Chapter Twenty-Three - Amnesia

What the...?

Pain ran through his whole body. His head was throbbing. He was lying on his shell, and every part of his body was hurting him. Pictures and voices were racing back and forth in his mind. As he opened his eyes, fog welcomed him. But this fog was vanishing slowly, and his eyes scanned around. He was surrounded by gray walls. He was in a room. A very little room. He sat up with the help of his arms. He winced as a new pain shot into his arms. He looked over himself. He was covered with bruises, cuts and there was a white bandage around his waist. As he touched his side, he gasped. Somebody had stabbed him. But who? And... where was he?

Let's think, he thought. I remember talking to Raph. We agreed on having dinner again. But what happened after that? Why couldn't he remember? Was his family okay? Where were they?

Wait, footsteps. Somebody was coming.

"Finally, you are awake, my prince," said a voice from the door.

"Mordou," he breathed.

"Good morning, or should I say evening?" he smirked.

"What happened?" Leo narrowed his eyes.

"You don't remember?" Mordou asked surprisedly. "So, you'd hit your head harder than I thought."

"Where's my family?"

"Unfortunately, not here. They managed to escape. Thanks to you."

"How did I get here?"

"Let's not dwell on the past. The only thing that matters is the future. I can't wait to see what will happen."

"What do you want from me?"

"Too many questions too soon," he waved. "Rest, my prince. Later, we will talk."

"Mordou, I hope you know that they will save me!"

"I hope you know that they can't", and with that, he left the room. Leo heard as the key turned in the lock.

What the shell has happened? he thought bitterly as he lay back on his shell.

"We came as fast as we could," G'Throkka said as he entered the throne room. Leo's families were waiting for the Salamandrian help.

"Raphael!" Y'Gythgba exclaimed.

"Mona Lisa!" Raph ran to hug her. "I'm so glad to see you."

"Me too. Don't worry, Raphael, we will help to rescue Leonardo."

"Thank you," Raph whispered.

"How will we do it?" Venus asked as he was hugging her silently crying mother.

"We are not ready to face the Triceratons," Aerglo said. "But we can't wait until we will be."

"We have to act fast, but not rashly," Oberon stated, and his father nodded. "We need to get Leo out of there as soon as possible. If we are not strong enough then we have to be smart. Smarter than them."

"We have to outsmart them," Donnie added. "I and Dr. Rockwell can try to hack their system. But it won't be enough."

"Our teams can distract them," Sal Commander offered.

"So, we will sneak in?" Mikey asked.

"But how? They will see our spaceship," Venus said.

"Donnie, can't you do something that makes it and us invisible?" April questioned.

"Perhaps I can copy the Kraangs', or now Utroms' technology, but it takes time."

"Can't we just ask Bishop to send us a spaceship?" Karai asked.

"Oh, well... it isn't a bad idea either," Donnie said, slightly embarrassed that he didn't think about it.

"We can make contact with the Earth," Aerglo told them. "I'm sure Yugar can help us with it."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Raph demanded. "Let's do it!"

"They are on their way," Yugar stated after he'd talked to Bishop.

"All right," Aerglo said. "Then, let's finish our plan."

Leonardo was sitting on the floor. He was trying to remember. But it wasn't easy. How could he forget everything? It was so new to him. He had never experienced amnesia before.

He lay on his shell. He remembered the second dinner. They were playing. They asked each other questions to get to know one another better. They were laughing. He was happy. Everything went so well...

But then... he couldn't remember more. He growled angrily. Why couldn't he remember? It was driving him crazy.

Suddenly, the door opened. A familiar figure stepped in. Leo looked up a little.

"It is time for our talk," Mordou said, then two rats came in and picked Leo up.

Leo hung between them, as they were carrying him towards Mordou's office, which he already knew. After they entered, they pulled out a chair and tied him to it. It was familiar too. The two soldiers left, and only Mordou and Leonardo were in the room.

"This time we won't call your family," the rat said.

"What do you want to talk about?" Leo asked.

"About our future, as I said. Now, I'm prepared for everything. Your little family can't surprise me. The ring is going to be mine!"

"Why is this ring so important to you? I start to feel like I got into The Lord of the Rings."

"Into what?" Mordou asked puzzled.

Leo sighed. "Never mind. So, why do you want it?"

"You don't have to know."

"I know why it is important for Cogolia, but I don't know why it is so necessary for you. And you know, I'm kinda curious. If you're gonna get this for sure, then why don't you tell me?"

Mordou thought for a moment.

"Because it is not your business."

"So, what do you want to do, then? Or is it not my business either?"

"I'll speak with Cogolia's kings. They are too weak to attack us by themselves, so they will have to accept my offer. Their ring in exchange for your life."

"This again?"

"Yes, but now I won't fail."

"So, you will let me go if they give you the ring or you will kill me anyway?"

"That's not my choice," he said. For a minute, Leo could see the sadness in his eyes, but it soon disappeared. Perhaps he just imagined it.

"Then whose?"

"Zanmoran."

"So, the Triceratons are not just your allies but your bosses, right?" Leo started to understand. Mordou was just a doll.

The rat didn't answer.

"The Triceratons want the ring, right? You just get it for them."

"Silence," Mordou hissed. "You don't know anything."

"I do. But it's not clear why you do this. Did they threaten you with something?"

"As I said, you don't need to know. I don't want to hear further questions," he said strictly. After some moments, he released a sigh. "Listen, if you survive this, then go back to Earth and don't get in trouble. I have no interest in hurting children. I don't want to see you here again."

Leo looked at him surprised. Did Mordou just sound like he... cared? It was strange. Perhaps have he misjudged him? Is it possible that he wasn't as evil as he thought? Was he just a simple man who was led by the Triceratons? A man who can't do anything against it? A man who has to protect something? But what? Ratopia? Or he really has a family?

Leonardo was lost in his thoughts.

"So, what do you say?" Leo snapped his head up and saw the kings of Cogolia on the big screen. He didn't even hear that Mordou called them and talk to them until now.

The two kings looked at each other.

"It is your choice. You cannot inform Aerglo and the turtles or the boy dies."

Leo tried to open his mouth to calm the kings down, but he couldn't speak. What the...? How come he didn't notice that Mordou taped his mouth shut?

"We..." Grik, the owl king started. "We accept your offer."

A/N: HeyHo! I hope your summer is great!

Thank you for the ideas, zaylo267 and sonavelkovskaa5842! :)

Reviews are always welcomed ^^ they keep my motivation alive.

If you have some free minutes, then check my other story 'Same as I never was' too! ;)

See you later~