The Price We Pay

Sasuke used his training to control not just his breathing but his emotions as he ran the way he had seen his adopted brother go.

There was no hesitation or question in his mind as he moved, he WOULD catch up with Naruto and hitch a ride with them to their destination and this guys hideout, he WOULD find the others and be the one responsible for rescuing them all.

For saving his brother.

It wasn't some sort of selfish desire for fame or gratitude that drove him, rather a selfish desire to take back what was his, to regain something-or rather someone-who had belong to him the moment they were borne. So consequently he had been his, LONG before this asshole-this...snake-laid any claim to him.

Sasuke had always felt Naruto and he had been borne for each other. Even if he hadn't known it for what it was when he first met him, he had known it for what it was once he allowed himself to feel something for someone else, once Naruto had wormed his way into his head and heart.

Naruto was his, his heart, his soul and yes, his life.
He was NOT allowed to leave it.

Turning a corner Sasuke spotted a shock of blonde just ahead and with a thrill of triumph locked on.

Just a few feet ahead was a white van like those used by paper-delivery trucks, the back door opened and he was in time to hear an vaguely familiar voice growl "get in slave."

Naruto hesitated just long enough for Sasuke to use the cover of parked cars and his training to sneak into the back first without being seen by either rear vision or side mirrors, hiding right up back behind some empty boxes. He heard the man snarl in anger “GET IN!! FRONT, NOW!!”

He heard the door close, the front passengers door open and close and Naruto whimper, Sasuke gritting his teeth at the unmistakable sound of flesh striking flesh. The next thing he knew the vehicle lurched and started forward, the raven wedging himself into a corner as the van sped forward, speeding away and lurching sharply around corners.

It took at least half an hour for them to reach their destination.

As the van lurched into idle he cautiously stood and peaked out the tinted side window, spying a tall thin pale figure with long black hair opening an huge chain-link fence, the car lurching forward as he drove in far enough to close the gate before driving towards the huge warehouse Sasuke now spied in awe in front of them.

Then, a problem, four snarling Rottweilers paced around the vehicle, snarling and looking just as hungry as Naruto was as they cruised slowly into the open building, parking and again he heard the front door open and closed, followed by the passenger door as the man, the ‘snake’, seized Naruto by the hair and pulled him out.

Naruto just let him, only his eyes showing his pain and fear, laying limp as he was dragged away.

Unnerved by the near-loss of his slave the snake snarled at the dogs “stand guard! Now! No one is to set foot in here! Guard, NOW!” The dogs paced up and down in front of the fence, growling and snarling.

Sasuke watched carefully as the man dragged Naruto out of sight, up a set of steel stairs and deeper into the building.

Once gone Sasuke opened the back door, but had to quickly slam the door shut when the dogs snarled and barked loudly, launching themselves at him. He sat in the back, startled and heart going a million miles an hour as he wondered how he was going to get out, he was trained to fight people, not animals.

Suddenly there came the man’s voice, grumbling as he came to see what was going on. Frightened he shrank back into the boxes, pictures of Naruto’s beaten body flashing in his head. Quickly reining his fear he looked around for a weapon.

Next to his leg lay a fire extinguisher.

Taking it up he moved to the back, hiding behind some stacked crates, gripping the extinguisher tightly. He heard the door open and felt the van move as he climbed inside, grumbling and snapping at the dogs “shut up and sit, you bastards.”

Whining the dogs obeyed.
Slowly the man got closer and closer, until he was mere inches from Sasuke’s spot.

Then suddenly he jumped out at the man, swinging the extinguisher around at his head. The man only managed to gasp before there was a loud wet cluck and he feel. But when he tried to rise again Sasuke was forced to swing it around again, bringing it down on his head again and again.

Anger flooded him with the adrenalin rush, anger at the man’s crimes against his sister, against his crimes against his best friend and childhood sweetheart, against HIS MATE...!

His arms suddenly froze, mate? Where had that came from? He had never referred to Naruto like that before. Yes he had felt he was his childhood sweetheart and yes his childhood crush and loved one but mate? Pausing he concentrated hard.

