Stronger

Chapter Nine

   "When the heck did he learn to create portals?" Mikey hissed, getting up. The room he was in was lit by a gold light and another table, a long oval one, took up most of the room in the middle. "And where am I?" An orange sweater lay on the floor and he picked it up. "Hey, my sweater! How did it end up here? Didn't I lose it a month ago?" Shrugging, he placed it on. 

   He looked around and spotted a metal door at the end of the room, which he ran to, but when he pushed against it, it held. Pulling did nothing either, and he looked around the room with wide eyes.

   "Is there no way out?" he asked, right as he looked up at an air duct up on the ceiling. "Oh! Well, hello, exit. Nice to see you."

   He knew that with a couple of chairs, he could reach it. But when he tried to place the second chair over the first, it slid, tilting at an odd angle. Biting his lip, he tried to correct it, but it did the same thing.

   Taking the chair, he rotated it, and again, it slid into a perilous state.

   "Damn you!" he shouted at the chair. "I am trying to get out of this room to save my brothers who are all hurt now because of one man who says he needs me for his work. Why won't you just freaking listen to me!"

   His eyes widened and he took a step back when he realized what he had said. Hot tears started pooling in his eyes, as if his mask was not wet enough, and he clenched his fists. "No, no, stop it," he said to himself. "I won't cry. Everything will be okay." He exhaled. "Everything will be fine. I will get out, and I will help my brothers."

   With those words, he went to the table he had landed on when he first came, and started rooting through the drawers, looking for anything to help him get out. Only sheets of paper fluttered into his gaze, nothing useful or important.

   There was one folder, though, hidden underneath a pile of white sheets, with the words Classified Information. Authorized personnel only. written on it. Mikey grabbed it and slumped against a wall.

   "Well, since I cannot get out right now, I might as well see what this is about," he grumbled. "Maybe Raphie took me here for a reason? Man, I miss him, Dee, and Leon."

   So saying, he opened the folder and ran his eyes over the first words. His mouth dropped open when he processed them, and he skimmed the first page in thirty seconds, astounded at what was written.

   "WHAT?" Shakily, he stood up, staring at the folder like it might bite him at any moment. "THAT is what he wants me for? Because I am one of the few who can go through such portals and he cannot?"

   He chucked the folder away from him. It fluttered to the floor loudly. He leaned against the wall, holding up an arm, breathing heavily. "No . . ." he shook his head. "Well, I need to get out. I am . . . in his office." He slunk to the floor, gasping at the realization. "Oh my gosh, this cannot get any worse!"

   He heard something click at the far end of the room. It was a barely audible sound, and yet Mikey had never moved so quickly in his life. Underneath the short table was the only hiding area in the room, and so he practically broke the sound barrier getting to it.

   "Those darn turtles," he heard somebody mutter and his skin went cold. "Especially the red one. Him and those stupid sheilds."

   Mikey hardly dared to breathe as he heard the man walking around.

   "Wait, why are my papers messed up? Why is the folder--?"

   He stopped breathing all together, quaking in his shell. No, no, no! His eyes shut. Please no! I don't wanna die! My brothers need me!

   "Who the heck was in my room?" the man asked through gritted teeth. "Well I guess I will find out soon enough."

   Mikey heard his retreating footsteps and he exhaled. He waited, listening for the clang of a closed door, but when none came, he cautiously, inch by inch, poked his head around the corner. His wide eyes widened even more when he saw one of the doors ajar.

   Without a second thought, he bolted. Right as his fingertips touched the door, it burst open, revealing the man standing in the doorway. His black clothes hid his body and most of his face, but Mikey could see a wicked smile just before a fist collided with his face.

   "Agh!" he shouted, falling to the floor, holding his face.

   He stood over the small turtle. "Well, what a surprise, Mikey. This was where you went after? I have to say, your brother made a bad choice." He chuckled.

   Gritting his teeth, Mikey jumped up in front and growled at him. "An army? Really? WHY?"

   He stared at the turtle. "You can read too? Wow. You guys are a lot more intelligent than I had thought." He crossed his arms. "And you can do without a reason. Your job will be to work for me. Not to ask questions."

   "I will never work for you!"

   "Very well. Your brothers will suffer harshly, I am afraid."

   He stopped glowering at the man. "What?"

   The man shook his head. "Poor them. Well, they had a nice life while they could."

   The turtle in orange gulped. "N-no, they are still fine! They will live!"

   The man leaned in close to Mikey's face. "Just listen to me. As long as you work for me, yes, they will live. But if you refuse, then I will find them again and they will not. Do you hear me?"

   Mikey looked down at the floor so the guy would not see his slight smile. "Yes, I heard you."

   "Then you will work for me?"

   He sighed and nodded.

   "All right. You may call me Brief. Follow me."

   Brief walked off, looking ahead, and he followed, silently slipping out his Kusari-fundo from its hold. "I need you now, buddy," he whispered. "Please do your thing." Knowing Brief would hear the whirr once he started spinning it, he walked slower until two feet of space separated them. Taking a deep breath, he spun it.

   "What the--" Brief heard it instantly and he whipped around. "You little traitor!" he shouted, leaping at him.

   Mikey shut his eyes. Please work, he thought.

   Something sizzled and laughed deeply. Mikey felt his Kusari-fundo jerk forward and he held on tightly, feeling himself lift off the floor. Opening his eyes, he whooped. "It worked!"

   The fireball laughed again and spun around, heading at Brief. The man gasped and dove to the floor, missing being singed by half a foot. Then it leapt up and sped down the hallway, losing its energy when it reached a window.

   Mikey smiled at his Kusari-fundo for a second before using it to shatter the window. Checking his shoulder, he frowned when he saw that Brief was nowhere in sight, but thought nothing more of him as he dove out the window. 

   "I need to find my brothers!" he said to himself, running across the grass turf. Trees lay scattered everywhere and he slowed to a stop for a moment. "If I can even find my way out."

   Something burst behind him and he glanced back for a second before running on. "Whatever. I am sure I will figure it out sooner or later. At least he does not know where our lair is, so my brothers should hopefully be safe enough for the time being. Oh my gosh, when do these trees end?!"

   "I will find you again, Michelangelo!" he heard Brief shouting. "And the next time, you will be working for me!"

   Mikey set his face. "Never," he muttered. "I hope." 

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Ayy! I love this story so much. I hope you guys are too! Umm, though, I need a little help. Stronger will be the first book in a little four-book mini series I am creating. So far, I have this: Mikey, Stronger. Leo, Braver. Donnie, Smarter. But I have no idea what to do for Raph!!! Please help. I was thinking of going  with Kinder, but I KNOW that does not work. If any of you have ideas, please let me know!!