~*A.N: Okay, so at least you people would some clue on who's stalking Tea, it's a he…hey wait a minute? That could mean anybody ::evil laughter::*~

~*First Suspect, First Kill*~

            The blood-curling scream continued to shriek as Tea gazed into the eyes of the masked figure.

            "Whoa, whoa Tea," the masked one removed his mask. "It's me! It's me Joey!"

            "Joey?" Tea looked up at her blonde-haired, yet dimwitted friend Joey. She then slapped him right across the face. "How dare you Joey?!?"

            "I told you it was a stupid idea Joey." Soon, Yugi and Yami popped out from the bushes.

            "What…" Tea's voice was shaking. "What idea?"

            "Well," Yugi yanked off his monkey mask from Joey. "Joey had this idea on stopping by your house and cheer you up after what happened today. Unfortunately, we didn't realize what kind of plan Joey had in mind."

            "Joey that wasn't funny! Why don't you explain about the phone calls."

            "Phone calls?" Joey gave Tea a strange look. "I didn't call you."

            "Well somebody did."

            "You mean Santa called you?" Joey tossed the fake knife up and down. "The fat man from the north called?"

            Yami glared at Joey. "Save the jokes for later blondie." He then stepped inside. "Give me a few moments with her. You two just wait outside."

            Joey gave Yami a face. "Why? We can just drive back to Yugi's house."

            "Because I'll be kicking your ass soon." Yami sneered.

            "Why you…" Joey was ready to pound his friend.

            "Whoa, take it easy Joey." Yugi tried to restrain Joey from acting like a tough guy.

            Yami had a huge grin on his face. "You look so cute when you act so tough."

            "What?" Joey glared at Yami, still struggling against Yugi's grasp.

            "Take it easy Joey." Yugi continued to restrain his friend. "You want to wake up the whole neighborhood."

            Laughing softly, Yami closed the door behind him, hugging Tea in his arms. "Want to tell me what happened?"

            "I..I…my secret Santa…" Tea stuttered.

            "Shhh…" Yami nuzzled his head on hers. "It's all right. You don't have to tell me if that's what you wish."

            Suddenly she heard something drop to the red carpet. Looking down, she saw a cell phone. It all came down to her. Was Yami doing all this? Could he be my Secret Santa? She looked up at Yami, her features are of fear and horror. Taking a step back, she grabbed the phone from the table.

            "Tea?" Yami looked at her curiously, then managed to find out what she was thinking. "Wait a minute. You don't think…Tea there is no way I'll do that to you."

            Without a second thought, Tea turned and ran up the stairs with the phone in her hand.

            "Tea wait!" Yami ran after her.

            Still running, Tea dashed inside the bathroom, locking herself in. She could hear Yami pounding on the door, screaming for her to unlock the door. Sitting on the floor, she dialed 911, placing the phone in her ear.

            911." The operator greeted her.

            "Hello? Police…anybody, my boyfriend…somebody just called me saying he wants to kill me!"

            "You're Anzu Mazaki aren't you?"

            "Y-yes." Tea replied meekly.

            "We just sent an officer to your house earlier. Apparently, a neighbor of yours called complaining about the noise. We'll let the officer know about the situation."

            "Thank you." She then hung up the phone.

            Yami started to pound the door. "Tea damn it, open the fucking door!! I wasn't the one who made those calls or the letters! I swear!"

            "You can tell that to the chief when we take you downtown." A tall lanky officer slowly emerged from the darkness. Behind him were two other officers. Both of them were taller, not to mention having a little more muscle.

            "Namu?" Yami was startled. "What the hell? You work for them now?!?"

            "Hey," Namu took out his nightstick. "It was either working as a cop or doing five in the state prison."

            "I wonder if the cops looked at your records carefully Namu." Yami glared down at him. "I wonder if this is the same Namu who jacked the principal's car, shoplifted twice and assaulted Ryou."

            "You just keep your fat mouth shut." A smirk curled Namu's lips. Snapping his fingers twice, the two officers from behind stepped forward. Each took hold of Yami by the arm, pinning him to the wall.

            "What the? Hey wait a minute!!" Yami struggled to free himself from the officers' hold.

            "Hold your tongue Yami." Namu glared at the former pharaoh, knocking on the door. "Tea open up. It's all right, the cops got Yami on hold. You can open the door."

            "Namu?" Tea's voice seeped through the cracks of the door. "Is that really you?"

            "Don't be silly," he smiled. "Of course it's me."

