Chapter 28
As he left his home, Sakumo was immediately flanked by two masked ANBU. He shook his head in annoyance. He was hardly incapable of defending himself should someone decide to attack him. He was almost certainly more capable than even these ANBU. But there were more important things to worry about at the moment than his need - or lack thereof - of bodyguards.
Sakumo searched the pockets of his flak jacket for another hair tie as he sprinted through the streets. He always seemed to have extras scattered among his gear – his pockets, his weapons pouches, his pack, he'd even found one around the hilt of his tanto once. Nothing. The damn things seemed to proliferate everywhere except the one time he actually needed one. He huffed softly in frustration. He wasn't going to delay over something so trivial. Though not one to believe in ill-omens or superstition, his unease deepened even further. He mentally scolded himself. He was being ridiculous. Yet he couldn't shake his unease.
Sakumo's home was on the far side of the village from the Uchiha compound. In the minutes they spent crossing the village another ANBU appeared, matching their pace as he gave his report. "Lord Hokage, all gates leading in and out of the village have been closed and secured. Additional shinobi are being sent to strategic points along the outer walls. The barrier teams report no unusual activity and are reinforcing the barrier. The Jonin Commander is organizing patrols to sweep the village and sending additional forces to the Uchiha District."
"Good work." While worried about what he was about to find, Sakumo was proud of how quickly and efficiently the Hidden Leaf shinobi worked together to secure their village and protect their people. They were joined by more ANBU as they rushed through the nearly deserted streets.
The scent of blood reached Sakumo's nose as they approached the Uchiha District. As they neared, he picked up the sounds of shouting and the occasional distant clang of metal on metal of weapons clashing. Light flared and faded from what he suspected were fire-based jutsu. Sakumo's eyes swept the area as they passed through the district's gates. Nothing stirred in their immediate vicinity.
What the hell is happening here?
He pointed to an ANBU wearing a bird mask. "Stay here. Coordinate with the Jonin Commander and medical corps to set up and secure a triage area. Find a space where we can evacuate the civilians until we get things under control as well. The ANBU and what jonin Shikaku feels he can spare will sweep the district." He turned his gaze to the handful of ANBU who stood awaiting his orders nearby. They'd been joined by a few more already. "Spread out. Your priority is to protect the civilians and wounded and get them to safety. We don't know who or what we're up against so stay alert."
"Understood!"
"Scatter!"
Sakumo unsheathed his tanto as he headed down the seemingly deserted main street. His ANBU body guards fell into a loose formation slightly behind and to either side of him. They knew better than to argue with him about putting himself in danger. He would not wait in relative safety while the people of his village were under attack.
Hearing shouts nearby coming from different directions, Sakumo motioned to his ANBU. "Go!" he ordered. They broke off and headed towards the source of one scream while he headed for the other. He rounded a corner just in time to see an ANBU swinging their sword in a broad arc towards a cowering civilian. On reflex Sakumo jumped in between them, stopping the other's blade with his own. "Stop! Stand down!" he ordered. The masked shinobi jumped back, then lunged, thrusting his sword at Sakumo's heart. He blocked the killing blow and spun on the ball of one foot, bringing his other leg up in a kick that sent the other flying into the wall of the nearest building. "I said stand down!"
The other got to his feet, crouched low in a fighting stance. Sakumo realized that he didn't recognize the design of the mask. This isn't one of my ANBU! Sakumo had already been familiar with a number of ANBU before his ascension to the Hokage's seat. He had made it a point to learn the rest of them in the time since assuming the role.
"You are not a Hidden Leaf ANBU," Sakumo declared. "Who are you?"
"I am a Hidden Leaf ANBU!" the other snarled as their blades clashed.
