"So you found the Akatsuki, but you didn't do anything?" Orochimaru coughed, disappointment in his tone.

"Well, Suigetsu took care of two of them. The rest are still on the move..." Sasuke explained.

"Two is barely scratching the surface." Orochimaru sighed, "we need to eliminate the leader if we want to eliminate the whole."

I need Naruto alive... Sasuke pursed his lips, "how will we be able to get to the leader if he still has the rest of his posse to protect him?"

"He has a point, my Lord." Kabuto muttered.

"You're right." Orochimaru chuckled, "smart man, Sasuke."

Sasuke felt shivers run down his spine at the sound of the shrills of Orochimaru's voice.

"I'll be off, then." Sasuke turned to leave.

"Don't forget to head back out for the Akatsuki in an hour." Orochimaru called after him, only making Sasuke more annoyed as he swung the door shut behind him.

__________________

"Do you know if he's sent anyone else out after the Akatsuki, or just me? I mean, even Anbu?" Sasuke asked.

"Well..." Fugaku muttered as he and Sasuke sat at the table in the kitchen, Itachi and Mikoto preparing food behind them, "Lord Orochimaru has his ways..."

"Itachi..." Sasuke turned, "you're Anbu, aren't you? What is it with--"

"Anbu? What makes you think I'm on Anbu." Itachi turned and gave him a weird look, "Sasuke, you don't have to rub it in, I already know that you're stronger than me..."

"What? Since when? I was just asking if--"

"Boys, enough." Mikoto stopped them.

"Father, shouldn't you know if any Anbu or even police force ninja were sent out after them?"

Fugaku took a sip of his tea and continued to read the newspaper, shaking his head, "son, no one has ever questioned Lord Hokage's objectivities and don't plan to either. If you know what's best for you, you keep your mouth shut and do what you're told."

Sasuke grunted in annoyance as he crossed his arms and shut his eyes. He sighed and got up, "I'm leaving."

"Food's not ready yet!" Mikoto stopped him.

"I need to head out on my mission again." Sasuke told her, "sorry Mother."

"Here. At least take it to-go." She smiled and handed him a bag with an Uchiha symbol on it. Inside the bag was a bento box.

"Thanks." Sasuke said as he took the bag and left the house, "I need to fight every Akatsuki member to get through to Naruto... But I don't know who to go to for help with this whole situation..." Sasuke murmured to himself as he walked through the streets and headed to the village entrance. He looked up at watched the sun beginning to set, "oh well."

He took off running down the path leaving the village, then heard running behind him.

"Sasuke! We're headed out again?!" Suigetsu called, "doesn't Lord Orochimaru give you a break at all?! You just got back!"

"Hn. Apparently, no." Sasuke replied, "he's been sending only me after the Akatsuki, and no Anbu which is awfully suspicious."

"Ooh, don't forget that one hot Anbu chick." Suigetsu added.

"Yeah..." Sasuke muttered. He completely forgot about Sakura.

"What happened to her, anyways?"

"She went to finish her own mission she was given." Sasuke answered.

"Aw. Darn shame. Would've loved to meet her." Suigetsu sighed in disappointment, only making Sasuke cringe.

"Let's just get going." Sasuke said, "where are Karin and Juugo?"

"They're staying behind." Suigetsu shrugged, "assigned their own missions. Unlike me."

"Hn." Sasuke smirked as they continued off.

"So, where are we headed this time? They can't be at the same hideout this time..."

"Yeah... I'm retracing steps..." Sasuke said.

"What do you mean?"

"Hn. It doesn't matter. We're headed to Suna."

___________________

"So... Here it is." Sakura handed the hooded man a vial.

"How did you get this?"

"He was healing me. I was able to grab this vial and draw his blood without him even noticing." The man eyed her, hardly believing her story, before she added, "it's a long story..."

"You mean you got injured? How disappointing. I thought you were stronger than that, Sakura. That's why I assigned you to this mission in the first place, because you're the strongest of everyone else."

"Well, not stronger than you." Sakura shrugged.

"Of course." The man tucked the vial into his cloak, "I knew I smelled an intruder when he first got here."

"He's trying to fix this whole problem, too. He's really after you." Sakura explained, "he thinks you can help him."

"Hmph. Pathetic..." The man turned, "he doesn't even know who brought him here?"

"No."

"Good. And it will stay that way. Got it?"

"Yes sir." Sakura nodded as the man smirked, then walked off.

"Good."