Chapter 41: Believe


At the gallery during the night of the incident…

It took a while for the police to wrap up the huge incident which took place at the gallery, but when they did, Tobirama immediately suggested that everyone be accompanied home, and that each of them would be assigned a body guard for their further protection. However, he had not expected that the remaining members of the group—particularly the girls, would retaliate.

"Uhm, with all due respect sir, can't we all stay together? I don't think we'll be able to sleep properly because of what happened. I—I mean 'we' need to know more about this, and maybe…we could come up with a plan in order to find Sakura and the others." Temari begged.

"I agree with Temari, sir. W-what if our boys called one of us? What if Naruto contacts me? You can expect us to fully cooperate with you, sir. We won't take sides on this. We just want everybody home." Hinata also supplied.

Tobirama's eyes narrowed when he looked at them but despite his cold appearance, he fully understood how the two women must feel. The other one—Ino...she was lucky enough to have Sai beside her to explain things but as for the two…well...

"They're right father. We could also better protect them if they stood at one place. There's also that possibility that one of them would contact Hinata or Temari. That could give us a clue where they are by tracking the location of the caller." Kakashi said upon entering the function room once more after having been done with the police interrogation.

Tobirama nodded.

"Very well. My men will accompany you back to your homes so you could go and grab the things you need. After which, they would all bring you to our home. That's where you'll all be staying for the time being."

Tobirama looked at Kakashi who gave his approval on the matter. The Senju mansion was more than enough to shelter all of them, and besides, all the necessary equipment which his son and his team needed were all located in the mansion.

Right. This was probably for the best. Not only for Kakashi's friends but for him as well—because despite his son's calm appearance, he knew that everything that had happened tonight must have put a toll on Kakashi. Now more than ever, Kakashi would need support through all these, and that support would be in the form of none other than his friends and family.


The way back to the mansion was used to explain the situation to the others.

Kakashi, Sai, Genma and Yamato were put among the rest inside an SUV to help explain the things to the remaining members of the circle for them to grasp the situation. The task of doing the explaining was put on Genma while the others only supplied from time to time if needed. Aside from learning about the boys' involvement in some shady underworld organization, the girls were also given an explanation on why Sakura was possibly abducted.

"Wait, wait, wait. Hold up. Topaz? What the fuck does a birthstone have to do with this?" Ino interrupted Genma's explanation.

"Topaz is only a name." Sai immediately said.

"Okay. And what about this 'Topaz?'" Ino asked again, quoting and unquoting her fingers in the air.

"Think of the Topaz as one of the seven wonders of the world…only that it's a lost treasure." Genma explained. Then, Temari raised her hand for her turn to ask the next question.

"So, what you're trying to tell us is that…Sakura knows about this Topaz that's why they abducted her?"

"Yes and no." Genma answered.

"Yes, they could have abducted her because of that, and no because nobody's sure whether Sakura knows about it or not."

After Genma explained, and a lot more side questions were asked, Kakashi looked at them briefly from the rearview mirror before returning his gaze on the road. He knew that Sakura knows about it; however, he chose not to tell the group about such fact.

"T-then, if nobody's sure, why are they making a big deal out of it? How'd they trace it back to Sakura?" Hinata asked Genma.

"Hmm, good question. That's why I'll tell you this…" Genma took a deep breath as though he was going to reveal a huge secret which was obviously the case at hand.

"The underworld is making a big deal out of the Topaz because it holds very important information about very important organizations which when placed in the wrong hands might result to…let's say a war."

"You're kidding, right?" Choji whispered, but the seriousness in Genma's face as well as the silence of the team to which he belonged told them that none of what he was saying was a joke. Then, after a beat of silence from each of them, Genma told them the reason why it was traced back to Sakura.

"…It was because of a journal left by Sakura's father which was ultimately found by an enemy syndicate that started all these. As I've said earlier, the Topaz was a lost treasure. And for a period of time, the underworld had been peaceful and quiet because no one could find it. There were a few speculations of its whereabouts before the journal was discovered, but since there was no hard evidence of its existence and location, it was eventually dismissed as a lost treasure."

"But someone found it?" Choji asked.

