Chapter 25
0000 Hours
Raphael P.O.V
As he slowly regained consciousness, Raph became aware of blades clashing. Groggily, he pried his heavy lids open and was confronted with the rapidly moving figures of Leonardo and Adamu battling with such speed and force his gaze could barely keep up. The ground beneath the two warriors was soaked in blood, seeping from the wounds both figures now possessed. Raphael's heart clenched with a force he had never before witnessed. They had come all this way to face this demon and save their brother, yet here Leo was, dragging himself from the brink to save them. There was something so horrific, yet at the same time so impressive with the scene before him that Raph could only stare.
It was here, with his brothers out of action like himself with only Leo still standing, could the former hothead see just how strong their leader was. Even broken and battered as he was, he was still fighting with various weapons at a pace Raph knew he would never be close to, even at full strength.
Leonardo was the very definition of the skilled ninja their father had worked so hard to turn them into, determined to protect his family until the bitter end. His eyes were cool and calculating, every muscle tensed and ready, each movement performed with absolute precision.
Before he could even process what had happened, Adamu was down on his knees, clutching a bleeding stump to his chest as Leonardo hovered above him like an avenging demon.
"Don…" Leo's gaze never left his opponent. "Get father outta there…" Raph heard his brother scramble to Splinter's side. It was over… It was actually over… A few tears of relief slipped beneath his mask.
"Thank god…" He murmured to himself. They were safe… It was over…
"Yield. You've lost. Accept it." The eldest spoke down to Adamu, and Raph could see the sheer exhaustion in his brother's face – the agony he was in finally allowing itself to be known.
And then the unthinkable happened. Smoke began to billow from the monster's feet, quickly filling the room so everything was obscured. Raising a hand, Raph couldn't even see his own fingers before his eyes, yet through the oppressing darkness he heard footsteps.
He froze, eyes wide, as if he could pierce the gloom through sheer will alone. Adamu was free… He was going to escape again… Clenching his fists, Raphael could only stare into the darkness in terror. If he escaped, they could never be free again… He would hunt them down as long as he lived… It wasn't fair… Not when they were so close….
There was a sound of a sword cutting through something before a dull thud echoed from the gloom.
Oh gods… What was that?
Raphael bit his lip to stop it trembling. Who had just fallen? Please not Leo… Oh gods please not his brother… He couldn't even move from where he was crouched, so deep was his terror.
Gradually, the smoke began to disperse, revealing the chaos that had occurred within the gloom. Rapahel's breath caught in his throat.
There, inches from Michelangelo, lay a knife clasped in an outstretched hand on top a growing pool of blood. Beside the arm, Adamu's severed head was glaring at the sky, eyes once so full of malice now devoid of life while above the corpse, Leo stood, swaying, blade clenched in a blood-soaked fist. His gaze seemed to travel around the room once, hovering on each of his brothers and their father for a good few seconds before falling back to the body at his feet.
His weapon slipped from his trembling hands and he fell to his knees, cobalt orbs glazing over.
"LEO!" Raph was on his feet in a moment, all pain he had felt before now meaningless as he skidded to his brother's side just as his eyes rolled back and he collapsed to the ground. Carefully placing a hand under Leo's head, he lifted his brother up so his head could rest on Raph's lap as the former hothead checked his elder brother's pulse.
Grimacing, he turned to Mikey, still frozen in horror at how close he had come to meeting a violent end. Reaching out a hand, his little brother tentatively took it, and shuffled closer, tucking himself into Raph's side as he began to silently cry.
"He saved me…" Mikey managed through his tears. "I couldn't do anything…" Raph shushed his brother kindly, wrapping his undamaged arm around Mikey.
"None of us could." He assured the youngest turtle, "Leo saved us all…" Narrowing his gaze, he felt Leo's pulse again. "But now it's our turn to help him…"
"Thank you, Donatello." Splinter's voice came form the other side of the room as Donnie finally cracked the code to pry the cage open, and instantly father and son moved over to their fallen saviour.
"Leo…" Don breathed. With a wince, he knelt on Raph's other side and began checking their sibling over. "Pulse too weak, too much blood loss…" He raised his head, that old calculating look taking over his expression, the old doctor mode once again reawakened. "We have to get him outta here."
Splinter nodded in agreement and pulled out his shell cell, moving just outside the room so he could call their allies to arrange a path out of the building and to arrange someone to notify the authorities about the illegal front Adamu had hidden his crimes behind.
