Hello readers! Hoped you all enjoyed the first chapter with the cliff hanger. To those that reviewed, I thank you for it is greatly appreciated... Now on to the second chapter! There may be some spelling and grammatical errors present.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, but I do own this plot.
Chapter 2: Unexpected Turn
The day was maturing as snowflakes fell from the thick gray clouds high above. The old downtown district was large, but more for the various neighborhoods either living within or around the area that wanted to stay away from the heart of the busy metropolitan. The roads had been plowed clear of snow to make it easier for cars to drive through. The streets were half occupied by parked cars, some with layers of snow that hadn't been shoveled off. There were a few people out walking in the cold, braving the chilly weather to complete their errands. At the end of the main street of old downtown Konohagakura was a building made of bricks and wood. The words Konoha Clinic were engraved into the wooden sign that hung above the entrance.
The interior was heated to just the right temperature, keeping the occupants warm and comfortable. The walls were painted with a light muted earth tones to make the environment welcoming to incoming patients. The gray hardwood floors were clean with little evidence of wear from over the decades. The waiting area contained a set of couches and a matted play area for children. The magazine shelf housed various titles about health and fitness for all ages and a few children's books. The shutters were opened to allow whatever natural light there was during the winter seasons to enter. The entrance to the patient rooms was separated by a long counter with a short door instead of the usual check-in window and door.
In the small glass office behind the front counter, the sound of scribbles filled the quiet room as the lone occupant documented a summary of what was conducted during a patient's visit. Her bright emerald orbs followed her pen strokes as she printed in elegant legible cursive. Waist long bubble gum pink hair was tied back loosely and her short bangs framed her face. She wore a cream-colored maternity blouse, black dress pants, black flats, and a white doctor coat to complete her work look. Covered by the material of her clothing was her round baby bump several days into the third trimester. On her left ring finger were two beautiful jeweled silver bands, one with a slightly larger diamond that stuck out. Around her neck hung a plain silver chain she fiddled with her free hand as she wrote. Once she finished writing the report, her gaze turned to the computer screen. The background on the monitor was a collage of various photos taken of family and friends. In the very center was her favorite photo she had taken with her husband during their wedding dinner reception several years ago. The photo was snapped right before they were about to take their first dance as a married couple.
Her then shoulder-length hair was left down, void of any style and accessories except for the slight inward curl on the bottom. There was minimal makeup on her face to allow her natural beauty to stand out. Instead of the traditional white wedding dress or pastel evening gown, she wore a backless black dress that reached down to her knees that was secured with two strings tied behind her neck and a burgundy ribbon around her waist. To complete the look, she wore a pair of nude-colored high heels to provide her with some added height. She had her right hand on the nape of his neck and her left hand on his shoulder, showing off the silver bands on her ring finger. Her body was turned slightly in the direction of the camera with her head somewhat resting against his shoulder. To match the bride, the man wore a black vest over a burgundy dress shirt with the two top buttons unfastened and a pair of black dress pants and shoes. His left hand was in his pocket and his right arm was wrapped around her lower waist area.
A small smile graced her lips at the happy memories the photo brought back. It was one of the happiest moments of her life and she had her mother-in-law to thank for helping to plan everything so perfectly. Everything went off without a hitch and it was a day she would never forget. When she looked at the calendar on the bottom right of the screen, her eyes saddened as she stared at the highlighted date. The seventh of December.
'Looks like I'm going to be celebrating alone today.'
She felt the growing life within her move aggressively as if protesting against her thoughts. She hissed at the slight discomfort and placed her hand over her swollen belly. She gently rubbed the area, trying to clam the occupant within. She looked down with a smile on her lips.
'But I'll have you to keep me company.'
She stood from her seat, grabbed the finish patient folder, and left the room. Sitting at the reception counter was a dark-haired woman in her mid-thirties. Her shoulder-length hair was left down framing her face with her matching dark eyes focused on the papers in front of her as she filed away all the documents and typed in important details to the computer. Underneath her white lab coat, she wore a navy blue blouse and skirt with black stocking. The young doctor placed the file on the desk for the brunet to put away later.
