31Chapter 4: The Handler
~Who Knew~
Hello guys! No excuses for the absence, but long wait, long update! I hope you enjoy!
Konoha Academy
Sakura's POV
"Advanced classes are usually on the second and third floor of the building. The fourth floor is generally for senior classes, but you may have a class up there." My eyes narrowed on the back of Kabuto's head as we walked down the main hall towards the school's right-wing. It would look as if he were showing me around to any bystander, but I know better.
His posture is far too relaxed. I've taken the same type of stance when I have to tail targets. By being nonchalant, people tend not to pay attention to you. As it stands now, there are far too many students around that would raise questions if he acted any other way.
He's trying to lead me to a secluded place.
Keeping an unbothered outward appearance, I tucked my hands into my pockets. The familiar weight of my switchblade brought a sense of familiarity to me, but the tiny pistol hidden deep in my left pocket made me feel secure. Even if I shot the rat now, the only thing people would hear is a soft pop with the modified silencer screwed into the muzzle.
The snake won't be happy if I drop his lap dog.
I can come up with a good excuse as to why it was necessary. I've done it before when I stabbed my supposed partner on a live cargo run. That snake didn't care that the scumbag tried to assault me, but he let the issue go when I lied about the guy trying to bring back less cargo. At the time, my partner was the snake's favorite live cargo runner. Even that didn't save him if the snake thought his money was trifled with. Go figure. I narrowed my eyes further.
Get back on topic.
I blinked as Kabuto turned down the last hall.
"This hall is mostly for mathematics classes for first and second years, but some other classes are taught here." We passed four doors until he abruptly stopped in front of one with a security lock on it.
He pulled out a key card- that didn't have his name or photo on it- and swiped it. As it beeped, he pushed it open without a word. I followed behind him, my senses on high alert.
Here we go.
The moment the door closed, shadows covered the room that wasn't lit by the sunlight pouring through the windows. Even rows of desks filled the middle of the room while built-in shelves covered every inch of the walls beside the room's front. A large whiteboard made up the wall. A more massive oak desk sat off to its side with a comfortable looking rolling chair behind it.
I swallowed as I stopped close to the door while Kabuto stepped in further before slowly turning to me. His face chillingly blank.
"What did you want to-" Jerking back, the wind of the fist aimed for my temple whizzed inches past my nose.
Using both arms, I blocked the second jab. Grabbing his arm before he could retaliate, I twisted it, pushing down with all my body weight until I had him on his knee, his right arm bent in the air behind his back in an armbar. I squeezed the limb in my grasp in warning as he let out a humorless chuckle. Before I could snap his arm, he rolled his body towards his trapped arm, his left leg swinging towards my own and catching me in the back of the knee.
Damn it!
I growled as I let him go to catch myself before I hit the floor. Pushing off the ground as hard as I could, I rolled away from the kick directed for my head. Twisting, I made it to my knees, ripping the switchblade from my pocket and holding it protectively in front of me. The monster merely smirked as he rolled his right shoulder, tilting his head.
"You're faster then I thought you'd be." He stuffed his hands in his pockets, causing my heart to jump in my throat as my grip tightened. "They conditioned you well." The smirk immediately dropped, a harsh scowl taking over his features as he moved to the windows.
Crazy dog.
"I didn't have a choice." I shot back, finally lowering my blade.
"Didn't we all." He sneered, his rage-filled eyes never leaving the window. I scoffed, placing my blade back in my pocket.
"I was told you'd relay messages about my missions." For a while, he ignored me.
He just continued to stare into the distance. With the way his jaw twisted into a snarl and his eyes glazed over in a mad frenzy- he isn't recalling pleasant memories. Slowly, his features relaxed into a bored expression.
"There's an enemy agent here." My brow raised the slightest as I waited for more information. When he continued to space out, frustration bubbled in my chest.
"What does that have to do with me?" His blank expression drifted to me. His eyes twitched into a glare, but he quickly relaxed back into that eerie neutral expression.
"Find out who it is." I couldn't help the deep frown marring my features as I glared at him.
"Do you have any useful information?" A ghost of a scowl flitted across his lips before he turned his attention away from me.
"They're in the high school program." My nose flared without my permission as I took a quiet deep breath.
Bid your time. He'll slip up eventually so you can deal with him.
"Find him quickly." He never looked back at me, but the slimy shudder that went down my spine from his giddy tone made me uneasy. "If they steal Lord Orochimaru's cargo, then you will have hell to pay." My back stiffened.
I don't need constant reminders of that snake's threats!
With that, he whirled on his heels high tailing it to the door. It was only when his foot was out the door that he paused, his back still to me.
"Don't give me a reason to push you." The following slam echoed in my head as I stood in the empty room.
Bastard!
Taking a deep breath, I steeled myself.
Focusing on a simple mission like this always helps to ease my mind. Besides, no innocent people will get hurt. If anything, I'll be getting rid of another monster that hunts innocent people.
