Part 3
Part 3

The Turtles ran quickly to keep up with Emiko whom ran at an unbelievable pace. Possibly in hopes to lose sight of her new found troublemakers. She paused ahead and looked behind her; her cape swirling around her little body. Her face was concealed once again within the dark helmet. For her short legs, it was amazing she was able to run faster than them.

"Come on, slow pokes! Try to keep up, huh?"

Donatello growled as he huffed and puffed. "Slow pokes? I resent that!"

Michaelangelo ran alongside him, also puffing. "We're not as young as she is, bro. Not to mention we've lacked on our exercises. This girl could probably do laps around us."

"Not unless we break her legs first!" Raphael glared at her.

Leonardo stopped, puffed out a breath, and before the others knew it, took off at warp speed, catching up to Emiko. He managed to keep his strength with solo workouts.

Michaelangelo blinked. "Whoa! Tortoise beats the Hare!"

"Way to go, Leo!" Raphael called from his spot.

Leonardo gave a thumbs up behind him as he ran alongside Emiko, smiling angrily.

"Are we trying to win a marathon? You don't have to run like a lunatic."

Her dark helmet turned toward him. "I'm not running! I'm speed walking!"

"I know what you're up to so don't try to make excuses."

"I'm not making excuses either. I just don't want to get in trouble!"

Emiko stopped suddenly and froze in her tracks, causing Leonardo to skid. He looked up and saw the dark building in front of them. It was true none of them were sure of the specific location of the police station. Only seeing it in pictures and on the news were as far as they got. It looked like a tall office building with 6 concrete steps leading up to a doubled glass door entrance. Windows littered every inch of the walls with bars on them. Only the upper ones were spared. Leo's mouth twitched as he viewed this place with uncertainty. The place where cops reined and the criminals rotted? Even he knew better then what he was told by this child. This was not what it claims to be.

"That's the police station? Since when?"

"That's what they told me it was. So, I believed them." Emiko's voice muffled in the helmet. Leo was curious to know who they were but didn't ask right away. "Besides, I'm too late."

"What do you mean, 'too late'?"

"The lights are off. I'm over my curfew."

"So, what will they do to you if you're late?"

"Um, ask me that another time. I know another way in."

Leonardo watched her run to the side of the building. The others caught up, also watching her go.

"Where is she going?"

"I don't know Raph, but I think we'd better follow."

The Turtles went around the building and found her climbing up a tree next to a wall of windows with narrow ledges. She was so intent on getting to the top that she didn't even noticed they were down there. They watched in silence. She reached the top branch and removed her helmet, tossing it into the open window. She looked down at the ground, almost losing balance.

"Whoa, hey guys! Better leave! Or you might get busted big time!"

She turned back to the window and jumped. A top branch caught and snagged her cape; it's claws finding it's mark into the fabric. A ripping sound filled her ears and she freaked in mid-air. The cloth cut into her throat, making her scream sound like a strangled gasp. She clutched onto the ledge; her feet dangling loosely with nothing but the ground below them.

"Emiko!" Michaelangelo shouted from below.

"I can't....I'm losing my grip!" She started to cough as the fabric dug in further.

Raphael stared. "If she falls, that cape will choke her to death!"

"Oh, terrific!" Donatello leaped up onto the first branch and climbed from limb to limb like a squirrel, reaching the top branch within minutes. "Hang on, Emiko. I'm right here. Don't move."

"As if she had a choice." Raphael mumbled to his brothers.

Donatello stretched out onto the farthest branch toward the open window. He found the cape where it snagged and carefully lifted it up. It fell loosely to her back. Emiko kicked her feet and whined silently from the ledge. Donatello held onto the branch with one hand, and with the other, swung his bo out toward the ledge.

"Emiko." His voice cracked from the strain as the bo almost brushed her wrist. "Grab onto this."

She slowly turned around; her face bright-red and puffy.

"I can't! I'm going to fall!"

"You're not going to fall. Just grab it."

She grasped the ledge tighter and slowly extended a hand to the bo.

"Hold it tight."

She clenched her fist around the thick wood, not moving.

"Now the other hand." She looked to her feet. "Don't look down."

"I can't do this! It's not going to hold me." She whined.

"Stop saying you can't and just do it!"

Donatello gripped the bo with both hands to keep it from wobbling. Emiko reached with the other hand and grabbed it. Donatello almost fell from the weight but pulled it with all his strength toward himself as Emiko hung suspended above the ground. Once above the branch, Emiko stepped down and straddled it, removing her hands from the bo. Donatello placed it back behind his belt and smiled shyly at her. She sighed and smiled back.

"Are you okay, Emiko?"

