Shisui woke before dawn.
He sat by the window, watching the outline of the old locust tree at the edge of the Uchiha Clan Compound slowly sharpen in the gray-blue morning light. He had barely slept, going over every step of the day ahead in his mind. They had obtained Danzo's fabricated evidence, but that was only the first step. The real challenge was making the most of it without leaving Danzo any room to turn the tables on them.
As the sky began to pale, Shisui rose, washed quickly, changed into his ANBU uniform, and left.
Jin Uchiha's residence was quiet. A faint flame still burned in the stone lantern in the courtyard, and no one stood beneath the eaves. Shisui pushed the door open and found Jin in the study, a cup of stone-cold tea before him.
"Didn't sleep?" Shisui asked.
"I slept for four hours." Jin Uchiha pushed a letter and a sealed scroll toward the edge of the desk. "Everything's here. The letter is for Lord Third, and the scroll is Danzo's 'masterpiece.' Take them both."
Shisui picked up the scroll and hesitated, but decided not to open it. He trusted Jin's judgment.
"Where's Itachi?"
"He went home. He still has to attend the Ninja Academy today." Jin Uchiha stood and rolled his shoulders. "Don't let him get too deeply involved. Not yet, at least."
Shisui nodded and tucked the letter and scroll into his tool pouch.
"Jin," he said, stopping at the door, "if Lord Third asks, what outcome do we want?"
Jin Uchiha was silent for a few seconds.
"Tell Lord Third we don't want Danzo dead. We just want him to stop treating the Uchiha as pawns."
Shisui left.
Jin Uchiha stood alone beneath the eaves, watching the daylight gradually brighten. Konoha's morning