AN: Hey hey! i have finally updated again XD sorry it took so long, half of this chapter was stuck on the computer back at home and well i'm never really there so it took me awhile to get it and work the other half into it

Once again thanks to all of those who reviewed!

Chapter 22

Malik was suddenly thrown into darkness as a hand covered his eyes, another covering his mouth, muffling anything he tried to say. Sharply pulled backwards by his head he almost lost his balance as he tried to struggle free from his captor. The struggle went on for about five minutes until he was forced to the ground and pinned there by the others body. But shortly after he felt the from over his eyes and mouth relax and leave there positions allowing him a chance to get his breath back.

"So this is where you've gotten to,"
Malik glared up at the pale skinned guy sitting on top of him; he should have guessed it was Bakura.
"Get off me" Malik grumbled trying to move beneath the older guy but it was obvious who was stronger out of them. Bakura laughed at Malik's pitiful attempts to throw him off but agilely leapt away when Malik tried to make a grab for him.
"So, what are you doing wondering around here?" Bakura demanded but Malik wasn't paying attention.
"Where's Mark?" the young blonde asked in a similar tone to Bakura.
"Working," Bakura muttered and with a look at Ryou, who had been silently standing out of the way, the two of them headed deeper into the maze of alleyways between the buildings.
"Where? And why aren't you with him?" Malik called out before running after the two only to have Bakura turn on him and tell him to keep it down or he'd make it so he couldn't say another word no matter how hard he tried.

"But -" Malik tried again, something wasn't right here."You deaf, I said to keep it down," Bakura butted in, "it's bad enough you've been wandering all over the place out in the open. Did you ever think of what would happen if one of the patrols found you wandering around casually?" Bakura added looking back at Malik as they continued along a path that would take them, unnoticed, back towards their temple hideout.
"You'd probably get charged with treason and that means death," he added after not getting a response from the worked up blonde.
"But Marik's –"
"Drop it Malik,"
"But – don't you even care about what might happen? This destructive behaviour of his is going to get him killed!" Malik exclaimed ignoring the glare Bakura threw in his direction, "Surely you've noticed it, noticed that he doesn't care how much danger he's in," Malik continued.

"You have haven't you," he added noticing his last remark made the determined thief pause in his tracks, "you have noticed and you don't even give a damn what happens to him!" Malik cried only to find himself instantly slammed against a wall Bakura's long fingers clenched tightly around his neck.
"Don't talk like you understand anything," Bakura hissed a menacing but dejected look in his eyes. Malik gasped and tried clawing at Bakura's hands that held him pinned, slowly squeezing the life out of him.

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The spears fell to the ground clattering against the tiles before the lifeless bodies joined them, blood still seeping from the slices across their throats. Marik moved on swiftly and slyly along the garden path way that skirted around the far side of the palace. According to the data they had received from the Priests informant this was the fastest path that would lead him to the Pharaoh's bed chamber.

He met little resistance which lucky for the guards for he was in a good mood and when he was in a good mood he felt like killing people. Then again he always felt like killing the pharaohs cursed guards. Turning the final corner he gazed up at the balcony of the second floor, that's where his target should be. Storing his blade in its sheath he began the climb to the second floor. This was made easy with the aid of half a pillar fashioned on the wall and a dagger which he stabbed between the cracks of the stone blocks before hoisting his body up further.

Climbing over and onto the balcony he stood still and listened to the voices that flowed through the thin curtain covering the door way. There was his target; however there was also the addition of a female voice he hadn't expected. It didn't matter, whether she was a servant girl or a lady of the court, she was now apart of this. Marik crept towards the curtain and pulled it slightly aside and peered inside the royal bed chamber, his eyes confirming what his ears had heard. There were only two of them, a young boy with tri-coloured hair and a female with short brown hair, probably the boy's servant to look after him while the pharaoh was holding a meeting of his most trusted officials.

He stood still and silent waiting for the moment when she wasn't so near, the boy was his target but she had to be alive to play her own part. It was only ten or so minutes until he reckoned she was far enough away to not get in his way. In a flash he had ripped aside the certain and grabbed the boy by his neck roughly pulling him backwards. He was already standing on the end of the balcony, an unconscious boy dangling from his hand before she even noticed the disturbance he was that quick and experienced. She screamed for the guards as in one swift motion he grabbed the bow on his back and an arrow before shooting her in the leg.

"Tell Pharaoh that if he values this boy's life he'll have to face me in battle, if he continues to hide behind his guards and walls I will take pleasure in slowly killing the kid." This being said Marik, holding the boy in one hand, took a step backwards and fell out of sight.

Well what did you think? constructive criticism and ideas are always welcome!

the next chapter should hopefully be posted in the next month