They went through the door, expecting an attack at any moment, but the hall was dark and empty, the simple, unadorned décor a stark contrast to the opulence of the lower levels.

That was to lure victims to the monster, to appeal to their greed, realised Raph, regarding the shadows with narrowed eyes. No one's ever supposed to get up here and Karai doesn't care about that...

"Raph, do you know where she might be?" asked Leo in a low voice.

Raph indicated to each door in turn as he spoke. "That way's the stairs I used. Through there is the office where she was before, where the old guy was. The others, I never went into."

"Old guy?"

"No idea who he was, but he wasn't a threat to anyone. Feeble old guy, he'd beg Karai to kill the creature sometimes, but she wasn't listening."

Leo frowned. "Appearances can be deceptive. We should watch out for him."

"Trust me Leo, he wasn't a threat!"

For a second Leo looked he might argue the point, then merely nodded. "Okay. We'll check in there, in case she's still around. Then we search the other rooms."

Sticking to the shadows even as they doubted the precaution would do them much good; they made their way to the room where Raphael had left Karai. There was no one there, but in front of the desk was a pile of what looked like ashes. And amongst the ashes, remnants of clothes.

"I think that used to be the old guy," said Raph in confusion. "That's his clothes."

"What did she use on him, a flamethrower?" Mikey let his right hand creep down to his nunchaku and ensure it was still there. Finding Raph was one thing, but there was something creepy about that pile of ash, something not right. How could bones and flesh melt so easily, flamethrower or no?

"She's trying to freak us out," said Leo abruptly, turning from the room. "It doesn't matter what happened. She's not in here."

Donnie pointed down the hall, the room beside the back stairs. There were big double doors there, heavy looking and seemingly newer than the rest of the building. There was a coded lock on the outside of the door, but the tiny beam that showed it active was a steady green, indicating the lock wasn't active.

"Someone went to a lot of trouble to keep something in that room away from prying eyes," said Don quietly.

"And they left out the welcome mat," added Leo. "Any ideas Raph?"

Raph shook his head. "Never really noticed it – didn't notice much when I had to be up here. I know she never left it open though, not when I was around."

"Uh, does this smell like a trap to anyone else?" asked Donnie.

"Nowhere else to go," muttered Mikey.

Leo approached cautiously, suddenly remembering the last time they had broken into one of the Foot's buildings. That time, things had gone wrong in a hurry. They had achieved their goal, but had lost Raphael and Splinter. They would lose no one that night, he vowed. No matter what, he wouldn't let that happen again.

He pushed open the door and walked in to a scene from one of his nightmares.

The room was easily the size of the dojo they had gone through, but this one housed what looked like scientific equipment in one corner, hidden by the shadows. The fluorescent light was focused on the front of the room by the doors, leaving the corners and what else may be hidden there in silhouette. There was a panel on one wall, a green light flashing at the top, several buttons set into the metal.

Some time ago, he had been chased halfway across the city, beaten, battered and used as bait, to lure his brothers into a trap. Those who had done it stood in front of him.

Karai, clothed in the garb that Mikey had described from his own run in with her – the same clothes that the Shredder had used to intimidate and hide his true form – stood in the centre of the room, a sword in her left hand, the claw on the right hand gleaming in the artificial light.

On either side of her were members of the Foot Elite, five in all, weapons raised. In spite of their fearsome attack poises, none of them made a move forward.

Leo glared at the scene, feeling the presence of his brothers behind him as for a few long seconds, the two groups stood in a face off. Then Leo smirked and raised an eye ridge.

"Nice hats."

"Y'know, that's just what we said." Raph grinned widely at Karai. "Your pet monster got killed. Looks like you crapped out with your big revenge plan."

"I wouldn't say that," said Karai, her tone icy beneath the mask, still making no more to attack. "After all, I didn't cut of Michelangelo's arm."

The grin fell from Raph's face and he tensed. Leo heard Mikey make a low growl under his breath and hoped that the transparent ploy to throw them off guard wouldn't make the pair rush in blindly.

"You're going down Karai," said Leo in a low voice.

"Not this night." Karai pointed the gauntlet at the turtles and the Foot Elite attacked.

The turtles dived forward, out of the way of the Elite. Don, Raph and Mikey immediately ran back to the ninja, blocking attacks and making their own, determined to take them down. The room was filled with the sound of metal clashing with metal, the occasional light sound of feet hitting the wooden floorboards as one of the combatants jumped and landed.

Leonardo went straight for Karai.

As Leo brought the katana down, Karai raised a gauntlet to stop it. The sword was halted and the two were brought face-to-face, Leo's visage in a snarl, Karai's impossible to read behind the Shredder's mask.

