Ch 16 Confrontation

"This just doesn't make sense!" Donatello was in his lab, typing furiously on his computer. Raph and Mikey looked over his shoulder watching the computer spit out information neither understood, but as long as their genius brother understood what was going on, they were happy to sit back and let him take the lead.

"What's the problem Donnie?" Raph asked hotly. "Why is it so hard to just find the info we need?

"Because I can't find the info we need Raph." He retorted, rather sarcastically. "It's almost as if Shredder has completely wiped himself out of existence."

"How can someone do that?" Mikey leaned over his brother's shoulder and watched

"It's not easy, there are always a ton of variables in order to take someone out of the system, but it is doable. One would just have to..." Donnie started to explain, but was quickly interrupted by Raph.

"Enough of the geek speak Don." Raph told him. "Just find out where Shredder is hiding."

"I've been trying Raph!" Donnie exploded. "But he's completely taken himself off the grid making it almost impossible for me to do that!"

"Well there has to be some way!" Raph yelled back. "You're the smart one, figure it out!"

"Guys, enough!" Mikey yelled out, trying to get in between his brothers.

But Raph continued. "Leo's life depends on us finding Shredder and..."

"You don't think I know that?!" Donnie interrupted.

"ENOUGH!" Splinter walked into the lab and interrupted his sons arguing. "You will not find your brother if you continue to go against each other."

Raph let out a sigh and turned back to Donnie. "I'm sorry Don." He said gently placing a hand on his brother's shoulder. "I know you're doing everything you can."

Donnie hung his head and rubbed his tired eyes. "I'm sorry too guys." He said. "This is getting frustrating, I've continued to search for any sign that Shredder has left using his private plane or ship, and ...and there is nothing...and I...I just don't know what to do anymore."

The four mutants looked at one another. "There has to be something we've overlooked." Raph said. "Did we check all Shredder's contacts and..."

"I've checked all of them Raph." Donnie said, his voice low but firm."I've done everything I can think of and there's just nothing..."

"Master Splinter!" April's voice called out as she ran into the lair. "Master Splinter, guys hurry!"

Splinter and the turtles ran to the main room where April was standing, looking around frantically. When she saw them, she ran over to Splinter and handed him a long white envelope with his name on it. "This was given to Murakami." She told him. "He said a strange growling man with bone-like hands gave it to him to give to you."

"Rahzar!" Mikey shrieked. "You think it has something to do with Leo?"

Splinter looked down at the envelope. He wasn't too surprised when he recognized the handwriting to be Saki's. His hand shook slightly as he began to open the letter. The turtle's and April watched Splinter's jaw clench as he read the written note. When he was done, he crushed the paper in his hand and turned away from them. He walked into his room and emerged a few minutes later wearing his long cloak with a hood over his head concealing his form.

"Sensei?" Mikey looked at him nervously.

"You boys will stay here." He ordered them. His sons and April watched as Splinter suddenly turned and with no further explanation, left the lair.

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A short time later, Splinter was walking toward Shredder's old hideout. He knew his sons had already searched the place looking for their brother, but he still kept his guard up. He walked toward the entrance, his heart pounding fast while his eyes roamed over the abandon church, looking for any sign of a possible trap, but so far, the lair was empty of anything and anyone.

The note had told him to meet Shredder at his old lair at midnight if he wanted to know about his missing son, it was a few minutes before and as the last few minutes ticked by, Splinter felt the sweat pouring down his face. Would Saki actually give Leonardo back to him? Would he be alive? So many questions filtered through his mind as he waited with bated breath.

"Well, well." Shredder's low and taunting voice echoed though out the empty room. "I see you arrived early Yoshi, nice to know somethings haven't changed."

Splinter eyes roamed over the empty hall, trying to locate the spot. "What news of my son do you have Saki?!" Splinter yelled out looking everywhere and anywhere. "What have you done with him?!"

Shredder walked out from behind his throne and glared down at Splinter. "I have your son." His voice low and hateful. "Or rather, I had him."

Splinter's fur bristled. He looked at Shredder, his claws out and ready to fight if need be. "WHERE IS MY SON!" He screamed out.

Shredder walked closer to Yoshi, his eyes filled with rage. "Your so called son is no longer your concern." He taunted. "He gave his life to me in exchange for your freedom."

Splinter's eyes widen and his breath quickened as the words from Saki's mouth hit his ears. "No." Splinter whispered.

