Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

Chapter Twenty-Three: Helter-Skelter

Ominous rumbling continued to echo throughout the hideout. It sounded like a giant monster taking steps from above, rattling the ground with each fall of their stride. Sasuke knew that was too good to be true, but the thought made his lips quirk into a little grin. Between the lulls he could hear faint sounds being echoed off the walls, but they were hard to place. The scuffs of their own footfalls, the rustling of their cloaks, and his breaths were most audible to him as they sprinted down the tunnels, expecting to run into more enemy ninja at any moment. Stealth was no longer a priority, but they did their best to remain quiet. It would still be in their favor to have the element of surprise.

Not long after he used his chidori to make an exit for himself and his squad from the room they had been trapped in, Shizuko communicated through the radios to tell him that only about forty-seven Hakumei ninja remained in the hideout. Still more than he wanted to have left should their cover be blown, but, they were lucky to have thinned out their numbers as much as they had. His thoughts were interrupted when he felt a spike of chakra ahead of them. Just a handful of yards beyond them at an intersection he felt a group of chakra signatures before he saw who they belonged to. The hand he had quickly gripped about the hilt of his sword released and the sudden surge of adrenaline waned when he saw it was a party of his Foxes and not the enemy.

"Taichou!" one of them greeted in a hushed tone, their voice full of relief at finding their captain, but also full of worry for their current predicament. Sasuke's squad and the group of fifteen Foxes seamlessly joined and then continued onward without pause. He was happy to be reunited with more of his battalion. A moment later that relief returned to full on anxiety as another rumble issued forth around them, causing many of this ninja to look up towards the ceiling as small pieces of rock and dust fell down atop their heads.

"Hurry," was Sasuke's response. "We have to make it there before they bring the whole place down on us all." He quickened his stride as he led the way, the group of shinobi behind him matching it. Sasuke's thoughts grew more and more grim as the rumbling repeated, and his worry grew for his other comrades.

Itachi… Shizuko… Please hurry!

A trail of blood dripped from the edges of their blades as they ran, spotting the ground in their wake. Any enemy shinobi they encountered were taken down as quickly as possible by any means necessary. Time was of the utmost essence. All of their effort was spent on getting to the barrier as fast as their legs could bear them. The scouts being sent to try and stall them were merely fodder. He became more certain that Hakumei was trying to demolish the hideout with each new batch that blocked their path. They were trying to slow the Foxes down, but unfortunately for Hakumei they had wiped out too many of their forces to spend the numbers needed to stall shinobi like Shizuko and himself. The duo was an unstoppable force of death. A few handful of scouts now and then were merely pawns against powerful pieces like themselves. Itachi couldn't help but feel just a little sorry for them in the back of his mind, but for now, the gravity of the situation at hand did not slow him in the least. He would not let his months of efforts go to waste. He would not let Hougyoku's demise, Sakura's grief, or Shūsoku's own time and effort on this mission go to waste. They had to make it on time.

"Right," Shizuko directed him when the tunnel they traversed dead ended into another, making a T-intersection. Itachi's grip tightened on his kunai as he anticipated more ninja to block their path, but was surprised and relieved to see the way was clear. From behind them, no one could be sensed. "We're almost there," Shizuko added, "it's at the end of this tunnel."

Everything looked the same so he could not say if she was right or wrong, but he trusted in her navigation. The rumbling grew louder and more pronounced around them as they sped along, so he knew she must be right. Thankfully the integrity of the tunnel was intact, giving them a clear shot down its length. He could faintly hear noises echoing down the walls, voices calling out beyond, among other sounds he could not make out clearly. He tried to make himself go faster despite the pain in his legs and his searing lungs. They were almost there. That pit of dismay in his gut grew when he realized the end of the tunnel was getting brighter, not staying dark. He hoped that didn't mean what he thought it did. When the pair finally neared the entrance of the cavern, Itachi noted that the barrier was no longer there. Beyond, he could see sunlight pouring into the great expanse and he tried not to let the panic wash over him. They stopped just at the entrance, skidding to a halt. Both shinobi panted as they caught their breaths, and then lost the strength to breath completely as they took in the scene before them, the color draining from their already pale faces. Their worst fears were made a reality.

Many Hakumei ninja dotted the inside of the cavern. Huge chunks of rock littered the place. Bright afternoon sunlight poured down, making their eyes sting even behind their masks, as well as steady streams of water from the source that fed the waterfall atop the cliffside. The ninja within were screaming orders at the others, fighting to be heard over the cacophony of noises. The buildings below that were the once neatly ordered training grounds were now in ruin. Several of the ninja looked to be doton users, wielding their ninjutsu against the cavern, causing more large fissures to form in the walls, more chunks of rock and dirt and mud to rain down into the cavern. Others used their own destructive ninjutsu or physical attacks. The remainder were throwing explosive tags and small bombs, detonating them moments after. Not only at the walls of the cavern, but down at the buildings below, trying to rid any evidence within. The entire space shook angrily with each blow. The water was rising quickly. Before long it would be its own little lake, further threatening the valuable electronics that Shizuko reported to be within. It was sheer madness.

