| Part 24 |
| The final step from the staircase and the group fell onto solid black
rock. One tunnel led straight down to a lit cave on the other side. Strange
markings filled the walls on the mouth "Where are we?" She whispered mostly to herself. "I'll tell ya one thing. We ain't in Kansas anymore, Dorothy!" Michaelangelo teased. Donatello stooped down to pick up a small rock. Lifting the shield of his helmet, he eyed and sniffed it carefully. "This rock has metamorphosed from the looks of it." "Meta-what?" Raphael looked around on the ground. "I didn't think rocks could do that since they were just....well, rocky." Michaelangelo picked up one to observe it. Low rumblings were heard on the other side of the walls. All of them paused to catch the stalagmites quivering in their position. "Yaaaah!" Michaelangelo stepped away from underneath the pointed rocks. "Whoa, freaky. Um, you were saying, Don?" "Uhhhh, right. Metamorphic, as you know, means change in form. This looks like it was once igneous or fire made. These rocks are ones that have risen red hot and melted deep below in the earth's crust When deep in the earth's crust all igneous rocks are known as liquid magma. Once it rises to the surface, it cools and hardens into a different kind of rock, therefore metamorphosing into something like this." Everyone stood silently. If it were possible, crickets would have chirped. Michaelangelo raised a finger. "So, um, where are we going to find Sam down here?" "Looks like one way to me, Mike." Raphael pointed to the tunnel. He took Risa's hand. "Need a guide?" "Sure, I'll go anywhere with you." Donatello stood up again, closed his shield and tossed the rock non-chalantly behind his back. Leonardo tapped Don's shoulder. "You never cease to amaze me, bro." "Uh-huh-" Donatello started to speak as more rumblings shook the ground. Risa shrilled and clutched Raph's hand tighter. Michaelangelo's eyes were plastered to the ceiling. "Hey, look out!" Raphael pushed Risa and the rest forward out of the way. "Shit! Move, move!" The stalagmites started to fall like pointed swords right on top of them. Raphael
was the last to reach the start of the tunnel almost getting impaled by the rocks.
Risa tumbled onto the "Well, that was exciting!" He was able to mutter. "Everyone okay?" Leonardo asked as he and Don rolled off Risa whom was trembling all over. "Great, Leo. Risa broke my fall. Sorry, 'bout that." Donatello shrugged to her. "I...I....I....fine." She sat on the ground, clutching her chest like Mike was doing. "Ditto. Dandy. Super." Michaelangelo started to get up and brush his suit off. Raphael slowly rose and walked over to her and bent down. "That was a pretty close call, huh, babe?" She nodded. "Almost lost my guide back there!" He extended a hand. "Almost lost you. Come on. Let's go get your friend." The group got in a straight line and started marching formally down the tunnel. "Lions, and tigers, and bears, oh, my!" Michaelangelo whispered behind Risa. She bit her lip to prevent giggling. Reaching another wide cave, Michaelangelo went serious as he saw Sam strapped to a iron table like a sacrifice. The master has his back turned while soldiers all over the room stood watching like mindless zombies. They looked to see five new comers and thought nothing of it. Four of them short, one tall and slender. Built like a female. Big deal. Soldiers were all shapes, sizes, sexes, and whatever. Little did the five of them know was that they were the only five living soldiers! Sam was looking everywhere when she spotted the five enter the room. It was
getting close to the proper hour she was set to be killed. She was wondering why
they were taking their "Give me a good reason why I should let you live, Samantha." The master finally turned to face her. Sam blinked tears in her eyes and started to go in a trance. "I......I have no real good reason except for anyone else's reason for living." She paused to see his reaction. No response. The cave made a low rumble instead. "I came here because my father told me to learn the ways of the police force. I thought I was training to become a soldier and rid the city of it's crime. What I realized is I was the one doing the crime. I was killing innocent people whom were misguided and untreated fairly like I was. Under your command, I killed lives to gain strength and power. So, you ask me why I want to live. I want to live to start over again. I want to become educated, fall in love and have children. I never want to see another gun or laser for the rest of my life." "A life like any mortal. To go through a pitiful, wasteful life is not what we planners do here. Do you realize if you were to join us now, your suffering will cease to exist?" Sam looked around again. The five that came through disappeared into the crowd of soldiers. She sighed heavily. "The suffering will never cease. You have shown me much horror brought to
this planet than I can ever experience in one lifetime. If to die would be the
