Chapter 5 The Hunt

The fire was slowly going out, but before it was anywhere nearly dead, Rebecca was stirring the coals with her poker. The rest of the searchers had discovered nothing, so they sat down to wait if this was where the clue could possibly be.

The time left a small lull in order to discuss events.

The other Yugi still had unanswered questions. "Why, if he invited people who had been to his island before, are many of the other duelists not here? Ryuzaki and Haga were both trying to get on the ship but had no invitations."

Kaiba scoffed. "Do you have to ask? I bet they were too stupid to be suspects."

"Keep your rude opinions to yourself, Kaiba!" Anzu raged.

But the Spirit was nodding. "I agree. It is the only reason I can see."

"Yeah, well, what about my sister? I can't think of any reason she'd be here!" Jonouchi had stopping moaning over his shoes and sat down again.

"And there's no reason for Rishid, either!" Malik turned to his brother. "It's not that I don't want you along, it is just that I don't understand why you're here."

"I understand, Malik."

A new voice spoke up, "Maybe it's because Pegasus does not know who has all the Items. We know of the Eye, Puzzle, Rod, Necklace, and Ring. There are seven total, but where are two of those others?"

Honda turned around n surprise. "Bakura! Where have you been?"

The white-haired boy put a hand behind his head and laughed with his eyes closed. "Oh, I had to go to the bathroom. Sorry I left so abruptly."

"Hmph." Kaiba looked at the other exits. "I still want to know where that Hugh went. There is no way he is innocent with the way he acts." Mokuba chose not to comment.

Within the other Yugi's mind, Yugi himself spoke. "Mou hitori no boku, we know who has the Key. And the Scales. But how could Pegasus not know?"

Answering within his mind, the Spirit replied, "How could he know, Aibou? It was through great pains he discovered the Puzzle and Ring the first time. Maybe he thought Rishid a likely guess as both Malik and Ishizu has an Item. He knows Shadi has the Key, but as for the Scales, I think he has no idea who has them. But, I wonder where Shadi is. Did Pegasus not suspect him?"

"I think Shadi's above such petty suspicions. What would he want with riches?"

They both mused it over in their mind. Meanwhile, the conversation about why certain people had been invited remained unfinished. Hopkins was wondering why he and Rebecca had been invited, but he gave no voice to his thought.

Right then, Rebecca made a triumphant sound.

"I was right, of course! Here's a key!" With the poker, she freed it to the stone floor.

"And that's one for the females and none for the males," Mai said with a slow smile.

"Mai! Don't go making this into a competition." Jonouchi waved a fist at her. "It's already a game, and that's bad enough."

"Whatever." She kept her true thoughts to herself: You just think you won't win.

The metal key had cooled enough to pick up by then. Buried in the coals as it was, the metal had to be of something very strong. But then, most of them would not have been surprised if Pegasus had wanted the key to melt.

"Now, there's just three hundred rooms to check if it fits. Any volunteers?" Kaiba asked dryly.

"We have to do it, Seto, so we can go home." The boy looked at his feet. "I'm sorry I ever made you come."

The Spirit of the Puzzle was doing some quick thinking. "We should split up into groups, for everyone will just be in the way if we went all together. That way, everyone can have a rest from the search for a time as well. Then, when we find the room this key opens, depending on the size, we can search it in halves or all together."

One of the business associates in the rear smiled complacently. In a British accent, he began, "I don't really think Mr. Crawford is serious about this game. If he sees that we are doing nothing, he will have to release us."

"Then you obviously don't know the man very well or else wrote the letter," Anzu retorted. "He's crazy and has always done such crazy things. Either help us or be taken for the writer of the letter."

"You can't be serious." The man was in a state of disbelief.

"We have to be," the Spirit said tightly. "And without teamwork, we'll never succeed."

"I think your little collection of friends is team enough. I'll work on my own. Let's go, Mokuba."

Both Kaibas strode to one of the closest exits.

"Kaiba, don't leave." Isis, one of the few who ever dared to contradict him—at least, one who had done so and lived—glared over at him. "You have to help everyone else. We are in this together and I know you'll be needed by us before the end. What's more, I know you'll need us before the end."

