Oh yeah, this is going much faster. Whew! Next chapter!

Summary:Raph is sure he can't take Leo's almighty attitude any longer. He channels his rage through the Nightwatcher, a mask he puts on to beat down criminals of all kinds. However, when Raph (as the Nightwatcher) is captured by desperate criminals, he begins to realize how much he really needs a leader. He also might have found love in the process. RaphxOC, M/M SLASH! Don't like, don't read.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but my OC characters.. Heh heh ;)

Flame made no haste in suiting up, though his hands shook as he pulled an overtly expensive tuxedo over his even darker underclothing, intended for more...covert...operations. He didn't feel right about leaving Raphael alone, but he had no choice.

His plan would be enacted tonight, and he had to be there to play his part, or else everything would fall apart. All the manageable time slots were synchronized to perfection, all preparations were made. This museum had to be taken tonight.

Uneasily, Flame's mind rushed back to his hushed conversation with Nathan in the hallway. He hadn't expected his close friend to suddenly take such offense to Raph's presence, and he certainly hadn't expected Nathan to argue against his direct orders.

I'm in charge here, he'd had to remind Nathan in a whisper as he shoved him against the coarse wood of his bedroom door. Don't you forget it.

Flame shook his anxiety off, banished it to the back of his mind. All of his warriors had always proved to be brutally loyal to their leader. He had no reason to begin to doubt them now. Still, the conversation had struck a chord, one that didn't ring quite right with him.

He was jolted from his thoughts by Demetri, who pushed open the door to his study with an audible click. "Sir? May I enter?" his elder asked, even as Flame was already waving him inside.

"I presume all is in order?" Flame said a little more harshly than he intended. He still bore an amount of anger toward the old man, if simply for his unnecessary treatment of Raph. Flame paused at that thought, surprised by how much the ninja was getting to him, before shaking those feelings off, as well.

"Of course, sir." Demetri bowed low, then advanced at a casual pace. Flame flinched away as Demetri raised his hands; at this, the elder man's brow furrowed. "Your tie, sir?"

"Ah, yes. Thank you." Flame forced himself to calm down. He always got a little too jumpy, right before anything that required a public appearance. The humans were so...draining.

With experienced hands, Demetri straightened his tie, prattling on about household matters such as the inventory, recent messes made by the soldiers, romantic relations among servants. Flame usually tuned this out, leaving Demetri to attend to such matters. Today was no exception, and he yawned absently.

Demetri startled him again with a raspy chortle. "Hope you aren't too exhausted, sir. You will need all of your wits about you tonight."

"Please, my insomnia has never been a problem in the past. Why would it start now?" Flame mustered a cheeky grin, having to stifle yet another yawn. It was true that his late night watch over Raph was wearing on him, along with the beating he had taken.

A nap didn't sound half-bad, but he couldn't indulge just yet. There was work to be done.

"You're always right, Master Flame."

"Thank you, Demetri. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must go and play the part of a rich patron."

Demetri's eyes sparkled as he laughed. "You'll be excellent, I'm sure."

Flame left Demetri to do whatever it was he did and took off down the hallway of the hideout, noting the men he had lined up to assist him were already waiting by the exit. Each looked up at him expectantly. Flame hurriedly adjusted his collar and cleared his throat.

"Alright, you've all been briefed as to what is expected of you," he met each man's gaze as he spoke, slipping into his authority smoothly. "You all understand your part to play, as well as the importance of how well you play it. Timing is crucial. I cannot stress that enough. Something isn't executed at exactly the right time, and we're toast. Got it?"

His men nodded their assent, and Flame felt a burst of pride in these soldiers he had trained swell in his chest. "Move out!"

The soldiers pushed past him through the doorway, eager to begin their mission. Flame followed after them just as enthusiastically, so much so that he didn't notice old Demetri slip soundlessly toward one of his private conference rooms. Pushing down his gut feelings, Flame loaded up in the waiting limo, only feeling a small pang of guilt for the criminal act he was about to commit.

xxx

"He's out of our hair, sir," Demetri told his newest employer, smiling kindly up at this familiar young fellow who held so much promise. Flame would soon be compromised; it always happened to their kind once they grew too close to the humans and... Whatever that thing LIVING with them was. Demetri had seen them all. First there was Luke, then Judd, then the Dja dynasty, then Marius... Now Flame. And then he who was soon to lead them.

"Good. Is the thing still alive?"

"To the best of my knowledge."

The fellow growled, and Demetri reveled at the strength in him, the sureness of his hardened countenance. Surely, this leader would last much longer than Flame would have ever hoped. Demetri had known the spunky and fierce leader had entertained much too soft a heart for the place in the world their species needed desperately to obtain.

"We shall start with his life," the new man snarled, causing Demetri to subconsciously inch back. "Then, even Flame will bow to me."

xxx

Half an hour later found Flame sipping delicately at a glass of champagne and making small talk with the museum's most generous donors. Most of them seemed pleasant enough; only a few of the present philanthropists were of the intolerable kind that gave rich, successful people such a bad rep. Still, those few voices boomed across the room, and Flame tried his best to avoid them if at all possible.

Checking his watch for the umpteenth time, Flame concluded that Preach and his squad were presently making their cautious way through the air ducts of the museum, while Adam's team had finished cutting tiny, careful holes through the glass directly above the most precious artifacts Flame could find. A precious diamond that once belonged to the Queen of Egypt, an ancient headdress, and a talisman that dated back to the Ice Age were among the objects to be taken, just to name a few.