"Yes. And when they found it, the bidding on the Topaz which had stagnated for a very long time had suddenly boosted overnight. And at the moment, that item is now valued at almost $500M. Simply put, whether or not Sakura knows about it or not, her head…I mean, she…is now valued at $500M dollars which still keeps on increasing by the hour."

"Wow. This is…this is just too much." Temari said as a shade of green graced her face. She looked sick upon hearing what Genma just said. Well, not only her. Hinata and Ino also looked unwell, but that didn't stop the latter from asking more questions.

"Wait!" Ino suddenly blurted. "Could we rewind a bit about Sakura's father? I've known the man my entire life…you're saying that uncle Kizashi is also involved in a syndicate?" Ino asked, and Genma nodded.

"Yes. More specifically, both Dr. Kizashi and Dr. Mebuki are part of one of the underground mafias. So, again…simply put, whether Sakura likes it or not, she is indirectly connected to the underworld because of her parents just like the rest of you."

"Okay. Now it's too much." Ino sighed, eventually shutting her mouth and looking as sick and pale as the two other women.

For quite some time, the van had been quiet as the remaining members of the circle allowed the new shocking information about their friends sink in.

For the three women, it truly came as a surprise to know that their boyfriends, loved ones, and family members were a part of an organization. What's worse was, they have all been together ever since their life began for them. All of them grew up together, each of their lives revolved around one another, and it was so heartbreaking to know that it was only now that they were finding out about such explosive truth…

Hinata's eyes followed the trail of all the lamp posts they've passed, and from there, her gaze shifted towards Ino and Sai sitting quietly side by side in front of them—that's when a thought popped on her mind.

She then faced Choji who was sitting in between her and Temari, and her action obviously startled the man.

"Choji, you said a while back that you used to be a part of Sasuke's team. A-are you also a part of a syndicate? I mean, is your team a syndicate?"

"Huh? No." Choji answered, shaking his head to give more stress on his answer. "We're not part of any syndicate—well, if our fathers ever formed one, then the answer would probably be a yes—but really, it's a no. It's more like, we're freelancers employed by whoever could." Choji answered.

"Then, that's it!" Hinata exclaimed as though reaching an epiphany. "We should find out who employed Naruto and the others, then maybe that will lead us straight to Sakura!"

Ino and Temari gasped with Hinata's brilliant idea, but Kakashi suddenly spoke.

"We've been on it ever since we left the venue. So far, we still have no particular leads." He confessed, and like rain-soaked puppies, the three women froze because of their disappointment.

"But do you have a suspect in mind, Kakashi?" Ino asked, and without even turning to look at the woman, Kakashi answered.

"As a matter of fact, I do."

And as Yamato led the van inside the long pathway leading to the Senju mansion, that's when Kakashi revealed to them his suspicions about a particular foreign syndicate as well as the latest e-mail he received from an anonymous address...

With only a few words, the interior of the van they were riding on almost exploded because of the shriek the three women belted after Kakashi revealed to them the truth.

Kakashi had just revealed his relationship with Sakura. He did so because he believed that this would help them better understand what was happening. And even though he received three solid punches from the three women which he could have easily avoided when they alighted the SUV, he accepted them all.

That's why, for a brief while that night, there were smiles on their faces as they were all welcomed to the Senju mansion.


Yamato and Genma were the first ones to get off the SUV followed by Kakashi and the rest. The first two, together with Sai who pulled Choji with him, excused themselves so they could add the additional equipment Kakashi needed in his work area.

When Kakashi was about to turn for the steps towards the mansion's main door, Ino, Temari, and Hinata blocked his way and suddenly engulfed him in an embrace.

Kakashi stilled. That's when the three women took their turns in saying their piece.

"Whatever their reasons are, I know what they did is bad." Temari said.

"And all of them are stupid. Especially Naruto." Hinata added to which the two other girls nodded.

"But they're still our friends—including you. Especially after we've found out your secret relationship with forehead which isn't a secret anymore! How could you, guys?!" Ino whined. But then she took a deep breath and sighed and let Temari speak.

"So don't ever think that you're all alone in this one, Kakashi. We may be of no help to you guys, but we're here for moral support."

"Temari's right. You, us, everybody in our circle…we're all friends...and as friends, we just want everyone back." Hinata whispered.

