A/N: Ok, this is the chapter that will answer quite a few questions. I do apologize for the length, but I think those of you who have been patiently waiting for the reveal would kill me if I stretched it out any longer and made yet another cliffhanger out of his or her identity…Hey, you gotta read the chapter to find out who it is, spoiling it in my notes would be so wrong.

Chapter 20


An Unfortunate Turn of Events

Serenity timidly walked into the library. She glanced around the room and tried to hold back her tears. The last time she was here she had been sitting on the couch, in front of a roaring fire, sharing time and space with Seto. On the side table next to the couch, as a brutal reminder, sat his book 'The Prince'. A small piece of blue paper was wedge inside to mark his page. She sighed heavily.

The mood of the room lent to the illusion that he would walk in at any moment. She waited several moments, closing her eyes, thinking how he would probably be angry that she was in his personal space without written permission. She smiled as she thought of him getting his boxers in a twist. He would probably accuse her of snooping.

She let out a tense giggle, what could she snoop for? She knew nothing about the corporate world, didn't really care to. She once snooped under the covers of the bed they had shared. A tinge of pink highlighted her cheeks at those memories. It was a good thing Kaiba slept later than her...His body was something she was definitely interested in. She just prayed it would stay in one piece.

Her eyes slowly scanned the room, carefully avoiding his desk and chair. Her heartstrings were already stretched to the limit. It was her fault he wasn't here.

Stupid Seto…why did you do it!

She spied her camera on the floor next to her bag. Thankfully, Kaiba's men had found her things in his abandoned car and not one of the nameless thugs that now had Seto in captivity. She picked up 'her baby' and smiled at it. This would be her saving grace. She rewound the film and popped it out of the camera. She held the small canister in her palm and simply stared at it. In this small, seemingly meaningless, object laid the key to Seto's freedom.

Her next stop was her place of employment, if she was still employed. She wanted to, no, she needed to develop the film herself. If she took it to a regular camera shop there would be a million questions about what she had captured. She closed her eyes as she closed her fingers around the small canister. A silent prayer went up from her mind to God's ears that her skills had not betrayed her. If the pictures were what she thought they would be she had a good chance of rescuing a certain blue-eyed man who haunted her existence.

"Wake up!" A loud shout followed a kick to his bed. He grumbled something incoherent but quickly came to. He sat up and surveyed the man before him. His blue eyes blazed with fierce intensity.

"This isn't a vacation Seto Kaiba. While you enjoy our hospitality you will work." The man informed him. "Now get up and let me show you your new office."

Kaiba stood, maintaining his air of indifference. His trademark smirk graced his lips, almost resembling a snarl.

"This computer will give you a direct link to Kaiba Corp. Over the next few days you will download information on your latest innovation while you unlock all access to your company." The man informed him.

"Your lack of intelligence amuses me," Kaiba sneered. "You honestly think I'll hand my company over to you? No one tells me what to do and believe me stronger people with more influence than you have tried."

"You want to live Seto Kaiba? Then the price for your next breath will be your compliance." The man gave Kaiba a shove in the direction of the desk in the room.

"Kill me." Kaiba stated simply. He was holding his cards close. In poker terms, his poker face was on. He knew that without his knowledge of his computer system they would gain nothing. The threats were empty.

"Do you really wish to die today?" The man asked.

Kaiba shrugged with indifference, "today is as good a day as any to die."

"You don't hold your life dearly do you now?" His captor asked.

"I have a feeling my life and skills mean more to you right now than they do to me. What is the game here? Hostile take over? The stealing of corporate secrets? Espionage? Whatever your game is count me out." Kaiba looked at the desk and the computer with distain.

"Your compliance would be appreciated Seto Kaiba, I would hate to see how messed up you'll be once my men are finished with you." An open threat of physical violence was a necessary thing.

"Do your worst, my cooperation can't be obtained if I'm a corpse. Unfortunately for you that's the only way I would hand Kaiba Corp. over to you—over my dead, cold body." Kaiba was seething now. There was no fear in his deep blue eyes, in fact he was almost challenging his captors to kill him.

"You'll change your tune Seto Kaiba when we get our hands on your brother." The man countered.

Kaiba's gaze wavered slightly, but not enough for someone who didn't know him to realize it. The man was stupid. He just gave Kaiba some very important information. Mokuba wasn't in their possession. Mokuba was safe, for now.

