Chapter 29: The Coffee Business
"The old Blue Dorm. Before the school attained university status, the Medici building was a dormitory for the highest-ranked students. During one summer about fifty-four years ago, the students suddenly disappeared. All investigations turned up nothing, and so the dorm became forbidden from use. The administration released a cover-up story claiming the students were studying abroad. Several select students actually did study abroad to lend credence to the claim. That was the origin of the study-abroad program here. It was also the origin of dozens of Duel Academy rumors.
"The building being haunted was among the first of the rumors to rise. A professor allegedly established a chemistry laboratory for creating zombies through alchemy. Supposedly the disappearing students completed some sort of black magic ritual that imbued the entire building with shadow magic. One unsubstantiated event involved a shadow god trapping the entire world in a World of Darkness until he was defeated by a Duel Academy student."
"What's the World of Darkness?" Tai asked. Of all the terms found within the documents he and Cary were researching, that one stood out. It sounded like the Shadow Realm, but he discovered already that in documents like these, different terms usually require different concepts.
"It is somewhat like purgatory," Cary answered. "It is a perpetual, near-death state in which people live visions of their dreams being crushed. The process repeats ad infinitum until the person relinquishes individuality and accepts union with the god; therefore, it is torturous for those with strong wills. Anyone absorbed into this version of purgatory is erased from the memories of all other people."
"Odd addendum. So if this World of Darkness is beyond human memory, how did even this one rumor come to exist?"
"Apparently it is a lot like dreaming. You forget about it as you awaken, but for that first little while, the opportunity exists to write down all recollections. Two people did so, and so researchers came to the conclusions of a purgatory world. Anyway, it's not the rumors that caused them to get rid of the Abandoned Dorm and replace it with the Medici building."
Tai knew that part. "Right. The fire. But I never did find a cause of the fire. Investigators found no accelerants, but the point of origin was in the records room on the first floor. The two big rumors were that either it burned down by one of the shadow god's minions, or the school's administrators burned it down to hide the fact that they were covering up the murders of the missing students."
"The cover-up is certainly possible, but it doesn't withstand the stupidity test," Cary declared. "Whether the students were murdered or they just disappeared, burning down the building and all the records of those students would draw only bad publicity no matter how the media spun the tale. I never thought I'd be turned to this line of thinking, but the idea of something supernatural burning down the building actually seems more likely, given the track record of this school."
"I've seen some pretty weird things, too," Tai admitted, though he knew better than to go into detail. He figured Cary was as trustworthy as anyone he ever met, but he couldn't divulge military secrets to anyone. On the other hand, Cary was incredibly useful as a researcher, and could easily build her own career in the military if she so chose. Tai tried to convince her to join Naval Intelligence, but that same strong will that would make her successful also pushed her toward a career in journalism and knocked the military as "not my thing."
"Well, I doubt even a fighter pilot has seen something as weird as a rift in the space-time continuum."
Tai's response was, "Does an interdimensional doorway count?"
"Why? Have you seen one?"
"Of course not," he replied. "I was just being sarcastic."
She just hummed an affirmative hum. "Well, the official zoning records suggest the building was intentionally demolished because the building no longer suited provincial codes. Bringing the building up to code would have been too expensive, and so they razed it instead. The alleged realization that the building wasn't up to code came on the same day a scientist claimed there was a tear in the space-time continuum beneath the building."
"Obviously he's crazy."
"Obviously. Or quite possibly, someone found out what happened to the missing students. Here's the thing: The so-called 'crazy scientist' was a professor who was the faculty advisor of the blue dorm during that summer when the students went missing. He showed up without having aged a day, his eyes were all glassed over, and he made wild claims repeatedly. Most notably, he said the day would soon come when the world would be drawn into the rift and replaced with darkness."
"There's an original prediction of the world's end," Tai remarked. "So how come the administration didn't bother to squash that sentiment and abolish its connection to the school?"
