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Chapter 13 - Treason
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"The girl's scent is getting stronger, senpai, but not closer."
Kakashi, who was busy analyzing Hawk's map of the area, stiffens and jerks his head up.
"What? What does that mean, sensei?" When the silver-haired man keeps his mouth shut and his eyes glued to the little pug, Naruto jumps in front of him to gain his attention. "Sensei?"
"Nothing good, Naruto," he says after closing his eyes in defeat. "Nothing good."
Blood, that's what it means. But Kakashi cannot find it in himself to give Naruto the complete answer. Somehow, to say it out loud would make it real, and Kakashi cannot afford that. The last time Sakura got hurt, she almost died in Sasuke's arms.
"Maybe we should forget about the map," Hawk says, interrupting Kakashi's recalling of Waves. "I'll help you circulate through those woods while your ninken shows us the way."
"But what about Bear?" The silver-haired man asks without caring about the answer. If the Anbu wants to help, Kakashi will gladly accept it. The sooner they reach Sasuke and Sakura, the better.
"My birds haven't seen or heard anything for a while now. Hopefully, your students will have some intel."
"Alright," Naruto exclaims with a snap of his fingers. "Show us the way, doggy!"
Pakkun closes his eyes in irritation, but when his master calls his name, it sounds more like a plea than an order, and the dog seems to forget about Naruto's rudeness. He turns on his heels and leads them towards the pinkette's powerful scent.
However, after thirty minutes of running, the pug stops dead in his tracks, his muzzle up in the air. "They're moving. I can smell the two kids and another person."
Kakashi's shoulders drop, and he lets out a sigh of relief. "Mole."
"They're travelling in this direction." With his paw, Pakkun points to the left, towards the center of the woods.
Kakashi's eyes close in defeat as he calls the Anbu.
"We haven't explored that part yet," is Hawk's answer to the silver-haired man inquiry. "It is Oto territory. We don't have permission to cross the border. But..." The Anbu waves some signs and bites his thumb. When the cloud of smoke dissipates, three real hawks are perched on his arms. "I'll send them to scout the area while we follow your ninken, Kakashi."
Without another word, the two men and the blond boy resume their course through the trees. Another fifteen minutes later, they emerge in a clearing, where, on the opposite side of the woods, is towering an enormous cliff. Carved in the rocky wall are plenty of small crevasses.
"I've lost their scent," Pakkun says in disbelief. "I had it, and then pouf, it was gone." He jumps to the nearest cave and takes some tentative steps inside. Suddenly, the hair on his back straightens, and his tail falls between his leg. He backs up and hurries to his master's side. Kakashi crouches to meet his level, but Pakkun stays silent, his frown deepening as his muzzle wiggles.
"What is it?" The silver-haired man urges, his fingers digging inside the flesh of his thighs in anticipation.
"Weird," the dog says before jumping again to the nearest cave. This time, the entire team follows. When Pakkun takes another sniff, the hair on his back straightens again. Kakashi rushes to his side and puts a comforting hand on his head. "Someone used a powerful jutsu to cover the scent coming off of that cliff," the dog says between two cries.
"And what do you smell now?"
Pakkun turns his gaze to his master, and Kakashi's heart skips a beat upon meeting his eyes. He's never seen his favourite ninken that afraid before. The pug takes a big inhale before answering the question.
"Death."
At this statement, the three shinobis exchange a look. "But what about Sakura-chan?" Questions Naruto. "And Sasuke? Do you still smell them?"
Pakkun nods. "The girl scent is still strong, but I think if we go further on, we'll meet other people before we find your genins, Kakashi-senpai."
"And what people," Kakashi adds, pinching the bridge of his nose, "we can only guess." After a sigh, the man turns to his student. "Alright, kid, now you listen to me. Yet again, Team Seven has found itself stuck in the middle of a dangerous situation. And again, Sakura-chan seems to be the one taking the blows for the team. So we will venture inside those caves, but only if this time around, you obey my every word. Am I making myself clear?"
Naruto's cerulean eyes hold a solemn expression Kakashi has never seen before on the boy's face. The silver-haired man lets his own eye travel down to assess the many wounds altering the blond's features. The bruises have already taken a dark purple hue, like they were administered days ago. His nose has regained its straight line, and his broken arm, some mobility. All of this thanks to the Kyuubi's chakra.
