An SPK Christmas. Chapter Three

Yes. I know I'm crazy... chapter three already! I'm on a new record!

The fans of my digimon fics must be jealous by now, seeing my rate of posting this story, compared to my rate of posting those...

Oh well, I'm addicted to this fandom currently.

Disclaimer says: The characters belong to gods Ohba and Obata, and probably Japan does too. But I own the word arrangements. Yay me!

That Wonderful Time of Year Again

by Darkness Princess

:x:x:

Returning a Favor

Mello hated this. Matt hadn't returned at all, and the blonde was certain something was wrong. After all, Matt would have at least called, and he wouldn't've gotten such a bizarre invitation from his rival. This was uncomfortable, and Mello wasn't in much of a mood to deal with it.

Anyway, even if he were to go to Near's, there were a few problems:

One - Mello did not know where Near currently was. The other detective-in-training had an advanced computer system which restricted the number from being tracked. Though he had a number to call in response, for purely connective purposes only, he couldn't track the location.

Two - He needed to find Matt. Though he was certain Matt could take care of himself, he didn't feel like having his friend drop by nine days later starting a new problem. Anyway, he needed Matt's excellent hacking skills, as well as his motorcycle. Currently, they were sharing one, since Mello had only stolen a car, and hadn't gone to buy himself any one yet; he and Matt were going to buy one for him the day after Christmas.

Three - Mello didn't get Near a Christmas gift. He knew Near's main passions in life - detective work and toys - but he didn't want to buy any. After all, it was his rival, and he truly didn't feel like buying his rival anything, especially since he didn't plan on seeing him. But if he had to...

Toy stores would still be open by nine, wouldn't they? It was barely seven-fifteen, three days before Christmas, he was sure he could get something, drop it off tonight, and then tell Near to leave him alone.

"Wait a damn minute..." Mello muttered, sitting up. His burns pained him as he moved quickly, but he ignored the stinging as he pulled his red jacket over his shoulders. He preferred this jacket over his old leathery ones due to the fact that it wasn't leather anymore, and its hood - finally, a jacket with a hood! - had a fur-lining, which was gentle when it brushed against his wounds. Matt had so gratefully pointed him into the fur-filled section of the department store where he found it, and bought red because they were out of black.

Either way, both colors looked good on him.

And no matter what he was thinking currently, he had a purpose. He really needed to find Matt.

So he did what he should've thought of quite a while ago. He picked up his phone. Flipping it open, he hit the speed-dial for Matt. The phone rang once, twice...

:x:x:

It was an uncomfortable sensation. Matt wasn't even sure why he agreed, but he figured this was more logical than being shot. This crazy blonde man, definitely American, had him handcuffed in the back seat, after threatening him with a gun and telling him to follow him. Matt didn't know what this crazy man in the santa hat wanted, but the high chance was that he knew Matt was with Mello.

Either that or he knew Matt hacked into that French Government official website to make sure they truly weren't up to anything...

By this point, he could only speculate as he sat quietly in the backseat, his goggles pushed around his neck and replaced with blindfolds. That was an irritating move in itself, for the man, whoever he was, saw the pale rings and bands around his face, the reason sometimes Mello called him the Retarded Racoon once or twice, and could now possibly laugh about it.

Of course, he could only imagine the man laughing in the front, for it was mostly silent. Besides the soft sound of the wind against the car that night, Matt couldn't hear much of anything in the car. He blamed the blindfold which passed over his ears as well, but he doubted it actually prevented him from hearing anything.

But right now, his main concern happened to be the phone in his pocket, which shook against his skin. Oddly arousing, but very uncomfortable. There wasn't time for this.

"Uh... kidnapper guy," Matt called, his voice calm, with the slightest traces of irritability.

"Yes?" the man responded. "I am sorry about this."

"Okay... I don't get what you're doing this for," he said, then muttered, "unless you're French." He sighed. "But... I'm gettin' a call here... kinda need to answer..."

"If the call is from Mello, it can wait."

Now, Matt was sure he was only being used. Again. Mello was using his resources to get to his goal; they were working together to help Mello defeat Near in the battle for the L position. And now he was being used to get to Mello.

"If you work for Near, you should know that this is completely against the rules. You can't handicapp Mello," Matt stated.

"This isn't related to the Kira case."

