A/N: ...So... That took too long... But the fic is done! I just need to type it all up now! I can do that! I'll just...get a good amount of it done tonight. :/
Into the Lion's Den
Time passed differently as someone's prisoner. It dragged on like an overflowing pit of molasses. It felt like days had past but Kimberly knew better than that. If it was days, she would be a lot more hungry and exhausted, considering her restless nap was hardly enough to last that long. If that wasn't bad enough, Cleopatra kept up sporadic visits. The little devil enjoyed reminding her of the absolute stupidity that led her here. If only she had better company than the unconscious lump of a mutant across from her.
She frowned at the thought of her fur babies back at her small apartment. Especially one in particular: her skittish Juniper. While her neighbor could easily care for Boulevard, but Juniper... Only Kimberly could get that girl to listen to her. That poor dog would rather starve herself and hide then trust anyone else. Oh Junebug… Kimberly hugged her knees to her chest. I'll be home soon… You've come so far, girl… She forced a smile at the memory of Juniper's first day, back when she was even terrified of her own bark. Don't regress to that… "Please… Stay strong."
A small movement caught her attention and she quickly looked up at her companion. "Splinter?" The rat's ear twitched and a soft groan escaped him. Kimberly jumped to her feet, so thankful for the better company, nothing else mattered. "You're awake! Finally! I've been so bored!"
She made only a few frenzied steps forward before the full scope of the situation hit her. Though Splinter had managed to move forward on all fours, he didn't speak a word back to her. It was so much like the first time she had seen him that instinct drove her to take a step back. "…Splinter?"
This time her voice got a reaction. Splinter's intense gaze grabbed her so suddenly, her breath caught in her throat. Kimberly stumbled back against the wall seconds before he sprung forward. She never had a chance. His clawed hands pinned her in place. Her head met the hard wall with a gasp of pain. His hot breath against her face quickened her racing heartbeat. He was the beast again and this time he wasn't holding back.
"You're hurting me…" Kimberly turned away from those vacant eyes. The claws dug deeper into her skin until she squirmed with the pain. "Stop!" She pushed against him and kicked out; scared to hurt him but more scared of what he'll do to her. A guttural growl erupted from his throat, almost demonic in her wild imagination. Next thing she knew her body collided with the linoleum floor. She didn't stop until her head bounced off the perpendicular wall. She groaned as she pushed herself up, blinking away the black from the corners of her vision. Blurred movement sent her scrambling back away from the beast as best she could.
"Stop, stop, stop!" Kimberly nearly shrieked. She sloppily dodged his swipe at her, his claws just barely ripping through her skin. Tears blossomed from her eyes as fresh blood slithered down her arm. "I'm your friend! Please, snap out of it."
Laughter filled the room as she raised her arms to protect her face from his next strike. Cleopatra was back. Kimberly scowled, her anger just outweighing her fear. "Shut up!" The redhead forced her way past Splinter to yell at the speaker. "You're sick! How could you do this to him?! You mons-" Pain choked off the rest of her words. She howled at the sight of Splinter's claws and…teeth latched onto her arm and shoulder. She frantically kicked at him; her only thought geared towards escape.
"I freed him!" Cleopatra squealed over the intercom. "Look how happy he is!" She giggled. "He's perfect."
Kimberly stepped back as soon as she was free, gripping her shoulder as blood gushed between her fingers. "Evil, crazy, psycho-kid…" She grumbled. Her frenzied gaze met Splinter's empty one and she frowned, dodging another wild strike. "Okay… Splinter. I can't keep this up, so you're going to listen to me."
"You're so funny, Kimi." Cleopatra giggled again. "Just accept it. My new pet wants you dead."
The upbeat tone of the child's voice sent shivers down Kimberly's back. It was enough to miss the telltale movement of her unwitting enemy, earning her a searing pain across her chest. "Stop distracting me!" She screamed as she retreated back against the wall. Her legs trembled beneath her, barely holding her weight. All she wanted to do was lie down, but she knew better. Splinter wouldn't wait for her to rest. She had to be strong just a little longer. She had to free her friend from himself.