After a sigh, the man resumes speaking. "I wish we had more time to wait for your full recovery, but we don't. Are you up to fight again, kid?" Naruto nods, his lips in a thin line. "Good. Then let's go find those stupid brats."
After exchanging a look with his pug, Kakashi enters the cave with a hand running to his pouch on instinct. The first few minutes, he holds his breath, waiting for Naruto to make some loud noises that would attract unwanted attention. But again, the blond surprises him, this time with the stealth of a Chuunin, something Kakashi never thought he had in his skill set.
Led by an agitated Pakkun, they hurry down the corridors. At first, the walls are rough and dark, and the only openings are other paths the ninken dismisses with a shake of his head. But soon, the rock smoothens, and the first torch appears around a corner, illuminating the tunnels and revealing a series of wooden doors.
"What do you think is behind them?" Naruto stops in front of a door and presses his ear against the hard surface.
Kakashi is about to call him when the echo of footsteps and hushed voices reaches his ears. In one swift movement, he opens the nearest door, tugging Naruto by the sleeve of his shirt as he does. Pakkun and Hawk follow without a word, and the silver-haired man closes the door behind them all, his heart pounding.
It takes a second for his eye to adjust to the new, piercing white lights. After blinking a few times, a rush of adrenaline brings his senses to high alert, and his hold on Naruto's arm tightens. In front of the speechless shinobis are a bunch of beds with white sheets. The ceiling and walls of the spacious room are also white, and here and there, suspicious-looking tools are resting on metal trays. But what took away their voices isn't the lab itself, but the amount of blood splashed against the walls and staining the beds' sheets.
"What..." Kakashi covers Naruto's lips to prevent the words from escaping his mouth. Then, he casts a glance towards Hawk, whose ear is flushed against the wooden door. They hold each other's gaze, motionless, while Pakkun inspects the room, his muzzle stuck to the ground.
"Senpai," the dog whispers, attracting his master's attention. Kakashi's sole eye lands on the pug's outstretched paw, then travels onward, looking for the source of Pakkun's calling. On the opposite side of the room, a subtle alteration of the wall can be visible.
"A secret door?" He takes a couple of steps forward, Naruto's face still clutched between his hand and his chest. The blond is unusually obedient and lets his sensei drag him closer to the hidden door, his eyes glued to the blood smearing the walls. "I don't think we should go in there," Kakashi whispers after consideration. "Who knows what's hiding behind. Do you smell the kids in that direction?"
"It's hard to say," the pug answers with a frown. "There's too much blood around."
Kakashi nods. "Then, it's settled. We go back to the main hall and -"
At Hawk's sudden grip on his arm, the silver-haired man shuts his mouth and lets the Anbu drag him towards the suspicious door. The other man struggles to open it, looking frantically around for a doorknob or a push-button of some sort. Kakashi lifts his headband, and his Sharingan instantly locates the secret button, a red book on an otherwise empty shelf. He pulls it, and the door slides to the side. The silver-haired man doesn't wait for the Anbu to explain himself and instead hurries to the other room. Pakkun pushes the book back, then runs to his master's side as the door closes. Seconds after the pug's arrival, the shinobis are left in total darkness.
"Well," Kakashi whispers dejectedly, "so much for not crossing that door."
While his eye adjusts to the dark, the silver-haired man strains his ears. Other than the raspy breathing of his young student, he can hear a distant moan.
"Should we..." begins Hawk.
"We don't really have much choice." The Anbu lets out a sigh at Kakashi's words. "Naruto," the silver-haired man adds, "stay close."
With a hand against the wall to help him navigate, Kakashi heads reluctantly towards the only sound reaching his ears.
To say the silver-haired man is unhappy would be an understatement. Ever since he woke up yesterday morning, he tried to swallow up the uneasiness settling in the pit of his stomach. He shouldn't have accepted Sasuke's request to be paired with Sakura - who was actually Hana. Those two are one of the worst combinations of ego and disdain for the rules he's ever seen. And Kakashi doesn't trust the Uchiha much more than he trusts the stranger in Sakura's body, which is saying a lot. And just like every other decision he's made so far with his team, he screwed up.
