A/N: To my loyal readers (If I have any) I just want to say that I'm sorry for my long absence. Blame school and the endless labs and lab reports I have to write. But enough excuses and on to the very, very late update...
Chapter 7
Richie had been gone for most of the afternoon, but the turtles had hardly noticed because Splinter spared them no leniency in their training session. The four brothers were dragging their feet as they left the dojo when Richie entered the lair.
"Yo! Mr. Gizmo, how's it shakin'?" Mikey greeted with a huge grin adorning his face. Again Mikey's enthusiasm after a tough physical workout astounded his brothers. He seemed to house a limitless supply of energy. Richie, however, didn't share in Mikey's zeal. In fact he seemed very troubled and even gave the tiniest flinch upon seeing his new friends. The motion was not lost on Leo as he quickly signaled for Mikey to stop.
Richie took his helmet off and just stared at it. Without looking up he chuckled nervously as he said,
"You know, I really should look into Backpack's com systems. Apparently anyone can hack into them." He was stalling and everyone knew it, but he didn't know how to tell them what happened. He didn't know how they would react. He took their silence as a cue to continue.
"Saki contacted me. I don't know how, but he knows that you guys are helping me and that we will try and rescue Virgil and…" He looked up and met Leo's gaze, "he wants a trade."
Leo narrowed his eyes as Raph let out a growl. Meanwhile Mikey and Don exchanged nervous looks. There was desperation in the young teens' eyes. Desperation and fear for his friend. It was this that made the four brothers nervous. They all stood there motionless for what seemed like hours. Richie knew what they were thinking by the looks on their faces and the change in their body language. He couldn't blame them for that, but his anger was growing that they would even think that he would actually do it. He couldn't stand the tension any longer and shifted his weight from one foot to another, ready to quell their woories.
Raph preserved the movement as a threat to him and his brothers and reached for his weapons and drew them. Instinctively, the others followed his example. The turtles didn't want to believe that Richie would turn them in to their most hated enemy. They offered their assistance to this kid and brought him into their home. They felt betrayed. It was Richie's turn to narrow his eyes. He couldn't hold his anger in any longer. He exploded,
"Do you honestly think that I would hand you over to the likes of him?" Richie's voice started off low but he soon found himself yelling, "I know his kind. I know what its like to be at the mercy of a creature who doesn't know the meaning of the word and I would never, never put someone in that position."
They didn't expect this. They, Raph mainly, expected a fight.
Donnie looked like he wanted to interrupt, but Richie stopped him,
"No." Richie stopped him. He had calmed himself down, but he was still furious.
"I was grateful for your offer to help because you know this enemy; you know how he thinks, but I can see that I was wrong in accepting your help. It's hard to work with someone who doesn't trust you, so I'll go and let you get back to your lives." Richie turned and walked out of the lair, leaving four dumbfounded turtles behind.
"It seems that you have judged Richard harshly and unfairly." The four turtles turned to see their sensei in the doorway to the dojo. He looked sad and disappointed.
"But-"
"No, Raphael," Splinter cut off any excuse that his son was about to give, "There is no justification for the way you acted. Did you give him a chance to explain? No, you did not and instead you jumped to conclusions and treated him as the enemy, not as the friend that he has become in his short stay with us. Now go and rectify your mistake."
They bowed to their sensei and left on their search.
They hadn't been searching long, maybe about 5 minutes, when they found Richie. He was sitting with his back up against the sewer wall. Backpack was in his lap, wires spilling out with Richie bent over it with his tools in hand. He turned his head at the turtles approach and looked at them. Without a word he returned his attention to his work, ignoring their presence.
"Let me handle this. I'll meet you back at the lair." Donnie said. He had a feeling on what was really bothering Richie. He waited until his brothers were out of ear shot before he approached. Richie didn't even look up as Donnie sat down beside him.
"We were rash and stupid. We overreacted without giving you a chance to explain…sorry." Richie could tell that Donatello was sincere by the way he spoke.
He heaved a big sigh, "Yeah, me too. I usually don't blow up like that. At least I never used to."
"Master Splinter always says that if you bottle up your emotions, eventually they will explode."
Richie just shrugged as he disconnected some wires from Backpack and began to splice them together. Donnie was about to say something when Richie beat him to it,
"I guess that it's all caught up with me."
"What has?"
"Uh, let's see…I'm a 16 year old super genius Bang-Baby playing the hero who's mind and body was recently hijacked by an alien computer that used me in almost destroying the world. And because I have an unprecedented intelligence, no one trusts me; not even the Justice League. Still having Brainiac's implants throughout my body doesn't help either, especially with Superman. Everyone's afraid that I'll turn into a psycho and go on a crime spree like every other Bang-Baby, but unlike other Bang-Babies I pose a serious threat to the entire planet, again thanks to my intellect. Oh, and my black best friend is also my lover which doesn't bode well with my racist, homophobic father who believes that all Bang-Babies should be locked up and the key thrown away."
