57Thank you all for the support in this story! As we all know, if I don't get feedback, it determines the amount of work I want to put in a story!
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Chapter 3
She picked the lock of one of the windows of the giant warehouse. Getting here had been easy, which meant that Naruto's captors were only muscle and no brain. From what she had checked there were no camera's to signal the arrival of the money carrier, these people were going old school, and that would be their ultimate downfall. She smiled in satisfaction as the lock made a soft clicking sound, allowing her to easily slide open the slightly rusted window. Hoisting herself up she slipped into the opening with the grace and easiness of a cat. She stood in the dark letting her eyes adjust as the sounds came to her ears. Carefully she stalked through the dark, listening for a sound, ready to fight if necessary. Gloved hands lightly touched the crates to guide her, her eyes despite her 20/20 vision was useless just as any humans in the pitch darkness of the night.
Silent feet tread lightly as she quieted her breathing to search for sounds, knowing Naruto if he was awake he would make a fuss and that was how she would find him in the vast warehouse. Sometimes that big mouth came in handy, she listened for rustling, and muffled grunts, sure enough she began to pick up on breathing that was not her own. She froze in place, letting her ears probe, picking up on more breathing, she was sure that she had picked up on Naruto's group. She listened to the breathing and tried to place them with individual owners, from the sounds, the softer and easier breathes that over lapped were Naruto and the other heirs, from the sounds of the slightly struggling she knew Naruto was trying to break free while the other two sat still. She could hear no other sounds but their own, the kidnappers must had supposed that by gagging them and tying them they couldn't escape. It was true in a sense, but Sakura had slowly taught Naruto without his noticing how to escape.
If he wasn't able to escape now it meant something other than duct tape and ropes were used, she didn't hear any rattling chains either so it meant that it was something stronger. Using the cracks in between the crates she scaled to the top where she could overlook the group. Scooting toward the edge, she looked down at them. It looked like more than one of the heirs were drugged, silly, at least with some sort of sedative, from the looks of it they were borderline overdosed, it did take a lot to take them down after all, she didn't doubt that Naruto would have kept resisting with a normal dose, along with the others, she had the impression that they were all hardheaded individuals. Thankfully she was fully prepared for this sort of thing.
She looked at the guard who was mostly asleep, the bottle of beer by his side, signified that he took this job pretty easily, it reflected that there really were idiots like him in the world. Sighing she pulled out a small dart gun, primitive but good enough for her needs. Loading the small gun with a small tranquilizer bullet, she aimed for his neck, unlocking the safety she shot, moments later the guard slumped deeply into his chair, sound asleep. Jumping down she landed beside her sleepy and disorientated ward. She would have liked to say he looked a bit cute, trying to escape, like a turtle who couldn't move, but the drool that leaked from his mouth ruined the moment. Sighing she reached into her back pocket for a small vial, unscrewing the top she held the deadly smelling substance away from her and waved it in front of each of the heirs noses.
The foul smelling substance had them sputtering and wide awake, and quickly she recapped the substance and took out one of her sharper knives and began sawing at the thick sloppy mix of duct tape and rope. She'd like to say that the amount piled on them was overkill, but when she thought of it, three strapping young men were probably hard to pin down, the extra insurance was needed. Nice to know that their captors knew somewhat of what they were trying to keep under control, "Who are you?" asked the Uchiha heir. Sakura looked at him through her black hood raising a pink eyebrow he wouldn't see, and held a finger to his lips, a gesture that told him to shut-the-hell up.
Patting slightly slapping her lords face she beckoned him to recognize her, "Naruto-sama, I was sent here to get you, are you alright?" she whispered to him. Hazy blue eyes cleared and looked at her beaming before he could loudly shout her name she clamped a hand over his big mouth silencing him before he could make a sound, "Quietly you, idiot, don't make my effort getting here come to waste, or I'll ban you from eating ramen until the next century. Despite the stupidity of the threat of the situation he paled, "Now will Naruto-sama kindly shut up and follow me?" she needed his full cooperation, sometimes in rescue missions such as these he didn't follow her word, and got them into more trouble, not that she wasn't prepared for it but it was a pain in the ass to clean up after the disastrous messes he created. Vigorously the Uzumaki heir nodded, and she took her hand away from his mouth. "If the other young lords would kindly follow me as well I would be happy to lead you out."
