Eventually the van stopped, sending both Yugi and his Yami pitching forward.
"Where are we?" Yugi gasped.
Yami Yugi looked out the window grimly. "We're at KETY," he said in surprise.
Yugi was startled. "Why would they bring us here?!"
"Perhaps it has something to do with that treasure Lila Palmer was after," Yami Yugi suggested.
The door opened and the ninjas yanked them outside. "Now . . . you will come and assist us in retrieving the stolen jewels," the leader hissed.
"We can't help you steal!" Yugi cried indignantly as both he and Yami Yugi were dragged into the building and thrown viciously onto the floor of the lobby.
"We don't need your help collecting the treasures," one of the other ninjas replied. "Just direct us to where they are . . . if you don't want anyone to be hurt."
"I've heard enough!" Yami Yugi cried, merging with Yugi in a glow of light. "Who are you working for?"
"They work for me," Lila's dark voice replied, and the woman stepped out of the shadows.
"You!" Yugi cried, his eyes narrowing. "But I don't understand. You were arrested!"
Lila sneered. "Fortunately for me, my associates were able to . . . secure my release." The way she said it let Yugi know that she had not been freed legally. "I won't let anything stand in my way! Not my brother, not you, and not jail time!"
"Those jewels do not belong to you," Yugi said sternly. "Look at yourself, Lila—you've been overcome by greed! You could have seriously injured those around you with your outrageous stunts!" He paused, looking deeply into her eyes. "Won't you reconsider what you are doing before something terrible happens?"
"If you do what I want, no one will get hurt," Lila told him. "Someone stole the blueprints before I had a chance to, so I don't know where the secret panel is supposed to be. You will help me find it."
Yugi stepped back, confused. "You do not mean to say that you think I was the one who stole the blueprints?"
Lila shrugged. "I have no idea. But I know you have magic powers. There must be a way you could track down the panel."
"I could," Yugi replied evenly, "but I would never help you on your quest for power and riches."
"We'll just see." Lila made a gesture and one of the ninjas grabbed Yugi and forced him down the stairs. Lila and her other lackeys quickly followed after, but they soon found that they were not alone.
"Oh hello, sister," a new voice said nonchalantly. The lights clicked on and everyone looked up.
"JP Palmer!" Yugi cried in disbelief.
****
Vivalene moved closer to Tristan, her emerald eyes flashing wickedly. "You know," she purred, "I always make it a point to eliminate those who are in my way."
"And I suppose we fit into that category," Tristan replied steely-eyed.
"Only too much," Vivalene told him, raising a knife to Serenity's throat.
That was it. Joey couldn't stand by and watch any longer. With a strangled war cry, he crashed through the skylight and tackled the evil woman, bringing her to the floor.
"Joey!" Serenity cried in delight.
"This is the last straw," Joey growled at Vivalene as he pinned her to the floor. "You've played with my affections. You've killed two of my friends. Now that I know the truth about you, there's no way I'm gonna let you keep running free!"
Vivalene looked unruffled. "You wouldn't kill me, darling. You know you wouldn't." With ease she flipped the boy over and held the knife to his throat. "You once loved me. You would never bring yourself to get rid of me, even if you had the perfect opportunity. But unfortunately, darling . . ." She brought the knife closer. ". . . I have no qualms about ridding myself of you."
"Let him go!!" Serenity screamed, and she and Tristan both grabbed the woman and tried to restrain her arm.
Vivalene growled and violently kicked Serenity backward against the wall.
"Serenity!!" Joey and Tristan both cried out at once, and then Joey sprang up and grabbed Vivalene's arms viciously. The woman struggled, but Tristan pulled the knife out of her hand before she could stop it.
"Not so tough now, are you?" Joey remarked, then looked over her shoulder. "Serenity! Are you okay?" he asked worriedly.
To his relief, his sister stood up and smiled at him. She was fine.
Vivalene still was unfazed. "Neither of you will lay a finger on me," she said dangerously, and suddenly Serenity was grabbed by two burly men and held fast.
"Joey!!" the girl screamed, a terrified look in her hazel eyes.
"I always have a backup plan," Vivalene purred. "Unhand me and your sister won't get hurt."
Tristan was outraged. "Why you devilish . . ."
