Everyone looked around the airport for the better part of an hour for suspicious characters, but they found absolutely nothing. Eventually Seto said that it was probably just an accident about the runaway cart and that they should go to the hotel.
Joey grinned broadly. "Oh, so you are gonna pay for all the rooms?" he asked.
Seto grunted in reply.
Ishizu sighed to herself and gazed ahead. Normally she was able to keep her emotions bottled up, which was what she was trying to do now. She missed Shadi so very much. It had been such a terrible shock when she had first heard the news that he had fallen. The last time she had seen him was after she had been pushed down the stairs at the ranch and her spirit had briefly separated from her body. She had told him that she knew he would be able to defeat the evil in the ranch, and he had, indeed, done that—at the price of his own life.
"Lady Ishizu?"
Ishizu looked up at Rishid and tried to manage a wan smile.
"Are you alright?" Her older brother continued to gaze at her in concern.
Ishizu gently squeezed his hand. "Yes," she replied quietly.
****
When they arrived at the hotel, their other five guests who had been with them at the ranch—Ms. Myrvyn, Mr. O'Dover, Joan, Linda, and Marie—quickly split up and went their own ways.
"We've had enough hijinks for a good while," Mr. O'Dover said, waving goodbye. "I wish you kids luck in this latest caper of yours!"
"Hey, thanks," Joey said. "Heck, I'm sure we'll need it!"
"You might see Linda on the news tonight," Joan told them. "Remember, she's a news anchor here in Boston."
"Oh great," Téa sighed. She didn't like Linda very much, especially after the way she had blatantly accused Rishid of trying to run her down with a horse. The woman had never even apologized for that, even after finding out she was wrong.
****
The gang decided to pair off in the rooms because there was so much space. Yugi and his Yami took a room again, as did Bakura and his Yami (and Oreo, of course). Téa and Mai decided to keep sharing a room, and Serenity went with Ishizu. Joey and Tristan took the next room, and then Seto and Mokuba, Marik and Rishid, Mako and Duke, and Alyson and her grandmother (who would stay until they could find their Boston relatives) took the others. After considering his options, Rex opted to stay with Mako and Duke. Everyone took a good long time to relax that afternoon, with the intent that they would begin searching for Martin Collsworth the next day.
"I think I'll go to dinner with Joey and the others," Serenity said that evening to Ishizu. "Do you want to come?"
Ishizu smiled sadly. "No, that is alright. I'm not hungry at the moment."
Serenity blinked at her. "Well, okay," she said slowly. "If you're sure . . ."
"I am," Ishizu said quickly. "You go along to your brother, Serenity. He hasn't seen you in quite a while."
Serenity promised to bring some food back for Ishizu and then left. The Egyptian woman watched her go and then sank back down on her bed with a sigh. Now that she was alone at last, the memories and bottled-up emotions spilled over and she began to weep for her lost friend.
A soft knock on the door interrupted Ishizu's mourning and she tried to wipe the tears away from her eyes. "Yes?" she called.
"Sister?" Marik's worried voice came through the door.
Ishizu took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "Come in, brother," she said at last.
Marik eased the door open and gazed at Ishizu before saying softly, "I heard you crying, Ishizu."
Ishizu sighed and motioned for him to come closer. Marik then did so and the woman pulled him into her arms, tears flowing again. "Marik . . . oh Marik . . . thank the Lord I did not lose you. You might have died two different times at that evil abode . . ." She trailed off, shaking her head.
Marik looked up at her. "You're missing Shadi, aren't you, sister?" he asked kindly.
Ishizu laid her cheek against Marik's soft blonde hair. "I don't understand why he was taken," she said sadly. "It couldn't have been his time!"
Marik hugged her comfortingly, unsure of what to say. Ishizu's pain seemed to be eased just by her brother's presence, however, and words were not necessary.
****
"Oh wow!" Joey exclaimed, looking greedily at the long buffet tables of food. "This is great! Joey Wheeler's found his seventh heaven!" Immediately he ran forward and began dishing food up on a plate.
"Are you going to eat all of that?" Téa said in disbelief as she watched the pyramid of edibles climb until they were practically halfway to the ceiling.
