Note: References to 'A Warrior's Journey' appear in this chapter!
Chapter Forty-Four
Walking to the Gallows
Down in the dungeon, Leonardo lay on the floor of his cage, breathing hard as he took in the pain from the last torture session by orders of the Shredder.
He was covered in bruises, electrical burns and slashes and they all throbbed painfully.
Yet it wasn't just the pain of the physical torture he had to endure, it was being forced to see Michelangelo, Splinter and Raphael tortured that hurt even more and how he couldn't stop it.
He was also aware of the experiments Monalisa and Pandora were being subjected to and it broke his heart.
He remembered only yesterday how he had managed to save Monalisa from Dr Arden's cruel experiments those years back and seeing what he had seen there made him sick within.
He looked over to Splinter, Raphael and Michelangelo suffering from torture and more tears of helplessness fell from his eyes.
As he lay there, he thought about Kemeko and her under the thumb of the Shredder yet having the determination to free him and the others, he also thought of Karai and Chaplin and his heart beat faster and felt like it was going to shatter like glass.
"I'm sorry Karai, Chaplin…" he wept to himself "I failed you, I wanted Kemeko to know of her origins, but I didn't want it to be this way, I did all I could to protect her, but I ended up failing! I'm so sorry!"
As he was lost in his mournful thoughts, a door opened at the side and the blue masked turtle sat up alert and ready to show defiance.
His eyes narrowed in fury when he saw Izo Arashi and Hanako along with several other ninja and Elite Ninja.
Raphael as soon as he saw them started pulling on his chains and roaring through his gag.
"Good evening prisoners." Arashi smirked as he kept one arm wrapped around Hanako "I have come with information."
Splinter snarled as he looked at Arashi.
"Where is my son, Donatello?" he growled "And my daughter Monalisa, and my granddaughters?"
Hanako smirked.
"Oh, they're alright, vermin!" she answered, twirling a lock of her long black hair on her finger as she gloated at the rat.
Michelangelo glowered as he looked up from laying on the floor of his cage.
"Where are they you cowards!?" he demanded.
Hanako chuckled and walked up to the cage Michelangelo was laying in.
"You're going to see them soon." She smirked "But it'll be the last time!"
Raphael's eyes widened.
"What do you mean?" Leonardo demanded.
"Shredder has ordered you all to be brought to the throne room." Arashi answered "Where you will meet your end!"
Hanako nodded.
"All of you have been sentenced to death!" she revealed.
Splinter gasped in fear and shock, as did Leonardo.
Raphael only glared and Michelangelo paled.
"Pity really!" Arashi said with a slight regret in his voice "I would have loved to have kept you here alive to live with your guilt, but I must obey my Master."
He clicked his fingers and a couple of jailers opened the cages and entered armed with cattle prods with which they jabbed the prisoners making them stand up then all the mutants had their hands tied behind their backs.
Raphael was jabbed with a cattle prod and subdued heavily before he could be unchained in his cage and as he was brought to his knees due to the electrical torture, he too had his hands tied behind his back.
One of the jailers kicked him in the shell making him fall on his front.
"Get ready to say goodbye to your whore and spawn!" he jeered making Raphael snarl and shout out muffled yells from behind his muzzle.
Hanako just laughed as she watched the jailers drag the red masked muzzled turtle out of his cage.
"Such joy I feel seeing the all-powerful and strong ninja turtles brought to their knees!" she snickered.
Raphael glared up at the woman and again shouted through his muzzle, yet Hanako just chuckled and jeered.
"You may say all you wish turtle!" she spat "But it won't save you! Nor change your fate!"
She leaned against Arashi as she watched the prisoners get marched out of their cages and towards the entrance of the dungeons.
Arashi watched the turtles and rat get dragged out and he grunted making Hanako look at him.
"Do you feel such feelings, Master?" she asked, "You wish to keep them alive to torture till they wish for death?"
Arashi looked at Hanako and he nodded.
"If I am to be honest, yes." he answered, "I do enjoy seeing my enemies suffer and if I had my way, I would torture them to death, then let William heal them, and do it again and again!"
