Title: The Prize At The End Was Worth It
Author: Phoenix87
Rating: PG-13, T
Pairing: Seto/Yami (although it's interchangeable)
Spoilers: None
Warnings: Creative use of shadow powers, Egypt scenes following neither the show nor the manga. (I haven't seen them)
Disclaimers: Yu-gi-oh does not belong to me. But my Burger King Green Lantern toy does! He spins!
Summary: A race from a mad man ends up dragging Yami and Seto threw the past, present, and into the future... a future in which they just might end up in each other's arms.
Status: Completed 6/8

(A/N So…I'm going to combine the last 4 chapters in to 2 chapters. I think it flows better this way. Plus: More For You!)

Chapter 6

Yami woke up as he felt the bike start to sputter and jolt. But- when did he fall asleep? And when did he get to the front of the bike? In front of Kaiba? Sitting up fully he looked at the brunet with questioning eyes.

"We're running out of gas." He answered

'What? Oh the sputtering. Figures he'd answer that question first' Yami thought to himself.

"Oh, but, uh how did I get up here?"

"You fell asleep behind me. I had to move you or you would have fallen off the bike. Would you have preferred that?"

"You could have just woken me up."

The CEO was silent.

"…Then I would have had to listen to you talk some more wouldn't I?" he decided on replying, but the tone was less sarcastic and more teasing. Yami got the feeling that wasn't what Kaiba had planned on saying first. Something meaner perhaps? Nicer? Who knows? He turned back to the road and leaned back experimentally into the brunet's body. Surprisingly, Kaiba didn't pull away, so he stayed there. That is, until the bike finally coasted to a stop after running on fumes for much longer then the former pharaoh thought possible. With a growl, that Yami felt rumble threw his chest thanks to their close proximity, Kaiba climbed off the vehicle. Then he tried not to laugh as the CEO glared at the bike, probably subconsciously, seemingly willing it to work. It didn't listen. And as soon as Yami climbed off the bike the CEO retaliated by flinging out a leg and kicking the machine to the ground. It landed with a heavy thud kicking up a cloud of dirt and sand that filtered up around them. Yami rolled his eyes and waved some dust away from his face.

"Upset are we?"

"They need more gas station around here." Was the simple response and the taller boy started walking. Yami sighed and yanked off he helmet; his hair popped back to its original shape.

"Kaiba! Where are you going?"

"North."

"Don't you think we should take the bike?" Yami yelled exasperatedly at the hot-head trying to restore some sense. It seemed to work. The brunet stopped, still facing away from the other.

"I guess."

They stood rooted to their places for a few moments.

"Well?" Yami asked

"Your closer to it."

Ra, he could almost hear Kaiba grinning. He decided to humor the CEO, righting the motorcycle and wheeling it over to where Kaiba was standing.

"There happy?"

"Quite."

When Kaiba reached out to take the bike, Yami let it fall back to the ground not bothering to hold back the smirk of satisfaction that quickly splashed across his face. He was prepared for a glare, he was prepared for a snappy comeback, what he wasn't prepared for was laughter. It wasn't much, but it was enough. With a small shake of his head, Kaiba had laughed. All the other times Yami had heard the other laugh it had been a laugh of smugness, or, early on, insanity. But this amused sound was real. During Yami's pondering, Kaiba had already retrieved the bike. The brunet then reached out and pushed Yami's lower jaw close.

"Is it really that surprising?"

The shorter duelist felt his cheeks tint slightly. Why did Kaiba always know what he was thinking?

"I swear, you and that friendship cult just think I'm a robot with no feelings at all."

"Kaiba that's not true."

"It isn't? Then why were you staring at me in shock when I laughed? Don't patronize me Yami."

This was edging toward a fight. Yami had to defuse it.

"No. I was shocked because…"

Kaiba was looking at him expectantly and before Yami could think of a suitable lie, the truth came tumbling out. "because it was so uniquely…beautiful."