"Last of the day Sakura-chan?" the woman asked.
"Yeah," Sakura replied as she leaned against the counter. "Even if there were more patients, you know I'm on strict orders to see no more than six per day Shizune-san."
Shizune chuckled lightly. "You have the degree and experience."
"Tch, like that's going to be enough to convince her." Sakura crosses her arms over her chest. "Shishou did something to scare all the attending physicians and the chief of surgery, plus the CEO at Konoha General to sign off on an earlier and longer maternity leave."
"They are more scared of her than the board," Shizune said. "She doesn't have an iron first for nothing."
She sighed heavily and placed her hand over her growing belly. "Ever since she found out about this, shishou has cut my hours and given me more restrictions than a recovering surgical patient that's had open-heart surgery."
"You are family," Shizune responded. "Plus her greatest protege."
Sakura scoffed. "Then a protege shouldn't be confined to desk duty."
"It may be due to her rapid developing rate," Shizune said, as she pointed to the women's belly. "If people didn't know any better, they would think you would be due soon or having twins."
"That's what shishou thinks when she's the experienced doctor."
Shizune laughed lightly. "She's both excited and concern for her first grandchild."
Sakura looked out into the waiting area and noticed a patient sitting there. The little dark-haired boy swung his legs back and forth as he waited patiently. He was all bundled up, ready to head out into the chilly weather, but he continued to sit there next to a man who Sakura assumed was his father. She couldn't be sure since the little boy was seen by her superior. They looked almost like, especially their dark brown hair and coffee-colored eyes. The guy was handsome, tall, and well built, but her cup of tea was with the man she married. When his brown eyes met her emerald ones, Sakura just smiled kindly before turning her gaze away.
"Are they waiting for something?" Sakura whispered to Shizune.
The older woman shrugged her shoulder. "I did tell them they could leave after the boy's checkup with Tsunade-sama was completed," Shizune whispered back. "But the father told me they were waiting for someone."
"Sakura-chan!"
The said woman turned her head to the entrance and saw a familiar blond. Though he was dressed more fashionable than usual with a black winter coat, blue jeans, and combat boots, the hideous orange scarf around his neck was a dead give away to his identity. He left his luggage abandoned by the door as he sped over to the counter. Knowing very well the blond could create a mess with just his presence, the pink-haired woman walked over to the other side. A large smile appeared on her lips as he came up to her and pulled her into a strong hug, fully aware of her pregnant state. Sakura only giggled at his antics and returned the hug kindly, happy to see her brotherly figure.
"What are you doing here Naruto?" she asked when she was released from his hold.
His cheerful face turned into a frown. "You're not happy to see me?" Naruto whined. "I took a taxi from the airport all the way here just to see you first and check up on my soon to be born niece before going home."
"We're both doing fine." She chuckled. "Plus, I'm not due for at least another two and a half months."
"Well, you look like you're gonna pop."
The pregnant woman smacked the man on the side of the head for his comment. She was ready to give him a scolding when she saw a recognizable figure walk through the door, luggage in tow. He was dressed completely in black with a navy blue scarf wrapped around his neck. She instantly forgot about the blond in front of her and patted him aside to glared at the approaching figure.
"Ooo... teme is in trouble," Naruto snickered to himself before heading to greet the older woman at the counter.
She saw the small smirk forming across his lips and couldn't help wanting to whip it off his face. She hadn't expected him to be back, especially after their phone conversation last night. Hell, he didn't even send her a text message like he said he would and it irritated her. When he came to a stop in front of her, she placed her hands on her waist and looked up into his dark onyx orbs. His smirk only widened, knowing she was trying to be intimidating and was failing at it.
"Not happy to see me?" he asked mockingly.
Unable to stay angry at him, her eyes softened and lips curled into in smile. She reached up and lovingly wrapped her arms around his neck. Having missed her touch, his one arm came around her small frame and pulled her close.
"I've missed you Sasuke-kun."
"Happy anniversary," Sasuke whispered into her ear.
"Hmm, happy anniversary."
He released his hold on his luggage and revealed the single red rose he held to his wife. Loving the small gesture, she gladly accepted the perfectly looking flower and brought it up toward her nose to smell the sweet floral scent.
