Hey all, thanks for all the reviews. Hit a snag with this chapter and the plans for the next few, but all is aligned now. I'm excited to see this through! :D So enjoy the chapter! And please review!

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Chapter 23

Raph stumbled back a few more steps, staring at Shredder. It shouldn't have surprised him so much that the Shredder was up and moving. But it did. Big time. He scowled, narrowing his eyes to mere slits, his grip on his sai hard enough to ring the neck of more than one ninja in this vile place. And he so would not hesitate to do so.

Shredder glared harshly at Raph, stalking a few steps closer. "I cannot tell you what a pathetic, idiotic, brainless move that was." He scoffed. "I did not expect more though from your pitiful family or your rat master." He towered over Raphael.

Raph matched his glare, not backing down. There was no way he would run from this man made of tin. Heck the Shredder wasn't even a man. No man would have the guts to stand up to him and his family, trying to take them apart limb by limb. Ok maybe he was over exaggerating their strengths, but not by much. Raph lunched forward, right sai hurling through the air just ahead of him.

Shredder flipped backwards, catching the sai as if it were a mere toothpick. He landed on his feet just in time to catch a charging red turtle. He growled and held Raph in the air by the wrist, glaring daggers. He looked up.

Raph followed the Shredder's gaze, seeing his family pour through the whole in the wall like a rushing river, intent on coming without the slightest hesitation. And he knew that was true. He would come too. He cringed feeling the pressure on his wrist increase. He struggled harder against the grip only to slowly feel it go numb.

Shredder held up his other hand. "Stop right there or I won't hesitate to turn him into mince meat."

The others stopped in their tracks.

Raph stared at his family. Surely they didn't believe him. Surely Donny could figure out a way to get to him without causing some violent reaction from the bucket head holding him. He waited, struggled, and watched, bracing himself for whatever came next.

The air was silent and thick. No one seemed to want to do anything to aggravate Shredder. Not even Shredder moved for what seemed like hours, when only it was about a minute tops.

Shredder swung his arm left, hurtling Raph into a steal shelf.

Raph was more surprised from the impact than he should've been and couldn't stop the groan that escaped his lips. He hung limp in the Shredder's grasp.

"But you said..." Mikey squeaked.

Shredder laughed coldly. "Said what? That I wouldn't hurt him? No I said I might turn him into mince meat. Didn't that rat teach you not to trust your enemy?" He shook head head and swung again.

Raph felt again the sudden rush of air across his face, images rushing before his eyes. He pulled up his legs and to stop the hit. But it wasn't his feet that hit something hard. Pain flared across the side of his head. His vision fuzzed, cleared, then quickly darkened, his body falling lax in Shredder's grasp.

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Don held a death grip on his bo staff, glaring harder at the Shredder than he had ever done before. He stared at the limp form of his red banded brother hanging in the Shredder's grasp. Stared at the mocking gaze that stared him back. He had never felt this angry before in his life. Or at least that he could remember. But what could he do? What could any of them do? The slightest movement would convince Shredder to slice Raph in two. He inwardly cringed. If only he could get Shredder to put his brother down, then they could get rid of Shredder or something. But he had to think! And they were running out of time.

Leo stepped forward, just in front of Don. He looked worn and stared at Shredder with a tired gaze.

Shredder's gaze narrowed on Leonardo. "You hope to save your brother in your condition?"

Leo nodded.

Don's eyes widened. [i]What was Leo thinking?![/i]

Shredder laughed loud and coldly. "You're about dead on your feet." He shook his head. "I could kill you where you stand."

"Do it," Leo rasped.

"Leo!" Mikey gasped.

Shredder dropped Raph like a sack of old potatoes and stepped forward, closing the gap between him and Leo by three large strides. He picked Leo up by the wrist and held him inches from his face. "You are pathetic," he spat.

"Donny do something," Mikey whispered in a high pitch tone. "What do we do?"

Don kept his attention on Leo and Shredder, but his mind was turning wheels. Shredder no longer held Raph, but now Leo was in danger. What was Leo thinking? Didn't he think there could be another way to save Raph? Or was he not thinking clearly? Don mentally shook his head. He couldn't think about that right now. Right now he had to get Leo free and make sure Raph was ok. "Rai," he whispered. "You and April go check on Don."

Rai nodded and backed up, inching to the left to ward Raph just before disappearing along the side of the room with April right beside him.

"Mikey. You, sensei, Casey, and I will distract Shredder until we can get Leo free. Then we take him down," Don went on. "How ever possible."

"Sounds good," Casey muttered from Don's left.

"Ok..." Mikey whispered. "But how Don?"

"Like this." Don backed up and snuck around the side of the room coming up behind Shredder and Leo. Shredder was just pulling his arm back, aimed for Leo's chest. Don pulled his staff back, ignoring the pain in his shoulder, and struck Shredder at the back of the knees. "Mikey! Casey!"

Mikey jumped, leg up and extended. Casey ran forward and swung his bat. Mikey's leg and Casey's bat collided with Shredder's side, knocking him to the ground.

Leo fell from Shredder's grasp, landing with a thump and a moan.

Don grinned, but it was short lived as the Shredder stood once again. He scowled and glared, mind turning to think of a better plan. Though this time the Shredder didn't have anyone in his grasp. That would help a lot. Except for the fact that he had no idea of what to do next. Knocking the Shredder out would not stop him for long. And none of them were in the condition to regularly fight him. They couldn't just kill him or something. They might get killed themselves! Don's scowl deepened as his mind started to panic.