FINALLY! LAST CHAPTER! This book took me forever and sorry if it seems a little rushed, but it's late and I have a busy day later, but I'm hoping to get more written. Enjoy the last chapter of Believe :)
Raph slowly came too with a low, agonizing moan, his mind a throbbing field of endless pain. Carefully, he brought up one hand to his head, feeling the raw, tender spot decorating his scalp.
"Mmm..wha…"
His amber eyes flickered open carefully, relived to be met with the dark room of the warehouse. It was then he noticed the wetness on his hand, quickly bringing it up to his eyes to see. The red liquid on his fingers had his stomach churning as he fought down the bile that quickly rose in his throat. Normally the site of blood, let alone his own, wouldn't bother him but the blood, mixed with his throbbing head, his injury, and his protesting stomach…
"Ugh…"
"So you're finally awake." A voice chuckled from the shadows.
If asked a few weeks ago what Raph would have felt when he heard that voice, he would have replied with relief. But now… the very sound of the girl he fell in love with had every nerve in him screaming to get away… to run far away. It was no longer the gentle, sweet voice of a young girl – it was replaced with the dark, evil undertone that had shivers racing down his spine.
"Suri…"
The giggle that escaped her lips was the last thing from cute. "I'm glad that little tap on the head didn't hurt you… too much anyway." Another giggle.
"Suri!" Raph sat straight up, just then noting the large cage he was placed in. The thick metal bars surrounded him from all sides, the top and bottom of the cages also a thick metal. The cage was large, easily letting him stand up and pace a few steps. But the very thought of a cage had him growling. "Let me out of her Suri."
"Oh but why… isn't that were animals belong?" She stepped fully from the shadow, a smirk of triumph playing on her lips. She wore a deep, blood red spaghetti-strap dress that ended just above her knees, the dress hugging her in just the right places. As she walked forward, one strap slipped down her arm from her shoulder, but she didn't bother to replace it.
Any other time, Raph would have thought she was the most beautiful thing alive, wearing his trade mark color. Now, just seeing her in red made him sick.
"Why are you doing this Suri…I thought…"
A short laugh escaped her perfectly applied red lips. "Thought what Raphael? That I actually cared for you? That I actually cared for how you felt or your feelings… give me a break."
The words that escaped him were pitiful to his ears, but he couldn't hold them back. "I loved you…"
"You are nothing but an animal Raphael… a weak, pathetic animal that needs to be behind bars, wearing a collar of an owner and eating from a dog dish. You can not feel love… all you can feel is how your hormones are raging on… I am not foolish."
"I loved you!" Raph exploded, his voice ringing across the warehouse. Everyone, from the workers to the birds fell silent at his cry. "I thought you cared for me! Those weren't my hormones speaking you idiot! Those were me! My feelings!"
"The very thought of loving a creature like you makes me sick." Suri spat out in disgust.
"So everything… everyone…"
"Was planned." She finished for him.
Raph felt his blood run cold. "All those people…"
"Everything, Raphael, was planned." She laughed again, it echoing across the room. "Down to the very cardboard box you slept on."
He felt himself getting sick at the next question, but he knew he had to ask. "And Sammy…"
"That worthless brat? Simply the unfortunate child of some… issues that needed dealt with." Her suddenly white teeth flashed.
For every word Suri spoke, all Raph could do is pray they weren't true. "You killed all those kids… all those kids' parents?"
"Oh no, not all of them. Some were adopted by our… workers from the orphanage. "
"And when they're done with their purpose?"
The silence that filled the room was the only answer Raph needed. He barred his teeth at her, growling low. "You're messed up lady."
"No Raphael," Suri walked forward until she was a few inches from the bars as she knelt down, grinning wickedly at him. "It is you, who are messed up. I mean, really… did you really think your brothers cared for you?" She stood, starting to circle his cage. "That they really loved you?"
Don't listen to her… it's not true… it's not true…
"I mean really Raphael, look at you… you're nothing but a hindrance to the team. A loose cannon. I'm shocked they haven't kicked you out sooner, I mean, you do endanger your whole family on a weekly, if not daily, basis."
Not true… not true…
"You're pure muscle… they care little for you, just what you do."
Not… Mikey always called me the muscle of the team… no, he didn't mean it like that… he didn't mean it… did… no… did he?
The whole time Suri was working her way around the cage, lazily stroking one finger across the smooth metal as she circled, Leo was furiously rubbing his face raw against the metal bars of his own cage, trying to loosen the cloth that had been tied tightly around his head that kept in his silent cries of protest. He could see from his prison his brother, but he himself was in the shadows, out of view from his red banded brother. He knew what Suri was doing and the hate he already felt for her increased drastically. She was trying to make Raph feel alone – again – by keeping him in a small, tight area with only her voice… her face, as a source of release for him.
Don't listen to her Raph… it's not true! Not true!
The very same thoughts were echoing through the two youngest brothers' minds as well as they snuck into the warehouse. Suri's voice echoed easily throughout the whole building.
"I hate her." Mikey hissed out, his blue orb's narrowed angrily behind the orange mask.
Don himself was thinking similar thoughts, but with his genius brain, the thoughts were a little more violent. Normally everyone thought and saw him as the calm, cool, collected turtle that could do no harm. But now, if anyone saw him, they would think it was Raph who had stolen the purple band. He was almost a stranger to himself… like the dark part that Mikey had always joked about had suddenly taken over his body, controlling everything from the smack of the bo on enemies flesh to the dark, narrowing of the light brown pools.
"We need a plan Donny."
