Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Gin no Umi o Wataru ❯ Chapter 11

6:07 PM
Domino Hospital

Seto moved to sit by Joey, one hand brushing his golden hair from his blue eyes. "Hurting?"

"My head." Joey leaned back into the pillows, his hands caressing the linen sheets.

"Really, Jahi?" Seto leaned closer, his voice shot with ice. "Where's Joey?"

"We dueled... we dueled and he..." Jahi trailed off.

"I also play Banner of Courage to increase all my monsters attack point by 200 and sac two of my Scape Goats to bring forth, Red Eyes Black Dragon!"

"In the end, he set it up, played his Scape Goats well... he let me destroy one then used the other two to summon Red Eyes Black Dragon. He brought back his Alligator Sword, used a magic card to bring out his Gierfried, used another magic card to boost his monsters powers. His dragon killed my Jinzo the Mechanical Man, then he attacks me directly with Alligator Sword, Gierfried, and his last Scape Goat."

"But Scape Goats have no power." Seto leaned back.

"He boosted all his monsters' powers by 200, even Scape Goat. Between Alligator Sword and Gierfried, I only had 200 life points left. And so your Joey won." Jahi looked down.

"Then why are you here?" Seto demanded.

"Because he has gallantly offered me one hour with Seferet. Will you let me talk to him before..." Tears seeped from below his lids.

//Please Seto, let me talk to my husband before I must let him go.//

//Alright.//

Light flashed and Seferet looked out of Seto's eyes. "Jahi, my love, my sea god."

"Sef, I lost, forgive me."

"In a way I am glad you lost, for if you had won you would have been on your way to being a demon. I rather believe you in the land of beyond the Western Shore than become a demon. I love you so much, beloved." Sef leaned forward, stroking his face and placing kisses upon his skin. "I have missed you though you know we are always destined to be together, have you not learned that from his dreams, your dreams. In this time and all time we have surmounted all the odds to be lovers and everything to each other. Even if you leave now, it is only for a short time, although all seconds without you feel like millennia."

Jahi laughed as the kisses played over his neck, "Yes but it's so dark in there, besides you will not have to be without me for long."

"What?"

//What!// Seto snarled within Sef.

"Our battle has reaped several profits, my heart. One of which is that Joey now realizes how important Seto is to him and now he is willing to help Seto in all ways. Also he has offered to allow me to spend some time with you, on occasion." Jahi reached down and tugged on Sef's hair. "And you are right, my love. I do not wish to be a demon!"

"I see... now that we know this... I wish to put this sole hour to much good use. Your lips look in need of moisture." Seferet leaned down, "Let me now apply myself to this task."

Jahi laughed and reached up to pull Seferet to him. "My heart's own."

* * *

6:20 PM
In traffic

Mokuba looked out the window. Cars were backed up all the way to the bridge. Craning his head he could see the blue and white flashing lights of an ambulance. Sighing, he sat back down, his legs swinging back and forth restlessly.

"I'm sorry. It's gonna take a while to get to the hospital, looks like a real bad accident."

Ryou shook his head, "It's not your fault Mokuba. We can talk for a while. Which reminds me, Bakura broke into Noa's house last night."

Yugi's head jerked up from the seat, eyes glowing red, "Bakare! How could you, what if you were caught? What is Nkosi had gotten his hands on you?!"

//Tell his high and mighty not to hike up his kilt much. I was careful.// Bakura laughed.

Ryou laughed silently and looked up at Yami, "He says he was careful... and he did find out something strange. The house was empty. It was all dusty and empty. Except for one bedroom. There was a bathroom with some stuff and a closet full of clothes."

//Which I took great pleasure in cutting into very tiny strips.//

Ryou sighed, shaking his head. "And he caused some minor damage. But he did find out something interesting... Noa isn't human. He found a computer built into the wall. It said something about a cybernetic body. So he can't be totally human."

Tristan leaned back against the car seat. "Well... I remember a rumor about 10 years ago that a big company got a government contract to create an army that could be controlled remotely. They wanted to be able to copy a person into a robot essentially. It was hushed up because," Tristan shrugged, "we aren't allowed to have an army."

Malik looked confused, "You aren't allowed to have an army?"

