Special thanks again to FlowersHeart17 who helped me come up with ideas for the mini arc!

WARNING! Mentioned sexual activities!

The chapter begins in Yusei's point of view.

Disclaimer: I do not own any Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's characters! I only own my OCs!

Chapter 69: Crash Town – Part 2

The main reason why I wanted to take a detour back to Crash Town was to talk to Estelle. Well, not exactly talk, but ask her what her plans for her future were. Crow and Jack's words returned to my mind from the conversation we had before I left New Domino City.

My heart started beating a little faster as my palms were getting a little sweaty underneath my gloves. I swallowed nervously before clearing my throat. "Estelle."

"Yes?" she responded, looking at me.

Her eyes shone with curiosity and that made me almost even more nervous. "Um… What kind of plans do you have for the future?"

"Plans for my future…?" Estelle mumbled softly.

I nodded as I looked away. "Yes, like… Plans for the future in your world or in…this world if the Crimson Dragon extends your visitation here?"

Estelle grew quiet as she stared at the river. I carefully glanced down and saw in her reflection how her eyes grew a little hazy, as if she was in deep thoughts.

"I…", she slowly began. "I actually don't have so many plans for the future in my world anymore…"

That caught my attention. Last time I asked a similar question, when she told me about my parents and the Fudo family, she said she had some plans of becoming an author. Did something change since then?

"Why not?" I asked softly.

Estelle exhaled loudly through her nose as the glow in her eyes returned. "I never really felt like I had a purpose in my world. Every single day was just the same. Nothing excitedly happened. The only people I associated with were my parents and the people at the part-time café, and sometimes in the game center where I played Duel Monsters. I used to have a few friends in my childhood, but we grew apart. Deep inside… I felt lonely and lost. I tried filling the void in my heart by writing fanfics and imagining my original character was part of the group, so I wouldn't feel so lonely anymore."

I had never heard this before. Estelle used to feel empty? That almost sounded like a sign of depression.

"But now…", Estelle looked up with a genuine smile. "I feel completely different. My days brightened up since the Crimson Dragon brought me here to your world. I no longer felt alone and I started feeling I have a purpose. I've been able to help people and my friends with the best of my abilities and my life has expanded ever since. I never once imagined I would work as a secretary and then be promoted to a special agent, nor did I imagine I would one day have my own motorcycle or Duel Runner and be a real Duelist." She giggled softly. "And I never really thought I would be fostering two little boys so early in my adulthood. Before, I always thought I was too young and incapable of taking care of children, but… After everything I've been through so far, it has helped me to mature and catch up with my age mentality. I was able to prove to myself I can do it. I can do the same thing as everyone else; I just needed time and help to catch up."

I couldn't help but smile when I heard that. I had witnessed the changes myself. Estelle seemed a little nervous at the beginning of our friendship, but she was able to relax and instinctively do the same things as everyone else. Like she said, she needed time and help, but she did the rest herself.

"So… If you were to choose where you want to live… Would you stay here or go back to your world?" I asked.

Estelle looked down again as she played on the dirt with the tip of her boots. "I actually want to stay here."

My heart skipped a beat. Did I hear that right?

"I feel like I've achieved so much in this world and I don't want to lose it", Estelle continued. "Even if I'll no longer be the Priestess and lose my powers, I feel like I can reach the stars without the help of a powerful force. But…"

Her smile dropped as she grew quiet again.

"But what…?" I asked softly.

"My main concern is my parents", Estelle revealed. "I want them to know I'm safe, but I don't want to worry them, especially Mom. She always tried to protect and treat me like a defenseless chick and 'hide' me from the cruel world. I don't want to feel like I'm betraying her for leaving her and Dad because of my selfishness… After everything she has done for me while I was suffering throughout my childhood because of the bullies and more…"

She bit her lower lip to stop herself from crying. It didn't help much as tears ran down her cheeks. She removed her glasses to wipe the tears off, but they kept coming. Her shoulders shook as she tried her best to hold back her sobs.

