Chapter 11

Plans

I landed in my room. It was dark and a density about the air made it feel cramped. I turned and heard something…a steady sound that I recognized as breathing. I froze. Someone was here… I turned and saw him, he was wearing the same cloak that I was, dark ugly brown. His hood was up so I couldn't see his face, only the shadow that was draped across it.

His arm shot out from beneath the coat and extended a blank sheet of paper to me. "Come alone unless you wish for the life of your family to end," he said in a dark voice before vanishing out my window. I sat motionless, I couldn't do anything. What had just happened?! I'm not in my dorm for more than five minutes before I'm confronted by monsters?!

I stared at the paper that the man had left on my floor. It was folded once in half then again in half. I reached down for it. The moment my fingers made contact with the parchment I felt every muscle in my body tense. Did I dare open it?

I unfolded it slowly then examined the words that were written in almost perfect print on the paper.

Dear Miss Hyuga,

By the time you finish this letter the one you love most will be in our clutches. What we require of you to get him back is a meeting. I ask that you meet with me at the home of . You can't miss it, Dear. If you would like him alive it would do you both well to come alone. Do not test my word Miss Hyuga, we will know if you come with someone, make a wise decision. If you choose to disobey these requests we may just waver in our side of the agreement to leave your loved one unharmed. Don't forget your passport! See you soon, Dear.

Yours,

Sven

A small photograph fell to the floor. I gulped loudly then bent to examine the photo. It was a photograph of Itachi and me from the summer. He had his arm wrapped around my shoulder and I stood beside him with the stupidest smile on my face. But where Itachi's face should have been was a hole, a cigarette burn. I could hear the sounds of my theories fitting together. Click, click, click. All the pieces fit together. Whoever this person was who wanted to see me had Itachi. It felt as if my inner being had been ripped from my body. I stood motionless as I put together a plan to get him back.

I was interrupted when my dormitory door flung open and made a small scratch in the wall behind it. Sasuke ran to me and grabbed me hand. "Who's been here?" he asked loudly. I winced as the pressure he was putting on my arm grew. He immediately let go and apologized. "Someone's been here…who was it?" he pressed, nostrils flaring. I looked at him with my empty expression. "I don't know."

He took the letter from my hand and hissed something unintelligible. "I need to find him, Sasuke…I need to." He looked at me, his eyes blazing. "You're not going anywhere!" he corrected.

"Sasuke please…" I begged.

It looked as though he were surprised I wasn't yelling back. I began rubbing his temples and finally agreed. "Let's go," I said relieved. He looked at me skeptically and I realized we had no clue where it was we were going. "Mrs…Colt?" I asked, who was that? The name sounded familiar…

"Colt…colt…" he repeated the name over and over again to himself. His eyes lit up. "Elizabeth Colt…?" he asked to nobody. I tried desperately to remember who the person was. I crumbled to frustrated and stressed. "Who is it?" He looked at me then pulled the large white gun I had seen only one other time of his sweatshirt. "You just carry that thing around with you?!" I shouted as he pulled it out. He just rolled his eyes and placed the weapon on the bed.

"Hanabi, in 1835 Samuel Colt invented a gun, the most famous weapon of its time. He became very rich during the Civil War of the United States of America, his gun being a favorite for both Confederate soldiers and Union soldiers. When he died he left all his money to his wife. She used that money to build a mansion, but she built it in a way that there were doors leading to nowhere and stairwells that led into the ceiling and such. Acres of land were used for her to continue building and even once she died the building hadn't been finished…" He stopped and looked at me. "Pack your things," he instructed, "we're going to New Mexico."