Despite the spectacular view of the Californian coast, it did little to improve Ritsuko's spirits. With a sigh, she rested her elbows on the railing. The warm salty breeze whipped her hair about but she made no move to brush it aside. She was too preoccupied with today's events to pay her current surroundings that much attention.
She had been surprised to open her envelope to see tickets for an ocean liner tour. Wasn't it supposed to be a plane? Well Yuki did stress the importance of sticking to the plan and she trusted her friend. She hurried down the street and flagged down a taxi for the harbor.
Once inside she felt a little bit of relief. That is until she saw Itachi and Zetsu on the street corner. Dressed in their suits they stood out horribly from the decay around them. And yet they seemed unaware of it as they continued to argue. Despite the tinted windows, she immediately ducked out of view. Her heart raced at just how close they'd come to finding her…just three blocks away from her apartment. That was far too close for comfort. Her cheeks burned with shame as she had to admit that if it hadn't been for Yuki, they would have easily cornered her. She was getting too soft; too comfortable…she shouldn't have stayed so long. But she needed the money! That was a downside from leaving Madara, her extensive network of connections was useless. They'd all turn her in now, her neutrality stained by association with him.
She had suspected that Itachi would be sent; he was the most charismatic one in the organization. He also had experience, stealth, and military precision. She had always thought of him as the man out of time. Despite his young years, he had the maturity of a patriarch. She hadn't known him long but she definitely respected him. But his loyalty would be his undoing. It wasn't inspired by price but from family connection: he was Madara's nephew. And to the Uchiha, family was everything. Such a shame really, because otherwise he could have really made something of himself.
But now Zetsu too was on her trail…she felt an icy shiver creep along her spine. The Silencer…what was he doing here? He was only sent on concealment assignments—to intimidate others into silence or silencing them forever, one never knew which he'd pick. But one thing was clear; he was no messenger boy. And if he was after her, there was a great possibility that Madara preferred her dead than alive.
A light-hearted giggle brought her thoughts back to reality. Her gaze drifted over to a young couple admiring the view beside her. It was obvious by their body language and easy manner that they were in love. The hair on her neck prickled defensively as her body refused to completely relax. Her instincts knew better than to drop her guard, it was second nature by now. And yet she envied this naïve couple…what was it be like to be normal and worry about normal things like going to college or asking someone out on a date?
The girl giggled as her boyfriend whispered something her ear. Her cheeks shone with modest pleasure. Ritsuko groaned as she rolled her eyes. It was so stupid! And to think she'd envied them…she shoved her hands into her pockets as she turned away. So now what? Where do I go from here? She was so lost in her thoughts once more that she didn't notice a young man with crimson hair and piercing green eyes approach her with a tray of beverages. Startled, she knocked it out of his hands. The sound of the glass shattering on the deck seemed to snap her out of it. It wasn't Itachi or Zetsu, it was just a steward. She reddened and mumbled apologies as she attempted to help him clean up. "Don't worry about it miss," he reassured her in a raspy tone, deeper that one would expect for his youth. "I will take care of it."
"But it was my fault," she grumbled in embarrassment. As her hand stretched out over the pieces of glass, some of the liquid began to spread out from beneath her palm. The young man frowned curiously as she quickly withdrew her hand and the water slide back into place. "You're right. You can handle this," she mumbled as she hurried away.
Shikamaru Nara, despite his young years, had enjoyed a generous level of accomplishment being a private investigator. Granted most of his cases involved exposing adulterers and tracking down lost family members, but he took great pride in each success. But truly it was just a side business, something that helped pay for college tuition. But now he was close to graduating with his Bachelor's degree and pressure from his family was growing to settle for a more respectable living. He still hadn't made his mind up.
So imagine his surprise when Hollywood's Hero came into his office! If anything he seemed even larger in person than on the big screen. He slapped a huge wad of cash onto his desk. "I wanna hire you," he said gruffly.
He stared at the amount of bills clipped together. It was certainly a tempting amount…but with some difficulty he pushed it to the side. "I may be for hire but I'm the one who decides to accept a case."
"Don't be so noble about it kid," he scolded. "You're just a gumshoe, nothing more."
Shikamaru gently smirked at the old Hollywood reference. "Is that why you've come to ask for my services at night? Perhaps I could really set the scene by closing the blinds halfway?"
"This isn't a joke!" He snapped.
"Alright, alright, give me the details of case." He said in a lazy manner as he sat back in his chair.
Kisame suddenly seemed hesitant and his gaze dropped awkwardly to the side. "Oh who am I kidding? You won't believe me either."
That peaked the Nara's curiosity. "Try me," he gently challenged.
