Author's Note: And all good things must come to an end. What do people think – will this have a happy or a sad ending?

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't care, moving on.

Thanks for reading! I update weekly!

Bon appetite!

"Can we check out the exhibit on Ancient China?"

"Marik, no. We're here to check out the Ancient Egypt display."

"Oh come on. It's on the way. We can take a quick detour-"

"No! We're not on fucking date Marik."

"We're traveling to a new city, checking out the sites and grabbing a bite to eat, and this is not a date to you? Geez Fluffy, no wonder you never got laid."

"When have I ever said such a thing? Where the bloody fuck did you come up with that one?"

"I had just assumed the reason you were so grumpy and anal was because you were virgin."

"Fuck no! God damnit, you're annoying. Where is this bloody exhibit?"

"All work and no play makes Bakura a little bitch."

"Fuck off. I'm done talking to you."

"Ha, good luck with that. I have the eternal gift of pissing you off. You'll start yelling at me again in five minutes tops."

Bakura rolled his eyes, trying not to let his temper get the best of him as he dragged Marik through the museum. Odion followed more slowly, taking the time to read up on some of the artifacts they passed. Marik was in a rather impish mood, tormenting Bakura in a way that only Marik was capable of. Bakura knew it was a defensive behavior – it was his way of coping with his nerves for tonight's mission.

Bakura glanced down at the map he picked up at the entrance of the museum, studying it as they made their way back to the special exhibition finally on display. Their stay at the museum would be a short one – the whole purpose was to familiarize the brothers with the layout of the museum. They just needed to know how to get the room housing the Millennium Puzzle and back. Since they were in town, they may as well kill time at the museum.

The second reason they were there was for Bakura's only personal mission. He wanted to make sure his explosives were still in place. He was fairly certain they would have gone undetected, but he could never be too sure. Better safe than sorry. If his bombs weren't there, he would need a back-up plan. Bakura didn't want to resort to a back-up plan if possible. Things would just turn into a nightmare.

Bakura finally spotted the room holding the Puzzle, grabbing Marik's hand as he dragged him forward. He heard the Egyptian yelp in irritation, but Bakura didn't care. He shoved through the crowd, making his way towards the center of the room. A crowd congregated around a glass prism, taking pictures and ogling over the artifact inside. Bakura brought Marik closer to him as they both finally caught side of the golden pendant.

"It's…" Marik started to speak, his teasing behavior gone as he stared in awe. Bakura grinned, struck by a similar sense of wonder. "The Millennium Puzzle. It really is." The upside-down golden pyramid glistened, thin lines revealing the Puzzle shape it used to be. Bakura felt a thrill shoot down his spine. We're so close. Only a centimeter of glass separated Bakura from the final piece of the collection. And then…

Bakura turned away, pushing his way back out of the crowd. Marik remained behind, carefully weaving between people as he continued to stare at the Puzzle. Bakura figured when he got bored, he would come and find him. Bakura remained close, glancing over as he saw Odion make his way towards his brother. With the Ishtar siblings occupied, Bakura made his way to the side of the room, leaning back on the wall. He glanced up towards the ceiling, remaining relaxed and studied the fixture above.

There! Bakura spotted one of his explosives, still untouched from when he set it up a few weeks ago. The albino grinned – if one was still there, then the others most likely haven't been touched yet. This was perfect. So long as he did his part and hacked in the computers properly, things should go without a hitch. He turned back to stare at the crowd mingling around the Puzzle. Let them enjoy the Puzzle while it's still there. After tonight, I'll finally have all the Millennium Items. Let's finish this.

Bakura sat in the car with Odion and Marik. He slipped on his gloves, tugging at his sleeve as he felt his favorite knife tucked away. This time, I'm not going to lose it. Bakura was going to keep a close eye on things to make sure nothing went off-course. Everything would go according to plan. His role in this mission would ensure that. He reached down to his satchel, checking his equipment one last time. Reassured by his computer and cords that were kept safe in the bag, he turned to face Odion and Marik.

"Radios on?" He asked, looking back and forth between the two Egyptian siblings. They both nodded. "On and on the right channel." Odion murmured. Bakura nodded. For good measure, he made each of them check their microphones and earpieces. Only after he was sure their equipment worked and there were no issues did Bakura finally let go of the issue. He didn't want an incident to occur like last time.

"Alright. We're moving in. Once I have my server set-up and knock out the cameras, I'll guide you through the museum and deactivate the alarms as we go. Just wait for my commands and don't stray for the plan. Got it?" Bakura growled out, glaring more at Marik than anyone else. Marik snorted, but Bakura could tell he was nervous. Good. That means he won't try to do anything risky.