"Every doomsayer gets followers," Cary explained. "There's still one website out there touting the end of the world by being drawn into the underworld."
"People are amazing, aren't they?" Cary didn't have more to add. She just watched him for a moment. "So, what does that mean for us?"
"It basically means no one knows exactly what happened to the Abandoned Dorm except possibly Seto Kaiba himself, and there's no way we're likely to get an audience with him to answer our questions."
"There must still be something for us to do. What if we go examine the basement of the Medici building again?"
Cary shrugged. "We can give it a shot, but I don't really expect to find much down there. Then again, we're pretty much out of options, so what the hell?"
"That's the spirit."
Leaving the comfort of Cary's dorm room opened up more risk of being overheard. Sure, there was some risk involved in spending so much time in her room with the door shut, but she figured it was better everyone think they were dating than everyone know they were researching the Abandoned Dorm and Kaiba Corp.'s part in the coverup. The duo headed to the Medici building in the middle of the day, Tai helping to relax by commenting that maybe they'd find out the old blue dorm was only demolished so they could build an even bigger ego trip for the duelists in blue.
Of course, getting inside a VIP building without alerting anyone to their presence was difficult. The building was locked by card keys the same way hotel rooms get locked. Fortunately, Cary was able to develop a sort of lock pick unit for the card reader. Using her connections with an office assistant in the registrar's office, she obtained a blank card that could anonymously unlock any card reader on campus.
"Does this count as breaking in entering?" Tai asked jokingly.
"Depends. Are we going by the word of law?"
On their way to the basement, they passed by a handful of Titus employees who were staying in the Medici Building. The coffee company footed the bill for managers who wished to stay on campus and earned a certain dueling level among the rest of the company. As Matt summarized, they were the people most likely to win their duels and the least likely to pay taxes. Every one of them looked like a management-type—arrogant, bossy, and only marginally competent. All of them noticed Cary and Tai, even without wearing their Academy jackets, but none of them had the time to waste asking if they were really management. Titus often did promote managers right out of college, and the younger kids were often the best duelists.
Tai took the dumbwaiter down to the basement first. Being bigger than Cary, he was clumsier sliding his way down there. More than once he suffered a brief bout of claustrophobia and wished the dorm were still abandoned so he could just break a hole in the floor and use a ladder to get down there. Cary was able to slide in smoothly and slip down to the basement without drawing too much attention to the dumbwaiter.
"I don't see any space-time rifts," Tai admitted. "At least nothing that a flashlight could show. What would it look like, anyway?"
"I thought you'd seen one before."
"I never saw it. I was kidding."
"Well, I don't really know what it would look like. If it were like a black hole, then it's obvious none exists here because there's no gravity sucking everything in." She continued to scan the room methodically, drawing her flashlight slowly across the ceiling and lowering it just slightly as she spiraled through the room. "If it's like Doctor Who, then we're not likely to see as much as we'd chance upon its effects. Random beings from another dimension showing up on campus, for example."
"I can't say it's impossible, but it does seem far-fetched. Do you think whatever rift was here got sealed up when the building was razed?"
"Quite possibly. If it was a portal opened by some kind of ritual, it may have sealed when the god was defeated. I guess we have previous generations of Duel Academy students to thank for that."
They spent a few more minutes searching for any hint of a space-time rift. Tai wasn't foolish enough to think he would find one, but at this point, it was really all that was left. Their research hit a wall, which meant his mission ended in failure. He was willing to accept it given the efforts of all who came before him, but he really hoped he didn't have to stop here.
Just as he was about to suggest abandoning the current quest, his phone began to ring. The volume apparently startled Cary so much that she knocked over two piles of furniture and what sounded like a thousand crystal chandeliers.
"Are you okay?" Tai asked before picking up his phone.
She took a deep breath and said, "Your phone is too loud." She turned toward him and flinched when she looked into the light he had on her face. "I wasn't scared," she insisted.