"And also because you kindly took off your mask for us…So, yeah…we're gonna be here for a little while." Ino teasingly added.

The three girls giggled which made Kakashi smile a little. Looking at them, he was reminded of his very own Rin and Obito who also valued friendship. And at that moment, he couldn't do anything but to lightly shake his head…

Earlier that night, he was sure to add Sasuke and his team on his hit list. What they did was a definite betrayal to their friends, especially towards Sakura—but hearing all of these now, these girls still believe that Sasuke and the others were still worth saving...

Like how Rin and Obito looked at him in the past.

Like how Tsunade had been always patient with him despite pushing her away before.

Like how Tobirama believed in him, raising him as he was now…

Kakashi cleared his throat.

"We'll definitely try to bring them all back, but…I can't promise you that they'd be in the same shape as they were once I get my hands on them." He confessed.

"Oh, you have our consent on that, and we'll surely throw in our own punches and a lot more once they return!" Ino firmly retorted.

The girls were in the middle of sandwiching Kakashi when his adoptive mother appeared on the grand steps of the Senju mansion.

"Children, children. Come inside. I know you haven't eaten yet; I've prepared a little something for you. Come in!"

The girls broke the circle where Kakashi was in and one by one approached his mother to introduce themselves. But Ino fell back until only she and Kakashi were the ones left in the grand lawn.

Kakashi waited for her to start walking but was surprised when Ino faced him.

"Kakashi. We're serious, okay." She started. "I know and I understand that you must be very angry about this, and that's okay. That's normal. But if there's someone who has a right to punish those assholes, it's us. So you have to promise. Promise me that you'd bring them all back…"

Kakashi looked at Ino straight in the eyes and saw the seriousness her words held. He then lightly smiled, and nodded. And as though his simple gesture was enough, Ino turned and followed the other two inside as she was also warmly welcomed by the Senju matriarch who was actually waiting for her private time with Kakashi.

When Kakashi finally stepped at the main doors of the mansion, Tsuyoshi, his adoptive mother, reached for him and pulled him in an embrace.

"I may not understand a lot of things at the moment but there is one thing that I'm sure of…" She then pulled back and looked at Kakashi.

"You are a strong, brave boy, Kakashi. I know this, and I am sure of this because you are my son."

When he saw his mother reach for his face, Kakashi caught her hand and allowed it to settle on his cheek. He warmly smiled and whispered.

"Thank you, mom. I owe you."


The first day of Operation: Triple B | Bring Boys Back (as named by the girls) was full of will power and motivation.

Using his suspicions on the lead he had, Kakashi used all his equipment and connections to investigate his prime suspect while the others focused on other possible leads. He also gave the women the task to try and contact Sasuke, Naruto, Kiba, and Shikamaru, hoping that the boys would have a heart to reply and give them information.

Kakashi also left them the decision whether or not to tell their 'friends' about the mission and their involvement with him—because using Genma's accounts as basis, the latter told them that he had an encounter with Sasuke that night, and that he saw him. So, it was fairly obvious that there was already a faction in their group. A division between good and evil.

However, at the end of the day, all his searches as well as the girls' efforts turned out futile. Kakashi was able to determine and locate all the establishments owned by the foreign syndicate inside Konoha but that was all there was to it. What's worse was, he couldn't even find out the identity of the syndicate's boss; that even when he asked his father about it, Tobirama too was at loss for words.

They've searched the internet, read articles, and called connections just to find information about the head of the Basilisk, but everything they've found out and collected didn't make sense. No one was able to give a definite answer about the foreign syndicate leader. No one could give him an estimate of his age or what he looked like, what particular businesses he handled or who his most trusted connections, investors, or friends were.

There was supposed to be a lot of news circulating about such important person but there was none. There was no consistency. It was like there existed a boss, but his identity was unknown or kept confidential. And because of this, Kakashi was getting impatient and pissed by the minute because it felt like he was running out of time.

Sakura was running out of time.

The first half of the second day was no better.

Kakashi had already expanded his search outside the region but it seemed as though luck wasn't on his side. Because every time a comrade reported back, the call was always negative—meaning, there was no sign of Sakura nor the Basilisk in the given area.

