Happy Easter! Here's the next chapter, posted in celebration of the
end of Lent. I had given up chocolate, and have thus consumed vast amounts
of the heavenly substance today.
Thanks to all my wonderful reviewers. Nothing makes my day quite like a
few new reviews! Yes, I realize that may be bordering on pathetic, but I
don't care.
Also, if you like my stuff in general (and especially Seto-centric stuff) read my new one-shot, 'Paper Dragon'. I'm really happy with how that one turned out, so if you have a minute, read and review!
On with the story...
*~*~*
Seto was currently experiencing the unpleasant sensation of having all his muscles cramp up at once. He had tried to keep up his circulation by using what little mobility he was granted, but every movement threatened to bring tears to his eyes. So he had stayed perfectly still, and now even that was causing him pain.
Easier to tolerate but harder to ignore was the torrent of thoughts running in his head. How had he known that Mokuba was safe? Why had he been so sure that his little brother was out of these bastards' grasp?
// It's not safe here. Leave at once. Go somewhere safe. //
He remembered standing by the window in his room. He remembered the cold wind and the moonlight and Mokuba's terrified eyes. He had wrapped his arms around Mokuba and whispered those words.
But that was impossible. The night was a blur, probably thanks to the blow to the head he had received. There was no way he had been able to warn his brother. After all, he hadn't known he was in danger until. . . Seto shook his head, trying to clear the conflicting memories. This inherit knowledge was too much like that crap Yugi and his friends were into- fate and past lives and miracles. Maybe he was chained and hurt and alone, but there was no way Seto was going to give up on reality.
Maybe he hadn't known that Mokuba was safe. Maybe he had blurted that out to test Trigg. Maybe Trigg's reaction alone had given him the truth, not some foggy false memory. That was probably it; he had acted on instinct to test his captor, and the head injury was just causing him problems.
Seto closed his eyes and slowly eased his head backwards to rest against the stone. The wall was cool and felt good.
New thoughts replaced those he had just put to rest: How long would his captors keep him here? What did they want him alive for? What would Mokuba do without him? The first two questions were gaping uncertainties, musings that caused nausea to rise in his chest. The last one provided at least a small measure of comfort. Seto had long ago promised never to leave Mokuba high and dry, and this would be no exception.
*~*~*
Trigg climbed a double set of stairs before reaching the heavy oak door. He didn't bother to knock or even pause; instead he slipped in and quietly shut the door behind him.
"How's our guest doing?"
Trigg glanced at the grey-haired man sitting alone in the room. His voice was rough from years of smoking, although his teeth remained a pristine white. He wore a navy suit and had the air of a man who owned everything around him, even though this wasn't the case.
Flashing a wry smile at his boss, Trigg walked over to the only other chair and dropped himself onto it. "We've got him comfortable. Only thing is, he seems to know that Mokuba is gone."
"I saw." Trigg's employer nodded his head towards a security monitor mounted on the wall. On screen was the shackled Seto, his head bent back and his eyes closed. "Did Kaiba warn his brother somehow?"
Trigg shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know, Boss. We cut the intercom before nabbing him. It's possible they've got a private system installed."
Sighing, the grey-haired man tapped his fingers against his chin. "This is important. Without Mokuba's permission, we can't make any drastic changes in the company. The only other way is to gain access to the main computer, but with Kaiba's paranoia streak, that will be rather difficult to achieve without the passwords."
"So what are we gonna do?"
"We either have to find Mokuba, or get the passwords out of Kaiba. You and Bawls will have to keep Seto company a bit longer, I'm afraid. But there's no need to get harsh yet; I'm sure Mokuba will turn up soon, and the more legitimate this comes about, the better. We'll just keep dear Seto alive as insurance."
Trigg nodded and stood. "Don't worry, I can keep him alive. Besides, I still have some things to talk to him about." At the door, he turned and looked back at his boss. "I still get him when we're done with this mess, right?"
The bright white teeth flashed, and a smoky chuckle escaped. "You can have him. Kill him, keep him; I don't care. Sometimes it seems like half the world wants his blood. Personally, I don't see how Kaiba evokes so much passion. I find a multi-billion company much more exciting."
*~*~*
Mr. Moto woke to the sounds voices coming from downstairs. He frowned, trying to recall if Yugi had said anything about having friends over. He couldn't remember, but at his age, he wouldn't be surprised if Yugi had told him all week. At any rate, he was due at a gaming convention in an hour, so Mr. Moto hastily went through his morning routine.
As he stepped into the living room, he saw his grandson talking intently with a large group of kids.
"Yugi, what's going on?" he asked with a smile. It always made him happy that Yugi had so many friends.
Yugi jumped slightly, than forced himself to relax. "Nothing much, grandpa. We were just... we just tried out that new duel monsters monopoly game."
"Ah. Be sure to tell me all about it when I get back this evening. Remember to offer your guests snacks, Yugi." Mr. Moto winked at Tea and left the room.
"Uh, Yugg, what's with the cover-up?" Joey asked.
"I just don't want Grandpa to worry. You know... he's old and stuff."
