Last Time:

"My phone," Shikamaru requested.

"Huh?" Shiho watched as Shikamaru struggled to fish his phone out of his pocket. She helped him and watched as he used a bloody finger to dial a number. As the phone rang, she could see a picture of Temari come up on display.

"Miss me already?" Temari answered.

"I'm sorry," Shikamaru apologized and winced as Shiho pressed harder.

"Shikamaru? Shikamaru, what's wrong? Why do you sound like that?" Temari asked.

Shikamaru sighed, "I just wanted to hear your voice and tell you that I love you."

"I love you too," Temari responded. "Now, tell me what's wrong."

"Shikamaru-kun?" Shiho watched as Shikamaru's phone slipped from his fingers, and his head dropped. "Shikamaru-kun!"

Opposites Attract: Chapter 57 – Vengence

Temari wasn't sure how much time had passed, but she jumped slightly when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She let out a heavy sigh as she placed her hand over Naruto's and continued to watch Shikamaru, who lay motionless in his hospital bed.

"I just got off the phone with Gaara," Naruto said. "He's headed to the airport now, and he should be here before dawn."

Temari simply nodded.

"Temari," Naruto sighed, "you need to get some sleep."

"I won't sleep until he wakes up," Temari argued as tears filled her eyes. "This is my fault. I asked him to stay at home with me. I should've been more insistent on it. I should've fought harder."

Naruto knelt beside Temari, "It's not your fault. I'm the one who asked him to look into the security footage for me. If I had any idea that the people who did this were going to go this far to keep themselves hidden, I never would've let him be by himself."

"I need you to find whoever did this," Temari said, and as Naruto met her gaze, he saw the seething hatred that had settled into her eyes, "because if I find them before you do, all you're going to find of them once I'm done is a finger, and that'll be a lucky find."

Naruto wasn't sure why, but he smiled. Then that's when Temari saw the way his usually bright blue eyes seemed to darken a few shades. He seemed abnormally calm despite the situation, "Don't worry. I'll find them."

"I'm counting on you, Naruto."

"You can depend on me," Naruto assured her as he stood up and kissed her forehead. "I've put Tenten and Lee at the door for the night. You and Shikamaru will be protected at all times until this is resolved, so don't fret any longer."

"I'll relax once Shikamaru wakes up," Temari told him.

Naruto nodded, "I'll send someone with some of your things and some toiletries. If there's anything you need, don't hesitate to ask me directly."

"Thank you, Naruto."

"You're welcome." Naruto squeezed Temari's hand before stepping out of Shikamaru's room. He saw Lee leaning against the wall just beside the door, and they acknowledged one another with simple nods of their heads. Tenten lingered near the main entrance to the floor's waiting area where seldom any hospital staff worked.

"Shikaku-san took Yoshino-san home," Lee told Naruto. "He said he'll come back in the morning to sit with Temari, but Yoshino-san needed to go home. Today has been… a lot."

"Understandably," Naruto agreed. "If there are any changes in Shikamaru's condition, contact me immediately."

Lee nodded, "Of course."

Naruto glanced down at his watch and saw it was nearing two in the morning. As he began to exit, he patted Tenten on her shoulder as he passed and made his way to the elevator. When he made it back down to the first floor, he found Shiho sitting on one of the hospital couches in fresh clothes, and beside her, her elder sister.

Shiho looked up first at the sound of the elevator doors closing, and quickly jumped up while her sister was slower to stand, "Naruto-senpai! Shikamaru-kun, how is he?"

"He'll live," Naruto told her as he approached her. He looked just pass her and put on a small smile, "Shion."

"Naruto," Shion greeted him.

"I'm glad you were there when you were, Shiho," Naruto admitted as he looked back at her. "Had you not helped Shikamaru like you did, then I would've been helping his parents prepare for a funeral."

Shiho shook her head, "I'm just glad that Shikamaru-kun is okay. Can I see him?"