She nodded, closing her eyes. "I thank you. I am lucky that you were here this time."

Donatello stared at her wide-eyed. "This time? You mean you've fallen before?"

She looked down and waved to the others, then answered him. "Yes, twice. My only injuries were a broken leg the first time and then my arm the second."

"You're lucky just to be breathing. If you had fallen, that cape would have choked the life out of you."

"You're right. I don't know why I where the stupid thing anyway." She removed the cape and tossed it in the window.

Donatello shook his head. "That's not what I meant. You risk your life to get back in? All because of some punishment?"

"You don't know what kind of punishments they have. Some are so bad, you wish you were dead."

"That's why we're here, Emiko. We care deeply for the safety of other people, especially children, and when somebody is abusing them, we're not just going to stand by and let it happen. We want to know exactly what goes on here and how we can help prevent anymore physical harm to anyone."

Emiko looked down again. "Okay, but I didn't send for you. I had nothing to do with it." Donatello turned away. There was something about the way she said that which brought a smile to his face.

She stood up and walked back over to the ledge. Waving assurance to Donatello and the others below, she ran, jumped and landed perfectly on the ledge, climbing into the window.

Raphael was astounded. "I swear, that girl's going to kill herself before I even get the chance to."

Michaelangelo gave him a worried look. "You wouldn't-"

"Damnit, Mike! I was only kidding! Shit, get a grip already."

Leonardo stared upward to Donatello whom was starting to climbing down. "Don, maybe you should follow her. We'll get in another way."

Donatello froze in his spot and groaned.

"Right, Leo."

He didn't like that plan. He had no desire of going in to follow a child. Children were not his best people to hang around with. He was surprised he had the courage to get up in the tree to help Emiko. Climbing back up to the branch he was on, he paused and stared out. He knew he was regretting this. After much debate, he leaped at the ledge, also clearing it perfectly.

Once inside, he stepped onto a colorful carpet and ducked into the shadows. This room looked like some kind of study or library. The chairs were stacked neatly and off to the corner near rows and rows of book shelves. A door on the far wall was slightly opened where Emiko went through. He slowly walked toward it and entered a long, dark hallway with polished wood floors. There were similar doors in the hall lined up on both sides. At the far end to the right was a staircase leading down. To the left was an intersection that led to more doors and rooms. He walked out and turned to the staircase. He went down to the next level and looked around, finding each hall almost identical. All the doors were closed and locked. He checked up and down the area, looking for Emiko. He then remembered her room must be on the same level where she climbs through that window. Before climbing up, voices were heard coming down. He ran back down and turned the corner to watch at a safe distance. Two security guards walked by, totally oblivious of him being there. He watched them talk amongst themselves as they headed down another flight of stairs. Donatello looked upward again and climbed up back to the top floor. He went past the library and came along to a wide intersection. Left or right. Or straight. He stood in the center and looked down all the paths. Suddenly, he heard loud noises like people shouting from the left hall. With curiosity, he turned left and walked a ways down. He heard more loud screams coming from an opened door on the right. He speeded up his walk toward the door and peeked in. The room was dark with just a small light in the center. Donatello ducked in and stood in the back to watch a horrible sight. Tied at the wrists and ankles, Emiko hung under the bright light, head lowered in shame and stripped down to only her underwear. Three large, muscle-bound, bald-headed men in leather clothing smacked her tiny body in various spots, leaving the areas bright red and scarred. A chain-linked window was full of other teens and adults laughing and howling to the men whom whapped and spanked her. Emiko kept her eyes shut, doing her best not to cry. A man at the far end of the room watched with arms crossed. He was tall, also muscular with long, black hair that was tide back in a pony-tail.

"Enough!" The man shouted. The three men ceased and bowed their heads, stepping away from the center. The man slowly walked over to Emiko whom never looked up. He took her chin under his hand and turned her to face him.

"You know why you are punished?"

"Yes, Master Nomed."

"You are a disgrace to our clan. But you know the penalties and serve me well. I suggest you return to your quarters for the remainder of the evening. You will join your old group and return to practice tomorrow morning. Be at the gym at 5am. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Master Nomed."

"Show's over!" Nomed shouted to the crowds. "Release her." He turned and walked out through an adjoining door on the side. The three bald-headed men obediently untied the ropes and lowered her safely to the hard tile. One of them tossed her a towel to cover herself. When she realized everyone had left, she stood up, wincing from the pain. She held up the towel and tried to place it carefully around her body. Donatello finally stepped out of the shadows and stared at her in sorrow and anger.

"Emiko?"

She gasped and turned around, meeting his eyes. She raised the towel to cover what she could.

