Sorry everyone for the delay - yet again. I know I'm so bad. I'm trying I am work is crazy busy, I'm taking on the responsibilities of two people right now, my job and a girl who's having a baby and will be leaving and they won't be replacing her so these new things I'm learning are permanent and I'm just completely and utterly worn out after work. And the last couple of weekends have been crazy. I worked really hard to get this chapter done today. I hope you guys feel it was worth the wait. Thanks again for those who take the time to review. Know it's not Sunday but I'm just going to go ahead and post it tonight, Sundays have been busy lately too. Better do it before I forget. I will try to post again next week I promise. See you all soon.

Wareware wa hōkoku suru hitsuyō ga aru - We need to report

Chapter 7

As soon as the door was closed all three turtles turned to her. "Well?"

"He's there. I'm sure of it."

"Did ya see 'im?"

"No." Elizabeth pulled her hair out of the ponytail and let her hair fall down her back as she unbuttoned the first couple buttons on the stiff shirt and opened up the collar a little.

"'Lizbeth… "

Elizabeth opened the bag and pulled out the things she knew the brothers needed for proof, the sad remains of Michelangelo's phone and his nunchucks. She felt the brothers collective breath as she handed the shell to Donatello and Leonardo took the nunchucks from her as if they were made of glass not wood.

"His phone is completely dead, Leo… " Don said after a few seconds of observation. "There was no way he could have used it to contact us… "

Leo ran his fingers over the silky material on his brother's weapons. Raph's dark green hand fell on Leonardo's shoulder and Leonardo's dark brown eyes snapped up to Raphael's face.

"We're gonna get 'im, Leo. We're gonna bring 'im 'ome."

"I know, Raph." Leonardo said as his eyes again fell to the weapons in his hands and Elizabeth felt her chest tighten at the pain and fear in his eyes for his brother. "I know."

"We'll have to come back after dark, too exposed to make a move now," Don reasoned.

"What? We ain't leavin' wit'out 'im!" Raph protested, glaring at his purple banded brother.

"Raphael, you know he's right," Elizabeth soothed putting a hand on his arm. His amber eyes snapped to her, burning. If she wasn't so used to the red masked turtle by now the look would have frightened her. Instead she met his gaze steadily and squeezed his arm. "Raph, you know he's right."

"He is," Leonardo agreed. His eyes lifted to Raph's. "We'll come back as soon as it's dark and we'll get him, Raph. We'll bring him home.

Melinda sighed looking at the strange turtle creature again as she tried in vain to concentrate on her work notes. She had to understand this meeting. But she'd been reading the same sentence for the last half an hour and still had no idea what she'd taken in. The fact that the turtle was perched on her couch, an ice pack to his aching head wound with the TV on rather loudly was not helping with her concentration, but she wasn't going to make him turn it off either. It had taken her hours to coax him out of the bathroom and even then he'd only left reluctantly, almost as if he'd been too afraid to get too far from the facility in case he needed it again.

Melinda had been worried about the poor thing getting dehydrated because he'd been so sick and refused to eat, but he'd finally accepted a soda, sipping at it cautiously as if she' poisoned it before giving it to him. Melinda couldn't help but feel a little insulted about that. Even after all she'd done for him she had the feeling he didn't trust her.

Melinda had been a little tense ever since that electrician had left, worried that more people would show up and someone would spot him and then what? How would she explain a five foot tall bi-pedal turtle? And what would they do to him?

She felt responsible for him now. She'd brought him into her home, saved his life. But now what? What if she needed a repair and the maintenance man came in and saw him? She ran her fingers through her blonde curls as she blew out an exasperated breath. Her life was suddenly very complicated. But she couldn't let this poor thing come to harm.

More loud laughter rang from the TV grating on Melinda's nerves. There had to be something less annoying that this old sitcom on TV, but the turtle seemed to have no interest in channel surfing. Melinda watched as Curly got smacked in the head for the fifteen time in less than half an hour and finally lost her patience. She had to find something else for this turtle to watch – or do. Maybe he'd like to read… he certainly seemed intelligent enough to have the brain capacity for such things. Or maybe she could see just how intelligent he was or see if there was something that could jog his memory and work on his hand eye coordination at the same time.

Pushing her meeting notes aside for now Melinda grabbed a package of crackers from the cupboard, something that would be easy on the turtle's stomach, and something she hoped could help coax him into eating something since he'd had no interest in eating all day. She sat down next to him and grabbed the remote from the coffee table where he'd left it. He didn't protest as she began to flip through the channels.

Corny sitcom after corny sitcom. Didn't the networks have anything better to come up with – something that was actually entertaining? Where were all the cute guys anyway? Melinda almost smiled. She'd long ago given up on her dreams that she'd travel to Hollywood and run into a cute movie star and they'd live in the land of happily ever after. There were no happily ever afters. They were all make believe stories that grown ups told their kids to keep them quiet at night.