Joey was torn. He doubted Vivalene would actually keep her end of such a bargain, but how could he risk his sister's life? His argument was between him and Vivalene alone. Tristan and Serenity shouldn't be involved.
"However," Vivalene continued, breaking into his thoughts, "if you do not set me free, your sister will have a more grisly fate than Marik Ishtar or Seto Kaiba did."
Joey couldn't stand it. "No!" he cried, releasing Vivalene from his grasp.
"Joey, she won't let Serenity go!" Tristan yelled, frantically trying to restrain Vivalene by himself. The woman viciously kicked him in the stomach and he gasped.
"You don't trust me? Oh, darling, I'm crushed!" Vivalene commented, then turned to her henchmen. "Get rid of them!" she cried, heading for a nearby staircase and ascending it. "Get rid of them all!"
****
Both Yugi and Lila were shocked to see JP standing in the basement, apparently expecting them.
"Where did you come from?!" Lila screamed.
JP shrugged. "Here, there, everywhere. But the jewels aren't here, Lila. Someone's beat you to them."
"What?!" Lila screamed. "You're lying!!" Overcome with rage, she grabbed her brother and shoved him against the wall. "You took them, didn't you?!"
"Don't be silly," JP replied nonchalantly. "What would I want with stolen items? I'm not stupid like you, Lila."
Lila shoved him aside and marched over to one of the walls. Tapping on it fiercely, the panel swung open, revealing police officers inside.
"Lila Palmer, you're under arrest," one of them said sternly.
Lila's shoulders slumped and she held out her wrists for the handcuffs. "You've outsmarted me again, JP," she sighed in defeat, but then sneered. "But this victory won't last you long!"
"We'll see," JP responded evenly.
Yugi watched as more officers appeared and began arresting Lila's ninjas and then turned to face JP. "How did you get here?" he demanded.
JP shrugged. "I've been laying low for a while. When I heard that Lila had broken out of jail, I knew exactly what she would try to do—so I told the police and brought them here to wait for her."
Yugi smiled. "You are clever." Now he looked worried and prayed that the others were alright.
The door opened and Bruce came in, horrified as he watched the police march the ninjas and Lila outside. "What's happened here?!" he screamed.
"The police and JP can explain things," Yugi replied, heading for the door himself. He sensed that he need to get to a certain warehouse—and fast.
****
"Oh man . . ." Joey glared as several more of Vivalene's lackeys emerged from the shadows and began to surround him and Tristan.
"Joey!" Serenity called as she struggled with the men holding her captive. "I know you'll come through, big brother!"
Tristan exchanged a look with Joey. "We can take 'em, right?" Tristan said.
Joey grinned, giving a thumbs-up to his friend and to his sister. "Of course we can!" he cried, cracking his knuckles. With a yell, he punched one of them hard in the chest and then screamed in pain as the blow affected him more than his opponent.
Joey, you moron. You'll never win that way!
The Brooklyn boy blinked, hearing Seto's voice in his mind. He knew the other boy was right. "Your sacrifice won't be in vain, Kaiba," he vowed and whirled around to wrench the man's arm painfully.
"Get him, Joey!" Serenity cried, kicking her attackers in their shins and making them loosen their grip on her.
Now Joey grabbed the man's other arm and squeezed the pressure point. With a cry of pain, the man fell back and slumped against the wall.
Tristan, meanwhile, was besting his opponent as well. "I've got things covered here," he told Joey, who nodded determinedly.
"Then I'm going after Vivalene!" the blonde boy cried, running to the stairs up which Vivalene had disappeared.
"Don't do it, Joey!" Tristan yelled. "You'd just be setting yourself up for a fall!"
"I have to go!!" Joey growled. "She's hurt so many people! She killed Marik when he tried to warn me about her. She killed Kaiba when he tried to save my life. I can't let her treachery continue!!" He began leaping up the stairs two at a time.
Serenity looked up at him and smiled. "I know you can do it, Joey!" she said softly. "But please don't let your emotions get the better of you!"
Joey barely heard her as he ran onto the roof. Vivalene would pay!
****
Bakura's father was speechless at Bakura's announcement. "What?!" the man cried. "You mean to tell me that your friend is a powerful spirit living in that Millennium Ring?!"
Bakura nodded meekly. "Yes, Father."
"That's impossible!!" Bakura's father yelled.
