*22* Seto *22*

We pulled up in front of the game shop and exchanged looks, the look of the shop was unusual for nine in the morning. Jounouchi and I got out of the car and headed for the door, I gave the handle a pull but the door did not open.

"Sorry we're closed today," it was Yugi's voice, he must have come out of the shop through the side door. He was dressed in dark colors and wore a sad look.

"A little shop like this can't afford to be closing its doors whenever it pleases." I said, receiving a cold look from Jounouchi, Yugi, however, didn't look at all offended, in fact he looked surprised.

"Kaiba?" Yugi tilted his head to get a better look at my face

"Who the hell else would it be?" I said.

"But...you're dead." Yugi said, "I was on my way to your wake just now."

"That's a waste of time, obviously. I don't want to talk about this out here."

"Yugi, are you ready?" the three of us looked over to see Hiroto and Mazaki walking up the street. "We need to get a good spot." Mazaki continued.

"I don't think we need to worry about that now." Yugi said. "Let's go inside." He said and opened the front door so that the five of us could walk inside, though Yugi didn't know it was five.

"Yugi, what's going on?" Hiroto asked, "Who is this guy?"

"How can you not know?" I asked and removed my hat causing everyone to gasp. "Don't be so dramatic."

"But you died when your mini plane crashed into the ocean, your body washed up on shore." Hiroto said.

"I had Mokuba come up with a fitting cover story, I had to fake my death because something big is going on." I explained.

"Why are you here? Someone could recognize you." Yugi said, "That disguise did nothing to mask your voice."

"Because…" I paused, I hated this so much but I had to ignore my pride because this was more important.

"Go on, tell them you need their help." Jounouchi pushed, "We can't trust anyone else."

"I know that." I snapped. Oops, we had been alone for so long that I've gotten comfortable talking to him. I cleared my throat, "I know that I shouldn't be asking this of you but I need your help." I said.

"No problem." Yugi said and there wasn't a hit of "you'll owe me" in his voice. "Tell us what's going on."

Leaving out the part about Jounouchi's murder, I told them everything from the Americans trying to make a deal for Gozaburo's military secrets up to the point where Siegfried hired said Americans so that he could have his own army. I also added the part about Siegfried's plan to become immortal through the use of Gozaburo's technology.

"I know it sounds farfetched but I am not the type of person to make this shit up." I said, "I need someone, you guys, to watch over Mokuba and make sure nothing happens to him."

"No problem there but what are you going to do?" Mazaki said. "We can help you too."

"No, I need to fight this on my own." I said, this is bad enough as it is. "I just need to know that my brother is in safe hands."

"Sure, but Kaiba, we don't want to lose two classmates in one year, no, we don't want to lose two friends." Yugi said.

At those words I glanced back at Jounouchi, he must miss them so much. I wish I could let them know that Jounouchi was here too but there would be no point in hurting them again when he had to move on.

"Don't underestimate me. It's hard enough for me to ask you to look after my brother but it's proof that I will do whatever's necessary to protect what is mine. If I need you again I will find you." I said.

"Alright" Hiroto said, "Then we should go to the wake and find Mokuba, we don't want anyone who may be watching to wonder why we weren't there but that we are suddenly hanging out with him."

"Good Point." Mazaki said, "I'll gladly go to a fake funeral. I'm glad you aren't dead, Kaiba." She said. I think she is just about the only woman, aside from Mai, who isn't afraid of me.

"Kaiba, you can hide out here for now if you need to." Yugi said before turning to the others. "Alright, let's go." He said.

After they had all left Jounouchi fell into the seat beside me. I could feel the wrinkles on my forehead more intensely than ever and suddenly Jounouchi reached out to touch them.

I pulled away, "What are you doing?" I asked.

"You look a little too lost in thought." He said, "What's going on in that super brain of yours?"

"Idiot." That was the dumbest thing I'd ever heard from him but I let it go. "He killed you just so he could have your soul." I looked right at him and I felt a rush of sadness. "You don't seem to even care about that."

"Are you crazy? Of course I care about it. It's just that there isn't much I can do about it now other than stop him from hurting other people." He said, "come on, even you know I didn't have much longer, the way I was living, anyway. I have nothing to stay here for. My friends will learn to move on, my family has already…" I could tell he was keeping something from me but he let out a grunt of annoyance, "I don't want to talk about this and it doesn't matter anyway."

"Those are the words of someone who's given up. And here I thought you were as stubborn as an ox." I said, the paused to think before saying "You won't be easy to forget." Shit, I didn't mean to say that out loud.

"You know while I was locked up by that freak there was something on my mind, something I wanted to tell you." He said after a beat.

"What was that?" I asked, glad that he had ignored the comment.

"I wanted to tell you that I… That you…" as he spoke I felt my pants vibrate, my phone.

"Hold on." I said and pulled out my phone before answering. "Mokuba, Is everything alright?" I asked and set the phone to speaker so Jounouchi could hear.

"Nice try Seto Kaiba." The voice on the other end had a very distinct accent. "But not good enough, you see, you didn't check for cameras before you broke into my lab, too bad, you are usually so careful."

"Siegfried!" I spat. "What are you doing on my brother's phone?" I asked even though I knew there was only one reason.

"He's fine. For now." He said. "If you bring me what I want then I won't have to extract his soul."

"Big Brother! Don't listen to him…" there was a muffled sound on the other end and I could tell someone had punched him.

"Bring me the access cards and that soul you took from the lab this morning and I'll give you your bother back." Siegfried said before the line went dead.