"Are you almost ready to blow this joint?" Joey asked Serenity when he caught up with her in the library. "Did you get all your stuff together?"

Serenity looked around the room and sighed. She hated leaving. There were fond memories here and without Seto by her side she felt like a part of her was being ripped out. She thought about going and gathering the clothes she had bought in town, but if Joey noticed they were in Kaiba's room he would suffer an embolism-of that she was sure. It had all been quite innocent, never crossing the line. She shook her head slightly. It wasn't completely innocent, she couldn't lie to herself, but they had drawn the line. Still, he had opened a door to an experience she now found herself craving. A door only he would be allowed to enter.

She was annoyed with herself. Originally it might have been lust, now she realized it was love. He had to feel it too, why else would he sacrifice himself for her safety? He left her without a fight, but before he left he told her a commitment was possible.

"Well," she smiled as she squeezed the film in her palm, "let's see how true to your word you really are Seto Kaiba."

Roland escorted the two of them out of the house and led them to the car. He drove them back to Domino using a road plagued with memories. She watched silently as they passed the motel. She recalled being carried to it from where the car had broken down. She smiled as the landscape passed her by, somehow it all looked so different now. She was seeing it through different eyes. Time passed quickly as she lost herself in sweet memories of fights, smirks, and rain, lots of rain. She slept dreamlessly until they arrived in town.

Joey scooped her up in his arms and carried her into his place. Mai held her door open and Joey laid her on the bed then he covered her. She was fresh from the hospital and still needed her rest.

"We need to call Yugi and the gang." Joey stated flatly, clearly not relishing the thought of helping to free the bane of his existence. He still couldn't understand how he was coerced into this. He remembered the last time he saw Kaiba, it was in the airport the morning Serenity arrived. He growled low when he thought of Kaiba having called his sister a whore. Now that same sister was going to rescue his sorry ass. What the hell turn-around was this! It was insane. He should put his foot down and forbid it. Then again, Kaiba had supposedly saved Sereinty and he knew his own heart. Even if he and Kaiba never did see eye to eye he couldn't sit back and let him die.

"Damn my stupid conscience." He mumbled as he entered the room Mai and Roland now occupied. "Did you call everyone?" Joey asked Mai.

"Roland doesn't think it's such a great idea." Mai shrugged and sat on the couch.

"Just who the hell do you think you are? I know you work for him, but my friends and I have helped Kaiba out before. Who are you to question my idea? Where the hell were you when Kaiba was stuck in the virtual world? I'll tell you where-no where you could help!" Joey was snapping and Mai quickly approached him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and guiding him to the couch.

"It's for their safety as well," Mai soothed him. "We don't want to get anyone hurt if it isn't necessary. Roland isn't even sure who we're up against hon'.Can't we wait a few hours until Serenity wakes up? Maybe she can at least clue us in on who's behind this."

"I'm calling Yugi," Joey growled as he reached for the phone.

"If you want to involve Yugi, that's fine," Mai relented. "Just don't involve anyone else until we know who we're up against. No use worrying Tea. Also, don't call Tristan or else he'll come racing over here to be with Serenity and I don't think that's what she needs right now." Mai hoped that was enough of a discouragement. She knew Serenity had feelings for Kaiba and having Tristan glom all over her at the moment would be very annoying.

"I suppose you're right about that. Never did like having Tristan crushing on Serenity." Joey absently agreed as he dialed the phone. Yugi on the other hand would be quite the asset, he was always so calm and cool under pressure. He always came up with a plan of action and that's what was desperately needed in this situation.

"He wouldn't cooperate Sir," the guard informed Max.

"He wouldn't huh? I think we need some leverage to help him see things our way. Maybe I should go have a talk with Mr. Kaiba." Max got up and left the room determined to make Kaiba yield no matter what the threat.

Serenity woke slowly and realized that she was in her own bed, well, her own bed at Joey's place. She stretched and yawned, funny how it still didn't feel like she had enough sleep under her belt. She made her way into the living room without much memory of how she even arrived at this destination. Joey, Roland and Yugi all stood when she entered the room. Her looks must have frightened them all. How long had it been since she had showered? She stifled a chuckle and put it down on her list of priorities after she spoke with them.

