A/N: Raph's temper starts to cause some problems for him in this chapter. :(


Chapter 21 -Isolation-
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Aw, shell, I'm so bored! I wish Raphy was here so I at least had somebody to talk to. On second thought, he looked mad as shell when I saw him last…Maybe it's better if he has some time to cool down. Michelangelo rocked back on his heels, staring at the door. The enclosure he'd been put in this time was even smaller than the last. It was designed, Keagan had told him, as a holding place for large reptiles, like crocodiles, while their main habitat was being cleaned.

I just hope nobody decides to clean the croc tank while I'm in here. he thought with a shiver. Immediately he wished he hadn't thought of it. he looked around, wondering if the peat was thick enough to hide a basking crocodile.

Get a hold of yourself, Dude. Crocs like water, not this dirt stuff. An' Keagan doesn't want us damaged, so he's not gonna sic a croc on me. I just gotta hang in there until Donny comes. I hope he hurries up.

"Eeep!" Michelangelo's eyes widened as the door from the hall opened. He backed away, pressing against the back of the cage with his shell, and crouched, ready to defend himself. When he saw Josephine walk in, he relaxed marginally.

"Hi, Jo," he said, trying to keep his voice steady. "What's up?"

"Are you ok, Mikey?" she asked, coming over and unlocking the door to the enclosure. She stepped inside, leaving the door open behind her.

"Yeah. What about Raph?"

"He's fine. Justin let me take off the restraints, and I've wrapped his arm."

"Wow, Raph let you wrap up his wrist? Dude, what'd you do to him?"

Josephine laughed. "Come on. Justin says you can go back with him."

"You mean, them guys are gonna come and take me back to Raph?" Michelangelo looked nervously toward the door. "I think the blond one's kinda mad at me, 'cause I kicked him pretty hard…"

"No, Mikey, you're going to come with me. We'll walk down to where Raph is. But you've got to promise not to try and run off, ok? If you do, Keagan won't let me help you guys anymore, and he'll probably put your brothers in those harnesses permanently."

But if I don't try and escape while I've got the chance, Raph'll pound my shell.

"There's one other thing, Mikey…" Josephine avoided his eyes. "I… I have to put the cuffs back on."

"What? No way!" Michelangelo backed away.

"Mikey, please, it's just until we get back to the other enclosure. Keagan thinks it'll make you easier to handle. It's either that, or you stay here, and when he wants to move you again, he'll use a sedative. He's got to believe I've got you under control." She looked at him, her eyes pleading. "Mikey, I'm trying to help you, but you've got to play along until I can figure out a way to get you out of here."

Am I playing along, or are you playing us? This could be a trick… What if she really is working for Keagan, and she's just pretendin' to try and help us so we'll listen to her?

"Mikey, please," Josephine said quietly. "I… I don't want him drugging you."

Oh man, cuffs or needles… What choice does a guy have?

Michelangelo stepped forward. Swallowing hard, he held out his hands. "All right, Dudette," he said.

Josephine nodded, and pulled the leather cuffs out of the duffle she was carrying. Michelangelo shuddered as she wrapped the strap around his wrist. Josephine's hands were shaking. She pulled the strap snug, but not tightly, and threaded the chain around his shell, attaching the cuffs to the chain. Michelangelo found he could move much more freely than when Keagan and his goons had fastened the same harness onto him. He glanced at Josephine, his eye-ridges rising.

"Is that ok?" she asked softly, avoiding his eyes. "It has to look secure."

"It's ok, Dudette," said Mikey giving her a strained smile.

"Are you almost ready to move him, Josephine?" Justin Keagan strode into the room. Michelangelo jumped back with a growl. Josephine caught his arm, and shot him a warning glance.

"He's ready, Mr. Keagan."

Keagan looked at them assessing. Michelangelo returned his gaze with an icy blue glare.

"Are you sure that harness is tightened properly?"

"I'm sure." Josephine met the man's gaze steadily.

"I should check it…" he started forward, and Michelangelo tensed, another growl escaping him.

"Justin, it's fine. Do you want to move him without the drugs or not?"

He hesitated, his eyes flickering to Michelangelo, who stood crouched, ready to fight despite the restraints. "All right. But if he attempts to escape again, I'll hold you personally responsible."

"He won't."

Justin ignored her. He looked at Michelangelo. "And I'll use whatever means necessary to bring him back."

"Bring it on, Dude," Michelangelo's glare intensified. Josephine took his arm firmly. He twisted, jerking away, but when he met her eyes, she frowned warningly.

"Mikey. Needles," she said so softly he barely heard it. He stared into her brown eyes, frowning. She met his gaze steadily. Mikey let his shoulders slump.

"All right, Dudette," he said softly. "But keep him away from me." He glared at Keagan. Justin stepped back, his eyebrows rising, and let Josephine lead the reluctant turtle past him and out of the cage. He followed them, staying back a few steps.

Josephine led Mikey back out, through a small maze of rooms and enclosures, to the large cage which housed his brother.

***

Shell, my arm hurts. Guess I shoulda let her give me a shot of painkiller, after all. Raphael shivered. But I ain't lettin' nobody stick me wit' any needles what ain't Donny-approved. It's bad enough I let her wrap my arm up. Don'll have my shell if she did it wrong. He turned his arm experimentally. The splint did seem to support the bones. It felt better than it had before it was wrapped. I hope we ain't making da biggest mistake o' our lives, trustin' dis girl. She did tell us about Leo, though, and she took that damned muzzle offa me. Raph unconsciously rubbed his hand over his face where the muzzle had been.

