Chapter 4: Base Delta
Seto's car stopped at the runway of Domino Airport, and the three passengers got out.
"Kaiba, isn't it dangerous to be here like this?" Jounouchi asked in concern.
"Hm. I own this strip of runway and the concord jet that will be here in a matter of seconds from that bay," Kaiba answered pointing to the bay.
With that, the bay doors opened and the jet rolled its way to the starting point of take off. As it stopped, the three of them walked to the entrance opening from its side. Mokuba came out and headed towards his brother.
"Niisama," he addressed Seto, "The plane is ready. You should reach your destination in about five hours."
"That's fine by me," Grandpa said.
"Nani?" Jounouchi complained, "I've got to be in the same cabin as Kaiba for five hours?"
"Baka," Seto replied, "This is among the fastest aircraft in the world, one of the only ones not dismantled. Be glad I am not making you take a third-class flight in a regular one. Besides, this has two small bedrooms in it if you want to get away."
"What do I do now, Niisama?" Mokuba asked.
"I want you to go back to Kabia Corporation and use the satellites to watch that location. I don't want anyone coming in or out without my knowing. Keep me updated."
"Hai," he said before going towards the limo.
"Motou-sama," he addressed Grandpa, " with your permission, I would like one of my top doctors is coming along incase Yugi has been injured. Taking him to a facility in America will definitely cause a media uproar. This way, we can get him on the plane and treat him while going back to Japan."
"Hai. You have my permission. Thank you, Kaiba," Grandpa said.
All of them got on the jet, and the pilot came on the speaker.
"Good afternoon, Kaiba-sama," he said on the speaker, "We will take off in ten minutes."
Kaiba only nodded to a camera on the corner of a wall and sat down at a small table next to a window. Jounouchi looked around, seeing the plane was long, but had only the small lounging room, the two bedrooms Seto had mentioned, and the cockpit. It was obvious that it had been a commercial plane, but it was renovated to accommodate Seto, Mokuba, and several of his staff on board. The doctor he had mentioned a while ago was checking over his small care center in the left bedroom.
"Kaiba," Grandpa said, "Where is Yugi?"
"The note the kidnapper gave me had precise latitude coordinates, placing it in a small mountain several miles from the city called Seattle."
"How do we know he's telling the truth?" Jounouchi asked.
"We don't, but he gave us twelve hours to get there, and we've already used up two of them."
Jounouchi and Grandpa just groaned in disappointment.
"And I've been meaning to ask you, Jounouchi," Kaiba said, "Why the hell do you have Yugi's puzzle around your neck?"
"The other Yugi wants to come too."
"Hm. I don't know how he can help, but he better listen well…"
Jounouchi could feel the spirit come out from behind him.
"…This is the ultimate sign I have buried my hatred with Alcatraz Island."
Jounouchi just looked at him poker-faced as the other Yugi disappeared from his back.
The plane landed on the landing path of the airport, and all of the passengers could see that it was lightly raining outside, almost reflecting their emotions at that point in time.
"Enjoy your stay here, Kaiba-sama," the pilot said over the intercom as the plane came to a complete stop, and the exit door rolled down. As he stepped out, Seto could see some of his American employees awaiting him. As he stepped down from the plane, one of them rushed over to him with an open umbrella and shielded Seto from the rain.
"Kaiba-sama," one of them said in Japanese as Seto took the umbrella, "The all-terrain vehicle is ready."
"Good," he replied, "Did you get the map Mokuba asked you to bring?"
"Yes. We've even drawn a detailed path for the trip."
"Good. Do you have an extra umbrella?"
"Yes, but this rain won't last long, so all you will have to worry about is the muddy terrain."
"Give the umbrella to the older man."
"But, we have another for your other guest…"
"He can take care of himself."
The lights came on again.
"Dang it!" Yugi thought, "I almost got these ropes off."
Norman unlocked the door to the cage and took out an object that looked like a toy gun. Confused, Yugi looked at the object with more detail.
"Don't worry," he said, "It's just a potent tranquilizer. We used this when we needed anyone to stay down for at least half a day. It induces sleep and doesn't contain any high concentrations of any one ingredient, so the person wouldn't be overdosed."
Norman squatted down and held it sideways so Yugi could see the side of the object. He pulled the trigger and a long hypodermic needle shot out, mildly shocking Yugi.
"It is long because it's used to get though clothing. I need you to get to sleep, so I can display you to Seto and what appears to be your grandfather and Jounouchi.
