A/N: Hello everyone, there may be time differences in this chapter that might confuse you. I made it so as to cover everything which happened on our different character groups like: Team Kakashi, Team Anko, and Team Sasuke.

But don't you worry because I tried my best to make it all seem like it made sense. LOL.

Since the first part of this chapter is a continuation from the last, I have adopted the time there and have also indicated the others so everyone could get a picture on when all the events took place.

Thank you for understanding and happy reading! :)


Chapter 43: Break Her


6:17AM | Day 3 | Senju Mansion

The danger and ecstasy that Kakashi felt was real. It coursed through his veins like a wild current which shook him to his core that the intensity must have shone in his eyes because it prompted Tobirama to speak.

"Our priority is to rescue Sakura and Itachi. Do you understand, Kakashi?"

Kakashi looked at his father and nodded. Because of his father's words, he held his raw desires in check and understood why Tobirama had to remind him of the mission. The hunger in his eyes must have been so vivid that even his father must have foreseen what he wanted to do to their enemy.

First his biological father, and now, Sakura?

Kakashi had already thought of so many ways of murdering their adversary, but his father was right; Sakura's safety must first be ensured before anything else. And for her he'd swallow the cold-bloodedness he had in him. For her, he'd tame his inner monster...and then he'd exact his revenge.


Tobirama had sat everyone down and began explaining the mission he had formulated from the night before.

He used the blue prints of the building which Sai presented, and though it only involved him and his men in the black ops, he made sure not to isolate the others, allowing them to have a glimpse of what they were about to execute.

In the middle of the discussion, a distant rumble could be heard. It sounded like the purr of several vehicles getting inside the mansion's compound. That's when their house butler made an appearance.

"Senju-sama, they have arrived."

Tobirama nodded and casually stood up. He was followed by Kakashi and his team which made the others feel a bit lost and confused.

"Wait, who arrived?" Ino couldn't help but ask. That's when Sai stepped beside her as they followed everyone towards the mansion's front lawn. He was the one who answered the girl's question.

"It's not a who. It's a what. Our mobile arsenal just arrived."

Tobirama motioned everyone to stay in place as they stepped outside the Senju mansion. They watched several sleek, black, SUVs which slowly parked themselves on the vast parking space around the fountain.

On the right side of the front lawn, a series of 3x6 retractable tents were put up, and long, rectangular tables were lined up underneath the shade the tents provided.

One by one, the cars opened and several men brought out a dozen or so of boxes and huge brief cases which they aligned on top of the tables. Tobirama approached them all and ordered every box emptied and every brief case opened. His men were swift to comply with his orders as they displayed and revealed several dozens of weapons, from dangerous-looking sharp blades to customized bombs that could wipe out an entire city.

Tobirama picked up a P30L pistol from one of the brief cases, carefully studied it as though appreciating its captivating beauty before he threw it towards Kakashi which the latter caught easily.

All the women gasped and stood frozen in place before Genma chuckled and approached one side of the table.

"Feel free to look and touch, girls, but be careful not to nick your fingers. These babies here are real." He said as he made a grab for one of the submachine guns in front of him, disassembled it, and reassembled it again in just a few swift movements.

"This is really impressive, Tobirama." Fugaku spoke. "No wonder you're known as the King of the arms dealing industry."

Tobirama simply chuckled and answered.

"What can I do? It's the family business. Better live up to everyone's expectations."

"Hey, what's this?" Hinata suddenly asked which caught everyone's attention.

At the other end of the table stood a clothes rack were five black Italian suits encased in transparent suit bags were hanged.

"Looks nice." Temari commented as she too approached the suits to study and look at the material.

"Is that what I think it is, sir?" Yamato asked, directing his question to Tobirama in which the latter nodded and smiled.

"Hoho! Nice! There's no better feeling in the world than to look good while blowing shit up." Genma quipped with a huge grin on his face.

One of the men who wheeled in the suit rack began explaining the components of the handmade Italian suit, leaving the non-combatant participants confused. That's when Tobirama spoke.

"It's dragon skin."

"What?" The women asked in unison.

"The silicon carbide discs and ceramic matrices he mentioned are known in the market as dragon skin. It's sewn in between the fabric, so the whole of this suit, even the pants, are bullet proofed."

