A/N: Guys, guys! Thank you so much for the 200 reviews! I'm just in awe! You've all been so amazing and supportive! To those still reading, thank you for your patience and for putting up with me!

Especial thanks to my darling betas! They made this chapter better and encouraged me to keep posting! And to my lovely reviewers! You make my day.

The Great Escape

They don't tell Mikey. Not the full story, anyways.

"I don't want to get his hopes up," Donnie said and Raph got it. There's no way to prove Donnie was right. And if he's wrong, then who knows what sort of damage that would do to Mike.

The brat's already a mess as it is.

Across the room, Raph straddles a metal chair once more. He rests his forearms on the back and rocks himself back and forth in a way Splinter would frown upon. But it doesn't matter as long as he's in the background. Quiet on the sidelines, like an audience at the movies. Except he's not facing them.

There's only so much privacy inside this prison cell. But beggars can't be choosers.

The rubbing of hand contact reaches Raph's ears. Donnie is signing their names now.

And Raph can't help it. He peeks at the conversation. He's selfish. He needs to see the look of delight on Mikey's face.

But Mikey stays still. It's kind of scary. He's usually moving around so much. He fidgets and gets distracted easily and stomps his feet when he's angry. He makes funny faces and signs fast. The lack of reaction is just weird.

Then, at last, Mikey's hands move slowly. He signs something Raph doesn't catch, then points at Donnie, who nods. Then he points at himself and uses hand alphabet to spell his own name in the air. Donnie, now smiling wider than ever, lets out a short laugh.

The reaction is instant. The spell shatters like glass. Mikey launches himself into Donnie's arms and beams. He grins and laughs and rambles with unheard words. Then his gaze shifts. He spots Raph, and before Donnie can stop him, Mikey sprints towards him.

He crouches before Raph and puts up the palms of his hands as if to say 'wait, wait for it.' Raph exchanges a knowing look with Donnie who just shakes his head helplessly. Mikey taps the floor, an indignant little frown on his mouth. Raph recognizes that 'Pay attention to me' call anywhere. His best friend is Casey freaking Jones.

"Alright, alright what is it, bud?" He emphasizes the last word with a grin.

This only helps to excite Mikey even more. His hands sign again. He points his thumb towards himself and then his left hand moves a little too fast. But Raph recognizes most of the letters. Mikey had signed them during the shadow puppet night.

Once he's done introducing himself, Mikey offers a greeting bow, Japanese style.

This is one of those Japanese things that would pull Leo all the way up to cloud nine.

Mikey blinks hopeful eyes at him, waiting.

Fine. Raph can't help but match the expression with a helpless smile. The chair stops swinging. It settles on the ground as Raph steps over it and stands in front of Mikey. He returns the greeting bow quick and somewhat stiff, mostly glad to get it over with.

"Nice to meet you, Mikey," he says and has barely enough time to finish before Mikey tackles him into a hug. Raph snorts, but this is getting all too cheesy for him so he pulls the dork away. "Okay, okay, that's enough."

"Raph's right." Donnie comes over.

"Excuse me, what was that again? I'm what now?"

"Don't push it." Donnie shoots him a glare. He places a hand on Mikey's shoulder. "You guys hungry?"

Raphael is willing to settle even with algae and worms. He's starving.

"All right, but first things first," says Donnie, deadly serious, turning to squint his judging eyes at Raph before his nostrils wrinkle in disgust. "You're taking a bath."

The stench of the past several days of half decent clean up sessions — courtesy of Mikey — and recent physical activity reaches Raph's nostrils.

He scoffs, indignant. Now that's just rude.

Surreal.

That's one word to describe it. Raph slouches on his usual chair, with his arms crossed on top of his plastron and his feet off the table – "No. I am notkidding, Raphael." Raph rolls his eyes. He'd never thought Donnie could be a such neat freak considering where he lives.

Raph shrugs in his hoodie. He only agreed to wear the thing because it's freezing down here. It has absolutely nothing to do with Mikey pouting his lower lip like some orphan kid plucked out from one of those sad Dickens movies. And of course, the second Raph accepted the warm set of clean clothes after his bath, Mikey's crocodile tears magically disappeared.

Manipulative little brat.

He's mostly just watching them cook because Mikey wouldn't let him lift a finger to help.

Seriously, he's the one who got a beat down. Raph can't understand how Mikey can be on his feet right now.

"Watch the fire," Donnie says from the sink as he scrubs a dirty bowl with a soapy rag.