Upon coming to that conclusion, Kakashi's attention return to the situation at hand. The moans have intensified, and the smell of blood has come back in full force. It startles the man when his hand on the concrete wall hits metal; the sound created by the impact reverberates against the rocky ceiling. His fingers close around a bar as Hawk's whispers break the heavy silence.
"There're cells. That's where they probably keep the slaves."
"Hawk?" A raspy voice comes out of the darkness in front of Kakashi. Behind the metal bars, he can see a form crawling closer to them, and his heartbeat quickens at this eery sight.
Naruto lets out a sudden cry when a large hand bangs against the prison's wall at their feet. But Kakashi cannot find it in himself to scold him. He knows he's asking a lot from his thirteen-year-old student. He never thought that experiencing those "horror movie" settings would be part of their mission in Hinode. They are far from pulling crops in rice paddies.
"Hawk?" The voice repeats, this time at Kakashi's feet. The silver-haired man crouches and uncovers his Sharingan again. But before he can inspect the cell further, Hawks pushes him to the side and grips the bars with both hands.
"Bear? Is that you?" A moan that sounds horribly like a yes makes their blood chill. "What happened? Are you okay? Can someone get some light, for fuck's sake?"
Kakashi summons his chakra and waves some of Katon's hand signs. Then, a small flame appears in the middle of his palm, and he outstretches his hand to light the cell. "Shit." The word escapes his lips before he can regain his composure.
Bear is lying on his side without his mask covering his bleeding face, his fingers clenched around one bar. His other arm hangs limply at his side, neatly cut above the elbow. The lower part of the limb is nowhere to be found.
"What happened to your arm?" Hawk rasps.
"He butchered me, Hawky. My arm, my legs..."
"Your legs?" Naruto exclaims, shifting closer to get a glimpse of Bear's state. Kakashi hurries to put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. He can feel the boy shaking under his touch.
"Who?" Hawk asks in sudden anger. "Who did this to you? And why?"
"Why? Oh, Hawky. I wish I could say it was in a fight and that I killed the bastard who crippled me, but he treated me just like any other slave. And I don't know what he's gaining from this."
"He is experimenting," Kakashi utters in realization.
Bear nods with a wince. "As for who..." The Anbu sighs. "This question is more complex than you would think. His name is Kabuto, and he looks young, around eighteen, maybe. But he works for someone that is referred to by 'Master.' Never met the guy, but Kabuto's men are shaking every time someone evokes his name."
"That's not that complex, Bear," Hawk says when his friend pauses. "There's a big boss, some sidekicks, and some brainless followers." Kakashi nods, deep in thoughts. "And now, we have a name. We can come back later with reinforcement."
"Where's the boy?"
Kakashi stiffens at the sudden question. Every time he hears the word "boy," his body shifts to a defence mode. But Hawk's answer quickly dissipates the tension.
"Mole is with Hatake's kid. We are trying to find them."
Bear sighs and closes his eyes. "Good," he replies in a whisper. "Good. Hopefully, they are far away from this hell."
"Oh, I can assure you they're not." The four shinobis spin around upon hearing the new voice. Kakashi extends the flame in his hand, trying to light the corridor behind them, but the newcomer is too far away. The silver-haired man jumps up and takes a few steps forward, his eye searching. He knows that voice, he thinks, when the person resumes talking. "I was waiting for you to finish your complex answer, Teddy Bear. Who did this to you, uh?"
In a second, Hawk is by his side. "Wolf? What are you doing here? Kakashi said you stayed behind in case the kids would come back."
A sharp laugh, more like a bark, resounds in the darkness in front of them. "Like I would follow the order of a stupid brat. Do you really take me for the obedient woman type, Hawk? I thought you knew me better than that."
A torch is suddenly lit, revealing the female Anbu.
"Careful, Hawk," says Bear. "She's one of them."
If the events could allow Kakashi to close his eye for even a second, he would do it. His hand resting on his kunai would also shoot to the bridge of his nose, and he would pinch it hard. But the only thing he can allow himself to do without losing focus is cursing under his breath. It's like he and his team are spiralling downward, and nothing is stopping their fall. Is a break fucking too much to ask?
Wolf laughs, and the silver-haired man realizes he said that last sentence out loud.
