A/N: Hey guys, sorry again about the long delay this week. It has been really stressful and the only thing I could focus on was that test. But it is over with now, thank goodness, won't know the results until next week so now I get to stress over that. Isn't life fun? LOL. But this time I can focus on something more fun to get my mind off the stress, mainly this. So here is the next chapter and I'll aim to post the next chapter Sunday afternoon or Monday morning. I'm going out with my husband tomorrow as soon as I get off work since he works a later shift. We haven't been out on a date in a while so I'm looking forward to going out with him.

Thank you again for those who take the time to reviews, I really do love reading them and they are the reason I keep posting. They are my payday and makes me feel like the time and effort I put into these stories is very much appreciated, so thank you. I'll be back later this weekend.


Chapter 7

Leonardo turned to Paul. "How do we get this door open?"

Paul frowned, stepping forward and examining the enclosure door carefully. "It needs a key – but not a keycard and I don't think we'll have time to find one before the others get here."

Leonardo swore under his breath and turned back towards where he'd heard Donatello's voice. "Donny, how do we get the door open?"

"I have a lock pick in my bag – but Hun took it from me."

"I know where it is, he put it all in the next room," Paul offered. Before Leonardo could stop him he was gone.

Leonardo swore again.

"Leo, how did you find us?" Donatello asked.

Leonardo grinned. "Your GPS navigational bracelet really works, Donny. Helped me get here."

"Are Casey and April with you? Or Splinter?"

Leonardo shook his head. "No I'm alone."

"Leo, I heard some of the purple dragons talking about Raph. They said they… " Donatello trailed off, swallowing hard, not wanting to say the words aloud.

"I found him, Donny. He's hurt pretty bad." Leonardo felt the lock gingerly with his fingers. "You can look at him when I get you guys out of here. How's Mikey?"

"He might have a punctured or crushed lung, Leo. He took a really bad hit to the chest and was having a hard time breathing."

"Ah shell," Leonardo muttered.

"Leo, if we don't get him out of here, and if his lung is letting air fill his chest cavity it could crush his lungs and heart and he could go into cardiac arrest."

"I just don't see how I'm supposed to… " Leonardo trailed off as he heard quick footsteps approaching again. He turned, his katana drawn, taking a defensive position.

Donatello watched as the same brown haired purple dragon he'd seen come in with Leonardo return, carrying Donatello's bo staff, Michelangelo's nunchakus and Donatello's bag. Donatello's eye ridges rose.

"I heard 'em yellin' downstairs," Paul gasped as he slid the heavy brown bag off his shoulder. "They know that I'm in here. We gotta get 'em outta here fast."

Leonardo frowned, cocking his head to one side as if listening to something only he could hear. "We've gotta move fast they're ready to move. Paul, do you think you can pick the lock?"

Paul's jaw tightened a little as he looked bleakly at the two turtles in the corner of the enclosure. "I dunno, I've never done nothin' like dat before."

"Open the bag," Donatello instructed, not moving from where he sat with Michelangelo cradled on his lap. "You'll see a small black tool with some metal prongs on it, they kind of look like a paper clip."

Paul opened the bag and looked around inside the bag, pulling out the small object Donatello had described. He looked at the turtle completely puzzled. "What do I do now?"

"You wanna put those two pieces into the lock," Donatello instructed. Paul slid the two steady pieces of metal into the top and bottom part of the lock.

"Good now you want to twist just a little to the left," Donatello told him, watching as beads of sweat dotted the kid's face. "Right now you should feel the tumbler give and…"

There was a click and the door swung open. Paul released the small black box in surprise. Leonardo rushed inside the cage and crouched down next to his brothers.

"Donny?" He asked, his fingers reaching out for his brother, finally finding him and making their way up Donatello's arm so he could grasp his shoulder.

"I'll be ok, Leo. Let's get Mikey outta here," Donatello said feeling his eyes watering up again.

"Can you carry him?" Leonardo asked, his eyes narrowing marginally.

Donatello looked at his younger brother. His head was still pounding, and his stomach was still trying to rebel, but he knew he had no other choice. Leonardo couldn't carry him, he needed his hands to help him see, and to defend them as they made their way out. Swallowing hard Donatello took in a deep breath. He could do this, he could get Michelangelo out of here.

"I got him, Leo," Donatello said, putting more strength behind his voice than he knew he had. Gently he slid one hand under Michelangelo's neck and the other underneath his legs, lifting him up bridal style. He saw the young purple dragon's eyes widen in wonder. "Come on let's get outta here."

"Paul," Leonardo said making the young purple dragon's eyes turn back to him. "What's the quickest way out of here?"

"Da way we came in probably," Paul said glancing towards the door again nervously. "But you'll have ta move fast – they're on their way." With another quick glance at Donatello and Michelangelo Paul stepped forward and touched the back of Leonardo's hand. Leonardo flinched away with a hiss.

"Here," Paul said catching Leonardo's hand and pressing his keycard into it. "Take dis it'll open da doors fer ya. I won't be needin' it no more."

Leonardo's eyes widened again, but he accepted the keycard. He gave a swift formal bow to Paul. "Thank you, Paul for helping us."

