Warnings: Rating M, Swearing, Child Abuse. If this type of thing offends you then DO NOT READ! This is a fictional story ONLY and nothing more. Flames will be used to toast my marshmallows. I own nothing!! But for the plot, the plot belongs to my Bunnies and Muses.
Chap 27: Encounters of the Worst Kind
The only sounds that could be heard was the ticking of the clock and the faint sounds of the traffic below them that came through the glass windows across the room. "Malik, do you understand why you're here?" Mai asked shifting a little in her seat.
Malik shook his head no, he didn't understand, but knew that it had something to do with him not talking, why were they pushing him talk? He glanced about the room nervously, a nice big desk sat before the windows, plants and bookcases were placed about the room. It truly didn't look like a friendly kind of place at all… Malik's eyes were set on the five pigeons outside on the window ledge; they were pruning themselves and making soft cooing noises.
"You are here because we believe that you need a little help." She was going off from what Marik had told her and the reports from Doctor Tucker. "You might have seen something scary or someone might have hurt you or they might have hurt someone else." Malik pulled his knees tighter to his chest and kept his eyes on the pigeons, fascinated on the way they let each other pick at their feathers. "The point is Malik, here anything you say doesn't leave this room, no one else will ever know."
Malik twitched and looked at her, he knew what she was saying but didn't understand the full extent of the meaning… he averted his gaze back to the birds.
Mai saw the look; she had seen it on so many faces of her clients, young and old. "This room is a special room, you can say anything you like and no one in the world will ever hear. It'll stay in this room forever."
Malik nodded his head, he understood now, but it didn't ease the fact that he knew what happened to those that went against his father. He suddenly had an overwhelming feeling that he wanted Marik here… He clutched tightly at the badge; it held great importance for the older man. It held his number on it an ID of what job he did, gave Marik the power that other's didn't, the power to put others away…did this power also work if Marik ever came face to face with his father? Then what? It wasn't as if all those girls could talk, they had been silenced as well. He didn't want to end up like them; he knew he would if he spoke up, and there was no protection, his father's friend had been at the house that afternoon when he had been playing in the snow… Malik now felt sick he wanted to go home.
Mai smiled relaxing more in her chair… "Ryou is sweet, how do you two get along?" She would start with something simple first and work her way; she needed to know how deep the damage was.
Malik looked at her for a moment, then turned his eyes onto the birds. He liked Ryou, a lot, even if he couldn't sing and was pushy at the best of times. Bossy Ryou, always demanding to have them do something together and did Ryou have a temper when angered. Marik had said it was because Ryou had had a hard time where he used to live and that he was happy to have a new brother the same age as him. Malik had never had anything like that before; it had always been his father and himself.
Mai wrote down in her note book that was sat on her knee. "How do you find living with everyone, Marik, Bakura and Ryou? I hear Marik has an older sister and brother?"
Bakura he liked, the teen most of the time was quiet and ever watchful; he had read stories to them a few times before bed and played with them in the backyard, other than that, Bakura mostly kept to himself. He knew that Bakura had been hurt much like himself and wasn't sure of the people around him. Bakura had come to the house injured and was still healing.
He loved Marik, Ryou had gotten up the courage to call him Daddy, Malik too saw him that way, Marik would make the perfect dad and he had such a big nice family. They were all so nice to him. Isis gave great cuddles and read to them whenever she was over, she would at times scold Marik as if he was a child too. Rishid was great to he teased Marik a lot of the time and he would watch t.v with them or play out in the backyard making snowmen. Yes Malik could see himself living with Marik forever.
A smile broke out on the boy's face as his own thoughts wandered on the people he now lived with and how happy he was to do so.
"I'll take that as a yes." Mai said and Malik gave her a small smile, she wrote down again in her book and then looked at him; the questions from here on in were going to be for the evaluation.
Across town in the city's park, children from as young as Ryou to the grownups that watched their young children play. Some were walking their dogs, jogging, having lunch or just wondering about. The groundskeepers were trying to keep the snow under control and off the paths. The sky was gray and Bakura was practically freezing. He glanced about wringing his hands in his lap and fighting off the urge to just run. "He isn't going to let me walk away… even if you pay him."