Just lay low for the rest of the day. Besides, it'll be a lot less suspicious snooping around when classes start tomorrow.
With that, I took another calming breath before walking out of the room.
That Night
"So, how'd you like your first day?" Tenten asked as I walked out of our shared bathroom.
I didn't notice it before as the door lay hidden across from the kitchen next to our front door. It looked rather dull than the rest of the room, so I wrote it off as a water heater closet or something.
Dangerous assumption in my line of work.
"I enjoyed it." I unwrapped my now damp hair, hanging my plain black towel over my arm. "Your friends are very nice." She smiled brightly from her spot on the couch. A news broadcast was playing in the background as she stood, stretching her arms above her head.
"I'm glad you had a good time despite that creep butting in and taking you away for a while." She gave an exasperated sigh as she turned fully to me, the bright smile returning. "But we can make up for it tomorrow! Maybe I can show you some of the best places to hang out after classes?"
If I can spare the time from hunting down another spy.
"I'd like that." I gave her a small smile. She hummed as she clicked off the TV.
"Well, I'll see you in the morning! Goodnight!"
"Goodnight." We shared a wave as we retreated into our respective rooms.
The minute the door clicked behind me; a deep sigh fell from my lips. My eyes felt droopy as a pounding migraine started building in my temples. Massaging them lightly, I walked over to my closet doors that had my uniform hanging from it.
"I'm going to die young if this keeps up." I murmured to myself as I dragged my uniform over to the desk.
Digging in the bottom drawer, I pulled out the standard sewing kit I'm usually given for missions. Taking out a needle and a few rolls of thread, I began fastening hidden pockets to hide the weapons I'd need just in case. As I worked, I allowed my mind to drift to my mission before darker topics could take over.
"I could start with checking the principal's computers, but I need to do more observation on the security around here before then." Pausing in my work, I debated on making a space for my gun.
Would I need it? It would be far too suspicious if a student is randomly shot on campus grounds instead of a stabbing. Maybe I could bring poisoned needles instead?
Tapping my finger a few times, I made up my mind and began fashioning three separate hooks for three poisoned vials.
When I was finally finished, I loaded up my uniform with my chosen weapons and hung it back on its place over my closet door. Double checking that none of my weaponry could be spotted, I sighed deeply, the migraine worsening.
"I should be obsessing over my homework, not murder weapons." Flicking the lights out, I quickly navigated my darkened room to the bed. Settling down, I stared at the smooth ceiling above me, an uneasy feeling settling in the pit of my stomach.
Why does it feel like something horrible is about to happen?
The last time I got this feeling was on my previous mission. It was another cargo run, but that bastard didn't tell me we were stealing cargo from another faction. Not just any faction, but the snake's biggest competitor. The assholes nearly set me on fire after running down my partner with an SUV. I still managed to bring back half the cargo requested- three barely legal girls and one obviously underaged boy- after blowing one of their buildings sky high. The snake was too giddy about his enemy being screwed over- he didn't even care about the cargo or another of his assassins turning up dead.
I don't want to try my luck again.
I swallowed hard as I closed my eyes. I tried to keep my mind blank, but the nightmares slowly took over, no matter how hard I tried.
The Next Morning
The sun is way too bright for the lack of sleep I got last night. Repressing a yawn, I walked next to TenTen as she led me to my first class. Apparently, the snake didn't want me to stand out too much so signed me up for regular classes instead of the gifted curriculum my transcript should've put me in.
Probably to give a better chance to find more cargo. It wouldn't look nearly as suspicious if I asked for tutoring if I'm in standard classes instead of gifted.
I let out a quiet breath as we turned down the second hallway on the second floor.
"I think some of the guys are in your class now too." Tenten absently stated, her eyes watching the crowd as she carefully led me through it. "I know Naruto is definitely in it. I hear him get thrown out way too often not to know that."
"He seems like the type," I added with a small smile.
From the little time I've spent with him, you can tell he's a ball of pure energy. As I sidestepped a group of girls walking past us, I caught a glance of someone I wasn't planning on seeing for a while walking in our direction.
The spiky-haired boy- Shikamaru, I met yesterday was lazily strolling through the crowd yet somehow avoiding running into anyone. He looked bored as he spoke casually to my brother, who seemed just as bored in their conversation. However, the slight upturn in the corner of his mouth told me he enjoyed their conversation.
Good. That means no one has approached him.
As they grew closer, I tried to push Tenten out of their path discreetly, but she had already caught sight of Shikamaru. Her hand was waving them over before I could stop her. I swallowed hard as my brother's eyes connected with mine. If I didn't know better, he looked genuinely shocked to see me, but in a second, his eyes drifted over my shoulder, bringing back that disinterested expression. He frowned deeply to the point he was nearly snarling before he snapped his head to look off to the side.
Ouch.
