TMNT do not belong to me, or to you, or to anyone else- except for Mirage, naturally.

Contemplations

Splinter listened to his son's description of what he and Leatherhead had witnessed. The very idea of someone who could apparently control rats was disturbing to say the least. Splinter wondered at the implications of such news, and applied it to his litmus test of level of danger: i.e., how would this affect his family's safety?

"And you are quite certain that the creatures were under this man's command?" Splinter asked, after they had sat in silence for a few minutes, taking in what Michelangelo and Leatherhead had reported.

"There was a laugh, then a sharp whistle, like this-" here Mikey did his best to imitate the short, shrill, single-noted sound that had caused the rats to stop their forward motion- "and then they stopped, and then turned around and headed back where they came from. So, yeah, Sensei, I'd say they pretty much were being controlled or something."

Splinter looked to Donatello, who had also listened to this tale in silence. His imagination was working overtime as it came up with idea after idea of how such a thing could be done.

"Hmmm... You didn't notice him holding anything?" the brainy turtle asked Leatherhead. "Something that could be used as a control device?"

"It was very dark, even for my eyes," the Crocodile replied. "But it did not appear that anything was in this man's hands. He could have been wearing a headset of some sort- there was something odd about his shape. Something I cannot quite put my finger on. And then, he disappeared so quickly there really was no time to get a better view."

"Some sort of device that can control rats," Don mused. "But the only way that would be feasible is if they all had collars or some sort of computer chip inserted into their brains, and who the heck would have the time and patience to do that to that many rats?"

"Bishop," Mikey heard himself say, shocking even himself. He hadn't mentioned that name in months. The others looked at him, eyes wide. He grinned weakly. "Sorry. I don't know what I was thinking. But it sounds like something that guy would have done."

"My son, Bishop is no longer a threat," Splinter needlessly reminded him, still feeling the need to protect his youngest from this "boogyman" despite the skill this two-time Battle Nexus Champion possessed.

"Yeah, I know," Mikey said. "But I don't know, it just- I don't think this guy was using any kind of technology to control those rats, that's all. I mean, it just seemed- natural."

"Where exactly was this?" Leo asked. Splinter suddenly looked at his eldest.

"You are not thinking of going there," he said sharply, ears suddenly flat in unknown worry and unexplained anger; not asked, more like ordered.

"We should check this out, Sensei. It sounds threatening, and we need to know," Leo reasoned, forcefully. Then he turned back to his brother. "Well, Mikey?"

Mikey and Leatherhead told them the general vicinity. Don got his laptop and pulled up after a few minutes a map of the area.

"Is there anywhere that you don't have a map of?" Raph asked, as they crowded around the screen.

"Yeah, your bedroom- and I don't see how even you get through that jungle without one," came the easy reply. "Very close to the river. A lot of these buildings are right up next to the water- but most are empty now. There are still plenty of active warehouses and businesses in the area, however. You would think they'd notice something like this going on."

"Unless it only takes place at night," Leo replied, studying the image. "Mikey, could you tell which gang those guys were from?"

"Nope, but I doubt they're very established," he replied. "They definitely weren't the Purple Dragons."

"The Dragons don't consider themselves a gang anymore," Raph said, playing with a sai. "Casey hasn't seen any on the streets lately- just these newbie-types who are trying to fill the gap left by Hun's group. They've moved up in the world- Organized Crime time."

"I'm guessing they're trying to rival the Foot," Don said, making a few notes on his program. "When April and I went to check out that 'memorial library' shortly after it opened, this limo pulled up, and Hun came out of a back office, followed by Karai. You'd think they were legitimate business people the way they were dressed. But there was no love lost between them, you could tell. She thanked him for his financial contribution to the museum- and the strange thing was, she didn't do it in a way to draw attention, so I think it was legitimate- and then he left."

Leo, still smarting at the confirmation of what he'd already known- that Karai had broken her word and could not be trusted- managed to keep all trace of his bitter anger out of his voice and appearance.

"Speaking of them, it appears they are searching for someone," Leo mentioned. In the aftermath of their rescue by Splinter and the sudden arrival of Mikey and Leatherhead to tell the Rat what had happened, Raph and Leo had not had much chance to tell their brothers what they'd witnessed prior to getting their asses kicked.

"I think they're lookin' for that guy," Raph said, as Leo told the briefest of stories to Don and Mikey, glossing over the poor judgment Leo had shown as well as the timely rescue by the father they had tried desperately to ditch. "You know, Mikey- the one the Dragons was lookin' for, back before-"

In the middle of balancing his sai on its point on one finger, he froze, realizing he'd crossed into Splinter's "no mans land" topic. The sai clattered to the ground, making an ominous sound that echoed throughout the room.

Splinter, already on edge from the activities of earlier, barely moved a whisker at this piece of news. Though in deference to his guest he had (with great strength of character) kept himself in check, the guys could tell, just by the fact that he had taken on the appearance of a finely carved statue at this bit of information, that he was pissed and pissed royally.

"I- I am curious, I have to admit," Leatherhead's refined tones broke the uneasy silence, "just why anyone is searching for this- this- human", and even Splinter could detect the reluctance and distaste and tragic emotion with which their large friend uttered that one word. Such anguish at Leatherhead's nightmarish memories of his enforced time under the control of Bishop took Splinter for the moment away from his own emotions, and he concentrated on comforting this fellow mutant, this newest family member- this fifth son.

