Disclaimer: I do not own or make money from the anime/manga Death Note

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Suggested Listening: Let's Kill Tonight by Panic! At the Disco

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Part 20

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"Geoffrey was placed in the asylum by Wammy. Though there was no trial and a grand lack of evidence. Geoffrey apparently killed Jordan and Kerry in cold blood. He has never pleaded innocence and yet his records at the asylum state he is calm and even mannered without the use of treatments The only noteworthy problem are his phobias and his OCD." Mello scanned through the rest of the information and found nothing else worthy of his attention, just meaningless observations from the staff at Clear-point Mental Health Institution.

Matt tsked. "I don't completely buy it. We know something more is going on here and we know how Geo acted at Wammys. You say a person can change? True. However it's unusual for him to kill without reason. No one even knew Jordan and Kerry were dead until now. Just seems a little fishy given current circumstances."

"I agree. Wammys kids might be unstable but there is always a reason for all actions taken." Mello fingers drummed across his thigh. What were they missing? "Get everything on Jordan and Kerry. Though you are probably already on it."

Matt grinned and tried to smooth his features into something approaching innocent. He failed.

"Wammy has some nice encryptions on these files. He really doesn't want anyone getting in. Must be something good."

Mello smirked. Either Wammy didn't know about Matt's hacking or underestimated him. Mello would bank on the latter. With the recent meetings Mello would say the man took their genius for granted. Wammy hand picked them—taught them and was a genius in his own right but he was apparently foolish enough to look down on those who were not L.

Mello sat in relative silence beside Matt—if the clacking of fingers on keys counted as silence—though he didn't peer over the redheads shoulder. Matt would be done when he was done, hovering wasn't going to make things go any faster. That time came quicker than even Mello had expected.

"Huh. Well this is interesting. Hey wait I'm not done yet-"

Mello ignored Matt's objections and took control of the laptop. "This is interesting."

Wammy's special files concerning the 'incident' brought to light something rather interesting. Apparently both Jordan and Kerry failed rather spectacularly at creating and living a life away from the confines of Wammys. They were so wrapped up in their own heads and the pressure of the rankings that no longer existed that they created something new to occupy their genius.

A killing game between just the two of them with the world as their game board. They were no Beyond Birthday but they did leave a nice body count behind them. "Where's the rest of it?"

"I was getting to that until you took my laptop." Matt frowned rather spectacularly at him and Mello handed back the computer a little sheepishly.

It took another full ten minutes to get the rest of Wammys files; five of which Matt had spent complaining about Mello's lack of respect on personal property. Mello ignored him and purposely took the laptop again.

Geoffrey evidently found out about Kerry and Jordan;s sordid game and confronted them like the good little Wammy kid he was. And in usual Wammys House fashion things didn't go as planned when Jordan and Kerry decided to make him part of their game. They decided that having a intelligent target would up the ante.

They didn't take into account Geoffrey's will to live and were killed by him.

"He came here looking for help..." Mello trailed off and glanced at Matt who nodded. Mello scowled. Help was the last thing he received. Wammy sent him straight to the asylum.

"Wammy is afraid of us. That stupid-"

"He has good reason to though, doesn't he?" Matt commented softly. Mello narrowed his eyes.

"So he shoved quite possibly one of the only sane alumni left into an asylum? Splendid. Fucking genius behavior right there."

Wammy had apparently noticed a disturbing trend—or a trend in his eyes—for how all the 'rejects' of Wammys House were behaving after years abroad. Wammy compiled evidence of violent tendencies, lack of moral compasses, and apparent inability to properly reintegrate into society, and decided they were all ticking time bombs. That they needed to be monitored; too many incidents had happened.

A's suicide; which in the long probably staved off homicidal tendencies. Beyond's obsession with L and subsequent attention murders. J and K's mental collapses—perhaps stemmed from boredom. Geo's willingness to kill to save his own life, though that was more than a normal human reaction. And even in L himself in how he did whatever it took to solve cases, no matter how morally bankrupt it seemed.

All of that lead Wammy to believing the remaining original 'test' subjects had a high chance of becoming unstable and possibly homicidal. Near—Mello reflected with amusement—was also included due to his dispassionate views on human life and the disregard of using his team members as bait.

Mello realized he should probably count himself lucky that he hadn't already been tossed away into some dark corner of the universe because of his connection to the mafia. Mello figured that Wammy knew he had killed even if he couldn't prove it; the reasons for such actions didn't matter much to Wammy so much as that they had occurred.

