"What was that? Who were those men?" She looked at me with sad eyes.

"That was Yura, an old . . . friend."

"I'm guessing he didn't just want to say hi,"

Temari grimaced. "Yura's a dangerous man; he's an important leader in this underground village organization called the Drift. We dated for a while, you see, and I'm ashamed to admit I was into Drift for a good period of time. I thought I had found my calling with that group of thugs. But I moved on to focus on becoming a Jounin. Yura never forgave me for that. And recently, for some reason, he thinks I sold out his friend to the authorities. I've been running from him for weeks." Her eyes nervously scanned the crowds as she spoke, and finally satisfied that we had lost them, she looked into the bar we stood before.

"Here we go, Itarui's place. Good food, great sake. C'mon, we deserve a break." She led me inside the bar which was so smoky, it made me cough and squint in the dim light. We found a booth in the back, hidden from view from the street.

A waiter greeted us with a warm smile that hinted of intoxication.

"Temari!" he shouted over the din of the bar. "It's been far too long. Have you been too busy to visit me?" He leaned in closely. "Yura is looking for you. Has been all week. Looks pissed."

"I know, Getui," Temari sighed, "I've been avoiding him. Just give me a heads up if you see him in here."

The waiter nodded and took our orders. Two cups of sake each. As we waited for our drinks, I talked with Temari about the Drift organization.

Apparently, it was made mostly of young but respected Wind ninja men, who would accept any dirty job, be it theft or assassination, just for the simple rush of doing it, as well as accepting a small pay. It was the thrill of adventure that had first drawn Temari to the group, over two years ago. It had taken her a long time to become trusted, seeing as how she was the daughter of the last Kazekage, sister to the current one.

"I'm actually amazed they even let me into Drift at all," she said, after thanking Getui for their drinks. She took a sip of the hot drink, and I did the same. I began to feel at ease in this shady bar very quickly.

Temari continued. "I could have so easily been a spy for my father when Yura first introduced me to the group. But they were so eager to have a girl among them!" She laughed and shook her head. "Anyway, I have to admit I did a few cruel things before I got my act together. Nothing that bad!" She exclaimed, seeing my shocked face. "Just a few things stolen, a few people beaten, a few questions answered through force. But I would never go as far as killing someone for Drift."

I nodded and took another sip of my drink. This stuff is strong, I thought, as I saw several Temari's seated before me. I blinked and rubbed my eyes. What is this? I only had two cups . . .

Through my blurred vision I saw a half dozen Temari's drop their faces to the table. I looked down at my cup and noticed the remnants of a powder at the bottom. Shit.

The last thing I saw was several pale faces emerge from the shadows, and I heard a sinister laugh.

"Far too easy, boys. It seems a shame to dope up a Jounin so easily. Hey Getui, thanks my friend."

I heard a shaky voice as my eyes closed and my head sunk to the table. "P-Please, just leave. Bad for business, so bad for business . . ."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"You always were far too soft to last long with us," a man's voice said calmly.

My head pounded in my ears when I woke to the voice. I tried lifting my hands to my forehead, but I couldn't move my arms from behind my back. I heard chains clink as I tried to get up. No use. My legs were bound together as well.

I was in a dark room, but it sure wasn't the bar. There were no windows here, in what seemed to be a storage room. Only one dim lamp on the ceiling allowed me to see. And there, beneath the light, was Temari, tied up as I was, but with a shining blue string instead of chains. Chakra rope, like what ninjas use to disarm one another in battle.

Yaru stood menacingly over Temari with one end of the string in his hands. He looked down at her with a sadistically cruel look on his face.

"Did you think you would get away with it? Did you think I wouldn't find out?" His voice rose almost to a shout. "You bitch, selling out my comerade, my friend, after all we did for you! Do you –"

He bent down until his face almost touched hers. His voice lowered again to a sickening calm. "Do you know what they did to him, Temari? They killed him, killed Haperu, after weeks of torture! But he didn't squeal; he held Drift's secret until the end." Yaru stood up again and pulled on the string in his hand, pulling Temari's bonds tighter until she screamed in pain.

"Stop it!" I yelled, "She didn't turn in your friend. You have it all wrong!"

He looked up as if just noticing me there. "Who are you? What relation do you have to this bitch?"

Before I could answer Temari spoke softly. "She's no one, Yaru, just a friend. Let her go, you have no business with her."

Smart, Temari.

