"Koko, wake up," Mello murmured, massaging her breast and pinching the nipple. He knew that would get her moving.
Masako slapped him across the face so hard he nearly fell off the bed. "I'm awake. What do you want?" she asked through her gritted teeth.
"Do you want to talk to Near?" he inquired, waving a phone in her face.
She was instantly awake and grabbed the phone. "Near, honey," she gasped into it.
"Are you okay?" he asked her, getting right to the point as usual.
"I'm fine," she answered. She wanted to ask him how things were going with the case, but she knew he could not answer that.
"When are you coming back?" he inquired.
Masako moved her eyes to Mello's face with the unspoken question. When could she leave? She did not even know how long she had been here with him. He had been working with her to improve her physical skills as well as her mental aptitude so she would be prepared for Light. This did not deter him from making the occasional pass at her which included 'accidental' touches during sparring or outright requests which were met with physical punishment from her. She wondered if he did it on purpose as part of her training, but she was sure he was sincere about it on a certain level for his own self-centered, carnal interests.
"I'm not sure," she replied when the blonde shook his head. "Soon. I love you."
"I love you too," Near readily admitted over the phone not caring who heard.
Mello snatched the phone from her, snapping it closed to end the call. He stared down at her releasing a heavy sigh of aggravation.
"How much do you love him? Is he the reason you won't give in to me?" he demanded, straddling her belly.
"I love him with all of my heart and not for the reasons you think you twisted, sick little fu – " Her words were clipped by him pressing his lips to hers.
"Is that any way to talk to the man who is trying to help you save your life? I'm helping you move one step closer to the vengeance you've dreamed of the last five years. You should be nicer to me," he told her, pulling the sheet down to expose her breasts.
"Can I have my clothes? Do you really think it's necessary to keep taking them from me at night?" she queried, looking away from him as he ogled her shamelessly.
"Yes, I do," he answered, foregoing touching her. He stood up from the bed to retrieve her clothes. "We need to get down to business right now anyway."
...
Masako wanted to kill Mello. She had been worked over so hard in their fighting session her whole body was sore. It was not difficult to discern he had been purposely cruel to her after her phone call with Near. However, this did not prevent her from feeling gratitude toward him for allowing her to talk to Near. Rolling over in the bed, she groaned. The hot shower had not done much to relax her muscles or soothe her bruises.
Masako heard what sounded like an explosion and sat up in the bed. She opened the door and peeked into the hall seeing no one. There was not even one of the watch dogs he always had posted at her room. Creeping out of the room, she heard the yelling voices of men then gunshots. Just as she was about to advance toward the staircase, Mello came careening around the corner and grabbed her. Without a word, he pulled her along with him to the room at the end of the hall that held all of the screens for the cameras monitoring the warehouse. Her eyes studied the small metal box he held in his other hand.
"What is that?" she asked although she already knew. It was a detonation switch to a bomb. She was surprised by the tender, sorrowful kiss he gave her.
"You're not dying today, my love. I've enjoyed our time together," he told her, ignoring the confusion on her face.
Masako felt sick. She looked at the displays to see what was going on. Most showed nothing but a snowy screen because the camera had been disabled and most likely destroyed. Her eyes widened and she gasped when she saw men running up the stairs in riot gear with machine guns in their hands. What is going on? Who are they? She jumped and shrieked when the door behind them was violently kicked in. She cried out again when he held her against his body and whirled around to face the intruders. Mello raised the detonation switch to eye level in front of her so they could see it.
The men stopped, holding their weapons aimed at Mello and her. There were five of them, but they were wearing dark shielded helmets so she still had no idea who they were. She hoped they did not shoot her mistakenly believing that she was his partner – in crime or otherwise.
Masako closed her eyes, struggling for air as he held her so tightly she could barely breathe. She heard a man groan to their right. Her eyes opened to see one of Mello's goons writhing on the floor trying to reach the automatic weapon just out of his reach. The bomb that went off earlier had stunned him. Her attention shifted back to the man standing in front of them when he took off his helmet. She bit her lip to keep from screaming his name when she saw Light's father was the man beneath all that gear. So the whole Japanese Task Force had come with Light. She was actually glad to see them. Her stomach tightened anxiously with the thought of seeing Light again. If they recognized her, would they take her to him?
