Doublecrossed

[Katie]

Hey Fans! I'm baa-aack and I got a little teaser for you. The continuation of my fanfic sagas is in the works and rattling around in my brain get ready!

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Donatello yawned and rubbed his weary eyes. It was late and fighting sleep was becoming harder and harder for the purple masked turtle. In front of him, on his computer monitor, the circuit of views from a newly acquired (and tediously patched up) set of security cameras flashed images from the dark tunnels surrounding the lair. Leonardo and Michelangelo had been teasing him all day for playing with his new toys—but he just had to make sure all the kinks were worked out if these things were going to be useful for security. There had been too many close calls too close to home lately.

“Come on, Donnie. It’ll wait ‘til morning.” Leonardo said coming up behind his bleary eyed brother.

“I just want to wait for Raph. To see if I can get these things to pick up on him moving through the tunnels.” Donatello sighed. Leonardo looked perplexed.

“Raphael’s not home? Where’d he go?” The blue masked turtle frowned. Donatello turned to his brother with a roll of the eyes.

“The cemetery. Where else?” Donatello said. “It’s practically the only place he’s been going to lately.”

“To visit Janey.” Leonardo finished. Donatello nodded.

“I’m just going to wait up for him.” Donatello repeated turning back to the monitor.

[Masked Ninja]

And with that, I'm hooked. *trots off to pop some popcorn*

[Katie]

Thanks, MN. Glad I got ya hooked!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~




…Skin against skin blood and bone
You're all by yourself but you're not alone
You wanted in now you're here
Driven by hate consumed by fear

Let the bodies hit the floor
Let the bodies hit the floor
Let the bodies hit the floor
Let the bodies hit the floor

One - Nothing wrong with me
Two - Nothing wrong with me
Three - Nothing wrong with me
Four - Nothing wrong with me

One - Something's got to give
Two - Something's got to give
Three - Something's got to give
Now

Let the bodies hit the floor
Let the bodies hit the floor
Let the bodies hit the floor…

The screaming lyrics of Drowning Pool’s Bodies emanated from behind the locked door of Raphael’s room. Donatello was startled awake as the music echoed through the stonework of the lair. The purple masked turtle had fallen asleep at his desk and had not heard Raphael come home. Soon Donatello was not the only one awake.

“Raa-aph!” Michelangelo grumbled, pounding on the wooden door. “It’s three in the morning!” There was no response from within the room. “Raph?”

“Forget it, Mikey. That’s so loud, he’ll never hear you.” Leonardo frowned. “Just—try and go back to sleep.”

“Yeah, right. Easy for you to say, your room isn’t right NEXT DOOR.” The orange masked turtle sighed.

“When did Raph get home?” Leonardo asked as Donatello joined his two brothers. Donatello shrugged in response.

“I guess I fell asleep waiting for him.” Donatello replied. “Sounds like he had a bad night again…”

“Well, he doesn’t have to make the rest of us suffer.” Michelangelo frowned.

“Just leave him alone.” Leonardo warned. “He’s been taking Shredder’s mistrial pretty hard. Let him work things out.”

“It was all ok until he started this late night insomniac thrasher therapy.” Michelangelo continued.

“Come on Mikey, you can sleep on the floor in my room.” Donatello offered. Michelangelo grumbled some more as he went to gather his pillow and quilt. Donatello turned back to Leonardo. “So…”

“Really. Master Splinter said that we should let him work things out on his own. As long as all he’s doing is blasting music—that’s exactly what we should do.” Leonardo said.

[Sewer Bull]

Girl, that's tasty and promising. At last something not naive

[Masked Ninja]

*munch munch munch* Aww, poor Raph. I really want to see where you take this. Dang, I love reading good fics!

[The Stryker]

Good work! im hooked as well and thats saying something...i don't read much of the fanfics outside of my own.

and Bull!...where the hell is that Family buisness fic?

[Sewer Bull]

Originally Posted by Stryker

and Bull!...where the hell is that Family buisness fic?

Worry not, Stryker. Family Business will be here, if I catch the good winds, maybe even tonight. That means "my tonight", it'll be "your afternoon".

I had the Prologue almost done but I decided it to change it drastically. I reckon it was too naive for my taste.