Tristan shook his head, "During World War II, our country joined with the Germans. It was a mistake but we couldn't back out of it with honor. We wanted to take over several lands to expand our base and basically we hoped we would be so strong that no one would intrude on our lands the way the Americans did. But the leadership allowed themselves to be talked into a huge mistake. Our country is not that far from the American state of Hawaii, we attacked early in the morning and bombed a base there. They awoke to the war and attacked. Then they dropped two of the most devastating bombs on us. At Hiroshima and Nagasaki, they dropped nuclear bombs... people are still dying from the effects of it but it gave us a reason to surrender. How can you lose face in surrender when to not give up means more of your people will die horrid deaths.

"We did. And as part of the reparations settlement we agreed to give up our military. We are forbidden from having a military, or any force in excess of a certain number. We can have a civil defense force but that's legally capped. We are not allowed to do military testing. So if that rumor had reached those who won the war, they would have legal reason to come in and destroy us."

Malik looked up at Rashid and shook his head. Rashid shrugged, "And the company rumored to do this?"

Tristan smirked, "Guess?"

Yugi sighed, "Kaiba of course, but you think he did it?"

"No, I know that about 10 or so years ago, he had a program that could be the basis for such a project. So I know he could do it, I am sure he did. It also makes sense when you think of the cybernetic body. A humanoid robot."

Mokuba shook his head, "It can't be... they took DNA. A robot wouldn't have any. I saw the report."

Ryou turned to him, "No... they said they took DNA, you got a sample. Who said the sample came from Noa? Even if they took blood directly from him, there are ways, an implanted blood sac in the arms or a sponge with saliva in his mouth. If he is a... cyborg. He could have gotten the samples from one of your other brothers."

"I... never thought of that. But Seto went out to eat with him... of course the food could go down a tube to a storage area." Mokuba frowned, "But if he is a robot... where's his body? He has to have a body to have his mind uploaded from. Doesn't he?"

* * *

6:35 PM

Noa leaned back against the leather seat. His hand reached over to flip open a small compartment set into the seat. He smiled as his fingers traced the circlet and eye. He could feel the other presence within it. Happily, he curved his fingers around the slim gold band and lift-

A beep intruded. Sighing, Noa placed the circlet back into the inset case and pressed the button for the speakerphone. "Yes."

"Master Asheworth, I was wondering you had the time to read the report that I left you?" A voice answered.

"Give me the high points."

"Yes, sir. The one thing that concerns us most is that we had an intruder in the house last night. And our system didn't catch him. He didn't steal anything, merely walked through the house, or so we thought. When Trangshi went to put your washed clothes in your closet, he found that all your clothes had been cut into tiny strips. He checked your hamper and they too have been vandalized. The only thing spared was one of the white school uniforms. As well, the computer was shown to be activated at 18:52. Although it was activated, nothing was accessed. However, I am still concerned."

"Understandable, very well. Delando, set up another meet with Kaiba. I doubt he did this since he's more professional but we must ask anyway. And Delando, find out who was on duty last night. I want to ask questions."

"Hai, sir! And young Shiskata has called to arrange a time for your project."

"Very well. Connect me to Kaiba."

"Yes, sir." A click sounded and ringing came from the speaker. Another voice floated from it and around the car. "Mudaro speaking."

* * *

7:03 PM
Domino Hospital

Jahi ran his hand through Seferet's modern hair. It was so short. Smiling, he brushed his lips over his lover's earlobe, nibbling and sucking, whispering, "It's almost time for me to leave, my heart. I do not want to leave but I must, I will not violate our agreement. My love, it seems your present incarnation is a little... lax in his love, perhaps we may give them a bit of help?"

Seferet laughed, "I think so... kiss me, my love, my never-ending love."

Jahi smiled sweetly as he laid kisses over Sef's cheek and licked Sef's lips. Happily, he placed his lips onto his lover, the warm flesh opening, their tongues dueling. Slowly aqua eyes faded to honey, lids fluttering closed. Seferet no longer feeling his lover's presence ceded control to Seto, who brough his arms up. Joey felt the warm arms about him, pulling him closer. His hands trapped between them, stroked over the silk shirt.

"Isn't this touching? I guess you're feeling better, Joey." Tristan said from the doorway.

Seto's eyes opened and he pulled slowly away to glare at the intrusive pointy headed sable teen. "And I see you don't know how to knock..."

