A/N: Guess what! Never hit lotto...never aquired any rights to Yu-gi-oh...haven't become independently wealthy...am beginning to hate the 'college experience'...without further ado...

Chapter 21

Plan B...

Serenity stood up, she was still shaking, almost violently. The antiseptic smell of the bathroom reminded her of the hospital she had just been released from. She fought another wave of nausea. How could this be happening? Tristan? Did he know what his father was doing? Could he be a party to it?

She walked to the sink and braced her hands on it. Knuckles turning white, breath coming in short pants, eyes closed tight against the harsh, cold light of the room, is this what a basket case felt like? The thoughts of a simple boy with a shy smile and warm eyes flashed but died like a swatted fly. Tainted memories of gentle moments and love letters remained. It was never an exchanged emotion, possibly something flickered in her youth but died with maturity. A love that never was, at least it had not been shared. However, she had no doubts of his love for her.

The door burst open and Mai raced over to her.She squeezed Serenity's shoulders, from behind, in a mock hug. They had heard everything that went on during her short exchange with the rare hunter. Hiding in the shadows all around her they had seen her hold herself together while confronting the demon Umbra.

Where Serenity drew her strength Mai wasn't quite sure. A quite thought came to Mai, she would risk everything and stay strong if it meant saving Joey, Serenity was in love. It was the only possible explanation for her vehemence. The sudden urge to shake some sense into the redhead was almost overwhelming.

Why Seto Kaiba! Anyone but Seto Kaiba…it was a lose-lose situation. Serenity would lose her heart, Kaiba would crush it. Joey would lose his mind, this relationship would make him snap. Then again, who was she to judge love? Then again, she could be wrong. Stranger things has been known to happen. Maybe she was jumping the gun and Serenity simply felt responsible for Kaiba's capture. Yes, that had to be it...she hoped...

Mai sighed heavily, maybe in the end Kaiba would surprise them all. She doubted it. Right now Serenity needed her. She would stay strong and ready for Serenity and would do what she could to save that pompous ass. She rolled her eyes as she gathered herself before confronting the girl who was misery incarnate before her.

"Are you all right?" Mai asked Serenity, turning her around. "We have everything on tape. Umbra has betrayed his boss to save himself. We can get him to jump through hoops at this point. Serenity, you did it!"

"I thought I had." Serenity whispered as a tear streaked down her cheek.

"What are you talking about? We have Umbra right where we want him…need him." Mai searched Serenity's eyes with concern.

"Another pawn was just put into play Mai. I know who is behind Kaiba's kidnapping." Serenity swallowed hard. A ragged breath followed.

"We know Serenity…Umbra. You did really well finding it all out with Yugi." Mai felt like shaking her again. Where were the optimism and the 'job well done' crap!

"No Mai. He's simply a worker for a higher power. We all failed to realize that rare hunters don't plot and plan this big, they work for those who do. Unfortunately, I know who pulls the strings."

"Who!" Mai asked a bit incensed.

"Tristan's Dad. Umbra said it's Tristan's Dad. Tristan came into the museum, I thought one of you had invited him along, but then Umbra realized I recognized him. He told me that Tristan is the Boss's son." Her honey colored eyes glistened with more unshed tears. The man who loved her now held the man who she loved. What a precarious position. If handled incorrectly it could end quite tragically.

Mai smiled, "this is a good thing hon'. We all know Tristan. I'm sure we can go to him and tell him what his Dad is doing. Tristan is a good guy-remember? He'll do the right thing and help get Kaiba out."

Serenity shook her head slowly. "Would he if he knew how I felt about Seto? That I don't love him, but the man his Dad is holding prisoner?"

"You love Kaiba?" Mai asked with wide eyes. She had a feeling, but never actually said it out loud. Maybe she thought if she didn't give the words form they wouldn't hold true. It was possible it was fleeting, something that was only born from a circumstance that was insanely out of control.

Then again, Seto Kaiba didn't seem the type to love flippantly, if he actually returned the feelings Serenity seemed to have. Mai also knew Serenity. The girl had been through so much in her short life between a messy parental divorce, losing her brother, losing her sight and then living on her own in New York. Serenity would know the difference between lust and love. She had also held onto her heart despite Duke and Tristan's best efforts, maybe it was real what she had with Kaiba.

Serenity suddenly looked as if she had seen a ghost. Her eyes were wide, the color draining from her cheeks, "Please don't tell Joey! You can't Mai, he'd never help if he knew…Please Mai…I'm begging you!" Serenity's nails were digging into Mai's wrists in desperation. She was exhibiting nothing less than a full-fledged panic attack.

Mai rolled her eyes in frustration, this was ridiculous!

"I won't tell him, not yet anyway. I won't lie to him though. Don't ask me to do that." Mai explained softly. She pulled her hands away and rubbed her sore wrists.

"What now?" Serenity asked.

Mai sighed heavily, casting her eyes to the floor. Suddenly it hit her.

