Who am I? - CH9
No More Lies...
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: After heading to a safe place to collect their thoughts and it boils down what are to do now? What was the right choice to make?
AUTHORS NOTE: Just to clarify, when it comes to addressing Adam's gender, the brothers address differently. Mikey and Donnie will say she/her when Adam is human, he/him when Adam is a turtle. Leo and Raph will say he/him regardless if Adam is female or male. To them, Adam is referred to as a male using that when addressing Adam. This also will affect the gender choice in the current point of view of the brothers regardless of form, which will determine if Adam will be referred to as he/him or her/she within parts of the story. This will switch back and forth since each tends to take the point of view throughout the storyline. Sorry for the confusion, but I don't believe all four brothers think the same when it comes to Adam's gender. That said, one other thing that will happen is that Raph only, still calls Adam a turtle even when Adam is human as well, this is his mindset and how he perceives Adam.
Donnie glanced up to his rearview mirror, making sure nothing was following behind them, as he turned down a dusty road.
One that still had grass and ferns growing. After a bit in, he stopped the car getting out as Mikey joined him to cover the road once more.
To ensure their safety they had to make sure there was no evidence that anyone recently used it.
The area well put back into place, they continued making their way through the thick bush and finally stopping under a big tree.
"Raph, you will carry Adam I will take it?" Leo asked as he exited the car, while Mikey and Donnie were getting to work fetching a tarp hidden in the old tree's trunk. The two brothers stood before it, then eyed each other.
"Rock Paper Scissors," both challenged, as Raph rolled his eyes.
"I have him," Raph answered Leo, removing the still unconscious human from the car.
When contact was made to his plastron, Adam reacted by pushing into him closer, as if seeking warmth.
Raph's eyes shifted to the kid overwhelmed by mix feelings of sadness and anger over the poor kid's predicament.
He could only imagine Leo's position as he could see in the corner of his eye his older brother shifting uneasily lost in his own helplessness and lack of power to fix this here and now.
Breaking the pity trip that the two oldest were spiraling down, was an abrupt burst of glee coming from the other two brothers.
"Yes," Donnie said cheerfully having scissors and Mikey having paper.
The little brother moaned, hesitating for a moment before he approached the tree, "Dude, if I get rabies I blame you!" Mikey whimpered sticking his hand in the hole as his face turned pure white.
Instantly he pulled it back with a yelp dropping the tarp that was covered in webs, screaming at the top of his lungs "Ew ew ew."
Laughter came out of Donnie in an amusement making Mikey stopped and shoot a warning glare as Leo shook his head, "Come on you two, stop fooling around. We need to get this vehicle covered and head to the bunker, we don't know where Bishop is, and I for one prefer we avoid being detected by his men."
"Yes, Leo," both brothers answered simultaneously, taking the tarp and covering up the car. With it now camouflage, it made it difficult for it to be spotted by ground and air.
"Hey Donnie was it Bishop's doing, that your cells wouldn't work," Raph asked, coming aware he didn't have his on him and worried that Bishop could use it to track them down, making these efforts fruitless, "Also mine..."
"Is compromised I know and I deactivated it and mine when we picked you up. As for the others I did the same just after I picked up Mikey and Leo, realizing whoever put up the field might use it to track us," Donnie pointed out, not liking the disturbing idea over the fact that Bishop had the capability to make the area a dead zone, that included their shell cells.
This was something he needed to study in more detail later, to avoid such a scenario again and the possibility of someone like Bishop able to hack into his secure line.
It wasn't a far fetch Bishop could or has done so, so far, technology was great Donnie would strongly suggest yet it also had applications that would doom him and his family if he wasn't aware of all possibilities it holds, including what the enemy is capable of as well.
"Then Raph's is useless?" Leo inquired.
"All of ours is useless to a point, even the tracking device I put on Adam was deactivated when we found both Raph and him, to make sure it wasn't used against us either," Donnie pointed out as Mikey raised a hand, Donnie rolled his eyes, "Yes?"
"Why did you ask Raph to remove and destroy the tracking device if you deactivate it?"
"For reassurance," Donnie said dryly as he knew the kid brother was going to ask him the horrible question.