I had rarely seen Estelle cry like this. She often put up a poker face to hide her sadness, but now she was letting it out. For how long did she put a lid over her emotions?

I wrapped my arms around her thin waist and pulled her to me. She didn't hesitate to rest her face against my shoulder as she wrapped her arms around me. This briefly reminded me of the time after my first Shadow Turbo Duel against Kalin. Estelle had hugged and comforted me and said it was okay to be scared and cry. Now it was my turn to assure her I wouldn't leave her whenever she was going through a hard time.

I wanted to be her pillar. The rock she could rely on whenever she needed help.

I gently caressed her hair as Estelle's sobs slowly calmed down. My shirt got a little damp by her tears, but it was okay. If my presence and comfort helped her calm down, it was worth it.

Estelle slowly moved back before she pulled out a tissue from her jacket. She turned around and blew her nose before wiping her face clean. She put her glasses back on and turned to me with red and tired eyes.

"Sorry for the meltdown…", she apologized.

"Don't be", I shook my head. "I could tell you needed it."

Estelle smiled tiredly before she turned to the side and covered her mouth as she let out a small yawn. "Shall we go back now…?"

"Yes", I nodded. "It's getting late, and we'll have a long day tomorrow."

We left the river to walk back to Crash Town and Cassandra's house. Maybe it was because of the remnants of the romantic mood that made me bold. I gently took Estelle's right hand in my left hand. She looked a little surprised by the sudden move, but she never pulled her hand back. She just gave me a tired smile.

While I hoped I wasn't showing it, I was happy to hear Estelle wanted to stay in this world. It filled me with hope that perhaps we could have a future together.

I was glad I didn't try confessing to her right now. I could tell she still had obstacles that she had to break down before she was ready. And I had to put all my attention at the final preparations of the World Racing Grand Prix.

So I was going to confess to her after the tournament. That would be best for both of us.

XXXXXXXXXX – Kalin's POV

Another day. Another victory.

The Duel against the Giant was my 50th victory streak since I joined the Radley Group. Everything was going smoothly with the undercover mission. I had gained Radley's trust good enough that he and his men often left me alone, since I needed time to prepare myself and my Deck for the next Duel Time.

I never expected to see Yusei here, nor my sister and Estelle. Estelle hadn't forewarned me that she and the others would be coming. It might have something to do with Barbara. I always had a suspicious feeling about her. She once tried to approach me to congratulate me on my tenth victory with a bouquet, but I ignored her.

I sat on a cliff under the night sky and played with my harmonica while allowing my thoughts to wander off. If Yusei was here and he knew what the issue with Crash Town was, he would obviously try and "save" me from being thrown to the mines after defeating me in a Duel.

I heard soft footsteps behind me, but I recognized them. I stopped playing and opened my eyes to see West had sat down next to me. "Hi, West."

"Hi, Kalin!" West grinned widely. "You were amazing today again!"

"It was nothing", I shook my head. "But what are you doing out here? You should be at home."

"I know, but Nico and I got to meet Cassy, your little sister!" West said happily. "We were so happy to see her again! In fact…" He pulled out a sealed envelope from the pocket of his pants. "Cassy told me to give you this."

I took the envelope and ripped it open to pull out the letter. Cassandra wrote that she, Estelle, and Yusei were here because Barbara had written a letter to my childhood friend. She added that Yusei had no idea I was here on an undercover mission and she and Estelle would keep it quiet until they felt like it was time to tell him the truth.

That meant I could proceed with the mission. However, now I was feeling a little conflicted. I would obviously Duel with all my efforts against Yusei tomorrow evening, if he turned out to be my opponent from the Malcolm Family, but… What if I would realize I could win against him? Then I would play low and let him win. I didn't want to send him to the mines. I almost put him in danger once. I won't let that happen again.

I folded the letter and put it back into the envelope before putting it in the pocket of my black coat. "Thank you, West. Tell Cassy I got the letter and I read it."

