Crystal
Not long after finding them earlier that afternoon Brett ordered the girls confined to their rooms for hours as he took his entourage deeper in Chania for who knew what reason. They were kept under heavy guard the entire time. Patty pounded against the door of their room, yelling at the two guards outside despite they were armed with SIG MPX submachine guns. They were outfitted with expensive blazers and slacks so as to look casual and not to alarm the other guests.
Poor Jeannie was in the corner crying in fright. Rinyan meowed sadly and leaned against her thigh to calm her.
"It's half past midnight," Melody said looking at her watch. "We've been stuck here since four. What do you suppose they want with us?"
"I don't know," Crystal replied looking out the window feeling rather envious of the people below enjoying their normal lives. She looked to her Dueling Deck by the dresser drawer and flipped through it for the umpteenth time, admiring the holographic foil of her dragons.
Chaos Emperor Dragon – Envoy of the End
Trident Dragon
Star Eater
Van'Dalgyon the Dark Dragon Lord
Tyrant Dragon
All of them; even the Spell and Trap Cards, glimmering in Ghost, Secret, Ultra, Gold, and Ultimate Rare. She didn't know why but looking at them always brought comfort to her when she felt lonely or upset.
Patty shouted a foul expletive at the guards behind the door. She kicked it for good measure and walked away, listening to the guards laughing at her distress. She sat on the bed next to Melody and started breathing heavily like a rhino after a charge. She looked at Melody, face flushing, and asked: "You don't suppose he knows about the Winged Dragon of Ra, do you?"
"That's not even a possibility," Melody replied. "Nobody but us Termnnians knows about the God Cards. Either way, I suggest we do not speak of it." She looked at Crystal who was moping by the window, hands to her biceps as if she were cold. "Do you have the card on you, Crystal?"
"No," she replied in a whisper. "I gave it to Patty for safekeeping after Brett's mercenaries herded us back to our room. She hid it someplace where I won't even find it. You did that, right Patty?"
"No worries," said Patty. "Where I hid it, they'll find Jimmy Hoffa before they find the Winged Dragon of Ra."
"Hey! Hey! Keep your voice down," Melody said sternly shushing them. "The guards are outside. The last thing we need for them to hear is us hiding something of value in here. Even if your boyfriend is not Termnnian, we're all in big trouble if gets his hands on the card."
Moments later, the door to their room was swung open and the guards stormed in. They ordered the girls to the lobby on the double and warned that they were ordered to shoot if there was trouble. They eyed Patty most of all when giving off this threat.
Crystal, Melody, Patty, and Jeannie were led by Brett's private security forces to an airfield where they were forced to enter a black S-92 VIP Helicopter with little Franco as their chamberlain. Once onboard, Franco took a stand by the entrance as they silently made their way to their seats all the way in the back of the helicopter.
"Welcome," he said happily, looking at the girls with a sickening satisfaction. A look a child would have when finding a secret rare card in a booster pack. He cleared his throat. "Our flight will be taking off soon and take us to Brett's luxury barge, ladies. There's a party taking place celebrating Brett's acquirement of five major PMCs. It has made Lionheart Security – Brett's newly established PMC – the largest and most efficient private military corporation in the world. Ha! We beat those Blackwater guys in contracts this year."
"They're not Blackwater anymore, numbnuts," said Patty.
"Oh yeah? And how do you know this?" Franco demanded, angered by her snarky remark.
Patty rolled her eyes. "Because my dad worked for them after completing his tour of duty with the Marines Corps. He even took me to the range where I practiced shooting with a few of their operatives; many of whom became father figures to me. They've changed their names a dozen times since then. Dumbass."
Franco smiled, not wanting to play her games. Even though she proved him wrong, it still didn't change the fact that he had an allowance of $500,000 a week, and he was the one with the heavily armed security guards. The little boy held up his hand glimmering with jeweled rings on each finger.
"Please, please. No need to fret. Brett has concluded his business in Chania and will greet us at the barge. The fridges are filled with drinks and snacks, so help yourselves. Oh, and one more thing."
A guard came in holding parcels in clear plastic wrapping. They were expensive dresses. He tossed them at the floor beneath their seats.
Franco smiled. "Cousin Brett wants you gals to dress up nicely for the party, so see to it that you put on the dresses and jewels inside the parcels. Crystal, the one with the red ribbon is for you. The rest of you can fight over the rest. Once you're done freshening up, we will begin lift off."
He bowed and turned to leave. His guards followed him out. Franco turned to look at Crystal and her friends. He smiled before he slid the door closed to give them privacy.
When they were dressed, the helicopter rumbled and took off into the night. Jeannie looked out the window as an F-16 landed on the runway below.
"Think that's Yuri's sister?" Jeannie asked, hands pressed against the window as Crystal tied her hair into a ponytail.
"Fat chance. Kathy's flying the F-22 Raptor anyway," Patty said, rubbing her temples in frustration, wondering how it all led to this point. Being back in the hands of Brett Martinetti.
"Lucky her," Crystal said, making the finishing touches to Jeannie's ponytail.
Jeannie whined when she saw the glimmering lights of Chania disappear into the darkness as the helicopter took them farther and farther out to sea. "Poor Rinyan," she said with a sniff. "We left her behind."
Melody patted Jeannie's knee to comfort her. "Don't worry missy, she's a Lightsworn. She can take care of herself."
"Oh, so it's a she?" said Patty. "I figured as much. Those pretty green eyes of hers just gave it away."
They were silent the rest of the flight, until an hour later when Jeannie Oohed and Ahhed at a spectacular sight in the sea below. Crystal and the others huddled together by the window to see what it was. There was an entire fleet of luxury yachts down there, all of them circling around an extremely large one with a helipad big enough to house a Pave Low that was already sitting on top of it lit up by dozens of round lamps.
"Look at the size of that thing!" Patty said marveling the luxury ship in amazement.
"Only the best for Brett," Crystal said shaking her head.
Searchlights waved back and forth in the night sky, and the ocean glittered with hundreds of windows, lanterns, and strobe lights, mixing in with colorful lasers. The helicopter landed on the helipad of one of Brett's sister ships. Once they stepped outside, their ears were bombarded by loud music coming from a Gold Palmer Johnson Yacht where the DJ was blasting the music from his hi-tech booth.
Crystal grabbed Jeannie's hand and squeezed it. "Stay close to me!" she yelled over the music.
Jeannie nodded rapidly and did not let go of Crystal's grip. Franco and his guards lead the girls to a Zodiac that took them to the flagship of this party fleet in the middle of the sea. Melody looked around cautiously at the boats floating about for the party. In the center of the fleet was an open field to project the monsters over the ocean. Currently, a player's Tri-Horned Dragon and Serpent Night Dragon were in a battle against another player's Dark Flare Knight, Flame Swordsman, and Dark Magician.
It looked like an interesting match-up, and if it hadn't been for their dire predicament, Melody would have loved to join the other guests to dance, drink, and Duel. As they got closer to the flagship, fireworks zoomed skyward and burst, lighting up the sky in gold.