"It is hopeful to my way of thinking," Splinter found himself saying, careless sons momentarily forgotten in the lingering suffering of a fellow being, leaning forward to place a small rat hand on the massive arm of the Crocodile, "that if they are looking for him, he must have repented of his involvement. Of course, I have no way of knowing this, but that to me is the reason I find the most comfort in- as should you, my friend."

Leatherhead, with a very noisy, very forced deep inhalation and exhalation, managed to keep his primal, wild side from overcoming his civilized side.

"The question is, what do we do?" Leo forced the issue, knowing that Splinter would NOT be in agreement with anything that the eldest turtle suggested at the moment. "Obviously this person is a threat! I think that we should go check the place out and do it at once! Don, you and Mikey will run the perimeters, keeping an eye out, and Raph and I will go into this first building-"

"You will do no such thing!"

Even Leatherhead was taken back by the force of those words as they burst from the diminutive Rat.

All four turtles stared at their master- their father- stunned into silence.

"You will do no such thing!" he repeated, voice not as loud but seemingly more forceful. "I forbid this! Donatello has ways to investigate this person without ANY of you going into unknown territory! You will do no such thing!"

"But Sensei-"

"If you disobey me on this, I will- I will- spank you!"

Everyone in the room stared in various reaction to Splinter's vitriolic outburst. Raph's face registered out and out disbelief, mirrored to a lesser degree by Mikey. Leo's stunned surprise did not prevent him from keeping eye contact with his Sensei, who was fiercely returning his gaze, as if mentally he already had them across his knee and was spanking away.

Don sat back with the happiest grin on his face Mikey, catching sight of it, ever remembered seeing there. HIS eyes were fixed with almost childish delight upon Leo and Splinter, watching the gazing confrontation as if observing some sort of fantastic chess match.

"Popcorn, anyone?" he asked, breaking the tension.

Mikey snorted at Don's question, and Splinter, brought back to some sort of awareness of his surroundings (and his guest- what must Leatherhead think of me?), drew a deep, centering breath.

"Donatello, tomorrow you will show me what can be done to check into this person- without anyone going into see first hand," Splinter said, and his voice registered nothing but calm. "Leatherhead, perhaps you would care to stay the night? I would not like to send you away so late. Michelangelo will give you his room, I am sure."

"Yeah! Let's have a movie night, L.H.!" Mikey enthused. "And you can bunk down with me! It'll be great! I've got some new ones I haven't had the chance to get to yet, all thanks to Don's fixing us up with TiVo!"

But the Crocodile politely refused.

"I am grateful for your offer, Master Splinter," he bowed, "but I believe that I will head for my own home. Thank you again."

Before he rose, though, he reached out a large hand and placed it on Splinter's shoulder.

"Do not worry any more, Master Splinter," he said simply. "Do not worry any more." Then he got up, said goodbye, and left.

"I am adamant," Splinter said after a few minutes to his sons, who had remained seated.

Leo looked at his brothers, then bowed in his seated position.

"Hai, Sensei," was all he said in response. The lingering tension seemed to dissipate, and the brothers as one got up and left.

Don looked back at Splinter, still seated like a statue, still gripping- something- with his furry hands. With a sympathetic sigh he went back, knelt down next to his father, and hugged him.

"I won't let them," was all he said, as the parent gratefully returned the hug, holding onto his son to keep himself from falling into his nightmare memories of a few months ago.

"Leonardo?"

Karai spit out the name as if it were a bitter taste in her mouth.

"Hai, Mistress. The one with the katana. He and the one called Raphael interrupted one of our searches," the tall bald assistant reported.

It was late, but Karai had had much paper work to get through- she longed for the days when her father had overseen this tedious business of their legitimate holdings. In those days she had been glad that there were such things for him to do- he had been a shrewd businessman, and their legitimate activities nearly rivaled their "other" operation profit/wise.

Now, as she stared at a framed photo of her father that sat on her desk, she wished this oppressive paperwork and boring daily routine in the hands of others. She wanted to fight, to shed these uncomfortable "business clothes", put on her black outfit, strap on her katana, and fight!

She listened with growing anger to the report: they had not been successful. The leader had planned on killing the homeless man despite her orders. Then the Turtles had dropped in on them, killing two of her people.

"Reinforcements arrived," the assistant continued in an impassive voice- though he knew his Mistress; he was well-aware of her disapproval of what had happened. "Unfortunately, before our people could finish the Turtles, the Rat showed up."

Now her head snapped up, her eyes flashed such hatred, such anger. Their father? Their father had come to their rescue?

With great difficulty she got herself under control.

"How many of our men did we lose?"

"Three dead, six injured, one seriously. The leader of the group received the least of the damage."

"Good. Have him prepared for punishment. He is to be beaten with the bamboo swords for failing in his mission. Then he is to be killed for daring to go against my word- I do NOT want the homeless injured in any way. Make that clear to the others!"

"Hai, Mistress Karai," the bald assistant bowed his way out of the room.

Karai sat for a few more minutes, staring at the photograph of Oroku Saki, but focusing on her anger.

The Turtles were rescued by their father.

"I will take your father from you, Leonardo," she vowed aloud to the photograph. "I will take your father from you the way you took mine from me. And then, I will kill you with my own hands."

She abruptly arose from her desk and left. Business could wait. She was going to bed.