Chapter Ten

Safely hidden from all the madness and the desperate searching at the Kaiba Manor was Dr. Alice Portman, concealed in a different secret room than the one Mokuba and Marik had entered. She watched, intrigued, as the various groups ran in different directions and plotted and planned.

"So, Seto Kaiba, you're looking for Mokuba, of course," she mused. "And some of your associates are going to help you, including the thief from ancient Egypt. It seems his Infinity Ring is acting up again or he would have been led right to either me or Mokuba.

"Mr. Lector, too, is worried about Mokuba. I suppose that's not a surprise. He always seemed concerned about Mokuba, and Noa before him. He tried to be so comforting and supportive to Gozaburo when Noa was killed. I always found those men thoroughly fascinating. Unfortunately, Gozaburo isn't here to study.

"It does surprise me that you're planning to protect Mr. Lector, Mr. Gansley. And Mr. Nesbitt and Mr. Johnson are onboard with you as well. You care about him that much? You could end up forfeiting your lives, and it sounds like you know it. But from what you said, you're somewhat traumatized from witnessing some cruel fate having befallen Mr. Lector in the past, and worse, having taken part in it to some extent. You don't want anything of the kind to happen again. Hmm.

"And this Khu man. I have no idea what his story is beyond what I've heard he did to the thief. He's very cruel, very sadistic, but I can tell he has a definite plan in mind. There's so much built-up anger and rage. Mr. Lector is just a side quest. His true objective is who knows what. He bears further investigation, as do they all.

"I wonder where Mr. Crump is with Téa Gardner. Will he align with the others to protect Mr. Lector? What will Seto think if he learns that Téa is indeed Mr. Crump's prisoner? I know little Mokuba will be upset.

"Where is that boy, and his friend Marik Ishtar? Marik is a highly troubled boy whom I would also like to study. I wonder if I can examine all of them on this round."

She pressed the lever on the wall and a panel slid open. But as she started to come out from her hiding place, a cane suddenly shot out across her path, blocking her way.

"Well, what have we here," Gansley sneered. "Dr. Alice Portman. We haven't seen you since you were fired from KaibaCorp."

"We really must thank you for healing our bodies," Johnson said as he came up from the side. "Going through months of physical therapy would have been so inconvenient."

Portman rocked back, but then started to smirk. "So you only pretended to leave. An old trick, but it worked."

"We thought you might still be lurking around, watching everyone from some hidden location," Nesbitt said.

"So you wanted to talk to me," Portman said, folding her arms. "How convenient. I wanted to talk with you as well."

"What are your plans for Lector, and for us?" Gansley asked. "You must have had a reason for reviving our bodies."

"Just to further my plan for chaos against Seto Kaiba," Portman said. "I was sure that all of you running madly around town would push him dangerously close to the edge. At least, I wanted to see how far it would push him." She smirked. "I was sure you wouldn't mind. After all, you still want to see him ruined, don't you?"

Gansley smirked. "Of course."

"Even at the expense of your friend?"

Portman watched, intrigued, as the three men wavered and no longer looked sure of themselves. It was true that Lector didn't want Mokuba hurt, and it was just dawning on them now that maybe that would also mean he would balk against Seto being hurt. And in any case, what he had said about them being stuck in a rut was really true. Every revenge scheme they had come up with had only dug them deeper into their own personal Hells. First they had been fired. Then trapped in virtual reality several times over. Then sent to the Shadow Realm. What next?

"I pointed out to Mr. Lector that he was a hypocrite for only blaming Seto for Gozaburo's downfall," Portman continued. "All of you were involved as well, including Mr. Lector." She smiled. "He hasn't been the same since."

"Objection," Johnson frowned. "If you wanted him to help you, why would you tell him something that would make him doubt himself?"

"I enjoy studying intriguing people wherever I find them," Portman said. "Mr. Lector is another such intriguing person. I wanted to see how he would react. I knew if he was any sort of an honorable man, he would be highly upset. Which he was."

". . . What happens if we don't agree to go along with your plan?" Gansley finally asked.

"Nothing," Portman shrugged. "I have other ways to get at them, and anyway, it's interesting seeing how your minds work. Do you finally realize that your pursuit of Seto Kaiba is in vain? Even if you do, can you get your lives back on track after all of your sins?"

"It's not your business either way," Nesbitt growled.

"We could call out and bring multiple people on this property down on you," Johnson said. "You might find it in your best interest to leave."

"Perhaps so," Portman said with a shrug. "Well, I wish you luck, gentlemen." She gave a dark smirk. "You're going to need it."

