Chapter 13-
	“Well?” Raphael walked through the door of Don’s laboratory. Every weapon he could possibly fit was strapped onto his body. Today was the day they were going to rescue Leo. He didn’t care if they weren’t ready or if something else had come up. In fact, he had a feeling Nak’ir would always have an advantage on them, but he was tired of waiting. He didn’t want Leo to suffer another day. He was taking him home today, no matter what.
	Master Splinter was on his tail. Wanting to hear their plan for himself. He had decided to stay here to guard Ax ‘honatain. 
	His two youngest siblings looked over at them. Gear strapped to them just as heavily as he. Determination scented the room, cutting through their fog of despair that often loomed over them.
	“We got a map.” Don announced. Waving around the rolled-up construction paper in his hand. Moving over to the table that was cleaned of the usual books and boxes of junk, he flattened it out.
	Squares took over the entire page. The layout of the building an “L” shape. Numbers and the letter C was written on each individual room, he immediately guessed meant the holding cells, none larger than 400 square feet. There was a couple of blank rooms that no one could decipher and larger room that could take up three cells that said “Laboratory.” Taking a right turn, at the end of the hall, another room about the size of the cells was marked, “Torture room.”
	“We figured everything was laid out the same way as the first three levels. We tweaked a few things based on Ax’s description, such as the laboratory, which we guessed he just knocked down the walls for.” Don explained. Raph batted down the urge to comment that Ax wasn’t that reliable of a source and remained silent as he listened.
	“We are 99.9% sure that this is the cell Nak’ir is keeping Leo.” Mikey pointed to C15. The room right next to the Torture chamber.
	“Why that room?”
	“Because, according to Ax, Nak’ir likes to keep him near at all times and since the torture room would most likely be his favorite place, he would keep him in a cell nearby.” Don reasoned out.
	Skepticism poked at Raph’s brain. “That’s where the 1% takes part.”
	“Well I’m not always right. There is a possible chance he moved him, but Ax had said this was the cell he had to go into when he last seen Leo.”
	“How do you know he’s not lying?” Raph asked. Glancing up from the paper to stare at the two. Don and Mikey shared a glimpse at each other.
	“We don’t.” Mikey murmured. “But this is the only thing we got.”
	No arguing with that logic. This was better than nothing. “What about what he’s building?”
	“It’s definitely in the laboratory. Ax wasn’t able to say anything since he wasn’t allowed to see it himself, but the lab is the only place big enough to hold a missile of that size.”
	“So what’s the plan?” Mikey asked. All eyes went on Raph and he mentally cursed. Not able to wait to have Leo back in the leader position. He studied the map thoroughly. Their only entrance was the roof, so they were going to have to work their way down. Luckily enough, the first two upper levels were abandon. The ground level is when they were going to have to start sneaking. He didn’t want to battle through the guards and have them weakened when they encounter Nak’ir and even then, they might need more reinforcements to take him down. The guy was tricky and certainly not helpless. They wouldn’t be able to fight him, destroy the EMP bomb, and escape all at once. They would have to come back afterwards and finish Nak’ir themselves. The bomb was their top priority now.
	He mulled over the plan. Smoothed out any wrinkles he had and quickly thought up a plan B just in case before nodding with satisfaction. Turning to the others who waited patiently for him. He smiled. Quickly explaining his plan. 
	“Does that sound okay Sensei?” The three turned to their father. The old rat wrung his hands, heaving an edged sigh. His ears flattening against his head. He was worried for them.
	“It seems a stable plan Raphael.” He finally spoke after a moment of hesitation.
	Raph offered a confident smile in hopes it would comfort his father. He did have everything in control. He wouldn’t allow anything else, for Leo’s sake. The three quickly double checked to make sure they had all their supply’s and headed out of the lab. Raph had texted Nak’ir, telling him that Ax was on his way. He bought it easily. It was reassuring to know that the surprise was still in their favor. 
	He turned to Splinter. “We will bring Leo back, Sensei. I promise.”
	The rat smiled at him. A gentle touch to those ebony eyes. “I know Raphael. I have faith.” Dang, how he wanted a slice of that.
