Lost To Darkness - TMNT 2012 Fanfic

Chapter 2

Today, the lair was alive with their early morning training. The dojo awaited their arrival. With its polished floors and time-worn equipment, it held the memories of countless hours spent honing their skills from childhood to the present.

Leo, the literal embodiment of discipline among the brothers, appeared first. His presence brought a sense of order to the room, each movement calculated and purposeful. He assumed his usual stance, a silent dedication to training.

Raph's arrival came next, his eagerness for action apparent in his gait. His strides carried a barely-contained energy, as if the walls of the lair themselves couldn't contain his anticipation.

Completing the trio was Donnie, arriving with a focus that matched his analytical mind. His late arrival wasn't out of laziness, but rather an indication of the preparation he engaged in before presenting himself.

As the three brothers gathered in the dojo, a sense of unity and purpose filled the air. Splinter, observing his sons, noted a missing presence. His aged eyes flicked around the room before settling on his three remaining students. "Where is Michelangelo?"

The question hung in the air for a moment, registering in the minds of his three sons.

"Dunno, sensei," Raph replied, exchanging a puzzled look with his brothers. "Probably still catchin' up on beauty sleep or somethin'."

The answer didn't seem to alleviate Splinter's concern. He shifted his gaze to Donnie, who hesitated before offering, "Maybe he's just out grabbing some early morning snacks?"

"I'll go wake him up, Sensei." Leo offered to Splinter, who nodded and let him leave the dojo to wake up their missing brother. Raph and Donnie stared at each other for a moment before glancing at the door, both of them noticing it was unusually more quiet than usual, which felt more ominous than peaceful upon thinking about it. Splinter also seemed to have picked up the energy of the room, staying silent.

Minutes stretched into an uncomfortable silence until Leo's return, his expression grave. "Guys," he began, his voice laced with concern, "Mikey's not in his room. And his skateboard is missing."

Raph's eye ridge furrowed, his voice edged with confusion as he questioned, "What do you mean his skateboard is missing? Did he...go out for a ride or something? When did Mikey even leave the lair...?"

Leo's somber gaze met Raph's, understanding passing between them. "I found his room empty, Raph. And his skateboard is gone. There's no sign of him anywhere in the lair."

The weight of their brother's absence seemed to settle in the room like a heavy fog.

Splinter's whiskers twitched, a sign of his deep contemplation. "We must ascertain his whereabouts immediately."

As if spurred by Splinter's words, Donnie swiftly pulled out his T-Phone. Fingers moved over the device's interface, he dialed Mikey's number, the tone ringing through the lair with an air of anticipation. The room held its breath as the T-Phone's rings echoed, filling the void left by their missing brother's absence. But as the tension mounted, the ringtone abruptly stopped. Donnie's face shifted from hope to worry, realization settling in. "His T-Phone went to voicemail."

As the tense atmosphere lingered in the room, each brother's mind was a whirlwind of concern. Splinter's aged eyes held a mixture of worry and determination, and he nodded slowly. "Leonardo, Raphael, check your T-Phones. Perhaps there is a clue that sheds light on Michelangelo's whereabouts."

Leo and Raph exchanged a glance before pulling out their T-Phones. Fingers tapping across the screens, they navigated to their call logs, searching for any sign of recent contact with their missing brother. Raph's expression shifted from worried annoyance to a flicker of surprise. "Wait a second."

Both Splinter and the other brothers turned their attention to Raph, waiting for an explanation.

Raph's gaze remained fixed on his T-Phone's screen, his fingers hovering over the device. "Mikey," he continued, his voice tight with a mixture of worry and frustration. "Look, he called me late last night, but I didn't notice until now."

Donnie leaned in, his mind already processing the information. "Late last night? What time are we talking about here?"

Raph scrolled a bit more, his brow furrowing further. "Around 1:00 AM. Why the shell would he be calling at that hour?"

Leo's concern deepened, and he exchanged a glance with Donnie. "You guys don't think he snuck out, did you? Why else would the skateboard be..."

Raph's temper, never far from the surface, ignited with a fierce intensity. His T-Phone was gripped tightly in his hand as he slammed it onto the nearby table. "If he snuck out, I swear, I'm gonna—" he began, his voice rising in frustration.

But before he could finish his sentence, Splinter's calm but firm voice cut through the tension like a blade. "Raphael, my son. Losing your temper will not aid us in this situation. We must approach this matter with a clear mind. Play the voicemail your brother left."

Raph nodded, his fingers moving with purpose as he accessed Mikey's voicemail. The room fell silent as the message played, Mikey's voice emanating from the device.

"Guys, it's Mikey! I'm in trouble and... it's on voicemail. I swear I'll—"

A small yelp came from the message, sparks being heard as the wind seemed to distort the surroundings. However, it kept going, Mikey's exhausted pants and grunts clear, even though the message itself was more static.

"I shouldn't have left..!"

Some shuffling and a few grunts and yelps, before the sound of loud clang of metal was heard, a grunt following from the message. A little more shuffling before a weak gasp was heard, and a whine.

"N-No! L-Leo... Raph... Don...nie..."

The sudden shift in Mikey's voicemail message sent a chilling wave through the room. Donnie's eyes widened as he exchanged a bewildered glance with his brothers. Raph's hand instinctively clenched into a fist, and Leo's eyes grew sharp with concern. Splinter's composed demeanor flickered with worry, his ears perked up as he strained to catch every detail. Fueled by the urgency of the situation, the brothers moved into action.

One thing was for sure... whoever took Mikey would pay.

Leo was the first to break the silence, his voice tinged with a mixture of concern and determination. "We need to find him, now."

Donnie nodded in agreement, already tapping away at his computer to trace the location of the call. "I'm running a trace on his phone's last known location. It might give us a lead."

Raph, his anger showing in the face of his brother's distress, clenched his fists and spoke through gritted teeth. "I'll start scouring the city. If anyone knows something about this, they'll talk."

Splinter's whiskers twitched as he assessed the situation. "My sons, let us remember that haste can cloud judgment. We must be cautious and methodical in our approach. Michelangelo's safety is of the utmost importance."

Donnie worked at his computer station, his fingers dancing across the keyboard as he initiated a complex trace on Mikey's T-Phone. His eyes were glued to the screen, his mind racing to pinpoint the last known location of the distressing call. He couldn't afford to make any mistakes. He didn't want to make any mistakes.

Raph, his frustration replaced by steely determination, donned his sai and moved towards the exit. He glanced back at his brothers, his voice resolute. "I'll start with the known trouble spots and work my way out. If there's any lead, I'll find it."

Leo nodded in agreement, his katana already in hand. "I'll go with you, Raph. Two pairs of eyes are better than one."

Splinter, though worried for his missing son, remained the pillar of wisdom. "Remember, my sons, teamwork and caution. We do not yet know the extent of the danger Michelangelo faces. Be vigilant."

As Donnie continued to work on the trace, the urgency in the lair was palpable. No one was going to hurt Mikey and get away with it.