I swallowed the lump forming in my chest as I stopped next to Tenten as both boys came before us. Tenten smiled brightly while Shikamaru gave a lopsided grin. Before either could speak, Satoshi walked directly past us without saying a word. I didn't bother looking back because I had no doubt he didn't either.
Why would he? I haven't given him any reason to. Besides, with so many possible eyes watching, it's better they think we aren't connected.
"Hey- where are you going, Satoshi?" Shikamaru called out to him, but I didn't hear my brother's footsteps stop.
"You seem busy. I'll catch you later," Was all he gave. I closed my eyes and let out a quiet sigh.
"What's his deal?" Shikamaru grumbled, his eyes no doubt watching Satoshi's back as he continued on his way.
"He couldn't at least stop to say hi? That's rude!" Tenten huffed as she glared at Satoshi's back.
Might as well let them in on why.
Placing a hand on Tenten's shoulder, I got both of their attention back on me.
"Remember when I told you my brother and I didn't get along?" She nodded hesitantly. "That was my brother." Her eyes narrowed in confusion before they widened in understanding. After a beat, they soften in sympathy.
"I'm sorry, Sakura. I didn't know it was that bad."
I waved it off, finally feeling composed enough to turn around. As I thought, my brother was long gone from the emptying halls.
One day I'll make things right. This is just temporary until I'm strong enough to fix it.
"You couldn't have known."
"I didn't know he had a sister." I blinked, turning to meet Shikamaru's curious gaze. "He didn't talk much when he moved in yesterday. I assumed he was an only child." I swallowed, turning away.
"It's a long story." Checking the large clock in the back of the hall, I nearly sighed in relief. "We should get to class. Thank you for showing me the way."
"No problem." Before either of them could say anything else, I hurried into my first class.
Walking in, the room looked similar to the one Kabuto dragged me into yesterday. Just a bunch of desks in the middle of the room and a long whiteboard in the front. The teacher's desk was still empty, but a handful of students were hanging out with their friends. We even had a few minutes left, so I made my way to the desk in the back corner closest to the windows to settle down. I can do some more brainstorming on how to find the spy while I wait.
If there's at least another spy here, then I must already be on their radar. Given that no one has approached me, they're well trained with plenty of experience under their belt to remain hidden. However, if they've been sent here to look for cargo, then I bet anything Jiraiya-sama and Sarutobi-sama have an idea of who I'm looking for.
If only they had basic security systems around here. Then I'd know what I'm up against.
Letting out a deep breath, I massaged my temple as a painful throbbing began.
"Hey- we have the same class!" Gritting my teeth through the pain, I raised my gaze to meet bright blue eyes quickly approaching.
So much for making plans.
"Hello Naruto," catching a glimpse of the boy standing next to him, I nodded in his direction as well, "Kiba." The two stopped at my desk with wide grins. A lit yip brought my gaze down to the sizeable fluffy canine sitting beside Kiba's leg. "Hello, Akamaru." I couldn't help the small smile as I scratched behind his ear, his tail wagging happily.
"You didn't tell us you were in our first class! We could have shown you the way!" Naruto boisterously declared, bringing my attention back to him.
"How about next time?" I placated quietly, trying hard to ignore the increasing pounding.
Of all the times to get a migraine.
"We can show you to your next class!" A cry of pain left the blonde boy as Kiba hit him on the back of his head.
"You're too loud!" Naruto shot a glare at him.
"Oi- don't hit me!" The two started to bicker rather loudly, but, from the looks of everyone ignoring the pair, this isn't the first time this has happened.
I never thought I would meet people like this.
I giggled as I watched the pair start to shove each other lightly.
They're so weird.
A shadow entering the room caught my eye as I brought my attention to it. All at once, my blood froze as a pair of emotionless onyx eyes followed me from behind round frames. The way his eyes slowly shifted to the two boys next to me before settling back on me made a weight drop in the pit of my stomach. Swallowing hard, I kept my eyes on him as he sat at a desk in the front of the room.
"I think you two should sit down." I didn't know how I said it, but by the way, the two-shot me concerned looked told me I sounded far more panicked then I should've.
Pull yourself together! He won't try anything in front of witnesses. Why else did he drag you to a secluded area yesterday?
Taking a deep breath, I finally tore my gaze from him and to the two boys. Plastering on a fake smile, I saw the two of them look more confused than concerned.
"The teacher is coming. You don't want to get in trouble before class even starts, right?" Naruto immediately paled as he scrambled into the desk next to me.
"Yea- Asuma-sensei can be scary sometimes." His bright aura dimed considerably, a downtrodden expression covering his features.
He must get in trouble a lot more than I thought.
"Did Kabuto do something to you yesterday?" I blinked, turning to Kiba.
He took the desk in front of me, but he was straddling the back of the chair to look me in the eye. His eyes were hard as he considered me. Even Akamaru was scrutinizing me from his position lying next to Kiba's desk. From the corner of my eye, Naruto perked up. His hands balled tightly into fists as he shot daggers at the back of Kabuto's head.
