Turtlefreak121: What the crap? It's been a tough week, so forgive me. I've had some very...big problems lately and I'm dealing with them. Thank you for waiting. Unfortunately, things aren't running their best for me right now - I'm trying to update regularly, but... Again. Big problems I'm dealing with here. So...here's chapter seven for ya...

Thanks to: coldsunshin, Lunar-ninja, Tewi, Bioniclefangirl, Digmon Girl, moonie016, jynkx, Pi90katana, and TheIncredibleDancingBetty

The Dark Half

Chapter Seven

By Turtlefreak121

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT.

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Some Simple Questions

"Good work, Casey," the man mused as he walked out of the grungy garage that he had been working in with his newly hired partner.

"Thanks, Ryan," Casey said gleefully to his new manager and friend. Ryan had hired Casey to work in the garage last week - today had been his first real day on the job, and it had been a good one.

Ryan Smyth was a red-haired man, well-built and able to look good with a mustache. He had once been a National Guard, but now he was nearing his late forties and had gained quite a bit around the waist. He was normal height, meaning he had to look up at Casey when the two talked about anything. He had a deep New Yorker accent and every time he talked Casey wanted to call him 'Raphie' - something he restrained from doing.

Over all, Ryan was an honest man with better dignity than most in the 'Rotten Apple'. He was also a good boss and Casey was glad that - for whatever reason - Mr. Smyth had chosen him to be his second in charge.

"We'll go around and lock up, Jones," Ryan explained once again - patiently, but with just a small hint of normality in his voice. "I'll need you to lock up the counter and shop area; I'll clean up around the garage and shut the door."

Smiling eagerly like some young child on Christmas morning, Casey nodded and headed off to do as instructed. "Yessir, Mr. Smyth!" Casey yelled back as he ran towards the door to the left wall of the garage that connected the garage with the building where the counter and many other snacks awaited to be locked up.

"Ryan, Casey! Ryan..." he called out to his new employee before smiling and shaking his head as he walked over to the opened door of the garage.

Grabbing his tool kit and Casey metal lunch box which he had made a small joke about earlier, Ryan headed towards the door to the streets. This next part was why it was such a hassle and dangerous to have an open garage in the Big Apple - lock up.

For any gang or even individual punk wanted to ransack one of only the few garages in the Apple, this would be the opportune time. The place was closed, only two men around - without a weapon to speak of - and it wasn't locked up yet. So unless his new employee was hiding a colorful costume under his greasy jumpsuit and had a mask in his pocket - which Ryan highly doubted - they could run into trouble.

Then again, Ryan had owned this pitiful garage for nearly twenty years and had many good men as employees help him before. He had grown used to the tension and worry. This - alas - was both something good...and something very, very bad...

"Jones, come around the front!" Ryan yelled as he stuck his head into the garage.

"Yessir!" Casey yelled back before shutting the connecting door and it making a firm click of reassurance.

Smiling again, Ryan ducked back out of the garage and pulled out a small remote with a single button. It had tape wrapped tightly around it and Ryan had to wait and punch the button a third time before the chains holding up the garage door got the message and began to close.

He heard Casey close the front door and begin to lock it and he smirked.

"Ya know, Jones! Back in eighty, ya had to do this by hand!" Ryan laughed. "I missed havin' a lot of good men to work for me 'cause I was concerned only with if the fella was able to reach the garage door to pull it down!"

Casey chuckled with Ryan and looked through the key chain again - over looked the darn copper one again. Looking around, Casey saw that there was a street light hanging down a foot behind him, so he moved back to get a better look at the keys.

Rolling his eyes, Ryan laughed whole heartedly as Casey continued to look through the keys. "Keep it up, Jones - that's a tricky one..."

Giving a nervous laugh, Casey continued to look through his keys.

Way to go, Jones, Casey said to himself. Nice first impression, Klutz!

Suddenly, a hair rose itself on Casey's back. It was followed by another and another and then Casey's spine began to feel like it was being poked at with a sharp needle. He straightened up and felt a shiver.

Slanting his head a small bit to the left, Casey looked partially behind himself and saw a strange man approaching. He was plump and had on a blue suit. He carried what looked like a wrapped up present - it was in a brown paper bag wrapping and had string tying it together at lumpy areas.

Sensing something not right, Casey tried to look at the man's face, but it was being covered by the man's matching blue dress had which he pulled down over his eyes and partially over his nose.

This wouldn't have been that out of the normal considering it was New York and this guy was harmless-looking, but something just didn't sit right with Casey - something that must have been apparent in his face for Ryan looked back as well and smiled gently at the man approaching them.

"We're closed, Sir!" Ryan explained softly as he placed his free hand in his pocket. "You can come by at nine tomorrow and Mr. Jones and I'll help you any way we can!" he offered.

The man didn't stop.

Casey and Ryan looked at each other before looking back at the man. Casey looked at the bag - it was more of a triangle with a longer point facing the ground as the man carried it in a peculiar fashion.

"Uh...Sir, we're closed..." Casey said, trying to be as nice as he could with a strangely rising temper.

"That's alright..." the man finally said before walking up to Ryan - who was nearly two inches taller than him. "You're better to me this way..."

Ryan's face screwed up and he looked oddly at the man. "Don't I know you, Si--?"

Before Casey or Ryan could react, the man pointed the long end of the triangle in Ryan's stomach and pulled down on the side he had a hold on.

