A/N: I know, I know... Why the hell am I doing another story when I haven't finished a single one? I'll tell you... If I get an idea in my head, I have a hard time doing anything else until it comes out. Now that this part is out, I can get back to work on my other stuff. The next chapter of "Tsūyaku" should be up by tomorrow at latest, maybe tonight if I'm lucky, then going back to "Queen of the Rhombus". I'm working on revamping the earlier chapters of both, because I'm not quite happy with them. Anyway, hope you guys enjoy! Thanks!
Plus... I have six stories...I can't stand that number. Seven is where it is.
"Is something wrong? You look really tired today...more than usual."
Realizing someone was talking to her, the pinkette reluctantly drew her eyes away from the clock on the wall. It didn't seem to matter how long she stared at the time. It felt like it was at a standstill, the hands just barely moving under the anxious gaze.
'They say water boils slower when you watch it. I guess the same goes for time as well...'
2:10...3:30 just couldn't come soon enough.
Dragging her elbows from off of the counter she'd been leaning on, Sakura let out a long drawn out sigh, trying to stifle the yawn trying to replace it. This hadn't been the ideal job in mind when moving back to the city...not at all. Well, neither was the other one, but that didn't matter. There wasn't much that could be done about that now...
Everyone had to make a living. No one really had the luxury of being picky when it came to employment in Gotham. You had to take what you can get. At least working at the bank meant having income on record and could account for how she was bringing in money. It was better that way...less questions asked.
Straightening out her back and slapping the practiced mask that had been crafted long ago, Sakura turned to the blonde woman standing just a few feet away. Putting on a sweet smile, she did her best to brush away the exhaustion plaguing her young features. Only being 19, most people expected high energy and little sense from someone that age. At least that's how it seemed talking to the other tellers, who were all older.
"No, no... Just been having a hard time sleeping lately. I turn the T.V. on to help me sleep and next thing you know, it's the middle of the night. Haha..." It was bullshit, but who needed anyone asking questions? Wouldn't it be better for people to think she was just irresponsible than having to explain what was really going on? That would never happen anyway, no one had a right sticking their nose in her business. Not unless they were going to pay her bills...
"Oh? You sure you just haven't been up late with Ino? Haha... That girl is too much sometimes. I know Antoni is fuming that she called out again. Look..." Sticking her thumb out towards the glass that surrounded his office, the pinkette's eye twitched seeing the manager talking loudly on the phone.
Without Sarah having to point it out, everyone who worked in the bank knew he was in a foul mood. If it wasn't a client giving him a hard time or a transaction going wrong, nothing set the older man off like an employee not showing up and doing their part in the business. Whenever that would happen, Antoni would shut himself up in his office, after telling them not to bother him if it wasn't important.
The tellers all knew what that meant without saying anything. It didn't take a genius to figure out the shady business that was going on behind the scenes. No one worked here that was a liability or possible weak link in the fence. You didn't get employed Gotham National Bank without a recommendation from someone who was involved in the same kind of business. The mob couldn't risk having a narc or person from the opposing side getting in the mix.
Sakura knew this was one of the many places the mafia kept their money and was a trading stop. It was Uchiha Madara's recommendation that landed her a spot behind the counter, a way to have a paper trail that accounted for the money she brought in...and an extra set of eyes. Every member had to have legal income to not draw the attention of the GPD, specifically the MCU, who were always working hard to bring the branches down.
Not that there seemed a choice in the matter. Everyone did what Madara said, no questions asked. It was better than the other option...
A shudder ran through the pinkette's body just thinking about it. Part of her wished she hadn't listened to the sweet words that brought her back to Gotham. This hadn't been how she imagined it at all, not even a little...
The vibration against her hip drew Sakura's attention from the man rubbing his temples in agitation through the glass window, down to the cell phone in her pocket. Without hesitating, she pulled it out quickly, already knowing who it was. There was a specific set of vibes the phone gave off when that person sent a message.
Be here at 8.
"Is that your boyfriend again?" The blonde snickered, looking over her shoulder at the text.
A grimace twisted the pretty features on her face, moving the phone out of the woman's view in annoyance. So damn nosy...
"He's not my boyfriend. I told you that before..." No, Sasuke wasn't her boyfriend at all... He made that very clear since she moved back to the city at his behest. It was a sore spot, that was for sure. The Uchiha had been one of the reasons she came back to Gotham in the first place.
