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Chapter Text

After landing on the rooftop, Leo adjusted his toboggan and pulled his coat tighter to his body. It was freezing out and April had said that Raph needed to meet him here. He was hoping that everything was OK.

He spotted his red clad brother at the ledge of the building looking at the city's skyline. He didn't even have a coat on...maybe that is what he forgot, Leo thought as he approached him.

"Hey Raph," Leo called out. "April said that you called the store and needed me to meet you here, is everything alright?"

Raph nodded, but he didn't turn around.

"Aren't you supposed to be with Casey at a hockey game?" Leo asked.

"I'm going to meet him there," Raph said over his shoulder.

"Did you forget something?" Leo asked as he stepped up behind his brother.

"No," Raph replied as he continued to stare into the distance. "I just needed to ask you something."

Leo snorted. "You called me all the way up here to ask me a question? Seriously, I have a phone too, you know."

Raph didn't reply.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Leo's tone was laced with aggravation.

"No," Raph glanced over his shoulder. "It's important."

"Important?" Leo crossed his arms. "Alright, what is it then?"

"Would you do anything for the family?"

Leo raised an eye ridge. "What?"

"I didn't stutter," Raph said as he turned to face his brother. "It's a simple question, Leonardo."

"Of course, Raphael. I would and you know that" Leo answered. "Just like I know that you would too."

Raph nodded and turned his back to Leo again.

"OK, you're starting to creep me out Raph. What is this about?"

Raph shrugged. "I just needed to know for sure. You would do anything, right?"

"Right."

"Anything?"

Leo sighed. "Yes, anything."

The spinning roundhouse kick sent Leo skidding across the rooftop. Before he could draw a breath in, a punch to the beak and a right hook to the temple left him dizzy and his mouth full of blood. Raph had him pinned to the ground and he shifted his weight each time Leo tried to buck him off. Leo stopped struggling and blinked at his brother in confusion.

"Wha-y'doin'?" His voice gurgled from the blood filling his mouth.

Raph met his eyes for a second and then snapped his gaze to the approaching footsteps. Leo craned his head to get a better look at their company.

A black uniform.

Leo turned his head and spit the excess blood from his mouth. "Let me up, Raph," he growled.

Raph didn't respond.

"Well done, kame," the soldier addressed Raphael.

"Our deal?" Raph ground out through clenched teeth.

"Master Shredder will honor the arrangement," the soldier replied as he crouched by the fallen turtle.

"Wha-Aaagh!" Leo winced when he felt a pinch and a burning sensation in his shoulder.

"The turtle, Leonardo, in exchange for your family's indefinite safety."

Raph nodded.

Leo tried to fight the drug that had just been entered into his system. With darkness nipping at the edge of his vision he continued to twist and turn under Raph's weight. He stopped struggling and locked eyes with his brother.

"R-Raph?" Leo gasped.

Raph leaned in close and touched foreheads with Leo. "For the family," he whispered as Leo lost the battle for consciousness.

Chapter Text

Raph and Casey entered the living area of the lair. It was movie night, and the coffee table was loaded down with snacks and soda. The air was thick with the smell of fresh baked cookies. April had promised that she would make some for the next get together. Raph tossed his coat and hat in the corner and flopped down next to Mikey on the couch. He glared at the grinning orange banded turtle as he grabbed a handful of popcorn.

"How was the game?" Mikey almost sang. He knew that Raph's team had lost and the way Casey was smirking, Raph owed him some money.

"It was a game..." Raph grumbled and shoved the popcorn into his mouth.

April and Don walked into the room and April sat the plate of cookies with all the other snacks.

"Hey guys," She greeted. "Did you have fun?"

"Yeah." Raph rolled his eyes and sighed. "It was fan-freakin'-tastic!"

"Aww you're just mad 'cause ya owe me twenty smackers!" Casey laughed.

"I'd like to give ya some smacks," Raph growled.

"Heh, twenty bucks, Raph?" Mikey laughed. "Aren't you broke?"

"Shaddup Dimwit," Raph grumbled. He turned to Casey. "As long as I owe ya, you'll never be broke."

"Ya betta pay up or I'll be forced to take it outta ya shell." Casey poked Raph in the plastron.

"Ohhh I'm really scared," Raph scoffed.

Mikey was still laughing. "Maybe Leo will loan it to ya."

Raph rolled his eyes. "Yeah right, not after last time."

"Where is Leo?" Don interrupted.

Raph shrugged and grabbed a can of soda.

"He wasn't with you?"

"I didn't know it was my day to watch him," Raph said. He took a drink of the soda and belched.

Don rolled his eyes. "Well, he didn't come home after he left to meet you, so I assumed that he went to the game."

"What'd ya mean? I didn't meet Leo anywhere," Raph interrupted.

"You called the shop and asked April to have Leo meet you," Don explained and then looked to April.

April nodded.

"I didn't call April," Raph sighed. "Why would I call April? If I wanted to talk to Leo, I would just call him."

April shrugged. " I just know that you said it was important, and Leo needed to meet you at the corner of Fifth and Main."

"Fifth and Main? That's no where the hockey rink. Why would I want to meet Leo there?"

April shrugged again. "Hey, don't kill the messenger. I just told him what you needed."

"This reeks of a Mikey prank!" Raph glared at his orange banded brother.

"No way dude! I was at the shop when you called."

"I didn't call!" Raph yelled. "I was with Casey all day. Right, Case?"

Casey bobbed his head as he juggled a hot cookie in his hands. "Yep, all day," He said and he shoved the cookie into his mouth. "Aughh...hot, hot!" He mumbled, bits and pieces of the cookie tumbled out of his mouth.

Raph shook his head at Casey. "Moron," he grumbled. "How long has he been gone?"

"A few hours," April answered. "He left a few minutes after I gave him the message."

Raph reached into his belt and pulled out his shell cell. "I'll call him, he's probably still waiting."

"In this weather?" Mikey shook his head. "I don't think so."

Raph dialed Leo’s number and tapped his foot as he listened to the automated message that Don had installed. Leo was the only one to not change his to a personal message.

"I got his voice mail, " Raph growled and snapped his phone shut. "This doesn't make sense."

"Maybe he found a place to wait out the storm," April offered.

Raph shook his head. "No, I mean this whole thing doesn't make sense."

He walked to the corner and shrugged on his coat. "Well, you guys comin' or what?"

Mikey ran to his room and grabbed his disguise, and Don went to his lab for his duffel bag and coat.

Don opened his shell cell and pushed a few buttons. "I have his signal." He frowned.

"What's wrong?" Raph asked.

"He is still at Fifth and Main," Don replied.

"I told you he was still waiting!" Raph rolled his eyes and started out the door. "He is so stubborn..."Raph's voice faded as he started down the tunnel.

*Foot Headquarters*

Leo groaned softly as he slowly regained consciousness. He lifted his head and opened his eyes. After a few blinks the small stone room came into focus. His hands were bound behind him with thick iron cuffs and as he shifted to his knees, he found that the shackles were chained to the wall. He didn't even realize that two soldiers were in the cell with him until he was roughly grabbed and yanked to his feet. One of the soldiers unhooked the chain from the cuffs but his hands remained fastened behind him.

Leo struggled against the two soldiers as they pulled him to the metal door of the cell. One of the soldiers cursed and swung his fist down like a sledgehammer on the back of Leo’s head. Still feeling the effects of the drug and the punches that Raph had dealt him, Leo slumped to his knees.

"Fool," One soldier hissed to the other. "Master Shredder wanted to see the turtle the second he woke up! You just knocked him out again."
Leo stirred but no longer struggled in their grip.

The soldier that had assaulted Leo laughed and opened the door. "He is not out, he is just easier to manage."

The soldiers then continued to half drag and half carry the dazed turtle through the long winding hallway and to an elevator. When they reached the desired floor and exited the elevator into another set of long twisting halls, designed to confuse anyone that was not part of the foot clan, they came upon the large double doors that led to Shredder's chamber. The doors swung open, and the soldiers pushed Leo into the large chamber. Saki was waiting at his table, not in his armor. He sat his tea to the side when he saw the soldiers enter with his prisoner. He stood up and walked over to them.

The soldiers bowed to their Master. Leo stared coldly at him.

"Bow before the mighty Shredder filthy mutant!" One soldier hissed and kicked Leo behind the knee, sending him crashing down on his face. He grabbed Leo and pulled him to his knees.

"Ah, Leonardo. I trust that you know why you are here." Saki smiled.

Leo didn't reply, he just continued to stare at Saki through narrowed eyes.

"It must be a hard thing to grasp," Saki continued. " Being a prisoner, knowing your own brother arranged it."

Still nothing from Leo.

"But you and Raphael were often at odds, were you not? So, this shouldn't be a surprise to you."

"What did you threaten him with?" Leo finally spoke.

"Threaten?" Saki laughed. "I didn't' have to threaten him. He seemed more than happy to give you over to the enemy."

"I don't believe you," Leo spat.

"How loyal," Saki mocked. "Just let the fact that he attacked you and that you are here speak for itself. Your freedom in exchange for their continued safety. That is the deal."

He crouched down by Leo and spat harshly. "You are mine now! You will not die right away, but every day you will wish that your brother had just killed you on that rooftop!"

He stood back up and straightened his clothes. "Take him to his cell. Tomorrow the real fun will begin."

Saki nodded to the soldiers and one of them removed a hypodermic syringe from his belt. He plunged the needle into Leo's arm.

"Augh!" Leo yelped. "What was that?"

"Just something to keep you...calm." Saki smiled as the soldier pulled Leo out of the room.

Saki turned to the remaining soldier. "I know that he can mentally communicate with that rat master of his, and possibly his brothers," Saki started as he sat back at his table. "We cannot let that happen. Make sure that he stays drugged while he is in his cell."

"Hai, Master, it shall be." The soldier bowed and left the room.

Chapter Text

A couple of hours after the turtles left in search of their brother, they returned to the lair. Splinter could not help the look of concern and disappointment that flashed across his face when only three of his sons entered. All three were soaked from the melted snow that covered their clothes, fear and uncertainty showing on their young faces.

Splinter tried to swallow the lump that had formed in his throat as Raphael carefully handed him his eldest son's blue handled swords, still in their sheathes.

Raph growled under his breath as he tossed Leo's shell cell onto the table. The red light that indicated a missed call was still blinking. Michelangelo clutched, what looked like Leonardo's coat, close to his chest. Splinter noticed the blood stains on it, confirming the overwhelming, metallic scent that reached his sensitive nose moments before his sons had entered the lair.

"What has happened my sons?" Splinter finally found his voice.

Mikey looked away. Raph paced back and forth, his hands clenched into tight fists. Don sighed, that just leaves him to explain. And he wasn't even sure what had happened.

Don cleared his throat. "Um...the-the snow had covered any sign of a struggle. No footprints. Nothing. We found his cell and swords and then h-his jacket."

"We know who to blame!" Raph blasted but continued his steady rhythm of pacing.

"We don't know what exactly happened," Don clarified. "But we do know who is behind it." He held up a shiny black DVD with a bright red flame on it.

