Ch 5 Lies

A half hour after dropping off her nephew, Irma parked her car in front of a large brownstone. She silently made her way inside and into her apartment. After putting her things away, she walked over toward her fireplace and looked at several pictures that lined the mantle. "Oh sis," She moaned tiredly as she picked up a picture. She looked at the picture of her as a young girl standing next to a slightly older blue eyed female turtle. The two sisters were hugging, smiling and laughing at the camera. "I don't know what to do." She said as she placed the picture back on the mantle. "I'm so far in over my head that if I try to help Leonardo, Saki will just kill me."

She turned away from the fireplace and walked slowly toward her kitchen. "Why did you marry that horrible man?" She whispered into the air. "And why do I constantly let men control me?" She asked herself as she sat down at her table kitchen table. She placed her head into her hands and cried.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Leo made his way into the large house and looked around the empty foyer. Directly in front of him was a long staircase leading up to the bedrooms. He removed his shoes at the entrance and made his way up the stairs, looking around cautiously as he went. No one seemed to be home, much to his relief, and he quickly made his way into his room. It was a few minutes before four o'clock and that gave him an hour to get some of his homework done before supper.

"I'll start the book report on Friday." He muttered to himself as he began to go over his history homework. "After this, I'll start my science project." He completed the homework in less than an hour then perused the science assignment. He smiled at the projects listed on the paper the teacher had given.

'Let's see,' He mused as he read the list. 'Do one of these on Earth and/or Space and have it done by Friday.' Leo rubbed his chin. 'Either a typed up report or an art project or a slide show.' Leo looked up at his book case where dozens of comic books on his favorite show, 'Space Heroes', was kept along with several books on ancient wars and Japan. Leo tapped his chin as his eyes roamed over his space comics. At the very top of the book case was a large model scale of the planets he made several months ago at his last school in California. He smiled as he reached up and brought it down to inspect it. "I'll just use this." He said as he scanned the model he had created with his mother and received an 'A' on. He put it to the side and chuckled. 'Science project done.'

He looked over at his clock and sighed. It was now almost five and supper would be ready soon. He got up and went into his connecting bathroom, after washing his hands; he went down stairs and into the large dining room. The housekeeper had already placed the meal on the table and Leo took a seat at the end closest to the entrance. He looked across the table at a large human sitting at the head of the table. He was a tall, oriental bald headed man with scars on his face along with one brown eye and one damaged eye due to a fire at TCRI in California he had been in. The human looked over at Leo as the turtle sat down but he said nothing and went back to eating as he continued to read over a large stack of papers.

For several minutes, Leo ate his meal in silence while trying to think of a way to strike up a conversation with this man he called 'Father'. For the last several months, about the time his mother had become very ill, his father, Oroku Saki, had become very cold to him. But, Leo had to admit, his father had never been much of a father to begin with. He was hardly ever home and when he was home, the only time he spoke to him was when he was giving him shots for this illness Leo was supposed to have.

But for much of his life, it had always been him and his mother with his dad in the background. Now his mother was gone and he found himself feeling alone and, at times, frightened. But this person was his father and he had to deal with him so, he took a breath and cleared his throat.

"Ummmm." Saki looked up at him and raised an eyebrow questioningly. "My...umm." Leo swallowed hard. "My first day of school went well." He told him watching as the man lowered his eyes back to the paper in his hand. "And um….I made some new friends." Saki looked up at him and narrowed his eyes. Leo picked at his mashed potatoes as he nervously continued. "We had gym today and played basketball." He said. "And I was asked if I could join the basketball team….."

"No." His voice was cold and forced.

Leo looked up in surprise. "But father…." He attempted but Saki quickly cut him off.

"I have told you before Leonardo." Saki stated sounding rather irritated. "Until we know for sure your mother did not pass on the disease to you, it is not a good idea to do anything more than what you already do."

"I feel fine." Leo insisted. "I don't believe there's anything wrong me."

"Until we can be certain," Saki scowled at him. "You will not be allowed to do anything short of going to school, doing homework and your ninjutsu training." He stabbed his fork into his steak. "Do I make myself clear?"

Leo huffed angrily. "I don't even know why you have me doing ninjutsu." Leo pushed his plate away. "You won't even let me do competitions anymore." Leo shook his head. "And why do you have me going to this school?" He demanded. "If you want to keep me safe from all the hazards life has to offer then why not just lock me in my room for the rest of my days?"

