Mission: Delivery!

"I'm not going to give up on her." He snapped, his blue eyes sending daggers at Sasuke, "I refuse, but it looks like you already did."

An angry wave of protectiveness lashed at him, "I'm trying to think, and I'm sick of you running around like an idiot.

"Gah! Don't you care that Riyame's gone!?" He growled.

"Shut up, and grab the cart." Sasuke barked back. He wasn't going to answer his question. Even if he wanted to, he wouldn't exactly know what to say.

"Whatever," Naruto mocked the phrase used by the raven haired boy so often.

They walked for at least ten minutes—Naruto and the remaining two clones pulling the cart—before they finally made their way out of the fog. The relief of his struggling brain was instantaneous. It was like the headache dissipated, leaving him room to work through his de-fogging brain. Even Naruto gasped in surprise, a hoarde of twenty clones popping up around him.

"What the-" He muttered all of them disappeared again.

"I knew it." It clicked so suddenly Sasuke almost felt stupid.

"Knew what...?" He grumbled.

"You didn't notice?"

"what-"

"The smog blocked our chakra reserves, our minds—our abilities to think straight," He rambled. Naruto didn't glare at him. His face actually turned to him in curiosity.

"So that smoke stopped me from making clones?"

"Yes."

"What the heck was that stuff?" He muttered, throwing a glance behind them.

"I don't know..." Sasuke answered, "but we need to keep going-"

"We can't leave her! They'll kill her when they get the chance; you've got to know that-" He argued.

"Shut up and listen to me, idiot." Naruto glared at him but stayed silent, "We need to find a safe place to hide the cart and camp for the night." Curiosity zinged in his eyes again, "They didn't go through the effort of taking one of us for no reason. They aren't planning on killing her any time soon. If anything, they're going to keep her for ransom."

"You think they believe we'll hand over the cart?" His eyes dropped to the ground full of guilt.

"Yeah," Sasuke's eyes dropped too. Did he feel guilty too?

They walked for several hours before they came across a niche near a lake and waterfall. The humidity of the water helped clear his head even more, allowing his brain to function properly. It felt good.

When they settled down, "We should be able to talk and rest in here without being detected. We just can't have very much of a fire tonight."

Naruto didn't say a word. In fact, he had been quiet the entirety of the walk, which was a feat that he didn't accomplish very often. It was almost concerning. Naruto usually never shut up. Sasuke didn't complain. He wanted to enjoy it while it lasted. Several minutes passed as Sasuke and Naruto covered the cart in the branches of a grouping of bushes. It was so well hidden that Sasuke would have to make sure that he remembered where it was. Naruto would most likely forget.

When they reached their small niche—which would have been a tight squeeze with all three of them—they sat side-by-side. It was silent for several more minutes until Naruto broke it.

"We can't," He snapped, "We can't you hear me. We can't let her get hurt over some stupid wooden thing thats just holding stupid crap."

"She's going to get hurt, Naruto. That's a guarantee." Sasuke muttered back.

"And you'll let her get hurt?"

"No-"

"That's bull crap! You don't care-"

He glared down the blonde haired boy, "I've been protecting her this entire time! Don't tell me that I don't care!"

"Whatever..." Naruto grumbled. He angled his entire body away from Sasuke,

"I'll help you Riyame...I promise, believe it..."

~*~*~*~*~*~

The rich sunset's light barely filtered into the tiny room. My body was stiff and the hard ground was extremely uncomfortable. How long had I been out? It must have been a while because the sun was going down. The scrapes on my knees and elbows ached as I sat up. And as my senses began to wake up, I could feel him in the room.

"Good! You're awake," His face harbored a knowing smile, "I can see that you've slept off that smoke. Nifty isn't it, those smoke bombs." I watched him as he leaned against the wall, "It literally disables human senses if you breathe it in for too long. It's the perfect way to take out an enemy without killing them-"

"Or kidnap them..." I blurted out. I made the mistake of looking him in the eye, and my stomach nearly bottomed out, and I flinched. I shouldn't have spoken. What if that man found out...Then my team would be in danger.

