His brow beaded with sweat and his limbs ached. Breaths seemed ridiculously loud to his ears and his stomach rolled in his gut, nervous anticipation was making a wreck out of him.

Who knew staying still required so much energy?

Naruto got an itch on his nose and mentally cursed out Shikamaru. Fucking lazy bastard, he thought with vehemence, the strategical genius should know better. Shaking his head he breathed deeply, calming himself before feeling the area around him.

He was amidst support beams, shadow hiding him as the hanging lights shone only downward. The lofty ceiling concealed shadows within shadows at night, the windows below only letting in the slightest illuminance from outside.

The dirt floor of the warehouse soaked up light like water, a matte background behind the figures below. He watched them. One patrolled the length of the building, with another at each end. He knew there were more outside and in the neighboring structures, but they didn't concern him. There was no communication between the squads until the changed shifts- another four hours.

Up jumped civilians, he thought, no self respecting shinobi would be caught guarding some worthless warehouse out in the middle of nowhere. Unless they were not trying to draw unwanted attention to themselves, he crouched lower scanning the area for the target.

There he was, Naruto silently followed him above. Middle-aged with forgettable features save for a noticeable tattoo that started on his neck and ran down his shoulder, disappearing into his clothing. It looked like a blob from where he was but he knew it was a stylized cloud.

Naruto grunted, what idiot would put something that recognizable on his puppet? The man didn't seem to notice his stalker, and continued to pace methodically. His face showing nothing but boredom.

Waiting, Naruto glanced towards the north end of the building, sighing when no signal came yet. The shadows hid nothing save cobwebs and dust. Was he going to make me wait all night? he thought with annoyance.

Leaning against a rafter, he paused. Not relaxed, but not tense either. Ready to spring into action if the need arose. The man paced underneath, glancing left and right but never up. Smirking, they never looked up.

He waited, watching the shadows crisscross and lengthen. He snapped his head around, the glint of a reflected forehead protector coming from the far corner. Finally, Naruto reached for a kunai and moved directly overhead the man, any second now...

A crash boomed outside, drawing the attention of the guards below. He dropped down, catching the man from behind while the other's backs were turned. Clamping a hand over his mouth, he pulled him back through a now open door.

"Follow Akamaru," Kiba whispered, while shutting the door and then slipping around the corner of the building.

The man struggled, but he had a firm grip on him and was able to drag him into the foliage. Akamaru biting one of his kicking legs and helping to take him. The rendezvous point was still some distance away, so with the help of the huge dog, Naruto held down the man, gagged him and tied his hands behind his back.

He pushed the man forward, Akamaru growling menacingly from his side, "Don't try anything," he warned, holding up his kunai.

The man just stared ahead, his expression bland.

Shaking his head, Naruto shoved him again and started towards the meeting place. The undergrowth was thick and the night dark, but they had scouted the area thoroughly and he knew where to go. Besides, he could find it with his eyes closed. It was a coalescence of natural energy he could feel for miles.

A quick glance behind him, no more crashes could be heard. The others would be here soon, moving faster then he could.

Speaking of which, he grabbed the man while Shikamaru stepped out from around the trees, "Good," the genius said, shoving his hands in his pockets, "I'll follow."

They moved forward, eventually an excited yip announcing the arrival of Kiba. By that time they had reached the small clearing, and Naruto sat the man down before checking the traps around the perimeter.

Shikamaru glanced around then fixed his gaze on their prisoner. The man stared back.

None of the traps had been triggered, Naruto went back to the clearing. The others waited, each moment growing more anxious until Shikamaru ungagged the man, "Now, let's see if you talk."

At that moment Chouji finally showed up, a bit out of breath but none the worse for wear, "No waiting?"

"You're here now," Shikamaru replied, sticking his hands in his pockets and leaning against a nearby tree.

Chouji stepped forward, pulling something out of his pouch. Naruto nodded, watching as he went up to the man and shoved something into his mouth, holding his nose and forcing the man to swallow.

An interrogation pill. A new construct of the Akimichi clan, an edible substance that forced the target to obey commands and tell the truth.

"So," Shikamaru drawled, "Mind telling us about Akatsuki?"

The man remained silent.

"That wasn't a suggestion."

The man was still, not even seeming to breathe.

Shikamaru frowned, a slight furrowing of his brows that disappeared as soon as Naruto noticed it, "You don't know? Then what about Pein?"

The man looked up at the name but otherwise did nothing.

"Tell me about Pein."

At the man's lack of response, Chouji stepped forward, "It should be working..." he trailed off.

Shikamaru wasn't really paying attention to his friend, but instead staring intently at the man. He knelt down, "Pein."

The man gargled, like he was trying to say something but couldn't, a strangled sound.

"Pein."

A choked whisper escaped the man, he convulsed and then slumped forward.

"Eh? What happened?" Kiba.

Naruto stepped forward, pushing the man back up to a sitting position and quickly drew away, "He died!?"

"No," Shikamaru stood back up, "He was already dead. That's why the pill didn't work on him."

Naruto blanched, already dead? But he was moving earlier...

The corpse opened up, a sickening crunching sound of the body's rib cage cracking apart. Shocked they drew their weapons, waiting. The cavity oozed, a foul stench and sight. Kiba snorted and Akamaru whined. What was going on?

Then a small white something flew out of the corpse high into the night air. From a distance it looked kinda like one of those paper airplanes he made as a kid. It circled a few times slowly, then made a beeline west.

"It's getting away!" Kiba shouted, "Akamaru!"

The huge dog barked once then bounded off through the trees. Kiba was about to follow when Shikamaru stopped him, "Wait," he said, glancing once at the corpse before walking away from it, "Akamaru can track it, and besides it can really only be going one place."

"Where?" Naruto asked.

"The Village Hidden in the Sand."

Disclaimer: It belongs to someone else.

A/N: The first part is up, there will be a Hinata chapter on Sunday and then the continuation. A few notes:

So what's up with the man? I don't know exactly how Pein's stuff works so I am kinda making it up.

So Suna? Guess that'll be fun, heheh.

Got some gore in this chapter, and probably in the continuation too. I haven't really lived up the to rating besides swearing so until any sex there's got to be violence.

As always, thanks for reading.