Chapter 11-
\tRaphael and Casey hovered over Donnie’s shoulders. Their eyes locked with his computer screen intently. Casey has managed to take a couple of sick leaves to come help them, while April stayed home, assuming he was working.
\t“So? Did you find anything?” Raph was the first to ask. Shattering the silence that conquered the lab. It had been three day’s already and Don still hasn’t drawn a conclusion yet. He understood the time and effort his brother was putting into this investigation but the wait for Raph, was excruciatingly painful.
\t“I think I have.” The words, so unexpected to him, it had taken Raph a handful of seconds before he gave a proper reaction.
\t“Wait. What? You did?” His eyes brightened a couple of shades. Not even doubting if they would be twinkling at this point. This was the best news he heard all week! They were making progress! His body tingled with anticipation to hold Leo in his arms where he could guarantee he would be trapped forever. He ordered his body to heel.
\t“You sound like you didn’t believe I would.” Don cocked an eye ridge at him.
\tRaph smirked. “I had faith little brother.” He reassured him with a squeeze to his shoulder before impatiently gesturing to the computer. “So?”
\t“It’s a weapon alright.”
\t“What kind of weapon?” Casey asked. His blue eyebrows knitted together.
\t“Judging by the material’s he purchased . . . or a few of them. I concluded he is building an EMP bomb. An Electromagnetic Pulse, capable of wiping out this entire city’s power grid. The amount of materials he ordered, plus using anything alien tech wise. He could possibly increase the range limit to destroy this entire state of anything electrical. Cars, cell phones, even USB’s could be irreparably damaged. Setting everyone back to the stone age. Not to mention the radiation poisoning hazards from the nuclear.” Both listeners gaped at him as if he grew a third eyeball on his forehead.
\t“It would take him time to build, but it’s already been three months. He could be done with most of it.”
\t“Then we have no time to waste.” Raph straightened. Hand on the handle of his sai that hung on his belt loop. Casey nodded in agreement. Already seeming ready to leave.
\t“Wait! We still have information missing!”
\t“Nak’ir is threatening to destroy New York state. Millions of lives are at stake.” Raph argued. Narrowing his eyes on Don. Danger wafting from Raph like it was his natural musk.
\t“Yeah, so would it be wise to dive head first at a very smart, very crazy alien? As soon as he feels threatened, he’ll turn the bomb on everyone.” Don countered. Not in the least bit intimidated, thanks to the twenty-six years he’s lived with him.
\t“Not if we get there before he’s finished.”
\t“Still, he’s got the most advantage here. He knows more about us than we do of him. He’s a genius. He probably has some trick up his sleeve we have yet to know about.”
\t“He doesn’t even know we know about him.”
\t“You don’t know that.”
\t“I’m tired of waiting Don. I want to stop being the coward of this fi--” As if fate had heard them and decided (for once) to help them. Mikey barged into the room, panting wildly. He gasped as he skidded to a stop in front of them. One hand clenching his knee to keep him from toppling on the floor, head first. While the other held firmly onto his t-phone . . . No, wait. That wasn’t Mikey’s t-phone.
\t“N-Nak’ir . . . M-Message from Nak’ir.” He panted out. He handed Ax’s phone to Don who quickly pulled up the text box.
\t“Don?” Raph called.
\t“Nak’ir. He’s waiting for an update from Ax.” Don answered. His eyes quickly reading the screen. Raph moved around to his side to get a look for himself. Casey on his other. Mikey, eventually, straightening up and squeezing through.
\t“Tell him all’s well.” Raph commanded. Watching silently as Don quickly typed the message. They waited for only a few agonizingly long seconds before the cheerful chime announced a reply.
\t“They haven’t discovered you, have they?”
\tDon glanced to him. “Tell him no.” He typed it in.
\t“Have you found anything useful?”
\t“Nothing I haven’t told you.”
\t“Your time is ticking. Remember what I will do to you if you fail me.”
\t“What about your relationship with Raphael? Does he still trust you?”
\tAll three pairs of eyes turned on him. It was a miracle how Raph had managed to swallow down his rage. His limbs shaking with such ferocity. The stares not helping his waning sanity. “It’s fine. Tell him, he doesn’t suspect a thing.” He forced between clenched teeth.
