Here's another one-shot!
Enjoy x
Turtle Trap
His brothers had now been missing for 24 hours and Donnie didn't know what to do.
25 Hours ago his brothers had told him they were heading out for pizza soon and wondered if he would join them, he had foolishly said no.
He was working on his laptop trying to find out what Baxter Stockman's next move was, the man had been developing some really dangerous tech and it was important they stopped him before he could use it.
24 hours ago the brothers left with a sarcastic goodbye, Donnie had rolled his eyes and kept working.
Before he knew it the next day had arrived and they weren't home.
He went looking for them first, took the usual route they'd go for pizza.
Not a trace of them anywhere.
He then tried to track their phones, nothing. They must have been hacked or something, their last known location was the lair!
Now Donnie sat in his lab in front of his laptop wondering what his next step should be. He wasn't like Leonardo who always had a plan, he had no idea what to do.
At that moment his laptop screen went blue, someone was hacking into his computer. He frowned and leaned forward to stop it only to freeze when a video appeared.
Cautiously he pressed play.
The video fizzled to life to reveal Stockman's face.
"Hello Donatello!" He cackled, "I see you've been busy trying to hack into my system!"
Donnie narrowed his eyes.
"Well, that's awfully naughty of you! And so impolite! I've decided to send you an invitation to come over to my lab and see what I'm building for yourself!" The man grinned,
"As if, what an obvious trap." Donnie rolled his eyes,
"I'm sure your big, but not as big as mine, brain is thinking 'This is a trap, why should I come over?'" Baxter came uncomfortably close to the lens. "Well, let me share another secret with you!"
Donnie gasped as Baxter's head moved out the way to reveal his three brothers locked in a cage together, they looked furious.
"Your brothers are here! They're loving the party!" He laughed.
"This isn't a party dude!" Mikey's voice halted the breath in Donnie's chest. "There's no music or food or decorations!"
"My decorations haven't arrived yet," Baxter replied, "Your brother isn't here for his blood to decorate the walls."
Raphael grabbed the bars of the cage and shook them viciously.
"Donnie!" Leo looked straight into the camera and right at Donnie, "Don't you dare come here! We'll be ok, we'll work something out! Stay safe-"
Baxter's head appeared again, he could no longer see his brothers.
"Come get them and don't take too long," Baxter smirked, "I'd hate to get bored and need... entertaining."
The video ended.
Donnie sat in stunned silence, his brothers were being used as bait. He hated to think what Baxter had planned for him.
Soon enough a location popped up on his screen.
Classic abandoned warehouse.
Donnie frowned as he thought, Leo had specifically told him to stay put but, how could he? They were in trouble!
"Sorry Leo," Donnie sighed as he stood up and grabbed his bo, "I can't just sit here and do nothing... I have to play his stupid game."
He pulled out his phone to mark the location only to find the pop up on his screen, Baxter had hacked the phones. That's why he couldn't track his brothers, Baxter hadn't wanted him finding them too soon.
He ran out the lair and straight for the warehouse, it was a short journey. He doubted his brothers had gotten very far before they had been snatched.
The warehouse was silent except for Raphael's shouting. Donnie stayed in the shadows for a moment to survey the situation, which was easy because it was almost pitch black! Just the light of the moon and the city seeped through the windows casting looming shadows.
Baxter was nowhere to be found, the only movement came from the cage his brothers were trapped in.
"Stop hiding asshole!" Raph yelled, "Lemme out and I'll show you what happens when you threaten my brother!"
"Raph. Calm down." Leo sighed, "Donnie's safe at home."
Don felt a pang of guilt.
"He won't stay home Leo," Mikey looked up from where he was sitting at his two standing brothers. "He's not gonna just abandon us in a cage."
Donnie glanced around, where was Stockman hiding.
He shimmied along the wall to get a better view but still no sign of the mad scientist.
His brothers were now scanning their surroundings with a tense silence.
"Someone's here." Leo breathed.
"Show yourself!" Raph growled.
Donnie rolled his eyes, his brothers were going to give him away.
