I'm Not Alone {--Kakashi Hatake--}

{Chapter 3}

We took a small boat to the bridge.

Sakura commented, "Wow, this is some fog. I can barely see a thing."

The man rowing the boat told her, "We’ll be able to see the bridge in a minute. On the other side of it is Nami No Kuni-The Land of the Waves." I looked up at the bridge as Kakashi did.

Naruto exclaimed, flabbergasted, "Whoa! It’s HUGE!!"

The man shouted quickly, "Hey! Keep it down! This mist’ll keep us hidden, but from this point on, we have to turn off our engines and row. We’d be in big trouble if Gato caught us."

There was a silence before Tazuna asked quietly to Kakashi, "Mr. Sensei, sir…?"

I must’ve not been paying too much attention because when I looked back at everyone, they were starting to walk away.

"Hey!" I exclaimed, holding up a hand in the air. I quickly got out of the boat; almost tipping it over in the process, and hurriedly went to catch up to them.

Kakashi glanced back at me and chuckled, "You should really be paying more attention."

I blushed, embarrassed, "Sorry." I muttered nervously.

He laughed more, and patted my head. "It’s all right, just try to be more observant next time." I smiled sheepishly as he took his hand off of my head.

Tazuna started, "Uh---there’s something you should know…about the request for help I made to your village…as you guessed, this job is more dangerous than you and your students were led to believe. There’s a real scary man who wants to see me dead."

"A ‘real scary’ man? Who is he?" Kakashi questioned.

Tazuna sighed, "You’ve probably heard of him. He’s a billionaire in the field of marine transportation. His name is Gato!"

Kakashi’s eyes, or well, eye widened when mine did.

"Gato? Are you sure?" I questioned slowly, not sure if this was actually true or not.

"You mean…Gato…of Gato Shipping and Transport? The Gato? They say he’s the richest man in the world!!" Kakashi practically shouted.

Tazuna answered, "That’s the one. On the surface, he looks like a legitimate businessman. The truth is he’s a ruthless, murdering criminal who employs gangs and teams of shinobi, and traffics in drugs and contraband. He starts out taking over companies…and ends up running entire countries. He lives by every low and vicious trade known to man…it was just one year ago…that he set his sights on the Land of the Waves…he came under the guise of a business venture. Then the violence began, and in no time at all, he’d take over our entire marine transportation and shipping industry, and we were all under his thumb! Gato now has a stranglehold on all forms of transportation, the lifeblood of an island nation, and a stranglehold on all the wealth…the only thing he has to fear is that which has been underway for some time…the completion of that bridge!"

Sakura added, "I…see…and as the architect of the bridge and overseer on its construction…you, Mr. Tazuna, are very much in his way."

Sasuke also added, "That means…that the ninja who attacked us were working for Gato."

I thought for a moment, and then added to the conversation, "Based on what you told us…he probably won’t waste anytime hiring and sending out more ninja…"

Kakashi asked, "But…I still don’t understand…if you knew you were the target of a ruthless thug with ninja at his disposal…why didn’t you tell us when you asked for our help?"