CHAPTER 21 - Virus, part I
"What do you mean you can't break in? Is this what I've been waiting for the whole week?! You have to be kidding me!" Mello was pretty pissed off and wanted to yell, but he needed to keep his voice down, because Near was in the bathroom.
Usually, they were having video chats in the evenings, when Near was taking his bath with robots but… yesterday the youngling was so tired he fell asleep without bathing and changing to pyjamas. So Mello had to wait till the morning, when Near finally disappeared to take his bath. But he was dying with impatience. Matt texted him yesterday that they needed to talk and Mello hated waiting. But now, when he realized that his red-headed friend didn't have any good news for him, he started raging.
"It's not that easy Mello. I've studied the structure of your father's security system and I simply can't find the way to get through. He is not an amatuer. This system is complex… anywhere I would try to break in, the system will alert him or will send a virus into my own computer! I can't risk any of that!"
Mello threw his hands in the air in frustration: "I can't believe you didn't make it Matt! You are supposed to be the best hacker at Wammy's!"
Matt rolled his eyes: "I am seven! I can't be the best hacker at Wammy's even if I wanted to!"
"You…. lazy!... little!... SHIT!" Mello shouted and for the first time, Matt looked offended. He pursed his lips and gave Mello a sharp look: "I didn't touch any game for a week because of you and you are calling me lazy…. You know what? Go fuckyourself Mello!"
With that Matt cut the connection. Mello growled in frustration and his back fell on the bed.
Damn you Matt! He thought and looked at the white ceiling. After a moment he bit his lip as he started feeling guilty. Because he knew Matt for almost a year now and the red-head only lost patience with him once. They were not talking to each other for two weeks and in the end, aunt KT had to step in and made Mello apologize. It was not a pleasant experience.
Mello shot up in bed and his eyes widened: "Aunt KT..."
He quickly took his laptop and dialed Matt again. It was ringing and ringing… and Matt was taking his time. But in the end he answered with a sharp: "WHAT?!"
The red-head already had a game controller in his hands and he was looking at a different screen, playing some game. Mello bit his lip, not sure how to proceed, so he decided to step over the situation and act like nothing happened: "You said you can't get into dad's security system but… can you get into the computer of someone who is using the system and is not an integral part of it?"
That seemed to get Matt's attention and he turned from his game: "Well… if the computer is out of the security system but is using the codes to get in… it should be easy."
Mello smirked: "Alright, I need you to hack into the computer of aunt KT."
Matt gasped, his eyes widened and he started waving his hands in front of the camera: "NO! No, no, no, no! I am not doing that!"
Mello frowned and looked confused: "What?! Why?! You were alright with hacking into my father's system and you don't want to hack into my aunt's computer?! I don't get your priorities!"
"I can't, Mello! Your aunt pulled me out of the street and took me to Wammy's! I can't do that to her!"
Mello rolled his eyes: "Don't be so touchy!"
"No, Mello! She is the closest thing I have to a mum!" The red-head said and suddenly looked nervous. Which was something Mello never saw before and it made him angry:
"What are you talking about, she is not your fucking mum!"
"But she is acting like that! She buys me games and she lets me work for her…"
Mello's eyes almost fell out of his face: "You work for my aunt?!"
"Well sometimes…" Matt said and his eyes were ticking from one place to another.
"Does she pay you?!"
"Yeah…"
Mello folded his hands on his chest: "This is not fair! I am her family and she never asked me for anything!"
Matt gave him a bored look: "You are not into computers Mello..."
"Yes but that doesn't mean…" Mello stopped and tilted his head: "Wait… so you work for her... that means you probably know her codes!"
Matt didn't answer that and looked down at his hands.
Mello gasped: "You do! You know the codes!"
"Again, Mello, I am not doing this!" his friend said and meant it as a warning.
Mello didn't understand him. Most of the time Matt was just cool about everything and all of sudden when it comes to aunt KT he is nervous and….
Oh wait a sec…. Mello smirked: "So… you are having a crush on my aunt…"
Matt's eyes widen: "What?! No!"
Mello started laughing: "That might be actually a crime you know… being in love with your… mum."
"I am not in love… she is not my… aaagrrr!" Matt growled and hid his face with a pillow he took from his bed.
Mello continued teasing him: "I wonder what she might say about it... "
Matt fastly threw the pillow away and started waving hands in panic: "No! Don't tell her! I'll do it! I'll do it!"
Awww… found your weakness Matty? Mello thought and smirked but the fact that his best friend had a soft spot for his aunt felt strange in his stomach.
"That's how I like you…" Mello said.
"Bastard…" Matt whispered and shook his head: "... but I need to be on video chat with her… otherwise I can't get in. It's the only time I have access to the system."
Mello shrugged and started checking his nails, very pleased with himself: "Alright so call her…"
"Yes but… I can't hold a conversation while hacking!"