They watched uneasily as she headed for the door. Yugi's group had already took off to try to find Téa, so there was no one to stop Portman from walking out onto the porch.

"Should we really let her go?" Nesbitt wondered.

"Why not, if she doesn't plan to do us harm?" Gansley chuckled. "Even if we decide not to go after Seto Kaiba, we might still get to enjoy watching her bring him down."

"Are we not going to go after Kaiba?" Johnson asked.

"Perhaps not," Gansley said. "Lector did have a point about being stuck in a rut, even though none of us wanted to listen to him either the first time he said it or this time. We have our bodies. Why don't we find him and Crump and then mutually decide where to go from here?"

"Is Lector even one of us anymore?" Johnson didn't look sure. "I already said he wasn't, and he hasn't forgiven us for encouraging Khu to trap him in the darkness. He seems to have rejected us."

"You're the one who said it hurt him to see our soulless bodies chasing him," Gansley said. "If we're going to embark on a new venture that doesn't involve tormenting Seto Kaiba or the others, then yes, I believe we should allow Lector the chance to be involved if he wants to be. He does still care for us in spite of his hurt." He paused. "If he didn't care, then being hurt would be pointless."

"That's a weird thing for someone like you to say. I didn't think you even believed in caring or friendship."

The Big Three jumped. A new panel in the wall opened up and Mokuba stepped out, followed by Marik.

"So, are you guys really thinking about turning over a new leaf?" Mokuba looked suspicious and angry. Marik did too, as well as worried for Mokuba.

"You're either very bold or very stupid, coming out around us," Nesbitt commented. "Your friend knows it too."

"You haven't really changed if you let Portman go so she could torture Seto instead of you guys doing it," Mokuba spat in disgust. "We heard your conversation with Dr. Portman. I'm not going to let her get off the grounds without a fight!"

"And if you try to stop us, you'll regret it," Marik vowed.

"Go ahead and try to stop her," Gansley laughed. "We may have been willing to let her go in the hopes that she will torture Seto Kaiba, but that doesn't mean we'll try to stop you from catching her. We have more important matters to attend to."

"Yeah, well, you'd better," Mokuba retorted. "We've already contacted the security guards on their private frequency. We didn't use the speaker system because we didn't want her to hear."

Marik nodded, his eyes daring any of the Big Three to try to interfere. "That's right. They're probably catching up to her right now."

"It's amusing that you stayed right in the area while your brother and Lector and those white-haired 'cousins' are chasing all over the mansion looking for you," Gansley remarked.

"Seto said not to let on where we were," Mokuba said. "And I could believe it was safe to be around Lector, but I don't know about the rest of you guys. You've got your bodies back, but does that make you any less dangerous?"

"It already looks like your associate may be trying to terrorize Téa," Marik spoke up.

"Quite frankly, I don't know whether you need to consider us dangerous or not," Gansley said. "It does sound like Crump may be exercising his strength."

Seto appeared in the doorway. "I just got a call from security that Dr. Portman escaped the grounds," he said coldly. "Did you three have anything to do with that?"

"We just let her slip by, Mr. Kaiba," Gansley said smoothly. "What happened on the grounds had nothing to do with us."

"I'll bet." But then Mokuba was rushing at Seto in relief, and Seto turned in surprise, catching the younger boy in his arms. "Mokuba!"

Mokuba hugged him close. "I'm sorry we didn't get Dr. Portman, Seto," he said softly. "I tried to get security after her, but it was too late."

"Nevermind that. What are you doing out from wherever you were?!" Seto demanded.

"Well, we heard that Dr. Portman had left, and these guys just let her go in case she could torture you even if they don't," Mokuba said in disgust. "I wanted to see what they'd say if I came out and let them know I heard everything."

"That was dangerous!" Seto snapped. He looked to Marik with accusing eyes.

"I tried to stop him, Kaiba, but he was too determined," Marik said.

Johnson shrugged. "Can you really blame us for still wanting our vengeance, even if delivered by someone else?"

"You guys are sick," Mokuba retorted. "If you can't let it go completely, you haven't changed. You're still in that rut, like Lector said."

"Maybe Lector wouldn't begrudge us that much," Nesbitt said.

"Lector really wants to change," Mokuba insisted. "At least . . . I think he does. That Dr. Portman woman did at least one thing right by getting him to rethink what he was doing and whether it was right or not."

"But he still doesn't like Mr. Kaiba," Johnson pointed out.

"That doesn't mean he'd do what you guys just did," Mokuba shot back.

Gansley looked around. "Where is Lector, anyway?" He frowned. Khu wanted to kill Lector, but Khu was supposedly in the kitchen right now. Still, what if he wasn't?