It was Kaiba's turn to be surprised, his blue eyes widened, and the abused bike almost dropped to the ground for a third time. Yami watched in deafening silence as Kaiba fussed unnecessarily with the motorcycle; straightening parts that were fine, adjusting the kick-stand 3 times, whipping dirt off the body. It was all an act of course. He was just stalling so he could think, but it was torturing Yami! Had no one ever given the man a complement before? Kaiba cleared his throat uncomfortably

"That's…ah…a new answer." He threw out finally

Yami didn't push it.

"Come on, lets go." He said simply, "I saw a sign for a motel a little while back. Maybe they have gasoline or something." He took the lead in their walk then-

The Trees Disappeared

'No!' Yami thought, 'not again! The school, the diner, now this?' he tried to will the phasing away; too late. Black dirk turned to golden sand. The sun shifted not only its position in the sky, but the amount of heat it was radiating. Once again Kaiba was stationary while his clothes flickered. Yami squeezed his eyes shut. 'No, no, NO! They were on the side of the road with no one to help them! What if something went wrong? what if the stalker appeared? What about Seto!' but it was too late, the past surrounded him and he crumbled to the ground.

There was sound this time. Water dripping from a damp plant, that chatter of villagers from the market, birds singing in the palace. He was back in the thrown room. Kaiba was there again leaning over his throne so they could speak to each other in quiet whispers; he felt utterly relaxed. He saw himself glance around before grabbing a fistful of the priest's robs and pulled him close to whisper something in his ear. The high priests eyes widened by a fractional amount accompanied by a quick burst of laugher as he shook his head at whatever the pharaoh had said. Suddenly the sound of racing footsteps filled the high vaulted room. His attention, and Kaiba's, left each other, both gazing at the door anxiously. A guard burst threw the door with enough force to almost crack the walls.

"My Pharaoh" he cried breathlessly, "He's here. We were unable to stop him."

The pharaoh's expression grew cold.

"Get the rest of the priests in here NOW!"

Obviously the monarch knew who 'he' was. Yami just waited expectantly, as did every other occupant of the room. Kaiba had moved to stand close to the pharaoh as the tense seconds ticked by. The pharaoh's hand drifted to rest on his puzzle staring at the door, but, the door wasn't used. Reminiscent of the destruction of Yami's chemistry classroom, the south wall exploded.

Guards rushed forward into the rubble-produced smoke determined to protect their pharaoh, but as soon as they entered the cloud of gray they were flung out.

"You send these low mortals to fight your battle Pharaoh? Are you afraid to face me yourself?" emerging from the smoke, stopping before his past self: the stalker. He looked in the pharaoh's direction with a smug expression. "I always get what I want."

His eyes flew open. The smell of the near-by trees confirmed that he was back in present time, the sight of the blue above his head probed that he was laying down facing upwards. Funny, the ground didn't feel that hard.

"Yami, are you okay?"

Kaiba's voice…coming from…somewhere.

"Errm?" was his, oh so intelligent, answer.

He heard Kaiba chuckle. Ra? Where was he? Then he felt a hand appear on his forehead

"Well you don't have a fever."

Yami turned his head still looking for the disembodied voice. Then, when he felt his head shift on the 'ground' he knew. He couldn't see Kaiba because his head was in the brunet's lap! He jerked up immediately.

"I'm fine."

"Oh, so you like to take dirt naps?"

"Its just- oh you wouldn't believe me."

"Try me."

Yami sighed.

"I had a vision from Egypt, from when I was pharaoh."

"Are you sure it wasn't heat stroke?"

"See! I knew you wouldn't believe me!"

Kaiba had the nerve to wink at him before collecting his tall frame from the ground.

"I never said I didn't believe you."

"So…you do?"

"It's strange, but lets face it, a lot of strange shit happens to me. Who am I to judge?" he shrugged and held a hand offering to help the other up. With out thinking Yami accepted it, and held on to it longer then needed.

"This must be it." Yami said staring blankly ahead of him. The 'hotel', a term that barely describes the building, stood in all it's rickety splendor off the side of the road somewhat hidden by over grown, weed infested, grass.

"You've got to be kidding me."

"It's getting dark Kaiba." Yami said, "and we haven't eaten since the diner. We need to stop."

"Maybe I'd rather starve. Ever think about that?"

