Your POV
I don't know what time it is or how long I've been here.
I don't know anything.
It feels like forever since she left through that door. But I can't tell if it feels more like a 45-minutes forever or a six-hour forever.
Ever since the whole... cutting incident and then my breakdown, my emotional state still found a way to take a turn for the worse. The short time I allowed myself to cry after all the intense pain made me livid afterwards. Eventually it dawned on me the scene I was making in front of the enemy. She wasn't there in the room, but I wouldn't be surprised if there were cameras in these dark corners that I still can't see. So I gave myself an extra two minutes to react to the pain, and then forced myself to suck it up. I was unwilling to let the enemy see my cry like this, no matter how much I needed to. It only made my skin crawl and insides churn with self disgust.
Not long later, one of those mechanical foot guards or whatever came in by itself and just stood next to me. To my right beside, more so behind me where I could barely see him, but close that I could if I turned my head as far as I could– which wasn't a lot. It didn't look at me or do anything at first, just standing there.
Creepy to say the least. I was already the least bit comfortable and its presence only made me more on edge, my whole side prickling as long as it stood close.
I guess it was supposed to make sure I didn't escape. As if I have any chance.
Don't think like that, Y/n.
After a while of complete and awkward silence and unwilling stillness, I eventually felt how late it was getting. I still didn't know what time it was by this point, but my internal clock told me it still had to be nighttime, especially since I've been here since so early in the night. It became obvious that she wasn't going to come back anytime soon, so I was forced to wait for whatever happened next. Which was just more waiting.
So I started to doze off, despite the uncomfortable and maddening reminder of these impossibly tight straps. I couldn't resist sleep, and I knew I'd been here for at least a few hours. I was just starting to slip into a somewhat comforting darkness when I felt a sudden, quick and hot-burning shock lurch throughout my whole body. My whole body jerked awake and my head snapped upright, eyes widening once they opened. A thousand sharp and prickling vibrations jolted throughout my body all at once. I could've sworn it had reached my heart and almost threatened to make it stop beating. A scream is ripped from the pit of my stomach.
As terrible as it was, it only lasted a few seconds. But it felt even worse after it was over. My skin felt like it was an oven overheating on itself. And I won't even talk about the smell. I had barely registered the movement of that robot's hand slipping off of my shoulder afterwards.
It went on like this for I don't know how long. I'd fight my need for sleep, I'd doze off anyway, I'd get another shock. You'd think I'd learn, but apparently my body is more tired than my pain receptors are sensitive. Even though I tried to fight it, the need for sleep would eventually take over. I'd tell myself I would only close my eyes, still tapping my foot both to keep myself awake and so the guard wouldn't think I fell asleep. But of course I still would, and every time earned me a longer and more painful shock.
That brings us up to speed to now, while I lay limp against the chair, panting and trying to catch my breath after another punishment. My entire body aches. My head becomes heavier the more I hold it up, but I force myself to or else this stupid robot will think I'm sleeping even if I'm not.
I guess her plan is working, because I won't be falling asleep tonight. After all the insanely intense electric shocks, my body finally gets the message. The only possibly good thing right now is that by now I can actually feel the rest of my body and know it's there. Of course, because of the shocks. And I can't move a single centimeter, so it's really not much.
So by now, I'm still waiting. Turned livid and bitter. And plenty sleep deprived. This robot standing behind me with his electricity-filled-shocky-hands is pissing me off to say the least, just by standing there with his hands activated and ready to attack again.
"Okay. I get it, dude. No sleep for me." I mumble, trying to scoot as far away as possible from its hand. Of course, it doesn't respond. Probably because it's a machine and most likely can't talk. "Though I don't guess you'd consider changing sides and letting me go, huh?" I ask in a deadpan, but I hadn't expected it to turn its head and stare down at me with those freakishly creepy and giant bug eyes.
"Right..." I sigh and look back down at the floor. Maybe shutting up would be a good idea right now.
I've been trying to figure out exactly what I'm doing here. Obviously it's some kind of hostage situation, but she also wants me here for information that I probably don't have. Not that I'm complaining, but one of the actual turtles would've been the people to kidnap.
"Ugh!"
Suddenly there's nothing but white, assaulting my eyes and blinding me. I squeeze them shut in hope of nothing but black again.
"Don't bother trying to talk to them. They're not exactly chatty. And they're incapable of disobeying my exact orders."
I hear her voice before I see her and all the annoyance comes rushing back. The room is suddenly bright and illuminated. Though it's no more informing than it was before. Purely dull, bare, and closed off completely.
"How fortunate for them." I remark, blinking rapidly to adjust to the new light.
"Sleep well?"
I clench my mouth shut to keep from saying some strong words. I'm trying to ignore the wall behind her but it's hard not to acknowledge it with the racing of my heart.
"Might as well get used to the way things work here. I hope you learn fast, because you answer to me while you're in here."
I sigh and close my eyes, leaning my head back and feeling a headache come on as she starts talking.
"So tell me, have you ever been tortured before, Y/n?"
"Does this conversation count?" I give her a look, bringing my head back around to see her.
"Don't smart mouth me." She snaps impatiently. "Unless you'd like a matching scar."
Yikes. She did not like that response.
