Here you are—chapter twelve. I've nothing to say save the fact that my books arrived and it's time for me to begin working… -sigh- Well, that, and the fact that my beta has finally returned. Enjoy.

Concealed; verb—to hide; withdraw or remove from observation; cover or keep from sight

--Concealed--

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight…

The sound of footsteps over the wooden deck.

Nine, ten, eleven, twelve…

They were getting closer.

Thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty…

"… Anko?"

I didn't stop counting; didn't look at her. "Yeah?"

Twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-three, twenty-four…

"What… what happened?"

I was sitting on the deck: my feet dangling over the ocean, my arms crossed, using the rail to support me; my forehead resting against my forearm. I turned my head to look at her. "You passed out and have been sleeping for the past day. Don't you remember?"

Ino shook her head slowly; I knew she believed me and it was a relief. One less problem to deal with.

It was only a half lie—she hadn't passed out, so to speak, but she had been sleeping for a full day. It was Monday now; it had been Sunday when I had rescued her.

"Well, it's a good thing you're so slim because I had to carry you. If you were any heavier, I would have left your ass back at the inn."

She laughed. "Thanks!"

"Not a problem."

We went silent.

Twenty-five, twenty-six, twenty-seven, twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty…

"I had the weirdest dream," the blonde said thoughtfully.

I stiffened slightly. "Oh?"

Thirty-one, thirty-two, thirty-three, thirty-four…

"Yeah." She laughed. "You'll think I'm crazy, but I dreamed you were some sort of hero and you beat the crap out of some bad guys to save me."

A… hero? Hardly. "You're not crazy, Ino." I patted the space next to me. "Come. Sit."

"Nah; I'm starving. You leave any breakfast for me?"

"Mhmm." I pointed to my left.

Thirty-five, thirty-six, thirty-seven, thirty-eight, thirty-nine, forty…

"Thanks." As she walked away, I looked back at the ocean, shading my eyes as sunlight glinted off of the gentle waves.

Forty-one, forty-two, forty-three, forty-four, forty-five…

"Forty-six." I sighed, falling onto the sun-warmed surface of the deck. What the Hell is wrong with me? I'm acting like a twelve year-old with a crush! This shouldn't bother me—it shouldn't matter.

But it did. For reasons beyond me, it mattered.

She mattered.

Any time I was around her, I had to stop myself from touching her, my body craving the contact. Any time I was around her, my heartbeat doubled and my stomach flipped.

All of a sudden, I felt trapped—my skin tight and uncomfortable. I resisted the urge to pace.

… Forty-six hours since I've last seen Tayuya.

'This is a problem.'

How so?

'You're falling for her… or, perhaps, you've already fallen.'

That isn't true.

I closed my eyes, called up an image of Kurenai in my mind's eye; her smile was all wrong—it was cocky and playful, not warm and friendly—and her hair was too long, too… red.

Fuck. It can't be true.

The image warped, winking at me, and I gasped, opening my eyes.

'And yet, it is.'

We arrived around noon.

Ino and I were eating lunch at a deserted little café near the dock waiting for the barge that bore my car when a man—wide-shouldered, tall, and imposing, with an air of authority—stopped next to our table.

I looked up and met his gaze squarely. He was wearing a long-sleeved dress-shirt and slacks—all black despite the heat—and a back bandana covered his head. There were two scars on his face: one that ran from the left side of his temple to his chin and a shorter one that split his right cheek.

"Anko Mitarashi…" he said at last, his voice gravelly. "I never thought I'd see you around here."

Calmly, I sipped my coke. "I wish I could say the same, Morino, but I was actually looking for your ugly mug."

His laugh was loud—more threatening than mirthful from such a big man. "You haven't changed on bit." He pulled up a chair and straddled it, crossing his arms over its back. He tilted his head towards my blonde companion in greeting. "You've got a beautiful young lady with you, I see. Is she—"

"A friend of mine," I said sharply. "Ino, this is Ibiki Morino. He's an old friend."

"Nice to—"

"Charmed, I'm sure. Now what do you want, you conniving little bitch?"

Ino arched an eyebrow at the insult but I merely smirked. "The usual: a place to stay without any 'disturbances'."

"You in trouble?"

My gaze flickered to Ino and he nodded, understanding my unspoken message. Ibiki tapped his wrist as though he were wearing a watch: Talk later.

I nodded.

"Alright then, ladies, I'm off. Mitarashi, I'll get right to your request. You know where to find me." He rose and lumbered away.

"An 'old friend'," Ino asked incredulously. "How the Hell do you know a guy like that?" I shrugged, unwilling to answer that question. "So… why exactly are we staying at his place?"

It's safer than anywhere else right now. "He owns a hotel and he'll give me a discount. I'm not made of money, you know, and it's me who's been paying our way."

Remember when I said my parents left me some cash when they passed? It was quite a tidy sum...

She flushed, looked down at her plate. "Sorry. If you want—"

I waved her offer away, already knowing what she was going to say. "Don't worry about it; I've got it handled. Just promise me something."

"What?"

"You will do exactly as I say, ok?"

