Scream

[46] Panic

"We are going to be in deep shit when everybody finds out about this," Ibiki grunts as he takes a long swig from his sake cup.

Instead of going home to their families as Tsunade had instructed them, the two men immediately when to the bar, secluding themselves to a small corner where they would not be overheard and instructed the waitress to not come near them, that they would approach her if they wanted something.

"When are we not in deep shit when it comes to Kagami Hatake?" Inoichi holds his cup to his mouth, staring off into the distance as the sake hits him hard after the up-and-down day he has had.

Nothing, not a single moment of his training or experience as a Nin could have prepared him for what happened today, and the secrets he is going to have to keep from his best friend and son for the next months, or years, or decades, as they try to subdue the Akatsuki.

"Never, the girl is an absolute pain in the ass." Ibiki finishes the bottle and slams his cup down on the table. "Get up, Yamanaka."

"What are we doing now?" Inoichi groans, rolling his head back on his shoulders as he reluctantly gets up and tosses some money down on the table.

"I have questions for our Hokage-sama, and I know you do as well." Ibiki marches out the door, weeping his large coat over his shoulders as he does.

"Of course, let's go bother her some more." Inoichi rubs the side of his face roughly.

He misses the days when he would do out, relay some information and then come to the pub with Shikaku and Choza and get wasted every other day, before finding out what interesting things that the Chunin had been up to from Ino who would come home and just talk about absolutely everything that happened that day.

But they were on the cusp of war, and everyone knew it, nobody admitted it, nobody mentioned the possibility of it, as if that would begin it then and there.

The two men walk through the warm night air, the sun completely set in front of them. It had been many hours since Kagami's appearance, and the two still hadn't processed it completely.

Ibiki pushes open the door to the Hokage building, knowing that it is after official office hours, but having worked directly under them for so long, he is well aware that they never make it home on time. He ignores the looks he gets from staff packing up to go home, and they don't try to stop him.

Inoichi drags himself up the stairs, sighing loudly as he notices the chakra signatures ahead of him. "They have returned from the mission, pretend to be shocked and dismayed Morino."

"Of course," Ibiki places his hand on the door, "we know nothing."

The two enter the room, noticing who is present.

"Hokage-sama," Ibiki mumbles, nodding his head, Inoichi following suit. "Kids," he nods to the team in front of him, knowing full well that none of them are kids anymore. "Any success?"

"Dad, are you drunk?" Ino asks, watching her father lean against the now-closed door to the Hokage's office.

"Perhaps," Inoichi mumbles, scratching the back of his head. "Urgent matters that couldn't wait."

"Well, you will have to wait for this mission report." Tsunade gives them a frustrated look before looking back to the newly returned team. "And Kagami Hatake?"

"She ran."

Shikamaru's reply was quick and flat.

"She ran?" Tsunade raises her eyebrows at Shikamaru.

Although she already knows full well that Kagami wasn't captured but hem, she let her real emotion show through now, she had been hoping that Kagami would give up and let the Hidden Leaf team bring her home, as she feels that the Akatsuki is far too dangerous to be playing with this late in the game because they haven't got her now, they won't get her unless she makes it out the other side.