Man, you guys must really hate me for the cliffhanger that I used to torture you all with...(laughs evily and points at Lady Sepiroth)....anyways, sorry for the cliffhanger (especially to you Lady Sepiroth) but I couldn't resist...I'd like to thank everyone for the reviews they keep submitting. I write because I love it and because you guys love it. And again, I thank everyone for complimenting me on my way of capturing Kaiba's character. I'm not sure how I do it but I'll fill you all in when I find out....maybe its cause I absolutely am in LOVE with Kaiba's character. I mean, who can't resist an arrogant, egotistical jerk who only cares for himself and his little brother? (Suddenly realizes something) Wait a sec.....
Anyways, this story is about to take a turn. I hope you enjoy the direction this story will now be heading. I do advise you that the chapter after this one will be focusing on Yugi and his connection with Sydney. (It's not what you think....They're not going to fall in love or anything) This story will now begin to take form and you'll all find out EXACTLY what happened to Seto in due time...(Laughs evily)...but for now...this is all you will be getting from me on Seto's 'mysterious' disappearance. I hope you all enjoy it none the less. Please read & review. Thank you and ENJOY!
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or its characters. (::sighs:: I'm getting tired of putting this...I'm sure you all get the point by now.)
Chapter Six: An Unexpected Heir
There is nothing but snow than a figure slowly comes into view, blurry at first than it soon focuses onto a room lit up by computer screens and green hues. There's a figure in front of the camera, fussing with the focus and trying to steady it so the camera gets a good shot of his figure. He finally drops his hands from the camera and seems to be trying to catch his breath.
"I know why he's after me....."
Kaiba's figure is worn down and he looks tired. His clothes are torn and his breathing is ragged. His hair is mussled and both his arms hold dark gashes of stained blood. He tries his best to keep his eyes open as he stands in front of his computer in the secret room hidden beneath the mansion. He stares into the camera, trying his best to fight the urge to pass out and speaks again.
"He wants Kaiba Corp," Kaiba says slowly,"He's planning to use my company to destroy Domino City. How...I'm...not sure."
He pauses for a moment to look at something to the right.
"Sydney," He says slowly as his eyes look into the camera steadily,"You have...you have to...take care of Mokuba for me..whatever you do....don't let him near Mokuba."
"Mokuba....please, do not be sad," Kaiba went on, raising his hand to grasp his other arm,"I will always be there for you...always...nothing will change. I have always looked after you and I always will.You were all I had and you were the only thing that kept me from going insane. I love you little brother...Goodbye....."
"Sydney...I need you to do me a favor....my company...I refuse to let my company go to pieces...I've worked hard trying to maintain it the way it is now..... please... Sydney...I need you to take my place as president.... I know it sounds crazy....but Mokuba...he's too young, he can't handle it...not the way it is now."
Kaiba raises his gaze to look to the right again and continues,"My time is running short. He's...looking for me. Don't let those...fools at my company...take it from you... it belongs to you now...Sydney. This video is proof. Present this to the judge at my murder case....he will give you claim... I leave everything, my estate, my accounts, my financial information, my company, my belongings all to you, Sydney Muik. This is my will. I also give permission for you, Sydney, to have full custody of my brother Mokuba."
He looks into the camera and leans forward slightly, raising a hand above it,"Sydney....I love you.."
He pauses as he looks deeply into the camera, trying to express his feelings about his just confession. If he had only one chance to say it, he'd let his emotional barrier tumble just this once........for her.
"..I should have told you this morning...but I couldn't bring myself to do it...now I wish..."
The tape goes blurry, then comes in again.
"We will see each other again," Kaiba says as the door behind him echos with a large slam, yet he remains calm,"Take care of Mokuba for me."
The tape goes dead.
