Rating: T for occasional language. Also see other warnings.

Disclaimer: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and all related characters belong to Nickelodeon.

Summary: Bradford has always blamed Michelangelo for his misfortunes and especially for his mutation so when he manages to capture the young ninja, he's going to make sure he knows exactly what it's like. 2k12 AU.

Warning: Warnings for physical and mental torture in this story abound, as well as for implied and highly disturbing situations. Trigger warnings may apply for some chapters. There will not however, be gruesome details. Some things are best left up to the imagination.

Concrit, thoughts and comments always welcomed.

NaluCelestiaDragneel: Thank you :-)

Minnie1015: No, they really can't. It is a great idea and would definitely help. Unfortunately, he has his reasons for not trying at this point. Hopefully, he can be convinced otherwise when Leo brings it up again.

ViolaHarmony: It really is. You're probably right. Mikey probably would be more comfortable with meeting his father than Leo at this point or at least, more willing to try since his father is an authority figure. Sure, Leo is too but not in the same way. Yeah, escaping Japan is definitely not as easy as they hoped.


How Much is that Turtle in the Window

ch 15

Low-level lighting filled the room and there were lockers, tables and chairs everywhere, along with several vending machines filled cold drinks, hot drinks, snacks and hot meals. A break room and employee storage room, Mikey realised, gazing towards the vending machines longingly.

"Hungry?" Leo asked quietly, studying Mikey for a moment.

'No,' he lied with a shudder. He didn't feel safe here. They had only the one door between them and the Foot. Not much to stop them if they too decided to hack security and search inside.

Leo gave a nod of understanding, even as Raph frowned, obviously realising Mikey's lie. "We'll make our way further inside, look for somewhere safe and defensible to hide in. Preferably somewhere no one is likely to go even during the day since we probably won't be able to leave tonight."

"Just because of a few Foot that we can easily take?" Raph asked derisively.

"It's not about if we can take them or not," Leo replied defensively as he led his brothers to a door leading deeper into the building. "I would rather avoid any contact completely. They don't know we're here right now but if we engage for any reason, even if they don't see us, they will know they are on the right track and bring in reinforcements. Besides, as I said before, it's likely there are more Foot around than I noticed. I didn't exactly search everywhere."

"Why not?" Raph asked in a combination of curiosity and accusation.

"Lack of time," Leo shrugged, reaching out and turning the handle. He frowned at the sight of the too narrow corridor. "We can't walk three abreast. Mikey, will you be okay on your own?"

Mikey blinked once and Leo and Raph gently lowered him to the ground.

"Besides," Leo continued as he went ahead of his brothers, "I only went to confirm what Mikey told us and it was simply too dangerous to remain so exposed under the circumstances. I had to get back to you guys before I was cut off. They're a lot more observant than the Foot back home ever have been."

"Even more than the Footbots?" Donnie asked curiously as he looked up from the T-phone he was fiddling with.

"Definitely," Leo confirmed solemnly.

Mikey frowned, canting his head curiously as he followed Leo on all fours. Footbots? Who were they?

"Those things might adapt quickly and have really good sensors but they can't replicate intuition or recognise what doesn't belong since they don't actually think for themselves."

Donnie nodded in agreement. "That's certainly true. However, between their programming and their processors, they are easily able to adapt and react to our moves and skills, not unlike the Cymechs on 'Space Heroes'."

Cymechs? Mikey frowned but after a moment he cringed as he remembered and looked around warily. Despite the overall cheesiness of 'Space Heroes', the Cymechs were terrifying and utterly relentless and his brothers were comparing them to these Footbots? No wonder they took so long to come rescue him if they needed to deal with those.

The group soon came to another door with a window embedded high within it which Leo peered cautiously through. "It's a factory of some sort," he observed, reaching to push it open. The door wouldn't budge.

"You need a passkey," Donnie pointed out quietly as he stepped carefully past Mikey. He pulled a ribbon-like device from his bag and attached it to his T-phone and the electronic box on the door. A few seconds passed as Donnie activated a program on his phone and watched.

Suddenly, Mikey heard a click and the door popped open. Leo stepped forward, easing it open and peering through. Moments later, he opened it wide and ushered everyone through.

