Melting
Chapter 17
Akefia picked up his cell phone and texted Malik. 'watch for phase three in the news tomorrow. :)'
Malik look at his phone... he was terrified, What had he done... He was going to have to warn someone... but warn them about what...
THE NEXT DAY!
Seto walked Ashley to work on his way to his appointment at Devlin Co. He kissed her and said goodbye to her at the diner. "Good Luck babe." She said as she bid Seto good bye. "See you at 9:30 when im done work." Ashley rushed in and put on her apron and started work.
Seto headed to the interveiw with Devlin. He wasnt looking forward to it after all, Devlin had been his rival for many years... But he needed a job... He needed to be able to support himself and Ashley. Maybe they could get a place together, get married...
Seto smiled at the thoughts... maybe...
It was afternoon break at Rae and Ryous school. Rae and Ryou were haveing coffee in the break room. "after school could you take this invitation over to Ashleys for me." She slid an envelope over to Ryou. "Its and invte to my bridal tea im haveing next week, Im going to choose my bridesmaids there."
"Sure thing Darling." Ryou said and smiled. He kissed her on the cheek just before the bell went and they returned to their classes.
Akefia smirked as he watched the TV at the pub, he was waiting for the news to hit... He looked at the clock. 4:30 was the time he decided, after finding out that Kaiba had an interveiw at Devlin Co he figured 4:30 should give him ample time to return to his residence. He looked at the clock... only 5 more minutes.
...
4:29
A happy blonde haired woman is humming a tune serving tables in a diner 12 blocks from her home. She is thinking about her boyfrind and their dinner plans tonight that she hopes will be a celebration for him getting a
job...
A dark haired man walks through a door in an appartment building, he walks through the entranceway and into the living room and heads toward the balcony...
A light haired man makes his way to that same appartment and knocks on the door... no one answers so he opens the mail slot to drop an invitation through...
...
4:30 text delivered ' ... :)'
BOOM
The city shakes, Ashley and several others run out of the diner to see what has happened. She looks around and sees a plume of black smoke riseing from the area near her apartment complex.
There is chaos in the streets, People are running and screaming. Ashley runs back inside and asks her boss if she can leave early. He nods and she rushes out into the street. She starts running towards her appartment building. It takes her almost an hour to get there running at full speed, she is exhausted and shaking. She looks up to see her building in ruins... She picks up her phone and dials the cell she had just got for Seto that morning...
/ring/ring/... You have reached a voicemail box that has not yet been set up. Please try your call again...
He would have been home by now... Ashley colapses to the ground... A paramedic rushes over to her... "Miss are you ok?" "Miss"
Ashley sobbs, "Have they found anyone yet? My boyfriend and I live there and he would have been home right now... and hes not answering his phone... Were there any survivors?"
"Miss you need to come with me and talk to this police officer over here and He will ask you some questions. We are still working on a casalty list, but its hard to know until we have accounted for everyone who wasnt at home dureing the attack."
Ashley nods and follows the paramedic to the police officer. She looks up into a familiar face. "Ashley, Thank god you werent home when this happened. I litterally almost died when your address came across the radio after the explosion rocked the precinct." Ashley hugged her friend. Just then Rachel ran up from the direction of her school. "Oh my god, What happened!" She turned and looked at Joey and Ashley, "Have either of you seen Ryou, He was supposed to stop by here and drop something off for Ashley, That was before the explosion, I havent been able to reach him since." Joey looked sadly at Ashley and then turned to Rachel. "You need to come with me. We were able to make a positive ID as he wasnt badly burned... Rachel Im so sorry..."
"Rachel..." Serenity said, Looking up from the stretcher in front of her. Serenity was the junior ME in south Domino. "Rachel im so sorry..."
Rachel reached out with shaking hands and lifted the sheet. She stared at the body, Not wanting to believe it was true...It was Ryou. His eyes closed. He looked like he was only sleeping... but the gruesome burns to most of his body and half of his face told another tale completely. Rachel covered him again and turned away. Ashley was waiting right behind her and grabbed her in a hug.
"Serenity... were there any other bodies..." Ashley asked quietly.
"An unidentified female that Joey and I hoped wasnt you... and a male. Both pulled from the wreckage from your quadrent of the building." Serenity said.
"Can I see the man... " Ashley asked.
"This way." Serenity lead Ashley to another stretcher.. "Here he is... " She pulled back the cloth. "Do you know him?" Serenity asked.
There on the stretcher was a very badly burned man, a leg and an arm were clearly blown off and a part of his face as well, He was mostly burned up but one thing was for certian, This man had brown hair, and he was deffinately wearing a long coat of some kind... perhaps a trench coat, like the one seto had been wearing when he had walked her to work that morning.
Ashley nodded. "yes.. thats my boyfriend... Seto Kaiba..." Ashley turned back to Rachel. She was in shock and Rachel was still crying. Joey escorted them to Rachels house and stayed with them unti Mai showed up. He talked quietly with Mai for a few minutes at the door before leaveing.
Mai came in and made tea, sat down quietly. Both girls were still in shock. They had both just lost someone... Mai didnt know what to do or say so she just sat there in silence with them.
Malik stared at the TV in horror... A bomb... OMG A bomb! what if Ashley had been home... He knew she hadnt though as he had seen her at work... but still... deep in the pit of his stomache he felt horrible for this... it was all his fault... all his fault... all his fault. He grabbed the nearest object and sent it flying... then another and another, soon he was sitting in the middle of his trashed livingroom, his glass coffee table smashed and every artifact he owned, every picture frame, anything not nailed down had been destroyed. His hand were bleeding.. he was going to need stitches. He was angry at himseif... but more, he was angry at Akefia... this was all his fault too... his and those damnable smiley face texts...
Mokuba was watching the news that night... And across town so was Akefia...
..."4 people are confirmed DEAD in a horrific explosion that rocked South Domino late this afternoon. Amoung the dead is Former CEO of Kaiba Corp Seto Kaiba, who had been living with his girlfriend in her appartment where it is believed the blast origonated. It is believed at this time that Mr Kaiba was the intended target and the attacker was perhaps a disgruntled ex employee of Kaiba Corp. Also amoung the deceased was Ryou Bakura a young teacher at Domino High School, The two other bodies have yet to be identified. More on this story as it developes..."
Akefia stared in disbelief... Fate sure was a cruel bitch. He downed another drink and headed the only place he knew where to go... Raes house. It had been years since he and her had dated... and he had broke her heart... but he needed her right now... but would she want to see him... They were after all greiving for the same person.
Mokuba turned off the TV just as his phone rang. "Well I guess your off the hook afterall. No need to worry about Seto sniffing around anymore.. drop by the office tomorrow and sign your shares over to me and we can part ways." /click/
Mokuba stared out the window for a long time... Revenge would be his now, More than ever... Gazaborro had obviously planned this and killed his brother anyway. Even if it killed him he would avenge Seto.
Ashley sat in Rachels spare bedroom stareing at her hands, she hadnt moved or said anything since she had ID'd setos body. She was still in shock.. how could this have happened?