Soul of the Dragon

Chapter 7: Deals and Deceit

The two guards lead Yusei down a dark dingy hallway of the facility. Each one gripped Yusei's arms tightly, despite the fact that there was nowhere he could run.

The trio came to a door, and one guard dropped Yusei's arm to walk up to a panel beside the metal door. "Chief Armstrong, we have the kid. Are you ready for him?" The chief's voice came out garbled; almost like his voice would sound if he was talking on the phone. "Yes." Light filtered through the corridor and splayed across Yusei's face as the door opened.

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Yanagi glanced at his cards again. "I better hide you guys." He tucked them back inside his kimono.

"Gramps, is Yusei back? I'm starting to worry about what the chief wants him for," Tanner's suspicious nature lead to doubtful feelings.

Doubt that didn't seem to affect Yanagi. "Oh, he's fine. It's just routine."

"It's not just routine. There are only two ways you get to meet the chief: you know how to cook, or he's mad. And Yusei may know how to duel like a pro, but I got a feeling he doesn't know squat about barbecue."

/

The guards still flanked Yusei in the new room. A tunnel-like machine stood menacingly in the corner. A platform with metal clamps on it wasn't inviting either. Computers, monitors, and wires crisscrossed across the floor.

All the equipment meant nothing in the face of the Chief. He was the size of a small elephant. His crooked hat and bulging uniform extenuated his size. This guy could sit on somebody, and no one would ever know.

"So how do you like the facility so far, Yusei?" A sarcastic question; he didn't give a damn. "I'm sure it smells better than what you're used to in the Satellite. As does my anchovy and onion breath, doncha think?" The chief blew his breath across Yusei's face and he recoiled in disgust. Yusei's scowl deepened when Armstrong walked behind him. There was nothing he could do. He had to stand and seethe in his anger. "Rumor has it that you might be hiding something," Armstrong said. He lowered Yusei's glove, and pulled up his sleeve, exposing his forearm. "And it's my job to find out if you are!" Finding nothing, the chief rolled back Yusei's sleeve and replaced his glove. He shoved him at the two waiting doctors. "Take him, you two." The doctors grabbed him, much the same way the two guards had earlier. "And run your tests, find out what this punk's hiding!" Yusei's glared over his shoulder at Armstrong.

"Just lie still, and don't move a muscle," a doctor instructed. The platform housed Yusei, wearing only his underwear, sliding into the machine. The doc looked intently at his screen, searching for anything unusual.

Green sparks of electricity raced across Yusei's body. The pain was similar to being stung by a bee. Only the stinging kept going on and on, intensifying after every second. Yusei bit his lip. He was not giving them the satisfaction of screaming. Something warm trickled down from the corner of his mouth; blood. His back landed on the platform as it slid back out. He didn't even know he'd been arching it.

The platform exited the tunnel, and propped him up to a standing position. At least he would be standing if he weren't still shackled to the platform. Armstrong yanked on Yusei's bangs and lifted his head up. Yusei's normally fiery blue eyes were cold, and lifeless. "Now you better hope we find what we're supposed to find, and soon." Armstrong smirked and leaned closer to whisper in Yusei's ear. "If you don't come up with any results, I'm sure that girl will be of much more help."

Yusei raised his head. The blaze in his eyes had returned. "Where is Lise?"

"Sorry," Armstrong snarled gleefully. "That's classified."

"Don't you dare hurt her," Yusei threatened, grinding his teeth and glowering at Armstrong's retreating back.

/