Chapter 5 - Holding out for a Hero
This new century keeps bringing you down
-Supreme
Senju Office
2001
Itachi eyed for an extended amount of time the room he was about to knock.
Senju Tobirama. Private Investigator.
There was no one to ask for help.
He didn't have another choice, either was aiding Sasuke now, while Itachi still had the time or he had to wait another seven years for her to reappear again.
Itachi had to play the Cupid.
The matchmaker.
He was setting his plans into motion.
He was going into battle.
Itachi had to find someone to play Galahad in search of the Holy Grail.
Firstly, to make the magic happen, Itachi needed to find an idiot for the Galahad part, the leading role.
A Senju Man.
A man of peace.
And there were no one more stupid than the Senjus, right?
Tobirama Senju, The last of the Mohicans, was perfect for the part.
The detective was the modern day knight and Sasuke, a walking mess cliche, was supposed to be the holy grail.
Itachi striked the wooden door with a hard knock.
A petite women opened the door.
" May I help you, Sir?"
" This is a matter of life and death. Where's detective Senju shining at the moment?" Said Itachi straight to the chase.
" I am afraid there is no possibility of seeing Detective Senju today, sir. But can we schedule an appointment tomorrow morning?" Replied the woman, serious.
" Call me Itachi please and you must be…" Requested the Uchiha Heir with a dashing smile, captivating the woman who blushed a little bit.
" Shizune, the secretary." Responded the woman, bubbly.
" Miss Shizune, as I claimed earlier, this is an earth-shaking situation." Itachi affirmited, pushing the door with force, trying to break in.
" Mr. Itachi, you are trespassing!!"
" This is a freed world, ms. Secretary."
" What in the name of our Lord is going on here, Shizune?" A harsh hardened voice came from the inside.
Shizune opened the door abruptly. Detective Tobirama was passing by holding a pile of paper works with one hand and the other, a cup of coffee with cream and sugar.
" This pushy gentleman here wants to see you. It seems it is an urgent matter, Detective Senju." Said the secretary, irritated by Itachi's intrusive manners.
" Let him in."
" But Sir!" Howled the secretary.
" Zip it." Scowled Tobirama in a stern manner." Follow me to my cabinet, Sir."
Tobirama sat on his leather chair behind the marble desk filled with dossiers and piled up files while the Uchiha Heir took a seat near the clients' seat.
" So, what brings you to my lair?" Said Tobirama without thinking, and then sorting. He didn't want to talk to the Uchihas folks anymore. He despised the Uchiha family. And he had the right to do so.
The uchiha Clan were famous in the temaki town due to their workline.
The Uchihasons Law Firm
The Uchihas were a family of lawyers. Their specialty were crime-oriented cases, always defending the mafiosos and lawbreakers in court.
" First and foremost, I am Itachi of the Uchiha Clan."
" Cut the introduction part, I know who you are, sonny. You are Fugaku's boy. He was a bastard of a lawyer, he was always freeing the criminals that I put in jail. Just spill it out, will you?" Snapped the detective, hashly.
May your father rot in the eternal flames of hell. I am certain he is in a pit somewhere in there that the Devil had reserved for him. Thought Tobirama
Too many clients seeking out the detective for help, so little time to hear their shits because he had to be in too many places at once.
Tobirama just didn't have time for Itachi's shit.
" I have a job offer for you."
" Everybody has something to offer nowadays, don't they, sonny?"
Oh dear…..involving oneself with Uchihas's affairs meant setting foot in uncharted waters. Like discovering ancient skeletons hidden in a secret uchiha dungeon or uncovering an international uchiha scandal.
Tobirama was about to say no until mr. Itachi took out of his dark blazer jacket a photo, resting it on the marbled desk.
" Who is this?"
" You don't know who she is? I thought you were a well-informed man."
This chick was definitely an uchiha. Dark hair. Eyes black as ebony. A pale resting bitch face.
" Some uchiha lady, I gather. A long lost relative, perhaps?"
" My sister, Sasuke."
" U-hu, I had heard she died several years back."
" She came back from the dead."
" So?"
What does this have anything to do with me? Thought Tobirama, with disdain.
" I want you to follow her."
" I am a professional investigator not a babysitter."
He was definitely no Uchiha babysitter.
He was not getting himself into a uchiha family drama. Oh no he was not.
The Senjus and Uchihas were like cats and dogs.
A no-go situation.
Why did Uchihas keep falling onto his laps on parachutes?
First was Madara, his brother's best friend. He died in a fatal car accident along with Hashirama while chasing bank robbers in downtown Tokyo, twenty years ago.
Second was Kagami, a student from Tobirama's years of teaching criminology at the Senju Academy. The best of his class. Became an Interpol police officer of the first order. Died while fighting a terrorist raid in Uganda.
The third one: this fucker here.
Uchiha were cursed people. They had a lack of luck and a lack of respect for others' well being. One of the many reasons those two uchihas got killed and dragged along other people to an early grave.
They were just too full of themselves. Reckless to a fault.
" I offer you 600 millions dollars as payment if you keep track of Sasuke Uchiha for me."
" No."
" 900 millions dollars plus the travel expenses."
" Still a no."
"You are a hard man to buy, detective."
" I just don't like to cheapen myself to such a degree like you Uchihas do so often in the courtroom."
" It is seizing the opportunity, think of it as the best of both worlds, detective. Like they say, not everything is hearts and flowers." Smiled Itachi.
