The elevator doors opened and Yugi and Joey stepped into what seemed to be a waiting area. Two halls on either side opened to other offices.

"This places is completely empty." Joey uttered as him and Yugi went forwards.

Yugi nodded as they past the desk that look like it would usually be occupied by a receptionist. Right now it's chair was empty, along with the rest of the building...

"Wait." Yugi froze. He held up his arm, stopping Joey.

"What is it?" Joey asked, looking around.

Yugi pointed to a door right ahead of them. "There's voices coming from there."

Joey listened, then nodded silently. Yugi listened closely.

Sounds like two people. Yami uttered from the back of Yugi's mind. A male and female.

Ishizu and Kaiba, perhaps? Yugi asked. He looked back at the door. It does say Kaiba's name on the door. Yugi added, reading the nameplate on the door.

I suppose. Yami said.

"I guess." Joey uttered when Yugi relayed his suspicions onto his friend. "If it is, what are we waiting for?"

He started towards the door, Yugi with him. Once they stood before it Yugi lightly tapped on the door. Instantly the muffled voices within ceased to talk. They heard footsteps and the door opened to reveal a tanned guy with sandy hair looking at them.

"Marik?!" Yugi and Joey said in unison, their jaws dropping and their eyes widening with shock.

Marik smiled but said nothing. He stepped back, allowing them through. The two entered. Ishizu stood from her spot on a couch.

"I thought you wouldn't make it." She admitted.

"Sorry," Yugi told her. "We, uh, had a short detour."

Ishizu nodded as if understanding, then returned to her seat on one of the white couches. She motioned for them to join her.

"It was bad enough that you and your brother appeared out of nowhere, Ishizu." Kaiba mumbled from behind his desk, his voice dangerous. "But what are they doing here?" He glared over at Yugi and Joey as they sat. Joey glared back but Yugi did or said nothing.

"I asked them here." Ishizu told him sternly. "We will need their assistance." She turned to Yugi. "I am happy that you decided to come. And it is good that you brought Joey. We will need as much help as possible." Kaiba crossed his arms and looked displeased.

"Of course." Yugi told her. "But, what exactly is going on? You seemed very anxious on the phone."

"I was." Ishizu said. "We have quit a problem on our hands."

Joey raised an eyebrow. "What kind of problem?"

"Mokuba's been kidnapped." Kaiba uttered bitterly, not looking at anyone else. "We have no clue where he's been taken."

"What?!" Yugi cried out. Joey blinked in disbelief.

"That's not entirely true." Ishizu said, glancing at Kaiba before looking back at Yugi and Joey. "I have some idea where he might be."

"So you've said." Kaiba uttered, still not looking at the others.

"But why?" Joey asked. "Who would want to kidnap Mokuba?"

Ishizu sighed. "Mokuba has something of extreme value, though he doesn't know it."

"You didn't tell me this." Kaiba said, turning to face Ishizu.

"I didn't want to explain things twice." Ishizu said matter-of-factly. "It takes up too much time. It's much more simpler to wait for everyone and then tell everyone at once. Besides," She gave Kaiba a cold glance. "You wouldn't have, and maybe still won't, believe what I have to say."

"Well, spit it out." Kaiba ordered anxiously.

"Very well." Ishizu said. "But first, Kaiba, did Mokuba have a strange gemstone with odd carvings in it before he was taken?"

Kaiba nodded, a bit dumbfound. "Yes. An obsidian marble put in a key."

"So I feared." Ishizu uttered, sinking into thought.

"What does the key have to do with anything?" Kaiba asked.

"The key doesn't matter." Ishizu said, looking at him. "It's the gemstone within the key that is of importance."

"What?" Kaiba asked. Both Yugi and Joey watched Ishizu intently.

"The obsidian is one of seven mythical gemstones." Ishizu told them all. "The seven Shadow Gems."

Kaiba scowled. "You're not going to start with one of your fairytales, are you?"

"To you they maybe fairytales." Ishizu uttered. "But to more open minded people they are much more. They are warnings."

Kaiba continued to scowl but remained silent.

"Good." Ishizu told him, then continued. "The seven Shadow Gems were created shortly after the seven Millennium Items during the time that Shadow Monsters roamed throughout the world."

"Throughout the world?" Yugi asked, giving her a quizzical look. "I thought they only roamed through Egypt."

Ishizu shook her head. "No. The creatures plagued the entire world. Where ever there were people there were Shadow Monsters."

