The Perfect Son

Disclaimer: I haven't owned them, I don't own them and I probably will never own them.

Chapter Seventeen - Tortured.

Leonardo:

I didn't know what to make of any of this. It had been hard enough coming to accept that a large part of my life was unknown to me. Even the fact of seeing the other turtles - yes, they called themselves my brothers but I wasn't so sure they were- hadn't helped me any. I felt very much that their life was theirs and my life was on a totally different path.

They were into fighting and trained warriors and I wanted nothing to do with that. Oh, I liked Mike and Don they were both fun to be with and neither of them prodded me. Not like Raph but I felt we had little in common.

It seemed the fighting lifestyle they lead, ended up with them having enemies. Enemies who had decided to use us somehow or some way.

Christine was upset and angry. She'd always been kind, patient but now it was as if she had reached the end of her rope and suddenly, she became someone totally different.

Of course people who were scared often acted irrationally. I don't know how I knew that, I just knew it in the same way that I knew certain other things.

Christine was glaring at me, "Why aren't you remembering Leo?" she barked at me.

It wasn't the first time she had asked this question, or a variation of it there was also 'what's wrong with you that you can't remember anything, and what's keeping you from remembering?'

"Nothing!" I flung at her.

"Wrong answer Leo! Why can't you remember anything?" She snapped as she stepped towards him.

I cringed a little wanting to draw away from her rapid fire questions. I wish I knew the right answer to give. I wanted to tell her something- anything- to ease off the pressure of her verbal attack.

'It wasn't my fault we were here! I had nothing to do with this, and yet she seemed to be blaming me.'

I'd never known her to act like this in the whole time I had known her. I wish she'd back off and leave me alone for just one minute or two, just let me be. I don't know what caused this sudden change in attitude and temper. It was as if she had decided to turn into someone I didn't even know.

I wish I could figure out why she was so upset at me. It wasn't my fault I didn't remember anything. I didn't know why she was so mad at me, and I had no idea why she was doing this.

It couldn't be due to the fact that I had decided staying here was far better then trying to escape. Let's face it how were we to get out of this cell we were in? Even if we got out we'd have to get past who knows how many of these people. If we managed to escape they'd only grow angry.

I tried to back away from her, but there wasn't much room to get away when the room we were in was so small. Even though I did my best to put distance between us, Christine relentlessly followed me.

"Come on Leo, why aren't you remembering?"

"I don't know" I snapped in frustration, "just leave me alone!"

"Wrong answer Leo! When are you going get it right? Huh, why don't you remember?" She flung back at me.

"I can't. I've tried, there is nothing there."

"No wrong answer Leo!"

I moaned and gasped. There had to be some answer that would please her, and if I could only come up with it then I'd be able to get her to stop.

Why couldn't she give me just a few minutes peace and quiet? She was giving me no reprieve though. All I could do was keep answering as I had and search in vain for possibly, the right answer.

I had to find the right answer. But what was it?

I found myself backed into a corner and Christine came to plant herself right in front of me, continuing to yell at me the barrage of questions.

I made a low whimpering noise deep in my throat, and slid down the wall until I was sitting on the ground. I shook my head, my mouth opening and closing but nothing was coming out. I didn't know the right answer to please her anyways.

I didn't know what she wanted, didn't know how to respond and didn't know how much more of this I could take.

I felt strongly that I had failed, that I should know the answer but I didn't.

Christine squatted down in front of me, her hands came out to cup my face and hold it firmly so I could only look her in the eye. I saw the anger in her eyes and I had to wonder if she could see how lost and desperate I felt at this very moment.

"Answer me damn you Leo, why are you not remembering?"

"I don't know," I moaned half sobbing. I could feel something that felt like a large heavy rock sitting in the pit of my stomach.

"Wrong Answer! You do know. Tell me, why aren't you remembering?"

"Because I'm afraid!" I blurted out the words coming without me even thinking of them. I didn't know where they came from, and at the moment I didn't care.

"Why are you afraid Leo?"

"I don't know." I shook my head, "Christine please…" I whimpered wanting her to back off now.

"Are you afraid of dying?" She snapped.

"No, I don't fear death," I returned in almost the very same tone she had used on me.

Christine did back off suddenly and there was a sudden silence. I took a deep breath and sniffed a little, shaking slightly. I curled my knees up towards my plastron, welcoming the stillness. I hung my head and my whole body shook.

Christine removed the blanket from around her shoulders and placed it around me. I flinched slightly as if expecting her to hit me, considering her recent behaviour it could very well be possible.

"If your not afraid to die, what are you afraid of Leo?" Christine asked, her voice was a lot softer, more like I was used to.

"I'm not afraid." I replied, quickly. I was sure my voice sounded hollow and empty.