She slowly walked into the room and sat on the sofa next to Joey. Mai came out of the kitchen and offered her a drink, she accepted and Mai had a seat next to her.

"So Sis…what's your plan?" Joey asked as he rubbed Serenity's back.

"First of all I have to get this roll of film developed. The pictures will be the key to getting Kaiba released." It took all of her effort to not say 'Seto'.

"What are the pictures of?" Mai asked with interest.

"A murder." Serenity stated it so nonchalantly they all looked at her with curiosity.

"It was the one I told you about the day at the museum. I have the proof right here."

"Serenity we have to take that to the police," Joey paled at the realization of just what his baby sister had been through. The film contained images of the horror, but her eyes had bore witness to the actual event. He wanted to cry for her loss of innocence.

"No! We can't this is the key to his freedom. I made a deal with the murderer and tomorrow he's going to give me help in getting Kaiba freed." She was almost in a state of panic. Mai and Yugi recognized the desperation as her budding feelings for Seto Kaiba, Joey was clueless.

"What are your intentions?" Yugi asked with his calm tone.

"I'm going to develop the pictures and bring them to the museum tomorrow where I'll meet the guy who Kaiba saved me from." She stated evenly.

"So, you're giving yourself over to a man Kaiba saved you from?" Yugi asked a bit confused.

"It's him on the film-he's the murderer." She answered shyly.

Joey jumped to his feet shaking his head no. "There ain't no way my little sister is going to go head to head with a murderer! What the hell are you thinking Serenity! Are you thinking at all!"

"He won't hurt me Joey," she jumped up to try and calm him down. "I'm only bringing the pictures, not the negatives. I already told him that his help would gain him the negatives. I'm not stupid." She tried to sound as if her plan was fool proof but even to her it sounded like a long shot.

"You aren't going alone." He stated simply.

"If I don't how will he trust me?" She folded her arms across her chest. Why was he fighting her so adamantly?

"Trust you! The man is a murderer! How the hell can I trust him? He'd slit your throat if he thought that would help his own cause. Serenity," he grasped her shoulders with his hands, "don't you understand how dangerous this is!"

"We'll put a wire on her," Roland offered. "That way we can keep track of her and make sure that if a problem arises we can save her."

"That's a great idea!" Serenity agreed with a smile on her face.

"That's the dumbest idea I've ever heard. It's only second to her stupid idea of blackmailing a criminal. Where the hell are your brains!" Joey was getting sick to his stomach thinking of the peril she was about to put herself in.

"Joey," Mai stood up and placed a calming hand on his arm, "nothing will happen to her. We'll all be there in the museum with her when this goes down. If he does anything stupid we'll jump him. Roland can guard the exits with some of Kaiba's men, incognito obviously and the three of us can wander the museum within ear shot of Serenity."

"Please Joey…" Serenity released the building tears. "We'll record the conversation as well for proof. He'll be going to prison not dragging me away. This will work I can feel it."

This was the most ludicrous idea she had ever had. Here she was entering the museum to meet a man who had killed at least one person she knew of. She remembered, with a scared shudder, the night that he had almost raped her in her hospital bed. Hell, he had almost killed her that night, oh, and he had tried to kill her when he set the boathouse on fire as well. Here she trusted this lunatic with her life. What if he pulled a gun on her? What if the photos did her no good.

At least she knew his name now. Yugi had given her that crucial piece of mind. Then again, it was cold comfort for now he was even scarier to her.

"He's a rare hunter Serenity. His name is Umbra. Kaiba and I dueled against him and his partner back in Battle City. He was willing to kill us then. I hope you understand what you're going up against." Yugi whispered as the photos developed before his and Serenity's eyes.

"What's a rare hunter? I seem to recall being chased by them, I don't know why they were after us, but with help from Tristan, Duke and Mai we all got away." She studied the picture of Umbra's face.

"Rare hunters track down duel cards and are willing to go to any extreme to capture the rarest cards. They then use them to cheat in order to amass wealth." Yugi explained it in the simplest terms he knew.

"I don't have any cards for him to take." Serenity shrugged.

"Kaiba does…" Yugi warned.

"He already has Kaiba, I just want him back. I have no cards to bargain with, but if he doesn't cooperate with me he'll be going to prison. I have to hope that's enough of a threat." She whispered.