"We found this with his coat."

"I see," Splinter sighed. "Donatello, please put it into the DVD player and we shall see if it indicates what has happened to Leonardo."
Don moved to the entertainment unit and slid the disk into place as everyone gathered around. The image on the screen was shaky and blurry at first, but it quickly zoomed in to the rooftop that they had just left. Everyone stared wide eyed when Raphael appeared on the screen.

"What the shell..." Raph's mouth went dry.

"I thought you weren't there?" Mikey threw his brother a puzzled look.

"I wasn't," Raph growled.

"Shhh!" Don threw his hand up. "Look."

Leonardo jumped into view and approached his brother.

"Turn it up," Don told Mikey.

Mikey hit the volume button until the voices could be heard.

************
"...everything OK? Aren't you supposed to be at a hockey game with Casey?"

"I'm going to meet him there."

************

"I was with Casey all day," Raph blasted. "I didn't meet him. We left his apartment together!"

Casey nodded.

"Who is recording this?" Mikey exclaimed.

"How would I know! I told you I wasn't there," Raph yelled.

"It looks to me like you're there," Mikey shot back.

"Guys," Don interrupted.

"My sons, please!" Splinter held his hands up to silence them.

***************

"Important? What is it then?"

"Would you do anything for the family?"

****************

Everyone watched in silence as Leonardo and Raphael conversed on the television. When Raph attacked his brother on screen, Mikey jumped to his feet and spun around to face Raph.

"What is wrong with you?" he screamed.

His younger brother's outburst was the only thing that could pull his eyes off the screen.

"I-I didn't do that.," his voice trailed off. He shook his head and squeezed his eyes shut, hoping that when he opened them again something different would be on the T.V.

"Liar!" Mikey stepped toward him.

"I said I wasn't there! I don't know what this is!" Raph took a defense stance.

"Guys, shut up!" Donny grabbed the remote from Mikey and hit max on the volume.

****************

"Well done, kame."

"Our deal?"

"Master Shredder will honor the arrangement."

****************

"No," Raph whispered under his breath.

*****************

The turtle, Leonardo, in exchange for your family's indefinite safety."

******************

The screen went blank.

"You gave Leo over to the Shredder?" Mikey was shaking. "How could you?"

Raph looked around the room, he felt like everyone's stare was stabbing through him, and the breath was sucked out of his lungs.

Don turned to face him, his face was pale, and a deep frown stretched across his face. "Did you think that we would just go along with this?"

Raph's brow furrowed. "You too, Donny?"

"What do expect us..."

"I expect you to have a little faith in me! Trust me!"

"The video..."

The next few minutes was pure chaos. Everyone was shouting over each other.

Casey stepped between the brothers. "Raph was with me! All day!"

"Then explain how he was there attacking Leo!"

"I told you I don't know! I just know that it wasn't me!"

"Are you going to say that it wasn't Leo either? "

Splinter knew the next words out his hot-tempered son's mouth would not be for mixed company.

"Enough!" He struck the ground with his walking stick. Everyone froze and faced the ninja master. He placed a comforting paw on Raph.

"I believe you," Splinter said.

Raph gave him a look of disbelief. "Wh-wha...you do?"

"Of course," Splinter replied gently. "I know you would never do that to one of your brothers. I raised you, Raphael, and as a father I know."

"Thank you, Father," Raph said under his breath as he turned toward the main door.

"Where are you going?" Splinter called after him.

"Out," Raph barked back, glaring at Don and Mikey.

"No," Splinter said simply.

"What? Why?" Raph was feeling closed in. Splinter said that he believed him, but the way Mikey and Don looked at him made him want to throw up.

"We still are unsure what has happened. It would not be wise to venture out just yet," he explained. He turned to his youngest sons. "If Shredder's plan was to sow fear and doubt, then I am afraid he has succeeded. Please, my sons, think and reach into your heart. Not one person in this room would willingly go through with betraying this family. I am going to meditate; we all need a clear mind to go forward and rescue Leonardo. Raphael, I wish to see you in an hour." Splinter slowly made his way to his room.

Raph growled and headed for the dojo, only to be cut off by Mikey calling for him. He stopped but didn't turn around.

"I-I'm sorry," Mikey said.

Raph spun around and within two strides, he was standing in front of Mikey.

"Save it, Michelangelo," he spat. " Five minutes ago, you were ready to feed me to the wolves!"

Mikey opened his mouth to speak but couldn't find the words, so he just shut it and hung his head.

"Heh, that's what I thought," Raph sneered.

"Wait a minute, Raph." Don came to Mikey's defense.

"I don't want to hear it from you either brainiac, you thought the same thing."

"Yes," Don agreed. "Yes, I did. But put yourself in our place. If that was me attacking Mikey, or Leo attacking me on that video, you wouldn't even have waited to pound someone’s head in!"

Raph shifted uncomfortably, Don had a point.

"But we should have gave you the benefit of the doubt. We didn't, and I for one am sorry.’

"Whateva," Raph snorted and crossed his arms.

"I'm going to check out this DVD," Don said as he ejected it from the player. “There has to be some explanation for this.”

"You do that, I'll be in the dojo." Raph turned and left.

Don sighed. "It will be alright Mikey. He'll cool off."

"Yeah, but will he forgive us?" Mikey mumbled as he started to clean up the living room. "I-I don't know what I was thinking, I know Raph has a temper, but he would never do that."

Don nodded. "We will figure this out, Mikey, and we will have Leo home to make sure he knows too."

Chapter Text

For Leo, the trip back to the small cell was a blur of shapes and shadows. The second soldier had caught up with them by the time that they had reached the stone room. The soldier told the other what their Master had ordered, but Leo could not make out what was being said. Their voices were low and distorted.

One soldier delivered a roundhouse kick to Leo's stomach that sent him to his knees, while the other grabbed his neck and slammed him into the wall. The click of the chain being reattached to the cuffs around his wrists echoed through the room. The chain had been conveniently shortened, leaving him only enough slack to move to his knees or sit.

"Sweet dreams freak," one soldier laughed. The metal door slammed shut, sending the room into darkness.

Leo tested the strength of the chains, of course they wouldn't budge. The cuffs were tight and cut off most of the blood flow to his hands.

'Breath in'

'Breath out'

The drug was drawing him further into its grasp. His teeth started to chatter. 'Are they blowing cold air into here?' he thought as he tried to listen for the sound an air vent.

His heart started to pound wildly, so hard that he could feel it in his throat. He shook his head as his mind started to race. Memories and thoughts flashed through like lightning. Flashing bright, then dying out into darkness.

-Flash-

Waking up this morning.

-Darkness-

-Flash-

Morning practice with his brothers.

-Darkness-

-Flash-

A fight on a rooftop?

He shook his head again, trying to remember. Raph was there...

His mouth went dry. 'Oh God, was Raph here too? Captured?' He franticly searched the room for his brother, blinking wildly. 'Who am I looking for?'

-More flashes-

Foot soldiers, Oroku Saki.

He tugged on the restraints. 'I'm a prisoner? When did this happen? Why can't I think straight?' Blurry eyes searched the room again. 'Where are my brothers?'

"Your freedom, for their continued safety!" Saki's voice boomed in his head, making him wince. Everything hurt.

The drug was pulling him into the darkness. His eyes started to feel so heavy, no matter how hard he tried they closed, and his chin dipped to his chest. He had no way of knowing how long he was out.

"For the family!" The gruff voice of his brother snapped his eyes open. His head ached and his mouth tasted bitter.

"R-Raph?" He hoarsely asked the darkness.

A shadow came down on him. Before could react, a hand roughly clamped over his mouth and another needle was violently plunged into his skin. The contents quickly emptied before he could resist. And in the first moment of clarity that he had, in what seemed like forever, he realized that this is one of the many tortures that Shredder has planned for him. Besides his family, the one thing that Leonardo would hate to lose is control.

Chapter Text

-Jab, cross, roundhouse kick-

Bile snaked it's way up Raph's throat as he thought back on the day. He swallowed hard.

-Jab, hook, front kick-

He can remember waking up and having breakfast...morning practice. He left for Casey's apartment shortly after that.

-Right punch, left punch-

He had barely said two words to Leo all day. Raph growled and...

-Jab, cross, hook, roundhouse kick, uppercut, hook, cross, side kick-

Raph dropped to his knees, his chest heaved and sweat poured down his face. The punching bag cracked and groaned from the assault. He tucked any guilty feelings deep down as he rose to his feet. He had been in the dojo for about forty-five minutes, that left him just enough time to take a quick, hot shower before meeting Splinter.

He walked out of the dojo and threw a quick glance toward the living room. Mikey had finished cleaning up and was sitting with April and Casey. But it seemed that Casey and April were doing most of the talking. April flashed Raph a smile when she noticed that he had come out of the dojo.

"Would you like something to drink?" she asked as she stood.

Raph shook his head and headed upstairs without a word.

April sighed. "It will be alright," she told Mikey, squeezing his shoulder, "I'm going to see if Donny needs any help."

Raph finished his shower and he was standing outside his Sensei's door. He raised his hand to knock.

"Enter, Raphael." Splinter's voice came from behind the doors.

Raph slid the door open and went inside. He knelt on the opposite side of Splinter, in a seat where his brother Leonardo had sat many times, bearing the weight of this small clan. Raph could feel the weight start to smother him.

Splinter poured Raphael a cup of tea and then himself.

"Drink, my son."

Raph bowed his head slightly and sipped the drink. He tried not to pull a face. Tea had never been his drink of choice.

"I have been meditating, Raphael, trying to reach your brother."

"Were you able to?" Raph blurted out, "Uh, Sorry Sensei."

Splinter's whiskers twitched at his son's impatience. They were all on edge.

"It is alright. But no. I was never able to make contact."

Raph lowered his eyes, his shoulders slumping.

"I did feel his chi, but there was a fog around it. I could not break through."

"A fog?"

"Confusion, my son. Perhaps at another time." Splinter's voice trailed off. They both knew that the longer Leonardo was a prisoner, there was more of a chance that they would be recovering a body.

Raph shivered at the thought.

Splinter's head snapped up. "Enter, Michelangelo."

Raph shook his head when a sheepish looking Mikey appeared in the doorway. 'How does Master Splinter do that?' he thought.

"I-I'm sorry to interrupt, Sensei. But Donny...he-he's found some stuff out."

Splinter nodded slightly. "Tell your brother that we will be there in a moment."

"Right, Sensei." Mikey bowed quickly and ducked out the room.

They all gathered in Don's lab. Donatello shifted uncomfortably in his chair. Everyone's attention was on him.

"I've checked this thing over and over," Don finally spoke. "Everything I could think of...it's authentic."

"What does tha' mean?" Raph crossed his arms over his chest.

"It's real, nothing is altered. I-I even checked voice analysis. It's real."

"So, what are you sayin? Ya think that I did it again?"

Don shook his head no. "We support you, Raph. We'll figure this out."

"I don't know what to think anymore," Raph said as he turned to leave the lab, doubt seeping into his mind. "I know that I was with Casey all day... but what if at one point I blacked out or something."

