"What's going on?"

No answer.

"Where are you taking me?"

Still nothing.

Crow scowled miserably, all the while allowing his eyes to adjust to the growing darkness. Their footsteps echoed throughout the rusted corridor, though the sounds, along with the eroded walls captured only Crow's attention. The cool, humid air clung to his skin desperately, with soft, ghoulish howls resounding from the small, subtle breezes, giving way to frightful appellations only he would understand. He took in the almost haunting environment, before stealing a glance at Belial, who was just a few steps ahead of him. To his dismay, the man wasn't deterred by anything at all, from those pesky, irritating silhouettes, to even the slightest sounds that, unfortunately, scared Crow.

Still, Crow's eyes meandered to the manila folder in Belial's hands. Before long, he looked back up, and caught sight of a dim, nostalgic light up ahead. He froze for a single moment, wondering if he should even be here, when he heard Belial stop.

"Mr. Hogan," he called.

"What's that?" Crow demanded.

"A place."

"And what exactly is that place?"

"Depends on how much you know." he replied, and with that, he turned back, and went towards that golden light. Crow stared at the empty space for a while, before following Belial, his nerves already scolding him for doing so.

A few seconds later, Crow found himself in another lobby. Unlike the rest of the building, the golden lights provided Crow with a horror that only golden lights would reveal. Red stains splattered the walls, with a suspicious black that kept embracing the tattered rugs with ugliness. Broken chandeliers covered the vicinity, and along with it, large pieces of rock that held fast to shadows Crow didn't want to even think about. The scent of iron coated his nostrils, so much so he couldn't help but ponder on the nagging suspicion as to where the smell even came from. From up above, he saw the unstable balconies desperately clinging to the walls, all the while threatening to fall on top of the grounds it once happily served. The entire scene reminded him of the Satellite, though even his darkest memories it didn't seem to fit the Arcadia Movement. Still, he managed to keep walking.

Then, he bumped into something.

Crow blinked, before looking down. A large, brown box lay at his feet. It was about the same size as the box Marco usually hauls on trash days. The lid was scarcely open. He regarded it for some time, before looking up at Belial, who had a coy smile on his face. "What is this?" Crow asked.

"Not yet."

"Look pal. I'm getting a little tired of your games-!"

"This isn't a game, Mr. Hogan," Belial said darkly, causing Crow to fall silent. After a moment had passed, the man sighed, and threw the manila folder over to Crow.

He caught it easily in one hand, and stared at the blank surface. Though he was hesitant, he still opened the file. His eyes scanned the tiny numbers and words, not even bothering to read the texts. But when he saw a familiar face in the file, he froze.

Yusei.

A dark, icy look entwined in his eyes, alone with a small, serious frown upon his lips, even more serious than Crow remembered. He was dressed in a black jacket, with a black undershirt and black jeans, everything black. There weren't any yellow highlights in his hair, something Crow had become accustomed to, and even from the picture alone, Crow could tell that this Yusei was…different. He was more emotionless, ruthless, not at all the stoic friend he'd known.

Nikolai Alteo, was written underneath the picture.

"What is this?" he repeated finally.

"I'm sure you're aware of the circumstances." Belial came away from Crow, and leaned against the rocks, folding his arms across his chest. "Fallen has graciously stumbled across one of its former soldiers. Yusei Fudo, I take it?"

Crow looked up incredulously. "Soldiers?"

Belial nodded, as his gaze turned to the box at Crow's feet. "That's right."

"What-?"

"Back then, your friend was a soldier in our ranks," he began, ignoring Crow's attempts at interrupting, "and a highly valuable one at that. In my eyes, he had all the respect in the world, and all the power to command it. He also had a lot of influences, if you will, strong influences that let him do anything he wanted. Of course, he never had the drive to abuse his authority, or the patience, for that matter."

Crow scoffed, as he closed the file. "I've heard enough."

"Oh? Aren't you curious about the latest incidents? And what about the trouble your friend's gotten himself into?"

"If you're gonna make something up, then-"

"I assure you Mr. Hogan, it's all real." Belial took a deep breath, as he straightened himself, a more, relaxed look now on his face. It wasn't long before Crow followed his gaze toward the box. "I want you to look inside. Consider it a wake-up call."

