Disclaimer: You all know the drill, I do not own TMNT or their characters. All credit is given to the creators of the franchise. This story is for entertainment purposes only.
Thanks again to all who have reviewed and read my story. Thanks for being patient, loyal, and extremely supportive, I appreciate it. Thanks again to all my readers for taking the time to listen to my story, it means more than you all know. I hope you've enjoyed the story so far, and I hope to continue to entertain and satisfy you guys. Thanks so much for all you do!
Without further delay...it's story time!
Chapter 8: Out of Options
Splinter remains in his meditative state knowing it is the only way to search for his missing sons. He had made telepathic contact with his second eldest only twice, though his son was unaware of his presence and he wasn't able to uncover his son's location. But at least Splinter discovered that Raphael was still alive. Though he becomes increasingly worried about Leo, his eldest, he hasn't been able to reach him once yet.
"Sensei!" Donnie screams. Splinter immediately halts his meditation and rushes to his son's side.
"What is it Donatello?" he asks frantically. His eyes meet a pair a baby blue ones as he enters the infirmary.
"Michelangelo! My son!" Splinter rushes towards Michelangelo's bedside.
"Uuugghh...my leg is sore." Mikey complains.
"Donatello, please bring me Michelangelo's pain medication," Splinter grabs Mikey's hand.
"How are you feeling?" Splinter questions, examining his injuries.
"Okay...how's Donnie doing?" Michelangelo gestures towards his brother.
"He's still sore, but he's recovering quickly." Splinter replies. He gently unwraps the bandages and reapplies gauze once more, as his son's body is still fighting off infection.
"Where's Raph and Leo?" Mikey finally asks amidst the silence. Leo had taken quite the fall from that rooftop and Raph must have bested Shredder and somehow got them out, still even he couldn't be unscathed right?
Splinter remains silent and drops his head to the ground. He still didn't know how he was going to tell Michelangelo that his brothers might be dead.
The silence is all Mikey needed to confirm his fears: Splinter didn't know. His eyes widen and he wipes away the newly forming tears.
"We'll find them, right sensei?" Mikey sniffs, his hopeful eyes meet his father's.
"Yes, my son. We will find your brothers." Splinter replies being careful that his own voice doesn't waver at his own unease.
Splinter embraces his youngest before approaching Donatello.
"Donatello.." he whispers softly, lowering his voice to make sure Michelangelo can't hear them. "...can you watch over Michelangelo for me?" Splinter's gaze locks onto Donnie's.
"Where are you going?" he responds faintly.
"I need to find your brothers." Splinter replies decisively.
"Sensei, you can't go alone. Let me come with you." the turtle offers, his brown eyes gleaming.
"No. You and your brother still need to need to watch over your younger brother." Splinter explains.
Donnie opens his mouth in protest but Splinter cuts him off, " Donatello, you are needed here. You need to oversee Michelangelo's recovery and be ready for the return of your brothers should they need your aid. Don't worry I will find Leonardo and Raphael. I can't risk losing either of you, and I couldn't ask for more capable hands to entrust with your brothers lives."
Donnie glances to the floor, both appreciative and devastated at his father's words. He knows Mikey can't come along, and he needs to watch over his baby brother. He also knows that Leo and Raph need to be found before it's too late. He just can't bear the thought of losing his elder brothers and his sensei all at once.
"Aye sensei." he reluctantly agrees before wrapping his arms around his father.
Splinter returns the hug before leaving the lair to scour the city for his lost sons.
