Well, we've come back with a new chapter 23 to add to this ever-winding fiction. ^_^ (Wow, has it really been 23 chapters??) Anyway, this chapter's extra long to give that yes-we're-back feeling, so we hope you enjoy! By the way, we've become rather spontaneous updaters. We're trying not to sacrifice quality for a quick fix, and we're sorry if this bothers any readers. This story has no intention of becoming dead in the water, so to speak, but we must have time to perfect and plan, as well as manage all our real life responsibilities. Thanks for holding on and reading, we always appreciate everything you say.
But first, of course, are the reviewers' responses:
General Dredge: Greater and greater, eh? My, but flattery will get you everywhere! Yeah, everybody in this hotel is getting beaten up, aren't they? Hopefully there will be some light at the end of this long, dark tunnel.
Shadow's Girl12: Yup, I think Kabuki and I both entirely agree with that sentiment: horror fics just before bed do not mix!
Raven110: Yami? *looks around* What Yami? *eg* Don't worry, the King of Games will hopefully make an appearance soon, if he hasn't already passed into the afterlife *maniacal laughter*
Chibi Angelic Slayer: They certainly are all doomed, but if everybody claps their hands together, maybe they'll be alright. ;-)
Elli the Ghostie: You think WD is better than The Shining? *tears come to eyes* Oh, thankies! Don't say that around Mr. Stephen King, though, he'd probably come and hack us up himself. You know, competition and all…
Lily22: Nope, we never write cliffies. We're just plain straightforward writers. *g* And Pegasus did guess right, don't you think? Sure Mokuba's not planning the party, but there sure are a lot of surprises. ;-)
Saisaishi: Ah, Yugi's just practicing sky diving outside the Overlook. Well, Yami was tempted out of the safety of his Puzzle, that's why he couldn't run back inside at trouble. Besides, he wanted to help Yugi and he's not about to whimp out. He could've found some ghostly harem girls to keep him company, you never know! What's a millennia-old pharaoh to do?
Angelkohaku: Ouch, that crowbar hurts! *rubs head thoughtfully* Well, all we did was make Kaiba angry a bit, that's not too bad, is it? Not too different from his usual grouchy self, I must say. Yeah, Mokuba tends to say some pretty freaky things sometimes. I guess he's just a morbid little kid to Kabuki and me, we think he's cute that way. ^_^ We'll try to show mercy to Kaiba, maybe we'll make his death quick. *eg*
Excel9732: We're glad to see a new reviewer, hopefully our delay in updating hasn't turned you off to this fic too much. Well, Kabuki and I aren't making any promises on who's gonna live or die, because we're just sadistic college students who write as the mood strikes us. Lol! Thank you so much for the kind words! You're really brave to be willing to sacrifice Kaiba, though, I don't know if I could make that promise. @.@
Lil' Washu7: I hope everyone's okay too, guess you'll just have to read to find out! Remember, it's always darkest before dawn… but sometimes dawn never comes!
Mokuba Obsessie: A Mokuba fan! *cheer* Oh, the little tykes growing on us more and more. Especially after watching the Noa arc (no pun intended). *clutches imported DVDs close to chest* Miiiiinneeee…. Have you finished reading The Shining yet? Hope you continue liking him in this story, especially with Danny's role.
Spirit of the Ring: Such an enthusiastic review! Glad you like our story so much! :-)
Evilcourtney: See Seto again? Hm, is that alive or dead? You really liked the meathook creatures (very apt title, by the way)? These disturbing little guys just kinda show up in this fic somehow, don't know how they get there. Better than JK Rowling? Thank you so much!
Leland Lancaster: Don't worry, no biggie about not being able to review the last chapter. We're sorry we couldn't post faster. :-( Heehee, there's plenty of Pegasus and Moki to come, don't worry!
Gatochu: Oh, Kabuki and I totally understand school taking up too much time. Hope the suspense stays up to par, we'll work extra hard in the future to produce gut-wrenching scenes. :-)
Jherrus: Hehehe… you know, you're probably the only reviewer who thinks Kaiba should die, and we so appreciate your enthusiasm. The Inferno is one of the best tales ever written, and well, the Overlook has something in common with it we think. The roque mallet… ah, such fond memories! You know, we debated the weapon for some time. Kubrick did a great job with the bat and the axe, but the roque mallet is such fun. It really says something about the hotel itself. We're trying to do something similar, to choose weapons that reflect the environment while doing damage. You'll see what we mean.
BlackHoleSun: Well, nothing's really final in the Overlook. You never know what's going to pop up in this house of fun. Don't freak out just yet, this gang's got a loooong way to go. *eg*
Woodelf193: Aw, Croquet will hopefully find some way to stay safe. Our advice: don't read Weekend Detention in horror-prone environments. ^_^
Silet Observer: Heehee, isn't Sea Horse a funny name? Lol! Don't worry, nothing is final at the Overlook. Even death is only skin-deep.
SW: Well, we aren't expecting it to be can evil cliff hanger unfinished fic. Hope you enjoy this latest update! ^_^ Hey, it's the Overlook, it's got to be 'dead in the water' sometimes, right? Lol Well, this didn't come in time for Christmas or New Years, but hopefully you'll enjoy it if you live in the US and have this lovely 3-day weekend.