************************
Sydney walked down the hallway of Domino High bumping into students on her way, not really caring to listen to their gruff replies. Instead of her school uniform, she wore a white button up blouse, black pinstriped pants and black boots. Her hair was up, except for a few loose strands and she carried a briefcase with her as she entered her English class. She walked in and headed over to Kaiba's old desk and slammed his briefcase down on top of it, achieving the attention of the entire class. She stared at them all, her arms crossed and her face expressionless.
Kaiba would have been proud.
"Seto Kaiba is dead," She said sternly to the class,"On Saturday night of last week police recieved an ermergency phone call from him about an intruder in his mansion. There were traces of blood in the house but his body was no where to be found. He was pronounced dead as of 6:55 this morning."
The class remained silent and looked at her either surprised or shocked. She kept her arms crossed and looked around the classroom to see any real reactions to the news she had just broken.
"De-dead?" Joey asked in shock as him and Tristan stared at Sydney in disbelief.
Yugi and Tea remained silent, trying to process what she had just said. Sydney slowly walked back and forth, looking around the room.
"To all of you who hated him, despised him so much you would have wished he was dead," Sydney spoke,"You got your wish, but I hate to disappoint you, his company is not up for grabs. It now belongs to none other than yours truly. He left it to me in his will."
"You?" Tea asked her,"What about Mokuba?"
"He's not old enough and doesn't know everything he needs to know to be able to control it," She told her,"Kaiba himself instructed me to hold on to his position until Mokuba was old enough to handle it."
"Why are you telling us this?" A boy suddenly asked,"Why should we care?"
Sydney laughed a slight laugh and stared at the boy,"Because every single person who ever disliked him, is now a suspect."
The whole room gasped.
"The murderer is yet to be found," She told them,"I'm merely here to release the information to you all. You will be expected to either go down to the Domino Police Station or will be visited by the authorities."
The boy's mouth hung open from her response and he took a step back into the crowd he had been standing in, hoping to back down from her attention.
"Any other questions?"
Silence.
"Than I'll take my leave."
Sydney slowly lifted the briefcase from the desk and proceeded to walk out of the classroom. She passed the teacher on the way out the door but he said nothing as she walked past him. He probably already knew.
'Soon they will all know.'
She walked down the empty hallway, her footsteps echoing off the walls. She tried to push the past events of the week out of her mind. After seeing that tape, after going through the pain of seeing him struggle to stay alive, she had broken down. She had cried so hard she had passed out. He had said it- he loved her and now he entrusted her with everything. All the work he put into Duel Monsters, all the cars, all the money, his estate, everything that had made him who he was- he had handed to her.
Everything.
'I won't let you down, Seto. Never.'
Mokuba was struggling but he was learning to deal with Kaiba's death. It had taken him by such surprise at first and Sydney understood that. She too, had just seen him two hours before he turned up missing and than this morning announced dead. There, of course, was still the possibility of him still being alive, but Sydney tried not to get her hopes up. It was true, Kaiba was a fighter, a survivor of many things but this was different. If he was still alive and just hiding or lost, than she'd do exactly what he had asked her to do without hesitation. The whole week before today she had sat down and gone through every Kaiba Corp book Kaiba had in his office. She'd reviewd every contract he held with other companies, she even went through his computer files and began to look over the program he never got to finish. She even sat down and played Duel Monsters continuously with his deck, knowing that she'd be expected to carry his reputation, but Kaiba didn't have to ask for her to do that.
She'd do it anyway, just for him.
She was going to spend next week training herself to take over his job, to learn business ethnics, to teach herself everything Kaiba had in turn, taught himself. She probably would turn just as callous as he was but she knew better. Kaiba was far from callous. He was professional. He was strong. He was smart. He was powerful. He was quick-witted. He was strong-willed....
'He was in love with me.'
She opened the door to the silver jaguar Kaiba used to drive to school and tossed the briefcase to the passenger side as she climbed in. She closed the door and reached above the sun visor to remove his sunglasses and slipped them on. She liked being in this car. It still smelled of him and it reminded her so much of him that most times she just sat in it remembering him.
