Who am I? - CH8
Bishop?
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: First it starts for Raph just hunting down Adam, to find someone else was hunting as well.
Why was Bishop there and what does he want? Then the normal turtle soup?
He was toast, unable to move and with that, they hauled his sorry shell through the woods with his legs dragging behind him. That he could only tell by the sound that came under him, however, he couldn't feel a thing.
From head to toe, he was numb and all he could achieve was moving his lips and maybe perform some facial expressions, other than that he was paralyzed.
He couldn't even move his head, staring at the greens and browns of the forest floor blurring by.
The two large, muscular men that had accompanied Bishop, that bastard, held onto him as two others escorted Adam.
Unfortunately, he couldn't see the poor kid nor determine over how they were treating him, hopefully not as poorly as he had gone through enough, Raph would admit.
There was some evidence that Adam wasn't receiving the same treatment as he was generously given since he couldn't hear any other dragging sounds other than what came from him.
This gave him the impression they must be caring the kid, or he was walking, either way, that didn't stop the kid from being fearful as Raph couldn't mistake the pure fear Adam was under.
His nostrils twitch now and then and if it wasn't for the dirt below him to greet him at times, he would have felt sick.
"So Bishop what brings you to the bush? You don't seem the type that would be hovering around campfires with old friends scaring the piss out of each other with stories if you even have any friends," Raph asked with a low growl.
If he was going to be treated like a rag doll, unable to move or fight, he might as well flap his lips about while he still had the ability to do so.
Who knows, it could be fruitful and some answers might surface. Such as how they found them.
"Hunting," Bishop answered cool and collective, yet the word acted like a dagger, which strike a shiver down the turtle's spine.
Was the man in black Will Smith wannabe, actually joking, or was he really out there hunting?
Hunting what then?
It couldn't be his brothers and him, right?
If that was the case he knew about the farm or at least had a faint idea this was the area where they go when escaping the city.
Then again, how did he find out anyways?
Sure Bishop the worm, had his hands in the fat cat's pockets of the government and private organizations, but being these many years with no indication he was on to their home away from home, why now of all times?
Besides, Donnie went to great lengths to cover any traces or connections to the farm when not only came to them but Casey and Angel as well.
All satellites would never capture any activity at the farm and Donnie wiped clean the ownership of the farm and its history, yes they had the deed, but as far anyone knew it wasn't owned by either Casey and Angel, staying under an alias name.
Not just that Donnie made sure for all his work on this small project to protect them all, it didn't bring up any red flags in any system.
This by far disturbed him to the core and he managed to bite his lip, fearing what else Bishop's intel had discovered about his family.
The only way he could find out was pushing for answers, yet try not to act too out of character for him to raise suspicion from the human male.
He had to be subtle as possible not indicating he was fishing using the man's obvious arrogance against him and sadly this was not his strong suit that was for sure.
Either way, Raph knew he had to find out more," What are you hunting, Rabbit? You know it's not rabbit season right, Doc?"
Bishop sighed and then Raph stopped, unable to turn his head, taking in the amazing view of dirt and the boots the two guys were wearing.
A moment passed and Raph began to wonder what was going on, then he heard it, the roaring of engines in the distance, making his skin prickle with goosebumps and fear rising deep in the bowels of his stomach.
There were three vehicles he could tell and they were heading towards them.
(Shell this isn't good) Raph told himself trying to hide his concerns.
"What do you think that I was hunting, Raphael?" Bishop finally spoke as the vehicles had stopped before them.
The swooping of doors swinging open disturbed the forest calming atmosphere he would have noticed any other day if he wasn't being dragged around like someone's prey, as more footsteps could be heard.
Bishop must have his swat team present, that didn't bold too well for the turtle.
"Beats me," Raph shrugged, well tried to, yet to his dismay he couldn't.
"Then," Bishop came before Raph taking his chin in his hand and tilting the mutant's head up towards his. "I'm hunting turtle and you are just a bonus."
Raph's eyes widen in shock, "You're after Adam!"
"Adam?" Bishop asked adjusting his shades while still holding onto Raph's face, "Interesting is that what it called itself?"
"Mikey actually..." Raph admitted. "Why the shell do you want him!" Raph asked with a growl rumbling in his throat.