Itachi finally took a deep breath, eyes wide at the helter-skelter of the cavern that was once pristine not long ago. All he could do in that moment was to stare in disbelief, frozen in place. All his hard work, wasted. All their efforts, and for nothing. He felt like he could collapse and simply lay there in his defeat and frustration. A little voice in the back of his head urged him onward, but he was in too much shock to pay it any mind. He vaguely felt something touching his arm, shaking him, but he thought it was simply the cavern protesting again to the efforts being put into destroying it, causing him to sway with the rumbling. Then, pain erupted on his arm, breaking him from his stupor and causing his head to whip down to look at his side where Shizuko stood.

"FUCK!" she cursed out. She still held kunai in both her hands, and he realized that she had given him a shallow slice along his forearm when her simple touch failed to work. "WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING JUST STANDING THERE FOR?!" she screamed at him, her voice livid. He imagined her pretty face to be distorted in rage behind her mask. His gaping mouth snapped shut and his expression hardened. His arms came up before him as he readied himself, and Shizuko could clearly see he was back to his senses now. "KILL THEM!" she bellowed, launching herself forwards into the fray, throwing her kunai at the nearest targets and then drawing out a handful of shuriken. Itachi hurried after, veering off to the left while she went right. The groans of pain and protests alerted the remaining Hakumei ninja of their arrival at last. They had to hurry if they wanted to salvage the place. He prayed that all their work would not be in vain even if the surrounding carnage did not bode well.

"GET THEM!" one of the Hakumei ninja cried out; not seconds later a shuriken tore through the side of his face, leaving a deep gash in its wake and a spray of red. Shizuko was on him moments later; he didn't stand a chance. Itachi could hear other ninja screaming to those working to destroy the cavern not to stop despite the intruders, their voices breaking in their strain to be heard over the mayhem.

"NO! KEEP GOING! KEEP GOING!" another ninja ordered. More explosives were detonated, and another landslide of rocks came hurtling down in a chorus of loud crashes and debris, a torrent of water following close behind. Itachi tried to dispatch them as fast as he could. Weapon after weapon was released, his sharingan speedily detecting each opponent's location, each of their least protected vital spots. One of the ninja finally came to confront him; they looked to be higher ranking than a mere scout.

"You're too late!" he laughed out at Itachi as he readied himself for battle. Another explosion went off in the distance, and suddenly more light shone down upon them. The water gushing in from above shimmered in the afternoon sun as it fell, the mist glittering brightly like gold dust. Suddenly the two began their dance of death, steel singing as they met again and again. He could hear the continued sounds of surprise and pain and anger coming from where Shizuko advanced. She must have been taking down more of them quicker than they thought she could because he heard someone bellow out, "KILL THAT LITTLE BASTARD! KILL THEM, NOW!"

He and his opponent were about to start another round when suddenly there came a loud and sickening CRACK! from above their heads. Unable to help themselves, both ninja looked up in time to see the ceiling right above them come crashing down. A split second later a large boulder broke loose and crushed his opponent. Itachi's mouth parted in a gasp at the sight. He didn't wait to be next. Turning, he started to run for safety, but the girth of the cave in was too wide. He wasn't going to make it. Squaring his jaw, Itachi stopped to face the falling rocks head-on. Chakra surged agonizingly fast to his eyes as the three tomoe transformed into pinwheels. From around his feet a vermillion mist started to form, manifesting into something more solid as bone and muscle began to mould out of thin air around his legs. Already he could feel the pain behind his eyes forming. Before the cloak of his Susano'o could fully manifest, a figure suddenly appeared before him, and a purple veil blocked out the bright rays of sunlight from above and the cold breezes blowing in.

Sasuke!

The near perfect form of his brother's Susano'o enshrouded them both, the sword it wielded slicing through the falling rock in a powerful sweep, sending most of the onslaught out of their way, then using its arm to block the remaining shale and water that poured down after. Itachi instantly released the hold to his own ninjutsu, the red-orange dissipating out of existence and his Mangekyou returning to his regular Sharingan.

"Are you okay?" Sasuke asked as he looked over his shoulder at him, having to nearly yell to be heard. His body heaved a bit from his exertion, strain on his voice as he asked. His mask was sitting askew on his face so Itachi could see the unique pattern of his brother's own Mangekyou. Now that the rockslide was over, Sasuke let the violet phantom fade away, and his own eyes reverted back as well.

"I'm fine. What about you?" Sasuke gave him a tired smirk at that question. From what Itachi could see, Sasuke looked in pretty decent shape. He didn't appear to have any serious wounds, and for that Itachi was thankful.

"Don't worry about me," he replied, but that was a hard thing to do as an older brother. While he appreciated the sudden rescue, and also the anonymity it allowed him to keep, it pained him to see Sasuke hurting in such a manner from using Susano'o. He knew that pain well. Sasuke looked away and to the chaos of the cavern, Itachi followed his gaze. The rest of his ninja were pouring onto the scene. Their own doton users started to work on trying to salvage the remains of the cavern, halting any more of the falling rock, soon after they saw the ruin surrounding them. The rest sped onward, eliminating those few remaining Hakumei ninja in the vicinity.