release from here, then so be it. The tears finally slid down her cheeks. She felt movement behind her. "As you wish, Samantha. You shall die." "What?!" Samantha raised her head with shock. The room became
alive with mixed talk and groans of back and forth debate. Michaelangelo started to
bolt but was held back. "Oh, "In my world, governed by evil, your life will be anew. Dying will release your pain and for once, you will know the absolute power I have to offer you." The room was alive with mournful worshipers. They were in the walls, in her mind, all reaching out in suffering wails. "My God, what do you want from me?" She whispered. The master didn't have to think. "What any ruler wants." He stepped closer to her and uttered in a growl. "Your soul." That did it. Michaelangelo broke free from the crowds and ran towards Sam. "Stooooop!" He shouted to the master. "Stop this at once! You can't kill her!" "We're dead." Donatello whispered. The master turned fully on Mike with a look of puzzlement. "Oh? And why can I not kill her?" The master's eyes were gleaming red. Michaelangelo started to speak in a serious tone. "Because her death sentence was meant to be done by us soldiers. Think of how much of a mistake it will be if you decided to change the rules of this girl's death?" "Mistake? Mistake?!" The master's voice boomed in the large cavern. "I make the rules around here, you simpleton! I choose the death sentences, not you!" "Yeah, but look at it this way. You give her to us to deal with, it's an open and shut case. See, one laser blast, boom! Dead. You pulling out your old magic book, saying a gazillion spells of this and that, taking up our own sweet time and then she'll slowly wither away. Uh-uh! I've got plans, man! I don't have all night to wait for you!" The master stared with such anger and hatred. Sam couldn't stop staring either, only she was biting her lip from the ridiculousness this soldier was saying. "You dare to challenge me upon this wretched soul's life? You think you can do better at destroying this worthless excuse for a human?!!" "Hey, enough with the insults! I get the message! I just think she'll pass over a lot quicker if ya let me handle it! Just show me the way to the firing squad, we'll blindfold her, and then zap! She's all yours for the taking! Catch my drift?!" The room was bustling with mixed chatter again. The time was growing less and less. The master had to think fast. It would be quicker to shoot her dead. Her body wouldn't have time to react. Casting a spell to end her life was a slow, messy process that he indeed couldn't wait for. Michaelangelo was filling his head with utter nonsense. If the strongest and powerful enemies were usually weak-minded, that meant they were not thinking about how to take care of the task as long as the task was taken care of. "Yes." The master echoed slowly. "It would appear you seem to know more than I undertake." He soon thought of a better plan. "I suppose I could leave her death entirely in your hands. The time strikes nine when her heart will stop. If it is still ticking by the time that I return, everyone in this room including above will suffer the consequences. Do you catch my drift?" Michaelangelo was now wondering if he went too far with his plan. He slowly nodded. "Yeah, I catch it!" The master bowed and stepped away, exiting the room through a large door in the wall of the temple. The soldiers were still talking amongst themselves as Mike stood by Sam. "Who are you?" She whispered in a daze. "Don't tell me you forgot about the Calvary!" He whispered back. "Ahhh-" "Shhh!" He placed a finger over her lips, looking to see if anyone was
watching. He started to unstrap her wrists and ankles, lifting her carefully into
his arms. Turning to the group of Two of the soldiers stepped forward. The other four from Mike's group slowly inched their way with them. "There is no firing squad down here." One of the two said. Mike thought quickly. "Um, right. Well, I'm new here, heh. Just show me where I can pop her full of pure anti-matter then!" "How 'bout right here? Right now?" The soldier challenged. The others were quietly saying, "Yeah, right here." "Yeah." Michaelangelo looked to Sam whom was wide-eyed the whole time. He shrugged her in his arms, letting out a huff. "Aw, come on! That's too easy! Where's your sportsmanship?!" The soldier looked around, almost confused. "Isn't there a place we can take aim for fun?!" The soldiers mumbled again, wondering where the heck this guy came from. He said he was new, that was true. But to handle such a task as this was puzzling to them. "Fine. You can take her to the target practice room straight down the hall. It's just as effective as you so choose to do." Michaelangelo gulped and looked to Sam whom was a nervous wreck. "Maybe they should take me to the ladies room instead." Mike frowned "To powder your nose?" "No, so that I don't wet myself!" "We will escort you." The second soldier said. His friend and the other four slipped out of the crowds toward Michaelangelo. The soldier looked to them. "What are you four doing?!" "Um, we're backup! Don't mind us!" Raphael said in a growl tone of voice. Risa bit her lip under her helmet. She was wondering if this was going to be too easy. The halls seemed endless as Sam was carried to a supposed death. More than two