Bishop gave him a devilish smirk letting go of his head as it dropped quickly and his chin hit his plastron with a thud. Raph's neck though feeling like pins and needles, actually hurt by the sensation of being whiplashed.
"What do you want with Adam!" Raph demanded again receiving no reply, instead having his body thrown into the back of a black van.
"Shell don't ignore me, ya bastard!" Raph warned, seeing the other two men that had Adam, drag the helpless human to a bed that was bolted to the wall.
Adam screamed and fought the best he could, failing miserably as the men were able to strap him in.
Restrained, the kid freaked out more, he thrashed around shrieking in horror that was an ungodly howl breaking Raph's heart as he could only stare useless as tits on a boar.
The two men then exited as Bishop now entered the vehicle walking past the bed and opened a cabinet hanging there.
A cold air escaped the cabinet hitting the room temperature air. Raph couldn't see much with Bishop's fat ass in the way, however, he could make out what appeared to be around four vials of some substance that shimmered unnaturally.
"What the shell is that stuff?" Raph asked with his brows lowering in a frown, feeling sickly suddenly like he was going to witness something inhumane, not that strapping the poor kid down wasn't bad enough.
"Something for... its nerves. It has deteriorated in the past months, but this will fix that," Bishop took a vial and what looked like a high tech syringe that resembled a gun, he placed the unknown drug into it and went towards Adam.
"Bishop you bastard, don't you hurt him!" Raph barked, still unable to move.
Bishop only huff, ignoring the empty threats that came spewing out of Raph's mouth after, placing the needle at Adam's neck aiming it at the jugular.
Suddenly Adam's eyes widen in horror as he came aware of what was happening. He quickly abandoned his attempts to get free from his bonds, instead of rushed into a defensive stance and started to grovel for mercy.
"No... no... no... I will… be… good… no… no…" Adam said over and over between sobbing and whimpering. Raph's heart ached and he burst into rage, splurging insults and threats that fell on deaf ears.
"This has nothing to do with being good or some punishment for running away, this will make you better again," Bishop said the words that should be more of a comfort, a reassurance, yet failed by his cold tone in his voice.
The needle then pierced Adam's skin and soon after the liquid was injected into the crying human, he then turned towards Raph with teary eyes calling to him to save him...
"Adam?" Raph called out still frozen like a statue, he couldn't move towards the human that fell silent after he was given whatever drug Bishop injected him with.
The kid stared at the ceiling not trying to break free anymore and no matter how many times Raph tried to catch his attention he wouldn't respond.
By now Bishop had exited the back leaving the two alone with one guard on duty armed sitting in the far back observing them both.
The man was like any other Bishop's lackeys, dressed for combat, with a black bulletproof vest, military grade boots, a belt that would make Donnie jealous of the vast amount of pouches it held, and then the final part that gave him his style the M16 rifle that was strapped over his shoulder snuggled against his hip.
Unlike the other men, he didn't wear a helmet showing off that brownish black buzz cut hairstyle, his deep pools of brown eyes and the old scar on his left cheek area that started at the top of his forehead and ended at his broad chin.
It was inches away from his eye, which its width indicated it could have blinded him if it was any closer.
The rest of the features of the man Raph would sum it up as jagged and rough around the edges, he was a well-built man and showed he has gone through much hell and back per say.
Raph tried to rally up the guy, but he didn't pay any attention to him following Bishop's orders not to engage any conversation with Raph, no matter how irritating he may become.
The vehicle was now on the move, Raph felt they were still on a dirt road, he assumed by the potholes and how the vehicle was vibrating, also help was the sound of stones being kicked up by the tires now and then.
They were travelling on the remote roads, meaning they haven't hit the highway of yet, which was a good thing and bad. Right now if he could move he could use this as his advantage to escape with Adam.
"So... where are we going?" Raph looked up towards the man that stayed silent, even being polite didn't work, though Raph like barking at him instead for it did make him feel good, however, doing it over an hour his throat was like sandpaper and he was out of shit to say without repeating himself like a broken record.
Letting out a sigh, Raph focused back on Adam, "Hey, come on kid listen to me, I just want to know if you're okay..."
