A/N:
*cue X-files theme* Warning: this story contains strong language, implied violence and the introduction of a murder mystery that will be central to the plot (character death). No explicit gore.
Welcome to the Pine Bluff Duality! Upon realizing there are correlates between Yu-Gi-Oh! and one of my other favourite shows of all time, I decided I wanted to marry the two and do my own take on it. This fic is influenced by the X-Files (with a bit of Twin Peaks tossed in for good measure), but with different character backstories and a murder mystery of my own devising. You by no means have to be familiar with these shows, but if you like the sort of stuff you see in this fic, I'd +++ recommend you check them both out!
A thick file snapped shut, the papers within threatening to burst under the pressure of the large hand placed firmly atop the manilla folder.
"You've really done a number for yourself, Special Agent Sennen." A man with a voice like gravel chided from the other side of the table. "And this does not lie. You know this is easily grounds for dismissal, right?"
Special Agent Atem Sennen could feel his ears burning. In silence, he stared at his clenched fists as they rested on the mahogany conference table, his knuckles white beneath his caramel skin. He could barely breathe as guilt and fear reamed into him like a hot knife over and over. Once again, he started the cycle of internal self beratement that he had been slipping in and out of over the course of this hearing.
He had fucked up. Plain and simple. He could not blame this situation on naivety or coercion. When the opportunity had presented itself, he had made a choice. An impulsive one, but a choice nonetheless. At the time he knew he was playing with fire, but he had decided that some things in life were worth the risks. Overall, he did not regret what had transpired. He did, however, regret the outcome and the pain it had caused to the parties involved. Pain he was still suffering himself.
A grunt from across the table brought Atem back to the here and now, snapping his attention back to the five men across from him.
"What have you to say in your defence?"
Atem ran a hand down his chest to smooth his navy silk tie as he readied his response.
"Sir, all I can do is reiterate how deeply sorry I am for my actions. I apologize once again to anyone I may have hurt in the process. I know he wants my head on a stake, and I don't blame him. All I can ask is that you please reconsider. I know I can still be of value to the FBI as I have been so many times in the past. There must be some other way." The usually confident voice of one of the FBI's most prolific closers had been reduced to a low murmur. In this moment, Atem hated who he had become. He was never one to grovel.
"You are correct. Your former boss wants you publicly flogged, but I must admit, I do not share in his vehemence." The slate grey eyes regarded the young agent with curiosity. "I agree with you, the FBI would lose some fine talent should we fire you."
The man turned to convene with his colleagues briefly. As words were uttered in indecipherable low tones, Atem was once again left to his own thoughts. Like a kite in a hurricane, he was holding on by a thread.
"We have a proposition for you, Special Agent. You have two choices. One, put in your notice yourself and leave the FBI on your own terms. We can all part ways without further incident. Or two, you can remain here at the FBI, but will be put on probation and demoted for at least one year to a department of our choosing."
Atem could not believe what he heard. There is an option to stay? My career could rebound? Atem opened his mouth eagerly to accept the second offer but was promptly stopped by a raised hand.
"However, should you pick the second option, let it be known that your former boss could still decide to pursue this matter further up the ladder. This opportunity could still be taken away at a moment's notice."
Atem tensed. After knowing his former boss for several years, Atem knew just how tenacious Assistant Director Seto Kaiba could be and just how long he could hold a grudge. He ran a hand though his erratic hair, pushing his golden bangs out towards his crimson tips before they sprung back into place. This would not be easy, but for Atem there was no choice. He would have to swallow his pride in hopes for a brighter future. "I want to stay, sir. Assign me wherever you please." Atem said quietly.
"A wise choice, young man. You will report to Building 4B tomorrow morning. Basement floor, room 018. There, you will meet your new commanding officer and will be assigned your tasks."
"May I ask, who is my commanding officer?"
"That I will leave you to figure out for yourself." The man grinned wolfishly. "I think an obstinate and frankly disruptive man such as yourself would greatly benefit from the… perspective your new commanding officer can provide."
Atem felt a sense of dread build deep within his gut as a series of scenarios ran through his head of who his new commanding officer could be. Atem's imagination ran wild as he pictured himself relegated to being an errand boy beneath a sadistic and ruthless tyrant. Or perhaps, he would drown in a sea of numbers as he was forced to manage all of the billings and reimbursements the field agents all the while his new boss droned in his ear about the importance of ensuring timely payouts. Atem could not suppress the shiver that ran down his spine.
