Chapter 7

Thirteen Eleven

L's POV

I knew she loved me, and I really did love her. But I didn't want to cause her anymore pain by telling her. I so badly wanted to!

While Matsuba worked, the boy had started to write on the chalk board. Every test ended in failure. Maki seemed to be losing hope. Hours passed by slowly and the day ended. I now had three days left. I went over to Matsuba.

"Have you found out anything?" I asked.

He sighed.

"It's energy source is sugar."

I looked at the candy I was eating. Elena snatched the bag right out of my hand as she passed me.

"It likes sugar, but not fruit sugar."

"Sugar?"

"Maki has low blood sugar. The virus probably isn't active inside her because of that."

I remembered what Maki told me.

"Not because of her father's injections?" I asked.

"The injection was probably for her low blood sugar."

I looked at Maki.

"Would determining the energy source help in creating an antidote?" Elena asked.

Matsuba looked a little defeated.

"No. Destroying the sugar in the body will kill the virus… but that would stop body activity."

Elena sighed.

"Thirteen eleven."

We all looked at the boy. He'd solved whatever problem he'd written. He turned and looked at us.

"Thirteen eleven." He repeated.

"What?" Matsuba asked.

He walked closer to me and repeated himself, louder this time.

"Please be quiet for a while." Said Matsuba.

"I think he's trying to tell us something." Elena said.

Matsuba waved her off and the boy continued to say the same thing. I looked at the problem on the board and walked over to it.

Elena's POV

I had absolutely no idea what was on that board. Then again, I'd never been very good at math.

"What is that?" Matsuba inquired.

L wrote letters on the board.

"M… K…" he said.

"What does that mean?" I asked.

"It's a code." He looked at the boy. "Where did you see this?" he asked.

Maki jumped up.

"That's the homework my dad gave me."

She took a notebook from her bag and handed it to me. IT was the same as the board, but unsolved. L came over and stood next to me. The scent of fresh laundry washed over me. His scent. He looked closely at the paper.

"It's a message, from Professor Nikaido."

"But then, what does MK mean?" I asked him.

L started pacing and listing of words.

"Matsuba-san, tell me if any of these draw your attention."

He kept going until Matsuba stopped him.

"That's it! Midkine may be able to suppress the virus."

I looked at L for an explanation.

"It's a protein that creates and breeds cells. It restores broken cells and keeps cancer from progressing. Restores nerve cells, so it may be a wonder drug for Alzheimer."

The professor nodded. I slowly started to smile.

"Is it possible to artificially synthesize Midkine?" L asked.

"Yes, with unlimited research funding and five years." He said.

Maki looked down.

"Five years…"

I put my arm around her shoulders and she leaned into me.

"Is there any other way?" I asked him.

He thought for a moment.

"Midkine is abundant in a fetus." He said.

My eyes widened. L looked over at the boy. He'd been the sole survivor of his village.

"It has to be a fetus."

L slowly walked forward.

"But he's a survivor of his village. Everyone else was infected by that virus, except for him." I said quickly.

"Really?"

"He was examined, but not for MK proteins." L said.

I saw the hope in Maki's eyes and smiled.

"Let me take some of your blood." The professor said to the boy.

The boy looked at L. Matsuba took blood from him and then the kids decided they wanted to eat lunch. I suggested L take them up to the roof for a picknick.

"And you?"

"I'll join you a little later. I need to call my brother."

He nodded and left. I sat down, the phone in my hand… but I didn't dial the number.

"He hasn't told you."

I looked at Matsuba.

"Told me what?"

"A few days ago, he told me that he was scared. That he'd sacrificed lives… but that there was one he would keep safe until he died. He was talking about you."

My eyes slowly widened.

"I found it shocking at first as well. I suggest you tell him that you feel the same."

He got to work and I slowly made my way up to the roof. I saw L standing completely straight. I smiled and laughed a little. The kids were smiling and laughing. When he saw me, he smiled. MY smile grew and I walked over to him.

"Well, looks like you guys got him to stand up straight. Pigs must fly, L."

"Indeed." He said.

He jumped down and walked over to me. After hearing that he cared so much about me, I just couldn't do anything but hug him.

"Elena?"

"Just shut up." I said.

For a second I thought I heard him chuckle. When I stepped back I helped them pack everything up. As we were going down the stairs, Maki said she was going to the bathroom. I nodded and I went with L and the boy.

Matsuba was still hard at work when we got back. L and the boy sat down and the boy started to line up candies again. L started to take them and the boy would just replace them. I smiled a bit and wondered what it would've been like. If L lived and were together, if we had a family. As time passed, I realized Maki hadn't come back.

"L… where is Maki?"

"Go check the bathroom." He said.

I got up and ran into the bathroom.

"Maki?!"

She was gone.

"L!"

I ran back and he caught me.

"She's gone!"

His eyes went wide.

"Stay here with the boy."

"L."

He looked at me.

"DO you think she would've gone to Kujo?"

The look in his eyes gave me my answer. She would.