Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Sasuke's eyes widened as he saw her. Small. Short brown hair streaked with red. Sky blue eyes. Glasses. Akatsuki cloak. It was the childlike girl.

"Uchiha Sasuke," she repeated, a dangerous spark in her eyes. "I am Osutin Ruiizu, leader of the Akatsuki."

Chapter 23 – Ransom

Ruiizu-chan's small, strong hand clenched his hair and dragged him back into the Akatsuki cave, followed by the shinobi.

"You caught our little spy," Madara said respectfully. "Ruiizu-chan, you never cease to amaze me." The thirteen year old shrugged.

"That's why spy networks are useful," she pointed out. "I wouldn't have known he was going to pay us a visit if she hadn't told me.

She? Sasuke thought, still in a daze. Spy network?

"She is indeed our most reliable informative," Kisame agreed. The other girl noticed Sasuke's confusion.

"Ruiizu-chan," she said. "He is getting confused."

"Ah, so I see, Yanafu," the Akatsuki leader said. "You see, Sasuke-san, we knew about your espionage mission as soon as you did, thanks to our reliable spy in Konohagakure."

"Spy?" Sasuke asked.

"Yes. Spy," Ruiizu-chan confirmed. "A friend of your son, I believe." She leaned over and whispered in the Uchiha's ear. He paled.

"Her?" he asked incredulously. Ruiizu-chan grinned maniacally.

"Her."

Itachi walked down the street, exhausted by the harsh training that his uncle had put him through.

I wonder how Dad's doing, he wondered. And when he'll be back. He knew it was a little too soon to be worrying about his father. After all, he'd only been gone a day. The mission was expected to last at least three days. He bumped into a girl and grinned.

"Hey, Arisu," he said to the ex-Kiri kunoichi.

"Hey, Itachi," she said, flashing him a very toothy grin. Her pointed teeth caught the light and shone brightly. "What's up?"

Itachi shrugged.

"Dad's away on a mission," he said. Her face grew serious.

"You probably won't want to hear this…" she said. "But I have a bad feeling about that… almost as if he's not coming back." Itachi looked shocked. "But that's just me…" she said, grinning again. "We all know how paranoid I am."

Itachi's face reassembled itself into a half-hearted grin.

"As long as Taiki doesn't say that, I'm okay," he said. Arisu nodded.

"Yeah, he's the Senken-sha," she said.

"Hey! Itachi! Arisu!" a teen said, bounding up to them.

"Aren't you full of energy," Arisu commented.

"Kohaku," Itachi acknowledged. "I haven't seen you for a while."

The younger teen grinned.

"I've been on loads of missions," she said. "I heard you passed the Jounin exams. Congratulations."

"Thanks," the Uchiha said. "It wasn't that hard to be honest."

"I thought you were modest," Kohaku said. "Hang on… Who are you and what have you done with Uchiha Itachi?" The three friends laughed. "Just kidding. I know it's you," she added. "It's nice to see you finally acknowledging your abilities."

Itachi blushed.

"Aww. Don't get embarrassed," Arisu said, putting an arm around his shoulders. He shrugged her off.

"How's your dad?" Kohaku asked. "I haven't seen him for ages."

"He's on a mission," Itachi said. "Have you met my uncle?"

"You have an uncle?" Kohaku exclaimed. "Cool!"

"He is," Arisu commented. "We get along really well."

"He gets on well with you? I gotta meet him!" Kohaku said. "I didn't think any adults got on well with you except Kiba! How's Akamaru?"

"Fine. He wiped out his far share of Chuunin in the Jounin exam," Itachi said. "So, you'd like to meet my uncle?" The girl nodded her head furiously. He grinned and led the way back to his home.

"You look pretty tired," Kohaku commented as they walked. He shrugged.

"Uncle's been training us all day," he said by way of explanation. When they approached the mansion, they saw Mikoto sitting outside.

"Hey, Kohaku," she said. "I haven't seen you for a while now."

"I've been out on missions," the younger girl answered. "Is it true that you have an uncle, or are these two just winding me up?" Mikoto laughed.

"It's true, all right," she said. "Uncle! Get out here!"

"What is it, Mikoto?" the older Uchiha asked, emerging from the house. "Oh, hello," he said, noticing Kohaku. "I don't think I've seen you before." Kohaku grinned.

"Same right back at you. You get on with Arisu? Really?" she said.

"Really," the dark haired man responded. "I'm Itachi, by the way."

