TMNT: Brainwashed

Chapter 21

Ever since he found put that he had killed his best friend's family, Hirohito took a more cautious approach to going out as Swipe. Each time he planned an attack on the Hamatos, he now wore a mask to cover his face, one that his friend would feel betrayed by. Each time the Prowlers did attack, he could always spot his good friend Issac.

Issac always looked angry during the attacks, eyes blazing with revenge and determination. He would slash and kill Prowlers left and right, trying to desperately get to their leader or the snake woman.

When confronted by Leonardo, Swipe had been almost taken aback by what the turtle had said. "You've become too cowardly to even show your face, Swipe," he said in one of their asides during battle.

"And you have become too blind to be aware of our history together," the masked Japanese man had retorted.

If only they knew, Hirohito thought.

During his solo outings at night, Swipe would occasionally be approached by a little bird that did not belong in the city. It was yellow in color, and Hirohito was sure it was his brother watching him. He knew Hinata would disapprove of what he had become, yet he continued to fight to avenge his brother's death.

"You know," Adelise began one evening while they were smoking together behind La Lune Noir, "I think that you should just stop with all this nonsense, going around and killing people."

"Why is that?" He asked, leaning his head against the cold, wet stone and letting out a puff of smoke.

"You could rebuild your life and move on. There is always a spot open here for you to work. It would be more healthy than mulling over the past," she replied while twisting the rings on her fingers.

In a way, he knew she was right, but he refused to acknowledge it. Hirohito had risked a lot in doing what he thought was right, but he risked it because he had nothing left. He had only once been put into jail, but his henchmen broke him out. Swipe knew he had debts to pay for their favors, so he couldn't just walk away from the gangs and drugs and killing.

"Hiro, are you alright? You seem pretty distant," Issac questioned his friend.

"Yep, just thinking," Hirohito answered.

"About what?" The blue-eyed man asked.

The Japanese man almost fumbled for an excuse, another way to lie to his friend. "I was thinking about that time we beat up Adelise's ex-boyfriend. He was a real douchebag."

"I remember that," Issac grinned, but it soon lost its luster. "You seem sad though, like that's not what was on your mind. You were thinking too hard about your past again."

Hiro didn't say anything, but he rolled over on the couch to face away from the kind man. He felt guilty about killing Isaac's family, and it pained him that he had no clue while unknowingly providing for their killer. He felt stuck in life, and everyone else was moving around him. He had essentially done this to himself.

~

"There has to be a connection somehow," Issac stood glaring at a wall of a map of New York with pinpoints where the Prowlers had attacked.

Eliza offered him and Leonardo coffee and a donut, which they both happily took. "Maybe she was working for them without a choice," Eliza suggested. "Dianna was closest to one of the three owners, so she could provide them with information."

Issac didn't look back at the two sitting at the table behind him, and he avoided looking at the picture of his family. "She would never do something so foolish."

"Why don't we just figure out the real name of their leader, not his street name?" Leo asked. "It would be easier than assuming. He likes attention, which means that he may talk if we take him into police custody."