Many thanks to Reijiro, as always. All hail the Grammar Queen! LOL. She catches all my little flubs. Also has some great story suggestions.

And thanks to all who have been reading. M got three nominations in the fanfic award: Best Action/Adventure, Best Villian or Enemy, and Best AU Story. I am flattered and humbled.

As always, enjoy, read, and review.

I don't own the turtles so pardon me while I go and have a pity party. I'll be done by the time you're finished reading.


Wednesday, Michelangelo and Raphael were both grateful for Wednesdays. It was a day off to do what they wanted. It meant no early morning practice: that they could sleep in. After patrolling with Leonardo and talking with Michelangelo, or rather listening to Mike talk almost all night, Raphael could think of nothing better than staying in bed all morning to catch up on missed hours of slumber. Unfortunately, it didn't happen.

"Good Morning Sunshine!" a voice blurted out into the darkness that was the large turtle's room. "Lights!" the voice warned again and then a 'click' was heard as the switch was flipped to the 'on' position.

Raphael cringed as the brightness assaulted his eyes. "You're as bad as Jake, you know that don't you?" he grumbled and rolled over onto his stomach, clutching his pillow over his head.

"I'll take that as a compliment, thank-you very much," Donatello replied. "C'mon," he slapped his brother's foot as it peeked out from under the covers. "Get up; we've got work to do." He waited a moment and then tugged his brother's leg when he didn't get a response. Quickly the foot was pulled away to retreat under the covers. "Raaaaaaaph," he wined, purposely being annoying. "I'm gonna need your help to get this done. The sooner we start, the sooner we finish."

"Donnie," he grunted from under the pillow, peeking out momentarily to look at the clock. "It's only 8:00 AM, what could you possibly need this early in the morning?" Raphael made sure that his tone delivered his sense of annoyance. "I've only had a few hours sleep. Now… Go…. Away!"

It was quiet for a moment. At first Raphael thought his younger brother had gotten the hint and left, but he was wrong. He'd started to relax and drift back off to sleep when Donatello crept up to the head of the bed and yanked the pillow off of Raphael's head. Grinning wide, Donatello knelt down and faced his now sneering brother.

"This had better be important," the sleepy turtle growled, leaning on his elbows, fists clenched.

"Oh it is," he kept smiling. "Tell me Raph, how would you feel about having your own bathroom again?"

"I'm listening."

Several hours later, the two were seated in the back right corner of Raphael's room, next to a pile of bricks and cut pieces of piping, eating sandwiches. "So," Raphael asked in between bites. "How did you know this empty corridor was back here?"

"Well," Donatello began, holding his chin as he thought back. "When we first had to move out of our old lair, Master Splinter found this one. I looked up the city's old sewer plans when we started moving stuff in and found that this wall had been blocked off. At first I thought Master Splinter might want this room and I was planning to install the private bath for him." He shrugged his shoulders. "But, he wanted to stay downstairs."

"How come?" Raphael asked, swallowing another bite.

"I wasn't real sure at first, but after considering all the noise we make sometimes," he grinned sheepishly. "I think it's quieter for him being the only one downstairs."

"Makes sense," Raphael agreed, finishing his sandwich and working on his soda. "I ain't exactly a plumber," he pointed to the hole they had made. "So now that we've knocked the wall down and rigged up the piping, what's next?" He looked down the long corridor that ran the length of his room.

"Well," Donatello answered. "Since the bathroom is basically just a long hallway, I thought it would be best if we put the shower at the far end. The toilet can go on the other end opposite the shower and the sink we'll put right inside the doorway."

"What about lighting?"

"I've got that one covered. We can put up some fluorescent bulbs with a plastic casing so they're basically waterproof." Donatello grinned wide, very proud of what he had come up with.

"Where are we getting the toilet and sink from?" Raphael asked.

"Ummmm," the purple banded turtle hesitated. "We're going to have to go to the dump and pick them out." He eyed the look of disgust on his brother's face. "Really Raph, once you scrub them down with some bleach, they will be fine," he tried to reason with him.

"Nuh uh," Raphael shook his head. "There's no way I'm putting my rear end on a used toilet," he pointed a finger at his younger brother. "Why don't we just buy new stuff?"

"Raph," Donatello spoke in a matter of fact tone. "In case you haven't noticed, we live in the sewers. We aren't exactly part of the lifestyles of the rich and famous. We salvage what we can so we can save money for the stuff that we have no choice but to buy." Donatello finished and stood up to throw his soda can and paper plate away. "Besides, those things can get expensive, where would we get four or five hundred dollars from? It's not like it's just lying around."

