Anyways, 1zara-uchiha1 and I don't own the Naruto cast or anything else you might recognize. 1zara-uchiha1 owns Laura and I own Kahlan. Together we own the plot.
Chapter 39
Note: Akatsuki will use a civilian as a spy.
~Kahlan's POV
I quickly sit up in bed, my eyes widen in horror. My breathing is quick as I look down at my shaking hands to make sure there isn't any blood on them. I just had a nightmare of Hidan killing the woman again. Only in the dream Hidan had done more than just slit her throat, and when I went to help her she was pointing her finger accusingly at me telling me it is my entire fault.
Clenching onto the sheets tightly I close my eyes to get a hold of my emotions. I can't have anyone knowing how I feel, and if I don't get this under control it will make protecting Laura harder. Take a deep breath in, hold and start rebuilding the wall surrounding my emotions, cover the cracks, make it stronger then exhale. Inhale, imagine all over again and exhale. I do this for a few minutes.
Opening my eyes, I look over to the time only to freeze. Laura is missing. On her pillow is a note. Quickly, I snatch it up, my eyes scanning over the words. My throat feels like it's starting to close as I imagine what could happen if she gets caught. How long ago did she even leave? Looking over to the time it read 5:59 and now becomes six. If the Akatsuki don't know she's gone now then she might still be safe.
Grabbing Rellik, I squeeze him to me tightly. Whispering I start praying, my voice slightly shaking. "Lord, I know we don't talk much and I have asked for a few things. Please can you prove to me just this once that you exist? I'm begging please that you keep Laura safe. Please…Amen."
Pushing the covers off, I quietly get out of the bed. I notice that Konan is gone and my hearts starts accelerating. Quickly, I start shredding the piece of paper to shreds then shove it down the small garbage bin, covering it with the rest of the garbage. Quietly, I grab my stuff and walk out and heading to the empty weapon room.
Closing the door, I lock it and lean against it shaking. My eyes scan around the room, knowing there isn't a place to hide. If only I had my weapons. I know I don't know how to use them correctly, but at least they would have been able to help if just a little bit.
I place my stuff into the corner of the room. I slowly venture to the door and unlock it. Opening it, I walk out as quietly as possible. I start taking things from Laura's and mine room taking them to where I will be barricading myself. No doubt eventually the Akatsuki will try to punish me for Laura successfully escaping…hopefully.
Once back in the room, I close the door and lock. I then push the desk and dressers against the door. They should help hold the door in place for a while, keeping me safe. Walking over to the corner in the left of the room, I sit down pulling my stuff closer. Slowly, I reach out and grab my music folder. Flipping it open, I go to the song 'Fall-Apart.'
Taking a deep breath I close my eyes and imagine the music playing in my head. I softly hum the melody, timing the song waiting for when it's time to start it. I even start quietly drumming on my knees.
"It's getting late," I softly sing. "Another day comes to an end. Everything feels like it's starting to suffocate. Building up defenses to keep hold of the weight of the world; I don't wanna turn cold."
Pushing the folder away, I grab Rellik and hold him close. I don't feel like singing. As some time passes I start hearing some of the Akatsuki members calling my name. I keep quite not wanting to give my location away. This may get me into more trouble, but I don't care.
A few minutes later there is a knock on the door. I press myself into the corner, burying my face into Rellik's soft fur. A few seconds later someone is trying to open the door, and thankfully it's locked for now.
"Kahlan are you in there," ask the voice of Leader.
Biting on my lower lip I shut my eyes tightly. I try pushing the fear and worry away, but they keep crawling to the surface. If this turns out any more stressful I'll probably end up in tears and I don't want that. They'll use it against me.
"Kahlan, if you are in there you better open this door," Leader growls out. "If I have to then you will not like the consequences that follow."
I can feel blood starting to trickle down my chin from me biting on my lower lip so hard. My hands dig into the fur of Rellik trying in vain to get all my emotions under control. I hear some voice talking from outside the room and then suddenly the door gets flown off along with the desk and dressers and crash against the wall. Standing in the doorway is a very pissed off Leader with his arm extended.
Leader's eyes scan around the room and within seconds land on me. He narrows his eyes and I try gathering up some courage to glare back, but my shaking shows how scared I am. I look behind him to see Itachi and Kakuzu then look back at Leader. He takes a step into the room and then another.
Immediately I jump onto my feet dropping Rellik. There's no way I can run past him to escape because of the other two members, though if I stay in the corner I'll be trapped for sure…just like prey. Taking a step to my right I watch as Leader narrows his eyes even more.
"Don't bother trying to escape," he says in a slow deadly tone.
