Jounouchi knew he was violating police procedures, but he couldn't care less - it concerned his best friend, and he didn't want Yuugi to be under constant stress. Honda would back him up and even captain Ushio would probably look the other way because he knew how much Yuugi meant to one of his best detectives. In his career, Jounouchi had never been accused or incriminated of anything, so he couldn't imagine the amount of stress Yuugi had been dealing with. He didn't know what he'd do if the situation was reversed. Jounouchi watched how Yuugi busied himself with making tea, scurrying around in his small kitchen. He had told him about the ongoing investigation and about what happened at the Kaiba Manor, but he left out the whole ordeal with Bakura.
"There might just be someone around who looks a lot like you," he finally said. Yuugi's movement halted, his hand slightly trembling as he held the teapot. "You don't have a secret twin brother we don't know about, do you?"
"How long have you known me? I've never had a brother, secret twin or not!" Yuugi didn't apologize for his raised voice, and Jounouchi left it at that. Yuugi had apologized enough for everything.
"Sorry, I know. It was a lame comment." He raised his teacup. "Thank you."
Yuugi continued to pour a cup for himself. Jounouchi waited until he sat down before he continued the conversation. "They call him 'Pharaoh', or so Hirutani told me. He has the same... no, a similar hairdo like yours."
"That's impossible," Yuugi said, taken aback. "I can't lay claim on being the only person in the world with this kind of hair, but it's highly unlikely that another person would sport something similar... why would someone want to look like me?"
"That's what I'm trying to find out." Jounouchi took a deep breath. "I have spoken to the captain and he agrees with me. I'm going undercover."
"What? No, Jounouchi-kun! That's far too dangerous! You're not going back to a gang!"
"I'll do what's necessary to get to the bottom of this," Jounouchi said. "People have been killed and it's clear that it's not going to stop until we find out who's behind all of this."
"You're going undercover in a gang!" Yuugi sounded scared. "Please don't!"
"I don't have a choice." Jounouchi was serious and he hated so see his friend so worried. "The investigation is getting nowhere. We have very little leads to work with. The only connection to everyone involved, are Ancient Egyptian artifacts."
"Ancient Egyptian artifacts?" Yuugi parroted. "And that... man is called Pharaoh? How's he connected?"
"I'm not sure, that's why I'm going undercover."
"You've never done such work, Jounouchi-kun. What if anyone recognizes you as a detective?"
"I've spend half my life in a gang," Jounouchi said, grim. "I know that world like the back of my hand: the hierarchy, the structure... I'm sure I'll fit right in, and I can handle myself."
"I don't doubt your abilities," Yuugi said. "I'm just afraid that... after what you've told me, things are going to end up extremely dangerous."
iYou have no idea/i. Jounouchi's baggy shirt hid the large bruise perfectly and he'd been able to avoid brusque movements as well as any painful grunts or expressions on his face; so far, no one had commented on his limited mobility. He hadn't even mentioned the incident to Honda; how could he ever explain that shy, fragile Bakura Ryou had turned into a vicious, extremely strong version of himself, throwing a table across the interrogation room?
"Are you sure that those Rare Hunters and this Pharaoh guy are the ones you're after?" Yuugi asked.
"Yeah." Jounouchi hadn't heard of the Pharaoh before Hirutani mentioned him, but then again, gangs and their affiliations weren't his, but Hirutani's department. "Don't worry about it too much, Yuugi."
"I still don't like it. I wish I could help. Hirutani-san should go."
"Hirutani's too public and too known to be an undercover agent. His network is unmatched, though. He's going to set me up with a contact so I can be introduced into the gang."
"What about your sister? Shizuka-chan?"
Jounouchi had dreaded that question. "Shizuka doesn't know and she won't know. I'm going to tell her that I'll be busy for a while and that I'll contact her as soon as everything's solved."
"Jounouchi-kun! You're going to lie to your own sister?"
"I don't want her to worry over me," Jounouchi gave back. "It's in her best interest to not know."
Yuugi shook his head. "I don't like it at all."