"I guess you could put it that way, yes." He allowed. My heart's lurching calmed down a bit. He didn't seem very angry...Just like...My memory was extremely foggy of our first meeting, but at that time, I was under the cloud of that smog.

"I need you to do something for me," He reached out of the room and pulled in a wooden crate. It was plopped down in front of me. That was where I kept my eyes. His eyes reminded me too much of his...I grit my teeth through the tiny shards of memory that leaked around the wall until they faded.

A piece of paper and a pen were placed in front of me, "You are going to write the ransom note."

"What!?" My eyes caught his again, and my air caught in my throat.

"You are going to write the ransom note that will be sent to your friends." He stated nonchalantly, "You will write what I tell you, when I tell you, and how I tell you. If you try any secret messages, I'll make you wish you didn't."

I tried to choke down the lump in my throat, but it wouldn't go down. I gripped the pen, trying to control its shaking. By the time I was done, my neat scrawl was slightly marred, but not enough for my handwriting not to be recognizable. He then took it from me, admired the letter, and smirked down at me.

"You're doing well, sweetheart." He removed the crate the pen skidding into the corner. He didn't seem to notice it, sending a wave of plans through my now clearly thinking brain, "I'll come back when we need you." He disappeared out of the tiny stone room.

I pushed myself to a standing position. My head spun slightly, but otherwise, I was fine. Tired, but fine. My eyes flickered to the pen in the corner, but I couldn't be sure that I wasn't being watched. I looked around, shakily making my way across the room. I paused beneath the window. That pen would be of no use to me unless I had something to write with. My plan was barely formed. So barely formed that I didn't even know what it was.

My eyes turned to the window again. It wasn't covered by glass, only metal
bars that were just out of my reach. It was nearly microscopic in size, so I knew that even without the bars, I wouldn't be able to wriggle through. Not even as small as I was...My hands reached for the bars, barely touching them even when I jumped for it. My teeth found my lip. I no longer had that crate, otherwise I would be able to use that. A sudden idea hit me.I took a deep breath and focused chakra in my hands. I jumped and gripped the ledge of the window and struggled to pull myself up. An inch at a time, I reached toward the bars. One hand at-a-time, I gripped the cool metal. I did my best to make things out in the setting sun. There had to be something to write on...

A large leaf skittered across the ground. It was plenty big enough for the message I needed to write, so I half dove for it. When I pulled it inside, I slid across the wall and snapped up the pen. I sat beneath the window and stared at the leaf in front of me. What was I going to write? Or better yet, how was it going to reach them? I wanted to punch myself. Why hadn't I thought this through a little better. There was only a slim chance that if I let it go in the breeze that it might reach them. Though at this point, my chances were slim no matter what I did.

I wrote the message as neatly as I possibly could. By the time I pulled myself up again, my stomach was flopping in the breeze that ruffled the grass. I closed my eyes and silently prayed that this attempt wasn't completely in vain—though I suspected it was, and I threw it into the wind.

It floated easily, catching on blades of grass here or there, but otherwise unhindered. I tried to keep the dull hope of that leaf reaching the boys from hanging on by more than just a thread. And it worked. Forcing myself not to hold onto that hope was all I could do to keep the memories that I had trapped behind their protective wall.

That was all I needed. Me alone with those memories...

It felt like hours before the young man returned. The sun had moved in position, so I probably assumed correctly.

He started the interrogation right off the bat, "So, what can you tell us about your teammates?" I didn't speak, "Surely you'll help us?" Silence, "What about the boy with the 'red eyes'?" He smirked, "From what I've heard, he looks quite a bit like you." I shrugged. The less I gave him, the better it would be for the boys, "Are you related?" No answer, "First, second, third cousin?" Nothing, "Brother?"

