Therefore I am
Disclaimer: I deny any ownership of any adult, or adolescent, transformed shadow warrior chelonians.
Chapter Thirty Six- In it Deep
Michaelangelo:
While Rama was absorbed in the movie, I managed to steal a few kisses from Catherine, or snuggle close to her, while we shared a popcorn and watched the show. It was a good movie, and the company was definitely enjoyable. I now waited outside the theatre for the ladies to join me, before we headed home.
Suddenly, out of nowhere I picked up a mental shout of fear and panic that came from Ramiela and then there was nothing, though I reached out to her with my senses on high alert. There was a blank, empty void that followed her mental distress call, that put me even more into full alert. Something, was wrong, Rama was in trouble and Catherine might also be in trouble.
I turned around ready to charge back into the theatre, if necessary I'd go straight into the lady's room but the door to theatre was blocked by six large, burly well muscled guys that reminded me of some wrestlers.
I just gave a shake of my head. I didn't know who these idiots were, but they clearly had no idea who they were messing with. I made a move to slip behind one but the path was cut off by another moving closer in and I sensed someone else moving in close behind me. I felt a muscular arm slip around me and a cloth was jammed into my face. I ducked lowering my upper body, and with the right leverage tossed the fellow who grabbed me from behind into his buddies who were blocking my way.
One of the ones who'd been off to the right side sneered at my move, reached around his back and pulled out a set of nunchucks.
"So, the Foot are dressed up tonight huh?" I remarked, "What's the occasion, the black pajamas just wasn't doing it for you anymore?" I asked them. I realized that it had to be the Foot who had also grabbed Rama, and they might have taken Catherine too as an extra bargaining chip. I wouldn't be able to reach them due to the fact these guys were keeping my focus elsewhere.
I scowled, realizing that I might not be able to help Rama or Catherine right now. I may have to let the Foot take them, because the guys who were out here had to be dealt with first giving their companions more then enough time to escape. Fighting in front of the theatre would attract too much attention so we'd have to take this particular party elsewhere.
I leaped over to the side wall and found a hold to scramble upward toward the roof top. I knew that I would be followed but at least on the roof tops there was less chance of being seen by the general public, or the cops coming to arrest the lot of us for breaking the peace. I had just enough time to scan the area and insure there was no more Foot around, while ditching my disguise and drawing my own weapons.
Sure, enough my friends from below had opted to come join me. Course they had to go by a different route which gave me a little more time to get into a good position where I could easily defend myself against them.
Three of them charged me at once, and I met their charge with both of my weapons going hard and fast. I was hoping to knock some of these guys out. The weapons of choice seemed to be smaller easier, to conceal weapons sais, nunchucks, chain weapons and knives. I grabbed the first guy with ease and tossed him down onto the rooftop as hard as I could knocking the wind out of him.
I blocked a sai blade, and kicked out at a guy who was wielding knives. The guy with the sai instantly twisted his wrist around doing his best to catch the sai blade into and around the chain of my nunchuck, in hopes of disarming me. But I knew that move well, and I wasn't planning to lose my weapon to it. I knew the move to insure that didn't happen, and just about yanked the sai from the guy instead.
By then the guy I had thrown was getting to his feet, with a look of revenge on his face. I gritted my teeth, irritated and anxious because I knew I was wasting far too much time. I put more force behind my weapons and managed to drop one of the soldiers quickly. I continued on earning a few bruises and some cuts from sai and knife blades before managing to drop the second and third.
No one else was coming to take over, but I knew by this point of the game that I had been delayed long enough. Still, I couldn't do anything other then to alert my brothers that we had trouble and finish clean up.
I finally managed to drop the last thug. I reached and grabbed up my disguise, wanting nothing more than to go find Rama, but knowing that to do it on my own was asking for more trouble. Keeping on high alert, I headed for home making a few detours as I went. Last thing I needed to do was bring home some unwanted company and there was bound to be some around here ready to try and tail me.
None of us needed that sort of trouble, and it seemed that we all ready had trouble deep enough to handle for the moment as it was.
Catherine:
It had been a wonderful evening, at least right up to the point where I was grabbed from behind and something, or someone had hit me over the head hard.
The next thing I was aware of was how much my head hurt, I could feel it throbbing and pounding. I debated about even opening my eyes but with some effort and my recent memories rushing back, I managed to crack open my lids. I blinked a few times trying to clear my vision while taking stock of where I was.
Ramiela was unconscious just a few feet from where I was sprawled. When I raised my head a little and turned it I couldn't help but notice that we were both in a cage, not much different in size from the cage that Ramiela had been kept in at the lab.
David and the others must have found us! I realized, suddenly feeling cold at the very thought. But the coldness lasted but a short time for it was followed by a strong sense of indignity at even being locked up. 'Why am I locked up? I didn't do anything wrong. I don't deserve this...how dare they?' Inwardly my mind raged and ranted over the injustice of being locked up like an animal.
Some how in spite of that, I glanced over to look at Ramiela, and all of those feelings died in an instant. What would she do, how would she cope when she woke up and found herself once again behind bars? Would she blame me again? I wanted to keep her from knowing. But I doubted it was possible, for sooner or later she would have to wake up and see where she was.
I sighed, as it dawned on me that she might have a better chance of accepting the idea now, while we seemed to be alone. True, there might be some video surveillance cameras on us, and I could see the cage was set up in a separate room of where ever, we happened to be. I took a deep breath and went to nudge her and try to wake her up.
"Ramiela come on wake up. Ramiela" I spoke as I nudged and gently shook her.