"This hearing has adjourned. Pack up your desk and report to your new posting at 0730 hours tomorrow, Special Agent Sennen." The man commanded, his tone final and his gaze even more so. Atem obliged, getting up from his seat and after thanking the panel, he made his leave.
Now back at his cubicle, Atem became acutely aware of the sudden atmosphere shift in the cyber crimes department upon his arrival. As he neatly placed his mug and custom computer mouse in a cardboard box, he couldn't help but notice the other agents peering at him from across the bullpen, their stares ranging from curious to disgusted. News of Atem's disciplinary hearing and subsequent demotion had spread like wildfire through the department. The usually overly friendly receptionist would not make eye contact with him, offering only a single non-committal noise in response to his usual greeting. Unfortunately, the other agents decidedly had more to say.
"What do you think he did? I bet you he was embezzling…" Atem remembered hearing one whisper to another as he did his walk of shame through the department.
"He was probably receiving bribes. Those expensive Italian leather boots he wears won't pay for themselves." Another sneered.
"Maybe its something more mundane? Like lying about his educational background?"
"Do you think he killed a guy?"
"But how would this bastard still have a job?"
"I hear the demotion he's been given would make being a janitor look luxurious."
"He must be a double agent working for the mob!"
The cacophony of postulations and accusations quickly broke him down. His face hot with shame and chest tight, the crimson eyed agent quickly stuffed his remaining personal effects into his now overflowing cardboard box. Atem knew he needed out as soon as possible.
His task finally complete, Atem tossed on his black leather jacket and tried to make it out of the department with whatever dignity and decorum he had remaining. Keeping his posture straight and chin held high like how his father had taught him from a young age, he walked across the bullpen. Atem willed his legs to remain steady as the door out of the department finally came into view. He almost made it out too, but his escape was momentarily delayed by one last metaphorical kick in the gonads.
Not five feet away stood Assistant Director Seto Kaiba, lazily bent over the front desk chatting with the now animated receptionist. Upon seeing the tricolour haired man come into view, Seto's smirk morphed into an ugly sneer.
"Justice has been served, Sennen." Came the drawl from the towering man. His voice was laced with malice. "This will teach you never to fuck with me ever again. I always win. Get out of here, you bastard!"
Although the words cut deep, Atem did not even pause his stride to address the verbal assault coming from his former boss. Atem knew if he gave the man even an inch of rope, Seto Kaiba would find a way to tie a noose around his neck. His power and influence were too strong. Instead he continued to hold his head high and quietly made his way towards the door.
Finally. The door closed with a click behind him and the harsh words were dampened. Atem let out the shaky breath he had been holding. The corners of his eyes stung. His so-called friends. His work. All gone in a blink of an eye. All because of one decision.
Nursing his shattered heart, Atem made his way to his car. He couldn't stand to be in this place a moment longer.
The next morning, Atem crossed the lawn with his black leather messenger bag slung over his shoulder, making haste towards building 4B. The building seemed harmless enough. Made out of the same limestone and concrete that the other buildings in the complex and towering several stories tall, it seemed to blend right in. However nondescript this building was, Atem just knew that this place was going to become his own personal prison.
Just a year. One year. You will prove yourself to be an asset and they will have no choice but to promote you back on track to becoming director. Atem reassured himself as he readjusted his bag.
Pulling open the double doors, Atem crossed the threshold and inspected the map on the wall in an effort to locate his new office.
"Room 018… Department of Unexplained Cases…" Atem read aloud to himself in confusion. Then a moment of recognition. "You've got to be kidding me…"
With a shake of his head, Atem made his way towards the stairs. After a few wrong turns, Atem found himself face to face with a grey, dingy door that seemed to be a relic from the 1990s. Squaring his shoulders beneath his maroon checked shirt and straightening his black tie, Atem turned the doorknob and confidently stepped into the office.
Despite the dimmed lights, Atem could tell that just like the door, this office had not seen a renovation in several decades. The air was musty and the carpet was threadbare. Three full sized metal desks sporting chipped grey paint were crammed into a room not much larger than a janitor's closet. Two desks appeared empty, while the one farthest from the door had numerous files strewn about in a haphazard manner. A single monitor and computer tower occupied the remainder of the desk space. Atem made a face. After working with the top of the line computers in the cyber crimes office for the last few years, this would take some getting used to.
