New York City M.N. Murder Case

Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note nor Death Note: Another Note. I do own Elena Cabestan.

Category: Mystery/Crime, Romance, Humor.

Rated: T for dark themes like murder, death, rape, etc.

Characters: Near, Mello, Lidner, Gevanni, Rester, OC.

Pairings: MelloxNear, LidnerxOC, LightxL (implied).

Warnings: One of the main characters is an OC whose role is basically to bring Mello and Near together.

Check my profile for further informations and feel free to pm me.

Please read and review!

Enjoy!

C.

A little helper:

"..." = direct dialogues.

Italics = characters' thoughts.

[Bolditalics] = L's speech through an electronic device when he is not physically present.

New York City M.N. Murder Case

Chapter 1: Emotion

If you're reading this, it means that everything has finally come to an end.

You probably remember L, the world's greatest detective. You must also remember Kira, the worst narcissist serial killer the earth has ever known. You should know that L is dead, as is Kira.

They both thought they were Justice. They both thought they were the best. They both thought they were going to win.
And they both were wrong. Alone, they couldn't win. So they died.

Then, the second L rose. Or should I say the two second L. Near and Mello. Mello and Near. They fought each other. But in the end, they worked together, though unwillingly, and they won. They were the best.

You probably remember the Los Angeles B.B. Murder Case which opposed L and the psychopath serial killer Beyond Birthday. Don't you remember he didn't work alone on that case? Yes, he asked for help. He asked for the FBI agent Naomi Misora. He won.

Even the world's greatest detective has weaknesses, and sometimes being the best also means accept those flaws and overcome them.

That is what the first L did, but I am sure you already know that.

But did you know the same story happened to the second L?

I am quite sure you don't know that.

You probably think Mello is dead.

At least, that's what we all thought, including me...

...Until the second L was forced to deal with a case he was unable to solve by himself, so he asked for help. He asked— actually, he didn't really ask but nevermind— for the french criminologist and lawyer Elena Cabestan. And he won.

But thanks to that woman, he didn't only beat a criminal, he beat his own weakness. He discovered emotions, he found the only thing his life lacked, he found love...

He found Mello.

Yes, I know what you are going to tell me: ''but we saw him dead! Takada wrote his name in the Death Note, he had a heart attack and he died in the truck! Everything was on fire! He can't be alive!''

Yes, I know all that for I was the one who arrived at the accident site first. There was nothing left but fire, believe me.

But I can assure you one thing: Mello did survive.

And he spent months trying to catch the attention of his former enemy, Near. Why do I use the word 'former' you may ask? Well, let's say that Mello and Near didn't always feel solely anger towards each other...

Planning his fake death and hiding for months as an outlaw could appear as drastic measures for you, and you would probably be right.

But the truth is, it was the only way.

Mello did catch Near's attention. The only thing he didn't know was that he actually had always been Near's centre of attention.

And for the first time in forever, Mello, the eternal second, won.

Yes, for the first time in forever, no one lost the battle, nor the game.

Mello and Near won. They both were the best. Together.

My name is Halle Bullook, but I'm better known as Hal Lidner, former CIA agent and now a current agent of the SPK, which then became the SPM (Special Provision for Mello), and I am going to tell you the true story of a clever woman who succeeded in bringing two mortal enemies together.

The strong independent woman who managed to reconcile Mello and Near.

The extraordinary woman who was the only one capable of turning hatred and rivalry into love.

That is the story of the New York City M.N. Murder Case.

''Ladies and gentlemen, hello,'' a smooth voice spoke in the microphone.

A rather young and beautiful woman was sitting behind the pulpit, facing the amphitheater full of excited students who were struggling to maintain their calm in front of their new French Penal Law professor. A warm smile tugging on her red lips, her golden locks sprawling all over her cheeks, the professor was already enchanting the whole crowd in front of her as everyone was staring at her in bliss and puzzlement.

''I am Professor Elena Cabestan. As I am sure you all have read your timetables very carefully,'' she coughed slightly, showing her true thoughts on the matter, gathering some laughs from the young people, ''you must be aware that I will be teaching you French Penal Law and Criminal Science during this semester.''

