Rachel sighed, closed her eyes and squeezed Michel's hand for comfort. And started her story.
"It all started twenty years ago on November 26. I was twenty-one years old and fresh out of college with a degree in medical science for both humans and animals. I was given a job by a man called John Kyles, the father of a friend of mine, Tiana. Tiana had a twin brother called Jack and we worked together for a while, stitching people up and mending head wounds. But after a while John found a...another use for me."
Rachel took a deep breath and continue her story. She was crying a little bit so everyone in the room could tell that the memory wasn't good.
"He took me to the basement and led me to a table, and metal one, with something on it, but I couldn't see it because it was covered up. The sheet had blood on it, especially around the left arm. John called it "Subject TM" and told me to treat it and left.
I stood there for a few seconds, examining the cut which was pretty deep. I uncovered the arm and washed it first. The arm was not white or brown like a normal person's would, but I thought it just had a medical problem. I managed to stitch and dress the arm without the need of a blood transplant.
I was about to leave when "Subject TM" began to come out of unconsciousness. I knew that if it woke up with the sheet still on it, then it would go into a panic. So I removed the sheet... It was Michel, back when he was twenty. I was in shock and stepped back and accidentally bumped into John... He seemed strangely pleased."
At this point, everyone in the room could build up a picture of what had happened...
A young Rachel stepped back in shock after seeing the turtle under the sheet. She turned around to run but ran into John. "Ah, Miss Smith, I see you have met Subject TM?"
Rachel nodded and turned back to the turtle. "Who is...er?"
"He, Miss Smith, he. it is a male. This is Michelangelo, a mutant turtle, as you can already see. Of course is not the only mutant turtle of his species in the city. There are three others, his brothers Leonardo, Raphael and Donatello. And their rat father, Splinter."
Rachel looked at John in shock. "He has family? Then why is he here? Shouldn't he be there with them?"
"No. Not any more."
Rachel looked at Michelangelo. She could see that the dull blue eyes became even duller as the hope in him disappeared. "Poor thing. Can we at least give him some comfort?"
John sighed. "Very well, Miss Smith. You can look after him."
Rachel snapped out of her memory. "For the next three months I cared for Michel, gave him food and water and healed his injuries. After a while, Michel trusted me enough to tell me what happened..."
"Come on, guys!" A young Mikey called after his young older brothers.
"We're coming, Mikey. Slow down!" Leo came to a halt in front of his youngest brother, closely followed by Raph and Donnie. "You need to slow down, wait for us, and...DUCK!"
"What?" Mikey turned around, just in time to see a tranquilliser dart hit his neck. Mikey fell down immediately. He stayed awake just long enough to see his brothers running from yet more darts and feeling himself getting picked up by something metal...
Michel looked down, still not enjoying the memory. He couldn't believe that his brother would abandon him, but he didn't voice his thoughts. Rachel smiled and squeezed his hand even more, then continued her story, hoping that no one else would notice Michel's agony.
"Anyway, three months after I first met Michel, I was walking past the basement door when I heard screaming. I run into the basement to see John electrocuting Michel. I grabbed the taser and smashed it. John was angry and he slapped me. But he understood my curiosity for Michel and said that he would forgive me and tell me why Michel was there, if I didn't tell anyone, not even Jack or Tiana that he was holding Michel.
I agreed. I was indeed curious about why John had a mutant turtle in the basement...