"Shhh!" He hissed, his brothers looked both happy yet worried at the sound of his voice. "Where's Baxter?"
The brothers shared a look before shrugging.
"Coward left." Raph hissed back, "Figured he had time."
"Time to do what?" Donnie breathed, keeping himself hidden.
"Don't know," Leo replied quietly, "You need to go before he comes back."
"I need to know what he's planning."
"We don't know, he was just wandering around rambling" Mikey looked around the warehouse, "There wasn't even his exosuit thingy"
Donnie's frown deepened.
"I'll get you guys out then we'll go." Donnie nodded, he stepped forward quietly so the light only brushed his lower legs gently. He waited to see if anything happened.
Nothing.
He could see his brothers were now standing to their full attention, they looked tense.
"Careful," Leo breathed anxiously, "Be ready for anything."
"You guys warn me if you see anything." Donnie replied as he slowly slunk out from the shadows.
The brothers nodded.
He kept his body low and poised as he crept closer to his brothers. He slipped into another shadow being cast by one of the concrete pillars, he was so close now!
He stepped out of the shadow ready to make a dash for the cage when a red spotlight shone over him. He froze on the spot and looked up while trying to shield his eyes.
"RUN!" Leo commanded,
Donnie was about to do as his leader said when a loud voice stopped him.
"Don't you dare! You move and your brothers die!" It was Baxter.
Donnie stood up straight.
"Show yourself you dramatic coward!" He demanded, trying to look braver than he was actually feeling.
"Be nice." Baxter warned. Donnie grit his teeth at the patronising tone.
The brothers watched him worriedly.
He looked over at them and gave them a reassuring nod.
"Ok..." He said in as calm a voice he could, "I'm where you want me... I'm not gonna do anything. Just tell me what you want."
"What do I want?" Baxter repeated with a humourless chuckle. "I want you dead!"
Donnie glared up at the red light.
"That's it? There's no real reason for any of this?"
"I worked for the Shredder and he gave me so many opportunities, I got to work with tech far more advanced than I'd ever seen! Tech from dimension X, actual alien tech!" Baxter explained excitedly, emphasising how amazing he thought the Kraang tech was. Then his tone turned dark, "Then Master Shredder and the Kraang saw what you did with the same tech and less resources, they compared me to you over and over again!"
Donnie tensed.
"They wanted rid of me! They wanted you instead, a nobody, disgusting mutant!" Baxter chuckled darkly. "When I bring them your broken dead body they will see which of us is superior."
"IF YOU TOUCH MY BROTHER-" Raphael's threat was cut short.
"Touch? Ha! I'm gonna do so much more than touch! I will break every bone, tear every muscle and drain every last drop of blood from his body!" Baxter screeched. "And I will enjoy every minute of it!"
"NO!" The brothers yelled.
Donnie looked at his brothers, he wondered if they would make it out.
A giant metal hand swung through the air, Donnie saw it too late. It smacked him full force and sent him soaring into the wall on the other side of the warehouse.
He tumbled to the ground as the world spun, faintly he felt dust sprinkle over him from the now broken wall. He groaned as he struggled to look over.
"Donnie!" Mikey called to him. "Please tell me you're alive!"
The whole warehouse was bathed in red light.
"Donnie!" Leo yelled, "Answer us!"
Donnie shook his head as Baxter's cackles echoed around him.
"Hey Baxter!" He growled. "You wanna kill me?"
Another hand swung at him but he dodged to the side.
"Fine! But let my brothers go!" Donnie growled as he almost tripped on a bit of wall.
"If I let them go you'll run!" Baxter snapped. "They stay here until you're dead! You have my word they'll be released after."
Donnie looked over at the cage before shaking his head.
"Not good enough." He growled as he strolled forward, bo in hand. "Your word means nothing! You won't release them you'll hand them over to Shredder!"
Another hand came at him he jumped and landed on top of it and began climbing up the mechanism.
A missile came soaring towards him, he waited before backflipping off the hand as the missile hit it. The hand was destroyed.
