[Fan Fiction] Operation: Blackjack
Title: Operation: Blackjack
Author: predictingreality
Summary: He uses his fingers to press the other signals into my skin, just like we've practiced. 2, B, 9, XYH. I exhale slowly when he finishes-when he drops his hand and looks at me with dark eyes. We’re done with Phase 1. Commence Op: Blackjack, says Sasuke.
Rating: T
Prompt: Crime
Commence Phase One.
“Hey, get up. Get up, pinky.” The fat policeman bangs on the bars like he owns the place. “HEY. You listening? I told you to get up.”
I open my eyes to his delightfully flabby face hovering above me through the bars of my cell. “I’m up, jeez,” I mutter. “Calm down. You’ll give yourself high blood pressure.”
He smacks the bars again once, for good measure. “Watch that attitude. Don’t forget who’s in charge here.”
I snort. I have just about had it with this obese officer who thinks he can get to me with his juvenile taunts. Oh, please, I want to tell him. I’ve dealt with far worse. “You’re not even the one in charge, are you? You’ve got a boss, just like everyone else in this sorry world. So lay off, fatty.” I shift onto my side, the scratchy cot blanket catching on my shorts before letting go with a vague ripping sensation.
He absorbs my comment for a few moments. Then: “I’d be careful with those words, criminal.” His voice drips badly-concealed anger. “It’s been a week, and you haven’t had any visitors to pay your bail-ever think about what’ll happen if you stay here forever?”
I’m trying hard not to roll my eyes-this guy is just so stupid. But for his daily jibes, this ‘visitor’ one is a low blow. I’m a little glad that he’s getting smarter about how to handle me. It’ll prepare him for what comes next-what’ll happen after I blow this joint.
Which makes me wonder: Just how long is Sasuke planning to let me rot here? I don’t think I pissed him off that badly.
No, I take that back. I pissed him off pretty badly.
I sit up, the blankets pooling around my waist as I adjust my shirt. I don’t even bother to look at Mr. Policeman. “Yes, I’ve thought about it. And that got me thinking: you guys must have a lot of cells to let right now if you plan on keeping me forever in a cell that would be better off housing a dangerous murderer or something. You would think that a mere two-time offender like me wouldn’t get so much attention.”
I drop my feet to the floor, tying my hair up as nicely as is possible with bed head. “Or another thing,” I remark, glancing over my shoulder at him. ”Maybe you have so many empty cells because you can’t catch any bad guys. Ever think about that, Biggest Loser?”
His eyes narrow and he growls something unintelligible-I can distinguish a few curse words though-and then unlocks my door. “Come on. You’ve got a meeting with the captain, Haruno.” He spits out my name like it’s the most disgusting thing he’s ever said, and I agree.
I can be pretty disgusting. Ha, I made a funny.
“Please sit down, Miss Haruno,” says the police captain. He’s a middle-aged man, starting to get a little gray in the edges of his dark hair. But on his hip his gun looks polished and well-worn from being drawn repeatedly and expertly, which I respect him for. He’s seen a lot of things that I never have. “I apologize for not being able to meet with you earlier. I trust everything was fine in your room?”
I wrinkle my nose; this guy is really calm-unruffled. Which is what I don’t want, nor do I need. “Was everything fine in my cell, you mean?” I ask.
“I saw no need to use such crude terms, but I can if you’d like,” he offers with a smile.
“No, I’m good,” I reply, a nice, plastic smile on my face. I lean back, crossing my legs and glancing at the clock on the desk. 1:18pm. 7th day in prison.
…JUST EXACTLY HOW LONG DOES SASUKE EXPECT ME TO STAY PUT IN THIS HELLHOLE?
“Miss Haruno,” the captain begins. “I’d like to discuss with you an incident that occurred a few weeks ago-“
“Just cut to the chase, captain,” I interrupt, trying to be as rude as possible. I need him to lose control.
Otherwise, Sasuke might just leave me here forever.
“Miss Haruno, please don’t cut me off-“
“Captain, come on. I’m a big girl. What do you want to know about this ‘incident’ that you haven’t already found out yourself?”
“Plenty of things, Miss Haruno. For example-“
“Get over it. I don’t have anything to tell the cops.”
He pauses for a second. “Why did you rob that man?”
I eye him for a minute. Very direct, this police captain. It’s either that, or I’m wearing him down easier than the others. “Because I felt like it,” I answer.
