Hello, my dear faithful readers! I am very sorry for the long delay. But here is Part 3...thank you for your patience and to those who submitted reviews! It meant a lot. :) 3

Part 3

"Yugi? Yugi? Are you awake?"

Yugi forced himself to open his eyes. "What..."

"Yugi! Are you all right?"

Yugi found himself unable to answer. "I..." He took in his surroundings and realized that he was in his soul room, with the spirit standing close by. "What happened?"

"You don't remember?" The spirit's gaze, already grave, grew even more worried. "Do you remember anything at all?"

Yugi closed his eyes and thought. "I was at Kaiba's. We were working on our science project. You were talking about how rude he can be when I left. We were walking..." He paused, forcing his memory back. "Uh..."

"We were attacked," the spirit said softly.

Yugi felt his pulse quicken as he suddenly remembered the suffocating bag on his head, the iron grip of his assailant, the sharp needle prick into his arm. "I need to wake up. Now. I need to wake up. I need to know what's going on."

Yugi, last time you almost awoke, they—"

Yugi willed himself out of his soul room, unable o listen to any more. A fuzzy numbness spread through him as he found himself properly back in his body. It doesn't feel right, he thought, and his heartbeat sped up again. Outside his soul room, he felt exhausted...sick...sleepy...

Yugi forced his eyes open and found he couldn't see. What...the... The thought came reluctantly through a haze in his mind.

Oh, God.

The fuzziness in his mind faded as Yugi willed himself back into his soul room. "What is going on?"

The spirit looked at him gravely. "Yugi, we've—" He paused a moment. "You've been kidnapped. I think. I don't know why."

Without the fog in his brain, Yugi could remember the tightness of the blindfold over his eyes and the cords holding his hands to the arms of a chair. "Oh God..." He fell to his knees. "How could this happen?"

The spirit shook his head. "I don't know. We'll be okay, Yugi. We'll figure this out."

"Grandpa must be so worried," Yugi whispered. "What do I do?"

The spirit looked at him sadly. "I don't know," he said. "I tried, last time you almost awoke...I took control and tried to fight them off. Whatever they keep putting in your arm, though...it is very strong. Here, in the soul room, we both remain unaffected, so long as its hold on you is fading. In control of your body, though, it is much stronger." The spirit's eyes grew angry. "And if they return to give you more...I fear I won't be able to awaken you until it fades again."

"I can't stay awake even in the soul room?" Yugi glanced around nervously.

"I don't think you can escape its effects when it is so strong," the spirit said gently.

"But you can?" Yugi looked up at him. The spirit nodded. Yugi bit his lip anxiously.

"We have to get out of here," he said. "I have to get home to Grandpa."

"I know," the spirit agreed. "But how?"

Yugi closed his eyes and thought. "If they're going to keep drugging me...they'll be back soon. Maybe I can convince them not to give it to me."

"Do you really think that will work?"

"It's worth a try." Yugi opened his eyes and looked up at the spirit. "Wish me luck?" The spirit nodded.

Yugi willed himself away and tried to keep calm as he felt the cloth over his eyes and the cords biting into his wrists. Don't panic. Stay calm. He twisted his arms, trying to free his hands, but the cord wasn't even loosened.

The movement made the pain in his wrists sharper, so Yugi stopped, letting the pain fade. He tried to clear his head of the fog that had not drifted away yet.

I am here with you, Yugi. The spirit's strong voice sounded from the recesses of his mind. Do you want me to take over?

No, I can do this. Don't worry.

Are you awake?

I'm getting there.

Suddenly Yugi heard the sound of footsteps, someone drawing nearer and nearer. His pulse quickened. The spirit was silent, but Yugi knew that his other self had not left him alone.

A door opened. Yugi could see some light flooding into the room, but not enough to allow him to see through the blindfold.

"Awake again, are you?" Yugi was shocked at the lack of new arrival's voice. "Poor kid. Don't worry, you'll be home before you know it."

"Please," Yugi said, his voice cracking. "C-could you get me some water?"

Water? That's your plan?

I'm thirsty! Yugi bit his lip in anticipating of his captor's answer. Anyway, he has to keep me awake longer if I'm going to dri—

"Yeah. Sure." Yugi heard the sound of the seal on a water bottle being broken, and a moment later the man help it up to his lips. Yugi swallowed the water gratefully.

"Th-thank you."

"Yeah. I figured you might be thirsty." The man paused. "Now, you ready to go back to sleep?"

"No," Yugi said quickly. "Please don't drug me anymore. I can't go anywhere, I'm not going to try and escape—"

"Kid, I—"

"Please don't drug me. I don't want it. Just let me stay awake, I swear I'll do whatever you—"

"Listen, kid." The man's voice was gentle, but firm. "I promise you, it's better this way. It goes by so much faster if you're asleep."

"I'd rather be awake, please, I won't try to—"

Yugi felt the man's fingers on his arm, feeling for a vein. "I believe you, kid, I do. But I promise. You sleep through this whole thing, and it's over before you know it. Anyway, I gotta follow instructions."

"But—" Yugi winced as a needle bit into his arm. "W-why are you doing this?"

"Desperate times call for desperate measures, kiddo. Your buddy has a lot of money."

The haze was filling Yugi's mind, fast. But Kaiba doesn't even like me, he wanted to say. But he suddenly couldn't seem to move his muscles.

I'm sorry, Yugi. I'm sorry I can't help you. The spirit's voice was so sad...and so far away...