Mikey nudged Raph gently,
"What about…" He gestured to their eldest brother's torn limbs, the gapping wounds to his palms and soles. Raph balanced as he caught a glimpse of bone amidst the blood oozing from the holes.
"We can't say now." Don interrupted. "The wounds may heal with proper time and attention, yet with how long he's been in these conditions…" He faltered slightly, jaw clenched, before he shook his head. "But we can't consider that yet. We must get him out of here and cleaned up. Then we can see." Across their brother's still form, Raph and Don swapped a glance, and in that quick silent exchange, Raph could see the doubt and fear Don held for their brother. Whatever he was thinking – it wasn't good.
"Right my sons," Splinter returned to their side. "Casey and April have gone to collect the Shellraiser and Rockwell and Slash will be here to clear a path for us shortly." He paused for a moment, his eyes turning sad as they fell upon the bleeding form between them. "I am sorry you have all had to shoulder such a burden…" He whispered. "I was supposed to be the one to face him, not subject you to such an encounter again… For that I am sorry." Raph bowed his head slightly in acknowledgement, unable to find words to respond. A slightly awkward silence fell momentarily, broken by the sounds of tearing as Don began ripping up his mask and his cleanest gear on his person as he began creating makeshift bindings for Leo's many wounds. With one working arm, Raph copied his brother, removing his mask and belt, checking both were clean enough for temporary bandages before passing them to Don to cut up as well. Soon an orange mask joined the fray and Don started binding up Leo's hands and feet, doing his best to stem the flow of blood.
Splinter knelt beside them, closing his eyes and slowing his breathing as he began muttering in Japanese. A pale light began to emit from his palms, before he pressed them to Leo's plastron, transferring the light over. This continued for a good while, the brothers only able to watch in silence.
"Guys?" A shout came from the corridor.
"Slash." Raph raised his head. "Mikey, you mind?" He nodded at the door. The youngest pushed himself up and moved out to get their allies' attention. "Father?" He hated to interrupt whatever Splinter was doing, but they needed to move.
The rat's eyes snapped open, and the light faded away.
"Yes. Let us go." Seeing his sons' confused looks he quickly explained. "An ancient technique called the healing hands. It will help stabilise Leonardo's heartrate for now. It is not much, yet it is all I can do until we get back to the lair."
"You manage to… Oh." The words died in Slash's tongue as he entered the room. "I'll take that as a yes…" He muttered as he caught sight of the beheaded corpse of Adamu. Gritting his teeth, he nodded grimly. "No less than what the bastard deserved." Turning back to the turtles he inclined his head towards the door. "Let's get you guys home. How is he?" He gestured to Leonardo.
"Time will tell." Splinter stood, gathering his eldest son in his arms as he did so. "Can you all walk?"
Raph and his brothers nodded.
"Good." Rockwell entered. "The others are retreating as we speak, drawing the remaining troops away from our exit route. Let's go."
As one, the group moved towards the door, escaping the hell as quickly a they could. However, as Raph reached the doorway, he paused. Turning back to the dismembered corpse he forced himself to stare at the unseeing eyes of the man he once held such fear for.
"Come on, Raph." Donnie called from halfway down the corridor.
"He beat you." Raph murmured to the head, fists clenched. "You got off easy. Despite everything he ended you with honour. You didn't deserve that, yet he allowed you that dignity."
"Raph!"
"You tried to destroy us – destroy him, and you failed. And you died in the knowledge that everything you worked for fell through." He spat on the ground. "We'll get through this. Together. Just as we always have. Nothing you did will stop that." Turning from the room, Raph marched out, joining his family just as they were reaching the elevators.
Gathering inside, the brothers looked back at the corridor and each imagining the horrors that had occurred within the walls. Mikey reached out and grasped Raphael's hand, who in turn reached for Donnie's. Holding onto each other, the doors slid shut, closing off the prison from view and shutting the door on a chapter of their lives they would never again want to relive.
They were free.
At last it was true.
Adamu wouldn't harm them anymore.
It was time to move on.
It was time to heal.
The elevator began to move down, leaving the nightmare far above them, trapped in a windowless cell tainted with the reek of blood, somewhere they would never return to except in the dreams they were certain would forever follow them in their darkest hours.
Raph gripped his brothers' hands tighter and they squeezed back.
They would get through this. For each other. For themselves. And for Leo.
They were family. Despite everything he'd done, Adamu hadn't changed that.
They were stronger than that.