regular soldiers decided to come along for the ride, making the plan to escape much more
difficult. Sam held onto to Mike like the prisoner that she was. Every so often, when no one
seemed to be looking, she'd give him a quick smile or wink and then squeeze his arm with
her free Another mouth of the cave opened into a huge room full of more soldiers. An
underground operation as Don was thinking to himself. To his dismay, they were on a
bridge where "Where are we?" Sam could safely say, being the prisoner. "Hell, I don't know!" Michaelangelo stated. Big mistake. "Yes, this is one of the many areas of Hades." One of the soldiers stared at him with uncertainty. "How could you not know that, soldier?" "Um, I did know. But was testing her out. I'm new, remember?!" Mike said quickly. "Riiiiiight." The group moved down a ways toward a row of targets where soldiers were shooting left
and right at, and this shocked the Turtles and the girls, humans! Living breathing,
humans from "Oh, my God!" Sam shifted in Mike's grasp. "Oh, oh, this
can't be happening!" She moaned aloud. The group looked to Sam, calling
out her name in unison and begging for help. The soldier looked to Mike. "What are you waiting for? Strap her up there!" Michaelangelo swallowed hard, looking to each of their faces. Innocent people
dying right before his eyes. He felt sick. He put down Sam and clutched the
wall for support. The Acting out his part, Michaelangelo violently grabbed Sam and tied her wrists together
behind her back. Sam, of course, wasn't acting. She started to scream and
struggle in his "Nooo, Mike. How could you....stop, please....." She whispered. "It's okay. We'll get you out." Mike whispered back. "What about them?" She twitched her head to her friends. "One life at a time, sweetie. We'll do our best." Michaelangelo stepped back with his laser aimed. He looked everywhere to see how
crowded the place was of soldiers. Leonardo stepped back, preparing his weapon with
Raphael "Get ready." Mike uttered to Leo. "Now, is this how you shoot!" He aimed to the soldier, blowing him up instantly! Chaos started up quickly. Soldiers started shooting everywhere. Donatello snatched Risa up and ducked down behind a stack of crates. Removing their lasers, they began shooting as well. "Man, Leo's gonna be pissed about this!" Don whispered to her, realizing the lasers worked great killing the soldiers. "I think he'll get over it." Risa whispered back. Leo and Raph ended up ducking, rolling and shooting off their lasers, hitting soldiers left and right. "I thought you were against guns, Fearless Leader." Raph was able to say during the stream of lasers shooting off. "I am, Raph. Always-" Ducked and shot a soldier. "-will be against them. My swords are no good here, though. Neither are yours." "Whatta hypocrite!" Raphael giggled. Michaelangelo slumped behind a crate to shoot, noticing a trigger happy soldier was using this opportunity to aim at the prisoners. Sam was flinching in her spot, screaming out and cursing. The fire power shot over her head. Mike looked to see Raphael threw down the soldier, throwing his aim off. That was enough. Michaelangelo double rolled and frontward flipped up to the line of people, cutting them down. He finally cut Sam's ropes last, causing her to fall down into his arms. She started to punch and smack him. "God, stupid, stupid bastard! Putting me up there like that! I almost died, you know! How could you do that?! Damnit Mike, I-" A slap to her face quickly shut her up. "Lay low, huh? I've got to take care of these guys!" He released her and she slumped against the wall in both tiredness and shock. The plan was going as it should. The master smiled devilishly to the remaining soldiers in the first cavern. "She still lives. The time has come!" The master began chanting from the leather bound book, stirring up more rumbling and
the lava was starting to rise in flames. The soldiers decided to retreat and leave
the master Raphael looked over the side, cursing aloud. "Either this boat is shrinking or the lava is rising!" Leonardo also looked over. "Games over, Raph. Time to get out of here. Now!" Soldiers lying in heaps were all that was left of the room. The walls were now shaking tremendously. Donatello grabbed Risa like luggage and headed for the exit. Michaelangelo finished shooting up soldiers before catching up to his brothers. Raphael looked around. "Mike! Where's Sam?!" Mike had the word 'stupid' stamped across his helmet. "Oh, shit! SAM!" He looked back to see where he left her and
bolted over. She laid up against the rock wall, passed out from the heat.