I can't help the smirk that comes to my lips at seeing her scowl that I caused. Karai sits on the table, crossing her long legs as she regains her cool and smart aleck demeanor. Her eyes rake over my form in this metal chair.
"I have to admit, I expected more from the girl I heard Leo's head over heels for. But so far, I'm underwhelmed."
I have nothing to say, nothing I can think of. Is this really what she brought me here for?
"What? Nothing to say now?"
"What do you want with me?"
"Why in such a rush, sweetheart?"
"Don't call me sweetheart."
"We've got plenty of time on our hands," she continues as if I had never said anything. "And I bet you're glad to be away from all the boy stench for a change. We all need a bit of girl time, right?"
I would be if there were another one here.
The remark would've rolled off my tongue so easily, but I restrained myself.
"Karai, why did you bring me here?" I demand, getting more impatient. "And where is here?"
"You really think I'm gonna tell you that?" She scoffs. "I'm the one who's gonna be getting the information here."
I know whatever it is she really wants, I can't give to her. Whether because it's too important or because I hardly know anything at all, I just can't give it to her.
"I hope for your sake you cooperate sooner rather than later. I'd hate to have to give you anymore motivation." I jump in my seat when I hear the loud and sudden crackle of electricity again, cringing at the sound as the robot holds it dangerously close to me. "Or, ya know... don't. It's your choice really and either way it's a fun outcome for me."
"What is it you really want?" I snap again out of nervousness. My heart races in response to the reminder.
"Like I said, I need information. But I think I'd like to play with you a bit before we get into all that. Footbot!"
The robot stands at attention and my entire being suddenly prickles with unease. I pray she doesn't make it shock me again.
"Give our guest another warming welcome, will you?"
To my own surprise and disgust, I opened my mouth to plead them not to, but not a word could get out before I felt another burning, crackling, sharp prickling sensation breakout all across my skin and fry it. My throat practically tears itself apart as a strangled yelp erupts from the pit of my gut.
"400 volts." Karai's voice rings. I pant deeply, not being able to get enough air in and out of my lungs quick enough. "Stick around here long enough and you just might get used to it at some point."
I shut my eyes and my head rolls around weakly, too drained to hold itself up. My body lays limp against the chair. I feel like crying again as the pain lingers and re-familiarizes itself with my body again. After every shock, my skin becomes more tender and sensitive, making the next shock hurt ten times worse. And I'm sure she knows that.
"So, again, Y/n, I'll ask: have you ever been tortured before?"
She asks the question slowly, making it clear that she expects an answer or else. The fact that she's genuinely asking and expects me to answer makes me realize how real this is. That she's asking for a reason.
"N... n-no." I respond quietly, shivering under the pain.
"Good girl," she mocks fake approval. "Because I wanted to be sure that I was the first to introduce you to the experience."
"Whatever it is you want to know... I doubt I can give it to you." I nearly blurt from growing anxiety, but I was too weak to talk above a mumble and without panting. "They never told me much. They... they never even let me see how to get there. So this wouldn't happen."
"Oh, right. So in case there was ever an emergency you wouldn't be able to get back home, right? Makes sense." The question drips with sarcasm, letting me know that she clearly doesn't believe me.
"You..." I start, but stop to cough dryly, and catch more of my breath. "You brought me here... without showing me how I got here. It's not much different."
I hoped it was a believable excuse. They do it in the movies all the time... hidden location, sacks over people's heads. She did the same thing, not allowing me to remember how I got to this wretched place.
"Please. I know the way Leo thinks. He cares about you for whatever reason. And I would know how protective he is with the girls he likes." I cock an eyebrow, not eager to open this topic of conversation. "That's right. I've been where you are with him before. But I'm sure he's told you all about it by now, after what I did to you. The only difference between you and me right now is that he– unfortunately– was smart enough to realize that I'm bad for him before it was too late. It took him months to get over me and what I did. I could see it in his eyes every time we met at one of our chance encounters."
'Chance.' Right. I'm sure her twisted mind didn't target him just for the torment and personal satisfaction.
"What did you do to him?"
She shrugs as if none of it was a big deal. "Tied him up to use as bait. Used some upgraded footbots to go after his family and Splinter." That's right, when he told me about how he had to break things off with her because of her threats against everyone. "That was finally the last straw for him. Ya go after a guy's family once or twice and I guess he eventually gets tired of the mind games. He could've kept giving me second chances like a fool when I went after him or money or some dumb artifact sword. But it was targeting his family that had made him come to his senses in the end."
"And now he hates you." I stress the word.
"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure. As much as he probably wants to, and as much as he should, I doubt he could bring himself to. What can I say? He really fell for me."
"The real difference between you and me is that I'd never do anything to hurt him. Or anybody for that matter. I actually have a moral backbone that keeps me from slumping into this pitiful life of indulging in whatever the hell this is." I nod between me and her, biting down as I speak to shut myself up, but to no avail.
"Oh– but Y/n, you shouldn't give yourself so much credit. However different the two of us may be, the fact is that you can't be what he needs either, and you know it."
"The fact is that you're acting like one of those crazy girls who can't let go of the guy who ended it with them, and it's getting old."