"Brett may be a creep!" Patty yelled over the music and the explosions of the Duel and the fireworks. "But he sure as hell knows how to throw a party!"
"Don't give him any reason to feel good about himself!" Crystal shouted. "The sooner we find out what he wants, the sooner we can leave."
"But what does he want?" shouted Melody.
"Isn't it obvious?" yelled Patty. "Crystal is his ex-girlfriend. There's a lot of history between the two and much of it involves Yuri!"
"No shit!" said Melody. "Aw hell, now I've really got a bad feeling about this!"
"We're here, ladies!" yelled Franco. "Try to be on your best behavior!"
One of the mercenaries aboard the ship tossed a rope ladder towards the Zodiac. Franco offered to let them go first, but they refused.
"Nice try you little shit!" said Patty. "We're all in dresses with rather short hemlines. You first."
Franco shrugged and went up the ladder, followed by his guards. Finally, Crystal and her friends climbed up the ladder greeted by a squad of soldiers in black tactical armor fielding FN F2000s as their weapons of choice. They were led to the back of the ship where most of the guests were mingling and dancing.
"What do we do now?" Jeannie asked.
"I don't know," said Crystal. "But no matter what happens, let's stay together."
"CRYSTAL!" Santiago shouted over the music. He was dressed appropriately for the party. "Long time no see!"
"Santiago," Crystal replied coldly, dodging his hug and kiss. "I wish it was a little longer. I never wanted to see you again."
"Oooo!" Santiago hooted, placing his hand over his heart. "You hurt me right here, babe. You hurt me right here. After all that time I spent watching your ass? Following you wherever you went. Providing you with the best security in Aquarius."
"Let's not forget beating me and humiliating me for Brett's pleasure," Crystal added.
"Naw, naw, naw, don't go there, Crystal. Now is not the time to be dwelling on the past. I assure you things have changed now. Believe me. But uh…there is something you've gotta do for us, babe."
He signaled for a microphone. In an instant, one was given to him. "Ladies and gentlemen! Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention, please! First of all, on behalf of my employer, Brett, for taking the time to come out here and attend this little party we set up to celebrate our company's acquisition of Dark Mountain LCC, Trident Security Services, Firebird Security and Logistics, and Felix Corp. With these top-tier PMCs in our ranks, Lionheart is now the largest PMC in the world."
Claps of admiration followed his boast.
"Now, as a little treat, Brett's offering the opportunity of a lifetime against a Duel Monster's legend. Ladies and gentlemen, please give a big round of applause for the former Aquarian Champion, Crystal Anderson!"
The guests went bonkers at the announcement of Crystal's presence. She waved awkwardly and gave a timid grin.
"Isn't she cute or what? I'd tap alright. Now here's the juicy part folks! Our main man, Brett is going to give out one MILLION dollars to the one who beats her tonight!"
"WHAT!?" Crystal shouted.
She had never seen a mob form so fast in her life. Everyone crowded around her to see who would get a shot at her first. Five security guards sprinted down the stairs and herded the mob into two clean lines.
"You can't!" Crystal shouted. "You mean…ALL of them!"
Santiago winked. "Don't worry, baby. Brett didn't make it that easy for them. Those punks are going to have to contend with you and your friends. So, you better put these on and start Dueling."
A guard arrived holing a black velvet pillow containing hi-tech devices. They appeared to be Duel Disks but were no smaller than a vambrace and made of thin metal decorated with blue cybernetic patterns.
"What the hell are those?" Melody asked
"Duel Disks," Santiago replied. "Brand new models from Brett's company."
"I thought you guys specialized in warfare," Patty said in confusion.
"Yeah, but everyone knows Duel Monsters is where the real money is at. And these new Duel Disks landed us a nice contract with Phobos."
"Excuse me!" said Crystal. "I'm CEO of Phobos Corp!"
Santiago laughed at her remark, slapping his knee. When he saw that neither of the girls was smiling, he stopped. "You're serious?"
"Where the hell have you been, jarhead?" Patty scoffed. "Jacob Montgomery passed away two weeks ago. He left Crystal in charge of the company in his stead."
"Púta maderé," Santiago cursed. "He must have been really desperate to get someone as stupid as her to be CEO of a trillion-dollar corporation."
"I beg your pardon!" Crystal growled taking a dominant step forward.
"It's just that we've been doing business with a Mister Robert Muldoon."
"Looks like they've been going behind your back on more things than just the tournament," Patty yelled in her ear.
"I'll deal with them later," Crystal replied with a nod. "Right now, let's just play Brett's game and get this night over with. Clearly, Brett's looking for a business opportunity with me."
"Let's hope so," said Melody.
Crystal looked back at her. "Don't worry. I'm sure they know nothing about it. Are you going to be my partner?"
"Fine," Melody groaned. "There's only three, so one of us is going to have to sit this one out."
Patty looked at Jeannie. "You volunteer to sit on the sidelines?"
"That's fine with me," Jeannie replied timidly. "These Duelists look very strong."
"You're a strong Duelist," Crystal confided to her.
Jeannie shook her head. "I only win locals. Not championships like you, Patty and Melody."
Crystal looked at Santiago with a scowl on her face. "Take care of her!" she demanded. "If anyone so much as asks talks to her, I'll destroy you professionally, got it!"
"Yes, ma'am," said Santiago. "I'll sit your baby girl up in the VIP lounge. Only Brett's closest friends are allowed up there. Believe me, she'll be in good hands. Come with me sweet pea," he said signaling Jeannie to follow him upstairs.
None of them saw Brett standing in front of the window in his office. He smiled while holding a glass of champagne, eager for the matches to begin. It had been far too long since he saw Crystal's dragons. Cards that gave her the title Queen of Dragons. Cards that he and his family searched the world to acquire for her.
The Duels finally started once Crystal and her friends' Duel Disks activated, releasing a curved, glass blade illuminated from within in blue.
The first three Duelists sneered at Crystal's team and activated their blades to play. Many turns later, the lead Duelist had what he needed to gain the victory.
"I sacrifice Leogun, Hungry Burger, and Gazelle the King of Mythical Beasts to summon Gilford the Lightning!"
The warrior was a giant of a man in gray armor plating engraved with bright orange patterns. He wore a cape and skirt of torn red cloth. The sword he fielded was taller than a man and infused with the power of lightning.
Gilford the Lightning
ATK/2800 DEF/1400
LV 8
Brett smiled and took a sip of his champagne. Gilford the Lightning was a very rare card that when Tribute Summoned using three monsters could destroy all monsters on the field.
Gilford held his sword up in the air and conjured a powerful lightning storm. A lightning bolt struck the tip of the blade, giving Gilford the devastating power of Raigeki. The guests Oohed when he swung his blade striking down Crystals Darkflare Dragon and Lightpulsar Dragon. Patty screamed watching Zera the Mant and Invader of Darkness get shattered into pieces while Melody watched helplessly as Athena and Archlord Zerato were destroyed.
