I know this is quick...but I really didn't like writing this chapter, at ALL! And I know I said that about the last one, but that's becasue of semi-writer's block and horrible formatting...this one was just...ugh! Read and find out!

DisClaiming - CommEnce: I do not own Death Note: props to Ohba/Obata. Be wary, readers, as there may be language in this chapter...but that's all...

Enjoy...

Chapter Ten: M

I open my eyes, realizing that I just lost myself in a memory of fourteen years. The fire's still going, finishing off the remains of my photo. I laugh and pull out my phone for a second time, calling none other than Matt.

"What?" He sounds agitated.

"How about…you come over to New York, instead," I say.

He breathes deeply, then speaks. "Fine, whatever, you little bitch. I'll go catch a flight now…you back in the old apartment?"

I grunt affirmatively into the phone and he sighs.

"Got it…I'll see you whenever," he says, hanging up.

I close the phone and toss it in my lap, leaning my head on the back of the chair and glancing out the window. It's so damn noisy out there, how did I manage to sleep? I sigh and close my eyes, but I find it hard to fall back asleep.

"Oh my God, what happened to your beautiful face?"

I roll my eyes. Matt's standing in the doorway of the apartment and grabs my scarred face.

"Didn't I tell you? I got caught in my own explosion," I say, trying to pry his gloved hands off of me.

"Bullshit, no…but now that you mention it, it seems very likely of you to do something so idiotic and reckless." He says all of this in a mess of laughter and giggles, trashing my face about. For some reason, he's stronger than I expect and he plants a kiss on my burnt cheek. "You cute little psycho, you!"

I push him from my body and wipe his spit from my charred flesh. "Jackass," I yell and stare into his eyes through the tinted plastic frames, into his smiling eyes. I can't believe how long it's actually been since we've last seen each other, only listening to each other's voices through the radio waves of a cell phone. But he looks the same as I left him; same outfit, same stupid disposition on his face, even the same cigarettes – only Marlboro smells like Matt.

I'm the one who's changed. I'm scarred and haggard, and a bit bitter, too, considering all of the KIRA shit I've been dealing with for the past month.

I close my eyes and hold back the tears, turning away. "Okay," I start, trembling under my speech. "So, I don't know how long we're staying here, but I have a little plan up my sleeves, so let's just wait until that unfolds."

"What?!"

I turn back; he's not smiling anymore.

"You dragged me all the way out to fucking New York and you don't know when the hell when we'll be back in L.A.?" He throws his head back and grunts, walking over to the chair and tossing his body down. "I should've just let you to rot with Rod last year, but NO…you needed me for outside information…yeah, outside information, my ass!"

"You know…" I start angrily, turning my head to him.

But he's back to normal, just sitting on the chair, laughing at me. "Gotcha!"

I growl, and leap towards him, catching his neck in a hold, but he won't stop laughing.

"Okay, okay," he chokes, the smile still on his face. "Get off me! I was only teasing!"

I release my hold and exhale furiously. Climbing off the chair, I walk to the window and stare down at the busy New York street. I close my eyes, leaning my forehead against the glass.

It's cold on the plane. But it's all worth it, taking us back to L.A. Matt and I are following Aizawa and Mogi, members of the Japanese Police Force working under the imposter L, back to their American base from New York. I worked some wonders, and brought Mogi to Near, getting a favor out of him after all of the information that I spilled to him.

It's strange, this case, and the way it's unfolding, all thanks to my fuck up. I rest my head against the window, gazing over the American country side from above, and it's quite the site. I feel safe and secure, knowing that this plane will take me back to L.A., where I managed to make quite a home for myself, but after that, I don't know where this case will fly me to next. I guess there's something about that thought that makes me feel uncomfortable.

Japan; no, I don't like it here. It's small and congested with human life, but not in a good way like L.A., or even New York. And I don't even know how this case will end. A Japanese anchor woman named Kiyomi Takada is acting as KIRA's spokeswoman and she may be the key to his demise.

"What do you mean by that?" Matt is sitting across from me, staring straight into my eyes.

I just got off the phone with Hal, and she told me about Near's plan for the next few days. "Just as you heard it, Matt," I say, standing up to stare out the window. It's so late, but the streets below are still so crowded. The foreign chatter strains my ears, and I harshly shut the window. "I'm the only one to do it."

Suddenly, I feel his body pressed against my back, and he wraps his arms around my stomach. "What plan do you have up your sleeves," he whispers in my ear.

I close my eyes to hold back the tears, my head falling onto the glass. "It's messy." I softly let the words escape from my mouth. "I don't like it; it's risky, but it's the only way."

He rests his head on my shoulder, very reminiscent of that one day at Wammy's where I felt as if Near was taking over my very existence. "Tell me," he says.

