Sakura began to jog home. Her mind was still racing from her enlightening lunch with Itachi… Itachi-sama. He was an oddball for sure, but he was a man she was starting to really enjoy being around. He was atypical of the men she was used to being around. He was aloof, reserved, smart, handsome, powerful, and awkward. A strange combination she had to admit, but there was something to it that drew her in. He wasn't the typical meat-headed man she'd previously been suckered into dating. He was different. She liked that. He had an enigmatic quality that was tantalizing.
As her jog progressed, she let her mind wander back to Naruto. She was unsure about what he meant about her making unauthorized drops. He father prioritized her case and wanted to make sure she had her ducks in a row, so he made her perform secondary drops. It was not unusual to hear, but why was that unusual to Naruto? Her case provided her with a wealth of evidence, she couldn't risk keeping it at her house, so her father was collecting secondary details for her.
Her mind segued into thoughts of her father. Why would suspend Naruto? He was the most loyal and hardworking detective on the force? What reason would he have to remove him from active duty? None of this made sense to her, but she just wanted to go home. All of these questions could be answered at a later time. She just needed to shower and relax with a good book. Her mind was fried from compartmentalizing all that she had been going through these past few days.
Approaching her apartment, she entered and stored her keys, and walked into the bathroom. Her eyelids were heavy. It was only 3 pm, but she was tired from all the mental energy she had expended. It was time to relax. She ran a bath with hot water. As the tub began to fill she retrieved a book from her bedroom. It was a mindless cheesy romance novel about a runaway girl who finds the man of her dreams while in a sleepy country town. These kinds of unrealistic books kept Sakura's overactive mind at bay.
As the water in the tub reached its peak, she disrobed. As she removed articles of her clothing, she noticed her bruises were practically invisible. Her arms, legs, face, and abdomen all looked…normal. Nothing unusual about her skin. Kiba's physical marks were completely gone. She pressed on her left arm where her worst bruise was, with no pain. She was glad her bruising had vanished she felt like it marked the end of a very dark chapter in her career. This made her think back to Kiba's final words. He was a rotten man, but did he deserve to be shot in the head? Sakura shook her head to clear her mind of such thoughts. This is a dangerous field of work. Things like this can happen, but it was her job to center herself.
Sakura attempted to center herself from the recent traumatic events and bring herself to her happy place. Almost instantly, images of Itachi found themselves in her mind. She smiled. She thought back to when they'd met for the first time. Even back then she thought he was handsome and somewhat charming. Her mind brought her to the night she had dinner with Jiraiya and Tenten. She could feel her cheeks getting warm at the thought. Even today, she was feeling quite smitten with the man and his ability to make butterflies do summersaults in her stomach.
Continuing to allow her mind to ramble, she grabbed a bath bomb from under the bathroom sink and dropped it into the water. It began to fizzle adding bubbles and changing to water's color to a light pink color. As it began to work its magic, the room filled with a light fruity aroma. Sakura delicately dipped a toe into the water to test the temperature. It was hot just like she liked. She stepped into the tub completely. The feeling of the water enveloping her body was already beginning to relax her.
With her book in hand, she reached over and stopped the water from flowing into the tub. Sakura sat back, took a deep breath, cracked open her cheesy romance novel, and began to read. The words on the page were taking her into a different world. A world where she didn't have to think about the stressors in her life. While it certainly was not perfect, she was starting to enjoy her life and she didn't want to give that up any time soon.
"Speak." Itachi said.
The man he was addressing looked away. He did not appreciate the tone his brother was using toward him.
Silence.
"Fine. If you will not speak, then you will listen." Itachi said walking away.
They were at the sight where it all went wrong; the hotel lobby. Itachi stepped carelessly through the shattered glass. The Konoha police had tapped off the lobby, hotel workers were sweeping up the glass that had littered the street and lobby. Bystanders were watching from across the street as if the entire area had become a circus event. News crews had not yet arrived in the area to begin filming the event.
