The Path of Vengeance

And here we have another chapter! And it hasn't been months since the last one! Go me!!
...all this posting and I STILL don't own it! Grrrrr.....

Chapter 26

So far his plan was working. Granted, it wasn’t much of a plan but it seemed effective nonetheless. The jet had been in the air for nearly twelve hours and Bakura had been feigning sleep for the past ten. Through his eyelashes he monitored every move that Seto Kaiba’s hired guards made. It seemed that for the moment their job was done as all they did was chatter amongst themselves, read magazines, and, of course, talk shit about him.

With his hands bound behind his back he’d begun wriggling his fingers in an attempt to keep them from going numb. In so doing he’d discovered a small hole in the crook of the seat where it met the back of the chair. He’d stuck his finger in it experimentally and winced when it was cut on a sharp spring.

Making sure his movements went unnoticed, he’d torn the hole open another inch and a half and spent nearly forty minutes bending the coil back and forth until it finally broke off. He then set about the arduous task of picking the lock on the shackles that held his wrists.

He’d gotten them open only thirty minutes ago and still no one had caught on to his actions. All that remained was to wait. Once they landed in Tokyo the guards would have to release the manacles on his knees and ankles before he’d be able to stand for the transfer into the unmarked jet for the rest of the flight into Domino. It didn’t leave a large window of opportunity but if he knew anything it was how to get out of sticky situations. It was just a matter of time.


“Yugi?”

The teen looked up from his task of remaking his bed to see Ryou in the doorway of his bedroom. “Hey,” he said. “Come on in.”

Ryou smiled and picked up one of the blankets, shaking it out. “Where’s Malik?” he asked.

“He had to leave,” Yugi replied. “Marik needs him to go to America to bring him back home.”

Ryou blinked. “Marik is coming back?”

“Yes.”

“But Bakura…”

Yugi shrugged. “He didn’t say Bakura was coming back. Besides, I rely on you for that information.”

Ryou nodded. “I’ll talk to him and see what’s going on. Please excuse me.” He made a hasty retreat and stood breathless in the hallway. /Bakura!/

//What is it, Ryou?//

/What’s going on? Where are you?/

Bakura sighed through the link. //On my way to Domino.//

/WHAT!?! Why didn’t you tell me?! Where are you? Why are you coming back? Why did you leave Marik?...Bakura?/

//Are you done ranting?//

Ryou blinked. /Yes. I’m sorry./

//It’s alright. Kaiba’s goons caught up with us at the hotel in L.A. They’ve got me on a plane heading for Tokyo.//

/Oh gods, Bakura…are you alright?/

//I’ve been better.//

/Where are they taking you?/

//They think they’re taking me to the Kaiba Estate. I’m sure their boss man has his own ideas when it comes to the execution of my punishment.//

/…what do you mean?/

//They can’t hold me, hikari, don’t worry. I’ll get out of this and go back for Marik.//

/Marik is coming home,/ Ryou admitted. /He apparently contacted Malik and asked him to go to America to pick him up./

Bakura’s snicker made itself known. //He must think he’s going to save me. He’s probably going to hitch a ride home in the Millennium Rod.//

/What about you, yami? What are you going to do?/

//You probably don’t want to know.//

Ryou winced. /No, probably not./

//Don’t worry about me, Ryou. I’ve gotten out of worse situations./

/Where will you go?/

//Depends on where Marik wants to go. I really don’t care.//

/…can I do anything to help?/

//Nah. I’m fine.//

/Will you let me know if that changes?/

//I will on one condition.//

/What?/

//You tell me any and everything you find out about Marik.//

Ryou almost smiled. /You sure are talking about Marik a lot./

//Shut up, Ryou.//

The teen chuckled. /You’ve got a deal./

//Thank you.//

/Oh, and Bakura?/

//What?//

/I’m happy for you./

//Shut up, Ryou.//

Ryou grinned and closed the link. That was definitely unexpected. He returned to Yugi’s room.

