It's short, but I can't imagine it any other way. You'll just have to wait for the next chapter for more. Hope you like it.

Don't forget to drop a review ;)

~Raven

Disclaimer:I do not own Naruto

25th April, 2032, Uchiha Corporation, San Francisco, Time- 17:04

"Who the hell are you?!"

"Who the hell are you?!"

"I asked first."

"You're the one who walked into my abode."

Naruto looked at the man with long shaggy red hair, and dark rimmed jade orbs for eyes. Who was he? Why had Sasuke kept him under such high security? What role did this man play? "You...How long have you lived here?"

The other man registered his question, and sighed, leaning back into his seat, a smile- a smile - creeping onto his face as he laughed mirthlessly and said, "That is a question even I'd like to know the answer to."

"Can I sit down?" Naruto asked, suddenly feeling very curious about this person, who looked familiar in ways inexplicable.

"My opinion's never stopped anyone before." he said sarcastically.

"Well it matters now. I'm asking." Naruto said.

"Go ahead. It's not as though it's made a difference. Tell me... how did a layman like you make your way into the Uchiha's holding cells?" he asked.

"Holding cells? What did you do for Sasuke to put you in here?" Naruto asked, confused. According to what he knew of the basement, the only people who could be held captive there were...children- something that made his blood boil at even the thought of it; and ...semi successful experiments. His eyes widened as he came to that conclusion.

The other man's eyes narrowed at the mention of Sasuke's name. It seemed as though he changed his mind about any information he might have divulged as he realised that Naruto was close to Sasuke.

Another mirthless laugh, and he said, "I know thinks about your dear Sasuke that could make your blood curdle."

"I know them too. At least, some of them. But what do you know about Sasuke?"

"The Uchiha is a murderer."

"He's not. He's trying to help."

"By killing children."

"By making sure they're taken care of."

"Which is a nice term for genocide."

"He's trying to make sure that no more children get taken in."

"By trying to kidnap those who have finally escaped from this living hell?"

"He's just..."

"He's just what? If he's as valiant as you call it, then it should be him sitting here and explaining himself to me. Don't fight his battles for him."

"Who are you?" Naruto asked, not realising that he had stood up in his rapid efforts to defend Sasuke. He knew, to an outsider, what Sasuke did could be thought of as nothing short of evil, but Naruto knew better. He couldn't stand hearing people talk about his best friend like that.

The other man glared at him. "One should always introduce himself before demanding the same of another."

"My name is Naruto Uzumaki. As for how I got here, I was supposed to do something for Sasuke down here..." he said, thinking about whether it would be safe to tell this man about the reason behind it, before deciding that it didn't matter, and saying, "I was cleaning stuff up for him here because he's too busy with the FBI upstairs."

The other man froze at the mention of the 'FBI', his eyes widening, before regaining some semblance of his previous manner as he said, "'Cleaning up stuff' as in disposing of the bodies and evidence. Administrating some other form of experimentation. Who would have known? You aren't just some layman."

"No! I didn't do anything like that! Sasuke wouldn't either-"

"My name is Gaara." the other man said, gritting his teeth, the look in his eyes saying that he wouldn't think twice about snapping Naruto's spine if he thought he could get away with it.

What had Sasuke done to this man? Beneath the layers of the malice and hate, there was a look of utter desperation and despair- this man had been here for so long, he had likely forgotten what it felt like to live. Naruto trusted Sasuke, but sometimes he didn't agree with his methods. In that moment, he made a decision to help this man, Gaara, in whatever way he could, no matter what Sasuke said. As long as it didn't directly hurt Sasuke.

"Look...Gaara. I don't know what's happened to you or why Sasuke has you in here, but believe me when I say I want to help you." He said, his voice laced with genuine concern.

Perhaps it was the disarming aura Naruto possessed which made people tend to trust him wherever he went, or perhaps it was the genuine concern laced in his voice, and the desire to help which was not in any way part of a facade or disguise, but Gaara sighed resignedly and decided to start talking. Maybe Naruto would tell him something useful...

"It was between the years 2018-2020 when I escaped from this place for the first time." he said after a long sigh.

Naruto's mind raced...this man was another child experiment? One who had escaped so many years ago...

"I escaped with my younger sister. We ran far from civilization- to a place we hoped the Uchiha could never find us. But I should have known that they would find her. They wanted something from my sister; I led them to believe that I had it, not them."

His words were cryptic to some extent, but Naruto understood the gist of what they were saying. This Gaara person's sister wasn't any ordinary test subject. She must have been one who was almost successful. And that's why the Uchiha would chase her. At that time, the man in charge would have been Fugaku- Sasuke's dad. He wasn't nearly as nice as Sasuke.

"In December 2019, they found us. They took me away with them- they left her alone; it's not like she would survive for long on her own anyway. And they've kept me here ever since." he said, bitterly.

Naruto stared at him, saying, "You've been in here...for twelve years?"

"So it would seem. You're the better judge of that."

"What does Sasuke even want from you?"

"It seems my sister is alive. Your dear Uchiha wants her kidnapped. Apparently keeping me here would make her more cooperative. If not, they probably would have left me to rot and die by now."

"Sasuke would never." Naruto defended.

"Believe what you want."

Of course, if this person was nearly successful, Sasuke would want to bring her in. At the very least, if she was brought in, then Sasuke could stop what was happening to all the other children. But something left him really curious.

"Gaara...who is your sister?"

"How do I know I can trust you with that?"

"Doesn't Sasuke already know? What harm could come of it?"

The redhead looked at him with a calculating, deliberating gaze. Seeming to come to an internal conclusion, he said, "Haruno. Sakura Haruno."