"It's me, Splinter. Kimberly. Remember? You don't want to do this." She ducked his next swing and found herself flat on the ground for her trouble. "Listen to me! I'm trying to help you!" Again, he swung at her, this time catching her other shoulder.
"Got you again!" Cleopatra's gleeful voice intruded into the room once again. "How much more can you take? This is exciting!"
"Just stop talking…" Kimberly almost whined. The pain and blood loss was getting to her. She could practically see it in the blurred edges of the room. Hot air against her face was her only warning of his proximity. Splinter was way too close. He was going to kill her. Cleopatra was right. She couldn't get through to him fast enough. He was too far gone. She'll have to break her promise to Donatello.
Her gaze suddenly focused when inspiration struck. There was still something she had yet to try. "Donatello and Mikey." A hollow smile graced her lips when Splinter hesitated. "Yeah, that's it. Your sons miss you. All of them; though I'm only sure of those two. I didn't talk to anyone else. Mikey mentioned Raph? Anyway, they know where you are now. They're coming to bring you home."
Splinter's raised clawed hand shook, but Kimberly's words only scratched the surface. Her life was still in danger if that's all she had. She used his momentary distraction to slip away, pausing at a clattering sound as something slid out of her pocket. She quickly searched it out and grinned at the shell cell she had completely forgotten about. She was saved!
"Here's proof!" Kimberly triumphantly held the cell before her. "Donatello gave this to me. I can call him right now! Maybe he'll help you better than I can…" She turned the cell to do as she said only to slump in defeat at the dreaded 'no signal' filling the screen. "…Or not… I've never been this unlucky before…"
"Donatello…?" Splinter choked out as he fell to his knees, his hand coming to rest on his forehead. He said something in Japanese before focusing his heavy gaze on Kimberly. "Kimberly-san…My deepest apologies…" He glared down at his curled fist, his expression twisting at the blood.
"It's fine…" Kimberly laid back against the wall with a sigh of relief.
"You're mean!" Cleopatra screeched out from the speakers. "He's my pet! Not yours!"
"I am no one's pet!" Splinter's gaze darkened abruptly as he clenched a shaky fist. "You did this to me. Why?"
"It's fun. Especially when they bleed." There was something much too sinister in her voice for her age. "Theo doesn't get it either. He's always making my pets go quiet and taking the blood away. Sometimes, Daddy lets me punish him for it."
"She's insane." Kimberly spoke softly as she pulled her knees against her chest, wishing the pain of her injuries would just go away so she could sleep.
"I have wounded you, gravely." Splinter frowned. He didn't move from his spot even though Kimberly could tell he wanted to. "You should not leave those cuts unattended."
Kimberly glanced at her shoulder, the worst of the injuries she sustained tonight. It was still bleeding quite steadily. Maybe that was why she felt so lightheaded. It was such an odd feeling. Definitely nothing like she felt before.
"Kimberly-san!" Splinter's voice jarred her enough to gain her full attention. "Listen to me: you need to stop the bleeding."
Kimberly glanced around the room. "How? There's no bandages in here."
"You will have to use something else." Splinter hesitated before slowly approaching her. "If you do not mind, my only suggestion is to use a scrap of your clothing."
Without a word, Kimberly pulled at her pant leg, vaguely attempting to follow his advise.
"If I may…" Splinter gingerly used his claws to assist her, easily tearing off the bottom of the fabric from knee down. Next, he took hold of her arm to wrap the fabric around the wound. Kimberly idly watched him, quirking a brow at his tense form. It was almost like he was still fighting something. Even in her rough state, she could see it in those distant eyes of his.
She flinched when the fabric tightened against her cut. "Ah, ow!" Her free hand started for her shoulder. "That stings!"
"It is necessary." Splinter moved back from her. "Now. You have spoken with my sons?"
