Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ HitMan (ItaNaru SasuNaru) ❯ SEVEN ( Chapter 7 )

Sasuke could only marvel at his ragged appearance: his cheekbones were prominent under the starvation-tight skin, with its sickly pallor, his hair hung lank in front of his exhausted eyes. In a word, he looked like shit. He bent his head low to avoid looking at his reflection in the giant mirror that stood before him. He turned his attention instead to his skinny arms that were covered slash wounds from the many failed suicide attempts. It seemed to him like some horrible, never-ending nightmare. He couldn’t stop thinking about Naruto and Sakura. It still didn’t feel real.

“Sasuke,” Naruto whined. “Help me! It hurts!" The last words that Sasuke heard Naruto said cruelly repeated over and over in his mind, making him sick to his stomach and he knew he deserved it. After all, he had pushed Naruto aside when he knew that Naruto needed him the most.

Sasuke couldn’t help but wonder if Naruto hated him for what he did. Did Naruto even know he was the one who pushed the button—the button that killed Sakura? Perhaps not. Everything had happened so fast.

The terrible guilt he felt toward Naruto and Sakura could only be ignored or over powered when he thought of what Kabuto had told him. If Kabuto was honest, and had told Sasuke the truth about Itachi, he can fixate on his revenge rather than on his own failings as a human being. More than anything, Sasuke wants Itachi dead. As dead as a coffin nail, as it were.

“You think you can be rid of me?” The pale man with golden eyes whispered, as his finger traced patterns down Sasuke’s arm. “I don’t know why you even tried. Kabuto is my bitch, everything was planed and is going to plan.”

The man nipped Sasuke’s ear as he shut his eyes in attempt to shut out everything, but Orochimaru continued; “Naruto meant nothing to you, you were attracted to his energy, nothing more. You never loved him.”

The sixteen-year-old prostitute turned his back on Orochimaru. Orochimaru smirked and let him get away with the minor infraction.

“Pack your things: we’re headed to Detroit.” Kabuto ordered as he popped his head in through the open door.

“What?” Sasuke asked, started at the intrusion. “Why do we need to do that? And why Detroit of all places?” he protested, grumbling.

“Why? Must you always question me Sasuke?” Kabuto spat, having walked into the room. “My intentions are only what is best for the prince.” Kabuto mocked, pushing his glasses up his nose. “Now leave us: I need to speak to Orochimaru. And be sure to pack your things, because we are leaving tonight.”

When Sasuke made no effort to leave, Orochimaru spoke up, reassuring: “Don’t worry we will bring back…your little play toy. But not yet, one more week and our little hired assistant will bring him back.”

“Hired assistant?” Sasuke asked, raising a brow. Orochimaru raised a hand to fix Sasuke's kimono where it hung loose over his shoulders.

“His name is Gaara. He is one of the top ranking bounty hunters from Nevada, the best in the state.” Orochimaru waited for a reaction out of Sasuke other than utter shock. “He is the best so there is. No need to worry.”

“You will bring back Naruto to me. I won’t do what you ask unless he comes back to me.”

“Of coarse,” Kabuto said, “I promise you he will be back with us. We can all be one big happy family.”

Sasuke nodded, seeming pleased, stood up and walked past Kabuto out of Orochimaru’s chambers to his own room across the hall. Once Kabuto heard the door slam his scanned the room with his eyes and shut the bathroom door in case of prying ears.

“Do you think we should tell him?” Kabuto asked wonderingly.

“Tell him what, that he is the child of Destiny? That he can manipulate the fate of the world?” the other male replied, voice caustic, unbelieving of what Kabuto was asking. “Why do you think I made Sasuke a prostitute? To enjoy his flesh between my thighs? Well, yes, it is very pleasurable…I am going to give him another visit tonight, have my way with him…”

Orochimaru gave a crooked smile, seeming quite pleased with himself and his plans. Everything was turning out so well, after all.

“You wanted to break him like a dog.” Kabuto finally said, as if enlightened.

“Exactly, Kabuto. You are clever after all; I suppose that’s why I enjoy your company.” he smiled sincerely.

“But that’s not even the best part is it?” Kabuto urged on, wanting more information. A pawn could only understand so much on his own, after all.