" Negotiations have broken down, mr. Itachi. Off you go now."
" Detective, please, you are the best investigator in town. For the old times sake, take this job as an honorable remembrance of my uncle Madara's legacy."
Before Madara became a cop, he was the leader of the Uchiha family.
At some point in time, Madara left the Clan and quit his job as a criminal lawyer to pursue his dream of becoming a police officer. He eventually lost his status as leader of the family and was shunned by them. A cousin of Madara, Fugaku took over the position as leader.
Meanwhile, Madara teamed up with Hashirama, Tobirama's brother, to fight crime in the samurai city. Years later, Hashirama and Madara built the Senju Police Academy.
To make things better, after Madara's death, half of his personal fortune went to the Senju Academy as a token of gratitude and mostly because he was one of its founders.
" This will be the death of me. Look, If I do this is because of my brother and Madara's sake, not for you and certainly not for your late father. I am clear?" Tobirama spoke with coldness.
" Clear crystal."
" Do you want me to keep track of her whereabouts?"
" Here's the plan. I want you, detective, to make sure Sasuke doesn't vanish again like she did in the past. Track her movements and keep her under your surveillance. She must not leave Tokyo."
" Keep your sister under my care, that's it? "
"Under your roof."
Oh dear…this keeps getting better and better.
" I am afraid don't follow."
" I want you to keep my sister, Sasuke, under your nose for the following weeks, until then, I say when your assignment is over. After that, you are a free man again."
" First and foremost, what exactly do you want me to do? Have Sasuke come live with me? In my own house?"
" You certainly caught the drill very fast."
" Recapitulate what you just said, please."
The most Itachi spoke, the least was Tobirama understanding the whole requested assignment.
Tobirama was almost zoning out.
Suddenly, it felt difficult to breathe or think straight as if there was no air left in the cabinet room.
" Think of this assignment as a holy matrimony business where a spouse cannot leave his wife's side. You have to be with her 24 hours a day. She must not leave your eyesight. This sham deal will end as soon as the case is closed."
When I say this case is closed. Thought Itachi.
" You want ME TO SLEEP WITH YOUR SISTER."
" If necessary, then yes, share a bed."
" Are you out of your mind, sonny? Who do you think I am? Casanova? A dom Juan? A male prostitute?"
" You are a private investigator and I am a very sane individual detective, more sane than you."
" You are calling police officers prostitutes?"
"Well, they have similar working lines and methods. Both professions are the oldest in history. Hookers are creatures of the night, so are police officers. Both walk the domains of the underworld and the majority of the professionals are paid badly. There are few rare crowning jewels to say the least, like high-society courtesans and big-names detectives….such as..…yourself."
Tobirama just blinked, astonished. Mr.Itachi had a point. Tobirama just led this pass through for The time being.
" You are the only one capable of understanding and helping her, please, have a heart, will you?" Said Itachi, persisting.
" What makes you think I am."
" You walked beside Uchihas all your life. Madara, my late uncle; Kagami, my deceased brother-in-law and other members of my extended family also worked under your watch when you were still a police officer."
Tobirama would be a good influence on her. Thought Itachi. He would, without even realizing, help her get back on track. A Senju knew a Uchiha better than the Uchiha knew themselves. Itachi understood that from an early age, watching from afar his uncle and Hashirama's long lasting friendship.
Hashirama was a good influence on Madara, the most crazies schizophrenic Uchiha that the world had ever seen.
" No. You, Uchihas, need to have your head examined by psychiatrists. Get out of here,"
" Detective, please, act like Gandhi just once in your life and accept my job offer."
" Negative. Shut the door on your way, sonny."
" Sasuke is devastated by our parents' sudden death." Persisted Itachi.
" Sad story, anyways, I have nothing to do with her mommy and daddy issues. Case closed. Nonetheless, I will file it. Farewell, mr. Itachi."
" Detective, think of this as a siren's call for help."
" If I go to the rescue, then my ship will sink at sea."
" I will be part of the crew to smooth things out."
" You are one pathetic salesman, did your pa ever tell you this?"
" And you are a poor buyer, you didn't even glimpse at the precious merchandise I came to offer you to keep an eye on."
" Peeping is not my style, mr. Itachi. I either take a good examination at something, or I don't."
" Believe me when I say she is a precious cargo." Spoke Itachi, blankly looking at Tobirama.
" Forget it. Go home, mr. Itachi."
Itachi stood up gently.
" In case a sparkle of interest emerges in you, I will be leaving Sasuke's Hotel address with your secretary. A good starting point in finding my dear sister. Good day, detective."
Tobirama just nodded his head in annoyance while putting away some files and books.
" You know, I don't think she wants to be found." Said Itachi, thoughtful, next to the door, opening it slowly, peeping Tobirama over his shoulder.
" You may not know her that much, detective, but this just comes to show the hard truth: I really didn't know her as well as I thought. No one really knew her. Shame, she is really something. It is such a waste, you know. My parents were really proud of her, despite her faults."
Tobirama, who stopped cleaning his marble desk, was curious now. A waste of what? What faults? What does he mean by that? Thought the Senju man.
" Whatever, I won't bother you anymore. So long, detective." Responded Itachi, melancholy, waltzing away, saying goodbye to the secretary who was cleaning the waiting area.
Tobirama stared at Sasuke's photo one more time.
To be continued...stay tuned.