"I'll be off in another hour," she said, taking his hand in hers. "Mind waiting?"
He shook his head to respond and she stood on her toes to give her husband a quick kiss. Sasuke followed his wife behind the counter and toward the small office as the blond went to get his discarded suitcase. The seated occupants got up and headed out the door. Before entering the building, the married man had noticed the tiniest chance in the stranger's body language when Naruto had hugged Sakura. Neither of them had caught the glare being sent to the blond by the seated man. When he was with Sakura, he noted the man's body language turned very hostile toward him, especially when Sasuke kissed his wife. He didn't know why, but he had a bad feeling about the stranger that wouldn't go away.
"Glad you made it back in time Sasuke," Shizune said. "She shouldn't be alone today."
He nodded in agreement, knowing the woman remembered what day it was today.
"You two!"
All four heads turn to the end of the hallway. There stood a large bust woman with blond hair tied back low into two loose ponytails. Her white coat was unbuttoned, revealing her somewhat professional clothing choice. The forest green low V neck blouse did little to hide the nude inner garment and her exposed cleavage. Her dark brown slacks reached down only two-thirds of her leg, leaving the bottom third of skin exposed. She wore a pair of black heels and held an intimidating stare with her chocolate orbs. She looked to be in her late thirties or early forties, but she was much older than that.
"My office now!"
"What did you guys do something to get shishou mad?" Sakura asked taking the suitcase from Sasuke. "Did Naruto mess with her sake stash before the two of you left for the business trip?"
The dark-haired man shrugged his shoulders and looked at his companion. Naruto groaned as he and Sasuke headed to the office. Once they were inside, she closed the door and locked it.
"What the hell happened?" she asked taking a seat behind her desk. She pointed to the two chairs in front, signaling her guests to take a seat. "I received news from Minato saying the mission was a failure."
"What?" the blond male yelled. "Dad found out already!"
"And you didn't bother to tell me immediately," a male voice said from the computer.
The woman sighed and turned her flat-screen monition slightly so that all three occupants could see the display. The live video chat feed showed a man in his late forties seated at his desk. He wore a white dress shirt with a black tie loosened around his neck. His hair was the same color and style his son had inherited, but only longer. Their facial appearance was almost similar except for the whisker-like markings.
Naruto smiled sheepishly. "I was going to tell you once I got home," he said to the man. "I didn't want to ruin your day."
Minato shook his head at his son. "What happened Sasuke?" The said man turned to face the screen. "Itachi contacted me telling me some were returning home early and to send a team from a closer branch to help with laboratory collection and documentation."
"We lost our lead," Sasuke gridded through his teeth, letting his frustration out. He wouldn't let his wife see this side of him. "Now we may never know who issued the hits."
"Sasuke you can't make it personal," the woman said, warning him of his attitude. "If you're incapable of handling these related missions and keeping yourself in check, you will be removed from any related missions until further notice."
"That was our last chance Tsuande!"
"If you let your emotions cloud your judgment," Minato said. "I will pull you out Sasuke. We cannot have you jeopardizing missions because of personal vendettas."
"Personal vendettas? It has been two years," Sasuke roared, glaring at his seniors. "First it was my father and then Izumi. Who next? My mother? My brother? Sakura? My daughter? I will not sit around waiting for whoever did this to strike again!"
"Cool it Uchiha!" Tsunade yelled. "I will not have you rampaging over this."
Naruto placed his hand on his best friend's shoulder, silently telling him to calm down. The blond knew how much stress was building upon the man, recalling the events of that very night that started it all. It was more than two years ago and he was one of the first ones to respond to the scene when he received a direct call from Sasuke. He had bolted out of headquarters and sped over to the location, cutting off every vehicle and running red lights. He remembered the blood that covered Sasuke's hand and the murderous aura the brothers admitted. He knew very well that if it were his own family he would be furious too, possibly driven to wanting revenge. Within two years, two members of the Uchiha family were assassinated and they hadn't found out who was responsible.