"Heck, yeah!" Joey retorted. "Man, I can't remember the last time I even ate!"
"Didn't they feed you at that ranch you were at?" Duke said in disbelief. Mai had filled him in briefly on what had happened to her and the others on their way to Boston, but she hadn't told any details.
"We were running around so much trying not to get killed we really didn't have a lot of time for eating," Tristan informed him as he pointed out all the best things Serenity should try.
Oreo suddenly gave a yowl of pure joy and sprang from Yami Bakura's shirt, grabbing at a huge piece of honey-baked ham.
"Oh dear!" Bakura exclaimed, turning pink as several other nearby persons cried out in horror and backed away.
"Merow?" Oreo blinked at them all and began to drag her prize away with her.
Yami Bakura grumbled something under his breath and also ravenously reached for the meat, eating it in an extremely disorderly fashion.
Bakura felt like crawling in a hole and staying there. "Yami! Didn't anyone ever teach you table manners?!" he wailed.
Mai looked away, repulsed. "He eats even worse than you do, Joey," she remarked.
Joey turned to glare at her from where he had half a burger in his mouth. "What's that supposed to mean?!" he yelled indignantly, spraying crumbs of food here and there and everywhere.
"On second thought, forget it," Mai sighed as she ducked. "No one could eat as bad as you do."
Téa gave a sigh as well. "It's a good thing Marik isn't here to see this," she said. Everyone knew how much their Egyptian friend despised meat.
"Where is Marik, anyway?" Mokuba wondered. He and Seto were sitting at a nearby table, eating the foods they'd picked out. "I thought he was gonna go get Rishid and Ishizu and come back down."
Oreo meowed loudly from her position under the table, where she was attacking her precious ham with all paws and her teeth.
"Man, she must think that thing's still alive or somethin'," Joey commented.
Yami Yugi stared out the window, trying to sort out the turmoil in his heart. He felt almost as if . . . as if something from the ranch had followed them here to Boston. And not something good. Could having Alyson and her grandmother along with them be the key? he wondered.
"Yami?"
The Pharaoh turned to see Yugi standing there beside him.
"Yugi, we must find out all we can about our guests," Yami Yugi told him without saying hello.
"Huh?" Yugi blinked. "Why? Surely you don't think that they're . . ."
"Something may be after them," Yami Yugi interrupted.
Yugi's eyes widened. "You really think so, Yami?"
"It's a possibility we can't ignore," the Pharaoh replied.
"Where are they?!" Yugi looked around the dining room, suddenly very panicked.
"Perhaps they are still up in their room," Yami Yugi suggested. "I should go find out."
****
Marik was still trying to comfort his sister. He held her close, stroking her long black hair. "I'm certain Shadi is at peace now," he said gently. "If he had lived, he would have been in so much pain. . . ."
Ishizu knew Marik was right. She heaved a sad, resigned sigh and hugged him again, then smiled. "I am grateful I was able to know Shadi for as long as I did," she said now, pulling away and gazing into her brother's eyes. "And you and dear Rishid are still with me, even though both of you might have . . . not made it out." She touched Marik's cheek softly. "Thank you, my precious brother," she whispered. "Thank you for being here for me."
Marik smiled and reached for her hand, holding it between his.
****
Alyson, restless and still gloomy, had gone out on the balcony just beyond the dining room. Night had fallen by now, and the lights and stars throughout Boston twinkled brightly. She clutched at the Ankh and sighed to herself, staring up at the heavens.
"Alyson."
The little girl spun around at the sound of the familiar voice, her eyes wide and full of disbelief and hope. "Shadi?!" she exclaimed.
Shadi, indeed, stood before her—his curly, dark hair spilling over the shoulders of the white robe he was wearing. His image shimmered slightly as he knelt down beside her.
"Shadi, where've you been?!" Alyson cried. "I've missed you so much, and Ishizu has too, and . . ."
The Egyptian man held his hand up for silence. "Only you can see me, little one," he told her solemnly. "I have come to give you a warning."
Alyson stared up at him. "What kind of a warning?" she gasped.