	“We’ll be back before dawn.” With that, he followed his brothers trail out of the safe confines of their home. 

	Leonardo groaned as his lids tiredly peeled back. Once again, being greeted by a dark, half rotted ceiling. He could see stems and leaves of vines and weeds breaking into his cell between the cracks. How ironic. He wanted to break out. Yet, even weeds had better luck than him at reaching their goal. There was not one scrape of sunlight to tell him the time. He had no idea if he awoken in the day or night. What he wouldn’t give to feel the warmth of the raise of the sun. Feel the grass on his feet. Smell fresh, slightly tainted air with the scent of nearby restaurants in the middle of dinner rush.
	He moaned. Not from pleasure, of course. Never that. But from pain. Pain that not once failed to welcome him every time he became conscious. Pain that even snuck in his dreams. Not once since he had gotten here, had he felt peace. He couldn’t even remember what peace felt like anymore. Pain had become second nature to him. He knew all kinds of it. Mental pain. Hunger pain. Dehydration pain. Muscle cramps. Headaches. Nausea. Stings. Pounds. Throbs. Agony. You name it. He had probably felt them all in one sitting.
	Slowly. Oh, so slowly. He pushed himself up, wincing at each move he made. He didn’t know how he looked like. Hadn’t seen a mirror in three months, but he could guess he looked horrible. He didn’t even want to think of how he looked like under the bandages that wrapped him from head to toe. He didn’t even dare peek. Wasn’t even remotely curious. He knew he looked monstrous.
	I should have died. Leo thought sourly. Disappointment swelling inside him. The wounds should have been infected long ago. He should have gotten ill in a snap. Should have been long dead, but of course, he wasn’t. Of course, fate just wanted him to keep living like this. Suffering day by day.
	He wanted to die!
	Silence occupied his hollow mind. His hands fisting as tears welled up and leaked. Wetting the bandages and stinging the wounds on his cheeks.
	No . . . no, he didn’t.
	Even with the pain. He wanted to live. He wanted to escape. Get back to his family. Get back to Raph.
	Memory’s flooded him. Images of Raph in a cage smaller than this one. Stained in red all over his body. A leg missing. Fingers gone. Skin over bones. His emerald eyes wet and swelled. Open wounds occupying any skin remaining, and even through all that. He was happy to see him. Overjoyed. He actually sobbed tears of relief. He never saw him cry. Not like that. “I knew you’d come back for me.” He remembered Raph had said with a feeble choked voice. 
	It had amazed him how fast he recovered. It took almost six months of healing. Physical therapy. Mental comfort. Tons of emotional trauma they had to deal with but they pulled through. They always pulled through.
	He can to. 
	This was how he always got through day’s where he wanted to finish himself off. He thought of Raph, Don, and April who had already gone through this. Had survived. He clung to those memories of holding Raph tight when he had gotten him back. Kissed and touched him anywhere he could, constantly reminding himself that this wasn’t a dream. It was memories like that, that kept him from sinking into that dark pit that lured his mind. 
	He wondered if Raph got his message. They tortured him for information. Personal information. He still didn’t completely understand why, but he figured it was for his family. Why else would they need that? That had to be why they weren’t here to rescue him because they somehow tricked them into believing he was fine. How, he still didn’t know, but he tested his luck and made up a memory. Hoping it would come back to them and they would fight off whatever it is.
	Now, if all went well. It was just a matter of time before they would arrive. Right?
	He didn’t dare grasp onto the hope that dangled in front of his face so alluringly. He didn’t want to be let down. The last thing he needed was a crushed soul on top of his already crushed body. 
	Despite his thoughts, a warmth he hadn’t felt in ages swam through his veins. Warming him up to the tips of his toes.
	He glanced over at the tray that was placed in the corner of the room filled with three days old breakfast. Most of it had probably hit their expiration dates and rotted. He grounded his teeth together as he slid his way over to it. Grabbing up a piece of bread and sniffing it. Eyeing it suspiciously. It was most likely moldy but it was either that or the meat and he didn’t dare touch that, even if it was fresh. He knew where that meat came from. No cows were slaughtered in the making. Just tons and tons of innocent humans. 
