A/N: I cannot say anything more than I am sorry.

Perpetual Elegy

Sasuke stirred from a far too peaceful rest and into an eerily silent room. The office space, despite being silent was completely full. Rising like a cliché zombie from the couch he observed the rooms occupants mope about lethargically. Pinching the bridge of his nose Sasuke released a sigh. He could feel it in the air. Oh how he loathed tension. The three new recruits stared out the office window down at Taka's flagship seemingly entranced by it. Karin and Suigetsu serviced their weapons in lieu of their usual bickering. Jugo seemed to be the only one acting normal. The gang finally turned their attention to him when the sound of his rustling trench coat filled the silent room like a megaphone.

"If any of you have something to say I suggest you say it now. I don't want any distractions in the field" Sasuke ordered having finished gathered what little belongings he deemed necessary. All eyes were on him now. "What's the worst that could happen" chimed that diminutive inner voice that was getting louder and bolder with each day. Having waited long enough for a response and receiving none he turned away and headed for the door. The Uchiha must have been losing his knack for foresight because not even he would've imagined what came at him next.

"You son of a bitch" shouted Sakura crossing the distance between them in two long quick strides; her haymaker hook on a crash course with Sasukes face. The room was once again silent. She'd struck him, and hard. The dark haired man took a step back finding it surprisingly hard to hold his ground against the cherry headed woman's knuckles. 'When did she get so strong' he thought to himself wiping the trail of blood from the corner of his mouth as he stared down Sakura as if testing whether she dare strike again. Her eyes were wild. Her breathing heavy and arduous though her stance remained firm. He fought back the animalist urge to strike her down and to everyone's surprise motioned for them to leave. Perhaps it was true; fortune favors the bold. The stunned occupants turned their gaze to Sakura the same thoughts running through their minds, 'Who was this girl?'

Suigetsu and Karin packaged the extra armaments and ammunition stuffing them into two duffle bags passing them to Jugo as they donned their trench coats and sidearm's. The three new recruits shuffled along feeling like misplaced furniture in the office space neither knowing what to do or what not to do; Sakura was already testing those limits. Now she was receiving sideways glances from the senior Taka members. It unnerved her to say the least. From what she'd read from handbooks on organized crime syndicates and what she had seen from crime scenes disrespect for organizations hierarchy and traditions was often fatal and if not it involved maiming at the least. Perhaps they were deciding how best to discipline her. She shuddered at the thought.

"Oi! We're burning daylight and the last thing we want is to keep Sasuke waiting longer. He never was a morning person and I can't say your little "wake up call" made him any happier" snapped Suigetsu at the former Interpol agents as he and Karin followed Jugo out the office.

"Jugo has the van been delivered?" Sasuke questioned giving the ship one last look over, his hand grazing the cold steel of the bow.

Jugo nodded in response as he slid the warehouse door open to reveal a black SUV with nondescript markings. The sun had only just begun to rise and much of the city was still asleep. No one would miss them; no one would even know they had been here. Jugo loaded the duffle bags into the trunk and helped load the gear and other luggage as it was handed to him. When Sakura handed him her suitcase, mostly full of case files and replacement suits, she tried not to meet his eyes something other than his size was intimidating.

"He won't hurt you for what you did. He needs you" said the quiet giant as if having read her mind when their fingers touched briefly. She stared in shock momentarily her mouth agape, and quickly bustled off into the SUV as if his words hadn't calmed her in the slightest. Sai, Naruto, and Sakura occupied the third row while Karin and Suigetsu took the second. The two had already begun to bicker about some nonsensical issue. Jugo climbed into the driver seat beside Sasuke who was content mulling over a folder of files to drown out the background noise.

"Sasuke, where are we going?" yelled Naruto from the backseat as they pulled away from the compound.

"Nagano." He replied plainly just barely above the noise flipping through more documents.

"Why? What's there?" questioned Sakura this time finding the courage to address him in a more verbal manner this time around.

Sasuke paused from his papers and looked up into the rearview to get a look at his recruits, "Information, and if there's enough, Akatsuki as well."

The raven haired man's tone must have struck a chord with the car's occupants as it had made Karin and Suigetsus' typical banter cease. The four hour drive continued as such aside from Naruto's countless questions; thankfully they were directed at Suigetsu and mostly about his katana when they weren't about his stomach. At least he had more tact to ask about that sort of thing while Sai prodded all three of them for information on their organization, as well as connections to Orochimarus criminal syndicate. That earned him a glare from Sasuke, the kind that promised nothing but death if he continued.

