"When we get out of here, you'll all be sorry! Do you hear me? My friends are going to come and save us!"

April stood at the cell door, gripping the metal bars with shaky hands. Dry tears stained her face as she continued to scream, hoping someone would hear her. It was really starting to get on my nerves. I sat on the chipped cement ground, my back pressed up against the blood stained wall. My wrists were bound by rusty chains so there's no way I'm going anywhere. April screamed again and I just couldn't take it any longer.

"Will ya shut your mouth, O'Neil? Your screaming ain't helping nothing!"

Her hands slipped from the bars as she fell to her knees. After a minute of silence she asked "we're going to die here, aren't we?"

I rolled my eyes "ain't nobody gonna die. Hell, are ya always so dramatic?"

She kept her gob shut and crawled over beside me. She glanced at me "how can you be so calm? Look at where we are! We're both in chains in a dirty basement of the Purple Dragons hideout! I thought you'd be angry!"

I narrowed my eyes at her. "What do ya want me to do? Scream and cry 'bout how unfair this is? Be realistic, O'Neil! These douchebags don't care 'bout that crap. Hell, if ya were to drop dead right now they'd just drag ya out to the curb. Now I may be a hot-headed bitch but I ain't an impatient one, kay? Spitting the dummy and throwing a hissy fit ain't gonna do squat. We just gotta wait."

April shifted so she was staring straight at me. "Mel? Have you…been in this kind of situation before?"

I avoided eye contact and ran my tongue over my bottom lip, not answering her question.

"Mel?" She pressed.

The sound of footsteps bouncing off the walls silenced us both. A large figure came into view and I sucked in air as I stared up at him. His eyes widened a little before swiftly narrowing into slits.

"Mel? What the hell are you doing here?"

April looked between the two of us in surprise.

I scowled at him "what the hell does it look like?! I've been caught by your stupid lackeys" I held my wrists up to prove a point.

"How could you be so careless!? Why the hell would you allow yourself to get caught?!" He gripped the bars as he scowled.

I got to my feet, my temper starting to flare. "Oh, ya know, I figured I'd get a kick out of getting kidnapped and thrown into a mouldy basement. It's so friggin' awesome!"

I stepped back as he yanked the cell door open and stepped in. His hands balled into fists by his sides. "Don't back-chat me, girl."

"Well don't ask a stupid question next time, dumbass!"

He raised his hand, ready to slap me across the face, but April stood in front of me.

"You want her? You have to deal with me first!" April tried to keep her voice strong and steady but I still heard the slight tremble it held.

I stared at the back of her in surprise. She's standing up to Hun…for me. A rude, no-good, lost cause. This chick has gotta have some serious issues. One punch from Hun would kill her.

Hun smirked "that can be arranged." He cracked his knuckles, getting ready to punch her face in, but I shoved her aside. I sidestepped just as he swung and he stumbled forward. Now behind him, I swept his legs out from under him and he face planted into the brick wall. He groaned while getting to his feet and I got into a fighting stance. He turned to us with a scowl before breaking out into a loud laugh.

"That's my girl!"

"I'm not your girl, Hun." I said, my words laced with venom.

April looked confused as hell as she looked between the two of us. "Mel, what is he talking about?"

I glanced at her from the corner of my eye. "He's my father, well, only biologically, of course."

"What?!" April's mouth hung open. "Hun is your father?!"

"Only biologically."

"Hun is your father?" April repeated, making me roll my eyes.

My 'father' pulled a key from his pocket and unlocked my shackles, then April's. They fell to the stone floor with a 'clang'.

"Follow me."

He led the both of us out of the prison. I squinted at the brightness of the hallway until my eyes finally adjusted.

"Stay close and keep ya mouth shut." I whispered low so only April could hear me.

April gave one quick nod before walking so close beside me that our arms kept brushing against one another. Her body trembled and I noticed she was trying to bite back her tears. With a sigh, I grabbed her hand, hoping it would calm her down a little. Her grip tightened on my hand as we walked further down the hall.

Hun led us up a crappy staircase and past a large empty space. When we reached our destination, he held the door open for us, and once we were inside, he slammed it shut. The room was dark and mouldy with bright white red bulbs and pale green wallpaper covered in small disgusting flowers. Hell, it looked like a couple of 80's hippies threw up in here. He made his way over to a large mahogany desk placed in the centre of the small office and sat down, resting his arms on the top of the desk.

"Have a seat, ladies." He motioned for us to sit down in the two deck chairs that were placed in front of the desk.

"We're fine standing, kay?"

He watched me with a dispassionate gaze, his darks eyes glinting in the light.

"You're a long way from home." He said after a moments silence, leaning back in his chair.

"Quit the small talk. What do ya want with us?" All these formalities were a piece of bullcrap. I just wanted to get straight to the point so we could haul ass and get outta here.

He watched me for a moment before smirking. "I heard you left your gang." Aprils' grip tightened on my hand but she stayed silent. "Care to explain as to why that is?"

I shrugged my shoulders, keeping a blank expression on my face. "That's my business, kay?"

"Seeing as how I gave you that gang, it IS my business. So I'll ask you again: why did you abandon the Crimson Dragons?"

"Didn't want it anymore." I said simply.

"Typical." He stood from his chair, narrowing his eyes. "You always were an ungrateful bitch."

My anger sparked at that comment. "And what the hell did I have to be grateful for?!"

"I gave you a gang! I gave you power!"

"All things I didn't want in the first place!"

"I was proud knowing that my daughter was leader of the Crimson Dragons! That people feared you, just by hearing your name! I gave you that privilege, and now you're throwing it back in my face!?"

"Don't spoon feed me that crap! You weren't ever proud of me! And the only reason I ever took charge of that stupid gang was 'cause I had to!"