I knew it was an odd request and I saw confusion flash across the blue-eyed blonde's face. She hesitated before nodding.

"Good." The loud whistle of a steam engine sounded and I slapped down some bills on the table. "Come on, I think that's my car."

Technically, Morino's place wasn't a hotel. Oh, it acted as one: there were maids, bellboys, and various other employees that belonged in the hotel setting and the building looked normal enough. There were several differences between Morino's and your average hotel:

1. Every employee was armed to the teeth and trained to use deadly force.

2. The building itself was made from reinforced steel that nothing short of a tank could burst through

3. There was an underground portion of the building reserved for VIPs who paid an arm and a leg for maximum privacy with all the comforts of their own homes (it was crawling with drug dealers).

Basically, it was a hideout for people who wanted to disappear for a while.

A place for people like me.

"Welcome, Miss Mitarashi and friend. Your room is right this way. I'll have someone get your things for you," a young man said, offering me his arm. He was dressed in a black tux; his chestnut hair reached his chin and was combed back.

The colour reminded me of a certain someone's eyes.

"Always the gallant one, Genma." I had to tilt my head back slightly to meet his gaze. "You've gotten taller."

"That's what happens when you've been away for a long while—people change." His tone remained civil, but I could see the hurt in amber orbs. It… bothered me. "It's good to see you."

"And you," I said quietly. "Ino, this is Genma Shiranui. Genma, this is Ino Yamanaka."

He bowed. "Pleased to make your acquaintance, Miss Yamanaka. If there's anything you need, please let me know."

"So you did get out of your apartment every now and then," Ino said, tone dripping with sarcasm. "Good to know. It's nice to meet you too, Genma."

Genma lead us to our room,—I refused to let Ino stay in a room by herself here—listing the various facilities (indoor pool, spa, shooting range, etc) as we went up stairs flight by flight. The place didn't have elevators—too risky.

By the time we got to out floor, Ino was panting. She looked at us (perfectly ok) as though we were crazy when the male stopped in front of a door and handed me a key with a little red tag. "I hope you enjoy your stay," he said, bowing again. Then, he left.

Ino peered down the winding wooden labyrinth we had just cleared. "What kind of hotel doesn't have an elevator? Please tell me we don't have to walk back down those to leave."

"Ok, we don't. You could always jump out the window." She shot me a dirty look. "Calm down, Ino. You could use some exercise."

Before she could register the possible insult in that statement, I opened the door and went inside: the floor was plush white carpet and I felt it depress as I stepped on it; all of the furniture was mahogany (incredibly expensive nowadays) and had a tropical sort of style; there were two beds and a bathroom with a combination shower-jacuzzi; the light fixtures were wrought iron depictions of elegant leaves and the walls were a peaceful aquatic colour that contrasted the floor nicely.

A practical Heaven.

A Tayuya-less Hell.

"Damn…" Ino said. I heard the door close and she was walking past me. "You sure you can afford this?"

"I've got it covered." I went straight to the mini-bar, retrieved a water from the fridge and took a swig.

"You shouldn't touch anything in there," the blonde admonished. "They charge you up the ass for everything that isn't there."

"I think I know what I'm doing. I'm going to go see Ibiki. Can I trust you to stay out of trouble?"

She sniffed. "I'm a big girl. I don't need you to babysit me."

"Good to hear. I'll be back later."

I exited the room and closed the door behind me. "Alright, let's talk. You can't keep lurking outside my door."

Seemingly out of nowhere came Morino in all his ominous, black-clad glory. "It's good to see you haven't lost your edge. How is the pedestrian life treating you?"

"Save it." I held out my hand. "Let's talk business: how much is our stay going to cost me?"

He eyed it for a moment, then reached out and clasped it. "Why, Anko, you're an old friend. I wouldn't dream of charging you a dime."

Then, smoke enveloped us.

"Bullshit."

The smoke was clearing: he had taken me a small, ovular room. It was a good thing I wasn't claustrophobic. There was a single lamp above a metal table with two chairs of the same material, casting a dull, unsteady light.

I scoffed. "I do hope you don't give everyone this warm of a reception. The interrogation room?"

Nonetheless, I crossed the room and slouched into one of the chairs; Ibiki sat opposite me.

He reached for the cloth tied around his head. "Do you mind?"

Receiving a negative, he untied it. I couldn't help the shudder: the man's cranium was a story of unmerciful violence, depicted by the scars that riddled it.

"I haven't used this room in a long time," Ibiki said thoughtfully—almost wistfully."Things have been quiet without you tearing up the place, Mitarashi."

"Yeah, well, get use to it 'cause I'm not coming back. Now name your price."

He looked at me and sighed, broad shoulders sagging. "I was serious: I won't charge you a dime. I do, however, have some questions for you."

"Three." I was in no position to bargain, but I didn't like talking about the past. The past was done and dead as far as I was concerned.

"Five."

"Fine."

He frowned, realizing I had no intention of getting him to agree to my original preposition. "As crafty as ever."

"And I've a shorter temper to boot," I snapped.

