Author's Note: Hey there, sorry for the long wait for this chapter. Real life stuff got in the way for Glazier Blue and I, but we managed to overcome it to produce this chapter. After the cliffhanger we gave you previously I know you all are eager to get to this chapter. Well, I won't hold you any longer, enjoy.

Chapter 14: The Rescue

Within the dimly lit maze-like tunnels of the sewers, rapid splashes echoed throughout as several masses could be seen running by with haste. In a blink of an eye, one watching would miss the three large green blurs whizzing past... and they all seemed to be following a small grey ball of fluff. On a mission they knew time was slipping away as they ran rapidly, determined that they couldn't be too late saving their brother, but it was tainted with so much fear that they already were.

"Leo are you sure about this? I mean ya do realize we are running in the sewers following a rat?! It could be taking us anywhere!" Raphael true to form, spoke his reservations without breaking pace of their impromptu game of follow the leader.

"I'm positive! he's leading us to Don, I know it!" Leo responded, hoping his tone alone was enough to convince them. Without hesitation he led ahead of his brothers, both eyes focused on the feral four-legged animal who seemed to be doing a remarkable speed for its little legs.

Rearing at the back, Michelangelo followed, heart thumping, his nerves on pinpointed edge, thinking only about what his older brother had declared earlier. Now he himself had come up with many crazy theories as to what had been going on, but this one just seemed too far-fetched, even for him.

"I just... I just don't understand how you think this rat is sensei when we left him tied up to the bed back in the lair," Raph said, feeling the need to further point out the obvious.

"We left sensei's body tied up back in the lair, but we can all agree his mind wasn't with it." Leo pointed out and they couldn't argue.

Yes, they had heard right, Leo had declared that the rat they were following was their sensei, or at least his mind, and he was trying to contact them. This of course shocked both Mikey and Raph, questioning their brother's reasons, and maybe his sanity. But before anything could be said the rat had squeaked and ran off, only turning back to look at them, and they would all swear the rat had a "follow me" look on its face. Confused, but the fearless leader went with his instinct and accepted the invitation without argument. Taking a few steps forward, he looked back silently pleading at his other brothers to follow. Maybe it was out of desperation and lack of other leads, but they did.

They continued running in silence for a while, but for every new strange passage that was getting longer and darker, the two turtles found it harder repressing this growing worry for this unknown destination they were heading towards.

Leo could feel their doubt's burning in the back of his head. Mentally sighing, he had to reassure them again, "Look I don't know how, but this one is different from the others. Its eyes aren't glowing red, and I know this sounds crazy, but they don't just look normal either... Their Master Splinter's eyes!" He said louder. "He's trying to lead us to Don! You have to trust me."

"If we didn't trust you fearless, we wouldn't be here." At this rate Raph would take any lead, no matter how crazy it sounded, as they had nothing else to go on. "But if you're wrong about this, and we survive whatever this rat has in store, its going in the scrapbook of 'I'm never letting you forget it."

Leo just nodded, at this point not caring about the outcome, as long as they found their brother, and saved their father. Looking forward once more, both of his eyes rose upon seeing that the rat managed to gain a considerable distance from them. Shell, his legs must be working overtime, especially as it had stopped to look back, waiting for them to catch up. A few more moments passed as they continued across the vast tunnels, now entering areas that were foreign to them. But not all was apparent…

"Ugh…guys, is it me or is it getting darker?" Mikey suddenly chimed in, as they started to lose visibility. This only heightened the creep factor of the youngest of the clan, cautiously looking around, expecting something to sneak up on them.

"I truly hoped it was just you, but sadly no," Raph's eyes narrowed as their pace slowed, not able to see the path in front of them. "Leo, it's really feeling like mini-Splinter has led us on a wild goose chase here!"

"Just wait a moment," Leo protested. His gut instincts were true, but the pangs of doubt were gathering, especially as they entered the pitch darkness and the rat completely vanished from his sight. A grunt from Raph as he ran into the back of his shell, and Mikey ran into his.

"Ow! Why we stop?" Mikey rubbing his nose.