"I'm sorry," Mokuba sniffed. "You shouldn't have to lie to your family because of me."
Joey snorted. "It's not your fault, Mokuba." Though he left the rest unsaid, no one missed the implication. Noticing Tea's pointed glare, Yami jumped in to stop any brewing arguments between his friends.
"Okay, Mokuba has told us his story, so now we have to find a place to start."
"Hey, aren't you a really good hacker, Mokuba?" Tristen asked.
Mokuba blushed. "Well, not that good..."
"Maybe you could find some information on the internet. Hack into Seto's e- mail or something." Tristens's eyes were sparkling. He had seen too many spy movies than was healthy for him.
"If whoever kidnapped my brother is part of the company, chances are that they've already hacked into anything they can. And that's probably more than I can hack into." Mokuba tilted his head to the side, considering. "I guess I might find something to point out the bad guys... do you have Internet access here, Yugi?"
Yugi lead his young friend to his grandfather's computer. The connection was slow, but once online Mokuba's fingers flew across the keyboard. Joey leaned over Mokuba's shoulder and squinted at the screen, attempting to follow the kid's progress. "Soo... what are ya doing?" He asked.
"I'm searching Seto's personal files, and seeing which ones have been accessed since he disappeared. Unfortunately, this stuff is easy to get into, so Seto wouldn't put anything really important here. But I'll be able to see if anything was recently deleted."
"Wait, what's that?" Joey leaned forward and tapped at the screen. "'Mokuba.Alone.Instructions'" He read the file name out loud.
Mokuba frowned and clicked on the file. A list came up, detailing what Mokuba should do if circumstances left his brother indisposed for a few days. Mokuba had never seen this list before; he couldn't remember Seto ever mentioning it. Quickly scanning it, he was unsurprised by it's contents. Basically, it told him to get to school, eat a healthy supper, and finish his homework before any recreation. He shrugged and moved the cursor to close the file when Tea interrupted.
"Oh, you have a pet?" She smiled.
"Huh?"
"On the list. Number 13 is 'Remember to watch over Tabby'. Is that your cat?"
His frown deepened. "I- I used to put out food for a stray cat I called Tabby. But that was years ago, when Gozaburo was still alive. Seto told me not to get attached to her, but I told him that she was like us... it didn't matter, though, because it wasn't long before I found her dead by the road. Seto helped me bury her in the woods by our house."
Tea raised an eyebrow. "So why would he ask you to watch over a pet's grave?"
"Are you kidding?" Joey asked. "Kaiba is just paranoid enough to leave secret messages in a graveyard. After all, he doesn't exactly go for the sentimental, so I'm guessing there's a solid reason behind number 13." Under his breath, he added, "Kaiba may be a jerk, but he's a smart jerk."
Also, if you like my stuff in general (and especially Seto-centric stuff) read my new one-shot, 'Paper Dragon'. I'm really happy with how that one turned out, so if you have a minute, read and review!
On with the story...
*~*~*
Seto was currently experiencing the unpleasant sensation of having all his muscles cramp up at once. He had tried to keep up his circulation by using what little mobility he was granted, but every movement threatened to bring tears to his eyes. So he had stayed perfectly still, and now even that was causing him pain.
Easier to tolerate but harder to ignore was the torrent of thoughts running in his head. How had he known that Mokuba was safe? Why had he been so sure that his little brother was out of these bastards' grasp?
// It's not safe here. Leave at once. Go somewhere safe. //
He remembered standing by the window in his room. He remembered the cold wind and the moonlight and Mokuba's terrified eyes. He had wrapped his arms around Mokuba and whispered those words.
But that was impossible. The night was a blur, probably thanks to the blow to the head he had received. There was no way he had been able to warn his brother. After all, he hadn't known he was in danger until. . . Seto shook his head, trying to clear the conflicting memories. This inherit knowledge was too much like that crap Yugi and his friends were into- fate and past lives and miracles. Maybe he was chained and hurt and alone, but there was no way Seto was going to give up on reality.
Maybe he hadn't known that Mokuba was safe. Maybe he had blurted that out to test Trigg. Maybe Trigg's reaction alone had given him the truth, not some foggy false memory. That was probably it; he had acted on instinct to test his captor, and the head injury was just causing him problems.
Seto closed his eyes and slowly eased his head backwards to rest against the stone. The wall was cool and felt good.
New thoughts replaced those he had just put to rest: How long would his captors keep him here? What did they want him alive for? What would Mokuba do without him? The first two questions were gaping uncertainties, musings that caused nausea to rise in his chest. The last one provided at least a small measure of comfort. Seto had long ago promised never to leave Mokuba high and dry, and this would be no exception.
*~*~*
Trigg climbed a double set of stairs before reaching the heavy oak door. He didn't bother to knock or even pause; instead he slipped in and quietly shut the door behind him.
"How's our guest doing?"
Trigg glanced at the grey-haired man sitting alone in the room. His voice was rough from years of smoking, although his teeth remained a pristine white. He wore a navy suit and had the air of a man who owned everything around him, even though this wasn't the case.
