Author's Note:
Hallo again! Important note: I made some changes to the first chapter, so you may want to check that out before starting on this one.
I apologize for the delay in getting this chapter out. I ended up having to write a historical analysis essay which made writing boring and the last thing I wanted to do as my muse cried under the refrigerator. But I turned in my essay last night, my muse had some rolls from Logan's, and I finished up the chapter today.
Thank you to everyone who's reading! I really appreciate it!
Tschau,
lexthemess
When Light awoke the next morning to the insistent beeping of his alarm clock, it was with a buzzing sort of anticipation for the rest of the day. He suppressed it of course, letting nothing show even in the privacy of his own room. There would be time for that later. After taking care of his morning routine, he headed down to the main kitchen, much larger than those of the individual apartments the HQ housed, and began to prepare breakfast for the rest of the Task Force.
Aizawa was the first down, and he was lured to the corner of the counter by the promising scent of coffee that filled the room. He gave Light a nod as his greeting, not much for words in the morning. Ide was next, following Aizawa's lead as usual, Mogi coming after, and then, Matsuda was stumbling down a while later as Light was setting out the last of the food. "Good morning, Light!" Matsuda chirped. "Good morning, Aizawa, Ide, Mogi."
"Good morning, Matsuda," Light replied, knowing that the others would only give noncommittal grunts at this hour. Light placed the now-finished breakfast on the kitchen table, flashing a smile.
Breakfast was a quiet affair as the four detectives apart from Light tried to get their not-nearly-so-efficient brains to wake up. As they finished up and Light, Matsuda, and Mogi set about tidying the kitchen, Aizawa and Ide headed to the main room to wait for the SPK and check the surveillance monitors. Light spared his watch a glance. The SPK would arrive any second now, and Misa would be calling soon as well.
Matsuda and Light worked quietly before they met the others in the main room. "How are they doing?" Light asked of Aizawa and Ide, who were watching the cameras.
"Mikami is sleeping still, but Near doesn't look like he's slept," was Aizawa's response.
Light took in Near's appearance and silently agreed. His eyes were bloodshot, and shadows had formed under them. His knees were pulled up to his chest, and he was watching the door as if waiting for the executioner himself to come through. In his own cell, Mikami was curled up on the cot, his face tense even in sleep, and evidence of his previous crying lined his face. Again, that warm, possessive pride swelled at Mikami's thorough performance, and Light had to swallow a smile.
"We need to take them for breakfast and for showers. Mogi, Ide, I want you on Mikami; you'll be able to handle his strength if something happens. Matsuda, I want you and Ide with Near. I'll be here watching the cameras and coordinating everyone. Everyone clear?" After receiving confirmation, Light said, "Alright. Head down. Breakfast and then showers, one at a time."
The Task Force dispersed, and Light watched them from the security cameras. Mikami put on a show of being forlorn yet cooperative for his assigned detectives as they served him a tasteless but nourishing breakfast and led him to the showers. Near, on the other hand, gave Matsuda and Aizawa a fierce glare and refused to eat. Light wanted to laugh at how pathetic Near was, how completely helpless.
A nondescript ringing signalled that Light was receiving a call, and a quick check confirmed that it was Rester. "Agent Rester," Light answered by way of greeting.
"L," Rester responded. "We're outside now."
"Come on in. You've been given allowance."
"Right."
The SPK entered the main floor shortly thereafter, but Light kept his gaze on the scene playing out on the cameras. "Good morning, Agents."
"How are they?" Rester asked.
"They're being prepared for interrogation. Mikami has just had breakfast and is being led to the showers, but Near is still being persuaded to eat."
"They sleep at all?"
Mentally correcting the grammar of that question, Light said, "Mikami seemed to exhaust himself and slept. Near almost definitely didn't."
Another ringing from his phone announced another call, this one from Misa. He apologized and excused himself. "Hey, Misa, Sweetheart," he answered, pitching his voice sweetly and intentionally staying just within earshot of the SPK.
The next three minutes was filled with Misa's excited chattering about nothing of any importance. It was the call itself that mattered and Light's response. As soon as he could, Light made his goodbyes, promising to be home as soon as they wrapped up the case.
Apologizing again for the interruption, Light rejoined the SPK at the monitors and watched along as Mikami was led back to his cell and a few bites of breakfast were finally coaxed into Near.
