The Rat King stumbled across the sea of junk - confused, eyes wild, the screaming in his mind drowning out everything else. Flee! All his instincts, and at the moment that was all he had, were telling him to get as far away as possible as quickly as possible. He was stumbling blindly, paying very little attention to his surroundings, and finally the inevitable happened. He fell.

Sprawled on the debris littering the dump, he looked up. The screaming in his head was gone. In its place, just a howling emptiness. A complete absence of sound, thought, anything.

A figure stood nearby. The rat. Splinter. The Rat King automatically reached out with his mind to command Splinter, but it was like bouncing off an invisible shield around the Turtles' sensei. Splinter merely stood watching him.

He became aware of another figure standing next to Splinter. No, not quite standing. Floating slightly off the ground. Insubstantial, ever so slightly see-through.

Lawrence Hynten.

"Wha- What...?" As the Rat King gasped incoherently, Splinter looked to the left, apparently at Hynten, not at all perturbed by the Rat King's hallucination. If that was what it was. Could he see it too?

"It's over..." said Hynten in his comfortingly gravelly voice. "Let it go."

"Let... What are you...?" The Rat King struggled to his feet and pointed wildly, Splinter regarding him again calmly. "You are gone...! You're dead...!"

"Yes," said Hynten serenely. "But my nephew is not. Let him go. Let him live."

The Rat King in the body of Bryan Bryant snarled, gasping with the effort of holding onto his host. "Never...! Ugghhh... Never...!" He bowed his head and crouched down near the ground to overcome the wave of nausea he felt.

When he looked up again, Hynten was gone. So was Splinter.

***

"Your shoelace is undone..." said April quietly. "Kinda ironic."

The Foot ninja did not reply. He just continued binding her, with what she felt was excessive thoroughness, to one of the warehouse's load-bearing posts, but as he moved behind her to wind more rope she was sure he did glance briefly at his feet. April smiled, weakly - It had been more to distract herself than anything else. She really wanted to think about pretty much anything other than their plans for her future... or lack of one.

"You can't hand her over to people like that," said Jake, breaking the tense silence that had ensued after Matt's brutally honest forecast of what was going to happen to their prisoner. "You just... can't."

"Seconded!" said April as the last knots were pulled tight, a slight tremor in her voice betraying her growing dread. She writhed uncomfortably, unable to turn her head properly with some of her hair trapped under a loop of rope.

"I think you'll find that I can," Freddy said in a tone that promised danger.

"Don't I get a vote?" April demanded. "Hey, Freddy - I'm talking to you!" One of the masked ninja turned back to her, and she reacted with dismay as yet again a strip of duct-tape was pressed over her mouth. Quick and efficient, the ninja then tied a spare bandana over her eyes. At a gesture from Freddy, he then went outside to join the others on guard.

Jake watched disconsolately as April twisted within her ropes, sobbing quietly through the tape. He had to do something, but what could he do?

***

Free of the controlling influence of the Rat King, in his confusion Chief Sterns had gone off for a little aimless wander, and the remote control slipped from his hands and hit the ground. Those among his subordinates who weren't similarly affected looked at each other, baffled.

"What's going on...?"

"What's up with the Chief...?"

"I dunno... I wonder if he's having one of his... You know..."

"Yeah... What was that...? Nervous exhaustion, I heard..."

"It's been coming for years..."

Irma and Todd slipped away, as apparently no one had any intention of stopping them. They cautiously went through the gates into the junkyard, and hurried over to the Turtles.

They had been checking Whiskers was all right, and straightened up as Irma and Todd came in. A delighted reunion ensued. Hugging, slapping of backs, elaborate handshakes and lots of delighted voices talking over each other.

"So, what happened to the rat guy...?" asked Irma. She looked round hurriedly, shivering, and noticed the scattered Mousers for the first time. "Uh... There aren't any real ones around here, I hope..." She looked at Whiskers. "Uh, no offense. I don't mean you."

"Don't worry... These guys saved our lives..." Donatello explained, indicating the deactivated Mousers.

"I might 'a known you had something to do with it..." Irma said with a smile.