Mr. Yagami pulled out a notebook and a pen. He fixed his eyes on them as if he were deciphering something written above their heads. He gaped momentarily at her then shifted his gaze to Mello.
"Mihael Keehl," he spoke slowly, spelling the name afterward.
What is happening? How did he know Mello's real name?
"Mello, what – "
"Shut up," he hissed at her, holding out the detonation switch with his thumb on the button. He addressed the officers in front of him next. "I've already blown up the entrances so there's no escape. Put that notebook down and slide it over to me or I'll blow us all up right now."
The man on the floor raised the gun to shoot, aiming at Mr. Yagami.
"Look out!" Masako screamed but it was too late.
The gun went off and things went haywire. Yagami went down to his knees with his back to the gunman when the bullets began pelting his body. Masako was pulled against Mello's slight but strong body for another kiss: this one was much more gentle conveying emotions that she was not expecting. The other officers shot at the gunman on the floor. The sound of the gun beat into her cranium as a hundred thoughts bombarded her brain at once.
"Good-bye, my love. Forgive me," he whispered, looking into her eyes briefly before shoving her forward forcefully.
Masako stumbled to fall into the arms of the officer bending down to check Mr. Yagami. Her forehead smacked into the hard bullet proof vest that covered his chest sending a jolt of pain through her head. Her body was pulled into his and he turned his back to Mello. She covered her head as he curled his body around hers to protect her.
After a quick burst of yelling and scuffling feet, their world exploded – literally.
Was she dead? Everything was white and bright. There was a hazy edge around her vision, softening and blurring lines as if she was looking through a filmy curtain. No. Masako was not dead. She hurt too damn badly.
"Oh, my god," she moaned, trying to raise her head.
"You called?" Light's voice assaulted her ears.
"Oh, I'm in hell," she muttered, closing her eyes.
"I can't believe it is really you after all of this time. I see that you could not stay away from me forever. I really like your new hairstyle," he muttered scornfully.
"You're such a bastard, Light. How can you live with yourself? You sacrificed your own father to get your way," she mumbled, opening her eyes when she felt the bed move. She glared at the man sitting beside her. Her thoughts turned to Mello, wondering if he was dead.
"You should thank Matsuda. He's the one who protected you," he said, touching her cheek. "You got out pretty much unscathed with only a few cuts and bruises."
"Don't touch me," she snapped, slapping his hand away. She could not help but smile when she thought of Touta Matsuda. He had always been her favorite because he was so goofy and sometimes funny in his fearfulness. Somehow he always ended up being the unlikely hero.
"I've missed you," Light said, leaning forward to kiss her.
"Wish I could return the sentiment but well…" Masako allowed her words to trail off. She braced herself for the soft, almost loving kiss. The touch of his lips made her feel nauseated.
"Sachi – " He began to be abruptly cut off.
"Don't call me that!" she hissed caustically. "I'm not that person anymore."
"I can tell," he mumbled, getting up from the bed.
"Mr. Yagami, you should leave now. Ms. Lawliet needs her rest," the nurse told him as she walked into the room to check Masako's vitals.
It was difficult not to giggle at the expression of shock on his handsome face. He even found it gape worthy, standing there with a slack jawed, wide-eyed stare. She was not sure which shocked him more: her name or the nurse speaking to him so rudely.
"Get out, Mr. Yagami," the nurse said forcefully.
Light gave the nurse a scathing glower before vacating the room. Masako looked into a familiar pair of amber eyes behind the thick lenses of the black framed glasses. Halle Lidner was wearing a wig of long brown hair under her nurse's hat.
"Come on. Let's get out of here. I'm taking you to, Near," the woman informed her.
After helping Masako out of the bed, she went to the door to check the hall for Light. Once she was sure he was gone, she grabbed the other woman's arm to lead her from the room. They were almost to elevators when a sharp 'hey' was directed at them.
"Where are you taking her?" Light demanded, walking up to them.
