Adult-FanFiction.org : Naruto

Opposite Sides of the Tracks	By : kizukatana Category: Naruto AU/AR > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 1622 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: Naruto is owned by Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing and make no money

Chapter List
- 8
- 9
- 10
Author's note: This chapter will end with the only INTENTIONAL cliff-hanger of the story... the rest were more me just not sure where to break the chapters to keep them roughly equal length. Sorry about that, but the next chapter is the last one, so I want to end it properly. It is already written, so the wait won't be long.
-xXx-
It was time to set the plan in motion. Now that everyone was aligned on exactly what needed to be done, no one wanted to wait. Plus, even with the precautions that Gaara had taken in setting up their location, their safety was temporary and everyone knew it. Danzo was ready to make his move, and he definitely had more resources than patience. He was out hunting for them, and it was only a matter of time before he found them.
Naruto went to the bedroom, hoping Sasuke had cooled off by then. The door was closed. Naruto knocked, then opened it and went in. Sasuke was standing at the far end of the room, looking out the window.
"You ok?" He knew Sasuke wasn't ok, but honestly didn't know what to say.
Sasuke just turned around and looked at him. "Why is it that everyone gets more say in what is going to happen than I do?"
"Sasuke... I'm not going to try to tell you who to intimidate and who to bribe, or what to say to the reporters when it comes to phase three. Because I don't know shit about that part of society. You live and breathe that, and you own that. The part that I know, and the part that Itachi knows, is the other side of this. Shikamaru's plan is just drawing on all of our strengths. None of us could do this alone."
"But you're going alone," Sasuke's voice was flat.
"No. Actually, Gaara kind of insisted in coming with me after you left," Naruto flinched at the expression on Sasuke's face as soon as he had said the words.
"Oh, I see. So I'm too incompetent to help you, but Gaara is just perfect. You trust someone that you met just a few years ago to have your back, but you don't trust me? Fuck you, Naruto."
"Look, Sasuke, it's not like that. This isn't about trust. Like I said, it's just -"
But Sasuke was already pushing past him. "Whatever. You just do whatever the fuck you want."
Naruto thought about trying to stop him, but he didn't. After all, wasn't this is a way what he wanted? If Sasuke was pissed at him, he was less likely to force the issue and try to come after Danzo with him and get killed. Once Naruto and Gaara left this apartment, there would be no direct communications between the groups until it was over. They had worked out a timing, and a set of contingencies to keep things coordinated by other means without any direct links that could give them away. If Naruto really wanted to be sure that Sasuke couldn't get involved with phase two, then all he had to do was walk out the door to the apartment with Gaara. After that, they couldn't make contact with each other even if they wanted to.
Naruto quickly stuffed his clothes in his bag, zipping it up. They had finished lunch, and it was time to go. He caught Itachi's eye, and the two walked into Itachi's room and closed the door. Sasuke was pretending they didn't exist, and didn't even look up as they left the room.
"He's really pissed at you," Itachi said.
"Yeah, I told him Gaara was going with me."
"He thinks it's because you don't trust him. Are you going to tell him why you are doing all this before you go?"
Naruto looked at Itachi, feeling uncomfortable at the older man's uncanny ability to see right through him. "No. That would likely be - counterproductive. We'll have time to talk when this is over."
Itachi just raised one eyebrow. Naruto continued. "But... if things don't go according to plan, just tell him for me, though. Ok?"
"Just make sure things do go according to plan. That's not a conversation I want to have with my brother."
Naruto sighed, then grinned, trying to shrug off his uncharacteristic worry. "Yeah, I will. It will be a cake walk."
Itachi didn't return the smile, knowing it was fake. Instead, he just turned and walked out of the room. Naruto scrubbed his hands through his hair, then walked out to the kitchen where everyone was gathered.
Gaara and Naruto exchanged words briefly with Shikamaru and Temari, who would be their emergency contacts in case things went wrong. The two had seemed surprisingly content to be working together, given that they had just met yesterday. Naruto watched Temari out of the corner of his eye as Shikamaru quickly ran down the final precautions in a bored tone. Naruto had a fight scheduled in a week, and they had agreed that - if they didn't meet up before then - that would be when they made contact. It would be a big crowd, so it should be easy enough to blend in in case things weren't fully wrapped up. But if all went as planned, it should be over by then.
He hugged Temari goodbye and whispered, "Make sure Gaara doesn't kill Shikamaru after you two hook up... I like him." And was gratified when she blushed and made a strangled sound as she kicked him soundly in the shin.
Naruto's grin faded as he walked over to Sasuke and was met with a glare. He ignored it and pulled his friend's forehead down to rest against his. Sasuke didn't resist. "Be safe," Naruto said gruffly.
