Casey swore, overlaying Splinter's words as he spoke.

"You know these tunnels," Splinter said, every word tight as a vise, an unsprung trap as bloodshot light poured around the corner, lighting his tired face. "Is our only way out past them?"

"No," Casey said, "this way."

Any worries he had about Splinter being able to keep up faded as Splinter exploded into motion, dropping to all fours. Must be easier on his body, he thought as he kicked his skates down under his heel. But he couldn't count on him being able to sustain that pace. Not with his injuries. At least the tunnels were wide enough for them to run abreast without having to move in a single file.

A high whine echoed around them. Casey just had time to swear as the Kraang in pursuit opened fire. Had to pull them off somehow, buy as much time as he could. If they could draw the heat seekers somehow- Throw a puck? No, that wouldn't work. The flare of heat was too short to even grab the attention of the seeker bots, let alone hold it, and the blast wouldn't damage the floating bots in pursuit. He'd be better off saving them to drive off any foot soldiers that got too close. But at the very least, he could obscure their shots. Immobilization here was a death sentence for both of them.

Pulling one of the smoke bombs free, he flicked the lighter built into his glove. Without losing momentum, he turned and sent the bomb careening down the tunnel behind them without losing speed. Despite himself, satisfaction curled in his chest. Even out of practice, he hadn't lost his touch. "Second to the right," he said, raising his voice to be heard over the blast of the puck.

The steadfast tramp of Kraang feet continued unharried, uninterrupted as he and Splinter ran around the corner together. The ninja master seemed to be holding up ok. He wasn't panting, although in the darkness he couldn't tell much else. If we can just make it out- get to the surface where we aren't penned down, they had a real chance. Down here it was too easy to get caught and penned like- well. A rodent in a trap.

Red light flowed around the corner, just down one of the side tunnels ahead. Casey was already pulling out another smoke bomb. He had one more, he thought, as he lit the bomb. If he'd had the time, if the blast from his pucks wasn't so weak, he might have added one of those into the mix.

But as it was, the smoke bomb would have to do and he made a note to himself to try and work out a way to ignite a bomb with just concussive force. That could save a lot of time in the future.

It was a problem that would have to wait. They raced through the cloud of smoke, Casey stalling the breath in his lungs and screwing his eyes closed to protect himself against the smoke particles.

'Almost there," he said when they burst out of the smoke cloud, "Left here!"

The ladder was only about two hundred feet away. Casey slowed his stride and kicked his skates back up and off his feet, allowing Splinter to pull ahead of him as he cast another frantic look behind him.

This was going to be close.

"Do you know where we are going once we breach the surface?" Splinter asked, rising back onto his hind legs.

"Kinda," Casey said, "There's probably an ambush. Head for the alley next to the frog mural- there's a broken fire escape you can use to get on the roof."

Casey slid to a stop behind Splinter as the ninja master scurried up the ladder. In the enclosed space, where there was only one point of entry, the pucks would be far more useful, and he spent seven precious seconds lighting and knocking two pucks back before he clambered up the ladder after Splinter.

The ninja master helped him out of the hole, but did not break into a run when Casey was clear. His hands shot down- so fast, so smooth a motion it reminded him of Karai and her snake heads for hands. Metal shrieked, then three- no, four- iron bars lay on the ground next to the ninja master as he slid the manhole back over the exit. He'd torn out the rungs, Casey realized, just- ripped the steel right out of the concrete like it was a straw in a plastic lid.

"This way, yes?" Splinter asked, and Casey jumped to his feet.

"Yeah," he replied, gunning for the mural. Splinter followed. Casey skidded to a stop under the fire escape and spat a curse. The rusty ladder slide he had used to get to that roof had been replaced with freshly minted iron slide that hooked into place. "Of course they fixed it right before the fucking end of the world!"

Splinter surged past him, and leapt. Grabbing onto the bottom rung, he reached up and loosed the catch holding the ladder up.

And this was the guy Shredder could beat down, Casey realized yet again as he shook himself back into action. Six stories up the escape they went, the steadfast beat of Kraang troops echoing through the alleys- not as oppressive or loud as in the tunnels, but it overwrote the beating of his heart, the anxious thrum of his breathing.

"They must be communicating with their forces on the surface," Splinter said as they broke onto the rooftop, his voice tight- from adrenaline, or were his injures getting to him?

"Ok, but we lost the heat seekers down there," Casey said, "as long we we lose them up here we should be-"

The ground shook, almost before the wave of sound hit them. They both went down, Casey with a shout and Splinter already twisting in midair, although Casey heard the pained gasp tear from his throat as he hit the ground. An oblong silver pod had hit the street a couple buildings away, and as Casey watched the sides split open, then slid around each other with a hiss.

