Chapter Fourteen

"You didn't work hard enough!"

Crack.

"Never hard enough!"

Crack.

"Father, please! Please stop it!"

"Not until you deserve for me to stop!"

Seto crashed to his knees. He was trapped in his memories of the past. Over and over, he experienced the unforgiving nights, forced to go without sleep until he perfected whatever Gozaburo insisted he master, whipped or otherwise beaten or sometimes emotionally tortured when he failed to deliver anything less than what the man would accept.

Part of him was bitter. How could Lector not see what Gozaburo truly was? How could he not know? And yet, he knew Gozaburo put on fronts, making himself appear a caring father when he wasn't. Even Mokuba didn't know the full truth. God-willing, he would never know.

The other part was despairing. How was he going to escape? Every time he tried, he just walked into another memory and was forced to participate as though it was the present. He was sinking deeper and deeper into his agony the longer this went on.

But then . . . then a light pierced the darkness of his memories, a light he recognized. "Mokuba," he whispered, looking up.

Other lights joined Mokuba's, and somehow he knew where each one belonged. There was Atem . . . Yugi . . . Téa? Joey . . . Tristan. . . . They were all adding their light, their hope, and the brighter the light became, the more Gozaburo's memory world began to crack and shatter.

Marik . . . Ishizu . . . Rishid. . . . Mai . . . Serenity . . . Duke . . . David. . . . Scarlet. . . . Bakura . . . Yami Bakura and the bikers, even. . . . They were all there, and they all wanted him to find his way back to them. Seto stood, gazing into the light in wonder.

Lector? . . . The rest of the Big Five?

The light surrounded him, giving him the strength to push the darkness fully away and be caught up in the beam.

Seto started back to the present. They were en route to Crump's house, where they hoped to solve the other part of this twisted mystery once and for all. Mokuba was looking up at him in concern. "Seto . . . are you really okay?"

"Yeah," Seto assured him. "I am. I was just thinking about how I got out of that mess Gozaburo put me in. I still find it hard to believe, both that and how I escaped . . . and that everyone helped me, even the Big Five."

"I'm really glad they did, Seto," Mokuba said softly. "They distracted Gozaburo long enough for Yami Bakura to get the Infinity Ring to make his card real. They were even ready to die if they had to. . . ."

"To protect me?" Seto snorted. "Now that I do find hard to believe."

"It's true," Mokuba said softly. "Seeing what happened to Gozaburo really shook them up. I think . . . I think they're really all going to be okay now, Seto. None of them want to be like Gozaburo. They want to be good."

Seto grunted. "Well, we'll see if they succeed in that. Meanwhile, I'm still not sure what to do with Scarlet. I have the same problem that I did with the Big Five, not wanting the scandal that will come with a public arrest and trial, but also not trusting or wanting her in the company any longer. Maybe she started out just wanting to avenge wrongdoings done to us or the company, but her actions were jeopardizing the company! And it led to your being jeopardized as well, which is inexcusable. I don't want the Big Five working for me despite what happened today, and I don't want Scarlet working for me either."

"And she hurt Roland," Mokuba frowned. "When she came back and found him watching her house, she just went up to him and got him to open the door to talk to her and then she just hit him!" He looked down. "And he's still unconscious. . . . Mr. Muto had to take him to our medical center. . . ."

"I'm angry about that too," Seto growled. "Roland has never been anything but loyal; she had no reason to harm him."

"She didn't want him finding out about her sick meeting with Gozaburo," Mokuba said darkly. "I can't believe she was really working with him!"

"I wish I'd figured it out last night," Seto said. "I wasn't willing to believe I'd felt Gozaburo's presence in her house, not after being in his old room and trying to convince myself I didn't really feel anything."

"Seto . . ." Mokuba looked at him in surprise. "It's not your fault about Roland getting hurt. . . . Or about Gozaburo going after me. . . ."

