They couldn't be saved.
That was the first thought that came to my mind when my fingers brushed over the torn clothing. My shirt, the one Raph picked out for me when we went shopping almost 6 months ago, completely ripped from the knife and the man's bare hands. I still don't know what he was called, and somehow I didn't want to know.
My pants were torn as well, by his hands and the temper he possessed. Or the eagerness. But again, I really didn't want to know which one it was, I didn't want the answers to these questions.
Only one: when do they get me out?
But I knew it wasn't going to be that easy, they found me last time because it was part of the plan Saki made. That was the only thing I did know. He had some kind of grudge against dad, my real biological dad that is, and he wanted revenge. The hatred for my father ran deep.
So deep that he been harbouring that anger for over 15 years now. He murdered mom, he arranged for me and Raph to be adopted as fast as possible. But he wasn't fast enough to take Leo and Don away as well. Raph's discovery was an accident, a careless mistake on Kevin's part.
My parents' death wasn't. I know that now.
Raph was asleep when Hun told me. The owner of the car that hit and killed my parents was known as Baxter Stockman, someone who was secretly working for Saki. Zucco forcing me to work for him wasn't a coincidence, it was all part of Saki's plan as well, not initially no. Raph was supposed to have the shitty life, I was supposed to have a good one.
To hurt dad even more. Raph would be terrified, too terrified to ever trust dad again in his life. I on the other hand wouldn't want to move in with him once he found me, because I would have other parents, a good life.
And I did, until Raph's life turned good. Then Saki decided my life couldn't be.
I whimper, shuddering from fear. It wasn't cold in the room, not in the slightest. It was comfortably warm in the room, something Zucco always made sure off, to please his customers. Right now it was a blessing as none of my clothes were salvageable and they had taken the blanket from my room.
Humiliating.
Another technique to get me to corporate. But like hell I would.
But I felt myself weakening more and more. The drug had already worn off hours ago. But it had taken me hours as well to get the courage to move from the bed, to crawl away from the place where the man had pinned me down, taken me and hurt me. But the change of place didn't help at all.
The floor was hard and uncomfortable, and the movement only made the ache worse.
My head suddenly snaps up when I hear footsteps and I immediately crawl backwards until I hit the corner of the room, wrapping my arms around myself to shield myself. As much as I could without any clothes on me whatsoever. I felt naked, I was, and I felt vulnerable as the door opened.
Zucco was the first one to step through the door, closely followed by another man. The man had spiky red hair and he was huge. Big muscles seemed to decorate his arms and he wore a hoodie of some sorts. His eyes immediately landed on me, an indifferent look on his face.
"What do you think?" Zucco asks and the man turns to Zucco, grinning.
"So far so good, he's cute" The man says, and I shudder at the deep raspy voice of the man.
"Good, because he's all yours" Zucco grinned, looking at me with a huge grin on his face. Bastard, he was enjoying this. I whimper in fear, wrapping my arms tighter around me. The man glanced at me, narrowed eyes roaming all over my body. Vulnerable, again this was the only word that I could use.
I felt vulnerable.
My bruises throbbed, hand shaped prints all over my arms, neck and thighs. I could feel dried blood on the inside of my legs, and I hurt, it hurt below. I had never felt more ashamed, not even after I had allowed Zucco the first time 5 years ago. I didn't understand it back then, not fully.
But my freedom these last 6 months.. only made this experience right now worse.
"Be cautious, we just got him back, he's still a fighter." Zucco said, looking at me. And I understood the silent message. You're still a fighter, for now.
"Am I his first?" The man asks but Zucco shakes his head. The man frowns, growling low in his throat.
"But don't worry, he can handle a lot, don't go easy on him" Zucco encouraged him and the man nods, looking at me again. I could feel a whimper building up low in my throat but I swallow it down, I wasn't about to show weakness. Not in front of Zucco, I wasn't going to give him that satisfaction.
The man silently dug his hand in his pocket, taking out a stash of money and handing it to Zucco. The latter took it with a grin, counting it quickly.
"You have three hours, enjoy" He said, leaving the room and the man turns around, locking the door before turning to me. Immediately he reached for the hem of his hoodie, pulling it over his head and stalking over to me.
"Stay away" I hiss through clenched teeth, suppressing a sob that was building up and I kicked out with my leg, not caring about exposing myself at this point. The man easily dodged it, kneeling next to me.