Joey opened his eyes and leaned back against the hospital pillows. "Hey Tristan, calm down, besides it's not like I mind."

"What exactly is your problem, Taylor? Are you miserable and want me to be so as well? Or is it something about me?" Seto questioned.

"Not something about you, Kaiba, you. I mean what could I possibly hold against you except possibly: you killed the man who took you out of the orphanage, you destroyed my family and my life, and you are the one responsible for wrecking Joey's life as well. Other than that what could I possibly hold against you? Arrogant bastard."

Bakura shook his head and pushed through the people in the doorway, "Look you two can fight over Joey after we stop this asshole from killing us. Now sit down and shut up. Kaiba, what do you know about cybernetics?"

"Not much, it was one of the first departments I downsized. Kaiba wanted to use cybernetics in a weapon capability. I didn't want to be in the weapons racket. Too much oversight by others. So I moved us from the military market to a civilian one. The only parts I kept were those in the medical field. The idea, in the medical facilities, were to use cybernetic limbs to replace those lost by accident. Supposedly, the cyberchips would read the involuntary pulses from the mind and cause the limb to act like a normal one. So far we haven't managed more than a rudimentary limb but advances happen all the time. Why?" Seto leaned back, a frown on his face. He tugged Mokuba closer and took his hand. His other hand lay in Joey's.

Bakura smirked and walked in, taking the only chair available. "Because when I broke in to Noa's house last night, and that house is strange, one of the strange things I found was a computare set into the wall. When I opened it, the lines on there were talking about how much power a `cybernetic' body had. Is it possible that Noa has one?"

Seto pulled his hands close and frowned, "I don't see how. The body would actually be simpler than a limb because you can house most of the stuff in the center of the body rather than absolutely confining it to the limb, but where would he get one?"

Tristan stared at them, eyes wide. "From Kaiba Corp. From Project Golem."

Mokuba shook his head, "I don't remember any `Project Golem' and Nii-sama and I went through the projects before we cut anything."

"There is no `Project Golem'." Seto stated, "That's an English word, I'd remember that."

Yugi stared at them, "What is `golem'?"

Tristan closed his eyes and started speaking. "A golem is a human made from metal or mud. Supposedly Jewish magicians would make them and set them to protect people. I remember Mother telling me this after I saw the word on one of her folders. She told me that it was a joke. She said that with a `golem' a magican creates a body and the mind comes from the word of God. This time they already had the mind, they just needed a body. She was working on some of the code in her spare time. She was head of the project. At least until you fired her. Ruined my family and so forth."

Seto grit his teeth, "Despite what you think, anyone I fired I did so for one of two reasons. Either they were no longer needed due to their project being cut as our move out of the military sector or because they broke the rules flagrantly."

"Yeah, right..."

Bakura growled, "Argue later, I have no intention to be killed by some idiot wind up toy! You say that Kaiba had this program, he says he doesn't. So who picked it up? And Mokuba... earlier you said Noa had to have a body to uploaded from, well if the cybernetic limbs are to replace body parts lost, then what if for some reason, he can't use his body. So he could be the real Noa. If this `Project Golem' was to create a machine body, makes sense that Kaiba do it for his son?"

Seto turned to face Bakura. "I can't see him keeping anyone around that he believed to be... useless. Yet Noa was his only recognized child so perhaps he would. As to who picked up the Golem Project, I have no idea. Since Taylor is the one who knows all about it, ask him."

Tristan smiled twistedly, arms crossing his chest and hands twisting in his shirt. A sneer crossed his features as he leaned against the wall. "The Kaiba Corp is still running the project or they were as of two years ago."

Seto grit his teeth, "And I should know what my company is doing! We don't have any Project Golem. Not now, not two years ago. I took control five years ago."

"So it was hidden from you and yes you did have it five years ago, two years ago, now! I know it. Remember my mother worked on it. I hacked into Kaiba Corp.'s mainframe to see what was happening. Man that was back when I was fourteen, been looking after the project for a past couple of years, sending mom all the new data. So yeah, it's still up and running but only a skeleton crew. Apparently `Golem' doesn't need much maintence."

Seto's mouth twisted and he leaned forward, his voice hard, "You hacked me? I doubt it. What do you know about computers? What they teach us in school? It's practically useless."

