A Sense Of Family

Disclaimer: I deny any ownership of any adolescent or adult transformed shadow warrior chelonians.

Chapter Fifteen: In Enemy Territory

MICHAELANGELO:

Rama decided to work from the most likely to least, but she knew that it would take time to even cover those places and verify if there was Foot activity at any of them. Raph grumbling most the way about how Rama was leading us into a trap, and we were all going die, until Rama had enough of it and gave him a quick lesson, reminding him sharply of his agreement.

"Now be still," she hissed, "We are nearing one of the prospects and if your non stop rambling gives away our position, so help me, I'll cut your tongue out with my katana," She threatened him.

Raph gave her a murderous look but lapsed into sullen silence,it seemed Rama as leader really wasn't going to put up with his attitude, but then she had been trained to lead by Yukio, and Yukio wouldn't stand for much nonsense. That plus the fact Rama knew what was at stake she wasn't going play around with Raph in any way. Rama edged near the edge of a rooftop, and glanced around, she gestured to two black garbed Foot soldiers on a roof below.

"Quick perimeter check" She whispered, "Try not to reveal yourself, let them be."

"Why protecting your clan so they can come down on us?" Raph demanded.

"No to protect us Baka" Rama retorted.

We fanned out staying close together and insuring that any Foot didn't see us, most of them seemed to be moving towards one building, not much bigger then one of the old brownstone apartments, but looked far newer. It looked as if we didn't have to search much further, we quickly banded back together. Raph gave Rama a cynical look.

"Ya want me to believe that you were just able to find this place just like that?" He smirked a bit.

Rama gave him a scathing look, "You want me to believe that you can be quiet for one moment?" She retorted, "It isn't my fault I know the buildings Yukio set aside for the clan to use if ever there was a need?" She shook her head in disgust, "Yet if I didn't help you, then I'd be accused of with holding information. I can't win can I?"

I heard the pain and hurt in that rhetorical question and I rested a reassuring hand on her shoulder, as I turned back to look the building over, it looked to be about three floor, not a lot really, and we fought our way through worse.

As if she knew what I was thinking Rama casually commented "It has a large basement, big enough for clan meetings or to set up for sparring competitions, However the basement is well hidden for Yukio often used it to store illegal contraband, that he was using in certain business deals."

Leo scowled, "Not much for back alley and it is on the corner of two very busy streets. It isn't going be easy for us to gain access"

"Exactly, why do you think Yukio chose it for a fall back spot, it is easy for the Foot to get in, but the turtle clan isn't going find it so easy." Rama agreed cheerfully, "Still it is not impossible. There is a sky light on the roof but the room it leads to, is sure to be guarded. Then again there is also stairs, leading to the roof, but the stairway is narrow, and fighting in it would be difficult." Rama suddenly ducked huddling back into some shadows.

We quickly followed her example and for a moment we were very still as five Foot Soldiers passed us by, once we were sure the Foot were gone we cautiously emerged from our hiding spots.

"Aiden is probably in the basement" Rama continued as if the interruption hadn't even happened, talk about being calm under pressure, thing was though Rama looked as if she was right in her element.

"So we go in and fight our way down?" I clarified, "Ought to be a cinch right?"

Rama nodded "Don't worry, I know a few short cuts."

"Hidden passages?" I wondered arching an eye ridge.

Rama grinned a bit in reply.

"Are the Foot aware of those short cuts though?" Leo asked, "If they are then those short cuts might not exist any longer."

"The elite may be aware of those hidden passages, but they were mostly for Father's use and amusement so even they were unaware of all of them." Rama answered, "Either way I doubt we can avoid being spotted."

I looked down at my own skin "I don't know about you but I've all ready been spotted" I joshed.

Raph smacked me hard, he didn't seem to have much of a sense of humour, in spite of the fact that we'd soon be having a battle, which he normally enjoyed.

"Come on the Foot activity has died down and we have an entrance to make" Rama whispered as she got up and leaped to the rooftop.

We followed her lead, over to the roof, landing softly and keeping to the shadows.

Don got a smoke bomb ready, lobbing it through the skylight with us quickly following after, the thick smoke provided perfect concealment and by the time the smoke had cleared the Foot soldiers were unconscious.

Rama was looking over an alarm hooked to the door,she smiled and with ease dismantled it almost as quickly and efficiently as Don could, course she had to use such skills for Yukio, to sneak in and assassinate those who got to him, and so it was that she now showed some of these ninja skills and training to us. Not that I had ever doubted it, anyone who could get the drop on Raph as often as Rama did was, a clear sign of a skilled warrior.

