NYX EROS: Heart Strings

Chapter Ten: Here Now

Gone.

The Nyx Moirae is gone.

I clench and unclench my hands, feeling it go sweaty as time goes on. Even when the air conditioning here feels like it's already a degree below freezing.

I watch the people outside; they're still hopeful that maybe it has just been misplaced somewhere. But I doubt it.

Because someone stealing the Moirae is just the second most shocking event of the day.

It's the fact that someone actually got in and out of Nyx without notice that's making me shake.

And if someone has indeed taken the trouble of by-passing our security, then I highly doubt that the Moirae is still in the building.

I shake my head. This is enough; I'm going back to where I left Shikamaru and the others. Out of everyone here, he must be beating himself up the most. The Moirae was his responsibility, only he knew its location.

When I get there, Shikamaru is still replaying the videos over and over again. These are probably the only clue we're ever going to get about what happened. He looks at Sasuke, expectant, "Hey, I don't suppose your Sharingan will work on videos or on a screen?"

Sasuke steps forward to the monitors. "You want to know where he left it."

"He?" There's already a he? "You know who did this Nara?"

Shikamaru points his remote on another screen. The interrogation room is empty except for the man— no, boy who looks about our age, with his legs chained to chair he's sitting on. "His legs are bound to the chair to stop him from going anywhere, 'cause damn he runs fast. But the Moirae wasn't with him. We've got nothing on him except his name actually… Morino Idate."

"M-Morino?" I can hear my voice rising. "You don't think he's related to Morino Ibiki do you?"

Morino Ibiki, for a lack of better words, is a monster. If you want someone or something gone, if you want information out of even your enemy's mother, then he's the man you need. He's one of Regiment Erebus' most infamous creations, he tortures like it's a game of chess. Just a series of well-executed maneuvers.

"If he is, then Ibiki will destroy him…" He turns to Sasuke again. "So, can you do it Uchiha?"

I've always wondered at what the Sharingan can do. See through your enemy's movements, dissect every second like it were minutes long, what Shikamaru's asking for may not be too much.

"Play it again."

It's still amazing, the moment when Sasuke's eyes bleed red. It's terrifying, like they could be an oni's eyes, but at the same time they're quite the novelty. It's a deadly beauty.

Since I haven't seen the videos yet, I sit in between Ino and Naruto. They're both quiet and I wonder if they could actually sense the gravity of the situation, even if they are still new recruits.

The videos show every major corridor in the base, starting from here in the Intel Office. Saying that Idate was fast is an understatement; it took all of five min! From coming out of the office to getting caught in the Shibuya entrance, all I could see was a blur.

"Pause it… there!" Sasuke points to the corridor near the Portal Room. "The door to the Portal Room opens and closes for a split second."

"Shit teme, you actually noticed that?" Naruto, pumped, joins Sasuke. Ino stays with me, still quiet and in deep thought.

"You don't have any idea how he got in do you?" Ino asks Shikamaru. "I mean you see him coming out of here, but nothing on how he got in in the first place?"

He regards her for a second, as if surprised with the question (or that the question came from her) then shakes his head. "This is seriously all the footage we have of him. And he won't say where the Moirae is or why he took it—"

"What the hell is the Moirae anyway?" Naruto butts in. I'm surprised he's held out so long without asking.

Shikamaru sighs and sits, finally. "The Nyx Moirae is an electronic chip holding special— not to mention classified, information. It's divided into three parts: Clotho, a list of possible recruits, Lachesis, a list of agents and their up-to-date status, and then Atropos, a list of… deceased Nyx agents. They all fit together like a puzzle, one can't work without the other two."

"I can't begin to stress how much secrecy is a way of life here in Nyx," I add, mostly to Sasuke, Naruto, and Ino. "Families, friends, they can't know— for their own protection. And it might seem like I don't know how huge that is; I don't have a family… But just imagine all that information getting into the wrong hands."

"Silly Sakura-chan." Naruto takes my hand into his. More hand holding for me apparently. "Sasuke-teme and I are family… And Ino and pineapple head here can join in too if they want, but I have to be the head of the family!"

