After reaching the compound and locating the men who were using the cover of darkness to sneak into Hiashi's quarters, Neji and Shikamaru had waited to see their reaction when they realised the clan leader was not asleep in his bed, as expected. They shared a quick, silent conversation using only gestures and facial expressions, and decided to trail the men out as they emerged from the building. There were three of them, just as Shikamaru had overheard there would be, and they met the Hyuuga traitor at the end of the main hall, at which point the group entered a room Neji had seen the inside of only a handful of times in his life – the meeting room of the clan elders.
Frowning slightly, he wondered why they would want to go in there and came back blank. Hiashi did not spend any significant amount of time there and would not be inside at three-thirty in the morning. Nor did the Elders use it unless they were all meeting to discuss clan politics or whatever else they actually discussed when they did meet. Neji generally didn't care, and aside from when he was occasionally called in to explain his latest insubordination or lack of interest in clan expectations, he was happy to not know what they were discussing. They left the door open and Neji was careful to make sure he and Shikamaru didn't inadvertently give themselves away by moving into the light spilling from the doorway. There was a soft murmuring sound indicating that at least two people inside the room were carrying on a conversation but it was impossible to make out the words so the two men backtracked up the hallway to develop a plan.
Shikamaru's strategic mind had been sorting through the details of the investigation since Tenten's comment earlier and he still couldn't figure out why it had left a niggling feeling in the back of his mind. He turned to Neji to voice his analysis, "This is a trap."
The expression on Neji's face suggested he had suspected as much but had no idea why they would be expected. Someone might have seen them or overheard one of their meetings. Not that it mattered now – Shikamaru had a plan.
"You go in alone first…" the intention was to lull whoever was in the room into a false sense of security by sending the very person they wanted in alone and unprotected. He outlined his plan and they came to an agreement on their roles before Neji moved to enter the room and confront his cousin.
His expression was carefully blank but he was inwardly shocked to see that as well as the three associates they had followed, his cousin was standing before two of the Elders, conversing as though this were an utterly commonplace situation. All the men turned to look at Neji as he entered, and the prodigy cast a carefully disinterested gaze over them before commenting, "A little late for a council meeting isn't it?"
Standing with his arms casually by his side, he stayed a good distance away from them in a stance that allowed freedom to move for his concealed kunai if necessary but still appeared non-threatening. He knew his own clan techniques would not be enough to prevail in the event of a fight – they would be too easily anticipated and matched. Neji's cousin smiled jovially and addressed him as though they were old friends, though an undercurrent of malice was palpable.
"Ah Neji, a little late for you to be wandering the halls also, I should think. You haven't happened to bump into any cute brunettes again recently, have you?" Neji shrugged nonchalantly in response.
"Not recently, no." Shikamaru had speculated that his cousin would try to push Neji's buttons to make him lose focus but he was determined to react as little as possible the attempt.
"Such a shame. My friends here are so looking forward to becoming…acquainted with her."
He said it with the most sadistic smile Neji had ever seen and it made his skin crawl even as he shrugged it off. Shikamaru willed Neji to keep control of his temper long enough to get them to become complacent and admit their culpability.
"I doubt your friends could handle her, cousin. Stronger men have been brought down by her than you and your thugs."
"And isn't that the truth! I was just mentioning to our elders here, how you seem to have managed to disobey and disgrace the clan once again. Though I would wager this is your worst indiscretion yet, by far." He gestured to the two council members standing behind him and Neji realised why they were there. It wasn't his cousin who wanted to depose Hiashi and take over, it was two of the Elders – the two who Neji knew also hated him most. They had always disapproved of everything he did and had become increasingly vocal in the years since Neji, Hiashi and Hinata had reconciled and become close. Most of the verbal thrashings he received when summoned to this room where dished out by one or both of these men.
"I can't say I have any idea what you are talking about."
One of the elders stepped forward and addressed Neji angrily, "You know very well what he is talking about. And the fact that you think none of us would notice is simply arrogant. Exactly what I have always expected from you!"
"Hn," Neji would ordinarily not have much trouble ignoring such comments but this whole situation with Tenten, her physical state, and their relationship no longer being a secret between the two of them had left him feeling off-center and significantly shorter tempered than usual.
