Chapter 29

Surprisingly enough, it wasn't a prying mind or a headache that woke him. It wasn't the rats crawling over his shell or the cockroach that had found a bit of warmth in the crook of his elbow and decided to stay there. It wasn't even the water dripping down on his face, cold and wet. It was the beeping.

Raph groaned and covered his ears, squeezing his eyes tighter.

"Donnie! Shut off the fire alarm, I'm trying to sleep!"

No response came, and the beeping continued. Forced to open his eyes, Raph stared onto at the dark. Huh. He realized he was lying on concrete and not his bed, and that hard shell at his elbow wasn't Spike… He realized what it was when he felt the antennae move and leaped back with a rather girly screech.

Oh, thank goodness Mikey isn't here to hear that. I'd never live it down.

Shuddering as he heard the cockroach skitter away into the darkness, his attention turned back to the beeping. What the heck was it? It took a moment, but then he realized it was coming from his side.

His T-Phone.

Raph flicked it out of his pocket and was surprised to see light for the first time in a day. The screen was already lit up, and he recognized the app at once. It was Donnie's tracker. The only thing on the screen right now was a single red dot. His own. Huh.

He zoomed out and felt a stab of shock. Four dots, blue, purple, yellow and orange, were all grouped together. The blue and purple dots were so close they were touching, overlapping each other. Leo must have Donnie's phone… But that wasn't the issue. They were headed in his directi0n. He knew at once what was going on. They were looking for him.

Idiots!

His arm drew back to whip the phone at the wall, but he hesitated. Raph's brow contracted and he brought the phone back around to stare at the screen. He knew for a fact that this was his only way home if he got lost. This would probably be his only light source for a while. It was as of right now, his only link with his family.

But keeping it endangered them. They'd follow the tracker to him, and then Falco would use him to hurt them. Or they'd just attack him. Leo would. If he figured out that it was Raph that killed Donnie, he wouldn't hesitate. Leo didn't take traitors lightly. Then again, Leo didn't take anything lightly.

As much as he'd enjoy showing Leo once again who was the best if it was just for fun, just playing around, he wasn't going to stay around and take the risk that Falco'd hurt someone else. Sure, in the dojo, just for a little playing around to spend the time and let off some steam, he wouldn't hesitate to take on Leo. But in a serious fight, in the middle of a dark tunnel with Leo having the upper hand because of his grief? No. He'd seen Leo fighting like that before, and Raph had to admit, in a situation like that, no, even he couldn't take Leo down.

Leo's heart had to be the most confusing thing on the planet. In a fight, his care for his family gave him his strength, and his weakness. He wouldn't sacrifice his brothers for anything. And when they were in a seriously horrible situation and one of his bros was on the line? Leo was like a mix of a tornado and a hurricane. You could not take him down if he got that mad. He'd do anything for his brothers, and they knew it.

Raph sighed and shook his head. If Leo attacked him, he'd have to defend himself, and he'd end up hurting another brother. He couldn't do that.

He placed the phone on the ground in front of him, the screen still lit up. In an instant, his sai was in his hand. He drew it up high and lunged forward, aiming to destroy it before his brothers and April found him.

The tip of his weapon stopped an inch away from the screen.

I would rather you not.

His head gave a huge throb and Raph cried out, holding the sides of his skull. He groaned and his sai dropped from his hand.

"Stop… it…"

Stop trying to push me out, you foolish terrapin. It isn't going to work. I need that phone. They track you and it makes it so much easier…

Fear turned to panic. Raph gulped a breath and panted. If Falco let Leo and Mikey and April find him…

Suddenly his eyes narrowed. This wasn't him. Come on, Raph! He wasn't ever scared. It was his job not to be. What kind of turtle was he? No, he could do better than this.

What? What are you doing?

Raph grimaced and pulled his hands away from his head, climbing to his feet. He regained enough control earlier to hit Donnie with the handle. He could regain enough control now to-

To crush the phone? Ha. I don't think so.

He couldn't help it. He yelled and dropped again to his knees, his hands at his head.

What are you to do now? You don't move unless I say so. You don't go anywhere. You're like my little pet, without a single will or privilege to do anything. Splinter was a rat. Kin. My brethren. You're a simple creature, easy to control, easy to replace. Almost like a slave. That's it, a pet slave turtle. Wonderful, isn't it?

Pet? Slave? Excuse me?

That did it.

Raph growled, clenching his fists and grabbing his sai. He wasn't going to be controlled or tortured by a low life in a sad broken down Halloween costume. Nu-uh.

Ignoring the pain and pushing it off as much as he could, Raph got to his shaky knees. He could feel Falco beating his mind, fighting and winning for control.

One chance…

Now!

NO!

Raph suddenly found his sai at his own throat.

You try that again and I will destroy you by your own hand.

No you won't.

No? You've done your use.

You need me.

Oh, DO I now? No, you foolish creature. The only reason I'm keeping you alive now is to pay off a debt I owe. It would be so easy to dispose of you and take another. Because I know for a fact that there are three more easily conquered minds coming towards you that would do just as well to pay off this owing.

"Well then you better find a replacement!"

Raph ripped his weapon away from his throat and launched both of them at his phone, which still lay on the floor. He heard Falco scream in anger as both tips smashed through it easily, snapping the T-Phone into three pieces and leaving it sparking and sputtering on the floor. Raph panted, feeling exhausted and oddly satisfied.

Happy, are you?! Let's see how contented you are when I finish with you!

It wasn't his doing. Raph stared in horror as he leaped forward, snatching up his sai and clutching them in his fists, and running off into the tunnels. He wasn't doing this. He felt like a puppet, unable to move, unable to even control his own eyes. He wasn't even in control of his own breaths anymore.

Falco used his body to run off into the tunnels. It took a few moments for Raph to realize where he was headed.

No… NO!

His tormentor paid no mind. Raphael felt the cold dread building inside him.

Falco wasn't going to kill him.

He was going to kill them.

Not on my watch, you filthy creep!

With one last violent attempt, Raph forced his feet sideways. He stepped and the ground wasn't there to hold him. He wasn't expecting it, either. A yelp drove itself from his throat and Raph fell, expecting it to be a four foot drop like a containment wall.

It wasn't.

He fell for about five seconds before his head smashed onto the concrete below. An explosive pain burst through his head and Raph gasped, rolling onto his carapace before he heard Falco once again.

You fool.

And then he was gone.