"No way!" Casey interrupted, "I was there Raph. You went to the restroom, once! That's hardly enough time to race across town, attack Leo and be back in time for a chili dog!"

"Then explain this!"

"I can't"

"Heh, even Donny can't and his I.Q. is off the charts! Maybe I did do this and just suppressed the memory or something."

"You're talking crazy!" Mikey said.

"This whole thing is crazy," Raph growled.

"Well, how about we forget the DVD for now and focus on getting Leo back," Donny suggested. He turned back to the computer and pulled up the blueprints for foot headquarters.

"It's going to be near impossible this time. They have upgraded their security system and changed the layouts," Don mumbled as he typed.

"Near impossible? Oh great, Donny! That's just great!" Raph threw his hands into the air.

"I said near impossible, not impossible," Don corrected.

"Well, I say, we go in, kick butt and get our brother back." Raph smacked his fist into his hand as he started to pace the small room.

"Oh, right Raph." Mikey rolled his eyes. "Why don't we just walk in and hop right into the cell. That'll save them some time." Mikey held out his hands like they were in handcuffs.

"Zip it, shell for brains!" Raph glared at his younger brother.

"Michelangelo has a point," Splinter pointed out. "We must have a plan. We need to know where Leonardo is being held and find the fastest way in and out."

"Easier said than done," Raph retorted as he continued his pacing.

"Yes. But still, we will do Leonardo no good if we are captured as well. And we are not sure of your brother's condition. We must get in and out as quickly and discreetly as possible."

Mikey cringed at the thought of his older brother being seriously hurt. And he tried to push the images of him flying through April's window out of his mind.

"I'll help," April said and she stepped up beside Donatello. "We cracked the security once; we can do it again."

"Thanks April." Don smiled and then it faded into a deep frown. "We need to get past security, find where they are keeping Leo and figure a way to get us all in and out in one piece."

Raph pulled his shell cell from his belt and dialed a number as he walked out of the room.

"Who are you calling?" Mikey asked.

"Nobody," Raph answered over his shoulder, and he walked upstairs and disappeared into his room.

*******************************

Leo pried his tired eyes open. He expected to be greeted by another foot soldier with a needle. They had visited him two more times that he could recall. Each time his mind would start to clear, they would be there. He tried to fight them, but it only made the jab of the syringe more painful. One needle actually broke off in his arm. They left it there and jammed another needle into his neck.

Something was different. As the fog lifted from his mind and his senses slowly returned, he could feel...and see. He was lying down. 'A table?' 'Yes,' He could feel the cold metal under his skin. His legs were bound down at the ankle and thigh with thick leather straps. One strap across his chest and his arms were pulled above his head and attached to the table by the wrists.

Leo swallowed hard. Right now, it would seem, he was the only one in the room. The bright light glared over him. To his side, a table of instruments that he didn't know the names for, but could guess their uses.

"Tomorrow the fun will begin." Saki's voice rang in his ears.

He was alone...for now.

Chapter Text

The door slid open with a hiss and Leo heard several footsteps enter the room. His body tensed, but he tried not to let any anxiety show in his features. He chanced a look to his side, a foot soldier stood by the door and two men in lab coats approached the table where he was bound.

The heavy-set man, with a crew cut and adult acne, adjusted the tools and instruments on the table, while the tall, skinny man walked up to Leo. The balding human cracked a crooked, yellow tooth smile at Leo. Two thin, weathered lips curled up in the most sadistic way.

"Subject is alert, Mr. Holstein," he informed his colleague.

Holstein nodded. "I'll inform our employer." He waddled out the door.

Tall and skinny turned back to Leo. "Truly fascinating. My name is Professor Starcher. Do you understand?" He sounded off each syllable of the sentence in a loud, shrill voice.

Leo narrowed his eyes. 'You've got to be kidding me?'

The professor tsked. "Saki said that you were intelligent. He must have been mistaken."

The door slid open again. Oroku Saki entered with Mr. Holstein. Leo noticed that he still didn't have on his Shredder armor, but he did wear his gauntlet on his arm.

"I'm never mistaken, Professor," Saki said as he approached the table. "Everything I have told you is true." He glared at Leonardo. "Aren't you going to greet our guests?"

Leo remained silent.

Saki snapped his bladed arm up and held it against Leo's neck. "And I thought you were the politest of your brothers."

Leo tried to shift away from the blade. "They aren't my guests," he ground out through clenched teeth.

The professor's eyes widened. "Fascinating," he repeated.

Saki dropped the gauntlet away. "Let us begin." A smug smile spread across his face.

First Holstein wrapped a band around Leo’s forearm and inserted a needle to draw blood.  “How many vials? “

Starcher looked up from the notes he was typing into his laptop.  “We can start with six.”

Leo watched as the human switched out the tubes and the vials filled with his blood.  His stomach lurched painfully at the thought of them using his blood, his DNA in whatever experiments they had planned. 

Starcher stretched a pair of latex gloves over his hands and reached for Leo’s face.  An instinctual hiss escaped his lips, and he snapped at his hand.  The professor pulled away just in time. 

“Don’t touch me!”  Leo snarled, baring his teeth. 

Starcher tsked, obviously unimpressed.  He nodded toward his assistant and Holstein disappeared from Leo’s view.  He tried to crane his head to see where the man went but was stopped when two hands roughly grabbed the sides of his head.  Holstein dug his fingers into the hinge of Leo’s jaw causing his mouth to open.  Starcher grabbed his lower jaw and examined his mouth with a small flashlight and tongue depressor.

“Augh…st…l’go!”  Leo struggled against their grip. 

Starcher used a swab to swipe the insides of his cheeks and back of his throat.  He dropped the cotton into a test tube.  Holstein released the pressure on Leo’s jaw but kept his head in a tight hold.  Starcher slid Leo’s blue mask up just enough to reveal his eyes.  He pried one open and dropped some liquid in it.  Leo hissed as the liquid burned, and his vision blurred.  The flashlight was shone into his eyes and when his vision finally cleared a little, he saw Starcher adding more notes into his computer. 

Holstein adjusted Leo’s mask into place and stepped back to the table with all the instruments. 

“Mr. Holstien, I want a sample of his scales and shell.  And then we will start with pain tolerance.” 

Leo saw Saki step up to the exam table at the mention of the last tests.  The smile on his face sent shivers through his body.   

Holstein picked up a tool from the table. He pushed the button and a blue arc of electricity danced around the top of the device. He handed the instrument to Professor Starcher. At the lowest setting, he touched it to the sensitive area between Leo's carapace and plastron.

Leo's breath hitched and his body shuttered. After a couple of minutes, Starcher pulled the taser away.

Leo glowered at Saki. "A-Afraid to get-get your hands dirty?" he said, between deep breaths.

Saki chuckled. "It will be so good to watch that fight in you finally break."

"Don't count on it," Leo sneered.

Saki waved his hand to Starcher, and he touched the device against Leo again, with the same setting. Leo clenched his fists and set his jaw. If he could help it, Saki would not hear him cry out.

"Tell me Leonardo, where are your brothers and that rat you call father?" Saki asked.

"What? I-I thought..."

"That they were safe because I have you?" Saki finished for him.

"Yes."

"Wouldn't you like to change that?"

"I don't understand." Confusion etched in Leo's face.

"Give them up and I'll set you free."

"You're crazy!" Leo spat.

"Raphael did not have a problem..."

"I'm not Raphael!" Leo cut him off.

"Indeed." The smile on Saki's face widened. Leo heard the click of a dial.

Hours passed, Leo was sure of it. At some point, he passed out. He welcomed the darkness. Now, as he started to stir and he could feel the sting of the burns that plagued his skin, he was moving...being dragged?

He cracked one eye open and saw the fluorescent lights of the narrow hallway as they passed over his head. One soldier on either side of him had an arm as they carried him back to his cell. Leo took a deep breath. His hands were no longer in shackles; it was now or never.

Another deep breath and Leo planted his feet firmly on the floor. It took the soldiers off guard. Leo swayed a little, but he still managed to take a defensive stance.

One soldier laughed. "Stupid kame."

Leo lashed out and swept the soldier's feet out from under him. The other advanced, but Leo turned and punched him in the face.
In his weaken state, the punch was not that strong, but he was satisfied as he felt the bone crunch under his fist. Leo backtracked down the hallway, he was sure the elevator was there...and hopefully freedom. His head ached and his body protested each step he took, but he reached the elevator and pushed the button.

Nothing.

He jabbed the button again. Over and over, panic swept through him. Then he noticed the security card slot. He growled in frustration and searched the hallway...the soldiers wouldn't be down long. He spied an access door to his right.

"Stairs," he groaned, but he pushed his injured body forward and opened the door. He started up the first set and caught his breath on the landing. As he stepped on the first stair of the second flight, he heard the access door open.

'The soldiers.' His mind raced and with new urgency, he pushed back the pain and ascended the stairs.

His heart jumped to his throat when he heard an alarm blare in the stairwell. The shrill ringing tore through his head. More access doors opened to the floors above him and before he could react, a sea of black rained down on him.

Chapter Text

Several sets of arms grabbed him and from the corner of his eye, Leo seen a soldier approach with a set of shackles. He winced and bit back the cry of pain as the heavy iron cuffs were placed on his wrists again.

"Do not transport the prisoner without restraints." He heard one soldier order.

The group of ninjas in front of Leo started to part in the narrow stairwell, allowing someone to pass through. The soldier that Leo had punched quickly strode up to the bound turtle. His masked was removed and it revealed the broken and blooded shape his nose was in. The other soldiers snickered and mocked him. How he could be brought down by one turtle, especially one that had been injured.

Anger flashed across the soldier's face.  He snapped his hands out and grabbed Leo around the throat. "Filthy mutant," he glowered. "I will kill you and your pathetic family!"

Leo tried to blink the spots from his eyes as the soldier squeezed harder. With his hands behind him, he couldn't defend himself.

"Stop!" One of the other soldiers pried the grip from Leo's neck.

"What? You come to this freak's defense?"

"No! But do you want to go against the Master's orders?'

"No." He glared at the blue banded turtle, who was teetering on the brink of consciousness.

"Take him to Master Shredder, he is waiting."

The soldier shoved his mask back on, he leaned in and hissed in Leo's ear, "The Master will deal with you, animal. You will wish that I would have just ended your life right here!"

**************************

April and Don had worked all night and into the next day. It was getting close to evening. April was asleep on the couch. Don had napped earlier, so he was still working on the security system of foot headquarters. Mikey had slept a little and was trying to keep himself occupied. Raph had spent the entire night in the dojo, no sleep and sleep wouldn't claim him any time soon, if he could help it. Splinter meditated when he wasn't trying to rest. Although worry for his sons, the missing and the ones suffering at home, kept him from getting sleep.

Raph met Splinter in the kitchen. He was making some tea and brewing some coffee for Donatello and April.

"I'm goin' crazy in here, Masta' Splinter," he blurted out.

Splinter met his son's bloodshot eyes and sighed. "I can feel your unrest, my son."

