Here is the next chapter, as promised. :)

I wanted them for Christmas...but apparently I'm on Santa's naughty list, heh.

Chapter 15: Oh What a Tangled Web We Weave...

Starcher and Hale had just sat down with their meal when the alarm blared through the building.

"What the..." Hale jumped to his feet, almost tipping the table over.

"I'm not sure," Starcher stood and started to the door. He stopped when a soldier approached him.

"Professor Starcher," the ninja said. "The purple clad turtle has escaped."

"How is that possible?" Starcher blasted.

"The soldier that was posted to guard him was an impostor," the soldier explained. "Carter was scheduled to stand guard and when he arrived, the turtle was gone. The ninja that took the creature to his cell said that a soldier was already there."

Starcher cursed under his breath and bolted out the door. Hale had to almost jog to keep up with the taller man.

He swiped his card at the elevator and punched the button with more force than necessary.

"We need to go to my office," Starcher told Jeff. "Then I want you to check on the other turtle."

"Yes, sir."

The men exited at the forty first floor and headed to Starcher's office. When the door opened Starcher growled a mumbled curse. The one person he didn't want to see at the moment was leaning against his desk.

"Karai," he grounded out through clenched teeth.

"My father is not pleased, Starcher." The woman said smoothly. "You are lucky that he did not come here himself."

"We have the other turtle, Karai." Starcher moved around her and sat at his desk. He fished the key out of his pocket and opened the desk drawer. "All is not lost."

He poured a drink and quickly swigged it down. After a few deep breaths he poured another.

"You have failed, Professor," Karai hissed.

"No! No, this can be fixed." Starcher shook his head. "The others will not leave the blue clad turtle behind."

"No more games," Karai kept her tone even. "You should have took the other turtles when you had the chance."

Starcher's hand shook as he took another drink.

"Please, Mistress," Starcher's tone was laced with bitterness. He hated to call her Mistress. "I just need more time."

"Your time is up, Professor." A dark smile spread across her face.

Starcher pulled in a strangled breath and clutched his chest. Realization came an instant too late.

Jeff watched with wide eyes as Starcher's body started to convulse. The drink that was in his hand fell to the floor and shattered.

For what seemed like an eternity his body shook and writhed until finally his head hit the desk with a sickening thud. A crimson trail leaked from his mouth.

Jeff slowly turned his gaze from Starcher to Karai. Her intense stare made him take a step back. His heart pounded wildly in his chest, threatening to break through his ribs. He swallowed thickly as the woman observed him through narrow eyes.

"Do you have a problem with how I handled this?" She crossed her arms over her chest.

"N-no, ma'am." His eyes flickered to the dead body at the desk and back to Karai.

"You may address me as Mistress Karai," she said as she walked out the door.

"Yes, Ma'...uh, Mistress." He followed her out the door without looking back.

The alarm had stopped and no more soldiers ran by the room. The hall was eerily quiet. Elyse turned back to Leonardo.

His breaths were coming out more even now.

"I'm sorry," she breathed. She knew the turtle couldn't hear her.

She slowly opened the door and checked the hall. It was empty. She glanced once more over her shoulder before she stepped out into the hall. For a moment she thought that the alarm would go off again and a dozen black clad ninja would attack. But the corridor remained quiet. She took a few deep breaths and started down the hall toward the stairs. She walked carefully, trying to keep her heels from making too much noise. But the loud click-clack echoed anyway. Her steps sped up with her heartbeat and she finally made it to the door to the stairs. She fished in her pocket for the access card that Jeff had given her. She swiped the card in the slot. The light blinked twice but remained red.

"No.." Her breath froze in her chest.

She hesitated then swiped the card again. It blinked twice and after a few seconds the green light came on.

Elyse let out a shaky laugh and pushed the door open. She stood still and held her breath, trying to listen for footsteps or voices.

Nothing.

She stepped through the door and started down the stairs.

"There is nothing that I can do for him," she thought. "If something happened and I was caught trying to help..."

She shivered at the thought of what could happen to her. What these people were capable of.

Her heart stopped when she heard an access door to an upper floor open. There was no where to hide in the stairway. She quickly opened the door to whatever floor she had made it to and peeked her head out. The corridor was empty so she slipped out and searched for a hiding place.

There were only a few doors in this hallway, and none had an access card slot. She opened the first door that she came to and was relieved that it wasn't locked. She crouched down in the little room and pressed her ear to the door. She would wait a few minutes and then try the stairs again.

Jeffrey Hale fought hard to keep his stomach from emptying out what little content that it had in it. He walked a few steps behind Karai as she conversed in Japanese with one of the soldiers. He couldn't understand what they were saying, so he concentrated on not getting sick. He could hear his heart beating in his ears, and he was sure they could too.

Karai stopped abruptly and he almost ran into her. He stopped suddenly and his shoes squeaked across the floor.

Karai turned to Jeff, her cold expression sent shivers down his spine.

"Are you not feeling well, Mr. Hale?" she asked. She raised an eyebrow and her lips twitched into a small smile.

"No, no...I'm fine, Mistress Karai," he stammered.

She nodded and turned back to the soldier. The ninja handed her a small, black vase.

"Do not attack the turtles, let them pass," she told him.

"Hai, Mistress." The soldier bowed.

"Go! Now!" The soldier turned and disappeared down the hall.

"Starcher was correct," she said to Hale. "The turtles are painfully predictable. They will not leave without their brother."

"Brother?" Hale was almost afraid to make eye contact, but he slowly lifted his gaze to meet hers.

She nodded and started to walk down the hall again. Hale obediently followed.

"They are my father's most hated enemy," she continued. "He wants revenge on all of them, including the rat."

"Rat?" He swallowed thickly when she didn't answer.

"I do not expect you to understand all of this right away, Mr. Hale. Just remember who you work for...who you are loyal to."

Jeff felt his stomach do another flip flop, but he slowly nodded his head. "I-I'm loyal to you...Mistress Karai."

"Very good."

Karai felt her communicator buzz on her hip. She handed the vase to Hale and flipped open the black device.

"Yes?"

"Mistress, the turtles and their human friend have entered through the east gate."

"Let them come. No interference."

"Hai, Mistress."

She snapped the communicator closed and returned it to her belt.

"We have guests, Mr. Hale. Let's give them a warm welcome."

The next chapter is almost finished and if all goes well I can post it tomorrow.