She groaned and mumbled something groggily in her sleep, the words unintelligible but finally with a little resistance she rolled to a sitting position and seemed to sit looking around her in stunned silence, that might have lasted all of five seconds. Suddenly, she let loose a terrified heart wrenching scream, that ended in a sob. She lunged to her feet and raced at the bars hitting into them.
In desperations she fought against the bars for a moment, " No, NO! NO, damn it! It can't be. I don't want to be in a cage again. I don't want to go back there," She denied frantically between deep cries of pain.
I went over and pulled her into my arms holding her close, seeking to comfort her as best as I could, "I'm sorry Ramiela, but we will get out of this somehow. At least we are together at the moment, they haven't separated us." I tried to speak encouragingly to her, "I know you are scared. I am too, and I don't know how long we may be together. I don't even know how to fight, but maybe the two of us might be able to work something out." I suggested. Thinking about escape alternatives had to be better then sitting here thinking about how we were trapped.
Ramiela slouched in my arms and sniffled a bit, then nodded her head, "Dad and the others will come. But that only means David will find out about them as well," She muttered dejectedly.
It was an unnerving thought, after all David probably still thought that Ramiela was the only one. I shuddered at the thought of what he'd plan or do, when he learned there was far more to experiment with.
Ramiela had a defeated look about her as she sank to the floor, her legs crossed under her. I could tell she was doing her best to get things under control as she slowly took deep breaths to try and steady herself. I gave a faint smile. Then I noticed the only door into our room was opening up. David entered the room with another man that I
didn't know.
"Catherine, you hid very well. But not well enough, it seems to avoid Keith and his friends" David remarked, a strange gleam in his eyes, an almost possessive look to him as his gaze drifted towards Ramiela.
"Keith, what does Keith do?" I wondered.
" It is not what I do now that is important," Keith dismissed casually. He was muscular about five eight in height, dark brown hard eyes and sandy brown hair. He was at the moment dressed in blue jeans and a plain black t-shirt. There was an air of confidence about him, and a few small scars on his face, other then that nothing that would make him seem any different then a number of people out there.
" It is more what Keith knows that matters," David boasted, " He tells me A-23 here is often with other turtles similar to herself. It seems these turtles and Keith's family have some sort of vendetta against one another, and he offered to assist me in getting her back in exchange to gain a little prestige and honour for his family." He went on to explain further, "He has informed me that he has no idea if A-23 is like the older turtles, a natural mutation but after hearing that she had human DNA in her, felt it was highly possible the original mutations were capable of breeding with humans. Which means, that there could possibly be others like A-23 that we can compare and study."
David's face lit up at the thought and I saw Rama tremble a little as she listened to what he had learned. I could only look at David with disgust and sheer revulsion. I suddenly had to fight to keep what food and drink I had in me down.
"Personally, I would love the chance to study one of the original mutations. But I made an agreement with Keith, and his services are worth it. He did say he'd permit me to do a blood test on the adults for a comparison," David continued, "And he informed me that I might be able to have one of the bodies later to perform an autopsy on it. It seems his father Yukio Sekora might give me that much."
Ramiela sprang to her feet and turned to glare at David, and Keith, " Yukio Sekora is leader of the Foot Clan. Keith should not make promises he most likely will not be able to keep. He is bound to be severely punished for not taking me to the Foot Base immediately, in the first place. Yukio wants us all dead." She declared in a matter of fact way.
Keith gave her an indifferent stare, "It is possible, and it is a risk I am willing to take, after all he'd rather have the four turtles who have always been such a thorn in our side, then worry about the young ones. Besides locked away and tortured in a lab most of you won't be fit to get any revenge." Keith smirked, " if I brought just you to the base. I would not be credited with the adults capture. If, on the other hand I capture the four adults with help from some friends then we are bound to get all the glory."
Ramiela raised her head, "Maybe I was a fluke."
Keith nodded, " I'll grant you that. However, there is but one way to know for sure. David has some test he wishes to run on you, it seems he is anxious to see if you are breedable. After he is done, you and I will have a talk about where your home is, how many of you there are in your clan and, trust me on this the truth will come out. You won't be able to hide it from me, not with a truth serum."
Ramiela gulped and took a slight step back at his words.
I put an arm around her and snapped, " Leave her alone. She's scared and..."
" A-23 is no longer your concern Catherine," David interrupted me, "Soon enough you will be answering on charges that I have placed on you. I suggest you get used to being behind bars for that is bound to be your out look for some time to come."
David's words caused me to close my eyes and take a breath, I suppose I could face jail if I had to. But I dreaded what might be done to Rama and her family. I opened my eyes in time to see a dart sticking out of Ramiela's arm. I pulled it out.
Keith chuckled, "Don't worry all it needs is very little of the drug in her system to make her less likely to fight us," He spoke in a reassuring way, "When the truth serum is injected she won't be able to stay silent or lie to us."
I looked down at Ramiela, sensing her terror as she reached out to grab hold of me and whispered my name, before her eyes closed.I held onto her, wanting to keep her close.
Keith entered the cage with a sword drawn, I hadn't even seen him draw it, nor had I seen it on him though the sheath for it could be placed on his back. "Step away from her, I am not opposed to using this."
I realized I had no choice and let Rama go backing away from Keith and the point of the sword, he nodded as David removed Rama from the cage. I was helpless and could only watch as the two of them left with Rama, leaving me locked in the cage alone with my thoughts and my own fears.
Fears, that surprisingly were focused more on Ramiela and her family, then on myself. I worried about what would happen if Mike and the others were captured when they came walking into a trap to save us.
All I knew was that we were in it deep.
TBC