-37-
Seeing the discarded bodies of the dead guards all four of the men looked at each other and then at the road ahead. There was signs of a fight, the scorch marks on the trees and surrounding foliage was obvious Cho wasn't going to go without a fight.
"They have her."
"State the obvious," Ishi said to his brother and frowned, reaching down he picked up a weapon and looked it over. "Poison, that's new." He said while watching a yellow liquid trail and drip from the dagger.
"Poison or sedative?" Tomi took the weapon from his brother and looked at it, the brothers looked at each other and then at the Senju and Uchiha. "What about Nobusuke-kun?"
"We have to see if he's alright."
"And yet, if we go wouldn't that seem a little suspicious?"
"Madara is right, if we turn up he will immediately think something is wrong." Hashirama said, "And yet if they have Cho-san they may have Nobusuke-san."
"And if they don't?"
"Then we'll come back for him, but if that substance on the dagger is poison Cho-san only has a small amount of time left."
"So we're keeping Nobu-kun in the dark?" Tomi questioned and got a swift nod from the Hokage, he nodded slowly and looked up at his brother, Ishi didn't look like he completely agreed with the idea either. But they both agreed that if Cho had been poisoned she only had a small amount of time left.
It didn't take the group long to find the abandoned Sakamoto village which was meant to have the hostages in it.
Being welcomed by attacking people helped to give it away that they'd found the right place. By now the four of them had met up with the other Uchiha and Senju who had accompanied them earlier on.
Ishi and Tomi were more than happy to fight the oncoming Sakamoto's the two of them were rather unhappy to not encounter Yuuta or Kohaku though. "Back," Ishi said while Tomi jumped back and let his brother attack the surrounding people. It didn't take the attacking clan long to figure out they were fighting against a rather unstoppable group of people. It was for that reason that they backed off, coughing and waving their hands they dispelled the smoke.
"Well that was a lot more entertaining than I thought," Madara stepped over a body and looked around the abandoned village. Hashirama rolled his eyes at his momentary like for fighting and killing.
"Oof."
"Tomi!" Ishi exclaimed and kicked the person off of his brother, the person disappeared in a puff of smoke and kicked him away too. Tomi jumped up along with his brother, the two of them looked around and poised to fight. Noticing what happened both the Uchiha and Senju looked around prepared for a fight.
"Cavalry arrives in the form or you lot. You know we had a good thing going." The owner of the voice appeared in the form of a sandy haired man. Madara instantly recognized him as the man who went to attack Cho when she first arrived in the village.
"We? We? There's only you Yuuta, there was always just you."
"Tomi! Still snide I see." Yuuta smirked and flexed his fingers, "I take it you're all here to find Choyo? I wish you luck with that," Yuuta bowed, standing back up straight and being grabbed by the neck wasn't a part of his plan.
"Go find the hostages," Hashirama said to Ishi and Tomi who nodded and left them two to deal with the ever pesky Sakamoto leader. Watching the twins run off Hashirama turned his attention back to Madara who was near to killing the man.
Running over he managed to get him to let him go, "We cannot kill him."
"I call it justice you call it murder, it's one and the same you honestly think keeping him alive is a good thing? Tell me what would you do?" Madara stomped on the man's leg as he tried to escape, screaming out at his now broken leg Yuuta gripped onto the ground. "Even he's interested, what would you do? Would you perhaps like to imprison him somewhere?" Madara said simply and then flicked his red eyes from Yuuta to Hashirama. "Need I remind you that he's hurt your fellow clan members? Disrupted the peace you so desperately wanted," he said bitterly. "And possibly nearly killed Cho. And you don't want him dead? Are you delusional?" By now Ishi and Tomi had freed the majority of the hostages.
"Oh I have a better idea," Madara picked Yuuta up, walking towards a tree while dragging the man. Madara took out his katana and stabbed it through the man's shoulder. "Right stay here." Madara turned and walked away from him. "Don't touch him. Do not even move him," he said as he passed Hashirama who looked sadly at Yuuta who was attempting to take the katana from his shoulder.
"Where is she?"
"We can't find her."
"Great, just typical. The only time I need her for something she can't be found." Madara sighed and kicked open a door. Walking around the dusty surroundings the sounds of the talking from the hostages dwindled.
He was glad that the clan members which were abducted had now returned, he frowned at the fact that all the Uchiha had cursed material around their eyes. It was a rather funny thing to think that the Sakamoto's thought that they were only good fighters for their eyes. Walking down a corridor Madara frowned at a heavily bolted door, the slight scorch marks on the lock proved that Ishi and Tomi had tried to get in but failed.
Cracking his knuckles Madara took to hitting the lock with a kunai, after the several hit it broke. Removing it he pushed the door open, "Who's there?" Squinting so his eyes adjusted to the darkness Madara looked to the centre of the room.
Sitting crouched holding onto Cho was Kiyomi, who like the other Uchiha had the material around her eyes. Walking in he crouched near them, "Kiyomi."
"Madara-sama? Cho-chan...wake up Cho-chan help has come," Kiyomi shook the red head lightly who winced and squeezed her eyes shut. "Help...?"
"Lazy woman wake up, I'm not waiting for you to come to your senses." Madara said seriously, Kiyomi flinched slightly at his tone. But persistence was the one thing which would wake her up, Cho opened her eyes slowly and looked at him, "Hello help."
"She's a bit delusional." Kiyomi said while Madara took her from her grip, Cho screamed in pain and tried wriggling away. "Cho-chan calm down it's only Madara-sama."
"I don't care who it is! Just stop hurting me!" Cho shouted back, Madara grabbed a hold of her arms, which she was flailing around. She went still again and her head lolled to the side, thanks to the light coming from the corridor Madara could clearly see the damage which had been dealt to her. Both her legs were a dark purple and blue, that indicated to him that they'd broken both her legs to prevent her running and fighting. Her arms were still restrained, her hair was ruffled and there were a few bruises on her face.
All in all Yuuta was taking his time in killing her, picking her up carefully Madara looked at Kiyomi, "Come on." He said, she stood up reaching out he grabbed a hold of her sleeve and pulled her towards the exit.