Itachi walked from the main lobby entrance back to his limo the man he spoke with was in tow behind him. As they approached the limo, Tenten exited and held the door open for both men. After all three of them entered, Tenten shut the door behind them. Itachi tapped on the window signaling the driver to take off. The limo rolled forward at a controlled pace leaving the nightmare of an event behind them.
"Last chance." Itachi said through his teeth. The tension in the limo was palpable. Tenten sat silently with her weapon displayed on her lap in case something were to happen.
"Sasuke. I left you with one job. A job I figured you would be able to handle. I suppose that was a mistake." Itachi added.
"You only gave me that job because you think I can't take on heavier responsibilities. I am an Uchiha as well. You cannot treat me like a child anymore." Sasuke spat back.
"You've made an extensive mess of things." Itachi countered.
"I'm doing all the heavy lifting while you're out here galivanting with that woman." Sasuke tacked on.
His choice of words upset Itachi. His brow furrowed.
"What you've done is expedited our timetable," Itachi replied. Tenten's grip on her firearm tightened.
"Hn." Sasuke replied. "You act like that's a bad thing. We're going to overtake the police department anyway. I just had to power to make it known. You're too timid, brother. Too tedious."
"I am the older brother. I speak for our family. You are expected to carry out orders as I see fit." Itachi responded. His tone filled with venom. He took a moment to calm himself.
"I treat you how you act and you've been acting like an overgrown teenager," Itachi replied coolly. "Managing our contacts seems to be the only thing you can do correctly. So please, enlighten me as to why you felt the need to fire off rounds in such a public place?"
"Some cop was poking around the hotel." Sasuke replied plainly.
"How do you know it was a cop?" Itachi countered. "Did he come in waving a badge?"
"6 foot tall, Messy crew cut, and very observant blue eyes," Sasuke replied. Itachi stared at his brother as if egging him to continue explaining. "He studied the exit map, he wandered around in a rather aloof pattern and didn't have a guest access card. What else was I supposed to think? He's the health inspector?" Sasuke added.
Itachi sat back and pondered this response. He was right, admittedly. That would be something a member of law enforcement would do.
"Anyway," Sasuke continued. "There is no need for a cop to be poking around our operation."
"So you have resolved to kill them on sight?" Itachi spoke again. It was a rhetorical question using it to make Sasuke reflect. "What a foolish move. Imagine had you actually taken him out during that event? Did you ever think about what would immediately ensue? A Konoha cop dead in the middle of a busy street?! Things like THAT are why you cannot be trusted with anything else, Sasuke. You never THINK." Itachi practically yelled at his brother. Itachi rarely, if ever, took on such a tone.
Silence.
"I'm already fixing it." Sasuke replied.
"How." This question was one that required an answer.
"I talk to the captain. He said he'd handle it from here." Sasuke replied.
"Hn." Itachi replied looking away and tapping the glass again.
The limo came to a full stop, Sasuke looked around. They had stopped a few blocks away from the police station.
"I won't tolerate any more delays or messes, Sasuke. We're too close to be derailed by your failures." Itachi added flatly.
Tenten opened the door for Sasuke. Sasuke shared a look with his brother before exiting the limo. Tenten pulled the door shut behind him. Once the door was shut, the window rolled down and Itachi spoke.
"As for my business associate, it is exactly that. My Business." As Itachi finished the last syllable of his sentence, the limo took off. Itachi had somewhere he needed to be for work, however, his mind drifted off to Sakura. If this was the same 'goofy' cop that she was messing around with was she really involved?
He was visibly upset. His brother had a wonderful way of ruining things and wreaking havoc on his plans. He had one job and here he was just messing things up. On a day that started out so good for him. Itachi rubbed his temples. A public shootout? In broad daylight, nonetheless. His brother was smart, talented, resourceful, and cunning. On other days he was a complete moron.
Itachi returned to his reserved and emotionless expression. He needed to center himself. He had one person in mind that had that uncanny ability, however, he needed to handle business.
