In this chapter, you'll be able to relate yourself why Ino was very eager about this mission despite the fact that she was not officially handling the case.

Well, it wasn't exactly the smooth start Naruto wanted for this particular investigation. While undercover, he'd been made quite easily – by his subordinate, no less. And then that subordinate had frisked him.

He was sorry to say that the frisking had been more enjoyable than it should have been.

Far more.

"The chief assigned you this case?" Yamanaka Ino asked as she followed him.

Since he'd already made that perfectly clear, and since he detected some resentment in her voice, he assumed that she'd heard him correctly but wasn't in agreement with the chief's decision.

Naruto stopped at the edge of the narthex and pressed the transmitter of the communication deice in his jacket.

"Did anyone enter the church for the past three minutes?" he asked the backup officer, positioned in an office building directly across the street.

"None sir."

So they had been lucky. Yamanaka Ino's stunt hadn't allowed the sniper to walk in unchallenged. Of course, if the killer followed the method of operation of the last shooting, he or she wouldn't burst into the church until the "I do's" had been said. There'd be a frenzied battery of gunfire from a ski-masked shooter who wouldn't actually enter the sanctuary but would stay in the narthex and then make an easy get-away. Just the way it happened to the previous victims, Haruno Sakura and Uchiha Sasuke.

Naruto clicked off the transmitter and glanced back at Detective Yamanaka.

She was staring at him as if he were a member of the fungus family.

Too bad he couldn't say the same for her.

She was attractive. Damn attractive. Not like a beauty queen either, but in a strong, athletic, kick-butt sort of way. The Lara Croft type.

The type he found hot.

And no amount of denial would make his body think otherwise. Fortunately, the parts of his body that noticed her attractive looks didn't have any say in the decisions he made.

"There's been some kind of mistake," she jammed her gun into her holster. "After the initial investigator dropped out because of family illness, I requested this case, and I was told that my request was under consideration," she told him.

"It was," Naruto calmly assured her. "But the considering part is finished now, and I'm the lead investigator. End of discussion."

There was nothing calm about her response. He saw some fire dance through ultra clear, aqua colored eyes. He'd obviously stepped on her toes, toes encased very nicely in a pair of sex-against-the-wall stilettos.

Something else about her that he truly wished he hadn't noticed.

Naruto quickly pushed that, her physical attributes and the remnants of the frisking aside. What the devil was wrong with him anyway? Even if he'd been looking to spice up his love life, he darn sure wouldn't have been looking in Yamanaka Ino's direction.

"I knew the woman who was killed last week," she added.

As if that would help her cause.

"Haruno Sakura," Naruto supplied. "You went to high school together and you've maintained constant contact with her and her family. You probably would have attended her wedding even if you hadn't been on a stakeout. Your relationship with the victim however, doesn't give you priority in this investigation. In fact, it does just the opposite.i don't care to work with an officer who comes into a case with a personal chip on his or her shoulder."

She unclenched her teeth before she could speak.

"There's no personal chip, Sergeant. Just my desire to bring a killer to justice."

"Good. Then, we're in agreement. I have that same desire, but that doesn't mean I'll allow you to be part of this case."

The moment the words left his mouth, it was then that Naruto remembered a vital point that had come to mind.

"By the way, why'd you stake out this particular church?"

The fire in those aqua orbs dwindled a fraction.

"Because the bride and the groom met through the Perfect Match Agency, the same matchmaking service where Sakura and her fiancé met," she stated.

"They both also had the same florist, so I thought there might be some connection. I contacted the minister here at the church – " she didn't finished her sentence when Naruto asked her,

"You told him about this possible connection?"

"No. Of course not. There's only been one shooting, and I have no proof that there'll be another one. I didn't want the couple to bring a possible lawsuit against the department for disrupting their wedding, so I simply reminded the minister of some recent robberies in the area and offered my services as a temporary security guard. He agreed, and we came up with the idea of using the guest registry as my cover," she answered.

So she'd done her homework. He liked that. But that this wasn't a time when brownie points counted.

"The florist and Perfect Match could be a coincidence. There are other possible angles," he said.

"Yes, Sakura's fiancé was one of the prominent persons here in Hidden Leaf, so maybe the shooting could be politically motivated or maybe their death are linked to some other aspect of their personal lives." She paused. "But I don't believe that, and apparently neither do you, or you wouldn't be here today."

Touché.

Naruto fought back the urge to smile. Under different circumstances, he might have enjoyed this verbal sparring with her, but these weren't different circumstances. Yamanaka Ino would be on his way, because despite her denial, this case was personal for her. In his experience, when it got personal, people made mistakes.

That wasn't going to happen on his watch.

"I came here to follow up on one particular theory. One theory of several," he assured her.

Naruto checked the entryway. No new guests, and the others had already moved into the church. He could hear the organ start to play, an indication that the bride and groom were about to make their entrance.

Hopefully, it wouldn't be their last.

Ino huffed. "I know those theories as well as you – " she was cut off again when they heard Naruto's communicator.

"A stout male is approaching the church," the backup officer said through the communicator.

