Who am I? - CH7

On the run

Disclaimer: TMNT isn't mine and this is just a fan fiction writing. No money is being made on this story.
(TMNT CC are AU based on 2003 version and events, the turtles are in their late 20s.)
Warning: It has horror elements.
Rate: T

Drama, family comfort/hurt, and heartache...

Summary: They have to find him and when they do, how can they convince him they are not his enemy?

Officer Dispatch we have found the individual that the local farmers have been complaining about.

Dispatch Where is your location? Please advice.

Officer Road... (Interference)

Dispatch Repeat your location, you have broken up.

Officer Five foot two, Caucasian (Interference)

Dispatch You're not coming in clear, please repeat. What is your location?

Officer Bald, there is not even hair on the eyebrows (Interference) unarmed (Interference) We are approaching (Interference)

Dispatch Car sixty-seven this is dispatch, you are not coming out clear. I repeat you are breaking up. State your location.

Officer NO! (Screaming and shooting) Officer down (Interference) (gunshots) (Interference) Officer down, send (Interference) (Interference) (Interference)(Interference)

"What are your orders now, sir?" A female operative asked, pressing some buttons to conclude all communications within the area were block, placing it in a dead zone, from cell phones to even the police radios. Nothing was coming in or out.

A voice answered calm and collective, "Extract project Adam361, alive. By no means will the local authorities be permitted to get their hands on it."

"Yes sir, sending out a team to extract. Further orders, sir?"

"Get my car ready, I will accompany the extraction team, so this time it will not escape."

"Yes sir," the female answered professionally, bending her mic to make sure the repeat of orders was clear.

The heavy scent of blood invaded their nostrils, as they dared to approach the open road.

There were plenty of bushy trees for cover as each brother perched on a branch gawking in horror the blood bath displayed in the middle of the road.

There was a lone cop car, sirens going off, with smashed in windows and two bodies lying about.

There was a pool of blood under one of the bodies that were on the ground and there too was the unmistakable stench of gunpowder lingering in the air, it was not fresh yet not that old either. Giving the impression this happened no longer than twenty minutes ago or so.

Raph drew in a breath warily looking towards his brothers, seeing Leo was clenching his sword tightly in silent anger of disapproval.

"Shell he did a number on them," Mikey pointed out the obvious touching the ground not waiting for the orders from the leader.

How the kid brother saw it, there was no danger of exposure since the road was deserted and he knew from experience that not many people travel around these back roads. Besides, if traffic was plentiful periodically during the day around here, by now this crime scene would be swarming with police and news crews from the nearby small town.

"He didn't have to do this," Leo growled, "Such a waste of life."

Raph avoiding those icy eyes remained silent soaking this up, would he do the same? Why did the other him do this anyways?

He came to the body on the ground, drawing closer to it to examine the corpse. The man's neck was snapped and he still held a gun in hand. Was that the reason?

"I believe he did it in self-defence dudes," Mikey pointed out which Raph too was starting to sway towards the same conclusion, hoping it was for that made this less tragic and ominous.

Mikey moving away from his brothers towards the other side of the car he avoided the shattered glass on the ground, cringing at the smashed in cop's face that was through the car windshield.

Blood poured out of the open wounds over the dashboard that appeared someone had trashed it, with wires out and the radio that was mounted there now on the other side of the road near where Leo was standing there observing the scene at a distance.

"Where do you get that impression, Mikey?" Leo questioned not convinced only to see the death and the foul play behind it. Self-defence in his mind was when one protecting themselves but what he had before him was over the line, clearly stepping over it, making the difference between a massacre and self-defence. It was not necessary to go this far and the fact that Adam had, made him reconsider his position on treating this turtle, regardless he looks like his brother.

"Think of it dude," Mikey cleared his throat, seeing the dark thoughts brooding in Leo's head. He knew this was bad, it was horrific, but then again, he saw how it happened and saw between the lines and hope that this wouldn't make Leo change his mind about Adam, for deep down Mikey felt the turtle was still the victim… not the criminal. The kid brother moved away from the car not able to stomach the violence anymore, nor wanted it to poison his impression of Adam. "Adam is sick, he is scared and feels betrayed because of me and Don... Imagine bro, being alone like that and no one in this world you can trust," Mikey held his arm.