“I know. The stupid fool doesn’t even know that I was the one…who raped and killed his mother, not Itachi. Oh, the joys I have. To think that they were once somewhat tolerant of each other, but that was a long time ago and Itachi chose to work alone and kicked the boy to the curb. Do you remember what he said to Sasuke?”

“No, I wasn’t there, but do tell.” the boy suggested.

“‘I don’t give a flying fuck about that kid, my work comes first. Money is all I need.’ I was very pleased to have a sobbing Sasuke in my arms the next day. Apparently Sasuke looked up to Itachi like a brother. But Sasuke quickly forgot about Itachi when he met Naruto.”

“Yes, about Itachi. Our sources tell me that a Naruto is with him. Gaara spotted him with the boy in Town Square and it seems that Gaara now wants Itachi’s head as a side payment.”

“Greedy fucking bastard.” the other muttered. “Sure, let Gaara keep Itachi. He would only get in the way of our plans otherwise.” -ooo-

What should we do?The demon snarled. That priest Shino is constantly killing us one by one; we used every option we could think of.

He killed our brothers! He killed them! The other demons chanted, angry and mewling helplessly against one so powerful.

I know. We have been attacking all the wrong things my children, the eldest demon spoke in a cold tone. The grayish red skin of his snake like body oozed green slime from under his scales, which pooled around him, stinking in his own filth. We mustn’t attack his flesh but his heart. We must attack the church. That is where he keeps his human pets.

Brilliant, Elder! Kill and eat the humans at the church! Eat the humans! The other demons huddled around the elder and nodded in agreement.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” a voice spoke from the back of the cave. “All that would do is anger Shino and he would kill even more of our kind.”

Shut up, Temari!One of the smaller demons snarled. What do you know? You always stay in that stupid human form, I think you’re becoming one of those stupid humans you so like to imitate.

The woman in question stepped forward revealing a slim blond girl with her hair tied in small pony tales, dressed in a white kimono and fish net stockings. “I know a lot more then you do,” she argued lightly. “Besides, I like this form better! It’s smaller and it is so much easier to move.”

What do you propose then?

The slim woman said nothing.

See, she doesn’t know what to do!

“Fine, go and see what happens. But don’t tell me I didn’t tell you so.” with that said, the female demon walked off farther into the darkness; the others forgetting about her almost immediately. -ooo-

Town Square sits in the middle of the city, surrounded on all sides by towering buildings. It is a meeting place and market at times, but despite that, the area was usually deserted around noon, the only people around would be teen hookers trying to give anyone with money a ‘good time’. Today was different; the place was crowded with people shouting and cheering; pushing and shoving to get a good look at what was going on.

“These men put the faith of the Lord before the goodness of the people! They should be put to death!” one person shouted out.

Neji watched, hidden amongst the crowd. He was jostled this way and that by the crowd. No one noticed his arm, covered as it was by the rough cloak drawn around him. His auburn hair tied loosely behind his back, hidden under his hood, his pale eyes fixed on Shino.

“Please don’t kill me I-I promise I won’t be a priest anymore!” yelled another priest who was scheduled for execution. The bald priest that stood by Shino was begging on his knees for the hangman to allow him to live. The annoying whine in his voice only aggravated the hangman even more.

The hangman was a huge behemoth of a man, a disgusting, filthy creature; his teeth crooked and his bare chest thick with coarse hair and layered with fat. His jaw had been broken several times, and had failed to heal properly, giving his face a lopsided look that made his smile a gruesome, horrific parody of human expression.

He grabbed the ax that was strapped to his back and swung it toward the exposed neck of the whining priest. The piercing cry was silenced with a final blow to the spine as the blade broke through bone, severing the head from his shoulders. The blood poured out freely, as the heart attempted to continue pumping it out and the hangman clenched a hand in the dead man’s hair and threw the decapitated head to the roaring crowd of people.

Now that one priest was gone, the hangman put his full attention on Shino while one man tied his feet together. The hangman beat down on Shino with a rod. The whips cut through his clothes.

So he thought I could still feel pain, I guess I’m still human inside.

Out of thin air, a boy pushed himself onto the wooden platform.

“STOP THIS!” A boy with tousled blond hair cried out: “This isn’t right!” The boy was ragged in appearance, wearing filthy orange pants and a tattered black tank top.

Naruto! Naruto is here? Neji mind raced. He’s still alive… I have to do something!

“NARUTO!” he yelled, but his throat closed on the words, his voice instantly becoming hoarse.

