Chapter 5-
\tLeo yawned, curling closer into Raph’s side like a cat. Lying his head comfortably on the armored sported chest. His lids heavy as he fought a losing battle with himself to stay awake. It was late into the night and his body was still humming in satisfaction of his orgasm. Raph was improving quickly at kissing but he was an expert in bed. Leonardo should be proud. If he was here and not in his boss’s grasp. Probably hurting horribly. Probably screaming and begging for mercy. That wouldn’t be him, at least. He had done as ordered. Raph was here beside him. Warmth of his happiness radiating off of him. He trusted him. He believed him.
\tIf this hadn’t been his natural habitat for years of his life, he might have felt guilty. As of now, all he could feel was happiness. The sweet smell of freedom filling his nose. Right there outside of his reach. So close. He was never doing anything like this ever again. No matter the cost. He couldn’t risk his life as he already had.
\tOnly a couple weeks left. He reminded himself. He just needed to learn everything thing he could. Report back to his employer and he’ll be sent home. Reward or not; he didn’t care. He just wanted to be far away from him.
\tSuch a headache this family was. Entertaining, yes. But annoying as hell. They weren’t worth the nuisance. He swore he was going to have anxiety problems when he got home.
\tHe felt Raph’s hand squeeze his arm and he glanced up at the smiling turtle. Such a shame. In another month Raphael was going to feel hurt. Betrayed. Plunged into a world of grief. Not your problem. You had no choice. This was a life or death situation for you. He brushed away the problem as if it was a piece of lint on his coat. He couldn’t allow those thoughts to distract him. If even the smallest shred of regret buried itself inside of him, he could just kiss his freedom goodbye.
\t“You’re still awake?” He asked the sleepy turtle.
\t“Hmmyeah.” Raph slurred out. His voice rich with gratification and exhaustion. A very good sign.
\t“You should get some sleep. You worked hard.” He whispered to him.
\tRaph huffed out a quiet laugh. “You do to.”
\t“I will eventually.”
\t“So will I. Besides, you like getting up at the butt crack of dawn.” Leo smothered a scowl from his face at the reminder. No, he didn’t. The first week and a half was the most painful of his life. He had to stay up late at night for patrolling than set his alarm to five in the friggin morning. Not even two cups of coffee managed to wake him enough to function properly. He had crashed hard every night once he got to bed. Sleeping like the dead. Not even a bullhorn could have woken him. He fell asleep through his meditation he still did not have a grasp on. It was ridiculous. Something was wrong with Leonardo.
\tNothing about them was alike. Nothing at all. Leo was patient. He was not. Leo was coolheaded. He was not. Leo was well trained and skillful in the way of trickery. While he thought whatever got the job done was the best option. Leo was kind. Gentle. Understanding. Open-minded. Caring. While he couldn’t care less about people and their feelings. He had broken many hearts and betrayed many potential ally’s. He had killed without guilt. Stole and cheated. All for the sake of money. But that was the burden one had to carry when one was in his line of work.
\tHe was not honorable, nor trustworthy. He’d have to fail his jobs if he allowed his feelings to get in the way. He did the deeds people didn’t have the guts to accomplish. He wouldn’t lower himself to their levels.
\tComplete and total opposites. Which was why he was not attracted to Raph. Sure, he admired certain traits about him, but he had not once thought up of a relationship. Heck, not even a friendship would work, and not because he had just betrayed him. Everyone in this family had a different purpose. A different moto to life than he did. He was their enemy. They slaughtered guy’s like him.
\tStill, Leo seemed the opposite of Raph as well. Hot and cold. Water and oil. Negative and positive. Yet, based on what he learned the two seemed to balance each other out perfectly. Leo the fire extinguisher when Raph got angry. Raph the rock when Leo questioned himself. Like two puzzle pieces fitting together. And he had just destroyed it. Besides, Leo was most likely going to die.
\tUpsetting as it was, he didn’t allow himself to care. He had destroyed perfect marriages. Perfect couples. Perfect family’s before. This was no different.
