Hey guys, sorry it's been so long since I've updated this, but I'm not about to leave it unfinished so rest assured. This chapter was hard work because there were so many things I had to sort out since a lot of stuff happens. Warning, this chapter may contain a little language and nonconsensual touching. Though nothing explicit. Please review, I'm anxious to hear from you guys, I haven't been getting much feedback lately, and some recommendations would really help me improve. Thanks for reading everyone!

Chapter 22-Chilling Discoveries

Leo's POV

We had to find him. We just had to. Raphael had left over a week ago and there had been neither sight nor sound of him since. I couldn't stand it. The uncertainty was unrelenting. I've been pacing the floor every day until patrol. I've barely slept. It's hard to sleep knowing that one of my precious little brothers is out there running and fighting for his life or...already dead. He could be lying in a ditch somewhere with his head bashed in, or lying in a dungeon with one of Shredder's blades stuck in his chest. And we'd never be the wiser.

It was a sickening thought. My heart clenched in pain and dread at the thought of Raphael...No, no I won't start thinking like that. Raph's okay. He's going to be okay. He has to be.

Sensei told us not to go after him. I couldn't believe it. I had stared at him, disbelievingly, as though he had grown another head. "But Sensei-"

"Raphael can take care of himself, Leonardo. Much as I dislike the fact that he has left, I fear that his reasoning is most sound. Being here would put all of you in danger."

Later that day in the dojo, Master Splinter pulled me aside and we exchanged words.

"Sensei, we can't keep going on like nothing's happened! We have to go help Raphael, we can't just let him go it alone, he'll get hurt."

"Remember what I told you Leonardo, with the world at stake, we must move on, no matter what we have to sacrifice. Or who."

I glared at him. I had never been so angry. Raph was the angry one, not me, but something in my father's words made me lose my patience.

He turned to walk back over to my brothers, and I stiffened, my fists clenching at my sides. "So you would hand Raphael over to the Shredder?" I growled.

Master Splinter glanced back at me over his shoulder, his expression grave, his dark brown eyes glazed over with glistening, unshed tears. "Leonardo, the loss of a son would break me."

All I could do was stare. I had never seen my father so upset.

"Shredder knows that." He face became stern, "As does Raphael. Something has changed in your brother, Leonardo. I am confident he knows exactly what he is doing. Meddling in his plans could very well seal his fate. You must not pursue him." And with that Sensei left the dojo.

A week later, we were on patrol. It was late. Much later than we usually stayed out. But I needed to burn off the extra energy, release the pent up frustration. As did Don and Mikey, I think, since they agreed to a different and longer patrol route than usual.

On our patrol of the warehouse district we were startled by a great commotion. The three of us jumped up onto an overlooking building and rushed over to its edge.

Beneath us there was a battle going on, and a most vigorous one at that. A black clad figure was fighting a large squad of Foot Bots.

My brothers were about to jump down, but I put out my arms holding them back.

"No. We shouldn't show ourselves. We have no idea who that guy is."

"What are you talking about, bro? Of course we know who he is."

Don and I both turned to our little brother with skepticism on our faces.

"Come on, you really don't know who he is? Dudes! Black armor, silver helmet, wicked chain weapons, it's the Nightwatcher!" Mikey said, as though it should have been obvious. In all honesty, it should have been, but for whatever reason I hadn't thought of it.

I looked at this 'Nightwatcher' carefully. Raphael was right. Whoever was under that suit was definitely muscular. The material of the suit was bulletproof and looked pretty heavy duty. The vigilante hadn't noticed he was being watched and I decided to take advantage of that fact. I studied Nightwatcher's movements. He wielded his large manriki-esque weapons with great skill, and I zoned out, remembering a time, many years ago when my brothers and I found Raphael in the dojo practicing with manriki. Huh. I'd forgotten he knew how to wield them. The ones Nightwatcher was using were much larger, but the basic principles seemed the same.

Nightwatcher fought valiantly, and his skills were considerable, that was without a doubt. He was taking out Foot bots left and right.