He then ordered his Gilford to attack Patty directly. Gilford grunted and landed in front of Patty with an incredible bound. He swiped his sword across her chest reducing her Life Points to 800.
The three Duelists Crystal and her friends were facing were content that they would not be able to regroup so quickly after Gilford's powerful attack.
"My turn!" Crystal shouted, drawing her card. "I will banish Darkflare Dragon and Lightpulsar Dragon from play to Special Summon Chaos Emperor Dragon-Envoy of the End!"
A column of flames erupted in front of Crystal and took the form of a massive winged dragon. The dragon roared, and the flames dispersed as the beast finally took form over the field standing five meters tall and its wings over a hundred feet long.
The dragon's turquoise scales shimmered in the multi-colored lights and lasers that flashed about the party fleet.
Chaos Emperor Dragon-Envoy of the End
ATK/3000 DEF/2500
LV 8
Crystal paid 1000 of her Life Points to activate her dragon's effect. The dragon went into a berserk fury and bathed the field in golden flames destroying all the monsters on the field and the cards in their hands. Her opponents took 300 points of damage for every card destroyed for an immense amount of damage that neither player could take.
They fell to their knees in defeat, but before Crystal, Melody, and Patty could rest, another group took their places ready to take them on. They were a trio of girls from France and they knew how to play very well.
"Blade Knight!" a tall girl with neon red hair shouted at her monster. "Attack Melody's Agent of Creation – Venus!"
Though both monsters had an ATK of 1600, the girl was able to get Blade Knight's ATK to 2000 due to his effect which granted him an extra 400 points if there was only one card in her hand.
He slashed Melody's monster in half.
Oooo! The crowd groaned.
Later in the Duel, one of the girls in the opposing team summoned a Serpent Night Dragon an easily rid the field of Patty's Fiend Skull Dragon who was 350 points weaker than the other. The third girl, one with short blue hair, made a habit of harassing Crystal the entire match, not letting her summon any of her dragons. She negated their summons with Solemn Warning and Solemn Judgement and the nuisance of a monster that was Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. Her teammate also locked Crystal down with an El Shadoll Grysta which denied Crystal Special Summons at the cost of a "Shadoll" monster.
All Crystal had on the field was an Assault Wyvern in defense mode.
But they were so focused on denying Crystal summoning her dragons that they failed to notice Patty ready to make a Special Summon of her own. After performing a few combos, she was able to get the right amount of monsters needed for the ritual of her newest beast.
"I use Endless of World, offering Zera the Mant and Summoned Skull to Ritual Summon Demise, Supreme King of Armageddon!"
Patty's two fiends disappeared into an ominous-looking arcane circle hovering over the ship in the sky summoned by Ruin, Queen of Armageddon. She sucked both monsters' energy into her staff and spun it around so fast it looked like a blue. She pointed the staff at the field in front of Patty and opened the portal to Oblivion. A black chain slithered down from the sky and delved into the portal. Then, it rose up, dragging the Supreme King of Armageddon from the abyss. A giant monster in black armor trimmed in white and a flaming mane of bluish-white flames bursting from his skull to his feet forming a sort of cape. He wielded a terrible axe glowing with immense power that could end worlds with a single swing.
Demise, Supreme King of Armageddon
ATK/3000 DEF/3000
LV 10
Patty paid 2000 Life Points to activate his effect, destroying every monster the opposing girls had and dealing 200 points of damage for each card destroyed by the effect, damaging them significantly.
Patty then ordered Demise to attack the girl with the neon red hair directly, knocking her out of the game and leaving only two left.
Without their teammate, they had to go on the defensive.
Crystal's turn. With Grysta removed from the field, she could, at last, bring out a Special Summon. She Synchro Summoned her Trident Dragon, offering Patty's Demise and Melody's Athena to attack the two girls at the same time with one powerful attack, ending the Duel.
"NEXT!" Santiago shouted.
Opponent after opponent came. It was non-stop. Crystal felt her feet getting sore from standing there for hours. Melody and Patty were getting tired too, but nevertheless launched the final attacks on their opponents.
"Invader of Chaos, finish him off!" Patty commanded her monster. Invader of Chaos held open his hand and launched a powerful ball of energy at the opponent's Luster Dragon, destroying the monster and wiping away his Life Points.
Then came Melody, finishing off her opponent with a double team attack by Master Hyperion and Athena.
Then came Crystal. "Chaos Emperor Dragon, end this Duel now!"
The dragon reared its head, the energy inside its chest gave a metallic hum. He released a jet of golden flames that destroyed the last Duelists' monsters and their Life Points.
Crystal fell to the ground, exhausted.
"I think that's all of them," Melody said, wiping sweat from her brow. "At least I hope so."
"Is that it?" Patty asked. "Are there no more of you? Please tell me there are no more of you."
There weren't any. Chaos Emperor Dragon roared into the night sky before he was consumed by blue light and vanished.
A soft and slow clap behind the three girls caused them to turn. Brett walked out of the ballroom of his ship with his trademark Cheshire cat grin on his face.
"Stunning performance, ladies," he said. "Crystal. Glad to see you haven't lost your touch. Thirty-Three Duelists, and you didn't lose a single game. They don't call you the Queen of Dragons for nothing, babe. God, I missed you."
"I wish I could say the same for you," said Crystal. "What is this all about? Why have you brought my friends and I here?"
Brett smirked. "Well, for starters, I believe your little friend Melody over here deserves a reward. Santiago, you got 'em?"
Santiago nodded, looking towards a nearby booth. He snapped his fingers and one of the serving girls pulled a briefcase from under the table. She handed it to Santiago who then walked to Melody and opened it, revealing the Grecian God Cards that were recently printed by her supposed friend Abeiron.
"What is this?" said Melody, leaning forward to examine the cards. "Zeus? Hades? Ares? You turned them into cards?"
"No," said Santiago. "That weirdo friend of yours Abeiron did. Isn't that what you wanted?"
"No!" Melody replied harshly. "I just wanted to see the tablets safe. Abeiron was supposed to have them transported to…my…home."
Santiago laughed cruelly. "Well, sorry, baby, but these cards are all that's left of that little temple back in Crete."
Melody felt a sharp tingling sensation rush through her body. "What?"
"The tablets got blown to bits after we left. No one's ever going in there again. Had to since that monster you failed to mention killed half a dozen of my men."
"YOU AMERCIAN BASTARDS!" Melody shouted, lunging for Santiago's throat with her fingers which she curved to make like talons ready to jab her nails into his gullet and tear out his windpipe.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Brett said, pulling open his blazer to reveal a nickel-plated Desert Eagle tucked in his waistband. "Take it easy now, Melody. I wouldn't want anything bad to happen to one of the best players in Greece now, do I? Take it easy and take the cards. I think they look more stylish this way. Or, you could just let me have them; their effects are pretty badass."
Melody said nothing more, shocked to see that Brett brandished a gun at her. She took the briefcase from Santiago and forcefully said: "Thank you," although it came out mostly as a growl.