A small part of his brain, the primitive part and the instinctive part knew more than Sasuke did, it KNEW Naruto and he were meant to be together, they were born to be together and mates, that there was something hidden deep inside him that had yet to awaken, something time and reincarnations through the centuries had repressed. He NEEDED to awaken it, it would save him and his love, he could feel it just below the surface, but he just couldn’t get to it, he couldn’t access it!

There was a slight gasp and he realised it was his own, freezing where he was and looking down, sickened by what he saw. The man lay still, one side of his head bloody.

Sasuke’s disgust was replaced by a wave of black contentment. Nodding in satisfaction he headed for the back door, hoping on one hand the man would die for what he had done, but the other hoping he lived to spend the rest of his miserable life in jail, yeah, getting raped by other prisoners.

At the door the dogs snarled and launched themselves at him.

Thinking fast Sasuke blinded them with a shot each from the extinguisher and then threw it at them, taking advantage of the time to run into the building. Once inside he slammed the door shut and started to look around, walking slowly and cautiously.

Not far inside he reached a lit hallway with at least ten doors on either side. He tried the first few, then froze when he heard an noise. At first he feared it was the man was looking for him, but then he realised what it was.

Children crying.

And a familiar but frightened voice trying to comfort them and get them to be quiet. He followed the sounds to one door on the left. Trying the door. Locked. Pressing his face to the wood he spoke as loud as he dared “Sakura? Sakura, is that you?”

Silence in the room.

“Sakura it’s Sasuke, you know, Sasuke Uchiha from next door. Please say you remember me.”

Nothing.

“please, Sakura, try.” Silence for so long that Sasuke thought that they wouldn’t answer, then someone rasped “Teme?”

“Yes Sakura” Sasuke laughed in relief “just what Naru used to call me, old Teme, bastard, just as I called him...”

“Dobe, loser, dead last” the voice rasped in answer “how are you here, Sas?” Sasuke quickly recapped what happened and the voice frowned “so you’re not an new captive? Someone else HE grabbed to torment Naru?”

“No, I’m gonna get you guys out of here. But first, where is he? Where’s Naruto?”

“In here with us, Sas. He’s sleeping right now, thank god. But he’s getting more and more distant from me! What that guy does to him in THAT room down the hall is driving him away from us, he’s withdrawing.”

“I know.”

“He’s withdrawing from HIM, from the world, from life, you name it, all it gets him is pain and fear. Sas, if he doesn’t get help soon I’ll lose him!”

“I know.”

“He’ll become like Gai was in the end, distant and confused. He’ll just give up fighting. If it wasn’t for his last act to save Naruto...” she sighed “I think it was all to save himself more pain, kind of an suicide to free himself.”

Sasuke was shocked, he hadn’t thought of it that way and it seemed kind of cowardly, even if he understood why. Sakura thought he had left her and panicked “Sasuke? Are you there?!”

“Yeah” he managed “I’m here. How often does this guy inject him with what he does?”

“I don’t know exactly. He does it irregularly and I’ve long since lost count of it and each time he brings him back he’s a little bit more distant and a bit more mutated. Any more chemicals and he won’t survive, he’ll die like Gai!”

“What was this Gai like?”

“He was kind and he used to protect Naru from the man, no matter what he did or said. But every time the man brought him back from the room he was in more pain and withdrew more and more from even Naru. It made our brother so mad and frustrated that he couldn’t do anything to help him and the last time he brought him back HE had...had...” she chocked on a sob and managed to forced out “he had cut off Gai’s left hand and... manhood. Naruto just lost it, when the man came to take him again he attacked him.”

Sasuke wanted to throw up, but Sakura was continuing, voice trembling in terror and mental pain “he started to beat Naru but Gai jumped him, trying to hurt him, to stop him. HE threw Gai off and stabbed him...” she started to sob “he...he...he said to Naru if he ever tried to stop him or raise a hand or eye to him again he would do it to one of us next. HE beat Naru almost dead and dragged the body away and when Naru finally recovered he dragged him down to the room. When Naru was brought back he was in incredible pain, I had to gag him to stop his screams.”