This boy? Shino had his head down, looking away from the boy, but he could still feel the strong energy radiating from the boy’s stomach. No…that can’t be right. The demon energy alone should rip him to shreds. How is he able to carry a sleeping demon inside of him?

“Leave me…it’s for the best.” Shino managed to whisper, but Naruto would have none of it. It was his refusal to run while he had the chance that gave the mob the opportunity to get hold of the terrified boy, which they took with great relish.

The hangman grabbed Naruto from behind. His filthy hands stroked down the length of the trembling boy’s neck. Pulling the boy against his rancorous body, he buried his face in the boy’s hair, breathing in the fresh, clean scent of it, his foul breath hot and disgusting on the back of Naruto’s neck.

The hangman seemed to tire of simply smelling the boy and put him down next to Father Shino, ready to be killed.

“Naruto!” Neji screamed, but his voice was drowned out in the mob’s murderous cries for the blood of the priest and that of his small supporter.

As the hangman roughly tied a noose around the tan boy’s neck Naruto looked pleadingly toward Itachi, hoping for some sort of rescue. Itachi, from what Naruto could see, was frowning and seemed to be lost in thoughts at the far corners of the back.

“One!”

I don’t want to die yet! I have to save Sasuke!

“Two!”

Itachi’s frown slackened as he mentally resolved whatever issue plagued him and he pulled out both of his double barrel shotguns and aimed them at the ropes binding the priest and the foolish boy.

“Three!”

Naruto glanced at the priest standing calmly next to him. Despite being about to die, the man stood proud and unafraid.

This man looks familiar, Naruto suddenly realized, but he had no more time to think as the trap door he had been standing on disappeared out from under his feet and he and the priest plummeted to the ground below.

Then, without warning, two gunshots echoed out. Naruto felt another sharp tug from the rope around his neck and then the tension seemed to ease as the bullets pieced the cable strangling him.

The twine unravels in slow symmetry made Itachi feel very satisfied with himself and his skill. After all, not just anyone could shoot two shotguns, aim at ropes, and not only hit them, but have them actually break and unravel so nicely.

Everyone was silent as the ropes were shot out of proportion. It seemed as though time had frozen to watch the brilliant effect that possibly the greatest gun-master in possibly the entire country had created.

Naruto and Shino fell, on their asses, legs splayed out.

The crowd that had been temporarily shocked into silence began to murmur, and slowly, one by one they turned their attention to focus solely on Itachi. He looked at the shotguns in his hands and, with a shrug, tossed them over his shoulder: they were only good for two shots and he hit his targets perfectly.

“You want a fight? Come and take a shot then!” Itachi yelled at the crowd of people who had fallen silent once more. His full attention, however, was on Naruto.

This is your chance, you fucking idiot! Move! He thought harshly, trying to transfer the message to the boy who was still on the ground.

Naruto lay still for a moment, gasping for breath. He hurt all over. I’m alive? Pulling himself up on his hands and knees he felt over the ends of the noose and the edge that had broken. I am alive. I am alive! Naruto froze in his private celebration. The priest!

Shino stood up then and bent down to pick up his black shades, which had been lost in the fall. He polished them on his robe, clearing them of dirt before putting them back on, hiding his eyes from the world once more.

“Wait a minute…I know you. Father …Shino? Are you Father Shino?” ---

Naruto stood still allowing the cold rain to sink into his black funeral clothes, soaking him to the skin. The water ran down his head and arms, forming rivulets across his face and hands. His heart ached like it never ached before in his life.

“Damn that bastard child! He was the one who should have died! Not my son! Not Iruka!” sobbed an older woman as fell to her knees, crying uncontrollably.

“It’s fine, dear,” her husband said, pulling her up by the elbow. “Iruka had a good heart and will be in a better place.”

Naruto was used to the people taking about him like he was nothing. Even so, he stood still fist clenched.

“Little one, tell me why do you not cry?” Shino asked as he held an umbrella over the boy staring down at the plain gravestone.

“I’m not a crybaby!” the boy shouted. “Iruka told me to not cry because only babies cry.”

The child bent down and put dandelions he found in the field of grass, over the fresh soil, his hand gently touched the rock. “I wanted to give Iruka something special. Like an angel or something. Anything, but a stupid rock… I didn’t have the money and they told me they wouldn’t pay for it.”