I stare at Naruto. They're my bestfriends, but I never thought they'd offer to be my family. Even Sasuke looks at me with a smirk (I assume it's because that's the nearest thing to a smile he can make). It just makes me incredulously happy, like getting a gift I never even knew I wanted.

Before I can turn into a pile of gibberish-spouting mush, I call Naruto an idiot and punch him on the shoulder. Hey, he knows what I mean.

"Alright! We still have a chip to find people."

Good cop. Bad cop.

This is a game I never thought I'd play, least of all with Sakura.

So far, all we know is that when he entered the Portal Room, he dropped the chip into one of the open portals. Akihabara, according to the two gatekeepers.

But why?

And because we're not going to fly into this fucking blind, we're squeezing more information out of Morino. Ergo, this 'good cop, bad cop' show.

We enter the interrogation room and I swear, for a second, the asshole's face just lights up when he sees us. Kami, I want to smash his face on the table. He's already underestimating us, fine. That means he's not going to expect anything.

Game. Set.

Sakura takes a seat on the chair in front of Morino, legs crossed and smile as bright as a fucking thousand watt bulb. I settle for the table, so I have a closer access to the guy's neck.

Morino's already starting the waterworks before Sakura can say anything. "Miss, you have to believe me, I had no idea that the chip was so important! I'm just a hired thief, you see. There are two other kids who rely on me…"

He grabs Sakura's hands and appeals to her 'better nature'. "You must understand miss, pretty young thing like you. And I know most kids here don't have parents so you should know how it feels having to fend for yourself."

Match.

"Oh, I do know Morino-san," Sakura, for her part, plays the part of the soft-hearted and naïve agent expertly, "That's why as an orphan myself, I want to tell you how lucky you are to still have a big brother."

The color drains from Morino's face considerably. He recoils as if hit but Sakura latches onto his hands. "Oh yes, having Ibiki-san as a big brother must give you such comfort. I mean the man's a powerhouse all on his own… How is he doing Idate-san?"

"I— I have no— what the hell are you talking about?"

Well shit. I don't even know why I'm here. Looks like Sakura can handle this by herself. The bastard's already walked right into her hands.

But since I'm here, might as well have my fun.

"Shut it. We know who you are. Everyone here does." I pause to watch him squirm, and damn is it satisfying. "Imagine what would happen if dear old brother were to find out."

It looks like he's about to have an apoplectic fit and become catatonic all at the same time. Sakura and I exchange glances; does she normally have to deal with idiots like this?

"Alright Idate-san, let me tell you our conditions. You tell us why you took the 'chip,' and where you sent it. If you do that, we can give you asylum from Ibiki-san. He doesn't have to know you're here… Fail to comply, and my friend here," she gestures towards me, the cue for me to open my Sharingan, "will make you wish we had given you to your brother instead."

He looks up at me like I'm some kind of demon. This is what I've been reduced to: a boogeyman. Sigh. "Start talking. And I'll know if you're lying."

Trying to find an electronic chip in a place dubbed the "Electric Town" of the country is like finding a fucking needle in an otaku-infested haystack. Interrogating Morino didn't really give us anything, just that he double-crossed the guy who hired him in the first place and sent the chip to Akihabara a friend of his, an Aoi Rokusho, would find.

But really, if there was anywhere he would sell it to, it'd be to the Wagarashi.

It's not long before we're standing across the street from the Crossfield, a skyscraper that's all steel and glass against a vast expanse of sky. It's the largest IT center in the country and it's owned by the Wagarashi Family, a bunch of greedy jackassess who'll shove their flashy lifestyle in your face every chance they can get.

But what use would they have for the Nyx Moirae?

I look at the dobe beside me. He's changed out of the gaudy orange shirt he was wearing and into a basic black shirt. He looks at the building and grins, delighting in the challenge no doubt.

I don't change, except for putting on a coat. Staying low-key is the point. They have to force me to wear a pair of shades though. As an Uchiha, I'm too easily recognizable here.

"Hey teme… Why do you think she never told us about this?" Naruto's voice is soft, and it makes me glance at him in my peripheral vision.

"She already said why dobe. Secrecy is their way of life." And it's not like we would have believed her anyway. Sweet, naïve, little Sakura, a spy with freakish healing powers? Doubtful.

