Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

This privilege goes to Masashi Kishimoto.

This is my version of the animie/manga story line.

Chapter 35 Assassins…

"Lord Hizashi, I'm Ky - The Mercenary Fox…"

Hizashi's eyes widen at the realization that here was the man who saved his brother's wife life and his nieces' lives years ago. Questions start popping up in Hizashi's mind, "why is he here… why am I sitting on my couch… why do I have a hangover… what happened last night?"

The dark haired woman in the black and silver kimono returns from the kitchen with a tray containing a pot of coffee, containers containing cream and sugar plus a new cup on it. Placing the tray in front of Hizashi, she pours a fresh cup before turning to Hizashi, "cream or sugar my lord?"

Hizashi shakes his head no, "black is fine, thank you."

The woman hands him the cup before turning and moving back to stand behind Ky.

Ky is watching Hizashi taking a sip of his coffee before asking, "Lord Hizashi please tell me what you remember from last night?"

Hizashi takes another sip of his coffee as he thinks, "what did happen last night?" Staring into his coffee cup, "I remember that I had gone to the community center to help serve meals like I have done for the past seven years. After cleaning up, I wished everybody a good night before heading back to the complex. Crossing the market area, I remember seeing an older woman walking towards me when her bag slipped from her hand, spilling her grocery on the ground. I stopped beside her to offer her help and began picking up her produce. I remember standing up and hearing the woman muttering something then next instant I'm waking up on my couch with a headache."

Ky nods his head, "Lord Hizashi let me tell what happened. You were targeted for assassination and the 'woman' that you helped was an assassin."

Hizashi head whips up to stare at Ky, "ASSASSINATION? I did not sense any chakra or an attack from her."

Sipping his coffee Ky, "the reason you did not sense chakra was because 'she' had did not have any chakra to sense nor was the attack a physical one. The produce was coated with a neurotoxin that was absorbed through your skin that would cause the brain to shut down. Symptoms of this neurotoxin mirror intoxication and blurry vision thus most people would assume the person is intoxicated and not render aid. If the victim has any type of optical bloodlines, Byakugan or Sharingan, would cause the user extreme pain if they tried to activate their bloodline." Hizashi head snaps up before Ky continues, "don't worry Lord Hizashi, Keko administer the antidote to you; however, your optic system will take a little time to flush out the drug residue. And you have already experience first hand what happens if you try to active the Byakugan with this drug in your system." Turning towards the woman behind him, "Keko, how much longer before Lord Hizashi is free of the affects of the drug?"

Keko answers in a soft velvety voice, "if Lord Hizashi does not use his Byakugan for the next couple of hours, then I say he should be able to use it at lunch time with no pain."

Hizashi stands up and bows to Keko, "Ms. Keko thank you for saving my life and easing my pain earlier, I will forever be in your debt."

Keko returns the bow, "thank you Lord Hizashi; however, it was an honor to help save someone who is important to Lord Ky." This causes Hizashi to look questionably at Ky, who smiles into his coffee cup.

Setting his cup down on the table Ky leans back in his chair, "Lord Hizashi let me fill in the blanks. You are probably wondering how I am involved in all of this. To begin with, I was here originally to pay an honor debt to your Sandaime. When I entered the village earlier this week, one of my associates spotted one of the assassins."

Hizashi, "there were more then one assassins?"

Ky, "yes there is a pair of assassins, according to Bingo book these two work as a team. They specialized in kidnapping and assassinations. For your information they are both male with one of them being a female impersonator. I had my associates to find out who target was. I was surprised when they discovered that you were their target thus I extended my stay in Konoha."

Hizashi, "if you spotted the assassins, why did you not tell the Sandaime and have him assign ANBU to take care of them. Why were they targeting me?"

Ky, "My associates discovered that this was a clan issue and you were the patsy. Being a clan issue the Sandaime would be accused of interfering in clan affairs thus I stepped in to keep the Sandaime's hands clean."

