Hit

Okay, I made a mistake. I can admit that. If he had only stopped for an interview, no Carly that does not excuse what you just did. You ran him over, and the guy he was about to duel wasn't looking too friendly either. He had a dead look to his eyes, and the robes he wore weren't exactly the current style.

"Sorry, he has to go to the hospital," I explained, and the dull glow on his arm became apparent. Sticking around obviously wasn't the best idea, so I dragged the new king into my little yellow beetle, hitting his head in the process. Oh, please, don't have a concussion.

"I'm afraid you don't understand. The duel had already started. His life is forfeit if he is unable to continue," The dark clad man said as a strange lizard crawled forward. The creature stared at me and licked its lips.

"You are in the way, step aside," The man ordered as I tried desperately to get the engine to start. My car picked a horrible time to stall. Seeing that I wasn't listening, he signaled for the lizard to attack. I braced myself for the impact only to be surrounded by a crimson light. The duel monster shattered and miraculously, I was able to drive away from the bewildered stranger. Naturally, the minute I was out of danger, I began to question just what had saved us. I turned around to check on him, and saw the insignia I had first noticed during the Fortune cup. The director had tossed my question aside like inconsequential garbage, but there was definitely more going on than he wanted the public to know.

When we arrived at the hospital, any hope I had of going through the front vanished. That's right. The former king had suffered injuries from their duel. Unless I wanted to be bombarded with questions, I would have to sneak him in.

"I don't suppose you have any bright ideas?" I asked Yusei who showed no signs of waking up soon. No help there. Despite the onslaught of reporters, the hospital staff appeared to be keeping the hospital running smoothly. They could go in and out as they pleased. Bingo.

"I'll be back, buddy," I assured him. He seemed to react to my voice and turned. I jumped a little, worried that I would have to make time for apologies. No further movement, good, still unconscious, the less I had to worry about the better. Successfully acquiring a nurse's outfit and stretcher, I walked back to the cab as inconspicuously as possible. I ducked when Angela came into view. We knew each other so my glasses would be a dead giveaway. Busy talking on camera, she failed to notice me pass by. Hidden away by a few unkempt bushes, my car still held the new duel king, clumsily positioned on the back seat in my haste. The mark on his arm still flared and might as well have been screaming: Hey reporters ! I'm over here. Hopefully, the hospital blankets would make the symbol less noticeable. After a few tries, I managed to get him out of the car. My arms couldn't hold him for long, too heavy. I fell backwards, and found myself under him. Either he's a really heavy sleeper or I had really hit him hard. Our close proximity bothered me, I could see the finite details on the marker and feel his breath. Our tumult had me bear the full brunt of his weight and would result in definite bruising. I rolled him off me, and stood. I rubbed my back and hoped that I wouldn't be too sore in the morning.

Putting colossal effort into lifting him onto the stretcher, I finally managed it, give or take a few instances were we both tumbled to the ground again. The pale thin sheets could not hide the volcanic coloration on his arm. I sighed, puzzled over how best to hide the mark. Maybe, he'll listen like he did before.

"Yusei, we're not in danger anymore," I assured the sleeping stranger which appeared to work as an off switch. The ephemeral glow ceased leaving the auburn outline. Satisfied that it would no longer be in the way, I placed the sheets back on him and wheeled forward. Once inside, I marched over to the secretary and explained my situation.

"You're kidding. The new one from Satellite?" She whispered, eyeing the bundle of sheets curiously.

"Yeah, it's him. Could we get a doctor?" I pressed, and the secretary tapped her pen on the desk.

"Okay miss. I'll call him. How did he get hurt anyway? Some dueling accident nonsense, like the other one?" The nurse chattered away as she handed me some forms to fill out. I scratched my head and plastered a fake smile on my face.

"I'd rather not talk about it," I insisted, and the nurse frowned making her entire face look like a prune.