Mikey waves his hands nonchalantly. Signing his brother off. But he turns to the stove and lowers the fire that heats the pot. Raph's mouth waters at the smell. He doesn't care what is inside there, he just wants it in front of him and quickly. He's not the most pleasant of turtles when he's hungry.

"You guys sure you don't need some help?" he says shortly, impatient. Maybe if Mikey let him, they'd get this done faster.

Mikey shoots him a threatening glare and snaps a sign that Raph can only interpret as, 'Sit down. Now.'

Donnie shakes his head. "Nope, we're good. Oto, be nice."

Mikey just points a metal spoon in Raph's general direction. It's almost a warning.

"Right," Raph says slowly. "I'll sit down, then."

Mikey smiles then. He nods in approval and lifts the lid from the pot. He squeals and taps his fingers on the counter, calling Donnie's attention.

"Yeah, I had to move it. It's inside the cupboard to your left now," says Donnie without much of a glance. He finishes washing the last cup and fills it with tap water.

"Sorry it's just water," he says as he places the cup in front of Raph, then scratching the side of his neck he adds, "We get milk sometimes, but we run out and, well — I don't think they're too pleased with us right now." He offers a sheepish smile.

Raph resists the urge to squash the cup between his fingers as a bolt of indignation crosses his mind. Not pleased? Who the heck do they think they are? But he doesn't ask. Instead he forces himself to breathe. Just breathe. "Don't worry about it." Wow. That came out with a lot more rage than he intended —

Slam! Metal crashes against the stone floor.

"Ototo!" Donnie's at Mikey's side in an instant. Or at least, as fast as his limp allows.

Mikey rubs his head with clutched hands, a grimace tightening his features. The open cupboard is now empty. At Mikey's feet, a bowl, a rusty cup and the metal tray that just hit his head, roll and finish settling on the ground.

"Are you okay?"

'Yes,' Mikey half signs and Raph can't follow the rest. Everything gets too fast after the third apology.

Donnie sighs, picking up the tray and placing it back inside the cupboard. "You have to be more careful. Let me look at that."

Mikey whines as soon as his brother's hands inspect his sore forehead.

"Then stop being so fidgety!" Donnie steps back and tries again.

Mikey tickles him.

"I mean it!" Donnie shrieks with a short laugh. He quickly recovers and crosses his arms over his chest and raises his chin. He's about as menacing as a half-cooked noodle. Raph snorts.

"Something you want to say, Raphael?"

Raph raises both hands in the air. "Didn't say anything."

He earns a glare for that. But that tiny moment of distraction is all Mikey needs to slip away from Donnie and place himself in front of the pot once more.

"Hey! We're not done, come back here!"

Mikey blows a raspberry at him, then a couple of seconds later he signs again. He cups both of his hands in front of him, in the shape of a bowl, and beams at them both.

Donnie sighs, accepting defeat. "Soup's ready."

Raph doesn't want to admit his disappointment at the size of his share. The soup is mostly broth and a few pieces of vegetables. He peeks at Mikey's and Donnie's and cringes. Theirs are even smaller. Donnie's is not even inside a bowl, as he has a cup in front of him. Because they only have two chairs, Mikey settles on the 'bed', insisting Raph's a guest. Or so Donnie interpreted.

"Itadakimasu," Donnie says putting his hands together in form of prayer and bowing his head slightly. From the background Mikey does the same grace, but a muted version.

Raph has only ever seen Splinter do this so formally. He says the word, but he's never felt comfortable bowing.

No one comments on his lack of manners as they all eat. It's surprisingly good. Warm and salty, with a touch of spicy. Raph licks his lips and gulps everything down. It settles in his empty stomach and he sighs. Decent food that's not bread. It's been too long.

When he opens his eyes, Mikey stands next to Donnie. He is smiling excitedly at Raph as his hands sign something.

"Huh?"

"He's asking if you liked it."

Raph's cheeks flare. He's the only one who's finished it. He glances down at the empty bowl then back up at Mikey's hopeful eyes. "Yeah!" he says immediately. "It was awesome, buddy. Really good."

Mikey beams and hops in the air. He rushes back to the bedding and picks up his own unfinished bowl. He places it in front of Raph.

Raph doesn't know what to say. He stares blankly at the bowl then back at Mikey's smile. He pushes the bowl away. "I'm full."