"Not at the moment," Naruto answered. "His fiancée is up there now, and it's late. But he's going to fine. I'm truly indebted to you, Shiho, I mean that."

"Shiho," Shion cleared her throat, "leave Naruto and I alone for a minute?"

"Huh? Of course." Shiho nodded and looked at Naruto, "Goodnight, Naruto-senpai."

"Goodnight." Naruto watched as Shiho headed out and took a seat on the couch. He gestured to the seat beside him and saw Shion decline by shaking her head. He sighed, "Shion."

"I don't want my sister involved with Whirlwind, Naruto," Shion stated. "I've done your family a service by keeping your secret, and I won't deny the fact that Whirlwind had assisted my family on more than one occasion when we were in compromising binds, but my sister isn't cut out for that type of life."

"I don't want her involved either," Naruto argued, and Shion looked shocked. "When she started working at the museum as an intern, she went to Sakura and asked about becoming an emergency medic to handle situations like… this."

"Are you kidding me?" Shion snarled.

"I told Sakura to reject Shiho, but obviously, she didn't. And right now, I'm glad that she didn't," Naruto admitted. "Look, with Shikamaru's position in Whirlwind, something like this isn't outside of the realm of possibilities. So, as a safety measure, there's a cooler in that basement full of extra blood, and there's a medical kit down there with basic surgical equipment. Sakura must've taught her how to handle a situation like that."

"I'm going to kill that pink-haired bitch," Shion spit.

"I don't take threats against my family lightly, Shion," Naruto reminded her.

Shion gritted her teeth, "Naruto."

"Look," Naruto stood up, "I'm sorry that Shiho went behind your back and got involved with my family, but she's at an age where she'll do what she wants. If you have an issue with Shiho and her involvement with Whirlwind, then you need to speak with her directly. I already told her no, but you see how that went."

Shion sighed, "She's only like this because she sees you as a big brother."

Naruto rubbed the back of her neck, "Yeah. We were close once upon a time."

"Once upon a time," Shion repeated. There was a moment of awkward silence between them, but that silence was broken when Naruto's phone rang.

He pulled his phone out of his pocket and checked the ID before putting his phone away. He stood up and gently patted Shion's arm, "I'll have a word with Sakura about Shiho."

"Where are you going?" Shion asked.

"Somewhere," Naruto answered, and with that, he headed out of the hospital. Lingering about the front of the hospital were several members of Whirlwind, and nearest the door was Sasuke. As Naruto descended the hospital's steps, Sasuke walked alongside him.

"You need to get some rest soon," Sasuke urged.

"I'll rest after this meeting," Naruto assured him. "You go on ahead and head home."

"Huh?" Sasuke watched as Naruto approached the black SUV that pulled up to the front of the hospital and opened the back door. "Naruto, I can't exactly advise that you go anywhere on your own right now. I mean, Shikamaru's in the hospital right now because he wasn't protected."

"I'll be fine," Naruto insisted as he climbed into the SUV and rolled down the window. "Have a good night, Sasuke. Thank you for your hard work today. Cya."

Sasuke sucked his teeth as the car Naruto had climbed into drove off. He immediately memorized the make, model, and year of the car as well as the license plate before sending out a text message to all active Whirlwind members.

"I was surprised you called me, Nephew," Uzumaki Kiyoshi said in a cheery tone as he sat across from Naruto.

In the few months after his father's death, Kiyoshi assumed the role as the Head of the Uzumaki Clan and had the Uzumaki make amends with Whirlwind. The Eternal Flame became a subsidiary of Whirlwind and has worked in tandem with Whirlwind ever since.

"I'm sorry to have bothered you so late at night, Uncle Kiyoshi," Naruto said with an apologetic smile. "I'm sure you've heard that a close friend of mine was attached earlier today at the museum?"

"I heard," Kiyoshi confirmed. "So? What do you need?"

Naruto sighed, "With the way things are, Whirlwind's hands are tied a bit, seeing as we're being targeted by an unknown enemy. If at all possible, I'd like to employ the use of the Eternal Flame to do some more… thorough investigating on behalf of Whirlwind."