“What’d you find out?” Yugi asked.

“He is on his way to Tokyo,” Ryou said gently. “But he isn’t coming here. Kaiba’s investigators found him and Marik in a hotel in America.”

Yugi groaned. “He’s coming back to Japan?”

“He assured me he isn’t staying,” Ryou reiterated. “He claims he will escape from Kaiba’s guards and leave again with Marik.”

“And you believe him?”

“Yes.”

Yugi nodded. “Okay then.”

Ryou raised his eyebrows. “Are you alright?”

“Sure.”

“I’ll tell you if anything changes.”

“Okay.”

The pale teen wasn’t sure how to react to Yugi’s apparent disinterest. “Um, we should probably get ready for your appointment then.”

“I’m not going.”

“You’re not?”

“No. I already told Yami that.”

“He didn’t mention it.”

Yugi shrugged. “Whatever. I’m not going back to that hospital. If Yami has a problem with that he can kiss my ass.”

Ryou sighed. He didn’t like being put between the two. “Well if you change your mind, let me know, okay?”

“I will. Thanks, Ryou.” Yugi smiled.

With a nod, Ryou left the room.

Yugi reached over and cranked the volume on his stereo, David Draiman’s melodic voice filling the void Ryou’s soft spoken chatter had left. He was forced to admit to himself that he was already missing Malik’s company. It hadn’t even been an hour and already he felt alone again.

Eventually he decided to call Joey and see what his friend had been up to. He wondered if the blonde had returned to school and if so how far behind they’d all fallen. After carefully rising to his feet he left his room and wandered into the kitchen where he picked up the phone to make his call.


Nearly two hours later Malik sat at a small table in the airport terminal sipping idly on a diet soda. Isis had been less than pleased with the information on Marik’s whereabouts but had known it would be pointless to argue with her brother on matters concerning his dark. She bought the airline ticket for him and even gave him a ride due to the fact that Marik had taken the motorcycle.

He’d taken extra care in selecting his wardrobe, not wanting to draw attention from the guards that were sure to be monitoring the airports looking for Marik. They were similar enough in body and features to raise major suspicion. He wore a comfortable pair of black jeans and a white muscle shirt with a black beanie and a dark pair of sunglasses. He wasn’t worried though. The Millennium Rod held beneath his belt ensured his safe passage. In fact he’d already had to use it when buying the tickets when it came to his knowledge that Marik had taken his passport.

Finally his flight was announced and he tossed his cup into a plastic wastebasket on his way to the gate. He received the same looks his friends had gotten when it was discovered he carried no luggage but a raised eyebrow hushed the inquiries.

He reached his seat next to the window above the wing of the plane and pulled one of the pillows from the compartment above him. Isis had spent the extra money for a non-stop flight and he planned to use the multitude of uninterrupted hours to sleep. He had a feeling he’d need it in the days to come.

Marik, he knew, would stop at nothing to pry Bakura from the hands of Kaiba and he’d be right alongside him. He only knew bits and pieces of the thief’s past but what little he’d learned was enough to take his side over Yami’s. But it wasn’t so cut and dry. Now Yugi had gotten himself into the mix.


Kaiba stumbled drunkenly through the doors of his mansion. He couldn’t even remember getting out of the car, let alone driving it from Kaiba Corp. It was after three in the morning. He plodded up the wide staircase and made his way to Mokuba’s room.

Kenji was asleep in the chair in the corner, ever ready to jump at the boy’s first sign of movement. Kaiba made a note to include a large bonus in the guard’s next paycheck.

Satisfied that his brother was in capable hands, the elder Kaiba staggered out of the room and back down the hallway. He felt like shit. Both emotionally and physically. The painkillers weren’t settling right and his head felt woozy. At least his temper had subsided.

He shuffled into his bedroom and was more than a little surprised to see Tristan asleep in his bed. After the way he’d walked out on the brunette he’d expected to come home to nothing more than a nasty note. He should’ve known better.

