At last Ishizu gasped and opened her eyes, blinking up at her precious brothers. "Where . . . where am I?" she asked in confusion.
Marik smiled happily. "You're with us, sister!" he exclaimed. "You're safe!!" He gave her a warm hug and motioned for Rishid to join them as well, which he did. "Dear Ishizu! You're safe!!"
Ishizu still looked a bit baffled, but she reached up to embrace them both. Smiling, she stroked Marik's cheek and grabbed for Rishid's hand, never taking notice of the blood trickling from the cut on her temple.
Rishid noticed, however. "Ishizu, you are bleeding!" he cried.
Marik noticed as well. "Sister, you might be badly hurt," the boy said worriedly. "Someone should have a look at that wound!"
Ishizu raised a hand to touch the gash. "It's alright, my brothers," she replied softly. "It is not life-threatening."
"But you may have a concussion, Ishizu," Rishid protested.
"I am quite certain I do not," Ishizu answered, trying to sit up. Marik and Rishid helped her and she looked at them gratefully before starting to lean against her older brother.
The others came running over then, having stayed behind before to give the siblings some time to themselves. All of them were immensely relieved to see the rest of their group alive and well—and conscious.
"Marik!!" Mokuba hurried over, grinning at his friend. Traces of tears were in his eyes, but he pretended they weren't there.
The Egyptian boy looked up and smiled. "I am glad you are safe, my friend," he said sincerely while stroking Ishizu's hand.
Mokuba hugged the older boy shakily, looking more relieved even than usual. What with his brother missing—captured by the wicked ones who wanted to unleash the horrible evil at the expense of lives—Mokuba couldn't bear the thought of his friend getting in trouble as well. It was all too much for a ten-year-old to handle, and Marik knew that.
The teenager put his free arm around the little boy gently. "Your brother will be alright," he said softly. "Kaiba will never let them hurt him as long as there's still a fighting spirit in his body. And I happen to know that Kaiba will never give that up."
Mokuba smiled weakly. "Yeah . . . I know you're right," he said softly, "but . . . it's still hard."
Knowing how heart-broken he himself had been earlier, Marik understood exactly the extent of Mokuba's pain. It angered him that Vivalene and the others didn't care at all that Seto Kaiba had a younger brother who would be absolutely and completely devastated by what they were doing. And if they managed to kill him, and Marik as well, then Mokuba wouldn't have anyone.
His thoughts wandered some more. If he was dead, what would happen to Ishizu and Rishid? He remembered exactly how tormented they'd been after he had disappeared against his will a while ago and was thought to have been deceased.
He knew Rishid would berate himself and say that he hadn't been able to protect his brother. Poor Rishid . . . always so devoted . . . so kind and dear. . . . Perhaps he would even go insane, as he had once in the past when the ex-Rare Hunters had found a dead body that looked like Marik and used it to their advantage! Marik clenched his fists subconsciously, a smoldering look coming into his eyes.
And Ishizu . . . she would be so lonely . . . so crushed. . . . Even though he had been being mentally and physically tortured during that time in the past and hadn't been able to really know what was happening around him other than that, he had still sensed his siblings' feelings from a long way off. He had sensed Ishizu's agony . . . he had sensed that she had been cracking as well. "I am sorry, brother," he had heard her whisper in his mind, "I cannot always remain strong." He had tried to call to her, had tried so desperately to tell her to not give up, but he hadn't known how his message would ever get through to her.
He only knew now that he couldn't die in this way. The entire world would be in danger if the beast was brought forth, but also . . . his tighter-knit world, those he loved and treasured above anything else, would be in danger, and probably more so than the others on the planet because of Vivalene's and Seth's involvement. And he wouldn't be able to do anything to protect them if he was dead . . . would he?
My blood can't be used for this atrocity, he vowed to himself. I will not let this happen, no matter what it takes!! Even if I have to . . .
"Marik?"
The boy was startled out of his thoughts by Rishid's worried voice.
"Are you alright, brother?"
Marik blinked, coming back to the present. He was digging his fingernails into his palm so harshly that he was almost drawing blood. Quickly he relaxed the pressure and sighed.
"Marik?"
