Okay, first off...Sorry this is a bit late! *bows*
Second! ... No car chase in this chapter. *quickly waves hands* THERE WILL BE A CAR CHASE, but it'll be in the next one. I was trying to get this finished, and then I realized that the fights in this one took up a substantial amount of space... this chapter is close over 10,000 words! That's pushing it for a single chapter! But I didn't think cutting out most of this would've helped the story in anyway, so I'm making the car chase in the next chapter. This chapter includes some important things too! And I think some of the fights are my more well-written ones...
Anyway, again sorry for the wait and the delay on the epic car chase. That'll come next chapter and I promise to make it as exciting as I can.
But big news... You all finally get some kind of clearance on a big mystery that's been in this story. (many people have guessed, now it shall be partially revealed)
Warnings: language, violence, ect.
Disclaimer: Ha ha.
~ADB~
"Yahiko," Jiraiya hissed, hand resting on the butt of his gun while the agents around him flinched violently and drew their own weapons. "We thought you were dead."
Yahiko smirked down at the group while Zetsu watched from behind, throaty groans emitting from his mouth every now and then.
"You always were quick to jump to conclusions, Master Jiraiya," he drawled, eyes narrowed on the agents before him. They were the reason his plans were falling to ruins. All the agents.
"Yahiko! Explain yourself!" the brunet behind Jiraiya yelled, his face contorting in anger and the scar across his nose becoming more pronounced.
"I don't have to explain myself to anyone, least of all you second rate agents," Yahiko retorted, ice lacing his tone and making the others shiver. Jiraiya held a hand out, a silent signal to his team.
"Don't let your guard down for a moment. He's no longer the man we knew before," he whispered.
"Yes sir," the four replied softly, tensing in preparation for any attacks that may be thrown their way.
Yahiko smirked, taking another step forward. "You and your pesky allies have given me enough trouble. I know that it's pointless to try and salvage this wretched facility now," he took another step, his eyes glaring right into theirs. The brunet behind Jiraiya trembled at the look, feeling the intensity of hatred being directed their way. His hand shook before he cursed himself and forced his hands to steady. The two on his left were standing close together, their breathing short and soft. The only ones who seemed calm were the pale raven and Jiraiya himself, but their frames were rigid and wound tight.
"I'll only tell you once," Yahiko continued. "Move out of my way, or you'll all die here."
"If anyone is going to have to die here, it will be you!" Jiraiya snapped and three shots went off as he suddenly crouched. The four behind him scattered, two jumping to the sides while two flipped forward over Jiraiya. More gunfire filled the air as they all took a shot at Yahiko.
His eyes narrowed and he spun, his long black coat flying out around him. Under the cover of the cloth he bent backwards, almost impossibly so, and avoided the three bullets that zoomed overhead. His eyes swivelled downwards, seeing the fourth bullet coming towards him. His right hand touched the floor and he pressed all his weight onto it, propelling his body in a circle similar to a dance, avoiding the bullet before flipping backwards and landing on his desk. His coat lay on the floor, three exit holes in the material while the bullets had slammed into the wood of his desk stand. He looked up, focusing on the three agents in front of him. Without looking he could tell that two agents were attacking from either side of him.
"Zetsu," he mumbled, "Let's deal with them quickly and make our escape."
The scientist just nodded before his head lolled to the side as if the effort to hold it up was too much for his neck. His lips had turned a sickly dark purple, almost black, with his shift in personality and a creepy grin showed yellowing teeth.
"Here I come!" he groaned, faltering in his steps briefly before he suddenly took off, running at a speed that no ordinary man was capable of. He cut off the agent approaching from the left, seeing it was the scarred brunet.
"Oh, the shaky one?" he croaked and brown eyes widened at his sudden appearance. With a laugh, Zetsu ducked down briefly before flinging himself backwards, his foot slamming into the underside of the agent's jaw. With a grunt of pain, the agent went flying backwards, skidding on the ground before coming to a stop, blood and saliva running out of his broken jaw.
"Dolphin!" the bandaged-agent cried, focusing on his comrade even as he ran towards Yahiko from the right. His lapse in concentration cost him highly, as Yahiko took the opportunity to spin around, grabbing the chair from behind his desk. He hurled it at the man and its legs slammed straight into his stomach, digging into his flesh and striking his solar plexus with deadly accuracy. He choked on his own air, pain shooting through his body as he started to stumble back from the force of the blow. He didn't even have time for the chair to fall before Yahiko launched himself towards him, feet making direct contact with the seat of the chair. He drove it even further into the man's body, earning a choked and highly pained squeak to emit from the agent's mouth.
"Pathetic," he deadpanned and pushed off from the chair, letting the agent slam into the wall and slide down, blood dripping down his chin while his eyes rolled back in his head.
"No, Metal!" the agent with the chin-guard turned to Yahiko, eyes blazing in rage. "You fucking bastard!" he roared, charging forwards despite Jiraiya's motions for him not to.
"Dammit," Jiraiya cursed, reaching behind him for the satchel that stored all his gadgets. Before his hand could close around his desired object, Zetsu had appeared in front of him, grinning manically. "Shit—"
"Boom!" Zetsu cheered, thrusting his fist forward. Jiraiya twisted, avoiding the punch and jerking his elbow up. He caught Zetsu's chin, and the scientist fell backwards with a whining cry. "Ouch! This old geezer hits hard!"
Jiraiya scowled and flipped forwards, using his hands to give himself a boost before he swung down, striking Zetsu on the head with the heels of his shoes. A crack was heard upon impact and Zetsu looked dazed, his eyes rolling up while his mouth gaped open.
Jiraiya smirked, ready to deliver the last blow to make sure this creep was out of commission. He didn't get the chance when a body slammed into his. He grunted, looking down and seeing his hasty comrade in his arms. He was unconscious, his eye swollen shut and blood leaking from his broken nose. It looked like he'd taken a powerful kick to the face. Sliding along the floor, Jiraiya quickly but gently lowered the man down.
"Sai, we need to end this now!" he called.
The pale raven nodded, eyes watching Yahiko with cool detachment.