"You think you can beat me?" Baxter growled as Donnie landed, his shell hit the bars of the cage. His brothers rushed closer to him
"I have to," He growled. "I won't let you hurt them!"
"Donnie!" Leo snapped, Donnie looked over his shoulder at his three brothers. "You have to go!"
Donnie shook his head.
"No way!"
He tensed in preparation, he heard heavy metallic footsteps marching towards him.
Two huge feet appeared, his eyes trailed up the thick legs to the heavily armed torso, the arms were as thick as the legs and looked to have both blades and blasters installed. The head was thick metal with a glass front revealing Baxter controlling the beast.
Donnie studied the robot with a mix of emotions, he glanced at his Bo staff and almost laughed.
There was no way in hell he was beating this thing alone armed with a wooden staff.
He would die here, but that didn't mean his brothers had to suffer for it.
He yelped as the robot's arms stretched towards him, they were faster than they looked! He leapt away from them but they swept towards him and connected with his shell before he could move out of their way.
He once again was thrown through the air.
The minute he hit the floor a metal hand grabbed him and squeezed him hard, he was lifted up and held before Baxter.
His brothers yelled in name in horror.
"Stockman, this is stupid!" Donnie growled, he breathed to calm down. He looked straight at the mad scientist as sincerely as he could. "Look, we both know you've got me beat. There's no way I can fight this thing but if you release my brothers, I'll make it real easy for you! No dodging, no running, I won't even fight back. Just let. Them. Go."
Baxter studied him for a moment, the hand pulled Donnie closer until he was almost smashed against the glass.
"You drive a hard bargain," Baxter nodded before grinning maliciously, "But it will be so satisfying having your brothers watch you fall, I want them to scream at me as you breathe your last breath!"
Donnie's eyes widened.
"I used to think you were a normal guy..." The boy gaped. "I thought you were jealous and angry but figured that you weren't... a villain, a murderer. I was wrong."
"Yes, you were!" Baxter glared at Donnie before pulling a lever, the hand tightened around Donnie and effectively cut off his breathing.
The turtle struggled desperately as his ribs and shell creaked.
He could hear his brothers begging for him to be let go.
Donnie tried to think of a way out, he realised one of the fingers felt loose on the hand. He twisted a little and used his leg to push at it and soon enough it snapped off and fell to the ground with a clatter, he then wriggled himself down through the hand and out the hole. He landed on all fours as he coughed, he glared up at Baxter as he got his breath back.
"You're a waste!" He spat, "You're clearly intelligent and you've got the added benefit of being a human!"
He threw himself backwards as a fist slammed down where he was crouching.
"There is so much good you could do but you're wasting your time working for a nutjob who'll kill you for the slightest mistake!" He dodged yet again. "And trying to kill some nobody mutant that no one will ever notice is gone!"
He ran around the back of the robot causing it to spin on the spot, he then slid under the legs and kicked it as it leaned forward. It fell over with a crash as it lost its centre of balance.
"What the hell is the point?" Donnie growled, "You're not even a good villain! You have no motive other than being embarrassed about not being as good as I am! Who cares? If anything, you're better than me because you have the opportunity for people to see and actually use your work!"
Baxter struggled to get the robot back to his feet.
"Publicity doesn't matter." The human ground out.
"What? Your self-confidence is that low that a mutant makes you wanna cry?" Donnie mocked. "Get a life Baxter!"
"Donnie!" Leo warned, "Don't piss him off more than he already is! Do you have a death wish!?"
Don rolled his eyes as Baxter's robot faced him.
"Shut up!" Baxter screamed, "All my life I've been nothing to anyone! I've always been the smartest in the room but what's the point of that if nobody even knows you're there?"
Donnie glared at the human, he forced himself to calm down once again. Maybe he could get him to see sense.
"I know how you feel believe me. I can't reveal myself to humans to even begin finding someone like me, I've only ever had my family and while I do love them... " He hesitated, "I know how lonely it can be having no one to talk to, to feel like no one would care if you disappeared but this is not the way to make yourself seen!"