He turned, looking into Mokuba's frightened eyes.
"Marik, I know you said Seto's gonna be okay and everything," Mokuba said barely above a whisper, "but . . . I'm still worried. I can see that . . . that you're afraid something bad's gonna happen too."
Marik sighed and looked down. "I will be honest with you, my friend," he said at last. "I am afraid that something will happen. This is very dangerous, perhaps our most dangerous mission to date." He tilted Mokuba's chin so the boy was gazing directly into his eyes. "Failure cannot be an option," the teenager added firmly.
"I know," Mokuba replied, suddenly grabbing Marik's hand in the old way of their friendship pact. "So . . . we're just not gonna fail. Okay?"
Marik returned the gesture, his eyes soft. Mokuba reminded him a lot of himself at that age. "Okay," he agreed, starting to smile.
Now Rishid helped Ishizu to stand. "We should get to the hospital to gather our friends there and to have our sister examined," he said.
Marik nodded. "Let's go," he said, his confidence and strength renewed.
****
To everyone's relief, Ishizu was found to be just fine by the doctor and was proclaimed free to go.
"A very fortunate thing," Ishizu said quietly as she embraced an overjoyed Marik. Of course they both knew that Ishizu wouldn't have stayed in the hospital even if the doctor had said she needed to. What with everything coming to an intense climax in such a short time, the Egyptian woman knew she couldn't allow anything to delay them further.
"How's Rex?" Yugi asked Bakura as he spotted him, Yami Bakura, and Mai.
"Doing quite a bit better, I think," Bakura answered with a smile, then listened in utter alarm to the tale of the bombs. "Oh!!" the sweet boy burst out, clapping a hand to his mouth.
"And you think it was that weird Middle Eastern guy?" Mai queried, crossing her arms.
"Heck, I should do!" Joey cried. "Where'd he even come from?! And who the heck is he?!"
"We saw him here," Bakura remembered, telling of how the man had stared them down.
"Well, that's pretty weird, dontcha think?!" Joey declared.
"It was rather odd," Bakura admitted.
"So let me get things straight," Mai said slowly. "Kaiba's been carted away by Vivalene and Seth because they want to sacrifice him and Marik to revive some ancient beast, and we only have until the moon rises to stop this?"
"That's right," Yugi nodded.
"I believe I know where one of their hideouts is," Kamara said. "I have accepted my role of distracting them so that you all can get inside and bring their foul plan to a halt."
Marik looked down. Things were starting to become clearer to him on what he might have to do in order to assist the side of good, but he didn't want to say so aloud incase he was possibly wrong.
Several janitors were coming into the waiting room where everyone was in order to clean things up. They didn't seem to pay much attention to each other, that is, not until one of the men reached into the cart of cleaning supplies and withdrew a rifle, which he promptly fired into the air.
Instantly everyone came to attention.
"What do you think you're doing?!" Joey yelled indignantly. "There's injured people in here!"
"Oh yeah, that's true," the janitor smirked. "And I think the hospital will be getting some new patients unless you do what I want."
****
Seto had been over the room at least half a dozen times now, and much to his annoyance, he found that the mysterious stranger had been right. There wasn't any way out.
Vivalene's laugh rang out from somewhere on the other side of the wall. "Poor Seto Kaiba," she taunted. "You can't seem to find your way out, can you? Well, maybe you'll enjoy talking to our latest addition."
"What do you mean?!" Seto growled angrily.
In the next moment Seth and Vivalene stepped through a newly-created portal in the wall, holding up a struggling Alyson. "This little gnat has gotten herself into quite the predicament," Seth sneered.
Seto's eyes widened. How had they gotten Alyson?!
The little girl kicked out frantically, hitting Seth directly on the jaw. "You're a bad man, just like the one who shot poor Shadi!!" she wailed.
Seth staggered back from the force of Alyson's kick, loosening his grip on her and enabling Seto to reach out and grab her away.
"How amusing," Vivalene laughed.
Undaunted, Alyson yanked the Ankh off from around her neck and pointed it at the two villains. "Shadi entrusted this to me and I'm not gonna let him down!" she cried. "Maybe I can use it to stop you awful people!"
The kid's got spunk, Seto thought to himself, but does she even know how to use that thing?