Masked Reviewer: Two times in a row? You must really have enjoyed this fic! *blushes profusely* We're really amazed you like this story so much – it's just a past time hobby for the two of us. :-)
Queen-Of-Demon-Dragons: Back from the grave? Did you visit the Overlook while you were gone? *s* Don't worry, we're continuing as fast as we can. Don't bring out the evil egg-tossers, please??
Destiny's Dragon: Don't worry, we're writing! Horror is our specialty!
Well, that's the last of the reviews. Hope you enjoy this latest update! And please remember to leave these hungry writers some feedback. ^_^
Love, Blood, and Gore
Kabuki & Lena
**********
Chapter 23:
Joey backed away on shaky legs, his mind reeling from the brutality of what he'd just seen. Croquet had been laid out, his body crumpled to the ground with as little movement as a rag doll, the wound on the side of his head already bleeding freely. The blond boy fought to steady his spaghetti legs, he knew he had to pay attention. Something was attacking Croquet - he couldn't just black out after how nice the guy had been, saving him from the massive rabid hedges outside. The person who'd done it stood like an ominous shadow just beyond the thin shred of light emanating from the fire. The man held in his hands some long object that seemed wider at the end nearest the floor. The murder weapon, Joey thought before he shook his head in a failed attempt to clear the foggy haze that refused to leave him. Croquet couldn't be dead. The blow was hard, if Joey was any judge, but the muscular bodyguard couldn't have been killed that easily. Croquet was badly injured and suddenly Joey wondered exactly how old the man must be. His eyes darted down to the collapsed heap at his feet, the dim gleam of the pool of blood growing slightly by the grey hair. Forty? Fifty? Could a fifty year old man survive a hit like that? A cold fear clutched Joey's heart as his eyes grew wide. Either way, Joey had been in enough fights to know when to mend wounds. There was no way to be certain of Croquet's condition until he first dealt with the attacker.
Joey steeled himself. If he was about to engage in a fight for his life, a dizzy spell could leave him just as vulnerable as the middle-aged man now sprawled upon the parquet floor. He glanced around furtively for a weapon, anything that could help him ward away his attacker, but nothing presented itself unless he was willing to heft one of the antique wooden chairs. He was still far too weak. There was the poker near the hearth, however, and Joey eyed it perhaps too hopefully. He'd almost bashed Tea and Yugi with that same weapon earlier that night. He knew the weight of the thin iron tool, and though his whole body felt like it'd been made into a jell-o mold, he knew that he could summon the strength to lift it and perhaps scare the attacker away. He might even be able to get a hit in if he kept focused long enough.
The shadowy figure stepped forward, the hollow sound of heavy boots clunking upon the wooden floor, and Joey visibly jumped as the sound rattled his already shaky nerves. He was wasting time with thoughts, he'd have to move fast to grab the poker before his shadowy assailant could make his move. He grit his teeth, already tasting the way his muscles would scream at the sudden movement.
"Where do you think you're going, mutt?"
Joey paused in mid leap, his bloodshot eyes turning wide at the familiar voice. He knew that voice; this was no stranger that stood before him, no ghostly assailant, but a person of skin and bone - and a student of Domino High. The heeled boots, the height of the man, the way he rested the weapon in his hands, and that damn cocky voice. It could only be one person. "Kaiba?!"
The low laughter that slithered toward him made Joey shudder. "I'd hoped you would recognize your master, pup! It's very obedient of you to pay attention when I speak, and beg when I say so."
"What the hell's wrong with you Kaiba?! Why'd you bash Croquet with a … whatever you've got?"
"Hn, you mean this?" Kaiba lifted the snow shovel with a gleam in his icy blue eyes and chuckled, a small splatter of blood gleaming on the metal blade. "He shouldn't be snooping around where he isn't wanted, mutt, and neither should you. Not that I mean to interrupt your plans. Go ahead - I'm curious to see how fast a blundering idiot can move when the pressure's on." Kaiba rested the large shovel on his shoulder like a bayonet.
Joey shifted his gaze to the poker and then back to Kaiba again, realizing with a sinking feeling that he'd never heard the CEO laugh so much in all his life. "The guy just helped me outta a bad situation there, buddy. He's on our side!"
"Really? Hn, that comes as no surprise. But tell me, exactly which side are you on -- mine … or Pegasus'?"
"Whoa, what d'ya mean?"
Kaiba chuckled again. "My side. You know, the right side. Stupid little mutt, do I have to explain everything? Or are you just playing dumb with me?" Kaiba's maniacal smile sent shivers down Joey's spine.
"I don't know what you're talkin' about! You just pummeled Croquet! For all we know, the guy might be dead! A fist fight's one thing, but using weapons like that? Kaiba, you could go to jail!" Joey took a step back, moving slowly toward the poker that he kept within his peripheral vision.
"I think we're beyond their jurisdiction. Don't you, pup?"
With that, Kaiba charged forward, his eyes glinting like hot coals in the blazing firelight. Joey recognized something he'd never seen before in the azure depths, something primal enough to strike a chord of terror despite his weary mind. There was no way he could know what the Overlook was doing to Kaiba, how it was twisting him, forcing him to do its bidding through an elaborate show of deceit, drawing on his own inherent distrust to forge his mind into a mad beast capable of murder on a beautifully grand scale.