"We don't talk about that bastard. We do not speak of the dead" Karin responded solemnly, reciting the second phrase as if it were a mantra. Jugo stiffened noticeably as well upon hearing the words

It was approaching a quarter past nine and they were just entering the city limits. Sasuke had long since put his documents away and was now absently observing the mountains on the outskirts until they were obstructed by high-rises, corporations, and apartment complexes. Sasuke eyed the SUVs clock noting the uncomfortable knot that manifested in his stomach. He turned his attention to the streets, typically they would be packed at such a time yet he could count the number of cars on the road with a single hand. His hand darted at the dashboard finding the police scanner he had installed and searched for the correct frequency; the jumbled words of incorrect stations waking the sleeping occupants.

"Huh? Are we there yet?" stirred Naruto shaking off his drowsiness with the obnoxious yawn.

"Quiet!" Sasuke snapped finally finding the right frequency and listening intently as Jugo pulled up to a stop light. Silence permeated the frequency, not even static, just cold silence. Sasuke cursed under his breath. Something was definitely wrong. As if on cue two motorcycles pulled up on opposite sides of the SUV. Black. No markings. The riders were wearing police riot gear and hadn't even glanced at them yet.

"Jugo, get us off this road. Now." Sasuke ordered calmly reaching for his M9; the other passengers taking the notice. With a simple nod Jugo floored the three ton vehicle and propelled it down the street.

"Sasuke, what's going on?" asked Karin her voice quivering slightly as she looked from side to side frantically at their pursuers.

"Tch. They aren't cops no matter what they wear. Mercs maybe" deduced Suigetsu, following Sasukes lead and reaching for his firearm. Sasuke began rolling his window down as their shadows drew closer and closer in the side view mirrors.

"You aren't going to kill them are you?! This is insane! They're officers!" Sakura and Naruto protested as Sasuke and Suigetsu prepared to fire upon the motorcyclists; they themselves drawing their MP5s on them. Sasuke paid them no attention. This was his world. Regardless of whom they were or what they wanted, it was kill or be killed. They opened fire.

"Turn here; we have to get out of the open!" Sasuke urged firing upon the assailant on the left, winging them in the shoulder while the majority of his rounds peppered the bulletproof exterior. Jugo took a sharp left, jostling the occupants momentarily, but taking them further from their hunters who dwindled in the rear view. The raven haired man wiped the sweat from his brow into his hair and pulled a cigarette from his coat, lighting it and taking a good long drag of it as he continued to direct Jugo. Suigetsu celebrated with his usual boasting and teasing of the still shaken Karin and Sakura. It could be considered premature as soon they began taking bullets again from the rear. This time they avoided the windows and took pot shots when they tried to return fire. Sasuke could see it already. They were being herded.

"Sasuke you're going to get us killed! We have to stop!" Naruto exclaimed climbing into the second row confronting the stoic Uchiha. He only took another drag of his cigarette and continued directing Jugo. In the blondes desperation he popped out from the sunroof waving his Interpol badge only to get clipped by a round. Sakura rushed to his aid all the while, Sasuke just smoked. With one last right turn they came back onto the main road, right where their attackers wanted them. The main road was teeming with more "police" armed with automatic rifles and SUVs in a blockade formation.

"End of the road" Sasuke toned, flicking the now finished butt outside over the clamor inside the car, Karin having a panic attack, Sakura on the verge of tears, Suigetsu swearing to take as many with him as possible; the only calm ones were himself, Jugo and Sai.

"Do as they say. They aren't going to kill us. They would have done so already. They want us alive. Whoever they are" Sasuke explained as the screech of the loudspeaker rang across the intersection demanding they put their hands up and exit the vehicle. Quickly the doors were flung open and each of them was dragged out into the street by officers screaming the same instructions and had their hands zip tied behind their backs as they were relieved of all weapons. Sakura and Narutos' "I'm an agent of Interpol" plea fell on deaf ears. One by one they were herded into a transportation vehicle. Before the Uchiha was shoved inside he scanned each of their covered faces for some idea of who was taking them. He spotted something in the last moments, a woman exiting one of the SUVs, a high ranking officer from the count of her medals and the retinue of men about her. Something was familiar about her as she shouted orders.

