He opened his eyes slowly and glanced around. The curtains were still drawn tight, but an orangey glow lit them from behind, highlighting the room with the soft radiance of the morning sun. He rolled over to lay his arms around her and pull her close, but the bed where she had been laying was empty. He sat up and glanced at the clock. It was already 8:23. He'd seriously overslept!

Quickly, he rose and began to search for his kimono. He found it on the floor, lying in a heap a couple of feet from the bed. He smiled to himself, remembering the night the two of them had spent together. He had never been dissatisfied with what life had dealt him, but being with her brought a feeling of happiness not previously known to him. It was as if caring for her completed him somehow. There was a mental connection the two of them shared that he'd never experienced before, not even with his sons. It was as if, with their intimacy last night, some part of their minds had been joined, forming an inseparable link. It was a sense of peace and connection that he hadn't even accomplished during meditation.

He wondered why she'd left without waking him, and decided she probably thought he would appreciate the sleep. He was anxious to get downstairs where he could see her again, the way her face would surely light up when she greeted him. Quickly, he tied the kimono around his waist and hurried down the hall, eager to face the day ahead.

"Master Splinter, what is it?"

He glanced around, a look of puzzlement on his face. Leonardo was the only one in the living room, and from the looks of it, he'd just come back from a rather strenuous workout. He thought maybe Holly would have gone with him, but she was nowhere to be found. A nervous energy began to flow through him, and he couldn't shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong.

"Have you seen Holly this morning?"

"No." He admitted. "I was up on the roof until five o'clock, and when I came down for practice, she wasn't on the couch."

"Shimatta..." Splinter cursed under his breath, and hurried into the kitchen.

Leonardo wasn't far behind.

"Holly!?" Splinter called out desperately. The kitchen was empty. He rushed to the hallway and began to search every room he came to.

"Master? What's going on?" Donatello came down the stairs, rubbing his eyes. Michaelangelo and Raphael were behind him.

"Holly...she is missing." Splinter spoke without thinking. "She was not in bed when I woke up this morning."

The four turtles glanced at one another simultaneously, their faces a mixture of shock and wonder.

"Holly--wait a minute...in bed?"

Leonardo cast Raphael a silencing glare. As soon as Splinter was out of sight, he grabbed him by the arm and pulled him into the bathroom, locking the door and turning on the water in the bathtub.

"Whoa, Leo...I don't know what kinda funky shit you got planned, but--"

"Shhhh! Listen to me..." Leonardo's voice was barely audible above the sound of the running water, his eyes stern and serious.

Raphael flopped down on the edge of the bathtub, readying himself for another lecture. Leo sighed and sat down on the closed toilet lid, thinking for a moment before he spoke.

"Raph...do you remember back in New York, the first night Holly stayed with us, and you made that comment about trying to 'cop a peek of her under the blanket' while she slept?"

"Yeah...and then you got all postal on my ass..."

"Why do you think that was?"

"I dunno..." He said angrily. "Probably because you thought I was being disrespectful, but that's not what I meant at all." He stared down at his hands, his voice softening. "I like her, I really do."

"Yeah..." Leo sighed. "I know."

Slowly, an idea began to form in Raphael's mind. "Oh, so that's it then...you like her too!"

"Shhh...keep your voice down, Raph. No, that's not it at all...."

"Then wha--"

"It's Splinter."

"Splinter? Shit Leo, you mean to tell me that he and Holly--"

"What did Splinter say just now?"

"He said that Holly was--ohhhhh...shit..."

Leonardo nodded. "There's something there between them, Raph...but I never imagined--" He stopped mid-sentence as he finally began to understand just what had gone on between the two of them.

They slept together last night...

"And you knew about this the whole time?" Raph's voice was rough and edgy. Leo couldn't tell if it was out of anger or surprise. "Why the hell didn't you tell me? I woulda backed off, ya know..."

"Yeah, I know...I'm sorry...but--wow..." Leo turned to look at Raph. "I wasn't expecting...this."

"Yeah..." Raphael sighed. "Who'da thought out of all of us, he'd be first, eh?"

"Mmm..."

"Quite a shocker. I didn't know the sensei had it in him."

Leo nodded and smiled. "I'm sorry I was so hard on you, I just...he deserves this, ya know?"

Raphael's face slowly morphed into a grin. "Yeah...I guess you're right. She's probably more suited for him anyway...closer in age and all of that. Besides...it's about time the old rat saw some action...and I don't mean ninjitsu either."

"Come on." Leo said, rising to turn off the water. "We gotta get back out there before we start to look suspicious. Splinter seems really upset. I hope Holly isn't in any danger."

"Uhhh...Master Splinter...?"