"Isn't it heavy?" Ino asked as she poked one of the suits.

"No. It actually feels like a second skin." Fugaku Uchiha answered. After all, for someone who had been used to wearing a concealed body armor ever since he took over the Uchiha empire, he would know.

"B-but, how about our son?" Mikoto Uchiha suddenly asked.

"Don't worry. Theirs have already been taken cared of." Tobirama calmly replied as he went on to check all the other weapons laid down before him.


5:25AM | Day 3 | CEO's office, Company XX

Orochimaru was beginning to lose his patience because their only lead towards the Topaz still wouldn't give a squeak about its whereabouts.

He was growing tired of faking and bluffing through every negotiation for the past two days. What he wanted now were results. He needed to examine the contents of the disc in order for him to know the just price for such rare item.

But what if the girl really doesn't know?

All the pieces of evidence they've gathered pointed towards Kizashi's child but they've already wasted two precious days in extracting every bit of information out of her. Unfortunately, her only response was either 'kill me now!' Or 'I don't know shit,' and honestly? He was getting really tired of it.

It was true that Anko took the initiative in handling the pink-haired woman, and that he willingly gave the task to her because he thought that his daughter would be able to deliver. However, they've already wasted two precious days with zero results! And if there was one thing which Orochimaru hated, it was waiting.

Therefore, since he wasn't a very patient man, perhaps it was best if he personally paid his daughter and their guest a visit. It was after all, the third day already, and it was only polite to introduce himself to their guest...


5:37AM | Day 3 | Basement, Company XX

*CRACK*

Sakura was wheezing in pain after being hit by a wooden bat on her side. She knew that she was already suffering a broken rib, she just wasn't sure how many.

After Anko's men pulled the bag off of her face after being hosed down from head to toe with ice cold water; both her wrists were now cuffed above her head as she was once again chained in the middle of the room where she was converted into Anko's personal piñata.

"Why wouldn't you squeal?!" Anko huffed as she made another swing on Sakura's side using the other end of the bat. It made Sakura cough out blood and vomit because the protruded handle of the bat did so much damage to her than the blunt side that she was positive there was already internal hemorrhaging.

"I-I've been telling you the answer s-since day one," She ground out. "B-but being the imbecile that you are, y-you refuse to listen. So let me—let me tell you one more time." Sakura raised her head as she said her line.

"I. Don't. Know!"

"You little bitch!"

Anko was about to land another swing while aiming for Sakura's face but she was suddenly pulled back when she felt a cold firm grip on her arm.

When she turned to look, Orochimaru was standing behind her with that sinister look on his cold, piercing, yellow eyes.

"Father!" Anko gasped as she lowered her bat.

Her men didn't even alert her of the presence of her father which meant that his appearance was so sudden and unexpected that all they could do was to lower their heads as the mafia's boss made his appearance.

Orochimaru spoke.

"It's still so early in the morning and yet you're already breaking sweat on your…favorite doll."

Sakura pried open her good eye when she didn't feel the anticipated blow that was intended on her face only to see the reason why everything suddenly became so quiet.

Standing directly in front of her was a person whose black trench coat greatly contrasted his pale complexion. His long dark hair was pulled up in a high ponytail, was of medium built, and was only a little taller than Anko, but his mere presence inside the room was enough to give Sakura chills down her spine.

It's those eyes. Those peculiar snake-like, yellow eyes. That's what.

"You seem to be a tough nut to crack." He casually stated as he took a step closer.

It wasn't like she could go anywhere, so, Sakura gulped down the fear in her gut and continued to hold up her brave front. The shiver in her voice turned out to be a weak chuckle.

"Uh no. Y-you people…are j-just dumb enough not to understand the s-simple words: I don't know."

"Ha! You've got so much sass for a girl who's already suffered this much." Orochimaru's laughter boomed and echoed inside the closed space that it made Sakura's ears tingle.

"A-at least one of us is enjoying." She spat, when Orochimaru suddenly made a grab for her battered face and painfully squeezed her cheeks together.

"Seems to me like you really have no idea where your father hid that treasure."

