Chapter Eighteen
Deception

Sasuke slammed the jar of swirling black liquid against the center of the table with enough force to crack the glass. Sakura's gaze centered on the small bead of liquid that was now blossoming from that crack until it burst and seeped out onto the table. The elites stiffened – some even pushed out of their chairs, but Sakura didn't budge. She couldn't. "Deadly nightshade," she heard herself say distantly, as if her voice wasn't her own. "Harmful only if swallowed." Belladonna looked innocent enough in plant form, but if ingested, would cause headaches and hallucinations, a loss of balance, total delirium, and then, the ultimate kiss of death… She ran test after test just to be sure, but the little deceptive jar of poison was only just that – a deception. Nightshade disguised as black salamander poison.

"The whole thing..." Neji began, his fingers rolled tightly into his clenched fists, "was a set up?" The operative's eyebrows furrowed as he looked at Sasuke. Sakura was still too stunned to appreciate the fact that she was surrounded by the ANBU team entirely unmasked. It was somewhere around three o'clock in the morning, and the others had urgently been summoned back to HQ (apparently sans uniform) when Sakura learned the truth of the contents in the jar.

"Yes," Sasuke answered, the word a burning ember on his tongue.

"That means Tenzo and Aoto–" Neji couldn't finish the sentence; the muscle in his jaw flexing rapidly as he ground his teeth into powder.

Shino was on Neji's left side, chin tucked into the collar of his jacket – staring at the jar in the center of the table as if it might sprout a set of legs and walk to him like one of his bug companions. Kakashi stood behind Sakura, his calm presence a gentle reassurance that she wasn't alone. Tora was there, too, (still wearing his mask, but Sakura suspected his identity was always kept a secret like Kakashi's.) The other two were operatives that Sakura didn't know. They'd been summoned from the barracks below the mountain. She surmised they were full-time elite; the ninja who lived within the mountain often didn't have homes or families outside of HQ. They literally breathed, ate, and slept all things ANBU, which is why even without their masks, their binary wraithlike presence was unsettling.

"The antidote for the violet-spotted salamander will keep them from dying," Sakura said, "but they are very sick and will need… proper treatment."

"You can't just draw out the toxin with your chakra like you did with that ninja from Suna?" Neji asked her.

Neji only had half the story, but Sakura shook her head. "This is different. The black salamander poison can't be drawn out with my medical ninjutsu abilities. If it worked that way, there would be no need for any antidotes."

"So, what do we do now, Commander?" Neji asked.

Sasuke crossed the room, positioning himself in front of the map of Rain Country, studying all the little markings the team had made since the start of this mission. They knew the exact location of the hideout, and they knew where the entrance was. They knew approximately how many men were serving in Hattori's rebel army, and thanks to The Six, how many weapons were at the rebel's disposal. The spy team had even been watching long enough to know what sort of abilities the nin possessed. Candid snapshots of the most dangerous ninja were tacked to the lefthand side of the board with their names and abilities listed below. That's how Sasuke had put his team together – picking ninja with abilities that would outmatch the enemy. Ultimately, that intel and knowledge meant nothing if they didn't have the antidote against the Black Salamander's poison.

"If I were Hattori and believed I had just outsmarted the Konoha elite, my next move would be to gather my forces and make a move on the Amekage's army… Our best-case scenario in all this is that perhaps Hattori doesn't know we have an antidote that at the very least, prevents death. We know his fighters, we know their abilities, and we know they have poisoned weapons. We are still the elite, and we still have a better chance at successfully protecting the Amekage with half an antidote," Sasuke said, turning to face his team of ANBU operatives.

"What is your plan of attack, Commander?" one of the ANBU Sakura didn't know spoke.

"We'll send a missive to the Amekage to ready her army. Rest now, but at dawn we set out for Rain Country," Sasuke said.

"We?" Sakura said, her gaze lifting to Sasuke's.

"Not you," he said at once. "We still need to acquire a sample of the black salamander poison for an antidote to be made, and you need to be alive to see it through. The rest of the team goes."