Crow regarded the crazy person doubtfully. This guy can't be serious. He can't just pull some crap like this an expect Crow to laugh it all out. Jack was going to wake up, and Yusei should already be back from the festival by now. Besides, if something was bothering the guy, he knows he could always count on Crow and Jack. This wasn't exactly rocket science. And he was even starting to feel really bad about being here! Maybe Jack was right; Crow was probably just an idiot for even listening to this guy.

So why?

Why was he still here?

He clenched his fists. He shouldn't be doing this. He had faith in Yusei. They were childhood friends after all, best friends, practically brothers. Raised in the same orphanage, by the same parent, they've faced a lot together. Kalin, the Enforcers, the Dark Signers, and even now, with the WRGP; anything they did, they did together. That bond was something no one can take away, and it was that bond Crow put up with Jack.

So he should move away. There was nothing to see here, nothing at all that pertained to anything important. The guy was just a lunatic, an escapee from an asylum from far away. There was no way any of this was real.

"Go on," he heard Belial say.

But for some, strange reason, Crow obeyed.

He crouched down, opened the lid, and shifted through tiny bits of styrofoam, his eyes searching for something, anything, that would confirm his beliefs. Soon, he felt a small, hard thing. He blinked, before digging through the white, only to jump back, horrified by his discovery.

A small thing lay in his view. Its infantile mouth was closed, the desolation upon its now still lips a testament to the abandonment it must've felt. Black, ugly blobs on it skin lay on its abdomen, its hardened flesh little more than rock to Crow. It had its hands curled up in its chest, its legs folding its body into a neat, little ball. All the hair had fallen from its wrinkled skull, the dried, blue veins softly invading its mind. Its oversized head proved devastating, the cracks in it emphasized by the messily done stitches attached to its skin. If Crow squinted, he could even see the ribs from the child's emaciated frame. The fresh scent of disinfectant bombarded the iron in the air, so much so Crow had to turn away.

"Horrifying, isn't it?" Belial asked, in a gentle tone. Remorse touched his voice, as he walked over to Crow. He sat down, and stroked the thing's cheek. "A calcified child, and one of the victims of the Zero Reverse."

Crow blinked, as he slowly looked at Belial. "You…you know about that?"

"Boy, Fallen knows everything. Or at least," he continued, as he stood up sorrowfully, "I'd like to think so."

Crow struggled to breathe. His mind swirled with millions of thoughts, his eyes widening at the terror. He tried getting a hold of himself, trying to take comfort that, at the very least, nothing like that would happen again. The children in the photographs took hold of his brain…

"Well?" Belial pressed softly, not even bothering to look at Crow. "Don't you want to know who that person is?"

"I…I-"

He fell silent.

"The child you see there, is none other than Yusei Fudo."

There were thirty four men in total.

Ten were watching the hostages. Fifteen were on the balconies, with their eyes settled on the crowds, both inside and out. Nine of the men are outside, guarding the ballroom and making sure no one got in. They all had guns, and were more than willing to fire at innocent bystanders. Sector Security was made well aware of the fact, when they saw the now dead mother lying in a puddle of blood, as well as two of her children, both of whom are being treated for their wounds. Judging from the shot, the hijackers were all driven, all willing to put themselves in the line of fire, if only to make sure that they achieve whatever it was they had in mind. There was nothing that could be done to dissuade them, nothing at all the stop them from going on with their madness. Akiza had witnessed that first hand.

And yet, despite that, she still couldn't help but pay attention to the roses around their necks.

The roses on the festival-goers, as well as the men themselves.

For what purpose did those roses serve? Was it because they wanted to defect from their former comrades, to try and distinguish themselves as a more serious, more focused group? Was it because they wanted to make sure that people don't associate them with the failed mall incident, to be reminded of the terror they had only begun to strike in people? No, it was more than that, so much more. There was something else they had in mind, something more than just getting attention. They weren't doing this to make a political statement, nor were they doing this to represent some kind of anarchist faction. After all, if that was their goal, they would've made an announcement by now about it. They've already gotten people's attentions with their stunts, but that wasn't it, was it?

