Chapter 7:
The Great Escape
"Are we almost there?"
A loud scraping sound was heard.
"I think so, hey watch where you're putting that hand!"
More scraping sounds.
"Sorry…Hey I think I see it!"
A knocking sound was heard.
"Yep! Ok, let's push!"
A small block began to slide slowly out of its place in the wall.
"Bakura, that's my foot!" Téa complained, trying to climb out of the enclosed hole.
"Sorry, Téa." Bakura replied, helping her out.
She huffed and shook the dust off her robes. "Never mind! Let's go!"
"There they are!" A guard shouted, waving for reinforcements.
"Shoot! Come on, Téa!" Bakura grabbed her hand as they started to run up a spiral staircase.
"Boy, this palace is huge!" Téa commented.
"Less talk, more action!" Bakura cried.
After what seemed minutes, they reached a golden door with the eye of Horus carved into it. Bakura paused and put his hand on the door.
"I don't know if this is such a good idea." He brushed his fingers over the carving.
"We don't have any choice!" Téa pushed the doors open with ease and ran through them. The doors lead outside to the roof and Téa, without looking, ran right to the edge. She lost her balance and screamed. "Ah! Help! I'm going to fall!"
Dark Bakura caught her just as she was heading over the edge. "You and Tristan…"
Téa blinked. "Did your voice just change? She asked, tightly gripping onto his collar.
"No…" He replied in his normal sweet voice.
Voices and footsteps were heard from below. Searching for an exit, they found nothing and began to panic.
"We're trapped!" Bakura stated, trying to pry Téa's clinging fingers away from his shirt.
"How do you we get off of here?" She asked, finally letting go.
The guard slammed into the doors, demanding them to open it. Bakura ran to the door and pushed against it.
"Téa! We have to get out of here!"
Téa searched the vicinity frantically. "I know, but…hey, what's that?" She spotted a long piece of rope. She grabbed it and tied it to the end of a hook on the roof. "If we can't get off by jumping, we'll half to climb down instead!"
Bakura let go of the doors and ran towards Téa. The guard broke through and noticed Bakura jump off the edge.
"Wha?" He gasped. "Hey, did that crazy kid actually…ahhh!" The guard fell unconscious to the ground. Standing behind him was a very enraged Téa. She was holding a large rock in her hands.
"There! Now let's see you try to follow us!" She dusted her hands off. Just as she turned around, the rest of the guards the first one called for surrounded her. "Uh…hi there!" She smiled cutely. The guards jumped her but she ducked and slid off the roof, latching onto the rope. Bakura was already half way down. Téa started to follow him, but a sudden snapping noise caused her to look up. The rope was old, ragged and about to snap. "Uh, Bakura?" She whispered.
"What?"
She climbed down slowly. "The rope…it's going to give out!"
Bakura's' eyes went wide. "Téa get down here now!"
She started to slide down again, more slowly then before. Easy Téa just one step at a time…you can do it! "Bakura climb down faster!" She cried. The rope was on its last string.
***
Yugi searched the hole, crying out Téa's name. There was no response, so he left the room. Upon leaving, he noticed a long corridor leading to a huge set of doors. "What's this?" He ran down the hall and reached the door within seconds. He leaned against it, grabbing his chest. "It burns…but I can't give up!" He turned to open the door, but a voice calling out to him made him stop. Joey came into view.
"Hey Yugi! You ok?"
Yugi smiled. "Yeah, I think so…"
Joey ran up to him and helped him stand up right. "Hey, your wound is in no condition for this kind of exercise!"
Yugi breathed heavily. "I'm fine, but how did you find me?"
Joey leaned against the doors, his arms crossed. "Well, after you ran out of the room crying out Téa's name, I followed you. It's a good thing I found you, eh? Now, let's go find Téa!"
Yugi nodded. "Right!"
They ran out the doors and ended up on a bridge connecting two towers together.
"What's this?" Joey asked, scratching his head.
Yugi leaned over the edge. "I don't know…some passageway to that tower I think." He pointed to the doors in front of them. "Come on, let's get to the roof, maybe when can get a better view from there!"
Joey nodded as they ran through the doors and up a long staircase.
