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Chapter Eighteen: The Shredder Strikes Back Part Two

The Turtles and Splinter looked on in horror, as Harry lay passed out in his own blood, surrounded in broken glass from the window he just went through.

"Please tell me he didn't say, what I think he said," said Leo, attempting to calm himself but his hands were on his swords, while trembling nervously.

"He said...he said..." said Don, looking rather nervous and unable to believe what happened.

"He said the Shredder's back!" screamed Mikey in horror.

"No Way, we all saw him destroyed, remember that night on the roof," said Raph.

All the Turtles and Splinter flashbacked to that night, remembering the horror that nearly happened to them.

Leo, Raph, Don, Mikey, and Harry were slumped against the wall groaning, as the Shredder stalked his prey, pronged gauntlet rose into the air.

"Now, none of you will be leaving here alive!" thundered Shredder in his most menacing voice the gauntlet raised, poised to strike Leo right between the eyes.

"Shredder, no!" cried Splinter, springing into battle and blocking the Shredder's attack with his walking stick. "You destroyed my family once; I will not allow it to happen again."

"No man or freak can defeat me!" yelled the Shredder.

"That remains to be seen," said Splinter.

The Shredder growled, attempting to get Splinter with his metal prongs but Splinter ducked. Splinter blocked a kick with his walking stick and eyed a water tower over his shoulder. An idea began to form in Splinter's mind. Splinter backed towards the water tower as Shredder attempted to attack again but Splinter blocked again and was not underneath the water tower. Shredder raised his metal prong but Splinter ducked and one side of the wooden supports was sliced. Shredder stalked Splinter and went in for the kill again but Splinter ducked and the steel supports in the middle got sliced. Another attempt by the deadly metal prongs and Splinter ducked and the remaining supports got knocked out as Splinter stepped out from underneath the water tower.

"This is for my Master Yoshi!" cried Splinter as he leapt up, kicking the water tower towards the Shredder.

The water tower rocked back and forth before tipping towards the Shredder. The water flooded the roof, causing the Shredder to slide off the roof. The Turtles, Harry, and Splinter pulled themselves onto the ledge. Shredder lay upon the ground before rolling over and looking up only to see the Water Tower sliding off the roof and crashing towards the Shredder.

"No!!" screamed the Shredder seconds before the Water Tower collapsed on the Shredder, burying him underneath the wreckage.

"Nobody could have survived, that," concluded Don logically.

"We are not dealing with just anybody, this is the Shredder," said Leo grimly.

Mikey looked around frantically, pulling out his nunchucks and nervously looking for the Shredder to pop out of nowhere at any moment.

"If you read comic books, you know the bad guy always comes back!" cried Mikey. "Always."

Raph looked at Harry as Master Splinter kneeled down before Harry.

"We need to get out of here, now," said Raph.

"Raph is right, we need to get downstairs, to the lower level, and out of this factory," said Leo. "Somehow, we need to get out of here and find a place where Harry can recover."

Mikey and Don looked out the window, seeing Foot Ninjas across the street, standing on a rooftop.

"Somehow, I don't think it is going to be as easy as you put it, Leo," said Donatello darkly.

At those words, The Foot Ninjas smashed their way through the windows of the upper level of the factory. The Turtles pulled out their weapons, ready for battle.

The Foot Ninjas charged but Leo blocked a pair of swords with his own katanas and before kicking a crate, causing it to smash right into the faces of his opponents. Two Foot Ninjas pulled out a Kusari-Gama a piece and swung the chains, wrapping them around Don's Bo staff. Raph hastened to defend his brother, blocking the sickles with his Sais before Leo leapt up, slicing the chains off the sickles with his katanas.

Mikey stood face to face with a foot ninja, wielding nunchucks.

"Ah, a fellow user of the noble, nunchucks, eh," remarked Mikey cheekily. "Show me what you got, kid."

The nunchuck wielding Foot Ninja swung his preferred around in a complex and high-speed manner.

"Not bad, but can you do this," said Mikey.

