Hey everyone! I vaguely reference the movie Turtles Forever in this chapter. And this is where we start getting into some…well I'll just let you read and find out. I hope you guys enjoy! And I'll see you all at the end :)

Disclaimer: I still don't own TMNT.

-x-

Saki paced his room, his muscles twitching and quivering with nervous excitement. Karai had just reported that she was indeed successful in capturing his worst enemies. A malicious grin formed on his thin lips as he pondered what exactly that meant. "Finally," he began in a low whisper, "I can fulfill my destiny by destroying these cursed freaks."

He had been vaguely aware that the girl April was in the Foot's care for a short time. But he had paid her no mind. His subordinates however had shown great interest in the fiery redhead, and he let them do whatever they pleased. As long as he had his fun with the turtles, he didn't care who suffered. And if the girl's terrified screams were any indicator, she was indeed suffering.

A small shudder made its way down his spine and Saki had to wonder if this was due to guilt for not helping the poor girl or if it was due to the excitement that continued to build within his body. He allowed himself to ponder each possibility carefully, but ultimately decided it was the excitement. After all why should he feel guilty over things that were being done to one of his enemies? It didn't matter that he had immediately thought the screams were coming from his daughter, or that they reminded him of the way his beloved Tang Shen had cried out just before her unfortunate demise.

He grimaced as his thoughts became far too pensive for his liking. He was a ruthless leader and a formidable warrior, not some weak man that quailed before flashbacks and memories. With an irritated snort, he approached his bed and forced himself to relax and regain his calm composure. As he closed his eyes, he felt the darkness claim him. Unlike how he had done in the past, he allowed it to swallow him. He had grown to accept these visions as a testament to the crimes the turtles had done and he would make sure that they indeed paid for their transgressions.

When he opened his eyes, he found that this time he was an outside observer in a weirdly grayscale world. He was cautiously curious of this change. Previously he would find himself in the body of an alternate skin that was at once both frightening and familiar to him. He only considered it for the briefest moment before deciding that he needed to find out what sins the turtles had committed against his fallen brethren.

It didn't take him long to find what he was looking for. Or more accurately, he found what looked to be a huge version of himself fighting what looked to be…twelve turtles?! "What?" he gasped in surprise, "There are twelve of them?" It looked like they were surrounded by that pathetic version of himself, that damned rat, and a strange girl who Saki thought he should recognize but he couldn't place her. And all of them were standing behind a huge robot that held a Kraang inside it.

His eyes narrowed as he refocused his attentions on the twelve turtles. He had seen eight of them before in previous visions, but there were four that looked like they truly belonged in this black and white world. What continued to surprise him was how the turtles all interacted as if they knew each other. "They are all in cahoots! That explains everything," He growled bitterly, furious at how his enemies had cheated him all year of a fair fight. 'And they claimed that they were honorable soldiers. I'll teach them a thing or two about real honor.'

He woke up instantly, tightening his hands into fists as he launched himself from where he lay. Pacing his room, his crazed mind shuffled through the facts he had just acquired. "So they think they can contact the other turtles and get away with it, do they? I'll make them tell me exactly where they are! Then I'll destroy all of them and wipe these pests off the map!" After all, that was the only way he could imagine how these reptiles had foiled all his plans over and over again for the past year. Every single time they had somehow managed to wreck his careful strategies they had been cheating! A deep growl rumbled from within the depths of his chest. He'd make them pay when they arrived.

Suddenly, an idea popped into his head as he remembered an invention he had ordered his Research & Development team to create. Licking his lips, he stormed out of his room and made his way over to the R&D lab, his anticipation building with each step.

When he entered the lab, his scientists immediately stopped what they were doing and directed their attention to their disheveled leader. They all bowed and promptly greeted him, "How wonderful of you to stop by Master Shredder."

Saki strode over to his lead scientist, ignoring the nervous way the man shifted his weight on the balls of his feet. "Tell me what progress have you made with the devices," he demanded gruffly.

"Well," the scientist began, "we have completely constructed two of them. But the test trials have not been so successful. In our volunteers it only created the hive mentality 50% of the time but registered no activity the other 50%."

A sour expression crept onto Saki's face as the information sunk in. "I'm disappointed, Richard. I expected more out of you." His gaze turned cold and he saw the man swallow nervously.

"I am sorry, Master Shredder. I will not fail you again."