Sakura didn't have the energy to fire back with the protest that was just barely being contained behind her lips. She wanted to fight with her team, but her mission had been the antidote from the start, and she was well aware of the significance she played in its development. Sakura's gaze shifted to Kakashi's one visible eye behind his dog-faced mask. He was supposed to be her guard detail – the sentry protecting her from any threats that may be waiting in the wings… But the ANBU Headquarters was a fortress, and she highly doubted she would be permitted to leave the safety of the walls until the mission was well and truly over. As a ninja, Sakura understood… but it didn't stop the wrenching twist of despair from creeping into her gut at the thought of Kakashi going somewhere she couldn't follow.

"We'll need soldier pills, and have Anzo prepare our weapons in the armory," Sasuke was saying to one of the elites–Tora, perhaps–his voice a distant sound amongst the ringing in her ears. The operatives were out of their chairs and moving about, most of them heading for the doors.

Sakura's nails were biting into the surface of the wooden table, her gaze still fixed on Kakashi.

"No smart retort from you, Haruno?" Sasuke said when the room was clear.

Slowly, Sakura turned her icy-green glare to the Commander. "As much as I would love to protest… I understand your decision." She was smart. She was fair. She was ninja.

"Hattori expected us. That little jar of nightshade–" Sasuke roughly gestured to the seeping jar with a pointed finger "–was a message."

"Well, leaving a note for us to find that said 'I'm on to you Konoha nin' just doesn't have the same effect, does it?" she said, finally unleashing some of that witty sarcasm she was famously known for. Hattori had been clever, a testament to the skill and air of genius he possessed. Traits undoubtedly passed down from his father. He wanted them to find the nightshade, to think they might have an advantage only to pull the proverbial wool over their eyes. Perhaps Hattori had somehow been watching them too, and wanted to see the skill level of the elite ninja he was sure to soon face in battle.

Sasuke snickered. "How much of the violet-spotted salamander antidote do you have left?"

"Enough for the team to get to Rain Country," she replied, pushing up from her chair and gripping the back of it. "I could go with you, you know. I'm certain the Amekage would be happy to host me in Rain's hospital labs. I would be closer to the action, and could make the antidote just as easily there as I can here." She couldn't help but try simple reasoning.

"It's getting you to Rain without being seen that's the problem," Sasuke said. "It's too much of a risk without already having the black salamander antidote in supply."

Sakura sighed, shoulders sagging.

"You'll be safe here," Sasuke said, a note of softness in his tone. "I know it isn't what you want to hear, but you are needed for this mission, and… contrary to what you might believe, I don't want anything to happen to you."

It was a good thing Sakura was still gripping the back of the chair, because she almost fell over at the kindness he was showing her.

Sasuke dropped his hand to Kakashi's shoulder. "You have until dawn, but I recommend you get some rest, Kakashi." The Commander nodded at his soldier, and then gave the two ninja the room.

The door was barely shut before Sakura was launching herself into Kakashi's arms, and taking off his confounded ANBU mask. She framed the side of his face in her palm, sweeping her thumb over his cheekbone. "This sucks," she said in summary.

"I know," Kakashi said, "but I think it's the right call…"

"I'm going to worry."

Kakashi traced the length of Sakura's spine with his hand, pulling her in tightly. "You always worry when one of us gets assigned to a mission you're not on."

"But I am on this mission, so you can see where it's frustrating–"

Kakashi cut off her sentence by yanking his fabric mask down below his chin and kissing her fully on the mouth. The heat of his lips nearly seared her. She closed her eyes, allowing herself to take comfort in his touch, wishing to the gods she could lose herself in him entirely.

Kakashi kissed her tenderly, breaking the kiss only to rest his forehead on hers as he cradled her hand to his chest.

"I don't want you to end up like Aoto or Tenzo," Sakura said quietly.

"We have a little less than three hours before dawn…" Kakashi said, "Do you really want to spend that time stressing about things that may or may not happen?"

"Got any better ideas?"

"I could think of a few," Kakashi said, grinning mischievously.