She chuckles. "Ya know the more time I spend with you, the more I'm starting to like you. Hm. I guess there are some things that aren't rooted in deep pity that Leo could like about you."
"And what's your point with all of this? The Leo talk, acting like you know everything about me and what I have with him? Why is it?"
"Isn't it obvious enough? He's using you to get over me. Take it from me, he's never really been into the helpless-cliché-charity-case type." She crosses her arms, unimpressed. "Seems to me like you of all people would know when you're being used."
I squint in confusion. "You don't even know anything about me."
"Oh, really?" She reaches across the table and pulls over a manila folder I hadn't even noticed before. "Cause I did a little research on you. Wanna know what I found out?"
"Not really."
"F/n M/n L/n," she begins reading. "First and only child of your parents, born (birthdate) in Manhattan, New York. You lived a happy, mundane childhood up until the point your mother left you and your father when you were six years old." She walks slowly toward me as she reads from whatever files she recovered of me, stopping right in front of my chair. "And your father was so heartbroken afterwards, that less than a month later he took his own life by overdosing on his prescription antidepressants. Hm..." Karai fakes a mocking forlorn expression as she closes the file and then looks at me. "When you think about it, it's not surprising that you're the outcome of that."
"I don't think you're one to judge other people's parents." I comment calmly, referring to her psycho of a "dad" and how her mother is just as dead as my father is. But when I finish that sentence, I notice something change in her demeanor. This time it didn't seem like I struck a nerve. More like I struck her weakness. In a second that crack in her armor disappears and she reassumes her menacing, no-nonsense-evil-girl routine. Swiftly, she pulls out the same blade at her side and strikes the side of my face with the butt of it, in a matter of milliseconds.
I grunted, wincing as I felt it down to the bone. It hurt like hell and was sure to leave a bruise, but, at least it wasn't the side with my cut on it... I try my hardest not to let out any whimpers or groans of pain as the pressure builds beneath my skin and behind my eyes, but hardly succeed. I taste some blood in my mouth from when the insides of my cheek hit my teeth and when I bit down on my tongue.
Karai nonchalantly strolls back over to the table, taking her time to sit down while looking at my file, then starts reading aloud again as if she didn't just strike me in the face. "After your being orphaned, you were passed around between multiple foster homes over the next nine or so years, until you got yourself emancipated and got your own apartment. Months later you got yourself evicted, moved in with the turtles," she flips the folder closed and returns to meet my gaze again, "and now you're here."
"Thanks for the biography," I cringe at moving my throbbing cheeks and jaws, but play it off as if I'm making a face of bemusement at her. "But I already knew that."
"Oh? So why haven't you told him? Child abandonment issues are something a boyfriend needs to know about, don'tcha think?"
"What makes you think I haven't?" I refrain from rolling my eyes, annoyed by how she's acting like she knows everything about him and me.
"At the very least I know you were lying to him, telling him your father accidentally overdosed on that pathetic date you two just had."
"Wha..." My eyes widen. "How could you have–"
"Hello. We practically hacked into your body. Has it not sunk in yet?" My eyes widen. "Just before we took full control the vision was going in and out. But we got a couple of glances of that primitive set up, or whatever you'd even call it. Though I don't know what kind of date there is where you decide to bore him with your depressing life story."
I shake my head at her patronizing tone, looking elsewhere in the room. "He wanted to know about my past." I say simply.
"So what I'm hearing is, not only is your so called relationship parasitic, but you lie to him, too."
"I'm not a–" I sigh, deciding to ignore the implication that my being with Leo is hurting him. "I didn't lie to him about anything–"
"Spare me the bullcrap. It may work on him, but not me. And believe me, it's not just because I have your file. You should remember that for the rest of your time here. Whatever lie you try to feed me, I'll see right through it." She hops off of the table while keeping her cool, challenging stare on me. "So, what's the matter? Didn't want to tell your boyfriend that daddy took his own life because you weren't enough to make him stay?"
I chuckle without humor as she starts circling around me with her arms crossed. "That wasn't it. It's my story to tell and I just wasn't ready to tell him everything yet. I mean..." I frown, thinking back to the look on his face as I explained everything in the lair, "you apparently saw the way he looked when I was telling him... It's not like he's familiar with family tragedies... Besides, he trusts me. I don't have any big reason to lie to him, unlike you."
She was quick to respond. "This isn't about me, hon. The sooner you remember that, the better."
"Really? Cause it sounds to me like you might've liked him back if you're so invested in how he and I are doing."
My head slams against the back of my chair as Karai yanks my head back by my hair. I grunt and clench my teeth together, not only feeling the pain in my head but in my neck too, like it's about to snap.
"I don't have a single thing to be jealous of you about. This is purely entertainment for me, watching you suffer, and him trying to get over me with you? You. Are. Nothing." She releases my head with a hard push and I groaned annoyed and in head pain.
"That's not what he's doing," I mumble defensively, completely offended just like she intended. "He actually cares about me. Maybe you would've seen that, if he hadn't left so soon for whatever mission took them so long," I mutter.
"Oh, you mean that threat your boys are handling right now. That's our accomplices, the Kraang, helping us out."
"Wait, what?"