"Sam! Come on, sweetie. Time to go!" The group ran back the way they came to the first tunnel, meeting alone with the master whom was waiting for their arrival. "What have you done?!" Michaelangelo looked to Sam. "I've killed her! See? You broke your promise!" "Promises are made to be broken!" The master grinned. "And if she's dead, why not toss her into the hot flames?! I dare you." Michaelangelo looked to Sam. A laser shot off from his right. Raphael's aim was true as he hit dead center into the master's chest. "How 'bout we toss you instead, fucker?" Raphael went forward and
shoved him backwards into an open pit. The master's screams were loud for a few
seconds, then silence. "Raph, the book-" "Never mind it! Let's go!" Risa managed to grab Sam's belongings on the way. Raph groaned to her. "God, you women! Always worry about everything, don't ya?!" The group reached the staircase which seemed to collapse right before their eyes. Risa was shoved up first and almost thrown in to the lab room where she met face to horrid face with the hairy creatures. Screaming out, it's arms circled her neck, tempting to strangle the life out of her. Raphael came through next, seeing what was going on. "Ohhhh, no you don't!" Laser aimed, he shot the sucker right in it's
spot. "I'm the only one who can touch that neck!" Raphael yelled to
the other creatures whom scampered away. The other three raced up next, Michaelangelo looking back with Sam in his arms. "Leo! That book! That spell book, we can't leave it! You saw how powerful it was, we gotta go get it!" "No, Mikey we can't! We have to get out of here, now!" "But think of the lives it could save-" "We're gonna lose our own lives if you don't move it!" Leonardo shoved him further out of the lab room and up the stairs. Donatello saw the health book and snatched it up on his way out. It wasn't a
spell book but could come in handy later on. The master was right at the final
spell. The place was in total Reaching the opposite street, the fire department was called in as the group watched
from a safe distance. Risa removed her helmet and stared at the sight. Sam
slowly blinked and "Where are they going?" Michaelangelo asked to Sam in his lap. "They've been discharged." She said weakly. "To either march in heaven." She looked up to him. "Or hell." Everyone was paying attention to the burning building. The Turtles and the two girls watched the soldiers march until they faded into the darkness. "Is the master dead?" Raphael said, thinking back to when he pushed him off the side. Risa thought for a moment. "Yes, Raph. The master is dead. But his practices with evil may never end. He can still haunt us even after death." "What do you mean?" "Our blood was mixed with the creature's blood and after so many doses, if he administered enough blood, our body will soon be......taken over." All their eyes laid upon Sam, wondering if she had the most blood since she was a higher rank in training. Risa bent down to tap her shoulder as Michaelangelo kissed her forehead. "She'll be fine. She will." He looked skyward. God, I hope so! Leonardo looked down to Risa. "Risa, Jenny's been drugged also. But she escaped awhile back. Won't that stop the process from happening?" "Jenny left?" He nodded. "Are you sure?" She
looked to Sam whom said nothing. She had no idea either. Risa looked up to Leo
with such sadness, she almost burst into tears. Leo was taken back by the sudden question. "Um, she went to Yonkers. To live with her Aunt. Why?" Risa sat up and looked into his eyes. Deep into his eyes. "Leo. The night I got shot with the laser, my body lost the battle and I died. The master restored it back to life where I could once again live. In his eyes to serve him. In my eyes to love another." "So, what does this have to do with Jenny?" "On the night I was brought back, I confronted the master with some questioning." Risa looked down. "He said those who leave from here will suffer greatly." "How