She stopped, tapping her nails on the pulpit, and then, ''I hope you won't mind my french accent, but...'' She chuckled, filling the entire theater with a light lovely sound. ''I heard you americans find that accent quite sexy so I guess I should use that accent with pride rather than shame.''

Some giggles and nods of the head showed the general agreement of her fascinated audience. Elena's smile widened. Then, as if she was regaining her senses, she pursed her lips severely, as if finally reminding why she was there in the first place.

She cleared her throat. ''So, now that I have introduced myself... Before I start the actual lesson for what I am being paid, I must remind you some of the rules which shall lead my teaching here all along this semester we will have the pleasure— at least, I hope— to spend together.''

She paused, patting the wooden desk with her red nails once again. An assembly of silent and obedient young women and men was glaring right back at her, only waiting for her to continue.

Perfect.

Oh, how she loved being the centre of attention...

''First, I do not tolerate any delayed arrival. So when the class begins, the doors will be shut and you'll have to wait until the next hour,'' she shrugged nonchalantly as if these rules were none of her concern. ''Secondly, I hate chats and whispers while I am talking, so if you are not willing to listen to me, you'll simply have to leave, by will or by force. Thirdly, the thing that I absolutely can't stand is people interrupting me, and—''

The young woman widened her eyes in shock when she gazed down at her computer screen. A huge noise echoed within the auditorium, causing everyone to startle. And then, the image appearing on the professor's screen was projected right behind her back, on the immense white display hung on the wall.

A white screen in the center of which stood a big single letter written in some kind of an old gothic elegant script. A huge, beautiful, black...

L

Elena shuddered from tip to toe. The crowd was nothing more than a combination of confused gasps of shock and anticipation.

She stuttered, suddenly losing all her former composure. ''W-What? Who the—''

[L.]

An owl electronally processed voice rang in the entire hall, piercing the eardrums of all the bemused audience witnessing that unrealistic scene.

Who the hell... Wait. L? Who the L? Ahah. Good joke.

Elena sighed in exasperation as she rubbed her temples with her fingertips.

That must be a kid, this is the only reasonable explanation... Keep cool, Elena.

[It is nice to meet you, Professor Cabestan. I am L.] The voice stated simply.

The young woman turned around on her chair and looked at the immense screen clinging on the wall.

''What's the meaning of this?! Whoever you are, I'm asking you to stop this foolishness right away! You have no idea who you're talking to! This is a law course, you are just interfering in the smooth functionning of a university and this is hardly—''

[I know exactly what I am doing, Miss Cabestan. The thing is I have no other choice but to contact you in your workplace. I apologize about that rather rude and innapropriate manner of reaching to you, Professor. But I am sure you will understand my course of action as soon as you will know why I am addressing you.]

Elena Cabestan rose from her pulpit, clenching her fists in frustration.

''What the hell do you want?! You surely are a psychopath! You better stop that joke already or I can assure you that you will soon find yourself in great trouble!'' She shouted at the blank screen.

[Please, Miss Cabestan. I assure you I am nothing of the sort. I am currently acting in accordance with the advice of the university's Dean as well as the agreement of the New York City police. Now I am asking you to calm down and listen to me very carefully. Please do exactly as I say. Command the leave of all the students present in the amphitheater in the most quick and peaceful way.]

''What the hell is wrong with you?!'' The young professor yelled. ''There is no way I am ordering the evacuation of the whole amphitheater since I am supposed to lead a course here! Are you completely deaf or just naturally dumb?!''

She believed she heard a heavy sigh on the other side of the line.

[Fine. Then you leave me no choice. Rester, Gevanni, Lidner, you know what you have to do.]

The screen just switched off, as if nothing ever happened. The young woman didn't have enough time to turn away that her ears were painfully filled with crazy and frightened screams coming from everywhere. She didn't understand what could possibly be the cause of such panic provoking all the girls and boys previously sitting on the benches to rush towards the hall doors in pure disaster and fear. Less than one minute later, she was left alone in the large auditorium.

Well, that was a hell of a first class indeed! She growled.

As she looked up at the top of the amphitheater, she spotted two dark figures standing still right before the doors. She frowned, trying to distinguish who was waiting for her at the edge of the ranks. She sighed.

I guess I have nothing left to lose, now...