Mikey swung his nunchucks around in circles, before swinging them towards the ground, and managing to do leap up over the nunchucks before rolling over onto his back and kipping up, still swinging them.

The Foot Ninja copied, Mikey, doing the same once again.

"Show off," said Mikey. "As the master, I have one more move to show you long grasshopper. I am sure you know how to do this."

In the blink of an eye Mikey went up and then Mikey went down, cracking the Foot Ninja over the head with the nunchucks. A crack was heard and the Foot Ninja fell to the ground, blood oozing from underneath his mask.

"Class dismissed," concluded Mikey.

Meanwhile, more assassins were pouring through the window and Raph, Leo, and Don were barely able to hold them back. Raph blocked a sickle with his Sai before punching the Foot Ninja in the midsection.

Mikey climbed onto, swinging his nunchucks but a gigantic foot ninja grabbed Mikey around his shoulders, preparing to punch him up. Splinter jumped up and kicked the Foot Ninja away from his son.

Three Foot Ninjas, wielding crossbows leaped into the picture, preparing to shoot arrows. Master Splinter ducked two of the arrows shot and with expert precision, managed to catch a third in his hand. Calmly, Splinter snapped the arrow in half before turning to his sons.

"My sons, we need to form a plan of battle," said Splinter, taking charge. "Raphael, Leonardo, help me hold them at bay. Donatello and Michelangelo, get Harry out of the warehouse and to safety."

Don and Mikey nodded, walking over to Harry, who was starting to come to his senses a bit.

"My brothers, listen," said Harry weakly to Don and Mikey. "Tell Master Splinter and others to get yourselves out. Leave me, I’ll hold them all off."

"In your condition!" yelled Don incredulously. "No way, Harry, we’re getting you out of here."

"Harry, let me help you up," said Mikey.

"I can walk," said Harry shakily but his vision was obscured by the blood. He managed to get to his feet and move a half a step, before collapsing down.

The Foot Ninjas were closing in, preparing to finish off the job but Mikey thinking quick, knocked a stack of crates over, to form a barrier between the Foot and Harry. Mikey's quick thinking could have very well saved his brothers life on this time.

Don walked forward, opening the door but backed off slightly at the sight that greeted him. A half a dozen Foot Ninjas stood, all wielding a Fukiya, reading to plug Don and Mikey with poison darts.

As they prepared to blow, Harry used his last bit of strength to kick the door shut and the darts to bounce into the door. Harry then slumped to the ground, hurt. The door opened back up and more opponents yet made their way up the stairs, the Foot didn’t seem to give up.

Don looked at Harry, the bleeding at stopped, with dried up blood clinging to Harry's face but he looked extremely pale and appeared as if he would not last much longer without getting medical help.

Mikey swung the nunchucks towards the Foot Ninjas, in an attempt to hold them back. Splinter came out of nowhere, to knock the Foot Ninjas down the stairs, towards the bottom level.

Don pulled out a weak looking Harry to his feet, assisting his brother out of the shop.

"Let's get out of here, now!" cried Mikey as Don followed him dragging Harry with him.

Splinter, Leo, and Raph formed a barrier, attempting to hold the Foot Ninjas back with a defensive strategy. More appeared to be pouring in through the windows and the upstairs level of the warehouse was filled with Foot Ninjas, even more than the fifty that chased Harry across the city, the number was going close to about seventy to seventy five now.

Don continued to help Harry down the stairs before turning to Mikey.

"Go Mikey, make yourself useful, scope out the scene downstairs," said Don.

Mikey gulped, he had a strange feeling he might find more Foot Ninjas down there but he decided to go down anyway.

"No problem," said Mikey reluctantly, walking down towards the door which led to the area of the factory that had the exit from it.

Mikey opened the door, exercising extreme caution.

"It's quiet, too quiet," muttered Mikey before spotting trouble. "Whoa, dude."

Waiting for Mikey was the same black and red cloaked ninjas, decked out in the red capes and mushroom hats that battered Harry on the room. Mikey looked up, allowing himself to take a good look at their headware.