The pieces began to fit together to form a larger picture. Sakumo didn't like what it revealed. It can't be! I ordered Danzo to disband his forces! It made a twisted sort of sense. He had been surprised at how easily Danzo had given in when he'd been ordered to disband. The Elder had offered a position to Kakashi once Sakumo realized he was necessary. Kakashi had said the older man had sounded absolutely certain of his words. Now Sakumo was beginning to understand why. Shikaku and the Intelligence Division hadn't been able to process many of Danzo's Foundation shinobi due to being so short staffed. Danzo had sent over just enough of his people to keep them from becoming suspicious, biding his time.
Sakumo cursed himself for a fool. He should have known Danzo was up to something. The man was much too cunning to allow himself to be stripped of power so easily. He didn't know what Danzo hoped to gain by attacking the Uchiha but it didn't matter right now. Sakumo had fallen for his ploy and now the people of his village were dying because of it. He dispatched his opponent and whirled as he heard footsteps rapidly approaching. He relaxed somewhat as he recognized the masks of his personal ANBU.
"It would appear that there are shinobi disguised as ANBU who are attacking the civilians! They're probably Danzo's Foundation shinobi," he said. "Pass the word to our forces – anyone they don't recognize or who refuses to stand down on the Hokage's authority is to be detained. I want answers so do not use lethal force unless necessary to defend yourselves or non-combatants." The Foundation shinobi were also Hidden Leaf shinobi and Sakumo didn't want more death if it could be avoided. He helped the civilian man to his feet. "One of you escort him to the evacuation point. Shikaku should have arrived by now. Make certain to appraise him of the situation. The jonin need to know they're potentially facing Foundation shinobi."
"Lord Hokage, you should go. Your expertise in strategy is essential to helping coordinate efforts here. It will be harder to detect a threat if it is disguised as one of our own. Should an enemy slip through our guard, it will be disastrous for the village. The Hidden Leaf cannot afford to lose her Hokage now. Not with another crisis looming over us."
Sakumo wanted to argue. He hated not running in while others were risking their lives. As much as he hated it, the ANBU had a point. Sakumo knew he was not irreplaceable. But if he was to be incapacitated or killed here it could mean the Hidden Leaf would be thrown into more chaos, potentially leaving her vulnerable. He nodded sharply. "Very well," he conceded.
Sakumo could sense the ANBU's relief as he turned away, his tanto still clutched in his hand. "Stay close behind me," he cautioned the civilian. They made their way back to the entrance to the Uchiha District. The Medical Corps had arrived and had begun setting up a triage area off in a large open courtyard. Sakumo was relieved to see a number of jonin accompanied them. Until he knew exactly what had happened here he wasn't going to be complacent again. He had suspicions, but until those suspicions became facts it was best not to assume anything.
He spied Shikaku among the jonin, issuing orders. He strode over. "Lord Hokage! What's happening?"
"I don't know for certain. ANBU are attacking the Uchiha."
"ANBU...?" Shikaku put the pieces together quickly. "Danzo," he said darkly.
Sakumo nodded, his lips pressed together in a grim line. "It would appear that way. I've given orders to detain any who do not stand down or whom my ANBU don't recognize. The ANBU may have a certain amount of anonymity, but they are known amongst themselves. Where do we stand here?"
"I've had the Medical Corps Begin setting up over there and set a perimeter to keep the area secure. As far as the rest of the village, the guard at the gates and at strategic points has been increased. I've sent patrols throughout the village, though thus far no other incidents have been reported."
Sakumo silently blessed the Jonin Commander. Shikaku was a smart man and had already taken the initiative in positioning and utilizing their forces.
"Keep this area secure. I suspect we're going to have a lot of wounded coming in. I've ordered the evacuation of the civilians until we get things under control." He looked around, then pointed down the closest street. There appeared to be a park a short distance down it. "We can evacuate to there. Do you have enough men to keep that area secure?"
Shikaku nodded. "I've sent word to all of the able-bodied jonin in the village. Chunin and genin are acting as support and back-up. More help is on the way. Should I order them to assist the ANBU?"