Yami sighed and opted to just grab the CEO by the arm and drag him inside the shabby establishment. A greasy clerk stared at them with annoyance; apparently they had interrupted a good part in 'Trucks Weekly'.

"Can I help you?" he asked half-heartedly…maybe more like 1/4th heartedly, he didn't even look up from his magazine.

"We broke down a ways back, do you have a phone we can use or some gasoline?" Yami asked

"No gas, no phone." Flip went the page of the magazine

"You don't have a phone?" Kaiba asked in disbelief

"To repeat myself. We do not have a phone; it's broken. Are you going to get a room or keep boring me with pointless questions?"

Yami caught Kaiba's arm just as the brunet was about to yank the magazine from the clerk and probably beat the man with it.

"Kaiba, why don't you go look at the phone and see if you can fix it? I'll get some rooms."

He grumbled in return and stalked off toward the payphone throwing one last murderous look at the clerk. Flip went the magazine.

"So, uh, two rooms please."

"Only one room available."

"What? There's no one else here!"

"Well Sir we have three rooms, two upstairs, one downstairs. The building inspector came yesterday and told us that the first floor ceiling is too unstable to support any weight upstairs. So…three minus two…we have one room."

Yami should have let Kaiba smack this guy.

"Two beds?"

"One bed."

"Do you at least have a cot we could use?"

"You don't want it."

"But-"

"Trust me, you don't want it."

"I think I'll make my own choices thank you."

"Fine. Don't say I didn't warn you. After I find it I'll bring it to your room." The clerk handed him the room key, an old rusty metal key with a large 1 on a plastic disk attached to it. "And how will you be paying?"

Kaiba's arm suddenly appeared beside Yami's head and handed the clerk a credit card.

"That phone is beyond what I can do for it…at least with out the proper tools." The CEO informed him as the clerk ran the card.

"Hum, looks like we're stuck then." He turned back to the clerk, "is the phone going to be fixed soon?"

"Ah-huh"

They waited for him to go on. He didn't.

"When?" Kaiba asked rolling his eyes

"Three days." The clerk slid the card across the desk indicating that he was done. Luckily Kaiba caught it before it hit the floor. "Have a nice stay." Then he left the counter.

"Three days? We can't wait three days!"

Yami blocked out Kaiba's ranting about Kaiba Corp and Mokuba from his mind. He knew there where more pressing matters at hand. They couldn't stay idle for that long. The stalker would catch them for sure. As much as it displeased him, they'd have to continue walking. Looking out the window he saw that dusk had started to fall. They'd start in the morning. Get rest now. Kaiba had stopped his speech at some point and was staring at him.

"What?" he asked

"Just waiting to hear the great plan."

"And how do you know I have a plan?"

"Because you have that look on your face." Kaiba replied folding his arms across his chest.

"Find some food, rest the night, walk tomorrow."

The brunet smiled. It was a scheming smile.

"What?" Yami asked suspiciously

"Oh nothing. Lets just say that I have my own plan that is much better."

"Which is?"

"You'll find out tomorrow."

"Ra, maybe I don't want to know." He jingled the key in front of the brunet's face. "Lets go check out the accommodations."

"Where's my key?"

"Erm they only had one room. We're sharing. You don't snore do you?"

"Don't know. No one has ever been in the position to tell me." He replied with a shrug.

Yami opened the door. The weathered wood creaked open, so warped that it didn't even fit properly into the doorframe anymore. The windows were grimy, stained and decorated with nicks and chunks missing from rocks hitting them from the outside. Ratty curtains hung needlessly in front of the windows, the walls, once white, were so dirty and old that they appeared more of a tan. It smelled of dust and mothballs. The single king sized bed lay smack dab in the middle of the room, the thread count of the sheets worn thin, the pillows flattened, the linens full of numerous holes. Dump would have been a kind word to describe it.

"This…" Kaiba started after they had taken it all in, "can't be sanitary."

"It's not that bad." Yami said trying the optimistic approach. "We could be sleeping on the ground."

Kaiba ran his finger across an old wooden desk that was near by.

"Might as well be, there's just as much dirt."

Yami rolled his eyes

"Well, feel free to jump out a window then."

