Author Note: The epilogue got so long and had two seperate themes, so I decided to break it into two. Think it works better that way. But they're both going up tonight, so no waiting around at least! Enjoy!

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Raphael emerged wearily from the tunnel, limping slowly, head bowed. The floodlight picked him out easily, casting his shadow onto the floor behind him, stretched out to almost fifteen feet long.

He was quite alone.

Agent Bishop strode forward, raising a hand to his fellow operatives to indicate for them to remain where they were, his gun at the ready, taking no chances. He stopped a few inches from Raphael, who barely raised his head to look up.

Bishop glared at the turtle. "The others. Where are they?"

"They're..." Raphael shook his head. "There's no one else left."

Startled, Bishop realised that Raphael was barely holding his emotions in check. What had gone so cataclysmic wrong that a renowned hard-ass like Raph act this way? It was supposed to be a simple seek and contain, yet only one survivor walked out?

Infuriated, Bishop aimed the gun at Raphael. Raph raised an eye ridge but didn't flinch, staring down the barrel as if he didn't realise that it could ventilate his guts in a heartbeat. Then, he slowly raised his own hand and placed the palm over the barrel. If the trigger were pulled, the hand would be disintegrated along with half the turtle behind it.

Yet the message was clear.

"Shoot me then," said Raph wearily. "If ya really think it's gonna make things different, shoot me right now. But it won't change anything. Everyone's dead in there."

For a moment there was a standoff, Bishop's angry gaze boring into Raph's brown eyes – then he took the gun away, shoving it back into the holster in one angry motion.

"You." Bishop pointed at a couple of agents who had been waiting outside in preparation to grab their prey. "Take him back to the lab."

The pair took Raph by his arms and led him away, the turtle not even bothering to argue let alone resist.

Scowling, Bishop approached the entrance to the tunnel. Even from here he could feel the intense heat that was being generated from within. There was a fire down there, raging out of control. Something else to be concerned about.

One simple mission, capture the quarry, blown all the way to hell. Figuratively and literally.

What had gone so horribly wrong?

&&&&&&&&&&

20 minutes earlier...

The three turtles might have stared at the creature's remains even longer, but suddenly Raph's radio went off in a burst of static, causing all of them to jump and Mikey to squeak in alarm.

"...in Raphael! What's g... there? Over."

Raph grabbed the radio and glanced up at his wide eyed brothers. "We've yet to locate the target sir. And we've lost contact with Team B and Team C. Over."

"Dammit... target found and... not kill it or else... your lives! Over and..."

"Over and out," repeated Raph softly, turning off the radio. "Guys, we need a plan and fast."

Mikey frowned. "I thought the plan was to make a break for it?"

"And it still is," said Raph. "But how long before they come looking for us? An hour? And we're not hard to spot."

Donnie nodded. "We need something to distract him while we get away. Mikey, you said you could incinerate the creature, can you make the fire big enough to block the tunnels?"

"Easy."

Raph sighed deeply. "Not enough and it forces us above ground. It's gonna be dawn soon and we have to be outta sight by then. The only way Bishop isn't coming after us is if he doesn't think we're still alive."

"No problem," said Mikey. "I can make this tunnel go up so fast, Bishop'll think we fried."

"Wouldn't work," Raph replied. "He'd search just in case. He's smell a set up a mile away. Don, what do you know about the surrounding area?"

"We're a few miles from the base. There's nothing much around until you go another six miles west. Then there's a small town, population less than three thousand. I have no idea what it's like though."

"Right." Raph paused for a moment, thinking things through. "Here's the plan. You two, go toward the town. Hide in the sewers as long as you can, or find somewhere better that you can lay low and not be seen. Don't go out in daylight if you can help it."

Mikey looked confused. "What are you gonna do while we're hiding?"

"You'll have to give me a ten minute head start before you burn that thing to a crisp," continued Raph as though he hadn't heard, indicating to the creature. "I'll go back to the agents and tell them that no one survived the explosion."

"Raph, NO!"

"They'll take you back to base!"

"And even if it is a mess, they'll be keeping an eye on you!"

"You might not be able to get away again!"

Raphael closed his eyes briefly. "There's no other choice. This is the only way that Bishop will let you both get far enough away. I'll meet you in the town at oh-one-hundred hours tomorrow."

"How will we know where you are?" asked Don.

"I'll find you. Every town has a bad part and there's always a bar. Find a lookout point around there somewhere and keep an eye out for me. And try to find some disguises. But don't wait for too long. If I don't show, get out fast."

"Raph..." Mikey shook his head for a moment, then startled Raph by throwing both his arms around his brothers neck. "You better be there. You just better."

