HE couldn't see when the lid was opened; the light above his head was too bright. It was like looking into the sun.

Mokuba groaned and shut his eyes.

Had he been thinking coherently, he might have wondered how he must look. Haggard, pale, sickly…three days without food and barely enough water to survive did that to a person. He was stiff…he couldn't move his legs. It hurt to even try to move his arms. He didn't even have the presence of mind to stretch out while he had the chance, or to look around to try to find some sign of where he was.

Ice-cold water was suddenly thrown into his face.

He licked at the water desperately, trying to salvage some of it. He was so thirsty…God, was he thirsty. What water he managed to swallow tasted sweeter than the finest wine.

The water woke him up somewhat, and he managed to focus his eyes.

He knew the man standing over him.

This was the first time he'd seen anything but blackness since he'd been knocked out inside the funhouse, and it wasn't a pleasant sight. He could hardly believe it, but his eyes didn't lie…or if they did, he didn't know it.

It was Enoch Franks.

"My partner has finally found the time to visit you," he said, crossing his arms. "Like I've said before: be on your best behavior. If not, you'll most assuredly be hurt." Here he chuckled, eyes glinting with sadistic amusement. "…More than expected."

He couldn't find the strength to speak.

A second man stepped inside the room, whatever it was, and Mokuba was surprised to discover that he recognized this one, too.

Now it made sense.

All those weird looks, all the greasy smiles, all the seemingly innocent queries on what he liked to do…that so obviously fake small talk, that so obviously fake laugh…that so obviously fake amiability.

Spencer Kaine.

Mokuba had never liked the man…he'd never liked any of them. But Kaine was worse than the others. Kaine had made him feel odd. Now he understood why. Now, all the things that Kaine had done fell into place, like in a puzzle long left unsolved.

He suddenly wished he had told his brother more about the man…but he'd only mentioned it a couple of times.

His newfound ability to think clearly didn't help him any.

Kaine smiled that shark's grin of his, running a hand over his thinning dark gray hair. "Well, well…you look familiar," he said. "You know…I think I remember someone who looked just like you…his name was Mokuba Kaiba, I believe…but you know? It's the saddest thing. He died."

Mokuba would have glared at him, but he couldn't. His head hurt too much. He needed food. He needed more water. He needed out of this box he was in.

He needed his brother.

"S-Seto…"

Kaine raised an eyebrow. "Oh, yes…Seto Kaiba is taking it rather hard. I feel sorry for the poor man…so young to have lost his precious little brother…oh, it's so sad…don't you agree, Enoch?"

"Indeed," Franks said.

Kaine slowly approached him, that same grin plastered on his pockmarked face. He knelt down next to Mokuba and reached out a hand. Mokuba flinched at the man's touch; it felt wrong, like eels or maggots on his skin. He made a small whine of protest, wishing desperately that he had the strength to smack the offending hand away.

So disoriented was he that he didn't realize that, even if he'd had the strength, it wouldn't have mattered. His hands were bound.

Kaine's hand began sneaking down the boy's face, to his neck, over his shirt and up under it, caressing his chest. Mokuba closed his eyes tightly, struggling not to cry.

Seto…Seto…I want my Seto! Where's my Seto!

"Aren't you a handsome boy…?" Kaine murmured like a cat's purr, sending a shiver down Mokuba's spine. "Yes…quite exquisite, you are…do you know that, my pet…? Do you know how handsome you are…?"

Mokuba whimpered.

Kaine's hand left his shirt and lowered further, undoing his belt and slipping down under his jeans. Mokuba's eyes snapped open, and he tried to move, to kick, to strike, to do something! This couldn't be happening! It couldn't!

The hand squeezed, hard, and Mokuba yelped in pain.

"Oh…did I hurt you, my pet…? I'm sorry…I'll be gentler, I promise…"

Kaine's tone said he wasn't. He wasn't sorry at all.

Clenching his teeth, the youngest Kaiba tried to think of his brother. Seto would be here soon…Seto would save him. Seto would show this bastard.

It was the only thing that kept him from screaming when Kaine began to lower his jeans and underwear. When he felt his legs being lifted into the air, it was only the thought of Seto that saved his sanity. When he heard Kaine whisper that this might hurt…it was only the thought of Seto that kept him alive.

When white-hot pain shot up his body and the blood began to flow, he couldn't think of anything.