"Then please, just let us go out and scout for a while. We might find something out." He closed his eyes tight and released a deep breath. "I-I feel so useless Masta', Donny and April are working and you're meditating, and I just need to..."

"I understand." Splinter stopped him.  Memories from the last time that he should have let them search for their brother making his already upset stomach twist.  Time was not on their side. “Take your brothers. Stay together, stay safe and return home soon."

"Thank you, Sensei." Raph bowed quickly and left to tell Don and Mikey the news.

************************************

Leo was shoved into a cold, damp room. He landed hard on his side. The soldiers slammed the door shut, but it wasn't thirty seconds and the door reopened. Leo's eyes widened as Saki entered, in full armor.  He tried to scramble to his feet but only made it to his knees. 

"You are foolish Leonardo, if you think that you can escape!" Shredder hissed. "Do you want me to hunt your family down? Kill them?" Shredder's shadow fell over Leo.

"You are breaking the deal, mutant," he sneered.

"It's not my deal," Leo managed to croak out.

Shredder kicked Leo in the stomach, knocking him back to the ground. He pinned him with his foot.

"I gave you a chance to change the deal! To give up one of your brothers. You refused."

Leo's head was spinning. Is this what happed to Raphael? Did Shredder capture him and force him to betray one of his family? Donny was so smart, and he took care of the family. Sensei would need medical care only he could give in a few years, and Mikey was so young...the baby brother. He couldn't imagine Mikey going through any of this. Did Raphael think that he could handle it? Is that why he did this? Is this why he gave him up to the Shredder?

Leo was jarred out of his thoughts by another kick that connected with the side of his head.

"Did you not hear me, reptile? Perhaps I should just kill you and Michelangelo can take your place!" His voice echoed off the walls. "Or what about Raphael? He was quick to hand you over to the enemy.  Don't you want to do the same?"

"N-no," Leo whispered out, "Leave my family alone."

"Your family?" Another kick to the side.

"They aren't your family anymore, Leonardo. They gave you up and now you are mine!"

He heard the Shredder's venomous laugh and the shadow over him grew darker. Even as the beating started, he wondered if he would wake up when the darkness claimed him again.

Chapter Text

It didn't take the brothers long to find foot activity, once they arrived topside. Seeking answers, they confronted the ninjas in the warehouse that they were clearing out.

They drew their weapons and advanced, only to be stopped by two Elite ninja, who appeared between them and the soldiers in a puff of smoke.

"Stand down turtles," one of the Elite sneered, his red eyes narrowed.

"Where's our brother?" Raph got right to the point.

The elite cocked his head to the side and glanced at his comrade.

"He is where he should be, kame," he stated.

"You're crazy! He should be at home and he isn't!" Mikey's grip on his nun chucks was so tight that his knuckles turned pale.

"That is not the deal," the elite replied coldly.

Raph's eyes darkened. "I'm sick of hearing about this so-called deal! We want our brother back and we'll rip you apart to get 'em!" he snarled.

"We cannot fight you. As much as we would like to teach you filthy mutants a lesson, we have our orders."

He turned to Raphael. "If you want to back out on the arrangement, kame, you will have to take that up with Master Shredder."

He made a signal to the rest of the ninja and they disappeared from the warehouse, followed by the elite, in their usual cloud of smoke.

Raph shoved his sai back into his belt and stormed away from the stares of his brothers.

"Raph, wait!" Don called after him. He sheathed his bo and ran up to him. "The foot left that DVD, of course they are going to say something like that." He tried to reassure him.

Raph could feel the bile in his throat again. Hot and bitter. He swallowed thickly. "You believe them, don't you?" His voice seemed distant.

Don’s mind had been running the facts, everything they knew.  He always thought logically, always.  But it didn’t make sense.  This whole situation was off. 

Raph’s voice sounded miles away, but his stare was burning a hole through him.

"No," he finally replied.

Raph nodded and walked back to where Mikey was standing.

"Do you think we should go home?" Mikey asked.

"No," Raph answered, "but we're going to."

"Well, well, well..." an all too familiar voice sounded through the warehouse. "What do we have here?"

The turtles turned to find Hun and about twenty purple dragons blocking the exit.

"Great," Raph growled. "Just what we need."

"Going somewhere?" Hun's grin stretched across his face, in a cat that ate the canary way.

"What are you smiling about, Hun?" Mikey sneered, drawing his nun chucks. "Did you run over a puppy on the way over here?"

The gang entered the warehouse and surrounded them.

Hun chuckled under his breath and twirled the pipe that he had just picked up. "The foot may have their orders to leave you freaks alone, but the dragons don't."

Raph didn't miss a beat, he drew his sai and lunged at the mountainous man.

"You want a fight ya fat lard? Ya got one!" he grunted and he swung his weapons wildly. The metal making clinking sounds and sending sparks as they collided with the pipe.

The other dragons took this as an invitation and started a battle with the remaining turtles.

"I didn't believe it at first," Hun said as he blocked a kick. "I couldn't believe that any of you freaks would do that to one of your own."

"Shut up!" Raph snarled and aimed another roundhouse kick to Hun's head, which Hun dodged.

"But then I saw it for myself..." He laughed and threw a few punches of his own, none made contact. "Your brother ain't doin' so well, what are you going to do when Shredder has no use for him? Give him another family member? What about one of your friends...that cute red head?"

Raph's vision faded to red, and his ears rang as all of his fury was put behind every blow. He flipped over Hun and landed on some crates. Using a blade he pulled from his belt, he cut the ropes holding them and kicked the pile over, sending the heavy wooden boxes tumbling over onto Hun.

"I…Said...SHUT...UP!" he said between deep breaths.

Raph spotted his brothers in the chaos. They had defeated most of the gang, but one got a cheap shot and Mikey was down. Don was trying to help his bleeding brother and fend off the remaining four goons.

Raph crashed into one of the dragons, sending him into another one. A side kick got the third and when the last dragon saw that he as alone, he turned tail and ran.

"Coward!" Raph yelled after him.

He rushed to Mikey's side. Don was working hard to stop the blood flow from the gash in his head.

"M'nt feeln' t'gd," Mikey murmured, he turned his head and retched.

"He probably has a concussion," Don said. "We need to get him home and stitched up."

Raph nodded. He pulled Mike's arm around his shoulder to help him up.

"Come on buddy, let's get you home."

"M'k," Mikey mumbled as his head bobbed to the side.

"You aren't going anywhere." Hun's voice again.

Raph growled under his breath as he turned to face a bruised and angry Hun. He was about to let Mikey go, but Don stopped him.

"Leave it for now, we've got to go," He whispered.

Raph shifted Mikey to Don. "Go! I'm not finished yet."

"Raph, please."

"You've got them following you now?" Hun mocked. "Is that why ya got rid of your blue banded brother?" He looked at Don. "Ain't you afraid he'll do the same to you when he gets sick of ya?"

"My brother wouldn't do that," Don said through clenched teeth.

"Really? Ya believe that?"

"My brothers believe me," Raph stated.

"Heh, they may believe ya, but what about the other one...Leonardo. Isn't that his name? Or was his name. Who knows by now."

Raph felt a knot in his stomach and his heart thumped wildly. Sure, he thought about that. But it was never said out loud. Leo thought that Raph had betrayed him...gave him to the enemy for some deal, and no one had told him any different. He didn't have Donny or Mikey...or Master Splinter. Splinter couldn't even reach him through meditation. For all that he knows, Shredders is drilling it into his head. He may die thinking that he was sold out by one of the people he swore he would always protect...if he hasn't already.

"Raphael!" Donny's voice broke him out of his dark thoughts.

He nodded and threw three smoke pellets onto the floor. They made their escape to the sewers and left Hun coughing in the warehouse.

Chapter Text

 Splinter was just coming out of a failed meditation when he heard the commotion of the turtles' return. He arrived in the living area just in time to see Raph and Don help Mikey into the lab

"What has happened?" He quickened his step to follow them into the lab.

"We ran into some purple dragons," Raph said as he helped Mikey onto the bed.

"He'll be OK," Don added, gathering the necessary items he needed to care for Mikey's injury.

Mikey grinned at Splinter. "I zigged when I shoulda' zagged." 

Don chuckled. 'His words were still a little slurred, but at least he was a bit more coherent,' he thought.

Don ran the beam of a flashlight across Mikey's eyes. "It's a small concussion. We just need to keep an eye on you for a while, but besides a headache and some stitches, you should be fine."

"It's all my fault," Raph growled. "Hun had me preoccupied, I should have been able to watch your back."

Mikey rolled his eyes. "You sound just like Leo. Just because he's not here, that doesn't mean you have to start blaming yourself."

Raph glared daggers at his younger brother.

Mikey bit his lip. "Uh…dude, I-I didn't mean it like that. I'm sorry."

Raph turned and left the lab without a word.

"I didn't mean anything…I..." Mikey squeezed his eyes shut and sighed.

Don's shoulders slumped and he let out a deep breath. This was not what they needed right now.

"Take care of Michelangelo, I will see to Raphael." Splinter was already halfway out of the room.

Don nodded. "Hold still, Mikey," he instructed as he started to clean and stitch up his wound.

Splinter caught up with Raphael in the kitchen. He was noisily finding himself something to drink in the refrigerator.

"Raphael," Splinter started.

"I don't wanna talk about it," Raph grunted and then he downed a can of soda.

"My son, please join me." He motioned to his room and started out the door.

Raph set his jaw and followed his Sensei. They entered Splinter's room and Raph took the seat opposite his father again. He watched from the corner of his eye as Splinter gathered some spices and herbs from his shelf and added them to the tea pot that sits on his table. He poured some into a cup and handed it to Raph. Raph sighed and accepted the cup, sipping it slightly. He was surprised by the sugary taste.

After a few moments of silence Splinter spoke. "Michelangelo meant nothing against you, Raphael."

Raph snorted in response and drank more of the tea.

"We are all on edge, my son."

"They still think I did it," Raph blurted out and lowered his eyes.

Splinter smiled sadly and poured more tea into Raph's cup. "Do you really believe that, or is your own doubt clouding your judgment?"

"I really don't know what I believe right now."

Raph sat the cup of tea down. "With all due respect Masta', if I'm going to help keep an eye on Mikey, I'm gonna need something stronger than tea."

"That is something else that I wished to speak to you about. You haven't slept since your brother went missing. You need to rest."

"I'll rest when he's home," Raph said through clenched teeth.

"You are burning your candle too brightly my son, it will die out."

Raph stifled a yawn, and his eyes started to feel heavy. He shook his head.

"Finish your drink."

Raph nodded, yawning again. He finished off the tea. "It tastes different."

"I often gave it to Leonardo, when his mind was burdened down and he could not find rest."

Raph set the cup back on the table and gave Splinter a confused look. "What's in this?"

Splinter chuckled. "Nothing is in it, my son. A few herbs and some honey for taste."

Feeling his body being weighed down, he leaned over and rested his head on the cushions that surrounded Splinter's table.

"I d'nt wanna sleep," he mumbled, trying to keep his eyes open.

