Chapter 10: Taken
August 2011
"I can't wait to have this big boy." Hailey groaned, easing onto the couch with the other women and grabbing a cookie. "Delicious cookies, by the way." she nodded to Hali, putting a hand to her large belly.
"It's his fault I'm stuffing my face with your cookies." Hailey pointed to her stomach, stuffing another cookie into her mouth whole.
As they spoke, a window cracked open in an upstairs bedroom and a thin figure slipped inside, landing lightly on the floor. He closed it quietly, listening to see if he was heard.
"If your husband is anything like mine, that child will be a sweet tooth alright."
As the women laughed, the figure upstairs snuck down the hall searching for the right bedroom. The first one he reached had several small forms in a bed. As he reached the nearest one, he heard a baby scream. He cursed.
"I wonder what's wrong with Sammie? I will be back soon girls" Hali said coming out of the lounge and towards the room her daughter was in.
Ryan woke with a gasp, spotting the figure. But before he could shout a hand closed on his mouth. "shut up kid." it hissed.
Reaching the room and slowly pushing the door open cautiously Hali looked in. "I hope you boys haven't woken your sister." she said in a stern whisper.
"No but I did." came the reply in a friendly British voice. "Sorry."
"B-Bakura, what are you doing here?" Hali asked looking very surprised as she stepped into the room & picking up Sammie.
"I thought i would check in on an old friend."
"Oh, well it's nice to see you, the girls are downstairs, why don't you come & say hi." Hali smiled now that Sammie was settled.
"I have a better idea. How about you come with me and nothing bad will come to your son?" Bakura asked casually, releasing Ryan's mouth only to grip, his shirt.
"Mommy!"
"Bakura, what's wrong with you? why are you acting so strange...Hey! Let go of my son, you're hurting him!" Hali said in a panic.
"That's the point. Now tell your little girlfriends that unless their husbands come out of retirement, they will never see you again. And if they try to leav, they will never see their kids again." Bakura smirked, knowing he had her. "I know a mother's instinct to protect her child is more importrant than her own life, right. And he is such a handsome boy. Ow!" Bakura jerked his hand back as Luke's teeth sank into his arm.
"You may have us cornered but they have their fathers' spirit." Hali said proudly.
Down in the lounge Hailey wondered where her sister had gotten to. "I'm just going to check on Hali. Everything has gone quiet and she should be back down by now." Hailey said looking worried.
"I'll go check on them." Lena headed upstairs and found the scene. "What's going on?" Lena asked Hali quietly.
"Get out of here Lena, its Bakura. he's got Ryan and is wanting the boys to duel again."
"No, I won't let you face him alone. Remember who's downstairs?" Lena reminded her.
"I know but I don't want you to get hurt either, just leave him to me." Hali said pushing her sister back.
"If you want your kids to make it to their next birthday, you will all come with me."
"Leave them alone Bakura. Theres five of us and only one of you." Hali growled.
"No please don't hurt him. I'll do anything you ask, just don't hurt my son." Hali pleaded.
"Mummy, the bad man is hurting me." Ryan whimpered with tears in his eyes.
"Ok I will go and get them but don't hurt him, please." Hali said backing away slowly.
"Come on kids, we're going to go for a walk." Bakura suggested in his pleasant voice again.
"We love playing hide & seek with our dad." Ryan and Kyle said.
"No don't, what if Bakura attacks them too but we should go, we dont want that nut case hurting our children"
"Ok, please don't hurt us" Ryan said rubbing his sore neck.
Bakura arrived at the living room, giving Ryan a push. "Let's go."
"Hey don't be rough with him." Hali growled.
Bakura yanked Ryan off the floor by the back of the shirt. "It won't matter if you don't cooperate. Now go."
"Ryan! Are you ok? Ok, ok, we are going." Hali said putting her hands up in surrender.
"Remember, I have your son. Act normal and no one has to get hurt."
"Ok, where do you want us to go Bakura?"
"Come on girls, this way." Hali said as she opened the door letting the other four out.
Bakura led the kids out, not noticing that Darien snuck away from the group, hiding behind the couch. He instructed them where to go.
Once they got to where Bakura was holding them the five girls were reunited with their children "What are you going to do with us, Bakura?" Hali growed.
"I want Atem to feel the anguish of thinking you're gone." Bakura smirked. "Have fun." Bakura slammed the door shut and locked the door.
Atem, Loretta, and Marik arrived at his house and entered, finding it empty. "Hali? Ladies? Where are you?"
"You leave my husband alone!"
"I-Im s-still here." Darien stuttered come out from behind the couch upon hearing Atem's voice.
"Where is everyone?" Atem asked, shocked by how scared the boy was.
"A-a bad man came and took them and as well a-as my sister and cousins." he said clinging to Atem's leg.
"T-thank you" Darien sniffed.
"Who's there?" Atem growled baring his teeth.
"Oh, just your old enemy and my old friend's wife." the voice said casually.
"Bakura! What are you doing with my sister, let her go! Shes done nothing to you." Atem growled gently pushing Darien behind him.
"What have you done with my wife and Children?"
"Nothing. Yet." Bakura gave him a dangerous look. "If you cooperate."
Marik suddenly gripped Atem's arm, trying to hold back the fury within him at the sight of his wife in Bakura's clutches. "Atem..."
"Seems my old friend is having a little trouble there." Bakura smirked.
"Settle Marik. It's ok we will save Loretta and the others." Atem said looking at Bakura out of the corner of his eye.
"I'm not your friend Bakura. Never was, never will be." Marik growled.
"Oh? Well, let's see if this will change your mind." Bakura shoved Loretta like a rag doll and she stumbled, hitting her head on the floor. She didn't move.
"Ah!" Marik clutched his head, grimacing.
