A/N: I hope I handled this well enough, and answered questions. Chapter sounds a bit cliched though, hm?

Please take note that I didn't write a full detail on the investigation with Hinata, so yeah. Thanks for the reviews. :D

Disclaimer: Naruto and characters are not mine.


12.

Hinata watched giddily as Kakashi and Anko muttered to each other, and Anko shook her head fervently at something the light haired man suggested.

"There's no need for him," The dark haired woman said softly. It seemed surreal to see Anko speak softly. After all, the softest she had gotten was when she yelled at the rookies.

Kakashi nodded, just as Kurenai stepped into the brightly lit interrogation room. The woman gave Hinata a warm smile and she gripped her shoulder.

"It's alright. Just tell us everything you know."

Hinata wasn't planning to keep anything from them though. It wasn't in her nature to lie. Even if she did cover up, there eventually would be some loophole Kakashi or Anko would point out due to her obvious inexperience with lying. Naruto had actually hugged her before she went into the interrogation room, and told her that he believed she would help Gaara clear his name.

"We're counting on you," Naruto said, blue eyes dim.

The Hyuuga herself stood at the same side with Naruto. She knew Gaara wouldn't do that. A man like him...it wasn't possible. And she would do whatever was in her power, no matter how small, to help the handsome redhead. When Tsunade suggested that Gaara had betrayed them, it had sent her reeling in shock at the hospital. A part of her questioned his actions along the way back to Argon, but she couldn't doubt them...not when he did not look liked he was working with Kusugi or anyone. If his actions fitted right into the picture that illustrated his betrayal, she would do her best to find reasons for them. After all, it could be sheer coincidence, which untimely presence did them no good. Gaara didn't look like the sort who took orders. He belonged to the type who gave orders.

You sound like you're not trying to believe he did really turn his back on us.

There was a slight scraping sound as Kakashi and Anko sat before her while Kurenai positioned herself in the corner of the room facing Hinata.

"Hinata, we'll start now," Anko smiled at her reassuringly.

She nodded.

"According to Yuzuki Eiji, one of the intruders at the launch, he revealed that he was the supposed messenger for Kusugi Masato and Sabaku Gaara. It wasn't until later that they met face to face at the beach photoshoot and Eiji wasn't needed from there, because they could contact each other. Was it why he ripped his earpiece out, Hinata? To not let you hear it?" Kakashi asked as he watched her with his one eye.

"It wasn't that." The Hyuuga said, looking at the light haired man, her voice quavering slightly. "After the the photo shoot, I went back to our house because there was a robbery and I got a cut in the process of defending a girl."

"You said 'our house'," Anko queried. "Is there something else besides your otherwise mutual relationship?"

"Nothing happened between us," Hinata replied softly.

Kakashi nodded and jotted down something.

"So you went back." The older agent said. "And we have Gaara still with Kusugi."

"Yes. If y-you check the camera given to us for this assignment, it would show you that Kusugi wanted a go at his car. I believe it would still be in his laptop. I supposed he ripped out the earpiece because he suspected Kusugi doubted him. When he arrived home, he told me that his car had been installed with a tracking device, probably by Kusugi. It was perhaps the reason why he would destroy contact with me."

"Okay." Anko said, nodding her head, making her ponytail bounce eagerly. "So we have evidence for that. Any idea why he would betray Argon?"

"No. It isn't l-likely." She answered, fingering her hands. "I - There was once, he went out on a date with a model for undercover purposes. Her name was Kiku. He made her tipsy," The Hyuuga said, feeling a smile coming on. "He drove her home after that, but he didn't do anything to her. You can probably witness that on his laptop too, because we downloaded the cameras after each live video."

"Did you see the whole affair after he drove the model home?" Kakashi asked. Hinata wasn't sure if he was joking or really just following protocol, but you never knew what went on behind Kakashi's mask.

Anko sent him a look and he shrugged.

"I didn't," she answered honestly. "But I am very sure the camera got it down. This gesture," She took a deep breath. "This gesture can show that Gaara wouldn't do anything behind our backs though, even if he gained something from it. The model assumed he had bedded her, but in fact, he didn't."

"How do you know...er," Kakashi glanced down. "Kiku assumed that he had spent a night with her?"