After her parents moved to the suburbs to get away from how bad the city had become, Sakura had become completely miserable. Being away from all her friends she'd known for years, living in a strange place...it didn't feel like home at all. Two years had gone by like that, feeling like an outsider and completely out of her element.
The only thing that helped was keeping in contact with the people who knew her, the ones she grew up around. It was when Sasuke suggested that she come back after graduating high school, that things changed...
Boy, did they change...
Turning away from the teller station and from Sarah's prying eyes, Sakura stared at the message, eyes feeling heavy. To most people, the words would seem innocent enough..maybe a date or wanting to hang out together. Something people their age typically did.
That wasn't the case, even if she desired it to be. No...it was all business.
Letting out a shaky breath, her fingers tapped against the screen quickly. Taking too long to answer was never a good idea with the Uchiha. They were always so...impatient and volatile. Quick to anger and slow to calm down.
Most of them anyway...
Got it.
A simple enough answer that would let Sasuke know she got the text and knew what was expected of her. This wasn't how she hoped things would have turned out, not at all. Part of her wished she hadn't returned, but then again...what was waiting on the other side? A boring, complacent life? The grass always seemed greener on the other side...until you hoped the fence and realized it was all full of weeds.
"Ahhh!"
Shots suddenly rang out through the quiet bank as one of the tellers let out a high pitched scream.
Spinning on her heel, green eyes widened seeing a group of men wearing strange masks running passed the managers office, guns held high.
"Shit!" Hissing, she jammed the phone back into her pocket and crouched down, knowing full well what was going on. At this point, hearing gunshots weren't enough to make the pinkette jump out of her skin. God knows when it happens often enough, it starts to lose its shock factor.
Peering up over the counter, one of the men had punched the security guard, grabbing the back of his neck and dragging him along like a disobedient puppy.
"Alright everybody! Hands up, heads down!" The men were wearing...clown masks...ugly ones at that. Each one had a different expression she noticed as her eyes quickly darted back and forth. Details were always important...
There was no doubt Madara or Fugaku was going to make her tell them everything that happened in detail. Some of the money that was stored here was theirs...a very small portion of the yakuza's. Very small... The Uchiha head only put forth an insignificant amount from their end as part of an agreement between the mob families who recently formed an alliance.
'Madara did say it was foolish to leave their money in the hands of banks... Guess he was right. Bastard...'
Getting a good look at their masks and dark purple suits, Sakura knelt down low, slowly pushing her feet against the floor and hoping to slide into the small dark room behind the counter without anyone noticing. The other tellers had their hands up, crying out and yelling as the men moved around. They had already been seen and knew if they made a move, more shots would be fired.
'I don't think anyone noticed me yet...'
Shifting across the floor, the pinkette slid into the shadows of the back room where files were kept. It was small, just enough room for a couple shelves, a copier and fax machine. There wasn't an exit or anywhere to run to, but it was enough for now. As long as they couldn't see her...
Pulling out the phone from her pocket and trying to block out the screaming, she knew there was no point in calling the police. That would only land her in deeper shit with the head. Most of the cops were on the mafia's payroll anyway.
Taping quickly against the screen, she opened up the previous message from before to reply with a new one.
Bank is being robbed. Three men in clown masks and purple suits.
"I said heads down! Alright sweetheart, you're taking a dive with me!" The deep voice was followed by a woman's shrill scream and banging.
A message came back quicker than expected as she tried to calm the pounding in her chest. Gunshot noises weren't frightening on their own, it was what followed afterwards that was. No way was she about to go out there or let herself be found out.
Just a single look at those guys and anyone could tell they were unhinged. Who robs one of the largest banks in the city in the middle of the day? No one in their right mind, that's who. The chances of getting shot by one of the lunatics was more than enough to keep her still behind the short expanse of wall that divided the room from what was going on out there.
Great.
Sakura stared down at the message in disbelief... Great?! That's all he could say after what she sent him?
Don't get shot.
'He's such an asshole!'
"Sit down! Now!" The raspy voice kept yelling out instructions to the customers and employees as the pinkette shifted closer to the edge of the wall, trying to listen in on what was happening. So far, it didn't seem like anyone had been shot...otherwise there would be a lot more of panic and screaming from the women who worked here.