"Roland shouldn't have opened the door to Scarlet when he knew we suspected her of wrongdoing," Seto said flatly. "But it's understandable that he did. She probably tried to make herself look innocent. Maybe she acted worried about her front door being damaged and he felt he had to talk to her.No, I don't blame myself for Roland being hurt. And it was Gozaburo who tried to hurt you. However, I'm angry that even when I try to protect you, something often goes wrong."

"This time it was because of Yami Marik," Mokuba said bitterly. "I'm so sick of being used against you. . . . I wish I could fight or do something, anything, that would help make me more useful."

"I doubt even a fighter would be able to do much against that thing," Seto retorted. "Mokuba, you are so much more than just 'useful.' I wish I could make you see that."

"I know," Mokuba sighed.

Seto's phone rang and he snapped it up. "Kaiba."

"We're almost there," came Joey's voice. "We just want to make sure we have the plan down."

"Everyone spreads out," Seto replied. "While the Big Five put on their little act, Mokuba and I'll be watching the staff and the rest of you will be looking for anything else they may have stashed somewhere in the house."

"Okay," Joey said. "But this had better work, Rich Boy."

"If you don't mess it up, it should be fine," Seto countered. He hung up.

Yeah . . . this had better work.

xxxx

All of the servants at Crump's house looked up with a jerk when Seto's limousine pulled into the driveway and four of the Big Five slowly got out. Solemnly, they reached back into the car and eased Crump's limp form out of the car and into their arms.

Several servants ran to the front door, including the female butler. "What happened?!" one of them exclaimed.

"Crump is dead," Gansley told them, his voice dark and hurting. "We were attacked while we were out. We thought we would be safer away from here, but instead . . . everything was only worse."

"Why are you bringing him back here?!" another one demanded.

"Why not?" Lector countered. "This is his home. And we're not ready to give him up yet."

Together they carried him up the steps and inside the house, then detoured to the living room and the nearest couch.

"Hey, you were supposed to take me upstairs," Crump hissed as they laid him down.

"Overruled," Johnson hissed back. "You're too heavy for us, Crump!"

Crump muttered under his breath.

Gansley grabbed the nearby penguin throw and draped it over Crump. "He said something before he died," he said coolly to the servants. "He caught a glimpse of the person who fatally hurt him. He said it was someone he trusted, so we are assuming it was someone who worked for him. He mumbled a name, but we're not sure exactly what was said. Therefore, we're asking each and every one of you to come up and introduce yourselves. Perhaps hearing your name will help us determine Crump's dying message."

The servants all looked at each other in stunned disbelief and dismay. Then, slowly, some of them came forward and said their names. Some of them looked sad or stunned, while others seemed singularly unmoved.

Outside, Seto and Mokuba watched through the window. "Whoever doesn't go up and quietly slips away is either the mastermind or someone who'll be calling them," Seto said.

"Are you sure everything started with somebody at Crump's house, big brother?" Mokuba asked.

"Frankly, no," Seto said. "But I'm hoping that whoever's guilty here will realize they're trapped if we catch them doing something suspicious."

It was Cora who refused to go up with the rest. Instead, she darted down a hallway and took out her phone. As she quickly dialed a number, Seto and Mokuba hurried to get inside while everyone was distracted.

"We've got a problem," she said into the phone. "Someone wasted Crump, but I don't remember being told that that was the next part of the plan. And the others are saying he identified the killer. It sounds like a set-up, a trick, but I'm not sure. What should I do?"

Seto came up behind her and snatched the phone out of her hand before she had a chance to end the call. Even as she screamed in outraged disbelief, he held it up to his ear while the person on the other end was speaking.

"Don't take a chance. Kill them all. Burn the house down if you have to; we'll still have the other four houses."

Mokuba smirked, holding up a digital recorder. Now they had the mastermind's voice.

Cora's eyes flamed. "I'm not burning down the house! That's what all this was about, after all—getting their houses and their wealth! I'm not being cheated out of my share!" She looked to Seto and Mokuba. "And I'll tell you who that is if you haven't figured it out."

"Unfortunately, I recognize that voice," Lector said as he came into the hall. "My trusted maid."