"See, I couldn't be sure until we accessed your eyes and ears when the right time to distract them was. We couldn't have you walking out of there in front of everyone and then they follow you here. But then there was the matter of Leo staying behind. We had counted on all of them being gone like usual." She smiled cruelly, looking in my eyes. "Just think, if we hadn't thought to check your surroundings through you, we would've never gotten you here."
Something clicks in my brain, and I find myself trying to sit up straighter, even though the straps stop me. "... You caused that mission to get them away from me, so that you could bring me here." Karai rests a hand on her hip and cocks an eyebrow at me, obviously not feeling obligated to answer. "And now– what? You're gonna use your... your mind control on me again?"
"Like I said, we can't do that, or I would've done it by now. The picture was horrible and getting you to drop your clumsy tendencies was impossible. No, what I really want, is to have some fun with you, and get some information before the turtles finally catch on and arrive here to get their little pet back."
"I told you. I won't know anything, at least not anything useful. Why would they tell me anything? I'm not a in their clan, it's not like I could go on missions with them." She continues looking over that piece of paper, probably tuning me out for all I know. But I keep talking. "It's almost like you deliberately went for the one in the group that knows the least. Just to sic your creepy robots on them for hours?"
"You seem pretty insistent that you don't know anything before I can even ask you what I want to know." She looks to me, completely ignoring that last bit.
"What do you expect? You've done nothing but hurt me and try to get in my head about Leo. I may not be a ninja but I wasn't born yesterday either. Besides," I set my jaw, looking her over, "you tried to kill Mikey. Even if I did know something, I'd never tell you a thing."
Her grin spreads when her eyes reach the bottom of the sheet, then she looks at me with a dangerous, knowing look in her eyes. "Well, Princess," she smirks and waves the folder in her hand. "We'll see about that, won't we?"
Leo's POV
"Sorry, Leo. I haven't seen her, and she definitely didn't come by. Better luck trying Casey though."
Something more than luck would be nice.
"Thanks." I tell April disappointedly before ending the call, then turning to Raph as I hear him come back in. "Anything?"
"Nope. I explained everything you told us happened after you left and Casey says he hasn't seen or heard from her since before patrol."
"None of this is making any sense."
"You're tellin' me." Raph snorts. "You two are usually, like, inseparable. For a while there if we saw one of we'd always see both." He chuckles and sets his phone down as he sits on a stool. "Like Siamese twins. I didn't think you two could stay apart for this long without short circuiting, or something."
"Raph, are you not worried?" I furrow my eyebrows, glancing over at him. "She's missing, this is serious."
"No, I'm not worried. Because I'm sure she's okay." He gets up and slaps his hands on my shoulders, attempting to calm me down. "I'm sure she'll be back soon. We could be overreacting. She might've just gone out this morning wanting to be alone, and maybe that's why she left her phone, or forgot."
"Yeah, and maybe she's out there getting kidnapped by gang members or shot at by the Kraang or–"
"Hey, stop talkin' like that; don't go spiraling. She's smart, she wouldn't put herself in danger. The past two times she snuck away it was always somewhere hidden and safe."
"Yeah, but... this time feels different." I frown and stare past him at the wall, willingly letting my mind drift off to that dangerous place again. "I've got a really bad feeling. Like something terrible is gonna happen."
Raph keeps his gaze on me, allowing me to notice when his brows furrow in concern. "Bad like what?"
"I'm not sure. Just, something really really bad. Like things will never be the same."
He shakes his head, denying without any forethought. "You're letting your worry get the best of you. You'll see. We'll bring Y/n back, you'll be reunited, and things will be fine."
"But–"
"I know you care about her a lot. We do, too, okay? We're not going to let anything happen to her. Casey and April are out there looking for her. She'll be fine."
I sigh and lean my shell against the counter and cross my arms. "I just hope that's enough for now. I've never been so anxious about having to stay down here and do nothing."
"We're not doing nothing. Donnie's in his lab right now figuring out a way to hack into any security feeds from nearby stores, and Mikey... well Mikey's still just walking around and calling her name in case she's still here, but it's at least an effort."
"We need more than an effort, Raph. We need to make progress," I scold and quickly make my way out of the kitchen to talk to Mikey.
"Whoa there, chief. We all know I love yelling at Mikey as much as the next turtle," he follows behind me, grabbing my shoulder, "but I don't think that's gonna help right now."
"I'm not gonna yell at him," I defend, knowing well enough I probably was gonna say something a little rash, and not exactly in the nicest of tones at that. "I'm just gonna talk to him."
"Guys! You might wanna come in here!"
"Mikey!" I call out before dashing through the open lab doors in response to Donnie's call, Raph hot on my tail. "What is it? Did you find something?"
"Sort of. Getting through the fire wall to the street security feeds is taking a little longer than preferred but I finally got into her phone and found some texts from I guess one of her friends. It's the only text she's gotten since we all left last night; first sent at 11:39. But I don't know, there's something weird about these messages."
"Who's it from?"
"The sender said their name was Nick."
Excuse me– Nick? What could he have to do with this? And why would he be texting her? I think quietly to myself as I cross my arms over my chest, probably making a sour face that I didn't intend to at the mention of his name. I only say that cause Raph made a face after looking at me, and then moved next to Donnie to look at her phone screen and smirked.
