Notes: More Kleenex! Oh, and no, I didn't have all these latest chapters typed up before hand. I was writing like crazy all weekend! ^_~
The wicked man advanced on Tea, and the terrified girl let out a scream. "Who are you? What do you want?!" she demanded.
"I've been watching you for a long time," the man replied, "and I want you!" He started to raise a hand to stroke her cheek. "I've waited so long for this day!"
"Well, you'll have to wait a lot longer, because you can't have me!" Tea said fiercely, grabbing a vase and throwing it. It missed the man, but it gave her enough time to make a frantic escape. Terrified, she fled down the hall.
****
Yami Yugi stared at the assassins calmly, and then the Millennium Puzzle started to glow.
"What the heck's happening?!" one of them gasped, his gun hand shaking.
"You have committed many horrible acts!" Yugi said sternly.
Yami Yugi nodded. "And now it's time you all were taught a lesson." He shot his hand out. "Mind crush!"
All of the hitmen screamed and collapsed to the floor. Yami Yugi looked them over and turned to go. "They'll be alright in a few hours," he stated. "Hopefully then they will want to reconsider their line of work."
Yugi nodded, and the two hurried on. "I hope the others are okay!" he said fervently.
****
Joey and Tristan were running the hall frantically, trying to escape the hitmen who had spotted them. As they rounded a corner, they suddenly rammed into Bakura and Mai, and everyone fell to the floor.
"Are you all alright?" Bakura asked, blinking in surprise and looking at his friends on the floor.
"If we've lost those weirdos, then yeah, we're fine," Joey said, standing up.
"Well, I don't see anyone," Mai remarked, "but someone's been following us, too."
"And that must be them!" Tristan cried, seeing movement behind a nearby curtain. Instantly the boy sprang up and grabbed the mysterious spy.
"Let me go!" a familiar voice wailed.
"Mara?" Bakura gasped.
Tristan emerged from the drapes, holding a squirming Mara in his arms.
"Alright, kid, what the heck are you doin'?!" Joey demanded.
"I had to come," Mara sobbed. "I had to help! I've gotta find Mokuba and Mommy and Daddy!"
Tristan let her go. "But how did you get here?!"
Bakura chuckled. "You stowed away in Seto Kaiba's limo again, didn't you?"
Mara looked sheepish. "Well . . . yeah. I just hid in the trunk and no one ever saw me. Then when you guys got here, I climbed the tree over the fence and dropped down into the yard."
Mai smiled. "You're a sneaky little thing," she declared.
"You'd best come with us now," Bakura said. "No more sneaking around!"
Mara nodded agreeably and they set out again.
After a while, they came to the back of the house . . . and encountered more hitmen.
Tristan was appalled. "Man, these guys are everywhere! Quick!" he yelled, opening a door that turned out to lead to a staircase. "In here!"
Everyone dove in and Tristan slammed the door shut just as the hitmen tried to enter. The group thundered down the stairs and looked around. Another confusing array of rooms stood before them.
"Mommy!" Mara called. "Daddy! Mokuba! Where are you??!"
"Let's start checkin' every room," Joey suggested. "There don't seem to be any goons down here."
He had no sooner spoken when two nasty-looking men rounded the corner. "Well, well. Look what just waltzed in," one of them sneered. "More of those pesky teens—and they've brought the kid we wanted right to us!"
Mara clung to Bakura in terror, while at the same time screaming at the assassins. "You awful people took my mommy and daddy and Mokuba, too! You're not gonna get away with any more!!"
"The kid's got spunk," the other man declared.
"Kill the others and get the information from her," the first one ordered.
"Got any bright ideas?" Joey gulped as the guns were trained on him and the others.
"Nope," Tristan said, shaking his head.
"Oh boy." Joey's eyes widened in fright. "We're all gonna die!!"
****
Tea was still running. She could hear the twisted man chasing after her still. What was she going to do? If he caught her again, she was sure she wouldn't be able to get away.
Looking ahead, she spotted an open door and rushed in. "It's the library," she realized, seeing the shelves and shelves of books. Frantically she shut the door and propped a chair up under it, then turned to look around. She hoped she wouldn't have to stay in there for ages.
