Chapter 10

"Taken"

Unseen eyes watched threw the rain, from a dark window across the alley of Arayah's apartment. Thermal imaging goggles picking up the heat signatures of those with in and those that were now venturing out into the rain.

An agent brought his radio to his lips. "It appears that three of the turtles and one human male have left the residence, sir. A turtle and a human female remain in the residence. Do we engage both parties, sir? Or do we continue to observe?"

"I have no current need for the others. Retrieve the two still in the residence. I need both alive and in … decent condition." Bishop gave his directions. "I will be there for transport."

"Yes sir." The agent answered then signaled for the others to move in on the apartment across the alley. A large number of soldiers and agents, being humans used to using doors, hurried out the door and down the hall.

*scene change*

The sound of Arayah pushing her bed back against the wall brought Raph to turn and face her. She spared him a glance as she picked up the towels that had saved her carpet from Don's blood and tossed them into the hamper. "I would offer you a beer but I think you should probably go with them. You should still be laying low."

"What happened?" Raph asked motioning to Arayah's injured hand.

Arayah sighed knowing full well Raph wasn't going to let it go. Frowning she walked up to the window scanned the world outside for a moment then pulled the curtains closed. "Why are you putting me in this position?"

Raphael gave her a confused look. "What position?" Then thinking he had figured it out, he continued. "I'm not going to apologize."

Arayah glared at him. "Well, you should." She snapped as she headed for her kitchen intent on finding a beer that was stashed in the fridge.

"Well, I ain't sorry." Raph said as he stormed after her.

Forgetting the beer Arayah slammed the fridge door closed. "I have never been so terrified in my life, Raphael!"

Raph was momentarily taken aback as the verbal blade was plunged into his heart. Slowly his lip curled up in a snarl as his surprise was replaced by the pain of her cruel rejection. "You want an apology?!"

"Yes…" 'apology for what? Existing?' Arayah ran her hands threw her hair as she tried to reason through her feelings. "No."

But then there was him taking unnecessary risks to be with her. Putting himself at risk to be found by Bishop and thus putting her in danger. Her expression hardened as she looked at him. "Yes. You owe me one hell of an apology."

Raph's jaw clenched. "Well you're not gunna get it!" He bellowed. He turned to storm out then changing his mind half way through the living room turned and stormed back into the kitchen. "I realize I ain't your idea of some fucking prince charming and I am probably the last thing on this planet you want kissing you…"

Arayah's eyes widened. "Kiss? You think I am mad about the kiss?"

Raphael took a step back, now thoroughly confused. "You're not? But you were so weird about it."

"Well," Arayah made a pitiful face. "I am weird about it, kinda. But that's not why I am mad."

With the knowledge that she was only kinda weirded out by him kissing her, Raph wasn't sure what to think. With a very small ray of hope finding its way through his anger and brightening the darkness of his battered heart, he felt as if he had been slapped and hugged at the same time, "What?"

"You really should go, Raph. Bishop knows I know you…"

"Bishop?" Raphael's heart started to pound at the name. "How?"

"When they chased us." Arayah let out a breath. "They must have seen me with you and found out who I am somehow. I don't really know. But Raph, he came into my work. He attacked me. Asked me where you were."

Raph's eyes darted around the kitchen as he processed this information. "Your hand, the bruises. He did that to you?" He frowned deeply as another much darker thought flashed through his mind. "Is that all he did?"

Arayah nodded. "He said he was going to take my eyes but the police showed up and he took off."

Raph reached under the counter cupboard and pulled out a trash bag then caught hold of Arayah's arm and started to pull her into the living room stopping at her dresser. "We need to get out of here. Put what you need in the bag."

"I'm not leaving." Arayah stated stubbornly.

"Yes, you are." Raph retorted as he started to pull her clothes out of the drawers and stuff them into the bag. "If you have anything else you want to bring you better put it the bag now."

"No. You coming up and gallivanting through the city with me is why he came after me, thinking I knew anything about you and where to find you. I am not going anywhere with you. I am staying here and you are leaving and laying low until they stop looking for you. Then and only then will I be following you to where ever it is you are wanting me to go."

She was right. If he had done as Leo and Splinter had ordered. If he had stayed below ground and away from her, she would have been safe. But like some selfish idiot he had had to see her, had to be close to her. Steel every second he could, every 'accidental' brush of skin, that kiss. None of it had been his to take. Raph's hand rested on Arayah's Tonfu for a moment before he angrily stuffed them in the bag and turned to her. "You're right."

Having expected more of an argument from the turtle, Arayah was caught off guard. "I am?" she asked before catching her bearings and stating a little more firmly. "That's right, I am. So you need to put down my stuff and…"

"If I hadn't done what I did you wouldn't be in this position but that doesn't change the fact that you are in it. And sweet heart, you are in it up to your pretty little neck. Which means Bishop isn't far and we don't have much time you need to come with me, Arayah. You aren't safe here."