She climbed down the steps which reached to the pulpit. She slowly walked towards the upper exits. One man and one woman were staring back at her emotionlessly. She allowed her gaze to sweep away those strange slender frames in front of her. Black suits, black ties, black shoes, and...

Black guns... pointed right to her.

This is definitely not my day.

''Ah, let me guess!'' Elena raised a thin hand at her chin, looking at the ceiling, feigning to think. ''You must be James Bond and James Bond girl, am I right?'' She glared at the two stoic beings with annoyance.

She was about to say something else, anything else to try and obtain any reaction from those blank livid faces in front of her, but something hit her right in the hollow of her neck. She was about to scream in pain but her vision blurred, her mouth went dry as she felt herself falling down.

One of the slender dark silhouettes suddenly rushed towards her. She was expecting to meet the ground full force soon enough, but some tender arms cupped her knees and waist right before the impact occurred. The last thing she saw was blond straight hair brushing her face in a silky caress and icy blue eyes staring down at her in concern.

Then, everything went black, just like the screen did a few minutes earlier.

''You shouldn't have shot her like this! You could have hurt her. And hurting her was probably the last thing L would wish.'' Said a deep, cutting voice above her, full of reproach.

''I didn't have the choice, Lidner. She was not willing to cooperate, you saw it yourself,'' a hoarse voice answered in a neutral tone.

Elena Cabestan moaned slightly as she became fully aware of the incredible headache and other numerous and diverse pains which were gradually overwhelming her senses. Her eyes flickered open as she tried to reach out to some kind of a warm light above her...

''Wait, Rester. She's waking up.''

Finally, she was able to fully open her eyes. She almost jerked back. She was apparently leaning in the lap of a certain platinium blonde woman who was staring at her, smiling lightly. Her own hand was resting on the woman's cheek whereas she had been sure she was touching the light which was looming over her. Well, it seems that light was nothing more than that blonde's face.

She surpressed a groan when she eventually found the strength to straighten up and sit back. She withdrew her hand, clearing her throat, and looked away from the blue pupils.

''Uh, I... I'm sorry,'' she grumbled between her teeth, escaping from what seemed to be her saviour's lap.

''It's not a big deal,'' the blonde smiled at her again. She took her hand in hers gently. ''Here, let me help you.'' She pulled her up in one single gesture.

''Thank you,'' she murmured awkwardly.

The older woman nodded silently.

''Lidner, bring her to me,'' a firm but yet smooth young voice called from behind her.

Lidner looked right into Elena's eyes and then down at their hands still interlaced, before she let go of the Professor's hand and placed a soothing hand on her back, urging her to follow her steps.

Cabestan swallowed and let herself be lead by the blonde woman. She was finally going to face her kidnapper. Or at least the brain of the operation.

''Here she is, L. As you requested,'' Lidner said, her voice laced with bitterness.

''Very well. Thank you, Rester, Gevanni, Lidner. You achievied a great job,'' the silky voice continued.

Elena couldn't believe her eyes. Her kidnapper, her captor, the crazy psychopath who had managed to call her during her own lesson, was nothing more than a curled up white figure in the middle of some kind of a toy tracks train.

This must be a joke. It has to be!

Suddenly, the little frame straightened up and turned around to face her, rotating on his knees. It was a boy. Or should she say a man? Probably in between, she couldn't say. A childhish adult, let's say. Or was he an adultish child? Well, a non-aged boy all dressed in large shapeless white shirt and pants. Was this freak used to kidnap people while playing with little trains in pyjamas? It seems he was.

''Professor Cabestan, welcome to the SPK. Or should I say the SPM?'' The little man wondered as if for himself as one of his small hands reached up to twirl a short white lock of hair.

''Well, I hope you understand I'm not very pleased with the idea of saying thank you to an odd albino child who just drugged me and kidnapped me to bring me into some kind of a crazy game library building whose name I don't give a damn about,'' Elena snapped.

The white boy pursed his lips and looked at the small train slowly moving in the tracks next to him, as if lost in thought.

''You do make me think of someone... doesn't she, Lidner?'' The little head looked up at the blonde who was still standing right next to Cabestan.

Elena imitated her strange captor as she stared at the woman who seemed the only one to care about her well-being. Lidner raised an imperceptible smile.

''Yes, she does.'' She agreed quietly.

Elena sighed and decided to report her attention on the white-haired kid in front of her.

