Joey stared at the box. "Eh? What the heck is this?!" He took it from Serenity, turning it over and over. It was about the size of an old snuff box, made of metal, and when Joey lifted the lid, he uncovered the same white powder that had been placed in Marik's pocket. He blinked in surprise and then placed a finger in the substance, tasting it.

"Are you nuts, man?!" Tristan yelled, clapping his hands to his head. "That could be poison or something!"

Serenity gasped. "Joey!" she cried out in horror. The last thing she wanted was for Joey to do anything that would endanger him! She had opened the box herself after the mysterious woman had left, but she hadn't been able to make head or tails out of the powder inside. After such a cryptic message, however, she had known better than to assume the whiteness was a friendly gesture. She had been about to tell Joey about it when he had grabbed the box and investigated for himself.

But Joey just grinned. "Hey, I'm fine, sis." He glared down at the powder. "I think I know what this stuff is, though." During his days as a bully, he had seen plenty of the hoods with cocaine, despite the fact that he hadn't started taking or pushing it himself. But this concoction in the container looked exactly like it.

Duke, whose curiosity had been aroused by now, came over as well. He glared into the box for only a moment. "Yeah," he growled, "I know too. It's cocaine, just like what was planted in my shop." And like what I had to keep a hold of when I was pretending to be loyal to the drug ring, he thought to himself. He knew that Solomon had found the pouch of drugs after Duke had been struck by a car and had managed to get himself to the Game Shop, where he had then collapsed. And he was certain that the man must have thought, if only for a moment, that Duke was doing something illegal. Duke had hated that when he had realized. He may be conniving, manipulative, and otherwise "unliked," but he was no criminal.

Joey slammed the lid back down, furious that someone would actually pass cocaine to Serenity. "What did this freak look like?!" he demanded, looking to the girl again.

Serenity paused, trying to remember, and then described a woman with jet-black hair who didn't sound at all familiar. No one could even begin to comprehend what this odd twist meant. Was someone trying to frame them? If so, why? And who? And what did the cemetery have to do with it?! Come to think of it, why would the cemetery issue little containers like this?

Yugi shook his head in disbelief, going deeper into the corner. "I don't get it, Yami," he said in a whisper. "What's going? How does everything connect? I just don't understand what Seth has to do with the drug ring! Or does he have anything to do with it?!"

Yami Yugi sighed, sitting down on the arm of a soft chair. "I don't know, Yugi. I'm afraid I'm just as confused as you." Or even more so.

Marik, who had also determined what the odd powder was due to his co-involvement in the drug ring along with Duke, now wasn't certain what to do. He still wanted to check on Mokuba, but now he was concerned about his siblings as well. He couldn't believe that he'd been assaulted just so the cocaine could be planted on his person, especially when he remembered the footsteps he'd heard running down the hall! What happened to him could have only been a distraction. And so he resolved to continue down the hall to check on his friend. Mokuba could be in danger. The footsteps had sounded as if they were coming from about where the child's room was.

But he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. He quickly whirled, looking up and down the hall. No one was there. Marik frowned, his expression darkening. "I know you're watching me," he said coldly to the vacant room, at last turning to face the security camera. Was someone observing him through that?! If so, who on earth?!

An odd, amused laugh filled the corridor. "Maybe so, but do you know who is watching you?" The voice sounded young, younger than Marik but older than Mokuba.

Marik couldn't for the life of him figure out who this person was. "Who are you?" he growled. "Are you friend or foe?"

The voice chuckled. "I know all about you, Marik Ishtar," it stated. "You're sixteen years old, from Egypt, and you have a brother and a sister. Mokuba is your close friend. Your past is full of skeletons, but struggling to overcome your Yami was sufficient punishment for your crimes." The tones seemed to resonate from every corridor and crack. Marik was certain that all of Kaiba Corp could hear it, though in actuality it was only meant for his ears.

"If you won't tell me who you are, tell me what you want," the boy retorted, reaching for the Rod. If he was in danger, he wanted to have a defense ready. He couldn't imagine how this person seemed to know all about his past and present. Maybe this was one of the drug lords spying on him. They could have easily found out a lot of this information and what wasn't easily obtainable a Rare Hunter could have told them.

"Now, now, don't be hasty," came the reply. "I won't hurt you, you know. I'll tell you what I want sooner or later."

Marik's eyes darkened. Somewhere . . . somehow . . . he recognized that voice. He couldn't remember where he had heard it. Everything seemed vague, like a terrible dream. The memories were so shadowy, as if Marik had been weak and perhaps barely awake and alert at the time. "I've heard you before," he uttered at last, hoping the disembodied voice would explain how it was possible and where they had met before.

But if anything, the one belonging to the voice was stunned. "You have?" he exclaimed. "I don't remember seeing you on the . . ." Immediately he broke off, apparently not wanting to reveal the location. "Hmm. Well, this is a surprising twist. I'll have to think about this."