Kraang Prime emerged. Silvery tentacles whipped around her as she extended herself out of the pod, up, up, until she towered over the closest building.

If he weren't so terrified, Casey thought, he'd almost be flattered that she bothered. Surely they weren't that important?

No. That wasn't it. Surrounding them would make more tactical sense. It was worse than that.

Her searching yellow eyes locked onto his. Her lips spread into a cruel smile and a familiar, sharp glint highlighted her gaze.

That glint. Why did it remind him of his dad? That was the look he got before- things started to go wrong, the look that meant Casey had better start watching his words, his slightest move, or things would blow up in his face and it would be all his fault-

As raucous laughter echoed around them, it clicked.

This wasn't about tactics. This wasn't about efficiency or even the end goal of catching them and eradicating the last free humans in Kraang territory.

Kraang Prime was bored.

"Casey!"

Splinter's sharp voice dashed him back to himself.

Right. Right. Escaping.

He jumped back to his feet as Kraang Prime's tentacles lashed out and tore a chunk of concrete off the side of a nearby building.

"Move!" Splinter yelled. Casey was already in motion, and they threw themselves to the side. The breeze from the missile sent a chill through his chest.

"We should split up," Casey said, tense, ready to move, watching as she tore two more hunks of concrete away from the long-empty buildings. "She can't nail us both at the same time."

"They're expecting that," Splinter said, crouching next to him. Kraang Prime had not thrown her new baubles yet. She was advancing towards them, her steps slow, deliberate. Every footfall sent a tremor rattling through the ground, up his nerves. "The others will be able to surround and overpower us far more easily if we seperate.

"Yeah? She's about to kill two rats with one rock," Casey said, "Move!"

He threw himself to the left, somehow landing with a modicum of grace on his side instead of flat on his tail. The other rock crashed through the roof with the screech of tearing metal and rebar. Too close. They had to get out of her line of sight.

"Ground level!" Splinter called, "we can lose her in the alleys!"

"Go on ahead, I'll meet you there!" Casey shouted, glancing at Splinter. Was this the time for the last smoke bomb? No. The radius wasn't wide enough to cover-

"Casey, move!"

He responded to Splinter's voice, throwing himself to the side just in time to avoid the lump of concrete. Too late, he realized he was about to careen over the edge of the building. He grabbed at the edge of the building, dug his feet in to slow his motion, but he'd put too much effort into moving.

Well this is a dumb way to die, he thought, grabbing at the edge of the roof, feeling his fingers just brush the edge, but fail to grab on.

This was just like that first time he'd fought Slash, except this time there wasn't a convenient ledge built into the side to break his momentum. This time, it was a six-story drop to hard asphalt.

The ground flew at him like his father's fist.

Then he jerked to a stop with a sick popping sound and a burst of pain in his right shoulder. A scream tore from his throat, almost overwriting Splinter's voice. "Casey, grab my other hand," the ninja master repeated. Casey forced his left hand up and grabbed Splinter's other hand. The sensation of the numbness in his ribs mingling with the new pain from his dislocated- please, please only be dislocated- shoulder was distracting, numbness and pain radiating from his shoulder spilling around each other.

Splinter pulled Casey onto the roof, and it took every ounce of his willpower to force himself up to his feet. They had to keep moving.

"Thanks," Casey said, trying to flatten the shakiness out of his voice as his right arm folded against his chest. Great, he had to deal with that now, too. "This way," he said, moving to the intact corner and leaping across to the other roof. "Hear that?" he asked, looking back at Splinter.

"Yes," he said, grim, hearing the heavy tramping below them. "They've caught up to us."

"I think we can throw them off," Casey said, slipping onto the fire escape, and moving down one flight, stopping by a barred window. "Can you open this?" he asked, moving to the side as Splinter tore the bars out of their brick housing. "Thanks," he said, reaching out-

Pain gouged down his shoulder and he spat a shaky curse as he jerked his arm back. Hastily he rubbed the liquid out of his eyes before reaching out again with his good arm. Splinter had beat him to it, and the window slid open. Splinter slid in, and held the window up for Casey as he followed.

"What are you looking for?" Splinter asked, following him as Casey checked the rooms, scanning behind the door then by the desk. Not here. Not here.

Here. Third office. One of those mesh ones, too.

"This," Casey said, kneeling by the metal trashcan. It was already full of paper. Good. The lighter was built into his right glove- the injured one, of course- so Casey pulled out a book of matches. His first attempt fizzled. Second match broke, and Casey spat a curse. The robotic humming was getting louder.

Bony fingers reached in and closed on the book of matches. With a reluctant huff, Casey released it, mouth skewing to the side as Splinter lit a match and held it to the paper until a tendril of grey smoke climbed out of the can.