Splinter covered him with a throw. He felt warm and safe surrounded by the blanket that smelled so much like Splinter. He forced his eyes open.

"But Masta'…”

"Rest Raphael." Splinter gently rested his paw on his arm. "It will not be long, and we will need your help to bring your brother home."

Raph let his eyes slide shut and after a few seconds he was sound asleep. Splinter sighed contently and went to help with Michelangelo.

Master Splinter returned to the lab.  Don had finished with Mikey. He gave Splinter a questioning look when he noticed Raphael was not with him.

"He is resting, Donatello."

Donny snorted. "How did you manage that?" He knew Raphael would not give in to sleep without a fight...or strong drugs.

"Some calming tea."

Don nodded. "OK, Mikey, you are all set. Go rest on the couch, but don't go to sleep just yet."

"Whatever you say, doc." Mikey saluted.

Splinter waited until Mikey was settled on the couch, mindlessly flipping through the channels. He turned to Don.

"What else happened this evening, Donatello?" He knew that he was not getting the full story.

Don met his Sensei's eyes. "The foot was there too."

"The foot? Did they say anything about Leonardo's whereabouts?"

Don shook his head slightly. "They left, Master. They said they had their orders, and because of the deal they could not fight us."

He let out a shaky breath. "And then they left."

"My son, do you believe what they said?"

Don shook his head, more fiercely this time. "No. Sensei, I believe Raph. But the video and what happened tonight. What Hun was babbling." Don lowered his eyes. "I can only imagine what they are telling Leo. He thinks that Raph betrayed him, and I doubt Shredder is letting him forget it."

Splinter nodded. "Then we must hurry, Donatello, before the damage is irreversible."

.~.~.~.~.~.~.

April and Casey arrived a few minutes later. Casey helped keep Mikey awake and April continued to help Don with the security system. When Don gave the OK, Mikey and Casey crashed on the couch.

It was well into the next evening, Mikey and Casey were awake, and Mikey was fixing dinner for everyone. Donny was getting worried about Raphael. He had been asleep for a long time. Splinter said that it was normal, he explained that the herbs were giving him the rest that his body needed.

.~.~.~.~.~.~.

Raphael shivered at the sudden drop in temperature. He no longer felt the soft cushions of Splinter's room under him. The stone was hard and rough, and he could feel bitter cold blowing all over. He pushed his eyes open and found he was in a small, dark room. He sat up and squinted to adjust to the darkness.

He heard a low groan, and something shuffle in the corner. He moved closer to the sound and could make out an outline of something...no, someone in the corner.

'No, no, no...' His breath hitched.

"Leo?" he breathed out. His brother was slumped against the wall. His arms fastened behind him. It was too dark to tell, but Raph knew he was hurt.

He rushed over to him. "Leo, bro... don’t worry Donny'll fix ya up," he said franticly as he reached out to touch his brother's shoulder.

It phased through.

"What the shell...?"

The door to the cell opened, pouring the light from the hallway in. Raph whipped around, two foot soldiers entered. He glanced back to his brother's bruised face. His eyes were cracked open.

Raph stood in front of Leo. "Stay away from my brother," he snarled and lunged toward the soldiers only to phase through them too. He crashed into the opposite wall.

"No!" he screamed as the soldiers grabbed his defenseless brother. One soldier held his head, while the other forced him to drink something from a vile.

Raph punched and kicked, but it had no effect on the situation. His heart dropped when he heard Leo gurgle and gag at the substance they forced on him.

"Compliments of Professor Starcher." He heard on soldier laugh.

As the drug took effect on Leo, Raph noticed a dark cloud filling the room. It swirled around his feet and started to snake up his legs. It was freezing, chilling him deep into the bones. He stumbled back a few steps, and the cloud engulfed him.

"No... Leo!" he gasped and opened his eyes in his Sensei's room.

Chapter Text

The hours that past after Leo's meeting with the Shredder were a blur of shadows, voices, and pain. He would slowly slip in and out of the darkness with sharp jabs and cruel taunts.

He was coming to again, the biting cold clung to his body.  It hurt to shiver and if his teeth chattered it sent blinding pain from his swollen jaw. He tried to shift to a different position. Something more comfortable, anything less painful. He sucked in his breath as a sharp jolt pulled at his side. Opening his weary eyes, he was met with the blackness of the small room. His sight adjusted to the lack of light, but he could only see an outline of his legs. He knew that his body was covered in bruises and cuts. Two long gashes ran down his side, courtesy of Shredder's gauntlet. They had apparently half-heartily stitched it up, he could feel them pull each time he moved.

Taking as deep a breath as his lungs would allow, he tried to move again. The pain stopped him and he slumped against the cold, rough wall, a small groan escaping his lips.

Bleary eyes scanned the room. Someone was there with him. He could almost hear another heartbeat, feel the warmth of another body against the cold that was constantly pumped into the cell. He nervously licked his lips.  Waiting. He didn't hear anyone come in, but that didn't mean that the soldiers weren't there, watching and ready to inflict more pain or drugs.

The warmth moved closer, he could feel it. But he couldn't see anyone in the gloom. A staticky sound broke the silence, it was a rushed sound, panicky...frantic. And the heat ran through his shoulder. His confusion was interrupted when the heavy cell door opened, he squeezed his eyes shut as the light poured in from the hallway. He cracked his eyes open, two foot soldiers strode in. There was an odd shadow that stood between him and the ninja, a familiar shape.

There was more static and the shadow disappeared through the soldiers.

Leo opened his mouth to call out to the shadow, he felt maybe...just maybe it could help him. But all thoughts were shoved back as the ninja grabbed him. Despite the pain, he struggled against their grip. One held his head, his fingers digging deep into already bruised skin. The other pried his mouth open and poured a thick liquid in. The substance fizzed and popped as it snaked its way down his throat. He gurgled and gagged, trying to prevent digesting the bitter serum.

"Compliments of Professor Starcher." He heard the soldier taunt.

It was fast acting...his sight already getting fuzzy, a sharp ringing in his ears. A fog settled over him and the protective shadow was gone and forgotten.

~.~.~.~.~.~

Raph scrambled to his feet, the sight of his brother's bruised and battered face etched in his mind. He could still smell the blood.  The freezing hold that the dark cloud had still shut up in his bones. Despite the cold, his body was covered in a thin layer of sweat.

The candles flickered wildly, he was alone in his father's chamber. He wasted no more time. He quickly strode out of the room in search of his family. They have waited long enough.

"Raph!" Mikey beamed as the second eldest walked into the room.

The red banded turtle shot the youngest a glare...Mikey's words earlier, not forgotten.

"Raph, I'm glad you're up." Don tried to shift the mood of the room. "We have made some progress and …"

"And what? More planning? More meditating?" He turned to his Sensei. "Cause it sure hasn't done any good so far!"

"My son," Splinter started.

"No!" Raph cut him off. "We've waited long enough...too long!"

"The rest that Raphael had gotten had done wonders for his strength and stubbornness, but obviously nothing for his mood," Splinter thought.

Raph swept his arm across the table that Don and April were working at, sending papers and blueprints flying onto the floor.

"Raph!" April pleaded and started to pick up the papers.

"Raphael!" Splinter yelled, trying to shake his son out of his rant.

"What?" Raph barked.  His throat felt raw.

"You need to calm yourself. This is not doing your brother any good."

"And what we've been doing so far has? Tell me Sensei, when you meditated all those times did you see Leo? Actually, see him?"

"No." Splinter's eyes darkened a shade. "No, I could only sense his presence."

"Well, I saw him and if we keep dragging our feet we won't have to worry about a rescue!"

"We are all worried about Leo," Mikey said. "We will get him back."

"Yeah?" Raph spat. "But it's not you that Leo thinks handed him over to the foot, is it?"

Mikey opened his mouth to speak, but could only manage to shake his head.

Don put his hand on Raph's shoulder, only to have the red banded turtle shake it off. Don's eyes widened at how cold his brother's skin felt.

"We don't think that you did it, and we will figure this out. " Don finally spoke.

"I really don’t care what you think." Raph poked him in the chest. "The one person that needs to believe that he wasn't screwed over is not here!"

Splinter took Raphael by the arm. "Come my son, I wish to speak with you in the other room."

Raph didn't pull away from Splinter. He wanted to, but he let his Sensei lead him to the kitchen.

"You are so cold, Raphael," Splinter said as he pulled his hand away.

"It is cold where Leo is," Raph replied through clenched teeth.

Splinter nodded, he understood that Raphael had done what he had failed to do. "Did you speak to him?" Splinter asked.

Raph shook his head and lowered his eyes.

"Please, tell me what you did experience."

Raph sighed, his earlier mood starting to subside. He explained to Splinter what he saw.

~.~.~.~.~.~

Leo wasn't aware of the pacing form that was now in the cell with him, until it spoke. A rough familiar voice.

"What'd ya think you're doin', Fearless?" The voice got closer.

Leo flinched at the nickname.

"R-Raphael?" His voice barely over a whisper. The chemicals had left a burning trail all the way to the pit of his stomach.

"Yeah, it's me."

"What are you doing here?"

Raph snorted. "I'm trying to make sure ya don't mess up the deal."

"The deal?" Leo's head was spinning.

"Ya said that ya would do anything for us...I arranged a way that we could be safe, and you ruin it by trying to escape. Do you want the Shredder to hunt us down? Kill us?"

Leo shook his head 'no'.

"No? I didn't think so. It's better this way...Michelangelo and Donatello are happy. They don't have to worry about the Foot ever again. Do ya understand?"

Leo numbly nodded.

Raph stepped closer. "Tell me that you understand."

Leo met his brother's eyes. "I-I understand," he said absently.

"Good."

Leo squeezed his eyes shut, willing the burning pain and nausea away. He opened his eyes a bit and found he was alone once more.

~.~.~.~.~.~

Oroku Saki and Professor Starcher stood over the trembling turtle. Starcher took a gloved hand and pried Leo's eye apart, observing his dilated pupils. He then scribbled something in his notebook.

"He has no idea we are even here." Starcher told Saki. "He'll be hallucinating for hours, thanks to the serum he was given."

"What is he mumbling?" Saki asked.

Starcher checked Leo's pulse in his neck and wrote some more in his notes. "Something about understanding."

A grin stretched across Saki's face as he turned to leave. Starcher made a few more marks on the paper and followed him out the door.

~.~.~.~.~

Raph joined the others again. He helped April pick up the rest of the scattered papers. "I'm sorry," he mumbled.

"It's OK." She gave him an understanding smile.

"So, what progress have ya made?  Can we get past security?" He asked Don.

"Yeah." Donny nodded. He pulled up the blueprints. "We just need to find out where he is. I think maybe here." He pointed to a section of the tower. "It's close to the labs. But Mikey thinks that he might be here, close to Shredder's chamber."

Raph swallowed thickly and nodded. He jumped when he felt a vibration in his belt and his shell cell started to ring. He grabbed it quickly. "Raphael here. Yeah, were you able to find anything out?" He asked the person on the other end as he walked out of the room.

