For a moment, Atem forgot how to breathe. He stared blankly down at the High Priest's motionless body, smeared with blood. Slowly, he eased Seth's head from his lap. And slowly, like an old man, tears streaming down his face, he stood, eyes never leaving the body at his feet. Then, there was a deafening crash and the windows of the game shop exploded. The entire street rocked with the impact as every other window on the street shattered, expelling glass in every direction. The Pharaoh did not move; the pieces of glass seemed to bend around him, missing Kaiba and Seth as well and falling harmlessly to the ground. Car alarms went off with shrill screams, which were quickly joined by the clamor of the street's residents.

"Pharaoh!" It was Yugi, racing from the game shop towards them. His face was covered with tiny cuts, and Atem was immediately sorry for his outburst. "What happened?" The others followed, picking their way more gingerly over the broken glass. The sirens were growing louder.

Kaiba looked up from his double's body. "Seth died." Put so simply, the words had a sense of finality. Tea let out a sob, while the boys looked dumbstruck. The CEO slipped something from the priest's belt into the pocket of his coat and stood. His face was expressionless. "We don't have time to hide the body before the ambulance gets here. We'll have to make up some story. But that can be done after I return."

"Where the hell do ya think you're going?" Joey yelled. "Seth just died! We need to find that guy and make him pay."

But Atem just lifted his eyes to Kaiba's face. "Do you know who did it?"

Kaiba nodded once.

"Why don't you share with the rest of us?" Joey asked.

But Kaiba was turning to leave. His coat was blood-stained, and his movements were a little stiff. "Later mutt. When it's over."

The car door slammed, and the limo began to pull away. Yugi and the others watched as it disappeared from view.

Tea broke the silence. "What is he going to do?"

"I don't know," Atem replied. "And I don't care." He bent down and gently closed Seth's eyes. The priest's face was utterly peaceful. "May you find rest at last, my friend," the Pharaoh whispered.

The ambulance pulled up, sirens wailing. A team of paramedics spilled from the back door, carrying bags of equipment and barking orders to each other. Atem wasn't listening. He watched in a sort of stupor as the paramedics gently draped a sheet over Seth's face and lifted the body onto a gurney. He felt Yugi's arms enfold him. The little duelist laid his head on his yami's shoulder and held him tightly, offering silent comfort. Atem hugged him back gratefully.

A police officer in uniform approached them a few moments later. "Did any of you kids see what happened?"

Yugi, Joey, Tea, and Tristan all shook their heads. The officer turned to Atem, who was staring silently at the ambulance, just beginning to pull away.

"How about you?" the officer asked gently.

Atem slowly lifted his crimson eyes to the officer's face. "He was shot in the back," he said. His voice was deep and powerful. "The man wore a hood. I'm afraid I can't help you more than that."

The man opened his mouth to ask another question, but found it too dry for speech. To cover his confusion, he scribbled something on his notepad. Just then, a car pulled up and Solomon Mutou jumped out.

"Yugi, are you alright?" he gasped. He crunched his way over the broken glass and stood staring at the group of silent teenagers before him. "What happened?"

"Do you know them?" the cop asked. It was a rather pointless question, but he felt disconcerted by the crimson gaze that still hadn't left his face.

"Yes," Mr. Mutou said. "This is my grandson, Yugi, and this is Joey, Tristan, and Tea."

"And this is my cousin," Yugi supplied helpfully, seeing his grandpa looking helplessly at the Pharaoh.

"Well, I'll have to ask them a few questions," the police officer said. "Especially…"

"Atem," Yugi supplied. A few more panes of glass that remained in the windows shuddered and fell out. "But he goes by Yami," he continued hastily.

The officer wrote that down and snapped the notebook shut. "I'll give you some time. Was the victim a friend of yours?"

"Yes," the Pharaoh said firmly. "Yes he was."


"Domino City reels in shock following the fatal shooting of young CEO Seto Kaiba. Mr. Kaiba was apparently standing outside the Turtle Game Shop when he was shot in the back at point blank range. Police have yet to name a suspect."

Siegfried von Schroeder sank back into the couch with a contented sigh and took a sip of wine. He is dead; he is finally dead. All was right in the world. Yet perhaps it vas not so sveet as I imagined. He smiled. But close.

"Paramedics were unable to revive Mr. Kaiba, who bled to death as a result of his injuries…"

"Tragic, isn't it?"

Siegfried whirled around, his wineglass slipping from his fingers to shatter on the floor. Seto Kaiba himself was leaning casually against the wall. He was wearing his usual sleeveless white trench coat, but it was drenched with blood. His eyes were fixed on Siegfried. There was no mercy there. None.

Siegfried staggered out of his chair and away from the ghostly apparition, who was smiling coldly at his fear.

"But you're dead!" he stammered.

Kaiba pushed himself away from the wall and stalked closer, coat billowing. "Clearly not. Though you did your best." He smirked. "Such as it is."

Siegfried pulled himself upright and lifted his chin. "How dare you come and accuse me of such a crime?"

Kaiba lunged so suddenly that Siegfried could not dodge. A piece of metal flashed, and Siegfried found himself pinned to the wall, a knife at his throat. The dagger was very handsome, elaborately carved and gilded with gold, but Siegfried was more concerned with the bright silver blade pressing firmly into his skin.

"I get to know my opponents," Kaiba whispered in his ear. "I know it was you. No disguise can hide you from me."

Siegfried shivered. "Y-you cannot prove it."

Kaiba shrugged. "No. I can't. Not yet. And I'm not going to try." Seeing Siegfried's wide- eyed look, he laughed mirthlessly and released him. "Relax Siegfried; I'm not going to kill you. You're not worth the paperwork." Then his eyes narrowed and his voice grew deadly cold. "I'm going to bury you."

He turned and stalked towards the door, ignoring Siegfried, who frantically lunged for his desk. "Enjoy your pathetic company, Siegfried. Tomorrow, I'll raze it to the ground. A word or action against me, and, well…they say that ghosts can walk through walls."

Siegfried wrenched open the desk drawer and reached inside for the gun. Vy von't he just die? Just as his fingers brushed the cool metal, Kaiba's voice drifted back to him.

"What makes you think that's going to work any better this time?"

Then Kaiba was gone. And Siegfried was left standing stock still at his desk, wondering how the man could have possibly gotten into the private apartment.