Hizashi clutches his coffee cup, "clan affairs? And why do you think I was the patsy?"

Ky, "once the 'older woman' had disabled you, they were going to take you to one of the local motel. There they were going to stage a 'bad affair breakup'. A loud and violent breakup would be heard by other motel guests. The other assassin was going to 'discover' your stabbed body then run screaming down to the front desk that 'Lord Hiashi has been murdered'. Purposely mistaking you for your brother, hearing this most of the occupants of the motel would all want to go look to see if it was true. Thus the gossip would start."

Hizashi frowns, "you said that they had poisoned me so I was going to be dead. Why would they go to all that effort to stage that it makes no sense?"

Ky, "it was going to be staged to do two things. Foremost they wanted you dead. Two, they wanted to embarrass Lord Hiashi since he had placed a lot of trust and responsibility in you, a member of the Lower House. Being found dead in a motel room supposedly killed by your scorned lover would cause speculation that you were abusing your power."

Hizashi lowers his head into his hands, "Kami that would have devastated Mikoto since Fugaku had several affairs while married to her. She would have felt that she was betrayed by someone that she trusted. The elders would be pressuring Hiashi even more." After several moments Hizashi looks up at Ky, "how did you save me?"

Ky, "my associates and I were on the roof watching you cross the market area and the initial contact by the 'older woman'. Once you were poisoned, the other assassin came out of the alley to help his associate carry you towards the motel. When they reentered the alley, my associates and I made our move. We quickly incapacitated the pair; Keko used her ability to implant a false memory that a single ANBU stop to question them. They knew if they went to ANBU headquarters they would be exposed as assassins. Thus, they 'killed' the ANBU and fled, splitting up and heading to their separate safe houses to wait for another opportunity to finish their contract."

Hizashi, "why did you not kill the pair when you had the chance instead of letting them go?"

Ky, "I did not kill them was because I wanted the person or persons who hired them to know that the assassins had failed before they could carry out their mission. Right now my associates are leaving a trail for the real ANBU to either capture or kill the assassins."

Hizashi thinks about this then asks, "how did I get here?"

Ky points at Keko behind him, "after Keko administer the antidote, she used her ability to do 'Body Possession' to take control of your body. Thus allowing 'you' to be seen returning to your complex. Accessing your memories, she did all your normal night time routine thus nobody in the complex knew that you had been attacked."

Hizashi looks quickly at Keko at the mention that Keko accessed his memories. Keko sees Hizashi's nervous look, "don't worry Lord Hizashi, I only accessed your normal habits, procedures and the names of the guards and clan members. I would never look into any of your private thoughts without your permission."

Hizashi sighs in relief knowing that Keko had not accessed his memories about Mikoto. Looking over at Ky, "now what?"

Setting his coffee cup on the table Ky, "now you continue like nothing happened last night. However, tell your brother what happened so that he is aware of it. You will probably notice extra ANBU patrols around your complex for the next couple of days. Tomorrow the Sandaime will contact Lord Hiashi to inform him an assassination attempt against his clan was thawed by the ANBU."

Hizashi decides to let Ky know what he and his brother had been suspecting within the clan. "Lord Ky having saved my nieces, my sister-in-law lives and now mine. I feel you ought to know that my brother has had several near miss accidents lately. We know person or persons within the clan are trying to stage a coup. Our problem is finding out who and gathering enough evidence to justify clan actions."

Nodding his head Ky, "Lord Hizashi I thank you for taking me within your confidence. I will leave several of my associates here in Konoha to give you additional eyes and ears and if necessary backup. You will not see them; but, rest assured they will be about." As Ky stands up facing Hizashi, "oh before if forget."

To Hizashi horror, he sees Ky do the hand signs to activate the 'Caged Bird' seal on his forehead. To his confusion Hizashi only feels a slight pressure on his seal instead of excruciating pain. Putting his hand to his forehead and staring at Ky, who is grinning as he releases the final sign to activation of the seal. "What just happened? Why am I not on the ground in pain and how did you know the activation sequence for the 'Caged Bird' seal?"

