A/N- Hey guys! New chapter alert :) This is dedicated to all 'guest' reviewers who have commented on this story. You've all been so encouraging and nice, so here you go xxx enjoy! :)
10. Unexpected Wake-up-Call
There was a coldness on her skin that she couldn't explain. Her senses were blurred, but she could feel at least one familiar presence, adrenalin and fear coursing through them. Her mouth and nostrils felt dry and itchy, her shoulders stiff, her brain a little fuzzy. Bright lights greeted Venus as her eyes finally flickered open. She squinted as she tried to adapt to the sudden brightness, a clinical smell reaching her nose. She was in a large warehouse, equipment and machinery filling the place, their low beeping joined by the constant hum of giant air-con units. She tried to stretch out her stiff shoulder blades, but when she tried to shift them she found her wrists were bound together and chained to a metal bar above; she suddenly noticed that her feet were barely touching the cold floor beneath her, and she desperately stood on tiptoe in order to relive the pressure in her stinging wrists and aching shoulders, which blossomed in sharp pain at the sudden movement. She growled in frustration and began struggling against her bonds which only resulted in yet more pain and the loud rattling of chains.
"Venus?"
A quiet voice made Venus turn her head leftwards, finding April in the same situation. The cut on her cheek had stopped bleeding and dried since they had arrived but her arms were bruised up a little, undoubtedly from the grappling men who took her. Anger and guilt filled Venus.
"April?" She asked, her throat sore as she emitted a desperate croak. "Are you alright? Are you hurt?"
"A little bruised and really tired, but that's about it," April replied, offering a tiny smile. "What about you?"
But Venus ignored her question, her relief that April wasn't badly hurt dissolving into utter regret and guilt.
"April, I am so sorry for putting you through this. I promise, I will get you out of this." She immediately began straining against her restraints again, her hands useless in their bonds, only stopping when she noticed that, for some reason, April's eyes were glistening with tears.
"Oh Venus," April sniffed, "this isn't your fault. You're not the reason we're here."
"No, she's not."
Venus snapped her head forward again at the new voice and frowned.
"Baxter Stockman?"
The scientist stepped forward, his human head (minus an eye) sat upon a robotic body. Beside him stood the black-hooded men that had taken the pair from April's apartment. He was wearing a malicious grin that gave him the look of insanity. He ignored her question.
"The aim was just to take Miss O'Neil here, but when my men discovered you, or rather, you discovered them, they thought it too good an opportunity to miss. So they decided to throw you into the fray, as an added bonus."
"And what exactly do you want?" Venus demanded, trying to ignore the chill that was currently crawling up her spine. Her instincts were on fire; she did not like this set up, she didn't like not understanding what was going on, why she and her friend had been captured. And worst of all, Stockman was far too relaxed.
"Miss O'Neil?" Stockman gestured for April to answer.
"He wants all of the notes I made on his experiments before I was…dismissed." April glared at their captor. "It was how I met the guys, way back when. If I'd never been fired, and then nearly murdered, I would never know that you lot exist." She gave Venus another small smile before rolling her eyes back to Stockman, teeth gritted together in frustrated anger. "But as I have already told Mr Stockman, I do not have them."
One of the men stepped forward and slapped April across the cheek. "Don't lie," he hissed, grabbing her chin.
"Leave her alone Stockman," Venus growled, again trying to break the chain binding her hands. Stockman looked at her with an irritated curl of the lip.
"Sorry Miss Venus, but this has nothing to do with you. You're just here as…persuasive material." He raised a brow at her struggling. "I wouldn't bother. The chains are made from titanium. I have learnt how to try and prevent you using your gifts."
Venus glared at the man before relaxing again in defeat; without her hands free there wasn't any way for her to use her magic, and she didn't have the skill to manipulate such a strong metal.
"How long have I been out?" She asked, her sense of time jumbled.
"Oh, only about 16 hours."
"16 hours!? What the hell did you drug me with?"