"I have a way for you to have a greater threat against him," Yugi looked at her with a seriousness she had never seen before.

"What would that be Yugi?" She asked.

"It will require some help from Mai and a great deal of acting on your part..."

" Well Yugi, here goes nothing." She mumbled as she walked over to their designated meeting place. She knew Yugi, Joey and Mai were in the museum somewhere. She also knew that Roland was guarding the entrances and exits. She believed in all of her friends and in Kaiba's loyal men but it would have made her feel better if she could see them with her eyes.

Umbra was standing by the door, she had ducked into last time, waiting for her. It was noon. She approached him wearily.

"I was wondering if you would actually show up," he sneered at the girl.

"You'd better be on your best behavior Umbra…I hold your fate in my hands." She growled, trying to sound confident and being confident were two entirely different things. She felt the sweat trickle down her back.

"I see you've learned my name." He gave her a smile as his eyes drifted over her body. She instinctively folded her arms across her chest in defense.

"Where is he?" She asked, getting right down to the point.

"First I demand to see the pictures." He smirked.

She pulled an envelop out of her jacket pocket and handed it to him. He purposely stroked her fingers with his own during the exchange. She cringed outwardly. He flipped through the shots. The pictures left nothing to the imagination, he was trapped.

"You know Seto Kaiba is a very rich man. If you help free him you will be paid handsomely." She suggested.

"My boss would kill me if he knew I was aiding his enemy." Umbra spat at her.

"If you agree to help you would no longer need a boss," she smiled at him as enticement. "Think about it. You would be independently wealthy. Traipsing off to some exotic island in the middle of nowhere would be possible. You could go where they would never find you…" She unfolded her arms and began playing with her neckline. If he was fascinated with her physically she might be able to use that to her advantage like Mai had suggested. "Women enjoy men with money." She licked her lips. "They'd do anything to experience the wealth of a man." She batted her eyes at him.

"You would be attracted to a man with money?" He asked. She had been unwilling in the hospital and he had enjoyed it. What if she were a willing partner? He could feel his reaction at the thought of her compliance.

"It's no secret that an innocent girl like me would enjoy my first experience with a man of means." She prayed he'd relent so she could drop the pretense. Mai was better at this and even with lessons from said vixen she still felt horribly vulnerable.

"How much is being offered?"

"Name your price." She tried to contain her excitement.

"For betrayal on this scale I would have to request seven figures." He smiled.

"I'm prepared to offer 1.5 on behalf of Kaiba's younger brother Mokuba. All you have to do is give up Kaiba's location and aid in springing him." She offered with calmness she didn't know she possessed.

"Done." He accepted. "I want half up front and the other half when Seto Kaiba is freed."

"Your compliance will be expected Umbra because if you renege on your agreement the photos go to the cops and the tape you're starring on goes to your boss so don't try anything stupid." She sneered at him. Thanks Yugi…without your plan I only held the fear of the law over him. Now with the threat of his boss as well he'll be a bit more trust-worthy.

Suddenly a familiar face came into her line of sight. What the hell was Tristan doing here? She had told them to tell no one. Great, just great…

"I have to go," she whispered. He looked in the direction she was facing. "I don't want to involve any more of my friends in this."

"You're friends with the boss's son?" Umbra's eyebrow arched in wonder.

"Your boss's son!" She gasped. Tristan hadn't come to the museum that day to find her. He must have been there for some reason concerning his Dad. His Dad was evil? None of this made sense.

"Say nothing about me to him," she whispered to Umbra as she started backing up.

"You hold the cards right now. When will you contact me?" He asked her slowly retreating form.

"A phone number is in the envelop call me tonight at 8." She fled down the hall and ran into the ladies room. She ran to the first stall and hit her knees as her stomach relived itself of her lunch.

A/N: If I have any of the information incorrect please let me know and I will correct it post haste. I can't seem to find my rare hunter tapes or the tape with lumis and umbra. I hope the short one is Umbra. If not I can correct it. I never claimed to know everything about Yu-gi-oh. I'm counting on you guys to help me out a bit here. This also leads to my next question…how evil can I go with him? Will I have to dodge daggers if I make a certain member of the Scooby gang snap? You will have to let me know. Thanks in advance…PS-did I shock anyone! I hope so!