"Well……………"

Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Splinter left the kitchen after eating their lunch. Leonardo looked up the stairs towards his brother's room. "They've been working all morning, are they going to take a break?"

Splinter walked over to living area and sat in his chair. "I would assume that Raphael would like to get this project done as soon as possible."

"Still," Michelangelo interjected. "It's pretty quiet. You have to wonder what they're doing up there." Agreeing, both Leonardo and Splinter turned their attention to Raphael's door just in time to hear Donatello scream.

"YOU HAVE FOUR MILLION DOLLARS?! WHERE DID YOU GET THAT KIND OF MONEY?!"

"Donnie," Raphael whispered loudly. "You don't have to scream." He held his hands out to try and quiet his brother, but it was too late. The rest of his family was at the door, staring.

Sitting at the kitchen table, all eyes were on Raphael. Groaning, he put his head down and covered it with his arms. Leonardo just stared at him, not sure if he should be angry at his brother for keeping such a secret or not. He also had to wonder where all the money had come from. Michelangelo and Donatello on the other hand, were busy exchanging ideas on the items that could be purchased with the new found wealth.

Splinter sat silently for a moment listening to the rambling pair. "Enough," he finally stopped them. "This is Raphael's money." Their faces fell in disappointment with that statement. "What is done with it is his choice, not ours."

"Raph?" Leonardo held his hands out. "I don't understand? Why didn't you tell us about this?"

Raphael didn't answer his brother's question. He just peeked up from his 'hiding' place and put his head back down. "I shoulda' just showed Donnie the cash and not the bank statement," he grumbled to himself.

"What cash, my son?" Splinter inquired.

Raphael turned his head and looked at his father. "The forty-eight grand I got locked away in my room." Getting a quirked eyebrow, in stunned silence, as a reply he started to regret sharing the information with everyone. Slowly and methodically, he began pounding his head onto the kitchen table.

"Stop Raphael," Splinter put his hand gently on the turtle's head to cease the movement. "That will only serve to give you a headache." Splinter turned towards his three other sons and spoke. "As I stated before, this is Raphael's money. You…" and he looked directly at Michelangelo and Donatello, "are not to ask him to start buying you things. Understood?" He folded his arms and waited for them to answer.

"Yes Master Splinter," they both reluctantly agreed.

"Raph?" Leonardo questioned. Raphael looked up across the table at him as he spoke. "Where did all this money come from?"

"Work," was all he said.

"Could you elaborate on that?" Leonardo pushed further.

"Look Leo," Raphael sat back and slouched in his chair as he tried to explain. "You don't want to know what I've done in my lifetime, okay. None of it was nice, but I got paid for it. End of story." He got up from the table, the chair dragging across the floor, and got a soda out of the refrigerator. Popping the top on it he leaned back and gulped it down.

"I'm just curious Raph," Michelangelo started in, "but what have you been doing with the money?"

"Nothing really," he shrugged his shoulders from his position at the counter. "It's been sitting in the account just collecting interest." He took another swig. "The cash I've mainly been giving to April." He pointed a finger at his brothers. "She doesn't know so DON'T tell her."

Curious, Splinter asked, "Why does she not know?"

"Well," he paused and scratched at the back of his neck. "She's always bringing food down, and I know she's done other stuff for you guys, so when I tried to give her some cash for the groceries she wouldn't take it." He sighed, aggravated with the red head. "When I go over there to do laundry, I usually try to leave some lying in the couch cushions, or even stick it in her purse, so she thinks its money she's left lying around and not me trying to pay her back." He took one last swallow and crushed the can before throwing it in the recycle bag. "You guys promise not to say anything to April?" He gave them a pleading look.

In agreement, everyone nodded yes.

"Hey Guys!" they heard a voice from the other room. "Mail call!"

"We're in the kitchen!" Donatello called out.

April and Casey walked in to see Raphael standing by the refrigerator, Splinter at the table with Donatello, Leonardo and Michelangelo seated around him. "Did we interrupt somethin' guys?" Casey asked, concerned with the strange looks on their faces.

"Nah," Michelangelo cheerfully answered. "Raph's just trying to decide if he wants to decorate his new bathroom in dusky rose or hot pink," he said, wriggling his eyeridges in a devious fashion.

Raphael jumped forward as if he was going to tackle his youngest brother. Michelangelo let out his usual girly scream and hid behind Leonardo. "Eeeeeep!" He gripped Leonardo's arms for protection.

