One Week Later…

"Mr. Giovanni?" Professor Banner called out, peering into the main living space of the Holst. He had arrived just minutes ago on a 'borrowed' speedboat, hoping to catch up with the assassins as soon as possible. It was important to everything he worked with that he met with those two right now.

The Holst, however, seemed to be abandoned. Over the last week, Taniya, Titan, Abidos and Don Zaloog had been defeated, one after the other, by Jaden and his friends. That left only himself and the Italian assassins left to face the keyholders.

"Mr. Giovanni…Miss Amarillo?" Banner called out, moving stealthily towards the cockpit. Opening the door and finding nothing, the German duelist moved towards the back, opening doors as he came across them. "Mr. Gio…oh my God!" Banner covered his eyes, turning away from the door he had just entered.

"This…had better be good, Banner." Marco snarled, lifting his nude form from Vera and wrapping a sheet around him and his lover. Vera sighed, pulling 2 cigarettes from the nightstand and lighting them up, passing one to her lover. Marco inhaled the nicotine, letting calm his nerves. "Normally I smoke only AFTER I finish, not before. So I suggest you tell us why I am forced to do so now."

"I…I have received word that Jaden and his firsts are at the dueling arena. They want to challenge the last of the shadow riders to a duel…I think it would be in our best interest if you two were to be the face of the Riders and not me. They…still don't know about me. They can't know…not yet."

Vera frowned. "You took away my happy and now you expect us to duel for you?"

"I'm sorry, Miss Amarillo…please understand, I did not mean to barge in like I did…"

"We have no problem with you peeking." Marco said. "Would you like to watch? Because if so, we could…"

"No!" Banner shouted. "No…I think the most important thing is the duel…"

Marco sighed. "Very well…we will be there in two hours."

"Why two hours?"

Vera smirked. "If you must ask, then I pity your lovers, Signor Banner."

&&&

"Do you know where Jaden is?" Zane asked, walking up to Souta. The Slifer duelist shrugged, turning back to his deck. "Is that a yes or no?"

"It's what you want it to be." Souta said, selecting one monster and placing it back into the large pile to his right.

Zane frowned. "I asked you a question…"

"And I answered." Souta replied. "Should I keep the monster ratio low or high…"

The Obelisk Blue Duelist's eye twitched slightly before he turned away, leaving Souta alone. He had been searching for Alexis, only to learn she and Chazz were missing. Disturbed, Zane had hurried to the main part of the academy, only to find that Syrus, Chumley and Jaden were not in class. And no one seemed to want to give him answers.

"You're a long way from the Blue Dorm, Kaiser"

Zane turned to see Dhmitri leaning against a wall, arms crossed. The King of the Academy frowned, wondering what was going on with the copycat duelist.

"You get more respect when you actually show it…and don't act like you deserve it." Dhmitri said.

"Are you mimicking Alexander Milo now?" Zane asked simply. "Because it sounds like it."

"Maybe I am…at least he earns the respect given to him."

"I don't have time…"

"You're a fake!" Dhmitri called out, causing several duelists to turn and watch. "Acting all high and mighty…but you forget, I've played a deck like yours once. And yea, I won only a few duels, lost a lot more…but I bet if we traded decks today, right now, you'd loss. Because you're nothing without the Cyber Dragons. Nothing." The Ra Yellow Duelist looked over at Souta. "He knows it…all the slifers do. It's coming…"

"What is?" Zane asked smoothly.

"The revolution." Alexander Milo said, stepping out from the shadows. "The Slifers are growing tired of your treatment of them…and soon enough they are going to stand up. And I think…no…I know you won't be able to steam that storm." Before Zane could say a word, Alexander turned to Dhmitri. "Come on…rumors going around that the final shadow rider is in the dueling dome, waiting for Jaden."

Dhmitri nodded, following after his mentor, leaving Zane to play catch-up.

&&&

"Banner…I thought I smelled clay."

"Hello to you too, Nessa." Prof. Banner said, making his way into the dorm. He was dressed in his Shadow Rider cloak and robes, his hair white and sticking out all over. Holding his Shadow Tome in one hand, he looked over at the Rare Hunter and frowned. "Where is Arliss?"

"Right here, Banner." Arliss said as he made his way down the stairs, flanked by Samantha and Cassandra. The professor could only stare at the transformed duelist, noticing that while she moved fluidly, her eyes were dull and lifeless. "We were discussin' things…but that can wait. What has you in my home…and in your true form?"