"We have Yugi talk to Tristan. Explain to him that what his father is doing is wrong. Surely Tristan will listen to Yugi's reasoning…right? I mean Tristan has always been a goody-goody and has helped save Kaiba before. What's changed now? There's no reason why he would hold back help if he could give it." Mai was deep in thought, not really talking to Serenity, but almost thinking aloud. She began pacing the small bathroom floor. Thankfully, no one had entered their safe haven yet.

"There's always a chance, though, that Tristan could refuse to help in which case we have to have a back up plan." Mai continued.

"I'm the back up plan, aren't I?" Serenity closed her eyes against the images that invaded her thoughts.

"Unless you can think of something else." Mai surrendered.

"So, if Tristan refuses to help get Kaiba out…" Serenity began.

"We use you to get us in to him." Mai finished.

Their eyes met and an understanding passed between them. It would be a dangerous game especially if Tristan's father was dangerous enough to kidnap people, almost kill them and hire rare hunters as associates. It would have helped to know exactly why he wanted Kaiba, but unfortunately that was an unknown entity that lurked beyond their realm of knowledge.

"You will help us in our quest for the new prototype Seto Kaiba. You will also link us into your corporation so we can infiltrate and take over." The rare hunter smiled at him wickedly. The crooked teeth and stale breath nearly made Kaiba flinch, but he would be damned rather than show any emotion.

"You're insane," Kaiba struggled against the two men who held him before their leader. "I've already told you to kill me. My brother is safe and he's my only concern. You can go to hell!" Kaiba spat at him, which earned him yet another punch to his mid section. A whoosh of breath escaped him as he slumped a bit.

"You aren't listening Seto Kaiba. I hold the cards here, not you. Though it is true that I don't have your brother in my hands yet he isn't far from being captured. He can't run forever and once I do have him wouldn't you rather I take pity on him or make him pay for your insolence?" He tilted Kaiba's face up, forcing him to stare into the eyes of the enemy.

"Stay away from my brother…" Kaiba warned.

"Or you'll what? Spit at me again? Threaten me? Or maybe you'll give me one of your infamous dirty looks." He released Kaiba's chin and scoffed at him. "You're not a threat to me Seto Kaiba. You are trying my patience, that you are."

"Why do you want the prototype? It won't do you any good without the technology to create it." Kaiba hissed.

"That's why we're taking over Kaiba Corp. then we'll have the information and the ability to put it to use."

"We've learned your new technology has the ability to learn all of your opponents cards, thus, making it nearly impossible to lose to them." The hunter looked at Kaiba. "You've created technology to cheat, are you that desperate to beat Motou that you would resort to being that under handed?" He snickered at the evil glare he was now receiving.

"I'm not a cheat," Kaiba growled. "The prototype scans in all the cards in order to enhance the holographic images. It doesn't tell your opponent what your cards are!" Kaiba was enraged, he might be harping on his loss to Yugi, but he had never cheated and never would. Even in the duel at Pegasus's castle he had merely forced Yugi's hand, never had he cheated.

"The technology will be revamped to allow for the new ability to read one's opponent's cards. A few minor tweaks and adjustments made by the creator, you, and all will be revealed."

"Never!" Kaiba threatened.

"Oh, I think you'll change your mind when we get our hands on your brother or maybe that feisty little red-headed bitch you seem so fond of…" The rare hunter's back was turned so he didn't see the flicker in Seto's eyes.

She's alive…Serenity is alive and so is Mokuba…they have nothing…just me…

"Whom do you work for?" Kaiba smirked. "I hardly think rare hunters, such as yourselves, could come up with this 'ingenious' plan. Seeing as between the three of you, I think you may have two brain cells to rub together"

The hunter turned on him, eyes enraged. "We may work for another, but the technology will be passed on to us for our own purposes. Can you imagine the gains from such insight? Knowing your opponent's cards without marking them or openly cheating? It's like looking into a crystal ball and knowing what cards you need to conqueror in order to gain everything." He sneered at Kaiba's pale face. Funny how keeping someone locked in a room deprived of sunlight and nutrition could take a toll. The dark circles under Kaiba's eyes and some drying blood on the corner of his lips made him look pathetic and weak. The rare hunters weren't stupid though, they knew never to underestimate this man.

"You didn't answer my question, scum, who's dirty work are you doing?" Kaiba asked with determination. His treatment was only adding fuel to the fire that was burning inside of him. If they gave him a mere inch he would destroy them all. He smirked outwardly, but laughed inwardly. He recalled a statement he made years before about seperating Pegasus's soul from his body in his own way...how he wished to try his theories now...on these scumbags.

"Taylor Industries." He answered with simplicity. Did it really matter if he told Kaiba or not? The man would not live long enough to use the information against him.

"However, Taylor's reason for attaining this technology is hardly as enterprising as ours…seems he wants his son to become a duelist. The boy doesn't know his ass from his elbow when it comes to dueling and simply acts as a deranged cheerleader for his buddies."

