Contrition [Itachi Uchiha x Reader]

#31: Consortium

Tamaki Fukuda's wife couldn't fathom what had gotten her husband in such a foul mood. He hadn't spoken a word to her when he returned home and had spent the entire night on his computer. When she woke up the next morning, he was gone.

In all their years of being married, he had never once behaved so. And as she stared at the picture of the beautiful [h/c]-haired woman smiling at her through the computer screen, an unfamiliar sense of dread came upon her. She decided to confront him that night when he returned.

*
Tamaki was perplexed to find his colleague already at his work station, typing away at his keyboard. "Kuro, you're here early."

"Uchiha's release form," he mumbled, without looking up. "I need to get this ready before they come."

Tamaki sunk into his chair with an exasperated sigh. "We catch one criminal and the entire station is in disarray. It's sad that nothing interesting ever happens here."

Kuro cast him a sideways glance. "You look like you didn't get much sleep."

"I didn't."

"You're not still pissed about [Surname], are you? Do you honestly believe that she was his accomplice?"

"The real question is, how do you not? Don't you find it suspicious that she was abducted twice: first by Itachi Uchiha and then later by his uncle? Obito Uchiha is a real estate mogul. Why would he resort to kidnapping his nephew's shrink?"

"I suppose it-"

"And why did Itachi, a fugitive of the law, call the police? Why would he do that for someone he wanted dead in the first place? It seems like an awful lot of trouble to turn yourself in just because the woman you kidnapped was taken away from you. If I were him, I wouldn't have moved a muscle."

"Perhaps that was Obito's plan from the start? Kidnap the woman and threaten Itachi to turn himself in? Some weird family animosity?" Kuro leaned back in his chair, stretching his fingers.

"But why would that work? Why would Obito think that kidnapping [Surname] would make Itachi go to the police? It reeks of suspicion."

"So you think she lied to you?"

"I know she lied to me. But we don't have enough to hold her and she knows it. There's something else going on here. Even Kabuto and his soldier boyfriend are playing dumb. They insist they knew and suspected nothing."

"I'll admit that it's fishy. But it's not like you can do anything about it. Like you said, we've got nothing on [Surname]. And we already have Uchiha."

"Not for long." A black SUV with tinted windows pulled up outside the station. Three men dressed entirely in black alighted from it. Even from a distance there was no mistaking their identity. "The ANBU is here."

"Do you know what this means, Fukuda?" The Chief of Police placed a bulky arm on the officer's shoulder as his eyes followed the entourage of men escorting the prisoner. "You'll finally get the promotion you've been hounding me about for the last two years. With all the evidence they have and [Name] [Surname]'s testimony, they'll be able to put him away for good. And you made that happen."

"Yes, Sir." Kuro's right...he thought. He's someone else's problem now.

*
"Must you really leave, Sasuke?" Sakura Haruno bit her lip as she watched her boyfriend pack his bags.

"I need to put this thing to rest, once and for all," he replied. "Only the truth can do that."

"How do you know that you can trust her? What do we even know about her?"

"Other than the fact that she teaches at the University and that she could very well exonerate my brother, nothing."

Sakura frowned. "And where will you live?"

"She has made arrangements at a friend's house. Don't worry, she has assured my safety."

"I wish I could come with you," she admitted. Sasuke smiled lovingly at her and gently poked her on the forehead.

"I know. I'll be back soon."

At half past seven he received a call instructing him to go outside. Sakura saw him off with a smile on her face.

"You better."

As he walked towards the car, Sasuke couldn't help but feel extremely anxious. He had had some trepidations from the time he had received the news, but now he wondered just how far he would go to find out the truth. [Name] flashed him a small smile as he climbed into the vehicle. "I'll be honest, I didn't expect you to agree."

"That makes two of us." The car veered off, efficiently evading early morning traffic. [Name] kept a wary eye on all passersby as she drove towards their destination. For all she knew, Danzō could have known about her return from the moment she had entered the city. Recklessness was not a luxury she could afford, especially now that Sasuke was with her.

"I have many questions," he spoke as he watched the scenery change.

"I pray you'll save them for later."

"Everyone here thinks you're dead. Kakashi even organized a candlelight vigil."

"It's a shame that I missed it, " she said with a slight chuckle.

He frowned. "Professor, you can't honestly expect me to repose blind faith in you and this...mission. What did you mean when you said that Itachi was innocent? I saw him standing over my parents. It was definitely him."

"You once told me that you didn't care what happened to your brother. What changed?"

"You. After our conversation, I began to wonder if there was something beneath the surface of it all. The fact that there was no investigation, his sudden confession... I replayed that moment in my head a million times. It was so long ago but it's still etched in my brain. I felt it then and I feel it now: his behaviour that day seemed a little...off. Almost as if he had no control over what he was doing."

He continued. "Needless to say I was baffled when you called me to tell me the same thing. But don't get me wrong, I'm not entirely convinced yet. I simply think that I should give him the benefit of the doubt."

"Fair enough." [Name] turned her attention towards her buzzing phone. "Could you check that for me?" she asked, gesturing to the device on the dashboard.

Sasuke obliged. "You've got a text from one zero one zero."

"What does it say?"

"Obito posted bail," he read aloud. "Wait Obito, as in Uncle Obito? He was arrested? Why?"

[Name] clenched and unclenched her jaw. "That's not important."

"Then at least tell me where we're going!" he insisted.

She sighed. "To talk to Shisui."

"Shisui, as in my cousin Shisui? What does he have to do with anything? Do I come from a family of criminals? Am I next?"

In that moment, [Name] vehemently regretted having brought him along.