New year, new chapter. I could not let January finish without me finishing this chapter, it was challenging, but by far one fo my favorites, hope your's as well.
W: YOU KNOW THE ALREADY.
D:OWNING THE PLOT.
/
Deadly Pleasures
CHAPTER 10
Gaara knew that from all the replies, sugerent and non. Just a few out of the bunch were actually useful. The next day he had arrived at the office with high hopes, but throughout the day, his expectations of finding any new lead guiding him to the sender of the packages were smaller and smaller.
After lunch, and after witnessing the violent argument between a difference of opinions about a case , the red head policeman was defeated. Almost every message he exchanged with his new contacts was useless.
As much as he had investigated, this sex toys were just available with a preorder, but to whom, where and how, was still a mistery... everything was fucked.
Exhausted, he rose from his seat, looking once again to the notes, leads and possible places to start searching with a new light.
The path to the general resting area was made under a thoughtful reflection of the most important contact and the least.
"It seems you guys have reached a dead end huh?" A voice stopped him.
Looking up Gaara found himself being stared by the white haired doctor who had constantly paced from here and there, complaining about his lab, and from whom he had felt a suspicious interest in his and his bosses' case.
"Dr. Kakashi, good afternoon." He said politely, consciously avoiding the inquiry.
Of course the witty medic was not oblivious to the evasion. "So, have you got any clue on the explosion of my lab?"
"We are still making our assumptions…" Gaara lied, not wanting to reveal the connections he had made, after all Sasuke had ordered him not to work on the new leads on the cork board.
All his new leads must be kept in secret. Mostly because now he was quite sure that the shooter of the Cassino was most likely and in some sort of way, connected with the explosion of the lab.
"I need to ask you something kid." The doctor said, and the young policeman felt immediately the strict change of intention in his voice. "What is Sasuke up to? It appears the investigation is on a halt. Which means that the bastard is taking care of all the investigation in secret, is there something or someone he doesn't want the police department to know about?."
"Agent Uchiha's orders are clear. All the current information is confidential, I'm sorry doctor."
"That sneaky boss of yours is hiding all his findings now that Tsunade is nowhere to be seen. He is pushing his luck, you know?" Kakashi argued, following the steps of the redhead policeman to the water dispenser.
Gaara just ignored the words of the man, feeling a sting of guilt for being disrespectful towards his superior. But Sasuke's orders weighed more.
So he continued preparing his coffee, aware that the doctor was staring at him.
"You know… some people might think that being so secretive with an investigation that involves an incident inside the police force, might be suspicious."
Gaara turned around, trying to appease the rage on his eyes, but failing to do it on his voice. "Are you suggesting that we planned the explosion?"
"Did you?" Kakashi snapped back.
"Of course not!" The pale fists clenching and unclenching.
"Then you are covering someone…" Kakashi's calm tone ignited a furious rage inside the young cop.
"And why are you so curious so suddenly?" The redhead was unable to hold his tongue.
"Call it a gut feeling" the doctor's tone was now sardonic.
Gaara stopped in time, with a polite bow, he tried to retire. But the big body of the man was covering the entrance of the small resting area, when he was about to speak again, suddenly, his phone vibrated two times and without hesitation he read the quick lines displayed in the device.
His face changed from a frown to a huge urgence, now, in a hurry he tried to make his way back to his desk, dodging the doctor and rushing through one side of the entrance.
While leaving the place, he listened behind him how the doctor called his name. But he dismissed the voice, he finally, finally had a useful reply!, he remembered perfectly the man who had written him back.
From all the contacts he had marked, this one was one of the most probable connection and interesting lead. He could never forget those dead eyes, calculating every movement, cynical small smile and the low tone, it was none other than the man that was making company to Tsunade that night at the Palace and he was offering him some unique sex toys, if he was interested.
/
"You are aware I have a long shift tomorrow, don't you?" As Naruto talked, the vibration of his chest gave Sasuke's head a nice sensation through the side of his face which was resting over the tanned skin.
"I know that dobe. I'm not planning on staying the night." The black haired man responded with a sight. Rising up from his resting position, sitting beside the blond's body "Plus, I have to work tomorrow too.", blue eyes focusing on the long pale fingers that combed the messy black hair, returning it to a similar state of his usual style.
"Let's not have sex on work days…" Naruto casually said, winning a playful smile from the other, followed by a small bite from the black haired man on his lower lip. "I really like it when you stay the night." The blond finished, pushing himself up to a sitting position, trying to maintain the contact with the policeman's lips.
Sasuke couldn't manage to stop the blush forming on his cheeks, although he was relieved to be kissing the blond, that way he would not be able to notice the redness of his face in general.
He didn't want to admit it, but a ball of excitement formed on the pit of his stomach every time Naruto asked him to stay, every time the bond told him he had missed him or that he wanted to see him.
And for some reason, he knew the blond liked it too, since it was because of one sole message from Sasuke that they had ended up sleeping together again.
After leaving the police office, Sasuke had casually called the blond, the day before, after their encounter at the Central Hospital, he hadn't stopped thinking of all the bad results on the favor he was asking Naruto to perform. Sasuke knew it was because he cared, he cared too much to feel a real worry, because he hated to involve the man that had managed to make his way into his every day thought.
Naruto had told him that no, he hadn't made any movement towards the archive director, one because he had been busy with some internal inspection and two, because apparently he had been skipping some long work hours. So after a call in the morning, the policeman had texted him, just to see if he was ok, and to be entirely sincere, because he had felt the unmistakable urgency of seeing those blue eyes again.
With the excuse of having a plan that could help him perform the 'robbery', Sasuke had made all the way from the police station to the blond's apartment after finishing his shift, just to find at the door a fiery look on the paramedics eyes that basically undressed him at the door frame.