Mello stopped in his movement and gave Matt a bored look: "Alright I'll think of something…"
"I hate you, do you know that?"
"Yeah, yeah, keep telling that to yourself…" Mello told him, before he cut the connection.
"Ruyzaki will not be joining you for a few days. He has some health issues and will be staying in his bedroom." Watari announced when Ryuzaki did not arrive for the morning briefing. He was gone also yesterday, which meant he will be missing the second day. After Matsuda's and KT's announcement that Beyond Birthday might actually want him back, he disappeared. The feelings that were going through Light's body were wrecking. He felt jealous, nervous and now even afraid, because L was probably more then just sick…
"What's wrong? What happened to him?" Light asked in panic.
Watari glared at him through his glasses: "I am afraid, Yagami-kun, that Ryuzaki's health is his personal matter."
Light clenched his fists but tried to argue as reasonable as possible: "Yes, but Ryuzaki wasn't feeling well for days. If there is something contagious in the air…. Like a virus or something, we have a right to know."
Watari gave him a sharp look. He knew exactly what Light was asking about, but had no other choice than to answer: "It's not a virus, Yagami-kun. No need to be worried." then he turned to chief Yagami: "Yagami-san, Ryuzaki entrusts you the charge of the case for now. Please start the briefing."
Light opened and closed his mouth. The fact that L did not entrusted the task force to him, as the most intelligent, was not good. He felt hurt, insulted and damn insecure at that moment. But most of all, if L is giving charge to someone, it means his shape must be very bad.
Light's mind went blank as he panicked. He didn't even hear his father, who started talking about the tasks for today. Out of nowhere, Light turned around and walked towards the exit, where Watari was slowly moving out of the room.
"I wanna see him!" He said to the old man, much louder than he wanted and the room fell silent.
Watari turned to him with a raised eyebrow: "He is not well, Yagami-kun and he wishes to be alone."
"I don't care, I wanna see him now!" Light demanded and started seeing red.
"Light! What are you doing?! Stop acting like a spoiled child!" His father snapped at him and made a few steps closer. Light was not listening to him at all:
"Something is wrong with him, right? Is it serious? Did he see a doctor?" Light asked, while clenching his fists and gritting his teeth.
"I am a doctor myself, Yagami-kun and as I said before, I can't tell you anything about Ryuzaki's health condition."
Light wanted to shake with the old man, but a second before he could, he felt someone's hand on his shoulder. He looked back to see KT. She was looking at him with the same blank gaze L was giving him so often. Her face was not showing any emotions as well as her voice:
"I will go check on him… He will have to see me whether he wants or not, I am a family, after all. And I'll tell him you are worried." she announced stoically.
Light closed his eyes and let out a long sigh: "Okay…"
"Anything else you want me to tell him?" she asked with raised eyebrow, like she was expecting him to blurt out his feelings in front of everyone.
Not that I just didn't... Light thought and composed himself again: "Yes actually… I worked all night and I made a list of events Beyond Birthday might want to meet at." he turned around, and walked to his desk, there he took a paper that he handed to KT: "... these are all events happening within next month in Japan that I think Birthday might use as a meeting place."
KT frowned and looked at the list. She made almost the same yesterday. That wasn't good. Light was obviously only a step behind her and if she makes a mistake he might get to Beyond first. She just needed to test if they are thinking the same way: "These are all public events with at least a thousand of people… why do you think he will want to meet publicly?"
Light put his hands in his pockets and shrugged with a smirk: "He is doing all his efforts very publicly so it makes sense. And he has a bigger chance to disappear in a big crowd, if something goes wrong for him."
KT's eyebrow shot up as she tried to look surprised. But she really wasn't: "Okay, I'll discuss it with L. And you should go back to the Kira case. Beyond Birthday is not your job." She told him sharply.
"Well someone has to do something, if you are failing to do your job." Light blurted without thinking.
The task force gasped.
"Light!" Chief Yagami yelled: "Apologize now!"
KT smirked: "No need for that Yagami-san. I prefer honesty. I am glad your son said what he really thinks… for once."
The atmosphere in the room was so thick it could be cutted by the knife. KT and Light were glaring at each other with hatred. Both of them knowing they stood at opposite sites. But Light quickly fell down from his tantrum realizing he needs her at her side now. She might be his only link to L for a few days.
"No my father is right… I spoke harshly and insulted you, please accept my apology." Light said with a bow.
KT smirked: Well played Light… back to the perfect son again.
"As I said, no need to apologize. You are right, you are much more successful with BB's investigation than I am. So your criticism is appropriate. But you could learn to give it at the right time. Not to throw it out because you are mad."
Light clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, but he bowed even deeper in apology: "Yes, KT-san." he said, but his mind was yelling: The day I'll get a hand on your name will be your last you damn bitch!
