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Creepy but gorgeous cover created by the awesome Sampsonknight over on Deviant Art.

– Snatched –

Ch 9

The room seemed to sway, making the view Mikey had through Doppelmike's vision swim alarmingly and Mikey laughed with glee. It had only been a few days since he'd given Leo the journal but it seemed Leo had told the others afterall and they were going to save him.

As darkness engulfed the body snatcher and by default Mikey, Mikey felt overcome by emotion and by hope.

"I'm not sure if you can hear us while he's drugged Mikey, but we're going to do everything we can to help you."

Mikey closed his eyes, concentrating and trying desperately to reconnect with his body since the body snatcher was out for the count but as he made contact he began to feel sluggish and realised that the drug would prevent him from taking control. It was however a chance to actually sleep for the first time since this all began but he shook his head, shaking off the tentative connection. Right now wasn't the time for that, not when he could listen to his family actually talking to him for once.

He listened in rapt attention as Leo explained they were chaining up Doppelmike so Mikey wouldn't have to worry about the imposter trying to hurt them when he eventually awoke.

"I'm so sorry we need to do this, Mikey," Donnie interjected. "We've come up with a few ideas to try and be rid of him but we don't know for sure if any of them will actually work."

"We just couldn't stand by any longer," Leo's comforting voice added, "knowing you're in there alone."

I haven't been alone since the day you showed me you believed me bro, Mikey interrupted happily, knowing full well no one else could hear him.

"At least this way, even if you can't respond to us, you know we are all here for you."

Mikey's heart swelled with joy. The hardest part of his lonely ordeal had been knowing they didn't know how badly he needed them; that they didn't even know he was missing but now... Now they knew!

They really, truly knew!

"I am so sorry that I did not realise you were in such grievous trouble, my son." Splinter's voice sounded full of regret. "I only hope that one day you can forgive me."

Nothing to forgive, father, Mikey replied warmly, hoping that even though they couldn't hear him, that maybe, somehow, his feelings would get through to them.

"Unfortunately none of my research on that marking has borne fruit," Donatello began, "but from what information you shared in your letter to Leo, I believe if we can find a way to remove it, then we should be able to remove Doppelmike."

"That is both a stupid and fittin' name you gave him, bro," Raph laughed. "Were you really callin' him that to his face?"

Mikey grinned in mischievous delight, Non stop, Raphie. It annoyed the shell out of him!

"Ahem!" Donnie interrupted and Mikey could just imagine the look of disapproval directed Raph's way. "As I was trying to say, I've thought of several ways to try to remove that marking. Unfortunately most of them are rather... extreme. I hope I don't need to go there but I will keep them as a last resort."

Mikey's eyes were wide as he stared into the all encompassing darkness. Define 'extreme', bro.

"We'll start off trying to reason with your parasitic hitch-hiker though," Donnie continued, clearly not having heard him. Mikey however was certain that Donnie knew him well enough to have anticipated the question and was deliberately avoiding the answer.

"I have contacted The Ancient One," Master Splinter added. "He is also trying to see if he can find any information that may be of help."

"Mikey," Leo called. "I know Doppelmike is keeping you imprisoned in there but the fact that you have been able to exert some control while he's been asleep lately proves there is hope so please don't give up on us or yourself."

I won't, I promise.

"While Donnie tries to remove that obscene marking from you, Doppelmike will likely retaliate against you when he realises he can't do anything to us so either Master Splinter or myself will be trying to reach you via meditation," Leo continued calmly. "One of us will be with you, trying to lend you our strength so make sure you leave yourself open to us."

At the thought of retaliation, Mikey felt a surge of fear reminiscent of the day he first found himself in this place. He swallowed back his fear and pushed his bravado to the forefront. With his brothers and father at his side, Mikey knew he could make it through anything.

-:-

Doppelmike blinked his eyes open groggily, wondering at first why his head felt so full of mush. Suddenly it all came back in a rush and he realised he was chained to a bed in the lab. There was enough give in the chains of his bonds to allow him to sit up if he chose but not to allow his hands to meet, nor his feet to move more than a few centimetres. He looked around to meet the poisonous glare of Raphael and he met it with one equal in measure.

"If you weren't in my brother's body, I'd kill you right here and now for the torment you've put him through!" Raph spat furiously.

Doppelmike smiled smugly at the enraged turtle but his own fury still filled his eyes. "Nice to know where I stand Raphael but you know, in a way, I'm your brother too."

"Just 'cause you're in his body?" Raph snorted derisively. "Doesn't count you damned coward!"