"I'll tell you everyone who was mixed up in this plot," Cora continued. "I'm not taking the fall alone."

"Good!" came Crump's voice as he threw back the throw. "That's just what we were hoping for."

Cora went stiff, while one of the younger girls fainted. "So it was a trick," Cora said bitterly.

"That's right, honey," Crump said. "Although we figured I'd be next in line to be attacked. We just decided to speed things up a bit and see what would happen if we just said I'd been attacked."

Cora gave him a dark glare. "I really hate you."

"That's too bad, because I've always liked you," Crump returned.

xxxx

"This place is really big. Not to mention really messed-up."

Marik looked to Téa as she complained while they wandered down the extensive halls. Penguins were everywhere: statues, figures, paintings. . . . Even some of the door handles were penguin-shaped.

"Well, he certainly has a one-track mind," Marik remarked. "Although it seems fairly harmless."

"Except when he tries to freeze people in time," Téa muttered.

"I tried to have you crushed," Marik said quietly.

". . . Good point." Téa sighed. "I guess it's possible that I could come to like Crump. I have to admit he's been helpful today. I really wasn't expecting all of the Big Five to try to protect Kaiba."

"I doubt any of us did," Marik said.

"I never thought any of them could possibly be redeemed," Téa continued. ". . . But I used to think the same about you. And Kaiba. I was wrong every time."

"I'm amazed that I've been shown such forgiveness and friendship after everything I did," Marik said.

"Yugi is a really incredible guy," Téa said softly.

"All of you are incredible," Marik said. He stepped forward and suddenly the floor gave out from under him. "What?!"

Téa stared as he fell down a chute. "Marik?!" Worried, and not knowing what else to do, Téa followed him down. He crashed with a grunt and seconds later, Téa sprawled across his back. "Where are we?"

"I think we're in the basement," Marik said. He waited for Téa to move and then knelt on the floor, taking out his phone to shine it around the darkened room. He stiffened when the light hit upon a motionless form against the wall.

"What's that?!" Téa exclaimed.

Marik went over. "It's Hobson," he realized. "He's bound and gagged. . . . Not that the gag was necessary; I don't think he's conscious." He bent down. "He's still alive. . . ."

"Oh wow, this is too weird!" Téa cried. "Why are Crump's servants keeping Hobson in the basement?!"

"It won't be long and we'll hopefully find out," Marik said. He started untying the man's bonds.

xxxx

They did indeed find out before long. Cora, still loudly refusing to go down without taking their mastermind down with her, was all too willing to tell about Hobson when asked.

"Like Scarlet said, he called her and Gozaburo and the rest of us insane," she said. "Since Scarlet's plan was to attack everyone who had betrayed KaibaCorp, we had all mutually decided to work together since she wanted the destruction of the Big Five as much or more than we did. She just wasn't counting on Hobson balking. He wouldn't go along with our plans, so that weird guy mind-controlled him. But then he broke free of the control and tried to run away. Scarlet hit him over the head and knocked him out and told us to keep him here since the Big Five had decided to go to Lector's place. She figured no one would look for him here and he'd really outlived his usefulness. But since he was loyal to KaibaCorp and the Kaiba family, she didn't want to kill him."

"How thoughtful of her," Mai said with dripping sarcasm.

Seto was frustrated. "So she lied when she said she didn't know where he was?!"

"Actually, some of us were going to kill him," Cora said. "I called and told her he'd escaped again so she wouldn't think he was still here."

Seto rolled his eyes. "Great."

"How is he?" Mokuba asked. "I mean, Marik and Téa found him unconscious. Was that still from Scarlet hitting him?!"

"No," Cora said. "He woke up after that and really did try to get away, so I clubbed him."

"You're all heart," Mai grunted.

"I've called for an ambulance," Marik said. "And Crump's called the police. We don't really have a choice in the matter now."

"We don't," Seto agreed. He would just have to deal with the bad publicity if it happened again, although maybe most of it would fall on the Big Five this time around.