"Brett are you serious?" Crystal gasped. "You don't pull a gun on someone unless you intend to use it!"
"What makes you think I don't intend to use it?" Brett asked with an even wider grin.
Melody could take a hint. He was not one to be trifled with, especially if he could take lives without a thought.
"Now, now, let's forget about this whole thing. I have something for you as a reward for your performance." He took cards out of his pocket. "For you, babe. It's a Pendulum Monster. Only two of these have ever been printed. I had to make the Prince of Saudi Arabia and offer he just couldn't refuse it. Go ahead, take it."
Crystal did. She looked at the card and was surprised to see it resembled her Chaos Emperor Dragon-Envoy of the End. It was called Chaos Emperor – The Armageddon Dragon.
"Uh…thank you," said Crystal.
"Only the best for my girl," Brett boasted, leaning in, planting a quick kiss on her lips, leaving her mortified.
He looked at Patty and grinned. "Pats! Pats, Pats, Pats, Pats! Look at you. Look at you. You lost the pink highlights and those weirdo contact lenses. You look nice. I heard you're getting hitched soon. Who's the lucky guy?"
"The one who kicked your ass out of the tournament a while back," Patty replied quickly and sharply.
"No way!" Brett leaned back and laughed. "My God, girl. You must have been really desperate to get married to the likes of him. The cutie Santiago led upstairs to the lounge must be his sister. What was her name?"
"Jeannie," Crystal responded. "I trust she's safe."
"She is," said Brett. "Now come with me inside. We'll have a few drinks and discuss my proposition for you."
"I'm already engaged to Amistad del Castillo," Crystal yelled.
Brett clicked his tongue. "You really think you matter to me anymore, Crystal? You clearly made your point back in Aquarius. I can take a hint. No, this isn't a matter of our relationship anymore, Crystal. This is a matter of business. And from what I heard, you're quite the businesswoman now. Come on. Oh, but your friends stay out here. This is personal."
Crystal looked at her friends and gave a nod to tell them off.
"You sure, Crystal?" Patty asked. "I have a really bad feeling about this."
Crystal looked at her friends and nodded. She leaned towards Melody's ear. "Find a way to get Jeannie out of that lounge. And can you acquire one of the Zodiacs?"
"I can sure as hell try," said Melody.
"Good," said Crystal. "Once you get the boat secure, get Jeannie and Patty on it. If I'm not out of that room by three-thirty, go on without me."
"What? You can't be serious."
"I am," Crystal whispered. "Get back to Chania, return to our hotel room and get The Winged Dragon of Ra out of there. I have plane tickets to Peru already paid for in my suitcase. Take them and get as far away from Greece as you possibly can."
"Crystal, we're not leaving without you," said Melody. "I can't. I was just starting to get to know you. You're a lot of fun."
"And so are you. But do this for me please, my friend. You don't know what Brett Martinetti is capable of. I don't want to see my friends get hurt."
"Good luck, to you," Melody said, embracing her in a hug. "I expect to see you at three-thirty."
"I will do my best," said Crystal. "Hurry and get Jeannie out of there."
Brett whistled at Crystal like a master calling his dog. "Come on, babe. Let's go. We don't have all night."
Crystal winked at Melody before she turned and followed Brett inside the yacht.
"Just like old times," she thought as she sat alone in a booth with her back towards the window. The world outside was total darkness save for the orange-blue line of the horizon illuminating in the distance. She drank the last of her champagne and called it quits for the night before she got drunk. And being on a ship with these hoodlums, being drunk was the last thing she wanted to do. Perhaps that's what Brett wanted of her. That was always how he got her into bed when they were in high school. But remaining sober was easier said than done. The beverages were top-notch; Armand de Brignac Gold. The golden bottles were stacked in a pyramid on a table by a banner congratulating Brett's company for its takeover of multiple PMCs. No doubt they must have cost Brett a fortune, but being that he was a multi-billionaire now, the purchasing of those bottles was nothing.
"So, having fun, babe?" Brett asked while cutting up his steak, the fifth one of the night.
"I'd be lying if I said I was," Crystal responded with a very sharp tone. "You said you wanted to talk about business and yet you've wasted my time for the past three hours. It's almost dawn and I have a flight to catch if you don't mind."
"Do you?" Brett said shoving a piece of steak into his mouth. He talked with his mouth open, much to Crystal's disgust. She turned away flinching as she tried to avoid seeing his bad manners. "Well, don't worry about it. I can buy you another flight. But you're right, I have taken up too much of your time and it's time to get serious."
"Just do it, cousin," Franco said with a yawn. "I like a good party, but I'm getting sleepy."
"I'm listening," Crystal said, still keeping her gaze away from him. "Now make it quick."
Brett cleaned his mouth with a cloth napkin. "Well, with Yuri gone and poor Leon out of the picture, everyone and their grandmother has been vying to reclaim that title of Number One Duelist in the World. Now, I may be conducting my business in private military affairs, but Duel Monsters is still my world. While I was away, I've been catching up on these new rules. Pendulums. Xyz. Synchro, and I'm itching to get my hands on those Link Monsters your company is about to release. You've been a very busy girl, Crystal, and I'm proud of you. No, I really am. Before when we were in high school, you were nothing but a lost cause. I even wondered what must have driven Mr. Montgomery to the brink of madness to appoint a numbskull like you as his apprentice."
He was missing the point again, so Franco had stepped in. "But your stocks are high. The events are grander. New monsters come out every two months. You crank in billions and billions every year. The technology from your company is impressive and has opened doors to new gadgets for other markets. All of that came from you. In other words, Crystal, you're an entrepreneurial genius. We would never have thought that all this advancement in technology was from you."
"I'm very impressed, kid," said Brett. "Very impressed. You're a very incredible person."
Crystal rolled her eyes and scoffed. "Get your lips off my ass and tell me what you want."
Franco sneered at her crude remark. Brett raised his eyebrows and bobbed his head, reminiscing the memories of when he was free to kiss Crystal anywhere he wanted. "Yeah, that's one thing I missed about you," he said. He drank some champagne to wash down the fragments of steak still left in his mouth. "You've gotten rounder if you don't mind my saying so. You been working out?"
Crystal frowned and bent one of the forks on the table. Franco shook his head. "Come on, Brett. Tell her what this is all about."
Franco took out a tablet and fumbled through the apps until he got the image he wanted. He showed them to Crystal. What she saw made her eyes grow wide open. The tablet displayed satellite images of the Winged Dragon of Ra soaring over Faliro Bay.
"They say he's called The Winged Dragon of Ra," said Franco. "One of the most powerful Duel Monsters to ever exist."
"We don't know about it because he's from another world," said Brett.
Those words sent a chill down Crystal's spine. Impossible! Brett knew about Termnnia as well? It just couldn't be? But how?
Franco rolled his eyes. "Get a grip, Brett. He's just a card Mr. Montgomery kept secret."
