A/N:Hello all! Thank you for reading and reviewing. I hope you enjoy the chapter. Lots of luv *hugs*
"Uh…what…are you doing?" Malik leaned over my shoulder as I turned on my laptop and navigated to my email.
"The letter mentioned that information would be sent to my email. The letter was written most likely over 12 hours ago. It is possible there is an email already there," I comment while typing in my username and password. I was right. The very first email was from an unknown sender. When I opened it, a pink cartoon bunny went dancing across my screen. He drew a square on my screen which turned black the moment it was drawn. The ridiculous rabbit stepped off to the side of the square and wiggled its eyebrows at me pointing to the play button in the box. I sighed. He has not changed at all. I bit my lip and pushed the play button. My eyes grow wide and I felt my blood boil as a dim light penetrated the darkness of the room. The camera zoomed in on a figure across the room from it. I recognize that tri-colored hair anywhere. It was Yugi.
His head was bowed, his blonde bangs hiding most of his face. His skin was dirty and laden with bruises. What the fuck had they done to him? He was in a partially standing position and was leaning against the wall. His arms were chained above his head; his wrists bent limply at the metal shackles. Judging from the tautness of the chains, they were the primary reason Yugi was still on his feet. A small trickle of blood emerged from under the shackle on his left wrist and ran down his arm.
"Yugi," I whispered. This man has gone way too far. He can fuck with me all he likes, but he made a grave mistake when he took Yugi and a lethal mistake when he did this to him. I slammed the laptop closed feeling sick to my stomach.
"Was it from him, Atemu?" Ryou appeared at my side. I nodded.
"What did the message say?" Malik asked before continuing to gnaw on his lower lip.
"Nothing useful," I growled out.
"What did it say then?" Marik prompted me to continue. I couldn't tell them what I had saw. I need someone to remain focused and calm enough to prevent me from committing murder. Good luck to them with that by the way. I stood from my seat at the desk; ignoring Marik's question. I took several deep breaths, my brain working in overdrive to come up with a plan. I turn and head for the door.
"Wait, Atemu! Where are you going?" Ryou asked grabbing my arm. He gasped when I turned to face him. Rage must be prominent on my face as he released his grip on me instantly and backed up, "What did you see?" he whispered.
"I saw Yugi," that is all I'm going to give them.
"And?" Bakura snapped.
"And I'm going to go find him," I responded through my teeth.
"How? You said this "P" person didn't send you any useful information. How are you going to go find him without the details?" Malik inquired.
"The letter mentioned the Port of Mumbai. I am going to start there. Most likely he will have Yugi somewhere near the ransom location," I answer Malik's question before turning and wrapping my fingers around the cold metal of the doorknob.
"How can you be so sure?" Marik arched an eyebrow.
"This asshole is predictable. It's the most likely place to start and I can't just stay here and wait for the next communication from him. For all we know, he may not send another message until at some point tomorrow before I am 'supposed' to meet him and give him the ransom money," I growl, "I won't wait and force Yugi to stay there any longer than he has to."
"I'm coming with you then," Bakura pushed passed me and walked out of the room.
"Me too," Marik commented following Bakura's lead. They didn't give me much choice on the matter. It may be helpful to not do this alone so I kept my mouth shut not arguing the matter.
\/\/\/
It was overcast and chilly at the harbor. A storm is coming in. The waves in the harbor growing in size with each passing minute. The wind whipped my bangs across my cheeks and into my eyes. I pulled my bangs aside as I glanced around. The port was remarkably busy considering the dark rumbling skies overhead. This area of the port is just too busy for what the kidnapper hand in mind.
Marik, Bakura, and I walked around the large port for over one hour before we came across an abandoned building in a more secluded part of the port. I tilt my head as I eye the building. I need a way in that will not attract too much attention. Ah! That's it. The fire escape. A black iron staircase leading up to the roof. The challenge...pulling the first set of stairs down to me.
I walk over to it and jump at the bottom rung of the staircase. Needless to say, I missed. I was not even close. I growl and take several steps backwards. I run and launch myself at the bottom step. I missed again.
"Allow me," Marik took several steps backwards and ran at the fire escape. His fingers latched onto the bottom step and pulled it down to me.
"Do you really think he is in here?" Bakura nodded his head at the building. The wind tugged at his long silver hair; making it perform a dance full of chaos and mystery. I mentally slapped myself. There were many more important things to think of right now than Bakura's hair.
"I think this might be it. Wait here for me please," I ask them while beginning my ascend up the fire escape.
"Fine," Marik wined, "Let us know if you need help."