"Did you lose it?" Raph demanded watching the back of his leader's head, frantically looking around. Oh, why didn't they grab any flashlights before leaving?

"Umm…do you hear that?" Mikey gulping a bit as his voice seemed to echo.

"No, we don't hear nothin, because there is nothin to hear!" Raph grumbled as his arms folded.

"Yeah, that's what I mean. There's nothing!" The orange clad turtle pointed out. The brothers only now just realizing the utter silence surrounding them in the tunnel. Not too long ago, they could hear their own footsteps, and even the rushing water, but now… just nothing. It was just like in the horror movie's when the main character is being stalked by the killer. Things go quiet as the atmosphere intensified, and right before they knew it-

"Squeak!"

They jumped! Mikey even letting out a small yelp, as they turned their heads in the direction of the sound. Eyes adjusting, they could just about make out an outline of the tunnel. "This way," Leo hurried in the direction with the other two on his heals, but they couldn't shake off a sinking feeling of what was waiting for them... Something was very wrong.

"Squeak!"

Their rat escorted them further down the tunnel, prompting them to follow only by sound. They continued a long stretch of tunnel, only turning a corner when they hear another squeak. The rat seemed to be coming more frantic with them, as though it knew they were running out of time. It was then they spotted a bright light in the distance.

"Ok? Wasn't expecting that." Raph not dropping his guard.

"A light at the end of the tunnel. Hope this isn't a warning of things to come," Mikey not able to hide more fear.

"Come on," Leo feeling the knot in his gut twisting tighter as they picked up the pace. But as they crossed the threshold, the three came to a sudden, mortified, crashing halt. Their blood ran cold at the sight before them.

There before them was their missing brother, Donatello. His face covered by a sack, his hands and legs bound, hanging in the air from the noose around his neck. From here he didn't appear to be moving.

"DONNIE!" Raph swore allowed shattering the silence. His hand flew to his belt, whipping out a Sai and launching it with all his might. The steel flew across the room, and with precise accuracy sliced the rope and gravity dropped the olive-green turtle with a large thud.

Those were the longest 10 seconds of the brothers lives before releasing a collective gasp of relief. Donnie upon hitting the floor grunted, he was still alive, but that didn't mean he wasn't seriously hurt. They had to get to him before they could determine his current state then they would hunt down who had done this to him. But as they started to run, that second answer presented itself by stepping in between them.

"N-No…No…no!" Mikey trembled, stepping back as the ghost from the past gripped him. The Rat King stood tall before them with an intimidating look of rage silently challenging them to try and take their brother from him. But what really caught their attention was the amount of blood, staining around his mouth…their brother's blood.

"Sensei was right," Leo said with a tone that stated they were all wrong to have doubted him. Everything was making sense now. Splinter been the strongest telepathic and skilled ninja rat of them all and would be a prize to someone like him…but why had he done this to Donnie?

The Rat King just stared at the three of them doing well to hide his surprise at them discovering his hideout. No one had ever found it before... It was impossible. It was a place only known to him and his... his rats! And now they were going to try and stop his fun preventing purple's execution. How dare they! He clenches his hands into fists, "You three." He spat dangerously fuelled by frustration.

Two words were enough to send chills down the turtles shells. His voice the stuff of nightmares, yet that fear was short lived as Raph looked past him to his brother laying battered and broken on the ground. His hands clenched his Sai, as his rage overtaking him knowing what the Rat King had done to his little brother, what he had almost done. Nothing else mattered other than turning this freak into a corpse and this time they would get it right.

"Grrrrrrraaaaaaaaaahhhhh!" Raph's battle cry as he launched himself forward.

"Raph!" Leo feeling his brother's rage as he watched the red clad turtle thrust his Sai before doing a roundhouse kick. Both of which the Rat King managed to dodge before jumping back, only to be followed up by another strike. Mikey seemed to be frozen to the spot and Raph's control was out the window, but their enemy was no longer blocking their path to their brother. Donnie was hurt and blindfolded, he would have no idea as to what was going on around him. He had to help him first. The leader rushed to Don's side, picking him up by his shoulders.