Kaiba's eyes lit with new anger. The circle closed in his mind. It always came back to Yugi and his damned friends. Once he got out of this hellhole he would grab Serenity and take her far the hell away from that gang of imbeciles! So, one of them wanted to become a duelist, it figures he would resort to cheating to make a name for himself. The Mutt was a puppet to Yugi, naturally, the other would need to be under handed in order to learn.

"Now, Seto Kaiba, how about we start breaking into your system at Kaiba Corp.? Or should we start breaking…other things?"

"Tristan you have to know it's wrong! What your Dad is doing to Seto Kaiba is insane. Kidnapping him and possibly hurting him isn't a good thing. You have to help us get him out of there, it's the right thing to do!" Yugi attempted to reason with a very determined Tristan.

"Do you know what he did to Serenity! He kidnapped her! God knows what he did to her while she was with him. As far as I'm concerned he deserves whatever he gets. I only wish I could strangle him myself." Tristan was boarding on lunatic as he ranted about the low morals of a certain CEO. How Kaiba had tried to corrupt Serenity and how he had driven Mokuba away several years before.

"So you won't help? I can't believe this is you speaking Tristan." Yugi shook his head in disappointment. "You were always so upstanding and righteous. You would never want someone hurt intentionally, why the change?"

"Seto Kaiba has gotten away with too much Yugi." Tristan hung his head, seemingly defeated. "He's rich, famous, has every woman he has ever wanted, treated all of us like dirt. He's a manipulator who drove his own loving brother away. What good is there in him Yugi? He even took Serenity on a nightmare ride through hell. There is nothing there to be saved. I hope he rots!" Tristan got up, slung his jacket over his shoulder and headed for the door.

"Oh and Yugi?" Tristan spoke without turning to face his friend.

Yugi grunted his reply.

"It would be in your best interest not to get involved. I can't help save you in this and I would hate to see my friends get hurt." With that he opened the door and walked out into the street.

Yugi hung his head. Tristan had turned into someone who wasn't even recognizable. It hurt to lose a friend that way. Then again, when had he ever counted a friend out? Wouldn't Tristan try to save him if he needed saving? There had to be something they could do to change his heart back and there had to be a way to get Seto Kaiba out of captivity.

It was time to sit and talk with Serenity, Joey and Mai. He thought of including Tea, but he couldn't put her in jeopardy, not this time.

Slowly he started dialing Joey's number. It was time to start making arrangements and he knew the key to Tristan's cooperation rested with Serenity Wheeler.

"You're insane Yugi!" Joey challenged as he paced the living room floor. "There is no way in hell my sister is going near Tristan if his father is a psycho! She could be in some serious danger!" Joey had been ranting now for a while, all attempts at calming him down didn't do the slightest amount of good .

"It's the only way Joey," Serenity stood and put her hand on his shoulder, compelling him to turn and face her. "Besides he wouldn't hurt me…he's in love with me."

"He'll know you aren't in love with him Serenity! Do you honestly think you could pull off fake feelings for him!" Joey searched her honey colored eyes, trying to find some sense of the sanity he knew had to be in there…somewhere.

"I can do it Joey. I know I can. He's never been forward with me at all. He thinks of me as a porcelain doll, not a woman." She would never let on that a certain blue-eyed brunette had tempted her innocence. Any temptation Tristan would present would be a cakewalk after resisting a dragon. Joey wouldn't wait for Tristan's Dad to kill Kaiba if he knew how far Seto had tested her boundaries. He would do the job himself, and he'd relish the agony he would cause Seto Kaiba.

"Joey, Serenity is all that's perfect and innocent to Tristan, he would never hurt her or make any demands. She simply needs to act very coy and he'll swallow anything she feeds him." Mai offered.

Joey turned maniacal eyes on the blonde. "You approve of this insane idea! Have all of you checked your brains at the door! I thought it was just Yugi and Serenity. When the hell did you fall onto their side Mai!"

"I don't want to see a man die if we can prevent it. Besides, Tristan has been following Serenity around for years. She's the forbidden fruit-his perfect love. I've never seen a man more devoted to a woman before." Mai tried to remain calm and cool.

"What if he tries something?" Joey growled at the thought. He wanted to rip Tristan's heart out with a rusted spoon.

"She'll cry, she'll panic, she'll feign complete ignorance and he'll comfort her and protect her. He'd never want a tear of hers to fall. He's completely enamored with her, haven't you ever noticed that?" Mai explained.

"Say I was to go along with this scheme, what happens next?" Joey asked, still feeling totally wrong about everything.

"I call Tristan." Serenity answered simply with a gentle shrug.

A/N: Hopefully you all read and review...how is the story...plausible? I won't know unless you, my faithful readers, tell me it's so. Then I shall continue (bringing a reunion closer). Oh, and instead of thanking after each reply...I'll just thank you all here and simply respond...down below...