Welcome to Hell
Part 2
"Is this accurate?" Kakashi asked the lab technician.
"We ran the diagnostic three times to be sure," she said as Kakashi re-read the report she handed him.
"Project Zetsu," Kakashi muttered, "A military project gone rogue."
"Yes sir," the lab tech replied adjusting her glasses, "It seems that it was a secret military project to create a sort of super soldier. Project Zetsu was its first phase."
"And it's second phase?" Kakashi asked.
"Unknown sir, all we know is that it's called Project Kaguya," she said, "much of the data was missing or corrupted. It seems that prior to abandonment the techs at the lab tried to destroy their research data." Kakashi absorbed the information and nodded his head absentmindedly.
"Was there anything else Karin?" he asked placing the file down on his desk.
"No sir," she replied.
"That is all then. Thank you." Karin nodded and left the room closing the door behind her with a soft click.
"Kaguya..." Kakashi said to himself with narrowed eyes. He switched on his computer and did a quick internet search of the term. All he could find was legends of the moon princess and little else. Kakashi knew that code names for projects like this were usually somehow related to the intent of the projects objective, no matter how obscure or metaphorical. 'Kaguya' was a clue. He just didn't know to what. He took another look at the report and once more a name jumped out at him. The name of the project leader.
Shimura Danzo.
'It can't be,' Kakashi thought and put the file down. He leaned back in his chair, thinking.
"Root?"
xxx
Sunlight peaked through a slim gap in the bedroom curtains. Sakura scrunched her eyes closed against the rays as they moved across her face. She shifted, slowly waking up. An arm tightening around her waist stopped her. Sasuke sighed heavily into her hair as he pulled her loser, the skin of his chest against her back made goose bumps rise along her arms. Sakura hummed in contentment and was settling down to go back to sleep when she sensed Sarada waking up. The poor girl was still feeling under the weather but Sakura noted that her flu was almost gone. That was good.
Somewhere in the room, Sakura didn't know where exactly, Sasuke's phone began to buzz.
"Fuck no," her husband muttered darkly and he burrowed his face deeper into her hair as if he could block out the incessant sound. Sakura laughed softly.
"Come on," she told him, twisting so she could catch a glimpse of his scowling face, "I don't think it's another mission. Kakashi probably just wants a debrief."
"Son of a-" Sasuke trailed off and sighed heavily again. Reluctantly he released her and sat up in bed, resting his head on his hand. His eyes glowed red with irritation.
"It can't be later than eight," he said before throwing the sheets off and turning to get out of bed.
"Awe did I tucker you out early bird?" Sakura teased. Sasuke shot her a look over his shoulder, an eyebrow raised. Sasuke was a notorious morning person and almost never slept in.
"You know as well as I do, Sakura, I can go all night, but someone has to work today," he smirked, "and we can't have you to sore to do your rounds now can we?"
"Bastard Uchiha," Sakura tossed.
"Annoying girl," Sasuke shot back. He stood and pulled on his pants before hunting for the still vibrating phone. He pulled it out of his jacket pocket and swiped to unlock it.
"What?" he asked without preamble, "Now?" he listened for a moment and Sakura decided to get up as well. She sat up and stretched languidly. Sasuke watched her every movement with rapt attention.
"I'm going to bring Sarada," he told Kakashi, "Sakura has to go to work." Sakura teased a smile at him at his subtle reminder. She slid out from under the sheets and reached for her night gown and house coat. She was tying the robe close when he finished talking and hung up.
"There was something on the hard drive Kakashi wants me to take a look at," he told Sakura.
"The managed to analyze it already?" Sakura asked.
"Went through it three times apparently," Sasuke said.
"Must be big," Sakura commented.
"It could lead to the cause of the Outbreak," he said while pulling on his shirt.
Sakura nodded and stepped out of the room to go to her daughter. Sarada was sitting up in bed already with a book lying open on her lap. She looked up when Sakura entered.
"I'm bored Mama," she complained.
"You just woke up," Sakura said with a smile, "how can you be bored?"
"I'm bored because I've been stuck in bed a week with nothing new to do," Sarada replied. Sakura placed the back of her hand on her daughters' forehead to test her temperature.
"Well then I guess today is your lucky day then," Sakura said, "Your fever is down and Papa has to go see grandpa-Kakashi."
"You're coming with me kiddo," Sasuke said from the doorway.
"Really?" Sarada looked her parents in disbelief.
Sakura mocked sighed, "Yes. Unfortunately my dear Mama has to go back to work and I'm not leaving you here alone so your father has the honor of playing nurse."
"Boruto will be there too," Sasuke told his ecstatic daughter, "It's a PD day so, heads up."
"Uncle Naru will be there?" Sarada asked jumping out of bed and running to her dresser.
"They wouldn't let Boruto in otherwise," Sasuke muttered.
"Might as well bring my homework," Sarada said to herself, "Boruto will want to copy though..." Sakura raised an eyebrow and Sasuke suppressed a chuckle. Their daughter was not a typical six year old.
"You do that sweet heart," Sasuke said, "but get dressed quickly, we'll grab breakfast on the way."
"Yes Papa!"
xxx
Karin chewed on her thumb nail. She leaned against a wall and peered into the lobby before Kakashis office. His secretary, a woman named Anko, typed away absently while talking to the two young occupants who were on either side of her instead of on the floor where school books and paper lay scattered. Karin specifically watched the little girl. Sasukes daughter. She felt a small stab of jealousy, Sasukes daughter with Sakura. She bit through the nail and narrowed her eyes.