Don nodded. "Here's what we'll do bro… do you see the guards over there?" He motioned with one hand to where a bunch of guards had gathered around lazily. Ever since the arrival of Suri, they had all decided to take a break. "Get over there and take them out. I'm going to find the light, cut the power, and free Leo."
Mikey gave a small glance at the small collection of guards, his hands already resting easily on his weapon handles. "What about Casey? And the others?"
"Casey will be helping us," Don whispered. "April and Splinter have the escape vehicle ready, as well as the medical supplies we might need."
"And after that?" Mikey turned to look at Donny for the same confirmation he felt raging through his veins.
"We end this."
Hold on bro… hold on…
The same words echoed endlessly in Leo's mind as he sent all his anger that was pooling in himself into his eyes, directing them at the woman… no… the witch, which was still circling his brother like a predator on helpless prey.
That's exactly what we are to her, Leo thought disgustedly. Helpless prey.
Even from his cramped position on the floor, he could hear her taunts eve still, and they made him more and more angry. He had struggled uselessly at his bonds, trying to loosen them, but only managing to dig the rope deeper into his wrists. The blood ran down his wrists, making small pools on the metal. Mind a whirl; he struggled for some plan… something… anything to get them out of the mess they were in, and hopefully in one piece. But he had nothing.
It rests on Mikey, Don, and the others now, he realized. It hurt him not to be the one leading, but he had to have faith in the two youngest turtles that they could take care of thing.
Later on, if asked, Leo could have sworn that an angle had just answered his prayer cause as those last thoughts escaped his brain; the whole warehouse was flooded in darkness. He strained his ears, frozen, as he listened for the yells of the guards and the cocking off guns. But there was nothing, only the soft sound of something brushing the air and quiet thuds of something hitting the ground.
And there… Leo tensed up as he heard the soft patter of steps quickly, yet almost silently, approaching his cage.
"Leo it's me bro."
Donny… Leo visibly relaxed as he heard the sound of his cage door opening and the sound of a knife on the ropes. Within seconds, he was free.
"Thanks bro." Leo whispered as soon as the gag was torn from his mouth by his own hands.
Donny gave a grim smile and a silent tilt of the head. Leo didn't need to be a genius to know that they needed to vanish. And not a moment too soon, had the two joined the shadows once more that Shaun and Suri had managed to turn back on the lights.
"Who's there?" Suri screamed out, her face twisted into one of rage.
Shaun stood beside her, nervously fingering his gun as his eyes darted around.
Leo looked at his two brothers and gave a small, silent nod. Within seconds, both had pulled a ghost stunt and vanished, taking up places around the two goons. Donny had given him his swords back and they were placed in their rightful place on his shell. With one hand he reached up, silently drawing one of the blades from the leather sheath.
There would be no mercy for either of them. Honor demanded that justice was fulfilled and there would only be one rightful punishment for those two.
The two that had caused so much pain, not only in the Hamato family, but in other lives as well.
The two that had caused the death of innocent people, just to steal their children… to force young boys and girls to live on the streets… that had given children from the orphanage false hope of a loving, caring home that they all dreamed for.
There was only right retribution for them.
Leo's eyes narrowed.
Death.
He lunged forward just as Casey, who Leo had no idea where he'd come from, had flipped on the lights, flooding the warehouse in a huge, heavenly glow.
Suri let out a small scream as Mikey whipped forward from another shadow, taking down Shaun with a deadly swing of his weapon. There was no need to check the pulse as the man hit the ground. They'd all heard the sickly crack of bone breaking and they all knew his neck was broken. It was a quick, painless death.
Leo's snarled. Suri, on the other hand, would not receive such reward. Within seconds, Leo had her pinned up against the hard brick wall, one hand gripping her wrists tightly above her head as her feet dangled inches from the ground. His sword was at her throat.
"Put me down you monster." She hissed, blue eyes narrowing into mere slits as she spat at Leo's plastron.
Simply growling, Leo clenched his hands a little tighter, making the girl give a small scream as bones in her hands began to break under the pressure.
"Let… let go! You're hurting me!" Struggling wildly, she attempted to kick out with both feet, but Leo simply ignored the futile attempts.
"You hurt my family." The words were simple, but the death behind Leo's tone finally caused a fearful glint in Suri's eyes.
"You have no feeling, you're animals!"
Leo thrust his face into hers, until it was no more than a mere few inches away. "You hurt my family, witch…"
Blue eyes went wide.
"And I kill you."
She never had time to scream as the blade was drawn across her throat in one quick motion, cutting deep. Blood gushed to the wound as Leo dropped her to the ground, disgusted, and stepped back. He looked down at her as she withered on the ground, making a futile attempt to stop the bleeding. Leo knew she had a few mere seconds of breathing left.
And, if there had been any remorse for the young girl, he had been burned as she turned up to him and mouthed one final, last word.
Animal.
Then the light died from the blue eyes and the lids closed and her body went limp on the ground. Leo stood over the dead body, watching her, before drawing back his sword and wiping the blood dripping from the blade onto her dress before sheathing it again and turning to his brothers.
He was met with Raph's sad gaze.
Leo, managing a smile, put one hand on Raph's shoulder. "Let's go home Raph."
And, if the day just had to throw one more twist in there, Raph lunged forward, gathering Leo up in a strong hug, his arms pressing hard into the eldest turtle's shell. Seconds later, two more pairs of arms joined them as the four brothers stood in the middle of the blood bath, hugging, celebrating the victory and most importantly the reunion the team.
"Yes," Raph whispered, drawing back and allowing a few tears to slip from his amber gaze. "Home."
I want to thank all my readers, reviewers, and fans for encouraging me to finish this up :) I hope you all enjoyed it!
~raphfreak