17

Sasuke jerked from the wall he was leaning against when he heard the soft creak of the door opening. His back protested painfully against the quick movement. He hissed under his breath as his stiff limbs stretched for the first time in what seemed to be ages, but he knew it had only been hours since they'd last paid him a visit. Since he'd last paid him a visit.

His bones ached.

Once he recognized the figure in the door- or rather, made sure that the figure wasn't Orochimaru or Madara-, he relaxed a little, letting his arms release some of their tension and sag in the chakra restraints that chained him to the wall behind him. The manacles held his arms far enough above his head that, if he tried to sit or stand, his arms would be pulled from their sockets by his own body. It was a torture tactic; never let your prisoner have the comfort of sleep. Sasuke had long ago figured a way around it, though. When he wanted to sleep or relax, he'd just kneel without resting his behind on his feet and keep all his weight on his knees. It wasn't very comfortable, but it was better than crouching all the time. He was sure that his captors knew he could do this, but knowing he could, and seeing him do it were completely different things. They'd rather have him live in fear of the punishment they'd give him if they caught him doing it.

Every time someone opened the door, he had to go back to his original crouching position for fear of both punishment and of his chains being repositioned into an even more restless position. Thankfully, he was crouching now, and he'd seen Orochimaru specifically tell his guards that no one who entered his cell besides Madara and himself was allowed to harm him. This person wasn't Orochimaru or Madara, though, thank Kami-sama.

"Sasuke…"

The dark haired prisoner blinked at the soft voice of his intruder and at the comfortable use of his first name. It was a man, he determined from the voice, which was one he recognized but couldn't quite place. The man was in a shadow and Sasuke couldn't see anything of him but the normal Ninja gear that everyone in this region, assumedly the Rice country, wore.

Also of note, why was he whispering? If he was one of Orochimaru's or Madara's men-? Then he saw it. As the man quickly shut the door, Sasuke caught sight of a still foot pointing towards the roof of the cavern. A pool of dark liquid was spreading slowly and was reflected the light of a torch not far from the doorway as a garnet glint…

Disregarding his current state of weariness and pained body, Sasuke smoothly rose a little more into a defensive crouch, readying himself for a fight in which he was severely handicapped. Surely there were people under their command that hated him enough to disobey direct orders and try to kill him. But, no. That didn't explain the familiarity the stranger said his name with.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Sasuke. Calm down! We need to get away from here quickly!" The figure hissed at him urgently.

Sasuke's mind rushed through all the ploys this could be. Making him think he would soon be free only to be delivered in to their waiting hands once again. His heart was jumping at the thought of a chance at freedom once again, though. A few more days here would be enough time to make him wish he was dead. Was it worth it? To risk his confidence that he would escape and be free again?

Sasuke nodded minutely in the dark that had been his constant companion for the time he'd been locked away for misbehavior. It was definitely worth it.

The figure was already working at the manacles on his wrists, pulling a glass bottle from a pocket. Sasuke couldn't see what the man was doing behind his back, but he heard the sound of sizzling metal and, when he pulled against the chakra repressors at the man's suggestion (he refused to take another order from anyone), they broke with a little strain. He rubbed his wrists and almost sighed in pleasure at the feeling of warmth his returning chakra provided him with.

"Who-?"

"No time. You'll see when we get into some light. Come on. They'll send someone after us soon."

"Right." Sasuke could see the sense in that. He followed the stranger to the door and, after he checked the way to make sure it was clear, he immediately turned to the right, stepping over two corpses and steadying Sasuke as he got used to walking again. When Sasuke finally saw the man's face as they passed under a torch, Sasuke looked as if he would choke on his own tongue.

"But- …You-…You were dead." He mumbled, still walking after the man. He congratulated himself that he did not react like Naruto would have; stopping in the middle of his soon-to-be-ex-prison and starting an argument with the man that he supposedly killed not too long ago.

Deidara shot a grin back at him. "I'm too good to stay dead."

Sasuke blinked. "You will explain when we are far away from here." He stated flatly.

Sasuke heard the blond chuckle. "Of course, Uchiha-sama. What else may I do for you today?" he said in a mocking tone.

"You can get me out of this hell-hole to start with."

He sensed the atmosphere become more serious with his comment and Deidara picked up his pace, Sasuke following along at the same speed without complaint. He didn't know his way around this particular hideout of Orochimaru's, but apparently Deidara did.

Surprisingly, the two didn't pass any guards on their way to escape. Deidara whispered to Sasuke that there was an important meeting and that all of Otogakure was to attend. The two that had been guarding Sasuke were not required to attend and there were only a few others that were given the same luxury.