Donny gave Mikey a puzzled look. "Who could he be talking to?" he mouthed to Mikey.

Mikey shrugged.

A few seconds later Raph came barreling out of the kitchen. He grabbed the blueprint of Foot headquarters and spread it out on the table.

"Raph what are you doing?" Donny asked.

"Give me something to write with." Raph held out his hand.

Don handed him a marker.

"OK, I've got the prints," he spoke into the phone.

"Yeah, OK." He started to make marks on the lower part of the paper.

"Sub-basement? No, there isn't anything like that on here. Uh-huh." He marked some more.

"OK, what about security? Cameras? Where? OK." He quickly marked Xs in various parts of the paper.

"Access cards? OK, yeah that helps a lot. Thanks. Bye." He clicked the phone shut and looked up at the concerned faces of his family and friends.

"Who was that?" Don asked.

"Nobody," Raph replied.

Donny let out a frustrated sigh. "Now is not the time to be secretive."

"Nobody? You mean that vigilante?" Mikey realized.

Raph nodded. "He's had a guy undercover in the Foot for about three months."

"And he knows where Leo is?"

"Yeah, but he wasn't one of the soldiers that was assigned to guard Leo. That's what took him so long to find out. He had to get the information without blowing his cover."

"Now we can finally move forward," Raph said and he got a confirming nod from Master Splinter.

A smile tugged at his lips for the first time in days.

"OK, here's the plan," Raph said as everyone gathered around the table.

Chapter Text

It took a few hours, but the turtles were now prepared to rescue their brother.

Standing on a rooftop across from foot headquarters, Donny looked to the shadows for his red clad brother's signal. He adjusted his headset and turned his eyes toward another area of the roof where Michelangelo was hidden. Mikey's eyes were focused, ready.

A flash of green. Raph's signal. It was time. He hoped they could hold out long enough.

After all, they were merely the distraction.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Deep below foot headquarters the door to the sub-basement opened slowly, quietly. A small figure slid through the narrow opening and as quick as lightning, jumped toward the small amount of shadow the corridor had.

Splinter signaled to the door and April followed the same path he had took.  She wore an earpiece like Don's and carried a similar bag across her shoulder. Casey emerged out of the door and with the same speed (less stealth) met up with them.

"This is it," April whispered. "Nobody's contact said that this access door will lead us to the hallway that Leo's cell is in." She scanned the small print out of the sub-basement.

"Five doors that way." She pointed to her right.

They heard a door slam and huddled further into the shadows. April peeked around the corner. A soldier had come out of Leo's cell.

"Yeah, everything is in place." He talked through a small communicator.

"I'm taking a break, he ain't goin' nowhere. I'll call if I see anything." He shoved the communicator into his belt and continued to walk toward the elevator.

Two strong hands shot out of the shadows and grabbed the unsuspecting soldier. He saw stars when he was slammed against the wall.

"What the..."

Casey held him against the wall, his forearm against his throat.

"You! How did..." His sentence was cut off as Casey pressed harder against his airway. He desperately tried to retrieve his communicator. He needed to alert the other soldiers. It was knocked from his hand by Splinter and clattered to the floor.

"Shut up," Casey snarled, and stepped on the small, black device.

The soldier struggled against Casey's grip and a pouch fell out of his uniform. When the pouch hit the floor, several syringes rolled out.

April picked one up and narrowed her eyes at the soldier.

"Let's give him a taste of his own medicine." She uncapped the needle.

"No!" The soldier struggled more.

April jabbed the syringe into his arm and emptied the contents. Casey held him against the wall until his body went limp, then he let him drop to the floor.

"Nighty night jerk," Casey hissed as he searched the soldier's pockets for the access card. "Got it." He handed the card to April.

Splinter darted across the hallway. He watched the cameras as they rotated into place. The contact had said that the cameras had a set pattern. He motioned to April and Casey and they quickly ran to the nearest camera. April jumped onto Casey's shoulders and pulled the back of the camera off. She attached a device to the wires.

"OK," she said as she hopped down. "That will make the cameras loop. It will show an empty hall for exactly ten minutes."

The made their way to Leo's cell. April slid the card through and pushed the door open. The cold air instantly took her breath.

Splinter rushed inside. "Leonardo," he breathed out.

Leo didn't respond.

April followed him in, and Casey stood watch at the door. April hurried to his side and carefully lifted Leonardo's head. She sucked in her breath. Dark blotches covered most of his face.

She turned his head to face her.

"Leo? Can you hear me?"

His glazed eyes stared passed her. She bit her lip and opened up her bag. She pulled out a small flashlight and scanned his body with it.

"He's banged up pretty bad," she told Splinter. "But I think it will be alright to move him."

She gasped when the light hit his side. The two gashes, that they had sloppily stitched up, were bright red and puffed up around the stitches. April reached up and untied his mask, and she tossed the blood-stained blue fabric to the side. She shone the light into his eyes. It confirmed what she already knew. He was drugged.

"OK Leo, let's get you out of here," she whispered and gathered the tools needed to pick the locks on his cuffs. Splinter held the light while she worked on the shackles. They fell to the ground with a loud clank.

"OK Casey."

Casey checked the hall once more, then rushed over to April and Splinter.

"C'mon buddy," he grunted as he pulled Leo's arm around his shoulder.

"We got to go. Time is runnin' out."

April nodded and followed Splinter and Casey out the door. As they made their way out, they passed the soldier slumped over in the corner.

"He won't be goin' nowhere for a while," Casey smirked.

They quickly slid out the door into the tunnels under foot headquarters. Casey struggled to get Leo up the ladder to the street. April helped get him into the back of the battle shell and Casey climbed into the driver's seat. As he tore out of the alley, April switched the headset on.

"Mission accomplished Donny, we'll meet you out front."

She left the link open and waited for his response. She could only hope that the turtles' job went as smoothly as theirs.

Chapter Text

Ten Minutes earlier...

Don led the way down the winding corridor. Getting into the tower was easier than he expected...thanks to some sleeping gas smoke pellets that he had brought. The two soldiers standing guard didn't know what had hit them. And they were able to get into the tower on the floor under Shredder's chamber.

Don slid the access card that he lifted from one of the soldiers into the elevator's slot.

"Shredder's chamber is seventh door on the left," he whispered. "You know what to do."

With a nod, Raph pushed the button to close the elevator door.

They made their way to the large double doors.

"Should we knock?" Mikey asked.

"I'll do it," Raph said and he took a few steps back. He ran toward the door and kicked it open.

Saki stood up from his table, his face twisted in anger.

"What is the meaning of this?" he shouted.

"You know exactly why we're here!" Raph snarled and unsheathed his sai. Don and Mikey followed his cue.

Saki pushed a button on the edge of his table.

"Come now, Raphael. I know our deal is that I will not harm you or your family, but you have invaded my home. You really are not giving me any choice, but to fight back."

"There is no deal!" Raph yelled.

"Turn and leave now and I will forget this." Saki's voice was calm and even.

"No way! We don't leave here without Leonardo!" Mikey yelled.

"That is not your decision. Is it, Raphael?" Saki turned to the hot-tempered turtle.

"You heard 'em," Raph sneered at Saki.

"Very well." Saki motioned to the door as a sea of foot soldiers poured into the room. "Then consider our deal void."

"I neva' made a deal with you!"

Raph lunged toward Saki but was blocked by several soldiers. He locked weapons with one and kicked the other, sending him flying across the room.

Don and Mikey joined the battle, taking on three and four ninja at a time.

"Is this in the plan?" Mikey asked Don as they were shoved into one another.

"We just have to hold out long enough for the others," Don whispered to him.

He used his bo to catapult Mikey into two ninjas and then swiped the legs out from under another.

Raph was fighting his way to Saki when a foot tech ninja jumped in front of him.  All of the anger and frustration was making his blood pulse through his head, loud and staticky. He needed to calm down.  If this ninja disappeared, he wouldn't be able to fight him with his mind spinning like a top.

He took a deep breath and tried to center himself. Splinter had them fight many times blindfolded. He could do this.

Raph lunged forward as the foot tech's hand twitched toward the cloaking device on his chest. He gasped and stopped suddenly, nearly falling over his own feet.

Instead of disappearing, the ninja faded into an exact replica of his brother...

"Leonardo," Raph barely managed to choke out.

"What's the matter brother?" Leonardo sneered. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

He felt like the air had been kicked out of his lungs.  It looked exactly like his brother...sounded exactly like his brother.

As he was fighting, Don saw what happened. Everything started to make sense.  He felt sick at how he doubted Raph the least little bit. But he also noticed that Raphael had dropped his defenses.

"Raph!" Don yelled, trying to get his brother to focus again.

Leonardo narrowed his eyes and pointed toward Don. "Stay out of this, Donatello!"

Raph shook his head and raised his sai. "You are not my brother!"

"Really?" Leonardo smirked. "Does this disturb you? How about this?" The ninja touched the cloaking device again and within seconds Raph was staring at a mirror image of himself.

"Not much of an improvement," Raphael mocked. "But it did fool your brother several times. You should have seen his face on that rooftop...priceless! 

Any chance of finding a center, calming his mind or even thinking straight was dashed at the last statement. He lunged toward the imposter. The Raph double blocked his punch and flipped him over his shoulder. All the air was knocked out of his body with an oof when he hit the ground. He had forgot that the foot tech had enhanced strength. The urgency of taking this guy down had Raph on his feet before the soldier could advance on him again. If he turned into Don or Mikey, he would never be able to tell them apart.

 "We ain't leaving here without our brother." Raph spun his sai.

"Well, then you have a problem. We had our fun with him, then sold him to the highest bidder," the fake lied. "He's probably on some scientist's dissecting table as we speak."

He knew that the ninja was lying. Nobody's contact had told them exactly where Leo was being held. 

With a growl, Raph charged toward the soldier and tackled him to the ground.  

Don and Mikey were still battling the other foot ninjas. Don was hoping that April would call soon. He wasn't sure how much longer they could hold out.

"Whoa, dude, these guys are like roaches," Mikey yelled as he knocked a soldier down with his weapon and sent another skidding across the floor with a front kick. "You take out one and three more take their place!"

Don glanced back over at Raph and a wave of fear washed over him. He couldn't tell them apart.

He about jumped out of his shell when April's voice came over the earpiece.

"Mission accomplished, Donny. We'll meet you out front."

Don signaled to Mikey and then was about to try and get Raph's attention. They had their own hand signals that the impostor would not be able to read. It was time to leave.

"10-4, April. I'll..."

Don saw one of the Raphs raise his sai and send it plunging into the other Raph's chest.

"Raph, NO!" Don's voice screeched into the communicator.

April felt her blood run cold.

"Don?"

No answer.

"Donny?"

Nothing but deep, shaky breaths.

"What's going on? Copy?!"

Chapter Text

Don's heart pounded like a jackhammer as he rushed over to where the two Raph's were. April's voice was pleading in his ear to answer. Mikey had witnessed the aftermath of the stabbing and was trying to fight off a couple of stray foot ninja and make his way over to his brother.

"Raphie?" Donny managed to croak out. He had his bo ready. Just in case.

