Ch.10: Raising The Odds
" You call this a super vehicle? I've seen faster bikes!" complained Barney Stockman for what seemed like the fifth time.
Raphael did his best to keep his temper in check. The human had been going on and on like this ever since the turtle persuaded him to get on the blimp.
Sure the Turtle Blimp wasn't the fastest ride in the world, but at least it was better than swimming through the ocean!
"Are we almost there Stockman?" yelled Raphael.
"We should be seeing it," said Barney.
The haunting image of Crimelord's island soon crested up over the waves, and the alien spaceship looked as eerie as its host.
"Yep" gulped Raphael " I see it,"
"And I see you" said Crimelord, gazing from his viewing globe " I see you,"
"Man, some real estate" said Raph, as he and Stockman walked into Crimelord's fortress " how's that device working Doc?"
"It's working fine" said Barney "I'm sure the security cells are this way,"
Raph just nodded, following Stockman's lead. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong though.
Infiltrating Crimelord's fortress had been way to easy. The creep had left the front door wide open, and there were no booby traps guarding the place.
"He's got to be up to something" thought Raph " but what?"
"Impossible!" cried Stockman, snapping the turtle out of his thoughts. The radar had lead them straight into a steel wall.
"What now!" screamed Raph, as the floor suddenly opened up beneath his and Stockman's feet, sending both turtle and scientist down a wild slide.
"Aahh!" cried Raph and Stockman, as they crashed and banged in different directions.
A split came up soon separating the two, and Raph found himself being ejected into a frightening room, with the stares of villains glaring down at him.
"Nice of you to drop in" said Shredder with a grin " we've been waiting for you,"
"Stow the welcome" said Raph, gripping his sais "What have you done with the others?"
"Why they're here of course" said Crimelord, eyes glowing mischievously " right at your disposal,"
"What do you mean…my disposal?" stuttered Raph, confused.
"Yes" said Crimelord, snapping his fingers " it's your decision who lives or dies,"
Lights suddenly came on to reflect Crimelord's ultimatum, and Raphael's eyes lit up with terror. There hanging just a few feet from the ceiling, trapped in cages, where his three brothers and April O'Niel.
Pools of lava stood bubbling beneath each one of them, and Bebop and Rocksteady were in another room, waiting at the controls.
Splinter however, was nowhere in sight. Where was Crimelord keeping him?
"I see the question in your eyes" said Crimelord " Splinter is here, but only one of those four hold the secret location to where he's being kept,"
"And I can only choose one is that right?" guessed Raph.
"Oh no" said Crimelord " in fact you can choose them all, and they can all be set free,"
"What?!" shouted Shredder and Krang, totally stunned.
"I can?" asked Raph.
"Yes" said Crimelord " but know that there will be a price,"
"What kind of trick is this?" thought Raph in his mind " I just ask nice and he'll let them all go. Yeah, right into the lava pit! I can't trust anything this guy says. It's all a trick!"
"I'm getting impatient Raphael" said Crimelord, ready to tell Rocksteady and Bebop to throw the switch " make your choice,"
"I will" said Raph " but first I have a question. Why are you targeting me? What have I done to you?"
"Foolish child" laughed Crimelord " you have done nothing to me. You are simply the key and nothing more. Times up,"
And with that said, all of the cages started to plunge at once.
"No!" cried Raph in horror " I choose them all! Please stop!"
Crimelord let loose a malicious grin and stopped the cages in their tracks. The gate to the lava pit closed, and Raphael fell to his knees, tears of pain escaping his eyes.
Shredder and Krang were both shocked when they noticed the turtle's depressed state. Who knew that one of their strongest foes, could be left so powerless and weak?
"This guy just didn't want to destroy Raphael" thought Krang " but torment him. Make him suffer. This Crimelord is definitely a dangerous foe,"
"And now for the price," said Crimelord, approaching the sullen Raphael.
"Not so fast Crime-dude!" shouted out a voice.
"You'll have to get past us first!" shouted another.
"Guys?" said Raph, shocked.
"No!" shouted Crimelord.
"That's right pal" grinned Leonardo, standing with Mikey and Don at the other end of the room " We're free,"
"But how?" said Shredder.
"Would you believe a big purple and green dinosaur?" said Mikey.
"Barney," thought Raph, cheerfully in his mind. The scientist had made it.
"It's payback time Crimelord" said Leonardo " for all the evil that you've done,"
"My reign isn't over yet turtle" laughed Crimelord " in fact, it's just beginning,"
"Wha…what's happening?" asked Donatello, as suddenly the whole fortress began to shake.
"Warning, self-destruct has been activated" answered a robotic voice " the base will blow up in exactly ten minutes,"
"See you soon turtles," laughed Crimelord, fading out of sight.
"Oh no you don't!" said Raphael, charging towards the villain just as he finished his spell to disappear.
"Raphael!" yelled Leonardo, as both Crimelord and his brother vanished from sight.
"We have to go find Splinter and April!" said Don, rushing out into the hall.
"But Raph..," stumbled Mike, as he followed behind the purple-banned turtle.
"Raph will be alright" said Don "Right now we need to escape,"
A large rumble suddenly surged through the base, making all three turtles stumble on their way back to the prisoners barracks.
"What was that?" asked Leo.
"The base has blasted off" said Donatello "We're going to blow up in mid-air!"