Joey had no time to consider the reasoning of his tormentor. Seto Kaiba reminded him of a raging bull the way he rushed him, the style completely unlike the torrential beating he'd received earlier. Kaiba usually didn't use strength as much as speed in a head on battle, but this time he seemed like an entirely different person, charging with hardly any forethought. Joey had an instant to consider their physical differences, weighing his opponent like a well-trained sniper. He knew his own strengths and weaknesses; he couldn't shake off the remaining chill from outside, the numerous cuts and bruises that pocked his body like a patchwork quilt. Kaiba on the other hand was lean and long-legged, well-toned and fueled by rage. Though both boys were almost equally wounded and obviously exhausted, Kaiba seemed oblivious to his injuries while Joey felt his all too keenly. The blond knew in an instant that he was outmatched. There was no other choice but to lunge, gritting his teeth against the streak of pain that flared. He grasped the poker from its resting place near the hearth with frosty fingers as he prepared to do battle to the death. His breath came in shuddering gasps, the poker wavering dangerously as the firelight flared with the passing of a heat-licked log, the shadows throwing the clash of wills on the wall, making the two opponents seem like giants.
Joey lunged forward with the expertise of a street thug, handling the poker more like a dagger as he aimed for his opponent's midsection. Kaiba didn't pause for an instant, holding the giant snow shovel high over his head like a gruesome trophy, leaving his body open for impact. If Joey struck fast enough, he could finish Kaiba once and for all. No more dog insults, no more of his snide attacks, no more of his damn cocky attitude. Kaiba rose up to deal the debilitating blow while unwittingly exposing himself, the firelight unveiled his face and Joey felt the breath catch in his throat. He would never have thought of himself as a very good acquaintance to Seto Kaiba, nor as a professional on how the businessman kept himself, but the gruesome visage that he beheld made Joey stop in his tracks. Kaiba's stern blue eyes had deep circles beneath their gleam, numerous scratched littered the man's face like a war zone. Evidence of a massive head injury still remained as a thick stream of dried blood on one side of his face. As much hatred as he held for Kaiba, he couldn't help but pity the man that stood before him. It would be so easy, but Joey simply couldn't commit murder, especially not on a man that wasn't in his right mind.
Relying on his battle instincts, Joey crouched to the ground and rolled onto his shoulder to avoid the devastating blow that thundered throughout the foyer as the snow shovel hit the solid wood floor. The blond was certainly glad he had avoided that. Joey got to his feet and spun around only to find the cold blue eyes facing him once more. Never would he have anticipated the sudden way Kaiba recovered his footing and struck. Joey barely had time to register the pain in his hand before the poker clattered to the floor, the shovel held at eye level. The blond sank to his knees, his body too exhausted to pretend anymore. He looked down at his injured hand, a red patch forming that would later become a sizable bruise. "Kaiba, why're you doin' this? This isn't like you, man, and I know better. I'll be honest with ya, you look like shit. I don't know what's happened to you in this place, but - "
The taller boy leered. "Silence, pup!" Then he gestured with the shovel to Croquet's still form, a shadowed lump in the firelight. "Pick him up."
"What? You gotta be kiddin' me!"
"Pick. Him. Up."
The absence of emotion in the depths of his blue eyes made Joey scramble to obey as best he could. There was obviously no questioning Kaiba, and though Joey had no idea what could have caused such a snap, at the moment he didn't have much time to think on it. He kept his protests to himself and tried to grunt as little as possible as he attempted to lift the larger man to no avail. His muscles screamed in pain, shaking in utter exhaustion as he dropped Croquet unceremoniously to the floor. He felt so bad, hadn't the poor guy been through enough? "Ugh, he's too heavy!"
"Then drag him, mutt!"
"Why can't you do it, man!? You know, you're responsible for doin' this to him. He could be walkin' at the moment - savin' us all a lot of trouble. Didn't plan this out too well did you?"
Kaiba stared wordlessly, and for a split second Joey prepared to join Croquet on the floor like a couple of drive-by victims; however Kaiba merely chuckled to himself, his low tenor taking on an especially disturbing quality as it echoed within the vaulted ceiling of the lobby. "Do it for you, pup? I guess I could do it for you. Hell, I could even make the whole thing a lot easier." He smirked as he approached the worn blond duelist, and though Joey was no psychic, the feeling emanating from the cold-hearted bastard was stranger than normal … almost inhuman. It was sheer instinct that urged Joey to back away from the other boy, as though he had some incurable plague.
Kaiba hovered on the verge of the firelight like a pale wraith, partially illuminated by the thick shadows just beyond the scope of the hearth where Croquet lay. "I'll give you a hand, pup. How about two?" He cocked his head to the side as though this was all a joke, and aimed the end of the shovel to one of Croquet's exposed wrists, his eyes glittering maliciously as he watched Joey blanch. "Which one do you want first? The right or the left. I've always been rather right-brained myself. Besides, it'll make him easier to carry… just a few extra pieces that's all. First the hands, then the shoulder, then the head of course - that's ten pounds off. I wouldn't want to burden you. How's that, Wheeler? Will that help?"
"No!" Joey shook his head earnestly, "I'm tellin' ya the guy helped me out! Ya see I was in the snowstorm and the hedges came ta life and -"
Seto grinned like a madman, "And?"
Joey swallowed hard, he knew enough to keep his mouth shut, and he lowered his eyes reluctantly, mention of Pegasus now might send Kaiba into a blind rage. He was bad enough to deal with now. Kaiba didn't seem to recognize the bodyguard from Duelist Kingdom, and Joey reasoned that perhaps since Kaiba had been so intent on his brother, there hadn't been time to notice Pegasus' trusted security guard. If he could keep Kaiba from realizing Pegasus was here, maybe the wacky bastard could come up with some kind of a plan.