"Mmph!" Another painful muffled grunt emerged from the sack. It was little comfort knowing that they had only just made it in time by merely seconds. Leo heart squeezed as he felt Donnie jump and then start to struggle at his touch.

"It's ok Donnie. It's us. We gotcha." He tried to reassure him, but it seemed that Donnie couldn't hear him as his struggling continued. He was making it too difficult for Leo to move him and he had to go and help Raph. To save time, he quickly turned Donnie to his side before sweeping him up into his arms, carrying away from the scene and towards Mikey.

It was the youngest turn to work his way out of his shock state and rush over to meet them. Just as Donnie was place on the ground, he only had the one good arm to cradle his injured brother head with. Leo then unsheathed his swords. "Mikey look after him," Leo swallowed, forcing himself to avert his eyes away from Donnie onto Raph.

"Just be careful bro," Mikey warned watching his brother slice through the rope around Donnie's wrists and legs before running off into the fight. Mikey winced, ashamed of himself. His brother had just been right there, dying and he had become frozen to the spot just because of who had stood between them. Never again! Injured arm or not, Mikey took Leo assigned tasked to heart and would look after his brother even if his life depended on it. No one was getting near him again!

Though he knew it was coming, Donnie still cried out when the stool was kicked out from under him, then the world went into slow motion as gravity took over. He wanted his last thoughts to be of his family, remembering all the happier times. But his body was not in agreement as he automatically started struggling against the crushing pressure on his neck. He was so scared, and he knew the fear would be plastered all over his face. He hated the idea that he was giving his executioner the satisfaction of seeing him afraid. Maybe the sack over his head wasn't such a terrible idea as it hid his horror. As the air was bled from his lungs, his life started to flash before their eyes, a concept that the purple clad turtle had always been curious about.

Playing out like a distorted movie in his head, he saw himself and his brothers being mutated. This was followed by himself and his brothers as tiny tots, cuddling into the safe and protective arms of their father. Time went on, watching them all grow up as they were trained in ninjutsu, and slowly descending on their journey from the sewers to the world above. Watching his life surrounded by his brothers gave a warm feeling for Donnie. It was enough for a moment to drive away the darkness. Some of the images he remembered experiencing were hilarious, (most of those memories were based around Mikey) while others brought sadness... sometimes even scary as they grew into a world they did not understand or belong too. The battles with the Shredder... Growing older and meeting April, then Casey, it went on, but most of the memories were warm and loving. Donnie felt the tears in his eyes, but it wasn't from the lack of oxygen anymore, but from joy. For all the ups and downs and fights and mistakes as they all grew under Splinter's care, there was never a time he didn't feel that he wasn't loved.

Somehow this only made what was happening to him feel even worse. All those years at the heart of such an extraordinary family bond, just to be cast out and abandoned... Deemed a failure. Now he was just here alone in the darkness. The crushing sense of loneliness was worse than the rope. He grew up being told that the darkness was his friend. Hiding in the shadows from those who would hurt him, yet, here he was, plunged in the darkness where he would die…An irony that seemed too wrong for the turtle.

Tiredness was taking over, and his muscles were now too heavy to keep fighting. The fire in his lungs burned worse than ever, and numbness had set in from his toes, working upwards...It would be over soon.

All the happy memories faded into nothing as he finally reached the point where he "stood" right now... At the end of a rope. "Goodbye..." Was his last thought when-

"Mmph!" he hadn't been expecting the sudden dropping sensation, nor hitting the ground at an awkward angle. It sent a spike of pain shooting up his broken arm, shocking him back to reality while still too close to death. The grunt from the impact didn't release enough of the pressure from his throat for him to breathe properly either, but that didn't seem to matter as he felt hands suddenly on him. Who was pulling at him? It made his injured arm throb. He wanted to cry out, beg them to stop, but he had no air for the words and the noises confused him. He panicked, automatically starting to struggle. Not caring that he was bound and blind, he just wanted to get away from this nightmare. Suddenly the arms adjusted their hold, sweeping him up off the ground. Now where was he going? He could hear them gasping as they ran? Was this the rat king? What was going on? He should just stay still until this roller-coaster slowed down.

