"I thought the day would never end," Casey grumbled as they left Roosevelt High School. April said nothing as she walked beside him, her blue eyes holding a distant haunted look in their depths. "You okay, Red?" Casey asked in concern.
"I'm just worried about the guys," April answered.
"Don't worry Red," Casey said encouragingly. "We'll get 'em back. And we'll hit that asshole Shredder where it hurts."
"I just hope things aren't as bad as I fear they are." April sighed.
It was now Casey's turn to remain quiet. While he wasn't the most observant of people in existence, he still could pick up hints, tonal shifts, and subtle implications. During that time, the Turtles had gone on their three-day hiking trip he had hoped to have some quality time with April, such as being able to get to know her in ways that he never would be able to with the Turtles around the farm house, particularly Donnie. To know how her lips and her body tasted…maybe even going far enough to be her first...if she was interested in going that far.
However, the three days didn't go as he had hoped they would. During the time they were left alone at the farmhouse, April mostly kept to herself. He would spar with her when they trained and they joined each other for meals. But other than that...she would be out walking by herself in the woods or she'd be in her room. And occasionally she would look out towards the woods as though expecting the Turtles to return…or rather a certain Turtle to return.
While Donnie had moved more from being a rival for April's affections to more of a platonic friend, Casey knew there was more than what was on the surface. And even a squash brain like him could see April had made a choice among her suitors. She hadn't officially said her choice and at times, it felt like she was second guessing herself. Either because she was too afraid to hurt the one who would be friend-zoned, or because she was afraid of her choice being the wrong one for her. But there was a certainty that she had made a decision. He wanted to confront her and demand who she liked more...but he knew from personal experience that would on distress her more.
"Let's go grab my gear and check with Splinter," Casey suggested after a moment. "Maybe he's gotten in contact with Leo through that meditation mumbo-jumbo they like doing."
"Perhaps," April said. "Maybe he's contacted, Mr. Kurtzman. We're going to need muscle like
Slash and Leatherhead to help save them."
Splinter paced the Dojo worriedly. He had contacted Kurtzman and the Mutanimals, and they said they were on their way. However, the contact he had with Leonardo moments before distressed him. From what his eldest son had told him, the four of them were being kept apart from one another, and Leonardo was only able to have some contact with Donatello. While the blue-masked turtle was not being harmed,...at least not yet he knew bad things were being done to his brothers. Even when his first son had suddenly dropped the connection he had with his father, Splinter could still feel a sense of overwhelming distress and worry come from his son's mind along with a flash of Donatello's face. A clear sign that his intelligent, gentle hearted son was being harmed at that moment or was about to be.
"Pizza bread!" The voice of Pigeon Pete filled the lair. Splinter immediately arrived at the dojo entrance to greet his guests. The mutant pigeon was merrily pecking at a discarded pizza crust of one of Michelangelo's pizzas. The other three mutants immediately turned their attention to the rat master.
"We came as soon as we heard," Rockwell stated.
"Thank you for your swift arrival my friends." Splinter greeted "As you all are aware…Shredder has taken my sons as his prisoners. And they are suffering at his hands at this very moment."
"I owe Shredder more than a few bruises for what he did to me and the Doc," Slash answered as he clenched his hands around the handle of his morning star. "And then some for Raphael."
"Any harm done to Michelangelo will be answered in kind, by me!" Leatherhead growled.
"We must move swiftly…I fear my son's time grows short." Splinter agreed.
"We're with you, Splinter!" Casey crowed as he entered the lair with his vigilante attire. A hockey mask spray painted to resemble a skull was covered his face. April walked in behind him, her eyes clearly showing a determination that she won't let her friends die without a fight.
Splinter appraised the two teens apprehensively. April's skills had improved greatly since he trained her...but she was still not ready to undergo her ninja trial. A task he had seen his sons perform and pass to earn their status as ninja. While Casey was a wild spirit who wanted to make a difference, but didn't always consider his action before he did them, a trait that reminded Splinter of Oroku Saki when he had been young. But they also were valued allies and had helped his son many times in their missions. The elder rat finally nodded
"Let's Go!" Pete squawked. "Operation: Turtle Rescue...Move out!"