"I'm right here." Lector appeared in the doorway, followed by Bakura and Yami Bakura.

"There's nothing more that can be done here," Seto said. "Mokuba's been found and Portman got away. Lector, you're going to have to make your choice. Who are you going to work for?"

Lector hesitated for a long moment. "I choose," he said at last, "not to work for either one of you."

"That wasn't a choice!" Seto snapped.

"Well, I'm making it a choice. I don't want to be subservient to Dr. Portman and I don't trust you, Mr. Kaiba! I don't want to be your snitch." Lector walked past Seto and the Big Three and headed for the door.

"Lector!" Mokuba called.

Lector turned back to look at him and his expression finally softened. "I'm glad you're safe, Mokuba. These three had better not have any other plans for using you." He indicated his former associates.

Mokuba bit his lip. "But . . . if you don't help Dr. Portman go after Seto, and you don't help Seto catch Dr. Portman, where are you going to go?"

"Obviously Dr. Portman isn't interested in my working for her anyway, since she just up and left without me," Lector said. "Don't worry about me, Mokuba. I still have my savings. I'll come up with something."

Gansley stepped forward. "Lector, is this really it? You don't want anything to do with us either?"

Lector paused again. "I don't know," he said.

"Our trust in each other was shaken," Johnson said, "but we don't mean you any harm. Lector, will you give us the chance to prove that to you?"

"Well . . ." Lector's eyes flashed. He was clearly conflicted. He still wanted to be with his friends, but he didn't know if it was wise. Johnson could be using his slick lawyer talk. But . . . for some reason he didn't really believe that. The way they were all looking at him . . . he hadn't ever seen that from them before. They didn't want him to go. They even looked . . . sad to think of him leaving them. They wouldn't be able to fake that. Despite what they had deemed a betrayal from him, they were still trying to reach out to him. Maybe . . . maybe he owed them something for that. Maybe he owed them a little trust in return.

"Can I trust you not to go after Mokuba again?" he asked at last.

They looked at each other.

"You were right about us being stuck in a rut," Gansley said. "Everything we tried left us in worse situations than before. We didn't want to change before, but we do now, out of practicality if nothing else. We have our bodies. We should try to find our way in the world. We won't go after Seto Kaiba or the others at all now."

Johnson nodded. "That's right."

Lector wanted to relax. He looked to Nesbitt. "Is that how you feel too, Nesbitt?"

Nesbitt gave a heavy sigh. "I'll go along with the others."

Lector slowly nodded too. He had certainly been skeptical and hesitant, as Nesbitt now was. Maybe Nesbitt's feelings would fade some as time went on, now that he had his body.

"I heard what you and Mokuba were saying," he said. "You let Dr. Portman go just so she could cause more trouble?"

"Well . . ." Caught, Gansley looked chagrined. "I can't say we'd be sorry if she did."

"You understand, of course, Lector," Johnson said.

Lector sighed. "I suppose I do. I'm still angry with Mr. Kaiba for betraying us and I probably always will be. And I don't know if I can ever really believe he wasn't trying to use Mokuba. But as far as Gozaburo goes . . . we all participated in that."

"Yes," Gansley agreed. "We did."

"I regretted it, but maybe the rest of you didn't," Lector said. "Anyway, that's not the point. The point is, would you have told me about this if I hadn't asked?"

"If we wouldn't have, it would have only been because we were afraid you would refuse to come with us," Gansley said. "We just barely returned to our bodies. It will take a while for us to come to terms with our feelings towards Mr. Kaiba, as I'm sure it will for you, Lector."

"There is one thing I'd like to point out," Marik said. "If it hadn't been for Kaiba, you wouldn't have any bodies to return to. He had enough decency to take your bodies to his infirmary and keep them alive on KaibaCorp technology all these months. He could have just let them rot in the virtual pods you used or taken them off life support after a while or any number of other things to get rid of them. I wonder how much money has been spent taking care of your bodies all this time."

"That's sure a good point," Mokuba declared. "Well? What do you creeps have to say to that?"

The Big Four exchanged uncomfortable looks. From their expressions, that hadn't occurred to them. Lector in particular looked guilty.

"Well . . ." Johnson finally cleared his throat. "That is an angle we didn't consider. . . ."

"I'll bet," Mokuba said, folding his arms. "You probably only thought about how your bodies were disconnected from the virtual reality machine. You didn't stop to realize they'd be dead if Seto hadn't done that."

". . . We need some time to process this," Gansley said. "Meanwhile, Lector, what is your final verdict on coming back with us?"

