30/01/16 edit: changed 'autumn' to 'spring'. Sorry. I live in NZ so I think in southern hemisphere seasons and had a momentary bout of silliness.
Chapter Seventeen
"How . . ." I murmured. Suddenly rage flooded through my veins and I had only two outlets. Light – who was completely to blame for being Kira in the first place – and L – who had said, many years ago, that he would keep us safe. In present company, there was only one possible choice.
"How the hell did Mello get to them!?" I yelled at the detective, throwing the photograph onto the table. It fluttered uselessly in the air and drifted to a stop, oblivious to my anger.
L snatched it up with two fingers and stared at the image, his brow furrowed. He began to bite his thumbnail. Light took the photo from him. His mask of curiosity cracked in two.
"Ryuzaki," he growled. "You told me Sayu would not be in any danger coming here." Beneath the fringe of his copper hair, his eyes were burning. "Who has taken my sister?"
"Mello," I answered. "A bully from the House who was lauded as one of the most intelligent, after BB, A and Near, of course."
"The House?"
Ignoring the warning look from L, I barrelled on, not caring what secrets I divulged now when Quinn, the only person who had ever cared about me, was in the hands of a petulant child with a violent streak. "Whammy's House. The orphanage that trains orphans and unwanted children to become the next L."
"Valerie, don't –"
"– However, the first trainees didn't even get into the field! A committed suicide and BB turned out to be a psychopath! And now one of the next generation detective-wannabes has taken my brother and your sister because of some half-baked plan to lure Kira out." With a sound of disgust, I stood up, unable to be in the same room as the two men anymore.
"Where are you going?" L called out as I strode towards the corridor.
"To the roof so I can get away from you!" I slammed the roof door shut and sprinted up the stairs. Rem floated behind as I pounded across the sun drenched concrete to the railings. Breathing deeply, on the verge of hyperventilating, I forced myself to calm down. Quinn would not be able to get out of this mess if I wasn't thinking clearly.
It took a couple of minutes to get the panic and anger down to a simmer. Closing my eyes, I inhaled, held it for ten seconds, then exhaled, opening my eyes and seeing the situation with more clarity than before.
"Light won't give himself up," I said, half to myself, half to Rem. "He's too far under L's control to stop playing their game right now and he won't leave me alone with L. He's not safe, not yet." I tapped a finger to my chin, peering out over the city. The sun had passed its peak and was descending. A cool breeze had sprung up during my time inside. It was early spring; the nights would get cold quickly. Shifting, I faced Rem, not quite seeing her. Now I understood why Light told Ryuk almost everything. Having someone listen to you ramble was an easy way to come up with ideas. "Unless he thinks that giving himself up by 'pretending' to be Kira would throw L off. After all, Kira wouldn't be the type to hand himself over so willingly, so it may work. Would he risk it though? Allowing L access to me and all that I know without being there to intervene?"
"The note on the photograph asked for you to exchange yourself for them," said Rem in her deep, slow voice, monotony in every syllable.
"Yes, I know," I replied, attention on the city again. "If only I could find a way to get in contact with Mello without the other two knowing. They'd stop me for sure."
"You've got that right." I spun around. Light was leaning on the doorframe of the roof entrance, arms folded. Fom his heavier-than-normal breathing it was apparent he had only just climbed the stairs. My Rem secret was safe.
In the daylight the blue of his suit, worn for the graduation ceremony, was almost as bright as his hair. Ryuk flew from his side to perch on the satellite dish. "You are not giving yourself to Mello."
"Like you can stop me." I crossed my arms mimicking him.
He pushed away from the frame, closing the door as he did so, and strode forwards, over the grate, coming to a stop only three feet away. His expression was sardonic.
"You should know by now how L and I care little for social standards. If we have to chain you to a chair to keep you here, we will."
"On L's team now? And I thought he was Ryuzaki."
"Minerva, your ability to change the subject never ceases to be astounding." He took one more step, which brought him without arm's length. With the railing at my back and a twenty storey drop beyond, there was nowhere for me to go. I licked my lips. His eyes followed the movement.
"I need to save my brother."
"We can save your brother without you putting yourself in harm's way."
"I'm already in harm's way," I said quietly. Light's concern dropped away. I bit the bullet. "Promise me something, Light."
He was silent for a long moment, scrutinising me with almost inhuman intensity. Finally, he nodded.
