Cris sighed as she put Vicky's jeep in park, leaning back into the seat a moment before getting out. Her mind already wandering.

She hadn't been followed that night, but she wasn't exactly out of the clear either. Later that morning, shortly after the sun rose, he had knocked on Vicky's door. Cris hid just around the bend in the kitchen as Caitlin opened it. It was Ken, and he was asking for his 'wife' who had 'a nervous breakdown and ran off into the woods' and how he 'couldn't find her and he was really worried'.

Caitlin had managed to send him off, but he didn't go away completely. Marina reported that he was still holding up residence in her house. Probably trying to wait her out since it was entirely possible that he figured that she had nowhere else to really go out here in nowheresville.

It was an overall uncomfortable situation.

But what could she really do? If she blew the whistle on him to the police, there would be a huge investigation and that would endanger the secret part of her family.

And to top it all off, still no word from Raph and the others.

Well, worrying about it wasn't going to get things done. She opened the door and was about to slip out, and she froze. There he was, scouting out the gardening store she was about to visit. Damn it, he knew about her hobbies, and of course he would ask around. The ever helpful clerk was chatting easily with him too the way it looked. Taken in by his slimy charm, the same charm that had reeled her into his net.

"Damn it." She whispered, then put the Jeep in reverse before she slowly backed up so as to not to catch his attention. That was all blown to outhouse shit when the clerk turned to look out the window, and saw the Jeep. THat stood out like a sore thumb in the almost empty parking lot. Her expression lit up as she pointed, then turned to look back at Ken. It was as if everything was in slow motion and Cris could clearly make out the formation of the words 'There she is now, in Vicky's Jeep' while Ken's head snapped in her direction.

"Double damn it!" She snapped harshly under her breath, the said fuck it to creeping and hauled ass straight up out of there. Looking up into the rear view, she could see him burst out tof the store, running for his own vehicle more than likely. She lost sight of him after making a faster than she should really be going right turn.

She was thinking quickly now. This was a small town, and she was pretty much the only vehicle on the barely used main drag. He would be able to spot her from a mile away. Cris sighed in frustration as she looked up into the rear view. Sure enough, a red pick-up was pulling out of the garden store parking lot, and began to close the distance rapidly.

Cursing a mile a minute, Cris looked frantically around. Trying to find some way to get out of this mess. Of all the piss poor bad luck, why did he have to be at the same store she wanted to visit! And why did Clair have to be so damn naive and friendly to everyone to the point she accidentally ratted her out. It was enough to make her want to pull her hair out.

Think, think, think! She slammed the steering wheel with her palm as she struggled with some kind of idea. And he was gaining even more rapidly now that they had left the town limits and entered open country.

She didn't dare head back to the house, boy that thought was getting real old real fast, because once again of what lived there. Why wouldn't he just fucking go away! He had done just fine without her for like what, three years now?

Nothing was coming to mind, and he was right on her tail now. Any second he would more than likely swing into the other lane and try to ram her...off...heeeeey...

The corner of her mouth started to rise in a malicious smirk. The idea hit her just as soon as Ken began the previous feared maneuver.

She watched him carefully out of the corner of her eye as he pulled up beside her, yelling obscenities through his opened window at her. Blah, blah, blah... Raph could put this nitwit to shame in the cursing department using half the words.

Finally, seeing that she wasn't going to stop, he got desperate. He yanked the wheel over, bringing his truck into her lane. Cris stomped on the brakes, hard. Now, normally this wouldn't have been enough to avoid getting at least clipped by him. But, she wasn't normal. Her foot slammed onto the pedal so hard even the mechanism built in to keep the tires from locking up struggled. With a loud squeal the tires locked up and she watched happily as he swung across he frontal view, and not expecting her to suddenly be behind him, there was nothing to stop him from going off of the road, and rolling down the embankment. He stopped about ten feet, upside down, next to a pasture that had cows grazing nearby. Looking on in gentle astonishment at the silly human in the crushed tin can.

Cris was grinning as she watched him climb out the window, tipped her fingers to her forehead in a mock salute, then hauled ass out of there.

.

.

His foot swung around in a very effective roundhouse, knocking the guards back. Then, without even putting his foot to the ground, kicked the door wide open. And with that barrier out of the way, Karai's foot streamed past him on either side to rush into the complex.

Leo himself strode forward, his eyes hard. Trying to ignore the violence. Even if he had placed strict rules to not kill, these fights got very ugly very quickly. Though he couldn't stand the loss of life on his hands, not even to save Vicky, he had no qualms about a decent beatdown here and there. They probably deserved it anyway.