Brett ignored him and threw some photos on the table making tears pool in Crystal's eyes. She saw Yuri in medieval clothing summoning a giant blue behemoth against a cartoon girl. There was another of him in the field of battle summoning a gigantic red serpent with two mouths. Yuri was wearing golden armor glittering with gems of all colors. He was so handsome. Ren, Melody, and Bailey were telling the truth. Even after all she had experienced in the past few days, she had her doubts, but now, thanks to Brett of all people, she believes.
Yuri truly was the High King of another world. Then, the image that haunted her the most was of Yuri in a crypt while wearing a crown and holding onto a sword of light made solid. That caused her to break. The tears rolled down her cheeks and she started to sob. That was also proof that her very best friend was dead. The following image was of all three monsters, Ra included, saving him from his tomb.
"They once served your pal," he whispered intimately into her ear. Crystal's bottom lip shivered and breathed rapidly in her uncontrollable sobs. "But he's dead now. Now they serve no master."
"How…how do you know of this?" Crystal asked.
"I know a few people in high places. See, the night Yuri supposedly disappeared, I was on my way to pay him a visit. After my loss at the Millennium Tournament, I was furious. My family disavowed me. It broke me, Crystal. I lost everything. My celebrity status. My fortune. My inheritance and I lost you. So, I went to pay Yuri…a visit and teach him a lesson. Mafia style."
Crystal narrowed her eyes. "You wanted to kill him?"
"Ding! Ding! Ding! You got it. However, I saw him walking out of his house with a cartoon character and a Panther Warrior escorting him. Before I could catch up with them, I saw a flash of lightning and there was this big gust of wind, and just like that." He snapped his fingers. "They were gone. So, after a few months, I did a little research and hired some friends to get me some dirt on Mr. Montgomery. You wouldn't believe my shock when I learned Old Man Jacob got Duel Monsters from another world. This world called Termnnia. Yuri was the ruler of this world, for a time before he was assassinated. Those monsters that he summoned were called God Cards. Beasts that grant instant victory when they are summoned. I searched around for years, but nobody could get their hands on them. Not even the best thieves in this world and the other one could get the job done."
"How did you come into contact with Termnnians?"
Brett sneered. "It wasn't easy. They're like rats in a big city. You gotta know where to look. But, they'll reveal themselves for the right price. So long as the money kept flowing in, they kept me up to date on current events in Termnnia. I learned that Yuri was killed in some backward political scheme. After his death, the whole world was plunged into some kind of war to control the throne he once sat on. His God Cards were so grieved by his passing that they split up and searched for new masters. The Winged Dragon of Ra, so I heard, is the most powerful of the trio because he has a plethora of special abilities that are devastating each in their own way. You wouldn't believe my surprise when I saw this cute little thing standing on a pier in Athens making the Winged Dragon of Ra disappear."
Crystal could see two dots on the port where The Winged Dragon of Ra was flying over. It was her and Ren. But how? How? How did Captain Meloni and his team of mages not pick on that? Where they behind this, too?
Argh! She couldn't think anymore. Nothing was making any sense. Who in their right mind would tell Brett they were from another world? Who fed him all that info? How did he get past the technology and magic of the Termnnian Memory Unit? Just who in the hell was this man, and how was he so resourceful?
"The Winged Dragon of Ra chose you, didn't he?" Brett asked with a cackle. He put his mouth close to her ear and whispered. "I want that card, Crystal. I know you have it. I'll find it, you know. Even if I have to search every inch of your beautiful body."
He started swaying left and right and groaned. "I've gotta take a piss," he mumbled, his face red in a drunken stupor. "Crystal, baby. When I get back from the John, I want you to tell me where the card is. Because if you don't, well, I'll be tossing your little girlfriends overboard. Oh, and it's my boy's birthday today. See to it that he has a – hic – happy birthday. Roll in the cake boys!"
Crystal saw a waiter roll in a giant cake. It did not look edible and was very lacey and plastic looking. She pursed her lips and sighed knowing full well that the cake was not meant for eating. There was a surprise inside and she was not looking forward to seeing it.
Brett walked to the birthday boy, a man in his mid-twenties who was his best soldier on the field. Brett was so drunk he gave a long and obnoxiously praising speech about his deeds and kissed his cheek a few times. He wobbled out of the lounge with Franco by his side, eyes heavy with sleep. Before he got out of the booth to help his cousin, Franco told Crystal he would retire for the night and kissed her cheek without thinking twice about it.
She found that horribly pretentious of him and was stuck in her seat as she contemplated what the boy had done. Well, she thought, at least he's gone. For now.
She scooted to the far edge of the booth until her shoulder pressed against the cold glass of the window beside her. The guests crowded around the take jeering and whispering crudely. Crystal rolled her eyes. She turned her head from the party towards the window to gaze at the dawn approaching over the Cretan Sea. The lights turned off and the candles and string lights decorating the cake illuminated at once reflecting on the glass. The guests clapped and howled and whistled as racy jazz music played from the stereos behind the cake.
Crystal turned to look back at the cake in time to see someone pop out and start dancing.
"Yup," she thought. "Leave it to Brett to go for something raunchy at a birthday party."
The girl looked rather cute, though all she could see was honey-blonde hair styled into a long wavy ponytail decorated with white ribbons and speckled in baby's breath.
"Well, I like the hair," Crystal thought. And she had to admit the black lacy lingerie was classy on her part. But then she saw fingerless gloves made for holding a firm grip on guns. A sling was over her shoulder holding onto…onto…an AR-15? What? What in the hell was going on here?
Brett's guards noticed it, too, but it was too late. The girl in the cake quickly turned and massacred everyone in the room with her rifle.
Crystal screamed and ducked under the table covering her ears from all the gunfire and destruction going on all around her. She saw bodies piling up on the floor. Blood stained the white carpet; the fabric drinking it like a drunk at a bar. She saw the girl's feet coming towards her. She saw the barrel of the heavily customized weapon dangling in front of her hip. Crystal backed away kicking and screaming for help when the girl crouched to reveal herself.
"Hey! Hey! It's me!" the girl shouted as she tried to calm her down, using her palm as a shield to block the kicks coming her way.
"Me who?" shouted Crystal. "Back away! Back away! Don't kill me, please. I'm rich. I can pay you whatever you want, I swear it."
"I don't want your money," the girl said. "I want to take you home."
Crystal breathed slowly to calm herself. When she came to her senses and saw past the elegant hairstyle and the makeup, the girl became familiar. "Bailey?" Crystal whispered. "How did…"
"I saved your pals while they were exploring the Cavern of Messara. They told me everything. I was going to warn them that Melody's friend, Abeiron, was working against them but Brett's men beat me to the punch. As soon as I got to Chania, his goons were already taking you and your friends to this party."
"How did you know all this? How did you know we would be here in Crete?"
"The Winged Dragon of Ra," Bailey scoffed. "Duh."
"You saw it?"
"Who didn't?" Bailey laughed. "Half of Athens knew about the monster." She winked and made a clicking noise with her mouth. "Hence the word 'knew'," she added.
"You and your dad work fast."