Damn it. I need to squish this.
"Of course not." I slowly started. "He's creepy, but he didn't do anything."
Nothing I couldn't stop at least.
"Then why do you look scared to see him?"
Damn, he's observant.
I allowed a sheepish smile as I touched my temple.
"I woke up with a bad headache. His glasses reflected some light in my eye." Of course, he didn't buy it, but, thankfully, an older man strolled into the room with a lit cigarette hanging from his lips.
His appearance immediately made Naruto shrink back as he tried to duck low to hide to remain invisible. Kiba was more hesitant, but he eventually turned around in his seat. A soft sigh left my lips as I slid my eyes close, temporarily relieving the migraine.
Why do I feel eyes on me?
Scrunching my brows, I opened my eyes, scanning the room until I found the source. Kabuto had his head turned as if he was looking out the window, but I didn't have to look closely to see his eyes were glued to me, a sly smirk plastered on his lips. A chill ran down my spine as his eyes narrowed, widening his smirk.
He's planning something.
A soft, animal whine sounded, causing Kiba to bend to pet Akamaru on top of his head. Following the dog's gaze, he wasn't too happy with Kabuto's expression either. With the way that monster's eyes slid to the dog with a deep frown before turning entirely to the front made a lump form in my throat.
I wouldn't put it past him to kill an animal unnecessarily. I'll have to keep his attention away from him.
"Alright, settle down and take out your books." The teacher- Asuma-sensei, began as he tossed his bag haphazardly on top of the teacher's desk. Pulling out a book, he began writing on the whiteboard.
I followed his instructions and opened it to the page he wrote on the board. Glancing over the material, I let out a relieved sigh.
I did this two years ago.
At least that's one benefit from being homeschooled for so long- we moved at my pace and covered much more information than I think I was supposed to.
But that gives me more time to plan.
Tuning out the sounds around me, I turned my attention out the window. Looking straight across, there was another classroom that was deep in their lesson. However, if you looked far out to the right, you could see a sliver of the girl's dorm and the dense woods further in the distance.
Where did I leave off with the spy?
Ah- the principal.
As far as I know, he could've already identified the spy. If that's true, he has to know why Kabuto and I are really at his school.
Is he the reason why Kabuto hasn't brought any cargo from here?
If so, then it's going to be difficult keeping that snake off my back. It also means he has to have eyes of his own watching us.
No wonder that snake sent me here.
This place is crawling with different factions, yet none have been successful in their missions. That bastard had to send me here knowing I'd do everything to get him what he wants- especially with Satoshi being here too.
And he knows I can't do anything drastic to protect him without outing myself to our enemies.
I swallowed hard, letting out a silent breath.
Calm down. Focus on your mission.
Right- identifying the spy. Maybe if I went out patrolling tonight, I might run into him? He could be-
Is that shadow watching me?
Blinking, I mentally shook my head. There, far in the distance, was a human-shaped shadow hovering behind a tree. From this distance, I can't be sure exactly what it was looking at, but the way it jerked behind the tree the moment I found it proved it must have been watching me.
So, the spy uses binoculars?
That does make it easier to watch people without getting caught, but that's if they aren't looking for you too.
But it does give me something to start with.
Anyone that doesn't have a first period, has some kind of scope to see long distances and wanders into the woods without looking suspicious.
Given that profile, that could leave a large pool of suspects. I'll have to get out there quickly to find something they might've left behind.
Turning from the window, I immediately caught Kabuto's side profile looking back at me. This time, he didn't have that creepy look on his face. Instead, his eyes were cold, and his lips were thin.
"Find them." Is what his look screamed at me. Swallowing, I glanced at my schedule once more.
I have twenty minutes between now and my next class. I can get out there and back to school in time to avoid the boys and from running into Tenten. Or, I can give myself an extra ten minutes if I can exploit Asuma-sensei.
Tapping my desk lightly, I glanced at the clock on the wall above the board. I frowned when I saw nearly forty minutes had passed by already.
Time flies when you're plotting illegal activity.
Clearing my throat, I raised my hand high. Asuma-sensei was reading from his book but paused when he noticed.
"Ah, new student… Haruno-san. What is it?" He sounded utterly uninterested as he inhaled deeply on his cigarette.
I'm not sure how well it'll work on him if he isn't the type to get flustered, but here goes nothing.
"May I go to the restroom?" He raised a dismissive brow as his eyes dropped back to his textbook.
"We still have fifteen more minutes. You can wait until then."
"Yes, but…" I fidgeted a little, dropping my gaze for good measure. "I'm having… feminine problems." The resounding splutter of him nearly choking on his cigarette, followed by the snapping of his book, told me my scheme was successful.
Never doubt the power of periods against the male population.