"Don't make us come looking for you," added Don, his tone mild enough but a serious underlay beneath the words. Not a bad joke, but a promise. The usually restrained turtle also put an arm around his brother, the other hand patting Mikey on the shell.

"You do and I'll kick your shell," said Raph gruffly, hugging them back quickly, not wanting to make the moment any more awkward than it already was. Then he stepped back, out of the embrace. "You got ammo?"

Don nodded solemnly. Mikey tried to roll his eyes and grimace at such an obvious question, but he ended up grimacing.

"Give me ten minutes. And don't forget, if I'm not there tomorrow, get as far away from here as you can."

Raph took a last look at his brothers before turning and jogging back toward the entrance to the sewer. He was already wondering if he'd ever see them again.

He found a spot to wait, not far from the exit but hopefully far enough that whatever Mikey had planned for the creature's remains wouldn't affect him too badly. As an afterthought, he checked what he was wearing, smirking slightly as he realised he was already filthy enough to pass for having been in a major fight. He ditched the infra red goggles and the tranquilliser gun in his belt, but kept the guns. He would no sooner voluntarily rid himself of those than he would drink acid.

There was a muffled noise from behind him, where he had left his brothers and he guessed that Mikey and Don had retreated a safe distance and detonated an explosion. He squeezed further into a gap in the wall, hoping he was out of danger – and then felt a rush of heat as the air from further on was pushed in his direction. There was a loud roaring sound and some crashes and thuds from the same direction and Raph had enough presence of mind left to smirk. By the sound of things, Mikey was bringing down the tunnel, making the job of finding bodies still more difficult.

He waited as long as he dared, knowing the tunnel was on fire and the flames were no doubt headed in his direction before putting on his game face. Normally he cultivated a tough expression, rarely allowing any emotion save for grim satisfaction show through in front of the agents. But after everything that had happened that night and the knowledge that he may never see his brothers again, it was surprisingly easy to show vulnerability and shock.

He slowly emerged from the tunnel.

&&&&&&&&&

"Not talking to us Raphael?" The first agent was one with whom Raph had spoken to on several occasions, Gordon-Somebody or Somebody-Gordon, but everyone at the base called him Gordy.

"Leave him be Gordy," said the other agent, Benson if Raph remembered correctly. For a moment Raph was absurdly grateful to Benson for sticking up for him and crushed the feeling.

Benson opened the door for Raphael and indicated for the turtle to climb in. Raph complied, keeping up the charade of being too stunned by events to put up an argument. If he managed to con them into letting their guards down, so much the better. In reality, he was alert and aware, unwilling to give in to the urge to let the others take over. Although that would have been easy and welcome.

It was the look in the creature's eyes that he kept coming back to, right before he had put a bullet through one and closed them for good. There had been pain there and muddy incomprehension – but as soon as it saw the gun, it looked almost grateful. Peaceful somehow. As if it knew what was about to happen and welcomed it.

No way did Raph want to end up like that, dying in some dirty tunnel while people chased him down for the secrets of his DNA, happy to finally be put out of his misery. He had to remain alert, ready. Because he suspected that no matter what he had said, if he didn't meet his brothers, they would be planning to re-enter the base and remove him forcibly. Two turtles against a heavily armed Government division on their home turf. It would never work.

That was why he noticed the agent before he got in, also sat on the back seat. Although 'sat' was a relative term. The agent was sprawled out, groaning weakly, looking like he might slide onto the floor at any moment. The guy was definitely hurting, but seemed more sick than injured.

"You sure you're alright Raphie-boy?" asked Gordy jovially, getting into the front passenger seat. "You look a little shell-shocked."

Benson, getting into the drivers seat, snorted with laughter and tried to smother it. "That's enough Gordy."

"I gotta laugh or I'm gonna fucking cry," muttered Gordy. "Some mad scientist makes a fucking Frankenstein monster that blows up half the base and we're stuck babysitting short, green and sullen? And don't get me started on the upchuck machine over there. I swear, he hurls in this jeep and he can get out fucking walk to the base. I don't care how sick he is."

"Give him a break," said Benson, putting the car into gear and driving away from the rest of Bishop's teams. "He was one of the first guys to go up against the freak at the base and not only does he live, he comes out here to help nab the other one? That's enough to make anyone sick."

"Yeah, lotta help he was," snapped Gordy, turning to glare at the two in the back.

Raph largely ignored the exchange, mulling over his options in his mind. With the three agents in the vehicle and the turmoil back at the base, it was probably safer to make his move when they got back. Always assuming he was given the chance...

The unnamed agent in the backseat moaned again and Raph risked a sidelong look at him. The guy was sweating profusely, gritting his teeth, obviously in some pain. Raph noticed that the guy was rubbing his left arm constantly and the veins running to the hand had gone red and inflamed looking, like the worst case of blood poisoning ever.

