Chapter 11

The hold at the bottom of the large boat absolutely stunk. He could barely stand the smell without pressing a hand to his beak to block out the scent as much as he could. His baby brother didn't stray away from the action, holding his beak as if his nose might fall off otherwise. His genius of a brother merely pressed his own hand against his beak, but without the force Mikey displayed. Concentrating on the smell around him helped to take of the edge off his nerves. He was beyond stressed. The drive back to the city and to the harbor had been tense and quiet. For once, there was no more small talk. All focus was concentrated on getting to their brother to bring him home. Each of them wondered if Leo was already there, already thrown into the fights that Dorin spoke of. Raph knew that Leo would be able to hold out on any normal day in a fight, but what condition was he in? What about his opponents? Surely they would show his brother no mercy.

Raph began stalking the length of the hold to burn off nervous agitation. The ship they snuck aboard had left New York almost a day ago. According to the speed of the ship, Don guessed that it would be another four or five days, perhaps even a little more than a week until they got there. Sometimes the boat seemed faster so he couldn't tell if Don was very sure of his answer. He only hoped they would get to their brother in time, that he would be whole and in one piece.

"Dude, you're going to wear a hole in the floor and then the boat will sink," Mikey complained. "How would we get to Leo then?"

"I'm not going to wear a hole in the floor," he muttered lowly.

"Yes you are."

"Am not."

"Are two."

"Raph, Mikey. Please, I'm trying to concentrate…."

Raph halted his pacing and looked over at Don, who appeared squished in the corner of the hold between the wall and a large crate. His brother looked pale with a sickly green color across his cheeks. The poor turtle looked more seasick than he had ever seen anyone. "You ok Don?"

"I will be," Don murmured.

"How does a turtle get seasick anyways?" Mikey asked, jumping up on the crate next that hid half his brother.

"Easy. Said turtle gets on a boat," Raph chuckled.

"It doesn't work like that," Don protested.

"Oh yeah? How's it work then?"

Don merely shrugged. "An irrational function of the brain that suggests I'm losing my balance, interrupting the level of fluid within the internal membrane that helps one keep said balance."

Raph blinked. "Say what?"

"The rocking's messing with his brain," Mikey laughed, falling back on his shell on the crate. "Never would we think smart Donny would be the one to get sea sick."

"Go ahead, laugh. Might not be the same story on the way back. It'll be your turn."

Raph snickered, amused by the sight for just a moment, his thoughts turning a back to his elder brother. This led back to his pacing as he appeared to carve a new pathway into the hold. Donny would be fine. Being unsure about Leo however was agitating his already agitated nerves. He probably broke the speed limit the whole way to the city, but no one cared. They just had to make it to the harbor to catch a suitable ship. No one else except the crew seemed to be on the large freighter and even that seemed to be only a handful of men. No one would spot them or even hear them down in the hold no matter how much noise they made. That didn't stop him from constantly looking to the only exit, paranoia riding him in waves. Leo would be proud. Maybe. Proud that Raph was looking at more than charging into a fight, that he was actually taking care of his brothers, watching exits as Leo would, but not proud that he was gaining his brother's paranoia. He swore he would never become like this. Just look at him now…

Three days later, Don's sea sickness was gone. It had only lasted a few hours the first day, resurfacing only once that night for a short period of time. Otherwise, they were all still fine. They rationed what food and water they brought in their supplies. They would be fine for another two weeks if need be. Don had had the foresight to pack a lot of non perishables while he was explaining the situation to Splinter. He was ever grateful to the brainiack.

The noise that came from the door to the hold the night on the third day of their trip had his muscles strung tightly. He glanced at both Don and Mikey, alertness written across their faces. Without a word, the three disappeared between the many large crates of the hold. Silence settled for many minutes. Tired of waiting, he peered his head over the crate, narrowing his eyes one the figures before them. Two dozen of them, each of them with the mark of the Foot.

"We know you are here," one spoke up with an air of authority.

Raph rolled his eyes. Like that was going to work.

The leader made a motion and three ninjas dragged a figure out of the darkness.

He gasped as Mikey struggled in their grip.