'What's that clicking sound?' Leaning in further, she couldn't make out the strange noise. It went off at different intervals, but kept going. It didn't sound like a gun or anything she recognized.
"Obviously we don't want you doing anything with your hands, other than hanging on for dear life!"
Sakura's eyes widened hearing the man's words. They couldn't have... Who would be that reckless? One wrong move and they would all die, if it's what she thinks it is. Who would be crazy enough to pull something like that?
'Morons who would rob a mob bank in the middle of the day...'
"On the ground! Stay on the ground! Nobody make a move! NOBODY! Stay down-"
Sakura jumped at the sound of a shotgun going off and glass breaking, covering her mouth with a hand to stifle any noise. That had to be Antoni from his office. Either he'd been shot at or was the one doing the shooting.
More shots rang out and there was no more yelling from the clown with the deep voice. He must have been killed... If Antoni had made a move, he wasn't going to stop until all the assailants were down or buy enough time for Maroni's men to come. He'd been sitting in his office on the phone, there was no doubt he'd at least tried to call his boss for back up when the clown's stormed in.
"There!" It sounded like he was chasing someone, his voice getting further away from the dark room she was hiding in. Hopefully he would be able to shoot the bastards and this would all be over.
"You have any idea who you're stealin' from?! You and your friends are dead!"
Blasts and cracks flew through the air as she covered her ears, trying to block out the noises.
Green eyes widened hearing a loud thud from directly outside of the room she was hiding in from behind the counter.
"Where did you learn to count?!"
Seeing the blonde hair strewn across the floor by the doorway, Sakura's stomach twisted in knots. Sarah must have been hiding beneath the counter and gotten caught up in the gunfire or a stray bullet ricocheted, hitting her.
'Is she dead?'
Hearing the gasps coming from the woman lying on the floor, the pinkette grit her teeth, debating on what to do. If she tried to help her, there was a chance of getting it herself...but doing nothing would only weigh on her already tormented conscious.
"Tch!"
Scooting across the smooth surface and trying to keep low, Sakura drug herself to the doorway to help the woman. There was enough death going around as it was without adding more. The mob made sure of that, as did men like the ones robbing the bank in the first place.
Remembering all the stories the blonde told her, there was no way she could just sit by and do absolutely nothing if there was a way to help. She had the power to save this person... If her ability could be used for good instead of doing the terrible things the Uchiha pushed for, why not?
If Sarah died, there would be two small children who would be coming home from school to find out their mother had been killed during a bank robbery. The image of their little faces crying out was more than enough to make her move. They were good kids, none of them deserves to go through that.
'I'm not a monster...'
No matter what the Uchiha tried to force her to do, they could never take away her humanity. The part of her who couldn't stand watching others pain and felt the urge to help them if it was possible. Even when the actions conflicted with the beliefs, it didn't change how she felt.
Brown eyes widened seeing the pinkette shifting closer, a hand reaching out as the other clung to her blood soaked abdomen.
'Oh man... She was hit right in the stomach...'
Listening out carefully, someone was pacing around the floor of the bank as people tried stifling their sobs, sniffling and crying. It sounded like one pair of feet and it definitely wasn't Antoni, otherwise he would have been laughing and boasting about how foolish the robbers had been picking this bank out of all places.
'Either the other guy was killed or he's in the back... Or they're waiting for back up.'
Shaking her head, she moved next to Sarah as the wound gushed blood, pooling beneath her limp body. It was bad...if nothing was done, the blonde would be dead soon.
Rolling up the sleeves of her dress and disregarding the fluids drenching her knees, Sakura raised shaky hands over the woman's abdomen, doing her best to to ignore the metallic smell assaulting her nose. Closing her eyes and trying to concentrate despite the whimpers coming from below, a deep breath pushed through her lips. Warmth spread down to her palms and dainty fingers hovering above the spot of entry, trying to focus on stopping the bleeding before mending the damage.
This was what the Uchiha found so valuable about her... The ability to heal the human body. It saved their members countless times, but there were also other more...nefarious...purposes Madara had found for it.
Furrowing her brows, it wouldn't help thinking about that now. Without having to watch, Sakura could feel the progress through the warmth alone. The bleeding stopped coming out in waves, which could have killed the blonde alone. From the inside out, she worked to mend the injury as pained gasps turned into steady pants.