"You'd miss me sooner or later." The brunet said with a smirk. Yami would have bet on sooner. After getting used to him, it was kind of nice having Kaiba around. With his strong will and determination and-

"Shit." Kaiba mumbled as he bent down to retrieve the pen he knocked off the desk when removing his jacket. – nice ass. The former pharaoh groaned inwardly, it's not going to happen! Just forget about it. No, no, no. Ra, why didn't he take that coat off more often?

"I'm going to look for a vending machine!" Yami blurted and raced out of the door. What was that phrase? 'Out of sight, out of mind?'

When Yami returned to their room, withquestionable sandwiches in hand, he stared at the door. 'Deep breaths, its just Kaiba.' he thought,'Hum, some how 'just Kaiba' didn't bring the usual calm.' Recommence staring at door. Suddenly the door opened, followed by the body of the object of Yami's thoughts. In a second, with a brief out cry from Yami, they both ended up on the floor.

"Oh, there you are." the brunet said casually staring down at him. "I just about to go looking for you."

"Well I'm…here." The taller duelist was close- very close, "And I brought sandwiches, though I'm not sure about their freshness."

'Why are you talking about sandwiches?' he yelled at himself.

Kaiba rolled to the side and sat himself down on the ground next to Yami.

"As long as their edible" he picked one out of Yami's hand and cracked the plastic seal staring hard at it. Then he sniffed it. Then he poked it. "I think it's safe." Pulling it out he hesitantly he took a bite.

"So?" Yami asked pulling himself up to sit cross-legged.

"Something crunched. I sincerely hope it was a pickle."

Yami burst out laughing and grabbed the food from the CEO's hand. Lifting up the bread he peeked at the contents, then slowly shook his head.

"Oh…that is nasty."

"Here have half of mine." Yami handed the thoroughly grossed out brunet half of the other sandwich. "It looks better then that." He finished indicating the discarded supper. They both chewed carefully. Kaiba shrugged. Yami smiled.

"If I cared about the answer, I'd ask why you're eating on the floor outside of your room." They looked up to see the tired look on the front clerks face. "Brought you a cot. Enjoy." And he walked away.

"I hate that man." Kaiba said popping the last of the sandwich into his mouth. "But he has a point."

"Which is?"

"We look like idiots sitting on the floor." He climbed up and once again offered his hand to Yami, who decided that an experiment was in order. What would happen if he just, didn't let go of Kaiba's hand?

"I hope this thing fits threw the door."

While the CEO was inspecting the folded up cot, Yami carefully moved to in-twin their fingers and did a little dance in his head when the other didn't pull away instantly.

"I think it will be tight but it should." The former pharaoh observed. Yeah, like he was paying attention to the damned cot. Kaiba finally noticed their hands when he went to push the fold-up bed into the room.

"Erm, Yami-"

"Sure I'll help!" Yami interrupted before either one of them was too embarrassed. As far as he was concerned that experiment was a huge success. Letting go of the others hand he positioned himself behind the cot ready to push it.

"…thanks?"

More confused then angry, yep success.

Luckily, Yami was right, the cot just scooted underneath the room's door and the bulky thing was wheeled into the room. After fumbling with the rusty claps for a few moments Kaiba had the beast lying open. If they had thought that the room was in bad shape, it was now the Taj Mahal, compared to the crap-pile that was the cot. The material barely covered the springs, in fact many of said springs were popping up to greet them, there were many stains that should remain nameless and frankly it just didn't look very sturdy. Yami couldn't say he wasn't warned.

"I'm not going to have a good night." Kaiba said. He pushed one of the springs down trying to see if he could push it back into the mattress. It didn't comply.

"This is stupid." Yami said with a shake of his head. "You can't sleep on that."

"Sure I can. This spot has slightly less rusty springs. See?"

"Look," he paused, "the bed is big enough for the both of us. Lets just share."

Kaiba looked at him thoughtfully for a moment before shaking his head.

