent turtles were at their sides.
"Donnie, what is that stuff?!", near panic seeping through Leo's tone. Joining Raph, he worked to block the harsh hits. The clones of John Bishop grew reckless. Not only was the space small, but there was no exit of the concrete prison. It was now full of bodies, machinery, glass, and chemicals.
Donatello looked to his brother, then to the cement floor. Brown eyes tracing the offending liquid, he located it leaking from one of the shattered pods. It trickled down over the electrical components exposed from the fight. His breath caught seeing a small flame ignite.
"I don't know. But whatever it's composed of, it's flammable! We need to get out of here now!!"
"No shell!" Raph snapped, feeling the watery substance seep between his toes. "Nothin like the good old fashion turtle luck runnin true ta form."
"Speak for yourself Raph." Mikey whimpered. He was already waist deep and in full panic. What's more is the minor detail that he couldn't move and Raph's arms were being enveloped.
"H-hey, this stuff's getting hot. Ahh—it's burning!" he cried.
"Just hang on Mike." The red one said through clenched teeth.
Mikey continued to struggle, feeling the blaring pain begin to reach his chest. He squeezed his eye lids shut. Seeing tiny specs of color until he sensed his head begin to nod. Feeling strangely drowsy, he attempted to pry his eyes open…but couldn't.
"…the pain's gone…" he mumbled.
AN: No, I'm not dead per say just very busy between college and family issues (not to mention that everything on my hardrive had become toast. I have to buy a whole new one). Something about this chapter didn't sit right with me. I kept scratching my head at, thus ending in me rewriting it over three times. So…I hope it's okay. But anyway, I hope everyone enjoys. The next chapter is what I can't wait to write. Until then ;)