"Sai, eh? I remember you," Yahiko mumbled, turning his focus to the young male. "You were one of the youngest children to be trained, as I recall. You went through some brutal regimens under old man Danzou's training schedules, back before he was kicked out. And to think you're still alive."
"My training has nothing to do with our current situation, mister Yahiko," Sai said, a pleasant smile on his face. His tone was sweet and polite, as if they were discussing their favourite foods rather than facing each other in a fight. "What we need to focus on is how much blood I can draw from your sorry veins, and whether or not you'll have enough sense in that ugly head of yours to repent for your heinous sins against humanity and my comrades," Sai finished, tilting his head to the side and never losing his smile.
Yahiko snorted softly. "Impudent little shit."
Sai moved like lightening, sprinting forward. He pulled out two long daggers from pouches at his hips. With quick movements he threw each dagger towards Yahiko. The moment his hands were free he turned into a 360 spin, pulling out two pistols and stopping with his feet set apart, aiming straight for his enemy's leaping figure. His face was blank, lips set in a straight line as he began to fire repeatedly.
The constant sound of gunfire was loud, each crack echoing off the metal walls and rebounding back onto the next set of booms. The flashes from the shots were like strobe lights in a club and Jiraiya wondered how the boy never even blinked as he followed Yahiko's path with his guns.
Yahiko had easily dodged the daggers, but he knew they were merely a distraction. He pushed to the side and started to run along the edge of the room, running up along the wall at one point to avoid the deadly streams of bullets. He turned his head, regarding Sai carefully.
Sai briefly stopped firing, unclicking the ammo clips from his guns. He reached into his pack, pulling out two more and throwing them in the air. While they were airborne he dug into his pouches for two small grenades. Using his teeth, he pulled out the rings and threw them both at Yahiko. Then he spun his guns and swept them through the air, easily sliding the clips into place before cocking both pistols and turning around so that his back was to the explosion that went off a second later.
Yahiko had seen the grenades and cursed. Sai had thrown them, not at him, but to the area he was going. He had built up too much momentum to change in time and so the grenades landed right where he was before they went off. Fire and smoke erupted around him while the floor shook from the force of the explosions.
Jiraiya covered his eyes briefly, his lips pulling up into a grin while he watched Sai stand there so nonchalantly even as bits of rubble fell from the ceiling and bounced off of his shoulders. It was such a pity that Sai was a double-agent normally and therefore his records of success and skill were filed differently to the rest. If he wasn't a specialised agent, he would've beaten Naruto in skills. Jiraiya chuckled to himself, knowing that Naruto would always get frustrated when reminded that Sai was more skilled than him. The only reason for that, however, was Sai's lack of social skills and emotions when it involves non-spy missions. The man was like a machine and therefore never hesitated or stopped to think on his actions. He just went ahead with cold logic and no remorse. Naruto, bless his soul, still acted like a human being even when he was facing a horde of vile, disgusting scumbags that put the human race to shame.
Jiraiya was about to commend Sai on a job well done when is senses kicked in and his eyes widened.
"Sai! Watch out!" he warned.
Sai spun around, a look of surprise flashing over his face when Yahiko emerged from the fiery zone. He had shed his second layer of clothing, now reduced to a black vest and his long pants which were clinging to his legs, along with his shoes. His arms were scarred and muscled, showing years upon years of training and self-harm. To top it off, there were marks of injections everywhere, and a recent patch was on his right arm.
"I see...so you injected yourself with the virus too," Sai mumbled. Yahiko smirked.
"Who better to test it on than myself?"
Sai didn't answer, instead aiming at the man and starting another barrage of bullets. But this time, Yahiko was prepared. He ran forwards, straight into the line of fire and jumped. Sai followed his trail, still firing. Yahiko chuckled as he flew over the man, Sai's bullets slamming into the light above. The raven's eyes widened as he plunged the room into darkness and a curse bubbled out of his throat. Light from the burning rubble was all that was left and the flickering shadows it caused would make it easy for Yahiko to escape.
Jiraiya tensed, moving to the door to try and block the way. He had his gun at the ready, mentally checking the amount of bullets left in the clip.
He heard a rush of wind and ducked to the side, hearing the clink of metal hitting metal. As he straightened up, he was met with Yahiko's bloodshot eyes. The irises were burnt a sickening purple and Jiraiya realized with horror that it was a result of constant drug tests and chemical exposure.
"What happened to you?" he asked, sadness in his voice. Yahiko didn't answer, and Jiraiya grunted as a blade was shoved into his gut, slicing through his flesh. He grabbed the object, trying to still its path, but there was no need.
Yahiko released it the moment he had hunched over and Jiraiya knew he was escaping. A brief look around the dimly lit room confirmed that he had taken Zetsu's body with him.
"Sir!" Sai called, rushing over to him the moment he realized what had happened.
"Call this in! Tell them...the leader is making a break for it," Jiraiya gasped, clasping a hand on Sai's shoulder. "Also, tell them that he's a high dangerous ex-agent. And we need medical assistance down here soon for our team," Jiraiya groaned, collapsing onto the floor. It had been a long time since he got stabbed and he had forgotten just how painful it was. Damn, and the younger generations dealt with this often?
Sai was hastily speaking into his communicator, barking out information and orders like a military sergeant.
"Don't worry sir, they're sending a team of medics and back-up down now. Just hang in there," Sai said, crouching over his commander. His eyes slid over his surroundings, checking for danger.
"Sai...shouldn't you go after them?" Jiraiya huffed. Sai looked down and shook his head.
"No sir...Naruto would bludgeon me to death if he found out I left you alone and injured like this," he said sincerely. Jiraiya laughed but quickly stopped, the pain from his stomach making sure of that. "Besides...this is Naruto's mission. He'll be the one to finish it. Him and that loser partner of his."
Jiraiya smiled. He had trained good agents.
~ADB~
Sakura shuddered as she hurried through the halls, following the directions Shikamaru given her as she and her small team of medics went in search of Jiraiya and his group. She passed by Anko, giving a nod of confirmation while the woman pointed them in the right direction.
