Chapter Fourteen-Escape from Alcatraz

"Well, now…it's been about two weeks in your time, but only a mere two days in this time since we've seen or heard from Mokuba. Could it be he has failed to bring back that so-called help you were bragging about,Seto?" Gozabouro Kaiba taunted.

"Shut your mouth. Mokuba will come back. He wants nothing more than to save his friends and family." Kaiba growled.

"Oh so now Noa's family. I see…." The former CEO sneered, turning away from him.

"We're better to him than you'll ever be again. What are you trying to prove by destroying the only world he can survive in?!"

"That is no concern of yours." Gozabouro snapped his fingers and Krump came forward. "Has the tomb raider reported back?"

"Yes, he has. The girl and her young friend Marik Ishtar are sealed away."

"The Key, Krump, the Key. Did he tell you where that was?" Kaiba Senior glared at him.

"Yes Sir. It seems that Seto Kaiba has it." Krump smirked at Kaiba, as Gozabouro moved to search him.

Kaiba glared back at Krump, before delivering a sharp kick to Gozabouro. "You even think about touching me again, you'll regret it. Now let us out!"

"I'm afraid I can't do that."

"No, but I can!" Noa had escaped through the door while Gozabouro fought with Seto. "Don't worry, Seto. We'll be out soon."

"Get away from there, you little brat!" Gansley caught up to Noa.

"Make me!" Noa pushed a few buttons, releasing Seto from their glass prison. "Let's go! Our ride is here." He ran out with the CEO at his heels.

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"Seto! You're out!" Mokuba greeted his brothers joyously. "I brought Marik back. He went to the Shadow Realm to get Veronica."

"Bad news, kid. One of the yamis trapped Marik and Veronica there." Seto looked at Noa. "Well, where's this ride?!"

"There! Come, Skye!" Noa's loyal Blue Eyes landed, and they all boarded him.

"Are you sure this thing can carry us all?" Seto lamented.

"Positive. To the base, Skye. Hurry." Noa was worried about Veronica. Things had been so bad for her lately. This is all my fault. I should've sent her back! I should've kept my word,but I only succeeded in putting her in danger! I have to get her home, soon!

"Noa, is it the real Shadow Realm?"

"Thankfully, no. We can get there by Virtual Key. " Noa replied, coming out of his depressing fog. "She'll never forgive me for this!"

"Of course she will, Noa." Mokuba consoled, hoping he was right. "I forgave you, remember? And believe me, that was far worse."

The older of the brothers grunted. "Yes."

Noa nodded. Seto had yet to completely forgive him for that. "You're right, Moku-chan." He smiled to himself, as the pad where the base had been came into sight.

"How are we going to get it out of the water with no one inside it?" Mokuba asked, as they climbed down from Skye.

"I still maintain control of the voice activation system. It will obey my commands." With that he issued several vocal commands, and watched as little by little, the fortress reemerged.

"Cool!" Mokuba followed Noa on to the base. "So, can we get Veronica and Marik back now?"

"Soon enough. I have to move us again, before they find us." Noa began to do that, while the other Kaibas waited. "There's soda in my kitchen if you two want something to drink. This could take a few hours."

"Hours?!" Seto snapped. "I don't have hours, Noa! Veronica probably doesn't either!"

"I don't make the rules." Noa shrugged, but he knew Seto was more than likely right. "Oh. Before I forget. Mokuba, give me the Virtual Key. I'm going to need that to bring them back."

"Right." Mokuba handed it over, then went off to explore the base.

"Don't go too far, Mokuba!" Seto cautioned, but his warning was lost on the boy, as he bounded down the hall.

"Stop worrying so much, Seto. He's safe in here." Noa glanced up from his typing.

"Yeah….Sure." Seto sighed deeply. "Noa, look. How long exactly will this take?"

"I told you, I'm not certain. If you don't wanna wait for me to do it this way, you can go down to the engines and start them manually."

"No, that's okay. I just really have to get back to work." Seto grunted at Noa's exasperated expression now. "What? That's how Mokuba and I survive."

"I understand. It's just…that's exactly how Ronnie's brother is. He won't even take off for minute to spend time with her."

"That's not my problem." Seto replied coldly.

"It is your problem, actually. He thinks he's exactly like you." Noa regarded him sternly.

"How can I help, when to her, we're just cartoons?"

"I don't think she thinks that anymore." Noa snickered slightly. "At any rate, you're right. You can't help him. But I think her being gone a while has taught him a valuable lesson."

"I hope you're right." Seto still disapproved of what Noa had done, but there was no use arguing with him about something that couldn't be undone.

"I know I am." The other boy replied, before returning to his work.

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Marik was pacing worriedly. He couldn't get Veronica to budge. She seemed to be in a deep depression,or was it a state of break down? He couldn't decide. Either way, the child just wouldn't move. I have to get us out of here, but I'll need her help! He looked over at Veronica again, with a sigh. "Veronica. I need you to help me, okay?"

"I can't do anything right. I can't be a sister, I can't help Noa….I should just stay here."

"You can still help Noa! He's still counting on you. I can get us out of here, but I need your cooperation." Marik replied desperately. He knelt to her level now. "Come on, Veronica. We can't let the yamis have their way. We have to get out, and help Noa, remember? Isn't that what you want to do?"

After a minute, Veronica nodded. "Yeah." She stood up. "What can I do?"

"Just stand back at the moment. I'm going to try and blast the door open." He removed his Millennium Rod, and aimed it at the door. The Egyptian boy noted that Veronica stepped back farther than was necessary. More than likely, he realized,she knows the power of the Item from that TV show of hers. Marik still found the entire idea that He and his siblings were nothing more than cartoons to Veronica weird. After a minute of careful aim, the Rod took a shot at the door. To Marik's surprise, the beam went straight through it. "What in the…." He then realized what the truth of the situation was. "Veronica! We're still in the Virtual World!"

The girl's eyes lit up, and she seemed to become totally different. "Come on then! Let's get out of here." If she'd realized it herself, Veronica could've left long beforehand. That didn't matter to her now. She grabbed Marik's hand, and they stepped through the door, and out into the darkness that was Shadow Realm. Somehow, Veronica had newfound strength, and she was ready to take on Yami Marik again, if necessary. "There's only one problem. Without the Virtual Key, I can't get us out. I left it with Seto Kaiba."

"Don't worry. We will find a way. You're not alone anymore, young one." Marik put a hand on her shoulder. "We'd do well to avoid confronting my yami though."

"I agree…" Veronica shuddered. "He's scary." She smiled at him. "I'm glad you got free."

"That makes two of us. Now come, let us get away from here." Marik smiled, leading her away from the dreaded temple.