Loudly crying and sobbing as the whip made contact with the swollen flesh on her back, Tobi was yelling at her in his scary voice. But she couldn't hear him, so lost in her crying was she. Finally he stopped yelling at her, reverting back into his more friendly self.
"Tobi is a good boy!" he proclaimed.
"Y-yes, a good b-boy."
"Then why won't pretty girl stop crying!" he asked throwing the whip down and covered his face with his hands, as though he were going to cry himself through the mask.
"Be-because Tobi, it-it h-hurts," she gasped out.
"Tobi doesn't want to hurt pretty girl though! Tobi loves you!"
There was little strength left in her; not even false thoughts of a strange man with pretty eyes could save her mind anymore. Maybe this was realization, she didn't know, she just couldn't concentrate anymore.
"Why does pretty girl want to leave Tobi!" he asked in a very upset voice.
Her body shook as new tears arrived, "I'm sorry Tobi, pretty-pretty girl is sorry."
He hugged her tightly, and she could swear she heard him breathe out in relaxation. He clung to her just as she clung to her fractured mind and heart. She lost all shred of hope with every lash from the whip. The feeling that no one was going to come for her sank in to her mind. If she wanted freedom then she would have to do it alone. Or stay here and continue to be tortured by this man.
No, they will come. That man, his eyes, he'll find her. He had to. He promised her with his eyes!
She could help him; she could do everything on her part to help him find her. She hugged Tobi back slowly, tightening her grip as much as she could.
"Pretty girl, are you okay? Tobi didn't hurt you, did he?"
She managed a frail smile, "I'm alright Tobi, you are a good boy."
He nodded dramatically, "Tobi is a good boy!"
Her breath was feeling shallow, she was still naked, he wouldn't let her dress; she was so cold. "Can-can I please have some water, Tobi?"
Immediately jumping up, he released her and told her that he would be right back, all the while…forgetting the whip that he left behind. This could be her only chance.
-halo-
Itachi looked at the Chief of Police squarely in the eyes, or better known the man that is his father. Sasuke stood directly next to him, both brothers sharing blank looks on their faces.
"You have to be kidding me," Sasuke finally smarted.
Fugaku looked at his youngest son, then back to Itachi, "He's an old colleague of yours, Itachi. He's been working on the Akatsuki case for three years now, been in their ranks for two. It's a short window, but it's the best we have so far."
Itachi closed his eyes, only to see those happy lilac orbs gazing back at him. The look of the heiress's pale eyes changed from happy to terrified and confused in seconds, short window indeed.
"Who is it?" Sasuke asked crossing his arms; it never sat well with him when his father became involved in their cases. But this is now officially a capital investigation.
Hinata Hyuga was Konoha's sweetheart and no one ever realized it until now. There wasn't a soul out there who could honestly say a negative thing about the girl unless it was that she was too shy. She was a quiet girl, stayed out of the limelight. No one knew how much they respected her until now. Itachi's department has had more volunteers for finding her than on any other case.
"Classified information, Sasuke," his father retorted.
Itachi knew who it was, Kisame Hoshigaki. That man was a shark, he was fierce, loyal, and was a complete bastard in college. He was also the closest thing to a friend he had, other than family. They had lost touch once they graduated; now he knew why.
Kisame was a national spy.
"When?" Itachi asked.
"Half an hour, the man named Tobi and another member called Zetsu are with the Hyuga heiress in one of their underground hide-outs. Ten minutes and then you'll have to get out of there, we can't risk exposing information given to us by one of the actual members and lose three hard years of work, the missing money is a moot point right now."
Sasuke was outraged, "We'll take as damn long as we need to save her life!"
"No," Fugaku quickly demanded, "Do you realize how many lives have already been taken for the sake of this investigation? Hundreds."
Regardless, Itachi was of the same mind as his younger brother. He didn't care what his father ordered, they could imprison him after everything was said and done. It did not matter; he was going to save her no matter what. It wasn't about having flawless track records on his part, he just wouldn't accept it if he lost her after being so close to saving her at the bank. He would not let go.
"Get your team together and remember that silence is a necessity. I'll call you Itachi, when you can go in; here is the location of the hideout."
Yes, no matter what, he was going to save her.
After their father left to address the rest of Konoha via the press, Sasuke pressed his brother for what he was going to do. "We still don't know why they took her in the first place. What if we don't get her out in the window?"
Itachi stared his brother right in the eyes with a hypnotic promise, "We're getting her out."
-halo-
Now that she could hear more clearly, she could faintly make out his retreating footsteps. He constantly walked away from her in a different direction, but always came back to her the same way. Was he trying to give her a sense of confidence, or was he not realizing that she would pick up on that? After the sounds of his steps completely faded, and she felt that he was far enough away, she slowly made her way towards the bloody whip he previously used on her.
Her entire frame was sore, and her back felt like it was on fire. She reached it, but then…what was she going to do with it? She couldn't hide it; she still didn't have any clothes on. Looking back and forth, she decided to just bring it closer to the place where he had earlier bathed her.
Shudders returned at the memory of his hands exploring her body, she was nauseous by the time she replaced the whip. Returning back to the last place he left her, she waited patiently for him to return, grateful for the time alone.
For the time to think.
She knew she would be taking a great risk, but she promised herself that she would at least try to help out the man that was coming for her.
Maybe she already lost her mind, telling herself that some strange man she had never met before was going to come and rescue her. Perhaps she was crazy to place hope and blind faith with a man who she shared a mere glance with, but it was the only thing keeping her going.
Whatever gave her hope and confidence right now was what she wanted to concentrate on.
Although, attacking Tobi just might mean her death. Just because he was the only one who came to visit her, didn't mean that he was alone by any means. Others could be there, she just didn't know. But it didn't matter, she had to do something. She wasn't weak; she would prove her father and everyone else wrong.
She wouldn't die here!
Quickly her vigor fell as footsteps again were heard coming closer and closer towards her. Her lips began to tremble again, black eyes, black eyes, black eyes. She had to think of him, think of his dark eyes, she wished she knew his name.
"Hey pretty girl, Tobi was a good boy and got you some water!"
She trembled through her smile, "Th-thank you, Tobi." He liked it when she said his name; that was why he put a whip to her back, because she stopped saying his name earlier.
"Heehee, drink up!"
She did, "It's-it's so g-good Tobi, I really like it."
He stopped his pacing to animatedly clap his hands in a wild gesture. "Oh good! Tobi is so happy!"
The chills eased in his presence for just a moment, "Yes, thank you Tobi."
"Tobi likes when pretty girl smiles, pretty girl should always smile," he said excitedly.
She sent another fake smile, tears again gathering in her eyes, "Tobi, can I ask wh-what's going to happen t-to me?"
He was quiet for a moment; then the moment turned into several minutes. It surprised her when he answered her in his deadly normal voice, "Eventually, I'm going to kill you." After seeing her withdraw into herself and shake all over, he walked away again.
That was when Hinata made her move. She raced towards the whip; he didn't even realize it yet. Before she knew it she was choking him, wrapping the long cord around his neck and pulling tightly. He was screaming but it came out as gurgles, the grip was loose because of the blood, her blood, that coated the cords. He kept twisting and turning, he was too strong for her.
Images of her sister, her father, her cousin, and lastly…the man with the beautiful dark eyes flashed before her.
She lost her grip.