On the same night, Gaara shared the room with Elmer, Usagi and Shikamaru, who had a hard stomach because he was used to doing the dirty work for the actual Hokage. The prisoners sat on wooden armchairs. Their limbs were ties to the chairs, their legs were parted. The torturers crushed the men's thighs with wooden stakes by pulling them to where they stood, on each side of the victims. The muscles ripped and bones cracked. Noriko was in another room. She benefited from a different treatment. A big container with water was suspended above her head. She was tied to the chair. A drop of water fell onto her head every 5 seconds. It annoyed her to tears of frustration and stress. She had been there for hours. Gaara wasn't the kind of man to mess with, especially if you threatened his family.

Elmer kept saying endlessly that all he knows is that he received the mission to annihilate Sakura and Shinki from Usagi. He claimed he doesn't know anything more.

Of course, Gaara wasn't convinced, so the torture kept going. Usagi held out quite well, better than his colleague who didn't stop crying for hours.

Gaara and Shikamaru talked on the hall.

"Do you believe him?"

"He looks too stupid to lie. The other one seems more professional. He definitely knows more. I don't think we can find out more from Elmer."

"I think Usagi is confident whoever gave him the mission is going to save him." Gaara said with his hand behind his back.

"I think you already suspect who was behind it all."

Gaara frowned. The door suddenly opened and one of the torturers said:

"Kazekage-sama, one of the prisoners says he wishes to confess."

Gaara wasn't in a hurry to get into the room. His entrance became more dramatic this way because he didn't seem desperate in the eyes of the assassins. He was hoping for them to confess as late as possible, so he can enjoy revenge fully. Something was odd. This Usagi was an ANBU. They were trained to resist torture for even more than a week.

Gaara didn't say anything when he came back into the room. Elmer and Usagi tried to regain their breath, before the latter inhaled deeply and started talking with hate in his pupils.

"I received the order from a soldier working for daimyo-sama. Our mission was to strip Kazekage-sama of his power and influence because this soldier believed you are planning to kill daimyo-sama."

Gaara frowned.

"Who is this soldier?"

"I think Kazekage-sama knows him. He worked in the laboratory with Sakura-san. His name is Tanaka. He is also the one who sabotaged her work and research. At the end of the time schedule, he slipped sleeping drugs in her coffee, which gave him time to change the results of the studies. My job was just to supervise her, the same mission Gaara-sama also gave me."

"Why sabotage the lab results?"

"Forgive me; I do not know the whole plan."

"I see." Gaara nodded to the torturers to continue their good work. This Usagi hid something.

Elmer screamed with horror in his eyes:

"No, please don't! Stop!"

Gaara left the room again with Shikamaru.

"I doubt daimyo-sama would place someone so important such as his personal guard to do such an easy job in the lab.

"Should we bring him here for questioning?"

Gaara thought a little before he answered.

"No. Most of the tortured men have resignation, fear and shame in their eyes. This one looked at me with hate and he doesn't look tired enough to give up already. It's a trap."

"Makes sense."

"I'll go question him at the lab, in silence."

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"No. You supervise the situation here. I have already arranged that you receive food and water. If you wish to speak to my sister, you can use the phone in my office, 3 floors up."

"I see."

Gaara used his sand to teleport in the lab Sakura used to work because it was already early in the morning. She masked her chakra and waited for Tanaka and Midori to arrive.

Sakura woke up in the morning; she had a shower and put on a long red dress with long sleeves and high neck. It was winter in Suna. She gathered the sheets and dumped them in the laundry basket. She replaced them with freshly clean sheets when she heard someone knock on her door.

"Come in."

"Sakura-san, how do you feel?" Matsuri asked.

Sakura was surprised to see Matsuri there. Gaara probably sent her to take care of me while he is away.

"I'm fine. Thank you."

"That's so good. I brought some food." Matsuri said cheerfully as she handed Sakura a box wrapped in a white cloth.

Sakura took it by the knot and thanked the girl.

"Where is the little bug? I was hoping to see him, too." Matsuri said as she pretended to look for him from under the roof of her palm.

"I am right here." Shinki replied in annoyance. He was right behind her.

"Oh, you are so cute." Matsuri giggled.

Her sweet voice only annoyed him more. He ducked and ran towards Sakura. He stopped when he was right next to her.

"Ewww, leave me alone."

Sakura and Matsuri both laughed. After the 3 of them ate, Sakura thought the girl will leave. In fact, she was hoping she'd leave, but Matsuri kept looking for more and more reasons to stay, which pissed Sakura off. She couldn't exactly tell Matsuri 'Get out.' after she helped them during the crisis. Sakura didn't want to be accused of bad behavior, but she needed some quiet time. Whenever gusts come into the house, you always feel wry, you try to make them feel comfortable, which can be very tiring after an extended visit. Breathe, Sakura. Gaara is such a sly fox. He knows I can't clean the house with Matsuri here.

"Matsuri, do you have any idea what happened to my bird?

"Oh, she is wearing a splint. One of her wings broke when Gaara-sama was attacked."

"Poor thing. Where is she?"

"She's at the vet. After Sakura-san recovers fully, we can bring it here. But Sakura-san should focus on herself first to be 100% healthy and then..."

Sakura sighed in exasperation for the 50th time that day. Everyone acts as if something tragic happened to me, when in fact I've faced much harder situations.