"Mhm. I will," I found a shattered window near the top floor. Well half of it was shattered. The other half of it was jagged and covered in dust and sea salt. I climbed through the window; feeling one of the glass shards pierce my side and drag it's sharp claws downward splitting the flesh. I eventually wiggled my way through the broken window; a few scratches here and there, but nothing fatal. Nothing I cannot handle.
I glide silently towards the door located on the other side of the dark room. I placed my ear to the door to listen for any sound whatsoever. I heard nothing. I cracked the door open; the pitch blackness of the hallway rushing up to meet me. This is going to be tricky.
I slid out of the room and moved slowly down the hall. I carefully felt around with my feet before taking the steps forward. Thankfully, the hallway was remarkably clear considering it was an abandoned building. I crept to the end of the hallway and was met with another flight of stairs. I descended what must have been seven or eight stories before entering what looked like a lobby at one point. There was a desk in the center of the room covered in dust and facing where the door use to be. The main entrance and the windows were all shut up tight with large planks of wood. The air was stale and heavy making it difficult to breathe. I heard a rustle of chains off to the side. I held my breath and bit the inside of my lip while I approached the direction the noise had come from.
"Yugi?" I whispered. A faint groan responded to my query. I rushed forward nearly tripping over him. He groaned; his head falling forward even more. I cupped his face in my hands and raised his head for me to see his face. He looked worse than what I had originally thought. His lip was busted; blood clotted on the swollen appendage. He had scrapes and bruises all over his face and a bright purple black eye. I growled. The fucker is really going to pay for this.
Yugi didn't stir as I moved his head around; his eyes remained closed. I gently lower his head back to the position it had been I reached over his head and began fumbling with the shackles attached to his wrists. They were thick and made from a metal that was impossible to break. Shit. How am I going to get him out of this?
I cupped his face once more and shook him gently, "Yugi."
"Mmmm," he moaned.
"Yugi, please wake up," I trace the side of his face with my fingers.
"Mmm.." I muttered again.
"Where's the key? I can't get you out of these shackles without it," I ask him hoping that he will be conscious enough to understand.
"Mmmmhmhm," he groaned a little louder; his head lifting on its own momentarily before dropping back into my grasp, " ….a…ra," he whispered.
"What was that?" I ask leaning my ear closer to his mouth.
"Ba…kur..a.." he repeated, "B…a..ku…r.a.. knows…how..to," his talking ceased; filling the room with ear piercing silence.
I nuzzles his face and whisper into his ear, "Bakura knows how to…"
"Pick locks," his voice came out cracked and strained but audible enough to hear and understand. I had to go back upstairs and get Bakura.
"Okay. I will return with him. Hang in there, Yugi," I placed a chaste kiss on his cheek and turned to head back upstairs. I moved as quickly as I could without making any noise until I came to what I thought was door to the room with the broken window.
I held my breath as I pushed the door open and released it in a puff of relief when I saw the familiar window. Some of my blood still stuck on the glass. I strode over to the window and stuck my head out.
"Bakura," I hissed down the fire escape.
"What's up?" the silver haired albino glanced up at me.
"He's here. I need your help to pick the locks," I comment. No time to go into details. He nodded curtly and waited for Marik to pull the fire escape down for him as well. The albino glided swiftly up the side of the building and climbed easily through the jagged window without a scratch. How in the hell does he move like that?
"Where is he?" Bakura arched his eyebrow at me.
"This way," I motioned for him to follow me. I seriously can't believe this rescue is going to be this easy. There is just no way. Bakura and I make our way down the hallway and back down the flights of stairs to the main lobby of the building.
"He's.." I begin only to be interrupted by Bakura.
"I see him," he hissed, "And I am going to cut off the balls of the fucker who did this to him and use them as marbles."
"Good luck with that. You would be better off using a grain of sand as a marble than this man's balls," I comment with a sneer.
"And how would you know this?" he arched an eyebrow at me as we made our way over to Yugi.
"It's what I've heard," I smirked. Bakura will need to get in line to punish the kidnapper. I plan to skin him alive and then kill him.
The albino reached into his back pocket to pull out a small set of lock picking tools. After several minutes of maneuvering one of the tools around in the lock, I heard a click. Yugi's body fell forward into my arms. He didn't even have the strength to stand on his own.
"Well…well…well… Isn't this a pleasant surprise. You are a tad early, Yami Boy!" a sinister and annoying voice filled the room. The sound made my skin crawl. I clutched Yugi close to me, I will die before I let this man touch another hair on Yugi's head. It's time for some payback.