Part 14 – New World – Part 3
As they walked up to the front door, which was surrounded by a series of large segmented windows, inside was the symbol of Konoha Intelligence imprinted onto the floor, and behind the front desk was the motto of the agency, "Integrity in Defense of the Island".
"Impressive isn't it," Shikamaru asked.
"Yea, it is," Naruto said.
"Good," Shikamaru said, "Come on, Special Investigations is on the fourth floor."
Going through the scanners was no problem with Shikamaru's credentials, the elevator itself was nothing special, a simple stainless steel elevator with a wooden frame for the buttons, and a simple carpeted floor.
The fourth floor was home to Konoha Special Investigations, as it was known by the public, but in secret it was known as the Konoha Torture and Interrogation Force.
Shikamaru and Naruto stepped off the elevator, and walking through the office, Naruto could see many of the agents walking around were veterans like him, but many of them had seen even worse combat because they were sporting artificial limbs, eyes, or had horrific scars that they didn't hide.
"So who are we going to see," Naruto asked.
"Who else," Shikamaru said as the two of them walked down the main hall to a large door with the name 'Ibiki Morino' engraved on a placard on the door, "The head honcho."
The door opened, and Ibiki looked up to see Shikamaru and Naruto enter, "Mr. Nara," he said, "I wasn't expecting to see you, or with someone, I didn't think I'd see ever again."
"Director Morino," Shikamaru said, "I'm showing Naruto the ropes, he just started at our department."
"Indeed," Ibiki said, "So what can I do for you?"
"Official business," Shikamaru said as he held out a file to Ibiki, "From the Hokage's hands to yours."
Ibiki took the file, and opened it, "Is he serious," Ibiki asked after looking over the file for a minute.
"I'm afraid so," Shikamaru said.
"He wants me to hand over classified material to a street cop," Ibiki asked.
"Sasuke's already begun the investigation," Shikamaru said, "The investigation is in his hands now."
"Then he can expect a formal complaint," Ibiki said as he handed the file back, "Tell Sergeant Uchiha he can expect the files by the end of the day."
"Thank you," Shikamaru said.
"Before you go," Ibiki said, "Can I have a minute with Naruto?"
"Why," Shikamaru said.
"Just to welcome him back," Ibiki said, "You know how long I spent on his case."
"I'm not sure about that," Shikamaru said, "Besides, it's his training day, and all you need to say is 'welcome back'."
"Very well," Ibiki said, "Welcome back."
Konoha Police Station…
"What've we got," Neji asked as Sasuke walked up to the evidence board.
"Name is Fubuki Sumichiro," Sasuke said as he walked over followed by his Metal Gear who plugged into the board and uploaded the pictures onto the screen, "OD'd on his way to school."
"School," Neji asked.
The picture of Fubuki then came up on the screen, "Kid was fourteen," Sasuke said.
"Narcotic," Neji asked.
"What else," Sasuke asked as he held up one of the evidence bags, "Kid got his hands on some Supernova, and unnaturally pure Supernova at that."
"Damn," Neji said as he looked down at his desk, "What's the plan then?"
"Plan is to start where I bet I can learn more about him," Sasuke said, "Academy's still in right now, I'll head there as soon as I give my report to the Lieutenant."
"Simple enough," Neji said.
"Let me know the second Tsunade calls," Sasuke said.
"No problem," Neji said, "By the way, we heard from him today."
"If Konagi calls again," Sasuke began, "Tell him the same thing I told him when I left him at the crime scene."
"That he can fuck off," Neji asked.
"Thanks," Sasuke said.
"No problem," Neji said as Sasuke walked into Iruka's office.
"Sergeant," Iruka said as he looked up to see Sasuke, "What's the case?"
"Narcotics case," Sasuke said as he stood at attention in front of his boss's desk, "Fourteen-year-old OD'd on Supernova. Unnaturally pure Supernova."
"How pure," Iruka asked.
"Initial analysis showed no sign of any other kind of narcotic," Sasuke said.
"Rare," Iruka said.
"Very," Sasuke said.
"Where did the dealer set up," Iruka asked.
"I can have my Metal Gear send you the location," Sasuke said.
"I'll set up surveillance," Iruka said, "In the meantime, you may proceed with the investigation. I'll call over to Narcotics, and keep them off your back."
"Can you keep Konagi off my back as well," Sasuke asked, "Asshole was trying to get the inside scoop on Sakura, Naruto, and Hinata's reappearance."
"I'll do what I can," Iruka said, "But you know as well as I do, his right to pursue any story he wishes is protected until Article 21."
"And if he does, then he writes another attack," Sasuke said, "He lost a court case."
"And you gained a reputation among the island's reporters," Iruka said.
"He deserved it… sir," Sasuke said.
"Regardless if he did," Iruka said as he pointed at Sasuke, "What you did was technically a crime. But either way, I'll do what I can."
"Thank you, sir," Sasuke said.
"Good man," Iruka said, "Now be off with you."
"Yes, sir," Sasuke said.
Konoha General Hospital…
"Subject's cause of death should be labeled as an Overdose," Tsunade said, "Brought on by a high dose of Aibelix that caused a fatal sensory overload. Sakura Haruno's assistance in the autopsy should be commended. End recording."
The drone beeped, flew back over to the docking station, landed, and shut down as the arms enclosed over the edges.
Sakura wasn't needed to stitch the body back together, and had stripped off her disposable gown, and was already sitting outside.
"Not how I'd imagine my first day would go," Sakura said.