Ky walks over to Hizashi and smiles, "your brother asked the Sandaime to find a way to neutralize the pain factor in the 'Caged Bird' seal. However, to keep the ability to destroy the Byakugan if the owner passed way. I just wanted to make sure that it worked before giving you these. I have known the activation sequence for a long time."

Flashback ten years earlier in the Hyuga complex…

Naruto is pulling weeds in Senna's garden, when he sees an Elder walking into a Lower House member, who is carrying a load of linen.

Elder is furious at Lower House member for being in his way, "I'll teach you to watch where you are going." As the Elder starts going through the hand sign sequence the Lower House member is down on the ground bowing and apologizing for not looking where she was going, pleading with the Elder not to activate the seal.

Elder smirks as he finishes the sequence instantly causing the Lower House member to grab her head and screams as excruciating pain hits her. After several seconds, the Elder releases the sequence, "Let that be a lesson to you to watch where you are going."

As the Elder walks off leaving, he sees Naruto pulling weeds in the garden and sneers, "why does Lady Senna put up with that damn demon." Unknown to the Elder, Naruto's enhanced hearing and sight allows him to memorize the activation sequence and hear what he said. Reaching inside his pocket, Naruto pulls out a small black spiral notebook with the title 'Pay Back' and writes the Elder's name in it. Before helping Lower House member get up and carrying the linen for her.

End flashback…

Ky hands Hizashi ten slips of paper with a seal drawn on it plus a scroll. Hizashi looks at them, they appear to be identical to the 'Cage Bird' seal, then a confused look at Ky. Seeing the look, "they don't look different because I did not want members of the Main House to be able to see any visible changes. Seeing how you are expecting a coup, any Main House member would use your old seal to either neutralize or kill anyone that might come to aid of your brother and his family. You and your brother need to decide who in the Lower House will support you if a coup occurs and replace the original seal with this one. The scroll has the instructions and hand signs necessary to apply the new seal. The scroll has a blood seal on it keyed for only you or your brother to open it. Do you have any questions?"

Hizashi shakes his head slowly no.

"Remember Lord Hizashi act like nothing happened last night. Now if you will excuse us we have to be on our way." Ky and Keko start walking towards the door to leave.

Hizashi jumps up, "wait how will you leave without anyone knowing?"

Ky chuckles as he continues walking toward the door, "the same way I got in…" Raising one hand holding up two fingers, "Release" which causes the room to turn a turn a light blue color before Ky and Keko seem to shimmer before disappearing.

Hizashi slowly sits down on his couch thinking about what he had just learned. After a couple of moments of thought, Hizashi nods himself and gets up. Heading towards his bedroom to shower and change plus to lock up the seals and the scroll. He had to make sure everything was ready for his brother's return later today.

Sipping a cup of coffee as he exits from Orihime's deli Naruto senses Anko chakra signature approaching his location. Seeing Anko running on the roof tops towards ANBU headquarters, Naruto looks at his watch, "looks like they caught them" before leaping on the roof tops to catch up to his sensei. Catching up to his sensei, causes her to glance at him. Naruto holds up a 'to-go' cup of coffee to sensei who smiles before taking it.

After taking several sips while still running Anko, "thanks blondie"

Shrugging his shoulders Naruto, "no problem sensei, so why are you heading to work so early?"

Sipping some more coffee before replying, "Ibiki called, ANBU brought in a pair that they were hunting all night and finally just caught them. Ibiki says he will fill me in when I get there." Looking over at Naruto and grinning, "want to tag along? This way you can see what I do and it would be good for a genin to see the what happens to persons of 'interest'."

Smiling Naruto, "it will be an honor to see you in action."

