Marik snatched the picture from Ishizu for a closer look. "This was taken using one of the airport's security cameras!" he declared, pointing to some numbers and very fine writing in the right-hand corner.
Rishid narrowed his eyes. "If someone who has access to the security cameras is stalking us, they must be in some position of power at the airport," he decided. "But we have never been here before. How would we have collected enemies already, unless . . ."
". . . Unless the one stalking us here rubs elbows with some of our old enemies," Marik finished grimly.
Ishizu stood up slowly, touching her Millennium Tauk. "I foresee many dangers ahead," she said quietly, "with both new adversaries and returning ones. And . . ." The woman gasped, her eyes widening.
"Sister, what is it?!" Marik exclaimed.
Ishizu laid her hand on his shoulder. "Do you recall when the Pharaoh said that Lorelei and Lou were attempting to take the life forces of two powerful beings?"
Marik blinked. "Y-yes . . . of course," he said slowly. "That's why they tried to kill Yami Bakura."
"That is correct." Ishizu lowered her gaze. "And it was also one of the main reasons that they . . . they murdered Shadi."
Marik hugged his sister gently, trying to offer comfort.
"Now . . ." Ishizu paused, returning the embrace and smiling slightly before sobering again, "now . . . I have just seen a vision that someone else has risen to power amidst the remaining great evil left over from the ranch and they . . ." She motioned for Rishid to come over as well, which he did. "They want to spill the blood of two people who once did many wrongs but later repented and returned to the side of good."
Marik raised an eyebrow. "What exactly for, sister?" he wanted to know.
"They have found an ancient summoning spell used by unspeakable evil," Ishizu said solemnly. "Completing the treachery of this spell would enable them to release a power just as fearsome and horrible as the Egyptian God Monsters."
"And they want our brother for this madness?!" Rishid cried in anger.
"Yes," Ishizu replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "And Seto Kaiba as well."
****
Yami Yugi, meanwhile, was going over to the crate to investigate the terrible sight of the bloodied hand. Yugi looked away, unable to stomach the thought that there was a dead person in the chest.
"What's going on, Seto?!" Mokuba pleaded again, trying to twist around and look.
Seto shook his head. "Nothing that concerns you, kid," he replied. "And now we need to get you back to the hotel and into some dry clothes."
Mokuba sighed in resignation, knowing that his brother was right about that. He shivered slightly, burrowing deeper into the folds of the trenchcoat.
As Seto walked off with Mokuba in his arms, they suddenly encountered the Ishtars, who were still puzzling over the picture and becoming highly upset as Ishizu told of her vision.
"Hey! What's going on?!" Mokuba called, seeing that something wasn't right.
Everyone looked up. Ishizu gazed at Seto gravely, her blue eyes boring into his. "Kaiba," she said in a soft voice.
Seto grunted, not appreciating her piercing stare.
"After you take Mokuba back to the hotel and help him, I must speak with you alone," Ishizu said solemnly, falling into step beside him.
Marik, meanwhile, was helping Rishid restrain their previously kayoed assailant, who had just woken up and wasn't cooperating. "Hold still!" the boy hissed. "We are taking you to the police, and you will answer what we want to know!"
"You can try to take me to the police," the obnoxious man grinned, "but they'll never hold me in a cell!"
Rishid grunted as he was punched in the stomach. "And why is that?" he demanded.
"Oh . . . I just have a few tricks, thanks to a little help from my friends," the villain replied, shoving both Rishid and Marik hard into a stack of crates.
Ishizu turned to look, furious at this person for hurting her brothers.
"Marik!!" Mokuba yelled, trying to get down from Seto's grasp. "Are you okay?!"
Marik pushed a crate off his chest and stood up shakily. "I am fine," he said, lashing out and delivering another violent kick to their enemy. Seto offered his assistance as well, tripping the man when he swayed in confusion and shock from Marik's attack.
Rishid got up then and applied the final blow, striking the other man directly in the face as he went down.
"What a jerk!" Mokuba remarked in disgust. "Why's he going after you guys anyway?"
Marik sighed. "We don't know," he admitted. "But it was very deliberate." He idly fingered the picture in his pocket.
Rishid bent down to grab the person again. Abruptly he gave a cry of pain and fell backwards, sprawling hard on the dock.
Marik gasped in alarm and knelt next to him. "Rishid?! Rishid, what happened?!" he exclaimed.
Rishid struggled to get back up. "Master Marik . . . I . . . I was given an electrical shock," he said at last.
