The Great Deception

Disclaimer: Yup, I own Naruto. And I’m writing Naruto fanfiction! I’m my own fan! W00T!

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The Great Deception
By:
terranigma11
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The Last Task

Sasuke shut the door behind him with an audible click. He immediately released his knapsack while his hand fished for something in the pocket of his overcoat. Feeling the familiar texture in his fingers, the cigarette flew directly to his lips while his lighter singed the tip. The flame ended with a click and the small silver object went back to his pocket. He closed his eyes as he inhaled the addicting taste of nicotine and released the excess with a pleasurable sigh. His back met the door as he leaned with his entire weight, just enjoying the peace of the moment.

It felt like an entire decade since he had last taken a smoke, though he had consumed an entire pack just a few hours prior. He knew that his desire for the little death sticks would reach phenomenal levels before and after a job. Whenever he would have a partner on certain missions, they would always harass him, telling him that the smell would give them away. But of course, he would ignore them. He preferred to work alone anyway. After seven years of graceful butchery, he would cut off the hand that dared hold his. He was a novice no more.

A thick puff of smoke was released, condensing into the flimsy plaster before his coal black eyes inspected the quaint little apartment before him. The one bedroom apartment was small, and sparse of anything that looked like a home. But he was more than satisfied with the setting, as he never stayed in one place for long. Of course, he doubted he would be there for more than a week; the mission was just like any other.

When his blood ran smoothly again and his cigarette was down to its filter, he retrieved the bag from the floor and stomped on the still burning stick, putting it out with his heel. He bypassed the tiny living room and traversed the small distance to the bedroom with a gait that was cold and nonchalant. Throwing the bag on the bed, he shrugged out of his trench coat and just let it drop on the floor.

He approached the window with heavy feet, moonlight seeping through open blinds and dancing on the walls as the clouds passed. He didn’t bother turning on the lights, for he preferred what was natural. He was used to darkness, it was under the light of the moon that he became a killer. And it was in darkness that he carried out his deeds. Always in darkness.

He parted the blinds slightly so he could feel the glass on his palm. It was freezing cold. So cold he had to wear a trench coat, never mind that it made him look suspicious. Lights from buildings across the street disturbed the peaceful twilight, and the blaring sounds of cars running on pavement clashed on his ears painfully. He grimaced irritably. Of all the places for his next and hopefully second to last target to live, it had to be downtown.

He let his mind drift to better times before reality would take him back to her tight embrace. The truth was he hated being a murderer, for it was everything Itachi was. But he knew of no other way to return what his brother had wrought. He could only snatch the one and only chance he had at ending the nightmares that ate his dreams, by annihilating the one who stood in all of them. Besides, Itachi killed his parents, Sasuke was killing strangers. It was the lesser of two evils.

Heavy eyelids opened slowly, a tear trickling down his cheek as he glared hard into the night. “Someday Itachi. Someday soon. I’ll get you I swear.” With that choked utterance, he pushed himself from the window and strode to stand beside the bed. His eyes wandered around the room and his ears focused distinctly, feeling for a presence, but found none. He glanced once more out the window, debating on whether he should close the blinds. He decided that within the darkness of the room, even with equipment, no one would see him. No one had ever seen him.

With a shallow breath, he reached into the pocket of his jeans. He couldn’t figure out why he was still nervous before the same mandatory procedure that was almost like a ritual. He had done it countless times, so why did he feel so new to it still? He gripped the cell phone hard and looked around the shadows once again. Paranoia came with the turf; no one could hold it against him. With a sigh of finality, he dialed the four digit number that was customary to him and his kin. No one ever got their hands dirty before speaking with their employer.

He brought the phone to his ear, hands shaking with restrained emotion. It wasn’t so much fear as it was during his first few missions, it was so much more anticipation. You could say that Sasuke was about to graduate, and that was what he felt like. He only needed his diploma in order to be free, but he needed to ace just one last test.

Numbers counted down under his breath, fifteen Mississippi seconds. His other hand opened and clenched subconsciously while sweat started to dot under his bangs. There was no ringing that was the usual indication that the call had passed, it never rang when he dialed those numbers. When the muttered seconds dried up to zero, he smirked thankfully and spoke the words that served as the greeting that only they knew. “Good morning Charlie.” His voice was deep and only showed a drop of amusement. It still felt strange when he only said those words at night.

A brilliant pause came after the greeting, before a nefarious voice that belonged only to Charlie himself replied. “Good evening Raven. You have made it to your destination I presume?”