“How do I get in there, Sakura?”

She hesitated a while then spoke “try the bricks next to the door, second row. There should be a lose brick with a spare key inside, hidden. I remember it from the day he threw me in here.”

Sasuke did, running his hands slowly along the second row, up and down carefully, looking for any tell-tale sign of any lose bricks. The fifth from the top wiggled, no mortar to keep it in and firm. Slipping the key in the lock he turned until it clicked, slipping the key back behind the brick and turning the knob slowly until the door swung open.

As it did the children started to whimper but Sakura, her voice charged with hope, gently soothed them to quiet. “Close the door” she said once he was inside the room.

“Why?”

“The kids and my eyes are light-sensitive, Sas. We have never left this room since our capture and only Naruto and Gai were ever taken out. Besides, if HE comes looking for you, he’ll probably go past if the door is closed.”

“Good point” Sasuke closed the door behind him, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the pitch black. When they had he asked softly “where are you?”

“To your left, Kiba, bring him to me.”

Obediently Sasuke felt a small dry hand slip into his and tug weakly on it. Going where the child willed, Sasuke reached her side. Sakura reached out and took both his hands and just held them silently for a while, then she pulled him closer, so he could reach out and touch her shoulder and she could reach up and touch his cheek. Slowly she caressed his face, a small sob coming from her with her words “oh god it IS you! Since the day he kidnapped us I’ve been dreaming you would be the one to save us and now it’s real, you’re here!”

“I’m here” he confirmed gently “I’ll never let him hurt any of you again, I swear.”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep” she sighed “you can’t protect us against HIM. Naruto already promised us that but now he can barely protect himself.”

“Ah but I have an advantage, Sakura. Two in fact.”
“What’s that?”

“Since the two of you disappeared I’ve been learning all the fighting methods I can learn, Uncle Gaara was teaching what he learned in the academy, Karate, street fighting, Tia Kwando even some Ninjitsu from an old fart who-apparently-was holding something’s back from me. Second I have this…” he held out his mobile “I just have to text uncle our location and when he gets it he’ll bring the entire squad and SWAT teams here to save us and you all. You’ll be able to go free to your homes, this guy’ll go to jail and you’ll have your lives back, your parents.”

One child in a corner sobbed “mommy! Daddy!” and began to wail in longing and heartbreak. Sasuke took the opening to say gently to them all “yes, your mummies and daddies, ALL your mummies and daddies. We know who you are thanks to Naruto going through some missing persons books. We just have to call them and they’ll come get you with open arms. They will never hurt you like the bad man does. Those of you who the bad man….hurt too bad, you can live with Sakura and Naruto as their brother or sister. Their daddies already said yes too.”

Most of the children began to cry as well in heartbreak, Sakura trying to soothe them, that was until they heard an male cursing and muffled footsteps outside the door.

“He’s back!” Sakura gasped, fingers clutching Sasuke’s wrist in a crow like grip, ”Children we need to hide Sasuke & keep him safe, no matter what. If he stays safe from the bad man we will be rescued, we will go back to our mommies and daddies .” With murmurs of hope the children pulled Sasuke back into a corner of the room away from the door, hiding him from sight with their multiple little bodies and huge white feathered wings.

Sasuke lay still and silent, not moving a muscle under the mass of cold little forms, frightened for the first time. He had beaten HIM with the heavy extinguisher, but the guy was still walking around!

There came a series of loud curses and the door slammed open, the children whimpering in fear.
“Where is he?!” HE roared at them “where is that son-of-a-bitch?!!”

“Not here” Sakura answered, voice trembling in fear and submission.
“Don’t lie to me, bitch! The door’s unlocked!!”

Sasuke tensed, angry at the man for yelling at his adopted ‘sister’, about to yell back or attack the man when one child clamped a hand over his mouth and the rest pushed him harder into the floor. This served to only remind him of the danger he was in and he lay still again.