"I'm afraid not, sir," Bakura replied slowly.
Yami Bakura sneered. "You doubt my powers? Perhaps we shall have to . . . correct that."
"Oh, Yami, please don't!" Bakura exclaimed in horror, leaping to his feet.
Bakura's father didn't look impressed. "I'm not in the mood for jokes, Bakura," he said sternly. "This is a side of you I've never seen before."
Bakura looked crushed. "Father, I'm not lying," he said sadly. "I could never lie to you!"
Yami Bakura grunted, pulling out the Ring. "You obviously have been away for a long time if you think Bakura has changed that much. He speaks the truth. I have never heard the fool lie to anyone." The Ring began to glow.
"Yami, what are you doing?!" Bakura shrieked, running over to grab at the Ring.
"You absurd mortal," Yami Bakura remarked. "I will not harm him, even though I might wish to." He would leave the man alone for two reasons—first because he was Bakura's father. And second, because he hadn't done anything that provoked the tomb robber enough to want to attack.
Bakura's father just watched this exchange—and the glowing Ring—in utter disbelief. This was all too strange to comprehend.
****
Joey looked around wildly as the wind whipped his hair in all directions. There was no one else on the roof that he could see, and there was a sharp drop into a dark chasm off the edge. Vivalene couldn't have gone anywhere—she would have to still be on the roof.
Suddenly something cold and hard poked into his back. "I knew you'd come up here, darling," Vivalene's voice hissed. "Your hatred of me has brought you."
Joey whirled around and grabbed the gun, restraining Vivalene from shooting it. "You're pure evil," he growled. "Man, how I could have ever gotten involved with someone like you? How could I have ever mistaken you for an angel?" He moved closer. "You're a devil, Vivalene."
"Oh, you cut me to the core," Vivalene taunted, trying to wrench the gun free. It went off, shooting a bullet into the air. "You pierce my very heart straight through!"
"You don't have a heart!" Joey screamed as they struggled. "You killed my friends without a shred of remorse!!"
A huge gust of wind came up and blew Vivalene's long red hair into her eyes, causing a momentary lapse of concentration on her part. Joey took the opportunity to pull the gun away viciously, which in turn startled Vivalene so that she fell to the floor of the roof.
Joey stood over her, a wild look in his eyes. "Now I have you right where I want you," he said dangerously. "I cared about you, Vivalene! I trusted you even more than I trusted my friends! You told me they were all liars—but the worst part is, I believed you!! You turned me against them all, and then you murdered them!!" He held the gun steady as he advanced on her. "You killed Marik and Kaiba in cold blood. You deserve nothing short of a painful death for all the messed up things you've done!"
Vivalene was unconcerned. "Are you going to inflict it on me, Joseph? Do you actually have the guts to pull the trigger?" She was certain he couldn't do it.
Now Joey's hand began to shake. "Of course I do," he said in a deadly tone.
"Then prove it!" Vivalene taunted, and Joey's hand steadied again.
"Joey!! Don't do it!!"
Joey paused, looking over the edge of the building. Yugi, Tristan, and Serenity were standing below, watching him worriedly.
"This isn't the solution, buddy!" Tristan yelled.
"Killing her won't bring Kaiba and Marik back!" Yugi added, his violet eyes wide.
Joey hesitated. They were right, of course, but Vivalene was evil. If she were to run free, how many more people would die? How many more hearts would be broken?
Tears coursed down his cheeks. "She deserves to die!" he cried. "She shouldn't be allowed to keep destroying people's lives!!"
"Joey!" Serenity called now. "She may very well deserve death, but should you be the one to hand it to her? We can't give life, Joey, and it's not our place to take it away, no matter how awful the person is!"
Joey knew she was right, of course. He couldn't take vengeance for his friends. It just wasn't in his nature to kill anyone, even if they were vile and wicked such as Vivalene. The gun dropped from his hand with a resounding clunk.
Slowly Vivalene stood up, a smirk on her face. "I knew you couldn't go through with it," she purred, pulling out another gun. "You're just too soft-hearted!"
"Joey!!!" the other teens all screamed at once.
Before Vivalene could fire, Joey sprang forward and grabbed her fiercely. As they struggled, the gun suddenly went off and Vivalene fell back, a shocked look on her face. With a scream, she tumbled off the roof and into the dark chasm below.