	Leo felt himself get nauseas as he wondered what part of the human victim was this slab of meat sitting in front of him. So temptingly. 
	He growled in disgust with himself. Shaking his head. Snarling next at his stomach when it gurgled hungrily at the smell of the food. He cringed when the starvation pains gnawed on his stomach. He never felt the pain until they bring the food, then his stomach started acting up. Begging him to eat it. Eat what could have possibly been a person’s leg or intestines. 
	Leo turned away. Quickly pushing the sickening thoughts in the dark corners of his mind. He studied the bread in his hand. Closing his eyes, he shoved the moldy thing into his mouth. Chewing. Chewing. Swallowing. He shuddered. Grabbing ahold of the orange juice and tossing it back just as quickly. Ignoring the sour flavor that coated his tongue and cherished the feeling of the cool liquid crashing into his stomach. Though it stung like a bitch from the acid in the juice against his raw throat. It quenched his thirst like a dream. 
	He coughed, setting the glass back on the tray as he leaned against the wall. It wasn’t nearly enough to sate his raging need for nutriment, but it was enough to sooth the hunger pains a little. He allowed himself to savor that small amount of peace before he hunched over and upchucked everything he just devoured. He had eaten too quickly, upsetting his already agitated stomach.
	A sob broke out through Leo’s lips. Curses flying out left and right from him that would have given a sailor a run for his money. 
	“Stupid! Stupid! Stupid stomach!” He howled. His gravelly voice echoing down the halls. His pitiful weeps cut off by another round of dry heaves.
	Once that finally passed, he curled up into a fetal ball in the corner of the room. Wishing their mutation hadn’t screwed up their ability to hide in their shells. They used to as toddlers but their legs had grown too long and their arms too wide to only get halfway. 
	He stared off into the dark ruins of the used to be apartment. Every other room that lead off from the living room had been boarded up, including the window. The furniture hauled out, leaving an impressively wide space for a cell. Parts of the floor boards had been ripped out of the ground while other places held their shapes but were covered in an inch layer of dirt. The wallpaper too rotten to even imagine what they might have looked like in their golden years. They were probably flimsy enough he could have shoved himself straight through it, unfortunately, Nak’ir kept their prisoners too weak to even think about such an act. The ceiling appeared about ready to collapse on top of him. Most of it already crumbled away.
	Another string of sobs fled from him. He was so weak. So, hungry. So, thirsty. So, in pain. He wanted to go home. That was all he wanted now. Was that so much to ask?
	He could hear a pain filled shriek far off into the distance. He could never tell if it was a man or a woman. It was amazing how many octaves higher a man’s voice can go when amid terror and agony. 
	Another scream transpired shortly after the other had trailed off into silence. Closer this time. Just down the hall. The difference with this one was that it was filled with rage and insanity instead of hurt. You could tell from the sound alone, there wasn’t a rational mind behind the voice. Soon it was accompanied by the sound of the cell door bashing against its hinges. Followed by another crazed scream. And another. And another.
	Soon the whole hallway was filled with the ruckus of screams and banging.
	Leo couldn’t shut it out as he had wanted to. He had heard these sounds many times but not once had he been successful in conquering them. The sounds demanded his attention. His body trembled with rage, sorrow, and hatred. He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t fight the battles these people had already lost. With any strength he had left, he threw his head back and screamed.

	Leo slowly awoke to the same feeling as before. Nothing new. Nothing special. An almost deafening silence overwhelmed the large, empty room. Making him shiver in discomfort. Again, nothing new. It was just too quiet and he liked it as much as he liked the screams. Ironic, considering he was screaming like a banshee in the midst of the rest of the people that had lost their wits long ago.
	That thought alone, terrified him.
	He could remember losing the ability to control himself. He could recall feeling a dark cloud fog up his brain and any reasonable thoughts from him. He remembered feeling a sudden heavy weight collapse on top of him, embracing him. Shoving him at the edge of his sanity and tempting him with the pleasure of no longer caring. Not for anything, not for anyone, including himself. Oh, how close he had gotten. His fingers had clasped on the doorknob to madness and he found himself wanting to open it. Feeling the glue holding the seams of him together slowly falling apart. 