And time would prove that was so…
+0002 Hours
Leo P.O.V
…Quick… infirmary…
…Losing… blood…
…Help… now…
…Somebody…
A disjointed array of words circled around him.
He thought he recognised the voices, yet no faces accompanied them.
But he felt safe.
That was all he knew for certain…
But where he was and who was around him didn't register.
There were vague memories, like an old life…
A loud groan rumbled around his ears. It might have been his own, or it may not have been… Nothing was certain.
…Awake… Hurry…
…Leo…
…Leo…
…Leo…
Was that him? He didn't know… It all seemed so far away…
Another moan… And this time accompanied by a sensation of hands upon his clammy skin sending a shiver through his system followed closely by a wave of pain.
He must have cried out.
It hurt.
Suddenly everything hurt.
He could feel.
He wanted it to stop.
He just wanted to sleep…
The darkness was so tempting just to embrace…
Why couldn't he…?
…No… Don't…
He squeezed his eyes tighter, his entire body trembling…
Memories were starting to the surface… Grizzly hands scraping through the peace of the dark oblivion… Images of blood, of blades and pain… Of eyes wide in fear and hands reaching out for a saviour that wasn't there…
He cried out again, agony shooting through his system….
…Sorry… Hold…
I don't want this… Let me go… Let me escape… But the words wouldn't make it to his lips.
He bucked and thrashed, the hands upon his skin feeling uninviting and pulling at a memory worse than those that had come before.
Oh gods no… Please no…
…Sedative… NOW…
A prick upon his arm and something flowed into his system.
He could feel something burning into his veins.
NO!
Don't take him… He wanted peace… No more pain… Nothing more… Just peace… Gods, give him peace…
…Calm… son…
…Out… alone…
…Why…
…Peace…
Yes… That sounded inviting.
A hand caressed his burning forehead, the coolness a comfort, yet the touch bringing a whimper to his lips.
The darkness was enclosing around him.
Fear and pain were all that lay before him… He couldn't do anything.
Helpless…
Weak…
Failure…
He allowed himself to fall back into oblivion, the horrors of his mind proving too much.
When escape finally reached him, it was welcomed with open arms…
+0005 Hours
Splinter P.O.V
Wiping down his hands, the rat watched as his genius son and Rockwell finished closing up the last of Leonardo's wounds. He took a shuddering breath.
He had assisted where he could, yet he had none of the skills and knowledge his son possessed – his presence merely to offer an extra hand if needed or to pass implements when requested. Again he had tried to use the healing hands to try and reach his son – yet the physical wounds were of more importance thus his spiritual healing had been forced to take a back seat for the present.
For hours, Donatello and Rockwell had laboured over the fallen leader, giving blood transfusions, stitching wounds and re-wrapping limbs. It had been a harrowing experience from start to finish, from watching Leonardo drift in and out of consciousness as Casey rushed them home in the Shellraiser, thrashing at the slightest movement and crying out in pain as the vehicle jolted his injured body, from hastily delivering treatment to his other sons while keeping an eye on the most severely injured of them, and then rushing Leonardo into the infirmary. Donatello had insisted on overseeing the procedures despite a mild concussion and his own battered body, and grudgingly, Splinter had permitted his son to do so – knowing he would not win such an argument.
Over the course of the hours, Donatello had barely stopped, and now, as he and Rockwell claimed Leo would be stable for now – Splinter spoke up.
"And now we must tend to your injuries as well, Donatello." With a sigh, the turtle allowed his father to change the wrappings over his shell and his head, checking him over for any other wounds he had missed, and thankfully finding none. Once satisfied, Splinter had ordered Donatello to rest – or at least sit down – before he gave his verdict over Leonardo's condition.
Lowering himself into a chair, the genius sighed.
"First, my brothers need to hear this as well. Tell them they don't have to eaves drop at the door anymore." With a small smile, Splinter threw open the infirmary door, surprising the two remaining turtles who were indeed lurking outside.
"Come." He helped them up, quickly casting an eye over Raphael's bandaged shoulder to ensure the supportive brace had not been jolted out of place as he did so.
"So?" Raphael's voice was hoarse. After his outburst in that horrible place as he rushed to his brother's side, he had returned to his silence, eyes haunted and body language tense – although Splinter supposed this was currently more to do with his brother's state of wellbeing rather than his own inner demons.
Donatello pinched his beak, eye ridges furrowed.
"It's not good."