"Okay," Casey said, getting to his feet. "We go downstairs, run to another building, set another fire, then we cut to the west and use the 134st street sewer entrance. That should be enough to draw them for the meantime."

Down the dark stairs they went, Casey feeling off balance and awkward with one arm out of commission. Splinter pushed open the door to the outside, and together they darted across the alley. A few Kraang were waiting, but Casey's hockey stick was just as swift in his left hand. He felled two, and the one he missed met his end under Splinter's attack.

Rushing inside, they repeated the process, setting another fire before exiting the building, staying low to the ground to avoid grabbing Kraang Prime's attention. Doubling back was removed from their options almost immediately after. Casey peered around the corner, counting the Kraang milling around by the gate to the underground maintenance tunnels. Five, six, seven-

Yeah, no. They could take on five, maybe. With his arm, eight was too many, even with the element of surprise. The Kraang more than likely did not know it was there, but there was no way they could not get in undetected.

Splinter tugged on his good shoulder while he was still ruminating on the problem, wracking his brains for a way to bypass the guards. Ok, yeah. Time for plan C. Casey followed Splinter, fighting the jabbing pain in his shoulder as they ducked inside the ruins of a restaurant, climbing past the fallen chairs and debris, they slipped into the windowless kitchen. Dust hung in the air, and he grimaced at the smell of rotting food. The Kraang had invaded with no warning, no time to prepare or react, let alone clean up.

Casey doubled over and rested his good hand on his knee. His breath came in short, rapid gasps. "I can go in a sec," he said, "I just- one second-"

"Sit. Let me look at your arm," Splinter said, pressing on his good shoulder. Casey's resistance crumbled under his firm touch, and he sank to the floor.

"Can you feel my hands?" Splinter asked. Casey dimly felt the old man's fingers running along his right shoulder blade.

"Yeah," Casey said, "I feel them." The taste of blood blossomed under Casey's teeth. He was not going to cry out. He was not going to let Splinter see any weakness. Bad enough he'd screwed up and gotten himself injured, again.

Splinter's hands shifted. "Hm. It's not broken. Can you feel my hands here?"

"Yeah."

"Good. There's limited nerve damage. How far can you lift it?" Splinter asked.

Casey obliged. His shoulder joint only rotated about an inch before the pain became unbearable. Blood welled under his teeth as he dropped it back down. "Not far," he said. "Sorry."

"I just needed to know your range of motion." Splinter said, "Move your hand onto my shoulder. I I'm going to put your arm back into joint."

"Do it," Casey said, tensing up as he obeyed. But instead of forcing his shoulder back into place, Splinter started to massage his upper arm. Casey bit back his questions. Splinter knew what he was doing.

Splinter's hands pulled away just as Casey realized the pain was gone. Casey blinked, and moved his arm It was back to its old range of motion. "You have got to show me how to do that," Casey said, astonished. The pain hadn't vanished, no, he would have noticed that. It was more like- that story about the frog in boiling water.

"Tell me if the pain returns," Splinter said, standing up. Words and feelings choked into a ball in his throat, and he could not stand. The memory of falling weighed him down with a pull stronger than gravity.

"Thanks," Casey said, pushing his thoughts away. "If you hadn't been there-"

Splinter's face softened. His hand reached out and rested on Casey's shoulder. The twisting ball in Casey's throat shrank.

He shook his head, emerging from the moment as he cleared his throat. "So what now?" Casey asked, and Splinter withdrew his hand. Heavy footsteps from Kraang Prime sounded in the not-far-enough distance.

"We should lay low," Splinter said, sitting next to Casey. "There are still too many for us to risk movement."

"Yeah," Casey agreed, distracted despite himself. If Splinter had been even a little further away- if Splinter had decided to go on to the ground and wait for him there-

"Are you alright?" Splinter asked. "How's your side?"

"Fine," Casey said. "It doesn't hurt." Come on, get it together, Case. You're better than this.

"You just had quite a scare," Splinter said softly.

"Oh, a scare? That's what that was? Come on, I've fallen farther than that before," Casey said, "Remember?"

"Yes," Splinter said. "I do remember. You were lucky to escape with your life. This time was no different."

"I didn't escape shit," Casey said, "you bailed me out."

"Is that not what friends do?" Splinter asked.

Friends. Is that what they were? It was more than affection, or even love. It was trust. He didn't know when he'd begun to trust Splinter. That had begun even before- this whole mess. Whether he trusted Splinter or not wasn't even a question worth asking. Of course he did.

So, if that was the case...

"I guess so. Thanks," Casey said at last.

Splinter gave him a warm smile. Casey returned it, but his thoughts were already drifting back to sight of the ground rushing toward him.