"Yeah, that's our job. We had a feeling you and your friends had something to do with the Winged Dragon of Ra flying over Athens. You fellas have a knack of bringing monsters in places they don't belong."
"It's not my fault," said Crystal. "Ren said he was looking for me."
"Interesting," Bailey said, rubbing her chin. "No one but the High Kings of Termnnia can call upon a God Card. Well, now's not the time to figure this out. We've got to get you out of here before they notice the mess I made."
"My friends are still here," said Crystal. "I can't leave without them."
Bailey puckered her lips and shifted them to the right as she pondered the situation. "All right, find them. I'll clean the place up and secure us a boat. Do what you have to do fast because that lax I gave Brett isn't going to last long."
"Ew," said Crystal.
Wasting no time, Crystal crawled out from under the table and hurried out of the lounge to find Melody, Patty, and Jeannie. They were together but trying to persuade a guard to leave Jeannie alone. Crystal wanted to intervene but much to her shock, Jeannie stepped forward and punched him so hard she knocked him out. The guard fell to the ground with a thud; Jeannie standing over him triumphantly. "I! Said! NO!" she shouted.
Crystal, Patty, and Melody were frozen as statues after witnessing the strength Jeannie had. Who taught her such a thing, they did not know, nor did they care.
"Wow," Crystal said.
Patty playfully punched Jeannie in the shoulder. "Wow indeed," she said. "Good job, baby. And you," she said pointing at Crystal. "I assume the party is over."
"It is for us," Crystal responded quickly. "Remember that girl, Bailey? Well, she somehow snuck onto the ship and saved my butt. She's going to help us out of here."
"Bailey huh?" Patty said with a smirk. "I was hoping never to see her again. I guess I've been proven wrong."
"Let's waste no time," Crystal urged them. "Bailey bought us some, but it's very short. Come on!"
Melody had a lot of questions but the situation was dire and there no time to stall them with her confusion. As long as she had a means to escape this place safely she had no concerns save for their time. Just how much was little time? She wondered.
Crystal led her friends to the back of the ship where Bailey was already tossing a rope ladder to a fully-fueled Zodiac down below.
Patty let out a flirty wolf whistle upon seeing Bailey's outfit. "Does your dad know you're out and about dressed like that?"
"No, now get into the boat."
Patty giggled and was the first to climb down the ladder followed by Crystal and Melody. Just as Jeannie was on her way down, alarms on the boat began to wail.
"Aw shit!" Bailey cursed. She turned the safety off. "Y'all better hurry now!"
"Jeannie hurry!" cried Crystal.
Jeannie whimpered and jumped down from the ladder. Bailey ignored the ladder and hopped over the railing landing perfectly on the back of the boat. She turned the key igniting the boat's engine and they sailed away into the darkness.
"That was close!" breathed Melody, clinging to the edge of the boat as it bobbed up and down over the waves. The sky was starting to glow in a faint metallic blue and the black silhouettes if the clouds above splotched the brilliant canvas of the dawn.
"Yeah, but we're not outta the woods just yet!" shouted Bailey. "We're miles and miles away from Crete and I don't know how far this boat will take us. It's going to be a bumpy ride ladies, so hold on tight."
After an hour in the sea, Patty turned green and vomited over the side of the boat. Jeanie was curled up on the floor wrapped in a small blanket trying to sleep but the turbulence and constant splashing of the salty water kept her from finding slumber. The sun had already shown itself over the horizon and the sky now exploded into a radiant orange. The waters of the sea turned a brilliant shade of gold in the early morning light. Though they were in a dire situation, Crystal couldn't help but think that the scenery was just absolutely beautiful.
"Just where in the hell did Brett take us?" shouted Melody.
"I don't know," said Bailey now fully dressed from extra clothes she stuffed into her backpack before sneaking onboard Brett's ship.
"Do you even know where you're going?" Patty asked. She burped and vomited again.
"I do," Bailey responded, checking on the gas. They had plenty, but if Brett took them farther than she hoped, they were going to be stranded out at sea and be at the mercy of the elements. Or worse, a searching party from Brett's mercenaries. Why they haven't pursued them this far, she didn't know. She just prayed it stayed this way until they got back to Crete.
"Hey, look what I found!" said Jeannie.
Low and behold, Jeannie found one full canister of gasoline. Bailey sighed with relief and hoped that they wouldn't have to use it.
After three long hours, they heard Melody shout: "WE MADE IT!"
Bailey saw the Chania Lighthouse sticking out like a white beacon far off in the distance. She saw other boats speeding around it as well. She heard Crystal and her friends cheering behind her, causing her to smile for the first time in hours. But she turned the boat away from it and headed another direction.
"Where are you going?" Melody asked. "Chania is right there!"
"Don't you think Brett and his men would think to come here looking for us?" said Bailey. "I'm taking us to Almyros and then we'll rent a car or something to Heraklion and get the hell out of here."
"You can't," said Melody. "My friend is still at the hotel!"
"I know about your Rinyan, Melody," Bailey responded sharply. "It's best to leave it behind now."
"Wait!" Crystal cried out. "You have to go to Chania, Bailey. The Winged Dragon Ra is there."
Bailey stopped the boat, jerking everyone forward. "Ouch!" Patty shouted, knocking her head on one of the posts.
"Are you sure about that?" Bailey asked.
"I am," said Crystal. "The Winged Dragon of Ra came to me when we were in Athens. Mercenaries or not, we have to get that card. Yuri's people; your people, might be counting on me to hold onto it."
Bailey pursed her lips. The boat bobbed up and down making her dizzy. "Well, given who you are and your past with Yuri, Miss Egg of Andelera, I guess I can see why the Winged Dragon of Ra chose you as its master. All right. All right. But get the card and only the card. Every second we're in Chania brings Brett one second closer to us."
After docking the boat and gifting it to a small boy, Bailey led the others back to the Ambassador Suite, her rifle hidden under her leather jacket and finger on the trigger in case they ran into trouble. It was a long walk but they made it to the hotel without incident. Crystal went to the receptionist and told them they were checking out. Once all that was taken care of, they walked upstairs to their room and discovered it was left in disarray.
Bailey came into the room cautiously with a small black plate carrier over her torso. "Well, they really made a mess of this place. I got us a ride by the way. Hurry and find the card, I left the engine on."
"Oh no!" Crystal gasped scratching both sides of her head. "Brett wasn't kidding! They were looking for the card!"
"Humph," Patty scoffed. "And didn't you say he wouldn't be searching for it?" She taunted Melody as she said this.
"So I was wrong," she answered.
"Look!" Crystal said looking at the bed. It was made neatly, sticking out from the helter-skelter mess of their room. There was a message written on a page torn from a notebook. There were rose petals scattered about.
Όχι στην Κρήτη
"It's from Amistad!" Crystal smiled, clasping her hands together. "He always leaves his messages covered in roses."
"What does it say?" Jeannie asked.
"They left Crete," said Melody. "Looks like your friends hightailed it out of here already."
"Just like I told them to," Bailey said standing at the front of the door. "Find the card if you please."