The rise of dawn was thick and gray; a sea of dark clouds painted the sky, idly drifting with a continuation of rain that had plagued Fire Country for the last two days. The storm stretched as far as the eye could see, and there was no sign of it letting up anytime soon. Fitting, Sakura thought, watching as Kakashi donned his ANBU gear and prepared for the journey to Rain Country.

Sakura stood at Kakashi's side, running her fingers over the buckles on his armor vest to make sure they were secured for the second time. The red tattoo on his bicep stood out in stark contrast, marking him as more than just a shinobi warrior. It was a reminder of what he was truly capable of – a mark that branded him an assassin.

Sakura's fingertips brushed over the red swirls as a weight settled in her stomach. Kakashi had abandoned his hitai-ate and let his hair hang loose in that artfully messy way that somehow made him seem younger. He was armed to the nines with weapons – strapped to his person in easy to reach places, but concealed to the public eye. All except for the ninjato sword sheathed against his back. Even without the weapons, Kakashi's look was enough to strike pure terror in the hearts of his enemies. Every line and contour of his body boasted of controlled power.

Sakura both loved and loathed seeing him in this setting. His past time spent in ANBU had darkened a part of his soul, but to her, even in the darkness, Kakashi was radiant starlight. Looking at him like this made her ache. She was so incredibly proud that he was all hers. So incredibly proud to be his.

"You look good in the ANBU uniform," she said, sliding around to his front and resting her arms on his plated armor vest. "Like an avenging god."

Kakashi quirked an eyebrow at this and looked down the bridge of his nose at her. "Thank you?"

Sakura giggled. "It was a compliment."

"You like your men to look dangerous and threatening?"

"I like that you look dangerous and threatening…" Her arms went around his neck as his circled her waist. "It helps me pretend that you're untouchable."

Now it was Kakashi's turn to chuckle. "I'm still very much human, Sakura."

Sakura turned from him momentarily, grabbing a small black pouch from the counter and then pressed it into his hands. "Two violet-spotted salamander antidotes and a basic med pack," she said. "I wish I was sending you off with the correct antidote – then again, if we had the correct antidote, I wouldn't be stuck in the mountain prison without you."

The door to the armory opened, and a few of their ANBU teammates strode inside and began strapping on their gear in silence. Sasuke followed, dressed to code, but with special patches and markings that subtly set him apart as the Commander. "The missive reached the Amekage, she knows we're on our way and we're preparing for battle."

Sakura's esophagus constricted tightly. She was sending the entire supply of violet-spotted salamander antidotes with the ANBU team, but she didn't have enough to give to the Amekage's army.

"I'm leaving Riku with you to help keep an eye on Aoto and Tenzo," Sasuke said to Sakura. "He's one of our medics. I think you'll find him quite useful."

"Thank you," Sakura said with a slight nod.

"If one of our elites get ahold of the black salamander poison, we'll dispatch it to you immediately. I implore you to stay here until the mission is complete, Sakura."

She guessed they were passed using codenames… "I know my place, Commander."

Sasuke nearly tripped hearing her use his formal title… without sarcasm… "Very well." Sasuke pulled his porcelain mask over his face and stormed out of the armory with the team on his heels.

Sakura looked up at Kakashi and attempted to smile for his sake. "Stay safe out there, elite. I need you to report back safe and sound in a timely manner." She knew there would be no grand send off. That wasn't the ANBU way, and she wasn't a love-stricken civilian watching her husband go off to war while she stayed at home, distraught and helpless, forced to look after her family. Sakura had never wanted that life. The way of the ninja was inviolable within her blood. The desire to make a difference and protect those she cared about was rooted deeply within her. She could no more stop Kakashi from going on a mission than she could stop herself.

But the idea of losing him…

Sakura shivered from head to toe, forcing the wave anxiety to stay in the pit of her gut.

Kakashi pulled her into his arms, his fingertips sliding through her hair as he tilted her face towards his. "If I don't tell you now and something were to happen…"

"Tell me when you get back," Sakura said, knowing full well what was on his mind. She wanted nothing more than to hear him say it, but not because he was rushed, or because she might not get to see him again…

Kakashi dropped his forehead to hers. "Then tell me you know."