"Why not the shell-"
"For I am not building new ones!" Donnie snorted, too proud of his babies to do such a thing to them, it was bad enough he had to self destruct Raph's yet he avoided mentioning that in fear he might have tipped off Bishop that Raph wasn't there anymore, if anyone noticed that is.
Besides, they would have questioned over the fact that if the area was a dead zone, how was he sure that the cell destroyed itself, simply put, if he could deactivate them by remote it was enough to say he could activate the self destruct protocol.
He just hoped he didn't piss off Casey too much since he forgot which one was whose in the coding, he only knew he didn't activate theirs in the end.
To avoid leaving Raph's phone in Bishop's hands, he took the plunge and self-destruct both cells knowing it would do the job… either way, he would hear about it later he was sure of it.
"Of course," Mikey smirked, as the eldest took a step forward. Leo scanned the area, taking in the details, the long overgrown grass swaying in the mid-noon breeze and how the night will fall in hours. It wasn't safe being out in the open, though the cover of the trees did block anyone flying by spotting them, although four green turtles weren't the easiest to notice in an area of green, even so, he wished not to test his luck and linger longer then they needed to.
"I will take your word on it Donnie that we don't have to worry about Bishop tracking us down. That said, who knows how long it will take them to stumble onto the farm, we best to get to the shelter and contact Angel as soon as possible on the landline, to avoid any trouble if Bishop does piece together the farm belongs to them," Leo instructed warily.
He was worried and it wasn't that he doubted Donnie's protocols that the genius had set up to cover up the farm owner's identity since he knew that was one reason Bishop has never found it beforehand.
However, with the new situation and the fact they left in a hurry, leaving evidence behind they were there prior he couldn't take the chances.
The location that Raph found Adam and the location that they picked the two up, the farm was smack in the middle of it all, within a search area that Bishop would investigate right away after discovering Raph had escaped.
"You don't think he would break the truce do you, Leo? It's the only thing that protects Angel and Casey from Bishop," Raph suddenly asked as Leo sighed fearing it would be brought up.
"I hope not, or we will have to play our hand, then," Leo said with a heavy heart as his brothers looked at him nodding in their own fear.
One fear that each wish that this day wouldn't come where they would expose Bishop and in turn expose their existence to take him down, a trump card that would protect their family, but not themselves, a trump card that even Bishop didn't dare make them use knowing it would ruin him as much as them.
This truce was the best thing for them, with their human friends Angel, Casey and a few other human's associated with, who lived in society, they will not fall victim to Bishop.
How it went Bishop couldn't touch them in any shape or form if he didn't want the brothers exposing his operation, his position in the government, since Donnie had everything on him, that would lead to his own arrest and be label as a terrorist, an enemy of the state.
Bishop would lose everything and that he wouldn't dare happen, so, in turn, Bishop had his hands tied and was unable to touch the listed friends brought up during the truce's creation, he couldn't arrest them or frame them, capture them or interfere with their lives.
In turn, the brothers were not off the menu, as Bishop was still allowed to go after them if he deemed them in his way.
"If it comes to it Leo, we have to do it for Casey and Angel's sake," Raph said in a hollow voice, wondering if that truce was even wise to make in the first place.
He was against it, knowing Bishop would use it one day, was this that day?
His eyes shifted to Adam feeling his chest tighten up and he couldn't imagine what this version of himself went through and the worst part was he wasn't sure how far Bishop would go to get him back, and what he would do once he had his claws on the kid.
"Let's not worry about it right now bros," Mikey picked up a stick from the ground twirling it in his hand, "We have already promised we won't until it happens. Right now we need to worry about is poor Adam here and what they gave to her and if it is even working to help her."
"Mikey's right," Donnie swallowed the lump in his throat, they were all on edge now face with the possibility, overnight, things could go to hell and they might be hunted for being mutants in a world that had no clue of their existence until their hand was forced. "Besides, I need to analyze what I can of that drug you brought with you Raph. First, can you tell me what you witness from Adam over how her body reacted to the drug, I want to see what it is and if it is actually helping Adam. However…unfortunately, I don't believe I have the proper equipment to make an actual diagnosis though."
