Chapter 8: Things come into the Light
Yugi made it to Alex's home and looked through the windows to see if anyone was home. It was a little later in the day since he didn't want to show up at dawn knocking on the door. He spent the night at Joey's and set off right after he woke up. Joey offered to come along, but Yugi felt as though he had to do this on his own. Neit still followed Yugi, sometimes resting on his shoulder when she got lazy and didn't want to walk.
He thought it strange to see all the lights out, and knocked on the door. "Hello? I'm looking for Alex, I was wondering if she was doing alright," he tried to door, but it was locked. Neit jumped down from his shoulder and walked around the house to the side where Alex's window was. Yugi followed, but kept his eyes on the door, just in case someone was home and finally heard the knocking. He finally took his glare away from the door and followed Neit back to Alex's window.
Neit stopped underneath the window sill and rubbed against the glass. Yugi patted her on the head and tried the window, "It's worth a shot, Neit." He opened the window without any problem and climbed inside. Neit jumped on Alex's bed and curled down in the blankets. "Come one Neit, there is no time to rest," Yugi looked around the room and wondered if it was always this trashed or if something else happened. Clothes were everywhere and other items from around the room were thrown out from the drawers and table tops to find a place on the floor.
Yugi opened her bedroom door and headed out into the dark hallway. He quickly turned on the bright hallway light. Nothing seemed to be lit in the house, barely any windows, and if there were windows, none of them were any bigger then Alex's bedroom window. He found his way down the hall to the living room and found nothing. The room was so neat and tidy, like everything had its place. Yugi went back into the hallway and into the only room that he hadn't been in, other then the bathroom, and that was Connie and Bill's room. As he put his hand on the doorknob he heard some one come through the front door. Yugi ran back into Alex's room and shut the door lightly, so no one would hear it.
"I told you that they would find a way to get her with out drawing suspicion to us. Now were the worried foster parents of a lost girl."
"But you know it would have been much easier if you weren't so good at acting like a mean guy." Yugi knew the voices; it was the voices of Alex's guardians. "Come on, we have to go and get ready, the ceremony should start in about a day. If Alex doesn't give us the bracelet, there is only one other option. And I don't want it to resort to that; she's actually a pretty good kid." Yugi heard them walk by the door and go into their room. He quietly slipped out the window.
***
Later that day at school Yugi met up with the group. "Hey you guys," Yugi said walking slowly up to the group. Joey took out a piece of paper from the back of his jacket and flashed it in Yugi's face, "What do you think Yugi?"
Yugi looked at the brightly colored piece of paper and read it in his mind, 'Dance this Friday in the gym. Bring masks, it's Mardi Gras time!'
"That's nice Joey," Yugi put on his best fake smile and looked at them. Joey and Tristin looked at each other and then back at Yugi, "Ok, you know we're not falling for it Yug'. What's the matter?"
"It's about Alex," Yugi immediately lost his smile, "Joey, you already know what I found in the park, but I went over to her house before school today and went inside. Her room was a mess and no one was home. I was about to look in her guardian's room when they came home."
"Yugi, that isn't like you. Sneaking into houses and all," Mai commented.
"I just had a bad feeling about the whole thing, Mai. Anyway, I hid in Alex's room and I heard them talking about Alex like they knew where she is, and that something is going to happen to her in about a day. I'm worried you guys." The rest of the group looked back at him, with the same amount of worry and huddled together.
Joey suddenly pointed his finger up like he had an idea, "We'll ditch today!"
"Joey, I don't think we need to add anything more to Yugi's sorrow right now," Mai said to Joey as she put his finger back down.
"No, I meant that we could ditch and find a way into the house while they're gone so Yugi could sneak inside."
"Great plan, Joey, but how do we know when we could get in when they aren't looking?" Tristin asked with his arms crossed.
"I know when they leave and come back from work," Yugi said, "Alex told me."
"Then what's the problem? Let's go," Joey lead the group back toward Alex's house as Mai rolled her eyes at him, "He would take any opportunity to get out of school." Yugi smiled and nodded his head. He plastered a serious look on his face as they all marched toward her home.
***
"They shouldn't be home, I saw both of them leave one right after the other," Yugi said through the bushes to the others. They all nodded and followed Yugi out of the bushes; Yugi being the only one who made it out with out falling on another person. He looked back at his friends who were tangled with in each other; all together being a mass of arms, legs and heads. Yugi sweat dropped anime style, "Maybe you guys should have stayed in the bushes."
"Nonsense Yugi. Alex is one of us, we want to help as much as we can," Tristin said stumbling out of the pile and putting a hand on Yugi's shoulder. "Thanks you guys, now let's go, I don't want to waste anymore time."
They made their way to Alex's window. For some reason or another it was locked and Yugi tapped lightly on the glass. "So now what do we do, Yug?"