"Yep," She chagrined. "Turns out I was gaming buddies with Mikey this whole time. Crazy, right?"
Splinter frowned. "I see."
"Anyway, they should be coming soon. I told Donatello everything. Well, as much as I knew at the time, anyway. He didn't know about Cleo…" Kimberly frowned at the shell cell. "The signal down here won't let me warn him about her, though."
"There does not appear to be a way out from the inside."
"Yeah, there isn't…" Kimberly typed up a quick warning text, cringing at her own bloody fingerprints. "There's a handle on the other side of that door. It's how I got in. When Cleo tricked me." She pouted while furtively pressing the send button. "Come on, please go through!"
Movement caught her attention, bringing Kimberly's curious gaze back on her companion. He was sitting down across from her with his eyes closed. His hands gripped his knees while his tail fidgeted against the floor. He looked to be concentrating on something.
"What are you doing?" She asked, temporarily setting the cell aside.
"Meditation." Splinter answered without looking at her.
"Oh. You know how to do that?" She propped herself up to better see him. "I tried that once with my cousin, but I could never do it right. At last that's what she told me."
"The key is to silence your mind and allow all distractions to fade into nothing."
"…It doesn't seem to be working for you right now." Kimberly frowned at his tense shoulders.
"…No. It is not." Splinter sighed. "I fear it may be…difficult to achieve in my current state. But I must try. I cannot allow this drug to control me."
"I still can't believe that little girl could do something like that." She looked up at the speakers. "Why's she so quiet now, anyway?"
"She left while you were near faint." He finally looked at her. "Did you manage to warn my sons of her intent?"
"I've been trying…" She looked back at the shell cell and sighed in relief. "I think it sent! Somehow. I still don't have a signal, but it says sent. I hope he gets it in time…"
It was an ambush. Leonardo didn't have time to fully access the score of the enemy's fleet before they fired at him. Alarms blared red as the submarine groaned a pained whine. Cold water splashed up against his prone form in torrents. He was going down. He knew that much even as he struggled past the blinding throb of his head.
He pushed off the floor, stumbling in his attempt to break through the persistent fog of his senses. He couldn't stay inside the death trap of a machine. He had to escape. If only he could just keep his legs steady beneath him.
He instinctively grabbed for the nearest support as the underwater ship tilted in his already blurred vision. A sharp gasp escaped his beak and he clumsily grabbed for his shoulder. He hit the floor with a splash, the water now deep enough to smother him. He sputtered and coughed, pushing himself away from the invading chill. His right arm nearly gave way beneath him and he was barely spared a second dunking.
"Leonardo!"
A strong hand yanked him upright by his bad arm, but he merely gritted his teeth and bared it. "LH…" he spoke softly.
"We shall talk later. There's no time to waste."
He stumbled forward, propelled by the grip on his shoulder. His fumbling hands found the ladder and bristled at the invading chill of the water boiling up to his chest. If it wasn't for Leatherhead's firm hold, he would've fallen back into its grasp. The crocodile practically shoved him up the ladder, but Leonardo wasn't going to object.
The salty sting of the ocean burst into the submarine, leaving Leonardo cringing at his irritated wounds. There wasn't time to dwell on the discomfort. He kicked as far away from the watercraft as Bishop's fleet fired one last shot, dooming the vessel to its watery grave. It was a close call. If Leatherhead hadn't been nearby…
A tap on his shoulder gained his attention as his ally indicated the open dock. With a nod, they raced off towards it, using one of the enemy submersibles as cover. The first door closed behind them, initiating the water displacement system.
As the water drained around them, he caught Leatherhead studying him. Leonardo brushed him off with a dismissive wave of his hand. His injuries were minor. He lived through worse. Anyway, there wasn't time. This was enemy territory. Only one thing mattered now and that was Raphael's safety.