". . . I guess I should help you round up Crump, at least," Lector finally, gruffly said. "And get the girl away from him."

The others perked up.

"Good," Gansley smiled.

"And Khu's still in the house," Mokuba worried. "I think he's in the kitchen!"

Yami Bakura growled. "Then I will take care of him." He started forward with the Infinity Ring.

"I'm coming with you," Seto declared. "I'm not letting him invade my home and take my food!"

Yami Bakura stopped short in the doorway. "It doesn't look like you have much of a choice on that."

"What?!" Seto ran over to look, followed closely by Mokuba. Cupboards were standing open and the fridge was ajar. Khu was nowhere to be seen.

"Oh man," Mokuba groaned. "It looks like he ran off with half our stuff!"

"And he wants you dead, Lector," Gansley growled. "No doubt he will show up somewhere else to take care of that. If he's good as a strategist, he may go to where Crump and the girl are and wait for us to come to them."

"Why on Earth does he want me dead?!" Lector exclaimed. "Because I possessed him for a few short moments to protect Mokuba?!" His eyes narrowed. "We had far better reasons to want revenge. Our entire lives were thrown off-kilter. Khu had five minutes of an indignity."

"Apparently that doesn't matter to him," Johnson said.

Lector heaved a sigh. "Well, I'm not going to hide. Let's go find Crump. We'll just have to be on alert."

"If Khu appears, I will be ready," Yami Bakura vowed.

Bakura gave him a worried look. "Yami. . . ."

"And I will be careful," Yami Bakura insisted.

Bakura tried to smile. "You'd better be."

xxxx

Atem was quiet as they drove to the mall. He, Yugi, and Tristan were in Solomon's truck, while Joey had insisted on inviting himself along with Duke and Serenity. He claimed that he was just freeing up room in the truck, but no one really believed that. Still, since they were all worried about Téa, no one spent time arguing with him about it either.

Yugi was also worried about something else. "Atem?" He looked at his friend in concern. "Are you okay?"

The Pharaoh started. "Huh? Oh." He gave a heavy sigh. "Yes, Yugi, I'm alright. Only . . . it's very disturbing seeing Khu loose in the real world. Like he did with Bakura, he made me believe he was my friend. He didn't leave me to die, but he would have killed me if Mahad hadn't stopped him. I never knew what happened to him, and suddenly when we were looking for Mokuba in the Shadow Realm, we discovered that Khu was banished from Egypt for his actions and not killed—because of the influence of his brother, my priest Seto. And I still don't know what drives his immense anger and hatred. What could have caused him to want to overthrow the entire government of Egypt? And what's fueling him now?"

"It really is a worry," Yugi admitted. "I'm really sorry you had to run into him again, Atem. . . ."

"And I haven't heard from Shadi," Atem sighed. "I don't know how to get in touch with my priest Seto to ask him about Khu."

"It's weird that Shadi hasn't shown up," Yugi said. "You'd think he'd be worried about this too."

"I'm sure he'll come in time," Solomon said.

Yugi's phone rang and he hurried to answer it. "Hello?" He listened, relieved, as Bakura told him about finding Mokuba and Marik safe. The news that both Portman and Khu were at large, however, was much less relieving.

"Oh no," Yugi gasped. "We're on our way to the mall now to find Téa. There's still no answer on her phone."

"Oh my," Bakura worried.

Yugi hung up and slumped back, worry in his eyes.

"Yugi?" Atem frowned in concern.

"In some ways, things have got a whole lot worse," Yugi moaned.

xxxx

Téa was both surprised and distraught when Crump found a back way out of the mall and they emerged without anyone finding them. Sneering, Crump pulled her into the shadows of the night.

"Come on, you creep!" Téa snapped. "There's no way taking me will affect Kaiba at all, except for him just not wanting anyone to be hurt!" She tugged desperately and in vain to free her wrist.

"We'll just see about that," Crump said.

"Yes," came a voice from above. "We will."

They both looked up. Khu was ferally crouched on the edge of the roof, his staff draped across him. He sneered at them both.

"Oh great. What do you want?!" Téa demanded.

"And do you know where the others are?" Crump asked.

Khu leaped down and brandished his staff. "Of course I know," he said. "And guess what? I've decided both of you are going to help me by being examples of my power."

Téa backed up into Crump in horror. "What?! Just what are you talking about, Khu?!"

"Yeah!" Crump exclaimed. "What do you want us for?!"

"Oh," Khu smirked, "you'll be my bait." He waved his staff, and in an instant, he, Téa, and Crump had all vanished.