Fun? He calls this fun? Personally, I have always thought Raphael was out of his mind. A few French Fries short of a Happy Meal. A sandwich short of a picnic basket. A….
They attacked and they attacked quickly. I couldn't even make sense of who was fighting who, but I could see the blood. I could smell it and for as long as I live I don't think I'd ever get that scent out of my nose. Raphael and my dad fought back to back trying to keep me between them while I covered my ears and tried not to watch the blood bath.
"REN!" I heard my father yell.
I looked up at him. The fight was moving away from me. In another few seconds, I was going to be left behind.
"Get up!" Raphael screamed at me. "Get up DAMMIT! Move!"
My father grabbed my arm and at the same time slashed two men with the fork thing in his other hand. He pushed me toward a manhole cover. "Go."
I blinked. "But…"
Raphael growled. "Don't argue. Shut yer mouth…" He kicked one of his opponents and spun stabbing another. "And go!"
I knelt down by the manhole trying to pry the lid loose. I yanked on it as hard as I could but it wouldn't move. My dad lifted it so easily last night, but this thing was heavy. I got a good grip on it and gave it a good tug. Nothing. Guess I needed to lift some of those weights in the dojo first.
I yelped as I got yanked back by my hair.
"No!" Raphael yelled. I saw him run toward me, but was blocked by about a dozen men. I struggled, kicking and screaming all the way trying to turn to face my attacker. Hair self defenses wasn't on Raphael's list of things to do in the dojo that morning. I'd have to make sure he added it to the lesson plan.
I spun ignoring the pain of my hair twisting and kicked the guy where I knew it would hurt. He was expecting that one and blocked me easily before tossing me over his shoulder. I pounded on his back. I screamed. I tried to bite him. Anything I thought would help but he just laughed at me.
"The little freak isn't worth all this trouble," he commented to someone nearby. "It would be easier to teach a lamb to fight."
I heard my dad yell my name, but he was surrounded as well.
Now if there's one thing I hate, it's to be made fun of or to be patronized. I felt a red hot anger burn deep inside of me even as I remembered one of Sensei's first lessons that morning. No matter what happens, you gotta stay calm. You get overwhelmed and you're gonna die.
Stay calm. I could do that. The guy who had me started away from the battle. I was to be a prisoner. Were they going to take me to my mother? Maybe everyone was wrong about her. Maybe they lied to me, but why would my father lie? I had my own plans for finding out the truth but this guy didn't fit into them. I grabbed for the weapon on his belt. It looked kinda like one of those grim reaper things but a lot shorter. I got my hands on it and pulled. I stuck it in his shoulder before he could even react.. He yelled and dropped me as I glared at him defiantly holding his own weapon.
"I'm a turtle. NOT a lamb." I declared angrily.
He growled and before he could take that first step toward me, I dropped the weapon and ran. My momentary cockiness gone with the realization I hadn't a clue in America what to do with it. It wouldn't take long for him to catch me, I knew, and the only thing I could do was try to get back to Raphael and my dad.
I glanced over my shoulder just in time to see the guy chasing me fall. I blinked and before I could look where I was going, I ran into something solid. I screamed and kicked again.
Uncle Mike grabbed my flailing fists. "Ren, it's me." He yanked me off my feet and carried me over to the nearest manhole. "Go," he said yanking the lid off with ease. I didn't have to be told twice this time. I scrambled down the ladder as fast as I could.
I landed in a pool of nasty water, but for a miracle, I didn't notice. I gasped. "Uncle Mike, Dad and Raphael…they're…"
"Get goin Leo!" I heard Raphael order
"Stay here," Mike said and disappeared. I could hear the sounds of the battle as it made it's way closer to the manhole. Raphael shouted again.
"Leonardo, get your ass outta here before you get yerself killed and I AIN'T raisin' that kid of yours. NOW GO! That's a direct order."
My father dropped in the sewers beside me and he glanced back up at the surface. I heard a police siren off in the distance. My dad glanced down at me and grabbed me in a hug. "Are you alright?" he asked.
I nodded against his chest quite willing to hang on for the rest of my natural life.
"Leo," Uncle Mike called down. "Raph's hurt. The Foot have taken off and the boys in blue are on the way."
Dad let go of me and looked back up to the surface. "Hurt? Is he alright?" He started back up the ladder.
"He's unconscious," Mike said. "You need to help me lower him down there."
Between the two of them, with my helpful directions like…"Move him this way." or "Slow down, it's slippery.", they got him into the sewers in under a minute. My eyes widened at the sight of him. He was covered in blood. I didn't think it was all his, but he was covered in it. I closed my eyes and swallowed hard.
"I'll carry him," Mike said to my dad.
Dad grabbed my hand and nodded. He took a step into the tunnel and then turned to Mike. With a voice I had never heard him use, he said. "I'll carry him, Mike. Why don't you take Ren on ahead and tell Donnie to get the first aid ready." He took Raphael from Mike's arms before Uncle Mike could say anything.
My uncle stared at my father for a only a fraction of a second. He nodded slowly and the faintest hint of a smile crossed his face. "Yessir. Let's go Ren." He took off running and I ran after him wondering just what the hell had happened now.