Looking at the younger Uchiha she promptly stated, "Your brother should have forces stationed outside so all of you will be quite safe." Helping them up to their feet, careful not to over assist as not to hurt their fragile male pride, she led them through the cracks in between crates to the window she had unlocked earlier. Easily jumping onto the ledge, she scanned the area to check if the coast was clear, seeing nothing she beckoned them up, as she jumped down to the opposite side. Easily they jumped over, although their heavy landings were proof of their inexperience in stealth, but either way it should be fine, they were halfway out of the woods, and as long as…
"AHHH! YOU'RE THAT BASTARD THAT KNOCKED ME OUT COLD, WHEN YOU SAID YOU'D GIVE ME RAMEN!" Naruto stayed quiet. She sighed, in a flash she was before him knife drawn, using a leg to kick him in the mouth as punishment as well as push him as well as push the other heirs, if just a bit ungracefully into the shadows where they would be accurately hidden in the shadows. Under her breath she began to bark instructions, "Inuzuka-sama, shut Naruto-sama up, at the moment Uchiha-sama's brother should be near the dock, take the alley way behind you it will lead you directly toward, them, I'll hold them off." Reaching for a couple of pocket knives, she threw them at their feet, "Worst case scenario's use those, good luck and be careful."
She could have given them a gun, but knowing that they were pampered little young lords, they had no experience with that sort of violence, although she was sure that the Uchiha had some training, she didn't think that he was given live targets to practice with, and wouldn't pull the trigger, fighting and death after all weren't the tasks of young masters after all. They were the tasks of the disposable force, such as her. She listened as they retreated and shifted her attention to the man Naruto had called out earlier. Needless to say he was a big guy, she would have to say maybe three times her size, but as they said the bigger they are…the harder they fall.
Using her dark clothing to her advantage she blended in with the shadows, and scaled part of the wall waiting for the big man to pass under her. If necessary she would avoid killing, keeping him alive though might prove more of a task, but he seemed like they type who would spill information easily, and not smart enough to lie or suicide. His input was necessary, and he would be a key part in the investigation to who was the actual brain of this outfit. At the opportune moment, she leapt onto his shoulders using the butt of her knife handle she slammed it into his temple, causing the giant to fall to the ground. Really it wasn't hard to disable the enemy; you just had to look at it from a different perspective whenever you fought. Each person had their quirks and personalities and if you were able to decipher them before the initial battle began you pretty much had half of them beat.
Sighing she did her best to drag him into a corner and flip a tarp over him, by how hard she hit him he should be out for a while. Taking out a small tracking device she had pinned to her shirt she attached it to him just in case he was relocated somewhere else. Blending in with the shadows, she went to catch up to the young masters it wasn't wise to leave them alone for too long, while she was sure that Inuzuka had a good sense of direction knowing Naruto he would put them on the wrong path. As quickly as she could she caught up to them, in a minute she was within sight of them, so far they were going in the right direction. Loping to keep up, she reached them in a matter of seconds, before Naruto could direct them in the wrong direction she took a hold of the young Inuzukas shirt and tugged him in the right direction, promptly taking Naruto by the collar so he wouldn't get lost. She knew she had to lead him firmly, to many times would he wander away despite the seriousness of the situation.
She would like to say something nice about him and say that he's just an extremely curious individual, but in her actual opinion flat out, he was just an idiot… Dragging them along, she tried to listen past their none too subtle footsteps, although the younger Uchiha seemed to have some semblance of subtly that had been beat into him since a young age as she, she had a feeling that because he was merely lighter than most hat he didn't tromp down the alleyway like his other heir counterparts.
Keeping her ears open she weaved through the uneven path like the alley child she had once been, the streets to here were no different from that long nine years ago, not much had changed so it was natural that she took to the streets and the alleys easily. "Sakura-chan! It hurts!" Turning she looked at him skeptically, "Then do you promise to follow me like a 'good boy' and to promptly shut the hell up?" The blonde head bobbed in compliance, and she let his collar go freeing another hand. Pulling another kunai out of her back pocket she gave it to her ward, "Wait a sec! You're Souji-san?" Twirling on the ball of her foot she held a gloved finger to her covered lips, in a beckon to quiet themselves, explanations came later. Saving them came first, she knew many people who would have her head if she so much as let a cell on their body get harmed.