"I need your help too, Yuugi. The captain wants you to figure out why Kaiba Mokuba was almost kidnapped and if Kaiba Seto is going to be the next target. People are searching for an 'Item'. Something out of Ancient Egypt, an artifact."
"Maybe a holy object?"
"I'm not well-versed in Ancient Egyptology."
"Me neither. My grandfather used to dabble in archaeology. He left books and notes about his travels behind."
"Your grandfather traveled to Egypt?"
"Oh yes, in matter of fact, he even explored an unknown Pharaoh's tomb! I kept asking him about it as a kid, but he never divulged much, only things like 'don't mess with forces and powers you can't comprehend'. He didn't want to explain what kind of forces or powers he was talking about. I never gave it much too thought. He went there before I was even born, and later his health became more important to me."
Jounouchi nodded. He remembered how Yuugi had often raced home after school to take care of his ailing grandfather. His mother had died at a young age and Yuugi had taken it upon himself to keep his small family together. It was still hard to comprehend for Jounouchi as to how Yuugi still kept such an optimistic, hopeful outlook on life after everything he'd gone through. What he did comprehend, were the walls Yuugi had build around himself. His friend was strong, but his walls were fragile, like a house of cards, and they rumbled and shook at the faintest breeze touching it. Despite captain Ushio being on his side, Yuugi wasn't completely cleared as a suspect yet, and the strain gnawed at his walls, about to crumble.
"It's weird to think that Ancient Egyptian artifacts have something to do with this," Yuugi said.
"Pegasus based his card game on Ancient Egyptian mythology, Dartz dealt in artifacts from that period, the murder weapon is from Ancient Egyptian origin, there's a guy out there called Pharaoh..." Jounouchi tried to think of a way to reassure Yuugi. "Everything's going to be all right. We're going to catch the killer and then everything will turn back to normal again."
"You're right," Yuugi said, but he didn't sound very convinced. His lack of confidence wasn't aimed at Jounouchi, but at himself.
As expected, Honda wasn't too happy about Jounouchi going undercover either, especially because Jounouchi had decided to do this without consulting him.
"You're not going in alone," was the first thing out of his mouth. Jounouchi was touched by his unquestionable loyalty, but he didn't want his colleague and friend to run the same risk as he.
"Yes, I am," he said. "You're going to work with Yuugi. There's no need for you to get involved in this."
"You're kidding, right? We've had each other's back for years, and now you're shoving me aside? I'm not some kind of girlfriend you can dump that easily!"
"I know, but this is different. You've never done undercover work before..."
"Neither have you," Honda informed him.
"Look, I'm not sure what's going to happen, all right? I'm trying to protect your ass here! I want you to hold the fort."
"I don't buy it." Honda was getting offended. Jounouchi couldn't blame him; they had been a team for long and they had saved each other's life numerous times; Honda knew danger and wasn't afraid of it. He probably thought that Jounouchi was questioning his capabilities, and it was upsetting him. "What's going on?"
Jounouchi hesitated. "When I saw Bakura in the hallway at the Kaiba Manor... it wasn't the same Bakura as the one who's in detention."
Honda looked at him, frustrated. "What are you talking about? Just spit it out! Don't make up stupid excuses. If you have doubts about me to come along on your precious undercover mission, just say so!"
"The CEO-killer case has been strange from the start," Jounouchi said. "Weird artifacts, weird people. No trace, no fingerprints. Ancient Egyptian mythical shit. A gang led by two teenagers and a dangerous, powerful criminal taking the stage. Something... out of this world is going on, something big, and it's creeping me the fuck out. I don't want you to get hurt."
"And your life is worth less than mine?" Honda's voice was barely audible. "I can't let you do this alone, Jounouchi. We're friends, we're colleagues, we're partners. Why do you want to shoulder this all alone?"
"Like I said, I don't want you to get hurt. I mean... it's complicated." He felt terrible using such a bad cliche. "I need someone strong to hold the fort. There's no need for the both of us to throw ourselves into danger. You're going to be my cavalry when shit hits the fan."
Honda knew Jounouchi well enough to know when to stop and accept defeat. "I'll bring a tank when you need me," he said humorlessly, but the mood was soured and the atmosphere turned chilly.