"I know." Marik said leaning casually in the stone bench seat, but kept a watchful eye on everyone around him. He knew that this Dartz guy would be some trouble, but Marik had back up if needed. He would have Bakura and Ryou free from any hold Dartz had over them.
Bakura glanced at him; tugging at his jacket, the bulletproof vest was rather uncomfortable. "He'll want to take me with him."
"That's not going happen." Marik said looking at him for a moment. "The only way he'll be leaving this park is in custody."
"How can you arrest him when you have nothing on him," Bakura shook his head.
Marik turned slightly in the seat, his arm rested on the back of the bench behind the teens head, Bakura hadn't taken his eyes off him yet. "Don't worry about that, we have it covered."
'Dartz has entered the park with two others.' Came Yami's voice in the ear piece of Marik's right ear. Marik wordlessly stood up; Bakura hesitantly followed looking about nervously. 'As soon as you hand him the money, walk away, so we can move in.' Yami went over the plan again just in case and Marik silently listened even though he already knowing it.
Marik walked down the path, he spotted Yami dressed in overalls and shoveling the snow back off the path with three others. Marik completely ignored him as if he hadn't seen him and walked on by; Bakura didn't notice him at all and silently followed Marik.
Dartz soon came into view and as Yami had said he had two other's with him. Bakura moved to Marik's side. "The one on the left is Alistar the one on the right is Valon." Bakura whispered.
"No matter what happens stay with me and keep quiet." Marik warned him coming to stop beside the large water fountain. Marik kept his face masked of any emotions, even though he was suddenly surprised to feel Bakura so suddenly gripped his hand and held it tightly. "Hey," Marik got his attention, Bakura looked up his cheeks were slightly flushed. "I'm right here with you, it'll be okay, he can't hurt you anymore."
Bakura nodded his head. "Thank you Marik, it means a lot to me that you are willingly going this far for Ryou and me."
"Thank me later when we are out of here and he is behind bars." Marik didn't mind at all he held Bakura's hand as long as the teen needed him to.
"Detective," The tall male greeted them, his eyes on Bakura for a long moment, taking in his appearance and so much more, and then he glanced at Marik sizing him up and then held out his hand. "I'm Dartz." He introduced himself.
"I know who you are." Marik said firmly while looking at the offered hand and refused to shake it in a form of greeting. This had nothing to do with pleasantries or politeness.
Dartz frowned and pulled his hand back, his face hardened and his eyes narrowed. "You are aware that for Bakura's freedom…"
"Seventy grand." Marik cut in as he threw the bag at Dartz's feet like the amount of money meant nothing to him. Two that were at Dartz's side bent down and opened the bag to show that the money was in there.
"I like that." Dartz grinned as the bag was zipped up and the one known as Alistar picked it up and slung it over his shoulder. "You are a man of your word." Marik's eyes narrowed as Dartz turned his gaze onto Bakura. "But this only covers you and not your brother."
"What?!" Bakura stepped forward outraged. "Forty was the agreed amount for both of us. This is more than enough!"
"Yes that was until you caused me all this trouble," Dartz growled holding up his hand to show an oddly shaped scar in the middle of his palm, the whole hand looked discolored, paler then the rest of his skin. "The damage you did to me. It's a useless limb now." He lowered his hand covering it over with the sleeve of his top.
"If I hadn't been in such a hurry to get away from you I would have stabbed that pen through your eye." Bakura growled his hand clutched Marik's tighter.
'Drop the conversation and walk away,' Came Yami's voice through the earpiece in Marik's ear. 'Orders from a higher up authority have turned up. It's out of our hands now. Marik end the conversation and walk away.'
"Take the money." Marik suggested to him, hearing everything Yami had said. "Leave the boys alone."
"Are you willing to take their place?" Dartz asked with a raised eyebrow. "You're a little old and you won't get me as much as what Ryou would." A smirk stretched across his face as he looked at Bakura.
Marik had prepared for Bakura to react to Dartz's tormenting and grabbed the boy by the arm and held him back. Bakura spat out profanities angrily. Enraged and yelling all kinds of threats while trying to get free of Marik's hold.
