Step Closer to the Edge
4: Nobody's Listening
Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh. I do own Shinjuku, Miyuki, Rong, and Duyen.
Mokuba sat down in the chair at the front desk in the CEO office of Kaiba Corp. So. This place was his now. He felt strange sitting here, as if he didn't quite actually belong. Behind him, someone stifled a chuckle.
"What's so funny?" Mokuba asked, turning around.
"Sorry, sir," said the bodyguard behind him, "but you just look so different sitting in the chair instead of sneaking around it."
Mokuba gave a slight smile. He liked doing that, hiding behind Seto's chair, then jumping on his brother when he least expected it. The look on the CEO's face had been priceless. He'd given up a while ago, since Seto started to sense every time he was about to be glomped.
'But something just doesn't feel right,' Mokuba thought, his smile fading. 'Maybe I'm just not ready for this job.' He got up.
"Sir? Where are you going?"
"I'm sorry," Mokuba replied, "but I need some time alone."
As the chauffeur was driving him home, he thought about the exact details of Seto's death. If his brother had died from illness, or a disaster, there was nobody to blame. Those things just happened, right? But Seto had been shot. Somebody was responsible for this.
Mokuba went up to his room, locked himself in, and sat down on his bed. He looked out the window, and around the walls, fidgeting nervously. Someone had killed Seto, but why? What kind of grudge would someone hold against Seto Kaiba, Corporate Executive Officer of Kaiba Corporation? Unfortunately, Mokuba could think of lots. And who would have such a motive? Many people fell into this category. This was starting to disturb him a little.
His thoughts were interrupted when his phone rang. Caller ID told him that it was Shinjuku. He picked up the receiver. "Hello."
"Hi, Mokuba."
"Hey, Shinjuku." Mokuba knew this was his best friend in the world, but he couldn't help speaking with such an indifferent tone.
"Dude, where were you?"
"Funeral," Mokuba replied, the thought of it bringing tears to his eyes again.
"I know that." Mokuba could sense an eye roll from his compadre. "But whose?"
The answer came slow. Could he answer that? He could trust Shinjuku with anything, but he wasn't sure about this. This was really deep and personal.
"Mokuba?" Shinjuku's voice cut through his trance. "Listen, you know you can trust me. I'm not gonna tell anyone if it bothers you that much."
Mokuba sighed. "I'm sorry, Shinjuku, but I.." his voice choked, "I just can't."
"Come on. I'm home alone, plus you've got your own private line. It's not like anybody's gonna eavesdrop."
Shinjuku had a point, but… "Sorry," he said in reply.
"Mokuba," said his friend exasperatedly, "I've trusted you with my life. Why won't you trust me?"
Great. Guilt crept up Mokuba's throat to join the grief already there. His mind battled against itself. He didn't really want anybody to know about this, but it would be easier to handle it when others shared your sorrow. Shinjuku was his best friend, but could he really be trusted with something so important? "Alright," he said finally, "it was someone… really close to me."
Shinjuku felt a bit disappointed. That was all he had to go on? There weren't too many people that Mokuba considered very close, except his friends and family. "It's not Miyuki, is it?" Miyuki was Mokuba's foster sister, and although distant by family ties, very close him as a friend. She was currently on active duty in the Air Force and stationed somewhere in Central Asia.
"No," he said.
Shinjuku was already tired of this guessing game. "Well, it's gotta be Seto," he said.
Mokuba just nodded.
"Mokuba? You there?"
"Yeah."
"Dude, that's terrible. What are you gonna do on your own?"
"I've got to run the company now for one thing. It's not gonna be easy. I mean, I know I take classes and stuff, and I know everything I have to do, but I never knew it'd be this hard! I just always watched Seto do everything." Tears were welling up in his eyes again. He grabbed a tissue from a box on his bedside table and wiped them off.
"Well, you know I'm there for you. No matter what."
"Thanks. You're awesome, Shinju."
"I know I am! Worship me!" he said, joking.
Mokuba laughed, in spite of himself. "All hail," he said. "Talk to you later, okay?"
"Sure. Bye." With a click, Shinjuku hung up.
Mokuba pressed the off button on his phone. Talking made him feel a lot better, that was for sure. And he wasn't alone.
-----------------------
Rong opened her e-mail. There was a message from her boss.
"Excellent job. Stand by for further instructions."
She smiled at her success. This job was easy. No messy paperwork, no bills, no reports and charts to carry out. But it also had its risks. There was nothing like the thrill and danger of dodging the police.
Duyen looked at the monitor over her sister's shoulder. "Another job well done," she said, "not surprisingly."
"It's not very hard," Rong replied, "so long as you have the right discipline."
"Sure," her sister replied. Duyen was a bit shorter than Rong, but both were slim, with straight, dark hair. Duyen liked to color her hair, however, and as of now, it had blue streaks in it.
The sisters were also slightly different in mentality. Rong was cool and collected, while Duyen was outspoken, and wasn't afraid to argue out her point.
"I know that tone," said Rong. "What do you want?"
"You know," she said.
"Out of the question."
"Rong, please! Why don't I get to do a job by myself?" Duyen worked alongside her sister, but usually stayed at home to manage the computer and hack into surveillance systems to keep track of Rong and make sure she got out alive.
"You haven't the right mind for the job," she snapped. "You think it's so easy just to pull a trigger and off someone? I'd like to see you try me right now."
Duyen paused in shock. That was unthinkable, let alone doable.
"I told you," said Rong, idly clicking around on her monitor.
The other girl turned around and stormed up the stairs.
