Captured

Final Capture - Master Splinter

 Raphael had nearly reached the end of the narrow sewer run off where he'd left Donatello when he heard a splash followed by a low groan.

Hurrying forward, he cautiously peered down into the tunnel below him and then jumped back before he could be skewered by his own knife clutched tightly in an olive green hand.

"Whoa Donny," Raph called in a low voice. "It's me."

"Raph?" Don's voice sounded thick, like he was having a hard time moving his tongue.

"Coming down bro', don't stick me," Raph said before squeezing through the opening and dropping to the ground in front of his brother.

Don was swaying on his feet, one side of his body covered in mud. Squinting at his brother, Don lowered the knife and Raph reached out, grabbing Don's arm to steady him.

"What happened?" Don asked, blinking owlishly.

"Bishop happened," Raph said. "He made a bunch of clones in his image and sicced them on us. I got ya' away from them after they shot ya' up with something, but they were on my heels so I had ta stash ya' down here and lure them away."

"I was wondering why I woke up to find myself buried under trash and mud," Don said with a grimace.

"You're welcome," Raph replied, grinning.

Don eyed him suspiciously then, his head clear enough to notice that Raph was devoid of his gear.

"Where's your belt and pads? What happened to your mask and weapons?" Don asked.

Raph's lips pressed together in a thin line before he opened them to answer, "My mask is over there." He pointed at the ground near where Don had lain. "I dipped it in water ta try and wake ya' up but that was useless. I ain't putting it on again either; it's muddy and covered in sewage water."

"But somehow it was okay to rub my face with it," Don murmured.

"Don't get knocked out next time," Raph told him. "I pulled off my own pads so I could leave a false trail away from your ass, thank you very much. In the process I got surrounded by those clones of Bishop's and they almost managed ta drag me back to that maniac."

"You fought them off?" Don asked, eyes wide.

Raph shook his head. "Much as I'd like ta be a hero, it was Mikey who got them off of me. He and Leo came down here looking for us. I sent him back ta meet up with Leo so our big bro' would know what the shell is going on. Bishop wanted ya' caught first so ya' couldn't figure out how ta stop him, which means I ain't leaving ya' alone."

"We don't have our weapons, our masks along with all of your gear are gone, we have no way to communicate with each other, my duffel is missing, and Bishop's clones are everywhere. Sounds like your kind of odds," Don observed.

"Don't be a spoil sport," Raph said, chuckling. "I suppose ya' wanna try ta make it back ta the lair."

"That is our protocol," Don said as he glared at his brother.

"If ya' stop giving me the stink eye, I'll give ya' a present," Raph said.

"Unless it's my bo staff, don't think you can bribe me out of my ill humor," Don told him. "That stuff they shot into me gave me a headache."

"Here," Raph handed over the dark glasses that he'd gotten from their youngest brother. "Mikey managed ta get his hands on an unbroken pair. Maybe ya' can figure out why those clones can't make a move without 'em."