A/N: Another chapter?! Not much of a surprise to me. It was almost finished when I decided to add the Raph scene before it. Anyway, more Kimi and Splinter time! I thought about adding another scene to this, but figured I'd space it out a bit. This chapter's fairly long on its own. XD Long to me, anyway. I like 5 to 6 page chapters, so... Anyway, read up!
Splinter allowed his mind to clear. No longer did he struggle for control. His strength had finally returned to him, along with the clarity he so desperately needed. Only the memories of his capture remained elusive. Though the gap left some irritation, he knew it would not matter in the end. It was time he planned out his escape.
Kimberly was still his best chance for success. Though she had showed reservations before, Splinter had learned a lot from her about his current prison. The building, for one, was a laboratory animal services facility. There were layers of security in place around the building determined by the animals involved and the safety of the employees. Kimberly was on the lowest security level, but Splinter held onto a hope that she could still help him. He had no choice. She was the only contact he had here.
His ear twitched at the click of the door. Hurried footfalls darted towards him before a soft voice greeted him. "Splinter! I can't be here long. I'm not supposed to be in here, but I just have to tell you. I'm going to get in so much trouble!"
Splinter opened his eyes and fixed his gaze on Kimberly. The young woman was trembling in fear; her hands rubbing together incessantly. Her scrubs hung crookedly over her small form, the shirt partially tucked into her pants as if she was in a hurry to get dressed. Even her braided auburn pigtails looked messier than usual. The rat frowned at the state. "What is the matter, Kimberly-san?" He glanced up at the camera and was surprised to notice the absence of the usual red speck of light.
"They're off. All of them." Kimberly pulled at her scrubs in nervous fists as she watched the camera as well. "I don't know why. I didn't do it. There's no alarms, nothing. Just the cameras." She dug in her pocket and pulled out a keycard. "I just wanted this. That's all. It wouldn't be missed. The man it belonged to got fired weeks ago. I found it in his old desk. With the cameras off, no one will notice…"
"Does that…open my cell?" Splinter asked, slowly.
"Not just that, but all the rooms in this corridor. He was in charge of them. I don't know how many more doors this can open exactly. I guess we'll find out…huh?" She flashed him a nervous smile. "This is the perfect time to leave, too. I just…wish I knew what knocked out the cameras." She held the card against the glass to show him as her eyes strayed, anxiously, to the still open door.
"Are you sure you are ready for this?" Splinter stood and moved closer to her. "Once we begin, there will be no turning back. You know this."
Her breathing hitched as she turned to him. Her eyes were wide in the internal struggle he saw raging beneath the surface. "I don't know… I want to be. I just can't stand it. You're different than the others here. You have a place to return to."
Splinter gave her a comforting smile. "Arigato, thank you."
"I'll need to leave you, first, but I'll be right back. I promise." She rushed out of the door, closing it securely behind her. Splinter watched her leave, his clawed hand flat against the glass. He could only hope that she would follow through. As he waited, he glanced up at the dormant camera once again. What has taken out the cameras? His reflection brought to mind his sons. Donatello could do it. He is always surprising me with his intellect. The things his mind can come up with… Splinter shook his head with a smile.
Could my sons be here? The hand on the glass pulled into a fist with the rush of emotion that overcame him. His arm fell to his side as he turned away. I can only hope it all goes well today, no matter what happens.
Splinter's ears twitched at a new sound before him, opposite the glass partition. He focused his attention on the back wall of his enclosure, only now noticing the telltale signs that it wasn't as it seemed. With a hydraulic hiss, a large doorway pushed out and then slid to the slide, revealing a duplicate hallway to the one behind him. He slowly approached the new doorway, barely sparing a glance to his rescuer. He scanned the hall beyond in apprehension as Kimberly huddled by the doorway.
"It's clear." She spoke, quickly, in hushed tones. "There's only one exit and I blocked it off temporarily. So no one could sneak up on me." She pointed down the right end of the hall, indicating the metal IV stand slid diagonally through the double doors' handles. "It won't hold long, though. You should hurry. If…if you're going to leave."
The stutter in her voice worried him. He turned back to her with a frown. Her hands were moving again; the same pulling and twisting at her scrubs. It was a subconscious reaction, Splinter concluded. She was anxious. Splinter took her hand to cease her insistent movements. His touch instantly stilled her, a panicked gaze coming to rest on Splinter's soft one. He didn't say a word, merely conveying what he wanted of her with his eyes alone. He waited until she nodded in confirmation. It was time to move on.
Splinter allowed Kimberly to pull ahead of him. Her sneakered feet were soft against the ground, but nowhere near the silent steps of a ninja. Every few steps, she glanced back at him, a question in her eyes that she dare not say aloud in case it gave away their position.
When they reached the double doors, Kimberly moved as if to dislodge the IV stand, but Splinter stopped her, indicating that he wished to do so himself. No sound betrayed them as he slowly moved their obstacle. As soon as it was gone, Splinter carefully opened the door inch by inch and peeked through the sliver of space. As he searched for any signs of life, he took in the room before him with a growing unease. It appeared to be some kind of medical laboratory. One he could almost remember seeing before.
He stepped inside the room when he was sure there was no one inside. The most he could recall from his time here was a woman looking down at him, though he could not remember her features. Only her voice. There was something she had said that was important… Splinter mentally shook the thought away for now. He dare not allow the memory to distract him from his mission. He could spend more time on it later.