"No, no, it's fine." He turned and sat carefully on the cot, but not carefully enough as it turned out. The cot's supports gave way sending the structure back into its folded position in a blink of an eye- taking Kaiba with it. A surprised yelp resounded from with in the mattress, as the brunet kicked his legs in a futile attempt to escape. Yami was stunned. He just stared at the sight for a few moments; it wasn't something you see everyday. One second he's talking to Kaiba and the next second- he's gone! He couldn't even laugh until a muffled 'a little help here Yami!' filtered threw the prison. The CEO's head and arms where caught between the folds.

"Push from the inside, I'll pull from the outside!" Yami yelled while trying to stop laughing now that he started.

He heard a stifled confirmation.

It shouldn't have been as hard as it was. That monster did not want to let go of its victim.

"Are you pushing!" Yami yelled

"No, I like it in here. Of course!"

"Okay we'll both give it our all on three…one…two…three!"

They forced, the bed gave in, and, thanks to the wonders of momentum, Kaiba tumbled backwards while Yami fell forwards making it the second time that day where the shorter duelist found himself nearly on top of the brunet's face. Yami wasn't going to let it go this time. Time for experiment three -the final experiment- and everything was riding on its outcome.

Building up his confidence, he slipped his hand behind Kaiba's head and gently pulled up the other's lips to meet his own. It was a simple, gentle, and tentative kiss, for at the same time he was trying to gage Kaiba's reaction. It was encouraging to say the least when he felt the pressure returned. Yami could have melted. It was perfect, just as he thought it would be. The brunet's lips were so soft, even as they tugged and melded with his own. Kaiba's hand traveled up to entwine it's self in Yami's wild hair, at the same time drawing them closer together. Soon it wasn't only their lips that were locked in a passionate struggle; neither was willing to give up complete control of the situation, and the dominance of the kiss kept switching. As soon as Yami thought he had Kaiba's mouth in his control the taller boy would either… One: do something with his tongue that Yami didn't know was possible, or, Two: cheat by simply thrusting his hips upward to collide with Yami's and give the other something else to think about for a moment. It was absolutely infuriating and at the same time deliciously erotic. Unfortunately the need for air forced them to separate. Yami stayed straddling Kaiba as they slowly regained their breath.

"That…that was amazing." The brunet said flushed

"Hmmm, I couldn't have put it any better myself." Yami said then, with out thinking, buried his head into Kaiba's neck and mumbled to himself "Gods Seto, I think I love you."

"You…what?"

Yami lifted up his head. Neck- ear- close proximity. Must remember that.

They stared at each other.

"I said, I think I love you." Yami repeated nervously. He hadn't meant to let that piece of information slip. But, now that he did… "What…about you? What does this all mean to you?"

"That's a lot to think about."

"Then I'll simplify it. What do you think about me?"

"I…you," Kaiba ran a hand threw his hair anxiously, "Honestly…you confuse the crap out of me."

Yami sucked a breath in; that was not the response he had been hoping for.

"Oh" he responded quietly

"Yami, let me get my thoughts out now, God knows I've been doing nothing but thinking during this whole damn thing."
He sighed and wiggled out from the cot to wander around the room.
"Everything was easy before. Run my company and look out for my little brother. But when you came into the picture, suddenly things weren't so easy."
He was pacing around now, avoiding eye contact.
"I started to think more often about you and wondering what you thought about me, which was strange since before I didn't care what anyone thought about me. I'd find myself glancing your way during class, and in those rare moments were our eyes meet it was like the whole world just fell away, but I always had to turn my head. I didn't understand my feelings. I don't understand why I felt like blushing- which never happened when I looked at anyone else. Hell I didn't even know I could blush."
He paused again his back turned to Yami.
"It only got worse when this happened, when that psycho came after you. I don't understand the feelings Yami, I don't know the words to describe what I feel. I can try- I'll try…"
he spun around to face Yami now,
"I don't understand why I want to strangle that man for what he's doing to you. I don't understand why I feel this overwhelming need to protect you. I don't understand how hurt I was when you were surprised that I wanted to help you, or that I have the ability to laugh. I don't understand how you're the only person I don't want thinking I have this ice heart. But the crowning confusion was the realizing that you actually pulled me out of that car wreak when, lets face it, no one else would have. It blew my mind, I never would have thought that you'd care that much. I'm not used to people caring about me at all. And I certainly never thought I'd care about someone so much."

