Worlds Below
Disclaimer: I deny any ownership of any character used in this story. The turtles and their friends, enemies are owned by Mirage. Beauty and the Beast Characters are owned by Ron Koslow. I own absolutely nothing. Kinda sad huh?
Author's Note: When I started this chapter, almost a month ago, I had visions of it being more action, more of the fight scenes for the latter part of the story. Then life intruded as it often does and a lot of what I had planned I just didn't feel like writing at that time. Now, that part of the story has sort of changed, less fighting and action but I couldn't get it right. Sorry, I'm afraid this is as good as it's going get. R
Chapter Nine:
It took some time, all of them dreading the passing days, running themselves ragged to search down any clue, not a single member leaving anything to chance. Father concerned for Vincent's disappearance had stayed up late, organizing and speaking to as many members, both in and out of the tunnels, as possible. "Leave nothing to chance, any rumour or suspicion of it, do your best to check it out or if it is too dangerous at least let someone know of what you have learned." Father urged, "We must find Vincent, at any cost and the sooner the better."
The turtles of course had their own brand of information that they could follow through on. Don was fully aware that he could not hack into any computer run by Bishop, or his members simply due to the secure information that was stored there, and those keeping that information longed to have it strictly confidential, made hacking into the computers darn near impossible. Nine times out of ten if Don had tried such an approach he might only end up losing valuable information of his own.
Don however had other resources to use and follow through on. Such as planting a device on any of Bishop's helicopters or other transport if they could find it. Don also went to where Leatherhead had lived, until their friend had disappeared, and with his brothers help searched through the mutant gator's home in search of any clue, or remote possibility of where Vincent was at the moment. Leo and Splinter worked together using meditation to reach out and hopefully connect with Vincent.
So it was that little was left to chance, and everyone did everything within their capabilities to track down Vincent, each of them aware that every passing day without an answer was another day of torture and trouble for a friend. Yet, none of them gave up hope for there was a chance and as Catherine put it, one evening while they gathered in father's library, "There is hope for Vincent for I still feel him very strongly we do have a bond."
Splinter arched his eye ridges at these words, "Perhaps Miss Chandler, you might be willing to assist Leonardo and I in a small exercise" The Ninja Master hinted. "If your bond is sufficient enough to permit you to know he is alive, then perhaps Leonardo and I can connect to it and use it to find Vincent," Splinter explained more fully.
Catherine nodded "Sure, but what do I have to do?" She wondered.
"It is simple really Catherine all you have to do is relax and think about Vincent, Master Splinter and I can do the rest." Leonardo replied.
Father chuckled when he heard these words from the blue masked turtle, " I'm sure that is nothing too difficult" he teased lightly, his eyes sparkled ever so slightly, though he like many of the other tunnel dwellers were tired and exhausted from searching out every possible clue they had come across.
Catherine ducked her head, her blond hair falling in front of her face hiding the blush that came there.
Splinter smiled, "There is no need to be embarrassed about your feelings, they are admirable and it gives me hope that if someone such as you, Miss Chandler can care so for Vincent, then there is a chance that my sons, too, will not have to be alone."
With Catherine's help and the two mutants focused in meditation as they were, this time, Splinter and Leo both got information that let them know where Vincent was hiding.
"He's still in New York, he hasn't left for area 51 as of yet." Leo gasped as he came out of meditation.
"So it would seem, my son, but what better place to hide then under our nose, and it is highly possible that Bishop feels that what needs to be done can be done efficiently enough without resorting to going elsewhere and what ever it is, it may still be a part of a larger plan." Splinter agreed.
"A larger plan that we can't permit to be used, not if Vincent is a part of his schemes, and I'm sure he is." Leo admitted.
"Where is he?" Father demanded.
"In a base set under the water of the Hudson river," Leo answered. "Looks like we have some work to do, and I best get April and Casey to help us."
"I will be joining you too my Son," Splinter declared, "for we can leave nothing to chance not where Bishop is concerned." Splinter said, no more but his thoughts were on his own son and how badly this man Bishop had hurt him. Splinter had never felt such anger, mixed in with fear as he had at that one time.
Father scowled, he knew that these new found friends were probably best suited for the whole mission, and he doubted there was little if anything at all, that they could do. "Send messages if you learn of anything, or need assistance of any kind that we might be able to help with; we will have every extra person available listening on the pipes for word from you."