"I've never believed your lies before, Isis, so why would I start now?" He turned back to the door to proceed on. Mokuba trotted along after him.

"Aw, let him go. We don't want him anyway."

Shizuka stared at her brother. "Katsuya, that's not very nice!"

"Yeah, well, neither is he. Let's split up and start looking for the door. I'm a one."

Somewhat slowly, the others numbered themselves off into two groups. The ones started looking for the door right away. Those of the four business representative who were in the group followed as if they were confusedly walking in a dream. At least they were not all in one group or that group would have been disadvantaged.

With Jonouchi taking off down the hall, the others fanned out behind him. Rebecca kept the key safe in her hand as she tried door after door.

"Don't get us lost, Jonouchi!" Suguroku panted.

"And don't lead us in circles," Honda advised. "We don't want to check rooms we already did. We only have two hours to find the next clue and we haven't even found the room yet."

"Would I lead you wrong? Come on, show me a little respect!"

"Earn it first," Malik said. Even he knew how apt Jonouchi was to getting confused or mixed up.

"Fine. We'll split the castle up in an obvious way. We'll go clockwise around the entire area and then, if need be, we'll go inward one level and continue on that way. Was Kaiba right when he said there were three hundred rooms?"

No one answered that question, probably because no one wanted to think about it. Rishid was already down the hall examining doors. Some had no keyhole. Others were obviously too small for the large key. The others began to do as he did to try to limit the testing.

So, the group followed Jonouchi's plan. But, it did not matter what plan they followed because there were so many doors to try and only one way to test them. In reality, they only needed the person with the key to search the entire castle, but at least the others felt they were helping by telling the key-holder to walk by the doors that were obviously wrong.

The other group of people as well as those being uncooperative went back to their rooms to discuss the situation or rest. Some were trying to decide how best to leave.

"You can't swim for one hundred miles, can you, Mokuba?"

"Seto! No! And neither can you!"

"Then we're going to have to find a different way off the island. Would Pegasus have really let that Funny Rabbit representative leave on the only way off? What about himself? Doesn't he ever leave to go to Industrial Illusions?"

The boy had no answer.

-

"If only Pegasus had gone to the police instead of us," Anzu moaned to no one in particular. Her roommate was gone, after all. Still, someone walking by heard.

"Why didn't he go to the police in the first place?" It was Johanna.

"I don't know." The girl examined the woman, wondering if this could be the blackmailer. It was never fun to be trapped with about twenty other people when you had to constantly wonder if another person was guilty.

Anzu shrugged, guessing, "Maybe for the same reason the blackmailer had been mailing him. If he told the police, he would have to show the letters or something. Then, his secret would be out anyway."

The other woman nodded, looking at Anzu and wondering the same thing as the girl. What really astounded Johanna, however, was the fact that the odds were very likely to point in the favor of being a teenager. What were teenagers doing threatening others?

-

"I wonder if we get to eat anytime here?" Bakura looked around his empty room and sighed. "I might as well do something useful with my time."

He had brought along his writing paper and pen because it made him feel so much closer to his loved ones. Now, taking one sheet out, he began, "Dear Amane…"

-

Otogi was pacing and unable to keep still. How could Pegasus have done this? Maybe it was really a test to see if they were good enough to be granted anything. Then again, now that Pegasus was still alive, would he be giving anything away at all? Otogi was glad Pegasus was alive, that was certain, but it made him uneasy to think that the man had been playing around with his death.

"No!" he burst out. "I refuse to believe that he's a bad man. Even if it seems he stole souls and kidnapped people…" Moaning, Otogi dropped his head into his hands. "Who am I fooling? I don't know what to believe anymore."

-

"Bandit Keith," the other Yugi almost growled. "You had better stick around this time and hear what's going on."

He gave a little laugh. "What do I care? You fools can go do as Pegasus requests. Me? I'm just going to live it up a little in the castle. Tell me when the old man finally gives up in his wish and decides to let us go."