"Make sure you do not, Richard."

Saki whirled around, disappointment coming off of him in waves. These devices he had commissioned were the result of constantly seeing his men defeated by mutants. His theory was that if he could have them all move as one, like the turtles seemed to be able to do instinctively on some level, then they would stand a better chance. Especially if he was at the controls, then he knew that those abominations wouldn't be able to put up a fight.

As soon as he walked out of the lab, he saw Karai heading straight toward him. A grin formed on his lips. He knew that the turtles were finally here. Captured. Held prisoner for his own enjoyment. "Karai, I see you have returned."

Karai bowed her head and stated, "Yes, Father."

"You have brought the turtles, I presume?"

"Yes, Father. Leonardo and Donatello are being transported from the van to their cell as we speak."

Saki paused, his eyes narrowing into slits as he pressed, "Only two? I thought I sent you to capture four."

He saw Karai flinch as she hurriedly responded, "Yes, Father. But Raphael and Michelangelo managed to escape with April."

Saki clenched his fist as the blades slid out from his gauntlet. He approached the girl before him, his tone becoming dark as he growled, "I warned you that failure comes with a stiff penalty, child."

Karai visibly swallowed, fixed Saki with a solemn stare and whispered, "Even for your daughter?"

Saki stopped, frozen where he was as Karai's words echoed in his brain. He withdrew the blades back into his gauntlet as horror began to fill him. He had almost…! No. He didn't want to believe it. He refused to. He spun around, facing the other direction. Maybe if he didn't look at her sad face he could pretend it never happened.

An uneasy silence settled over the pair, filling the hallway with a tense energy that seemed to serve as a warning to everyone else in the area to hurriedly walk away in the opposite direction. After what seemed to be an eternity, Karai managed to find her voice, "Would you like me to escort you to where they are being held, Father?"

"Yes!" Saki replied a bit too enthusiastically.

After a respectful bow, Karai turned and led the way. While he followed her, Saki mentally berated himself. He had never threatened his daughter's wellbeing like that before. Sure, he had lost his patience with her independence streak and had disciplined her accordingly. But never had the hidden blades in his gauntlet made an appearance. A shudder passed through him as he imagined what could have happened had Karai not been so bold as to question him.

So lost in thought, he hardly noticed when Karai came to a stop in front of a small room with a door that contained a tiny window to allow someone to peer inside. Saki returned to full awareness when Karai backed away, her head bowed and muttered, "We have arrived, Father."

Regret stabbed him in the heart as he heard the defeated tone that betrayed Karai's true feelings. Drawing in a deep breath, he chose to ignore it and peered through the window to see his prize first-hand.

Satisfaction welled up from the depths of his soul as he took in the unconscious forms that were shackled to the walls and floor. They had been stripped of their weapons and had only their masks. It was a common courtesy and tradition not to remove the mask of an enemy ninja, but Saki never was one for tradition. He'd fix that soon enough. His eye glinted maliciously as a brilliant plan began to take form in his mind.

Stepping away from the window, he turned his attention back on his daughter. "Fetch Richard and tell him to bring the devices. We just happen to have the right amount of perfect test subjects."

With a respectful bow, Karai uttered, "Yes, Father," and strode away.

Saki watched her go in silence. He knew that she'd get over it eventually. He had raised her and taught her to be stronger than most other women. With that, he turned his attention back to the sleeping prisoners.

He stealthily entered the room, stealthily opening the door so as to not wake his guest. 'After all,' he thought in amusement, 'it's rude.' He continued forward until he stood right in front of the blue one. He towered over the still turtle, his shadow covering the freak like a blanket. He dimly remembered that this one was called Leonardo, but he didn't really care. They were abominations. Mutants. Freaks! They had no rights as far as he was concerned. Especially since they were his sworn enemies.

As silent as a snake, Saki removed the blue mask from his prisoner. The turtle seemed vaguely aware that something was "off" but the effect of the tranquilizer that held him under was still too strong. Saki smirked as he saw the faintest twitch, but nothing more. "Pathetic," he spat at the sword-wielder, clutching the mask tightly in his fist.

Saki turned to face the purple one and contemplated unmasking this one as well. He decided against it. Seeing his companion dishonored would be more than enough for this one to behold. After all, it wasn't so much the purple one he had a grudge against. He had hoped that the red one was Donatello, but alas he was not so lucky. The blue and red one had gotten in the way too many times.