"Oh God..." Sarah breathed out, blinking rapidly as she tried to lift her head.
"Shh! Keep it down..." The pinkette hissed, not wanting to draw attention to them. What would be the point of leaving the hiding spot to help if they both ended up being discovered and shot?
'If I do...as long as it's not in the head, I should be okay.. I'll just play possum.'
"Well... What do we have here?"
Sakura froze, eyes popping open at the voice coming from over the counter. The pounding in her chest returned with a vengeance, hands trembling over the now closed wound on the blonde's abdomen.
"How interesting..." The voice was playful with a bite at the end. A lump formed in the pinkette's throat, unable to take a breath in. Like a snake coiled its tail around the length of her neck, squeezing tightly and cutting off any chance of air...This feeling coming from above, it made her pale skin prickle with goosebumps.
Teeth digging into her bottom lip, the pinkette slowly looked up at the looming figure towering over the tellers station. The clown mask he wore had a deep frown etched into it, making him look like an angry old man as he moved the pistol in his hand around lazily. It didn't seem like there were eyes behind the mask, just dark empty holes as he stared down at them.
Holding in a breath, she couldn't move a muscle. Green eyes followed the languid movements, watching the pistol go back and forth, like he was debating whether to just shoot them or not. Perhaps he was enjoying the reactions his deliberate actions were bringing out as his head cocked to the side, watching her stiffen and Sarah tremble.
"Hahahaha!" The sudden burst of laughter made the blonde grab onto the hem of Sakura's dress, gripping the fabric tightly as she laid on the floor in a pool of her own blood. It was all over the place...
"That's a lot of money..." A deep voice came from the back, the sounds of something heavy being dragged along the floor coming out with him. "If this Joker guy was so smart, he'd have us bring a bigger car... What's so funny?"
Another clown walked up to the counter, looking down at what the man was laughing about. Compared to the other one, this guy's mask was creepier... A bandaid on the forehead, tears coming from the eyes, and red dribble from its lips...
'Gross..'
The frowning geezer stopped chuckling as the other man closed in, turning to look at him in silence. There was something about him that made the pinkette feel sick, the air around him was dense and heavy. It was similar to the way it felt being around Madara, but very different at the same time.
Trying to clear her mind, she sent the warmth through her body, trying to see what she could pick up from the two men. Maybe feel them out...
Everyone had an aura around them, something that came in handy when trying to figure someone out. It could be light, dark, playful, murderous... Depending on the personality and mood, it could quickly change. She only felt it when she activated the ability or was healing someone. It took concentration and was tiresome, the person couldn't be too far or she couldn't feel it out properly.
The geezers felt...weird. It was constantly shifting, not zeroing in on anything in particular. Like holding down the button on a remote and flickering through channels at a fast speed and most of them were just static. It was strange, she rarely felt anything close to it... That in itself made her even more afraid of this person. There was no doubt about it.
He was dangerous..
She needed to get away, that's what her instincts were screaming. Making any kind of move could get them killed and Sarah wasn't in the best shape to try running after losing so much blood. Hopefully Antoni was able to get a hold of someone from the office earlier and they would be on their way.
The clown with the teary-eyed mask was full of darkness, his aura was cloudy, mixed shades of gray and black. This guy was going to kill someone, she could feel it as she watched the pistol in his hands slowly aiming towards the geezer.
"Aren't you cute?" His head shifted towards the two women on the floor as a deep laugh came from beneath the mask. Instead of subtly aiming the gun towards the old man, it shifted, pointing straight at them.
Sarah cried out, trying to lift herself up and clinging to the pinkette in fear as the pistol was directed at Sakura's head.
"Don't be scared girlies. It'll be quick. Gotta send a message to yer bosses, haha!"
Breathing hard, Sakura tried to calm herself down as best she could. If he's going to pull the trigger, there wasn't anything they could do to stop it and freaking out wouldn't help at all. If anything, he might do it faster if they tried.
The geezer stared at them, shifting his head to the side watching the frantic blonde and the expressionless pinkette who's eyes were locked on the gun.
A shot went off making both of them jump as blood splattered across the counter, the clown pointing the gun at them falling forward as a bullet pierced his skull. The mask shattered and red droplets flew from the force, landing on Sakura's cheek and arm, dotting the pale exposed skin as she shielded the blonde cowering on the floor.