"I'm taking her to have some tests ran. She will be back soon," the woman lied.
"You said she needed rest. Why isn't she in a wheelchair?" he questioned with suspicion evident in his voice.
Masako heard the click of a gun being cocked before she felt it being pressed between her and Halle when the woman pointed it at Light.
"Back off Yagami or I'll shoot you right here. She is my priority and I've been given orders to get her out at any cost even if means making a bloody mess. Do you really think it will be difficult for me to shoot you?" she asked in a calm but clearly threatening voice.
Light blinked and sneered. "Misa," he called calmly.
The still bouncy and irritating blond appeared from behind him. She was holding a Death Note in her hand with a pen poised and ready to write.
"Take care of this problem," he ordered her with a smirk on his face.
"Oh, yes, Light!" she exclaimed happily, her eyes fixed on Halle. She wrote in the notebook. "I will do anything for you. I love you!"
God! The woman was still stupid and clueless after all these years. How could she not have grown a brain by now? Light had to have shown his true sinister and cruel nature to her by now. Why did she put up with it? Apparently he treated her like his well-trained dog: a murderous attack dog with a killer notebook.
Masako cried out when Halle jerked forward, dropping the gun. She bent to pick it up but Light grabbed her wrist and took it from her grasp. When Halle slumped against her, her arms went around the woman to slowly lower her body to the floor as she died from a heart attack.
"Please, kill him," the dying woman whispered, leaning her head on Masako's shoulder who held her while she took her final breath.
"Let her go. Come with me," Light commanded her, holding his hand for her to take it.
Masako carefully laid the woman on the floor. This brought back the memory of L. She had held him in her arms when he died too. How many more times would she have to do this? Ignoring Light's hand, she stood up while holding back the stinging, bitter tears that wanted to fall. She pressed her lips together to keep from reacting to the discomfort of his strong fingers squeezing her upper arm as he pushed the muzzle of the gun between her ribs. Her steps were sluggish so he prodded her to move by poking her with the gun.
"That's not necessary, Light, put it away. I won't run from you. Besides, you have Misa behind you with the notebook. She could always write down my name," she reminded him.
"You're right," he responded, dumping the gun in the trash can they passed. "But I don't want to kill you. We have so much to talk about."
...
Masako found herself alone in a hotel room with Light. He ordered Misa back to the room he shared with her as if she were a servant who was suddenly in the way. If the blonde had a bit of sense in her head, she would protest and do so loudly when her adored boyfriend commanded her to go away so he could be alone with another woman.
"What is your name now?" he asked her, sitting down beside her on the couch.
"Masako Lawliet," she answered, rising to her feet to walk to the window. She opened the curtain to look out on the brightly lit city twinkling in the night.
Her eyes stared at his reflection in the window when he walked toward her. If he was not a ruthless murderer and heinous human being in general, she would think he was even more handsome than he had been five years ago. Her body stiffened when he stood behind her with his body pressed to the full length of hers.
"Time has been kind to you in many ways. I'm sorry he had to die," he murmured in her ear, his fingers sliding down her neck.
"No you're not. You wanted him dead from the beginning because he always suspected you of being Kira. You made him doubt himself just once. He let his guard down and you killed him," she returned in an emotionless voice.
"I always wanted you. You would have been a much better match for me than Misa," he said, pulling her hair out of the way to kiss her neck.
"Stop it," she hissed, shrugging her shoulder to push him away. His malice and selfishness knew no bounds.
Masako shivered, gritting her teeth as he slid his hands around her body to press them flat against her belly. A sick, dizzy feeling enveloped her as he pushed the proof of his desire into her back. There was an intensity to the self-centered need in him that even Mello had not possessed. She held her breath when he kissed her cheek, hoping he did not try for more.
"Good night, my beautiful flower. Get some rest. You're going to need it," he stated in a threatening way.
Masako listened for the satisfying sound of the door to her room closing, signalling his departure. She sank to the floor allowing the long held tears to flow.
"Oh, Near," she sobbed. "I just want to be with you again."
Countdown to Light's demise begins: 3…