"Another lead will come up," Minato said. "Sasori is piecing whatever he can for an autopsy and Kohan has already started an analysis of the blood sample she collected."
"Did they find what kind of bomb it was?" Naruto asked, curious about the team's finding.
Minato nodded. "Deidara narrowed it down to a grenade."
"What am I missing here?" Tsunade asked bewildered.
"He threw up the pin granny!" Naruto yelled. "What kind of man swallows a grenade? I mean it's unheard of and not possible!"
Everyone but the young blond knew it was impossible to swallow a grenade. There were other ways to implant an explosive within the human body, but they were only theories. The standard design of a grenade is the size of a human fist, but with the advancement in technology, there was a possibility of design improvements. Tsunade was aware she would likely be needed to help consult on the matter.
"Pein found experiments in the target's apartment basement," Minato said. "From what Shikamaru could make out from the notes, it involves enhancing the human body." He sighed heavily. "The missing victims were test subjects and once they died, the bodies were dumped. He was smart to spread out and cover his tracks, hence no evidence for an investigation."
They were all familiar with the outcome of human test subjects, especially with all the ones they have encountered. The idea was inhuman but difficult to prevent especially when some saw natural human advancement being too slow. Science was the solution, only it needed to be tested for success.
"Naruto, you're dismissed. We need to talk to Sasuke for a moment."
The blond male stood from his seat and patted his friend's shoulder. Before leaving the room, he glanced once more at the occupants inside and then closed the door. Sasuke sat in his seat, waiting for either one of his seniors to speak.
"We can't keep hiding this from Sakura," Minato said. "She needs to be made aware of the situation and observed twenty-four-seven by our agents for her safety."
"No, I will not allow any shadowing."
"Listen to me Sasuke," Tsunade said. "She needs to know now." Pulling open one of the drawers, she took out several small valued scratcher tickets. "I've been winning the past few days and the values have only been increasing."
The highly praised doctor had a habit of gambling. Unfortunately, her luck was always bad. When she did win, it was always taken as a sign of a bad omen to come. In the years she has been gambling, everyone knew they had to take her winnings seriously. He saw the one at the top was a five-figure winning and knew that high values meant something life-threatening.
"Sakura's life could be in danger."
"I'll protect her," Sasuke said. "She doesn't need to know."
"You don't understand," Tsunade yelled, her frustration slowly getting the best of her. "We've already put her life in danger more time than we can keep count, without her knowing. She had been kept in the dark long enough."
"Consider telling her," Minato said. "I know Kakashi is against it, but once you tell her, we can all come clean to her about other things."
Sasuke didn't say another word knowing very well whatever he said in protest would only lead to more arguing. He had been lectured many times regarding the topic of telling Sakura the truth, but it wasn't easy. How was he supposed to tell the woman he loved he had been lying to her for years? No amount of trust they had built would ever be enough to soften the blow and get her to understand. It wasn't solely his choice to be dishonest in the beginning. He was following an order from his mentor, now father-in-law, to keep the true nature of their job a secret. Sakura had taken the doctor's oath to do no harm and save lives when he did the opposite. Their occupation had completely different morals and it wasn't something he would be able to justify to her easily.
"Please Sasuke," Tsunade begged, asking him to consider what they were asking. "She's more than willing to listen to you."
The young man nodded slightly and without another word, got up to left the office. He was lost in thought, playing different scenarios of how Sakura could react and everything ended with her terrified and leaving. When he reached her office's open door, Sakura walked out. She was fumbling a bit between holding her purse, lunch bag, and putting on her thick beige coat. She had changed into her flat black leather boots and removed her doctor's coat. Seeing her slight struggle, he took the large clothing from her and held it open for her to easily slip on. She thanked him quietly and turned to face him.
"Shishou told me to leave early," she said with a smile. "Dad's already here and he took your bag out to load into his car."