Irritated at being used as a shield Leonardo pushed his brother's hands away and stood up to help Casey with the two large boxes he'd carried in. "What's this?" he asked taking the one off the top.

"Your usual mail delivery from Jake and Caitlin," Casey answered. "I think they're in Paris right now," he shrugged. "They sent us some painting of some cow field or pasture or whatever."

"Don't mind him," April interrupted. "He just doesn't know fine art." She had a smaller box in her hands and passed it off to Splinter. "This one is yours Master Splinter. It was shipped with our stuff," she explained.

"Thank you," he nodded and used his claw to separate the tape on the box lid. Very proudly, he pulled out a set of wind chimes made of pieces of colored glass. "They are beautiful."

Immediately Michelangelo went to work opening up the two remaining boxes on the table. Tossing out the smaller boxes inside to their appropriate owners, he tore into his. "Sweet!" he exclaimed pulling out a small easel, along with paints and brushes. In the bottom of the box were four small canvases and a book on French impressionist painters. "I've been needing some new paints." He looked around to see his three brothers opening up theirs. "What did ya' get Leo?"

"A book on French military history," he answered already looking through the pages. "It's got sections on military tactics and strategies," he explained.

"Boooooooooooooring," Michelangelo responded. "What about you Donnie?" he hoped for something more interesting.

"It's one of those sets where you build your own Eiffel tower. This could be pretty cool to try," he happily answered. "It's even got a small power supply with tiny lights to install."

"Neat," Michelangelo answered turning his attention to Raphael. "What about you."

Raphael shrugged his shoulders, "a letter." He passed it off to his youngest brother. "You can read it if you want."

The youngest of the turtles snatched the letter from his brother's hand and held it up to read it. Confused he started sounding out the first few words.

« Share Raphael, Paris est beeee-au. Less loooomee-ares dee la ville la noot ne poo-vent pass être correctement déeee-crites ? » he stumbled over the sentence, trying to sound it out. "What gives?" He passed the letter back to his brother. "How are you supposed to read this?"

Raphael sighed and shook his head, taking the letter back. "It's French zip-head. You say it like this: Cher Raphael, Paris est beau. Les lumières de la ville la nuit ne peuvent pas être correctement décrites. Basically she's saying the lights are real pretty at night." He went back to reading his letter, his family watching and waiting. "They'll be back in a month and a half," he continued reading. "Japan is the last stop and then they'll fly back from there." He paused to finish reading, "Aw Man!" he grumbled and threw the letter back on the counter and started digging through the box.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Leonardo asked with urgency. He looked expectantly at his brother, "Are they okay?"

"Yeah they're fine," Raphael grumbled, pulling out a book. "You guys get souvenirs and what do I get?" he held out the hardbound manuscript. "I get homework."

Michelangelo and Donatello erupted into laughter, both holding their sides as they found their brother's predicament funny.

"What does she want you to do?" April asked in between giggles. Casey was sitting in the chair in front of her, not even trying to hold his amusement in.

"Not much really," he glared at the three laughing hyenas at the table. "I just gotta translate the pages, every couple of chapters in a different language." He started flipping though, looking at the words on the pages. "At least it's a good story."

"What is it?" Leonardo asked, Splinter was now trying his best to silence his two youngest.

"A Tale of Two Cities," he explained. "Not a bad book really. There's some espionage, war, beheadings, and stuff. It's a good read. Besides," he pulled some smaller items out of his box. Grinning evilly, he dangled them in front of his two younger brothers. "Guess which box had the really good stuff?"

Michelangelo and Donatello's eyes went wide staring at the chocolate and candy Raphael was holding up in their eyesight. He held it closer, moving it slowly in their field of vision, teasing them. The two pairs of eyes followed the candy hypnotically as it swayed side to side, mouths opened and drooling.

"Want some?" Raphael asked sweetly.

Both turtles nodded yes and waited.

"Tough," he answered, tossing a chocolate bar to Leo. "You shouldn't have laughed at me." He opened one and started to eat it, as did Leo. "Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm," he exaggerated.

Michelangelo couldn't take it, and neither could Donatello. Both of them gave the most pitiful look they possibly could. Donatello let his eyes get large and pleading as he stared directly at Raphael. Michelangelo went a step further, his bottom lip began to quiver as his eyes glossed over with tears. "We're sorry," he whimpered.

Raphael looked up at the ceiling, exasperated. "Oh for cripes sake," he muttered. "Here," and he took a couple of small chocolate bars out and tossed them to the two pitiful looking creatures still sitting at the table. Resigned to the fact of having to share, he passed the box over to April and Casey who both gratefully accepted one each. Splinter took a small bite sized one and gave a simple thank you. "I'm gonna go put this stuff away," he said leaving the kitchen. "Thanks for bringing it down," he told April and Casey as he left the room.