The turtles and Splinter quickly returned to the living room where Michaelangelo held up a piece of paper. April and Casey had just emerged from their room and were leading Shadow to the table for breakfast when they saw the looks on their faces and stopped.

Splinter took the note from Michaelangelo and read silently.

Dear Splinter,

Last night was the most wonderful night of my life, but after
what went on between us, I know now that I have to leave.  
The others are after me, and I simply can't put your life, or 
the lives of your sons and friends in danger.  I don't expect 
you to understand, but I hope in time that you can come to 
forgive me.

Yours,

Holly

He crinkled the paper vehemently in his fingers, his eyes shutting tightly in anger and despair.

"Doushite..." He breathed.

"Master?" Don laid a hand on his shoulder, watching him with worry.

Splinter reached out for him, laying a hand over his. He opened his eyes, and Don could see the grief contained there.

"What is it?" Leo asked cautiously.

Splinter sank down to the couch. Mike gently took the paper from him and handed it to Leo. Leo stared at it quietly, and after a moment, he handed it to Don and Raph. All was silent for a long while, the turtles staring at one another in shocked silence.

Michaelangelo glanced at Leonardo, his eyes wide. Was Splinter really the one Holly had spoken about when she'd told him there was someone else? Had his sensei actually beaten him to the girl? For once in his life, he was completely speechless.

Leonardo must have read his mind, because he nodded gently and glanced at Splinter.

"Say something." Donatello whispered to him.

But Leo didn't know what to say. An awkward silence hung in the air for several minutes. April and Casey sat down quietly, hoping not to disturb what was obviously a very uncomfortable moment.

"It's my fault." Leo said quietly.

"What?" All eyes turned to look at him.

"I was on watch when she disappeared. I was the one who let her go..."

"No, Leonardo." Splinter spoke for the first time in a long while. "Do not blame yourself. Holly has made this decision on her own."

"But master, I'm the one who was supposed to be looking out for her this morning. It was my job to--"

"Leo, come on, stop beating yourself up. You always do this." Mike said softly.

Leo stared down at his lap. "I fell asleep...dammit, I--"

"Bright, Einstein!" Raphael snapped. "And you give me the lectures about keeping my guard up!"

"Enough, Raphael." Splinter said sternly, but without raising his voice. He was clearly upset. The others fell silent again, not wishing to add fuel to the fire.

"Master Splinter...I'm so sorry. I have dishonored you--"

"Leonardo..." There was a gentle warning tone in Splinter's voice.

Leo decided to route his confession in a new direction. "I deeply apologize for failing you in something so important, and I vow to you that I will help you find her."

"Me too." Michaelangelo gently squeezed Splinter's hand. Soon, they all were gathered around him, offering words of support and comfort.

"Thank you my sons." Splinter smiled softly. "We shall find her together."

He could feel her life-force somehow, and although she wasn't near, the sensation was stronger than it had ever been. Still, something about the feeling wasn't right. It seemed weak, diminishing. Something was wrong. She was in danger. Quickly, he opened his eyes and rose to his feet, not bothering to blow out the candles that surrounded him. He hurried down the stairs, the sense of menace rising.

The turtles were with April and Casey in the living room, discussing ways to begin tracking Holly as Michaelangelo was trying to keep Shadow occupied with a video game. An intense wave of peril washed over Splinter, and he became so dizzy, it was almost nauseating.

He heard Leonardo's voice calling to him. "Master Splinter, are you okay?"

But before he could respond, the front door was knocked violently off its hinges. Within seconds, the entire room was flooded with men. Some were in lab coats, but most were in casual attire, making it hard to tell what their intentions really were. April screamed and grabbed Shadow, shielding her as best she could against these strange attackers.

"April!" Casey yelled above the ruckus. "Take Shadow into another room and lock the door!"

She started to protest. She wasn't about to hide from these guys like a coward! But then she looked at Shadow, at the terror in the little girl's eyes, and she knew Casey was right. This situation was way too dangerous. She took her by the hand and quickly led her down the hall and into the study, locking the door behind them.

A group of men surrounded the turtles and Splinter, wielding weapons. It was obvious they were planning to attack. Without a word, Raphael rushed into the mob. He drew his sai with a flash, piercing the sharp metal into one of the ninja's ribs. As the man fell, more swarmed in around him, stepping up to meet his challenge.

This is gonna be a piece of cake... he grinned to himself.

Casey was helping Leo and Mike fend off some of the other assassins, while Donatello sneaked away to approach a group wearing lab coats. The men were silently surveying the room, running little electrical devices over the walls and furniture.

"Why are you here? What do you want with us?"