Sasuke nodded and let his wife hook her arm to his before heading out. Sakura waved to her senior at the desk as the woman bid the couple farewell. When they exited out into the cold winter weather, it was beginning to snow lightly. Parked in front of the entrance was a large black SUV with Naruto already seated shotgun. They walked over to the parked vehicle and the raven-haired man opened the door for his wife to get in first. Sitting in the driver's seat was a man in his late forties. He wore a navy blue turtle neck sweater and jeans with a green vest on to. His silver hair was oddly spiked toward the left and he wore a mask that covered his face from the nose down. A wide headband was over his forehead that was slanted to double as an eye patch over his left eye. The only visible feature of his face was his right eye.
"Thanks for the ride daddy," Sakura said.
She leaned over the middle console and gently pulled down the mask just enough to reveal his cheek to place a kiss. His lone eye smiled at his daughter's loving gesture knowing he would never get tired of it.
"Anything for my little girl," he said.
He watched his daughter settle into her seat and secure her seatbelt. The heavy slam of the door brought his attention to his dark-haired son-in-law.
"And greeting to you too Sasuke."
"Just drive Kakashi."
The older man only chuckled as he saw the smile across his only daughter's face on the rearview mirror. The ride was quiet, except for the chattering coming from Naruto and occasional response from Sakura or Kakashi. Whenever the blond made an insulting comment about Sasuke, he would receive a kick from the back of the seat to shut up. When they reached their first destination in the nice quiet suburban neighborhood, Kakashi pulled into the large driveway. The apartment the couple lived in wasn't anything fancy or lavish. It was a simple two-storied manor inherited by the landlord who decided to convert it into six two-bedroom apartments. With the couple expecting, they agreed it would be best to be close to family and were in the process of moving out. They had until the end of the year and were ahead of schedule.
The silver-haired man glanced over at the end of the block and narrowed his eye at the sole black cargo van. It stood out like a sore thumb in the neighborhood. The unregistered automobile had been there for a while and he hadn't seen a person enter or exit it. Not only that, but the windows were also tinted so dark that it didn't allow anyone to look in. Even when he drove past it, all he received was a mirror reflection. It was unnerving to know that someone was most likely observing his daughter. They probably didn't make a move because they were aware she was protected twenty-four seven. Though he didn't physically stay in the house, he was close by with a support team on standby if anything were to happen to Sakura.
"Naruto, go to the apartment with Sakura," Kakashi said as he turned off the engine. "Bring out whatever packed boxes she has ready to go."
The blond gave a cheeky grin and thumbs up before exiting to catch up to the woman. He began to tell false stories of Sasuke trying to kill him in his sleep. She only chuckled at his childish behavior, never once speaking up to defend her husband. Once they were a good distance away, the older man turned serious.
"That van has been there for the past two and a half weeks," Kakashi said as he opened the truck for Sasuke to get his things. "It doesn't belong to anyone in the neighborhood."
Sasuke shifted his eyes slightly to get a quick glimpse. "Enemy?"
"Highly possible," Kakashi answered. "But there hadn't been anything to confirm."
"Activity?"
Kakashi shook his head. "Haven't seen a soul associated with it." He stuck his hands into his vest pockets. "I've been observing it for a while and even got a team to survey it when Sakura was at work, but still no movement. We even used a heat sensor, but the van is equipped against that."
Sasuke didn't like what he was hearing. Vehicles unmoved for a week were usually towed, especially with the nosy neighbors who didn't have anything better to do than to spy on others for gossip. When he and his wife had first moved into the neighborhood, they were almost ambushed by some of the local housewives. Now that they were in the process of moving, they would run into the occasional housewives who were coincidently out and about. It was more of a shopping attempt to get something for free that the couple didn't want the hassle of moving.
"Since you're back, I won't stick around," Kakashi said.
He nodded, acknowledging what his father-in-law had done while he was away. "If something happens," Sasuke said, placing his luggage down to wheel in. "You, the dobe, and aniki will be notified by the alarm I programed into your phones."
"Take care of her Sasuke."
The apartment was heated to just the right temperature, keeping the two occupants comfortable in their home. All was quiet except for the quiet snores coming from the bedroom. Sakura slept on her right side facing her husband, unable to cuddle against his body because of her growing belly. The comforter covered her naked body from the chest down, leaving her arms exposed. Her right arm was positioned by her head while her left was draped protectively over her abdomen. Sasuke laid awake on his back with his left arm behind his head and the comforter over him waist down. His body demanded him to sleep, but his mind wouldn't allow him to. There were too many thoughts circling in his head that made sleep difficult.