"Nice hats," remarked Mikey before quickly stepping back and closing the door, going towards Don who still had Harry and the two made their way down the stairs further. Leo and Raph were upstairs, attempting to hold off the Foot Ninjas from pouring further downstairs.

"Wrong way Mikey," said Don irritably

"Wrong way my foot," said Mikey before realizing what was wrong with what he just said. "That was a poor choice of words if I ever heard one but seriously, major looking ambush down there."

"We don't have a choice," said Don patiently.

"I will keep an eye on Harry, you go and investigate Donatello," said Splinter.

"Don wait!" cried Mikey but Don ignored him, walking out Bo staff raised in the air.

Don opened the door slowly before springing out, Bo staff ready for battle. Waiting for him was the same red and blacked cloaked ninjas with the capes and mushroom hats. Of course, the thing that drew Don's attention was the headgear.

"Nice hats," said Donatello.

The mysterious ninja wielding the battle-axe threw it towards Don. Don threw himself on the ground as the axe whirled back into the ninja's hand like a boomerang. Donatello slipped away.

"Mikey was right, big trouble down there," said Don.

Splinter let Harry rest against a wall, making sure his son could stand by leaning against it before stepping out. Splinter's eyes widened at the sight, as Don and Mikey stood behind him.

"The Shredder's Elite Guard," said Splinter darkly. "They are the deadliest of his assassins. Remain on your guard my sons."

Don and Mikey began to walk out towards where the Elite Guard was stationed but Raph and Leo struggled against the Foot ambush upstairs.

"What's the story down there?" asked Raph, jabbing his Sai at any Foot Ninja that moved.

"Trouble, lots of trouble downstairs," remarked Don darkly.

"We have our share of it up here," grunted Leo, slashing his swords against the chest of the Foot Ninjas, knocking them out of the equations.

Splinter ran up the stairs.

"Go, assist Michelangelo and Donatello, I will protect Harry," said Splinter, twirling his cane and whacking the Foot Ninjas, sending them flying back into the air but they just kept coming.

Leo and Raph ran down the stairs, joining Don and Mikey. Harry struggled his hardest to make an attempt to go and help. His brothers needed his help but he could not will himself to move at all. Helplessly, Harry slumped against the wall in anguish.

Raph and Leo joined Don and Mikey in the downstairs area, faced with the Shredder's Elite Guard who looked ready to pound their shells flat.

"Nice hats," said Leo and Raph in unison, looking at the headgear.

"We thought so too," said Mikey.

"Say what you want about the foot, but they do not skimp out on the headgear," concluded Don.

The Elite Guard leapt into the action. Don battled the trident wielding Elite Guard. Raph faced off with the double sword wielding Elite Guard. Mikey tangled with the spear wielding Elite Guard member and Leo locked horns with the final Elite Guard member with the battle-axe.

Leo swung his sword up, blocking the battle-axe barely but the Foot Elite ducked underneath and leaped up, kicking Leo in the back. Raph barely held the double-edged sword back to the ground. Mikey got his nunchucks pulled out of his hand and had to leap up to avoid the spear. Mikey grabbed a crate lid and the Elite Guard speared through it, nearly missing Mikey. Mikey slid out from underneath but the Elite Guard threw his elbow up, striking Mikey in the face.

The final Elite Guard member threw his trident at Donatello's Bo, knocking it out of his hand. Don attempted to leap at him but the Elite Guard member caught the Turtle's foot before swinging him by the legs and tossing him into the wall. Leo sprang up, managing to knock Elite Guard member wielding the trident back but he flipped over his feet and threw his weapon at Leo. Leo barely avoided the impact.

Mikey managed to pick up his nunchucks but the Elite Guard took the wooden end of the spear, knocking Mikey in the midsection. The Elite Guard attempted to gut Mikey with the spear as he was lying on his back and meanwhile Raph was flat on his back, barely holding back the Battle Axe for the Elite Guard member he was fighting with his Sai.

Harry was slumped against the wall, attempting to pull himself. He could sense the trouble his brothers were under and despite him being weakened by getting beaten severely by the Foot, along with the severe blood loss, he was delayed as someone grabbed his shoulder roughly.