"I agree with you Master." Hanako soothed kissing Arashi's cheek.
"Yet we must obey Shredder." Arashi growled and he walked on towards the entrance passing the prisoners on the way.
Leonardo glared at Arashi and Hanako as he was pushed along.
"I will find a way to get me and my family free!" he thought "And save Kemeko! I will not let my family down! Nor will I let Karai and Chaplin down! I will not break my promise!"
Up in her room, Kemeko had been meditating and trying to think of what it was Shredder wanted to do to test her loyalty, but she had a horrible feeling that her family were going to suffer, so she had to keep trying to be up the pretence that she was still on Shredder's side.
"I have to do something!" she thought to herself as she thought hard "I must!"
She looked to the side to see her weapons were on the table, it had turned out that after they were taken from the slaughtered clone after her family had been found and taken from the sewers that they were returned to her.
Kemeko stood up and walked over to the table before stroking the weapons, feeling relieved she had been given them back.
As she studied her weapons, there was a knock at the door, and she quickly placed her weapons on her back and belt.
Before she could speak the door opened and a couple of ninjas appeared.
"Why are you here?" Kemeko demanded.
"Shredder sent us to bring you to his throne room child." One of them said "It is time to test your loyalty."
"My Loyalty?" Kemeko asked.
"Indeed yes." the second ninja spoke "And he says you must come at once!"
"What is it he wants?" Kemeko asked in desperation "What is it he wants me to do to prove my loyalty?"
"Come with us Kid, and he will tell you!" the ninja replied.
Kemeko walked over to the ninja.
"Tell me!" she said, "Will I know the truth of what he will do to make me test my loyalty and trust?"
The ninjas looked at each other, then towards Kemeko.
"We cannot answer that Child." One of them "We are only following orders."
Kemeko glared feeling frustrated no-one would tell her the truth, but she had to go along with what was happening if it meant saving her family.
"Very well!" she said as she brushed a few hairs from her face "Take me to my grandfather, and I will do what he asks!"
The ninjas were surprised at Kemeko's reaction, but they bowed and held out their hands to her.
"Very well Kemeko." They said "Please, follow us!"
Kemeko nodded and followed the ninjas out of her bedroom, as she did, she kept her head down and prayed.
"I will never follow the Foot, whatever they have planned, I will stop them! And free you, and we will fight to be free!"
Outside the Foot Headquarters, Tyroth had gathered the Knights together in a huddle.
After Jake and Devina had returned with April and Casey, they had begun their plan to attack the headquarters to save their friends.
April had volunteered to help James and Dahlia with the medical equipment whilst Casey had insisted to help in rescuing their friends.
Tyroth looked up at the building and looked to his friends and the Knights,
'Alright guys!" he said, "I'll split you into four groups to attack the tower!"
The then pointed at his friends.
"Jake, Amber, Sharky." He said, "You take the East!"
He then looked to Sarah, Kate, and Jack, "you three, take the South!"
The three mutants nodded then the Dragon turned to Percy, Casey and Heather.
"You three, take the West!" he ordered.
"That we will!" Amber agreed.
The Dragon then turned to Sephie, Sonia and Devina.
"And you three take the North!" he ordered.
"But what about you?" Devina asked cocking her head on one side at the Dragon.
"Yeah!" Sonia agreed as she tied her long hair into a ponytail.
"I have a plan of my own!" Tyroth said with a twinkle in his red eyes "Just wait for my signal and we will take this tower down!"
"What is your plan?" Devina asked.
"Just trust me!" Tyroth said "I have experience with these bastards and I am going to make them regret all the times they messed with me! For sure!"
"I follow your lead Boss!" Devina replied.
Tyroth winked at Devina then turned to the Knights.
"Okay everyone?" he asked "Ready?"
'We are Big T!" Jack replied.
"Ready!" Casey agreed.
So the prisoners are being lead to execution and Kemeko has been called to join Shredder, yet the Chicago Knights are ready to attack!
Check in to see how things go!