CHAPTER THREE

LOVE AND INSTINCT

Danger Incarnate: Okay people. I'm supposed to tell you that Sss979 had nothing to do with the sex scene in this chapter because it's slightly kinky and not her style.

Sss979: Not entirely sure it fits your CHARACTERS' style either.

Danger: *frustrated sigh* Will you shut up? It's EROTICA, okay? It's supposed to be erotic by definition. They were the only two characters I HAD.

Sss979: *whispers to readers* Just don't encourage her...

Danger: *glares at S* I told them, okay? Is that good enough? Can you untie me now? I told them you had nothing to do with this sex scene.

Sss979: *eyes Danger suspiciously as she absently toys with her whip* You might wanna tell them where they can find it.

Danger: Oh yeah. If you're over 17 and don't get offended by sex and MILD kink (heh) go to http://www.angelfire.com/ok5/tmnt/where/ch3.html to read this chapter.

Sss979: And as with ALL OTHER NC chapters in this book, if there's a link and you wanna read it, DON'T START reading it here because sometimes the scene falls in the middle of the passage or at the beginning.

Danger: And for the record, that whip wasn't for me.

Sss979: No, and neither are the handcuffs. We're not actually lesbians.

Danger: We're expecting company.

Sss979: Hee hee.



 Raphael awoke in mid sentence. He was talking, in his sleep. His eyes opened and he glanced around the room. An unfamiliar man was seated nearby, scribbling on a pad of paper. Raphael tried to sit up, but realized that he was strapped to the table. What the...?


 Adam looked up and saw the creature straining against the leather straps. He grabbed the phone next to him and speed dialed Matthew. "It's awake."


 Raphael jerked at the sound of his voice. "Who the fuck are you?" he demanded. "What do you want?"


 The man smiled politely. "Don't be afraid. Nobody's going to hurt you."


 Raph glared at him. He sounded like he was talking to a frightened kitten. "Fuck you, jackass. Where the hell am I?"


 A door opened somewhere, but Raphael couldn't turn his head enough to see it. "Let's get him to tech room," a woman's voice said. "They're talking again."


 The man walked to him and placed a mask over his mouth and nose. Raphael strained against the bonds, and tried not to breathe. But it was no use. He gave in reluctantly, and took in a breath of sweet-smelling air. He felt confusion set it. A splitting headache formed behind his eyes and blurred his vision. He closed his eyes, and listened as bits and pieces of conversation filtered through the darkness. "... still somewhat sedated..."


 "... know that it would..."


 "... should take its blood pressure and..."


 He moaned slightly and forced his eyes open again. He felt drugged, but he was determined to stay awake. "Where the fuck am I?" he demanded. It came out sounding a lot weaker than he intended it to.


 "Let's move him now before..."


 Patricia Callihan looked down on the turtle as they wheeled the stretcher down the hall. It was a fascinating specimen. She'd never seen anything like it. Its skin was thicker than a human's, its average temperature was slightly lower. Of course, it had been sedated all day. They'd had it almost a full twenty four hours now. Its pack hadn't yet realized that he was missing.


 They walked into the tech room and took the restraints off of the half-conscious turtle. They moved it to a chair and retied it, then took the mask from its face. The figures on the monitors were talking again, in the language they assumed was Japanese. The girl was with them, seated on the couch with the one who wore the orange bandana. She was curled next to it, her head on its shoulder as it ran its three fingers through her hair. They had been talking quietly for some time now. The conversation was almost too quiet to be heard by the nearest microphone.


 Raphael slowly regained consciousness. As his eyes opened, they widened in shock. A dozen small TV monitors and two larger ones were a few feet in front of him. They showed the lair from every angle. He was dumbfounded for a moment. Oh god, how much had he told them while he was asleep? How long had he been out? Dread crept into the deepest part of his soul. What did they want? Whatever it was, he immediately realized just how vulnerable his brothers were. How had they gotten into the lair without disturbing anything? How could they have put those cameras there? Fear flooded him.


 Mike and Rei were sitting on the couch. He could hear their voices through the speakers. "Well, are we talking about something that has to be realistic?" Rei. Her voice was muffled, but he could make out the words.


 Michaelangelo shrugged and smiled down on her. Raphael watched the screen, still in shock. "The whole idea is probably unrealistic."


 "You think so?"


 "Honestly? I don't know. I don't know what I think. I know what I'd want, but realistically...?"


 She kissed his neck and snuggled closer to him. "What would you want?"