Ever since he laid eyes on Tanaka, Gaara knew that man couldn't possibly be the brain. He didn't have the features of a shady person. Shady people had a slightly shiny cheek which looked as if it was modeled by a blade. Their faces looked as if they were made of plasticine, their eyes were narrow and the smile resembled an animal's grin. They looked at people like the wolf looks at the sheep. Unless they were ANBU. Then, it was harder to tell. Gaara met many shady people in his life, starting with his uncle, Yashamaru, to all those who tried to end his life in the past. Tanaka didn't look like a soldier. He didn't have the required physique. His steps were too heavy and he didn't even realize Gaara was there until Midori brought the matter to his attention. How did Midori know?

When Tanaka was aware of the Kazekage's presence, he bowed politely and waited patiently for orders, without panic or remorse. He presented the documents he had on the studies and Gaara decided not to bother the man with questions regarding the plans to kill Sakura and Shinki because it was obvious he was only a scapegoat for the true assassins. Why would they need him as a scapegoat? Who tried to blame Tanaka? Midori and Usagi. Wasn't Midori the one who brought me the false reports saying she wrote them at Tanaka's command? Wasn't she the one who was alone with Sakura in the lab during Sakura's last days of work? Tanaka didn't come then because he had medical problems. Gaara's animal instinct smelled the enemy when he turned to look at Midori. He smiled at her when he spoke:

"I need your help regarding a personal problem. Come with me."

"Yes, sir."

Sand swirled around them and they were soon in the torture room where Usagi was. Midori didn't sense the danger until she was face to face with her former colleague in that horror room. She took out a kunai out of reflex and took a step back, trying to protect herself.

Gaara watched her disinterested from the corner of his eye, before he spoke looking at his prisoners.

"Elmer, you keep my chair occupied for nothing."

Gaara ordered the gueard to take Elmer out of the room. Sand cuffs wrapped around Midori's wrists before she even had time to protest. It looks like she is not very talented.

"You are lucky. It seems we have a spare chair for you." Gaara said with a smile.

The girl started to scream and struggle, but it was useless. Gaara commanded the soldiers to continue the torture as he got out of the room of horrors.

"Kazekage-sama, what should we do with this one?" A guard asked pointing at Elmer.

"Take him to a cell alone. Give him food and water."

"Yes, sir." He bowed and disappeared before Gaara's eyes with the prisoner.

"What did you find out?" Shikamaru asked from behind Gaara.

"Usagi tried to mislead us."

"I thought so. He gave up too soon."

"I suspect whoever is behind this, wanted me to think Tanaka was the real culprit to make me kill him to get my revenge, and then come out and say I killed an innocent man by bringing proof."

"I thought so, too. They wanted to remove you from power and justify their actions by saying you are mentally unstable, a dictator. Finally, they want to instate someone they can control to rule as Kazekage."

"Yes."

"I believe you already know who is behind this."

"That's right."

"Is there any point in torturing these 2?" Shikamaru asked while looking at the door.

Gaara's face darkened.

"These 2 won't come out of this room."

It was already night. Gaara chose to go home on foot to clear his thoughts. Chaos was definitely waiting for him at home. As he walked through the front door of his home, he bumped his nose into Shinki.

"Dad, welcome home." Shinki said respectfully while he quickly hid his hands behind his back.

"What do you have there?"

"Well..." The boy looked from corner to corner trying to think of an answer.

"Go on, show me." Gaara said curiously.

Shinki lowered his eyes and held out his hands to his dad. He had an amazing daira into his palms. It was the image of a ninja store with plenty of weapons on each shelf, very beautifully painted. Shinki worked a lot to make it, meaning he must have done something serious. Gaara's eyes narrowed and he asked with irritation:

"What did you do this time?"

The little boy swallowed air before he confessed:

"My sand hurt Sakura's hand."

Gaara's face fell on the floor. He felt anger boil inside him. But he wanted to know the reason behind his son's actions first, so he asked with forced calmness:

"What was the reason?"

"She was trying to get the poison out of my body, but the pain was so big, my sand thought I was in danger. I tried to stop it, but I couldn't."

"I see. That's a plausible reason. We have to work on your abilities more as soon as we get rid of this crisis."

He took the boy in his arms and went to find Sakura. They found her in the library, on the couch. She had a book in her hands. She smiled when she saw them and put the book aside. When she tried to get up, Gaara didn't let her.

"Don't stand up, my dear. Stay there."

"Gaara, you overreact. There's nothing wrong with me."

He chose to ignore her.

"Shinki has something for you." Gaara put down the boy in front of her.

Shinki stretched out his hands towards her, holding out his daira. He spoke as he looked at the floor.

"I am sorry I hurt you."

Sakura looked at Gaara first, then she looked back at Shinki and replied with a smile:

"It's alright." She broke only a little of the daira, so the main picture was still undamaged. She wanted to keep one of Shinki's drawings and at the same time prove to the kid that she forgave him. She caressed his cheek and the boy smiled happily.

Gaara sat down next to Sakura. His hand rested on the couch above Sakura's shoulders. Shinki stood in front of the couch and started telling them everything that happened in school while he gesticulated. The room filled with his laugh. Shinki rested his hands against his father's knees from time to time, looking directly into his eyes with a grin. Gaara took him by his armpits and sat the boy on his right leg, so he faced Sakura. Gaara bit the boy's ear playfully, making him scream and laugh at the same time. Sakura covered her mouth with her hand to not get too loud when she luaghed. The boy was such an actor.

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