"I want you to look at these photographs Sayer," Ms. Amrbosine said softly, as she slid the pictures toward the man. He leaned over tiredly, taking only a few seconds to skim over the photos, before straightening himself, and calling out their names. Dark shadows nestled underneath his eyes, along with age-old wrinkles he hadn't known had existed. As he scanned over the photographs, the last of the names falling from his lips, he couldn't help but close his eyes then.
"Right," she said demurely, forcing him to look at her once more. "And I take it you know these men from somewhere…?"
"The Arcadia Movement's sponsors," he answered, as he remembered the cruel gleam her icy pupils bestowed upon him just hours before. He fought the urge to tremble, and continued on with his emotionless facade; as of this point, it was the only thing he could do. Opportunities for advancement might come up once in a while, but until then, this was all there was to it. "Under Goodwin's encouragement, they supported the Movement with money, power, and influence."
"Ah." She stole a glance at the politicians smiling faces, before removing them from the table altogether and stuffing them back in that same, white envelop. "Can you tell me what some of them did? You know, what they were capable of?"
"What'd you mean?"
"How deep were their connections, in other words?"
He thought for a moment, recalling the same, complex lies he told nearly everyone, the lies he refused to touch, for fear he might accidentally unravel them. He then regarded Ms. Amrbosine evenly. "Very deep. There wasn't a single they couldn't do, not a single being they couldn't conquer. As far as I knew, they expanded all over the city, and into other countries as well, though I'm not sure where.
"As long as they were under Goodwin, of course."
"That's right."
She huffed, before returning to the remaining files on her desk. "They weren't under the Director's supervision."
Sayer stared at her incredulously, the doubts immediately swarming back into his mind. "There was no one else who could control them, aside from me," he explained. "Or Goodwin, for that matter. Though he was a liar ad a cheat, he was certainly good at it. HIs ability to manipulate people to his own benefit came in handy."
"As long as they were being compensated, right?"
"Isn't that how it works?"
"But that's just it," Ms. Amrbosine stated confidently. "Although these officials were working for Goodwin, not a single record showed them gaining any benefit from him. Remember, Goodwin was the head of the Security Bureau, and though he did have some political influence, in the end it wasn't enough to sabotage any politician. In fact, in the face of everyone here, it seems he was the most helpless."
Sayer narrowed his eyes. "But he was your Director, wasn't he?"
"He was but a small pawn in the grand scheme of things. Just because he was the Director didn't mean he knew everything. For example, the fact that the Crimson Dragon would be in the hands of a bunch of misfits, or us, for the matter."
Sayer examined her, trying to find the slightest hints that she might've been lying. Though he failed over and over again, he still kept up with his assumptions, and continued. "And who might you be?"
She smiled. "No one, and everyone. In a way, just as Director Goodwin, you could also say we're fallen."
Sayer's lips parted. Again, he looked down at the papers. He tried scanning through their contents, tried doing everything he could to prove his past paranoia right. He kept replaying the moments between he and Goodwin over and over again, finding even the slightest inconsistencies between Ms. Amrbosine's story and his own. But there were none, so he could only stand there, dumbfounded. "What-?"
"The city was so focused on Goodwin, simply because of the Satellite, or rather, what used to be the Satellite," Ms. Amrbosine replied. "People didn't feel safe, so naturally, they turned to the police for security. Eventually, Neo Domino was taken over by the Public Safety Bureau, and soon, all eyes were on Goodwin. In spite of the fact that everyone depended on his leadership, he had practically no influence on the political battlefield. He paled in comparison to other people; for example, the Black Rose's father, the senator."
Sayer glowered at her. "I've already thought of that."
"What?" she pressed, as she leaned back in her seat. "Were you planning on using the Black Rose to get in touch with her father? To get even more support for the Arcadia Movement? Spare me the details; I already know."
"What're you-?"
"Even with the senator's help, you wouldn't have gotten anywhere. You could say the reason why you're still standing, is because the senator chose not to do anything to you. If he wanted to, not only could he destroy the entire Arcadia Movement, but he could also place you under arrest for "kidnapping" his daughter."