Meow! Rinyan said, poking her head out from under the bed. Melody screamed with delight and held open her arms to let the cat monster jump into her embrace. "I thought I'd never see you again!" She almost screeched as the Lightsworn feline licked her face.
"Well, that takes care of your friend," said Bailey, tapping her foot impatiently on the floor. "But where is the card?"
Crystal lost all hope. "Oh, look at this place. They might have taken it already."
Patty held up her finger. "Not if I have anything to say about it."
She made for one of the drawers that was halfway open and had clothes dangling from it. Melody shook her head and made a click of her tongue as she petted her familiar. Riyan purred nuzzling her neck. "Some hiding spot," she taunted in revenge for the jest she made earlier. "Looks like Brett's goons have already searched it."
"They have but not thoroughly enough," Patty said. "Ah, just as I thought. I'm a genius." Much to their surprise, Patty unfolded a pair of little black panties, which concealed the Winged Dragon of Ra card causing her friends to laugh. Patty held up the card to check if it was all right. Not a scratch or a dent. She handed it back to Crystal.
"Well, you're right," Crystal said with an uncontrollable giggle. "That is the last place one would be looking for a card."
Bailey rolled her eyes. "Earthlings. Where is your respect? That is a sacred monster. A child of the Mother of Monsters and Creator of the Light. A Guardian of the High King, and you'd stuff it in your underwear?"
"Hey, at least it kept them from finding it, right?" Patty scoffed. "Where would you have kept it? Under the bed?"
Crystal held up a pacifying hand to cease them from arguing. "In any case, we have what we need. The Winged Dragon of Ra is safe with me again. Rinyan is unharmed ("Meow," said Rinyan), and our friends are most likely heading for Peru to find that second Duelist for Ren's team."
"Well, looks like I'm going with you," said Bailey. "Something tells me our saga with Brett is far from over. You're going to need security. I can provide that for you."
"And I gladly welcome it," said Crystal. "But what about your father? And what about your semester at that school you're going to?"
Bailey put a hand on Crystal's shoulder. "Let me worry about that. Right now, I have both a Golden Egg and a God Card to look after. You're right in saying that Termnnia's people will be counting on you to keep it safe."
"What's so important about that card anyway?" Jeannie asked. "Why would Brett go through all this trouble just to acquire some fancy trading card?"
"It's not some fancy trading card, precious," Bailey said, sticking a piece of gum into her mouth. "That card has enough power to make a man King of the World."
"Oh," Jeannie said, and she remained quiet.
Wasting no time, they hurried downstairs to the lobby. Crystal handed her room key to the receptionist and they quickly sprinted outside and into an SUV Bailey borrowed from a 'friend' of hers; a fellow agent from the TMU.
"What the hell?" Bailey said, seeing a note tucked under the windshield wiper. "I wonder who left this here."
"What does it say?" Melody asked.
"It says Trust Me. Knossos," Bailey replied. "It must be the ruins of King Minos' palace. Why in the hell would someone want us to meet them there for?"
"It could be Amistad and the others," said Jeannie. "My brother could be with them, too!"
"That can't be," said Bailey. "I told them to get out of the country, and they did; says so in their letter. Why would Amistad go through the trouble of fixing up the rose-covered letter upstairs and then send us a note down here? And if this was from him, wouldn't it make sense to meet us out here?"
"Bailey's right," Patty commented as she flung her hair back. "I have a bad feeling about this."
They heard a rumble of helicopters in the distance. Whether it was Brett's men or not, they did not stay to find out. They all jumped into the SUV.
As soon as they started rolling away Crystal felt a sense of safety and relief. She looked at the city rolling by from the window. "I hope to visit this place under better circumstances," she said. "It seems like a wonderful place."
"Hell yeah, it is," Bailey answered. "I came here once with my mom before she was killed in the War of the Black Diamond, a conflict from my world, by the way."
"I'm sorry for your loss," said Melody. "I had an uncle fight in that war, too. He came back with one leg."
"At least he came back," said Patty. "I know what it's like to lose a mom, Bailey. I lost mine when I was still just a baby. Jeannie, too, lost her mom to cancer when she was young. Crystal had a loving father once."
"What happened?" Bailey asked looking at Crystal from the rearview mirror.
"He was an oil tycoon," she replied. "He went to investigate one of his rigs when it exploded. I don't have many memories of him because I was just a baby when died."
"Well, aren't we peas in a pod," laughed Bailey. "Three mommies and a daddy went from us too soon. We'll have a drink to toast their memory after we get out of Greece."
"Aww," cooed Jeannie. "I don't want to go."
"We have to, baby," Patty said sympathetically. "It's not safe here anymore."
"But I like it," Jeannie whined.
Crystal patted her knee. "Don't worry, sweetie. When all this craziness is over, we'll come again soon."
"Promise?" Jeannie asked.
"I promise."
The drive was uneventful for the past hour or so, and neither one of them said anything along the way. But then, Patty looked at the note Bailey found on the wipers and started to second-guess their decision to ignore it.
"What if a Termnnian left us this message?" she asked.
"Don't care," said Bailey. "While I was stuffed in that cake, I overheard Brett telling Crystal about how he has Termnnians on his payroll. I swear to the Goddesses when my father finds out who these traitors are, they're going to be sorry."
"We can't keep assuming everything and everybody is out to get us," said Patty.
"Uh, I think we should," Melody commented as she fed Rinyan some cheese. "It's kept us alive so far."
"But what if Brett has a trap for us in Heraklion?" Patty said with worry in her voice.
Crystal suddenly felt that going there was a bad idea now. "I think she's right. Maybe whoever left us that note is trying to help steer clear from an ambush. Brett knows that Heraklion is now our only way out of Crete."
"Then he's an idiot," said Bailey. "Heraklion isn't the only way to get out of Crete."
"But it's the best way out," Crystal insisted. "I think we should follow our gut instinct and trust whoever sent us that note."
"We're going to Heraklion and that's final," said Bailey.
"Whatever you say," said Crystal. "Just don't come crying to me when Brett's mercs have their fun with you."
Bailey remained quiet after she said that. Nevertheless, she followed the road to the port.
"So uh…" Patty said trying to lighten the mood. "Crystal. You said Bailey here popped out of a cake to save you?"
Crystal jeered. "Uh-huh?"
"I gotta know. How did she look like dancing around in that sexy lingerie?"
Bailey rolled her eyes. "Ha! Ha! Ha! Wouldn't you like to know?"
"Woof," Crystal went. "Patty, you should have seen her. I think she kind of liked it."
"Ass! Ass! Ass!" Patty sang to which everyone started to laugh, save for Bailey who flipped Patty the bird.
She looked in the rearview mirror and gulped. Black unmarked SUVs were suddenly in view. Bailey saw enough action flicks to know that it meant trouble. She guessed Brett did as well because their entrance seemed staged….horribly. No doubt the passengers inside relished at the thought of acting like cowboys pretty soon.
