content warning: drugs and discussion of such.

there's some casual drug references and general discussion in this chapter, just wanted to put up the cw just in case.

Scarlet Justice - ep. 76
"Rusty Hinges"
[Fire Country Night Session: Opening]

I'm awake as soon as I hear the sharp knocks on the door. I can smell coffee. Low quality, but coffee all the same. Luna has already left her bedroom, and I wait for her to assess the situation.

"Of course. I'll get her right away."

It's 2 am. Thankfully, I've already had the four hours of good sleep that I need to be refreshed. This is still annoying, though. I wonder what's happening.

"Miss Lili?" Luna calls as she opens the door.

"I'm here, Luna. What is it?"

"Miss Kurenai is at the door for you. She's fully dressed."

"Understood. Tell her that I'll be out in a moment. Don't make anything, we can grab a bite to eat later. Perhaps the same place where she got that coffee from..."

I think on what I want to wear as I get out of bed and go to wash my face in the bathroom. Something simple, perhaps? No, I don't want to be too plain for whatever this is. Ah, whatever. I bought all of those uniforms for a purpose, let's mix and match one of those.

"I wonder just what the hell is happening at this hour..." A yawn escapes me and I shake my head free of the earlier haze. Should be awake by now. Okay...generic Leaf sweater, a nice black and red skirt with pleating to allow better movement, and a good pair of high socks. I turn quickly a few times in the mirror and slip on my armband before leaving.

"Are we ready?" Luna asks, wrapped up in a thin robe.

"We are ready. I'll call if anything serious comes up." We exchange kisses briefly before I open the door. Kurenai is casually sipping on her coffee.

"Asuma is gonna meet us at the office. Luna, I'll see you," she says.

"Yes. Take care, both of you."

Kurenai hands me a cup of coffee, and we start on our way through the village.

"Sorry about the quality, but I wanted to pick something up quickly before I got to your place. It's got a big kick, though. Woke me right up."

I take a sip and nod. "You're right. Lacking in flavour, but what I need right now." I down the rest of the coffee as we soar above the rooftops, and then drop it in the appropriate bin once we near the Hokage's Office. There's a fair bit of activity for this hour - the shinobi of the village are technically never off duty, and there is a presence here at all times, but not to this degree. It's clear there's a major problem, and that it has to be cleared up very quickly.

"Captain Yuuhi, Captain Kobayashi. This way, please."

A tired looking man in uniform leads us past the Hokage's normal setting and into a side room where Asuma is already sitting. He gives us a wave and lights up a cigarette.

"Real pain in the ass. Wonder what it is this time," he mutters while puffing out smoke.

"Hopefully a false alarm," Kurenai says. "I wouldn't mind going straight back to bed."

"Call it a hunch, but I believe the three of us were assembled for a very specific reason. It seems that sleep will have to wait a while longer."

"Very perceptive of you, Lili." The Hokage enters with a folder tucked under his arm, and he closes the door behind him. We take our seats on the various chairs scattered around the room and he smokes on his pipe a while, flipping through his notes.

"I always aim to exceed expectations, sir."

"God, it's too early for this," Kurenai groans.

"There have been varying reports of attacks on military installations to the east of the village. We've taken care of them for the most part, but something concerning has taken place. There is reason to believe that rogue agents from this village have participated in a heist, targeting a cache of explosive tools and several million ryo worth of materials and currency," the Hokage says.

"Any one of those things on their own might be low level, but all of it at once is certainly a cause for concern," I say. "Do we have an estimate on numbers?"

"None so far."

"That is a problem. They're east of here, so I expect them to try and flee towards the sea or something like that," Kurenai says. "I'm guessing we've been chosen because of our unique skill sets."

"If the shipment cannot be reliably retrieved, I would like it destroyed so as not to fall into the wrong hands. We are already prepared to accept the losses, so it will be a call that is made in the field. The rogue agents will hopefully have been identified in the one to two hours that it will take you to reach the outpost. My preference is that they be captured alive...but again, that is a call to be made in the field."

It's incredibly obvious what the old man is doing, so nobody says anything to that effect. This is a very straightforward mission that needs to be accomplished with the greatest speed. Three skilled, trustworthy, and experienced jounin are just the solution.

"Any further questions?"

"The level of opponent we will be facing, if you would, sir. I understand it will be written in the report, but it's better for me, personally, to hear the details from you."