"Take care of yourselves down there!" Anko called, watching the team retreat down the hall before she turned her attention back to the other side. Setting the right channel, she waited for the static to die down in her ear before speaking.
"This is Agent Snakebite. Requesting reports on all situations!" she barked.
"Agent Byakugan reporting in. We've cleared out three more floors and taken down one special soldier. So far we haven't encountered any leaders," Neji's reply was curt and to the point.
"Roger that agent, keep going," Anko urged and waited for more.
"This is Agent Jyuuken," Hinata's soft voice made Anko wonder what the woman had been thinking when she signed up. "I was separated from Agent Kid a while ago and have cleared up one floor. We too took out a special soldier. I'm searching for him now."
"Right, be careful," Anko replied, slinging her gun over her shoulder and changing the channels again. "Shikamaru, can you give me a location on Agent Kid?"
"One moment."
She heard movement down the hallway and turned, seeing some of Kiba's scouts dragging an unconscious agent down the hall. She quickly moved over, picking up the beaten man and moved to take him to the building entrance where the rest of the medics would take care of him.
"Got him. He's in the eight floor, currently in battle against one of the special soldiers. But he's got some help," Shikamaru mumbled, tilting his head.
"Who is it?" Anko asked, moving back to her position by the elevator and wondering what risks she'd be taking by going to the eighth floor.
"...I think it's that Kabuto guy," Shikamaru shrugged, having never met the man but matching the description to the person he currently saw through the security feed cameras.
Anko smirked. "In that case, Kid will be just fine. What about Kyuubi and Sharingan?"
"No response from them. They're in the upper stories of the building, right near the roof but there are no cameras there."
Anko bit her lip, feeling apprehensive. "...I hope they're okay."
"Me too," Shikamaru murmured, looking out of the van and up to the roof of the building.
'Watch yourselves guys. It would be troublesome if the main agents for this entire mission get iced at this point.'
Meanwhile, three floors down from the roof, Kakashi was casually jumping backwards as the orange-haired soldier made mad slashes towards him. His hands were in his pockets, shoulders hunching ever now and then as he manoeuvred his body into perfect dodges. He hadn't gotten hit once and he hadn't even needed to use his hands. His hair fluttered about his face, straining against the small clip he'd used to pin it out of his eyes so that he had maximum visibility. His other eye was scarred and it hurt to keep it open for prolonged periods of time, but sometimes having a one-eyed perspective was a hindrance.
"Whoop!" He jumped up and landed right on his opponents outstretched arm. With a cheerful smile behind his mask, he tip-toed along his arm until he was standing on his shoulder and pulled his leg back. "This may sting," he quipped before swinging his leg forward. His foot collided with the soldier's face, crunching against his nose and sending him back while Kakashi pushed off, back flipping through the air and landing on the floor with ease. His hands had never left his pockets.
The soldier turned to face him, blank-faced as ever despite the blood spurting down his rapidly healing nose. Since he hadn't bothered to move it back into place, the bone healed in the mangled, awkward angle.
"Now, you shouldn't have done that!" Kakashi chided. "You were ugly enough as it was."
The attacker lunged again, sliding across the floor before kicking upwards. Kakashi bent backwards to avoid the kick, looking at the ceiling while he thought of his next move. An idea came to him so he continued to bend back, moving his hands to brace himself on the ground. Using the momentum from his fall, he propelled his body into a spin, spreading his legs into a deadly tornado kick that slammed into his enemy's chest. He was about to smile when he felt a thick hand wrap around his ankle.
"Oh dear—"
He grunted when he was thrown across the hall, slamming violently into the wall and hearing the plaster crack under the force. Pain tingled up his back and he fell to his knees, shaking his head.
'That strength... I was right, I can't take more than three direct hits like that or else I'll be finished. I have to stop him without getting hit again,' he thought, rolling away quickly when the soldier made another grab for him.
He reached back into his small pouch, pulling out the extendable blade that Chouji had so kindly given to him. Easily sliding it out, he flicked it to the side, hearing the sharp zip of metal as the blade unhooked and streamed out. The blade glinted in the light, reflecting Kakashi as he stood at the ready, waiting for an attack. He stared his opponent in the eyes, waiting for him to make the first move like he knew he would. Blank purple stared into his own mix-matched eyes and he waited with baited breath for something to happen.
A lock of his hair escaped from the small clip, fluttering down into his eye. He flinched, closing the affected eye to save it.
In that moment, his enemy moved, racing forward. Kakashi cursed, pushing himself backwards to avoid the spinning kick that came his way. With his enemy's back to him, he pulled the blade forward and swung down. An arm bent back, grabbing the blade and halting its path. Blood spurted out and dripped down the soldier's arm, but the man paid it no mind as he turned his body around, still keeping a tight hold on the blade.
'So they don't even feel pain?' he wondered, straining to keep his hold on the weapon. He could hear it creaking ominously and bit back a frustrated growl. 'This is starting to look worse. I've been out of action for too long,' he thought.
Just as he finished that thought, the blade snapped. Grunting from the sudden jolt to his arm, he quickly rushed forwards, jumping and landing on his enemy's shoulder. Using his momentum he leapt into the air and twisted his body around into a nose dive. He thrust his arm forward, using the jagged edge of the blade he still had to slice into the soldier's shoulder. He felt the blade strike against bone pushed off, leaving the dagger behind. As soon as he landed he reached back, grabbing something else in his pouch.
He turned around and felt a powerful fist sink into his stomach just as his hand shot out, shoving the other object down the front of the soldier's vest. Then he was flying backwards from the blow and with a pained yell he collided against the wall again, feeling it crater slightly under the impact. He slid to his knees, panting for breath while his hand went to his ribs. He knew one was broken and tenderly pressed against the area, feeling the loose bone with a wince. Hearing footsteps he looked up and saw his opponent calmly walking towards him. A slow smile spread over his face, hidden by his mask.
"Sorry," he breathed, "but our time is up." He held up his hand, displaying the activation ring from a grenade. The soldier stopped, their face finally showing a look of surprise and they grabbed at their shirt.