"Gaara requested to meet me at the apartment T-Tsunade had given us on the same night. He arrived at around 10.50. The next morning, he received a phone call from Kiku, who wanted to know where he had gone after spending the night. Gaara told her that someone tried to steal his car and he had to hurry off, which was a lie made on the spot. Kankurou and Temari were there as well. I didn't personally see him not doing anything, but I believe it was captured on camera."

"Mm hmm."

"He also told me the password for his laptop," Hinata offered. "I feel that if he wanted to- to keep something from me, he wouldn't have done that. It would have been risky."

Anko nodded slowly.


Tsunade watched Hinata talk through the one way window as Naruto stood rigidly beside her, his fists clenched.

She hadn't given orders to freeze Gaara's bank account, because it would definitely alert them when he did withdraw money. And should he enter the surrounding nations, Tsunade would be contacted immediately. The blonde knew Naruto didn't like the way she handled Gaara, but that was protocol, and exactly what the head of Argon should do.

Kurenai exited the room and entered on their side, nodding at Naruto.

"From the looks of it," The dark haired woman said, crimson eyes meeting hazel. "Hinata doesn't seem to be covering up for anything. I've been through women who lie without batting an eyelash, but Hinata knows that when she lies, its obvious. She should still be in there for the next hour or so." The last statement was directed at Naruto.

Naruto nodded.

"I need someone to check Gaara's laptop now. Naruto, perhaps you would like to do something to keep your mind off the current situation?"

The tall blonde nodded silently and followed as Kurenai left, leaving Tsunade to observe the Hyuuga.


Gaara blinked once as the ruffled white ceiling above him shifted, as though quivering. He blinked again. This time, a sharp pain rose quietly up his arm, and somewhere in his mind, sleep was pulling him back to slumberland.

Where the hell was he?

He shut his jade orbs and gathered his thoughts calmly. Hinata had visited him in the hospital, scratches and all. She had left afterwards, and he ate his dinner and dozed off...

...then after that what?

His eyes remained shut.

Not a speck of awareness as to what had happened after he slept filtered through his mind.

The redhead reopened his eyes. This time, the ceiling stayed exactly where it was, and he propped himself up on his right elbow, blood rushing to his head rapidly. Ignoring it blatantly, he succeeded in getting up and his gaze focused on his surroundings. Dirty white walls surrounded him; two were rectangular in shape while the other two were squarish, with a line down the middle that suggested doors.

I'm in a cargo container.

Gaara didn't panic. If you started running around like a headless chicken and screaming your lungs out, then you'd be gasping for breath in several minutes and then there was the thirst factor to consider and the limited amount of oxygen available. He leaned against one of the walls, and contemplated hard.

Someone had obviously abducted him from the hospital. Why hadn't anyone seen him? And Hinata was probably facing an empty hospital ward right now.

The redhead checked his pockets (he was still in the clothes the hospital had provided), knowing very well nothing would be there. And he was right.

Scarlet stains and a minute hole on his left hand confirmed that his IV tube had been ripped out too.

He thought again.

It could be possible...that Kusugi Masato had seen through him. After all, no ordinary woman was able to handle a stun gun with familiarity like Hyuuga Hinata.

And those armed men. They were probably Izumo-connected.

There was a loud screech from outside the square walls, as though someone was unlocking the door.

Gaara stiffened, his jade eyes set as the doors opened.


"There, there! Hinata's right!"

Naruto jabbed hard at the laptop screen, making it shiver under his index finger as Itachi cast him an amused look. The two had been going at the videos in Gaara's laptop non stop, as though it was a movie marathon. A detailed report from Kakashi accompanied Itachi on another sleeker computer, its screen facing them as well. Occasionally, Kurenai would give them the latest report coming out of the interrogation room.

"I can see that, Naruto. Move your finger away."

The blonde removed it and watched from the view of a button on Gaara's shirt as he heaved an unconscious woman onto a bed and started stripping her.

"Holy shit." Naruto stared as Itachi pressed several keys, his fingers moving deftly over the mousepad. A few seconds later, the video had been thoroughly censored.

"Aw, Itachi.." He muttered. The Uchiha remained passive as he stared at the video with rapt attention. Then his black eyes darted to the report.

"Hinata's report fits."

"Of course." Naruto huffed as Gaara tucked the brunette in bed and started to move away from the room. The entire video ran on, and the older Uchiha couldn't see any loopholes. Hinata's statements matched the video like a puzzle.

"Next one." Naruto said eagerly, moving as the chair he was sitting in creaked.