"Where are we?" Yugi gasped.
Yami Yugi looked out the window grimly. "We're at KETY," he said in surprise.
Yugi was startled. "Why would they bring us here?!"
"Perhaps it has something to do with that treasure Lila Palmer was after," Yami Yugi suggested.
The door opened and the ninjas yanked them outside. "Now . . . you will come and assist us in retrieving the stolen jewels," the leader hissed.
"We can't help you steal!" Yugi cried indignantly as both he and Yami Yugi were dragged into the building and thrown viciously onto the floor of the lobby.
"We don't need your help collecting the treasures," one of the other ninjas replied. "Just direct us to where they are . . . if you don't want anyone to be hurt."
"I've heard enough!" Yami Yugi cried, merging with Yugi in a glow of light. "Who are you working for?"
"They work for me," Lila's dark voice replied, and the woman stepped out of the shadows.
"You!" Yugi cried, his eyes narrowing. "But I don't understand. You were arrested!"
Lila sneered. "Fortunately for me, my associates were able to . . . secure my release." The way she said it let Yugi know that she had not been freed legally. "I won't let anything stand in my way! Not my brother, not you, and not jail time!"
"Those jewels do not belong to you," Yugi said sternly. "Look at yourself, Lila—you've been overcome by greed! You could have seriously injured those around you with your outrageous stunts!" He paused, looking deeply into her eyes. "Won't you reconsider what you are doing before something terrible happens?"
"If you do what I want, no one will get hurt," Lila told him. "Someone stole the blueprints before I had a chance to, so I don't know where the secret panel is supposed to be. You will help me find it."
Yugi stepped back, confused. "You do not mean to say that you think I was the one who stole the blueprints?"
Lila shrugged. "I have no idea. But I know you have magic powers. There must be a way you could track down the panel."
"I could," Yugi replied evenly, "but I would never help you on your quest for power and riches."
"We'll just see." Lila made a gesture and one of the ninjas grabbed Yugi and forced him down the stairs. Lila and her other lackeys quickly followed after, but they soon found that they were not alone.
"Oh hello, sister," a new voice said nonchalantly. The lights clicked on and everyone looked up.
"JP Palmer!" Yugi cried in disbelief.
****
Vivalene moved closer to Tristan, her emerald eyes flashing wickedly. "You know," she purred, "I always make it a point to eliminate those who are in my way."
"And I suppose we fit into that category," Tristan replied steely-eyed.
"Only too much," Vivalene told him, raising a knife to Serenity's throat.
That was it. Joey couldn't stand by and watch any longer. With a strangled war cry, he crashed through the skylight and tackled the evil woman, bringing her to the floor.
"Joey!" Serenity cried in delight.
"This is the last straw," Joey growled at Vivalene as he pinned her to the floor. "You've played with my affections. You've killed two of my friends. Now that I know the truth about you, there's no way I'm gonna let you keep running free!"
Vivalene looked unruffled. "You wouldn't kill me, darling. You know you wouldn't." With ease she flipped the boy over and held the knife to his throat. "You once loved me. You would never bring yourself to get rid of me, even if you had the perfect opportunity. But unfortunately, darling . . ." She brought the knife closer. ". . . I have no qualms about ridding myself of you."
"Let him go!!" Serenity screamed, and she and Tristan both grabbed the woman and tried to restrain her arm.
Vivalene growled and violently kicked Serenity backward against the wall.
"Serenity!!" Joey and Tristan both cried out at once, and then Joey sprang up and grabbed Vivalene's arms viciously. The woman struggled, but Tristan pulled the knife out of her hand before she could stop it.
"Not so tough now, are you?" Joey remarked, then looked over her shoulder. "Serenity! Are you okay?" he asked worriedly.
To his relief, his sister stood up and smiled at him. She was fine.
Vivalene still was unfazed. "Neither of you will lay a finger on me," she said dangerously, and suddenly Serenity was grabbed by two burly men and held fast.
"Joey!!" the girl screamed, a terrified look in her hazel eyes.
"I always have a backup plan," Vivalene purred. "Unhand me and your sister won't get hurt."
Tristan was outraged. "Why you devilish . . ."