Listening to their surroundings, she could tell that she was close to the destined spot where she had asked the older Uchiha to wait, they were almost out of the woods, but not completely out yet. She also thought that things were moving too slowly, it was about time a villain showed up, following her intuitions he picked up the pace, her eyes darting to any dark shadow that might transform into a possible enemy. Strange her intuition was going off, but her eyes and ears, told her nothing was wrong, but she knew better than to trust sight and hearing over intuition, someone was watching, and it made the hairs at the back of her neck rise, in alarm, and it made her only quicken her pace, it took everything she had to keep from bolting, she had no doubt that if the three heirs were perfectly healthy they would be able to keep up with her, but with Naruto's half way drugged state not only that but the stiffness they all held from being tied up would keep them from free movement, what they needed now was some light exercise to keep the blood flowing, so she settled on a slow and steady trot, while praying that they get within the safety boundaries of the Uchiha clan.
While she had no doubt, that the older Uchiha would follow her kind request, she was sure that he would send people to meet them if not go in himself if they were late. That would be bad, as the main force behind the Uchiha clan she couldn't allow him to move, he was a solo worker from what the reports said and she didn't need another heir kidnapping on her hands. She knew that the older Uchiha was a more capable individual but she also knew he wasn't invincible as people painted him, no one was perfect, no matter how perfect he acted. Her heart felt lighter as she heard the sounds of the Uchiha forces buzzing, pushing them to go ahead she glanced back, warily, they were safe…for now, but she knew that someone was still watching her, whether by camera or by person either way it chilled her to no end.
Not a second later, the elder Uchiha appeared with a small entourage of three, masked in what she knew as the Uchiha's special unit, the ANBU. She had heard from her master that the Uchiha were the main force of the governments security, looking at it now she believed it completely, they were standing right before her and she couldn't feel their presence, a trick that can only be accomplished through many so called 'S-rank' missions, that could be thought of as suicide marches. "Good job Haruno, we'll take it from here." Respectfully she stepped back and pushed her lord toward the elder Uchiha, she knew that he wouldn't harm Naruto.
"If you'll excuse me, I have other things to take care of, we need to gather evidence before the actual deal goes, down and I have a possible suspect." The older Uchiha nodded to her, "Take them as accompaniment, they'll help with the investigation, they also have experience in interrogation."
"With all due respect Uchiha-sama, one will be enough, I wouldn't wish for the security around the young lords to go down, it seems that they've effectively been drugged, and move much slower as you can see." She couldn't tell him that she didn't want to be crowded with three other people, especially with people of their ability if she could avoid it, she didn't want to be in a group of people who could overpower her, at least with only one she might stand a chance if it came to a fight…well probably not, but she couldn't refuse his offer outright.
As if he read her mind he smirked, betraying no emotion she only looked at him in a slightly detached manner. "Kakashi." He said, and the ANBU to his left was suddenly beside her, she did her best not to flinch but her right hand twitched, she didn't even feel the air around her shift when he was beside her, she held back a shiver, it was unnerving to know that there was someone beside you and you couldn't feel their presence, it was no wonder that these ANBU were called 'Phantoms of the Police force'. They had unparalleled strength that could easily outmatch her own, and that very fact made her feel uneasy, she had always been trained to be the best.
"You don't need to be so nervous, I don't bite you know." She started; she had honestly expected her unwanted escort to remain silent throughout the whole exchange. That, and, had she been that obvious in her uneasiness? It seemed that she would need to take more of those acting lessons her touch was slipping. "Let's just say I'm not quite used to the concept of partners. I had been trained to be self sufficient in these missions alone." Without another word she pulled out the tracker, and flipped on the switch. The man was still where she had left him, good, but she would have to pick up the pace if she didn't want to lose him. That and even if he was where she had left him, he might have been put out of his misery.
If that was the case she didn't want to lose the murder trail. Kicking into high gear the young woman, began to run the long lopes she had always been trained to run with. Easily, and to no surprise to her, her companion kept up just as easily. She weaved through the streets with even greater ease, her body falling back to the pattern it had done before she had been inducted into the agency. Memories as unwilling as they came flashed through her mind, but she stomped them down, now was not the time to reminisce about the past. Turning a corner she skidded to a stop. The tarp, and man were where she had left it, but something was different, and she didn't need to look at the body to know it.