But it was an entirely different story come middle of the afternoon when news from the underworld came that a 'package' had been received, and that this was in the hands of the foreign syndicate, the Basilisk.

There was a mixture of shock and excitement among the group because Kakashi's initial suspicions were right all along. However, he still wasn't satisfied. He still needed to know the identity of their syndicate leader. Something still didn't add up.

"When did the underground organizations get a hold of the information?" Kakashi asked Yamato.

"It was said that the news had circulated during the first day, but its authenticity was only confirmed today because of a picture."

"What picture?" Kakashi asked even though his blood was already at boiling point because he already had an idea of what the picture held.

"W-we wanna see it too. Please let us see it." Hinata begged as Yamato opened the attachment sent to him only for Kakashi to throw the laptop across the room. It completely smashed the device on the concrete wall.

All of them stilled and held their breaths because of Kakashi's sudden outburst of anger. The girls were particularly trembling not because of Kakashi's violent act, but because of the reason why he acted as such.

Whatever was on the picture must be so awful, that it was enough to send Kakashi storming out of the room while seething in anger.

At that moment, Kakashi looked like he was prepared to kill. At that moment, he looked like the devil himself.

"Show us the picture, Yamato." Genma ordered as soon as Kakashi disappeared from sight; however, he first gave them all a worried look before transferring to a desktop computer and opening the attachment once more.

Choji and the girls all crowded behind Genma and Yamato to look at the picture. Eyes wide, and teeth chattering while they waited for the image to render.

Slowly, as the image began to clear, they saw Sakura standing in the middle of a barren room, hands bound and suspended over her head; and it looked as though she was soaked to the bone based on how her hair and filthy clothes clung to her skin.

They may not see her face because her head hung low to her chest, but they were all sure that it was her because of her pink hair and pale creamy skin, now the color of ash.

"What happened to her? What did they do?" Ino asked.

"It's water torture." Choji uttered to which the girls echoed his words in confusion but it was Sai who explained to them what it was.

He told them about the pain of being sprayed with high pressured, ice cold water that an ordinary person would surely find it difficult to stand under such condition even if she was only sprayed for just a few minutes.

"It's like being hit with millions of little stones all over your body, and if not for the chains holding Sakura up…she may have crumpled to the floor already."

Genma and Yamato subtly exchanged glances at one another after Sai finished with his explanation, and though what he said was true, both of them knew that it wasn't the foremost reason why Kakashi lost his temper.

Zooming into the photograph and focusing on one side of the picture, Yamato placed a red circle on what looked like a grainy image of a grinning woman.

"What's that?" Temari asked.

"Wait. Is that a woman?" Choji added when Sai interrupted into their mini guessing game.

"Well, specifically speaking, it's a reflection of a woman. This…" Sai pointed at the side of the screen while tracing his index finger over half of the monitor, "This is a glass panel. Most probably a one-way mirror. Sakura is being kept inside a room and is being viewed from the outside by this woman."

"W-who is that woman anyway?" Hinata asked as she frowned and squinted over the screen, trying to clearly view the woman's features.

"Yamato, could you zoom in please? I think I know who she is." Ino requested.

While Ino was busy joggling her memories for an answer, Genma had already gone to work to find out the woman's connection with the foreign syndicate.

'Why is that woman there? What is she doing?' Genma wondered as he furiously sought for answers over the internet as well as with his other connections in the underworld.

"I knew it. It's her. It's Anko Mitarashi!" Ino suddenly exclaimed.

"The model?" Choji asked to which Ino nodded.

"Why is she there? Is she Sasuke's employer?" Temari suddenly asked.

That's when it hit Yamato and Genma that what Temari said may be true. She may be the one who ordered for Sakura's abduction. But why? How was she connected to all these.

"What do we know about this Anko Mitarashi aside from her numerous red carpet scandals?" Sai eventually asked which made Yamato frown and Genma chuckle until they realized that Sai had just probably used all the information he retained from his girlfriend's constant celebrity gossip update.

Genma gave the most obvious answer which came to mind.

"She's Kakashi's…well…you could say…ex-girlfriend. If you could call her that."

"WHAT?!"