"Calm down Mikey" He spoke, his voice surprisingly lower than before. I frown, glaring at me.
"Don't say my name" I hiss angrily but the man doesn't listen, untangling his own hoodie.
"I know you don't trust me, but I'm here to help you" He continued, handing me the hoodie. I frown in confusion, looking at the hoodie for a good 10 seconds before reluctantly taking it
"Why?" I whisper, not daring to put on the hoodie as it meant taking my eyes off the man in front of me.
"Because I'm a friend of your dad, and your brothers" He told me. "I used to help Raph with his problems back in the day. When I heard you and Raph went missing, I immediately volunteered to help" He told me but I still didn't dare to take my eyes off him. Was he telling the truth?
"How do I know you're not lying?" I retort angrily, clutching the hoodie against my chest. The man chuckles slightly.
"Your dad said you wouldn't trust me, but he also told me you would recognise the lullaby Takeda no komoriuta. He said he used to sing it to you these last 6 months" My eyes widen slightly. I recognised that lullaby, and the man was right when he said dad used to sing it to me.
He had done it for the past 6 months.
It was a song my mom, my real mom, used to sing, and he started doing it after only Leo and Don were left. He started it again when Raph was just found, and he did the same thing when I was found. Nobody but my family could know about it, it was something we didn't even tell our friends or relatives. It was something between the five of us.
Suddenly the man stood up, his movements slow and cautious, and he took a few steps back. "My name is Allistar Spike, but Raph used to call me Slash"
"Why?" I ask as I carefully hook my arms through the fabric of the hoodie. The distance was comforting in a way, and as quickly as I could, I pulled the sweater over my head, trying to cover as much as possible. The hoodie barely fell over my hips, but whilst sitting that wasn't really a problem.
The man, Slash, smiles and pushes his tank top up a bit, revealing two long slices, slashes, along his abdomen. He lets it up for a few seconds before lowering it again. Then he dug into his pocket again, taking out a mobile phone and opening it.
"I'm contacting the police right now.. I can't make a phone call because they have this place bugged." Slash explains and I nod slowly. After a few moments he's done and he throws the phone on the bed before looking at me again. "Are you hurt anywhere?" He asks, slowly walking over to me and kneeling down.
"Just bruises" I answer, hoping he would drop the subject but instead he frowns.
"Zucco said I wouldn't be your first" I lower my gaze, nodding painfully and he keeps on frowning, anger all too evident in his eyes. But I'm too numb to actually care. "Can I do anything for you?" He asks but I shake my head. I just wanted to go home, I just wanted my family.
I wanted to feel safe again, and as much as I believed this man.. he didn't make me feel safe just yet.
TMNT
We sat in silence for I don't know how long. I was still huddled in the corner of the room, trying to continuously pull my hoodie downwards and feeling uncomfortable still. Slash both made me comfortable and uncomfortable at the same time. I knew he wouldn't hurt me, I knew he was here to help me.
But I didn't know him, and I still felt vulnerable with someone so close to me.
Then suddenly the alarms go off. I immediately stiffen at the sound, not as loud as usual but still all too evident. Slash looks up, frowning before he smiles slightly.
"Police" He mutters, looking at me with a reassuring look. He was sitting next to me, meters apart but in the same position as me, leaning against the wall and knees drawn to his chest. I glance at the door, resisting the urge to just bolt, run to the door and unlock it. It was possible, I could do it.
But Slash has told me it was too dangerous, if someone spotted us, they would alert the rest of the compound. We had to wait.
For the second time this day my head snaps up at movement just outside the door. I can see Slash looking at me from the side but I don't look at him, ignore his stare. I only look at him the moment he stands up to walk towards the door.
"Who is it?" He asks in a deep voice.
"Slash?" The frantic voice of Don came through the door and I immediately tense. Slash responds the moment Don said something, unlocking the door and opening it. Leo and Don were both standing in the door opening, two policemen and dad behind them. Both Leo and Don looked through the room, eyes falling on me.
"Mikey!" Leo cries out, rushing over to where I was sitting. I can only sit there, frozen as Leo wraps his arms around me, quickly followed by Don. "It's okay baby bro, we're here, we got you" Leo continues, and only then do I notice the tears streaming down my face. I sob, burying my face in the crook of Leo's neck.
