* Lilah is a big fat LIAR.
The red-banded turtle had finally fallen into a deep sleep that morning himself. When he jolted awake that afternoon through the act of being covered in some unidentifiable substance, his groggy response was to curse his youngest brother's name. The instant he tried to move however, he was reminded of where he actually was. Raphael started to try and open his eyes, but was met by a sharp stinging sensation that made him think better of it.
"C'mon Heffernan, that's a good boy. Up and at 'em."
He heard one of the men taunting the human, who was presently choking so hard it sounded like he was going to get sick. A surge of anger rose to the surface as the turtle forced his eyes open, regardless of the pain. A dangerous snarl erupted from deep inside, which only succeeded in eliciting laughter from a couple of different directions.
Lewis smirked at the turtle, as he hurled the remainder of his bucket over Raphael's head. "I'm sorry - I didn't realize that you were still hungry."
The contents weren't really one thing or another, merely a combination of several elements that made the turtle want to gag. When Raphael felt someone's hand under his chin, he took a blind snap at it, surprising even himself when he captured the offending limb.
Two pairs of fists descended on him at once to force him to let go, but the brutal rain didn't cease the moment the turtle released the man. Lewis swore at the turtle between their blows, even as he cradled his badly bleeding left hand.
"You've earned you and your buddy a few more hours in lock-up." He fumed at Raphael, swiping something across the turtle's eyes so that he would be able to see what happened next. "Along with a little something extra, for your own enjoyment."
The man turned in Greg's direction, as Raphael desperately fumbled with the links of his manacles. He knew where Lewis was going with this. The wretched human reached for his nearby rifle, twisting it over in his hands to use for another purpose altogether. He turned it on Greg like a club, striking the Agent at least five times between the stomach and rib cage. Then he yanked his head back up fiercely by the hair, and leaned in close to the man's ear.
"Still with me Heffernan?" Lewis asked the straining man. "Be sure to thank your friend over here."
Lewis released his grip after a moment, and let his head fall without an ounce of gentleness. "We'll catch up again later." He assured the pair, as he left the cell with the other two men..
A tremendous cry of frustration shot out of the turtle, as he raged uselessly against the bonds again.
"My sentiments exactly." Greg added, shaking his head in an attempt to at least get some of the junk out of his eyes. "Aw that's foul. Feels like eating tar."
"Heff, I'm sorry." Raphael said immediately. "If I hadn't done that, they mighta let us down."
"Forget about it." The man told him. "Did you actually get a piece of him? I couldn't see a thing."
What almost sounded like a chuckle came from Raphael's direction. "Neither could I - it was a lucky shot."
"Well, I would have killed to do the same thing." Greg informed him, shivering as the cold mixture made it down his back.
Raphael growled something indiscernible under his breath, as he wondered how long they would actually leave them like this. "If we get out of here...I ain't never complaining about Mikey's pranks again." He muttered.
The thought of his orange-masked brother made him sigh inwardly. While he was relieved he'd managed to escape, he couldn't imagine how Michelangelo had to feel out there on his own.
But he's not alone, he's got Luke, and the girls...His thought trailed off slightly as Karina flashed through his mind, following a sensation of longing that was so deep it shook him to the core.
He felt Greg's gaze, and glanced over to acknowledge the human a moment later.
"I hardly think it's time to make promises that you can't keep Raph." Greg said ironically, and the turtle had to relent.
"Yeah, okay...I won't complain as much." Raphael allowed, a certain note of anxiety tracing his tone. "I'm sorry we got ourselves caught Heff. And the others...they're not gonna quit either. They'll either find us, or they'll die tryin'."
Greg didn't say anything for a long moment, taking a sharp breath that revealed the raspy quality that Raphael was feeling so concerned over.
"We really just need some lousier friends." He finally told him, making the turtle shake his head at him.
The man looked down for an instant, and then went on. "There are things, that are hard to say...until you come to a certain place. Raph, no matter what happens to me, I'm glad I chased you guys to Hillsboro."
"It's too early for youto be talking like that Heff." The turtle tried to admonish him, but it came out more frightened than he wanted it to.
"I'm just...trying to tell you, it's gonna be okay. It is. And that I've been happier in the last year, than I ever remember being before."
"I told you not to give up on me."Raphael said sharply.
Greg gave him an exhausted smile. "Don't ever change Raph, no matter what anybody says."