Curiously she wandered over to the fireplace to examine the intricate carvings on the mantle. She started to trace one of them with her finger, and without warning the entire wall moved, sending her flying into another room.
She got up slowly, looking around. It seemed to be some kind of an office, and in the corner was a safe. Tea gasped at the sight and quickly rushed over to look in.
Seto was kneeling on the floor of the vault. He seemed to be cradling something in his arms. Was it . . .? Horrified, Tea slowly went in and knelt beside him. "Kaiba?" she said softly, touching his shoulder.
Seto barely acknowledged her. "I couldn't save him," he said, his voice shaking. "I've failed him." He held Mokuba's body close. "He's dead because I couldn't find him in time!"
Tea was aghast. Mokuba was really . . . gone? No, that couldn't be!
Seto could sense what she was thinking. "He's dead," he said again, "because of me."
Tea's heart broke. She had never seen Seto so vulnerable and lost. "Kaiba, it wasn't your fault," she told him gently. "You did your best. You did everything you could to find him. There is nothing more you could have done."
Seto shook his head, a tear escaping down his cheek. He wouldn't be able to make Tea understand. It *was* his fault, and he knew it. If he had only been able to collect the clues faster. . . . If only he had gotten here sooner . . . if only he had left extra security guards around when he'd left that morning. . . . So many "if onlys." But they would never bring Mokuba back. Nothing would.
He recalled the time several years ago now when he had rescued Mokuba from the bullies at the orphanage. "I'll always be there for you, Mokuba," Seto had said. But now he hadn't been there for his brother and Mokuba was dead!
The old clock in the hall chimed midnight. Strangely, Seto found the words of an old Christmas carol coming into his mind.
I heard the bells on Christmas Day,
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men
It wasn't Christmas yet, but Seto remembered how Mokuba had always loved the holiday—and that carol. Now he would never celebrate the season again.
Seto looked down at his brother again and saw how tightly his fingers were wrapped around the locket. He realized that when he had heard his brother's voice in the limo that must have been when Mokuba was dying. The boy's last thoughts had been of his brother.
I thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along th'unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men
What peace on earth? What good will to men? Mokuba was dead! There would be no peace for Seto—never again.
How could anyone kill a little boy, and in such a cruel way? Seto's grief was turning to anger. How could anyone be so abominably wicked?! One thing was certain—he would make sure that Byrnes and whoever else was responsible would suffer for what they did.
And in despair I bowed my head
"There is no peace on earth," I said,
"For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men."
Seto remembered what Kasumi had said when he had met her earlier. "God will help you on your quest." Why hadn't He kept Mokuba alive? Why had Seto been led here to find his brother when all hope was lost? It didn't make sense. Hadn't God been listening?
A stray tear splashed on Mokuba's closed eyes. "Little brother," Seto whispered, "forgive me! I couldn't save you. I am so sorry. . . ." He laid his cheek against Mokuba's little head. "I love you, Mokuba. I always will."
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep,
God is not dead nor doth he sleep!
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men!
Unseen by him or Tea was Kasumi. The angel girl knelt next to Seto and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Seto," she whispered, "you did not fail your brother. You got here just in time."
Seto heard the voice but again saw no one. What did she mean, "he had gotten there just in time"? Mokuba was dead, and it was his fault!
Suddenly Seto felt a vague movement against his chest. He froze, not daring to believe. Then he felt it again. Was it possible that . . .
Seto looked down. "Mokuba?" he whispered.
The little boy visibly stirred and then his eyes opened slowly. "Seto . . . I love you too, big brother!" he managed to say, smiling weakly.
Seto's heart swelled. It was a miracle! "Oh Mokuba!" He embraced his brother tightly. "I thought I'd lost you!" Inwardly he was saying a prayer of thanksgiving over and over again. Mokuba had been restored to life!
"Seto . . . I knew you'd come!" Mokuba whispered, hugging his brother back weakly. "I knew you would!"
Tea's eyes were shining. Seto had forgotten that she was there, but she had seen everything, and she, too, was sending a joyous prayer of gratitude up to Heaven.
Still unseen by them was Kasumi, and she smiled serenely. Mokuba had been so far gone that she hadn't been able to bring him back, but his beloved brother had been able to. "Merry Christmas to you all!" she called as she vanished.