I had almost told them I belonged to the Kazekage. What a bad idea that would be.

Yaru smirked and looked back at the blonde.

"Hm, now why should I just let her go? A beautiful girl like that, tied up and helpless in our headquarters . . ." I could see his sick mind working out the possibilities.

"Yaru, let her go!" Temari shouted again. "It's me you wanted, not her. Leave her alone and I'll cooperate."

The man barked a laugh. "Cooperate? Baby, I'm going to kill you right here, after I make sure you feel some pain. Cuz I know you did what you did to get back at me, to get your own sick revenge on me. And yes, you were my only target. But unfortunately for her, she was with you when I finally caught my prey. And after I finish you off, I'm gonna get to know her, maybe introduce her to some of the guys."

I suddenly felt sick. I had to get out, but I was helpless. We both were. I closed my eyes as I heard Temari scream again. Yaru had pulled the string so tight it began to cut into her skin.

Tears stung my eyes and my body shuttered. I could almost feel her pain, her screams ripping through me.

My eyes were closed, yet I could almost see what was happening in front of me. Yaru stood over Temari with both hands pulling the string. Temari's body, covered in dark blood, was almost lifted off the floor as he pulled. Her mouth was open in a perpetual scream, and his eyes showed that he had longed for this.

The pain in me turned into rage as I focused on the sadistic man. My chest hurt with all the anger building up in me, churning inside me like an animal caged. Then there was a strange calm within me, an uneasy, silent feeling, as if I was in the eye of a storm.

I felt my eyes open without my consent. The scene before me was gruesome; Temari lay in a pool of her own blood, and Yaru watched her, panting. But everything was laced in purple, glowing edges, especially the two people. At the center of both figures were rolling masses of the purple glow. Was it chakra? Why could I see it?

Yaru glanced over at me and gave a start.

"What the – What's up with your eyes?" His voice had lost its confidence, and his face showed true fear. He gripped the rope and pointed to me with his other hand.

"I don't know what you're doing, but stop it now!" With that he gave Temari a sharp kick in the side. She groaned in pain, but was unable to do more.

I didn't know what was going on, but I wasn't about to let Yaru continue to beat Temari because of me. I shut my eyes tightly, and heard him breathe a sigh of relief.

"Ah, much better. Like I said, I'll deal with you later."

As he turned back to Temari, a blast from behind me shook the ground I was blown across the floor, hitting my head on the far wall. Dust filled the air and pieces of stone fell around us. All three of us looked up in alarm.

Framed by the huge black hole in the wall, a figure stepped into the room. Sand swirled around his feet, and he looked down at us angrily with dark rimmed eyes.

Yaru cursed under his breath. He looked downright terrified.

I looked back at the Kazekage in silent admiration. How did he find us?

Gaara lifted his hand and sand from the floor reached up and grabbed a struggling Yaru, who screamed helplessly. Sand continued to rise and cover his entire body, until only his face was exposed. Gaara mumbled and closed his fist.

I don't know what I expected to happen, but as a shower of blood and carnage covered the room, I turned over and threw up. I wormed my way over to Temari, and put my ear to her chest.

I almost cried in happiness when I heard a heartbeat. I looked up at our savior, whose skin was also colored red from the mess. He stared at me with the same look he had in my bedroom.

This isn't the time for lust! I wanted to shout. But I could only mumble his name as he stepped forward, picking me up with strong arms.

I glanced over at Temari, who was now floating on a bed of sand. Gaara's face was blank as he looked at his older sister, whose hitched breathes spoke her pain for her.

I lay my head against his chest, and savored the warmth it offered. I didn't care that he was covered in blood, I didn't care that he had just killed someone. What mattered was that he rescued us; he rescued me.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When Gaara lay me down in the bath, fully clothed, I felt the absence of his skin on mine. I looked into his cold blue eyes and touched his face. He flinched and backed away, closing the door behind him.

I stripped off my bloody clothes and turned on the faucet, my mind wandering back to that moment in the Drift's storage room where my vision changed. Yaru had yelled something about my eyes . . . I would think about it tomorrow. I knew Temari was being healed at the moment, which gave me much relief, but something just didn't seem right about that whole encounter. I would have to ask her about that tomorrow.

My thoughts slowly returned to Gaara as I washed in the red-tinged bath water, and I absently thought of how odd his personality was. He tried to seduce me, apologized, berated me at breakfast, and then rescued me that evening.

What was wrong with the people in this country?