	What had stopped him? He couldn’t remember that much. Whatever it was, he was grateful to.
	However, back into his rational mind, he was bombarded with worry on the next time. Next time, when such a temptation presented itself to him, bigger and better than before, would he be able to pull himself away or would he just fall into the abyss of that evil without giving it a second thought?
	Leo felt his eyes sting and wondered if dirt was kicked up into the air as he wiped at his eye with his bandaged wrapped finger. 
	His nose wrinkled at the sickly stench of his own vomit in the other side of the room. He gagged, trying to shift as far away from the lumpy puddle as possible. Burying his face into his legs, but that proved just as useless as escaping. His breath held the same stink. He attempted to hold it till black spider webs stretched across his vision and he happily welcome them. Praying he would fall back unconscious.
	He was getting better, he noticed. He was moving now and it was only a matter of time before he would be able to walk and as much as he liked not being a paralyzed lump on the ground. He felt dread clasp at his heavy heart. As soon as Nak’ir knew about his improved health, he will instantly find him entertaining again. He couldn’t pretend for long either. He had experienced his good side already. He hated the thought of encountering his bad side.
	Fear rocked Leo’s body and he despised it with all his aching being. He was a ninja! A strong, skilled, warrior, who fought battle after battle alongside his brothers and remaining victorious. Until Nak’ir. Ever since they landed on his planet and everything went to hell. It was debatable at first for him, but now there was no doubt about it that Nak’ir was far worse than Shredder. Shredder had been a madman yes, but he hadn’t killed in cold blood. That was his mistake. He wanted to kill them in battle and had allowed them (multiple times) to go free and face him in his own twisted version of honor. He wanted vengeance and power and in the middle, he had become blinded with his own arrogance. He was lost in his emotions and it had distracted him. Leading him to his down fall. Albeit, it did show a small shred of humanity in the poor bastard.
	Nak’ir was an entirely different case. He put a new definition to insane. He was a psychopath through and through. He didn’t have a single care for anyone in that cold, stone, heart. He would have slaughtered his own mother for the fun of it if he hadn’t already. His personality callus and incapable of loving, guilting, shaming, or embarrassment. Honor had no meaning in his vocabulary. In fact, Leo wouldn’t be surprised if he hadn’t even heard the word before. Lying was the easiest of things for him. Take their first encounter as an example of that. They hadn’t noticed any difference in him till the last minute. He had acted so casual, actually charming, and flippant. He pulled off the image of a great ruler over a noble land, perfectly. So much, they should have all been put into his cages and delivering him his enjoyment one at a time, if it weren’t for April’s psychic ability. 
	Even their violence was different. Shredder tortured them with a smile as well, but he didn’t do it as much for his delight as he did for teaching them a lesson. He did it to put them in their places. If he could, he would have used them as his minions or slaves. They had to have a purpose to his success over power or he would have disposed of them for good.
	Nak’ir only did it for the pleasure it gave him. An excitement to him. A thrill. He was not interested in their uses or abilities. Not even the differences in their anatomy peeked his interest. Only in the way their blood dribbled from their wounds. Or how deep a knife can go before it hits bone. Or how long he could get his victims to scream before unconsciousness. He could reuse the same victim over and over again before offing with them and getting a new one.  Their use was to satisfy his cravings. Nothing more. Nothing less. 
	Shredder wanted to enslave them. Nak’ir ate them.
	The scariest thing about Nak’ir was that he did think. He knows how to plan ahead. He can make realistic goals and follow through till the end. He had other plans when A goes awry. He’s a genius with knowledge of many things Don would envy to know. Don at least had a large connection with the world and the secrets it holds. While Nak’ir somehow severed his connection from reality and emotions altogether. 
	Shredder and Nak’ir did have things in common though. Such as the overconfidence and selfishness. Pathologic egocentricity. 
	Now Leo wished he was fighting Shredder instead. At least he had his brothers fighting with him at the time. He hadn’t felt like a worthless scrap of meat that cowers in the corner. He had felt strong. Brave. Determined. 
	That’s how he should be! He was Hamato Leonardo, damn it!
	He was no toy for anyone!