Joey leaned back, biting his lip, "Seto, oh man, Tris has been working with computers since he was a baby. And if he said he hacked you, he hacked you. C'mon Tris, tell him the name ya use."

Tristan stared at kaiba, his chocolate eyes hard as rock. Leaning closer, he whispered viciously, "Gatchaman."

* * *

Noa surveyed his room. There were no overt signs of an intruder. He had already seen the dissected clothing.

//It must have been Bakare. That little gutter rat. And to think that Hunefer actually tried to claim that he was one of our brothers! Once we complete this and I have my own body, I want to take time to kill him.// Nkosi grumbled from within.

//Nkosi.// Noa nodded. //When you get your own body? So you already discovered how this will happen. If Kaiba's device works, I will be able to download my total self from the mainframe to a new body. And you to another. I've already done some research. There is a set of twins... //

//Twins... perfect.//

//I thought so, Nkosi.// Noa walked over and sat down, leaning against the wall. His eyes closed as his fingers saught the data port located near the floor. Finding it, he connected and opened his eyes. All about him were endless vistas of golden sands. "It's beautiful here."

"Yes, it is... my father exiled me here on the advice of my dear brother."

"The priest... Seto!" Noa grit his teeth.

"Yes, I loved this place and because of him all I can remember is it now my prison. However I must thank your father for this chance, a chance to see this place again, to share it with... a friend." Nkosi turned smiling, one hand reaching up to cup Noa's cheek. He brushed soft lips against Noa's skin.

"Ahh... we may have to start the plan sooner than we wished to. Now that they know about my false body." Noa clarified.

"How close are we to prepared?"

"We must get Kaiba into this world, a world where I can control things. We have to throw out the bait and to do that, we need to go out on the Web."

"This communication network you spoke of? A true web? How is you can go anywhere on there but not into Kaiba Corp.?"

"I don't know why it's called a web, I see it more as a sea, a sea I swim through seeing everything. Like you, my father placed me into this prison. He allowed me to go everywhere but where I wish to go. It's a blind spot to me, I truly can't see it but once I take over the company, I can open it's mainframe to myself. Imagine it, control over all the computer systems of the world. I would be able to move Kaiba Corp. up to be the most coveted spot in every single industry I desire. I will control the world! And you will be there?" Noa asked gently.

"Forever."

Noa smiled as he took Nkosi's hand. "Now let us start..."

Silver lines of fire ran over the sand and up into the air until they shaped a door. The fire started to dim as its light bled into the shape in the air. The light darkened until it resembled dark wood. Slowly it opened and Nkosi smiled back as Noa pulled them towards a doorway. Beyond it was nothing less than a sea of quicksilver waves.

* * *

Mokuba stared at Tristan, for the first time he didn't see him as merely a friend of Yugi's. He shook his head. In bed Joey was smiling broadly and he sat up to place his hand on Seto's shoulder, leaning closer he whispered, "Surprise. Sorry I couldn't tell ya before but it wasn't my secret to tell."

Seto turned towards him, eyes wide. "That... that pointy haired buffoon is on of the best hackers in the world?! I can't believe it."

"Nii-sama, why would they lie?" Mokuba wrapped one arm around Seto's neck. "But Tristan, are you truly Gatchaman?"

Tristan nodded, "Yep... see for such a bright boy Kaiba you failed in one great way. All your newer firewalls and encryption programs are based off the old one, they are improvements. Not entirely new forms. My mother wrote most of them. And I know how to break every single one."

"I see... and you know Kaiba Corp.'s policy with those who manage to hack our computers, don't you?"

"Yes, but why would I want to work for you, I hate you." Tristan's eyes blazed with repressed anger. He leaned forward, breath hot with rage, "I hate everything about you, the only reason I've ever helped you is because Joey and Yugi demanded it. I wouldn't have cared if you died. I still don't... except Joey would be upset."

Seto frowned. "You are so irrational."

"Really? Have you told Joey that you fired his father? That after what you did, Mr. Wheeler couldn't get a job anywhere. I've seen your `blacklist'. Did you tell him yet? That you're the reason he has to live in that sty? Or that Gozaburo isn't missing, Kaiba killed him." Tristan smiled triumphantly and leaned back.