"Akiza came on her own-"
"And that alone would make you look bad," she continued, ignoring his flowering eyes. "And since the senator had a majority of the city on his side, along with his reputable image, I don't think you could do anything about it. No one would believe you; everyone would just say that they were lying. Perhaps the only reason Senator Izinski chose not to press charges was because he didn't want to alienate his precious daughter, anymore than he already had."
Sayer clenched his fists. This…woman…was just sitting here, undermining him. She was breaking open scandals only Sayer should know about, saying choice words that even doubted his own credibility. If anything, probably the only reason why she got him out of prison to begin with, was to mock him. "Then why am I here?" he asked finally.
"To get to Yusei Fudo."
"I've absolutely no idea-"
"You really are so very impatient, aren't you?" Ms. Amrbosine asked suddenly. "No wonder why you lost control of the organization. If anything, you should be thanking the Dark Signers for taking you down like that when they did. They saved you from the embarrassment from losing your entire club in one. Little. Stroke."
"Amrbosine-"
"Anyways," she interrupted, "I'm sure you've heard the news right?"
He paused for a moment, before nodding reluctantly. "That most of everyone on that list is dead, correct?"
"Correct. The reason why I ask you is because your sponsors are all connected to one single source. A political source, I can assure you that Goodwin isn't it."
Sayer narrowed his eyes. "Does it matter where the money came from?"
"Yes," she murmured quietly. "It does."
His lips parted, as the silence came around between the two. That same, blank expression grazed her face, all the while his frustration built up in his thoughts, trying to decipher it. Then, at that one, single moment, he froze.
"No," was all he said.
"We have proof-"
"That Satellite," he sneered, "doesn't even have the means to get out of his own filth. How could he support an entire organization, when he couldn't avoid Sector Security? If this is a joke, Ms. Amrbosine-"
"It's not."
"It isn't funny."
Her eyes darkened, and immediately, Sayer closed his mouth. She regarded him for a while, before sitting up. "Normally, yes, that would be the case. Yusei Fudo was just an orphan, after all, who had no real parents, no real family. Though he was a talented duelist and engineer, he had a hard life, with only brief, fickle friends to rely on. Even now, after he's won the Fortune Cup, after he's defeated the Dark signers, he's still struggling to make ends meet. Well, along with Jack Atlas, of course."
"If you know that much, then why-?"
"When your organization first started, Sayer, we've kept a close eye on you," she stated quietly, as she placed her hands neatly on her lap. "From what we could understand, the Arcadia Movement had always been small, a close-knit group with relatively little standing in the real world. According to your records, when Akiza Izinski joined, suddenly, you gained a huge influx of support for your organization. You were able to expand nationally, to the point where you could even lobby some of the politicians to help benefit the Movement. The senator, as you know, had nothing to do with your group. And aside from Akiza, no one else in your group exercised enough power to help support your cause."
Sayer folded his arms across his chest. "I don't see how any of that has to do with Yusei."
"As of this point, all our evidence is circumstantial," Ms. Amrbosine said finally. "That's why I would like for you to do a little assignment for us."
He narrowed his eyes. "Is this 'evidence' really all that?"
"It is."
Sayer tensed, the defining quiet, once again, pouring into the room. "And what will you do, after I finish your dirty work?"
"That depends on your results."
He fought down a scowl. "What am I supposed to do?"
The frown instantly faded from her face, the seriousness replaced by a slow, merciless smile, one devoid of any emotion or thought. "We've secured your deck from the station," she explained. "Use it to confront Mr. Fudo. Understand?"
Sayer stared at her, the memories replaying in his mind. If it wasn't for Yusei, Akiza probably would never have left the Arcadia Movement. Though he might not have been able to secure the senator's cooperation, at the very least he could've used her to build up his psychic army. He could've used it to take over the world, from politics, to economics, to warfare; in society, outcasts would reign supreme, and people would've treated the monsters they've so hated with fear. There wouldn't have been any problem at all, if not for the fact that that one little Satellite had to come in and ruin everything.
But there were more people on his list to blame, the dormant grudges he held from prison only beginning to resurface. There were the Dark Signers, who tore him down the moment he tried fighting back. There were his former members, who chose to abandon him the moment he was arrested. There were the people who mocked and tormented him, for having the special powers everyone else wanted. He could feel himself swell with pride, as he imagined everyone who'd ever wronged him bowing before him, begging for forgiveness, asking him to spare them, though their efforts were in vain.