Later that afternoon, Jounouchi went to Hirutani's office to get his fake ID and the name of his contact.
"His name is 'Bandit' Keith Howard," he said. "You can't trust the bastard with your life, but he has proven himself quite useful. He's a sneaky snitch; most of what we know of Malik and Marik Ishtar and the Rare Hunters, comes from him. Just be careful," Hirutani warned him. "You can't trust him. I've set up a meeting for you at the L'Z cafe. You can't miss him; big, burly guy who wears a bandanna around his head with the colors of the American flag."
"I was about to say, 'Howard' doesn't really sound Japanese."
"Howard will introduce you to the lower ranks of the Rare Hunters. From there, you're on your own." Hirutani looked at him. "Don't expect any support from Howard, should things go awry. He might be big and burly, but he's also a coward."
"I get it."
"Like I said, you're going to fly solo. Be very careful. The captain's going to kill me when his best detective ends up getting whacked."
"Aw shush," Jounouchi said.
Hirutani grinned, albeit unenthusiastically. "Just keep in mind that gangs have changed since our time. Especially the Rare Hunters answer to a different hierarchy than we were used to. Whenever the Pharaoh is concerned, people keep their lips tight together. It's not going to be easy, Jounouchi. Good luck."
"Thank you." Jounouchi pocketed his fake ID. "I'm ready."
L'Z Cafe was a breeding ground for thugs and (aspiring) gang members. As soon as he entered the establishment, Jounouchi could pick out the wanna-be gangsters, the ass-kissers and the truly dangerous within a heartbeat. It was shocking how easy it was to fall back into his old behavior as a gang member. Jounouchi didn't radiate any fear; this was small fry, not worth his attention or energy. He had arrested many of these people in his early days as a cop: drug traffickers, fences, burglars, criminals who wanted to rise through the ranks of the gang they belonged to.
Jounouchi halted for a moment to sniff up the air: alcohol, tobacco, sweat and paranoia, all rolled into one. He ignored the 'discreet' looks people threw at him, trying to determine if he posed a threat or not, as he walked up to the bar. He recognized Keith Howard from a mile away. The American was wearing his trademark bandanna and was the only one to wear sunglasses indoor. iIdiot/i. A bottle of Jack Daniels stood close to him: import whisky, expensive as hell.
Jounouchi grabbed the bar stool next to Howard as if it was the most normal thing in the world.
"You're on time. I appreciate it." He spoke with an accent, but for a gaijin he had an extreme good grasp on the Japanese language, using the vocabulary and grammar correctly.
"You're welcome." Jounouchi settled at the bar and made a crude gesture at the bartender. "Two of the same."
Howard showed Jounouchi a crude smile. "You're not a cheapskate. I appreciate that as well." The bartender poured the Jack Daniels and handed Jounouchi his glass. He wasn't looking to get drunk, but one or two drinks would go down without much of a problem; he would be really standing out if he drank soda in an environment like this..
"I'm not here to impress you," he said curtly.
"I'm not easily impressed," Howard answered, deadpan. "I'm here to do business. I know who send you, don't forget that."
"Yeah, you don't have to remind me."
A smirk. "Hey, I'm just doing you a favor. I'll help you a step up."
"I appreciate it," Jounouchi said, repeating Howard's words. The bartender was out of earshot and the noise in the cafe was loud enough not to be overheard. "Tell me everything you know about that Pharaoh guy."
Despite the sunglasses, Jounouchi could see how Howard narrowed his eyes and he wondered if he had jumped the gun. Howard's voice was a lot lower when he finally spoke.
"Hey, don't get ahead of yourself. You're being dumb. Don't ever refer to the Pharaoh as 'that Pharaoh guy', if you value your life. You do know he has a bodyguard, don't you?"
Jounouchi shrugged casually. "Doesn't everyone have one, in this business?"
"Fool." The contempt in his voice was obvious. "His name is Mahaado. He's stronger, faster and more dangerous than you'll ever know or have seen before. He's so fast that nobody sees him actually move, but if they survive his wrath, then they'll have to face the Pharaoh himself. He's ruthless, man. One look at him and you're dead."