Harry found a bulky hand grab his shoulder, lifting him up. Harry weakly turned his head. Hun had grabbed him.

"Bad luck, Potter," said Hun. "You don't seem to look so good, I guess I will have to do something to put you out of your misery."

With ease, Hun tossed Harry through the open door. Harry flew out the door, crashing face first into a steel support beam.

"Heh, heh, heh," said Hun, chuckling at the predicament for Harry.

Splinter managed to wedge the door shut, but he could not stop at least a few dozen of the Foot Ninjas from pouring downstairs. The wise old rat ran down to help his sons. When he went down, the sight that greeted the rat was the four Turtles getting battered, worn down slowly but painfully by the Foot Elite. Harry was groaning and Splinter could see Hun advancing on Harry, who had lain up against a metal support beam. Hun had a wooden baseball bat in his hand, ready to no doubt attempt to bash Harry's skull in.

Splinter rushed forward and quickly used his cane to trip up Hun before leaping up and bringing both of his feet down on Hun's face, to knock him out. Splinter closed the door and joined the Turtles in battle.

Raph and Mikey managed to flip their Foot Elite foes over, causing them to crash into each other.

From a few feet above, Don kicked the third Foot Elite member in the face but he flipped over. In a flash, the Foot Elite members teleported away from the Turtles in a cloud of smoke.

"Now what," said Leo irritably.

"Quick, grab Harry and move towards the exit, my sons," said Splinter, pointing to the door towards the front of the factory.

Don and Raph helped Harry up but a familiar and quite dangerous figure kicked the door opened, joined by the Elite Guard and a few dozen Foot Ninjas. The Shredder was in the house.

"Damn, it just had to be him," said Raph darkly.

"Just like Harry said," whispered Don in horror.

"Do you really think you can escape me?" asked the Shredder rhetorically. "You pests have been thorns in my side for too long now, but now I shall enact the revenge I from the last time we met. It has been a year overdue, but I will see to it that none of you will leave this place alive. Say farewell to yourselves, while you still can."

The Turtles turned their full attention to the Shredder.

"Oh yeah, Mr. Spiky Pants, well you are the one who should be saying farewell to...to yourself," said Mikey lamely.

"Yeah Mikey, that got him," said Raph sarcastically.

"Give me a break, Raph, I’m under a lot of pressure here," whined Mikey.

"Guys, we need to finish this and finish it now, so we can get Harry out of here," said Leo, taking charge.

"Yeah, I say we shred his butt once and for all," said Raph. "For Harry. Now who's with me?"

"Right on, Raph," said Donatello. "To the end."

"Which hopefully is not going to be any time soon," said Mikey.

The Turtles rushed the Shredder but the Shredder kicked Raph away. He grabbed Mikey's nunchucks as they flung up before flipping him over onto his back. Don attempted to hit the Shredder with his Bo staff but the Shredder dodged his assault with cat like grace before springing on his hands and kicking Don in the back of the head. Leo swung his swords but Shredder blocked them with his metal gaunt, before grabbing Leo by the strap of his sheath and throwing him back. The Shredder advanced on Leo, gauntlet raised into the air.

Splinter leaped up, knocking the Shredder into a stack of cracks. The Shredder popped up and picked up Don's Bo staff, to hold it high in the air.

"Foot Elite, finish the Turtles and Potter," growled the Shredder. "The rodent is mine."

The Foot Elite quickly engaged the Turtles in combat as Shredder raised Don's Bo staff high above his head, in an attempt to brain Splinter but Splinter barely blocked it with his cane. Shredder was winning the test of strength.

Harry looked up in horror and managed to stagger to his feet, in an attempt to strike the Shredder but he fell on his face due to his weakness from the beating he took.

"Is that the best you can do, Potter?" taunted the Shredder. "I shall kill you now by slicing your pathetic throat, you meddlesome brat."

Shredder raised his gauntlet but Splinter managed to block Shredder's gauntlet with his cane, preventing it from cutting Harry's throat.

"You attempt to strike a wounded warrior!" cried Splinter in anger. "First you wear us down with sheer numbers and now this. You have no honor, Oroku Saki!"