It was intense, with him everything felt all the way, there were not half ways or mid truths, that's why he knew Naruto would do something stupid just to help him if he asked for it, and that took away his sleep at night, because he could live in this intese feeling of wanting that man's body, laughs and smiles, longing him with a burning need and he knew that with that intensity the guilt would sting like poison through his veins.
His pale hands caressed his chest, the nape and the jaw line, while he felt the warning of the other's through his kisses, he knew that if he continued to kiss him like that, and touch him in that way, they would not be able to escape.
"So..I plan to go to the office of the archive director… maybe tomorrow or on friday." Naruto said, taking a safe distance from the other man, watching how the policeman left the bed, starting to put on his pants, leaving, luckily, his chest free from clothing.
"Do you mind?..." Sasuke asked, taking a cigarette out of his now fastened dressing pants.
Naruto pointed at the window of his room, while making himself comfortable, resting his back on the bed frame.
Sasuke opened the window, feeling the night air hitting his heated skin, he took a few seconds to aspirate the smoke into his lungs, avoiding the sight of the street and the height Naruto's place was resting up on and prefered to focus on the night sky, then he resumed the idea he had had in mind.
"You said that the archive director had an internal review every now and then, right?"
"Yeah… they make a full report of the deceases, the incomings and the activity of the emergency area."
"Is there any time where you are able to sneak into his office? you did notice the phone number written down, I guess he has the habit of writing down everything, maybe we are lucky enough."
"I thought you said we needed the invitation that was going to arrive by phone." Naruto retorted thoughtfully.
"That's just a mere assumption. It makes sense since the contact has been through the phone. But it might arrive by mail..." The ashes fell down and Sasuke extinguished what was left of the cigarette, crushing it with the window sill and taking the smoking end to the trash can.
"can it be mailed?" Naruto asked, feeling Sasuke's weight on the bed.
"Could be...we don't know what else they could be mailing. Gaara is actually on that."
Sasuke mumbled and feeling Naruto's silence he extended his hand touching the tanned skin of the paramedics forearm. "Hey, do whatever you can… we have lots of sources to get info from, this one just seemed the most immediate." The policeman mumbled in a calm voice, although he knew the leads to unravel this mess were few, and getting the invitation was crucial.
"I'll make an excuse to borrow his phone or something." Naruto said, shooting a killing smile in his direction feeling the warm touch of the pale hand on his forearm. "Aww… you really care for me huh? what to do?" he said in a more playful tone, trying to appease the suddenly serious mood.
"Idiot... I told you I wasn't a heartless bastard." Sasuke smiled faintly, thanking him with the eyes before resuming the search of his shirt and coat.
/
I'm interested in a specific toy...
Gaara texted furiously, the message he had received the day before had been the starting point of a steady communication with this man which prefered to be called 'The Master'.
Of course Gaara had complied to call him like that, after all he wanted nothing more than to befrendhim, even though he was quite sure The Master had been none but sugerent in every text they exchange.
Between yesterdays and today messages, he had made clear to this man his newly invented 'addiction' to sexual toys. And with that he had opened himself an opportunity of a lifetime, since The Master had bragged about having an extensive collection of all rare and common artifacts for his pleasure. Until 13:00 PM he had received a total of five offers to meet up at the Pleasure Palace or the Cassino's rooms, which he had politely declined since he said he was not in the city by the time, but he imagined himself in those spacious rooms in his company, surrounded with those weird toys of his. Ah, the things he had to come up with for the sake of stopping crime. He thought as he read The Master's response.
I can give you whatever you want, text me your address and maybe I can deliver it myself when you return to the city.
Jackpot, Gaara thought. Closing his eyes he inhaled a few times to calm his hands before thinking on the next step. The smartest thing to do was to suggest a personal encounter, in a public place to be exact, so he wouldn't find himself with unwanted surprises, The Casino or The Pleasure Palace were out of the map, since his face was clearly a target there, although Gaara had his doubts about the second one.
The next time he opened his eyes, he saw a body beside his desk, in an unconscious act he automatically locked the screen of his phone, god knows what people would think of the very graphic messages The Master had composed to him.
It was the office mail boy, which delivered the daily report of missing people, mails for the officers and daily correspondence.
Laying a few envelopes over his desk, he bow politely with a smile and continued pushing his cart, up to the next desk a few meters in front of him, that was the moment when Gaara saw it, the mere sight of it cause his hands to shake and he tossed his phone over the recently delivered envelopes.
He stood up, resting in his place as he tried to follow the mail boy cart between the bussy office, moving his head from one side to another to avoid losing contact with it.
All the characteristics were the same, the size, the wrapper, the color of the envelope, there, on the mail boy hands rested a package which was almost a clone of the one delivered to Zabuza's.
Unable to believe it he took a few more steps, looking that the boy leave his cart beside one of the offices doors, the young detective walked a few more steps, bumping with some colleagues but the eye contact between his green eyes and the dark wrapper was never lost, he saw clearly how the boy knocked two times on the crystal door, stepped inside, box in hand, and exited Tsunade's office without it. Of course, it has to be hers.
/
After finishing the last autopsy report Kakashi stood up to alleviate the pain on his lower back. Remaining seated for a long time in the same position and in some shitty seat that was not his office had become a ritual he was not fond of.
His work at the Central Hospital had become not as bad as he had thought, since they have not a depreciable equipment but having to make all the reports in the police force headquarters due to confidentiality and sensible information had his nerves on point, he had to spend hours on the common meeting rooms and resting areas, not in a private space and certainly not in a comfy one. He had to put up with the noise of the detention room, the emergency first response calls, the business of the office in general but luckily not with Tsunade's angry yells, since it seemed she was almost never around.
It was past nine in the evening when he walked painfully, thanks to the stuppid resting chairs which he didn't find any relation with resting while sitting on them, his steps got him near the entrance.
