Ch.5: Broken Bonds
Minutes later, April finally made it to the turtles lair only to encounter a horrible sight when she stepped inside. Three turtles stood worringly around the motionless body of an injured Master Splinter, while number four stood apart from all the rest, warm pizzas resting by his foot, and head dropped down in shame.
"Oh no!" said April, running over to Splinter's side, and checking the rat's wounds " what happened to him you guys?"
"Shredder happened" growled Leonardo, eyes brimming with hatred and disgust " He and Rocksteady somehow managed to get into the Lair and attacked,"
"But how?" asked April shocked " How did he find you?"
"Why don't you ask Raphael?" said Donatello, pointing over to the lone, red-masked turtle.
"Raphael?" said April in confusion, before a cough decided to break the mood.
A groan escaped from Splinter's mouth as the rat turned over on his side, the wounds on his body burning with pain.
"Dudes we got to do something!" said Michaelanglo, worried.
"We can't take him to a hospital," said Don.
"Let's take him to my place" grabbing Splinter's arms " he'll heal better there,"
"Agreed," said Leo, and he, Don, and Mike offered their help.
Raph watched silently as he followed his three brothers and April carry Splinter out of the Lair. No words were spoken the whole to the apartment, and Leo and the others didn't even turn to Raph once. The red-masked turtle had been outcasted out the brotherhood.
He didn't have a family anymore.
A few minutes later there was a suttle sigh of relief following through each turtles soul as April doctored and carefully covered a sleeping Splinter resting on her couch. Once she was sure the rat would be alright, April immediately turned to the turtles and asked what went on.
"I can't believe this all happened" said April " but what makes you think Raphael is to blame?"
"We're attacked twice" said Don " and the villians keep mentioning his name,"
"But I had nothing to with this" said Raphael sadly " I'm betting it's that strange guy I saw before,"
"The one we didn't see?" said Leo.
"You were knocked out!" said Raph, crossing his arms " and besides, strange things happen to us,"
A lightbulb suddenly went off in April's mind as she reached out to get the note from her pocket. The note given by her to give Raphael. The red-masked turtle was shocked when April handed him the letter.
"What's this?" asked Raph.
"Would you believe it's a note another April gave me?" said April.
"Then why is it in Donnie's handwriting?" said Raph.
"What?" said Don, getting up and snatching the note. Surely enough, it was in the turtle's handwriting. "But I didn't write a note like this,"
"Read it Donnie" said Leo " maybe it contains some clue,"
Everyone gathered around as Donnie flipped open the note and read...
Raph,
There's no time to explian but you have meet Baxter Stockman at the furniture warehouse and come rescue us A.S.A.P We're on Crimelord's island. Raph, hurry!
Once Donnie finished reading the note their was stunned silence in the room. Raphael was the most shocked of all. Why would Donnie write this to him? And who the heck was Crimelord?
"Maybe Raph was right after all" said Leo " this other crook could be real,"
"Then we got to go find him," said Mikey.
"Right" said Don " if we locate this island we may find a clue,"
"Let's go Turtles!" said Leo, as he and his brothers rushed towards the door. But they soon stopped when they realized one brother wasn't coming with them.
"Come on Raphael let's go!" said Don.
"You guys go on without me" said Raph, looking away from his brothers " I need some time to think,"
With that said, Raphael walked off to April's bedroom to get a few hours of sleep. Once he disappeared, April turned her worried eyes on the other turtles as they frowned and went off into the night. Sorrow flooded between the reporter's mind.
The heroes she knew had been torn apart.