"Kagemaru has requested I duel the remaining three keyholders. Tonight. As such, as of tomorrow, I will no longer be able to show my face. If we wish to protect Jaden, we must do it now."

Arliss nodded. Both he and Banner wanted to insure Jaden's safety, if for different reasons. Banner wanted Jaden to stop the destructive power of the Sacred Beasts. Arliss wanted to turn the duelist into his lieutenant, a loyal Rare Hunter that would help him increase his hold on the world. Different goals…but they had agreed to help each other for now.

"Very well Banner…" Arliss said as Nessa slinked towards him, wrapping her arms around her lover's waist and resting her head on his shoulder. Cassandra moved next to her mother, Arliss' arm slinking out, palm resting along her back. Samantha stood on the other side, ever watchful. There stood the Rare Hunters, Arliss and the jewels of his family. They were a terrible yet beautiful sight: Evil incarnate forged in youth of beauty. "What can we do for?"

"We must insure that all 7 keys do no go to Kagemaru. I hold the 3 we have won so far, as well as my own. I am going to challenge Chazz to a duel…he cannot be trusted with his key. I am then going to duel Jaden."

"I need you to duel Alexis. With you in possession of the final key, we can take the cards for ourselves."

Nessa smirked. "Mmm…powerful cards and defeating Alexis? Is it my birthday?"

"Now you know 'ow I felt watchin' Bastion get 'is arse 'anded to 'im by Taniya." Cass said with a laugh.

"Well, my girls seem a bit duel happy…so you gots a duel." Arliss nodded to Banner. "Go get us the keys."

"Good luck to you too." Banner said. "We will meet here in the morning." And with that, he was gone, making his way towards his prey.

"Samantha…" Arliss said coldly. "Follow him." The rare hunter nodded, dashing forward in pursuit.

Cassandra glanced over towards her father. "Don't trust 'im, da?"

"Not in the slightest…lets go."

&&&

James Stilton paved his room, violently running his fingers through his hair. His face was contorted in fury as he marched about his living room. Only one thought swirled in his mind, one thing that drove him to such anger.

Alexander Milo.

He knew who the Professor really was. He KNEW it. And if he didn't do something about him, then everything he'd worked for would be gone. All the sins he'd committed, the crimes…wasted.

But, he wasn't allowed to act. No, there was a strategy currently in the works, and he couldn't dare interfere with it. Not until he had something more then just a hunch.

He needed proof. Now.

Clutching his jaw, he questioned yet again if he could do what needed to be done in order to get the evidence he needed to prove his case. There was only one way to prove who Alexander was, and it would mean blowing his cover, risking his position, and the wrath of his b…

'no.' James thought, the southerner heading into his bedroom and slipping on his dark blue blazer. 'I don't have time to worry about his reaction. I know what needs to be done…he'll just have to trust me.'

Nodding to himself, James reached under his bed and pulled a small briefcase out, before making his way out of the dorm. His destination?

Chancellor Shepard's Office.

&&&

"This is less exciting then I thought it would be." Bastion said, looking around the empty arena. "I thought you said they would be here?"

Zane resisted the urge to roll his eyes. On his way to the arena, he had been trying to catch up with Dhmitri, to give the RA Yellow duelist a few of his thoughts on Alexander Milo. Instead, he had run into Bastion, who had apparently decided to become Zane's shadow.

"They will be…I was told by…" He glanced over at the newcomers. "Alexander."

"I thought Dhmitri…"

Alexander Milo gave Zane a cocky wave before taking a seat in the stands, looking out over the arena. Dhmitri, who was eating a bag of gummy bears, shortly joined him.

"What are those?"

"Gummy bears." Dhmitri said, popping a few in his mouth.

"I know what they are…why do you have them?"

Dhmitri shrugged. "Jaden Yuki vs. the last Shadow Rider…sounds like a snacking moment to me…" The Ra duelist pulled out some more candy. "Milk Duds?"

"You are a strange child." Alex said, stealing the candy and popping a few in his mouth. Milo raised an eyebrow as he noticed the next group to arrive. "Well, look who is here too…"

"The Rare Hunters." Dhmitri said.

Alex nodded. "Wonder why they are here."

Arliss Lockehart glanced around the arena, quickly spotting Alexander Milo, Dhmitri, Zane and Bastion. His fiancé and daughter both looked about the arena, searching for Alexis Rhodes with little success.

"Bastion…" Cassandra snarled. "What the bloody 'ell are ya doin' 'ere!"