A red mop of hair caught his attention, since the serious face of the young detective was completely focused on something. Kakashi was aware that whatever the guy was doing he was convinced he was alone in the whole office, it was a fortune that he hadn't noticed the presence of the doctor, and now he intended to remain that way, unnoticed.
Hiding behind a column he saw how Gaara moved casually through the office, looking around to all of the desks and nearby offices.
It was strange this effect of trying to be casual, Kakashi thought, since the most suspicious people were normally trying not to be, and now his redhead colleague was caught in that irony. His green eyes moved nervously but serious, all around the office, and like a shadow Kakashi followed his steps, every time closer, making sure to become unnoticed in the empty place.
Behind a decorative large plant that almost reached the ceiling, he was able to see between the foliage the cautious actions of the detective.
He had walked all the way to the bottom of the office, nearing an empty desk he reached for the phone, dialing tree numbers, the man waited on the line, tapping softly with his fingers in exasperation.
Only the buzzing of the machines inside the office filled the space, small talk from the adjacent unit reached Kakashi's ears from time to time, the night watch was starting.
Then a ring came from one of the main offices, two, three, four rings. No answer.
Gaara hung up and walked to the closed door where the phone had been ringing.
"Very smart…" Kakashi mumbled to himself, understanding the kids actions on ringing the phone, after all he had to make sure Tsunade was not in her office before sneaking into it.
Squinting his eyes, the white haired doctor waited, the detective had made his way inside the chief officer office, not even taking his time to lit the light, since the place remained in the darkness, and there was no evident activity inside.
"What does he want inside there?" Kakashi asked himself again, trying to dismiss the red flag alert his brain was starting to raise. Maybe Gaara was, after all, the real culprit of the explosion. Come to think about it, he had been the most insistent on getting to see the corpse, was he planning on another assault...God, was HE?!.
Before Kakashi could make any more assumptions, the red haired man exited the office. A serious gaze on his face, unlike everything Kakashi had thought, Gaara ran to his desk, knocking on the way a few stacks of papers when he took out a bunch of papers, filled with what the doctor assumed was a very complicated net of relations and leads. He was Sasuke's apprentice after all.
The young cop took his coat and the bunch of papers into his hands,
"Shit" Kakashi stumbled to the main entrance, if the boy walked to the exit he would be discovered peeking from behind the plant. And from the look of it, it appears the young detective was in a rush, Kakashi fleed the station, just a second before Gaara turned around to leave the building as well, a winning smile forming on his lips.
/
Friday came in no time, Sasuke had the urgency of meeting with Gaara before he managed to sneak his way inside of the Casino, he knew it was a stupid idea since well, they had an enocunter with a possible death some days before.
But he was not able to see the redhead apprentice on his desk that morning. He waited some hours and when lunch time was about to start he called him, listening to the ringing of the line a few times before the voice of his subordinate picked up.
"Can you tell me why you aren't at your desk?" Sasuke's voice was low and menacing, although he did not intend it to be that way.
"I'm sorry Sir, do you need something?" Gaara's answer was short and polite, as always.
Taking a deep breath, Sasuke smoothened his tie, "No… I'll be heading to the meeting later, do you have information on the packages? I didn't get to listen to your findings yet."
he finished, thinking about the last time they talked about it, he had instructed Gaara to come to him when he had the right path to follow.
"I'm on it right at this moment sir. I…. have something to tell you." Sasuke felt the seriousness of that intended silence in the line.
"Are you in a safe space to talk?" The Agent confirmed.
"I am, Sir. I'm alone at the moment." He heard Gaara assured, and he himself walked to one of the meeting rooms of the headquarters, closing the door behind him. Unaware that the black eyes of the doctor were glued to his back as he disappeared behind the door.
"Alright, what is it?" he finally gave green light. And Gaara's voice started his musings in a very low tone, almost as if he was whispering, where the hell was he?
"Two days ago… I made contact with a man. It appears to be well informed about the owner of the casino, the rooms and everything." the line was filled with a ruffling sound, and then it cleared again, "I'm still on it… but, I belive they are using the sex toys to deliver drugs too."
"Drugs?" Sasuke blurted out and imagined Gaara nodding from the other side of the line, "But there was no trace of it on Zabuza's delivered box." he listened again to a ruffling sound and heard Gaara's breathing closer to the speaker.
"I know, but yesterday a package was delivered to Chief Tsunade's office. It wouldn't have caught my attention if it wasn't because the envelope and the dimensions were just the exact replica of the one you recovered from Zabuza's home."
Sasuke remained silent, and Gaara continued. "I waited until everyone left the place to sneak into the Chief's office, The package was already opened, inside was a sex toy and some kind of vial, empty."
"Damit Tsunade..." Sasuke whispered, pacing from side to side inside the meeting room. "Did someone see you inside?"
"No, I made sure of it."
"You didn't take anything from the package did you?" Sasuke asked again, his tone lower this time.
"I didn't sir… would it have been better if i did so?" Gaara hesitated, doubting on the right answer.
"No, it was the best. I thought...maybe it would be the same drug we tried to locate on Zabuza's system, but… if that was the case, Tsunade might be dead by now, but she is barking orders around here, so… maybe it is not. So where are you?"
"I'm trying to meet up with my contact, I'll keep you informed, sir."
Huffing, Sasuke took out a cigarette, "Fine… always check your back twice, alright?" he said and Gaara humed in confirmation. The young policeman catched the untold message from that phrase, clutching the metallic barrel of his gun with his hand, securing the weapon on the hidden holder on his back, then the call disconnected.
/
"Oh, let me help you with those..." Naruto said, interceding for Ten Ten, taking all the folders on one hand.
"You are being too polite today, it's weird." She argued, but let the blond help, staking another bunch of reports on the paramedic's arms.
"Hey! I'm always polite!``Both paramedics left the office and walked across the large patio where the ambulances were restocking the life support needed tools.