When he’d left in such a huff Tristan had still remained by his side, if only figuratively. Suddenly Kaiba felt like a gigantic ass. Guilt began to pour in again as he sat next to the brunette’s resting form. It seemed as if every single thing he’d done in the past few weeks had done nothing but hurt the only two people he gave a damn about. He didn’t deserve either of them.


“Hey Woods, the pilot says we’re about to land. You’d better wake the kid up.”

Investigator Mazer looked up from his laptop at to his colleagues’ exchange. “We’d better wait until we land,” he stated. “Mr. Kaiba made it very clear that this guy is dangerous.”

The veteran officer Cooper and the rookie, Woods, glanced at each other and shared a chuckle. “Come on, Mazer, this scrawny albino freak ain’t shit.”

The blonde Investigator shook his head and returned to his computer.

Cooper entered his passcode into the panel on the wall next to the heavy iron door of the cockpit and went through when it was validated. Woods rose to his feet and unhooked the keys from his belt. He knelt at Bakura’s feet and poked him in the knee. “Hey, kid, wake up.”

Bakura slowly opened his eyes, carefully maintaining his even breathing and calm façade. Perhaps if the officer had a few more years under his belt he’d have noticed the look of deadly stillness and predatory calculation in the thief’s deep brown eyes. Perhaps if he’d exercised a little more caution he could have escaped what had already become an unavoidable circumstance. But the lack of street experience had already cost him everything.

The thief held his breath as the restraints fell from his knees. This was the moment of truth. Only he was in control of his destiny and he was about to prove it.

Click.

The cuffs on his ankles fell away. Bakura shot out of his seat and grasped the man before he’d even returned to his feet. Officer Woods was dead before he hit the ground, his neck snapped viciously by the pale fiend’s devious hands.

“Holy shit, Cooper, get out here!” Investigator Mazer cried, jumping up from his seat. He moved to draw his gun but Bakura already had the advantage. Not only was he already standing but the blonde man was incredibly flustered having just watched his colleague take his last breath. Just as he made it to his feet a swift crunching jab to his nose knocked him back again.

Bakura reached down and relieved the man of his firearm. “Get up,” he commanded, his voice cool and lethal.

“Hey kid…just calm down…” Mazer said, slowly rising to his feet, his hands held up in front of him.

“Mazer, what the hell’s all the yelling about?” Cooper asked, barging through the door and slamming it shut behind him. He stopped short when the situation became apparent. “Oh sweet Jesus…”

“Put your gun on the ground,” Bakura demanded, gesturing to Cooper’s belt.

“You won’t get away with this, boy,” the officer said, obeying the order.

“Shut up, Cooper,” Investigator Mazer snapped. He returned his gaze to Bakura. “What do you want?”

“I want you to land this Ra damned plane and let me off. Now.”

Mazer nodded. “Alright. Just relax. Cooper here will go tell the pilots to land at the next available air strip.”

“I don’t think so,” Bakura said quickly. “The next available air strip is exactly where you want me.” He turned to Cooper. “Get your ass over here and stand next to your friend.”

Cooper glanced at his associate and back to the panel on the wall. His hand shot out and slapped the red button labeled PANIC about a half second before the bullet exploded through his left eye. His mouth opened but no scream escaped as blood poured through the wound.

“Cooper! No!” Mazer moved to step forward but stopped suddenly when the barrel aimed back at him.

Bakura watched with a satisfied smile as the shell that used to be Officer Cooper ceased its twitching and slumped to the floor. He turned back to Mazer. “You want to be next?”

“No,” the man replied quickly.

“Mazer! Mazer, come in. Everything okay back there?”

Both of their eyes went to the two way radio on the investigator’s belt.

“Don’t answer them,” Bakura instructed. He gestured to the blood soaked panel on the wall. “What does that button do?”