His emotions and nerves were so high right now he didn't even know what else to say. He wanted to kiss him, but that was probably a bad idea given everything. There was so much left unsaid, and there wasn't time to talk about it all now. He didn't know what Sasuke would want with him when this was all over, but he would make sure they had the chance to figure out where each other stood once this was over. He tried to ignore the way his stomach clenched at the very real possibility that Sasuke's sexual response had been more generated by the 'fight or flight' adrenaline rush they had all be living on for the past 2 days rather than actual emotions. But right now, everyone just needed to focus on the task at hand. He let his hand fall away from Sasuke's head and turned.
"Gaara - ready to head out?"
The red-head simply nodded. They left without a backward glance.
Sasuke watched them go. He had heard Naruto's soft whisper of 'be safe' before he had turned around and walked back to Gaara. And he had wanted nothing more than to reach out to him and grab him, and force him to change the plan. Or at least say something to make the last exchange he had with him not be angry. But no words materialized that he was able to say. He watched helplessly as his best friend walked out the door. And he hoped desperately that this was not going to be the last time he saw him.
"You're mad at Naruto," Itachi stated, watching his reaction.
Sasuke shrugged, his worry and frustration showing more than he would have liked. "He said he wouldn't let me help him with Danzo, because it would be too risky. Then he has Gaara join, when Gaara is not even involved in this."
"Gaara is involved. And he has something to gain from this as well. You left the room before we got to that part."
"Look, Itachi. It's more than that. I have every right to be there when Danzo is taken down. Naruto had no business telling me what I could do or what I am capable of, like he's my father or something -"
"No, he's not your father," Itachi cut him off. "He's the man who is so in love with you that at fifteen he threw away any chance he had to actually build a life for himself and finish school and have a regular job that would provide safety and stability. He lived on the streets, regularly running the risk of being raped, beaten, or killed, so he'd be close enough to the dangerous people he wanted to protect you from that he could take them down from the inside while keeping you safely out of it. You know he wasn't killed, but you have no idea if any of those other things happened to him. Or how often. He then took on a dangerous assassin that everyone, even Naruto, thought he could not defeat. Mortally injuring a friend to protect you. Next, he then asked Shikamaru to come up with a plan that fully optimized your safety, at the expense of his own, likening it to chess where some pieces matter and some don't. He then had the absolute audacity to prevent you from participating in a fight that he knew you had not been trained to win at. And you think all of this is because he somehow thinks he is better than you, or that he trusts Gaara more? You complete moron. If you are going to be mad at Naruto, at least be mad for the right reason."
"Shit," Sasuke slid down the wall and sat on the floor as Itachi's words sunk in. He felt a little sick. Pride has always been his greatest weakness. He rested his head in his hands.
Itachi glared at him for a minute or two, then relented.
"Luckily he probably is stupid enough to let that slide in your case, since it managed to keep you from insisting on going with him. You can kiss and make up later, little brother. Right now we have business to attend to. We need to get ready."
Sasuke took a deep breath, pulling himself together. Itachi was right. This was not the time. But when this was over, he and Naruto were going to have a very long talk. And then spend the next several weeks in bed not talking at all.
. . . .
Sasuke and Itachi looked at each other. There was absolutely no doubt that they were brothers. The Armani suits, the aura of power and control, the impassive, intelligent eyes set in faces that even an artist would have difficulty improving on. Given the series of meetings today, they both knew that appearance and confidence would be critical. Looking at his brother, Sasuke felt a rush of pride. They were untouchable.
Itachi smirked at him, motioning to Sasuke to come closer. "You have no idea how much I am looking forward to taking down Madara with you. You have grown into your own man, little brother. They don't have a chance in hell against us," as soon as Sasuke was within arms length, Itachi reached out and poked two fingers to his brother's forehead. "Let's have some fun. We've waited too long." Despite how much that exact gesture had pissed Sasuke off as a child, he felt his throat close up as the memories and love he had always held for his big brother surged inside him. It was really happening. He had his brother back in his life. And they were going to take down the person responsible for separating them.
Slowly an answering smirk formed on Sasuke's face. Hell, yeah. As a child he had idolized Itachi. Desperate to follow in his footsteps as much as possible. But now that their paths had diverged, he was no longer following. He was partnering. As an equal. And he realized how much he had wanted this, wanted to be an equal to his brother. Not a replacement. This is going to be fun. His brother smirked. No one could read someone's inner thoughts better than an Uchiha. Sasuke knew he didn't need to say anything more.
. . . . .
If Sasuke was nervous about meeting Nagato in person, you'd never know it. Cool and confident, his eyes never wavered as he was admitted to the heavily guarded compound, shaking hands with the killers and mercenaries that his brother introduced him to, already recalling their backgrounds and accomplishments from the sketches Naruto had handily provided. He looked almost bored standing there in his perfectly tailored suit, except for the intensity of his eyes that told everyone he met that he was no one to be trifled with.
They were standing before a pale, emaciated man lying in an enormous bed with tubes and wires attached to him. While the body of the man was clearly failing, they sharp eyes revealed a mind that was still sharp and dangerous. Despite himself, Sasuke felt respect for this man. And curiosity as to how he and Itachi had come to know each other.