"Oh yeah, and she's got a heart and a winky face next to his name, too."
"What?!" I zoom over comically fast next to Donnie to make sure what I'm hoping isn't there isn't really there. But imagine my annoyance when there's nothing of the sort by his name. In fact, not only were there no heart or winking emojis, his name wasn't entered into her phone at all. It shows that what he sent was the first messages between them and the ID only shows up as an unsaved number. I growl and glare for a moment at Raph who's laughing like he's a freaking comedian, before forcing myself to turn my attention back to her phone.
"Moving on," I mutter.
"I'll read all of them." Donnie says.
"How many are there?" I raise an eyebrow at the number of texts already filling up her phone screen from this guy.
"Several," he starts to scroll down through the multiple messages that she never got. "All in the span of twenty minutes."
"Want me to read them–"
"No," I answer Raph instantly with another glare at his antics. Mikey finally bounces in and proudly lets us know the bedrooms and hallways are clear. Even though we already knew that.
"Refocusing," Donnie stresses, "the first one he sent reads 'Y/n, this is Nick' followed by 'Did you make it home ok?' "
"Wait, so she was with Nick? She left to go see him this whole time?"
"Don't jump to any conclusions yet. There are still more to read." Donnie reminds me, but my insides are already twisting with regret and a tinge of jealousy at the thought of her first thought after leaving our date in disappointment, being to go see him for consoling.
"Listen to these next ones: 'Why did you run off like that?' 'Was it because of that guy?' 'I handled him after you ran off in case you were wondering.' 'I mean, I got a bruised nose out of it, but maybe it'll get me some street cred, haha.'
"Five minutes later he sent 'I got your number from the call log on the store phone,' 'Ik it's kind of weird but I just wanted to make sure you were ok' 'If you want I won't contact you again, I just need to make sure you're ok after what just happened. You disappeared so quickly'."
Donnie goes on to read more and more of the texts, and with every obscure and mysterious message an invisible hand squeezes its merciless grip around heart.
"Four minutes later: 'Please answer, you had me really worried earlier' 'How come you were so out of it?' 'And what was with the giant cut on your face?' Then he waited another three minutes and just sent, 'Y/n, please' ... The pauses get shorter every time."
"Which means, if not obvious enough, he was insanely worried, which means whatever it was must've been bad." I connect the dots aloud.
"Is that all of it?" Raph asks Donnie, who's still scrolling through the texts.
"Nope. Two minutes later he sent her, 'At least tell me if you're home safe' and then it goes on like that for the next six minutes until he eventually gave up I guess." His eye ridges furrow and he shakes his head. "That was twelve hours ago."
"Okay, we can work with that..." I nod slowly, staring at the table as I begin to think. "We just need to figure out what happened whenever it was she met up with him."
"What do you think it was?" Mikey scoots himself closer to the table in that rolling chair he always claims when he's in the lab.
"I'm not sure. But so far it sounds like she went somewhere to go meet him since everyone was gone, and apparently while they were together there was some guy that did something to freak her out and make her run off."
"Well... maybe that's why she hasn't come back..." Baby blue eyes flash with fear and let me know that Mikey's imagination is running off to that darn place I've so easily been going of to. "Maybe the guy got to her?"
"No. The Nick guy said he handled whoever it was. If the bad guy had gone after her he wouldn't have sent those texts. It's not that." Raph denies it quickly, placing a hand on Mikey's shoulder and squeezing reassuringly.
Me, I just cross my arms across my chest and hope he's right. Donnie catches my attention, squinting at the screen.
"What is it?"
"Leo, what time was it when you left?"
"I don't remember exactly, but I can check my call log."
Mikey looks up at Donnie while I check my t-phone. "Why?"
"First text sent to her was at 11:39 and the last was close to midnight."
"You called me at 11:24 and I left a couple minutes right after that."
Donnie looks at me silently, a mildly puzzled expression on his face. "Okay... To recap, you theorized that Y/n left and she and this Nick guy hung out for a bit," he repeats everything, speaking quickly, then takes another pause. "But these time marks on the texts don't line up. It says here he sent the first text only about twelve minutes after you left, Leo... That's hardly enough time to walk out of the lair up to that store let alone do any kind of 'hanging out'."
Another pause.
He scrolls wildly through the texts again.
"And there aren't any texts between them before that that show them agreeing to meet each other." He leans his elbow on the table, hand holding his chin as he thinks. "This doesn't make any sense."
"Well if we figure out what went down then maybe it will..." Raph points out. "But we don't even know where to look." He stares at me for a few seconds and I know he's watching my reactions. "Unless you have any idea."
"Well, he does work at that comic book store nearby that Y/n usually gets me stuff from–"
"And... how do you know that?"
"I... may have accompanied Y/n to one of her trips to the store before..." I admit slowly. "Ya know, from the shadows in the alley across."
Raph's eyes squint. "Well it's funny hearing that because I thought we agreed we don't get that close to people!"
"It was just one time," I shrug and mumble, "and then maybe a couple others..."
"Oh but when I do it it's too dangerous and risky?"
