A/N: Finally, the last of the slow chapters. After this, things should start happening. I'm looking forward to writing the next chapter. The slow parts are slow, yes, but they are important in setting everything up and therefore can't just be skipped unfortunately.

In other news, I literally just submitted my grad school application and sent out my recommendation letter requests tonight. The deadline for te application and possibly the rec letters for the university is January 1 but the deadline for the individual college is February 1. So confusing... Cross your fingers and hope I get in, otherwise I'm screwed and have to work multiple jobs starting this summer after I graduate this Spring.

Lastly, the Japanese obsession with Kentucky Fried Chicken is adorably weird.

Chapter 4 summary: In which the stragglers arrive, plans are made, and Mokuba wins again.

News, Plans, and KFC

Shaadi blinked dimly when he and Ishizu materialized in the park. Ishizu looked around, wincing as the cool rain fell on her dampening her simple dress and hair. She glanced at her companion with a questioing brow and Shaadi shrugged self-consciously.

"It was the only place I could remember visiting that did not have people everywhere," he said.

Ishizu nodded understandingly and reached out with her Shadows. They flowed across the city like the steady current of the Nile, rippling and rustling. She finally brushed Seth's Shadows and felt him respond, grasping her Shadows with his own. Ishizu took Shaadi's hand and together they vanished, Traveling through the Shadows. They reappeared in the common area of a hotel suite.

Seth stood from one of the two chairs and watchec them, face calm and serious. Ishizu smiled, cupped his face between her hands, and touched their foreheads together. "Seth," she murmured. "It is good to see you. I am glad you're well."

"I believe that is thanks to you and the thorough actions of our friends," Seth replied glancing at Oliver and Diggle who also stood when Ishizu and Shaadi arrived. Helios remained seated where he was.

Oliver extending his hand and introduced himself, "Oliver Queen. We met in Court a couple times but never in person."

"Yes," the Priestess said taking the offered hand. "I remember." Her gaze slid curiously to the dark man standing beside the vigilante. "And this would be?"

"My friend and associate John Diggle," Oliver said, gesturing to his companion. "We sometimes double team as Arrow when need be."

"I see," Ishizu said extending her hand.

Diggle smiled and shook her hand. "Pleasure to meet you Miss...?"

"Ishizu Ishtar, Priestess of the Triad of the Balance," she replied.

Oliver flushed. "Sorry," he said. "I should have introduced you."

"It is well," the woman said calmly. "We are perfectly capable of doing so ourselves." Oliver smiled in relief. "I believe you already know Shaadi," she said to Diggle, gesturing to her companion.

The Egyptian man kept his hands folded in his sleeves as he bowed respectfully in greeting. "We meet again," he said. "Hopefully, this time will not bring as much... adventure as last time."

"We can only hope," Oliver said.

Shaadi turned to where Helios sat silently on the couch close to Mokuba who was still curled in the corner of the sectional asleep. He nodded to the Titan who nodded back. Mokuba did not stir from where he had chosen to nap.

"Where is the Regent?" Shaadi asked noticing the Isono cousin standing inconspicuously nearby but no sign of Kaiba.

"Sleeping," Seth said. "He never rests well on airplanes and... he pulled a great many extra hours at work in order to take a vacation to come here for the week."

"It is urgent that we speak with him," Ishizu said. She narrowed her eyes and stepped close to Seth. "I know you are ill," she said softly. "I believe I may know why."

Seth blinked in surprise. "Then I will wake him," he said and vanished like mist on the wind.

No more than a minute later, Kaiba burst through the bedroom door looking every bit like he had been sleeping deeply just seconds ago. His hair was flopped every which way and his clothes were rumpled. His trench coat was nowhere to be seen. All in all, he looked like a typical, harried twenty-year-old.

"I told him to wake me up," he muttered in Japanese just loud enough for Oliver to pick up.

"We only just arrived," Ishizu said, attempting to sooth her Regent's ruffled temper.

