Last chapter for this story today, enjoy.

Note-this chapter contains some gore, but it's not described too graphically. If you are quite sensitive to this stuff though, you may wish to skip this chapter (but it really isn't that graphic!).

"Yes," Konan calmly said.

"Why?" Kisame asked.

"Because Kisame, if we stop Kakuzu will put even more distance between himself and us," Konan said. "That's why we should keep on going through the night. Also, we're close to the boarder, and we don't need to wake up in a cell."

The eight members of the Akatsuki had taken two and a half hours, instead of the three Kakuzu had taken, to get to the boarder. Much too every man's chagrin, Konan had instated they keep going for another two hours at least.

"Kakuzu's already several hours ahead, and we might lose any evidence of where he went if we don't move," she continued.

"But we won't be able to see the tracks as clearly," Pein argued. "And there's no point in fighting Orochimaru when we all look like we've been dragged though a hedge."

"We could at least get over the border," Konan said. Pein sighed and gave in.

"Weakling," all the other men muttered darkly.

"You want your wages to be lost?" Pein asked.

"Kakuzu pays us," Itachi said. "You have no control over our wages."

Kakuzu had tried calling out, but had heard no reply. Looking was getting him nowhere, he had followed the cart tracks and found the cart by a large mountain. It was as if the ninjas had performed a magic trick and magically vanished into thin air. Where had they gone?

"Hidan!" he called out again. Again, there was no reply. Where was he? Kakuzu sighed and started yet another walk around the bottom of the mountain. They could be higher up, but he hadn't seen evidence of any kind that there was anything up there. If this next walk failed to bring anything to light, he would climb up and look. Then he would give up and move on. To where he didn't know, but he would find something that would take him to Hidan and home.

Hidan had pretty much lost all hope two hours before. Now he was lying in his cell, too tired to even smile when he heard footsteps.

"I see you finally stopped shouting."

Hidan didn't respond, he merely lifted his head slightly so he could see the person's feet. It sounded like a man who was speaking.

"I see the rumours were correct," the man said. "You really do hate being locked up, don't you?"

Hidan twitched, the man annoyed him, even if he hadn't said anything to provoke him.

"I suppose we should start. I'll see you in a few minutes Hidan," the man said, snapping his fingers. Hidan heard the cell door being unlocked and footsteps come towards him. He didn't try to escape as two people unlocked his chains and roughly lifted him to his feet, before forcing him to walk forward and out of the cell. He found himself dragged down winding corridors, through a door that was covered in blood on one side but spotless on the other. He was tossed on to a table and chained down. It was only then that Hidan felt anything. And that was worry. What was going to happen to him? The ninjas ran off, leaving Hidan on his own.

"I really didn't expect you to lose so much of your will so quickly," the man said, stepping into view. Hidan scowled, his eyes somehow not seeing the man. Hidan forced them to work, to observe. The man had very pale skin, practically white, and his eyes were purple. Hidan couldn't take in much more after that. He just couldn't. Slowly he forced his brain to work, he knew who this man was.

"Cat got your tongue? Did all that screaming tire you out?" the man said.

There had been a snake...and body modifications...and a snake...he knew who this man was. Orochimaru, one of the Sannin, was standing in front of him. Hidan growled softly, he didn't want this man anywhere near him. He had never met the guy in person before now, but he had heard enough to know the guy was powerful. And freaky. He experimented on live people! Hidan was worried.

"You know, I've heard that you're immortal," Orochimaru said, circling Hidan, who eyed him as much as possible, determined to figure the man out. "It's something I long for dearly. So I've been wondering, are there any changes, mutations that your body has that makes it different? There's only one way to find out."

The man took out a small knife and walked round so he was facing Hidan directly. Then he cut Hidan's clock off, leaving him bare-chested. A look of concern entered Hidan's eyes as this was done. Orochimaru smiled evilly and made two thin cuts, barely breaking the skin, in a cross shape on Hidan's stomach. Seemingly satisfied, he plunged the knife into Hidan and started cutting him open. Hidan screamed in pain as Orochimaru cut across the other line and peeled Hidan's skin back.

"Doesn't seem to be anything different," he muttered slowly, probing at various organs, causing Hidan to scream even more. He realised now what the chains where for, he had been fighting to break free quite desperately. Anything other than chains would have broken by now.

"FUCK!" Hidan screamed in pain as Orochimaru grabbed a rib and snapped it cleanly in half. The man followed up by grabbing his heart and pulling it out of his chest slightly. Disturbingly, Orochimaru seemed to enjoy the scream and drew the heart out even more. Hidan screamed every single swear word he knew as Orochimaru left the heart connected to the veins and started to cut it open, Blood spilled out and splattered on to the floor. Orochimaru started to examine the organ with great interest as Hidan fought against his bindings.

Kakuzu looked up at the mountain. He was going to regret this so much later. Slowly he gathered chakra and started to walk up the mountain. Half an hour later, he was having a hard time breathing, he had been travelling all day and as it was pitch black, he had to take his time so he didn't slip, which of course cost him more chakra.

"Go!"

Kakuzu turned rapidly as five ninja shot at him, obviously full of chakra. He dodged the blows sent at him, only to be sent into the rock as five more ninja snuck up behind him and attacked. He reached for a kunai but was blocked by a barrage of punches and kicks, each blow sending him further into the mountain. By the time he could get out he felt faint and weak. Then a blow came for his face and everything went black.