"What?!" Marik said in disbelief.
Rishid rubbed his forehead. "I . . . I can't explain it. . . . That man . . . he . . . he shocked me somehow!"
"That's ridiculous," Seto snorted.
The villain, still laying flat on his back, started to laugh. "Don't be so quick to dispute things, Seto Kaiba. I've been granted my special powers once again!"
Mokuba blinked. "How do you know my brother's name?!" he demanded.
Raucous laughing was his answer. "Oh, I remember many of you," he replied. With a snap of his fingers he had suddenly changed into an exact replica of Marik.
Ishizu gasped. "Who are you? What are you attempting to do?" she wanted to know.
Rishid stared, breathing heavily. "I . . . I remember him," he said low. "I remember him now. . . ."
Marik clenched his fists. "I do as well," he growled. "That creature tried to murder Rishid!!"
Ishizu clapped a hand to her mouth. "You?!" she cried, staring at Marik's double. "You were the one who . . . who tried to commit that abomination?!"
He leered up at her. "Yes, I tried to," he replied, making his voice sound like Marik's. "But this fool intervened."
Instantly Marik's fist connected with his jaw. "Shut up," he hissed. "Stop using my voice and my appearance for your evil schemes!"
The man grunted, rubbing at his chin in irritation. He then looked up and nonchalantly blasted Marik back against Rishid, who was still sitting on the dock.
"I'm so much stronger now," he cackled. "Thanks to my newly re-found powers none of you will ever be able to win again!"
"Marik!!" Mokuba shrieked, again struggling to get down. Seto continued to keep a firm hold on him, however, not wanting him to get hurt by this strange person.
Marik groaned, slumping in his older brother's arms. He struggled to open his eyes again and glared daggers at his wicked imposter. "Why were you suddenly allowed to have these powers now?!" he choked out.
"You'd have to ask my master about that," came the reply. "I'm not about to question it."
Ishizu knelt next to her brothers in alarm. "Are you both alright?" she asked.
"We are fine, sister," Marik smiled weakly.
"Well, you won't be for long," the double grinned maniacally.
Without warning a gold beam of light shot out from behind a crate and struck the wicked man directly, causing him to scream in pain and agony.
"Just wait," he gasped as he began to vanish, "I'll be back! And then I will have my final revenge!"
When he was gone, Mokuba let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding. "I thought he'd never leave!" the boy cried. "But . . . how did he?"
Everyone looked around for the source of the light but found nothing. Whatever—or whoever—had been there earlier had vanished now.
"I am thankful to whoever that was," Ishizu said quietly, giving both Marik and Rishid a gentle hug. "So very thankful . . ."
"What was going on here, anyway?" Seto asked coldly. "Who was that person?"
Marik took a deep breath. "Well . . . you remember our escapade in San Francisco," he said slowly as he shakily stood up and helped Rishid do the same.
Seto looked irritated. "How could I forget?" he said loudly.
"Rishid nearly died there," Marik said softly. "He . . . he was stabbed in the chest with a machete. And it was that monster who did it." Unconsciously he tightly grabbed his brother's hand.
Mokuba narrowed his eyes. "Yeah? Well, we've gotta catch that guy before he hurts someone else!"
"He has been sent into another dimension, most likely the Shadow Realm," Ishizu told them. "But I do not doubt that he will return, just as he promised."
Marik gazed at the picture again, looking angry. "What I want to know is, Is he the one who took this, or is someone else working undercover at the airport?"
"I have the unpleasant feeling that we're going to find out," Seto said stiffly.
****
Meanwhile, Mako was leading a group that consisted of himself, Mai, Rex, and Serenity down a pier when they suddenly encountered Yami Yugi trying to open the strange crate to look inside. Yugi now stood to the side, wanting to look away but unable to tear his eyes from the sight.
"What happened here?" Mako demanded.
Serenity blinked, staring at the crate. Abruptly she let out a horrified shriek, seeing the hand.
Yami Yugi seemed not to notice her presence as he finally managed to get the heavy lid raised up all the way. His eyes widened in surprise. "Duke Devlin!" he cried.
"OH!!!" Yugi gasped, his violet eyes mirroring his absolute horror.
Mako narrowed his eyes, pulling her back. "I would advise you not to look, Serenity," he said softly.
Serenity stood, shaking all over at the news that it was Duke's body laying in the crate. "But . . . but I . . . I was just talking to him not more than an hour ago! He . . . he can't be . . ."
Yami Yugi leaned down into the crate, examining the boy's tortured form.