\tDon nodded gingerly. Taking his eyes off him and back on the screen.
\t“Good. You got one day to endure this. Then you can return.”
\t“We have to ask him about Leo!” Mikey protested.
\t“Ask him if he knows anything about Leo.” Raph pushed.
\t“I don’t see why you would need anything more.”
\t“Just curious.”
\t“No. He didn’t spill anything more. He kept silent through the whole procedure. Unless you count his screams.”
\tRaph could practically hear that malicious, cold, deranged, laugh, booming as if he was here right now. He gnashed his teeth together. Startling everyone in the room when a snarl escaped his beak. Feeling compelled to take a step back, away from him. It would be a wise decision.
\t A hand compressed around his bicep. Reminding himself to remain calm. Breathe. Breathe in . . . out. Good. He sent a grateful look Don’s way.
\t“Ask him if there’s anything else he needs.”
\t“No. At least, not yet."
\t“Ask him if Leo’s there with him.” Mikey threw in. Don glanced to Raph for confirmation. He nodded.
\t“No. He proved no more use to me. It got boring after he kept falling unconscious.”
\tBreathe. Damn it.
\t“Ask him if he’s in a cell.”
\t“He is now. He’s resting. Healing.”
\tThe room buzzed with heavy sighs of relief. Leo was still alive. Injured. But alive. Raph was conflicted if he should roar in anger for hurting Leo, or dance with joy that he was still breathing. Both, he decided. Doing just that in his practically demolished head.
\t“Raph? Anything else?” Don’s voice tugged him back to the task at hand.
\t“No. Tell him Ax will see him the day after tomorrow.”
\t“Is he?” Casey raised an eyebrow.
\tHe snorted. “Not Ax anyway.”
\t“There. Done.” Don turned off the t-phone and set it down on his desk. “So? You got a plan?”
\tRaph took a moment to consider his options. “We’ll wait.” As much as he hated that. “Don, I want you to map out the building from what we’ve learned and seen. Ax was bound to visit there at least once. Use him for anything you need help with or you can look at the old plans of the apartment. Try to figure out where he could possibly keep Leo. Mikey, you’ll help him.” Raph instructed. His voice flat and devoid of emotion. Strict and firm. Not a hint of weakness in his rock-solid stance.
\t“Mikey. Can you update Splinter?” The orange clad turtle nodded. Rushing out of the lab.
\tHe left Don to his work. Exiting the lab. Casey following close to his heels. “April doing okay?” He asked. Eyeing the troubled looking human.
\t“April’s fine. But I think she’s suspicious.”
\t“Probably from all the clinging you’ve been doing. You act like this is going to be last time you’ll ever see her.” Raph scoffed.
\t“Other than that. She’s been asking me about you and Leo all morning. As if I keep tabs on your guy’s relationship. She’s not stupid though. After two or three visits without Leo around, she’ll figure it out.”
\t“Hopefully by that time, we’ll have Leo back and Nak’ir disposed of before we have to explain.”
\t“She’s planning on visiting tomorrow while I’m at 'work'. I tried to distract her with something else, but she was very intent on having you guy’s hang with Angie.”
\t“Isn’t she afraid of Angie talking about mutant turtles as her Uncles and a giant rat as her grandfather at school?” Raph asked curiously. His arms folding across his chest.
\t“It’s preschool Raph. People expect toddlers to have such imaginations. Besides, she still has one or two years left before she must start. April wants her to be more exposed and used to you guy’s. She’s hoping that with enough visits, Angie can understand sooner about the rules between humans and mutants.”
\t“Or she will not understand anything because she likes us and thinks everybody else can to.”
\tCasey sighed. A hand working the back of his neck. “You guys are family. April wants you to be a part of her life. She doesn’t want her to grow in fear of monsters, aliens, and mutants. Not like April and I were.”
\t“You got used to us.”
\t“Never said I liked your creepy mutant body’s though. Just dealt with it.”
\tRaph chuckled. A slow almost half-hearted smile slinking across his face. It was getting harder, he noticed. Harder to fake a smile. Making it nearly impossible to truly smile.
\t“You’re just jealous of my handsomeness.” Raph elbow Casey teasingly.