The rules had changed drastically in their little game, and Joey was quick to realize there was no bantering allowed in a life or death situation. His only chance was to stall the guy and hopefully calm him down before anyone else got hurt. He thought of Tea and Yugi, probably still upstairs cleaning the third floor, and he knew that allowing Kaiba to go up there would be a mistake. Then he thought of Mokuba. Joey was never one to apologize for his mistakes - except to his closest friends. The thought of having to suck up to Seto Kaiba just made Joey want to puke, but what about Mokuba? What would happen if the kid ever saw his big brother like this? Even though it went against Joey's principles, he knew he had to keep Kaiba distracted as long as possible. It was the only thing he could do, and he knew that if Yugi were in his place he would have more options. He'd be able to talk some sense into Kaiba. But his best friend wasn't here, and now more than ever Joey wished for his aid. Joey wasn't exactly Kaiba's favorite person, but if he could maybe calm the guy down enough there might be a chance to peacefully sort things out … when Joey could get a good right cross in at the right time, that is.
With a smirk Kaiba lowered the shovel and shrugged. "Looks like dogs have bad memories. Now drag him!"
Though he had serious reservations about obeying a lunatic, Joey moved to do as he'd been told. The first task was the gun - what should he do with it? He considered swiping it and shooting Kaiba, but he'd never been too keen with a firearm and his reflexes were already shot from the battle with the bushes outside. There was nothing he could do without Kaiba seeing, so he kicked the gun aside into the darkness of the collapsed stairs, hoping that somehow it would be too deep in the rubble for Kaiba to bother with. Joey didn't need Kaiba packing a gun, the guy was dangerous enough without it. When the towering figure made no comment, Joey grasped Croquet's limp and calloused hands in his own and began to drag him backwards slowly, grunting at each step. It felt as though his arms and back had been cut open, a grave possibility after the near mutilation he'd suffered outside, but the silent threat of the snow shovel kept Joey motivated. Every now and then he glanced at Seto Kaiba, his blue eyes unusually cold, like hard pebbles set into the marble paleness of his face. There was the usual snooty air about him, but something wasn't right. More than his actions, something in Kaiba's eyes made Joey want to give comfort somehow, despite the fact that the elder boy normally despised him. No amount of ridicule could compare to the strangely flaring madness located behind those glimmering blue orbs, and Joey began to regret all those taunts he'd so casually thrown at Kaiba in the past. Somehow he knew that Kaiba was not in control of his actions, his eyes betrayed it.
As Joey dragged the fallen bodyguard in the direction Kaiba had indicated, a sudden crunch beneath his feet broke the stillness. Curious despite the circumstances, Joey glanced down and was surprised to see pieces of metal, banged up so badly they looked like the remains of a shrapnel explosion. "What's all this stuff?"
"Nothing really. I put an end to an old problem. Keep to your task, dog!"
Joey frowned. He didn't really want to drag poor old Croquet over the stuff. It looked pretty sharp, and even though Joey was dead tired, the bodyguard had rescued him. He'd helped to save his life, and a good deed was something the blond just couldn't ignore; but there really wasn't anything he could do. The longer he procrastinated, the more likely Kaiba was to put that snow shovel to his throat. The blade was wickedly sharp, made for breaking through ice to lift snow from a path. With enough force applied, the wide spade could be deadly if aimed at a particularly delicate area. The way Kaiba wielded the thing, Joey was beginning to think his Adam's apple had a target painted on it. "But where'd it all come from?"
Kaiba frowned. "I don't have time for you, mutt! Get moving before I tire of you even more!"
There was little Joey could do but oblige, wincing as he began to drag Croquet through the debris. He tried to sweep the shards out of the way with one foot, but his body ached so much already and the dizziness was so extreme that the tactic was all but useless. His fingers were already numb from overexposure to the cold wind, and every movement of the aching joints made the pain flare up. It wasn't pleasant, but at least he knew his hands weren't frostbitten. With great difficulty he dragged the heavy body past the stairs and near the ominous shadowy door he knew led to the basement. His mind was still foggy, though, and he was too immersed in noticing for the first time how peaceful the old guy was when he wasn't grunting orders instead of realizing what Kaiba had planned. It was the sign of a victim of delirium, but Joey had no one to diagnose him. When he noticed a particularly large chunk of metal out of the corner of his eye, though, the words came before he could think. "Hey, that's the radio Yugi and I found!" He turned, huffing and shaking in exhaustion. "Why'd ya bash it up, dumbass! We could'a used it ta call for help!"
Kaiba didn't respond to the question, beckoning past Joey to the basement door. "Open it up, Jo-Jo, else this shovel will have a new warm home."
"You selfish little prick! I don't care if you have gone ape shit, ya could think about everyone else once in a while! What about Mokuba, huh?"
A flicker of remorse flashed through Kaiba's features, and Joey had a spark of hope that perhaps he could reach the Dragon Master beneath this cold shell. However the expression melted away almost as soon as it appeared. "My brother is very resourceful, Wheeler. He has his own way of finding help, of which I'm certain he explained to you."
"What the hell're you talkin' about?"
"The little whelp's been associating with the enemy, it seems. He's been telling him things, secret things that others should not know about." Kaiba's vision seemed to glaze over as he considered his own words, then he blinked, a razor smile slicing across his face. "You thought you could replace me, Wheeler? You're nothing but a pile of dog shit to me. I'll wipe you from my boots without a second thought, and you won't be able to soil my brother again."