“I am sure you’re very strong.” Shino turned around and looked at the people dressed in black. “Who are these people?”

“They’re Iruka’s family. They told me that it was my fault that Iruka died. They told me if he never found me then he would still be alive today. They told me that I was a curse on their family.”

“Do you believe that, little one?” Shino asked, intrigued by the boy and his responses.

“I don’t know. If I didn’t want to go to the park, then he…might still be alive.”

“I am guessing you need a place to stay, right?” the priest asked, resting a comforting hand on the boy’s head. “I own a church nearby. There are other children who are the same age as you. If you like, you can stay there so you won’t be lonely.”

“No.” Naruto shoved his hand away, as well as his offer of help. “I don’t need anyone’s help, I can do it myself! You’ve done enough, Father! And I am grateful for it! But ...I don’t deserve your kindness. I'm sorry.”

Naruto turned sprinted as far as he could towards the big city.

“I don’t need anyone!” Naruto told himself, pretending his throat didn’t tighten on the words. He ran and ran.

“Then…I wish you luck.” Shino murmured after the boy, before turning to leave himself. ---

“Itachi!” Kisame roared as he swerved up on the motorcycle and came to a stop, breathing hard, resting most of the bike’s weight on his left leg.

“Is Kakashi here?” Itachi demanded as he pulled out a revolver.

“Holy shit! What the fuck is going on here?” But Kisame got no answer. Hoping to prompt his boss into a reaction he tried again. “Itachi?”

Itachi didn’t say anything; his red eyes still focused on the blonde boy.

“Kisame,” he said. “I’m going to need to borrow your motorcycle.”

Without waiting for a reply, Itachi pushed Kisame aside and straddled the bike. He revved the engine into a dull roar and drove straight towards Naruto, running down anyone stupid enough to stand in his way. He pistol-whipped people right and left: anyone who tried to stop him got the butt of his gun to the head. With one arm Itachi grabbed Naruto by his tattered black tank top and tossed him over the cushioned seat behind him.

“Hey! Wait!” Naruto urged. He looked back to see that the mob of people was passing into the distance behind them; the people in the crowd becoming small and indistinct.

“Where are we going?” Naruto demanded of his driver.

“North Falls,” Itachi replied. “The Heretics have seen your face and now…” Itachi’s red eyes glanced back then at the rode ahead of him. “Now we are even.”

“No!” Naruto gasped, struggling loose. “No! We have turn back! We left the priest behind!”

“Don’t you get it? He is not my fucking concern!” Itachi yelled into the wind, not understanding why the boy was so hung up on helping somebody other than himself.

“We can’t just leave him to die!” Naruto said with determination.

“Why the hell do you care so much about other people?”

Itachi leaned into a curve in the road and noticed a shift in weight as the bike dipped into the road. Itachi looked over his shoulder and saw that the boy had thrown himself off the bike. He watched the boy tumbling to a stop in the dirt. Picking himself up, Naruto brushed himself off and ran back toward the angry mob.

I have got to go back. He told himself. I have to save Shino!

“Goddamn ungrateful little shit!” Itachi snarled out loud. He gunned the engine, nearly laying the bike down as he turned a full 180 and drove towards the boy, a dust cloud following behind.

In amidst of all the roaring and shouting, Shino caught a glimpse of Neji.

I told him not to come...Nothing good can come of this.

Time seemed to slow for Naruto as he ran toward Father Shino. The priest was distracted by something in the crowd, and completely failed to notice the hangman coming towards him with a blunt ax.

“Father Shino, look out!”

There was a sound of steel whipping through the air and then a thunk of metal on bone and a soft thud as Shino’s head rolled to the floor, blood spewing from his still pumping arteries. Then the body’s knees gave out, with no instruction from the brain, and his body collapsed to the ground with a death rattle as the air escaped his lungs.

Naruto screamed, falling to his knees. He crawled over to where the disfigured body lay prone and began to cry. Naruto’s sorrow at the loss of life quickly turned to anger and hatred.

“What the fuck is wrong with you people!” he shouted into the oblivious crowd. “Why do you do this to people? Why!”

The crowd watched in amazement at the fallen priest. Realization seemed to strike them suddenly as they began hollering and shouting for joy. They waved their clubs and knives, beating out a totem in rejoice, marching around the town square.

Then Shino stood up.

