NOTE: Kleenex warning for this chapter!! **sniffle**
Yugi hung up the phone, his face ashen white.
"Yugi! What's wrong?" Tea gasped.
"Joey's missing," Yugi replied. "He disappeared just like those two students did—without a trace."
"Oh no," Tea moaned. "This is terrible!"
Yugi nodded. "And I don't have a single clue about how we can find him." His eyes filled with tears. "Tea, what if the zombies got him?"
"Oh Yugi . . ." Tea laid a hand on her friend's shoulder. "We have to hope for the best."
"I know, but . . ." Yugi heaved a sigh. "In light of everything that's been happening lately, I'm just so worried about him . . ."
A tear fell from Tea's eye. "I am, too, Yugi," she whispered. "I am, too."
That's when Tristan and Bakura came in. "What's happening?" Tristan asked, instantly seeing that something was amiss by Yugi's and Tea's stricken expressions.
Quickly Yugi and Tea informed them of the latest development.
"Oh man . . . Joey's missing?" Tristan slammed his fist into his palm. "We've gotta find him!"
"This is terrible," Bakura exclaimed, shaking his head.
That's when the phone rang again. "Hello, Muto residence," Yugi said, praying that it was news about Joey.
"Yugi?" It was Seto Kaiba. "Have you seen Mokuba?"
"Mokuba?" Yugi gasped. "No, I haven't. Why?"
"He's missing," Seto replied.
"Oh no!" Yugi exclaimed. "Joey's missing too!"
There was a brief silence. "Well, this is a fine turn of events," Seto remarked sarcastically. "Let me know if you see Mokuba."
"We will," Yugi assured him.
"Good luck finding Wheeler," Seto said and hung up.
"What is it now, Yugi?" Tea asked.
"More bad news?" Tristan wondered.
Yugi nodded grimly. "That was Kaiba," he told them. "Mokuba's missing too."
****
The dark figure sneered, looking over the two prisoners the wraiths had brought back. "Excellent," he cackled. "You've done exactly as I wanted. I trust there were no problems this time?"
"No problems, sir," the lead wraith replied. "They are completely under the zombies' spell."
The man laughed, staring into the prisoners' vacant eyes. "Perfect! And you've given them their orders?"
"Yes sir," the wraith told him. "Should I turn them loose to carry those orders out now?"
"Yes, do." The man smiled wickedly. Everything was going according to plan.
****
"Where could Joey be?" Yugi worried, opening the door to the game shop. He and the others had just finished a fruitless search of the neighborhood. As he walked inside, he let out a gasp. "Joey!"
"Huh?" Instantly Tea, Tristan, and Bakura were also inside the shop. Sure enough, Joey was standing by the counter, as if he'd been waiting for them. He looked up, his eyes blank and empty.
Everyone gasped. "Joey!" they all exclaimed.
"It can't be!" Tea cried.
"Whoa! He's been turned into a zombie!" Tristan yelled.
Joey slowly advanced on Yugi, no recognition evident in his brown eyes.
"What's he trying to do?" Tristan demanded.
Joey tackled Yugi, bringing him to the floor and wrapping his fingers around the other's neck.
"Joey! What are you doing?" Yugi exclaimed. "Don't you know me, Joey? . . . Joey, stop!!!"
"He's trying to kill Yugi!" Tristan burst out.
Instantly Yugi summoned his Yami, then he grabbed Joey's hands and pried them away from his neck. "Joey, you must stop this," he ordered. "You can break free of this evil power." He only prayed that was true. Surely Joey was still in there somewhere . . . wasn't he?
In reply Joey pulled out a knife and held it dangerously close to Yugi's chest.
Everyone gasped. "Joey, no!" Tea cried. "You can't!!"
Joey paid no attention.
Yugi snatched the other boy's wrist, wrenching his arm and the deadly weapon away from him. "Joey, listen to me," he pleaded, looking into his friend's empty eyes. "Come back, Joey. We can't lose you."
Joey pulled his arm free and held the knife up again.
"He's not there," Bakura exclaimed. "Yugi's not getting through to him!"
"If he doesn't get through soon, I don't even want to think of the consequences," Tristan said gravely.
****
"Any sign of him?" Seto asked worriedly.
"I'm afraid not, Mr. Kaiba," the chauffeur replied.
"Wait!" Seto said abruptly, seeing someone walking down the edge of the deserted road. "Stop!" he ordered. The chauffeur obeyed.
Seto threw the door open. "Mokuba!" he called.
The young boy looked up and walked toward the limo mechanically, his eyes vacant.