"The psychopath said it was to help Adam, he said something on the line on how he noticed the poor condition the kid was in, but even then…," Raph smacked his lip unsure of the actual reaction from the kid, "Adam wasn't pleased when he saw the crap, pleading not to be injected with it, he was really afraid of it. After he was injected he spaced out and as you can see, this is what happened, he hasn't responded since then," Raph explained as Leo took the lead towards the hatch to the bunker with Donnie walking beside Raph and placing his hand on Adam.
"She was terrified of it?" Donnie asked, trying to figure out why, if it was created to help Adam, why would she be afraid of it?
"Yeah, the kid didn't want it."
"I wonder why, for what reason for it looks like she is healthier compared to before when Mikey and I saw her in this human form, though I didn't get a clear visual at the time to make such evaluations-"
"He is, trust me, I saw it with my own two eyes," Raph cut in.
"Then I will see the old junk in the base works to a degree to find some answers if possible, though I can't make any promises, the last time we were here all I did was make sure it was functional and prep for emergencies, but not to do any lab experiments of any kind," Donnie bit his lip lowering his eyes as Raph looked away.
"Worse comes to shove Don, try to see if anything in there will work, if not the experiments will have to wait until we get back in New York in seven days," Leo told him, looking over his shoulder.
"Seven days?!" Mikey burst out in surprise, not considering it would be that long.
"Yes, seven would do, I don't think Bishop would simply drop his search of the area for Adam and if we prematurely head back home, he might catch us. We need him unaware of our movements and waiting that long would only hinder him from knowing them," Leo strategically explained.
He suddenly stopped hearing Donnie hiss through his teeth, knowing that was not a good sign, when he turned towards Donnie the other two were already staring at him, while he had that look and action where he was rubbing the back of his head.
There was a kink to his to be bulletproof plan, and he could only sigh, "Yes Donatello?"
"Well, how much Raph had of the drug and what I figured how much roughly Adam would need at least daily to sustain her, I would assume is the point of the drug so far-"
"Don, please just get to the point already," Leo muttered annoyed crossing his arms.
"There is enough for two days and a half, making three days max which would be stretching it. They're only being three vials and I need at least a half to examine it and reproduce it," Donnie pointed out, as Raph looked at him wishing Bishop had more when he escaped.
"Can it be spread out? Where we can stay here for seven days, even if you give him small doses if you must to get him by until we get back to New York?"
"I don't know, I don't know... if that is even a wise idea Leo," Donnie sighed, raising his eyebrows in a frown, as he walked past Leo and uncovered the hidden hatch that was covered up and press in the security code and then he continued," Adam might look like she is getting better, but by nightfall… when he changes I assuming is the rules of her body, that progress could be flipped around and she will start descending. I know this is a hypothesis, but I don't know if it is wise for her not getting the full dosage, or if it would be more harmful to spread it out as you indicated."
"Dude, we don't know if that is true or not, I mean you have no idea what that stuff is doing other than some guy working for Bishop, said to Raph, that Adam needs it," Mikey pointed out not fully on board being locked up in a bunker for seven days, but not thrilled to be forced to face Bishop on the other hand.
"Let's first worry about contacting our family," Leo said sternly knowing he couldn't execute any plans until he had some key issues dealt with first, "During that, Donnie you will have to see what is in the bunker that you can use, then we will decide the right choice of action."
"Yes Leo," all three brothers answered following Leo into the darkness of the underground bunker.
Leo, the first in, hovered his hand over the light fixture flicking it on as the overhead lights buzzed to life illuminating the concrete and gloomy bunker.
It was bleak and not even considering appealing to stay in, a one-star hotel was more inviting.
It felt like a concrete prison compared to the outside forest that was more calling.
Each brother slowly shuffled in, closing the entrance behind them and then they went their separate ways.
Raph brought Adam to the room that had the bunk beds, while he grumbled on the way over how they were stiff and uncomfortable, duly voicing how he suggested a while back to installing some hammocks, yet that was dismissed for there wasn't much time when setting the place up as other features took presidency back then.
