Phew, sorry for the slow updates guys. And also, sorry for bringing in another 2k3 character. I really couldn't help myself, I just think it'd be a nice addition to the storyline. Thank you guys so much for your kind reviews, I appreciate each and every one of them. :) You guys rock!
Leo stumbled forward, unable to keep his balance. The rough hands that had shoved him forward retracted, and were folded as the four men watched the turtle fall. Dust kicked up as he landed with a sick thud, and for a few seconds, he didn't move. The only sounds that could be heard from him were ragged, heavy breaths escaping from his throat. Rails clattered as the cell door was slammed shut, the clang echoing through the main hallway.
An involuntary groan escaped him, and he swallowed shakily through his sore throat. He had remembered screaming, but surely it wouldn't be enough to damage his throat so severely...
Still laying plastron down, he felt himself trembling. Bits and pieces could surface in his memories, but the majority of the previous process was a blur. But one thing was for certain, he never wanted to go through pain like that ever again.
A sick feeling bubbled in his stomach, and he fixed his weight into his arms, attempting to rise. Or at least get to his knees. But before he was able, he wavered, taking a second of silence, and then found himself wreching up what little food he had left in his stomach. He heaved several times, nothing else rising up, and clenched his hands in pain. His chest tightened, and his stomach knotted as he swallowed back bile.
He hadn't even heard the men's footsteps as they left him. What he did hear, however, turned his blood to ice.
Chains rattled a few cells down, and Leo shifted away from his resurfaced last meal, turning to sit up and face the cell bars. He was frozen where he sat. Raph's cry came with sudden surprise, sounding a bit slurred as if he had just awoken. "Hey- get off me! Let me go you stupid-!" The screaming was replaced with a heavy thud, and the oldest froze. Leo found his heart begin to race, and though his limbs screamed in pain every time he moved, he began to crawl towards his cell bars.
"Raph?" He attempted to call out, only to cough in response to the scratchy linings in his throat. Holding one hand over his neck, he continued at a slow pace towards the cell bars. "R-Raph!"
When he reached the edge of his cell, he collapsed, too burned out to move any more. His breaths came ragged, sweat beading down his head, and his heart rocked his chest with a heavy pounding. "Raphael!" His voice broke, earning a grimace. But now he could see into the hallway.
Two men exited one of the cells, a limp green form being dragged by his arms, his shell facing behind. A newly-bleeding gash was imprinted on the back of his head, with a thin trail of blood seeping down. He was half carried, half pulled through the cooridor towards the door at the very end. Leo rested his head against the cool bars of his cell and tried one more time. "Raphael!" He called out with force, causing him to errupt in a fit of coughs and hacks.
When he was able to get his bearings, he looked up as the guards opened the door at the other end. That was when Raphael stirred, raising a heavy head to look over his shoulder. "Leo...?" He muttered, barely audible. But his brother caught it.
He eyes with his brother's lime-green gaze.
The younger brother's expression turned from painful to shocked. He opened his mouth to call out, but one of the guards swung a hand, planting a blow to the side of Raphael's face to turn him forward again. He staggered, but didn't fall. His captors had him in a tight embrace, attempting to drag him out of the doorway.
Leo grabbed a bar and held on tight. "Raph!" He called, beginning to panic. He knew firsthand what these people were capable of. And they were more than likely dragging his brother to the same fate. There was nothing he could do... "Raphael!" He called, his voice a mere squeak. He didn't know what calling his brother's name could do to help him, but he was desperate.
He could see Raph struggling in the guard's arms. But the guards were stronger, and Raph was obviously disoriented from the nasty gash on his head. They continued in this battle until Raphael was overpowered, and they pulled him through the door.
"Le-" A loud bang and the door slammed shut, seperating the two.
The day was young when Mikey stirred, licking his lips and blinking several times as he adjusted to the room's light. His muscles had a dull ache, and the surface below him was hard. For a few moments, he lay confused. ...Did I fall out of bed?
He curled his fingers into his hand, grimacing at all the light. Aw man, am I late for training again...? He thought, attempting to figure out why the lights were so bright. Everyone must be up but me.
With a yawn, he lifted his arms to stretch. But not before he released a pain-filled screech and pulled his arms back in. For several seconds, he sat curled up, breathing quick and heavy as pain shot through his nerves. Pain. It was excrutiating. Flashes of memory flooded through his mind as he remembered what he had endured the day before. His throat flared. His muscles raged.
Once he adjusted his sight, he found himself curled up in the corner of a small prison cell. It was quiet. He slowly drew his knees in, despite his muscles' protest, and looked downward. Not sure where he was or what to do now, he was silent.