"Well, the Uzumaki aren't exactly discreet, Nephew," Kiyoshi said jokingly as he pulled on a strand of his fiery red hair. "But, I'm sure we can drudge something else. The Uzumaki's influence in parts of the underworld is greater than that of Whirlwind's in some areas, so we may be able to get some information that you guys couldn't get."

"Thank you. It's been a bit frustrating is all," Naruto admitted. "It was one thing after another for a whole year, and just when we thought things were peaceful, we get hit with… this."

Kiyoshi shrugged, "It's just the nature of the world we're in. It'll be a barrage of inconveniences, but once you show people that you're no one to fuck with, they'll back off. Don't worry, Nephew, people will learn who you are soon enough."

"How do you mean?" Naruto asked.

Kiyoshi chuckled, "You have to build a reputation. Sure, you're the son of Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina, but that's not enough in our world. In your girlfriend's world, everything can be handed to her on a silver platter because of her last name alone. Realistically speaking, she doesn't have to lift a finger for the rest of her life, and she'll have enough respect and power to topple a goddamn empire if someone so much as looked at her sideways.

"You, on the other hand, don't get that privilege. Sure, you killed Watanabe Baji, and you killed Uzumaki Kyosuke, but killing people like them doesn't do much. For starters, everyone knows that Watanabe Baji was a pedophilic monster, and everyone wanted to kill him for the stories we'd heard about him and what he did. As for my father, well, he was a coward in the end who died with a pointless grudge against his daughter that he couldn't control. However, you did earn some brownie points for killing your own flesh and blood without batting an eye."

"And the work I've done recently with quelling the minor yakuzas is what? Child's play?" Naruto asked.

"Not to be rude, but yes," Kiyoshi answered with a smile. "Considering Whirlwind's size, and your father's reputation and your mother's reputation, these feats are minor in comparison, and you're going to have to work a hell of a lot harder to make people respect you the way you think you deserve to be respected. Now, those in Whirlwind will respect you regardless, but those outside of Whirlwind are going to need proof you're worthy of it."

Naruto rolled his eyes, "Sounds annoying."

"It is," Kiyoshi shrugged. "But don't worry, you'll earn it. If anything, people should probably fear you more than they ever feared Minato."

"Why do you say that?" Naruto asked.

"Call it a hunch," Kiyoshi responded.

"We've arrived, Master Kiyoshi," the driver announced.

Naruto glanced out the window and saw they were parked just outside his apartment building. He looked to Kiyoshi and let out a small sigh, "I appreciate your help with this, Uncle Kiyoshi."

"You can call on me whenever you need me," Kiyoshi assured him. "After all, it's thanks to you that Eternal Flame is finally heading in the direction it needs to be in. I'll have Haru contact you about security."

"Haru, huh?" Naruto chuckled. "Has he calmed down since I last saw him?"

"Considerably so," Kiyoshi confirmed. "He even has a girlfriend now. Kyosuke was influential when it came to Haru's upbringing, so you can't blame him for going as far as he did for my father when Whirlwind and the Eternal Flame finally clashed."

Naruto shook his head, "I would be the same had I been in his position. Kiss Namiko for me?"

Kiyoshi nodded, "I will. Oh, and we'll see you at the Masquerade Ball. Nanami says we received our invitations this morning."

Naruto smiled, "Good. Goodnight, Uncle."

"Good night."

Naruto climbed out of the SUV and headed into his apartment building. As he boarded the elevator, he responded to the fury of text messages he'd received from Sasuke in response to getting in Kiyoshi's car and assured a few others that he had arrived home.

As he entered into his apartment, he saw that the lights were on and heard light clattering from within. "Sai? Shin?"

"Yes?" the brothers responded in unison.

Naruto shut the door behind him and wandered into the living room where Sai sat atop a ladder with a laptop in his lap. "So?"