Mikey moved towards the kitchen, letting out his own displeasing sighs as he reached it, remembering how it was stocked with mostly can food that would last for years, nothing much to work with as he pointed out.
As for Donnie, he searched around the place looking for anything he could use, while Leo went towards the small living area. Scoping out the place, now reflecting back on how much he hoped they would never have to use this bunker since how it was not a pleasant place to be locked up in.
"There it is," he told himself sitting down as he felt his body was starting to fight against him, he felt ill and his head was starting to hurt.
One other reason he was suggesting such a long wait before heading home, his condition was too much a risk factor and if they did had to go up against Bishop he would be more a burden then help.
Leo sighed gazing at his hands clenching them tightly. Going after Adam had worn him out, how was he to survive in a fight?
"Shell, what am I to do?" Leo muttered under his breath. He extended his hand and grabbed the rotary phone placing it on his lap, as his head drop down in dismay.
Maybe they should have given this place a bit more love as Mikey had put it in the past, or at least updated some items such as the phone.
Leo placed his finger on the hole for the first number that needed to be dialled, only to moan more seeing how it was made for thin human fingers, not his fat ones as he had to press firmly down.
He went clockwise all the way until he could hear the click, only then was he to let go, as the dial made clicking noises counting down, returning to its original position ready for the next number.
With another heavy sigh, he did the same again for each number, wishing he had his shell cell since this repetition was slow going and it was agitating his nerves. What felt like a century later the last number counting down, he mumbled out in annoyance, "Finally," as he placed the headset to the side of his face. It rang and rang while he twirled the spiralled cord around one of his fingers, then to his relief someone answered.
"Hello," Angel's voice came through.
"Angel, it's me, Leo," Leo answered back and he could hear her let out a large breath in relief.
"Leo, are you guys okay? Out of nowhere the shell cells just stop working and Casey's blew up in his back pocket," she fretted.
"We are okay and what do you mean Casey's cell blew up?" he asked. In the corner of his eyes, he suddenly could see Donnie tighten his teeth with a hiss and inch away quickly from him.
There was evidence of guilt on the brother's face, knowledge over what Angel was talking about, even so, seeing no point at the moment to investigate on the matter, he would have to ask questions about that later he duly noted in his head, going back to the conversation.
"I don't know, it just happened out of nowhere," Angel stated with concern in her voice.
"Is he-"
"Only second-degree burns on his ass. The doctor told him he can't sit down for a few weeks."
"Oh... I see... I will ask Donnie over this accident with Casey's cell, however, as for the others, we had to deactivate them for-"
"For?" Angel inquired as Leo bit his lip, wondering if it would be wise to tell her now or fetch the rest of the family first?
"Angel, can you get Master Splinter to come over to your place and I will call back in a half hour and explain everything?" he suggested knowing her wireless had a speakerphone and this way he could avoid repeating the story twice.
"Sure, are you sure you guys are okay, I can come to the farm-"
"No!" Leo abruptly talked over her, "By no means does anyone leave New York Angel, I mean it. I will explain it all, after my father comes over, I promise."
There was a moment of silence on her end and then she responded, "Okay Leo, I get it. I will have both Master Splinter and Casey here in a half hour and then you will tell us what is going on?"
"Yes, I will call you back in a half hour," Leo agreed hanging up and looking over towards Donnie, "Donnie I can see you hovering there. What was this all about Casey's shell cell blowing up? Don't bother hiding it from me, I can tell by your reaction a moment ago you are aware of this, though, are you aware he was injured over it?"
"He was..." Donnie gulped, feeling his life moments away from a cliff since Casey was going to kill him.
"Yes, but right now is there any other phone's in the place we can use, I want this conversation a two way, on speaker phone."
"So we are going to reveal Adam to them and what has happened then," Donnie nodded, then moved towards a back room coming out with some bulky phone that appeared to have a speaker feature and actual buttons, then the annoying one he was using, "I can get it working, it was broken, reason I never installed it."
"Can you do it in a half hour?" Leo asked, getting a nod from Donnie, "Fine get that fixed and also did you find what you needed to figure out Adam's drug?"