"Sasuke-san. I am glad to finally meet you. Itachi has told me much about you," Nagato's voice was surprisingly strong, emerging from that wasted body.
"I have been looking forward to meeting you as well, Nagato-sama" Sasuke said smoothly. "My family is grateful for the protection that you provided my brother."
Nagato looked at Sasuke consideringly. Sasuke didn't flinch. Nagato smiled. "You have a strong brother, Itachi. I would not have imagined that there could be another like you. Individually you are formidable. Together you will be unstoppable. He clearly will be able to hold his own in the political circles that will be required to keep your name out of the papers and off the police radar, should the impossible happen and a flaw ever appear in your complex stratagems. It is unfortunate that we did not get in business together earlier, Sasuke-san."
Sasuke dipped his head in acknowledgement of the compliment. "I look forward to working together with your organization much more closely in the future," he replied.
Itachi spoke up. "Nagato-san. We are in the process of finishing up some old family business. I was wondering if I could borrow Deidara for two days."
Nagato nodded approval. "I was hoping you would be finishing that up before you took over. Loose ends are so untidy, you know."
Itachi's smile was hard and cold, and Sasuke had to force himself not to chaff his arms as the hairs stood up. Sasuke finally understood what his brother had been trying to tell him. He had definitely crossed the line during his disappearance. And Itachi was clearly happier operating in this new world, where there were significantly fewer restrictions on finding a means to an end.
"Dei should be in his room. He would be more than happy to lend his services."
As they were about to take their leave from the ailing man, his voice stopped them. "And Sasuke - say hello to your friend Menma for me. Or whatever his real name happens to be. Tell him I was impressed."
Itachi and Sasuke exchanged quick glances, then Itachi turned slowly back to face the man on the bed. "I'm sorry, Nagato. I didn't mean to deceive you."
"I understand, Itachi. It wasn't your secret to share, and he was clearly not aware that you were here until he saw you that night. He was no threat to me or my organization. I would have done the same in your situation."
"I will give the message to Naruto," Sasuke said, allowing the name to be shared as a sign of trust and partnership, which Nagato acknowledged with a slight nod. Then they turned and left to collect Deidara and brief him on what he would need to do within the next 24 hours.
Then it was on to the next step in Shikamaru's plan.
. . . . .
Orochimaru was literally twitching in ecstasy at having both brothers in his home at the same time. When Kabuto had let him know who was at the gate, he almost had not believed it. But he knew Kabuto would never dare make such an error.
"Would you care for some tea? I had Kabuto prepare it specially," Orochimaru could hardly contain his excitement. Itachi and Sasuke exchanged flat glances.
"I'm sorry, but we just came from lunch," Sasuke apologized smoothly, barely refraining from rolling his eyes as the man's face fell.
"But we have a... delicate favor to ask of you, Orochimaru-sama. One that - if you were to grant it - would leave my brother and I indebted to you," Sasuke let the words hang, and saw the older man's head snap up, eyes narrowing consideringly.
"And in what form would this gratitude of yours manifest itself?" The brothers both noted that the man did not even ask what the favor was. That was a good sign.
"Perhaps we should first explain the favor we are asking," Itachi said. "We hear that Kabuto has a medical background, and has come across many interesting compounds that can have - adverse effects on one's health, but that are very difficult to trace or detect. There is a specific one that we would be interested in procuring. For informational purposes only, of course." Sasuke explained the one they were interested in 'studying'.
Orochimaru smiled. "Naturally. Kabuto - why don't you go and fetch a vial of that while I discuss payment terms with the Uchiha brothers here."
Kabuto obediently left as bidden.
Orochimaru turned to face his guests, his eyes darting between the two beautiful men before him. "I take it that you wish this transaction to remain in confidence just between us, yes?"
Sasuke inclined his head in acknowledgement.
"Very well. I am in no great need of money at the moment. Given that this is a personal favor I am granting you, I would ask a personal token in return," he paused, licking his lips, both Sasuke and Itachi had to school their faces to keep the revulsion from showing in their eyes. "Perhaps a photo, of the two of you together?"
"We know that you have an admiration for the Uchiha family. In respect for that admiration, my brother and I would consider allowing you to take a personal photo of us, for your private use only, of course," Sasuke said calmly.
"Right now?" Orochimaru licked his lips. The men nodded, faces expressionless. "Then perhaps you can removed your jackets and ties, given that this will be a personal photo."
They complied, and Orochimaru had to clasp his hands in his lap to keep them from trembling. There was no doubt that the two figures before him were absolutely flawless, both in terms of physical features, and the power and wealth that they represented. Kabuto returned with a small styrofoam cooler, which he set on the table.