Taking another deep breath, I said, "If I die, you will destroy the Death Note."
Light's jaw clenched, his hands fisted, his eyes burned. I waited patiently as a thousand thoughts raced through his mind, nearly all of them hidden from me. When had it become so hard to read him? During the month I wasn't talking to him? So many things were happening, it was hard to keep track.
"You know I can't do that," he bit out.
"You promised!"
"I am creating a new world. No one can do it but me."
"I've said it before, you're creating a world of fear. Nothing good comes of killing!"
"It is a necessary evil in order to remove those unworthy."
"It's an evil that got my brother and your sister stolen!"
"I knew there would be collateral damage when I started."
My mouth fell open.
Light's stoicism immediately collapsed into imploring regret. "Minerva, you know I didn't mean –"
"Didn't mean that you planned for your family to die from the moment you became this – this monster? That you hadn't factored Quinn and I into the equation? Because I know that's a lie." I shoved him, using all my strength. Running, yoga to avoid total mental breakdown, a couple of years hunting in Canada and hauling around heavy canvases meant Light didn't stand a chance when he wasn't expecting it. He stumbled, tripped on the grating and fell. I lunged, grabbing him by his lapels and preventing his ultimately painful smack into the metal bars. "Watch your head," I snarled. He barely had time to break his fall when I let go.
"By the way," I called over my shoulder as I stepped around him. "Next time you want someone to listen to you, try not to be so blatant about your absolute disregard for their siblings. It tends not to breed loyalty." Sketching a salute, I opened the rooftop door, stepped onto the staircase with Rem at my side, and sent the door crashing back into the frame, closing on Ryuk's laughter. Now, time to find Watari.
"Watari?" The elderly man looked up from scooping copious amounts of mint ice cream into a matte blue china bowl, decorated with a rim of white leaves and embossed trees. Wedgwood? Then again, this was L.
"Yes, Miss Minerva? How may I help you?" He wiped his hands on a pristine white dishtowel, folded it and placed it on the beige, marbled granite countertop. We stood in the kitchen, which was as minimalist and expensive as the rest of the apartment. It was accessed through the doorway off the living room, adjoined to a corridor that had warm yellow lighting from translucent lights high on the walls and boasted another bronze mirror, a cherry wood table and an elevator disguised as a pair of panelled wooden doors.
The kitchen was obviously high-end; the oven gleamed, an array of touch-sensitive icons along its front and the black stovetop spotless. The faucet emitted light according to the temperature of the water, the cream cupboards opened at a mere finger's pressure, and the wooden floorboards were dark cherry too.
Watari was at the island in the centre, surrounded by ice cream, more cupcakes, and souffles fresh from the oven. I had never imagined him baking, but then it was unlikely that every place L visited had bakeries up to his standards.
"Do you have any way of contacting who sent the envelope?"
Watari frowned. "You wish to speak with Mello?"
"You knew who sent it before it was opened?" I asked, surprised.
He nodded. "I received a phone call from Mello a few minutes prior to its arrival. I was on my way to tell L when the envelope arrived."
"Oh." I wandered further into the room, taking an apple from the metal fruit basket next to a tray of chocolate muffins. "So . . . can you get in contact with him?"
"He left a number, yes."
"Have you told L?"
"I thought it prudent not to bring it up while you were so upset."
"But you've had time since Light and I went to the roof."
He gestured to the sweets. "Ryuzaki was adamant that he get sugar quickly." I could see how that might have gone in my head; L cutting Watari off without the elderly gentleman having said a word, demanding any and all cake while he thought.
"Can I ask a favour then?"
"That is dependent on the favour, Miss Minerva."
I glanced at the kitchen door. It was closed but there was no guarantee that L may not walk in at any moment wondering about his lack of cake. There wasn't much time to do this.
"I need to talk to Mello."
Watari's frown deepened. "Miss Minerva, I must advise against this."
"I know you do. That doesn't change the fact that the only way Quinn and Sayu are going to be safe anytime soon is if I go to him in their place." The apple made a satisfying sound, halfway between a thud and thwack as I threw it from hand to hand.
Watari picked up the ice cream scoop again, adding one more sphere of frozen mint dessert, exchanged it for a metal cylinder. In seconds the green mounds were dusted with cocoa and he set to work slicing up a banana. Each slice was delicately placed on the top of a scoop, the rim sinking into the melting ice cream. Throughout I continued tossing the apple.