I don't know how long we've stayed like this. I wasn't paying to attention to the time, or anything else really. I faintly realised dad wrapping his arms around me as well, or the police walking inside and standing guard, but I could only focus on the fact that I was surrounded by people I trusted.
My family.
"Someone find some pants, or anything" Leo suddenly spoke up, pulling away from the hug slightly. I almost whined as the cold air from the hallway hit the spot where Leo had just been, but he kept himself close to me, never letting me go while he was already barking orders.
I sniffle, hesitantly looking up and looking at two policemen who left the room. My vision was blurry, tears in my eyes as they roamed through the room, seeing Slash and the 2 other policemen that were still present.
"Hey" Leo tried to get my attention, stroking the side of my face. "Are you okay?" He asks me and I look at him, slowly nodding after a few seconds. I wasn't, not in the slightest. But Leo knew that as well for sure, and with the information he knew, I was okay, if that made sense.
It could've been worse.
I suddenly snap my head to the left, tensing as I looked at Don, but I immediately relax when his auburn eyes meet mine. He has a gentle, yet sad, smile on his face as he places his vest on my lap. I sag to the ground slightly, feeling my ears burn slightly from embarrassment.
"Do not be ashamed my son" Dad whispers softly, reaching out for me but I turn away slightly. I look at him, heart squeezing at the betrayed look on his face and I shake my head ever so slightly. "It is alright" My dad whispers, but I can hear the betrayal in his voice and I sob, wrapping my arms over each other.
It took a few minutes before the policemen came back with a pair of sweatpants and I quickly put them on, not bothering standing up just yet.
"There's an ambulance waiting in front of the building" Dad announces but I shake my head.
"I'm not going" I state, voice clear and determined. "Not until we find Raph"
"Mikey-" Don starts softly but I look at him, glaring slightly.
"I won't leave him alone.. his dad came back" I continue and Dad takes a step forwards.
"We know my son" He spoke and I reel back a bit, he knew?
"How?"
Don looks uneasy at the question but I don't back down, looking at dad. "Saki… sent us videos of Raph … and you." He stops himself, looking at me with almost regret in his eyes. I can feel numbness spreading through my body. He sent videos? That meant they saw.. they saw what Zucco did to me.
"You saw?" I whisper softly, staring at my family. But the silence already answered the question. "What is happening to Raph?"
"You don't need to know Mikey" Leo spoke with a heavy voice but I frown, shaking my head.
"I do, he's my brother" I retort. "You guys watched it as well, I know you have" I continue, voice lower than before.
"We haven't, only dad and the police, but only to figure out where Raph is being held" Leo explained firmly, looking at me with worried eyes.
"Did they figure it out?" I ask but he shakes his head. "Then let me see it, maybe I recognise something" I try again but dad frowns.
"I do not want you to see it Michelangelo, I don't want any of you to see it but especially not you" This time I'm the one frowning.
"I'm not weak dad" I protest. "Please just let me try, I know what Kevin is capable off, not knowing scares me more right now"
"How about we talk about it at home?" Dad eventually suggest and I sigh, he wasn't going to give in so easily. And normally, I wouldn't either. But my wounds were throbbing, my bottom was still agonisingly painful and I just wanted to get out of this place, go home and feel safe again.
So I nodded, bracing myself on the floor.
"Can you stand?" Don asks softly, carefully reaching for my arm. I immediately understand what he is trying to do and I wrap my arm around his shoulders, allowing my immediate older brother to help me stand up.
Immediately pain shoots through my entire body, and I hiss, doubling over. I groan, ignoring the shouts around me, the concerned rambling of my older brothers, squeezing my eyes shut to ride out the pain. I stay as still as I can, until I can feel the burn slowly subside to a manageable level.
"I-.. I don't think I can walk" I murmured, looking at Leo. He nodded slightly, a look of understanding in his eyes and he walked in front of me, turning his back to me. Without questioning it I wrap my arms around his neck. With the help of Don I get onto Leo's back, the latter hooking his arms under me so I wouldn't fall.
Still I don't let go of his neck, burying my face in the crook of his neck. The position on his back wasn't easing the pain at all, if anything it made it worse. But it didn't matter, I felt safe in his embrace.
I was safe.