The Nightwatcher straightened, his muscles tense. He was already on the alert when he perceived he was no longer alone. The masked vigilante glanced about unobtrusively and decided that the eyes he sought were looking down at him from above. But he was absolutely certain of one thing: the gaze he felt boring into the back of his head was familiar. His finely-tuned ninja hearing detected the slightest shuffle of feet and the gentle whir of a quiet, almost silent breath.

Nightwatcher turned abruptly looking up in their direction. "Show yourselves." He growled, his voice gruff and thickly accented. There was no answer and green eyes narrowed behind a silver face plate. "Do it now." He threatened, his voice cold and sharp as a razor. "Ah know yur there. Ya can't hide from me." Again there was no answer. He turned toward the shadows where he knew his observer was concealed. "Don't make me pull you down from there." He rasped through ground teeth, his hands fingering his manriki.

Three dark figures landed in the shadows on the other side of the alley and Raphael cursed under his breath. Of course all three of them came he thought, inwardly cringing. What the hell were they doing out here?! It's not safe.

"What the hell do you three want?"

Leonardo was the only one that stepped forward revealing himself to the light. He wore a menacingly serious expression. Raph was slightly surprised, for he hadn't expected Leo to show himself so easily.

The forest green turtle paused, as though he were waiting for something.

"Well whatcha waitin for, turtle? You think I'm gonna jump sky high and run off screamin?" He scoffed and waved a hand, "I been fighting crime in this city for six months and I've seen shit that would turn you blue as that mask o' yurs."

The blue masked turtle recoiled slightly, warily. "Where's my brother?" He growled with malice.

"How should I know?" Nightwatcher retorted.

"You must know something." Leo snapped.

"I don't know nothing about no turtle." He grumbled lowly.

"I don't believe that for one second. As you say, you've been fighting crime here for six months at least, Nightwatcher."

"So, you know my name. Bet you think yur so smart." Nightwatcher sneered. Raph decided to go slow, keep them in the dark, just for now. But the guys deserved to know. He scoffed loudly, purposely drawing his older brother's attention. The blue masked turtle glanced at Nightwatcher his eyes narrowed with suspicion. "I gotta say, I'm surprised you're up here. Raphael won't be too happy about it."

Leonardo went stock still. Nightwatcher smiled with glee at the older turtle's expense. Then rage filled the older turtle's features and he growled. Literally growled. Raphael's expression sobered and he raised an eye-ridge. All things considered…it might not be such a good idea to poke fun at Leo. He seemed pretty steamed. Nightwatcher snapped back to attention as the eldest turtle spoke low and threateningly, "How did you-"

"As you say, I been here for six months." Nightwatcher replied. "Raphael and I exchange blows now and again. Almost got him last time, he's a slippery devil though."

The next thing Nightwatcher knew he was on the ground, a glistening katana at his throat.

"How dare you hurt my brother!" Leonardo spat, with fire in his eyes.

Donnie and Mikey decided it was time to intervene.

"Whoa, Leo chill, bro! Don't hurt him!" Mikey said jumping out and pushing his older brother away from the vigilante.

Leonardo threw his little brother's arms off himself violently, while the Nightwatcher got back on his feet. "Don't defend him, Mikey! He threatened our brother!"

"So we trade rival punches every once in a while, it's more of a partner rivalry than anything else." Nightwatcher said, with a shrug.

"Partners?! Then you know where he is?" Leo demanded inquiringly. His dark blue eyes glinted with nervous apprehension.

Nightwatcher stiffened, staring at the turtles in silent contemplation. Michelangelo had to practically bite his tongue to stop himself from squealing as he realized he was standing not three feet away from his hero.

After a few long moments of silence Leo could swear Nightwatcher was smirking behind that helmet of his.

"Where is he?" Demanded the eldest.

"Closer than you think." Nightwatcher muttered under his breath. Then he raised his hands in surrender, "I can't take you to him."

"Yes you will." Leonardo stated menacingly. His katana glinting in the moonlight.

"No. Raph left to keep you out of danger. Every moment you're out here you're risking not only your lives, but his also." Nightwatcher replied with equal menace.

"How would you know what Raph wanted?" Leo growled.

"I understand him." There was a slight pause.

"Take us to him."

