A sickening silence had fallen over the captive in the hours following the banishment of their eldest. Even the quiet calling of names had stopped a fact that unnerved each turtle. Yet, none felt the ability to call out for fear of not hearing a reply again.

The Darkness felt heavy, thick and a little sour in their lunges. Though no one voiced the realization, they all felt it in their very souls.

The loss of hope.

The soft inhales of their neighbors were the only way of knowing they were not alone. Even in the confined hell they found a way not to touch. It killed them, it absolutely killed them. They had hurt when each brother was taken, they had died a little more with each fear they had revealed. Still, they had always clung to hope that they would get out, either by their own means or the aid of some outsider.

Not now.

Funny, aside from speaking occasionally it wasn't as though Leo had been all that helpful. Perhaps it was just the knowledge that the one who kept them together – was still apart of them.

Not now.

Mikey coughed roughly for several minutes until he was able to use enough saliva to wet his parched throat. He wasn't sure he could speak if he wanted to, it just hurt too badly.

Donnie closed his eyes at the sound, yep…just another thing he couldn't fix. For a horrible second he thought to himself that Bishop hadn't been mistaken. A shutter sent his shell hard against the solid rock face.

No, he couldn't think like that.

Never.

And yet as he stilled himself he felt the thought creep in again.

Raph's mind was cloudy, lost to his own worst demons. He didn't need a drug to show it to him, he was living it. For all his strength and stamina…he was unable to protect his family.

A slight hissing sound was emitted over head, at first each wrote it off as the other wheezing; until the air began to have a very recognizable smell.

It was a sweet odor, but very unwelcome…they had smelled it before.

"Hold you're Bre-" Raph's warning was cut short as he slumped backwards against the stone, his mind functioning just enough to hear the other two fall as well.

A blinding light flooded into the room and pooled around their un moving bodies.

The last thing they would hear before sweet oblivion claimed them was..



"They are useless, he is all we will need. "

"Whatcha want us to do with them boss?"

"Dispose of them."