Author's Note: You wouldn't believe how the words just kinda poured outta my head and on to the paper. I wrote this a lot quicker that expected, but I'm happy with it. And hey, I got another surprise, just for you guys. ;) Read and find out! Oh, and BTW: when ppl speak in Japanese, it'll be in backslashes.
Rating: R, for harsh language, gore, violence, and implicated rape. (It dun violate the anti-NC-17 dealy…dun worry!)
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Chapter Seven: Unexpected Betrayal
He stood silently, gazing at the two-story building with suspicious, hostile eyes, his hardened and tense body hidden by the shadows of a nearby boathouse, which was adjacent to the dilapidated motel. It was obvious no one stayed in it anymore, but it wasn't vacant – two of the windows on either side of the main doors were lit up with yellow light. They were like yellow eyes, he thought stoically, evil things peering at him through the darkness. In the glare of those lights, the ground shined with moisture from the light shower still dancing it's way across the city, and the air around him was muggy, humid. Uncomfortable. His comfort, however was the last thing on his mind.
"/This is stupid. No one will come for them, they have no allies./"
Raphael's attention shifted to the man pacing the length of the motel's entrance, a baton clapping into his hand illustrating his impatience. He was dressed in the usually thug-wear: black pants, shirt, and mask.
"/Will you shut up? You've said that already./"
His accomplish displayed no impatience, but more annoyance with his partner. Neither looked like they were aware of Raphael's presence, cuing him to slink closer, pressing up against the side of the motel, listening.
"/Well, it's true. It's pointless./"
"/If you really think so, you go let him knowyou quit. And then tell me how that goes./"
Both of them quieted, and the impatient one shot his partner a glare, which was answered by a taunting whisper.
"/No? Then shut up and do as instructed./"
With a loud sigh, one of the men stamped toward Raphael, rasping out Japanese obscenities. Readying himself, Raphael threw out his hand and caught the masked man's throat, his blow crushing his larynx. As the man fell to his knees, wheezing for breath, Raphael pulled him off balance and swung a spinning foot out at his chest, throwing the now limp figure into the shadows next to the motel.
"/Tsugio, tell me you're not skipping out on duty…/"
Slipping back against the building, Raphael listened to the other man approach, his large, muscular body going unnoticed in the shadows as the man passed him, stepping into the small alley between the two buildings. When Raphael saw the man's gaze drop to his fallen comrade, the turtle made his presence known, spinning a sai out from his belt.
"/…Tsugio/"
The other masked man was silenced swiftly, a hand clasping over his mouth as an upward thrusts of Raphael's sigh punctured his chest. Raphael watched the eyes of the man scream in pain, rolling back into his head as he choked for air, coughing violently. Feeling the figure held by his sai go limp, Raphael kicked off the lifeless body and crept toward the main door, peering into the lit windows as he went.
He checked the first window, which was open about an inch; Great. He was thankful that the weather was so unbearable – it's not everyday he was given such a convenient entrance. Raphael peered in.
Nothing. An occasional blood spatter on the wall, not much else. The room was empty, lit by a single, dangling light bulb, and the door was slightly ajar, too. Raphael tucked his weapon away and opened the window, sliding in noiselessly.
The room itself was still, the low light fixture hanging above his head buzzing softly. Creeping toward the opened door, he peered out into the hall, leading to the lobby, his eyes fixing on another masked and armed guard leaning against the wall, his back to Raphael.
How easy.
Rushing toward him without making a sound, Raphael wrapped his wide palm around the man's mouth from behind, the bloody tip of his sai finding the slight valley between the guy's Adam's apple and artery and pressing in.
The person went rigid is his grip, obviously quite frightened of the green hand covering his mouth and the weapon to this throat, the katana he held dropping to the floor. Wildly, the masked man's budging, hazel eyes darted around, trying to see his attacker, but the sharp increase of pressure from the blade at his throat made him still promptly.
"/Where are they? And don't lie to me – you'll be dead before you hit the floor./"
A whimper from the man answered Raphael, a shaky hand gesturing to the other lit room. The masked person's willingness to comply somehow triggered a wave of mercy, and Raphael released him, turning his body sharply so they were facing each other, his sai still pointed roughly at the guy's neck. He slowly began to realize that person was more of a boy, than a man.
"/If I see you again or if you alert the others, I'll lodge this in your fucking eye socket. Got it/"
Backing off slowly and nodding furiously, the boy took a step back, his legs like jelly under his weight when he tripped over himself, falling back with a soft yelp. He gazed at Raphael fearfully, his eye wide as Raphael growled at him.