With the dessert finished and ready to be served to a sugar-obsessed detective, Watari went to the sink and washed and dried his hands. Then he leaned on the sink, facing me, his face aged suddenly.
"V," he said. I started. He hadn't called me that since he met me at my first orphanage, approaching me to ask about moving to the House. That had been the day I'd been named Valerie, at age nine. He'd heard about me through contacts within Paris, apparently, and once learning all he could, Watari, A.K.A. Whammy, had shipped Quinn and I to Whammy's House in England.
"Hello, Miss V. I own an orphanage for special children in England. I have talked to your matron and director about letting you and your brother move to my establishment."
"From this moment on, you will be known as Valerie."
"Welcome to the Whammy's House."
"Miss Valerie, may I introduce you to L and Beyond Birthday."
Shaking myself out of the reverie, I tuned back in to what the orphanage owner and inventor was saying.
"I cannot put one of my wards in such danger."
Incredulous, I said, "I'm not your ward anymore. I haven't been for almost three years!"
"Yes, but all the same, you are still one of my students. It wouldn't be right of me to allow you to put yourself in harm's way."
Where is this coming from? I wondered. Since when did Watari care so much about people other than L?
"Watari," I said slowly. "It is either me or Quinn and Sayu. We both know I'll be able to deal with whatever Mello can come up with much better than those two."
"When was the last time you painted?" he asked abruptly. Taken aback, I found myself lying.
"While I was in hospital."
"Are you quite sure?"
"Yes. Now will you give me Mello's number or not? We can't waste time while Quinn is in danger!"
Watari opened his mouth but at that moment L called out from the living room. "Watari!" The elderly man picked up the bowl of ice cream, levelled a look at me that said, Don't move, and left the kitchen. I heard muffled conversation from the living room, too hushed for anything to be made out. I guessed L was questioning Watari on what we were talking about. I could only hope Watari had enough sense to realise that if he told L about Mello's phone number all chances of me saving Quinn were gone. L and Light would put me on lockdown to prevent any plan of mine to get to my brother. And just like that, Quinn and Sayu were in more danger than ever before.
It was as I was contemplating eating the apple that the door opened. Watari entered. Rem, who had been observing the large array of different earthly food, phased through the countertop to get out of his way.
"Here is the number," said Watari, handing me a small scrap of paper. He also held out a phone. "This is an untraceable mobile phone. It was made by one of L's contacts. You may ring Mello from this, but I suggest doing it outside. Even in here there are cameras and wiretaps."
"So people have been listening to our conversation?" A flash of alarm shot through me.
"No. I am the one who monitors the cameras throughout the building. I will take you down to the ground floor." He seemed to hesitate, his hands still outstretched even though I'd relieved him of the objects. He let them fall to his sides. "Whatever plan you make with Mello, you must tell me."
I nodded, not needing to think about it. Having someone who knew where I was going was a logical option to this scheme. "I trust you to tell L if it's necessary."
"Thank you, Miss Minerva. Follow me."
The elevator had opened into a lobby, one that held no identity of its own and could be found in any upmarket office building, hotel or bank anywhere in the world. Clocks showing times of major cities were arrayed around the walls, two large potplants squatted on either end of the reception desk and a nameless secretary clacked away with polished fingernails, typing endlessly into a state-of-the-art computer. Watari's footsteps rang out as we strode across the granite floor, of the same quality as the kitchen counters. He led me to the revolving doors, stopping only once we reached the bright street beyond.
"My number is on the phone," he said, facing me. "Call me once your business is concluded."
A surge of gratitude welled up within me for this man and, out of impulse, I hugged him. He stiffened for a second, then returned the embrace. Quickly, he released. I smiled at him.
"Thank you, Watari." He smiled back, a small curve at the corner of his lips, tipped the hat he'd put on as we left and walked back into the building. Now alone, I started down the street, Mello's number in my jeans pocket, Watari's phone in the other and no thought of where to go.
Of all places to end up, I found myself in the park close to Light's destroyed home, where the bikers had found me a second time. It seemed ridiculous to have my conversation with Mello there, considering all the bad things that had led on from coming to this place. My feet had other ideas, however. Without conscious thought, they led me through the streets of Tokyo, leaving the overcrowded city and into the relatively quieter suburbs.