"You were definitely bugged," Shin announced as he came downstairs with a little cloth baggy in hand. "Cameras and microphones, meaning whoever is responsible for Shikamaru's accident, have heard and seen everything you've done in here since you moved in."

Naruto sucked his teeth and snapped his fingers. Shin tossed the baggy over towards Naruto, and once he caught it, he opened it and saw just how many bugs Shin had collected, "Well, whoever these belong to, they've seen one too many shows."

"Were you able to trace it yet, Sai?" Shin questioned as he folded his arms.

"Not yet," Sai announced. "Whoever these belong to, they certainly know how to cover their tracks."

"How many people did you tell about this apartment before you moved in?" Shin questioned.

"Outside of Whirlwind? No one," Naruto explained.

Sai chuckled, "That's concerning."

"How so?" Naruto asked.

Shin sighed, "He's suggesting there may be a mole in Whirlwind. Yes, we like to be precautious of you since you're no longer at the complex, but we wouldn't go as far as to put visual and audio recording equipment around your apartment."

"Ideally, we'd love it if you moved back home, but seeing as there is no home to move back into yet," Sai mumbled as he continued to type.

"Sai." Shin shot a look towards his younger brother.

"My apologies," Sai said with a smile before closing his laptop and hopping off the ladder. "We've removed all of the bugs, though, so you're good. However, you may want to warn Lady Hinata that she's been recorded in her more… compromising position. I've heard that a woman's chastity is a sacred thing in the Hyuuga Clan, especially for women of the Main Branch."

"You talk too much," Shin groaned as he pulled Sai's ear.

"I'll talk to her," Naruto assured them. Naruto tossed the bag back to Sai and Shin, "Now put the bugs back."

"Huh?" Shin caught the bag and watched as Naruto began to head upstairs to his bedroom. "You want them back up?"

"Just do it, please, and thank you," Naruto requested.

Shin sighed, "You should've said so sooner."

Meanwhile, Nozomi sat alone on a bench inside Senju Park along one of its many walking paths. She seemed preoccupied with her cellphone, but she stopped when someone took a seat beside her.

"Aren't you supposed to be good at stuff like this, Kabuto?" Nozomi commented as she dropped her phone in her purse and eyed the young man who had sat beside her.

He let out a heavy sigh and removed his hood. His usually grey hair was now pitch black, and paired with his onyx eyes, he could've passed for an Uchiha. "Look," Kabuto removed his glasses and cleaned them, "they usually say if you want something done right, do it yourself. If you wanted Shikamaru gone so badly, why didn't you handle it yourself."

Nozomi rolled her eyes, "Did he see your face at least?"

"He didn't," Kabuto lied. "He struggled a bit, but at least he's unconscious. If we're lucky, he'll wake up and not remember a thing."

"If we're lucky?" Nozomi repeated. "Honestly."

Kabuto shrugged, "Heh, what did you expect? All of this is so you can get in Naruto's pants, so you can't honestly expect me to take you seriously in all of this, can you?"

At the mention of Naruto's name, Nozomi flared up. Kabuto wasn't sure when, but in just two seconds flat, Nozomi removed a knife from her jacket's pocket and had the blade pressed against his neck. He was stunned, and the crazed look in Nozomi's eyes was unlike anything he'd seen before.

"You keep Naruto-kun's name out of your mouth," Nozomi ordered. "I'm doing this so that Naruto-kun and I can finally be together. Having my father's company rebuild his home will show how caring and compassionate I am. I'm showing him that I can do things for him that Hinata could never do."

Kabuto swallowed hard, "Right."

Nozomi calmed down in the next instant and pulled away from Kabuto. She calmly folded her knife back and tucked it away into her jacket's pocket, "I'll wire you your money. I suppose an incapacitated Shikamaru is enough."

With that, Nozomi grabbed her purse and left. Kabuto rubbed his neck and felt a bit of blood at the tip of his fingers. He groaned, "This better be worth it."

To Be Continued…