'Should be my daughter,' she thought with an ounce of despair. 'Mine. He was mine!'
Karin, was from the outside. She had known the young Uchiha since before the Outbreak. They had been stationed at the same base although they had been in separate units. Karin had seen the women throw themselves at Sasuke, and seen how quickly he had brushed them off, almost with contempt.
Knowing that a direct approach was fruitless she had played it cool. She talked to him as if she wasn't interested and only when necessary, at first. She slowly worked her way into his good graces, to the point where she could dare to call herself, in private, an acquaintance. And it had paid off. Sasuke had been warming up to her. Then the Outbreak happened and all hell broke loose.
Karin had escaped the initial massacre with her skin intact and caught the last helicopter evacuating survivors to Konoha. Next time she had seen Sasuke, was a year after the outbreak when he and his friends made it to Konoha. She had been thrilled. She could pick up where she left off. Or so she had thought. Then she had seen the pink haired woman by his side, had seen his arm around her shoulders, seen her smile at him and knew she lost her chance.
Now all Karin could do was watch this Sakura have the life that should have been hers and seethe. Sasukes daughter (she refused to think of her as Sakura's) was the spitting image of her father. She had his hair and facial features, although her eyes were her mother's but Karin ignored that. She but her lip and glanced down at her phone once more. Kakashi had not sent for her to explain the labs findings on the hard drive like she had hoped. Karin released a bitter sigh and took a step back to leave. Kakashis' door opened and she caught her breath when the object of her thoughts stepped out with his best friend. They had been in there for an hour and a half. Karin quickly turned and walked away before she did something she regretted.
"Did you guys finish your homework?" Naruto asked the kids, his question directed in particular to his son.
"Uhhhh..." Boruto trailed off and scratched the back of his head sheepishly, "Anko-nee was showing us something cool so,"
"I finished," Sarada said pointedly while glaring at Boruto, "I tried to help but Boruto didn't want any." She stuck her tongue out at him.
"I can do it!" Boruto shot back, "I don't need help, I just need a break every now and then. I'm not a nerd like you!"
"At least I'm not a dead last," Sarada remarked with a smirk. Naruto and Sasuke exchanged glances.
"Well I guess this means you're feeling better," Sasuke said, cutting off Boruto's reply. "Go grab your stuff and we'll go see if your mom can grab lunch with us, yeah?"
"Okay," Sarada said and ran to pick up her homework.
"You too Boruto," Naruto told his son.
"Yes Dad," Boruto said.
"It's almost terrifying how much you two have grown up," Kakashi said from his office doorway, "When I look back on the days on the Outside and how you two would act, it's almost impossible to compare you from then to now."
"Shut up Kaka-sensei," Naruto groaned.
Kakashi only smiled and waved bye as the two young fathers left. They presented only relaxed faces to the world but Kakashi knew that they were turning the information from the hard drive over in their heads and were worried about the mysteries still surrounding the Outbreak. He couldn't blame them. He didn't like the implications of "Project Kaguya".
Whoever started this damned catastrophe, they weren't done yet.
xxx
Karin sat at her desk with her head in her hands. She was silently cursing herself for her inability to let go of Uchiha Sasuke. Cursing herself for not being able to move on. She wanted him like no other and she couldn't have him. The thought sent a knife through her chest. Her heart ached.
Angrily she wiped her tears away and resumed typing her next report for Kakashi. She couldn't think about this right now, she has work to do.
A notification pinged on her screen. She received an email. She clicked the link, thinking it was something from her supervisor but was surprised when she saw no sender information.
I CAN MAKE YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE
Karin narrowed her eyes. Was someone playing a prank? If so she would make them pay. She clicked the email to open it. The email consisted of photos. All of them were of Sasuke and his wife. Karin scrolled down, angry but unable to help herself. Whoever was doing this was cruel. The photos ended and there was a line of text.
IMAGINE, THIS COULD BE YOU.
The photos started again, they were the same as before but this time with Karin super imposed over Sasuke's wife. Karin felt her throat close up. She had the strongest wave of yearning. She glanced over her shoulder, making sure she was the only one in the lab. The last photo was a wedding photo of the Uchihas with her face instead of Sakuras. They were happy. She looked happy. The photos looked so real...
There was a link to a live chat under the photo. Karin clicked it before she could think it through.
Immediately a message popped up.
I CAN HELP YOU MAKE IT A REALITY.
WHY? Karin typed back.
BECAUSE, I TOO HATE HARUNO SAKURA. AND I BELIEVE WE CAN HELP ONE ANOTHER.
HOW?
I NEED YOUR COMMITMENT FIRST.
Karin hesitated.
LOOK AT THE PHOTOS KARIN. LOOK AT THE LIFE THAT WAS STOLEN FROM YOU. I CAN GET IT BACK FOR YOU. I CAN GIVE YOU EVERYTHING THAT YOU WANT.
Karin stared at the manipulated photo's of her dream. It was within her grasp once more, if only she said yes.
CAN YOU GARUNTEE IT? WILL UCHIHA SASUKE BE MINE?
I GARUNTEE IT.
I WANT NOTHING LEFT OF HER, HER AND HER DAUGHTER.
OF COURSE.
WHAT DO YOU NEED ME TO DO?
End of chapter