"Are you prepared to face the consequences?" There was a short silence and then Leo exchanged glances with the two younger turtles. Finally he looked back at Nightwatcher, staring into the dark black void of a motorcycle visor, not knowing green eyes were staring stiffly back at him.

The vigilante turned away from them, lowering his gaze as he stated lowly, "I hope you understand that if you force me to reveal Raph's location, you're not only endangering yourselves, but you're risking his life as well. Do you still insist to see him, even if it costs him his life?" Nightwatcher turned back towards them, his visor making his expression unreadable. "Follow me if you wish, but know that you risk only the lives of others."

Leo followed immediately, but Don's hand caught his shoulder. "Leo what has gotten into you?"

The eldest turned his head back towards his younger brothers and spoke, his eyes shining with a strange, unfamiliar glint. "Raph's not going to die, Donnie."

"How do you know, Leo?" Mikey chimed in, his voice emphatic, bordering on frantic. "How do you know he's not telling the truth?"

Leonardo glanced at his youngest brother, his steel-eyed gaze looking straight through them. "We have to find Raph, Mikey."

Unnoticed by the three of them, Nightwatcher stiffened at the mention of the missing brother.

Michelangelo stared at the eldest turtle with disapproval. "Why, Leo? Why is it so vital that we find Raph? If he gets killed because of us what good will it do?"

"Leo, Mikey's right." Don agreed.

"Listen to yur brothers." Nightwatcher added, making Leonardo glare at him. "At least they have some sense."

Leonardo glared in the vigilante's direction, not that it made much difference. In fact, it only served to make Raph smirk.

"Take me to my brother." Leo stated insistently.

The vigilante sighed. "Raph's gonna kick your shell." He stated, making certain his voice was lower and maintained the thick Manhattan drawl to prevent his brothers from recognizing him.

He led them to an old abandoned warehouse not far from Midori's hideout, but not in the general vicinity. He had a lingering suspicion that the four of them were no longer alone. When he turned around and got a fleeting glimpse of a lithe figure clad in black and dark red armor, the tension ebbed away and he relaxed. Once they were safely sealed inside the warehouse he turned back to the turtles.

They were on their guard, obviously thinking that the Nightwatcher had led them into some kind of trap. Donatello glanced around warily, obviously calculating various methods of escape. Leo glanced around, taking in their surroundings, as in making sure it wasn't a trap. Then he turned to Nightwatcher. "Well?"

"Well what?" The vigilante responded with his back turned to the three of them. He could feel them tensing in apprehension.

"Where's our brother?" Michelangelo asked hesitantly. This was the Nightwatcher. He wouldn't do anything to hurt them. Right?

"He's here." Nightwatcher answered while he slowly turned to face them. Inside his suit Raphael took a deep breath and steeled himself.

They exchanged confused glances, all three of them glancing around the room. Donatello, in particular, moved around the room, his eyes searching the rafters above them, and finding nothing.

Leonardo growled. "What are you talking about? There's no one here!" he yelled, gesturing to the warehouse around them.

"I didn't say he was here. I said he is here." Nightwatcher repeated, slowly lifting a gloved hand and removing his helmet. Raphael smirked. "You guys should see the looks on your faces." He said with a smirk. Then his expression hardened. "Though, I'll have to stay on the run now that my cover's blown. Probably have to leave New York. I was thinking about heading for Detroit, but I wanted to find some way to tell you guys first."

His brothers continued to stare at him, their minds failing to register a single word he had just spoken.

"R-RAPH?!" Donnie stuttered in shock.

"Raphael? Dude, you're the Nightwatcher. Holy shit, bro!"

"Michelangelo watch your language!" Leo chided, finally over the shock. Stalking up to his brother angrily, Leonardo poked Raphael's suit-covered chest angrily. "What the fuck do you think you're doing Raphael? Fighting the foot? Getting shot? Worrying the crap out of us just so you could go off and play vigilante every night?!"

Mikey whispered to Don behind his hand, "So much for language."

"I told you Leo! I'm doing this to protect you guys, it's a matter of honor."

"No matter of honor is worth sacrificing your family." Leonardo retorted fiercely and then added in a slightly softer tone, "Or your life."