"Y-you only realize that now?" She defiantly mocked when a blinding backhanded slap suddenly landed on her face.

Sakura was drooling blood after what Orochimaru just did but she just couldn't get down from the high of seeing the man lose his composure.

"T-that all you got? Anko—that b-bitch—got better moves than you do."

Orochimaru once again made a grab for her face as his fingers excruciatingly dug onto her skin.

"You think this is funny, child? Do you think that because you refuse to say anything or that you know nothing, we'd just release you back to the outside world?" He asked.

Sakura gave out a hoarse chuckle despite the stinging on her cheek and the pain on her ribs.

"I—I wouldn't b-be surprised if what you'd release is m-my dead body in a dumpster. I've…I've watched a lot of great m-movies similar to this."

"Give her the new drug." Orochimaru suddenly ordered as he released her face harshly. That's when Sakura realized the repercussions of her actions as she was suddenly engulfed in immense fear.

For the last two days, she had willed her body to become accustomed to the effects of the drug—like withstanding a shot of venom in her system—but a new drug?!

"There's something I've prepared for you which is far worse than death." Orochimaru snapped his fingers as his men quickly dispersed and returned with a table, a chair and a laptop.

Sakura watched Orochimaru step back as they unchained her arms from over her head, and dragged her to sit on the chair which they set up in the middle of the room.

Since she had little to no energy left, Sakura wasn't able to put much of a fight when they strapped her tight on the chair which had a customized metal neck brace that locked her neck in place.

"W-what's this? What are you g-going to do?" She weakly demanded as one of the men tinkered with the laptop before turning the screen towards her.

However, Orochimaru blocked her sight as he placed both his hands on her chair's armrest where she was strapped.

He spoke.

"Well, since you've mentioned how you're so fond of watching movies, I decided to let you watch one just to allow you to sit down and rest."

Despite her fear, Sakura gazed deep into his eyes and answered defiantly.

"If t-that's the case, c-can I also get a popcorn? T-though you'd probably have to feed it t-to me because as you can s-see, I'm strapped."

Orochimaru chuckled.

"That! That is what I like about you. I can see so much potential that it'd be a waste to just dispose of your body. So, instead of merely slicing your throat or ending your life with a bullet in that wide forehead of yours, I've decided to change you."

Sakura watched as Anko suddenly interfered by pulling the sleeve of her father's arm.

"But father, how about the offers for the Topaz?" She asked.

"Ah, people are easily manipulated with lies, so we don't have to worry about that."

There was a glint in those yellow eyes of his as Orochimaru said those words while saying it to Sakura's face.

"Then what are you planning to do, father?"

Orochimaru took a step back as he motioned for Kabuto to administer a dosage of the new drug which he spoke of.

"I told you. Something far worse than death."

When Orochimaru moved out in front of her, Sakura was strapped face to face with the glowing screen of the monitor where she saw a man who was also strapped on a chair like her.

At first she couldn't make anything out because the footage was quite blurry and her vision wasn't cooperating much, but when she saw another man appear on the video, one who was holding a knife on his right hand—Sakura's eyes suddenly narrowed as a scream struggled to escape from her throat.

She watched as the knife-wielding man grabbed a fistful of the other man's light colored hair, tilting his captive's face to where the camera was. That's when Sakura saw the man's face, and that's when a deafening scream broke through the air.

Sakura no longer understood what was happening around her as she felt blood, tears, sweat and saliva mix on her face as the painful screams echoed inside her head.

She wondered where the screams were coming from. Was it hers? Was it from the video? She didn't know. All she knew was that the video seemed to be on replay because the screaming wouldn't stop. It refused to leave her alone. It refused to go away.

.

.

.

Orochimaru watched Sakura go berserk when the video began playing.

When Anko took a peek to look, there was nothing special on the video. It was a mere footage of one of the unlucky spies who happened to be caught by her father's men and was subjected to a far gruesome torture than what Sakura was experiencing.

But why was she acting like a wounded animal?

That's when Anko asked her father about the new drug they just injected Sakura with.

"It's a potent hallucinogen. One that feeds on wonderful memories and turns them into nightmares."

At that moment, Sakura no longer had any enemies left but herself. She could scream her throat raw and cry tears of blood, but she would never recover on the sight of her loved ones being butchered and slaughtered like pigs in a butcher's house.