Turning to Leonardo, Raphael said "So, Master Splinter's back... You were right, Leo... And, you know what, I'm glad you were right."

"Anybody got a tape recorder...?" Leonardo asked. Raphael grinned and tried to put him in a headlock. Leonardo, grinning too, fought his way free easily enough.

"So, I said Wise men say, forgiveness is divine, but never pay full price for late pizza..." Michelangelo was telling a bemused Todd.

"Y'know, guys, I feel like there's something we've forgotten," Raphael pondered.

"Yeah, I know what you mean..." Leonardo agreed. The two of them looked at each other, and their expressions changed together. The same alarmed look crossed both their faces. That same instant, they both set off at a run.

"...Hey, it was really nothing..." Irma was fielding questions about the events in Holland Square from an amused Donatello. "After what she said earlier, it was easy to work out what to do."

Donatello nodded. "What who said...?"

Raphael and Leonardo hurtled past, Michelangelo right behind them, and Leonardo grabbed Donatello and pulled him along. "APRIL...!"

"Where are we going, Leo...?!" Raphael demanded.

"After that Freddy guy!"

"He's got too much of a head start!"

"We have to try!"

Splinter blocked their way. The Turtles all grinned and all started to speak at once, gabbling. Their sensei silenced them with a raised hand. With the support of his stick, he moved over to Whiskers where he was still slumped on the ground.

"Hey..." Michelangelo said quietly. "Whiskers is smaller than he used to be..."

"He's regressing, Mike..." Donatello said even more quietly. "The mutagen is wearing off. Unlike ours, it only had a temporary effect..."

"Right... Yeah..."

Becoming aware of the new presence, Whiskers slowly raised his head. In a moment of silent understanding, he and Splinter seemed to reach an agreement.

Splinter helped Whiskers to rise, and the younger rat seemed to take strength from their contact. They started talking to each other in low voices, and the Turtles didn't pry into what they were saying. They just stood ready.

Their sensei turned to them, an arm around Whiskers' shoulder. "You know what you must do...?" inquired Splinter gently. Whiskers struggled to reply, and in the end, he just nodded. He closed his eyes and concentrated.

He seemed smaller than he had been even a few minutes ago. The Turtles had known their new friend for such a short time and it was painful to realize they might be losing him already.

His body jolted, and his eyes flickered open. He had done it! Reaching out along the thin ethereal tendrils of the Rat King's astral thought wave network, he had found the mental link with the Turtles' friend. The link was fading, it was almost gone in fact, but there was still enough there for him to make some kind of contact...

The wave of emotions hit him like a hurricane in his mind, overwhelming him... April was condemned to a terrible fate, and her terror and anxiety were too much for him to cope with... His body buckled, and the Turtles all started forward to help him. Splinter waved them back.

Finding new reserves of strength, Whiskers stood. Had his brief contact been enough? He looked around the Turtles as if seeing them for the first time. He walked past them toward the gates of the yard, and each of them reached out to touch him. Just a simple gesture of support. He glanced again at each one in turn, and headed out of the yard.

"My sons..." said Splinter. "Why do you wait...? Follow him!"

***

The Rat King was still in control of one human body at least. Just about. Hanging on by his metaphorical fingertips. He staggered, falling every so often as he clambered over the piles of garbage, and finally ended up rolling down a slope until he reached the edge of the river.

The dank smell was overpowering, and that was bad news because Bryan was somehow using that sensory stimulation as a lifeline. He was slowly but ever more surely emerging from the depths of his own mind.

No!

The Rat King had been in existence for millennia... It couldn't end like this...!

Bryan looked up. He was back. He was in control of his own mind and his own body again. It felt strange. He needed a moment to get used to this...

Sirens. Sirens approaching. They reminded Bryan with a start that he was a fugitive.

He hurried to the water's edge. He would swim for it! Then he remembered. He couldn't swim...

The Rat King could...!

The what...? He felt a strange sensation as all the knowledge and experience of the Rat King evaporated in the space of a few seconds. He felt like something huge and important was looming over him, something... No. It was gone.