"You again! How did you get in?"

He stepped closer. "The same way you did." She stepped back. "Look, I'm not going to hurt you. None of us are."

"I told you I was too late. I've been hurt enough." She went to retrieve her clothes that were flung against the wall. She bent over, moaning a little from the pain. Donatello could see her back was covered with bloodied scars. She held up her uniform and smiled. "I can't even put my clothes back on. Heh, funny, huh?"

Donatello frowned at her, surprised she found the situation amusing.

She kept her clothes in front of her and walked past Donatello toward the exit. "Guess I'll go to my room now. You can come if you like. There's nothing more to see here."

"I've seen plenty."

She stepped out into the hall and turned right back to the intersection and went straight passed it. She made a left, then after two doors, turned right and stopped at a door on the left side. She opened it and walked in, not bothering to close it. With no where else to go, Donatello followed behind and watched her drop her clothing carelessly on another colorful carpet. She held the towel to her chest and looked at her bed, laughing again. She sat down and smiled at him.

"Guess I'll sleep on top of the covers, huh?"

Donatello shrugged.

"So what are you going to do now, I didn't catch your name."

"Donatello. You can call me Don for short."

"Okay, Don. What are you going to do now? You've seen the show, now I have to sleep so I can get up to practice."

Donatello glanced around, thinking hard. "Is there a kitchen around here?"

Emiko's eyes widened. "A kitchen? Are you hungry?"

"Sorta. Thought I'd check it out."

"There's a cafeteria down the main staircase, off to the left. I'm sure it's closed and locked for the night. Wait, hold on-" Emiko winced again as she stood to fetch a ring of keys on a desk. She held up one to him. "Knock yourself out. Just becareful not to get caught. We have security guards that roam the hallways. I'll leave my door unlocked."

He took the ring. "Thanks. Catch ya, later."

He was gone for about half an hour. Emiko laid on her stomach with the towel covering her backside and partially her thighs. Her head was faced to the wall, tears dampening that side of the pillow. The door to her room opened again and she heard movement. She couldn't see who it was but she heard the sound of keys clinging together.

"Oh, hello Don. Did you get your snack?"

"Yes. And I brought you something as well."

Emiko turned her head and smiled as he sat down next to her legs on the bed.

"I'm not hungry. You didn't have to-" She gasped as she felt a cold compression to one of her scars. Donatello brought in a bucket of water and strips of fabric, placing them gently onto her back and pressing them into place. He carefully pushed her hair to the side, revealing more scars around her upper spine. He groaned at the sight, feeling the anger swelling up inside him again. She turned her head all the way and stared at him. He gave a small smile and continued down to the back of her legs which were also red and scarred.

"You, know." He started calmly. "If you keep getting into trouble, you're not going to have any skin left for them to smack on."

"Then they'd be whacking away at my bones!" Emiko laughed a little, finding the whole thing funny. Donatello didn't laugh.

"Yes, a hanging skeleton tied at the raw flesh of wrists and ankles. You'd think it would seem pointless after awhile. Don't you agree?"

Emiko sobered up and put her head back on the pillow.

"I guess so. If I were dead, I wouldn't have to live through this torture anymore."

"If you would just trust me and my brothers, we could get you out of this hell hole."

"And go where? There's nothing out there for me. I'm too young to get a job and buy a house for myself."

"Don't you have any family?"

"Yeah, my grandparents, but they live in Miami."

"Ah, the place to retire." Donatello looked away. "Have you tried calling them?"

"No, they wouldn't help me. Plus, my brother is happy here and doesn't want to leave."

"But you're not happy here, are you? Tell me truthfully."

He got at a soft spot and Emiko whined. She hugged the pillow and squeezed her eyes shut.

"Emiko?"

"What?"

"Are you?"

"Am I what?"

"Happy?"

"About what?"

Donatello sighed. "Okay, fine. You don't have to tell me."

Silence passed for a few minutes. Donatello placed another cool strip on a deep scar. Emiko sucked in her breath, clutching her pillow. The truth came out.

"Don?"

"Hmm?"

"No."

"No, what?"

"No, I'm not happy here."

"You're not? No fooling?"

She sighed, catching him at his game. The tears rolled down and her cracked voice indicated her weeping.

"Don, I'm miserable here and I want to leave!" She sniffed and wiped her nose with the back of her arm.

Donatello reached over and patted her head, the one spot that wasn't sore on her body.

"I knew it. We will help you get out if it's the last thing we do."

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For helping me."

"With what?"

"Don?"

"Yeah?"

"Stop it."

"Right."

PART 4 BACK TO PART 2 BACK TO FAN FICTION PAGE