For a long time, he remained quiet. He didn't cry, didn't sniffle, didn't waver. He was... still. He stared outside the cell bars, his eyes focused on the bright white wall opposite. Was that a hallway?
"Leo? Donnie? Raph?" He called to empty air, drawing his limbs in a little closer. Were there other cells? "Guys? C'mon, wake up... talk to me..." His voice crackled. "Please..." Where are they...? He thought, terrified. He ducked his head in his arms, feeling his heart pound in his chest with anxiety.
A scream ripped through the air. It was loud, pain-filled, and his muscles shook with horror. However, it was coming from the wall behind him. His head up, his muscles tense, he froze in horror.
"...Raph...?" He whispered.
His eyes watered with tears as the screams went on. They seemed to never end. Mikey whimpered, tears spilling from his eyes as he remained still. Minutes passed. He put his hands over his ears, clenching his eyes shut. "Stop hurting him!" He begged aloud, breaking into loud sobs. It wouldn't stop.
"Leave him alone!" He yelled to empty air, his fingers grabbing the sides of his head with his palms pressed desperately against his ears.
"This is the place."
The rain was beginning to let up by the time they turned the corner. Angel narrowed her eyes, studying the inner work of the store. "You sure?" She asked, suspicious. "Looks like some kind of kiddy shop."
"I'm sure." The woman standing over her crossed her arms with a smirk. Angel looked up at her, her high pigtails wavering with their ends tipping her shoulders. "I'm telling you. People go in there and never come out. I want to get to the bottom of it."
"Cath, we're Purple Dragons, not spies. Why should we care?"
"You're right. We shouldn't. But you should. Boss's orders. For initiation, you go in there and get a valuable. Then get back out here without getting caught. It can be messy, it can be clean. Just get the valuable and run."
"And that's it?" Angel's eyes widened.
"That's it." Cath grinned.
"Sweet..." Came the fourteen-year-old's reply. "This'll be easy."
"Don't underestimate this store, girl." Cath suddenly placed a hand on the younger's shoulder, her long blonde hair spilling over her shoulders. "Some low-level Purple Dragons assigned to this store dissapear. We do this robbery yearly so the owners don't raise a lot of suspicion to the gang's plans, but still..." She hesitated. "I tried to swing the boss into letting your initiation take place in a different location..."
"No sweat, Cath. I'll be in and out before you can know it."
"Just be careful, sis." Cath huffed, crossing her arms. "Just know I tried. But I'm not gonna do anything stupid to wave you through. You gotta learn street life on your own."
"Cath. Stop talking." Angel gritted her teeth. "I can handle myself, alright? so shut up and stop treating me like a child."
"Fine, whatever, go get youself killed, see if I care." Cath retorted, sticking her nose in the air.
Angel scoffed. "Grammy will care. See you in ten minutes."
She looked both ways, her hands grabbing the edge of the building corner. Cath backed away. When no headlights came into view, Angel broke into a sprint, racing across the street with her purple-streaked pigtails flying.
Once she reached the store, she stopped beside the store and caught her breath. Winded but ready, she rose, making sure no one was around. She snuck towards the windows.
"In and out..." She whispered, scanning the store for cameras. She spotted two deep in the corners of the store, and one in the front. However, it could be avoided if she approached from the other side.
Turning back, she raced around the store and sprinted across the back. Along the way, she scooped up a large stone broken off the road edge. Keeping a secure hold, she approached the windows again from the other side.
Alright, time to make a mess. Making sure to be out of sight of the cameras like she had been taught, she lifted the stone. And with a heavy swing, she tossed the projectile.
The window shattered within a mere second. A loud alarm went off, blaring and deafening. But Angel ignored it. Leaping through the shattered glass, she made her way across the store, dodging the cameras by going through the isles.
"Alright, there's gotta be something here worth more than fifteen bucks..." She whispered as she scanned over the prices at top speed. Her adrenaline was pumping, and the alarm was bone-shakingly loud. But she had to concentrate. There had to be a valuable in here somewhere.
Her head whipped around as she spotted a shelf with expensive antiques. "Aha!" She cried out, her stomach knotting as she approached at top speed. "Grab and go!" She yelled to herself, her hands grabbing the first item she could get. Scrambling for the pricetag, the label read thirty bucks.
"There has to be something here worth more than that!" She yelled, putting it back roughly against the glass shelf. A heavy crack embedded in the table, but she didn't stop to inspect it, "What about you?" She spoke aloud, grasping a box with encrested jewels.
Before she could see the pricetag, she looked up. The wall behind the antique was white, and a small handle was embedded in it and a thin white string attached to the item in her hands. Puzzled, she pulled the item so that the string became taught.
The trap doors under her broke apart with a sudden hiss, swallowing her through the floor and into the darkness below. She didn't have time to scream.