Nothing still Raph gave up, he was out of options with his limitations and whatever they gave him was doing an amazing job on his body, as he wondered when was it going to finally wear off?
The fact they didn't chain him up, gave him the impression long enough until they reach their final destination.
Would he do anything to have Mikey talking his ear off right now, regardless he would want his brother to shut up, sadly he hated this silence a lot more.
Taking a breath, he tried to work on his toes, as the fail attempts to move his arms and legs were signs he had to start small if he wanted to beat this.
"Come on," he hissed to himself not caring if that was out loud or not.
"You can do it," he told himself next willing his toe to wiggle and move less of an inch even, anything would do.
"You can try all you want, but you will be laying there on that floor for a long time," the man that was accompanying them finally spoken shocking Raph.
"Shell he speaks!" Raph gasped in a mocking tone, "Here I thought you were mute."
The man sighed checking his wrist then up towards the sliding door studying it then back to Raph.
"So are we there yet?" Raph tried to see if the guard would say anything, he would come up with something wittier but he was out of punch lines by now.
"Yes," the man answered, standing up balancing himself with the vehicle still in motion.
Raph would raise an eyebrow in question yet due to his paralyzation taking further action against him he couldn't.
What did the guy mean 'yes', when it was obvious the vehicle was still moving, yet that didn't stop the guy from walking up to Raph then kneeling down close to him.
The semi-automatic in arms reach, if Raph's fingers would move, it would be a perfect opportunity to flip the table if his damn body would work.
"So now you're going to beat me?" Raph asked, eyeing the guy's hands that one went for his side pouch on his black belt.
"No you going to beat the shit out of me," the man said calmly as Raph eyes widen in confusion, did he just hear that right?
Before he could say something in return the guy whipped out a small syringe and stab it into Raph's neck.
Raph jerked feeling a rush of pain coming from it, as he threw his hands out pushing the human away and stumbled to his feet quickly.
He stood there panting feeling the drug coursing through his veins, while he stared at the man that was sitting there looking up at him with no fear.
"What the shell... wait..." Raph's brain finally caught up, as he noticed he was standing and moving? "What did you..."
"No time," the man checked his watch again, "We will be coming up to the bridge and like clockwork the local farmer will be blocking the only path through, stopping the vehicle long enough for you to escape with 'them'."
"What?" Raph blinked.
The man sighed, getting up and walking towards the cabinet that Bishop went for the drug he used on Adam, "Stop being a bone head, and get to the program Raphael, if you don't want to end up as Bishop's personal cadaver then you should stop asking questions and listen to what I will be telling you."
"What the shell is going on and why are you helping me?" Raph growled clenching his fist ready for a fight if this guy did any funny business.
"What part of shut up with the questions don't you understand, man you can be stubborn," the man hissed under his breath in annoyance, then opened the cupboard removing the vials that it occupied into a small metal box with the biohazard symbol on it.
"Fine, then just answer this what the shell are you doing with that stuff?" Raph didn't bother asking who this guy was or what was in it for him to escape.
It was obvious he wasn't going to answer that and how the man kept looking at his watch, Raph got the faint impression time was growing short and his window of escape was going to close if he wasted time interrogating the human.
"It will keep 'them' alive, for now, unless Donatello can find another option," he explained. There was something in his voice that made Raph shiver, it was guilt, why?
"What do you mean to keep him alive... and why are you keep referring Adam as 'them'?"
"Better than saying he or she..." the man stated falling silent, showing that guilt all the more.
Raph stood there for a moment, the guy did have a point, though Adam works just as well.
The guy passed the box to Raph, for the last time he checked his watch.
"We should be there, you need to get them out of the van when it stops, you will be on a bridge and if you're good enough, you should be able to rush under it before being noticed."
"Easy," Raph assured him as the guy nodded.
"I figured so... now the next part you have to beat the shit out of me," the man stated, making Raph feel uneasy, was that necessary? Sure, he loves a fight and would take down any of Bishop's men any given day, but this felt so wrong on many levels.
The human male seeing the hesitation surrounding Raph, grew annoyed and shook his head, "For fuck sakes where is the ruthless hothead turtle ninja? Is he on holidays, fucken beat me already, don't forget to knock me out."