Odion nodded, as he opened the car door to get out. Bakura glanced over at Marik, who took a deep breath. Bakura, unable to hold back, reached forward to kiss Marik. Every time, Bakura could only wonder how Marik's lips could taste so sweet. Then, the half-second was over, a small smile remaining on Marik's face. He nodded, squeezing Bakura's hand before leaving the car. Bakura mimicked the action and exited as well. They walked a couple of streets down, keeping to the back alleys as they approached the massive museum.

Bakura spotted their entrance, a back door that led to the equipment room. Conveniently, it was where Bakura would need to be to break into the computer system. Bakura led the way, observing the empty corridor that led to the door. He knew there were no cameras at this junction, but it didn't hurt to be careful. He scampered across to the door, Marik and Odion waiting for his signal. He knelt down as he studied the lock. It took Bakura only a moment to pick it, a smirk growing on his face.

He cracked the door slightly, staring it the dimly lit room. Bakura couldn't see or hear anyone, but Bakura wasn't one to take chances. He gestured to the Ishtar siblings to wait as he crept forward into the room, quickly checking around the corners. The room was relatively small and handling mostly electronic equipment, many of which were broken parts. He found the door leading to the rest of the museum, finding it to be locked. This boded well – chances are, they weren't expecting someone to use this as an entry point to the museum.

Bakura knew better to pick that door now. Chances are, the electronic alarm system was set. That wasn't an issue – Bakura had time to work that problem out. He ran back to the door he had originally picked open, gesturing for Odion and Marik to follow him. The two joined him in the room. Bakura sat down on the floor, making himself at home as he found an outlet and several cables. Slicing the cable away from the wall, he didn't waste any time as he began to set-up his station.

"How long is this going to take?" Odion murmured, looking around anxiously. Bakura rolled his eyes, not pausing as he hopped onto the museum's security server. "Relax. I've got this. There's a reason they call me the Thief King." Odion stared at him but didn't say anything, pacing back and forth slowly as he waited for Bakura finish his job. Bakura let out a grumble of annoyance as the system demanded for a password.

"Now what?" Odion asked. Bakura glanced, meeting the steady gaze of the older man. Bakura knew a lot rode on Odion trusting him to not betray them. He had to play his part well and appear fully committed and on board with the mission. He had to appear as if this were the true plan and be completely take back and horrified when things don't go according to their scheme. Bakura smirked, reaching in his bag as he pulled out a USB port.

"Please. Like I said – They don't call me the Thief King for nothing." Bakura inserted the USB drive into his laptop, watching as the program opened up. Moments later, the password had been decrypted and Bakura was able to access through the security port. Marik snorted, rolling his eyes. "It's little creepy how good you're at this. I have a feeling that you could drain my bank account in minutes if you set your mind to it." Bakura smirked, his eyes remaining fixed on the screen.

"Don't tempt me, Ishtar." He muttered, getting a chuckle from the man kneeling down next to him. Bakura searched through the system until he found the live footage provided by the security cameras. His smirk widened. "Alright. Give me a few minutes to loop the footage and we should be ready to roll." Odion stared down at the albino, giving a single nod after a long pause. Marik reached over and kiss Bakura on the cheek. "Sure. You do have your uses, babe."

Bakura rolled his eyes, but didn't say anything, not trusting his words. Fatalistic thoughts of the two of them being separated, about one of them being caught, or worse, killed, kept running through Bakura's mind. He tried to force his mind to focus and think about the job, but he couldn't shake the feeling of dread that consumed him. He knew it was pointless to worry. The best thing he could do was to keep his full attention on the mission. If he kept to the plan, then there would be no reason to worry.

The three of them waited in silence for several long minutes, Bakura studying the security footage. Once he was satisfied with the sample, he took the footage and started rolling. "Alright. The loop's started. As far as the security guards watching the cameras are concerned, this museum is deader than a graveyard. I'll deactivate the alarms as you go and let you know of any guards patrolling the area via camera angle. Our radio gear should be operational. Wait for my signal and we should be in and out of here easy. Got it?"

The Ishtar brothers both nodded, standing up. A small smile grew on Marik's face. "Okay. I guess this is it. We'll see you on the other side then?" Bakura nodded. "I'll guide you out and we'll rendezvous afterwards. Good luck." Odion stood at the door separating them from the museum. He glanced at Bakura, who nodded his consent. The bald man breathed deeply before going into the museum; Marik quick to follow.