"I will", West nodded before he stood up. "I'll go home now, but I'll see you at Duel Time tomorrow. Good night!"

"Good night, West", I softly waved as the little boy hurried back to Crash Town.

I grabbed my harmonica again and played a little more to encase myself in the silent desert around me. I opened my eyes and saw two shooting stars fly through the dark sky, as if it was a sign that something was about to change.

XXXXXXXXXX – Estelle's POV

I was a little embarrassed that I had a meltdown yesterday and Yusei got to witness it. However, I felt a little refreshed and relaxed than before, so I needed that.

Yusei went outside after breakfast to ask Barbara a couple of questions about Duel Time while I helped Cassandra clean the table and wash the dishes. I didn't expect they had running water out here in the wild.

I wiped the plates and cutleries Cassandra passed me after she washed them. I looked out the window and saw there was no one else outside. It was like a ghost town in daytime.

"Are people scared of going outside?" I asked.

"Yes and no", Cassandra replied as she washed a mug. "They're afraid to be sent to the mines, so everyone's walking on eggshells. But the town rules say there can only be activities when it's Duel Time."

"Pardon me for saying this, but this is ridiculous", I said my honest thoughts as I took the mug and wiped it. "I understand the villagers are scared and all, but they're being robbed of their freedom to walk and even socialize outside in daytime. Who came up with the town rules?"

"Malcolm and Radley."

"Of course…"

Cassandra sighed as she pulled the plug from the bottom of the sink. The dishwater gushed down the pipes until there was only some foam left.

"I…sincerely hope this war can soon come to an end", the young woman said. "Malcolm and Radley have taken so much from everyone and put us all in danger. They're blinded by greed and selfishness they no longer see the villagers and Duelists as human beings. We're all like dolls in their games."

"I get it", I nodded softly. "This is a meaningless war… If everything goes according to the secret plan, this could be over by the end of the week."

Cassandra nodded, but her eyes shone in worry. "I'm scared of what could happen to Kalin if he loses tonight to Yusei… I know he must be sent to the mines to get the last piece of visual evidence, but what if he can never escape from the mountain?"

The front door of the house opened, snapping us out from the conversation. Yusei stepped inside with hopeful eyes. "Estelle, Cassandra. Barbara told me a plan of how we can save Kalin before he's taken to the mountain."

"Okay…?" Cassandra said hesitantly.

That reminded me that I still hadn't asked her about her relationship with Barbara. Did she already have a suspicious feeling about the two-time traitor?

XXXXXXXXXX

I never got the chance to ask Cassandra the whole day. The evening arrived and the sun was about to set when Crash Town got lively. The villagers gathered outside as Malcolm Family and Radley Group arrived to the crossroad. Cassandra and I stood outside of Barbara's flower shop as we watched the preparations for Duel Time. The carriage for the transportation for the losing Duelist arrived to the crossroad. Barbara soon joined us with a bouquet of white flowers, all part of her…betrayal plan. Yusei was waiting inside her shop for his cue from Malcolm.

"Old man Malcolm!" Radley called from his side of the crossroad. "That macho man you gave to me as present wasn't good at all! He's just a goner."

I held back a gasp of dread. Did this indicate the Giant was already…gone? I glanced at Cassandra who gave me a sad look. That alone told me the truth.

"Don't let anything like that happen today", Radley continued taunting Malcolm. "Give me someone that's good once a while."

His followers laughed humorously at Malcolm who was fuming in anger. "You…!" the red-scarf leader growled before he collected himself. "This is the only chance you have to talk big! Today, I'll finally send the Death God of yours to the mountain!"

Radley laughed so hard as if it was an actual joke. "Like our Sensei would lose! Now, Sensei… Please win again for us today."

Kalin walked through the Duel Runners and Radley's group and up to the crossroad. He quickly threw a glance at me and Cassandra. He didn't move his head to give us a sign, but I knew he had acknowledged our presence.

"Kalin…", Cassandra mumbled worriedly.