That much was clear to see. On the other side of the infirmary, Leonardo lay upon the bed, a breathing tube down his throat, and IV drip and a bag of blood feeding into his arm at a steady rate as a heart monitor beeped weakly albeit steadily beside him. His body was covered in bandages and splints and the areas of skin skill visible were beaten black and blue.
Splinter heard his youngest son swallow audibly.
"Why?" Michelangelo whispered; his own re-wrapped hands clenched before him.
"He's fallen into a self-induced coma." Donatello reported. "The trauma he's undergone in unimaginable, so that came as no surprise. I have no idea how long it could last; however he should re-awaken in time." A grim silence fell over the group. "However, there's the issue of his hands and feet…" Splinter watched his son bite his lip, as if he were mulling over his words. "The damage to the tendons and muscles are extreme, and the wounds are not clean..." The genius paused, looking at his hands, not meeting his family's eyes.
"And then there's the issue of infection." Rockwell continued when Donatello did not continue. "His hands in particular are of concern due to the wounds being re-aggravated before they could properly heal from the first time. We've tried to treat them as much as we can at this moment in time, however the infection is serious." The chimp's tone was severe. "Me and Donatello have discussed our options and he wishes for your input as well. Personally, I would consider our best option is to stop the infection before it can spread any further…" Splinter noted the way his genius son's jaw clenched at this and his ears drooped.
"Well we have to stop it, don't we?" Michelangelo chimed in, eyes pleading. "Why the questions?"
"Because, Mikey, the method Rockwell is referring to is amputation…" Donatello's tone was devoid of emotion, yet the hurt was clear in his eyes. Raphael and Michelangelo both inhaled sharply.
"Hell no." Raph burst out. "What will he do when he wakes up? He wouldn't cope!"
"We couldn't!" Michelangelo joined in, but to their surprise Donnie jumped to his feet.
"It's not that simple!" He slammed a fist onto the workbench. "The damage is severe. As it stands, he will probably never walk unaided again! It's a miracle he's alive, but with the state he's in, his body may not be able to fight infection, and this could kill him…" The turtle's voice broke, and he spun away, hiding the tears escaping his control. "I hate this. I don't want to subject my brother to that…" His focus turned to Rockwell who had the decency to bow his head. "But if infection spreads… He could lose more… An entire arm… Or his life…" Splinter approached his son and placed a hand upon his shoulder.
"We must do what is right. In time, he will understand, whatever you choose." The genius choked down a sob. Suddenly Michelangelo appeared next to them and wrapped his arms around his directly older brother's shell.
"Do what you have to. Just please… Please don't let him die…"
As the two younger turtles embraced, Raphael just stared at Leonardo, his gaze set.
"No." Everyone's head shot up, staring in confusion at the red banded turtle. Raphael ignored them and moved to his brother's bedside, his hand reaching out and grasping Leonardo's bandaged one. "We have to believe in him. He will beat this. We just have to trust him."
Splinter sighed sadly.
"Raphael… It is not a question of will –"
"Yes, it is." His son bit back, a spark of the old hothead returning momentarily, "Adamu was going to kill us… And nearly succeeded. But Leo saved us… Against all odds, he wouldn't let us die. He ain't gonna go out like this. Odds mean nothing to him. Just you wait and see…"
Donatello shook his head sadly.
"I want to believe you, Raph…" He stated defeatedly, "But all evidence is against us. We don't have the time to wait. We have to act soon to save him."
"You can build prosthetics, can't you?" He mused. Grudgingly the genius agreed. "Then it wouldn't matter if Leo loses a hand or an arm – he would still need something made. Trust him for now, but if it spreads – then you'll have to act."
Scoffing, Donatello waved an arm to his lab.
"It's that simple, is it? Just leave it to fate? Believe in a miracle?"
"Yes." Raphael shrugged. "Because miracles are all we have left."
Without another word he sat himself beside Leo, turning his back to the discussion. Donatello sighed in defeat.
"Two days, Raph. I'll give your absurd theory two days." Lowering himself back into the chair, he closed his eyes, fists clenched. "I just pray you're right…" He whispered.
Bowing his head, Splinter turned and left the room.
It was decided then. Now they could only wait and see.
The next few days would not be easy…
DUN DUN DUN
-Will he pull through?
-Will amputation be the answer?
-What will all this do to the bros?
-WHEN WILL THIS NIGHTMARE END?!
Leave your thoughts and reviews as always, I love hearing your ideas. :)
LL99 Out.