Yugi nodded. Within his mind he could feel Yami listening carefully, taking everything in.

"But the monsters created much damage." Ishizu continued. "So, the leaders of the Earth knew that they must be stopped. The seven most powerful people around the world joined forces to trap the Shadow Monsters within their stone tablets with seven magical gemstones. These became the Shadow Gems."

"What happened to the Gems?" Joey asked.

"The seven that created the Gems took them and returned to their own lands." Ishizu told him. "They did this so the Gems' powers could not do harm. Alone each Gem has little power and is hardly a threat. But together they summon a force unlike any other. By separating the gemstones the Earth was safe. The seven powerful ones became known as Gem Keepers. Only the Gem Keepers could use the their Gem's power, no one else."

"So, why was Mokuba taken if only this 'Shadow Gem' is important?" Kaiba asked.

"The Gem is not the only thing of importance." Ishizu said. "Mokuba is need as well."

"Why?" Yugi questioned.

"I think I believe why." Ishizu said, more to herself. She glanced back at Kaiba. "Was Mokuba the one who bought the key?"

"No, I did." Kaiba told her. "Mokuba just signed for it seeing as I was busy."

"I see." Ishizu uttered. She looked at the others. "Seeing as Mokuba signed for it, officially he is the one who purchased the Gem."

"But what does that have to do with anything?" Kaiba asked impatiently. Though they didn't say it, Yugi and Joey were thinking the same thing.

"As I said before, only a Gem's Keeper can use it's power." Ishizu said. "Mokuba was taken with the Gem because since he was the one who purchased it, he unknowingly became the Gem's Keeper."

The others just stared at her in silent disbelief.

"Wait, hold on." Joey finally said, breaking the silence. "Why wouldn't the person who took Mokuba just steal the Gem from him? Wouldn't that be easier?"

"It would." Ishizu told him. "But then the thief wouldn't be the Gem's Keeper. To become a Gem Keeper the Gem has to be given to you willingly. If you steal it, you'd simply own the Gem, you wouldn't be it's Keeper, there for you cannot use it's power. Knowing that Mokuba is the only one who could use the Gem's gifts, this mystery man took Mokuba with him."

"But how would this guy know that he needs Mokuba as well as the Gem?" Yugi questioned.

Ishizu looked down. "The man who took Mokuba is also a Gem Keeper. But he has been corrupted. We do not know how, but we do know that he wishes to gather all the Shadow Gems to release what is called The Chaos. A power that will set free all Shadow Monsters to destroy the world that we know. Which brings us to why I need your help."

"Ok..." Yugi uttered, awaiting for the reason he was there.

"This man will have to gather all seven Shadow Gems to release The Chaos." Ishizu continued. "To do so he must find all seven Gem Keepers. Already he has two, himself and Mokuba. And he is most likely journeying to find the remaining five. He has a head start, but we can catch up."

"How?" Yugi asked.

"We must separate and find the other Gem Keepers before he can." Ishizu told them. "Only then will the world be safe."

Kaiba stood from his desk. He glared at Ishizu. "You've wasted my time enough." He told her. "Who cares about some stupid story about the world ending? You said you could help me get my brother back, but it seems you lied so I would listen to your myths and legends."

Ishizu arose, matching his glare with her own. "How dare you accuse my of lying." She snapped. "I would do no such thing. I can help you get your brother back. Don't you see Kaiba? By stopping this man you will get your brother back. Or are you too closed minded to see past what you want?"

They stood for a few moments, staring daggers at each other. Finally, Yugi stood.

"Don't worry, Ishizu." He told her, gently placing his hand on her arm. "We'll help you. And I'm sure Kaiba would as well."

"Don't volunteer me for anything." Kaiba snarled. "I want all of you out of my office now."

"Cool your gets, Moneybags." Joey said, get up as well. "If you want to be a stuck up snob, be our guest. We'll leave now."

Kaiba narrowed his eyes at Joey. He opened his mouth to state something but stopped. His eyes flashed over to Marik. Ishizu's brother had been leaning against the wall beside the door the entire time, watching all of them silently. Now he was chuckling to himself.

"What's so funny?" Kaiba asked, his tone deathly low. "Did one of the voices in your head crack a joke?"

"Kaiba." Ishizu said warningly, but Marik silenced her.

