Resident Evil: The Naruto Project

Episode 2: The Hearts That Burn

Chapter 7: Discovery of the Heart

I awoke, a splitting headache pounding behind my eyes. What time was it? Everything was dark, for some reason. The artificial lighting hadn't yet turned on, though, for some reason, that wasn't what was bothering me. Something was happening. I could feel it. I didn't know exactly what was happening, but something.

"Computer, call Jirobo." My voice was cracking, and I could feel that my throat was parched. I had been sleeping with my mouth open again. I did that more and more frequently now-a-days.

The computer next to my head beeped once, and then a steady dial began to filter through. I sat, waiting, my head clutched in my hands. Thrice the ring echoed about my chamber, and thrice no answer came.

I eluded that the brute was watching another of his movies, which he did frequently when he was supposed to be on guard duty. Of course, any attack that came would have to get through the city first. I smiled to myself. With as many creatures that were out stalking the streets, I highly doubted that any would be able to get through alive.

Sighing, I turned back to the computer, yawning before typing something into the data banks. More for my own personal use than for any information gathering. Typing in the last key sequence, I added it to my personal log, saving and exiting the system.

"Computer, call Orochimaru."

"I'm sorry, Uchiha-san. Orochimaru-sama is temporarily unavailable. May I be of further assistance?" That damn computer voice. It pissed me off. It felt human, and I hated that. I wish it was more...monotone. Something that I had picked up in the past few days.

"Computer, call Orochimaru. Now!"

"I'm sorry, Uchiha-san. Orochimaru-sama is temporarily unavailable. May I be of further assistance?"

I grit my teeth, balling my hand up as I attempted to calm the frustration that was building inside me. Orochimaru had told me that he was available for query whenever I felt like. What the hell was going on? "Very well, computer. Get me Sakon."

"Dialing Sakon-san, Uchiha-san. Please hold..." I took a breath, listening to the dial tone.

"Hai, Sasuke-kun?" Sakon's voice answered me after barely one ring. Surprising, since he was usually training or helping the scientists in the laboratory.

"Sakon. What is happening right now? Where is Jirobo? Where is Orochimaru?"

Nothing occurred for the next few moments, as if Sakon was wondering this same thing himself. However, his answer did come, if reluctantly. "Sasuke-kun, there has been a breach of security. It wasn't something that Orochimaru-sama felt you should know about. It is being taken care of. Jirobo-san and the rest of us are taking care of it. Is there anything else?"

Highly annoyed now, I pressed him further. "Sakon, what do you mean that there has been a intruder breach? Why was I not informed?"

"As I said, Orochimaru-sama did not think you need be informed. We are your security staff. We are taking care of it."

Again, I was annoyed, not that I had been left out of the loop, but that I had been completely blindsided by this new turn of events. If Orochimaru wasn't telling me about security breaches...what else wasn't he telling me? "Sakon, where is Orochimaru-sama?"

Another pause. Far too long for anyone who knows the answer. Then..."Orochimaru-sama is...occupied." Sure he was. Another false lead. Another lie. "He shall be back momentarily. As I said, the breach is being taken care of. Do not worry."

Do not worry. That makes me worry more. "Sakon, come to my chambers. Now!"

"Why, Sasuke-kun? I am busy."

"You are too presumptuous. I am your commanding officer. You will obey me...or I will make you obey me." I figured that a show of force would be the easiest way to get obedience from my sub-ordinates.

Another long pause on the other end of the line. Then, something that I had never expected to happen...happened.

"I'm sorry, Uchiha-san. You have been disconnected by the user on the other line." I blinked. I took a breath. I blinked again. Had Sakon...just...hung up on me?

"What the fuck is going on around here?!" I yelled, attempting to alleviate my headache and my stressed mind.

Resolutely, after minutes of pondering my options, I stood, walking to the closet and throwing off my clothes for favor of my mission gear, consisting of a short kimono-like shirt and a belt that Orochimaru had given me. I tightened the belt, the microfibers of the belt moved into position, shaping into something akin to a deformed pretzel. "Right. Now to get to the bottom of this." Taking up my sword, which had been retro-fitted with a homing unit, I placed it into a hilt on my back, striding to the door and opening it.

Outside was chaos. Scientists wearing white lab coats ran to and fro through the corridors, writing down things as they bumbled from one place to another. I shifted myself, turning down another side passage.

I have to find the security room. Once there, I can get to the bottom of this. I twisted down another side passage, finding myself face to face with Sakon, who stood there, mouth slightly agape.

