A/N:So, definitely on a roll with this. Mostly because I've been dying to type up both these scenes. I'll let you enjoy the crazy. ;)
Nefarious Business
Inside his mobile facility, Agent John Bishop roamed the halls with a set destination in mind. His lips pursed against the lingering frustration at the ravaged state of his database. If there was one thing he hated above all else, it was betrayal. He didn't trust many, but those he did bring under his roof were privileged to be witness to his ideals. Those were the ones he would shelter when the alien menace became too great for this ignorant planet he regrettably called home. Doctor Cartwright proved her worth to his grand plan, but in the end, she bailed. Just like the other poor souls who prefer the bliss of their false security.
His firm footfalls led him to a room stuffed to bursting with a tech geek's wet dream. Crammed inside the chaos was a single human occupant, more of a boy than his age suggested. His punk chic style of dress was blatantly out of place, but the hacker didn't seem to notice. In fact, he flaunted it. Something that had Bishop already regretting the need to see him.
"Come on, beautiful. Come to daddy." The man was saying, gaze fixed on the screen before him. "Show me the money shot."
"Have you found anything yet, Jackson?" Bishop's voice only carried a hint of his disapproval.
The hacker jumped in his chair and turned towards him. "Oh, it's you." He removed his hat in a mock bow before running his fingers through his shaggy blonde hair. "An honor, it is. It's too bad you graced me with your presence at this low hour. The Holy Grail has yet to allow me to drink from her ample chalice."
"I'm not in the mood for your blatant disrespect to authority or your childish games." Bishop grabbed the back of Jackson's chair in a fist. "Now rethink your answer."
"Man, you really are a hard case. Do you ever laugh? You have to have a funny bone in there somewhere." Jackson smirked, completely unfazed by the agent's growing impatience. He spun his hat with his finger as he continued, "Come on! Just one smile? I'd take a little one. Just copy me."
Bishop didn't deem a response necessary. Instead, he merely snatched the hat out of Jackson's hands and crushed it in his fist.
"Hey, hey! Geez, man!" Jackson's Jersey accent strengthened as he grabbed for his stolen hat. "Don't you know not to touch the hat? I'm like Indiana Jones. I go nowhere without my prized head covering."
"Then stop playing games."
"I told you, B-man. I got nothing." He slumped in his chair with the air of a scolded child as he returned his gaze to the computer. "The trail's long cold and the data's completely wiped from the system. There's nothing to find. Just give it up and live a little."
"It says in your background you never give up. You have a perfect streak of accomplishments. I hired you because you are the best." Bishop looked over his nose at him. "Apparently, that must be a lie. I'm starting to believe you falsified those documents yourself."
"Hmm, I could have. I am a hacker extraordinaire." He took back his hat and replaced it on his head, his fingers lingering on the bridge as he flashed a wink. "Though that would be so horribly deceitful of me. What would my poor mother say? Her little Luis: a dirty, rotten liar."
"You try my patience."
"I get that a lot."
"Keep searching and hope that you find something before I return or this will be the last time we do business together." Bishop turned away and started for the door.
"I'm still getting paid, right?" Jackson called after him. "You keep forgetting to drop off the check. I really don't like hacking bank accounts, you know? It's gets dull."
Bishop paused with his fists clenched. "Payment is earned, as was negotiated." He continued forward, stopping briefly at the door. "Thieves well be punished severely. Do you understand?"
"Sure." Jackson laughed. "I'm not worried. I've never been caught."
His laughter followed Bishop out of the room. Oh how he hated that man. At least Stockman did the jobs I gave him. He didn't mind Stockman's ego, but Jackson's cheek rubbed him wrong. He mentally shook away his thoughts as he looked ahead. His path taking him out of block C and down to block B. He needed an outlet and what better kind than that of his guest?
As he neared his destination, he raised a finger to his ear. "Any signs of them yet?" he spoke aloud to the empty hallway before him.
"No, sir. The blip is just too small to keep a lock on it." The voice in his ear earned a scowl from the federal agent.
"Did you send out patrols as ordered?"
"Of course, sir, but none have reported back."
"And you didn't think that was a cause for concern?" Bishop stopped walking, enthralled with his underling's inability to think for himself. "Pinpoint the location where they lose contact. That's where you'll find them." He disconnected the call before receiving a response. Of course his men were incompetent without his guidance. If only his funding allowed for better. He quickened his pace. It was time to see if his guest was awake.
He paused at a stretch of the wall hiding his secret and clicked a hidden button to reveal the access panel. He placed his hand on the palm scanner and leaned in, lifting his sunglasses to allow the iris scanner a clear reading. The panel glowed green before a door-sized portion of the wall retreated from him, then slid to the right with a futuristic sound.
