Chapter Two
One part pretty, two parts 'don't care'

A gust of wind blew in from the river. It swept over the pier and onto the dock, lowering the temperature another few degrees. The breeze caught the ends of Sakura's hair and whipped them about her face. She brushed the stands back, tucking them behind her ears before she pulled her jacket tighter around herself.

Why Sakura had agreed to meet at the shipping yard at night, she hadn't the faintest clue. She hated the cold. She hated being it in. She hated all the layers she had to wear. She just hated it. It made her miss the warm beaches of the Mediterranean with its blue waters and white sand beaches.

What did New York have? Smog and tainted water that didn't reach above seventy even in the summer?

At least the skyline was something to gaze at.

Before her, the city lights danced across the river like shattered diamonds. The breeze made them dance, twisting and waving like they were performing a private show. It was almost enough to distract from the cold.

Almost.

Sakura wrapped her arms further around herself as she pushed up onto her toes before rocking back onto her heels. Her gaze slipped around the parking lot again. Still empty.

"No sign yet," Kakashi said in her ear.

Sakura curled her fingers around her cellphone, careful to avoid accidentally tugging on the headphones connected to her ear. "He'll be here," she said into the built-in microphone.

"You sound sure."

Even over the wind, she heard his doubt. She didn't share it. "He still has another five minutes. Besides, he knows the consequences."

Kakashi didn't reply. She didn't know if it was because he accepted her answer or was choosing not to argue. Likely the latter. He wasn't one for conflict. Ironic, considering his past.

Instead Sakura just continued to watch the waves until Kakashi came to life again, "Single black van approaching. No markings. Tinted windows."

She almost sighed. What was this? An action movie? She told him to be discreet.

Headlights pierced the suffocating darkness encompassing the port. A van exactly as Kakashi had described pulled into the wide lot. It stopped some yards from Sakura before the driver cut the engine. The slapping of waves against the docks filled the sudden silence once more.

Sakura stayed where she was, her arms still wrapped around herself. One hand inside her jacket, secured around the grip of her gun, waiting. Just in case.

When Jiraiya stepped out of the passenger door, she relaxed. Even in the semi-darkness, she would recognize that long mane of white hair anywhere. He grinned broadly as he approached, his arms stretched wide. "Sakura."

With much practice, she avoided his hug and half-glared. "What have I told you about that?"

"Right. My apologies, Tsunade," he said with a mock bow. When he straightened, he eyed her. "Though Tsunade was blonde and, dare I say, more...endowed." He was unfazed by her dark stare. "What does she think of you tarnishing her good name?"

Her glare faded as Jiraiya's attempt at flirting died off. Honestly the man was three times her age - or at least close. She would have thought he'd have grown up a little by now.

"She hardly cares," Sakura answered, casually readjusting the headphone in her ear. "Tsunade changed her name so she could focus back on her medical career. She works nearly a hundred hours a week at the hospital downtown. Even if I did get her in trouble, the police couldn't do anything. She has an airtight alibi."

Jiraiya seemed to consider that a moment before he gestured back towards the van. "I have your shipment for the Senju. Everything else is being distributed to your other contracts now. But I assumed you wanted to double check this one before handing it off."

Sakura nodded her agreement. She followed him to the van and waited with her arms crossed for him to pull the sliding back door open.

In the back was two large, wooden crates. Sitting on top one was a man about her age with bright blond hair. Black ink peeked out from the collar of his jacket and under his sleeves but she couldn't make them out. The stranger grinned at her.

Sakura frowned. "Who the fuck are you?"

"This is Naruto," Jiraiya introduced. "I'm training him to be your new contact."

"What?" she asked flatly. Sakura took a deep breath in an attempt to keep her temper under control. "I'm in the process of building a connection with the Senju brothers and possibly the Uchihas, and you want to drop a new kid on me? You are my contact."