"Enough." Marik snapped at him and suddenly they were surrounded by men with guns, who had them aimed on Dartz and the other two with him, Yami pushing his way forward to get to his friend. The people around them were guided away from the area by other officers.
Dartz growled and raised his hands to show that he was no threat, he didn't care. They had nothing on him. Alistar dropped the bag and did the same, raising his hands above his head.
Valon growled eyes wide as he pulled a gun from his jacket pocket, "You're the reason Rafael died." Officers around them shouted for him to drop the gun. "Why should I suffer while you walk free?!" The first shot went off followed by a few more. The shots crackled like thunder and echoed about them.
All Bakura saw was Marik step in front him and he stumbled forward, Bakura was there to hold him up, however he crumbled under the weight of the detective. "MARIK!" Bakura gasped breathlessly from the crushing fall and was unable to push him off. Bakura's mind raced, thoughts crammed into his mind… Was Marik shot? Was he dead? He wasn't moving and lay like a dead weight on him…
"Marik!" Yami's voice rang out over everything as he rushed to their side. The officers rushed about to get the paramedics. Yami gently rolled Marik off the boy. Bakura took in a deep breath as he scrambled to his knees watching wide eyed, as Yami tore open Marik's jacket like a wild animal.
"Malik wait?!" Ryou looked up from his colouring-book to see Malik rush by him in tears and the woman Mai was running after him.
"What happened?" Isis asked surprised while standing, Ryou was up on his feet and rushed after Malik. "Ryou get back here!" Isis called out and followed Mai in trying to catch the boys.
Ryou was ahead and saw Malik duck into another room and crawled under a big desk. He knew the woman wasn't nice, Ryou growled and turned about just in time to kick Mai hard in the shin and stopped her from entering the room. Mai had cried out holding her leg in pain and hoping about and accidently blocked Isis from reaching the same destination.
Ryou rushed into the room locking them in and backed away from the door with wide eyes.
Isis pounded on the door angrily with her fist. "Ryou, you open this door right this instant!" She barked her order through the hard wood and rattled the handle.
Ryou sighed and turned his back on the door, she wasn't going to be able to break down the door because she was no superman. He walked across the carpeted room, his sneakers making no sound as he walked around the desk. "Malik," He had gotten down on his hands and knees and poked his head under the desk.
Malik curled himself into a ball, silently sobbing into his knees. "Don't cry Malik." Ryou said crawling in as well. "Daddy said she was meant to be nice…" Ryou's tone held a note of anger that Marik had lied and Malik was crying because of it. "Did she say something mean?" Ryou could picture the woman saying all kinds of nasty things to make Malik cry like this.
Malik nodded his head. She had brought up his father and asked about a mother, he didn't have a mother, whatever it was; he just had those girls his father brought home. She had talked about some upsetting things. She had talked as though she knew what his father had done. Asked him if he wanted to talk about it. Questions after questions. Malik had just felt so overwhelmed, he had no answers to give or to speak them out loud… he couldn't answer any of them. "It's ok." Ryou scooted forward on his rear end, legs crossed as he patted the other's head gently. "It's okay that your voice is broke. I loves you just how you are." Ryou smiled as Malik raised his head, waterlogged eyes locked onto light brown ones. "Don't listen to them, nothing, they know nothing. Just 'cause every big grown up can talk it means that everyone has toos." Ryou sighed irritably. "they'res so bossy!" Ryou huffed; Malik gave a short smile.
"I'll have to call maintenance to get that door open." Mai turned; there was a slight limp in her walk.
Isis sighed as she pulled out her cell phone to call Marik. "Hello again." Isis glanced up with a frown at the tall dark haired man before her. "Don't recognize me?" He smiled.
Isis suddenly felt uneasy, her grip about her cell phone tightened and the urge to call Marik strengthened. "Yes of course." She smiled weakly despite herself and her feelings. "Where are my manners. You are the creepy guy picking up young women at the hospital."
"I think I should be flattered." His smile widened. Her frown deepened. "You're so polite and formal. Are you always like this?" He mused moving in a little.