The band of seven were accompanied by one of the officers, specifically, the one Sasuke had shot. He still wore his bike helmet and sat directly across from the Uchiha his MP5 steadily aimed at him as they drove off.

"You shot me." He grunted gesturing to his poorly bandaged arm.

"So I did" replied the raven haired man showing no emotion knowing full well he wouldn't be killed. Unless this was the work of Akatsuki in which case they'd all already be dead in a ditch. There was no chatter from the police scanner that the prisoners could hear only bursts of muffled chatter between the driver and passenger and whoever had called them via cellphone as far as he could tell from the eye level metal mesh between compartments.

"Where are you taking us" inquired Sakura bound between Karin and Jugo her gaze trained hard on their armed guard on the right side of the vehicle. Her training hadn't prepared her for these types of contingencies; typically she would be prepared for anything, she could only imagine what was going through Naruto's head at the moment. The realization that had hit her last night in Nagoya had probably just began to sink in. 'Your superior practically sold you to Sasuke, therefore you're no longer Interpol. You're Taka….' She cast her gaze to the blonde seated next to Sasuke, his eyes staring only at his lap. He had joined the law enforcement profession as a means to escape the life of crime that most orphans found themselves leashed to from an early age. He worked harder than most and failed more times than he'd let on, but he always came out the other side stronger and more determined. She questioned their guard once again, this time more forcefully, earning herself the submachine guns attention.

"Don't speak scum" he bit out gesturing with his weapon before returning his attention to Sasuke, whose gaze hadn't faltered in the least. Most would have flinched, fidgeted, become unnerved in some way by his stare but this man wasn't and he spoke no more than necessary. Trained well, but by whom?

Eventually the transport came to a stop inside some sort of compounds docking bay. It seemed like an eternity of silence with the seven of them waiting with baited breath while their captor watched with a steady finger on the trigger. Without warning the doors flew open and men clad in black suits flooded the rear throwing black hoods over each of their heads and ushering them out into the unknown. Sasuke could hear the struggle Naruto had given on the way out of the vehicle but it ceased with what sounded like a gut punch, by the way he exhaled and gasped for breath. Karin and Suigetsu would not break, Jugo was more like to snap and kill a few of them if they interrogated him too hard. Taka would remain. As for the other three, he couldn't tell. He had kept them in the dark relatively just in case such a thing had happened. They couldn't be trusted, not just yet. He was led through at least two doors and through three corridors judging by the minute change in sounds his footsteps and his escorts made against what was concrete and became tile. Eventually he was led into an interrogation room, not a cell as he had expected. There were people already in the room waiting for him. They sat him down on a cold metal chair and cut his zip ties reminding the stoic faced man not to try anything as he had several guns trained on him. They handcuffed him this time and attached the chain to the table. They even attached shackles to his ankles. He sat there listening to the rooms inhabitants shuffle about until he heard nothing but the buzz of the florescent lighting, but he wasn't alone. The door closed softly, locking as the mechanisms connected. The sound of hard heels on tile resounded in the room as its last occupant paced around him.

"Sizing up a bound man?" Sasuke asked condescendingly hearing the footsteps come to a halt at his side. His would be interrogator clearly didn't take kindly to that comment as they stuck him across the face with a hard fist and grabbing the hood along with a handful of his hair and tugging it back.

"Watch your tone, Uchiha" they responded harshly in his ear. Every action against him gave him the information he needed. It was a woman judging from the voice and the size of their hand currently wrenching at his scalp. Loosening their grip they yanked the hood from his head. It took him some time to adjust to the bright lighting in the room, once he was acclimated he stared his captor in the face. A woman of average height about 5'5" maybe 5'7 in her heels, shoulder length straight brown hair tucked behind her hair possibly more underneath her metal detailed military peaked cap. Intense brown eyes, porcelain skin, a deceptively toned body; if only based on her punch, was hidden beneath her uniform. Black as midnight blazer studded with gold detail and trim and matching belt, save for the crisp white dress shirt beneath the black tie and the not-so-regulation-length pencil skirt that barely reached mid thigh, where her service weapon was holstered above the hemp of her fishnets and high heeled boots. The only thing that supported his theory of them being some sort of paramilitary force was the lack of makeup. This was all wrong.