“He was here, master, but when he saw us he left.”

Sasuke was surprised, this was an extremely smart answer. To say “he’s gone to meet the police” would give the rescue away. To say “he got scared and ran away” the man would never believe but “I don’t know, he was here but left” was something the man was willing to believe, especially from an prisoner and slave.

“Good” the man drooled, voice sickeningly sweet “I have some more work to do and that…Brat gave me a headache. If I hear a single peep out of any of you, it’s two hours in the Oubliette.” Sasuke heard the children all whimper in terror, the ones covering him shuddered violently, there was muffled thumps and the door slammed shut.

After a minute or two Sakura whispered “it’s safe to come out, he’s gone.” As he rose from under the mass of children Sasuke frowned “I thought you said he never takes any of you out of this room.”

“We don’t.”

“Oubliette?” He questioned, hearing the children all breathe in sharply and cringe away from him.

“There’s a trap door in the floor at the back” Sakura explained “it leads to a tunnel that goes to a hole big enough for a child to lay in the foetal position. Up here we can hear everything the person inside says or does, but they can’t hear us. In ancient times an Oubliette was a place people were thrown to die of insanity and hunger. It was a place to put people you want to forget about. We‘re just lucky he can get underneath and get us out.”

Sasuke was about to speak again when his mobile vibrated in his pocket. Pulling it out he found a txt message from his uncle Gaara. ‘20 minutes away from yr location. What R U doing?’

With a frown Sasuke txted back ‘in building, hiding with Sakura & Children in room. How did U find me?’ He received a reply quickly ‘GPS on Ur mobile, we tracked it. B there soon.’

‘Wait’ he txted back quickly ‘can’t come and meet U, warehouse surrounded by huge fence and three mean-as-a-son-of-a-bitch Rottweilers.’

‘On it.’ He received ‘will arrive, set up a base of operations, organize men and forces and get trank gun to settle dogs. Txt back when ready’

‘Thanks’ he replied and snapped his phone shut.

That done he turned back to his 'sister' with "that was uncle Gaara now. Is there anyone in the oubliette? They're twenty minutes away and the SWAT team will need to know for when they come in to get you guys."

"Sort of" Sakura's voice trembled greatly "Gai is, that's where he threw his body so as he decomposed we would all smell it-especially Naruto-and know the price of rebellion."

Anger increased with sudden nausea at the thought of one of the children being thrown down in there with a decomposing body and he just knew Naruto had been down there quite a few times.

No wonder his head was so fucked up.

But a sudden thought occurred to him and he grunted "good."

"What do you mean?!" Sakura asked him in horror to which Sasuke added "it means not only will Gai's family have his body to bury and grieve over but both the cops and lawyers will have proof of his murder by that asshole to use against him in court, not to mention all the stuff he did to you guys and forcing Naruto into the bank robbery."

“Robberies” Sakura spoke softly “there was more than one.” Sasuke sighed “Sakura tell me, everything.”

“He has chemical and drug companies paying him to test their products, but they don’t know about Naruto and us.” Sasuke frowned “what do they think he uses then?”

“Live tissue and skin samples from volunteers and corpses donated to science, animals, I heard. That’s why he makes Naruto rob banks, so he can continue to fund it in case they find out and withdraw the payments.” Sasuke felt her hand touch his “testing the drugs and chemicals is just an excuse though.”

“What do you mean?” Sasuke frowned at her.

“He’s trying to create a genetically superior race with incredible powers, a race HE controls of course. WE are just back-up subjects but Naruto is his treasure because despite all he’s done to him, Naruto survives a lot longer than Gai was going to.”

“Explains why he risked capture as well as exposure to get him back from us.”
“HE just uses us to make Naruto behave.”
“Why have you all got wings like him then?”

“When HE discovered the mixture to create them he tried it on us to see if it was just Naruto’s reaction to it. When we grew them too he went back to just using Naru again.”

“What was that sound I heard just before he left?” he said softly to which she whispered in a quivering voice “he took Naruto with him. He’ll be using him for his experiments again. He’ll be punished for being caught too.”

