Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note. I wish I do.
--Chapter 8--
--Stubborn--
After his birth, Near spent his first few days of life in the world in a hospital. Apparently, the nurse said he had 'too much water', something that Lira doesn't know how to interpret at all. Mr. Wammy then drove of with the nurse and Roger to the nearby hospital to have Near treated immediately, after giving Lira many assurances that Near would be in good hands and letting L bring Lira to their room. Near then returned after a few days. However, he cannot stay in any room yet because he's still a baby and therefore, Roger and Mr. Wammy entrusted him to no one but the nurse. Only visits would be allowed.
Months after Near's birth, Lira received very unexpected visitors. It was a Tuesday, to be exact and Lira was sitting in her usual couch, watching Matt and Mello run around and around the room pretending to be Chinese Kung Fu fighters. Lira had told L off already about buying those Bruce Lee films. Yes, it did prevent the children to learn anything more about kissing and other stuff but it made them run in circles thinking they can be daredevils like the fighters in those movies. Suddenly, the kids jumped with their fists in the air and managed to land punches on each other, knocking both of them to the ground. Lira stood up and helped them both up. She was about to open her mouth to tell them off when she heard soft knocks on the door.
"Sit down, you two!" she ordered the boys and then proceeded to open the door. When she opened it, she saw Mr. Wammy together with two unknown visitors but Lira had the horrible feeling that they cannot be trusted in any way.
"Lira, you've got some visitors. Shall I let them in?" Mr. Wammy asked the girl with a kind smile.
"Uhmn, what do they want?" Lira asked.
"They wanted to ask about the woman you brought in last time. She was the one who gave birth," Mr. Wammy replied. Lira nodded and held the door open for the two visitors to enter.
"Matt, Mello! Come with Mr. Wammy first. I'll fetch you when I'm done here," Lira said and ushered the two boys who are protesting because they wanted to hear the conversation too. Lira shut the door on their faces to shut them up and turned to her visitors who are completely oblivious to the presence of L who sat in his usual weird manner in front of his computer. "Sorry about that. The kids really gets nosy sometimes," Lira told her visitors and sat in a single chair facing the two who have settled themselves on the couch.
"We're fine with that. By the way, I am Arnold," the man speaking with a mustache said "and my partner here is Eddie," he indicated the man beside him with blonde hair that is tied in a pony tail. Both men extended their hands and Lira took each and shook their hands.
"Nice meeting you. There's no use in introducing myself under a nickname since Mr. Wammy introduced me using my real name. Old people do forget some things sometimes. I'm Lira," the girl said smiling in a rather strained manner to her guests. "Would you like any cake or maybe chocolates? We have lots of them here since my roommate likes them so much," Lira offered.
"No thanks. So, you have a roommate other than those two kids," Eddie asked.
"Yes, he's one of the top kids here in the orphanage. However, I do not think that is the matter why you came here, am I right?" Lira said. She wanted to get down to business already because the presence of these people made her feel weird.
"Yes, that's not why we came here. Err… we wanted to ask you about a woman who came here a few months ago. If we are not mistaken, she was pregnant at the time. Do you know her? Her name is Eleanor River," Arnold asked.
"Sorry but I am not aware of anybody who goes by that name," Lira shook her head.
"Maybe this will help," the man continued and held up a picture of a beautiful woman with a forest setting in the background. Comprehension showed in Lira's eyes and the men pounced on it like a bird of prey. "You know her, do you?" they asked eagerly in unison.
"Yes, she was the one who gave birth in the orphanage about a few months ago. I brought her in since I was the one who saw her. And, I named her child, the child in question is still in the orphanage," Lira answered staring at the men before her without any expression in her face. If there is something that she had learned from L, it would be staring at people with an expressionless face.
"Well, did she mention anything to you?" Eddie leaned forward in his eagerness to find out.
"Well, she only said that she is grateful that I brought her here. I never even knew what her name is. But, you're asking what she told and that's all that she told me," Lira said scratching a spot in her chin. "You're sure you don't want a cake?" Lira asked them again.
"No, you're really, really sure she did not mention anything else?" Eddie pressed on, almost falling off his seat in his eagerness.
"No. Well, she told me what she will name her child then she died," Lira said eyeing Eddie as if daring him to ask her any more questions.
"Well, our business with you is done then. We'll just have to get the child," Arnold said making to stand up.
"That, I cannot let you do," Lira said, the tone of her voice changing. She shifted her position in her chair and crossed a leg over another, assuming an intimidating pose.
"What makes you say so?" Arnold asked with a hint of amusement in his voice.
"The child is mine," Lira stated staring at both men with loathing.
"Speak for yourself. We're gonna take him anyway," Arnold chuckled and again made to stand up.
"And what are you going to do with the baby once you've got hold of him?" Lira asked raising and eyebrow and never removing her gaze on the men before her.
"We'll have someone take care of him. He's a child of a former member of our society. One day, he will be too," Eddie answered.
"And what is he going to do in your society?" Lira asked.
"He'll be a spy, naturally," Arnold said with a one of impatience in his voice.
"I don't think you will make it easy for him," Lira said. It was not a question. It was a statement.
"What makes you think so?" Arnold asked, cocking an eyebrow. For him, the conversation is taking them nowhere. It's only holding them up for what they are supposed to do.
"Usually, spies don't get themselves pregnant. If they do, they will retire sometime from work but still get support from their society. But Eleanor was so messed up when she came here. She looks as if she had wandered on the streets for a long time. Looks to me as if she did something against your org. I think you've been looking for her for sometime now and now that you've found out that she's dead, you're going to take it all out on her child," Lira stated.
