AU: Another chapter for your enjoyment. Remember to tip your servers, never eat yellow snow, and REVIEW…REVIEW….REVIEW!

Chapter 3: Friends or Foes?

Yugi shaded his eyes as he stared up at the rather imposing sight before him. He let out a soft whistle and smirked as he could hear Ryou, Akefia, and his yami stop next to him after they got out of the car that had picked them up. It had been a few weeks since both the dream and the strange email had happened. After exchanging emails between Dr. Jackson, Ryou, and himself Yugi had finally demanded to see the original carvings. He told Dr. Jackson it would be best to do so since even the best digital cameras could miss the tiny nuances between the different scribes, dialects, and time frame. Even the wear and tear on the stone from weather could have been mistaken for nothing more than damage when in fact it could be something else. It took another week before the good doctor had agreed to allow them access to the stone carvings. He had sent flight information and advised them that a car would be waiting for them to bring them to the military base where he worked from. What Yugi had not expected was that said base was inside a friggen' mountain!

Yami gently placed a hand onto his aibou's arm, "aibou? I believe the soldier is waiting to escort us inside," he said to the awed hikari.

"Soldier? Oh gomen Mou Hitori no Boku," he said with a tiny blush that spread over his cheeks.

Ryou chuckled softly as he glanced over at his friend, "Don't feel bad Yugi, I think my own yami is broken."

Akefia smirked, "I think they have Godzilla in there. I am gonna find it and make it mine. It will help me destroy the world and I will remake it in my image and call it "The Republic of Akefia!"" He cackled out.

Ryou just shook his head, "I don't even want to claim him as my yami right now. I think he is beyond broken," he said, "My yami… There is no way they are hiding Godzilla in there. Godzilla does not exist."

"Wait so those movies were not real?" the thief asked.

"No they were not," he said as he proceeded to drag his may to the open lift waiting for them, "for someone so smart, at times I have to wonder about you."

Yugi and Yami both were laughing as the other yami was lectured by his hikari. Once inside the elevator the amused airman hit a button and the elevator began its descent into the very bowels of the mountain. Yugi closed his eyes, appearing to be relaxed whereas he was nearly vibrating with excitement. Yami though saw the thief tense up suddenly, though most wouldn't notice it. He wanted to ask what was wrong when he too felt it, the Chappa'ai was there somewhere in the facility they were heading into. Yugi gasped softly as the puzzle suddenly heated up to a near uncomfortable temperature, the weight increasing as well. Glanced over to where Ryou was standing and saw he too was feeling what he was feeling.

He closed his eyes again so that he would not look like an escapee from an insane asylum as he spoke to his yami via their mind link ~Mou hitori no boku?~

Yami sensed his little hikari at the edge of his mind ~It is fine aibou. The items are reacting to being so close to the Chappa'ai after so long in being apart from it.~

~Why would it react? The items were made from blooded gold correct?~ Yugi asked.

The former pharaoh sighed mentally at the question ~Yes and no~ he began ~the Gou'ald that invaded during my reign also found a way to wield the shadows. We had the sennen items yes, but they were not strong enough against such an enemy.~

Yug didn't make any move to indicated he was doing anything but relaxing, but his surprise was palpable through the shared link ~How did you manage it then?~

~We used naqquadah to imbue more power into the items. It pushed the shadow capabilities far beyond what would be normal for just the original ritual. But it came at a price. We had the ships that Akefia stole, but we...needed something to bind the naqquadah to the already blooded gold. We used the same ritual only we changed it some.~

Yugi mentally frowned as he processed this ~you used human sacrifices?~

Yami laughed coldly via the link ~I would not have done that. We instead used Jaffa and the false-ones' juvenile symbiotes. It was something I am not proud of having done, but it was necessary to protect my people and the world. And if I were given the choice again, I will do so~

Yugi thought about this ~The memory world we visited did not have such things. How is that?~

Yami chuckled through their link ~would you have believed it had you seen it, even being there and experiencing it?~

~Probably not. I would have thought maybe we… myself and all our friends… would have been influencing it~ he said.

Yami smiled at this ~it is why it was hidden away, perhaps it was the Gods or maybe Akefia did it unconsciously. I am not sure.~ he said.

Yugi mentally nodded his head ~I understand. We can talk more about what you went through.~ he said softly, comfortingly ~I understand that you had to do what you had to do, I do not hate you in fact I am even more proud of you.~

Yami was thankful that his hikari was so understanding, so compassionate to such a dark soul as he was. The elevator started to slow and stop, the doors opening to allow the group to leave the metal box. Yugi opened his eyes and followed the airman from the elevator. The airman paused though when he saw two men heading towards the elevator, snapping to attention quickly and saluting the pair as they approached.

Colonel O'Neill returned the salute, "We have them private," he said and the private vanished back into the elevator, "I am Colonel Jack O'Neill. This is Sergeant Hadien Evans." he said.