Flashing a wry smile at his boss, Trigg walked over to the only other chair and dropped himself onto it. "We've got him comfortable. Only thing is, he seems to know that Mokuba is gone."
"I saw." Trigg's employer nodded his head towards a security monitor mounted on the wall. On screen was the shackled Seto, his head bent back and his eyes closed. "Did Kaiba warn his brother somehow?"
Trigg shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know, Boss. We cut the intercom before nabbing him. It's possible they've got a private system installed."
Sighing, the grey-haired man tapped his fingers against his chin. "This is important. Without Mokuba's permission, we can't make any drastic changes in the company. The only other way is to gain access to the main computer, but with Kaiba's paranoia streak, that will be rather difficult to achieve without the passwords."
"So what are we gonna do?"
"We either have to find Mokuba, or get the passwords out of Kaiba. You and Bawls will have to keep Seto company a bit longer, I'm afraid. But there's no need to get harsh yet; I'm sure Mokuba will turn up soon, and the more legitimate this comes about, the better. We'll just keep dear Seto alive as insurance."
Trigg nodded and stood. "Don't worry, I can keep him alive. Besides, I still have some things to talk to him about." At the door, he turned and looked back at his boss. "I still get him when we're done with this mess, right?"
The bright white teeth flashed, and a smoky chuckle escaped. "You can have him. Kill him, keep him; I don't care. Sometimes it seems like half the world wants his blood. Personally, I don't see how Kaiba evokes so much passion. I find a multi-billion company much more exciting."
*~*~*
Mr. Moto woke to the sounds voices coming from downstairs. He frowned, trying to recall if Yugi had said anything about having friends over. He couldn't remember, but at his age, he wouldn't be surprised if Yugi had told him all week. At any rate, he was due at a gaming convention in an hour, so Mr. Moto hastily went through his morning routine.
As he stepped into the living room, he saw his grandson talking intently with a large group of kids.
"Yugi, what's going on?" he asked with a smile. It always made him happy that Yugi had so many friends.
Yugi jumped slightly, than forced himself to relax. "Nothing much, grandpa. We were just... we just tried out that new duel monsters monopoly game."
"Ah. Be sure to tell me all about it when I get back this evening. Remember to offer your guests snacks, Yugi." Mr. Moto winked at Tea and left the room.
"Uh, Yugg, what's with the cover-up?" Joey asked.
"I just don't want Grandpa to worry. You know... he's old and stuff."
"I'm sorry," Mokuba sniffed. "You shouldn't have to lie to your family because of me."
Joey snorted. "It's not your fault, Mokuba." Though he left the rest unsaid, no one missed the implication. Noticing Tea's pointed glare, Yami jumped in to stop any brewing arguments between his friends.
"Okay, Mokuba has told us his story, so now we have to find a place to start."
"Hey, aren't you a really good hacker, Mokuba?" Tristen asked.
Mokuba blushed. "Well, not that good..."
"Maybe you could find some information on the internet. Hack into Seto's e- mail or something." Tristens's eyes were sparkling. He had seen too many spy movies than was healthy for him.
"If whoever kidnapped my brother is part of the company, chances are that they've already hacked into anything they can. And that's probably more than I can hack into." Mokuba tilted his head to the side, considering. "I guess I might find something to point out the bad guys... do you have Internet access here, Yugi?"
Yugi lead his young friend to his grandfather's computer. The connection was slow, but once online Mokuba's fingers flew across the keyboard. Joey leaned over Mokuba's shoulder and squinted at the screen, attempting to follow the kid's progress. "Soo... what are ya doing?" He asked.
"I'm searching Seto's personal files, and seeing which ones have been accessed since he disappeared. Unfortunately, this stuff is easy to get into, so Seto wouldn't put anything really important here. But I'll be able to see if anything was recently deleted."
"Wait, what's that?" Joey leaned forward and tapped at the screen. "'Mokuba.Alone.Instructions'" He read the file name out loud.
Mokuba frowned and clicked on the file. A list came up, detailing what Mokuba should do if circumstances left his brother indisposed for a few days. Mokuba had never seen this list before; he couldn't remember Seto ever mentioning it. Quickly scanning it, he was unsurprised by it's contents. Basically, it told him to get to school, eat a healthy supper, and finish his homework before any recreation. He shrugged and moved the cursor to close the file when Tea interrupted.
"Oh, you have a pet?" She smiled.
"Huh?"
"On the list. Number 13 is 'Remember to watch over Tabby'. Is that your cat?"
His frown deepened. "I- I used to put out food for a stray cat I called Tabby. But that was years ago, when Gozaburo was still alive. Seto told me not to get attached to her, but I told him that she was like us... it didn't matter, though, because it wasn't long before I found her dead by the road. Seto helped me bury her in the woods by our house."
Tea raised an eyebrow. "So why would he ask you to watch over a pet's grave?"
"Are you kidding?" Joey asked. "Kaiba is just paranoid enough to leave secret messages in a graveyard. After all, he doesn't exactly go for the sentimental, so I'm guessing there's a solid reason behind number 13." Under his breath, he added, "Kaiba may be a jerk, but he's a smart jerk."