"What's that?"

The turtle's question startled Melinda out of her thoughts and she looked at him and then in the direction he was looking. She almost laughed. Her old game systems were still in the box, half unpacked, one of the remotes dangling lazily out of the box as if it had climbed up and tried to escape but had grown too tired to continue and just hung on the side by the cord.

"My old game systems – used to play them all the time to help me relax after school growing up. My sister and I divided up all our old games and things for when we have families of our own. She wanted the board games, so I got the game system. Probably better this way really, she runs a ranch with her husband and now their guests can play the board games. The super only let's two people play at once, depending on the game of course."

The turtle's blue eyes snapped to her and then back to the box. Melinda grinned and got up, grabbing the box and put it down in front of him. She felt a little silly really. Surely this turtle hadn't seen a super before. The thought seemed, too out there to even comprehend.

She threw the lid onto the floor and pulled out the tired old gaming system. It had a black mark on it when Christine had dropped it, and was surprised it still worked after that. The lettering was slightly faded and there were a couple red sticky spots here and there. But she knew it still worked just fine.

The turtle was looking at the games. Upon seeing one he looked at her in surprise. "Really?"

"That game is harder than you'd think. I never did beat it." Melinda shook her head and grinned.

"Couldn't be that hard."

Melinda's eyebrows rose. "Oh really? And I suppose you're an expert at this game?"

He frowned. "I… don't remember."

Of course he didn't. He didn't remember his own name – why would he know anything about a silly Nintendo game? Melinda grabbed the game out of the box, and within a few minutes had the gaming system hooked up to the TV ready to play. She pushed the remote into his hands as the Disney logo came up the familiar music started.

"Ok, Mister Know It All… let's see what you've got."

Elizabeth was happy to get home and see her daughter, though she hadn't been gone very long. Still not having Michelangelo here reminded her just how lucky she was that their home was safe and secure and that her daughter would always be safe here. Akemi was again watching the Lion King and Elizabeth had the feeling that April had had it up to her neck with the Hakuna Matata song because Akemi loved that song and had gotten into the habit of playing that song over and over and over again when the DVD got to that part. Elizabeth was also sure that April had told Akemi to finish the movie so she could go take her nap because the DVD was still playing and Akemi was no where in sight. She'd gotten into the habit of hiding when the "N" word was mentioned. Elizabeth had found her daughter in some interesting places.

April seemed relieved to see them as well. "I'm glad you guys are back. Did you find him?"

"You were right, April." Elizabeth answered before the turtles could. "Mikey is in that apartment."

"Too risky for us to barge right in and get him. We'll go back after dark. Thanks, April."

"Of course," April said automatically. She looked at Elizabeth and Elizabeth could see the questions in her eyes that the turtles had had when she'd gotten into the Battle Shell.

"I didn't see him, April. But there was blood on the couch… and I found his weapons, and what's left of his shell cell."

"He better be ok, da bonehead," Raph growled. Elizabeth put her hand on his arm and his muscles twitched as if he'd shake her off but he seemed to restrain himself. Elizabeth frowned. Raphael never pushed her away. But he seemed so different. So sick with worry about his brother he wasn't acting like himself at all.

"He'll be ok, Raph," she tried to reassure him. "Just bring him home. We can help him through whatever happened."

Don headed for his lab, Elizabeth knew that he was going to get some medical supplies ready for their mission tonight, and to get the makeshift infirmary ready when they brought their injured brother home just in case he needed further doctoring. Elizabeth knew that no matter what Donatello would give his brother a thorough examination to see how bad his injuries were.

Raph pulled away from her and headed for the dojo to release some pent up energy before trying to grab a nap before they headed out again later tonight. Leo headed for Splinter's quarters to tell him exactly what they'd found, as was his custom. Elizabeth felt her stomach clench.

He's coming home. They'll bring him home. He'll be home tonight.

April's soft hand on her arm brought her back from her thoughts. "Think I saw Akemi heading towards Michelangelo's room."

Elizabeth nodded. "She loves his action figures – normally he'd tell her that they are in mint condition and… " she trailed off not having the strength to finish. It just wasn't the same without him.

April squeezed her arm. "They'll bring him home – they found him, you helped them find him. He'll come home."

Elizabeth gave April a tired grin. She wished she could believe that.

Melinda's hands were over her eyes, her legs pulled up to her chest, as she sat curled up next to the turtle, who, much to Melinda's surprise had really gotten into the game. Not only could he play – but he was an amazing player! He'd blown through the first six levels as if it were no harder than swatting a fly. He'd grinned triumphantly as he'd passed off the seventh level without a hitch and then had continued onto the eighth level. It had been the only level he'd had trouble with.