"Send whatever manpower you can spare. Don't compromise your position here, though. Protecting the civilians and wounded is your priority."
"Understood." Shikaku hesitated. "And Danzo?" he asked quietly enough so as not to be overheard.
Sakumo raked his fingers through his unbound hair. He was absolutely certain that the Elder was somehow involved in this attack. He didn't see what Danzo had to gain from such an action, however. One thing he was certain of was that Danzo never did anything that didn't benefit himself in some way. He was overlooking something – something important. He shook his head slowly. "We need proof," he replied. "I'll assign an ANBU unit to keep an eye on him but I cannot do anything more until we can prove that he's involved. With the village in lock down he's not leaving. Once we confirm these are Foundation shinobi I can order him brought in for questioning."
"I'll send word to Inoichi that he's going to have a late night," Shikaku said. "I'm assuming you're sending any prisoners to Intel." He had noted what Sakumo had left unsaid. They both knew Danzo had a hand in this. The unfamiliar ANBU could only be from the Foundation. As Hokage, Sakumo had to uphold the village laws; he could not take action against Danzo until they knew what had happened here. He did not envy him his position.
"My ANBU don't want me wandering the streets. They seem to think it'll be easier for me to be assassinated in the chaos," Sakumo stated dryly. "Since I can't help out there, tell me how I can help here."
Shikaku knew that being forced to remain in relative safety while others were risking their lives rubbed Sakumo the wrong way. Sakumo knew that insisting on helping would mean a squad of ANBU would remain to protect him rather than focusing on protecting the civilians. He would remain here so the ANBU could help the village without worrying about the Hokage being injured or killed. That didn't mean he liked it.
Shikaku respected that Sakumo recognized that he had everything well in hand here. He wasn't going to try to assert his authority to take over. He would allow Shikaku to tell him how he could be helpful to him. A strong leader knew when to allow others to take the lead. He had always known Sakumo would do well in his role as Hokage, Shikaku thought smugly.
"The Medical Corps could probably use a hand getting tents and equipment set up for triage. Then the medics will need to be protected in case the fighting gets this close." He frowned slightly. "I was hoping Kakashi would be here. His Sharingan could be helpful."
Sakumo's head jerked up. "He should have been at the Jonin Standby Station."
Shikaku shook his head. "He wasn't there. A few people mentioned he woke them and sent them over but nobody seems to have seen him since."
Sakumo's blood ran cold. Had something happened to his son? Had Danzo somehow gotten ahold of him in the chaos of the evening? He forced himself to halt the dangerous train of thought. Kakashi was a capable jonin in his home village, he reminded himself. He'd be fine. He just wished his heart could believe it.
Kakashi ran through the streets of the Uchiha District. He wasn't disobeying orders, he reasoned. Not exactly. He had headed for the Jonin Standby Station after waking several shinobi who lived along the way. He already knew that the trouble was in the Uchiha District so why not save time by heading directly there? At least that's what he told himself. It didn't matter; he'd deal with whatever punishment his father handed out to him later. He had something too important to protect in the meantime and he couldn't afford to wait around for orders.
Keeping to the shadows and dark alleyways, he reached a familiar street towards the rear of the District in a few minutes. He darted up the porch stairs and pounded on the front door until it cracked open. He nearly fainted in relief.
"Kakashi?" Obito's grandmother asked, blinking sleep from her eyes. "What are you doing here at this time of night?"
"There's no time to explain. Please, get dressed quickly. I'll escort you to safety."
She frowned at his words. She had never known Kakashi to play pranks and he appeared uneasy, casting worried looks over his shoulder as if looking for enemies. She nodded and opened the door further to allow him inside. "Tell me what's happening," she ordered as she reappeared a few minutes later. Kakashi was practically vibrating with tension.
"I don't know exactly. The ANBU reported to Dad that there was some sort of trouble here in the Uchiha District and that several people have been killed. The ANBU and jonin are evacuating the civilians to be safe." He'd heard that much in passing when he'd arrived.