"But I mean, it's us. We all practically grew up together," Naruto whines and he faces me completely. "You two are as much my family as Iruka is. She didn't have to face this alone."

I shrug. Even after my talk with Sakura the other night, I never asked her about the details. Of her childhood, of her life in Nyx. As long as she was who she said she was when it came to me and the dobe, then what else mattered? "Well, we're here now aren't we?"

He grins at me, content with my answer.

"Are you two about done with your bromance yet?" Sakura taunts me through the earpiece. She's already inside the building, scouting for a way into the heavily guarded restricted sections.

Tch. I'm still having trouble reconciling this Sakura who can sneak around in the shadows and the crybaby Sakura who wouldn't stop crying until I lent her my crayons… Actually, yeah. I can believe it. Manipulative bitch.

"Anyway, there's a back entrance on the east side of the building. I propped it open but you two better hurry up before anyone notices… Take care."

Sigh. I nod even though she can't see me.

"Yosh! You heard her teme. Let's go!"

Sometimes, men can be such pigs.

I walked right into the building in a little black dress and they start gawking. When I pretended to trip and sprain my ankle, they practically fall all over themselves just to bring me into the infirmary, which I know for a fact is located in their back office.

The minute they leave me alone, I'm already out the door and wandering the corridors. After that, it was all too easy to find the side entrance so Naruto and Sasuke can come in. The three of us coming in together would have seemed all too suspicious.

I can't believe I got in so fast. I tell myself that it's just the too-short dress or the make-up…

That or things really are too easy.

"Spit it out. I know you want to say something." Shikamaru leans back on the wall, his eyes intent on me. It's just him, Ino and I in the room 'cause the two boys went off somewhere to change.

"Like Ino-pig said, we still don't know how he got in. He's not smart enough to breach the system. I'm guessing that whoever hired him helped him get in."

"They're obviously powerful. Why would he betray them like that?" Ino jumps in with her own questions, absentmindedly biting her thumb like she does when she's tense. "Just to sell it to the Wagarashi family who probably has no idea what it's for? It all feels like a trap …"

I nod. "Sasuke made sure that Morino Idate was telling the truth. Either he's very good at lying or he doesn't know what's happening either. Care to weigh in Nara?"

Shikamaru closes his eyes and creates a circle with his hands, his thinking pose.

"I have a feeling that whoever hired Idate is still pulling the strings. Whoever they are, they know about us and that means they're a threat. Be careful out there Haruno." He clears his throat as if changing topics. "I'd have sent a more experienced team, like Neji's, but coincidentally they're already out on their own mission. Every other team is already booked. "

I read between the lines. This still faceless enemy may know the inner workings of Nyx.

"Yamanaka." Shikamaru calls out to Ino, looking a little like he's pained to do so. "You mind staying back here at base? I might need your help later…"

Ino agrees readily, like she'd already decided it in her head. Judging from my new-found discovery of her analytical abilities, Ino may really be useful in Shikamaru's department. You know, if she ever got around to letting go of her phone that is.

"Hey Forehead?" Ino calls out to me before I leave the room, "Try not to come back unconscious will you?"

Damn it Ino-pig! It's considered bad luck to discuss how and when you come back before missions. And even though I should be at least peeved, I find myself smiling anyway. I missed that insufferable blonde.

Before I can dwell on it more, there's a sudden sharp pain in the back of my head and I drown in the darkness

A/N:

Hey there! I own nothing except the story itself.

Review guys. Insert eager face. Don't miss out on being able to interact with me (not that that's such a big deal) and to share your input. And I seriously want to get to know the people who read my story. I'm looking at you (figuratively?) people from the US, the Philippines, and all the others. Leave a review. Or PM me. Especially the Filipinos out there reading, paramdam naman kayo guys.

While we're at it, has anyone read chapter 690 in the Naruto Manga? Laaaaaame.

And don't even get me started on the forums, especially the fandom and shipper centric ones. Trust me, it is not for the weak hearted. You'll pop a nerve at the sheer pig headedness of people in there. But it's the internet, and freedom of speech, and blah.

…I am never going into those again. Shudder.

What else… oh yeah, prompts! I'll be making some filler chapters soon. Give me prompts for SasuSaku. Thanks guys!