"Suck-up," Kurenai mumbles. Asuma pats her shoulder gently and mouths out to hush.

Hiruzen chuckles. "I'm flattered to hear such things. It means that I haven't yet lost my touch. The opponents are, unfortunately, former members of the ANBU Black Ops. There is a possibility that at least one of their collaborators is a current member. That will have to be determined from reports on site. Reinforcements have been called, and we have set up a wide area to be monitored based on estimations of the supply weight, terrain, and mobility of the suspected missing-nin."

"You mean whatever was carrying the cache hasn't been located yet," Asuma says.

"No, not yet."

"Guess that means we have work to do. Alright, whoever's the most awake at this point should run point. That means I'm out."

"I suppose that I'll do it this time," I say. "We can start off quickly and investigate the disappearance of the cargo first."

"Here you are," Hiruzen says as he hands me a scroll. "Leave at your own discretion and report back before you return home, so that I can prepare everything properly."

"Yes, sir," we all say in unison.

"Good luck to you." He gives us a friendly smile before exiting the room. I open the sealed scroll and look at the data contained within.

"Mm."

"Trouble?" Kurenai asks.

"I have a feeling that a few of these are Danzo's dogs, caught in the act by someone who shouldn't have been watching. No major landmarks...there's a dam, but it's too far away from any populated areas and the path wouldn't make it suitable for a terrorist attack. Seems like a snatch and grab."

"No way they got anywhere with all of that stuff to lift," Asuma says. "Bet money they have an Earth Release user and buried the whole thing somewhere."

"We'll sniff it out. As the Hokage said, what happens next is up to us. They'll be busy evading the patrols, so our first important decision is which direction we're coming from."

"I doubt they're heading for the village, there are probably a few squads set up just in case they do."

"There is indeed a platoon of about thirty, genin and chuunin mainly. Do not engage orders are in effect, teams are travelling in pairs at minimum and covering sections ranging from the northeastern outskirts to the southeast. Barrier team is on high alert and available sensor types are in hidden locations," I say to Kurenai. "We should be good to go. Equipment?"

"All good," Asuma says.

"Yeah, good here," Kurenai says.

"Alright, then. I propose we approach directly from the village, going east and aiming for the outpost. Objections?"

My companions shake their heads.

"Then we are all set. Time to clock in."

Asuma puts out his cigarette and drops it into a small cylinder. Kurenai stifles a yawn and pulls her headband tight. We leave the room together and exit the building, then accelerate towards the village entrance.

Night missions are difficult for many reasons. Reduced visibility, logistical issues, stealth, and so on. It's actually not any easier sneaking around at night compared to the day, unless you have a focused and particular set of skills for that purpose. You want to be able to navigate with an alternative suite of senses. Moving quietly is a must. Knowledge of main and alternate routes to targets and way points. Shinobi are obviously able to operate at night, but a small percentage of us are actually good at it.

And naturally, I am in that number.

The ability to track targets by scent is one aspect of it. Perception and discipline are another. I am quite good at what I do, and it explains why I have been promoted so early, and chosen for so many missions. Things like this, especially. The old man was as careful with his wording as always, and so I understood exactly what he meant. We're being sent out at 2 am to clean up a very serious spill. Can't stain the rug, after all.

This trip through the forest is relatively quiet as we move at a high rate. The village is two hours away normally; we want to make it there in one or less. That way, we will end up on top of the traitors and their precious cargo. It's quite cool out tonight, so the sweater was a prudent choice for this outing.

"Here we go," Asuma announces. We've reached the outpost, and there are two shinobi waiting at the entrance. We jump through the trees and land a safe distance away, giving them time to recognize us.

"Great, you're here." They approach with their headbands visible, putting away their weapons. We exchange the universal hand signals in order and acknowledge each other. "It's been a long night already," one of them says to Asuma.

"No kidding, has to be. Any casualties?"

"One. He's on a breathing machine right now, but he'll make it. The situation-"

"Wait, now. Talking to the wrong guy," he says while nodding towards me. The two men slowly turn to face Kurenai, who shakes her head and nods towards me again. Then their heads move downwards, and I wave politely.

"Good morning. Captain Kobayashi here."

"O-oh! Captain Kobayashi!" the younger of the two says. His brown hair is short and formed into spikes on top of his head. The older partner, a man with black hair shaved flat, seems relieved as well. "So they sent you out...great. Means that we'll get those bastards. Sorry for not recognizing you right away, ma'am."