Mikey found himself on a metal gantry, the pattern of the floor digging painfully into his knees, however, he ignored it as he walked to the edge and gazed down curiously. The room was filled with numerous huge machines of which he had no idea the function of, large metal vats and conveyor belts everywhere. There was a sharp, acrid smell in the air that burnt painfully at his nostrils and made him feel slightly faint. He frowned, he didn't like it here but at least it was better than outside where the Foot were. Right?

"Okay, Donnie, I need you to hack into the security system to make sure there is no trace of our presence and if you can also use it to monitor for the Foot, that would be good."

Donnie nodded, glancing over to the computer room across the factory.

"Raph, you and I need to search for somewhere we can safely hole up in. I'll search to the right, you go left and we'll meet back up over there when we are done," Leo continued, motioning to the computer banks overlooking the factory below.

Raph didn't look too thrilled but agreed anyway.

Then Leo turned to Mikey, crouching down in front of him. "And Mikey..."

Mikey sighed and hung his head, looking away. Stay close to Donnie no matter what. He knew already. God, he hated being so helpless and pathetic. Although, he thought darkly, his brothers probably always thought he was considering how they always used to treat him.

"...I know you can't fight right now but I need you to watch Donnie's shell, just in case."

Mikey's eyes widened and he looked up at Leo in shock to see a serious look on his brother's face. He actually... meant it?

"We've all noticed how good you've become at keeping watch and I need you to use those skills to keep Donnie safe while he works. If you see, hear or smell anything, even if it's just us, let him know. Can I count on you to do that?"

'Yes!' Mikey blinked emphatically, smiling slightly with the thrill of actually being trusted at last and given something important to do.

Leo breathed a sigh of relief and smiled softly back at him, "Thanks, Mikey." He stood and looked around. "Alright everyone, get to it and be careful." Then he was gone.

Head canted slightly, Mikey looked up at Donnie as his brother straightened.

"Right!" Donnie breathed. "Let's go. Are you... alright getting over there without help? Because if not, I can help you but... it won't be as easy as with two."

'Yes,' Mikey blinked again, beginning to make his way along the gantry. Sure, the floor of the metal walkway was a bit uncomfortable but it was nothing. He'd had far worse time and time again every day since he was captured and besides, he wasn't sure how much more he could take of being helped to run on two feet right now. After days of it, his feet and legs ached like crazy, even if some of that time had been spent in vehicles.

Donnie stared after him worriedly before following, "Alright. Well, uh... just let me know if you do need help."

And how was he supposed to do that? Their blinking code wasn't that detailed and he couldn't even play charades well without the use of his hands. Well, it didn't matter anyway, he decided, since he could easily cope with this much.

Nearly ten minutes passed before they reached their destination and Donnie sat down at the central computer.

Mikey watched for a moment before trotting over to the door and sitting at attention, gazing out and in every direction as he listened to Donnie tapping away at the keyboard in front of him.

For a moment, he couldn't help but look down at his paws in frustration. If only he could get those off, then at least he'd be able to communicate again. Sure, writing or texting wasn't the same as talking, something he'd never do again, but it was something! It was better than nothing! He felt utterly helpless and all he wanted was to scream his rage and frustration but whatever Mai did to his voice stopped him from even doing that! Instead, Mikey clenched his folded, cramped fingers as best he could. God, it had been so hard, especially in those earlier months to be soundless. Things became easier since forgetting his life and how things used to be but now, now that he was with his family again and remembering things, having no voice, no way to talk was so much worse than ever before and that was something he'd never have thought possible.

If only he could trust himself to accept Leo's offer of trying the Astral Plain but that would lead to...

"Mikey…" Donnie said softly, giving him warning before placing a hand on his shoulder. Mikey looked up, surprised to realise he had trouble seeing clearly and hurriedly blinked away the budding tears. "It's okay. It's going to be okay. I promise."

Was it? How could he always just make promises like that? Donnie had always done that. Making promises without thinking things through first and yes, he did always come through eventually but it often took months to see through. Just look at how he'd promised April they'd rescue her father for example. It took the better part of a year and two attempts before they finally succeeded and even then things definitely hadn't been okay with him afterwards. Then there was Donnie's promise to cure The Pulveriser... Mikey had no idea what Donnie had done about the former human in the time since he'd been captured by Dogpound but last he knew, once again, it had been months with no success. Mikey shuddered horribly at the thought of having to live like this for months or even years more before Donnie could help him. Donnie meant well but he really didn't need any false promises right now.