"What the hell are you talkin' about?!"
"You know damn well what I mean. Now move!"
Joey would have questioned more, but the look in Kaiba's eyes made him reconsider mentioning Mokuba again - or anything else for that matter. "What're you gonna do? I told ya the guy helped me out. He saved my life!"
"What a waste of time that must have been. Open the door, Wheeler, before I throw you through it!"
"Why? I thought you said there weren't any stairs?"
Kaiba snarled. "Stop back-talking, mutt! Don't make me do anything too drastic … it'd be your own suicide."
Joey sighed. He didn't really have the strength to argue despite knowing that Kaiba had something terrible planned. "Haven't ya done enough? Look, if it's me ya want, deal with me instead of -"
"Oh, you're making me sick! Just open the goddamned door!"
Reluctantly Joey obeyed, the wooden door opening slowly with a long, drawn out squeal from the aged hinges. It was a half-sized door, and Joey couldn't squat to peer into the darkness without the fear that his knees would give out. "What's down there?"
The shovel in his back made Joey's eyes go wide as Kaiba's guttural voice rose to his ears. "Throw him in."
"What? No way, man! I don't know how deep it is, he'll be killed! And besides, there's no stairs! You told us about how they fell in but you never said how you got … out …" Joey whirled on the demented Dragon Master, heedless of the metallic threat at his belly. "Did you plan this from the start, is that why ya never told us anything, huh? God damn you, Kaiba, I don't wanna believe that but yer not givin' me much choice here! Tell me yer jokin', ok? Tell me this is all in fun and we'll be cool about it." Kaiba's face remained impassive, only incensing Joey all the more. "Damn it, you can't mean that! I can't just throw someone in there!"
"I figured as much. You're in league with Pegasus. I knew it from the moment I saw you talking to Mokuba behind my back. Well, you did a pretty poor job of hiding it. Obviously the dog needs more obedience training."
Joey sighed. The dog jokes again, but they were a sign that maybe Kaiba was still the same deep down - or at least he hoped so. "Look, Kaiba, I'm not workin' for Pegasus. Why would I? It's not like I -" He stopped in mid sentence as Kaiba placed one long-fingered hand against his chest. For the first time, Joey realized he was standing quite close to the door and the yawning darkness of the basement. No stairs, he thought, and he began to panic. "Ok, I'll do it, Kaiba, but I'll make you sorry if he's hurt!"
Kaiba removed his hand with a sly smile. "I think we both know the pain is inevitable."
Sadly Joey looked at the unconscious face of Croquet. The guy really didn't deserve this, but what other choice was there? Somehow Joey had to keep Kaiba away from the others. He didn't want to find out what would happen if Kaiba decided to take out his dueling frustrations on poor Yugi. He grunted and grit his teeth again, pushing the helpless bodyguard toward the doorway. He didn't want to, God he didn't want to, but he told himself there wasn't any other choice. It was a sick decision to make, and though some would judge his action harshly, for Joey at the time there was nothing else he could do.
Croquet's feet dangled over the threshold, and as his knees folded downward Joey was reminded of how the older man had helped him over the threshold of the hotel only moments before. He wished he'd been nicer to the guy. He hoped that the fall wouldn't hurt him too badly, ignoring the fact that an ordinary fall of the sort would normally kill a person. "Kaiba please…"
"Stop whimpering! I'll lop his head clean off here and now if you don't do as I say!"
That was incentive enough, and Joey pushed Croquet a little more, the weight of his legs and lower abdomen teetering him over the edge of the doorway and straight down, swallowed by the darkness. Joey rushed forward, crouching despite his screaming muscles to peer into the dark. "Oh man, what've I done!" Farther down in the pitch black he heard the sound of something heavy landing and tears began to sting his eyes.
"Exactly what I wanted, mutt." With a grin, Kaiba removed the shovel from Joey's back. He lifted up one leg and kicked Joey hard in the rear. Joey cried out as the boot connected with his backside, the darkness beginning to yawn in front of him like the throat of hell itself. The blond vanished into the basement the same way as the bodyguard, the only evidence of their presence being a bloody smear across the floor and a path through the radio's debris. Kaiba chuckled, slamming the door to the basement with a satisfying slam and shouldering his weapon, "Good boy."
*****
Pegasus cursed for the umpteenth time as he waded through the snowstorm. The wetness had soaked through his pants and coat, and the cold wind had ravaged him worse than he'd care to admit. He wondered what Mokuba had been going on about, why he wouldn't be allowed to go back into the hotel. What was that kid's problem anyway? Didn't he realize it was deathly cold outside? Besides, Mokuba hadn't paid cash for the damned place.
The surge of the boy's telepathic power had been extremely helpful in locating the Overlook. He placed one gloved hand to his forehead, wondering if the wound was worse than he'd thought. He'd recovered most of his equilibrium, but his sixth sense had been rather hazy. Communicating with Mokuba had helped. Though the boy had been cut off, Pegasus was still able to move in the general direction of the Overlook without being able to actually see much of anything besides the blizzard. He did, however, watch his step closely. He doubted there was more than one well on the property, however there was no telling what other unseen dangers lay in wait beneath the thick blanket of snow. The best he could do would be to watch his steps and tread cautiously. If it hadn't been for the goggles Croquet had insistently packed, Pegasus would have been completely blind in the whiteout.