And the look Mikey gives him is that of absolute heartbreak. He reels back taking the bowl with him as he retreats into the safety of his 'bed nest'.

"We, uh –" Donnie starts, glancing down at his lap with a crimson face. "We might have some bread too, if you're still hungry... I think?"

He glances at Mikey, who bites his lip before signing a short, 'No.'

"Sorry," Donnie mumbles, playing with a loose thread in the hem on the sleeve of his hoodie. "We're reaching the end of the month now." He manages a hopeful grin. "They'll give us some rations next week – "

"Donnie," Raph says and Donnie stops babbling. "It's fine. By this time next week, you guys won't be needing anything from those bastards."

Mikey almost chokes on his soup. He lowers his now empty bowl.

"What?" Donnie's eyes dart around, doubt clouding his eyes.

Raph frowns. "You said it earlier. We are getting out of here."

"Yeah, but —"

Mikey stands up. He signs-slash-rants silently at Donnie who quickly replies with some gestures of his own.

Raph snaps his fingers in the air, interrupting whatever crud they're keeping him out of the loop with. He stands, jabbing a finger at Donnie's direction. "You're not getting cold feet on me now. I gave Master Splinter up, Donnie! I'm – we are on the clock here! And you know it."

And Donnie pales. "Right." Apparently their overwhelming confessions earlier and the uncomfortable soup situation are enough to make him forget that they all might just die if they don't escape soon. "Ototo, Mikey, we need to talk."

Convincing Mikey is not as hard as Raph initially thought. Still, he looks absolutely terrified at the prospect of going against Shredder. But when Donnie takes his hand and squishes it a little bit, he nods. With Donnie on his side, Mikey reluctantly accepts whatever his big brother is in for.

There's a sense of complete and utter trust between these two. No questions asked.

Guilt sets his jaw tight. How many times had he questioned even the simplest of Leo's orders? He trusts his brother. He does. But then, why did it seem like he didn't?

It's fine. He'll apologize to Leonardo later. Right now, they have more important things to worry about.

With the lair's position given away, it's only a matter of time before Shredder attacks. Luckily, it would take the Foot at least a day to get Splinter. According to Donnie they had left for New York this morning. Meaning, if Shredhead wanted his mutant army with him for the attack he had to wait until nightfall. And knowing the bastard, he was not going to risk the element of surprise.

Then, if they were good enough and managed to capture his father that same night, Raph was sure Splinter would put up a fight. Not to mention Leo and the others. The fight or chase could last for hours and there'd probably be some major Footbot casualties.

Raph smirks, thinking about those jerks getting their just desserts. Good riddance. In any case, the Foot probably would need to lay low the next day. Inside Shredder's main base most likely. Then they would be back by tomorrow night. According to Don, Shredder would want to torture him and let Splinter beg for his life before the mercenary delivered the final blow. Joy.

"Mikey works in the kitchens," Donnie says pointing at a spot on the blueprint floor plan they've drawn on the floor with crayon. The fortress is huge. There are three levels plus a basement - dungeons. "That means he has access to chilies-"

"Chilies? As in peppers?" Raph raises an eyebrow.

"The active component in them is oleoresin capsicum. We use it to make the blinding powder bombs." There's an unusual, mischievous light shining in Donnie's eyes. "I just need some ethanol to extract it from the chilies and we can cook our own. I'll have a batch ready by the time the escape plan's happening. It's not gonna be a lot but it'll definitely help if we run into trouble."

Raph won't admit this out loud, but he kind of likes this new mad scientist side of Donnie. He'd actually make a pretty decent ninja. "Neat."

"Mikey, I'm going to give you a face mask when you deliver Stockman's meal to the lab. Once I release the melatonin — sleeping powder —" he adds at Mikey's puzzled look, "—into the vents, you put the mask on and we should be good to go. Are you sure you can hide the peppers by then?"

'Yes,' he signs with a little smirk then adds something else that Raph doesn't understand but makes Donnie chuckle a bit.

"Fine, but don't push your luck, Ototo. You just need to keep an open eye on the vents. If you see the white powder coming through, that means it's time to put it on. And you don't take it off until the sleeping powder dissipates, okay?"

Mikey nods in understanding.

Donnie turns toward Raph. "The basement has a natural ventilation system so you should be safe from the melatonin. But just in case, here—" He hands Raph a piece of cloth. "Breathing through a wet rag should do the trick, since the amount of powder shouldn't be too much down here. You know, I think it has a lot to do with the concave design of the ceiling in the hallway, see the cupola in the middle—"

"—Donnie."