The park was empty, thankfully. It was early afternoon on a Thursday, during the final week of official school when students were having their festivals and end of term tournaments. Next month Light started learning at To-Oh University. The small, cynical part of me that had been growing steadily during the year wondered if I would be alive to see him at the acceptance assembly. It was that part that had been nauseatingly aware of the piece of paper and phone burning holes through the material of my jeans during the walk.
I pulled out the silver device, flipping it open and turning it on. The screen lit up in a second with no network name or sign of a company allegience. Untraceable.
Before I could second guess myself, I typed in the number, pressed call and held it to my ear. Blood pumped behind my eardrums, almost deafening me. By doing this I was signing what just might be my own death certificate. An extended time with Mello in return for the release of Quinn and Sayu.
"When was the last time you painted?"
The true answer was almost two weeks ago, on the Monday of last week. A damn block had been on my mind ever since Misa's attack. Now the results were coming back to bite me; bad things happened when I didn't paint. Some people had a dependency on drugs. Mine was on the expression of my thoughts on the canvas through vivid colour.
Only my withdrawal symptoms tended to be a whole lot more severe.
The phone stopped ringing as the call was picked up. There was the crack of something I knew to be chocolate.
"Hello?"
"Mello?"
The line was bad, probably due to a long distance connection. The rustling of movement on the other end was almost hidden by the white noise buzzing through the speaker. Mello's voice crackled when he spoke.
"Valerie? Or are you Minerva now?"
"I assume you've been reading Ryuzaki's notes then?" I knew better than to talk about the detective in the open.
"Matt hacked in. It was easy."
"Matt?"
"He came after you and Quinn left."
"Ah." Enough small talk. "I want my brother back, Mello."
"Only if you give me Kira." His voice was at the awkward stage when it cracked every few sentences. It was hard to be intimidated by a boy going through puberty.
"Why are you so assured that Light is Kira?"
"Isn't it obvious?"
"What, apart from L's notes?" I forced a sneer into my voice. It wasn't difficult. "You need to stop riding on L's coattails, Mello. What would Near say?"
Mello snapped off another piece of chocolate. I remembered that tick of his. It signalled a rising temper. "What Near thinks doesn't matter."
"Doesn't it? Then why did you proclaim him your mortal enemy when you were seven?"
"I am better than him!" The line crackled as Mello moved away from the phone, obviously composing himself. It was almost laughably easy to rile the boy up. At fourteen he had yet to master himself and Near had always been a sore point. My plan now was to get him angry enough to give something away; Mello in a rage tended to make mistakes.
"I'm impressed, Valerie. I didn't think you would manage to get the number from Watari so quickly."
I scoffed. "You're going to pretend you planned for this to happen? For me to call you? I know you have ambition, Mello, but delusions of grandeur aren't attractive on anyone." Without conscious thought I started to walk, following the line of trees separating me from the road beyond. Green leaves were starting to grow from the boughs which had been dormant through winter. Flowers budded on the ends of twigs.
Mello's voice was surprisingly cool when he replied. "L would have asked for the envelope Watari was carrying before Watari could have said anything about the phone call. I know you love your brother, so as long as you were present when his kidnapping was revealed, you would've provided a big enough distraction to keep Watari from announcing the phone call. From there is was only a matter of time before you went for more information without L knowing. I know you, I know L and I know Watari. It was child's play."
"There seem to be a lot of holes in that plan, Mello."
He made a noncommital sound. "Even so, you would have found a way to call whatever the case."
"I'm flattered you remember so much about me. What have you done to Quinn?"
Mello bit off another piece of chocolate. "He's fine." There was something in his voice that was dark, angry. Hatred boiled below the surface. Did he really resent my brother so much? Why?
"Are you willing to make a deal for him?" he asked. I gritted my teeth.
"Yes. Me for him and Sayu. Safe and sound back in Tokyo."
"Got it. There will be a car outside the central railway station tomorrow, six am. See you there."
"Wait!" I cried. "Why kidnap Quinn and Sayu? Why me? How can that help you catch Kira?"
Mello laughed. "Ask L. He's the one who thinks you're the key to bringing him down."