One of them glanced at him, and when he saw Don's face, he nudged the others. They halted their examinations and stood like statues, staring at him as though they were looking into the face of a rabid monster. Don frowned at them a little, eyeing them suspiciously.

"Get the syringe." One said to the others.

One of the scientists stepped up and pulled a long needle out of his coat pocket.

"Oh no you don't." Don said, grabbing him by the wrist. The man was so shocked, he nearly dropped the syringe to the floor. Don snatched it out of his hand, and tossed it out the window. "Now..." He said. "Let's get down to business, shall we?"

As Donatello began questioning the nervous scientists, Splinter, Casey and the other turtles had problems of their own. These martial artists (whose expertise ranged from karate to ninjitsu) were very skilled. They hadn't been expecting to face such strong opponents.

Four assailants surrounded Splinter, their purpose clear. They were to kill him, or perhaps beat him to the point of helplessness. In either case, their main focus was on him, making it obvious that they had been ordered not to leave the farmhouse without him.

Splinter kicked, his foot connecting with a stomach, before whirling around to deliver a roundhouse, knocking another in the chin. The other two advanced, but Splinter was quick and determined. As a fist came down toward his face, he blocked, and delivered a sweep technique that knocked his enemy off his feet.

As his opponents fell away, more moved in to take their place. Leonardo spared a glance in his sensei's direction. A group of men surrounded him, preparing their weapons to strike, while Splinter defended himself bare handed.

"Master Splinter!" Leo called. "Catch!"

He tossed one of his katana, and Splinter caught it carefully. A quick bow of thanks, and he was back in action again. He swiped the katana swiftly, slicing two bellies at once.

Leonardo returned his attention back to the men that were quickly surrounding him and the others. Casey had come up here weaponless, and had resorted to fending off his attackers with an old broom. He was successful in blocking dozens of attacks, but it made a poor weapon as far as offense went. Casey was used to improvising, however. He began to swat at them with the broom, distracting them enough for Mike and Leo to attack them unawares.

We make a good team... he thought proudly.

They were making short work of their enemies, and as they fought, Splinter couldn't help but wonder why they'd even bothered. It was obvious these guys were skilled, but not nearly enough to overthrow the turtles or himself. Even Casey, who'd had no formal martial arts training, was able to hold his own--with a broom of all things. As he glanced down at the fallen bodies, it all seemed like such a waste. His heart sank at the thought that these men were losing their lives over something they really had nothing to do with.

"Itai!"

A sting of pain tingled through his left shoulder. On instinct, he raised his hand, applying pressure to the wound. He spun around quickly to find that Michaelangelo had already knocked his assailant out cold.

"Thank you, Michaelangelo." He bowed.

Mike returned the gesture, staring at the spot on Splinter's shoulder where the thick red blood was already dribbling down his fingers.

"Master Splinter, you're hurt..."

But Splinter dismissed his injury for the moment. He glanced around the room, noticing that the entire crowd of enemies had been defeated. Donatello was busy tying up a group of frightened lab workers. All of the assassins but one lay at their feet, either dead or unconscious. Raphael had the last one pinned up against the wall with one hand, a syringe in the other. The man's cheek was pressed against the plaster, his arms held behind him at a painful angle.

"You ain't gonna talk? Fine." Raphael stabbed the man in the arm with the syringe. He let out a yelp of pain, and closed his eyes tightly. "Now..." Raphael brought his face close to the man's, his expression menacing. "You gonna tell me, or am I gonna have to give you another dose?"

"Okay...okay..." The man said quickly. His voice was shaking like a leaf. "New York..."

"They took her back to the lab?"

"To a lab, yes, but...but not the one she found your friend at." He glanced at Splinter.

Raphael's grip tightened, bending the man's arms even farther out of joint. He heard him gasp, his body growing limp beneath his hold.

"Where?"

"Uhhh...I...I dunno..."

He pulled out a sai and held it to the man's throat. "Don't make me use this."

"All right..." He said quickly. "All right. They took her to another lab in Blue Mountain Lake, near the Adirondack mountains. I'll give you the address...whatever you want. Just don't hurt me..."

Raphael's face lit up with a satisfied grin. "Now that's more like it."

A sharp hiss escaped him as Michaelangelo pierced his skin with the needle and pulled the thread tight. He'd had to shave the fur around the wound carefully to better see what he was doing. It wasn't as deep as he'd first imagined, but it was large enough that it required stitches. Mike was just grateful that he'd left some of his equipment up here the last time they'd been to the farmhouse.

"Still tender? Maybe I need to numb it some more."

"No..." Splinter sucked in a breath. "We must hurry. Time is of the essence."

"But Splinter, you're in pain..."

"I have endured much worse."

Mike eyed him warily. "Okay...if you're sure..."

