Fighting hard, Seto abruptly reached behind him and grabbed the hand holding the cord, causing him to stop his wild descent and also loosening the pull of the cord. The person attached to the hand struggled to yank free, but Seto refused to let go. He squeezed hard on the wrist, hoping that his attacker would let go of the cord entirely.
His plan worked. With a cry of pain, the person dropped the cord and retreated into the darkness. Seto collapsed to the ground, coughing and sputtering and trying to catch his breath. He could hear the person running through the trees and brush, but he didn't have the strength to look up and see who it was. He didn't have to, tho—he knew that voice. It was Cheryl. The policewoman had tried to kill him.
****
Mokuba fought hard against Seth's viselike grip. "What do you want with me?!" he cried.
"You'll be my prisoner until I find my Millennium Rod," Seth replied wickedly. "And then you'll be under my control!" Though no one knew it, Seth had a dark secret than even he didn't realize—he wasn't quite himself.
"No he won't."
Both Mokuba and Seth looked up. "Big brother!" Mokuba exclaimed in delight.
Seto strode into the room, his blue eyes flashing angrily. "Let my brother go," he ordered.
Seth growled in frustration. "You won't dare to come closer. I have the power to back up my threats, and your little brother is mine now!"
"You're a liar!" Seto moved closer. "You don't have your powers anymore."
Seth's eyes narrowed. Obviously a bluff wouldn't work. But of course . . . that bluff would be the truth before long. "Soon I will," he vowed.
Seto caught the evil boy's arm and wrenched it away from Mokuba. "But you know, I wouldn't care if you had an entire legion of devils backing you up. I would defeat every single one of them to keep Mokuba from your evil clutches."
Seth grabbed Seto's arm and twisted it painfully. "You are brave, but foolish. A foolish mortal boy. You won't stand a chance against my all-powerful forces!"
"We'll just see about that." Seto wasn't going to back down, and Mokuba looked up at him fearfully.
Seth pulled himself free and smirked at Seto. "We certainly will." With that he vanished into nothingness and prepared to lay the groundwork for exactly how he would secure the Millennium Rod. Then he would return.
Mokuba collapsed into Seto's arms, sobbing. "Oh, big brother!" He shuddered, just wanting to get the memory of Seth out of his mind.
Seto held him close. "It's alright," he said softly. Inside he was fuming. Apparently Ishizu was right—the evil high priest had returned. Seto would recognize his sneering, evil face anywhere.
Mokuba looked up at the older boy, tears streaking his face. "Seto, who was that awful guy?" he cried.
Seto shook his head. "Someone from the past, kid," he said softly. "But don't worry. I won't let him do anything to you."
Mokuba snuggled into his brother's arms, feeling warm and safe. Suddenly he noticed something a bit strange. "Seto," he exclaimed, "what's that red mark on your neck?!"
Seto blinked. He hadn't remembered about his battle scars from the incident earlier. "It's nothing," he said at last, and ruffled Mokuba's hair.
Mokuba wasn't fooled. "Seto, did someone try to hurt you?" he said, frightened.
Seto sighed. "Don't worry about it, Mokuba," he told him. "I'm fine, kid." He smiled at his brother and the younger boy smiled back.
****
When Bakura awoke the next morning, he discovered he'd fallen asleep at the kitchen table. "Oh my," he said softly as he straightened up. He had stayed awake for hours last night after he'd gotten that phone call, and apparently he had eventually dozed off.
He rubbed at his neck. Being positioned with his head on the table had given him a horrid kink.
"You must have been tired," a gravelly voice commented. "I can't imagine anyone would use the table as their pillow unless they were absolutely fatigued!"
Bakura started, knocking a spoon onto the floor. Yami Bakura was sitting at the other side of the circular table, drinking chocolate milk. Bakura stared at him in disbelief. "Yami!" he cried. "Are you feeling better?"
Yami Bakura raised an eyebrow at him. "If I wasn't, do you think I would've made it down the stairs?" He was well aware of how often he had been passing out, and he was tired of it. He had woken up a while before and discovered, much to his satisfaction, that he didn't feel so extremely exhausted and weak anymore. It seemed that he had finally beaten the poison.
Bakura smiled in relief. "I'm so glad," he declared. "I was terribly worried about you, Yami!"
Yami Bakura grunted in reply. "This isn't over, you fool," he warned, afraid that Bakura would forget about the dangers. "Your friends may all wind up injured or dead before the end is even in sight!"
Bakura was horrified at that thought. He hadn't forgotten what his Yami had said earlier, and of course the phone call he'd received last night had only fueled his fears. "I can't let that happen!" he cried, shaking his head.