"Yea, but today it's different. It feels as if you don't want to work today." TenTen added and Naruto felt silent, smiling graciously while walking behind her. "I guess it's the taste of the weekend around the corner." he added, just to say something.
"Oh… are we seeing mr cop?" she said, raising and lowering her eyebrows, a sparkle of interest on her eyes.
"N-no… I'm not seeing anyone."Naruto stated, feeling the eyes of his co-worker on him.
"Oh, come on… you guys are soooo obvious, you make a good mix though." She said, giving him a pat on his shoulder and walking backwards to the resting area, "Thanks for the help on the reports, I'll tell Sakura to take advantage of your politeness today..." she finished giggling while disappearing behind the resting área of the building.
Exhaling, he fought to calm down his back muscles, which he had tense at the mention of his 'suspicious' attitude, and then the mention of Sasuke's name got him more and more tense and flustered.
"Focus Naruto." he said to his inner self, remembering the important timing and the mission he had to perform, although he had no idea what he was going to find now that he was down there.
Stepping into the cold parking lot, he made his way directly to the metallic door that appeared firmly shut. Pulling the handle with one arm he managed to open it while clutching the stack of folders between his arm and his torso.
"Hey Naruto!" a man approached him, waving into his direction, the ER reception was calm and the few doctors in turn had little to do. Nodding with a smile he returned the gesture, making his steps careful towards the main focus of his mission. For a moment the thought of asking the doctor if the archive director was in his office crossed his mind. But the less people knew he was heading to that direction the better, that was what the detectives in the novels he read always said, but then again, it was almost the only place a paramedic headed when they were inside this part of the hospital.
Shaking the random thoughts off his head he arrived. The light inside the office was lit and the figure of a man inside pacing around was visible. Naruto knocked two times, his palm was a little sweaty and soon he started to realize that he didn't have any idea of this man in general, how would he approach him? Can he just use the experience of the Palace as a topic in common?, would it be weird?
Before he could dig deeper on that thought the door flew open, the force of it almost made Naruto jump out of his skin, the gaze of the archive director changed from excited to annoyed, was he expecting someone else?
"Oh… it's you." mumbled the man, retiring from the door frame and letting the paramedic make his way inside the always dark room that smelled like old and dust.
"Yeah, hi." the blond said, closing the door behind him, his blue eyes witnessing how the director returned to his seat, waiting for the man to do the inspection of the cases to file.
"So um… here are today's reports." he spoke, feeling like an idiot for not coming up with a better plan different from 'being super friendly'.
"Yeah… I don't have all day." the archive director urged him.
"Sure, here." the blond left the folders over the desk, noticing the different notes made on the papers around the lamp, the edge and near the phone, damn, Sasuke was right, he wrote everything down.
During his med school days he learnt the useful and not very praised skill of reading upside down, he usually had to see from a not very good angle the diagnosis or recommendation the doctor prescribe during the intern practices, so he sometime was placed on the other side of the patient bed, and thus, he had to read all the doctor notes upside down, now luckily he had a glimpse of the notes around the archive director, there was everything and nothing.
'Autopsy . Friday 16:30- room 4.'
'Inspection Archive D to K - Monday 12:00.'
'Call Magda...'
'Grab beer for the team's lunch. Pale Ale for Mat.''
"Maple street, 4563. Pick up rental."
If just he could catch a glimpse of some perverted reunion or a drug thing, but damn, who the hell would write down a note saying: 'Getting high, Saturday 20:00'.
"Hey um.. we are planning on some night out, Sakura asked me, to ask you if you wanted to hang out." The blond said, taking a relaxed stand against one of the big lockers on his side while the man was looking through the archives folios and stopped at the mention of the invitation.
"Did she?" he asked, pressing one of his thumbs against the folios to keep track on the number he was at the moment.
"Yeah, sure. She said something of getting to know each other and stuff about teamwork and camaraderie, it'll be nice." Naruto shrugged, playing with some pencil holder just to appear more 'distracted'.
"I don't ...really work that much with you guys, I mean, we just keep track of the paperwork." he resumed his work, noting with a pencil the names and number of case, he was almost half way through the large stack of folders, and Naruto was aware he was running out of time before he was kicked out, after all as he had posed it, he didn't have anything more to do there that just deliver the daily reports and verificate with this man that they were in the correct order and filled with the hospital requirements.
"I know, but wouldn't it be nice? … just hang around with different people?" he said, seeing how the man didn't flinch at the comment, he was absolutely not interested. Then Naruto decided just to follow his gut feeling, "You know… if you don't feel like hanging around with the ER gang at some lame bar I know some other interesting place, you know … to just feel the body let loose."
The man raised his head, looking at Naruto with interest, "What… kind of place?" he asked, and Naruto smiled with complicity, now let's be captain obvious, he thought.
"Well… it's not for everybody, but if you like to let your fantasies go wild..."
"Oh- hoo, blondie, I've never dared to think of you being interested in those complaiances."
Naruto felt out of place with the change in the man's demeanor. After all they have never talked with such confidence between them, but he played along.
"Well, what can I tell you, the Palace is my new home."
"Uhumm…. yeah, I better roll there than some other bar in the city. "
"Oh, have you been there?" Naruto stepped a little bit closer, he heard a small beep emerging from the man's shirt chest pocket.
"Sure, sure, every now and then, hold on..." the archive director stopped, producing the very desiderd cell phone. Naruto saw how he was reading with attention whatever message or notification he had received, and asked himself how the hell was he going to steal that device.
"Maybe if you could give me your number or better! I can write mine on your phone and we could-" The paramedic was interrupted.
"I think you need to leave now, sorry I have an important appointment and it's already time."
The archive director said to him, changing the friendly smile to a stern look that expressed the urgency of the matter.
