Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

"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.

Chapter 24 – The Akatsuki Makes its Move

"I wonder what decision Konohagakure will come to," Ruiizu-chan said. Sasuke glared at her. He would have said something, but they had bound and gagged him.

"It depends on how good a Hokage that Jinchūriki of the Kyuubi is," Madara said. "He'll sacrifice the village to get our little spy back, I would think. His friends have always been his weakness."

"Is that true, Sasuke?" Yanafu asked. He just glared at them. Ruiizu-chan removed the gag.

"Well?"

"Naruto won't sacrifice the village to save me," the Uchiha spat. "So you may as well just kill me."

"Hmm," the girl said, replacing the cloth.

"Ruiizu-chan," a girl said. "I have news."

"What is it?" the Akatsuki leader asked, looking at her favourite spy.

"They got the note, but the Hokage has made it clear that he won't sacrifice the village."

Ruiizu-chan scowled.

"How noble," she said sarcastically. "What's his reasoning?"

"That Sasuke wouldn't want him to."

"He won't change his mind then," Kisame said. "That kid respects his friend's wishes."

"He's 38 – hardly a kid," Zetsu pointed out.

"We're the kids now," Yanafu added.

"So how did the family react?" Ruiizu-chan asked her spy.

"Tani is furious with the Hokage, and the rest of that family are unhappy but accept it. What's more worrying for me is that they are getting Itachi and the 'Sound Squad' to say everything about us that they know-"

"Willingly or unwillingly?" Ruiizu-chan interrupted.

"Willingly. It would seem that Uchiha Itachi is no longer loyal to the Akatsuki."

"He never was," Madara said. "He's a spy that Konoha never knew they had. Until now, that is. That's why he went with his nephew so willingly.

"He needs to be eliminated then, and so do the 'Sound Squad'" Ruiizu-chan said. "Yanafu – get sixteen ninja ready to depart for Konoha, for when I say so." The dark haired girl nodded and vanished. "You'd better go back before they realise you've gone," she added to the spy.

"Yes, Ruiizu-chan. Goodbye, Sasuke," she said wickedly before she too disappeared.

"I didn't realise that Uchiha Itachi would be such a liability or I'd have had him assassinated ages ago," Ruiizu-chan muttered. A dark cloud of dust appeared and made its way towards Madara. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"I… coff, coff I… didn't think it mattered… coff, coff," Madara gasped as the dust surrounded him.

"I wouldn't kill him, Ruiizu-chan," Kisame said. "We'll need him if we have to attack Konoha."

"You're right," the brown haired girl said. The cloud of dust dissipated. "Consider that a warning." Madara nodded, massaging his throat. Twelve shinobi appeared, and five kunoichi.

"Will these do?" Yanafu asked, walking towards Ruiizu-chan. The young teen inspected the sixteen ninja.

"An interesting selection," she commented. "But a good one. Here are the squads then. Squad one will consist of Kotomi Io, Kaeru Aoto, Fumisato Jiyuu and Fumisato Naoki." The kunoichi and three shinobi moved to stand next to each other. "Squad two is Ookami Kurai, Fuyuka Aina, Ryuuhei Taiga and Yawara Eisuke." The four ninja moved together. "Squad three – Natsuhito Itaru, Heima Gousuke, Momoe Katsuko and Kii Genya. Finally, squad four is Chihaya Ikuo, Masakazu Kodama, Nobuaki Daisuke and Yuuki Suzu." The ninja watched her, waiting for their orders. "Each squad has its own objective. Squad one. Do you know Uchiha Itachi, formerly a member of this organisation?" They nodded. "Kill him." Shock was evident on their faces. "Squad two. Do you know Uchiha Itachi, Sasuke's son?" They nodded. "Capture him." Kurai looked pleased. "You two squads will be travelling together and will strike at the same time. Go to Konoha and send one member from each squad to meet with her. She will advise you of the best time to strike. Squad three – do you know Hōzuki Suigetsu?" They nodded. "Kill him. Squad four. Do you know Hōzuki Karin?" They nodded. "Kill her."

The four squads all grinned at each other; each squad thought that they'd got the best mission.

"Squads three and four will travel together. If either of you come across your target's children, take them. You will strike soon after squads one and two. Again, she will advise you on when to strike. Before you set off, however… Yanafu."

"Yes, Ruiizu-chan?" the girl asked.

"Shīru their minds. If one squad fails and are interrogated, I don't want Konoha to be able to extract any information."

"Yes, Ruiizu-chan," she said. She wandered up to each member of the four squads and, one by one, Shina their minds so that no-one could glean any information.

"Any questions?" Ruiizu-chan asked once Yanafu was finished.

"What about the other one – Juugo?" Io asked, her eight crimson eyes glancing at Sasuke.

"He's too much of an effort to kill, and anyway, he won't say much – he's very quiet," she was told. "Any more questions?" No-one spoke. "Good. Go!" The four squads vanished in a cloud of smoke. The Akatsuki leader turned to her prisoner.

"So… Sasuke. You're helpless to stop the death of your brother and abduction of your son. Tell me, how does that feel?" She removed the gag, only to have Sasuke spit in her face.

"Why my son?" he snarled.

"Why? Because the more hostages I have, the more likely it is that Konoha will surrender, especially if they're close to the Hokage. And I think Sakura will have something to say to him if her husband and son are in our hands and her brother-in-law is dead, don't you?" Sasuke glared at her. "Never underestimate a mother's love."

"Sakura's more likely to kill herself than force Naruto to surrender just to save me and Itachi," Sasuke spat. Ruiizu-chan made a face as she wiped the spittle off her cheek.

"It's rude to spit," she pointed out childishly, reminding Sasuke that, despite her mannerisms, she was still only a child.

Oh, as to why 'Uncle' Itachi is scared of Sakura – it's because of when his nephew kicked him, way back in chapter 2. It hurt, and Naruto comments in chapter 3 that Mikoto, Itachi and Tani get their insane strength from their mother (i.e. Sakura). Hence, he does as he's told because he knows that if she hits him it will hurt.

Thanks for reading!

Tsari