"Don't worry, Cassy…", Barbara whispered. "Remember the plan…"

Cassandra grimaced in disgust as she stepped closer to me. She certainly didn't like Barbara, that's for sure. I didn't blame her for disliking the fake harpy.

"Hey! Hurry up and bring out the sacrifice for the mountain", Radley told Malcolm.

"What are you talking about, you!" Malcolm spat irritably. "Sensei, we're leaving it to you."

That was the cue. Like in a Wild Western movie, Yusei stepped out of Barbara's shop with a serious expression. Kalin's eyes widened very slightly at first for seeing Yusei before he resumed his poker face. "As I thought… Are you the opponent?" he asked.

"I came…to bring you back", Yusei responded. "Let's return together, Kalin."

"I won't return together", Kalin snorted. "One of us will remain at the mountain."

"I won't let that happen!" Yusei said determinedly.

Their conversation caught Radley's attention. "Y-You are… The one that called our Sensei back then. Sensei, do you know him?"

"Do you think I would lose on purpose?" Kalin retorted calmly.

"N-No, that's…", Radley said nervously. "That's true, if you lose, you'll be sent to the hell in the mountain…"

Kalin shrugged at his boss before turning his eyes back at the Signer. "You want to do this no matter what?"

"That's right", Yusei nodded.

"I understand", Kalin responded.

Both young men swiped their poncho respective coat back to have easy access to their holsters with the Gunman's Disk. Now the whole town got silent as we waited for the sun to touch the horizon. I could tell there was a different tension in the air than usual. I had a feeling the whole town somehow knew Yusei was on the same level as Kalin so this Duel could go down in history for them.

XXXXXXXXXX

I groaned softly as I was regaining consciousness due to painful throbbing in my head.

What happened?

The last thing I remembered was Yusei had won the Duel against Kalin after their Synchro dragons had clashed against each other with Stardust Dragon being the victor. After that, I was hit by something that paralyzed me and I hit my head on the ground and lost consciousness.

I slowly opened my eyes to see I was in a dark room. Cassandra's worried face hovered above mine as her expression swiftly changed into a relieved one. Cassandra's worried face hovered above mine as her expression swiftly changed into a relieved one.

"You're awake…", she said in a quiet voice.

I sat up and rubbed the left side of my head, feeling the splitting headache. I was like I had been run over by a train. "W-What happened…?" I asked as I tried to soothe the pain.

"You got knocked out by Barbara after she paralyzed Yusei with a shock gun…", Cassandra explained. "Malcolm's little brother, Lawton, returned to town and Dueled Radley and sent him, Kalin, and Yusei to the mines…"

So they all got transported to the mountain, just as in the anime…

It was then I noticed I was sitting on something soft. I looked down and saw I was in a bed big enough for four people to sleep on it. I then looked around to see where we were. There was only one door out of here and no windows. There was also no lamp at the ceiling and the air was full of dust.

"Where are we…?" I asked.

"In a basement…", Cassandra replied. "Malcolm's men threw us in here to be used as…sex slaves…"

"What?!" I exclaimed in disbelief.

"Shhh…!" Cassandra quickly put her point finger against her lips. "Don't worry, there's another way out of here besides that door… Nico and West are aware of a secret tunnel that's connected to here…"

"I'm not going to let someone hurt us for their own pleasure…", I said irritably as I refused to be used as a doll.

"Same here…", Cassandra nodded before she looked down on the sheets with a sad expression.

"Cassy… Are you okay?" I asked.

The young girl snapped out of it and gently shook her head. "N-No… I've been here before…"

"In this basement…?"

Cassandra nodded slowly. "I… As you and the others know, I used to be a sick and weak child."

"Yes…", I nodded.

"Before I became a teenager…", Cassandra stopped as she tried collecting her thoughts. "I… I was…"

I could tell this was a sensitive topic, so I gently placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her. "It's okay. I think I get it. You don't have to explain now."

