Chapter nine:

"You have to warn the others." Mello pleads with the other as he places his hands on Near's shoulders. "I heard of one of my groups side talk about Light meeting one of yours. No doubt this could truly become war."

Near gazes worriedly into Mello's eyes. "Mello. Please come with me. I have faith we can get them to accept you in. You can be safe."

"Near." Mello moves one hand gently grabbing a hold of the others hand. "They don't seem to know about you and me. I want to be truly helpful. If I stay with my group I could gather intel to try to help save the Feather Freedoms. There s=isn't a doubt that our leader will use dirty tricks. I should get that information then we can save more people while we try to stop the war." He moves the hand that is still on Nears shoulder to gently caress his cheek. "I promise I'll be careful."

Near softly leans into the touch and gives a nod to the other that is just as soft. "Okay." He finally agrees and the two move closer sharing a hug with one another.

They stand like that for a good few moments before pulling away enough to look at each other once more.

"Stay strong. We can do this." Mello encourages in which Near nods to him.

"I will." Near blinks in surprise as the blonde suddenly leans in stealing a kiss on the lips before pulling away.

"I love you." Mello's tone and volume are both soft when he says those three words.

"I love you too." A softly blushing Near responds.

The two part ways starting with Mello turning around to run back to where his group lives.

Near watches him go before turning around and dashing off in the direction of his groups home. He keeps up his quick pace wanting to try to give his group time to prepare for the possible war ahead. He makes it back though he needs to stop for a moment to hunch over to try to catch his breath. He stands up tall again, hands falling off of his knees, as he manages to catch his breath. He moves further into his groups home glancing around for his own groups leader. He soon spots him and lightly jogs over to the man. "Jack!"

Jack pauses only to turn around to look to Near who slows to a stop. He notices the urgency in the youngers eyes and turns to look to the two he was talking to. "I will contemplate what to do. You are free to leave."

L has spotted Near with the leader so he hangs back for now. He decides that if he can he will approach a tent set up to probably keep a prisoner. He figures that it is ninety percent that the tent where two guards are posted is for a prisoner. He decides to wait until Near is done talking to the leader. He believes it won't be suspicious if he tries to talk to Near before trying to go see the prisoner.

Jack turns his attention back to the small member of his group. "What's going on?"

"I come with news. Terrible news." Near informs him worrying Jack. "It's about the Barens. I have reason to believe that they will most likely be preparing for real war against us." He reports making Jack bite his bottom lip in slight thought.

The words of what he was told that a Baren had said rings through his head so clearly. Jack releases his bottom lip to speak to the other to give a verbal response. "And how can you be sure of such a thing?" He questions truly wanting to know this information.

Near's eyes flicker around. His eyes meeting briefly with L's own before coming back to looking at Jack. "Because… Because a Baren that I trust has told me so." He explains to the other seeing as how he doesn't see anyone listening in on their conversation. He also believes that if he explains it now then when Mello comes to join them then he will be accepted into the group better. "He decided to stay with his group because he believes that the leader will pull a dirty trick. He wants to bring over as much information as he possibly can to us."

"A Baren that you trust?" Jack tilts his head at this though his eyes show that he is playing something in his mind. "Could it be true… The sign I dreamt of… Could this just be the beginning?"

"What?" Near questions rather curiously upon hearing how the other is speaking.

Jack blinks bringing his head back up to being straight as he realizes he had spoken out loud. "Don't worry. It's nothing you should worry about. I will listen to your warning and look at preparing." He turns away so his back is to Near though he glances back to the other over his shoulder. "Please be cautious and don't tell anyone just yet. I don't want to start a panic." He walks away after that as Near watches.

Near hopes that everything will turn out alright. He hears someone approaching him and turns around to look to L who has moved closer to him.

"Something must be really wrong." L mentions making this judgement from how the two were acting when he was waiting for them to stop talking.

"Mello warned me of a possible war." Near admits slightly glancing down towards his feet in worry about what will happen. "He went to try to spy on his group worried about a move coming from their leader that might be a bit dirty."

"I see." L raises a hand to rest upon his bottom lip. "Well it seems that it really was Light who was captured."

Near gasps in slight worry upon hearing this news.

L's eyes that had glanced down turn to look to Near again. "I will go to try to talk to Light. You focus on trying to get to the leader. As well as gaining all information you can from Mello."

Near nods in agreement to this then heads off with that as L turns to look to the tent.

L walks towards the tent.

Elsewhere…

"A dove will save the day… Could it really be true?"