Hearing about it, the three women immediately perked up with their mouths open in disbelief. Furthermore, Ino looked so nervous that she started sweating beads. That's when Genma realized what the girls may be thinking and why Kakashi had been so furious upon seeing Anko.

He remembered his previous conversation with Kakashi about this matter as well as all the anonymous messages Kakashi asked him to investigate.

"…what do they want from you? and based from the text messages, why are they messing with your love life? Seems a little low for an outsider syndicate group, don't you think?"

If big players were involved in this, why mess with a petty thing like your relationship? Unless the mafia also knows about the Topaz. But if they did know, they shouldn't even involve themselves. Outsiders have no connection to the contents of the disc, the Topaz only holds vital information on Japanese syndicates…so why are they taking part in this? How are the pieces connected?

Now Genma had an answer to all those.

It didn't matter that the Basilisk had no connection to the disc, having Sakura with them—a lead towards the location of the disc would earn them millions, probably billions of profit from all the Japanese syndicates fighting for it. And as for the extremely personal messages—they still had to figure out Anko's connection to the mafia, but now, Genma was sure that it was Anko who was sending all the stupid messages using the high-tech program. The Glimpse. It was under the possession of the foreign syndicate after all.

That's why Kakashi was so angry, and that's why the girls understood.

Sakura's abduction wasn't about the Topaz, it was about revenge! And the fact that Sakura was also the lead towards the Topaz must only be an unfortunate coincidence or a secondary factor on why she was abducted.

"Oh this is bad. This is bad." Ino suddenly blurted out. "If there is one other thing worse than flying cockroaches, that would be crazy ex-girlfriends who has zero concept about moving on."

And she was right, and Kakashi may have realized this as well.

"Wait. I found something on Anko." Genma seriously said as he pulled up a document from the Senju Medical Center's database.

"What?!" Everyone simultaneously asked.

"A DNA test…she…she's adopted."


Day 2 of Sakura's abduction, 8:49PM the witch's lair...

"Ahh! Who would have thought that having to do all those would give me so much thrill?!" Anko told herself exhilaratingly as she played with a pair of scissors on her right hand while holding a picture of her with the other.

She was busy snipping away at the corners of the photograph when a knock came to her private office and one of her father's men entered.

"Lady Anko, the girl's been transferred out of the room. What's next?"

"Oh, is that so? Then I guess it's time to move out again." She said. "You know what to do. Bring her to the truck then I'll give you the next location later. Wait for me to get down." She ordered, waving the man away as she resumed with what she was doing.

On top of her table, she picked up another picture where she bore a hole on one part of it using the burning end of a cigarette.

"Hmm, such a pretty picture but it would look so much better if it were like this." She whispered to herself as she took the small picture cut out of herself which she was initially holding and glued it over the hole.

"There, that's better!" Anko said, smiling all to herself as she stared at her output.

"The roller coaster at the amusement looks so much fun, isn't it? I feel so happy having a picture taken with you, Kakashi." She giggled as she brushed her index finger over the photograph before putting it inside a frame as though reminiscing a genuine memory with the man.

"Maybe, after all these, we could go back to the amusement park. Maybe, both of us could ride the roller coaster…again."

She chuckled, which eventually turned into a sinister laugh as she grabbed the frame and threw it on the trash can. She then poured the remaining contents of her liquor over it and before getting up, Anko crumpled a sheet of paper, lit it on fire and then threw it on the metallic bin.

Anko eventually got out of her chair and walked towards the door, but before she turned the lights off and locked the door, she said…

"Looks like this room needs to be cleaned again. I have definitely made a lot of mess." She said while looking at all the scattered, torn, and burnt pictures of Kakashi and Sakura in the amusement park.


Sakura had been going in and out of consciousness for as many times as she could remember. Ever since the drug was injected into her system, it felt like she was thrown into a limbo of pain and suffering that by the second day, her body had grown numb of all sensations.

The first day was the hardest when the drug was first introduced to her system. It was fast reacting that in a span of fifteen seconds or so, she was already screaming in pain even when nothing was particularly done to her except having been injected the full dosage of the drug.

