I'm back everybody! So, I know I had Light taken...again...but it's all leading up to something I promise. The other thing I have to say is that this story is starting to come to its end. I'd say only two or three chapters left. Maybe. Anyway, I'll apologize now for the length since it's a tad bit short but I had to end where I did or else this chapter would never end.
Hopefully you guys will like.
"L!" The detective's head snapped up at the sound of Matt's voice. The boy sounded slightly frantic and that alone worried him.
"What's wrong Matt?" he asked as the redhead burst into the bedroom where L was working, "I could hear you at the front door." Matt was panting as he stood in the doorway. When he'd caught his breath and Mello and Near had caught up to him he stood up straight.
"I know where Light is...well sort of," He said. Mello and Near shared a look while L did nothing else but turn back to his computer.
"I told you he was fine," L said simply. Matt growled and the elder looked up again.
"That's not it," he argued.
"Matt, just because he's out blowing off some steam-"
"Does that look like he's blowing off steam!" Matt snapped, throwing his phone at L's chest. He sighed and picked the device up, eyes widening at what he saw. Mello and Near went over to look as well while Matt fumed in the doorway. On his phone was the picture he'd been sent. A picture of Light to be exact. Unconscious and cuffed to a wall that is.
"Where did you get this Matt?" L asked, obviously still in shock.
"It got sent to me," Matt said with a shrug, "from a disposable phone. I couldn't trace it at all."
"Why the hell didn't you tell us earlier?" Mello asked before whacking Matt on the arm.
"I wanted to hurry back here" was all he said. L handed back the phone and ran a hand through his hair.
"It's safe to guess that Gin has him," L said, "I should have listened to you three." He sighed and shut his laptop. "But how did he grab him? I would assume that Light wouldn't go near them if he saw them and he's too cautious to simply get attacked in broad daylight."
"Matt seems to think Light's friend Hino's involved," Mello said earning a harsh smack on the back of the head from said boy.
"I do not," he protested, "I just said something doesn't sit well with me about that guy."
"Enough you two," L said, "I cannot imagine Hino did anything to harm Light. Was he with anyone else?"
"Well he left with the bouncer," Mello said.
"Ari," Near added. L's dark eyes widened.
"You're sure?" They nodded and he silently cursed. "Now that one I can see doing something stupid. Did you speak with him?"
"Not him," Matt said, "But we spoke with a girl who worked there named Trisha. Someone else who knew Light but also knew Ari."
"And?"
"She hates him," Near said simply, "Says he's only interested in sex."
"So I've gathered," L said with a frown, "As much as I'd like to track Ari down I doubt he'll say anything. Even if he left with Light it doesn't mean that he hurt him."
"Then we have nothing," Matt said in frustration.
"Sadly I have to agree," L said, "We can only try to find some other hangout of Gin's and go from there." The room was silent for a few moments as no one wanted to bring up the horrible possibility that hung over their heads.
"What if we don't find him in time?" Near asked quietly, finally bringing it up. L shook his head.
"Let's just hope that isn't the case," was all he said.
Light was woken from his restless sleep by the door clicking open. His head was still in his lap when the door opened fully and someone entered. Light didn't look up until the door shut again and whoever had entered was standing in front of him. He was tense as he looked up but, strangely enough, he relaxed upon seeing that it was Kaito. The brunette set the plate of food he was holding aside and pulled a key out of his pocket. His amber eyes brightened slightly. "I can't let you go," Kaito said quietly, crushing his little amount of hope, "but...at least you can rest your arms a bit." He unlocked the cuffs around his wrists and sat down in front of him. He picked up the plate and offered it to him. Light eyed him suspiciously, unsure whether or not he should eat it. "It isn't poisoned or anything," Kaito said, "I made sure of that." He offered it again and Light took it, still watching the other boy.
"Why are you being so kind now?" He asked curiously before eating. He really was hungry after all and damn it all if he was going to starve himself to death because of his paranoia. Kaito was watching him as well, legs crossed and body relaxed.
"I guess I just feel bad," he said with a cock of his head, "usually Gin doesn't let himself get this obsessed." He sighed and laid his cheek on his hand. "Well...not in a few years at least."
"What do you mean?" Light asked. Kaito shook his head and Light skipped the question. "I guess that means you're okay with what he's doing?"
"No, not really," Kaito admitted softly.
"Then why go along with him? Why help him rape people?" Kaito looked away, abashed.
"Gin has...quite a temper at times," the brunette explained, "It's easier to go along with him. I don't like it but...it's better than being stabbed in the back. I mean that literally too." Kaito looked at him again and sighed. "Somehow...I see a bit of myself in you. I guess that makes it worse." Light cocked his head, curious rather than worried.
"How are we anything alike?"
"Not like that. It's more like our situations and relationships with Gin." There was silence while Light processed that. What was Kaito getting at?
"Are you implying that Gin raped you as well?" Kaito flushed and looked away, clearly uncomfortable with the question. Light, however, interpreted that to mean yes. "Why stay with him then? You seem as if you love him but...how can you love your own rapist? How can you even stand to be in the same room as him?"