Saki scoffed. "Stop being foolish Leonardo." He glared mockingly at his son. "What kind of a father would I be if I kept you away from everything life has to offer?" Saki began looking through his papers again. "Until we have definite information as to what we are dealing with, you will do nothing more than what you are already doing."

"If you're really that concerned then why not just get me a tutor or something?" Leo demanded.

Saki pounded the table causing Leo to flinch and back away slightly. "Do you think I have money for that kind of teaching?" He demanded. "Why would I spend that kind of money on you when you probably will not make it to your twenty-first birthday?"

Leo looked up at his father in shock. "If that's how you feel, then why send me to school at all!?"

Saki looked over at Leo and let out a deep, calming breath. "I want you to go to this school so you can have something more in your life then just being here." He said with what sounded to Leo like compassion. "And I chose this school so you could be close to your aunt." He glared at him. "Something I thought you would be grateful for."

Leo lowered his eyes and swallowed hard. "I am grateful father," Leo told him with a forced, calm voice. "I just don't think there is anything wrong with me." He started to stand. "How much more blood does Stockman need and how many more shots do I have to get before he finally figures things out?"

"Things take time Leonardo." Saki said as he finished his drink. "You know this and I'm sure as soon as Stockman has the information he needs, he will let us know."

"But he's been doing this to me since I was about five years old." Leo muttered. "And mom wasn't even sick then so I don't understand what it is he's doing and why?"

"We've discussed this before Leonardo." Saki told him. "The cancer your mother died from was passed onto her from her mother." Leo watched as Saki's eyes seem to narrow in darkness. "I only wished we had thought to check your mother of this disease like we did you."

Leo rubbed his eyes as he shook his head. "So you won't let me join the team?" He asked once again.

Saki shook his head. "It is for the best." He told him. Saki watched as Leo started to leave the dining room "I will be leaving for Japan on Friday early morning."

Leo looked back at him. "How long will you be gone for this time?"

"I will be returning at the beginning of November." Saki informed him.

Leo looked at him in dismay. "But father, what about my birthday?" He asked. "It's my eighteenth and you said you would be here and we'd do something special." Leo looked away angrily. "And what about Halloween?" He demanded. "It'll be the first one without mom and…."

"I have no choice." Saki interrupted angrily. "TCRI pays quite well when I take these trips." He finished eating and stood. "And we could use the money, especially if I'm going to continue to pay for your treatments."

Leo looked around the room they were in. "If money is so tight, then why do we have such a large house?" He demanded. "We don't need all this room and we certainly don't need all these servants."

"I like my comforts." Saki told him. "And you do not have the right to question me boy." He made his way over toward Leo. "Do I need to remind you of what happened the last time you questioned me?" Saki asked as he made a fist.

Leo clenched his jaw and gave his father a steely gaze. After several moments of the two staring at each other, almost daring the other to continue the argument, Leo backed away and started toward the door. "I have more homework to do." Leo muttered deciding any further conversation with his father was futile. "Goodnight father." He quickly turned away from Saki and walked out of the dining room to go back upstairs to his room. After closing his door, he pulled out the permission slip Leatherhead had given him and crumbled it up. He tossed it into the wastebasket and pulled out his math book.

For the next several minutes he attempted to concentrate on his math but the words his father spoke to him kept coming back like a slap in the face. He huffed and angrily closed his book. He picked up his phone and looked at the screensaver of him and his mom. He sighed sadly as tears welled up in his eyes. "I lost the wrong parent mom," He whispered. "Why did you have to go away and leave me alone with him?" He laid his head in his arms and let the tears fall.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After Leo had left the room, Saki walked over to his study and picked up the telephone. He dialed quickly as he placed the phone to his ear and waited for only a few seconds for the other person to answer. "Stockman," Saki voice was low and filled with contempt. "Have the results come back yet?" He waited a few seconds. "I am tired of waiting Stockman." His voice was starting to rise in anger. "How much longer before we get the results we want?" He demanded. Several seconds later, "The military is offering me...us...a great deal of money and while I wait for you to perfect the serum, the boy is starting to get suspicious so I want you to start working day and night if you have to and get me that serum." Saki waited as the Stockman spoke. "I will be going to Japan on Friday, I will make sure Leonardo will be available for you to take whatever you need from him."

Saki pressed the disconnect button then began to dial another number. "Bradford," Saki said after the phone was answered. "I'll need you to be available on Friday to watch over Leonardo." He told the person on the other end. He waited for a few seconds then, "Till the beginning of November." Saki listened for a few more minutes. "Make sure Stockman continues with the experiments," A slow evil smile crept on the scarred man's face. "I want that serum as soon as Stockman figures it out."