Unfortunately for Gene's vanishing act, Pepper isn't about to let him fade into non-existence, no matter how much he may want to. She can imagine what's going through his head with Tony being-- absent. Temporarily, Pepper allows herself to hope. It hurts to have him gone, but she knows that Gene must be utterly devastated by comparison. He has so much more to lose than her, here and at home.

Finding him is not going to be easy, but that does not deter her. He'd go someplace quiet, somewhere he could withdraw from everyone and everything, she thinks. Nowhere they've visited before - not the turtle's head, even with the peace it offers. She takes to the air and circles the city, looking for any sign of her friend. Eventually, she finds a hill that has a good view of much of the city and surrounding area, and pulls out her dueling gauntlet. Pepper will likely never be as adept at stretching the boundaries of Shadow Magic as Bakura, but she can give this a try. With the help of an antique-looking telescope, Pepper is at least able to get a general bead on the Makluan rings after identifying Gene as the 'opponent'. She'll take it; she can narrow to his exact location with enough time to search.

The abandoned shack seems a likely hideout, when she spots it. Pepper lands near enough that the sound of the repulsors will announce her presence, but not so close as to spook him (hopefully).

"Gene?" Pepper calls, pulling off her helmet and approaching the shack. "It's Pepper. Are you in there?"