"Kabuto, go fetch my camera." Kabuto turned to comply, and Sasuke thought he caught a slight eye roll from the man. It must really suck to work for an insane pervert, he thought, feeling a flash of wry sympathy for the man.
"You could also unbutton -" Orochimaru's words died in his throat at the twin glares that were angled at him from the brothers. " - your cuffs. And roll up your sleeves." He wisely decided to leave it at that, and the brothers again complied.
When Kabuto returned with the camera, Orochimaru took some time deciding where he wanted them to stand, but finally agreed to have them leaning against the wall, with Itachi's hand on Sasuke's shoulder, both looking directly into the camera.
"Yes, that's perfect," he breathed, looking at the image on the digital screen.
Sasuke and Itachi left with the styrofoam box, both wanting to immediately go home and shower. Neither wanted to discuss what Orochimaru would use the photo for.
-xXx-
Compared to the photo session at Orochimaru's, the press conference would be a piece of cake. Dressed to impress, hair perfectly in place and arrogant demeanors in the forefront, the two brothers emerged from the limo outside the Tokyo offices of Uchiha Enterprises. Their older cousin Shisui followed looking equally formidable, and Kakashi brought up the rear, eyes scanning the crowd. They heard the collective gasps (and a few squeals from the female reporters, and even some of the men), and blithely ignored them as they walked to the podium that had been hastily assembled there. Itachi had smiled in approval when Sasuke had told him what he planned to say in the conference. Sasuke realized that in some way he had been expecting his brother to take this over, or tell him what to say. Itachi had always been masterful at any type of public relations manipulations, or influence of any kind, really. When Itachi merely nodded in agreement with Sasuke's plan, it had been almost a rite of passage moment for him. The warmth in his chest buoyed him through the grueling day.
Sasuke took the podium first, completely at ease in the public scrutiny. "I called this press conference to announce that - after four years of searching - my brother Uchiha Itachi has been reunited with our family." The brothers stood impassively as the frenzy from the reporters ensued. "He suffered injuries and memory loss due to the explosion. Fortunately, a good samaritan helped him and kept him concealed from whomever it was that had targeted him." Itachi almost smirked as he thought of what Nagato's expression would be to hear himself referred to as such. Sasuke ignored shouts from the crowd to reveal this person's identity. "As this was a private citizen, we do not wish to put their safety at risk with a public announcement of their identity. In gratitude, the family and Uchiha Enterprises will reward this person accordingly. Once the police have apprehended the people who attacked our family, we will be more than happy to release the name of the person who rescued my brother." Again, more frenzied questions were calmly ignored.
"Our family physician has examined Itachi and we are pleased to say that he is fully recovered with no lasting effects from the trauma," with that final pronouncement, he turned the podium over to Itachi.
"I want to thank you all for your support and concern during the time of my absence. Uchiha Enterprises was fortunate to have such a prodigy in my brother that he was able to take on running the business at a young age and prevent significant disruption after the tragedy. Given his success, we plan to have him continue as the CEO of Uchiha Enterprises. I have already confirmed with the family attorneys to ensure there is no issue with this. In my absence, I had already begun my own separate ventures, which I will continue to run going forward. I am looking forward to spending time with my family and friends after this long separation. And I again urge the authorities to make every effort to ensure that the guilty party is brought to justice for the deaths of our parents."
With that, the four men walked confidently back to the waiting limo, quickly finalizing the remaining plans, and were swept away leaving an aftermath of panting paparazzi trying to quickly follow them. The reporters thought this was going to be the story of the season. They were wrong.
-xXx-
Gaara and Naruto were watching the news in a sports bar downtown. The press conference yesterday had been masterfully done by Itachi and Sasuke. There was likely not a citizen in Japan who had not heard the news by now. Madara and Danzo must be absolutely frenzied. It was perfect.
It would not be long now. Naruto and Gaara would know when to begin the second phase of the plan as soon as -
"Breaking news," the newscaster interrupted the game, which was quite an unusual event. "A massive explosion was reported in Konoha, in an exclusive neighborhood just outside of town. The information is unclear at this point, but it appears that once again the Uchihas have been targeted for some sort of explosion. No information is available as to whether there were casualties at this point, but a neighbor reported that two young men, one matching the description of Uchiha Sasuke and the other matching the description of his recently missing brother, Uchiha Itachi, had been seen entering the building earlier this morning. This comes just on the heels of the press conference yesterday evening announcing the return of the missing Uchiha. Police are scrambling in the aftermath, as they had assigned multiple security details to the pair and are trying to understand how such an event could have happened on their watch. We will update more on this story as events unfold."
Gaara and Naruto exchanged glances. "Looks like it's go time," Naruto said. They finished their beers in silence, then paid and headed out.
-xXx-
Sasuke lay absolutely still. The fleet of ambulances and firetrucks that had arrived within minutes onto the scene had been eerily identical to that time four years ago. Except that this time he had recognized the voice of the "EMTs" that had rescued him and brought him to the hospital where he was currently staying. His arms and head were wrapped in bandages, and he was encased in an oxygen tent. The huge number of machines next to him beeped regularly. Nurses came in periodically to check various readings on the machines, but none stayed more than a few minutes.