Kaiba sighed and ran a hand through his hair, patting it down as best he could. "What did I miss?" he asked in English.

"Nothing," Helios said. "Just introductions."

Kaiba nodded. "So," he said turning to Ishizu in an attempt to recover his control. "I heard you had something to tell me."

Ishizu's eyes darkened, dropping as she nodded. For a moment, she said nothing. Then she drew herself up, only to bow deeply. The Regent's eyes widened in surprise but he waited for her to speak.

"I humbly beg your forgiveness for an oversight of my clan," she said.

"What kind of oversight?" he asked, confused.

"It was my clan's duty to guard and protect the tombs of Pharaoh Atem and his Shadow Court," she explained. "You know this. But what you do not know is that due to waning numbers and resources, my people were forced to withdraw our watch to only Atem's tomb leaving the others largely unprotected."

The Regent nodded slowly. "While you're right, I didn't know, I did suspect as much. Why are you apologizing for that?"

"Because," she said, "one of the tombs we were forced to abandon was that of your former incarnation, Set." Kaiba stiffened. "It was close enough to Atem's tomb to keep watch over from a distance, but that was all. I only just learned that a small group of archaeologists have begun excavating it."

"What?" Helios exclaimed, standing quickly. "They've found it?"

"I fear so," Shaadi said, eyes downcast. "THe tomb is protected by spells and traps but it has been millennia since they were first cast and time has worn some away. We have done what we can to at least delay the progress of the excavation for now, but I doubt it will be halted entirely."

Oliver and Diggle looked at each other, distinctly disturbed by the news. When they turned to Kaiba, they were surprised to find his face expressionless. He appeared aloof and detached, blue eyes only vaguely focused on the scene before him. Then he blinked and life returned to his face. He sighed and hauled Ishizu upright.

"Don't bow to me," he said. "It's weird." Just like that, the tension eased. It was still plainly obvious the news bothered the Regent, but ever the scientist, he chose to study it instead of drown in it. "I suppose the... fits Seth and I have been experiencing are due to what's happening there."

"Yes," Shaadi said. "Ishizu witnessed such an attack during her vision. She used your own words, spoken in her vision, to discover the possible cause."

Kaiba stuffed his hands in his pockets. "I assume I said this before I was shot."

Ishizu nodded. "Yes."

"What about the sniper?" he asked, sitting comfortably in one of the two chairs facing the sectional. He gestured for the group to sit as well. "Do you know anything about him?"

Ishizu shook her head reluctantly. "Nothing personal, no. I do know whoever it was had perfect aim and were likely only after you."

"WHat makes you say that?" Kaiba asked, steepling his fingers thoughtfully.

"He shot you through the forehead from a great distance and although he had plenty of time and opportunity to do so, he did not shoot Mokuba."

"Corporate espionage to the extreme?" Oliver suggested.

"I doubt it," Shaadi said. "Most businesses prefer to ruin their competitors financially, not kill them outright."

"Make your life a living hell instead of ending your life," Diggle muttered. "What a twisted world."

"It is preferable," Kaiba said. "I admit, watching someone you despise fall from the height they once occupied, drown in growing debt and despair, and most of the time commit suicide is much more entertaining and fulfilling then killing them yourself. It's also perfectly legal and I don't have to get my hands dirty."

Diggle studied Kaiba carefully as did Oliver. "I'm really hoping you aren't speaking from experience," the dark man said.

The Japanese businessman shrugged. "Hope all you want," he said. "It won't change the truth."

"Was it Gozaboro?" Oliver ventured. Kaiba's eyes darted to the vigilante's sharply before flickering away. Oliver saw that for what it was and wisely let Diggle change the subject.

"So we know the sniper is after you," Diggle said, "but what about the bomber?"

"I've already told my kohai that I refuse to cancel the event," Kaiba said firmly, casting his eyes to his little brother on the couch who was just beginning to stir. "I promised Mokuba I would see this through and I don't make promises lightly. Which brings to mind," he turned to Oliver, "will Green Lantern be able to attend? I still have unfinished business with him."