He glanced over at the digital clock on the nightstand beside him and saw that it read twelve-thirty. Though he was never one for sleeping in, he was certainly going to end up doing so to catch up on the lack of sleep. Shifting his position, he turned to face the woman beside him. Though dark, he could make out her slumbering figure. Guilt began to fill his heart when he looked at her peaceful form. She had given him her undivided attention, putting her trust in him, and not once did he attempt to tell her the truth. It was only getting more and more difficult to reveal the actuality of his job when they were expecting a new addition to their family.
"It's rude to stare," she murmured with a smile, opening her drowsy eyes slightly.
Sasuke smirked at her remark. He was the one that usually said that to her. He reached over and pushed aside strands of hair that fell over her face before stroking her cheek lovingly.
"Thought you were asleep."
"I was for a bit."
She took his hand and placed it over her abdomen. He felt the movement within her womb and his gaze softened.
"She has been restless for a while now. What about you, can't sleep?"
"Hn."
Sakura slowly sat up, holding the blanket against her chest to cover herself. She turned her back to him, swinging her legs off the bed to grab her silk robe from her vanity chair. Sasuke's hand reached over and stroked her back lovingly, trying to coax her back into bed.
"I think a short walk will help calm her," she said, rubbing her baby bump.
Once her naked body was covered, she went to the bathroom and closed the door behind her to clean herself up a bit. While he laid in bed, he figured the walk could be a good opportunity for him to talk to Sakura, but his dilemma was how to tell her. Though a man of little words, she was easy to talk to but to get her to understand the importance of his job was a whole other problem. When he heard the bathroom door open, she walked out dressed in one of his oversized black hoodies and a pair of gray sweats. She went over to his side of the bed and sat beside him.
"Up for the night stroll with me?" Sasuke nodded. "Go rinse off first," she said as she moved a strand of his hair away from his face. "I'm going to the kitchen for a little snack first, would you like anything?"
He shook his head and sat up in time to assist his wife stand up. She smiled kindly, thanking him for his help, and left the room as he headed to the bathroom. Letting his face receive a full blast of warm water, Sasuke felt like a total coward for not saying anything to her. He wished the burden would wash away easily like the grim that covered his body. After several minutes, he left the showers and dressed himself to head out for a short midnight walk with his wife.
Exiting out with a towel over his head, Sasuke heard his phone vibrate and saw it flash on the bedside table. Picking up the device, he saw the security alarm going off for the living room. He immediately pushed the button and live footage of the living room came up. He saw the entrance doorknob move slowly as the door slowly open. Whoever was entering was doing so carefully, likely aware of the dangerous assassin that took residence in the apartment. The moment he saw a gun, his immediate priority was to protect his wife.
Reaching behind the bedpost on his side of the bed, Sasuke pulled out a loaded silver handgun with a silencer attached. Quickly opening the nightstand drawer, he pulled out an earpiece and combat knife. He quietly treaded out of the room and placed the receiver on his right ear. He pushed a particular application on his phone before pocketing the device away. The darkness of the hallway provided him with cover as he slowly headed toward the dimly lit kitchen. To increase his visibility in the dark, he let his onyx orbs turn crimson with three markings slowly spinning.
Sakura leaned against the island counter, waiting for the microwave to heat her glass of soy milk. She had taken all her needed vitamin supplements as ordered and eating a small handful of cherry tomatoes to go alongside her health remedies. All she needed now was the glass of protein her mother-in-law recommended she have to give both her and the baby energy. The sound of footsteps caught her attention and she turned around only to find a stranger with a gun pointed at her in the doorway. Her eyes widened and her hands immediately shielded her abdomen in fear.