"We are Doctors Yugi Mutou and Ryou Bakura and our assistants Akefia and Yami," Ryou said as he pointed to each of them.

Jack canted a brow, noting the jewelry the shortest one wore. It looked similar to something on one of those rocks that Daniel had found on PX3-727 a few months prior.

"Nice to meet you. Danny boy is in his office waiting for you. I was volunteered to show you the way," Jack said.

Harry laughed at this, "Sir you were practically told to get out before you were shot" he said as they walked down the winding halls.

Jack rolled his eyes at the cheeky brat he recruited recently, "I was bored. All the science-y talk makes my head hurt."

Yugi and Ryou both chuckled at the man's antics. With the two ranked airmen bantering back and forth, it gave the group time to observe and take in everything around them. Ryou glanced at his own yami when he felt a small flare up of shadow magic being pulled through the ring around his neck. Akefia gave no indication of anything out of the norm, only showing bored interest in the conversations around them. Ryou sighed knowing his yami had to be up to no good.

~yami, what are you planning?~ Ryou asked through the link.

~Nothing yet my little landlord~ came the response, ~Just getting an idea of what is here.~

Ryou mentally sighed ~Try not to get caught. I would like to not see what their prison is like~ he said.

Akefia chuckled through their link, ~oh ye of little faith. Trust me, it will be just fine~ he said.

~It better be. If not I will freeze the ring and leave you in there for a week~ he said.

Akefia shuddered at the threat, knowing his hikari would carry out said threat ~Come now hikari...Ryou… my little landlord, you wouldn't be that cruel would you?~

Ryou smirked, the passive of all of them chuckled mentally ~try me~

~Fine, fine~ he said, ~I will wait till tonight~

~Good. Now we have arrived and I need to pay attention~ Ryou said.

Ryou blinked as Yugi's hand was suddenly taken by a taller brown haired male and shook. He chuckled as this happened, especially at the flabbergasted look on his fellow hikari's face.

"It is a pleasure to finally meet you. I remember your grandfather and when I found out you followed in his footsteps I just had to contact you after reading your papers…" Daniel rambled on, still shaking the poor tiny male's hand in the process.

Jack rolled his eyes as the archeologist seemed to be unaware of what he was doing, "Danny, you are going to rattle his big brains if you don't stop," he said.

Daniel blinked then blushed a bright red as everyone was chuckling at his expense. Yugi extricated his hand from the other's grip before offering a bright smile, "It is okay Daniel-san, many seem to have the same reaction just by me being me in the dueling world."

Ryou smiled, "I am able to assist some, but my expertise is mostly medical," he commented.

Harry spoke up at this, "Dr. Frasier may be able to use you. Sir didn't she say she had that new vaccine she needed an outside eye to look at to figure out where she was going wrong with it?" he inquired.

"Yeah she did." Jack said as he noticed that Daniel had already drug the minute doctor deeper into the lab, "Sargeant go ahead and take Dr. Bakura to the good doc. I can show the assistants where they will be staying for the time being."

Ryou looked to the yamis, "We will cat up to you at dinner later then." he said.

Harry gave a wave as he led Ryou down the hall and out of sight of the remaining trio. Jack ran a hand over his short hair as he took in the other two, motioning for them to follow him.

"So brothers?" he asked as they walked.

Yami smirked, "Something like that. So this base, what is its purpose exactly?" he asked.

Akefia was surprised at how blunt the former pharaoh was being and he was enjoying it far too much. They walked a bit as the colonel frowned, thinking over what information he can give or not.

"Most of it is unfortunately classified so I cannot tell you," he said honestly, somehow knowing that the other two would sense if he was lying or not, "But we do investigate and explore areas that are only accessible to those with military backgrounds."

"Like the stones that your friend is showing my hikari?" he asked, curious, "Does the military often bring in civilian consultants?"

"In most cases it is the best since archeology is not exactly something military personnel will be majoring in," Jack said with a chuckle.

Akefia laughed as well, "We suppose not," he said, "then again your resident geeks seems to be at home here."

"Danny? Yeah. I don't think he has been home in a while. Not since those stones were found anyways," he said with a frown.

The two yamis could sense that the other was concerned for the archeologist, "Hopefully my aibou can help speed things along," Yami said, "Then again my aibou is similar and requires constant watching as well."

Akefia side stepped a private loaded down with quite a few binders, "That is where Ryou usually comes in. I will warn him he has another patient to keep an eye on."

Jack paused outside a set of double doors and pushed them open, "Let's grab coffee real quick," he said, "You don't think he will mind do you?"

Akefia, having already explained things through the mind link to his hikari, said, "Not at all."

Jack smirked, "Will be a relief to know that he won't collapse on me suddenly," he said, grabbing a styrofoam cup, "Just to warn you, the coffee is caffeinated sludge that will strip paint."

