I am SO SORRY! 8^8

I didn't mean to leave this story behind, but I've been so stressed, and not motivated at all, so there's been just about no writing.. I managed to force myself to write this, which is pretty much packed with shocks :P

Yeah yeah, dragging Jaden into this shit again.. Jaden? NOOOOO! Gods, I'm getting to used to his English name *cries*

Oh well, this chapter will probably be the last in a month or so, but I will try, I swear!

Chapter 8.

Scramble.

The sun was shining through the curtains and surely the weather couldn't get any better, nor the mood to one Yugi Muto, who woke up to see Atem laying by his side, smiling gently, and peacefully at him. At this, Yugi smiled back, then yawned.

"Good morning Yugi.." Atem coed, gently kissing Yugi, who kissed back only a second later. When they parted, Yugi snuggled closer.

"Good morning.." he whispered, looking up at Atem with a peaceful and content look in his eyes. Atem smiled even more and wrapped his arms around Yugi. The two stayed liked that for another hour before they decided to get up. Yugi went off to make breakfast while Atem got the mail. In the kitchen, Yugi turned on the stove to make some scrambled egg and maybe toast, but couldn't get further than picking up a knife with some butter on before he was cut short.

"YUGI!" the shout was by far the most endangering, and alerted shout he had heard. Yugi turned the stove off and ran as fast as he could. In one split second he feared it was either his father or Orehmane who had gotten Atem, but it didn't seem so as Yugi stopped in the door way, staring at Atem, who stood there, holding a letter, which was opened. Atem was staring back at him with large, but angry and somewhat worried eyes.

"Atem?" Yugi asked. Atem came over.

"He really did get out of jail Yugi.." Atem said and Yugi gasped.

"And? There's more right.. that letter.. doesn't state he left.. does it?" Yugi asked.

"I'm sorry.. if only.." Atem said, looking down in sadness.

"Then.. who.. wrote that?" Yugi asked.

"Orehmane, Yugi.." he began, looking at Yugi again.

"Yugi, he has Jaden!"

"If only.. we had someone to help us.." Yugi whispered. He and Atem was standing on the hill by their house, looking out over the city.

"We have Yugi, we have our friends." Atem answered. Yugi shook his head.

"I can't get them involved in this again, not this time." Yugi said.

"I know, but we don't have a choice, no matter how much we dislike it!" Atem stated. Yugi nodded, knowing fully well that they'd object if they left without the rest so that left no choice, but to tell the others and ask them for help.

There was a groan, then eyes opened to reveal tired, disorientated, brown eyes. Those eyes moved about, trying to locate his whereabouts, but couldn't. He looked down as noted that he was bound to a chair with ropes and they were awfully tight, cutting into his skin and bruising his arms. Brown hair moved slightly as Jaden tried to move, only to sit back with a grunt, having felt the stab of pain. It seemed his hands were tied with barbed wire or something, because something cut into his skin, and deeply. So instead Jaden tried to get his mind working so he could figure out how he ended up here and who did it.

"It seems your awake.." a voice said and Jaden's head jerked around to see a man siting in a chair right in front of him, not moving, but always keeping his eyes on the teen. Jaden frowned, not liking the way the man looked at him. It filled him with nervousness and fear. This man had committed crimes, and he didn't reflect, nor regret them. In fact, it seemed he was more than willing to do it again.

"W-who are you? Where are we? Why have you brought me here?" Jaden asked. His mouth was dry, his throat hurt and his whole body ached like he had been beaten more than necessary. The man smirked, showing of a row of almost yellow teeth, although the corner teeth was scarily long. Jaden knew that there was no such things as Vampires, but there did exist those who went as far as to turn into a monster to get what they wanted.

"Ah, that shall be answered in a short time." the man answered.

"No, answer right now!" Jaden demanded. The man stood up, an iron barrel in his hand, which he raised. Jaden's eyes widened as he realized what the man was thinking off. The brunette nearly panicked, but didn't get that far as another voice in his head called for him.