"Ah. How fun!" Orochimaru smirked as his eyes dilated because of such a wonderful show laid out before him. He couldn't help but feel elated. He couldn't help but feel aroused.

People thought that death was the worst thing that could happen to a person but they were all mistaken. Because if there was one thing far worse than death, it was insanity! And he enjoyed watching people break to a point of no return.


3:27AM | Day 3 | Company XX

After what he and his team did the night before, the four of them have been locked up in a windowless room much like solitary confinement.

No light passed through which meant they were all sitting inside pitch black darkness, and the silence would've been deafening if not for Naruto's constantly growling stomach which made the mood lighter.

"Aren't they even gonna feed us?" Naruto whined.

"Just shut up already and sleep. Let's just be grateful that we don't wake up with broken bones and beaten up faces." Kiba snapped.

"It is a little weird that we just ended up in this place without so much of a scratch. It makes me wonder if they're planning something." Shikamaru added.

"They're always planning something. I just hope that feeding us is included in their plans." Naruto sighed when suddenly, Sasuke shushed them in the dark as he whispered.

"Listen."

From being sprawled on the floor, Naruto sat up straight as he too listened and kept his mouth shut.

"Are those footsteps?" He asked.

"What time is it?" Shikamaru asked as well.

"Half past three." Sasuke answered.

As the footsteps neared, they heard the sound of a cart being wheeled along the hallway coupled with the jangling of keys before it stopped in front of their door.

The boys braced themselves in the dark as they scrambled their way on the wall beside the metal door just in case of an attack. When the huge metal door opened and light flooded in, Sasuke squinted to force his eyesight to adjust only to see a small white flag being waved at the door frame.

"Who are you? Show yourself." Sasuke ordered as a man wearing a black bandana appeared. Despite the darkness inside and the time of the day, the man was wearing small, circle sunglasses which covered his eyes.

"I come in peace and bearing gifts." The man said as he wheeled the cart inside where a battery powered lamp was perched atop it, giving the room a little more light aside from the ones coming from the hallway.

When Sasuke's vision was fully adjusted, he looked at the man intently and realized he knew who he was.

"Hey! You were the one who locked us up!" Naruto said, confirming Sasuke's thoughts.

"Ah. For a whiney kid like you, you're good with faces." The man said.

"Why are you here." Sasuke asked.

"You know why. The big boss sent me."

"Who? Orochimaru?" Naruto asked.

"Didn't anybody brief this kid? My name is Ebisu and I work part-time for Orochimaru."

"What does that mean?" Naruto asked Shikamaru when nothing seemed to make sense to him.

"That means he's a spy, Naruto. He's from the outside." Shikamaru answered before turning towards Ebisu.

"How long have you been in here?"

"You kids ask too many questions, don't you? Anyway, here." Ebisu said as he brought out their phones and gave it back to them.

"The big boss made an early delivery tonight, and in your phones are your individual missions."

The four of them immediately tapped on their phones to see a map of the floors of the building they were in.

"At the moment, you are kept in a room which is lower than where Sakura is kept." Ebisu explained." And just in case our friend right here can't follow," he continued as he tapped on Naruto's shoulder who was beside him, "—feel free to consult with your phones for the direction and do take note of the marked spots. That's where you're going to bury the treasures."

Burying the treasures meant hiding the weapons.

"If that's the case, where are the treasures?" Kiba asked.

"Outside. In a cart like this, waiting for you kids."

"Wouldn't it be impossible? This place is swarming with guards on duty and cctvs." Shikamaru asked.

"Don't worry, I've put those on patrol to sleep. While those in the security room have gotten drunk. But, for safety measures, you gotta change into these, and you have to do it now if you don't wanna run out of time."

Ebisu flipped the cloth which was covering the cart and revealed the uniforms for the company's maintenance personnel.

While they changed into their disguises, Ebisu simultaneously told them of the time limit and the change of shift of the guards on patrol.

Basically, they had less than 20 minutes to cover all the floors and get back to their cell lest they all wanted to get busted and ruin the plan.

.

.

.