Baxter had his head bowed, Donnie couldn't tell if he was getting through to him or not,
He swallowed nervously.
"If you made technology that helped people, you could become the most famous man in the world. You wouldn't be hated, you would be admired and rewarded for your abilities." Donnie flinched when Baxter looked straight at him. "You can literally build robots! You could make them into healthcare assistants that help save lives in hospitals, you could build company for those who live alone... You could do so much good but you're choosing to waste your time with the foot."
Baxter was breathing heavily as he released the controls for the robot.
"We could help you out of the foot, protect you from Shredder!" Donnie stepped closer, "But you have to make your choice today... I don't give second chances."
He could feel the tension in the air.
"This is your chance to get out." Donnie continued. "If you make the wrong choice you'll continue to be a nobody, hated by mutants and eventually killed by the Shredder."
"And you four would help me? Keep the Shredder from killing me?" Baxter asked weakly.
Donnie nodded.
"Of course!" Leo joined in from behind. "We protect the good guys!"
Baxter looked deep in thought, Donnie dared to relax for a moment. His head was quick to go through his options of how to destroy the bot if Baxter chose wrong.
He was so lost in thought he didn't notice Baxter's hand slowly moving back to the controls.
Donatello looked up as the metal arm swung at him, he tried to leap out the way but it caught his legs. He was flipped to the side but he managed to land on his feet.
"Nice try!" Baxter smirked, "Really, you almost convinced me!"
"Fine." Donnie stood up straight, his brothers cringed at the fury on his face, "Just remember Baxter, you made your decision. Now you have to live with the consequences."
He ran at the robot and slid under it again, he whacked it's back with his staff. He pushed his hidden blade out and slashed at the metal, it barely made a scratch.
He climbed up one of the legs and up the side of the body, he then held onto one of the arms as the other swung down. He moved away as the arm was severed.
"ARRGHHH!" Baxter cried out with frustration, then used his remaining arm to punch Donnie off the robot. The poor turtle was mercilessly slammed into the wall, he fell to the ground when he was released.
"Donnie!" Raph yelled as he pushed himself against the bars, "Get up!"
Donnie breathed, at least 2 of his ribs were cracked if not broken. He struggled to his aching legs, he was bruised all over and his head was aching. He shifted only to cringe, his shoulder had been dislocated. He put it back in place expertly, he had to learn how to in case of this very situation.
He grit his teeth as the robot charged at him, he waited before dodging. The robot slammed into the wall breaking the glass protecting Baxter.
"Enough!" Baxter growled.
This was the moment Donnie had been waiting for. Baxter released a missile which whizzed right for Donnie, the turtle ran leading the missile around the warehouse. He launched himself onto the robot's back, he knew he wouldn't have enough time to get a safe distance away.
He dropped as the missile collided.
There was a distant ringing in his ears, everything hurt. He could feel burns all over his body and ash shifting, he opened his eyes tiredly to see a grey ceiling and a pillar of smoke to his left.
He cringed as he heard his brothers screaming his name in fear. He first looked over at them to see they were pale and scared, looking straight at him.
He then looked over at the robot, it was just a pile of broken metal now. He could see Baxter struggling to free himself from it, he struggled to sit up as the world tilted sickeningly.
He breathed heavily to try and get back some of his senses, he struggled to his feet. He could feel warm blood running down the side of his head, he watched dully as Baxter limped away from his robot and looked at him with wide frightened eyes.
"Y-You win!" He whimpered before turning and running for the exit.
Donnie's eyes fell onto the arm he had broken from the robot, he limped over and knelt beside it to see it was a loaded gun. He wasn't about to let Stockman get away with all he had done.
He had imprisoned his brothers, forced him into a trap, refused to release said brothers and instead chose to make them watch as he fought Donnie to the death. Not only that but he had hurt them countless times in the past.
Donnie had given him a fair chance to escape this madness and actually do something with himself. He had turned down his kind offer and would no doubt strike again.
He was getting tired. Tired of fighting the same enemies that seemed to keep coming back.