"Well now we have the heart of the matter." Mello let out a breath that irritatingly displaced hair into his eyes.

"So what do we do about this?" Matt shut the lid on the laptop and stowed it away again, looking up at Mello only when the silence stretched.

Truth be told, Mello was uncertain as to what could be done; Matt seemed to understand that too.

"Anyway we have the other meeting that we are required to go to. Its almost time."

"What. Why didn't you tell me before?"

Matt shook his head. "We were occupied. There is still a few minutes before we need to go."

With Matt a few minutes could mean anything from a minute to an hour.

"I'm certain you will make the right call. Somehow I trust your judgment," Matt grinned and wheeled around Mello to place his PSP on charge. Mello stared silently after him for a moment before a warm smile appeared.

"Let's go for a walk Matt."

Matt nodded and followed Mello from the room as he left. Whether Matt knew it or not, that statement meant a lot to Mello.

There was no immediate destination upon exiting the room and it allowed time for Mello's thoughts to settle. There were so many things to think on and not nearly enough time to deal with them. He could really see why Matt hated Wammy. Mello, for whatever reason never had. Disliked yes; but never hated.

They traveled in silence. Mello glanced over after a while only to notice that Matt had pulled slightly behind him. Mello waited for him to catch up however, Matt had stopped and released the wheels, hands coming into his lap. Mello noticed the brief pained expression before Matt locked it away. Matt's fingers were shaking.

Mello opened his mouth to comment before he thought better of it. Both of Matt's hands were shaking; the left to a lesser degree. Mello's mind whirled. Matt used his right hand the most. It could not be easy having to use your hands, wrists, arms for everything; lifting, pushing, gaming, eating—everything.

In fact it would not be unlikely for someone in Matt's position to develop joint and muscle problems. It had to have been going on for a while as Matt seemed to know how to deal with it. He should probably be wearing a brace on at least one of his wrists to lessen the strain.

Mello's lips formed a thin line as he walked over. He resisted the urge to smack Matt upside the head. The idiot just had to make his life more difficult than needed, with no real reason for it. He didn't say anything as he took hold of the handles and pushed Matt along, and Matt remained tight lipped as well. There would be a conversation later on.

"We need to get to the meeting." Matt told him quietly sometime later. Mello looked around and found them close to the library. They were meeting in the dining hall which wasn't too far away.

Most of the former top Ten other than Wammy himself were already there when they arrived. A silence so tense that would make a pin drop sound like a fog horn permeated the room. Mello purposely ate his chocolate and smothered a grin as Linda flinched at each snap.

As Wammy entered Mello sat on one of the tables rather than a chair, earning him a withering expression from the founder. Mello innocently inspected his fingernails.

"This meeting will commence and will do so without any interruptions until the end. Agreed? Good."

Mello and Matt shared a look and the blond crossed his arms. Their silence throughout the meeting—which was mainly Wammy talking at them and trying to make the rankings appear like a good thing for them—seemed to confuse the others. There were nervous glances in their direction, especially when Wammy mentioned all of the Ten staying at Wammy House again. Permanently.

The meeting was nothing new, Mello mused as he listened to the old man prattle on. Merely extended information on the rankings: How they would be 'graded' this time around. What the rewards were other than being being Near's backup, the money involved for doing well, etc etc. It was practically bribery.

"If there are no objections then I believe the new rankings could start within the week." Wammy seemed delighted—relieved—that everyone was behaving and listening calmly, as though there just might be hope they weren't all homicidal maniacs.

Mello was well aware of the eyes on him, all in various degrees of confusion.

"Don't take my silence for compliance. I have simply realized that no amount of arguing over this was going to work. That being said. Tomorrow Matt and I are leaving Wammys House and will not be taking part in the rankings."

Wammys eyes were cold as they focused on him.

Oh yes, things were about to get interesting.

"Mello, you and I will be speaking later on."

Mello grinned viciously. "I look forward to it."

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-End Part 20-

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AN: Hello _. Oh look, it's an update. So um, havent heard from beta in a long whil—probably rl stuff and yknow thats fine—so i'm attempting edits myself. I have to say that from the original, I am much happier with this. :D I might actually have learned something.

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Also with the way FFN has been lately I have removed ALL "mature" scenes (except one, which i believe is compliant with THIER version of mature) and will only have that content posted on my A03 account from now on. Username is the same. Sorry for the inconvenience.

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Special Thanks: SilentGreenThief, Pheonix Autumn, Anifan13, Deadly Nightshade1395, Darcy18, Keono

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