Chapter 9

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Second to None

White Collar Murder

Beyond Birthday POV

A few days later we were still debating the best course of action. We had realized that if Light was Kira he needed a name and a face to kill based on our observations so it was necessary that all of Mello's men be briefed on the importance of using an alias. "We need to tail him now and be sure not to reveal our names" I said to Mello and Matt.

"We're already doing that B" Matt said patiently. He had noticed I'd been antsy lately. I couldn't get Naomi's situation off my mind. There was a problem with Matt: he was too observant of people. He could pick apart body language and actions until he knew you completely. It was a good thing I was an excellent actor but my skills seemed to be slipping for some reason. "B your eyes are black all the time now and that only happens when you're angsting" he added proving my point. "What's up? I miss chocolate brown."

"Nothing" I said defensively. I added a red-tinted glare to emphasize the 'I don't want to talk about it' vibe.

Mello looked at me then his face looked like he had an epiphany. "Ohh I get it. So how long have you liked her?"

"SHUT UP MELLO!" I yelled. "I'm going to take a nap." I spun on my heel to my room and sat down on my bed with one leg to my chest and the other stretched out. Why am I so transparent all of the sudden? I thought in a mix of anger and fear. I was used to wearing a mask and I felt weak without one. I buried my head on the top of the leg against my chest and fell asleep. It may sound uncomfortable but I find it soothing for some odd reason.

I got up a while later and looked at the clock seeing 14:32. I was going to have to get used to non-12 hour clocks again. I groaned as I got up and went to the adjoining bathroom and washed my face to wake up fully. I let out a huge yawn. I am always lethargic for a long time after I wake up even if it was only a nap.

I straightened my clothes and went to the monitor room. Matt noticed my wet face but seemed better after he noticed my eyes weren't red from crying. His expression was grim though. "He's dead. They all are" he said sadly.

I grimaced and read the report he had set up. Apparently the FBI agents had received a list of the other members thus spreading names and faces to all of them. If Kira got a hold of that it would be easy for him to kill them all and since one of our reports suggested he might be able to control his victims to an extent before death, at least enough to make them do things like write pentacles on the wall in their own blood, then it stood to reason he could have had one of them send out the file en masse. I gave Matt and Mello that thought and they nodded agreeing it made sense. I looked at the information and noticed a mention of them working separate to the Japanese Task Force. "So L did send them" I mused.

"Yeah we figured that too" Mello spoke up for the first time since I entered the room.

"B are you OK? You look distracted... and sad" Mad said confused.

"I told you already he has a crush on that one chick" Mello said and I glared at him.

"Why did you two run away?" I asked. It had been bothering me for a while now.

"You didn't hear?" Mello asked surprised and I shook my head. "L officially named Near as his heir" he growled out Near's name. "I'm stuck as number two forever. You have no idea how that feels."

"Actually… I do. The reason I left Wammy's in the first place was that 3 days after A's funeral L contacted me via computer and addressed me for the first time instead of just talking to me. He called me 'Backup' like I was a CD or something. He didn't even seem to notice that it affected me like that. I was just a backup who cared what I thought right?" I paused remembering the events that followed the conversation. The screaming and crying in A's and my old room, the frantic packing and writing of a hasty goodbye letter to Mello and Matt, the decision that L would notice me no matter what it took and that I would beat him. I would ruin him and make his record permanently blemished. I remembered the agonizing pain of not having time to say goodbye face to face to Mello and Matt and the placing of an open strawberry jam jar on A's grave as a final goodbye.

"B? B are you OK?" I heard Matt asking.

"No" I answered honestly. "But I am going to do whatever it takes to make L lose. I've been willing to die for it before and I sure as Hell am now. He and Near are going down!"

They exchanged concerned glances but nodded agreeing they were in all the way.

"Second to None" I said holding my hand out. They put one of theirs on top and we repeated it then lifted our hands.

Whatever it takes L next time you're going down.

Fun tidbit for this chapter: the one leg to chest and the other stretched out has become my 'B Pose' like the fetal position for L. (It was first used in chapter 1 "Bad Feeling" where B was in the solitary confinement room in case you were wondering). It doesn't really matter but I figured it might add some character if I re-used it. Plus in a way it is foreshadowing but it will be a loooong time before that applies and no asking!

Oh and I don't know if you caught it or not but for this story B's non-red eyes are chocolate brown. Why? No reason it's just what I picked.