"/You should be running./"
Instantly, he bolted for the doors, not looking back. Raphael deliberately watched him, making sure he was well out of eyesight before turning his attention to the door the boy had pointed to. It was in the opposite hallway, on the other side of the lobby.
Cautiously, Raphael skulked into the lobby, coming up behind a man seated sleepily, his head in his arms. Smirking at how he had the element of surprise yet again, Raphael tapped the man lightly on the shoulder, causing the guy to raise his head and cough out a startled groan. Before he could turn around, Raphael ceased the man by his chin and his shoulder, pulling both abruptly, in the opposite directions, snapping his neck. The body in his hands shuddered before it fell limp, and Raphael set it down gently, the dead man's head returning to rest on his arms.
Silently approaching the other hallway, he watched the thin sliver of light coming from the bottom of the door. He heard movement behind it, and it sounded like more than a couple people, watching shadows flicker across the small band of light.
THUD.
In a flash, Raphael jumped back, the door he was reaching for flying open. Hastily side-stepping, the flaccid body that had been thrown against the door slowly fell to the ground, a blood smear following the path of his head. Raphael's whole body tense and his weapons drawn, the Turtle quickly stepped over the dead body and into the room, and his eyes opened wide.
She hadn't noticed him enter. She was attacking a man laying on his stomach, his head pinned between her knee and the hard floor, her weight on his temple while she pulled his arm straight back until it popped loudly. Raphael's eyes fell to the man she was torturing, his mouth open wide as if you cry out, but his eyes were blank; terrified as she broke his shoulder. Glancing up, Yom arced a casual eyebrow at Raphael, placing her hands on the man's dislocated shoulder and pulling his entire body toward her with a sharp jerk, a soft crack heard when she broke his neck.
"…You? How unexpected."
Raphael snorted at her, unsure what to expect as he stepped farther into the room, eyeing four other lifeless bodies in the room, beside her previous victim and the man holding the door open. Yom followed his gaze, chuckling proudly.
"Can you believe it? Only six guards. It's fuckin' insulting."
Finding himself smiling out of the blue, he shot her a questioning look. She only smiled back, her sock-sleeved wrist coming up to blot the blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. His smile faded however, realizing he had only found one of them.
"…Where is she?"
"I don't know. I haven't even seen Big Brother yet. They're keeping us separated."
Raphael arced an eyebrow, curious about the name she had just mentioned.
"Your brother's here? He was captured?"
The young girl nodded once, weakly.
"I think so. I called him and told him to meet us at April's, but when we ambushed, I assumed they intercepted him and then came for us."
Yom frowned. Kneeling down and plucking a katana from one of the bodies, she shook her head, quickly changing the subject.
"You shouldn't be here. They'll kill you."
"Don't give me that condescending bullshit, a'right? I know the risk."
Her eyes narrowed at him, obviously unhappy with his tone. Flicking the tip of the katana toward one of the walls, she decorated it's eggshell color with loud spots of fresh blood, her fingers running along the length of the sharp blade to wipe off the remainder of the red fluid.
"They why did you take it? We don't need your pity. We can handle ourselves."
Damnit. She's singing the same song her sister had.
"I can tell. So, getting captured – that was part of your plan, right?"
The venom in her glare was quite apparent. Leaning down to grab a discarded sheath, she threw it over her shoulder, the katana in her hand find a place to rest in the scabbard now across her back. Stepping close to him, she jabbed a finger at the top of his plastron as she spoke.
"Listen, buddy. I don't trust you. And the only reason I'm even humoring you right now is because my sister does. So don't try to get cute with me – I can drop you when you least expect it."
Her threat amused Raphael more than it intimidated him – how cocky of her. He knew he could handle himself. If anything, she'll have to keep up with him. Grinning at her, he twirled his sais before sheathing them.
"I'll try to keep that in mind."
He gestured toward the door, still smirking at her angry gaze.
"Ladies first."
Knocking his shoulder roughly as she walked by, Raphael's breath caught when he took a step back to catch his balance, Yom's subtle blow was much stronger than he had anticipated. He darted his eyes up in time to catch a glimpse of her steady glare but smirking lips, snarling at the back of her head when she turned around.
Slipping out into the dimly lit hallway, Yom led the way, her stealthy approach going completely unnoticed as she came up silently behind another guard, her katana blade slipping effortlessly into the masked man's abdomen before sliding back out quickly, severing his head with one smooth slice moments later. Blood sprayed the floor and walls in front of the fallen ward, the limp body slowly falling to its' knees before hitting the floor, the head rolling to a slow stop only inches away. Raphael grimaced at the dead body, and then at Yom, who again wiped her blade clean with two fingers. She seemed quite satisfied with what just happened, stealing the man's walkie-talkie.