"It's fine, no offence taken. Before you tell me what's happening, I would like your names, please."

"Ma'am. Sanjou Taneda, chuunin."

"Ringo Kawasaki, ma'am. Chuunin," the older man says.

"Good. Lilith Kobayashi, with my associates here. Asuma Sarutobi..."

"Yo."

"...and Kurenai Yuuhi."

"Morning."

"I am the commanding officer for this mission. Please tell me what you know so far."

"Cargo was moving through the forest at about...zero forty five, best estimate. Attack took place quickly. Surgical, just about. Felt like an inside job," Taneda says.

"We've gathered information that suggests it's the case. Very possible that a collaborator is among you."

"Ah, shit."

"Be calm, now. That collaborator won't want to draw any attention to themselves at all, so that will pacify them until the mission is over. We will find them, but we need to give them a false sense of security until our primary objectives are completed. That way, we can weed them out later. Cargo was reported as a mix of material, including cash."

"Explosives in there. We think the cargo is in the forest somewhere, nearby," Kawasaki says. "Best option is to sniff it out, but...if I still have my druthers about me, sending the whole thing up is in play."

"As much was mentioned to us at the briefing," I say. "Easily written off by both sides. I suspect there's something else we've yet to find, and that's the reason for this strike. Shinobi don't risk their careers on something so flimsy. Manifests?"

"Inside at our little strategy centre."

"Let's go," I say. Everyone falls in behind me, and we walk up to the checkpoint. The shinobi on watch acknowledge us and open the gates. "What was the guard like?"

"Five requested, two on," Taneda says.

"Reeks of a setup," Asuma replies. "You don't head out with three people missing on detail unless you know everything that's going to happen on that route. They kept one guy out of the loop so that it would look more authentic than it was. Guessing that's what put him in intensive care."

"Had to be."

We make it to a small room inside the outpost and Kawasaki unrolls a scroll that contains the shipping manifest.

"There's the money...gold, silver, copper. Platinum there, a small amount. Not enough to justify this hit, though," I mutter. "The explosives look important enough, but again...I would guess a crew of four, maybe five. Experienced enough to pull this off, but they must have hit a snag other than their unwilling participant."

"Did you want to talk to him?" Taneda asks.

"No, no. Please let him rest. I don't doubt that he saw something, but...it's not something that would help us fast enough to make a difference. There should be two copies of the manifest here. One copy from the beginning of the journey and another one for this checkpoint. The others are probably with the driver, who is hopefully alive somewhere, and the person receiving the cargo at its destination."

"I dunno. Uncle, did we get two?" Taneda asks Kawasaki.

"Checking right now...should be it right here," he says as he hands Kurenai a scroll. She hands it to me and I open it up, looking at them side by side. "I'm gonna guess they screwed us."

"An astute observation. The tare weights are different. They likely explained the discrepancy by saying that the delivery vehicles were of differing types by the time the delivery was made, but the same registration is here and there were no other major changes. All of the numbers are correct otherwise, smartly adjusted to avoid further suspicion. But..."

"What're you thinking, Captain?" Taneda asks.

"I'm going to guess that the clever little trick was too clever for its own good."

Asuma laughs. "That's gotta be a pain in the ass. They screwed up the details on the ground, so that's why they had to ditch the cargo in the forest. Way too big and heavy for the calculations they had, and I'm going to guess that the contraband couldn't be moved out on its own without some major issues."

"What kind of contraband would it be?" Taneda asks him.

"Drugs," the four of us say in unison.

"Drugs...what the hell. Why drugs? To sell in the Leaf? Seriously?"

"Drugs are an easy way to launder money, raise funds, offer incentives, influence certain segments of society, etcetera," I say.

"So it's a yakuza hit?"

"Nah, kid. I told you, it's that uh...deep state bullshit," Kawasaki says while taking out a cigarette. Asuma gives him a light.

"Oh, hell. That doesn't exist, man."

"You kidding me? Deep state is everywhere. The amount of drugs that go in and out of Fire Country, no way the gangsters are moving that weight by themselves. Goddamn spooks are always watching."

"In any case, drugs are the logical choice. You can fit a lot of it into tight spaces and it commands the kind of street value that would help an organization grow exponentially," Kurenai says. "We have our suspicions about who's behind this."

"Can't say, huh."