\t“I miss these times, Fearless.” Raph’s hushed voice tugged him back into reality. Realizing he had never answered Raph’s comment he decided to switch topics.
\t“You know what I miss?” Leo pushed himself up onto his elbow. Staring down at the turtle next to him. Raph grunted in response. “The years when we were kids. Fantasizing about the world up top.”
\t“Having no idea what the world held for us at the time?” He smirked.
\tLeo nodded. “Yeah. Do you remember when I had snuck out because I had gotten so mad at the time. I was irritable and got pissed off at you. I ran out of the lair in the middle of winter and there was a snow storm. I remember not being able to see a single thing but white everywhere. I had gotten lost easily and I remembered panicking. Then Master Splinter had found me and brought me home. I had gotten sick the next day.” Leo smiled. “Do you remember Raphie?” He asked. Finishing one of the new memory’s he received.
\t“Uh-huh. Yeah, I remember.”
\tLeo sighed contently. Inhaling every molecule of air. He laid back down. His head propped on the pillow next to Raph. He had hoped that he would remain awake when telling the story but with every minute that ticked by, his eyes drooped farther and farther until he was in a deep sleep. Not remembering if Raph had said anything or not.
\t
\tRaph’s smile fell as soon as he knew Leo had fallen asleep. Gently, he tugged out his arm from under Leo’s head. Careful not to wake him. He threw his legs over the side of the bed, oppressing an exhausted yawn. The last thing he wanted to do was sleep.
\tHe pushed off the mattress. The bed springs squeaking from the lightened weight. Leo didn’t so much as twitch. He tip-toed his way to the door. Silently slipping outside. His footsteps falling quicker as he strode down the hall into the empty, dark, living room. The candles had long since burned out and nothing but small stumps of wax melted to the ground. Those were going to be hell to clean up. Their gear littered the floor around the couch where they carelessly tossed them. It was a good thing their family was already in bed.
\tWith a long sigh, Raph took a seat on the couch. The cushions sinking from his weight. The old rusted springs whining. They desperately needed a new one.
He buried his head into his waiting hands. Forcing himself to not sob and howl with anguish and misery.
\tThis was not his Leo. This wasn’t Leo, period.
\tHe had suspected before but now he was certain. Too certain. As far as he knew, Leo never ran away. Never got caught in a snow storm. Never had Splinter rescue him and he had never gotten sick the next day. The memory wasn’t one of theirs. That never happened.
\tShit. Shit. Shit. Shit.
\tLeo’s taste was different. Had been different for a while. The first time he noticed he had been shocked. Confused. But the last thing that came to mind was an imposter. He had assumed Leo had introduced himself to a new tea. Or ingested something unusual. He chose to adapt himself to it instead of asking.
\tTonight however, he had been too lost in his own overwhelming pleasure to think anything of it. But now, as he sat down and thought back to what they had been doing, he recalled how intense Leo seemed, and not in the good way. He remembered how gradual Leo was. His movements calculated. Controlling the entire time. So detached. Unaffected. Not losing himself as he usually did. Not moaning in heavenly bliss. Not begging. Not shouting his name. Just an occasional groan and churr. Entertaining him.
\tYet, that still hadn’t convinced him.
\tSomething cold and dark swept through his entire body and lingered in his heart and mind. Clouding it with despair. Worse than having a bucket of ice water dropped on you. His muscles tightened almost painfully. He felt so numb.
\tNo. He had realized this when Leo-- or whoever that guy is, had confessed a fake memory. So blatantly obvious that even a child could see it.
\tSo stupid! Stupid! Stupid!
\tHe chastised himself. Curses, one after the other, hissed in his thoughts. It was so obvious now. Everything for the past month and a half. The behaviors. The hatred. The avoidance. Now it seemed as clear as day that, that Leo was a fraud. Who he was working for and why had still yet to be answered. They would be answered. No doubt they had Leo. His Leo had been gone all this time and, stupid him, hadn’t even noticed! Who knows what they were doing to him. Were they torturing him? Was he being tortured right now as he sat here betraying everything they had agreed on? Unintentionally, yes, but he still should have seen it. Should have fitted the pieces together sooner.