"No, there is nothing here to work with... sorry," Donnie said sadly.
"I see..." Leo leaned back, staring at the ceiling. He had a half hour to figure out what's the game plan before getting his family together to discuss the situation at hand.
"So you're telling me, that you guys lied to us for the past weeks?" Casey growled over the phone showing how agitated he was, though the brothers figured it was due to the pain he was in and his accident with his shell cell.
Luckily for Raph at least, Donnie reluctantly told them how it happened, before Leo had called back, since the red mask brother was rolling with laughter wishing he witness it first hand, to see the dumb expression on Casey's face. It would be priceless he would have imagined.
"Not intentionally, nor fully," Donnie took the lead before Leo, figuring he was in charge at the moment when the lies were made, well white lies, "It was true that Leo needed more recovery time and still does, however, we failed... I failed to mention Adam since we had little information to go on and-"
"We could have helped," Angel cut him off, hurt over that they couldn't trust even her with this secret turtle in their midst.
"That is why," Donnie pointed out, "For you would want to do just that and that would have been a bad choice since it took us forever to gain a little trust with Adam as it stood and the situation was a bit dicey at that..."
The other side of the line fell silent, that is when his father who has only been listening so far during the duration of this call, now updated on what was going on, finally spoken, "I see then my sons, as long as you are all safe then we should move pass of the past events and focus on the current. Is this Adam any threat?"
"No!" Raph burst out, then tighten his lip when Leo snarled at him for the outburst. He sighed then bit his tongue, before continuing in a calmer voice, "Master he isn't, he is just messed up that is all. Like Don said this guy went through a lot and needs our help."
"Besides that, we can't let Bishop have him either," Leo pointed out the other fact.
"That is what concerns me," their father answered, "Why does Bishop want him?"
"Maybe for she is from another dimension?" Donnie stated, still felt that this was the only theory that still worked the best.
He could and had considered Adam a simple experiment using his brother's DNA but then there were the strange markings in the blood that made him reconsider to look past the simple explanation, feeling deep down that was proof enough being evidence that Adam wasn't from their dimension.
"Donnie, how can you tell?" Angel asked, with doubts in her question, "You explained Adam looks exactly like Raph and the only difference is this change he experiences. What is to say he isn't Bishop's experiment and that's why Bishop is after him… or using him to use against…"
"Adam would not harm us!" Raph's anger once again took root, as everyone came aware of how easy he was to set off, this being a very sensitive subject for him.
Leo this time didn't show any disappointment in his look towards Raph, instead of sympathy.
If Angel was right or not, Raph wasn't going to take it that Adam was some tool of Bishops to harm them, and deep down he felt the same, regardless much of the evidence pointed it was a strong possibility.
One being the abduction itself, that could have been a ploy and the soldier that work for Bishop that helped out Raph, could have been very well as part of a plan to fortify Adam's position with his family, to be fully accepted, by being ordered to help Raph in the most drastic way, Leo would admit after hearing about the condition that Raph left the man in.
If that was the case, for what reason would Bishop go so far since they already accepted Adam prier? It seemed like a waste of effort with no gain nor change.
Besides what was Adam to do to them, if this was some elaborate scheme?
Divide them?
Not likely in his mind, okay yes so far they had some poor choices that were made, with Donnie and Mikey going against his own orders, but that didn't drive any stakes between any of them, it only made them want to get closer, to work out the issues to never fall apart.
Donnie understood his mistake and was going to own up to it, and on the other side, Leo knew too what he had done wrong, not pushing when he should have and that was his own misjudgment.
Then what would Bishop want to use Adam for, to hinder them or destroy them?
It seemed too simple in many ways just to jump to the conclusion Adam was a tool, which only made Leo wonder if this was more complicated than they could ever imagine.
Still, it was only theories, questions and speculations with no actual proof, maybe if they could get Adam to open up some pieces will start coming together.
"Raph is right," Leo took over the conversation going to end this now and cast all doubts out the window, it wasn't healthy for anyone, besides how can anything be resolved when the situation was being poisoned by paranoia?