"Look that's not the point okay?" I sigh in frustration, impatiently slapping my hands down on the table. "It doesn't matter, what matters is that we know where he works and how to contact him. Donnie, do you think you can bring up the security footage on that street? She never had his number saved so there's a chance she decided to go to the store knowing he might have been working there or something. It's not a far walk at all."
"Yeah, sure I can do that." Donnie mumbles and rushes to his computer, then hits his fist on the table and sighs. "It's still loading at 85% but once I'm in it shouldn't be too hard to find..."
"Okay. Okay, good."
"Hypothetically..."
Mikey and Raph groan in unison.
"Not so good..." I sigh.
"Don't worry. It's just a small delay and a matter of if I can get into the codes for that specific street."
"I hope so, 'cause if we don't, we have nothing."
"Maybe we should wait it out? Wait for her to come back?" Mikey pitches, but I'm long past considering that.
"No. No, we're finding her. We know now from these texts that she ran off and if she hasn't come back by now, over twelve hours later, then we need to go look for her."
The silent looks my brothers give each other before looking at me makes me heave a heavy sigh.
"I'm sorry... I'm sorry. But I'm finding her. If it's the last thing I do."
~
I'm never going to find her.
It may have only been fifteen minutes of waiting.
But it felt like forever, and now it feels like I'm never going to find her.
First, the whole firewall wall loading process thing majorly slowed down in its final stages, and then Donnie had to marrow down to one out of the hundreds of streets nearby, but we finally got the security footage of the street the comic book store is on right after I left.
We stand huddled around the small laptop, waiting for anything to happen. For her to appear on screen or for Nick to show up. Anything. But things carry on for moments with no such luck.
"Well... this is boring."
"Just, keep your eye for anything that can help us."
"If we see Leo, it'll be so cool. Just like watching him on TV!"
"What? We're not gonna see Leo on the security feed, that's the whole point of sticking to the shadows, genius..."
"Oh, yeah."
"Donnie, can you fast forward the feed a little bit?"
"Yeah, sure," he types away, holding down a key to fast forward moments ahead.
Shortly later, Y/n finally shows up on the screen, appearing on the sidewalk right next to our main entrance and exit manhole.
"There she is!" Raph points out quickly, Donnie immediately pulls his finger off of the forwarding key. We watch closely and silently as Y/n goes walking down the sidewalk at a steady pace, looking like she knows exactly where she's going. "Well that was easy. Why didn't we do this sooner?"
We saw everything. Her passing the store, Nick talking to her, that vacant expression up until that guy grabbed her and she ran away.
"Quick, find her again!" I coach Donnie after he's already typing again.
"Working on it, working on it," he mumbles in a chant.
"There she is, at the end of the block!" Mikey taps the screen once another camera feed is pulled up, and I flinch when a car nearly hits her, but she doesn't even seem to notice, and runs out of camera view again.
"Donnie..."
"I'm working on it!"
The next thing I see shocks me before my eyes can hardly even take the time to take in what I'm really looking at. I see Y/n pressed up against the side of a dumpster, looking like she's hiding from something or someone, looking over her shoulder. But when my eyes shift to the figures on the other side of the dumpster, my heart almost stops at the revelation.
I remember being in that alley so briefly, thinking I heard something; some movement that might've been a footbot or a Kraangdroid. Being in such a rush because of the seriousness of the threat and letting Mikey convince me it was probably just an alley cat. But it wasn't. It was Y/n, hiding.
Why would she hide from us?
"What?" It comes out in a whisper.
Past Donnie says something on screen to Past Me, and we run out of the alley without another delay. Afterwards, Y/n pokes her head around the dumpster, and gradually sneaks out from behind it and runs out of the alley the same way.
Donnie presses various keys on the computer again and the screen switches to the street where the alley lets out, but there's no Y/n to be found.
"Wha... where'd she go?" Raph squints.
"I don't know... that alley doesn't let out anywhere else. The camera should've gotten her." He holds down the forwarding key over the next few minutes, where the only thing we see cars drive by on the street and a pair of people passing by.
In fact... that's the only thing we see happen next. Over and over again, the same red car driving by and the same two people walking by in the opposite direction.
"Man. I never realized how ordinary and similar looking the people of New York were– ow!" Mikey squeals and glares at Raph after the slap he earned over the head.
"Someone's looped the feed." Donnie corrects, frowning at the screen in thought. "Why would somebody need to loop the feed? More importantly, who?"
"It was so close..." The three of them all turn their heads to me, but I just keep staring at the screen. "She was right there... Right there. Why would she hide from us? If we had seen her we could've brought her home and she'd be here, safe and not missing out there in the streets of New York with so many threats, and– whoever messed with those cameras to keep us from finding her." I shake my head and look at my brothers, speaking softer. "It didn't even seem like her. Did you see her face?"
"Yeah, she was all... zombie-like. It was weird, dudes."
"Wait, do you really think the camera being looped means someone did it to keep anyone from finding her? How do we know it's not just some cheap system and it's glitching."
"That's always a possibility, Raph, but it's highly unlikely that's actually that's going on. Cameras don't typically glitch in this way. It's more likely someone tampered with the feed on purpose. And, as much I don't want to say it, I don't think it's a coincidence that Y/n is the subject of the tape that's being manipulated."