Vivalene obviously had the same thoughts. "Did Shadi teach you what you have to do to make that artifact work?" she sneered, certain of what the answer would be.
"He said I'd know what to do when the time came!" Alyson replied defensively.
Seth straightened up and crossed his arms. "Ah, and so you're saying that now is the time," he remarked.
"Yeah!" Alyson said firmly, holding it out. A blast of energy shot out and struck the evil man down, revealing that he was not actually Seth at all, but instead the strange shapeshifter from the Prudential Building.
Seto grunted as Alyson was thrown back against him forcefully from the blast and struggled to keep his balance. It must take a lot of training to be able to use it properly, he thought now, but it's not bad for her first attempt.
Vivalene blinked, startled as well, but also impressed. "Very good, child," she said, flipping her hair nonchalantly and making no move to help her cronie stand up. "It should be very entertaining for you to use it while you and Kaiba are trapped in here together. Of course . . . you won't be here for too terribly long. We have a surefire plan in action to get the other boy we need for our little plot and then . . ." She paused and smirked, revealing all of her pearly white teeth. Seto decided that she looked like a vampyre. "Then our great beast shall be unleashed upon the world, and I shall receive all the earthly treasures my little heart could desire!"
"Shadi would say that you can't ever get real happiness from earthly treasures, especially if you have to hurt others to get them!" Alyson retorted angrily.
"Oh, is that so?" Vivalene said vaguely. "Well, what would the deceased guardian know of such matters? I doubt he ever desperately wanted gold or silver or precious gems, as I do." She played with the pearls around her neck. "But we really mustn't waste any more time here, dearie. I have so much to do."
"Yeah? Well, why don't you start by taking a nice nap?!" Alyson yelled, directing another blast at the evil woman.
Vivalene ducked, barely managing to dodge Alyson's skillful aim.
Instantly Seto ran forward and kicked her legs out from under her, sending her sprawling to the floor. "Come on," he growled to Alyson, grabbing her and dashing off down the hall.
"You can run, Kaiba darling, but you can't hide!" Vivalene yelled after him. "And you'll never get out of here alive!!"
Her wicked cackle echoed throughout the dark, dank halls as Seto and Alyson tore down the deserted stone pathways. The young CEO didn't even bother to figure out what Vivalene meant. He knew the place was likely to be booby-trapped. But he was certain that he would be able to get past it all.
****
In the meantime, Tristan, Mrs. Perkins, Duke, and Serenity had combed the entire city and then had wound up meeting up in front of the hospital.
"Nothing?" Tristan sighed in frustration.
"She's nowhere around!" Duke replied, throwing his hands up in the air.
"She might be hurt somewhere!" Serenity worried.
A siren interrupted their conversation as a police car drove up and parked, followed by several more.
"Something must be going on here," Tristan blinked in surprise.
"What's happening, Officer?" Mrs. Perkins called.
The policeman turned. "We have a hostage situation in the hospital," he replied grimly. "A bunch of people, most of them teenagers, are being held against their will in a waiting room."
The little group of four exchanged concerned glances, each one wondering the same thing. By any chance, could it be their friends, and in Serenity's case, her family?!
****
Of course it was. Inside the said waiting room, the "janitors" were busy pointing their rifles at everyone and ordering them to do what they wanted.
"And what exactly is it you want?" Yami Yugi asked calmly.
"The Egyptian kid," the second janitor answered.
"I expected as much," Marik said, stepping forward.
"Brother, you cannot give yourself up to them!!" Ishizu screamed. "That cannot be the answer!! It cannot be!!"
Marik looked down, clenching his fists and trying to decide what he should do. Please, he prayed fervently, I do not want anyone to be harmed. Tell me what I must do!
Before he could get his answer, one of the guns clicked abruptly as the third janitor pointed it at Mokuba, obviously intending to shoot him as a warning.
"Mokuba!! No!!" Bakura cried, getting in the way. The poor boy screamed in pain as the bullet tore through his shoulder.
"Bakura!!!" Mokuba and everyone else yelled in alarm.
"You dolt!!!" Yami Bakura scolded, kneeling down next to Bakura as the boy writhed in agony on the floor.