"Fool." Yami Bakura didn't look surprised, but he didn't look impressed, either. "As if you could stop the forces of darkness."
"Well, I am certainly going to try!" Bakura declared.
****
The next morning Seto called the police station to talk to Cheryl. He knew that he didn't have the concrete information to prove it was she who had tried to strangle him, but he wanted to confront her with what he knew.
He wasn't surprised, however, to hear that Cheryl was unavailable. The police chief told him that Cheryl had requested a leave of absence for the next few days while she tended to a "family problem" and that he had granted it.
Now Seto's eyes narrowed as he prepared to go to school. He doubted that it was really a family problem. More than likely, Cheryl just wanted to get away from him and concoct more of her plans . . . whatever they were. Another trip to the accident site was definitely in order.
****
That day at school, Joey was appalled to find yet another strange message on Yugi's desk.
Give it up, Yugi!
"I don't get it!" Tea said, shaking her head. "These messages seem to be targeting Yugi alone, but we've all been attacked. Could it be that there's more than just one mystery going on?!"
"Oh, I think you can count on that, Tea," Joey replied, shaking his head.
"Where *is* Yugi, anyway?" Tristan wondered, coming up to them.
"I think he was takin' Marik to see Ishizu," Joey replied.
Tea nodded. She had stopped by before school to see Yugi and he had brought her up to date on what had happened to Marik. "He said they'd be at the museum for a while," she supplied.
Tristan, however, hadn't heard. "Would you run that by me again?" he cried, and Joey and Tea spent the next while informing him. Tristan was stunned, to put it mildly. Sometimes he had seen Marik out riding his motorcycle, but he had never tried to talk to the Egyptian. It seemed awkward to him somehow. Now Tristan wondered if he should have talked to Marik.
The rest of the schoolday proceeded without further incident, much to Tea's relief, but she wondered how things were going at the Domino Museum. How would Marik react to seeing Ishizu? Would it restore any of his memories? What would happen if it did?
****
Right at that moment, Marik was looking around at the museum in awe. "Where is this Ishizu?" he asked, touching the front of a sarcophagus they were passing.
Yugi blinked as they passed a martial arts exhibit. "Well, she's probably downstairs with the Egyptian stuff," he mused.
But no sooner had he spoken than the mysterious woman appeared. "Welcome," she said softly.
Both boys whirled around. Yugi was used to Ishizu's entrances by now, but Marik was startled.
Ishizu smiled gently at Marik. "Greetings, dear brother," she said, stepping closer to him. Marik was here! The Tauk had shown her he would come today, but still it was an immense joy to see him. It seemed so long since she had! And now Rishid was so hurt. . . .
Marik blinked. "Sister?" He shook his head sadly. "I do not remember you." This woman was his sister? But she looked so magnificent! So queenly! Marik felt extremely small compared to her.
Ishizu gathered the younger boy into an embrace, her blue eyes shining as she tried to ignore the tears standing in them. "I know," she told him softly. "I know."
****
Tea was just walking down a street after school when a bullet flew past her ear. With a gasp, she realized someone was shooting at her!
Frantically she tore down the street, running from the unknown assailant. Suddenly a hand grabbed her and pulled her into some brush. Tea let out a shriek.
"Shhh! You'll alert them!" a familiar voice said coldly.
Tea blinked. "Kaiba?!"
Seto nodded. "That's right."
Tea stared at him. "What's going on around here?!" she demanded.
"That's what I'm trying to find out," Seto told her. "That person was following me, so I hid in here to see what they'd do. I didn't know they would start shooting." His eyes narrowed. "Get down. Here he comes."
Tea dove for cover and watched as the man looked around furtively, then slowly walked on.
Seto started to get up.
"Where are you going?!" Tea demanded.
"To follow him," Seto replied abruptly.
Tea scrambled to her feet. "Not without me you're not!"
Seto grunted.
****
Marik was sitting with Ishizu on a bench in the museum. She had shared with him much of his past, but she had left out everything about the Millennium Rod and Yami Marik. She knew that if she told him of the terrible things he and his Yami had done, it would completely devastate him—so she had told him only of the good things about him, including that he had repented of any wrongdoings he had committed. Also she had told him about Rishid, but when he had asked where he was, Ishizu could only swallow hard and reply that he was away. Somehow she just couldn't bring herself to tell Marik how hurt his brother was, even though she knew she would have to. But just not now. . . .
Marik sat silent for a while, taking all of this in. "I wish I could remember you, sister," he said softly. "And Rishid too. You both sound like people I would want to remember."