The man's full weight smacked into the side of the tellers station, head lulling forward and smearing blood along the once pristine surface. The rest poured out from what was left of the flimsy mask, revealing a wide eye where the plastic had been blown off.
'What?...H-He just...shot him in the head.'
"Now that's, ah, not very nice, now is it? Hmm? HahAhHAHAH!" The old man laughed manically as his partner slid along the edge, falling onto the floor by his feet.
A loud crash came from the other side of the bank, making Sarah cry out at the sudden noise, drowning out the raucous howling coming from the clown. Neither woman was willing to move to see what happened or test their luck with the pistol wielding madman standing on the other side of the counter.
Green eyes flickered back and forth from the mask to the gun in his gloved hand, hoping to God he wasn't going to try taking them out like he did his own partner. Glancing at the place where the crash came from, he slowly turned back towards them. Not saying anything, he watched the reactions as the gun swayed to the side, following their gaze as they huddled together. For some sick reason, it seemed like he was enjoying the uneasiness and fear he was eliciting from the small action, knowing they were afraid he might turn it on them at any second.
The black space where eyes should have been visible made the pinkette swallow hard, feeling like they were burning a hole straight through her. What was this man? Everything felt off about him. Had he known the other clown was going to shoot him too? Could he feel the murderous intent or was it part of the plan all along? Or was this person just a maniac ready to kill everyone?
'Please God...I don't ask for much, but help me out this one time...'
"School's out...time to go!" A voice that hadn't been there previously echoed through the bank as something slammed. Foot steps came from across the floor, glass crunching under someone's heavy boots.
With a chuckle, the clown pulled the pistol back as his head lulled to the side and turned away, not bothering to look at the body on the floor.
"Hah..hahh..ah.." Sarah gasped harshly, a hand letting go of the dress to clutch her own throat. Tears ran down her face as she sobbed, feet slipping in the blood as she tried to push herself up.
"Shhh...Just relax. Don't move too much." Whispering softly, Sakura's voice broke as she let out a shaky breath. It was only when the clown walked away that she realized how hard it had been to take in any air in his presence. Wrapping her arms around the blonde, she closed her eyes, trying to listen to what was going on. Just because he walked away didn't mean it was over.
There was rustling around, dragging noises among the heavy breathing coming from the people still in the bank. Where the hell were the police? Or Maroni's men? Hell, she even text Sasuke and he knew what was going on... There was no doubt he would have called Madara and told him what was happening. Someone should be here any moment, hopefully in time to catch these guys.
"Just stay down..." Peeling the woman off of her and the dress she was wearing, the pinkette put a finger up to her lips, signaling for her to be quiet. As the blonde nodded slowly, she leaned back down against the floor, trying the stop the trembling in her limbs.
If they make it out of this, Sarah was going to have to go to the hospital after losing so much blood. Maybe even need a transfusion. The usually rosy complexion was completely gone, face pale and gaunt, movements far too slow. Despite that, it was lucky that she was even alive after taking that shot to the stomach... If Sakura hadn't used her ability to heal the wound, there would be an extra body that needed to be cleaned up.
"That's alotta money!"
Crouching down and sneaking up to the counter, Sakura wasn't sure if she was being ballsy or plain stupid as she peaked up over the edge at what was going on. If the man was going to kill them, he had the perfect chance and there wasn't much they could do about it. He already knew where they were...
Green eyes narrowed, not sure if she was seeing things clearly.
'Are you...serious?!'
A bus was halfway through the wall on the other side of the bank. The geezer and another large clown were picking up large purple duffle bags and tossing them in through the emergency exit door that was wide open.
'These guys are fucking nuts! Who drives a school bus into a bank?!'
The shock of it all almost made her forget she was scared as she silently watched them packing up the mobs savings, not sure if the men were ingenious or so stupid the goddess of luck felt sorry and gave them a one-time blessing.
"What happened to the rest of the guys?" The large man asked, standing in front of the open door as the other one looked around. There was only one bag left near the counter that the pinkette could see. Hopefully after taking the money, they would just leave.
Without turning around, the geezer lifted up the gloved hand wrapped around the pistol, firing shots into his partner. As the last bullet hit, the limp body fell to the ground, crumbling into a large heap behind the bus.