"Yes." Isis said inching back, fear slowly crept up, but it wasn't entirely the man before her that brought it up, only partly.
"I'm sure there is a wild, naughty girl waiting to get out, but she is locked away and tamed by this, shell of etiquette that is before me." He raised an eyebrow mocking her now.
"Are you suggesting that I am… "
"Oh no." He cut her off, hands raised in a passive way at her sudden outburst. "I was just joking with you. It wasn't my intention to upset you."
Why didn't she believe him? "All joking aside." Isis regained her composure, not that she had lost it, but she had felt as if she had. She had to be rid of him. She just didn't like him at all or was it the fact that her brother's previous phone call and his distress made her a little too weary. "I'm in a bit of a predicament, so if you'll excuse me." She turned slightly to emphasize the end of their conversation as she raised her cell phone a little to call Marik.
She stopped however when he extended his hand. "It was good seeing you again. But the way I'm…"
Suddenly her cell phone rang and she yet again moved away from him. "Hello?" She said after placing it to her ear. She shot him a fake apologetic look. Mai soon approached with a man in overalls. She watched the guy slinked away… she noted that he too was wearying overalls and a cap that belonged to a delivery company as he bent down and picked up a few boxes and turned for the elevators.
Bakura stood lost and worried in the mass of police officers, ambulances medics and on lookers. He watched as Dartz and Alistar hand cuffed and were shoved into two separate vehicles and driven away. Valon was pushed by him on a stretcher with a large white sheet over him; they rolled him into the back of a van and soon drove off. "Hey, are you alright?" Marik asked from his sitting position from the back of the ambulance, winching as the medic poked about his injury looking for further damage other then the bruising.
'Good afternoon boys and girls!' A man approached flashing his badge, blond hair and clean cut black suite, though no one really saw the ID that clearly, but Marik, Seto, Yami and Otogi seem to recognize it right away. He continued with a smug and confident tone. "Joey Wheeler, government agent." He looked the group over with a smug expression. "Glad to see you weren't all that harmed."
"Speak for yourself." Marik said icily and hissed in pain at another prod from the medic.
"So you all just thought you could walk in and arrest him?" Wheeler clicked his fingers and a man walked up to him and handed him a folder and then walked away without so much as a word.
"That was the plan." Marik said, looking down with another hiss of pain the medic inflicted on him.
Wheeler snorted and looked put-out by the simple none caring reply. "You could have blown years of undercover operations with this idiotic…"
"Just who are you again?" Seto asked cutting in, noticing that Wheeler didn't elaborate on what position of the government he worked for.
The agent shot him a glare that could have melted the skin from Seto's bones. "Joey Wheeler, let me know when you catch on?" Wheeler turned his attention back on Marik. "I have been sending in undercover agents for six years and not once have the authorities been able to have anything stick to him."
"Then maybe you weren't doing your job right." Seto remarked in a teasing manner.
"I'm not doing my job?" Wheeler mumbled to himself insulted and looked rather upset. "If you got your head out of your ass and read the files on the criminals once in a while Detective Kaiba then you'll know that not even shit will stick to this guy."
"Alright Mr. Government Official." Marik got to his feet once he got the okay from the medic. "The only reason we were stepping on your toes was because we had a witness to protect who could place Dartz behind bars."
Wheeler looked shocked and flustered as he flipped through the folder in his hands. "It doesn't say anywhere here about that…." He trailed off then looked to Marik again. "We have a witness as well, that can place Dartz behind bars for a every, every long time. How reliable is your witness?" Wheeler asked.
Marik's eyes darted to Bakura for a split moment; if Wheeler had a better witness, then he thought it best to leave the boy out of it. "Not every, he is doing it out of," Marik lowered his tone, his eyes darted to Bakura again, "fear."
"Agent Wheeler?" Marik's boss John approached and shook the agent's hand in greeting. "Shall we continue this back at the station?"
"Please," Wheeler agreed with an at ease smile as he followed the older man without so much as a glance back.