"Oh, I understand, but wait a minute I really needed to cheek on some numbers with you."
Naruto insisted, approaching the desk and taking the top folder from the stack.
"The reports are fine, you always fill them up correctly." said the director, ripping the folder out of Naruto's hands.
"I'm sorry, but I can't leave without some important information." Naruto said, confronting the man, after all the blond was much more muscular and taller and he could shift from relaxed to menacing in no time.
"Make it quick." said the director, looking at his wrist watch and then to the blond paramedic.
Naruto had never described himself as the quiet one of the room, nor had he have problems initiating conversations or taking his way out of inconvenient situations, he had a big mouth and his hability to come up with any stupid comentary had gotten him the best out of every situation. He had managed to take almost 10 minutes of the directors time, asking questions about specifications for the 'new' procedures and 'unique' situations any new patient could arrive with while he tried to make a new excuse for getting his hands on the phone.
Exasperated, the man in front of him had started to talk faster and faster, his answers were shorter and he definitely skipped some important steps that Naruto already knew by memory, but asked anyway, just for the sake of coming up with something else to get his phone. He had almost got a grasp of it when one of the questions he had made confused the archive director and Naurto suggested to look it up on the internet, he offered to do the research of course. It was almost on his hands when the knock on the door distracted both of them.
"My appointment is here… HOLD ON PLEASE" said the director in a louder voice for the person behind the door. "any other question?" he now directed to Naruto, the man was sweating uncomfortably and the look on his eyes was intense.
"Um… Just one thing, since you didn't say no to my earlier invitation, i' ll take our conversation as a yes, maybe we can exchange numbers? you know to… make a plan or something."
"Oh that!, I'll reach you, now, you have to leave."
Damit, Naruto thought, that was the last chance he had, maybe next time he would instigate a fight and knock him unconscious. Or maybe not, since he didn't have a motive to do so.
Opening the door he found himself in front of a tall man, a very tall man, spiked hair and a menacing look, a black turtleneck reaching almost to his chin. Stepping aside the man let Naruto leave the office, and he thanked him with a small smile, making his steps super slow, he tried to memorize everything about the archive director appointment, at first he thought it was some of the directors board visiting for the inspection, but after seeing the tall man the understood this has nothing to do with the office, or at least the man was absolutely not fitting in the hospital ambience.
Before the door was closed he managed to push it open, with the excuse of forgetting 'accidentally' which was obviously not his red and white jacket.
As he made the intromission with an apologetic smile over his face, he saw the package the tall man was giving to the archive director, it was a glimmpse, just a fraction of a second before he excused himself, but it was enough to make the blond paramedic knew that maybe, and just maybe what Sasuke needed was just being delivered at that right moment.
Damn Sasuke, you were right again, he thought, as he took a few steps into the morgue next door, thinking of waiting for the man to leave the office or trying to listen against the thin walls..
/
"It's very nice to see you again, Miss...Ino." Sasuke mumbled while he looked how the blond woman approached the corner he was standing.
She was wearing a formal suit and with her was the elegant black haired woman of last time.
At his sight and voice, the blond woman stopped her tracks.
"Oh… Good Evening. I thought our conversation was confidential." She said, a little bit annoyed by the situation and because she absolutely didn't have more time to lose, after all there was a meeting that needed to be attended.
"It still is, that's why I'm here and not at the entrance of the casino." he said, smiling ever so lightly. "I'm afraid I'll need your cooperation again." Sasuke started, blocking both women from the intent of walking away from him.
"I told you everything I know, I swear." Ino said with a serious voice, with just one glance Sasuke knew the blond woman had told her black haired girl everything, since she was not impressed to see him there asking for cooperation. Still Sasuke introduced himself politely, and explained the situation calmly, his intention of course was to take the extra time before the hour of the appointment, that way their entrance would be as fast as possible so they don't let their clients waiting.
"All you have to do is present me as one of your colleagues, I can be whoever you want, the paperboy, the assistant, you call it. I just need a seat at that meeting, but don't worry, I'll be as invisible as air once we are inside."
Looking at her watch, Ino noticed that in deed it was already time of the meeting, fuck.
"Yeah, alright, whatever, let's go." she said, walking around the corner to the casino entrance.
"Forgive her, she is a punctuality maniac." Kurenai whispered to Sasuke's ear as they followed the quick steps of the blond woman.
From his inner pockets, the Agent produced a thick framed pair of glasses, sure, the most useless of all disguises. He thought as he arranged the frames around his eyes, still he had planned on changing his hair style for almost all of it covering one of his eyes, making him look like an introverted employee. Adding the glasses, he would be fine, he thought.
The casino entrance was as spectacular as always, after all it was friday and people were looking to leave all the weeks stress behind, sure they'll came to have fun, the policeman thought as he took Kurenai's stack of papers out of his hands and nurse them as if they belong between his arms, casual, be very casual, he reminded himself as the blond woman approached to the man at the entrance.
"Hello, we have an appointment with the boss?" She said, a little doubtful, reading the paper she had in hand.
"Sure, sweet thing, follow me." The enormous guy nodded, "are they all with you?" he pointed at Kurenai and Sasuke who were 'distracted' looking at the golden doors of the casino.
"Yeah, all of them." Ino assured him naturally and they made their way inside.
The Casino was as splendorous as Sasuke remembered, athough in his mind was the secet place between the walls, would there be people fucking and drinking right over their heads?
After they walk past the gambling tables and the black jack department, his guide leads them to a very busy, and luxurious chinese restaurant. Decorated with green jade dragons across the walls and golden folding screens that gave each table a sensation of privacy, although it was pretty clear from whatever point of the room who was behind the door because of the chinese pattern styles that leave openings between the fine lines that compose the whole design.
They were headed to a VIP table, big, outstanding and empty, in one corner of the big saloon.