	As if the heavens caught his angered cry’s, he heard the creak of the cell door behind him.
	“Leo?”
	His heart lurched against his ribs and for a few long agonizing seconds, he forgotten how to breath. His blood rushed through him hard, pumping in his ears. It was too good to be true. It had to be a dream! Hesitantly, Leo turned around and saw the source of his thoughts, standing tall and strong in the doorway of his cell. A relief look washing over that beautiful pine green face. Those emerald eyes lighting up with happiness.
	“Raph . . .” Leo’s voice was raspy and breathy with astonishment and joy. Oh, the joy! 
	
	They repeated their same course of actions as before. Sneaking onto the rooftop of the abandoned building and working their way down the two levels onto the first floor. Thankfully, nothing had changed. Same guards assigned the same position. Same weapons. Nobody knew anything of them. A hint of relief swept through him as they made their way down to the basement. Raph could feel his muscles bunching up the farther underground they descended. The little bit of moonlight that had shined through the window on the upper level could no long reach them. Their only source of a light was their flashlight and an occasional lamp at each turn of the stairs. Why did it feel like they were sinking farther into the chasms of hell?
	Finally, they reached the bottom. Pushing through the door to another hallway. Don was right. The layout was the same as the upper levels. Half rotted, stained floral carpets. Peeling wallpaper and flickering dim lights on the walls next to each door. Except the doors had been replaced with thick steel. Only a tiny barred window on the upper half of the door as an opening. Giving the whole jail house feel to it. Or more accurately. An asylum. 
	Mikey peeked through a few of the windows but found most of them were empty. “I would think Nak’ir would have more victims lying around. Considering, he went through all the trouble of replacing the doors.” Mikey stated. Peeking through the next window. His stomach dropped as he found his answer. A naked, skeletal like man, sat curled up in the corner of the cell. Mud and blood caked his pale, thin, skin.  Hugging his knees to his chest and rocking slowly back and forth. His eyes buggy and crazy as he mumbled incoherently to himself. 
	Mikey took a step back. Swallowing thickly. “Never mind.” He quickly rushed to his brother’s sides. The man’s insane eyes now etched into his memory. He hated this place. He prayed Leo didn’t look like that.
	“To the right. Down the hall is the torture chamber.” Don informed as he studied his sketched map.
	“What about these rooms?” Mikey pointed to the three doors that were only wooden.
	“That has to be the laboratory. The EMP bomb should be in there. Should we take a look?” Don suggested. Glancing over at Raph for insight.
	Raph eyed the three doors uncertainly. He wanted to keep looking for Leo but they had to find the bomb first before they escaped or otherwise New York was screwed. Not much of a choice was there? He nodded, walking up to the first door. It wasn’t locked he realized as he opened it. The rusted hinges squeaking in protest as he silently slunk into the dark room. His brothers close at his side. Raph flashed his light around the area, surprised by the size of it. The walls that had separated the rooms had indeed, been torn down. Shelves that reached the ceiling had been built along the walls. Stacked with jars that held pieces of bodies in liquid he couldn’t identify. Going from humans, to animals, to different species he hadn’t yet seen before. He stomachs flipped as that sickness bloomed within him. Judging by the gasps and heaves behind him, the other two were feeling the same as well.
	He crept farther into the room. Fighting back the urge to hurl the more he looked. Next to the shelves, abandon fridges had been moved into the apartments and pressed against the wall. He didn’t have to open them to guess what was in them. Curiosity wasn’t an issue for him. In fact, it took a lot in him not to listen to the voice in his head as it told him to turn tail and run.
	On the other side of the room, a chalkboard hung. Chalk scribbles of mathematical formulas Raph couldn’t make heads or tails of, on it. But despite the uneasy feeling of the room. Don was already there. Scratching down the equations. Raph gaped at him.
	“You brought a notebook?”’
	Don didn’t part his gaze from the board. “I always do.”
