Hello All!
Are you guys ready for the end of the mission? Sable and Kakashi sure are! Let's get right to it =)
CHAPTER SEVEN: Savin' Me
"Stay," Kakashi tried for the last time, leaning against the door as she stepped out of the bathroom, wrapped in a towel.
"And tell Tsunade what exactly? 'Sorry we failed the mission, Tsunade-sama. Kakashi wanted to cuddle'? Somehow, I doubt that will go over well," Sable chastised, rolling her eyes. "Besides, we've gotten this far. Why ruin it now?"
Kakashi just looked at her. She knew why.
"Well, get over it," she offered as her only suggestion.
"You sure Tsunade wont go for the cuddling?" he tried again as she sat in front of the dresser mirror to brush her hair.
"Positive."
He suppressed a sigh and cracked his neck instead. "What time are we getting out of here? Once you make a copy we can run. Takaede will think Kato freaked and dragged you far far away."
"Which is another reason our little scene yesterday worked to our advantage. It gives me an out. Ishould be out in 2 hours. Three tops. It depends on how long it takes him to fall asleep."
"As soon as you've made the copy, meet me in the lobby. I'll be pissed, you'll be teary and we'll storm out, making sure there are witnesses for when Takaede asks questions."
"Exactly. What could go wrong?"
…
Sable knew something was off the moment she had stepped into Takaede's room. The lights were dimmed and there were no body guards in sight. If Takaede was trying not to frighten her away by moving too quickly, he was failing. An inexperienced girl would have taken off at the lights alone. But Sable wasn't just any inexperienced girl. And she needed those documents.
She had worn a light strapless dress- something easy to slide out of and even easier to slide back on when she snuck out. Her hair was down in its natural untamed waves of silky ink. Her feet were bare, as she had only walked from her room to his. Seducing traitors was her job and she was good at it. But it didn't mean she didn't think about skipping the sex and going straight for the torture in her last few moments before she reached the point of no return.
Konoha needs me to get these manifests before Itachi, without him knowing we have them. Tsunade is counting on me. I can do this. Its just another mark.
Sighing she stepped forward, only to have a chakra reinforced fist crash into the base of her skull, straight into her cerebellum. It was a mere second before she crumpled to the floor, completely unconscious.
…
Kakashi had watched the sun set from the couch in the lobby, an unusual gnawing pit of worry in his stomach. It had been four hours since Sable had gone into Takaede. To sleep with him. Which meant she should be copying the documents by now. Or even back.
"Two hours. Three tops." She had been so sure. So what could have changed?
She always worked fast, as soon as the mark fell asleep she would deepen the bastard's slumber with a little genjutsu enhanced dream and get to work.
It usually only took her two hours- three max, depending on the man. Four was pushing it and it was making the jonin uneasy.
Something was wrong this time. He could feel it.
What's taking her so long?
…
"Who told you about the documents?" the guard demanded for what felt to Sable like the fiftieth time as he slammed a fist into her bruised face.
"What documents?" Sable asked with some difficulty. Her jaw was definitely fractured, nearly broken, and every time the idiot hit her he only made it harder for her to give him bullshit answers. "If you would stop hitting me I would be able to talk," she suggested, voice no longer peppy and flirty like that of Ami. Now she was tired and pissed, one hundred percent Sable.
"Stop playing games! Why were you pretending to be Ami Higarashi?" Takaede demanded, uncharacteristally freaked. The cool demeanor of a man with no worries and plenty of back up had been replaced by terrified urgency the moment one of his guards had returned with the news that, according to Tuomo Higarashi, his daughter was under twenty four hour surveillance in a safe house. When he had revealed how he knew she was a fake Ami, Sable had realized he'd double checked with whatever shinobi was playing the part of Tuomo. And apparently that shinobi hadn't been filled in on Sable and Kakashi's present mission.
What the hell was Tsunade thinking?
"Why would I be pretending to be anyone?" Sable asked wearily. She was getting tired of the "Who are you?" Who do you think I am?" routine. The moment she had woken up she had guessed her cover was blown.
She sat tied to a chair with metal wires that cut into her skin every time she moved. And replacing Takaede's usual beefy bodyguard was a shinobi skilled in the art of chakra depletion. He had cut off her chakra supply, much the way she would have if she was conducting an interrogation. She actually admired his efficiency. She was completely unable to summon any strength and the sensation of her organs slowly shutting down was entirely unpleasant.
Been through worse, she reminded herself with a small smile.
"Stop playing games with me!" Takaede screamed, taking it upon himself this time to hit her, a hard, solid slap across the face.
Sable just laughed, brushing the blood off her lip against her already crimson shoulder. "You hit like a child. Why don't you sit back and let the professionals handle the interrogation, huh?" she asked, spitting out a bit of blood onto his expensive pent house carpet. 'I don't think you're going to pass room check," she added with a mock apologetic smile.
Takaede growled and stepped forward to hit her again but the interrogator stopped him, grapping his wrist with a steady hand.
