TMNT: Brainwashed

Chapter 11

~Leonardo~

A sudden shattering sound filled the car as a bullet ripped though the windshield. Our diver slammed on the brakes. I thought everyone was safe until I looked over to Eliza. She slouched in her seat, eyes closed, blood now painting her dress... I kept replaying the same images in my head while I sat in the waiting room. I tapped my foot on the bleach smelling floor as I waited for some good news. We hadn't even left Japan yet, and I probably wouldn't until she was released. She was currently in surgery. I had Raph call her step-brother and book him a flight to Japan. Eliza lied on the ground while I watched a tear fall onto her fair skin. It was my tear. I was crying for her. I developed feelings for her. I shook my head to clear the scene from just a few hours ago. Karai had left to return to New York, Usagi left to head back to his tower, and Raph was to stay with me. "Mr. Hamato," a male voice called for me, as Raph was currently getting snacks from the vending machine on one of the lower floors.

I stood from the uncomfortable chair, reaching to shake the doctor's hand. "How is she?"

"She is currently sleeping," he started. "The surgery went well. She does have a fractured collarbone from the bullet impact, bleeding has stopped, and she should be able to be released in about four days. She's in room 207 if you'd like to visit."

"Thank you," I nodded. "Do you happen to still have the bullet?"

"We haven't disposed of it yet," The doctor replied with curiosity hinting his voice.

"Could you send a nurse to bring it to her room so I can take a look at it?" I questioned.

"Yes, of course, Mr. Hamato," the doctor proceeded to the main desk on that floor after saying a quick goodbye.

I made my way to her room. Her hair was in a fan around her head, parts of it were wet where they washed out the blood. She now wore a hospital gown with her right arm in a sling. She had an IV in her left arm and was hooked up to a heart monitor. I made my way over to the other side of the bed and sat down in the chair beside it. A young nurse brought in a small tube containing the bullet. I leaned back in the chair, observing the ammunition. There was a brand on the bottom. The Night Prowler brand. A black dragon encircling itself with it's claws ready to attack, its forked tongue tasting the air. "What're you looking at?" soft, slurred words drifted through the air.

I glanced up from the vile, meeting her stunning chocolate eyes. Her lips we tugged into a weak smile, left hand fiddling with the blanket across her lap. "Hey," I smirked, avoiding the question and putting the tube into my pocket. "How are you feeling?"

"A bit sore," she mumbled. "What happened?"

"You were shot," I stated. "You also have a fractured collarbone."

"I need to call Casey," she suddenly remembered. "He'll be worried."

"Don't worry, Raph called him and he's already on his way here."

"How? Neither of us can pay for stuff like that. Hell, we can't even pay for a hospital bill!" Eliza exclaimed, running the fingers of her left hand through her hair and closing her eyes.

"You won't have to," I told her before she could go on. "I'm paying for it, well, the company is."

"Really? You would do that for us?" Her eyes were wide with surprise, and something else I couldn't pick up on.

"For you," I said before I could stop myself.

I cursed myself internally, but she wasn't as dumbfounded as I was. "Thank you," Eliza gave me a smile, her heart monitor beeping faster than before, and her face had a pink hue to it.

A nurse with sharp cheekbones and long dark brown hair in a bun came to check on my assistant. "Am I interrupting? I was alerted by her monitor," the nurse inquired with her British, stepping aside so Raph could enter.

"No, not at all," I replied, Raph shooting me a grin.

"I'm assigned to monitor her, so if you need anything just call for Irene," The nurse left promptly and the red masked turtle took the seat by the doorway. We all sat in awkward silence for a while before Raph spoke up. "So, are you two, like, a thing?"

"What?!" Eliza and I both exclaimed.

My thoughts were quickly drawn to the night before. She probably thought the same thing because her heart monitor had begun to beep faster. Raph just smirked at both of us being embarrassed, or rather confused. "Well," Raph stood up, "I better be heading to the airport to greet Casey."

"How'd he get here so fast?" Eliza asked, broken from her trance of confusion.

"He took the private jet," the red clad turtle replied, leaving the room.

Eliza shifted in the hospital bed, gasping and squeezing her eyes shut. Irene, the nurse responsible for taking care of Eliza, entered the room to adjust her morphine drip. The woman cast a long side glance at me before leaving. Brushing away the prolonged blue-green gaze from the nurse, I was suddenly feeling a bit famished, as what little breakfast that I did have this morning had already worn off. "Are you hungry?" I asked Eliza.

"Not really, but I could go for some M&M's," she let out an airy laugh.

"Right, I'll be back," I exited the room and glanced around the hall before heading to the vending machine in a side hallway.

"Getting a snack, are we?" An alluring voice asked. "I'd like to have one myself."

I turned to face a nurse. The very same nurse responsible for caring for my assistant. "Irene, what are you doing here?" I asked while flashing a smile.

"I was looking for you, love," she replied, drawing closer to me while batting her eyelashes. "I was hoping you could give me something," Irene seductively suggested.

"What would that be?" I asked, watching as her red lips pulled up into a smirk.

"You," the brunette answered, circling around me like a stalking predator. "I've always admired your intelligence, Mr. Hamato."

I turned to face her. "Thank you," I responded.

It was clear what she wanted, but I wasn't going to give it to her. "I wanted more than a 'thank you,'" she said in a low voice, gently pushing me against the wall. "Let's have dinner," her cunning voice low.

Being a successful businessman, I knew what that meant where she came from. 'Let's have dinner' is a euphemism for sex in Great Britain.  "I don't do that type of business anymore," I stated.

She smirked while placing a hand on my plastron. "Oh, but Mr. Hamato, I know you want to. Judging by the way your pupils dilated when I put you on this wall, you seem to have stimulation and attraction. Your facade won't last much longer, I'm afraid."

"So, you can see through people, impressive," I muttered. "How would you like to leave this hospital and work for me?"

"I'd quite like that," she replied, biting her lower lip. "I look forward to it."

An intercom paged for Nurse Kershaw, and she left just as quickly as she appeared, like nothing happened. Irene Kershaw. The name of the woman who can read people like a book. The name of the woman who can seduce people.

I returned to room 207 with Eliza's M&M's and a bag of chips for myself. I was curious about Irene and her abilities. I would discuss it with Raph when he came back from the airport.

~Chapter End~

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