It felt as though she was being skinned alive or her bones were being pulverized or her skin was lit on fire. And if before, she wondered what it would feel like to have a bone saw cut through the bone marrow while a patient was without anesthetic, she could definitely imagine the level of pain with how her mind was making her feel at the moment. It felt as though every tip of her nerve endings had been put ablaze that even the mere act of breathing had become excruciatingly painful.

She tried her best to fight it. Her medic mode kicking in as she internally kept track of the time and all that she was feeling because she was positive that this was only the start of her predicament; her brain needed to adapt to the changes of her body if she wanted to survive—but it was no easy feat—because with the drug in her system, it was extremely difficult to focus that even the act of gritting her teeth to withstand the pain had become extremely painful as well.

During the first day, two men came in and released her from her straight jacket but they pinned her arms down with a rope on the chair's arm rest.

Sakura had resisted to struggle and make sudden movements because even the most minute moves brought pain all throughout her body, but it was nothing compared to when she was struck by a heavy wooden paddle even when each spot they hit was covered by a fairly thick towel.

She knew the reason why they were putting on so much effort to cover the spot they would hit. It was to prevent her bones from breaking; however, the sensation of being hit by wood while her mind was swimming with the effects of the drug had her screaming her lungs out that when they asked the ultimate question, she almost gave in.

But she didn't.

"Where is the Topaz?"

"Where is it?"

"I don't know…what you're talking about!"

And then the process would repeat until all that was left to hit on her exposed skin was her face. That would be where the final blow was inflicted, then they'd try again.

"Let's try this one more time…where is the Topaz?"

"One more time…I don't fucking know." Sakura would bellow. Then she would close her eyes as she waited for the next blow.

For two days it went on like this.

Sakura became Anko's personal punching bag and play thing—also the latter's entertainment when she felt like she just wanted to watch from the sidelines.

Sakura had been punched, slapped, kicked, hosed down by high-pressured water with the pain multiplied by a hundred times—but she kept holding on to her wits by thinking that the pain she was feeling was only caused by the drug and that she could probably take Anko down if she wasn't tied all the time.

Then the questions would begin again. But Sakura would answer the same. "I. Don't. Know. Go fuck yourself."

Then the cycle would continuously repeat. Until one of them gets tired and leaves her alone.

Indeed it was painful, and she screamed until she was exhausted, but she refused to shed her tears because she knew Anko was watching…


The Senju Mansion, 11:37PM

Kakashi was leaning over the veranda and was so deep in thought while staring intently at the bronze colored liquid he had in his glass.

The news about Anko's DNA test definitely surprised Kakashi.

If all these were some part of an elaborate plan, was having the test in the hospital his family owned also a part of it? Or was it a slip on Anko's part?

It was as though Anko laid everything out for him to discover which only led him to think that she was connected by blood to whoever was holding the reins behind Basilisk.

Was this what Anko wanted him to think? Because if that were the case, only the mere thought of her having blood ties with the foreign mafia was even more terrifying considering Anko's history with him as well as with Sakura.

Kakashi gripped his crystal glass as though testing the glass' resilience under the strength of his grip when a voice suddenly came from behind him.

"You know, I still can't get used to your exposed face ever since the first time I saw it."

"Sorry if it bothers you." Kakashi apologized as he took a sip of his whiskey without even turning towards Ino who took a spot beside him and was now staring him.

Ino chuckled.

"I take my time to get here and sneak behind you and you don't even flinch?"

"I've always known you were there since five minutes ago." Kakashi nonchalantly confessed before taking another swig of his drink.

"What?! Is that true? Er—I guess you're the real deal then, aren't you. You, Genma, Yamato, and Sai…you were really trained to do these things. I still can't believe Genma isn't a doctor though. He was very convincing at the hospital before."

He knew Ino was waiting for a response from him but his mind was too preoccupied of Sakura and her whereabouts that he couldn't help but to run his hand through his face and hair as though the mere gesture was the only thing keeping him sane at the time.

Ino spoke.

"I'm sorry. I'm just trying to lighten up the mood." She sighed. "I know you're really worried about Sakura but…I just want you to know that you don't have to."

By this time, Kakashi had taken interest in what Ino said and gave her a glance, but he still refused to comment. Instead, he allowed Ino to continue talking.

