Iruka's breath once again came in pained gasps as he flew through the passageways, destination already in mind. Since he staying, there was unfinished business to which he needed to attend. The collapse of the route behind him prevented enemy forces from catching up immediately, but he knew they weren't too far behind.

Just short of reaching his target destination, a group of shinobi ambushed him. Iruka engaged them immediately, fighting tooth and nail, confident that wherever his own abilities fell short of the copy ninja's, it would be attributed to the weakened state of the escaped prisoner.

He managed to kill one before slipping away from the fray long enough to enter the room and promptly seal the door behind him. Again, this bought him only minutes, but Iruka would take what he could get.

For the second time that day, the chunin found himself in the file room. At this point, stealing the information was impossible. The next best thing would be to destroy it to keep the enemy from profiting from it any further.

Iruka gravitated toward the computer which held all the data and results of Orochimaru's experimentations on Kakashi. If he could manage to both help the copy ninja escape, and cause the Sanin to lose all the information he gained on him in the first place, he could truly count this operation a success.

But did it have to be computers? Iruka growled and smacked the keyboard when the machine denied him access again and again. He didn't have time for this! At moments like these he sorely missed Hayate, who could hack both limbs and computer systems with ease.

Well, dammit, there was more than one way to crash a computer. Iruka slapped a stolen explosive tag onto the machine, wrenched it from its place, and heaved it against the file cabinets. It promptly exploded with an impressive boom, taking some scrolls up in flames with it. Iruka grinned in spite of himself.

Sure, it lacked subtlety and finesse. But sometimes it was satisfying to just blow stuff up.

The seals were finally breeched and Sound ninja flooded into the room. Upon seeing the destruction, some panicked and attempted to use water jutsu to put out the flames. However, this only aggravated the electrical fire, causing it to spread to even more of the paper documents around them.

The looks on their faces were priceless. It made Iruka miss his old prankster days.

He had succeeded in gaining their attention and distracting them from the real Kakashi. Now he only needed to keep this performance up long enough to be sure the others had time to escape. Iruka leveled his bloodied kitana, mindful to allow his body to stagger as though he were worn out and on the last dregs of his strength.

He was outclassed and outnumbered, but as winning was not his top priority he didn't let that bother him. Rather he focused his energy on pouring out that aura of lethality and raw power Kakashi possessed. Regardless of the outcome, success was measured by his ability to deceive them into thinking that he was, in fact, the copy ninja.

In the course of battle, a large brute of a man struck his spine. Chakra pulses ran like electricity up and down his spinal chord, momentarily paralyzing his nervous system. It was all he could do to maintain his henge as he collapsed in a boneless heap.

Strong arms caught him in a vice grip before he hit the ground. "Gotcha," the Sound ninja triumphantly declared. The others made quick work of binding him hand and foot.

His captors traded congratulatory remarks at foiling this escape attempt faster than all the previous ones to date. But all clamor ceased at the sound of footsteps approaching at an almost leisurely pace.

Iruka was not in position to see the person approach, but he could see his captors bowing deeply. "Lord Orochimaru! We've recovered the copy ninja."

Someone grabbed Iruka's hair and forced him to look up at the slimy traitor looming over him.

If they expected praise from the Sannin, they were disappointed. "Maybe next time you fools will manage to keep him in place."

Promptly ignoring his men after this remark, he gripped Iruka's chin in one hand. "Tsk. Another failed escape attempt," the deceptively mellow voice reproved. "Kakashi, my pet, did you really think you could escape my grasp?"

The moment of truth. The lives of his students, the life of the real copy ninja, rested in Iruka's ability to convince this monster that he was, indeed, the legendary Sharingan Kakashi.

Now what would that scoundrel say in a situation like this?

"Escape? Mah, I was just stretching my legs, admiring the scenery." Iruka allowed his half-lidded gaze to roam casually over the dank stone walls, finally letting it rest on the raging fire that several ninjas were still trying to get under control. Offering that infuriating little crinkled-eye smile Kakashi gave when turning in a dilapidated mission report, he added, "You could use some help with interior decorating. I decided to brighten up the place…hope you don't mind."

Orochimaru stared piercingly at him for a long moment.