Before anything else could be said, a lanky, middle-aged man burst through the door. "Boss, we got trouble!"

"What is it now?!"

"It's the turtles, sir. They're here."

Hun had a look of rage as walked towards us. He roughly grabbed my wrists and held them in place while the lanky dude tied a rope 'round them. They then did the same with April. He shoved us out the door and back down the way we came. My father and his lackey walked behind us, making sure we didn't make a run for it.

April leant her head down and whispered to me. "Where are they taking us, Mel?"

"To the turtles." I whispered back, quickly glancing over my shoulder.

"Why would they do that?"

"They're gonna try make the turtles surrender by using you as bait."

"Me?" Her eyes widened. "How are they going to do that?"

"They're gonna threaten you're life."

"WHAT!?" April cried.

My father shoved her in the back, knocking her to her knees. "Shut your mouth and keep moving."

I helped April to her feet and she began to cry. "It's gonna be fine, April. Just calm down."

"W-why? Why didn't you tell me your father was Hun? That you're in a gang?"

"How the hell was I supposed to know that ya knew who Hun was? And I'm not in a gang anymore. I haven't been for, like, a year."

"You still should've told me."

"Maybe you're right." I looked at her from the corner of my eye. "But my past ain't something I'm proud of, so forgive me for not wanting to remember it."

There was a minute of silence until she spoke again. "You really didn't have a choice, did you?"

"Oh I had a choice…I just made the wrong one."

"You're not that person anymore, Mel." She smiled down at me.

"Yes I am."

"No, you're not. Not really. You only believe you're still that person because you won't put the past behind you. We're living in the present, Mel. Whatever you've done before doesn't matter anymore. You have to put it behind you. And I'll be here to help you with that."

I was stunned by her words. I looked at her with wide eyes. "Why would ya say that? Surely ya can't believe that."

"I wouldn't say it if I didn't believe it. I've seen the good side of you, Mel. It's there and I know you want to show it. I just think you're afraid to."

"Why the hell would I be afraid to show it?"

"I don't know. Maybe, you don't want to let your guard down in case you get hurt."

My heart skipped a beat at her words. She nailed it, perfectly. But how could she know that!? She doesn't even know me that well! Am I really that easy to read?

I was relieved when we approached a set of double doors at the end of the hallway. April began to fidget as we neared the doors. To be honest, I was a bit fidgety myself. I dunno why I was though, I mean, this ain't exactly a new experience for me.

My father grabbed the two of us by the shoulders, digging his fingers into our flesh, while his tag-along lackey opened the set of double doors. We were shoved forward into an arena. The cage in the centre of the room was currently occupied by the four turtles and 'bout a dozen Purple Dragons. The members that weren't brave enough to join the fight stood in the stands surrounding the area, all screaming and cheering as they watched the cage match.

The noise was insane, but then again it always was when something like this happened. Gang hideouts were always situated in the crappiest parts of the city so people, mainly those in uniforms, wouldn't 'disrupt' whatever activity was going on inside. Not that any law enforcer cared enough to investigate anyway. That'd just be asking for trouble, and the boys in blue usually turned a blind eye when it came to gang activity. They know they'd just be signing up to get a bottle over the head or a knife in the back.

My father dragged the both of us towards the cage, silencing the crowd as we passed them row by row. We entered the cage and the fight between the two sides instantly ceased.

"April!" All four turtles said in unison, a look of relief flashing across their faces. April stepped towards them but was yanked back.

"Let the girls go, Hun." Leonardo said, holding his twin blades in front of him.

"I have a better idea." My father smirked before dragging April forward and pushing her to her knees. He picked up a baseball bat that lay abandoned on the ground, stood behind April, and rested the bat next to her head. The turtles tensed. "Surrender, or else I'll end your precious girlfriends' life right now."

April sobbed uncontrollably. The turtles looked as scared as hell. All three of them looked to their brother, Leonardo, for guidance.

"Don't do this, Hun!" I found myself yelling at him.

He ignored me, keeping his gaze fixated on the turtles. He tapped the side of her temple with the bat, making her flinch. Leonardo looked torn, like he was fighting a battle inside his head, before sighing and throwing his weapons aside. His brothers seemed to hesitate before doing the same. My father nodded his head in their direction and a couple of Dragons went forth and tied their hands together. Their legs were kicked out from under them, bringing them to their knees. My father pulled April up by her hair and threw her into the arms of two Dragons. He then pulled me forward and untied my wrists.

"Mel Fletcher!" He announced in a loud, booming voice, as he scanned the crowd. "Or more properly known as Lil' Bitch! Leader of the Crimson Dragons!" Murmurs filled the silence. The turtles looked surprised then enraged. My father placed a hand on my shoulder and smirked. "Also known as…my daughter!"

"WHAT!?" The turtles yelled.

My father knelt down in front of me, placing both hands on my shoulders. "You've let me down already; don't make the same mistake now."

"What the hell are ya talking 'bout?" I narrowed my eyes, not liking where this was headed.

He smirked. "I'm giving you a chance to redeem yourself. Do this one thing for me, and I'll be extremely proud of you. That is what you've always wanted, no? For me to be proud of you?"

I hesitated before nodding. "Yeah, I guess. What do ya want me to do?"

"It's quite simple really…" He stood and walked towards the turtles "…all you have to do, is kill them." He threw the bat he was holding towards me when he finished talking and I caught it with ease. He picked up the turtle with the red bandana, Raphael.

I stared at the bat in my hands before looking back at him. "Kill them? But I-"

"Don't 'but' me, girl! Do this and make me proud!"

I licked my incredibly dry lips as looked at the crowd.

Kill them.

Could I really do something like that?