[Jo269976]

as the 2 movie geeks from The League Of Gentlemen say... "That was veally really good"

[Katie]

Wow! I got quite a little readership going on this one. Thanks everyone! I'll try to not disappoint


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


“Play nice, now…” Roxanne whispered. Saki’s muscles tightened defensively as the statuesque blonde slipped her arm through his. The sneer on his face showed his displeasure at the fate that had befallen him, but he was in no position at the moment to change his situation.

Oroko Saki had been invited to a political fund raiser by the mayor—yet another place to be publicly humiliated by this woman to whom he was indebted. A quick elbow to his ribs brought a forced grin to Saki’s face as the mayor approached.

“Oroko Saki.” The mayor grinned pumping his hand. “And I see you brought your lovely wife along tonight.”

“Yes.” Saki said with an uncomfortable cordiality. “She does look lovely tonight.” Roxanne turned coyly from the two men.

“What a pleasure to be invited to your wedding last month.” The mayor continued. “I have to admit, after the debacle caused when you were charged with the death of that homeless girl I never expected that invitation.”

“It was an unfortunate mistake.” Saki said.

“One that I will continue to apologize for.” The mayor said with a shake of the head. “the very idea that one of the most generous philanthropists in the city had anything to do with that tragedy…It was just very lucky that your wife worked so diligently to uncover the truth about that girl’s companion.”

Saki gritted his teeth at the reminder of his debt.

“That poor young man…Emmanuel, I think…The very thought that he murdered that girl out there on the docks, then blamed my Saki for her murder when he came to help.” Roxanne frowned. “I’m just glad that I found some of the children there that night that saw what really happened. Poor boy, I hope they are helping him in that detention facility.”

“Indeed.” The mayor said with a sigh. “As long as he is off my streets and can do no more harm.” There was a reflective pause as the mayor remembered his unpleasant experiences with the press over the whole matter. “Well, let me get back to the other guests. I trust that this isn’t the last I see of you tonight.”

“No. It will not be.” Saki said. With a nod the mayor left to mingle with the other guests.

“Now, that wasn’t so hard, was it?” Roxanne said with all the sweetness of a cobra about to strike.

“You have no idea.” Saki said darkly.

“But Darling. Without me YOU would be the one behind bars now, not that filthy street brat. And your little underworld empire would be in ruins.” Roxanne reminded him. Saki gritted his teeth again at the thought that HE could be manipulated by this harlot.

“Yes. Something that you relish reminding me.” Saki said through his teeth.

“…and if you, for whatever reason, I don’t know, forget…..just remember, I know your whole rap sheet. Shredder. Play nice or I will own your whole organization—while you are only reminded of the power you once wielded as you wither in your jail cell.”

[Lady Venus]

Kate I just read your story and I was hook line and sinker. I can't wait until your next update.

[Masked Ninja]

Oooh... witchy woman! Poor Emmanuel... not only does Saki get out of it, but he takes the fall. *beats Roxanne upside the head with the empty popcorn bowl*

[Katie]

Thanks!

I like this evil woman scenerio. Roxanne turned into a good character for that.

anyway...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Splinter sighed in disappointment and lifted his eyes to the still closed door to Raphael’s room. The other three turtles exchanged sheepish glances. The red masked turtle was conspicuously absent from this morning’s practice…the fourth time this week.

“He got home late…” Donatello started

“Yes,” Splinter said cutting the purple masked turtle off. “And played his music until only an hour ago.” The three turtles looked at the ground.

“It’s just that he’s having a hard time…” Leonardo said after a moment. He was used to having to make excuses for Raphael…he had done it practically their whole lives. Splinter looked from Leonardo back up to the room.

“I had hoped things would improve by now with your brother, but he only grows angrier and more distracted by the thoughts in his mind.” Splinter sighed. “I have not seen him for many days.”

“Yeah.” Michelangelo frowned. “The only way I even know he’s around is the blasting music and half eaten bowls of cereal outside his door.” Splinter shook his head and sighed.

“It is time for Raphael to come to practice.” Splinter said. The sage old rat headed for his son’s closed door without a hint of hesitation and no more words. The three turtles exchanged glances once again, then succumbed to their curiosity. Splinter was heading straight into the lion’s den.