"You want more of your friends and your family to get hurt?" the first janitor hissed at Marik.
The boy gazed back, fury building within him once again. "You devils," he whispered with conviction. "You set the explosion earlier and now you are doing this!!"
"Perceptive," the second custodian grinned. "And what are you going to do about it?"
Marik took a deep breath, knowing that he would never be able to figure it out as long as he had hatred in his heart. But still . . . knowing that he was facing those who had tried to kill them all earlier, harming first Rex, Yami Bakura, and Rishid, then Ishizu and now Bakura . . . it was hard to push the hatred away. Slowly he began to remove the dagger from the Millennium Rod.
"Brother!!" Rishid called to him steadily. "Please . . . do not lose focus. Do not give in to your hatred." He paused, knowing the words that could jar the boy back to the present but not wanting to have to throw them at him.
Joey, however, was more than willing to do so. "Remember Battle City, Marik!!" he yelled.
Bakura looked up weakly. "These people may very well deserve to be tortured," he rasped, "but . . . it isn't your decision to make, Marik. . . ." He groaned, unable to handle the pain and loss of blood. "Someone . . . please help me . . ."
Yami Bakura cradled the boy on his lap while Yugi and Téa ran over as well. "Perhaps Marik is not willing to give in to hatred again, but I am," he hissed.
"Yami, please don't," Bakura whispered.
The janitors watched all of this with amusement, considering it high-class entertainment.
Marik gritted his teeth, finally sheathing the dagger once more and letting his hands drop to his sides. His family and friends were right, he knew. Charging in a fit of hatred wouldn't solve anything and would probably wind up with him *and* everyone else being killed—which was just what the enemy wanted.
"A coward, huh?" the first fake caretaker sneered.
"Quite on the contrary," Ishizu said angrily. "Marik has just done a very brave thing, and he knows that we all, especially Rishid and I, are extremely proud of him."
A tear slipped from Marik's eye and he looked up firmly. "Yes, I know," he said in a soft tone. "I know."
Suddenly a bright light glowed in the middle of the floor and began to expand, causing everyone to stumble back in shock.
"What's happening?!" Téa screamed.
Marik smiled happily. "You're with us, sister!" he exclaimed. "You're safe!!" He gave her a warm hug and motioned for Rishid to join them as well, which he did. "Dear Ishizu! You're safe!!"
Ishizu still looked a bit baffled, but she reached up to embrace them both. Smiling, she stroked Marik's cheek and grabbed for Rishid's hand, never taking notice of the blood trickling from the cut on her temple.
Rishid noticed, however. "Ishizu, you are bleeding!" he cried.
Marik noticed as well. "Sister, you might be badly hurt," the boy said worriedly. "Someone should have a look at that wound!"
Ishizu raised a hand to touch the gash. "It's alright, my brothers," she replied softly. "It is not life-threatening."
"But you may have a concussion, Ishizu," Rishid protested.
"I am quite certain I do not," Ishizu answered, trying to sit up. Marik and Rishid helped her and she looked at them gratefully before starting to lean against her older brother.
The others came running over then, having stayed behind before to give the siblings some time to themselves. All of them were immensely relieved to see the rest of their group alive and well—and conscious.
"Marik!!" Mokuba hurried over, grinning at his friend. Traces of tears were in his eyes, but he pretended they weren't there.
The Egyptian boy looked up and smiled. "I am glad you are safe, my friend," he said sincerely while stroking Ishizu's hand.
Mokuba hugged the older boy shakily, looking more relieved even than usual. What with his brother missing—captured by the wicked ones who wanted to unleash the horrible evil at the expense of lives—Mokuba couldn't bear the thought of his friend getting in trouble as well. It was all too much for a ten-year-old to handle, and Marik knew that.
The teenager put his free arm around the little boy gently. "Your brother will be alright," he said softly. "Kaiba will never let them hurt him as long as there's still a fighting spirit in his body. And I happen to know that Kaiba will never give that up."
Mokuba smiled weakly. "Yeah . . . I know you're right," he said softly, "but . . . it's still hard."
