Chapter 9: The Escape

Alex didn't know where to go, as if she could go anywhere.  Once in awhile she could hear people laughing as they walked by her room; some even looked in through the window to see the prisoner.  Alex often looked down at her arm and rubbed the spot where they gave her the shot.  And if she felt brave enough she would look outside the small window and tried to guess which one of the other doors led to her freedom, or to her mother.

From her door she saw a group of four black caped individuals coming toward her door.  She backed up as the door opened and they all stepped in.  "Now what do you want?  I've already told you, I'm not going to cooperate!" Alex yelled at the group of them.  The one in the middle put down a bag and stepped back, "Now what, a bomb threat?"

From out of the bag, Neit popped her head out and walked over to Alex.  "Neit?  Then that means," she looked up at the figures.  The middle figure uncloaked his hood to reveal his face, "Yugi!"  Alex smiled and didn't care who the others where, she ran toward him and flung herself into his arms.  "Yugi, I'm so sorry about what I said.  I . . . Just forgive me, please.  I've missed you so much."

Yugi hugged her back and buried his head into her hair, "Alex, I've missed you too."  The others looked on at the two, finally pulling back their hoods.

"Isn't this cute?"  All of them turned toward the door where Alex's father stood watching them.  Neit ran forward and hissed at the man.  "Get out of our way," Yugi stood in front of Alex.

"I don't doubt that you can beat me in a physical battle, but . . ."  before he could finish his sentence, Alex fell to the floor.  "Alex, you alright?"

"It's the stuff they poked me with.  I can't get up."

"What stuff?"

"Ask my father," Alex looked up at the man.

"Your father?" Yugi looked at him, "What is wrong with her?"

"Duel me.  If you win, you take her.  If I win, I keep her here.  And you never come back."

"Answer my question, what is wrong with her?"

"She is poisoned.  And has limited time, so I would agree to the duel challenge as soon as possible.  Or it may be too late."  Yugi looked down at Alex who was now gasping for breath.  "Where is the dueling field?"

***

"Let's duel!" Yugi yelled from one side of the dueling zone.  Yugi, you sure you don't want my help on this?

'I'm sure, Yami.  I got to do this on my own,' he looked down at Alex's body.  She smiled up at him and weakly held a thumbs up to him.  He smiled back at her, 'For Alex.'

"Let's get started, Yugi.  For my daughter's future is on the line."

"It's strange that you say that it is your daughter that is on the line and not the bracelet, which I'm sure you are really after."

"If I win this duel, I will be able to give her the antidote to the poison flowing inside her veins.  Then, get the bracelet."

"And if you lose?"

"You will take her as promised, but I doubt that any hospital will have the anti toxin.  We both start this duel with two-thousand life points."  Yugi glared at him, 'There has to be a cure.  There just has to be another cure.'

"Your move, Yugi!"  Yugi drew his cards and though hard, 'I have to get her out of here.  But first I got to get into this game.  Let's see:  Feral Imp, Sogen, Mystic Clown, Koumori Dragon, and Just Desserts.'  He took the Mystic Clown and placed it face down, "I place this monster card face down and end my turn."

"All right, my turn," Henry put a monster card down in defense mode.  "There you go."

"You seem very sure of yourself."

"You would be too, Yugi.  If you had my hand," his mouth grew into a wicked smile.

Yugi drew another card and got the Celtic Guardian.  He places Just Desserts face down and Feral Imp in defense.  "End my turn."

Henry drew another card from his pile and put Ryu-Kishin in attack.  He looked up at Yugi, and both of them silently agreed that they didn't even have to say when it was the other's turn.  They could both feel it.  Yugi drew Monster reborn and waited for Henry to make his next move.  Henry drew another card not saying a word and put a card in the trap space face down.

Yugi drew the next monster card Ansatsu, turns Mystic Clown to attack the Ryu-Kishin Monster, bringing Henry's life points to 1500.  (A/N:  I'm pretty much just going to go back and forth on the whole turn thing right now, so please just hang in there.)  Henry drew once again, and plays Battle Ox in attack mode to take out the Mystic Clown, bringing Yugi's life points down to 1800.  Yugi grimaced then drew the magic card Book of Secret Arts.  He placed it face down and plays Ansatu in attack.  'At least we are matched with attack points,' Yugi inwardly sighed to himself.

Henry played a magic card face down.

Yugi drew the Dragon Capture Jar, and felt that it was very important for him to put it face down of course.  Henry drew a card and placed it face up, Destroyer Golem.  He sacrificed both it and the Battle Ox, "You know what I'm doing, don't you Yugi?  I'm bringing out the most powerful card in my deck.  Be ready for the Blue-Eyes White Dragon!" 

"How can that be?  Only Kaiba has the Blue-Eyes White dragons."  But there it stood, and yugi just kept on fighting, no matter what the odd, he had to keep going.  The huge white dragon roared toward Yugi, and as Yugi moved his hand toward the trap card that he had face down, "Wait a moment Yugi.  I also bring my Lord of Dragons in attack, which protects my dragon from any trap or magic you would use against it.  Now, Blue Eyes, attack Anastu!"  With one bright blast, Yugi's monster was taken out and he sat and watched as his life points went down to 500 points.