He stopped his ramble staring intently at ground just before Yami's feet. The pharaoh smiled, Kaiba was perhaps the most adorable thing in the world. He stepped forward and tipped the brunet's head up with his hand to look him in the eyes.

"You care about me?"

"More then anything."

Yami couldn't hold himself back then. He launched himself at the other attacking the brunet with his mouth. Whether Kaiba knew it or not, he had just rambled off something terribly romantic. After pulling away from the stunned, yet grinning, Kaiba Yami stood on tiptoe and whispered in the taller duelist's ear.

"I'll always be there to pull you out of danger."

"It won't happen often."

"What are you talking about?" He wrapped his fingers around Kaiba's belt and pulled him closer smiling wickedly, "Your in danger right now."

"Hmmm am I?" He quickly twisted away then swept Yami off his feet and dumped him unceremoniously on the bed. Quickly positioning himself over the smaller duelist he returned a grin. "I think that's you."

"You really think you can keep me on the bottom?"

"I intend to try."

"Well I always enjoy a challenge." Yami replied then reached up pulling Kaiba's shirt over his head.

The clerk glanced casually at the clock: 11:30. Well it didn't look like he'd be able to take his nightly nap anytime soon. It was his own fault; he forgot mention that the walls of this dump were paper-thin.

"AHHH! Gods Kaiba!"

"I really think…you can call me…Seto now!"

"AHHH SETO!"

The clerk shook his head.

"I guess you didn't need the cot after all huh?"

Flip went the page of the magazine.

Yami groaned quietly as the light from the morning sun flew threw the shabby drapes and right into the room. Getting up was not a thing he wanted to do right now. He could have stayed where he was forever, snuggled up to a slumbering Seto Kaiba, but they had to get moving. They hadn't heard from the stalker in a while and it was beginning to eat away on Yami's mind. He carefully removed Seto's arm from its position on him and slid out of bed. It was cold. He needed to find when his clothes went; his and Seto's were flung all over the room from last nights –ahem- activities. He found his jacket first, on top of a lamp, and wrapped it around his waist. Boxers would be a good thing. He found a pair halfway underneath the bed, but when he held them up-

"Oh, these are Seto's" he mumbled out loud and thumbing the soft black fabric he couldn't prevent the slow grin that spread across his face.

"hmm?" Yami looked over at the bed where Seto was groggily looking at him. "What did you say?"

"Nothing, love I was just talking to myself."

Seto nodded

"What are you doing?"

"Looking for my clothes." He responded tossing the boxers at the brunet.

"Why? I like you like this." Seto retorted with a wink

"I think we'd attract unwanted attention. Now will you please help me find my boxers?"

"Oh," Seto reached underneath him and pulled a pair of deep red boxers from underneath him. "These?"

"How..?"

"You got me."

After a very 'healthy' breakfast of soda and sandwiches from the vending machine it was time for Yami to know Seto's great plan.

"Okay be quiet." The brunet instructed as they quickly left their room. Peering around the corner they saw the clerk fast asleep with his head down on the table. "Perfect." Seto mumbled. He then pointed to the door and motioned for Yami to follow him. Once outside, Seto grabbed the bike and wheeled it behind the building into the employee parking lot. In the lot was a single car, obviously belonging to the rude clerk.

"Your going to do something illegal aren't you?" Yami asked as Seto brought out a hose.

"You can turn around if you don't want to be a witness."

Yami didn't. He watched as Seto skillfully opened the clerk's gasoline cap then preceded to siphon the gas out of the car and into the motorcycle.

"Why do you know how to do that?" Yami asked. He had to admit, he was impressed, and he'd be lying if he didn't also admit that for a moment he let his mind wander at the potential of Seto's sucking ability. Clueless to that train of though the CEO shrugged.

"You never know."

Then Seto picked the lock of the car and trifled threw the glove compartment.

"And now we add breaking and entering to the list." Yami said

"So I'll send him a check…Look!" He came out of the car with a map in hand. Yami leaned over his shoulder as they studied it. "Geeze we're only 2 hours away from Domino." Seto said slightly surprised.