Cassandra's eyes got glassy by tears, but she collected herself and wiped the tears off. "Thank you…"

The door to the basement creaked when it opened to reveal two drunk men from Malcolm's group. They reeked of alcohol and they were wobbling on their feet as they approached the bed.

"Hic! W-We won the f-first date w-with you two… Hic!" one of the men slurred his words.

"S-So give us a-a good… Hic! …s-service", the other one added.

Cassandra shook like a scared animal as the men came closer. Since she didn't have enough strength to fight them off, I was going to have to deal with both of them. I got out of the bed and stood in front of her as I mentally prepared myself to act seductive.

"Oh, you want our service, boys?" I asked with a fake shy smile as I placed my index finger at the right corner of my lips and tilted my head to the right.

"What are you doing…?!" Cassandra hissed in a low voice behind me.

"Y-You've got a c-clever brain, woman… Hic!" the second man laughed.

I faked a giggle as I slowly approached the first man. "Then let me give you a starter before the main course."

The two men's eyes shone brighter by my suggestion and stood still to let me give them a service. I reached out my hand at first toward the first man's groin, but just as I was about to touch him I clenched my hand into a fist and uppercut him on his chin.

He fell backwards as his friend didn't have enough time to comprehend what was going on before I attacked him too. It didn't take twenty seconds until both of them lied unconscious on the floor, the first man bleeding from his broken nose.

"The starter is called 'Knockout', gentlemen", I said as I clapped my hands to get rid of the invisible dirt. "Hope you enjoyed it."

"Whoa… That was fast", Cassandra commented.

"I've had self-defense classes", I explained. "They really come in handy in more than just one situation."

Cassandra nodded as she got off the bed and walked to a corner of the basement. "Knocking them out should give us some time to escape before they realize something's wrong down here…"

She got down on one knee knocked on the wooden floor code-wise while I ripped the bed sheets into pieces. I tied the men's wrists and ankles tight and covered their mouths with muzzles in case they would wake up sooner and sound the alarm.

I looked up when a trapdoor opened at the corner of the basement. Nico looked around cautiously and sighed in relief when she saw Cassandra. "Cassy…", she whispered softly. "I heard some noise…"

"Estelle knocked out two of Malcolm's men…", Cassandra whispered.

Nico nodded and got down into the underground tunnel. Cassandra followed her as I hurried to the trapdoor. I watched as the young woman climbed down a ladder until she made it to bottom of the tunnel. I got into the tunnel, but made sure to close the trapdoor and lock it so the men wouldn't come after us.

The tunnel was dark, except for the lantern Nico held in her hand as she guided us through the darkness.

"Where's West, Nico?" Cassandra asked.

"He's by the secret garage where your Runners are", Nico replied. "We thought we should bring one of them to the mountain to help Kalin and Yusei escape."

"I don't think I'll be able to walk that far while pushing a Runner…", Cassandra mumbled sadly. "I don't have the same strength as you guys…"

"Then let's push Yusei's Runner while you sit on it", I suggested. "I'm familiar with Yusei's Runner since he showed me a few secret tricks."

"Okay", Cassandra nodded. "Now that I think about it… You and Yusei seem really close…"

"We've been through a lot together", I quickly said before she could add anything else to her sentence.

Nico led me and Cassandra out of a tunnel one kilometer from Crash Town. We can out through another trapdoor that was hidden by dried bushes. Nico made sure to blow out the candle in the lantern, so the light wouldn't get someone's attention.

As if that was even possible with all the noise from Crash Town with Malcolm and his men partying around and being reckless on their Runners. I felt sad for the villagers who wanted nothing but sleep and rest and they were being kept awake because of some hooligans.

This town literally had no laws and that had to change.

We managed to find our way to the entrance of the secret garage. We met West by the Runners as he had patiently waited for us. He ran straight to Cassandra and gave her a big hug and even cried a few tears while he said he thought he would never see her again. After the brief reunion, we swiftly agreed on pushing Yusei's Runner with Cassandra sitting on it. Before we left the garage, I strapped my Crimson Dragon Duel Disk on my left arm, in case there would be any other obstacles that we had to take care of.