"Sakura…She's a strong one. I know because I'm her best friend."

As Ino said those words, Kakashi saw a distant smile on her lips though her eyes looked sad. She carried on.

"Yeah, she's been through a lot and she may have had some weak moments, but she's the kind of girl who's really stubborn and hard headed."

Kakashi knew this of course. He knew that Sakura wasn't a weak woman to begin with. She was bright and cunning especially with that mouth of hers. He saw how she broke out of her shell considering what happened to her parents. He saw how she took care of her own demons. He was, after all, there when all of those happened.

"I mean, I don't even give a shit how crazy your ex-girlfriend is. This is Sakura we're talking about. I bet she's giving your ex and the boys a really hard time. Poor them." She scoffed.

'Yes, she's strong…but that's what I'm afraid of.'

"What? Why?"

Kakashi's eyes slightly narrowed at Ino when he realized that he must have said what he was thinking, out loud.

"Why are you afraid, Kakashi?"

When it looked to him that Ino wouldn't drop the subject, he was left no choice but to answer.

"This is the second night that Sakura's been missing and we don't even know where she is. Yes, she's brave and stubborn and her tenacity couldn't even be described at times, but those traits of hers may bring her to a lot more danger than you think."

Kakashi gave a brief pause before continuing...

"… Because just as how you know Sakura, I know Anko."

Kakashi watched as Ino opened her mouth, then closed it again. It seemed like she had lost whatever words she wanted to say. And as both of them continued to worry about Sakura, memories of Anko came flashing back through his eyes. And he couldn't even imagine what Sakura must be going through right now.

He remembered the very first time they met, the incident at the library, his gallery show, what she did to his book, what she did to Tsunade, and an awful lot more in between when they were still 'together.' He was the only one who knew how cruel and twisted she could be, and how manipulative and wicked her mind could work.

Kakashi closed his eyes and blew a heavy breath. He knew they needed to find her fast. He knew they were in dire need of a lead to follow. But they couldn't find anything. Not even a single one. Anko's connection to the mafia wasn't even on top of his priorities anymore. It was easy to make wild guesses. He just wanted to find Sakura and save her as soon as possible. That was his mission. That was his goal.

"We're going to find her." Ino suddenly said as though assuring him of the future. But Kakashi had a difficulty convincing himself with all the facts at hand. That's why, with a really heavy heart coupled with the image of Sakura suffering, he spoke the words that were on his mind.

"We are going to find her. But if we don't do it fast…it's…it's better for Sakura to just end up dead."

Again, he knew he could perfectly avoid it, but he unswervingly accepted Ino's heavy punch on his shoulder.

"Kakashi! How could you say that?! I thought… I thought…I mean…I already know that that Anko bitch is crazy. All the blind items about her says so! But for you to say something like this?!"

"I know what I promised, Ino. But there's a thin line between love and obsession."

"I know that but…"

"For Anko that line doesn't exist."

Kakashi thought that that was already the end of their conversation but Ino pushed through.

"BULLSHIT! I don't care how crazy or twisted that bitch is. An ex is an ex because she's already fucking expired! And when goods are expired you've gotta throw them away. That's what you should do Kakashi. Throw that bitch out of your mind and believe in Sakura!" She huffed.

"…And I really fucking hate to admit it? But I'd also want to believe in our friends."

For a long moment, Kakashi silently stared at Ino, and for some unknown reason, a chuckle began to bubble out of his throat that he ended up squeezing the bridge of his nose to contain his smirk.

"Your friends are really lucky to have you." Kakashi eventually said, but Ino only shrugged her shoulders.

"That's what I keep telling them! And I'm telling you we're going to find her."

What they didn't know was that, the words uttered by Ino in hopes of finding Sakura would come the next day in the form of an unexpected guest.

Tobirama, who was watching from a distance brought his phone down and exhaled.

'You have to prepare yourself, Kakashi. This may be the only chance you'll get in finding out where the Topaz is…"


TBC


A/N: So, as you may have noticed, there's pretty much a lot of shade towards Anko in this chapter, so, I just wanted to clarify that NO, I don't hate Anko, it's just that she happened to be one of the antagonists in my story so I hope you guys understand. :) That's all! See you next chapter!