Chapter Text
April and Donnie’s feet were racing down the sewers, trying to hurry while not making Leo’s injuries worse. They finally reached the familiar turnstiles and began to call out Splinter.
“Splinter!” Donnie yelled as they rushed in.
“Splints!” April joined in as they put Leo down on the couch in front of the tv.
The rat mutant stepped out from the dojo with a frantic look. He stared between the two calling his name and his hurt son.
“What has happened?” Splinter asked as he ran up to Leonardo, checking him for injuries.
“La Alba. They must have ambushed everyone while they were out. Captured them all and sent Leo back as a message.” Donnie explained.
“We were at the junkyard and walked to my apartment. I don’t know how long he has been in that condition before he was thrown through my window.” April tried to keep focus but her heart was racing.
“Thrown through your window?” Splinter’s eyes widened. “I’m so sorry this has happened to you, my son. “ He whispered to Leonardo as he picked him up.
“What are we going to do, Splinter?” April asked.
“I will take Leonardo and try to heal him to the best of my abilities in the dojo. You have already done lots to help him, April but I believe you two are needed to find the rest of our family.”
“Dee, do you think the Foot Clan can help us?” April asked, her eyes filled with a little hope.
“April, this is sadly the one thing they can’t do anything about. Shredder and Dawn have a deal that they can't go into each other’s territory or mess with their businesses. It’s why I have been able to be safe for the last few years and it’s why our family won’t be if we don’t leave soon.”
“There’s gotta be other people we can find. We have lots of allies that can help. You won't need to give yourself up.” April almost pleaded.
“April.” Donnie’s voice was too calm for her liking. “We might be able to get reinforcements, we might be able to get everyone out but we can’t know for sure that they will all get unscathed. Unlike some enemies who like to flaunt off their prizes, all Dawn thinks about is the goal and she isn’t afraid to kill to get it.”
“Donatello is right, April.” Splinter said, dragging her attention away from the turtle.
“But, Splinter we can’t just go in there with the two of us. We can't just let Donnie let himself be taken back-”
“You won’t!” Splinter interrupted. “Dawn Morte is a powerful foe, not one to underestimate. There is not much time if I heard correctly. I will call you friends for backup to where you must go. You two must come up with a plan that gets you two and everyone back safely.”
“You know I can't promise that, Otosan.” Donnie said remoresly.
Splinter felt his eyes water slightly at the name he was called. “I know. Sadly I know that sometimes sacrifices must be made. But please at least try to find a way to come home, my son.”
“I promise, I’ll always try to come home to you. I won’t stop fighting.” Donnie smiled slightly, giving both Splinter and April just a bit more hope.
“I must take care of Leonardo first and then I will call our allies to help. I am sure Usagi, Shinigami, and Leatherhead will want to be a part of this.”
“Now that’s settled, we need to go!” Donnie gestured to the exit, haste in voice.
“Donnie, shouldn’t we wait for our allies before we charge in? Get a plan or something?” April asked, looking at her friend with worry and fright.
“April, we need to hurry to at least check the state of others. We will make a plan and hope that reinforcements will arrive on time..”
“Where are we even going? You didn't mention it earlier and it didn’t seem to be on the letter.” April pointed out.
“It’s one of La Alba’s warehouses by the docks. It’s pretty far from everything and everyone. It’s her personal execution chamber.” Donnie’s eyes narrowed as he spoke, his hands clenched at his sides.
“Why does she want you to come there?” April almost whispered, her eyes widened in slight horror.
“She took our family because she doesn't want to be found by anyone just walking by. Plus it’s-” Donnie pushed slightly, taking a breath. “It’s where I had my first kills. Learned how to shoot and kill fast rather than prolong their demise. I was taught mercy there and that is what she is giving by bringing our family there without killing them. But if we don’t go soon we will lose more time. Not ours but theirs!”
April glanced between Splinter and Donnie frantically, trying to reach her mind for a decision. WIth a finality and termination in her face when she finally chose..