"I will no longer hunt you down for the evil you did to me." Shredder walked around Splinter and watched as the words slowly sunk in with a victorious and twisted smile. "You should be proud of the freakyou raised." His words hit like a poisoned dart in Splinter's heart. "He refused to give me your whereabouts." Splinter felt Shredder's breath on his neck, sending shiver's up and down his spine. "Even as I tortured him, beat him." Shredder smiled and brought his face close to Splinter's ear "And took his innocence."

Splinter whirled around and stared at Shredder in Shock. "You defiled MY SON!"

They stared at each other. Saki let out a low guttural laugh. "Several times." He sneered enjoying the look of anguish on Splinter's face. "And he loved...every...minute...of it." Shredder whispered tauntingly, his voice low and chilling. He smiled as Splinter's face stared at the floor in disbelief. "Right up til the very end. When I took his life." He hissed evilly. "Slicing my blade...through...his...throat." Shredder laughed a horrid cold laugh as he watched Splinter's face contort into rage and his fist clench.

"LIAR!"

Both Splinter and Shredder whirled around to see three green blurs jump down from the rafters of the ceiling and land in front of them. Splinter's sons stood up and got into a fighting position, readying their weapons, their eyes white and their faces filled with rage.

You lying bastard Shredder!" Raph screamed out.

"Our brother would never give into you willing!" Donnie began to twirl his bo staff as he prepared to fight alongside his brothers. "And we KNOW he is still alive!"

"Tell us where he is." Mikey demanded. "Tell us what you've done with HIM!"

"My Sons, NO!" Splinter was surprise to see them. He couldn't understand had he had not sensed them following him. But that did not matter, he had sensed that Shredder had not shown up alone. And as the turtles began to advance, Splinter heard the cocking of the gun, he quickly ran toward where his sons were and shielded them with his body as the gun fired.

"Augh!" Splinter cried out, He fell forward into Donnie arms as the bullet hit his left shoulder.

"Sensei!" They cried as Donnie cradled Splinter in his lap and assisted him in turning over to see Shredder looming over them.

"So typical of a Hamato." He scowled down at them while behind him, Tiger Claw came walking up with the gun still smoking in his paw. "I should have realized you could not be trusted."

"You speak of trust...when you betrayed me so long ago?" Splinter gasped out and looked up at him, his voice shaking through gritted teeth from the sting of the bullet that grazed his shoulder. "You have betrayed me time and time again...and continue to do so." He scowled as their eyes met. "When will this madness, this sickness of yours end Saki!?"

Splinter stood up and gently but firmly forced his sons to stay behind him. He slowly walked over to where Shredder stood, his right hand pressed firmly on his left shoulder, he locked eyes with Shredder and force his voice to remain steady. "I do not believe you, that you would murder Leonardo when the Tengu require him alive." Splinter clenched his fist. "Where. Is. My. SON!"

After a nod from Shredder, Tiger Claw unhooked a bag from his belt and tossed it in front of Splinter's feet. A loud metal clang sounded from within. Donnie bent down to pick it up, his face paled upon opening it.

"You are the demon Saki." Splinter said, taking the bag out of Donnie's hands. He forced his voice to stay in control while he looked into the bag. "You would kidnap a child and violate him to force him to give into your demands and for what!? A power that can never be yours!"

"A child." Shredder spat out and laughed. "You call those filthy creatures you surround yourself with children when they are nothing more then freaks!" He turned away from Splinter and the turtles. "But then, I suppose, you are too." He looked back at him mockingly. "I did you a favor taking him away from you, in time he would have given into the power and eventually... he would have destroyed you." Shredder looked from Splinter to the turtles. "All of you."

Shredder began to walk away from Splinter. "I did not care if he took the power or not, but it was fun trying to get him to accept it." He walked back toward his throne, ready to take his leave. "But he continued to fight so I decided he was no longer worth my time." Shredder smirked at Splinter. "So he traded his life for yours and now you are free of me, but I will keep his shell as a trophy and a reminder of the word I gave." He motioned to the bag. "But you may have what is left of that thing you called a son." Shredder began to walk out but not before giving one more jab to Splinter's heart. "One more thing Yoshi. When you see Karai, tell her...I still love her." Splinter and his sons watched Shredder and Tiger Claw walk out the room.

Raph and Mikey turned to Splinter. "Sensei." Mikey's voice was wavering, "What's in the bag?"

Splinter turned the bag upside down and they watched the contents spill out revealing Leo's katanas broken in half along with his mask, pads and wrappings covered in blood.

Splinter fell to his knees and banged his fist on the floor, his whole body shaking in fury. The turtles watched and held each other, tears rolling down their faces while Splinter's anguished cries echoed throughout the empty chamber.