The pounding had continued on. Though Akiza didn't let it show on her face, she tightened her grip on Yusei's arm, if only to try and compensate for the pain. Yusei, much to her relief, made no objection, and instead, shifted his weight, so that he'd be in front of her.

She heard Sam snickering quietly. "Well, judging from the roses, I'm sure you're all aware of who we are. If you aren't, I was planning on introducing us anyways, so no hard feelings. I am, once again, Sam, a Rook to the Black Rose, as well as a candidate for the title. I swing both ways, and I am a beast in bed."

"Idiot," she repeated, causing Yusei to chuckle softly.

"Okay, blah blah, introductions. These are my soldiers…right! Soldiers. These beautiful pawns are my soldiers, all knights. They will heed to my every command, and I am proud of them for doing so. Right men?"

No answer.

Sam twisted back briefly, brushing aside the intentionally awkward moment. He turned back to the hostages, with the same grin on his face. He walked towards them, with both hands behind his back. "Now that that's out of the way, let's get down to business. We're looking for the Black Rose witch. No, not the duelist, but rather, our leader."

"What the hell does that have to do with us?!" one visitor screeched.

"Funny you asked," Sam replied playfully. "You see, we got a tip from a pretty little bird, saying he was going to be here. I figured he was a fan of horror movies, and since you sick freaks know about us, I thought, 'Hey, one of these freaks might know where he is'."

"Well we don't!" another cried out. "So let us go!"

"Sorry, no can do. You see, even though I've attended all the meetings, I've still got no idea what the guy looks like." Sam stated happily. "So as far as I'm concerned, none of you are leaving."

"Bull."

Slowly, Sam slid his gaze towards Akiza, who was, as of this point, outraged by the monstrosities around her. A devastating quiet came over the crowds then, though an amused grin bubbled on the creature's lips.

It was that very depiction that made Akiza want to rip out his mouth, right then and there, in front of everyone. She wanted to hear that mocking laughter reach her ears, wanted to hear the suffering pains the man will have to go through, as he tries to assuage his broken pride. She wanted to make him go through the same intimidation he put everyone here in, as well as indulge herself in the guilty pleasure of watching him drown in his own sins. Her own mark had little to do with anything anymore; she didn't feel intimidated by the use of her own powers.

In fact, she felt vivacious, excited.

Impatient.

What if, just out of a single mistake, you forget who's who?

Sam smirked. "You really are a feisty one."

Ten surrounding the crowds. "You've got no right to hold everyone in here."

"Please, this is our way of saying we don't need that witch. Starting today, we're free."

Fifteen in the balconies. "Free?"

"That's right sweetheart," Sam said, as he leaned against the columns. He shoved both hands in his pockets, and regarded her evenly. "This whole thing, really, is just a game to the Black Rose. He's the one putting all your lives on the line, not us."

And nine outside. "But who attacked us to begin with?"

"Fair point," he replies. "However, that witch should've known this from the start. Think of it this way; you order a bunch of subordinates not to attack the innocent, but right after that, you're offering up everything you've ever owned, your wealth, your resources, all the respect and power in the world. And right after that, you've come up with a way for your subordinates to disobey you…Let me ask you, why on earth would they carry out all your other orders?"

They all have black roses on their necks. "So you don't care if everyone here dies? You're fine with becoming a mass murderer?"

Sam chuckled. "I've been a mass murderer."

What if, in a single moment of desperation, you start losing track of every pawn around you?

Akiza scowled. "I have a hard time believing that."

Before you know it, you won't know who's a friend, who's a foe.

"That's the way of the world," he explained, as he shrugged his shoulders. "People turn against each other. The strong devour the weak; that's the natural way of things. You'll learn all about it, when you're older."

You'll be surrounded by paranoia, with your own emotions eating you alive, your own strategies turning against you.

"So then, this title," Akiza growled. "It's really worth the price of every life here?"

"It is."

You'll be helpless in your own filth, while you're struggling to find a way to try and, at the very least, regain some control.

"And this is all just some game to you?"

Sam clapped his hands. "Right! You got it! See, our witch told us, that if we could kill him, we can keep everything; the title, the money, the power, everything! See? Not so hard now, is it? Dirty, rotten monsters like us fight for these things, you know?"