“Is that the only reason why?”
“Please. Dark alley? Old man? Who wouldn’t steal from the poor sap?”
“Do you have no regard for the law at all?” Now his eyes are glinting.
“None. The law doesn’t work in favor of people like me.”
“I’m sure something can be done, some truce can be reached-“
“Listen up, cap. I’m not here to talk negotiations with you.”
“I’d appreciate it if you cooperate, Miss Haruno.” His voice is biting.
“Get used to disappointment.”
Silence. He stares at me for a long moment before standing up and walking away, his back stiff. The door swings shut behind him with a harsh snap that lets me know I’ve made him more than a little frustrated.
I shrug. I guess, according to my rules, him leaving works toward my objective-Sasuke’s objective- too.
When he comes back five minutes later, he has a strange half-smile on his face. “Miss Haruno, there’s someone here to see you.”
I frown, but on the inside I’m breathing a sigh of relief. I know who’s here. “But it’s not visiting hours.”
The captain raises an eyebrow at me quizzically, like he can’t understand my outward reluctance. “Well, if that’s the case, do you want me to send your brother away?”
Hell, no. My nose wrinkles; I’ll never get used to it, to Sasuke being my brother. “Oh, no. Please don’t. I’d like to see him.”
He eyes me for a minute before sitting at his desk. “You know, I’m not sure I should, what with the attitude you’ve been giving me.”
I want to slap him. Who does this guy think he is, my father? “I apologize for my bad behavior earlier,” I say instead, as politely as I can. There’s no point in making him angry anymore; I’ve got what I need.
The captain nods once, looking satisfied. “That’s better. I can give you ten minutes with your visitor. Make it count.” Once he sees me agree, he motions toward the door. “Go ahead. Takeshita will take you.”
Sasuke sees me first.
“Sakura.”
And that’s all the greeting I get from him-my name, always just my name. I manage to get a good look at him before Takeshita-aka “Fat Cop”-pulls me back with a warning. His hand is clamped like a vise on my shoulder, and he’s surprisingly strong for such a jiggly man.
“Hey,” Takeshita warns Sasuke, who spares him a customary up-and-down before his gaze returns to me, like it always does. “Don’t get too close. She may be your sister, but she bites.” Then Fat Cop shoves me forward, and Sasuke steps out to stop my fall with one arm, like I knew he would.
But then he gives me the signal I’ve been waiting for, and immediately I pounce. “Sasuke! Sasuke, I missed you!”
I’m latched so tightly onto him that I’m not entirely sure I can breathe.
His hands touch my shoulders, skim down my sides, and rest at my hips, where he uses his fingers to tap the other signals into my skin, just like we practiced.
2, B, 9, XYH.
I exhale slowly when he finishes. We’re almost done with Phase 1. Onto Phase 2 then.
His hands leave my waist to grip my forearms. “Sakura,” he murmurs, turning my face so that I can hear him better. His breath is warm against my ear, and his voice is low. “Sakura, just like we practiced. Don’t mess up.” He releases me.
And then, out loud for Fat Cop’s benefit, he turns to him and says, “I apologize for my sister. Has she been causing trouble here?”
Like hell I have.
Fat Cop crosses his flabby arms and glares at me. “Been taunting me every day, that one. Make sure you keep her in line.”
Sasuke gives me a Look, and even though I know he’s just pretending, I still want to make a face at him.
Sasuke notices, and the Look intensifies.
“Sorry,” I finally mutter, turning to Fat Cop Takeshita. “I shouldn’t have said all those things to you.”
“That’s better,” he says smugly, nodding at me. Then he motions with his head at Sasuke, who’s standing next to me like the good older brother he’s supposed to be. “And thank your brother over there,” Fat Cop tells me. “He paid off your bail.”
“Thank you,” I tell Sasuke solemnly, not the least bit surprised about what he’s done for me. It’s expected of him.
Sasuke tilts his head at me, his little sister, cutting Fat Cop out of the picture. “Mother and Father are beyond angry with you.”
“I can’t imagine why,” interjects Fat Cop, scoffing.
My “older brother” glances at him once, which is enough to make Fat Cop shut up-is enough to make anyone shut up.
When Sasuke turns back to me, I paste the most angelic expression onto my face as I can. “Are Mother and Father going to punish me, big brother?” I ask as innocently as I can.
I’m laying it on a bit thick, but hey. Fat Cop’s got a thick head.