Everyone stopped and stared, horror-struck and silent as the beheaded priest leaned over, groping in the dirt for his missing head, his neck still pouring blood to the rhythm of a heart that should have stopped.

When the priest finally found his head, he moved it back into its original place, screwing it down like a plastic bottle cap. The skin grew back over the flesh and the bleeding stopped. He rolled his shoulders, listening in satisfaction as his bones popped back into their proper place.

From where Neji stood, he couldn’t see what the panic was all about, blocked by the crowd and constantly being pushed back by the crush of bodies against him, pushing and shoving trying to flee from whatever holy terror hey had seen as fast as humanly possible.

“Holy shit!” One of them cried. “It’s fucking El Diablo!”

“Run! He’s the devil!”

The courtyard emptied of people faster than a kitchen empties of cockroaches when someone flicks on the lights.

Completely unharmed, despite having been beheaded; and looking no worse for wear, Shino bent down again and deftly lifted an abandoned machete that had been left lying on the ground.

“Forgive me Father for I am about to sin.” he muttered, making the sign of the cross as he did so.

Naruto who was sat still in shock, staring up at the undead priest suddenly came back to himself. How was any of this possible? Why did the priest have a knife? “Father Shino…Father Shino, what are you doing?”

“Little one, I’m sorry to tell you, you have a very strong demon in the pit of your stomach. I will kill you and you will die, again, I am sorry.” Shino raised the machete, showing Naruto that he was indeed serious.

“That’s it? After I risked my life to save you!?” Naruto shouted, angry at the unfairness of the situation.

“By killing you,” the man said; his voice deadly calm. “I will come one step closer to achieving my goal.”

“You’re serious, aren’t you? Your going to kill me after all I did? You bastard! You Goddamn hypocrite!”

Itachi felt confident in himself as he was walking closer to towards Naruto. His giant boots kicked up dust from the dirty cobblestones as he approached. He pulled out his leather gloves from his pocket and put them on, the breeze rustling his loose cloak and jet-black hair he wore in a long ponytail. Before the panic he had parked the motorcycle and had almost been carried away himself by the rush of frantic people.

“You must die.” Shino said again.

Itachi stepped in front of Naruto. As far as he was concerned, the priest was in the way of a good pay, and he couldn’t care less why the priest wanted the boy dead. He eyed the man, carefully analyzing the way he held himself. The blank ghostly face of the man that was staring back at him was thin, and dressed in the black robes of a priest.

“I’m sorry but I can’t let you do that.” Itachi then looked down at the boy. “Naruto was it? I’ll do that hit for you, but in return, your body belongs to me.”

Naruto closed his eyes. Inside he was thinking of only one person, Sasuke... Sasuke… SASUKE!

“Fine! It’s a deal!” Naruto shouted, eyes shut tight and fists clenched, fingernails biting into the soft flesh of his palms.

“Good.”

Shino ignored Itachi. “This doesn’t concern you.”

“Really? As of now this boy belongs to me, so it is my concern.” Itachi raised a brow then turned to the boy, “Naruto-kun step back.”

Naruto nodded and did as Itachi ordered of him. He ran across the courtyard and hid behind a nearby trashcan.

“Nothing good will come of getting involved with this boy. Leave now and you will live.” Shino said, his grip tighting on the handle of the machete.

Itachi stared at the priest for several seconds.

“Like I said before,” He finally said. “I can’t do that. But it looks to me like the good book has changed. What happened to protecting the innocent and all that other bull shit you stupid fuckers preach about?”

“Sometimes a sin is needed to be done in order to protect the better good.”

“I’m sorry, what was that?” Itachi took a menacing steep forward, placing his face only inches away from Shino’s. “Please tell me you have a better explanation then that.”

Realizing that the young man wasn’t going to back down, Shino swung the machete with the fullest extent of his strength at Itachi. Instinctively, Itachi moved his arm over his face allowing the blade to sink into the barrel of his gun where the blade stuck firm. Shino pressed down as hard as he could, but the blade would sink no further, and showed to sign of loosening. Both Itachi’s and Shino’s arms began to shake under the strain.

Itachi swung out with his other arm and managed to knock the machete out of the priest’s hand.

What are you waiting for? Kill him! Shoot him now!