That and the sound of hurried heavy footsteps, interrupted whatever else she was about to say. Frantic footsteps sent them both reaching for their guns. In the same motion, she stepped into the hallway beside him. However, the threat for which they'd braced themselves didn't materialize.

Who came into sight was no other than Ino's teammate Akimichi Chouji. his weapon already drawn, but he held it discreetly by his side.

"Ino, what's going on?" he demanded.

Because Naruto was standing arm to arm with her, he felt her muscles relax.

"False alarm," she let him know. Once again she reholstered her gun. "This is Sergeant Uzumaki Naruto. Homicide. This is Detective Akimichi Chouji, Special Investigations."

Unlike Ino, Chouji didn't appear to relax. Just the opposite. Ino couldn't make out what made him tense up. Maybe he really was worried for her. He was her best friend. They're like brothers and sisters. But she didn't guessed what concerned him, not until he uttered Naruto's name.

"Uzumaki," Chouji repeated in the same tone that he no doubt reserved for profanity. "According to the rumor mill, the chief sent you in to investigate Homicide lieutenant, Nara Shikamaru. And possibly, Ino and me, too."

"The chief did what?!" Ino asked.

This obviously wasn't the way to win friends and influence people. But that didn't matter. He had a job to do, and he'll do it, with our without these two.

"Since it appears you can answer her questions," Naruto began. "I'll leave you to it and see what's happening in the church. I'd prefer that people didn't die while we're standing around chitchatting."

It was a good exit line. The only thing missing was, well, the good exit. Ino didn't get out of his way so he could leave, and the hallway was too narrow to go around her. He really didn't want to play bump and grind just so he could get past her.

Really.

Even if there were various parts of him that thought it might be fun.

Her hands went to her hips. "I don't know what your agenda is – "

"To do my job," Naruto insisted.

That earned him a scowl. "Me and my friends are good cops. And our lieutenant wasn't playing favorites. Don't judge either of them by the fact that I came here today. This undercover investigation was my idea and mine alone."

Since it was clear that this argument of theirs wouldn't be resolve in the next couple of minutes, Naruto put his gun back into his holster, and firmly caught her shoulders and mover her out of his path. "I'll see you both back at the headquarters when I'm finished here."

He turned to leave. But still he didn't manage that exit. A few steps was as far as he got. The sound stopped him in his tracks. Because it was the last thing he wanted to hear. A sound he'd anticipated, and dreaded.

A shot blasted through the church.

The emotion of her argument with Sergeant Uzumaki evaporated instantly, and in its place, Ino felt the barrage of instinct and adrenaline.

Sweet heaven. The sniper had attacked after all, and she hadn't been able to stop it. She prayed the bullet missed its target and prayed everyone was safe.

"The shot came from outside," Naruto offered, taking the words right out from her mouth. "The west side of the building, maybe. Or it could be the rear, Akimichi, secure the front doors, and just in case someone else hasn't already done it, call for backup. Yamanaka, you're coming with me."

Naruto didn't hesitate. Neither did Chouji nor Ino. Chouji hurried to the front door, kicking it shut and locking it. He kept his weapon ready, secured a spot near one of the sidelight windows and then pulled out his cellphone. Naruto went in the direction of the sanctuary, and Ino followed.

"Get down!" Naruto yelled to the guests.

Most had already done just that, squeezing themselves underneath the pews. There were raw screams. Chaos. The smell of fear. And in the middle of that, Ino saw the bride and the groom and the minister cowering between the altar and an archway of pale peach roses.

No visible evidence of blood. Thank goodness. They seemed unharmed.

For now.

"There's an auxiliary building out there. Two story, brown and brick," she relayed to Naruto. "our gunman could be using it as a catbird seat."

He nodded and without taking his attention off the partially shot-out stained glass window, he whispered to her over his shoulder. "You don't happen to have another accomplice in the parking lot, huh?" he sarcastically asked her.

"I wish. But no. We're on our own until backup arrives," she answered. Which wouldn't be for minutes. Long, critical minutes.

Where just about anything could happen.

"Good," Naruto responded. "Because I have an officer out there. One who's officially on this case, and I didn't want any of your accomplices accidentally shooting him while he's trying to do his job."

Ino didn't appreciate the sarcasm but welcomed all the help they could get. Maybe the officer would be able to stop the gunman before any more damage was done.

But at the moment, that seemed a lot to hope for.

There'd been damage already. Even if they stopped the shooting here and now, every one of the guests would surely remember this horrifying ordeal for the rest of their lives. Ino blamed herself for that. She'd been in a position to stop this and failed.

A second shot rang out, quickly followed by another. And another. Two of the three went through a window on the right front side of the church and tore chunks of glass from the frame. No doubt that's what the shooter intended to do. Now he or she had a direct line of sight into the church.

Yelling and crying out, the bride, groom, and minister, scurried to the other side of the altar, but it wouldn't give them shelter for long. Bullets could easily eat through wood.

"I'll make my way over there," Naruto tipped his head to a set of ornate double doors, which were only a couple of yards away from the shattered window.