There was a click of a trigger and then--

"RYAN!" Casey yelled as his boss hit the ground backwards in a bloody glory.

As the dressed man was looking over his trophy-kill and laughing, he didn't see Casey charging until it was too late.

In an angry rage, Casey popped the guy in the left cheek and sent him stumbling back for a moment before he broke out into laughter.

Confused, Casey stood still for just a minute, looking at the chuckling lunatic. That moment was all he needed.

He pointed the triangular bag at Casey and pulled the trigger. Casey screamed in agony as he felt his weight fall to the ground. He clutched his shin that was spewing blood.

"Nice shot, Ol' Chap," the deranged man said to himself as he neared the bleeding Casey.

As he heard the man approach again, Casey readied to attack when the man suddenly appeared behind him - almost as if he had transported. Suddenly, there was a deep pain in the back of Casey's head and all went fuzzy just as he heard the man reload his gun again...

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"NO!" Leo screamed as he nearly jumped out of his bed.

"Calm yourself, Leonardo," Splinter said softly before pushing down on his son's chest and forcing him to lie down once more.

Sweating, Leo screwed his eyes shut and threw his head back into his pillow. "I just...killed someone..."

Shaking his head and sighing, Splinter pulled his son's blankets to his chin and patted his shoulder lightly. "You have been in this room the entire time, Leonardo... Are you having visions once more?"

Putting his hands over his eyes and arching backwards, he groaned. "Yes..."

"Have you ever seen who has this...connection with you, Leonardo?" Splinter asked.

"No...once...maybe?" Leo stated in utter confusion.

"What is he like, Leonardo?" Splinter coaxed.

Leo's eyes narrowed. "His name is Max...Max Earwins - he... He's about five foot five... He always wears a blue suit with a matching blue tibby hat... He's got brown hair and a bulgy nose... He' chubby - very chubby and I think he used to be an accountant or something with a cubicle before he learned about Aku..."

Blinking, Splinter looked at his son strangely. It was as if Leo had known this man his whole life - but that's impossible. None of them knew this man - it was impossible. But then...how could he have this connection if he didn't know him? There were so many questions - and Leonardo was in no state to answer any of them.

Closing his eyes again, Leo armed the sweat from his forehead with his free arm. Suddenly, his previous dream slowly began to appear again - in small flashes...very painful flashes.

Jolting into a sitting position on his bed, Leo looked wide-eyed at his master. "Where's Michelangelo?" he demanded - though he didn't notice his hinge of authority towards speaking to his father.

Blinking once more, Splinter felt a sense of dread. "Why must you know about Michelangelo, Leonardo?" he asked with a dry, unnerving lump in his throat.

Shutting his eyes and shivering, Leo began to tear. "Oh...no..."

His breath quickening, Splinter grabbed his son's shoulder. "Leonardo..." he said with a commanding tone. "What has happened to Michelangelo?"

Leo looked to Splinter with the saddest face the old rat had ever seen from his oldest. He kept his mouth closed.

Standing up and backing away from his eldest son's bed, Splinter looked out to the door and suddenly went into a short sprint.

Sitting in his bed, Leo looked into the dark corners of his room. He closed his eyes and made a decision. One, he knew he would later regret...

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Splinter ran in the living area where Don and Raph were continuing their conversation about Leo's credibility. They both looked in surprise at their father and waited silently for an explanation to his worried expression and racing appearance.

"Where is Michelangelo?" Splinter demanded.

They looked at each other. "In his roo--"

"He is not in his room, Donatello," Splinter said quickly. "Is he in the kitchen?"

Don shook his head. "We just came from there, Sensei!"

Raph automatically looked up at Leo's room.

"I have just spoken to Leonardo, Raphael," Splinter said, placing any blame to rest quickly.

A rush of panic flew through the family.

"Where can he be?" Don exclaimed.

"Is there a chance he went through the garage?" Splinter asked hopefully.

"Couldn't have, we would've heard the elevator!" Raph growled angrily as he looked around worriedly.

"That leaves the sewers," Don pointed out.

"We must find Michelangelo - if this man has a connection with Leonardo he could know where our lair is..." Splinter stated in horror before rushing towards the sewer entrance.

Raph and Don looked reluctantly at each other. They weren't sure what to believe anymore.

"Mikey's missin' - that's all that matters," Raph stated before rushing off after Splinter.

Don looked towards the upstairs. "What about Leo?" he asked in concern.

"He's not goin' anywhere!" Raph shouted over his shoulder.

Nodding in agreement, Don ran after his family. He was worried to death about what could have happened to Michelangelo - and what could happen to Leo as he was left alone in the lair.

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Leo closed his eyes and concentrated - concentrated more than he had ever concentrated before. He knew better than to focus directly on his 'other' this time - that would only give him trouble. Instead, he focused on questions.

Where is my brother? he asked.

Where is my brother?

What has happened to him?

What will happen to him?

Will my family be able to find him?

Then...he got replies...

Your brother is home.

He is safe.

He shall remain safe.

Your family should find him.

Blinking, Leo wasn't sure if he was doing the best thing in the world.

Can I trust you?

There was a pause.

Of course...

I answer...

I give...

I am the writer on the wall...

I am you...

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Turtlefreak121: Umm... Please Review. I... Can I leave a good message to the readers?

No...

Why not?

Because you're stupid...

Oh...