"Well come on you delinquent, lets go." Yami said lightly slapping Seto on the bottom before heading over to the bike.

Seto was uneasy. The ride back to the city had been uneventful. They'd gone to long with out a 'visit' from their tormenter. He could tell by the rigid-ness of Yami's posture that he was also troubled about this development. Most people would be happy that a psycho wasn't attacking them, but over the past years both duelist had learned to distrust lulls in evil. That was usually when the villains were plotting. By now the he knew where he was and was on autopilot making his way to Kaiba Corp. He pulled into his companies underground parking facility, and lifted Yami off the bike.

"I have a bad feeling about this Seto." Yami said seriously. "It's been too long."

"I know what you mean. It's too quiet; there should always be workers here. Stay close to me."

He grabbed Yami's hand holding it tightly, but made sure that the shorter duelist was positioned slightly, and safely, behind him. Their footsteps resounded off the concrete parking garage floor, which wouldn't have happened if the garage was full of cars like it should be. He pushed the door into his lobby open and looked around. All the lights were off. His secretary's desk was vacant.

"This is wrong."

"Maybe they freaked when you went missing and shut down." Yami suggested.

"Perhaps…I'll check Ms. Hetke's day planner. If it doesn't say 'off' we're leaving." Seto decided and picked up his secretary's black book off the desk. When he flipped to the correct day he found nothing there at all. Not even the time when she came that morning, which is always on her pages. "We're out of here."

But as the words left his mouth the garage access door slammed shut, followed by a metal covering sliding down over it, and every other window and door leading outside in the lobby.

"Seto! What's going on?"

"Remember when I told you that Kaiba Corp had excellent security? This is it. But it shouldn't be activating! Only I have the proper access codes. Not even Mokuba knows them. Who in the hell hacked my system?"

"But you can shut it off right?"

"Luckily yes."

He went behind Ms. Hetke's desk, but when he tried to turn on her computer nothing happened. He pushed the button again. Once more. Nothing.

"I don't think it works without these." A voice called from the opposite side of the room. The tall shadowed figure held up a mess of cords in his hand before he let them fall to the ground. Seto narrowed his eyes and ripped the covering off the computer modem. It had been gutted. "I wasn't sure what to remove with these new devices so I thought, take out everything."

"How did you start the security system?" Seto demanded as he walked back out to the front of the desk to stand with Yami.

"That's my little secret."

The man started walking the length of the room to meet them. Both duelists straightened their backs subconsciously as the air tensed around them. There was nowhere to run this time. Not that Seto would have again. They had to stop him. It had finally come. The part that was always in Mokuba's movies: the epic showdown between the good guys and the bad guys. The stalker was just about as 'bad' as anyone he could imagine. He wouldn't let the psycho hurt Yami. Never. Said former pharaoh stood to his side positioned just behind his right shoulder. No, nothing would happen to him. How cruel would fate be to throw them together then rip them apart?

"So here we are." The stalker reached them stopping a few feet away in talking distance, what did he think was going to happen? A nice chat? "I did enjoy the chase. How about you? –Oh wait that's a stupid question isn't it?"

Yami's hand reached for Seto's, who quickly griped it and squeezed it reassuringly. The man in front of them didn't miss it of course.

"Yes I think you enjoyed yourselves quite thoroughly."

The brunet nearly growled,

"What do you want?"

"And here I thought that was obvious."

"What do you want with Yami!" Seto exclaimed.

"To the point as ever." The man said taking a step forward. "Lets make this easy on everyone just let me take what I want."

Seto pulled Yami behind him protectively.

"That's not going to happen." This time Seto took a step forward so that they were practically nose-to-nose. "And I'll ask you again. What do you want with Yami?"

The man smiled wickedly and with a movement that surprised the two he whipped his hand out and grabbed the back of Seto's neck roughly jerking the CEO's head up, pulling him away from Yami's hand. Then the gray-eyed man leaned in so his lip's were right next to the brunet's ear and he locked his cold eyes on Yami's crimson, before he whispered just loud enough for both to hear-

"Now who said I wanted the pharaoh?"