The line went dead. I stopped walking, staring at the screen. I glanced at Rem. Her expression was strangely understanding. Slipping the phone back into my pocket, I kept walking, head awhirl. L thought I was the key to toppling Kira. L definitely thought Light was Kira, there was no doubt about that. So L thought I had enough control over Light to somehow cause him to give up or turn himself in?
More than that, Mello was convinced as well?
I scoffed, saying aloud, "In what world do I have any command over Light?" Rem started, not expecting my scathing tone. Even though the question had been rhetorical, she mulled over it.
"Light values you and your opinion."
"Does he?" I asked, surprised.
"Yes. We in the Shinigami realm have been watching you from the beginning of Kira's rein. He cares for you, Minerva, in a way he doesn't care for anyone else."
I thought about that. Psychopathic Light Yagami caring. Sometimes such a thing appeared possible, until it was destroyed by him saying something callous about collatoral damage or the like. Sometimes he looked at me in a way that spoke of interest beyond manipulation and the monitoring of a liability. Sometimes . . . I believed what Rem said. I believed he cared.
And didn't that make everything a whole lot harder?
"It's one thing caring about a person. It's another thing to have them feel the same way back," I murmured. Rem didn't reply. Groaning, I sat on the grass, rested my back against a tree and stared through the branches at the sky, willing my problems away. It took countless minutes until I had compartmentalised Quinn and Sayu, my lack of painting, Light and L, Mello and whoever this Matt was, Rem and Ryuk, and even Kuroda, Nozomi, Mikoto and Ayako, into separate boxes. My mind was left free. I was relaxed for the first time since the deaths of Soichiro and Sachiko Yagami.
The afternoon passed slowly, filled with cloud watching and the occasional roar of a car engine. No one entered the park. An spring wind whipped through my hair, sending it flying around my face. It had grown a lot since coming to Tokyo. I'd have to cut it soon. There was something comforting in thinking about something so mundane.
All too soon the sky had darkened and the cell phone was buzzing.
"Hello?" My voice was hoarse from the cold and lack of talking.
"Miss Minerva? Where are you and I will come to collect you."
"Thanks for making me sound like a parcel, Watari."
"You're welcome, Miss Minerva."
"I'm at the park near Light's old house."
"I shall be there presently." He hung up. I glanced at Rem, sitting on a tree branch a little to the right.
"Well. Reality calls. Time to become a hostage."
In that moment I decided I didn't care about Light or L anymore. Kisses and cupcakes and late night conversations in front of the fire or huddled on a couch meant nothing. A hardness settled in my heart as I thought of my brother and surrogate sister alone together, at the mercy of Mello – who undoubtedly had a vendetta against my brother which spoke of imminent violence. What would Sayu say when Mello revealed why they'd been taken? Would she cry for her brother, a boy hadn't cried for her once? How about L? Instinctively I knew he was looking at this situation from the mind of the detective, searching for ways to trap Kira in the web Mello had designed. No doubt he had spared less than a second's thought about Quinn's suffering.
That's it, I decided. I'm done with second chances.
If they wanted forgiveness for all they'd done, they could save me from Mello.
I was done caring for anyone other than my own family.
TOWRTA: So. I'm a bit ashamed of how long it took for this to come out. I don't even know if it's good enough quality to make up for the long wait (and for me ignoring some of my pen-pals. Sorry guys!). After all, it is more of a filler chapter for the ultimate Mello Meeting. Tell me what you think though!
Less reviews than I would have liked for the last chapter. See if we can boost it for this one? Suggestions of what you want to see happen, funny anecdotes or even a bad joke are welcome. I love to hear from my readers and I always PM back if I can (or else I respond in-chapter to the anonymous ones). For example:
Guest (anon): lol. I totally agree (though maybe with not quite those words. Hmm, more like 'well, gosh darn. What in the blazing tarnations is that Mello up to?').
Next chapter might be a wee-while coming, because I'm on holiday for a week. Let's see how it goes.
Next time: mello, matt and the mafia
Yours Truly and God Bless
TOWRTA
Update 14/02/16: I apologise for no updates. A death in the family and getting ready for university has taken all my time. That, plus the fact that I'm starting university in just five days, means that I have had no time to write, nor will have any time in the near future. So, to the horror of myself, I am putting this story on HAITUS for the next while. Pre-med is evil and will take all my time. I hoped to have finished this story this summer but it wasn't to be.
Don't worry. I'll be back in less than a year and it will be done!