“Dinner for a week says that Raph gets into it with Master Splinter.” Michelangelo whispered to Donatello as the three trailed after their master.

“That wouldn’t be a very smart bet for me to make…” Donatello returned with a shake of the head. “Of course he’s going to. What the bet should be is how long it takes Raph to snap at Master Splinter.”

Michelangelo grinned quizzically. There was no fooling Donatello.

“Ok, I’ll take 30 seconds.” The orange masked turtle said.

“Ok. Raph’s tired. I’ll give him a minute and a half.” Donatello said shaking his brother’s hand to seal the bet.

“What about you, Leo? Want some of this action?” Michelangelo asked. Leonardo did not answer. “Leo?”

“Have a little faith in him.” Leonardo frowned heading to the landing so that he could join Splinter at Raphael’s door.

“So…a minute?” Michelangelo called after his blue masked brother.

“I’ll go two.” Leonardo answered never looking back. Donatello and Michelangelo grinned and followed the blue masked turtle up the landing. At least the show would be good and a lot more interesting than the repetitive floor exercises that surely awaited them.

Splinter stood at the threshold of the door, the turtles clustered behind him. The rat tried the door, but found it locked. Michelangelo craned his neck so that he could see around his brothers. After a slight look back, Splinter took a breath and broke through the door with an impressive kick.

The old rat dusted himself and stepped into the room.

[Katie]

Raphael pushed himself up, startled by the commotion of the door breaking apart. Without even thinking, his sais were in his hands and ready for the fight. With gritted teeth and narrowed eyes he turned…only to see his family were the invaders

“Raphael, I called you for practice.” Splinter said as if nothing out of the ordinary had just happened. “Why did you not join us?”

The red masked turtle exhaled with a low growling gasp. He looked past his mentor to the shattered remains of his door, then to his brothers. With a look of utter irritation, Raphael lay down his weapons again. His jaw was tense, his fists were clenched.

“Raphael…” Splinter baited.

“Why the hell did you break my door down???” Raphael snapped. Two ‘damns’ and a smug look from Leonardo marked the time.

“There will be no locked doors” Splinter said firmly.

“Apparently there’ll be no doors.” Raphael smarted back. “I need to sleep, if you don’t mind.”

“Perhaps if you did not stay out all hours of the night…” Splinter started.

“I didn’t.” Raphael said through his teeth. The red masked turtle lay back down with his back to Splinter and his brothers.

“No, you did not. But you insisted on drowning out all the quiet with that music until only an hour ago…” Splinter continued.

“So what?” Raphael sneered

“It is time for practice.” Splinter repeated.

“What for? So we can go out and fight Shredder again? So he can kill and then get off on some whack testimony? What’s the point?” Raphael frowned. “Just leave me alone.”

“we will start in ten minutes.” Splinter said as he turned to leave the room. All four turtles watched him go. Raphael growled with frustration after he was gone.

“Where’d you go last night?” Leonardo asked after a few moments. Raphael was burning holes through the floor with his fierce gaze.

“To the cemetery. Then I took some food down to the kids in that station…went to check up on Emmanuel.” Raphael frowned. “then I found Shredder…living it up like nothing happened over at the Four Seasons with the Mayor.”

“That’s right…” Donatello said. “The mayor was holding some kind of fund raiser there last night.”

“Man, that sucks. Shredder gets to go to a party while Emmanuel is locked up.” Michelangelo said solemnly. Raphael heaved himself out of bed and sighed heavily at the sight of the broken door.

“Yeah. Just when I think we got him taken care of, the idiots downtown go and screw things up again. I’m beginning to think it doesn’t even matter if we’re around or not.” Raphael growled. He holstered his sais and hastily tightened his mask.

“Don't start, Raph…” Leonardo frowned

“Think about it. If we could testify, that bastard would be in jail right now, not Emmanuel.” Raphael said. His brothers were silent. “But instead, we hide ourselves and have to sit back on our hands while an innocent kid is locked up and a murdering piece of garbage like Shredder schmoozes with the mayor. I’m sick of it.”

“Raph, you say the same old stuff every time.” Leonardo said. “We have to accept that the world’s not ready for us…”

“I just want some justice.” Raphael sighed.