"Hey, hey, watch the swords huh? You're going to poke someone's eye out with them."

A slap reverberated throughout the hold, silencing the orange turtle.

A growl escaped him, but he would not move. He itched to charge into battle, but gravely knew this could cost Michelangelo his life.

Another motion, a flurry of movement before anther figure was brought into the light. Purple showed brightly against green skin.

Eyes narrowing further, he noticed unlike Mikey, Don kept his mouth shut as he was dragged from his hiding place. He didn't have much time to contemplate this before he felt the sense of three figures behind him. Jumping up with a spin kick caught the three off guard, sending them with a smack into the wall of the ship.

"I advise coming out Raphael. Or your brothers could lose an arm, or a leg. Perhaps even their head."

"Yer just as heartless as yer Master," Raph growled, stepping out into the light.

"I try. As do my comrades."

"What do you want," Raph growled, cutting to the chase, keeping his eyes solely on the Foot leader to make sure his attention stay on him and him alone.

"Leonardo left in Pakistan. The Master doesn't want your interference. Your death would be better, but without your leader, you are lost."

"To hell with it. We're getting him back and that's that."

"Oh? How so? Two of your brothers are immobile. Any sudden movement from you and they'll be dead."

Raph smirked widely. "I don't think so." He cocked his head, indicating the free from of Donatello, a ninja silently lying at his feet. Michelangelo wasn't free, but in the second that stunned the rest of the ninja, Raph sent his sai flying, hitting the one holding Mikey.

"Thanks bro," Mikey beamed, snatching his chucks off the ground and leaping into battle with an enthusiastic yell.

Donatello doing the same, Raphael leapt for the leader, the one with the idiotic smirk that wasn't so satisfied with the situation any more.

He threw a right punch, slicing the air with his sai, barely missing the ninja's chest. No more words were exchanged, just the blows of battle. Bruises littered his body now, but he paid them no heed, focusing his anger on the ninja leader. With every thrust his frustration at not finding Leo fueling him on, he slashed left into the ninja's shoulder, kicking upward into the man's face as he felt the nose break with his strike, spinning around to let his heel connect with the ninja's skull.

Unconscious at his feet, Raphael felt nothing as he looked down at the still body of the ninja. It did nothing to bring his brother back. It was satisfying, but not as he had hoped. Looking upward, he leapt back into battle. A handful was left now, trying to fend off against his brothers. Don swung his staff with enough force to break bone, Mikey bounced and flew with enough speed to land harsh blows, Raph weaved in and out in unpredictable patters. The ninjas stood no chance, but fought on anyways.

With one ninja left, the man could only stare at them wide eyed as Don's bo whipped at his leg, connecting with a crack. Nunchucks slapped at his back while sai dug into his chest. He fell backwards despite his blocks against the attacks, unable to catch himself. Flat on his back, he gripped his sword tightly, determined to bring one of the turtles down with him in death.

Raph saw the blade as he moved, couldn't stop his forward momentum, but turned to the side, feeling the blade graze the left side of his plastron as he hit the floor of the hold. Rolling to the right, he jumped to his feet, but the ninja's eyes fell shut. He didn't know if he was dead or unconscious, just that he was no longer a threat. Pushing his hand against the wound, he was relieved to feel it was shallow and not serious.

"You ok Raph," Don fussed, moving his brother's hand.

"I'm fine," he muttered, glaring at Mikey to keep him from hovering over him too.

Don slipped a hand into his bag of supplies, bringing out gaze and some sort of bottle. Before he could utter a word, his brainy brother was patching him up. "We can't have you getting an infection before we find Leo."

Raph breathed out an impatient sigh, but nodded.

"How much longer do you think?" Mikey piped up.

"Maybe a few days," Don answered. "I don't think they'll be giving us any trouble, but I suggest we slip into the abandoned crew's quarters if there are any. Or perhaps another room. We don't want a repeat fight when some of them wake up. Of course they'll most likely abandon ship before we dock, but it's going to be better to lay low."

Nodding, he spared the ninjas one last look before following his brother out of the hold. Just a few more days, then the search for Leo would begin anew. No Foot ninja was going to stop them. Not when they were so close.