Shisui had appeared within thirty minutes, consulting with the various doctors and nurses, and insisting that the TV in his cousin's room remain on 'to provide stimulus' while he handled family notifications, police questions, and fielded questions from the board of directors and the press.
So Sasuke was able to hear the press conference where Shisui stated that - as the head of the Uchiha family and Sasuke's nearest relative - he had determined to go against the doctor's advice to disconnect the life support given the severity of the injuries sustained, in the hopes that Sasuke would somehow beat the odds and recover. He said that he planned to run Uchiha Enterprises in the interim, until the time when his cousin could hopefully resume his duties. He confirmed also that the remains of Uchiha Itachi had been positively confirmed by the police, and a funeral would be arranged later that week.
It was less than twenty-four hours later when a second surprise Uchiha was greeting the press. The reclusive Uchiha Madara had contacted Shisui, the family attorneys, and the board of directors. Then immediately called a press conference. He claimed that he had been distraught to hear about this terrible series of events and, having come back in the country a few years ago and estranged from the family, and had not been in touch until how. However, he was more than willing to remove the terrible burden from his younger relative of making these difficult decisions, and would spend the afternoon consulting with Sasuke's doctors and other experts before making the final decision. He wanted to assure all the investor and stakeholders, however, that regardless of the outcome the future of Uchiha Enterprises would be secured, and there would be no disruption in the managing of the business.
-xXx-
"Danzo sent word," Gaara said. "He will see me tomorrow morning." Naruto nodded, mentally preparing himself for what was going to happen next.
"Ready?" Gaara asked simply.
In reply, Naruto simply stood and spread his arms out wide. Without waiting for further invitation, Gaara kicked him hard just below his left collar bone, then followed with a cross across his cheek. As blows continued to rain down on him, Naruto simply stood until he fell to his knees. Shikamaru had suggested using makeup to create the illusion that Naruto had been beaten, but both Gaara and Naruto knew that would never fool someone like Danzo, who reveled in physical violence and knew the real thing from a fake.
-xXx-
It was early the next morning that Madara entered the hospital.
"Uchiha Sasuke has suffered severe brain trauma," the doctor with the blonde ponytails and abnormally large breasts was saying. She had been introduced to him as the family physician for Uchiha Sasuke, and had been one of the first on the scene to evaluate Sasuke. "It is extremely unlikely that he will be able to recover consciousness after such an event."
Madara looked at the young man on the bed. There were two other physicians in the room. One was the chief resident of the hospital, the other was apparently an expert in neurology that the family had called in, Dr. Shizune.
"Then there is no need to allow him to linger in this state," Madara said, his voice epitomizing sad regret. "It is a shame for one so young to have to go out this way. I am sure he would not wish it. Please disconnect the machines. I have already signed the paperwork authorizing this."
The blonde doctor went and pulled back the oxygen tent, leaning over the young man and temporarily obstructing the others' view as she removed the tube from his mouth and disconnected everything except the heart monitoring device. There was a legal official for the hospital present to serve as a witness, along with several other nurses and even three members of the press to monitor such a high profile event. Madara had wanted to be sure this death had sufficient witnesses to be official. A nurse with four blonde ponytails was standing by that machine, apparently checking the readings. The beeping started to slow.
"Do you wish to give him any final words?" the blonde nurse asked sympathetically.
Not one to pass up a potential PR moment, Madara walked over to the bedside and picked up the pale, limp hand that was wrapped in bandages. "Sasuke. I don't know if you can hear me, but I want you to know that you will be going on to a better place. And have no worries... you leave everything in good hands here on earth."
The machine flatlined, and the attending physician brought out his chart to note time of death. But just as Madara made to let go of the hand, the machine beeped wildly back to life. The hand that had been limp in his suddenly tightened its grip, the young man's eyes fluttering open in seeming confusion. In his shock, Madara did not feel the slight prick in his palm made from the tiny needle concealed in the bandages. He gasped, and abruptly crumpled to the floor.
The blonde doctor immediately rushed to the elderly Uchiha's side, checking his pulse. "He's in cardiac arrest! The shock must have overloaded his system."
Cameras were flashing as the neurologist was rushing to Sasuke, proclaiming it a miracle that he seemed to have awoken at the touch of his family, working with the blonde nurse to quickly re-attached some of the wires to his forehead and chest for further monitoring while the regular hospital nurses and attending physician saw to Madara. Sasuke looked to the camera that was monitoring his room where he knew Itachi was watching, and a small smirk ghosted across his features. He had just killed a man in front of no less than twelve witnesses, and there was not a shred of suspicion or medical evidence that would ever bring this to light. Shikamaru was a fucking genius.