"Mokuba!" Seto gasped. "What happened to you?!"
Mokuba climbed into the limo and the chauffeur started the engine up again. The small boy pulled out a deadly knife.
"Mokuba!" Seto exclaimed. "What are you doing?!"
Mokuba turned to Seto, raising the knife threateningly.
Seto swiftly grabbed Mokuba's wrist, restraining him. "Mokuba! It's me, Seto," he pleaded, looking into the boy's empty eyes. "What's wrong, Mokuba? Why don't you know me?"
Mokuba struggled to pull his wrist free and wound up scraping his brother's arm with the knife. Seto loosened his grip, crying out in pain.
"Mr. Kaiba, sir, what's going on?" the chauffeur demanded, adjusting the rear view mirror to look back at them.
"Stop the limo," Seto ordered, dodging another swipe of the knife. "Something's happened to Mokuba!"
Mokuba stood up in the limo, raising the knife towards Seto's heart. The elder Kaiba wrestled the boy to the floor, trying without much success to pull the weapon out of his hand.
At the same moment, Seto felt the limo lurch and suddenly bang into something hard. He fell backward, hitting his head on the door and falling unconscious.
****
When Seto finally opened his eyes, he felt as if he'd been asleep for a long time. It was dark all around him and it was raining outside. Was he still in the limo? He looked around. He was. The thing was turned on its side, but somehow he had managed to stay in it during the collision, even tho he hadn't been wearing his seat belt at the time.
"What happened?" he said aloud, not really expecting an answer. He didn't get one. "Mokuba! Where are you?" he called frantically. His eyes narrowed angrily, remembering how his brother had tried to kill him. It had been as if Mokuba had been hypnotized or brainwashed. Whoever had done that to his sweet, innocent brother was going to pay.
His blood ran cold. What if Mokuba had been thrown from the limo? The chauffeur was nowhere in sight either.
Looking above him, Seto managed to pry the door open and climbed out. "Mokuba! Answer me, Mokuba!" He looked around, trying to see through the pouring rain, and turned pale. He could see a small body lying motionless in the road and instantly was at his brother's side, unable to stop from crying. "Mokuba . . . little brother . . . it's me, Seto," he whispered, pleading for an answer. Unable to find any serious broken bones or other injuries, he took Mokuba in his arms, holding him close. "Mokuba, speak to me," he begged. "Tell me you're alright . . . that you know me . . ." He trailed off. How long had Mokuba been laying in the road with the rain beating down on him? He was so still . . . "Help," Seto prayed. "Somebody help!"
He felt a gentle hand on his shoulder and looked up. "No . . . it can't be . . ." he gasped. Standing shimmering before him was Kasumi.
"So we meet again, Seto Kaiba," she said softly.
"So we do," he replied, and paused. "The last time we met, you told me you were around to make sure Mokuba and I were never separated. But what about this time?" he demanded, wrapping Mokuba in his trenchcoat, trying to warm him up. "What about this time, huh? Someone took Mokuba over and made him try to kill me, and now what if he's . . ."
Kasumi smiled gently, kneeling down next to Seto and hugging him comfortingly. "What happened today was a tragedy, but you can both rise from it."
"You mean he's not . . .?" Seto looked hopeful. He brushed the long bangs away from his brother's closed eyes. "Will he . . . will he know me?" he asked in a whisper.
Kasumi sighed and smiled sadly. "For that, we will just have to wait and see," she replied.
****
"Joey, stop!" Tea screamed, trying to pull Joey away. "Yugi's your best friend. Don't you remember him, Joey? Don't you remember any of us?"
Joey shoved Tea away and turned back to Yugi, the knife still in his hand.
"Joey, you must come back," Yugi pleaded. "You must overcome this evil power that has taken hold of you."
"Yugi, can't you do anything?" Tea asked.
Yugi shook his head. "It's Joey's battle. He must fight it himself."
"But he's trying to kill you!" Tea burst out.
Yugi looked deep into Joey's eyes. "Joey, can you hear me? You must fight this, Joey."
The hand with the knife shook, as if Joey was suddenly indecisive.
"Hey, maybe Yugi's finally getting through to him," Tristan said hopefully.
Yugi smiled gently. "So . . . what will it be?"
The knife clattered to the floor and Joey collapsed to his knees, sobbing. "Yugi . . . oh man, Yugi, I'm so sorry . . ." He looked up, his brown eyes alive and alert again. "You know that wasn't really me, dontcha, pal?" He shook his head. "I'd never hurt you, Yugi."
Yugi laid a hand on Joey's shoulder comfortingly. "It's alright, Joey. Of course I know."