"Right! Sorry."

"What about Stockman?" Raph narrows his eyes at the drawing marked as 'Lab'. "Won't he get suspicious? Does he let you use the lab just like that?"

"More often than you'd expect," Donnie replies with a roll of his eyes. "Trust me, he won't care or notice until it's too late. Once everyone's knocked out, and I mean everyone," he sends a sharp warning stare at his little brother before continuing, "Mikey and I'll meet in the control room and deactivate the automatic lock-down security system. That's when you get out and join us upstairs. You'll know when it's safe, Raph. The door beeps when it unlocks. We'll meet at the dungeon entrance, then head out. That's the easy part."

Raph knows he's going to regret asking this. "What's the hard part?"

"We're still stranded on some island, and the sleeping powder won't affect whatever guards surround the premises – but that's what the peppers are for. Though they won't work on the M.O.U.S.E.R.S. or the Footbots."

He just had to ask.

Mousers. He remembers those little pests far too well. He and Leo wouldn't have made it out were it not for April and Casey. He shakes his head at the fond memory of his friends. If Shredder gets a hold of them because of Raph —

No. They're fine. There's still time.

Mikey signs again. Immediately, a scowl forms in Raph's mouth recognizing the word. 'What about Master?'

Donnie places a reassuring hand on Mikey's shoulder. He signs back as he speaks. "He's away, Oto. I think he'll return tomorrow night or the night after that if we're lucky. That means we only have hours to do this. So, keep your eyes and ears open. Anything you hear about Master's whereabouts you tell me before I release the melatonin into the vents. Especially if he's coming back sooner, okay?"

'Okay,' Mikey signs with some apprehension.

Raph snaps out of his trance and frowns at the unknown drawing surrounding one of the floor plans and tagged as 'land' and 'premises'. "Do you guys know if there's a boat nearby we can use to get to New York?"

Mikey shakes his head but Donnie beats him to the answer. "There has to be; Master's men need some way to get out of here, in case something goes wrong with the authorities."

"Okay, I'm putting my foot down here." Raph says with a snarl and points a finger against Donnie's hoodie. "You need to stop calling that bastard Master, right now."

Donnie's face reddens, avoiding eye contact. "Sorry, i-it just slipped. I guess some things will take some time, you know?"

Raph places a hand on his shoulder. "You take your time, but do get better." He nods in understanding.

Donnie returns the gesture until another hand lands on top of Raph's. Raph turns to look at Mikey who is smiling brightly at them. Donnie sends him a dry stare and Mikey draws back sheepishly. Raph only smirks at him.

"Way to ruin the moment, buddy." He elbows him lightly and Mikey yelps and sticks out his tongue at Raphael.

"Don't get cute, you brat!" Raph grabs him by the head and delivers a noogie. Mikey yelps in protest, squirming and fighting and laughing.

Donnie snaps his fingers. "Children! Children! The situation at hand, please?"

They both let go of each other. Mikey nudges him with his elbow. Raph returns it. "Right. Right. The Great Escape." He nods and Mikey leans forward, all serious in the face. He's trying his best not to dissolve into giggles.

"You both deserve each other."

'I love you too!' Mikey signs.

"So," Raph says before they get too off topic. "Anyone know how to get out of the dungeons?"

As if on cue, the brothers turn to the door that leads to the corridor where Raph's cell is. According to Donnie, the automatic door should've unlocked itself at five in the morning. It's almost ten now.

Apparently his friends' duties in both the kitchen and the lab are not so important to Shredder anymore.

Fine. Seems to Raph that he's gonna have to take matters into his own hands. He picks up Donnie's kit and rummages through its contents.

"What are you doing?" Donnie asks and approaches Raph with every intention of taking his precious cooler bag back.

"Where's the syringe?" Raph asks.

Donnie is suddenly on edge. "I threw it out," he says far too quickly.

"You threw it out?" Raph repeats and something very similar to anger rises to his throat.

"Yes, well you used it to pick those dirty manacles! I couldn't exactly reuse it after that!"

Raph lets go of the cooler bag with a scoff. Great. Fantastic.

"We need to pick the door's lock," Raph explains. "Where's the knife, Mikey?"

Mikey takes a few steps back, panicked. Donnie is at his brother's side in an instant.