"Let's go," Sasuke ordered, and with a nod, Itachi followed behind.

The far off rumbling had finally stopped. Sakura guessed that to be a good thing even if she dreaded the implications of what it had meant. Stepping away from the now dead body of a ninja trying to flee from the hideout, she looked around to see how many were left, but only her comrades remained. Of the small group that came pouring down the tunnel towards them, hoping for freedom but instead running headfirst into the awaiting twenty Shūsoku shinobi, only a few escaped. As planned they had let a few slip past so the Hunter-nins outside could begin their own mission at last. Her medics didn't need to be told by her to immediately begin to assess their comrades and start any healing they might require now that the last enemy was felled.

"Sasuke, do you copy?" Sakura called out through the radio when no more ninja could be seen or felt coming their way. It took a moment for him to respond to her, but eventually his scratchy voice came through.

"Copy. Over." She sagged a little in relief at the sound of his voice in her ear.

"I don't think any more of the enemy are headed this way. Should we rendezvous with you, now? Over."

"Yes. But be careful. There could still be more of the enemy inside the tunnels. Don't let your guard down. Over."

"Understood. Over and out." Sakura's attention returned to her medics and the Foxes. It looked like everyone was stable and ready to go.

"Haruno-san?" one of the Foxes approached. It was Jomaku, the ninja who went up to Hogyoku with them. She recognized his voice. "We are ready to move out. What did Taichou say?"

"We're to rendezvous with everyone else. I want you in the lead." His head inclined in understanding, knowing it was because of his sensor abilities.

"Of course."

"Let's move." With that command they started the excursion into the hideout.

Like when Itachi and Shizuko first happened upon the wreckage, the twenty ninja all stopped when they spilled into the remains of the cavern, taking in the mayhem within with wide eyes and gaping mouths. Of course the ten Foxes had their faces hidden from view, but the sharp intakes of breaths from the lot betrayed their surprise. Hakumei really did go to the extreme to protect their secrets. Sakura's face turned from shock into grim resignation. Amongst the array of green cloaked and fox masked figures she couldn't see any other enemy ninja so she sought out their captain. It took only a few seconds to locate him, the sunlight glinting off his bronze mask from where he stood issuing orders out to his ninja off in the distance. He noticed her not too long after and waved at her to come meet him. They continued down into the confusion of rock and mud and water and the remains of the buildings below, leaping from one large cluster of debris to the next until they were close enough to hear him.

"Sakura. Glad to see you guys are alright," he greeted them. That little smirk he usually wore when talking to her was gone. Hard eyes and a sternly set mouth looked down at her from where he stood a bit higher than the rest, an easier location to see from and issue orders. She couldn't help but feel a bit of nostalgia, his current demeanor so like the one he sported when he was younger in the heat of such disorder.

"Does anyone need medical attention?" Sakura inquired. She gave him a once over as she waited for his reply, but her initial assessment from this distance told her that he was not in any immediate danger.

"Yes. Over there," he pointed off to the side, where a huge, flat rock had fallen from above, offering them level ground for the medics to work. She could see a good many shinobi laying down, the medics of the Foxes already at work. Two of them looked to be covered head to toe by a blanket, unmoving, and Sakura pursed her lips. They were dead, no doubt. But, two casualties were shockingly good, she told herself, even if she still felt the tears wanting to form. Sakura gave Sasuke a swift nod of her head before looking back to her medics.

"Come on," she ordered, and then made her way over to the injured before their casualties could increase. After assessing and triaging the patients, Sakura delegated out her medics to the remaining ninja who hadn't been treated yet. "Daigo," she called to the Swamp shinobi once she was done. He looked up from his own patient expectantly. "I'm going to make a sweep through the area to see if anyone else needs healing. Make sure things stay on track here."

"Roger that," he replied in his gruff voice, then returned his attention to his patient. Sakura swept one more glance to her medics, gaze lingering on Jouta, their rookie, before she left. That nervousness he typically wore was gone, concentration on his face as he worked. It pleased her to see the change; she was glad she offered him this chance to prove himself. With a little gust of chakra she took off in search of anyone who might need her help. Thankfully those she singled out weren't too badly injured. Just a handful of shinobi who had cuts a bit too deep for her liking, a few that had burns that she felt were too severe, and a handful more who looked to have broken bones. A handful of them actually approached her openly as she wound her way about the rubble, trying to avoid the water that still fell down into the cavern from above. The sight of the Head Medic changed their minds about their injuries, hoping to be healed by someone as renowned as Sakura. That and some of the men simply used it as an excuse to talk to the pretty medic, pushing their masks atop their heads and shooting her grins. She had to hold in her laughter despite herself. Men, she laughed to herself. No shame. It didn't matter that they were in the middle of a mission, surrounded by chaos. Their flirting lifted her spirits and morale, though, so she didn't mind it too much. So many unfortunate things had happened over the last few days that it felt good to forget about them for a few, fleeting moments, and have a laugh to herself. Finishing with her last patient, she patted them on their shoulder before sending them off once more, standing to her full height and stretching a bit, leaning back with a little groan. She felt a presence approaching from behind her and she thought it was another potential patient. Their sudden voice, inches from her ear as they walked past, made her stiffen slightly.