Donnie crouched beside him and took up one paw, looking at it sorrowfully. "I promise, I'll get these off as soon as I can. We just need... I just need the right equipment. Once I'm done with what I'm working on right now, I'll see if there's anything that can help in the factory. Okay?"

Hanging his head, Mikey blinked once regardless of whether he felt it was okay or not.

"If they don't have the necessary equipment here, then I'll get them off at the first place we find that does have it and if worst comes to worst, well, I can definitely get them off you when we reach home."

Mikey slouched miserably. Yeah and that would be weeks away but... that... that was at least better than months, he supposed. He pulled his paw out of Donnie's grasp and motioned back to the computers with his head.

Donnie started and blinked in surprise, then realised. "Uh, right... Yes, I should... get back to work. Will you be alright?"

'Yes,' Mikey replied, refusing to look directly at Donnie. He couldn't. Instead, he gazed back out at the factory floor in front of him, showing how he was taking his assignment to watch Donnie's shell seriously and hoping Donnie would realise he didn't want to 'talk' about that any more. To his relief, his brother stood and walked back to the computers, though by the lack of immediate typing, Mikey guessed that Donnie was still staring at him instead.

Finally, the typing started up again and Mikey breathed in relief, then continued watching and listening for anything that didn't belong.

-:-

"Hey, you doing okay?" Raph grunted as he walked up to Mikey sometime later. Mikey gave a small smile and blinked once as he shifted aside for Raph to pass.

Raph looked at him askance for a moment before walking up to Donnie. "How'd you go? We off the books yet?"

Donnie sighed. "Well, there's good news and bad news in regards to that."

"Do tell," Raph pressed wryly, "but make sure it's in English for once."

Mikey turned his head in time to see Donnie give Raph a dirty look. He smiled slightly again, this time in amusement at the familiarity.

"Well, the good news is I have scoured the security footage of our presence," Donnie explained in a condescending tone. "The bad news is, I have no need to do that for anywhere else in this facility besides when Mikey and I crossed the factory floor as there are only cameras at the main entrance, the one at the break room and on the main factory floor. The rest of the facility has no cameras, meaning I can't set up a watch through the security system for any unwanted company."

A chill raced down Mikey's spine at the news.

"That's... not good..." Raph finally agreed, closing his eyes momentarily in resignation.

"No, it's not," Donnie replied darkly. "How about you, did you find anywhere suitable for us to hide?"

Raph pulled a face. "Maybe... It's not as good as I'd like but if worst comes to worst, it'll have to do. Guess we'll just have to wait and see if Leo found somewhere better."

Looking concerned, Donnie nodded. "Meanwhile, I've set up a feed loop so we can cross the floor for tonight. I've programmed it to run until staff begin entering the facility but it will also send an alert to my T-phone and give us a minute's warning to make sure we're clear."

"Sounds good," Raph grunted, staring back at the corridor they'd come in from. "Hey, that door still unlocked?"

"No," Donnie shook his head. "It locks automatically the moment it closes. Why?"

"Think we could all do with some food."

"I agree but we should wait for Leo to return first. In the meantime, I want to check out some of the equipment over there."

"Whatever for?" Raph snorted.

"It looks like cutting equipment. I want to check on the kinds of settings it has and if there is any way to scan and set cutting depth."

Raph raised an eyebrow ridge questioningly.

"I need to get those shackles and that collar off Mikey if I can," Donnie explained, obviously uncomfortable with calling them what they were - paws.

Mikey perked up, startled and hopeful as he stared at Donnie; he'd really meant it?

"However, it depends on the quality of the equipment and I can't tell that without taking a closer look."

"Then what are you waiting for?" Raph retorted. "The sooner those damn things are off him, the better for all of us!"

"Agreed but..." Donnie hesitated, unsure, "you know he's still going to have trouble walking and running on his own for a while, right?"

Raph just looked at Donnie in disbelief and Mikey turned his head away again, embarrassed. He knew that well enough for himself, especially after the last few days. After being kept down on all fours for so long, his legs ached really badly whenever they helped him stand or walk and he couldn't even keep up properly. All he ever did was continuously slow them down

"Yeah, I get that but at least he can start relearning and he'll be able to at least write or type what he needs to say instead of us having to play twenty questions. Man!" Raph growled menacingly, "if Master Splinter hadn't killed Dogpound already, I'd happily return the favour for what that arsehole did to Mikey!"

