A taser was jabbed into his side and he couldn't help but let out another outraged roar. His world begun to spin as more electricity was forced onto him and his breaths came out in deep pants, but his gaze never left the shivering turtle in the small pet carrier.
He was pushed into a rather large containment unit. Leatherhead turned just into time to have the door sealed in front of him. He rammed his huge fists onto the plastic walls and gave another roar. The scientist all gave out sighs of reliefs before heading out the door, all murmuring to themselves. He watched them leave before turning back to the small emerald turtle. He ignored the other loud animals and focused on the small mutant child a couple of cages crossed from him.
Green eyes met yellow before flinching away, but that was enough for Leatherhead. "Raphael?" He called out over the barks of the other animals.
Raph flinched and curled more into himself. "W-what?" He finally replied, meeting eye contact with the large gator again before burying his face in his knees that were pulled up to his chest.
The mutant alligator perked up slightly. He blinked as thoughts began to race through his mind of what could have happened to the used to be older mutant turtle. "Raphael… Hamato?"
Raph looked up and glared. "What?!"
Leatherhead moved closer to the door of his cage. "Brother to Leonardo, Donatello, and Michelangelo?"
Raph blinked, "Y-you know my brothers?" He asked as he got to his knees.
Leatherhead nodded slowly, "Yes, my friend." He paused. "What did they do to you?" He asked.
Raph looked down at his arms and began to rub them. "They gave me a bunch of shots…" He murmured before perking up, "But I was brave! I was brave just like Leo, Donnie, and Mikey! I didn't cry! I promise!" Raph scooted up to the front of the cage and grabbed the bars. He pointed to the wrapping of gauze on his arm. "I fell asleep and woke up with this one, it really itches," He itched it as if to prove a point, "And then-"
"But what of your age?" Leatherhead interrupted.
Raph blinked before smiling. "I'm three!" He held up a full hand. "But I'll be four soon! I bet that's old enough to go on patrol! I bet so! Leo will let me! I know he will!" He exclaimed happily, excited that he was actually making a new friend in this awful place.
Leatherhead nodded. "We need to get out of here and to your family," he stated, "How did Bishop," His teeth clenched as he spat the retched name, "get ahold of you?" He asked.
Raph's shoulders slumped and he fell back. "I was with Auntie April," Raph started, and Leatherhead had to hold back a smile; April would not like being called that. "We were waiting for my brothers, when… when suddenly all of these bad guys show up! I had to protect Auntie April by beating up the bad guys! I kicked a tons of their butts! But then one cheated and got me from behind," Raph pointed behind his shell as he told the story, "Then I was dragged off into this big bully's car! The car ride took forever! And then we went to this weird place and I was given to the meanie with all of the needles!" Raph threw up his arms.
Leatherhead growled. "He was kidnapped and sold." He snapped quietly to himself.
"Are my brothers coming?" Raph asked as he leaned forward again, watching Leatherhead with his large green eyes.
Leatherhead stared at Raph for a moment, "They will do whatever it takes to get you back," The sentence seemed to put the small turtle at ease.
"They'll rescue you too," Raph declared, "I'll make sure they do, you're pretty cool."
Leatherhead smiled, "Thank you, my young friend," He paused and looked around at the small cage filled room they were in, "I believe it would be best if we met them half way though."
Raph nodded and pulled at the cage bars before huffing and giving up, "It's kinda hard getting out of this though," He stated, "I've tried, they must be strong-proof! I can't even make them budge!"
Leatherhead placed his hand on the door in front of him. He knew Raphael was right and that Bishop would not make it that easy to escape.
"What's your name?"
The gator turned his gaze back towards Raph and tilted his head. He smiled slightly. "My friends call me Leatherhead." He stated.
Raph giggled, "That's an awesome name! Mines Raphael!" He paused, "But you already knew that, huh."
Leatherhead nodded.
"When can we go home?" Raph asked as he leaned his body against the bars of his cage.
Leatherhead looked around, "Hopefully very soon,"
Raph pushed on his cage again and began grumbling. He crossed his arms and looked down. "How are we suppose to get out?" he asked.
Leatherhead looked around his large containment unit, thoughts and ideas starting to storm his mind. Him hummed for a moment, "I have a couple of ideas," He mumbled mostly to himself, "hopefully we'll be able to leave soon though." He turned to Raph and noticed the small turtle shivering in his shell. "Are you cold?"
Raph gave a small nod and then yawned. "I wanna go home." He whispered.
Leatherhead took another glance around the room. "Get some rest, I'll find a way to get us free."
His attention was drawn when the door on the other side of the room slammed open and Bishop waltzed in. He ignored Leatherhead's sudden growl as his eyes clouded over and his muscles began to shake, and walked right over to Raphael's small carrier.
Raph stumbled to the back of his cage and continued to push at the back of the cage, hoping to get as far away from Bishop as he could.
"I'm glad to see you're active again," Bishop commented as he peered in at Raphael. "We can work on some physical tests now, then move on to some more chemical." He mused to himself. Raph gave a weak whimper, making Bishop snicker.
"You will not touch him!" Leatherhead pounded on his cage door with a growl. He met Bishop's dagger glare with his own.
Bishop casually walked up to the giant gator, stopping right in front of his cage and putting his hands in his pockets. He hummed as he gazed at the mutant gator, taking in the way Leatherhead shook with anger.
"And how are you, a trapped animal, going to stop me?" He questioned, earing himself another hateful growl from Leatherhead. He smirked. "That's what I thought."
He spun on his heels and grabbed Raphael's cage handle. Raph cried out as the cage was lifted and he lost his balance, toppling over and landing on his chin.
"NO!" Leatherhead shouted as he started to bang furiously on the cage walls, giving an ear piercing roar every now and then.
Raph managed to get back onto his knees and he grabbed the cage bars as Bishops reached into one of his many lab coat pockets. Raph's eyes grew huge, "Don't let him h-hurt me!" He pleaded. Bishop suddenly grabbed on of Raphael's arms and shoved a sedative into his shoulder, making the turtle cry out.
The sedative went into effect immediately and Raph couldn't stop his eyes from drooping. Leatherhead pounded harder. "Let him go! You soulless monster! Let him go!" Leatherhead shouted, making Bishop.
"Monster? Watch what you say, freak."
Raph mumbled something, falling back onto his shell. He blinked a couple times, before his eyes closed and he fell into oblivion.
The last thing him seeing, was Leatherhead's eyes turning white, a blood curdling roar, and the glass to the mutant alligator's cage breaking.
Michelangelo shifted uncomfortably as his two older bothers' stared down the building in front of them through the trees. "It's always so quiet," He stated, as he watched lights search the fields surrounding the building, "it kinda scares me."
Leo narrowed his eyes as plans began to formulate themselves in his head. He took note of the easily jumpable fence, the lights that would be able to be avoid without effort. "Yeah," His voice quiet and dangerous. "Deadly." He stated.
He heard Mikey give a dramatic gulp. "Keep your guard up," He turned and looked at his brothers sternly. "This is going to be hard,"
"But we're not leaving without Raph," Donnie finished for him.
Leo gave a curt nod, before turning back around, his eyes scanning the building one final time, his plan settling in his head, "Alright," He took in a deep breath, "Let's go."