''What do you want from me? Why did you kidnap me?''

''I am sorry for this,'' the child looked down at the floor and grabbed a small figurine in his hand. ''Please forgive me, Miss Cabestan. But you left me no choice.'' He took another doll with his other hand and placed them side by side, both facing the new comer, as if willing for her to address those small humanoid statuettes.

''Well, I guess that if you were indeed willing to kidnap me, I was not going to open my arms and follow you blindly,'' Professor Cabestan rolled her eyes. ''Besides, if you are hoping for any valuable ransom, I must tell you you are awfully mistaken. I have no great capital, nor someone ready to pay for me, so...''

''I know that very well,'' the white man took two another figurines and placed them right behind the first ones. ''Actually, I was not willing to kidnap you. I just wanted to talk to you.''

''Well, you should reevaluate your standards of talking then,'' she crossed her arms on her chest, cleared annoyed, ''because normal people don't kidnap others just in order to talk.''

''I know. As I said earlier, I apologize for my course of action. I did not have a choice,'' the young man looked up at her. ''Actually, I need your help, Miss Cabestan. And I cannot afford myself to lose that opportunity by letting you go.''

''But... what is it you need my help for so badly? What do you want? And... and who are you?!'' Elena started to lose her patience as her hazel eyes shone with a threatening gleam of pure rage.

The boy stayed silent for a while, moving his little figurines thoughtfully. He didn't look up at the angry woman. The professor even wondered if he actually heard her, even though the contrary would be impossible.

''I need your help for a case. A murder case. I have heard you are one of the most skilled criminologists in the world, and I am currently facing a rather complicated case,'' he raised his hand to his head, twirling a white strand around his fingers.

''I am L, the world's greatest detective.''

''Yeah, more like the greatest joker,'' Elena sneered. ''Whatever. I guess I don't have the choice anyway. But I must tell you something first: I am a theologian, not a practician. I don't deal with actual criminal cases. I just do some research and give some courses. I fail to see how my knowledge could be useful to you.''

L didn't even flinch at the provocation. He looked down at his left hand, Elena followed his gaze. She restrained a gasp of shock. Two little dolls were covering the top of his slender fingers.

''Lidner, Gevanni, Rester,'' the three startled at their names. ''Please leave us alone.''

Elena felt the blonde stiffen behind her. ''But L, we—''

''Do not worry, Lidner. I reckon Miss Cabestan has understood the gravity of the situation very well. She is not going to try anything to escape. You heard me, you can leave.''

The two men left the room in silence, Lidner withdrew her hand from the other woman's back— Elena just realized the blonde had been holding her back all along— and followed the two other agents reluctantly.

''So... What's the meaning of this, L?'' The young professor asked dryly.

Without bothering to answer, the detective just rose from the floor and let himself fall into the nearest wheeled chair, facing the dozen of blank screens. He pressed a button, and an image appeared, the same on all the giant screens.

It was her, Professor Elena Cabestan, speaking at the audience from her pulpit, during one of the many meetings she had given across the country. That one was in San Francisco if she reminded well.

''This is your last conference in San Francisco,'' the albino pointed to the screen. ''A conference about what you called "emotional crimes" or "crimes of passion". You explained how the emotions can be shown through the crimes scene and allow the police to provide a psychologic profile of the killer. Very interesting. I watched those videos again and again, and I must admit something caught my attention.''

Elena blinked, not sure if she should just thank the detective or try to understand why he found that conference oh so interesting.

''Ah, and may I ask what was it?'' She asked innocently.

''You spoke about the obsession the serial killer holds towards the detective who is hunting him down.'' L played with the four figurines, making them face one another. ''I have never heard of that— how did you call that? Ah, yes, masochist fascination or downfall pulsion.'' He shook his fingers slightly, observing as the fingerdolls livened up in the same move. ''Killers who leave some hints on the murder scenes have the will to provoke and disturb the detective's mind because they are utterly fascinated by the feeling of someone actually searching for them and thinking about them all the time, night and day.'' He added a third fingerdoll on his middle finger. ''They crave for attention, even if that attention might lead them straight to their downfall, mostly by their arrest and condamnation.''

''I see you got quite deep into the subject...'' The young woman rested her hand on her chin as curiosity finally sank in her mind. ''May I know why this subject struck you so much?''