-xXx-
They pulled into the long driveway. The guard at the gate called the house to notify them of their arrival. Naruto was in the back seat, hands bound, head lolling to the side. Gaara simply looked at the guard as he told them to wait, that they would be escorted to the house. They both breathed an indiscernible sigh of relief when it was Torune who appeared to ride with them as an escort to the main house. It was the one part of the plan that was the most variable - who would Danzo send to escort them. Naruto was friends with many of the likely candidates, but not all. It would make the plan significantly more dangerous, though not impossible, if Danzo had sent Fu instead. Fu was in charge of most of Danzo's interrogations, and was staunchly loyal to Danzo. He would not be turned. If Danzo had developed more trust-based relationships with his subordinates, he would have known immediately who was safe to send and who was not. But the constant atmosphere of fear and suspicion with which he ran his organization meant that no one revealed any information about themselves or their colleagues to their leader. Danzo therefore had no knowledge as to who was truly loyal and who was merely afraid to go against him. But luck had been with Gaara and Naruto, and it had been Torune who had been sent. Torune's concern at seeing the shape Naruto was in was quickly alleviated as he listened impassively to what Naruto was quietly telling him from the back seat. He looked consideringly at Gaara, then nodded. He was in. And the riskiest part of the plan had been accomplished.
Gaara flung Naruto unceremoniously over his shoulder and headed into the house, ignoring the shocked looks from Torune and the other guards around the compound. It didn't seem physically possible that he would be able to do that. Torune murmured something into the closest guard's ear, and his eyes widened in shock, then narrowed in speculation. Slowly the rumor of the visitors spread through the building.
They were escorted into the central room, which had no windows. Gaara flung Naruto to the ground in front of the older man who sat in a wheelchair, flanked on one side by Torune, and on the other by Fu, whom Gaara had not yet met but recognized from Naruto's drawings. His top lieutenants, Homura and Koharu were also there, in addition to Nono and several other underlings. Homura, Koharu, and Fu were by far the most dangerous to the plan. If this were to work, they would have to be taken out basically simultaneously with Danzo. Naruto had not expected Danzo to have so many in the room with him, and he was grateful that Gaara had forced him to take a partner. He would not have made it out if he had gone alone.
Danzo looked down at Naruto through the eye that was not covered by the bandage that he always wore. "You interfered," he said quietly.
Naruto opened one of his swollen eyes to look directly at the man. Gaara had done a good job of landing blows that would leave the most spectacularly visible signs of abuse, but his body was still fully functional despite appearances. The bindings on his wrist had been tied in such a fashion that a sharp tug would free him. Neither Danzo nor his lieutenants or bodyguards showed any sign of anxiety towards Naruto as a physical threat, clearly focusing their attention on Gaara as the only source of danger in the room. It was a mistake that they had counted on him making.
Gaara and Naruto looked at each other. And both had to bite back a grin. What was wrong with them that they were looking forward to what was going to happen in the next few seconds? Shikamaru was right. This phase had not much to do with strategy, and had everything to do with fighting skills and intuition. And they loved it.
"Yeah, sorry about that, Danzo-sama," Naruto said, sounding anything but. Danzo narrowed his eyes, sensing that something was off. Before he could react, Gaara and Naruto were in motion. In one smooth movement, Naruto had landed a pressure point palm strike to Fu's chest, stopping his heart instantly. It was his first time ever using the move in full force, and it was as effective in practice as it was in theory. The man fell to the floor without a sound. Naruto spun to face Homura, but the man had already recovered from the shock of seeing Naruto in full action and had readied himself. There would not be a second 'sucker punch' opportunity. Homura was only slightly younger than Danzo, and he had years of fighting experience and tactics to draw on. Naruto was younger, stronger, and more agile. It would be an even match.
In the meantime, Gaara had landed his first blow directly to the surprised Koharu's wind pipe, crushing it and effectively removing her from the battle. He turned to face Danzo, who had remained seated in the first few seconds of their surprise attack.
"Shimura Danzo," Gaara said, his voice low and even. "I challenge you for leadership of this enterprise." Change of leadership within Yakuza factions varied in how it was transitioned. Some went from father to son, others to top lieutenants. Danzo had murdered the prior head to take control nearly thirty years ago. He had been fearful of being overthrown, so had never come close to anointing a true 'second in command'. Gaara would have no competition in this claim, with Danzo's staunchest allies either already felled or engaged with Naruto.
Danzo raised one eye, remaining still in his wheelchair. "You would challenge an old man in his wheelchair?"
Gaara snorted. Naruto, with his artist's eye for detail, had long noticed the muscle definition in Danzo's arms and legs, that spoke not of an invalid but of a man still training and in his fighting prime. Gaara was ready when the attack came and Danzo launched himself out of the chair at him. What he was less prepared for was what had been concealed beneath the bandages of the man's left arm. It was some kind of a metal sheath, but it had spines that looked like needles protruding from its surface. Gaara dodged as it just missed his face. Danzo had clearly underestimated his opponent, assuming he would be able to take him on his own.