"Enough staring Uchiha let's get down to it" she barked scowling at his gaze as she took the seat opposite him and placed her silver 1911 pistol on the table. The obsidian eyed man noted how well polished it was. The sort of weapon not fired for some time, but still well maintained. She must be dying for a reason to use it. Removing her white gloves she reached for a cigarette and Zippo lighter from her blazer pocket placing the hand rolled stick between her lips and lit it taking a few puffs before exhaling through her nostrils'.

"You don't need to know my name, all you need to know is that I'm here to do my job, and I will do so with or without your cooperation. Understood?" she began in a stern monotone as if rehearsed. They just stared at each other; surely she hadn't actually expected a response. Ashing her cigarette impatiently she ignored the dead stare he gave her.

"You've been under surveillance since you left Paris not two days ago. Perhaps you've lost your touch for traveling under the radar? It makes no difference, we've got you now. So, what brings you to Nagano, Uchiha Sasuke? Business or pleasure" she inquired failing to hold back a catty smirk. Sasuke was not amused.

"You want information, same as me" he replied testing the slack he had with his handcuffs and fetters, "An exchange is—" he was interrupted when she burst out laughing at the very notion.

"There will be no such exchange. Now, did you come here to kill someone or to fuck some whore? Rumor has it you Uchihas don't take vacations unless they're inside some whores snatch. So which is it" she questioned again this time taking a more severe tone. He watched her snuff out the remnants of her cigarette the remaining wisps framing her face. The heady scent made it difficult to concentrate; he was half focused on the question and half on where he'd remembered the scent from. Her right hand was resting on her pistol as if daring him to make a move; give her a reason.

"I'm here to kill someone. Maybe many people. That sort of business would give me more pleasure than any whore" he retorted icily folding his hands as best he could given the restraints. He must have responded correctly as she hadn't shot him, in fact she chuckled.

"Well said, Sasuke" she commended adjusting her cap, "You should hope your companions fair as well with their interrogations" absently she picked up the pistol noting how he reflexively kept eye contact with it.

"Relax, I won't kill you. Not with that bounty on your head" she mused releasing the magazine and placing it beside the discarded cigarette, "I do wonder however, how long until those Interpol agents are worth a damn? Frankly we don't need them. Only you" the brunette pointed the 1911 at him suggestively mouthing "bang" with a smile. He still didn't understand what they wanted. She hadn't asked who it was specifically he planned on kill, maybe she knew he had no interest in giving that away.

"That Haruno is quite the piece of work. A former comrade of yours, no?" she baited as if she didn't have the answer already. Sasuke made no moves she wanted him to do something, anything just so she could hurt him, but why? "What happened, Karin wasn't enough for you anymore? You wanted some tarted up pig to service—"

"Shut your mouth." He snarled his head downcast and knuckles white from strain. The interrogator rose quickly and crossed the table worth of distance between them in two strides pressing the gun to his temple.

"You are in no position!" she fumed pulling back the hammer, "I never cleared the chamber smart ass, I said I wouldn't kill you, never that I wouldn't shoot you" she clarified gritting her teeth as he turned his head to look her in the eyes. She noticeably flinched upon seeing the specks of red invading his outer iris. With her free hand she tugged at her collar dislodging two buttons and loosening her tie to relieve some of her anger.

"That slag must be important to you. Duly noted" she said seemingly calmer even though the pistol was still resting on his forehead. Slowly it trailed across his jaw line, down his neck, his chest until it came to rest on his privates, "To think of all the prowess your clan once claimed, now I have your cock in a vice, so to speak" she taunted, smirk and all as she leaned close to his ear. She was so close he could smell her, a sharp mixture of her hand rolled cigarette, alcohol, and a cinnamon spice blend. Sasuke could see the beginnings of a tattoo just below her collar. He was tempted to make his move now, for all her bravado and provocation, he considered killing this woman. Soon enough she backed away her free hand pressed to her ear listening to something.

"It would seem our time is up Uchiha. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did" she said sarcasm dripping like venom as she replaced the clip in her pistol and donned her white gloves again. She unlocked the door and opened it as if to leave but not before giving him one more backwards glance.

"By the way—", she fired at him striking him in the left shoulder. He grunted glaring at her through the pain. "Those trench coats are fucking stupid it's the middle of June shithead" with that she left; leaving four men in suits to retrieve him. Once again he was hooded and transported to god knows where in the compound.