Yugi looked down at Alex, who could barely keep her eyes open.  Mai looked down at her and then looked back up at Yugi.  'She can't hold on much longer,' she mouthed up to him.  "Hey!" Yugi yelled at Henry from across the battle zone, "How about we raise the stakes?  If I win I get the antidote, but if I lose, you win my Millennium piece along with my skills."

"Yugi, no," Alex cried weakly, "Please no."

"Agreed, although I don't see much hope of you succeeding."

"But I do," Yugi held up the card he had been waiting for, the Dark Magician.  "I play it in attack mode and combine it with the Book of Secret Arts.  And take your Lord of the Dragons out with my Feral Imp."  Henry's life points went down to 1400.

"Even with that, my Blue Eyes is still stronger, go!  Destroy his Dark Magician!"

"Don't you remember my trap card that I was fingering earlier?  With your Lord of Dragons gone, I get to use it.  It is the Dragon Capture Jar Card, taking your Dragon into defense mode.  Just weak enough for my powered up Dark Magician to take it out."

"No, my Blue Eyes!"

"And since you are unprotected, I will attack you with my feral Imp to take all but one hundred of your life points out!"  Henry fell to his knees, "How can this be?"

"And I can also use Monster Reborn to bring back your Blue Eyes . . . on my side."

"Wait!" Henry yelled putting down his cards, "I give up, don't take my Blue Eyes.  I give up, you've won."

Yugi and Henry got down from the playing zone and Yugi ran over to Alex.  "Give me the antidote.  I've won, give it to me!"  Henry threw a vile at him and he gave it to Alex immediately.  "I've never been so happy to see you," Alex smiled at him, "What took you so long?"

He smiled at her with tears in his eyes and then his face turned immediately to worry as Alex closed her eyes and started to squint in pain.  "What-" he turned to face her father, but he was already gone, "What did he give her?" Mai held Alex's head in her hands.  "Alex," Yugi grabbed Alex from Mai's arms and started to rock her.  "Come on, Alex, please."

Yugi could fell Alex's body grow cold, but at the same time feel heat coming from a source close to his wrist and saw her bracelet glowing.  He looked at her face and the eyes opened, but it wasn't her.  "Amunet?  What happened to Alex?"  Amunet climbed out from his arms and sat on the ground.

"She's fighting for her life, Yugi," suddenly she held her chest, looked at her hand on her chest, and slowly picked up her head from her hand toward Yugi's eyes, "I . . . I . . ."

"Amunet, what's wrong?"

"Yugi, I'm sorry."

"What are you talking about?" Yugi said grabbing her shoulders, "What do you mean you are sorry?"  He was becoming hysterical, tears were streaming down his face, "Where is Alex?!"

"She . . . Yugi, I can't feel her presence any more.  I don't think she's here any longer."  Yugi crawled back from Amunet, and held his knees into his chest.  Mai turned into Joey's chest, crying her eyes out.  Joey held her head close to him and put his head on top of hers, trying to hold back tears of his own.  Tristan hit his fist into the wall nearby, "I'm so sorry Yugi," Amunet repeated.

"There has to be a way, Amunet!" Yugi yelled at her, "You healed me in the park.  Why can't you heal her?"

"You were only injured . . . she's beyond that."

"No one is beyond that!  Help her, please!"

"I can't . . ."

"Please!"  Amunet closed her eyes as a tear trickled down her face.  Yugi could feel her presence flee away as the body fell to the floor.  He picked her back up, and saw that it was Alex, or what was left of her, Amunet did what she could.  It's up to you now, Yugi.  It's up to you to see and wait.  He could hear Yami trying to tell him, comfort him.

Yugi looked at her face and stroked the side of it.  "Alex, I just got you back.  I just found you.  Found . . . love," he whispered in her ear and kissed her softly on the lips.  He felt a slight spark in the moment that he touched her lips with his own, "Come on, Yugi.  We can't do anything for her now."

"Wait Joey," Yugi concentrated on her face.  Then the others soon followed his lead and formed a circle around her.  They each bowed their heads and closed their eyes.  Then Yugi heard a small sigh, "Why is everyone so sad.  Isn't time for celebration?"  Yugi opened his eyes to meet with Alex's.  "Alex?"

"Who where you expecting?"  Yugi smiled big and held her close.  "God, I thought I lost you."

"You did for a minute there.  It was pretty cool, why did you have to bring me back?" she joked with him.  The others around them began to chuckle, "Well for one, I have to ask you a question."

"And what would that be?"

"Maybe it isn't the best time, but . . . would you like to go to the dance with me this Friday?"

"As long as you do something for me."

"What?"

"Forgive me for being such a dumb butt."  Yugi smiled and hugged her tighter.  They both sat on the floor until they felt it was time to get up.  Alex was walking hand in hand with Yugi until she saw a small gold item on the floor.  It was a pocket watch, with an inscription on the back reading: "I'm sorry."

Alex only gave it a glance, stepped over it and left it lying on the ground.  It was the only thing left in the room, glistening with the little light that was illuminating the room.

A/N:  Sorry it was so un-detailed.  (If that is a word)  I was writing it about ten –thirty last night.  Hope you liked it anyway.  Well, please remember to review and don't worry, there is a lot more coming.  Keep coming back to check on updates!  See you all later!