"I also called and talked to Mr. Muto," Marik continued. "Roland is still unconscious. The doctors aren't sure he'll wake up."

Mokuba looked down, stricken. "Oh no. . . ."

"What the heck did Scarlet hit him with?!" Joey cried indignantly. "A brick?!"

"She didn't say," Seto growled. "But obviously it was a brutal attack."

"I think she'll be really upset if he dies," Serenity said quietly. "But I'm upset that she hurt him too." She clenched a fist. "I really don't understand why anyone wants to hurt anyone else."

"Be glad you don't understand," Nesbitt gruffly told her.

Serenity nodded. "I am. . . . But I still wish it didn't happen at all."

Mokuba looked up at Seto. "When we can leave here, big brother, I want to go see Roland. . . ."

"We will," Seto said. Although he doubted it would do any good.

xxxx

It was bittersweet when the police arrived to arrest and question everyone who had taken part in the plot against the Big Five. The other guilty servants were being rounded up at the other homes as well, thanks to Cora's confession. Gabrielle Valesquez, a police officer who had long known Seto, Solomon, Duke, and others in town, frowned at the Big Five as she took one handcuffed girl past them on the front lawn.

"You should feel really lucky that this hasn't happened to any of you for your shenanigans," she commented.

"We do," Gansley said.

"Only luck didn't have anything to do with it," Lector said. ". . . It was Mr. Kaiba."

Gabrielle smiled. "Maybe there's hope for you yet."

Mokuba beamed when she went past. "Yeah . . . there is." He looked to Lector. "And I'm really happy there is."

Lector looked down at him, hesitated, and then dropped down to Mokuba's eye level despite the snow around them. "I've never understood why you wanted so badly to save me, Mokuba. . . . Or why you liked me when I was looking after you. I was dutiful, but I don't recall being especially sociable."

"You were nice," Mokuba said softly. "Gozaburo was mean and Hobson creeped me out. You were . . . well, normal. You don't know how much that meant right then. And until you betrayed us, I always felt like you weren't just doing stuff because you were asked to. . . . Well, maybe at first you were, but then later . . . it really felt like you started to care. Of course . . . that made it hurt even worse when you turned against us. I felt like I'd lost a friend. I wondered a lot about if you really cared. I didn't know if it would make it better or worse to find out the answer, but I wondered sometimes if you did and you could be saved. When I found out you still tried to protect me after that, I . . . didn't know what to think. The betrayal still hurt, but . . . I really felt there was hope. Now you're okay and I'm so glad. And . . . I have my friend back." Hesitant at first, the boy finally leaned in and hugged Lector around the neck.

Lector stared at him, stunned. Then, slowly, he returned the gesture, holding him close. "I wouldn't be here if not for you, Mokuba. Thank you . . . for helping me find myself again."

Standing near Seto, Téa smiled. "Aww . . ."

"Mokuba's goodness has changed a lot of hearts," Seto said gruffly but sincerely. The pride in his eyes and voice was obvious.

"And then the people whose lives he's touched change other hearts," Téa said. "What he did for Noa saved all of our lives. What he did for Lector is helping to guide the other members of the Big Five to their redemption. And what he's done for you . . ." Her voice lowered. "I think he's kept you human and helped you open your heart to having all of us as friends."

"That's true," Seto said, folding his arms.

Téa shifted. "I know you still don't like social events, though, Kaiba . . . but I was just wondering if . . . well, if you and Mokuba might like to come to the Christmas dance at the community center? It's more than just dancing," she rushed on. "There's food and caroling and . . . well, I thought Mokuba might have fun and . . ." She trailed off. It wasn't normal for her to babble like this. But it also wasn't normal to not want to scream at Seto and to instead badly want to be friends.

"He probably would," Seto said, filling in the loud silence. "And you're right that it's still not really my thing, but . . . we might come. Especially if Mokuba wants to."

Téa blinked rapidly. He really hadn't said No? Why did that make her so happy? "That's great," she exclaimed with a bright smile. "I hope I'll see you both there then."

