Non-Mutation (Book Four)

Chapter 26: Royal Flush

The best possible hand in poker, including the ace, king, queen, jack, and ten all in the same suit. A royal flush is exceptionally rare and is, therefore, the most coveted hand in poker.

♔♕

Pain. Terror. Confusion. Exhaustion. Raphael can't figure anything out, even once he opens his eyes. He groans, his body feeling like it's been weighted down with lead. He's faintly aware of chains surrounding his biceps and holding him in place, but the high-pitched drone in his head makes it hard for him to focus. His surroundings are dark, only a sliver of light crossing his vision somewhere ahead of him, but he's too disoriented to work out anything else.

Taylor, my brothers, Splinter, he thinks. He remembers Taylor's scream and the sounds of her struggle. If the Purple Dragons did something to her—

A bright square of light opens ahead of him and he lets out a breathless groan as his eyes squeeze shut and he flinches away. For a split second, he thinks that it's one of those time travel windows that Renet could open. The thought of the Assistant Time Master in Training showing up now makes him feel nauseous, but when he finally focuses, the truth is a whole lot worse. He'd take Renet in a heartbeat.

A tall man wearing a white lab coat walks in accompanied by Hun. He flicks a light switch on with his pointer finger and stares at Raphael with cold, grey eyes filled to the brim with excitement that Raphael recognizes in Sarina and Donatello whenever they get the chance to learn something new. This guy merits an entirely different feeling.

His jaw is lined with stubble of the same grey colour as his hair, which is combed so perfectly that not even a single strand is out of place. He looks like the kind of guy who applies sanitizer to his hands because everything is impure and dirty or because he can. He gives Raphael the creeps.

"Finally...real mutants, the final piece," he murmurs.

He sweeps towards Raphael's cage, his thin lips joining his eyes in their celebration. He walks with his head high, his chin tilted upwards and his back ramrod straight—as if even the spine itself has no curve to it. He presses his hand against the glass separating him from the red-masked turtle and Raphael glares, fingers clenching against his palms. He tries to bring his arms down but they don't budge.

"I hope you are pleased, Dr. Sabrian," Hun says, flashing the phoniest smile that Raphael has ever seen. He never pegged Hun as that much of a suck-up.

"I'm far more than pleased. I am ecstatic!" Dr. Sabrian exclaims. He drags his hand down the glass and despite the space between them, Raphael feels violated. "My my...wonderful specimens, just wonderful..." He grins and turns to face Hun. "We didn't even expect the rat, but life has the best way of rewarding you, hm?"

"What did you do to Taylor?" Raphael demands.

Sabrian slowly turns around, slim face painted with shock. "And you talk...even better," he continues. "Please, speak again. Let me hear that voice of yours."

"Where. Is. Taylor?" the turtle repeats, teeth gritted. "What did you do to her?"

"Taylor...Taylor..." Sabrian hums, tapping his skinny, knobby fingertips together. "I'm not sure I know a Taylor, but she sounds lovely. Is she..." His eyes spark and he exhales for a second longer than he needs to. "Oh...Taylor, yes. I know her. Taylor, Taylor—"

"Stop saying her name and tell me where she is!" Raphael shouts. He swings his leg as hard as he can, but all he does is shake his containment unit with the effort.

"Amazing," Sabrian purrs. He looks at Hun with a smug smile. "You finally paid off. Well done."

Hun bows his head. "Thank you. Perhaps I can be of more assistance soon."