Tears gathered in Bakura's eyes at feeling so overwhelmed. Marik getting shot that like, Dartz finally was being arrested by authorities higher up on the ladder then the common police officer or a detective. The sudden thought of Dartz not able to worm his way out of this washed over the constant fear that festered within him and pushed it away with relief. "Bakura," Marik placed his hand on his shoulder. "I don't think Dartz will be getting out any time soon." Even though Marik knew they had a lot of work to do before Dartz would be sentenced for his crimes, it would help the boy in knowing the bigger outcome. "The Government sent in their agents, Dartz isn't going to walk away this time." Marik gave Bakura a small smile, he gasped though as the boy threw his arms about him in a hug.
"Just got word that every known house, business and brothel that belongs to Dartz is being raided and heaps more are being arrested and brought in for questing." Yami said with a grin as he patted Bakura lightly on the back and walked by them to spread the good news with his workmates.
Bakura couldn't say anything as the lump in his throat choked all his words anyway. He broke down sobbing into Marik's chest. Marik didn't want to celebrate too early and would prefer it in writing, but the boy needed it and hearing and seeing all that had happened now it was a sure thing that Bakura would never have a run-in with that man again.
"Thank you so much Marik." Bakura mumbled into his chest.
A short time later Marik was walking through his front door, "I'm going to tell Ryou," Bakura rushed passed Isis and into the living room.
"Well, he seems happy." Isis said taking her jacket. "In fact that's the happiest I have seen him since he moved in here with you."
"Yeah," Marik smirked agreeing, he had yet to tell her what really happened.
Isis kissed his cheek and moved for the door, "Oh, Elder called a few moments ago." She was grinning, "She's going to be back by this weekend." Marik's grin widened, his partner would be kicking herself for missing out on the fun.
"I have to get going." Isis said looking at her watch. "But call Mai." She added a little abruptly. "Malik didn't do well and Ryou kicked her." She sighed adding. "That boy has one temper." She wrapped a scarf about her neck and pulled on her gloves.
"I will." He reassured her. "Will you be back for dinner?"
"No," She shook her head, "My neighbor is watching Milly for me, the mongrel is making herself right at home using my shoes as chew toys." She huffed. "And sleeping on my rugs, white rugs." She gave him a pointed glare that she was not happy about the flee-bitten-mutt in her house.
"I'm sorry; I'll buy you new ones." Marik offered, Isis snorted and walked out of the house. "Call me when you get back," Marik followed her out into the snow covered yard. "Have you got your cell?" He held open the car door for her.
"Yes." She got in the divers seat and closed the door and wound down her window.
"Is it charged?"
"Yes,"
"Is it working?… Here take mine." Marik pulled his phone from his pocket and held it out to her.
"I don't need it." She refused.
"Take it; I don't like you driving such a long way by yourself."
"Marik don't worry about it, I'll be fine." She refused again, "And what if work calls for you." She was right; Marik reluctantly took his cell back.
"Promise me you'll get a new one." He said sternly that left no room for her to argue.
"Alright." She hissed giving in, she knew how much Marik hated her cell phone, he always did find it to be unreliable.
"Tomorrow," Marik urged her firmly.
"Yes, tomorrow."She gave him a flat look, "now can I leave?"
"Go," He stepped away from the car and watched her pull out of the driveway.
The car stopped for a moment in the middle of the road, "Give Mai a call." She called back through the crack in the window before driving off.
Marik turned and walked back into the house, missing the van that slowly passed and followed Isis's car.
"Take care it's really coming down out there!" An old man called out as Isis left the gas station, she stopped for a second as she unfolded the news paper and held over her head and made a dash for her car and slipped inside the vehicle.
She wiped the water from her face using the mirror and then started the car and pulled out back onto the highway; soft music filled the car with the sound of the window wipers against the glass.
"Damn it." She hissed and said in a mocking male tone. "Isis we need your professional advice, you don't mind a four hour dive to look at some mannequins." She hit the string wheel. "Yes, I do bloody mind!" She had been so annoyed that her four hour drive to the museum in the next city over had taken her about two hours to complete her work and leave, so now, it was dark, raining, snowing and she was still an hour and half from home.
Isis glanced at her cell phone that sat in the center between the two front seats; she picked it up and held it at eye level so she could watch the road as well, when suddenly the car gave a jolt and slowed down, then started up again. "Don't you break down on me!" She growled dropping her cell phone onto the passenger's seat.