 "What are they saying?"


 The unfamiliar voice jerked Raphael back to reality. He looked to the speaker, still stunned. "What?" he choked.


 "You do understand them, right?"


 Raphael shook his head in disbelief. "You all are out of your fucking minds, you know that?"


 One face among the four looked familiar. The guy from the bar. What did he say his name was? Raymond. That was right. Shit, he'd walked right into this...


 Travinski stepped forward. "You're going to tell us what they're saying."


 Raphael laughed sharply. "Like hell I am!"


 Callihan sighed. "This can be painless or it can be miserable for you. It's your choice."


 Raph's eyes narrowed and he grinned evilly. "Bring it on, bitch."


 "You wanna live?" Raymond asked.


 "You gonna kill me?" Raph snapped back.


 "Maybe."


 "Be my guest."


 He felt someone approach him to the side, but couldn't move. He looked in plenty of time to see a needle filled with clear liquid. He tensed just slightly as it entered his arm. "What the hell is that?"


 "Maybe it'll kill you," Raymond grinned.


 "Then again, maybe it's just water," the woman suggested.


 Raphael looked back and forth between the two of them. They were playing psychology tricks. It probably was just water. They wouldn't go through all this to capture him so they could kill him. On the other hand, it could be one of a million different chemicals. He tried not to think of that.


 "What do you want?" he demanded. "Don't even try to tell me that you couldn't find anyone else in the world who can translate Japanese for you."


 "So it's Japanese then?"


 "Told ya."


 Raphael watched them for a moment before answering. He didn't want to offer them any information. "Maybe."


 Raphael heard his name and tuned into the conversation in the speakers, ignoring the next sentence from his captors. "I haven't seen him since last night when you two were yellin' at each other."


 Leonardo glanced at the clock. "I thought he was just hiding in his room all day, but he's not there."


 "Well, maybe he came home and went out again," Rei suggested.


 Leo shook his head. "I'm worried about him."


 "He's probably fine, Leo."


 "Yeah. If you go out looking for him, you're just going to piss him off," Mike added.


 Leo considered that. "If he's not back in the morning, I'm going to go look for him."


 "What are they talking about?"


 Raphael glared at the man. "When they find me, they're going to kill you."


 "Are they looking for you?"


 "If they're not, they will be shortly."


 "They haven't yet."


 Leonardo left the room. Mike turned his attention back to Rei. "It's almost nine o'clock."


 "Mmm hmm."


 "Want to go to bed?" he grinned.


 She smiled back at him. "Mmm hmm."


 Raphael's eyes closed as he recognized that look on his brother's face, even from afar. No guys, please don't do that.


 His silent prayer went unanswered. He led her into his room and closed the door. Raphael felt a sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach as his brother lay Rei gently back on the bed, kissing her deeply as he followed her. 


 "But, soft! What light through yonder window breaks?" he whispered as his hands ran down her sides. "It is the east, and Juliet is the sun!" 


 Raphael looked away, unwilling to watch this.


 "Anybody want to put money on whether or not they can actually have intercourse?"


 "You guys are sick, you know that?" Raph shot coldly.


 Dr. Alex laughed. "Aw, come on," he smiled. "Just sit back and enjoy it. Just like a porno movie."


 "Knock it off, Raymond," Dr. Richardson chastized. The turtle closed his eyes and didn't move. It was as if he'd stopped breathing.


 "What's he saying?" Callihan asked. For once, the question wasn't directed at Raphael.


 The turtle on the screen kissed the woman deeply. "Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon," he breathed. "Who is already sick and pale with grief, That thou her maid art far more fair than she."


 "He's quoting Shakespeare," Dr. Travinski realized. "Romeo and Juliet."


 Michaelangelo pulled away slightly and brushed his fingers over the side of Rei's face, drawing her eyes to his. "Be not her maid," he sighed, "since she is envious, Her vestal livery is but sick and green, And none but fools do wear it, cast it off."


 She closed her eyes and relaxed under his touch. His hand trailed down, unbuttoning her shirt slowly. "It is my lady, Oh it is my love, Oh that she knew she were."


 She could feel her breathing quicken as he slipped his hand underneath her shirt and caressed bare skin. "She speaks, yet she says nothing." He kissed her neck and she tilted her head away from him, begging him to continue. "What of that? Her eye discourses; I will answer it."


 "He's good," Dr. Travinski mumbled.


 "Yeah," Callihan agreed. "He's better at foreplay than my husband is!"


