Okay, so this chapter is darker than the rest and contains scenes which some of you may not like to read. If you wish to skip it please do.

Chapter Eight: Dark Leo

There was a pounding in his head - almost rhythmical - but it hurt too, deep within the tissue, like something was burrowing in there.

Leonardo didn't know how long he stayed away from the lair, wandering the tunnels, but it must have been hours because when he ventured up topside the night had reclaimed the City in all her smoky wonder. His phone had been silent for ages too, he didn't know whether that was because it was broken or whether he had turned it off. Of course, there could also be the possibility that none of his family had tried to get in touch. Perhaps they were glad that he had gone. Raphael would certainly relish in the opportunity to play leader.

'Let him' hissed the eldest bitterly to himself 'Always thinking he's better than me'. The bard stung a little more than expected because Leonardo realised then and there that if he couldn't fight, he couldn't protect the family and therefore he wouldn't be able to lead the team.

He was a failure.

Swinging himself up to the rooftop he paced a little to try to relax but this didn't squash the bubbling feelings of rage which all but consumed him. He slammed a fist into a concrete wall causing dust to fly, again and again he continued to pound the hard surface until his knuckles were bleeding. Then the pain hit, knocking the anger all but out of him as he slid down onto the floor, tears streaming from his eyes, all he could think was 'why'.

The pinprick of pain in her arm allowed the dark to flood into her head, and flood her it did. Within that deepest of places was where she found herself connecting to something or someone else. He was angry and he was struggling, if only.. The eyes were pained. He was pained. It hurt her to see him like this. Though the physical side of her was not intertwined with this reptile, part of her brain was, and as he had watched her she now watched him. From deep within, she called to him, shouted to him, told him to get up, told him to move; to get his fill of what it is that he needed.

And through the darkness he heard her.

"Seriously you need to dump the idiot" Tiffany Matthews and her best friend, Sarah were deep in conversation as Tiffany finished painting her nails. She wasn't going out but liked to take pride in her appearance and that included full manicure and pedicure all by her own hand of course - salons were a rip off. She blew on her thumb then round each digit in turn "I'm drying my nails what did you think I was doing?" she giggled at her friend's reply "Err no way. That is why you have to dump what's his face and then we start next term as single girls. It'd be fun"

With her back to the balcony she didn't see the silent figure slip down from above. If she had seen it, she would have been afraid. It was a huge, imposing form of solid muscle.

"Say you will, please...least make the guy sweat a little"

A breeze from the open door made her shudder, she looked beyond the sweeping voile as it danced in the breeze, out into the night and waited. Car horns blasted by but that was all. She slid the balcony door across.

"He doesn't deserve you and you know I'm right" A enormous shadow fell over her from behind, she caught a breath but never got the chance to scream as a large rough hand smothered her nose and mouth and held her there whilst someone spoke gruffly in her ear, telling her to be quiet or she'd die. She nodded that she'd understood, small whimpering sounds escaping involuntarily as her eyes pooled with water. Whatever this was, it was not human, and did not even dare to think what horror could be gripping her right now.

She felt herself moved backwards, her feet were off the ground, swinging in mid-air and this thing was crushing her ribs. She couldn't breathe. If her body was in flight or fight mode then she could do neither. She was thrown roughly onto her bed, face first, getting a mouthful of blanket. Shakily she tried to move herself so she could face this intruder but was pinned in place as she felt a tremendous weight on top of her and what felt like an arm across the back of her neck. Her fingers brushed against something rough, it moved and she felt both of her wrists gripped with force and pushed up towards her face. There was a heavy breathing in her ear - the deep voice told her to be still. Letting go of one of her hands just to tug at her sweatpants and underwear, a mouth fell hot and heavy on her neck, a hand pushed her vest upwards and grabbed at her flesh, she wanted to scream but couldn't.