If he'd died there, what would Robyn have thought? It was only a matter of time before she realized that Dad had left her behind. If he didn't come back for her, she would think he had left her, too. If something happened to him, someone had to take care of her. She was still in elementary school and he sure couldn't trust his dad to do it. Once everything went back to normal, sure, he'd take her back but if he left her once, he'd leave her again. He couldn't trust his dad to protect her, even if she lived with him.

There was exactly one person he trusted to do that. The thought of asking stung, but- what other choice did he have?

"Hey. Splinter," he said, and forced his voice to stay level.

"Yes?"

"I know this is asking a lot," Casey said, keeping his eyes focused on the still clock hanging on the wall, "If I die, or get sucked into a wormhole or something- can you make sure my baby sister's looked after?"

Surprise flared in Splinter's eyes, yet before it died the old man was already giving an answer. "Yes, Casey. Of course I will."

"Thanks," he said, and his anxiety melted away. Splinter would keep his word. Of that he had no doubt.

If anyone in this world could be trusted with his sister, it would be Splinter.

"Did something happen to your father?" Splinter's voice was calm, but as a master of forced nonchalance, Casey recognized the tone, although the question caught him off guard.

"Uh. Not really. He's just under a lot of pressure and stuff. I'm not saying you have to keep her at the lair or adopt her or anything. Just look out for her, make sure she eats her vegetables and has a safe place to go if she needs it." Casey paused when he saw Splinter's hand reach up and stroke his beard. What was he thinking? He'd already agreed, so what else was there to think about?

"Of course I will watch over her," Splinter said, after another pause. "But do you not want me to look after your father as well?"

"No," Casey said, before he could stop the thought from bursting out. Even with out the fact that he was working for the Shredder- who would happily kill Splinter and all the brothers given hald a chance- Dad wouldn't hesitate to hurt anyone he thought was nosing where they didn't belong. Even though in a fair fight, he'd be no match for any of the turtles, if his rage caught one of them by surprise-

-Was he rooting against his father in a potential fight with his friends? What the hell was wrong with him?

"No," he repeated, "he needs to get his own ass in gear. 'Sides, he works for Shredder, remember?"

"I see," Splinter said, stroking his beard.

"What?" Casey asked, his heart pounding like the slam of an angry fist against a wall. "What are you thinking?" What did I miss?

Splinter's eyes turned onto Casey. "I am wondering," he said at last, "If your father is... safe for your sister."

"What do you mean, is he safe?" Casey asked, turning to the ninja master in surprise, "he doesn't hit her or anything. "He's not a monster."

Something sharpened in Splinter's eyes. "Does he hit you?" Splinter asked.

The usual 'no' died in his throat. He tried to force it up. This wasn't Splinter's business. He didn't need to be concerned about this. He'd answered this question several times before- concerned neighbors, ladies in expensive suits, peers eager for gossip to spread. No one really meant it when they asked this question. Those that did only had to meet his dad to see the warm person he was, always ready with a quick joke and an encouraging word. There was a reason the Jones Grocery store flourished in the community: because his father was well liked. Of course there wasn't anything wrong. Those that had asked hadn't wanted to believe it anyway.

So of course, the one time someone who didn't know the kind of person his father really was, a good person even if he lost it sometimes- who didn't? Certainly not Casey- asked, and really wanted an answer, he had to flub it and make things look far worse than they were.

"-No," he said at last, trying to keep his voice firm. Splinter's look was firmer, and he could not tear his gaze away from the ninja master's face. "Fine. Only when I deserve it," he amended, and Splinter's eyes darkened.

"When you deserve it?" Splinter repeated, his voice rumbling like thunder.

"Oh, like you've never hit your kids," Casey argued, unsettled by Splinter's anger but unable to keep silent, "you're a ninja!"

"Discipline has its place in a shinobi household, yes," Splinter said, "But I have never hit my sons in anger."

No. Of course he hadn't. He was too freakin' perfect for that.

"Whatever. I don't care what you think," Casey snapped, getting to his feet.

"You asked what I was thinking," Splinter said, mirroring his motion. "I answered. Casey-"

"Well, I don't care what you think," Casey said, "And what happens between my father and I isn't your problem."

"You are my friend," Splinter said, "that makes it my problem."

"Wrong," Casey snarled. "Raph is my friend and he's not here! Stop acting like you care!"

"Casey-"

"Don't." He strode toward the door. Everything was spinning. Out of control. Stupid. He'd let Splinter catch him off guard. He knew he was smarter than that- let himself get complacent-

"You can't go outside right now, Casey-"

"I know! I'm not an idiot," he said, stopping in the main dining area. "I just- I need some space, ok? Leave me alone."