Joey was torn. He doubted Vivalene would actually keep her end of such a bargain, but how could he risk his sister's life? His argument was between him and Vivalene alone. Tristan and Serenity shouldn't be involved.
"However," Vivalene continued, breaking into his thoughts, "if you do not set me free, your sister will have a more grisly fate than Marik Ishtar or Seto Kaiba did."
Joey couldn't stand it. "No!" he cried, releasing Vivalene from his grasp.
"Joey, she won't let Serenity go!" Tristan yelled, frantically trying to restrain Vivalene by himself. The woman viciously kicked him in the stomach and he gasped.
"You don't trust me? Oh, darling, I'm crushed!" Vivalene commented, then turned to her henchmen. "Get rid of them!" she cried, heading for a nearby staircase and ascending it. "Get rid of them all!"
****
Both Yugi and Lila were shocked to see JP standing in the basement, apparently expecting them.
"Where did you come from?!" Lila screamed.
JP shrugged. "Here, there, everywhere. But the jewels aren't here, Lila. Someone's beat you to them."
"What?!" Lila screamed. "You're lying!!" Overcome with rage, she grabbed her brother and shoved him against the wall. "You took them, didn't you?!"
"Don't be silly," JP replied nonchalantly. "What would I want with stolen items? I'm not stupid like you, Lila."
Lila shoved him aside and marched over to one of the walls. Tapping on it fiercely, the panel swung open, revealing police officers inside.
"Lila Palmer, you're under arrest," one of them said sternly.
Lila's shoulders slumped and she held out her wrists for the handcuffs. "You've outsmarted me again, JP," she sighed in defeat, but then sneered. "But this victory won't last you long!"
"We'll see," JP responded evenly.
Yugi watched as more officers appeared and began arresting Lila's ninjas and then turned to face JP. "How did you get here?" he demanded.
JP shrugged. "I've been laying low for a while. When I heard that Lila had broken out of jail, I knew exactly what she would try to do—so I told the police and brought them here to wait for her."
Yugi smiled. "You are clever." Now he looked worried and prayed that the others were alright.
The door opened and Bruce came in, horrified as he watched the police march the ninjas and Lila outside. "What's happened here?!" he screamed.
"The police and JP can explain things," Yugi replied, heading for the door himself. He sensed that he need to get to a certain warehouse—and fast.
****
"Oh man . . ." Joey glared as several more of Vivalene's lackeys emerged from the shadows and began to surround him and Tristan.
"Joey!" Serenity called as she struggled with the men holding her captive. "I know you'll come through, big brother!"
Tristan exchanged a look with Joey. "We can take 'em, right?" Tristan said.
Joey grinned, giving a thumbs-up to his friend and to his sister. "Of course we can!" he cried, cracking his knuckles. With a yell, he punched one of them hard in the chest and then screamed in pain as the blow affected him more than his opponent.
Joey, you moron. You'll never win that way!
The Brooklyn boy blinked, hearing Seto's voice in his mind. He knew the other boy was right. "Your sacrifice won't be in vain, Kaiba," he vowed and whirled around to wrench the man's arm painfully.
"Get him, Joey!" Serenity cried, kicking her attackers in their shins and making them loosen their grip on her.
Now Joey grabbed the man's other arm and squeezed the pressure point. With a cry of pain, the man fell back and slumped against the wall.
Tristan, meanwhile, was besting his opponent as well. "I've got things covered here," he told Joey, who nodded determinedly.
"Then I'm going after Vivalene!" the blonde boy cried, running to the stairs up which Vivalene had disappeared.
"Don't do it, Joey!" Tristan yelled. "You'd just be setting yourself up for a fall!"
"I have to go!!" Joey growled. "She's hurt so many people! She killed Marik when he tried to warn me about her. She killed Kaiba when he tried to save my life. I can't let her treachery continue!!" He began leaping up the stairs two at a time.
Serenity looked up at him and smiled. "I know you can do it, Joey!" she said softly. "But please don't let your emotions get the better of you!"
Joey barely heard her as he ran onto the roof. Vivalene would pay!
****
Bakura's father was speechless at Bakura's announcement. "What?!" the man cried. "You mean to tell me that your friend is a powerful spirit living in that Millennium Ring?!"
Bakura nodded meekly. "Yes, Father."
"That's impossible!!" Bakura's father yelled.
"I'm afraid not, sir," Bakura replied slowly.