"Don't laugh," says Hawk, his fists tightening. "He's right. Why are you doing this?"
"Like I would tell you." With a hard slap of her hand against the wall, an alarm goes off. "Now, Teddy Bear. I would suggest you run, but..."
Hawk hurls himself forward at the provocation, but Kakashi stops him, extinguishing his flame swiftly to grab his shirt. "You're too involved. I'll take care of her. Make sure Bear and Naruto get out of here alive."
"Kage Bunshin no jutsu!"
Twelve Narutos appear behind a cloud of smoke. Twelve Narutos for twelve cells, Kakashi realizes with pride swelling in his chest.
"You better hurry, sensei. We still have Sakura-chan and Sasuke to find."
The silver-haired man nods once before summoning two of his ninken. "Urushi, lead them out of here," he asks the smaller dog. "Bull," he adds, turning to the bulky one, "carry Bear, please." And then, he looks at his favourite companion. "Pakkun, you stay with me. I still need you to find my students."
He exchanges a glance with Naruto, and the blond boy grins before running after Urushi. When the chaos subsides, the slaves, freed, and the Anbus, gone, Wolf steps forward and takes off her mask. "God, they took their time. I was thinking they would never leave."
Kakashi bores his grey eye inside her deep brown ones. To say he's never seen her face before would be a lie. Although it is the first time he sees her without her mask but the rest of her clothes on. Gai is probably right; he is whoring around too much.
"So you knew it was me," she says with a smirk.
"The minute you insulted Sakura-chan with your civilian nonsense."
"Ha! You think you're clever, Hatake. But you didn't see that coming, did you?"
"The treason?" He shrugs. "I would have had to pay attention to you a little more to notice anything peculiar. You never really interested me, anyway."
She bares her sharp teeth and flashes her middle finger.
"I wonder, though," Kakashi continues, unbothered. "Why would an Inuzuka betray the village?"
"I'm not betraying it, and I can't tell you more."
"I can make you talk."
"Trust me, Hatake. You can't." The woman stretches her tongue, and Kakashi's breath gets stuck in his throat at the sight of the seal implanted on it.
"Wha-"
"It's sad that I have to cut you open, Hatake. You were more than a respectable lover."
The silver-haired man widens his stance when Wolf bites her thumb. "Really? Because you were plainly boring."
A Kusarigama appears in the woman's hand, and with the help of her chakra, Wolf quickly brings the chain's rotation to a deadly pace. Kakashi lifts his headband and uses his Sharingan to predict the weapon's course. "You know what's not boring?" Kakashi avoids the attack thrown at him and retaliates with a flash of lightning that gets block by the woman's blade cloaked with chakra. "To see your civilian princess inside Kabuto's clutches."
Kakashi lunges forward. With one hand, he grabs the woman's wrist and snaps it with a flick of his fingers. With his other hand, he seizes her neck and pushes her against the wall, lifting her until her feet leave the ground. "What did you say about Sakura? Where is she?"
She chuckles, her eyes devoid of amusement. "You're too late, Hatake. But that's okay." She pauses and winces when he tightens his hold around her neck. She croaks the next words with a smirk still plastered on her face. "The world will be better off without her civilian blood."
His Sharingan sees the blow coming, but his brain is too focused on Wolf's last words to react on time. He cries in pain and glances down to see a tanto embedded in his left side.
"Am I still boring, Ka-Ka-Shi?" A growl bubbles in his chest when he feels her warm breath against the skin of his neck. Anger sends bolts of lightning to his fingertips, and Wolf gasps at the sudden burn. Kakashi jerks his head up and bores his mismatched eyes in hers.
"Where are they?" She sticks her tongue out. "Is there anything you can tell before I kill you? Anything at-"
A piercing scream resounds against the concrete walls, interrupting Kakashi's interrogation. He can feel Wolf's chuckle under his iron grip, which is still wrapped around her throat. "Oops," she croaks. "That would be her."
The silver-haired man slams the woman against the nearest wall, and her neck snaps upon the impact. Kakashi avoids her blank stare and rushes towards his ninken, who's already running in the opposite direction, towards Sakura's incessant cries.
[A/N] Just a quick thank you for all the kind reviews! You're the best!
Take care,
MB