I checked the pockets of my jacket and inwardly sighed in relief as the emergency remote button was still there. As soon as we would get Yusei and Kalin out of the mines and all of us made it to a safe area, like this hidden garage, I would press the button to call for backup from Sector Security.

Yusei… Kalin… Hold on!

We're coming for you!

XXXXXXXXXX – Kalin's POV

While I was trapped inside the coffin, I could hear commotion from outside, but I didn't know what happened until I was forced into the mines with Yusei and Radley. Only deep in the mines were we released from the shackles and got instead remote stun collars. Once those were strapped on our necks, we got tools shoved into our hands and were pushed to work.

The air inside the mine was thick and heavy by humid and dust. How could someone work in here for months or years without ever allowing walking outside to get some fresh air or see actual sunlight? When was the last time someone got to change their torn clothes or take a shower? How was their actual health?

This was inhuman!

Malcolm's goons had removed my Radley Group coat, but I still had my buttoned shirt that was rigged with tiny spy camera and microphone. That was more than enough to collect the last piece of evidence to free Crash Town from the tyranny.

Yusei and I were pushed to a corner to dig the wall for Dyne. I got to experience the torture the miners got when they "slacked off", as the guards worded it. When my pickaxe bounced out of my hands when I hit a hard part of the wall, I got whipped on my back as punishment. I knew Yusei wanted to defend me, but I shook my head, telling him no. I didn't want him to experience this pain.

Sometime later, which felt like hours because I couldn't tell what time it was, Radley lost his common sense and started panicking, saying he wasn't supposed to be in the mines. Malcolm's men took him away to "calm" him down. He wasn't the only one they escorted out of this part of the mine.

A siren echoed in the mines which the guards reacted on. I realized that was the sound of changing shift with a refreshed group of Malcolm's men. They were having a brief conversation when one of the miners collapsed. The guards hurried to check on him, but the miner didn't respond.

My heart clenched as I figured I had just witnessed a man's death. His lifeless body was taken away as the other guards said comments like "Another one passed away?" in such ease as if they were used to it.

I made sure to turn my body toward the scene to capture the scene with the hidden camera. Yusei growled silently next to me as he witnessed the scene as well. I could tell by his body language he wanted to run and beat up the guards, but I held him back.

"Don't…", I whispered.

Yusei's body shook slightly when I had my hand on his shoulder. "Using Duels…to do things like this is horrible…!"

"I know…", I nodded as I turned him around so we could resume our work before the guards noticed we were slacking. "That's why I'll end this…"

"End this…?" Yusei mumbled before he gasped in realization. "Kalin… Don't tell me…!"

I gave him a genuine smile. "I was sent here by Director Goodwin on a special mission… After Grandpa told Goodwin about the situation in Crash Town, we came up with a plan to end the tyranny by sending me on an undercover mission… My job was to collect evidence with tiny spy cameras and microphone I planted on my clothes… The last piece of evidence was the condition and tyranny in the mines, so I had to lose a Duel at some point after being in Crash Town for more than a month to be sent here…"

"So that's why Estelle and Cassandra's been acting weird…!" Yusei said.

"Right… They didn't want to blow my cover…", I nodded. "And I never lost to you on purpose…"

Yusei's shoulders sank in relief as he got a small smile himself. "I'm glad to hear you were never suicidal…"

I nodded before I got serious and pointed at the stun collar. "However, now that I've got the proof, we need to get out of here and get rid of this collar…"

Yusei fished up a bent spike he must have collected when the guards had removed our shackles. He looked around to make sure no one was watching us before he started messing with his collar. It sparkled a little, but it never shocked him. Instead, he managed to remove it.

"That's expected of you…", I chuckled. "Was that a toy for you?"