Landing in front of the ANBU headquarters Anko finishes her coffee and pitches the empty cup in the trash as she approaches the front desk. Signing a clip board that is sitting on the front desk, she signals Naruto to sign in also before turning to the ANBU sitting behind the desk, "Anko and guest" jerking her thumb towards Naruto who is signing in before placing her hand on a seal that is on the desk. The ANBU does a single hand sign causing the seal to glow green. After that he hands a plastic badge that says 'visitor' on it to Naruto, "ok, don't wonder around inside. You…"

Anko grabs his arm and pulls him through the door as Naruto is trying to pin on his badge, "yada, yada, yada… don't worry he won't leave my sight" making a waving hand gesture at the ANBU sitting at the desk.

Falling in step with Anko, Naruto looking around snickering, "looks like they finally got the pink paint off the walls."

Anko looking out of the corner of her eye, "what so funny blondie?"

"Oh nothing sensei just admiring the paint job", Naruto says causally.

Anko points at a door marked 'Department of T & I' before opening it and stepping in. Entering into the room Naruto sees a typical office area, couple of unoccupied desks, filing cabinets, a refrigerator, a half filled coffee pot with cups beside it and other various office material. In the back of the room is the head of the department sitting behind a desk reading a folder, Ibiki Morino. Anko walks over to his desk and flops down in one of the chairs in front of his desk and motions for Naruto to take the other.

Not looking up from the folder he is reading Ibiki, "what is this bring your 'genin to work' day?"

Anko flips him off before propping her feet up on Ibiki's desk, "so what is so-o-o important that you had to disturb my beauty sleep, plus make me miss tortu.. I mean training my genin?"

Closing the file before pushing Anko's feet off his desk, Ibiki tosses her the file catching it she starts to scan it, "Last night, a local informant told an ANBU patrol that he saw the 'The Odd Couple' in one of Konaho's 'finer' drinking establishments. Tiger's ANBU squad went to verify and observe the pair. They followed them out of the drinking establishment and across the market area before they ducked into an alley. They must of spotted Tiger's group because a flash bang and smoke bombs were launched at the ANBU's hiding spot. The pair split up, it took Tiger and Leopard's squad and a pair of Inuzuka members to finally find and capture them. Currently, we got them in separate interrogation rooms."

Anko closes the file before handing it to Naruto, who opens it and starts reading, "do we have any idea who their target is?"

Ibiki shakes his head, "right now we don't know if they were just passing through or if they had a target. Otter and Blue Bird are currently searching their rooms for any clues; but according to their listing in the Bingo book, they are professionals. Which would explain how they spotted Tiger's group and why it took all night to find them. Inoichi will not be back until this afternoon, so if a mind walk is needed we will have to wait until later this evening."

Anko smirks, "like I won't know everything before lunch time. Fifty ryos says I break mine before you break yours." Pulling the money out of her shirt pocket and placing it on Ibiki's desk.

Pulling out his wallet Ibiki chuckles as he places his bet on top of Anko's pile, "easiest money I'll ever make and they say Tsunade is the 'Legendary Sucker'."

"So which one do I get? The straight one or the cross dresser?", as Anko stands up.

Ibiki pulls a coin out of his pocket and shows Anko both sides, "Heads you get the cross dresser, tails the straight one" before flipping the coin up in the air and allowing it to land on his desk. The coin spins for a moment before settling down showing tails, "looks like the straight one, he in room 1." Scooping up his coin and putting it back in his pocket as he heads out of the office, "oh, genin make sure you bring a towel so that Anko has something to cry on, when she loses… again."

Not waiting for Naruto, Anko starts walking after Ibiki, "yeah, we'll see who crying. Let's go blondie, I've got some easy money to win." Naruto shakes his head at the pair as he stands up to follow his sensei out the door. After going down several flights of stairs, they approach a door with an ANBU with a beaver mask standing to side of it. Nodding to the ANBU Anko opens the door and motions Naruto to enter before following and closing the door. Entering into the room, Naruto sees a non-descriptive middle age man sitting with his bound hands resting on a table staring at the full-length mirror in front of him. A single light is shining on the table with another chair is opposite of the man. Naruto scans the room spotting the hidden microphones and cameras before moving to stand in corner and put his hands in trench coats pockets. Even without turning his head, Naruto knew that the man was aware he was there.

