Here we go guys! The story finally begins! Thank you reviewers you're all awesome! I will say one thing: only one of you guessed all four correctly. Congrats! You'll know who you are eventually. On with the fic!

Disclaimer: ='v'= I own this rat, but not the one from TMNT.

"How could this be allowed to happen?" Splinter fumed, pacing the length of the mobile command unit. "You insured me their safety." He rounded on Unit Commander Sanders.

Unit Commander Sanders had been with TMNT for ten years, joining up when he was seventeen. He had been promoted to Unit Commander just last year. Sanders barely glanced up from the computer screen he was leaning over. "I said I could insure their safety up to a point. I didn't expect an entire tactical response team to storm the island."

Splinter, however, was not satisfied with his response. He grabbed a startled Sanders by the shoulder, spun him around, and thrust him up against the wall, all in one lightning fast motion. Sanders, unused to being manhandled even by an agent of higher rank, did nothing to stop him. Splinter pressed his forearm to Sanders throat, exerting a light but uncomfortable pressure. "Your carelessness resulted in my sons' capture," Splinter said, in a clear, moderate tone. "I don't care if you only planned 'up to a point.' You made a grievous mistake, and I want to know what you plan to do to. Rectify. It," with each final word Splinter increased the pressure on Sanders throat.

Sanders face grew steadily redder with each passing second, though from anger, lack of oxygen, or something else, no one was sure. At this point in time, the entire crew of the armored surveillance vehicle had frozen. All eyes were riveted on Splinter and Sanders. Splinter's eyes bore into Sanders, challenge, anger, and frustration all vying for position. Sanders, for his part, met the gaze steadily, pride fueling his need to stare down the man who was humiliating him in front of his own team.

For a long moment, no one breathed. The surveillance car was as silent as a tomb. Then Sanders straightened up, tapping Splinter's restraining arm twice. Splinter regarded him for another second before he released him, whirling around and heading for the back doors.

Sanders stood against the wall, leaning on it almost imperceptibly with just his upper back. He stared at Splinter's retreating back, watching the hunch of his shoulders, the slight limp, and the very subtle incline of his head.

"Agent Splinter," Sanders called. Splinter paused, one foot already out the door. "I'll do what I can to find your boys."

Splinter swept out the door and didn't look back.

"But how could it happen?" April asked, curling her fingers around the coffee cup in front of her. "I thought they were on some top secret island?"

Splinter sighed heavily, staring abjectly down into his tea. "TMNT did arrange the island in secret. It should have been as secure as a safe house. The team in charge of their protection is still unable to figure out how security was breached."

April looked down, unable to meet Splinter's gaze. She hated seeing the agent like this, so uncertain, so aggravated at his inability to do anything. The distress call came in at 8:15 Monday evening. The nearest response team arrived at 8:22, but by then, it was all over. There wasn't a trace of the guys anywhere. The search began instantly; the director made it a top priority, but so far nothing had been uncovered.

Splinter had been notified two hours after the initial call. To say he'd been furious was an understatement. They hadn't had the decency to alert him the second they received communication from the island. To wait two hours, two hours, to tell him that his entire family had been kidnapped, was simply unbelievable.

April reached a tentative hand across the table and covered one of Splinter's own. "If there's anything I can do, Agent, you know you only have to ask."

Splinter smiled sadly, "Thank you, Ms. O'Neil, I appreciate your kindness."

"There's got to be something we can do," April continued, "some way we can help."

Agent Splinter nodded, coming to a decision, "There is."

April frowned slightly at the tone of Splinter's voice, "Agent Splinter, you're not—that is—you wouldn't do anything rash… would you?" she finished, somewhat timidly.

Splinter smiled, a razor cut of movement across his face, before getting up from the table and striding out of the café.

Splinter stormed through the doors of TMNT HQ, with barely a passing grunt at the lobby secretary. Security had tried to detain him, but he'd shaken off their hands and thrown them bodily from the elevator. On the ride up to the top floor, he'd been the picture of composure, hands hanging loosely at his sides, eyes fixed straight ahead. Arrival at the top floor signaled by a faint ding, the doors slid open. Splinter strode down the hallway, prepared to disarm further security, but remained unsurprised when they simply stepped aside to allow him entrance.

Splinter threw the door open with a crack and seemed to materialize in front of Director Cunningham. Cunningham observed him coolly. "Agent Splinter, I was wondering when you'd arrive. Please, have a seat."

Splinter ignored him. He slammed his hands down onto the desk, rattling the contents and sending a stack of papers to the floor. "Donovan, you have sixty seconds to tell me why I was not informed immediately of my sons' kidnapping before I separate your head from its shoulders."

Donovan Cunningham raised an eyebrow, but gave up his pretense of cordiality. "There was nothing you could have done. Even our fastest transport from New York would have taken a half an hour to get to Florida, let alone out to the island. I thought, or hoped I suppose, I could locate the boys and get them back before you were any the wiser. It seemed pointless to worry you needlessly. When my teams reported back that they had been unable to find anything, though, that's when I realized you would have to be notified." Donovan looked up at Splinter, his glasses obscuring his eyes. "I only did it in your best interests."

Splinter looked down at his own hands, clenched as they were on top of the desk. "I never thought you would lie to me old friend," he responded quietly.

Donovan sucked in a surprised breath, leaning back slightly in his chair. "What reason would I have to lie to you?"

Splinter shrugged, looking back up. "I do not know, but as a senior field agent and as Team Renaissance's handler I should have been informed immediately, regardless of whether you were considering my feelings or not. You of all people know that. So I'll ask you one more time. Why did you not tell me my team was taken from the island?"

Donovan sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose between two fingers. "Because we allowed them to be taken."

Woohoo! First real chapter done and posted. Thoughts and comments are always welcome. 'Til next time!