"Fine, fill out those forms, and we'll get right to you," The nurse instructed tartly. I nodded and proceeded to wheel the stretcher next to my chair. There was always a chance someone would want to take a peek, and he was my responsibility at the moment. I couldn't answer most of the questions on the form, except his name and how he was injured. I wasn't looking forward to confronting the doctor about that last part. They could arrest and mark me for this. Security had thrown people out of the city for less. I reluctantly handed over the forms. She perused them and laughed.

"Doctor Harris, you're going to want to take this case," She advised, between laughing fits. He took the chart, and immediately, glanced at me with moderate disapproval.

"Come with me nurse," He said as he began walking down the long hall. A few minutes passed before, I realized he meant me, so much for being discrete. I grabbed the stretcher and followed him.

"You ran him over?" The doctor asked in disbelief.

"Yes," I confessed, wringing my hands nervously. Reporting me seemed to be the last thing on his mind, he was analyzing the sheet I filled out which was mostly blank.

"You don't know any of his medical history?" Harris demanded, and I could see that he sincerely doubted it. Yusei's case must be delicate if he's asking the person who ran him over these questions.

"No," I said which caused the doctor to pound his fist on the counter. The staff must be under a lot of pressure. The hospital didn't need word to get out that another celebrity was in the vicinity.

"Can you contact someone who knows him?"He asked. I bit my lip. According to some rumors, the perfect candidate was in the building.

"Well, there is Jack," I suggested, and the doctor shook his head.

"I can't risk bringing him in here and attracting reporters," He replied, and I flinched. Did I count?

"I'll examine him, and see how serious it is. I trust you can sneak him out the same way you brought him in?" Harris inquired. My comrades could be blind when they were fixated on a scoop. I doubted that they would question my exit from the building.

"I guess," I told him. Yusei rose from the sheets, rubbing his head. I was the first thing in his line of vision.

"Who are you?" He asked dubiously.

"Oh no, he has amnesia," I remarked in dismay.

"Carly, he doesn't know you," Harris reminded me patiently. I covered my face with my hands. Right, he never saw me coming. I had hit him from behind so how could he.

"Carly," Yusei repeated, trying to place the name. When nothing came to mind, Yusei surveyed the room. The white walls and assortment of equipment alerted him to where he was.

"What happened?" Yusei demanded while he proceeded to do a self check of his person.

"I ran you over accidentally," I informed him which didn't seem to register completely.

"Okay, I'm sorry," Yusei apologized. Or at all.

"Broken leg, and minor head wound," He muttered. The expertise in which he found the problem made me think there probably weren't many doctors in Satellite.

" I still think we should take a few X- rays," Harris advised. Yusei complied and laid back down on the stretcher. Harris began putting the hospital sheets over him, and he gave him a questioning look.

"Reporters," The doctor remarked. Yusei sighed and hid himself in the sheets. You would think reporters were constantly trampling over him the way he was acting. Wait, I did, kinda, sort of do that. Harris returned with a few X- rays. Yusei looked smug.

"He has a broken leg. We'll put a cast on it, but at least his head injury doesn't look serious," The doctor reiterated, about ready to smack Yusei with his clipboard. His injuries could have been worse. He had smacked his head on the pavement on the way down. I'd see to it that he got back on his feet. The doctor placed a cast on his right foot, and placed a pair of crutches on the stretcher. There was the matter of the bill.

"I don't have any money," I stated up front. The doctor grinned.

"We'll add it to Jack's bill. The director won't check," Harris responded. Yusei grew alert at the former king's mention. So, they did know each other.

"Jack's here?" He questioned, and the doctor nodded. Positioning his crutches, Yusei prepared to go see Jack. Knowing how quickly word would spread if he walked around in plain sight, the doctor reassured him.

"He's fine, just a broken arm. You should let this young lady get you out of here while you have the chance. Trust me, it's the least she can do," The doctor suggested. I hung my head low at the doctor's comment. I'll make it up to him, somehow.

" He can take care of himself," Yusei decided after a brief silence and laid down on the stretcher. After hiding him under the sheets, I waved goodbye to the doctor. The second trip was going smoothly when Angela noticed me.

"Trying to sneak in as one of the staff, that's low even for you," Angela remarked snidely, and I prevented myself from starting one of our lengthy arguments.