"We will father," Leo bowed to the old man, " tonight we will insure that your son returns to you."
Waiting had irked all of the turtles, especially as they were all fully knowledgeable of what Bishop was capable of. Though it had rankled at Leo the most, and now the leader, of the team vowed silently to himself that he would not return without Vincent, that it was time, indeed well past time, to restore honour. A ninja was fully aware when to be patient but also there was a time for patience to end, while the time to strike had not yet come it would soon be at hand.
XXX
"We can't waste any more time, and we are all aware of the precaution and security Bishop normally has we just have to use what is best. The base has to lie somewhere around this area." Don pointed to a section on a map, he glanced at April, "If you can cause some false alarm, or interference about five minutes after we hit the water it may give us a slight advantage, not much but we have to use what we've got."
"I'll see what I can do Don." April promised.
"No matter what this is not going be a piece of cake." Leo muttered.
"We have no other choice though Leo," Raph reminded his brother.
"I'm aware of that, but still going in blind this feels...too much like a trap" Leo muttered his misgivings.
"Wouldn't be the first time" Mike sighed, "C'mon let's go get Vincent." Mike pleaded.
Don packed a bag of some possible useful items they could use once inside of Bishop's base, and then they gathered in the van and drove down to the river, stopping a good four miles away or more from the site of the base, and as an extra precaution on the opposite side from where they figured the base to be.
"Good luck guys and be careful" April said as she watched the turtles leave the van and head towards the river's edge, Casey at their side. He too, was suited up for diving in the cold water, he was to be the main distraction to dive in and act like he was planting bombs on the base, simply to distract and possibly lure some of the fun away from the turtles who wanted to sneak in. It was a risky plan, but Casey had not wanted to be left out of the fun and had insisted on helping out somehow and all of the mutants were very much aware, that if Casey was denied, he would show up any ways and possibly get himself into more trouble then he could get out of, and so it was decided to work Casey into the plan, and at least have an idea of where and what their friend was up to.
Infiltrating the underwater base, would not be easy for the turtles and their Master, and they knew there was no possible way to sneak into the base totally unobserved, the best they could do was cut down on some of the problem by using their friend as a distraction, and by going for less obvious means of getting in and out again.
Hiding in the shadows of the banks, one could see a definite area that clearly looked as if it had been built or changed to accommodate something fairly new, yet still keep it hidden. Many people may have passed it by, but the turtles, being ninja and well trained, were observant in such things and so they knew it for what it was. Keeping to the debris that littered the river the floor, allowing Casey to make his move. It wasn't long before some other divers came out to inspect what the lone diver was doing near their site.
The turtles moved in to where they had seen the drivers emerge, and making their way quickly into the closing door. Water flushed out of the system through some vents and they felt as if the small room they were in was going up. Don looked around "Some form of elevator, but I don't think we will be going too high up. Not enough room on the ceiling for all of us to hide there."
"Mike, Raph get your weapons ready" Leo ordered, "When the doors open get ready to get out fast."
Mike grinned a bit his body tensed as he waited, the room came to a sharp halt, but Mike had been expecting it and only rocked a little on the balls of his feet. As the door swung open Mike darted out nunchuk swinging, Raph jumped, curling his body into an agile flip, dropping down in the hallway his left hand punched out at a guard moving in, the hilt of his weapon hitting the person hard in the face. There were only five or six guards in the hallway, perhaps waiting to deploy out of the hidden base.
It was clear they hadn't been expecting an attack for they didn't have any weapons ready, and by the time they realized the situation at hand it was far too late to call an alarm or remedy the fact. Leo grabbed one guy that hadn't been totally knocked unconscious in the fray and brought the man around to get an answer "Where is Bishop?" Leo growled, as he held the man in front of his sneering face.
Raph growled, "Give him to me Leo, let's send him down to the water and Don can rig the elevator to be his watery tomb."
Don cracked his knuckles "It would be my pleasure."
The captured guard rolled his eyes, he was used to the rough treatment, he could handle torture it was part of their training after all, but the sight of the four turtles, and rumours of what they had done in other situations, plus his own self preservation kicking in the man caved "Down the hall to the left, straight to a large circular area, behind a red door is the lab. That is where you will find him." He blabbered.