Yami Bakura sneered. "You doubt my powers? Perhaps we shall have to . . . correct that."
"Oh, Yami, please don't!" Bakura exclaimed in horror, leaping to his feet.
Bakura's father didn't look impressed. "I'm not in the mood for jokes, Bakura," he said sternly. "This is a side of you I've never seen before."
Bakura looked crushed. "Father, I'm not lying," he said sadly. "I could never lie to you!"
Yami Bakura grunted, pulling out the Ring. "You obviously have been away for a long time if you think Bakura has changed that much. He speaks the truth. I have never heard the fool lie to anyone." The Ring began to glow.
"Yami, what are you doing?!" Bakura shrieked, running over to grab at the Ring.
"You absurd mortal," Yami Bakura remarked. "I will not harm him, even though I might wish to." He would leave the man alone for two reasons—first because he was Bakura's father. And second, because he hadn't done anything that provoked the tomb robber enough to want to attack.
Bakura's father just watched this exchange—and the glowing Ring—in utter disbelief. This was all too strange to comprehend.
****
Joey looked around wildly as the wind whipped his hair in all directions. There was no one else on the roof that he could see, and there was a sharp drop into a dark chasm off the edge. Vivalene couldn't have gone anywhere—she would have to still be on the roof.
Suddenly something cold and hard poked into his back. "I knew you'd come up here, darling," Vivalene's voice hissed. "Your hatred of me has brought you."
Joey whirled around and grabbed the gun, restraining Vivalene from shooting it. "You're pure evil," he growled. "Man, how I could have ever gotten involved with someone like you? How could I have ever mistaken you for an angel?" He moved closer. "You're a devil, Vivalene."
"Oh, you cut me to the core," Vivalene taunted, trying to wrench the gun free. It went off, shooting a bullet into the air. "You pierce my very heart straight through!"
"You don't have a heart!" Joey screamed as they struggled. "You killed my friends without a shred of remorse!!"
A huge gust of wind came up and blew Vivalene's long red hair into her eyes, causing a momentary lapse of concentration on her part. Joey took the opportunity to pull the gun away viciously, which in turn startled Vivalene so that she fell to the floor of the roof.
Joey stood over her, a wild look in his eyes. "Now I have you right where I want you," he said dangerously. "I cared about you, Vivalene! I trusted you even more than I trusted my friends! You told me they were all liars—but the worst part is, I believed you!! You turned me against them all, and then you murdered them!!" He held the gun steady as he advanced on her. "You killed Marik and Kaiba in cold blood. You deserve nothing short of a painful death for all the messed up things you've done!"
Vivalene was unconcerned. "Are you going to inflict it on me, Joseph? Do you actually have the guts to pull the trigger?" She was certain he couldn't do it.
Now Joey's hand began to shake. "Of course I do," he said in a deadly tone.
"Then prove it!" Vivalene taunted, and Joey's hand steadied again.
"Joey!! Don't do it!!"
Joey paused, looking over the edge of the building. Yugi, Tristan, and Serenity were standing below, watching him worriedly.
"This isn't the solution, buddy!" Tristan yelled.
"Killing her won't bring Kaiba and Marik back!" Yugi added, his violet eyes wide.
Joey hesitated. They were right, of course, but Vivalene was evil. If she were to run free, how many more people would die? How many more hearts would be broken?
Tears coursed down his cheeks. "She deserves to die!" he cried. "She shouldn't be allowed to keep destroying people's lives!!"
"Joey!" Serenity called now. "She may very well deserve death, but should you be the one to hand it to her? We can't give life, Joey, and it's not our place to take it away, no matter how awful the person is!"
Joey knew she was right, of course. He couldn't take vengeance for his friends. It just wasn't in his nature to kill anyone, even if they were vile and wicked such as Vivalene. The gun dropped from his hand with a resounding clunk.
Slowly Vivalene stood up, a smirk on her face. "I knew you couldn't go through with it," she purred, pulling out another gun. "You're just too soft-hearted!"
"Joey!!!" the other teens all screamed at once.
Before Vivalene could fire, Joey sprang forward and grabbed her fiercely. As they struggled, the gun suddenly went off and Vivalene fell back, a shocked look on her face. With a scream, she tumbled off the roof and into the dark chasm below.