28 Skeezy's Reach

DIMENSION: ANIME (The One That Pays to Save the Day)

Skeezy's Hotel

///Mai: As much as I want to get out of here, I can't leave Skeezy. He hunts everybody down, nobody escapes./// Although? It really wasn't fair.

Why her? She didn't do nothing. She didn't flirt with him any extra. She saw him more because he paid her to duel. How was she supposed to know his plans for her? In the end, it had to be karma for what happened in the past with the orichalcos.

She heard the front door open and pulled out the fake, plastic smile she'd learned to use around him. It's the smile and the attitude that kept her going. "Hey, Skeezy." She turned around and noticed he didn't look so happy. "What is it, Hon'?"

"Joey Wheeler's been nosing around here," he said to her. "You have a past with him."

Ah. Jealous guy. "Yeah, I do. He was a good friend a long time ago," she said. "We just ran into each other."

"You didn't ever get romantic with him in that past of yours?" he asked suspiciously.

"What are you kidding? He was way too young back then for me to even think about romantically, Silly." She waved him off. "That guy was still in high school back then."

Still? He didn't look convinced. "I got some, uh, intel? You know, 'cause I know people," Skeezy said. "Your friend, Téa Gardener. She's in a bit of trouble." He threw a paper down between them, closer to her end. "Seems like she's just pretty enough, just talented enough, and just accessible enough to make someone's roster."

///Mai: Shit!/// Mai immediately picked it up. "Don't you hurt Téa!" She demanded. "She never did anything to you and I never did anything against you!"

"Nah, nah, you got it wrong, Hon'." Skeezy eased up by her, holding her delicately by the shoulders. "I'd never hurt your friend. I love your friends. Hell, I keep an extra close eye on all your friends, to make sure every body's safe. I'm going to send you and Joey Wheeler to New York City. Sources say they are going to grab her tonight. I want to prove that I'm there for your friends. That your friends are safe to trust me."

Mai looked back at the paper. Even her current number? Téa just changed her phone a month ago. So damn current. So damn easy. "Skeezy." There was no way to avoid it. She called the number first. It was not going through. Not a surprise, Skeezy wouldn't let it be that easy.

She knew he was the one who added Téa to a dangerous roster of eligible women to grab. She knew that he knew that she knew too. It was all just a nice way of saying 'better not think of double crossing me.'

Just in case she wasn't scared enough. Damn, they even had how they were going to get her. "Messing with her car."

"She'll be forced to walk alone tonight on New York City's streets in order to reach her plush little apartment," Skeezy told her. "Don't worry. I'm going to get you straight there, along with your friend. As long as he isn't one to worry about, then I trust you. Skeezy trusts, Honey."

Téa. ///Mai: Even if there was a small chance to try and convince me, Joey. It's just gone./// Téa wasn't just a friend she ignored like the others. She had run into her in a festival about three years ago. Téa being Téa, noticed her. She talked to her about how things ended when they last saw each other. How things went. Then, she invited her to come back.

Mai went back and visited about four times. Each time was a blast, and Téa loved her sense of adventure. She just needed to pull back on the reigns a little. ///Mai: I didn't even tell Joey I kept in touch with her./// It's not like it was something she strived for. In all of New York City, they were just at the right place, at the right time, to see each other. Make a good start at a friendship again.

///Mai: I mean, what were the chances?/// "Pretty low chances my friend Téa would be facing this."

"Can happen to anyone at anytime," Skeezy said. "It doesn't matter though why it happened. What matters is I get you down there to save your friend." He held up his phone. "I already texted Joey Wheeler."

There was an extremely urgent knock at the door. "Mai, open up, it's about Téa! Mai!"

"He seems ready to help too," Skeezy smiled at her. "Pleasant journey. I'll be resting in our room. Here are your tickets." He handed them to her. "I trust you, Honey," he said one more time. "Do not let that trust down."

He closed the door to his room while Mai held the paper and marched out the door. Joey almost knocked on her face, but he stopped in time. "Joey." She closed the door behind her. She gave Joey the paper. "I've been friends with Téa for about three years. Skeezy's got knowledge about this stuff. We are being sent to save her, thanks to him." She showed him the tickets. "Do you understand it yet?"

Joey just stared at her. He looked like he wanted to bust down that door, but also, some shred of him seemed to get it.

Téa was already in trouble. Mai never even tried to escape yet. Téa was just a warning, and Skeezy was so confident that Mai would obey him that he would let her go with Joey to get her.

"We don't have time to waste. It'll be dark in New York soon," Mai reminded him. "We gotta go."