"I wish this key opened the loading door, but that's a higher security level. We'll have to go through the main building instead. Which is so much more risky…" Kimberly whispered, directing Splinter's attention to her location by a small blue door. It was one of many doors leading out of the room, including the one they came in from. This was only one of two with color, though. Splinter guessed the yellow one to be the loading door Kimberly spoke of.
"I'll need something to disguise myself, if that is the case." Splinter scanned the laboratory as he spoke.
"You can use a lab coat from the closet over there." Kimberly pointed off to the left. "I don't know what to do about your face, though. The only head coverings allowed are surgical masks and caps. I…don't think that'll help very well."
Splinter frowned. "Is there a ventilation system large enough that I can use?"
"…Only the main junction. I don't think the ones in this block would be big enough. It could be an escape risk…you know, for the…animals…" Kimberly shifted, nervously. "You know what I mean."
Splinter was silent for a moment before he responded. "Yes. I do." He gave her a small smile. "Do you know where I may find the entrance to this main junction?"
"In the office block. We'll…have to go down the hall a ways." She frowned as she turned back to the door. "Hopefully, everyone's still distracted by the downed cameras… If not…"
Splinter quietly stepped up behind Kimberly and watched as she shakily slid her key card through the slot to the right of the door. She had to swipe it a few times before the light turned green. Her hand was shaking with nerves. Finally, the door quietly opened onto another hallway, this one the widest of them all. The hall before them looked less industrial. The floor was plush burgundy carpeting while the walls were painted a creamy peach. Splinter's ears twitched to echoing sounds of machinery and muffled chatter: more humans were nearby. He could smell them.
He glanced back at Kimberly, knowing she was his best chance of navigating the halls without arousing suspicion. Honestly, he was uncomfortable with just how much of his safety relied on her actions. There were still so many things that could go wrong. Still, he knew there wasn't much choice. He signaled for her to lead the way with a simple hand gesture.
Kimberly shifted her weight side to side as she glanced down each direction, her eyes darting every which way. She bit at her lower lip before forcing air out in a tight sigh. Splinter followed her hesitant footfalls when she finally started forward. The effort to keep moving kept her muscles tensed as if a great battle warred within her.
Splinter moved closer to her, unable to stand watching her struggle any longer. "Tell me where to go," he whispered just loud enough for her ears. "Will I need to keycard to make it on my own?"
He caught the relief flood her whole body even as she frowned. "No," she responded, her own whisper louder than his. "Once you are in the vents, I think you can just escape to the roof. It's…it's that way." She pointed a shaky finger forward. "The door only locks on the outside and then it's just down the center hall; the one that doesn't curve. About half-way, you'll see a sign for maintenance."
"That is all?" Splinter waited for her nod before continuing, "Then you may leave me. I do not wish for you to be seen with me in case I may fail."
Kimberly stepped back a few paces, eager to leave. "Yeah, okay. Great. I…I hope you make it out." With those final words, she was gone. Splinter was once again alone.
With careful steps, Splinter walked the rest of the hall's length. So far, luck was on his side. Every door he passed remained close. The complete absence of people made him nervous. His ears prickled for any sounds as his hand landed on the far door. He slowly turned the door knob, once again peeking behind it for any signs of life.
That's when he got his first glimpse of the twisting hallways on the other side. There were many of them each branching off in different directions. As he stepped through the door, it wasn't hard to notice only one of them ran straight. There were too many corners for humans to stumble onto him. He crouched, poised to defend himself if he needed to. His steps brought him closer to the correct hallway in growing unease.
Suddenly, the white blanched walls broke with flashes of red as alarms screeched out a warning. Splinter's stance tightened. Luck never lasts. Again, he thought of his sons. He searched the area for the threat he knew was coming.
"You shouldn't be roaming about on your own."
The voice sent his tail twitching against the ground as he whirled to face it. A woman stood just behind him, her white lab coat settling around her ankles. Behind her, a door clicked shut, alerting him to her point of origin. Her stoic features aged her more than her voice could reveal. Not one strand of her hair slipped from her tight bun. Splinter wouldn't doubt her appearance could intimidate. He backed away from her, carefully.
"No, no, no," She tsked, her monotonous voice just carrying over the cacophony. "You're not going anywhere. You might get hurt."
Splinter bared his teeth at her, his clawed hands poised to attack. He didn't make it far. Paralysis crept from his right arm to the rest of his body. The shock distracted him only momentarily. Something about the feeling was eerily familiar to him.
"Nasty, isn't it? Bishop told me you got that before he acquired you."
Splinter's eyes widened at the name. Bishop? That's who captured me? The paralysis moved to his legs, causing him to stumble forward. He was vulnerable, a feeling he detested.
"I thought you would be more comfortable without the paralysis, but if it is all that can contain you…" The woman stepped towards him, fearlessly. "I suppose until the cure is found, you best find a way to entertain yourself without the use of your limbs. I'm sure that will not be too much trouble for you, Splinter. I hear you're quite the meditation expert. Men, take him back to his habitat."
Splinter didn't remove her from his sight as his limp arms were caught by white-coated men. He didn't resist, knowing there was nothing he could do. Escape would have to wait until he no longer carried such a weakness. He was patient. He knew his time would come again. It didn't matter how long it would take. He would not remain a prisoner.
A/N: ...Um. Yeah. Bishop name-drop. Enjoy that little bombshell. Feed the review box? Will ya?
