In this chapter Donatello suggests a technological thing that in real life cannot be done. However, I am cheerfully adopting the old episodes' complete disregard for the limitations of technology (for example, in the hypnosis ep where Shredder becomes Michelangelo…"holograms" of the President that somehow will be taken as the real thing?) Anyway.

The fight was a surprisingly close call.

Since Raphael knew the enemy better than his brothers did, he ran in first and the others followed a second later. Raph was to engage Shredder fully, giving the others an opportunity to put him out of commission without getting hurt themselves.

The fight went pretty well until Raphael thought to feint for Shredder's unprotected abdomen with his sai. It was a tried and true move against the old can-head, because it always forced him to drop his arms to protect against the blow, leaving his head open for Michelangelo to conk him unconscious.

This time, though, Shredder called Raphael's bluff. He ignored the sai point digging into his belly and slashed at Michelangelo when he approached.

Raphael froze. By rights he should thrust his weapon home and finish it for good, but he hesitated just a second too long while he tried to make a decision.

And Shredder lashed out with his elbow, catching Raphael squarely on the temple and dropping him like a stone.

But then, before Shredder had time to really start hoping he might win the fight, in one smooth motion Donatello swept his feet out from under him and bashed him unconscious with the bo.

While Donatello knelt to check on Raphael, Leonardo hovered hover him worriedly. "Is Raph okay?"

"He's fine," Donatello assured him.

The worry vanished from Leo's voice at once. "Well, when he wakes up he's in trouble. He hesitated and it almost cost us."

"He hesitated to kill somebody, Leo," Donatello argued softly. "Master Splinter wouldn't say that's a bad thing."

"Yes, he would. I would, too. It almost got us killed."

"It did not. You saw what happened." Donatello rose and put his hands on his hips. "Yeah, Raphael gave him a break that wasn't necessary, but you know perfectly well Shredder gave one right back. He could have slashed Raph's throat and instead he just knocked him out." A nervous smile skittered over his face. "It's going to be hard for him and us to fight from now on, if we're all unwilling to hurt each other."

"I'm willing." It was clearly an effort for Leonardo to sheath his katanas. "Never mind. I'll discuss this with Splinter later. For now, we'll bring him with us. We can't let him go until we figure things out - he knows where we live. Donny, Mikey, let's go."

Michelangelo shrugged. "Whatever you say, dude. But I'm not carrying him."

Raphael woke up furious with himself. He remembered freezing up for a second in the heat of battle - that was embarrassing. And he remembered that he'd lost to Shredder again. That was also embarrassing. Worst, though, he remembered that he was alive only because Shredder had cut him some slack, and that was the most embarrassing of all.

Shredder didn't feel much better. He was awakened by a casual kick to the head, and when his vision cleared he noted that he was lying on the floor of the turtles' lair, having been dragged there after a battle that he had not won. Again.

"I'm starting to make a habit of this," he muttered.

"Wake up, you." It was Leonardo. When Shredder failed to respond satisfactorily, Leonardo kicked him again. "Donny has questions for you. You get up and answer them. You hear me?"

It took immense effort for Shredder to control himself. "Yes?" he asked with dangerous politeness. He sat up.

Donatello smiled briefly at him as if to say, Don't worry, we're not ALL like that. "I found this on you while I was carrying you back. What is it?"

Shredder's eyes narrowed. The turtle was holding the walkie-talkie which kept him connected to Krang and the Technodrome. Its screen had been broken for weeks and it didn't work, so he didn't really mind that Donatello had taken it. However, considering he always kept it stuffed down his pants, he was a little uncomfortable to learn that the turtle had somehow "found" it. "That's my transmitter," he said finally. "Why do you want it?"

"I want to cannibalize it for parts - it uses machinery that's similar to the controller and I could really use some of these little gears."

Shredder shrugged. "It's broken. Take it apart if you like."

"Thanks." Donatello turned to leave but suddenly had an idea. "Do you want me to fix it for you? I can probably wire it to Michelangelo's TV somehow if you need to make any calls."

"Yes, of course." Shredder said loudly, speaking over Leonardo's attempts to protest. He stood up and glowered down at the turtle. "Even in prisons people get to make a phone call."

TBC. Yes, next chapter we're finally going to see what Krang thinks of all this. Review!