"Watch for poison!" Naruto shouted, still engaged with Homura. Danzo's eyes flicked to Naruto, and it was the opening that Gaara had needed. He twisted behind Danzo, bringing his leg up and crushing down on the back of the man's neck. There was a sickening snap, and Danzo crumpled. Homura's disbelief at how fast Danzo had been defeated gave Naruto the opening he needed to finish him off as well, and the room was suddenly silent.
"If anyone wishes to challenge me, or does not want to work in this organization, then step forward now. You don't need to take turns." Gaara's cold, green gaze roamed the room, and everyone was frozen.
"This man is Sabaku Gaara, son of Sabaku Kazekage. He is my friend, and I stand by him. You know me, and you know I don't take friendship lightly. This man is stronger than Danzo was, as you just witnessed. But he is also capable of friendship and honor, something that Danzo was not. We took out Fu, Homura, and Koharu because they would never have accepted a new leader, and also because they were untrustworthy. You know what they were capable of. Everyone else we are willing to accept in the new organization that Gaara will lead. There will be no hard feelings for anything up until now," Naruto finished, walking to stand by Gaara's side.
Torune made the first move almost immediately by walking to Gaara and flanking his other side. Followed more slowly by Nono, then several other guards that knew either Naruto personally or Gaara's reputation. The balance of power in the room had quickly shifted, and no one wanted to be on the wrong side of a potentially bloody takeover. Within ten minutes, the coup was over.
Gaara asked Torune and Nono to gather everyone that had not been in the room when the transition occurred so they could discuss the current set of operations and what was going to change going forward, and what would stay the same. As expected, Gaara had no difficulty at all in taking on a role that he had been raised from birth to understand. Despite his cold demeanor, Gaara rapidly won over his new organization with his clear understanding of what was happening, but also his straightforward approach to what he would and would not tolerate his operation to be involved with.
. . . . . . . .
It was late when Naruto returned to his room above Gaara's gym. It had been only six days since he had last been there, but it felt like a lifetime. He turned on the lights, and was surprised when a small projectile launched itself directly into him.
"Naruto nii-san!"
Naruto wrapped his arms around the 9-year-old boy, who had clearly been up waiting for him despite the late hour. "Konohamaru! What are you doing up so late? It's after midnight. Don't you have school tomorrow?"
"No way. I'm staying here to be with you," the boy pulled his face out of Naruto's chest, looking up at him with happy eyes that still were red rimmed with the effects of the boy's worry. He took in the bruises covering Naruto's face and arms. "What?! You lost?! I thought you were supposed to be good or something." His smirk was peeking out.
Naruto ruffled the younger boy's hair. "Nah, brat, we won. Gaara just needed to rough me up a bit so I'd look harmless enough for the bad guys to let us in. But don't worry. We took them out."
Admiration shone in the child's eyes. "I knew you would, Naruto nii-san. You and Gaara nii-san are the best fighters around."
"To bed with you now. I'm turning in, too. It's been a hell of a week, and I have a fight in two days."
Konohamaru was clearly not happy with having to go to bed, but he grudgingly agreed and trudged off to his pallet on the other side of the room. Naruto collapsed into his own bed, feeling the utter exhaustion that comes when sustained pressure and stress are suddenly released. He would have fallen asleep instantly, if not for the tossing and turning he could hear from the boy's pallet. He signed, and opened the blankets on his bed. "Fine, brat. You can sleep here tonight. But no kicking in your sleep."
The boy wasted no time in barreling across the room and diving into the bed. He had been terrified when Naruto had been gone for so long. Every adult in his life had been taken from him, one after the other. Naruto had been looking after him for two years now. It was the longest the boy had ever had someone consistently in his life, and he lived with a gnawing fear that Naruto would also disappear. But now he was back, and the world felt safe again. Within seconds, the boy was sleeping comfortably, holding Naruto's hand. Naruto wouldn't embarrass the child by directly talking about the boy's fears, but he didn't need to. He knew exactly what it was like to be alone in the world. He brushed a strand of hair from the child's face and kissed the top of his head. Then fell into a deep sleep for the next twelve hours, waking only when Konohamaru dumped a breakfast tray on his lap saying that Gaara said Naruto better eat or he'd get his ass kicked in the upcoming match. Naruto grumbled about the boy's rough language, but there was no heat in the reprimand. He knew he had been at least as bad at that age, after all.