Raph's shoulders relaxed and he acquiesced. "Maybe not. But there's something else I'm fighting for too. I can't tell you about that right now."

Everyone sent silent as the brothers realized that Raph wasn't about to change his mind.

"Then why won't you let us help you?" Leo asked, staring straight down into his immediate younger brother's bright green eyes.

Raphael stepped forward into his older brother's space. That bright-eyed defiant look that had appeared his eyes when he told Sensei he was leaving resurfaced, and again his brothers took a step back.

"You've changed." Donatello stated evenly. "You're not the way you used to be."

Leonardo ignored the comment and went on in a low even tone. "If you're going against the Shredder you're going to need backup."

"You don't have to worry about that." three pairs of eye-ridges went up. Raph smirked. "I have a partner."

They stared at him, wide-eyed. Mikey was the first to overcome the shock. "Who?"

"Me." A disembodied voice floated down towards them from behind.

They whirled around drawing their weapons. Behind them, laid out on her side on one of the rafters, Jade stared down at them. She jumped down and moved past them, leaning on Raphael rather more than casually, making Leonardo's eyes narrow.

Raph cast a sideways glance at her and muttered, "Find anything tonight?"

"Just some more smuggling plans. I see you've been busy." She gave a pointed look at his brothers. "Did you fight all three of them, or did they willingly follow you into the trap?" She said, her voice almost playful.

Raphael smiled. Really smiled. Michelangelo smirked and glanced over to Donnie. He mouthed 'I knew it' and Donnie face-palmed. Great my brother's fallen in love with a female vigilante, Donatello thought sarcastically. Just what Raphael needed: someone who would drag him into even more trouble.

"You ought to know. You followed us here." He said with a smirk.

She nodded briefly. Then she turned to his brothers glancing over each in turn from behind the safety of her visor. "Rest assured. I'll take good care of him."

"You were the one who bandaged up his shell after the shell-cycle incident." Donnie deduced. The other two bothers followed his gaze and all three stared at her with a new found measure of respect.

"How clever of you to realize that." She stated. Then her voice went flat and any hint of amusement left it. "I had to pump the water out of his lungs after I dragged him out. He was lucky to be alive."

There was silence. The brothers stared. Raph had never told them that he'd almost drowned.

The turtle in question put a gentle hand on her shoulder. Then he changed the subject. "Dragon is my problem you guys. I'll deal with him myself. I don't want to drag you into it."

"You've dragged her into it." Leo retorted, pointing at the 'her' in question rather childishly.

"I was already in it." Jade murmured. "Unfortunately for Raphael, Nightwatcher is stuck with me."

"You're gonna have ta leave soon, Leo." Raph warned, noting the time on Mikey's t-phone. "We spend too long here and it could put all of us in danger."

"What are you going to do?" Leonardo asked, but he was met with only silence.

"If only I could hack into the Foot database and find who's behind the smuggling attempts. They have to have some kind of link with a shipping company or supplier. If I could find that link, I could destroy the whole operation at the source." Jade stated.

Raph's gloved hand shot out and grabbed her wrist. "We. We can destroy the whole operation. I'm not about to let you go off on your own. Besides, hacking in is no easy thing. We have to be patient and plan this out."

She jerked her wrist free and pulled away slightly. Then her voice lowered to a whisper, "I can use my connections to the shipping business to…"

He spoke calmly, "No, Jade we need to think this through." Raph looked up, and realized all of his brothers were watching him with surprised glances. "What?"

"You sound like Leo!" Mikey said with mirth.

Raph grimaced and rubbed a hand over his head. He turned to Jade and whispered into her ear. "We'll talk about this later, at yours."

She nodded and jumped back up into the rafters, leaving through a high window.

Raph turned back to his brothers. "It's still not safe for me to go back to the lair. I'll keep in the shadows, and try and avoid Dragon as long as I can. But if I have to fight him, I will."

Leonardo approached him and put his hands on Raph's shoulders, his eyes filled with pure seriousness. "No, if we fight this guy we fight him together."

"I've been through this already, Leo." Raph growled.

"Fine." Leo acquiesced. Raph stared at him in surprise. The hothead was even more shocked when his older brother yanked him into a fond embrace. "Be careful."