"Haruno-san," the familiar silken tones greeted, almost teasing, and she felt a hand ghost along her back. Sakura's heart skipped a beat and her head whipped around to see the figure dart away. She instantly followed. He leapt down a large mound of the caved in ceiling, slipping between some of the grooves that the stones made. Sakura lost sight of him, but then felt a hand on her wrist. Spinning, she let out a little sound of relief as she crashed into his chest.

"Itachi," she whispered out fiercely as he enveloped her in his hold, gripping him tightly. She had hoped to find him during her rounds but couldn't. He had come to her, instead. In the privacy of their little nook, she pushed back away from him enough so she could reach up to lift his mask from his face hurriedly. He made no attempts to stop her, and eagerly found her lips with his own, one hand reaching to her neck and the other the small of her back as she cupped his face in her own hands. Once they parted she searched his crimson gaze almost feverishly, thumbs smoothing over the skin of his face. "How are you? Are you okay? Did you get hurt?" she asked in a hush voice, words tumbling out in her haste and slurring together a bit. His expression was more like the one he wore before she had come to know him so well, but at her worry it softened a bit and his hands came to lay atop her own.

"I'm fine," he assured her. "Just a few scratches." His mental well-being was a more pressing matter than his physical, but she was happy to see he wasn't too badly injured, of course. Outwardly he looked hardly touched, but she could not know what damage he suffered within his conscience. She bit her lip instead as she continued to search his face. She didn't fail to see the grimness in those red eyes despite his efforts to hide it, to try and make himself appear at ease before her. He didn't allow her eyes to continue their worried search, and he pulled her closer, sitting his chin atop her head. She held onto him tightly. "Don't worry," he reassured her. "I'm okay." Sakura couldn't be certain if he was lying, his typical indifferent tones making it hard to tell as always, but she had a feeling he was, at least a little. Perhaps he had come to seek her out to ease his troubled consciousness, desiring a different kind of healing from her, a different kind of human contact than what he had been experiencing that afternoon, to ground him and his emotions. To remind him of who he really was. She held on tighter and willed herself not to cry when her nose and eyes suddenly burned. Off in the distance amidst the multitudes of sounds, voices could be heard near-by. Itachi gently moved her back from his hold so he could look down at her again. His expression returned to his characteristic stoicicism. This wasn't the Itachi she knew. Before her stood Uchiha Itachi, the infamous shinobi, the enigma. He still needed that armour, and she would not deny him that right now. To do so would be selfish and she could tell he was trying his damndest to be as transparent with her in these fleeting moments of privacy for her sake.

"There's still a lot of work to be done here. We need to salvage what we can," he told her, and she nodded her head in agreement. A smile pulled at his lips again, though, as that armour cracked a little, and he added, "I just wanted to come make sure none of your patients were getting too friendly with you." Sakura couldn't help but laugh at that admittance, her heart lightening a bit. If he could make such jesting comments then perhaps he was mentally better off than she first thought him to be.

"I didn't take you for the jealous type," she retorted with a grin. His little smile turned into that smirk of his, another crack in that armour, then his hand reached up to her chin, tipping her mouth towards his so he could kiss her once more.

"Uchiha men are known to be exceptionally jealous," he answered against her lips. Sakura breathed out a laugh, unable to help the shiver that ran down her back, her knees feeling a bit weak. That smirk of his grew wider.

"I'll remember that," she breathed out. His crimson gaze narrowed in his humor, and he placed one last kiss to her lips. She knew their little moment had come to an end.

"Stay safe, Sakura," he said in parting, his hand coming to rest against her cheek once more. She leaned into the touch.

"You too." He released his hold on her, and his expression ebbed back into indifference once more before he reached up to put his mask back into place. He left the little nook they hid in afterwards. Sakura leaned back against the rock to recompose herself, closing her eyes and taking in a deep, steadying breath. She couldn't help but remember the feel of his lips on hers, though. His warmth against the cold of the air. The sound of his voice. That soft, gentle side of him she longed to see and experience. How she wished she could be back in Kurumu, ostracised from the world, just Itachi and herself in their own little bubble. But, life was never that easy, she laughed to herself. Like Itachi had said, there was still work to be done. She could daydream later. Their little reprieve was welcome, and she was very thankful for it, fleeting as it was. Schooling her expression, Sakura readied herself for the clean-up to come and went back to receive her orders.