"I really should be thankin' ya guys, I've been wantin' ta get outta dis gang fer a while now. Now I just might have da chance I need ta get outta here."

Leonardo's mouth twitched and he smiled a little. Paul picked up the last of the things he'd brought in, seeing the purple-banded turtle's hands were full he handed them to the blue-banded turtle as well.

"Here, I saw someone bringin' dis stuff in when Hun carried 'em in," Paul said quickly. "I'm guessin' they belong ta 'em." He nodded his head towards Donatello and Michelangelo.

"Thank you, Paul," Donatello said giving the kid a smile as well. "You better get outta here while you can."

Paul nodded and without another word he was out the door and running down the hall in the direction he and Leonardo had come a few minutes before.

"Come on, Donny – we've gotta get outta here." Leonardo said as he slipped Donatello's bo into his belt on his back and Michelangelo's nunchakus on the side. He slid the strap of Donatello's brown bag over his shoulder and then he hurried towards the door, pausing to listen, frowning at the loud voices and thundering footsteps as the gang of purple dragons made their way up the stairs. He heard Donatello join him. "Let's move," Leonardo ordered turning out of the room in the direction he'd heard Paul disappear. He kept his arm pressed against the wall, letting it guide him since his eye stick was still in the pouch on his back.

He counted his steps, remembering how many he'd had to count as he followed Paul down to the cell his brothers had been in. Finally he paused and fumbled around feeling for the slot the keycard had to go in.

"It's a little to your left, Leo," Donatello told him.

Leonardo moved his hand a little to the left and found what he was looking for. He slid the key through the card and tried the door handle. It didn't budge. He frowned and tried again. Still nothing happened.

"Try flipping the card," Donatello suggested.

Flipping the card to the other side Leonardo tried it again.

"That did it – the light is flashing green," Donatello said as Leonardo tried the handle again. It turned easily under his hand.

"There they are!" A shrill female voice shrieked.

"Move, Donny!" Leonardo barked standing aside to let his brother pass before him. Donatello didn't argue, with Michelangelo in his arms he had no way of defending himself, he'd need to depend on Leonardo to do that.

Donatello's arms burned with the weight he was carrying as he hurried up the black stairs, listening for the reassuring sounds that Leonardo was right behind him.

Leonardo waited until Donatello passed him then turned to hurry after him when he felt something grab the lip of his shell and lift him off his feet.

"Well if it isn't da blind freak," Hun was obviously delighted.

Leonardo growled and swung his leg around trying to catch Hun in the side with a sharp kick. He felt a beefy hand catch his ankle and then he was flying through the air, only to be stopped when his head crashed into a hard unforgiving wall.

He shook his head, feeling suddenly sick to his stomach. He could felt a warm stream of sticky blood running down his neck and gingerly touched the back of his head and felt a gash where he'd hit. He winced as his head throbbed and lowered his hand again, trying to push to his feet, but his legs were like Jell-O. He couldn't move. He heard Hun's heavy boots approaching him and lifted his head, his teeth clenched, his eyes narrowed, his body tensed, ready to spring.

"I don't know how ya got those other freaks loose – but I promise ya that it won't happen again. The only way yer gettin' out of here is in a body bag," Hun sneered his hot breath hit Leonardo's face and Leonardo flinched, not realizing just how close Hun had come.

Leonardo's jaw bunched tighter, he knew that Hun was no small feat when it came to fighting. It used to take him all he had and then some to beat him, and that was when he could see. His katanas had flown from his hands when he'd hit the wall and he couldn't feel Donatello's bo strapped to his shell either. He was at a serious disadvantage. Hun could see, he couldn't – Hun had a whole group of purple dragons to back him up. Leonardo was totally alone. Donatello had gone up to the roof with Michelangelo and didn't know that Leonardo was in trouble. But Leonardo wasn't going to give up without a fight.

Getting his legs under him Leonardo launched himself at Hun, catching the boulder sized man by surprise. It was like hitting another wall. Leonardo's breath was knocked out of him as he and Hun toppled to the ground.

Hun growled and let out a roar as he grabbed Leonardo's arm and got to his feet, squeezing Leonardo's wrist so tightly Leonardo was sure it would break under the pressure.

"I'm gonna teach you a lesson ya'll never forget, freak!" Hun spat angrily.

"'M afraid I'll have to miss it," Leonardo growled. He swung his leg around and caught Hun in the side. Hun dropped his hold on his wrist and Leonardo landed lightly on his feet.

The blow to his chest came so quick Leonardo hadn't expected it. He found himself on the ground again, he had the wind knocked out of him again but this time he couldn't seem to get it back. He heard approaching footsteps to his left and knew that the others were advancing now that he was down. He would never get back to his brothers now, there was no way he could take on the whole purple dragon gang on his own.

"Now yer gonna learn the meaning of… " Hun's words were cut off with a sharp smack of wood against flesh. Leonardo heard a heavy thump to his right and blinked his blank eyes.

"Leo!" Donatello's voice was panicked as he came running back down the stairs. He paused, seeing Paul standing over Hun, with Donatello's bo staff still in his hands. Hun was on the ground, his head turned away from Donatello but he wasn't getting up.