With a light pull on the trigger, a single bullet flew across the battlefield. A bloody smear on the black material over Shino’s heart marked the spot where the bullet pierced his chest. The sweet smell of gunpowder filled Itachi’s nose. He inhaled deeply, Itachi enjoyed it too much. the shot had calmed his nerves.

When Shino didn’t stop walking towards him like a zombie, Itachi didn’t stop; he kept shooting at Shino hoping to at least stall him.

Nothing.

“Holy shit…” Itachi breathed in amazement. “What the hell are you?”

A swarm of bugs flew from seemingly nowhere, appearing around Shino and flying into his bullet wounds. The blood stopped flowing and fresh skin grew over his chest in seconds.

The shock of this scene made Itachi hesitate, a moment too long. The priest moved so swiftly Itachi didn't see what hit him. Shino kicked Itachi with such a force he flew across the cobbles of the courtyard and into the side of a nearby building. The impact knocked the wind out of him as he cracked his head against the concrete. -ooo-

Naruto watched on in amazement.

Itachi!

“Naruto!” Naruto didn’t register what he was hearing over the shock of watching Itachi fight the priest and so he didn’t respond. “Naruto!”

Neji? The blond haired boy froze at the voice of the supposedly dead man, turning his head slowly.

“Neji! You’re alive!” Naruto cried out. Neji wrapped his remaining hand over the younger boy’s mouth, causing the boy to squirm with discomfort.

“Shhh!” The prostitute replied with a panic.

“Is Tenten with you?” Naruto whispered, pulling Neji’s hand away from his mouth.

“Tenten did something stupid. I want to know; how long did you know that she liked me?”

Naruto avoided eye contact. “I don’t know how long, and she told me not to tell you...Your arm!” he said, changing the subject.

“Doesn’t matter, we have to go! We have to get out of this hellhole. If I am with you, I know I can do anything.”

“I-I can’t! I can’t leave Itachi!”

“Uchiha Itachi? Naruto, that man is a homicidal maniac!” Neji argued. He was angered by the fact that Naruto had stooped so low as to ask help from a bastard of the Uchiha’s caliber. “Listen, back in the day he did hits for Orochimaru. He killed people--innocent people--for money! He is one of those sick bastards who enjoy killing people, and he gets paid for doing it. He doesn’t care about you or anyone else for that matter.”

“I hired him to kill Kabuto! I hired him to kill Kabuto to save Sasuke! Sasuke is the only one I care about, I would sell my soul to the devil if it brings him even the smallest bit of happiness!” Naruto whispered, with heart-tearing honesty.

Neji’s remaining arm fell limp and hung loosely to the side. It was then that Naruto realized just what he had said and how badly those words hurt Neji.

“I-I’m sorry, Neji… I didn’t m-mean it like that…”

“Save it until we leave this place!” Neji grabbed Naruto by his hand. Neji was obviously distracted and not looking where he was going, he bumped into a man. A man with greenish toned pale skin.

“Where the hell do you think your goin’?” the strange man asked, pointing at the boy. “Who are you, kid? And what the hell is going on? Itachi!”

“Wait, so you know Itachi?” Naruto and Neji said at the same time.

“Know him? I work for him,” Kisame said, puffing his chest out to show that he was somewhat proud of the fact that Itachi hadn’t killed him off. "The name is Kisame."

"Naruto, and this is Neji." Naruto took in Kisame's offered hand and shaked it.

“Anyways, what’s going on?”

"Wait, why should we trust you?" Neji asked not taking Kisame's hand.

"It's ok I remember Itachi mentioning him earlier. He said that he needed to speak with Kisame or something."

"So what is going on?" Kisame asked growing impatient.

“Well…” Naruto hesitated at first, before decided that it would be best if he told Kisame everything. -ooo-

For once in his life, Itachi’s leather trench coat was in his way. He slipped out of it and let it fall loosely to the floor. There was a pang of pain from his shoulder. He pressed his fingers to the pain and was surprised when he pulled his hand away bloodied.

Blood? Itachi thought to himself. Shit, my old wound opened up.

He put his fingers in his mouth, cleaning them of blood. It tasted like metal. He was going to have to remember to charge Kakashi extra for the trouble.

Kill the priest! Figure it out! Kill! KILL! Hell, just blow the shit out of him until there is nothing left! Then let’s see if he can regenerate from that!

Shut up, I don’t need to hear anything from you.