"Shell..." Raph's fist clench, knowing why he had to, if he escapes with Adam and the guy is unharmed, they would know he aided them and could spell disaster for the human.
Raph owed him, even though this was one messed up way to paying the human back.
Placing the box into one of his pouches, Raph took a breath, "Remember, you asked for it buddy." Raph snarled raising his anger and fully attacked the guy head on.
The man defending himself to show he did try to fight back having defensive wounds took all the blows and was banged around as Raph as a fierce wind plummeted the human with kicks and punches.
In the end heavy in a breath, Raph's body was beaded with sweat as the human was unconscious on the ground.
There was blood splatter all over from himself and the man, showing one epic fight for survival did go down.
Staggering forward Raph bit his lip, seeing no movement nor sounds coming from the human, did he overdo it?
Leaning down, he placed his two fat fingers on the human's neck, happy to feel a faint pulse. He was going to live another day, though those days are not going to be fun that was for sure.
"Well, now for the next part," Raph turned his head towards Adam, who still was acting like a vegetable. What was wrong with him, how was this drug saving the kid? Raph recalling that time was not on his side, had to stop over thinking this, he wasn't in the situation to dare to do so, besides thinking wasn't his department.
"Just hang in there kiddo," Raph worked on the restraints first the legs than the arms, when he finished the last one he ghost Adam's wrist, seeing the bruising the leather straps left behind, and discovering to his dismay the old impression of other scars left from being restrained. Did Bishop do that to him?
"Now how do we do this?" Raph tilted his head, it wasn't like Adam was going to walk out of this van right now meaning he would have to carry him on his shell. It was the only way he could do it in order for him to have his arms available if needed.
Also, if the man that helped them was correct about the bridge, then he needed to be quick and silent on his feet and be able to maneuver himself to hide right after he leaves the vehicle.
Suddenly the vehicles stop abruptly, almost making him lose his balance. The stillness that came after alarmed him, this was his window, it was now or never.
Quickly he snatched Adam up, positioning him onto his shell, to his surprise the human was so light it was disturbing. How much did he weigh?
"Okay, here goes nothing," Raph swallowed the lump of doubt, he had to believe this guy wasn't messing with him, who in their right mind would volunteer to get their ass handed by a ninja anyways?
"See ya, you crazy bastard," Raph gave his good by over his shoulder directing it towards the human.
At the door Raph turned the handle opening it slightly to peek out, he could see the dirt road and to the sides was the beginning of a bridge, they weren't fully on it and to his turtle luck no one was following behind the vehicle he was in.
He took a breath, opening the door and slowly closing it behind him as his eyes scanned his surroundings to get some bearings.
He had a faint idea where they were, since he recalled a midnight ride down this way in the past, though night and day were two different things and places can get unrecognizable and mistaken for another by those little details.
Shifting Adam higher on his shell, Raph peeked around the corner seeing in the reflection in the side view mirror, that the driver was not looking his way, yet on the passenger side, he could see there were more vehicles further up, that were at a dead stop.
He couldn't tell if anyone was looking through their side mirrors pass this vehicle, either way, he took his chances anyways, darting forward and around the side of the bridge, going down the hill towards the river bed below.
Hearing no alarms of his escape from above, just only some horns honking and someone yelling get a move on, Raph slipped under the bridge and moved towards the higher part to hide in the shadows.
To his luck, to his right and left was all bush and there was no clearing.
As long there was no one coming down there, nor to the river, he wouldn't be noticed. Crashing there Raph's head tilted up, listening carefully as the yelling continue, of road rage, suddenly the vehicles revved up and he could tell they were on the move once again.
When he couldn't hear them anymore and be met by nature's songs, he gasped, with watery eyes.
He didn't know he was holding his breath and was at the brink of passing out, his head felt woozy from it.
He gently let Adam down, making sure the guy wasn't lying on anything harmful, as he himself sat beside him staring down at the river.
"Shell we can't stay here too long, who knows when they will notice we are missing and start backtracking to find us," Raph sighed rubbing the back of his neck. "Adam?" Raph turned towards him, "Come on please answer me," Raph begged, receiving no response in return.
"Ah damn this is messed up," Raph folded his arms, "Why the shell did Bishop want you anyways and what is with that stuff he gave you?"