The car did it again and all the lights dimmed down and the engine clunked and rattled before stopping and the car rolled. "No, no, no, no, no." Isis pulled off the road a little and stopped the car completely to try and start it up again. The engine just rumbled and didn't start, she growled in frustration and cursed up a storm in Arabic as she turned the key only to have the car die.
She fell back against her seat, there was no point in her getting out to look at the engine, all she knew about cars was where to put the fuel in and where the boot was, Marik or Rishid always looked at her car to put in the oil and water and told her when the car needed to go to the mechanics. This always ended in the endless loving tormenting on how much of a girl she really was by both her bothers.
Isis picked up her cell phone again and dialed in for an off-road-assist to get her car going again, it was going to be a long night. Someone answered and she gave off her location and what had happened. The voice on the other line told her someone would be out to help her in about twenty minutes.
She glanced about the outside of her car, the road was silent, wet, icy and dark, the shrubs of trees that lined the road on both sides were even darker and dusted in a light coating of snow.
She shook her head free of the horrible thoughts that started to creep in her mind and dialed Marik's number to just have someone to talk to while she waited. Her phone rang the number and shut down, all the little lights going out. "Did I do something wrong in another life?" She growled and turned it on and redialed Marik's number, only to have it shut down again. "I'm replacing you in the morning, your days are done." She glanced out the windows to see nothing but darkness.
Isis pulled her jacket from the back seat and shrugged into it, crossing her arms over her chest and snuggled down in her seat and placed her cell into her jacket pocket and waited.
It had happened so fast that her door window was smashed and bits of glass cut her cheek, she didn't really see as it was a blur. She undid her seatbelt to crawl out the other side, her door was ripped open and she was grabbed about her waist. "Get off me!" She brought her knee up and kicked whoever it was back out of her car as she opened the passenger's side door.
"Come here!" He moved in after her again and pulled her back and turned her about so she was awkwardly on her back. Isis was momentarily frozen as past memories came flooding back to her and with it rose fear and panic, his face was covered by the classic ski mask, gloves and a heavy jacket, he was dressed as if he had been here all along waiting for her in the snow and the freezing night. "It's better if you don't struggle." He roughly pulled her up more towards him. "But I like it if you do."
Isis brought her hand up and hit him in the throat, he choked and flailed about and fell backwards out of the car, she struggled and wriggled her way to the other side of the car and she too fell out hitting the hard wet ground and knocking the air from her lungs.
She rolled onto her side and coughed, glancing about for her attacker, and couldn't see his feet anywhere, was he above her in the car? She couldn't stay down here forever he would came for her at some point. She swiftly got to her feet just in time to see him coming at her through the car, she grabbed the door and slammed it on him and ran down the the highway. She was curtain that she had hit him with the door.
She pumped her arms and her boots thudded on the cement, splashing through small puddles that wet her legs, glad for once that she was wearing boots and not high heels, her long cream colored jacket flapped wildly behind her. "You're going to pay for that, bitch!" Isis glanced over her shoulder to see him running after her.
She glanced about looking for anyone to help her or for an escape. The highway was dead at this time of night. She hadn't seen a car pass her in such a long time, she wiped the water from her eyes and her wet hair, something fell behind her and she couldn't help but look back to see her cell phone lay on the road, she slid to a stop and rushed back to get it.
Isis snatched it up and ducked left as her attacker just missed her and ran back towards her car as she dialed Marik's number, her hope lifted just a little as the phone was picked up, not waiting and to desperate she called out. "Marik, help! I'm on the highway …" Her jacket was snagged on her own car and she was pulled backwards and she landed heavy on the ground and the resound smack of her head on the road.
"Thought you were smart did ya?" The man huffed as he lent his hands on knees, her cell phone made a funny sound and an automated voice could be heard saying that she had no servers, the last thing Isis saw before passing out was him reaching down for her.
TBC
I hope it isn't too choppy, but I thought it best to leave out the fillers for this chapter, like Isis walking about the museum and Marik and Bakura getting to the park, that kind of filler, anyway Review, (Love and Cookies)