Doppelmike just laughed and closed his eyes to look inwards instead. 'You betrayed me!' he furiously accused Mikey.

Mikey shook his head, I was never on your side, Doppeldude, so no, I didn't betray you. I did however try several times to reach out and compromise with you and you wouldn't even try so now here we are, both prisoners. Me a prisoner of your mind and soul and you, a prisoner in chains from the family you constantly lied to. You've got no one to blame for this but yourself.

'You lied to me at least!'

Mikey canted his head, regarding the body snatcher, Not really, I just never told you the full truth.

'Then how did they know? Raphael called me a name only you ever coined so you had to have told them!' Doppelmike snapped, fuming at Michelangelo. 'When did you even get the chance? You didn't realise I couldn't hear you in the Astral Plain until after you were last there and you couldn't have snuck off there since!'

What makes you think that, Doppelmike?, Mikey asked curiously. Frankly the thought of trying that hadn't even occurred to him and he really wished it had.

'You were only able to go those two times because I relaxed my grip on you enough!'

Oh, Mikey said with a laugh. Yeah, that's true.

'And after I realised what you started being able to do, I began keeping a closer eye on you!'

Mikey shrugged nonchalantly. Too little, too late. Anyway, like I told you, I never actually spoke a word to anyone. Like you just said, I couldn't! They found out some other way.

"We know you aren't asleep, Doppelmike so you may as well stop pretending," Leo's firm, commanding voice came through loud and clear.

Doppelmike opened one eye lazily to stare at Leo. "Whoever said I was pretending? I'm sitting up, aren't I?" He closed his eye again, keeping Mikey from the comfort of seeing his family around him but for once, Mikey didn't even care. They were there for him and nothing else mattered right now.

Leo stared down unimpressed, "We need to talk Doppelmike, about both what you have done and what you are doing. This has to stop!"

"Just because you say so, Leo?" Doppelmike asked, sounding far more amused than he really was.

"Because we all say so!" Raph growled menacingly. "You're messin' with one of our own and we're not willin' to watch him suffer under you any longer!"

Doppelmike laughed derisively, "You really aren't watching him do anything. After all, it's not as though you can even see or hear him. In fact, you won't be seeing or hearing him ever again."

For a moment, Mikey froze at the sound of the ominous words but then relaxed, knowing the others wouldn't give up that easily. Suddenly he heard the rattle of chains and Doppelmike's eyes flew open as if in surprise. All Mikey could see was Raph's furious golden gaze filling Doppelmike's vision, accompanied by a sound that reminded Mikey of a cartoon bull snorting immediately prior to finally charging and goring the stupid person in its path.

"Raphael!" Leo cried in alarm. "Don't hurt Mikey!"

"Yes, don't hurt Mikey," Doppelmike mocked laughingly, "but of course, I'm Mikey too!"

Raph suddenly pushed Doppelmike away in disgust, "You ain't fit to share a name with our brother!"

"Heh!" Doppelmike calmly closed his eyes again.

"You have to leave Doppelmike," Leo stated firmly. "You don't belong here."

"Even if I wanted to leave, I couldn't," Doppelmike smirked, still sounding amused but Mikey knew he was anything but. Mikey felt the intense anger born of lifetimes of frustration and unfulfilled vengeance directed his way and he had to fight to suppress the shudder.

"I'm here until this pathetic body dies."

"Your presence appears to be tied with the marking on your left hand," Donnie stated. "How about if we remove that?"

"You can try." With that, Doppelmike turned his attention to Michelangelo within, ignoring the outside world.

'Are you happy, Mikey?' Doppelmike asked with curious anger. 'They know about me and now I'll have to kill them!'

Mikey laughed, covering up his uncertainty and fear, Not gonna get the chance. They know you'd try that and that's why you're chained with nothing in reach. He shook his head in amusement. You really should have tried the time share idea, dude.

'It may take me a while, but I'll find a way to take them down,' Doppelmike snarled. He immediately started to exert a suffocating force on Mikey, as if to smother his soul. 'In the meantime, I can take care of you!'

Mikey gasped in sudden excruciating agony, feeling like everything was pressing in on him. As the pressure slowly increased, he found he couldn't breathe, couldn't move and couldn't utter any sounds other than a pained whimper that escaped against his will.

'I have no intention of killing you, Michelangelo, not yet anyway,' Doppelmike assured, a malicious smile beginning to creep across his features for the outside world to see. 'I'm going to make sure you suffer first! If you were able to talk, which I have no intention of allowing you to do so, you'd be begging me to kill you long before I'm finally done with you!'