"You are insolent! You care nothing for your family and now you disgrace us with this whore!"
And there it was, that little trigger that set off a burning rage inside him that was almost uncontrollable. He could almost feel Shikamaru wincing in the hallway as he waited for his cue. "I suggest you watch your tongue, traitor. Or I may have to remove it for you…"
"You do not deny it?" the Elder hardly took any notice of the threat, looking equal parts enraged and disgusted.
"There seems little point in doing that…" Neji realised they must have only just found out about Tenten, otherwise they would have already dragged them both in here to face the entire council. He turned to his cousin assessing him as he asked the obvious question, "I assume you told them what you must have seen?"
"You assume correctly." As his cousin held the attention, Neji allowed the three associates to believe he didn't notice them slowly spreading out, preparing to attack him from all sides at once,
"And to think I would not have even known if she hadn't been standing outside the compound when I returned. Such unbelievable luck! But you know that and I expect you hid her; otherwise you wouldn't have come here alone. What were you going to do? Run? There is nowhere you can run where the clan won't find you, or her. Your child will be branded a slave just like its father!"
The second Elder obviously felt that the conversation might become circular from this point because he stepped forward to interrupt the two glaring young men, "Enough!" He turned to address Neji directly, an air of finality to his expression, "Your uncle and some of the weaker council members have been far too lenient on your rogue behavior for years, but it cannot be allowed to continue. You and this woman will both be dealt with and that will be the end of it."
Despite knowing that the encounter would go in this direction, indeed Shikamaru had planned for this, Neji still could not believe what he was hearing, "After which I suppose you plan to take over the clan and have everyone none the wiser to it?"
The same elder replied, seemingly interested in explaining his justification to Neji despite the obvious intention that he would not live to tell anyone about it. "Hinata is not strong enough to be leader of the clan. Your uncle has the rest of the council convinced but we are not fooled. She cannot be relied upon, but has always been under Hiashi's or your protection one way or another. Once you both are out of the way she won't be a problem. And the future of the clan will be assured. "
Neji saw his 'in' and replied with mock disinterest that he knew would irritate them, "I'm flattered that you're afraid of me…"
"Not afraid; you may be the prodigy but you are ultimately just an arrogant boy with a grudge against the Main House. At least, that is what you will be remembered as when we tell the rest of the council about your horrible crime. It won't take much to make them believe that you murdered your uncle in your misguided quest for vengeance, and that we had to eliminate you to protect the rest of the clan…" At that the two elders moved toward a side door at the other end of the room leading to a rear exit and waved dismissively at Neji's cousin, "You know what to do."
As they departed, Neji became aware of the positioning and stance of the four remaining men. He was surrounded, though they did not move to attack him as his cousin began a monologue of his brilliant plan.
"Unfortunately as you can see, they only got part of the memo. You will die. The secrets of the Byakugan will be extracted from Hiashi and his mutilated corpse left as evidence of your insane vendetta. Your woman will accompany these gentlemen on a one way trip where they will extract whatever secrets they see fit from her, one way or another, and when your child is born, they will kill her and raise a natural born, unsealed Byakugan user as their own personal weapon. All while I live comfortably in the glowing favour of the clan and the council for thwarting your evil plans – the new favourite."
He had just given them exactly the information they had been hoping for, though Neji doubted the council of elders would ever believe him if it weren't for Shikamaru listening outside.
"You really think you could get away with all of that?"
"I already have. Four against one isn't a fair fight, even for you. It's just a shame you wont get to see us drag that lovely little brunette out of the village unconscious and all alone. I'll make sure to say goodbye for you."
The visual that flashed through Neji's mind at that finally snapped his resolve. Without even realizing it he summoned his chakra into his hands and dropped into a defensive stance. His cousin did notice, however and he replied by mirroring Neji's stance, "Oh, there he is...finally the wolf comes out to play..."
Neji ignored his baiting comment, drawing a kunai as an afterthought as he added, "You wont make it past me."
An amused chuckle that reeked of confidence answered him as the four men around him began circling to remind him of their presence.
"No? theres still four of me and one of you.."
"Better make that two."