Even after all those years, his spine still trembled from hearing that near demonic voice over his phone, though it was obviously artificial. No one he knew had ever truly heard nor seen who that horrible voice belonged to. He could only imagine that it was someone with horns and a pointy tail.

“Yes. The place isn’t very far from the suburbs.” He began pacing the room while glancing occasionally out the window. He half expected a red laser dot on his forehead.

“You should turn on the television. Your latest victory is on every news channel.” Though the words indicated pride, his tone gave nothing away.

“As expected. You did just ask me to murder one of the most powerful men in business.” He admitted, he was still shaking from his last victory. “It wasn’t easy Charlie.”

“I’m sure it wasn’t. But you have to agree, that you deserve a fitting sendoff before I allow you to fly my young Raven.”

Sasuke’s eyes hardened, and his pacing increased. “Then why is it that you’re forcing one more on me? And in the same city as the assignment that I cleared only three hours ago? Isn’t it against protocol to send me so soon, and so close to the last one?” He spoke hurriedly and impatiently.

There was a short silence that told Sasuke that he may have crossed the line. “Are you so eager to leave us Raven?” That time there was amusement. Sasuke visualized a thin smile on the devil’s snakeskin lips.

“Maybe.” He didn’t care if he was rude; he was going to be honest.

“Pace yourself my young raven. I am giving you this mission as it is more important than the one before it. You are the only one I can trust to get it done, as it is a suit that fits you perfectly”

Sasuke halted in his tracks, arching an eyebrow. “What are you saying? Is there more to this assignment than just slaying some random guy in his apartment? Cause I can do it right now if you want.”

His blood turned to ice when the other “man” chuckled. “Your diligence is refreshing Raven. I am quite reluctant to see you go, but alas, it cannot be helped. You have lived your contract and you have lived it well.”

Sasuke ran a hand through his hair, lifting his bangs from the side of his face. That was not what he wanted to hear, though he probably wouldn’t like whatever his boss was about to say anyway. “I repeat. Is there MORE to this assignment?” He grit out each word, making sure Charlie wouldn’t sway the topic so easily. “And I appreciate the compliment.” He didn’t really want to sound insolent though.

Another agonizing silence parted their bloody conversation. He glanced out the window again and out the doorway, making really sure that no one was listening in on them.

“There is.”

The sudden curt response surprised Sasuke if only for a second. Assassins weren’t easy to startle, but they were easily apprehensive. “What more must I do exactly? Lest I kill myself for ever thinking that you would let me go.” Sasuke was seriously doubting he would ever get to kill his brother. Charlie’s invisible grasp went far and wrapped tight around his will.

“I never go back on my word Raven, no matter how indispensable you have become. So I will confide in you the last set of instructions that you will receive, assuming of course that the mission will be a success.”

The last line got a deep snort on Sasuke’s part. He had never failed, not even on his first time. All he had to do was tell himself that he had nothing else to live for. Easy.

“This assignment will be more difficult that all the others. Even the assassination of the head of the Hyuuga Clan that you have finished so impeccably will seem like a welcome holiday.”

Sasuke couldn’t help but gulp. He had nearly died that night. The Hyuuga Clan was never meant to be trifled with; he thought that with satisfaction as he jumped out the master bedroom, gunshots blaring behind him. It was too bad he hadn’t a scar to show for it, he needed something to show the grandkids.

“Are you ready?”

He slowly sat himself at the edge of the bed and sighed. He gripped the sheet with his other hand as his eyes locked on the window once again. “I’m ready.”

“Good. Take out your mission file.”

“That won’t be necessary. I have already ready it backwards and forwards, including…”

“I said take it out.”

One could simply not argue with that voice. He sighed again as his hand reached to the center of the bed. “Hold on.” He placed the phone down as he dragged the knapsack to his lap, unzipping it and pulling out a big brown envelope. He stared at it for a second shaking his head and opening the flap, taking out about a dozen stapled sheets of paper, all registered information on his next target.

He threw the bag away and only had the files on his lap. He picked up the phone once again. “Got it.” He smoothed the paper out of all possible creases.

“Wonderful. Do you see his face?”

Sasuke narrowed his eyes more at the question than at the mug shot pasted on the left hand corner of the first page. The moonlight was enough that he could see the grinning image of a blond boy with bright blue eyes. The boy looked so happy it was disgusting. Sasuke couldn’t help hating that face.

“Yeah. He’s got a pretty face. So what do you want me to do about it?” He was hoping that he would be asked to blow his beady blue eyes out before taking a picture and mailing it back to Charlie. But he assumed it didn’t involve torture. That hardly seemed difficult at all.

“Good. I’m glad you think so. Because you will be seeing that face for a long time.”

