Thanks again for your patience. I have been really busy lately and I apologize for the slow progress.
Note: The texts in italic are from a song called "Alice of the Human Sacrifice", hence the title, by the Vocaloids of Rin Kagamine. You could YouTube it if you like. I'm addicted to these Vocaloids.
It's rather long, but I hope you like it!
"The first Alice was gallant, wielding a sword in the Wonderland. She sliced down everything that got in her way, leaving a bloody red path wherever she went. This Alice lived deep in the woods, locked away as the fugitive that she was. If it weren't for that bloody path, no one would have believed she even existed."
******
"Finally," said Alexio. "Now we can… Oh, for cryin' out loud, where did Smith go?!"
"He said we were being followed," lied Jim. "He went to check it out. He will probably be here in a minute."
"Brat's too paranoid," said Alexio. "Well, doesn't matter. You've got the emergency remote, so I presume these guys will behave. Let's go."
"Boss, aren't you taking more men with you?" asked Jim. Leonardo looked at him. Jim, what are you doing?!
"The less eye witnesses, the better, I'd say," said Alexio. "Can't trust everyone that works here."
"I see," said Jim. He looked at the Turtles.
"Gentlemen," said Alexio. "Follow me."
They walked down a small hallway until they arrived at the last door. Alexio opened it.
"In here," he said, gesturing for the Turtles to go inside first. The room they entered was surprisingly big. "In a few minutes, my henchman here will bring out the one I want you to kill. I want no questions, no hesitation… and no mercy. If your weapons make the tiniest slip and hit anything other than your target, your friend will be killed immediately. Hope I made myself clear on this."
"Crystal," said Leonardo. "But first we want to know where Naomi is. We want to be sure she's safe."
"You're in no position to make conditions," said Alexio. "You just do what I told you or that girl will die." He nodded to Jim, who stood ready to push the button.
Leonardo looked at him, then back at Alexio. "When this is over, you let her go," he said.
Alexio smirked. "Well then, shall we get started?" he asked. He closed the door behind him and looked at Jim.
"Yes," said Raphael suddenly, shooting towards Alexio and landing a perfectly good punch against Alexio's jaw. Alexio fell down, the back of his head hitting against the wall.
"Raphael…" sighed Leonardo. Michelangelo shook his head and Donatello's hand covered his face. "Tactful as ever…" he mumbled.
Alexio sat up, wiping blood from his mouth and looked at it.
"Hey, he had it comin'," said Raphael.
"That… was a big mistake," said Alexio. "I should have known that monstrosities like you can't be trusted. Apparently you don't care enough for that girl after all." He looked at Jim again. "What are you waiting for, you fool?! Do it!"
But Jim didn't make a move.
"Push the button, idiot!" yelled Alexio. "Do it! Now!"
Jim walked towards a desk in the room and gently put the small remote on it.
"You…" mumbled Alexio. "You wanna die?!"
"No," said Jim. "And I won't. I've followed you for far too long."
Alexio's eyes widened in rage. "You traitor! You fool! You defy me, you'll die!" He grabbed his cell phone out of his pocket and tried to quickly dial a number, but Raphael threw his sai at his arm, pinning his sleeve against the wall, making his hand drop the phone. Alexio gritted his teeth, but then smirked. Leonardo looked at the phone: it had already reached one of his henchmen.
******
"Emergency call from the Boss. Let's go."
"Finally, some action!"
******
"My guards will be here soon," said Alexio with an evil smirk. "They'll kill you all."
"Where's Naomi?" asked Donatello. Alexio laughed.
"Didn't I tell ya?" he said. "No questions, no hesitation, no mercy. You ask no questions, and I won't hesitate to kill you, nor show you mercy!"
"If you don't tell us where she is, I won't show you any mercy!" shouted Raphael, holding his other sai near Alexio's throat.
"Jim, do you think you can find out where she is?" asked Donatello.
"I can try," said Jim, grabbing his walkie-talkie. "This is Unit G-068 to Unit F-437."
"Unit F-437 to Unit G-068, what is it, Jim?" sounded a voice vaguely under the loud cracking of the device.
"Ed, the Boss wants to move target Dianthe to a new location, can you give me the current coordinates?"
"New location?" A long pause. "I didn't get anything about moving the target, Jim. I'll have to confirm with the Boss himself."
Jim looked at Alexio, who clearly seemed like he was not going to cooperate. "He's busy. He specifically asked me to get the target elsewhere. Just in case."
Another pause.
"Alright then," sounded the voice.
"Could you tell me her new location?" asked Jim. "So that I can pass it to the Boss?"
"… Are you alone?"
Jim turned to the others, Michelangelo covering Alexio's mouth. Leonardo nodded.
"Yes," said Jim.