Raphael...his Raphael stood up and shoved his sai into his belt. He didn't even bother to wipe down the blade. Raph had managed to stab the foot tech directly through the cloaking device . As the ninja writhed on the ground the damaged device rapidly changed him into the images in it's memory.

Raphael...

Michaelangelo...

Leonardo...

Don even watched the life drain out of his own image. His own voice groan in agony.

There was a loud crack, and a surge of static ran through the ninja. In his true form, he finally drew his last breath.

Raph bent down and pulled the device off of the foot tech's uniform and put it in his belt. He nodded to Don.

"Phase two," Don said into the earpiece.

"Oh, thank God," April sighed. She turned to the laptop that was already set up and quickly pushed enter. The whole foot tower went dark. Don handed his brothers a pair of night vision goggles and they made their way out of the tower.

"What has happened?" Saki's voice could be heard in the darkness. "Someone, fix this...NOW!"

The turtles had made it out of the tower and to the neighboring building when the lights to the foot headquarters flickered and then burned brightly once more.

"Aww shell...they fixed that sooner than I had hoped," Don mumbled as they jumped down the fire escape.

"We'll just have to move faster!" Mikey bounced ahead of them.

"Besides, we got what we came for. Right?" He paused in front of Don.

Donny nodded. "April said that the mission was a success."

"Sweet!" Mikey exclaimed. "And old Shred-head doesn't have a clue!"

~.~.~.~.~.~

As the foot soldiers got the electricity back on and the security back up, Shredder was demanded to know what had happened.

"Where did those retched creatures go?"

"They've escaped, Master," one soldier answered as he bowed.

As the seconds of silence slowly ticked by the soldier started to tremble. Shredder, who was now in his armor, drew back his arm and slashed the soldier down.

"Find them now!" He snarled as the foot scrambled to find any trace of where the turtles could be.

Shredder's attention snapped to the door as two soldiers carried an unconscious ninja into the room.

"He was found in the sub-basement, my lord," the soldier explained.

Shredder's red eyes narrowed.

"Kill him!" He growled and motioned to the unaware ninja. 

The two soldiers exchanged glances. Neither wanted to kill one of their own...but they didn't want to go against their master.

"Hai, Master." The soldier unsheathed his sword.

~.~.~.~.~.~.

Casey slowed down enough for the turtles to jump into the battle shell.

Leo was laying in the back, wrapped in a blanket. His head was the only thing visible, and it was being cradled in Splinter's lap. April was crouched by him. She lingered long enough to inform Don of him being drugged and his injuries. Then she moved toward the front of the vehicle and allowed the family to be together again.

Don took April's place, while Mikey and Raph found their own spot around their brother. Donny noticed how Leo had his eyes squeezed tight and how they twitched under the eyelids. His whole body would jerk and tremble, like he was in a constant nightmare.

As if reading his mind, April handed Don a syringe. "This is what they were injecting him with."

"Thanks." Don put the needle into his duffel bag to study when they got home.

"Can he hear us?" Mikey asked Splinter. "You know, like last time?"

Splinter lowered his eyes and stroked Leo's forehead. "I am not sure my son...I don't think that he can, this time."

"The drugs," Don explained. "That's why Sensei couldn't reach him in meditation. Shredder knew exactly what he was doing?"

"We have to tell him!" Raph insisted. "He has to know it wasn't me!"

Don shook his head. "You could talk to you were blue in the face, Raph. He wouldn't understand." Don lifted his eye lid and examined Leo's glazed eye. "Not right now. The drugs have to wear off."

Raph let out a frustrated sigh.

Don reached out to pull back the blanket when all of a sudden there was a loud crash in the back and the vehicle surged forward, throwing everyone with it. Casey turned the wheel sharply and slammed the accelerator. Everyone was thrown back.

"Where'd you learn how to drive, bonehead?" Raph grunted.

"We've got company!" Casey stared through the rear-view mirror and gripped the steer wheel tighter.

"Buckle up, babe," he told April.

Raph and Mikey looked out of the small windows in the main back of the battle shell. Three black vans came into view, one with damage to the front end where it had rammed their vehicle.

"Oh no..." Raph paled.

The battle shell's engine noise was drowned out by the roar of a helicopter that sped overhead.

"I think they know," Mikey gulped.

Chapter Text

Splinter tightened his grip on Leonardo, trying to make sure his injuries were not aggravated as they were being whipped around.  "Donatello," Splinter said, his ears pinned back and a unfamiliar scowl on his face. "Does this vehicle not have weapons?"

"Yes, Sensei," Don replied.

"Now you're talkin'," Casey yelled.

The battle shell surged forward again as one of the vans slammed into the back.

"Switch me places," Raph told April

April unbuckled and started toward the back. When Raph made his way to the passenger's seat he looked down at Leo. He gasped when he saw Leo's eyes wide...looking at him. The glazed look was gone and when Raph met his stare, Leo shut his eyes tight again.

Raph was thrown forward when the van hit again. The helicopter buzzed lower, telling their exact position. Raph would have to mention that to Donny later, right now he had other things to do.

He sat beside his friend and clicked the weapons console open.

"The helicopter first," he told Casey. "Keep it steady."

"Tryin'." Casey gritted his teeth and tried to outrun the assaulting vehicle.

Raph set the sights and fired the first missile. The helicopter swerved to the right and it barely missed.

"Crud!" Raph set the sights again.

"Wait until it's right over us!" Mikey yelled from the back.

"Who's doin' this?" Raph snapped.

He licked his lips and took a deep breath.  "C'mon, c'mon..."he mumbled.

And fired.

The missile hit the helicopter, and it exploded directly over the battle shell. Everyone was thrown around as Casey swerved and weaved to avoid falling, fiery parts.

"Way to go, you about wiped us out!" Mikey yelled.

"I hit it didn't I!" Raph shot back.

Casey looked in the rear-view mirror. "Looks like you hit two birds with one stone, buddy. The copter took out a van!"

Raph smirked at Mikey.

"What about the other two?" April asked.

"Oh, I got somethin' for them." Raph flipped another switch.

Slick, black oil sprayed from the back of the battle shell and coated the road. One van hit and started to spin and it took out the other van. Both vans flipped and skidded off the road. One landed on its side the other on its roof.

"Nice!" Mikey smiled.

"Take this exit," Don told Casey. "We'll double back around. It will take longer to get home, but we can't take any chances of being followed."

"Gotcha." Casey cut the wheel.

"At least no one is on the roads, 'cause of the storm," Mikey pointed out.

Don nodded and went back to checking Leo's injuries. Raph switched places with April again. Don pulled back the blanket and started to examine the slashes on his side. He stole a glance at Raph, who was eying Leo's chest nervously.

As if reading his mind, Don reached over and pressed where a cloaking device would be.

Nothing.

Don and Raph both let out a breath they didn't know they were holding. And Don went back to looking over his blue clad brother.

Raph felt his heart drop when he saw Leo's lips twitch into what looked like a smirk.

No one else noticed. Raph was beginning to think that he had lost his mind.

"No," he thought. "I definitely saw him smile." He thought back to Leo's wide-eyed stare he had witnessed earlier.

"No, no, no..." His mind was spinning. "Please let me be wrong."

He studied Leo's face.

Another twitch.

Raph lost it. He grabbed his bruised and battered brother by the shoulders and jerked him up.

"Raph! What is the matter with you?" Don yelled.

"My son, stop this!" Splinter tried to pry his hands off Leo but was thrown back as Raph started to violently shake him.

"Where is my brother!?" he snarled.

Mikey grabbed Raphael from behind and jerked him back and Don caught Leo before his head smacked against the floor.

"Have you gone off your rocker?!" Mikey yelled as he tried to hold his hot-headed brother back.

"That's not Leo!" Raph screamed, pointing to what he thought was another impostor.

"Yes, it is!"

"Raph! Stop!"

Casey tried to keep the vehicle on the road as the chaos continued in the back.

Everyone stopped arguing when Leo started to laugh.  

"What the..." Don backed away.

Leo's eyes popped open as he continued to chuckle.

"Did I miss something?" Mikey murmured as he released his grip on Raph.

Leo touched his belt and a foot ninja appeared in his place.

"No..." Don's face paled and his throat closed like a vice had clamped around it.

Raph unsheathed his sai, one still stained red from the last person to impersonate his brother.

"You've messed up now, pal!" Raph glowered.

Raph pulled off the ninja's mask. A young man with messy brown hair and dark gray eyes glared back at them.   

"I-I don't understand." Don shook his head. "How did they know?"

His eyes widen.  "You are Nobody's contact!" 

"You must be Donatello," the man smirked. "He said that you were the smart one. But I do have a name!"

"Yeah?" Raph took a step forward. "Tell us, so we can carve it on your head stone!"

"Why?" Mikey's voice trembled. They were so close to having their older brother back.

"Why? Please! Being the good guy had no benefits, ya know. The foot offered way more than Nobody ever could." He rubbed his thumb and finger together, indicating "money".

Raph's eyes darkened and he tightened his grip on his sai.

"I guess you'll neva' collect your last paycheck!"

"Wait Raph!" Don held out his hand to stop him. "I have an idea."

"I'm not going to help you with anything!" The young ninja crossed his arms over his chest.

A shadow fell across Donny's face.  "Oh, we aren't giving you a choice." He waved a syringe in front of him.

"Casey, we're going back to Foot Headquarters."

"Right!" Casey didn't hesitate to steer the battle shell into the right direction.

Don turned to Mikey. "Help me get his uniform."

The former good guy paled, and the confident smirk was wiped off his face.

Chapter Text

Shredder left his ninja to do his bidding and quickly strode to the elevator. He exited on the forty first floor. Professor Starcher's lab.

Starcher met Shredder in the hall, outside one of the rooms.

"I take it everything is going as planned?" he asked his employer.

"There were a few minor mishaps. If all goes well, Professor, you will have more subjects for your experiments shortly," he stated. "My ninja will be able to lead us directly to their lair."

He glared through the small window in the lab door.

"How is our guest?"

The Professor snorted and removed his glasses. "He is awake, no thanks to your ninja." He wiped the lenses on his lab coat. "Was that last beating necessary?"

"I'm sure that my ninja had their reasons, Professor." Shredder's red eyes narrowed.

Starcher straightened his posture and replaced his glasses. His lips drew into a tight frown; he knew better than to question his employer.

"Yes, well. He is awake, sir."

"Can you proceed with your experiments on schedule?"

"He has a fever," Starcher replied as he fished a pair of gloves from his pocket. He stretched the latex over his hands. "But I am sure that I can proceed."

Shredder nodded. "I will be in the dojo while my soldiers clear out my chamber. Keep him alive, Professor, his death will be by my hand. Is this understood?"

"Yes, sir."

One last look into the room and he turned and walked toward the elevator. "His brothers and that rat will be here soon, I want them to witness his demise," he said over his shoulder.

Starcher entered the room.  The blue clad turtle was strapped to the examine table, wires and monitors surrounding him.  Leo slowly turned his head and met his glare. His body convulsed with fevered chills.