"You know a lot of things for a child your age," Arnold chuckled.
"I'm not a child. For your information, you're talking to a spy too," Lira said eyeing them with more dislike than ever.
"Ha, ha. A spy, then, huh? You do look like a built for one. But what's going on in our society is none of your business," Eddie laughed.
"It may not be my business when it comes to things regarding you society but it's my business when it comes to that child. As I have told you before, he is mine," Lira told the men in a menacing manner.
"And what makes you think that the kid is yours? You're not even his mother!" both men laughed.
"I'm not his mother, alright. But I was the one who saved his mother. I named him. I have every right on him," Lira answered.
"No you do not. We do," Arnold snarled. The girl in front of him is getting more irritating by the second.
"And what makes you think that the kid is yours? You're not even his father!" Lira imitated the men's speech a few moments ago.
"You've got nerve," Eddie muttered.
"Yes I do. I know that you're just going to dump him in another orphanage so it will all be the same. The kid can only stay here as long as he's got potential but once he does not show any, he'll have to leave. That's the rule and it applies to everyone he'll be shunted aside by the kids if he stays yet he does not qualify to the orphanage's criteria. It'll all be the same even if you do not take him," Lira said, her voice lowering by an octave.
"No. He will work for us," The men answered.
"And so, it came out. You will just make him a slave to follow your every order, don't you?" Lira was almost whispering yet her voice rang across the room.
"You dare," Arnold hissed.
"Yes, I do. At my age, I can cover for the boy and follow your every wish. But, talking to you people makes me think of changing my mind. I was about to offer myself to you people but I've changed my mind. I do not want to make myself useful to you people," Lira shrugged.
"Don't mind her. Let's go now," Arnold said and both men stood up and walked towards the door. A flash of silver made them stop as the fruit knife on the table soared across the room and landed on the door. Both men froze in shock.
"Don't turn your backs on me while I am speaking!" Lira shouted from her seat. The two men spun around to face her, each looking out for any more signs of knives in the room. "I was trained to kill at the age of ten. I know very well what that child is going to go through once you take him away. Now, I will request you in a more pleasant manner to understand me –," Lira looked at both men, waiting for their confirmation. " – very well. I will ask you to let the kid stay in this orphanage. If he does not show any potential, I will find a way to contact you then you can have him. But if he doesn't then he's mine," Lira blurted out.
"And what will you do to prove to us that you will keep your promise?" Arnold eyed the girl suspiciously.
"I'll tell you the child's name. You'll know it when he's moved because of his records, right? And you'll only get hold of his records if you know his real name," Lira said boldly.
"That seems considerable," the men agreed.
"It's Nate River. His mother originally wanted him to be called Near but everyone refused so I named him Nate," Lira told them.
"And if you are lying?" Arnold asked.
"You can have me at your full service once I leave the orphanage," Lira answered pointing at herself for emphasis.
"You're a very stubborn girl," Eddie remarked.
"Maybe I am," Lira answered smiling at them.
"You will make a good assassin," Arnold said.
"Sorry but I prefer less gore," Lira answered.
"A spy then," Eddie put in.
"That's more like it," Lira grinned.
"You're really very stubborn," Arnold said.
"Your friend had already said that," Lira replied.
"Then we shall go. I hope to see you again, Miss Lira," Arnold said and with a final wave of the hand, he and his friend had disappeared from the room.
A grunt from the far corner of the room woke Lira up from her thoughts. She averted her gaze from the door where the two men had disappeared to see L walking towards her. The men had clearly not acknowledged his presence for Lira too had forgotten for sometime that the guy was also there. She had only then noticed when she heard that noise that L had made.
"You're very stubborn," L stated sitting on the couch.
"Don't rub it in," Lira answered.
"I'm just kidding you," L replied.
"Well, it's not very funny then."
"Is it true?" L asked.
"What?"
"That you were trained to kill since you were ten? I thought you were never trained," L remarked.
"It was just a bluff to scare them," Lira replied sheepishly.
"Then you're good at bluffing. I almost believed you," L answered.
"Thank you."
"You seem to care so much for Near."
"Yes I do."
"Why is that?"
"I don't really know why."
"Huh?"
"I just feel that one day he will be someone important. I do wish he's got some potential. I don't want him to be the slave of those guys. They're evil. No wonder his mother left them. They're so horrible. Who knows what will Near encounter when he's joined them?" Lira said in a quavering voice. She then felt warm hands on her shoulders, squeezing them as it also did the day that Near was born.
"There goes you motherly attitude again," L said smiling down at Lira.
"I can't help it. I'm sorry."
"I think I'm also at fault why you have this attitude," L exclaimed.
"Why is that?" Lira asked astonishment etched on her face.
"It started when we played that silly game of 'family' with B during our camping trip," L answered.
"Oh, I see."
"Your husband will be a very, very luck guy," L remarked.
"I wonder then when I will marry," Lira said sarcastically.
"Oh, don't be in such a hurry at that. Take care of your heart," L said.
"Since when have you learned about matters about love?" Lira asked.
"Errr…..never mind. Let's go fetch those two. They might be driving Watari up the wall," L said and led Lira to the door.
"Oh, let's take this out. The children may be threatened," Lira said pulling the knife out of the door and stuffed it in her pocket. After that, both walked out of the room in search of the children under their care.
A/N: I was confused for a while on chapter 8, oh my gosh. lol…I was in the middle of writing the one which I originally planned to be chapter 8 and then I fell asleep and I had this sudden idea about this chapter and I got all confused I could not write for a long time. But here it is and I have finally organized my thoughts (well, not really because I just wanted to follow my deadline, lol) so…well, enjoy! ;