Donnie aimed the broken robot arm at the man trying to flee, he pressed the wires together and bullets tore through the lithe body. The man fell onto his stomach.
"D-Donnie..." Mikey whimpered from within the cage, "What did you do?"
Donnie limped over and opened the cage before stumbling over to check the body, his brothers followed behind.
Baxter was dead.
"I warned him," Donnie glared coldly at the corpse, "I don't give second chances."
They looked down at the body. Donnie closed his eyes as he felt the adrenalin leave him, he swayed on the spot only for Leo and Raph to grab onto him.
"You ok?" Leo asked in alarm, Donnie shook his head.
"Concussion, burns, possibly broken ribs, lots of bruising... my arm was dislocated earlier... needs wrapped." Donnie informed them weakly, he shook his head again and quickly scanned over his pale brothers. "Did he hurt any of you?"
"The drug he used to knock us out made Mikey a little sick," Raph shrugged, "But it was you he almost killed."
Donnie nodded, he looked at Mikey.
"Do you feel better now?" He asked gently as he leaned almost his full weight on Leo and Raph.
"No," Mikey shook his head tearfully. "You almost died! We almost got you killed!"
His little brother hugged him gently.
"C'mon," Leo tugged Donnie gently, "We have to get you home, you need a lot of patching up."
Donnie nodded, he smiled as he felt his brothers help him move and soon enough he fell unconscious.
When he next awoke his body was numb and warm tucked up in bed, he glanced around the dim room to see his brothers all sleeping around him. He smiled gently and lifted the covers to check out his bandages, he covered back up and lay in silence.
Mikey sat up as he suddenly woke up, he was breathing heavily and his face looked distraught.
"Hey," Donnie soothed, Mikey looked straight at him and cried in relief.
"You're ok!" The youngest cried as he crawled onto the bed next to Donnie and snuggled into his shoulder. "I just had a nightmare that... Baxter killed you as we tried to escape! He did what you did!"
Donnie hushed his little brother.
"I'm still here... I'm sorry I did that without warning you first." He soothed.
"I don't mind that you killed him, he hurt you... but... You always told us it was bad to end a life." Mikey frowned as he looked into his brother's face, "Why was Baxter different?"
"I don't like ending a life because I see it as a waste." Donnie explained softly, "He had already wasted his life... I gave him a chance to live and realise his potential but he chose to stay the way he was... he only would've tried again if I let him go."
"Very true." Leo nodded, Donnie and Mikey jumped and looked up at their two older brothers who were now awake.
"You did the right thing bro," Raph yawned, "We're just glad you're safe."
"I'm glad you guys are ok too!" Donnie allowed Mikey to help him sit up, "When none of you came home I was so worried, then there was no trace of you and I looked everywhere and nothing!"
The brothers looked at him sadly.
"Sorry we worried you," Leo sighed, "He just came outta nowhere."
Donnie nodded in understanding.
"I reckon he's been planning this for a while," Donnie sighed, "I just... I wish he had taken my offer."
"You tried," Leo frowned, "That's all you can do."
Donnie nodded silently, he was still in a lot of pain.
Leonardo seemed to sense this and soon handed a pain killer over, Donnie took it gratefully.
"I wish I coulda killed him," Raph growled, "I should've done something to stop him... "
"You guys have got to stop feeling guilty." Donnie rolled his eyes with a laugh, "Relax, it's not your fault!"
The brothers blush sheepishly.
"Hey," Mikey grinned, "Thanks for saving us Donnie!"
"No problem." Donnie smirked, the brothers shared a gentle hug.
"Get some sleep brainiac," Raph nodded as he and Leo stood up. "We'll be nearby if you need anything."
The two youngest brothers watch the older ones leave. Mikey smiled at Donnie.
"I'm gonna stay here with you tonight," He nodded before turning awkward. "I mean... if you're ok with that!"
"Of course," Donnie chuckled as Mikey settled down next to him, "It'll be nice to have some company."
Soon enough the two drifted off to sleep, happy that their family was together again.
Thank you for reading! x