“You’re going to have to settle on beating the hell out of the targets for right now.” Donatello said. “Our ten minutes are up.”

[Katie]

Practice was full of tediously repetitive moves. Snap kick…..side kick…..roundhouse…..block with your left arm, Michelangelo….LEFT arm. Raphael went through the motions like a robot. Nothing more than a machine that was cranking out the commands that were fed to it.

“Raphael, Sai form ichiban.” Splinter called. The red masked turtle stepped out and wound through the moves as gracefully as an hour of sleep would allow. Upon completion of the form he stepped bac into line, his bleary eyes locked on his mentor.

“Donatello…”

“That was pretty good for, like, one hour of sleep.” Michelangelo whispered to his brother. Raphael slighted his eyes to Michelangelo.

“I could do that in my sleep.” Came the growling response. “It’s so basic, I had it memorized when I was five.”

Michelangelo laughed a little to himself and watched Donatello perform the bo form for a few more minutes.

“You’re right, you know. If we could only tell the police what really happened…” Michelangelo continued. “So…want some company tonight?”

Raphael said nothing. He seemed to be mesmerized by the sweeping movements of the bo…or his own thoughts, Michelangelo couldn’t tell. Finally Raphael turned to him and slowly nodded.

“But it’s not fun and games.” Raphael frowned. Michelangelo grinned lop-sidedly. He wouldn’t expect anything less of his angst-ridden brother.

Splinter was all over Raphael that day. Any chores that needed to be done, Raphael got. Afternoon practice was Leonardo vs. Raphael, then Donatello vs. Raphael, then Michelangelo vs. Raphael, for practice of defensive techniques. Dinner and dishes were on Raphael. It was a never ending day of work that Splinter hoped would tire out the red masked turtle enough that he stayed home tonight. As usual, Raphael had other ideas.

“You ready to go.” Raphael asked his orange masked brother as night settled on the city above them.

“Yep!” Michelangelo answered cheerily. “Finally, I get to see what you really do at night.”

[Mr. Stay Puft]

I love Mikey and Raph team ups. We don't see enough of them on the new show. The next part should be interesting.

[Masked Ninja]

Ah, at least Splinter's trying. Nice to see Mikey and Raph together, as said above. I just hope they don't get themselves into too much trouble!

[hazlov2004]

yeah and katie good job

[Katie]

Thanks guys. I know it's kinda going slow right now, but just wait. I have something really great in store


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Carefully, the two brothers sneaked out of the lair. Raphael had waited later than normal for this excursion, not only because he had a tag along, but also because after the display this morning he figured Splinter wasn’t going to just ‘let him work things out’ anymore. Michelangelo was giddy with excitement. It wasn’t often that he was invited along with Raphael on some escape…heck, no one was usually invited along.

Raphael was solemn and Michelangelo stayed quiet all through the tunnels…about a fifteen-minute walk. About as long as his brother had stayed quiet his entire life, Raphael thought. Inevitably, though, the orange masked turtle began to talk.

“So where are we going?” Michelangelo asked after awhile. Raphael slighted his eyes to the orange masked turtle.

“To the cemetery.” Raphael responded.

Michelangelo slowed down half a step. He and the others all knew that this had become a nightly ritual for Raphael...just, going to the cemetery in the middle of the night wasn’t something Michelangelo was sure he wanted to do.

“So, um, why are you obsessing over this girl?” Michelangelo finally asked.

“She saved my life.” Raphael sighed.

“So…you liked her or something?” Michelangelo asked. Raphael shook his head. Why did he agree to let Michelangelo come along? Relax, Raphael thought, he agrees with you about Shredder.

“No, Mikey.” Raphael frowned. “I feel like if I hadn’t…if I didn’t get in trouble that night, she’d still be alive.” Michelangelo pondered this carefully.

“But…you got in trouble because you disobeyed Master Splinter and went out looking for trouble. Isn’t that what you’re doing now?” Michelangelo shrugged. Technicality, Raphael thought.

“Don’t you get it, Mikey? I caused all this. I’m gonna make it right no matter what I have to do.” Raphael growled. Michelangelo stopped cold.

“Um…no matter what?” The orange masked turtle asked. “Exactly what would be no matter what?”