"Then coming face to face with strangers, human's at that with weapons," Raph added, drawing breath with heavy guilt of his own, "He did what I would do, in his current state, protect myself no matter what. To him these guys were there to harm him, kill him or torture him, he probably didn't know these guys were even cops or could tell the difference. Right or wrong has no grasp to him since he doesn't understand it, only the simple truth, which these two guys were humans that wanted to hurt him. I wouldn't be surprised he doesn't comprehend what he had done, nor that he took innocent lives. Shell," Raph rubbed the back of his neck with a heavy heart, "I'm not defending him of his actions, that was wrong, but hell, like I said this would be something I would have done too in his shoes…"

"Raph, you..." Leo bit his lip, trying not to make Raph feel responsible for this.

"No Leo, we can't be angry with him over this," Raph shook his head sympathetically. He saw it, saw how this wasn't fully Adam's fault, though later they will have to figure out a punishment for this crime, in their own ways, for now, they couldn't start perceiving him as an enemy nor threat to them. "Mikey is right, he is scared, alone and very ill, he needs help and we need to find him."

"Fine, we..." Leo closed his eyes, understanding what his brothers were trying to get at and knew this act will not stop him for wanting to help Adam, no it was a clear sign for him to make sure no matter what he had to get this turtle back to full health.

No more taking the cautious approach, he has to be stern towards Adam, making Adam realized they are there to help him, for the situation was far worse than he originally thought. Adam was sicker than just physical appearance, where he can't as Raph put it distinguish between right and wrong.

About to give the order to follow, Leo blinked catching Raph leap into a nearby tree, "Raph? What are you doing?"

"I can see his trail Leo and no offence fearless you're slowing me down, I will find him. Keep the tracker with you I don't need it. Go to the safe location, we agreed on and wait for Don, he would go there first before searching. I will head there myself once I find Adam," he called over his shoulder before disappearing.

"Raph get back here!" Leo ordered as that order fell on deaf ears. He turned his head towards Mikey who in turned shrugged.

"He has a point," Mikey agreed, then placed his hands before him in defence, "Dude not saying I am doing the same, he is best to go on his own, besides I'm not leaving you in this condition by yourself."

"I'm fine," Leo barked, then stumbled backwards a step then regained his balance.

With all the adrenaline rush he didn't notice his body was screaming for him to stop and his breathing was heavy.

"You're not fine bro," Mikey rushed over giving the leader a hand, even if he didn't want it. Leo not in the position to argue or refuse the help leaned his weight on Mikey.

"Fine we should at least get as far away from this location soon as possible and meet up with Donnie, he should have fixed our ride by now," Leo said feeling warm around the collar.

"Good idea dude, but first I should, you know, make sure no evidence was left behind from Adam. Don't want the police know about turtles or him," Mikey pointed out leading Leo to a nearby tree to rest against as he did the fun job.

"Thanks, Mikey," Leo could only strain leaning his head back taking steady breaths.

"No prob bro, I hope that Raphie finds Adam before he does anything else he might regret later."

"Me too..." Leo slumped, "Me too..." the guilt filled him. How could he let one of his brothers, even one that is not from his dimensions come to this point?

"Where did he go now..." Raph leaped from the tree he was perched on landing to the ground silently. The trail that was breadcrumbs of blood, hopefully not of Adams suddenly stopped and the faint visibility of footprints that Adam accidentally left behind too vanished.

"Shell..." Raph muttered under his breath.

Maybe he was foolish to leave the tracking device behind and sadly, he flashed towards his cell phone in hopes he could call upon Leo to find out how far off he was to Adam, was fruitless.

It wasn't getting any signal and that made him want to pick this up. He trusts Donnie's tec and this one was to be the top of the line.

His brother created the shell cells to work on any network without detection, if a network can't be achieved, it would rely on satellite, if that fails, radio waves were next. If the world was hit by a massive EMP Donnie assured they would still work. Then, if that was so why was it not?

"Something isn't right," Raph stood up scanning his surroundings. He couldn't shake the overwhelming feeling a storm was coming and sadly he wasn't referring to the weather.

Examining the tracks again, he had to use foresight from here on out. He knew the only way to figure where Adam would have gone, he would have to place himself in the turtle's shoes and think hard where would he himself go.

"That way," Raph finally chose his direction. He dashed forwards into the thicket staying on the ground level to make sure he doesn't miss any clues that would be helpful.

He strongly figured Adam wouldn't resort to the trees and was only covering his tracks, meaning he was aware of his mistake after leaving the cop car.

"Shell, please be okay..." Raph prayed, he didn't want the kid hurt or dive in deeper into trouble, for at least for Leo's sake. Then again, was it for Leo... or for him?

The past week or so he has kept it in and he was bursting at the seams. He hated this, hated seeing this guy suffer and feel helpless to prevent it.