"Mai." Joey was still stunned but he took the New York City tickets. "Let's go. I'll call Yugi on the way. I can't reach Téa, but I know I can reach Yugi."

---

New York City

Téa kept her eyes alert. She had to get home from work, but the sun had already gone down. She had to stay longer to keep her boss happy or she would be looking for a new role.

She didn't want a new role. It worked out perfectly for the ending and getting paid to the time that she'd be able to visit Domino and see her friends. While a lot of people tended to fade from their friends during long distances? Well, they'd just gone through way too much together.

Especially her and Yugi. What a strange relationship they had.

While it was okay? On the way home, her car broke down. She kicked the tires at first, tried to signal for some kind of help, but it was like everything about the car and her phone died. No help was coming at all.

So, she had to face facts and walk home to her New York apartment. It wasn't very far anyhow.

She stopped and reached into her pocket, looking at her Dark Magician. It wasn't the real thing. She kept fake small collector copies of Red Eyes Black Dragon and The Dark Magician, to help remember better times instead of walking home through the freakin' cold!

Soon, she'd see them again. While she loved her career, there was this sense of fullness when she went back to Domino City and saw them all. Just for that small bit of time, it felt good. Reminiscent of their teen years.

It was getting into the colder season. Some Christmas lights were already adorning so many houses. It also helped the cold journey home.

Happy thoughts. She concentrated on them. Bright and warm twinkling lights. It helped but when she tried to say something, the illusion had been destroyed. "P-pretty l-l-lights." She could even see her breath in the direction she spoke.

Téa didn't stop and speak to anyone she saw, tried to stay on the main roads, until she was almost home.

"Téa, Hey!"

Téa looked just ahead of her. Someone from her work team called out to her, stopping with their car in the street. "Hey there."

"You want a ride home?" He insisted. "I've got extra room in my car."

It almost felt like a relief, but then again, her mind didn't seem comfortable with it.

///Confident voice in Téa: You hardly know him. Do not enter his car.///

///Téa: On the other hand, I work with him. Practically everyday.///

///Confident voice in Téa: Doing acting. You hardly know the real him, so do not enter his car. Do not be foolish.///

///Téa: Boy, nobody argues with themselves like I do./// Téa smiled politely. "I'm a-almost th-th-there, it's fine. Th-th-th." Oh forget the thanks, she already sounded like a chipper.

"Oh come on." He parked beside the road and got out. "Don't be like that." He opened the side door for her. "I know you had to work late tonight. It's cold, it's dark, and what if it starts raining? Even if it's not far, it's not a problem. Get in the car, Téa."

///Confident voice in Téa: Too demanding.///

///Téa: I don't like the way he's acting./// Téa shook her head, trying to keep her chattering down. "M-my place isn't f-far."

"Okay then. I'll just wait right here to make sure you get there then." He waited by the passenger door.

Téa didn't like that either. The gesture was nice, nothing seemed wrong on the surface, but her mind just kept rebelling about everything.

///Confident voice in Téa: Go. Hurry.///

Téa didn't say anything as she started to walk. As she walked a few steps she heard the car door shut. ///Téa: He's probably leaving.///

///Confident voice in Téa: He's following.///

///Téa: It's my imagination, I haven't looked backwards, and I know him from work./// Still, she looked back. He was right there, not far behind.

"I wanted to make sure you made it home safely, remember?"

///Confident voice in Téa: Dive through the alley.///

///Téa: Why am I so over paranoid?/// "I don't n-need . . .," Dangit, the chattering. Téa gestured to her apartment building.

"Oh. That's good, so within viewing distance of the car?" He asked. "Great. I will go back to the car and take off as soon as you're there."

///Confident voice in Téa: Get away, now!///

He started to step backwards. "Don't slay me for wanting to watch out for you, okay? Sorry if it's creepy. I just didn't like the look of the neighborhood and wanted to help."

Téa nodded and went back on her way, but her mind was still upset with herself. Why? What had she done wrong? ///Téa: Why am I yelling at my own self so much?/// She reached her front door. Her co-worker waved at her as he got in the car and she waved back. ///Téa: Nothing to it. He really just wanted to make sure I was safe./// He was even getting into his car and leaving.

Téa unlocked the door. ///Téa: If I keep up this paranoia, It's not going to help me at all. He just wanted to watch out for me. Not all guys are bad, after all. Heck, I know some of the best./// As she stepped into the door of her apartment building though, everything changed.

It was so fast. She heard the 'ert' of the car, the sudden stop, and before she could turn around-