“I have to stop him” Sasuke rose, determined “he could kill him before there’s even a chance to rescue him.”

“NO! DON’T!” Sakura cried, grabbing his arm “if you go up there now he’ll know you’re still here and figure out why! Wait until the police and SWAT to arrive!” Sasuke looked at her in the dark in horror “you WANT him to keep hurting Naruto?!”

“Of course not!” Sakura cried helplessly “but Naruto made me promise after Gai died that no matter what I would protect the children and ONLY the children. He knew if I tried to get between him and THAT MAN he wouldn’t hesitate to kill me, or the children, and Naruto didn’t want any of the children ending up like Gai did.”

Sasuke realised she was right. The son-of-a-bitch obviously only cared about his research, not the ‘guinea pigs’. He would have no reservations of destroying ALL his research to keep it from ‘the wrong hands’, which meant basically anyone but his.

Something moved in his pocket again, another txt from his uncle ‘here. SWAT needs the layout of the inside building. Use your camera and send me photos’. Sasuke frowned, what if he was coped taking the photos? He turned to Sakura “how long will he be in that room? Will he come out any time soon?”

“Why?” she asked so Sasuke explained what was going on. Excitement started to spread softly among the children. Sakura answered his question “when he has Naruto in there it could be a day or so before we see him again.”

“Good. I have to leave you guys for a few minutes, uncle Gaara wants photos of the inside here so they know where to go” when another message came through he added “is there anyone else in the building? Someone who might jump out on the rescue team?”

“No” she answered “he doesn’t trust anyone to keep our location a secret. Even the companies paying him to test the drugs and chemicals don’t know where we are.” Sasuke understood and gripped Sakura’s hands tightly, reassuringly “I have to leave you now to get those photo’s done for uncle and the others.” He felt Sakura grip his hands desperately, terrified “I know Sasuke, but hurry back. While you’re with me I believe in the rescue, but when you go I’m afraid and hopeless again.”

“I’ll be back, I swear” Sasuke squeezed her hands as tight as he dared without hurting her and made his voice as solemn and serious as he could “I won’t leave you, Naruto or the kids here to this bastard now I’ve found you all. And not only I will do whatever it takes, so will my uncles and the SWAT and the police. And there’s another two people you to hold on for Sakura, Your fathers Iruka and Kakashi.”

“Daddy Iruka!” she started to weep, Sasuke continuing to grip her hands and said firmly but lovingly “that’s right, Sakura. Your dad Iruka’s a Doctor now and has been bulking up so HE can rescue you. He blames himself for not being there to protect you both and stop this guy. He’ll do whatever it takes to prevent this guy getting his hands on you and Naruto again, like me, that’s a promise-believe it!”

“I understand” she sobbed “go and take your pictures. We’ve waited this long we can wait another few minutes.” Sasuke hesitated then said “I want a photo of you and the children so they know where you are in the room. Can you all close your eyes? I’ll have to use the flash.”

Sakura agreed and after a few long whispered words they were organised and Sasuke was ready in the doorway. He warned them before he took it, taking two more before going off to photo the door where the man and Naruto was without the flash of course before moving off to do the hallway, stairs, garage and from the upstairs window the front yard and dogs, adding notes and sending them to his uncle before heading back to wait with the children and hold Sakura close and comfortingly.

After about twenty minutes he was holding her, soothing the kids, constantly glancing at his watch and worrying over how late they would be, the man could kill Naruto before they even got close, that was until his mobile vibrated a third time and he found another message ‘dogs sedated, SWAT about to go in, prepare the children, they might scare them when they see them.’

Sasuke immediately did so, whispering soothingly to them, telling them how the men would look and they would be armed and there would be bright lights, but to stay calm and quiet and they would be out of there within minutes, free of the chains, ready to go back to their mummies and daddies. “They won’t hurt you, I swear. These men only want to help you all get better, find your family and go on to normal lives.”

The children murmured, charged with hope and settled down to wait.