"Oh, a simple chemical called chloroform. It can be surprisingly hard to find nowadays, but of course I have connections." He frowned slightly at the man still clutching at April's jaw. "Although I have to admit my men did get a little carried away with your dosage, forgetting that I had created a concentrated formula. You would of course need more than a human due to your size but I think they panicked and over did it on the pair of you considering Miss O'Neil here woke up four hours ago."
Venus' eyes widened as she stared at her friend. What had she been through while she was out cold?
"But anyway, now that you're awake, my questions can finally be answered." Stockman clicked his fingers and in one swift movement one of his men had lunged towards Venus and was holding a knife against her neck, his other hand giving it a gentle squeeze. She bucked and kicked out until she felt the sharp cold of the blade against her skin. She froze, April struggling with the same situation after her captor had too pulled out a knife. Stockman knelt in front of the latter.
"Now, Miss O'Neil, you tell me where my notes are, or you freak of a friend bleeds out before I dissect her. Understand?"
April's chest heaved in terrified frustration. "I told you Stockman, I don't have them. I got rid of them right after you tried to blow me and the guys up in your lab, remember?" She received another slap while the grip on Venus' neck tightened.
"I'm warning you Miss O'Neil-"
"What's so special about these notes? Why now?" Venus suddenly blurted out. She could see the fear in April's face and knew she was hiding something, so she decided to try and buy her some time.
"These notes, Miss Venus, are the foundation of my very career," Stockman mused, turning his gleaming eye on her instead. "They contain the beginnings of my scientific genius, the basis of my discovery into alive robotics. And since I have found myself in not exactly an ideal situation concerning the job-market, I believe it is time for my brilliance to shine again. Surely your friends have told you about my mousers?"
Venus nodded, remembering Mikey's recollection and smiling at the added extras such as mini missiles. They'd been the very reason the guys had stepped onto the surface. Stockman, however, looked anything but amused.
"Those notes are very precious, and I gave them to my loyal assistant for safe keeping until such a day came when I needed them back. Now I need them back, but my men couldn't find them in her apartment. So I'll repeat, where are they?"
The blade made a mark on Venus' neck and she hissed, noticing the small cut now lying on April's. The red-haired human stared at her friend. She knew something, but wasn't letting on. She changed her mind, however, when the pair were both winded by punches to the stomach.
"I gave them away," April gasped before Stockman grabbed her cheeks.
"To who? Who did you give them to?"
April shook her head but was punched again.
"Leave her alone Stockman!" Venus yelled but she too was winded again. The fear in April's face was plain to see as she remained silent. Stockman gestured to one of his men who promptly stepped forward and landed a blow on Venus' face. She was going to have a black eye in the morning. April's eye's widened and she began shaking a little.
"I gave them to a friend."
"One of the turtles?"
April nodded shamefully.
"Donatello, no doubt. Only he'd be able to understand their meaning. But what did he do with them? Tell me!"
April shook but Venus saw a change in her demeanour. Something like triumph.
"He destroyed them," she stated, a smile touching her lips. Shock horror washed Stockman's face.
"Why?" he rasped.
"He saw how dangerous they were, and decided that they couldn't fall into the wrong hands. So he burnt them and threw the ashes into the sewer."
"You're lying."
"Sadly for you, I'm not." The sudden change in April caught Venus by surprise. Had she been faking her previous terror the whole time? It seemed worth it now looking at Stockman's face. But then it changed. It went blank of all emotion and his voice suddenly became neutral.
"You will regret that."
Suddenly, Venus was scared. Stockman could be a very dangerous man.
A large crash interrupted the proceedings and for a fleeting moment, the pair believed the guys had found them. It was only when they saw the black uniform of the new-comers, each with a red symbol blazoned on their chests that their dread thickened.
One figure stepped forward from the group while Stockman and his men remained frozen in shock. Karai smirked a little at their surprise before turning her eyes onto the figures chained behind them.