\tLeo could be tied up. Bleeding out. Starving. Hurting. Begging for relief. Begging for Raph to come save him. Leo was a strong turtle but there was only so much pain one person could take before they break. Had he reached that point? Was he wanting to die? . . . Already dead?
\tNO!
\tRaph snarled. Slamming his fist against the worn couch cushions. He refused to accept that possibility. He wasn’t even going to consider it. Leo could not die. Would not be dead. Never.
\tHis fingers dug into the fabric of the couch. His knuckles leaching of color. He would not be surprised if he had torn it. Red dotted his vision. His nostrils flaring as he sucked in every molecule of air into his lungs. His pulse thumping in his ears. It took every ounce of his strength not to rain his fury upon the imposter. Not to kill the bastard that presently slept in Leo’s bed.
. . . No. He couldn’t kill him. Not yet. He needed him still. He would know where Leo’s location was. He would know who was holding him. Why he was holding him. So many questions and he was being ripped from the inside out for the lack of information. So helpless he felt. Useless. Selfish.
First things, first though. He would have to consult his family about this. He had to form a plan before lunging into actions. He couldn’t have the sham finding out too soon and running or sending a warning to his employer. Leo’s life was at stake and he couldn’t allow any more harm to come to him. He had to be patient. Not a strong suite of his. He had to think this through. He couldn’t see a plan through without it being flawless. A solution to every angle.
Gradually, he released the breath he had been holding. His heart easing the slightest bit. His fingers massaging the tension out of his temples. He had to be calm in order to think properly. All his plans would consist of is chaotic violence if he continued down his angered path.
Calm. Stay calm.
He could feel the exhaustion starting to weigh on his shoulders but he refused to allow himself rest yet. He hated the thought of going back to the same bed as that imposter was sleeping in but he knew it was for the best to act as if nothing was wrong.
\tHe rose up from the couch. Scooping up his and Fake Leo’s gear into a wadded pile in his arms one by one. Raph’s eyes darted down to the floor where Fake Leo’s t-phone landed after slipping out of his belt pocket. His lips twisted into a frown as he plopped the pile down onto the coffee table, he bent down to retrieve the little machine. He stared at the phone curiously, switching it on. Greeted by a blank wallpaper. The time and date in a tiny font in one corner and the connection bars and battery power in the other. The notifications tab popped up a second later, announcing a new text message had been received.
\tRaph’s eye ridges knitted together, glancing tentatively over his shoulder. Reassured that he was still alone in the room, he clicked on the new text. The conversation tab was the next to appear.
\t“Update me in the morning. I don’t want you screwing things up farther.”
\tRaph’s eyes narrowed on the message. The username was listed as Unknown Caller. Not much help there. This had to be the guy who hired the fraud. Perhaps he could get Donnie to track the caller. It was worth a shot.
\tHe went back and clicked on message history. Surprised and disappointed when it read No Messages. Raph quickly switched to call history and found the same outcome. Fake Leo had deleted his history.
\tRaph sighed, slumping back into the couch. One rough hand stroking his chin thoughtfully. His eyes immediately drawn to the pictures app. He clicked on it. Empty as well. He conducted a full sweep of the phone and after five minutes of searching, found the phone was wiped completely clean. There were no contacts. No speed dials. No music, videos, downloaded apps. As if Don had just handed it to him right after building it. There was nothing useful.
\tRaph clenched the phone in his hand, staring grimly at the black home screen. His arm trembling as he fought the urge to throw the device into the wall. Eventually he managed to uncurl his fingers around it. Stuffing it into his own belt pocket.
