Part 5: Montenegro
Back on the train, Sasuke finished the story, "That is bat-shit crazy," Duncan said, "You knew there was a mole?"
"It had been apparent over the past several months there was," Sasuke said, "I had been on several deployments with LC Joseph in the past, and I knew something wasn't right with him. But I'd never imagine he'd sell out his own country for money."
"What about you," Duncan asked, "Surly you were going to sell the information that got you asylum with for profit weren't you?"
"No," Sasuke said, "I actually care about Europe."
"Why?" Sakura asked.
"Nobody, not even my former team mates know this," Sasuke said, "But I was born in Germany."
"No." Sakura said, in shock.
"Yes," Sasuke said, "My father was a Marine stationed in Rothenburg ob der Tauber, back before things got this tense. He met my mother while on a boat-ride, they got married a year later, and had my brother and me. My dad panicked when he was called back to the U.S. because my mother didn't have the necessary papers yet. And as a result, he just grabbed me, and ran."
"Have you ever tried to contact her?" Sakura asked.
"Not once," Sasuke said, "My father never said anything about where she used to live, who she lived with, or if he had any contact with her afterwards. If she is alive, I'd like to meet her."
"Now I see why you downloaded that info," Duncan said, "You wanted to make things better to keep her safe."
"Yes," Sasuke said, "But the J.P. Morgan Deltas don't listen to anything other than their own opinions. That's why I defected."
"Maybe there'll be a day when the Federal Reserve and Central European Bank can come together," Sakura said, "Maybe when that day comes, you'll find her."
"Maybe," Sasuke said as the train slowed to a halt, "The train's stopped. Get your things, let's go."
Sasuke and Sakura led Duncan off the train, and passed three platforms onto the next train.
Once they boarded their final train, Sasuke went straight to his first-class room on the train, and fell asleep.
A whole day of non-stop travel from one side of Europe to the other had left him drained.
During his training to become a Federal Reserve Agent, one of his required tests was to spend twenty hours awake.
While he was asleep, Sakura walked into his room, "Sasuke, I thought we should…" she said before seeing him asleep.
Sakura sat next to Sasuke, and just watched him sleep.
After several hours of watching him sleep, Sakura looked around, and noticed Sasuke had a cylindrical package that was about forty three inches long.
Sakura opened the cylinder, retrieved the sword, and saw the J.P. Morgan Delta Force symbol pressed into the grip.
"You like it?" Sasuke asked.
Sakura turned around, and saw Sasuke standing behind her.
"I thought you were asleep." Sakura said.
"I'm a light sleeper," Sasuke said as he took his sword from Sakura's hands, "I see you found my service piece."
"You used this while serving in the Delta Force?" Sakura asked.
"While serving in the Federal Reserve you're required to test your skills with every kind of weapon ever made," Sasuke said, "Including swords. After the Federal Reserve bought out the Armed Forces, the people who were ex-military that were working there realized that many operatives had talents with things other than guns. And that's right about the time the war ended, there was a lot of hatred toward the Reserve."
"It was a bad time for all of us," Sakura said, "I lost both sets of grandparents to that war."
"Same here," Sasuke said, "My father was devastated."
"What'd you use that sword for anyway?" Sakura asked.
"Many different things my friend." Sasuke said.
A few hours later, the train arrived in Montenegro where upon departing, they were swarmed by press wanting to get an interview with Duncan.
"Move aside, move aside," Sasuke said as he pushed the press aside so Duncan could get inside the Lincoln Towncar Limousine.
Once inside, Sakura took her seat at the head of the limo while Sasuke shut the door behind him as Duncan sat against the couch on the left-side of the wall.
"Good lord," Sasuke said, "That was nuts."
"That's nothing compared to the publicity you'll get if you catch those assassins." Duncan said.
"Maybe," Sasuke said, "But I still don't know what the hell's going to happen after that."
"You'll be a hero," Sakura said, "Maybe the Federal Reserve will accept you living here."
"Maybe." Sasuke said.
They soon arrived at the hotel, and once they were walking toward the front door, Sasuke did a quick three sixty degree turn to make sure nobody was following them.
Once inside, Sasuke made reservations at the Buda Bar for him and Sakura.
That night, after stepping out of the shower to prepare for his date, he received a call.
"Uchiha," Sasuke asked as he picked up his phone.
"Sasuke," Arthur said over the other line.
"Hey Arthur," Sasuke said, "What's up?"
"I wanted to get a read-out of your plan for the defense tomorrow." Arthur said.
"Can't," Sasuke said as he put on his tuxedo pants, "I'm about to have a meeting with one of my associates."
"Who?" Arthur asked as Sasuke put on his shirt, and tucked it into his pants.
"I'll tell you later," Sasuke said as he fastened on his belt, while keeping the phone between his ear and his shoulder, "Right now I've got to go."
"Alright," Arthur said, "Good luck."
Sasuke hung up his phone, and walked over to his bed where he put on his socks, shoes, and then his suit-vest and jacket.
He walked outside where Sakura was waiting in a long red dress that was covered in red sequins with a pair of red-chrome lined plastic high-heel shoes.
"You look lovely." Sasuke said.
"Thank you," Sakura said as she fixed Sasuke's lapels, "You look pretty good yourself."
Once they walked outside, Sasuke's Stingray was waiting for them.
Upon entering the car, Sasuke started up the Stingray, and began driving.
As soon as they were on the streets, Sasuke planted his foot to the floor, and instantly started breaking the law by going eighty miles an hour on a public road.
"Slow down!" Sakura exclaimed.
"You slow down," Sasuke said as he sped up.
They eventually arrived at the café, and parallel parked the car.
"Please don't ever do that again." Sakura said with a chuckle.
While having dinner, Sasuke noticed that Sakura was looking curiously at the burn scars on the side of his face, which was coupled with the remainder of his black-eye.
Sakura actually thought that the burn scar on the side of Sasuke's face made him seem handsome.
"You curious about the scar?" Sasuke asked.
"A lot of people are Sasuke," Sakura said, "We women love scars. It's kind of hot actually."
Sasuke laughed as he continued eating, "You classify a burn scar as hot," Sasuke asked, "That day I got this damn thing still haunts me."
The way Sasuke got the scar on his face, which to be perfectly honest, was just a single patch of cracked skin on the side of his face that ran from his cheek down was received in a painful way, but it could have been worse.
"How did it happen?" Sakura asked.
"Might want to order dessert if I'm going to tell you." Sasuke said.
"Why," Sakura asked, as Sasuke opened his mouth to speak, Sakura held up her finger, "No wait, let me guess. It's a long story?"
"You know me so well," Sasuke said, "If you insist."
Flashback #2…