The Uchiha tried to listen to the sounds as he had before but it was no use, the pain in his shoulder was too great and his captors had done little to help him. He could hear his name began spoken through the next door or through the walls he couldn't tell anymore. His coat sleeve was drenched in blood leaving a steady trail in his wake. Sasuke had started to rely on his escorts more and more until they though him to the ground. They undid his cuffs and shackles removing his hood just before they exited. He had lost too much blood to focus on the dim light of his cell or the call of those in the adjacent cell. Cursing himself and the woman who had done this to him he shed his trench coat tearing at the left sleeve of his turtleneck with the remainder of his strength. He tied the remnants around the wound the world fading faster around he barely felt the pain anymore. He'd make that woman pay. The woman with the cinnamon scent.

"We need a plan." proclaimed the pale man pacing about the cell searching for weak points in vain. Naruto assisted as best he could but he was losing hope with every passing second, but it wasn't getting out he was worried about after Sasuke returned they had taken Sakura. He'd taken a gun butt to the face trying to stop them, fearing she would fare worse than Sasuke had. \

"It's no use even if we could get out of these cells there are surely armed guards ready to gun us down. You probably more so than us. We're actually worth a damn." He chided leaning against the bars trying to peer over at his neighbors. Karin paced back and forth fuming muttering under her breath all the things they'd do for hurting Sasuke. Jugo was stone face huddled into a corner. Jail cells were a bad place for him and the two knew to keep their distance.

"They'll most likely try ransoming you off to Interpol. If that doesn't work you'll be sold to highest bidding criminal syndicate like we probably will. If none of these…." Karin paused in place shuddering at the dark thoughts coming to mind, "They'll torture us until we are of no use and then execute us."

"Sakura, hang in there." Naruto whispered taking a seat against the concrete wall resigning himself to rest rather than worry.

"She'll be fine. They're just trying to spook something out of you. Sasuke clearly didn't play along" deduced Sai staring impassively at his slumped over form. If it wasn't for his shallow breaths he'd be a convincing corpse.

"Let's see Haruno Sakura, former agent of Interpol and member of the Special Task Force unit. Tell me, how does it feel to be disavowed by the organization you've given your life to?" she asked pacing about with clipboard and pen in hand the pink haired woman scowling at her as if trying to frighten her.

"Must not be good", she chuckled fishing for a cigarette eyeing it momentarily before glancing down at Sakura; "Would you like a smoke?"

The question seemed innocent enough, "I don't smoke" she replied forcing herself to sound unyielding in front of the other woman. The brunette sighed, tucking the cigarette behind her ear and taking her seat opposite her charge.

"Ms. Haruno, Sakura. We are not so different", she started removing her cap and running her hand through her hair, "We are ambitious women, working and living in a world where we are belittled and exploited because of our gender", staring intently into her counterparts emerald irises searching for something to utilize, any reaction at all, other than hate. "You would let this man, Uchiha Sasuke, drag your good name. Your family's good name through the dirt only to burn it as tinder in the end after you've outlived your use", her gloved hands intertwining as if in deep thought. Sakura did feel a pang of truth to what she had said. Sasuke had changed and she didn't know him as well anymore. That much was true. "He's already set you on his own path. You're branded a criminal by association. Fired upon law enforcement officers—"

"You're no cop! Don't you dare" she shot back tugging at her shackles, "Tch! You're a criminal as well, you can't fool me" she bared her teeth struggling against the handcuffs even more. The brunette furrowed her brow fighting the urge to slap the other woman for her outburst.

"You're right. I am no cop, but Sasuke plans to kill people. A lot of people, and I am trying to stop him!" she replied angrily slamming her fists on the table. Grabbing the forgotten clipboard she slid photos towards Sakura, "Perhaps these will help you better understand the man you are following" each photo depicted a grisly scene: bodies, all bullet ridden, dismembered, disemboweled, maimed, burned "All of them, his victims. I am trying to prevent another massacre. Uchiha Sasuke will stop at nothing to kill his target, he's done it before and he'll do it again."

She slid the clipboard towards her prisoner along with a pen, "All I need is a name, and you and your Interpol friends can leave and put this unpleasantness behind you. Please, you have my word"

Sakura lingered on each of the photos feeling her stomach churn with examination of the twisted corpses Sasuke had allegedly left in his wake. 'Sasuke couldn't possibly have…' she told her herself but the doubt was growing stronger in the back of her mind. Gingerly she picked up the pen and began writing. She frowned somewhat regrettably before passing the clipboard back to her interrogator who nodded in thanks. Though her eyes went wide as she read the large print katakana.