"You might." Seto turned away, similar thoughts running through his mind. Why was he so pleased? Why had he even accepted?

Having friends was an interesting and unusual experience indeed.

Lector, meanwhile, was looking around for the other members of the Big Five. Most seemed to be talking with police officers, except for Nesbitt. He came over to Lector instead of waiting for Lector to make the first move. "How are you feeling?" he gruffly asked.

"I'm alright," Lector said in some surprise. "But how about you, Nesbitt? I know you took sleeping pills last night. And you've been fairly scarce and unwilling to talk today. I feel like you've deliberately avoided it."

Nesbitt looked away. "You're right. I still feel shame and guilt for yesterday. To have been mind-controlled like that, I feel completely violated. Cora admitted it was Crump's butler who hit Gansley, but that doesn't take away what I did to you or that I tried to hurt Gansley the same way. I took the pills to have some relief from the agony I was feeling, but once they wore off, nothing had changed."

"I'm sure it will take a long time for you to come to terms with what happened," Lector said. "But I meant what I said yesterday, and I know the others feel the same way. We want you to come to us when you're struggling with the pain. I know I don't want to see you relying on pills to get by. Sleeping pills now and then are harmless enough, but what if you try taking them all the time because the pain won't go away? Once they stop being effective, what's next?"

"I have no intention of that," Nesbitt said.

"Good," said Lector. He paused. "And I know it's a two-way street. I and the others should check on you when you don't come to us. I'm used to leaving you alone and figuring you'll talk if you want to, but in reality I know that you're such a private person, it probably won't happen. I'm the same way; Crump had to draw me out."

Nesbitt smirked a bit. "Crump . . . yeah, he came to me a couple of times last night. I'm sure if you don't, he still will." He sighed. "But talking . . . doesn't make the pain go away. I don't know that anything will. Crump talks about not thinking of the What Ifs, but even not doing that, it's bad enough. I tried to kill two of my best friends!" He trembled, his voice cracking.

"You didn't do it, Nesbitt!" Lector insisted. "It was that creature, using your body like a puppet!"

"Well, that's bad enough!" Nesbitt spat. "If I'd been stronger, maybe it wouldn't have happened at all!"

Pain flashed through Lector's eyes. "If he ever dares to show his face around here again, I'll find a way to avenge you on him. I'll never forgive him for what he's done to you."

"You can't fight him," Nesbitt objected. "No one can."

"Obviously they can, or he couldn't keep getting beaten back," Lector said. "And you defeated him too. His control over you completely shattered."

"After you were laying hurt," Nesbitt retorted. "It took actually blasting you to shock me back to myself. You were unconscious, so you don't know what it was like."

"No," Lector conceded, "I don't. But I do know how I would have felt in your position." I would have never forgiven myself. And I don't want that for you. I want you to be able to heal.

"So what are we going to do?" Nesbitt asked.

"I don't know," Lector said, "but I'll find a way. Maybe this is something only time will heal. I'll be there for you on every part of your journey. I know the others will too. And I suppose . . . right now, that's all I can offer."

Nesbitt slowly nodded. "Thank you," he said quietly. "I don't feel worthy of your or the others' concern and caring, but you don't know how much it means to me that you haven't all abandoned me. It means everything."

"We'll never abandon you," Lector promised.

"I was going to abandon all of you in Noa's world," Nesbitt said. A haunted look passed through his eyes.

Lector sighed. That was one elephant in the room that they had never really discussed. "Johnson was right, though, that you thought we'd all still make it out, didn't you?"

Nesbitt looked away. "I want to say that's what I was thinking. I think it was. But I'm not actually sure. I was just so desperate to leave. . . . If I actually had made it out, I know I would have missed all of you and I think I would have regretted leaving you. I would have had a life back, but not my own. I would have felt so empty. Maybe not at first, but before long." He looked back. "What were we thinking? We would have been forced to take on those kids' lives. It would have taken us years to have any hope of getting back to some semblance of the lives we had under our own identities."