Leo paced back and forth in agitation. He could hear Donnie counting to himself which was a sign he was trying to calm down, but every five or so numbers would be punctuated by Donnie snorting back mucus or wipe away tears. Pausing in his pacing Leo placed his hand against the wall. It was the closest point he could get to his brother. Resting his forehead against it the was, he wished he could will the wall to disappear so that he could comfort his brother. What bothered him more is that he didn't know what was being done...what had been done to his other brothers. If they were willing to whip and beat Donnie like a dog, what more are these monsters doing to Raph and Mikey. His team was falling apart piece by piece and if they weren't rescued soon, they were not likely to survive for much longer.
There was the buzz followed by the hiss of a door and a the gruff sounding snarl of Rahzar was the only thing Leo could hear.
"The master has need of one of you turtles," Rahzar's voice was a craggy whisper. "And you're the lucky one he picked. You can come along quietly…you can make it fun for struggle."
Leo's eyes widened in alarm. They were taking Donnie to the Shredder!
"You're going to play things my way? Is that it?" Rahzar cackled. "I'm okay with that!"
There was a sudden roar from Rahzar, Leo didn't know what was happening, but he knew is was a struggle. A struggle where Donnie was at a clear disadvantage. Even if Donnie hasn't been starved and severely beaten, Rahzar would have still proven to be a challenge.
"Let me, go!" Donnie yelled."Let go!" Donnie suddenly yelled as it sounded like he was being shaken back and forth before he was thrown into a wall with a sickening sounding crack The only sound was the sound of Rahzar's heavy breathing, and a pain filled groan from Donnie before he heard the mutant dog howl in triumph as he gave his breathy laugh.
"When Master Shredder's done with ya, maybe he'd let me have you as a tasty snack."
"Donnie…" Leo whispered in mortified horror. Donnie was being taken to the Shredder, he didn't know what reasons the madman had for taking his brother. But whatever they were, they couldn't be good.
The door to his cell opened as Bebop entered the room with Rocksteady close behind. Leonardo at once got into a fighting stance. He may have been unarmed, and stressed. But he was not going to just stand down and allow himself to be treated like an animal for their sick pleasure.
"Looky here, the Turtle thinks he can lick the two of us!" Bebop crowed.
"Da…" The Russian Rino answered. "But we not here for the fighting...we take Turtle to see his brothers." Leo blinked and started to drop his stance, but not his guard. They were here to take him to his brothers...but what for. Wasn't the purpose of keeping them apart to break them and their sense of unity? Having him reunite with his brothers would only strengthen it.
"Now be a good boy," Bebop crooned condescendingly as he held out a small cloth sack that wasn't unlike a pillow case.. " And put this bag over ya head. We don't need you rememberizing where your bro's are."
Leo reluctantly took the bag and looked at it. He didn't trust it and this whole visit thing seemed too easy. What sort of game was the Shredder playing?
"I want to see Donnie," Leo commanded.
"Nyet," Rocksteady snorted. "That be unpossible. The Shredder wants to have word with him"
"More like slit his throat!" Leo shot back.
"You'll see brain-boy eventually," Bebop said with a derisive laugh. "Though I can't guarantee what condition he'd be in, I would wager it to be ...some assembly required."
"Right, Comrade Bebop" Rocksteady laughed in agreement. "Maybe he'll be missing a few of the pieces."
Leo grit his teeth as the two mutants were joking about what Donnie could be going through right now. If he had his swords he could swear he would gut them right then and there.
He sighed through his nose as he struggled to keep his rage in check. He was being told he was going to see Raph and Mikey he had to focus on that and have faith that Donnie would be able to endure whatever awaited him. Looking looked back at the bag that was innocently being held in his hands. He didn't like this and he knew he was not going to like what he was going to find. At least he'd be able to inform his other brothers of his conversation with Splinter and of where Donnie had been taken. That would at least give them some hope or the drive to escape. Apprehensively he placed the bag over his head. The bag was stuffy and made breathing a little difficult, but not impossible. He felt Bebop come up behind him and lead him out of the room.