"Not anymore," Jiraiya said, his voice unusually subdued. "Tsunade is not the only one looking to retire. I'm getting too old for this."

She cocked a brow. "You live for doing this."

"And I'll die if I continue," he returned. When Sakura just stared expectantly, he heaved a sigh, "I've been diagnosed with coronary artery disease. And as much as I love dodging bullets and smuggling, I've decided to take a step back and enjoy the rest of my years."

Sakura supposed she couldn't entirely blame him for that but she didn't reply.

Jiraiya took her non-answer as acceptance and smiled. "Just please don't kill him immediately. Give Naruto a chance."

Her gaze fell to the blond again. He was still grinning at her. She resisted the urge to say screw it and shoot him anyway. "Are you going to get the fuck off my weapons or just sit there all night?"

Naruto immediately jumped up before he lifted the lid of the closest crate. Inside were five rifles lined up side-by-side. Sakura reached for one to examine. The sights were aligned and the grip was still new and easy to hold. She would be quite happy if these guns were being delivered to her.

Pulling out the magazine, Sakura peered inside. "Where are the bullets?"

"Here," Naruto said. He popped open a smaller box for her. "There's three crates. About ten thousand rounds total."

Sakura eyed the ammo. His count was likely accurate. Overall, she was satisfied with the shipment, which unfortunately meant that she didn't have a good reason to kill Jiraiya's replacement. For now.

Replacing the magazine, Sakura laid the rifle back down in the crate beside the others. "Alright, get these all loaded and taken to Hashirama. I'll text you the address."

"Loaded?"

She paused in scrolling through her phone to look at Naruto. "Yes, loaded. What do you expect them to do with empty guns?"

He eyed the crates briefly. "It's just that...I had plans and this is going to take a few hours." When she just stared at him, Naruto wilted. "But I'll make sure it gets done tonight."

Jiraiya grinned at the impatient look Sakura shot him. Only once Naruto had climbed back inside the van did the white-haired man slide the door closed. "You heard him," Jiraiya said. "Hashirama will get his shipment tonight. And you can go off and do...whatever it is that you do on a Thursday night."

Sakura nearly rolled her eyes. Instead she shoved her hands back into her pockets as she fixed the aging man with a pointed stare. "Make sure it gets done. Correctly," she added as an afterthought. "I'll have the real Tsunade on your ass if you fuck this up for me."

He just waved her threat off before he slipped into the driver's seat. "Consider it already done."

Sakura glowered as the van drove away. She'd consider it done when it was actually done.

She was still frowning when Kakashi suddenly spoke in her ear, "Want me to kill him?"

"No," Sakura said after a moment of serious consideration. "His heart disease will eventually do that. And if it's true that this Naruto-guy is taking over for him, I want Jiraiya to train him as best he can before he retires."

"And if the kid screws up?" Kakashi asked.

She watched the taillights of the van disappear around the corner before she answered, "If he screws up, I'll kill him myself."

xx

Sakura saw Tobirama the next night. He found her in the bar area of a restaurant that was rumored to have the best burgers in New York. And delicious they were. Sakura had almost finished all of hers, the last few bits of bun left on her plate.

She regarded Tobirama as he slipped into the booth across from her, a french fry still in her mouth as she munched slowly. He eyed the mostly empty plate on the table and then her as if wondering how she stayed so skinny when she ate so much. Sakura herself wondered the same thing sometimes.

"Nice suit," Sakura said first. "It does wonders for your eyes. Though I have to say you're a little overdressed for a place like this."

"I'm not here on a social visit." Both his expression and tone were flat.

She pouted. "Well that's too bad. And here I thought we were beginning to be friends."

Tobirama's face didn't change. She got the vague impression if she pushed him any further, he was going to find the closest tree and hang her from it. Which probably wasn't far from the truth. She'd heard on the news that police had discovered some bodies at a park downtown. Judging from the scratches on the inside of Tobirama's wrists there had been a bit of a struggle.