"Well..." Donatello stepped back and took stalk of his work. The men he'd been interrogating were tied up thoroughly with rope. Only their heads and legs stuck out of the thick coils. He'd attached their bindings to unmovable objects--large pieces of furniture, heater vents, and the like, so they wouldn't be able to escape. "That just about covers that."

"Nice work, Donnie." Raphael smirked as he finished tying up the ninja he'd held captive. "But don't you think they need a little more rope? I can still see some of their faces."

"Har har..." Don smiled. "I just want to make sure they can't get away until we're far from here."

"Do you have any new information, Donatello?" Splinter asked eagerly.

"Well...it seems our hunch was right. The men from the lab have kidnapped Holly, and as far as these guys know, she's still alive. The most I could get from their ramblings is that she's to be used for some sort of bizarre testing. They didn't seem to know exactly what that entails though." He glanced down at his hands before meeting Splinter's eyes again. "And it seems that they're still looking for you. From the sounds of it, they have a torturous experiment in mind...and then...they plan to kill you."

Splinter lowered his eyes and nodded solemnly.

"And if they don't get what they want?" Leo asked.

Don's gaze again lowered to his hands. "They left a message for us with these guys, in case we managed to defeat their men. If we don't surrender...they're gonna kill Holly."

"Kakera, doko e..." She gripped the bars of the cell behind her, her fingers curling over the smooth metal. Her eyes were closed, her voice soft, almost melodic. "Kakera, doko e..."

She repeated the phrase over and over again, her face set in concentration while the men watched her, confused.

"What's she saying?" Larry asked.

"How the hell should I know?" Jim retorted.

"Sounds like Chinese or Japanese or something. I just thought maybe you'd know..."

"I know very little Japanese, actually. My father stopped speaking it after my mother died. I was four at the time."

"Looks like she's in some sort of trance."

"Do you think it could be a side effect of the drug?"

"No...that's highly unlikely. It appears that she's put herself in this state."

"Maybe we should give her more--"

"No. Any more and the dose might prove lethal. We need her around for a while longer. She's our calling card after all."

She allowed her arms to fall limp in the shackles, her legs crossed in front of her in lotus position. She inhaled deeply, trying to remember what Splinter had taught her about meditation. Too bad she was too busy goofing around that day to learn something useful. Still, she wasn't going to give up. Just the thought of trying was a strange comfort to her.

"Anata ni deru...atashi yoki da yo."

"What the hell is she talking about in there?" Curtis approached them from behind. He looked like hell. His eyes were glazed over, and his skin was pale and clammy.

"You all right? You don't look so good..." Jim started.

"Yeah, yeah...I'm fine. Just a hangover. I'll get over it."

Curtis approached the bars, eyeing Holly carefully. Her eyes were still shut tight, her body rocking slightly as she whispered the unfamiliar language over and over again.

"En..." She thought about all that had happened to her in just a couple of months. Splinter's words returned to her. Nothing happens without a reason, Holly... "Anata beki miataru atashi..." she whispered.

"Shut up, you stupid bitch!" Curtis grabbed hold of the bars, shaking his arms violently. His attempts to jerk the cage were futile though, as it was anchored to the floor.

Holly kept her eyes closed defiantly. Although her attempts to reach Splinter on a mental level were failing, she would not give him the satisfaction of any sort of response from her. Instead, she focused harder, envisioning Splinter in her mind. She saw him standing in a grassy field, the wind ruffling his fur, along with the long blades of grass he stood in. The sun shone down on him, highlighting the muscle tone in his arms and legs. His face was a mask of peace. His hands gripped a bo, moving over it skillfully to thrust and block in a fierce, quick kata. Despite the comfort of her vision, she somehow knew he was upset. She could almost feel his rage, his sorrow. It was too much. She willed the images away, fighting back tears of defeat and loss. She opened her eyes. Curtis was still looking at her.

"Where's your boyfriend now?" He said angrily.

She didn't speak, just sat there quietly, defiantly meeting his gaze.

He let out a roar and grabbed a hold of the door, yanking it off its hinges. Holly glared at him as he entered. She didn't care what he did to her now. She'd rather die than spend eternity here in this place. He shook her violently, her head snapping back to hit the bars.

"Answer me when I talk to you!" He screamed and punched her in the chin.

A dull, rusty taste filled her mouth as blood spurted from her lip. She sucked in a breath as pain flared over her jaw. She lowered her head, hanging from the shackles in defeat. Larry and Jim pulled Curtis back, slamming the broken door behind them.

"You idiot! I thought I told you to keep your hands off of her!" Jim yelled.

"It's not time yet." Larry added. "When the rat and the other mutants get here, then you can have your way with her. Not before."