"I can ask," Oliver said. "I meant to bring him to your farewell party last year but... He was..."

"Busy," Ishizu finished startling the original speaker. "Getting used to dealing with two lives."

"I assume," he said after a moment, "we spoke about this in your vision."

"Yes," she said. "I am curious as to what unfinished business you have with him," she said turning to Kaiba.

Blue eyes avoided her gaze and stared out the windows to the nighttime cityscape. "It's personal," he muttered. "How is Carter Hall? I haven't heard anything from him since the Shadow Thief incident."

"He's fine," Oliver said. "Better than fine actually. You won't believe this, but I heard he was considering joining the Justice League."

Kaiba blinked and stared at Oliver in disbelief. "Why on earth would he do that?" he demanded.

Oliver shrugged. "He's still got a thing for Shayera," he said. Kaiba shook his head and Oliver smiled sympathetically. "If it means anything, he's grateful to you for freeing him. He built his own wings using Nth metal," Kaiba, the two members of his Triad, and Helios flinched in disgust, "and now goes by the alias Hawkman when he isn't busy living a civilian life."

"Hawkman?" Shaadi parroted mildly. "How...straightforward."

"I believe the term you're looking for is 'unsophisticated,'" Ishizu said.

"At least we'll know him by sight even if he wears a mask," Helios said drawing semi-polite chuckles from the group.

"Ni-sama?" a soft, sleepy voice called.

Kaiba immediately sobered and focused on Mokuba. The younger Kaiba sat up and stretched before looking around for his big brother. When he found him sitting in the chair across from him, he hopped off the couch and bounded around the coffee table to where Kaiba sat. Without warning, he hopped into his big brother's lap and hugged him. Kaiba did not flinch or seem even remotely surprised, he just held brother and let Mokuba do what he wanted.

"Ni-sama, I'm hungry," Mokuba said. "Can we get some food please?"

"I would not be adverse to a meal either," Shaadi said, his face slightly flushed in embarrassment. "I have not eaten in several hours and teleporting across the entire United States with a passenger was tiring to say the least."

"Is that a hint, Shaadi?" Kaiba said snidely.

"Would you like me to be blunt?" the Egyptian asked calmly.

Kaiba smirked. "I'd like to hear you try."

Shaadi hummed thoughtfully. "I'm hungry. We're eating. Mokuba is choosing and you are paying."

Ishizu was polite enough to hide her laughter behind her hand but Mokuba just laughed out loud. Oliver and Diggle chuckled as did Helios. It took a moment for Kaiba to come to terms with what had just happened, but when he did, he smirked proudly.

"Much better," he said. "Before we leave, though," he said, turning to his American guests as he stood from his chair, "I assume you have a plan to mitigate the potential damages at tomorrow's event?"

Oliver nodded, moving to stand as well. "I'm known for being fashionably late," he said. "Arrow will be there for the first couple hours or so until the bombs are found and deactivated. Then Diggle will take my place so I can make an appearance for the main event of groundbreaking. Diana will be there officially in full regalia the whole time and I'll try to get Green Lantern to come too, if I can." Kaiba nodded in thanks.

"J'onn will be searching for the bombs," Oliver added. "We figured he could use his shapeshifting and ability to change the density of his body to form a shield around the bomb in case we can't deactivate it or evacuate everyone in time. The police are also aware of the issue and plan to have several plain-clothesed men there."

"What about the second one?" Helios asked. "Ishizu did say she believed there were two bombs."

"Hopefully we'll deal with that one as well," Diggle said. "The plan is the evacuate everyone the moment we even find a hint of an actual bomb. You don't remember seeing a clock anywhere in your vision, do you? Anything indicating time?" he asked the Priestess.

Ishizu furrowed her brow in thought. "There was a chocolate fountain on the table by several coffee pots and a plate of strawberries. But other than that," she shook her head, "nothing."