Yugi, I think you should let me take over until we know it's safe! A voice from the millennium puzzle spoke up.
"Ok!"
A light emitted from the tower.
***
The rope swung back and forth as the weight from its carriers slowly snapped off little pieces of age-old twine.
"I don't think we're going to make it!" Téa panicked.
"Hang on, if we go just a bit further, we can jump!" Bakura shouted.
Téa slid down a bit more, but froze when she heard a funny noise.
"Ahhh…ahhh…"
Her eyes went wide. "Bakura! Don't you dare sneeze!"
Bakura tried to hold his nose. "I can't…I…Ah…"
Téa face-faulted. "Either we'll just make it by pure luck, or die the stupidest death ever…" She frowned.
"Ahhh…"
Téa closed her eyes tightly. "Yugi!!!" She cried out.
In the opposite tower Yami heard Téa's cry and looked out one of the windows in the staircase. "Téa?" He opened the glass shutters and peeked over the side. In front of him were Bakura and Téa. "Téa!" He shouted.
She looked up startled. "Yugi! It's really you! You're ok!" She smiled.
Yami sighed. She was alive. A sudden commotion snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Bakura…no!!!"
The rope swayed even more.
"AHHH…CCCHHHOOO!!!" Bakura glanced up quickly and saw the rope snap due to the jolting. "Oh…dear…"
The rope fell along with its carriers.
"AHHH!!!!" They screamed in unison.
"NO!" Yami cried, reaching out to his falling friends.
Joey stared in amazement. "Whoa…that was one hell of a sneeze..."
***
Bakura and Téa landed in a wagon with a lot of hay and rations in it. Téa pulled herself up, shaking the hay out of her hair.
"Whew! That was too close…I saw my entire life flash before my eyes!"
Bakura sat up, spitting hay out of his mouth.
Téa smacked him in the head. "You idiot! You just couldn't hold it, could you?"
Bakura shrunk back, laughing nervously. "It couldn't be helped…"
Téa growled but then sighed. "You're right…well, let's get out of here!" She started to climb out of the wagon but Bakura held her back.
"Wait, someone's coming!" He whispered. They hid in the hay, listening to the voice above them.
"This job is never done! Always delivering stuff to the master…" He jumped onto the camel pulling the wagon. "Well, let's go see Lord Amons, Phyla!" He petted the camel and headed off towards the back of the palace.
Téa gulped. "Amons? Oh no! What are we going to do?" Bakura shook his head. "I don't know…"
***
Yami and Joey ran back down the stairs and out onto the bridge.
"That was pure luck that the wagon was there! Let's see if they're ok!" Joey exclaimed, jumping off the mini bridge and into a large crowd below.
Yami followed him. They reached the area where Bakura and Téa fell.
"Hey…there's no wagon here…" Joey said, confused.
Yami looked down at the sand. "I think that was a wagon that delivers goods to the palace…"
Joey kneeled down and scooped up some sand. "That means…"
Yami nodded. "They are heading right into Amons hands!"
Joey jumped up. "We've got to do something!" He looked at Yami and then to a young woman approaching them. "Mai, how did you get here?"
Mai smiled. "Well, after the party in the hall, everyone came outside to have some duels and drinks. Fireworks should be lighting up the sky soon."
Yami looked up at this point and spotted movement on the roof. He gasped when he saw a woman with long black hair. "Ishizu?" He asked himself quietly.
"Oh, I almost forgot…!" Mai reached into her shirt and pulled a small gold key out. "I got this off one of the drunk guards. He said it was the key to the 'Soul Room' or whatever it was called…" She handed the key to Yami. "Something about a sacrifice before the games begin tomorrow…"
Yami took the key and placed it in his pocket. "Mai, things are getting to be pretty dangerous…maybe you should…"
Mai held a hand up to silence him. "Hold it!" She walked up to Yami Yugi. "You think after coming all this way…" She moved closer, he backed up into the wall. "Almost dying on a plane…" She leaned in further. Yami started to sweat-drop. "And risking my life with that guard to get you that key…" She moved up so close, their noses were almost touching. "That you can just tell me to leave, because I'm a woman?"