	Raph rolled his eyes. Continuing, with Mikey pressing close to his side. At least he wasn’t wandering off this time. Raph stared over at the chemistry set. Viles, flasks, and test tubes filled with odd colored liquid he didn’t want to know about. As well as other uniquely shaped machines he couldn’t put a name to nor could he describe, sat on the counters. A couple of stolen computers and laptops were hooked up and working on a separate desk, cluttered with papers. Sticky notes of all the colors produced were taped to the wall surrounding the desk with more equations. He suddenly felt like a child who still hadn’t learn his English.
	At the far-left corner, Raph shined his light on a gigantic object hidden under a thick cover. “Is this is?” Raph walked over to it. Slipping his hand under the fabric and feeling skin meeting cold hard metal. “Mikey, help me.”
	He didn’t even have to say it. Mikey was already at his side clenching a piece of the cover. Both tossed it to the floor, revealing a twenty-one-foot-long missile. 
	“Duuude! I didn’t think it would be this big.” Mikey’s voice held awe and surprise in it. Don walked up to their side. Nodding thoughtfully.
	“Oh, yes, definitely.” He didn’t sound in the least bit shocked as the rest of them felt, but Raph could tell he was interested, judging by how his eyes drank up the sight of the weapon. “If he wants to succeed in the length of the pulse effects reach, he would need it large. My expectations were a little longer than this, honestly.”
	“How on earth are we going to prevent this thing from exploding?” Raph asked, incredulously. His hands gesturing wildly to the missile.
	“I’m going to have to go into the missile itself manually and remove the battery and power supply. Without that, it won’t be able to go anywhere nor detonate.” Don explained, allowing the bag with his tools to drop to the ground.
	“So you can’t just cut the red or green wire?” Mikey asked.
	“I could try that but it’s too risky on such a large bomb. If there is an inductor in the circuit and a substantial current; cutting the wire could result in a voltage spike and create a spark. I would have suggested cutting the power of the timer or the controller device but most likely Nak’ir would keep it with him and for all we know he could have a second spare. Or heck, maybe a third. It would just be safer and faster to take the main power source out. It would certainly take more time to replace than a simple controller.”
	“How do you know this isn’t all alien technology Don? I mean, he did purchase a few of the materials here, but what if there’s some sort of mega-complex, advanced tech inside it?” Raph asked next.
	Don frowned. “I don’t. But we don’t have many options left.”
	“That’s right. You don’t.” A dead gravelly voice that reminded Raph of a smoker, joined the conversation. A voice they all knew well. Lights flickered on. Chasing away the shadows to the tight crevices of the room. Raph cringed and blinked rapidly at the bright lights.
	He felt dread turn his stomach to lead. His palms growing clammy. The sound itself enough to shoot acid up and burn a hole in his throat. Slowly he turned to look at the source of his nightmares.
	Stunned to find a normal human being standing casually before him. Not a seven-foot lean alien creature as he had remembered. Albeit, still freakishly large. Reaching about 6’8”. The guy was reasonably handsome, with light brown hair, licked with white at the roots. Heavy eyebrows that hooded wild amber eyes. He stared down a long nose at them, that subtly curved at the tip and pink thin lips that curled into a non-friendly smile. Stubbles peppered around his mouth, along his jawline, and down his neck. Laugh lines taking territory in between his brows, corners of his eyes and mouth. He could have mistaken him for an average man if it weren’t for the enormous amount of blood splattered on him and the uh . . . the . . .
	Raph’s eyes and no doubt, his brothers, widened in terror and repugnance at his wear.
	He sported a mint green scaly skin coat. The edges were shredded. No sleeves and reached down to his knees. Tied across his waist by a strip of matching skin. 
	“Oh god . . .” He heard Don speak behind him. His voice muffled, he guessed, by his hand. Raph was impressed. He couldn’t seem to mutter a single syllable. 
	“I see your sights have been drawn to my new coat. It’s a quite lovely color, don’t you think? A little rough around the edges but it keeps in the warmth.” The dirt bag had the nerve to outstretch his arms and spin in a circle, showing off the full length of the coat as if he was producing a product. A remorseless grin stretching the corners of his lips. His eyes twinkling with amusement. He was enjoying every second of this. “Yes, Leonardo has been very useful to me. Extremely entertaining, he is.”