"Loretta no! Bakura! What have you done to her?" Atem said as his eyes widened.
"Marik, what's wrong?" Atem said turning around & looking at him.
Marik shuddered and then in an odd voice, he said, "Marik is no longer in the building."
"Marik! Control yourself, we need to work together to save Loretta and the others." Atem said looking between Marik and Bakura.
Marik looked up and it was no longer the kind one, but the evil one hair in spikes and vein pulsing. "Too late, I'm in control, Pharaoh."
"Stop this immediately, you should know better than to fall for Bakura's tricks. Please listen to me Marik, I know the good you is still in there." Atem pleaded as his eyes welled up with tears.
"Please Marik, don't side with him, wake up." Atem continued gazing at Loretta's lifeless body.
"You know that's not going to work, Pharaoh. Gather your friends and meet us at the pier or you will never see your wife and family again." Bakura nodded to Yami Marik, and they walked out of the house.
"You will pay for this Bakura." Atem growled. "I need to call Yugi." Atem said slipping his phone out of his pocket.
"Atem?" Darien asked in a scared voice as Yugi answered the phone.
"What's wrong little man."
"Where's my Mommy?" Darien's lower lip quivered.
"I'm just calling Yugi and the others to help find and save them." Atem smiled. "Hey Yugi, I need your help."
"What's wrong?" Yugi asked, hearing the anxiety in his friend's voice.
"Bakura has taken our wives and children and is holding them hostage. But we have an even bigger problem. Marik has reverted back into his evil self and is helping him.
"What do they want?" Yugi asked, his panic rising."
"He wants you, Joey, Kaiba & I to start dueing again. I'm guessing we have to duel him to win our families back. I wish Marik was here to help us." Atem sighed.
"Call Seto and I'll get a hold of Joey. Maybe we should send the other guys to find them."
"Ok I'll get Seth as well. Get Joey to bring Josiah along with him, I have a feeling we may need his help."
Yugi hung up with Atem and immediately called Joey, filling him in on the events. They met in front of Atem's house. "I think Seth and Josiah should go look for our families." Atem suggested, tension in every feature.
"It's ok, we are here to help you. Stressing about the situation isn't going to get them back any faster. I know you love your wife and kids but you need to calm down." Yugi said gently rubbing Atem'"Seth, go check on Loretta. I think she'll be key to getting Marik back in his right mind." Atem looked up at his cousin's shoulder.
"Oh, where is Loretta? I thought she would've been taken with the others." Seth said in surprise
"She was hurt by Bakura. She's in the living room." Atem pointed at the house.
"What? I'll go & check on her then." Seth smiled, putting his hand on Atem's shoulder. "It's going to be ok."
"Just go check on her."
"Ok, ok, I'm going, bossy" Seth chuckled as he walked off.
Atem paced in front of them, worrying.
"Would you quit pacin' you're making me dizzy." Joey complained.
Atem glared at him. "What else am I supposed to do?"
"Maybe go in and help Seth. He might need your help waking her up." Joey glared back.
Yugi stepped between the two. "Hey, we have an enemy to face, no fighting among ourselves."
"Hey don't look at me Yug'. I'm not fightin', I'm only making a point, she is his sister after all." Joey glared.
"Still, you're arguing." Yugi pointed out. He glanced over his shoulder. "He's right though, you should go help Seth."
Atem stormed into the house without looking back.
"Woah, what's his problem." Joey shrugged.
"Ooh looks like somebody just made the Pharaoh angry." Josiah said poking Joey in the ribs.
Seth and Atem exited the house, helping Loretta out. "We need your help, Loretta." Atem said quietly.
"I don't know how much I can be right now, argh my head." Loretta moaned.
"Marik has gone evil and he needs you to remind him of who he is." Atem said. "Will you go with Seth and Josiah to find him and the others?"
"I can try. But it's not going to be easy. I heard how hard it was for you."
Atem met his friends' eyes. "But they couldn't reach me and the power was too strong while I was in its grip." He looked back down at Loretta. "It was also an external evil. This one is Marik's own demons. You might be able to get through to him."
"I love Marik and I will try my hardest to get him back. I hate Bakura for what he did." Loretta growled.
"Okay, the four of us will go after Bakura, you three go after Marik and our family."
"Ok, stay safe everyone, especially you Atem. everyone is counting on you." Seth said.
Atem led the way to the pier, anxiety making his heart pound. "We can't let Bakura get away with this."
"Don't worry we won't. We have my wife to save as well."
They arrived at the pier, which only had Bakura. "Hello, gentlemen. Bring back any memories?" He looked between Yugi, Atem, and Joey.
"What have you done with Marik?" Atem growled.
"Um Atem? I think that is the least of our worries." Yugi said.
"How easily you forget your family. I may have to let Marik know that so he can tell you." Bakura smirked.
"I havent forgotten about my family and I never would! You leave Marik alone." Atem growled.
Bakura began glowing with a black shadow around him. "Anyone want to play a game? Ah, let's start with the little one." His evil gaze landed on Yugi.
"No Yugi don't. Let me fight for you." Atem said grabbing Yugi's shoulder.
"I can do this Atem. I've faced Bakura before, just please trust me." Yugi said looking at Atem with a pleading look.
"Besides, that pretty little wife of yours doesn't look like she could wait many more days for you to rescue you. When is she due? Hm?"
"She's due any day now I think, but don't you dare touch her Bakura!" Yugi growled shaking his fist at him.
"Then step up and be a man. Fight for her."
"Fine I will. Like Atem said, I too would do anything for my family." Yugi said as he came to stand in front of Bakura.
A shadow clouded over the pair, blocking out Atem and Seto's view of the duelists. "Be safe, Yugi." Atem whispered.