-xXx-
The headlines reported the miraculous wakening of Uchiha Sasuke, who had been moved to a private facility for protection and specialized monitoring, and the tragic heart attack of Uchiha Madara, who had evidently been so surprised by witnessing his beloved younger relative come back from the brink of death it had simply overwhelmed his aging heart. An autopsy had confirmed that death had been due to heart failure, and even with the best efforts of the hospital staff he had not been able to be saved. It continued to say that there had been an official announcement by the chief of police that in fact the elder of the Uchiha brothers had been rescued from the explosion by the head of the security team that had been assigned to them, and hidden in protective custody until the situation had stabilized somewhat. There were no leads into the explosion, except that the nature of the explosive devices used was identical to that used in the first blast, including details that had not been released to the public, so they were fairly certain the events were linked. There was speculation that a Yakuza syndicate was behind it, but no hard evidence had been recovered. The investigation was ongoing.
On a back page of the same paper, there was an article that the bodies of four known Yakuza had been discovered at the docks. There had been no witnesses, and it was assumed that this had been some sort of internal power struggle. It was clear from the tone of the article that the police were not making much effort to investigate.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Sasuke put down the newspaper and stretched his arms over his head. Since the blast and his 'miraculous' recovery (fully documented with medical evidence supplied by the unbeatable team of Tsunade, Shizune, and Temari), he and Itachi had been making the rounds of the chief of police, district attorney, and city council to ensure that they understood how grateful they were that Kakashi had acted so quickly to protect Itachi. He had almost laughed out loud when Itachi had complimented the chief of police (who just earlier that day had told Kakashi he would be fired for acting without orders) on how well trained his force must be that they could take such action without needing instructions, which clearly would have delayed action and put his life at risk. The brothers had said they expected Kakashi to be appropriately recognized, and received stammering assurances that of course he was going to be officially recognized.
It had been an exhausting week. And Sasuke had not had any time to contact Naruto, even if the scrutiny had allowed it. After all, phase three was his forte. But it was finally done. All the press conferences had been held, the officials instructed on where to focus, and the board reassured. Of course, there would continue to be discussion and speculation about the series of events. If the first explosion had fed the media for almost a year, this would likely go far beyond that. But his role of influencing and shaping the tone and direction of that discussion was complete. The identity of the bomber would of course never be solved. Itachi had convinced a very reluctant Deidara to use the exact same signature of the first bombing, despite the man's statement that the original man had no class and no ability. He had done it, including all the detail from the police report that Naruto had gotten his hands on. It was over.
And finally, the two teams could make contact. Tonight was the night of Naruto's fight. His last fight, if Sasuke had anything to say about it. He looked at the clock, then went upstairs to shower and get ready.
-xXx-
Naruto fought hard to focus on his opponent and not search the audience to see if Sasuke was there. He knew that - if something had gone wrong - it would have been in the news. Or he would have been met by a police squad when he went to his locker room to prepare for the fight. He had been hoping that Sasuke would be able to contact him early, but had known it was unlikely. But it was probably for the best. There were a lot of things that they needed to talk about, and he didn't want the conversation to be rushed. Now that it was over, where would they stand together? Would they go back to being just friends, or friends with benefits? Did Sasuke want more, a real relationship? And even if he wanted that, would his life as a public figure allow them to have it?
He blew out a sharp breath. It amused him, in an annoying way, that he was actually much more nervous about this than he had been about letting Gaara beat him to within an inch of his life and then going to face down Danzo in his own lair. He knew that Sasuke would come this evening. Everyone had agreed to meet up to touch base and figure out any loose ends that had popped up. He just needed to finish this fight. And he was impatient enough that he guessed it wouldn't last too long.
. . . . . . . .
Sasuke was walking down the corridor to Naruto's locker room. He had two bags of take-out with him, knowing how hungry the blond was likely to be. He wanted to put him in a good mood before he made the case for Naruto giving up his fighting career. Sasuke wanted to spend the rest of his life taking care of him, and making sure he never had to do anything as dangerous as what he had spent the past 6 years doing. He wanted them to have a chance at a normal life. Together. He knew Naruto wouldn't be mad at his stupid reaction back at the safe house. He had figured out that Naruto had probably engineered it to keep him from pushing to join him against Danzo. They were definitely going to have a little discussion about that, but he couldn't argue with the end result. Temari and Shikamaru had already informed them two days ago that the second phase had been completed successfully.
Sasuke was surprised when he saw the door to Naruto's locker room swing open. The fight hadn't been overly grueling, but still he would not have expected Naruto to be walking around until after he had at least had his shower and a quick check by Shizune and Gaara. Both of which Sasuke had just left talking to Itachi upstairs, still ring-side. No one else should be in there.
A tall figure with dark hair emerged from the room. He was wearing a shirt that was cut off showing his abdomen. He looked directly at Sasuke, and smiled a very disturbing smile, bowing very slightly, then turned and walked down the other way. It was a smile that Sasuke recognized, and instantly felt every drop of blood in his veins freeze. He vaguely heard the sound of the bags of food hitting the floor as he took off at a dead sprint to the room where Naruto was.
"Naruto!" he heard his terrified voice echo down the hallway as he reached for the door.
-xXx-
to be continued... (I know... feel free to vent your wrath. But you knew the Sai thing was coming, right?)
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