A/N A short chapter this time just to set up the ending, thanks for reviews, and as always comments and suggestions are welcome.
Chapter 10: Loose Ends and Tight Squeezes.
It took Kakashi a while to sort everything out. Hinata had listened patiently as he revealed himself to her, using his sharingan is proof. Hinata in turn had told him of how they were ambushed and over powered by the three ninja, Kakashi attempted to ease her insecurities by reminding her that all three were at least Chunin.
Sarukumo hadn't actually been injured at all. In fact the impression Kakashi was getting was that cloud nin were trying to abduct, rather than kill the smith. Perhaps they'd intending on using his weapons against Gaara and his people.
At the thought of the weapons being released to another village was enough to ensure the Jonin would kill him, that much was certain. Lazune had thought Kakashi to be a mist ninja on a recovery mission, without hesitation he decided the old man had to die.
Hanabi and Izashi had taken him and were on their way to the coast, they should be safe with two Chunin still under paralysis probably, and the other two nin dead. Unfortunately for them, the two disabled ninja new that the leaf had been involved, he couldn't let them live.
Konoha could not afford to get embroiled in another war, not least of wall when they were working so hard to build relations with the other villages. Tsunade-sama couldn't stand back and let a friend of the Sand be harassed into changing a legitimate business transaction on the bases of military suspicion.
It was more likely Gaara looked to supply his new ninja and future generations with only the best of equipment, after all, the Godaime Kazekage had done everything in his power to ease the quarrel between the villages and outright condemned a military approach to the disagreement.
After getting each other up to speed on everything Kakashi sent Hinata off to follow her sister and the Kurama kid. Once she was well and truly out of site he made his way towards the clearing he'd left the first two ninja he'd encountered.
Still recovering from the fight he'd just been through Kakashi's memory was slightly off and it took him longer to find than he'd hoped. The two brothers lay in the middle of the clearing, apparently now conscious, just unable to move their bodies.
As he approached the tree line Kakashi couldn't help but think back to the many days he'd spent as an ANBU agent. This kind of killing was the reason he'd stopped his service. If people deserved death, Kakashi Hatake had no pity for them. The nature of assignation means that the majority of your targets are unawares and therefore defensless.
Maybe it was the defenceless part that sat off with him. For the security of Konoha and for the chance that under Gaara's rule the Sand nin could become prosperous again, it fell to Kakashi to end their lives.
It was quick. It was all he could do. An instant death was something few ninja had the skill to give; Zabusa of the seven swords had been one such monster. Regretfully, Kakashi knew he was too. After clearing all signs of his presence from the scene he set off to rendezvous with the remainder of Team 14.
Within half an hour of leaving what would be considered Mist ninja territory, when Kakashi had returned to the politically neutral, but geographically linked, portion of the water country, he saw something he put out of his mind when he first set out.
----------------------------------------------------------------
The tagged kunai stopped him in his tracks; even before it exploded he'd activated his Byakugan and turned to face them. ANBU. Ashamed at himself Neji realised he hadn't even made it into as far as the proper border. What could he really have expected.
"Neji. Don't make us hurt you. We have orders from the Hokage: you've to be returned alive and unharmed." The silent one drew the ninken from his back and Neji's Byakugan eyes watched it glint menacingly in the light.
"We'd like to fulfil that mandate, Neji-san." The now armed assassin added.
"I can't go back! Hinata-kun is still out there, Hanabi and the rest of her team, they're in trouble!" He shook his head and glared up at the two masked faces in the trees. "If you want to fulfil you're mandate, you'll have to let me go"
The two ANBU looked slowly at each other, the unarmed one shrugging before looking back down at neji, passive porcelain face and all.
"We also have a second mandate," he paused, probably for dramatic effect Neji thought, "Should you resist, you've to be stopped from crossing the border at all costs. Including that of your own life."
The armed mask vanished on instinct Neji spun, he felt something repelled by his Heavenly Spin. That ANBU had Shunshined and attacked from Neji's blind spot. As soon as he'd stopped, he was forced to defend himself, the ANBU agent came at him quickly, easily out manoeuvring Neji and leaving no opening for counter. All Neji could do was use his chakra to palm the blade away from his body.
The first kick had knocked him off balance, but the second had nearly knocked him out. Furious with himself he rolled to his feet and surveyed them. Both were still visible, one in the trees with his arms crossed watching, the other starting to circle him slowly.
Neji watched, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. The ANBU's desire to manoeuvre Neji to a position where the unarmed one could attack from his blind spot was Neji's tool. In his forward thinking he'd missed the primary fact about Neji's fighting style.
"You're in the zone of my eight trigrams," he announced, the ANBU had cocked his head just then.
Neji attacked with all his might, his eight trigrams sixty four palms would stop this agent's chakra flow; make him almost useless in battle. The first nine or ten hits landed perfectly, the speed and accuracy of his onslaught surprising both the ANBU.
Neji was stopped in his tracks, the second agent having intervened. Restraining Neji and preventing him from starting his Heavenly Spin he'd ensured Neji's defeat. Clearly in pain the armed ANBU formed a few hand seals and Neji was suddenly unable to move. Memory sparked. Kakashi-san had used this jutsu on him. He'd warned him.
No longer needing to restrain him the second ANBU stepped back and formed a seal of his own, chakra flared around his hand and Neji could see it sharpen along the edges. In dismay he was forced to watch as both Blade and Chakra sabre where swung his way. In seconds it'd be over.
There was a whoosh and then two thuds. As his mind struggled to keep up Neji's attention was brought to the figure that'd just appeared between the three of them. Arms outstretched in either direction he'd blocked both attacks with his bare hands.
Blood dripped from his palms and his gaze was fixed on the unarmed ANBU. The black clad new comer held the gaze of the white clad ANBU for what seemed like forever.
"He doesn't need to die, Tenzo" he'd said. Before anyone could react he was gone.
Neji meant to contemplate what had happened, Tenzo, the mysterious arrival, and why he'd so completely failed, but everything went very quiet and black.
A/N for those of you who don't know, Tenzo is the real name of Nabu agent Yamayo, who is later put in charge of team seven when Kakashi passes out from his use of MangekyoSharingan. He was kakashi's underling during his days as ANBU commander.