"You will not believe what I've been through this past week!" Kiba exclaimed, bursting into Naruto's office without even announcing himself. The junior agent was dressed in a white t-shirt, baggy cargo pants, and had his hair all mussed up… not only that, but as part of his undercover work with the gangs, Kiba was wearing two, bright red, knife-shaped tattoos: one under each eye. Even though he looked completely like a thug, Naruto could help but smirk when he thought how much those suited Kiba and his ruffian type of personality.

Naruto looked up from his computer. He could feel the vein in his forehead throbbing; only Kiba did this to him. "I can think of a great deal more to put you through, if you're complaining," the blonde offered.

"Come on! Don't be like that," the shaggy-haired brunette whined, "I've brought you some interesting gossip."

Rolling his eyes, Naruto leaned back in his chair and decided to indulge Kiba, "Share."

"So, get this…" Kiba plopped into one of Naruto's chair. "That Gaara kid? His old gang was a bunch of game bangers!"

"I think the term is gang bangers, Kiba."

"Nope!" The brunette shook his head, grinning about the fact that he knew things Naruto didn't. "It's a term the gangs are using for people who are addicted to The Game."

"Addicted to The Game?"

"Yeah," Kiba frowned at the idea, "Game bangers, game groupies, they have all kinds of names for themselves. Apparently there is this whole, underground following… they keep scores, tallies, have favorite players… it's kind of intense!"

"Do they realize they are fascinated with a group of serial killers," Naruto practially growled. The sheer audacity of the concept made him livid.

"It's strange, but not really," Kiba shrugged, "They view the players like victims. I mean it's not like you wanted to be a player, maybe there are a bunch of others out there like you."

"One big difference," Naruto held up a finger, "I don't play the game."

"Well you also have the might of the government behind you," Kiba retorted, "Most people either don't trust the government, or don't feel that the government even cares. Then you have this game that has been around for years, and people who live in silent fear of it. I'd say that makes them victims."

"They could go to the police," Naruto argued, "They could ask for help."

"Again, most of your common citizens feel like they can't trust the police to take care of them," Kiba held up his hands to show that he wasn't trying to fight. He was just stating things they way they were. "I'm not saying that the players of this game should be idolized, but I am saying that I can understand where they are coming from, and isn't that why you sent me undercover?"

"I sent you undercover to follow a lead, hoping that I might get some information," the blonde crossed his arms, "I'm still waiting to be impressed."

"Well, then get a load of this," Kiba grinned, "Gaara's old gang ended up getting busted by the cops about two days after his disappearance. Guess who the officer in-charge of the raid was?"

"Kankuro Kaze?" Naruto ventured.

"Right in one," Kiba chuckled.

"A bust like that should have gotten him a promotion, so why is a gang busting cop still walking a beat patrol?" Naruto wondered.

"That is what you will find interesting," the brunette leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, "Guess who the beat cop is for the Lower District where I've been finding out all this information?"

"No way," Naruto grinned, "Why would he pass up a promotion to walk a beat in a dangerous neighborhood like that?"

"Believe it or not? He actually tries to keep an eye out for the kids, keep them out of trouble."

Naruto sat in thought for a moment, "You know what this means don't you?"

"What's that?" Kiba cocked his head to the side like a curious dog.

"It means that Officer Kankuro had purposefully planted himself in an area that is teeming with information about The Game," Naruto explained, moving forward to lean on his desk and grinning conspiratorially. "I won't buy it for a second that he doesn't know what happened to his brother. Kankuro put himself in the central hub for where information of his brother might turn up, and by making nice with the local gangs and trying to look after their kids, he cozies up to the sources of that information. It's genius!"

"Ok, so where does that leave us?"

"Simple," Naruto chuckled, "You continue digging up information… and eventually either you or officer Kaze will discover where Gaara is hiding."

"And if Kaze finds him," Kiba suddenly caught on to the plan and he grinned like a madman.

"We'll follow him right to our target," Naruto concluded. It was obvious that Kankuro Kaze knew more than he had let on; Naruto was certain of it. It was only a matter of time until Naruto figured out just how much the police officer was keeping hidden.

A/N -

Ok! Barely made the update in time! Whew!

Today was the last day of finals, so yay! I'm looking forward to a long weekend where I can get a load of writing done. This chapter is just some simple exposition, so don't kill me! I know it's boring, but things have to build up before there can be another climactic moment!

So, as always, Read/Review/Recommend this story to friends, communities, forums, fans... and I will see you tomorrow.