Happy new year everyone! My new year resolution is to somehow gain the rights to TMNT 2003. It probably wont happen, but hey, I can dream. Anyway, read and reveiw please. :)

Laurel watched through a tiny window beside the door as the turtle creature swayed in his chair, the effects of the drug beginning to show. The room was small, so the chemical would work quickly. It always had.

The turtle covered his face, waving at the air before collapsing onto the ground.

"Boss?" Laurel ignored the voice of a shadow beside him. For all their stealth, none of the shadows seemed to possess patience.

"Boss? Is that enough gas? Is he out yet?" the shadow persisted.

Laurel waited few seconds more, watching in silence as the turtle finally stopped moving and sprawled flat onto the ground. "Stop," he said, "Aerate the room. He's ready."

There was a faint whirring noise as vents opened in the room to drag the gas out. "It should be safe now, boss." the shadow said quietly, after a few minutes of waiting.

Laurel pressed the door open. A wave of cool air hit him as he stepped into the room. Faint traces of the gas remained, clogging his nostrils with its sickly sweet odor. He held a hand over his face and walked towards the turtle's still form. A pair of terrified eyes stared up at him from the floor. "I am sorry, Donatello." he said gently, "This is the only way to guarantee the truth."

The turtle's eyes turned dull, he blinked up at Laurel blank and expressionless. "Climb into your chair, Donatello." Laurel said carefully. The turtle obeyed, standing like a weak child and stumbling back into his chair. Laurel leaned back, his arms folded. Once he was sure he had the turtle's attention, he cleared his throat. "Lets start with something simple. What is you're name?"

"Donatello," the turtle answered obediently. Laurel turned and nodded at the two shadows out side of the room. They nodded in return. The chemical had worked. The turtle would tell them anything. He turned back to face him.

"Okay, Donatello. Are there anymore like you?"

"Yes. I have three brothers." he answered immediately, staring straight forward.

"Their names?"

"Leonardo Raphael and Michelangelo."

Laurel clicked once. A shadow opened the door to the room and stuck his head inside. "Leonardo Raphael or Michelangelo? Any sound familiar?"

The shadow shook his head, "His name was different."

Laurel nodded, then gestured for the shadow to leave. Only when the door had clicked shut did he continue."Where did you come from?"

"We were mutated."

"What do you know of.." Laurel paused, taking a glance at the two shadows stalking outside the room. He leaned in closer, "What do you know of Kess?"

The turtle frowned, the confusion evident in his eyes. Laurel sighed and took a step back."He knows nothing." he muttered to himself.

Laurel clicked his fingers, summoning his shadows into the room. " He is not involved. We were wrong. Take him to the medic, when he wakes, call me."

What does Leo know? Raph couldn't keep the thought from him mind. He launched himself to the next roof, keen eyes scanning the cityscape for even the slightest sign of his brother. He's so wrapped up in his planning he cant even be bothered actually looking. Raph skidded to a halt, frustration building in him. The city refused to give up its secrets and dawn was already upon him.

Raph growled, clenching his fists. "Ill find ya, Donnie," he muttered to the wind.

The breeze picked up, sending something smooth and cold flying into the back of Raph's leg. His sai were drawn in a second and he whipped around, dropping into an attack stance. Behind him, there was nothing but the cold morning air.

Raph growled, tucking his sai away. He glanced down at his leg. In the faint light of dawn, it appeared as just a bit of stray material, fraying at the edges, perhaps blown from the dump, but Raph knew better. He picked it up and studied it. The purple of Donnie's mask was marred with dark stains. Blood. Fury pumped through him. Someone out there has a death wish.

He snatched out his shell cell and called Leo, who answered almost instantly. "Raph? Did you find something?"

"Yeah," Raph growled through the phone-line, "Somebody hurt Donnie." He ran his thumb over the purple material.

"Is he with you?" Leo's voice was calm and collected.

"No. Found his mask. Covered in blood. I'm gonna find who did this. And I'm gonna kill them."

"Raph, come home-" Raph hung up the phone, taking angry, ragged breaths. He let out a feral cry, and clutched the mask tighter. "Tonight, I will find you Donnie!" he promised. The sun peeked over the horizon and Raph disappeared back into the shadows to await the night.

"Ugly, isn't it?" a voice far away asked, earning a grunt inches away from Don's face. He kept his eyes shut tight though every muscle was tense. He could feel that his wrists and ankles were bound to a soft surface that held him in laying flat.

"I think I preferred it with the mask," the man closest to Don spoke, sending a gust of foul breath into the turtle's face. As hard as Don tried, he couldn't help but cough. The speaker stiffened. Funny how you can tell when somebody stiffens.

"So it's awake then?" The man farther away spoke. Don could practically hear him grinning.

"It would seem,"

Another cough forced itself from Don's throat.

The far away man laughed. "I don't think he likes your breath, Hale,"

The man called Hale just grunted in response.

A blinding light suddenly pierced Don's eyes from behind closed lids. He flinched, turning away slightly. Hale laughed. A pair of fingers pried Don's eyes open, forcing him to look at the man leaning over him. Hale was shorter than he had estimated. He was skinny, with shaggy red hair tied behind him in a ponytail. His eyes were as green as sewer water.

"Hello turtle," he grinned, revealing a set of yellowed teeth, "How are you on this fine day?"

Don didn't respond.

"Not much of a talker, ey?"

Still silent, Don eyed the man. He could definitely take him down. The second he got free...

"It talked before," the man at the back of the room said, dragging Don's attention to him. He was similar in height to Hale, with nut brown hair and a beard. Neither man looked over thirty.

"Well he definitely understands us." Don began to wonder if Hale had ever heard of a toothbrush.

The door to the room squeaked on its hinges and a cold voice rang out from behind it. "I will not have you pestering our guest. Laurels voice was unmistakable. Hale and the other man responded instantly, disappearing from the room like shadows in light.

Laurel appeared beside him, his face passive, "Sorry about the unpleasant experience. We had to ensure you were not in league with an enemy of ours. He, like you, is not like others of this world."

"Who?" Don asked.

Laurel fixed him with a stare. "You do not need to know. He is not you, and the shadows have no record of you and he interacting."

"Maybe I can help you-"

"You can not help. You will be returned home. Thank you for your co-operation and I apologize for the inconvenience." Laurel's voice was icy calm.

The man clicked his fingers once and the two men from before slipped into the room. "Take him home," Laurel instructed. Hale grinned at him from the other side of the room. "Yes boss,"