Chapter 8:
It was about a month later. December first to be exact. The day that Kaiba was going to introduce his latest product. Of course, when he saw what Marik and Malik's company was producing, he almost keeled over.
"What in hell's name is that?" Kaiba exclaimed, looking at the Domino Times (a local newspaper). He and his brother were inside his office. His brother was on his laptop, playing solitaire.
Mokuba looked up, "I think it's a newspaper, Seto."
"I know that! I mean, what is THIS!" He tore out the front page and shoved it into Mokuba's small hands.
He looked at it, "A Miniport…? Wait, Seto, isn't that…"
"That's right! The Miniport was what I brought from Elmer Fizz!"
-
"Wow, Malik, look at that." Across town, Marik, Malik, and Pips were looking at the exact same newspaper. The Miniport was on the front page along with their pictures. Ishtar Industries had been getting major attention from every major country in the world.
They had been on interviews all week, since they shipped out the Miniports all over the world. Tons of money was practically flying into their pockets from everywhere. They were getting offers from all the biggest companies. The only one that didn't send an offer for a partnership was… Kaiba Corp.
"I bet he's so mad, right now." Malik giggled, "He was probably thinking we were going to come out with something silly… like mechanical sandwiches."
Pips nodded in agreement, "Oh, yes. If I know Mr. Kaiba, he'll be steaming right now. He was about to announce his new project, this month."
"By the way, Pips, what was his project? You had prototypes, didn't you?"
"Three, in fact. But Mr. Kaiba never told me exactly what they were. He was always afraid that I'd spill the beans to somebody else."
"So, you never knew what it was?"
"Nope. He just gave it to me for safekeeping. It was strange, though. The first prototype looked a lot like a watch. So did the second. I don't remember the third one. It was so long ago."
"Oh." Marik and Malik turned their attention back to the newspaper.
"But." Pips continued, "I do remember overhearing Mr. Kaiba telling his brother who he bought it from. Someone named… Fizz."
They dropped the paper and looked at him, "F-Fizz? Did you say Fizz!"
"Oh well," Pips headed for the door, "It's too bad Mr. Kaiba fired me. I would've loved to help out with his new product. But, you two are more fun… so, no regrets here."
He walked out and shut the door behind him.
Malik turned to his yami, "Could there possibly be another Fizz?"
"Get serious, Malik, how common can a last name like that be? It's him, I just know it!" Marik plopped down in his chair, "What are we gonna do?"
"M-Maybe Kaiba wont notice."
He looked up, "Won't notice! How can he not notice, we've been in every newspaper and on every station since the beginning of the week! Scientists and government officials have been hassling us to talk to them! Chances are he's already heard about it."
"…What do ya think he'll do to… us?"
"Probably chop us up into little pieces and eat 'em."
"Oh Ra…" Malik felt his forehead, "I'm feeling faint."
"Okay!" Marik rose from his seat, "There's only one thing we can do in a time like this!"
"You mean tell Kaiba about how we stole the Miniport from Elmer and let him have it back before he totally destroys us?"
"I mean extra security!" Marik pressed a button on the phone, "Bakura, I need you to do something for me."
"Heya, Marik, what's up?" he asked.
"We're in a bit of a sticky spot. I need you to beef up security around the building and especially our house. Got it?"
"A bunch of strong, bald, scary-looking men coming right up, boss man!"
"Thanks." He pressed another button and turned to his hikari, "See? Not a thing in the world to worry about now." -
Meanwhile, back at the Kaiba Corporation headquarters, Kaiba was boiling over with fury. He was yelling at every employee he had to get Mr. Elmer Fizz into his office in the next five seconds or they'd all be fired.
"You all don't think I mean it, do you? Fine. 5 ... 4…3 ... 2-" Kaiba's counting was stopped as the door flung open and two guards pushed a boy inside.
"Here is Mr. Fizz." They said as they left the two alone in Kaiba's office.
When the doors shut, Elmer looked at Kaiba and smiled nervously, "Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha…! Hey there. How's my favorite CEO?"
"Shove it." He walked over to a shivering, knee-knocking Elmer, "You know why I sent for you, right?"
"Ha ha… oh, yeah. I know, alright." He took a step back.
"Good. Then you must also know that I'm pissed of beyond belief, because you sold the Miniport to those nincompoops! Whatever they paid I could've paid four times that amount and you know it!"
"No, no, no, nooooooooooo! It isn't like that at all, Kaiba, believe me!"
Kaiba leaned back on the side of his desk and folded his arms, "…You have one minute to explain."
Elmer nodded, "Ah, yes! Of course. You see, Marik and Malik, as you called them on the phone, stole it from me! At the science fair about a month and a half ago. They came in and-"
"You mean Marik and Malik robbed you? In a public place?"
"Yes. I'm saddened and dismayed to repeat it… yes."
"How could that have happened! You took a self-defense class!"
"But Kaiba!" Elmer pouted, "They only taught us how to defend ourselves against chipmunks! Not crazed, Miniport-stealing, loonies!"
"… Chipmunks? " Kaiba stared at the boy in front of him, "… You know what? I think you're crazy. To let those two steal something from you in a public place surrounded by police and staff is beyond crazy!"
"What should we do, Kaiba?"
He turned towards the window and looked out to the other side of town, at the Ishtar Industries headquarters. "Hmm."
"Kaiba? He he he he he he he… K-Kaiba?"
"Marik… you're not getting away that easily. You think you've beat me, right? Wrong. There's no way I'll let you take away my company's good name. There's no way you'll beat me. Not in this game."
"Um…" Elmer backed up to the door, 'Maybe I should leave…'
"Mokuba!" Kaiba yelled with his back still facing Elmer.
"Yes?" Mokuba's head popped out from the side door by the large plant, "What is it, big brother?"
"… Tyler Ivory just got out of jail a little while ago, didn't he?"
"Yeah. About a month ago."
"Call him. Tell him that I want to see him for something…" Kaiba turned around, "Okay?"
"Tyler…? Wait a minute, Seto! This is going a little far, don't you think?"
"Huh?" Elmer looked from Mokuba to Kaiba and then back to Mokuba, "What's going on?"
Kaiba starred at him, "I'm going to get the Miniport back. Actually, someone else is going to get it back for us. I think Tyler will do a good job, considering…" He let the sentence fall.