"So…you think the Black Rose is here somewhere…"

"I am."

Just knowing where your pawns stand isn't enough to assert the fact that you're king.

Sector Security was outside, ready and waiting to come in. The festival-goers, as well as the hijackers, all have black roses around their necks. It's more than plausible to say that no one is in the security room, since Sam's suspicious enough to lay claim to the fact that the target is here, with the hostages. While it isn't enough to know if there is a blind spot, in the end that's one effective variable eliminated from the predicament. And even if all seeing eyes watching her moves, it's not hard to conceal just one tiny action amidst the fray. In fact, Akiza knew that if everyone started moving or jostling, even the most obvious of disturbances won't get caught.

The problem comes with the men outside. She already knows that the men won't hesitate to kill every single person here, and that would mean that the Black Rose witch would have more blood on his hands. Sam was probably one to disregard orders, and if he knew that the witch was here, watching everything, it would mean insubordination. If he was as hardened as Akiza thinks he is, that would mean the witch won't stand for something like this. While it's hard to reveal his identity, in front of this many people, it would mean she had an ally in him. But that didn't necessarily mean he was useful, in any way; after all, they were still trapped here, and to pick out the Black Rose from the crowds was as simple as finding Alexis at a train station.

Still, it wasn't a complete loss. Now Akiza knows where all the pieces are, on the board. Right now, Sam would be white, since he's made the first move. He's gotten everyone trapped, right where he thinks he wants them. The ones closet to the hostages are probably the nobles. No, the knights, since they have guns. Meanwhile, the ones on the balconies would be the bishops, since they're able to shoot from above. The people outside are the rooks; their shots alone are probably going to be the most unpredictable. And Sam stands, as the king.

But that wasn't right.

He doesn't have a gun, nor does he know what the witch looks like; in fact, he was about as blind as everyone here. Sociopathic, calm, and while he proclaims his men with an abnormal amount of praises, in the end, Akiza knew that he would disregard everyone's safety here, if only to get to the witch. So not only was he misinformed, but he can also get reckless, and, when the situation proved favorable, that would lead to his own downfall.

As Sam kept talking, going on and on about the cruelties of reality, of looking sideways to and from the inside of the ballroom, she flickered a simplistic look at Yusei.. His eyes met hers for a single, brief moment.

The ones at the front of the crowds, closest to the men, were going to be her strongest pieces. They'll grab the guns, and she'd force them back, away from the balconies, and behind the pillars. The ones in the middle are going to be more of an issue, since they can't get away safely. No, that's not right; as soon as they force the guards back, the ones in the middle will take advantage of the chaos, and hold those monsters down. They'll have to keep moving, but it'll give them time for the strong pieces move toward the balconies, ready to take down the gunmen. For the people outside, as soon as they see the commotion, Sector Security will barge in, and take on the gunmen from the outside. Everyone knew who Yusei was, so if they follow him, everyone can make it out, without anymore casualties for the day.

Yusei nodded.

She smiled warily, as the man turned around.

Sam moved when he wasn't supposed to. He thought, in this situation, his victory was the only thing that counted, and as a result, he let down his guard. He should've accounted for the fact that there'd be heroic individuals residing here, in this place, that there were people who were altruistic enough that they'd sacrifice themselves for a complete stranger.

The human heart, after all, was more influential than he possibly could've imagined.

She took a deep breath, and peered around her. Already the plan was circulating amongst the hostages. Though some were scared, others were ready, defiant, willing to make the people who killed that mother pay for everything they've done.

They, in other words, were her pawns.

Just separate them.

Separate them and everything will be okay.

Ophelia slammed her fist into the glass, ignoring the sharp sting on the side of her palm. It doesn't matter what her beloved thinks of her, at this point. Get that whore alone and everything will be okay. Sam probably doesn't even know about the new rule, so everything will be fine. That's right, isn't it? Shouldn't even matter.

Without hesitating, she pulled the alarm.

The loud, blaring sounds attacked her ear.

Along with wet water to hide her tears.

Then, in that same moment, she turned, and ran down to the ballroom, the gunshots and screams now blasting against her skull.