Chapter 4

A/N: I know I've been skipping these lately, but this is the PG- 13/bordering on R part. If you're into the online censors, this is a Web- 14. There is [fairly] non-graphic sexual abuse/rape, nudity, and blood/gore/violence. It's pretty watered-down stuff, but I thought I would give you the heads up.

The golden afternoon sun shifted through the tall, spindly trees adorning the front steps of Domino High. Toria heaved herself off the white cement step and crammed her satchel with her Trigonometry and French books. The glinting bronze clock over the front doors proclaimed it to be almost four- thirty. She had to be home by five to feed Marley and give the cat her allergy pills.

"Bye guys," she said to the gang. "I've got to get home." Yugi waved, Téa passed back the hair clip she had borrowed, and Bakura (who had just recently gotten back from another Egyptian tour with his father) smiled a good-bye. Joey and Tristan were inside mopping up. Another normal, if rather sleepy, afternoon after school.

She started down the sidewalk, her bag over her shoulder and her silver scarf slung nonchalantly around her waist. Slowly, as she placed one foot in front of the other, thinking to herself.

Seto said he would pick me up at eight tonight to go to the sushi restaurant tonight. I'm not sure what to wear – maybe something with traditional Japanese flair? It's harder to have that 'Eastern look' in Japan. Everything is Eastern. Perhaps the off the shoulder top made with the Chinese silk print? And a long sateen black skirt, with traditional tabi and zoori to match?

She sighed dreamily, thinking of her date with Kaiba. Ever since meeting that fortuneteller at the carnival, she had been searching for more and more of her ancient past in every way she knew how – scrying in dark mirrors, tarot decks, runes, mediation. They all took her back to ancient Egypt to witness the same scenes over and over again...

Rarely did she ever look into the future. The future was dangerous, her Wiccan teacher had taught her. Anything can change it. Time was circular, she had always been told, and what affected the past affected the future.

Still, late last night, she had lit the incense, lighted the candles, and gazed into the rippling pool of dark oil. Darkness...

She suddenly pulled out of her reverie and saw darkness in front of her. A black limo was cutting across her path, glinting in the half-light. She ran her eyes down its sleek exterior, from the lunging silver panther hood ornament down to the tinted windows. There was an electric buzz as the window slowly rolled down.

"Seto?" asked Toria. "Aren't you supposed to be meeting those Kyazuki execs?" She leaned closer, trying to see into the limo.

Then the door opened, and two heavy thugs, dressed in black and the size of monstrous gorillas, pulled her into the car, their hands touching her in uncomfortable places. And she knew it wasn't Seto, knew it wasn't him when she heard the dark voice that had haunted her dreams, that made shivers run down her spine:

"Welcome back...my daughter."

Toria turned and faced the older, but still sinister, visage of her father, Cole Shinatashi.
She felt the thugs on either side of her, thick and too close, like rhinoceros. But her eyes were riveted on her father.

His hairline was creeping back with age, even past the combover; his Hitler mustache needed dye to cover the gray – but his dark eyes, lit with a twisted and sick light that made her feel the vomit slither into her throat – they hadn't changed.

Cole's eyes slid up and down her body, pleased. She had grown since he had seen her last – grown in all the right places. The was nothing fun about a seven year old girl – but a 16 year old girl – now that was something different. A different thing entirely.

"Well, Cassandra, I hear you've been enjoying yourself while your old man was in prison." He cut off the end of a cigar and held it to his mouth, attempting to light it. "Got this Leo Hallowell person to take you in, moved to Japan...Even hear you've got a boyfriend."

Toria's eyes flared angrily at the mention of Kaiba, washing away her fear for a short moment.

"You touch him, and you'll be sorry." Her voice quivered at the thought of Kaiba. How would he find her? What if they hurt him...hurt him beyond healing?

"Million dollar exec? Couldn't touch him anyway, too high profile. But you – well, you're another story." His eyes glinted dangerously. "Take you to Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia – nobody gives a damn over there. Some...father- daughter time, maybe?" He reached over and slid his hands along the inside of her thigh, his meaning clear. She slapped his hand away in revulsion. Her voice shook with fear, trying to stay strong, trying to breathe.

"You stay away from me. I was little when you hurt me, too little to fight back, but I'm older now. And I'm not just going to be your toy."

"Oh really...Well, we'll see about that."

The car stopped with a jerk, and she felt the thugs reach for her – one for her wrists, the other for her rear. She struggled and kicked, screaming for Kaiba – for Yugi, Joey, Tristan, Tea, Bakura, anybody – but she was overwhelmed by their size, as the larger one lay down on top of her to keep her still...She tried to stay conscious, but his huge shape was pressing on top of her, pain and fear flooding through her body, felt his thick, heavy legs bearing down on her slim ones, reaching for her skirt... She heard the ripping sound of duct tape; vaguely saw the dank, smoky street, the opening of a trunk, the click of the latch, and then...darkness.