"Remember, don't kill hem!" Leo snapped out, eyeing a ninja harshly that was about to do just that. "Or you will deal with me personally. We can't bolster the Mistresses ranks with corpses." The targeted ninja quickly moved away from his opponent and went to go find another playmate. Leo just shook his head in exasperation.

"The youth of today are rash." Michi chuckled lightly next to the large turtle. "So full of bravado."

"And not full enough of common sense." Leo almost growled back. "Some things never change."

"Not in the clan, no." Michi chuckled again.

Despite the grim situation, Leo smiled lightly. "You are a good man Michi." He murmured quietly. "A rare gem in this clan of juvenile delinquents."

"One does one's best." The older man paused. "Though I doubt the Mistress will appreciate being called such."

"The mistress is a spoiled brat." Leo replied. "That doesn't want to see the very fine line she is walking with this escapade of hers." He turned a corner, following the strike team as they kept moving deeper into the complex. "And it is going to come back around on her soon enough."

"Mmm." Michi hummed. "I am still uncertain what you plan to do."

"I'm not sure either right now." Leo paused and looked behind him, snapping his fingers to more foot and pointing to the fallen injured wanting them tended. Immediately some behind him rushed forward to collect them and carry them back out. "I have to take advantages of situations as I can." Leo sighed lightly as he walked forward again. "I don't like it very much though."

"I do understand." Michi gave the turtle a sympathetic look. "I think the situation is a bit, ah, ridiculous." He remained quiet a moment as they walked. "I never did agree with these underhanded tactic. Not even in the times of the Master."

Leo gave him a mildly surprised look. He already knew that Michi was having a hard time with the direction Karai was pulling the clan, but he never heard this from the man before. One day, Leo decided, he would like to hear more of this man's story. But not right now.

Because they had reached their target. The main rooms of this faction of the splintered clan. A petty little schemer that didn't really do anything but sit on his mighty chair, order servants around, and rob a few UPS and Fed-Ex trucks. Basically, staining the Foot Clan name with these petty crimes. Even Leo didn't really feel bad about bringing this faction down. He almost rolled his eyes, this group wasn't even a challenge even if he did voluntarily switch sides. To borrow a phrase from Raph, Cris and his still missing Vicky. He mumbled "Idiots." As he marched on.

Michi chuckled quietly beside him, then grew suddenly serious. He gently tapped Leo's arm, immediately getting the turtle's attention. "Leonard." Michi was very, very quiet as he spoke. So much so Leo could barely hear him, and that was quite a feat. "There. The man on the far side, trying to slip out a side corridor. I had thought he was lost in the clan separation, and I am honestly surprised to find him here in this...weaker version."

"Ok, now, what about him?"

"He may be of interest to you."

Leo looked at him questioningly.

"That is one of the Master's spy masters. He knows every location the Foot owns in this part of the world. He may know where your woman is to be found."

Now, those dangerous blue eyes narrowed. "Is that so..." He thought just a mere moment. "Karai would want that one killed more than likely. He knows too much and defected from her."

Michi nodded.

Leo gave it a thought just a few seconds more. "Michi, finish up here. If anyone asks, I'm taking care of a threat for Karai, to make up for angering her last night. In hopes she will take this offering and leave Vicky alone And safe from retaliation." Leo paused, his eyes growing dangerous. "And she better not have." He almost growled.

"Understood, Comander Leonardo." Michi bowed at his instructions, playing this part of the game perfectly as he now spoke in a loud tone so those around them could hear. "I shall inform the lower commanders of your absence to eliminate Spymaster Shen as a personal favor for the Mistress."

Leo tried to hide his smile. Good man. "Make sure my orders are followed, to the letter." He played right back to their audience. "I can't reinforce her ranks if these morons slaughter everyone here. Just round them all up, and I will sort them out later." Then, he broke away from the group, now turning on his stealth as he trailed his new target.

.

.

Raph slammed his fist into the nearest tree in frustration. They had made it to late...again.

Not far away Ninjara was watching him, her own tail twitching in aggravation. Raph was worried that if they didn't have something more than already destroyed hideouts and burnt down storage compounds of the Foot, the tall fox would get impatient and go off on her own to hunt Karai, with disastrous results for Leo and Vicky.

"You should have come with us when she offered you a place in her clan." Aloplex murmured quietly as she came up behind him. "We could have come to some kind of accommodation between the three of us, Hot stuff. Maybe even be willing to share you between us."

