The cloudy night sky cast shadows within shadows, as if to warn the people who were out and about that evil was prevalent that night. A lone figure stood across from a warehouse, the breeze from the ocean slightly ruffling his hair. Standing beside a burnt out street light, he surveyed the area with a calculating look, searching for any hidden dangers and deciding on an entry point. A lone car passed, startling the man out of his quiet reverie. His icy blue eyes took in every detail of the car, down to the license plate and year of the car. The vehicle turned into the parking lot on the other side of the warehouse.
Time to move the man thought to himself. He waited until he heard the warehouse doors close before he swiftly crossed the street. Reaching into his leather jacket, he pulled out a 1911 before quietly ascending the steps to the upper level windows of the warehouse. Naruto moved silent yet quick, trying to find a window that wasn't stained with grime. Spotting a door at the end of the catwalk, Naruto moved towards it. He pulled the slide half way back on his gun to check and make sure there was a round chambered. Satisfied, He cracked the door open, and peered inside, letting just his head poke through the rusty doorway.
The warehouse was essentially empty, except for a lone person who seemed to be typing furiously on a laptop. He was wearing a trench coat that hid his features. Evaluating the immediate situation, Naruto opened the door further and slid quietly in the warehouse. Careful not to let the door shut loudly, Naruto kept to the shadows that engulfed the top level. He slowly made his way to the stairs, surveying the entire area before descending the stairs. Seeing nobody besides the person in the middle of the room, he deemed it safe to proceed. He approached the person from behind, pistol drawn. Hearing the footsteps, the person turned around to meet the business end of the 1911. Naruto's eyes widened in surprise as he recognized the person wearing the trench coat.
"Sasuke?" Naruto whispered. The Uchiha smirked as Naruto lowered the gun.
"Naruto, such a pleasant surprise." Sasuke said, spreading his arms out as if to invite a hug from the taller man.
"What are you doing here? Shikamaru would have told me if you were under cover!" Naruto asked quizzically.
"Why Naruto, isn't it obvious? I am betraying my country!" Sasuke explained, as if it were the most casual of things. Naruto's eyes widened, the hurt evident.
"Why? We've been partners since we became CIA! We've had each other's backs since grade school!" Naruto yelled. Sasuke laughed without mirth, a cold and distant laugh.
"Yes, we have. And yet, I haven't made one step towards my goal. I have decided to broaden my horizons, if you will. The organization I am working for now has close ties to the Akatsuki. This is the only way to achieve my goal." Sasuke explained, his eyes looking through Naruto and into the distant future. Naruto's eyes narrowed in anger.
"Dammit, Sasuke! We both know that this isn't the way to go about this! You are giving up everything, turning your back on everyone who has ever cared about you! Come back with me, and I promise we can take a six month leave and track down your brother!" Naruto pleaded. Sasuke laughed again, this time sounding sinister.
"He said I would have to harden my resolve. He told me my bonds would hold me back, soften me so I could never kill him. I plan to prove him wrong." with that, Sasuke pulled out his own weapon, a Sig Sauer P225 pistol. Naruto only stared at Sasuke, the shock of the situation rendering him completely incapable of defending himself. Sasuke pointed the gun at Naruto, his eyes hardened steel.
"I wish it could have been another way Naruto, but this is how it has to end." Sasuke said. Naruto stared into Sasuke's eyes, realizing what was about to happen.
"Sas-". Boom. Boom. Boom. Naruto felt nothing but pain as he fell to the ground, his chest on fire. He gasped for breath, looking desperately at Sasuke. Sasuke walked over to his partner's body, and knelt down beside him.
"Your death shall not be in vain, usuratonkachi." Sasuke whispered, using his childhood nickname for Naruto. Naruto gurgled in response, unable to form words around the blood pooling in his mouth. Sasuke smirked and turned to leave. The last thing Naruto heard before the darkness enveloped him made his mind spin.
"You have done well." A high pitched silky voice proclaimed.
"Thank you very much, Orochimaru-sama." Sasuke said.