Yugi hung up the phone, his face ashen white.
"Yugi! What's wrong?" Tea gasped.
"Joey's missing," Yugi replied. "He disappeared just like those two students did—without a trace."
"Oh no," Tea moaned. "This is terrible!"
Yugi nodded. "And I don't have a single clue about how we can find him." His eyes filled with tears. "Tea, what if the zombies got him?"
"Oh Yugi . . ." Tea laid a hand on her friend's shoulder. "We have to hope for the best."
"I know, but . . ." Yugi heaved a sigh. "In light of everything that's been happening lately, I'm just so worried about him . . ."
A tear fell from Tea's eye. "I am, too, Yugi," she whispered. "I am, too."
That's when Tristan and Bakura came in. "What's happening?" Tristan asked, instantly seeing that something was amiss by Yugi's and Tea's stricken expressions.
Quickly Yugi and Tea informed them of the latest development.
"Oh man . . . Joey's missing?" Tristan slammed his fist into his palm. "We've gotta find him!"
"This is terrible," Bakura exclaimed, shaking his head.
That's when the phone rang again. "Hello, Muto residence," Yugi said, praying that it was news about Joey.
"Yugi?" It was Seto Kaiba. "Have you seen Mokuba?"
"Mokuba?" Yugi gasped. "No, I haven't. Why?"
"He's missing," Seto replied.
"Oh no!" Yugi exclaimed. "Joey's missing too!"
There was a brief silence. "Well, this is a fine turn of events," Seto remarked sarcastically. "Let me know if you see Mokuba."
"We will," Yugi assured him.
"Good luck finding Wheeler," Seto said and hung up.
"What is it now, Yugi?" Tea asked.
"More bad news?" Tristan wondered.
Yugi nodded grimly. "That was Kaiba," he told them. "Mokuba's missing too."
****
The dark figure sneered, looking over the two prisoners the wraiths had brought back. "Excellent," he cackled. "You've done exactly as I wanted. I trust there were no problems this time?"
"No problems, sir," the lead wraith replied. "They are completely under the zombies' spell."
The man laughed, staring into the prisoners' vacant eyes. "Perfect! And you've given them their orders?"
"Yes sir," the wraith told him. "Should I turn them loose to carry those orders out now?"
"Yes, do." The man smiled wickedly. Everything was going according to plan.
****
"Where could Joey be?" Yugi worried, opening the door to the game shop. He and the others had just finished a fruitless search of the neighborhood. As he walked inside, he let out a gasp. "Joey!"
"Huh?" Instantly Tea, Tristan, and Bakura were also inside the shop. Sure enough, Joey was standing by the counter, as if he'd been waiting for them. He looked up, his eyes blank and empty.
Everyone gasped. "Joey!" they all exclaimed.
"It can't be!" Tea cried.
"Whoa! He's been turned into a zombie!" Tristan yelled.
Joey slowly advanced on Yugi, no recognition evident in his brown eyes.
"What's he trying to do?" Tristan demanded.
Joey tackled Yugi, bringing him to the floor and wrapping his fingers around the other's neck.
"Joey! What are you doing?" Yugi exclaimed. "Don't you know me, Joey? . . . Joey, stop!!!"
"He's trying to kill Yugi!" Tristan burst out.
Instantly Yugi summoned his Yami, then he grabbed Joey's hands and pried them away from his neck. "Joey, you must stop this," he ordered. "You can break free of this evil power." He only prayed that was true. Surely Joey was still in there somewhere . . . wasn't he?
In reply Joey pulled out a knife and held it dangerously close to Yugi's chest.
Everyone gasped. "Joey, no!" Tea cried. "You can't!!"
Joey paid no attention.
Yugi snatched the other boy's wrist, wrenching his arm and the deadly weapon away from him. "Joey, listen to me," he pleaded, looking into his friend's empty eyes. "Come back, Joey. We can't lose you."
Joey pulled his arm free and held the knife up again.
"He's not there," Bakura exclaimed. "Yugi's not getting through to him!"
"If he doesn't get through soon, I don't even want to think of the consequences," Tristan said gravely.
****
"Any sign of him?" Seto asked worriedly.
"I'm afraid not, Mr. Kaiba," the chauffeur replied.
"Wait!" Seto said abruptly, seeing someone walking down the edge of the deserted road. "Stop!" he ordered. The chauffeur obeyed.
Seto threw the door open. "Mokuba!" he called.
The young boy looked up and walked toward the limo mechanically, his eyes vacant.
"Mokuba!" Seto gasped. "What happened to you?!"