Kakashi lowered his head, feeling his hair swaying badly from the shockwaves of the explosion. The sound of something squelching made him feel slightly nauseous, but he had long ago learned to tame his stomach.
Coughing up some blood and excess saliva, he weakly reached for his communicator even while he took in the scattered remains of his enemy. His arm went halfway before the pain throbbed even worse than before and he dropped the limb with a gasp.
'Crap...Looks like I'm going to have some trouble,' he thought with frustration. A pattering of feet made him look up and he saw one of Kiba's scout dogs running towards him. The animal stopped by his side, sniffing and nuzzling his face briefly as it identified him as a friend. Kakashi stroked its paw as it was the only part he could reach without lifting his arms. The tag on the dog's collar read 'Pakkun'.
"Good...Pakkun," Kakashi mumbled, trying to keep talking to a minimum. Pakkun sniffed at him some more, his stubby tail wagging slightly before he turned and raised his head in a loud howl. He continued to howl while staying by Kakashi until finally footsteps were heard.
"Scarecrow!"
Kakashi tiredly turned his head, smiling slightly under his mask when Kiba rushed over to him and knelt down.
"Don't worry, I'll get you to the medics now!" Kiba insisted, moving to slide his arm under Kakashi's and lift him up. He turned to the dog, reaching out his free hand and stroking his head. "Good job Pakkun!" he praised, giving a small treat from his satchel to the happy canine before he hoisted Kakashi up and started to make his way towards the elevators. "Damn, this place has turned into a madhouse!"
"How are...the others?" Kakashi wheezed, trying not to move and jolt his broken rib any more than necessary. Not to mention that his body felt like lead.
"Byakugan and Green Beast have cleared out most of the floors in the centre of the building and so far have taken down one of those special solidiers. Jyuuken and Kid took down another before getting separated, but Shikamaru found him and Kabuto dealing with a third soldier. Also, a moment ago Sai radioed in and requested medics to his location," Kiba explained as the doors slid open and he stepped out into the lobby, walking past the corpses of the guards. "It turns out the leader of his whole thing was Yahiko."
"Yahiko?" Kakashi asked, his eyes widening. "You mean one of Jiraiya's first students? The one that was part of the Unstoppable Trio?"
Kiba nodded, carefully picking his way over the glass on the floor and keeping a tight hold on Kakashi. "Yep. The one and the same. It seems his unconfirmed 'death' is finally thrown out the window. We don't know what happened to make him go rogue, but he's been the one behind this whole thing."
"What about his teammates? His brother, Nagato, and their friend Konan?" Kakashi asked even as he was placed under the care of the medics who quickly started to examine him. Kiba stood nearby, hands in his pockets.
"No idea. Neither of them have been reported in and it seems safe to say that they haven't had any part in this. For all we know they could be dead," he shrugged.
Kakashi hissed as his broken rib was prodded and he closed his eyes. "If it's Yahiko they're chasing, Sasuke and Naruto are in for the fight of their lives," he murmured.
Kiba nodded, turning his head to look outwards at the building.
'Wherever you guys are, you'd better be in one piece!'
~ADB~
Sasuke grunted as he was shoved backwards, the sparks of two blades colliding following his movement. He quickly regained his footing, bringing up his blade to counter the downward slash aimed at his head. Kisame's blade screeched violently against his, the jagged edges catching and scratching his own smooth edge like an angered feline. He gritted his teeth, using all his strength to hold the man off. Kisame was undoubtedly one of the strongest opponents he'd ever faced! His strength was incredible, the result of endless years of hard training undoubtedly.
"Not bad, Cockatoo," Kisame said, forcing more of his weight onto his side of the swords, causing the blades to edge even further towards Sasuke. The raven's arms trembled under the weight but he held strong, glaring darkly at his opponent.
Kisame chuckled, thoroughly enjoying the dark look he was receiving. It only proved that he was ahead in this fight. He pulled his arm back, causing Sasuke to lurch forward at the sudden loss of opposition, and Kisame rammed his fist into the man's stomach.
Sasuke grunted, having tightened his muscles just before impact, but the blow was still coursing through his body as he pulled away and slashed towards Kisame's feet. The swordsman jumped, avoiding the low cut and brought his elbow down. Sasuke pulled his body to the side, avoiding the jab. He balanced himself on one hand, bringing his legs up to wrap around Kisame's knees. With a complicated twist of his body he floored the man, hearing the clatter of his sword on the ground. Kisame grinned up at him from the floor, readjusting his hold on his beloved Samehada and ramming it down to try and skewer Sasuke through his stomach.
The Uchiha just realized his intent in time and kicked away, forcing himself to slide across the floor and away from the man. He spun the sword in his hand to get a better hold on it, hearing the handle creak under his grip. His eyes slid down to it, hoping it would last.
"Don't get distracted!"
Kisame's foot slammed into his shoulder, knocking Sasuke backwards. He peered through his lashes, teeth gritted tightly in pain, and saw that Kisame was using his sword as a pole to balance on as he moved. The shark-like man pushed off, taking his sword out of the ground and raced forward, slashing through the air. Sasuke jumped, arching his back to avoid the hit. Kisame had predicted this and spun, bringing his fist out into a powerful backhand that made Sasuke's entire world shake as he stumbled backwards. His head was in a daze and he saw Kisame flying towards him. In a second he felt as if someone had just shoved him in front of a speeding train. The force of the man's body slamming into his made him feel like it was impossible to breathe. He flew backwards, unable to halt his course, until his back hit glass. The impact made the flimsy barrier shatter and Sasuke's eyes bulged as he realized he was falling out the window.
With a yell, he tried to grab the windowsill, but he realized ahead of time he wouldn't make it. Taking a last ditch effort to save his skin, he rammed the sword towards the wall, almost crying with joy when it found an opening and slid in, securing him. He was hanging by his arm, so high above the city streets. He couldn't even remember how many floors this building had, but he dare not look down. He could tell by the fierce wind around him and the frigid cold that he was high enough.
A menacing chuckle met his ears and he looked up, trying to readjust his hold on the sword. He heard it creak and panic started to flare in his chest. If the sword broke under his weight, he was dead.