They all followed Ebisu in a long stretch of hallway after having changed. They even passed by several guards who have indeed fallen asleep.

When they got to the lobby, Ebisu instructed them to take the cart that was already prepared and dispersed towards their work stations. After which, they would meet again at the lobby before the time was up so he could send them back to their cell.

"Don't forget to leave the special markings." Ebisu reminded them, referring to the metal-like stickers he handed them awhile back which would be used to mark all the spots where they would conceal the weapons.

The four of them nodded as they took their separate ways with phones on their hands.

Each of them stepped inside the elevators with their heads bowed down to make it look like they were merely making rounds before the company opened for the day.

The building was equipped with half a dozen elevators but in a few hours, only two or three will remain functioning.

They had to move fast
.

.

.
Sasuke just finished deploying everything that was inside the cart. He passed by the security room and quickly checked his watch for the time. The allotted time was almost up and he was about to head back to the meeting place when a door opened and a man came out.

He pretended not to hear anything and immediately turned the corner, but the man definitely saw him as he heard the man's voice calling him out to come over.

"Oi, janitor-san, janitor-san! Could you come in here and clean up for a bit? My companion got so drunk he threw up on the floor."

The man was slurring his words which meant Ebisu was telling the truth. But just in case the man was bluffing, Sasuke discreetly flicked his wrist to release a hidden blade concealed under his sleeve and turned back.

When Sasuke faced the man, the latter simply opened the door wider as he brought the mop and bucket inside. During all those times, he made sure to keep his head bowed down and swiftly cleaned the area.

While inside the security room, Sasuke took a quick glimpse at the series of monitors inside and searched for his team and Sakura. His team was nowhere to be found which meant they were successful in evading all the cameras. As for Sakura, she was lying on the cot in her cell with her back turned towards the camera.

Just a little bit longer, Sakura.

After finishing the job, Sasuke immediately collected his stuff and was about to exit the room when his eyes caught a glimpse of another person he knew of.

Itachi!

At that moment, the alarm went off inside his pocket as his phone vibrated, signaling him that he only had less than five minutes to make it back to his team's meeting place.

He swiftly bid a silent farewell to the man who called him, stashed all his stuff on the cart and wheeled it towards the nearest elevator.

When he got to the floor of their meet up, he saw that his team was already good to go. So, he immediately disposed of his stuff by leaving his cart alongside the others' and took the elevator down towards their holding cell.

"What took you so long?" Ebisu demanded. But Sasuke's only answer was:

"I found my brother."


8:32AM | Day 3 | CEO's office, Company XX

Sasuke checked the time on his wrist watch as he casually walked back towards his post.

They were released two hours after they've successfully planted the weapons and were instructed to wear the suits that were left inside their rooms. When his team checked their items, they immediately knew what it was made of.

The four of them silently looked at one another as though their employer knew that something was bound to happen.

Did they make a mistake last night? Where they found out?

That's when Sasuke felt a slip of paper in his suit's inner pocket. He brought it out and opened it for the others to see.

Delivery from the big boss. –E

"Who's the big boss again?" Naruto asked which made the others shake their heads.

So much happened the night before that he and his team were only waiting for the signal now. However, until it comes, it gave their employer the opportunity to treat them like sitting ducks. Orochimaru even prohibited them from going into the company's basement floor. Which meant Sasuke had no idea about Sakura's state.

Right now, there was nothing he could do but to follow orders like a trained dog and wait in his post.

'At least everything's already set up.' Sasuke thought as he reminisced on what had happened just a few hours back. Then, the elevator to the office of the CEO opened and out came Orochimaru and two of his men.

He was surprised to see the man out and about of his office because it wasn't like Orochimaru to go somewhere without him and his team trailing behind…unless…

"Sasuke…" Orochimaru called.

Sasuke bowed his head towards him and waited for the man's orders.

"Ask one of your men to accompany you to the rooftop. A very important guest will be arriving quite soon." He said as Orochimaru walked past him towards his office.

Sasuke silently nodded as he watched the two other men who accompanied their boss retreat and went inside the elevator. That's when his wireless earpiece beeped as an incoming call from Shikamaru flashed on the screen of his phone. He answered it.

[Get ready. They're already here.]


TBC