Knowing how heart-broken he himself had been earlier, Marik understood exactly the extent of Mokuba's pain. It angered him that Vivalene and the others didn't care at all that Seto Kaiba had a younger brother who would be absolutely and completely devastated by what they were doing. And if they managed to kill him, and Marik as well, then Mokuba wouldn't have anyone.
His thoughts wandered some more. If he was dead, what would happen to Ishizu and Rishid? He remembered exactly how tormented they'd been after he had disappeared against his will a while ago and was thought to have been deceased.
He knew Rishid would berate himself and say that he hadn't been able to protect his brother. Poor Rishid . . . always so devoted . . . so kind and dear. . . . Perhaps he would even go insane, as he had once in the past when the ex-Rare Hunters had found a dead body that looked like Marik and used it to their advantage! Marik clenched his fists subconsciously, a smoldering look coming into his eyes.
And Ishizu . . . she would be so lonely . . . so crushed. . . . Even though he had been being mentally and physically tortured during that time in the past and hadn't been able to really know what was happening around him other than that, he had still sensed his siblings' feelings from a long way off. He had sensed Ishizu's agony . . . he had sensed that she had been cracking as well. "I am sorry, brother," he had heard her whisper in his mind, "I cannot always remain strong." He had tried to call to her, had tried so desperately to tell her to not give up, but he hadn't known how his message would ever get through to her.
He only knew now that he couldn't die in this way. The entire world would be in danger if the beast was brought forth, but also . . . his tighter-knit world, those he loved and treasured above anything else, would be in danger, and probably more so than the others on the planet because of Vivalene's and Seth's involvement. And he wouldn't be able to do anything to protect them if he was dead . . . would he?
My blood can't be used for this atrocity, he vowed to himself. I will not let this happen, no matter what it takes!! Even if I have to . . .
"Marik?"
The boy was startled out of his thoughts by Rishid's worried voice.
"Are you alright, brother?"
Marik blinked, coming back to the present. He was digging his fingernails into his palm so harshly that he was almost drawing blood. Quickly he relaxed the pressure and sighed.
"Marik?"
He turned, looking into Mokuba's frightened eyes.
"Marik, I know you said Seto's gonna be okay and everything," Mokuba said barely above a whisper, "but . . . I'm still worried. I can see that . . . that you're afraid something bad's gonna happen too."
Marik sighed and looked down. "I will be honest with you, my friend," he said at last. "I am afraid that something will happen. This is very dangerous, perhaps our most dangerous mission to date." He tilted Mokuba's chin so the boy was gazing directly into his eyes. "Failure cannot be an option," the teenager added firmly.
"I know," Mokuba replied, suddenly grabbing Marik's hand in the old way of their friendship pact. "So . . . we're just not gonna fail. Okay?"
Marik returned the gesture, his eyes soft. Mokuba reminded him a lot of himself at that age. "Okay," he agreed, starting to smile.
Now Rishid helped Ishizu to stand. "We should get to the hospital to gather our friends there and to have our sister examined," he said.
Marik nodded. "Let's go," he said, his confidence and strength renewed.
****
To everyone's relief, Ishizu was found to be just fine by the doctor and was proclaimed free to go.
"A very fortunate thing," Ishizu said quietly as she embraced an overjoyed Marik. Of course they both knew that Ishizu wouldn't have stayed in the hospital even if the doctor had said she needed to. What with everything coming to an intense climax in such a short time, the Egyptian woman knew she couldn't allow anything to delay them further.
"How's Rex?" Yugi asked Bakura as he spotted him, Yami Bakura, and Mai.
"Doing quite a bit better, I think," Bakura answered with a smile, then listened in utter alarm to the tale of the bombs. "Oh!!" the sweet boy burst out, clapping a hand to his mouth.
"And you think it was that weird Middle Eastern guy?" Mai queried, crossing her arms.
"Heck, I should do!" Joey cried. "Where'd he even come from?! And who the heck is he?!"
"We saw him here," Bakura remembered, telling of how the man had stared them down.
"Well, that's pretty weird, dontcha think?!" Joey declared.
"It was rather odd," Bakura admitted.
"So let me get things straight," Mai said slowly. "Kaiba's been carted away by Vivalene and Seth because they want to sacrifice him and Marik to revive some ancient beast, and we only have until the moon rises to stop this?"