"I'm assuming you received my gift then," Sakura said as she picked through her pile of fries until she found one that was perfectly shaped. When Tobirama continued to stare at her with that guarded look, she wilted inwardly. She was going to kill Naruto.

"Was there a problem?" she asked nonchalantly.

To her great relief, he shook his head. "Hashirama was quite satisfied."

"Then what do you want?" Sakura asked. She chewed her french fry slowly as she considered him. It quickly dawned on her. "Oh, I see. You don't trust me. So you came down here to…rattle me? Threaten me with the consequences should I screw up?"

"Something like that," Tobirama said smoothly. As if they were doing nothing more than discussing the slight drizzle that had turned everything the same shade of grey that afternoon.

Sakura smiled. "You don't need to worry. Hashirama has done a lot for me in the past. Consider my service a favor to him that you also get to cash in on."

"And what has he done for you?"

"I'm afraid that is his story to tell. Not mine."

His eyes narrowed and he leaned forward just loud enough for her to hear. "That doesn't make me trust you."

Sakura was hardly fazed. "I don't need you to trust me. I just need you to trust that I can get the job done."

"I don't trust that either."

"Because I'm young and pink and bubbly?" His unwavering stare was answer enough. Sakura huffed in quiet amusement before she smirked. "Fine. I have some business to see to tonight. Why don't you come with me and you can see exactly how I work."

Tobirama was quiet. So quiet that she almost thought he wasn't going to answer her. Then he inclined his head. "Fine, but I'm driving."

Sakura grinned around her french fry in reply.

Nearly forty-five minutes later, after battling through the downtown traffic and crossing the main bridge connecting New York to New Jersey, they pulled up to an abandoned building. It was an old ship-building warehouse, long and open on both ends. There were windows lining the walls on either side but they were covered in a thick layer of dust. Only the dim, flickering street lights combated the night.

The parking lot itself was empty, except for half a dozen cars parked near the entrance of the warehouse. All lined up in a rough row. Tobirama parked parallel to them but still some yards away.

"This is the place?" he asked with obvious distrust.

Sakura darkened the screen of her phone and tucked it into the back pocket of her tight-fitted jeans. She glanced over the building before she smirked over at him. "What? Think I brought you here to kill you?"

Judging by the look that crossed his face, it was an option he had seriously considered. In the end, he said nothing. Only slipped out of his sporty, muscle car to follow her.

Sakura's boots echoed faintly off the walls of the large bay as they ventured inside. She more heard than saw Tobirama follow as his designer shoes clacked uniquely alongside her own footfalls.

At the other end of the warehouse was a large moving truck. Non-description and discrete. There were seven men in total. Three were counting the contents of a heavy crate while the rest were perched on boxes they had pushed together into a makeshift table for poker. Only instead of chips, there were magazines for high-powered rifles, car keys and large stacks of money.

None of the men noticed Sakura and Tobirama approach over their own conversation and bustling. Leaning against the back of the open truck, she reached into the inner pocket of her coat and retrieved a candy cane.

Upon the crinkle of her wrapper, all heads snapped in her direction before the men jumped up to their feet. All but one. Who was trying very hard to remain unnoticed behind the others. A few reached into their jackets, their fingers grabbing guns but not quite drawing them.

"Who the fuck are you?"

Sakura ignored the man who had spoken. Just smiled at the one that had remained sitting. She pulled the candy out of her mouth to speak, "Kabuto, you've been avoiding my calls. You know how much I hate being ignored."

At her veiled threat, Kabuto's men withdrew their gun. Beside her, Tobirama shifted minutely, his hand inside his suit. No doubt wrapped around his own weapon. Things were very close to turning violent. Too close.

Sighing faintly, Sakura held up her hands in truce. "Alright, let's just all relax," she said calmly. "I'm not here to fight."