"Leonardo! Enter the Astral Plain immediately and aid your brother," Splinter commanded. "This 'Doppelmike' is attempting to harm him."

"Yes Master Splinter," Leo affirmed, already rushing to sit on the previously laid out meditation mat; the candles used for helping their focus already lit and burning.

With a speed borne of practise, dedication and desperation, Leonardo quickly found his way to the Astral Plain and sought out Michelangelo's consciousness. He knew his brother was being hidden away by the body snatcher's own mental prowess but Mikey knew he'd be coming and had hopefully left himself open to his family, allowing them to connect with and help him more easily.

Unfortunately, as fast as Leo reached the astral, he couldn't seem to find Mikey, no matter how hard Leo's mind called to his brother's.

"Pull those chains tight, Raph," Donnie commanded. "I don't want him able to move or I might accidentally do more damage than I intend to."

Raph moved to comply, taking great pleasure in the hiss of pain from the body snatcher's mouth as he secured the chains taut.

Splinter stepped in front of Doppelmike, glancing at Donnie with a look telling him to wait before acting further. "Michelangelo, I would speak with you."

"If you mean the other Michelangelo, he's not exactly capable of communicating right now," Doppelmike said, his glittering eyes snapping open to stare at the furred ninja master standing over him.

"My intent is to speak with you, though I really would appreciate if you stop causing my son pain."

"Your other sons are causing me pain," he said, glancing down at the tight chains pulling his arms asunder.

"You are a threat to their brother," Splinter explained simply.

"He turned on me even after I allowed him to continue living."

"That ain't livin'!" Raph snapped furiously, stepping forward as if it to attack.

"Enough!" Splinter commanded and Raph stepped back again, closing his mouth. Splinter's sharp gaze never left Doppelmike's.

"You claim to have once been Michelangelo many lifetimes ago."

"It's not just a claim, Master Splinter."

"Then I must assume that like our Michelangelo, you were once filled with light and a love for life," Splinter stated calmly.

Doppelmike just watched Splinter without reacting.

"I understand you have gone through far more than your share of pain and grief over the years but your thirst for revenge has left you twisted, bitter and unrecognisable," Splinter paused for a few moments, as if looking deep into the soul of Doppelmike. "I very much understand your desire, your need for revenge but you must balance that revenge against the cost. How many lives have you destroyed in the process, despite your lack of success? Not just of Michelangelo's, but of other members of our family and friends? Is it really worth the price of so many lives for just one man?

"How many centuries has it been since your original lifetime, Michelangelo? How much do you even remember of that life?" Splinter asked in a tone that promoted deep thought. "Would you even recognise your enemy still, should you come across him after so many lifetimes?"

Doppelmike grit his teeth. While he still held strong memories of the incident that started all this, other details had long begun to slip, however there was no way in hell he was prepared to explain that to the enemy in front of him; he didn't want to be mocked or pitied.

"Revenge is not be all and end all of life. If there is any part of you that remains Michelangelo, then you know this way of life is wrong. The person you used to be would abhor what you have since become."

"It's all I have left, Master Splinter."

"Then you have nothing," Splinter stated quietly. "In pursuit of your vengeance, you have lost yourself, Michelangelo and it is time to let go.

"Relinquish your hold on this life and pass on," Splinter continued, his eyes never once leaving Doppelmike's. "Open yourself to finding peace, for you will not find it here. The Shredder is already long dead."

Doppelmike stared in shock before beginning to shake his head frantically in denial at those words of trickery. "Impossible! I wouldn't be here if he was! I wouldn't have been brought here!"

It's true! Mikey somehow managed to gasp through the smothering pain that Doppelmike was still pressing in on him.

"You're lying again! You both are!" Doppelmike accused with a cry.

...'m not... Leo... beheaded him.

"Then why am I here?" Doppelmike yelled furiously.

Guess... you're just... wasting your time...

Doppelmike increased the debilitating pressure on Mikey, making him unable to keep talking. 'Why didn't you say something sooner?'

Mikey tried to answer but the smothering pressure was just too much and as his eyes rolled back, his projected form began to fade. Then faintly, he heard Splinter's authoritative voice speaking to him from outside of the body he was trapped deep within.

"Stay strong, my son. Borrow strength from Leonardo."

'Leo...' With the reminder and last of his dwindling strength, Mikey reached desperately for his brother and their minds touched faintly but it was enough.

What would you have had me tell you, Doppel? Mikey asked gasping from the debilitating pain. The incredible pressure was still upon him but now with Leo's help, he could at least think, could at least talk again. You would have killed me then and there.

'You don't know that!'