It takes all of my strength to breathe in, and slowly the air escapes my body in a laugh, thinking about how over dramatic I'm being with this situation. "You got a smoke bomb?"

I hope this works out; I hope to dear God that this idea of mine plays out correctly. On my motorcycle, I watch as Matt drives away and fires his smoke bomb.

"I'd only do crazy shit like this for you, Mello," he said to me before driving off.

I take a deep breath and place the helmet over my head, driving past the cloud of smoke and into a clearing where I see Hal and…that woman. "It's too dangerous here, Takada-sama," I yell. "Hurry, get on the bike!"

Hal just stares at me. She knows what I have planned, or at least an idea of what. "Hurry," I yell again.

She snaps out of her daze, bringing Takada over to my motorcycle. The petite Japanese woman situates herself behind me, but I'm not giving her much time at all; I just drive off.

The remnants of her security not following Matt are following me in a herd of cars, but I have to get away from them, as soon as possible. And there it is; I veer off into an alley, catching them off guard, and I slam her wrist into a ring of handcuffs.

"What," I hear her say.

Shut the fuck up, bitch, I think to myself. This woman is connected to KIRA somehow, and she's the link to destroying him.

The shouts and sounds of her security guards die down the further we go down the alley. I drive into the back of an open van, carefully placed just for this plan. I unlock the handcuff ring and she backs up into the corner of the space.

"I need you to take off everything that you're wearing and put in that box," I say coldly, pointing to the empty box on the floor of the storage space.

She looks frightened. "So you're telling me just to strip down right here," she says, her voice trembling over every word.

I harden my stare on her and nod. "That's right, because you've probably got a tracking device on so your guards know exactly where you are. This delivery truck's company is nearby, so I'm dumping your things there."

She harshly exhales, loud enough for me to hear.

"Come on," I say, raising both my gun and a sheet of linen. "I'm letting you use this blanket, alright?"

She's hesitating again and then she slowly opens her mouth to speak. "Okay," she starts nervously. "I'll just put my cell phone and handbag in there first so I can't contact anybody, okay? Just…let me rap the blanket around me before I take off my underwear!" Her voice rises in pitch, but I don't want to see her naked body; I just want to get to KIRA.

"I don't care, just hurry up," I say, handing over the blanket.

I walk out, close the door behind me, and quickly toss a uniform shirt and a pair slacks over my leather vest and pants, looking like one of the delivery company workers. I walk back inside to gather the box.

Kneeling down, I hand her my cell phone. "Here, this should be alright," I say, then stand up with the box in hand. "I just need you to be quiet in here for a while, okay," I say, tipping the uniform hat slightly over my face.

I walk out, up to the front of the van, and after a few minutes, drive into the main base of the delivery company, where I quickly drop off the box and get back in the van.

I pull off the striped top and hat, pull on my driving gloves, and drive out of the base.

"It has yet to be determined the identity of the man who was recently shot down…" The monitor in the van shows the image of the car I know all too well, bullet holes covering every inch, but there's one thing missing from the screen: Matt.

I lower my head, stopping any tears, and quickly look back onto the road…Matt, I didn't think that they'd kill you…I'm so sorry.

I shake my head, trying to get an image of Matt's mutilated corpse out of my head and turn onto the freeway and head towards Nagano; they won't find her there immediately, or hopefully at all. There's this feeling in the pit of my stomach that doesn't sit right with me; I've got to stop somewhere, before I get sick all over this van. I merge off the main highway and a mile down the road I see an old, run down church, and turn into its weed grown driveway.

I sigh, smirking. Maybe it's because Matt just got shot up that I feel this way. I mean, he'd still be alive if I hadn't asked for his help. But he would've wanted to join in on my plan anyway, it's just his nature…or at least, was.

I shake my head once more, but this time I don't stop after getting Matt off my mind, even though that is the truth; everything is cleared off my mind, now.

The sour feeling in the pit of my stomach rises to my chest. I try to breathe in, but my heart is beating like it's…

…no…not this, it can't be. The crash of the small window behind me grabs the last of my attention, and there's Takada, glaring at me.

…I can't believe this; no, it's not happening! My head hits the steering wheel, my foot hits the brake…

…no…it's not true…I can't believe…I…lost…

NOOOOO! HE'S DEAD! FUCKING TAKADA BITCH! I hate her! SEE! It pained, me to write this chapter. Oh, my Mello! OH! And on another depressing note, it's NEAR'S BIRTHDAY TODAY! Yeah, that's right, I KILLED Mello on his rival's birthday! OH GOD!

...but, did you see a "The End" at the end of this chapter...Ha ha ha ha ha...no, I didn't think so...stay tuned, and REVIEW...sorry about the gay-ass pathetic excuse of a threat at the end of the last chapter, but please, REVIEW!

-the saddened...Erbby