Rather than mock her, he said, "It's the Captain. Hang on a minute." He pressed a button and held the phone to his ear. "Yes, Captain?"
"Tai. How are things at the Academy?" Mitsuro was never really one for small talk. Actually, Tai knew her well enough to know this was her idea of small talk. By not asking specific questions about the mission, she was showing her trust in Tai to get it done in her absence.
"It's still here," he answered sarcastically. Thinking about the rumors of the abandoned dorm burning down, he added, "Legally, things are a little gray, but…"
"You been breaking and entering?"
"No." Tai paused for a moment and looked around, wondering if she could actually see him when she asked that. "Why did you jump to that conclusion so quickly? Have you been breaking and entering?"
Mitsuro also paused before answering, "No." The thought made him chuckle.
He wanted to ask about Santa Barbara and the Thelemic Pantheon, but he figured she wouldn't answer. Clearing his throat, he told her the synopsis of the campus events: "Anyway, I think this big tournament is keeping everyone's attention. If I weren't filling my free time with research into magic and Shadow Realms, I might be able to duel more often."
"Sorry, Tai. I really didn't intend this to be a social call."
"Yeah, I know," he said with a laugh. "I just wanted to see how long you'd let me talk."
"Keep an eye out for the names Starza Almasi, Salman Nazari, Tobias Joly, and Lorn Kruse. They apparently have some kind of belief in magic that sounds an awful lot like the Shadow Realm."
With his hand covering the microphone, he repeated the names to Cary to take notes. "Anything you need help with?"
"Maybe. At least I have Bryan here with me for backup in a pinch. Just let me know if you find anything. I get the feeling this little trip to the Thelemic Pantheon was not entirely coincidental."
Next thing, Tai heard a scratching sound and the phone clicked off. "I guess she had to run," he concluded.
"Is she alright?"
"The Captain will be fine. I've seen her handle some overwhelming odds."
"I'm sure. She's been given the rank of Captain without even graduating college. Starza Almasi… I've heard that name before. She's some kind of archaeologist, I think."
"You think those four names will help us?"
Cary freely admitted she didn't have a clue. "Considering we just hit a dead end on the Abandoned Dorm thing, at least it's something. I guess we head back upstairs. I'm first this time." Tai allowed her request without making any comments about her being afraid of the dark. He just waited patiently until he heard the door to the dumbwaiter open on the ground floor and Cary slid out.
When he heard the door slam shut, he also heard two voices. One belonged to Cary, and another belonged to a man. He didn't sound very old, but he definitely caught Cary red-handed as she emerged from the dumbwaiter. Tai couldn't understand the conversation perfectly through the dumbwaiter, but he was able to discern the predictable stuff, such as "What were you doing in there?" and "Who are you?" He figured there was no use hiding out down there. Mr. Curious would come find him eventually.
He pulled the dumbwaiter back down to the basement level and heard the distinct question, "What's that? Is someone else down there?" Tai shook his head and took what he hoped would be the very last look he ever gave to that small dumbwaiter. The sweetest breath came when he opened the door and smelled fresh coffee on the man talking to Cary. He wasn't more than an inch or two taller than Tai, but he had a pretty stout build. His dark hair accented his sharp, green eyes, and his tanned complexion indicated his time in the sun. He wore fairly expensive duds—nothing fancy, but sewn from nice materials.
"So much for that," Cary mumbled as Tai climbed out of the dumbwaiter.
"Zak Orda," the man said as he extended a hand to Tai. With a smirk on his face, he asked, "What were you two doing?"
Tai had a pretty strong poker face no matter the opponent or the circumstance. Even in a situation like this, he felt he had a good grasp on what to say to avoid drawing too much suspicion to himself and the basement of the building. But Cary's wit and speed reminded him what he missed by attending a private school.