\tNeeding a quick distraction, he grabbed the half empty pizza box and the two empty soda cans. Deciding to leave the half melted candles for the morning. He carried his bundle to the kitchen. Dumping away their trash and placing the left overs in the fridge. He took out a water bottle. Twisting the cap off and throwing the contents back quickly. Chugging the cool soothing liquid down his throat, crashing into his belly. He felt numb. Like today had been nothing but a dream that he just remembered. He could only pray for that.
\tHe nearly choked on the liquid that continued to pour into his mouth when arms folded across his middle. He whipped his head around to view his assaulter, finding Leo. Er . . . Fake Leo. It was crazy how much he looked like him. Unsettling. The detail so realistic down to the littlest scale. How could he do that? The numbness continued to spread throughout his body. His exhaustion clouding his mind like a sedative. He suddenly didn’t have the strength to lash out like he wanted to just a few minutes ago and he was glad. Hopefully this feeling will last until he had a suitable plan of what to do next.
\t“Trying to drown me Fearless?” He spoke between coughs. Fake Leo’s breath gliding across the back of his head with each muffled, sleep-rich laugh. He could feel Fake Leo’s forehead press against his shoulder.
\t“Sorry. Didn’t mean to startle you. I woke up and didn’t see you in bed so I came looking.”
\t“What woke you?”
\t“Got cold.” Was the reply that had Raph’s stomach rolling. “How long have you been up?” He glanced up at the clock that hung above the kitchen sink.
\t“An hour. I remembered the mess we made and decided to clean up some. Those candles were a bad idea.” He could hear Fake Leo snicker. Those lips brushing against his skin and he grounded his molars together. The weight that hung on his shoulders officially getting annoying.
\t“Are you finished now?”
\tThe temptation to say no. “For now, yes.”
\t“Good.” He felt Fake Leo tug on his arms and Raph followed willingly. Tossing his empty bottle in the trash can on their way out. He was dragged back into the bedroom and pushed onto the bed and he went down. Forcing his arms to remain at his sides.
\tFake Leo snuggled into his chest, those muscled arms looping under his limbs and pulling him closer than he was comfortable with. To think, just a couple hours ago he was fine with this. Overjoyed in fact. Now, he couldn’t get away fast enough. Touching the skin that he realized didn’t belong to his Leo made his stomach churn. He didn’t want to be here. Didn’t want whoever this was, laying in this bed. Nonetheless, he forced himself to relax. Was this what cheating felt like?
\tHe couldn’t understand how so many people could willingly cheat like this. Some more than once. He was a witness to humans doing such things all the time. Having casual sex when their girlfriends, wives, and/or children awaited them at home. He couldn’t understand how men were capable of such acts. Women weren’t better either. He felt dirty. Disgusting. Selfish. Guilt gnawed a hole through his chest and burned his heart into ash. Out of all crimes he committed in his life, he never felt the consequences like this. Generally, he never felt guilt, but this was horrible to him. He wanted to run to the bathroom and retch his dinner in the toilet. How could he continue like this when Leo could possibly be hurting? The answer was simple; he couldn’t.
\tAs soon as morning comes, he was dealing with this. He had to. He could not spend another night like this.
\tA small snore escaped the turtle in his arms. Leo never snored. Ever.
\tLeo was the lightest sleeper he ever knew. Raph swore, Leo could hear their brothers stirring in their sleep from across the lair. Not once had he been able to escape from Leo without him waking up. He soon came to realize the few times he thought himself successful, Leo had willingly let him go instead of retrieving him.
\tLeo was as silent a sleeper as he was a ninja. His breathing so light he could have mistaken him dead. Hardly ever moving. The only times he caught him making noises was when he was sick or injured or he was having a nightmare. It both terrified and intrigued Raphael. He wondered if this was a medical condition of Leo’s or mere cause of paranoia. He knew this wasn’t how he always was. As kids, Leo was as heavy of a sleeper as Raph was, but as they got older and started learning the secrets of the world they hid from. Leo had never been able to sleep in unless something was physically wrong with him.
\tAnother sign he should have caught a long time ago.