"We weren't thinking," Lector said. "We were all desperate and frightened. Not to mention being consumed by anger and hatred and confusion. Seeing Gozaburo today . . . well, that really drove it home."

Nesbitt nodded. "For everything I did to you and the others . . . and those kids . . . I'm sorry."

Lector laid a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry too."

Gabrielle approached them now. "Mr. Nesbitt, we need your statement," she said.

Nesbitt drew a deep breath. "Alright." He glanced at Lector and then walked off to the side with her.

As Lector observed, Yugi suddenly appeared. "Hi, Lector," he greeted.

"Hello," Lector said in some surprise and some not. It wasn't the first time Yugi had sought him out.

"I'm sorry about your maid," Yugi said.

"Yes, well . . . it's not the first time I've been betrayed," Lector said. "Although it still hurts and I'm angry. I always treated her and my other servants with respect, and she turned against me because she'd had a taste of power and liked it so much, she couldn't bear to go back to what she had before." He heaved a tired sigh. "But then I've gone on power trips too."

Yugi nodded. "You're learning. And at least now you hopefully know that there are some people you can rely on, even though some people do betray you."

"I do," Lector agreed. "I believe I'm starting to get a real good image of who my friends truly are."

"I hope maybe you'll consider me and the others your friends too." Yugi held out a hand.

Lector regarded him in surprise. He would have scoffed at such a thing before. And it still bowled him over now, even though he was more deserving of it than he had been in the past.

Finally he took Yugi's hand. "I'd be honored."

xxxx

Solomon stood when he heard footsteps down the hospital hall. When the door opened and Seto and Mokuba entered, he relaxed. "I'm glad you two are here," he told them. "I'm sure Roland could really use your visit right now."

"He won't even know we're here," Seto objected.

"He might," Mokuba said. "Like when you felt the light from everyone and you were able to wake up, Seto."

Seto grunted and didn't protest further.

"How is your butler?" Solomon asked. "Marik told me he was found hurt as well."

"Not as badly," Seto said. "He's down the hall, awake and giving his statement to the police."

Solomon sighed. "I'm glad of that. But even one person badly hurt is too many."

"Especially someone like Roland," Seto said. He gripped his arms. "And Yami Marik and Dr. Portman are still at large. They'll no doubt show up again when we least expect or want it."

"We'll deal with that when it happens," Solomon said.

Mokuba climbed onto a chair next to the bed. "Hi, Roland," he said softly. "The doctor said you got hurt really bad. I'm so sorry. . . . But you're going to be okay, aren't you? Things would never be the same without you. . . .

"Seto's here too, and Yugi's grandpa. . . . Everyone's worried about you. I think they're all coming. You're lucky this is KaibaCorp's medical center and not some other hospital with its stupid rules about family only and stuff. . . . What if there's no family around? They should let in anybody who really cares! This place does."

Seto didn't really feel like talking, especially with someone other than Mokuba there, so he folded his arms and leaned against the wall. Hatred really did do terrible things to a person's mind. Scarlet had apparently become so caught up in her self-appointed mission to punish everyone who had betrayed the Kaiba family that she hadn't stopped to think about the consequences of harming someone who was loyal to try to keep him out of the way. She had punished an innocent person, and what was more, by harming him she was hurting KaibaCorp and the Kaiba family. Roland was one of his most valuable employees.

Silence in the room brought his attention back to the present situation. Mokuba had clasped his hands and was apparently praying. Solomon looked like he was silently joining in.

Seto sighed to himself. Would God answer, at least with a Yes? He just didn't understand how God operated and he probably never would. Although he had to admit that now it did look like the Big Five still had some purpose to play and that it had been a good thing for their lives to have been spared. He never would have believed that before.

He jumped a mile when Roland actually stirred and groaned, slowly opening his eyes. ". . . Mokuba? . . ."

Mokuba perked up, his eyes shining with joy. "Roland! You're awake!"

Solomon smiled. "Thank goodness."

Seto allowed a bit of a smile as well. Sometimes, things actually did go right.