            Slowly, the door opened, a tear-stained Tea standing there. Ass soon as the two stood face to face, Tea threw her arms around him. "Oh wow Namu! It's been so long. Why aren't you in school anymore?"

            Namu smiled. "I work for the police now. It was either that or do five year in the ward."

            "I guess that's good," she released her hold on him. "I don't know…it's just…someone just called my house. I've got a death threat in my locker and a dead rat."

            "And you think Yami's doing this?"

            "Look, I'm not so sure."

            "Tea!!" Yami continued to struggle. "I swear, I'm innocent! Innocent I tell you! Do you actually think I would do this…"

            With his thumb pointing over his shoulder, Namu locked his gaze with Yami's. "Take him outside."

            The two officers lifted Yami up and headed down the stairs. Namu and Tea followed behind. As soon as they reached outside, the first officer pinned Yami on the trunk of the car. The second officer yanked Yami's arms and handcuffed his wrists.

            Meanwhile, Joey and Yugi looked on in wonder, stunned at the scene that played about.

            "Tea," Yugi couldn't believe what he was seeing. "What's going on?"

            "Yeah," Joey crossed his arms over his chest. "What gives Tea? Why is Yami getting the cuffs?"

            Before Tea could answer, Namu stepped forward. "You two should go home. Tea and Yami have to come along with us to downtown for questioning."

            "No way!" Joey and Yugi were stunned. "You can't do that! Yami's got his rights!" Yugi yelled. "Namu you dumb ass, since you're a cop, you gotta do your job!"

            "Uh….Yugi," Joey scratched his head, giving Yugi a strange look. "Only American cops read their rights."

            Yugi suddenly felt embarrassed. "Oh yeah, I forgot."

            "Hmph!!" Namu looked down at Yugi. "I could have you arrested for harassing me."

            "You wouldn't dare!" Yugi raised his fist towards Namu.

            "All right Yugi," Joey said in a sing-song voice. "I think Namu has heard enough of your intelligence for one night." He then picked up his friend, clamping his hand over Yugi's mouth. "Come on Yugi, back to Grandpa's game shop for you. Let's not wake up the whole neighborhood all right?" he then carried his friend to the car.

            "So here's how the story goes. It started in the morning when your teacher decided that your class is playing Secret Santa. After class, you found a dead rat in your locker and a letter saying that you will be dead on Christmas Day?"

            Tea nodded, slouching on the leather chair. The police station had been running hectic that night. Namu had taken Yami to another room leaving Tea with Rishid, who recently became a detective.

            "Yes, I'm kinda surprised that someone would take this Secret Santa thing seriously."

            Rishid adjusted his glasses, looking up at the missing posters on the wall before looking back at Tea. "Does a Midori Hamasaki go to your school?"

            "Well, yes. She is my cousin after all."

            Rishid quirked an eyebrow, gazing at Tea. "Is that so? Well, I have a strong belief that your case and your cousin's case could be connected. Now, enough of that, I would like to ask why you think it's Yami?"

            "Look, I don't know anymore. I was just so freaked out at what happened. When I saw his cell phone, I thought it was him."

            "Well, Yami is in the other room with Namu for questioning. Hmmm…do you have any other boyfriend in a previous relationship?"

            Tea's face blushed at the question. "Actually, yes. I used to go out with my friend Marik. He's now going out with my cousin. Hey wait a minute.  You don't think he could have done it?!?!?! He just can't!! He cares too much about Midori!!"

            "Madam, calm down." Rishid placed his hand on Tea's shoulder. "We will just question him. He is not a suspect." He then stood up. "Come, let's just join your friend Namu."

            "Look, I would never, ever do anything to hurt Tea! You know as well as I know that I love her!" Yami and Namu were in another room, more likely his office.

            "Yami, if you don't calm down, I'll put you in the cell for the night. Just answer a few questions." Namu sat on his desk, taking out a notepad. Suddenly, Rishid entered the room. Stepping to the side, opening the door wider, Tea stepped in, her eyes gazing at the floor as she took a seat.

            "Now Yami," Namu grinned. "If you didn't make those threats towards your girlfriend, then what were you, Yugi and Joey doing at Tea's house in the dead of the night?"

            Yami sucked in his breath. "Me, Yugi and Joey were planning to cheer Tea up after what she had been through today. Joey had the idea of putting on an idiotic costume and show up in front of Tea's door. We didn't know what kind of costume it was until we arrived at her house."

            "What's up with the cell phone business that Tea has been telling me?" Rishid sat on a chair next to her. He took out a cigarette and a lighter, lighting it up.