From his vantage point, Sasuke swept his red eyes about the area, assessing what still needed to be done. His ninja were making good progress in maintaining what structural integrity was left of the cavern, and others were now trying to salvage the buildings the cavern once housed. He hoped their efforts would not be in vain. He had sent some ninja back into the tunnels to flush out any remaining Hakumei ninja that could still be hiding, and to look for anything of use. The medics were making good use of their skills with those that were injured. The hunter and tracking units would now be on the move, fulfilling their end of the mission. With a sigh, Sasuke felt for now that his bases were covered. Now that the heat of the moment was passing, his wounds were starting to smart, his head aching from manifesting his Susano'o twice that day. Some of the medics had asked to tend to his wounds, but he pushed them away. Perhaps he was just a masochist, but the pain kept his mind anchored to the situation at hand. Without pain, what would keep him moving forwards now, when all he wanted to do was to sit down and pass out now that all their efforts seem to have gone to waste? Closing his eyes and breathing in deeply, the young captain pursed his lips and left his station to start assisting his ninja. Standing around doing nothing and barking orders wasn't appealing at the moment. He needed to do something to distract his disappointment.

A bit of luck shone on their efforts as the shinobi worked. A few of the buildings were able to be cleared of rock and debris to get inside to the equipment within. Most of the tech and devices housed within were now useless, crushed and broken, but a few of them seemed to be salvageable even if they were waterlogged. To make certain they would not miss anything, the Foxes took anything they thought might help them, broken or not, moving them into storage scrolls for easy transport. Back in Hisomu, their specialists could potentially dismantle the devices and find valuable information within. Anything would help.

Wiping his forehead with his sleeve, Sasuke looked up to the ceiling and the sunlight pouring down as he took a small respite. The water that had once been pouring in had stopped flowing, the doton users building a dam of rock to keep the river above at bay. Others using water-style tried to funnel off as much water as they could, but murky pools still spotted the wreckage, and any solid ground that had remained from the cavern was muddy and wet. Only the large chunks of fallen rocks from above offered any semblance of dry ground, now. Sasuke tried not to think of his toes squishing when he walked, at how cold they were in the early winter chill surrounding them. The warmth of the sun on his face for a moment was welcome, and he savored it until he opened his eyes again to see a group of five Foxes approach him.

"Taichou," greeted the small figure he recognized as Shizuko by her voice. "We scoured what was remaining of the prison. There wasn't much left that was salvageable, but we took what we could."

"Good work." Shizuko nodded her head at his words.

"Also, while I was clearing the prison of enemies right after neutralizing the explosive tags, I found this." Sasuke watched as the young woman's cloak parted and she presented him a scroll. One of his brows rose a little. It looked like an ordinary scroll. Shizuko twisted the thing in her hands until he could read the character's saying 'Hakumei' written along the length of the thing.

"What's that?" he asked, reaching out to take it from her.

"I haven't opened it yet, Taichou. It could be rigged; I didn't want to chance it. A higher ranking Hakumei ninja had it on his person. I'm not sure what it might hold, but I'm hoping it might have something of value stored within." Sasuke inspected the scroll more closely. It felt ordinary enough, but like Shizuko, it would pay to be wary and not try to open it without taking the proper precautions.

"Excellent work. We'll let the specialists back home take care of it," he explained as he stored the scroll away safely on his person. "Alright, I want you guys to-"

"TAICHOU!" Sasuke and the five ninja quickly turned their heads in the direction of whoever called out to their captain."Taichou, come quickly!" the voice called again. Red eyes glanced back at Shizuko and the others.

"Come on," he beckoned, and the little group went to see what the commotion was all about. Not far off from them they found another gathering of five Foxes. They were down into a crevasse the falling rocks had formed. It looked like doton users had recently rearranged some of the heavier stones, the muddy ground below revealing where a large rock had been. And caught between two of these large hunks of boulders was a Hakumei ninja. He wasn't conscious, but he was still alive. Sasuke's heart skipped a beat at seeing the enemy shinobi pinned there, eyes widening. That shock faded until his expression turned grim.

"Taichou," one of his ninjas greeted him. "This enemy shinobi was just located. He appears to still be alive, but just barely. I think the pressure of the rocks might be keeping him alive somehow, but I don't know how much longer he will last." The ninja's eyes were closed, though his face was drawn in pain, and from his mouth shallow breaths issued out. Most of his body was crushed, only his head and a bit of his right side exposed. "What do you want to do with him, Taichou?" Sasuke's grim expression turned more troubled and then resigned.

"Sakura. Go get the Head Medic."

Pale blue-green light flooded the small area. Her face was set into a frown as she worked. Sasuke was there with her, as well as a handful of other Foxes. They watched her silently, fox-shaped masks all on her, and Sakura felt nervous under their scrutiny. Taking another deep breath, she willed away the emotions and focused only on the job at hand. She didn't like where this was headed, suspecting what it was Sasuke was planning on doing with this injured Hakumei ninja, but as a ninja herself, she understood the importance of this turn of events. This chance at an interrogation. They were all counting on her. It was up to Sakura to stabilize this man. But, could she do it? He was in pretty bad shape. Many of his internal organs and bones were crushed beyond a full repair. Like the Foxes had assumed, his body was being held together by the same rocks that nearly killed him. What semblance of consciousness she might be able to revive in him she could not say, but she would try her best. Despite herself she pitied the man even if he was her enemy. This was a shitty way to die, and die he would, this she knew. Eventually Sasuke ordered the Foxes there with them to tend to other duties still needing to be addressed; she wondered if he could sense her nervousness, and that was why he sent them off. If that were the case she was grateful, though she had other suspicions. Before Shizuko could leave, though, he motioned for her to stay behind and waited to address her fully until the others left.