There's something seriously wrong with that guy.

And then the guy grabbed his head, leaning forward in one fluid motion. Raph jerked away – even if he was covered in sewer crud, he had no desire to get puke all over his clothes too. He stank bad enough already.

Gordy sighed. "Told you he was gonna puke."

"We'll be back in five minutes max," said Benson impatiently. "A little puke never hurt anyone."

The two agents in the front seat continued to bicker, not paying any attention to the backseat, but Raph couldn't stop staring at the guy beside him. He wasn't puking, but his entire body was shaking. It looked like his skin was moving beneath his clothes.

And then the radio came to life in a hail of static.

"...Bishop! Agent Bishop... situation! The base... in the med wing... turned to a monster! It... infected! The injured are... help!"

Gordy grabbed the radio. "This is Agent Gordon, what the hell are you on about? Over."

"...hurt by the... transferred to the blood... all mutating an... can't contain... mergency!"

"I didn't quite copy that, over."

"What are they talking about?" asked Benson, sounding irritated.

"I've no idea," growled Gordy. "Base, do you copy, over? Great, now I'm not getting anything."

Raph's eyes widened and he forgot all about his act, turning to the guy beside him. The guy had his fingers buried in his thick brown hair and the hands were definitely increasing in size, widening and lengthening. The seams of his standard black long sleeve shirt were tearing apart, although he wasn't moving. Worse, the anguished moan was rapidly deepening into more of a snarl.

"Oh shit-fire!" Raph backed up as far as the closed quarters would let him and pulled his gun.

The movement didn't escape Gordy, who dropped the radio and pulled his own weapon, aiming it at the turtle. "What you doing Raphael? Put that thing away before I put a bullet through your fucking..."

The agent in the backseat straightened suddenly. Previously he had been slumped and it had been hard to judge his size, but Raph doubted he would have been able to knock his head against the roof of the vehicle then. The man's eyes were red and rheumy, the flesh of his face seeming to run toward his chin, the already chiselled jawbone becoming ever more prominent.

Gordy's eyes grew round and horrified.

Before Raph could do anything, the – thing – reached out an arm that seemed weirdly elongated, the shreds of the sleeve falling from it, snatching Gordy's hair and yanking him forward over the seat. Gordy shrieked, flailing wildly. His arm hit Raph's hand, the one holding the gun, and the shot that might have put down the creature went wide. Gordy had enough presence of mind to fire his own weapon, hitting the former agent almost point blank in the chest. At the same time, he gave the panicked Benson a hefty kick to the side of the head, knocking him into the door and making him lose control of the jeep.

The two shots in the confined quarters rendered Raph temporarily deaf for the second time that night. The creatures agonised wails at the injury it had sustained came to him as quietly as if it had been miles away. He brought his gun around for another shot, knowing he could worry about any permanents damage to his hearing if he lived through this – but the out of control jeep hit a rock and bounced crazily, throwing him off balance.

The creature pulled Gordy's head back hard and Raph was suddenly glad he couldn't hear the crack as the agents head bent at an unnatural angle.

The monster lunged for him and Raph's shell hit the door of the car as he tried to get further backward. The corpse of the agent prevented the creatures first attempt, but there would be no such luck the second time...

And then the jeep hit something else, veered wildly, throwing the occupants to the side, then hit something else and tilted. For a few moments it seemed to Raph they would continue to cruise on two wheels – and then gravity took over and the vehicle tipped too far, landing on its side, rolling over once before coning to rest on its roof.

For several seconds Raph lay dazed, angled uncomfortably on his shoulders and shell, the weight of Gordy's body lying on top of him. Then he realised the creature was still unaccounted for, not to mention tougher than hell, and he'd better move before it decided to try him again. Using the handle of his gun, he smashed the window on his right and cleared as much of the glass as he could with the muzzle, inching out headfirst on his back, having trouble thanks to the weight of Gordy's corpse.

As he cleared the window, he glanced up and realised the sky was getting lighter. Soon it would be daytime. He couldn't help but be grateful – this had been the longest night of his life. And it wasn't over yet.

He got to his feet, checking out the car. The windows were cracked and the bodywork was dented. He saw no movement from within and he wondered if Benson was still alive – or the creature. He stepped forward to try to pull open the drivers door but stopped himself, the cold, pragmatic side of him reminding him that he was in no real shape to fight anymore should the creature still be alive and this was the perfect opportunity for him to get away unseen.

Not that there were a large amount of hiding places should anyone realise he was missing. But from the radio message before the crash, it sounded like the agents would have a lot more on their minds than a missing turtle.

He left the agent and the creature to live or die on their own and started off in the direction of the next town. He'd find his brothers soon enough and then they could all get away from this place.