Rama was out in the hall and back again in a few heartbeats "The hall is clear and the passage is available it leads down to the main floor, and isn't far from the basement." She informed us.

Raph nodded "Yeah and you will be ditching us fairly soon now right?"

Rama whirled kicking him hard, "As your leader I don't permit such behaviour. Now be quiet!" she snapped.

We made our way to the main floor without any confrontations, but we all sort of knew our luck couldn't hold out, and we were expecting a large mass of the Foot to be lying in wait on the main floor, ready to close in and make little turtle bits out of all of us. Yet there was no sign of any of them, here we were in enemy territory and no sign of the enemy. This didn't put any of us at ease, if anything it made us more tense , because we knew we were walking into an ambush; we just had no idea when or where that ambush would be dropped upon us. I didn't like this, so I knew Leo and Raph had to be having a grand time with this, come to think of it the way Raph was grinding his teeth was a fairly good sign of his feelings at the present moment.

"I knew it" Raph whispered in my ear.

I rolled my eyes wishing that what ever was going happen would do so, to at least ease some of the tension that was building up.

Rama pushed against what seemed to be a solid wall, and it gave way to a stairway that clearly lead downward from here.

"You think that is where the party is at?" I mumbled.

"The majority of it, yes. There may be a few Foot hidden on each of the floors in rooms waiting to come down and trap us, but we don't have time to waste springing all their little traps." Rama muttered, "Besides they will be waiting for the right time." She gave an indifferent shrug.

She took a deep breath, and I sensed a bit of sorrow or regret in her, something at any rate. I hoped none of the others picked up on it, for if Raph had he'd definitely be calling her loyalty into question. Still, she gave a little shake of her head and headed down toward the basement allowing the rest of us to follow her right down into the basement.

It was a large room all right, crowded sardines had more room then the Foot who massed on either side of the doors almost to the very end of the basement, where a make shift plywood platform stood. On the platform stood a few of the Elite and a small man not much more then five foot five inches, with an Asian look to him, he was holding Aiden firmly in one arm, while the other hand was pointing a katana blade close to Aiden's throat.

"One move turtles, and the boy dies, followed very quickly by you, yourselves" the man said, unable to hide the gloating tone in his voice.

I heard soft footsteps behind us, and turned to see some Foot soldiers now blocking the stairway exit, it looked as if the trap had been sprung, and I wondered how in the world we were going make it out of this one.

Rama stood tall, and she gave a slow, almost disparaging shake of her head "Washi, have you sunk so low now? Tell me what honour is there in harming a Yoji?" Rama asked kindly ( Yoji means infant.) " Come you were always one to go for honourable battle. I could give you a very good challenge. Unless of course you are afraid of me."

"I mean to do more than harm all of you Kirra, I mean to have you all dead. Including this child." Washi spat in reply.

"But of course, that has always been the desire of the Foot clan to obliterate the turtle clan, but this" Rama sneered in disgust, "Well where is the challenge Washi? I mean yes, you could kill us all right where we stand, but it doesn't make it a very honourable death for the Foot. In fact it makes the Foot seem like cowards who can't hold their own" Rama insisted casually.

"This from the greatest coward of all" Washi mocked.

Rama bowed her head, "Hai, but no one knows the ways of a coward, better than a coward" she pointed out.

I heard a few Foot soldiers mumbling as if they suddenly weren't so sure of this plan of theirs, not if it meant turning up to look no better then the ronin who had once been a member of their clan.

Rama must have heard their rumbling for she nodded her head, "As I recalled Washi you always enjoyed sports, gambling, challenges of all kinds. Lets see we can give the Foot more entertainment, they could kill us and gain great honour, and who knows we ourselves might be able to find some enjoyment before we die" Rama coaxed her voice wheedling.

I gave her a skeptical look wondering if maybe all of her mental problems included temporary insanity, she had something in mind, I just wished I knew what it was.

Washi narrowed his eyes, "Make your proposal then Kirra but do it fast and make it good or my soldiers will dispose of you where you stand" Washi decided leaving the threat dangling.

Rama gave a tight thin smile of triumph, her head raising just slightly. My brothers and I however fanned out in a circle, weapons out and at the ready, because we knew that this was going to be a battle to the death, and if we were going to die, we were going take a lot of them with us.

TBC