"What good will it do if we treat or strongly believe he is a threat? What good will it do if we see him as the enemy? What will we achieve by driving him away by believing we can't trust him or act like we want to help him, yet in the shadows, pretending we care about him when all we want is nothing but answers regardless of the false treatment we give to him?" he questioned, as he took note that his brothers all looked at the table remaining silent as he knew the other side they too were taking his words to heart.
"Nothing," Leo answered sternly, and oddly from the other side of the line he swore he could feel his father's smile on him as he could hear shuffling, probably Casey reacting unsure what was going on.
Taking a breath Leo sat up tall.
"It doesn't matter where he came from, who he really is. Yes, we will find out eventually, however, not to figure out whether he is an enemy or threat, but to know more about him as a person. We will help him as he was no different than any of us since he isn't. That said no more talk of doubt or speculations that he is anything other than a friend in need."
"But…" Casey's voice protested and then he was cut off by Master Splinter.
"I trust your judgment Leonardo as well as your brothers, especially Raphael, who is very passionate to defend Adam. I have never witnessed you like this before Raphael, you acting as such only strengthens Leonardo's decision since I recognize and know that you wouldn't be simply fooled by any of Bishop's tricks," Master Splinter answered, "That said we will drop the idea of Adam being any threat to the family, but more concerned on why Bishop wants him. I believe that is the key to figuring out more on who he is."
"I understand Master," Leo nodded, "We will find out, but I don't think it will be easy."
"Then give the boy some time," Splinter agreed, "If he's anything like Raphael, that would be the best path to take".
"Thanks, Master," Raph thanked, more so in believing in him, ignoring the statement over how he would need space to deal with, though deep down he knew that was true when it came to him at least.
"Now we have concluded that," Leo started, then paused as his attention was directed to his right.
There was movement and he could see a flash of color from clothing. The turtle tilted his head as his brother's eyes followed.
"Maybe you should join us for this part?" Leo insisted, seeing the shy woman hiding around the corner.
The question did surface how long Adam was standing there, yet Leo figured it wasn't important since it showed how much they wanted to trust him.
Adam didn't respond, so in turn, Mikey got up cheerfully, "Are you hungry? I have some food prep if you are," he offered, yet Adam still didn't budge.
It was Donnie's turn to try to see if the turtle would come to the table. He let out a sigh and lowered his head in shame, "Master, can I put you on…"
"Yes, my son," Master Splinter answered, as Donnie pressed the hold button and slowly rose to his feet.
He turned around towards the woman, seeing Adam shifted uneasily as his eyes met hers.
The shameful brother dragged his feet forward and made his way towards her, "I'm… sorry," he told her not fully approaching her keeping some distance. "I know I hurt you… I betrayed you… I…"
Adam shifted once again and Leo was about to get up to defend Donnie's actions yet found he didn't have too, witnessing Adam not running away yet actually moving towards his brother.
Donnie's head shot up in surprise finding himself staring into those green eyes, that only made him feel all the more guilty, "I… I…"
Slowly Adam's hands went towards Donnie's face as he didn't move to wait for her to take her anger against him, he deserved it as far he was aware, yet that wasn't her intentions as she only pulled down his mask.
When it hung loosely around his neck, she let go as she just stared at him. There was a moment of silence as all stood still to see what she was doing and Donnie for one, had no clue what was going through her head.
Her face was blank of emotions, similar to what Leo could pull off and yet he got the itching feeling she was studying him.
Was she trying to forgive him?
Was she trying to see past his mistakes and willing to start anew?
Then it hit him, how to move this forward, as he had an idea that he wasn't sure if it would mean anything but so far as he knew he had no words to explain himself, no excuses that could make up his betrayal regardless he deep down knew it was the only choice at the critical moment.
Donnie took a deep breath and then he removed his mask altogether and reached out for her hand.
To his bewilderment, she didn't flinch when he took her one hand, opening it up and then placing his mask in it and closing it after.
He stood there for a moment, eyes on that hand, then without explanation, he turned around returning to his seat ignoring the questionable looks from Mikey and Raph only, as it was apparent Leo knew what just occurred.