\t“Uh-oh. Leo’s been feeding your ego, hasn’t he? Your head will soon be too big to fit through doorway’s.” Raph huffed out a laugh. It was false. His ego was deflated like a sad balloon, without Leo here for three months to fill it up. He missed it. Missed giving it to him.
\t“Raph?”
\tThe sudden dramatic switch from Casey’s light, joking tone, to a low, serious one was enough to drag Raph’s gaze back to him and peak his interest.
\t“Yeah?”
\t“I considered asking Mikey instead, since . . . you know. He’s the only one not kidnapped yet.”
\tRaph shook his head. “If it’s about Nak’ir, talk to me about it. I don’t want Mikey or Don having to face him more than they have to.”
\t“You sure?”
\t“Yes. I can handle it. I’ve dreamt worse than I can speak.”
\tHe could see Casey hesitate in his cinnamon brown eyes. He nodded anyway. “I don’t actually know anything about Nak’ir. I fell into a coma during your kidnapping and I woke up when you were rescued. After that, you three were in trauma and Leo and the robot were too distracted by your recovery to answer anything for me. All I know is Nak’ir was the sole member of the Court of Daiphus. There used to be six members that ran the entire society. It was said that five of them went missing; Nak’ir being the only one left to run the government.”
\t“Uh-huh. That’s because he killed all five of them selfishly so he could have the right hand always. He couldn’t establish the laws he wanted without the other five’s approval. Or at least three more. But they didn’t agree to his way of thinking. So, before they could kick him out, Nak’ir got rid of them one at a time. Each ‘mysteriously’ vanishing off the face of the planet. The citizens couldn’t find any evidence of him killing them. No one ever found the bodies or a trace of blood, so they had nothing to accuse him of. They did have riots though. People who were loyal and supportive of the court, threatened to call out war but Nak’ir had grown too strong. He had taken control of the army and slaughtered half of the population during the war. Nak’ir used the remaining survivors as blood slaves. Those who hadn’t died or betrayed him propagated and rebuilt the nation.”
\t“Once everything had fallen back to order, he had gathered an organization of people that carried out the laws he makes. Like a police force. Anybody that went against his laws were immediately arrested to him and he would basically do to them as he did to us. He had kept it a secret for years. Eventually, when his evil started appearing publicly. The people were just too scared to do anything about it.” Raph explained as he hunted through his memories. Checking to see if he had left anything out. There was a moment of silence that stretched on and on as Casey processed everything.
\t“Until we came along and destroyed it all. We started another war on that world. Well . . . you guys did. I was out of commission sadly. Couldn’t have any piece of the fun.”
\tRaph chuckled. “You did that to yourself.”
\t“For April . . . A lot of good that did.” Casey scowled. A dark veil hooding his eyes.
\t“You saved April by jumping in front of a would-have-killed-her blow. You somehow survived it. Don’t know how.” Raph mumbled the last part.
\t“And then set her up for a fate filled with suffering.” Casey growled. The sound low and dark. Ice seeming to crystallize in his eyes. Raph frowned. He wouldn’t allow his best friend to sink himself into that dark pit of guilt, sorrow, and hopelessness he often found himself in. It was a horrible place and he didn’t want company.
\t“A fate she probably will always have nightmares for. But a fate where she also has a husband who loves her and a child. She still lives and breathes to experience these gifts with you, bonehead. She’s smiling today because of you.” Raph the punched the man in the arm.
\tCasey stared at him intently. The corners of his lips quirking into a grateful smile. “Wow. Never thought I’d hear you ever be that sappy.”
\tRaph scoffed. Rolling his eyes. “You have a lot more things to be thankful for than I do. I’m not allowing you to blame yourself for any of it.”
\tCasey was the next to frown. “You have a pretty sweet family Raph. I mean yeah, you can’t have the pleasantries of walking around whenever, wherever, and having kids and stuff. But I grew up in a broken home. You grew up with three loving brothers and a none abusive father.”
\tRaph nodded his head in agreement. That was true, he’ll admit as much. But even with the adventurous story, one of them had the happier ending. That mattered the most to him.
\tTired of the direction the conversation was going, he quickly switched topics. “Are you sure you want to stick around?” He knew Casey got what he was implying. The human bit his lip. Glancing around the room first before refocusing on him.