Melinda had grinned as he'd wiggled around on the couch, leaning his body weight this way and that as if it would help him control his character better. His tongue had poked out between his lips, his jaw tightened and his eyes narrowed as he did the level time and time again, finally beating it on the fourth try. He'd offered Melinda a go but she'd waved him off she was having more fun watching him play than actually playing herself, of course the ninth level was one she had never passed.

"WHOA! There's four of them?!" She could hear the frantic clicks of the buttons as the turtle pressed them as fast as he could. She separated her fingers a little to watch, unable to help herself. Four hyenas pounced on the lion and she covered her eyes again as she heard the familiar grunt of Simba's pain.

The triumphant crow of her guest had her head snapping up forgetting that she didn't think he'd get past this level and didn't know if she could stand to watch as he died time and time again like she always had.

"Halfway mark."

"WHAT?!" Melinda was shocked. "How did you find that?! I always got sent back to the beginning!"

The turtle grinned but didn't answer as he continued to fight hyena after hyena. Sometimes he won the battle without Simba gaining any injury – other times he wasn't so lucky and was sent back to the halfway mark as his life ended.

"You sure you've never played this before?"

"Not that I remember."

Melinda giggled as the turtle grinned his first grin at her. The fact that he didn't remember playing this before meant little – at least until he got his memories back. One thing was for sure this turtle was incredible. Melinda had enjoyed his narration as he'd made his way through the levels. Especially when he'd gotten to the waterfall and had started to grumble every time he fell in the water but when he'd finally figured out the best way to get up the waterfall and get to the monkey he'd started talking about secret moves and how the monkey was no match for his totally awesome playing skills. He was just as interesting as the game.

Melinda had remembered when she and Christine were younger and they'd play together, eventually they'd get into big fights and accuse the other of cheating as they fought and hollered. As she'd grown older and games had become scarce but a good source of tension relief for her – they would often turn into vivid swearing contests that her mother would have killed her for if she knew.

"GAH! LOOK OUT!"

The turtle jumped, then lifted the remote over his head as if he himself were prepared to jump right along with Simba as he fought to get away from the hoard of hyenas that were sitting below just waiting for him.

"That was close."

"Oh my gosh you are so going to die… " Melinda squirmed on her seat, watching him play. He grinned and leapt expertly over one hyena then turned and pounced on it in the next move, effectively taking it out while not getting a scratch in return.

Melinda got lost in the maze of caverns he steered the grown Simba through, completely losing track – but then, to her surprise he reached the end and roared. She looked at the turtle. "You freaking kidding me?! I could never beat that level!"

He grinned. She shook her head. Unbelievable. There was obviously more to this turtle than meets the eye. "Think you can beat Scar?"

He grinned flashing his white teeth. "Watch me."

This couldn't be the same turtle that she'd met two nights ago. It wasn't possible. He was so different than the turtle he'd been when he'd first woken. He seemed almost in his element now as he quickly and effectively beat all her "easier" games but then she'd put in Super Mario World and had put in a paddle for herself. She wasn't about to be shown up by any turtle. But she failed miserably at that when she ran into a bug with spikes as soon as she started the level. She had laughed and he had laughed with her. It was pleasant, warm and rich. Like a warm breeze on a summer's day or the way she felt when she drank a chocolate milk shake. She hadn't realized she'd gotten closer to the turtle until she'd bumped his arm as she'd shifted her weight, much like he had earlier when she tried to fly over a hole, bumping his arm distracted her and she fell down the hole making them both laugh again.

"Sorry about that." She said when they finally stopped laughing.

He shrugged. "No harm done – lost one of your lives though."

"Don't have much to spare either." She sighed.

He chuckled then brought both players into view on the main screen and gave her ten of his lives. "Here."

"You didn't have to do that," Melinda protested.

"And watch you die again and get a game over?" He teased.

Melinda shook her head. "Well thanks. Want a snack? In the mood for some popcorn myself."

To her surprise he nodded. It was his turn so that left Melinda free to go grab the bag and put it in the microwave. Maybe having a guest, even a turtle as a guest, wasn't so bad. She couldn't remember the last time she'd had so much fun. And she enjoyed his company. There was just something about him that was… nice.

Takeshi was having an extremely difficult week. It hadn't started out the best and he knew that his mistress was extremely angry with him. When he had taken a small group of Karai's best fighters out for patrol he'd never dreamed they'd find one of the turtles out on his own. They always traveled in groups. He had only ever seen one on his own once before, the leader of the turtles, and he had been fairly new then. The kappa had been a fierce fighter he had taken down fifty of the Shredder's men before he'd finally been taken down by the elite.