Anko walks over to the table, pulls back the other chair, and sits down tapping the file on the table, "why don't you save yourself a lot of pain and I do mean a lot of pain. And tell me who your target is?" before glancing over the man sitting across from her.

The man holds up his hands in an open palm gesture, "what do you mean target? I'm just a tourist passing through Konoha" before placing his hands back down on the table.

Pulling a kunai out of her pocket Anko starts slowly spinning it on one finger, "you seriously don't believe that I'm going to buy that you are a 'tourist'."

The man, "believe what you want; but, I'm just a man touring the Fire Country."

Anko gets up slowly from her chair and walks behind the man. The kunai appears on the side of the man's face and is slowly drawn across his cheek cutting him slightly coating the blade with his blood. Walking back in front of the man holding the bloody kunai in her hand before sitting back down in the chair in front of him. The man puts his hands up to his cheeks and then pulls them back to look at the blood on his hands. Anko is slowly raising the bloody kunai up to her lips and is about to lick the blood off when a hand suddenly grips her's hand keeping her from tasting the blood. Anko glares into eyes of the owner of the hand.

"That would not be a wise choice sensei" as Naruto passes his other hand, which is glowing green over the kunai, which causes the red blood to turn black.

Anko's eyes narrow at the kunai in her hand, "poison" before looking back into blondie's eye, "how did you know?"

Releasing her hand Naruto, "when you started to raise the kunai to taste it, I saw his iris enlarge and a flicker of a smile. Plus I smell an extreme sweet odor from his cut. With your permission sensei I will continue the interrogation." Anko nods her head as she knows she needs to regroup since almost being poisoned has shaken her. Naruto replaces her in the chair opposite of the man as Anko steps back into the shadows to watch.

The man snaps his fingers, "damn so close" instantly that hand is pinned to the table with a kunai held by Naruto. Twisting the kunai before pulling it out and placing it back in his trench coat leaving the man to grip bleeding hand with his other hand.

Anko is smiling in the shadows, "nice move blondie."

Naruto pulls out a Bingo book from his trench coat and opens it in front of him:

"Name: Hata known as second half of the 'Odd Couple' team

Male

Age: unknown suspect to be in his late thirties

Height: 5'10"

Weight: 225lbs

Eyes: hazel

Skills:

Taijutsu: good

Kenjutsu: shows signs of being taught by a samurai

Slim or no chakra so genjustsu or ninjutsu impossible

Seems to have had gotten some samurai training thus might have the ability to detect chakra.

Skilled in the Silent Kill Method.

Partner prefers to use poison in assassinations.

Expert in physical disguises and voices

Wanted for Murder and Kidnapping in Lands of: Flowers, Hot Springs, Tea, Wind, Honey and Fire.

Bounty: 100,000 ryos (dead or alive)

Your partner is Kanai, who is known female impersonator."

Hata sneers, "that all you got geki?"

Naruto closes the Bingo book, "no, that's just what in the Bingo book. Now let me tell you what I know. I know that you and your partner have been observing for the past five days the Hyuga complex using various disguises and locations. That your client supplied you with the latest ANBU town patrol routes and times."

Hearing this causes Anko to stare at Blondie," we got a serious security breach here, this more then a simple assassination attempt."

"I know who your target is, your primary object plus your secondary objective. Also that your partner is unstable and a serial killer which you know; but, tolerated since he is a good partner for now. You also knew that you were going to have kill him in the near future because he was starting to become more unstable thus a liability. And according to your heartbeat, I say you have about one minute left to live. I am going to assume that the poison in your blood was your 'fail-safe' to keep you and your partner from spilling secrets. Does he know that he been poisoned?"