Her selected response was, "I can tell you what we weren't doing, and that's successfully finding one place to keep us a secret." When she saw Tai's surprised reaction, she dryly replied, "Oh, please. We're practically caught in the act. Might as well get it out there. Besides, he's not a student, so who's he going to tell?"
Zak held the smirk like it was pasted on there. "You're in college. Why does it matter if anyone knows you're together?"
Cary sighed. "I'm a blue. He's a red."
"Ah, I get it. He's a freshman and you don't want that getting around." He feigned pulling a zipper across his lips. "My lips are sealed."
"Good. See? Not a bad guy."
As she awkwardly took Tai's hand—totally an act for Zak's sake—the decadent man spoke up before they got far. "Any chance one of you is still eligible for the GX Tournament?"
Tai turned to look. "Why do you ask?"
"Well, I figure anyone who can slip into a locked building and into the basement without notice has probably got some skill at dueling. And I get a bonus for every medal I amass through this tournament. So what do you say? Fair trade for my silence on the matter, wouldn't you say?"
"It is," Tai agreed. Cary looked annoyed, but Tai would probably make the same request in Zak's shoes, and so he was willing to accept the challenge. "We still don't know what to do next," he whispered to Cary. "I'll accept his challenge and you can get out of here. You know, separately from me?"
Cary grinned. "Is my ruse making you uncomfortable? You worried about what Mitsuro would say?"
"You've got the wrong impression," Tai said without losing his cool. "She's my Captain."
"Well, I'll get check out the names your captain gave us. You go have fun with the tournament. Try not to lose."
"Good advice, thanks."
When Cary headed out, Zak asked if she was trying to avoid making it look like she and Tai were leaving together, and Tai allowed that assumption. He assured Zak that Cary was a tough woman who was as intelligent as she was attractive.
"Shall we get started?"
"Out front?" Zak offered.
Looking somewhat hesitant, Tai requested, "Well, how about we head out toward the quad a little ways? I don't want to be in full view of the rest of Titus's bigwigs. Last thing I need when I win is a barrage of challenges from the guys at the top."
"Confident for a kid, but that's fair enough."
"I'm at least three years older than you," Tai replied. "I'd guess you're about twenty-five."
"Good guess," Zak confessed with a surprised look. "That makes you pretty old for a freshman."
"Some people don't get accepted into Duel Academy right out of high school."
"Yeah, I remember. I graduated from here a few years ago."
"Yeah? So you probably still know a few people on campus. Maybe even a few of the ghost stories about that building right there." They were walking away, but the Medici building was still in sight as he pointed.
"There are as many ghost stories about that place as there are students in the Academy. And as someone who has spent several nights there without any sort of repercussion, I can assure you they are all urban legends." His tone was one of disappointment.
"You don't sound thrilled to be back."
Zak laughed. "Unfortunately, the passion for dueling dies quickly when you realize how hard it is to be the best. With about a thousand professional duelists out there, it can be awfully tough to make a living with it."
"But you found another passion in brewing coffee."
"Oh, coffee got me through school. There was hardly a single morning when all the students in my wing didn't line up to get a cup of what I had brewing. I put together dozens of flavors and combinations, but I never once had a complain that didn't start with, 'I wanted more.' Looking for some kind of work until I figured out what to do, I started at a coffee shop in town. Didn't take long for me to get promoted with my kind of vigor. From sales management to supply to warehouse site leader, I jumped straight up. I even got to meet Mr. Joseph Titus directly on a number of occasions, most recently of which he asked me to help out in this tournament."
Tai said, "You must be a little better duelist than your graduation let on for you to last this long. At this point, we may only have forty or so duelists remaining. That's pretty well narrowed down considering the rivalry between Mr. Titus and Mr. Kaiba."
"Joseph helped me figure out how to transform the passion I feel for brewing into the passion of a duel. Now I am able to feel my cards responding to my very soul."
"Sounds like you're going to be one tough customer."
"Nervous all of a sudden?"