“So, priest, you say you’re immortal? So that means I could stab you a million times and you would still be breathing?” A smile formed his lips. Ideas ran through Itachi’s mind of the hundreds of thousands of ways of killing someone in the most amusing and unheard of ways possible. “I could rip out your heart and watch it beat in my hands and you’d still be alive?”

The way Itachi said those sadistic words made Shino’s eyebrow twitch.

“It seems you enjoy making people suffer. It looks like I will be doing humanity a favor by ending your life here and now.”

“I am getting tired of this never-ending chit chat.” Itachi said, mocking him. “Come at me and we will see if you can kill me.”

Itachi glanced down at his weapon, it was empty of shells, and he only had one round left on him. Feeling somewhat amused his pulled out the remaining round and loaded it into the gun with a snap.

What the hell am I going to do? I only have seven shots left and all the bullets do is stall him… if I had that weapon I might still have a chance.

Who cares. Why not play with him for a while? Kill! Kill!

Suddenly, Shino grabbed Itachi by the neck, his fingers sliding down the column of his throat, carving their vicious way into his open wound, stretching it out, and tearing the skin around it, allowing it to bleed freely. Itachi bit his tongue, trying his best to refrain from crying out in pain.

Shino released Itachi from his death grip, and with the sound of a bag of cement being thrown to the floor, Itachi hit the ground. But Itachi would not be beaten so easily: the gun-master pulled himself up to his knees; breathing in heavy gasps, the raven-haired murderer smirked.

Then the sky went black with the heavy bodies of a thousand demons.

In an instant a rush of fear took over Shino’s body. Demons? In the daytime, hundreds all heading in one direction. Towards the setting sun, west. But where can they be going?

Wait.

The church! Shino forgot where he was. His hands and body froze from sudden fear. Hinata!

“It looks as though we will have to save this fight for another day.” Shino said, stopping the blade that he had intended to stab Itachi with.

Itachi wasn’t relived by the priest’s sudden show of mercy: more then anything he wanted to rip Shino apart. He fell again to his knees.

Neji stood behind Shino, who was so out of sorts he didn’t notice everyone standing around him.

Shino frowned at Naruto. “My dear child, it looks like God has other plans for you. It seems I won’t be able to finish the deed.”

“Where are you going?” Neji demanded.

“You were right,” Shino said his back still turned to Neji. “I saved you for a reason; it was because you had the same eyes as her. Pale blue, like a summer sky.”

“Like who?” Neji questioned.

“Hinata, a girl that looks so much like my first….”

“Wait, what? You know Hinata?” Neji’s words sped up and he panicked more than he already was, his voice rose in pitch with his agitation. “Hinata is still alive? Take me to her! Tell me where she is! Please!”

“I will, but we don’t have much time.”

“Hinata?” Naruto asked. “Who is that Neji?”

“She is my cousin. We were separated when we were younger, I didn’t think she was still alive.”

“Will you be back?”

Neji’s pale eyes softened.

“I will be back, Naruto, for you. I promise.” Neji said.

“You should go.” the boy gave Neji a small smile. “If it means that much to you then you should.”

Compared to Naruto, who was still growing, Neji was a giant. He leaned over, and to Naruto’s wide-eyed surprise, kissed him on the lips. His kiss so gentle and soft, Naruto could feel his heart flutter.

“I love you…so much Naruto.” The prostitute said when he broke for air, his fingers gliding through Naruto's blond hair.

“Neji?” Naruto’s face flushed red but inside he was screaming. Why are you telling me this now? I love Sasuke; you know that and you still…

As if Neji could read Naruto’s mind he answered with a shrug. “I don’t know.”

“You deserve better then me, Neji.”

“If I was the one… if I was the one that found you that day. Instead of…” Neji couldn’t even say Sasuke’s name because it angered him in such a way he didn’t understand. Neji brushed it off and continued. “Would you have fallen for me?”

“You better go,” Naruto pointed to Shino. “He is leaving without you.”

“Yes,” The pale-eyed prostitute turned to Itachi, who was now sitting cross-legged on the ground, looking annoyed. “If you so much as lay a finger on him I swear I’ll--”

“You’ll do what? Wave your stump at me?” Itachi said with disgust. “You better go, fag boy; your priest lover is leaving you behind.”

I never liked this man before; I sure as hell don’t like him now. If there was ever was a promise I would keep, it’s defiantly this one. Naruto I will come back for you. I promise. But now I have to know is Hinata ok?