Sasuke catches my gaze with dark eyes before answering, “They’re going to give you the punishment of your life.” He catches on instantly that I want to mollify Fat Cop and get this party started. We’ve been around each other too much to not know what’s going on.
“Now that’s what I like to hear,” Fat Cop remarks, cutting off Sasuke yet again. “They need to beat some sense into kids these days.” He shakes his head sadly, like some jolly Santa Claus telling some poor child they got stuck on the Naughty list.
I resist the urge to laugh-not because he looks retarded, but because this cop must be super stupid. No smart, sane person cuts off Uchiha Sasuke twice.
As Sasuke straightens to fix his eyes on Fat Cop, said cop realizes his mistake and stutters, “Well. Um. I’ll just get the Captain to sign your sister’s release papers and you can-um. You can go.”
He practically flees the room with his tail between his legs. I’m glad to see him gone.
Once the door shuts behind him, I turn to Sasuke and open my mouth, but he stops me before I say anything.
“Not here,” he says, his eyes on the door.
And just like that, the Captain walks in, holding out his hand for Sasuke to shake. “Good morning, son.”
I notice a subtle tension in Sasuke’s shoulders as he inclines his head to the Captain. Something about this man bothers him, and I can tell.
“Good morning,” replies Sasuke to the Captain quietly, dropping from the handshake and reaching out for me instead. I let him adjust the hem of my shirt casually, wondering the entire time what he’s trying to pull, when suddenly I freeze. Sasuke’s just pressed another set of signals into my skin.
7, L, 3F.
Get out.
And he gives me one more, just to make sure I get the message.
2N.
Get out now.
Sasuke’s hand drops from my side without any ceremony to take the proffered release papers from the Captain. “Is there anything else?” he asks him, not looking at me.
“ID,” says the Captain, smiling kindly at Sasuke, which does not bode well.
Sasuke just does not have the kind of face that one wants to smile kindly at. There is definitely something wrong with this man.
And then I feel the Captain’s blue-eyed gaze slide to me, and I keep my head down. I executed my orders perfectly and cleanly. He should have no reason to be regarding me with suspicion, but it can’t hurt to not catch his attention anyway.
Sasuke drops his faked ID into the man’s hand and waits as it’s checked. He knows it’ll pass scrutiny. It has before.
“You’re eighteen?” asks the Captain, glancing up at Sasuke, the ID card in his hand.
“As of last month.”
The Captain nods once and hands Sasuke back his card. “Thank you. You’re free to leave with your sister.” He looks at us both. “Don’t get in trouble, now.” Even though he says it jokingly, there’s a subtle edge underneath his voice that neither Sasuke nor I fail to miss. Then he turns and leaves through the same door he came in from.
I can feel Sasuke looking at me. He knows.
Without wasting a second, Sasuke moves. “Come on.”
I pause anyway. “Do you think that guy foun-“
“Hurry,” he interrupts coolly, ever the stoic. He holds out his hand for mine, the other shoved lazily in his pocket. When I shy away, I imagine him rolling his eyes, even though he doesn’t actually do it. “We’re brother and sister, Sakura. This is natural.”
“Ew,” I say.
His fingers slide around my wrist anyway. “Oh, grow up,” mutters Sasuke darkly when I pretend-shudder, but without malice. I follow him through the doors, opened wide for us by the prison guards.
I smile widely at them, and my smile turns into a full-out grin when one of them smiles back. The idiots. They’re letting their most valuable weapon walk away in the pocket of a pink-haired girl, and they don’t even suspect a thing.
We’re halfway to the gate and halfway to freedom when Sasuke marks a pattern on my hand.
Did you get it?
“Yes,” I say out loud, squinting up at the bright sun. The gravel is warm under my shoes, and it’s freaking boiling out here. This temperature is hot enough to make Sasuke sweat, for heaven’s sake. “Of course I did.”
Where is it.
My voice drops. I don’t want anyone thinking that this chick with pink hair is crazy, or anything… Ha. “My pocket, where else?”
Give it to me-
“Later,” I whisper as fast as I can. Doesn’t he know better than for me to take that flash drive out when we’re technically still in the compound?
-once we’re out. Even now I can practically feel his smirk.
“…Oh.”
We get past the guards at the gate, and they give Sasuke a once-over that he tolerates, his eyes glinting with barely-there irritation.
And then we’re free. Commence Phase Two.
End Phase One.