"Awww he talked Leo. He's no fun!" Mike moaned, "And I was going show him how many different things I could do with my chucks."
Leo smiled, "Go ahead and show him." He pushed the man towards Mike.
Mike rapped a chuk handle onto the fellow's head fully knocking him back out, before turning to follow the others to the lab. Mike shuddered slightly as he recalled the time Bishop had held him prisoner, it had only been for a short while, and thank goodness Splinter had arrived, but there was times that memory stirred and would rear it's head. It's different this time though, Mike assured himself, Besides we have to help Vincent. That thought was more then enough to spur Mike along behind his brothers.
As they moved along the hallway they dodged certain guards or other inhabitants of the station, there didn't seem to be a lot of people but, this was most likely a smaller base. The sound of foot steps caused the turtles and Splinter to take refuge where they could, waiting in shadows or on ceilings before moving on. Until they neared the circular room.
Leo went to enter it and found that he could not pass the door way. "Some sort of force field is blocking it, but how do we get it down."
"Using the computers from in there" Don suggested gesturing beyond the door to where a large computer console sat, " Or by the use of an ace in the hole, better known as..." he began, the other smiled and joined in as he said "April." Don pulled out his communicator "April can you hear me. Get a lock on our position and see if you can bring down a force field that is in the surrounding area."
A static filled reply came back "I'll see what I can do give me a minute or two Don."
Splinter's nose wrinkled and his ears twitched ever so slightly back and forth, his brow furrowed as he considered it. "I do not like this my Sons." He declared after a moments thought, "I'm going back to check some of the other doors we passed along the way. If April is successful go forward with caution" he turned and gave Raph a stern look, " All of you heed your instincts and be on your guard." With that said the rat turned and headed back the way they had come.
Splinter paused and checked the first door going back towards the elevator, with an ear cocked to the door, he listened but heard nothing. He softly grasped the door knob in his hand and turned it, as expected it was locked, by a coded pad near the door. Splinter sighed, he had no knowledge of working such devices, if it was just a matter of using a lock pick then that would not deter him for long, but the technology that went into these coded pads were quite beyond him.
The ninja Master moved swiftly to another door and this one was not locked. Splinter entered the room with his cane at the ready, he sensed more then saw the weapon that swung his way, with his walking stick raised the Master blocked it. He heard a click of a gun and with lithe moves, jumped, ducked and darted away and around the fire from the gun. While doing his best to dodge the bullets Splinter was able to get a bead on his attacker. he jammed his staff right towards his opponents belly, then as the guy gasped dropping the gun, and hunching slightly over, Splinter rapped the person on the back of the head.
Assured that the fellow was not about to get up, Splinter checked him for anything that might be of value and saw a form of ID card in a pocket. He chuckled as he pocketed the card and then, scanned the room. There was some furniture off to one side, and some bookcases along the far wall. It didn't look like a great deal. But something just didn't feel moved over to the bookcases and noted one book seemed to stick out from the rest.
' Either this is a trap or it is hiding something,' the rat mused as he looked at the possibilities, standing well back he took his walking cane and knocked the book off the shelf, nothing happened but Splinter could see a device to swipe the card into. 'Before I go any further I think I will go back and get my sons.' he vowed to himself.
Splinter hastened back and got there just as April managed to drop the force field, "Go no further" he commanded sharply, "But follow after me."
Raph snarled, "But..." he began.
"Raphael do not argue. COME!" Splinter countered.
Grumbling and muttering under his breath Raph complied with his mentor, following him to the room where Splinter handed Don the card. Don swiped it and entered a number that he found on the back of the card, a hidden door swung open beyond was Bishop and a battered looking Vincent chained to a table, Vincent was snarling and bearing his teeth as he panted heavily from the torture he'd been undergoing.
"Bishop!" Leo snapped drawing his katana.
The man whirled, "How'd you find your way here?" Bishop wondered.
Splinter chuckled, "Nothing like an old rat to know where the dead ends are in a maze. Donatello, Michaelangelo get Vincent free and out of here."
"You are not taking him." Bishop snapped.
"A sentient being is not yours to keep and torture" Don snapped then his eyes fell on the gator that was mounted on the far side of the room. He gasped slightly, eyes growing round in surprise and painful recognition before they became very hard, and menacing.
