Chapter 4: An idea

Donatello groaned as he was dragged over to Stockman's work area. The electric bracelet around his ankle reminded him of his position and how he was a prisoner, no matter what he did. Stockman buzzed around, muttering angrily about having him in his work space.

"If you had managed to create what Master Shredder wanted, then you wouldn't have been replaced so easily," Rahzar growled, shoving Donatello forward. "And you, don't think about running."

"Why would I do that?" Donnie asked, trying to buy himself some time.

"This will happen." Tiger Claw turned around the corner and pressed a button on a remote control. Donnie let out a sharp scream as electricity coursed through his body, causing him to lose his feet and slam into the ground. His body flailed wildly as the electricity ran, his throat was sore from scaring, and his vision began to darken. What was only minutes felt like hours when the shock finally ended. Donatello gasped for air as he clenched his fingers onto the ground, feeling the rough texture.

"As you can see, you have no choice in the matter," Rahzar stated, dragging the turtle back to his feet. As Donnie tried to get his feet back under him, his vision swayed, black spots danced across his eyes.

"You will make a cure for my daughter," Shredder ordered as he walked into the lab, pausing only to gaze into the cage that housed Karai.

"She is not your daughter."

Donnie regretted the words the moment they left his mouth as Shredder flew at his, his steel claws ripping through the air and sinking into his leg. A sharp scream escaped as Shredder twisted slightly as he pulled out, causing as much pain as possible, pushing the turtle back towards the station.

Shredder shock his blade, splattering blood onto the ground. "You are my prisoner, turtle. I hope you remember to watch your tongue or I will have to take it."

Donatello couldn't find the strength to watch as the Shredder left the lab with Tiger Claw and Rahzar close behind. The wound in his leg throbbed painfully and his hand shook slightly from the electric shock. For once, he was glad his brothers were not here alongside him. He could only imagine the kind of torture they would go through if he refused to do Shredder's biding.

With a short inhale, Donnie stumbled over to the mess of a desk. Papers were thrown practically on any available surface in a messy scrawl that he could just barely read. Turning over to the buzzing mutant, Donnie asked, "This is what you're currently working on?"

"Yes, don't move anything too much," Stockman buzzed. Donnie could hear the irritation in his voice. "Imagine me, Baxter Stockman, having to work alongside a turtle."

"I guess I'm smart enough to have caught someone's attention," Donnie murmured, pulling the paper that yesterday's date on it, beginning to scan it and see how far they were on curing Karai themselves.

Stockman laughed as he flew closer, "And now, you're stuck here, like me, doing the work of a mad man. You know, all I wanted was for people to remember my name."

"You haven't done a good job of it," Donnie quipped, knowing the mutant fly was harmless. It appeared that Stockman wasn't even working on a cure. He moved onto the next paper.

"No, I haven't," Stockman mussed, landing on the ground. "When Master Shredder finally got ahold of me, all I wanted since then was return home and apologize to my mother for everything I've put her through. Now, I can't."

Donnie paused in his reading, looking at the mutant, "Why not?"

"Look at me!" He gestured to himself. "I can never go back to a normal life now!"

Donnie couldn't bring himself to talk. Here was a man who had seen the error of his ways and only wanted to apologize to his family. That simple wish had been taken away from him. He felt sorry for him. "If I find a cure, I'll make sure you get some."

"You would do that? For me? Your enemy?"

Donnie nodded. His brothers had always made fun of him for wanting to cure everyone, friend and enemy. They had said he was too soft but he knew what it was like to leave as something that could never walk among humans. Donnie was at peace with his fate, everyone who had been mutated, they could be changed back. It was his own fault it all happened and Donnie was determined to help.

Stockman flew off, making some kind of strangled noise that sounded almost like crying. The purple banded turtle had been the only amount of kindness the fly had seen since he became the Shredder's personal scientist. Donnie flipped through a few more pages before gasping in surprise and horror. The Shredder wasn't working on a cure, he was working on a mind control serum.

Quickly glancing around to make sure Stockman couldn't see, Donnie reached for a pencil and changed a few numbers, knowing that with the error, the serum would never work. That led to another problem. Part of the cure was April's blood. Donnie had told no one about his discovery, not even his brothers or father. He knew one wrong slip and April would be in danger. He could never do that to her. Which meant, Don couldn't cure Karai, even if he wanted to.

Looking through the notes, Donnie got another idea. He couldn't cure her mutation, but he could cure her mind. As he looked at the mind control serum, Don could pull together almost an antidote to her mind, connecting the human to the animal and allowing her to regain control. Maybe if he could talk to her, Karai would be able to help hatch an escape plan, and once they were gone, he could cure her. Donnie nodded to himself as Stockman came flying back. He could work on the cure for her mind. As Donnie asked for a blank sheet of paper, he sent a silent prayer for his family, hoping they were safe.

Author's Note: To clarify, this takes place after the Battle for New York. But I've always thought Stockman was one of those bad guys who is just trying to find his place in the world and took a wrong turn. I'd think after being mutated, all he wants to do is leave. Shout out to Livvie13, Turtle Lover101, and Pilyarquitect for the reviews!