The bandanna-wearing American lay strewn over his bed with his boots crossed. Nothing appeared to worry him in the slightest.

The Spirit of the Puzzle narrowed his eyes and left, wondering if Hugh Hoturi was also in his room. He walked off to search for the near-murderer.

Hugh was still absent. And as for the Kaibas, the other Yugi went by their room without a word.

Hopkins met the Spirit as he paced, and the professor fell in step beside him. They walked for awhile in silence. Then, the professor sighed.

"I don't know how this got to involve so many people, but I must say I wish I had never been invited. To think that that means I'm a suspect! Well, I suppose the fun never stops however old you get." He looked sideways at the one walking nearby. "Do watch out. If Hugh is still missing, it seems to indicate one thing to me: guilt. I wouldn't want him to be able to succeed in silencing everyone and taking a desperate route off the island."

"I will watch out, Professor. Just make sure you do the same."

-

Two hundred fifty-seven doors later, Jonouchi was bored. As he had deemed himself leader, this was a problem. At least he did not have the key.

"Have we been here already?"

"Oh, no, you can't be asking that, Jonouchi. You're the one who's supposed to remember where we've been. Were you joking? Please say you were joking." Honda's eyes looked like they were going to water.

"I'm sure he was, Honda. My brother always knows where he is." If anyone still had a thread of enthusiasm, it was Shizuka. That in itself was ironic, as she was one of the people least likely to have reason to be there.

"Not this time, hon. We're lost."

Suguroku looked around in dismay. The two business representatives looked weary and slightly annoyed. Rishid had his eyes closed as he concentrated on the reason why they were there, but Malik was losing his patience.

Honda lost his first. "Oh, man, what have you done? Now we're going to find some surprise because we can't find the next room, much less our own rooms! It's already been an hour and half! And even if we do find the room, we might need more time than he remaining half hour to find the clues! Look what you did, man!"

Honda grabbed his friend by the head, but Jonouchi was struggling to duck away. "As if you'd have done any differently! If we just keep going this way, we'll find the door. Come on."

The others shook their heads, but they had no better ideas, and they followed.

-

And, up in his safe room, Pegasus was finding this greatly to his amusement and radioed in one of his goons.

"Come in. I need you to be ready to do a little 'surprise' anytime now."

"Already, sir?'

"Yes, they already seem to have lost themselves before the second clue!"

-

Everyone back in their rooms was growing tense. The others had not returned yet and the two hours was drawing to a close. Yugi, who had taken over from his other self, stood as a lookout in one of the halls. No one was coming.

"Come on, Jonouchi and the others," he whispered to himself. But fervent wishing is never so helpful.

The time continued to pass until all of them were out in the halls watching for the return of the others. All but Keith and Kaiba. Hugh was still gone. Mokuba had gone to check, despite his older brother's wish for him to stay away from the others.

"Does anyone know the exact time we found the clue?" Anzu asked.

The people looked around and shook their heads. The closest they came was the next hour. And two hours from then was in sixteen minutes.

-

There was one door ahead of them down this corridor. After that, they would have to go back and search in another direction. Disheartened, Rebecca placed the key into the lock and jiggled it. It was like the sweetest gurgling of a brook to a thirsting traveler when they heard the click.

"We found it!" Rebecca exclaimed, walking inside. But they only had thirteen minutes to find the next clue in the room.

"We'd better start searching right away! We'll go to the others once we've found it or the nasty surprise."

This room, however, was not nearly as bare as the other one. This was filled with books and scattered supplies on a desk. What was more is that they did not know exactly what to look for. Another key? Something else?

Everyone was crammed into the room frantically searching through books, drawers, under furniture, and rugs.

An old dinging clock made them hesitate. They, too, had only been able to estimate when they had found the first clue to the nearest hour. The second clue was still missing. What was going to happen?

People looked around at each other and saw nothing happening, so they gave a little nervous laugh after a moment.

"What can Pegasus do without coming down here himself?" Mai finally asked. "Now, let's get back to work."

Rishid wanted to go back to find the others in order to have more helpers, so he left to see if he could find the rooms everyone was staying in.