They completed the videos rapidly, both agents on alert at the point when Gaara supposedly ripped out his earpiece. It flowed into a harmless test drive for Kusugi, and both men returned to the beach thereafter.

"Alriiiiight.." The Uzumaki muttered.

An hour later, Itachi pushed through the doors of Tsunade's office, his report in one hand, Kakashi's report in the other with Naruto beside him.

"Fits like a puzzle."


His senses heightening with each second, Gaara stood up, his jade eyes sharp, but lacking its usual alertness due to the unknown drug he had been given.

A figure stepped in, and from its physique, he guessed that it had to be Kusugi Masato. Then another person entered as well, his resemblance strong to the former man. Two more bulkier and well built men lumbered in, blocking out sunlight. They approached him swiftly, but Gaara made an attempt to block their moves. Something hard was shoved into his head, and a pair of strong hands gripped his left arm, pressing deeply into his wound.

He gritted his teeth.

He could tell that it was the barrel of a gun pointed at his head.

Emerald eyes narrowed as the figures moved.

Two facsimiles of Kusugi Masato stood before him, one smirking, a hand in his the pocket of his slacks while the Kusugi on the left watched him warily. Their supposed bodyguards flanked them, their stances intimidating, but it did not leave much of an imprint on Gaara.

"Sabaku Gaara," Masato said, his eyes narrowed. "I see you're awake."

The one the left was Masato.

"Had a nice sleep?" The other asked.

The redhead was a hundred per cent positive that it wasn't the drugs, it wasn't the lack of oxygen, illusion, blurred vision or anything that contributed to the scenario.

For instance, the two men were dressed in different clothes. Next, the second Kusugi had a deeper tone. Gaara didn't respond to the earlier question.

"Where am I?"

"That's a difficult question." The other Kusugi spoke. Masato interrupted.

"Are you an agent?"

Allowing a small smirk to surface, Gaara didn't reply. His mind however, was working as fast as the drugs could allow him. If the Masato look alike had something to do with this, then Ishikawa Izumo had some sort of connection with him. But why hadn't he come across another Kusugi in the file?

"Answer me!" Masato snarled.

The safety lock on the gun slid back smoothly.


Tsunade flipped open Itachi's filed report, her eyes scanning the words rapidly.

She looked up.

The Uchiha stared pointedly at her.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome," Naruto snorted. "Have you located Gaara?"

"No."

"What?"

"Naruto, we are searching for him," Tsunade said heatedly. "I didn't know you had such a poor idea of me. If your reports show Gaara is clear, then I can only believe them, can't I? As for the money, he hasn't touched a single cent, and Konoha's airports haven't seen him leave the country. I haven't-"

The phone rang.

"Hello?...Temari....Yes, yes, I have sent a team already. Okay. Okay. We'll find him. Don't worry. The account? No he hasn't......Bye."

"Temari and Kankurou are in Suna," Tsunade rubbed her forehead. "She's taking the earliest flight back to Leaf."

"They've been working with Argon for nearly a decade." Itachi spoke up. "It should have then dawned on us if they were planted in Argon. Gaara has nothing to gain, because he knows how Argon operates. We'll be keeping an eye on his bank account. Working for Kusugi doesn't seem such an appealing idea, especially when his sister and brother heads a car company. There are other factors, but it is unlikely Gaara is willing to be given orders by such people."


"No." The redhead replied after what seemed like an eternity.

"Really?" The other Kusugi asked, a lazy smile creeping up. "We know everything, Sabaku Gaara."

"Then believe what you want."

He spat at the foot of Masato and gnashed his teeth.

Fingers gripped his chin as he was forced to look up into his target's how things turned out. Now he was the damned target.

"You say you're no agent. But my brother identifies you as an agent." Masato jerked his head toward the man.

Twins. They are twins.

"That's too bad," Gaara managed a dark smile. "Masato-san."

Something hard and fleshy whacked into his abdomen, making him double over as pain filled his entire body. There were more punches given to his torso, and then there was a gunshot.

Masato had shot him in the arm, exactly at the wound he was recovering from. Blood gushed out as he saw bright light and fell to the ground. He could hear someone yelling, and realised that he was the one yelling. The pain from yesterday was multiplied by a hundred fold, sweat coursing down his forehead, past his cheek, onto his chin, and dripped off to the ground. Voices swam over his head as heavy footsteps echoed near him.

There was a loud clanging sound and then the entire container became dark again.


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