Chapter Eleven-Dinosaurs and Dungeons

Rex stared at Espa from his podium on the duelist's field. "Come on Roba! We don't have all day!"

Espa sighed deeply ,looking at his hand. He didn't have anything to play, and hadn't had anything in the entire duel. "I end my turn without playing a card."

His friend actually looked worried. "You haven't played anything decent this entire duel!"

The eldest Roba shook his head, with a groan. "I haven't had anything in my hand this entire duel, Rex. Go ahead and finish me off."

The dinosaur duelist scowled. "You're making this too easy, Roba! I know you've got cards in your deck that can win this for you!" He played a card face down. "That ends my turn." He felt really bad for Espa, and he was trying to keep from ending the duel, which his Two-headed Rex could've just done.

The psychic took a deep breath, and drew a card. Finally! I have a card to play! He thought, as he laid Cyber Raider on the field in Defense Mode.

"That's much better!" Rex played another card, and ended his turn.

"You should've attacked me, Rex. You'll see why next turn." Espa played another card face down, and stared at Rex.

Rex frowned, wondering what his friend was up to. He drew a card, then ended his turn again. "This is more like it, Roba. I knew you had tricks up your sleeve."

Espa smirked, as he sacrificed his Cyber Raider and Reflect Bounder to summon Jinzo. "Say hello to an old friend,Raptor."

Rex cringed, then grinned. "I look forward to losing to him." He knew what was coming next, when his opponent laid another card face down in the Magic/Trap zone of the field.

Espa nodded. He knew Rex understood. This was not about who won what duel. He had to get to his brothers. He looked into the stands where his headset was sitting beside Joey Wheeler. He had been forced to take it off, to prove that he was dueling legitimately. He hoped his brothers hadn't been trying to contact him.

"Hey,Espa, it's your turn!" His friend brought him back to awareness of the now.

"Alright. Reveal Magic card, Amplifier, and attach it to Jinzo!" Espa was beginning to understand why Joey had insisted he take Jinzo back. Like Joey's Time Wizard, Jinzo was his dueling security. He felt an overwhelming sense of confidence, just by Jinzo's appearance on the field. "I end my turn."

"That's too bad. I reveal a magic card now. Go,De-spell! That knocks off your Jinzo's biking helmet!"

Espa gasped, as the Amplifier card disappeared into the graveyard. "That can't be!"

"Sorry, Roba. It's for your own good." Rex told him, as he set hisTwo-Headed Rex after Jinzo. I'm sorry, Roba, but I can't have my sister taken away the same way Kaiba lost Mokuba. At least you'll be able to wander and find out what's going on.

Espa drew another card, shakily. If his Jinzo was attacked again, he was done. "I switch Jinzo into defense mode, and play a card face down, ending my turn."

"I play Serpent Knight Dragon. Attack his Jinzo!"

"NO!" Espa watched in horror, as Jinzo was demolished. "My last chance….gone…." He looked up at Rex, wondering what the dinosaur duelist was thinking. Come on, Rex…ease up! I have to get my brothers back,and I told you I would help get Monica out!

"Looks like you're finished, Espa." Rex said softly, from beside him.

"N-no….I can't lose, Rex! I'll lose my brothers!" Tears of frustration were beginning to form in Espa's eyes, as he ran off the field.

Rex watched him go, feeling very guilty.

"Hey, Raptor! What do you call that?!" Joey Wheeler glared at him. "We're supposed to be in this together, remember?!"

"We are. I played my best, he played his best. Don't you get all preachy with me, Wheeler. " Rex replied in a resigned sort of tone. He went after Espa now, with Joey closee behind him.

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Somewhere on another field, Cedric Wilson lost to Weevil, making the total of children lost in the duels a whopping eight. He stared at the insect duelist.

"You have promise you'll find my sisters, and take care of them, Weevil."

"I do." Weevil replied, helping his new friend stand up. "I wonder how Rex and Espa did. We should go find out."

Cedric nodded, and followed him back to the main arena, where the stands were empty. "I think it's over. I wonder who won…"

"That's easy to find out." Weevil pulled him along to the standings board. He looked at it until he found Rex and Espa's results. "Oh no! Espa lost!" He looked around wildly for Espa.

"That can't be good….." Cedric replied.

"Maybe he went back to the hotel! Come on!" Weevil dragged Cedric towards the hotel, but a suited man halted them.

"I'm sorry, but Mr. Wilson cannot enter the duelists' hotel. " He told them, pulling Cedric back.