She pulled the seat belt over her and let her hands rest on top the stirring wheel. She gripped it tightly, trying to fight the urge to cry again. She didn't have time to cry. She had a company to run and things to do. She had to pick up where he left off with no hesitation. She owed him that much.
"Seto..."
She turned the car on and shifted it into gear, slowly pulling out of the parking lot and out onto the highway. She looked off into the distance, knowing that her next stop might not be as easy.
Kaiba Corp.
She had to do the hardest task of all - telling his board that she was taking his place. There was no doubt that they would all turn their rage and anger onto her instead of Kaiba. She had to be careful. Just like he tried to be. She switched her turn signal on and slowly pulled into the private parking lot for board officials and turned off the car. She sat in his car silently, taking a deep breath and trying to gather as much strength she could muster.
'I can do this....I can...I have to do this...'
She reached over and gripped the handle of Kaiba's brief case and opened her door. She stood, letting her hand rest on the top of the door and stared upward at the size of the building. The wind blew through her hair and she smirked. If she were going to take Kaiba's place, she was going to do it right. She closed the door to her car, switching on the alarm and pushed past the double doors roughly, causing them to slam the sides of the walls.
The secretary stood up and frowned,"Excuse me miss-"
"You're excused," Sydney snapped as violently as she thought Kaiba would,"I've brought news about Kaiba. Organize a meeting."
The woman still stood looking at her confused. Sydney's eyes narrowed and she approached the desk, slamming the brief case down on her desk and startling her.
"I said organize a meeting- now."
She nodded a couple times before sitting down and reaching for her phone. Sydney retrieved the briefcase again and slowly walked past her towards the private elevator. She stopped when she reached the door and turned slightly toward the secretary.
"I will be in the conference room."
"Yes, miss."
Sydney turned back around and smirked as she pushed the down button. Maybe this would be easier than she thought. She knew Kaiba would have been proud. The elevator doors parted and she stepped in, pushing the button for the top floor and took another deep breath. Now she had to face his board.
'Wish me luck, Seto.'
Sydney kept her arms crossed as the men and women from Kaiba's board piled into the conference room, taking their seats and whispering quietly. She raised her brow slightly. She had looked over all of them, wondering which one was the one who sent the man after Kaiba but she'd get to the bottom of that mystery later. Once the door of the conference room shut, Sydney slowly uncrossed her rooms and stepped toward the conference table and placed her hands upon them. The officials stared at her as she stood straight again and revealed the news.
"Seto Kaiba," She said slowly,"...has been murdered."
Immediately the room stirred up, everyone talking at the same time. Sydney was becoming irritated. Was this what Kaiba constantly put up with? All these people, all his workers, talking about his death as though it were a rumor spread through a high school. Kaiba had done all of them a favor in not deciding to fire them all and this was how he got repaid? She suddenly went forward and slammed her fists upon the glass table, causing it to shake down its length. The room went silent and stared at her.
"What's with you people?!" She shouted,"A man was murdered and you gossip about his death?! If you're all wondering about who is going to take over, don't bother! He's left everything in his name to me! You will listen to me! You will take orders from me! And if anyone has a problem with that, I suggest you speak up now or never speak of it again!"
She looked around the room to find everyone staring at her bewildered and shocked. They were frozen in place by her sudden outburst and her statement about him leaving the company to her. One man suddenly stood and cleared his throat, getting her attention. He was an elderly man around his fifties who wore a dark gray suit and blue tie. His face was graced with a gray beard that moved as he spoke.
"How do expect us to react?" The man asked her quizzically,"A man whose employed us for years and treated us as dogs has finally been removed from his position. Do you expect us to mourn? And furthermore, do you expect us to just acccept the fact that he passed his company along to a woman we've never even met before?"
Sydney smirked and the man looked at her strangely,"Who are you?"
"Bill Georgeman, marketing manager of chief sales," The man told her,"Why do you ask?"
"Because you have just been fired."
Bill's eyes bulged,"What?"