Kisame's face appeared out the shattered window, leering down at him with sadistic glee.
"Well, it looks like you've reached the end of the line!" he said cheerfully, eyes glinting. "Too bad. I had hoped that you would put up more of a challenge."
Sasuke growled, trying to pull himself up to grab the man and hopefully pull him out the window. But as soon as he put effort into lifting himself up, the sword creaked ominously and he lost his nerve, grabbing wildly at the wall to try and find some sort of foothold.
"Either way, it's been fun!" Kisame said, starting to raise his sword.
Sasuke stared up at him with unguarded wide eyes. He was going to die! No, no he couldn't die! He had to survive! People were counting on him! He had Naruto to watch out for! The idiot wouldn't last long without him, he just knew it.
"No!" he said, the word slipping out involuntarily. Kisame paused, quirking a blue brow in amusement as he realized that Sasuke was on the verge of begging. "No, don't!"
Kisame's grin was maniacal as he raised his arm again, ready to cut off Sasuke's hand and watch as the raven plummeted towards the far streets below, turning into nothing but a bloodied mess at the bottom.
"Goodbye, agent," he called, raising his arm higher.
Sasuke's eyes felt ready to fall from his head and his life flashed before his eyes. He saw everything he'd been through, from his younger days to the morning, where he was spending time with Naruto.
'Naruto...'
Kisame let out a small yelp when something slammed into his sword, knocking it right from his grip. His eyes widened in horror as he watched his precious Samehada falling to the streets, and he leant further out the window as if hoping it would come back. Sasuke was wide eyed, also glancing down to see the sword falling fast before looking up. Kisame was livid, his arrogant smile replaced with a snarl. Slowly, he turned his head to look at whoever had shot his best sword from his grip. He paused, seeing the man behind him.
"Well...I should have known it would be you," he said, voice quieter than before. "Of course, I had my doubts, but you've cleared them all up now."
He straightened up, ignoring Sasuke. The raven used his distraction to try and pull himself back up. He tried to pay no attention to the creaking of his blade as he hoisted himself up. He reached up, trying to grab onto the ledge.
Kisame took another step away from the window, eyes meeting those of his newest enemy. "So, I guess this means that you were behind all those little mishaps in the labs. You were responsible for the missing data? My my," he chuckled, running a hand through his hair before looking through his fingers at the stoic man before him. "You're certainly a brilliant little weasel, Itachi."
Itachi smirked, his gun still raised up as he stood directly across from his colleague. "I find it a pity that you are intent on remaining a criminal. You held great potential to be an agent," he said sincerely. Kisame snorted loudly, starting to walk to the side and circling Itachi.
"So you're an agent?" he asked, but Itachi shook his head.
"Incorrect. I was supposed to be. I was trained by my parents to be the best," he matched each step Kisame took, dark eyes focused on his face. "However, as you know, we never quite got to finish our training."
Kisame nodded in understanding. "So, why now? You've had plenty of opportunities to take us down before these agents could get so involved. I take it this isn't for the glory?"
"I had planned to take down this organization from the very beginning. However, I needed it to remain operative while I gathered...information...from its contacts in the underworld," Itachi shrugged lightly. "The agents caught on faster than I'd thought, so I was forced to speed my plans up. A feat that was near impossible if I didn't hire some...extra help," he tilted his head, coming to a stop by the window while Kisame did the same down the hall.
"So you've got people under you working to bring the organization down. Okay, fine," Kisame said, sliding his hands into his pockets. He was starting to feel excitement bubble inside him. He was angry at losing Samehada, but now he was certain that he could have a chance to fight Itachi. Quite the decent consolation prize, he had to admit. "You say you were supposed to be an agent. So does that mean the agency has no idea that you were helping them along?"
Itachi nodded slowly. "Much like most of the world, all the agents who knew me when I was younger believe I am dead. Well, they did until I revealed myself...to my foolish little brother."
Outside, Sasuke was catching snippets of the conversation. He felt dizzy, not only from the height and adrenaline coursing through him as he tried to save himself, but also from the new information going into his mind. Itachi was helping them from the beginning? But no, he tried to kill him! How could he be helping them if—
'At Sasori's enterprise!' his mind screamed, taking him back to the dark room, where someone had released them and injected Naruto with the virus which, ultimately, led them in the path to winning over the organization. 'It was...Itachi was the one to...' He shook his head, feeling himself feel even worse with every thought of what his brother may or may not have done. 'No, focus on getting inside! Once I have my feet on a surface, I can...I can face him and find out what the fuck is going on!'
Inside, Itachi's ears were strained to catch any sounds of Sasuke. He could hear, above the wind, the faint grunts that proved the younger Uchiha was still hanging on there.
"I'm sorry to cut our little conversation short, Kisame, but I really must hurry. I have to help my little brother and then assist him and his partner in catching Yahiko. So, if we can just hurry this along?" he said, waving his gun slightly to indicate that the man before him make his next move.
Kisame grinned. "Alright then."
And then he moved.
~ADB~
Naruto's back hit the wall for the tenth time since he had started to walk down the hall. He was only one hallway away from the elevator, but his body felt like it was weighed down by a ten ton rock. He fell to his knees, barely managing to catch himself with his hands while the world spun rapidly.
'Aaw, I'm going to puke at this rate!' he thought despairingly, his vision blurring and clearing repeatedly. His body was shutting down. That was the only thing he could think of. He must have made a bad mix of adrenaline and the virus during that last fight, and now his body was trying to shut down so that it could get back to normal.
'Whatever, I'm still going to puke!' he thought, landing on all fours and dry heaving for a moment. But somehow he managed not to vomit and he slumped to the side, breathing heavily. He cursed himself for this weakness he was feeling. Dammit, he had to get up to the top floors and help Sasuke! He had to make sure the raven was alright! But something in his gut was twisting and telling him that something was wrong.
And yet he couldn't move.
'Fuck me...I need...' his thoughts were getting jumbled now as exhaustion broke through the barriers, ready to suck him into its depths. He could only hope that everyone would be alright, that Sasuke would be alright, and that an ally would find him before an enemy did.