Raphael pulled away and nodded. "I will be" he said softly, pulling the helmet back over his head with one hand. He nodded farewell and they watched him leave the same way that Jade had a few minutes earlier.

Meanwhile, Midori returned to her uncle's apartment. She changed out of her suit and into a plain white t-shirt and skinny jeans and a pair of white sneakers. As she was heading into the living room, her eye caught the computer in Uncle Ryuu's office, its light was blinking, showing that it was on for some reason. It wasn't on before. She wandered over and unlocked the computer. Immediately she tried to browse through some of her uncle's business files, but for some reason they were blocked. She hacked in and started looking at old logs and transactions. I don't understand. It's an antique dealing company. Why do they have all of these transactions with… Her brow furrowed and she stared. Midori got up and went to her room, pulling out her files on the Foot smuggling operation. Papers flew off in every direction as she searched for the one that held the information she sought. The longer the search grew the more frantic she became until at last she landed on the opaque pink paper in question. Her hand clutched it so tightly her knuckles turned white, all the while shaking violently with nervous tension, as her honey golden eyes darted over the page. The Dragon's Heart Manufacturing Company had been out of business for years, yet according to the data on the screen uncle Ryuu's company was still making large transactions. The paper in her hand was a list of the company fronts the Foot had been using to mask their smuggling operation. Her hands stopped shaking and her body tensed. She held her breath. Oh my god. Raphael…Raphael was right! Uncle Ryuu… Her eyes practically bugged out of her head.

"I was wondering how long it would take you to figure it out." A deep voice growled from behind her.

Midori whirled around, still clutching the paper in her hand. An armored figure stood before her. It fit Raph's description of the Dragon to a T. Ryuu removed his helmet and revealed an evil smirk. She flashed the paper towards him, "You're the head of the foot's smuggling ring!" She whispered, still slightly taken aback.

"Well of course I am. Who else would Oroku Saki trust with so delicate an assignment than his ever faithful top lieutenant."

"You work for…"

"Certainly. You know, your incessant meddling in my affairs has cost me a lot of money." He said eerily stalking towards her.

"You monster! Why are you doing this?" Midori asked, shocked beyond comprehension.

"Is there anything more valuable in this world than money and power?"

"What about love?" She asked, "That's what my mother and I believed. I thought you believed it too."

Dragon scoffed. "What of it? You're weak-minded and emotional, just like your father. Your mother was no better. You should have seen the look on her face when she realized the pills I'd given her were poisoned. I don't think I'd ever seen her quite so shocked."

Midori was so shocked she couldn't even move as his hands darted out and tried to restrain her. "You monster!" She growled and comprehension dawned on her, and she pulled easily out of his grip as he allowed her to put a foot of space between them.

"It was pathetic, really. In the end, she was just as weak as her 'husband.' He never deserved her. She was just to blind to see how far beneath her she was really stooping." Ryuu stated in a snobbish and jealous way. Uncle Ryuu was jealous of Father? But he's Mother's brother.

Midori's face settled into a scowl and she growled, "She loved him, and she cared for him more deeply than a snake like you would ever know!"

He backhanded her across the face and she stumbled backwards, but stayed on her feet. "You ungrateful little wretch! I was ordered to kill you months ago, but I thought you could have been useful. Again I find myself mistaken." He backed her into a corner and pushed himself up against her. His hands ran down her sides and she sobbed, trying to pry herself free of his grip. One of his hands cupped her face, while the other reached lower. "In your defense however, you are beautiful as your mother once was."

Midori snarled, unable to free herself. His hand came back up and moved to rest on her inner thigh. Anger surged within her like a tidal wave. She glared up at him, her eyes on fire and filled with loathing. Midori spat in his face and Ryuu became enraged. He slammed her head into the wall behind her and threw her to the ground. The claw-like gloves he wore tore through her shirt, leaving three long bleeding marks on her shoulder. She screamed in pain, her vision beginning to go fuzzy from the blow to the head. I can't let the fact that this is my uncle stop me. I've got to make it out of here. Everything began to go dark as one final thought entered her mind…Raph