"If necessary, I'll return fire to draw the sniper's attention. I might be able to get a visual and take him out."

Yes.or maybe the gunman would get him first. Of course, that was a chance they had to take.

"I can help." Ino kicked off her stilettos and tore her long gown so they wouldn't get in her way. "There aren't any guests near that other window next to the doors. I'll knock out the glass and return fire as well. Don't worry – I'll keep watch for your officer and make sure I don't send any friendly fire his way."

Naruto might have disagreed on that impromptu plan, but he didn't get a chance to say anything as more shots came crashing through the building.

Nonstop, heavy, thick blasts.

The sounds were deafening. And they drowned out the shouts, screams and prayers that increased each new round of fire. Just as Ino had figured, those shots were aimed right at the wooden altar. It was the same as the first shooting, the one that had killed her best friend Sakura and her fiancé, Sasuke. She had already guessed that Sakura's murder wasn't some random act of violence.

For all the good it'd done her.

Her guess was right, and yet it still being repeated right under her nose.

The bride screamed. Maybe in pain. Maybe just from fear. Ino prayed it was the latter.

Naruto moved. Fast, low and graceful. With Ino following closely behind him, they went toward the door. Along the way, he identified himself and doled out assurances to the terrified guests.

He kept close to the perimeter wall until he got to the row of stained glass windows, and then he lowered himself to the floor and proceeded to the doors.

The shots stopped for only a couple of seconds. Not for reloading. Ino soon learned. And they didn't stop because the sniper was finished for the day. No. The break was so the person could change out rifles. The sound of the new shots told her that much since it was a different calibration. Whoever was doing this had certainly come prepared to kill but wasn't necessarily an expert marksman. The stray bullets were landing everywhere- which of course, made the situation all the more dangerous.

Ino made her way right behind Uzumaki Naruto. Trying to time it perfectly to coordinate with his efforts, she sheltered her eyes and used the grip of her gun to knock out the glass that formed the image of the archangel, Michael. The glass was solid and held in place by not just strips of lead solder but also a sturdy frame. It took several hard jabs before she managed to dislodge enough of it so she could see into the parking lot.

Pressing her back against the narrow section of wall next to the doors, she rotated her body and did a quick check outside. She had a fairly good view of the building – and the dozen or so windows facing the church. Too many windows, and the reflection of the early afternoon sun didn't make things easier. She quickly scanned them all as best she could.

No shooter in sight.

Yet, he had to be there.

Somewhere.

Because he was still firing.

While still low on the floor, Naruto reached up and turned the old-fashioned brass handle on the door. He opened it a fraction and looked out. Ino waited for a signal so she could return fire.

And just like that, the shots stopped.

She felt another surge of adrenaline slam through her. A bad-feeling kind of surge. If the gunman wasn't shooting, then he was likely making his getaway.

That couldn't happen.

Because she knew in her heart that he would continue this until someone stopped him.

It was a risk, but Ino moved closer to the window so she could check the parking lot and the grounds. Naruto did the same to the door. He stood, took position and aimed.

"Think," she whispered to herself. If she were a killer, what would be her escape plan? Not the parking lot. Too visible. Not the side either since it bumped right against a fairly busy street.

No.

He'd go out the rear of the building and slip into the myriad of old shops and businesses that were crammed into this particular part of the downtown area. Ino heard the sound of siren the moment that Naruto opened the door wider. Mumbling something, he peered out. He'd perhaps come to the same conclusion as she had. The gunman was getting away.

"Stay put," he ordered.

It was a logical order.

She needed to stay there to protect the guests. Still, part of her wanted to go after the gunman.

"Hold your positions." Naruto called out. Ino turned around and saw Chouji with his cellphone pressed on his ear.

"Backup is in pursuit of a white car that just sped away." He told her.

Ino released the breath that she didn't know she'd been holding. She glanced at Naruto, but he didn't seem any more eager than she was to let down his guard. So they did the only thing they could. They waited with their backs literally against the wall and their guns ready.

"Is anyone hurt?" Naruto called out to the guests.

The response varied, most still layered with panic, but from what she gathered, no one had actually been shot. Nothing short of a miracle. Ino had a quick prayer of thanks for that and then turned to the man who'd given her so much grief for being here.

"Still think that I'm the wrong person for this case?" she asked Naruto.

"Yes." No hesitation whatsoever.

The analogy of butting her head against the brick wall came to mind. "but I guessed right about the gunman picking this particular wedding. Even in yout book that has to count for something."

He made another quick check of the parking lot. "It doesn't count for much."

Crouching there among the shattered glass and the smell of gunfire, it seemed petty to dislike this man because he was arrogant and hardheaded, but that didn't prevent her scowl. The scowl didn't lessen either when Chouji called out something else.

"It's over already. Backup lost the guy in pursuit." Chouji announced.

"Slowly,the guests began to come out of hiding. Hugging each other. Crying. Praying . Most still in shock.

Ino groaned and scrubbed her hand over her face. This wasn't over because the killer just got started.

How did you like the cocky Naruto? Don't forget to review please. As this will affect the upload of the next chapter.