"Use Winged Kuriboh, call him!" the voice said.

"I can't.. besides.. I have this feeling, he can see duel spirits.." Jaden answered, though mentally.

"Now then, let's start, I ask you answer, then you can ask and I answer." the man said. Jaden looked up at him as the man smirked, raising the iron barrel. Jaden knew what came, and dreaded every second of it.

"What is your relationship with Yugi Muto, and how did you get to know him?"

"And you want help for?" Kaiba asked, watching Yugi and Atem, who stared back. They were all gathered in Kaiba's office again because that was the easiest way to gather. Yugi and Atem had told them what happened and Joey look outright surprised that Orehmane would go after Jaden, seeing that the young duelist didn't have any connection to their past. Yugi sighed and Atem glared at the man.

"For the tenth time, we need help with finding the bastard and rescuing Jaden, he is a dear friend and Orehmane knows that by kidnapping him, he'll get our attention." Atem stated, glaring angrily at Kaiba. Yugi decided to go another way.

"Of course, even Pegasus favors Jaden for his skills and the fact that Jaden has saved the world a few times, as well as Pegasus' own life, if he knew, he'd most probably search the world with a microscope." Yugi said. Kaiba glared.

"Pegasus can go to hell, what the hell do you want me to do then?" Kaiba answered angrily. Yugi and Atem exchanged smirks, knowing that they had caught him in their trap. Atem stepped up to him.

"Well, first of all, locate him in one way or another, we'll do something about Orehmanen, once and for all!" Atem said, his voice full of bitterness for the man that destroyed both his and his friends' lives. Kaiba frowned at the short sentence Atem gave him.

"That's nothing to go on, give me a damn hint!" Kaiba complained. Atem glared.

"There's nothing to give you, we know nothing because he didn't say where he was, nor do I think he will, because he know that we'll find him.." Atem said. Kaiba glared, but sighed and turned towards his laptop.

"Jaden Yuki was the name?" Kaiba muttered, finally giving in. Atem nodded.

"Yes, short, brown hair, looks a bit like Kuriboh, brown eyes and a tad bit shorter than Yugi.." Atem explained. Kaiba nodded, and was soon typing away. Atem turned his head towards Yugi, then he furrowed his eyebrows like he was thinking about something, then he turned back to Kaiba.

"Hey Kaiba, can one trace special or rare cards?" with that question Kaiba stopped and gave Atem a 'what the hell?'-look. Atem sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Can you?" he asked again. Kaiba stared back at him for a long minute before he started typing again. Yugi gave Atem a soft look while pulling out the Supreme King card, the card that was connected with Jaden in soul and power.

"Why don't you ask Pegasus about that? Why the hell do you want to know that anyway?" Kaiba asked. Atem turned towards Yugi, who gave him the card he had pulled out. Atem took it and looked at it.

"Well, there has to be some way, I have a card that belongs to Jaden, and I think that somehow.. maybe.." Atem began. Kaiba sighed and stood up.

"Give it to me." he reached out a hand and Atem handed it over, though hesitatingly, which everyone noticed.

"What's so different 'bout that card anyway?" Joey asked. Atem turned his head.

"It.. no, I can't really tell, only Jaden should tell, but it's connected with him, in a weird way, like it was.. is soul.. or well, you get the idea.." Atem said, his voice failing him, though in truth he wasn't sure how to not say what was true. Yugi laid a hand on his shoulder to calm to so he could think clearly. Atem smiled at him, then he turned back to Kaiba.

"We usually keep track of cards so we can check for fake cards now and then if they pop up." Kaiba said. He walked around his desk and the rest followed him out of his office.

"But will it pick up other signs?" Yugi asked. Kaiba looked at him from the corner of his eyes as they made their way through the Kaiba corp. building. He didn't nod, nor did he shake his head, so maybe he didn't know, but it never stopped the CEO from checking it out.

