Unfortunately, I do not own Naruto. If I did, it STILL wouldn't have me in it. lol.
(a/n) Just so you know, I AM aware that Chapter 6 pretty much sucked. But I couldn't jump to Valerie being saved right away could I? Well, I promise it will get better, and I hope that this chapter is MUCH better than 6.
Rated T: For some 'naughty' words, if you don't like it, don't read it.
Chapter Seven:
"Dee? Dee!? Are you there?"
Dee looked over at her phone, and her dark eyes widened as she realized who it was speaking, "Kate!" she yelled, startling the person on the other side.
"Dee! Are you okay?" Kate asked tentatively.
"Of course, but what about you?"
"I am fine," Kate answered, "What was all that screaming about?"
"Y-you mean that wasn't you?" Dee responded, stuttering.
"No! It wasn't you?"
"No, but that means it was..." Dee started.
"VALERIE!" They both yelled in unison.
"Shit," Kate swore, "What the hell has she gotten herself into?" Dee paused, too scared to say what she had been thinking about earlier that day.
"Dee?"
"Kate," she said, in an extremely serious voice, causing Kate to listen all the more intently, "I was thinking."
"mmm," Kate urged her to continue.
"Well, you went to Konoha, and I went to Suna."
"Yes, we know this," Kate interrupted, impatiently.
"Wouldn't that mean," Dee continued, with a little more confidence, "That Valerie is in another major setting during this part of the series?"
- - - - -
"You don't mean," Kate began, her eyes widened in horror as she came to the same realization as her friend.
"I think that she is with Orochimaru."
"T-then the voices we heard, it wasn't Valerie, was it?"
"I don't think so," Dee responded, "In fact, the more I think about it, it seems to me that the two voices belonged to Kabuto and Orochimaru himself."
Kate breathed a slight sigh of relief, "But why would Orochimaru purposely harm his own subordinate?"
Dee's end of the phone was silent.
"Then again," Kate continuing, as a thought occurred to her, "It did seem like Kabuto did something wrong!"
"But," Dee answered, pessimistically, "If he did that to Kabuto, WHAT had he done with Valerie?"
"AND, how has he gotten his hands on her cell phone?"
"AND," Dee elaborated further, "WHY haven't we heard anything from them until now?"
"I think I should go talk to Tsunade," Kate replied firmly, before hearing Dee sigh on the other line.
"That seems like a good idea."
- - - - -
The air was brisk as she made her way to the Hokage's office building. Kate was glad she had borrowed one of Hinata's many parkas.
As the building drew closer, sweat made its way down her neck; she was nervous.
'My first impression wasn't exactly solid,' she thought, 'I hope she will help us.' She sighed, 'She will probably just make me pay her more, like I have time for that!!'
She climbed the stairs, still nervous, but no longer sweating; she passed the guard without paying any attention.
"Miss?" She heard him say, "MISS?"
Turning to him, still deep in thought, it didn't occur to her that she may not be allowed to see Tsunade at this point in time.
"Yes?" she asked him, politely.
"What are you doing?"
"Going to see the Hokage," she stated simply.
"Haven't we already had this conversation?" said the man, standing up.
"It is very likely, but I really need to speak to her."
"I am afraid I can't let you do that because-" the man began.
"It's okay Toshiro," They heard, both of them turned to see Lady Tsunade herself emerging from her office, "Have you brought my money?" she asked, looking directly at Kate.
A grin spread across Kate's face, "Not quite." Tsunade scowled as Kate continued, her teal eyes dancing, "Actually, I have come for the exact opposite purpose."
- - - - -
"So," Tsunade said, attempting to confirm what she barely understood, "You suspect that this friend of yours is currently the prisoner of Orochimaru?" Kate nodded as a response.
"And now," The Hokage continued, "you expect me to send a search and rescue party?"
"No!" Kate said, exasperatedly, "I want you to send someone to infiltrate the property to see if it is necessary to send the search and rescue party."
"I am sorry," Tsunade said, "But I am just not willing to send one of my own into a dangerous situation to rescue someone I don't know for someone who can't even pay me for the services!"
"Please!" begged Kate, "You don't understand!" Tsunade raised her eyebrows, "What don't I understand?"
Kate sighed, "Okay I guess you do understand," hanging her head she muttered, "But I thought that your understanding would cause you to help us."
Kate turned around, about to leave the room, her hair hanging limply around her and eyes drooped.
"Fine!"
"What?" Kate yelled, as she whipped around.
"I'll help."
- - - - -
"Ah, hello Valerie," Kabuto said in a disgustingly sweet voice.
"What do you want?" Valerie spat, looking him directly in the eye.
SMACK! Valerie flinched at the stinging pain she felt running across her cheek. "BASTARD!" she yelled, before feeling the same contact to her other cheek.
"Just leave her ALONE," the figure in the corner said, "She only wants to know what you want with her!"
"I suggest you both keep quiet if you know what's best for you," he spat, looking down into Valerie's puffy swollen eyes, "I only came here to ask you a civilized question."
"Civilized? I seriously doubt that," Valerie yelled at him.
Kabuto raised his hand again, bringing it down quickly, stopping it right before hitting her delicate face again. He brought his face down to hers as he said, greasily, "You just don't know what's good for you, do you?" Valerie growled.
"All I want to know," he said, light bouncing off his glasses, lighting her face, "Is what this means."
Valerie flinched as her cell phone was thrust into her face. She held out a shaking hand, to take the phone and look at it. Moving the screen up, she noticed the screen had become scarlet, and everything was spinning.
Her eyes narrowed, "I have never seen it like this!" she said to Kabuto.
He threw his hands into the air and stormed off, muttering. Still holding the phone, she looked down at it, wondering if he really intended to let her keep it, "Wow," she muttered, incredulity was written all over her face.
She got up, stumbling over her feet, not really paying attention to what she was doing. She slid down the wall, sitting cross-legged next to Koori.
"I will send Anko, first thing in the morning," she heard, coming from the phone, a little later she heard, "Temari, is Gaara always like that?"
Sounds were coming through the phone, she heard a voice she didn't recognize, then Dee's, and then Kate's, but they didn't seem to be talking to each other, more like they were both having conversations, in different places, at the same time.
"Weird," she heard Koori say, looking over her shoulder, their arms brushing together. She nodded, looking up into his eyes, they were so icy, but warm at the same time; she was truly glad that she had been stuck in this cell with him.