“Splints, you heal Leo up and call our allies while Donnie and I head out to the La Alba warehouse by the docks.” April decided.
“April, when we get there you will go through the hole in the windows by the roof, it’s pretty hidden so you should be out of anyone's eyes when you enter. You will wait there for my signal. I’ll be through the front and try to create a distraction by playing along. You will try to release the others and we are going to fight our way out. Hopefully our allies will be able to come join us before the battle becomes too much for us to handle.”
“As much as I don’t like it, Donnie, I got your back. We got this, right.”
“We got this..” Donnie lagreed, smiling slightly as he looked directly at April.
“Then go! Save your family, ” Splinter ordered then looked at the turtle mutant. “and please try to come home.”
With a final nod, April and Donnie headed out of the lair, running down deeper into the sewers.
Splinter looked down at his hurt son with a great worry before heading inside the dojo.
It’s time to make a few calls.
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Donne's thoughts were overrun with possibilities in all the ways this could go wrong but tried to keep his head level.
This wasn't time for Donatello.
It’s time for the Foot Lieutenant.
It’s been years since he has been back here but he remembers the layout like the back of his hand.
The door immediately opens up to a big room, mostly used as the front and guard what’s going on in the back room.
Donnie knows he’ll have to get through all the guards before he gets to the back room where his family is held. Dawn probably wants him to show his worth.
April will have to sneak by the back of the building and scale the building to get the window. It’s pretty high up but not impossible to get to, especially for a kunoichi of April’s skill.
Even with all this planning, he knows it honestly just comes down to Dawn. He hopes by the end of it that he and his family will get home unscathed, but she likely has plans up her sleeves. Donnie hoped she would easily fall under their attack.
She’s too smart for that though.
She honestly could have taken him many times over the years but she chose to wait till now and Donnie is going to find out why. One way or another.
April and Donnie had been racing to the docks, focusing on what was at stake but worry flashing through their faces once in a while. When they finally reached the docks by the warehouse two just stopped to look at eachother.
“Are you sure about this, Donnie?” April whispered, her eyes narrowing as she focused onto the warehouse..
Donnie glanced at her. “Not a single bit. But we know what we have to do. One way or another, we’re getting them back.”
She gave a sad smile to her friend before pulling him into a hug.
“Good luck.”
“You too.”
The two separated, giving one last look before setting off on their own.
Donnie took a long breath before he began to scale down the building, reaching the ground. He took one last peak in April, watching her sneak by cameras and guards surveying the building, heading to the window where they planned.
He crouched beside the wall of a nearby warehouse, glancing at the entrance and the guards in front of it.
Donnie looked down at himself seeing the familiar armor his dad originally gave to him. He felt the bo staff strapped on his back along with the gun on his thigh and the several knives hidden in his gear.
He put on the metal mask and slowly pulled up the hood before staring back at his wrist. He felt the familiar comfort of the purple bandana, the one he used as a sign of hope for years of his life, the one that brought him back to his family.
Now he was going to save them.
He pulled out a view of ninja stars, aiming them at the nearby guards before throwing them, stabbing them in intricate places to lead to instant death.
He quickly ran up from his spot, running up one of the reminder guards with a kick to head, knocking them out cold. He grabbed their neck before snapping it sideways.
Donnie then glanced around running for the last remaining guard. Dodging their attacks, Donnie disarmed them before hitting lethal shots to the head with their weapon.
He immediately ran up the entrance way, seeing a little peeping hold between frames. Donnie counted off the guards inside the front seeing twenty people, all adorn with different weaponry and in different strength and size.
Shouldn’t be too hard, right?
Donnie ignored the blood slipping down his fingers as he slipped through the door and hid in the shadows.
The guards were none the wiser.
He crept through the corners, blending in with shadows and moved behind the pillars. From the beams of structure, he climbed up, crouching aba over the guards.