The turtle demons had frightened him at first. Especially since he'd already taken a heavy kick from the one in blue before he'd been forced to go and fight the other three, their rat master and the two humans the demons had befriended. It had been a fierce battle and he'd taken another hit that had left him with little memory of how fierce the other turtles were.

But it hadn't been long before they'd faced them again. Summoned by their master they'd battled the turtles on the roof of Foot tower. And he'd seen just how powerful these kappa were. But he was loyal, he'd picked his side, and the pay was good. He was proud to serve the Shredder, and when he was gone, Karai. Karai had let them know that if any of them tried to leave the foot they would be hunted down and destroyed. She'd been bitter and cruel ever since the Shredder had been destroyed. No one dared cross her.

Over the past seven years Takeshi had worked his way up the ranks of the foot. Replacing more experienced soldiers when they'd been injured in battle and trained harder and longer than most soldiers did. It made him a fierce and worthy opponent for most of Karai's soldiers. And it was after Karai had called him to her and told him his new position he realized that she'd noticed this. It wasn't handed to him on a silver platter of course, and he'd had to prove himself worthy of such a position.

He'd worked hard to prove his worth to her over the last year and she had seemed pleased with him, up until recently. He'd had to send a team out after a soldier who'd tried to leave the clan, his body had been removed after Karai had finished with him. No one would ever find it. Karai was nothing if not careful and would never have such things trail back to her or her company. It was sloppy and unbusiness like. Karai was just as good as the Shredder had been when it came to keeping up appearances.

Karai was still angry that the little worm had gotten away in the first place and had blamed him for not keeping a better eye on those under his watch. No one was disloyal to the foot clan. Takeshi had thought the week had turned around when he'd spotted the lone turtle. It had been glorious. The turtle had caught onto the fact that they were there pretty fast. Takeshi had been ahead and had seen the turtle reach for his belt. He'd pulled out one of their communication devices.

A quick swipe from his katana and the turtle was bleeding the phone falling and cracking. The turtle had turned, nunchucks out, barely noticing the blood that had run down his arm. His blue eyes were not as menacing as the eyes of the red masked demon, or even the blue. This was the easiest of the brothers. The most vulnerable.

Takeshi's thoughts that this would be an easy capture and win for him was quickly corrected when the turtle struck out his chuck cracking against Mitsuo's head and he had gone down. Takeshi had quickly hit a communication device of his own as they'd chased the turtle, wearing him down with attack then falling back, attack again, fall back once more. Takeshi wasn't foolish and was willing to be patient so he would get his prize. Putting the head of a turtle on Karai's desk would surely give him and the clan honor. Karai would reward him handsomely.

After chasing the turtle across the city the turtle finally broke. Takeshi had taken him down with a snap kick that had knocked the exhausted turtle off the roof, he'd crashed into the dumpster below before sprawling out on the sidewalk, quite still. Injured himself and too weak to carry the freak himself he'd ordered Nao and Ryota to bring the turtle back to the tower as he'd gone with the others to tend to their injuries. But they had never returned and Karai had been furious when Takeshi had returned empty handed.

So that was why Takeshi was out scouring the alleyway trying to find out what had become of the turtle. His backup guard were waiting on the roof for him. He knew they were getting impatient and so was he. There was nothing but dry blood down here. What a waste of time. The others had surely come to dispose of the body by now. They wouldn't want one of their own to be discovered and taken apart by scientists. Takeshi also knew that blinded by their grief it would be the perfect moment to strike at Karai's enemies and take the enemy clan down. They were down by one as well, they had always been stronger as a unit and that unit was broken.

Disgusted with the lack of results, he climbed back up to the rooftop. "Wareware wa hōkoku suru hitsuyō ga aru."

"Takeshi, another patrol has spotted the turtles. They are coming this way."

Takeshi smiled behind his mask. Perhaps the night wouldn't be a total waste after all.

Leonardo felt very uneasy as they approached the apartment building their brother was in. The night was quiet and there weren't any signs that they were being followed but he couldn't shake the feeling that eyes were watching their every move.

"Leo, ya listenin'?"

Leo's eyes snapped to Raphael who was scowling at him. "Sorry, Raph, what?"

"I said we goin' t'rough da side window?"

"Probably be better for cover," Leonardo agreed.

Raph rolled his eyes and slipped down the fire escape with Don tailing him and Leonardo coming in the rear after one last sweep of the rooftops. They were silent and empty. Still…

His brothers were waiting and Leonardo was just as anxious to get their brother back as they were. On cat's feet the brothers made their way to the window. After a few short minutes Donatello had the window unlocked and the three brothers slipped inside. It was time to reclaim what was theirs. And bring him home.