Inside the small room beyond, the solitary occupant remained still, his body cast aside near the far wall with his limbs sprawled out beside him. Bishop stepped over the threshold, allowing the door to seal flawlessly back into place, and frowned down at the mutant with his hands clasped behind his back. "Raphael."
The turtle reacted instantly at his name, his amber eyes glossy from the drugs in his system, but that didn't stop him from scrambling to his feet at the sight of his visitor. His fists clenched as he held them before him, unable to resist – or possibly ignorant of – the trembling in his limbs. Even his breathing sounded harsh through his bared teeth.
"Are you sure you wish to fight me in your current condition? You don't appear very stable to me. Maybe the dose I gave you was too much, but I'm sure you can understand my caution."
"Fuck you." Raphael's curse was surprisingly firm. He threw a skilled punch that would have made it's mark if the metal bands around his wrists didn't suddenly slam down towards the ground. Bishop could tell the turtle was taken by complete surprise when he toppled over, the force of it nearly slamming his head against the ground at his enemy's foot. The agent calmly took a step back with a smirk.
"I believe I forgot to mention what those bands are capable of." Bishop knelt down just out of reach. "The magnetic force between them and the ground could easily break something if you're not careful. I suggest staying down."
"Ya damn bastard." Raphael tested the strength of the magnetic connection, obviously uncomfortable with the position he was stuck in. "Why don'cha jus' piss off. Ain't like yer gettin' away with this."
"You're wrong. I know how your clan works. I'm sure Splinter wouldn't want his son to die for him. When your brothers find him, he'll come back to me willingly to replace my lost data. Do you know why I know this, Raphael? Because you're not one of a kind. If I have to, you'll only be the first sacrifice and I'll be sure to be thorough before I let him see you again."
Raphael growled low, his fury apparent in his hunched posture. "You ain't trading me fer Masta' Splin'er. My clan won't go for it. Ya might as well give up now 'cuz I'm gettin' outta here eventually. Then you can kiss yer bargainin' chip goodbye."
"So you think. What you may not know is, while you slept, I have taken the liberty to move us to a new location. It's temporary until I can secure a new base, but it will do for now." He straightened. "I will not lose you before your use is over. I can assure you of that." He signaled for the magnetism to loosen. Raphael didn't expect the sudden release and nearly caught his own break with his freed fist.
"Dammit, fuck you." The turtle sat back on his heels and pulled at the metal wrist bands. "I swear I will get outta here and when I do, I'm finishing that punch I promised ya. I don't care how safe ya think ya are, s'long as I get it through that thick skull a' yours that you're fucked."
"Out of all your brothers, yours is the only one filled with such profanity." Bishop checked his watch. "I hope you enjoy your accommodations. It will be yours for the duration of your time here."
"Yer just gonna leave me here?"
"For the time being." He quirked his brow. "Unless you prefer I start on you early? I could fit you in if that's your wish." At Raphael's silent glare, he smirked. "That's what I thought."
Bishop's headset beeped in his ear. He clicked it to answer the call, not caring what Raphael would hear. "Yes?"
"All communications ended around the location of the old base, sir. All except one. Designation A one dash five oh nine reports sighting suspicious activity in sector C."
"Then look into it immediately. I am busy at the moment."
"Problems?" Raphael asked, far too cheeky for his situation. He was standing now with his arms hanging loose at his sides.
"For your clan, maybe. I still have the upper hand. You better hope they don't come here before the stage is set. I wouldn't want to lose you too early. There is still much to learn that only a live specimen can deliver." He turned and looked above the invisible door to allow the scanner there to read him. "I will see you later, Raphael." The door opened only long enough to allow him through. He turned back with just enough time to catch Raphael's frustrated expression before the door sealed shut once again.
Cleopatra tugged Kimberly along, full of the boundless energy of childhood. The pink bow keeping her hair pulled back out of her face slipped, freeing stray blonde stands to fly around her. Nothing slowed her down. Not even the dark atmosphere of the tunnel system she led her to. Kimberly didn't even know the place existed until now. She looked around in bewilderment until her expression turned to grim curiosity.
She could hear it now: voices drifting down the corridor. They were faint, but something about it gave her pause. She allowed Cleopatra to pull her along as she strained to hear what was said. Fear tightened her gut the closer they got to the source. Her imagination went wild with possibilities, none particularly pleasant.
"Bring it down."
Those three words broke through to her, piercing her heart with the finality of it. She didn't notice her pace quicken until she skidded to a stop before the door she assumed must be where the voices came from. Cleopatra stepped in front of her, a finger to her lips. She swung the door outwards, giving Kimberly her hiding spot between it and the wall, and dashed inside. The voices on the other side ceased immediately. Kimberly pressed her back against the wall to listen through the narrow gap in between it and the door.