"Watch it, Mitarashi. You do realize I'm doing you a huge favour by sheltering you and not mentioning that you dropped by to Him."

I leaned forward. "Psh. I know damn well that you don't like dealing with Him. I was your connection and that connection has been severed."

The older male growled, swiping a hand over his face. "Alright, alright. I know I won't get anywhere arguing you."

I relaxed into the chair (not that it was very comfortable), smirking. "Fine by me. Now ask your questions and be quick about it."

This situation reminded me of the talk between Tayuya and me. This time, though, I wouldn't be the one walking away frustrated with my lack of information.

"Why'd you leave? You were the best of the best."

That one was easy. "I wanted freedom. I didn't like the ball-and-chain deal."

"'Ball-and-chain'? You got everything you asked for and the only thing you had to do in return was something you excel at."

"Ball-and-chain," I repeated. "I was His pet; a brainless puppet that followed orders. Never again. That was two, by the way."

He swore. "Ok… What about the others? You were perfectly fine with leaving everyone you knew behind?"

"Leaving you behind as well?" I chuckled mirthlessly. "These things are never easy, Morino. But you could get out if you wanted to. They all could have. I was the only one He really wanted."

"And they did… In body bags." Fuck. No one had told me. Guilt made my eyes and throat burn. "Why did He want you?"

That one was harder. I bit my lip. "I'm a special case. Smarter, stronger, quicker—I cared less. I could easily throw away what I had for what He had to give me."

"You're talking about your ability to use Chakra, am I right? Last I heard, He had given up on the search. You're a hard person to find."

"I learned from the best," I muttered.

"He found a replacement for you, you know."

"Oh?"

"Four, actually. But the girl who took your rank was a pretty little red-head with a foul mouth. She was exceptional with Chakra and a gun. Not as good as you, of course."

Pretty little red-head? I frowned. It couldn't be… "Do you remember her name?"

He shook his head. "No, sorry. I don't have any ears on the inside anymore, so I couldn't tell you."

I closed my eyes, taking a deep, centering breath. "It's fine… You have one more question."

"Are you happy?"

That threw me for a loop. I stared at him for a long moment, contemplating the answers I could give him. Immediately, an image of Tayuya flooded my mind's eye. At last, I said, "I'm still searching for it."

"That's good to hear." The warmth in what were usually cold, focused eyes was surprising. "If you ever need somewhere to go, Anko, you can come here."

I nodded. "Thanks, Ibiki."

"How's your neck?"

Without thinking about it, I raised a hand towards the pattern that had been tattooed there with special herbs and power rather than ink. "Fine. It doesn't hurt anymore. Sometimes, I forget it's there."

"Do you need more concealing squares?"

"That'd be nice."

He nodded. "It's done. Care to tell me what's bothering you?"

I arched a questioning eyebrow.

"I've known you longer than anyone, Mitarashi. Something is bothering you—causing confusion or unsettling you. Maybe both."

Tayuya was most definitely confusing me. Damn Ibiki and his intuitiveness. "I'm cool. You're worrying about nothing."

"Hrm. If you say so. You take care of yourself."

"… You too. And, Ibiki?"

"Hmm?"

"Stop feeling guilty."

I saw the way his eyebrows drew together, a pained light filling dark eyes; closed my eyes to hide the sudden upsurge of emotion I knew they would reveal and sketched a few hand signs. Smoke enveloped me and a reappeared outside of my room.

"I'm back…" I announced, opening the door.

Ino was watching the flat-screen mounted on the wall. She looked up at my entrance and her expression became worried. "What's wrong?"

"And they did… In body bags."

"Nothing." Why was this bothering me so much?

He wouldn't… who am I kidding. He would have gone ahead and killed my entire team.

"I'm going to hit the sack."

She looked uneasy for a moment before nodding. "Ok. If you need to talk, I'm here."

I burrowed under the sheets, desiring both the sense of aloneness and the darkness that the cloth barrier afforded.

This is so fucked up… Itachi, Deidara, Sasori…

'Why do you care what happened? You left them.'

But—

'And, on top of it all, you shame their memory by showing weakness like this. Tsk, tsk.'

I need to go back.

'Wait, what?'

I need to go home. I need to see Tayuya.

'Why? I thought the whole point of this trip was to get her off of your mind. She is a complication and, thus, should not be a part of your life.'

I need to find out if she is who I think she is. Why would she hide something that important from me? I mean, she could have gotten me killed! She could have gotten herself and everyone else killed!

'Why would she tell you? She barely even knows you.'

She trusts me.

'So you think. If she's anything like you, then she allows you to think whatever you want so long as it doesn't harm her. And, if what you're assuming is correct, then she is very much like you. Then there's the possibility of her being sent to find you. Perhaps He hasn't given up after all.

It's been over a decade now!

'And you were the first to escape. Ever. He isn't a man to take an offense like that lying down.'

I curled into a fetal position, drawing in a long breath.

Trust. I had blindly trusted Tayuya—for reasons beyond me. Could I continue to do so? Could I continue to trust her?

Fuck.

'Indeed.'

--End Chapter--