"Are you sure you will not be persuaded to stay? To work for me properly as an employee?"

Malik tapped the armrest impatiently, eyes filled with frank annoyance. "Aren't you already using me like a lapdog?" he spat out rather viciously. "When I came here, I made it very clear…"

"… that you were after the Ghouls and no one else. Yes, Mr. Ishtar, I remember. Can I bribe you with anything?"

Malik resisted the urge to throw something heavy at the man. This was the creator of Duel Monsters, this insufferably childish, whimsical and melodramatic creature who was currently pondering what would undoubtedly be the most ridiculous list of bribes to rape the ear of Man.

"No, you cannot. I'm done here," said Malik flatly, cutting off the man.

"Are you sure? How about a pay increment? A new motorcycle? Another RealDoll"

Malik fell silent, glowering into that single golden eye, promising death with his gaze. Pegasus didn't seem to care, smiling slyly and a little coldly.

"You've been spying on me," said Malik finally, eyes narrowed in real anger now.

"Come now, Mr. Ishtar, don't make it sound so horrible. I only wanted to get to know you, so that I could make you a better offer." Pegasus's reply was light in tone and coy, but it was easy to see the cold cunning underlying his words. Underneath that fluffy exterior was one cynical, manipulative son-of-a-bitch.

Pegasus was playing a game with him, that much was obvious, letting slip bits of information that would eventually lead him to certain conclusions. They'd been playing for months, and though he'd been fine with playing along at first, he was getting tired of games. Games, games, games. Games were fucking everywhere. Even the most hardcore duelists had to get tired of games sometime, right?

Abruptly, Malik stood up and stormed toward the door, feeling only the slightest bit pleased when he heard Pegasus call out in alarm. Mostly, he was just pissed.

"Wait!"

"I am NOT going to continue working for you, no matter how your bribe, threaten or cajole me, because you are…"

"The Ghouls got themselves a new leader three months ago. Since then, they've virtually vanished from the world map."

Malik paused in mid step.

Fuck.

"But since you're no longer interested, I guess I should just let you go graciously. What kind of a person would I be if I force someone to work for me?"

God damned manipulative fucker.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could just barely see the silver-haired bastard. Turning around slowly, Malik crossed his arms, glaring.

The silence stretched as Pegasus tried to look repentant… or at least, not so gleeful under Malik's hard gaze.

"Talk," spat Malik finally, taking his seat back almost violently.

One honey eye met his fuming violets calmly, and he could sense that Pegasus was finally getting serious. Whatever else might be said about that man, he did care a lot for his company and his cards. The only problem was that he preferred to indulge in wine and brainless cartoons, and senseless mind games to entertain himself. Malik was nothing if not direct, so having to work with someone like that was downright infuriating.

But it had to be done. Pegasus had the networks, the resources and most of all, the right to demand that the Ghouls be taken down. On his own, he would have been just another vigilante, but working under the Industrial Illusions name gave him a bit of legitimacy, even if his method were just a little… unconventional.

It had gone so well in his mind, and he'd thought that he was finally getting to the end of his journey… only to have this shit spring up.

He wanted to go home. He'd been away for nearly three years by now, and he'd never felt such a keen desire to be home. He missed his siblings, Ishizu, Rishid, even though he'd kept in contact through letters and phone calls. It just wasn't the same.

He was so close… he thought he was so close… and then he had to find out that his last few months of hard work were all in vain. More than that, now Pegasus was telling him that it wasn't over.

No, he couldn't break down now. He'd chosen this path for himself and he was going to walk on till it could end for him. Taking a deep breath, Malik calmed himself.

"I'll admit that it probably wasn't very nice sending you out after all those little syndicates, but when we started, it was just because information on the Ghouls just dried up. At first, we thought maybe it was just a lull, so I thought to keep you occupied, in case you got bored."

Malik twitched visibly at the last statement, causing Pegasus to cough quickly and continue. Sure, he had faith in his own charisma and skill, but he also knew what Malik was capable of, from the files and from first-hand experience. He'd already pushed the boy rather further than he strictly should have… but he could hardly help himself when there was someone so easy to taunt, could he?

"But we just got confirmation about two weeks ago that the Ghouls had reunified and that their leader was planning something big, hence the lack of activity in the past few months. During this period, it would seem that the Ghouls are being financed by discreet funds from other companies… as well as the black market sale of Egyptian artifacts."

More games. Why couldn't that asshole just come out and say it? Why did the message have to be communicated through meaningful looks and carefully timed pauses? Malik pinched the bridge of his nose, fighting back a headache.

"Are they gathered?" he demanded. "Is that what you're trying to tell me? That now a good time to take them out from the top down?"

"I wish I could say that," replied Pegasus, sighing theatrically. "But we don't have enough information to confirm it." The silver-haired man stood, and Malik stifled a sigh. Was it really too much to ask that he remained serious for more than two minutes?

"What I am offering you, Mr. Ishtar, is a trip back to your home country, on company account of course, to do some investigating on your own, as you have done before joining us here at Industrial Illusions. "

In other words, it got a little expensive to maintain your global network of agents, and, since the Ghouls had stopped for awhile, business is swell enough that you don't feel like pouring in too much more money… Malik's lips twisted into a cynical grin. Yes, just send the obsessive psycho.

But he would be going home, home to Egypt, to Ishizu, to Rishid, to his old bike, to the sun, to the food, the sights, the smells… and it would still be in line with his goals.

There would be a catch somewhere, of course. This was Pegasus he was dealing with, after all. He'd deal with it. Whatever it was, he'd deal with it.

"You'll have to get me two tickets," said Malik rather brazenly. "I want him on the plane with me." It was just a tad worrying when Pegasus began to laugh.

"Oh, I'll do better than that, Mr. Ishtar. You'll be on an almost-private jet back to Egypt by this time tomorrow. We'll just have to finalize the legal stuff, agree on a few terms, and I won't even ask what you wanted a RealDoll for, even though I really never thought you were the type to go for things like that…"

It was going to be a long day.

----------------------

Notes:

RealDolls are real. Look them up (if you're over 18) if you want.