"Kohaku," the girl replied. "Itachi? That must get so confusing."

"Not really," her friend said. "If Mikoto or Tani say Itachi they mean me. If Mum's being patronising, it's usually me and Dad… well it's easy to tell but hard to explain." His uncle grinned.

"It took a while to get used to," his uncle said. "Especially with Sakura."

"Itachi, can you get in here?" Sakura called from inside the house. The two Uchihas looked at each other.

"It's still confusing," the elder said. "Does she mean me… or you?"

The young kunoichi laughed.

"She means you, Uncle," Tani said, walking out.

"Honestly," Sakura said, also walking out the house. "It would be so much easier if you two said it differently… or something."

"You could just do what Sasuke does and call me Nii-san or something like that," the older one said.

"Fine, Nii-san," Sakura said. "Get in the house." Itachi sighed and did as he was told. Sakura followed him.

"Not very argumentative," Kohaku commented.

"He's scared of Mum," Itachi told her.

"How come?" Kohaku asked. "She's not scary."

"It's a long story," Mikoto said.

"How did you meet him?" the younger girl asked.

"Another long story," Itachi said.

"Why is everything to do with your uncle a long story?" Kohaku complained.

"He used to be a criminal," Tani explained. "And everyone thought that Dad killed him years ago… don't ask. Recently, Itachi was sent on a mission to retrieve him, which he did, obviously…"

"Albeit with some temper tantrums," Suigetsu cut in. Itachi glared at his sensei.

"When did you get there?" Tani asked.

"Just now," the silver-haired shinobi said. "Naruto sent me."

"Why?" Mikoto asked, reaching for her ANBU mask. Arisu did the same.

"Dunno. He just sent me to get you three, Sakura and Itachi," he said.

"Mum! Uncle!" Mikoto called. They came running.

"What is it?" Sakura asked.

"Naruto wants you guys," Suigetsu said. The Uchiha family nodded and ran to the Hokage tower. Arisu, Kohaku and Suigetsu followed. They knocked on the door and waited.

"Come in," Naruto called. They opened the door and entered.

"What is it?" Sakura asked. Naruto looked down.

"Sasuke got caught," he said. "Here." He handed Sakura a note. She read it, and paled, then a look of confusion spread across her face.

"What is it?" her brother-in-law asked. She handed him the paper. The rest of the family read it over his shoulder.

Hokage,

We have caught your spy, Uchiha Sasuke. Why send him to gather information on us when you already have Uchiha Itachi I do not understand, but I have a proposition for you. Surrender to the Akatsuki and he will be returned to his family.

I am sure that you will do the correct thing,

Osutin Ruiizu-chan

Leader of Akatsuki

"Ruiizu-chan?" Itachi asked, looking at his uncle. "What's she like?"

"I don't know," the older Uchiha said. "I've never heard of her. Whoever she is, she wasn't part of the Akatsuki when I was."

"We may not know who she is, but obviously she has had links to the Akatsuki for a while," Naruto said. "They're demanding that we surrender to them, but I'm afraid that's something we can't do…"

"You can't sacrifice Daddy!" Tani said tearfully.

"He wouldn't want us to surrender just to save him," her uncle said.

Naruto nodded.

"I don't like this any more than you do, but Sasuke would rather die than Konoha fall," he said.

"What puzzles me is how he was caught, and how that they knew he was gathering information," Suigetsu said. "If I didn't know Akatsuki better, I'd say that they're using spies – and not just Zetsu. Sasuke's not stupid enough to get caught."

"But if they have a new leader they might have changed tactics," Sakura said. "Especially if they're female. We think differently to men so…"

Naruto looked serious.

"You're right, Sakura," he said. "They may have a spy network now." He looked at the ex-Akatsuki members. "Is there anything you haven't told us about Akatsuki?" he asked. "Right now, we need to know everything about them."

Itachi and Suigetsu looked at each other.

"I don't know much," Suigetsu said. "They told Sasuke everything and we just did what he said. Karin and Juugo might know a little more – I never paid attention to what they were talking about."

"You were in the Akatsuki?" Itachi asked his sensei incredulously. The water ninja grinned.

"Briefly. So was your father, and Karin and Juugo," he said.

"Go get them," Naruto ordered. "I need to know everything you can tell me."

Suigetsu nodded and left.

"I can't believe he got caught," Arisu said. Tani started to cry and her uncle put his arm around her.

Any guesses yet?

Thanks for reading!

Tsari