"I didn't say you'd win. I just don't think it will be easy."
By this point, they were out of sight of the Medici building, past the fine arts building and at the southern end of the quad. Zak used this location to extend his challenge a second time. Now Tai was ready to begin the duel.
"What do you think of this Deck Master system?" Zak asked. He placed a card on the center of his Duel Disk and summoned a heavy suit of green armor with a shield on its right arm. "I'm a huge fan of it. This Zaku II leader really gives my deck a nice edge."
"I've appreciated it," Tai agreed as he summoned a tall, broad machine, mostly white in color with prominent red along its arms and chest, called Gundam Heavyarms.
"Well, let's just see who has the better grasp of the system. Mind if I go first?" Tai consented with a motion that looked like a sideways nod with a half shrug. "Good. It's just a simple move here: I'm gonna set one monster in defense mode. And that's all."
Suddenly the robot standing beside Tai seemed to disconnect its shoulders from its chest, revealing two hidden cannons. A loud crack preceded two missiles being launched at Zak directly while the exhaust gases spewed backward and engulfed Tai. The Life Point counters on each duelist's arm lowered by 400.
"What was that?" Zak asked.
"My Deck Master's effect," Tai answered. "Every End Phase, we each take 400 points of damage."
"During every turn, you would sacrifice five percent of your Life Points?"
"I like to duel fast. Can you keep up?"
Zak smiled. "I like you. You've got a good attitude for management. You'd fit in well with the Titus Corporation. You know we've started a gaming division, right? You should consider it. I may be able to put in a good word with the boss."
"Something to keep in mind," Tai said. His tone suggested he wasn't listening to Zak's meaning but just trying to push the conversation along. He played a monster that looked like a red, humanoid robot about half Tai's height. "Robot Mk-2 (3/1500/1000) in attack mode. And I'll attack." The robot prepared a small laser blast from its wrist.
"No, you won't." The green suit of armor turned toward Tai and intercepted the robot's attack with the shield on its arm. "I get exactly three uses of this effect, but Zaku II negates your monster's attack."
"I've gotten used to that," Tai replied with the same tone. "Part of why I use this Deck Master. I'll set two cards and end my turn." His machine opened its arms and fired two more missiles.
Tai 7600 – 400 = 7200: Zak 7600 – 400 = 7200.
"That's a good start. I'll flip my Zaku I (3/1200/1300) to summon a second from my deck." On his field appeared two suits of armor, much bulkier than the one selected as a Deck Master, colored as if blue skin wore gold clothes. "And now two monsters make a good Tribute for Sazabi (8/2600/3000)." The new monster was a massive suit of armor, deep red in color armed from the wide legs to the bulky shoulder guards with weapons, including a missile pod on each shoulder. "This one's my favorite armor class."
"It looks powerful," Tai agreed. "Powerful enough for me to activate Rivalry." A Trap rose from the ground with the image of a white machine preparing to launch a wrist-mounted missile at a nearly identical red machine with the same wrist-mounted missile. "If either of us wants to attack, we're going to pay 500 Life Points first."
"Can't have a big business without a little risk," Zak said. "I'll pay the 500 and attack your Robot Mk-2 (1500)." Six missiles launched from the missile pods on Sazabi's shoulders, turned in the air, and converged on Tai's robot, obliterating it and flinging shrapnel around the field.
"In a modest effort to gain an advantage, I'll respond with Operation Meteor." His Trap bore the image of a machine plummeting through the earth's atmosphere in a bright pink fire. "With this effect, after I take Battle Damage, you take 200 points of damage for each card in your hand. I do believe that's 1000 points.
"In addition to the damage, destroying Robot Mk-2 cuts the attack points of your armor by half." Flecks of red shrapnel from the explosion stuck to Sazabi's (-1300) armor and reduced its power significantly.
"Well played. I'll set one card, too. And I guess it's time for your Deck Master to blast us both again."