"Did you hear something?" Tea asked, startled, but Seto and Mokuba were too wrapped up in their moment of reunion to answer.
The wicked man advanced on Tea, and the terrified girl let out a scream. "Who are you? What do you want?!" she demanded.
"I've been watching you for a long time," the man replied, "and I want you!" He started to raise a hand to stroke her cheek. "I've waited so long for this day!"
"Well, you'll have to wait a lot longer, because you can't have me!" Tea said fiercely, grabbing a vase and throwing it. It missed the man, but it gave her enough time to make a frantic escape. Terrified, she fled down the hall.
****
Yami Yugi stared at the assassins calmly, and then the Millennium Puzzle started to glow.
"What the heck's happening?!" one of them gasped, his gun hand shaking.
"You have committed many horrible acts!" Yugi said sternly.
Yami Yugi nodded. "And now it's time you all were taught a lesson." He shot his hand out. "Mind crush!"
All of the hitmen screamed and collapsed to the floor. Yami Yugi looked them over and turned to go. "They'll be alright in a few hours," he stated. "Hopefully then they will want to reconsider their line of work."
Yugi nodded, and the two hurried on. "I hope the others are okay!" he said fervently.
****
Joey and Tristan were running the hall frantically, trying to escape the hitmen who had spotted them. As they rounded a corner, they suddenly rammed into Bakura and Mai, and everyone fell to the floor.
"Are you all alright?" Bakura asked, blinking in surprise and looking at his friends on the floor.
"If we've lost those weirdos, then yeah, we're fine," Joey said, standing up.
"Well, I don't see anyone," Mai remarked, "but someone's been following us, too."
"And that must be them!" Tristan cried, seeing movement behind a nearby curtain. Instantly the boy sprang up and grabbed the mysterious spy.
"Let me go!" a familiar voice wailed.
"Mara?" Bakura gasped.
Tristan emerged from the drapes, holding a squirming Mara in his arms.
"Alright, kid, what the heck are you doin'?!" Joey demanded.
"I had to come," Mara sobbed. "I had to help! I've gotta find Mokuba and Mommy and Daddy!"
Tristan let her go. "But how did you get here?!"
Bakura chuckled. "You stowed away in Seto Kaiba's limo again, didn't you?"
Mara looked sheepish. "Well . . . yeah. I just hid in the trunk and no one ever saw me. Then when you guys got here, I climbed the tree over the fence and dropped down into the yard."
Mai smiled. "You're a sneaky little thing," she declared.
"You'd best come with us now," Bakura said. "No more sneaking around!"
Mara nodded agreeably and they set out again.
After a while, they came to the back of the house . . . and encountered more hitmen.
Tristan was appalled. "Man, these guys are everywhere! Quick!" he yelled, opening a door that turned out to lead to a staircase. "In here!"
Everyone dove in and Tristan slammed the door shut just as the hitmen tried to enter. The group thundered down the stairs and looked around. Another confusing array of rooms stood before them.
"Mommy!" Mara called. "Daddy! Mokuba! Where are you??!"
"Let's start checkin' every room," Joey suggested. "There don't seem to be any goons down here."
He had no sooner spoken when two nasty-looking men rounded the corner. "Well, well. Look what just waltzed in," one of them sneered. "More of those pesky teens—and they've brought the kid we wanted right to us!"
Mara clung to Bakura in terror, while at the same time screaming at the assassins. "You awful people took my mommy and daddy and Mokuba, too! You're not gonna get away with any more!!"
"The kid's got spunk," the other man declared.
"Kill the others and get the information from her," the first one ordered.
"Got any bright ideas?" Joey gulped as the guns were trained on him and the others.
"Nope," Tristan said, shaking his head.
"Oh boy." Joey's eyes widened in fright. "We're all gonna die!!"
****
Tea was still running. She could hear the twisted man chasing after her still. What was she going to do? If he caught her again, she was sure she wouldn't be able to get away.
Looking ahead, she spotted an open door and rushed in. "It's the library," she realized, seeing the shelves and shelves of books. Frantically she shut the door and propped a chair up under it, then turned to look around. She hoped she wouldn't have to stay in there for ages.
Curiously she wandered over to the fireplace to examine the intricate carvings on the mantle. She started to trace one of them with her finger, and without warning the entire wall moved, sending her flying into another room.