Clamping down a hand against her own mouth to stifle any noises trying to force its way out, she watched as the last clown shuffled across the floor, snatching up the last duffle bag. It was true...this man was dangerous. Ruthlessly gunning down his partners without a second thought and keeping the money for himself. It wasn't unusual for criminals to take out others for a larger share, but everyone?
Throwing the last bag through the open door, the clown grabbed the sides of the exit and lifted a leg up to hop in when a voice called out to him.
"Think your smart huh?" Furrowing her brows, she glanced over at the body across the floor. Antoni was lying on his side, coughing up as he tried lifting his head.
'Goddammit! Just shut up and let him leave already!' Was he insane? The geezer was just about to leave before the manager had said anything. The pinkette's jaw dropped in disbelief at how foolish the older man was being as the lunatic stopped what he was doing and turned around.
"Puahh... The guy that hired you's...He'll just do the same to you..." Sinking down lower as the guy walked away from the bus, she knew something bad was going to happen. If Antoni didn't get shot now, it would be surprising.
"All criminals in this town used to believe in things...Honor...Respect..." Closing her eyes and taking in a deep breath, she didn't know if she could watch was going to happen next. Every word was just another nail in the coffin. After just seeing this person gun down his own partners, what would possess someone to talk back in this situation? Did he think he was going to die anyway and just wanted to get in a last word?
The clown looked around, taking long leisurely strides towards the manager, not saying a word as a gloved hand reached into his back pocket.
'Christ...' Biting into her lip, fingers gripped the bottom of the dress she was wearing anxiously. Obviously this man didn't care if anyone witnessed what he'd done since he was about to leave over a handful of witnesses still alive. It would have been easy, could have shot everyone without a second thought, but hadn't...yet.
'Damn Antoni...Why couldn't he just keep his mouth closed for once?!' The robber would have just left and she could have healed the manager until the police or someone else came. He was literally getting in the bus to leave...
"Look at you! What do you believe in, huh?" The managers voice grew louder, yelling in anger as the clown approached him, pulling something out of his pocket and crouching over him. "What do you believe in?!"
A gloved had snaked around the back of his head, tugging the older man up roughly and shoving something shiny into his open mouth.
'What the hell is that?!'
"I believe, whatever doesn't kill you..." Pulling the mask up to show Antoni his face, Sakura's eyes narrowed trying to get a look. It was useless as his back was turned towards the counter. "Simply makes you...stranger."
Getting back to his feet, the clown pulled the mask back down and turned away. Glancing over at the counter, green eyes widened as she frantically dipped low as he looked at her. A hand clutched her chest, heart pounding fast beneath it, she prayed he didn't come back over after noticing her watching him.
'Shit! Shit! Shit!'
"HAHAHAHAAA!" The manic laughter bounced off the walls of the bank, echoing all over the place. It felt like it was piercing her eardrums as she covered them, desperately trying to block out the grating noise.
As soon as it stopped and there was a slam, the pinkette's brow furrowed as she put her hands down. Was it finally over? The bus started up as she looked over the counter and the clown was gone. Relief spread through her, letting out a deep breath that the man was leaving now.
As soon as the bus started to pull away, something caught her attention from the back of it. A long string was attached to the door...Green eyes slowly followed it as it led back to Antoni...to the shiny object in his mouth.
Before she could even yell at him to spit it out, the pin was yanked out by the string caught in the door. Gas started spilling out into the air as the bus drove out of the wall and sped off, leaving a huge gaping hole in the building. Fumes starting billowing out of the Antoni's mouth as he coughed, the grenade lodged between his jaws as his head fell back against the floor.
"Shit!" Seeing the gas pouring out into the air, Sakura turned around to grab the blonde, hands gripping under her arms. Not knowing if it was poisonous or just some sort of smoke bomb, it was better to be safe than sorry.
"Let's go!" Dragging the blonde across the floor and out of the puddle of blood, she them both back into the small dark room hoping that it wouldn't reach them as fast. "Cover your face with your sleeve."
Sirens were blaring close by, pulling up right outside of the building. The hole in the wall made it easier to hear, but they were definitely there... A few minutes too late. If only they came sooner, they would have run right into the robber and could have caught them.
"Jesus Christ..."