I do! I've been poking the Raphie long enough to know how he'd react and you're far worse! You're unstable! You would have lashed out far more than he ever would, Mikey insisted, knowing what he said was true.

"Donatello, proceed with removing that vile marking. Quickly, my son." Splinter stepped back, allowing Donnie access.

Donnie swallowed and nodded. "I'm not certain anything I do will work," he said as he stepped in to begin. "It's not a normal tattoo. It's made of dark magic rather than ink."

"Just try your best, Donatello," Splinter said with confidence. "I have faith in you."

"If I treat it as a tattoo, there are several methods of removal. The most effective nowadays is with laser removal, utilising a Q switch la..."

"We don't need to hear about it, brainiac, just do it!" Raph snapped impatiently. "Mikey may not have time for your long winded explanations!"

Donnie cast Raph a quick glare as he worked. "I am perfectly capable of talking as I work and not only does it help keep myself calmer, I'm sure Mikey would feel reassurance knowing just what is happening out here since Doppelmike is keeping his eyes closed."

Doppelmike smiled nastily. "All the better to keep him in the dark!"

"No one asked for your opinion!" Raph said darkly.

Doppelmike only chuckled in response.

To Donnie's dismay and expectation, the laser treatment did absolutely nothing to help. The marking would fade ever so slightly, only to darken again seconds later.

"Other methods include covering up the tattoo with another over the top of it, salabrasion and using Trichloroactic acid to remove the top layers of skin," Donnie continued talking, fetching new equipment as he spoke. "I'm going to try changing the shape of the symbol by filling it in with an actual tattoo. Of interest, some much older methods include injecting or application of such unspeakable substances as pigeon excrement."

Despite his physical and mental distress, Mikey screwed up his face at the sound of that. Better not be trying that last one on me. I'd rather you just amputate my hand, Donnie.

Doppelmike smirked and knowing that Mikey didn't really mean what he'd just said, repeated the message out loud for Donnie, Raph and Splinter to hear.

Donnie paled at the suggestion, "Um actually... that is my last resort plan... Sorry Mikey but I do hope it won't actually come to that."

Doppelmike laughed mockingly. "It wouldn't matter anyway. Everything you try is useless, Donatello. In one previous life I lost my left arm and the marking just reappeared on another part of my body."

Donnie stared at Doppelmike in horror at the implications, his mind racing as he forced himself to get back to work at filling in the gaps in the marking.

"I'm cursed, remember? Cursed with an abhorrent form of immortality and I will remain so until the one I seek is killed by my hand!"

Then you'll never be free because your hand is dust by now, dude!

"I've had enough of you and your mouth!" Doppelmike snarled and then forcibly plunged Michelangelo down into the dark depths of nothingness for the final time.

-:-

Donatello gazed down in disbelief at the ink that just briefly glowed before disappearing, absorbed by the dread symbol on the back of Mikey's left hand. If what Doppelmike had said minutes before really was true, then he had no other option, he really was down to the last resort and the fact that Splinter had just become distressed over suddenly no longer being able to sense Mikey within Doppelmike only confirmed his terrifying realisation.

He stared unerringly into Doppelmike's amused gaze, shuddering at the hateful smirk that didn't belong on his brother's face and then... heaven forgive him... he made his decision.

Donnie gulped and spoke as strongly and calmly as he could. "Master Splinter, Raph... please say your goodbyes to Mikey. I've run out of options and I'll not watch my brother suffer like this for a lifetime."

Raph looked at Donnie as if he was some sort of monster. "Donnie, you can't mean..."

"I do," came the unusually cold reply.

"You can't! He's our brother!"

"You want him to continue suffering under that monster?"

"Of course not!" Raph yelled frantically. "But you can't just give up so easily!"

Splinter peered into Donatello's eyes before turning to Raphael. "Donatello does not make this decision lightly, Raphael. Come, we will join Leonardo in meditation and say our goodbyes while giving Michelangelo the strength and courage to pass on peacefully."

Donnie turned away, trying not to choke on his self hatred for what he was about to do. He allowed Splinter and Raphael privacy as he prepared the lethal injection he hadn't wanted to use.

Once Raph and their sensei joined Leo, Donnie stepped up to the furious yet helpless Doppelmike.

"You can't do this, Don. You'll murder your brother and stop me from my revenge! What if this world's Shredder is the one I'm looking for or the one I'm looking for turns up here later?"

Donnie ignored the body snatcher and instead directed his words and thoughts to Michelangelo. "I'm sorry, Mikey. I really am," he choked as tears slid down his cheeks. "Good bye, my brother."

-:-

To be concluded