Yet even then, he didn't allow his emotions to take over.
His eyes flickered to Ms. Amrbosine, who waited for his answer. What was this woman's game anyways? That Goodwin had little to do with the city, that the politicians he blackmailed were actually taking orders from a higher power? That Yusei had been involved with the Arcadia Movement from the start? A Satellite, who couldn't even afford to have even the most wasted future in Neo Domino? What'd her organization want with Yusei anyways, and, how did Sayer, of all people, fit into it? What was she using him for? What result did she want from him?
Despite all that, one detail stuck out, amongst all others. "You're right," he said. "When Akiza joined, we started getting an increase in revenue."
She nodded. "That's right."
"And it had something to do with Yusei, correct?"
"It is."
"How then?" he pressed. "Before the Fortune Cup, Akiza never knew Yusei. That much I know."
"Well, like I said. We've evidence, but we just need you to confirm one little thing for us."
"And you can't share any of the evidence with me?"
"That's right."
His eyes flickered down to that white envelop. "And why is that?"
"Clearly, you've no idea how much of a target you've become," Ms. Amrbosine answered saccharinely. "The less you know, the better off you'd be."
He snorted. "Some logic."
"You've used the same thinking with the Black Rose."
He stared at her for the longest time, endeavoring to reveal whatever hidden meanings were behind that single sentence. When he failed, he simply closed his eyes, and resigned to his task. "So," he began, "do you want me to duel him?"
"No; you'd make too much of a scene."
"Then what-?"
"Get him alone, then attack," she ordered. "When you've seen what you've seen, I want you to come back, and tell me."
"And what exactly am I supposed to see?"
"Believe me, you'll know."
He bit his lip, as he began seeing through the game, bit by bit. "You don't want the Black Rose to find out, do you?"
"My, you learn fast."
The busy stores kept calling in more and more customers, as the stream of bodies flowed from one business to the next. Light, velvet curtains pooled out from store windows, and bright, colorful banners flowed throughout the air, desperately trying to get the attention of the tens of thousands of people here. The skylights up ahead gave way to the same warm air Akiza had grown so very comfortable with. The distant cafes off to the side gave off their pleasant aromas, and for a moment, she was tempted to walk over there, sit down, and enjoy something, anything. though in the end, she fought off the sweet illusion. Just below, she could see the amber skating rink, the balconies doing little to hide the playful embarrassment on the skaters' faces as they fell. She stared at them for a bit, before turning back to the dull activity just before her.
Both arms were comfortably at her side, motionlessly in place, as she moved up in the line, her bangs sweeping across her cheek. Carefully, she peeked out at the people standing in front of her, and the people behind, before finally settling back in her place. She looked up at the ceiling then, a bored expression so very evident on her face. Dull lights sparked her golden orbs, and the only time it cleared, was when the line started to move. She kept clenching and unclenching her fists, if only to feel the tension her black gloves held along the lines of her palms, but of course, not even that could assuage her boredom.
Just yesterday, her mother called. She told Akiza that she and her father will be back a bit late tonight, but she did manage to order Chinese for dinner tonight. The problem was that there was only one Chinese restaurant open at the time, and since they don't do deliveries, Akiza had to get it herself. Though Akiza was sure it'd be delicious, she didn't understand why they couldn't just order someplace else. Her mother only laughed at the excuse, telling her daughter it was "simply because."
She heaved a heavy, frustrated sigh, as the line moved on. Her thoughts began wandering once more, as she recalled the strangeness the past few weeks left her.
Just a few days ago, that boy had disappeared. Whenever she slept, or went anywhere, he was always there, right beside her. Sometimes, he'd be waiting for her patiently, with those wide, dead holes of his. Other times, he'd be facing away from her, staring at a wall, or the floor, or the roof, or even an object that held absolutely no significance. Wherever she went, he did too, his footsteps echoing throughout her head. She didn't dare tell anyone else about him, knowing full well she'd sound crazy if she did. So she was careful not to let herself notice him for too long, totally brushing aside his existence as she kept on with her life.