Standing up straight while clenching my hands into fist I glare at him. I take another step to my right as he takes another step towards me. Taking a deep breath, I go to make a dash to another corner of the room. I don't get very far because soon Leader catches me. His grip tightens around my arm and I swear it feels like it's about to break.
"Let me go," I scream and go to kick at him.
"Be silent," Leader hisses easily dodges my kicks.
"No," I shout then start screaming trying to get away.
I get slap across the face hard. My eyes widen slightly in shock. Leader starts dragging me across the room bringing me out of my short state of shock. With a growl, I try digging me heels into the ground as I pull my arm back, not caring if it gets dislocated.
With another glare directed at me, Leader picks me up throwing me over his shoulders and walks out. I scream angrily and with frustration as I start pounding on his back. My punches don't affect him at all as he continues walking with Itachi and Kakuzu following behind us all the way to the living room.
In the front room, Leader throws me down onto the couch. My head hits the arm rest causing pain to explode and my screaming to stop. I hiss out as I quickly sit up and check to make sure there's no blood.
With a quiet sigh of relief, I look up to see all of the members in the room but no Laura. My pale green eyes narrow into glare as I transform my fear into anger. Maybe if I glare hard enough they will just combust into flames and disappear, never to return.
"Where are they going," Leader suddenly asks in a demanding tone.
"Who," I ask back in a sneer.
"Don't get that tone with me," Leader snaps. "If you don't start answering my questions, we will start torturing you."
"Go ahead," I reply crossing my arms.
I take a deep breath trying to get all of my emotions back under control. Leader looks over at Kakuzu. Next thing I know there is a searing pain in my left arm. I bite down on my tongue to hold back the scream of pain. Looking down I see a long gash across my forearm and blood flowing out.
"Where are they going," Leader asks again.
"I don't know who you are talking about," I shout looking at him.
"Laura and the Konoha ninjas," he replies.
Laura got away. She was able to successfully escape. Now she's with the Konoha ninjas. Laura is safe. My body starts relaxing as I lean into the couch. Looking back up at Leader I shrug my shoulders.
"I don't know," I reply with a tone of nonchalance.
"Kakuzu," Leader says.
A second later I feel pain burning in my right arm. I loudly gasp, eyes widening. Kakuzu moves back holding a bloody kunai. Looking at my right arm, it has the same gash as my left arm. Grinding my teeth together, I look back at Leader.
"I said I don't know," I grind out.
"Did the two of you have this planned," he asks switching over to another question.
I keep my mouth shut not knowing how to answer. A few weeks ago we did have a plan to escape, but that was before the Konoha ninjas show up. I haven't come up with a plan for us to escape but I did give the blonde my wallet so he can have them find and save us. Now Laura is gone and perfectly safe (hopefully) with them.
Leader doesn't even say anything, just looks at Kakuzu. Quickly, I go to move away. Leader says Kisame's name and then suddenly Kisame is holding me down as Kakuzu places another gash on me, once again starting on my left arm. I bury my face into the couch to muffle the low moan of pain.
"How long have the two of you had this planned," Leader asks.
Looking back at Leader I say, "Wouldn't you like to know?"
Another gash and a small cry escape from my lips. I try struggling away from Kisame and this result in Kakuzu taking the kunai and jamming it into my thigh. He twists as he yanks it out and I'm unable to hold back the scream of agony.
"We should just fucking kill the bitch," Hidan says.
"Shut up," Leader orders him. "How long has this been planned?"
I bite down on my lower lip refusing to answer and to hold back the tears. I didn't even know Laura was going to escape, and even if I did I would never tell them. They can kill me because I'm a loyal friend and refuse to sell her out.
I go to move away from the kunai Kakuzu brings near me. He glares and goes to jam it into my other leg. I quickly move my uninjured leg out of the way almost causing the sofa to get a hole. Kakuzu glares at me again and then runs the blade up my right arm. My leg kicks out trying to push Kisame off and to injure Kakuzu all in vain.
"Tell me the answer and this can stop," Leader says.
I shake my head feeling slightly lightheaded from the blood loss. Leader looks over to Itachi. Kakuzu takes a step back as Itachi walks over. His coal black eyes now a red color with weird black symbol thingy that looks like a pinwheel. I watch him carefully, wondering what kind of thing he will do then suddenly the world changes; more like I'm watching memories play like a movie.
In one scene I am a little girl, nine years old running over to my parents with a math test. I call to them to show them the hundred, but they completely ignore me talking onto the phones. In another scene I'm thirteen part of the debate team and we've gone to nationals. My parents are supposed to show up, but they never do. The sadness and disappointment feels like it's starting new.
