Vicissitude - Volume One, Chapter Four

Don's jaw set tightly as he glared out at the man standing before them. One hand rested gently on April's head, feeling her hair beneath his fingers. In contrast, the other hand curled and uncurled subconsciously; for once, missing his bo.

Bishop seemed to merely watch them for a moment before grinning. "It really has been too long, Donatello." He said cordially, as if they were friends who'd lost touch with each other.

He observed the turtle for a few more minutes. "Such aggression." He finally spoke. "And I thought you were the quiet one."

"What do you want?" Don spoke evenly, never breaking eye contact.

Bishop laughed. "Ah, right to the chase, eh?" He stopped laughing abruptly, and his eyes hardened. "I knew we'd get to this; the negotiations." He clasped his hands together. "It's no secret," He began. "That I am, shall we say, interested in studying your… unique genetic makeup." He threw a wry, half-grin Don's way. "You understand, you're a scientific mind…"

Don grimaced at that, and Bishop continued. "Honestly, I see the cliché in telling you our plans, but I need to make sure you understand. I do, after all, need your cooperation…"


Leo watched his brother pace the length of the roof for what seemed like the hundredth time.

"Raph…"

"It was the wrong fucking place." Raph ground out, and anguished tone overlying his yell. "I was so sure…"

"But we got a lead, Raph." Mike started, and Raph growled.

Leo felt his annoyance grow. He knew he shouldn't say anything, but felt the words being pushed out by his annoyance.

"And you wonder why I wanted to prepare." He heard himself say, the blood pumping in his ears. Raph whipped his head around to look at him, and he heard Mikey groan.

"If they'd been in there, and we'd waited…" Raph ground out.

"But they weren't." Leo interrupted, feeling a sick grin come over his face.

"You smug son of a bitch…!"

"Not to mention," Leo went on. "All the time we just wasted here!"

"You know what? Fuck you, Leo!" Raph exploded, his voice booming, causing birds three roofs over to fly away. "You act like you've never made one goddamn mistake!" He brought his fist down on the ledge, putting a crack in the concrete and no doubt hurting himself.

Leo crossed his arms as Raph took a few steps toward him. Mike jumped up, and put a hand on Raph's shoulder, which was violently shrugged off.

"Will you shut up, you asshole hothead?" Leo hissed. "You are going to get us caught like them!" Raph hesitated, and Leo went on. "And now that we've wasted this much time… I'm sure you won't disagree with me taking a few minutes to figure something out!"


"Why would we ever agree to help you?" Don asked, looking down at April, who was watching Bishop with careful eyes.

"Well it's that," Bishop replied calmly. "Or I kill you."

Don blinked at the first outward threat they'd received from the man since he'd begun talking.

"What do you want?" April spoke up finally, her voice shaky.

"What I want," Bishop began. "Is to study you. But then, it occurred to me that I only had an adult specimen." He paused, as if for effect. "Which is where you come into play." He grinned maliciously, walking around the room in front of them. "I need to get as close a representation as I can to monitor just how your… kind grows and matures."

An awful realization hit Don, and he narrowed his eyes. "You sick bastard…"

Unfazed, Bishop continued. "In the duration of your stay, we have been conducting some informative tests on you, in order to make this all a reality. Unfortunately, there was one setback." He looked at Don. "It seems the mutation you were subjected to, or merely nature itself, has rendered you sterile."

Don physically started at that, and his heart began to pound. The rushing in his ears slowly subsided, and he again began to hear Bishop's words.

"… will be forced to provide my own specimen, to fill in the gaps left in the DNA…"

April was watching him carefully, her mind soaking up each word as it was said. Bishop looked to her and smiled, and she felt her stomach flip nervously. He truly meant what he said.

"So, you will… impregnate me." She said finally, and both Bishop and Donatello looked at her.

"In the name of science, yes." Bishop grinned at her cordially. She sucked in a breath. "And then…"

"And what happens next," He interrupted. "Is of only my concern."


Leo gazed across the city as his brain whirled. They'd gotten little to no information from the young man they'd managed to 'question'. Despite their best attempts, they realized that he did, indeed, know nothing. Apparently, whatever was going on was 'top secret', and only the elite members of this group were entitled to know.

This worried Leo greatly.

It also brought them to only one other option, he mused, which also worried him.

His eyes drifted to the far corner of the roof. Just visible was the form of a man, leaning against the side of the building. His still-unconscious form was expertly bound: arms and legs made immobile; mouth gagged.

Leo crossed and uncrossed his arms worriedly. They were waiting for him to regain consciousness, but it was fast becoming intolerable to wait any longer. He'd been passed out ever since the fight earlier, and that had been precious hours ago now.