While the blue-masked Turtle couldn't see where he was being led, Leo still let his mind track where they were going so he had a mental map of where things were so he could work backwards if he had to. They had taken a left from whatever cell he had been removed from, and then a right...then another left...another left...a right and then finally a stop.
Bebop let go of him and seemed to walk away while Rocksteady fumbled with the door release to whatever cell they had stopped at. Leo risked the chance to peek out from beneath the bag for a few seconds while the two goons were distracted. Quickly scanning the area to the door hiss open, Leo immediately dropped the bag back over his eyes. From what he was able to glean, he could safely assess that they were in Stockman's lab. This could help him develop an escape plan, now it was only a matter of getting his brothers out.
"You have visitor, Turtle Freak," Rocksteady said before he pushed Leonardo into the room. Leo felt the bag being torn off his head as he stumbled forward."Enjoy the family reunion!" The blue-masked Turtle glared at the two mutants as the door closed. His eyes quickly darted around the room to assess his surrounding when they suddenly landed on green figure lying prone on the ground. His ocean blue eyes widened in horror.
Raph grimaced in pain as his eyes slowly opened. He could feel a shudder pass through his shelled frame as he slowly began to sit up.
"Oh man, I've got to remember to ask Donnie about his secret," Raph quipped to himself with bitter sarcasm. "How can he even stand getting electrocuted on a daily basis?"
Rahzar and Fishface had walked in and had started taunting him.
"Awww…is the Turtle suffering from a tummy ache?" Fishface mockingly crooned.
"Go…get caught…by a hook!" Raph growled angrily. Rahzar laughed with some amusement at this statement. Raphael didn't care why they were here or what they wanted. All he wanted was that they just did what they came for and leave. He wasn't in the mood to deal with them.
"You think yourself clever, turtle?!" Fishface hissed angrily at Raph's statement.
"No…" Raph snarled. "I think I might be needing some fish oil for the indigestion i'm feeling. Just do what you are here for and leave." He quickly regretted that bravado as two mousers marched into the room. The bipedal robots meowed as metal tentacles snaked out of their open mouths and wrapped around his body. He didn't resist as his stomach was still roiling with displeasure whenever he moved.
"Stockman rigged this up just for you." Fishface said, "You should be careful what you say...or you may wind up as Bolinos de Bacalhau." Raph screamed as the volts passed through his body, over and over and over again. The two thugs laughing as they watched Raph scream out in pain until finally he fell into the bliss of unconsciousness.
Even now his muscles felt numb from all the shocks he had undertaken. The areas around where the metal coils had been were covered in second degree burns. Blisters had formed on the skin of his arms, legs, and neck while the areas of his shell had been discolored. His breath was coming in short uneven gasps as his heart beat so rapidly he felt it would bust out of his plastron.
"MIKEY!"
He thought he could hear Leo's voice. But that couldn't be...the only person he could hear was Mikey.
"Mikey, hang on. Oh, gods, what did they...why?"
"Leo…?" Mikey softly said. There was pain in his tone and a tiredness, as though he wished everything would just end
"Mikey…" Leo said with a small sob in his voice as though he was trying to keep himself from breaking. "I'm so sorry."
"Leo…" Mikey soothed. "It's okay...I'll heal...just seeing you and having you here makes me feel so much better already." Leo said something that sounded hardly more than a whisper, probably so the Foot wouldn't overhear it.
"Have you heard anything about D or Raph?" Mikey asked.
"I don't know anything about Raph," Leo answered though he seemed distressed. "But D...he was, oh gods. He was beaten...and then before I was brought to see you Rahzar came and took him to the Shredder. I don't know anything beyond that."
Mikey whimpered in fear for whatever fate had befallen his immediate older brother.
"Donnie's strong, Mikey" Leo said calmly though he sounded like he was trying to convince himself of this fact. "He'll be just fine." Raph mentally cursed his weakness. He didn't like the thought of his genius younger brother suffering at the hands of that monster. Or any of his brothers for that matter
~Just hang on, Don.~ He mentally tried to convey to his brother as he closed his eyes and returned to unconsciousness.