As soon as the door closed behind them, Bakura didn't hesitate. Time was of the essence. He immediately started searching for the alarms and security sensors set throughout the building. He spotted the alarm around the glass of the Millennium Puzzle and turned that off first. He then worked backwards from there, clearing the way for his entry. He would take Marik and Odion down a different path, taking his time with their passage. Bakura, however, had to play the role carefully.

"Alright, you're going to down this hallway and take a right. I'll deactivate the alarms to the double doors once you get into position. Wait for my signal." Bakura murmured softly, deactivating the last door for his excursion. He pulled out a modified blackberry that he was sure Marik would have laughed at. The antiquated phone certainly seemed like an odd choice of equipment, but Bakura found it was the easiest to manage and hook up to his server.

Once he synchronized the blackberry to his equipment, he was ready to roll and keep an eye on security. Bakura heard the nasally voice come through his earpiece. So far, the equipment wasn't failing. "We're in position." Bakura slipped out the door, keeping an eye on the camera feed that he had shown on his blackberry, another on his watch. Three minutes tops. Don't fuck this up. And… go.

"Okay, the door is deactivated, but there's a guard passing by. Wait for my signal before moving forward." He heard a consenting grunt from the other side as Bakura scampered quickly through the hallway, turning left immediately instead of going straight as the Ishtar brothers had. He spotted the first door. Bakura glanced at the channel feed and found no guards on the other side. Perfect. Two minutes and forty-four seconds.

Bakura entered through the door silently before he scurried straightforward, heading towards the administrative offices. This was a side route that Bakura had mapped out, that would cut directly to the back of the museum to where the Millennium Puzzle was being held. He switched channel feeds, seeing no guards in that area. It looks like they trusted the security cameras to catch anything suspicious. Bakura slipped past the offices without pausing, taking a right at the end of the hallway. He saw the far exit, a smirk growing on his face. That's it.

Bakura switched channel feeds to look at the Ishtar brothers. "Alright, the guard passed. You can go. Enter the room and go straight until you reach the fork. You'll take a right once you are there. Hold and remain out of sight until I can clear the path from there." Odion gave a short answer of agreement, the two brothers slipping out of sight on the camera as they entered the next room. Bakura approached the end of the hallway, opening the door slightly as he cracked it open. He glanced towards the museum entrance, spotting the shadow of the guard pacing in front of the door to the Ancient Egyptian exhibit.

Two minutes and seven seconds. Bakura slowly crept through the large room towards the center, staring at the glass prism that encased the Puzzle. He barely glanced over his prize, immediately studying the sealed edges at the corners. Steal Puzzle, admire later. Bakura pulled out a drill, glancing back to the door. He was going to have to be quick and silent about this. Last thing he needed was a guard bursting in while he was in the middle of his heist. Bakura moved to the top corner, carefully wedging his drill between the two thick sheets of glass.

Brute force was crass and inefficient. It drew needless attention and the art of theft is then a lost point on society. Bakura prided himself on his elegance, stealth and discretion as a thief. Breaking the glass would be a major setback at this point. The mark of a good thief is to go unnoticed until it's too late. He had said those words to Marik before, when he had intended to make a fool of him and steal back the Rod. They were true then and they were true now. After all, careful research, finesse, and an understanding of physics could go a long way.

Bakura lined up his drill, powering it on for half a second. The noise was muted and gone before an echo could begin to form. Bakura studied his work, satisfied by the loosened point. Bakura moved to the corner below it, making quick work of it as well. He worked his way clockwise, carefully loosening each one until he felt the pressure change. Bakura smirked, shifting his hands quickly to grip the sides of the glass. With one precise tug, the glass popped off. Forty-seven seconds.

Bakura slid the glass down, placing it next to the case. He quickly made sure he hadn't left any fingerprints or stray hairs – wouldn't be worth the effort if forensic science got a hold of him. Bakura didn't pause a second, removing the Puzzle from his podium deftly and swiftly. Bakura stored the Millennium Item into his bag before quickly running out the way he came. He didn't dare breathe a sigh of relief until he was back in the electric storage room with his laptop in hand. Twenty-nine seconds.

Bakura moved quickly down the hallway, glancing down at his watch as he switched the camera feeds. He saw the hallway where he would run next was clear for the moment. He took this time and opportunity to check in on the Ishtar brothers, who were waiting patiently as they were told. Good. Bakura caught his breath for a moment as he stood before the door leading out the main hallway. He would just need to make this last stretch and then he would be back in hiding like before.