"Yami . . . what . . . what happened to him?!" Yugi choked out.
The Pharaoh bit his lip, reluctant to reply. Carefully he reached inside and began to pull Duke out.
Mako gently turned Serenity away and she wrapped her arms around him for comfort. Ever since she had been able to hang out with her brother and all of his friends, she had been getting into dangerous situations and was forced to see and hear things that she never would have imagined before from her sheltered life. She wouldn't trade being with her brother for anything, but still she couldn't stand all these horrors.
Yugi watched in wide-eyed alarm as his Yami propped Duke's bloodied body up against the outside of the crate. "Yami, is he . . . is he actually . . ."
Yami Yugi was about to answer when Duke stirred and moaned, raising his hand up to rub at his aching head.
Instantly Serenity perked up, joyously looking over at her friend. "Duke!" she exclaimed, running over. "You're okay!"
Duke seemed to not hear her. He weakly pulled his knees up to his chest and leaned forward, opening his eyes blearily and letting out a raspy breath.
"Duke!" Yugi cried. "What happened to you?!"
The raven-haired boy blinked up at him and then turned away, coughing violently. "Honestly," he said at last, "is this the sort of thing you guys go through on a regular basis?!"
Yugi scratched the back of his neck. "Well . . . I'm afraid so," he admitted.
Duke groaned.
"Are you badly hurt?" Yami Yugi demanded sternly.
Now Duke paused, considering. "No . . . no, I'm fine," he said at last, seeing how worried and upset Serenity looked.
"Fine?" Rex repeated. "Man, you looked dead!! If that's your idea of fine, I'd hate to see your idea of 'badly hurt'!!"
Duke shot him a look of pure annoyance. "As you can see, I'm very much alive."
"But what did happen, Duke?!" Yugi pleaded to know.
The other boy closed his eyes and rubbed his hand over them. "I don't remember for sure. . . . An ambush of some sort. . . . About five creeps all ganged up on me!"
"But why, Duke?!" Serenity gasped.
Duke looked up at her. "They said something about a shipment . . . and that I was messing it up. . . . Then they said something really weird."
"What did they say, Duke?" Yami Yugi wanted to know, speaking forcefully and urgently.
Duke brushed the long locks away from his face and tried to remember. "They . . . they said that it was almost the full moon, and that if they didn't unleash their beast by then it'd be too late!"
Rishid narrowed his eyes. "If someone who has access to the security cameras is stalking us, they must be in some position of power at the airport," he decided. "But we have never been here before. How would we have collected enemies already, unless . . ."
". . . Unless the one stalking us here rubs elbows with some of our old enemies," Marik finished grimly.
Ishizu stood up slowly, touching her Millennium Tauk. "I foresee many dangers ahead," she said quietly, "with both new adversaries and returning ones. And . . ." The woman gasped, her eyes widening.
"Sister, what is it?!" Marik exclaimed.
Ishizu laid her hand on his shoulder. "Do you recall when the Pharaoh said that Lorelei and Lou were attempting to take the life forces of two powerful beings?"
Marik blinked. "Y-yes . . . of course," he said slowly. "That's why they tried to kill Yami Bakura."
"That is correct." Ishizu lowered her gaze. "And it was also one of the main reasons that they . . . they murdered Shadi."
Marik hugged his sister gently, trying to offer comfort.
"Now . . ." Ishizu paused, returning the embrace and smiling slightly before sobering again, "now . . . I have just seen a vision that someone else has risen to power amidst the remaining great evil left over from the ranch and they . . ." She motioned for Rishid to come over as well, which he did. "They want to spill the blood of two people who once did many wrongs but later repented and returned to the side of good."
Marik raised an eyebrow. "What exactly for, sister?" he wanted to know.
"They have found an ancient summoning spell used by unspeakable evil," Ishizu said solemnly. "Completing the treachery of this spell would enable them to release a power just as fearsome and horrible as the Egyptian God Monsters."
"And they want our brother for this madness?!" Rishid cried in anger.
"Yes," Ishizu replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "And Seto Kaiba as well."
****
Yami Yugi, meanwhile, was going over to the crate to investigate the terrible sight of the bloodied hand. Yugi looked away, unable to stomach the thought that there was a dead person in the chest.
"What's going on, Seto?!" Mokuba pleaded again, trying to twist around and look.
Seto shook his head. "Nothing that concerns you, kid," he replied. "And now we need to get you back to the hotel and into some dry clothes."
