Chapter 9: This Is A Warning
Naruto couldn't stand around waiting for the police to solve the case. He knew how corrupt the police force was and felt as if he couldn't trust any of them to properly handle the case. So there he sat in his living room, every piece of the case file he could get spread out in front of him.
"This isn't healthy," Kiba told him as he watched him scan over the photos for what seemed like the thousandth time. Naruto had conducted his own interviews of the potential witnesses, viewed the surveillance videos, and looked at every photo Itachi had taken before the police arrived in an attempt to find some sort of clue.
"The police are too corrupt, we can't trust them," Naruto argued, rewinding a copy of the surveillance footage again, trying to see if he could find something. "I just wish we could get video of the street cameras, we might be able to find something on this stupid van they put him into," Naruto frowned.
"Did you ask the police?" he asked as he sat next to his friend, staring at the screen.
Naruto scoffed, "They allegedly looked and the van is nowhere to be seen." He clearly didn't believe them, "So I guess it's a ghost van." He hadn't told him that Suigetsu had already agreed to help him find Sasuke. The two had been working together to go over everything to see if they could find something the police didn't.
Kiba sighed, "How did you even get all of this?" He looked around, sure that some of the file wasn't public record since it was an ongoing investigation.
"I hired a private investigator," he admitted. "I thought of doing something less legal, but Suigetsu talked me out of it. He said Itachi probably already is in touch with his own people."
Kiba shook his head, "You pulled Suigetsu into this craziness?" He took a deep breath, he couldn't really blame either of them, "But if the police can't find anything what makes you think that you can?"
"I've told you a million times, they aren't really trying. They're just putting on a show," he was sick of having to say the same thing over and over without Kiba understanding. "You're naive if you think the police are on our side in all of this. Just be happy I'm going the more legal route."
"Have you talked with Itachi about all of this?" he gestured to the mess that was spread across the room.
Naruto shook his head, "I'll go to him first when I find something."
"You're going to get yourself hurt," Kiba was concerned as to what Naruto might do if he did find something. He didn't believe he'd just let the police handle it.
"If I find him then it'll be worth anything hat happens to me. If you won't help me at least stay out of my way," Naruto huffed, gluing his eyes back to the screen. He went back a little further, hoping there might be some clues from before the incident. "Holy shit," the blond paused the video.
"What?" Kiba looked over his shoulder, confused as to what Naruto was seeing.
"That car," he pointed to the screen. "This isn't the first time it drove by," he explains, rewinding it again to see how many times the car had driven by the parking lot. It was as if he was scoping the area. Luckily, the cameras at the Uchiha building were top of the line, making it easier to zoom in and see faces than it would be on a normal business security camera.
"These cameras are like HD quality," Kiba commented as he watched while Naruto tried to get a good frame of the face of the man driving the car.
"They're rich as fuck, you think they'd have some cheap shit?" Naruto asked. "They did a full upgrade to their already expensive equipment when they learned Orochimaru broke out of prison," he explained. "I think they hired someone they trusted to make the system custom."
"Of course they did," Kiba wasn't particularly surprised. The Uchihas knew someone in every industry, especially technology and security. "Probably special ops military grade shit that you only see in the movies."
Naruto shrugged before finally finding a good shot of the man's face. He was surprised the man wasn't being more cautious. He didn't seem trained for the task of taking Sasuke, "He's not discrete at all." Naruto zoomed in and his eyes widened, "I know him!"
"You know him?" Kiba was shocked that Orochimaru would use someone that could be recognized.
"He's one of the workers at the new coffee shop Sasuke found," Naruto felt as if he'd been hit by a truck at the revelation. "I can't believe this, he seems like such a nice kid."
"Maybe he is and doesn't even know what he's caught up in," Kiba said. "Either way, we have to go to the police."
"I'm going to talk to Itachi first," Naruto printed the screenshot of the man to take to the oldest Uchiha.
As they left Kiba turned to Naruto, "Be careful." The sun was already starting to set, but they both knew that Itachi would still be in the office. Going anywhere near the building made them both a little uneasy after what had happened.
"I will," he promised before getting into his car.
It wasn't long before Naruto was in front of Itachi's office. He didn't bother to knock before barging into the office, slapping the photo down in front of Itachi. Before the older could complain about him just walking into his office unannounced, he said, "This guy was casing the parking lot before Sasuke was taken. He works at Sasuke's new coffee shop."
Itachi stared at the photo, "Have you told the police?"
"Not yet, but I will," Naruto responded. "I know you know people that can help."
"I'm already in contact with them," Itachi assured him as he took the photo. He looked at the kid, not sure what to think. "I'll pass this along."
"They won't hurt him, right?" he asked. He didn't believe that the kid knew what he was getting into when he agreed to do whatever Orochimaru had asked him to do. "He seems like a sweet kid, I don't know how he got mixed up in all of this."
Itachi shook his head, "I've instructed that they don't move on anyone without consulting me first. My goal is for no one to die, they may have information on Sasuke. I'm not going to let my anger of him being taken cloud my judgment. I'll save that for after if necessary," he explained coldly.
Naruto let out a sigh of relief. He knew that Itachi had connections to some bad people, he felt lucky they were on the same side. "Good, I agree that's what we should do."
"I know what I'm doing, Naruto. We'll find him," he promised, hoping he could keep it.
Naruto frowned, "But will he still be alive when we do?"
Itachi clenched his jaw, "I will burn this city to the ground to find Orochimaru and kill him myself if Sasuke isn't alive." He leaned back in his chair, "Go home and rest. We'll go to the police together in the morning."
Naruto shook his head, "Yeah, cause waiting until the morning works so well."
Itachi looked down, "Trust me, I blame myself enough for the both of us. But I have a surprise for the police tomorrow that might make them take us a little more seriously."
