A puddle on the street corner reflected the yellow glow of a streetlamp.
The ANBU operative's cat mask kept wavering in the reflection. Just looking at it annoyed me.
I stopped and let out an enormous yawn.
"Seriously? Can't a guy get some sleep in the middle of the night?"
The ANBU ninja stood ramrod straight, his voice muffled beneath his mask.
"Sen, the boss said to drag you back even if we have to crawl."
I scratched my messy hair, thoroughly displeased.
Sticky yellow mud clung to my soles, making them slip against the blue stone paving.
"Fine, lead the way. I knew this job wouldn't wrap up that easily."
I turned and headed back, cold wind pouring down my collar.
The incandescent lights in the hospital corridor flickered, buzzing with electricity.
The sharp stink of disinfectant in the air made my head ache.
I pushed open the intelligence room's wooden door, its hinges giving a dry creak.
Tsunade stood with her back to the door, holding a chipped ceramic mug.
The strong, bitter scent of black coffee rose from it.
Jiraiya reclined on a hospital bed, wrapped up like a mummy.
He was struggling to peel an orange with his uninjured left hand.
"Hey, lady, did you drag me out here at this hour to hand out bonuses?"
I pulled over an iron chair with peeling paint and plopped down.
Its legs scraped across the terrazzo floor with an ear-piercing screech.
Tsunade ignored my wisecrack and turned around.
Dark circles shadowed her eyes. She had clearly been up most of the night.
"Cut the jokes. Come look at this."
She slammed her mug down on the table.
Two drops of coffee splashed onto a white lab report.
Shizune hurried over to me with a stainless-steel tray.
Two short,