Chapter 14

The speed that Kaiba's team had got to work was incredible, but they soon encountered a problem. The only piece of video footage they had found was Atem entering the warehouse near to where Joey duelled, but what happened after that they didn't know. Any other angle they tried only showed him and no one else. It was as though he'd disappeared into thin air. That was not to say there was nothing further KaibaCorp could do, it would just take them longer to track anything down. They studied the notes that Yugi had received but even that didn't give them much to go with. Another full day and night came and went, yet Kaiba still reported that his team were working on it but still had nothing to go on yet. Whilst Kaiba had been working, Yugi and his friends had hit the streets again but there was still no hint of the former Pharaoh. There'd been no further notes since the last, but they had confirmed that the blood on the paper had in fact belonged to Atem. Yugi was not about to lose hope, sooner or later they would find Atem, of that he had no doubt.

It was a particularly cold day, the temperature was dropping as night rolled in. Yugi pulled the zip of his coat up further and fiddled with the scarf he was wearing in an attempt to warm up. Joey was walking next to him, he too fiddled with his clothing in an attempt to stay warm. They were once again pounding the pavements hoping against hope that they would find some clue.

"I hope wherever Atem is he's not in this." Joey said, pulling his scarf up slightly.

Yugi nodded but said nothing. They continued on in silence for a while both staring around to not miss anything but soon they came to a café with a television inside which made Joey stop. Looking at it he saw a news headline being announced. The news reader was sat at a desk but being outside Joey couldn't hear what was being said, although he did note the image of Kaiba being shown. Frowning Joey continued to watch, slightly annoyed that he couldn't hear what was being said, however he quickly saw that he did not need to hear, the news headline changed from 'Breaking News'.

It now read. 'KaibaCorp Tournament placed on hiatus.'

Calling to Yugi, Joey pointed at the screen. Jogging over to his friend Yugi looked at the television screen himself.

"Kaiba mentioned he'd do that." Yugi said, watching as the image of Kaiba was replaced by one of himself and the former Pharaoh, "He believes if we pause the tournament and make it known Atem's missing, it might draw these people out."

"Kaiba has certainly changed in the years we've known him." Joey said, following his shorter friend who had continued down the street, "Just think if something like this had happened when we'd first met him, he wouldn't have lifted a finger to help us."

"Atem has changed all of us." Yugi sighed, "I don't think anyone who knows him are the same people they were before meeting him."

Joey clapped him on the back, "He has and don't you worry Yugi. We'll find him, now that moneybags is helping us we're sure to find him soon."

A sigh, "I just hope he's alright."

The two boys continued down the street and past another café which was playing the same news report. Outside were three boys looking in through the window at the television. One of the three took a step back just as Joey was passing. The two knocked into each other and stumbled slightly.

"Watch were you're going." The boy said, glaring at Joey.

Joey shot the boy a look before walking away, shaking his head. It wasn't worth saying anything. The boy watched the pair go, his eyes lingering on the smaller of the pair for a while. Turning back to the other two, who were looking at him, he motioned for them to follow and the three of them set off in the opposite direction.

"What do we do now?" One of the boys asked, "I mean Yugi was right there. Should we go after him?"

"No." The middle boy said, "Not yet at least. I need to speak to him without company around and especially without Kaiba knowing."

"But the longer we wait now surely the larger chance of them finding us."

The boy in the middle rounded on his friend, "Are you second guessing me?"

"No of course not, I'm just saying that now the news is out we have to be careful."

He tried to sound confident in what he said but found that his voice was anything but confident. The other boy moved in closer, narrowing his eyes at his friend.

"Don't forget who you're speaking to. I am the real King of Games and if you want to stick in with me and my circle you had better not question my decisions again. Understood?" A nod, "Good, then let's go."

With that he turned round and walked away, the other boy hung back for a moment before steeling himself and hurrying after the other two.

The news which broke that evening was the talk of the city over the next couple of days. Yugi and Joey had returned to the Game Shop that night to find reporters outside desperate to know what had happened. The Domino Police had been in touch with them and launched their own investigation. Yugi hoped that with all this attention it would make finding Atem a lot easier, but he also worried that it might also put him in more danger. Whoever was holding Atem was only using him to get to Yugi and he suspected that they would not take too kindly to the whole of Domino knowing what they had done. He could not help but think maybe he shouldn't have told Kaiba, then it would still be a secret and Atem wouldn't be in danger, but he was in danger either way if he really thought about it. If he hadn't of spoken to Kaiba they would still have no hope of finding him, now at least there was hope.