            "These days, cell phones are very popular detective." Yami glanced at Rishid.

            Rishid nodded. "Yes, yes that's true." He jotted something down on his notepad. "We'll run a background check on your phone account. Both of yours, Tea and Yami," he turned to Namu. "We might as well take a visit to Domino High tomorrow and interview these three."

            "Right." Namu nodded. He saw a silhouette right through the window.

            "What is it Namu?" Rishid stood up, looking out the window.

            Namu pressed his hand on the glass. "I thought I saw someone."

            "Who is it?"

            Namu shook his head. "Don't know. Never got a good glance of the figure. Whoever it is, they're gone."

            "That's odd." Rishid looked out the window before turning towards Yami and Tea. "You two may go but we will drop by tomorrow."

            Tea and Yami nodded, standing up and leaving the room.

            Meanwhile, the figure smirked as he watched the two leaving the police station from his rearview mirror. A small laugh escaped his lips as he looked over the backseat of the car at a now beaten and unconscious Midori. With a blanket in hand, he tossed it over the young girl. Taking out a cell phone, he dialed up Tea's cell number.

            The phone rang once…twice…three times…suddenly a voice greeted him. "Hello?"

            He laughed softly, hearing Tea's voice. "Ah my little sweet. I see you have told the police your little story about us. Being a very naughty little girl now are you." His voice had stick with its seductive, dark self.

            "Oh shit…" Tea stuttered.

            "Tea," he could hear Yami in the background. "What's going on? Who's that?"

            The smirk never left his lips. "Ah yes. I see you have brought your boyfriend along. It's so cute on how you think your boyfriend had the brains behind all this."

            "You son of a bitch!!" Tea screamed. "You leave me alone right now!"

            "Tea," Midori called out weakly. "Tea, I'll tell you who's that calling you. It's…it's…"

            The figure turned around, smacking Midori right in the face as hard as he could. "You. You say my name one more time when I'm talking to someone and I'll dissect you piece by piece." His voice raged. He then turned back to the phone. "As for you Tea, I wouldn't be trying any funny stuff at any day. I'll be watching you." Laughing softly, he turned off the phone and looked back at Midori. "My poor dear. You don't seem to be doing good these days." Reaching into his bag, he took out a vial of clear liquid.

            "What…what the hell is that?" Midori's eyes widened.

            "Something that will soothe you my dear." He then inserted the needle into her skin. Suddenly, Midori started to fall asleep feeling dull.

            Smiling at his work, he reached for the phone, punching in a few numbers. Placing the receiver in his ear, he listened to the ring once…twice…

            "Hello?" a soft voice answered.

            "Hey Serenity," the caller smirked. "Where are you?"

            "Oh hey. Well, I'm at the skating rink right now."

            "Skating rink huh? In the forests?"

            "Actually yes."

            "Hmmm…" he smiled. "You wouldn't mind meeting me there would you?"

            "Whatever for? Can't you just talk on the phone?"

            Trying to escape so soon m'dear? "Well, you see Serenity my phone is dying."

            "Oh, I see. Well, I was about to go home but I guess I can spare a few minutes."

            "Good, I'll see you there." Turning off the phone, he then started up the engine.

            Serenity was sitting on the tree stump packing up her skates. Her eyes gazed towards the ice. She was excited about tomorrow when she and her friends are going skating after school.

            Suddenly, she looked up seeing someone familiar approaching her. "Oh there you are." She stood up, making her way towards her friend. "So, out with it. What is so important that you wanted to talk about?"

            Serenity's friend smirked, grabbing her by the neck. "You seem to love the rink quite a lot." Pulling her closer, lifting her in the air, he made his way down the rink, noticing a picket sign. "Ah, and what's this?" his eyes squinted. "Thin Ice." He read.

            "Let go of me! Serenity squealed. "What's gotten into you?"

            "Poor Serenity," the smirk never left his face. "I know for a fact that you can't swim." He released his grip on her neck.

            "What are you gonna do?"        Serenity's eyes widened with fear.

            "That's easy." He then forced her body inside the icy water, holding her there for a few seconds. "I'll give you free swimming lessons m'dear." He watched Serenity's arms flying over, splashing her attacker with the water, which had not bothered him.

            Minutes passed by as the struggling stopped. Pulling her body out of the water, he gazed upon the pale face. A soft laugh came about as he whispered. "You could become by living mannequin if you wanted but you'll only prove to be worthless to me." He then tossed her body inside the water, slowly walking out of the forests.

~*To Be Continued*~