"What are you doing here, kid?" A gruff male voice asked from inside.
"Looking for my friend," Cleopatra responded with a smile in her voice. Kimberly could just see her small frame bouncing on her heels. "Is he sleeping?"
"You shouldn't be here."
"Why do people always say that? Daddy says I can go anywhere I want. Are you going against Daddy?"
"You need to leave. It's dangerou-"
"No! I want my friend!" The child grew animated in her anger. "You should leave or I'll tell my Daddy on you!"
Kimberly heard shuffling from inside. "No, please don't do that, little girl!" Another voice, this time female, cried out, her tone frantic.
Cleopatra straightened in confidence. "I will. Daddy will be so mad, too." She clasped her hands behind her and hopped on her toes. "He doesn't like it when I'm sad."
Immediately, there was a scramble of noise before a small group of people fled the room. Kimberly waited for them to disappear around the corner before she slipped inside. Her gaze dated about the room, passing over the control panel spanning the length of the narrow space. The glass window to the next room just above it caught her attention as soon as she noticed the single occupant on the other side. She ran up to it, her hands palming the glass, and stared as her eyes widened. "Splinter…"
There he was: only a few feet and an inch of glass away. Three foot-long chains secured his limp form to the wall, the fourth dangling loose against it. He wasn't moving, only his tail twitched against the floor. It was hard to watch, yet she couldn't turn her eyes away.
"He's strong," Cleopatra spoke up beside her.
Kimberly looked over at her, frowning. "Huh?"
"He broke the other strap." She smiled. "He's really amazing."
"Yeah…" Kimberly turned back to Splinter. "How do you get in there?"
"Oh!" Cleopatra bounced away from the window and ran towards the open door, her hand waving energetically behind her. "There's a door just over here! Come on, come on! Let's go!"
Kimberly followed at a slower pace, her fear over her friend's condition sending her in a panic that barely allowed her limbs to cooperate. The young blonde easily pulled away to arrive at the door to the left of the observation room first. Kimberly stepped up and laid her hand on the handle of it, the weight of what she was about to do spiked her heartbeat. "This is it?"
"Yep!"
Kimberly pushed down the handle, surprised at the lack of resistance, and swung the door inward. Her gaze locked on Splinter immediately as she stepped inside, letting the door click shut behind her. "Splinter?"
He didn't move as she walked over. Blood matted the fur of his free wrist. His labored breathing worried her, but at least it meant he was alive. She knelt before him, quickly undoing the other straps still binding him to the wall. "It's going to be okay, Splinter. Your sons are on they're way. They're going to bring you home!" She stood, catching his battered body before he could hit the ground. He was surprisingly light in her arms. She shifted him until she was confident he wouldn't fall before making her way back towards the door. Her trek back was quicker than when she left it. She started for the handle, only just realizing there wasn't one on this side.
"Cleo? Can you hear me?" She laid her free hand against the door. "I can't open the door from this side. Can you open it?"
Laughter suddenly burst through the room. "You're so silly!"
"Cleo! Just open the door, okay?"
"Why?"
"What do you mean 'why '?" Kimberly's eyes narrowed. "This isn't funny."
"You're wrong. It's really funny!"
Kimberly searched out the speakers allowing the child's voice into the room and glared at them. "Stop messing around, Cleopatra. If we don't get out of here soon, those scientist guys will come back and find me in here. If that happens, Splinter will be killed! I know you don't want that to happen to our friend."
"I am helping him! He needs to make a choice. I'm giving him the chance to choose his one and only friend." Her voice suddenly changed. There was a hate there that should never come from a child her age. "And it's not you. You left him alone. Friends don't do that."
"What are you talking about?"
"Splinter will wake up from his nap soon and he won't be boring anymore." Cleopatra laughed again. "I freed him! He'll be so much fun now! You'll see, Kimi. You'll like him better this way. Trust me."
Kimberly backed away from the speakers in utter disbelief. She couldn't comprehend just what was happening. Why would a twelve year old child sound so…demented? "Stop this right now!" She laid Splinter against the wall and pointed at the mirrored glass. "You open that door right now or I'll… Just open it! Open it now!" Her other hand clenched into a fist at her side. "Cleo?"
There was no response. Cleopatra was gone, along with her hope of ever getting out without consequence. She backed up until she felt the wall against her and slid down it. Tears formed at the corners of her eyes and she angrily brushed them away with her arm. "I can't do this." She muttered under her breath. "I can't pretend anymore. Even when I try, I just mess things up and now… I'm so sorry, Splinter. I failed you."
A/N: So yeah... Did I forget to mention Cleo's insane? Well she is. Now you know. Feed the review box as you take in this crazy reveal!