"What did you do with Splinter, Karai?"

She laughed, sounding metallic through the helmet. "I shall tell you Leonardo, only when my victory is assured. I shall let him watch as I slaughter you, one by one, and then he shall join you in death."

"Why? What did he ever do to you?"

"He was the one who began this! The chain of events that led to my fathers death started with him!"

"No! They started with the Shredder, when the Shredder took the five of us from our home…"

Karai shoved forwards and Leo took two steps back. Pressing the advantage, Karai lunged forward with her sword and Leo blocked with his katana, a kick to her midsection knocking her backward. She recovered quickly, but Leo didn't give her any time to pause as he ran for her, both katana swishing through the air.

Mikey leapt as a low swing with a nagitana threatened to cut him off at the knees. He aimed a kick at the Elite swinging it, hitting his face and knocking him to the floor. However, as Mike landed a second Elite ninja delivered a punishing kick to the plastron that sent him flying into the far corner of the room. Mike crashed shell-first into the shadows, the medical or scientific things there.

With a groan, Mike pushed himself back to his feet with his one hand. Due to the unequal pressure, he turned slightly to the side as he rose, facing slightly away from the room. It was the only reason he realised what he had landed against. A tube, filled with some kind of liquid, a mild green glow coming from it that had previously been hidden due to the angle and the fact that the clear glass had been turned toward the wall. Forgetting the fight for a moment, knowing that Don and Raph had his back with the Elite, Mike peered further into the tube.

"SPLINTER!"

"Huh?" Raph and Donnie both turned slightly at the sound of Mike's voice, but could do little more as they fended off attacks from the four Elite still on their feet.

Leo didn't turn, still embroiled with his fight with Karai. But he heard Mikey's yell and redoubled his efforts. He slashed viciously with a katana and Karai brought up her gauntlet to stop it. The blade sliced through the leather straps that held it to her arm, leaving a thin scratch on the skin beneath and the gauntlet was sent spinning to the floor.

Karai glanced after it and looked back just in time to throw herself aside as Leo brought the second katana down in a direct line with her head. It missed by mere inches. Snarling behind the helmet, Karai swung her own sword upwards, forcing Leo to dodge.

Mikey ran back over to the fight, arriving next to Donnie and using a nunchuck to catch the sword swung at his brother. "Don! Go see what can be done with Splinter! He's in the tube in the corner!"

Donnie darted away and Mike tripped the Elite who tried to follow him. "Raph! We have to cover Don, give him the chance to get Splinter free."

"Easier said than done," muttered Raph, realising the Elite were trying to get past them to target Donnie. He ducked under a sword and popped up behind the ninja, a long sweep at his neck severing the skin almost to the spine. The ninja collapsed, dying.

"Two down…" Mikey somersaulted backward and took a second to glance over his shoulder. "Don, how's it going?"

"It's some kind of stasis tube! If I break it, I could make things worse!"

"No choice Donnie!" shouted Leo, ducking a punch. "We need to get him out!"

"No!" Karai slammed a foot into the soft part between Leo's shell and plastron, knocking the breath out of him and trying to get past and stop Donnie. Winded, Leo still managed to land a kick between her shoulder blades and knocked her to the floor, She rolled and got back up, in a second, going back for Leo.

Donnie regarded the tube in despair. Splinter was in there all right, floating naked in a viscous fluid. His eyes were closed and there seemed to be no signs of consciousness at all. The tube was hooked up to other equipment, but it was as if it had all been pushed against the wall in anticipation of the fight.

Leo was right. They couldn't leave him here. The risks of injuring Splinter by taking him out of the tube were high – but leaving him in there, the risks were even higher. Especially if they lost the fight. Then Splinter would have no chance at all.

Plus, Mikey's shell had cracked the tube. It was slight, barely noticeable – but in a few hours, the liquid would be draining out, the pressure trying to find an escape.

Raphael had a pair of sun and moon daggers, but the original that Donnie had found the night that he and Splinter had vanished was in its customary place, tucked in Donnie's belt. Removing it, Donnie sliced through the thick pipe leading into the tube. Immediately, the liquid began draining out of it. The glass was very thick and Donnie wondered how the hell he was supposed to get Splinter out – it would take forever to cut through with the dagger. Mikey had only made a small crack and only because he had hit the tube so hard. Then he glanced up and smiled. The tube was covered with a thick lid, but it didn't seem to be attached with anything. Removing his bo, he wedged it against the lid and pushed. It was heavy, but there was some give. Straining harder, trying to block out the sound of the fight and not worry about what was happening behind him, he shoved against the lid as hard as he could. For a second there was nothing – then the lid moved, falling with surprising ease and landing half-on the tube but unable to fall further because of the wall beside it. It ought to be enough.