"That's not a good idea," he says to Raph as he places a reassuring hand on Mikey's shoulder. "This is not like your prison cell. This door is as mechanic as it is automatic." He takes out a ring with a key from his hoodie's front pocket.

Raphael is about to scream at him when he starts talking again.

"We don't usually need the key. The door unlocks on its own. If we even try opening it when they don't want us to, it'll activate the automatic lockdown. The door closer will stick the door shut from the inside. Alarms will go off and you'll have at least a dozen unhappy armed men down here in less than two minutes."

Mikey shudders. By the look of terror on Donnie's face, he is speaking from experience.

Raph has to commend Shredder for his thoroughness on prison cell design. And yet, this doesn't make sense.

Shredder went through a lot of trouble with these guys. He didn't even need to. Donnie and Mikey wouldn't dare to step out of line before. Even Raph's own dungeon seems less secure than this — this vault.

Why would the Foot give them keys if they have control over who opens the doors and when anyways? Wouldn't it be easier if the bastards just unlocked it whenever they pleased? It's like this is some sick game or somethi—

Raph's heart stops. There's a lump inside his throat.

Shredder is playing with them. He allows some mild form of liberty, security and hope. Everything is just some part of a messed up game. It's a ruse. He gives them useless keys that probably only work for the dungeons. They can't even open their own door if Shredder doesn't want them to. He wants them to feel powerless – helpless. But they have stuff. Like a kitchen and bathroom and... Shredder could easily lock them inside a dark room to rot; let them out to work.

It's like that bargain with Mikey. Why did Shredder offer to let Raph go? Why give them a way out? He could have just ordered Mikey to get the location from Raph. But he didn't. He gave him an option. Why?

Because they're not prisoners.

Shredder gives them empty hopes, just to – to trap them down here again. Make sure Donnie and Mikey know who's in control. Who gives them food and commodities, and who can just as easily take them away. He keeps them in a false loop, making them believe that they have something when he's treating them like... some kind of trophy he's won. Locked in some sort of strong-room-like little house.

The possibility of them actually being related becomes more probable by the minute. But Raphael can't... No. He can't afford to think about that now.

"Have they locked you in like this before?" Raph finds his voice tight and low. They nod.

"Only when they want to take us out of the country," says Donnie. "They usually lock us in for a couple of days before shipping us."

Raph grits his teeth. He wants, needs to break something. Shredder's face would do.

"If they are waiting to kill us – you and Splinter –" Raph doesn't miss the slip but lets Donnie continue. " – There's no guarantee they will let us out before then. If the war is over... we're going back to Japan. So there's no point in letting us out before then." He's mostly talking to himself now. "That means we have to get their attention somehow, make them open the door first. Convince them to let us work and get the stuff for the plan."

"Okay, sounds good," Raph says. "How do we do that?"

Donnie swallows thickly. A resigned but terrified look crosses his eyes as he meets Raph's with a short nod. "We have to give them a show."

Turns out, 'a show' is, in Donnie's brilliant, exemplary, genius mind, trashing this place. Raphael simply can't believe these guys are the two timid turtles he met weeks ago. He slams the folded metal chair against the wall.

"You think you can trick me again! I'll show you!" he thunders, then his voice lowers to a whisper. "Are you sure this is gonna work?"

"No!" Donnie replies in the same quiet voice and clanks Mike's metal tray against their door. "But do you have a better idea?"

"How about us not trashing the only things that we could use as weapons later!" he hisses back.

Mikey jumps up and down in their bathtub. He's having way too much fun for Raph's liking.

"We're not trashing anything! We just need to make as much noise as we can! Eventually, someone will have to check on us –"

"Well, what if that someone turns out to be that coward Xever with a freaking army of Foot soldiers?! You ever thought of that, Beautiful Mind? Don't you remember what happened with Stockman?"

"Did you just call me beautiful?" Donnie looks disgusted and completely perplexed. Darn him and his lack of movie reference knowledge. He shakes his head. "Doesn't matter. He's gone, he and Ot—Tiger Claw both left for New York. That means whoever shows up will be a lower ranked agent or— you know what? Just keep yelling!"

"Agg! Agg! You'll see!" Raph howls awkwardly. Mikey melts into giggles. "I know you work for Shredder, you – uh – Turtles!"

"You're a turtle too!" Donnie hisses, slapping his face. He slams the metal tray against the door once more. "That doesn't even make sense!"