ゴー・ファック・ヨーセルフ

Translation? Go fuck yourself.

The brunettes face lit up a deep shade of beet red and she had to contain the urge to jump over the table to strangle the rose haired woman. Slowly she rose and stood beside her fist clenched and shaking.

"You realize I have the authority to kill you at my own discretion, yes?" she explained slowly and lowly her voice barely above a whisper. Sakura made no sudden movements, nodded in understanding, she could feel the fury radiating off the other woman, but she made her choice not to betray Sasuke, she would endure. She struck her square in the jaw, when she didn't raise her head; the brunette took her face in her free hand and punched her again holding nothing back.

"You would protect him?! For what?! A chance he'll notice you?! A chance he'll fuck you?! Fucking slags!" she exclaimed loading up to strike her again but her earpiece said otherwise, "Copy. Your lucky day bitch" she shook her fist as she back away and ran her hands through her hair. Roughly grabbing her cap she glared at the beaten woman before leaving her to the cleanup crew. Sakura could feel her cheek begin to swell as she spit out the blood pooling in her mouth as four men in suits rushed, unshackling, and obstructing her vision before ushering her out the interrogation room.

"The Major doesn't seem to like this one. Her face would be a bloody pulp if they hadn't pulled her leash" commented one of her escorts tugging her roughly when she dragged her feet.

"Shame she got this far. Won't be pretty for a while will you sweetheart?" another joked stroking her bruised cheek as it grew more discolored causing her to jerk away trying to break free. Unable to actually get out of their hold they continued pushing her through doors until they came back to the cells shoving her inside and into Narutos arms.

"Sakura-chan! Your face, are you alright?" he fussed foolishly touching her wound only to have her wince and flinch away in pain.

"I'll be fine Naruto, this was my choice" she affirmed glancing at the still comatose Sasuke. "How long have we been here?" she asked her voice thin and tired.

"Almost thirteen hours. We should get some rest. We don't know what will happen come morning" Sai responded in is usual monotone returning to his spot by cell bars.

"Nothing good I can tell you that" droned Suigetsu his tone morose as he tried to find a comfortable spot to rest. Karin had curled up underneath her coat. Jugo hadn't moved from his corner in hours, though that was preferable to the alternative. Soon the dimly lit cell block was quiet, save for Naruto's snoring.

Morning came early for Sasuke as he was the first to stir in his dismal cell, the pain now a dull throb compared to the one in his head. For once he got a decent look around the cell, no sink, no bed, and a depressing toilet. 'At least it's clean' chimed the voice in his head. Crawling his way to the bars, he used what little strength he had regained to pull himself to his feet. He attempted to remove his tattered turtleneck but it was too difficult without eliciting great amounts of pain in his left shoulder. He flexed his fingers in hopes of assessing his own capabilities should he need to defend himself against anyone, or more importantly, that woman. He couldn't find the focus to determine who she was to him. Her smells were all familiar, even her voice and eyes seemed recognizable, but at the same time she was all wrong.

As if on cue the only entrance and exit into the cellblock silently opened, revealing the cinnamon smelling brunette. Sasuke watched her with contempt and curiosity as she crossed the distance between them placing her hands between the bars. One with a switchblade, the other with a bottle of water. His obsidian eyes burned into her chocolate ones searching for deception within them. He tried to speak but it only came out as a cracked groan, the sounds reminiscent of the phrase: I'll kill you.

"Such a sweet talker. Here, drink" she ordered opening it for him. Her voice was low as if she didn't want their rendezvous to be shared with the rest of the inmates. Slowly he took it with his good hand, drinking for as long as he could without drowning himself. He continued watching her; mostly the knife she held in plain sight. The woman who shot him earlier would never have been so brash without reason.

"Why" he croaked his throat slowly acclimating to the cool liquid. She didn't fidget under his gaze only stare back at him with equal intensity and a simple smirk.

"You'll know soon enough. Now come here, we'll have clothes for you in the morning. In the mean time, come here" she ordered more sternly than the last. He inched closer, flexing his good hand in case he needed to fight her deceitfulness. Swiftly she grabbed the hem of his turtleneck and carefully sliced up through the material until he was able to shrug out of it. Her free hand grazed initially from his navel, making him flinch slightly at the coolness of her fingertips, upwards smiling slightly all the while in the dim florescent light until she came to pause on his left pectoral and her smile disappeared.