Ralph, wasn't at all surprised. In all honesty, he had thought about that. A few times actually. "No, Foxy." He replied. His tone unusually soft and gentle with his former lover. "It never would have worked out in the long run. We all value our pride to much to share anything for long." He sighed as he looked out over the fox clan as they searched the almost completely destroyed buildings. "I guess I do owe both of ya somethin' though."

Aloplex raised a brow. "I'm listening, and should I go find a nice secluded spot?"

He gave her a long look. "Stop that." He rubbed his forehead. "Look, I guess I do still love you, and Ninjara. Both of you were special to me in a trying time in my life. It's because of you two that I guess I learned that I could actually love. Thank you for that. But, Foxy, Cris is my girl now. I'm not going to do anything to jeopardize what we have. You guys brought me through the childish buffoon Raph. That's how you will always see me. Cris, she's got the grown and matured Raph who learned from his mistakes." He met her eyes. 'You understand what I'm trying to say?"

She was quiet a moment, then nodded. "I do actually." Now she turned her head to watch the scavenging going on. "You've grown, and matured, Raphael. And your family reflects that of you. I can respect that." She paused again, then grinned lightly. "Still miss our romps in bed though. Remember the time Your father came banging on the door for us to quiet down?"

Ralph groaned. "You would bring that up."

Aloplex just chuckled. And it died off when they both heard Donatello urgentlly calling for them, and Mikey very axiously waving them over.

Ralph, Ninjara and Aloplex ran over just as Mikey pulled something out of a hidden cubby. "What'd ya find."

Mikey dropped the limp form at his feet. A body that was looking at them with wide eyes, but didn't move a muscle. Mainly because he was tied from shoulder to toes in a lot of rope. Raph raised a brow and looked at his brother's for an explanation. "What am I supposed to do with him?"

"Look closer." Donnie said, then pointed.

Raph rolled his eyes, then did. Looking at the knots Donnie was pointing at. And...he blinked. He had seen these before... Not just the knots, but the pattern of the ropes overall. "Shibari? How in the hell did he get tied up in someone's rope fetish?"

Mikey was trying not to grin a large grin at the exasperated trio, who obviously couldn't connect the pieces. "Raph, who is the only person you know of who was curious about shibari when he was banging a certain Foot Clan member?"

Donnie rolled his eyes. "You do know it was first developed by the samurai to tie up prisoners before the practice moved to the bedroom, right?"

Mikey blinked. "Ooooooooh... So that's why he wanted to learn about it instead of hog tying Karai up like a cockeyed rooster."

"That, doesn't even make sense." Ninjara mumbled as Donnie face palmed. "How does one tie up a cockeyed rooster? and why would you?'

"Jara, Aloplex chuckled. "This is Mikey, nothing ever makes sense."

There was a pause. "Ah. I tend to forget about his famed humor."

Raph was already thinking along other lines. He bent over and pulled the man up by the ropes that covered him, and brought his snarling visage right into the now frightened ma's face. "Now, why would a man be hidden in the rubble-"

"Missing part of his scalp." Donnie noted as he frowned lightly. "I'm going to have to patch that up."

"Later." Raph rumbled and yanked the gag out of the prisoner's mouth. "You got something to tell me about a certain brother of mine?" Raph deepened his glare. "Or do I gotta scalp tha rest of ya?"

"Don't! Please! It hurt enough that Leonardo did it!"

"Leo did that?" Mikey was stunned. "Why?"

"Ya got an answer for that too?" Raph shook the man.

"To have something to take Karai to show that he had slain me! Please, I already told Leonardo I'd talk to you! He promised you wouldn't kill me if I did!"

They all exchanged glances withe some uncertainty.

"He also told me to tell you that the queen holds the pawn away from the knight and the knight is searching the board and took a piece for the other color of the players, whatever that means."

Donnie thought about it for a moment, then he smiled. "It means, my new friend, that you just got volunteered to give me some information on where to look for a certain friend of ours that he can't seem to find."

"And if ya don't spill on where this friend could be," Raph wasn't even put on a show of being threatening, he was completely honest "I will slowly tear you apart right now the middle to the point you are going to need these ropes to hold what is left together. Got it?"

There was a sudden pungent smell coming from his groin area, a smell all four could smell very, very well with their better sense of smell.

"Dude," Mikey gave Raph a suffering look "you made him piss his pants, and we still gotta question him."

Ralph grunted, then started to walk off, dragging his captive behind him. After disappearing behind some trees, there was a loud splash that could be heard. Obvious evidence that Raph tossed the loose bladder guy into the creek nearby.