Chapter 8

Shade walks through the trees at the end of the park. He had left when it looked like the turtles were winning. No use sticking around and accidentally running into Shredder. He'd heard that the guy has a nasty temper. Shade smirks shaking his head. It's time to find Splinter.

He enters an alley next to the park and suddenly feels a heaviness, starting in his head and spreading down to his feet. Shade puts a hand on the wall, the other reaches up to clutch his head. His vision narrows, growing darker and darker until he sees nothing but blackness for a few seconds that quickly turns to an almost blinding light with visions of something familiar.

[i]"You need to have patience," Splinter said. "All things come in time."

Shade nods. "Yes. I know."

"There is something else bothering you." Splinter cocks his head to the side, calmly eyeing him.

Shade continues walking through the sewers, not answering at first. He frowns and sighs. "I don't know."

Splinter waits patiently as they near the lair. They stop outside it. He turns to face Shade, looking up at him with kind, but probing eyes.

"It's Raphael," Shade finally says. He sighs again. "We had another fight."

Splinter nods. "Give it time. Things will be worked out."

Shade nods back. He turns to look at the lair's closed door. "I hope so."[/i]

Shade shakes his head as he returns to the present. The heaviness in his head and body disappeared. He now he knew where to find Splinter. But what were they talking about? What fight? Splinter had looked at him like he would one of his turtle sons. Why? He couldn't recall ever being around Splinter, let alone having a talk like that with him. The rat actually seemed to care. Cared about what he felt. He didn't under stand it. And Raphael? Why on earth would he ever be near Raphael. Or even fight with him?

Shade shrugs and ducks down into the sewers. He grunts. These flashback had to stop. They were interfering with his mind and his work. He didn't have time to contemplate what all this meant or why he was having them. He just wants them to stop! He had to make them stop some how.

---

Raph followed Don and Mikey as soon as they got back to the lair. He leaned against the wall, thinking hard. None of them felt any effect of the dart. Maybe nothing was in it. Yeah right. And he wasn't a giant walking talking green mutant turtle. There was something in it he knew. He knew it as he knew Mikey could chow down on a pizza in less than five minutes. He scowled at the thought.

Don quickly disappeared into the lab, coming out just as quick. He went to first Mikey and then Raph, holding a syringe in his hand for both of them. He grabbed one of their arms in turn and took a blood sample.

Raph flinched when Don got to him. "Ouch... Don, can't you be more careful?"

Don glared at him. "I could say the same for you." He turned and darted back into his lab.

Splinter entered the main room of the lair and looked at his sons. He frowned, obviously sensing something was not as it was supposed to be. "What is wrong?"

"We had a little run in with the Foot," Raph grunted. He crossed his arms, his mood having not improved one bit since the encounter with that black trench coated man. That Shade. He scowled even more.

"And they gave us a present," Mikey spoke up grimly.

Splinter raised an eyebrow. "What?" he asked cautiously.

"Darts," Don spoke up, coming out of the lab again. "We were each hit with one and…"

"What is it?" Raph asked, fearing that Don would say what he knew, what he was so sure Don would say next. He felt his muscles go rigid as he waited for Don to continue.

"Well one, I was right. There's now something in our blood," Don explained grimly.

Raph's gaze narrowed even more. He knew it! He just knew it. It wasn't fair. But that's what it was. He bit back a growl and resisted the urge to punch his fist through the wall.

"And two?" Mikey asked.

"I don't know what it is," Don paused. "I've never seen it before..."

Raph bit hard on his tongue tasting blood. He took a small breath to calm himself. This would not help them figure this out. Though he still struggled against the anger coursing through his veins. He so wished Leo were here. He'd know what to do. Raph's anger evaporated at the thought of his older brother. His shoulders sagged. Why couldn't he be here? Why did the Foot have to find him that night one year ago? He reluctantly returned his attention back to the others.

Mikey was looking down at himself. He turned his gaze back up to Don. "Well I feel fine."

Raph looked down at his own body. Looked fine. Felt fine. At least he thought so... "Yeah Don. I feel fine too."

Don stared at them, his gaze dull and grim. "With some chemicals you don't notice anything until it's too late." He rubbed the back of his neck. "But I can try to figure this out."

"Do better than try Donny," Raph said without his usual fire. "Do it. Find it for Leo." He abruptly turned and closed himself in his room. A tear slipped down to the floor. "Leo..." he whispered. "What if this is the end?" He thoughts returned to the night last year when the fiery building had falling. The one that had killed his brother. And he found himself wishing Leo hadn't gone out that night.

---

Mikey sighed as he sat at the kitchen table. It had been an hour and still nothing from Don. But he did know one thing. He was getting unusually itchy. And so was Raph. Heck Raph was making him even more itchy then he was just a few moments ago. His right hand slowly came up and started scratching his left arm.

"I can't take it!" Raph growled scratching his arm more vigorously. He quickly moved on to his other arm and both legs, glaring daggers at his itchy limbs.

Mikey scratched faster and harder. "Me either."

"Well both of you stop or you'll scratch yourselves raw," Don demanded walking into the kitchen. He plopped down at the table.

"Did you find anything?" Raph asked ignoring Don, scratching faster than ever.

Splinter got up from his spot at the table and crossed the few feet to his red banded son, grabbing Raph's hand firmly. "My son."

He glared, but stopped scratching, turning his maddening gaze on Donatello.

Mikey got the hint and stopped scratching as well. He waited patiently for Donny's answer, fighting the itchy crawlyness of his skin.

"Yes," Don said. "It's a type of poison. Low severity, but still lethal."

"What?" Raph growled.

"Can't be," Mikey said, disbelief evident in his voice.

Don nodded and sighed. "It is."

Raph started pacing. "You have to find a cure. The Foot killed Leo. We can't let them kill us too." His pacing quickly increased, crossing the whole length of the kitchen and back.

"I know. I know. I'm looking, but it will take time," Don explained softly, eyes downcast on the floor.

"How much time do we have Donatello?" Splinter asked.

Don hesitated. "Until about two in the morning."

"But that's three hours!" Mikey said. "We're going to be dead in three hours!!"

Raph stopped pacing and looked at Don, one eyeridge raised.

"No. That's just how much time we have to get an antidote," Don answered.

"How much time after that?" Raph asked. "Nevermind. I don't want to know." He stormed out of the kitchen with a loud huff.

Don sighed and followed his brother out. "I'll go start finding that cure..." his voice trailing off as he disappeared from the kitchen.

Mikey remained at the table, staring off at the wall almost stunned. This couldn't be it. It couldn't be.