	Red spots bled into his vision, Raph’s body quaking violently. His hands itching to wrap around Nak’ir’s throat and strangle the life out of him . . . No. That would be too nice. He deserved a slow, torturous, death. “You bastard!” Raph growled low. Almost demonic. Dangerous. “I’m going to kill you!” 
	Nak’ir grinned. Laughed. “That would be a change.”
	Raph palmed his sais before he even realized he had unsheathed them. His knuckles bleached of color as he clenched the weapon tightly. With a roar of fury, he charged his opponent. A gleam reflected off a knife Nak’ir had pulled out, smoothly dodging his strike. Raph clenched his jaw, spinning around to swing his weapons in hopes of meeting flesh. Nak’ir weaved out of the way again, a calm look frying Raphael’s patience to ash. To his surprise, Nak’ir spun back around, knocking him a good few feet away with a round kick.
	“I see you’ve acquired a new leg, and your fingers have returned.” Nak’ir chuckled as he observed the prosthetic limbs. 
	Raph glared hot razers at him. He rolled over and swept his leg right under the man’s feet. He hit the ground with a thud. Raph scrambled back up, retrieving his fallen weapons. 
	His brothers snapped out of their dazed states and unsheathed their weapons. Running into attack. Nak’ir rolled away from them. Jumping up to his feet in the blink of an eye. Laughing joyously. He was enjoying this!
	Don quickly recovered, spinning his bow around in a blur of brown and purple. Stabbing Nak’ir in the gut and shoving him out of range. He lunged forward, swinging his bow for a side strike. Nak’ir caught it, yanking the turtle to him, he stabbed the knife in his left arm. Don howled.
	Nak’ir wrenched the blade from the punctured flesh, aiming the weapon and throwing it at the two other reptiles charging for him. Mikey knocked the knife from him when it was a hairsbreadth away from contact with a swift spin of his nun chucks. Nak’ir tossed aside the purple clad turtle, stealing the bow from him he quickly blocked a strike from the weapon, the chain tangling around the bow. Mikey swung his right chuck, aiming for his head. Nak’ir ducked, flinging Mikey over to Don in one turtle pile.
	He whirled around to his third target, catching Raphael’s wrist for a stab. He threw up a leg around the turtle’s arm. Twisting his body so he could pull him down with him. He threw his other leg around him in a pin.
	Nak’ir switched his gaze over to Mikey who had picked himself up and was currently running at him to help his brother. Nak’ir glanced over to one of hid beakers from the chemistry set that had fallen in result of the tussle. Grabbing it, he tossed it at Mikey. The turtle dodged it easily enough; providing the distraction he needed to dislocate on of Raph’s wrists and untangle his legs from around him. He scooped up the staff that sliced through the air in the youngest direction. Mikey ducked, the finely-honed blade of his nun-chuck squished into Nak’ir’s shoulder blade. He grounded his teeth together, ignoring the sharp pain that exploded down his arm and back and turned. Kicking away the turtle. Mikey’s grip on his weapon ripped a chunk of skin and muscle from his back. He stumbled backwards and landed on his rear. Blinking wide-eyed at the hunk of meat he stolen as its color and texture warped. Fading to a green-blue color with a sickly grey undertone. A gravel skin texture replacing the smoothness. Soaking in a puddle of liquid chocolate brown he guessed to be his blood.
	Nak’ir shrugged his throbbing shoulder. Cringing at the pain it sent and grinned as Don finally pushed himself back on his feet. Ready to try for another round. Nak’ir ran towards him, full plans of finishing him off while he was injured. Don blocked a punch, rolling his wrist around so he could grab his forearm. Twirling him around and over his shell. The man collapsed on top of a table the held jars of guts. Splinters, glass shards, and body parts catching his fall. He spluttered.
	Don barreled at him before he could recover. He nabbed a broken table leg and attempted to stab Nak’ir while he was down. Completely caught by surprise when said man, snatched and tossed up a piece of intestines at him. Nak’ir reached for a glass shard and watched with amusement as the turtle flung his arms around in a futile attempt to rid himself of the body part. He hauled himself up, brushing off the glass pieces that stuck to his arms. Racing forward, arm raised and ready to stab. His breath instantly deserting him as Mikey shoved his body at him. The two flying into a nearby cabinet and crushing the wood and everything it held inside. Mikey straddled the man; fisting a nun-chuck, he hammered the butt of it once against his cheek. Bloodying it. Twice. Three times.