Leaping, Don landed on the edge of the tube. The fluid was more than half-drained, soaking the floor of the room. Splinter was still out of it, but there was some movement in his limbs, muscles twitching. Don decided it was a good sign. It looked like he was waking up.

Dropping into the fluid and grimacing at the feel of it around his legs, Don grabbed Splinter and supported him into a standing position. For the first time, he noticed the state that Splinter was in. Patches of his fur were missing, revealing dark skin beneath. Also without fur were the scars that covered his body, in particular his torso and left arm. His muzzle looked curiously misaligned, as if broken then allowed to heal without being put back into place. And one of his ears was missing, not clipped cleanly but with a knob of skin that made it appear as if it had been twisted or forced off.

The rats eyes were twitching and a few hitching breaths came from his lungs. Donnie noticed something red and writhing on his fur and plucked it carefully off, examining it.

A worm.

Is this the thing that Raph was talking about? It doesn't look like any worm that I ever saw…

A loud thud and the tube shaking distracted Donnie and he glanced over to see an Elite ninja glaring at him from under his hat. A moment later there was another thud as the ninjas face crashed against the glass. He slid down the tube, revealing Mikey behind him, nunchaku whirling. Mike glanced up at Don, gave something that might have been an attempt at a reassuring smile but was more of a twitch of the mouth, then leapt back into the fray.

"Uhhh…"

Don looked down quickly. "Splinter?"

"My. I. Where is Raphael?"

"He's fine Sensei, he'll be fine," said Donnie in what he hoped was a calm voice, not even noticing that for the first time, he had given the rat the honorific title. "All four of us – we're OK."

Splinter opened his eyes and looked up at Donnie, a smile twitching on his face. Then he glanced around and frowned. "We are – at the Foot headquarters?"

"Not quite Splinter. I don't have time to explain, my brothers need me." Don unceremoniously put Splinter into a fireman's carry and leapt out of the tube, setting Splinter down beside it. "Just stay here. Don't move."

With that, he leapt back into the fight. A previously fallen Elite had got back to his feet, meaning that they had three to take care of. And all of the turtles were tired. The Elite could see their reactions slowing and pressed the advantage.

The fight between Leo and Karai raged on. Leo was as tired as his brothers, but sheer determination kept him from showing it. One false move and he was defeated. He slashed downward with a katana, forcing Karai back and making her lean her head forward. Less than a second later, he arced up with his other katana and caught the helmet beneath the chin, lifting it off her head and leaving a deep cut in her chin. Unmasked, she glared at him with pure hatred.

"Your plans failed Karai," he told her. "It's over."

"It is not over," she said in a low voice, gathering her sword in both hands. "I will have my revenge for my father!"

An opening. The Elite he was facing overreached with his nagitana and Raph lunged before he could correct himself, slashing deep with his dagger and opening the mans face in almost the same place that Mikey bore his scars – but deeper, much deeper. The ninja howled, backing up and dropping his weapon, his hand pressed to his face even as he collapsed into a rapidly widening puddle of his own blood.

Karai dived forward with the sword, and Leo blocked with his own, both weapons little more than a blur as they slashed and parried at each other, neither giving an inch or finding a way through the defence of the other.

Mikey raced toward an Elite ninja, dropping his nunchaku and without pausing in his run, snatched up a chigiriki that belonged to a fallen ninja. A kama swing came at him, stomach-height, but by then he had already leapt into the air, swinging the chain he had used for so many year as he did. The weapon wrapped twice around the ninjas neck and as Mike landed, he adjusted his grip with lightening speed and yanked. The Elite's head was forced backward, the heavy chain cutting off his air. He dropped the kama and clawed at his throat, just as Mikey delivered a devastating kick to the mans shoulders, forcing the spine into an unnatural position and breaking his neck.

Leo blocked another lunge and worked his sword under Karai's, a single flick knocking it from her hands. Without hesitation, Karai dodged another blow and aimed a roundhouse kick to Leo's hand that rendered the limb nub and knocked his own sword away. Now he had only one.

Donnie tried to avoid the final Elite, only to be knocked off balance and down to one knee. Looking up, he saw the Elite towering above him and rolled away, grabbing his bo from where it had fallen and leaping up to his feet. The Elite came at him again, wielding a hoko. Standing his ground, Donnie waited until the last possible second before spinning off to one side and raising his bo, delivered the hardest shot of his life. It connected directly with the ninjas skull. For a moment, the man merely stood, not seeming anything but dazed. Then he fell bonelessly to the floor and never breathed again.