Mokuba sighed in resignation, knowing that his brother was right about that. He shivered slightly, burrowing deeper into the folds of the trenchcoat.
As Seto walked off with Mokuba in his arms, they suddenly encountered the Ishtars, who were still puzzling over the picture and becoming highly upset as Ishizu told of her vision.
"Hey! What's going on?!" Mokuba called, seeing that something wasn't right.
Everyone looked up. Ishizu gazed at Seto gravely, her blue eyes boring into his. "Kaiba," she said in a soft voice.
Seto grunted, not appreciating her piercing stare.
"After you take Mokuba back to the hotel and help him, I must speak with you alone," Ishizu said solemnly, falling into step beside him.
Marik, meanwhile, was helping Rishid restrain their previously kayoed assailant, who had just woken up and wasn't cooperating. "Hold still!" the boy hissed. "We are taking you to the police, and you will answer what we want to know!"
"You can try to take me to the police," the obnoxious man grinned, "but they'll never hold me in a cell!"
Rishid grunted as he was punched in the stomach. "And why is that?" he demanded.
"Oh . . . I just have a few tricks, thanks to a little help from my friends," the villain replied, shoving both Rishid and Marik hard into a stack of crates.
Ishizu turned to look, furious at this person for hurting her brothers.
"Marik!!" Mokuba yelled, trying to get down from Seto's grasp. "Are you okay?!"
Marik pushed a crate off his chest and stood up shakily. "I am fine," he said, lashing out and delivering another violent kick to their enemy. Seto offered his assistance as well, tripping the man when he swayed in confusion and shock from Marik's attack.
Rishid got up then and applied the final blow, striking the other man directly in the face as he went down.
"What a jerk!" Mokuba remarked in disgust. "Why's he going after you guys anyway?"
Marik sighed. "We don't know," he admitted. "But it was very deliberate." He idly fingered the picture in his pocket.
Rishid bent down to grab the person again. Abruptly he gave a cry of pain and fell backwards, sprawling hard on the dock.
Marik gasped in alarm and knelt next to him. "Rishid?! Rishid, what happened?!" he exclaimed.
Rishid struggled to get back up. "Master Marik . . . I . . . I was given an electrical shock," he said at last.
"What?!" Marik said in disbelief.
Rishid rubbed his forehead. "I . . . I can't explain it. . . . That man . . . he . . . he shocked me somehow!"
"That's ridiculous," Seto snorted.
The villain, still laying flat on his back, started to laugh. "Don't be so quick to dispute things, Seto Kaiba. I've been granted my special powers once again!"
Mokuba blinked. "How do you know my brother's name?!" he demanded.
Raucous laughing was his answer. "Oh, I remember many of you," he replied. With a snap of his fingers he had suddenly changed into an exact replica of Marik.
Ishizu gasped. "Who are you? What are you attempting to do?" she wanted to know.
Rishid stared, breathing heavily. "I . . . I remember him," he said low. "I remember him now. . . ."
Marik clenched his fists. "I do as well," he growled. "That creature tried to murder Rishid!!"
Ishizu clapped a hand to her mouth. "You?!" she cried, staring at Marik's double. "You were the one who . . . who tried to commit that abomination?!"
He leered up at her. "Yes, I tried to," he replied, making his voice sound like Marik's. "But this fool intervened."
Instantly Marik's fist connected with his jaw. "Shut up," he hissed. "Stop using my voice and my appearance for your evil schemes!"
The man grunted, rubbing at his chin in irritation. He then looked up and nonchalantly blasted Marik back against Rishid, who was still sitting on the dock.
"I'm so much stronger now," he cackled. "Thanks to my newly re-found powers none of you will ever be able to win again!"
"Marik!!" Mokuba shrieked, again struggling to get down. Seto continued to keep a firm hold on him, however, not wanting him to get hurt by this strange person.
Marik groaned, slumping in his older brother's arms. He struggled to open his eyes again and glared daggers at his wicked imposter. "Why were you suddenly allowed to have these powers now?!" he choked out.
"You'd have to ask my master about that," came the reply. "I'm not about to question it."
Ishizu knelt next to her brothers in alarm. "Are you both alright?" she asked.
"We are fine, sister," Marik smiled weakly.
"Well, you won't be for long," the double grinned maniacally.
Without warning a gold beam of light shot out from behind a crate and struck the wicked man directly, causing him to scream in pain and agony.
"Just wait," he gasped as he began to vanish, "I'll be back! And then I will have my final revenge!"
When he was gone, Mokuba let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding. "I thought he'd never leave!" the boy cried. "But . . . how did he?"