The second door opened, signifying the last of the water had emptied out into the ocean. The submarine jerked, moving along the tracks he had noticed the first time. The two mutants followed its progress towards the larger room beyond. As they neared the door, Leatherhead didn't waste a second to dart around their cover, inciting the enemy into battle. Leonardo didn't follow immediately. The blood slowly dripping down his arm required his attention while he had the time. He took cover near the door's large opening and let out a ragged breath. He was exhausted, but he couldn't give in to it yet. I'm coming, Raph. Just hold on a little longer.
If there was one thing Raphael hated most of all, it was boredom. He almost preferred torture. At least then he could humor himself by badmouthing the torturer. This, though? This was the real stuff. It was maddening staring at the same four walls. That and there was no way he would get caught sleeping. Like he would give Bishop the satisfaction.
He tried resuming the fruitless attempt to remove his restraints. Trust Bishop to think up the most irritating method of containment. He growled his frustration, knowing it was pointless. He slumped back against the wall behind him. What's tha point of even tryin'? I ain't eva' getting' out of them on my own. He cursed out loud. What he needed was Donny. Bet he could get 'em off like it was nothing. He frowned at the thought of his brothers – especially the condition he last saw Michelangelo in. That chucklehead better be alright.
He was completely isolated from the outside world of his cell. Not a whistle of sound permeated the thick walls. So when the doors suddenly slid inwards, he nearly jumped out of his skin. His body instinctively reacted in response of the threat as his breathing quickened from the shock. He lowered his fists only to keep his wrists closer to the ground as the door moved to the side. It took too long for him to recognize the figure in the doorway was not an enemy.
"…Leo?" Raphael didn't move as he looked his brother over. "You look like shit."
Leonardo's face darkened. "You coming or not?"
"Well, yeah, but…" He paused, glancing down at his wrist. "But I ain't getting' far with this shit. Where's Donny? He needs to get these damn things offa me."
His brother quirked his brow. "That's a problem?" He lazily glanced down the hall.
"If ya don't want me stuck ta tha damn floor, than yeah." Raphael moved forward with a frown, noticing the haggard breathing accompanying his brother's slumped form. "Are you even up for this? You look like yer 'bout ready ta fall over."
"I'm fine." He snapped, turning to give him a hard stare. "Get moving and help me."
Raphael huffed as his brother dragged a prone guard into the cell. Stepping over the other unconscious figure on the ground, he took his hand and followed Leonardo's lead. At least his brother can still kick ass even at half power. "You didn't answer my question."
"He's not here. I just got off the phone with him."
"Then call him back! I'm serious here!" He whispered, harshly.
"No time. We'll deal with it later." Leonardo triggered the door to lock behind them by fiddling with exposed wires on the wall beside it.
"Fine." Raphael seethed. "Then you better have a plan, 'cuz I ain't itching to go back to that cell anytime soon."
"LH is meeting us at the exit point." Turning, he darted off to the right.
"That's it?" He scoffed as he followed.
Leonardo ignored him, his pace hampered, though Raphael doubted he noticed. It did bother him, though. At any time, Bishop could pop up and send him flying over himself as his magnetized wrist restraints yanked him down. He could only hope that wouldn't happen, but knowing turtle luck…
The path before them remained uninterrupted; a fact that didn't sit well with him. It was highly possible Leonardo had cleared it out already, but his instincts warned him differently. His brother's quickened pace revealed he felt the same. Something wasn't right.
With a shrill screech, alarms broke the silence. Cursing, Raphael broke into a hard run seconds before Leonardo did the same. He grabbed his brother's hand as he passed, urging him faster, as security doors slammed into place behind them. Each one landed seconds from trapping them. Ahead, more security doors slammed into action, each one closer than the last. Raphael quickly changed direction, turning down a free corridor.
"Wrong way!" Leonardo breathed out.
"There ain't no other way! Did you miss that fact?"
"Well, it's wrong." He paused. "I don't like this. He's leading us…"
Raphael opened his beak to respond when the one thing he feared would happen, did. He slammed forward, his wrists pinned the floor in the most uncomfortable way. His head snapped against the ground with enough force to distort his vision. Distantly, he heard his brother call out to him, but he couldn't force out a response. Dammit! He hated Bishop so much.