Karai rolled across the floor and snatched up a weapon – the katana that Leo had lost. Leo raced at her, his remaining sword ready to slash at her. Karai remained in a crouch for a second, then as Leo came closer, stood at the same time as she drove the sword forward. The blade jammed into Leo's shoulder, going through the skin and emerging from the other side, digging deeply into his shell and sticking there. Leo froze, his eyes wide in pain and disbelief.

Karai's own eyes were wide and shocked, as if unable to believe that she actually done it, that she had the advantage and the turtle injured before her. Then, the side of her mouth curled up into what was almost a smile and she twisted the sword with one sudden, jolting movement. Leo shrieked, the sword in his hand dropping to the floor in the light of the overwhelming pain.

"LEO!"

Raph's yell of anguish and fury cut through the room and the turtle didn't stop to think, merely acted, grabbing both his daggers, taking a few running steps at Karai and leaping, intending to kill her for what she had done to his brother…

And Karai anticipated the move. Without changing her almost deranged expression, she used the sword to yank Leo closer to her, using him as a shield. Without the chance to change course, there was no way that Raph could hit her without going through Leonardo. The only way that she would die was if Leo did too…

And then a blur of movement from her side, one that she never even saw and Leo was moving, jolted to the right. The move was so sudden, Karai was unprepared for it and Leo's body weight helped the momentum as Splinter knocked Leo aside. The sword remained in his shoulder, yanked right of Karai's hands…

And Karai couldn't get out of the way in time, could only stare up as the puppet she had controlled for so long came down, the force of gravity adding to the power of his arms as the sun and moon daggers both buried themselves deep into her skull, forced through the protective housing of her skull and into her brain.

Raph crashed into Karai, his hands letting go of the daggers as he fought unsuccessfully to keep himself upright. He toppled forward, taking Karai with him, landing on her as she sprawled on the ground. Blood began leaking from the twin wounds high in her forehead, matting her hair and marring her cheeks. Her eyes remained wide open and surprised, but the orbs began to take on a glassy, clouded look.

Karai was dead.

&&&&&&&&&&

The earlier explosion didn't seem to have attracted any attention and as Leo had guessed, the fire had to have been brought under control. Don took a few minutes, not happy about having to work so quickly, ordering Raph to put pressure on Leo's shoulder while he removed the sword and using the robe of a fallen Elite to bind it tightly. It would do until they got home to the lair.

Mikey had been put on guard duty, but if any of the Foot remained in the house, they weren't coming to the top floor. Still he remained vigilant. They hadn't come all this way to fall at the last hurdle.

Splinter seemed weakened, but coherent and aware. Obviously aware enough to realise what had been going on. If not for him, Leo would have taken the blow meant for Karai and Raph would have had his brother's death on his conscience as well as the loss of Mikey's arm. He answered questions carefully and calmly, insisting he needed little more than rest. He remembered nothing after the fall from the window and Raphael heading after him. Not the landing, or anything that happened afterward.

"We need to move," said Mikey, a little impatiently, from his position at the door.

"Agreed," said Donnie, helping Leo to his feet. "Lean on me Leo, we'll get you out of here now."

"There's nothing wrong with my legs Don," slurred Leo, seemingly unsteady on his feet.

"Raph, can you get us out of here the back way? And Mike, give Splinter some help. He's been in that tube a long time, the muscles need time."

"Right," said Mikey, going over to Splinter and offering his arm. Splinter gave Mikey's missing limb a searching look, but said nothing about it.

"When we get out of here, we're gonna need help," said Don in a low voice as the group made their way down the back stairs that Raph had mentioned. "And that's assuming we get out without a fight. We find a place to duck into, an alley or something, and we call April. She can get us back to the lair or to her place and she can help me with the injuries too."

Raph nodded tersely. He didn't expect they would leave without a fight – but in that, he was proved wrong. When they got to the foyer, the evidence of the fight was apparent, but any dead ninja had been taken leaving behind only bloodied smears. The path to the outdoors was free and clear.

Raphael pulled open one of the huge doors to the Volpehart building and checked the street. There was no one around and an alley almost directly over the road. He motioned for them to hurry and the five mutants made their way over to it. The first rays of dawn were touching the sky as they passed a sleeping bum and spied a manhole ahead. Raph lifted it and they went down, helping Leo and Splinter carefully.

Donnie pulled out his shell-cell and debated. Having April pick them up could be difficult – people would soon be coming into the district to clean up and they might not be able to get to the van unseen. But it was a long trek back through the sewer. Shrugging slightly, he flipped it open and called her anyway. They would work that out when it happened. He's ask her to bring long coats and hats for the swift run at the van. They would work it out when it happened. For now, that wasn't the important part.

The important part was, they were free. And alive.

All of them.