The Rising (final book of The Call series) ~ TMNT Fanfiction

Chapter 25: Brothers

LEO'S POV:

I wake up cold. My eyes remain closed, but my ears are open. I can feel I'm in a place that I don't recognize, but I'm afraid to open my eyes. It's when I remember all that happened on the rooftop that I find the ability to emerge from my state of fear.

Even with my eyes wide open, I can't see a thing. I never thought a darkness like this was possible, but it is. I try to move but find that I'm tied against something. I can feel myself fall into panic mode when I realize that I can't hear a single thing. I squeeze my eyes shut, and then open them again, but find that the room is just as dark as before.

"Mikey?" I whisper. "Donnie?" No response. I try again, but to no avail. I feel my panic start to increase when I realize I can't hear anybody's breathing besides my own. My brothers aren't in the room with me, and that scares me beyond everything because that means I have no idea where they are or what is happening to them. I can't protect them.

An intense light is cast through an opening in the wall, and I have to shut my eyes tightly because of the abruptness of it.

"Rise and shine, little boy blue," a voice says teasingly. I know it's a female voice, and I recognize it, but barely.

My eyes remain closed, but for a different reason now. I don't want to see her, whoever it is.

"Silent treatment, hey? That's okay. I'll propose my little...offer once we get everything settled. Let your eyes adjust a bit, right?"

"Your offer has been declined."

"I haven't offered it yet."

"And it's already declined." I groan at the pain in my head. "Feels good, doesn't it?"

"Not exactly the nicest way to treat your future leader," she says, laughing bitterly. "I highly encourage you rethink your attitude."

I scoff. "Future leader. You're insane." I finally open my eyes and find that Melinda Crespo, leader of the Dark Angels is in front of me. I should've guessed.

"Well you'd certainly better think about it if you want those boo-boos on your head patched up." She pauses and leans close. Her dark hair slides over her shoulders and her dark eyes seep into my own. "They look...critical."

"I don't need any help from you. If it's join you or leave the injuries, then the boo-boos remain," I say bitterly. "I'll never join you, Melinda. You or Karai."

"Now who said Karai was any part of this?" she asks, tilting her head.

"She was there. Threw a bomb. I'm not blind." I silently wheeze at the ever increasing pain in my head.

"So it appears." She pauses. "Let's discuss this further."

"There's nothing to discuss. I said no, Melinda."

"You have skill. You could easily become one of the Dark Angel leaders. Not to mention, your ever-growing connections with the King family."

"You're wasting your breath."

"And you're wasting yours."

When she says that, I stop responding. She straightens her pose and narrows her eyes at me.

"Well, you can think about that. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go check on your little look-alikes. They're undergoing...similar circumstances." She grins when my head bobs up at the mention of my brothers. She knows that they're my weakness. Somehow, she knows. She knows way too much.

"What are you doing do them?"

She looks at me innocently. "Well nothing. Nothing yet, at least. As I said...similar circumstances." She heads towards the door, and pauses. She casts her eyes back at me once. "You turtles all better cooperate. Or you're going to get a little taste of what your girlfriend got."