"Tenten. Keep an eye on my brother. He's got a knack for chaos." Itachi spoke in her direction.
"I understand, Uchiha-sama." Ten-ten replied promptly. "Do you want me to ensure that he resolves the current…predicament." She struggled to find the correct wording.
"No. I will handle that. I just want to make sure he doesn't get any ideas. Even when he makes a mistake, he's setting something up." This was indeed a vague statement, but it was a truthful one.
Itachi reached into his pocket and grabbed his phone. He thumbed through his contact list until he found the person he wanted to call. After selecting the name, he pressed 'call'. The phone rang twice.
"It seems that you have an officer that can't seem to mind his business," Itachi said flatly.
There was indistinct chatter in response.
"Blonde hair. 6 foot. Blue eyes. He was at my hotel today and he's likely injured." Itachi added.
The chatter responded.
"I do not care how you resolve it. But it needs to be handled with tact and quietly. The last thing I need is more sloppy police work."
Silence.
"As long as you do what I ask of you captain, no harm will come to your officers." With that, Itachi hung up.
"Sasuke was right about one thing, this does speed up our timetable." Itachi mused aloud. He had work to do.
"Naruto. I know you're home and you don't have a job, so where else would you be?" A rude yet truthful question from the Captain.
Naruto looked behind himself. There was still a bloody mess in the kitchen and a faint trail of blood in his house. He couldn't risk letting the captain know there was an altercation recently or that he was hurt. He quickly placed the stolen firearm in his waistband slipped on a pair of shoes. On his couch, he spotted a black robe. He quickly placed that around himself making sure to tie the knot over the gun to help conceal it. Naruto lived in a very nice suburban neighborhood. He couldn't risk another shootout, the potential for casualties would be unacceptably high. However, if he was going to meet with the captain it needed to be public and while he couldn't control many of the variables, he held to home-court advantage for the meeting. He needed to make use of that in any way he could.
He briskly opened the door, stepping out onto his front porch and shutting the front door behind him. This action caused the pink-haired man to take a step back as Naruto came out to greet him.
"Yes, Captain?" He coolly responded making sure the robe concealed his wound.
The captain stared at the blonde-haired man assessing him. For what, Naruto was unsure, but he needed to hold a poker face for the entire ordeal.
Lifting one eyebrow the captain spoke. "How have you been detective?" He asked.
"Just catching up on some light reading." Naruto lied venmon in his voice.
"I see." Hurano responded. "You look a little pale."
"Maybe that's just the sunlight." Naruto countered. A lie, but it could work.
"Maybe." Captain Hurano added. A silence lingered. Naruto could see the people of his neighborhood going about their business. Children playing nearby and adults conversing on their lawns. Plenty of witnesses.
"You know, Naruto." The older man began "Being suspended means you can't work…at all. Not on cold cases, not on depositions, not even on old paperwork." A brief pause. "And certainly not on any open cases detective."
Naruto simply nodded.
"Especially cases that don't involve you." The older man spat in a low tone. Their eyes hadn't broken contact. The stares were intense.
"I'm well aware of that, sir. As I said, I've been reading." Naruto spat back in a hushed tone.
A silence blew in.
"Good to hear. Maybe, if you keep your nose clean you could take a place on my staff as a lieutenant. You know, my right-hand man." The captain offered a disingenuous smile.
"Your right hand, huh? Sounds like most officers would love that" Naruto lied.
"I'm sure they would, but you see." He paused before continuing "I need my right-hand man to be trustworthy. They can't lie to me."
Naruto felt his heart rate and his wound bleeding again, nevertheless, he remained stoic for the interaction. The captain tapped his right pocket twice with his right hand. This was not an idle movement; this was how members of the force informed one another that they were carrying a firearm and had plans to use it. This was intentional, the officers were both aware of what this meant.