The familiar stiffness of the man's body, the lack of even the softest sounds of breathing, she wasn't in the least bit surprised to know that the man; was dead. Without a pause in movement she went into the back of her pocket to pull out a small forensics set. Pulling on the sterile gloves, she set numbers around the bits of evidence careful not to disturb the scene, "Call for help, it seems that our lead, as you can obviously see, is no longer with us." Without looking back at the ANBU agent she continued her work, taking pictures with the small camera she had with her. Unbeknownst to her the elder nin took a moment to analyze the young woman.
Kakashi knew full well that this, boyish person was a girl. That wasn't what he was surprise with, no he saw a lot of cross dressing in his profession to be surprised, but he was surprised at the almost expertise methods she handled the scene. Any of the young nin they taught at the academy would have been groping for something to do, too shocked at the deceased body to function correctly. He smiled beneath his mask, how interesting, it seemed that there was still yet, a lot of the organization he had not known, he would bring it up with the elder Uchiha. Dissipating into the shadows he went to do her bidding.
She worked at the scene, picturing and bagging the evidence, she knew that the Uchiha's forensics would not be please with her actions, but the longer that the evidence was exposed to the elements the more the trail would go away, she couldn't afford that. Just as she bagged the last piece of evidence she felt a presence prick up in her radar. Spinning a gun in hand she shot out into the darkness. She knew very well that who she was dealing with was no ally. Why else try and sneak up on her?
"Show yourself." She said, she knew though that the perpetrator wouldn't show himself. She watched as a shadow flickered, and she fired another shot. She had to protect the body and the evidence as best as she could. Pulling the gun to herself she discreetly switched it from a manual to a semi-automatic, and began to fire in rapid succession. It would be great if the person who had attacked her came out of this alive, it would give them fodder for investigation, but if the person didn't, just as well. It was of no consequence of hers.
When the bullets ran out, she reloaded and walked forward, keeping an eye on the body she had been so precariously guarding. Taking a flashlight, she waved it into the shadows, she was indeed surprised at the sight. It was a young man, maybe a bit older than her. She had gotten him in the shoulder and in both of the legs, from the look of the wounds she hadn't hit anything major. Impressive though, by the fact that he made no sound, she wondered if he was mute, flicking her sight to the body, she sighed, and pulled out a small medical kit.
Taking out a small syringe, she injected it in the man so quickly that he had no time to respond. Taking the bandages she began dressing his wounds the moment his eyes showed signs of drooping, from the dose she had given him he would be out for a bit. Hopefully she wouldn't be attacked further, those bullets were all that had been provided to her for a while and she knew that they cost a pretty penny especially since they were made to be traceless. Five minutes later when she ensured that her new lead wouldn't die from blood loss, she felt the familiar presence of the Uchiha clan agents. That was fast.
Without turning around she began to pack up her on-hand medical supplies. Taking the small pack, ful of her bagged evidence she held it close, she would be sure that the Uzumaki clan wouldn't be left out of the immediate investigation, as well as the Kiba clan. As the hustle and bustle, came she went to the Uchiha police car, filled out her statement, and then stealthily slipped away. She knew that it was illegal to take the evidence from the scene of the crime, but she knew that politics would win out and the Uzumaki clan would take care of her. Lord Minato swore to her that he would back her. While she had no doubt of that she had to tread carefully, any moment the fickle lords favor may change, and she might never be able to bring her head above the surface again. Clans were thorough, she had no doubt in the world that there would be no hesitation to eliminate her existence if there was any need. She was only a tool after all.
That was the reason why she had put away a little insurance. She would not be left to dry, she was smarter than that. Though the Uzumaki clan had no idea of her actions, on the side, she had been getting involved in stocks, she was glad that they gave her a modest paycheck along with raise her. This way if there were ever any need she could sell those stocks and reap a proper benefit off of it. Thought the lord of the Uzumaki clan never realized it she had carefully played her cards to learn the trends of the stock market. Easily, she had opened an account under a false name and used that as her proxy for the money that would flow in whenever she did cash in. Soon, if need be she would be able to run to any country she wished, and then hopefully go into hiding.