At least each of his brothers was able to contribute the best they can to be there for him, as he only stood in the shadows watching and having those cold burning chains wrapped around his body holding him afar. He wanted to help too, though he wasn't sure how, but something was better than being ideal with no purpose.

Taking a deep breath, he pushed his feelings away, allowing his anger that this was happening to fuel him.

Suddenly he stopped hearing something out of place.

Frozen he calmed his beating heart that was in his ears to make the sound clearer for him to figure out what it could be.

To his right he snapped his head in that direction, hearing a faint... cry? It was a low sob, with a mix of whimpers, coming not far from him. Slowly he crouched down and shuffled towards the noise in question. Was it someone in the woods taking a stroll and what got lost? It couldn't be Adam? Could it?

Approaching a large bush, Raph carefully leaned forward, parting it just enough to peek through without revealing himself. This was one of those times he was happy his skin was green, it made this very easy to achieve.

There was an oak tree a few feet before him and leaned against it was someone that was roughly his height just a bit taller, not by much.
It was the hood that gave away who it was, Adam.

The guy had his back towards Raph and light crying came from him, sounds of giving up and regret.

His actions with the cops must have caught up to him, or he was upset with what happened at the farm?

Raph debated on how to go about this, biting his lip and tightly closing his eyes letting a heavy breath of regret of his own.

He stood up and walk towards Adam that didn't hear him since he didn't respond, nor stop his whimpering.

The kid was shaking like a leaf holding his sides while Raph now was directly behind him, hesitating for a moment before extending his arm to touch Adam's shoulder.

Only an inch away, the turtle finally realized that someone was there and turned quickly around taking several steps back in horror.

When Adam finally noticed it was him, he quivered all the more, breathing heavily and wildly looking about as if searching for the other brothers.

"Calm down kiddo," Raph said softly, reminding himself to breathe as well.

Adam shuddered under his voice and Raph started to consider maybe it wasn't the greatest idea for him of all brothers to do this alone after all.

"Listen... I know you're pissed at us for... what Donnie and Mikey did, but..."

"Le...leav...leave me!" Adam yelled at him, as Raph blinked at the kid, flabbergasted over the type of voice that came out of Adam.

Regardless, he was told the whole story, told what Adam was, well more over what Donnie had theorized the turtle was, he was still stunned, bewildered on the concept of such a thing.

Before this moment, he didn't really believe the tale his brothers spun, fantasying it up as an excuse for their action, but now seeing it first hand, hearing it was not some fairy tale bullshit, it was too much for him. How was it true?

When he was occupied with the question, Adam took that as his opportunity to escape.

Adam turned away from Raph and bolted for it, yet Raph snapped out of his daze darting forward and grabbing Adam by the arm before he gains the advantage and loses him once again. If he dared to let Adam go he knew this time around he wouldn't be so lucky to find him and that he couldn't afford.

The turtle tried desperately to get him off, however, Raph proving he was stronger refused to let go, hearing snarls and growls from the kid. In the chaos and struggle, Raph had to avoid Adam's free hand that attempted to grab one of his sai to get the upper hand.

Trying to get a hold of that said hand that was being too grabby, Raph wasn't paying attention of his footing, then suddenly tripped over a rock and took Adam down with him.

With a crash, Raph found himself on top of Adam, who whimpered and groaned in pain.

When he looked over he could fully see Adam's face since his hood had fallen down revealing that pale skin and bald head.

"Donnie was right... you're a human and not just that a girl!?" Raph was dumbfounded, the voice okay took him by surprise, sure, but the idea of how Donnie explained how that his double changed drastically when the sun came up into a female human from a male turtle sounded too bizarre to be real.

Yet here he was hovering over him and those green eyes of his were the same. How this was possible was blowing his mind. He froze there staring as Adam stared back at him, he felt speechless, until now he had a vague idea how he was going to convince him or was it her to follow him back to the others. What was he going to do now?

"Hurt..." Adam muttered and Raph blinked, realizing he was squishing him under his weight.

"Sor-sorry..." Raph got up quickly seeing the human did so too.

Adam looked around probably looking for a way to escape him, yet Raph just couldn't let him regardless how awkward this was. He started to wonder if he was human and a girl, would he look like him too?

"Adam you need to listen to me-"

"SAME SAME SAME!" Adam growled, taking steps back still searching the best path to escape.

"I don't know who you're referring us to but what my brother did was stupid and he didn't mean to hurt you!" Raph said with a stern voice.

Adam shook his head grabbing it as if he was in pain, "Lie... lie...lie..."

