A/N: Now I'm aware most people just use regular names while texting. But for some reasons these guys don't. Please don't question why... :P

Warning: Language, violence, etc...

Deidara sighed, walking down the dark streets of Rain City with a burnt and completely damaged handlebar in his hands. It was the only thing that was remotely recognizable of his baby which had been combusted into a mess beyond fixable. Damn woman… he thought with a scowl. Now that his adrenaline had died down, he was feeling the aftereffects from his scrabble with Tayuya. His skin which had been torn by her sharp whip burned every time his clothing brushed up against it, and his chin hurt whenever he tried moving it in an upwards direction from when she had slammed him into the concrete.

He lifted a brow as three police cars drove by, noticing that they had the logo of the day officers on them. "I thought they didn't come out during the night…" he murmured aloud. "I wonder what happened yeah." The blonde shrugged, continuing on his way. If he had looked back, he would have seen how one of the cars slowed, a curious raven gazing at him through one of the rearview mirrors.

It took Deidara all of fifteen minutes of wandering around the city and dodging laughing mischief makers to realize that he had no idea where he was going. Trying to get away from Tayuya had taken him out of familiar territory, and none of the buildings he was by looked familiar. He stopped under a bus stop awning, figuring he would just get a ride as close to his University and then find his way back from there.

He sat on the bench and pulled out his cellphone which had miraculously been unharmed in his fight, sliding it open and checking for any messages. There was one from Kabuto asking about Chemistry homework. He snorted and replied that he didn't even take that class before looking at his other texts. His brows raised, seeing that they were all from Itachi and Sasori. He had the right to be slightly freaked out, seeing as he never gave anyone in the Akatsuki force his number. Deidara skipped the ones from Itachi, still pissed about his bike and opened the one from Sasori- his supposed partner. Tch. I haven't even worked with the guy, he sourly thought.

Scorpion: Where the hell are you? We're about to go out on a mission and you're not even here.

Deidara tilted his head in a confused manner. A mission? When were they going out on a mission? He checked the time the text had been sent.

7:29 PM

"What the heck un…" Deidara went through all the other messages from Sasori, seeing that they all said the same general thing, granted some of them were filled with less than kind words and a few death threats. It was the last one, though, that caught his undivided attention.

Scorpion: Back at base. Pein's pissed, even more so because you didn't show up. There's rumors of a traitor in the force going around. If I were you, I'd get my ass back before the rest of the guys think it's you.

Deidara stared at the message wide-eyed, looking down to see the time sent.

10:18 PM

That was the time right about now. Deidara frowned, hitting the reply button before sending a message and sliding his phone shut. Just what had happened on their mission that he had missed? He grunted to himself in annoyance. Whatever it was, he'd find out when he got back.

When the empty bus pulled up five minutes later and the door swung open, Deidara was greeted with the sight of a smiling big-boned man, with short orange hair and squinted eyes. The blonde warily eyed the man as he climbed aboard and paid the fee, looking around and seeing that there was no one else on but him. Okay…this is kind of weird. Although he didn't know what he was expecting. No one usually rode the bus this late at night, especially in this city.

He took a seat in the middle of the bus by the window so he could watch his surroundings pass him by.

After all, he wouldn't want to miss his stop.

~X~

"Ow, ow, ouch! You fucker be more gentle!" Hidan cursed as Kakuzu wrapped a strip of gauze around the gash in his forehead.

Kakuzu glared, jabbing the wound purposefully with his finger. "Shut up and stop complaining," he said. "If you had fought in a more controlled manner, you wouldn't have gotten hurt. In fact, you were the only one with such a cut," he said with a roll of his eyes.

Hidan pursed his lips, glaring between narrowed eyes. "The others got bruises and bites," he said.

"Bruises not giant slashes in their heads," Kakuzu grumbled. "Now seriously stop talking before I decide to leave you on your own," he threatened.

"Jerk," Hidan grouched, but quieted down all the same.

They, along with the other five who had accompanied them on the failed raid, were lounging on the first underground floor of the base in the living room. Hidan sat in the corner of the sofa as Kakuzu sat in front of him in a pulled up chair. Itachi was on the other end of the sofa, eyes shut and breathing softly. Kisame and Konan were on the floor a few feet from the fireplace which they never used but was installed for décor reasons, murmuring quietly amongst themselves. Pein was leaning against the doorway, head bowed in deep thought as he waited for Zetsu to get back from a scouting mission on other possible areas Orochimaru could have set up a hideout.

"Well doesn't everyone here look happy?" Sasori sarcastically said from where he had been silently sitting in the corner of the room.

Hidan cast him a sour look. "Aw shut up."

Sasori rolled his eyes, not bothering to get angry. He did, however, hum in surprise when his cellphone vibrated in his pocket. With a bored look he took it out to see who had messaged him, seeing as there was nothing else to do while they waited for Pein to speak. Both eyebrows flew high on his head when he saw who it was from.

BlitzBomber: Dunno what you're talking 'bout a traitor- but it sure as hell isn't me. I'm heading back on a bus to my University and then gonna walk back to the shop. My baby got destroyed L

Sasori blinked. Take the bus…? Buses don't run at all during the night in this city. He stared at the message some more before his eyes widened and he hastily got to his feet. His action woke Itachi and caused everyone's head to swivel in his direction.

"Sasori? What's the matter?" Konan asked.

The redhead held up his phone, already making his way to the door where Pein stood. "I'm going to borrow a few of the firearms from the storage room," he said. "Looks like someone's keen on getting rid of our new member. I'll be back soon enough."

Itachi started to stand, now fully awake. "I'll drive-"

"No." Sasori looked over his shoulder at the Uchiha. "I can handle this just fine on my own."

Pein frowned as he passed through the door, gazing at the redhead. "Keep your radio on at all times. And if you're not back in less than forty-five minutes, we're coming after you," he said.

Sasori waved his hand and kept walking, sure to bring plenty of spare ammo with him this time.