"Marik, Odion, can you hear me?" Bakura murmured softly, trying to hide how out of breath he truly was. He hadn't meant to go so fast, but his nerves were starting to get the better of him. "Yeah. Is everything okay?" Bakura swallowed, forcing himself to calm down. If he wasn't careful, Odion would grow suspicious. If he was sloppy, then things could be messy very quickly. "Yes. A couple of guards decided to have a chat right outside my room so I took some preemptive measures. It looks like they are gone, but stay on your guard, got it?"

Bakura wasn't entirely sold on the lie he just told, but he didn't have time to think about it. Seven seconds. Bakura gave one last glance down at the security camera into the hallway he was about to enter. Sure that it was safe, Bakura opened the door and sprinted silently to the storage room. Tools in hand, it took Bakura only a second to pick the door. He slid it shut, letting himself slide to the ground, his back pressed up against the door. That was it. He had done it. He had stolen the Puzzle.

I did it. I have them all.

Bakura wanted to bask in the glow of his success, but he knew he couldn't dwell on his good work. He still had an act to keep going. Now that the Puzzle was stolen, he carefully hid it in his bag. He was glad that he had stressed to the Ishtar siblings to not touch his stuff, out of fear of breaking one of the many eccentric tools he kept. It would be enough to keep them from messing with his equipment, at least for tonight's mission. Bakura crawled over to his laptop, taking a deep breath as he viewed the many cameras. So far, the Ishtar brothers hadn't been discovered or noticed. This was good.

All right. The hard part is done. Now, it's time for the theatrics.

"Alright. The door's unlocked. The hallway ahead of you is clear. Go straight. And go through the doors. You'll recognize the main atrium when you enter. Head towards the northern corridor." Bakura powered down his antiquated blackberry, satisfied with its work as he stored it away. Next came the part of deception. The Puzzle was already stolen. Now it was to stage a break-in. Once all hell broke loose, he would order the two brothers to come back to avoid danger.

Bakura watched as Marik and Odion cautiously proceeded, the albino creeping his way back to the wiring. He opened the fuse box, carefully reading through the different power switches. Finding the breakers to the Ancient Egyptian exhibit, Bakura opened up the metal plating to reveal the wiring. He smirked as he saw the wiring that he had marked, separating them from the rest of the group. When he had set the bombs up a couple of weeks ago, he knew time would be of the essence on this mission. He had done everything he could to set-up for tonight and make this mission go as smoothly and effortlessly as possible.

Bakura connected the marked wires to his remote, now controlling the energy output to those bombs. One flip of the switch to release the maximum potential of the current and they would be feeling these bombs from rooms away. The equipment was set. Now for Bakura's dramatic role of a lifetime. "Bakura, this is where we were earlier, right? We just follow the hallway all the way down to the end to the Puzzle?" Bakura glanced back at the computer, seeing the Ishtar brothers slowly walk down the Northern corridor.

Bakura took a deep breath. This was it. "Yeah, you should recognize where you are. Just go down to the end. The doors have already been deactivated so you sh- Wait hold on. Something's wrong." He saw the Ishtar brothers freeze in their tracks, glancing to each other. "Bakura, what's wrong?" Odion whispered softly. Bakura tightened his grip on the control to the bomb. "There's something weird with the electrical. I can't figure out what it is. I need- Wait…" Bakura let himself sputter off, letting his nerves do most of the talking for him. That's when he flipped the switch, bracing himself for the roaring sound wave to follow.

Nothing happened.

Bakura's heart froze, blinking in shock. He stared down at the remote, flipping the switch again. He flipped it a few more times, feeling a crushing sensation in his chest. There was no way – the bombs should have gone off. Bakura shook the remote in frustration, glancing back to the computer where Odion and Marik were looking around cautiously. "Bakura, everything alright? Can we keep moving on?" Bakura gaped, unsure what to say. Why the fuck didn't they go off? Shitshitshitshitshit!

"… Well, if there isn't any issue, we'll keep going. Let us know if there's any danger." Bakura swallowed, realizing he had waited too longer to respond. "It's just-" Bakura cut himself off, his panic starting to cloud his judgment. What could he say? Don't go steal the Puzzle? What excuse could he come up with? He already told them he knocked out the security. Think damnit think! Why can't you think? Bakura grabbed his bangs in frustration. Why was he freezing up now, when it counted most?

"Just?" Marik's voice came through, curious but less cautious than before, the two brothers still walking towards the room. Bakura stared in horror as they reached for the door handle. If they opened the door and saw the Puzzle was missing, they would know someone had stolen it. They would figure out that someone had broken into the room. That would raise questions. Like why Bakura hadn't said anything. Why hadn't he called off the mission when he knew it was already gone? Why wouldn't he unless he was the one who stole it?