"Ah, just go take care of what you need." He grunted, coughing as some female snickers sounded. I made sure my amusement never made it to my face as I gathered my things.
"Do you need help, Sakura-chan?" Shooting a small smile over my shoulder, I shook my head.
"I'll be fine, Naruto." Without wasting any more time, I made a beeline out of there.
Whoever that spy was, they were behind the girl's dorm.
Keeping my head low, I headed straight there. Once I made it outside, I kept my eyes peeled.
Who knows how bold they may be.
My brows furrowed as I walked to the spot where I saw them from the window.
Unsurprisingly, there was no one around. Investigating further, the place looked untouched. Not even the layer of leaves looked out of place.
They're good, but you can't completely cover your tracks, no matter how hard you try.
Kneeling, I gently swiped my hand across the leaves. They all felt as if they had been trampled on either by people or wild animals except for a small patch. Next to the tree, I saw the spy standing by, was a layer of semi-fresh leaves. It was patted down in a hurry to blend in, but it didn't have the same weathering as its surroundings.
Which means they were trying to hide something.
Scrapping some of the leaves away, a partial footprint appeared closest to the base.
They always forget to check there.
I couldn't help the small smirk spreading my lips. The partially preserved print by a little bit of dirt peeking from beneath the tree stood out a sore thumb to my trained eyes.
From the tread and size, I'd guess male gym shoes.
Gently putting a finger on the edge of the print, I hummed softly.
Average built, average height male based on the depth.
Scanning the surrounding area again, my eyes zeroed in on an out of place black dot coating the base of a leaf.
Another overlooked mistake.
I hummed as I bent next to it. Gently swiping my finger across the black substance, I smoothed it across my finger. I frowned, bringing it to my nose and sniffing.
Ink? What would a spy need ink?
"What are you doing out here, Sakura?" My heart jumped, but I stayed calm on the outside. Turning over my shoulder, Tenten was watching me with a raised eyebrow.
"I was heading back to our room to change after a… lady accident when my homework blew away." She raised a brow as I stood up.
"And it flew all the way here?" I faked an exasperated sigh, wiping fake sweat from my forehead.
"I wasn't fast enough to keep up." She still didn't look convinced.
Time to change the subject.
"Were you looking for me?" That did the trick because her face lit up in realization as she reached for my hand.
"We have gym class now, and I thought I'd show you the way. I don't want you to be late!" She flashed me a bright smile as she began leading me away from the woods.
Glancing back, my eyes narrowed at the spot I was just inspecting.
I need to be more cautious than I thought.
We made it to the gym in no time at all. The gigantic blacktopped building was surprisingly closer to the girl's dorm then I first anticipated. Sitting next to the main building's right-wing, I could tell walking up that the back of it held another massive outside section.
Good place to bring someone if you don't want prying eyes.
Gym must be Tenten's favorite class because she didn't seem too keen on being late for it. We were about ten minutes early, with plenty of time to change. Once we were done, we sat in the bleachers of the large gym. A few students were already there, but most were still trickling into the locker rooms to change.
"So," I glanced at Tenten as she slowly spoke. The way she spoke told me she was trying to find the right thing to say.
Probably about the real reason I was by the treeline. I'll have to work on better excuses.
"Uh, the weather is pretty… random sometimes, huh?" She stumbled, followed by a painfully awkward smile. I couldn't help but send her a sympathetic one back.
"I thought I saw someone creeping around the girl's dorm." That caught her off guard. Her eyes widened as she blinked owlishly at me.
"What?! Why didn't you tell me before?! We have to tell-"
"I wasn't sure what I saw." I cut her off before her outburst drew too much attention. She looked like she was going to shout some more but stayed quiet. "I didn't want to cause a fuss over something that I might not have seen." Her eyes narrowed, a deep frown marring her features.
"But-"
"Alright- listen up, maggots!" The booming voice silenced all chatter as everyone focused on the woman standing in the middle of the gym floor.
Her eyes were the first thing I noticed. They were light brown and on the larger side, but the shadow shrouding them told me she's been through something traumatic. Her short violet hair was in a spiky ponytail that fanned across the back of her head. She wore nondescript athletic clothes over her slender frame with a black jogging suit and a white undershirt. A white netted bag sat next to her with black and white mesh jerseys and two soccer balls inside. The white whistle hanging from her neck and clipboard tucked under her right arm proved she must be our gym coach.
Saved by the bell.
"We can talk later," I whispered to her in a reassuring tone.
"Today you'll be playing soccer! We'll split boys and girls. Girls will play first while the boys run laps, and then you'll switch. Get going!" With a deafening blow of her whistle, she slung the bag over her shoulder as everyone scrambled from the bleachers and out the back double doors.
As I first thought, the back of the building held more oversized accommodations.
A football field outlined in a track sat down a small hill from the back doors. On either side of the expanse were covered bleachers that were nearly as tall as the gym. You had to walk through a small tunnel beneath the bleachers with its back facing the building to reach the field.