Atem laid his bag down gently beside the middle desk and walked over towards the occupied one. Taking a breath, he looked around the monitor to meet his new commanding officer. To his disappointment, he was met only by an empty chair and the pale blue light of the locked computer screen. He let out a sigh and returned to the desk he had all but claimed as his own. The tattered office chair seemed to groan in protest as Atem lowered himself into it. There he waited to meet his new boss, his patience dwindling by the second.
After a couple minutes, Atem let out a groan of his own and sprung up. Be damned if he was going to sit around and do nothing while he waited for his tardy commanding officer. He might as well explore a bit and grab a cup of coffee. A man on a mission, he swept towards the door and yanked it open. He heard a small yelp as his body collided with another. Steaming liquid from a mug fell towards the ground. Atem's eyes took in a pair of worn brown leather boots, now splattered in café au lait. His eyes quickly scanned up the navy chinos and tucked in pale grey button-down shirt to a face that made him take pause. A set of amethyst eyes blinked in surprise, obscured slightly by long golden bangs set within a mess of violet tipped spiked black hair.
"Oh, I, er…" Atem stammered in surprise, his startled eyes flitting back down to the coffee covered shoes.
"Oh, it's no trouble. These shoes have seen worse." Came the light reply. "Who are you? And what are you doing in my office?"
'My office'? Oh shit. Quickly realizing what was transpiring, Atem fumbled for his badge and held it to the coffee covered man in front of him. "I have been assigned to this department." Atem replied quickly, his voice a bit sheepish.
"Special Agent Atem Sennen… oh yes. I received that email last night. I must admit, I thought you wouldn't be here until next Tuesday." Amethyst eyes were back on him and Atem found himself feeling strangely intimidated, which was a very rare occurrence for the confident agent. He had never seen eyes quite that colour before.
"I'm, uh, nope. Supposed to start today. Reporting for duty, sir." Atem found himself quickly reverting to formal speak as he scolded himself for making such a poor first impression on his new commanding officer. Atem awaited the wrath of his new boss but it never came. Instead, he heard a light chuckle.
"Oh, there's no need to call me 'sir'. Yes, I may be your new boss, but in this department, there's no real hierarchy. I'd like us to be on the same page and work like partners, if you will." The man offered his free hand. "I'm Supervisory Special Agent Yugi Muto. Please call me Yugi."
"SSA Yugi Muto? As in Yugi 'Magical' Muto?" Atem asked without thinking twice. Atem's stomach dropped as he watched as his new boss' demeanour shift quite suddenly. Strike two.
"I really wish people would stop calling me that. Just because you don't understand something doesn't mean it can't exist." Came the cool reply as the man walked into the office, his shoulder clipping Atem's lightly on his way by.
"Ah, sorry, sir. I only meant it as a question. I did not mean to offend." Atem backpedaled verbally as he physically retreated into the dim office. His ears were starting to burn in embarrassment. "I just…"
His thought tailed off as he watched Supervisory Special Agent Yugi Muto move to lean against the edge of his desk, arms crossed, eyes quietly sizing up his new employee. Under the man's scrutinous gaze, Atem internally remarked that they bore a striking resemblance to each other, right down to their short stature. The agent in front of him seemed to be only a hiar shorter than Atem's 5'3". There were a few obvious and noticeable differences, though. His new bosses' features had more gentle curves in contrast to his own angular lines. Although Atem had to admit, the stern stare and furrowed brow SSA Muto currently wore could easily rival his own. Another thing of interest was that although this agent was technically his boss, he couldn't have been any older than Atem's 32 years of age.
"It's alright, I don't think you meant any harm by it. It's just that nickname touches a nerve, that's all." Yugi seemed to soften slightly as he motioned for Atem to sit. He silently obliged.
"Welcome to the Department of Unexplained Cases. Or what I affectionately refer to as the shadow realm." Yugi said with a wave of his hand to the darkness around them. "What have you heard about this department?"
Atem took a moment to choose his words carefully, as he was now acutely aware of how he had seemed to fuck up every interaction he has had with the SSA so far. This department was notorious around the FBI. Run by a skeleton crew at best, it received cases from around the country that could not be explained by conventional means. Strange murders, impossible break and enters, cranks going on about aliens stealing their sheep. It was often the butt of the joke whenever it would come up in conversation, as the people who worked in this department were often regarded as being just as strange as the cases they received.
"Strange and unusual cases come by this desk. Cases that cannot be explained by… conventional means." Atem said slowly, keeping his deep voice neutral. "And this department is tasked at solving them."
"In a nutshell, yes. Now, what have you heard about me?"