\t“Yeah, I’m sure. You had all the fun the last time.”
\t“April is going to be pissed . . . at both of us.”
\t“April, isn’t going to find out.” Casey poked his chest. Smiling as his eyes jerked to the entrance when the turnstiles squeaked. “And speak of the devil.”
\t“Hey April.” Raph greeted. Kneeling to little kid level. His arms outstretched and welcomed as Angie quickly ran into them.
\t“Hey babe. What’cha you doing here?” He could hear Casey above him.
\t“I was about to ask you that. Work finished early?” April asked.
\t“Yeah. Wanted to ask Raph to borrow some tools. I think my motorcycle is acting up again.”
\t“I told you just to bring it to the shop. You’re going to end up breaking the thing and having to buy a new one.”
\t“And spend all that money on payments when I can just fix it myself? Don’t worry Ape, I know what I’m doing. I fixed my Uncles car plenty of times.”
\tRaph’s attention fell in and out of the discussion between the couple. “So why are you here April?”
\t“Oh yeah, decided to come by for a visit. Is Leo here?” She asked, turning to Raph.
\t“Uh, he’s taking a bath.” Raph answered. “Is there something you need?”
\t“Well, I just wanted to ask him for a favor. Evie, got into a fight at the park today.”
\t“What?” Both turtle and man said in unison. Raph peeled the little girl off him. Pulling back the ball cap that hid her face from view. Sure enough, there was a red mark surrounding her left eye and cheek. It was going to be a black eye there for a few days.
\t“How did that happen?” Casey turned to April. Struggling to keep the outrage out of his voice.
\t“A boy was being mean.” Angie muttered. Her walnut colored eyes pooling with tears.
\t“To you?” Raph asked her. Cupping her flushed plump cheeks, wiping away the stray tears that dampened them with his thumbs.
\tApril shook her head. “No. To someone else. I was sitting on the other side of the playground castle, so I didn’t see what was going on until they started fighting. Evie stepped in and--”
\t“Punched him in face.” Angie finished slowly for her mother. Her guilt was clear as she sniffled. Her head hung, hiding herself in her uncle’s chest.
\t“She did?” Casey’s mouth involuntarily curled in a lopsided grin. April glared it away.
\t“Yes, she did. The boy ended up having a bloody nose. Unfortunately, he struck back and hit her. I somehow managed to keep the crazy mother from suing me.”
\t“She threatened to sue you?” There came back his rage.
\t“Yes, but the mother of the kid the boy was picking on had grabbed a nearby cop and dragged him over. There was this huge argument going on. The women were hysterical. It was a mess.” April waved her hand around to emphasize. Blowing her bangs to the side. “I somehow managed to slip out of there thirty minutes later. I brought Evie home and iced her eye. We went for ice cream afterwards and she wanted to see you guys. So, here we are.”
\t“So what does that have to do with Leo?” Raph asked. His curiosity overshadowing the idea of getting rid of April. Plus, Angie refused to cease her strangling him. She stuck like Velcro.
\t“Well, since Evie is already walking and talking. I wanted to see if Leo or one of you guys would like to teach her some self-defense before she had to go to preschool. I want her to know how to avoid conflict but I also want her to be able to defend herself if she finds herself in one.”
\t“Leo would love that.” Honestly, he would. Raph could practically see the bright smile and excitement in those lovely twin pools of sapphire. He would have made the training fun and educational. Angie would adore Leo as her Sensei.
\t“Sounds like a great idea April.” Casey smiled. Slinging an arm around his wife’s shoulders. “Maybe tomorrow morning you can drop her off and they can start.”
\tA gloom cloaked Raphael. He would have to take over the training instead. Don’t get him wrong, as much as he liked the idea of teaching his niece. He would have liked it more if he saw Leo doing it.
\t“Is that okay with you Raph?”
\tRaph nodded. Dismissing the melancholy feeling from himself. “I will talk to Leo about it tonight.” Sadly, that was a lie.
\t“Thank you so much Raph. Oh, Casey we must go. The neighbors are coming over to dinner.”
\t“What? Tonight? Why?”
\t“Yes tonight, and because I invited them. Come on, I’m going to need your help. Evie?”
\tReluctantly, Angie lifted her head up. Her tears had finally evaporated. Raph smiled and nodded to the girl. Assuring her that no one was mad at her. Casey walked over.