It took at least another twenty minutes but finally the door was slowly swung open to shadowy figures and the bright lights of torches mounted on guns. One or two of the children whimpered softly in fear but Sasuke soothed them, whispering softly to them “it’s all right kids. These are the men I told you about. They’re here to free and take you out of here.”

The children went quiet and one of the men whispered “are you Sasuke Uchiha?”

“Yes sir” Sasuke answered while SWAT moved forward to the children. They wrapped the chains heavily in clothe to muffle the sound and got to work on the locks that connected chain to collar-some with bolt cutters, others with lock picks and a couple with mini flame torches.

As the first child was freed and lifted gently in his rescuers arms the boy moaned in fear. But he also moaned Sakura’s name. The girl explained softly “for a long time we’ve only have each other to love and rely on, Kiba’s afraid of being separated from his sister and us. No matter what I say he’s still gonna be afraid.”

“Can you wait until everyone else is free and take them down together? Maybe if they see each other all the way they’ll be calmer.”

“Yes!” Sakura said in union with the others and the leader of the group frowned “it’s not safe. If the kidnapper should leave the room and spot us...” Sasuke interrupted quickly “you’d have a much better chance getting them all out together before that Bastard notices if they can see each other and stay calm then if they panic and cry and alert him.”

Knowing he had a point the man reluctantly nodded, only to have Sasuke add “you’ll have to cover their faces with a light cloth. They’ve been in a pitch-black room for close to four years, they’re light-sensitive. Direct sunlight will probably blind them not to mention hurt them.”

“Do it” the man said to his team and after a few soft murmurs of confusion it was organised only to have Sasuke go on with “the ambulances are too small to take all at once. I suggest you use a bus with the windows covered.”

The SWAT leader frowned “it would take a few minutes to organise something.”
“You have time. I mean you still have to find a way to free Naruto, don’t you?”
“Naruto?” the man frowned, disturbed “what do you mean? There is another hostage?”

Sasuke frowned “didn’t uncle Gaara tell you? That bastard still has Naruto, my best friend and foster brother up in THAT room with him. They’re alone and he’s experimenting on him.”

“We were not informed of a possible hostage in direct contact as well as reach” the man seemed to be thinking fast “only of these children and possibly armed man.”

Sasuke couldn’t believe his uncle hadn’t told them about Naruto or the plan! Was he blaming Naruto for the start of the plan failing? Was he going to leave him to the mans mercy because he had tried to hurt him before? But it wasn’t his fault! Naruto had been beaten into submission and blackmailed! They couldn’t just leave him here, despite robbing banks and shooting at him as well as trying to kill him, Naruto was just as much an innocent as Sakura and the other children!

Besides, both times he had not only warned Sasuke but purposely missed, the first time by his eyes and then the chocked cry before squeezing the trigger and the second by the fact he could have waited until he was fully asleep to attack but he didn’t and by moving into his line of sight he assured that Sasuke would sense his presence quick enough, even sacrificing his bad hand in order to make it look believable and give Sasuke a chance to help him. The bones had been broken and started healing wrong, how much agony had he felt when Sasuke squeezed it like that?!

“You can’t leave him to this bastard!” he stared at the man in shock and horror “now his hostages against you guys and Naruto are free he will be even more violent against my brother! He’ll blame him for the rescue and if he doesn’t kill him he’ll use the robbery money to talk him and disappear! You’ll never find them again unless he kills him-and even then you probably won’t ever find the body! This guy had another experiment called Gai who he killed and threw the body in there…” he motioned into the room that was now almost empty “so you would never find it, imagine living for four years in the same room as an decomposing body! If he does that without hesitation, imagine what he will do to Naru!!!”

The SWAT leader looked at the room behind him and back at Sasuke “that makes him guilty of murder as well as GBH, kidnapping and whatever else the DA can find to charge him with. But the twelve children here are our immediate concern. Once they are free and clean we can worry about possibly saving your friend.”

This pissed Sasuke off, possibly! DEFINATELY more like! He made a decision, he sneaked away and headed for the door.