He cracked open the door and peered out. The street was quiet and still. He opened the door further and motioned her to follow. "Stay close to me," he cautioned in a low voice.
"Kakashi, we cannot simply leave everyone else here defenseless!" she said as he turned to retrace his steps.
Kakashi froze. His head knew she was right but his heart wanted to get her to safety. He glanced around. There were only a few homes on the street. Obito had been a bit of an outcast so Kakashi didn't really know any of his neighbors despite the time he had spent here. He hoped there were a couple of shinobi among them. Even Leaf Police would do. "Alright," he agreed reluctantly.
It would have been quicker to split up but Kakashi was loathe to allow Obito's grandmother to get too far from him. Together they pounded on the neighbor's doors, awakening the residents and urging them to haste. Kakashi's nerves were on edge as the minutes dragged on. The longer they delayed, the higher the chance that those attacking the Uchiha would make their way here. Knocking on door loud enough to wake those within was a good way to draw unwanted attention. The neighborhood was fairly remote and far back in the district and probably wasn't a priority target for the attackers. But they'd be here sooner or later and Kakashi wanted to be gone well before then.
After what seemed an eternity to Kakashi's frayed nerves, the residents of the area were gathered together in a group in the middle of the street. "Stick together!" Kakashi warned. "And keep quiet!" His heart sank as a baby began crying.
Kakashi's only thought when he had run in had been to reach Obito's grandmother and protect her. He would have carried her to safety on his back if he had to. He hadn't anticipated having to single-handedly protect a group of civilians, many of them frightened children. A large group made stealth impossible. There was no way he could go back the way he'd come; civilians and children couldn't leap and run across the rooftops or scale walls and fences quickly. There wasn't even a genin among them, meaning their safety was entirely in his hands.
He pushed his headband up, uncovering his Sharingan. He was going to need every advantage he could get. If they were ambushed he was going to be hard pressed to keep everyone alive. His jaw set in determination, he began leading the way back towards the entrance of the district. This was going to be a long journey.
They hadn't made very much headway when Kakashi caught a flash of motion out of the corner of his eye. He flung a shuriken with one hand, knocking the thrown kunai from the air and launched a kunai directly at his attacker with the other. His kunai embedded itself in the wall with a dull thud where his assailant had been standing just a split second before. He cursed under his breath as two masked ANBU appeared. Their stances were relaxed. They clearly did not view the group as a threat.
"Nice moves, kid," one drawled.
"Stand aside. I'm taking these people to safety on the Hokage's orders." It was worth a shot.
"Sorry, kid, I don't take orders from the Hokage. And I have my orders, too." He reached over his shoulder and drew his sword free of its sheath.
"Isn't that the Hatake brat?" The second ANBU spoke for the first time.
"So it would appear. This is your lucky night, kid. Step aside and you'll get to live. Help us and we'll put in a good word for you."
"With Danzo?" Kakashi asked, recalling how the old man had cornered him on the training field and his father's warnings about the Village Elder. Danzo had offered him a place within his organization, convinced that Sakumo would see its necessity. He didn't know much about it but he trusted his father and if Sakumo said Danzo was trouble, Kakashi wanted nothing to do with him or his secret organization. "No thanks."
"I'd reconsider if I was you, kid. It's preferable to have you join us. Orders are to kill you along with the others if you get in the way."
"I'm not so easy to kill," Kakashi snarled. He quickly wove a series of hand signs, slamming his palm against the ground. "Earth-style, multi-mud wall!" Four large walls erupted from the earth, surrounding the frightened group. The earthen barrier would give him seconds at best but it was all he had to protect the others. It wouldn't stop a determined enemy or a strong jutsu but it would deflect stray weapons. It would only last for a few minutes but it was better than nothing.