"Alright. Target's new location will be C.1.59. Got it?"
"Yeah," said Jim. "Keep her there 'till further orders."
"Roger that."
Jim put his walkie-talkie away. "She'll be moved to the first floor."
"Good," said Leonardo. "Listen, the guards can be here any minute. Michelangelo, you go get April and look for Naomi on the first floor while we keep the guards busy here. Make sure no one notices you. Jim, you lead the way. Raphael, Donatello and I stay here and keep an eye on this guy." He looked at Alexio.
"Got it," said Michelangelo. "See you later, compadre."
******
The second Alice was tender, singing songs in the Wonderland. He created many different sounds that came from a strange blue world. This Alice was a rose, shot and killed by the hands of a madman. The blood painted the roses red, while he, the loved one, withered away.
******
About 20 men entered the big room after tracking Alexio's location by his cell phone. They saw their boss, pinned to the wall, threatened by a red-banded mutant, two others in position to fight. One was wielding swords, the other a wooden bō.
"Kill them," said Alexio.
As the guards started attacking the three Turtles, Michelangelo and Jim managed to sneak out of the room without anyone noticing. First they went to get April, who had been hiding in a small room and waiting for someone to get her.
"April!" she heard Michelangelo's voice call her. "Coast is clear."
April came out and there stood Michelangelo and Jim.
"Where are the others?" she asked.
"They'll manage," said Michelangelo. "Come on, Jim knows where Naomi is."
"Follow me," said Jim.
******
"Eight… Nine…" Raphael counted as he kept score of how many guards he had knocked out.
One guard ran out of bullets. He tried to land a hit in Donatello, but Donatello deflected his attack with his bō. The man was pushed another way, but soon recovered himself. He looked at Donatello. "You'll soon find out what happens when you defy Don Alexio," he grunted. Donatello laughed. "You must be is favorite!" In just a few seconds, he managed to hit the man in the stomach with his bō, then in the back head, and to hit a certain point in his neck to make him unconscious.
"Yeah? Well this is what happens when you mess with Don-Atello," he said with a smirk.
"Incoming!" warned Raphael. Donatello turned around and dodged a man Raphael had thrown across the room. The man landed on top of a few other man.
"And that makes 10," said Raphael.
Donatello stared at him. "Did you really have to throw the guy?" he asked.
"What? It's funny!" said Raphael.
"Guys, a little help here?" said Leonardo, about five men trying to attack him.
Alexio took the opportunity to pull the sai out of the wall and get up. The remote that Jim had laid down on the desk was just a few feet away. He ran and reached for it, but didn't escape Donatello's eye as Donatello threw himself on top of him and kept him down.
"Oh no you don't," he said.
"Donatello, look out!"
One of the remaining men ran towards him, another attempt to attack. Donatello reacted instinctively, grabbed his bō and deflected the attack. Alexio quickly got up and grabbed the remote from the desk. Another evil smirk appeared on his face.
"You're too late now, Turtle," he said. He pushed the button. "Now she's dead!"
Donatello knocked out the man who attacked him and smirked. "Not quite," he said.
Alexio looked at the remote and pressed the button a few times more.
"No one's answering," he said. "It's not working!"
"Did you really think we'd come here unprepared?" asked Donatello with a grin.
"Good job, Brainiac!" said Raphael, still fighting a few men.
Alexio smacked the device across the room in rage. "I will get my revenge!"he shouted. At that moment, more guards were entering the room.
"Kill them!!!" shouted Alexio. "Kill these monsters! And kill that girl!"
******
The third Alice was a little girl, very cute and dear in the Wonderland. She charmed people to her every beck and call, creating a strange green country. This Alice was the Queen, possessed by a distorted dream, afraid of dying. She would rule this country for eternity.
******
As the Turtles got their hands full on another 15 strong opponents, Alexio sneaked away and ran for the first floor.
I'll kill her myself, he thought. If it's the last thing I do, I'll kill her.
******
"Here it is," said Jim. "Hide. I'll distract them." Michelangelo and April nodded and hid in a closet Jim had pointed out.
Jim opened the door and five men were standing around a blood covered figure.
"The Turtles have escaped," he said. "We will need everyone here to find them."
"We got orders to—"
"Look at her, she won't be going anywhere in that state. Come on!"
The others followed him the other way down the hall. Michelangelo and April waited until the sound of footsteps had completely faded away before they got out. Michelangelo grabbed the doorknob of the room Naomi should be in and swallowed before opening it.
******
The fourth Alice was two siblings, very curious about the Wonderland. They had travelled many different colours of paths, until they finally reached a yellow gate. The stubborn elder sister and the kind younger brother were the closest to the Wonderland, but…
******
"Naomi?!"
******
The Alices were never awoken from their dreams. Forever they wandered in the Wonderland.