"You're right Angela. This is a waste of time. The director won't let his precious ward out of his sight. We should all be going after Yusei anyway," I acknowledged which left her speechless for a moment before her brain managed a decent response.

"Like Satellite trash doesn't know all sorts of places to hide, you're wasting your time," Angela said with a huff. Yeesh, I wasn't even trying to insult her that time. And hah, I do have the king with me so there. I took off in the opposite direction of the hospital. Angela seemed confused as to why I was running off with the stretcher but had a newscast to continue. Arriving at our destination, I stopped short of my cab.

"You're a reporter," Yusei said, sitting up. I nodded since I couldn't exactly lie after that little display. Never mind, that he'll likely bear a grudge against reporters because I ran him over.

"I'm sorry about what happened. The purple fire startled me, and I didn't push the brake in time" I apologized.

"Oh, that's why I was knocked out. I thought, "Yusei realized before trailing off.

"To be fair that guy was bad news," I insisted, and Yusei's mind seemed to shift gears.

"Dark signer," He recollected and turned to me.

"I don't blame you for what happened, but I do need a ride back to Saiga's if it's not too much of an inconvenience for you," He asked politely. He wasn't possibly thinking of challenging that guy in his condition was he?

"What are you planing to do?" I demanded.

"I need to save Satellite from getting destroyed. I'll be facing more people like him, most likely," He replied honestly while I helped him in.

"You can't in your condition, "I told him. I slammed the door, and started the car before he could get out.

"It's not your choice. I won't abandon my home like everyone else seems ready to do," He yelled as he attempted to open the door. Child's lock was a beautiful thing. He banged on the window once and crossed his arms.

"Can't you let someone else handle it?" I suggested.

"No" He stated with a sigh. Everyone putting the entire burden on you doesn't seem fair, but if Jack's from Satellite, he would care too, I think.

"What about Jack?" I offered which made him frown as he leaned back on the seat.

"He's hurt," Yusei remarked, and I stared at his cast, what a hypocrite.

"So are you, and as far as I'm concerned, a broken leg beats a broken arm. You're coming with me," I ordered, and the nature of the situation slowly sunk in. He was trapped unless he could change my mind.

"But Carly, Jack wouldn't " He started to protest, but I wouldn't hear it.

"Have you asked him?" I asked which disrupted his thought process. Succinctly, he considered something else.

"No but," He tried again, but I couldn't in good conscious let him face evil on a broken leg.

"Look. I owe you. Is the world ending tomorrow?" I changed tactics, and I could see he wanted to say yes to spite me.

"Maybe," Yusei said carefully. I had him. He left a very big loop hole.

"Then, you can rest today," I reasoned and I heard a thud as he let his head hit the front seat.

"Satellite needs to be evacuated, I must speak with the director," He annunciated as if I wear deaf, or not a completely well person. He wouldn't get away with that excuse either.

"Jack lives with the director," I stated matter a factly.

"He does, but I still don't think," Yusei continued to protest, but his confidence in his position was wavering.

"You know what, so far, it looks like Jack should handle it. Maybe, this is the worlds way of telling you to slow down," I explained, and he glared at his foot as if it had done something wrong.

"I don't think Jack would do any of this on his own," Yusei confessed, glancing at the Kaiba corp. building.

"Do you want to risk being caught by reporters?" I said in an attempt to add incentive to lying low. He smirked, and it was the first time I had seen him anywhere close to happy.

"Haven't I already been caught by one?" He remarked and I let myself smile a little. So what if I was a little bit of a hypocrite too?

"I'm afraid I wouldn't feel right asking you for anything after I ran you over. I'll find something else to report on, " I confessed, and I could just see my boss's floating head yelling, you're fired. He didn't say anything else after that, but when I turned around a few minutes later, he had somehow managed to undo the child's lock.

"Yusei, get out of the car and I will be very disappointed in you," I said rapidly. His hand was on the door handle, and the comment made him freeze. He retracted his hand, and returned to his seat. I knew that would work.