"Shizuko, I need you to find your partner from earlier," he told her. Sakura's brow twitched. Itachi. She had a feeling Sasuke would use his unique doujutsu in this situation. Shizuko understood without explanation and gave a nod.

"Of course, Taichou. I'll be right back." Now that it was just her and Sasuke in the small space, Sakura felt less nervous without all the eyes on her. She looked at the pained expression of the Hakumei ninja before glancing at Sasuke. His mouth twitched into a deeper frown at her hesitant expression.

"I know what you want to say, but, we can't let this opportunity pass us by." Sakura looked away from him and back to her glowing hands.

"No, I understand, Sasuke." He probably thought that she wanted to sway him from dragging Itachi into this mess after what they had to do in the tunnels that afternoon, but Sakura wasn't naive enough to try and do just that, even if the impulse was strong. "His Tsukuyomi is the best option we have right now. There's only so much I can do here," she explained, referring to her current patient. "I think I can stabilize him enough to attain a small amount of conscious thought, but probably not enough to have him hold a full-blown conversation."

"I trust your abilities, Sakura. Whatever you can manage us, that's all I ask for." Sakura tried not to dwell too heavily on the weight of his optimism should her efforts not pan out for them in the end.

Itachi had been scouring through the ruins of the cavern, looking for anything of use in the destruction, when he felt someone approach him. By their small stature and the growing familiarity of their presence and chakra, he knew it to be Shizuko.

"Come. The captain needs you," were her greeting words. Behind his mask Itachi rose a brow slightly, but obediently followed the young woman to the otherside of the cavern. Down into a small recess, like the one he and Sakura had shared earlier, she led him. His curiosity grew when he not only saw Sasuke there, but also Sakura, crowding the small area. Both looked up at their arrival. Only when he was now down in the tight space with them did he see the tell-tale glow of Sakura's healing ninjutsu and the person it was being used on. Itachi's mouth parted a little, then he frowned, knowing just why he was summoned.

"Good, you're here," Sasuke commented as the pair came down to join them, pushing away from the side of a boulder he had been leaning against while he watched Sakura working. The pink-haired medic glanced up to Itachi, her expression stiff. Sasuke looked to Shizuko before addressing Itachi. "Shizuko, go help those in the tunnels." She hesitated for the briefest of moments, undoubtedly wanting to stay behind for whatever was going to happen now that Itachi had been brought over, but Shizuko wouldn't disobey him. She gave him a bow, instead, before nimbly leaping up and out of the crevasse and out of sight. Sasuke seemed to sigh a little before looking back to his brother.

"So, as you can see, we found this Hakumei ninja trapped here. He managed to live, but is badly injured and won't last very long, even with Sakura stabilizing him and prolonging the inevitable." Itachi approached to stand behind Sakura where she kelt, looking down to the face of the enemy ninja. "I called you here to…" Sasuke's words trailed off, and Itachi nodded his head curtly, understanding the unsaid order.

"Is he conscious yet?" he asked, voice cold as it echoed off his mask.

"Just barely," Sakura answered without looking up. "You should start right away. He doesn't have much time left." Itachi pursed his lips. Kneeling down so he could look the dying man in the eye, he brought his hand up to his face and gave him a little slap on the cheek to rouse him. He didn't have to look to Sakura to know the sour expression she wore as he did so, but he only paid the Hakumei ninja any mind. The man's eyes rolled and his eyelids fluttered as he fought to gain consciousness, his head turning, restless, like he was dreaming. Itachi gave him another slap, this time more successful. The man's eyes opened, half-mast, unfocused and searching but not really seeing anything.

"Wha…. Huh…." he slurred out, mumbling incoherent words. His free arm started to move, fingers grasping against the rock as he fidgeted. Itachi leaned closer, and using the same hand he slapped the man with, he caught his chin and turned the man's head so he'd focus on Itachi. With a surge of chakra his Mangekyou manifested. Lifting his mask with his other hand so he could use his Tsukuyomi more easily on the barely conscious ninja, his grip became a little tighter.

"Look at me," he ordered the man, his tone firm and commanding. The ninja didn't seem to register his request. Itachi let go of his chin to slap him on the cheek once more, this time with a little more force. "Look at me," he repeated, louder, gripping the ninja's chin again. This time the ninja seemed to understand the order, much to his misfortune, and dark, bleary eyes looked up to the red and black Mangekyou. A moment later the world of his Tsukuyomi surrounded them. In this crimson and onyx world, the man laid peacefully atop the dark waters of the endless ocean below. Itachi did his best not to agitate him, knowing he had to be careful with the man in his fragile state, but also, he needed to be quick. Itachi didn't waste any time and began his inquiries.