She didn't hafta do that. Keagan sure didn't seem happy about it… o' course he mighta been actin'. She might be a double-agent, workin' fer him and pretendin' to help us. Hey, what's dat? If dat's Keagan comin' in here again…

Raphael watched as Josephine led a defeated-looking Michelangelo into the room. His younger brother's head was bowed, and he looked so helpless, being led around…

Like some kinda animal. What the shell did Keagan do ta him? Raph scrambled to his feet, ignoring the pain in his freshly-splinted hand.

I'm sicka dis. She's got Mikey chained up again, an' leadin' him around like a pet on a string. She ain't helpin' us. She's just Keagan's stooge, gettin' us ta do what he wants so he don't have ta stuff us full o' drugs and spoil his "specimens". She said she wants ta help us, but she sure don't look like she's helpin' Mikey right now!.

"Keagan! You let him outta dat t'ing!" he roared.

Justin hesitated at the door. He held his hand up to stop Josephine and Michelangelo. "He seems agitated," he said. "Perhaps this isn't such a good idea."

"No, Justin, it's fine. He'll calm down when Michelangelo is back with him. They're bonded."

"Open dis cage, Keagan. Let my brother go." Raphael's hands were clenched into fists.

"Let me talk to him, Justin. I'm sure I can calm him down," pleaded Josephine.

"I don't think opening the enclosure is a good idea right now," said Keagan. "I may need to administer a sedative…"

"No! I'm sure that won't be necessary. Raphael! You need to calm down." Josephine turned to the enclosure. She put her hand on the glass. Raphael jerked back, shooting her a disgusted look.

Whatdaya t'ink I look like, an animal in a zoo?

"Raphael, please. Calm down."

Not gonna happen. Not while you've got Mikey all chained up like dat.

"Let him go!" he snarled.

"Raphael, if you'll just calm down and back away from the door, I can bring Mikey in, and take this off. Please."

"I'm not lettin' you leave unless you take dat t'ing offa him," growled Raphael.

"Josephine, I really feel this isn't going to work. He's far too violent. We're going to have to return Michelangelo to his enclosure for now, and give this one more time to calm down. Maybe housing them together isn't a good idea…"

What? you t'ink yer takin' Mikey away again? No way!

Raphael flung himself at the door, slamming against it with his weight. "Keagan!" he roared. "You let my bro outta dat t'ing right now, you hear me?"

Justin backed rapidly away from the door.

"No, Josephine, now bring the smaller one away before he injures himself."

"Wait, Justin…"

"No! I'm not leavin' Raph!" yelled Michelangelo. He spun around, crouching to face Keagan. "I'm stayin' here. You can put me in the cage, I don't care, but I'm not leavin' my brother!"

"Mikey, calm down. Justin, what if we put him in with Leonardo?" asked Josephine, grabbing Michelangelo's arm. "I can talk to Raphael, and calm him down, but they would all be happier housed together."

Bang! Raphael bounced off the door again. "Keagan! Let… bang… my… bang… brother… bang… go!"

"Josephine, get Michelangelo out of here. Now. I'll stay with this one."

"Mikey, come on," said Josephine. She grabbed his arm, and dragged him toward the door.

"But Raph…"

"It'll be fine, don't worry. I'll talk to him. Just come on." Michelangelo let her lead him out.

Where the shell are they goin? Hey, I'm yellin' at you, here. What's Keagan doin'? Oh shell, a gun! Raphael backed quickly away from the door, snarling, as Keagan approached the door. If he opens the door, maybe I can kick it outta his hand 'fore he has a chance to use it… he crouched, preparing himself.

Keagan touched something near the door on the outside of the cage. A small panel opened near the door, and he pushed the snub nose of the pistol through the opening.

Oh shell.

Raphael tried running, dodging, in desperation, but there was a small pop, and he felt a sharp pain sting the back of his arm. He snarled, and slapped at the dart sticking into him. The room whirled, and the edges of his vision began to blur. Another pop, and another sting. Raph swatted at it, but his limbs felt heavy, uncoordinated.

He sank into the peat, and the world went dark.

***

"Jo, where're ya taking me?"

Josephine glanced at Michelangelo. "To your brother."

"What? Won't Keagan get mad? He told ya to put me back in the other cage."

"I don't care. I'm not putting you back by yourself. Leonardo will be glad to see you. Would you rather be by yourself again?"

"No. But won't Keagan just make you put me back?"

"Do you think Leo would let me move you again?" Josephine gave a mischievous smile.

"No. But Dudette, I don't want my bro's getting' hurt 'cause o' me. Maybe we shouldn't do this."

"What? But Mikey…"

"I wanna see Leo, too, Jo. But I don't want him gettin' hurt like Raph. What's Keagan gonna do to Raph now? Leo's not as hot-headed as Raph, but if he thought Keagan was gonna take me away from him, he'll fight just as hard."

Josephine stopped. "Mikey, what do you want to do?"

Michelangelo swallowed hard. "You'd better put me back in isolation, Dudette. I appreciate it, I really do, and I… I want to see Leo so bad it hurts. I mean, he's been missin' for so long…" He stopped, swallowing hard and blinking. "But I can't risk it, ya know? I can't risk my bros gettin' hurt 'cause o' me."

"Ok." Josephine said quietly. "It's this way." She turned, and led Mikey through the double doors, back to the isolated enclosure he'd come from. Josephine opened the cage, and Michelangelo took a deep breath, and stepped inside.

He flinched when the door clicked closed behind them. Josephine touched his arm, and he gave her a shaky smile.

"It's gonna be ok, Mikey," she said softly. She quickly removed the cuffs and chain. Michelangelo stretched his arms, relieved to be free of the restraints.

"Go," he said. "Help Raph."

"Ok. I'll come back as quick as I can."

"I'll be right here, Dudette."