"We do not speak of the dead" she said lowly tracing the tomoes with a finger until he grabbed her wrist roughly and stared closely as the light danced in her eyes. So familiar.

"Who are you" he questioned holding tighter as she tried to pull away. She brandished the switchblade giving the unwavering hand a superficial cut to loosen his grip enough to pull away. She said nothing more to him only turn on her heels and exited as quietly as she had entered. His head was clearer now but the same questions remained if not more. She recognized the Heaven Seal even a fragment of the mantra. None of the pieces fit. He moved back to his corner finding it far easier to relax and drift off to sleep; her scent permeating in his cell being his only distraction. He didn't get much more sleeps as the cellblock was unexpectedly filled with suits, most armed, accompanied by their Major rattling a baton against the bars, waking all of her inmates.

"Morning, you sad lot" she greeted walking up and down the ranks of her men, grinning like a fox in a hen house. She eyed Karin in particular, getting a good rise out of her after making a crack about slags sleeping the day away.

"I'm sure you've all gotten accustom to your cells and have made them home by now, sadly today is moving day. I want all of them out and bound. Three vehicles. Don't bother with the hoods", she ordered stopping at Sasukes cell momentarily as he rose to his feet, "Get this one cleaned and put in my vehicle."

"Wait a goddamn second here! What's going on, where are you taking us?" protested the blonde as they invaded his cell pulling him away from his comrades and doing as they were ordered despite his boisterous resistance. Sasuke got his first good look at Sakura face as they dragged her off, the swelling had become a grotesque purple and yellow mass on her cheek. He could feel his fury grow as the interrogator smiled at her handy work. Suigetsu put up less of a fight than Sasuke had expected, he looked severely dehydrated as if he hadn't a drink in three days. Karin was worse for wear she tried to maintain a strong façade, but when she peered at him in his cell her eyes pleaded for help. It took much of the remaining forces to drag and bind Jugo from the cell, the giant taking several blows to his chest, legs and arms was unresponsive and had that blank glazed over look in his eyes. The look he had before he snapped. Sasuke called to him telling him to remain calm hoping it would alleviate the storm he foresaw. Now he was all alone, with three armed guards and the interrogator. A diminutive woman entered the cellblock holding a small basin filled with water and a suit with dress shirt for him to wear.

"Back against the wall; no funny stuff Uchiha. I just don't want you bleeding all over my car" she explained as they opened the cell and the woman went to work cleaning his wound and removing the bullet. That must have been the brunette woman's favourite part judging from the chuckle she gave as the round was pulled from his shoulder. The woman pulled bandages from her apron and wrapped the wound hastily under his critical eye, retreating as fast as she could once the job had been done, leaving the clothes in his care. The guards kept their weapons trained on him as he placed the shirt on, buttoning only those necessary and threw the dark blazer on.

"Wonderful. Now bind him quickly, we have a date with the executioner" she chirped leaving the men to their work only to be followed down the corridor moments later and into the compounds parking garage. Sasuke could see the other packed into the back of the transportation vehicles, two armed guards riding in back of each. The guards shoved Sasuke into the back of his own transportation vehicle where he stumbled into his seat. As soon as the major and her armed protégé climbed in the back and shut the doors they were off.

Sasuke could only stare at her. They were to be executed but what for? None of this made sense anymore. Had Sakura or one of the others broke and told them of their plans?

"Do you need a minute Uchiha? Perhaps you should have used the toilet before left. You look quite constipated", she joked laughing haughtily to herself as he stared motionless. Her laughter ceased when she realized he was taking the whole execution thing rather roughly. "Maybe a cigarette will ease those nerves. I'd accept, seeing as I cannot guarantee you one before they put one in the back of your head."

Sasuke nodded allowing her to place the cigarette in his mouth and light it. He took a measured drag finding this had more of a bite compared to what he usually smoked, but was surprisingly mellow at the same time. He exhaled slowly feeling as if a haze that had clouded his mind was suddenly lifted.

"My own special blend of tobacco. Strong, but just what the doctor ordered on those hard days" she gloated taking the cigarette from him and taking a drag herself. She leaned against the bench and crossed her legs as she watched him across the vehicle. She sighed loudly, "A shame really; putting down a decorated killer like you in such a fashion", and she took another drag, exhaling through her nostrils. She touched her left ear as if listening to something, but said nothing as she took it away. She was anxious about something, it showed.