Yami made a face, not having developed a taste for the black brew his hikari and Akefia loved to drink, "Do you have any tea?" he asked.

Jack shook his head in disbelief, "Yeah we do," he said as he pointed towards the tea bags and hot water dispenser.

Akefia winced as he poured his own cup of coffee, "Ryou is going to complain about that," he said, "Probably something about your tea being subpar and the dredges from the deepest parts of a garbage heap."

"Seriously? He would say that?" the colonel asked.

"Yup and in his most snoothy and lordly British accent too," Akefia said, "It's hilarious to see him get all riled up."

Yami shook his head at this, "only you would find entertainment in getting Ryou riled up," he said.

Jack chuckled as he led the way back into the hall, "I do the same with my tea. Anyways the mess hall is open 24/7. But the main meals are 0600, noon and 1700 hours. The cooks will make you what you want within reason though if you ask them."

Akefia looked thoughtful at this, "Hmmm...I wonder if they can make cream puffs so I can use them to bribe Ryou on occasion."

Yam just rolled his eyes at this, "Only you would use his favorite treat as a bribing mechanism."

Jack chuckled, "Sometimes it is needed," he said as he headed down the halls again, "Unfortunately the rooms do not have a private shower or toilet."

Yami frowned some, "Aibou may not be comfortable with that," he said, "But I will work with him on it."

Jack glanced over, "Here are the locker rooms. If you want a locker let me know and I will get one assigned to you," he said once again leading them down the hall.

The two yamis could sense the chappa'ai deeper still, but there were other things they could sense as well. And some of it was on the same level they were on, meaning it was probably in the lab somewhere close by. Akefa though felt something else all together, something he had not felt since he was alive. He needed to talk with the pharaoh and very soon before it could become something they would need to worry about. The colonel stopped outside a series of doors.

"It is not exactly the Residence Inn, but it is still a place to lay your head down," he said as he opened up one of the two doors they were standing by. Inside sat beds, dressers, a closet, and a pair of desks. It was simple but functional.

"Hope you don't mind sharing," Jack said.

"It is fine," Yami said, "thank you. If you do not mind we will settle in now," the other said, his tone regal and royal.

Jack fought the urge to bow when he heard it, "Well I will see you around. If you need anything let me know. I am usually bugging Daniel in his office," he said heading off and leaving the pair outside of the two rooms.

Akefia waited until the colonel was gone before pulling the pharaoh into the first room. He shut the door and then spread his shadows out, disrupting any cameras or listening devices that could be inside of the room. Yami looked amused at hos his fellow dark was behaving. Then again it was the American military. Once the thief was done he sat down on one of the two beds.

"So why the cloak and dagger paranoia?" he asked Akefia.

"The baka Americans have a jaffa in their ranks. I do not know if it is by choice or if the jaffa is a spy," he said suddenly, pacing the floor.

Yami sat up, his body tensing at this news, "How could you tell?"

"I was a bloody host to one of those blasted snake-heads," he said, "I am more intune with sensing them. The closer to maturity one is the more I can feel it. This one is still young enough that I know it is in this facility, but not exactly where," he explained, looking a bit frustrated.

"I was not aware that once a host, one could do that," he said.

Akefia continued to pace the floor, "Technically most would not. But Zorc was different. Not only did he have access to shadow magics through me and other means, but he was genetically enhanced so when he took me over he left some of his… for lack of a better word… DNA in me. So I am genetically enhanced in many ways. Most of that time with Zorc was a blank so only the Gods know what he did to me." he said, "and unfortunately my little landlord is probably also cursed by whatever Zorc did to me."

"If we go after the jaffa we will show our hand and make our hosts aware that we know of the chappa'ai and the gou'ald." Yami said with a frown.

"As much as I would like to get rid of the potential spy that may threaten the prince and my little hikari, I think we should observe instead. See who the jaffa belongs to and see if they are a threat or not," Akefia said, sitting down on the other bed, "we should warn our hikaris of the potential threat. I will see if I can get Ryou a bit more aware of those with ties to the false-ones."

"Good idea. Tonight after our hikaris are in bed we should see just what the Americans are hiding. I am guessing you have already sent out shadow markers?" the other asked.

Akefia smirked, "of course. Let's feign sleep in case someone shows up to check on the cameras and listening devices I am sure I scrambled. I would suggest the same for your room."

Yami moved to his feet, "I suppose some paranoia is justified," he said as he headed for the door, "I want to check on aibou anyways."

"Of course you do. You coddle him far too much," he said with a laugh as the pharaoh sent a modern day rude gesture Akefia's way as he left the room.

Akefia flopped back onto his own bed and relaxed, his mind wandering into Ryou's soulroom to listen into his conversations. He settled onto the bed and actually fell asleep on the comfortable mattress as he listened to his hikari's soothing voice talking.