Naruto couldn’t help but feel sad as he watched Neji leave. Once they were gone, however, he put his full attention on Itachi who was bleeding badly where he sat on the street corner.

Itachi was off in his own world, and couldn’t help but snicker to himself. Stupid bastard. That is going to be the last time you will ever see this kid. After all, there is no such thing as love. Not that I’d care either way.

Itachi placed his hand over the blood-bright badge that stained his white vest and slowly pushed himself to his feet. He staggered a bit, trying to regain balance. Naruto quickly grabbed his arm, helping to steady him.

“Hey, you’re injured again. If you want, you can lean on me for support so you won’t fall.”

Itachi smacked the boy’s hand away as hard as he could.

“Don’t touch me. You’re the last person I would ever need help from. So don’t ever fucking touch me!” Itachi shouted with anger.

Naruto stood transfixed.

“He’s always been that way.” Kisame said casually, standing behind Naruto by the Sweet Café wall as he inhaled from a smoke. “For as long as I could remember.”

Fuck, Looks like Kakashi is a no show.

The way Itachi yelled at Naruto made the boy’s heart hurt. It was filled with anger, pain, and something much more, something deep.

Naruto frowned. What made you this way?

The raven-haired man stopped dead in his tracks, his hair waving in the breeze, his back still faced to Naruto.

“Are you coming or what?” Itachi said his voice filled with bitter annoyance.

“Y-yeah” Naruto said with a half hearted smile trotting towards the gun master.

Kisame walked solemnly a few steps behind Itachi, not wanting to bother his peace of mind.

Itachi could feel the gaze. Someone was watching him. He sensed it even before he turned around, the area was too quiet and way too still. It was heavy, like the way a cat watches a mouse before it pounces on its prey. This person was good whoever it was.

Fully aware of the presence, he did nothing and continued walking.

“Is something wrong?” Naruto asked Itachi, trotting because even injured, Itachi was fast.

“Shut up will you, damn.” Kisame replayed, walking side by Naruto. “I have a fucking hangover, and this shit is not helping…”

“No ...It was nothing,” Itachi said taking one last look at the Town Square before the three turned the corner. -ooo-

Garra stood arms crossed wind blowing in his hair. He was perched like a pigeon on the roof looking down at the town square, he sat high enough for few people to be able to sit there. He had seen everything there was to see and he had to cover his face from grinning from the new information he just found out. Itachi was with Naruto, this makes his job easier. He was still new in town, but it didn’t take long to find out Itachi had a big bounty on his head, a one hundred billion dollar bounty.

He chuckled as his pale face and icy green eyes peered down, directly at Itachi who was leaving the square followed by a boy not much older then he was and a walking shark man.

“Calm down, Garra. We will have our chance …” a voice whispered from inside the small backpack that was strapped tightly around Garra’s back. “ This city has found itself to be rather amusing, you should call Kabuto and tell him what we found out.”

“Yes brother, this will turn out to be fun after all. I just can’t wait to kill the man called Itachi the greatest gun master and Hitman of all time, as they saw. You know its easier to bring the head rather the whole body.” -ooo-

Kakashi looked around the vacant Town Square. He wore faded jeans and a big jacket, a yellow envelope shoved in his pocket; the remaining pay he owed Itachi. Apparently there had been a disturbance here earlier in the day: the ground was littered with trash and large quantities of bloodstains, much more than usual.

Where the hell is everyone? He scratched his silver hair. Wait…Was I supposed to be here at two am or two p.m.? He glanced at his watch. Whoops, my bad. Oh well, I’ll give Itachi a visit tomorrow. Hopefully he won’t kill me before I can pay him.

Kakashi gave one last look at the Town Square before he left and suppressed a shudder.

I can tell some heavy shit went down here. I wonder what happened. -ooo-

The line began to ring, once then twice.

Finally, Kiba reached over and picked up the phone.

“Demon watch?” he said lamely.

“Do not panic, Father, but you and the others are in grave danger. Do what I tell you, and everything will be alright.”

To Be Continued…..

End of Hitman Part One: STAGE I

NEXT CHAPTER: Interlude

Preview: Itachi has secrets, as many as the scars that cover his body. Naruto comes to the conclusion that he is a cold-blooded monster, but is that what he really is?

When you think of something long and hard enough you tend to believe its true…