Chapter 3 – Kidnapping an Heir

"Where have you been?" Fugaku Uchiha asked when Itachi stepped into the Hokage's office. His office now. The thought made him swell with carefully concealed pride.

"There was some unrest after the assembly," Itachi said. "I had to settle some… incidents on the street."

Fugaku nodded. "It was to be expected. The people are disgruntled, especially after the Hyuuga clan's act of defiance. It shows how little trust they have in the Uchiha."

With good reason, Itachi thought.

"I trust things will settle down, eventually," Fugaku went on. "However, I cannot ignore and I will not tolerate the Hyuugas' insubordination. I expect Hiashi's determination to see me removed from my position will make him strike at the first opportunity…"

Itachi wondered where his father was going with this. A feeling of dread curled up in his stomach like a sleeping demon.

"… which is why we are going to strike first." Fugaku paused, carefully analyzing the expression on his son's face. Itachi, however, did not seem surprised. "I am going to entrust this matter to you, Itachi. You are to kidnap the Hyuuga heiress tonight. She is only a ten-year old mewling girl. As long as you can slip through their defenses, this mission should not give you any trouble."

Itachi needed all his strength to keep the disapproval from showing on his face for his father's sharingan to see. You and I will do our duty and obey any order he gives us. Shisui's words rang in his mind, reminding him what needed to be done.

Would the Hyuuga clan help fight against the Uchiha with their heiress held hostage? Shisui had not anticipated such a bold move from Fugaku. This one act could ruin their whole plan. The clans would either bow to Fugaku's will for fear their heirs would be taken or they would rally too early and be defeated.

Whatever the outcome of this dangerous game his father was playing, Itachi had no way out. All he could do was accept the assignment without hesitation, as Shisui had instructed.

"Go, then," Fugaku said. "Bring me Hinata Hyuuga."

Itachi hid his face behind the ANBU mask and left the Hokage's tower, heading full-speed toward the Hyuuga district. In the darkness of the night, he was no more than a fleeting shadow. Did the Hyuuga expect such a swift retaliation from the Uchiha? Had they bolstered their defenses around the perimeter? Question after question rushed through his mind and remained unanswered. As he neared his destination, however, Itachi pushed all questions from his mind and allowed himself to focus on the task at hand.

It was well past midnight now and the Hyuuga estate was suffused in darkness. Itachi waited for a while, perched on a branch, watching for any sign of guards on patrol. Even concealed by the foliage as he was, he could not have hoped to escape detection by the Byakugan. He remained still for almost an hour before daring to cross the wall and rushed through the gardens. He had studied the map of the estate and was able to sneak into the inner courtyard avoiding detection. From here, the way to Lady Hinata's room was easy.

He tiptoed along a veranda and opened a panel that led to an inner corridor. Across this corridor, he pulled another panel door and walked in, making sure to shut it behind him. His sharingan saw the small sleeping form of the Hyuuga heiress, huddled under the blankets. Itachi approached her bed cautiously and pulled a vial from his pocket, which he opened and placed under the girl's nose.

Hinata inhaled deeply and wrinkled her nose at the scent, though she did not wake up. Nor would she, Itachi knew. At least not for a while. He carefully picked her up and hoisted her over his shoulder. To him, she seemed light as a pillow. For a moment, he hesitated, thinking of how he would feel if someone were to steal his little brother in the night. Hinata and Sasuke were the same age.

… obey any order he gives us.

Itachi gritted his teeth, adjusted her position to allow him to make a quick escape and left the way he had come. "You're dooming us all," he mentally accused his father as he ran. As he was putting distance between himself and the Hyuuga estate, Hinata stirred. Her eyes fluttered open for a moment, but she was too groggy to move or understand what was happening.

"W-who are y-you?"

Itachi's sharingan looked into her milky eyes. "It's all right, Hinata-sama. You're safe. Go back to sleep." He was smiling, and though she could not have seen it through his mask, she heard it in his voice. Her eyes closed and her head hung down as she fell asleep again. Had she made any attempt to fight him, he would have had to put her in a genjutsu. He was relieved it was not the case.

An hour later, he landed on the balcony of the Hokage tower and entered the office. His father was still there, looking through some papers. His eyes lit up at the sight of the Hyuuga heiress. Itachi carefully placed her limp form on a sofa and turned around to face his father. Fugaku smiled.

"Well done. That's my son," he said. "Did you run into any trouble with the Hyuuga?"

Itachi said no.

"Go home and rest, then. You've earned it. I'll make arrangements for the girl."

Itachi glanced at her once more before leaving the way he had come. He had not told his father, but this kidnapping had felt to him a bit too easy to accomplish. He could not shake the feeling that something was wrong, that the Hyuuga would have the last laugh in this matter.

On his way home, he summoned a crow. Shisui had to know about the kidnapping, but he could not deliver the message himself. Visiting his friend at this time of night would certainly not go unnoticed and his father would have one more reason to suspect them of being up to something. As soon as the crow flew, Itachi finally allowed himself a moment of peace as he walked home.

The Uchiha district was quiet when he arrived. One of the Uchiha on patrol nodded at him in greeting. A cat yowled in the night somewhere. Itachi entered his house, took off his sandals and walked along the corridor to his room. As tired as he was, he knew he would fall asleep the moment his head hit the pillow, however he paused along the way to peer into his little brother's room.

Sasuke was sound asleep, sprawled all over the bed, as usual. He smiled, and watched as he tossed and turned in his sleep, mumbling about something called a 'naruto'. He wondered what he had been up to all day, whether he realized the gravity of the situation they were in. Their mother had likely protected Sasuke from the news, but her protection would not last for long, as tomorrow was a school day.

Suddenly feeling that emptiness in the pit of his stomach again, Itachi pulled the panel door to his brother's room and walked away.