"Aw, you've got to be kidding!" she shouted, shocked at their showmanship and the mercenaries leaning out of the windows with carbines of all brands in hand. Without warning, they started firing at the girls. The glass shattered. The frame of the vehicle popped as bullets struck the surface.
Crystal yanked Jeannie down and pressed her face-down on her lap. She leaned over her back acting as a shield. "Bailey, they're shooting us!" she shouted.
"DO YOU HONESTLY THINK I DON'T KNOW THAT?" Bailey shouted back. She felt one of the SUVs ram the back of hers almost knocking over stone walls that were going to be of no use in saving them from a long way down to the sea below. Crystal felt her toes curl when she saw the blue of the waters from her window. "Aw come on!" Bailey shouted trying to keep the vehicle straight. "Stupid Cretan roads! They weren't built for things like this!"
The tires screeched and the bullets pounded the frame of their vehicle. It was a cacophony of chaos they would only hear in movies. Bailey saw more winding paths in the road ahead. She slammed her fist on the steering wheel and cursed something awful.
"Do any of you know how to shoot a rifle?" she shouted.
"Patty, don't you?" Melody shouted over the noise. "You said you trained with Blackwater mercenaries."
Patty was doing her best to talk and keep her head down. "I didn't train, I just fired a few rounds at the range! And they're not mercenaries; they prefer to be called contractors! Those thugs behind us are mercenaries!"
"WHO CARES!" shouted Bailey. "You have more experience with guns than anyone back there!" She picked up her weapon, grabbing it by the barrel. "Take my rifle and do what you can to get them off my ass!"
"This high-powered scope of yours is going to impair my vision. They're not that far away!"
"Are you blind?" Bailey shouted. "I have an RMR sight mounted on top of the scope and a red dot on the side. Use those, just hurry and get rid of them!"
Patty took the rifle and rolled the window down. She took off her seatbelt, made the sign of the cross, and leaned out the window. She aimed down the tiny sight mounted on the scope and started firing back at the mercenaries behind them. Like turtles seeking shelter, the gunmen scurried back into the safety of their vehicles as Patty did her best to aim for the wheels and the drivers. The glass was bulletproof and the blinding winds stinging her eyes and flinging her hair made it hard to see. Not to mention the heart-stopping view of the sea below made her awfully nervous.
She continued shooting until the rifle clicked. "Damn, I'm out!"
Bailey did her best to drive with one hand as the other fumbled with the straps of her vest to get the magazine out. The vehicle swerved violently. Seeing that she was out of ammo, the mercenaries resumed with firing back. Patty quickly ducked inside.
"Here!" Bailey shouted, handing Patty the extra magazine.
"Did you get any?" Jeannie whimpered.
"I almost got 'em, baby!" Patty lied trying to get the magazine out of the rifle.
"There's an ambidextrous magazine release woman!" shouted Bailey. "It's right there!"
Patty finally got it out and slide the new mag into the rifle. It clicked telling her it was latched on and ready to use. "You only have two magazines left," she said noticing the lack of ammo on her vest. "Please tell me you have a plan."
"I do," Bailey winced. "And it's one I'd rather not do because it's going to land me in so much trouble with my father. Please aim properly and get rid of them because I am not keen on going through with Plan B."
"Well, we're getting close to the populated areas," said Crystal. "You have to do what you have to do. Otherwise, people out there will get hurt. Isn't this the time of year when kids come on holiday from school?"
"I know, I know," said Bailey. "Patty just do what you can do and get them off my tail."
Patty did what she could. Two magazines later, and the mercenaries were still behind them. Bailey even stalled for time by handing Patty a pistol which did nothing to hold them back either.
"Damn it. Damn it. DAMN IT!" Bailey whined. "Oh….Daddy's going to kill me!"
She yanked something off her neck. A glass case with a card inside.
"Oh, great!" Patty pouted. "What are you going to do, Duel them to death?"
Bailey held the card out the window. Arcane circles hovered in front of it and some orbited around Bailey's wrist.
POOM! A metallic-sounding burst radiated from the card and a turquoise stream of light shot from it. Seconds later, they all heard the clip-clop of a horse's hooves. Something was galloping towards them. Around the bend, the monster appeared. A knight in purple, dark blue, red, and gold armor riding a purple steed with a flaming yellow mane and tail.
Melody, Patty, Crystal, and Jeannie stared in awe at the creature coming towards them. The horse whinnied. The girls were at a loss for words.
Patty pointed at the monster. "Th-that's Gaia the Fierce Knight!"
Swift Gaia the Fierce Knight's steed jumped over their SUV and landed a few feet behind them. He raised his lance and jabbed one of the SUVs with his crimson red lance. It skewered the driver and the passenger behind him. He lifted the lance with no effort and tossed the vehicle along the side of the cliff overlooking the road. An explosion followed and the wreckage fell on another SUV.
Another explosion and both wrecks swayed off the road and into the sea. Swift Gaia the Fierce Knight's horse reared on its hind legs and smashed an oncoming SUV with its hooves with enough force to flip it over. He galloped for the next group of three vehicles. Gaia skewered the first one with his lance and tossed it down the road sending it tumbling away with enough force to kill the mercenaries inside. Using his massive leg, Gaia kicked another SUV into the sea and let his horse smash the last one with his left hoof.
"Oh. My. God!" Crystal whispered. "You…you can summon monsters."
"I'm not supposed to," Bailey sobbed. "Not in this world. I'm going to prison for this you know. I'll be cursed by the House of Mages and never summon again. Now I'll never go back home."
"I'm so sorry," said Melody. "I…I really am. If there's anything I can do to help…"
Bailey slammed both her fists repeatedly on the steering wheel. "No, no. Nothing will help now," she sobbed. "Nothing."
Crystal put her hand on her shoulder. "You saved us," she said. "I am forever in your debt, Bailey. I can help you find a home here. You've still got us. I'm a trillionaire, you know. We can travel the world and visit the most beautiful places and we can Duel until we die."
Bailey sniffed. "I'd like that," she managed to say.
"Well, what are we going to do now?" Patty said gasping for air.
"I say we keep going to Heraklion," said Bailey.
Melody shook her head. "We can't! What if Brett has more mercs out there looking for us? They're not going to refrain from using violence. People are going to get hurt. I say we follow whoever left us that note to meet us in the ruins of King Minos' palace."
Bailey went silent. "Why don't we let the Golden Egg decide," she said looking at Crystal in the mirror.
Crystal gulped. She looked at the state of her friends. She heard poor Jeannie sobbing in her lap. They've been through enough already and could not risk another ambush by Brett.
"We go to the ruins."
Bailey sighed heavily. "So be it."
Far away in the ruins of Knossos, a figure draped in a torn, woven cloak stood atop the palace as he looked at the oncoming sunset. He knew that Crystal and her friends would not be able to resist coming here. No doubt their encounter with the mercenaries would arouse their suspicions of the Port of Heraklion's safety. Aigami removed his hood from his head and smiled looking to the beautiful landscapes as he waited patiently for his guest to arrive.