"Kaiba might have put up with your opinions and theories about his work but I, however, will not," Sydney replied in a cold tone,"Now clean out your desk and leave."
The man grumbled angrily and turned to leave, gathering his papers he had placed on the conference table. More whispering was exchanged between officials but Sydney kept her iced glare at the board. She did a good job of getting her message acrossed and had just intimidated the whole room.
"You have all been warned," Sydney said sternly,"If you thought Kaiba was a horrible person, wait until you get to know me. The name's Sydney Muik and I all hope you enjoy my stay as President. Now you're all dismissed. Get back to work."
She waited as the room emptied out and let out a deep breath. It was hard to keep the harsh tone in her voice and the expressionless face that Kaiba used to use. She had to keep everyone in line or otherwise Mokuba would be taken down with the company when he became old enough to run it. She turned to head into Kaiba's office and slowly stopped in the doorway. The room was clean, perfectly organized and well lit. She approached the desk and let her finger run over the smooth surface as she neared the chair. She hesitated to sit in it, knowing that it would send her through another emotional break down but slowly lowered herself into the seat anyway.
Instantly, she felt like crying.
Kaiba was gone. He was really gone. She ran her hands over the keys to his computer, remembering walking past his office at the mansion and hearing the constant sound of him typing away as he worked on another program he had created. She sighed and reached for the papers piled neatly on his desk and began to shift through them. She realized the last big transaction the company had went through was a department merger in finance. She turned to his computer and switched it on, reading the paperwork from the merge and waiting for it to load.
'Seto...I'll make you proud....'
The phone on the desk suddenly began to ring and she reached over, pushing the speaker button.
"What do you want?"
"Miss...Muik.."
"Yes? What is it? I don't have time for this, I'm very busy right now."
"There's a phone call for you on line 7."
"Fine, put them through," Sydney replied as she layed the paperwork down and turned her attention to the call.
"Miss Muik?"
"Yes," Sydney confirmed,"Who is this, if I may ask?"
"It's Detective Barnes."
"Hello James," Sydney said softening her voice,"Have you found anything yet?"
"Not as of yet," James stated,"But we're hot on the murderer's trail. I also called to ask if you wish to arrange a funeral ceremony in Mr. Kaiba's honor. I know this may be hard for you, but we still have not found the remains of a body."
"Yes, of course," She said as she ran a pen around in her fingers,"I will have that arranged as soon as possible."
"Very well," James replied,"So how did your first day at work turn out?"
She raised her brow slightly at the sudden unrelated question.
She couldn't help but smile slightly,"It was interesting."
"Was it?" James asked than replied,"I will try and keep you updated."
"Thank you, James," Sydney responded,"I have to go."
"Yes, you must have work to do. I will contact you as soon as possible."
"Thank you, goodbye."
"Goodbye."
Sydney reached over and turned the speaker phone off. She sat and looked around the room more before decided she would call it a day. She raised her sleeve to look at her watch. It was only about four in the afternoon but she could choose to leave anytime she wanted. There was no new buisness to take care of so her presence there was useless. She flicked his computer off, deciding she'd look over his programs tomorrow and rose from the chair, starting towards the door. She was about to leave when a gleam of light reflecting from a picture frame caught her eye. She walked to it, slipping her coat on and stopped in front of a bookcase across the room. She lifted the frame and noticed that it was a copy of the picture they had posed in for Mokuba's birthday, but this one was different. It had been blown larger and focused on only two figures.
Her and Kaiba.
She stared at it confused and surprised. This whole time, he had a picture of them together in his office. She trailed a hand over his smiling face and stopped when she reached his mouth. She lowered her hand and balled it into a fist at the anger inside her. She turned and suddenly punched the wall in front of her. She didn't punch it hard, for she knew her fist would drive through the wall and the last thing she needed were her workers thinking she needed anger management. Instead she hit it in sadness.
This man, Seto Kaiba, who thought he was so cold, so caustic that he couldn't care about anyone else- HAD cared so much about her that he had actually altered the picture to contain only them. She suddenly looked upward and couldn't help but smile.
