Oh wow...hope everyone is still with me. So sorry that this has taken so long.

I don't own them

Chapter 13: Calvary

As the time passed, Starcher was pleased that the turtle lasted as long as he did. He took his time, made sure that Don was completely awake before he started a new round of electrical shocks.

But now...even with a sharp slap to the turtle's face, he couldn't get him to even stir. Don's head lolled to the side and the leather strap fell out of his mouth.

Starcher's mouth pulled into a deep frown. "Call for the soldiers," he told Hale as he pulled his gloves off and tossed them into the trash.

"Yes, sir." Jeff quickly made his way to the door.

He returned a few moments later with two ninja.

"Return this mutant to his cell," Starcher barked to the soldiers.

"Yes, sir." The soldiers moved to the table and started to unstrap Don.

Don let out a faint groan as the soldiers rolled him over to reattach the shackles to his wrists. They jerked his upright but had to quickly support all of the unconscious turtle's weight.

"I want to be informed when the turtle wakes up," Starcher said before the soldiers could walk to the door.

One soldier nodded. "Of course, sir."

"The very second that he regains consciousness," Starcher pressed. "Am I clear?"

The soldier nodded again. "We will post someone in the cell, sir. You will be informed right away."

"Good."

The door opened and the soldiers dragged Don away.

Starcher turned to his young assistant. "It is past dinner time, Mr. Hale. Let's go and see if we can find something to eat."

Jeff's stomach turned at the thought of food, but he nodded and followed the professor out the door.

Raph gave a thumbs up after he successfully cut the chain away and opened the gate to the delivery service's parking lot. Casey slowly eased the van through the gate and parked it among the dozen or so delivery vehicles. It blended in perfectly.

Raph closed the gate and darted to the parked van.

"You know what to do?" Raph asked as Casey climbed out of the driver's seat.

"Yeah, yeah," Casey answered. "We been ova' this a million times, buddy."

"Be careful." April wrapped Casey in a hug. She pulled away quickly and wiped the moisture from her cheeks with the back of her hand.

"I will, babe." Casey flashed her a smile. He shoved the foot soldier's mask over his head and turned to leave.

"Mr. Jones?" Splinter's voice stopped the man in his tracks and he turned to face the ninja master.

"Good luck, my friend. Please be safe."

Casey nodded and he quickly made his way out of the parking lot and across the street.

It took only a few moments for him to find the alley that had the access door. Only one guard stood outside. Casey kicked a can a few feet into the alley and when the soldier came to investigate the noise, Casey knocked him out.

He checked his pockets for an access card. "I got a card," Casey whispered into headset that he wore under the mask.

"OK," April's voice spoke into his ear. "Turn right at the end of the hall and Don's cell should be the fifth one on the left."

"Gottcha," Casey answered as he swiped the card. The security light blinked twice before turning green.

Casey pushed open the door and quickly darted down the hall. Even though he was disguised as a foot soldier he couldn't help the uneasy feeling of dread that followed him down the hall and to the row of cells. He counted off the rooms as he walked past them. When he got to the fifth door he swiped the card and pushed the door open.

Empty.

"Sorry guys," Casey whispered as he stepped into the cell. "He's not here."

Hot bile snaked up his throat as he got a closer look at the walls and floor. Blood was streaked and pooled in various spots.

"Someone was here. But I'm not sure if it was Don or Leo. What should I do..." Casey stopped mid-sentence and whipped around when he heard the cell door slide open.

Two soldiers appeared in the doorway with Donny slumped in their grips.

Casey resisted the urge to plow through the ninja and retrieve his friend. He couldn't risk getting caught and having the foot be aware that the others were close. He stood still and waited for the soldiers to address him.

"Well, that was quick," one soldier said as he shifted Don to Casey. "Are you assigned to guard the mutant?"

Casey nodded.

"Professor Starcher wants you to remain in the cell with him. The second he wakes up, you need to call him."

"Yes, sir," Casey answered, his hands trembled as he tried to hold Don's dead weight.

He moved Don to the wall to make it appear that he was attaching the chains to the shackles. The soldiers turned and left the room.

"Oh man, Donny, what did they do to ya?" Casey breathed as he picked the locks to the cuffs. "April, I got Don. He's banged up pretty bad and he's not awake."Casey could hear Raph in the background asking about Don's injuries.

"Casey, hurry and get him out of there. Once he is safe we can go after Leo."April spoke over Raph's ranting.

"OK, babe." Casey reached out to lift his friend.

Don groaned low and shoved Casey's hand away. "L've me 'lone," he slurred.

"Don?" Casey tried to reach out to him again.

"No!" Don's voice was a harsh whisper. "Dn't touch me!"

He tried to scramble away from Casey but he didn't have enough strength and ended up falling backwards.

"Easy buddy," Casey said as he tried to help him up.

"No!" Don's voice raised and cracked. "Stop!" His eyes were wide and glazed over.

Casey realized that he still had the mask on. He quickly jerked it off. "It's OK, Donny. It's me, Casey."

Don blinked and he drew in a ragged breath. "Casey?"

"Yeah, buddy." He help him sit up. "I'm here to get you and Leo outta here."

Don's gaze fell to the floor and his shoulders started to tremble. "Leo..."

"Casey! You have to get out of there now!" April's voice rang in his ear.

"A'right, Ape. I'm on my way."

"C'mon, Don," he threw Don's arm around his shoulder and hauled him to his feet. "We'll get ya outta here and then come back for Leo."

Don shook his head wildly, sobs racking his body.

"Don't worry. We won't leave 'im." Casey half dragged and half carried Don out the door and down the hall.

"Do ya know which cell he's in?"

"H-he's gone." Was all Don got out between labored breaths.

Raph was waiting in the alley when Casey exited the building.

"Donny!" Raph grabbed his other arm and helped Casey shuffle him out of the alley and toward the van. He was relieved to see that his brother was conscious.

April had the back of the van open and the first aid kit ready. She would try to treat what wounds she could in the vehicle.

Splinter laid a blanket over his trembling son. He gently stroked his forehead as April started to check his wounds.

"Did he know where Leo was?" Raph asked Casey.

Casey shook his head. "He said he was gone."

"They moved him?"

Casey shrugged. "That's all he said."

Raph jumped into the van and sank to his knees beside his brother. "Donny?"

Don slowly opened his eyes. April had removed his bandanna and Raph could see how bloodshot they were.

"R-Raph? Where's Mikey?" His voice was weak and strained.

"I'm here, dude." Mikey's voice came from the front of the vehicle.

"Don, we have to go back for Leo. Do you know where his cell is?"

Don squeezed his eyes shut and a strangled sob escaped his lips.

"He-he's gone."

"Gone? Gone where? Did they move him to another cell?" Raph didn't mean for his voice to raise.

Don breathing became erratic and his body shook uncontrollably.

"H-he's dead." Don's eyes moved to Splinter. "I'm so s-sorry...sorry, Sensei. I...I couldn't do anything."

"No!" Raph cut in. "No, Donny! They lied to you! He's not...we'll get him out too!"

Don shook his head. "I was...there. I s-saw what they did. He's gone...a-and they burned his body."

If all goes well the next chapter should be done by next week. My hubby is having surgery, so...I want to have the next chapter up before I have to spend most of my time taking care of him ^.^