"We're taking him to the showers now, L," Aizawa said.
Light buzzed the cell door open in response. He then pressed the button for the intercom and said, "Mogi, Ide, lead Mikami to the interrogation room now, please."
Light darted his gaze to the time for a split second, not allowing the motion to be obvious. Any second now. Any second. Then the second hand touched five, and Light's victory cemented itself.
As Mikami and Near crossed paths, Mikami leaving the showers as Near was brought to them, Near began truly struggling in Aizawa's and Matsuda's grip. "Mikami, help me!" he shouted, and suddenly, all the frantic, fanatic energy Mikami had possessed the night before returned.
"God!" he cried out, and then Near managed to worm his way free from Aizawa and Matsuda, his strength far more than either of the men had been expecting. Nimble and lithe as a snake, Near deftly evaded his captor's hands, and as he passed Ide and Mogi, the two men instinctively reached out to grab him, a huge mistake as that meant the Mikami was now free as well, though like Near, his hands remained cuffed.
"Keep them away from me!" Near demanded of Mikami in a rush of breath as he began to hurry down the hall as fast as he could move.
Pretending to snap out of his imaginary surprise, Light ordered, "One of you stay here and watch the cameras; the rest of you follow me." Without waiting for a response, Light took off towards the elevators. Lidner spoke to them through a spare radio, keeping them up on what was happening.
When the elevators spit them onto the proper floor, Mikami was being restrained by Ide, Mogi, and Aizawa, and Matsuda and Near were nowhere to be seen. "Lidner?" Light barked in question.
"Matsuda is chasing Near down the hallway to your left," came the quick answer.
"Get Mikami secured in his cell, and keep an eye on him," Light told the Task Force over his shoulder as he headed down the hall after Matsuda and Near. Harried agreements came, and the pounding of footsteps from the SPK followed him.
"Shit! Matsuda's down, and Near's getting away," Lidner said over the radio.
Light bit the inside of his cheek to hold back a victorious smile. Narrowing his eyes as if outraged, he pushed himself further, picking up the pace, and the others did the same.
Lidner spoke again, "I lost him! I repeat, I've lost visual of Near."
"Where did you last see him? And where's Matsuda?" Light demanded as he turned the corner.
"Matsuda is two corridors down from your current location, and Near was three from there."
Just as the last words came from her mouth, they came across Matsuda, slumped against a wall and bleeding from a wound at his temple. Light tossed his radio to Rester, saying, "Take that and continue on looking for Near. I need to get Matsuda away from here."
"Right," Rester agreed, he and his men scurrying away.
Kneeling by the fallen Task Force member, Light patted the man's cheek gently. "Matsuda? Can you hear me?"
Matsuda groaned, turning his head slightly to the side before answering. "Light? Where's Near?"
"The SPK is chasing him now. He dealt you a nasty blow. Let's get you to the main floor, okay?" Light started coaxing Matsuda to his feet.
Matsuda wobbled a bit upon standing, but he steadied when Light put an arm around the other man's waist. Leaning into Light, Matsuda put his own arm around Light's shoulders. The two began making slow progress down the hall.
"Light?" Matsuda asked quietly.
"Yes, Matsuda?" Light responded.
"I'm sorry I let Near get away. I'm always messing everything up." His tone was downtrodden, sincere in his apology and belief in his failure.
Perfect, Light thought. "It's not your fault, Matsuda. None of us were prepared for Near to fight like that. If anything, it's my fault for organizing this so poorly." Light released a sigh, as if regretful.
"No!" Matsuda was quick to insist. "It wasn't your fault at all, Light! You couldn't have known."
"But-"
"But nothing!" Matsuda said, uncharacteristically firm. "If it's not my fault, then it's not yours either."
Light gave a small chuckle, his lips curling into a smile. "Fine, then," he said, "it's neither of our faults. The SPK are after him now, anyway, so there's nothing to worry about."
Light felt Matsuda sag slightly against him, the tension in his muscles relaxing. Taking the additional weight without complaint, Light merely adjusted his grip around Matsuda's waist. They continued down the hall in companionable silence. When they reached the elevator, they took it up to the main floor, and a shocked, horrified gasp wrenched itself from Matsuda's throat, and genuine surprise flashed over Light's face.