"Wait for a minute, Joey," Yugi waited patiently and then up popped Neit's head from the edge of the window. "Neit, good. Open the window, girl. It's locked."
"Oh, come on Yugi, that cat isn't going to open the window for you." Neit looked at Joey when he said that and tilted her head at him as if to say, 'Oh yeah?' The cat sat back on her hind legs and reached for the hook that kept the window closed. The latch unhooked and Yugi opened the window, "Great job girl!" He patted her on the head as he climbed through.
Joey looked at the cat with surprise written all over his face, and Neit turned and put her tail straight up in the air at him. She jumped off the ledge of the window sill and pranced after Yugi, sneezing at Joey on her way out the bedroom door.
"Now, there's something you don't see everyday," Mai said as she jumped through the window.
"Although it doesn't seem very surprising for a cat to outsmart, Joey," Tristin said hopping in after Mai.
"Hey, I resent that remark, Tristin," Joey said bringing up the rear. "Will you guys hurry up please?" Yugi said poking his head from around the corner.
They followed him down the hall and toward a room. He opened the door and looked inside. There were no windows and it was pitch black, "Hey, do you guys see a light switch?"
"I think I found one," Yugi turned the light switch on and found himself in a small room, barely enough room for the bed and another door. "Hurry, everybody try to fit in here and shut that door. Yugi walked to the edge of the bed where there was a black book with a pen nearby. He opened it and began to read:
It's been a few months now. I don't think that the girl even suspects that we are what she fears the most. Rare Hunters. I doubt that she even knows what rare hunters are, or what we do at our 'jobs'. The bracelet is hard to get to, she never takes it off, and whenever she leaves she takes it with her.
I'm the one person in this household that she trusts; Bill is doing a great job of making himself the bad guy, drawing attention away from me. Hopefully our plan will work and she'll sneak out again tonight. Then, we will have her. And if she doesn't give the bracelet up by the time we start our ceremony . . . she will die. It's a pity really; I was starting to actually see her like a real daughter.
Yugi thought for a minute and then realized that the entry was only made last night, by Connie. "Guys, we need to find Alex now," the group looked at him, "We're dealing with Rare Hunters."
"No way!" Joey stood back in surprise. Neit slipped under the group's feet and pawed at the door, and started to scratch slightly. "What is it Neit?" Yugi leaned down to her level and she looked at him with pleading eyes, 'She's down there.' Yugi nodded at the small cat and turned to the rest of the group, "Guys, Mai, we need to get some black capes."
"Already as good as found," Joey held four black capes in his hands.
"Joey, where did you find them?"
"In the hallway closet."
"Don't you think they are going to miss them?"
"Not if they are actually looking for these ones specifically. There were hundreds of these things in there."
"And you were looking in the closet why, Joey?" Yugi asked crossing his arms.
"Looking . . . for . . . clues . . .?" Joey sweat dropped as the others took the capes. They all put one on and opened the other door, there was a dark stairwell leading down to a small slightly faded light. Yugi put Neit in a bag and slug it over his side.
"And we're taking the cat why, Yugi?"
"Neit may come in handy, and plus, she is just about as worried as I am about Alex." Joey rolled his eyes as they all put the hoods over their heads, turned the lights off and headed down the stairs.
***
It was quiet in Alex's room/ prison cell, all except for the light banging of a small rubber ball on the side of the wall. Alex soon got tired of just sitting and, after finding the ball, she began to entertain herself. "You know, if they're going to kidnap me; they should at least keep me entertained," Alex said to no one in particular. Then as if she asked for it the door to her room opened and some one she didn't expect was standing before her. "Hey kid, how are you doing?" Bill lifted the hood of his cloak.
"I should have known you had something to do with this, Bill," Ale sneered at him. Bill stepped toward her, "You know, you have to give up the bracelet."
"Like I would ever listen to you," Bill jumped forward and pinned her down on the ground. Alex struggled and looked toward the door, it was wide open. The from out of no where another black cloaked figure walked through the door. The hood was pulled back and Alex saw Connie staring down at her. Alex started to yell at her, "Please Connie, please help me. Don't let him hurt me. Please Connie."
"Shhh . . . It will be alright Alex," Connie pulled out a needle and shot Alex in the top portion of the arm. "Please no, Connie. No please."
"Alright, let her up. You have twenty-four hours to decide on your fate, Alex," Bill let Alex up and walked out the door. Connie soon followed, "Just give the bracelet up."
"You bitch, I was so close to trusting you." Connie closed the door behind her. Alex got off the floor and ran toward the door. She banged her fists on the strong door, "Where's my mother?"
Outside the door Connie locked the door and turned to face Alex's father, "I'm sorry, Henry. But if she doesn't give the bracelet up, I can't give her the antidote."
"How long until it starts to affect her?"
"Not long," Connie looked toward the door, "You know, she's a good kid, Henry. I just hope she will come to her senses before . . ."
"I know." The both walked away from Alex's door and down the hall.