"So what is this stuff?" Leonardo asked savoring his last few bites as he followed Raph out of the kitchen. "It's good."

Looking at the wrapper Raphael answered, reading the French words off to his brother. "Hachez dark chocolate with strawberries. I've got some with oranges and some with peanuts," he continued digging through the box as they walked up the stairs. "We've even got some cappuccino bars and truffles. Ooo, sweeet," he exclaimed at his discovery. "She remembered," he held out a box with foreign writing. "Chocolate covered shortbread bars."

"Thanks for the goods," Leo said licking the remaining chocolate off his fingers. "I don't think I've tasted anything like that before. It definitely has a richer flavor," he followed Raphael into his room.

"Now go eat a Hershey's," he smiled. "This stuff makes a regular chocolate bar taste like crap," he started to put the bits of candy into the small refrigerator he kept in his room. He pulled out a soda can and passed it to his brother and took one out for himself.

Leonardo washed his candy down with the soda and put the container in the garbage. "So Raph," he began, "What exactly did you used to do?"


Five men sat in a small meeting room at a long oval table. On one side was an older gentleman with silver grey hair. His ice blue eyes showed how evil he truly was. He was a dignified looking gentleman who spoke very well and politely. His pale skin and drawn out lips curled into a smile as he looked at the two men who were sitting, somewhat nervously in front of him. The Overseer liked it when people were frightened of him.

David Black, the driver, was standing behind and to the right of the man they called Overseer. He was a tall man. He stood at 6' 2" and had wavy brown hair, tan skin, and green eyes. Mr. Black, as he was referred to, had been in the employment of Overseer for many years. He, along with Robert Hawkins, had done numerous things for this man. The career these two men had chosen was one fueled by a love of money. They also took pleasure in seeing others in pain, especially if they had caused it.

Robert Hawkins was the one who had pretended to be the prison guard. He had red hair and was fair skinned, also with green eyes. He was only an inch taller than Mr. Black and was also very muscular. Both men were with the Special Forces until they were given a dishonorable discharge. While on a mission in Cambodia, Hawkins had shot and killed a young woman in a local village after she refused to sleep with him. Before they killed her, Black and Hawkins had taken turns holding her down while they had done what they wanted with her.

Travis Grohl stared nervously at the two men as they stood behind the older gentleman. Travis was fairly young and inexperienced compared to everyone else in the room. His sole reason for being there was his knowledge and expertise in the computer and electronics field. Overseer needed someone to set up a whole new system and break into government files. Travis was the youngest in the group. He was only 23, but by the age of twenty had been placed on the FBI's most wanted list for computer crimes. At the time of his capture, he was electronically stealing funds from big businesses and transferring the money over to animal rights groups. His own little way of trying to save the planet. He nervously adjusted his glasses, brushed his shaggy blonde hair out of the way and continued staring at the three men in front of him.

Compared to the others, Miguel Fuentes was not a tall man; he stood at only six foot and had curly black hair. He was a 43 year old convicted bank robber and was also noted as being an expert marksman. He had spent some time in the Mexican army as a sniper, but had found the pay in the private world to be much better. "Well," he spoke up. "What's the deal here?" he asked bluntly. He was not one for beating around the bush. He liked to get down to business and take care of things as soon as possible.

"Very well, Mr. Fuentes," Overseer smiled. He held his left hand up and Mr. Hawkins quickly filled it with two file folders. Overseer placed the two folders on the table and slid them over to the two men sitting opposite him. "Open them," he instructed.

Grohl and Fuentes did as they were told. Inside were pictures of a large green mutant and his 'keepers' as Overseer referred to them. "I want you, Mr. Grohl to locate these two people. I have reason to believe that they are currently out of the country. Find them," he turned to Fuentes. "Mr. Fuentes," he smiled. "You and Hawkins will place surveillance equipment around an establishment here in the city. The mutant and his keepers frequented that place and may still be in contact with its residents." Overseer slid his chair back and went to stand up. "When you find them, you will notify me immediately," he placed a wad of cash in front of Travis. "Inside your folder there is also list of electronic equipment you will have assembled within the week. Take the money and get what you need," he indicated to David Black. "Just to make sure you don't leave with my money, Mr. Black will help you with your errands." He turned to leave and stopped at the door. "I am counting on you gentlemen. I will make it worth your while should you succeed."