"Takaede, let me handle this. She's simply messing with you. You wont get her to talk like that. She's done this before," he explained calmly.
You have no idea, buddy, Sable thought with a humorless grin.
"Why don't we be realistic?" the interrogator asked Sable once Takaede had left the room to cool off. "You're not going to leave this room alive," he started bluntly. "But you can die a lot easier, and much less painfully if you just give us the information."
Sable laughed, the sound turning into a weak wheezing cough quickly. "Arent you cute? I never really go for that approach. Hearing you're going to die no matter what makes you angry. Too angry to be helpful. Im not angry though, " she added as nonchalantly as she could in her predicament.
"You're not?" the interrogator asked, mildly surprised.
"Nope. Im entertained."
"Entertained? By me or your situation?"
"Both?"
"Care to elaborate?"
"Not at all. My jaw's a bit sore." She smiled , teeth stained red with blood. "You have a killer right hook."
"Thank you."
"No problem. Give credit where credits due and all that. Can I leave now?"
"Leave?" he asked incredulously. "Why would I let you leave?"
"Because Im not telling you a damn thing and we both know it. Besides, I need a shower, Im a bit of a mess."
The interrogator smiled at her. She was an interesting one, that was sure. But his record said that he had never failed to get his answers. And he was incredibly protective of that record. No pretty kunoichi was going to ruin it, no matter how much the idea of torture amused her.
"I think we both know you aren't leaving this room," he told her realistically.
"You think wrong," she grinned.
"Now, Im going to have to get a bit messy, Im afraid. You seem determined to draw this out," he sighed, stepping towards her and crouching down to undo her ankle binds. Her legs just slid together in front of her, completely useless. Her smile faded for only a moment at the sight of her raw ankles. They would be of no use at all when her and Kakashi made a run for it later.
Yes. She believed he was coming to get her. Any minute now. Because he had changed and he wasn't going to let her rot again. Not like last time. Of this she was positive.
"Field trip?" she asked cheerfully as he undid her wrist ties and lifted her bridal style. "Ooo, I hadn't pegged you for the kinky type. I can think of worse ways to go," she winked, unphased by his mysterious actions but thinking he was heading for the bed.
Her bravado disappeared the moment he strung her up by her wrists to the ceiling fan, her bare bloody feet swaying a few inches above the wooden floor. A small part of her shivered at the memory of Itachi stringing her up the same way, whispering in her ear that he would break her right before digging into her spine with his kunai.
The interrogator noticed the change and smiled at her. "Ah. I see we've done this before. Strange, I don't see any marks," he commented casually as he slid a kunai down her dress, watching as it dropped to the floor below her slightly swinging body, heavy with her blood.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Sable refuted, though the cattiness she had before was wavering now as she fought to stay in the present. The recollection of her sessions with Itachi cutting into her mind, her skin burning with the memories of his many blades. Her spine ached at the reminder. Her heart froze as she realized she was no longer the one in control.
"No witty comeback? Now, don't give up so easily, I haven't even started. I thought you were a live one," he tsked as he drew his kunai and walked behind her, one hand on her shoulder, to steady her from swinging.
"Now, lets remember what the purpose of this exercise is, dear. Im going to ask you a question, and you're going to tell me the truth. If not, I dig my kunai into your spine. Question one: Who are you?"
…..
Kakashi sat in the lobby, watching Takaede downing shot after hurried shot at the bar, his stomach dropping.
Takaede was supposed to be asleep. In bed. While Sable copied the documents. Instead, he sat at the bar, documents tucked into his jacket pocket, just visible from where Kakashi sat.
And Sable was no where to be found. He ripped off his beard and replaced it with his mask, trading in the eyepatch for his headband a moment later. If he was going to find out what happened, his reputation would definitely help in the questioning process.
Cursing under his breath, he stood and walked over to Takaede, grabbing him by the shoulder and dragging Takaede off the barstool.
"Where is she?" he demanded, voice low and lethal.
…
Sable coughed, the sound wet and painful.
She was completely unable to speak, afraid if she engaged her vocal cords she would do nothing but scream. Her old scars burned furiously as the interrogator cut through them, adding to the painful déjà vu moment she was suffering through.
"Lets just try letters. Whats the first letter of your name? We can start there," he offered calmly, in a voice that infuriated her. She knew that voice far too well. Detachment. Which meant he would continue this until she gave him what he wanted or someone stopped him. Someone like Kakashi.
"You want letters?" she managed, voice rough with pain and blood. "I have a few."
"Really? Care to share?"
"F"
"Mhmm."
"U"
"I think I see where this is going."
"C-K PERIOD Y-O- FUCKING U," she spat, anger getting the better of her. She knew that by showing any emotion other than nonchalance she was letting him know he was getting to her. No matter how she tried, she couldn't chase away those images of Itachi from her mind.
"Oh, I think we're making progress."
Just as he moved to add a new line of blood to her marred back, the door flew open, accompanied by the unconscious body of Takaede as Kakashi tossed him in.