"No Leo, you are afraid of something. There was truth and honesty in what you said. It rang as true as your words that you weren't afraid to die. When we find out what it is you are afraid of then we might be able to finally open the door to your past," She explained patiently.

I looked at her, "Your going do this to me again, aren't you?"

Christine didn't answer that she just gave me a tight lipped smile, "You're the one keeping it blocked Leo. There is a reason for you blocking it and I just want to find out what it is." She said, "If your not afraid to die then I have to wonder if you are afraid of being hurt. That makes sense you know, after all you were badly hurt at least twice in your life so far, maybe for you being hurt is worse then death. What do you think?"

I sighed and gave an indifferent shrug, " I don't know."

Christine gave a small grin, "You don't have to answer at least not at this moment. Take a break, you and I could both use it."

I tried not to moan out loud, but I was sure that it had escaped me somehow. She was going to do that to him again, she hadn't said she would but I knew she would. I felt that she would. I for one was not looking forward to it.

Christine was supposed to be my friend, this was one hell of a way for her to treat a friend. I'd hate to see how she treated someone she didn't like or care for.

Christine sank down to the floor beside me and reached out to put an arm around me.

The door opened and five Foot soldiers - if that is indeed what they were- entered the room. Christine jumped to her feet and stood in front of me as if she was suddenly ready to protect me.

"Leave him alone" she hissed.

Two soldiers grabbed her pulling her away even though she struggled against them. One of the soldiers holding her pulled a dagger holding it to her throat, he didn't say a word but allowed his actions to speak for him.

Christine relaxed and stopped struggling.

The other soldiers force me to my feet and bound my hands tightly behind my back using heavy chains.

I raised an eye ridge at Christine "You really think that we could escape here and beat all of these guys on our own?" I asked her.

One of the Soldiers slammed a fist into my mouth, and I tasted the coppery taste of blood in my mouth as the soldiers escorted me out of the room. It was clear I had no choice I had to go with them, and a part of me cringed not knowing where they were taking me or what they planned to do with me.

I was marched out of the room and up a short flight of stairs to a small hallway, the guards had me surrounded, not that I planned on escaping. Once we stepped out of the hallway we were in the main open area of the warehouse.

I could see a large raised wooden platform at one end of the warehouse and there was numerous black garbed Foot soldiers between us and the stage area. Though the crowd easily parted there were jeers from some of the soldiers as we passed.

"Freak!"

"Abnormality."

"oddity."

But none moved to harm me or interrupt our passage. As we neared the stage area I noticed some wooden steps leading up to the platform and on the scaffold was a chair.

In the chair was probably was another Foot Soldier though he didn't wear the black mask, he sneered as he saw me and remarked sharply, "So, you still live. But not for long freak," He vowed one hand curling into a tight fist.

I felt suddenly cold, as if my blood had turned to ice. He was of Asian origin, and there was an accent to his voice though he seemed capable of speaking fluent English. He had dark hard brown eyes, and the curl of his lip spoke volumes by itself.

I didn't know what was going to happen to me, but I was ready to accept it no matter what it was.

"Tell me where are the other three?" The Asian fellow demanded.

I shook my head, "I have no idea, my memory isn't what it used to be," I confessed.

"You will remember and you will tell us. For when you are all eradicated I, Quan, will be leader of the Foot clan."

I blinked, "Don't you have higher aspirations?" I wondered, "I mean you could lead the head instead of the Foot." I suggested casually.

Maybe, there was a way to talk our way out of this, I mean they clearly weren't after me. They wanted the others. It was just a case of mistaken identity. If they could only realize their error they might be willing to let us go.

"Enough jokes, tell me where your home is!" Quan hissed at me.

Obviously, Quan didn't have much of a sense of humour, maybe from hanging around stinky feet all day. "My home is where you found me, the apartment building…" I began.

"No!" Quan roared and stood up stalking to the edge of the platform and glowering down at me. "The sewer home where you live with your brothers. Where is it?"

"I don't know," I insisted firmly, "I've only been there once and I have no idea where it is."

This was true I hadn't exactly committed the passage to or from the lair to my memory as I felt it wasn't a place I'd be going to again.

Quan's features grew dark and hard, "So be it. We will see if your answer remains the same after the Foot have had some fun with you. Perhaps, after some harsh treatment your tongue will loosen up." He rose and looked out beyond to the Soldiers.

"Form a ring around him, don't let him escape. But free him of his bounds. Challenge him and if any fall to him waste no time in letting another soldier take the place of their fallen comrade. Eight against him until I say stop." Quan ordered.

I shook my head, 'Eight against me? But I didn't even fight!' I realized that even if I could fight with the number of Soldiers packed in this room I would slowly be weakened anyways if any one that fell was to be replaced.

I would have given anything to be anywhere but here as the eight Soldiers circled me. I had the strangest notion pop into my head. How do you make a Foot fall?