''In fact, the case I want you to help me with is quite special, to say the least.'' L switched off the little train, as if the noise was already getting to his head, even though his impassive features said nothing of the sort. ''In every murder scene are left some odd hints. Some robots, some dolls and other toys. I know those are there only for me to figure out.''

''So you think those toys are directed to you and you only?''

The white detective nodded slowly without even bothering to gaze up at his captive.

''And what makes you so sure about that? Don't you just feel concerned because you obviously have a thing for toys?'' Elena laughed sarcastically, looking down at the young man, slightly amused.

''No. I am concerned because...'' He muttered, grabbing a figurine in his pale hands.

''Those toys are mine.''

Cabestan gaped in astonishment. ''Wait. What? Those toys are yours? How is it even possible?!''

''Actually, there is one thing I omitted to tell you about this case.''

Elena arched an eyebrow.

''The thing is, I know exactly who the killer is.'' L tilted his head to the side, still staring at the small statuette in his hand.

''What?'' She burst out. ''Then why in the hell do you need my help? What are you waiting for to arrest him and close that case?''

For one second, the detective's black eyes flickered to her, and then looked back at the small toy.

''I do not need your help to arrest the murderer. I already know who he is, but I do not know how to reach to him.'' He pulled on the figurine, stretching its little hand. ''I may be the world's greatest detective, so one could say I am a genius gifted with an extraordinary mind... but nonetheless I am not perfect. I can indeed figure out approximately every mystery or case that was ever presented to me, but that case is special. It requests something I do not possess. That is why I need you, Miss Cabestan. I need you to give me that something. Together, we will catch him.'' He took another doll which looked more like a blonde female and placed it right next to the first one, which was totally white.

''This murderer is not any murderer to me, Miss Cabestan.'' He resumed twirling his hair in a perfect natural gesture. ''That is why I cannot arrest him like any other killer,'' he stated simply, as if exposing a very elaborated flawless rationale. ''I may be the mastermind, but unfortunately sometimes a mastermind would need more than his wits to figure everything out. To catch that special murderer, I need the only thing that I lack.''

''And... what do you lack?'' Cabestan frowned at him.

''Emotion.''

With that final revelation, Elena was left speechless.

''Now you understand why I need your help, don't you, Miss Cabestan?'' He placed the two figurines next to another one.

''Uh... yes, I suppose I do, but...'' She shook her head. ''I'm afraid I don't quite understand why you would need emotion in that particular case.''

''Because for once, I must not only catch that criminal. If it was just that, I would not need your help. I do not want to bring that murderer to justice, I want to understand him. In order to do that, I need your professional knowledge about human emotions. That is the reason why you are here.'' L stretched his forefinger and middle finger towards her, showing the two little dolls agitating on top of his thin fingers. One was perfectly white, on its torso was written the letter L. The other one was black with golden locks and red lips, the letter on the chest was an elegant white E.

The professor whined silently in suppressed weariness.

So that sociopath makes his own dolls based on the people he meets. Even I have my own personnalized doll, how great!

The young woman froze, remembering what the detective just told her. He didn't want to bring that criminal to justice. So why did he want to find him? Why did he want to understand him? He said he knew who it was. So... Wait. What if... Yes, it must be it.

''You personally know the killer, don't you, L? I bet he or she is even rather close to you, am I right?'' Elena kneeled in front of the small boy to place herself at his level in order to better observe his reaction.

If this move had surprised or unsettled him, the detective's black eyes showed nothing. The white-haired man raised his thumb to his mouth, a yellow and black doll pressed to his lips.

''Yes you are, Miss Cabestan,'' he looked down, as if lost in thought.

''Who is the killer, L?'' She asked quietly, as if afraid of the answer she would get.

The strange detective lowered his hand and picked one of the small statuettes he was playing with a few minutes ago and placed it right next to the L and E ones. Then he removed the top of the toy which was covering its head. A blonde head and white face distorted with an ugly red scar appeared to their sight. L grasped the figurine ever so slowly and held it in his arms, his dark orbs still cast on the floor.

''Mello.''

Author's Note:

Thank you for reading! This is the first chapter of my new project of fanfiction, I hope you enjoyed it!

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Bye bye, humans!

C.