"How do we know it'll even work?" Ryou asked. Yugi shook his head.

"We don't, but it's the only thing we can do, it's the only lead we have.." Yugi said, looking sincerely concerned about Jaden's welfare. Non in the group could understand how it felt because they didn't know Jaden, but it was obvious that Yugi and Atem did, and that they had met on several occasions. Ryou nodded, knowing it wouldn't do any work with anything else right now. Kaiba and the rest stopped in front of a door, which Kaiba opened with a code, then a card. They entered into a room with some instrument. Kaiba didn't hesitate nor bother checking if there were other people there, after all, he owned the place.

"Kaiba, how long will it take?" Atem asked. Kaiba glared over his shoulder.

"It will take longer if you continue to bother me!" he stated. Atem sighed.

"We're worried Kaiba, that's all.. Jaden is a close friend and loosing him would change not just the future, but the fate of many others." he said. Kaiba rolled his eyes at Atem's words, thinking of it as bullshit again. Yugi took Atem's hand.

"Atem, calm down, we'll find him." he reassured him through their mind link.

"Thank you.. it's just.. I'm worried he is hurt, you know what Orehmane is capable of.." Atem stated. Yugi gave him a blaming and somewhat angry look. Atem was a little taken aback with his sudden expression.

"Don't even think of it! Jaden is fine, nothing has happened to him!" he stubbornly said. Atem stared at Yugi for a long time before he smiled, nodding. Then he squeezed Yugi's hand, letting Yugi know he believed him. Yugi smiled back, then both turned back to Kaiba, who was standing in front of a machine. The CEO laid down the card on some sort of scanner and soon enough the picture came up on a screen, then there was a map, like the one you see on a navigation system. For a moment, there wasn't anything.

"Why the map?" Malik asked. Kaiba stared in disbelief at him.

"When some has made a fake card, we can locate where he got it, or where it has been through the duel disk, however, if the card hasn't been used, then it wont show up." he said. Atem's eyes widened as his face read 'oh shit' and Yugi's was pretty close as well. The two exchanged nervous looks, knowing that this card was unused. Suddenly there was a red up-side down arrow on the screen. Yugi and Atem gave Kaiba a surprised look. Kaiba stared back.

"What?" he asked. Atem coughed.

"Kaiba.. that card hasn't been used.. ever, it's new, and it's a genuine one, we got this card from Pegasus just a short time ago." he said. Kaiba's face completely fell and Atem seemed to wish he had a camera at the moment, but he didn't say anything on it. Kaiba turned towards the screen again.

"Then there's a fluke." he simply said.

"No way, we know a hit when we see it, where is that?" Atem said, glaring slightly at him. Kaiba rolled his eyes and wrote down the address. Then he ripped of the paper and handed it over to Atem, who took it, then grabbed Yugi's hand and the two ran out of the room. Joey and the rest just stared after them before they too ran.

"Are we close?" Yugi asked. Atem nodded.

"Just around the corner.." he muttered, turning the car wheel so he could take the corner of the building. Just a moment later they were parked and out of the the car. Yugi looked around, hoping he'd see something he'd recognize, but he didn't. This wasn't a street he'd usually walk into so he wasn't so familiar with it. Atem came over.

"So, this is it, I'm not sure if Orehmane is there, but I guess we should be careful anyway." Atem said. Yugi nodded. The other car stopped and the others got out. Joey took one look around him and frowned. Tristan did as well, the two didn't seem to like where they were, but they seem familiar with the street. Yugi gave him a puzzled look. Joey gave him a look that said he had done things here he really regretted doing.

"Remember the time before we became friends.. me an' Tristan wasn't exactly the best guys in the hood, this is the place we used to hang out when we weren't doin' something nasty or.. bullyin'.." Joey said, looking down. Yugi smiled.