"That's right," Yugi nodded.
"I believe I know where one of their hideouts is," Kamara said. "I have accepted my role of distracting them so that you all can get inside and bring their foul plan to a halt."
Marik looked down. Things were starting to become clearer to him on what he might have to do in order to assist the side of good, but he didn't want to say so aloud incase he was possibly wrong.
Several janitors were coming into the waiting room where everyone was in order to clean things up. They didn't seem to pay much attention to each other, that is, not until one of the men reached into the cart of cleaning supplies and withdrew a rifle, which he promptly fired into the air.
Instantly everyone came to attention.
"What do you think you're doing?!" Joey yelled indignantly. "There's injured people in here!"
"Oh yeah, that's true," the janitor smirked. "And I think the hospital will be getting some new patients unless you do what I want."
****
Seto had been over the room at least half a dozen times now, and much to his annoyance, he found that the mysterious stranger had been right. There wasn't any way out.
Vivalene's laugh rang out from somewhere on the other side of the wall. "Poor Seto Kaiba," she taunted. "You can't seem to find your way out, can you? Well, maybe you'll enjoy talking to our latest addition."
"What do you mean?!" Seto growled angrily.
In the next moment Seth and Vivalene stepped through a newly-created portal in the wall, holding up a struggling Alyson. "This little gnat has gotten herself into quite the predicament," Seth sneered.
Seto's eyes widened. How had they gotten Alyson?!
The little girl kicked out frantically, hitting Seth directly on the jaw. "You're a bad man, just like the one who shot poor Shadi!!" she wailed.
Seth staggered back from the force of Alyson's kick, loosening his grip on her and enabling Seto to reach out and grab her away.
"How amusing," Vivalene laughed.
Undaunted, Alyson yanked the Ankh off from around her neck and pointed it at the two villains. "Shadi entrusted this to me and I'm not gonna let him down!" she cried. "Maybe I can use it to stop you awful people!"
The kid's got spunk, Seto thought to himself, but does she even know how to use that thing?
Vivalene obviously had the same thoughts. "Did Shadi teach you what you have to do to make that artifact work?" she sneered, certain of what the answer would be.
"He said I'd know what to do when the time came!" Alyson replied defensively.
Seth straightened up and crossed his arms. "Ah, and so you're saying that now is the time," he remarked.
"Yeah!" Alyson said firmly, holding it out. A blast of energy shot out and struck the evil man down, revealing that he was not actually Seth at all, but instead the strange shapeshifter from the Prudential Building.
Seto grunted as Alyson was thrown back against him forcefully from the blast and struggled to keep his balance. It must take a lot of training to be able to use it properly, he thought now, but it's not bad for her first attempt.
Vivalene blinked, startled as well, but also impressed. "Very good, child," she said, flipping her hair nonchalantly and making no move to help her cronie stand up. "It should be very entertaining for you to use it while you and Kaiba are trapped in here together. Of course . . . you won't be here for too terribly long. We have a surefire plan in action to get the other boy we need for our little plot and then . . ." She paused and smirked, revealing all of her pearly white teeth. Seto decided that she looked like a vampyre. "Then our great beast shall be unleashed upon the world, and I shall receive all the earthly treasures my little heart could desire!"
"Shadi would say that you can't ever get real happiness from earthly treasures, especially if you have to hurt others to get them!" Alyson retorted angrily.
"Oh, is that so?" Vivalene said vaguely. "Well, what would the deceased guardian know of such matters? I doubt he ever desperately wanted gold or silver or precious gems, as I do." She played with the pearls around her neck. "But we really mustn't waste any more time here, dearie. I have so much to do."
"Yeah? Well, why don't you start by taking a nice nap?!" Alyson yelled, directing another blast at the evil woman.
Vivalene ducked, barely managing to dodge Alyson's skillful aim.
Instantly Seto ran forward and kicked her legs out from under her, sending her sprawling to the floor. "Come on," he growled to Alyson, grabbing her and dashing off down the hall.
"You can run, Kaiba darling, but you can't hide!" Vivalene yelled after him. "And you'll never get out of here alive!!"