"Think I wouldn't know, Seto?" She looked back down at the picture and slowly took it over to her desk, where she stood it up on the surface.
"You were always the mysterious one..." She whispered as she turned from the office,"but that's only one of the reasons why I loved you so much..."
Anyways, this story is about to take a turn. I hope you enjoy the direction this story will now be heading. I do advise you that the chapter after this one will be focusing on Yugi and his connection with Sydney. (It's not what you think....They're not going to fall in love or anything) This story will now begin to take form and you'll all find out EXACTLY what happened to Seto in due time...(Laughs evily)...but for now...this is all you will be getting from me on Seto's 'mysterious' disappearance. I hope you all enjoy it none the less. Please read & review. Thank you and ENJOY!
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or its characters. (::sighs:: I'm getting tired of putting this...I'm sure you all get the point by now.)
Chapter Six: An Unexpected Heir
There is nothing but snow than a figure slowly comes into view, blurry at first than it soon focuses onto a room lit up by computer screens and green hues. There's a figure in front of the camera, fussing with the focus and trying to steady it so the camera gets a good shot of his figure. He finally drops his hands from the camera and seems to be trying to catch his breath.
"I know why he's after me....."
Kaiba's figure is worn down and he looks tired. His clothes are torn and his breathing is ragged. His hair is mussled and both his arms hold dark gashes of stained blood. He tries his best to keep his eyes open as he stands in front of his computer in the secret room hidden beneath the mansion. He stares into the camera, trying his best to fight the urge to pass out and speaks again.
"He wants Kaiba Corp," Kaiba says slowly,"He's planning to use my company to destroy Domino City. How...I'm...not sure."
He pauses for a moment to look at something to the right.
"Sydney," He says slowly as his eyes look into the camera steadily,"You have...you have to...take care of Mokuba for me..whatever you do....don't let him near Mokuba."
"Mokuba....please, do not be sad," Kaiba went on, raising his hand to grasp his other arm,"I will always be there for you...always...nothing will change. I have always looked after you and I always will.You were all I had and you were the only thing that kept me from going insane. I love you little brother...Goodbye....."
"Sydney...I need you to do me a favor....my company...I refuse to let my company go to pieces...I've worked hard trying to maintain it the way it is now..... please... Sydney...I need you to take my place as president.... I know it sounds crazy....but Mokuba...he's too young, he can't handle it...not the way it is now."
Kaiba raises his gaze to look to the right again and continues,"My time is running short. He's...looking for me. Don't let those...fools at my company...take it from you... it belongs to you now...Sydney. This video is proof. Present this to the judge at my murder case....he will give you claim... I leave everything, my estate, my accounts, my financial information, my company, my belongings all to you, Sydney Muik. This is my will. I also give permission for you, Sydney, to have full custody of my brother Mokuba."
He looks into the camera and leans forward slightly, raising a hand above it,"Sydney....I love you.."
He pauses as he looks deeply into the camera, trying to express his feelings about his just confession. If he had only one chance to say it, he'd let his emotional barrier tumble just this once........for her.
"..I should have told you this morning...but I couldn't bring myself to do it...now I wish..."
The tape goes blurry, then comes in again.
"We will see each other again," Kaiba says as the door behind him echos with a large slam, yet he remains calm,"Take care of Mokuba for me."
The tape goes dead.
************************
Sydney walked down the hallway of Domino High bumping into students on her way, not really caring to listen to their gruff replies. Instead of her school uniform, she wore a white button up blouse, black pinstriped pants and black boots. Her hair was up, except for a few loose strands and she carried a briefcase with her as she entered her English class. She walked in and headed over to Kaiba's old desk and slammed his briefcase down on top of it, achieving the attention of the entire class. She stared at them all, her arms crossed and her face expressionless.
Kaiba would have been proud.