"It is a free country, Candace. You'd be best to remember your tongue."

"And you'd be best to remember who ya're talkin' too, ya wanker. And the name is Cassandra!"

"What ever you say Candace. I will remember to remind you of such when you finally come crawling back."

Nessa and Arliss restrained the girl as she let out a roar of fury, trying to leap and attack her former cousin. "Enough!" Nessa shouted. "He is below you."

"Your mother is right, darlin'…" Arlen said, looking at Alex. "Speakin' of below…Samantha says hello."

Alex's eyes hardened at his wife's name, and it was Dhmitri's turn to restrain him.

"Prof. Milo…"

Milo nodded, sitting down. "Talk all you want…I'll have my chance to take you out yet, Arliss." He gave him a dark smirk, letting the King of the Rare Hunters know that Alex had something planned he hadn't counted on.

"Well…" Nessa said. "now all we need is my arch enemy…where is Alexis?"

"Alexis?" Dhmitri asked. "We haven't seen her since she went to go find the final Shadow Rider…who is suppose to be waiting for Jaden."

"Isn't it obvious?" Bastion said. "Arliss is the last Shadow Rider! All that Rare Hunter talk was merely a trick, to throw us off the fact that he was really a Shadow Rider!" Bastion looked down at Cassandra, a smug smile on his face. "So, it appears you were being used all along…but don't worry, I am sure if you grovel enough my father will forgive you…"

"What for?" Nessa asked. "For us beating the shit out of the ass clown that hurt my daughter?"

Arliss held the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. "Bastion, would you do a man a favor and shut the hell up. The adults are talkin' at the moment."

"Now see here."

"Listen to the asshole, Bastion." Alex snapped. "If you do not shut your gob now, I will fail you personally. The only dueling you will do then is when you duel truckers for booze."

"Or do other things for booze." Dhmitri added.

Nessa grinned. "oooo…I like that one."

"Down mum." Cassandra said, her anger at Bastion once again leaving. She didn't want to waste oxygen on the pathetic duelist.

"Yes darlin'…" Arliss said. "enough to think about what to do with Dhmitri after I deal with Prof. Milo…no offense."

Alexander gave Arliss the bird. "none taken, freak."

"The question you should all ask yourselves…" A new voice called out, entering the arena. "Is where is our challengers?"

Vera looked over at Marco, a frown marring her perfect face. "Marco, I think Signor Banner has betrayed us."

"BANNER?" Zane and Bastion shouted. Alex, Dhmitri and the Rare Hunters were not surprised. The Rare Hunters knew that Banner was a Shadow Rider, as did Alex, who had informed Dhmitri of the matter a week ago. He'd warned his apprentice to be leery of the Slifer Dorm Master.

"Si. He is…how you say…one of us?" Marco replied.

"Wait…Banner is a Shadow Rider…you are sure?" Bastion said.

"We are in charge of the shadow riders, little man." Vera said. "We know our own kind." She picked at a piece of invisible fuzz that clung to her dress. "And I dressed up for nothing. Marco, let us return to the Holst. Banner has taken me away from my pleasure, but I am sure you can return it."

Marco shook his head. "Not quite yet, bella." He looked over at Arliss. "You are Signor Lockehart, the King of Rare Hunters, no?"

"That I am, boy." Arliss said. "What's it too you."

"Enough of your fake accents." Marco commanded, surprising the dark duelist. "I know much about you, Signor Lockehart, including the games you play with others. I have no time with such things."

"Marco?" Vera asked.

"We were hired to command the Shadow Riders…and to deal with these Rare Hunters. It will be a pleasure to do so now." Marco activated his duel disk, while subtly aiming his scanner at Arliss and Nessa's own duel disks. "I challenge you to a duel, Signor and Sig.na Lockehart. A final duel between the Shadow Riders and this school."

"Should we not deal with Banner?" Vera asked.

Arliss smirked. "Banner will not live to see the sunrise, darlin'…I've seen to that. So, why not duel?"

Vera activated her own duel disk, quickly getting the information from Marco's scan in her own equipment. "It shall be a tag duel, Myself and Marco verses the two of you."

Nessa smiled. "I am going to enjoy getting that pretty face dirty."

"You are just mad that you are not as attractive as I." Vera scoffed. "I would say I will share that pleasure, but getting your face dirty would be an improvement."

"Why you little…" Nessa snarled.

"Enough!" Arliss commanded, the dark aura around him bursting into view. "You misunderstand…"

"Marco Giovanni." Marco said, introducing himself as last. "And my associate, Vera Amarillo."