 "Well, that's not what I meant," Richardson observed, deep in thought. "He has the mental capacity to remember entire passages of Shakespeare. It's amazing."


 Raphael couldn't help but smile to himself. He knew damn well that Mike had more than one of Shakespeare's plays memorized, start to finish. Splinter had made them read Romeo and Juliet and Julius Caesar, but Raph knew Michaelangelo had read and memorized a lot more than that. But as much as he wanted to shoot some smartass remark at the spectators, he kept his mouth shut and his head turned, out of respect for his brother.


 Michaelangelo rose and kissed the woman softly. They stared at each other for a moment, saying nothing. "I am too bold," he smiled, cupping her chin. "'Tis not to me she speaks. Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven, Having some business, do entreat her eyes, To twinkle in their spheres till they return."


 She closed her eyes and he kissed her lashes. "What if her eyes were there, they in her head?" He moved down and kissed her cheek, to her ear. He bit her earlobe gently, touching it just slightly with his tongue. "The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars, As daylight doth a lamp," he whispered into her ear. His warm breath against her skin brought a smile to her face. He kissed her again, his hand roaming gently over her body.


 "Her eyes in heaven, Would through the airy region stream so bright, That birds would sing and think it were not night."


 "I wonder if it's learned repetition," Alex suggested. "Like he remembers things that he's heard over and over again."


 "What, like a parrot?" Travinski mumbled.


 "Well, sort of. If he has the capability to vocalize, you can teach him to say anything."


 Raphael felt his blood boil. "You're a fucking moron, you know that?" he shot, glaring at the man who'd delivered the suggestion.


 "What he's doing requires no critical thinking," Dr. Alex murmured. "Only the ability to repeat something he's learned from somewhere and the natural instinct to reproduce."


 "I don't see too much Shakespeare on the Discovery Channel, doc," Raphael snapped.


 "Yes, his actions do show a level of consciousness that most animals don't posess," Richardson observed.


 "It's as if he actually loves her," Callihan agreed.


 "No fucking shit," Raph growled, turning away again.


 "These things might be more human than we thought they were."


 "Yes, but how?" Travinski wondered. "How did they become so human?"


 Rei felt a rush of warmth surge through her veins as Mike's fingers slipped under the waistband of her pants. He touched her hip, massaging gently, and kissed her again. "See how she leans her cheek upon her hand. O that I were a glove upon that hand, That I might touch that cheek."


 She tried to feed him the answering line, but all she could manage was a slight moan. "She speaks," he grinned, pulling away to look at her. "Well, sort of."


 She laughed and draped her arms over his shoulders. "Ay me," she managed.


 "Speak again, bright angel," he whispered. "For thou art, As glorious to this night, being o'er my head, As is a winged messenger of heaven..."


 "Hey, Romeo?" she interrupted.


 "Yeah, baby?" he smiled, kissing her bare shoulder.


 "Think you could speed this up a little?" she joked.


***


 Leonardo was pacing in the living room when Mike opened his bedroom door. He sighed. "He didn't come home, did he?"


 "No," Leo answered.


 "Maybe he's with a girlfriend," Mike suggested.


 "For two days?" Leo challenged.


 "No. One day. Two nights. That's not too hard to believe."


 Leo turned to him. "I can see the two nights. But why would he stay with her all day? And why wouldn't he call?"


 "Gotta sleep sometime," Mike grinned.


 "He would've called."


 Michaelangelo sighed. "So you could chew him out, Leo? He probably just wanted to get away for a while."


 "A while?" Leo cried. "Mike, it's been thirty-seven hours. Can you think of how many ways he could've died in that amount of time?"


 Michaelangelo considered that for a moment, and sighed. "Okay," he mumbled. "So you wanna go look for him? In broad daylight?"


 "Mikey, if he's in trouble we can't wait until nightfall."


 The thought hadn't really occurred to him before now. Raphael always took off without telling anyone where he was going. It was nothing new. And it had never worried him before. But as he thought about it, he usually did call, if only just to let everyone know he was okay. They hadn't heard from him at all. "You try calling Casey?" Mike suggested.


 "Casey just got out of the hospital. He hasn't seen Raph."


 "What about that other friend of his? Brandon?"


 "Last time he saw him was Saturday night."


 Donatello walked into the room. "Hey guys. What's going on?"


 "Trying to figure out where Raph is," Mike answered.


 Donny froze. "What, he hasn't come home yet?"


 "No. And I'm starting to worry."