The crackle of a radio drew the mutant turtle back to the situation at hand, as he pulled his yellow eyes away from the defenseless woman cradled in his lap. Sweeping his gaze toward the mouth of the alley, he quickly identified the crackling radio not far from the nearest Foot Clan ninja. It wouldn't be long before more of them showed up. If they didn't follow the blood trail, then they would come looking for their missing comrades. It wasn't safe to stay here.
His feet slipped on the blood soaked ground, but he forced his legs under him regardless of the discomfort. Shifting his weight and the weight of his cargo, he rose swiftly and sprinted for the alley entrance; ignoring the unconscious ninjas, forgetting the fallen firearms. The only thing he could think about was getting someplace safe, and preferably underground. It was the safest place he could think of, and the closest. He might have chanced trying to regroup at the Jones' residence if it wasn't on the opposite side of town with a battalion of Foot Ninjas between them. His only true option left was to get her back to the lair as soon as possible.
Blood was still flowing profusely from her wounds and it made him scowl in distaste. He started to shift her weight again, enough to reach for his cellular device, intent on trying to contact his brother and find out what his best course of action would be in stopping or slowing the bleeding. But before he could make more than a whisper of movement, the skitter of approaching ninjas drove him into a panicked state. They were too exposed. They'd be found instantly. Opting to take a chance, he sprang from the alley, darting down the darkened street. He'd barely ducked behind a dumpster when the soft plod of ninjas descending from higher positions sounded outside the alley. "…Too close…" He whispered under his breath, as his yellow gaze shifted from his surroundings back to the woman in his arms. This was not going to be as simple as finding the nearest manhole and disappearing. He was going to have to locate the nearest maintenance tunnel. A feat in itself, he realized.
It seemed luck was not on his side tonight, as more ninjas appeared at the other end of the street. Biting back another hiss, he pressed himself deeper into the shadows, willing himself not to be seen. He was sure it was a fool's hope when a voice suddenly cut through the eerie stillness, sharp as a blade.
"Divisions 2, 13, 15, and 18 have been immobilized." It was a woman's voice,. "The target is still roaming. So find her!" She continued haughtily. Raphael scowled at the familiar voice, but he found himself dumbstruck when the ninjas vanished as suddenly as they'd appeared. He'd been certain they'd been found, and yet… The ninjas hadn't even bothered to search the alley? Confusion twisted his features, but he still removed to move. It was too easy. A loud breath was suddenly loosed, followed suddenly by the words he'd dreaded.
"I know you are hiding there." The woman's voice was cold, devoid of emotion, familiar. Raphael didn't realize he was grinding his teeth until he set the woman carefully from his arms. He needed her safe and out of the way. Once he was sure she wouldn't be easily seen, he drew his weapons and readied himself for a fight. But once more, he found himself dumbstruck by what awaited him. Karai was clearly standing in the middle of the street in front of him, but she had discarded her weapons, and even her radio sat untouched several feet away. It was enough to catch him off guard, as his red-wrapped sais sagged in his hands. He wasn't dumb enough to let the fall completely.
"They are gone." Karai confirmed, lifting her hands to expose her open palms. Surrendering? That'd be a first. Like all the other Foot ninjas; Karai had a tendency to blindly follow her master's orders. With this thought, his fingers tightened around his weapons and his muscles tensed again.
"Please, do not make a scene. They will return." She warned suddenly, poised to take a step closer. "We must leave before they become suspicious." At the words, he found it increasingly difficult to believe Karai was trying to help him in anyway. She had to be planning something, but right now, she also had the advantage. Biting back his own suspicions, he stooped down in order to draw the new mutant into his embrace again. When he arose, Karai had skillfully closed the distance between them and was peering cautiously over her shoulder. When her indigo gaze turned back toward Raphael, she gave a silent nod and indication for him to follow her lead. A flash of agony danced through her midnight eyes so fast, the ninja turtle wasn't even sure he saw as her gaze swept over the unconscious mutant. And not for the first time that night; Raphael wondered just how the mutant had become involved with the Foot Clan and Shredder's lackeys.
Slowly and silently, Karai led the wary ninja from his alcove, occasionally shoving him down a dark alley, but more often into a conveniently placed pile of rubbish without warning. The first few times it happened, the enraged ninja had to bite back his barking disapproval and accusations that Karai had done it for no other purpose than because she was capable of doing so. However, even he had to recognize that she only ever did it right before a cluster of Foot ninjas would appear before their second-in-command. It was either a well-practiced ruse, or Karai – despite his beliefs – was actually trying to help him smuggle the mutant to safety. It didn't seem possible, but the building evidence was beginning to become hard to ignore as Shredder's adopted daughter helped him stagger out of the particularly massive heap of rubble and discarded junk she'd shoved him into mere minutes before.
"Quickly." She instructed fiercely without explanation. Raphael was really getting sick of hearing that word as he once more bit down the urge to tell her he'd move a lot faster if she would quit tripping him and throwing into the nearest garbage pile. And he was beginning to worry about his charge. Being constantly thrown into the midst of a refuse pile was sure not keeping her still-bleeding wounds clean of infection. Helping his brother sterilize them would not be an enjoyable task later.
After another few minutes in which the ninja spent watching the kunoichi's every muscle twitch for signs that she was going to relocate him into yet another junk pile; she instead drew to a sudden stop. It took Raphael only a moment to realize the Foot Clan ninja had escorted him directly to his desired destination. He gaped at her for a moment, but she merely turned to him, that same flicker of agony and shame dancing through her dark gaze. "I cannot assist you past this point." She whispered, "I am afraid this was all the help I am able to provide." She added, seemingly as an afterthought, before turning away and disappearing into the night.
Still quite mystified by the female ninja's actions, Raphael chose not to question her motive as he too turned away. He quickly scanned the area for signs of an ambush, and when he was satisfied that there were none; sprinted for the maintenance tunnel.
He disappeared into the depths of the subterranean sewer system almost instantly. While a shadow watched from the darkness of a nearby building. "Well done. The Master will be quite pleased." A distinctly male voice crooned with a sinister chuckle as Karai approached.
"The plan was infallible." She concurred, striding past the figure, who merely chuckled again.
Unaware of the exchange, Raphael navigated the familiar twists and turns that ultimately returned him to his subterranean abode. As he slipped expertly past the finely crafted security precautions his brother had placed for their protection, he easily located the hidden entrance and announced his return with a shrill beckoning. "Get your shells out here!"
After a few breathless moments with no response, Raphael wondered if his brothers had even returned yet, or even why their sensei made no appearance, when suddenly the lair erupted into chaos and he was swallowed up by his family's concern and demands for explanation.