"Like a hot knife through soft butter..."
Raphael growled lowly and trotted off further down the hallway, peeking around the corner for anymore enemies.
Her analogy was sick. Correct, but sick.
Sensing nothing but emptiness in the corridor before him, he motioned for Yom to join him, the radical Japanese soldier once again taking the lead. Raphael followed quietly behind her, glancing over his soldier when he felt it necessary, his adrenaline beginning to flow as the silent suspense built up.
Reaching the end of another hallway, Yom froze and sunk back against wall, gliding along its' flower embellished body before slipping in to a small room at the end of the short corridor. Following cautiously, Raphael closed the door behind him half-way before hiding behind it, his eyes then going to search for his accomplice in the dark. He caught a glimpse of her figure moving toward the window on the other side of the room, on her hands and knees, the blinds drawn but opened part-way. The lines of light peeking through lit only Yom's eyes and lips, the rest stretching across the length of the empty room, which appeared to be an office of some sort. Raphael let a quiet moment pass, before he spoke, being sure to whisper.
"What now?"
Much to his distaste, he wasn't answered, Yom still looking silently through the window, her eyes narrowed and focused. Rolling his shoulders back, Raphael eyed her sourly, deciding to take this time to mentally retrace his steps. The motel complex apparently was in the shape a giant "G", and from what he could tell, they were in the "mouth" of it, the office at the end. Stepping carefully over to peer out the window, Raphael saw a wide cement patio with a large swimming pool, it's empty, square body being patrolled by a two dozen masked men. Inside the pool, however, is what seemed to draw his attention, for several other masked men were huddled around a chair, in the deep end, with a small woman tied to it. Eyes wide, Raphael's breath caught when he saw her, flinching when a nearby guard threw a fist at her face, causing her head to twist violently to the side, blood escaping her quivering lips.
Raphael went rigid, rage flushing his face and his knuckles cracking softly as he tightened his fists, forcing himself to close his eyes. Raphael couldn't remember a time when he felt so angry. The thumping of his racing heart boomed in his head, and swallowing hard, he tried to stop it, slowly opening his eyes so he could see again. He had to watch, had to learn as much as possible before he attacked – even if killed him to watch it.
A large man dressed in an all-white suit had their back to them, facing the chair Yin was tied to, his legs crossed and a cane across his lap. Beside him, a tall, more lean-looking man stood, also facing Yin, his body only covered by baggy, black slacks and black mask, a katana slung comfortably across his back.
About a dozen guards circled both men and the girl, each taking a turn to hit her. Raphael silently wished he could hear what was being said, seeing mouths move, but knew if he even tried to get closer he'd be caught. So, chewing his lower lip viciously, he watched as the men crowding around her backed away, one guard cutting the restraints around her chest, wrists, and ankles before pulling the chair out from under her, the bruised and bleeding Japanese girl spilling roughly to the floor. Two guards then scooped her up by her underarms, throwing her into the wall face first and holding her against it, her weak thrashing only earning another abrupt punch from one of the guards.
Tensing again, Raphael breathed thickly through his nose. It took all his strength to keep from crashing through that window and killing every single one of those assholes. Exhaling slowly to try and calm down, Raphael slowly spun around, heading toward the exit and ready to face almost forty armed men.
A small but firm hand to his arm stopped him, however, the Turtle's burning gaze falling to Yom, who was kneeling in front of the window. Immediately his anger turned to compassion when their eyes met, seeing tear-glistening eyes stare back at him, her hand finding his and squeezing hard. It took a few moments, but eventually she spoke. It was barely above a whisper, but she spoke.
"We have to wait."
"…What?"
"If we go after her now, they'll kill her. And Big Brother, where-ever he is. Do you want that?"
Her voice was stern, but it was forced and hollow. As one of her glossy tears escaped an eye, she turned back to the window and watched stoically, her voice refusing to come out when she opened her mouth again, her words a cracked and husky whisper.
"We have to wait…"
Raphael noticed that her hand that he held in his was white knuckled, her grip steady and secure on him. He didn't like what she had to say, but trusted her judgment. There were a lot of armed guards out there, and he didn't know how skilled they were in their fighting craft. Leaning an arm out to support his weight, Raphael resumed his observation of the movement outside, struggling to sit still.