\tRaph’s frown deepened as his eyes roved over Fake Leo’s body. He had memorized Leo’s body over and over for years. He had traced each of those scars with his finger. His tongue. He knew the road of Leo’s curves by heart. He had held, caressed, and kissed every part of Leo’s body. Not one scale gone untouched.
\tIt was a wonder how he couldn’t have seen the difference.
\tHe knew almost every single fight and the time when Leo had gained a scar. Knew which ones were caused by knives, swords, fists, or any other number of things. He knew it because he never lost track of them. Always continue to remember the same ones until they were engraved into his memory. This time, however, there were some he couldn’t recognize. Some he recalled but were no longer there.
\tThe shell was more difficult to see. All of them had more markings on their shell then their skin. A personal protection to each of them, they relied on their shells so much. It was harder to point out a few, but Raph could still see it was the same concept. Scars he knew and didn’t were placed and removed. Some lighter. Some off. He wondered if he noticed this now because he was looking for it.
\tBefore he could inspect more of the body, Fake Leo grabbed up a handful of sheets and pulled them up to his chin. Blocking the rest of his view. Infuriating him.
\tCalm down. Get some sleep and in the morning, you can toss him out.
\tMorning. Such a long way’s away.
\tDon walked out of his lab a few minutes after Mikey had knocked on his door announcing breakfast was ready. He took a sip out of the coffee mug he currently had cradled between both of his hands. He nearly chocked on the bitter liquid when he felt a hand curl around his upper arm and jerk him into the dojo.
\tHe gasped, stumbling across the tatami mats. His hands clenching the mug in a failed attempt to keep the hot beverage from sloshing. He sighed when he found traction again. Sneering at his coffee drenched hand. He raised his fingers to his mouth and licked off the droplets.
\t“What do you want Raph?” He asked. His voice low with irritation. He turned around just in time to see Raph close the dojo doors behind him, only then noticing Mikey was in the room as well. Smiling at him amusingly.
\t“I needed to talk with ya.” Raph turned to face his two siblings.
\t“Couldn’t you have talked with us out there?”
\tRaph shook his head. His mask tails flying behind him. “I don’t want Leo to hear.”
\tA look of understanding dawned on Don’s face.
\t“So this is about the Leo sitch?” Mikey’s bright sky blue eyes seemed to dull a bit and Don was suddenly overcome with the urge to hug the sullen turtle. He rooted his feet to the ground. Gluing his attention on Raph.
\t“Did you find out something?”
\tRaph’s nose wrinkled as if he tasted something sour. His hands fisting and his knuckles turned white. He definitely did. “I did.” Raph’s voice was the lowest and roughest out of all of theirs naturally, but amazingly, it seemed to have lowered and roughened even more. A sign of aggression or displeasure.
\t“So? Is Leo working for the bad guys?” Worry lines creased along Mikey’s forehead and mouth. Much to both of their amazements, Raph shook his head.
\t“No.”
\t“Than what is it? Who is he talking to?” Don nibbled on his lip. Curious as to what Raph had to say but fearing the words at the same time. It had to be serious. If it was nothing more than Leo PMSing Raph wouldn’t be looking so tortured right now.
\t“This isn’t Leo.”
\tDon blinked. Then did a double-take. “What?”
\tThose dark emerald eyes down casted to his feet. “That person out there isn’t Leo. He’s an imposter.”
\t“Wait. So he’s just pretending? Some guy is just dressed up to look exactly like Leo and talks exactly like him?” Mikey crossed his arms. No longer appearing worried but skeptical.
\t“And you figured this how?”
\t“I don’t know how he pulled it off. I just know it isn’t him. Haven’t you guy’s noticed his appearance is different? Like scars have been moved or his skin tone isn’t fully accurate. Paler.”
\tMikey wrung his hands. “Now that you mention it . . . Yeah. He does seem shorter.”
