"So we all know what to do right?"

Leo paced nervously in the alley way across the street from the Shredder's lair. They'd gone over the plan at least four times before leaving their home but nothing could put his nerves at ease. Leatherhead and Slash nodded before taking off towards their designated spots while Donnie unrolled the schematics of the air ducts.

"Ok, last time we went in you were found here," he rounded his finger on a large room. "Seeing as this is clearly once more a trap," he paused, hoping to see some sort of a worried expression from Nell but finding nothing. She was clearly too determined to care for such things. "She'll probably be in the same place."

"Got it," she muttered, then motioned for him to continue.

He let out a sigh. "Nell, please, you don't have to do this. You can just leave it to us-"

"Stop," she held up two fingers for his silence. "I'm doing this and there's nothing you say or do that can change that."

He and his brothers all stared in disbelief at the harsh tone in her voice. "You go straight, then take the second left, first right and it'll lead you to a vent above the room," he drawled out quickly, averting his gaze from her. He understood the situation held a great amount of stress, for her especially, but it surprised him how quick to snap she'd become. He'd never say but it cut him deep.

Leo waited a brief moment, making sure that the tense moment had mostly passed. "Ok, I'll give the signal and those two up there will take out the guards and draw as many away as possible," he snuck to the edge of the building which concealed them from view. A few hand gestures around the corner and they could see the two large shadows leapt into action. With that, they all raced acrossed the road knowing the distraction would be enough to keep them away from prying eyes.

A scraggly rope flew down from the top, without hesitation she grabbed on and began scaling up the brick wall. Once she climbed on to the top, the turtles fell into their own places. A leathery hand grabbed on to her wrist to hoist her up. The anthropomorphic alligator gave her a small, toothy smile before ripping off the cover to the central duct. "Good luck, my friend," he wished her in a deep, gruff voice.

She nodded in response before pressing her back against the cold metal and lowered herself down quietly. The space shrunk quicker then she first imagined it would. The drop off was only about seven feet down before her feet touched solid flooring. Before going further she grabbed the communicator, knowing once she was in the area would be to small to grab anything behind her. "I'm in," she whispered into it.

"Good, report back when you have her in sight," Leo's hushed tone replied.

The ducts were impossibly hot as she crawled forward she had to spot every few feet to wipe away the sweat beads dripping down her forehead. Breathing became a labor even though she wasn't overexerting her body, the air was just horridly thick.

She took the turn Donnie had pointed out, the next was only a few feet from that. The vent she saught out was another twelve yards away. Carefully, she took the screw driver from it's secured place in her bra. She held her breath while she unloosened each screw, hoping none were squeaky or stripped. Huffing out silently, she pried her claws underneath the metal bars and pulled it up as slowly as she could manage.

Just as predicted, Lacey was exactly where they'd planned. An anger rose in her chest as she bore witness to her friend tied up, her body shaking with each sob she let go of. "Found her," Nell managed through gritted teeth. "Room is clear... except-" a slumped over body was passed out just almost out of view.

"Except what?"

She scanned the person the best she could in the low light, the realization made her breath hitch. The body groaned painfully, lifting itself up long enough for her to catch a view of it's large arms riddled in tattoos and an unmistakable dark indigo mohawk. "They have Reeve..."

ooOooOoOOOoo

"Who's Reeve?" Leo turned to Donnie with the question.

It took him a moment to recall the name, he'd only meant the man once on Halloween in that diplated building. "Another one of her friends," he answered. "We need to go in." Her temper had all ready been shortened to a sparking fuse, adding another person she cared for on top of this whole mess could only mean that lit fuse just got even shorter.

"Is there anyone else in sight?" He communicated over. That small change in the all ready unsure plan only meant things just got twice as risky, and twice as dangerous.

"No, no one else is here."

Leo nodded to the purple clad turtle, it was time to move.

oooOoooooOOOOo

Nell felt her stomach tighten when the line went dead, was it a good sign? Were they on their way? They had to be, she assured herself, they wouldn't just abandon the mission. She stared down into the room, a familiar feeling of helplessness washed over her as she just waited for the brothers to come. "Lacey," she tried reaching her voice loud enough for her friend to hear but no one else. "Lace!". Her words didn't even echo in the tunnel no less reach her ears.

She undid the clasp on the necklace that dangled around her thin neck. Fiddling with the pendant, she pressed a small kiss to it before dangling it over the edge of the opening. It fell to the ground before the crying girl down below, she froze for a moment. Her head jerked around the room to catch no glimpse of her captures then slowly tilted upward.

All she saw was a black hole in the ceiling which had once been a solid cover. "Lace," it called down to her. She immediately recognized Nell's voice, making the tears in her eyes swell further. She couldn't be here, her mind screamed, he would get her. She shook her head at the vent opening, hoping her friend would turn back. "Go now!" She hissed.

Nell raised a questioning brow at the black haired woman down below, she couldn't leave yet not until they were all out of harms way. She heard the door click open and eased back into the vent, to keep her cover. Xever sauntered into sight with a satisfied grin on his face. "Looks like you never disappoint," he laughed, his eyes shot up to her. Just as she began to retreat further from the opening, small clicking noises sounded from behind her. She glanced back as two small, two legged robots approached her with a predator stance about them.

The same sound came from the front as more surrounded her other escape route. Panic surged in her veins as they burst into full speed at her, they pushed against one another forcing her closer to the opening in the duct.

The last thing she remembered was the feeling of free fall before sudden darkness swallowed her up.

A/N: And the situation just gets worse and worse. Until next time, thank y'all!