The only answer I got was to stomp on it. But I was pretty sure that wasn't the right answer, and even if it was right I had no idea how to stomp these Foot.

One soldier leaped in the air aiming a kick at me. I backed up in fear and moved to the left, only to have someone from behind me sweep me off my feet and I landed hard on the ground.

Numerous kicks were aimed at me as I struggled to get to my feet. I was frantic wanting to escape the kicks. But no sooner was I on my feet then I was being hit at with fist and hands in gloves. Some of those gloved hands had some sort of metal over the fingers of their hands to give more damage with their strikes.

I had no desire to fight, and I didn't know how. Every time I tried to move to avoid something I was either tagged by someone behind me, or the attack from in front and behind would also hit.

I was starting to realize, I couldn't duck or dodge all of these blows. In fact I highly doubted I was avoiding many of the strikes. One Soldier grabbed my arm and twisted it hard, holding me while the others pummelled me.

I couldn't manage even one of these guys, never mind the eight of them who were trying to pound me out of my shell. They seemed angry at me and kept yelling at me to fight.

I looked around hoping to find some help and all I saw was Quan's hard eyes turning even darker, "Use weapons. Forget hand to hand make him fight!" He practically roared the last word.

He tossed me a long staff, I knew Don used one of these things. I tried to remember how Don had worked this weapon in the one practice I had seen. But I hadn't paid much attention to that session and in truth I had a feeling I'd hurt myself more with this weapon then the soldiers.

I was being struck by swords and chains. I was battered and bloodied, but as far as I know they hadn't done serious damage yet. Perhaps they were under orders not to.

Still in spite of the blood and bruises that were coming up on me the Foot, and Quan still didn't seem impressed. I finally tossed my staff aside and cowered on the floor doing my best to protect my arms, legs and head. It was the only thing I could do to protect myself.

"Stop!" Quan called out to the Foot soldiers around me. His voice was full of venom.

The Soldiers took a relaxed stance around my huddled form. I could feel the blood trailing out of me in so many spots, and I sat shivering and feeling stiff and sore. My arm that had been twisted was throbbing in pain.

Quan jumped off the platform and came to stand beside me. He unsheathed a knife and held it to my throat.

"Go ahead, kill me. You are going to anyways, so you may as well get it over with." I stated quietly.

"You dishonour the Foot by not fighting," Quan declared.

"I don't know how to fight." I informed him, " I wish everyone would stop telling me that I know how to fight, does this look like I know anything about fighting?" I ranted.

"Liar! You have no honour. You are a failure and unfit to be called a ninja." Quan fumed.

I just shook and said nothing, what was there to say, he was right. I wasn't a ninja.

"You have killed the greatest leader the Foot ever had. The Shredder, Oroku Saki, himself was killed by you and you alone. If you can not fight how did you manage to kill our leader?" Quan prodded.

"I have no idea." I admitted.

"Now," Quan continued, as if he hadn't even heard me, " You refuse to battle bringing dishonour to the Foot and you are even more dishonourable for not accepting the challenge we have given you here."

Quan removed the knife from my throat and I breathed a soft sigh of relief, but then he raised a foot and kicked me in the throat, causing me to gasp and roll over onto my side. I fought for air to enter my lungs, feeling the pain in my throat as I tried to breathe.

"It would be dishonourable for us to kill you, when you refuse to fight. But your cowards way won't protect you forever. For we can make you wish you were dead." Quan stated.

In some ways, I wished I all ready was. Death was probably far better then what Quan had planned for me, if what I had suffered from him was only a taste of what he could give, then I was not eager to see what else lay in his warped mind. I couldn't answer him though for I was still fighting for air, he'd hurt to swallow.

Quan glared at me, as he towered over me and I cowered and cringed, not knowing what to expect next. I could only lay there and fear what was going come next, would he break an arm, or a leg. Or perhaps would he cut me deeply with a sword? I had no idea what to expect and I was terrified.

"You failed in your last battle with us, but at least then you fought with honour. Now you have no honour and you still fail," there was deep scorn and derision in his voice. "When you regain your honour and fight then we will battle and you will fail again. You are nothing but a failure, you were always meant to fail for that is all your existence is worth."

His words rang in my mind. I knew I was a failure, I had failed before and I knew deep within me that failure was unacceptable to me. Yet, somehow I knew deep down inside that I was a failure, a dud, whatever you want to call it that is what I was.

I had failed so much, so often and failure was not allowed, or permitted, at least not for me at any rate.

Quan reached out and smacked me a couple more times, though I hardly felt it by that point. He then ordered me to be taken back to the cell.

I was hardly aware of being forced back, my body ached and hurt in so many places. My mind was racing over the words Quan had said to me about being a failure, and some part of me gave a brief flicker of me standing with two swords in my hands and Foot soldiers around me.

But the words "Failure" seemed to drive that image or vision, or whatever it was from me.

TBC