He didn't have to wait long. Now he was on the ground again, but someone was still with him... Not the same someone. They seemed to be holding him much more carefully, not pinning him down either... It felt more comforting? The ropes were then cut from his hands and legs. Were they here to rescue him or hurt him? And for the life in him, why could he not remember?

It was only then he realised he was still struggling to breathe. His mouth was covered, and the rope was still around his neck. He was sure he must be turning blue by now. But the shock was wearing off and the survival instinct kicked in once again. He again started to struggle even though the other was still holding him.

The hood suddenly removed, and the oxygen hit his face and lungs all at once, triggering a violent coughing fit. Instincts took over as he tried breaking free again, causing more unbearable waves of pain against his arm, and expelling the much-needed oxygen his lungs were still demanding.

"What the shell?! Is this the rat king?" Donnie could only shout in his mind. The strange hands were still trying to cradle him, only with a lot more effort, and what the shell was all that yelling about?!

After another minuet he felt himself deflate. He just wanted the air, but the arms didn't seem to want to let him go just yet... Wait...What were they saying? Was someone talking to him? He couldn't look up to see who it was. His head still being cradled, pinned into crook of a neck. He could feel their heart pounding against his side. Only now did words start making it through to his brain.

"It's ok bro. Just breathe for me ok!" The tone was with a force calm, but he could tell they were scared... and familiar? He knew this person. If his brain could just slow down for a second, maybe he could remember who they were? Or at least figure out why they were here? Could it be? After some gasping, Donnie forced himself to look up at the face above him, waiting for his eyes to adjust and the blurriness to stop. The first thing he saw was a strip of orange.

"Donnie, please say something?" The voice still with a forced calm, but the tone was more scared than ever.

Michelangelo? His brother? What was he doing here? The one person the purple clad turtle never thought he would see again. But hadn't they expelled him? Splinter said they didn't want him... But that didn't seem to match the tone right now? More noises called his attention across the room. Donnie saw his other remaining brothers fighting the Rat King with an aggression he had never seen before. Donnie's heart soared, yet it was overshadowed by confusion.

"Bro?" Mikey said again even more desperately. The lack of response was really starting to worry him. Did the oxygen deprivation cause to much damage? Could his brother no longer speak? Noticing the rope still around his neck, Mikey quickly went to work to release it.

Stunned. There was too many thoughts running through Donnie's mind to keep up with, but only one seemed the most important. "Y-You came?" He said with a great deal of effort. Mikey drew away slightly, shocked by the question.

"Of course, we came! You didn't think we would leave you... did you?" Mikey forcing a smile but was crestfallen at his brothers response. The disbelief in Donnie's eyes were like a knife to the heart - Then it hit him! The Rat King... He had broken him. He had got into his head and made all the fears and pain real. Mikey felt his eyes well up understanding almost perfectly what had been done to his brother and there was nothing he could say right now that would help. If he could, he would have just picked him up and got him the shell out of here, but all he could do was gently run his fingers over the bruised olive skin.

To Raph's credit he had moved passed the rage of just wanting to kill the Rat King. More like he was just going to explode and take out the whole block above them. Picking up his other Sai, he took every strike with a vengeance. Just knowing how close they had come to losing Don forever... He didn't just want the Rat King dead, he wanted him destroyed.

"YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS!" Raph shouted launching both Sai's forward in a stabbing gesture, only for RK to grab the turtle's wrists, stopping the incoming blow before it made contact. Emerald muscles flexing as Raph's feet tried pushing forward, but it became apparent that they seemed to be evenly matched.

The Rat King head snapped up as his senses alerted him to the second presence. He saw Blue jumping through the air towards him, swords reared back, ready to strike. Acting quickly, his bandaged foot kicked Red in the plastron, breaking the hold long enough the jump sideways and watched as the twin katanas hit the concrete floor, causing some sparks fly. He watched Blue then bring his weapons up for a horizontal slash, prompting him to duck down before sending a kick upward to the plastron.