My eyes narrow knowing what's going on. Itachi has somehow gotten into my head and is looking through my memories, no doubt to give Leader the answers he wants. Grinding my teeth together I try to picture myself mentally kicking Itachi out of my head. These are my thoughts, my memories, my secrets and my privacy.
"Get out," I scream watching as the movie keeps on rolling. "Get out! Get out! Get out!"
I can feel myself thrashing around on the couch and more than one person trying to hold me down. I see a scene of an ex breaking up with me the next day after getting what he wanted. The hurt, betrayal and anger I felt hits me like it happening all over again.
"Get out," I scream as loudly as I can as it comes near the scene of me going to throw my wallet to the blonde ninja.
Once again I feel my body thrashing and more hands, and not caring I bash my head as hard as I can in any direction. I stop moving as my vision goes black from hitting whatever it is I hit. The world feels like it is spinning and there's a ringing sound in my ears. A few moments later my vision comes back and I'm back in the living room with the members. A few seconds later and my hearing come back kind of making everything sound louder.
"I didn't find any plans," Itachi says looking towards Leader.
I look around to see Deidara, Kisame, Kakuzu and Sasori are holding me down. All of them let me go after a few seconds but stay close by. Slowly I sit up, feeling dizzy from more blood loss. My emotions feel like they are all out of whack and I can feel my eyes prickling with tears.
I blink my eyes a few times but that only causes some of them to escape. Quickly I go to wipe them away, smearing blood onto my face. I see Konan lean into Leader and start whispering into his ears. He shakes his head then glares at me. I would glare back but my shoulders start shaking from the strain I use to hold everything back. For a moment his eyes soften then his expression goes blank.
"Everyone into the kitchen," He says looking away and addressing the members.
Within seconds all but Konan is in the kitchen. She walks out for a moment then returns with the first-aid kit. She goes to hand it to me but I move away from her. She gives a small sad smile then places it next to me. I watch her walk out into the kitchen.
Not caring about how much blood I'm losing, I grab the couch pillow and cover my face with it. I'm alone and I use the chance to let it all go. The tears quickly fall and soon I'm sobbing quietly into the pillow.
Sometime passes and I hear them walking back into the room. I know I'm not done crying, but I quickly push the pillow away and wipe away the tears. Grabbing the first-aid, I look down and go through the process of disinfecting and bandaging my wounds while getting my emotions back under control.
"We are going to need a new base," Leader says.
"Okay," I mumble in reply, my throat starting to hurt from the screaming.
"Do you know of any place we can go," he asks slightly annoyed.
I don't reply as I bandage up my leg. I think through his question wondering where they could possibly go and if they were going to take me. The feel of Leader's eyes on me starts making me feel uncomfortable and I know he wants an answer now.
"There's one place," I reply softly going to bandage up my arms.
"Where," Leader asks completely annoyed now.
"My grandfather's house," I reply. "It's big enough for all of you."
"So we can fucking kill an old man," Hidan asks.
Immediately my body stiffens. Relaxing, I look up and reply, "You can't kill what's already dead."
"You fucking said it was your fucking grandfather's house."
"It is…was," I reply looking back down trying to keep back the tears again. "It belongs to me now. You can use it."
"You'll be coming with us," Leader says. "Everyone gather your things we will leave in twenty minutes."
I finish bandaging my arms and put it all away. All of the members scatter except for Leader and Konan. I look up at them feeling exhausted.
"When we get to the house," Leader says. "We're going to start finding out where the Konoha ninjas are staying. Once we do, we are sending you in as our spy. If you betray us, we will kill you and Laura."
Leader leaves no room for arguments and then walks out. Konan gives another small sad smile and walks over. She places her hand on my head, but I push it away not wanting to be touched.
"Are you okay," she asks.
I want to glare at her but I don't. Instead I say, "Leave me alone."
Konan sighs then grabs the first-aid and walks out. Slowly I stand up, slightly wobbling I go to make a note for my landlord that I'll be away on vacation for a while but I'll keep paying the rent. With the note made I quickly go outside and place it under his door then rush back in before I get caught by the Akatsuki.
I lean against the wall for support until the room stops spinning. Slowly I make my way to the weapon room. Konan is in there with one of the many scrolls they have placing my stuff into it. She looks up and I just turn away and head to Laura's room.
In her room I grab her Konan plushie that she left behind and more of her stuff. If I'm going to be the Akatsuki spy, then I'll make sure I'll be able to take some of Laura her stuff to her. Lying down on the bed I close my eyes feeling physically and emotionally exhausted and before I know it I'm asleep.
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Here is update number two my lovely reader. We both hope you're enjoying this story. Thanks to all who have review, add to favorite/alerts and voted. Please stay tuned for the next update and review. Once again thank you until next time. ^.^