Arayah looked at Raph and chewed her lip, unknowingly driving him crazy with the action, as she considered what he was saying. Then, to Raphael's exasperation, she began to shake his head. "If he was watching, then why didn't he come and get you guys when your brothers were here?"

Oh, God his brothers. An expression of panic washed across Raphael's face. What if that monster was following them or had already taken them? Raph dropped the bag of Arayah's things as he reached for his phone, then cursed because the cell phone still had not, by some random miracle, materialized. "Shit."

Something slammed against the door cracking the frame and causing Arayah to jump and look at the door quizzically. "What the hell?"

They were out of time.

Raphael grabbed Arayah by the arm with one hand and grabbed the bag of her things with the other as he pulled her out of the way of the door as it burst open with another loud bang.

The door frame splintering sending pieces of wood and plaster sailing into the room. A gas grenade tinked as it hit the ground then it began to hiss as it spewed its contents into the room making I hard to breath.

Black clad soldiers, wearing gas masks, spilled into the room as they fired their guns on the two. Giving Raphael and Arayah no choice but to duck and run.

"Hold your breath." Raph ordered as he pulled Arayah into his arms and crashed through the window to the fire escape smoky gas trailing out of the apartment behind them.

Raph grunted as he hit the landing hard, dropping the bag and cutting himself on the shattered glass as he got back to his feet. Not intending on wasting time with the latter he simply pulled Arayah to him again and jumped. He wrapped himself around her as he tucked and rolled. After reaching his feet he had intended on pushing Arayah into a run but, to his horror, she just fell. Three tranquilizer darts stuck in her shoulder and arm. 'Pick her up!' He screamed inwardly as he shoved down the panic that was trying to consume him.

Arayah felt like a rag doll that had been thrown to a pair of angry dogs. She couldn't move! She could hardly breathe! She wanted to run, to fight, to cry out, anything! But she couldn't. Nothing in her body was listening to her will. All she could do was watch as Raphael reached for her, as he swayed, tried to catch himself, then fall. Watch as they came and began to carry her and Raphael away. Fear and uncertainty filled her only suffocating her more like some waking nightmare. Till, finally, all went dark.

*scene change*

Leonardo woke with a start. Feeling slightly panicked for a moment he looked around the open space of the layer trying to figure out what had woken him. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary he swallowed down the upset apparently caused by some forgotten dream.

Yawning loudly he stood up out of old tattered lounge chair he had fallen asleep in while waiting for his brother, Raphael, to return home. He rubbed his stiff neck as he walked to Raph's room and quietly pushed open the door fully expecting to see his brother's sleeping form amidst the pile of old blankets that graced the worn mattress. But, to his dismay, his brother apparently decided not to come home. It would seem that, as Leo had suspected would happen, the conversation with the veterinarian had not gone well. Which meant Raphael had most likely gone to Casey's.

Leo's hand dropped to his side and he took his phone from his pocket. He checked the time and, seeing that it was about 1:30 in the afternoon, let out a long tired sigh as he dialed the number he now knew by heart. "Hey, Casey. Is he there?"

"No, man. Maybe he stayed at Arayah's."

Leo frowned at Casey's answer. "Ok thanks."

He then hit the end call icon on the phone. "Hmm."

"No Raph?" Don asked as he limped slowly past following the smell of brewing coffee, curtesy of the automatic coffee maker.

"No, Casey thinks he stayed at Arayah's." Leo answered.

Don took a moment to lean on the crutch they had dug out of the medical stash for him. "Guess things went really well with Arayah."

Leo raised an eye ridge at his brother than shrugged. "Guess so."

Suddenly Mikey came bursting out of his room and quickly shoved past Leo into Raphael's room. He flipped on the light and started searching the room, throwing the blankets off the bed, looking under it, and in the closet.

"What are you doing?" Leo asked, a little shocked by Mikey's intrusion.

"Where is he?" Mikey's head popped out of the closet that was used to store Raph's impressive collection of weapons. "He's at Casey's, right?"

Leo shook his head. "Apparently he stayed at the Vet's"

"Damn." Mikey's shoulders slumped as he turned off the light and exited the bedroom.

"Why are you upset?" Don asked as he resumed his slow journey to the kitchen.

"Cause I was totally going to call dibs on her." Mikey sulked.

Don stopped to give Mikey a stern look. "You can't call dibs on a person… just like you can't keep one."

"Whatever." Mike waved Don off and began rummaging through the kitchen for something to eat.

Leo rolled his eyes at Mikey, but couldn't help the smile that lightened his features. He knew full well that Raphael's venture was going to end in heart ache. That was the lot they were given. But, Leo was still glad his brother would get to enjoy some of the high lights that went with having the interest of a woman. Though his timing could be better, at least he knew where Raph was.