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His fur is engulfed by blackness. He leaps from rooftop to rooftop, swiftly making his way back to the building cluttered with foot bots. His mind races the entire journey. Will I be able to find Leonardo and Raphael? Will they still be alive if I do? He pushes the last thought aside and continues towards the rooftop. They have to be alive, he would have felt otherwise. Silver metal glistening from the moonlight catch his eyes. There it is. The abandoned building sat just as he remembered from the previous visit. He leaps a few rooftops over from where he found his sons and begins his investigation. The robots have all been destroyed just as Donatello had said. He then glances around the roof. A brick structure is nearby, it appears to be the stairway to the rest of the building. Though it is damaged. Wait, Donatello said his body slammed into something. Judging by the damage to the structure and the injuries he sustained, this was it. Splinter runs his hand over the cold, rough bricks. His eyes catch towards the center of the broken bricks. Dried blood stains. He drops his head, remembering his sons' injuries when he first found them. He forces himself out of the somber memories. He can't lose focus, the distraction will only cost him valuable time, time that might cost his sons their lives. He renews his search, finding blood on the ground at the edge of the rooftop. He then turned his attention to the alley below. He noiselessly drops into the alley to investigate. Glancing around, he finds a dented garbage bin and one of Leo's katanas resting on the ground next to it. He grabs Leo's katana and heaves a short sigh before returning to the roof. He then locates more blood towards the center of the roof, before finding a fragment of red material in the puddle. No. He didn't want to believe it. This can't be happening. Splinter desperately held on to the slightest belief that his sons may have been safe, but he can't, not now. As he continues his search, a blur of movement catches his attention. Definitely moving too fast to be human. The distinct clang of the newcomers footsteps resonate in his sensitive ears. He quickly whirls around and hurls his sons katana into the figure. He retrieves the weapon as he shoves the metallic corpse aside. A scout bot? But why would single footbot return here? A silvery gleam catches his eye once again. The footbot appears to be holding something. Retrieving the small device, Splinter noted it was a keydrive device. He grabs it before searching the rest of the area. He glances at the object before curling his hands firmly around it. If anything, this might give him a sign to what happened, or maybe to what the foot have been up to.
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He returns to the lair. Michelangelo is asleep and Donatello fell asleep at his bedside, grasping his brother's hand like it might disappear if he awoke. Using, the shadows to his advantage, he stealthily slips into Donnie's lab and opens his son's laptop undetected. He plugs the miniature device in, pleased at his observations of Donnie working on his laptop during missions. Shredder appears on the screen. "Hamato Yoshi, I have taken your sons. I know they won't betray you, but will you betray them?" Shredder laughs menacingly before the screen shifts. Leonardo struggles in his restraints and Splinter watches helplessly as Shredder approaches his eldest son. Without warning, Shredder jabs the blade into Leo's leg and twists it. Leo whimpers.
"Where is Hamato Yoshi!" Shredder demanded.
Silence.
The blade enters his side.
Silence.
The blade pierces his shoulder, reopening a previous injury. Leo's expression is now stricken with pain. A red pool forms on the floor. Despite his best efforts, Leo is now screaming. He continues screaming as the blade repeatedly pierces his bruised and broken body. Shredder then places the red stained blade to the side. He pulls out a remote. He pushes the button, electrified restraints send electricity flowing through Leo's entire body. The agonized screams slowly deteriorate until no air is left in his lungs. His son goes limp. Splinter can barely hold back his tortured screams of witnessing his son in pain. The screen then shifts again. This time Raphael appears. No. Splinter watches horrified as Shredder takes the blade and thrusts it into his son's arm. .
"Where is Hamato Yoshi!" Shredder urged.
Raph growls menacingly. Shredder's blade slides across his throat.
Splinter's eyes widen, his mind silently screams as he watches helplessly as the the cruel torment of his own son transpires before him.
The screen then shifts one last time.
Shredder appears again. "Your actions have led to the demise of Tang Shen, and now they will lead to the demise of your sons. Reveal yourself, or your sons will suffer the consequences of your decision." The video fades out.
Splinter's body becomes weak. The images of his sons continue to haunt his mind. It's been too long since their absence. He knows they've endured untold torture at the hands of his nemesis Saki. His logical thought offers the possibility that they might not have lasted this long anyway, but he stubbornly pushes the idea back deep in his mind. They have to be...if not I'll retrieve their bodies but not before I avenge each of them and end that miscreant once and for all! he affirms. He can't ask his younger sons to fight. He can't go in alone. He can't let his sons die. I must go. he concludes. Without Donatello and without Michelangelo. I can't risk their lives they have lost too much already. Before leaving the lair, Splinter glances at his youngest sons, offering a silent farewell. He grabs a katana from the dojo before returning to the city surface.
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Well, there may be hope yet...or not :) . Will Splinter's worst fears be confirmed? Can he liberate his sons from Saki's clutches? Will I ever stop leaving you on cliffhangers (probably not)? Guess you'll have to find those answers out in the next chapter. As always, thanks for reading, hope you all have enjoyed. Feel free to review and take care. See you guys next time!