"I fight to win, you wretched rodent," retorted the Shredder coldly.

Shredder sliced the sleeve of Splinter's robe with his gauntlet and Splinter had a small cut on his arm from the shot. Splinter dropped to his knees, in agony.

"Now what you rodent," said Shredder. "Now how do you hope to defeat me?"

The Turtles maneuvered themselves behind Shredder, Mikey wrapping his nunchucks around Don's Bo, using it as a tripwire before Raph leaped up, kicking Shredder over it. Shredder flew back and Leo leapt up, tipping a stack of crates over on top of the Shredder.

The Foot, The Elite Guard, and Hun started forming a wall between the Turtles and the exit.

"Now what, Leo?" asked Raph, turning to his brother for guidance.

Leo looked over his shoulder to a janitor's closet, behind him.

"In that closet, quickly," said Leo. "We can hold them off from there."

At that moment, the Shredder burst out from underneath his crates, angrily rising to his feet. Don and Mikey dragged Harry into the closet, followed by Splinter as Leo and Raph held the Foot back before slipping into the closet and shutting it.

The Shredder looked at his foes, they had hidden in a closet like cowards, but no matter, the Shredder would get his revenge as usual. The sound of the police sirens was in the distance by the Shredder. Shredder knew he had to act quickly.

"Foot Ninja, disappear," said Shredder, waving his hand.

The Foot Ninja promptly obeyed their Master's commanders. Shredder calmly walked to the door, chaining in shut, locking it from the outside and preventing his enemies any means of escaping. Reaching into his metal body armor, Shredder pulled out a firebomb. He pressed a button and tossed it down into the ground, causing a fire to begin to start in the warehouse.

"Like the phoenix I have risen from the ashes," proclaimed the Shredder while slicing a gas pipe with his gauntlet. "And into my fire you shall fall."

Shredder made his departure out of the building, as it would explode in about a minute or less due to the mixture of gas plus fire.

From inside the closet, the Turtles, Harry, and Splinter were listening for any signs outside.

"Well this ideal," said Raph sarcastically. "Small, dark, no way out, and I am about to choke on the smell of old cleaning supplies. Perfect for making our last stand."

"Yeah, I don't think Custer had it this bad," said Mikey.

Leo looked up, sniffing in the air.

"I smell smoke," said Leo in an anxious voice before a new smell worried him even more. "I also can smell gas."

"Mikey," said Raph turning to his nunchuck wielding brother.

"No not that kind of gas," said Leo irritably.

"Wait a minute, gas and flames mixed together," said Splinter before looking horrified. "My sons, we must get out of here. NOW!"

Mikey attempted to open the door but couldn't.

"The door won't open!" said Mikey frantically. "It's stuck, locked from the outside.

The sight that greeted everyone outside the building a matter of about fifteen or twenty seconds later was the warehouse blowing into bits from the mixture of gas and flames, causing debris to fly everywhere.

Across the street, the Guardians from the TCRI building landed on a rooftop. The lead Guardian looked at the wreckage ruefully. They were too late. He better report to the Council.

"We regret to report we are too late," said the Guardian darkly. "The Turtles and Harry have been vanquished. The Shredder is victorious."

"This is very troubling," said the first Council Member.

"Our enemy is becoming too powerful," said the second Council Member.

"We must accelerate our plans," said the third Council Member.

"Understood," said the lead Guardian curtly before turning to his partner as the Council disappeared from the holographic screen. "I shook hands with the one called Leonardo and called him ally. We have encountered a horrific loss today. An extremely horrific loss."

Outside the room where the Council was located, Agent .19 was slumped against the wall, in numb shock with her eyes wide. The worst had come to happen. Harry along with the Turtles was dead. She still did not know who she was or what her connection was to this Harry but tears rolled down her cheeks in sorrow. She struggled to remember but there had been someone extremely powerful who had blocked all her memories and she could not remember a thing past the time she arrived mysteriously in New York twelve years ago.

"No," whispered Agent .19 in a horrified tone of voice. "No!"