Both women took a seat and after the big man guiding them left with a "Wait here please. The boss will arrive in a moment." Sasuke excused himself making sure that the big boy from the entrance didn't notice his actions, even though he tried to move as smooth as possible, like he had been in that luxurious bar a hundred times, he sat on the bar, with his back to the table where the two women waited, he could hear the movement of papers and folders, and the sound of a pen tapping insistently on the marble table. Through the reflection of the bar walls, he was able to see fully the whole scene, he ordered whatever single drink to the barman and waited to see who showed up to the meeting, after all these were monetary issues involving the purchase and sale of big properties and movements of money from this Jachin Corp. So he was expecting to get a glimpse of some big fish. As he had learned from his investigations it was quite difficult to contact the owner of this empire of diversion.
As soon as Sasuke lowered his glass he saw movement near the table, he resisted the urge of turning around to see with his own eyes the people that were taking their places in front of Ino and Kurenai.
"Excuse me for the wait, how are you ladies?" A voice was perfectly audible, Sasuke tried to remember if he had heard that voice in some place but there was no trace of it in his memory. Forcing his eyesight a little bit the detective was able to see the general features of the man that was shocking his hands with the women.
White slick hair, a fine nose and angular jaw, not as clear as he could wish to remember a face but the general details were unique enough so the Agent could be able to give a clear description to his investigation profiler team.
"...Oh, please call me just Hidan." he heard the man say as he arranged his posture on the large leather seats.
So Hidan.. huh, Sasuke made a mental note to search for every man with that name. Unfortunately he felt too exposed to take out his notebook to write the name, luckily the person seated next to this white haired man was a well known fellow. None other than that blue haired driver, Miss Konan. Sasuke could almost feel the venom on his throat as he saw how the woman who had sworn and promised him one time after another that she didn't know whatever happened inside these walls, was laughing at the words of the apparent owner with ease, he internally hoped that the blue haired woman didn't wander her eyes around, because who knows, maybe she could recognize the policeman who held her in an interrogation room for hours. And that was the last thing Sasuke needed now, he needed information, although he made a new mental note on tracking that liar driver to the end of the earth if it was needed, none lied to his face.
Swallowing the anger, he concentrated on listening to the conversation that was taking place just behind him.
/
It had been a long day, actually it had been a very very long hours. After leaving the police building, Gaara had one thing in mind. He knew, for a fact, that whatever black market of sex toys was running deep inside the city, there was just a coverup to deliver drugs.
He felt rage, he felt some sort of dispointment for his boss, the police chief to get entangled in the drug and sex toys mafia. But he felt a duty to stop it, to tear the business from its root, and he knew The Master was his only lead, for now.
The Pleasure Palace was as identical as he remembered, vicious, obscene and just carefree, even though there were still some time until the day ended, when he made his way inside, he believed that the place would be empty because of the early hour, but his theory was absolutely wrong.
After hanging up his call with his boss, he continued his way inside the long passage of the porn movie theater. With the confidence of the people that know the place as the palm of their hand, although inside his chest his heart was beating furiously, the thought that the same attacker that the one on the cassino would be present in this establishment assaulted his thought, but The Master message had been clear, he might be present at the Palace and he needed to find him, feeling the metallic gun against his left leg, hidden with a special strap he walked straight to the entrance door, and was welcomed with ease, just as the other time.
Inside The Pleasure Palace there was no time at all, just as in a casino, the ambience, lighting and music kept going 24/7 and days were no longer a measure of time.
He mixed between the dancing bodies with the black curtain as his sole objective.
Behind the black curtain the ambience was no different from the outside, a stucky hot air floated around and the distinctive scent of sex and passion was present around the cabins and the halls that created the secret labyrith of rooms and pleasure, this time he knew why was there so he searched for the spaces that would fortunately lead him to The Master.
Multiple sex toys, hanresses, and naked bodies made their apearance with little effort, inside a spacious room Gaara found himself infront of various scenes that challenged his concentration. Even Though he managed to find himself a seat in one of the multiple loveseats surrounding the space, forming a very distorted coliseum for the pleasure activities.
Thanks to the SMS conversations he had been having he knew about the voyeuristic obsession of The Master and he had planned to make a bait, maybe that way he could be granted access to more of the internal net of how all that delivery issue worked.
Taking out his phone he snapped a photo, sending it immediately to The Master number and writing down below.
"I decided to come get some fun... would you be around? I'll love to try some of your favourite toys."
After almost half an hour, there was no response from the man. Still he awaited, and while trying to search with his sight for some of the other people he met last time he felt how another person took a seat beside him.
"Hey handsome...aren't you tired of just watching?" a woman in her mid thirties talk to the detective with a low voice, her long and soft fingertips caressing Gaara's pale neck.
"I prefer to watch." Said the redhead man trying to keep his composure and not cringe into the touch of the half naked woman. If Sasuke had ever taught him anything was that every person at an investigation scene could be a possible lead, therefore, he should just mix within the place and ambience, even though he felt like running away from the woman trying to hump him.
"Oh, maybe I'll have to put on a show for you, would you like that?"
"D-do you like sex toys?" Gaara asked, trying to sound as casual as possible.
"Oh, are you a collector? huh? of just a fan?" the woman asked, arranging the strap of his bralette that was hanging down from his shoulder.
"Is there a difference?" the detective responded, winking an eye to the woman.
She laughed lightheartedly. "I suppose not." and Gaara smiled charmingly to the response.
"Oi, Shizune, are you coming back? Did he agree to join us?" a male voice raised from a mess of people, Gaara could count on four, spread across a large sofa.
"would you join us?" she asked again, leaning closer to the detectives face. "Don't tell me you are waiting for your friend, we can invite him too."
"My friend?"
"I've seen you from the moment you entered, there was a man that came with you, he was right behind you and didn't stop looking at you."