"You mean cutting open someone who you used to help in school," Tsunade asked, "And discovering your prosthetics could probably assist in several other instances here?"
"Yes," Sakura said as she pinched the bridge of her nose, "I don't know how this happened. He was such a good boy."
"These things happen," Tsunade said, "He was fourteen yesterday. When you last saw him, he was nine? He became a teenager. Teens grow up, and they experiment. Sometimes experiments go too far."
"Where does he go now," Sakura asked.
"His next of kin comes and retrieves the body," Tsunade said, "Then from there, either to the columbarium or back to the mainland to be buried in the same cemetery as his grandparents before him."
"That's it," Sakura asked.
"Yes," Tsunade said, "You expect anything else?"
"A memorial service," Sakura asked, "A priest, anything else?"
"Wish there was," Tsunade said, "Right now, that's all we can do. You want to keep going? Or would you rather see where we go to relax first?"
"Please," Sakura said as she attempted to stand up before Tsunade held out her hand to help her up.
Sakura accepted the hand, and followed Tsunade to the breakroom which was on the third-to-last floor of the hospital, "I think you'll like it in here," she said as they walked inside.
The room was pretty simple, a coffee maker, a vending machine, a stove, and a few tables with padded chairs, but what was different was at the very center was a metal table that had a smoking vent running through the central ridge.
"Nice place," Sakura said.
"I knew you'd like it," Tsunade said, "Needless to say a lot of us come in here when a day like today happens."
"Days where you have no idea what just happened," Sakura asked.
"Believe me," Tsunade said, "It'll feel like that most days," she sat down at the table, and gestured for Sakura to sit, "Here's a little piece of advice I think you need."
"This going to be one of those 'if you can't handle seeing your friends dead, then maybe you shouldn't take the job' kind of talks," Sakura asked.
"Nope," Tsunade said, "This is going to be one of those 'this is the world we live in now' kind of talks."
"Really," Sakura asked.
"Four years, remember," Tsunade said.
"Go ahead," Sakura said.
"I'm not really good at giving speeches," Tsunade said, "But the world you, Naruto, and Hinata left four years ago is a utopian paradise compared to the one you entered when you woke up. A lot of kids lost their parents during the war, and because of that, a lot of them grew up without anyone to look up to. Fathers usually can't handle what mothers do, and mothers can't handle what fathers do, only somewhat though," Sakura chuckled, "But here's one of the things that haven't changed. Children keep things secret from their parents, and maybe even from someone who treats them like a little brother. You don't know when Fubuki started doing drugs, and even if you were around then, it probably wouldn't have stopped this."
"Even so," Sakura said, "Would I have even had the chance?"
"I don't know," Tsunade said, "But I do know one thing. You're going to see a lot of this in this job. If you want a less stressful one, then you can tell me now, and I'll train you in something else. I won't feel bad about it, but the question is, will you?"
Sakura exhaled strongly, and looked up, "You wouldn't, but I would," she said, "I want to stay. But on a day like this, I think I probably will be using this room more often."
Tsunade grabbed Sakura's shoulder, and gave it a shake that you'd expect a proud mother would give her daughter, "That's my girl," she said before standing up, "Come on, we have more training to do, and not a lot of time to do it."
Hyūga residence…
"Hanabi's grades are still strong," Nitta said as she sat with Hinata, "One of the things that she's still struggling with is what to do when she grows up."
"Does this have anything to do with the fact I didn't have a job before I left," Hinata asked.
"Somewhat," Nitta said, "But the real problem is that Hanabi was doing her best to be like you. If you're going to sit around here, then what'll Hanabi think when she graduates?"
"I think I understand," Hinata said.
"It's nothing that your father and I didn't discuss before you left for the war," Nitta said.
"Dad wants one of us to take control of the company," Hinata asked.
"He didn't build it to sell it to a stranger," Nitta said, "As soon as your father retires, you'll probably be married, and Hanabi will probably have been a college alumni for a few years."
"So I have to find a job before he does," Hinata asked.
"Your father has already thought of a job," Nitta said, "He wants you to be his assistant."
"Just what I need," Hinata said, "Dad deciding my life for me."
"You know that your father just wants what's best for you," Nitta said, "I agree he hasn't always been the most affectionate father…"
"To put it lightly," Hinata said as she sat back.
"But you know deep down he cares about you," Nitta said.
"What was he like when I was missing," Hinata asked.
"After we got the news, you couldn't tell," Nitta said, "But when the war ended, and you were still missing, I sometimes heard him praying your name a few times when we went to the temple. He'd leave a wish asking for you to come home."
"Was that Hanabi's wish every year," Hinata asked.
"All except for once," Nitta said.
"When was that," Hinata asked.
"I think that's for Sasuke to tell you," Nitta said as she held her hand out to her daughter, "But aside from that, she would visit the shrine every few months, make a donation, and pray for you to be safe."
"Maybe I should go to the shrine to…" Hinata said before stopping, "Actually mom, I think you might have just given me an idea."
"I think I know where you're going," Nitta said, "I think that we…" it was then that the phone rang, "That better not be who I think it is."
"What," Hinata asked.
"Leave this to me," Nitta said as she walked over to the phone, "Hyūga residence…" there was some conversation, "I already know what you want, Mr. Yazan, and if you attempt to talk to my daughter, you of all people should know the consequences," she then slammed the phone as hard as she could on the table, and turned to Hinata, "So, when do you want to go?"
To be continued…