"Lie to you?" Naruto parroted back. "I agree. Working with collaborators would be detrimental to the organization. Especially if it came from the top." A coy comeback, however, the older man was not amused.
The older man's smile fell slightly. In a hushed tone, he began again. Taking one step closer to the blonde man. "Yeah. So when I ask what have you been up to and you feed some bullshit lie about reading it makes me not like you." The captain finished.
Naruto's face remained stoic, but he understood every word this man expressed. He knew Naruto was at that hotel today. Naruto had to choose his words wisely.
"Are you accusing me of something captain? Or do you plan on using that 22?" Naruto countered referencing the weapon the captain touted.
The captain stepped back and smiled as if he remembered the plethora of witnesses. "Now why would I shoot one of my best officers? We watch each other's back, right?"
Naruto returned the faux smile. "That we do."
"Well then" The Captain began as he turned to walk away. "Watch your back then, Uzumaki." He grinned "I'd hate for anything to happen to you…or anyone else you love."
Another bout of silence ensued as the pink-haired man calmly walked away from the blonde man's stoop. The captain got to his car then spoke one more time. "Tell your wife I asked about her."
This immediately soured Naruto's face. The police captain just threatened not only him but his wife as well. Now there was no denying it. He was being targeted by his own police captain.
This tense exchange had left Naruto upset and worried. Did that really just happen? Did the police captain just tell him that he's watching him? Naruto was rather impressed with himself for being able to hold his own. But this he had to think. Who could he really trust? Who would really have his back? His emotions were swirling in his mind as he re-entered his house. All of these thoughts took second fiddle as he began to clean up on his bloody house. His wife would be home soon and-
"Oh, God. How do I explain this bullet wound to her?" He pondered aloud. He looked at the clock. It was only about 15 minutes until his wife would return from work.
Naruto placed a hand over his oozing would and returned himself to cleaning the house. Sure, his police captain may be gunning for him, almost literally, but he had work to do. As he cleaned he thought to himself who he could trust and while his wife was one of the people he trusted wholeheartedly, he did not want to involve her any further than he already had. She was usually his confidant, but this was different. There were truly dire consequences attached this time. He would never forgive himself if any harm would come her way.
As he finished cleaning, he sauntered upstairs to reinforce his dressing and take more painkillers. As he finished up. He noted that the garage door was opening. He reached for the stolen firearm and slowly crept to the top of the stairs again. Only his wife had direct access to the garage so it really couldn't be anyone else, but rather safe than murdered.
"Honey?" A sweet and familiar voice called out.
Naruto sighed and tucked the weapon back into his waistband. He never really carried weapons around the house and he did not want to frighten his wife.
"Yeah. I'm upstairs!" He called back to her.
"I went grocery shopping. Do you think you'd be able to help me grab some things from the car?" She replied back.
"Yeah." He replied, "I'll be down in a moment." He quickly walked back to the bedroom and placed the weapon in his nightstand drawer. As he placed the firearm down he noticed the weapon had blood on it. He examined his wound. He was bleeding again. He realized that he may need hospitalization or at least an ER visit. How was he going to hide this from his wife? His plan didn't really make that much sense, but he had to go with it.
He retied the knot on his robe to conceal the hole in his flesh and carefully descended the staircase to help his wife. Once he reached the end of the stairs. He tried to act as if everything was fine however, his wife's keen eyes noted his stiff he was moving once he leaned in to give her a kiss.
"Hey." They both said in unison. A coincidence that happened rather often for them.
"Are you feeling ok?" Hinata asked as he walked past her to empty the groceries from the trunk of her SUV.
"Yeah. Just a bit sore that's all." He added. A partial lie, but overall factual.
"Ok. Well, you seem a bit out of sorts." She added unpacking the groceries in the kitchen.
As he lifted the heavy amounts of good into the house, Naruto's vision began to blur. He stumbled before placing the groceries on the kitchen counter. This was not missed by Hinata.
"Oh my goodness, you must not be feeling well." She noted coming to his aide. Naruto was clutching the countertop to help provide him with strength.