Flame was the all-important decoy in this operation. Distract the attention of the multitude, and then circle back to a more discreet location. At exactly 10:17, smoke bombs he had planted earlier would go off throughout the entire museum, wrecking anything one might be able to discern from cameras. A particularly nasty plant would blow a hole through the far wall, just across the room from Flame. There, he would make his exit, along with a conveniently placed diamond necklace put on display for the patrons.

He had to grab it exactly 2 seconds before the smoke went off-just enough time for the security cameras to get footage and send it to the FBI before all hell broke loose. Just enough time for it to be Flame they would be tracking.

Flame glanced at his watch. 10:16. He started his slow stride across the room, ignoring the laughter and intoxication around him.

A "missed" camera outside would record his progress to his getaway car. He would make sure it got his license plate. Within a minute, every cop in the city would be after him. What he did from there was in his own hands. Simultaneously, Preach and Adam would be delivering the real goods to their private warehouse.

Flame's eyes flicked toward the time again. Half a minute to go. He bee-lined for the display.

20 seconds. He was upon it now.

10 seconds. He feigned interest.

5.. He drew back a hand...

As his watch hit exactly 2 seconds, Flame shattered the glass around the necklace with a well-aimed fist. Bullet-proof, indeed! Wealthy donors raised their heads in distress, a wailing alarm sounded-

Just as a gigantic BOOM encompassed the room, and Flame's dynamite blew a hole through the wall. By that time, he was already running. People around him gagged and sputtered as smoke filled the room, and he raced out into the street, still clutching the diamonds.

It didn't take long for Flame to find his stylish Camaro, ordered specially for the occasion and left in the lot earlier that night. Jumping in and taking just a moment to relish the new car smell, Flame threw the car into reverse and spun out of the lot. He would lament having to give up this vehicle, but for now, he would have his fun.

He didn't worry about speed limits as he wove through traffic with his bright lights on, receiving several frustrated honks and screamed expletives from the good drivers of the world. Within minutes, the police were on his tail, red and blue lights blazing a path through the darkness of the night along with him. A smattering of bullets collided with his back windshield, shattering the glass. Fragments of it flew forward, leaving little trails of blood down his arms and legs. Flame's heart pounded as his adrenaline spiked, and he pressed the gas pedal to the floor with a shaking foot. The machine under him roared in response, pushing faster, faster, faster.

He allowed the police to keep up with him for a good 5 minutes, praying that was enough time for Preach and Adam to load up. If they stuck with the plan, they wouldn't have any problems. When a faint timer sounded from somewhere within the vehicle, Flame jerked the Camaro into a sharp turn, turned on the jets, and left the cops far behind in the dust.

Or so he thought. More were ahead-cars parked in a perfect U-shape, ready to barricade him in. Flame had expected this. He had to make an instant hard turn down a back street to the left. He heard more cars pile in after him. The street was narrow; if he got blockaded in this time, there would be no way out.

Flame's tires squealed as he made another left turn to avoid a dead end. He now had absolutely no clue where he was, but that was okay, he kept telling himself. He was just the decoy.

Sweat dripped down the back of his neck as he heard sirens in the distance in front of him. The alleys were a giant maze, with cops everywhere. He had to hide... Panting, Flame turned to the right, then instantly pulled the Camaro into a deserted alley and turned off the lights. Seconds later, four cop cars whizzed by.

Now, the easy part, Flame thought, letting out the breath he had been holding. He slipped out of the tux and left the diamonds, now useless to him, in the car. He was sure there was a tracker on them somewhere; otherwise, they wouldn't have been on display at all. With great displeasure, Flame kissed his car goodbye. It had been a sweet ride.

Judging that he couldn't be seen walking these particular back streets in the middle of the night, Flame took to the rooftops, letting his lean frame blend with the natural shadows cast by high rises. A waning moon hung low in the sky, providing just barely enough light for Flame to avoid tripping over his own feet. There wasn't much man-made light in this district, he noted, assuming most of the apartments belonged to the poor and the ragged.

Flame struck a tentative course due West, knowing he would eventually find the hideout that way. Just as Flame let his shoulders slump, beginning his relaxing stroll back home, an almost indiscernible thud sounded from directly behind him.

He spun, only to come face to face with...no. More mutant turtle? Or had Raph escaped? This one didn't look quite like Raph-he wore a blue bandana, and his eyes were a different color. And boy, did he look angry. Flame remained where he stood, frozen to the spot, but he did shift into a fighting stance, almost instantly mirrored by the turtle.

They remained in silence for an awkward few seconds, before Flame spoke up. He figured he had to at least get to know the guy, right? Yeah, probably a bad idea, but still.

"Who are you?" Flame asked, incredulous, and the turtle across from him narrowed his eyes. "There are more of you?"

"I think it would be better to ask you that same question," the blue-banded turtle snapped back, though almost at once, he wrinkled his brow. "Wait, you just asked if there were more.."

Something obviously clicked in the turtle's head, as his expression twisted into a strange mixture of rage and pain. He unsheathed a couple of wicked swords and lunged forward, a powerful thrust that Flame had only just enough time to block with his own set of blades.

The turtle wasted no time in swinging at him again, and this time, he let out a blood-curdling scream into the night...

"What have you done with my BROTHER?!"

Before you ask, yes, Leo has been out trying to rescue Raph this whole time. Cute, right? Of course it is! Well, I hope you've loved reading this chapter as much as I loved writing it! Stuff is finally starting to pick up. I'll be back with another chapter for you ASAP. Please R&R!

-DauntlessAdrenaline