In front of the monitors where she'd been left, Lidner was now lying on the floor, blood pooling around her, seeming to come from her neck. From the radio that Lidner had been using, they could hear the voices of the rest of the SPK and Task Force calling for her, concern in their tones. Unfreezing, Light darted his gaze around, looking for anyplace Near might be hiding. "Stay here," he commanded Matsuda propping him on the wall beside the elevator. Light crossed the room to crouch beside Lidner's body and felt for her pulse. He glanced back towards Matsuda and shook his head, and the horror on Matsuda's face spiked.
Light grabbed the radio and pressed the button to project his words to the others. "This is L. Agent Lidner is dead, presumably killed by Near. Because I don't have eyes on him on the monitors, I'm assuming he made his escape through the front doors after he murdered Lidner." Light paused, and silence reigned before he continued. "My men, stay on Mikami. SPK, return to the main floor."
He tossed the radio onto the table and returned to Matsuda's side. "Come on, let's get you sitting down," he said softly. Wrapping his arms around Matsuda's waist once more, he led the shaking man towards one of the many chairs in the room. He eased him down and turned the chair away from Lidner. "Hey," he said, "it's going to be okay. We'll catch Near, and we'll get justice for Lidner and everyone else he's killed."
Matsuda nodded, but his expression didn't change, his eyes haunted and face pale, sweat beginning to break out over his forehead. Light frowned, not liking how sick Matsuda was looking, especially since the man was still reeling from the blow to the head he'd taken. They were on a schedule; Light didn't have time for this. On the other hand, though , Light thought, playing nursemaid would be a good opportunity to sway him further to me and away from the others.
Behind Light, the elevator dinged and released the SPK into the room. "Jesus Christ," someone said on a gasp.
Light turned around to face the SPK, his face shaped into sympathy and worry. "I'm very sorry for your loss. I can see to it that the necessary arrangements are made to have Lidner sent back to the States for a proper burial as soon as possible."
Rester nodded, his face drawn. "Thank you, L."
"For now, I'll call to have her body taken care of, and Matsuda still needs to have his head looked at. Could you please keep an eye on the monitors?"
The group nodded, not seeming entirely easy with being in the same room with their dead co-worker but accepting it as necessary.
"Thank you. I'll take another radio so you can contact me if needed." He grabbed Lidner's radio from where she'd put it on the table and latched it to his belt. "Come on, Matsuda," he murmured gently, helping the man to his feet and leading him to the infirmary. Matsuda was unsteady on his feet, and Light found himself carrying most of Matsuda's weight. He was relieved when they got to one of the private rooms and lowered Matsuda onto the bed. He set about gathering supplies and then returned to his side.
He started with carefully wiping the sweat from Matsuda's brow and then examined the wound. It wasn't too bad, but head wounds tended to bleed a disproportionate amount. Cleansing the blood around the area first, Light then started cleaning the wound itself, drawing a hiss from the until then silent Matsuda. "Sorry," Light said quietly.
"'S'okay," Matsuda replied absently.
When he'd finished patching up the wound, Light suggested, "Why don't you lie down for a while?"
Surprisingly, Matsuda didn't argue at all, merely agreeing, "Okay," in a subdued tone before lying down on his side, curling his knees up.
Light took off Matsuda's shoes, setting them on the floor beside the bed. "Would you like a blanket or something?" he checked.
"No."
"Alright. I'll wake you up later to check on you, alright?"
"Mmhmm." Matsuda closed his eyes, breathing evening out almost immediately.
Light settled in a chair beside Matsuda's bed to make the call to take care of Lidner's body. He'd just hung up when the radio at his belt crackled to life. "L, Mikami just had a heart attack," Aizawa's announced over the radio.
Author's Note:
Cliff hanger on the second chapter? I know, I know, I'm evil, but I gotta keep you reading somehow.
Leave me reviews? Pretty please? I LOVE feedback, be it the good, bad, or the ugly. Be sure to follow as well to know when this is updated. I want to upload the next chapter next week, but we'll see what my schedule's like. It shouldn't be too long though.
Also, I'm reviving my Tumblr! Follow me for update info, behind the scenes, etc. My username there is lexisamess because someone beat me to lexthemess
Also, also, for those interested, while writing this chapter, I had to make some edits to the plan for the story because I couldn't fit in everything I wanted, so the smut, which I originally planned for the next chapter, won't happen until pobs chapter five. So, if that's all you're here for, just ignore the next two updates XD
Tschau,
lexthemess