"I knew him before that," Kaito explained, "I always wanted for him to notice me. I respected him. I loved him. Despite the fact that what happened could technically be called rape he was so gentle about it. I guess I never really cared about that." He brushed his hands on his pants and pulled the key out again. "I've got to go. I'll be back in a bit." Light reluctantly allowed himself to be cuffed back to the wall, knowing that there was nothing he could do at the moment. Kaito stood and collected the plate before exiting the room. The door clanged shut and Light curled into his previous position.
He thought about what Kaito had said while he waited. He just couldn't fathom why anyone could love someone who'd hurt them. He understood why it happened but...it just made no sense to him.
He continued to follow this train of thought until the door opened once more. Kaito entered, face back to its blank state, and Gin was close behind. He tensed, eying the elder male warily. Gin gave a malicious smile as he entered. Light eyed the open door curiously before looking back at the eldest in the room.
"There's someone who wants to see you," Gin said cheerfully, "You're about to finally see the face of your mysterious guy with the tattoo on his collarbone." Light tensed at that. He'd almost forgotten about the third guy that they had yet to identify. He steeled his nerves, readying himself to capture any detail he could in his mind.
Gin smiled at his hesitation and leaned back out the door, calling to someone outside. He pulled away when the other stepped into the doorway, eyes resting on Light's form. Amber eyes widened. He could not believe who was standing there. He wouldn't have to try and give description later, if he got himself out of this hell that is. He knew the face all too well.
The person stepped into the room, equally wide eyes resting on the brunette. "'s the meaning of this Gin," he said softly, "You said you weren't going to hurt him."
"Is he hurt?" Gin asked sarcastically, "Lighten up. Lucky for both of Kaito suggested a...less violent approach." The man in the doorway stepped towards Light, eyes glassy as if he were in a trance.
"Light..."
"You stay the fuck away from me," He growled back. He felt a torrent of emotions surge through him, the most prominent being anger. He'd trusted the other, and he'd basically thrown him to the wolves. He stared back at the man's eyes which, instead of their normal brightness, were dark and dangerous.
"Perhaps we should leave him alone for now," Gin said with a growing smirk, "you redeemed yourself from not participating originally."
Light growled low in his throat long after all three had left and the door had closed. If he escaped here...he'd see them all fry. Gin, Kaito...
...And Ari.
"Have we discovered anywhere that they could be hiding?" L asked without lifting his eyes from his own laptop, fingers moving so quickly across the keys that the tapping became a humming drone. Matt cocked his head in response to L's question, eyes scanning the page.
"There are a few abandoned house around here," He said, "but we ruled those out due to being in the middle of the city and it wouldn't be easy to contain a person there." L nodded.
"Anything else."
"A worn down school building that's being torn down tomorrow, an old packing plant that's still fairly new, an old jail building that was condemned for...something or other, a research facility that supposedly had underground tunnels to transport illegal wa-"
"That last one," L said, stopping him, "Any more information on it?"
"It seems like they did some pretty sketchy experiments while they were in business," Near replied from his own computer, eyes scanning the page quickly, "and since a lot of it was illegal they used an underground system of tunnels to transport their goods through. They also had a hidden cellar that connected to the tunnels where they stored the items."
"Looks like no one ever found it," Mello commented, looking over Near's shoulder. The white haired boy nodded in response.
"Someone may have," L said, "That could explain how Gin and his group always seemed to drop off the radar whenever suspicion arose. If there really was a widespread tunnel system underneath the research facility-"
"-they'd be able to slip out without much of an issue," Matt finished with a huff of breath, "Do you really think that they could be holding Light there?"
"It seems likely if they are, in fact, holding him at all," L replied. He couldn't say that they definitely still had him locked up somewhere. Should he get his hopes up and that not be the case...it would break him. He shook his head to clear it and turned to Near. "Is there an address?" Near nodded and read it aloud for him. Once he was sure he had it memorized, he stood, snapped the laptop shut, and looked at the three boys eagerly awaiting his instruction. "Normally I wouldn't bring you three," He started, watching how they looked disappointed, "However, this time I will make an exception. I'll have Watari gather some extra guns for you three while we work out a strategy. We take no chances. There will be two of them at least. Perhaps even three. Our priority is to get Light out if he's there. If not..." he trailed off, not wanting to think about that particular situation. The boys understood despite that and nodded.
"Come on Mello," Matt said, grabbing the blonde and pulling him from the room, "We got some stuff to pack." The blonde gave a malicious grin and followed eagerly. L sighed and shook his head. He turned to go find Watari when Near did something he'd never done before. He hugged him.
"Don't worry," He said softly, "We'll find him."
So there we go. Did anyone suspect Ari before this? I'm curious to see what reaction this gets but, to be honest, that was the plan all along. Also, I hope the end wasn't strange to anyone. Near is, after all, still a kid in a way. So it'd make a little sense that he still has feelings whether he shows them or not.
Comment on what you think about this chapter or what you think will happen in the next one. I can't wait to see what you all thought.
Until next time everyone!