The jonin took two steps into the room and froze, taking in the sight of Sable strung up and pretty much covered in blood.
"Oh, Kami, you came," Sable cried, beside herself with relief, coughing up a bit more blood but smiling now. He had come this time.
Kakashi's one eyed gaze went from Sable's relieved, albeit beat up, face to the rapidly paling face of her torturer, who clearly recognized the Copy Ninja and just how much trouble he was in.
A few painful minutes later and the interrogator was unconscious beside Takaede at the foot of the bed and Kakashi was untying Sable.
"I think my cover was blown," she choked as she collapsed in his arms, limbs useless.
"A safe bet," he replied with difficulty. He was trying very very hard not to be upset by her condition. He was no medic nin but he knew he could use his sharingan to help open back up her chakra gates. He carried her to the bed and laid her down before getting to work.
"What are we going to do about the mission?" she asked as he slowly and carefully undid the work of the interrogator.
"The mission is blown. Im bringing you to the hospital. Now." He was adamant. The choice at the moment was Sable or the mission, and it wasn't hard to figure out which side he was on.
"No. We cant. Itachi wins if we don't get those manifests. He cant know we have them," she argued, refusing to give up. 'You're the genius, help me think, Hatake!"
"Sable, you need a medic," he retorted seriously, finishing up the last of the gates but knowing she had only enough chakra remaining to keep her organs from failing completely.
"No. I'll be fine. Help me sit up, I have an idea," she said suddenly, eyes brightening despite the pain. Pain was relative. Completing the mission was imperative. Screwing over Itachi was priceless.
Kakashi knew he wouldn't win the argument so he gave in. helping her into a sitting position.
"Okay, I know you aren't a master at this but Im going to try and channel your chakra through me. Bring Takaede closer. I need to be able to touch his head," she instructed.
"Not a master at what?" he asked as he complied, easily dragging Takaede's unconscious form onto the bed beside her.
"Implanting memories. Its difficult but I think we can do it. How's your chakra supply?" she asked as she turned Takaede's face so his forehead was upright.
"I have enough," he answered, though he was running a bit low himself after using the sharingan to undo the damage to her chakra system.
"Good. Come here. I'm feeling lightheaded so we have to hurry." She reached for his hands, and laid them over hers as she pressed her fingers against Takaede's temples.
"Tell me what to do," Kakashi nodded, giving her the go ahead.
"Just pulse your chakra through the veins in my hands and down my fingers, I'll take it from there. Just try and give me control. Monitor yourself though. When you feel your getting too low, tell me. Got it?" she instructed, closing her eyes.
"Got it."
"Okay. Start." He silently directed his chakra to his hands, allowing her control once hers reached for it, feeling their energies intertwine. Hers was incredibly weak, barely there at some points.
He watched her expression pale and her brows knit and relax as she encountered problems. He knew what a delicate art memory weaving was and he was sure it had never been performed under such circumstances before. But if anyone could pull it off, it was Sable.
What felt like ages later Sable released his chakra, opening her eyes. Her eyes were bloodshot with strain and she swayed a bit in his arms.
"I could only do so much," she explained as she tried to steady herself. "He thinks we slept together, and that he fell asleep. The bruises on his face are from a you, but because Kato barged in and grabbed me. That explains his face, the blood on the floor and why we wont be here when he wakes up."
Kakashi just stared at her. She wasn't the best offensive fighter, preferring to meddle in your mind rather than drive a fist into your stomach. But damn was she good at her job.
"The manifests," he reminded her as she leaned against him for support.
"Left breast fold of his shirt," she murmured, losing consciousness fast. She was beyond exhausted and that was the first time she had ever used borrowed chakra to perform the memory procedure. It was always her last resort because she only had one shot. If she messed up or the subject woke up during it, the mission would be blown, some of her chakra would be stuck inside him and he would have some of her memories.
She prayed the fact that he hadn't woken up and that she had successfully removed Kakashi's chakra meant that it had gone smoothly.
Kakashi, while she floated in and out of consciousness, had managed to locate and copy the manifests and was now lifting her in his arms.
"What about him?" Sable mumbled, motioning to her interrogator.
"He's coming with us. Then you can return the favor," he told her, grabbing the man by the collar.
"Home?" she asked weakly, turning to look up at him.
"Home," he confirmed with a nod before leaping out the window towards the forest.
…
TA-DA! The mission is over!
Of course I had to give Kakashi a chance to redeem himself for last time, and I think Sable is pretty convinced he means business this time, no?
So, what did you guys think of the end of the mission? Good, bad, inbetween?- Tell me in a review!
NEXT UP: Sable and Kakashi are both back in Konoha, and they've got some questions for Tsunade. And Inoichi has some questions for his girlfriend!
Do you think he's going to believe nothing happened? Even though there was no physical communion, do you guys think he's going to be okay with Kakashi's redemption?
Find out by leaving a review! I wont start writing the next chapter until I get AT LEAST THREE (3)!
Be nice throw me a bone and leave a few words/thoughts!