The weather was also seemingly turning against them, the days were getting shorter, the trees were fast shredding their leaves and the temperature dropped. Yugi watched as a few leaves fell from the tree outside the living room window. He sighed and rubbed his tired eyes. His friends and grandfather were in the kitchen looking over the Domino map again, but Yugi couldn't look right at this moment. He wanted this to end, he wanted the Pharaoh to be safe. He wanted to go back to when they'd been normal teenagers messing around in the arcade and watching the former Pharaoh experience the joy that life had to offer, free from his past worries. He closed his eyes again, willing himself not to cry. He had managed to keep the tears at bay so far but wasn't sure how much longer he could hold them back. Atem needed him to be strong and that is what he planned to do. He was brought out of his thoughts when there was a knock from downstairs in the Game Shop. The knock grabbed all their attention, the others coming out of the kitchen to confirm Yugi had heard what they had. Looking to the others for a moment, Yugi headed down the stairs. It felt like the night Atem had been attacked. A noise from the Game Shop, and the cautious descent to discover what the noise was. But this time, when Yugi made his way into the shop, there was no one there. The shop was empty. Moving to the door Yugi looked out, hoping that someone would be out there. But there was no one around. He cast his eyes down and was about to turn away when he saw an envelope on the floor just outside the door. He knew what that envelope was or rather who it had come from. Wrenching the door open he glanced round, he tried to spot anyone retreating but the night was still and silent. No one but him was outside. Grabbing the envelope, he took a breath, opened it and pulled out the note he knew would be inside.

'Time is up King of Games. Dusk tonight, by the clock in the park. Come alone.'

This note, like the previous, was stained with blood.

Letting out the breath he did not know he'd been holding he began to move back upstairs; the others would want to know what he'd found. But he found even as he walked, he could not take his eyes off the note. Reaching the living room he found the others were waiting for him, they didn't dare speak when they spotted the note in his hands. They all knew what the note was and could all see the blood stain upon it. Finally pulling his eyes away from the note he looked at the others, holding it out to them. Joey was the first to move, he strolled over and took the note, reading it for himself.

"You're not going Yugi," He said, handing the note to Grandpa who'd also moved over, "No way are you going by yourself."

"I don't have a choice, Joey." Yugi said, "It says come alone and that's more of Atem's blood. I'm not willing to put you guys at risk when its me they want and if I don't come alone then they might hurt Atem more."

"I don't care about what happens to me." Joey retorted, "What if something happens to you?"

"There's got to be another way." Tea interjected, she'd also read the note, "Go and tell Kaiba, then he can make sure your safe."

Yugi shook his head, "I'm not willing to risk it, if I tell Kaiba and appear to go alone but they find out who knows what they will do to Atem."

"What if he's there tonight?" Tristan asked, "What will you do if you meet them and he's there with them?"

"Then I'll swap with him. They can have me as long as they let him go."

The others immediately made their displeasure at this idea known. But Yugi shook his head. He could not let Atem suffer any further than he already had. Not after everything he'd been through. Despite the others' best attempts they could not get Yugi to agree to any other plan then the one the note had asked for. Yugi would simply not budge on that.

The hours of the day trickled slowly past, the sun finally began to set in the sky and darkness began to fall. Yugi readied himself. He did not care what happened to him with this meeting. If it was an opportunity to save Atem he would take it. Pulling his coat on he turned to face the others who were still not on board with this plan.

"Yugi, I still don't like this." Joey said, "I'm coming with you."

"No Joey." Yugi shook his head, "We've been through this, I go alone. It is too risky for you guys and Atem. I won't put any of you guys at risk when it's me they want."

"To hell with the risks Yugi. I don't give a damn about the risks to me, I will not let them hurt you."

Yugi gave him a hard look, "What about Atem? What about the risks to him? Joey I know you care but that was his blood on the paper again, even if you came and they leave me and you alone do you think they will spare him?"

Joey said nothing.

"The whole reason they took him was to get to me and if I don't do as they say then who knows what they will do to him. If I allow that to happen… I will never forgive myself."

No one replied. They all just looked at him, giving him looks of concern but perhaps understanding. Joey finally broke his eye contact with Yugi and looked away, seemingly accepting his point. Yugi glanced outside, the sky was starting to darken. It was time to go.

"If I can trade places with Atem I will, and I'll tell him to wait for you at the park but wait until midnight."

He gave them all one last look before turning away and leaving the Game Shop. He walked as quickly as he could, determined to save his closest friend. The streets outside were almost empty, some people glanced at him as he past, but no one stopped him. Even the news reporters who'd been outside the house the first day the situation was revealed had gone. Kaiba had made it clear no one was to speak to Yugi until this was over. Thankfully the reporters had listened rather then continue to try and get more information from Yugi. As he walked, he glanced back over his shoulder, looking back towards the Game Shop but there was no one behind him. He'd half thought that Joey would ignore his request and come anyway. He knew why and he was grateful to his friends to want to make sure nothing happened to him, but he was not willing to risk it. This could well be a chance to save the former Pharaoh and Yugi was not going to allow anything to stop that. It didn't matter what happened to him, he was the one they had wanted from the start. It was more important to try and get the once King out of his current predicament.

'Hang in there Atem.' He thought, 'Hold on for a bit longer and then this will all be over.'