As he left the room and closed the door behind him, he saw that Karai was on her way back with Richard who was carrying two devices that looked like harnesses. "Perfect timing, Karai."

Karai paused just before reaching Saki and her gaze was fixed on the blue cloth that he held tightly in his fist. A look of morbid understanding settled upon her features and as she stepped aside, she announced, "I have brought Richard, Father."

Richard's gaze shifted between Saki and Karai nervously before he finally spoke, "Master Shredder. These are the devices you asked for." He placed the harness-like contraptions on the ground before Saki and quickly backed away to allow Saki to inspect them.

Saki circled the contraptions curiously, his gaze roving over each individual wire and strap. "Explain how it works, Richard."

"There is a chip inside the device that receives signals from a computer via wireless communication. The device then sends these signals through the millimeter sized 'teeth' it has into the subject's nervous system and will cause the individual to perform whatever motion the computer commanded."

Saki regarded the devices thoughtfully and then ordered, "I want you to place these on our guests. It's time to see if they can work better on mutants than on humans."

"Very well, Master Shredder."

With that, Richard gathered up the devices and slipped inside the room. Saki doubted that the scientist ever thought he would be installing them onto turtles, but he had no doubt that Richard would pull it off. No one had the guts to fail around here.

"Father, may I ask what you plan to do with Leonardo's mask?"

Alarmed at the question, Saki turned on his daughter, his face flushing with anger. "No you may not, Karai!"

Her gaze dropped to the floor, and Saki felt regret and a twinge of guilt settle in his stomach. Drawing in a deep breath, he growled bitterly, "He'll get it back. I don't plan on keeping this ratty old piece of trash."

"Very well, Father. I was just curious," came her clipped response.

"I'm going to go back to the lab. Wait here and make sure Richard doesn't fail to complete his task. When the prisoners have awakened, come get me and then you will be dismissed."

"Yes, Father."

Saki began to walk back to the lab, still clutching the fabric tightly as if his life depended on it. When did reach his destination, he walked right over to where another scientist, Paul, was performing some chemical experiment. Saki decided to ignore the fact that Paul didn't properly greet him the instant he approached. He had learned the hard way not to startle the man when an experiment was being performed.

After whatever Paul was creating in a flask became a bright yellow solution, Paul acknowledged Saki's presence. "Master Shredder. What can I do for you today? It's not often that you frequent our humble laboratory so many times in an hour."

Saki's eyes narrowed. Paul's tone was slimy and his voice had a bit of a whiny pitch to it, giving him the impression that this man was a human snake. He never liked Paul, but no one else seemed to thrive in these kinds of work conditions, so he had to keep him around. "I need to soak this" he revealed the blue bandana "in a chemical that will cause burns, but won't kill or cause the subject to go blind."

Paul grinned in a sick way, nearly purring with some deranged sense of delight, "I see the rumors are true, Master Shredder. You have finally captured the turtles. My cousin John will be most pleased. He has been rooting for you all along. Not to say I haven't, but I'm more skeptical."

Irritation pricked at Saki, tempting him to just kill the scientist but he restrained himself. "Do you know of a chemical or not?"

"Hmm…well I know of several that can cause burns, but most of them will also result in blindness if they get into the eye. Sodium hydroxide will probably do what you want if it's in the proper concentration."

"Mix it up for me then."

"Very well, Master Shredder. I'll get to it right away."

Saki waited impatiently as the scientist went to work creating the mixture. He stared at the cloth in his hands and grinned darkly as he thought, 'I hope you are sleeping well, turtle, because soon enough not even that will help you escape from me.'

-x-

I want to give a quick shout out to DarkUnderworld who provided a bit of inspiration for this chapter. Her story "Cardinal Points" is really good and I highly suggest you guys read it if you don't already. Another quick shout-out to SleepingSeeker for allowing me to bounce ideas off on her :) What do you guys think of my scientists? What do you think about the Shredder's devices? Or about how he wants to give poor Leo chemical burns around the eyes using his own mask? …I'd apologize for that but I think I'm in shock. Lol. Anyway, I look forward to hearing from you guys! I love you all!

-Ariane

P.S. It'll probably be a while before I post chapter 6. School is picking back up as we approach the end of the semester and it's starting to get really crazy. But I promise to post it as soon as I can :D