Impossible to Foretell

Chapter 23: Candle Wax

One of the monstrously large men came and bound my hands behind my back tightly, and then the two guards flanked Anzu and I as Kanaye lead the way out of my apartment. I needed some way of letting Kakashi know what had happened. I needed to come up with some sort of sign that I could leave behind or some way that I could be tracked. I looked over at the low table by my door and had a great idea.

As I walked next to the short table, I staggered a little on my bad hip and then "accidentally" bumped into one of the giant men beside me. Because he was probably three times my weight, he stayed still and I went flying. I thumped into the side of the table and punched the scented candle sitting on it, shattering the votive and the candle inside. Quickly, I palmed a piece of the aromatic wax and slipped the ring off my finger, leaving it in the pile of glass and candle bits. I didn't doubt at all that Kakashi would find it and then use his ninken to track down my scent. Any good ninja dog worth his salt should be able to track something like a scented candle across countries.

I crushed the wax in my hand so that my skin would carry around the scent as well just in case the small bit of candle was discovered on my person. Next, I brought my arms up above my head like I was stretching after the hard hit that I had taken on the small table. I let the piece of candle tumble from my hand, down my sleeve and land safely in my tucked-in shirt as I did so.

Kanaye walked up to me as I tried to look as innocent as possible, like I really had just run into the guard on accident. He gestured for me to open up my hands to see if I had grabbed any thing while I fell. With a look of faux-confusion, I held out my hands with my palms up to prove my innocence.

With a grunt, Kanaye turned to the guards, "Ouki, Oroka, make sure that something like that doesn't happen again."

He wasn't the slightest bit suspicious; I had completely fooled him. I had created a way that Kakashi could find me.

As soon as we stepped out the apartment, a tiny woman dropped down in front of us. Her lithe figure was revealed with skin-tight, black ninja gear and there was a katana strapped to her back. She had the same pale skin and dead eyes as the two large men behind me, and she even shared their light hair color. Despite the fact that they definitely were siblings, the two large men and the small woman couldn't be more different. Extreme height disparity aside, the two behemoths' eyes held mute rule following and stupid, brute strength while her eyes read intelligence and killer intent.

Kanaye acknowledged her with a slight nod, "Did you deal with the ANBU who was guarding the building, Oreikoku?"

Oreikoku's voice was clipped and measured like a robot, "Yes, sir. I eliminated the operative that was stationed near this structure." She pointed to the large scroll that was strapped to her back below her sword and inline with her hips, "I also sealed away his corpse for later use."

"Well done," Kanaye smiled at her and it sent chills down my spine. "I am leaving you personally in charge of watching Kaiyo from here on out. She should be easy for someone of your skill to manage." I would have been offended if I wasn't a cripple, but since I was a cripple, most decent ninja were now more than my match.

Oreikoku turned and looked me up and down with her icy-blue eyes and then nodded.

"Yes, sir."