Appearing from the shadows, Sasuke came behind and grabbed the man's arm, making him fire a shot into the ceiling. A small scream escaped her lips as she covered her ears. Catching sight of an approaching shadow, Sasuke twist the man's arm in an awkward position and held the man in a headlock. The moment the second assailant appeared in the doorway, Sasuke fired a bullet directly into his skull. Releasing the struggling aggressor, Sasuke sent his knee into his stomach and disarmed the stranger. Sending his elbow into the man's face, his crimson orbs caught sight of the familiar black tattoo of three commas upon the man's lower neck. Not wanting to take any more chances, Sasuke immediately grabbed the stranger's head from behind and twisted it. A loud snap was heard and he let the body drop limp on the ground. Sensing no other perpetrators, Sasuke picked up the discarded weapon from his last victim. He removed the loaded magazine and pulled back the chamber to make sure there wasn't a bullet still inside. After placing the disarmed gun on the counter and pocketing the magazine, he turned to face his wife.
The pink-haired woman was completely petrified of the scene before her and the sight of his crimson orbs only added to her fear. What she had witnessed was something she was accustomed to seeing in movies, but to observe it happening before her very eyes was a whole other story. She had witnessed the man before her attack and kill two people without being fazed. She knew his job was in law enforcement, but it never required him to be physical.
"Sakura."
She instinctively stepped back. The man before her was her husband, but her fear was taking control of her. She was trembling slightly and he couldn't blame her for being scared of him.
"Sakura," he said again but in a warmer tone. "We need to get out of here."
"What's going on?" she asked.
"I'll explain everything to you later Sakura," Sasuke said seriously, stepping over to her.
"But this —"
He cut her off. "Do you trust me?"
He placed a hand on her cheek and looked her in the eye. She was trembling with fear, but there wasn't anything he could do to calm her. Biting her lower lip slightly, Sakura nodded, allowing her fears to make the decision. She had to trust the stranger that was her husband if she wanted to survive. He stepped away from her and pulled out his silver handgun from the back of his waist. Pointing the gun into the darkness of the living room and dining area, he scanned around to find no other intruders. Though the door was closed, others could have snuck in.
"Go to the bedroom," he ordered. "And wait until I come to get you."
Sakura hurried by the dead bodies and into their bedroom. When Sasuke felt his phone vibrate, he pushed a button on the headset to answer the call.
"What happened Sasuke?" Itachi asked immediately. "Headquarters reported a false alarm, but I got the direct notification from you."
Sasuke treaded backward slowly, making sure no one else entered as he went to retrieve his wife. "Two have entered the premises and have been dealt with. One was marked with the same symbol."
"I'm heading over to get you and Sakura."
"No," Sasuke said. "Get mother and Toya to safety first. I can handle things here."
"Sasuke —"
"Kakashi and Naruto have been notified."
"Fine, but I am going to contact the others for backup. We can't take any chances."
"I know."
"Don't be reckless."
Sasuke ended the call with Itachi and entered the bedroom, trying to devise a means of escape. He knew it was going to be difficult, especially with his wife pregnant. The window was out of the question since they lived on the second floor, plus she was already at a physical disadvantage if they needed to run. The situation would only get worse unless he knew what the enemy wanted.
He saw his wife standing by their bed with her beige coat and boots on. The sweater's hood was pulled over her head, hiding her long pink strands. He went over to the bed and reached under for a black duffle bag he had stashed for emergencies. After swinging the back over his shoulder, he went over to Sakura and look her shaking hand in his.
"Stay close behind me," he said. "I'll get us out of here."
She nodded merely, unable to respond with her voice. Leading the way out with his gun pointed ahead of him, Sasuke knew he couldn't take any chances. The gunshot from earlier must have woken up the other residents in the building unless the enemy had dealt with them. It knew the latter was a likely possibility and that meant there were more enemies within. They had to be lurking around and without proper knowledge or backup, he had to tread carefully.
Once they were in the living room, Sasuke released his hold on Sakura's hand and grabbed the unique straight katana off the wall. He pulled out his phone and checked the surveillance outside their door. Drawing the blade from its sheath, Sasuke shoved the sword into the wall a few inches away from the doorframe. Pulling the weapon out, the blood upon the blade wiped off on the wall. After strapping the sword on his bag, he pointed his gun as he opened the door. At the entrance was a body lying in a puddle of blood from an open jugular wound. He scanned the hallway and saw there wasn't another soul in sight.
