A/N: Alright, here's chapter two!!. Dukki and I just finished writing it today and we're eager to see what you guys think of it. PLEASE ENJOY AND TELL US WHAT YOU THINK!!! 3

Chapter Two-- A Show of Power

Matt awoke slowly the next day, the bruise on his head that Mello's thrown boot had left was throbbing painfully. He groaned and sat up, stretching. He looked over at Mello's bed only to find that the blonde wasn't there.

Must be up already, he thought as he rolled himself off the creaky mattress. He got up and went out to join the others.

Mello was indeed already up, as was everybody else, although they hadn't been for long. Coffee was being poured, and donuts that Iggy had so thoughtfully returned with the day before were being choked down

"Oooo, lookie here, it's Matty doin' the Walk of Shame," heckled Iggy. "Complete with stylish sex-hair."

Matt's red hair was indeed sticking up at several very odd angles.

"I wish; I wouldn't mind getting laid," he said, laughing. "I'm just cursed with morning sex-hair." He snatched a cup of coffee out of JJ's hands and went to sit on the couch.

"HEYTHATWASMINE!!!"

Mello did his usual twitch at JJ's squealing. "JJ. Shut. Up. It's too. Early. In. The. Morning." The blonde had bags under his eyes to rival his mentor's.

Matt giggled as the small brown-haired girl pouted.

Mika smiled as around a mouthful of donut. "So Matt," the tall man began, "how did you sleep?"

"Shitty."

Mika chuckled softly.

"You snore," Mello added to Matt. He was idly flipping through a newspaper as he downed a cup of coffee.

"And you talk in your sleep," the redhead replied. He pulled out a lighter and started on his first cigarette of the day.

Mello looked over at him, mouth agape. "The fuck? I do not!"

Matt smirked and blew a puff of smoke in Mello's face.

"Yes, you do. A lot, actually. Something about a giant chocolate bar?"

Mello grinned dreamily. "You're an asshole, but I'll admit that sounds nice."

Matt bit his lip, trying not to laugh, "You didn't sound too happy though. I think it was running away from you or something."

"They're tricky little bastards," Mello said conversationally and flipped a page in his newspaper. This was one of the rare occasions that his team saw him in a truly humorous mood.

JJ started giggling as she listened to the two talk; it was better then TV. She then began to jump up and down, a big smile on her face. "WhatarewegoingtodotodayMello?"

Mello shot her a look. "Rewind. Pause. Play. And SLOW THE HELL DOWN WHEN YOU SPEAK, WOMAN."

JJ glared and stuck her tongue out at the blonde. Mika ruffled her hair and turned back to their boss, "I believe she wishes to know what you have planned for us today."

"Thank you for translating, Mika." Mello set down his newspaper slowly and pressed a thumb to his lips. After several moments of thought, he looked up at them all and sighed. "I'm afraid there's nothing we can do except for keep on searching for the SPK. Once we find them, we find out how to get into wherever it is they're being held, and hopefully take Kira down with us. Even if we don't nab Kira at that point, you can bet your asses that Near will be looking for vengeance."

"Thought you didn't care about Near, Mel," Matt said from under a cocked eyebrow.

Mello rolled his eyes. "Duh, Matt, I DON'T care about him. But if Near lives through this and we don't catch Kira first, he'll do everything he can to get his hands around the bastard's throat. We can either ride that anger out or be crushed by it." Mello wasn't too keen on accepting help from the albino twit, but maybe stealing his help wasn't the same thing…

Matt rolled his eyes and finished his cigarette, not seeing an ashtray anywhere; he flicked the butt into a small trash can next to the couch. "I'm gonna finish getting dressed."

"Please do," Mello said with a nod.

"And comb that disgraceful mop of yours, Matthew!" Iggy called teasingly after him in his sing-songy English accent.

Matt flipped the boy the bird before slamming the door to Mello's room shut. He sighed and dragged his fingers through his hair, trying to get it flat if nothing else. He pulled on his pants and boots, deciding to forgo the vest. It wasn't like he was going out on the town or anything.

Mello joined Matt in the bedroom after several moments, catching a flash of the gamers skin as his usual stripped shirt took its place. With a stifled sigh, the blonde flopped onto his mattress and fixed the grimy ceiling with a firm stare.

"What's up? Being a leader not all it's cracked up to be?"

Mello ran a hand over his face. "It's not the being a leader part that's the problem. It's the fact that I have no where to take them... They're going to get sick of chugging away on Kira chat-rooms after a while, Matt... When they're gone, I'm screwed. This is Justice's last chance."

Matt went over and sat on the edge on the bed, playing around with the hem of Mello's pant leg. "Where did you even find these kids in the first place?"