"Ugh!" Leo grunted as he stumbled. Rubbing the sore spot while locking his eyes with RK. Leo wanted to charge, but rational thinking told him that RK was waiting for him to make a mistake. Of course, Raph had already recovered and was making that mistake for the both of them, prompting Leo to hold a katana and block his path.

"Stop!"

"Leo, what the shell-!"

"We are not going to get a third chance to replicate this situation again. Don't make the same mistake I did!" Leo warned cursing himself for their first encounter. "Don't let rage guide you. That's what he is counting on." Leo remembering how the Rat King baited them into his maze so easily. Playing his game on his playfield. The Blue clad turtle anger let himself be manipulated and that was how he must have gotten away. Any good blows he gotten that day had been pointless and RK had just come back worse than ever. They had to do this right this time.

The Rat King upon hearing this eye rose in confusion. Blue was different than before. Much calmer than Red. Not an improvement in his opinion, but this would only complicate things further. How had they found him? How could they have taken down Splinter? Wait! Why could he not hear Splinter anymore? Something was wrong, in fact now he thought about it, a few things in his head didn't feel right... The Rat King blinked he had already tried mentally calling out for his pet rats to come and take care of these teens for him. Why hadn't they arrived yet?

He couldn't do this now. He had to finish what he had been doing with Purple, then he would be stronger than all of them. His eyes scanned the scene for his target. It didn't take long to find him, but he wasn't alone. Orange was with him? This had him grinning like a Cheshire cat. He remembered this turtle's fear. His terror had felt more like a sugar rush. Delicious, but burned out quickly. A shame he had gotten away too soon. But now he was, and his arm was in a sling, not much of a challenge if he wanted to take back his target.

Two for the price of one. Brilliant! He just needed the other two distracted for few seconds. He once again called out to all his rats. They were coming. Yes. He could still hear them. He was just too distracted, that was all. He tried to convince himself. If he could kill Purple first, Orange would make a nice follow up course and the loss would leave the Red and Blue too broken to fight him.

The two bigger mutants circled him, weapons at the ready, waiting for their moment to strike. Silly children. Just has predicted Red charged first, growling has he went for the stab. Reacting quickly RK pivoted around the turtle before striking him on the shell.

"Argh!" Raph cried out as he stumbled forward, nearly falling over. No! This guy was not good for his anger management.

Leo charged in, focusing on slicing his enemy's arm off. Again, the Rat King managed to dodge, as the movements were faster than a blink of an eye. He really was a superhuman. He avoided a forward stab by rolling forward, past the blue clad turtle in a crouch. He looked up just in time to see Raph charging at him. Smirking he readied himself and just before the red banded turtle could strike, RK reached out and grabbed him. Before he knew it RK swung him in a complete one-eighty before throwing him right into Blue.

"OOF!" Blue cried out as the hulking mass of his brother collided with him, knowing both of them back and onto their shells.

Perfect. The distraction he had been waiting for. Swiftly turning, he eyed Orange and Purple as he unsheathed his razor-sharp claws before sprinting towards them. Michelangelo looked upon hearing the rapid taps approaching. His eyes widen in horror as the face of his nightmare rained down upon them.

Mikey latching his arm protectively around his brother as the claws reared back, the aim trained on Donatello.

A/N: Hope you like. Well Leo, Raph, and Mikey got to Don in time before it was too late, all thanks to one of the rats. Now they are in a tough position as they are now fighting the Rat King, yet remember the brothers aren't at a hundred percent as they still are recovering from their injuries from Splinter. Leo still having the gash on his face, and the hole in his hand, Raph from being beaten and nearly hanged himself, and Mikey with his dislocated shoulder. The fight is going to be interesting, especially as the Rat King is going after Donnie. What's going to happen? Can't tell you as it's a spoiler. Thank you for waiting and we'll try to not take too long with the next chapter. Till next Time.