"Seto Kaiba is dead," She said sternly to the class,"On Saturday night of last week police recieved an ermergency phone call from him about an intruder in his mansion. There were traces of blood in the house but his body was no where to be found. He was pronounced dead as of 6:55 this morning."
The class remained silent and looked at her either surprised or shocked. She kept her arms crossed and looked around the classroom to see any real reactions to the news she had just broken.
"De-dead?" Joey asked in shock as him and Tristan stared at Sydney in disbelief.
Yugi and Tea remained silent, trying to process what she had just said. Sydney slowly walked back and forth, looking around the room.
"To all of you who hated him, despised him so much you would have wished he was dead," Sydney spoke,"You got your wish, but I hate to disappoint you, his company is not up for grabs. It now belongs to none other than yours truly. He left it to me in his will."
"You?" Tea asked her,"What about Mokuba?"
"He's not old enough and doesn't know everything he needs to know to be able to control it," She told her,"Kaiba himself instructed me to hold on to his position until Mokuba was old enough to handle it."
"Why are you telling us this?" A boy suddenly asked,"Why should we care?"
Sydney laughed a slight laugh and stared at the boy,"Because every single person who ever disliked him, is now a suspect."
The whole room gasped.
"The murderer is yet to be found," She told them,"I'm merely here to release the information to you all. You will be expected to either go down to the Domino Police Station or will be visited by the authorities."
The boy's mouth hung open from her response and he took a step back into the crowd he had been standing in, hoping to back down from her attention.
"Any other questions?"
Silence.
"Than I'll take my leave."
Sydney slowly lifted the briefcase from the desk and proceeded to walk out of the classroom. She passed the teacher on the way out the door but he said nothing as she walked past him. He probably already knew.
'Soon they will all know.'
She walked down the empty hallway, her footsteps echoing off the walls. She tried to push the past events of the week out of her mind. After seeing that tape, after going through the pain of seeing him struggle to stay alive, she had broken down. She had cried so hard she had passed out. He had said it- he loved her and now he entrusted her with everything. All the work he put into Duel Monsters, all the cars, all the money, his estate, everything that had made him who he was- he had handed to her.
Everything.
'I won't let you down, Seto. Never.'
Mokuba was struggling but he was learning to deal with Kaiba's death. It had taken him by such surprise at first and Sydney understood that. She too, had just seen him two hours before he turned up missing and than this morning announced dead. There, of course, was still the possibility of him still being alive, but Sydney tried not to get her hopes up. It was true, Kaiba was a fighter, a survivor of many things but this was different. If he was still alive and just hiding or lost, than she'd do exactly what he had asked her to do without hesitation. The whole week before today she had sat down and gone through every Kaiba Corp book Kaiba had in his office. She'd reviewd every contract he held with other companies, she even went through his computer files and began to look over the program he never got to finish. She even sat down and played Duel Monsters continuously with his deck, knowing that she'd be expected to carry his reputation, but Kaiba didn't have to ask for her to do that.
She'd do it anyway, just for him.
She was going to spend next week training herself to take over his job, to learn business ethnics, to teach herself everything Kaiba had in turn, taught himself. She probably would turn just as callous as he was but she knew better. Kaiba was far from callous. He was professional. He was strong. He was smart. He was powerful. He was quick-witted. He was strong-willed....
'He was in love with me.'
She opened the door to the silver jaguar Kaiba used to drive to school and tossed the briefcase to the passenger side as she climbed in. She closed the door and reached above the sun visor to remove his sunglasses and slipped them on. She liked being in this car. It still smelled of him and it reminded her so much of him that most times she just sat in it remembering him.
She pulled the seat belt over her and let her hands rest on top the stirring wheel. She gripped it tightly, trying to fight the urge to cry again. She didn't have time to cry. She had a company to run and things to do. She had to pick up where he left off with no hesitation. She owed him that much.
"Seto..."
She turned the car on and shifted it into gear, slowly pulling out of the parking lot and out onto the highway. She looked off into the distance, knowing that her next stop might not be as easy.