"Stockman, you have something that we require." Karai stated, glaring directly at April and Venus.
"Looks like you're popular today April." Venus joked, following Mikey's advice from long ago that sometimes a touch of humour in the face of danger can stop your fear from getting the better of you. The answer the woman in front of Venus gave her did nothing to quell her apprehension, however.
"I am afraid, Venus, that it is not Miss O'Neil whom we are after."
Venus gulped.
"And as usual Karai, you believe you can just waltz in anywhere and take whatever you want," Stockman growled, his eyes darkening. He signalled to his men. "Well, not today."
The men in coats pounced, bearing no weapons as they faced the Foot clan. But surprisingly, they could hold their own; the men were incredibly strong, managing to snap staffs and katana. Some stole the ninja's weapons after they had stunned them with a hit to the face, immediately gaining the upper hand. Stockman used small lasers that he had built into his suit against the Foot but avoided combat. His metal body provided extra strength but not skill and agility.
Meanwhile, April and Venus, now left alone, continued to struggle against their bonds.
"This is insane. Why do the Foot clan want you?" April asked, pulling at her chained wrists.
"I don't know, but I don't exactly want to find out. Is there any way we can get in touch with the guys?"
"No. Our phones are back at home, but maybe they'll find us if they happen to check the apartment."
"So, what was the big deal with those notes anyway?"
April frowned before sighing. "A couple years before his scientific genius was discovered, Stockman found a tiny vial of ooze. The same stuff that mutated you guys. He planned on testing the stuff on animals but needed a lot of funding, so he put his plan on hold until he could gain the appropriate funds. So he started researching the psychology of animals and what affected their behaviour in preparation for the mutagen tests later on. That's how he developed the M.O.U.S.E.R.S. And although he loved the attention and fame he was getting for his invention, Stockman was worried about the press snooping about and then maybe finding his notes. So he gave them to me for safe keeping.
"When we infiltrated his lab and destroyed it, I thought the vial would have been destroyed, but the idea kept niggling at me, so a couple months later I confided in Donatello and gave him the notes. At first he was fascinated; I mean, the ooze is what makes up you're genetic design. But then he agreed about how dangerous these notes could be, not just in the hands of Baxter Stockman, but any whack-job. So there and then he burnt them with a blow torch. It was a few years ago and I haven't really thought about them since. I'm not surprised he wanted them back." April's eyes dropped to the floor. "I'm sorry Venus. This is all my fault; I should have known he would come looking for them sooner or later."
"Did you bank on his coat-clad brutes?" Venus asked with a cocked brow.
"Well, no but-"
"This isn't your fault April. Stockman is just a whacko who needs to get some normal hobbies. We'll get out of here."
"Not with the Foot here too. We need to get out of these chains." April pulled again but winced at the blister forming on her wrists.
"I hear that. But how did they even find us?"
"It was pretty easy, actually."
The girls snapped their heads round to find the source of the new voice. Karai was stood looming above Venus, a slight smirk on her face.
"Oh really?" Venus asked, teeth gritted. Leo still trusted Karai deep down, but time and time again she betrayed him. Exploited him. And Venus hated her for it.
"Yes. Really. We were going to sneak into Miss O'Neil's apartment to find any evidence of the location of your lair when we saw some strange men climbing out of it. When we saw them carrying April here we figured it was luck. But when we saw you our mission just became a whole lot easier. We just needed some time to put a proper plan in motion and make…preparations."
"Preparations?" Venus snorted, trying to feign confidence just like Raph always did in these situations. "And what exactly are you preparing for?"
Karai swiftly brought her tanto down, holding it against Venus' neck. She knew the blade was deadly sharp and so froze immediately. "All in good time, kame. All in good time."
"Your mission doesn't seem that easy Karai." April stated, trying to buy her friend some time. "Your soldiers seem to be struggling against their opponents."
Karai merely smiled. "They provide a distraction, don't they?"