Sasuke was lucky that he was not too far into his captivity and he could still move his body without bouts of exhaustion from lack of food or water. He had no problem keeping up with Deidara when they started running through corridors, especially when his body was nice enough to provide what seemed like an endless supply of adrenaline to his muscles.

"We'll be exiting on the far side of the village, but there are still scouts on duty, and we don't want reinforcements to come and help them while we're leaving. Keep your chakra activity low and only attack when I say. Otherwise, I'll take care of any witnesses we come across. Your chakra levels are dangerously low, so I'm actually amazed you have the energy to run; I thought I'd have to carry you out of here."

Sasuke grunted and followed Deidara up an old, and rickety-looking, steel ladder. He saw the blond push up on what looked like a wooden trap door. Sasuke assumed it was an old escape route for the hideout. It was ironic, Sasuke thought, but at least they were putting it to its intended use. A quiet chuckle on Deidara's part suggested he was thinking along the same lines. The two of them stepped out quickly and silently into a very small clearing that was surrounded by dense forage. They spent the next two or three minutes working as quietly as they could to clear a path through it. Once, Deidara paused in his work to hand Sasuke a small, round pill. The raven swallowed it immediately, recognizing it as a military rations pill and, not a minute later, they broke through the low hanging trees and wild bushes.

Sasuke stepped, for the first time in days, into the sunlight. It was beginning to hang low in the sky, suggesting it would not be long till sunset. But, at this point, he didn't really care about the sunlight that was shining down in specks that spotted his entire body. Only a few miles. He knew Orochimaru's hideouts always bordered another country, just for easy access. Only a few miles, and they'd be in a significantly safer place.

"It's clear. Let's go." Deidara said, standing close behind him, surveying the surrounding area for enemies.

They took off at a sprint. If anyone got in their way, Sasuke was sure they would be lying on the ground, dead, before they knew what hit them. He'd make sure of it himself if he had to. Anyone who worked for Orochimaru and Madara would be the first to feel his wrath once he regained any and all of the strength he'd lost in captivity.

This he thought as they passed into the borders of Leaf Country without having to so much as lift a finger. It was too easy. Something like this might be able to fool Orochimaru, but certainly not Madara. What was he missing?

"I know what you're thinking. 'It was too easy', right?" Sasuke blinked at the man as they stopped to rest for a moment. "I was thinking the same thing. There should have been guards posted at the border we just passed, even if there was a meeting. I think something big is happening. I don't know why you were brought in there, but I figured 'tachi wouldn't want you in there so I had to get you out.

"When Tobi announced that he was the real head of Akatsuki, and that the snake bastard was part of the organization again, I almost pissed myself. Who would've guessed that Tobi was really Madara? Well, other than 'tachi, of course. I think this has to do with the war. There've been quite a few minor rebels groups joining both sides lately; Leaf and Akatsuki, I mean."

Deidara finally took a breath. It took Sasuke a moment to sort through the subject changes. He'd flinched when the man had mentioned this Tachi person, the name being too close to his brother's for comfort, but he'd convinced himself that he was mistaken. But, for some reason, other than the fact that the man had just rescued him from near certain death, Sasuke trusted him.

"Why-?"

Deidara raised a hand and interrupted him. "I know, I know. 'Why did I rescue you?' right?" Sasuke glared at the man. Deidara just grinned infuriatingly. "I'll tell you later." Sasuke's glare would've burned through him if Deidara hadn't stiffened and stood quickly. Sasuke was immediately on guard.

"I think your captors have just figured out you've disappeared." When Sasuke sent him a questioning glance, the blond tapped his temple. "Madara marks his followers with a seal. He can summon us with it. He is so pissed right now, it's funny."

Well, Madara has nothing to do with this. And Orochimaru certainly has no reason to pull a plot like this. So, maybe it's for real? Sasuke grinned at the idea.

"We'd better give him reason to keep him pissed, then. Why don't we go now?"

"I like the way you think, Sasu-kun. " Sasuke ignored the nickname.

"I thought perhaps you still had a grudge about me trying to kill you."

"Oh, no. I started that one. Any fight I start, I don't hold a grudge for. On the other hand, if I'm forced into one, like the one a certain black-haired bastard genius beat me in, I demand retribution."

"Are you talking about my brother?"

"One and the same."

"Sorry to tell you, but he's dead. I killed him."

"Huh? What are you talking about? I just talked to him three days ago. Haven't you been in that cell for four?" Deidara questioned Sasuke offhandedly, not noticing the look on Sasuke's face.

"WHAT?"