Ishizu laid a hand on his shoulder. "Do not worry. You will in time," she assured him, hoping that it was the truth. Although she had seen many things, she hadn't seen whether her brother's memory would ever be restored. The Tauk only granted her occassional visions, even though often it seemed like more. Ishizu also didn't know whether Rishid would ever get better. But she prayed he would.
Marik looked up at her with his frightened lavender eyes. "Dear sister, may I come back with you?" he asked pleadingly. She had told him that they and Rishid all lived together. He wanted to go be with them so badly!
Ishizu looked back at him sadly. "I am sorry, Marik," she said softly, "but not yet. There are those who wish to take your life. I foresee grave danger should you return to our home." The ex-Rare Hunters still patrolled the property often, she knew. If they saw Marik in the home, she hated to think what would happen. As much as she wanted Marik to come live with her and Rishid again, she knew now was not the time.
Marik was horrified. "Will they come after you as well, sister?" he cried.
Ishizu shook her head. "You need not worry about that, Marik." They had already hurt Rishid to the point of death. But somehow she felt that they wouldn't come after her as well. Not yet. She paused. "For right now I believe you should stay with Yugi Muto and his grandfather. Your enemies would not think to look for you there." Though they knew Marik had repented, the Rare Hunters didn't think he was associating with Yugi.
Marik nodded slowly, still looking worried. He had the feeling that Ishizu wasn't telling him everything.
"Take courage, my brother," Ishizu told him gently. "It will be alright." She paused again. "I love you, Marik," she declared softly.
Marik looked up at her and smiled slowly. "I . . . I still do not remember you, dear sister, but I am certain that I love you as well."
Ishizu took him in her arms again, and this time she didn't try to hold back the tears.
****
Tea glanced around nervously. She couldn't believe they had actually tracked this guy to the railroad yard. "Almost no one travels by train anymore," she remarked. "What could he want here?!"
Seto didn't answer. It was possible that the man wanted something arriving on one of the freight trains, but Seto was starting to have a very bad feeling that the man had known all along that he was being followed and was leading them into a trap.
The two teens wandered around among the old freight cars, looking for the elusive sniper. Suddenly Tea heard a low moan and then silence. "Kaiba?" she said quaveringly, looking around. The boy was nowhere to be seen. "Kaiba, where are you?!" she demanded.
At that moment a strong arm restrained her and a strange cloth was clapped over her nose and mouth. Tea tried to scream, tried to fight against her captor, but the struggle was useless. Before she could stop it, she was drifting into the darkness.
His plan worked. With a cry of pain, the person dropped the cord and retreated into the darkness. Seto collapsed to the ground, coughing and sputtering and trying to catch his breath. He could hear the person running through the trees and brush, but he didn't have the strength to look up and see who it was. He didn't have to, tho—he knew that voice. It was Cheryl. The policewoman had tried to kill him.
****
Mokuba fought hard against Seth's viselike grip. "What do you want with me?!" he cried.
"You'll be my prisoner until I find my Millennium Rod," Seth replied wickedly. "And then you'll be under my control!" Though no one knew it, Seth had a dark secret than even he didn't realize—he wasn't quite himself.
"No he won't."
Both Mokuba and Seth looked up. "Big brother!" Mokuba exclaimed in delight.
Seto strode into the room, his blue eyes flashing angrily. "Let my brother go," he ordered.
Seth growled in frustration. "You won't dare to come closer. I have the power to back up my threats, and your little brother is mine now!"
"You're a liar!" Seto moved closer. "You don't have your powers anymore."
Seth's eyes narrowed. Obviously a bluff wouldn't work. But of course . . . that bluff would be the truth before long. "Soon I will," he vowed.
Seto caught the evil boy's arm and wrenched it away from Mokuba. "But you know, I wouldn't care if you had an entire legion of devils backing you up. I would defeat every single one of them to keep Mokuba from your evil clutches."
Seth grabbed Seto's arm and twisted it painfully. "You are brave, but foolish. A foolish mortal boy. You won't stand a chance against my all-powerful forces!"
"We'll just see about that." Seto wasn't going to back down, and Mokuba looked up at him fearfully.
Seth pulled himself free and smirked at Seto. "We certainly will." With that he vanished into nothingness and prepared to lay the groundwork for exactly how he would secure the Millennium Rod. Then he would return.
Mokuba collapsed into Seto's arms, sobbing. "Oh, big brother!" He shuddered, just wanting to get the memory of Seth out of his mind.
Seto held him close. "It's alright," he said softly. Inside he was fuming. Apparently Ishizu was right—the evil high priest had returned. Seto would recognize his sneering, evil face anywhere.