"I see we are still awake." Starcher checked the various machines that Leo was hooked up to and made the notes on his laptop.

"Your temp is high, but I think that we can proceed."

Starcher buzzed around Leo like a bee, checking wires and tubes. "You know we use to experiment on some of Saki's soldiers and even have got some volunteers from the streets. But of course, their health was never good enough to endure the chemicals." The professor chattered on and on.

Leo rolled his eyes and cleared his throat. "I-Is this part of the torture?" He weakly rasped. "Hearing you talk?"  He didn't know why he said it.  Any defiant behavior was met with swift punishment, and saying just those few words had already burned his throat and stole what little breath he had.  

Starcher frowned, his beady eyes narrowed. "I see you still have some spirit in you. You'd think Saki would have beat that out of you by now." His gloved hand grasped a scalpel from the instrument table. "We'll have to do something about that."

"Your mouth will get you into trouble yet. I should just do you a favor and cut out your tongue." The metal blade caught the light.

"Did you know that you could still scream without a tongue?" He moved dangerously close to Leo and grabbed his face with the other hand.  The force of his fingers digging into his jaw sent hot pain up his head, a small whimper managed to escape.  Glaring daggers at the old man, he clamped his mouth shut, but the wildly beeping heart machine gave away his fear.

Starcher cracked a smile and took his hand away.

"Be a good boy, and I may let you keep your tongue."   He patted his cheek and watched Leo's climbing heart rate.

He quickly slid a gas mask into place and turned the valve.  "I'm going to need you calm for this."  

As the tranquilizing gas started to take effect, Leo's breathing started to slow and his eyes fluttered shut.  He pushed them open and saw the professor standing by his desk.  They slid shut again and he cracked them open; Starcher was facing him now.  Each time his eyes closed he used what little strength he had to open them again...each time the man was closer.  Finally, he was standing over Leo and had a syringe with a glowing substance in it.  He injected the contents into his IV line.  

The professor started to talk but his voice faded in and out.  Leo could only catch a few words.  

"Saki...punish...this hallucinogen."

Leo squeezed his eyes shut as the room started to spin. Consciousness slipped from him as the machines beeped and whirled.

Starcher made a few more notes and left the room.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

"So," Don said as he went through his duffel bag and pulled out a small bottle. "What did you say that you name was?"

"I didn't!" The young man sneered. He wanted to remain tough. But looking at the enemy around him, he swallowed thickly as a lump started to form in his throat.

The turtle in red looked half crazy, his eyes were wild. The one in purple seemed calmer but still had a mad scientist vibe to him as he filled the syringe with the contents of the bottle. Even the orange one, who looked like he could cry at any moment, seemed he would not hesitate to take his head off.

'And it would probably just take one word from the rat, and they would do me in,' he thought gravely.

"Ch-Charles," the man stammered. "My n-name is Charles."

"Hmm, Charles." Donatello nodded as he pecked the side of the syringe to remove the air bubbles.

"So, Chuck!" Raphael spat his name out like it was a vile taste in his mouth. "Do you know what happened to the last guy to wear one of those image thingies?"

Charles swallowed again and shook his head 'no'.

"Let's just say he won't be at the next company picnic." Wild eyes flashed again.

Mikey had removed his uniform top and handed it and his mask to Don.

Raph moved closer to Charles. "Where is my brother?"

"I don't know."

Raph laughed. A chilling, dark laugh. "You know something, Chuck?" He placed the tip of his sai under the man's quivering chin.

"I. Don't. Believe. You."

Sweat began to bead on his forehead. His eyes darted back and forth between the brothers. "I-I don't know. I swear!"

"Keep lying, Chuck!" The blade drew some blood.

"I swear! They-they took him and I-I was to stay in the cell. I don't know where...I promise!"

Don held his hand up to Raphael. "OK, Raph."

A low growl escaped his throat, he removed his sai and stepped back.

"Dammit!" He screamed and threw the weapon into the nearest object.

The sweat started to pour down Charles' face now. He nervously wiped it from his eyes.

"You had better hope, for your sake, that my plan works," Don sneered as he plunged the needle into the man's arm. Charles noticed the sad expression behind the angry one.

"You have no idea what you have done, do you?" Don shook his head and capped the needle.

Charles' vision started to fade.

"For-for what it's worth...I'm sorry," he mumbled, his head tilted forward. He couldn't tell if he was saying that out of true remorse or fear.

"Too late for that, Chuck," Raph glowered.

Fear.

"We will leave your fate to your new employer," Don said as the ninja slumped all the way to the floor.

"We are almost to the tower, Don," Casey called from the driver's seat.

"Park about two blocks away, stay hidden."

"Gotcha." Casey pulled the battle shell into an alley and cut the engine.

"Whatcha got planned, brainiac?" Raph asked.

Don handed the uniform to Casey. "We are going to be your prisoners," he told Casey.

Casey gave him a puzzled look.

"I get it," Raph said. "That will get us into the tower...but they'll take our weapons."

"That is where you come in Raph," Don explained. He adjusted the cloaking device and turned Charles into Raph. "We'll take Charles as you. You will sneak in, meet with Casey and get us out. Then we'll find Leo."

"Sounds good," Raph said.

"We have to make sure that they do not have any more of these cloaking devices," Don added.

"What about our turncoat here?" Raph pointed to Charles.

"We'll leave him in Leo's place." Don's eyes darkened. "Shredder can deal with him."

"Let's get going then." Mikey handed his nun chucks to Don, and he put them in his duffel bag. He gave Raph his bo and the bag.

"Stay safe my sons," Splinter said as he hugged each one of them.

Casey shrugged on the uniform top and pulled the mask over his head. He tied Mikey, Don, and Charles' hands together.

"Let's go." He pulled Charles out of the back of the vehicle, and they started back to foot headquarters.

Chapter Text

The foot soldier bowed at the entrance of the dojo and stepped inside. Saki, now out of his armor, noticed him but said nothing as he sparred with three ninjas. The ninja attacked from all sides. Saki swept the legs out from under one and threw another across the room. He hit the wall and slid to the ground with a groan. It only took a kick and punch to bring the last down. He dusted off his uniform jacket and faced the soldier at the door.

"What do you want?" he sneered, clearly annoyed that his workout was interrupted.

"Master." The soldier bowed again. "You are needed in your chambers."

"Very well, I will be there when I am finished."

"Yes sir." The soldier bowed respectively and backed out of the room.

**********

Saki entered his chamber and was surprised at the scene that greeted him. Standing in the middle of the room were several soldiers and they were surrounding three bound turtles.

"What has happened?" Saki asked. The soldier was supposed to lead them to the lair.

One ninja stepped forward and bowed.

"Master," he said. "My cover was blown."

"How did you overcome your adversaries?" Saki questioned. "They outnumbered you."

Don swallowed thickly, he hoped Casey could pull this off.

Casey cleared his throat. "I-I told them that you threatened my family. That you would kill them if I didn't do what you say. They were very trusting...and predictable, just as you have said."

Saki smiled and nodded. "Go on."

"I gained their trust and took out the driver. The vehicle crashed."

"The woman and the rat?"

"Thrown from the vehicle, Master, they did not survive."

"I see. Why is Raphael unconscious?"

"He gave me the most trouble. It was easier this way."

"Very good. There will be a great reward for you, soldier."

Casey bowed again. "My loyalty is to you, Master Shredder."

"Take the prisoners to a cell and inform Professor Starcher that his test subjects have arrived earlier than expected."

Casey lifted Raphael up and motioned to the door. "Get going, mutants."

Don and Mikey walked ahead. Once they were out the door and out of earshot, Don let out a sigh of relief.

"That was great, Casey," he whispered.

"Mutants?" Mikey scoffed.

"No offense." Casey shrugged. "I had to make it convincing."

He led them to a cell. After he opened the door, he gave Mikey a slight shove.

"Dude," he whispered harshly.

"They're watching," Casey whispered back.

"I'll be back," he said under his breath and shut the door.

Mikey and Don remained quiet. Don warned that the cell could be wired and it may have security cameras. They sat down shell to shell and waited for Casey to come back.

Don was beyond worried. They did not have enough time to crack the security again. So it was just them and an access card they had took from Charles.

*****************

Casey, still in the foot uniform, wandered a corridor. He was pacing back and forth and getting worried. Raph was suppose to meet him there and he was late.

"Raph?" Casey called lowly. "Raph are you here?"

Suddenly he was pulled into the shadows, a hand covering his mouth.

"Are you nuts or somethin'?" A familiar voice hissed, the hand was removed. "Why don't you announce to the whole foot that I'm here!"

"Raph!" Casey sounded relieved. "What took ya so long?"

"Well, it wasn't very easy sneakin' inta this place. Their security is doubled." Raph sighed. "Let's find out where Leo is and get the others."

"How are we goin' ta find that out?"

"You're the foot soldier." Raph gave him a small shove. "Find someone and ask."

"Alright, alright!" Casey started down the hall and Raph trailed him from the shadows. They came upon a heavy-set man in a lab coat.

"Excuse me." Casey called out. "Uh, uh...Mr. uh."

The man rolled his eyes. "Holstein. Mr. Holstein," he sneered. "Not that you stupid drones could remember," he mumbled.

"Right," Casey nodded, he let the smug comment roll off his back. He wasn't a foot soldier. "I... uh, need to know where the turtle, Leonardo is."

Holstein narrowed his eyes. "If you do not already know, then you are not authorized to have that information."

"Well, I...uh." Casey started to stammer. "The three other turtles...um, are here and I-I need to take them where he is."

Raph palmed his face and shook his head.

"I don't think so." Mr. Holstein waved his finger in Casey's face. "I know that Professor Starcher is not finished with the turtle in blue. He would not be ready for the others."

He turned and started to walk away. "We'll just see what Saki has to say about this."

"No! Wait!" Casey grabbed his arm.

"Don't touch me!" Holstein jerked his arm away. "You have no authority to lay one hand on me!" The man's face was red, and a vein had started to bulge out of his forehead.

"New plan," Raph growled and jumped from the shadows. One swift kick and Holstein was on the ground moaning.

Raph removed his sai and held it against Holstein's neck.

"Listen, Tubby" Raph glowered. "I want to know where my brother is, now. You talk or I'll be forced to give you a new air hole." He pressed the blade further against his skin.

The man remained silent.

"C'mon," Raph said through clenched teeth. "It will be awful hard to eat your donuts through a tube...start talking!"

Holstein shook his head defiantly, but his chin quivered.

Raph's knuckles cracked as he tightened his grip and the blade drew blood. "Just give the floor number," he hissed.

"F-forty first." Holstein stuttered. His tough act now gone. "Please-please, don't kill me."

Raph furrowed his brow. "Let me think...were you one of the goons that hurt my brother?"

"I-I'm sorry...sorry." The man whimpered.

Raph scrunched his nose and rolled his eyes. "Pathetic."

He spun his sai around and brought the blunt hilt down on Holstein's head, knocking him out cold.

"You ain't even worth it."

Casey helped him stuff the large man in a utility closet.

"Let's go get the others."