Unexpectedly the wind died down, and Pegasus was able to see a little better. The side of the hotel loomed before him; a giant wall cloaked in shadow the structure itself seemed to exude foreboding. A quiet sound drifted on the wind, unsettling as white noise. There were varied pitches and tones, no rhythm or direct sounds that he could cling to in such a strange mixture that Pegasus cocked his head to the side. Voices, he realized with a small skip of his heartbeat as his head wound began to throb painfully. For an instant a flare of excitement filled him as a smile began to form on his lips. The sound was odd, but not unlike something akin to psychic static. Mokuba must have been trying to contact him again, and Pegasus lowered his guard a little, straining to zero in on the source of the sound. In response, however, the white noise became louder, and in consequence more familiar. Pegasus tried to throw his shields back into place, but the Overlook had other plans. It assaulted him viciously, throwing a cacophony of moans and shrieks, human suffering at its finest, forged into a keen weapon fit to pierce the sanity of the unsuspecting. Instinctively he clutched his snow-covered gloves over his ears trying to escape from the sound, but the voices persisted. He narrowed his eyes as he forced his concentration inwards, into his psychic barriers he'd learned to create so long ago when he'd stayed with Shadi in Egypt. They were brittle things by comparison to what Mokuba might manifest with enough practice, but he knew they'd be enough to ward off the assault.
Just as he'd hoped, the voices melted into humming whispers. The murmurings were ever present as he made his way to the frozen wall of the Overlook, and he didn't doubt that they would always be an unwelcome companion during this night, but hopefully he'd be able to get everyone out of the accursed place before dawn. It was strange, he hadn't felt such a psychic assault during his previous visits to the Hotel, even when he'd first discovered the dilapidated old wreck he hadn't experienced any kind of attack. In fact, the only real danger he'd ever been in was when he was drawn upstairs alone…
He sighed, realizing with a quick glance around the external features of the building that he must have circled around in his delirious path and ended up on the backside of the Overlook. On the long plane ride, Pegasus had looked up the blueprints for the Overlook on his laptop, attempting to familiarize himself as much as possible with the layout. Yes, he had expected danger – but if what had happened to Joey Wheeler earlier was any indication of what the night had to offer, Pegasus wondered if even he had been short-sighted on what they truly faced. The only way inside would have been through a small service door that lead to the kitchen, but he knew that that entrance had long ago been bricked up. However, even though his array of scanned blueprints had laid everything out in nice blue and white detail, there was no way of knowing which direction would bring him closer to the entrance. He cursed, kicking the wall in frustration. The blizzard was getting worse, if such a thing were possible, and if he traveled too far astray, there was no telling what might lay beneath the deceivingly smooth snow beneath his feet. Construction crews had been on location off and on at Pegasus' whim to remodel the building. There had been numerous accidents, and he'd had to go through several different companies to get the remodeling under way. In fact he'd been searching for a new company when Domino High School had sent him the option to have students come in to keep the place up. It seemed like a purely logical idea at the time: keep the place clean while new workers were brought in. Only now Pegasus wished he'd thought through everything before latching onto the idea of cheap labor.
He couldn't wander too far away from the Hotel. Construction crews were notorious for leaving dangerous objects lying around, and he truly didn't want to chance mutilating himself on some unseen handsaw, ice pick, or wood chipper. The only thing he could think of was to follow the wall until he came across some stairs. Randomly he chose to head to the left. He felt the wall beneath his thick gloves, the solidity of the stone rather comforting as he began to move around the edge of the hotel. Though he might be going in the wrong direction, at least he was at the Overlook, and surely that accounted for something. The movement through the snow was exhausting and his pace exceedingly slow. He would have killed for a pair of snowshoes at the very least. His legs had begun aching quite soon after he'd cleared the well.
Pegasus could slowly feel his limbs growing numb. The wind had picked up again quite quickly after he'd found the hotel, and each gust seemed to freeze another section of his body. As soon as he was inside, he promised himself, he would grab that extra set of clothes he'd spied in the satchel that Croquet had given him and change as quickly as possible. Despite Pegasus' determination and steadfast resolve to reach the duelists, the longer he spent outside the more his resolve wavered. His mind wandered as he tried to distract himself from the biting cold and prevent exhaustion from taking hold, and his thoughts inadvertently fell upon those not so distant days at Duelist Kingdom – the tournament that had filled his tiny island with a swarm of eager duelists and the excitement that had welled up in his heart not only at the prospect of hosting his first tournament, but also the thought of once again being reunited with his one true love.
True, there had been a few sacrifices that had to be made; but surely his desperation for his dear Cecelia was far more critical than the pangs of fear that capturing Sugoroku Muto could have spurred in little Yugi. At least Yugi-boy had retained hope of seeing his grandfather alive and well, and had even been able to keep the soulless shell as a comfort. Pegasus bitterly recalled the pang of loss that had resonated through him when Yugi, in a brilliant strategical move, had at last determined the winner of the duel. For Pegasus, the reunion with his lost love was never to be, for a small group of duelists had been utterly determined to keep him forever separated from his beloved Cecelia - in fact, the same duelists that he now felt he must rescue. Why do they deserve this, he thought spitefully. Why should I rush to their aid when they barely even noticed my disappearance after Duelist Kingdom? After that damned Bakura ripped my eye out?!