Kaiba Corp.
She had to do the hardest task of all - telling his board that she was taking his place. There was no doubt that they would all turn their rage and anger onto her instead of Kaiba. She had to be careful. Just like he tried to be. She switched her turn signal on and slowly pulled into the private parking lot for board officials and turned off the car. She sat in his car silently, taking a deep breath and trying to gather as much strength she could muster.
'I can do this....I can...I have to do this...'
She reached over and gripped the handle of Kaiba's brief case and opened her door. She stood, letting her hand rest on the top of the door and stared upward at the size of the building. The wind blew through her hair and she smirked. If she were going to take Kaiba's place, she was going to do it right. She closed the door to her car, switching on the alarm and pushed past the double doors roughly, causing them to slam the sides of the walls.
The secretary stood up and frowned,"Excuse me miss-"
"You're excused," Sydney snapped as violently as she thought Kaiba would,"I've brought news about Kaiba. Organize a meeting."
The woman still stood looking at her confused. Sydney's eyes narrowed and she approached the desk, slamming the brief case down on her desk and startling her.
"I said organize a meeting- now."
She nodded a couple times before sitting down and reaching for her phone. Sydney retrieved the briefcase again and slowly walked past her towards the private elevator. She stopped when she reached the door and turned slightly toward the secretary.
"I will be in the conference room."
"Yes, miss."
Sydney turned back around and smirked as she pushed the down button. Maybe this would be easier than she thought. She knew Kaiba would have been proud. The elevator doors parted and she stepped in, pushing the button for the top floor and took another deep breath. Now she had to face his board.
'Wish me luck, Seto.'
Sydney kept her arms crossed as the men and women from Kaiba's board piled into the conference room, taking their seats and whispering quietly. She raised her brow slightly. She had looked over all of them, wondering which one was the one who sent the man after Kaiba but she'd get to the bottom of that mystery later. Once the door of the conference room shut, Sydney slowly uncrossed her rooms and stepped toward the conference table and placed her hands upon them. The officials stared at her as she stood straight again and revealed the news.
"Seto Kaiba," She said slowly,"...has been murdered."
Immediately the room stirred up, everyone talking at the same time. Sydney was becoming irritated. Was this what Kaiba constantly put up with? All these people, all his workers, talking about his death as though it were a rumor spread through a high school. Kaiba had done all of them a favor in not deciding to fire them all and this was how he got repaid? She suddenly went forward and slammed her fists upon the glass table, causing it to shake down its length. The room went silent and stared at her.
"What's with you people?!" She shouted,"A man was murdered and you gossip about his death?! If you're all wondering about who is going to take over, don't bother! He's left everything in his name to me! You will listen to me! You will take orders from me! And if anyone has a problem with that, I suggest you speak up now or never speak of it again!"
She looked around the room to find everyone staring at her bewildered and shocked. They were frozen in place by her sudden outburst and her statement about him leaving the company to her. One man suddenly stood and cleared his throat, getting her attention. He was an elderly man around his fifties who wore a dark gray suit and blue tie. His face was graced with a gray beard that moved as he spoke.
"How do expect us to react?" The man asked her quizzically,"A man whose employed us for years and treated us as dogs has finally been removed from his position. Do you expect us to mourn? And furthermore, do you expect us to just acccept the fact that he passed his company along to a woman we've never even met before?"
Sydney smirked and the man looked at her strangely,"Who are you?"
"Bill Georgeman, marketing manager of chief sales," The man told her,"Why do you ask?"
"Because you have just been fired."
Bill's eyes bulged,"What?"
"Kaiba might have put up with your opinions and theories about his work but I, however, will not," Sydney replied in a cold tone,"Now clean out your desk and leave."
The man grumbled angrily and turned to leave, gathering his papers he had placed on the conference table. More whispering was exchanged between officials but Sydney kept her iced glare at the board. She did a good job of getting her message acrossed and had just intimidated the whole room.