"Can you hear me?" he asked the ninja, whose face twitched a bit, expression going from calm to agitated, back and forth, as if he were dreaming.

"Y-yes," came the mumbled reply. With each restless movement small ripples fanned out from beneath him.

"This hideout… what is this place, really? What are you hiding here?" The ninja didn't reply right away, his lips quivering but no words coming out. Itachi tried to be patient. Using his Tsukuyomi on a dying, hardly conscious man would not earn him the same information from a fully conscious, healthy victim, Itachi knew. He doubted this would be very beneficial, but they had to at least try.

"A… a training ground." Itachi pursed his lips. They could tell that by their reconnaissance of the cavern.

"A training ground for what?" he asked the ninja next.

"Train… to train shinobi." Itachi sighed despite himself. By the uniform the ninja wore, it was obvious he was a scout. This made his chances of obtaining any useful information that much more slim.

"Train them for what?" he asked again, his voice more forceful this time, but it didn't seem to change the answers.

"Train them… to train shinobi."

"Who is your leader?" Itachi tried to ask next. Perhaps a different topic would yield more useful answers.

"Leader… My leader… My boss…"

"Yes. Your Leader. Who is he? What is his name?"

"Leader. Boss… Yūgure-sama." They knew of that name now by means of the conversation that Shizuko had eavesdropped upon the other night. But like she and his brother thought, it was most likely an alias.

"Is Yūgure his real name? Is that an alias?" The ninja's face twitched again, and his head shook a bit.

"I… don't know."

"Where is Yūgure-sama, now?"

"I don't know."

"Where is Hakumei's headquarters?"

"I don't know."

"Tell me where Hakumei's headquarters are. Tell me where it is."

"Don't know… I don't know…"

Itachi sighed slightly again. This ninja was useless so far. It would be more humane to simply let him die than to continue to keep him alive if he couldn't answer any questions. His breathing was picking up in pace and he was fidgeting more often, indicating that his end was coming closer.

"Who are you? What's your name?" Itachi decided to ask instead.

"Name? My name… Hideo."

"Where are you from, Hideo? What village?"

"I'm… I'm from… Yamate…" Itachi wasn't sure where that was, unfamiliar with the name.

"You're a ninja. What hidden village are you from?" he asked again. The ninja frowned deeper and shook his head once more.

"Yamate… I'm from… Yamate." His breathing only grew more shallow and quicker. In the far reaches of his mind he could hear Sakura's voice from outside the world of his jutsu, calling out to him. Itachi knew his time was coming to an end. He clenched his jaw. Dammit, he cursed to himself. This was going nowhere. Resigning himself, Itachi crouched down and hoisted the man up in his world. Perhaps a little more pain would garner a more useful response? He didn't want to have to do it, but, he forced the thought from his mind and told himself this was for the greater good. The ninja's eyes opened at the sudden movement, Itachi not being very gentle with the man. Again, he could hear Sakura's far-off voice calling out to him, but he ignored it.

"Tell me, you Hakumei trash, tell me what I want to know." The ninja's eyes rolled wildly as Itachi shook him violently with one hand on his throat, the other coming to grip his chin like he had earlier in the real world. "Answer me, you filth," he goaded, hoping to perhaps rile the man up and into a less lucid state. But it was obvious he was too far gone, now. The ninja only moved restlessly in his grasp, hands trying to reach up to Itachi's arms but having no luck. Unlike the bit of luck he seemed to have with Kokuen the other day, it seemed this Hakumei ninja would only award him with frustration. Suddenly, the ninja jerked a few times, and then went limp in his grasp.

"Dammit," he hissed out, and let the world of the Tsukuyomi bleed away until the little crevasse they all occupied came back to his vision.

"He died," Sakura commented when she saw Itachi lean away from the now lifeless body. She didn't look his way just yet, eyes still watching the Hakumei ninja, her expression a mix of pity and guilt.

"Were you successful?" Sasuke asked. Itachi bit the inside of his cheek before answering.

"No… he was too in and out of consciousness to give me any real answers. Also, as a scout, I don't think he even had much information to offer in the first place. All I could get from him was his name and where he came from. He called himself Hideo, and said he was from Yamate. I have no idea where that is. I've never heard of it before. Perhaps it's in one of the smaller ninja nations south of Wind."

"No… it's not," Sakura answered, finally looking up and away from the dead ninja. Itachi and Sasuke looked to her expectantly.

"You know where it's at?" Sasuke inquired, and she nodded.

"Well, there is a village, many miles north of Tenshu, called Yamate. I've never been there myself, but Yanagi-sama has. It's a pretty well-known place amongst physicians and healers. Yamate harvests and trades some unique medicinal herbs found in their region. It's not at all a ninja village or even inside of a ninja housing nation. But, if that's the Yamate he was referring to, then... "

"Then why would a shinobi claim to be from a clearly non-ninja land?" Itachi finished her unspoken thoughts.