"That gives us something," Diggle said. "We'll use the fountain as a makeshift timer. If it turns on and no one's found the bomb, I'll toss a few smoke bombs in there to help evacuate everyone in time. People tend to act faster with the right motivation."

Kaiba nodded. "That sounds fine to me." He glanced at Shaadi and Ishizu. "I want you both there as my guests. If anything happens, protect Mokuba," he ordered.

Both the Priestess and Adviser nodded solemnly.

"That goes for you too kohai, Diggle," Kaiba said, his sharp blue eyes settling on the two Americans. "If worse comes to worst, protect Mokuba. I'll be fine as long as he's safe."

"Ni-sama," Mokuba said, stepping away from his big brother to glare at him. "I can protect myself."

"I know you can," Kaiba said calmly in Japanese.

"BUt who will be protecting you?" Mokuba demanded.

"I will," the Titan replied seriously. "As will Seth. No human means can kill either of us," he said. "I can be used as a shield for a short while at least."

Kaiba was already shaking his head. "I want Ishizu with me. She knows her vision best and can identify anything she thinks may be important in real time so I can avoid them. I want you to guard Mokuba as well," he commanded Helios. "Shaadi can travel between our two groups should we be separated for any reason."

"As you say," Shaadi said and Helios nodded slowly.

"So, now that that's covered," Oliver said, rubbing his hands together and turning his gaze to the shortest member of their group. "Got any food preferences kiddo?"

Mokuba grinned and stared up at his big brother gleefully. Kaiba groaned. "No," Kaiba said firmly. "You had it before we left."

"But Ni-sama," Mokuba begged, drawing Kaiba suddenly hyperalert gaze to him.

Oliver and Diggle watched in amusement as Mokuba's eyes grew huge and watery and Kaiba, never one to back down from a fight, flinched, unable to tear his eyes away from his baby brother's crocodile tears. Ishizu smiled while Shaadi and Helios sighed. Kaiba stood frozen in place, not wanting to give in to his inevitable fate.

"Please?" Mokuba said softly in Japanese and Kaiba visibly wilted.

"Fine," he grumbled. "We'll have," he winced, "Kentucky Fried Chicken."

"Yay!" Mokuba cheered and ran to the hotel door followed by his defeated big brother.

"Don't worry about following us," Kaiba said to Fuguta and Roland who moved to take the lead. "Stay here. It'll be a long day tomorrow."

"Yes, Kaiba-sama," they said simultaneously.

"If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes..." Diggle muttered in astonishment as he fell into step next to Oliver.

Helios grinned as he walked with Shaadi and Ishizu in the rear. "The Isono cousins will do anything for Kaiba and his brother, but Mokuba is the only person the Regent will ever bow to," he said. His smile faded to its grim counterpart. "That's why he wants us to protect him. Kaiba can and will do anything to reach his brother. But should anything happen to Mokuba, if Mokuba should die..."

"Kaiba will follow," Ishizu said softly.

"Suicide?" Oliver asked quietly, eyes focused on Mokuba's excited rambling and Kaiba's tolerant listening.

"It will likely not be a conscious choice," Shaadi said. "But yes."

"That's how his previous incarnation died," Ishizu said. "He lost his reason for living and just...gave up."

The elevator doors opened and the brothers stepped inside. Kaiba looked back over his shoulder with a mildly annoyed expression. "Are you coming or will you be taking the next elevator?"

"Then let's make sure his reason stays where it belongs," Oliver said softly. "I was trying to flirt," he said louder with a dramatic wave at his Regent. "She's a lovely woman."

Kaiba snorted but smiled all the same. "She's also taken."

"Is that so?" Oliver said, turning around to Ishizu. He glanced at Shaadi's faintly blushing face and winked. "Good luck," he said, elbowing the stoic Egyptian teasingly.

Shaadi's eyes grew round and his flush deepened. Fortunately, Kaiba had no desire to wait any longer and hooked his fingers in Oliver's shirt collar and tugged. "Get in," he commanded. "Unless you don't plan on eating."