Mokuba climbed into the limo and the chauffeur started the engine up again. The small boy pulled out a deadly knife.
"Mokuba!" Seto exclaimed. "What are you doing?!"
Mokuba turned to Seto, raising the knife threateningly.
Seto swiftly grabbed Mokuba's wrist, restraining him. "Mokuba! It's me, Seto," he pleaded, looking into the boy's empty eyes. "What's wrong, Mokuba? Why don't you know me?"
Mokuba struggled to pull his wrist free and wound up scraping his brother's arm with the knife. Seto loosened his grip, crying out in pain.
"Mr. Kaiba, sir, what's going on?" the chauffeur demanded, adjusting the rear view mirror to look back at them.
"Stop the limo," Seto ordered, dodging another swipe of the knife. "Something's happened to Mokuba!"
Mokuba stood up in the limo, raising the knife towards Seto's heart. The elder Kaiba wrestled the boy to the floor, trying without much success to pull the weapon out of his hand.
At the same moment, Seto felt the limo lurch and suddenly bang into something hard. He fell backward, hitting his head on the door and falling unconscious.
****
When Seto finally opened his eyes, he felt as if he'd been asleep for a long time. It was dark all around him and it was raining outside. Was he still in the limo? He looked around. He was. The thing was turned on its side, but somehow he had managed to stay in it during the collision, even tho he hadn't been wearing his seat belt at the time.
"What happened?" he said aloud, not really expecting an answer. He didn't get one. "Mokuba! Where are you?" he called frantically. His eyes narrowed angrily, remembering how his brother had tried to kill him. It had been as if Mokuba had been hypnotized or brainwashed. Whoever had done that to his sweet, innocent brother was going to pay.
His blood ran cold. What if Mokuba had been thrown from the limo? The chauffeur was nowhere in sight either.
Looking above him, Seto managed to pry the door open and climbed out. "Mokuba! Answer me, Mokuba!" He looked around, trying to see through the pouring rain, and turned pale. He could see a small body lying motionless in the road and instantly was at his brother's side, unable to stop from crying. "Mokuba . . . little brother . . . it's me, Seto," he whispered, pleading for an answer. Unable to find any serious broken bones or other injuries, he took Mokuba in his arms, holding him close. "Mokuba, speak to me," he begged. "Tell me you're alright . . . that you know me . . ." He trailed off. How long had Mokuba been laying in the road with the rain beating down on him? He was so still . . . "Help," Seto prayed. "Somebody help!"
He felt a gentle hand on his shoulder and looked up. "No . . . it can't be . . ." he gasped. Standing shimmering before him was Kasumi.
"So we meet again, Seto Kaiba," she said softly.
"So we do," he replied, and paused. "The last time we met, you told me you were around to make sure Mokuba and I were never separated. But what about this time?" he demanded, wrapping Mokuba in his trenchcoat, trying to warm him up. "What about this time, huh? Someone took Mokuba over and made him try to kill me, and now what if he's . . ."
Kasumi smiled gently, kneeling down next to Seto and hugging him comfortingly. "What happened today was a tragedy, but you can both rise from it."
"You mean he's not . . .?" Seto looked hopeful. He brushed the long bangs away from his brother's closed eyes. "Will he . . . will he know me?" he asked in a whisper.
Kasumi sighed and smiled sadly. "For that, we will just have to wait and see," she replied.
****
"Joey, stop!" Tea screamed, trying to pull Joey away. "Yugi's your best friend. Don't you remember him, Joey? Don't you remember any of us?"
Joey shoved Tea away and turned back to Yugi, the knife still in his hand.
"Joey, you must come back," Yugi pleaded. "You must overcome this evil power that has taken hold of you."
"Yugi, can't you do anything?" Tea asked.
Yugi shook his head. "It's Joey's battle. He must fight it himself."
"But he's trying to kill you!" Tea burst out.
Yugi looked deep into Joey's eyes. "Joey, can you hear me? You must fight this, Joey."
The hand with the knife shook, as if Joey was suddenly indecisive.
"Hey, maybe Yugi's finally getting through to him," Tristan said hopefully.
Yugi smiled gently. "So . . . what will it be?"
The knife clattered to the floor and Joey collapsed to his knees, sobbing. "Yugi . . . oh man, Yugi, I'm so sorry . . ." He looked up, his brown eyes alive and alert again. "You know that wasn't really me, dontcha, pal?" He shook his head. "I'd never hurt you, Yugi."
Yugi laid a hand on Joey's shoulder comfortingly. "It's alright, Joey. Of course I know."