Slowly he pulled out his gun from its holster, taking a second to aim before taking the shot. Down went a few men before their eyes caught onto the turtle mutant.
Donnie jumped down, knocking out one of the men on his way down. He reholstered his gun and instead brought out his bow.
Spinning in his hands, he swung it at a guard coming close to him before moving onto the next. WIth a kick he separated another away from, knocking them away as he prepared another hit for another attacking guard.
He dodged a hit from the guard’s knife as they tried to stab him, hitting the worst to let go of the knife before taking it into his own hands.
Donnie quickly stabbed the guard in the stomach a few times before dropping him to the ground.
He felt arms wrap around his midsection, trying to trap his arms against him. Donnie immediately stepped on the guard’s feet, the surprise letting the guard loosen their grip, Donnie then turned around and with a throw, the knife in his hand embedded in the guard’s neck.
Hearing a series of steps from behind him, Donnie readied his bo staff once again, unlocking the blade trigger, letting the sharp metal pop out from the top of the staff.
He turned, swinging the staff and directed it to his attackers. WItha series of strikes the blade slashed through the guard’s stomach before they dropped to the ground.
Donnie dodged a guard’s bullet before running to them, stabbing them through the stomach with his body.
Distracted, he felt a kick to his side, pushing him away from the other guard. He brought up his bo staff, blocking a hit from the guard's own blade.
Donnie pushed the guard off before dropping down to kick out their legs. The turtle then stood up, stabbing the guard as he brought down the staff onto his attacker.
He glanced up, seeing a singular guard in front of him, a large blade in hand and ready to charge him.
The guard with a cry began to run towards Donnie, blade ready in their hands to attack the turtle mutant. Seeing this, Donnie quickly grasped his gun from his holster and took a single shot, killing off his opponent before they dropped to the floor.
Donnie stared blankly at the bodies on the floor before taking a shaky breath. He looked down at himself, surprised to see the minimal amount of blood that was able to get on him, his hands being the most bloody.
Holstering both his gun and bo staff, he then tore some cloth from one of the guard’s uniform, taking the blood of his gloved hands before dropping the fabric.
Donnie then looked at the doors leading him to his family and his nightmare. There was no sure way how thai was going to end.
WIth a little hope in heart and a stoic look on his face he opened the doors.
Creaking sounds from the doors were heard as they slammed open. Donnie started in, trying to keep his face as stoic as could be as he looked at what came of his family.
There was Dawn Morte in all her glory, standing near the center of the room, gun in hand and her brown hair pulled back into a loose bun, the white hair strand still there near her face. She wore a gray striped suit, blazer unbuttoned showing the matching waistcoat and white button up. Her one hand was in her pocket, the other on the gun pointing at his boyfriend.
Guards stood beside her, holding guns behind his family as they sat uncomfortably on their knees in front of them with their hands tied behind their backs.
Raph was on the very left, a split lip on the scowl on his face along with a bruised shoulder that did not seem to be in the right place. Seeing the turtle mutant, his face shifted from relief and worry.
Beside him was Casey, a bruise already forming on his cheek and near his eye most likely from a hit or slap to the face. Looking at Donnie, he already began to smile.
Next to him was Miwa, dried blood stained her cheek from a small cut as well as a seemingly hurt leg from the way she was leaning more to her right. Miwa smirked from her spot at seeing Donnie’s entrance.
Last was Mikey, bright blue eyes started back at him with a small glimmer he always had. His chin and neck had already formed bruises likely from someone holding and gripping his face and neck tightly.
Donnie brought his eyes back to Dawn, trying to keep his face neutral and not show his fear. He wanted to run up and check on his family but with the sound of the safety going off he stopped, standing only meters away from Dawn and his family.
“Look who finally showed.” Donnie remembers that voice all too well but still hearing it again brought shivers down his spine.
“I almost thought you weren’t going to make it.” Dawn smirked at the turtle. “But you never seem to disappoint.”