"I know," she said, pushing up on the tips of her toes and kissing him to prove it. She yanked his fabric mask out of the way quickly and pressed her lips to his – savoring the moment of warmth and the complete feeling of home. "I know," she breathed against his mouth.

Kakashi stepped out of her arms and pulled his porcelain mask into place. He looked like that avenging god again, unwavering in strength, and dressed for battle. He fisted his arm over his heart, and then he was gone.

Sakura was alone in the armory, trapped within the walls of the ANBU HQ and the love of her life was heading out to embark on yet another dangerous mission.

She never would have guessed her heart could hurt like this…

A short while later, Sakura made it back to the laboratory, though entirely through muscle-memory. A man in a lab coat stood over Aoto's cot, switching out the old IV fluid bag for a fresh one. Vaguely, Sakura remembered that Sasuke told her he was leaving her with a medical assistant – Riku, was it?

"Hello," she said, taking a deep breath, as if forcing oxygen through her lungs would somehow make her feel more present.

"Kitsune, I presume?" the man in the lab coat said. He was shorter than Sakura, with wire-framed glasses that were arguably too big for his kind, round face. "I'm Riku, your assigned med assistant."

"You can just call me Sakura," she said, waving off the codename. They were way past formalities at this point. She walked over to Tenzo, lightly pressing the back of her hand to his forehead. "His fever still hasn't broken."

"No, I'm afraid not," Riku said. "I administered another round of fever reducers just thirty minutes ago. It seems to be helping Aoto, but Tenzo is still fighting it hard."

Sakura frowned, and gently pulled up the hem of Tenzo's shirt to check on the wound site. The bandage was nearly saturated with blood and had a concentration of black liquid. "Is Aoto's bandage like this?" she asked, looking over at the sleeping elite on his cot.

Riku shook his head. "I just checked his before I began changing the IV bag. His bandage is fairly clean, considering."

Sakura peeled back the bandage, lips parting as she took in the sight of Tenzo's puckered wound; the broken skin a dark eggplant in color. The network of veins that had turned black were spreading up his torso, as if the poison was somehow fighting her antidote and trying to make its way to Tenzo's heart. "This isn't good," she breathed, turning abruptly to snap on a pair of latex gloves.

"Is the antidote… wearing off?" Riku asked, appearing at her side a moment later.

"It shouldn't be," she said. Sakura pulled a medical table to her side, and unrolled a series of medical instruments. "Do we have any numbing agents?"

"Lidocaine," Riku said.

"I gave them sleeping medication hours ago to help them rest, but I don't want him waking up if I go poking around in his wound…"

"Right," Riku said, and went rummaging through the drawers until he came back with Sakura's request. After applying the lidocaine, Sakura washed at the sink, dressing in a sterile surgical gown and mask with Riku's assistance. When the numbing agent had set in, Sakura took a scalpel, and with painstaking precision, cut into Tenzo's wound as gently as she possibly could.

She carefully pulled tissue aside, inspecting the wound until–

"Oh, gods…"

"What is it?" asked Riku.

"It's a piece of the shuriken… it must've broken off when they pulled it out of him somehow." Sakura reached for a pair of thin metal forceps, and began working the piece of metal out of Tenzo's muscle. When it came free, and Sakura held it up to the light, it was stained with thin lines of liquid – blacker than a starless night sky…

Sakura's eyes expanded until the whites of them framed her green irises in a perfect circle. She spun on her heel, depositing the little piece of metal in a small testing jar and quickly capped the lid.

Riku was staring at the specimen. "Is that…?"

"Yeah," Sakura answered breathlessly, "I think it is."

"Does that mean…?"

"Yeah… I think it does."

Riku straightened the collar of his lab coat. "So, what do we do now, Doctor?"

"Now," she said, grinning behind the creases of her surgical mask, "we get to work."

OOF - I almost didn't make my Wednesday deadline.

Thanks for Reading,

XOXO,
~Sparrow