Case in point: Yugi Muto. Plenty of stories had reached Atem about the agent in question. Rumour has it that this former prodigy in a popular game called Duel Monsters was poised for greatness until he had some sort of a mental breakdown while attending Princeton for his undergraduate degree. He apparently took a leave of absence from studying computer science and became a recluse for some time. He later resurfaced, graduated and turned down multiple Silicon Valley offers in favour of pursuing FBI training. No one knew the details of this breakdown, but some of the agents who Atem had worked with would jest that it must have been aliens or witches. Then they would have a good laugh at the expense of the eccentric, shy agent who worked in a basement alone somewhere. A few other agents had rotated though this department over the five years SSA Muto had been at its head, all of them leaving for one reason or another. Atem had never heard why.
"Other than your nickname, not too much else. I know that you are the only other agent employed by this department and you have been here now for several years."
Yugi seemed dissatisfied with his basic and evasive answer, but to Atem's relief, he did not press the matter further. "Correct again. Now tell me Atem, what are your thoughts on the paranormal?"
He doesn't waste much time. Atem had been waiting for this line of questioning ever since realizing what department he had been assigned to. However, he had not expected to be asked so soon and so forwardly.
"Aliens? Magic? The Loch Ness Monster? I don't believe they exist." Atem replied. "But for argument's sake, let's say they do exist. Wouldn't we have widely distributed concrete proof by now?"
"What if we did, but no one chooses to believe it?"
Atem couldn't help but grimace. "If the evidence was truly concrete, no one would dispute it."
Yugi tilted his head back in contemplation. "Have you ever thought about discoveries in the past. In science. Mathematics. Medicine. For every single new technology or hypothesis that came to fruition, there was dozens of naysayers. People would dispute that such a thing could exist or happen." A thoughtful pause. Atem waited for the man in front of him to finish.
"Why can't it be the same with what you just spoke of? Just because these entities exist beyond our current level of understanding doesn't make them inherently false." Yugi's eyes drifted back down and bore into Atem. They seemed to issue a challenge and Atem never backed down from one.
"But it doesn't make them inherently true either. Until I see evidence for myself, I cannot in good conscience believe." Atem responded, his own crimson eyes steadfast and rising to the challenge. After a moment, the agent in front of him seemed to relax, the small smile Atem had witnessed in the doorway reappearing.
"You'll do nicely. Welcome aboard, Atem."
"Thank you, sir. Er, I mean, Yugi."
Yugi reached back, fishing out a file from the messy pile on his desk. "You arrived here at just the right time. We have been called out to investigate this interesting case. We leave tomorrow bright and early for the small town of Canton, NC."
Atem accepted the manilla folder and started flipping through it. There were several full-size photos depicting a crime scene in a wooded area. Although Atem had seen many photos of crime scenes with many of them being more grotesque than this, there was something about these images that sent a chill down his spine. The male body looked as if it had been haphazardly tossed in a semi prone manner, dark hair wildly strewn about. The foliage around the body was charred and scorched in a perfect circle, while the alabaster skin of the body remained pure white in stark contrast. Not a single burn could be seen on his skin.
"It says here that this is not the first body to be found like this out in the North Carolina woods." Atem read out loud to no one in particular. "How strange. How do we know this is not just staged? Like the calling card of some sick serial killer?"
Yugi lightly pushed himself off his desk and circled to peer over Atem's shoulder. He brought Atem's attention to a particular paragraph.
"Just like the four cases before it, there were no signs of the body being moved prior to the forensic techs' arrival."
"But common things being common, maybe the perpetrator is just very meticulous?"
"And the scorched earth's in a perfect circle. The techs also said that the fire must have been very hot, at least 2500 F, to cause that sort of damage. Have any bright ideas as to how that could be explained?"
"Carefully placed accelerant? Then prompt extinguishing?" Atem offered, brow furrowing in thought.
Yugi snorted. "Grasping at straws already?" He teased. "Alright, skeptical Sennen, keep pouring over that file and familiarize yourself with it. I'm going to go replace the coffee that you knocked all over my shoes."
Atem felt a pang of embarrassment as he recalled his folly. Mouth opening to apologize once again, the words promptly died on his tongue when he saw his new partner's mirthful smirk. That bugger was making fun of him.
"Oh, is this how its going to be?" Atem responded with a chuckle. "Two can play at that game."
"That coffee's being deducted out of your paycheque, by the way." Yugi jabbed as he made his way towards the door, mug in hand. "You should also know that this is a game you can't win, Sennen."
"Try me, Muto."