Iruka's nerves jangled while frantic thoughts scampered through his mind: He'd messed it up. He'd completely misjudged the copy nin. Of course Kakashi in captivity was somber, strong, and silent. It seemed so obvious now! What a fool he'd been, to think Kakashi would be all sarcasm and irreverent humor! This was imprisonment in the hand of an S-class criminal, for kage's sake, not a visit to the mission room. But no, he just had to ruin it and now…

The Snake Sannin's cold laughter interrupted his internal railing. "You're as feisty as ever, my pet."

A long tongue flicked out and traced Iruka's jawline, making him want to balk in protest, but he resisted as it did not seem Kakashi-esque.

Orochimaru grinned wickedly. "Do you really think you've won because you destroyed my research?" He gripped the captive's chin harder, forcing him to look up into serpentine eyes. "Well, you're wrong, Kakashi. This only means I get to start our experiments again…from the very beginning." Despite his cool tone, fierce anger burned in those gold eyes.

"You know what they say, Orochimaru," Iruka commented smoothly, feigning boredom despite the sickening fear gnawing inside, "It's just not the same the second time around."

"Of course not," the Snake Sanin agreed heartily. "I'll be sure to make it even more painful."

Iruka was led roughly away by the ninja who'd incapacitated him earlier. The chunin put up a token resistance, since Kakashi apparently was not in the habit of being a passive captive, and was rewarded with a sharp twist of his arms and an increase in pressure on his wrists.

A loud crunching noise preceded an intolerable flare of pain in his right wrist and Iruka desperately clung to his henge, lest it should waver. When the Sound ninja brought him back to the lab, the leather straps were tied unmercifully tight. This seemed like another oportune moment for Kakashi sarcasm. "Could you tighten that a bit more for me? I think there's still some feeling left in my fingers." He weakly wiggled the fingers of his left, unbroken hand for emphasis.

"Lord Orochimaru! We're here to report!" A group of three sound ninja entered.

The Sannin turned to regard them and waited. Iruka strained to listen in.

"We've confirmed the presence of at least two intruders," a kunoichi stated. "They had already left the facility, and our team followed their trail."

No. Ice gripped the chunin's heart as he struggled to keep from showing his dismay.

"And?" Orochimaru prompted impatiently.

"And…the trail became unreadable. We…we lost them, my Lord," the ninja trembled and pressed on, "But we can send more men if you wish, to try to recover the lost trail."

The sannin frowned severely. "Why waste our time?" he snapped. "They've likely sent a messenger summon ahead with their information anyway. I have my prize. Let those fools flee to Konoha with their tails between their legs."

"Very well, sir."

"Have everyone prepare for evacuation. We leave here in thirty minutes. I want this place stripped down to bare walls."

"Yes sir!" The ninja made their exit, ready to comply with their leader's wishes

Iruka could have laughed in relief. It worked. It had really worked.

His joy was cut short when the Orochimaru loomed over him. "And that, my pet, leaves you and I with a half hour for our next session."

"Delightful," Iruka replied dryly, as he eyed the wicked needle his captor was carefully preparing.

His plan did have its drawbacks.

"You've developed a remarkable tolerance for this particular concoction," the Sannin noted, drawing a lime green liquid into the syringe. "So I had Kabuto alter it."

He pressed the end of the syringe, allowing a short stream of the fluid to squirt into the air. "This was the last project that boy completed, before his untimely death," Orochimaru stated somewhat dramatically as he shot his prisoner a pointed look. "It seems fitting that we should test it now."

Iruka's jaw clenched as the needle was inserted, well knowing he had no such built up tolerance. So long as he remembered to keep up the henge, what came next didn't matter.

Hot, liquid pain exploded at the point of insertion and rapidly coursed through his veins. His body jerked violently of its own volition, thrashing against his restraints, back arching off the table, instinctively seeking to escape the burning agony now enveloping his senses.

It took him entirely too long to realize that the screams ringing in his ears were his own.

Orochimaru raised a slender brow, apparently surprised by the violence of his reaction. The Sannin spoke to him then, but the words were incomprehensible. Meaningless noise in a backdrop of pain.

His vision became hazy, along with his mind. But he clung desperately to one thought, one image- that of the Kakashi. Even after the name itself ceased to have tangible meaning, and the image lost any intelligible association, he didn't dare let it go. It was important, somehow. There was something to lose by forgetting. Another word floated up in his thoughts, possibly a name- Naruto.