It was a symbol of his guilt, it was to show that Donnie trusted her with his mask, a part of him in her capable hands, and when she was ready to fully forgive him, she will return it. That would be their way to resolve it since no words that haven't already been spoken has so far.
Raph about to say something, Leo shook his head, giving the brother a gestural nod to grab the other seat since he will explain later, if Raph is still uncertain after the call. Mikey quickly while Raph was busy grabbed a plate and some food placing it between Raph and Leo, figuring Adam would be more comfortable between them than him or Donnie.
"Are you ready to join us?" Leo asked again, "You don't have to talk or respond, but we all need to discuss the current situation and what to do from here. I prefer you to be included, for this is as much as our decision as it is yours."
Adam's eyes trailed off the mask as she placed it neatly in her pocket, that she actually folded properly to show the respect she had for the object and then made her way to Leo hungrily, greedily eyeing the food.
Leo only smiled, nodding at him, "If you're hungry, then please eat."
"Do you want me to take them off hold?" Raph asked, sitting back down and watched Adam sitting beside him and attacking the sandwich that had no chance, "Or should we wait until Adam devours his lunch… you know it will not run away right?" he smirked, then shuddered when Adam narrowed his eyes at him, making the red mask turtle gulp, "Forget I said anything," he retorted as a chuckle came from the other brothers.
"We will wait for a moment longer," Leo insisted then quickly explained before Adam expressed the same look towards him as he did to Raph, "I want to just make sure we are all on the same page, I know this line is secure but I don't want to have a long debate if that could be helped."
"We are going to figure out when we are leaving and going back to New York," Mikey suggested, then came aware why Leo wanted to do this off speaker first. Adam suddenly stopped eating her sandwich and stared at the plate, there was a thick aroma of fear coming off of her.
"Adam, this base is only temporary and we would need to make a destination to our home, in New York," Leo started and Raph cut in after.
"Don't worry kid, it's safe there, a hell of a lot homier than this concrete hell hole and there is no way Bishop can find you there," Raph explained seeing the uncertainty in Adam's fearful eyes.
"I also have my lab equipment there that I can use to figure your biology to help you-" Donnie started then was abruptly stopped.
"NO!" Adam shuddered, as Leo flashed a look at him, this was the first time he has heard Adam usher a word, not even when he is a turtle has he heard him say one word.
"You don't have to if you don't want to," Donnie insisted, then he sighed, placing his hand folded before him on the table, "I can't imagine what you have been through and I know I can't just say trust me after what I did, but please understand this. The only reason I would need or want to conduct any experiments on your DNA, other words only blood samples, is to benefit you, to help you, not for any personal gain or interest," Donnie explained seeing Adam scowl and looking away from him. "Like I said you don't have to and I will not push it nor force it either. I want to do this but only if you give me your consent, only then I will... and to prove it."
Donnie got up leaving the room. A moment later he came back with a small vial of red substance and placed it on the table, it had been labelled, 'Adam'.
"That is what is left from the amount I took from you against your will, you can do whatever you want with it and I will not complain."
Adam's eyes hovered at his blood, then he snatched it up quickly, leaving the room and rushing towards the kitchen sink.
Raph about to get up, Donnie snapped him a look, shaking his head as Raph had to state something, "But don't you need that to figure…"
"Raph there is plenty of time for that and like Leo said what good if we treat Adam as the enemy? Only a friend would do this, give that vial up in pursuit to gain trust again," Donnie answered, seeing Adam's back towards him yet knew she could hear him.
After a moment she returned, placing the empty vial on the table, showing she had drained the blood down the sink and rinsed it out as well. Donnie only nodded and then turned to Leo, "I think we can start the conversation on how and when we return home now, with the others."
"I see," Leo moved forward, pressing the button, "Sorry Master for making you guys wait for so long, we are ready to get this going and Adam has joined, however, I will warn that he might not say anything."
"That is fine my son, now let's discuss the plan you have Leonardo since I have the feeling you already have constructed one for this delicate situation?"
"Yes Master, I have and it will affect all of us," he explained as everyone in the room had their eyes on him and he did have a plan, however, would everyone be thrilled or even agreeable, now that was another question.
TBC