The woman said, leaning even more closer to the green eyes man. Gaara felt his blood stop for a moment as he thought of the attack at the casino, was someone following him? Has someone recognized him?
"Or maybe it was my imagination… I thought I saw you with someone. This shit just gets your senses exploding like fireworks." The woman mumbled again, his lips almost caressing the detective's at the statement Gaara's train of thought shifted spontaneously. 'This shit', he repeated the words of the woman, 'this shit'.
"Have you…" The detective started but, hesitating, he had to be careful with his words.
"Have you recieved some new sex toys."
"Oh for sure, with more pleasure in it." She answered seductively, taking a bold movement and straddling the detective. Gaara felt his personal space being absolutely violated, but held his character in place as he noticed how the woman's pupils were as big and dilated as the ones of a wild cat in hunt. Drugs, for sure.
"I'll like some." Gaara mumbled, not knowing what to do with his hands better than putting them over the woman's thighs covered with the soft silk of the skirt she was still wearing.
"Huh… I'll love to see that. Do you have a code?"
"You must know what's my code already," Gaara answered confidently, his heart beating fastly as he felt the next lead near his hands.
Laughing lightly the woman approached her ear to Gaara's lips, as if she wanted to be the only one hearing whatever the detective had to say. 11 or 55, Gaara was torn between a decision of the only two numbers he knew for a fact to correspond to a code. 55 was too dangerous to be compromised with, since he thought that 55 members were highly immersed on the complex net he was tumbling with.
"I'll stick with 11 for now, since I was expecting to see The Master around." Gaara said softly over the woman's small ear.
"Oh, he send us some fun, as you can see."
Damit!, Gaara cursed in his mind. Did he miss his chance to meet him?. His face regained the seriousness of those who tried to rearrange their thoughts with all their concentration.
"Don't make that face… we can make a deal and if you are lucky enough I can tell you where to find him." Oh GOD, what he had to do for some information, Gaara thought as he heard the Shizune's proposition.
"I'm all ears." Gaara finally agreed, noticing that he didn't doubt for a long time, he needed that information as soon as possible and now these seemed the last resource.
/
"...So your signature would be needed here please sir." Ino's voice reached Sasuke's ears loud and clear. The conversation had been short and quite formal. And sadly not that useful, all the topics were about the papers the man called Hidan had to sign and the next steps for him to register some of his properties on the stock market and some other could be set free to the real-estate market, between them, Zabuza's ex-apartment. From their conversation Sasuke had learnt that the entrepreneur had his eyes over fundraising some major events around town. He had opened a special account to manage the expenses of cultural exhibitions and showcases that were expected to arrive in the city pretty soon.
An odd movement from a man dedicated to stealing people's money in the gambling business. Although, It could easily be a legal distraction to avoid taxes or better, to get in touch with new markets.
Theories flew here and there, a little bit tired from keeping his back upstraigh for almost two hours, Sasuke stretch a little bit,feeling some of his backbones snap in the process, his phone vibrated a few times and he took it out of his pocket with urgency, hoping that the noise didn't attract any attention from the people around him. It was a message from Gaara. But before he could read what his protegee had to say a familiar voice and blond hair appeared in his peripheral vision.
"Boss, it's confirmed." said the voice of that other man he had had under strict scrutiny this past few weeks.
"Hold on Deidara." Said Hidan as he raised his hand in front of the blond man's face.
Sasuke tried to make himself invisible, thanking that beside him were a couple playing cards over the bar, he could easily fake he was interested in whatever game of blackjack they were entertaining themselves with. But in fact, all his attention was focused on the reflection of the people sitting at the table and the man that just arrived.
The white haired man raised himself from the table and made a long and polite excuse to his female guests, Konan behind him. He then walked around the table to reach Deidara's spot, leaving the three people between the VIP marble table and Sasuke's seat at the bar, they were much more near to his back and he could felt the danger biting his skin, but he kept his composure, even asking for the barman for a refill of his glass which had switched to mineral water a few rounds ago.
"It was him right?" Konan said to Deidara after they moved to let some clients took a seat at the nearest table.
"Hell yes it was him. That redhead policeman is a very nosy one." Deidara said, with a small laugh at the end of his statement "how stupid of him to return to the Boss Palace."
Sasuke's back muscles tensed. Gaara. Was the first thing he thought.
"I guess the police have no idea about the Palace then." Hidan talked, externing his musings.
"I thought after the scare at the Casino those detectives had given up for good, we have to stop that redhead before he gets any more information, the security just told me he had been asking around the Palace about The Master, they called me as soon as he made his way through the entrance door." Deidara's voice made Saske's nails almost pierce into his palms, he felt fire burn in his stomach, and suddenly felt the weight of his gun and the closer his left hand was near of the trigger.
"How much do you think he knows already?" Konan broke Sasuke's fury, if Gaara was at the Palace, he must have set that place as a meeting point with this so called contact.
Hidan exhaled a long breath "Don't worry, he's not a problem, the other Agent though..." Sasuke freezed, his hand moving slowly to the gun holder hidden on his back, he made sure, since the moment he put a foot inside the casino, to leave the secure of the holder unbuttoned, now, his fingertips were almost caressing the cold metal.
"...we must keep an eye on him, although we already had a long hand inside the police department." Hidan laughed hysterically, "Who would have thought that the chief officer would be such a gambler, oh she is just the ideal client for my business isn't she?" he said again between shrieks of laughter.
"Boss, but… what do you want to do with the police at the Palace!, we must-" Deidara asked, insisting on the situation.
"Oh! give me a break, I've already sent Kisame for his head. This time though… he would not fail."
Sasuke's breath was shortened and the fire ball forming on his stomach turned into a cube of ice, as he listened how the white haired man returned to the marble table with Konan and Deidara exited the luxurious restaurant.