I clench and unclench my fists, getting antsier and more anxious by the minute. The sickening feeling in my stomach only doubles as we continue to analyze the security feed. "Donnie, is there a way you can delete that part with us in it? It may be useful to us but I don't think we should chance anyone discovering it." We'll just have to go there ourselves.
"Sure thing. And while I'm at it, we can still go back and see what happened with that Nick kid."
And we do just that. We see again how Nick intercepted Y/n and defended her against a guy that was twice as big as him. I can't say I didn't feel a twinge of anger or jealousy when I saw him brushing her hair away from her face the way I usually do. But what we see later prevents me from being able to hold much against him in good conscience. We watched again how she ran off without a look back, but this time stay focused on what happened afterwards to Nick. Despite the odds, he stood his ground, obviously trying to keep Big Guy from going after Y/n and calm him down. We could practically hear the crack when Big Guy gave him a swing straight to the face and gave him a bloody nose, but luckily enough a police car rolled up beside them and, after a moment of talking to them, arrested Big Guy and put him in his squad car.
The officer made a gesture that made it seem like he was offering help with Nick's bloody nose and what look like Nick declining and then gesturing towards the comic book store across the street. After they drive off, Nick jogs across the street and unlocks the doors, going in and turning the lights back on. He disappears into the back for a little while but Donnie fast forwards through it. Luckily we could still see the inside of the shop clearly enough from the opposite end of the street.
When he reappears, he rummages around behind a counter with a newly cleaned up nose and pulls out his phone after looking at a notepad on the counter, mostly likely the store call log he referred to in those texts. For the rest of the time he's seen pacing back and forth on the carpet while holding a phone to his ear. After a few times of calling, he resorts to typing on his phone for the next twenty minutes. I check the time mark on the screen and then the time marks on the calls and texts Y/n's phone received, confirming that they matched. It went on like this until he sent the last text, and finally closed up the store again and left.
"Well, that explains everything..." Raph sighs and stands upright again. "And nothing at all."
Mikey cocks his head confusedly and looks up at me. "So, what does this mean?"
"It means we have a lead. Let's go."
"Where? We can't go topside–"
"Yes, we can." I cut Raph off as the others quickly start to grab their things and try to keep up with me. "It's... somewhat dark outside! Bad weather's coming in, this is our only chance until night comes and it's too risky to wait that long."
Don closes the laptop. "Okay then. Where are we heading?"
"To that alley we stopped by. That's where she disappeared, and that's where she was last seen by anyone, as far as we know. That security footage wasn't looped for no reason, so we need to get up there and dig up anything fishy."
"Master Splinter won't like this."
I frown and stare at the ground but keep up my pace. "I'll explain it all to him later. This is too important to put off. We'll get there quick, gather whatever clues we can, and get back here as soon as possible. Got it?"
They all nod.
"Let's move out, ninjas."
Your POV
You can do this, Y/n. Just don't tell her anything she wants to know. It's easy. Besides, you're mostly telling the truth. You won't know anything important. This is exactly why Leo kept anything risky or confidential from you. You can do this. Just tell that truth, and you'll be fine...
I'm broken from my train of thought when that metal door comes swinging open again the devil incarnate comes walking through it again.
"Where do you keep going? Isn't it rude to keep your guest waiting?" I deadpan while looking around the room to the best of my ability.
"You're not exactly a guest here. I thought we made that clear." Her mischievous eyes flick over to the robot standing guard before flicking back to me.
"Okay, okay." I say quickly. "I get it... I'm sorry."
She scoffs humorously and snaps her fingers. Not a second later another 400 volts is going through my body, shocking and pricking me painfully over every millimeter of skin I have. What must have really only been seconds that felt like an eternity passed on until it was finally over. I didn't feel any better afterwards, my skin hyperaware of the aching as my body slumps limply in this chair, struggling to even pant.
"Yeah, mercy isn't really my thing."
"Like father, like daughter?" I grit out.
The crackling sound comes to life once again and I flinch again, shaking in my seat and keeping my eyes clenched shut in anticipation.
"When are you gonna learn to keep your mouth shut?"
She has a point.
The threatening noise dies down and I slowly open my eyes to see the robot standing still again, having no intention to electrocute me again. Yet.
"So, are you still determined to keep quiet? If so, we have much worse planned for you, but you could just save yourself the trouble and 'fess up now."
My mouth hangs open to answer, but I still can't catch my breath, struggling to breathe from the pain. My eyelids remain heavily closed and my head hangs low to the side.
"Geez. You won't last a day," I hear her mumble.
A scraping noise makes me flinch again, proving too loud for my ears. I slowly open my eyes and see Karai sitting down in a chair in front of me. Legs crossed and arms doing the same, looking annoyed and unimpressed as ever.
I take another deep breath, and do my best to slowly sit upright, harnessing whatever strength I have left right now. "What?"
"I know you know where they live. Between your terrible lying and the fact that you were evicted months ago, I'm led to believe that you're living with them yourself, which you practically admitted to me. In which case you definitely know where they live. And I'm only going to ask once, nicely, before moving on to more... convincing tactics."
I hesitate as she stares me down, and then shrug. "I can't tell you what I don't know."
