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Day Two: Knowing Me, Knowing You
The mission is not simple, and that is why they have four operatives assigned to it. Their goal is to take their target into custody. The problem? He is a notoriously secretive man and the only time he is in public is during one of his birthday parties.
So the team has to kidnap him during this gathering when every eye is on him.
Iruka helpfully pulls up a picture on one of his screens. "Kenichi Shinoda, 72. We've been asked by the government to take him into custody. He's not only an arms dealer, but he is known for being involved in both human and drug trafficking. Guess what evidence the government has to pin on him?"
"What?" Sasuke asks dutifully.
"Extortion charges," Iruka says almost gleefully.
Sasuke rolls his eyes. "It's always something stupid."
Iruka points at the picture in emphasis. "It'll be enough to keep him in jail for the rest of his life."
"What are everyone's roles?" Sasuke prompts.
"Good question. Kiba has insinuated himself as one of Shinoda's bodyguards. He and Akamaru will stick close and herd him to the extraction site when needed. Shino is posing as an employee of the caterers, so he has access to the kitchen and backrooms. His secondary mission is to see if he and his insects can perhaps get into the office and get more information, if possible."
Iruka continues. "Hinata and Kakashi will be posing as a couple. Kenichi is known for his uh, preference, for younger women. So it should not be difficult for Kakashi and Hinata to lure him to where they need him."
Sasuke purses his lips in disgust.
"Blue Lion to Breakwater."
Iruka stops talking to Sasuke to immediately respond. "Go ahead."
"I'm activating the hidden camera now."
Sasuke blinks as one of the flat screens flickers from its standby mode to show a mirrored compact in a woman's manicured hand. Her face is visible in the mirror and she reaches up to adjust the thick framed glasses she wears. The image shakes as she does so.
"How's the video?" Her lips move and a beat later, the sound comes through their headphones.
Sasuke feels cold and then immediately hot. He is looking at Hinata.
Her expression is distracted and her face is blurry. He commits what he sees in the split second to memory. Her large, white eyes. High cheekbones and the thinness of her face that comes from adulthood. Lips painted some kind of dark red. Dark hair swept into a careful updo with wispy bangs.
"It looks great!" Iruka grins.
"I'm going to turn off my comm unit and turn on audio for the glasses," she tells the mirror.
"Go ahead."
The video shakes wildly for a second before calming. "Can you hear me?"
"Those are some thick glasses. You would think a socialite would invest in contacts," a male voice interrupts.
The video turns to face Kakashi, dressed in a sharp tuxedo, a scarf wrapped around the lower half of his face.
"We're eccentrics," Hinata says in a tone tinted with laughter.
"I can hear you just fine," Iruka cuts in. "The glasses are on a different channel than the comm unit, so you won't quash anyone else's communication. And you're recording."
"Thanks, Breakwater."
Sasuke uses the moment to observe Hinata's surroundings. She is sitting next to Kakashi in what appears to be a town car.
Iruka uses his mouse to grab the window and flick it to another screen. Kakashi says something else but Iruka turns down the volume so it is no more than a whisper.
"And now we watch and wait."
In the process, Kiba also turns on his own hidden camera. Iruka explains it is hidden in the pin on the handkerchief of his breast pocket. It allows them to have literal eyes on the man they are targeting. Kiba's has no voice capability and Iruka is screen recording instead of Kiba's device doing it itself.
Sasuke tries to pay attention to all the typing and communicating Iruka is doing. But Sasuke also watches helplessly as Hinata is handed out of the car by Kakashi and led into a sumptuous mansion. It is in the middle of a clearing, built in a traditional style. They pass at least three security men.
Based on the gate around the property, and the conspicuous presence of guards, it is clear they are not entering a pretty party. They are entering a fortress.
Sasuke is perilously close to having to sit on his hands. He resists the urge to shake his leg up and down to rid himself of his pent up energy. Hatred wells up in him. Sitting on the sidelines is one of the worst things ever. All due respect to Iruka, but Sasuke could not spend his time waiting in a van watching the field agents walk into danger. Iruka is a stronger man than Sasuke.
Iruka notices. "You're field agent material, all right."
"What makes you say that?" Sasuke sounds a little strangled, he's forcing himself to sit still.
"When I'm at the computer, I feel like I'm involved. Doing something important. Field agents are uncomfortable unless they're in the thick of things.
"That obvious?" Sasuke asks.
"I've been doing this a long time."
That is true. Iruka did not train Sasuke and Hinata's class when he was a child, it was Kurenai who did that. But Iruka came for lectures or to substitute often. He has been around for a while.
Iruka leans away to grab something out of his backpack. He hands it to Sasuke who accepts it with a bemused air. It is a little ball with a strong, thin fabric netting around it.
Iruka forms a fist with his hand. Sasuke does as well and the jelly of the ball squeezes out of the wiry netting.
Iruka nods approvingly. "Good for grip strength. Use it."
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One hour into the party, Shino goes for it.
Hinata and Kakashi are not close to Shinoda, and have not been able to speak to him all night. Instead, they laugh and pretend to be a vapid, doting couple despite the age difference. Even with the volume lowered, Sasuke hears everything.
After a while, it feels like he is about to pop the stress ball so he mindfully turns his attention to Kiba's video feed, since Shino is both video dark and radio silent.
Kiba stands in a way that allows them to see both Shinoda's back and a good piece of the room.
Two quick clicks sound over the comms. It is Shino's signal that he is still okay.
As they watch, a man in sunglasses and a scar on his lip walks up to Shinoda. They lean towards each other, and the newcomer whispers something in Shinoda's ear.
His face is turned to the side, and a grimace is visible. He does not turn around but lifts a finger and moves it in a "come here" motion. Kiba follows as Shinoda and the group of people surrounding him form a tight formation and walk out of the large dining hall.
Iruka's eyes widen but his voice is calm. "Green Beetle, target and party are en route to your location. Please acknowledge."
Shino is trying to be as silent as possible. He clicks his comms twice so they know he is listening.
The hallway is dark, only lit by dimmed lighting made to look like paper lamps. Kiba's video sways as he stalks behind the group, Akamaru's head occasionally peeking up at the corner of the screen.
Iruka points at the monitor where there are moving points of light. They do not have any building or floor plans other than what Kiba has described in his fact finding missions. However, it tracks via satellite the locations of each operative.
Shino and Kiba are becoming dangerously close. Shino does not seem to have moved.
Three clicks. Two short ones, one long one. Shino is having trouble.
Sasuke's heart begins beating faster. Iruka leans forward.
"Green Beetle report."
Shino's connection is staticky and keeps cutting in and out.
"Of... is... loc-Cannot... leave."
Iruka curses under his breath.
On another monitor, Kakashi leans close to Hinata. It appears as if they are huddling together in an unoccupied room.
"Breakwater, should we move in?"
"Assist... required... Injured..." Shino manages.
Iruka types. "You're up against four bodyguards, not including Kiba and Akamaru. Proceed with caution. They are expected to be armed with knives, stun batons, and at least one has a gun."
"Understood." What they can see of Kakashi's face is grave. "Moving in."
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Coming up: Hinata and Kakashi run into a situation.