With a slight tremble of urgency, Sasuke unlocked his phone again, opening the text he had just received from his protegee. His eyes fastly reading the text:
"Sir, I've tracked down the location of my contact, it's known as The Master but his name is Sasori, I'll call you as soon as possible, I'm on my way to his location."
FUCK, Gaara was in danger, in true danger. Their faces were now known to the suspects, and a killer was behind his portegee.
Closing his eyes for a second the Uchiha rearranged his thoughts, he had to act as fast as possible.
5,4, 3, 2, 1. NOW.
Sasuke stood up casually and walked with ease to the exit of the restaurant, the Blond driver had disappeared between gamblers and drunkards. As far as he knew, his presence at the casino was still unknown. His stern face remained unchanged, as he made his way out, walking the long hallway of the lobby he dialed the detective's number and waited for the tone, but it connected to the answering machine. With a ball of nerves on his stomach he texted furiously, alternating his vision between the screen of his phone, the entrance and his surroundings.
THEY ARE FOLLOWING YOU!
As soon as he reached the corner of the street his legs started to run as fast as he could, he had left his car a few blocks down the street, he was now regretting the decision.
Sweating he reached the door of his car, making his way inside he locked the door and started the engine, at that exact moment his phone rang. He answered without seeing the screen, putting all his attention to the street before him, but he hoped it was Gaara who was calling, God, he hoped it was him.
"Hello? Sas?" The voice filled his ears as he inclined his head to hold the cellphone between his head and his shoulder.
"Naruto?" he responded with his heart trapped in his throat as he heard that the blond paramedic was out of breath and there was a hint of panic on his voice. "Are you alright?"
"HUM… Where are you? I need to meet with you now, I think I have the invitation. But I saw something else."
Taking a turn, Sasuke's phone fell from his hold onto his lap.
"DAMIT." he mumbled as he gripped the phone with his left hand, reaching a red light, he sighted with distress.
"Sasuke? hello? " The Agent heard as he returned the speaker to his ear. "I don't have a good feeling about this, please..." Naruto's voice felt anxious.
"Can you meet me at Mainstreet and 5TH?" Sasuke said as he imagined Naruto's blue eyes filled with fear and immediately heard the honking of the back car, urging him to accelerate since the light had turned green again.. He needed to calm down, before taking any other decision.
"Sure, I'm close enough...hum.. thanks Sas." Naruto confirmed and they disconnected the call.
Focusing on driving, Sasuke tried to ease his mind, he didn't know what was he thinking about when he agreed to pick up Naruto, but now he didn't have time to lose, the mere impression of the blond's distraught voice was another thing that would not let him go search for Gaara with a clear mind. He then thought that maybe and just maybe, something had happened to the paramedic. Stupid over exagerating head he had, Sasuke cursed, he for sure was an over thinker, but the again. How much had these guys known about their investigation? They had a strong arm inside the police force, he had just heard that. What else do they know, although barely anyone knew about Naruto, he had some blind spots he was still not able to cover, did they know?
Before he noticed, he arrived at the agreed corner, part of the stone crushing his throat disappeared as he saw Naruto standing below a street sign, he was fine.
The paramedic rounded the car and opened the door, as soon as he was inside, Sasuke pressed the accelerator. And they were again on the move. Still, no messages of calls from Gaara.
"Why are you like this? what happened?" Naruto said as he saw Sasuke's normally serious face torned with some sort of urgency.
"I just need to find Gaara, he can be in danger." Sasuke answered a few seconds later, appeasing his anxiousness with the soothing presence of Naruto now safe beside him.
The blond's eyes were asking him why without words.
"It's a long story, we have to rush, I'll drop you off on the way, there is a police station near downtown."
"No way, I'm coming with you."
"Shit Naruto, not now! Someone was sent to kill Gaara I can't bir-"
"If he is hurt, I can help him!…now shut up and drive." Naruto interrupted Sasuke as they rush through the city. The Agent knew Naruto was right, if anything bad happened, they'd need medical help as soon as possible, so he didn't argue any longer, right now he didn't want to overthink, he needed to act.
After a few minutes of silence Sasuke spoke again "are you alright? what happened?"
"I'm fine. I'll tell you later." Naruto answered with a serious gaze focused on the road.
"Are you sure I don't need to listen to it right now?"
"Positive. I don't want you to have a heart attack. Or see your head explode for overthinking."
Sasuke couldn't hold the small smirk on his lips, the guy was such a random idiot in the most strange situations.
After a few minutes they arrived in the 'darker' part of the city. Sasuke walked through the alleys he knew quite well, Thinking on the last time he went to Sasori for some information, as he expected, that bastard had held his tongue pretty well. If Gaara's informant was Sasori all along, he must definitely had came down here to the sex shop to reunite with him, Sasori was territorial he always oicked his fight in his own grounds, if Gaara had managed to convince Sasori to spill some info, it will definitell be a place where that bastard was showing all his glory, obviously, it was his prideful sex shop.
Opening the black door, Sasuke felt unexpectedly menaced, the neon signs that normally welcomed the customers were shattered into pieces.
"Stay here" Sasuke turned around to whisper to Naruto, and managed to take a glance to the lonely alley behind them. Just in case.
Making his way inside the place, he saw some clothes and rags around the place, his heart started beating faster again, and his hands ran fastly to get a hold of his gun, fingers over the trigger. Advancing with careful steps.
"Oi Sasori." He tried calling the owner, parts of the store were neatly ordered but some of the displays were torn apart. What the fuck happened, where the hell was Gaara.
Turning to the counter, he felt his blood turn like ice as he saw some strands of red hair peeking out from the corner of the counter.
When Sasuke reached the far end of the store, he saw a redhead sprawled on the floor.
FUCK.
/
Let's get this plot wrapped, I'm not stopping any sooner, I'm just a little slower these days.
Hope you liked it.
We'll read soon
URBAN L.C.