Karai's lips stretch into a smile that looks like the one she gave me right before she cut me. She shakes her head and gets up, walking back towards the table.
"Okay. Fine." She grabs the file in her hand and holds it up, shaking it in her grip. "Girl talk is over. It's time we get what we need from you."
"Who is this 'we' you keep mentioning?"
As if given a cue, the metal door opens again with a loud whoosh before a tall, blond figure comes walking in, clad in all black and never breaking direct eye contact from me.
"That's right! How rude of me, I never introduced you to Scott, did I? Don't worry, you two will be getting well acquainted."
"Scott" laughs with the faintest of smiles, one that practically wasn't really there, but reaching humor in his eyes. He redirected his gaze from me to Karai. "That shiner from you? Or did that guy from the street catch up to her?"
"She wishes. Just had to clear up a misunderstanding."
"I see."
"She's being unresponsive," she glances at me briefly, and I roll my eyes at their talking about me as if I'm not right here. "And, I'm getting bored."
"Understandable, but, there is one thing you haven't tried yet that she might not be so guarded about." Scott slides a second file from off of the table, offering it to her in expectance.
She sighs and takes the file, walking past him towards me. "Fine, we'll try that first."
When she sits herself back down in the chair across from me, Scott taking her place leaning against the table and watching from behind, I look between the two and raise an eyebrow and shake me head.
"What are you guys talking about?"
"Who was your handsome friend, hm? The one that you encountered on your way here?"
I shake my head. "What do you mean on my way here? I don't even know how I got here. Remember? Maybe if you told me–"
"That's for us to know, and you to not ask about." She pulls something from in between the folder, a slip of paper in her hand. When she holds it up for me to see, my brain immediately registers who it is before my eyes even have much of a chance to look.
"So you do know him."
I'm frozen for about two seconds more as I stare at his face. And then I shift my gaze over to an even more familiar figure.
Me.
The picture has two different photos from two different camera angles, and it's clear to see from both that it's me and Nick, standing on a sidewalk and talking.
When did that happen?
His hand is touching my cheek–
Correction.
The stitches on my cheek.
I, however, look emotionless. Like a blank slate. It doesn't even look like I'm actually seeing him. The look in my eyes seems so hollow and 2D.
"This... this never happened."
"But it did," Karai sighed tiredly. "And he definitely seemed to know you pretty well. Even defended you against the tough guy with all the tattoos and rings. Brave kid. Bit of a cutie too, don't ya think?"
"You... you're not bringing him into this, are you?" I look away from the pictures, trying to figure out why Nick would be relevant.
"I will if I have to. I think it would make things all the more interesting, don't you?"
"I don't even know him... He doesn't know anything about me, he couldn't give you any more information than I could."
"Oh well you may very well think that, but people always know more than they realize. That includes you."
I shake my head, caring less than I should that I'm showing weakness. "Please... don't hurt him. He's not part of this."
"I won't. That is, if you agree to cooperate with us."
"... And what happens if I don't?" I test my luck, wondering if they would really kidnap Nick too for no good reason. I also wonder if could use the dad approach as an advantage against her, recalling what little I know about her. "I mean sure, you're threatening to bring in Nick–"
"Ah, so you do know Cutie's name."
"But I think you know as well as I do that he can't help you."
"Maybe not in the way you think. But you're too good of a person to let someone else do your suffering because you were too stubborn to do what needed to be done."
A pang of fear hits my heart and seeps deep into my stomach. I've been trying not to think about the things she's been implying she'll do to me if I don't give her what she wants, but if she's thinking about bringing Nick here just to do the same to him, I don't really have the option to just ignore it anymore.
Karai smirks, knowing she's got me. "Think about it. I'm sure you'll come to the right decision." She fingers the paper, stroking Nick's face. "After all, you wouldn't want to be the reason this pretty face got messed up, would you?" She gets to her feet, swaying her hips as she pulls the chair back to the table. "While you're pondering, Scott and I are gonna have some fun."
Scott's back faces me, but I still see him unravel a black bag across the table. "Let's start with the new knives."
"Wait, what?" I croak out, panic seeping into my voice and my body starting to tremble.
"What, that's it?" Karai talks over me, neither paying attention to me.
"She's clearly not used to or trained to endure any vast form of pain. She'll probably give in with us barely have to do anything."
"What's the fun in that?" Karai crosses her arms, but sighs and rolls her eyes, smirking as Scott gives her a look. "Fine, fine."
"Just trust me." He turns back around, looking over me. "Those straps are gonna have to be tightened more. I hate when they struggle too much."
"That's too bad," Karai smirked more and waved her hand when he made a move towards me. "I got it. You make sure everything's ready."
I clench my teeth together to keep them from chattering. Suddenly the realization and fear come down on me tenfold. Trepidation settles in the pit of my stomach as Karai makes the restrictive belts even tighter from behind, causing more discomfort and unease.
And when I can feel the straps restricting me from moving the slightest, my heart starts to speed up and feel like it's going to explode from anxiety.
This isn't really happening. This can't really happen to me... can it?
Karai takes a threatening step forward, looking down on me, then leans forward, coming down close towards me as her hands grab onto the chair arms, getting in my face and speaking lowly.
"Y/n L/n, you are in for a world of pain."