Donnie sat and listened to Richie's rant. Here he thought that he and his brothers had it tough not fitting in with the world above them, but apparently even humans had just as much trouble as they did. It reminded him that everyone had predigests against them, and that society was often unforgiving to its own people.
"Virgil," Richie said as he looked up from his work on Backpack, but still not quite meeting Donnie's gaze. "he keeps me grounded. When my brain gets too full, he lets me unload it on him. When my father is being exceptionally unreasonable, I escape to his house. He's opened his home and his family to me. They accept me, believe in me."
"Sounds like a true friend. I can't wait to meet him." Donnie said in reply.
"I think he'd get a kick from meeting you too." A smirk played at the edges of Richie's mouth, finally looking Donnie in the eyes.
Richie had apparently finished whatever he was doing and put Backpack back together.
"What do you say we get back to the lair? I'm sure Leo has already come up with a plan." Donnie suggested as he stood up, offering a hand to Richie. Richie looked up at him and smiled and accepted the proffered hand.
"Are you sure? I have no desire to be sliced and diced by your brothers."
"I'm sure. Besides you wouldn't be so much sliced and diced as you would be skewered."
"Oh that makes me feel loads better."
"This plan bites Leo." Raph's not-so-quiet protest reached Richie's and Donnies ears as they entered the lair. The two made their way to the kitchen where Raph, Leo and Mikey were sitting. When they saw Richie, he could tell that they were embarrassed and ashamed of their actions.
Richie wished that he had something funny to say to break the ice, but he didn't. That was Virgil's department. He pulled out a chair and sat down.
"Look guys, I'm sorry for-" Richie said but Leo waved it off,
"No. we're the one's who should apologize, we-" This time Richie cut him off.
"Let's just call it even, ok?" Everyone at the table agreed and then Leo explained his plan. No sooner than he finished than Backpack went off again. The turtles stared at Richie with anxious expressions. Richie sighed with relief when Batman spoke over the connection, but the turtles were privy only to Richie's side of the conversation,
"You did? Uh huh. Yeah. I know, but…ok." At this point in the conversation, Richie developed a huge smile. "Right. Yeah ok. I promise, good luck to you too."
The smile still played on his lips as he regarded the turtles, "Ya know Leo, you and Batman are a lot a like."
"How so?" Leo asked.
"He came up with the same plan as you. Well, very similar anyways." After Richie finished explaining Batman's version, they all felt a little better about what was sure to be a very long night, well all except Raph who still protested the plan, who said it wouldn't work no matter who was backing them up.
IIIIIIIIII
"I'm sorry sir, but this is all I could glean from the child." Stockman informed as he handed Saki a sheet of paper with the results of the experiments. He spoke with the cockiness his voice always displayed. "You're lucky that I could get that much." He added.
"While I am very disappointed Dr. Stockman, I no longer require the talents of this particular subject. I have found a more efficient means to achieve my goal."
"You mean I have done all that work for nothing--"
"Enough of your sniveling Stockman." Saki commanded, which Stockman obeyed as he closed his mouth and stood awaiting further orders. "Now go prepare for more…guests."
"And just how many should I be expecting?"
IIIIIIIIII
"It's about time we see some action. I was starting to get bored." Dick commented as he and Batman sat on a roof behind the Saki building. The sun was just starting its decent behind the horizon. They were waiting for the change in guard to put their plan into action.
"You know the plan?" Batman asked his partner.
"Yeah, we go in, find Static, and I get him out while you provide back up for the others." Batman nodded his acceptance of that answer.
"But I don't understand." Robin continued, "You told me that Ninja's are spies and assassins and that their only code is to get the job done. So what makes these turtles any different than those inside this building?"
"Besides the fact that they have Static?"
"Well obviously that makes them the bad guys and deserving of a good beat down, but yeah."
"Despite what I said, some Ninjas have honor and follow the way of Bushido, as I believe is the case of Gear's new friends."
Robin thought about asking how he knew, but then remembered who he was talking to and thought better of it. Dusk had turned to night when the door opened and the guard on duty was replaced.
As soon as the door was once again closed, Batman stood up as he fired his grappling hook and swung down to the alley followed closely by Robin. There was an access door located in that alley way with only one guard. Batman made short work of the guard, rendering him unconscious with one well placed punch to the temple before Robin even landed. The door was locked with a very sophisticated mechanism, but there wasn't a lock that Batman couldn't pick. With assistance from a device from his utility belt he had the door open in no time. The door closed with a soft click after they entered. They entered a narrow hallway. It was sleek with white walls, ceiling and floor. Not a soul was in sight, nor were there any cameras scanning for intruders. No guards, not anything. It was odd to say the least. You would figure that a building secretly housing a rouge band of ninja conducting in illegal activity would have more security.
The duo both noticed this fact and it sent warning signals that neither ignored.
He again reached into his utility belt and pulled out a small device. It was the size of his palm and had only three buttons. Batman pressed one and immediately a red blip appeared on the screen superimposed on what Robin guessed was the blueprints to the building.