Her wicked cackle echoed throughout the dark, dank halls as Seto and Alyson tore down the deserted stone pathways. The young CEO didn't even bother to figure out what Vivalene meant. He knew the place was likely to be booby-trapped. But he was certain that he would be able to get past it all.
****
In the meantime, Tristan, Mrs. Perkins, Duke, and Serenity had combed the entire city and then had wound up meeting up in front of the hospital.
"Nothing?" Tristan sighed in frustration.
"She's nowhere around!" Duke replied, throwing his hands up in the air.
"She might be hurt somewhere!" Serenity worried.
A siren interrupted their conversation as a police car drove up and parked, followed by several more.
"Something must be going on here," Tristan blinked in surprise.
"What's happening, Officer?" Mrs. Perkins called.
The policeman turned. "We have a hostage situation in the hospital," he replied grimly. "A bunch of people, most of them teenagers, are being held against their will in a waiting room."
The little group of four exchanged concerned glances, each one wondering the same thing. By any chance, could it be their friends, and in Serenity's case, her family?!
****
Of course it was. Inside the said waiting room, the "janitors" were busy pointing their rifles at everyone and ordering them to do what they wanted.
"And what exactly is it you want?" Yami Yugi asked calmly.
"The Egyptian kid," the second janitor answered.
"I expected as much," Marik said, stepping forward.
"Brother, you cannot give yourself up to them!!" Ishizu screamed. "That cannot be the answer!! It cannot be!!"
Marik looked down, clenching his fists and trying to decide what he should do. Please, he prayed fervently, I do not want anyone to be harmed. Tell me what I must do!
Before he could get his answer, one of the guns clicked abruptly as the third janitor pointed it at Mokuba, obviously intending to shoot him as a warning.
"Mokuba!! No!!" Bakura cried, getting in the way. The poor boy screamed in pain as the bullet tore through his shoulder.
"Bakura!!!" Mokuba and everyone else yelled in alarm.
"You dolt!!!" Yami Bakura scolded, kneeling down next to Bakura as the boy writhed in agony on the floor.
"You want more of your friends and your family to get hurt?" the first janitor hissed at Marik.
The boy gazed back, fury building within him once again. "You devils," he whispered with conviction. "You set the explosion earlier and now you are doing this!!"
"Perceptive," the second custodian grinned. "And what are you going to do about it?"
Marik took a deep breath, knowing that he would never be able to figure it out as long as he had hatred in his heart. But still . . . knowing that he was facing those who had tried to kill them all earlier, harming first Rex, Yami Bakura, and Rishid, then Ishizu and now Bakura . . . it was hard to push the hatred away. Slowly he began to remove the dagger from the Millennium Rod.
"Brother!!" Rishid called to him steadily. "Please . . . do not lose focus. Do not give in to your hatred." He paused, knowing the words that could jar the boy back to the present but not wanting to have to throw them at him.
Joey, however, was more than willing to do so. "Remember Battle City, Marik!!" he yelled.
Bakura looked up weakly. "These people may very well deserve to be tortured," he rasped, "but . . . it isn't your decision to make, Marik. . . ." He groaned, unable to handle the pain and loss of blood. "Someone . . . please help me . . ."
Yami Bakura cradled the boy on his lap while Yugi and Téa ran over as well. "Perhaps Marik is not willing to give in to hatred again, but I am," he hissed.
"Yami, please don't," Bakura whispered.
The janitors watched all of this with amusement, considering it high-class entertainment.
Marik gritted his teeth, finally sheathing the dagger once more and letting his hands drop to his sides. His family and friends were right, he knew. Charging in a fit of hatred wouldn't solve anything and would probably wind up with him *and* everyone else being killed—which was just what the enemy wanted.
"A coward, huh?" the first fake caretaker sneered.
"Quite on the contrary," Ishizu said angrily. "Marik has just done a very brave thing, and he knows that we all, especially Rishid and I, are extremely proud of him."
A tear slipped from Marik's eye and he looked up firmly. "Yes, I know," he said in a soft tone. "I know."
Suddenly a bright light glowed in the middle of the floor and began to expand, causing everyone to stumble back in shock.
"What's happening?!" Téa screamed.