Everyone looked around for the source of the light but found nothing. Whatever—or whoever—had been there earlier had vanished now.
"I am thankful to whoever that was," Ishizu said quietly, giving both Marik and Rishid a gentle hug. "So very thankful . . ."
"What was going on here, anyway?" Seto asked coldly. "Who was that person?"
Marik took a deep breath. "Well . . . you remember our escapade in San Francisco," he said slowly as he shakily stood up and helped Rishid do the same.
Seto looked irritated. "How could I forget?" he said loudly.
"Rishid nearly died there," Marik said softly. "He . . . he was stabbed in the chest with a machete. And it was that monster who did it." Unconsciously he tightly grabbed his brother's hand.
Mokuba narrowed his eyes. "Yeah? Well, we've gotta catch that guy before he hurts someone else!"
"He has been sent into another dimension, most likely the Shadow Realm," Ishizu told them. "But I do not doubt that he will return, just as he promised."
Marik gazed at the picture again, looking angry. "What I want to know is, Is he the one who took this, or is someone else working undercover at the airport?"
"I have the unpleasant feeling that we're going to find out," Seto said stiffly.
****
Meanwhile, Mako was leading a group that consisted of himself, Mai, Rex, and Serenity down a pier when they suddenly encountered Yami Yugi trying to open the strange crate to look inside. Yugi now stood to the side, wanting to look away but unable to tear his eyes from the sight.
"What happened here?" Mako demanded.
Serenity blinked, staring at the crate. Abruptly she let out a horrified shriek, seeing the hand.
Yami Yugi seemed not to notice her presence as he finally managed to get the heavy lid raised up all the way. His eyes widened in surprise. "Duke Devlin!" he cried.
"OH!!!" Yugi gasped, his violet eyes mirroring his absolute horror.
Mako narrowed his eyes, pulling her back. "I would advise you not to look, Serenity," he said softly.
Serenity stood, shaking all over at the news that it was Duke's body laying in the crate. "But . . . but I . . . I was just talking to him not more than an hour ago! He . . . he can't be . . ."
Yami Yugi leaned down into the crate, examining the boy's tortured form.
"Yami . . . what . . . what happened to him?!" Yugi choked out.
The Pharaoh bit his lip, reluctant to reply. Carefully he reached inside and began to pull Duke out.
Mako gently turned Serenity away and she wrapped her arms around him for comfort. Ever since she had been able to hang out with her brother and all of his friends, she had been getting into dangerous situations and was forced to see and hear things that she never would have imagined before from her sheltered life. She wouldn't trade being with her brother for anything, but still she couldn't stand all these horrors.
Yugi watched in wide-eyed alarm as his Yami propped Duke's bloodied body up against the outside of the crate. "Yami, is he . . . is he actually . . ."
Yami Yugi was about to answer when Duke stirred and moaned, raising his hand up to rub at his aching head.
Instantly Serenity perked up, joyously looking over at her friend. "Duke!" she exclaimed, running over. "You're okay!"
Duke seemed to not hear her. He weakly pulled his knees up to his chest and leaned forward, opening his eyes blearily and letting out a raspy breath.
"Duke!" Yugi cried. "What happened to you?!"
The raven-haired boy blinked up at him and then turned away, coughing violently. "Honestly," he said at last, "is this the sort of thing you guys go through on a regular basis?!"
Yugi scratched the back of his neck. "Well . . . I'm afraid so," he admitted.
Duke groaned.
"Are you badly hurt?" Yami Yugi demanded sternly.
Now Duke paused, considering. "No . . . no, I'm fine," he said at last, seeing how worried and upset Serenity looked.
"Fine?" Rex repeated. "Man, you looked dead!! If that's your idea of fine, I'd hate to see your idea of 'badly hurt'!!"
Duke shot him a look of pure annoyance. "As you can see, I'm very much alive."
"But what did happen, Duke?!" Yugi pleaded to know.
The other boy closed his eyes and rubbed his hand over them. "I don't remember for sure. . . . An ambush of some sort. . . . About five creeps all ganged up on me!"
"But why, Duke?!" Serenity gasped.
Duke looked up at her. "They said something about a shipment . . . and that I was messing it up. . . . Then they said something really weird."
"What did they say, Duke?" Yami Yugi wanted to know, speaking forcefully and urgently.
Duke brushed the long locks away from his face and tried to remember. "They . . . they said that it was almost the full moon, and that if they didn't unleash their beast by then it'd be too late!"