The Chain

Tsunami

Melissa gasped as she watched everything unfold, actually freezing for a moment in her fight with Niko.  The container housing Isobu's lid blew off as Chakra unlike anything she had ever witnessed exploded outward before streaking through the pseudo-Monk, through his hands, and into Sarah's body.  Even Niko froze, his face paling before he stumbled back from her and started running towards the door yelling retreat to the few men still standing.  She shook herself out of her shock long enough to take a Kunai in hand and throwing it into the chest of the pseudo-Monk... but it was too late.  Sarah's scream filled the room and the sound of another scream, darker and fiercer also filled the room in a roar that made her blood run cold.

Sarah felt violence stirring and rising deep within her.  She could hear roaring in her mind, fury and power... so much power that she knew it would soon overwhelm her.  It took almost everything in her to push back against the mind that was rising up inside her then look to Neo.  "Take Phoenix..." she managed to get out.

Melissa went to her side, wrapping an arm around her waist to steady her.  Melissa was the palest Sarah had ever seen her best friend and in any other time, she would have laughed to see Melissa so shaken.  She then tugged her towards the door as Neo lifted Phoenix up against herself to follow them out the door.

"What the fuck did you do?" Melissa hissed in her ear.

"Saved my child..." she responded in a humorless chuckle. Sarah pulled away from her as men appeared to stop their progress out of the complex.  "I can move on my own.  Do what you do best, Melissa."

She quickly took them out and started towards the way she had come in.  She almost cursed as she looked around a corner and saw it was blocked by more forces than she could handle on her own.  No doubt waiting for Kakashi and Orion's arrival.  "There has to be another way.  Niko will let his men die while he escapes."  She turned and went down another path, stretching out her senses as she tried to discern which direction he must have taken.  It was faint but she felt the residual trace of his Chakra and started after it.

Kakashi was almost sick from his fear as he tore through the men blocking his path.  He had no idea which direction to go in the twisting maze and knew without being told it had to be one of the hideouts Orochimaru had used in days gone by.  It had his taint upon it, the designs all too familiar.  If they harmed Sarah or Phoenix, he would make sure to personally execute every man that had joined Niko's cause.  His mind was flashing backwards to Rin.  It was almost like history was repeating itself.  The warning Neo had sent to Orion that he had relayed had brought horror that he had long thought he was passed.

Orion was feeling just as sick inside.  This was his fault.  What Niko had planned... it was a direct attack on him, revenge for having destroyed the other man's life.  All he could see in his mind was his sister's face.  She was so innocent, then Neo.  What had that bastard done to her while he had her?

"Our way out is blocked, we're going out another exit," Neo's voice floated to him in his mind.  "Orion... Phoenix is okay but your mother..."

"They're going out another way," Orion called to Kakashi, halting his progression.  "We should go back and circle above.  It has to be a back exit!"  They moved swiftly back the way they had come and Orion looked over at him, "Something is wrong with Mom but my contact with Neo was broken... They're fighting their way out."

Kakashi cursed, "Tell them to stay put.  We'll get to them."

"Something is blocking me..." Orion muttered after a moment.  "There is some mad Chakra... It must be the tailed beast and they're close to it."

"Fuck... Isobu is one of the less friendly beasts... We have to move faster."

Iruka appeared out of the trees just as they broke back out of the facility to start moving in the direction they assumed their wives would leave.  He came alongside them, keeping up with their Chakra fueled pace.  "Naruto is coming," he said.