Marik wasn't impressed. "Are you my enemy?" he asked again. "I wouldn't recommend trifling with me." He pointed the Rod at the camera, silently threatening to blast it.

A laugh was his reply. "Oh, I know what you're capable of. But I'm not one to be trifled with, either. And Seto Kaiba won't be happy if you destroy his security camera." There was a clicking sound and the lens zoomed in on Marik. "No . . . I don't remember you at all," the person mused.

"Then how did you learn all about me?" Marik growled.

"Oh, we'll talk again. Maybe I'll tell you then. But for now I'll say goodbye." Before Marik could say anything in protest, there was another click, this one of finality, and then he couldn't get an answer, no matter how hard he tried. Clenching his fist in frustration, he somehow refrained from breaking the camera and stalked off again. He would tell Seto Kaiba about this. Maybe he could shed some light on it.

"He said what?!" Seto glared at Marik as the Egyptian related the strange conversation he had with the mysterious person. Mokuba was still sound asleep and Marik smiled at his friend before looking back up at Seto.

"You heard me," he replied calmly.

"What did his voice sound like?!" Seto demanded. Marik was right, Seto had heard him. But he couldn't believe this. Who would have commandeered the security system? It was supposed to be protected against such things! Had someone hacked the company's computer mainframe?

Marik explained as best as he could about the voice, adding how it had a slight nasal tone. Seto's eyes only narrowed more. Marik had the feeling that the businessman knew exactly who it was.

Mokuba was burrowing into the pillow, meanwhile. "Noa," he whispered softly. "My step-brother Noa. . . ." A smile seemed to grace his features. His dreams were happy, but only fantasy, as he saw himself and both Seto and Noa living a happy life all as siblings. But Mokuba knew it couldn't really happen, for several reasons—not the least of which being that Seto hated Noa.

Seto's lip curled in disgust. "Noa Kaiba . . . Gozaburo's true son," he declared. He had never really forgiven Noa for what he had done to all of them in the Virtual World. But Noa had tried to repent of his past actions in the end, sending everyone home. Seto knew this, and he knew that perhaps he should forgive him, but he couldn't make himself do so. He couldn't understand why Mokuba liked the boy after everything he had done to them both.

Marik frowned in confusion. Mokuba had once told him a lot about Noa, but the child had felt that Noa's spirit had finally been released with the destruction of the VR World and that he had gone on to the afterlife. Was that actually not true? Was Noa still on this mortal plane, perhaps somewhere in Seto's computers? "Kaiba . . . are you saying you believe I was talking to Noa?" Marik wanted to know.

"I wouldn't rule out the possibility," Seto replied darkly. "But if he's back, what does he want now?" This part he muttered mostly to himself.

Because everyone was so exhausted and weary from their ordeals at Cooperstown, they decided to post-pone investigating the cemetery till the following day. After another hour or so, Seto secured their releases from the hospital and each went to their own homes.

As Bakura tiredly opened his front door and went inside, he found Frances there with his father. He blinked and froze, staring at the scene of them cuddling on the couch, too stunned to move or speak.

Yami Bakura came up behind him, Rhea quickly following. The thief glared at his hikari, about to ask why he was standing like a statue, when he saw the scene as well. His expression darkened and he growled, disgusted at their behavior. He wasn't fond of either person, especially not right now.

Rhea broke the silence and caused Mr. Ryou and Frances to look up. "Wow, I wonder if I could get a piece of paper between them!" she announced loudly, blinking in surprise.

Both cuddlers immediately looked up.

"Bakura!" Mr. Ryou cried in disbelief. His gaze then found Yami Bakura and he frowned, not happy to see the tomb robber. When he saw Rhea his eyes widened. "Who is this?!" he demanded, stunned. "Your girlfriend?!"

Bakura went several shades of pink. "Oh my! No, Father!" he cried emphatically. "I only met her tonight!" His gaze continued to flit to Frances as he recalled his suspicions of her. He had wondered if she was the vampyre Franceska. And whether she was or not, Yami Bakura had said that she was a criminal. She had tried to kill Mr. Ryou, but he refused to believe it was true.

Frances smirked. "Is that so?" She seemed about to say more, probably something snide, but Yami Bakura cut her off.

"And where did you ressurrect from?" He spat out a word in Egyptian that Bakura was certain he didn't want a translation for, assuming that it was a curse word meaning "slut" or something similar. "I had high hopes that you would not be returning."

Frances glared. "Well, unfortunately for you, I have." She drew a cigarette from her purse and proceeded to defiantly light it, even though she knew very well that Bakura couldn't stand the smell. Purposely she blew the smoke up into the air, smirking when she heard the boy start coughing.