"Hey! Don't question my character's dialogue choices, pal," Raph snaps and throws his chair across the room and into the bedding. "I've been doing this far longer than you think!" All of the bad guys call them Turtles.

"Throwing temper tantrums, yeah, I can tell." Donnie rolls his eyes and walks over to Raph. His leg is still in a cast but now he doesn't need a crutch to be up and about, though he's a lot slower without it.

Suddenly footsteps approach. They all freeze. Their gazes snap to the door. Donnie rushes to the wall where he's laid his crutch and picks it up.

The door opens. Baxter Stockman, with a trio of Mousers, steps into their room. "What on Earth – what do you think you are doing?"

Donnie immediately assumes his meek position and bows his head. Mikey stills as well, following his brother's lead. Raphael glares but smirks inwardly. The charade is on.

With a growl, Raphael launches at Stockman. He doesn't even manage to reach him as a Mouser head-butts him on the plastron. He lands on his back a few feet away.

The Mouser jabs its open jaw at him. Raph snarls at it and grabs hold of the creature's muzzle, trying to crack the little sucker open.

As he struggles against the Mouser, Stockman gloats triumphantly. "You fool! You thought you'd catch me by surprise again, turtle?" He barks another laugh and it's so pathetic Raph almost feels sorry for the guy. "You're lucky Master Shredder won't let me dissect you."

Raph rolls his eyes at the idiot's empty threats. He rips open the Mouser's lower jaw and rises to his feet with a jump. "Yeah, I'd like to see you try."

Baxter Stockman shrieks a high-pitched, panicked cry. His hand snatches the Mouser spray hanging from his belt and points it at Raph.

Raph growls under his breath and smartly backs off.

Stockman scoffs smugly as he lowers the spray. "Yeah, that's what I thought." His good eye lands on Donnie and Mikey. His face turns into a nasty scowl. "You two seem to be enjoying your day off a little too much." He points at the door and snaps his fingers. "Get to work. Now!"

They need no further motivation to get out of the room. Mikey sends Raph a smile and Donnie nods at him before they exit. Thankfully, Stockman is too scared, his eyes fixated on Raphael, to actually pay attention to the two turtles. An idea crosses his mind. Smirking, Raph makes a loud stomp toward the man. Stockman shrieks away in terror, raising his hands defensively in the air.

Raph laughs.

"Yeah, and that's what I thought," he says and waves his hand dismissively, because Stockman is not worth his time. "You can leave now."

Furious, Stockman scowls at him, but it's so pathetic Raph's mirth just grows. "You can laugh all you want, turtle. But you won't be laughing when Master Shredder comes back with your precious rat Master in tow." Stockman smiles wider when Raph's smile falters. "Oh yeah. That's right, turtle. He took his best henchmen to get your disgusting mutant father. Maybe he'll even get rid of that other pest that is Leonardo. Then I'll just sit back and watch. Watch as he wastes you all right before—"

It doesn't take too long to take down the two remaining Mousers.

Stockman lands on his back. Unconscious. The useless Mouser body Raph slammed against the man's head clatters on the ground.

Raph sighs in relief. He feels so much better now.

Immediately the two turtles come rushing back into the room.

"What the —" Donnie says, stopping himself upon witnessing the mess that was his home.

Robot parts lay scattered on the ground next to a passed out Baxter Stockman. And in the middle of it all Raphael stands, carrying a grin of pure satisfaction.

"What gives?! Raph! That wasn't part of the plan!"

Mikey signs something not very friendly looking.

Raph shrugs, but the smirk doesn't leave his face. "What can I say? He pissed me off."

Donnie groans and strides into the room to grab him by the wrist like he's a really stubborn, misbehaved child. He pulls Raph out of the room and closes the door behind him, Stockman still unconscious inside. "Doesn't matter just —" he says in exasperation, pinching the spot between his eyes. "— just keep quiet okay?"

Raphael snorts. "Hey, I'm a ninja, quiet is my middle name."

"You sure it's not 'Meathead'?" Donnie mutters but Raph grins. Nothing can spoil his mood now. The prospect of a battle, of finally getting payback, is simply too good to contain.

Finally Donnie lets out a long breath before turning toward his brother. "Mikey, you're coming with me. There's been a slight change of plans."

Mikey blinks at him, cocking his head to the side.

Raphael beams in excitement.

It only serves to feed Donnie's growing frustration as he shoots another accusatory look at Raph. "Apparently, we're getting out of here. Right now."

A/N: Raph, your shell had one job.