Raph charged Bishop with Leo maneuvering around their nemesis to block him from escaping. Splinter used his body to block and cause interference between the two sons who were after Bishop, and the two who were springing Vincent from the chains.
"Come on Vincent, we are getting you home." Mike soothed as he kept a close eye on the battle that was raging on. "Just lean on us."
"I wish I could get a piece of him. He killed Leather head." Don complained.
"I saw but you know we gotta obey Master Splinter, maybe another time bro" Mike sympathized , for he too wanted a bit of Bishop's hide.
Bishop staggered, as he tried to move away from the slashing blow of one of Leo's swords, he managed to slip away behind Leo and ran a foot or two to a computer and pressed a button, just as Raph came up and punched him in the head.
The room suddenly began to fill with water, and Bishop dived into the water.
"Quick after him!" Leo stated sharply.
"No we can't afford to go after him and have Vincent or the rest of us perish in some other trap. Let him go" Splinter advised, though his hair bristled at the very thought. "We must make use of this to get free." The ninja Master took a deep breath of air filling his lungs before diving under the water that was rapidly filling the room.
XXXX
It took a bit to escape and get up into the air, the turtles contacted April and Casey assuring them that the mission was successful and they would assist Vincent home, they then headed for the nearest sewer entrance, they had been traveling through the passages for some time when Vincent paused "Someone is following us." he huffed wearily.
"No way." Leo disputed.
"It is him" Vincent snarled, "I feel it. He wants me." Vincent trembled.
Splinter coughed from the river water he swallowed, "I have thought that I sensed something too. But..." he shrugged before leaning heavily against his walking cane.
Vincent nodded, "Bring him to the abyss, lure him there if you can. I will meet you there and care for the rest." Vincent declared, though exhausted and hurting, Vincent knew he had to protect his family and he called upon his own reserves and massive strength to see him through this last bit. He moved off not in his normal pace but still pushing himself to move as fast as possible.
The turtles nodded to each other, knowing they had to lure whoever was following them, and at the same time allow Vincent enough of a chance to reach the destination. Don had a feeling he knew what Vincent had planned at the abyss but he would not know for sure until they arrived. Knowing what was necessary the turtles went a round about way, at one point Don took a different turn from his brothers and traveled the sewer pipes to get around and behind, catching sight of the person who followed them.
His lips tightened and he then moved off towards his brothers, "It is Bishop." Don whispered upon catching up.
"That surprises you?" Mike asked.
"No, not at all." Don admitted wearily.
"Let's start to run." Leo replied simply, he like the rest of his brothers was aware that they were drawing near the abyss.
Vincent had shown them this strange wonder of his home area, it was a deep cavernous hole that dropped down many feet, some of the inhabitants said it was bottomless for there had been a time out of curiosity they had tied many feet of rope together and put a weight on one end, no matter how far they had lowered the rope it hadn't touched bottom. There was a thin path that skirted the abyss and many of the tunnel dwelling children played games there challenging their friends to run faster along the ledge or other similar tests to see how brave someone was, in the way that children would play no matter where they could be found.
The turtles easily moved along the narrow ledge path and passed where Vincent stood hidden in a niche amongst some of the rocks, Vincent braced himself and waited, his senses tuned. He heard the cautionary sound of footfalls on the rocks, and he snarled silently, his lip curled.
As Bishop drew near Vincent pounced one hand shot out, and he gave an angry roar as he grabbed Bishop by the throat, his clawed hand closing tight, his sharp nails digging into the skin. Vincent dangled Bishop over the deep hole of the abyss, he pulled Bishop closer until the man's face was hardly an inch away from the angry snarling mouth. Vincent growled, and then flung Bishop out and down into black depth beyond. He staggered back blinking slightly, his chest huffing.
Leo came and touched Vincent's shoulder form behind, causing his friend to whirl and growl, "Vincent, you did the right thing. With Bishop alive he would only have caused more trouble for everyone."
Vincent's brow furrowed with concern, "It might have been the right choice Leonardo, but I do not care to give in to that side of me..." He tried to explain, he cast a glance down to his hands, "I know what I am, I do not regret it. But one must aspire to greater things." He said wearily.
Leo nodded he had a feeling he understood what his friend was trying to say, "Come on let's go home." He suggested in reply, the only one he could give, under the circumstances.
TBC