Mello was trying very, very hard not to kill Yagami. Not because he was beginning to actually like the older boy but because L would be disappointed in him if he did.
Though Mello was beginning to learn to live with L's disappointment. And if Yagami didn't stay away, he was going to begin taking drastic measures.
Light had been spending every afternoon at the hotel with L. Mello even thought he had seen L talking to him about another case at one point. Considering they weren't allowed to know anything about the other cases L was working on, Mello didn't take it too well.
With Light spending so much time around them, Mello was beginning to see how L could have been drawn into him. He was extremely intelligent, something Mello had always known, but he was on a level with L that Mello really didn't want to admit. The two of them were able to communicate with each other in a way they obviously had never found in another person. Mello knew how that was – he had felt the same way before Wammy's. Before he met Matt.
He just wished it wasn't Kira L had found that connection with. How different would things have been the first time if Light hadn't been the one to find the Death Note? If he really had just been brought in on the case by his father? So many things could have been different.
But Mello shouldn't be thinking of that. The facts were that Light had been Kira. Kira had killed L. And Mello. And been the cause of Matt's death as well. He was the reason Near had been left alone.
Not that Mello was bothered by Near being left alone. The kid always wanted to be alone anyway. He was probably thrilled when they were killed.
No, that wasn't fair. Mello grimaced as he bit of a piece of chocolate. He had learned the last few days that Near wasn't what he had always assumed. He wasn't a robot. And, in his own weird way, he really did care about all of them.
Mello was still getting used to that.
It was the fifth day of Lights 'visits' that Mello finally spoke up. "He still killed you, you know," he muttered as L turned to his computer screen after the door shut behind the handsome teen.
L didn't even bother to look up, "I am aware of that, Mello. You have pointed it out more than enough times for me to remember. Once is usually sufficient."
Mello's fist tightened around his candy bar as his other hand clenched into a fist. He could feel his finger nails digging into his palms. "I just think you should be more careful. There is a possibility that he-"
"I have said this before but I believe the Death Note is able to control the actions of the user in some way. In the very least, it becomes an addiction. Light no longer has the Death Note in his possession and I believe is free of the influence. Those qualities you saw in him no longer exist."
Mello scowled, "They always exist, L."
L's dark eyes turned on him, "Yes, but they are not on the surface currently. Just as your own are sufficiently tucked away at the moment, correct Mello?"
The anger that had been burning in Mello's chest threatened to erupt at the words. Why was it that Light got a free pass, but he, who had admitted to what he had done, got his mistakes held over his head? He didn't kill close to the number of people Kira had. He regretted what he had done, knew that it hadn't been the smartest thing to do, and he had admitted as such to L.
So why did it keep getting brought up?
"I believe Mello needs a distraction," Near suddenly spoke making Mello's head snap to the side so he could look at the younger boy. He was building a card house, currently at four levels, and gently placing a card to start the fifth. "Perhaps a case the three of us could work on?"
L's fingers came up to his mouth as those dark eyes stared at the youngest boy. Mello watched them carefully, trying to understand what Near was doing. L had made it clear they were to stay away from his active cases. And he didn't need a distraction! He needed Yagami to stay the hell away.
"I have one that would be sufficient," L finally said, turning to his computer and staring at the screen as his fingers began to fly over the keys. "The information will be sent to computer Matt is using. The information is in that file," L motioned to the black folder on the desk he wasn't using. "Please inform me of any new information you find. I will check on you in three hours."
Near stood gracefully, moving toward the desk and lightly tugging on Mello's sleeve as he walked past. Matt, who had been playing a game and groaned as the file came through, began to follow them into the bedroom.
The three sat on the floor, spreading the information out around them as Matt read the information from the computer screen. A serial murderer in America. Women from the ages of 25 – 35. All with light hair and dark eyes. All strangled.
Mello worked diligently, for once not trying to solve the puzzle before Near. In fact, he found his attention drifting to the other boy. He had some nameless finger puppets that he seemed to be using as props as he worked through the case, though if you didn't watch him closely, you wouldn't know what he was doing. Most would assume he was playing and not paying the slightest bit of attention.
The three hours went by quickly and L called them back into the main room, not asking of their findings. He merely sat in his usual position, dark eyes studying each of them in silence. "Do you have any information for me?"
Matt shrugged, pulling out his DS, "All of the women were nurses and working a late shift at the hospital on the nights they disappeared. Though they worked in different areas of the city."
"All were single and not known to be dating anyone. All had an unidentified drug in their system at the time of death," Mello said slowly, knowing the information wasn't anything L didn't already know.
"The murder is a patient," Near said, making the others turn to him in surprise. He didn't look at them, instead walking back toward his unfinished card house. "On their shifts, each nurse dealt with a young man with an odd rash on his arm. The names used were not the same, but all began with the same first letters. Jason Young. Jared Yates. Jesse Younts. Joshua Younger. It is my belief that it was the same man due to the description of the infection."
Mello blinked in surprise. He had read about the patients but hadn't picked up on the pattern. Maybe he was more distracted than he had thought.