"Oh... then why the hell are you kidnapping me?"

"Because Near told me to."

"And do you always do what your Mommy says?"

"I don't want to hurt you, but I will. And you're in no room to talk, Racoon boy."

Damn. The Racoon joke... Matt scowled for a moment and slouched in the seat, until finally the car rolled to a stop. So long as he wasn't being killed now, he didn't quite care where he was being taken. But he knew Mello was going to be pissed.

:x:x:

Near couldn't help but feel rather glad when he noticed the car from the parking lot on camera. It was Rester returning with his passenger, and he continued to watch until he vanished from sight. A few minutes later, Rester entered, leading in a tall young man, blindfold over his eyes instead of goggles, hands cuffed behind his back. He stood at a slight slouch, a small frown on his face.

"Thank you, Rester. Please, uncuff him," Near asked.

Rester pulled off the handcuffs and soon the blindfolds, and Near pointed to a chair. Matt didn't seem to look, eyes shut as he used his hands to return the goggles to his face. But once the orange-tinted ocular-wear was returned to his face, he glanced immediately at Near, frowning.

"What the hell is your problem, anyway?" he asked.

"Welcome to the SPK, Matt," Near greeted. "Please, have a seat. You'll be here a while."

"Like hell I won't." Matt spun around, ready to leave, and found himself looking at Rester. The man seemed a lot taller now than he had earlier, a lot bigger as well. He could definitely knock Matt out if it was called for.

"Yes you will, Matt. Please, let us refrain from violence in the holiday spirit. Have a seat."

Damn. Matt dropped onto the chair, crossing his arms as he pulled a cigarette from his pocket. He placed it in his mouth, then began searching for a lighter in one of his eleven pockets. He couldn't find it. Double damn.

And Near was looking at him with legos in his hand.

Damn it all.

:x:x:

"We have Matt," Near stated plainly.

Mello had been afraid of that. Already, he headed to Matt's new favorite convenience store in Japan, which sold not only Mello's favorite brand of chocolate, but Matt's favorite brand of cigarettes and a few interesting magazines of pornographic material. Mello had been dragged into there once or twice and found himself laughing over the hentai he found.

That was most likely where Matt had been taken. As Mello arrived, after taking a bus and walking - and suffering the harassment of a little five-year-old who saw the red coat and mistook the fur for a beard and immediately asked him if he was Santa, numerous times - he noticed the motorcycle sitting in its parking place. High chance was, the man hadn't entered the store, to avoid getting his face on camera.

Mello entered the store and bought a chocolate bar, while on the phone with Near. "Uh-huh," he said plainly. "Why?"

As he left the store, he made his way to the bike and sat down calmly. Matt always advised Mello to wear a helmet, to prevent wind from damaging his skin, but because Matt didn't wear one, and Mello hadn't brought it along, he was stuck without it. Damn.

"Because I told you, Mello, I want you to come to the headquarters for Christmas."

"And I already declined. Twice," Mello replied. He swung a leg over, straddling the motorcycle. Slipping the chocolate bar into the inner pocket of his jacket, he reached into another pocket for the spare key to the motorcycle.

"Mello... you know where the SPK headquarters is, correct?" Near asked.

"Maybe, maybe not. But who cares. Just let Matt go, tell him I'll be taking his bike for a spin. Buh-bye, dork."

Mello hung up the phone, dropping the electronic item into the pocket as well, next to the chocolate bar. The motorcycle began its hum as Mello turned it on, then grasped the handles, hood pulled over his face as he backed out of the parking lot and took off down the street, knowing he'd have to find Matt. But his main problem was figuring out where in Japan the SPK moved the headquarters.

Stupid Near. Mello knew this would take a while.

.threeEND.

Okay, yes, I'm just being cooky, but this is getting oddly entertaining. Already, I've gotten reviews! Yay!

I'd like to thank Sissy Samurai and jaxie-lv for reading, and not hating it! You both get cookies! Yes, jaxie-lv, there really aren't, but Near's so entertaining, especially when he's in control. I can just see Rester as an errand boy, teehee. And Sissy Samurai, hehe, Near's crazy powerful, ain't he? A bundle of control in oversized pajamas, everyone fear!!!

Now, others, leave feedback on chapter three and you all get cookies too!

:Darkness Princess. fa la la la la, la la la la!