Bakura could figure that chain of logic but couldn't figure out a convincing lie to tell the two brothers. Fuck! Why won't you work? Bakura flung the switch at the fuse box. He heard the metal contraption ring out, a loud buzzing pick up. Bakura blinked, as he heard the hum of electricity buzz through the room. You've got to be shitting me. Oh fuck. Bakura crawled back to the camera, reaching for his microphone but it was too late. Marik's voice cut through before he could yell at them to stop.

"Bakura! It's gone!" Marik ran to the center of the room, Odion quickly following, as the two brothers stood rigid in shock. Bakura shook his head to break him from his stupor, raising the mike to his mouth to quickly yell at them to get out, to get away. Do anything except be in the room with the bombs. Before the words could leave Bakura's mouth, all the security camera feeds went dead. A split second later, Bakura felt and heard the sound of bombs going off.

The shock wave hit Bakura, shaking him to his core.

Marik.

"Marik! Odion! Come in! Do you hear me! Answer me!" Bakura frantically tried to get the feed back up, his breathing becoming rapid. This couldn't be happening. This could not have just happened. There was no sound on the other end, no video – nothing. Bakura had nothing to go off. He stood up, running both hands through his hair as he tried to gather his thoughts. I need to go after them. No. I can't. The police. But they might still be alive. But the Puzzle! Oh God. Fuck. Shit. Calm down. Now. Get your shit together. NOW.

Bakura didn't know how to react. He didn't know what to do. For the first time in his career, he had no idea what was the right thing to do. He didn't know how to save the situation. He had… failed? Bakura knew if he didn't do something right now, the situation would only get worse. He had to figure out something. Run or Marik? Run or Marik? The smart thing… what's the smart thing? Running. I need to get out. I already have the Puzzle. The mission is complete. I'm in no position to try getting them out. Even if they are alive, that is.

… Fuck it. Bakura knew it was reckless, but this whole plan and mission had been reckless and stupid. He couldn't do nothing if he might be able to save Marik. Bakura slammed his computer shut, packing up his gear as he shoved it into his satchel. Throwing caution to the wind, Bakura opened the door to the museum, the red flashing light now lighting the corridors. He heard people running as security guards ran towards the source of the explosion. Bakura already had a sinking feeling, but something compelled him to move forward.

Bakura stayed to the shadows as he followed two guards as they sprinted towards the back of the museum. Hallway after hallway, Bakura stalked the two men, his mind racing and his body almost numb. He had to see the damage. Perhaps he couldn't help them, but these guards would get the Ishtar brothers safety. They would be arrested, but they would be safe. Safe was more important than anything else. But Bakura needed to know if they had a chance of surviving.

He turned the final corridor, spotting the entrance to the Ancient Egyptian exhibit. Bakura fell back against the wall, his knees growing weak. The entire wall and ceiling looked as if a wrecking ball had torn through. The scene resembled demolition more than it did a museum. Several guards walked on top of the rubble, the dust settling as Bakura saw the night sky even from his vantage point. He felt dizzy, his breath stolen away.

I did this. This is my fault. Bakura pushed off against the wall and ran back the way he came. His heart was pounding, his ears filled with the sound of his pulse. It was Bakura's fault. He built the bombs. He had no experience in the subject but figured that multiplying the recipe, he could get the results he desired. He erred on the side of too much. He made the bombs too potent. He hadn't meant to blow out an entire section of the museum – just cause enough damage to scare away the two. But he figured wrong. The bombs didn't go off like he intended. He made them too powerful.

And now Marik…

Bakura slammed through the doors, running outside as he sprinted outside. He ran several blocks away, not pausing as he passed Odion's car. He bolted down the street until he spotted a building for a closed down business. Bakura wasn't picky – despite his grief, his sense of self-preservation took over as he quickly slipped into the abandon building, needing a place to lay low until the chaos settled down, both in the streets and in Bakura's mind.

Bakura slid down to the ground, curling his legs up to his torso. He struggled to catch his breath as he leaned his head back to stare at the ceiling. Everything hurt. His legs, his chest, his lungs, his head – Bakura shut his eyes, trying to force the image of the museum-turned-rubble that haunted him. He could hear Marik's shock and horror as the missing Egyptian artifact. Those were the last words he would hear from Marik. Bakura blinked his eyes open, staring down at the bag at his side, the golden tip of the Puzzle peeking out.

Bakura squeezed his eyes shut, ignoring the hot tears that now fell down his face. What have I done?