\t“This is good. This will take your mind off all that pent-up stress inside you.” Casey murmured next to his ear.
\t“I suppose.”
\t“Casey, let’s go! You can come back tomorrow!”
\t“You do really make me feel better about my life in the sewers.” Raph teased. Handing Angie over.
\t“Ha. Ha. Real funny. You wish you were me.” Casey said dryly.
\t“Casey!” April shouted from the turnstiles.
\t“You’re probably right about that.” Casey huffed out. Propping his daughter on his hip. He turned and jogged back to April. “I’m coming babe. Don’t get your sexy lacey pink panties in a wad.” She grumbled at him. Snatching Angie and walking out. Shouting a goodbye behind her. He sent a wink at Raph over his shoulder before following suite.
\tRaph carried the tray full of breakfast over to the dojo. Mixture of feelings pumping his blood hot. He couldn’t decide if he was happy it was his turn to deliver the breakfast to the prisoner since he could possibly find more answers or if he was mad cause he would have to see Ax again. Ax that looked like a Leo that wasn’t his. Hear a Leo’s voice that spits insults and curses at him like fire. Never in his life did he think he would hear some of these obscenity’s coming out of Leo’s voice.
\tHe isn’t Leo. He is someone else. His image is tricking you. Don’t ever forget that. He reminded himself. Taking a deep breath before entering the dojo.
\tHis eyes immediately zeroed in on Ax. His body was in the same position. His arms, tied to the arms of the chair. His legs to its legs. His head hung, keeping his face out of view. So, quiet he was he almost mistaken him for sleeping. Almost.
\tHe easily could tell the difference. Ax sleeping provided a peace and comfortable silence around him. Awake; a heavy fog of evil and hatred seeped out of his pores and crowded the room. Chilling anyone who entered, and that’s what he was feeling right now. He didn’t need April’s psychic sense to be able to feel what he was feeling. The guy was very good at making sure everyone was aware of him.
\tRaph walked up to him. Setting down the tray at his feet. He batted down the anger that threatened to surge in him. Down boy. You will remain calm.
\t“You going to feed me?” The smug, taunting tone had a mix of vindictive and wrongness to it. The voice would fit much better with a demon than Leo, he mused. His compassionate, even-tempered, dorky, amusing in a quirky way, and sexy as sin, Leo.
\t“No.” Raph replied evenly. He could either get one of his brothers to do it or Ax could figure it out himself, but there was no way in this life time he was going to hand feed this piece of junk.
\t“What’s the point of bringing it to me then?”
\tRaph shrugged. “Maybe to torture you.”
\t“Good luck with that. It’s not like I haven’t danced this dance before. Starvation is in my nature.”
\t“Well, if you die from it, it won’t be skin off my nose.”
\t“Your brothers have been asking a lot of questions.” He switched topics. “Let me guess, you’re trying to map out the place in hopes it would simplify your rescue mission.” It took a good portion of his strength to not punch the grin that claimed his lips.
\t“Well prepare yourself. I want my own answers.” Raph leaned forward. One hand on each side of Ax’s chair. Pinning the turtle with an intense stare that he should be able to delve within him. He forced himself not to grin when he saw how uneasy Ax began to look.
\t“How do you do it?” It wasn’t a question this time. It was a command. There was no hint of wonder in Raph’s voice or eyes. No curiosity like before. He wanted to know and he was going to today.
\t“I told you. It’s a secret.”
\tA pregnant silence that lasted a dreadfully long minute before Raph pushed himself back up. Walking out of the room.
\tAx blinked at the closed door. He wanted to laugh at the lack of effort. He wanted to crumble at the adrenaline rush. He did neither. Just sat as still as a statue. Gaping at the door. To his surprise and despair, Raph came back. His expression blank and emotionless as before. Giving nothing away. He stalked up to him like a predator to its prey. His hands hidden behind his back. Did he bring something?
\t“I’m going to ask you one last time. How did you do it?”
\tAx clenched the arms of his chair. The roped burning and sawing a few layers into his skin. He leaned in close till they were nose to nose. He refused to coward. “Eat shit and die.”
\tNot even a twitch. “Very well then.”
\t
\t
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