His eyes slid closed and he could feel his breathing beginning to slow as his consciousness started to truly wane. The heavy thuds he heard must've belonged to his heart, and when they came to a stop he wondered if he had been wrong about being tired. What if he was dying?
Something sharp jabbed into his side, and his entire body convulsed as something fiery hot spread out from the point of impalement. He let out a loud growl of pain as every muscle in his body contracted before relaxing and then repeating the process. His heart thudded painfully in his chest and he rolled onto his back, arching as the fire burned up.
Something was holding him down, trying to stop him from breaking anything as he twisted wildly.
Finally the pain started to die away, and in its place was energy. He was more awake than ever, as if he'd been pumped with caffeine and steroids. He panted, trying to catch his breath after all the pain and burning and moving, and finally he noticed who it was that was holding him down.
Two people.
Two near-identical, red-headed men.
'Motherfucker, this cannot be happening!'
~ADB~
Sasuke was running out of breath as his fingers finally reached the windowsill. He hissed when a shard of glass still stuck in the frame slice against his hand, but he ignored the pain, working to get a solid grip. The blood slicked up his hand, but he found a good spot with plenty of friction. His muscles worked overtime as he pulled himself up. The side of the building was well-built and smooth, making it hard to get any kind of foothold. He was using all his upper body strength to get back inside. A soft chink alerted him that the sword had finally dislodged and was falling to the streets below. He clenched his jaw, grunting as he searched for another hand-hold while avoiding slicing his fingers off.
He could hear the sounds of a fight much clearer now that he was closer to the window. The sound of metal meeting metal, and a gunshot going off only to be followed by a high pitched sound of a sword slashing through the air. He could hear brief bursts of laughter, easily identifiable as Kisame's, but not a sound was made by Itachi. Not a taunt, nor a laugh or even a sound of discomfort or pain.
He pulled himself up again, muscles straining and veins starting to protrude in his neck and forehead. Briefly, he managed to look into the building and the sight made his eyes widen and his mouth go dry in shock.
Itachi was like a robot. Every single step he took was visibly calculated, each smooth motion of his body like a well-planned dance. He avoided hits and slashes as if it were a game of chess. His hair was held in the same loose tie as it had been in the alley and the lab, and the long locks swished through the air every time he ducked or moved quickly. His face was perfectly smoothed out, no emotion whatsoever and no indication of his next move.
Kisame was grinning wildly, holding two swords and using them both with incredible skill. He was slashing, jumping, twisting, spinning...It looked like something straight out of the matrix with how often either of them was airborne, performing a complex move that was countered by the other.
Itachi drew back just as Kisame jumped forward, and Sasuke watched as one of Itachi's legs just came out of nowhere, foot sinking into Kisame's stomach and sending the large man backwards. He fell, rolling over once before straightening and flipping to his feet. With a soft growl, he tossed aside his two swords and pulled out the next. With a complicated flick of his wrist, the sword opened up, blades sliding out of blades until he was holding what appeared to be a large, wave-edged axe. He let it thud to the ground, the sharp edges sinking into the floor slightly.
Itachi stood calmly, gun aimed. He fired a shot that Kisame dodged before he began to charge, dragging his blade through the floor and upturning carpet and concrete.
With a loud roar Kisame swung the axe up, tearing through the floor and sending debris scattering through the air as the deadly edge of the blade soared towards Itachi. The raven slid his right foot back, tilting his back slightly with the motion. The blade of the axe gleamed in the light, reflecting in his eyes as it swung passed, inches from his nose. Despite the short distance, his expression remained the epitome of calm, as he quickly moved forward while Kisame's arms were occupied pulling the axe out of the powerful swing. He got up close and person, and Kisame's eyes widened at feeling the tip of the gun pressing against his stomach.
Sasuke heard a gunshot go off just as his hand slipped, and he cursed violently, scrabbling to get a good hold and hoist himself back in. The air was freezing around him and his hair flipped in the wind as he pulled himself up, panting. In the hallway, both men were motionless, face inches from the other. Blood dripped down onto the floor before Kisame pulled away, a hand pressed over his side.
"Just as I suspected...Itachi, you truly are unlike anyone I've ever fought before," Kisame said slowly, lips turned into a thoughtful frown. Itachi's eyes flickered darkly.
"Hn. You as well. You're the first person to ever manage to avoid a direct shot like that," he noted. He had his back to the window, but he knew that he was running out of time. Sasuke wasn't going to be able to pull himself up at this rate.
Kisame sensed the sudden shift in attention, and his eyes flickered over Itachi's shoulder to the raven that was struggling to climb in. Blood was smeared over the windowsill, making any kind of handhold near impossible. A wicked sneer curved his lips as he pressed his hand to his wound.
"Well—"
The crackle of a voice startled all of them even if none of them showed it. Sasuke almost lost his hold as his communicator crackled loudly before Anko's voice spoke out. In all his fighting, the device had dropped on the floor and was audible for everyone.
"This is Agent SnakeBite! Red alert! The leader of the organization, Yahiko, is making his escape! All agents to the garage! Cut him off dammit! Don't let him go!"
"Well, it looks like our time is up," Kisame finished, giving a mock bow while never taking his eyes off of the Uchiha before him. "Since our dear leader is leaving, I'd best catch a ride."
Itachi tensed as the man moved, a dagger flying his way. Before it got anywhere near him he was already moving to dodge, calculating its angle. His eyes widened minutely as he realized the dagger was not intended for him at all, but for behind him.
"Ha ha!" Kisame's laugh was loud and jeering as he flipped over Itachi and raced for the window. Itachi spun, firing shot after shot. A bullet caught Kisame's leg, but the man only grunted and continued to run. Blood splattered with every step, but he reached the window.
Sasuke had seen the dagger flying straight for him. In a ditch effort, he had let go with one hand to avoid it. Now he was struggling to get back that handhold, and he could feel his fingers slipping from the blood. Heavy steps and a shadow made him look up, eyes wide, and saw Kisame flying out the window. The man was grinning down at him as he passed over, and Sasuke followed his progress with his head. As Kisame fell past him, a hand grabbed his ankle and the force of the tug quickly dislodged his last hold.