L merely nodded, "Yes. His real name is Joseph Yocum. The police apprehended him a few hours ago and found evidence of his crimes."
Mello felt his jaw clench. Of course L had given them a case he already solved. He should have known.
Near didn't look surprised – though he never really did. Mello didn't doubt he had been aware of the situation the entire time. It had just been another test for L, one to once again see who the better successor was.
Well, he didn't need to use those tests anymore, Mello could tell him. Near had proved himself during the Kira case.
L turned his head sharply as his computer let out a notification. His brow furrowed as he stared at whatever came up on his screen. "Mello, do you know of someone named Hirokazu Ukita?"
Mello frowned, "He was a member of the KIRA task force in Japan. He was killed by the second Kira. Why?"
"Because he just died of a heart attack," L stated calmly, though his eyes were fixed on the report.
Mello blinked in surprise. "He didn't die for another few months before…"
"According to the timeline Mello wrote, he only died after Kira had been known to the world," Near said from where he sat on the floor, "at this time, no one is aware of anything suspicious. There have not even been deaths we can relate to Kira."
"So this Kira's first victim is a police officer?" Matt muttered, shaking his head, "That doesn't sound promising."
"It is worrying," L admitted as he raised his hand to play with his bottom lip, "if it is in fact someone using a Death Note, the fact that they have already targeted a police officer shows that they do not have the same…values the Kira of the original time line held."
Mello had to bite his lip at the mention of values. Values and Light Yagami didn't fit together in his head.
"We should look into this death closely," L continued, "to see if there is anything that stands out to us. It is likely the killer is someone he had contact with within the last few days. After all, Light used the Death Note for the first time on a whim. It is possible this person did the same."
Mello scowled but moved to stand behind Matt. He watched as the slightly younger boy hacked into the Japanese police records in minutes. Matt printed out the documents for L, handing them to the older man before looking through them himself on the screen. "I printed out another copy," Matt muttered, shooting Mello an annoyed glance.
Mello rolled his eyes. He never understood why Matt was so uncomfortable when someone read over his shoulder. Mello grabbed the printout before letting out a sigh and moving to sit on the floor beside Near. Near looked toward him, surprise flashing through his eyes. "Figured you would want to see," Mello muttered, leaning against the wall and placing the papers on his bent knees. Near didn't respond but he slowly moved to lean beside Mello, his gray eyes flickering over the words.
Mello didn't even finch as he felt gentle fingers in his hair. He didn't know what Near's obsession was but he wasn't going to complain. It felt damn good.
"It all looks routine to me," Matt said slowly, looking at L as if he was waiting to be corrected.
Mello had to agree. He didn't see anything unusual and none of the names looked familiar. But why would someone target him of all people? There had to be a reason.
Mello jumped as L's phone began to ring, dislodging Near's hand from his hair. Near made a sound of protest, one that was obviously unintentional by the light blush that spread across his face. Mello stared in amazement. He had never seen Near blush. He chuckled lightly and motioned back toward his head. Near moved forward hesitantly, his hand once again burying itself in his hair.
"You two comfortable?" Matt asked in amusement, though Mello could see the slight wonder in his eyes. Yes, he supposed they were an interesting sight – especially to anyone that knew their history.
Mello was about to retort to the teasing when he heard L speak. "We will continue to monitor the situation. Your father may not yet be in danger, Light."
Lights father. Right. The Chief. The one that Mello… anyway, it would make sense that Light would be worried about him.
Of course, he wasn't so worried last time, was he?
The four continued to try and find some information, though they had little to go on. Nothing they found was promising and L forced the three teens to bed around midnight.
The next day they were once again searching for information. "I think we just need to wait until it happens again," Matt said reluctantly, "there isn't enough to go on. For all we know, they guy could have just had an issue with police and picked the first one he saw."
Mello had to concede the point. L didn't respond, though his shoulders held even more of a slump than usual. He knew what they were thinking-they had wanted to stop the Death Note before anyone died. And yet, here they were waiting for someone else to be killed.
Mello stayed on the floor beside Near, chewing on his chocolate as he watched the other boy carefully stack items on top of each other. He had never, and would never, understand why Near found that so relaxing but he could admit he found watching the other boy to be fascinating. Mello would never be able to accomplish something like that – he wasn't good at being still and he certainly didn't have the patience.
He hadn't known he had spent so much time watching the white haired boy until Wammy led a frazzled Light into the room. Mello felt his eyebrows rise as he looked at the messy hair and worried expression. He had never seen Yagami look so…human.
"It happened again. A teacher at the school. She did not die last time – we were in the middle of class and she just fell over. They said it was a heart attack."
Mello jumped to his feet, startling Near and making him jerk his hand slightly. The entire card building fell to the ground. Mello tried to shoot him an apologetic glance but Near was staring down at the pile, his hand twirling his hair furiously.
Yeah, he was upset. Mello would find a way to make it up to him later.
"Please look through this list and tell us if any names catch your attention," L said to Light quickly, handing him the same list they had looked over the night before. "Matt, please compose a list of current and past students of the teachers for the last five years. Mello and Near, cross reference the students with recent police records. We need to see if there is anyone connected to both parties."