This school has far too much money for its own good.
I hummed to myself as I followed the class through the tunnel and onto the field. TenTen was excitedly chatting about how she thinks the game will go beside me, but I couldn't give her my full attention until I finished my surveillance of the area.
Never know when such a thing can become a lifesaver.
Besides a generic-looking field with vivid green grass, another medium-sized building was off to the area's right. It didn't look like a storage room. Plus, I saw there was a large supply closet in the gym where they keep the equipment.
What else would they need?
My question was answered as a group of three sweaty boys exited with towels around their necks. Before the doors closed, I caught a glimpse of exercising equipment and weights.
Do they need a private weight room on top of everything else?
"Alright," Coach Anko walked ahead of us onto the track. Dropping the bag haphazardly on the ground with a grunt, she turned to us. Her hard eyes demanded silence before she continued, "I need two volunteers for team captains for the girls. Boys, get to running!"
A few low grumbles from the boys resounded before they slowly began to stroll off.
"I volunteer, Coach Anko!" TenTen enthusiastically piped up as she moved forward.
So that's her name. Why does it sound so familiar?
I couldn't help the small frown as I relooked at the woman.
I've never seen her at the snake's mansion before. I would have remembered her if I did. Neither have I encountered her while on a mission.
Then why is her name so familiar, but her face isn't?
"Anyone else?" Her voice doesn't ring a bell either.
Where have I heard her name before then?
Vaguely, I heard a light brown-haired and brown-eyed girl volunteer.
Maybe I can look into it after I find the spy?
"Now, pick your teammates, then get started! TenTen's team will have black jerseys." With that, Coach Anko walked off towards the bleachers.
I'll look into it later. I have to find the spy first.
Our teams were picked rather quicker then I expected. Unsurprisingly, I was TenTen's first pick for her team. When both groups were decided, we each picked a position. As it turns out, TenTen wanted me to be on offense with her along with another dark-haired girl.
"Get ready!" Coach Anko yelled from the stands.
She's louder then you'd expect too.
I couldn't help the small smirk as I stood off to TenTen's right a few feet from the soccer ball in the middle of the field. The other captain faced off with her, a blonde-haired girl to her right and a red-haired girl with glasses in front of me.
No need to take this too seriously. They are just average girls.
The whistle sounded, prompting TenTen to lurch forward. She practically bulldozed the other captain as she took the ball and headed straight for the goal.
She's more into this than I initially thought.
I smiled as I kept pace next to her.
"Not today, Usui!" A girl with brown and dip-dyed green ends yelled as she tried to swipe the ball.
TenTen expertly maneuvered the ball around the girl's feet, but the two other defenders closed in on her. Her keen eyes glanced over at our other offense and saw the blonde girl was hounding her.
"Sakura!" Without hesitating, she kicked the ball like a bullet towards me.
She's faster and stronger than I first thought.
I easily stopped it, avoiding the girl's as they tried to cut me off.
To bad for them, they all went after one- is someone trying to trip me?
Sure enough, I felt a foot wrapping around my back leg as if someone was trying to make me fall. Frowning, I glanced over my shoulder to see the red-haired girl with glasses.
She didn't look determined like her teammates. All I saw was malice reflecting at me.
The hell is her problem?
Double stepping, I avoided her feet. That must have pissed her off because an elbow came straight for my jaw next. Jerking back, I easily avoided it, but the corresponding hidden jab to my ribs was a bit trickier.
She's doing this on purpose!
Growling, I came to a full stop with the ball, causing her to rush past me. Turning on my heels, I headed straight for the opposite side of the field, that girl right on my heels.
The hell is with her?!
"Sakura-!" Side kicking the ball, it zoomed past the other girls and straight to TenTen.
She was stunned for a second, but she immediately kicked it in the air before passing it to our blonde teammate, who easily scored.
Just as Coach Anko blew the whistle, a body collided with my back, nearly sending me to the ground if I hadn't caught myself in a push-up position.
"Sakura!" Snapping over my shoulder, I ground my teeth at the sight of that red-head.
She's getting on my nerves.
"I was going too fast." She half-assed as TenTen stopped next to me.
"Yeah, right." TenTen scoffed, holding a hand out to me. She helped me up before turning a glare to the red-head. "Stop being an ass, Karin." With that, she motioned for me to follow her to our side of the field.
Karin, huh? She's going to be a problem.
Unfortunately, my prediction was right. She threw elbows, punches, kicks, and even tried to hit me with the ball a few times throughout the entire game. I nearly lost my temper, but I didn't go through years of training to be provoked so easily. It wasn't until our last play that things got serious.
The other captain intercepted TenTen's pass to me. We chased after her to our goal to the point we had her cornered. She passed it back to Karin, who immediately booted it straight for my head.
This again.
