Dosu's Great Escape

Chapter Fourteen: Departure

Zaku, Kin, and Dosu were waiting. Dosu was meditating on the bridge. Zaku was pacing back and forth. Kin was carving up a squirrel with her knife.

"Where is she?" asked Zaku. "We've been waiting for hours now?"

And then a knife was at his throat. Anko was behind him. "Hey kids, having fun?"

"You're late," said Dosu.

"I'm never late. Just reverse early," said Anko. Then drawing out a storage scroll, she threw it. It exploded outwards to reveal their weaponry. "Arm yourselves." Then she drew out a key. "I need to unlock your armguards."

"Why are you giving us these?" asked Kin.

"Yeah, good news. The Hokage has decided to give you a new C rank," said Anko. "Turns out that little display of loyalty helped a lot. We're going to be escorting a royal procession."

"What display of loyalty?" asked Zaku.

"I gave them the data we gathered," said Dosu.

"You what?!" said Zaku. "Why you-" He moved forward, but Kin caught him by the shoulder.

"Later," said Kin. "Why weren't we told about this in advance?"

"Well I could have," said Anko. "But I figured as long as I could disrupt your little schemes with a surprise I might as well."

"But..." said Kin. "You're going to disrupt our hypothetical schemes by giving us an important mission. One that will take us far away from the Leaf Village. How does that make any sense at all?"

"Well, you can't escape from a place you aren't at," said Anko.

"We cooperate," said Dosu.

"It's cute when you think you're in control," said Anko. "Let's go."

Cateye was on the eastern part of the building, watching the kids at lunch. He'd been completely unnoticed, which was only natural. He was ANBU, and there were only schoolteachers in this place.

He glanced back to Elephant. "Ugh, is there anything more boring than watching a school?"

"Tell me about it," said Elephant.

Cateye looked through his mask to the playground below. A boy and his dog were practicing together. He remembered back when he was down there. He smiled despite himself. "Can't believe these brats. They don't know how good they have it, am I right?"

Silence. "Right?"

Cateye turned around. Elephant was gone. He took a stance and drew a kunai. Raising his walkie talkie, he spoke. "This is Cateye to Mouse. Someone's up here." No answer. "Mouse?

What was going on? Who could have-

And then arms gripped his neck and air was cut off. Cateye struggled as iron grip held him tight. His visions was going blurry. "Your friends won't be returning any calls today."

His mask was drawn off, and he looked back. Iruka Umino had him in a chokehold. "You..."

Then he was shoved forward. Iruka drew up a letter and tossed it to him. Then he tossed three other masks down. "You're from the ANBU black ops aren't you? I'd like you to take this to Ibuki."

How as this possible? A schoolteacher had gotten the jump on all of them? Who was he? "What... we're here on official business from the Hokage.""

"You are also trespassing," said Iruka. "What do you think would happen if I told the parents of these students about this?

"There are official channels for this sort of thing.

"Use them. Now get out."

Cateye grabbed Elephant and made a run for it.