"What do you want, Kaine?"

"Sir, you got my call!"

"What...do you want...?"

"Oh, I…it's just…you haven't been to work at all this week. I was just wondering when you'd be back."

"I'll be back when I decide to be back, Kaine. It's none of your business."

"Pardon me for saying this, sir, but I need to know. This is important. Conrad Faulkner from Omni-Soft called yesterday and wanted to know if you would be at the office tomorrow to meet with him."

"No."

"May I ask why, sir?"

"Ask Franks."

"W-What?"

"I told Franks that I would not be working until my brother is found. All projects are on hold. I will have no meetings, I will give no speeches, I will hear no proposals until Mokuba is found."

"I see…so it's true, is it? Master Mokuba is missing?"

"Yes."

"Have the police found anything?"

"No. Nothing. Not a damn thing…"

"What will you do, then, sir?"

"I'll try to find him myself."

"Well…tell me if I can do anything to help, sir."

"I'll do that."

He wouldn't.

Seto knew he wouldn't be asking Spencer Kaine for help. He wasn't going to ask anyone for help anymore…it was worthless to do so; he could only rely on himself. He didn't want Nathan or Noa involved, and Darren McKinley, who had kept in contact with him, had found nothing. If he was going to trust anyone, it would be those three, Noa before the other two, but he wasn't about to rely on them for anything...not anymore. If they found a way to help, he was fine with that, but he was going to move forward on his own.

He hung up the phone without another word and slumped down on the couch, looking at the television without really watching it. Nathan was playing the game Seto had made, but Seto wasn't interested. As he'd told Yami, games were trivial.

He was sick of games.

Games had been the source of everything that had gone wrong in his life. Games had caused him to be adopted by Gozaburo Kaiba. Games had caused him to ignore his brother. Games had caused him to rise to the top of the world only to fall. Games had caused his brother to be a target.

Games were worthless.

"Seto?"

Looking over at Noa, Seto tried to smile to reassure his brother, as he'd done so often for Mokuba, but he couldn't manage it.

"Are you all right, Brother?"

"…I have enough money. I think I'm going to sell Kaiba-Corp."

Noa's eyes went wide. "W-What…?"

"I have enough money to live in luxury for the rest of my life and still have millions left for any family I may end up having…I'm done with it. I don't feel like working anymore. I'm tired of it. I just want to stop."

Noa actually smiled, but it looked forced. "…If that's what you want, Seto."

"It is."

Seto knew what Noa was thinking. He was worried. This wasn't the Seto Kaiba he knew…the Seto Kaiba he knew was a workaholic. The Seto Kaiba he knew lived for work, lived for making money, for ensuring that his brothers were provided for.

Well, that Seto Kaiba was dead.

He was sick of it.

Fuck the business world.

What had it ever done for him?

I'm so evil...I'm going to hell for this chapter. I know it. I'm sorry if it was too graphic...I tried to keep it ambiguous, but who knows if I did a good job with it...? Anyway, now there isn't any question as to why Mokuba was abducted...no struggle for Seto's money this time. I, sadistic prick that I am, unearthed something worse.

Congratulations, Tawnykit. You were right. I'm surprised; I didn't think anyone would remember that strange reference to someone looking at Mokuba funny. But you did. And you were correct in your assumptions. It feels a bit like a Scooby Doo episode to me...who did it? The only other characters outside of the gang that I mentioned, that's who! Then again, maybe it feels far too obvious simply because I was the one who wrote it.

I don't know if this information means anything, but I feel like sharing it. The culprit, Franks's partner, was a tough one to name. I knew what he would do, but I wasn't sure what to call him. I first came up with the name Conrad Faulkner III (yes, like the writer), but that one didn't have the right feel. It sounded arrogant enough (the 'III' did that, I think), but not...evil enough. Then one day while trying to come up with a better name, I watched the first Resident Evil movie...and remembered the main villain's name: Spencer. And then, for some reason I don't know (perhaps the undead thing), I thought about the Soul Reaver games...and remembered the main villain's name: Kain. Ah! There we have it! Spencer Kain. I added the 'e' on impulse. So...Spencer Kaine became the villain, and Conrad Faulkner became the president of Omni-Soft. Yes, yes, a pointless little anecdote...just thought some of you might find that interesting.

Again...I'm sorry, Mokie! Honest, I am!