I dodged it, shooting her a deep glare, but the resounding scream of pain followed by crying had me swirling. Our goalie, another dark-haired girl, was on the ground in a fetal position holding her face. Her body racked with cries as blood seeped through her fingers.
Damn it- she curved it! I should've blocked!
I ran over to her as Coach Anko blasted the whistle three times, rushing the field. Even the boys stopped running to check on her.
"Out of the way!" Coach Anko shoved through the crowd, kneeling next to the girl. She carefully pulled her hands away to assess the damage. "It busted your lip, but I don't see any missing teeth. Your nose took a nasty hit too. Hiyasu! Komako!" The blonde-haired offensive player from our team and a brunette boy stepped forward. "Take Eri to the infirmary. Karin!" The red-head dared to look confused.
"Yes, Coach?" Coach Anko wasn't buying any of it as her hard eyes narrowed into a death glare.
"Principal's office, now! I'll be right behind you." Though her face looked scared, that little devil's eyes showed pure disgust for our coach as she turned and left.
I need to look into her.
"Class dismissed!" Coach Anko declared marching after Karin. With that, the boy, Hiyasu, picked up Eri and carried her away with Komako right behind them.
Everyone else slowly began to file back towards the gym, whispering not so quietly about the incident.
"Don't worry about her," TenTen grumbled, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Karin has always been a bitch. I didn't think she'd try to hurt someone on purpose like that, though." I hummed as we followed the crowd.
"I'm guessing she's not usually violent?" She shook her head, wiping the sweat from her brow.
"Her usual MO is being catty and spreading nasty rumors about people. This is the first time she's got her hands dirty. At least, this is the first time it's proven." I raised a brow, causing her to shrug. "There's a lot of rumors that she beats up girls in the bathrooms. No one has seen her do it, so I don't know."
Interesting.
"I'm not sure about that, but I'll keep my eyes open from now on," TenTen smirked, throwing her arm across my shoulders.
"You'll get the chance to get even if you do!" I didn't stop myself from laughing with her.
Once TenTen finished showering and changing, she headed off for a tutoring session. I waved her off, contemplating what my next move would be since I had some unexpected free time.
I should continue my investigation, but where should I go from here? The boy's dorm? That would look too suspicious. Maybe Jiraiya-sama would have something in his office?
"That little bitch made you look like a fool." I paused as I stepped out of the gym doors. I didn't have to turn to know it was the little rat. He was leaning next to the double doors, his eyes straight ahead as if he wasn't even talking to me.
"What do you want, Kabuto?"
"I want to know how a trained weapon let a useless swine turn her into a worthless teenager." He turned his head, a devilish smirk on his lips. "Do I need to report this to our Lord?" My blood boiled as I took in a deep breath. Keeping my face blank, I refused to let him see the rage burning inside me.
"It's better if everyone thinks that." Finally facing him, I kept my emotions off my face causing his smirk to melt. "Or would you rather I blow my cover and kill the girl? If that's your orders, then I'd need to inform Our Lord." The hatred that flashed in his eyes was all the satisfaction I needed. Just as quickly as it came, it left as he chuckled.
"Fiesty." He humorlessly gritted through his test. "Have you made any progress?"
Isn't this far more civil?
I inwardly scoffed. Spinning on the balls of my feet, I began to walk away.
"I'm looking into evidence." I could practically feel the killing intent rolling off him in waves.
"Our Lord doesn't like to wait."
"I know." I shot back without stopping.
"Maybe if I sent him a list of prospective cargo, it'll appease him. Your little roommate has a nice body." That made me pause. Whirling towards him, I didn't even bother to keep the glower off my face.
"Your impatience is why Our Lord sent me. He was eager to get someone competent to get the job done." Twisting back, I quickly speed-walked into the main building.
I need to get going before things get out of hand. That rat is unpredictable, and I just pissed him off.
Taking a deep breath, I wandered around through the halls.
The spy was using ink. Given that it dripped, it wasn't from an ordinary pen, meaning he was using liquid ink. All I have to do is find a classroom with liquid ink in it, and I might be able to get a name.
But really, how many rooms in this school has liquid ink stocked? Plus, how many people have access to it? Technically speaking, if the school uses liquid ink in any aspect, wouldn't that mean all students can get it?
And how many of them are average height and built males with athletic shoes?
Sighing, I made my way to the second floor after finding nothing on the first.
From the looks of it, the rooms were more open with fewer desks. It was more like most of the classrooms had more flexible uses then the first floor. Some of them still had classes going on.
Maybe I'll have more luck here-
Soft music coming from a cracked door made me pause. Narrowing my eyes, I zeroed on the door. Only half the lights were on. Listening, there was classical music playing almost inaudible.
Worth checking out.
Moving closer, I peeked through the crack.
Sitting at an easel with his back to the door was a man with short black hair. He was wearing a sleeveless black muscle shirt and long black sweatpants. Even his shoes were black athletic wear. By his feet sat an open black bag with some jars of paint peeking out the top. He was painting a rough outline of what looks to be a vaguely familiar woman.