"You have all been warned," Sydney said sternly,"If you thought Kaiba was a horrible person, wait until you get to know me. The name's Sydney Muik and I all hope you enjoy my stay as President. Now you're all dismissed. Get back to work."
She waited as the room emptied out and let out a deep breath. It was hard to keep the harsh tone in her voice and the expressionless face that Kaiba used to use. She had to keep everyone in line or otherwise Mokuba would be taken down with the company when he became old enough to run it. She turned to head into Kaiba's office and slowly stopped in the doorway. The room was clean, perfectly organized and well lit. She approached the desk and let her finger run over the smooth surface as she neared the chair. She hesitated to sit in it, knowing that it would send her through another emotional break down but slowly lowered herself into the seat anyway.
Instantly, she felt like crying.
Kaiba was gone. He was really gone. She ran her hands over the keys to his computer, remembering walking past his office at the mansion and hearing the constant sound of him typing away as he worked on another program he had created. She sighed and reached for the papers piled neatly on his desk and began to shift through them. She realized the last big transaction the company had went through was a department merger in finance. She turned to his computer and switched it on, reading the paperwork from the merge and waiting for it to load.
'Seto...I'll make you proud....'
The phone on the desk suddenly began to ring and she reached over, pushing the speaker button.
"What do you want?"
"Miss...Muik.."
"Yes? What is it? I don't have time for this, I'm very busy right now."
"There's a phone call for you on line 7."
"Fine, put them through," Sydney replied as she layed the paperwork down and turned her attention to the call.
"Miss Muik?"
"Yes," Sydney confirmed,"Who is this, if I may ask?"
"It's Detective Barnes."
"Hello James," Sydney said softening her voice,"Have you found anything yet?"
"Not as of yet," James stated,"But we're hot on the murderer's trail. I also called to ask if you wish to arrange a funeral ceremony in Mr. Kaiba's honor. I know this may be hard for you, but we still have not found the remains of a body."
"Yes, of course," She said as she ran a pen around in her fingers,"I will have that arranged as soon as possible."
"Very well," James replied,"So how did your first day at work turn out?"
She raised her brow slightly at the sudden unrelated question.
She couldn't help but smile slightly,"It was interesting."
"Was it?" James asked than replied,"I will try and keep you updated."
"Thank you, James," Sydney responded,"I have to go."
"Yes, you must have work to do. I will contact you as soon as possible."
"Thank you, goodbye."
"Goodbye."
Sydney reached over and turned the speaker phone off. She sat and looked around the room more before decided she would call it a day. She raised her sleeve to look at her watch. It was only about four in the afternoon but she could choose to leave anytime she wanted. There was no new buisness to take care of so her presence there was useless. She flicked his computer off, deciding she'd look over his programs tomorrow and rose from the chair, starting towards the door. She was about to leave when a gleam of light reflecting from a picture frame caught her eye. She walked to it, slipping her coat on and stopped in front of a bookcase across the room. She lifted the frame and noticed that it was a copy of the picture they had posed in for Mokuba's birthday, but this one was different. It had been blown larger and focused on only two figures.
Her and Kaiba.
She stared at it confused and surprised. This whole time, he had a picture of them together in his office. She trailed a hand over his smiling face and stopped when she reached his mouth. She lowered her hand and balled it into a fist at the anger inside her. She turned and suddenly punched the wall in front of her. She didn't punch it hard, for she knew her fist would drive through the wall and the last thing she needed were her workers thinking she needed anger management. Instead she hit it in sadness.
This man, Seto Kaiba, who thought he was so cold, so caustic that he couldn't care about anyone else- HAD cared so much about her that he had actually altered the picture to contain only them. She suddenly looked upward and couldn't help but smile.
"Think I wouldn't know, Seto?" She looked back down at the picture and slowly took it over to her desk, where she stood it up on the surface.
"You were always the mysterious one..." She whispered as she turned from the office,"but that's only one of the reasons why I loved you so much..."