She was openly crying now. Before, when Raphael had first begun watching, she was tearing, but remained emotionless. Now, however, her face was positioned in the familiar expression of loud sobbing. The emptiness in Raphael's stomach turned savagely when his ears picked up on her soft cries, his teeth gritted. The guards had managed to wrestle the upper half of her green gown off of her body, the only thing covering her creamy skin now being a black bra.
The masked man who had been waiting quietly beside the huge, suited man now stepped forward, forcing her legs apart while the other two wards from before held her securely against the wall, her cheek pressed up against the pool's cement wall. Panic quickly rose in Raphael's chest when he saw the shirtless man unbuckle his pants, roughly pushing up the long, slit skirt to expose Yin's lower half, her panties brutally torn from her body.
Almost choking on a sob, Raphael looked away when Yin cried out loud, the sound piercing his ears even though she was a good distance away. His thick body trembled violently from both rage and fear as he went for the door that led out to the pool beside him, the hand holding tightly to his stopping him again.
"Raphael, NO."
Furiously, Raphael wretched his hand from hers, glaring at her in disbelief. He whispered harshly, trying not to yell.
"No, fuck you! They'll—"
His voice caught midway in his throat when he thought about it, his eyes glazing over with bitter tears, pacing the room's short length angrily, bringing his hands up to his face to rub the threatening tears away. Yom spoke up again.
"Raphael, I know! But if we go out there, they'll kill her with out a second thought!"
Her whispers were more like raspy yelling, her red eyes pooling with angry tears. Raphael quickly found his voice again.
"Jesus Christ, Yom! They're raping her out there! What the fuck am I s'pposed to do!"
Still laced with blurry, hot tears, Yom's eyes searched his. Raphael watched her mentally skim over her options briefly. Sniffing once and wiping her nose, with the back of her hand, she reached into one of her huge pockets and pulled out a walkie-talkie, throwing it roughly at Raphael.
"Say there's an intruder on the grounds and several guards are down."
Raphael blinked at her, grimacing on confusion. What is she saying? Tell the enemy and ruin the ambush? He growled out at her.
"Are you fuckin' kidding me!"
"No, God-damnit, now do it!"
Her tear-shined eyes bore into his dangerously, and reluctantly he brought the receiver to his lips, glancing out the window at his struggling friend before pressing the transmit button.
"/Calling whoever hears this first: we've located an intruder in the area and we believe it to be extremely hostile, repeat, extremely hostile. Several guards are down in the lobby, and back-up is needed. ASAP./"
Letting the anger fuel him, the excitement and adrenaline rushed Raphael's vocal chords, making his fake transmission sound urgent. Clicking off the transmit button, both he and Yom turned to the window, watching as everyone of the guards outside freeze and pick up their walkie-talkies, several of them answering the distress call at the same time, making the response he heard through his receiver choppy and full of static.
Much to Raphael's surprise, the guards assisting and participating in the rape stopped and collected their weapons, the violated and weak Japanese girl being strapped down to the chair once again before half of them took off toward the lobby, in the opposite direction.
Raphael shot a sideways glance down at Yom, seeing her stare solemnly out at her sister. Placing a wide hand on her slender shoulder, Raphael squeezed gently, showing his gratitude.
"Let's go."
Yom answered him by getting to her feet, pulling off her pink-striped arm-warmers and unsheathing her katana, the tears in her eyes now replaced with focus, determination, and rage.
She took several steps back from the door, holding out a hand so they both could see, three of her slender fingers sticking up.
Pulling his weapons free from his belt, Raphael's eyes connected with hers and he nodded, turning to the window he planned on crashing into, his thick brow knitting together in anger. Not one will leave here alive.
The fingers Yom held out began disappearing. One…two…three!
They burst through the room simultaneously, Yom through the door and Raphael through the window, drawing all attention. The fours guards situated around Yin, the taller, shirtless ward, and the large, white-suited man stayed in place, but all the rest rushed toward the Turtle and the radical Japanese girl. Back to back, both ninjas readied their stance for the attack, one guard instantly falling under their weapons. Two more followed, but were more difficult to subdue.
Raphael, as he sent a stiffened foot out at an attackers head, quickly glanced over to Yin, who had struggled wildly against her restraints, her eyes intense and pleading, her mouth covered by a dirty rope. Anger igniting in him once again, Raphael ran the length of his blade through another attackers skull after the first fell, feeling hot blood spray his hand. His other hand snaked out to strike a guard coming from his other side, the blunt of his sai breaking the man's jaw before it spun nimbly in his three fingers and sliced the man's throat, more blood misting Raphael. It wasn't until another guard was practically on top of him that Raphael sensed the danger on his opposite side, but a katana swipe to the man's belly quieted Raphael's internal alarm. Tugging his weapons free from his two previous victims, Raphael whispered out hastily, catching Yom's eye.