Shizuka walked out the door and down the hall to see which direction he went. Neither of them returned to the others.

It was about twenty minutes later that Jonouchi finally straightened and looked around. "Where's my sis?"

No one could answer, so he went outside the room and glanced up the corridor. An uneasy feeling crept up his spine as he proceeded further and saw nothing.

"She could be anywhere! It's easy to get lost in this place."

Honda joined him outside, but there was nothing he could do either. They called for the girl, and Jonouchi scratched his head.

"I don't get it. She didn't go with Rishid. She just said she was going to see which way he went. But after that I don't remember seeing her."

"She couldn't have gotten lost by just walking down this hall."

Jonouchi turned on his friend. "Then what are you saying happened?"

Staying quiet, Honda shook his head. "I don't know, man."

None of the others were surprised that the two wanted to go search for her. Rebecca had to speak sense, however. Even if it hurt.

"Well, think a little. If you believe she might have gotten lost, what makes you guess you could find her? Besides, Pegasus said something would happen, and it seems to me that this was it."

"You mean he kidnapped her?!"

"Rishid!" Malik cried at the same time.

"We can't just go running off and leaving the room," one of the business representatives said in an Australian accent. "Besides, I am betting not all of you even know how likely a suspect the other people are, even if they are related to you. Maybe they are trying to escape."

"You saying Shizuka's a suspect?" Jonouchi was going to attack the man, but people grabbed him and held him back.

"That is exactly what we are saying," the other business man said with a German accent. "Everyone is a suspect. We can't rule people out even if we want to."

"That's just terrible," Jonouchi said. Then he muttered something impolite in Japanese.

They looked uneasily at each other. Without being able to trust anyone, this game would be impossible. Even if the business representatives spoke the truth, the friends could not blatantly disregard their trust.

Someone walked through the door, then, putting minds at ease.

"Shizuka! We thought you were lost!"

She looked puzzled. "I said I was going to watch which way Rishid went. Then, I had to find a bathroom."

Jonouchi was gripping his sister's arm rather tightly as he began to explain why he was so worried.

"We still need to send someone else to find the others in case Rishid did not make it. We'll send a few to be safe. Mai, Honda, and you, sir." Rebecca gestured to the German man. "Go and make certain the others are coming. Don't lose your way."

"I'll go," the businessman said, "but I will not hold out much hope for him. He's probably the guilty one."

Someone had to hold Malik back as his face glowered at the man calling his brother a blackmailer. Fortunately, the three set off quickly in the only direction they could. Then, when they came to the place they could choose a direction, they tried to go as right as possible, for it seemed to them that they had not made it all the way around the castle yet but would soon by finishing the circuit. The rooms had to be that way.

-

Yugi glanced at the others as the time changed over to the next hour. Was it possible the rest of the group would never return now? Just what did Pegasus mean when he said a surprise would happen?

He looked at Isis who seemed to be seeing something besides the regular walls.

"What is it?" he whispered.

The woman waited a moment longer, looking over at the teenager with wide eyes. Obviously, the Millennium Necklace was still showing visions to her.

"I saw darkness. Cells. A rank odor pervaded my nostrils and there was a feeling of great fear. Someone was there."

"Who?"

By now, the rest of the group was listening, some, like Johanna, in confusion. Isis never raised her voice but merely answered the questions of the Pharaoh's vassal.

"I don't know. I did not see who—I was the who."

Anzu's thoughts were racing, Isis's had another vision! It must have something to do with the dungeons here. Is that where we have to go? Is that where the surprise is? I wonder what it all means?

In the lingering silence, Otogi snorted. "See? Nothing happened. Pegasus is obviously not doing anything to hinder us. Why should he? It will just harm him later." Still uncertain of whose side he was on, he could not just let the disrespect of Pegasus go unchecked.

"Oh, dear," said Bakura. "I'm not sure."

The others also had mixed opinions. With the castle walls looming close around them, anything spooky seemed possible. There were plenty of secret passageways they were guessing, as well as cameras and goons to report to Pegasus. No one was safe anywhere.