The files slid off Sasuke’s lap as he stood rigidly, his eyes nearly popping out of his head. “What? Could you repeat that? Cause I swear you just said I will be spending time with the man I’m supposed to kill.”

“I don’t have to. For what you heard was correct. I admire your perception among your many other talents Raven.”

Sasuke didn’t hear THAT actually, not that he could. He was shaking so bad. Just when he thought he would be handed the one thing he had wanted for the last decade it all blows up on his ass.

“I will need you to close your mouth if you want me to continue.”

Sasuke’s jaw was slack, and Charlie knew. He knew he wouldn’t be expecting that particular task, mostly because no one had ever gotten that task before. He decided he would give Charlie the benefit if the doubt, only because the faceless man was his ticket to Itachi’s funeral. He sat back down on the bed, his eyes still twitching.

“Now that I have your full attention again, I will only say once what is required of you. You will get to murder him eventually.”

Sasuke twitched some more. “Yes, obviously. But BEFORE that?” It was the only part that he wanted light on. Fast.

“As of tonight, it will be your job to become Naruto Uzumaki’s friend.”

Now he knew he had lost his mind. Charlie had definitely lost it first, and apparently his condition had been contagious. Sasuke felt his world swimming around him. Why did he have to suffer so? It was always him who initiated the suffering, and that was how he wanted it. “Did you just say ‘friend’?” He said as if it was vile, his voice was too high to be normal. “I’m sure that you’ve noticed Charlie, but I don’t HAVE friends! Nor do I want any! I have been pointlessly murdering strangers for a portion of my life so I’m just about as sociable as you are!”

He had officially raised his voice at Charlie. CHARLIE! The man who lived in their cell phones and gave them orders to kill people. He was not someone you were allowed to snap at. If only Sasuke had remembered that, he would have stopped yelling.

“I’m a fucking serial killer dammit! What the fuck are you thinking giving me this shit?!” Sasuke was back on his feet, his skin prickling in bubbling rage. “As if taking out Hizashi Hyuuga wasn’t enough for you, you ask me to play nice with some blond asshole! Itachi will probably die of old age before I get this done!” He took a long and deep breath before coming back but Charlie had beaten him to it.

“I suggest you lower your voice lest you are overheard. And may I remind you right now as it seems you have forgotten, just who it is you are talking to, Raven.”

Sasuke’s anger immediately fell form his face. Charlie’s voice was cold enough to freeze glaciers. Though his tone was eternally mechanical, he got across exactly the voice he intended.

The raven clenched both his jaw and his fists, fighting the urge to scream. Instead, he swallowed it all down and whispered, “Sorry”.

“Has your insolence been quenched appropriately so that I may continue without the risk of a futile outburst?”

Comfortable conversation with his deadly employer was officially over for the night. He began pacing though tiredly; he didn’t trust himself to sit back down. “Yes, and I apologize. I was completely out of line. I shouldn’t have said those things.” He bit his tongue.

“Is there more you wish to say Raven? I sense a bit of flak in your tone. Would you mind taking your tongue off your cheek?”

Sasuke winced. Charlie was officially annoyed, and because of him. He figured he didn’t really have much to lose, other than the location of his brother, but he doubted Charlie would deny him that just because he would speak his mind, though a bit softer. He did ask after all. “I’m not cut out for this Charlie.”

He imagined the man pausing to give it some thought. “On the contrary. Nobody fits the build more than you, Raven.”

“But why? Why is this so important? We’re serial killers for god sakes! Why would I need to befriend him before killing him?”

“It is what our client demands, and it is what you shall do. You can refuse the mission outright and you will never gain the hope of seeing your brother again. Unless of course you wish to search for him yourself?”

Charlie had easily pushed him into a corner, and he was not getting out of it. He had sacrificed so much of his life waiting for the day that he would kill his brother. Even if he suddenly wanted friends and proms and high school, he could never take those years back. They were gone as was his humanity.

His conviction was still firm, though he had a very small chance of doing what Charlie demanded, he would at least try. With a burdened sigh, he stoned his face and made his voice level with Charlie’s. His grip on the phone tightened. “What is my assignment?”

Another round of ghostly chuckling met his ear, he shivered. “That’s a good boy. I know nothing would ever deter you from your goals.”

Sasuke didn’t say anything. When will the flattery ever end?

“Your full assignment, for the first time, will come directly from me. As obviously it was not written in your mission file, so listen well. Your task will be to divulge as much as you can about Naruto Uzumaki that is not contained in the file by your feet.”