She got up slowly, looking around. It seemed to be some kind of an office, and in the corner was a safe. Tea gasped at the sight and quickly rushed over to look in.
Seto was kneeling on the floor of the vault. He seemed to be cradling something in his arms. Was it . . .? Horrified, Tea slowly went in and knelt beside him. "Kaiba?" she said softly, touching his shoulder.
Seto barely acknowledged her. "I couldn't save him," he said, his voice shaking. "I've failed him." He held Mokuba's body close. "He's dead because I couldn't find him in time!"
Tea was aghast. Mokuba was really . . . gone? No, that couldn't be!
Seto could sense what she was thinking. "He's dead," he said again, "because of me."
Tea's heart broke. She had never seen Seto so vulnerable and lost. "Kaiba, it wasn't your fault," she told him gently. "You did your best. You did everything you could to find him. There is nothing more you could have done."
Seto shook his head, a tear escaping down his cheek. He wouldn't be able to make Tea understand. It *was* his fault, and he knew it. If he had only been able to collect the clues faster. . . . If only he had gotten here sooner . . . if only he had left extra security guards around when he'd left that morning. . . . So many "if onlys." But they would never bring Mokuba back. Nothing would.
He recalled the time several years ago now when he had rescued Mokuba from the bullies at the orphanage. "I'll always be there for you, Mokuba," Seto had said. But now he hadn't been there for his brother and Mokuba was dead!
The old clock in the hall chimed midnight. Strangely, Seto found the words of an old Christmas carol coming into his mind.
I heard the bells on Christmas Day,
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men
It wasn't Christmas yet, but Seto remembered how Mokuba had always loved the holiday—and that carol. Now he would never celebrate the season again.
Seto looked down at his brother again and saw how tightly his fingers were wrapped around the locket. He realized that when he had heard his brother's voice in the limo that must have been when Mokuba was dying. The boy's last thoughts had been of his brother.
I thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along th'unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men
What peace on earth? What good will to men? Mokuba was dead! There would be no peace for Seto—never again.
How could anyone kill a little boy, and in such a cruel way? Seto's grief was turning to anger. How could anyone be so abominably wicked?! One thing was certain—he would make sure that Byrnes and whoever else was responsible would suffer for what they did.
And in despair I bowed my head
"There is no peace on earth," I said,
"For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men."
Seto remembered what Kasumi had said when he had met her earlier. "God will help you on your quest." Why hadn't He kept Mokuba alive? Why had Seto been led here to find his brother when all hope was lost? It didn't make sense. Hadn't God been listening?
A stray tear splashed on Mokuba's closed eyes. "Little brother," Seto whispered, "forgive me! I couldn't save you. I am so sorry. . . ." He laid his cheek against Mokuba's little head. "I love you, Mokuba. I always will."
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep,
God is not dead nor doth he sleep!
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men!
Unseen by him or Tea was Kasumi. The angel girl knelt next to Seto and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Seto," she whispered, "you did not fail your brother. You got here just in time."
Seto heard the voice but again saw no one. What did she mean, "he had gotten there just in time"? Mokuba was dead, and it was his fault!
Suddenly Seto felt a vague movement against his chest. He froze, not daring to believe. Then he felt it again. Was it possible that . . .
Seto looked down. "Mokuba?" he whispered.
The little boy visibly stirred and then his eyes opened slowly. "Seto . . . I love you too, big brother!" he managed to say, smiling weakly.
Seto's heart swelled. It was a miracle! "Oh Mokuba!" He embraced his brother tightly. "I thought I'd lost you!" Inwardly he was saying a prayer of thanksgiving over and over again. Mokuba had been restored to life!
"Seto . . . I knew you'd come!" Mokuba whispered, hugging his brother back weakly. "I knew you would!"
Tea's eyes were shining. Seto had forgotten that she was there, but she had seen everything, and she, too, was sending a joyous prayer of gratitude up to Heaven.
Still unseen by them was Kasumi, and she smiled serenely. Mokuba had been so far gone that she hadn't been able to bring him back, but his beloved brother had been able to. "Merry Christmas to you all!" she called as she vanished.
"Did you hear something?" Tea asked, startled, but Seto and Mokuba were too wrapped up in their moment of reunion to answer.