"You make this so easy."
The man, himself. Raphael blinked his eyes open, planning to give the agent scum a piece of his mind. Even if he could, he didn't need to. Leonardo moved between them with a single katana held in his hand, efficiently blocking his already blurred vision. "Back off." His brother's tone meant danger to any on the receiving end of it. There wasn't a hint of the exhaustion of earlier. At least none immediately obvious, but Raphael knew better.
"It's quite a fortuitous happenstance you have come here tonight, Leonardo. I needed another bargaining chip." Bishop's tone dripped with malice. "Now I will have the leverage I need to expedite my reward."
"You will get nothing from my clan."
"I already have Raphael. Don't delude yourself into thinking you can get far with him while he still wears his restraints. I can activate them from anywhere. Removing them is another impossibility. Especially on your own. Where is Donatello anyway?"
Raphael let out a furious huff as he went on. "Fuck you!" As soon as could think again, he changed his position on the floor as best he could. With all his strength, he yanked against the restraint's hold; desperately trying to free himself.
Leonardo glanced back at his movement before turning back to Bishop. "Let him go!"
"Why would I want to do that? Losing the one assured advantage I have is a horrible strategy. You should know that much."
Without any warning, Raphael jerked forward, propelled by his restraints. The sheer force of it nearly jerked his arms out their sockets. Nothing he tried could even slow his trajectory. Trying only made it worse. Then, almost as soon as it began, it was over. He stopped so suddenly, he crumpled against the wall, only managing to spare his head another injury by using his arm to dampen the blow.
He recovered a lot quicker this time. Even so, the ride had left him winded. Slowly, he sat up and looked around, his eyes instantly narrowing at the sight of Bishop pinning his brother's arm behind his shell. Leonardo still had his katana, but he couldn't use it. "Damn you, Bishop!" Raphael growled. Oh how he hated getting used as a distraction.
"Now I have two turtles." Bishop's glasses glistened in the fluorescent lighting as he grabbed Leonardo's free hand to move the katana against his brother's neck.
"Don't be so sure." Leonardo hissed, backing away from the blade.
Raphael didn't see what happened next from his angle, but he could guess by their enemy's sudden withdrawal and the blood on the tanto in Leonardo's other hand. He followed through on the counterattack with his katana swinging around, catching Bishop's arm in another spray of blood. Leonardo's heavy breathing became more pronounced as the battle continued. He couldn't keep this up for long. Raphael desperately wished he could help, but that was impossible with his restraints.
He wasn't prepared for what happened next. He gasped as a new use of his restraints revealed itself. One restraint shot towards one wall, while the other preferred the opposite; the two forces pulling against each other. The sensation was excruciating. He felt like his arms were desperately trying to tear away from his body. He almost screamed out from the pain, but he cut it short. Leonardo shouldn't be distracted. He had to win!
"Raph?!"
"Fuck, Leo, Don't worry about me. Keep fighting!" Even as he said it, he knew his words would fall on deaf ears. "Dammit, fearless!"
"Lay down your weapons and surrender," Bishop spoke up. "I'm sure we can come to an agreement to spare Raphael."
The sickening pop and following pain was expected, but it still hurt like hell. Raphael winced, but stood firm. "Don't you dare!"
The ringing clank of steel against the ground was maddening. "This isn't over." Leonardo's icy tone only frustrated Raphael more. "You won't get what you want. My clan would never work a trade like this. No matter what happens to us, you'll lose."
"I doubt that." At Bishop's words, Raphael fell to ground in a crumpled heap. "I'm sure a death in the family will change their mind."
Raphael tried to calm his ragged breathing as he shared a look with his brother: You better have a plan.
Leonardo sighed with his own look in return: Working on it.
A/N: So finally got the full chapter out. That first scene... You don't wanna know how long that's been typed up. Anyway... Feed that review box and I'll work on the rest. :D