"Stay here," Kakashi ordered the civilians as he leapt over the wall to meet the enemy. He gathered his chakra around his hand, white lightning crackling around it as he faced the ANBU. He was at a disadvantage. It was two to one and he had a group of civilians to protect. This was going to be difficult. Kakashi leapt forward, twisting in midair. His Sharingan allowed his to see through the feint his opponent aimed at him. His hand pierced the chest of the second ANBU. He yanked it back and whirled to face the other.
"Nice move, brat. Making it look like you were coming for me first and taking out my partner instead. Too bad you're still dead!"
Kakashi threw himself to the side as the other attacked. He was fast and skilled. They sparred for several minutes, each probing for a weakness. Even with the Sharingan, Kakashi was hard pressed to find an opening in his defenses. Finally, he spotted it. He threw himself forward.
Blinding light flared as he forced more chakra to the contact point. He wasn't going to get a second chance; he needed to take him out with one blow. The impact sent a jolt of pain up his arm to his shoulder. He clenched his jaw against the pain as he ripped his hand away. He flexed his stiff fingers absently. He had taken the ANBU down but he had poured a lot of chakra into his attack. Too much.
Instinct caused him to dive to one side, a shuriken brushing his hair. If he had hesitated even a split-second it would have embedded in this throat. He spun to face the new threat. Another masked shinobi charged towards him. They must have been drawn by the sounds of the commotion. Kakashi readied himself, praying this was the last one. His mud wall had already crumbled, leaving the group of civilians vulnerable.
Before he reached them, the ANBU was suddenly flattened by a massive fist from above. Kakashi blinked, wondering if he was hallucinating or caught in a genjutsu. His brain caught up as the huge hand shrank back to more normal proportions. Relief flooded through him as a large man with a mane of reddish hair looked over the huddled group appraisingly, his gaze finally coming to rest on Kakashi.
"Are you alright, Kakashi?"
"Yes. Thank you, Lord Choza."
"That was the last of them," he answered the unasked question.
"How did you find us?"
"That jutsu of yours is pretty flashy, especially in the dark." Choza frowned slightly at him. "How are your chakra levels? Can you still fight?"
"I'm fine," Kakashi said. It was mostly true. "As long as I don't have to use Chidori again," he admitted. "I can use it maybe once more." The words stuck in his throat but he had to be honest. As it was, he could already feel fatigue pulling at him from prolonged use of the Sharingan. He didn't dare cover the eye, no matter the cost to himself. He had to protect Obito's only remaining family member. Even if it killed him.
"The way back to the district entrance should be clear," Choza said. "Lord Hokage has set up a triage for the wounded and is gathering the rest of the Clan there as well. I'll accompany you."
"Thank you," Kakashi said, meaning it. He was proud but he knew his own limits and he was approaching them rapidly.
Choza smiled fondly at the teen. "Take point. I'll bring up the rear." The way should be clear of enemies so the chances of seeing more combat were slim. His position at the back of the group would allow Choza to monitor the group as well as subtly keep an eye on Kakashi without the youth realizing it. Choza chuckled to himself. Kakashi would most likely realize what he was doing anyway. He was his father's son, after all.
Relief flooded through Sakumo at the sight of Kakashi returning with Choza and a group of civilians. He looked worn out but unharmed. Relief quickly turned to anger as he realized what his son had done. Sakumo could easily read Kakashi's expression, even through his mask. The guilt that flashed over his face as he caught sight of his father was more than enough confirmation.
"I told you to report to the Jonin Standby Station and wait for orders. Why did you go running off on your own into a hostile situation you knew nothing about?" Sakumo was outwardly calm but Kakashi could hear the anger beneath his words. He had known there was a high probability of landing in trouble for his actions and he had accepted that. Sakumo was no longer just his father; he was the Hokage as well and he had disobeyed an order. He was in deep trouble.
"I had to," Kakashi said softly. "I had to protect Obito's grandmother. She's the only family he has left. I couldn't just wait around knowing she could be in danger."