"Not at all." Marik said, grinning. "I merely found it amusing that no one here can get along when so many people could be endanger as we speak." His eyes turned cold as he looked at the other four. "Look at yourselves, almost biting each others heads off. Will you stop and think for a moment?"

The others remained silent. Ishizu's eyes fell to the ground, almost ashamed. Yugi sighed with relief that someone was still thinking clearly. Joey shifted his weight, uncomfortable. Kaiba remained glaring at Marik.

"It's true, some of us here-" His purple eyes flashed towards Kaiba, then went back to the others. "Don't believe in the story of the Shadow Gems. That's fine. But that doesn't mean people are safe. This crazed Gem Keeper is bent on getting the other Gems, whether or not they have magical abilities. And he will hurt people to get them. Now, the longer we stand here, the more people he has time to hurt. If you will just put your differences aside for one moment we can finally get somewhere."

The others nodded, other than Kaiba who simply sat back down behind his desk. Marik sighed.

"Good." He said, his grin returning. "Now, we will need to separate like my sister said to find the other Gems."

"Where exactly are they?" Joey asked, returning to his seat along with Ishizu and Yugi.

"Each in different countries, unfortunately." Marik told him. "Each belonged to a different ancient culture which lived in different lands. Already the Obsidian of the Japanese and the Moonstone of the Mayans have been taken by this Gem Keeper. Him being the Keeper of the Mayan Gem and Mokuba being the Keeper of the Japanese Gem."

"And the others?" Yugi asked.

"There is the Iolite of the Indians," Ishizu stated, thinking back on the other stones. "The Turquoise of the Greeks, the Citrine of the Celts, the Lapis Lazuli of the Egyptians, and the Hematite of the Ojibway."

"That means we have to go to India, Greece, Ireland, Egypt, and..." Joey stopped, then thought. "And Ojibwa?"

Ishizu slightly shook her head. "No, Joey."

"The Ojibway lived in North America." Marik told him. "That means we go to Canada."

Joey nodded. "Ok..."

"Five destinations..." Yugi uttered. "Five people..."

Kaiba glared at Joey. "I don't think he should be left on his own in some foreign land." Joey glared back.

"True." Ishizu said. "We can't just go on our own. We'll have to go in groups. It may take longer, but it'll be safer."

"I'll go by myself before I'd team up with any of yous." Kaiba told her. "I don't care about saving the world. I just want to get my brother back."

"Either way, you will be assisting us." Ishizu said frankly. She then turned back to the others. "This is a very important matter. I'll give each of you an hour to go home, inform your guardians, then meet Marik and I at the airport. Time is of the essence."

Yugi nodded, along with Joey.

Ishizu then stood, heading to the door. "I do hope you won't be late."

Yugi. Yami uttered in Yugi's head.

What is it? Yugi asked.

The book. Yami said, his voice seemingly at Yugi's ear. Tell Ishizu about the book you found.

Oh, right. Yugi said. He grabbed the book that had been hidden between him and Joey.

"Ishizu, wait." Yugi said, his fingers wrapping around the leather book.

"Yes?" Ishizu asked, stopping to look back at him.

"When I was coming here I felt a strange presence." Yugi told her. "I followed it, and found this." He held up the book. Both Marik and Kaiba's eyes widened. Ishizu let out a gasp.

"Oh my..." Ishizu stammered.

"Tha-that's Mokuba's." Kaiba uttered in disbelief.

"What?" Marik asked.

Kaiba nodded. "It came with that key." He looked to Yugi. "Where did you find it?"

"On the twenty-seventh floor." He said. "We had to stop the elevator to get it, but we did."

"So this is what Shadi meant when he said Mokuba left behind something of use." Ishizu muttered, though no one heard her. She looked from the book to Yugi. "It is very good that you've found it, Yugi. We will be needing it."

"What is it?" Yugi asked.

"I'm not sure." Ishizu admitted. "As you see it's locked. But whatever is within it is of great importance."

"How do we open it?" Joey asked. "Mokuba's key?"

Marik shook his head. "No. Any of the seven Shadow Gems should be able to open it."

Ishizu went over to Yugi and took the book from him. "I'll hold onto this." She gazed at it, running her hand over the cover.

"We should get moving." Joey finally said, bringing everyone back to reality. "Time isn't really on our side here."

Ishizu nodded. "It is not." She turned back to the door, Marik following, along with Joey and Yugi. "Remember, be at the airport within an hour."