Chapter Eight-Island Paradise

"Wow!" Jonathan stepped on to the dock, looking at the Kaiba boat a little while later. "Are we going to rent it?"

"No. We're going to take it. I learned how to pilot this thing a while ago." Mokuba informed him. "The life jackets are down below. " He climbed aboard the yacht sized boat.

"Alright." Jon carried Little E downstairs to the lower deck. "Hey, are you sure this is a good idea?"

"It's the best idea I ever had!" Mokuba assured him. He glanced over at Christien, who was having a hard time with Andrew. "Is he okay?"

"He's afraid of water." Chris explained. "Come on, Lee. We're gonna be able to see Espa soon,okay?"

"Really soon." Mokuba put in. "But for a while, we'r e gonna have our own adventure, on an island!" Mokuba received a toothless smile in response, as the young boy boarded the craft.

"I hope we know what we' re doing..." Christien suddenly look worried, as he followed.

"It'll be okay,Tommy." Mokuba told him. It felt strange, calling everyone by their middle names. "Seto will make sure Espa doesn't worry too much. You didn't call him, did you?"

"No....but I'm beginning to think we should." Chris decided.

"No! That'd ruin everything. Besides, we might not be alone soon."

"What do you mean?" Chris asked him suspiciously.

"I can't tell you now."

"EJ! You have to wear one!" Jon insisted from below, as Little E came tearing up on to the main deck.

Mokuba caught the baby Roba up in his arms,and grinned. "Come on,E. You have to." He glanced over at Andrew. "Hey there, Lee. Why not get your power suit on?"

"Kay!" Andy went downstairs to get "suited" up for his mission.

"I'll bring one up for you, Tommy." Mokuba went downstairs with the baby Roba to get his own life jacket on.

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A few minutes later, the young Robas and Mokuba were in the middle of the water, and moving towards their destination. Christien's mind was full of worries. Would they be able to survive without their elder siblings? Did Mokuba have a back up plan? How long would they have to be out there? His other brothers seemed to be enjoying themselves, as they fed the fish off the side of the boat. Andrew in particular seemed to be blossoming already. He studied the interaction between the second youngest Roba and Mokuba. Their friend seemed to know just how to communicate with Andy.

"Tome heres, Tommy!" Andrew called him over to the side of the boat now, and the middle Roba gave in.

"What is it?" He followed Andrew's point to see a piece of land.

"That's it. That's where we're going." Mokuba told him. "You're smart, Lee." He turned to Jon and Chris. "You guys should go down below and get a few things together, okay?"

"Tan haves toys?" Andrew asked now.

"Of course!" Jon replied, pulling his baby brother away from the railing. "Come on, EJ. Let's go get some things together."

"Bish!" E replied, pouting.

"I know! I see them! We'll feed them some more later. " Jon looked over at Christien. "You coming to help me?"

"I'll be right down..." Christien was studying the island itself now. It looked too big to be uninhabited. When his brothers were down stairs, he looked at Mokuba. "Steve, are you sure this place isn't used at all? It looks a little too big to be empty. "

"I'm certain. My brother owns it." Mokuba replied, scowling at the sound of his middle name. "Besides, no one would dare step foot on this island without a contract. Either Seto or I would have to be with them."

"I see...." Christien studied the land as it grew closer. "I hope we'll be all right."

"We will be. I've got a secret stash that might still be good from last Summer. I ran away for a whole week."

"I remember....Oh! This is that place??"

"Yep! I promised Jon I'd bring him, and here we are. I just wish it was under different circumstances." He moved to the head of the boat now, to steer into it's personal dock. "Land ho!"

"We're there!" Christien called to his elder brother and their two younger ones.

"Wait!" Mokuba called. "Jon, you go first with your brothers. Head straight up the shore. There should be a tree with a ladder. That's my hut. There's a rope bridge that leads across to t he store hut. Take our supplies there."

"Wow. You guys really did live here." Christien remarked, as he followed Jon off of the yacht. "Mokuba......I mean.....Steve. Won't the coast guard note the yacht's appearance?"

"Nah. Like I said. Seto comes out here sometimes. They won't think twice." He followed the Robas now,making sure to take the k eys to the boat with him.

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"Wow! Look at this place!" Jon was amazed at the enormous space they had in a seemingly small tree house. "We could even make personal spaces in here!"

"Yeah! Hey,do you guys have coconuts?" Christien asked now. He had an idea.

"Yeah, I think so. We get them shipped every month from Hawaii. Seto loves coconuts." Mokuba skittered across the storage hut. "Yep! Fresh!"He brought one back to Chris. "What did you need it for?"

"Well, we can use the milk in it for nourishment, like real milk." Chris proceeded to carve a t he nut with a knife he'd found. "If I can get it open, that is."

"Smart thinking." Jon unpacked the blankets they'd brough t from the group home. "I think we should make a list of things we might still need to make."

"Great plan." Mokuba replied. Then he laughed. "Guys, look at Andrew and EJ." He'd forgotten to use their middle names.

The Robas looked. The two younges t were building a sand fort at the base of the tree. "Dis ways,EJ!" Andrew showed the three-year-old how to pat the sand to firmness. "Sees?"

"Uh huh." The baby followed his older brother's example. "Dis house!"

"House? 'kay !" Andrew looked up at Jon and Chris. "We maked house!"

"I see that." Jon grinned. "Why don't you help Little E clean off,so we can get ready for dinner?" The sun was setting now, and he wondered how they would get food together. "Do either of you know how to make a fire?"

"Well...I can try. I saw Seto do it a few times." Mokuba frowned, using his rope swing to go below. "We'll need sticks."

"I get!" Andrew followed Mokuba's example.

"Wait up,Andy!" Jonathan called. He turned to Jonathan. "Are you gonna stay up here?"

"Yeah. EJ's asleep." He covered Little E up,and smiled. He was content, for not being with his older brother. This whole thing seemed totally natural to him.

Later, the Robas and Mokuba were eating s'mores . It wasn't a nutritious dinner,but it was something, and not one of them complained. They settled down to sleep shortly after that. The real work of setting up life would begin t he next morning.

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"I want to know where they are,Seto!" Espa exclaimed. "Your brother took them somewhere, and I have to know where!"

"If I knew where they were, I would have them back by now!" Kaiba shot back. "At any rate, the state is holding us both responsible. We could both end in a courtroom for this."

"Just great." Espa muttered. "I can't believe Jonathan would be so stupid!"

"It seems to me he was just keeping his promise to you, from Mokuba's note." Kaiba regarded Espa sharply. "They were going to have Little E adopted."

"Then they should have let him be adopted. We could have worked it all out somehow." Espa shook his head. "But I know Jonathan. He is just l ike me, and will do anything to keep his brothers safe, even if it involves breaking the law."

"All we can do is wait until one of them comes forward." Kaiba replied. "And I am the last person who wants to be told to wait, as you know."

"I suppose you're right...." Espa replied quietly. "Well,I better get to work. I know Bakura told me not to come in, but I have to do something. Page me if you hear anything."

"You know I will." Kaiba replied, a note of actual sympathy in his voice. He watched as Domino's resident psychic left his office, before he turned to his secretary. "I want my little brother found. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Mr. Kaiba. We're trying our best."

"Don't try! Do!" Kaiba demanded. "I'm going out." He had a hunch that possibly Mokuba might have contacted some of t he Robas' other friends, and he needed to see what they knew.