Mokuba looked up at the older boy, tears streaking his face. "Seto, who was that awful guy?" he cried.
Seto shook his head. "Someone from the past, kid," he said softly. "But don't worry. I won't let him do anything to you."
Mokuba snuggled into his brother's arms, feeling warm and safe. Suddenly he noticed something a bit strange. "Seto," he exclaimed, "what's that red mark on your neck?!"
Seto blinked. He hadn't remembered about his battle scars from the incident earlier. "It's nothing," he said at last, and ruffled Mokuba's hair.
Mokuba wasn't fooled. "Seto, did someone try to hurt you?" he said, frightened.
Seto sighed. "Don't worry about it, Mokuba," he told him. "I'm fine, kid." He smiled at his brother and the younger boy smiled back.
****
When Bakura awoke the next morning, he discovered he'd fallen asleep at the kitchen table. "Oh my," he said softly as he straightened up. He had stayed awake for hours last night after he'd gotten that phone call, and apparently he had eventually dozed off.
He rubbed at his neck. Being positioned with his head on the table had given him a horrid kink.
"You must have been tired," a gravelly voice commented. "I can't imagine anyone would use the table as their pillow unless they were absolutely fatigued!"
Bakura started, knocking a spoon onto the floor. Yami Bakura was sitting at the other side of the circular table, drinking chocolate milk. Bakura stared at him in disbelief. "Yami!" he cried. "Are you feeling better?"
Yami Bakura raised an eyebrow at him. "If I wasn't, do you think I would've made it down the stairs?" He was well aware of how often he had been passing out, and he was tired of it. He had woken up a while before and discovered, much to his satisfaction, that he didn't feel so extremely exhausted and weak anymore. It seemed that he had finally beaten the poison.
Bakura smiled in relief. "I'm so glad," he declared. "I was terribly worried about you, Yami!"
Yami Bakura grunted in reply. "This isn't over, you fool," he warned, afraid that Bakura would forget about the dangers. "Your friends may all wind up injured or dead before the end is even in sight!"
Bakura was horrified at that thought. He hadn't forgotten what his Yami had said earlier, and of course the phone call he'd received last night had only fueled his fears. "I can't let that happen!" he cried, shaking his head.
"Fool." Yami Bakura didn't look surprised, but he didn't look impressed, either. "As if you could stop the forces of darkness."
"Well, I am certainly going to try!" Bakura declared.
****
The next morning Seto called the police station to talk to Cheryl. He knew that he didn't have the concrete information to prove it was she who had tried to strangle him, but he wanted to confront her with what he knew.
He wasn't surprised, however, to hear that Cheryl was unavailable. The police chief told him that Cheryl had requested a leave of absence for the next few days while she tended to a "family problem" and that he had granted it.
Now Seto's eyes narrowed as he prepared to go to school. He doubted that it was really a family problem. More than likely, Cheryl just wanted to get away from him and concoct more of her plans . . . whatever they were. Another trip to the accident site was definitely in order.
****
That day at school, Joey was appalled to find yet another strange message on Yugi's desk.
Give it up, Yugi!
"I don't get it!" Tea said, shaking her head. "These messages seem to be targeting Yugi alone, but we've all been attacked. Could it be that there's more than just one mystery going on?!"
"Oh, I think you can count on that, Tea," Joey replied, shaking his head.
"Where *is* Yugi, anyway?" Tristan wondered, coming up to them.
"I think he was takin' Marik to see Ishizu," Joey replied.
Tea nodded. She had stopped by before school to see Yugi and he had brought her up to date on what had happened to Marik. "He said they'd be at the museum for a while," she supplied.
Tristan, however, hadn't heard. "Would you run that by me again?" he cried, and Joey and Tea spent the next while informing him. Tristan was stunned, to put it mildly. Sometimes he had seen Marik out riding his motorcycle, but he had never tried to talk to the Egyptian. It seemed awkward to him somehow. Now Tristan wondered if he should have talked to Marik.
The rest of the schoolday proceeded without further incident, much to Tea's relief, but she wondered how things were going at the Domino Museum. How would Marik react to seeing Ishizu? Would it restore any of his memories? What would happen if it did?
****
Right at that moment, Marik was looking around at the museum in awe. "Where is this Ishizu?" he asked, touching the front of a sarcophagus they were passing.
Yugi blinked as they passed a martial arts exhibit. "Well, she's probably downstairs with the Egyptian stuff," he mused.
But no sooner had he spoken than the mysterious woman appeared. "Welcome," she said softly.
Both boys whirled around. Yugi was used to Ishizu's entrances by now, but Marik was startled.