Tai 7600 – 1100 – 400 = 6100: Zak 7600 – 500 – 1000 – 400 = 5600.
Zak took in a deep breath. "Do you know the greatest thing about coffee?"
"Eight dollars a cup?"
"The smell. There is nothing more intoxicating than a freshly brewed cup. It doesn't even have to be brewed. Even a big whiff of coffee grounds can wake a person right up. It is nature's most perfect creation. Coffee has a multitude of uses."
Tai had a hard time thinking of how useful coffee was outside of waking up. "Throwing it in someone's face?"
"It can sober up a drunk person and alleviate a hangover."
"Not really true. I think the Mythbusters debunked that one already."
"Be that as it may, it certainly perks me up when I've had a little too much."
"Caffeine will perk you up but it won't neutralize alcohol. Or get it out of your system any faster. Does your play involve coffee, or are you just trying to chew my ear in hopes that I'll forget how to fight back against your red giant?"
"Just a conversation," Zak said with a grin. "Coffee is what drives young duelists who stay up all night learning to be great."
"Right. Well, I'll summon Altron Gundam (4/1500/1700)." The monster was a robotic suit of armor, mostly white with prominent turquoise. Though the arms ended in hands, extensions with yellow claws were available on the forearms. "It's just enough stronger than Sazabi (1300) now to clear the field." The white armor converted the claws and swiped through the bigger, red armor, but it failed to destroy it.
"Sazabi can only be destroyed by a monster with 4000 or more attack points," Zak explained. "That will make it very difficult for you to destroy it."
"One more card and I'll end my turn." And with the end of his turn came the launch of more missiles from his Deck Master as Gundam Heavyarms attacked both duelists again.
Tai 6100 – 500 – 400 = 5200: Zak 5600 – 400 = 5200.
"In terms of total net worth," Zak interjected, "the Titus Industries are worth more than Kaiba Corp. People will always want coffee. It's like a drug. Our coffee is even popular internationally. I spent some time working in a pre-customs facility, and we ship so much overseas that you will never find a better smelling place to work."
"Duly noted."
Zak picked up on Tai's weakening patience. "Alright. I'll drop it for now. To begin my turn, I'll remove a Zaku I from my Graveyard in order to keep Sazabi on the field. I'll equip it with Elmeth." A green, mouse-shaped ship flew onto the field and docked into Sazabi's (+2500) shoulder pods. "Now my card gets another 1200 points. I suppose I'll set one more card, but I'll also attack." The massive red armor enacted its counterattack against the white armor, using the green ship to release a laser that struck the field and appeared to rip the earth straight up.
"Well, one point of consolation is I get to summon another machine from my deck. I choose Deathscythe Gundam (5/2000/2500)." This robotic armor was black and carried a lengthy scythe in its right arm.
Tai 5200 – 1000 – 400 = 3800: Zak 5200 – 500 – 400 = 4300.
"Good," Zak said. "We're pretty evenly matched. But I'm starting to edge ahead of you."
"Maybe it's the caffeine. I'll play Robot Mk-4 (3/1400/1600)." This small robot was identical to the earlier model save the color; this one was green. "I'll play my Trap, Resupply the Ships." A small airship shot through the air and hovered beside Tai's deck, extended a hose to refuel his hand. "It lets me draw two cards. This seems a good time to activate Deathscythe's effect. By cutting its points in half, it can attack you directly." The armor with the enormous scythe disconnected pieces of the armor in order to slip across the field faster and more nimbly, striking at Zak until Zaku II's shield intercepted the assault.
"That's attack negation number two," Zak decided out loud. "I only get one more, but it was worth it here."
"Good move," Tai agreed. "I'll set a card and end my turn."
Tai 3800 – 500 – 400 = 2900: Zak 5200 – 400 = 3900.