Bryan turned and raised his hands as the first cops clambered down the slope towards him. "Hands up!" they called unnecessarily.

***

The Turtles ran like never before - April was in real trouble, and there was no way they were going to let her down. Whiskers led them along the paths through the piled-up garbage, twisting and turning... Then along back streets, down alleys... If a building got in the way they would go up the fire escape, along the roof, and down again...

Half way across the city they went, never tiring, never faltering or if they did they quickly reminded themselves why they were doing this.

All the time Whiskers got smaller, as if his exertions were speeding up the process of de-mutation. When eventually their journey neared its end, he was back to where he started, and the Whiskers who finally turned to face them again was a rat. An ordinary rat.

***

"Vote...?" Jake said impetuously. "Yeah... vote. I vote no!" He glanced at Matt, who wouldn't meet his eye.

Freddy turned, and he had to think for a moment before he realised what Jake was talking about, so belated was the reply. He had a hint of a smile, and his voice was dangerously calm when he finally spoke.

"You vote no? OK. Let's go with that. I vote yes. I think it's safe to say the others vote yes... That's four, so five yesses... Matt...?"

Matt wanted no part of this, and merely waved away the question. Freddy continued, steely, intent on making his point.

"That's one no. Five yesses. One abstains... Sorry, sorry..." Freddy held up his hands in a conciliatory gesture toward April, even though she couldn't see anything through the thick cloth of her blindfold. "Two no's, right...?" He looked grim as he turned back to Jake. "Yes still wins. Useful to know, in case this ever becomes a democracy..."

"He gets it," said Matt, trying to calm the situation.

They all turned as a sound was heard at the door, something banging lightly against it. Then the thud of a much heavier impact. "Is that them...?" Jake asked.

"A little early, but it could be..." Freddy said cheerfully.

"Doesn't feel right," said Matt quietly.

"And we just stand here...?" Jake mused, chewing his lower lip.

"That's the general idea," Freddy replied condescendingly, with a hint of warning in his voice.

"No way," Jake replied. "You'll have to get through me if you want her."

Matt's head snapped round as he realized things had just changed drastically. Perking up, April listened to see how he reacted - This was a surprise, and it stirred just the tiniest beginning of hope, but she really didn't like the odds very much.

Freddy smiled contemptuously. His eyes flicked briefly to the side. "Matt? How are your loyalties?"

Matt seemed to ponder this for a moment. He stepped forward, sword raised. "Just fine. Thanks for asking." The sword was pointed at Freddy.

"So, there it is," Freddy acknowledged. "Lucky I'm better than either of you, then..."

"Either, yeah..." said Matt as he started to move round Freddy. "But both together?"

Freddy's teeth showed in a savage grin. "Fine by me..." April shrank back against the post, really wishing she could get well out of the way of what was about to happen...

Freddy whistled, the pre-arranged signal to bring the other four in again from their guard duty. When several seconds passed without their arrival, his gaze flicked over to the doors. A staff was thrown with pinpoint accuracy across the warehouse, hitting him on the side of the head, and Freddy fell to the floor, knocked senseless. Donatello came rushing after it.

"April!" he called. She was blindfolded and facing away from him, but his voice prompted a tape-muffled squeal of delight.

Jake and Matt exchanged glances. Now what?

Donatello hurried over to April, as Leonardo and Raphael came in after him. He took the blindfold off, leaving her blinking. "April...! You really missed something there... I hit that guy from at least twenty feet away!"

"Hmm-mmmfff..." Mutely, she did her best to look suitably pleased about that.

The Turtles were ready for a fight as they advanced on Matt and Jake. Quickly though, both dropped their weapons and stood with their hands raised. "So, what are we gonna do with these guys...?" Raphael mused.

"Got a few ideas..." said Leonardo. "Thinkin'a opening it up to the floor."

"Mmmmmm-mmmfff...!"

That had been April's frustrated contribution, and Donatello moved a little closer to her. "Sorry, April, I didn't get that," he said, casually leaning with arm outstretched on the post she was tied to.

