And here would be the next promised chapter. :D

Chapter 8

Splinter could hardly believe what he was seeing as the Foot ninjas swarmed around him and on to Donatello and Michelangelo. A fair number of them surrounded him too, glaring at him with a hardened hate that Splinter knew had festered for a long time. Splinter gripped his walking stick tight and waited for them to come closer. He would not charge into battle. With this many ninja, he would do better to let them come to him.

"Leave him."

Splinter looked up at the voice.

The ninjas turned their attention to it as well. Waiting.

Keith glared at them coldly. "Focus on the turtles."

The ninjas instantly ran off.

Had Keith somehow changed his mind? Splinter watched him closely, thinking this probably wasn't the case. Why not just call off the ninjas if he were going to change his mind?

Keith walked closer, that smirk still painted on his face. "I thought I'd keep you all to myself."

"You really think it is wise my student," Splinter asked. "Going up against a trained master."

Keith scowled. "One. I am not your student. Two. I never was before and I'm not starting now. Three. I'm not alone."

The Foot mech standing at the lair door took a step closer.

"Surely you know the Foot cannot give you everything you want," Splinter tried. If he could only get through to the young man. Maybe then they would have some sort of chance.

Keith laughed coldly. "They can and already have."

"They tell you empty promises. Lies."

Keith snorted. "I don't think so. I have lived my whole life in that Foot tower. With the exception of the last year. I know what it's like."

Splinter sighed. It didn't look like he was going to be able to get through to Keith. Spending so long with the Foot had corrupted his mind and twisted his ways.

Keith's scowl deepened. He twirled his sword once and darted forward.

Splinter blocked Keith's blade with his walking stick and kicked him in the side. "It is not too late."

Keith swiped again. "Too late for what? I am where I belong." He swept his leg around knocking Splinter down.

Splinter looked up at Keith and quickly rolled out of the way of the incoming blade. Jumping to his feet, he hit Keith across the back of the head with his walking stick.

Keith staggered forward and made some sort of motion.

Splinter suddenly felt a metal hand clamp around his ankle and pick him up, holding him upside down.

Keith stood straight and almost grinned at him. "Nice view huh? You'll be able to watch your sons fall. I know upside down is a little disorienting, but you must forgive my friend. He has a rather dry sense of humor. Not unlike Michelangelo."

Splinter remained calm not letting the anger that was coming show. He had spent so much time training this young man and had trusted him so much. Now he was betrayed. The only thing that would surpass that was a betrayal of one of his sons, but he knew that would never happen. Not even Raison would. But he always knew Keith would be unstable. And he was sad to know he was right.

---

Don ducked one blade and blocked two more with his bo staff. The ninjas seemed to come like an endless sea. He would beat down three or four and have eight more replace them. The lair had practically turned black with them.

They had to retreat!

And now!

He didn't have to be Leo or Splinter to know that a strategic retreat was in order.

Don dived out of the way of five ninjas and jumped to his feet in front of four, knocking them down with a single swipe of his bo. "Mikey! We have to get out of here!"

"Easier said then done dude!" Mikey called from across the lair.

Don darted around as many ninjas as he could and leaped over a few more, bapping them across the back of the head. He stood straight seeing he was halfway to Mikey.

"Donny behind you!" Mikey suddenly yelled.

Don spun but felt weight knock into his legs. He came crashing down, jamming his elbow on the hard floor. He slammed a hand over his mouth to stop a scream and jumped back to his feet, testing out his elbow. Nothing broken, he threw a mean Raph style left hook punch into the ninja that had swept him off his feet.

The ninja staggered back and toppled to the ground, taking four down with him.

Mikey jumped kicked two ninjas to Don's left and whacked three more with his chucks. "Left or right?"

Don looked left then right. He gasped seeing Splinter hanging upside down from the Foot mech's metal claw.

A ninja took advantage of Don's distraction and knocked him to the ground. Another rammed his blade downward.

"Oh no you don't!" Mikey caught the sword at the last second with his chucks, ripping it away from the ninja and sending it flying across the room, causing half the ninjas to dive out of the way.

Don's breath came ragged as he leapt to his feet. "Come on. Let's go!" He took off running toward Splinter and the Foot mech, weaving his way left and right around all the ninjas.

Mikey was hot on his heals doing his own job of weaving and got ahead of Don. He leapt up and whacked at the arm holding Splinter.

Don used his staff to jump over the Foot mech and landed on it's back as Splinter was released and flipped down to the ground. Don held on to tight to the Foot mech as it started to twist and turn in an attempt to get him off.

"Michelangelo!" Splinter yelled.

Don looked down horrified.

Mikey lay sprawled on the ground holing a broken and bleeding arm.

Don's eyes narrowed as he jammed his staff into a weak spot on the Foot mech. Prying away a metal panel, he pulled the electricity cord out and jumped down, successfully deactivating the machine. Landing next to Mikey he kicked a couple ninjas back. "How ya doing?" He pressed his hand against Mikey's wound.

Splinter stood beside them now, watching their backs, taking down the ninjas that came to close to his family. "We must get out of here my sons."

"I know. I know," Don said quickly.

A sickening crack was heard followed by a loud thump.

Don looked behind him and gasped. Splinter lay half under the collapsed Foot mech.

Keith smirked at Don, slowly walking closer, twirling Splinter's walking stick. "Wasn't too hard to knock him out with this. The falling Foot mech was just the icing on the cake."

Don glared at his former friend. Rage enough to rival Raph's temper filled his mind.

Pain flared across his shoulder.

Don cringed and looked down, his vision fading. A cut flared across his shoulder.

---

Keith laughed as Don finally collapsed on the ground minutes later. Mikey follow closely in his brother's wake. "Grab them, but make sure they stay alive. Shredder will take care of them personally."

He turned away from them and headed out of the lair. It was a good day indeed. Now he had only to find Raphael and Raison. Piece of cake.