KT was walking out of the HQs but before she could make it to the elevator, she heard hurried steps behind her and Matsuda's voice, calling her name. She smirked happily and her heart started racing. Maybe it didn't even stop after yesterday… she was not sure.
Yesterday she lost control… and she was never in her life so happy that she did. She kissed him and he was so surprised that he didn't respond. So she drew back to meet his eyes. His face was red, he was ashamed and confused.
-Flashback-
"You… I… is that yes?" he started mumbling and KT smiled at him, pulling him closer by his tie again. Their faces were only millimeters apart, their noses almost touching: "Yes, if you will pass the kissing test…"
His eyes widened: "The kissing test?"
KT was teasing him of course… She enjoyed having the upper hand and this adorable idiot was lost already. She kissed him softly on the mouth and whispered: "I only date good kissers you know…"
In that moment, he crushed their lips together again and kissed her with such a force and passion that she almost forgot to breathe. His hand went to her waist and he pulled her to his own body and her hands ended up tangled in his hair. Their lips were joined in a deep kiss and both of them felt the heat coming from the other's body. KT was for once, totally lost. Because this man was a damn good kisser and every move of his mouth was starting a fire within her.
Eventually they had to pull apart. Because they needed to breathe and the things were getting a little too heated. Luckily, Matsuda had more reasoning than she had and left while he could. Because if they started kissing again, she wouldn't probably let him go at all. And he wanted to take things slowly… at least that's what he told her. So Touta Matsuda left her room with swollen lips, a hard on and promise of a date. And KT? She couldn't sleep at night because the kiss didn't leave her mind.
-End of Flashback-
Right now, they were standing in front of the elevator, looking at each other with shy smiles and pink cheeks.
"KT-san I was thinking about yesterday and I thought maybe we could have the date tonight?" KT raised an eyebrow: Still using honorifics? Well maybe it's for the best… at least no one will be suspicious...
"Yes, sure we can, I am free tonight." she told him with sparkling eyes. He looked as a heavy load just fell from his shoulders. She took a step closer to him: "You thought I am going to back off?"
Matsuda scratched the back of his head: "Yeah… I was a little worried, you know…"
She rolled her eyes, caught him by a tie and cut him off with a kiss. He tensed and then relaxed. When he started kissing back she backed away: "Was this enough of a reassurance for you, Matsuda-san?"
Matsuda opened and closed his mouth, his mind clouded. She was looking at him with lust in her big, beautiful, blue, puppy dog eyes.
Oh God, this is going to give me a heart attack… he thought and then… she licked her lips.
In that moment he lost it, attacked her lips again and smacked her back against the elevator door. He immediately started backing off and wanted to apologize but she didn't let him and pulled him into another heated kiss. He didn't even know how it happened but all of sudden her legs were around his waist and he was holding her in the air by her butt.
No, no, no Touta, this is a little too much. His mind started yelling at him and he drew back. Her legs slid back to the ground and she gave him an annoyed look. Again, he was looking at her like a lost puppy: "I… you… We should wait with this…"
"It's only making out…" she told him with frustration in her voice.
"I know but I want to make this right…" He told her and looked like he meant it. No nervousness and no scratching the back of his neck.
KT bit her lower lip. This man was so frustrating… one moment acting like a he could fuck her in the elevator and the other being an old school gentleman. But his kisses and touches were like a virus to her. She got a taste of him and a need was spreading through her body.
Stop acting like a horny teenager KT. She told herself and cleared her throat: "Alright then… I'll see you tonight?"
"I'll pick you up at 7 PM." he told her their ways parted.
KT knocked at her brother's door but didn't hear any response. So she slowly opened the door and looked inside. L was lying in his bed, curled in a ball and seemed asleep. KT smiled softly and came closer to check on him. She was as silent as possible, not to wake him up, but when she took a blanket and covered him, she noticed his eyes are opened and he is blankly staring nowhere. She frowned, when she realized his cheeks were wet. She knew something was terribly wrong. Because L didn't cry. At least not until something very very very bad happened… And L… also wasn't good at talking about things.
KT bit her lower lip and went to the other side of the bed, to lay across her brother. They were lying there in silence for a few minutes, their body positions mirroring one another. L wasn't saying a thing, tears were slowly falling from his eyes and he was biting to his thumb. Like a baby.
KT finally decided for an action, her hand went to a strand of his hair and took it away from his face. In that moment his gaze finally shifted to her. It was like he finally registered her presence at that moment. L stared at her for what felt like minutes and then… he did something KT didn't expect: he shifted closer, so his head was resting on her arm and… he started sobbing. KT immediately hugged him and heard him whispering: "I don't want to talk about it."
So she did not push him… she just held him, let him cry into her shirt and didn't ask him anything. But she was afraid. More than just afraid. She was scared. Because if L was falling apart, then everything else will too.