Jounouchi took his words with a little grain of salt, knowing that a reputation was often based on exaggeration and hearsay; but he perked up at the comments on speed. Every witness so far had talked about everything 'happening in a blur', the attacker so fast that it was impossible to track his movements.
"You're right," Jounouchi said and motioned for another round of Jack Daniels. "I shouldn't have spoken so airily about him. What is he, exactly? Yakuza?"
Howard accepted the drink greedily. "Yakuza? No man, he's a league all of his own. He got the Ryuzaki and Haga gang to work together with just a snap of his fingers; they only dare to fart when he gives them permission to. He controls them with one hand and with the other, he controls the entire business district around here. Nothing escapes him, and if you dare to cross his path or thwart him in any way, you're done for."
"Wow," Jounouchi said. He didn't need to fake the tone of awe in his voice. This Pharaoh had risen up to power in less than six months and exercised a control that not even established, dangerous gangs could withstand. An incredible feat, and he only had one bodyguard? No matter how fast or strong this man was, the Pharaoh was inviting trouble with just one person to protect him. Howard downed the second drink.
"One piece of advice," he said. "Don't come off too greedy, and don't get too hasty. The Pharaoh is out of your reach for now. Stay low and work your way up. I'll introduce you to some people here and there, but I can't get you into the higher ranks. You'll have to do that yourself."
Jounouchi grunted something intelligible in return. The day he was going to thank a lowlife criminal for giving him advice, was the day Jounouchi Katsuya would jump off a skyscraper.
Honda took Yuugi to the Kaiba Manor, as per Jounouchi's request. They spend the entire ride in silence, both worrying about Jounouchi now that he was undercover. It was impossible to call him; every contact had been severed. Not knowing what was going on, made them both feel powerless and worried. Yuugi clutched an overnight bag to his chest. Honda didn't know how captain Ushio had convinced Kaiba, and he didn't iwant/i to know. Ironically, it was probably for the best for Yuugi to spend a few nights away from his own home and focusing on the Kaiba brothers, instead of his own problems.
They weren't at all surprised that Kaiba hadn't taken any effort to welcome his visitors, but Mokuba was out of bed. He told the butlers again and again that he didn't need to rest and exasperatedly, he send them all away. Mokuba was glad to see someone else beside his doctors and physicians.
"Really, there's nothing wrong with me," he said. "Whatever the kidnapper used, it was the gentlest sleeping aid, because I slept like a baby and I felt great when I woke up! Weird, huh?"
"At least you weren't injured," Yuugi said, good-naturedly.
"Yeah, tell that to my brother." Mokuba scrunched up his face. "A team of doctors have been watching over me constantly and making me exercise and do stuff as to 'monitor my health'. I asked Seto to kick them all out, but he won't me leave alone, not even for a second, until he finds new, suitable security he can hire."
"What about your system?" Honda asked, surprised.
"My brother likes to keep bodyguards around, for when we leave the house," Mokuba explained. "Our system works perfectly indoors, but outdoors we still need physical protection, hence the need for security guards."
"Well, whoever Kaiba hired previously, they're not going to be happy to lose such a big costumer."
Mokuba shrugged. "Zorc Security is the biggest player on the market. They'll survive."
"Zorc?" Honda frowned. That name rang a bell.. a very loud bell. "Have you seen him in person?"
"No," Mokuba said, "but I know he's been here to discuss the details with my brother. Seto wouldn't have hired him if he didn't have something to impress him with. How come?"
"Something that has come up in the investigation," Honda said. Mokuba looked like he was going to ask more, but after one look at Honda's pensive face, he decided against it. iAmelda, Varon and Rafael worked for Zorc Security. Kemo, Pegasus' bodyguard, also worked for Zorc Security. /iThat was too much of a coincidence, wasn't it?
His name was called out and he looked up. "Huh?"
"Would you like some coffee, Honda-kun?" Yuugi asked. A butler had returned to offer drinks to everyone.
"No, thank you. I have to go back to the station, Yuugi. We'll be in touch."