April shifted impatiently against the tight grip of the Foot's cruel bindings, and a sharp crease appeared in the duct-tape. "Mmmmmmfff...?!" she demanded incredulously, and added, "Mmm-mmmm-mmmfff-mmmmmmm...!"

Donatello was still confused. "Maybe if I took the tape off..." he speculated.

"Mmmmm..." April considered, rolling her eyes, "Mmmfff-mmm?!"

Leonardo sighed impatiently. "OK... First, she said Over here, then Really...? Then Guys..." He stroked where his chin would be if he had one thoughtfully. "Or it might have been Don... Yeah, pretty sure it was Don... Get me out of this...!" He turned to April, as if for confirmation, but she just stared at him mournfully. "Actually, April, you're kinda good at that," he congratulated her.

"Ahhhh," said Donatello. "Thanks, Leo!" He turned to April. "Yeah, sis," he said approvingly. "Got yourself a party piece right there."

Despite her discomfort and increasing impatience, April splayed her fingers, the closest to a modest shrug her bonds would allow - It's a talent. Turning away, oblivious to her silent dismayed Really?!, the Turtles directed their attention back to the vanquished Foot.

Jake and Matt both tensed. "We tried to help her-" Jake began, prompting Matt to shoot him a Shut up! look. "Hey, ask her...!" he urged, frustrated, glancing over at April and becoming self-conscious as he realized she was looking back.

April nodded in agreement, all she could do with her mouth still taped, and Jake shook his head slightly at the thoughtlessness of her supposed friends... Oh yeah... The Turtles were teenagers - Once he realized that, suddenly a lot of things made sense.

"I really think she wants freed, y'know?" he berated them.

"Mmmmmmmfff...!" More annoyed now than plaintive, April was starting to doubt she was ever getting freed.

"Well..." Menacingly, Raphael advanced a little on Matt and Jake, but his tone held more than a little of the sarcastic tone he used freely with hs brothers. "I'm pretty sure she didn't wanna be tied up like that in the first place!"

"Uh..." Focused on the point of Raphael's sai, very close now to his face, Matt dipped his head to the side ruefully. "Point taken." He made as if to move the blade a little away from him, but thought better of it.

"We didn't-" Jake stopped and rethought what he wanted to say. "I wanted to let her go. So did he."

"Mmmfffmmmmmm..." April's tape-muffled interjection might have been some kind of confirmation, or it might just have been demanding their long overdue attention. Donatello returned to her with an apologetic look.

"Sorry, April," he said. "Say... Do you mind if I just try something...?" She looked at him dubiously, the tape crinkling over her mouth again as calm resignation changed to worried bemusement.

"Cover them, Raph," said Leonardo. He shrugged. "I always wanted to say that." He looked round, and cringed. "Donny, no, don't."

Donatello was reaching for April's gag - seeing Leo's reaction, she shook her head, adding her muffled plea to his. Don wasn't to be dissuaded and he removed the tape carefully, as gently as he could and reasonably painlessly - April grimaced as it peeled away, and silently mouthed Ooooow... "I think I finally got the hang of that," he said, struggling to discard the silver strip as it persistently stuck to his fingers.

"You finally did," said Leonardo, genuinely pleased for him.

"Thanks, guys..." said April, and looked down at the ropes holding her to the post in a none too subtle hint. "I said, uh, thanks, guys...!" she added pointedly. It was no good, their attention had wandered again. She sighed. Almost resigned, she rested her head against the post and writhed awkwardly, trying to find the least uncomfortable stance the ropes would allow.

"Sorry, April!" As Leo started freeing her, Raphael stepped over the unconscious Freddy and prodded Matt with one of his sais.

"So, what about these reprobates?"

April twisted round to see past Leo. "Leave them, Raph...!" she called - Leonardo, having a tough time unraveling the coils of rope, shrugged as she gave him a What's taking so long? look.

"April...?" Raphael gaped in surprise.

Trailing ropes, April hurried over and moved the blade away from Matt with her still-bound hands. "Look, trust me, OK?" she said, as Leonardo caught up and finished releasing her. "I know these two aren't angels, but I think they deserve a