"No." He responded with a strained breath before sliding down to the ground in a sitting position.
"Oh my god," Hinata replied. Naruto closed his eyes as he felt the cumulative blood loss catching up with him. He absentmindedly placed a hand over the flesh wound.
"I'm fine. I'm fine. Honey." He falsely reassured his worried spouse.
"No, you're not. What's wrong?" She questioned. She began to undo his robe to find out what he was putting pressure on. Naruto attempted to stop her, but she overpowered him in his weakened state. She gasped once she saw the blood-soaked undershirt he was wearing. Her eyes were as wide as saucers.
"It's not as bad as you think." Naruto attempted to reassure her.
"What happened. Who shot you?" Her mind was racing. She quickly grabbed a kitchen towel and began to apply pressure attempting to stop the bleeding.
"I had a minor altercation today." He added in a very winded series of breaths.
"What the hell happened?" She probed. Before he could respond she continued on "We need to get you to a hospital." She readied herself to stand to grab her phone by was stopped by a very strong hand holding her wrist steady. Naruto had grabbed her and locked eyes with her in an intense stare.
The look in his eyes alone chilled Hinata to her core. She had never seen this look before and it scared her more than the blood exiting her husband's side did.
"Listen to me very carefully. You cannot call the police. Baby, can't you tell anyone." He said in a low and series tone.
Hinata stayed frozen in place squatted down in front of her husband.
"I'm not exactly sure how, but they are responsible for doing this to me." He took a moment to breathe. "If you alert EMS or the police it'll likely get worse of me." Another pause. "For us."
Hinata had never heard Naruto take on such a dark and serious tone.
"I generally heal fast. So just keep holding pressure and I will be fine." He added in a very metered tone.
Hinata simply complied and applied more pressure to his wound. She was silent attempting to process all the information that just transpired in a matter of moments. As she held tightly to his wound Naruto closed his eyes and accepted the pain.
Hinata finally spoke. "It was the captain wasn't it." She said in a low and hushed tone.
Naruto continued to breathe heavily.
"Wasn't it?" She echoed herself to get his attention.
"No." He finally began. "It was one of his associates. I'm not exactly sure how but." Another pause. "This is all somehow connected. Me, Captain Hurano, Sakura, the Konoha Hotel, the guy who shot me... hell... perhaps the entire police department are all mixed up with some sort of crime ring."
Hinata's eye widened. This was far deeper than she realized it was.
"And this all relates to that guy that was killed in front of your office?" She asked attempting to piece together the puzzle.
"He's only a fraction of it." Naruto paused. The pain wasn't as intense anymore. "This all has to do with Sakura's case. She's the focal point of it all."
"Have you talked to Sakura about it yet?" Hinata questioned. She inspected the wound and found the bleeding was slowing. She was unsure if this meant he had lost too much blood already or she was doing a good job. She didn't want to think about the possibility that her husband was dying practically in her arms. She couldn't lose him. She applied more pressure and continued to listen to the blonde man explain what he knew so far.
"I tried, but we were interrupted." He panted. "I wanted answers and nearly being killed for my troubles." Another pause. He was beginning to feel better. "Shortly after that," Naruto paused before continuing "the captain came by the house to tell me he's watching me...and threatened you."
Hinata herself was in shock from the volume of information she was hearing.
"Was anyone else hurt?" She questioned.
Naruto looked away from his scared wife. He didn't have the heart to talk about the gritty details of the event.
"Hurano will be watching us both, so I think it's just best if we both lay low for the next 24 hours. I can't have anything happen to you." He replied placing a slightly bloodied hand on her face.
At this point, Hinata was now sobbing as the flood of emotions had finally reached its peak and she began to snuggle into her husband. She laid her head on his chest and placed her body beside him on his opposite side and began to let her tears flow silently. The sight was gut-wrenching to the injured man. He hated that his wife was now involved in this predicament.