"I have a question for you."

"Shoot" she replied grinning at her unintended pun.

"Before you shot me the other day you seemed interested in something."

"Other than whom you intended to kill?" she asked eyeing him warily as she ashed the diminishing cigarette.

"You had quite the interest in my cock." He said plainly as if it were as natural as breathing. The woman's face flushed and she adjusted her cap as she sought a response.

"More specifically you were interested in where I was putting it. I believe your words were 'some whores snatch'" he continued feeling her begin to shrink under his gaze. Her protégé began to take aim with his shotgun as tensions rose.

"I-I was simply trying to figure out how to get under your skin" she retorted her voice beginning to waver.

"Iie…I think you were trying to figure out how best to get me under you" He cooed, a thin smirk spreading across his face as he leaned forward.

"Watch your tongue when you address the Major!" commanded her protégé now visibly shaken by the exchange his trigger finger inching closer to firing.

"I believe she also wanted that part of me in her 'whores snatch'" he asserted loud enough for those in the driver and passenger seats to hear.

"Fuck this. I'll kill the Uchiha myself" she snapped, angrily tossing her cigarette. She wrestling the shotgun from her companion and aimed it at the obsidian eyed man adjacent to her.

"Major, please the Commissar—"

"Fuck the Commissar" she interrupted lowly as she fired the pump action shotgun at point blank range into her protégés chest. Swiftly reaching for her sidearm she clambered towards the front firing through the grate and into both remaining occupants. The vehicle however didn't slow as she had hoped it continued speeding behind the others. Sasuke watched the spectacle in bewilderment, his ears still ringing

"Shit, c'mon we gotta jump" she instructed as she kicked open the backdoor. Quickly she holstered her pistol and used her switchblade to cut Sasukes restraints. Passing him the deceased's shotgun she grabbed him roughly by the collar of his shirt and into the street, rolling several feet out the speeding truck. Groggily the two rose to their feet; the major dusted off her uniform and hat before examining their surroundings.

"Secure the others. I have Sasuke and need an extraction roughly two kilos out—" requested the woman into the transmitter inside her glove as the truck crashed into a telephone poll on the deserted early morning streets, "Follow the smoke."

The "Major" heard the shotgun cock behind her and glanced over her shoulder at Sasuke with it trained on her with full intent. Slowly she turned with her hands up in surrender but her smirk remained.

"Who are you, really?" he asked, his voice carrying across the intersection. Slowly she began approaching him hands still in the air.

"I'm the woman who just saved your fucking life" she called out continuing to steadily close the distance on the echo of her boot filling the silence.

"Is that so? Tell me who will save yours" Sasuke replied watching as she removed her peaked cap and came closer still, coming to a halt when the shotguns barrel lay flush against her chest.

"Haven't you heard? I've been dead for quite some time" she answered, roughly grabbing her disheveled russet colored hair, pulling hard and dashing it against the asphalt to reveal long red tresses. The raven haired man lowered his weapon in disbelief still trying to process the woman who stood before him in the flesh. He'd seen more ghosts in the last seventy-two hours than a man should, but she was the most unexpected.

"God I hated that thing" she said simply running her hand through her hair flashing a toothy grin.

"Tayuya…you're…"

"Alive? Tch, you have no idea Sasuke. No fucking idea." finished the redhead their getaway car arriving on the scene.

-.-.-.-.-.-

I…um wow. This is super awkward. It's been years and those who followed and enjoyed my other stories have probably moved on and no longer indulge in these things, but something came over me. Something kept me up at night and haunted my dreams. For real, I just couldn't sleep because of all my thoughts on continuing this story. I swear to do my damnedest to keep this alive until the, most likely, bitter end. I'm doing this for my fans as much as I am doing it for myself. A mans gotta have a code. Once again thank you for reading and if you're feeling up to it shoot me a review or PM, whatever you wanna do to tell me how you feel about this story, chapter, or how much you hated me for falling off the face of the fanfic planet for years on end. Before I forget if anyone was at all curious about why I painstakingly described Tayuyas attire it was mostly inspired by how much I loved artist Kazari Tayu's artwork of her in such a uniform and I did my best to turn what I saw into words. If you're curious please check out the artists work or PM me.

Next Chapter: Deadly Duet

Sayonara!