Harven (English)

Fifteen

Sasuke and Itachi arrived at the lab at about the same time the other group reached the airstrip, taking about an hour to reach the location. Upon arrival, they found the door brutally broken down, with some objects scattered on the floor indicating that the place had been invaded and turned over.

"Sakura?" - Sasuke called loudly in the hope of finding her in one of the rooms that were there, but there was no answer. "She was here. The light is on... we left it off when we left."

"So they took her..." Itachi said feeling a lump in his throat. "It doesn't make sense... they could have just killed her here. Why did they take her, and where?"

"Look at those rooms over there... I don't have the courage..." - he asked in distress feeling his stomach churn just thinking about the possibility of Itachi finding his body lying there.

"Anything!" – Itachi stated with a little hope in his voice.

"I'm not enjoying this Itachi..." He looked again at the hole in the door. "It must have taken a lot of strength to break down that door like that... and as you said yourself, why did they take you?"

"Sasuke we have to be honest here. I don't think there's any chance of her being alive." Sasuke frowned and was panting.

"What if she is? Do you intend to abandon her without even proving that she is not out there, injured and in need of our help? I'm not leaving here without her Itachi... I couldn't bear to live with that doubt."

"I understand Sasuke, but-"

"I want to go to isolation!"

"Why?"

"I saw movement there Itachi. I know it's risky, but I'm not going to be calm until I go there and see with my own eyes that she's not there, or that...or that they...killed her..." He swallowed hard not liking his own statement. Itachi was ready to retort him when Neji's voice through the Walk-talk caught their attention.

"Sasuke? Itachi?" His voice was breathless from running.

"Neji, what happened?" - Sasuke replied.

"They killed Ino... they're not the ransom! They shot her! We're heading back to central! As soon as we arrive, we'll send you news! I can't talk to Hinata."

"Shit... Itachi and I go to the isolation room and if we find Sakura, we go right back to central. Be careful."

"If you come across them, shoot! They didn't give Ino any chance! Take care." – Neji ended the call. Sasuke and Itachi looked at each other and it didn't take words for them to express the concern and distress they felt.

"Okay Sasuke, let's go to isolation soon. It must be another hour or two of walking before we get there."

They walked for about an hour and twenty minutes towards the isolation, spotting two of the mercenaries in their path, and luckily not being seen as they diverted their route to avoid a confrontation. They had about thirty minutes of walking to reach isolation when they received yet another radio intercept from Neji.

"Sasuke? Have you reached isolation?" - His voice was distressed.

"Not yet. Are you at the center?"

"We are... but the switchboard has been broken into... there's a huge hole in the main entrance, as if someone had ripped through the steel with their bare hands! Hinata... she... she's not here! I think they took her with them! We've looked for her everywhere and nothing! She has huge mud footprints here on the floor that lead to the security room. I'm sure they have it!"

"We're going to look for her. Try to stay calm." - He noticed the desperation in Neji's voice.

"I'm coming to meet you! I saw from the cameras that those monsters are clustered in isolation... they must have taken her there!"