Donatello's struggle to keep his eyes open into the second late evening was becoming an all-out battle. He was practically seeing double by now, a curious sensation that made him feel extremely off kilter. The turtle started to swallow behind the gag, but felt so dry that he couldn't actually accomplish the motion. He sensed movement from behind his half-closed brown eyes, and fought instantly to open them all the way.
Donatello stared up into the face of a stranger, a somewhat menacing individual with a length of chain wrapped around his arm.
"Nick of time turtle." The man commented, as Donatello released a short breath behind the tape.
He remembered this guy now, for how his chosen weapon had felt across the burns on his chest if nothing else. But the human's gaze wasn't particularly threatening right now. It seemed more curious than anything else.
"That guy Williams, there wasn't hardly a mark on him, besides the obvious. You took him out with one hit, didn't you?"
The question was clearly rhetorical, and Donatello couldn't have responded to it, even if he wanted to.
"You must have some mad skills. Nobody will be taking any chances with you again, I guarantee it."
I never thought I'd be wishing someone would underestimate me, the purple-banded turtle thought regretfully.
"We should have known there was a reason for the extra security measures," The man remarked. "But most of us just figured that it factored in with Stolle's paranoia. Brother was he paranoid - just not about the right things."
What's made you so talkative all the sudden? Donatello couldn't help wondering.
"I can't tell you how ready I am to be out of this stink-hole region. It's reassuring to know that the process has started. The sooner the rest of you are dead, the sooner we can go home."
Donatello heard the man's statement, but what he actually said didn't strike him until an instant later. Rest of you?
"But I'm getting ahead of myself here. Lilah wants the privilege of telling you all about it. You be a good boy, and don't tell her I said anything, okay?" He finished smugly, and turned his back on the turtle before he could see how wide his brown eyes had just gone.
As if on some pre-arranged cue, the blond woman came through the door a few seconds later.
"Good evening Donatello." She said pleasantly enough, as if the turtle were actually no more than a guest in her home. "You've had a long silent day I imagine. I'm sorry I couldn't come to see you sooner, I've been so busy."
Yes, packing the rest of your bags for the witches convention no doubt.
Lilah pulled over a chair to sit down beside the turtle, and lightly toyed with the knot of his mask. She saw the disgust flash through his eyes when she touched him, and laughed softly.
"Most people will try and tell you that there are a lot of fish in the sea, but that's not the case with you, is it Donatello? It's never been anymore than the one. The girl you're so willing to allow to suffer, so that you don't have to. You know, in a way, I do believe I'm doing her a favor.
Reality would have eventually set in, and everything she gave up to follow you would have come back to haunt her. She's good at pretending, isn't she? But deep down, you have to realize that she longs for more, what every girl wants and deserves. A chance to live, to be free out in the open, nothing to hide, nothing to complicate the normal way of life.
Nothing is normal with you Donatello, and it never could be. For her to learn that now, while she's still young...I think it's a gift. She may have been willing to give up everything for you, but it doesn't mean she should have to. No one should. You believe that - I know you do."
He didn't falter from her gaze, his expression remaining completely stoic.
"But I'm not really here to talk about Jenna. I have something for you, that I thought you might like to hold onto. It would probably serve as a nice memory, for the next few days anyway."
The woman motioned behind her for someone to increase the lighting, and dropped a piece of tattered fabric on the turtle's chest. Where it wasn't stained crimson, Donatello could tell it was the signature blue of his oldest brothers'.
"I'm afraid Lewis got a little carried away last night. I can't actually blame him. He was bound and determined to have someone's blood, and when I wouldn't let him touch you, he wandered elsewhere."
She had the turtle's full attention now - he didn't even seem to be breathing as he hung on her every word.
"He didn't beg or break down - I suppose that should make you happy. He seemed intent upon dying with honor."
What oxygen remained inside his chest felt like it had been sucked out completely. No. No she's lying, she has to be. It's not true, I would have felt something, I would have known! He can't really be gone - this is just some sick game she's trying to play with me.
Lilah smiled evenly at the disbelief displayed in her captive's brown eyes.
"I knew you'd find it hard to accept," She said quietly serious. "So I decided to provide something as proof, for your own closure. You're going to have to speed your way through the grieving process, you don't have much time to get through it."
The woman brought a hand-held scanner into his line of sight, after recalling an image on the full color monitor that the turtle was certain would forever be emblazoned on his mind - however long that might be. His oldest brother's body was twisted at an unnatural angle, covered in and surrounded by more blood than Donatello had ever seen in one place. Much more than any creature could ever stand to lose, and still survive.