"I'm looking for a friend of mine. She's disappeared."
"A missing person's case?" He asked in exasperation. "What's so unbelievable about that?"
"It's not just that she's missing but who's looking for her," he shuddered at the memory. Those two…certainly weren't normal. There was something mystical about them…almost inhuman. Is that even possible? The young man's scarlet gaze that probed his memory, shifting through it like paperwork and his companion's dual personality…He'd heard of multiple personalities before, but never witnessed an actual conversation between them.
"Go on," Shikamaru prompted.
"There were two men who managed to bypass my security and trespass onto my property."
The Nara held out his hand. "And I trust that you have surveillance of them?"
Kisame grimaced slightly. "No. They made a clean media getaway. Not even a blip before or after."
That definitely sounded like the work of someone experienced…especially given the target. "Was any theft involved?"
"Not at all, they just wanted to talk…more or less." His tone dropped uneasily. "But the methods they used were…unusual." Shikamaru frowned slightly, hardly encouraging, but he had to continue. "There were two of them in suits; one in his early twenties, long dark hair and…unusual eyes. The other was heavily tattooed; one side of his face was white and the other black. Pretty trigger happy too," he grumbled.
At that Shikamaru's eyes widened in horror. "Split personality with differing tones?"
"Yeah…why?" He asked warily as he was confused by the kid's reaction as he seemed caught in a trance.
Ordered to the floor, face down, hands on head. The burning black-top did nothing to stop the deep-seeded chill that ran along his spine. He'd been in some pretty tight spots before…but not where he feared for his life. How did he get into this mess?
The clink of a bullet in the chamber, and the metallic spin of the magazine echoed overhead. "Look at 'em," a thin voice remarked. "Two lost little boys…"
"This won't take long," a deeper tone growled lazily.
"We won't tell anyone!" Shikamaru's friend pleaded beside him. "We didn't mean to-"
The gun clicked into place, its echo silenced his hysteria. "It's nothing personal," the thin voice murmured. "But you've stumbled onto something you shouldn't have seen. Or was it meant to be? Fate will decide whether you live or die."
Shikamaru had a sinking feeling that was the name of the gun. With a faint scrap of a heel, the man knelt down on one knee and pressed the barrel against Shikamaru's forehead. He sucked in his breath as his heart hammered in his chest for all it was worth. Click!
Nothing.
"Fate smiles upon you," the thin voice whispered.
His relief was short-lived as a bullet roared beside him. Something wet and sticky showered round him…his eyes widened though it was too horrific to take in.
"Your fate has been sealed," the deep tone rumbled with eerie reverence.
Shikamaru found himself unable to move, unwilling to face the reality that lay beside him.
"It's not our place to question fate," the deep voice continued. "But it would be wise to enjoy its blessing while it remains in your favor."
Shikamaru heard the stranger holster his gun and walk away, completely disconnected from the carnage behind him. It was several minutes before Shikamaru could move again. And even then…he couldn't bear to look at what was left of his friend. The guilt even now gnawed at his conscience.
"You ok kid?" Kisame's question brought him back to the present.
"Did fate…smile upon you as well?" He asked in a hollow tone.
Kisame took a step back in surprise. "How did you know about that?" But it soon dawned on him. "You've met him before, haven't you?"
"He's known as The Silencer," he said solemnly. "That's the word on the street anyway. He's often seen alone but his methods are reminiscent of a mafia hitman."
"Are you suggesting that he's part of some organization?" Kisame asked uncertainly. It certainly seemed possible but in this day and age? It sounded more fiction than reality.
"The difference between a mafia hit and a serial killer is method and manner of death: one seeks to eliminate a threat as quietly as possible while the other looks to exploit and draw attention to themselves."
"So will you help me find her or not?" He huffed impatiently. He wasn't interested in getting bogged down in debating an irrelevant point.
Shikamaru looked at him sympathetically. "You do realize that chances are…she's already dead?"
Kisame's gut twisted at the very thought of the barrel of that gun aimed between her eyes… "I don't want them to find her first." He said resolutely.
Shikamaru considered him with a frown. Several thoughts ran through his mind. He should refuse. This case had trouble written all over it. The money that sat before him was tempting though…it certainly would pay for a good chunk of his student loans…how important was this girl to his client? Was it concern for a loved one? Or something as greedy as collecting a debt? But in the end, his thoughts drifted to the sudden death of his friend. He deserved better than that…he deserved justice. His murderer must rot in a jail cell before he rotted in Hell.
Shikamaru sucked in his breath as he reached for the large wad of money, fingers twitching as his hand hovered over it. Finally resolved, he took hold of it. "I accept the case."