"Yes, for sure." Yuugi looked like he was about to cry. Honda shared his sentiment; it was difficult to not get mad from worrying.
"It's going to be all right," Honda said, for both his and Yuugi's reassurance. He turned around to leave. He had agreed to be Jounouchi's back-up, and he was going to be the damnedest best back-up his friend ever had. He would start by reading and examining all the files, documents and reports from the case again, paying attention to every detail and investigate until he had unearthed every stone; starting with Zorc Security.
"Kaiba-kun isn't around?" Yuugi used the chopsticks to stir his noodles. Mokuba sat opposite of him, mimicking his gesture.
"He's always working late," he grumbled. "I hate eating alone, so I'm glad you're around, Yuugi. I'll talk to my brother to make sure he'll compensate you for your hours."
"Are you always this business-like?" Yuugi asked. He kept the bitterness out of his voice, as he didn't want to take his frustrations out on Mokuba. After all, the younger Kaiba brother had done nothing to warrant any scorn or wrath.
Mokuba nodded. "I've been Vice President of KaibaCorp. since I was five."
"Five?" Yuugi almost choked on his noodles.
"My brother owns KaibaCorp. since he was seven, I believe. It has something to do with shares. He immediately made me Vice President after acquiring the company, so that it would stay in our hands forever. Our adoptive father taught Seto everything he knew, and he never thought it would be used against him."
"I didn't know you were adopted, Mokuba-kun."
"Yeah. We never learned who our biological parents were. They never stepped forward, and I doubt Seto is interested in meeting them, should the opportunity ever arise... we used to live at an orphanage, until Gozaburo came along."
"That must've been painful."
"I got over it," Mokuba said, a little too quickly. "It doesn't bother me. My brother... he got the brunt of it."
"How come?"
"Our stepfather was a cruel and harsh man. After the death of his son, he was looking for a 'new' successor. He believed Seto was the perfect candidate."
"That's awful! You just can't discard your child's death like that!"
"That's just how Gozaburo was," Mokuba said. He stared into his bowl, not touching the food. "He forced my brother to study and work hard day and night. He used every method necessary to get Seto where he wanted him to be."
"No wonder he's so distant." Yuugi tried to stay objective; he was here as a psychologist, but mostly as a friend. "I'm sorry to hear all that, Mokuba-kun."
Mokuba refused to look at Yuugi, hanging his head. "I got off easy," he said bitterly, "and now I'm an easy target for kidnappers and assholes to get through to my brother."
"Mokuba-kun..."
He balled his hands into fists. "He was so close! I... I was petrified, frozen, shocked! I could only gasp, like a helpless victim!"
"You were about to be kidnapped," Yuugi said. "What else could you have done? Do you think you could've beaten someone so powerful?"
"I wish I could!" Mokuba's voice hitched. "I wish I could've stand up for myself, so my brother wouldn't have to call the police, or the doctor..!"
"Mokuba-kun," Yuugi said, empathically. "What do you think your brother would rather like to see: you safe and sound, or you injured or even worse, because you tried to fend off your attacker?"
"I'm not a wimp," Mokuba said.
"Nobody calls you a wimp. Even if people do, I'd like to see what they would do in a similar situation."
Mokuba showed a teary smile. "Thank you, Yuugi. Or should I say, 'thank you therapist'?"
Yuugi couldn't help but return the smile. "I'm here as a friend, Mokuba-kun, but if I can help you..."
"I wish you could put me under some kind of hypnosis," Mokuba said. He was serious. "I barely remember the kidnapper's face, but I know I stared at him. I want to remember what he looked like, so I can tell the police."
"There's nothing you remember?"
"Just one thing. From the corner of my eye, I think I saw a golden object... like some kind of jewelry. It glittered briefly."
"Maybe your kidnapper was wearing a pendant?"
"Perhaps." Mokuba shivered and shoved the bowl away from him. "It was too dark to really see. Before the sleeping aid started to work, it was just so dark... I wondered why my alarm clock wasn't showing its numbers. So dark..." He shivered once more. "Why don't we go watch a movie? We have our own cinema at the manor."
Yuugi agreed. A nice movie would certainly distract them.