"What are you going to do?" he asked curiously.
"Put some pressure on them," he sat back in his chair. "I'm done waiting for them to make a statement about Sasuke's disappearance. Public knowledge will have them work a little harder on the investigation."
"And if they don't?" he asked.
"First, we'll make it very clear that the media will not take kindly to them mishandling the case of an Uchiha. Then, I'll go above their heads directly to the chief of police and maybe instill a little bit of fear in them," he told him. Naruto had a feeling that it wouldn't be just a little bit of fear, but he couldn't feel bad for the men that weren't doing anything to solve the case. "The chief of police wants to keep his position far more than he cares about the detectives working under him and he know that I know people that can get him fired. And if that doesn't work, let's just say my connections are on standby to do what they have to."
"Do you have them actively looking for people connected to the case?" he asked, hoping that Itachi was doing everything he could.
"Of course, those are already deployed. I meant the connections that will take out anyone that gets in the way of capable people handling this case," he told him. "I don't trust the detectives that are currently on it any more than you do. Which is why I'm keeping an eye on them. After we tell them what we know, you'll ask for updates and if they don't give it to you, then I'll take it from there."
Naruto nodded, not wanting to know the details of what Itachi had planned. It didn't seem good for anyone involved in the investigation. "Understood. I'll see you in the morning. Sorry for being so harsh about it."
"I understand, I'm frustrated, too," Itachi told him. "Now, go get some rest. We can't have you looking like a crazy person who hasn't slept in two days when we go in there," he directed, knowing that Naruto probably hadn't slept much since Sasuke went missing.
Naruto left Itachi's office. He looked around the parking lot, his mind replaying what he'd seen on the video. He didn't know how Itachi could even work in the building where Sasuke had gone missing. He understood Itachi was giving the police a chance to prove themselves, but Naruto was getting impatient. Still, it was better to go in with Itachi, who was well respected by the community. If he went by himself they'd be more likely to just write him off.
When he finally got home, he was surprised to see something taped onto his door. He almost missed it by pulling into the garage, but the bright red paper had caught his eye. He got out walking up to the door and pulling down the paper. 'Stop searching or you're next,' it read. He stared at it, nervous by the fact that it looked like it was written in blood. He was careful not to touch any other parts of the paper, hoping the person that left it may have left some clues.
The blond quickly ran inside to the computer to view their security cameras. He didn't understand how he wasn't notified by movement not he property. He watched as a man dressed in black jumped the wall, as if he knew the sensors wouldn't pick him up. "What the fuck?" He had clearly somehow disabled the sensors, but wanted Naruto to be able to see him on camera.
The man taped the note to the door before turning to the camera, his face obscured by a mask, as he waved. He could recognize those eyes anywhere. It was Orochimaru doing his down dirty work for once. He knew it would probably hurt Naruto more to see him than it would if it were just a complete stranger. "I'll find you," he growled at the screen.
NS
"I heard that you're helping Naruto," Kiba commented as he and Suigetsu sat on the latter's couch. "Are you crazy?" he was concerned as to what might happen if they got too close.
Suigetsu sighed, "Naruto's doing most of the work."
"That doesn't make me feel better," Kiba argued. He really had no right to tell Suigetsu what he could and couldn't do. Though they were getting closer to a relationship, they were't boyfriends. They shared kisses and a few other things, but Suigetsu didn't forgive him enough yet to give him that label and wouldn't go any further. Sex was strictly off limits, though there were a few times it almost happened, Suigetsu managed to stop it before it went any further, much to Kiba's dismay. But he respected Suigetsu's boundaries and wouldn't be the first to initiate it.
"It's not about you," Suigetsu told him. "Sasuke's my best friend. I have to do something, I can't just sit around."
"You and Naruto are so stubborn," Kiba shook his head.
Suigetsu moved so he could lean his head on Kiba's shoulder, "It hurts knowing he's out there probably in pain and there is nothing I can do." He started to cry softly, tears rolling down his cheeks. The more he thought about it, the worse he felt. "I just want to not thinking about it, but it's all I can think about," he sobbed.
"Baby," Kiba pulled him so the man was sitting on his lap, hugging him as he rubbed his back soothingly.
Suigetsu pulled away so he could look at Kiba. Between the lack of sleep and crying, Suigetsu knew he looked like a mess, but all he saw in Kiba's eyes was concern and love. He kissed him passionately, pulling at his clothes desperately. He just wanted to get his mind off of everything that was going on.
"Slow down," Kiba pulled away, grabbing Suigetsu by the wrists. "As badly as I want you, I don't want it to be like this," Kiba could tell where Suigetsu had been going and he wasn't going to take advantage of his emotional state. "You're emotionally vulnerable right now, I won't take advantage of you. You said no sex until we're officially dating," he reminded him.
"But," Kiba put a finger over Suigetsu's lips to silence him.
"No buts," he told him sternly. Every fiber of his being wanted to go further, but Kiba knew that Suigetsu would regret it in the morning. He wanted Suigetsu to be with him because he was ready, not because he wanted the pain to go away. "I'll stay tonight, but all we're doing is sleeping." He lifted Suigetsu off his lap so he was sitting next to him instead. "Trust me," he tucked a piece of Suigetsu's hair behind his ear, "It's not that I don't want you. I really, really do. I just respect you too much for it to be like this."
"Thank you," Suigetsu responded quietly, knowing Kiba was right. He wasn't thinking straight in that moment.
"Let's go to bed," Kiba stood up, grabbing Suigetsu's hand to guide him to the bedroom. Even if they weren't being intimate, it'd be the first time they shared a bed over night since they'd broken up. It was a big step, but Suigetsu needed the comfort. The feeling of security so he just nodded and followed Kiba into the bedroom.