Ch.7: The Ultimate Trap
Morning rose early the next day, and the sweet smell of bacon and eggs tickled Raph's nose.
Slowly removing himself from the soft mattress April had given him last night, Raphael walked out to the living room, a yawn escaping his lips.
Turning his eyes towards the kitchen, Raph could see April busy finishing up the breakfast meal, and setting it down neatly on the dining room table.
Awake, and recovering from his wounds, Master Splinter also sat the table, a cup of hot tea in his hands.
"Morning Raphael," April greeted as the turtle walked into the kitchen.
"Morning" Raph returned, and then looked towards Splinter " Glad to see you're up Sensei, how you feeling?"
"Better" said Splinter with a pause " and confused. There are so many questions to be answered, and yet I fear, there may not be enough time to answer them,"
"I know what you mean," said Raph with a mumble.
"Me too" said April " everything has gotten so confusing. This whole Crimelord business, the message for Raphael, and now the other turtles are missing,"
"What do you mean by missing?" asked Raphael, looking a little worried.
"Well, maybe not missing" said April " but they went out to search for clues last night remember? I just thought they'd be back in time for a good meal,"
"If it's a really good clue they won't just abandon it" said Raph, stabbing at his eggs " Have you tried your turtlecom?"
"Mikey's got busted during one his pizza experiments so he still has mine" said April " Don hasn't had the time to build a replacement yet. What about yours?"
"I have it" said Raph " but…I'm not totally sure I want to talk with my brothers right now,"
Splinter's eyes grew concerned as he looked towards his son. April's phone rang and she walked out of the kitchen, leaving the reptile and the rat to speak alone.
"Raphael," spoke Splinter softly.
"This is all my fault Sensei" said Raphael " if I hadn't been so bored…if I hadn't made that wish!"
A furry arm embraced the turtle's shoulders.
"Fate changes us all Raphael" said Splinter " whether wished for or not, it challenges our lives every day. And now it challenges you. After everything you and your brothers have fought through together, defeating the deadly terrors that Fate tossed, are you determined to let it win?"
Raphael considered his Master's words as April walked back in saying that she had a phone call from Burne. Apparently, there was a new airplane he wanted her to check out.
Raphael agreed to accompany in hopes to find some sign of his brothers, and where they had gone.
Fate sought to sever the bond that he and his brothers shared, and it was winning in its advance.
But now was felling more determined. He was not going to let Fate win!
Meanwhile, far away, in the darkness of a cell, three pairs of eyes opened up to horror of Crimelord's fortress, hands bound and chained to the steel plate below.
"Where are we?" wondered Mikey in confusion " all I remember is a big flash of light,"
"Crimelord" said Leo "its got be. We must be in his HQ,"
"But why?" thought Donatello aloud " Why would he bring us here?"
"Why?" laughed a voice at the turtle's question " Why you're bait of course,"
"Krang!" shouted Leo in disgust.
"Bait for who?" asked Don, miffed.
"Who do you think?" said Krang " Raphael of course. Crimelord has extreme dislike for that brother of yours and is determined to destroy him in the worst possible way. And what can be worse than seeing all his loved ones destroyed! Hahaha!"
At April's house, Splinter was just sitting alone watching a soap opera to keep his minds off the dangers ahead, when a sudden blast tore through one of April's walls.
Dust filled the air in an instant, and Splinter had to squint just to see with his eyes.
In the thick of dust, only the dark shadow of form could be seen, his piercing yellow eyes shining right through the cloud.
"Time to sleep Master Splinter!" growled a voice as the figure rose up his hand.
Determined not to go down easily, Master Splinter got into a battle ready stance, and then found when his muscles suddenly refused to move.
He was snared within the clutch of a highly powerful magic.
With a wave of the hand, Crimelord drew his victim, and the rat was helpless to disobey. A dark chuckle rose deep from the villain's throat.
"One down" he stated " one to go,"
"This is quite an impressive plane Mr. Ikas" said April, holding up microphone to her lips " what kind of fuel did you say this runs on again?"
"Classified" said Mr. Ikas, dressed in a pilot's uniform " I'm afraid I'm not allowed to tell you much about the plane itself. But if you like I can you for a test flight to see how it works,"
"That would be wonderful," said April joyfully.
"Yeah wonderful" said Raph, from the aisle seats " Hey, you got any peanuts on this flight?"
"No," said Mr. Ikas, and walked to the cockpit of the plane.
"Something doesn't feel right April" said Raph as the pilot left " there's something strange about that guy's voice,"
"Relax Raphael" said April, as the plane started to roll down the runway " I'm sure you're just worried about the others,"
"Yeah" said Raphael, leaning back " but I'm also wondering why the pilot insisted I stay in this seat,"
The plane took off and steadily climbed until 2,000 feet in the air, soaring over the tumbling ocean below.
"Heh, nice view," said Raph, then suddenly a spark came from the intercom.
" Attention passengers, this your captain speaking" came the pilot's voice " welcome so humbly to Oroku Saki's airline, where turtles breath their last breath,"
Before either April or Raphael could respond to fact that they were trapped in plane being flown by Shredder, a hole opened up in the roof and Raphael's seat was shot up right into the air.
"Raphael!" April screamed, as the turtle disappeared from sight.
"Aaahhh!" Raph screamed, as he flew above the clouds, Shredder's aircraft passing swiftly below him, leaving nothing but a hard drop to the ocean below.
"Help!" screamed Raphael as he plunged, 4,000 feet straight to the surface.