It being ten minutes he figured since he has been under the bridge, he didn't want to dare leave, fearing the daylight would give him away, but staying was just as risky.
The alarms were not going off yet but any moment they will.
"Okay Adam, it's time to leave," Raph said calmly starting to lift Adam up, then stopped with fear striking him.
A vehicle just approached and made a stop above his head. He could hear the transmission going as a door opened and closed, there were sounds of grass being crushed coming towards where he was.
In a panic, Raph instinctively went for his sai coming aware he was unarmed of course, as his weapons were left where Bishop captured him with his mask as well, so instead, he snatched up the nearest rock.
With a steady breath, he ready himself as the person came into sight, with a growl Raph attacked as the individual squawked with arms in the air, "Shell bro don't kill me, I didn't do it!" Mikey yelp in self-defense as Raph's attacked was cancelled and he stood there with the rock still in the air high ready to strike Mikey in the head.
"Mikey?"
"Yeah..." Mikey whimpered eyeing the rock.
Raph let it fall as he breathed in deeply, "Oh thank god," he bent over letting his nervousness out with his following breaths, then he popped up again confused, "Wait why the shell are you here and how did you find..."
"The tracker on Adam," Mikey reminded him then he looked around, "Where is..."
"He is under the bridge, we need to hurry before Bishop-"
"Bishop!" Mikey gasped in horror, "What does Bishop have to do..."
"Not now Mikey," Raph turned around fetching Adam and carried him out as Mikey cringed.
"Is Adam okay?"
"I... I don't know," Raph said hesitantly, "We need to get him to Donnie."
"Right," Mikey nodded, leading the way up back to the road, where their car was waiting with Donnie at the wheel and Leo in the passenger seat. Both gawk at Raph as he shook his head that they were best to save the questions for later.
Mikey took one side and Raph entered the passenger side sliding Adam between them, using Mikey's and his shoulder to support Adam's head and body. By now Adam's eyes were closed and he wasn't staring into the abyss. Raph wasn't sure if he fell asleep or not.
"What is going on?" Leo asked quickly.
"Short story Bishop and we need to leave now," Raph warned them.
"Bishop!" his other two brothers answered in disbelief.
"What-" Leo started as Raph interrupted him.
"Shell sakes Leo now isn't the time for questions, I just escaped the van I was in ten minutes ago and who knows when they will notice that I'm gone."
"We shouldn't linger here, then," Donnie caught on backing up, "Which direction Raph?"
"Over the bridge," Raph pointed.
"Then we need to go the opposite direction. The direction we came then, we should get back to the farm-"
"Not safe," Raph proclaimed, "He was searching for Adam," he started and ignored the questionable eyes on that one, continuing, "They might search that area for us, and stumble onto the farm."
"I see then, if that is the case, heading home is also not an option at this juncture," Donnie turned the car around and started to head down the road. "We might have to go to that bunker."
"The one you found a year ago?" Mikey asked. It was an old army bunker lost and forgotten that they found hiking one day. Seeing it being untouched for years they converted it as a safe house in case the farm was attacked and going back to New York wasn't a possibility. It wasn't anything special, yet it was a safe place until things cool down. It was stocked with rations and there was a spot where they could park the car to hide it as well.
"Yes, that one," Donnie adjusted his rearview mirror to take a quick look at Adam.
"Then we have no choice," Leo agreed as Donnie set his destination to the bunker instead of the farm. "Donnie, do you think you can get the shell cells working again when we get there? We should inform Master Splinter, Angel and Casey, on what is going on. Even with the truce that we have with Bishop arranged for Angel and Casey's safety I fear he would break it if he is desperate enough to get his hands on Adam."
"I should... I will have to take a look at mine when we have a moment. I'm not sure they should be used anytime soon, since how they went down... Let me think on it on our way to the bunker and I should have an answer by then," he answered his brother who nodded understandingly and was wondering that as well, if they were even a secure source of communication anymore.
"Dude is Bishop that desperate for Adam and why?" Mikey asked, receiving a shrug from Raph.
"For now let's just worry about getting to the bunker safely. Once we have warned our family, then we will talk about what happened and figure out what Bishop is up to this time," Leo insisted, there was no point dwelling on it until they were safe.
TBC