“Either I’m going down or Shredder is. I’m done playing.” Raphael said as he began climbing a ladder to the surface. The words hung heavy in Michelangelo’s mind. “I thought you got it. I thought you agreed that if we could testify he’d be in jail.”

“Uh, reality check, Raph….there is no way you can testify.” Michelangelo said climbing out after his brother. “You’d have to reveal yourself. Then I’d be a one way trip to dissection city in some laboratory somewhere.” The two darted into the shadows across from the city cemetery.

“I don’t care. It’s not right that Janey died…and Emmanuel took the fall…and Shredder gets to walk.” Raphael sighed. He hoped the fence and began carefully walking between the rows of graves. Michelangelo hesitated then followed him with a groan.

“But what about the rest of us?” Michelangelo whispered as Raphael knelt to Janey’s sparsely marked grave. Michelangelo joined him uncomfortably.

There on the ground in front of the tiny city-placed marker, Raphael had left an abundance of little offerings. Flowers, notes, balloons, little toys. Something in the red masked turtle’s eyes softened and he lay a slightly wilted daisy on top of the pile.

“They clear it all out at the end of the week.” Raphael said softly. “I gotta make sure it looks like someone cares.” Michelangelo saw a puff of frozen breath rise as Raphael sighed, then stood up slowly. He turned to his orange masked brother. “Shredder’s going to pay. You’re going to help me, right?”

“Um…yeah, Raph…I guess…” Michelangelo said carefully. The tone in his brother’s voice was haunted and frightening.

“Good. Let’s go find the bastard.”

[Masked Ninja]

Whoa, and the plot thickens. Raph's really serious about this.... I hope he gets at least some of what he wants.

[Katie]

that's nothing. this is a dark, angry little story that's taking shape. gives me the shivers just writing it!

I guess I'm going to start working on my backstory for you guys while I write this just so I can have a little something else to occupy my pages.


back to Saki....

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Saki looked out on the city from the window of his office. It was about the only place Roxanne wasn’t. She had taken over his life…for what? Payment? This black mail had to stop. He was the Shredder. He owned this city. He was not to be owned by some Bounty Hunter that he hired to rid himself of the thorns in his side that were the turtles.

The turtles. No doubt seething with anger at the murder of the girl. No doubt looking for revenge. He had seen the red masked one scouring the city late at night, looking for a confrontation…looking for him. It would almost be a welcome fight…more than putting up one more second with the succubus that inhabited the penthouse upstairs.

“Saki, what are you doing?” The man cringed in anger at the sound of Roxanne’s voice. As he turned, though, two shadowy figures caught his eye on the streets below. Right on time, he thought. Then he had an idea.

“The turtles have been searching for us. Looking for an opportunity to strike and have their revenge.” Saki said. “Every night they pass below…every night growing more impatient. It is only a matter of time before all is revealed.”

Roxanne looked down to the sidewalk and just saw the two brothers skirt into an alley as the lights of a passing car illuminated them briefly. Her eyes hardened and her fists clenched at the thought. She had a score to settle with these reptiles too.

“They will find a way to put both of us in jail. It is a blood war they rage with me—and you became part of it when you denied them their revenge.” Saki continued.

“Their revenge? I was locked away in a mental institution. They said I was crazy. Those turtles did that to me. They will not take away my restitution.” Roxanne growled.

“The only way to do that is to destroy them, and far better men than you have tried and failed at that.” Saki prodded. “I would not be so worried about my actions if I were you…you have many more dangerous enemies at hand.”

“and why aren’t you worried about them?” Roxanne frowned.

“Because any prison that the justice system has for me is a welcome release from the prison I face here with you.” Saki hissed. Roxanne clenched her teeth. “I will rise again, while you will burn in the hell you have created.”

“I can’t let them win.” Roxanne muttered to herself as she turned back to the window. “I worked too hard on this.”

“You underestimate them.” Saki said from behind her. “It was your mistake the first time and it will be your downfall this time.”

“No one…man or turtle…will take away what I have earned.

“Then find them. Destroy them. If you can do that, you deserve this life.” Saki said hypnotically.

“Destroy them…” Roxanne echoed. She looked down and saw a hint of red as another flash of light illuminated the shadows. Saki grinned to himself.