"I'm not lying," Raph said suddenly calmly, as Adam looked at him, surprised how Raph was talking. Keeping it up Raph knew that was the key, he wouldn't normally act this way, he would lose his temper or raise his voice, yet he couldn't do that just to keep Adam's attention long enough to hopefully convince him they are not his enemies.

"Listen, Donnie, yes, did something he shouldn't have, shell, I'm pissed he would stoop so low, but the same time he did it for he cares about you."

Adam huffed looking to his side towards the ground.

"It's true," Raph assured him, "Okay Donnie did follow you in the morning..."

Suddenly Adam growled and narrowed his eyes at Raph that actually made him shutter, it was worse than the womanly death glares Angel gives him. Swallowing hard, he took a breath before continuing, "So yeah, he fucked up on that too, but he found out about this," Raph gestured towards Adam's transformation.

Before Adam could show any emotions over that and the fact the guy was losing interest in this conversation ready to flee Raph quickly explained, "So in the end Donnie... Donnie thinks you're dying!" Raph barked with a rush of emotions that caught Adam's full attention.

Seeing he was getting through to him, Raph took a step towards Adam, "Donnie thinks the changing is probably the reason you're sick, he thinks it is slowly killing you, making your body to shut down. With all the mambo jumbo boring stuff he said between as his explanation, the bottom line is he drugged you for he could get a blood sample so he could save you, so he can heal you."

"Heal..." Adam looked down at his hands.

"Yeah, heal you. You can't tell me you feel good, that something doesn't hurt for your body isn't working how it should," Raph took another step.

"It...hurts..." Adam started to tear up.

"Okay, then come with me," Raph offered his hand. Adam looked at the hand, then Raph's face, as dark clouds rose suddenly in those green eyes, then Adam reverted back to the scared untrusting individual as before, just as Raph had him at a good place to gain his trust.

"NO!" Adam screamed as he took a step back, clenching his fist ready for a fight. Raph annoyed shook his head, placing his hand on his forehead. Adam was becoming more a bigger pain than Mikey was when dealing with.

"Shell for brains," Raph hissed, "Don't you get it? Do you think we want to hurt you? Do you think how Leo has been acting was a damn ploy? We are not your enemy! We are trying to help you, what more do you want us to do to prove it?" Raph threw his arms up in the air, "Donnie did what he did against his best morals for he didn't want to see you die and couldn't afford to wait since your condition wasn't improving!"

Adam shuddered more, breathing heavier than before, fist ready and willing, as his leg slide into position to defend himself since running wasn't an option anymore.

"For fuck sakes!" Raph snarled removing his sai from his belt and throwing them into the ground beside his feet and then he ripped his mask off that shocked Adam.

"I will not fight you," Raph dropped his mask to the ground and narrowed his eyes at Adam, "You might not be related to us, but Leo sees you no different than me, he accepts you as a brother one way or another," Raph kneeled down in a crouching position, then bowed before Adam, "Please don't run away from us, let us talk to you and find a way to help you. We will honour your wishes, but at the same time, you must honour ours... I'm... begging you..." Raph was now fully bowing towards Adam.

Adam stared at him in disbelief, lost in what to do. A silence arose between them and the rushing wind was the only thing moving.

Raph didn't shift from his spot, lost in his own thoughts, wondering was his bold move was the wise path to take?

This wasn't his forte and he would never do such a thing to anyone, yet he did so to Adam.

Would Adam catch on to this?

Would he catch on how desperate he was to bring him back to his brothers?

The silence now broken, he heard shifting, hearing the guy whimpering that was heading to his right, he cursed under his breath knowing Adam was fleeing, after his damn now humiliating display.

How could he be such a fool to think that gesture of his was good enough? He wasn't Leo who could pull off such an act.

Raph flashed up to see where Adam was heading and maybe try another approach, by force even, he was tired of talking. However, when he looked up, he was face to face to an end of a gun?

"Ah... shell," Raph was able to get out suddenly struck on the side of the head making him fall forwards.

When his head cracked against the solid ground his world swirled and he found he couldn't move his body for some reason.

On the angle he was on he could see that Adam didn't try to leave yet was restrained by two well-armed men that did look familiar, more like their uniforms that is.

Above him, he heard heavy footsteps approaching him, which came from high quality military black boots that stop before him.
Raph's eyes tilted up seeing the face the boots belong to as he felt very cold and the blood drained from his face.

"Hello again Raphael," the man greeted with a smirk as Raph looked at him in horror.

"What the shell! Bishop!?"

TBC