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I Know You're Out There Somewhere	By : Firewing Category: Yu-Gi-Oh > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 3536 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own YuGiOh!, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 16
- 17
- 18
Chapter 17 Face Off

Disclaimer: All I own is the plot and random assorted original characters.

��.

Nearly two weeks later on Friday, Seto sat in his expansive Kaiba Corp office not seeing or hearing a thing. In the course of becoming Jou�s legal guardian, Seto had been informed that his blonde puppy had been adopted by the Wheelers. The identity of Jou�s biological parents had been sealed with a lot of red tape by the legal system to protect both child and parents.
Seto and Mokuba�s adoption into the Kaiba Empire had taken place under entirely different circumstances. Seto at least knew who his real parents were and had some memories of them. Mokuba didn�t remember them, but Seto could tell him about them and the boys still had each other.
Joey was going to want to know about his blood relatives, about his past, and why his parents chose to give him up. With no true family to call his own, Jou was going to want to find his roots and although Seto and Jou had never discussed the issue of his adoption, Seto set himself the task of finding Jou�s biological parents. Today Seto found himself hacking into places that, if he were caught, he could go to prison for. He now knew more about Joey than Joey knew about himself�a lot more.
Sickening shock waves crashed into the cerulean-eyed executive with a force he had never reckoned with. Not even Yami�s mind crush had forced him to question his motives, tactics, and desires so deeply. He wanted more than anything to unknow the truth, erase it, unmake it. But he had been trained to deal with unforgiving obstacles in a hostile world. He made a few arrangements and locked his office before he headed home.
��.
Saturday morning.
Seto entered the suite of rooms he had reserved for the weekend at Tokyo�s exquisite Seiyarou Hotel. He had arrived early, partially because he was a chronic insomniac and partially to prepare for the man he had arranged to meet in these rooms.
He opened his laptop and quickly sent both Mokuba and Jou e-mail messages, crafting an easy excuse of unexpected business and then attempted to concentrate on the work he had neglected the day before.
A couple hours later a tentative knock caused Seto to hastily shut down his laptop. He bought himself a few extra seconds by snarling, �Who is it?�
�As if you didn�t know, Kaiba-boy.� A melodious voice responded.
Seto opened the door to the ever-resplendent Maximillion Pegasus who was stunning in his dark navy blue suit accented with silver-gray trim. Seto eyeballed the charcoal suit behind the Duel Monsters creator and arched an eyebrow.
�Wendy did a good job sewing your shadow back on, Peter Pan.� Seto snorted allowing Pegasus entry to the suite while blocking Croquet.
�Aaah�it�s so nice to know you missed me, Kaiba-boy. But you didn�t really ask me to come all this way just to trade pretty insults with me, now did you?�
�The bulldog stays in the hall.� Seto insisted.
�Oh, whatever.� Pegasus waved Croquet off.
�As you wish, Master Pegasus.� Croquet glared at Kaiba from behind the safety of his dark sunglasses and assumed a post outside the hotel room door. Seto slammed it rudely in his face.
�You have a son.� He turned to the industrial illusionist and accused him without preamble.
�And you have a disturbing lack of people skills.� Pegasus observed languorously and invited himself to a lush gold velvet chair. �Is that what has your panties in a bunch, Kaiba-boy? I really don�t see what business it is of yours.�
While Pegasus remained relaxed and casual, Seto stiffened and bristled. The Kaiba Corp executive continued stating facts. �Joey Wheeler is your son.�
�And you�re Superman.� Pegasus responded, all charm, as Seto�s eyes narrowed. �No, really. I heard about how you charged in and saved the day while that apartment building burned. Quite heroic. I would not have thought you had it in you, Kaiba-boy. What is it that you want? A reward for saving the life of my only child�hmmm?�
Seto badly wanted to wipe the smirk off the older man�s face with his fist, muss the unmussable silver mane with motor oil, something, anything to make Pegasus squirm. �You kidnapped my brother, tried to take over my company, stole both my soul and his, and when that didn�t work, you and those Big Five goons tried to kidnap Mokuba again and trap my mind in my own video game. I despise you! Men have died for less!�

Pegasus fussed with the hem of his jacket nonplussed. �I merely borrowed your souls. By �men� you mean Gozaburo, of course.�
Seto enacted a Blue Eyes White Lightning attack by moving so fast Pegasus didn�t see him coming. Kaiba grabbed the moon-silver-haired man by the lapels dragging him up violently and forced him over to the plate glass window.
�Would you like a demonstration?� Seto�s voice turned husky darkened with rage.
Pegasus� single eye betrayed no fear, as if he had fully expected this meeting to become violent. The suite�s door crashed open and Seto heard a gun being cocked next to his ear. He let go of Pegasus and raised his hands in surrender.
�I think if you intend to continue this meeting, Kaiba-boy, I shall have to insist that my bodyguard remain in the room.� Pegasus held out his open hand revealing a small beeper. Croquet backed up and closed the door. He had his revolver in one hand and the pass card he�d bribed the hotel manager for in the other.
�Please, Seto, sit down. Let�s discuss this like gentlemen.� Pegasus suggested in a way that indicated his tolerance had worn thin.
Seto was furious at being outmaneuvered by Pegasus�again�and didn�t move. Croquet still aimed his weapon at Seto�s head. �Master Pegasus told you to sit down.�
Seto glared first at Croquet and then at Pegasus. He sat down. Croquet lowered his gun and withdrew to just beyond Pegasus� shoulder. Pegasus made himself comfortable in his velvet chair again. He pressed two slender fingers to his temple as if to relieve a tension headache before he met the troublesome boy�s eyes again. �Croquet, what in the world does Kaiba-boy mean about my trying to trap his mind in a video game?� Pegasus asked without looking away from Seto.
�Er�uh��
�Christopher!� Pegasus snapped.
Croquet instantly went into military mode, barking his answer out as if he were responding to a drill sergeant. �Sir, the Big Five came up with an alternate plan to take over Kaiba Corp while you were �indisposed. I sent a team headed by Kemo to assist, sir.�
Pegasus pulled long silver tresses out of his face revealing the black eye patch to Seto for the first time. He looked at Croquet with a raised eyebrow. �I will deal with you later.�
Pegasus turned back to Seto. �What is your interest in Joseph, Kaiba-boy?�
Seto sat there wondering if killing Pegasus might be a good idea after all, but he had arranged this little soirée to get information not commit murder. Best to stick with the game plan for now. �You haven�t contacted him yet. Why?�
�Tsk, tsk, Kaiba-boy. You�re avoiding my questions.� Pegasus admonished.
�I do background checks on all my employees.� Seto replied shortly.
�Employees?�
�I hired Jou to drive for Mokuba and do odd jobs on my estate. I am his legal guardian now that his father is dead.�
Pegasus blinked in surprise. He missed the Millennium Eye. It was quite awful being the last to know. He was perplexed, but he was a better game master than Kaiba, if only because he�d had more practice, and his face remained serene. �So this is a case of keeping your friends close, not that you have any, and keeping your enemies closer, is it, Kaiba-boy?�
�You asked me what my interest in Jou is. I�ve told you. Why did you give up your son?�
�I had my reasons. I only found out that Joseph is my son a few weeks ago. You are not the only person to have a traumatic past, Kaiba-boy, but you do carry the chip on your shoulder so well.� Pegasus purred.
Seto hated him more with each passing second. Pegasus was so damn smug! �Why haven�t you come forward to claim your son?�
�Oh my, temper, temper. Are you worried about losing an employee�hmm?� Pegasus pushed Seto�s buttons with surgical precision. He would dearly love to see the great and mighty Seto Kaiba lose control. Once would be quite sufficient, Pegasus was certain it would not be pretty, but it would prove that Kaiba was human.

�I want to know what you are planning with regard to Joey Wheeler. I am his legal guardian. He is my responsibility.� Seto explained in simple terms as the temperature in the room dropped to a blizzard�s chill.

Seto Kaiba capable of caring about someone other than his baby brother? Pegasus thought in mystification. Will wonders never cease? �Does Joseph know he was adopted?� Pegasus asked.
�Yes. Jonathan Wheeler�s ignorant lawyer told him before his dad was even in the ground.�
Pegasus nodded. �You either want me to take my son off your hands or you want me to stay out of his life forever? I�m guessing it�s the latter rather than the former�hmm? Am I right?�
�Yes.� Finally they were getting somewhere.
�I also predict that in time Joseph will want to know who he really is. When that time comes, I will be waiting, Kaiba-boy. You truly do not have much say in this. The choice is Joseph�s. I will respect it. I suggest you do the same.�
Pegasus was being perfectly reasonable and even though Seto hated it, he knew Pegasus was right. But there was more on the line here than Pegasus was aware of. Seto couldn�t hang with his heart on a string for an undetermined amount of time. He couldn�t allow himself to become more attached to the mutt than he already was only to be rejected in favor of his most recent personal demon. Of all the people in the world, why did Pegasus have to be Jou�s father?
�Are we quite finished?� Pegasus asked nonchalantly.
�Yes.�
�Our paths will cross again, Seto. It�s inevitable. And it would be wise to accept what you cannot change.� The silver-haired legend told the boy with the cold eyes, speaking from hard won personal experience. Pegasus could only pity him�such potential, such a waste.
��..
Once they were airborne and on course to Duelist Kingdom, Croquet had to ask the most pertinent question on his mind. �Sir, how exactly do you plan on dealing with me? I did neglect to inform you about the Kaiba Corp video game fiasco.�
�Yes, you did, Croquet, and since we seem to have some time on our hands you can rectify the matter at once.�
�And my punishment?� Croquet pursued.
Pegasus� face lit up with mischief. Croquet had long since learned this was the most dangerous expression in his master�s repertoire.
�Are you worried, Chris?�
�I am now.�
Pegasus laughed. �Oh, I think the usual will do.�
�You�re going to lock me in the dungeon and see how long it takes me to escape?� Croquet asked.
�No, no, no. That would be much too easy. No, Christopher, I�m going to allow you to suffer through this with me.�

Croquet raised an eyebrow at his boss, but Pegasus was looking pensively out the window, already lost in thought. That he would endure whatever circumstances arose in the one-eyed man�s life was a moot point. That Pegasus was unwilling to take the opportunity to �deal with him� was troubling. Croquet could handle any tactile threats effectively enough, but how did one dispatch the ghosts that haunted one�s employer�s mind?
��.
Pegasus had gotten the best of him and Seto raged like a trapped animal in a too small cage. He didn�t want to lose Jou now, but if he was going to lose him, sooner was better than later. He needed time to think. By the time he went back to Domino he needed to come to some kind of a conclusion about this devastating development and a strategy of how to deal with it.
Seto reopened his laptop and logged into his network. He needed to calm down before he could think rationally. He did a few simple breathing exercises while he waited for the computer to boot up.
He realized he never had gotten around to retrieving Jou�s password, but then maybe he shouldn�t. He had already pried into Jou�s privacy too much�oh well, minor details. What was one more small invasion? It couldn�t hurt after everything else he�d done. Even as he was thinking, his hands had gone to work and the mutt�s password was revealed.
Okay. He had been wrong. It could hurt. Not only had the mutt figured out his motivation for taking him in, he made a joke of it as well. He snarled as he slammed the laptop closed.
- 16
- 17
- 18
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I Know You're Out There Somewhere