Funny, how weird everything feels when things become normal again.
All the while, neither Jaden nor Alexis were returning her calls. Though Akiza could understand the two working on Jaden's internship (which, of course, she didn't), it was as if they were suddenly just too busy. On the other hand, the guys were preparing for the WRGP, and along with the fact that Leo and Luna were helping them prepare, she was just…alone. It didn't feel like anyone was avoiding her, or at least, she hoped not. But it was just a bit too quiet at her mansion. It didn't feel right to simply intrude into other peoples' business, especially Yusei's, and as of right now, school had always come first.
And yet, as she stared out at the faces around her, she couldn't help but feel like she'd missed something. Still, she knew she had to take her mind off of the notion. So she closed her eyes, and listened to the aimless words floating around her.
That's right; apparently, there'd been another death, a suicide this time, by someone who had never once been depressed. Yes, he died. No, they didn't think he was pushed off the balcony; he just fell. Maybe it was just an accident; maybe he got curious, and decided to look at the premiere from way up there. No, there wasn't anyone else with him; the cameras caught him walking in the building alone. Yeah, a family, a wife and three children. The wife will be fine on her own.
While this was happening, other conversations took place, the ones involving the recent murders. Once more, Akiza flickered her eyes towards those people, before turning away, the recognition flooding her face. Almost every official in Neo Domino was eliminated. The only connection was Goodwin, but why? What was the reason for it? Goodwin disappeared, didn't he, so what use was it to target the lackeys? Revenge, maybe? A little payback for everything those idiots did to the city? Anarchists?
And immediately, Akiza thought of Jaden.
She laughed softly at the though. Well, whoever it was, Akiza didn't really have much to do with it. As long as her own father was okay, nothing else mattered. Yes, it was sad those officials died, and yes, she hoped Mina and Trudge could catch the culprits, but in the end, it wasn't really her job. Besides, if she went up to the families right now, and told them how sorry she was, what good would it do? They'd probably just scream out her, and scream that she should just butt out. At the very least, that's what Akiza would do.
There was a light tap on her shoulder then.
Carefully, she turned around, and found a man standing there, with a pleasant smile on his face. With simplistic ease, she returned it. "Hi," she said.
"Sorry…but you're Akiza, right?"
"That's me."
"Akiza…from the Fortune Cup?"
"Right."
The man stared at her for a while. Before long, his eyes widened a bit, the smile growing wider and wider with each passing second. "W-wow," he managed. "That's…that's amazing. I mean, the way you dueled, and you had that guy on the ropes…! Seriously, I was pissed when you lost, but you know…you're just a really good duelist and…!"
Akiza nodded simply, as she moved up the line another inch. Huh; the cashier was still a long ways off. Did she remember to bring the receipt? "Thanks."
"Just…just thanks? Are you kidding?" the man pressed, causing her to turn back. "You were, like, awesome! Hey, can you do me a favor? Don't worry; you won't get out of line."
Akiza paused for a moment, trying to take in the man's sudden interest. "Sure," she finally said.
"Oh cool! Okay, so here's the thing; me and my friends are really into gardening, and since you use a plant-type deck, I was wondering if you could give me some advice on roses."
Sounded simple enough. "Okay."
"Right. So, there's this rose we can't seem to get rid of, a Christmas rose, the kind you see during the holidays."
She blinked. "Why're you trying to get rid of it? It's pretty enough as it is."
"Supposedly. But the thing is…we only want roses. The Christmas rose isn't really a rose, you know? And though it might not have thorns, it's actually really poisonous, and we'd like to remove it as soon as possible."
"Well, I don't see why not," Akiza answered easily, as she moved yet another inch ahead. "If you have gloves, you can always yank it out."
"It's that easy?"
"Well yeah," she admitted sheepishly. "Still, I don't know why you'd need my help for it. You seem like you know what you're doing already, so…"
"But a rose is a rose, after all."
She stopped, then turned to stare up at him. "Yes," she agreed. "A rose is a rose."
"And for that stupid faker," he stated confidently, "all you have to do is yank it out."
Just then, she heard a loud explosion from the restaurant.
And along with it, terrified screams as bullets started reigning down.