will they suffer?" Risa waved a hand as she rattled off. "Illness, nightmares, bad luck. The blood was pure evil. And once in the body, it can do damage beyond repair." "But, the master is dead, Risa! She should be alright! His evil should no longer haunt her!" Risa looked tearful. "That's if she stayed, Leo! Jenny left two days ago when the master was still active and deadly. He knew she was gone and went right to work on destroying her very existence! I stood right there and listened to him. For all I know, she could be dead now! Or, she could just be suffering in her tiny body." Leonardo stared at her wide-eyed. "Oh, Leo. I'm so sorry....I-" Leonardo turned and started to walk off. "Wait, Leo!" Risa went after to him. "You don't know where the family lives." Leo paused, knowing she was right. He looked into her face. "Take me to her." He said quietly. Raphael came over to Risa. "Hey, what's going on?" "Leo, we may already be too late-" "I said, take me to her, damn it!" "Hey, don't you talk that way to her!" "Raph, Jenny could be dying! I have to go see her right away!" "Well, lots of luck! How the hell are you going to get to Yonkers at a moment's notice?!" Leonardo looked to Risa. "Please, Risa. Even if she's dying and I get there too late, I still have to see her. If you know her family, please help me. That's all I ask." Risa stared to one pitiful face and another exasperated face. "Okay, Leo. I can't guarantee her family will listen to me. But if you have to see her, I will help you." Leonardo nodded and headed back to the group, tapping Risa's shoulder on the way. "Uhhh, guys, we need to take a little trip up north. May take less than a
day or two, who knows. Mike, you should call April tonight and let her know what's
going on. You have to get "Where are you going, Leo?" Michaelangelo looked up from the ground. "To Yonkers. I want to see Jenny. Possibly for the last time." Michaelangelo and Donatello nodded slowly. Once their brother makes a decision, there's no going back on his word. He made up his mind, no one can stop him. "Well then, good luck to you, Leo, and we'll see you in a couple of days." Leonardo nodded and turned to Risa. Raphael took her hand. "I'm going too." "Fine, Raph. Let's go." Risa bent down to give Sam a kiss on the cheek. Then looked to Mike. "Take good care of her." "You bet. I'll take very good care of her." Risa caressed her cheek before standing up again and following after Leo and Raph to the train station. Michaelangelo looked up to Donatello whom surprisingly said nothing the whole time. The fire seemed hard to control as more people were being rescued out of the top floors with the ladder. Sam stirred in Mike's lap, occasionally looking up to the building. "What'll happen to me, Mike? Or Jenny? What if what Risa says is true? Am I going to suddenly change on you?" "I don't know, baby. I don't mind change as long as you don't try to rip my lungs out or something. If you grow fur and multiple arms coming out of your body, I think I could still love ya, anyway!" Sam burst into tears, picturing herself as an ugly beast, and hid her face into his chest. Donatello cleared his throat suddenly. "Mike, there might be a way to at least save Sam and Risa from, ah, metamorphosing." Michaelangelo looked to him in confusion. "How? And why not Jenny too?" As the fire glowed brightly in the large city, Donatello sat on the ground beside his brother and began to have a long discussion about, life, love, and science. |
Eve Of Destruction
By: Brinatello
After a bomb destroys their home, the TMNT seek new lodging and discover a place full of unknown horror.
Rated: Fiction M - English - Adventure/Supernatural - Chapters: 30 - Words: 122,941 - Reviews: 5 - Favs: 5 - Follows: 1 - Updated: Apr 28, 2001 - Published: Apr 26, 2001 - id: 266176
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Full 3/4 1/2 Expand Tighten
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