Darkness Before Dawn

Stalker in a Storm

Wednesday, June 8, 2005...

"We're off," announced Yugi as he and Jou stepped into their shoes.

"I'll email you at lunch," Atem promised as he handed Yugi his bento.

"OK," chirped Yugi.

"Four extra helpings for you," said Atem as he handed Jou his bento.

"T'anks, pal!" grinned Jou.

With that, Yugi and Jou were off, shutting the door behind them. They jumped into Jou's red convertible and headed for the college in high spirits. After two months straight of eating Atem's wonderful food, both their hair had noticeably more body to it and their eyes were brighter, though neither young man had noticed these changes. Soon, they arrived at the university and pulled into the student parking lot.

"See you at lunch!" said Yugi.

"Yup. Peace out till den," returned Jou.

As always, Yugi's gaze flitted briefly to the seat next to him, which was now occupied by someone else. Hopefully, one day, Akhnadin would be dealt with and Atem would be able to rejoin him in class.

Fingering his cartouche under his shirt, Yugi forced his thoughts into the positive. Atem was waiting for him at home and at lunch, he and Jou would both have a yummy reminder of Atem's love for them in their bento. After last class, he and Jou would spend a few hours locked in combat with Bakura, reducing each other's life points to null. In the evening, Atem would be waiting for them at home, with a hot dinner on the table and that warm fire smoldering in his eyes as he welcomed Yugi home.

Lunch...

In the shade of the mighty oak, Yugi and Jou pulled their bento out of their backpacks, mouths watering in anticipation of Atem's divine food.

"Oooo! Puppy in mah bento!" grinned Jou, holding the box up for Yugi to see.

"Let's see what mine is," said Yugi, opening his box up. "Panda bear!"

Yugi held up his bento, with a riceball with black beans for the eye patches, ears, and limbs.

"Ha ha! Dat's awesome!" laughed Jou.

"Thanks for the food!" Yugi and Jou said together before tucking in.

After classes
Library

"Great games, Bakura. I can't wait for the convention. We already finished our costumes," declared Yugi as he slipped his deck into its pocket.

"Yes. It will be quite thrilling. Top duelists from all over Japan will be there, as well as Pegasus J. Crawford," gushed Bakura.

"And lotsa free grub!" grinned Jou, eyes lighting up.

"He's rather like a dog when it comes to food, isn't he?" Bakura remarked aside to Yugi.

"Heh heh! Kinda," chuckled Yugi.

"See ya next week!" Jou and Yugi called as they set out for the convertible.

"Take care!" Bakura's voice called from behind them.

Yugi and Jou emerged into the air on which blew a pleasantly warm breeze and made their way through the sparsely populated parking lot.

As they made their way along, Yugi noticed that his heart was beating a bit faster than normal and the hairs on the back of his neck were sticking up, a primal dread, which left him feeling like a gazelle dreading the lions stalking just behind the bushes, ready to pounce. Yugi cast his gaze about them, but there was no one about except other students, coming and going from their cars. Everything was as it should be.

"You OK, man?" Jou asked.

"Huh? Yeah. I think so. Jou, you ever get the feeling you're being watched?" Yugi asked.

"All da time. I see da way da girls lookit me in da halls, but I jus' ignore 'em, cuz Mai'd kick mah ass if I dint," grinned Jou.

"Ha ha ha! Yeah, totally!" laughed Yugi in an attempt to dissipate the tension in the atmosphere.

Soon they were in Jou's car and pulling out of the parking lot.

As they drove down the street, Yugi chanced a glance in the sideview mirror. Behind them was a lime green sedan, almost on their rear bumpers! A quick look at the face of the driver filled Yugi with mortal dread as he recognized the full white beard, bronze skin and brown eyepatch of Akhnadin Ishtar!

"Oh, shit!" he yelped.

"Wha'?" asked Jou.

"He's following us!" yelped Yugi.

"Who is?" asked Jou

"Akhnadin!" cried Yugi, voice rising in volume as panic coursed through his veins.

"Who?" asked Jou.

"Really, Jou?" muttered Yugi as his palm made communication with his face. "Atem's uncle!"

At this, Jou checked his rearview mirror and surely enough, saw Akhnadin's distinctive features.

"Shit on me!" yelped the blond.

"We can't go home! We'll lead him right to Atem!" cried Yugi.

"Ya t'ink I dunno dat?!" barked Jou. "Hang on! I'll give 'm da slip!"

Without putting on his blinker, Jou suddenly darted the car to the left, skidding around the corner.

Before Yugi could recover from that, Jou darted the car to the right, causing oncoming drivers to slam on their brakes and lay on their horns. Ignoring them, Jou continued to dodge and weave through traffic.

The light up ahead had been amber for ten seconds and turned red just as they reached it. With a warning honk, Jou gunned it and zoomed on through, much to the ire of the cross traffic. Several angry horn blasts rose in their wake as they continued on.

Yugi chanced a glance in his sideview mirror and saw that the green sedan had been forced to stop by the cross traffic.

"We lost him!" he declared happily.

"Do I rule, or do I rule?!" crowed Jou.

"You rule all!" cheered Yugi. 'Must be from all the video games we've played.'