Judging by his build, he could be the spy I'm looking for. Or he might be able to give me a clue.
"Did you need something?" I blinked, pushing the door open.
His voice is abnormally emotionless, and he has good sensory abilities.
"I'm looking for my next class, but I'm a bit lost. Could you help me?" He didn't say anything. He put his paintbrush down on the easel and finally faced me.
His eyes were black, and besides his smooth face, there isn't anything special about him.
Perfect for being a spy.
"What class are you looking for?"
"Biology with Shizune Kato? My schedule said it's room 3140." He blinked at me for a long time.
"Third floor. First hall. Fourth door down on the left."
How'd he know the exact location?
"Thanks. Is there a trick to the room numbers?" Again, he didn't answer me immediately.
"The first number is the floor. Second is the hall. Third is the door number. Last is whether it's the left or right side of the hall."
That's… more efficient than I anticipated.
"Thanks! Uh, what's your name?" I made sure to sound as sheepish as I could. Besides, even if he is the spy, I'm sure he's already well aware of who I am.
"Sai Kuro."
"Well, thank you for the help, Sai. My name is Sakura Haruno." He nodded before turning back to his painting.
Guess that's the end of our conversation.
Internally sighing, I turned to leave when something caught my eye inside his open bag. It was obscured by the paint bottles before, but I can make out a small nondescript black book from the new angle.
It didn't have a fancy covering or anything special about it. Just a simple plain black leather cover with no writings on the front or spine. Usually, something like that wouldn't draw any attention. However, if you're like me, you'd recognize that book anywhere.
A bingo book.
A book filled with photos of bounties for assassins, smugglers, and even some lawyers and officers. All types of people make it in the book if someone wants them dead bad enough. Even two of my aliases made it in there.
That means I found my spy.
Leaving the room, I made a beeline for the stairs. I have to let that rat know about this as soon as possible. I'll bet everything I own he's waiting for me at my next class.
The sooner he knows of this, the sooner he'll get off my back.
Half jogging to the Biology room, I wasn't shocked to see Sai standing outside the door. His silent dark presence practically seething as he waited. He was even scaring some of the girls away from the room as they hurried to the bathroom to wait till he left hopefully.
Honestly, it's amazing the snake didn't send me here sooner with how many tantrums this rat throws.
Inwardly sighing, I closed the distance between us.
The moment he noticed my presence, he practically pounced on me: his teeth-gritting, eyes glowing as he demanded blood.
"I found the canary in the coal mine." He blinked, his face going unnervingly still.
"Name." He nearly spat even though the anger left his face.
"Sai Kuro." For what felt like a long time, he didn't move. It wasn't until a wide chilling smile cracked his lips did he let out a light chuckle.
"Congratulations, you saved your little roommate for now." He straightened, parting my shoulder before walking past me. "Wait for further instructions." With that, he left.
As I watched him walk away, that gut feeling from this morning came rushing back.
Something doesn't feel right.
My heart was pounding, and I felt far too antsy. I don't know what, but my instincts told me not to trust that rat's word.
He wouldn't do anything too reckless… would he?
Halfway through Shizune-sensei's class, I was bored stiff. Like with English this morning, I've already learned this material a little over two years ago. Meaning I had nothing to do but agonize over that horrible feeling making my stomachs churn. I didn't even have one of Tenten's friends in this class to ease it even a little.
At least this time, I got a scenic view of the forest.
I tried to distract myself with the lawn maintenance crews' golf carts as they picked trash off the grounds and loaded the full bags into the vehicles.
What even could he do? He can't do anything drastic or else-
My breath hitches in my throat as a large black object rushed past the window. A deafening crunch made my heart lurch.
"What was that?!" The loud, confused cries of my classmates slowly faded as I rushed out of my seat.
Oh no…
Lying lifelessly on top of one of the golf carts was Sai's body.
Damn it!
Rushing from the window, I barely noticed my classmates also looking out and screaming. Vaguely, I heard Shizune-Sensei try to regain control of the class, but it was too late. Everyone was rushing out right behind me. As I stepped in the hall, it wasn't just our class doing so, but that wasn't what I was worried about.
That rat! He wouldn't have- he wouldn't have!
Shoving through the crowd, I made it the stairs just as my target came rushing down, hidden in the masses of scurrying students.
The moment I locked eyes with him, I knew what he'd done. I didn't need to see the bruises on his arms before he tugged his sleeves down to understand what he'd done.
It was my job to find the spy. It was my job to deal with it when I catch them.
A smirk slithered on his face. His eyes shining with pure malice.
And he's trying to frame me for this screwup.
My heart stopped.
I hope you all enjoyed! I'm still working on the sequel to Save Me, which will be out either this month or next month. While I work on that one, I will keep updating this story! Till next time ~