"Ohh! I think I've got you beat here," Zak said with growing excitement in his voice. He removed another Zaku to keep Sazabi. "I'll summon Gouf (4/2000/2000)." A blue suit of armor, with spikes on the shoulders and a whip-like cable extending from its arms, appeared on the field. "First Sazabi (2500) will clear your Deathscythe (2000) from the field." The red armor released another focused laser beam and exploded Tai's entire field. "And now Gouf will clear your Robot Mk-4 (1400)." The blue armor whipped harshly and tore straight through the green robot. "And here's the kicker: Gouf gets to attack twice during the Battle Phase of the turn it's summoned."
"Not this one," Tai argued. The explosion of Robot Mk-4 caused a high-pressure burst of air that forced Gouf off the field and into Zak's hand. "When Robot Mk-4 is destroyed, the attacking monster returns to the owner's hand."
Zak nodded approvingly. "You saw this coming, didn't you? I reiterate that I would love to introduce you to Joe and get you a spot in Titus's management chain."
Tai 2900 – 500 – 600 – 500 = 1300: Zak 3900 – 500 – 500 – 400 = 2500.
"Unfortunately, I can't take credit for predicting that move. I'm just winging it and hoping for the best. And all I've got right now is one monster facedown and Heavyarms Assault." When his Spell resolved, his Deck Master stepped up and launched a barrage of smaller missiles at Zak. These missiles were small enough not to inflict blowback on Tai. "It inflicts 2000 points on you, but I can't attack this turn. I can't attack anyway, though, so I figure the downside's not too big." And Heavyarms Gundam launched one more assault, this time with the bigger missiles that struck both duelists.
Tai 1300 – 400 = 900: Zak 2500 – 2000 – 400 = 100.
"This is my last chance," Zak recognized. "If I don't attack hard and fast, that Gundam Heavyarms will end me."
"I reckon that's about right."
Zak shook his head. "I hate to admit it, but this is a situation I find myself in only once every thousand duels or so. I am unable to make a move now. If I end my turn, your Deck Master takes the last of my Life Points. But I can't attack without paying the rest of my Life Points to do so. And no Spell or Trap in my hand will change those two truths. I concede the duel to you here." He extended his hand.
"Thanks," Tai replied as he accepted Zak's GX medals. With a curious look on his face, he asked, "What did you mean about the multitude of coffee uses?"
"If you join the organization, we'll talk," Zak said. "You care to talk about it over business dinner tonight? Titus is paying."
"Raincheck. I've got a class from five until eight. But thanks for the offer." They parted ways with a certain level of friendship between them, yet Tai was still a bit suspicious. He called Cary just to find out what she could make of it.
"What do you use coffee grounds for?"
"Some people filter hot water through it and drink it. Did you just learn where Titus earned all their money?"
"I get the feeling there's something more there," Tai suggested. "I have no real basis for it other than a real bad hunch I get when I talk to that guy Zak. Is there anything else you can think of? Coffee grounds…"
There was silence on the line for a moment. "Well, I know of one other thing, but if you want research into that, you're going to have to approach Sergeant Baker or even Captain Rader because I'm pretty sure drug trafficking is over my head."
Tai thought about what Zak said, that Titus is worth more than Kaiba. "Is it possible Titus Industries engages in drug trafficking?"
Little plot point I didn't plan to add. I know where it's going, though, so don't worry about how it plays out. It won't take long.
One thing this chapter assured for me is that duels involving fake cards are really tough to write. I don't think I'll accept such decks anymore. The decks by both players are based on Gundam, a series in which I've never seen a single episode. Could you tell?
The next chapter will pit another OC against some of Titus's worst members. Knowing the competition has little to do with a single victor and more to do with depleting Kaiba's resources, they commit themselves to a bit of Duel Disk hacking and introduce the Battle Royale format against a single student. Could even the legendary King of Games win against three powerful opponents simultaneously?
Credits:
Tai Ishihara...ZAFT Prime
Zak Orda...Titanic X