"Oh. Um...Sasuke-kun. Um...hi!"

"Not now. Follow me." I elbowed my way past him, hearing him follow step as I turned down yet another passage. Curse the shit who made this place like a maze. This is bullshit...

Finally, I found myself at the security room. It was one of the largest rooms in the place, so it wasn't so hard to find. However, as I stepped in, the first thing I noted was the broken pane of security glass that was there when interrogating prime witnesses or scientists. "What happened to that, Sakon?" I turned my head slightly, watching the man for any sign of movement. He shrugged.

"Dunno. Actually, after you called me, we got disconnected, so I came to look for you. That was the last thing I did." I huffed, but said nothing. There was no way we got disconnected. He did it on purpose. I would figure out that train of thought later. Right now, I had things to do. "Sakon, I want security video for the last six hours. I want to know what is happening in this place. Now!"

Sakon stood there, watching. Shrugging, as if he didn't know about what was going on, he walked to a nearby computer, pressing a button and standing back. "Here you go, Sasuke-kun."

I nodded, turning away from him to watch the screen. As the screen blinked on, I studied the picture.

After about five minutes of watching, I blinked. "Sakon. This is a security camera trained to the outside. Why are you showing me this? I need to know what is happening inside the compound." There was no answer from my security guard. Turning back around, I suddenly felt very...tired. As if someone had just injected me with drugs. Taking two deep breaths, I glanced down at the needle that was protruding from my arm, and then back at Sakon. "Sakon...I...I..."

"Hn. You don't need to know about this. I said that we were handling it. Why didn't you believe me?" He smiled, injecting me further with another needle full of whatever that stuff was. I blinked heavily, going down to a knee as darkness began to filter into my senses.

I smiled, laughing slightly in my drug-induced delirium. "So...this is...how it is...huh Sakon?"

Sakon shook his head, lowering himself down to my level to speak into my ear. "Sorry, Sasuke-kun. But, if you knew that your precious bitch was here, trying to ruin Orochimaru-sama's fun, than what would happen to you? He couldn't take that chance, so...here we are."

I cringed, feeling the drug beginning to work on my central nervous system. "Hinata. So...how...could that...be possible?"

Sakon shook his head, standing and cracking his arms. "Dunno. Don't really care, tell the truth. All's I know is, Orochimaru-sama told us to kill everyone that attempted to infiltrate the area. That's what we're doing. We can't have you or your emotions getting in the way. Orders, you know?"

I smiled, feeling the drugs taking effect on my eyesight and my talking abilities. It wouldn't be much longer, and I would go under. "Orders. Right...orders. Fuck orders. Fuck them..."

"No, Sasuke-kun. Fuck this world. Fuck this world and everything that it stands for. We will be the owners of this world, but until that time, you just have to be a nice little boy. A nice...little...boy..." I could hear him turn, beginning to walk away from me. More footsteps. "Have Sasuke-kun taken back to quarters. Thank you." An attendant nodded, and more feet sounded out closer. Silently, four pairs of hands picked me up, carrying me out the door and into the passageway.

Above me, the lights flashed, and the walls went by like a panorama. My head was swimming, and the jolting about that I was getting wasn't helping matters.

"He said to take him back to his room?"

"That's right."

"Great. We have to carry his stupid ass all the way there."

"Hey, Orochimaru-sama prizes him. Don't do anything stupid here."

"I know, I know. I just hate the fact that we have to do what he says."

"He's Orochimaru-sama's. We don't dare do anything against him."

"Right."

"Right."

"Hn. Right."

A few more steps, and then they dropped me. Not onto something that I was familiar with, such as my soft bed. This was harder, more foreign.

"I'm...hungry."

"So am I."

"Well then..." Moaning...groaning. In my blurred vision, I could see a distinct bluish haze. Eight of them. Small and round.

Eyes.

Four faces turned to me, and I could hardly do anything. I was at their mercies, even though I knew that they weren't capable of any. Four jaws gnashed, and they set themselves upon me.

I...will not...die like this! That was my last thought. Then...

I saw red.

Next Chapter: Hinata has more than her fair share of problems with Tayuya, who shows that she has more than just her claws when she catfights. Kimimaro is attempting to destroy the complex once and for all, and Hidan must make a decision that could mean the difference between life and death. Lee is still trying to outdo Kidomaru, though, the fight becomes a little one-sided. What could Kidomaru have up his sleeves, or up his three sleeves?

Next Time: Thermal Explosion, Hope Lives!