She knew that the Uzumaki clan was extensive, no doubt they would scour the world for her, but there was nothing like a little hermit existence to easily erase her tracks. It would be easy to change her identity, a hair change, colored contacts, some make up to make her seem older, younger, tan, or ashen. Even with the right clothes she could easily hide her bone structure, and she had the Uzumaki clan to thank for that.
They had put the money and resources into creating her, and if it would help her survive them, god willing she would use every tool available to keep the life that they had so carelessly mistreated. Melting through the shadows with a practiced grace the young pinkette stalked toward her bike, easily without delay she mounted it and was off. She had no doubt that the Uchiha dogs would be after her, once they found that relevant evidence had been taken. Now, she had to make haste toward Uzumaki headquarters to deliver the goods.
Steadily the speed meter climbed higher and higher tonight there would be no watch men, Itachi had made sure of that when his brother was captured. It was rash, and spoke of overkill but it was due to that very technicality that she could speed like this. Only when she was speeding down the highway at impossible speeds did she ever feel free. The ride though was over all too soon. Weaving through the parking garage she parked in the darkest and most obscure place she didn't want to make it too easy for the searching Uchiha. Forgoing the elevator the young woman took the stairs.
Using the grappling hook that was available to her she shot it straight up, easily it caught onto the stair case six flights above. Reeling herself in she continued the acrobatic act until she reached the highest floor. Snaking through the carpeted area, she took a small door that led to the top office where she knew that Lord Minato would be awaiting her report. Following the wide hallway she came to a curtain where she paused momentarily to listen for the babble of words that often came from a customer that was not supposed to know of her existence.
Hearing nothing, the young woman slipped into plain view her head bowed low, "I've come to report Lord Uzumaki." The worried Lord looked over to her from the window where he had been nervously pacing. Concerned the man approached her, "How is my son?" Kneeling the young woman put a fist to the ground as she reported her findings, "Within the safety of the Uchiha clan's police force my lord you have nothing to worry about." Nodding with obvious relief in his face the young clan lord sighed. "Thank you." For a moment she stiffened, trying to recall if there were ever a time that the lord had ever thanked her. As she recalled this had happened many times before, with even worse injuries to her person, yet he had never thanked her. What was it this time that was different?
Opting to say nothing they young woman shook off his thanks by taking off the pack and presenting it to the lord, "I have the necessary evidence from the scene of the crime, in which one of the perpetrators was killed." Gentle fingers took the pack from her, "Good work, this way we can cut a deal with the Uchiha, I refuse to be left out of an investigation that involves the kidnap of my son." No matter what it was that was consistent about her lord, was his devotion to his son. It had always been about Naruto, then again Naruto was all that was left in Minato's family. It wasn't unreasonable that Minato had this sort of reaction, and yet for one reason or another his praise for rescuing his beloved son made her uncomfortable.
Gently the lord placed a hand onto her bent head, "You did well, go back to the dorms where you can rest up, Find Naruto tomorrow." Uneasily she sidled back. She afraid of his words, never had he given her so much praise than tonight in her entire life. It made her uneasy, and she wondered if her position was getting shakier and shakier by the moment. For the first time she knew kindness from Naruto's father, and that characteristic scared her. In the beginning, when she had rescued Naruto, the Lord never glanced at her who had been put in the emergency ward for three broken ribs and an incision that had cost her fifteen stitches. Yet, she comes back uninjured now, and he was concerned for her.
It was a mixed feeling, between feeling happy that the ideal father figure looked her way and smiled, and the horror that something was wrong. It was no secret that Lord Minato for the most part only held affections for his last and only son. Making her way down to the bottom floor the young woman mounted her bike only a few moments later. Driving out of the parking garage and pausing for a moment in the empty street she looked up to the tall building contemplating the meaning of Lord Minato's words, trying to decide whether it was healthy for her or unhealthy for her. As the lights around her flashed, bringing her out of her trance she drove off toward the school. After twenty minutes, she was ready for bed. Everything put away the trouble woman collapsed into bed, where without bothering with the covers, curled up and fell asleep.
It's been a while since I last updated this story! Sorry! I just got back into writing after having the longest period of writers block, hopefully inspiration will stay with me for a while. We al l know that it can be temper mental sometimes so please try to bear with me! Please review!