Disclaimer: I don't own YuGiOh. If I did, I would draw Yugi five inches taller.

Asset

Chapter 5

"What is this?" she asked, standing uncertainly in the small yet spacious room.

"Your new office," Kaiba spoke behind her as he gave her a push.

Ari stumbled forward in a daze. On the 16th floor the huge windows offered a breathtaking view of the city, a far cry from the small enclosure she previously shared with three other programmers. Reality slammed her when she realized the computer on the desk was hers.

"How did this get here," she demanded.

"Your work is here at Kaiba Corp," he paused, looking her up and down. "Where I can keep an eye on you."

"This is private property! How did you—."

"Do you really care to argue numbers because I assure you, you will lose."

Ari stepped back as if he slapped her. One simple mistake, one foolish choice, and she was in debt to Seto Kaiba.

"You will continue your work here and it will not leave this building." His cold eyes followed her slow movements as she turned away and wandered around the small office. She would accept this change, he would see to it.

"This is private research," she said carefully. "Kaiba Corp is not entitled to it."

Kaiba remained silent and she looked up curiously, suddenly wishing she hadn't. His formidable expression spoke the simple truth she would spend restless nights struggling to forget. She belonged to Kaiba Corp. Asset.

"You have a secretary at your disposal, to discourage interruptions."

And to report my every move, no doubt.

He turned from her, but paused at the door, sending a chilling glare over his shoulder. "If there is a repeat of your previous actions, you will regret it."

Ari shivered at the chill he left behind. Glancing around the office, she suddenly felt helpless. I've lost, haven't I?

One could squander only so many hours rearranging pens and paper clips and Ari soon reverted to doodling on the notepad. Several pages were filled with faces bearing an uncanny resemblance to Seto Kaiba with horns and a pitchfork.

Her drawing was interrupted by the occasional glance at the silent computer. I'm taunting the devil, I am. How long will he let me get away with this? I need this job, even if I am begging bread from Kaiba's table. I don't want to go through starvation again.

She closed her eyes to the recent memory of the suffering she endured all for the sake of getting one step ahead of her enemies. Her body still trembled on occasion from the ordeal and weakness was something she despised. It left her more vulnerable to manipulation.

Forgive me, Kaska. I don't have a choice anymore.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Kaiba," the secretary said absently.

Mokuba flashed a cheerful smile as he stepped past her and let himself into Ari's office. She was at the desk, her hand supporting her head as she stared at her computer.

"Hi, Ari!" Mokuba grinned and she looked up, her face brightening.

"Oh, hi Mokuba. Done with your studies for the day?"

"Yup. Whacha working on?" he asked as he reached her desk.

"Nothing really."

He looked at the blank screen. "Oh, you were serious."

Ari couldn't help chuckling and his eyes lit up at her response.

"I'm sure glad to see you feeling better. We were really worried."

She quirked an eyebrow at the 'we' but didn't bring attention to it. "I didn't mean to worry anyone," she said. Kaiba must not have told Mokuba the whole story.

"Anyway, Seto will be in meetings all day and he told me to take you out to lunch."

Being babysat by a kid! Her eyes flickered at the audacity. He doesn't trust me to take care of myself.

Ari glanced at her watch. She was hungry and Mokuba definitely wasn't a bad choice for a companion by any means.

"Okay, Moki. Where will we go?"

"There's a great pizza shop just two blocks from here," he said with growing excitement.

"Pizza sounds great."

Seto flicked through the messages that stacked up in his absence without really seeing them. Inept imbeciles yapping about their self-worth always gave him a pounding headache and the day felt twice as long since he'd been mobbed by imbeciles today.

"Where is Mokuba?" he asked.

"With Ms Nieche, I believe, Sir."

Kaiba blinked at his secretary. Nieche? Oh yes, Ari. She actually slipped my mind today. I wonder how she has adjusted to her new 'situation'.

"Have the car brought around," he ordered, walking away.

Ari's secretary had left for the day and the office door was open. Mokuba was sitting in front of her desk on the edge of his chair.

"Now remember, you have to sacrifice a monster to summon a more powerful one," he explained.

Ari gazed thoughtfully at her cards. "You mean like this?"

"Yeah, that's it. Unfortunately, I have a trap card that destroys the monster you summoned and the rest of your life points." Mokuba giggled. "I win."

Ari shook her head. "It's not my day for games."

"You'll get it eventually. It just takes practice," Mokuba assured her. "How is it you never learned to play duel monsters?"

"I guess I was too busy. I started working at Nihm when I was fourteen."

"Wow. I didn't think they allowed kids to work that young."

Ari smiled faintly. "I was a special case."

"And your parents let you?"

"It was my father's idea," she sighed. "Well, he did okay I guess. I mean I was better off with him than most kids are with two parents. He just wasn't very good with the dad stuff, is all."

"Like what?" Mokuba asked with wide eyes.

Ari's pale eyes glazed over with thought. "He was a distant, cold man, always busy. Too busy to see his little girl was turning into a hardware freak. I had everything I needed, except the important things."

"Like love?" Mokuba asked tentatively.

She cocked her head slightly. "I'm sorry, Moki. I didn't mean to bring up bad memories. I guess we both wouldn't know what we missed if others didn't have it."

Mokuba shrugged. "I have Seto and that's enough for me."

Ari smiled sadly. "That's where you're luckier than most."

"You don't like him much, do you?" he asked bluntly and Seto smirked.

"Let's not let what happens between me and your brother affect our friendship, okay?"

"Okay," Mokuba agreed.

Seto chose this moment to state his presence. "Is this what you've been doing all day?" he asked, stepping into the office.

Ari's serene expression immediately darkened and he had no doubt she was contemplating how much he overheard.

"How did your meetings go, Seto?" Mokuba asked.

Kaiba's forehead tensed at the reminder. "A ludicrous bunch of simpering nitwits," he growled.

So you were in good company, Ari thought but held her tongue in Mokuba's presence. Her thoughts must've been transparent to Seto. His gaze flickered over her face and settled on her desk. Reaching out, he picked up the notepad she had forgotten to put away.

Aw crap, she thought as he gazed at the drawings. Suddenly his lips twisted into an amused smile.

"You've managed to capture my good side," he said, dropping the tablet on the desk. "Let's go, Mokuba."

"Bye, Ari," Mokuba waved and scampered after Seto. Ari sat in shocked silence.

"Good…night," she muttered. Kaska's younger self if I dare to compare.

As an afterthought, she ripped off the drawing and taped in on the cache beside her laptop. "Since he liked it so much," she told herself before shrugging her jacket on and leaving for the night.

The evening air was refreshingly cool as she walked home. A car was a luxury she could not afford, not that she minded walking when the weather was this nice. Still, it was a reminder of the turn her life had taken.

I am an asset. My thoughts and my creations belong to Kaiba Corp…to him. And me? Does he own me too? No doubt he believes so.

With a slight shake of her head she continued to wonder how the young CEO's only redeeming quality could be his younger brother.

I respected him once, but now I resent the power he holds over me, even as I resent Omaka for crushing Nihm.

She reached her apartment and fumbled with the lock. I'm so tired of fighting, but so help me if there is a way out of this, I will find it.

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