"Hard to say," Sakura answered. "But, maybe like me, after the fourth war he fled north to look for a new home and somehow wound up in Yamate before being recruited into Hakumei?"

"Hmm, maybe… I did specifically ask him what hidden village he was from, though, but he kept repeating 'Yamate'."

"The guy was barely conscious and half-dead. It's no wonder why you couldn't get much information out of him," Sasuke chimed in. "At least we can say that we tried," he added with a shrug. "Hakumei guards their secrets well. It might be safe to say that none of the scouts know of Hakumei's true headquarters. Perhaps only high-ranking members are given this knowledge?"

"That very well could be, Sasuke," Itachi agreed, rising back to his full height.

"Hopefully what we can get our hands on here will provide us with some useful information, and all of this won't have been in vain," Sasuke sighed out, running a hand through his hair. "There were some hard-drives that looked to be in somewhat decent shape, so that's promising."

"Better than nothing," Sakura agreed with a little huff as she rose to her feet.

"Let's finish scouring this place for anything or anyone else useful," their captain suggested, and Itachi and Sakura nodded. Sakura looked back to the lifeless body of the scout with a frown. "Just leave him," Sasuke told her. "We'll be destroying what's left of this place soon enough. That will be his grave." Sakura's mouth formed a hard line, but she eventually nodded in agreement. The three left moments later to finish their search.

The next few hours found the Foxes diligently investigating the hideout for anything of value. But, as the hours passed nothing could be found. Shizuko eventually reported back to Sasuke that the tunnels were all clear, and only their party was left within. With nothing left of value to be taken back home, Sasuke gave the order to completely destroy the hideout. Hakumei did their fair share of demolishing the cavern, so the tunnels were their main objective. With some carefully planned explosives, some doton, and Sakura's inhuman strength, they set to work to make sure Hakumei wouldn't be returning to these lands any time soon. Itachi had to admit that watching the kunoichi wreak havoc on the hideout was satisfying, but it was admittedly bittersweet.

So much effort down the drain. So much potential in discovering the mysteries of Hakumei now lost. This whole mission, including the trip up to Hougyoku, was one giant disappointment after the next. Itachi tried to dwell on the good things that had come from it, like the scroll Shizuko found, a name for the mysterious leader of Hakumei, and the few remaining electronics they salvaged. But they only lasted so long and he kept thinking back to his long nights spent locating the hideout when by chance he overheard the information in a grimy tavern in Sanka. Stalking ninja who came and went from the city. Prowling around the hideout when he finally followed the right set of people who led him to the waterfall. The solo infiltrations he tried to carry out. The many times Hakumei tried to detain him when they finally realized who he was and what he was up to. The night he decided to snoop inside the tunnels a bit too long and got caught, attacked, and nearly killed... The efforts to sneak inside with Shizuko today. Neutralizing all those tags. The griesly, silent killings he had to take part in. The two lives of their own ninja that had died that afternoon. It all seemed like a huge waste to him. All that information they could have gotten crushed by the falling rocks or drowned by the river.

Behind that mask his normally aloof facade was strained by frustration and self-reprimand for his failures as he watched the hideout crumble and fall from the shores of the little lake. How much longer until they would catch a break? How much longer until they finally gained a foothold on Hakumei, tipping the favor in their direction? How many more people needed to die? Itachi scowled deeper behind his mask, eyes steely, as Shikamaru's face flashed in his mind once more.

'What if… you were my spy…?'

A sigh escaped him and he shut his eyes tightly, trying to push away that conversation, that potential mission, from his mind.

No. No. Not yet… it's not that dire yet, he told himself, opening his eyes once more to watch the destruction taking place. The hideout I saw from Kokuen… The scroll… These computers… and that name, be it an alias or not… These are good enough to keep the ball rolling… I don't have to jump to that extreme, not just yet…

But still, that nagging voice in the back of his mind provoked his conscious, and he desperately tried to ignore it. Today made it clear to him, though, while his kunai took one sleeping life after the next, that slipping back into that lie would be as simple as putting back his fox shaped mask onto his head. It might take a bit of adjusting, but he'd manage. Again he closed his eyes and fought against these thoughts. No… someone else. Please... He thought of Shizuko. Perhaps she would make a good spy? No, she's too impulsive. Too reckless. She may be Root, but she's been gone too long to put on that front for a long period of time. I'll find someone else… there has to be someone else…

Dammit…

Author's Notes: Hakumei has managed to keep their secrets safe from Shūsoku yet again. Will the things they found be of any use to them? What does that scroll contain? What will that hideout harbor that Itachi saw from Kokuen? And why would a ninja claim to come from a non-ninja village, unless like Sakura, that had been his previous home before joining Hakumei? Will Shūsoku finally catch the break they need to track down the leader of this organization, this Yūgure? Will Itachi be able to elude the role of a spy if these clues don't pan out? Will they find someone else that can get the job done?

Stay tuned to find out!

Thanks again, as always, for all the love, follows and faves, guys! You guys all rock! Happy I found the time to post another chapter so soon! Praying I can keep up a better pace and post more frequently. Please continue to be patient, my loves!