"There is a great evil that has followed you and the others here to Boston," Shadi said quietly. "You will need the Ankh in order to defeat it."
Alyson held it up tearfully. "It's yours, Shadi! Please take it!" she sobbed.
Shadi shook his head. "I cannot take it at this time," he replied, "and you must tell no one that I was here. It would put all of you in far worse danger."
Alyson looked down sadly, still holding the Ankh. "But Shadi . . ."
Shadi smiled kindly and brushed her tears away. "It will be alright," he assured her.
Alyson sniffled and looked up at him. "Will you come back?" she whispered.
Shadi stood up, staring out into the distance. "We shall see," he said finally before he shimmered again and vanished.
It was shortly afterward when Téa opened the door to the balcony and found Alyson there, curled up in a chair and blinking out at the lights. "Alyson!" Téa exclaimed. "Everyone's been looking for you! We've all been so worried . . ."
Alyson looked up at her and blinked. "I'm okay," she said.
Téa smiled. "That's good. But you'd better come inside now. It's getting late."
Without speaking again Alyson climbed out of the chair and followed Téa inside. She longed to tell the others about what had happened, but, knowing Shadi's warning, how could she?
****
Rishid knocked on the door of Ishizu's room. "Lady Ishizu?" he called in a hesitant voice.
"Come in, Rishid," Ishizu told him, wondering what was up.
Slowly Rishid entered, holding a strange envelope in his hand.
"What is that?" Marik asked, perking up and staring at it.
Rishid slowly lifted the flap and took out a single sheet of paper. "It seems that someone thinks they know why we are here," he said, showing it to his siblings.
Ishizu took it from him and read:
I know that you're looking for
Martin Collsworth. I also know
where he is. Meet me outside the
hotel tonight at 2am.
Marik blinked. "We haven't even told anyone of our plans," he pointed out. "How could this person know?"
"It may be some sort of trap," Rishid said gravely.
Marik smiled grimly. "It seems, doesn't it," he said, "that no matter how innocent and simple we think something is, something always comes up to make it more difficult."
Ishizu sighed. "It does seem that way," she said, then suddenly gasped. "I saw something move out on the balcony!" she cried. "Someone has been spying on us!"
Joey grinned broadly. "Oh, so you are gonna pay for all the rooms?" he asked.
Seto grunted in reply.
Ishizu sighed to herself and gazed ahead. Normally she was able to keep her emotions bottled up, which was what she was trying to do now. She missed Shadi so very much. It had been such a terrible shock when she had first heard the news that he had fallen. The last time she had seen him was after she had been pushed down the stairs at the ranch and her spirit had briefly separated from her body. She had told him that she knew he would be able to defeat the evil in the ranch, and he had, indeed, done that—at the price of his own life.
"Lady Ishizu?"
Ishizu looked up at Rishid and tried to manage a wan smile.
"Are you alright?" Her older brother continued to gaze at her in concern.
Ishizu gently squeezed his hand. "Yes," she replied quietly.
****
When they arrived at the hotel, their other five guests who had been with them at the ranch—Ms. Myrvyn, Mr. O'Dover, Joan, Linda, and Marie—quickly split up and went their own ways.
"We've had enough hijinks for a good while," Mr. O'Dover said, waving goodbye. "I wish you kids luck in this latest caper of yours!"
"Hey, thanks," Joey said. "Heck, I'm sure we'll need it!"
"You might see Linda on the news tonight," Joan told them. "Remember, she's a news anchor here in Boston."
"Oh great," Téa sighed. She didn't like Linda very much, especially after the way she had blatantly accused Rishid of trying to run her down with a horse. The woman had never even apologized for that, even after finding out she was wrong.
****
The gang decided to pair off in the rooms because there was so much space. Yugi and his Yami took a room again, as did Bakura and his Yami (and Oreo, of course). Téa and Mai decided to keep sharing a room, and Serenity went with Ishizu. Joey and Tristan took the next room, and then Seto and Mokuba, Marik and Rishid, Mako and Duke, and Alyson and her grandmother (who would stay until they could find their Boston relatives) took the others. After considering his options, Rex opted to stay with Mako and Duke. Everyone took a good long time to relax that afternoon, with the intent that they would begin searching for Martin Collsworth the next day.