He found renewed energy with his anger, and after promptly deciding to give little Yugi Moto a piece of his mind when he finally reached the inside of the architectural monstrosity, his foot struck something hard and he nearly fell into an unceremonious pile of snow. He caught his balance at the last minute, as his senses told him something powerful was nearby. He steeled himself for another spectral encounter, but the attack never came, and no matter how hard he listened there was no sound other than the moan of wind taking a sharp corner at the edges of the hotel. He reached out tentatively, still unsure of his telepathic prowess without the Millennium Eye, and of what the spirits of the hotel might do if they found this tiny stirring of psychic strength. However, even though his telepathic senses went unnoticed by the Overlook, what he suddenly felt shocked him. Innocence, desperation, and … something a bit too familiar. An ancient power somehow familiar in his mind … sand and the Eye of Horus… a Millennium Item?
"Yugi-boy?!"
Without hesitation his former thoughts of vengeance were forgotten as he began to dig through the snow. Layer upon layer had formed, but it wasn't long before his gloved hands encountered something long and pointed. Pegasus stroked it curiously, imagining it to be part of a tree before he realized it was little Yugi Moto's hair, frozen solid in the snow. Pegasus pulled back his goggles to stare in shock at the prone form. Yugi was as pale as death, his eyes shut and his blue tinged body instinctively curled in a fetal position. There was a trail of frozen blood at his temple, and for the life of him Pegasus couldn't imagine how the boy had found his way outside. Pegasus yanked one of his gloves free and reached forward, stroking the boy's pale cheek before feeling his throat. The pulse was faint, but consistent.
Without hesitation Pegasus lifted the tiny body in his arms, holding him close to his chest as he continued along the wall of the hotel. He was about to move on when a strange glimmer caught his eye. The Puzzle had somehow fallen loose, nestled in the snow near where its owner had fallen. For an instant Pegasus was conflicted - he'd tried so hard to claim the Millennium Puzzle, and now fate had somehow thought fit to place the item within easy reach. The thought of dumping Yugi Moto in the snow, leaving him to fate and claiming the Puzzle for himself tempted his desperate mind. He remembered his purpose, the mission he'd sworn himself to so long ago, and for an instant he wavered, the glint of the metal so beguiling to his lovelorn gaze. It would be so easy…
Pegasus scowled and knelt in the snow, picking up the Puzzle and draping it carefully around little Yugi's slim neck, the metallic chinks of the chain seemingly too bulky for such a frail creature. "Perhaps… Perhaps I am a bit crazy, and most certainly eccentric at times, Yugi-boy, but I'm no killer. I lost to you honorably … I won't stoop to petty theft … not now."
The boy only moaned a little in response, his wind-chapped lips cracking at the slight motion. Pegasus winced and held the boy close to his chest, protecting Yugi as much as possible from the ravages of the wind. With a grunt the slim man struggled to his feet, his pale charge nuzzled against his snowy parka as Pegasus continued alongside the wall of the massive hotel. The cold was taking its toll on him, but he was determined to reach safety - he now had someone other than himself to think about for the moment. If he'd harbored any further doubts about the genuine danger posed by the Overlook, all were dispersed with Mokuba's telepathic connection cut short and Yugi Moto near-frozen in the blizzard. Something horrible was amiss, and Pegasus knew with utmost certainty that his help was needed, that somehow he must atone for his grave error in judgment. Though he might resent Yugi Moto for his victory, Pegasus was not by nature a cruel man. He'd known an innocent time once much like Yugi and his friends, and though the wickedest of thoughts had passed through his mind briefly, he would never honestly consider leaving the boy to certain death.
Moving more slowly with his unconscious charge, Pegasus struggled along his set course, the snow already high as his knees and growing more difficult by the moment to manage. The wall seemed endless, blotted out in the white and darkness of night so that with every step Pegasus felt the old despair gnawing at his soul. If only his snowmobile hadn't been destroyed, he though sardonically as he struggled through a particularly dense snowdrift, Yugi might stand a better chance of survival. He questioned his own motives the entire time as his legs grew numb with the cold, his bones chilled in the wet snow, and his motions became mechanical, unthinking. He barely noticed when the corner of the hotel loomed dimly in his view, scarce as an erased pencil mark on white paper. He rounded it with grim determination, snarling a little in the back of his throat. Had Yugi been awake to hear the sound, he might have thought the older man was preparing to murder him.
The time passed even more sluggishly after that, and though the wind seemed to gain momentum with every passing step, Pegasus knew he had to reach the hotel safely. A jittering panic had been born in his mind, and the shock of seeing little Yugi Moto of all people helpless and abandoned to the grim disposition of the elements wouldn't leave him. Of all the people housed in the Overlook, Yugi had been the last person Pegasus would have expected to literally stumble upon. The devotion the boy garnered from his friends was evident to even the most surly of men, and Pegasus knew that on top of that the boy had been surrounded by trusting companions - certainly no one he had cause to fear. Even the notoriously frigid Seto Kaiba had taken a strange sort of liking to the boy, so surely none of the students boarding in the Overlook could be responsible for leaving Yugi-boy in a blinding snowstorm. He glanced down at the crimson wound on Yugi's head, surely it was some evidence of a blow to the skull, but only Croquet could identify that for sure. Combined with the boy's improper garb for snowy weather Pegasus couldn't figure how Yugi had made it outside. He looked as though some assailant had struck him, but how could that be? Had Yugi been chased by something he feared more than the deadly weather? And if that was the case, why hadn't the attacker taken the Millennium Puzzle? To Pegasus, that would be the only logical motive for trying to kill Yugi.