Grabbing hold of Sakura's hand, he led her out quietly and down the hallway. When they reached the door of one of the other residents, the door swung open and an unknown man appeared. Sasuke immediately lifted the gun to shoot the individual, but it was too late. He released his hold on Sakura and was tackled into the wall. She jumped and covered her mouth to stop her screams. Pushing the pain aside, Sasuke shoved the attacker off him and sent a fist flying into the stranger's gut. He gritted his teeth at the throbbing pain in his left shoulder and assumed it was possibly close to being dislocated. Stumbling back slightly from the strike, Sasuke wasted no time to deliver a sidekick into the man's throat then fired a shot directly into the man's chest. The moment the body fell limp, he grabbed his wife's hand and continued to get them out to safety. They needed to turn one more corner before reaching the stairs. When he turned the corner, he instantly turned back and pulled Sakura with him as a chunk of the wall blew off.
A small scream escaped her mouth at the sound of the rifle. Sasuke had spotted the man aiming the shotgun too late that if it weren't for his reflexes and speed, they would have been dead. Another chunk of the wall was blown off as a second shot was fired. Sakura reached up and covered her ears; it was just too much for her to handle. Reaching into the duffle, Sasuke pulled out a unique looking adaptor with a small mirror attached to the top. He removed the silencer from the end of the weapon he carried and popped the handgun into the converter. Flipping it into a ninety-degree angle, Sasuke placed it against the corner and used the mirror as his guide. Using the reflection, he aimed the barrel and fired two shots. Once the aggressor was down, Sasuke pulled out his silver firearm and tossed the other into his bag.
As they took off, Sakura did her best to ignore the sight of the body as they hurried down the hall and to the stairs. She had seen dead bodies before in the university's cadaver lab and working occasionally at hospital emergency rooms, but nothing to this degree. She had witnessed death being dealt with by the father of her child and the stench that followed each fresh kill was nerve-racking. As they descended the stairs, Sasuke glanced back at his wife. He knew had become a total stranger to her in a matter of minutes and he couldn't explain anything to her at the moment. He felt his phone vibrate and immediately answered the call.
"It's me Sasuke," a female voice said. "The front is guarded with heavy artillery, all automatics. You won't be able to escape unscathed in your car with just your nine millimeters pistol."
"What's the plan then Tenten?"
Sakura stared at her husband, shocked at the mention of her friend's name.
"Alpha team and I will intercept the enemy from behind." Sasuke stopped at the base of the stairs and checked the number of bullets in the magazine. "Bravo team will immediately pull up as close as they can with cover and get the both of you out of there."
"How much longer?"
"Don't doubt our response time. Engaging in 3… 2… 1…"
The moment Sasuke heard gunfire from outside, he took hold of Sakura's hand and rushed toward the exit. The sound of screeching tires caught his attention as he flung open the door. The back of a large bulletproof SUV faced them and the double doors opened. Neji signed them to hurry as he turned to face forward to fire a few shots behind cover. Catching sight of an enemy against the house, Sasuke fired a shot into the foe's chest. Holding onto Sakura's hand tightly, the couple bolted out of the property toward the vehicle. Out of the corner of his eyes, he noticed an armed figure appear from the side of the house with the gun aimed at Sakura. Without delay, Sasuke stepped in path aimed at Sakura, blocking the assailant's intended target and taking a direct shot into his left arm.
"Sasuke-kun!"
He ran behind her to shield her from any further attacks. "Keep running!" he yelled, putting pressure onto the wound.
Neji quickly killed the attacker and looked for others possibly hidden. The couple was only five feet away from the vehicle when suddenly the entire building blew up. The force of the explosion caused the pair to fall onto the ground. Sasuke immediately shielded Sakura from the debris as much as he could, taking the full impact of the falling scraps. Once it was safe, Sasuke got up slightly and gently nudged Sakura, but she didn't move. He spotted blood dripping from her forehead and her sweats gathering up crimson liquid.
"Sakura," he shook her again. "Sakura!"
Another cliff hanger to end the chapter. I kind of like ending the chapters off like this; don't hate me for it!
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