Paul turned to Leonardo, who was on his shell, blinking blankly around him as if trying to figure out what was going on. Donatello glanced at the small group of gang members on the opposite side of hall. They were staring at Paul in disbelief, a few of them even looked scared as they looked at Donatello and then at Leonardo.

"Leo!" Donatello hurried to his brother and grabbed his brother's hand, hauling him into a sitting position. "Are you ok?"

"'M fine, Donny," Leonardo grumbled. He shook his head to clear it and touched the back of his head again with a wince before rubbing at his sore chest.

Donatello looked at the purple dragons, who now seemed to be hesitating. A few of them were looking back the way they had come as if debating on whether or not to just make a break for it, a few of the others however were taking defensive positions and scowling at the three of them. Donatello swallowed. He saw Leonardo's katanas on the floor a couple feet away and hurried to pick them up. "Come on, we've gotta move."

Paul hesitated, looking at the other gang members before holding Donatello's bo out to him. "Here dis is yer's."

"Paul?" Leonardo asked his eye ridges rising in complete surprise.

"He was the one who took Hun out, Leo," Donatello explained. He shot Paul an appreciative smile before hauling Leonardo to his feet and handing him his katanas. "Come one we've gotta go. Paul you'd better come with us."

Before the kid could argue Donatello grabbed him by the arm and pushed him towards the door he'd just come out of. Paul didn't stop to argue but hurried up the stairs with Leonardo and Donatello following close behind.

"Where's Mikey, Don?" Leonardo asked as they hurried up the stairs.

"He's on the roof, I didn't see you come up so I had to make sure you were ok."

Leonardo felt a twinge of panic shoot through him. He had knocked out a purple dragon on the roof not too long ago. If he was still up there and he woke up before they could get to Mikey…

"Come on!" Leonardo urged, his panic spurring his movements.

Paul froze when they opened the door leading to the roof, making Leonardo and Donatello run into him. Donatello's eyes widened in horror.

A burly man was standing a few feet away, holding Michelangelo up by the lip of his shell, a knife at Michelangelo's throat.

"Take one more step," Steve growled glaring at the three of them. "And I'll cut his throat."

"Steve, don't do dis," Paul pleaded.

"Don't tell me what ta do ya trader. Ya threw yer chips in with da freaks."

Leonardo growled under his breath. From the corner of his eye Donatello saw Leonardo's hand twitch towards his belt.

"Steve, please," Paul begged.

"Shuddup, Paul!" Steve snapped his eyes flashing dangerously. Donatello inhaled when he saw the knife pressed more firmly against his brother's neck. "Yer just as bad as dem freaks. Yer all gonna learn not ta mess with da purple dragons. Yer gonna learn what it means ta cross us."

"I don't think so!" Leonardo snapped. He flung his hand forward and a glint of silver caught the light as it sailed right towards Steve.

On instinct Steve dropped Michelangelo and tried to dodge the shuriken but wasn't quick enough. He howled in pain as the shuriken sliced into the flesh below his collarbone, and blood began to spill onto his white shirt.

"Donny, get Mikey and let's get outta here," Leonardo growled he grabbed Paul's arm and retrieved his eye stick with his free hand. It vibrated as he reached the edge of the roof.

"Paul, we really appreciate what you've done for us," Leonardo said squeezing the kid's arm gently. "But you're gonna have to leave town. The purple dragons are going to be looking for you."

Paul swallowed and looked back at Steve who was glaring daggers at him but hadn't moved from his position, still clutching at the shuriken stuck in his skin.

"Leo's right, Paul. It's best if you get out of town before they come looking for you."

"I've been thinkin' 'bout doin' dat for a while anyway," Paul said shrugging his shoulders. He looked at them both for a long moment. "I can't thank ya guys enough fer helpin' me get outta dis mess I got myself into. I never woulda gotten outta it on my own."

Leonardo smiled. "You don't need to thank us, Paul."

Paul shook his head. "No, I've seen what's happened ta some of da others who've tried ta leave. They disappear and are never heard from again. I know that it's because of ya guys that I getta walk away from here alive."

"And if wasn't for you I never would've gotten my brother's out," Leonardo said quietly. "And you saved my life as well." He bowed again.

"I don't even… I mean… " Paul hesitated biting his lip.

"What is it, Paul?" Donatello asked.

"I don't even know yer names," Paul said looking between the two of them.

Leonardo turned his head in Donatello's direction and grinned.

"I'm Donatello," Donatello said and then gestured towards the still form of his brother in his arms. "And this Michelangelo."

"I'm Leonardo," Leonardo said quietly.

Paul grinned. "Thank ya guys, again. Fer everything."

Leonardo chuckled quietly. "Your welcome, Paul.

"Come on, Leo we gotta go," Donatello said hurrying over to the opposite side of the roof where he jumped and landed gracefully on the next roof despite his burden.

"Take care of yourself," Leonardo said with a grin. "There's a bus stop about four blocks from here. You can get on that and get out of town."

Paul nodded, grinned and turned to make his way down the fire escape. When he looked up again Leonardo was gone.