Ishizu smiled gently at Marik. "Greetings, dear brother," she said, stepping closer to him. Marik was here! The Tauk had shown her he would come today, but still it was an immense joy to see him. It seemed so long since she had! And now Rishid was so hurt. . . .
Marik blinked. "Sister?" He shook his head sadly. "I do not remember you." This woman was his sister? But she looked so magnificent! So queenly! Marik felt extremely small compared to her.
Ishizu gathered the younger boy into an embrace, her blue eyes shining as she tried to ignore the tears standing in them. "I know," she told him softly. "I know."
****
Tea was just walking down a street after school when a bullet flew past her ear. With a gasp, she realized someone was shooting at her!
Frantically she tore down the street, running from the unknown assailant. Suddenly a hand grabbed her and pulled her into some brush. Tea let out a shriek.
"Shhh! You'll alert them!" a familiar voice said coldly.
Tea blinked. "Kaiba?!"
Seto nodded. "That's right."
Tea stared at him. "What's going on around here?!" she demanded.
"That's what I'm trying to find out," Seto told her. "That person was following me, so I hid in here to see what they'd do. I didn't know they would start shooting." His eyes narrowed. "Get down. Here he comes."
Tea dove for cover and watched as the man looked around furtively, then slowly walked on.
Seto started to get up.
"Where are you going?!" Tea demanded.
"To follow him," Seto replied abruptly.
Tea scrambled to her feet. "Not without me you're not!"
Seto grunted.
****
Marik was sitting with Ishizu on a bench in the museum. She had shared with him much of his past, but she had left out everything about the Millennium Rod and Yami Marik. She knew that if she told him of the terrible things he and his Yami had done, it would completely devastate him—so she had told him only of the good things about him, including that he had repented of any wrongdoings he had committed. Also she had told him about Rishid, but when he had asked where he was, Ishizu could only swallow hard and reply that he was away. Somehow she just couldn't bring herself to tell Marik how hurt his brother was, even though she knew she would have to. But just not now. . . .
Marik sat silent for a while, taking all of this in. "I wish I could remember you, sister," he said softly. "And Rishid too. You both sound like people I would want to remember."
Ishizu laid a hand on his shoulder. "Do not worry. You will in time," she assured him, hoping that it was the truth. Although she had seen many things, she hadn't seen whether her brother's memory would ever be restored. The Tauk only granted her occassional visions, even though often it seemed like more. Ishizu also didn't know whether Rishid would ever get better. But she prayed he would.
Marik looked up at her with his frightened lavender eyes. "Dear sister, may I come back with you?" he asked pleadingly. She had told him that they and Rishid all lived together. He wanted to go be with them so badly!
Ishizu looked back at him sadly. "I am sorry, Marik," she said softly, "but not yet. There are those who wish to take your life. I foresee grave danger should you return to our home." The ex-Rare Hunters still patrolled the property often, she knew. If they saw Marik in the home, she hated to think what would happen. As much as she wanted Marik to come live with her and Rishid again, she knew now was not the time.
Marik was horrified. "Will they come after you as well, sister?" he cried.
Ishizu shook her head. "You need not worry about that, Marik." They had already hurt Rishid to the point of death. But somehow she felt that they wouldn't come after her as well. Not yet. She paused. "For right now I believe you should stay with Yugi Muto and his grandfather. Your enemies would not think to look for you there." Though they knew Marik had repented, the Rare Hunters didn't think he was associating with Yugi.
Marik nodded slowly, still looking worried. He had the feeling that Ishizu wasn't telling him everything.
"Take courage, my brother," Ishizu told him gently. "It will be alright." She paused again. "I love you, Marik," she declared softly.
Marik looked up at her and smiled slowly. "I . . . I still do not remember you, dear sister, but I am certain that I love you as well."
Ishizu took him in her arms again, and this time she didn't try to hold back the tears.
****
Tea glanced around nervously. She couldn't believe they had actually tracked this guy to the railroad yard. "Almost no one travels by train anymore," she remarked. "What could he want here?!"
Seto didn't answer. It was possible that the man wanted something arriving on one of the freight trains, but Seto was starting to have a very bad feeling that the man had known all along that he was being followed and was leading them into a trap.
The two teens wandered around among the old freight cars, looking for the elusive sniper. Suddenly Tea heard a low moan and then silence. "Kaiba?" she said quaveringly, looking around. The boy was nowhere to be seen. "Kaiba, where are you?!" she demanded.
At that moment a strong arm restrained her and a strange cloth was clapped over her nose and mouth. Tea tried to scream, tried to fight against her captor, but the struggle was useless. Before she could stop it, she was drifting into the darkness.