Mr. Ryou frowned. It was true that he loved Frances and was overjoyed to have her back, but he hadn't forgotten about his son, either. "Frances," he spoke up, "remember we have a 'no smoking in the house' rule. It's been that way ever since Bakura was little." His wife, Bakura's mother, had died of lung cancer. She herself hadn't smoked, but had most likely contracted the disease from second-hand smoke due to most of her family and several close friends being smokers. Ever since then, Mr. Ryou had instigated the No Smoking in the House rule to protect his children for at least a little while.

Frances pretended to pout, but then stood up. "Of course," she purred. "Father knows best. You will excuse me for a moment." With that she sashayed out onto the porch.

Mr. Ryou sighed. Something seemed different about Frances this time, but he couldn't put his finger on what it was. Putting the thought out of his mind, he turned back to Bakura and the others with him. "So who is this girl?" he wanted to know. "How did you meet her?"

Before Bakura could answer, Rhea stepped forward and spoke in perky tones. "Hi!" she chirped. "I'm Rhea. I met your son and the thief in that old mining town in the canyons!" She blinked wide golden eyes at him and Mr. Ryou frowned a bit, taken aback. Rhea giggled inwardly. Bakura's father was such an odd person, she felt.

"What on earth were you doing there, Bakura?" Mr. Ryou exclaimed in shock. Oh, he vaguely knew about how his son solved mysteries and such, but mostly it was all in the back of his mind. He concentrated mostly on his research work. Coming to think about it, wasn't he supposed to speak to that Egyptian woman at the museum? While he waited for Bakura's reply, he took out his pocket notepad and began looking through it for the information he wanted.

Yami Bakura growled, obviously wanted to say something about how, once again, Mr. Ryou was putting work ahead of his son, but he managed to stop himself. Instead he crossed his arms and glared, his brown eyes murderous.

Bakura swallowed hard, scratching his cheek. "We . . . well, Father, we were just looking for someone," he said vaguely. "But where on earth did Frances come from?" he asked now, changing the subject and hoping his father wouldn't notice that he was trying to do that.

Mr. Ryou shrugged. "I just came home and there she was on the porch," he replied. "She said she'd been called out of town on urgent business for her work, but that now she was able to come back to spend Christmas with us." He smiled at the thought.

Bakura was horrified by it, but he tried not to cry out in alarm. Instead he said, "Where does she work, Father? I don't believe you've ever mentioned it." He hoped his voice didn't sound as shaky to his father as it did to him.

"Some government agency," Mr. Ryou answered just as he found what he was looking for. "Ah! Here it is. Just as I thought," he muttered. "I'm supposed to call an Ishizu Ishtar." He stood up. "Excuse me for a minute, Bakura."

Bakura sighed as he watched his father pick up the phone and dial the museum. He knew that Ishizu wouldn't be there anymore tonight, but he assumed Mr. Ryou was going to leave a message on her voice mail.

He sank into the couch. "I don't know what to do, Yami," he whispered, rubbing his eyes. "Father won't listen when we try to tell him how Frances truly is. You said she tried to kill him during the gunfight at the restaurant!" He looked back up, sadness obvious in the brown orbs. He wished his father wasn't always so stubborn and obstinate. Perhaps, he thought to himself, Father really does suspect her too, but he doesn't want to openly acknowledge that he does because he still loves her. This thought made him sad.

Yami Bakura growled. "She did try," he affirmed, still wondering why he had actually bothered saving the man from the gunfire. "But he hadn't seen her push him into the line of attack and he wouldn't believe that she had done it."

"Then what can we do?!" Bakura cried.

Rhea stretched. "Maybe we could eat something?" she suggested. "It'd be easier to think on a full stomach!" She smiled impishly.

Bakura actually managed to laugh. "Alright," he consented. Idly in the back of his mind he wondered why Rhea had come home with them, especially if her true identity was not Oreo. What was going on? Why did everything have to be a mystery?

Seto carried a sleeping Mokuba out of the limo and up the winding sidewalk of the Kaiba Manor. It was snowing, but he concealed the child within his trenchcoat to keep him warm. He smiled slightly, feeling Mokuba snuggling close.

As he walked, he pondered over the conversation he and Marik had had. Was it true? Could it be true? Had Noa returned? Seto had thought he'd never hear anything more from that irritating kid sporting the mint-green hair. And he had been perfectly happy with that.

There were so many holes in the idea, though. Why would Noa contact Marik, of all people? Marik hadn't even been involved in the VR World. Or had that been what Noa had wanted—to talk with someone who didn't really know him? Seto had figured that if Noa would contact someone, it would be Mokuba.

Speaking of Mokuba. . . . Seto didn't think he would tell Mokuba about his suspicions of Noa just yet. There wasn't really a need. And he wanted to hear for himself the voice that Marik had heard. Maybe it wasn't even Noa, though from what Marik had described, it definitely sounded like him.

The most worrysome thing to Seto, however, was this—if Noa really was back, was Gozaburo back as well?