Her lower body was yanked upwards, held there, as he muttered something behind her. At this point she knew exactly what was coming next and decided she would rather be dead, she opened her mouth to shout out but was stopped by a violent blow to the back of the head and all went black.

Casey Jones took a few minutes to think. He was not often shocked by what the City had to throw at him but it was going a pretty good job. His colleagues were in and out of the residential home on this side of town whilst five other groups would be going in and out of the other locations. Six bodies. Six young women brutally raped and killed all in one night. Casey closed his eyes. Was this a move up from the killings at the block near TCRI where a young woman was still missing? Was this maniac now adding rape to his repertoire?

"Jones. Parents are in with our guys from counselling, god, are they going to be busy for some time" Detective Launder met his eyes and then turned away to view a man and woman in tears as they got into a black un-marked police car "They are never going to get over that"

"That's why we have to catch the Perp before..." Casey stopped mid-sentence, Launder noticed.

"He does it again. You're thinking like me and I like folks who think like me. We have one sick son of a bitch on our hands but he's got a taste for it now and he's going to do it again alright.."

Casey nodded. His eyes drawn to the familiar shape of a body bag being transported from the home to the back of the coroners van. The trolley wheels were knocked out from under it as they slid it into place, secured and the doors slammed shut. He had looked at that bedroom scene and felt sick. What she must have gone through couldn't bear thinking about, it was the sheer brutality of it all, her face almost unrecognisible. This guy was strong, the neck had been snapped like it was a toothpick but unlike the first killings there was no dissecting of these bodies; in fact as far as he could tell there were no weapons used in this attack what-so-ever. So, what had the first one been? A trial to see if he could get away with it? A trial to see if he liked it?

His phone beeped, he slid it out of his pocket "Jones here"

"Fancy a visit to TCRI? I think it's time we get someone in there" It was Launder. Casey looked up at the house; the Detective was standing by the window "There is something which just isn't sitting right with me and the fact that our missing female worked there, well, it's a good enough reason to get a warrant"

From inside the bedroom of the deceased 22 year old Tiffany Matthews Detective Launder watched as samples were collected. Along the cream carpet there were splatters of blood which led all the way to a vanity mirror. Along the mirror, in smudged finger works were the letters TCRI. The same message which had appeared at every single address. It could just be a bluff but knowing that Leeanne Miller worked there it was certainly worth checking out and he trusted Jones, plus knowing his want to be a detective himself it would be good practice.

"Leo..." The light knuckle wrapping forced Leonardo out of his sleep. As he cracked open his eyes and fumbled for the light switch he immediately became aware of two things:

1..The throbbing pain in his head

2..The blood all over the bed sheets

Jumping up off the mattress, he knocked over his chair where his scattered ninja gear lay; the crash sounded out loudly followed by a string of curses that Michelangelo was quite sure he had never heard his older brother use before.

"You okay bro?" It was past noon and Leonardo never slept in so naturally after boring himself to death for a few hours the youngest turtle wanted to see if all was okay. Raphael said he didn't care and Donatello was doing his police thing so the orange banded turtle took him upon himself to check. Besides he was getting bored of his company and was even going to suggest a sparring session "Just thought I'd see that you were still alive?" He pushed his face to the door and listened.

"Go away Mikey!"

"Are you sick? Shall I get dad?"

The door rattled as something heavy was thrown at it "I said, GO AWAY!"

Michelangelo paused for a moment. This was not Leo-like. He wished Donnie was here. His geeky brother would know exactly what to do. Splinter had told them to sort it out amongst themselves but if he couldn't did that mean he would get into trouble if he approached the elderly rat again?

He was just about to tap the door again when something threw him off balance, straight onto his shell.

"Don't even think about it" Leonardo's voice came sternly from inside his bedroom "Just do one Mikey and leave me alone!"

Michelangelo shot up and looked about the room. No-one. He was completely alone. He took himself away from the door and took out his phone - there was only one number he would be dialing and this time it wouldn't be April.