"I forgave you for that Joey, I always did, and Tristan too, I never was angry at you.. even if Atem hated you at one point for that..." Yugi said, smiling a bit at the dark look Atem gave their friends. Joey and Tristan nervously smiled.

"But they atoned for it by trying to protect you, so yeah, your completely forgiven, both of us." he said, grinning back at Joey and Tristan. The two smirked back, truly happy they knew it. Ryou and Malik looked a little to confused, but thought it was best to save the questions for later. Yugi turned towards the doors leading into the building, nodding to the rest.

"Well, let's take him down." Yugi said. Atem nodded, but turned towards the rest.

"Let's show the bastard we ain't letting him kill any of us, not Yugi, and definitely not someone who doesn't have any connection with this guy." Atem said. Joey and Tristan looked like they prepared themselves for a murder. Malik was holding a dagger that was suspiciously wet, most probably dipped in poison, how he got it smuggled into Japan was another mystery, but Yugi wasn't sure he wanted to know. Kaiba pulled out a gun he apparently had been hiding and Joey gave him a surprised look that also was filled with awe. Ryou also had a dagger, but he wasn't a master at it as his field was disguise, not fight. Joey looked around, then spotted a iron barrel that was just about three meters and bent on the middle, he went over and picked it up, and with Tristan's help, he split them in half.

"No way I ain't joinin' the fight!" he said. Atem grinned. Mokuba was just holding a book in his arms, and despite Kaiba's continues words to stay home with Téa and Serenity, he came along as well, feeling he had a role to fill. Duke picked up another barrel, though this one was bent and filled with dirt. Yugi raised his hand slightly, then he motioned for the rest to follow him, and that they did.

"How?" the voice was so dreadfully filled with anger, and yet amusement that Yugi's hair was standing at the base of his neck. It seemed the rest was nervous as well. Joey was shifting continuously, Tristan was always checking over his shoulder and Mokuba was standing close to Kaiba while Ryou tried not to cling to Malik. Only Atem and Kaiba didn't look that nervous, the only difference was that Atem's face was filled with anger, whilst Kaiba's was serious and a full on poker face.

"HOW do you know that?" the voice asked again, but only to be followed by a groan. Yugi's eyes widened as he realized who that voice belonged to. He gazed at Atem, who had heard it as well. His face was so twisted in anger, no, he was enraged, and so full of hatred for Orehmane that Yugi had to grab him so he wouldn't do anything nasty.

"Calm down, or Orehmane will notice us!" Yugi hissed and Atem calmed down.

"Sorry.." he whispered back. Yugi shook his head, like saying it was okay. Yugi turned and looked at the rest that was nodding a second after the noticed his look. Then Yugi took a step forth, then another before he took a good leap and soon saw Orehmane standing with his back to them. Yugi noticed that there was a chair in front of the man, in which, Jaden was sitting on. Apparently the teen was bound to the chair because he could barely move, if not at all. The man hadn't noticed the group yet, and that gave Yugi an advantage. Orehmane was also holding an iron barrel, which worried Yugi a lot more than he realized.

"You have a lot of nerve involving a friend who is not involved in our fight Orehmane!" Yugi said, but using the accent he used when he was still so young, fighting Orehmane for the first time. Atem came up beside him, preparing himself for a fight that most likely would arrive, and maybe sooner than he himself wanted. Joey and the rest braced themselves as Orehmane spun around, glaring at the group, then he smirked.

"That was quick, I hadn't expected you that soon!" he said. Yugi looked past him to see Jaden. The brunette looked up, his eyes wide in surprise, and relief. The teen looked like he had been beaten up, and by the look of the barrel in Orehmane's hands, it had been brutal. Yugi grit his teeth.

"Release him Orehmane, he has nothing to do with this!" Yugi ordered. Orehmane however, just laughed. The hair on Yugi's neck stood as the laughter filled the room. Then the man's head snapped down to glare at them, a half crazy grin growing on his face.