"I think I'll go to dinner with Joey and the others," Serenity said that evening to Ishizu. "Do you want to come?"
Ishizu smiled sadly. "No, that is alright. I'm not hungry at the moment."
Serenity blinked at her. "Well, okay," she said slowly. "If you're sure . . ."
"I am," Ishizu said quickly. "You go along to your brother, Serenity. He hasn't seen you in quite a while."
Serenity promised to bring some food back for Ishizu and then left. The Egyptian woman watched her go and then sank back down on her bed with a sigh. Now that she was alone at last, the memories and bottled-up emotions spilled over and she began to weep for her lost friend.
A soft knock on the door interrupted Ishizu's mourning and she tried to wipe the tears away from her eyes. "Yes?" she called.
"Sister?" Marik's worried voice came through the door.
Ishizu took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "Come in, brother," she said at last.
Marik eased the door open and gazed at Ishizu before saying softly, "I heard you crying, Ishizu."
Ishizu sighed and motioned for him to come closer. Marik then did so and the woman pulled him into her arms, tears flowing again. "Marik . . . oh Marik . . . thank the Lord I did not lose you. You might have died two different times at that evil abode . . ." She trailed off, shaking her head.
Marik looked up at her. "You're missing Shadi, aren't you, sister?" he asked kindly.
Ishizu laid her cheek against Marik's soft blonde hair. "I don't understand why he was taken," she said sadly. "It couldn't have been his time!"
Marik hugged her comfortingly, unsure of what to say. Ishizu's pain seemed to be eased just by her brother's presence, however, and words were not necessary.
****
"Oh wow!" Joey exclaimed, looking greedily at the long buffet tables of food. "This is great! Joey Wheeler's found his seventh heaven!" Immediately he ran forward and began dishing food up on a plate.
"Are you going to eat all of that?" Téa said in disbelief as she watched the pyramid of edibles climb until they were practically halfway to the ceiling.
"Heck, yeah!" Joey retorted. "Man, I can't remember the last time I even ate!"
"Didn't they feed you at that ranch you were at?" Duke said in disbelief. Mai had filled him in briefly on what had happened to her and the others on their way to Boston, but she hadn't told any details.
"We were running around so much trying not to get killed we really didn't have a lot of time for eating," Tristan informed him as he pointed out all the best things Serenity should try.
Oreo suddenly gave a yowl of pure joy and sprang from Yami Bakura's shirt, grabbing at a huge piece of honey-baked ham.
"Oh dear!" Bakura exclaimed, turning pink as several other nearby persons cried out in horror and backed away.
"Merow?" Oreo blinked at them all and began to drag her prize away with her.
Yami Bakura grumbled something under his breath and also ravenously reached for the meat, eating it in an extremely disorderly fashion.
Bakura felt like crawling in a hole and staying there. "Yami! Didn't anyone ever teach you table manners?!" he wailed.
Mai looked away, repulsed. "He eats even worse than you do, Joey," she remarked.
Joey turned to glare at her from where he had half a burger in his mouth. "What's that supposed to mean?!" he yelled indignantly, spraying crumbs of food here and there and everywhere.
"On second thought, forget it," Mai sighed as she ducked. "No one could eat as bad as you do."
Téa gave a sigh as well. "It's a good thing Marik isn't here to see this," she said. Everyone knew how much their Egyptian friend despised meat.
"Where is Marik, anyway?" Mokuba wondered. He and Seto were sitting at a nearby table, eating the foods they'd picked out. "I thought he was gonna go get Rishid and Ishizu and come back down."
Oreo meowed loudly from her position under the table, where she was attacking her precious ham with all paws and her teeth.
"Man, she must think that thing's still alive or somethin'," Joey commented.
Yami Yugi stared out the window, trying to sort out the turmoil in his heart. He felt almost as if . . . as if something from the ranch had followed them here to Boston. And not something good. Could having Alyson and her grandmother along with them be the key? he wondered.
"Yami?"
The Pharaoh turned to see Yugi standing there beside him.