I shifted uncomfortably and kept my eyes away from his, "So brother, eh?"

He paced for a few seconds, "What's your name sweetheart?" Again, I didn't answer. If I told him my name—be it my first and/or last—he would know who my brother was and what the mysterious red eyes were.

When he crouched down in front of me suddenly, I nearly jumped out of my skin. His eyes held mine and I barely fended off the memories that started leaking around the edges. I turned my gaze from him, but his hand kept it in place.

"So what are these red eyes that my spineless little brutes are so scared of?" The dark curiosity that raged in his eyes was hungry. I still didn't answer, "The silent treatment isn't going to work forever. I will make you speak eventually, and it isn't going to be pleasant." He promised, "So why don't you stop being difficult and tell me what I need to know." I finally tore my gaze from his, "Oh no, you are going to look at me." It was like a switch flipped in my brain and my eyes suddenly couldn't escape his no matter how hard I tried.

"Answer my questions." My teeth clamped down on my lip. His softened gaze hardened, chipping at the wall that held back the well that threatened to explode. No matter what he said, I didn't speak. No threat, no dark remark made me open my mouth. The anger that trickled into his eyes was like a knife. It stabbed into me over and over. Every memory of blood splatter punched holes into my walls.

"I can see that you aren't going to answer me now, but I will break you. That I promise." He touched his index finger to my forehead, and I sucked in a surprised gasp.

That inverted world enveloped me, sucked me under like an iron blanket. The air teased my lungs, thickening until the pressure was nearly suffocating. My feet moved without my permission. With every step bodies fell at my feet. My heart lurched in my chest, sending a pounding like a drum through my pulse. The blood that sprayed into the air sent waves of crushing nausea that unhinged my stomach.

Every image repeated in terrifying clarity. They were ghost-like images that just flit around, constantly looped in a bloody circle. The images that filtered cracks began to destroy the wall, hammering away at it until it was just a pile of rubble. Every repressed picture assaulted me, sending me into a morbid world of blood and death. My eyes were plastered open, never closing. Every thing slowly and painfully began to engrave into my mind. Nothing would wake me from this nightmare.

~*~*~*~*~

Naruto knew that giving Sasuke the silent treatment was childish, but he didn't care. Sasuke didn't speak to him either, and even if he would have, Naruto would have stuck his nose in the air and ignore him until he helped him come up with a rescue plan. He poked the barely smoldering embers with a stick. His face was grumpy and agitated. His lips formed a grimace. He didn't sleep a wink last night, too busy trying to come up with the plan Sasuke refused to help him with. So far, he had nothing. Nothing he came up with seemed like a good idea.

At first, the thought about sneaking off, tracking her down, and just fighting his way into wherever they were holding her until he was victorious. But there was the problem of tracking her. Naruto wasn't a tracker. That was just the truth. Sasuke might have a chance of doing so, but he wasn't going to let go of his childish pride and ask him for help. It was up to Sasuke to offer it. Tracking her down and fighting his way in was the only thing Naruto had come up with. And no matter how he looked at it, it was filled with risky holes that could get him hurt, or worse.

His blue eyes glanced toward the raven haired boy. Stupid Sasuke...Why couldn't he just go along with something Naruto wanted to do for once. The last time Sasuke had trusted him, the plan went without a hitch. What was so bad about listening to him now!?

"Would you stop glowering at me." Sasuke turned his onyx eyes on him, "Why don't you do something useful and go secure the cart."

Naruto shoved off the ground, tossing his stick into the fire. He stalked off in the direction of the cart irritably—though not because Sasuke told him to, but because he wanted to.

As he approached the grouping of bushes, a large figure appeared out of the treeline. Naruto backed away from the bushes, bracing himself.

"Calm down kid." The leader of the bandits that had kidnapped Riyame stood in front of him.

"Get out of here before I make you, creep." Naruto barked.