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Six Months Later
Naruto groaned, slamming his hand down upon the undeserving alarm clock in an effort to gain some much needed sleep. Knowing that his effort was futile once he was awoken, he sat up in his bed. The sheets slid off his torso, revealing three circular scars on the right side of his chest. Putting his bare feet on the wooden floor, Naruto rubbed at his eyes to remove the sleep from them. He groaned again when he realized what time it was. Five in the morning was not Naruto's favorite time of the day. In fact, if he had it his way, five a m wouldn't even exist. Standing up, he headed towards his dark oak dresser and pulled out a fresh pair of underwear and plain white t-shirt. Groggily, he made his way towards his bathroom and climbed in the shower.
Six months to the day. I wonder what you've been doing, Sasuke? Naruto thought to himself. He shook his head, knowing that these thoughts lead nowhere. He turned on the water, and let the shocking coldness wake him up. He turned the warm on and sighed as the water slowly turned hot. He stood there, letting the water soak his hair and trail down his face.
After his shower, Naruto headed back to his dresser and grabbed his outfit for the day. A pair of gray combat khaki pants and plain white shirt were put on before his shoulder holster was adorned. He grabbed his twin 1911's off of his nightstand and put them both in his holsters. He grabbed a button up outer shirt and a jacket, putting them both on without buttoning or zippering them up. He grabbed his cell phone and noticed a missed call. Pressing a couple buttons, he called redialed the number.
"Hey Sakura...No, I am coming in to work on time...Don't start with me this early, I haven't even had my coffee yet...Yeah, I know how the boss gets when I come late...Give me a break, would ya? I'm twenty seven, I can take care of myself. I am heading in right now...I am taking it easy! Four months of rehab is enough...Yes, I am off of medical suspension today...You know, if you weren't so much like a sister to me, I would tell you to piss off...Got it, can I go now so I can finish getting ready?...Okay, bye." Naruto loved Sakura like a sister, but some times she could be such a hassle. Especially at five thirty in the morning. Naruto sighed as he put his socks and shoes on and grabbed his keys, heading out the door.
Naruto arrived at the office in record time, making it there just before six. When the man standing at six feet six inches with a head of shockingly blond hair walked into a room, usually everyone turned and stared. However, Naruto had been coming in the last six months, so the normal occupants of the room had grown used to the large man. He headed straight to the elevators without greeting anyone. The elevator doors opened, revealing a man with a spiked ponytail sipping on his coffee.
"Shikamaru." Naruto grunted in greeting. The information analyst nodded towards Naruto.
"Uzumaki. Heard the boss is looking for you. Might want to head up there before you decide to relax in your temp office." Shikamaru replied. He was dressed casually, acted casual, and just overall looked like a casual kind of guy. Shikamaru almost never got excited, unless he was in his element. Shikamaru was the head of the covert information department, analyzing data, hacking the unhackable, and coming up with new ways for the field agents to do their job. He was a true genius, despite his outward appearance.
"Thanks Shikamaru. When I get done, I need to drop by your office so I can have you run some data for me." Naruto stated. Shikamaru nodded in affirmation. The elevator dinged, and Shikamaru stepped out.
"Just make sure it's not paranoia about your girlfriend cheating on you, would ya?" Shikamaru pleaded. Naruto laughed and waved him onwards. The ex in question was currently working with the FBI overseas. A year ago, Naruto had a sneaking suspicion that she was cheating on him, and decided to investigate. It turned out she was seeing someone else, so Naruto ended the relationship as soon as he returned stateside from his next mission. He hadn't tried to date anyone since, especially after the Sasuke incident.
When Naruto reached his destination, he exited the elevator and headed down the hall to the head of the CIA's office. Reaching the door, he knocked and waited for a reply.
"Come in." came a smooth voice from the other side of the door. Naruto opened the door and sighed.
"You know Kakashi, I think it's kind of hypocritical of you to be angry when I am occasionally late. Before you got promoted, you were the worst I have ever seen." Naruto exclaimed. Kakashi's eyes crinkled upwards in a happy expression.
"That is just the benefit of the desk, my dear Naruto. You have to learn to deal." Kakashi laughed. "However, down to business. Since you are off medical suspension, I have some information for you." Kakashi stated.
"Well, what is it?" Naruto asked. Kakashi withdrew a vanilla folder and handed it to Naruto. He gasped when he opened it and saw the photo inside.
"Sasuke..."