"We'll have our chance when the workers change shifts…", Yusei whispered. "Earlier, I found a narrow passage next to the generator. Let's go through there and look for the exit…"

"Good call…", I nodded before I looked over my shoulder, seeing the guards were still talking to each other. "The timing must be right… Or else, our only chance to escape will fail…"

XXXXXXXXXX – Estelle's POV

Cassandra, Nico, West, and I had a change of plan on our rescue mission. I would drive Yusei's Duel Runner with West sitting behind me while Cassandra would drive her Runner with Nico. If we drove the Runners without lights and making loud noise, the chances of being spotted by the guards outside of the mines would be small.

Yusei had taught me how his Duel Runner worked, so I had no problems driving it. It was literally the same as my Runner, but with a few differences. Each Duel Runner could only be unlocked if you inserted the key and the right password.

I drove first with West sitting behind me as his arms wrapped around my waist. Cassandra was behind me as we drove through the darkness. We slowed down a little when we reached the mountain to make less noise. To my surprise, there were barely any guards outside.

I snapped my head up when I sensed Yusei's Mark. He was nearby!

I braked the Runner while making sure the brake lights on the back were on. Cassandra was several meters behind me, so she had time to see the lights and braked next to me. "What is it, Estelle?" she asked.

"I thought I heard something…", I whispered as I got off Yusei's Duel Runner.

"I heard nothing…", West mumbled as he stood next to me.

Cassandra and Nico got off the other Duel Runner and looked around. It was hard to see in the night, but I spotted two dark figures in a small ravine. I held my arm with the Star Mark and used my senses to check if one of the figures was Yusei.

A soft red light shone from the ravine in response, confirming it really was the Signer, before it vanished.

"What was that red light…?" Nico questioned.

The two shadows hurried toward our direction. The closer they got, the more their identity was revealed. It was Yusei and Kalin!

"Kalin!" Cassandra and West exclaimed in joy.

"Yusei!" I smiled.

"You're both safe!" Nico added.

I noticed how dirty Yusei and Kalin had already gotten after a couple of hours in the mine. None of them appeared to be hurt that they needed immediate medical attention.

"Why are you here with the Runners?" Kalin asked strictly. "It's too dangerous for you to be here!"

"We came here to rescue you from the mines", Cassandra explained. "There's no way we would leave you two behind."

Kalin's eyes softened when he heard the reason. "I see… Thank you."

"Are you two okay? Did they hurt you?" I asked in concern.

"I got whipped on my back", Kalin confessed.

"What?!" Cassandra and the children exclaimed in shock.

"Turn around and show us", I demanded.

Kalin turned around so his back was facing us. His shirt was a little ripped on the back by a whip and his skin had a few bruises. Besides that, he didn't have an open wound.

"There are only a few bruises. A little ointment can help healing them", I concluded before turning to Yusei. "And you, Yusei?"

"I'm okay", Yusei shook his head before he grew concerned. "What about you, Estelle? I couldn't see it, but I heard you hit your head when Barbara stunned you."

"Yes, I hit my head and blacked out", I nodded as I rubbed the point on my head that was still sore. "But I'm okay. No concussion or any other injuries."

"I hate to say it, but we should leave now before they realize you're all missing", Nico spoke up.

"We should head to the secret garage and call for backup from Sector Security", I nodded. "Kalin, you got the evidence from the mines?"

Kalin nodded as he pointed at the buttons on his shirt. "The cameras and microphone should have it all."

"Perfect! This means the tyranny of Crash Town should be over in less than twenty-four hours", I declared.

"Does this mean we can see our dad again?" West asked hopefully.

"Yes", I nodded.

"Hurray!" West cheered loudly.

Nico quickly hushed him. "Not so loud…!"

Noises from multiple Duel Runners broke the night silence around us. We saw the highlights of the Runners and the large frame of Lawton's Duel Runner!

"It's Lawton!" Cassandra shrieked in fear.

There was chaos for a few seconds, but we managed to organize ourselves. Yusei got on his Duel Runner while Cassandra and Nico got on the blue Duel Runner to lead Lawton away. Kalin, West, and I ran into the mines while being chased by Lawton's two lackeys.