	Nak’ir growled, grabbing his hand and using the glass shard he still clenched tightly to shove it into his neck. Missing and drawing a savage red line across his shoulder and chest. Though, it was not deep, it was enough to cease the pounding and loosen his strength. He kicked him off.
	He scrambled to his feet, feeling the sweet warmth of blood running down his lips and neck. A pink tongue catching the nearest droplets. His eyes shifted, targeting on Raphael. He struck. Raph dodged. He kicked. Nak’ir blocked. Raph faked a blow with his right and punched with his left, startling the man. He repeated the action again. Again. Again. Nak’ir threw himself at him. Wrapping his arms around him and forcing them both through one of the three doors to the laboratory. Wrenching the withered wood right off its hinges. Before Nak’ir had the chance to do anything farther, he was tugged of Raph by the collar of his jacket. A thick olive green arm wrapped around his throat, another around his abdomen. Yanking him around to face Mikey who gripped Raph’s discarded sai. He pulled the weapon down, drilling it into his side. He shouted out in both pain and fury. Mikey wrenched it out and repeated. Tearing him open in a fountain of flashing red. He screamed, this time sounding deranged. He pushed off the floor, using Don as leverage; he kicked Mikey in the abdomen, sending him sprawling backwards. He grabbed behind him with both hands and hurled his capture over his shoulder and onto the ground. He was about to weave a bit when a heavier weight tossed itself on his back. Raph grabbed handfuls of hair and tore them out of his scalp. The loose hair dissolved in Raph’s hands as he watched the image of the bald spots on his scalp waver to familiar skin. He gnashed his teeth, infuriated. He ripped off an ear. That earned him a shriek. Nak’ir back up, smashing the reptile into a nearby wall. He threw his head back, cracking it against Raph’s. A howl heard shortly after. He slipped out of the grip once loosened and Raph slid down the wall. Blood dribbling from his nose.
	Both younger siblings attacked from his two side. Mikey, still wielding his older brothers weapon. Nak’ir raised his hand to grab it, the sai thrusting straight through it like a hot knife through butter. Nonetheless, he curled his finger over the prongs, smashing the butt square across Mikey’s jaw. Nak’ir yanked the weapon out, nailing it into Don’s thigh. 
	Raph was in front of him before he could even look. A massive fist leaving his own nose disfigured. He reeled backwards, tripping over an object he couldn’t avoid for the life of him. Before he could even meet ground, the other two were back on him. Shoving him against the wall.
	“We got this Raph! Go! Find Leo!” Don shouted. His face scrunched up in a glare that promised a near future with a lot of pain and suffering.
	Raph didn’t stand around to question. They wouldn’t be winning this fight today and their main priority was to find Leo, defuse the bomb, and get the hell out of there. He took off in a sprint down the hall towards where they assumed Leo’s cell would be located. Ignoring the screams and bangs of the cell doors. His blood pumping fast due to his heart drumming against his chest so hard he was surprised it didn’t crack ribs. 
	His brothers could handle themselves. For now.
	His mind constantly flashed images of that cursed jacket made entirely of Leo’s skin. He was going to have to get that back. He wouldn’t know what to do with it once he had it, but he didn’t want that creep wearing it. The pain Leo must have endured all for that stupid coat. He was going to do horrible things to Nak’ir. Nothing he was going to be sorry for. 
	His footsteps fell swift and heavy against the carpeted floors. He was now heaving from the excursion by the time he had made it down the too long hall. The steel door on the end, splattered and stained with dried blood. A dead giveaway to what that particular room held inside. He had no desire to go farther in.
	He turned to C15 on his right. Kneeling in front of the padlock, he dug out his lock picks he kept on him always and began to work furiously on it. Joy spearing through him at the blessed sound of a click. The padlock falling from the doors thick metal latch. He slid it free, wrenching the door open with an ear-splitting squeal. 
	His heart dropped like a twelve-pound bowling ball when he found the cell completely empty.