"Fuck!" he screamed, feeling his hand let go just as the hold on his ankle vanished and Kisame started to fall in earnest. For a second, he hung in the middle of nowhere, his heart and soul taking a moment to realize that he should be falling to his death.
'God help me!' his mind screamed, unwilling to die. No, he couldn't die! Not now! Not when he'd found something worth living for again!
The rush of wind was brief, but the pressure around his wrist was lasting as he hit the side of the building, undoubtedly killing a few brain cells with the impact. Dazed, he looked around.
'I am still God knows how many stories above the ground...' he realized before a light bulb lighted over his foggy mind.
"I can fly!" he stated stupidly.
"Hn. If only," a voice grunted above him and he looked up. His face paled as he realized that Itachi was the one holding him up, bent over the windowsill and straining to keep his hold. His hair was flipping wildly in the wind, and the corners of his mouth were stretched in a strained scowl.
"...Why are you helping me?" Sasuke asked. Itachi looked irritated, and belatedly he realized that the conversation would've been best left until they were both inside.
But he needed to know.
"Why? Don't you want me dead?" he asked, his voice becoming rough as he spoke. He was scared, confused and still slightly dazed. Not a very good combination when one was Sasuke Uchiha.
"Foolish little brother," Itachi growled and for a terrifying second, Sasuke was sure the grip on his wrist was loosening and that Itachi was about to let him fall.
But then he was suddenly being hauled up, his legs knocking into the concrete before he was inside the building. He collapsed on the floor, trembling from all the wasted energy spent hanging over nothing. Itachi stood beside him, making no move to help him up, but also no move that could be considered a threat.
"I never wanted to kill you from the start. That would be utterly counterproductive and pointless," Itachi stated, smoothing down his shirt.
His eyebrows shot up in surprise when Sasuke rolled suddenly, getting away from him and standing up with a gun aimed at his face. With a small motion of his hand, he realized that Sasuke had cleverly picked up the gun he had discarded in his haste to stop the younger raven from plummeting to the streets and becoming nothing but a mess of blood, bone and dorky hair.
"Answer me now!" Sasuke snapped, glaring with all the hatred, anger, confusion and killer intent that he could muster. "Who are you really, what have you been doing and why the fuck are you helping me now?"
Itachi sighed, turning his entire body to face the only family he had left.
"I find it somewhat unfair that when I point a gun at you, I get a dumpster hurled at me, but when you point a gun at me, there's no complaint," he said blankly. It was his attempt at a joke, but Sasuke wasn't in the mood.
"That's because I'm a good guy, and not a lying, evil scumbag bent on destroying the world," Sasuke snarled, jabbing the gun at him. "Now answer my questions before I blow your fucking head off!"
"Idiot," Itachi snapped back and Sasuke looked genuinely surprised at being called an idiot. "I am Itachi Uchiha, your older brother, son of Mikoto and Fugaku Uchiha, and," he tilted his head in aggravation, "I'm also the one that's been risking his ass to help your pitiful agency take down this damn criminal group since the day that you and that moronic partner of yours got yourselves captured!"
Sasuke took a moment to divulge the information.
And then he laughed, disbelievingly. "You honestly expect me to believe that you're on my side?"
Itachi lifted his arms in a sweeping gesture. "You're alive, aren't you?" he said as if it were obvious.
Sasuke growled. "Don't fuck with me—"
"Mind your language," Itachi cut off, his tone condescending as he stared down at the agent. Sasuke froze solid, his eyes widening as the words seemed to ignite a fire in his memory. He recalled the dark room, being bound to a chair and struggling against restraints as someone injected Naruto and moved over to him. A hot puff of breath on his ear and that very same, condescending whisper...
"Mind your language..."
Itachi could see the recognition sparking in Sasuke's eyes and knew he had effectively made his point. He relaxed and took a step forward, raising his hand to knock away the gun. At the last second, Sasuke hardened his arm and stopped the motion.
"Don't," he growled and Itachi obligingly stopped, raising his hands.
"Hn. Alright. Ask away," he said simply.
Sasuke sucked in a shuddery breath. "You tried to kill me in the alleyway, behind the club—"
"Sasuke, I was trained by our parents, two top agents in their respective agencies. If I had wanted to kill you, you wouldn't be standing here with a gun in my face," Itachi said curtly.
Sasuke's lips turned in a snarl. "You're a part of this organization—"
"A front. A ruse. A way to gather information."
"What information?"
"Information on who killed our parents."
Sasuke's heart stuttered briefly. "...Who was it?" he asked in a whisper.
Itachi sighed heavily, looking burdened.
"I don't know yet. Whoever they are, they're good at staying hidden. I've been searching out every single lead I get, but so many times it has landed in a dead end. I only have a vague memory of seeing the person leaving the house that night. I went straight after them and I've been hunting them ever since, but it's been difficult."
"You left...You left me," Sasuke hissed, eyes gleaming in anger. "Alone! For years! I thought you were dead along with everyone else! And then you show up again, and the first thing you do is shoot at me in an alleyway?"
"Pretended to shoot at you," Itachi corrected. "I knew that your partner was right there, and that he had the virus at his disposal. I knew he would take the bullet. I was merely testing the strength of the virus as well as casting away some suspicion on my person. Yahiko has been doubtful of me for a while. I had to do something."
"At the lab—"
"I was merely testing you. On that note, I feel it is my right to mention that it was me that gave your blond-haired partner the tip he needed to win against Kakuzu in a fight."
"Then the bombs in the lab?" Sasuke snapped. Itachi smirked.
"The very sneaky and clever work of my two associates."
"Associates?"
"Yes. When I realized just how quickly your agency was moving in, I knew that I would not be able to complete my side of the tasks without some help. So, I recruited some extra hands."
"Who?"
Itachi hummed nonchalantly. "Not important right now. What is important is that Yahiko is trying to escape. Sasuke, we have little time for this idle chit-chat. We need to go after him and stop him from getting away with the remaining data he has. Your agents are being kept busy by the swarms of useless thugs inside this building. Now, do you want to catch the bad guy and save the world?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow at the agent. Sasuke's hand was trembling as Itachi watched him. Slowly, the older Uchiha motioned the gun with his hand. "Or would you prefer to wave that little toy around like a six-year old and force me to give you a hiding?" he added, smirking when a look of indignation fell over Sasuke's face.