"What are you talking about?! He IS a duelist!" Weevil exclaimed.

"Not anymore. According my boss, I am no longer allowed to let losing duelists remain. He must be ejected from the park."

"But….My sisters!" Cedric protested, as two more men dragged him away.

"They're no longer your concern." The first man sneered, walking off.

Weevil watched in horror, as Cedric was literally thrown out of the park, the gates locked behind him. His eyes widened behind his wire-rimmed glasses, and he raced to find Rex and the others before Espa suffered a similar fate.

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Back in the mirror maze,the Robas and the Wilsons were fighting to stay with their group, as a horde of Lorelai's minions came to drag them away.

"Wet her goes!" Monica Raptor tried to bite one of the men to free Alexandra.

"Get off of me,Runt!" The man kicked her away with a foot, and Kenny scooped her up.

"Jon!" Randi cried, as she was taken down one corridor, and her younger sisters another way.

"Miranda!" Jon struggled to hold on to Andrew, while Christien fought of his assailant alone.

"Donfin!" Lacey sat alone, watching her older friends being taken away from her, through teary eyes. "Tousin……" She buried her face in her hands, wanting Joey.

"It'll be okay, Kiddo." Seto, who'd been temporarily knocked unconscious slowly became aware of what was going on.

"Mister Kaiba!" Kenny ran to the only adult who wasn't trying to hurt them, with a terrified Monica in her arms.

Seto stood up, and gently held Joey's cousin in his arms. "Which way did they take them?" To his displeasure, the cries and screams had vanished as soon as they were out of the corridor.

"I….I don't know…." Kenny's voice trembled.

"Damn…." Seto patted Lacey's back gently, surprising himself with his genuine kindness to the young child. "I guess Cedric and Espa lost their duels.."

"Mister Kaiba, how are we going to get out of here?" Kenny petted Monica's damp hair.

"Wants brover…." The little Raptor whimpered, burying her face in Kenny's neck.

"Same here…." Kenny muttered, hugging the little one tightly.

"I don't know. I don't even know how they're getting around this place! It's like a zoo." Seto looked around, hearing more voices. He pulled Kenny and Monica close to him protectively, as he narrowed his eyes in the direction of the voices.

"Who is it?" Kenny asked, her eyes widening, and wincing, as Monica dug her little fingers into her shoulder in fear.

"I'm not sure." The CEO replied, taking a cautious step forward. "Stay close." He ordered Kenny. He returned his gaze to the blackened corridor. "Show yourselves, immediately!" He demanded furiously. He'd had enough of this maze, and this cruel host as well.

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"Leave them alone!" Jon demanded desperately, as he watched his younger brothers, including Baby Espa, being put into glass cells, that were reminiscent of department store windows. "Please! Don't hurt the little ones!" He begged the woman in the black dress that stood in front of him now.

"I will do what I wish." Lorelai replied with a smirk. "It won't be long until the next batch of tranquilizer is finished, then you can have your very own cage."

Jonathan scowled at that. "My brother's gonna rip you apart!"

Lorelai threw her head back and laughed evilly. "No chance of that, young Jonathan. He is dead to me. Didn't you hear? He lost."

"So what?! He'll find us!" Jonathan shot back, but he didn't feel as confident as he wanted to believe he was.

"You hope." She returned to her lab table.

"Where's Mokuba Kaiba?!" Randi demanded from across the room.

"He is out of my hair, for good." Lorelai replied coldly. "Just like your sisters will soon be."

"My….NO! They're just babies!" Randi looked over at her twin sisters, who had been allowed to share a cell. "Don't worry, Alex, Cynnie. I'll get you out!"

"Foolish child! How do you pose to do that?!" Lorelai headed towards the door to her lair, after turning on the air conditioner. "I hope it won't get too cold for you." She walked out.

Jonathan struggled with his bonds, terrified for himself, and everyone in the room. Espa….how could you lose?! Who did you go up against that was so tough? Joey? Weevil, perhaps? Well,I won't let you down, Big Brother. I will take care of them. I promised. "Randi….try and get at the tape. If we can moisten it, we can get ourselves free. It's our only chance. "

Randi nodded, tears blinding her vision, as she began to gnaw. "I have to get them out. They get sick so easily. This cold will kill them."

"Don't worry, Randi. We'll figure this out." Jon hoped he wouldn't disappoint his new friend, as he continued to gnaw. He only hoped Weevil, Joey and Rex didn't lose their next duels. If all the children were caught, it would be the end.