Mello chuckled softly. "They were on the Wammy's House waiting list. These are the kids that never got the chance they deserved to prove themselves to L. I see it only fitting that they get to play L now."

Matt smiled softly; Mello could be such a god-damned poet... "You're a good guy, Mel. You can sure act like a real bitch sometimes, but you're a good person," Matt said sincerely and patted Mello on the head.

Mello was forced to laugh. His hand moved in front of his mouth to cover the gaping mirth of it all. "Wow, Matt, uh, thanks," he managed to say, still chuckling. "But don't pet me. I'm not the family dog."

"Yeah, you're more of a cat actually. They're just as anti-social as you are."

"I'M antisocial? Me?" Mello sat up and poked Matt's chest. "You're the one who was plugged into a video game even when coming to see me for the first time in over a year."

"Yes, but THAT'S expected of me." Matt grinned and puffed himself up proudly.

Matt laughed and put his hand to Matt's shoulder. Absently, he ran a finger across the skin of the other boy's neck. "Hey, Matt...Do you think L would be...proud of us? For trying, even if we were at the moment failing?" He looked at his friend, eyes distant.

Matt blushed and gave a small shiver at his friend's touch, but continued to look him in the eye.

"I-I'm sure he would be," he stuttered, still a little sore when it came to the topic of L. "Although I doubt he would call it failing. He'd probably call it 'being at a temporary disadvantage'."

Mello chuckled. "That's exactly what he would say... Shit, I miss him so much... Even though I only met him once in my life, it was good to know he was there." It was then that Mello recalled a quote from the book Fight Club, 'You spend your whole life searching for a father-figure and God...' or something like that. Well, he had gotten his turn with a father -- L -- and now it was time to deal with "God."

With a sigh, Mello removed his hand from Matt's shoulder. "We should get back out there. It's almost time for Kira's Kingdom, remember?"

Matt blinked owlishly, as if snapping out of a daze. He nodded absentmindedly and watched Mello walk out of the room. He didn't know what was coming over him, but he was sure it would wreak hell on their working relationship. Still, he got up and followed the blond out, hearing the TV already on in the other room.

Misa-Misa was going through her usual routine of law-giving and finger wagging. Boring. Even the studio audience was rolling their eyes; all anybody wanted was Kira.

"So they're really going through with it..." Mello said, his voice a bit hollow.

Matt walked up behind the couch and watched the blonde girl on the TV blabber on. As soon as she finished the introduction, dramatic music began to play onscreen. The set went black, and suddenly a spotlight shined down on someone onstage. Matt's eyes widened; it was Kira.

Mello looked ready to shoot the TV. In fact, he was already fingering his gun...

Back on the plush stage, a silhouetted figure strode proudly into the spotlight and became illuminated.

"What the fuck is on his face?" Matt said, peering closer.

"A mask," Mello replied. "The fucker's too much of a coward to show his face, just in case anyone watching has a shinigami on their side as well."

Matt's brow furrowed; the mask gave him the creeps. It brought to mind the shell of a big black beetle. No features on Kira's face could be distinguished, save for the up-turned curl of the man's cocky smirk and a few tufts of copper-colored hair.

It was obvious why Kira's caution annoyed Mello. Even though the man's face and name were already known to him, and even though Kira knew this, the mask was still being used. It meant that Light Yagami no longer saw Mello as being a threat to him. For all he knew, Mello was dead and gone. Even if he wasn't truthfully gone, he was as good as such; no one in the outside world had seen hide-nor-hair of L's second-best since the kidnapping of Sayu Yagami, which had ultimately ended in disaster.

Matt put his hand on Mello's shoulder in an effort to both bring his friend from his thoughts and hopefully stray the blonde's hand away from the handle of his gun; it wasn't working.

Kira-Light was ready to begin.

Above the fanatical screaming of Kira's most devote followers, the god in human skin raised one elegant hand. The noise ceased at once.

"Six years ago, I began my reign. Many were fearful, as is their right," Light Yagami began, his voice low. "Some grew so fearful that they sought to destroy me, which is inexcusable. L--" the detective's name drew a riot of shouting and booing. Kira raised his hand again. "L stepped in God's way-my way. But today, I bring you one of those fools that thought they could best Justice. Today, you will witness his punishment."

Matt and the others watched in frightened awe as Kira motioned to someone off stage.

A man was being dragged into view by two large, cloaked figures. He was blindfolded and gagged, but the sounds of his struggling gasps could still be heard over the TV's speakers. Mello narrowed his eyes again; something about the man's light-colored hair and sharply-angled face looked familiar...

"Rester," Mello gasped. "He's going to kill the SPK."

Everyone looked at their leader with wide eyes.