Mikey's cheeks heated up and he hurriedly stepped out of the room. Why did they have to talk about him like he wasn't even there? He couldn't talk but he wasn't deaf and... and... he wasn't sure he'd even be able to write with the paws off anyway... Mikey swallowed uncomfortably and head still down, began heading towards the machinery Donnie had indicated a couple of minutes prior.

Suddenly, Mikey became aware of a couple of sets of footsteps pounding after him on the gantry and turned, wide-eyed, to see his brothers.

"Do-don't just wander off like that, Mikey," Donnie gasped. "You worried us when we saw you weren't there!"

Mikey sighed. Wasn't his fault they started acting like he wasn't even there. Again.

"We already had this talk a few times now! I thought you finally learnt after that damn stream!" Raph growled half-menacingly.

'Yes,' Mikey blinked, doing his best to ignore his brother's tone. Then motioned his head to his destination before turning and making his way toward it once more.

"Alright," Donnie half sighed, half laughed, "we get it. Let's go see if it'll be any use," He jogged past Mikey to reach the equipment bank where he immediately started studying it intently.

For a time, Donnie worked in mostly silence while Raph stood watching from behind and offering the occasional unwanted suggestion, so Mikey turned to continue with the task Leo set for him earlier - that of watching Donnie's shell.

Finally, Leo returned, heading for the computer room. Halfway there, he stopped, head turning to look their way, obviously unimpressed to see them all out in the open instead of in the computer room. Mikey gave Leo a half-smile and shrug and walked over to Raph to tap at his leg.

Raph looked down at him, eyebrow ridges raised, "What's up, Mikey?"

Mikey turned his head to stare towards Leo.

"Oh, he's back. Thanks," Raph said, automatically leaving to go meet their brother and Mikey sighed in relief, glad that they were all back together again, even as he heard the familiar sounds of argument beginning as Leo questioned why they weren't in the agreed-upon meeting place.

It wasn't long before the pair were back beside him and Donnie and Mikey settled down, intensely tired. While they rested whenever they could, Mikey had barely slept since being rescued, considering how he was always instantly wide awake at the slightest noise from his brothers or nearby strangers. Even now, he couldn't actually sleep, given that his brothers were talking, Leo asking Donnie all sorts of questions and Donnie sounding quite excited but their voices soon faded into the distance, becoming comforting, soothing even as Mikey half listened, half napped.

Suddenly, the desire to relieve himself made itself known over the top of his tiredness and he pushed himself up to all fours as if in a dream and began walking, blinking his need to Leo as he did. Quickly finding a hidden corner where it hopefully wouldn't be noticed by the workers come the day, he prepared to go when a familiar, foreboding clicking noise caught his attention.

Feeling cold all over and all tiredness forgotten, his eyes immediately snapped wide open and he slowly turned his head in horror, quailing at the sight that met his eyes.

His Alpha.

Leash in hand and attached to the back of his collar - the click he'd heard - and grinning maliciously down at him. He lifted one huge finger in a gesture of silence even as Mikey opened his mouth to scream but as always, no sound passed his lips and he felt faint from sheer terror.

Suddenly, Mikey noticed the clicker in Dogpound's overly large paw and realised he'd never actually needed to go, it was simply the conditioning he'd been put through when Dogpound had used the clicker to command him to do so from a distance. He must have subconsciously heard the command and never even realised it.

[Stupid mongrel! You really thought you could escape me?] Dogpound growled softly as Mikey cowered fearfully to the ground. [Well, you can't and now, thanks to your idiocy and selfishness, the other freaks will all die!]

"Mikey?" Leo called softly and Mikey's eyes flickered briefly in his brother's direction before snapping terrified back to the ground at his Alpha's feet when the monster pulled painfully on the collar. "You okay, little brother? You're taking too long!"

Dogpound crouched down beside him, grabbing his head painfully and holding it as he secured the shock collar back in place one handed. [How dare you respond to that name! You always were a slow learner, Spot!] he growled menacingly in his ever gravelly voice. [I saw you left some things behind when you ran away so trust me, I'll make sure you are punished appropriately once we're safely on our way.]

Nononononono! Mikey wailed internally. Ohgodohgodohgod! No! He couldn't go back to living like this! Not now! Not now that he'd tasted hope and freedom again and felt almost safe-ish with his brothers. Tears of terror filled his eyes as Dogpound stood, yanking upwards on the collar and pulling a choking Mikey to his hands and knees once more.