"I've got a lock on the doctor's position, he's in a room on the floor below us, and the only access to the room is on the floor above us. Smart." Batman started walking down the hallway.
"Huh?" Robin questioned as he followed, clearly confused.
"Saki has secret rooms with the only access on separate floors, to confuse anyone who might go looking for what he wishes to keep hidden." Batman answered.
"You mean like a prisoner?" Robin asked, though it wasn't really a question but more of a statement.
Batman nodded, "Among other things."
Robin started to think about what those 'other things' could be but Batman disappeared around a corner and he figured that it would be prudent to follow. They quickly and quietly made their way through a winding hallway, encountering no one along the way. They came to a cross section with three ways to choose from.
"Which way?" Robin whispered.
Batman indicated the corridor directly ahead.
Robin made to start down the mentioned route but Batman stuck his arm out in front of him making him stop.
"What…?" Robin started to ask what was up but he was cut off with quick gesture.
After a few tense moments Batman lowered his arm to his side but he didn't relax in the slightest. "Something's not right..." Batman whispered "be on your guard."
With that said the two heroes started cautiously down the hallway. Batman made it three steps before he was sent flying. He let out a grunt as his shoulder collided with the wall. He quickly recovered and took a defensive position ready to face his attacker, but no one was there.
Robin anxiously scanned the halls around them, not seeing a trace of anyone. He sensed someone was behind him and spun around quickly with his arm out ready to strike with a back fist but he found nothing but air. Needless to say he was confused. He could have sworn…
"Oomph" he exclaimed as he was pushed firmly from behind. He hit the ground hard biting his tongue as a result.
Batman saw Robin go down and tried to go to his aid, but he was stopped by a brutal punch to the gut. He doubled over in an instinctual manner and grabbed his stomach, but the assault didn't stop there. Three successive punches landed on his face before his legs were swept from under him. He landed on his back and immediately attempted to rise but was kicked back down. He felt someone sit on top of his chest and grab his wrists, pinning them to the floor. Batman managed to throw his invisible assailant off and get to his feet and glanced over to his partner.
Robin was wildly swinging punches around hoping he would get lucky and hit something. But so far he was being disappointed and growing more and more frustrated with every miss.
"I would so kick your butts if I could see you!" Robin exclaimed.
"Be careful what you wish for."
The menacing voice came from behind him and as Robin turned his widened in surprise at seeing an individual covered from head to toe in a form fitting blue suit. Robin scoffed at the funny little goggles the figure wore over his eyes.
"What? Did you loose your contacts?"
His amusement was short lived however, when the ninja kicked him hard in the chest and sent him flying. The resulting crash against the wall successfully knocked the wind out of him. He was on his hands and knees frantically trying to suck in the air his lungs demanded. He was still getting his breathing under control when he saw a shadow looming over him.
Batman was reminded of his concealed foe when a punch landed on his jaw. But this time he was ready with an electrically charged baterang and as his attacker made contact with his jaw, Batman jabbed the baterang into the offenders arm. The electric current effectively shorted out the cloaking abilities of the suit and rendered its wearer unconscious. Batman rushed to Robin's aid and disposed of his assailant with one blow.
"You alright?"
"Yeah…" Robin managed to answer between fits of coughing an d gasping, "I'll live"
"Good. Let's go," Batman said as he stood up and turned from his young protégé, "we don't know how many more there may be or where they are."
"Right you are Batman."
Batman spun around with baterang in hand, but he did not throw it. Robin was standing there, seemingly by himself, with a very sharp sword at his throat. Batman knew there had to be more than one assailant because only one would not be able to hold the kid still and hold the weapon at his throat at the same time, but he couldn't tell their positions. They were invisible just like the other two they encountered before.
Robin tried to struggle free but whoever was holding him was abnormally strong.
"Drop it." The voice demanded. Batman complied and the baterang fell to the floor with a clang that echoed off the walls.
"Good. Now that handy belt of yours." At this Batman hesitated. Apparently, the voice did not like his hesitation. He watched Robin flinch as the sword sliced his neck, not deeply, but enough to draw a thin line of blood.
"Be smart Batman. The belt. Now. Or the kid here looses his head."
Reluctantly, Batman complied and his utility belt joined the discarded weapon on the floor. Immediately, several pairs of hands had him in a vise grip, forcing his arms behind him. Once he was secured, the voice disabled his cloaking devise. He walked up to Batman,
"Excellent. What I tell you boys? These hero types are so predictable. You get your hands on one, the others come easily enough."
The true meaning of that statement wasn't lost on Batman. If Gear didn't hold to his end of the bargain willingly, he would be held to it forcibly.
A/N: The good news is that I know how the rest of the story will go, the bad news is that I don't know when I'll have time to write (for this story or my other story). The other bad news is that I have to write the next chapter for my other story before this one. So, I'll try my hardest to find time to write. Please review, it makesme happy, and the happier I am the more motivation I'll have to get my homework done sooner so I can write more!