"Yugi, we must find out all we can about our guests," Yami Yugi told him without saying hello.
"Huh?" Yugi blinked. "Why? Surely you don't think that they're . . ."
"Something may be after them," Yami Yugi interrupted.
Yugi's eyes widened. "You really think so, Yami?"
"It's a possibility we can't ignore," the Pharaoh replied.
"Where are they?!" Yugi looked around the dining room, suddenly very panicked.
"Perhaps they are still up in their room," Yami Yugi suggested. "I should go find out."
****
Marik was still trying to comfort his sister. He held her close, stroking her long black hair. "I'm certain Shadi is at peace now," he said gently. "If he had lived, he would have been in so much pain. . . ."
Ishizu knew Marik was right. She heaved a sad, resigned sigh and hugged him again, then smiled. "I am grateful I was able to know Shadi for as long as I did," she said now, pulling away and gazing into her brother's eyes. "And you and dear Rishid are still with me, even though both of you might have . . . not made it out." She touched Marik's cheek softly. "Thank you, my precious brother," she whispered. "Thank you for being here for me."
Marik smiled and reached for her hand, holding it between his.
****
Alyson, restless and still gloomy, had gone out on the balcony just beyond the dining room. Night had fallen by now, and the lights and stars throughout Boston twinkled brightly. She clutched at the Ankh and sighed to herself, staring up at the heavens.
"Alyson."
The little girl spun around at the sound of the familiar voice, her eyes wide and full of disbelief and hope. "Shadi?!" she exclaimed.
Shadi, indeed, stood before her—his curly, dark hair spilling over the shoulders of the white robe he was wearing. His image shimmered slightly as he knelt down beside her.
"Shadi, where've you been?!" Alyson cried. "I've missed you so much, and Ishizu has too, and . . ."
The Egyptian man held his hand up for silence. "Only you can see me, little one," he told her solemnly. "I have come to give you a warning."
Alyson stared up at him. "What kind of a warning?" she gasped.
"There is a great evil that has followed you and the others here to Boston," Shadi said quietly. "You will need the Ankh in order to defeat it."
Alyson held it up tearfully. "It's yours, Shadi! Please take it!" she sobbed.
Shadi shook his head. "I cannot take it at this time," he replied, "and you must tell no one that I was here. It would put all of you in far worse danger."
Alyson looked down sadly, still holding the Ankh. "But Shadi . . ."
Shadi smiled kindly and brushed her tears away. "It will be alright," he assured her.
Alyson sniffled and looked up at him. "Will you come back?" she whispered.
Shadi stood up, staring out into the distance. "We shall see," he said finally before he shimmered again and vanished.
It was shortly afterward when Téa opened the door to the balcony and found Alyson there, curled up in a chair and blinking out at the lights. "Alyson!" Téa exclaimed. "Everyone's been looking for you! We've all been so worried . . ."
Alyson looked up at her and blinked. "I'm okay," she said.
Téa smiled. "That's good. But you'd better come inside now. It's getting late."
Without speaking again Alyson climbed out of the chair and followed Téa inside. She longed to tell the others about what had happened, but, knowing Shadi's warning, how could she?
****
Rishid knocked on the door of Ishizu's room. "Lady Ishizu?" he called in a hesitant voice.
"Come in, Rishid," Ishizu told him, wondering what was up.
Slowly Rishid entered, holding a strange envelope in his hand.
"What is that?" Marik asked, perking up and staring at it.
Rishid slowly lifted the flap and took out a single sheet of paper. "It seems that someone thinks they know why we are here," he said, showing it to his siblings.
Ishizu took it from him and read:
I know that you're looking for
Martin Collsworth. I also know
where he is. Meet me outside the
hotel tonight at 2am.
Marik blinked. "We haven't even told anyone of our plans," he pointed out. "How could this person know?"
"It may be some sort of trap," Rishid said gravely.
Marik smiled grimly. "It seems, doesn't it," he said, "that no matter how innocent and simple we think something is, something always comes up to make it more difficult."
Ishizu sighed. "It does seem that way," she said, then suddenly gasped. "I saw something move out on the balcony!" she cried. "Someone has been spying on us!"