"Now why would I do that?" Orehmane asked. Atem's fists clenched.

"Atem.." Yugi warned across their mind link. He could fail in this, it may cost Jaden's life, and the King of Games wasn't about to lose one of his precious friends and partners in saving the world from whatever the evil people throw at them. Atem didn't turn to look at Yugi, nor did he answer right away. The man took a deep breath, then he relaxed, but he didn't unclench his hands.

"Please let me punch his face, just one tiny punch.." Atem asked.

"No, calm down, if we do, Jaden is the one who will suffer for it." Yugi said. That definitely stopped Atem in his tracks. The man looked down, then nodded, admitting defeat, for now.

"Orehmane, listen, and listen good.. for so long you have made me, and my friend's lives a living hell, this stops today, even if it will cost your life to do so." Yugi said. Jaden, as well as Kaiba gave Yugi a shocked look, apparently not able to believe what they just heard. Orehmane just chuckled, turning slightly so they only saw a half of his face. Jaden's eyes moved from the man to Yugi. Locked in Yugi's amethyst eyes, the two seemed so share an unheard conversation, talking them between and getting to an understanding.

"Orehmane, no matter what, I will end it today, and it wont be pretty." he said, turning back to Orehmane, whose eyes moved to look at the young man. The man then turned completely, staring at Yugi for a long time before he took a step closer to them. Joey raised the iron barrels in his hands while Marik and Ryou lifted the daggers. Kaiba had Orehmane on perfect gun point, one bad move and the man would have a bullet in his brain. Mokuba however, just flipped his book open, looking into it before he looked back at Yugi, who stiffened as Orehmane came closer.

"Release Jaden, Orehmane!" Yugi said. Orehman shook his head.

"Not until I've gotten my answer." he stated. Yugi tilted his head to the side, staring back at the man. Joey and Duke's iron barrels were lowered a few inches. Atem took a step closer, not fooled.

"What answer?" he asked, enraged by the state Jaden was in.

"Why a human, a foolishly weak human would dare to talk to or even look at a monster able to wipe out a city with just one blow, a monster who cannot even rule a kingdom without dying just from the death of one weak, little slave." Orehmane explained. Atem's eyes went wide before he stepped forth.

"Bastard, Yugi isn't a monster!" he yelled. Yugi looked at Atem, then back at Orehmane.

"And Atem isn't a slave, he was never in my eyes, nor in our friends eyes." Yugi stated, glaring. Yugi and Atem stood side by side as the man lifted his free hand, holding a deck of cards in it.

"Well then, let's show you the slaves I've managed to collect from the past." he said. Yugi frowned, but pulled out his deck as well, but noticed that there was one more card.

"Ah.. that card.." he looked at his deck, then at Jaden, who stared back, then nodded. Yugi nodded back, then raised his head to stare right back at Orehmane. Orehmane grinned.

"Well, let's.. ah, what do they say? Duel? Oh well, it doesn't matter, prepare to die." Orehmane said. Yugi frowned.

"How can you without a duel disk?" Tristan asked. Yugi sighed.

"The old fashioned way, a shadow game." Yugi stated. Atem nodded.

"Beat the hell out of him Yugi." he said, before pulling back. Yugi smiled.

"It'd be my pleasure." the young duelist glared at Orehmane.

"But then.." Duke began.

"It's real yes.. with real damage." Yugi muttered. The rest of the group stopped their whispering as they all gave Yugi a surprised look. Yugi raised his hand, pointing at Orehmane.

"I know that your hiding something Orehmane, but I will beat you and send you back into the past where you belong." he shouted.

"We'll see about that.." Orehmane stated. The two glared at each other for a second, then.

"DUEL!"

:D

Poor Jaden, getting into this mess, well.. let's just say, Yugi's gonna beat the crap out of Orehmane.. we hope.. ^^

Reviews are just SO loved and wanted!