"Oh no! Grandpa! Why did you come?! This guys dangerous!! Jounouchi and Kaiba are though, but you're is another story…"
Suddenly, Norman looked down lower to Yugi's backside and saw the rope around his wrist was worn down by scrapping.
"You must have used the cage's rusted bars to slowly tear away at the ropes," he said smiling, "I understand, but you do know I can't allow that."
He got up again and got out a vial of liquid and inserted it into the needle gun. Squatting down again, Norman was retracted the needle back. Yugi suddenly used his restrained legs to kick Norman back, throwing him off balance, as he was squatting. In frustration, he got up again and quickly pinned the teenager to the cage wall with one hand on his chest.
"Now, now," he said with a threatening voice, "We can't have that, you little fucker."
He put the needle gun to Yugi's arm and pulled the trigger. Yugi could feel the needle entering him, but it was so quick, there was no pain. Norman retracted the needle and got up again, and then Yugi could feel himself get drowsy. He struggled to stay awake, but his eyelids would not agree. After he fell unconscious, Norman picked him up and laid him down at the center of the cage. He took out a pocketknife and cut away the rope.
"There. I couldn't risk you trying to break out, but now you won't wake up until I've finished my little 'surprise' for you, and your grandfather is a perfect addition."
He took out a remote control and pushed a button on it. The roof of the room opened up, and the cage was lifted into a higher level.
The vehicle went up the mountain with relative ease as Seto piloted it. Jounouchi and Grandpa were bumped around in the back as the vehicle made an unusual abrasion in the mud.
"How much longer Kaiba?" Grandpa asked.
"Not long. It should be another half-mile according to the coordinates…"
Suddenly, a loud bang, muffled by the vehicle's engine, was made, and something ripped though the hood of the vehicle and hit the engine. As Jounouchi and Grandpa shouted at the event, another object hit the hood. Seto, surprised by the two objects, felt the vehicle stall. Smoke started to come from the hood, and he stopped the vehicle all together. After Seto pick up his duel disk from the passenger seat and put it on, the three of them got out just as a shot was heard, and the front windshield cracked outward to the edges. All of them ran away from the vehicle until they got to a safe distance from it.
"What the hell was that?" Jounouchi huffed from the run.
"It sounded like a gun?" Grandpa wheezed.
"Damn it," Seto cursed, "I can't see anything with all these trees…"
Another shot was heard and they ran again. Grandpa, despite his age, seemed to sprint faster than the other two, though Jounouchi was yelling with Grandpa as another shot was fired. They ran for a more few yards when the saw a cave.
"Let's take cover in there!" Jounouchi shouted.
The others did not even have to answer as they ran for the small cave. As they entered it, a slab of rock came up at the entrance and sealed them in.
"Great," Jounouchi huffed again, "Now we're stuck."
"At least we're safe from who ever was firing at us…at least I hope," Grandpa wheezed.
Seto, after a quick breath, began to look around at the cave. He walked forward and noticed a light fixture at the roof of the cave.
"Must have been activated when the slab closed," he thought, "which means this cave was formed or modified with human hands…"
"Kaiba, what are you doing?" Jounouchi asked puzzled.
Seto only looked around for a moment until he saw a rock pattern on the wall of the cave. He casually walked to it and felt around the corners until he heard a clicking noice. Both Grandpa and Jounouchi were surprised when a small slab of rock lowered down to reveal a door.
"What the?" Jounouchi said, mouth open.
"The formation of this rock is in the shape of Delta," Seto explained pointing to the rock formation on the wall, "and even the stupidest person knows that triangular shapes are not formed naturally."
"Uh, yeah," Jounouchi said scratching the back of his head and smiling, "Of course. Everyone knows that…"
Seto and Grandpa were already though the door before Jounouchi took off after them.
"Oye… Wait up…"
After five minutes of walking, they reached a well-sized room with a large opening to another room. Off to one side of the room were several plastic casings, each in a small, rectangular shape, along with several shut down computers and telephones with de-bugging equipment.
"What is this place?" Grandpa asked.
"A card dealing hide-out," Kaiba answered, "This is probably where a gang sold stolen or fake cards."
"And thanks to you, Mr. Kaiba," a voice said from the other room, "You shut it down."
All of them turned their attention towards the opening to the next room, where a man with a brown over coat was standing with a gun in his hand.