"You should have come earlier," Venus rasped as Karai squeezed her hand on her neck a little tighter. "It would have been a lot less trouble for you to snatch me when I was out cold. You know I will fight as soon as you untie me."
"Who said anything about untying you?"
Venus' eyes widened as Karai shouted out an order in Japanese. Suddenly, two elite guards jumped down from the beams above, cutting the chain which attached Venus to the metal pole. As soon as she heard the metal shatter Venus lunged forward, her feet quickly running into the fray of the fight. She got about five paces when she was sharply pulled back; her shoulders felt as though they had popped out of their sockets as she flew backwards though the air, the heavy landing on her back winding her. She blinked several times to try and re-focus on her surroundings. She found Karai stood above her next to the elites, both holding part of the chain still attached to her wrists. Instinctively Venus rolled onto her stomach, facing April; her friend's eyes were wide with fear but she couldn't let it control her. Venus looked hard in her eyes. Never stop fighting.
April nodded, getting the message. But panic still resided in her stomach; a detail relayed by Venus about the night she and Leo were taken so many months ago echoed in her head. She tried to calm down before looking up at Karai again. The kunoichi was on the phone.
"We got what we came for. Leave the others to give us more time. The four of us are leaving."
Venus felt the tug of the chain as she was suddenly dragged across the floor by the elites, not being given a chance to stand and walk. She tried to yell out for help but she was still out of breath. April struggled against her chains again as Venus tried hers but it only made the guards pull more roughly. She then felt one lift her up and throw her over his shoulder while Karai and the other made their way upwards before throwing a rope down. The elite holding Venus then tied it round his middle and the pair were lifted up until they got up to the beams where a window lay open for them.
April's eyes were wide with panic as Venus was pulled out of view. The floor before her was still full of chaos, she was still chained, and Stockman was still as mental as ever. She needed the guys, now.
Once on the roof, Venus could see that the warehouse seemed to be somewhere in midtown, surrounded by other buildings. The elites and Karai stood on the roof edge, apparently waiting for transport or back-up to arrive, giving Venus a chance to stand up and get her bearings once she had been thrown off the guard's back. Her breathing had returned to normal, clearing her mind a little. The early night sky had just set in but clouds covered the sky. The air smelt of metal, leaving a tang on Venus' tongue. A storm was on its way, but she guessed she would be taken somewhere before it set in. She stared out at the city in front of her; it was quiet in the warm summer evening, the rooftops dry and empty, just sitting in front of her. Venus cocked a brow slightly, noticing how one elite was speaking into a phone, and how Karai was also gazing over the city. She had an idea.
She walked to the opposite edge of the roof, making the chain taut and catching the attention of her captors and Karai.
"Do not try to escape Venus. If you jump off this building, we'll just pull you right back up again."
"Who said anything about jumping?"
Venus lifted her right leg and slammed it down on the chain, causing the now single elite holding it to fly over towards her. He let go of the chain, falling over the roof edge, before Venus leapt.
The building below was only a few metres away. She dropped gracefully and immediately began to sprint, hearing angry shouts behind her. But she didn't stop. Her legs sped across the rooftops before they pushed her off each building edge, allowing her to fly across each gap and land with ease.
Suddenly she changed direction, attempting to lead her pursuers on a wild goose chase, tiring them out before they could take her out. But she didn't look back. She didn't have time. The chain binding her hands rattled behind her, trailing in her wake. She avoided fire escapes, keeping to flat roofs and trying to stay in a straight line to prevent the chain from getting tangled in anything. The only chance Venus had of getting it off was if she try and snap or cut it, but she would need time, meaning she needed to lose her would-be captors. And then she had to go and get April. Fear told her to go straight to the warehouse, but tactics told her to get the chain off first, otherwise she would be as useless as before. With her hands bounds, she couldn't use her magic. Her only weapons were her legs. But she had to hurry. She didn't even have time to grab the guys.