Leo looked at his brothers. Mike was idly tossing rocks against the wall, letting them bounce without paying attention. A few rolled dangerously close to where Raph sat, head in his arms, legs pulled up to his chest. He'd been there since his outburst earlier, and had Leo not known any better, he'd have thought the deep breaths were repressed sobs. He knew better enough, though, to realize that Raph was barely hanging onto any thread of patience he could grasp onto.

Leo closed his eyes, sighing. He rubbed his temples slowly. His head was pounding, and he had to think. He could still hear the small 'plinks' of the stones Mikey was throwing. And then, suddenly, a deep growl.

Raph shot up quickly, eyes blazing. "Goddammit, Mike!" He roared, beginning to advance toward his brother, who looked up quickly, eyes wide and fearful. "I should rip your fucking…"

"Raph!" Leo said sternly. Raph turned to him, and it took him an anger-filled moment to realize that Leo's gaze was not on him, but past him. He followed his line of sight, and saw what Leo, and now Mike, did.

The shadow in the corner had moved.

Raph was headed towards the man in a flash; so quickly that Leo barely had time to react to stop him. Raph leaped towards their captive, grabbing him, putting his face mere inches from the man's. "Talk." He sneered.

Leo cleared his throat from behind him. Raph sighed, then moved back a step, still holding his glare. "Tell me where my brother is." He ground out, reaching over to rip the covering off the man's mouth. When still, he said nothing, Raph turned to Leo, almost pleading with his eyes.

"Keep it cool, Raph." Leo said under his breath, more to himself than anyone else.

"You will never find them." The man grinned. Leo closed his eyes. Raph flew into a rage. "Obviously, that's not working." Mike spoke up for the first time. He bypassed his brothers and began talking quietly with their bound captive. As Leo and Raph watched, he never got a response. Just stared at.

Raph cleared his throat impatiently and looked to Leo, as they stood, watching Mike show more patience than they ever knew he possessed.

Finally, the man uttered one word. "Bishop."

Raph let out a yell, finally losing it. He grabbed the man and heaved him over the side of the building. Leo gasped and Mike jumped back. Neither expected this.

Raph held the ropes so the man was held upside down over the edge of the building, his chest rising and falling rapidly with the strain, sweat covering his body. "Now you either talk, you piece of shit, or I cut these ropes and let you die."

"Then you will never find them." Their captive said, facing the streets below them. With a growl, Raph cut a rope with his sai. "Try me. I am one crazy son of a bitch right now, you just try me."

When he still got no response, Raph cut another rope. His hold on the remaining bindings was strained, and his muscles bulged with the effort.

"One more," He panted. "And you're a pancake."

Silence hung over the night, and Raph moved to cut the final rope as Leo opened his mouth to stop him.

"They'll be part of an experiment." The man's voice, nervous, drifted up to them.

"What?" Leo exclaimed.

"It's all I know…" The man repeated over and over, sweat falling off his face and down to where he fianlly lost sight of it. It was a tall building. He took a deep breath, gasping. "It's all I know! Please!"

Mike placed a hand on Raph's shoulder. "Bring him up, Raph…" Raphael hesitated and Mike walked up to the ledge and grabbed the rope. "Bring him up." They pulled him up, and set him roughly on the ground. Leo came up to them, crossing his arms and staring down at the now shaking man. He leaned down to be eye to eye with him.

"Talk."


Bishop leaned down and unlocked to door. "We must move quickly." He said, as if explaining, and two of his men walked up to April, grabbing her arms and lifting her gently. He cupped April's chin in his hand, but she turned roughly away and he grimaced. "I know there were some… punishments that I did not order. We took care of those that committed them." He said, almost apologetically, and then walked away. Don looked at the group and realized that there were less people now, and the mood was different than when Bishop was not there. This made him realize just how dangerous he really was.

"This won't take long." Bishop threw back to them carelessly, motioning for his men to follow him. They did, taking April with them. "Donnie…" She cried out.

"It's ok, April." He strained against his chains. "It'll be ok…" The door shut, leaving him in the dark, alone.

He leaned back heavily, mumbling as he covered his face. "I'll make it ok…"


Author's Note –

Very quickly, I would like to apologize for the tardiness of my writing. As some of you know, I suffered a devastating loss computer-wise and family-wise. I had a computer crash, and lost everything. All my fics, all my writing… And, two months ago, I lost my cousin. Writing's been tough since then. But, finally, I think I'm coming back here. I hope you enjoyed. More is to come.