When Raphael came around again, it was because of a sharp stinging in his right arm. He tried to jerk away from the fingers that were touching him, only to discover he'd been restrained once more. He opened his eyes slowly, and found himself face to face with Stolle.
Shell, not you again.
"I thought that might bring you around." Stolle said lightly, and resumed his work on Raphael's arm.
Through the slight daze that remained, Raphael suddenly realized that the muzzle was gone. He stretched out his jaw experimentally, eyeing Stolle mutely for a couple of minutes, while the man re-wrapped his shoulder properly.
"Why are ya doin' that?" The turtle finally asked raggedly, not realizing until that moment how thirsty he was.
"It's just an old rule of Vales', that I still enjoy practicing." Stolle said matter-a-factly. "Start with a clean slate. He usually liked for his victims to be healthy before they were broken."
Boy, that sounds like loads of fun.
Raphael glanced around, suddenly noticing that he was in a completely different room than before, even the restraints were a different make. Stolle caught his confusion, and smiled evenly at the turtle.
"You're home sweet home for now, at least until I'm finished with you." He informed him.
"What do you want from me?" Raphael asked slightly hoarsely.
"A better question would be, what don't I want from you." Stolle correctly. "I don't need any trouble. If you try to bite anyone, that muzzle is going back on, and you won't get a drop of water to save your life. I'd wager you're pretty thirsty by now, aren't you?"
Raphael wouldn't dignify the question with an answer, even though he dearly wanted it. Stolle had a bottle in his hand already, and went to set up the back of what appeared to be an examination chair that he was strapped to this time. The turtle's amber gaze didn't seem trusting of the gesture, and Stolle merely shrugged.
"You can drink it or not Raphael, but I'm not going to stand here all day. So if you want it..."
Feeling the heat rise angrily in his cheeks, he allowed the human to help him get down most of the bottle. Sullenly, he decided the relief was worth the humiliation.
"Feel better now?" Stolle asked.
Yeah, I'm perfect. I've been busted up, kidnaped, and I don't have a clue who I am. But other than that, life's a dream.
"I do hope we can get along nicely Raphael." Stolle said, in what honestly sounded like a friendly overture.
I wouldn't count on it.
"You should be pleased to know that Luke is alright." The man informed him. "The hunters returned him to his home last night, hardly a scratch on him I understand. That wasn't exactly how my men wanted it, but I prefer to avoid most of the legal entanglements that come alone with kidnaping. It's so much easier taking a creature that doesn't exist."
If I don't exist, how the heck am I here you moron?
"Speaking of my men, I understand that you didn't get off to a very good start with Williams. He's rather eager to greet you properly, but he'll have to wait a couple of days at least. You need to rest up before you get to face the whole crew."
Before they "break" me you mean? Great, something to look forward to.
"In the meantime, I thought I would begin with just getting a closer look at you Raphael. I didn't spend very much time with your brothers after Vale caught them. I was rather distracted with other matters at the time, not realizing the true significance of what you are."
I wish I had the remotest clue what you were talking about.
Stolle observed the turtle's gaze, struck by the lack of feeling in it. He had assumed that bringing up his brothers would trigger an emotional response, or that at least talking about Luke would cause a strong reaction. But as far, his stoic expression hadn't faltered.
Still have a lot of fight left in you, hm? Stolle thought curiously. We'll see how long that lasts when I really get started with you.
"What do you want from me?" Raphael asked again, not willing to give up so easily on the question.
"It's not actually you that I want, so much as Donatello." Stolle said pointedly, waiting again to see if the words would prompt a real response from Raphael.
He seemed completely non-plussed, not the least bit moved by anything that Stolle had said to him.
"If you don't want me, then why am I here? Why'd you pay all that money?" Raphael pushed.
"Because you're going to help me catch the one that I want." Stolle didn't mind telling him.
"Yeah? How am I gonna do that strapped to this chair?"
"Your family is quite resourceful Raphael. I know they're looking for you - and I'll make sure that they find you, when the time is right."
So I've got a family and brothers. I 'spose Donatello is one of 'em. I wonder what he wants him for.
Stolle couldn't get over the turtle's controlled expression. He knew from his own research that Raphael was by far the most volatile of the four, not to mention the fact that he'd already attacked Williams.
Does he actually think that he can protect them by simply not responding to me? Stolle thought inwardly. I didn't expect him to be so even-keeled, not after the things I've heard. Odd, very odd indeed.
"For now, perhaps we could just talk about Donatello." He suggested to Raphael.
You mean like the fact that I don't know him? What am I supposed to say to this guy?
"I should tell you that I'm not extraordinarily patient Raphael. Even these last few weeks have been rather hard to bear. You are going to talk to me eventually, I'm quite certain of that. The only question is how much you're going to insist on suffering first."
Oh man, if he finds out I really can't tell him anything, he might not wanna keep me around at all. I've gotta keep my mouth shut, try to bide my time here.
Stolle lightly fondled the tattered red mask that he was wearing. "You must have very strong instincts to protect them," He said understandingly. "But I have very strong methods to persuade you. I think you'll soon start to see things my way Raphael."
The turtle sighed tiredly. The man's voice was seriously grating on him.
"Haven't you even wondered how I escaped from that cabin to begin with?" Stolle pressed him, as Raphael simply stared blankly ahead. "After you left us to be arrested, I managed to free myself, all on my own. The others, they were all helpless." He said smugly. "And they thought I was always the weakest link. Boy did they change their tune when I freed a couple of them. We devoted ourselves to the purpose of finding you, and in all honestly, it wasn't very hard. We already knew about your strong connection to Luke, so all we had to do was follow the bread crumbs. They led us directly to you."
The man's words were buzzing to become even more meaningless nonsense than they already felt like to Raphael's mind. His head was still pounding, and he was intensely weary of listening to the man talk.
"You just happened to be the one with the luck of the draw, the first to show up alone at Luke's house, after his lovely wife had gone on her trip. It really was so much easier to wait until little Ms. FBI was out of the way."
FBI! I really am in something deep, Raphael thought a little foggily.
Stolle finally seemed to sense that the turtle was fading slightly away from him, and patted his left shoulder.
"Go ahead and get some rest Raphael. You need to get all healed up, so the process can begin for real."
Stolle walked away from the turtle, shutting off all one but small light in the room.
Raphael trembled all of the sudden, a chill wracking his entire body.
I hope he's right - I hope there is somebody looking for me. But it won't do 'em much good if he gets his hands on them first.
He closed his eyes, and tried to release some of the tension in his muscles.
Crap, how am I supposed to relax knowing I'm about to get hit by a hurricane?
Raphael kept his eyes shut, as his mind drifted somewhere between rational thought and oblivion.
The guy might be a fruit cake, but it feels like he's right. I don't exist, it's like I never existed at all. I've got nothing to retreat to, nothing I can remotely fall back on.
Colored lights seemed to dance behind his closed eyes, and he forced his mind to focus on them, instead of the emptiness that threatened to drown him. The twirling light show kept him occupied, distracted enough that thoughts started to wind down, and the weariness began to take over from where it had left off previously.
With another deep longing sigh, he relinquished to a troubled sleep.