"No! Shit, shit!" the twins shouted at once.

But there was nothing to be done.

Matt bit his lip and continued to watch, despite wanting to turn away.

Kira looked to the camera and smirked. "This man believed that he could challenge Justice. I'm here to show what happens to those that disobey me."

Anthony Rester, whose real name was known to Kira as Anthony Carter, was thrown to the ground by the thugs that held him. He was quick to tear off the simple cloth gag, but the blindfold was locked into place. "You bastard!" Rester was cursing as he pushed himself up onto his knees.

Kira only laughed. "This is what you deserve, fool. You and the rest of the SPK deserve to die," he said.

Before Rester could shout a retort, he fell forward, a hand clutched to his chest. "Agh!" he cried in agony. The man began to writhe on the marble floor of Kira's Kingdom; he was having a heart attack.

"Holy shit!" Matt hissed, gripping the couch tightly. This show of power was only more proof to the redhead; they were going up against something more powerful then he ever could have thought possible. Matt turned to Mello to see the blonde's reaction.

Mello's face was unreadable. The only indication of his outright fury was the small quivering of his hands as they gripped his guns.

Back in Kira's Kingdom, the crowd was going insane. "More!" they shouted. "Please, God, kill the others!"

Once again, Light Yagami raised his hands. "The others will be dealt with accordingly. Fear not, I am unchallenged." With that said and done, Kira turned on his heel and left the same way he had come.

The thugs that had pulled Rester onto the stage were now dragging his corpse off stage left by the wrists.

Icarus turned the TV off. No one objected.

JJ was dead silent, her lip quivering and her eyes wet with unshed tears. Mika turned to Mello, a look of pure hatred in his eyes.

"What the hell do we do now, boss?" He ran a hand through his hair. "We can't just let this keep happening...can we?"

Mello was gnawing on his lip. "Of course we can't," he spat. The blonde got to his feet and began to pace. It was now confirmed that Kira was in direct contact with the SPK. The fact that he had killed Rester was no confirmation of their ongoing safety, however. He could have killed the others and left Rester alive for the final showcase. No, Mello immediately thought. If Kira wanted to make a show of it -- which he obviously did -- he would have used Near, instead of some random member of the force. The others were definitely alive.

"Matt," Mello said suddenly, "We need five seats on a flight to Japan as soon as possible. Can you book us the seats?"

Matt nodded and took a cell phone out of his pocket to call the airline.

JJ, still slightly in shock, went over to Mello. She pulled at his hand and looked up at him, "Am I...going with you?" she said slowly and quietly.

Mello shook his hand. "No. You, Kai, and Icarus will stay behind and clear the church of any sign of us. Get everything out of here that could point to us, understood?"

JJ hesitated, but nodded. She wanted to be helpful to Mello, even if all she was doing was packing. She ran off to get started.

Mika turned to the blond, "And what about the rest of us? What do we need to do right now?"

"Make back-up disks of all of our computers, and then wipe the hard drives."

Mika nodded and went to get started on it.

Matt finished the call and nodded to Mello. "I booked the flight, we leave in two days."

"Thank you," Mello replied. His eyes grew distant as he leaned against the stone wall and peeled open a chocolate bar. Shit... this was not how he had wanted to find the SPK...

Matt looked to his friend and walked over to him. He put a hand on his shoulder and leaned in close to mutter something in his ear.

"Mel, you DO have a plan, right? You're not planning on just going in guns blazing are you?"

Mello looked down at the toes of his boots. "I'm winging it, Matt. It's the best that I can do," he replied softly.

"And if something happens...?"

Mello gave a short chuckle, not without its cynicism. "Define 'something,' because at this point in time, many 'something's' could happen."

Matt shut his eyes, afraid to say what was on his mind in case he jinxed himself.

"What if...you get hurt? Or the others get hurt? What then?"

"People get hurt, Matt. Deal with it. I'm willing to take a little pain for the sake of this fucking cause." He bit off a mouthful of chocolate and looked up at Matt. "Why are you so afraid I'll get hurt?"

Matt pushed himself away from the other man and started to walk away. "Never mind," he called out over his shoulder, "doesn't matter."

Mello followed after Matt, which was something very uncommon; he was supposed to be the leader, dammit. The blonde caught his friend by the arm. "Matt, what the hell is going on with you? I thought you had the guts for this kind of shit."

"Just drop it," the redhead shook off Mello's grip and stalked off towards the stairs. He needed to think. He needed to get away from the impulsive blonde and all of the devastating situations that he brought to mind.

Mello dropped his hand and instead used it to pinch the bridge of his nose. After a moment, he looked up to find the entire basement watching him. "Don't you all have some fucking work to do?!" he snapped.

The door was slammed yet again.