Sakumo sighed heavily and pressed his hand against his eyes wearily. He understood Kakashi's desire to protect those precious to him but his son had been reckless running in by himself. Skilled jonin or not, he had gone in blind against potentially overwhelming odds. If Choza hadn't found him when he had, his son very well could have been killed, the civilians he was trying to protect along with him. It had been due to no small amount of luck that no one had been hurt. "We'll discuss your actions later," Sakumo said. The Uchiha District had been mostly secured with only a few pockets of resistance from the unknown ANBU remaining. There was still much work to be done in getting to the bottom of what had occurred here. Sakumo doubted he'd be seeing his bed anytime soon. He was not in the proper frame of mind to deal with Kakashi right now. He was angry that his son had disobeyed his orders, furious that he'd rushed heedlessly into danger, relieved that he was safe, and proud that he'd sought to protect others. "For now, you can help keep guard the medics and wounded."
"Yes, sir," Kakashi said, subdued. He still believed he had done the right thing. If he had waited he may have arrived too late. Maybe he should have grabbed some back-up or at least informed someone of where he was going. He watched as his father conferred with several of his ANBU. He noticed the stiffness in his posture, the tension around his eyes and mouth, the way he ran his hand through his unbound hair, tugging at it absently as his fingers reached the ends. Kakashi suddenly realized just how much of a burden being Hokage was for his father. Sakumo was a natural leader who excelled at leading shinobi on missions or on the battlefield but he'd never had any ambitions towards leading an entire village. Kakashi felt a stab of guilt for making his father worry. He stood by his decision and would accept whatever consequences came his way for disobeying the Hokage's orders but he would apologize properly later for causing him more stress in the middle of a crisis.
He turned away and headed to the medical tents. Pushing the flap of the largest one aside, he caught sight of a familiar slender figure. "Rin!"
She hurried over to him, her featured twisted with concern. "Kakashi! Are you hurt?"
He shook his head. "No. Dad's just overreacting as usual."
Rin gave him a flat stare. She knew full well he wasn't telling her the entire truth. She held her glare as he turned his gaze away from hers and began fidgeting.
"I'm fine," he protested, not liking the way she was able to see right through him.
"Really? And don't even think of lying to me, Kakashi Hatake!"
He swallowed hard at the anger beneath her stern tone. He was certainly doing a great job of pissing people off tonight. "My chakra's just a bit low. That's all! I'm fine, really!"
Rin held her stare for another moment. Kakashi did seem physically fine as she didn't see any sign of injury. "Good. Then can you help me carry some of these supplies? It'll make it easier for me to treat the wounded if I don't have to keep running to fetch things."
Kakashi nodded and she loaded his arms with boxes of medical supplies. Being a gopher for Rin was at least doing something rather than sitting around waiting. So long as he didn't use ninjutsu he wasn't in danger of collapsing from exhaustion so even his father couldn't complain. While she worked, they discussed what had occurred. Kakashi knew only a bit more than Rin and that was mostly due to overhearing what the ANBU had initially told his father. He lowered his voice as he filled her in on the conversation he'd had with Danzo several weeks prior and his own suspicions.
Rin's forehead creased with concern. "From what I hear, Lord Danzo is pretty powerful. But to attack a Clan like this… it makes no sense! What is the Hokage going to do?"
"I don't know. But Dad will figure it out."
Rin smiled a bit at Kakashi's words, spoken with absolute certainty." "You never did tell me what happened to you tonight."
Kakashi bit his lip. "I – I went to get Obito's grandmother," he said softly. "Dad's pretty mad at me but she's the only family Obito has left. I couldn't – I couldn't not go…"
"Oh, Kakashi!" Rin cried, tears welling up in her eyes as she remembered their lost teammate. She wiped them away with the back of her hand. "I'm sure Obito appreciates what you did. And so do I!"
"Thanks, Rin," Kakashi replied, managing a faint smile. He hadn't realized how much he'd needed to hear that he'd done the right thing.