Sasuke tensed involuntarily. How the hell did he know that? He bent down to pick up the files on the floor and stared at the blonde’s glowing face once more. He hadn’t met him yet and already he hated him.

“As is the advantage of being a friend, he will bare all to you. You will learn all that you can from him, such as his favorite foods, his hobbies, his friends, his thoughts, his family history, EVERYTHING.”

Sasuke grumbled darkly, making sure he wasn’t heard. Everything sounded so trivial, and yet he knew it would be the most difficult thing he would ever do. He had to admit, it made sense as a last mission.

“Every Monday and Friday, you will call me at this time and reveal all you know so far. But that doesn’t mean it will be passed solely by word of mouth. You will be required to keep a journal and store what you know, which will be taken from you when the mission ends.”

It was pretty clear that whoever this Naruto was, he was very important somehow. “And when does the mission end, exactly?” He had to ask, he needed a date to look forward to.

“You will kill him when I see fit. It will come eventually Raven, don’t worry. As long as I will be satisfied with all that you’ve gathered.”

“Do I…do I have a goal in mind? Such as is there a certain thing about him that is important to the client?”

“No. You need to learn all there is about him. When that is done, you succeed. Simple as that.”

He was sure that Charlie knew it wasn’t that simple. It wasn’t that simple at all. His task was to convince someone that he was a friend, and manipulate them to confide in him. It was the last thing he would ever do for Charlie, or his club of death. And he actually had a chance of never finishing it.

He sat back down on the bed, an air of finality in his action. It was done. He felt so hollow, almost hopeless. He had never had a friend in his life, and now he was forced to make one? As much as he wanted to, he was too tired to bring it up with Charlie any longer, he wanted so bad to just hang up. “Are we finished…Charlie?”

“Yes. We’re finished Raven. I know it doesn’t need to be said but stay on your toes. Never reveal who you are and what you do and make sure no one discovers. You will be living in that apartment for an extended amount of time, which means you will have to be far more cautious.”

Sasuke just nodded along absently. They were things he already knew by heart. He just wanted to think about it in the morning. “Yes. I understand.”

He jumped a mile when loud knocking emanated from somewhere in the apartment. He understood that it must be on his door. He doubted it was the police. Not like they would resort to knocking.

“What is that?”

“Someone’s knocking on my door.”

Charlie just seemed to ignore it. “I congratulate you for you’re success and your hard work. Pay will be sent to your complex.”

“Thank you.” He got off the bed and marched out of the room, his legs still felt like jelly.

“Watch yourself and good luck. Answer the door; it could be your new friend.”

Sasuke closed the phone and shoved it back in his jeans, he was sure the conversation was over. Cold indifference returned to his gait as he strode to his door, wanting to banish whoever was banging on it so enthusiastically. By the time he made it the knocking had already ceased. Curiously, he opened it anyway and peaked his head out, he frowned heavily, Charlie had been right, again.

Trying to unlock his own door was a young man wearing a revolting orange sweatshirt and a shock of blond hair. The boy noticed him immediately and he dropped his keys with a clang. “Oh, uh hi! I thought nobody was home so I just stopped knocking but I guess I was wrong.” The blond laughed nervously and scratched behind his neck.

Sasuke completely left his apartment and stood at a distance, crossing his arms and just glaring at the blond. Obviously, he wasn’t a people person.

Naruto seemed to tense under the raven’s intense stare. ‘Jeez! What the hell did I say? This guy is creeping me out.’ His laughter died in his throat and he bent down to pick up his keys. His eyes went everywhere, realizing with a wince that they were the only ones in the hallway. Joy.

“Um…I’m friends with the receptionist. I’m sure you met her. She told me I had a new neighbor on 7D and I got excited cause the last one who lived in your room died…” Naruto sadly gazed at the floor, mostly to avoid the raven’s scrutiny. “Oh yeah! I’m Naruto by the way.” He didn’t bother stretching a hand, or asking for a name. He was pretty much sure his neighbor hated him. He frowned and inserted the key back on his door and opened it before looking back at the raven reluctantly. “Well, I’m going in now. It was nice talking to you… See you I guess.”

Even when Naruto attempted to run from him his glare did not falter. That was the man he was going to get to know for the next couple of months, he assumed. He was obviously loud, talkative, rambunctious, blond, everything he wasn’t. This was going to be a challenge.

His eyes softened a bit though he didn’t know why. He was going to get his hands full anyway, might as well start now. A tiny smirk marred his cheek as he closed his door and padded to the blonde’s apartment only meters away.

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Obviously, this one is whole lot darker than my other fics, but it’s still SasuNaru, eventually. Please review, it means the world to me.