"Not if you like having ten fingers by the end of this," Asuma says to Taneda. The younger man nods sagely.

"I'd think you would want the wagon brought back as evidence," Kawasaki says after taking a long drag on his cigarette.

"Probably coke. Maybe the black tar, though you could rake over the hospital shipments for some of that for an easier score," Asuma muses while lighting up his own cigarette. "Doubt they'd risk going rogue over opioids, though."

"Rules out speed, then," Kurenai says as she opens up a window.

"What about...what about the rock stuff?" Taneda asks. "You know, the crystals?"

"That's processed cocaine," I say to him. "It's made like that for efficiency's sake. That way you can smoke it."

"Shit. Wait, how do you know that?"

"First hand observations," I say as I look over the manifests again.

"Damn. Sorry, Captain."

"No harm meant. Whatever it is, it's not something cheap. The heist was staged as a sort of misdirection."

"So they could have taken the drugs and left?"

"No, no. They couldn't get to the drugs. Otherwise they would have left the cargo out in the open, picked at like the work of some vultures to throw us off the trail. It's out there, and they're desperate to get at their precious supplies before we can. Kawasaki, thoughts?"

"Me? Ah...there's probably another layer to this. Couldn't tell you what right away. Let me see one of those manifests."

I hand it over to him and he looks up and down the list.

"Yeah, there's something interesting after all. See these components here? They're usually keyed up for tactical tools...bombs, really. So you have a few things here that are separated, metal mixes and oxidizers that suggest they're going to make flash bombs out of the material, but...there's another thing listed here. A batch of apple-scented postcards. You and I have never heard of such a thing in our lives, and that's because it's code. The 'ha' and 'ri'."

"Shit. White phosphorus," Asuma says.

"It's a good thing I decided to check with you, ossan," I say with relief. "Thank you so much for that."

"They were smuggling white phosphorus in, too? Isn't that stuff illegal?" Kurenai asks.

"Far as we know, but shinobi aren't exactly known to play fair. But the reason you'd hide it so well from everyone is because it's not going to be used by the military," Asuma says.

"Paramilitary groups and the yakuza would like to get their hands on this. Probably security forces in Sound Country, now that their military is destabilized and they want control of their production regions back," I add in. "White phosphorus is tracked like little else in this world. It's murder to handle and particularly nasty when used as an incendiary. It has seen extensive use as a smoke bomb, but I can guess that the potential buyers are interested in things that are a little more lethal than that."

"This helps us, right?" Taneda asks. "Something that dangerous and valuable can't have gone too far."

"You're right about that. So...we'll get started on a proper plan to catch the traitors before the sun can come up. At that point, they'll have their wits about them and can navigate easier to their escape routes, wherever they might be. If we strike, it has to be now."

A knock on the door interrupts us. Taneda goes to get it.

"Oi, we got something. A few of the trackers detected disturbances heading west, in the direction of the village. Nothing past the perimeter, and we still haven't found the cargo yet," another shinobi says from outside.

"Okay, that's good. Hold on a second. Captain, did you get all that?"

"I did. I already have a little something in mind. Kawasaki, any Earth Release jutsu in your bag?" I ask.

"One or two, none for detailed excavation, though."

"That'll be good enough. I'll need you for a bit to help me out before we leave, just for a little contingency. Taneda, relay this message. Thirty minutes from the last broadcast, I want everyone outside to hold their positions for about five minutes. They are not to move for any reason that isn't protecting their life or that of a comrade's. At the thirty minute mark, I want all radio signals to be jammed for five minutes exactly. Asuma and Kawasaki will cover the northeast section closest to the outpost and will perform a manual search for the cargo. Assess the situation, box it in properly, and then it will be your call based on the terrain whether you send it up or not. If not...you'll have to wait for me a while. If my memory is still good on this, white phosphorous isn't a big fan of water. I've got plenty of it. Kurenai, I'll need you with me. We're going hunting."

"Yes, ma'am. Ready when you are."

"Good. Taneda, you'll be here managing things. Grab us a few portable radios and come back after delivering those orders, we'll go back and forth before those thirty minutes are up and make sure everyone is in position."

"Yes'm. Delivering orders," he says as he leaves with the other shinobi.

"As for us, we'll go over things one last time before moving. On such short notice it won't be the end of the world if something goes wrong, but we don't want things to go wrong, period. Here we are..."