Hata shakes his head, "no, it was my way of insuring if he ever turn on me that I would get my final revenge. And like you said, I not a big fan of being tortured. All I can say is been one hell of a ride." Hata slowly closes his eyes before his head falls forward onto his chest.

Naruto returns the Bingo book to his trench coat before standing up to walk around to stand behind Hata. Passing a glowing green hand across Hata's back before pulling out a kunai. Naruto then drives the kunai into the base of Hata's skull before returning it back into his trench coat. Anko raises a questioning eyebrow, "just making sure that he was dead sensei, you know some drugs can induce a 'fake' death and we would not want him coming to in the morgue. Let's go back to Ibiki's office he ought to be arriving there shortly. I will answer all your questions."

Anko nods her head before turning to knock on the door to have it opened by the ANBU standing outside. As Anko passes him, "send his body to the morgue for autopsy. Warn them that his blood has a poison agent in it. Come on blondie let's go break the news to Ibiki." Naruto nods to the ANBU as he passes outside the door walking quickly to catch up to Anko.

Entering back into Ibiki's office, Ibiki has a pissed look on his face sitting behind his desk sipping a cup of coffee. Anko sits down across Ibiki, Naruto walks over to the coffee pot and pours two cups of coffee and moves over to Anko to hand her one as he sits down beside her with his cup of coffee. The three sit there for several minutes sipping coffee, the clicking of the clock behind Ibiki is the only sound being heard.

Anko holding her cup between her hands, "mine's dead he committed suicide by poison, yours too?" Ibiki nods his head.

"Draw?"

"Draw"

Anko and Ibiki grab their money off the desk before returning to drinking their coffee. After a couple more moments without turning her head, "ok blondie tell me how you know his target was a Hyuga and all that other information."

Placing his cup down on Ibiki's desk before doing the hand signs calling out 'Kitsune Room Sound Seal' before slapping his hand on desk causing the room to be bathed in a blue light before disappearing. Ibiki raises one eyebrow but does not say a word waiting for Naruto to continue.

Naruto, "the Hyuga clan is having coup lead by unknown Main House member or members. Several attempts have already been made on Lord Hiashi." This causes both Ibiki and Anko to sit up. "The 'Odd Couple' were hired to assassinate Lord Hizashi and to stage an incident at a motel with his body to embarrass and weaken Lord Hiashi status. As I said in interrogation room, one of my associates spotted the assassins last week. A team of my associates took up surveillance of the pair and this weekend a light mind walk was executed on the pair to uncover their plans. During the mind walk of the female impersonator was diagnosed as unstable plus a serial killer by my associate.. She saw that his victims were prostitutes, which did not generate local concern. The impersonator saw these women as 'fallen' individuals who only way to salvation was to be killed. He was about to start to expand his definition of 'fallen' female individuals."

Ibiki makes a note to checkup on any unsolved murdered prostitutes cases before asking Naruto, "why did you not tell the Sandaime and let ANBU handle the pair?"

"This is a clan matter and if it does not affect village security then the Sandaime cannot intervene. I, on the other hand could intervene; but, if I get caught then I can be charged with interference of clan rights."

Anko and Ibiki know what Naruto says is true, Ibiki, "why did you not just kill them?"

Anko tapping the side of her coffee cup, "because if he did then the Sandaime could not become involved. Since the ANBU were tipped off that the "Odd Couple' were in Konoha which would of automatically initiated a surveillance of the pair. Then the ANBU unit is spotted by the pair, who eludes the ANBU until they are tracked to their hide out, arrested and taken to ANBU headquarters for a little 'T & I' time. I take it that Otter and Blue Bird will discover evidence pointing at an assassin of a prominent clan member and a security breach. This will allow the Sandaime to become involved because of the breach in village security. Am I right?" Looking over at Naruto for conformation, who just slides his index finger across his nose. "Did your associates plant the ANBU town patrol routes or do we have a serious security breach?"

"We have a serious security breach in the village…"