Sasuke was at a loss. What did he do? Did he trust Itachi?
No, the idea was laughable. Just because Itachi was smooth with his words didn't mean he didn't have an ulterior motive. There had to be a catch. That was what all his years in training had taught him.
"If Yahiko is caught, what benefit do you gain?" he asked slowly, glaring at the raven that dared to associate himself with his name. "You will be brought in, and treated just the same. You were a part of their group. You have committed the same crimes—"
"I think you'll find my assistance in the entire ordeal much more substantial," Itachi cut in. Sasuke didn't know how to react. This man before him was different to the man in the alleyway. Gone was the cold robot that had aimed a gun at him. In its place was a person filled with sarcasm and a dry sense of humour, who seemed to be genuinely interested in catching the leader.
"Sasuke, I know you have more brains than you are currently displaying," Itachi drawled. He peered out the window. "Kisame has already landed safely—"
"What? How?" Sasuke asked.
"Undoubtedly he used his swords to slow his rapid descent against the wall. That man would've made a brilliant agent if he wasn't so intent on being such a criminal. It's a sad waste, really—"
"Enough!" Sasuke snapped and pressed a hand to his head. Anko's voice erupted from the communicator again, frantic and angry.
"Goddammit are there any agents not currently trying to handle a bunch of idiot underlings? We need someone on Yahiko's tail! Sharingan! Kyuubi! What the hell are you idiots DOING?!"
Sasuke growled, bending and snatching up the device. "Alright! I'm on it!" he roared before tossing it aside, anger blinding him. He had to find something to focus on to stop himself from going insane. For a second he stood still, letting his mind work to find a way to cope with everything. Finally, he latched onto a decision. He didn't know if he would regret it or not, but it was something he could work with for the time being and he would just have to clean up any messes later.
He turned around, facing Itachi. "Let's go."
Itachi was pleased. "So you're going to trust me—"
"No. You are my captive, my hostage. We're going after Yahiko, but do not mistake me. You make any move to try and double-cross me, and I'll have your heart looking like Swiss cheese," Sasuke snarled, shoving the pistol into the older Uchiha's face. Itachi sighed, but nodded.
"Very well. It's the best I can hope for. We need to hurry. Yahiko will undoubtedly try to escape via car. He has some nice models in the garages," Itachi said, pointing towards the elevator. "We need to go straight down, no stopping."
"Move," Sasuke commanded, and Itachi led the way to the elevator, Sasuke right on his tail. He pressed the button for the ground floor the moment they were inside. The doors slid closed and the elevator began to move, Sasuke keeping a gun to his back the entire time.
"...When we catch him, I'm taking you in along with him," Sasuke said eventually, his voice low. "...After that, you will have one chance to explain everything. And I mean absolutely everything."
Itachi nodded calmly. "I fully intended to tell you everything when this was over."
The doors opened up to reveal a garage, and they rushed out in time to see a sleek black car peeling out from its parking space. In the front seat was a man with wild orange hair and piercings. Sitting beside him was Kisame, wrapping some gauze on the wound in his shoulder. As the car screeched past, Yahiko shoved his arm out the window, a gun aimed at them.
"Get down!" Itachi snapped, jumped back and knocking into Sasuke. They both fell back, bullets slamming into the wall overhead. As they tumbled to the ground, the car raced from the garage, leaving behind smoke and tire-marks on the concrete.
"Shit! He's getting away!" Sasuke yelled, shoving himself to his feet.
"Not if we can help it," Itachi called, already running to another car and pulling the door open. "Get in, Sasuke!"
Sasuke ran to the other door and for a second he hesitated, looking back towards the building. This was his and Naruto's mission. He should be chasing the leader with the blond by his side.
"Get in!" Itachi snarled. He looked out to see what was taking his brother so long and paused, seeing the almost desperate look in Sasuke's eyes. His sharp mind easily pieced together what it was for. "...Your partner is fine. And he'll be joining us shortly, I can promise you that," he said.
Sasuke's head turned to him and he slid into the car, slamming the door even as Itachi revved the engine and zoomed out of the parking space.
"How do you know that?" Sasuke asked, grabbing the dashboard to steady himself as the car bounced over the bump just by the entrance. He cursed when he hit his head lightly on the roof, but ignored it as they reached the street. Itachi spun the wheel, the car going into a slide turn. Tires squealed, rubber burned and smoke rose up before they were jerking forwards, racing after the speeding car that housed their enemies. Itachi's eyes never left Yahiko's car even as he answered and Sasuke checked his gun for ammo.
"I've already taken this situation into account. If they have nearly as much competence as I think they do, my associates will be with your partner now, offering their assistance. They'll be following us the moment he accepts their help."
Sasuke violently cocked his gun, looking up through the windshield at the car they were chasing. Traffic was bad in this area, but Itachi was a master of the wheel it seemed. With cold eyes, Sasuke sucked in a deep breath and rolled down his window.
"You'd better be telling the truth, asshole," he growled. Itachi didn't spare him a glance, swerving to avoid another car before steadying. Sasuke reached his hand out, gripping the roof as he shifted up in his seat. "And you'd better not crash this car," he added before propping himself on the window, and holding out his gun. The hair whipped past his face, freezing at the speed they were going. But he only focused on the car that was trying to get away from them.
He began to count to eight.
~ADB~
Aaah, *paces in circle scratching head furiously* I was struggling something fierce with that ending! I just...I didn't know how to go about it. I'm sorry, I think that as it went on, I just ended up being lamer and lamer with this chapter...I'll make it up with the next one and the car chase...I swear.
I'll try to make the next update on time, but no promises. Even though I'm reaching the final chapters of this story (maybe only two more) it's becoming hard to wrap it up! I know what I WANT to happen, but fleshing things out is a different story!
*sigh* Anyway. I hope you enjoyed nonetheless! Please leave a review with your thoughts!