\t“I’ve noticed those things to.” Don muttered. His eyes hooked on the contents in his mug. Feeling both of his brother’s gazes burn a hole in his head. “I didn’t think too much about it. They were so subtle I thought I was just overthinking it. So I kept dismissing it.” But hearing Raph come out and say it. It was almost too much to wrap his usually open mind around. How long have they been lead to believe this person was their big brother?
\t“So do we capture him or . . .?”
\t“No. Not yet. I want to know more about who hired him, and I know someone hired him.” Raph reached behind him and withdrew one of their t-phones. “I don’t want Leo . . . or whoever that guy is to contact his employer if he is suspicious of us. He could hurt Leo.” If he hadn’t already hurt him. Don thought grimly. Eyeing the phone curiously.
\t“So what does the t-phone have to do with this?”
\t“A lot of things. This is what the guy used to contact him. The phone is completely wiped of everything except one text message. The rest of his history was deleted. There are no pictures. No video’s. No downloads whatsoever.” Don grabbed the offered phone and double checked. Sure enough, only one text message remained in the empty device. He could feel Mikey leaning against his shoulder. His breath beating against the skin on his neck. He tried to shove him off. He stuck like Velcro. Don chose to ignore him.
\t“So what does, “Update me in the morning. Just to make sure you haven’t screwed things up.” mean?”
\t“The guy must have known that we were doubtful of him. He was probably ordered to gain back our trust.” Don frowned at the guilt that momentarily flashed in Raph’s eyes. “I was hoping you’d be able to find out who and where the Unknown Caller is.”
\t“It will take me a while but I’ll try.” He stuffed the t-phone in his pocket. Raph nodded. “How do we even known they have Leo?” He couldn’t resist asking.
\t“Where else would Leo be?”
\t“No. I mean, how do we know that they would even keep him arou--”
\t“No!” Raph snapped, emeralds blazing with a wave of scorching heat. Don pressed his lips together. He watched silently as Raph shook his head. His lids squeezing shut. His body trembling. Slowly Raph inhaled a breath and released it. Those lids flew open and calm overtook the sharp ridges of his features. Something he wasn’t familiar with in the characteristics of Raphael and he knew he had Leo to thank. “No. Leo isn’t dead. We’re going to get him back one way or another.” He spoke with unwavering certainty.
\t“They would need him though, wouldn’t they?” Mikey piped in. Both pairs of eyes shifted over to him. “Leo is their information generator. He has to be. How else would Fake Leo be so good at pretending. Granted, the change of behavior but the only way for him to know so much about us is if they have someone close to us to get it from. He has to be alive.” He clarified.
\tIt made sense. Don mused. He could feel the air grow lighter around them with the reassuring fact that Leo was indeed alive. For now. If word got out to the imposter’s employer about their knowledge, there would be no doubt that they would find no use of Leo any longer and dispose of him. They had to play this safe.
\t“We keep silent about this until Don has figured out the location of the Unknown Caller. Afterwards we’ll work out the next course of action.” Raph ordered. Stroking his chin thoughtfully. A flurry of several emotions swirling in his eyes. None positive. Obviously struggling with keeping his anxiety in check.
\tThe two youngest nodded in understanding. Mikey turning on his heel and trudging out of the dojo. Don followed beside Raph. “Leo would be proud of you.” He praised.
\t“Would he?”
\t“Of course he would.”
\t“Even if it took me this long to figure out the truth?” The pain and anger Raph had, impressively, kept to himself began to show.
\tDon reached out and grasped Raph’s wrist before he could go any further. Stopping him right outside of the kitchen. “Do not blame yourself. Look how long it took the rest of us. No one just thinks that they are impersonated if something is wrong. This is the last thing any of us thought was the truth. Not even Splinter could see it.”
\t“I know Leo better than anyone, Don. I know every inch of him. I know things about him he never told anyone else. So why couldn’t I see the difference between them from the start?”
\t“They are extracting personal information from him to fool us.” He answered.
\tRaph shook his head. Yanking his wrist out from Don’s hold. Before he could grab him and yank him back again, the turtle already rounded the corner.
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