That word was also significant. It gave him strength to keep going.

A strong grip constrained his seizure-wracked body, holding it still. Something was forced against his lips, and he gagged against the wetness. Water, his delirium-clouded mind managed to supply.

More wetness, this time on his fevered brow. A painful prick in his other arm, a subsequent lessening of the pain.

"Interesting reaction," the Snake Sannin murmured. "Too bad we need you strong enough to survive travel." His hand threaded through Iruka's currently silver hair. "Further testing will have to wait."

Iruka's head lolled listlessly to the side. He didn't have to feign weakness now. At least the second needle prick must have administered an antidote of some kind, for he had a better grasp of his mental faculties once again.

"Mmnneh-ghemmeh" The chunin's tongue fumbled around the smart-aleck remark he'd attempted.

"Well put," Orochimaru smirked.

A new voice rang out, "My lord! We brought a stronger set of chakra cuffs for the prisoner." The Sound ninja approached with said item.

Heavy iron bands were clasped over abused wrists, and Iruka instantly felt his exerted chakra being leeched away. There was no preventing what happened next.

With an audible pop and a burst of chakra smoke, the captive's true form appeared.

There was a long moment where all inhabitants of the room merely stared in wide-eyed shock.

"What…is…this?!" Orochimaru demanded, the intensity of his voice increasing with each slowly enunciated word.

"Uh…eh…" one of the men stumbled for a response. "It…looks like…someone else?"

"Of course it's 'someone else'!" the Sannin spat in disgust. Then his eyes lightened with recognition. "You. You're…you're one of those Konoha chunin!"

He spun around to scream at his guards. "Idiots!" He thundered. "I trust you to recover my prize, and you hand over some worthless nobody instead?"

"We're sorry, my Lord!" his minions cowered. "He…he was a convincing imposter…" Implied in that defense, but not overtly stated, was the fact that Orochimaru himself had been deceived by the pretender.

"Get out!" their leader snarled. "Find that trail! I want Kakashi back!"

"It must be a cold trail by now, sir. I don't know if…"

"GO!"

The ninja hurried to obey, scrambling to exit the room before they could become a target for the man's fury.

Iruka grinned at the display, knowing it would be nearly impossible for them to recover their target. The Snake spun around and fixed his wrathful gaze on the captive. "And you. I'll make you pay for this deception." He snarled and grasped the chunin's arm, shaking him roughly. "You think you're so clever, sacrificing yourself for Kakashi." Orochimaru growled and pressed his face closer to his captive's. "By the time I'm through with you, Iruka…"

Another rough shake on his arm. "Iruka!"

"Irukaaaa!"

"Iruka-sen-sei! Wake up already!"

What?

Iruka was pulled out of a half-remembered dream by the feeling of hands on his arm – shaking him from side to side.

The stupor of sleep clouded his memory. Something about…Orochimaru? His heart clenched in a moment of fear. Had Orochimaru and his minions found him?

That thought quickly disappeared when he registered a certain blond-haired boy's voice piercing through the last layer of what could only be described as a nightmare. "Hurry up and wake Iruka-sensei up, Sakura. I can't find the ramen!" Naruto shrieked, as though he'd never heard of the word "stealth."

"I'm trying, Naruto." Sakura shot back, giving his aching arm another good shake."But he sleeps almost as heavy as Kakashi-sensei!"

Yes…This was all a dream. (Except for the prologue.) ^_^; The last few lines are almost direct quotes from chapter 15 of Lessons Learned From a C Ranked Mission.

Though I imagine that the majority of you were already aware of this, to some it may have come as a surprise…or, as much as it pains me to admit it, even a disappointment. Nevertheless, I hoped you enjoyed the ride! ;)

Now, if you are curious to find out what really happens to Iruka and Kakashi, head over to KakashiKrazed's fic!

Frankly, I'd like to know myself how Kakashi gets rescued. I, along with many other readers, am eagerly awaiting the next installment even now.
*THUD* Oh… did I just drop a hint? *wink*

A most sincere and heartfelt thank you goes out to terracannon876, Reidluver, deerang88, Auphora66, Rangerfan58, Hiya120, Ryuosen, XimeB, KakashiKrazed, yure-chan, Skater Valentine, and Prescripto13 for reviewing the last chapter!