Almost thought that I wouldn't be able to publish today. I'm quite busy right now. [Exams are a real pain in the ass]

But it only starts to get more exciting from here! For those who've stuck with me till now, I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: Je ne posséde pas le Naruto.

Now, without further ado,...

24th April, 2032, Residence of Sasuke Uchiha, Time: 23:52

Sasuke was waiting for him this time. When his late night visitor entered this time he was awake and ready. Not to mention, he was annoyed and angered from the events of the night, and much of his ire was directed at the man who now stood surveying him with a smirk on his lips.

"You're late." Sasuke said indignantly.

"Contrary to common belief, I actually do exist outside of a dark mask and cloak in the middle of the night."

Sasuke scoffed before saying, "Naruto let slip that we've been concealing identities."

He frowned and said, "I know."

Sasuke was annoyed at his contact- with good reason too. And no, he was not being irrational. At least, that was what he told himself. "And what do you think about that?" He asked.

"I think that it's time you distance yourself from the whole affair. Leave the rest to me- I'll bring her in."

"You're saying that I'm not allowed to have anything to do with her while you're off cavorting with her. Don't think I didn't see the two of you- laughing like half drunk idiots!"

This touched upon the real reason why Sasuke was so annoyed. He agreed that he shouldn't be getting too deeply involved with Sakura, but he was annoyed at being told to stay away from her. No one was permitted to dictate his moves to him in such a manner...

The other man covered his face with the palm of his hand. Moments later, Sasuke realised that he was shaking. And then he came to the realisation that this man was laughing- laughing -at him.

He moved his hand and lifted the black hood off his face.

"Yes, that is exactly what I'm saying, little brother."

Black pits clouded with amusement stared into equally dark orbs pierced with rage.

He grit his teeth. "Don't laugh at me."

Nobody should be allowed to tell him what he could or couldn't do- and then go and do the exact thing which he had told Sasuke not to do.

Laughing at his brother's aggravated argument, Itachi Uchiha said, "At least with me there's no risk of me losing sight of priorities." He looked at Sasuke pointedly and added, far more serious and even angry, "You shouldn't even be angry about this in the first place. What I do in my time outside of our work is up to me. After all, it's not like you were getting anywhere with her."

Sasuke grit his teeth, his voice seething with rage, "Y-you-"

"But now is not the time for that. We have a visitor." he stepped aside revealing a second figure clad in black with a mask covering the majority of his face.

Kakashi Hatake was equally as angry as Sasuke.

Stepping forward, he shouted, "I don't believe the nerve of you guys! I leave you alone for 3 weeks, and I come back to find out you're under FBI scrutiny, are in danger of being accused of being in contempt of the law, let not just one but two kids escape- one which is dead and is being investigated by police officials which could end up in them knocking at our doorstep, the other is with the FBI, you've revealed yourselves to our target and she hardly trusts either of you, and what's worse, I come to find you two here at each others' throat arguing like cat and dog- over a girl of all things!" Angry and out of breath, he glared at both of them.

A moment of silence followed as they all looked at one another.

"And what have you been doing?" Sasuke said, rounding on him, although already well aware of exactly what the grey haired man had gone away for.

"At least I've done something useful." Kakashi said.

"How is she?" Itachi asked quietly, no longer angry, but rather regarding the conversation between uncle and nephew with mild humour, a forlorn look crossing his face as he focused on the reason why their uncle had left them for three weeks. Kakashi was the only person apart from Sasuke and Itachi who knew everything about what they were doing.

Hearing Itachi's question, his demeanor changed abruptly. Sadly, he said, "She- your mother, she's fine. At least, as good as you can be if you're forcefully isolated on an uncharted island and being used as collateral to blackmail your only living family into openly experimenting on and in the long run killing hundreds of innocent children-" his voice cracked as he added, "I spent a week with her. She still doesn't know that we're doing this."

Kakashi being Mikoto's biological brother was the only one permitted to see her- that and his legal disposition allowed him access to the island where she was being kept. For the 18 years since she had been taken away, not even Sasuke or Itachi were able to see her.

"It's better it stays like that. She's not likely to approve of the lengths we're going to for her." Itachi said.

"But it's the only way, isn't it?" Sasuke asked, looking between Kakashi and Itachi.

"Well..It stops once we bring in a successful test subject. But you already know that." Kakashi said.

"No..I mean. Isn't there any other way?" Sasuke asked.

Kakashi was quite surprised at Sasuke's question. Normally, Itachi was the one to look for other alternatives, although given their circumstances, there really was no other way. But Sasuke never once questioned it. He didn't like it, but he was willing to go to much further lengths for his mother, and was unwilling to try anything else which might have ended in her injury. At the end of the day, Sasuke was still like the little boy from all those years ago- all he had really wanted was his mother returned to him, and everything he did focused around that goal.

"We've looked into it before. You yourself have said that there's no way to work around it without her getting hurt." Kakashi said.

The look of confusion in Sasuke's eyes dissipated as they hardened. Jaw set, he nodded and said, "In that case we need to have our next moves set out for us to evade the FBI investigation that may ensue."

"Then there's no time to waste. Tell me everything I've missed."

Secrets are uncovered! That's not the full explanation to everything though.

Sorry if Sasuke seemed a bit ooc to you, but it's kinda necessary to put across the fact that he's angry. And it's not out of character for Sasuke to be angry. Anger is something he does very well ;)

If you're wondering what happened to our dear Sakura, don't worry, I've not sidelined her. Just doing everything chronologically.

Hope you enjoyed. More action in the next chapter!

~Raven