"I've gathered you all here today because, well, you're some of the best nin we have in Konoha. As some of you know, there is a village bordering the land of fire, Tonika village. The residents have been infected with what we're calling V-X. We don't know how it reached the village, or why its infected the residents so quickly. That's why we have gathered all of you."

Naruto looked over the nin in front of him; Neji, Shikamaru, Ino, Choji, Sakura and Hinata. They were no doubt the best nin around. Sure, they had conflicting personalities, Sakura with her tendency to be bossy and Ino not falling far from that tree. Neji and Shikamaru were both reserved, not very good at talking, but amazing on the field. Choji, well... he did eat a lot, but his skills in battle were something that Naruto couldn't help but feel would be amazing in some kind of crisis. Then there was Hinata. She was sweet, beautiful and incredibly soft spoken; but even Naruto knew she was a force to be reckoned with.

Taking in a deep breath, Naruto paced in front of his nin. "We're putting Tonika village in quarantine."

"We?" Shikamaru scoffed as he remembered the last time he was sent on a quarantine mission for his Hokage. His fingers rubbed at his throbbing temple. "I'm not doing this again. Not unless you have some safety measures in it for me."

"Don't you mean us?" Ino hissed from the other side of the room.

Giving his old team mate a glance, Shikamaru sighed. "Yes, Ino, I mean us."

Naruto smiled, waving his hands as if he were dismissing the negativity in the air. "Of course I have safety measures set up. The Suna nin are figuring that part out."

"Suna nin?" Choji asked between bites of his donut. "What are they doing in the land of fire?"

"I asked Gaara for help."

In a split second, Ino could feel the colour leaving her face. Gaara. Did Naruto really say his name? Was she going to see him again? Gulping slightly, she tried to keep her composure as she focused on what Naruto was saying. She knew it was important and she should have been listening, but she couldn't help but let her mind drift to that red hair of his, how it felt between her fingers. So soft.

Neji spoke up. "What is it exactly you want us to do?" From the corner of his eyes, Neji could see Ino's chakra fluctuating. She was excited, relieved and there was something else there too that he couldn't recognize; something full of joy and emotion. Neji didn't know what that feeling was, but he knew it was directed towards the Kazekage. He couldn't help but feel a tightness in his chest.

"I've chosen you all because you've been immunised, especially you, Ino," She nodded a little, remembering the red growth that covered half of her face. "I don't even know if it is the same virus that infected you, but its showing similar traits. Sakura and Hinata, you both helped creating the imunisation, I want you to help the Suna nin make large quantities, we need to be prepared for anything. Neji, Shika and Choji, you're all on defence. Nothing goes in our out of Tonika without permission. Is that clear?"

Everyone nodded, except Ino. "Why am I going?"

Naruto grinned widely. The one thing he enjoyed the most about being Hokage was the fact that he was able to do whatever he wanted; within reason, of course. If there was a shinobi that managed to get on his nerves, he knew he could put them on the lowest rank mission until he was sure their punishment was enough. It also helped when he wanted to send certain kunoichis away too... "Ino, you're needed for some of the vital stages of the vaccine. Sure, we could make the vaccine from scratch, but it seems easier if we use your blood, determine what your immune system has that others do not."

"So I'm a blood bank?" Ino questioned blankly.

With a shrug Naruto laughed. "If that's what you want to be known as."

Ino didn't care, they could have all of her blood if they wanted! She was going on a mission near Suna, Suna of all places! This could be her chance to see Gaara again; to spend time with him and to never let him go – ever. Little did Ino know, but from the corner of her eye Neji could see the excitement in her chakra. His heart sunk at the thought of her with the Kazekage again.

O0o0o0o0o0o

Kankuro led a team of 6 nin from Suna to Tonika village; the trip lasting only a single day. When they reached the village it was obvious that something wasn't right. Children were in the streets crying, the adults of the village unaware of what was going on; there was also blood on the streets. Kankuro didn't know where it came from, a quite frankly he didn't want to find out.

It didn't take long before they came across Ty, the village leader. Her large eyes were filled with worry as she carried a sick child in her arms. Small patches of blood were weeping from the child's ears, causing large amounts of pain and discomfort.

Kankuro immediately ordered the surviving villagers to be held in the largest building they had in Tonika. Ty informed him of the meeting hall where the elders used to converse and it wasn't long after that it became the home to over one hundred and fifty people.

The Suna nin removed beds from the houses and moved them to the hall. They picked the crops to feed the remaining villagers; most importantly, they buried the vast amount of dead that littered the streets. Suri, one of Kankuro's most trusted friends, screamed as she helped clean out the houses. She found one of the children curled up in the corner, flies hanging around his face while blood trails dried on his mouth. He was dead.

They were only two days in, people were still dying; roughly 7 a day. Kankuro couldn't help but constantly curse under his breath. Where the hell were the Konoha nin?

Where the hell was Gaara?