Pegasus knew the Overlook could be cruel, his memory involuntarily retrieving the unwanted images as human minds are wont to do, memories of his first and final visit without the aid of Croquet. He'd thought to examine the upper levels and, on a whim, had been coaxed into entering a particular room on the second floor. He'd been amazed to see the bedroom perfectly preserved, and a woman … her smile diseased as a stagnant sewer.
He gasped, clenching his eye shut and holding the small boy closer to his chest. He'd been foolish to think that anyone would be able to remain in the Overlook Hotel for an entire weekend, isolated and cut off from the world like hapless refugees. He wondered what kind of madness had held him in its firm grip. "Yugi-boy, when we get out of this mess, remind me that I have a great deal of apologizing to do."
Though his body was weakening drastically, Pegasus' senses were still relatively keen. He heard a strange whistling sound, like wind whipping around a particularly sharp corner of stone. It took the end of the wall and a few extra moments for his wind-numbed mind to realize he'd reached another edge of the hotel. For good or for ill, he'd fumbled around to the front of the masonry monstrosity. If he was lucky, the entrance would soon appear in his hampered vision. He peered steadily forward, willing his legs to move as he clutched Yugi in shaking arms. The wind shifted as he made the turn, pummeling the right side of his face mercilessly as he eased forward, compelling his body to move by sheer force of will. He was determined to reach the entrance, and indignantly he plunged forward, his gaze never wavering, expecting the stairs to materialize at any moment. What a foolish way to die, he thought, and what a perfectly good waste of time this trip would be. He'd have flown the whole way only to meet his own death - how idiotic. Surely there was still some cause to expect a good turn of fortune.
Perhaps simply as a lucky coincidence, Pegasus began to make out a blurred form, grey and wavering in the snowy distance. His heart leapt to his throat, and with a low growl he willed his body to pick up the pace, plowing with fresh determination through the snowy embankments. So close, it would be folly to give up when he was so close. Absently he wondered just how far he'd been thrown off course by his mad snowmobile stunt and the explosion that followed, not to mention the delay.
As the pillars and railing of the great main stairs, sunken and unfamiliar in the snow as an alien landscape began to grow clearer, Pegasus began to realize the snow was less deep, as though it had been packed down beneath the weight of other wanderers. Not for the first time he wondered after Croquet's safety, but the packed snow was surely promising. Pegasus reconciled himself to Yugi for the moment. He had to be sure the boy was safe before worrying about anyone else. Besides, Croquet was a trained professional in these sorts of circumstances - well, the living circumstance of course, not the spectral disembodiments or the giant hedge-animals or dead children talking in wells… well, perhaps he did have cause to worry after his bodyguard…
When he gripped the sturdy oak railing for the first time, Pegasus almost didn't believe his own senses. He held the rail tightly for a moment, regaining his bearings before carefully making his way up the stairs. They were hidden beneath a layer of snow, and the back and forth travel of visitors had left the lower layers firm and icy, smooth and dangerous. Pegasus felt his feet skid multiple times as he mounted the stairway, and the addition of Yugi was no small burden. The boy was heavy, rather small for his age but still a teenager. Pegasus had to hold on for dear life as he nearly lost his footing more than once. When he finally reached the double doors, the handle turned easily, opening into darkness.
Pegasus took a few shuddering breaths, readjusting the boy in his arms as he fumbled for the backpack Croquet had given him. To think the man had packed a grappling hook of all things, but the important detail now was something Pegasus had spied earlier. It took a moment for his numbed and gloved fingers to grasp the smooth cylindrical metal, and even longer for him to find the switch, but then the room was filled with halogen lighting, the best money could buy. Pegasus stumbled into the deserted room, his amber gaze darting about for any sign of life. "Hello? Olly olly oxenfree!"
Something deep in the pit of his stomach told him that it might not be a very good idea to call aloud in such an eerie place, but he pushed such fears aside. There were more important matters at hand. Sighing in frustration, he clomped his way to the fireplace, his legs still unaccustomed to moving on a firm floor. He placed Yugi carefully in one of the numerous armchairs, and then turned to start a warm fire. "Don't worry, Yugi-boy. They might have abandoned you, but I certainly won't. Let's get a nice fire going so…"
Pegasus aimed the halogen beam directly into the fireplace, the white light gleamed across a large pile of snow. "What in the world?" He turned the flashlight from side to side, scouring the seemingly empty foyer for any sign of life. "Why would someone…?"
The same pit of dread struck him as before as he scanned the deserted foyer. With the weather as bad as it was outside, why wouldn't everyone in the hotel be sitting around the grand fireplace? Surely when Croquet had arrived with Joey Wheeler there had been some commotion. Where was everyone? More importantly, why would they have piled snow in the fireplace? Pegasus knelt, peering at the logs beneath in utter confusion. The longs beneath had been recently lighted, the snow having melted quickly in places, indicating that someone had made several trips to douse the flames. The bricks were still warm, radiating ghostly heat. In any case the fireplace couldn't be used now. It would take too long to get fresh, dry wood for a fire. He gathered the limp body of Yugi into his arms again, his gaze untrusting of the solid walls around him, expecting the worst as he gathered the cold body to his chest. "Don't worry, Yugi," his voice had dropped down to a whisper, as he moved quickly across the room in the direction of the kitchen. "I'll think of something."