"Thanks."
"No problem."
Raphael heard Yom silence another guard before a loud booming voice was heard, causing all of the wards to back off and retreat to a safe distance away, still ready and willing to fight.
It was then that the suited man stood, his cane finding the ground beside him, his massive body sauntering out of the empty pool's deep end and up to ground level, standing behind his many guards. Behind him, the wards who went off to answer Raphael's fake distress call now joined the others, out-numbering the Turtle and the girl by twenty-to-one.
"/Yom…/"
The thunderous voice of the large man echoed in the night, mocking and arrogant. Immediately Raphael recognized who was speaking, the memory of the first time he met Yin coming to mind – he was the large soldier from the parking lot.
"/…your choice in friends is rather disgusting./"
Bristling at the insult, Raphael growled loudly, baring his teeth at the huge man, who only smiled back, waving a wide hand at the Turtle. Raphael wished he had a throwing star right now, so he could chuck it right between that guys ugly, beady little eyes. Having nothing but his sais, however, Raphael settled for an insult.
"Shut your fuckin' mouth, dickhead."
A chuckle answered Raphael, the large man raising his cane up and admiring the large ruby on the end, changing his dialect from Japanese to English.
"The name's Shiramoto, actually. And I should thank you – when you killed my superior, I was promoted to his position."
"Yea? Well, don't get too comfortable tubby; you're gonna join him real soon."
The rage buzzing under the surface of Raphael's skin started to create goose bumps when he heard Shiramoto utter that stupid chuckle again. Raphael felt the grip on his sais tighten, the leather binding now starting to dig into his palms. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Yom take a menacing step forward, her face contoured into a look of pure hatred as she bellowed out.
"/Enough of this foolishness, Shiramoto/"
Yom's demand appeared to have caught the arrogant Shiramoto off-guard, for he scowled dangerously at her, tensing at her voice. Languidly, he shrugged off his tension, his ugly lips curling into a smile that was anything but pleasant.
"/What's the matter Yom? Too impatient? You'll join your sister soon enough. Or…perhaps I should let you watch her die./"
"/Bastard! You won't be alive long enough to do it/"
The threat she shouted out only incited a fit of malicious laughter from the well-suited Shiramoto, one of his hands reaching up to beckon the tall ward behind him. The shirtless guard, who had been the ring-leader of the gang rape, slowly stepped forward, dragging the old chair that Yin was tied to behind him. Spinning the chair forward and into position in front of him with a finesse that seemed inhuman, the soldier then produced a throwing star from his belt, lowering it and gliding his finger tip idly along his captive's neck, insinuating his plans.
Raphael's eyes went wide and he tightened every muscle in his body, beginning to tremble with rage.
How dare they.
He will make them suffer if they give her anymore pain. Raphael breathed heavily through his teeth, hissing softly, his heart pounding – if they touch her now, he will kill them all. Slowly. Torturously. He wanted to cry out, scream and swear at the enemy, but his voice failed him, his forehead now adorned with several tight, pulsing veins.
Yom voiced his thoughts for him.
"/You fucking monster! Let her go! And tell me where you're keeping Big Brother/"
That same pompous chuckle the suited man seemed to enjoy was heard again, his small, gray eyes connecting with the eyes of his masked accomplice, that snake-like grin spreading wide.
"/You really are naïve, Yom….and much too trusting for your own good./"
The masked man removed the throwing star and affectionately caressed the soft flesh of Yin's neck with his thumb, reaching his other hand up to pull off his mask. He looked to be in his mid-twenties; His dark, burgundy hair streaked black while his eyes glowed an eerie yellow, sparkling with excitement, lust, and insanity. A scar fell down his forehead and across his temple, stopping at the corner of his left eye, pulling the skin of it slightly away from the eyeball. A familiar tattoo adorned the man's muscular neck, weaving it's way down to where his shoulders and collar bone connected.
Raphael furrowed his red brow; He didn't recognize him. Turning to Yom, he froze though, for the look of horror on her face was too alarming to ignore. Her mouth hung open, dumbstruck, and tears immediately fell freely from her eyes, streaming brightly down her blood spattered face.
"/No…/"
Looking back to the new enemy, Raphael saw the girl in his dirty grasp shake violently, tears now rolling down Yin's rosy and bruised cheeks, her eyes closed tight. Raphael heard the person beside him whimper, hearing her fall to her knees and murmur a name.
"/Hukai. Big Brother…no…/"