"Shut up and listen," His arm moved to reach for something, and Naruto's heart lurched a bit.

"Sasuke!" It was the first time he'd talked to him in several hours, so if

he tried to ignore him, Naruto was going to ring his neck.

"You can't do anything right, can you dunce?" Naruto ignored his comment, knowing it would be only moments until he saw the reason he called for him.

When Sasuke reached his side, his body tensed in readiness just as Naruto's had, "What do you want?"

"Both of you shut your traps," The man said harshly. He pulled out a small piece of rolled up paper out of a worn pouch on his side, "Take it and read it, and I'd suggest you read it carefully because your friend's life depends on it." He tossed it into Naruto's fumbling hands.

Within the blink of an eye he was gone.

Almost instantly, Naruto yanked it open. He recognized the handwriting on the page, but he couldn't remember where.

"I have been taken captive, as you both know. They aren't open for negotiations, so the only way to safely retrieve me is to cooperate in their exchange. You are to meet us at these coordinates..." A pale hand yanked the note from his hands.

"You are to bring the cart to this location exactly. In exchange, I will be handed over to you unharmed. If you try to ignore this offer, my life will be forfeit. If you agree to these conditions, meet us at those coordinates at noon. If you fail to appear, you will be hunted. Plain and simple." Sasuke's glare penetrated the paper in his hands.

"I recognize that handwriting from somewhere..." Naruto muttered aloud.

"It's Riyame's." His fist clenched, crinkling the paper angrily.

"You think they made her write it."

"That's exactly what they did."

A wave of anger rolled over Naruto, "We've gotta meet them." Naruto searched Sasuke's face for doubt, "We have to! If not, they'll kill her."

He paused, but Sasuke didn't speak, "Are you with me?" No answer,

"Sasuke...Answer me!" More silence, "Fine, well I'm going no matter what you say."

He trudged over to the bushes, beginning to uncover the cart. He made sure all of its goods were still intact as he gently eased it out of the branches.

"Stop." Sasuke said.

"I'm going to save Riyame." Naruto said back, "I am. You can twiddle your thumbs, but I'd rather fail this mission than let her get hurt." Naruto began to drag the cart behind him.

"That's what they want, idiot." Sasuke's pale hand stopped the moving of the cart.

"So what if that's what they want!" Naruto turned to face the raven haired boy.

"We're playing into a trap-"

"So what..." Naruto glared Sasuke down, "I'd rather save a friend than deliver this stupid cart."

Sasuke yanked the wagon away from Naruto, "We aren't doing anything without a plan."

"Now you wanna make a plan!? I've been doing that all night." Naruto gripped it and yanked it back.

"Stop being an idiot." Sasuke barked.

"No," Naruto snapped.

"Naruto-"

"I'm done listening to you."

"You'll screw everything up!" Sasuke half shouted.

Naruto let growl of frustration, shoving the cart away and tackling him to the ground.Naruto pinned him to the ground, launching several punches that didn't meet the target. Instead, Sasuke's kicked him off, knocking him into the wooden cart. There was a sharp POP, and Naruto jumped to his feet.

"Now who's the screw up!?" Naruto pointed an finger at him angrily.

"You're the one who attacked me." Sasuke stood, brushed himself off, and sauntered Naruto's way. Naruto took this time to check the cart. There were a few misplaced goods, but other than that...Naruto paused to look at the very center bottom. A small hole revealed the dark—and hollow—inside.

"Hey, I think there's some weird hiding spot in the bottom of this thing."

Sasuke appeared beside him, "Move." Naruto hopped back as his hands felt around the small hole. A few seconds later, Sasuke lifted out a board to reveal a compartment with several rolled up papers and a scroll.

"What the..." Naruto started to reach for one, but Sasuke stopped him.

"Don't touch them."

"Why?"

Sasuke made a hand sign, "Release." A force field began to appear, "I have a feeling that we weren't supposed to know about this."