"…Vera and Marco." Arliss said, a smile forming on his face. "This duel will not be between us and you…no, I think my daughter will face you." He turned to Cassandra, nodding in approval as she readied her duel disk.

"And before you think about it…" Cass held up her hand, causing the scanner equipment on both Shadow Riders' arms to shatter. "You ain't scannin' me duel disk."

"How did she know that?" Dhmitri asked. "How did she know they were scanning."

"It must be the shadow item she wears on her wrists." Alex said. "They must detect such things."

Dhmitri nodded. "…and what is scanning?"

"Those devices are used to scan duel disks and see what cards were played previously."

"Man…I could use one of those…put that down as my birthday present."

Vera looked over at Cassandra, taking the girl all in. "Hmmm…no no no…we can simply not duel her. She is by herself!"

"I can 'andle both of you just fine." Cassandra snapped.

Marco shook his head. "no good…honor demands we face you and another…two on two. Unless a partner is found…"

"How about me?" A new voice called out, emerging from the shadows. He wore a modified RA Yellow blazer, patched up so that it now reached the duelist's knees. The trim of the jacket was no longer white but black, and with his black shirt, made him stand right out. He wore a pair of black dueling gloves, and around his forehead was a black bandanna that looked like an 80's rock band headband.

"'ayden?" Cassandra asked, startled by the Scot's transformation.

"Hello there Cassie." Hayden said, before turning to the Shadow Riders. "Now see here, lads. I've had just about enough of sittin' on the sidelines and letting everyone run the show. It's time I took a stand. And too bad for you two…" He activated his duel disk. "you are the first two in my way."

Marco nodded, backing up into position. "Very well, Signor Hayden…"

"McGregor." Hayden supplied.

"It shall be us vs. you and Cassandra." Arliss and Nessa reluctantly moved from the arena floor to the stands. Arliss had wanted to force Alex to duel, but that would have to wait. "The rules are simple…we each have 4000 lifepoints. To win, both players of the same team must be eliminated. Standard dueling rules apply."

"Deal" Hayden and Cassandra said.

"It will go Vera, Cassandra, Myself and then Signor McGregor." Marco said as everyone took their positions. Let the duel commence."

&&&

Deep in the forest, Prof. Banner looked down at the fallen form of Alexis, using his book to capture her and place her in stasis. Shaking his head, he wondered how the rest of the Shadow Riders had lost to such sloppy play.

'It is because they dueled Jaden…only he has the true potential to defeat Kagemaru…and, I can only hope, the Rare Hunters.'

As he moved on, seeking out more opponents, Banner did not notice the lithe form of Samantha Ciro trailing him. The new Rare Hunter smirked before leaping into the trees.

She would see that Banner paid for this betrayal.

&&&

Vera drew her first card, looking over her hand carefully. "I will start with an old favorite. Kelbek, come forth and protect your mistress." The familiar gold and white metal angel appeared on the field, watching the rare hunters carefully.

"Don't go playing a mockery of machines when facing a machine duelist!" Cassandra said. "I'll me Drillago." The drill-covered machine appeared on the field, shining brightly as it used it's feet to root itself to the ground. "And I will set this card, ending my turn."

Marco smirked "Mmm…if it is good enough for my Vera, it is good for me. Kelbek, come forth." As Marco's own monster appeared, he set a card.

"What do see Dhmitri?" Alexander managed to ask, forcing himself to tear his eyes away from Samantha. He could do nothing about her now…he still had his duty to the young Ra Yellow Duelist that stood next to him. "What have they done?"

Dhmitri looked over the Italian Duelists' field. "A double wall. They have insured that if Vera doesn't draw a good monster, Marco can defend her. Kelbek will bounce any monster back, meaning they also force Hayden into the same situation: He'll have to act as a wall for her."

Alexander nodded. "Correct. But, there are some ways around it. Let's see if Hayden can figure out how to do it."

Hayden's turn had come, and he had already laid one card on the field. "I will choose as my first monster…The Skilled Dark Magician!" As he set the card, the black and blue robed magician appeared, his short staff wand in his hands as he stared out upon the field from beneath his headpiece. "I will also perform the Spell Absorption spell. Now, every time you use magic, I will gain back health. And don't forget, my Magician gains strength each time a spell performed."

"RPD style." Zane said. "An interesting way to play. Hayden views this as a roleplay game, and will act as such."

"What are it's strengths and weaknesses?" Bastion asked. "I'm unfamiliar with the style."