Yami was frozen. "Uh…"
Mai narrowed her eyes. "I don't think so, hun. I'm nothing like your little girlfriend…the 'save me, I always need help friendship ranting princess'"
Yami growled under his breath. "Téa is nothing like that!" He shouted.
Mai stepped back shocked.
"She is a very brave and caring girl and the…best of friends anyone could ever have!"
Mai blinked and then smirked slyly. "Why, Yugi! I thought you were just friends, I didn't know you loved her!"
Yami stuttered at her words. "I wha…I…no, it's not…"
Mai waved him off. "Uh huh…sure, hun. Ok! We are all in this together right?"
Joey nodded. "Right!
Now let's find the others and make a plan! You're in too, right Yugi?" She asked hopefully.
Yami was still slightly dazed, but nodded in agreement.
"Alright then, let's go!" She shouted, raising her hand up into the air.
***
On a park bench near the airport, three people sat, waiting.
"Hey, Seto! That guy didn't seem to have that ring on after the crash. What do you think happened?"
Kaiba leaned back on the bench. "I don't know…some people say that a mysterious looking person was seen near the 'accident' maybe they took it. It was rich enough looking to entice any common thief.
Serenity stood up. "Well, whatever they wanted, I hope they found it! I just want to get going. How much longer till the next plane?"
Kaiba looked at his watch. "Ten minutes. I guess we might as well get going. I have an appointment at four this afternoon. After all, I was sent here to investigate this mysterious ring. It might be the cause of Kaiba Corp's falling stocks. And, seeing as our 'delay' yesterday messed up the meeting, at least we'll be just in time for the duels."
They all stood up and headed off toward the airport.
"Hey, it was sure nice of them to give us a free room at the hotel, eh big brother?"
Kaiba nodded. "Yeah, except they did make us pay for anything we used."
Mokuba shifted nervously. "They did? I guess I shouldn't have taken this then, huh?" He showed something to Kaiba.
Kaiba stopped moving. "What? When did you take that? It'll cost a fortune to pay that back!"
Serenity giggled.
"True, but does it count if I stole it?"
Kaiba turned sharply, looking at Mokuba. "WHAT?"
Mokuba laughed and started to run faster to the airport.
Kaiba followed closely behind. "Mokuba! Get back here with that!!!"
Serenity laughed and ran after them.
"Hey big brother, I bet I could beat you to the doors!" He tripped and a smashing sound was heard. "Oops…I broke it…"
Kaiba stopped moving. "MOKUBA!!!"
***
The wagon halted at the doors. After a low creaking sound, the doors opened.
"Here we go…" Bakura whispered.
After a while, the driver started to unload. He was just reaching toward Téa when he stopped. Hearing a beeping sound, he walked off. "Time for a small break!"
Téa breathed a heavy sigh. "Now's our chance!"
They snuck out of the wagon and followed a dimly lit hallway. Chairs and tables were set up and a small chandelier hung above their heads.
"Is this a dinning hall?" Téa asked.
Bakura looked at the paintings and statues. "It seems like it…"
Téa shivered involuntarily. "It's so creepy here! Not to mention cold!" She moved up closer to Bakura.
Bakura blushed slightly. "Uh, well maybe you should have brought a coat?"
Téa glared at him. "You don't pack a coat when you are heading to Cairo you dummy!" She rubbed her arms together. "But still, maybe it isn't such a bad idea…" She mumbled.
Bakura snickered.
"Hey, there they are!!!"
About a dozen guards came charging at them. Bakura's' millennium ring started to glow, but stopped suddenly. His eyes went wide and his jaw dropped. Téa had grabbed a chair and was smashing it over all of the guards' heads.
"I am…" She smacked a guard. "Sick of…" She hit another guard, causing him to collide into about four others. "Running away from…"She threw the chair and knocked the rest of the guards out. "These stupid guards!!!" She grabbed Bakura's' hand and dragged him off. "Let's get out of here!"
Bakura was still staring in amazement. "Remind me never to get on your bad side Téa…"
***
Amons sat in his chambers, eying a small picture. "Soon…I'll be able to hold you in my arms again my love…just one more day to go…"
To be continued…