Mazer knew lying would just result in his death as well. “It alerts the pilots that there is an emergency. They will contact the police who will meet the plane when we land in Tokyo in about ten minutes.”

“Get over there and open that door,” Bakura said.

Mazer stepped carefully around the other man and willed his eyes to stay on the panel as he sidestepped first around Officer Woods, whose neck was turned at a grotesque angle, his eyes frozen open in shock, then Cooper, whose eyes were mostly gone. He fought the urge to vomit as his finger pressed the code into the blood drenched keypad. It beeped twice but did not unlock the door.

“What’s taking so long,” Bakura snapped.

“There is a camera in here. The pilots must have seen it all and locked the door from the inside,” Mazer replied, his voice shaking almost as hard as his hands.

Bakura stalked up to the man, practically pressing their noses together. “Are you telling me that you can’t open it?”

Mazer stepped back, his heel slipping in the growing pool of Cooper’s cranial contents. He swallowed hard and nodded.

Bakura sighed and shook his head. “Then what the fuck is the point of keeping you alive?” He brought his hand to the keypad and drew one finger through the congealing blood before holding it up and flicking it into the investigator’s face.

“Please…” the man stammered, sickened beyond evaluation. “Don’t kill me.”

Bakura opened his mouth to reply but was cut off by a sharp jolting of the aircraft as they began their descent. He was knocked off balance long enough for the investigator to make a move.

Mazer charged forward, knocking them both to the ground, Bakura on his stomach and he on top. The element of surprise worked in his favor and he was able to regain control of his gun. He jammed it into the base of Bakura’s neck and adjusted himself to that his knee was lodged between the man’s shoulder blades. “Keep your hands above your head,” he commanded, strength having returned to his voice.

Bakura had no choice but to do as bidden. For now. Let the man think he had the upper hand. The fun was just getting started.

Mazer breathed a sigh of relief when he felt the plane touch down on the runway. A quick glance out the window told him they had been redirected to a military landing strip and he was grateful to see the flashing lights of the local law enforcement beginning to surround the slowing aircraft.

“Hey, Mazer,” Bakura said.

“What?”

“Are the cops waiting outside?”

Habit caused the man to look out the windows again. Bakura felt the sudden shift and quickly rolled, dumping the investigator off of his back.

“No!” Mazer cried out, scrambling to regain his balance.

Bakura was already on his feet however and picking up Cooper’s discarded gun. “Looks like we’re at a standstill,” he said, pointing it at the officer.

Mazer held his gun steady at the criminal before him. “I’ll use this,” he threatened.

“I don’t doubt that you will,” Bakura replied. “And you know very well that I won’t hesitate.”

The blonde man’s hand began to shake. “I’m serious, kid. Put the gun down.”

“And then what?” Bakura asked almost mockingly. “Are you gonna shoot me?”

“I will if I have to.”

Bakura laughed. “You’ve already proven that to be a lie. You did nothing but watch when I killed your friends here.”

The sound of rapidly approaching voices could be heard just outside. “Looks like time’s up,” Bakura said matter-of-factly, pulling the trigger.

The bullet tore through Investigator Mazer’s forehead, effectively brutalizing his features and ending his life. He wasn’t even able to get a shot off.

Bakura shook his head. He really hadn’t wanted to kill the man but there was no other way. It was kill or be killed. If not by Kaiba then by Yami himself.

To his surprise though the door burst open and just over a dozen armed officers swarmed in, tackling him to the ground and binding his wrists and ankles to each other and then together so he was effectively hogtied.

As he was being loaded into the maximum security van he overheard the pilots talking to the police.

“We need to transfer him to Domino. By orders of Seto Kaiba.”

“Not a chance,” the chief replied. “He’s going down to the station to be processed. He’s a murderer. There’s no way they’re going to let Mr. Kaiba have him.”

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Well well well...Bakura really got himself in a bind this time, eh? What's next? You'll have to wait and see!

Thanks to all who have reviewed! You really do keep me going on this thing :)