"RPD relies on protection and always having a monster on the field. That means the duelist is always ready. The problem is, other players aren't playing as they are, meaning they can bypass his strategy."

"I will shift my Kelbek to defense." Vera said. "Thus ends my turn, for now."

Cassandra smiled as she looked over at the card she had just drawn. "I'll first activate my set card: Dust Tornado! Say goodbye ta your facedown!" Marco shielded his face as the winds shattered his Mystical Space Typhoon. "And now, I will summon my 'eavy Mech Support Platform. But don't worry, I'm not going to equip it to my Drillago. No, I'm going to point it, along with my big drill, right at your Kelbeks." The two machines turned as one, facing off with Marco's angel. "But am I all 6s and 7s? Won't that just mean me monsters will be sent back to my hand? Of course…" She began to chuckle. "I'm planning on it."

"What does she have up her sleeve?" Nessa whispered.

"Watch and learn…I think I know what are darlin' daughter is about ta do…and it will give her and Hayden a big lead."

"I will now activate Limiter Removal!" Cassandra cried out, her machines letting off blasts of steam as their attacks doubled. "Drillago, attack Marco's Kelbek! And Heavy Mech, attack Vera's!"

The two machines nodded, the drill striking to angel and causing Marco to fly back, while Vera's own defense monster shattered. As the two machine's hit, they glowed white, warping back to Cassandra's hand as they did so.

"Clever." Zane said. "Limiter Removal destroys all machines that it effects, so Cassandra used Kelbek's own effect to save them."

"Perhaps." Bastion grumbled.

"But more then that, she has now set up Hayden's Skilled Dark Magician. Not only does he gain another 500 points for that spell, but now Marco can't activate a spell card without triggering the SDM's effect." (Hayden-4500, Marco-2300)

"Our daughter was pretty slick there, usin' that effect for her own advantage." Arliss said.

Nessa wasn't as impressed. "Limiter is a finishing move. It is risky to use it so soon. Gives them time to recover. Cassandra better have more tricks up her sleeve."

&&&

Chancellor Shepard sighed as he looked over the contains of the folder that sat on his desk. He was use to receiving bad news and dealing with it. One did not last long in KaibaCorp or it's affiliates without such a skill. But for this…he did not know how to deal.

'3 of the 7 keys have been taken…but Professor Banner is missing, and it is presumed it is the Shadow Riders that have taken him. 4 out of 7, and now, reports say that 3 more of the gates have opened. Banners key, plus too more…so two of the last three keyholders are left.' He shook his head sadly. 'Alexis, Chazz or Jaden…three of the best duelists we have.'

Shepard stood up, looking out over the island. In his mind, he wondered about other choices he could have made. Choices that might have better protected the 7 keys from the school's founder, Kagemaru.

'I should have forced Alexander to take one of the keys.' Shepard thought. 'He is best duelist at this academy…with his dueling scores, I wouldn't be surprised if he could beat Zane with ease. He shouldn't even be teaching, he should be in the pro league.' The chancellor sighed. 'He would not have lost his key like that fool Crowler!'

His thoughts turned to Crowler, and Shepard wondered not for the first time what should be done with the fool. It had been Crowler that had found Arliss Lockehart. He who had shielded him. And now, Arliss had revealed the truth: He was the new King of the Rare Hunters, and he was converting students to his organization. He had already claimed Vanessa Fox and Candace Misawa…and they had not heard from Samantha Ciro since she had first gone to his dorm.

'He's claimed the abandoned dorm as his own.' Shepard thought. 'He no longer bothers to come to class, and thanks to his contract, I can't expel him!' Dropping into his seat, Shepard, lowered his head to the desk top, eyes closed. 'It's all in ruins…the academy will fall…'

KNOCK KNOCK!

Shepard looked up at the door, scowling. "Go away!"

KNOCK KNOCK!

"I said go…"

Before he could finish, the door was kicked open, and Professor James Stilton stormed in, anger written all over his face. Shepard was about to ask what was going on, but James pulled a gun from his blazer and pointed it right at the chancellor.

"I want Alexander Milo's file…" He cocked the weapon. "…now."

Next Time on G/X Hunters- The duel between the Shadow Riders and the Rare Hunters continues. And with Hayden out to prove something, is there anyone that can stand against his combos? And can the Rare Hunters survive when Marco and Vera unleash their rare cards? Don't forget James, who is seeking out the truth about Alex.

Rome is Burning Part 2