A long, tense silence passed before Kabuto gave the silent command. His men relaxed their defensive stances but none holstered the guns. Her gaze didn't waver from Kabuto.

He was a small man, certainly smaller than the rest of his party, but he was cunning. Like a rat, he could worm his way out of almost every situation. Sakura had no intention of letting him this time.

"What do you want, Tsunade?" he asked.

"You and I both know what I want so let's just skip the whole ignorance part, shall we?" Sakura said pleasantly.

When Kabuto just continued to look like he wanted to sink into the floor, she glanced around. Her eyes landed on a nearby container where a familiar, black case was laid out on the ground. She wandered towards it, all eyes tracking her as she popped her minty cane back into her mouth and snapped the lid open. Sakura pulled the rifle out of its case and inspected it with interest. The magazine was fully loaded, the silencers she had acquired screwed onto the end and ready to use.

".308 caliber rifle with an extended mag and a titanium suppressor. Beautiful, isn't it?" Sakura asked Tobirama, turning around to face him.

He was still standing by the truck. He didn't answer her verbally, just nodded appreciatively, going along with whatever little game she was playing.

Sakura brushed her long, wavy pink hair over her shoulder before she checked the sights, felt that familiar, comfortable weight in her hands. The weapon was all still new.

"Exactly what you asked for, right, Kabuto?" she asked around the melting candy in her mouth.

Kabuto nodded minutely.

Her mood shifted then. Like the stillness that followed after a gunshot. The millisecond of calm before chaos ensued. "Then why the fuck haven't I gotten my payment yet?"

The men surrounding Kabuto tensed again. He stiffened, his glasses flashing against the flickering lights, and he quickly held up his hands. "I'm working on it. I just need-."

Scoffing, Sakura looked out at the water. In the blink of an eye, half a dozen shots fired into the warehouse from across the river. Six bullets. Six bodies hit the floor. Until Kabuto was the only one still breathing around the makeshift table.

To her surprise, Kabuto made no move to hide. Though whether because he knew he couldn't move fast enough or because he was frozen in fear, Sakura didn't know. Likely the latter. When she turned back to him, his gaze was fixated over the water, searching. As if trying to locate the shooter.

Dropping the rifle back into its carrier, Sakura approached him. It wasn't until she was hovering over the table that he finally pulled his eyes away to look up at her. "You said you weren't here to fight," Kabuto piped, his voice pitching higher in adrenaline and fear.

Sakura shot him a pointed look. "Believe me, Kabuto, your men aren't much of a fight."

When he didn't reply, she leaned forward, her hands resting on the crate until her face was level with his. He blinked against the burn of her minty breath. "Get me my money or it'll be your brain matter I wipe off my boots next. You have twenty-four hours. Don't keep me waiting."

Kabuto was still too shaken to offer an answer. And Sakura didn't bother waiting for one. She snatched the new, glittering car key off the table before she swept past Tobirama without a glance. She didn't have to look to know he was following her. His shoes were making that clattering noise behind her again.

It wasn't until they were almost back at the cars that Tobirama spoke, "That was a sniper."

Sakura didn't glance at him. Just kept walking. "Yep."

"So the rumors are true," he said. "You do have a shadow."

Sakura did look at him this time. If only to flash him a smirk. She kinda liked that he had looked into her. "US Marine trained. Don't bother looking for him. You won't find him."

A quiet, curious look passed Tobirama's face but he didn't comment further.

When they finally reached the cars, she stopped and turned to face him. "Satisfied?" she asked.

There was something dark, something sinister swimming in Tobirama's eyes. He nodded once.

"Good," she smiled. She pulled the candy cane out of her mouth by the hook, swung it around her finger once before she pointed the end in the general direction of New York. "I assume you can find your way home. Until next time."

Without another word, Sakura walked away. The instant her back was turned, her smile vanished. She popped the mint candy back into her mouth and glanced down at the car key in her hand.

Mazda. Nice.

to be continued...

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