Dogpound stepped out from hiding, pulling Mikey with him and Mikey stared in shame at the feet of his flabbergasted brothers.

Suddenly, three sets of weapons were drawn and pointed threateningly at Dogpound.

"Get away from our brother!"

"Brother?" Bradford guffawed loudly. "This mongrel isn't your brother, not anymore. Spot is Foot property! I even have proof of ownership." Dogpound grinned cruelly as he reached down, grasping at the raggedy red bandanna still adorning Mikey's upper left arm and ripping it away. Mikey gasped in pain as the monster's claws bit viciously into his flesh, exposing the Foot clan symbol branded cruelly into his green skin.

"We'll kill you for that!" Raph snarled furiously, rushing forward. He stopped dead a step later as Bradford laughed, twisting the chain and making Mikey see stars as the air was cut off from his windpipe.

"Like your former rat owner?" Dogpound mocked with a sneer.

Chichi? Mikey whimpered silently as he wheezed desperately for breath. What... what happened to him? Where was he? What had his Alpha done to his father?

"What have you done with Master Splinter?" Leo demanded angrily, echoing Mikey's desperate thought as he settled into an attack stance.

"Oh, that rat's long dead now."

No! Fighting against the tight hold of the twisted collar, Mikey tried to look up at Dogpound in horror, only to gasp in pain again as the chain suddenly twisted further. Unable to help himself, he slumped weakly in place, only even still on all fours rather than on his face because Dogpound held him up.

"Its body's at the bottom of a cliff near where you abandoned it," Bradford laughed spitefully.

"You're lying!" Raphael spat furiously.

"Am I?" Bradford reached into the pocket of his pants and pulled something out, throwing it like a Frisbee it towards Mikey's brothers. Their eyes drifted down to the piece of paper and hesitantly, Donnie stepped out to pick it up. His horrified gasp was confirmation enough to Mikey even as his vision started greying at the edges. Thankfully, at that moment, Dogpound released some of the tension on the twisted links connected to his collar and he was able to draw in ragged, painful breaths once more.

"Before I came here, I sent some ninja to retrieve its head. Master Shredder looks forward to it adorning his throne room wall. Of course, none of you freaks will ever get the pleasure of seeing it but Spot here will see it every day for the rest of his miserable life," Bradford grinned, twisting the chain briefly again. "Since his training has proven so successful, Master Shredder has ordered Spot returned to New York where he will personally complete it."

No! Mikey sobbed. He'd rather go back to his kennel in the Foot compound than be brought to the Shredder. He stared beseechingly at his brothers to help him, tears of terror freely flowing their way down his cheeks.

Leo and Raph took immediate steps forward but Dogpound twisted the collar once more, making Mikey gasp in pain again even as the monster held something out in his other hand. The remote control to his collar, Mikey dimly recognised.

"Take one more step forward and I switch it on to full power," he growled. "You won't get the collar off Spot before it's too late!"

They stepped back again helplessly, Leo looking to Donnie for confirmation.

"He's right, that thing has enough charge to kill Mikey," Donnie swallowed in dismay.

"He won't do it though," Raph growled confidently, even as he made as if to dash forward. He didn't move, however. "He'd have to answer to Shredder for killing him if he did!"

"Can you take that kind of chance though?" Mikey could hear the maliciousness in Bradford's voice and shuddered. Of course, his Alpha wouldn't have to kill him. He could just electrocute him to the point of brain damage. Mai had explained to him long ago how that was possible and Dogpound had threatened it more than once.

"But death isn't the worst possible outcome from electrocution," Donnie whispered, his face pale as he met Mikey's terrified gaze.

"Good!" Bradford guffawed in pleasure, "You understand! Spot and I will take our leave and you three will stay here and die. Foot Soldiers! Kill the freaks!"

Suddenly, from the shadows crept dozens of armed figures who converged on his brothers and Mikey stared backwards in horror as he was reluctantly dragged from the room.

[Heel, Spot!] Bradford commanded, also clicking the command and Mikey couldn't help himself. His conditioning took over and he found himself trotting helplessly at his Alpha's heels as the former man led him from the factory and down to the docks.

-:-


* If you ever see my stories posted anywhere other than under the name Zelgadis55 at Deviant Art, FFNet, AO3 or Live Journal, then they have been stolen. Please report them.

Nasty cliffhanger just before Christmas? *Le gasp!* How could I!

Happy holidays, all!