P.I.S. Chapter Thirteen: Unreal

Bam! Bam! BAM! The wooden door flew off in splinters as Beyond's bare foot kicked it down. Dark, red eyes glanced around the dark room as his wicked smile played his lips. He stepped inside. It was cold from the lack of heating, and the electricity had no doubt been cut off, but he could still feel the presence of its previous owners wafting through the atmosphere. He sucked in deeply through his nose.

"Simon," he said to the glasses-wearing man behind him, "Let's get some lights on in here."

Simon placed his hand on the wall beside the door. The lights overhead flickered before bathing the room in a white glow. Now the headquarters of the Paranormal Investigation Squad was lighted enough for them to see everything. Beyond stepped into the center of the room. There was no furniture anymore except for the reception desk. Vanya peered over it. Absolutely nothing.

"Really Ellie?" Beyond said, lifting his arms up and shaking his head in disbelief, "Is this your new choice of rooming? An office building?" He spoke as if L were right there in the room. "Unbelievable. Your taste has changed for the worst since we last saw each other." He grinned widely, showing off his pristine canines.

"There's an upstairs," Vanya said, pointing up the staircase.

Beyond stuffed his hands in his pockets and followed the steps, counting each one in his head as he did so. Only nine. He liked that number. It was odd. Unlike the downstairs, the upstairs apartments were still furnished. The couch, the plasma television, and the chairs. Even the kitchen was stocked by what he saw from his quick glance. Like before, he stood in the center of the room and looked around.

But before he could criticize, a loud slamming took everyone's attention. All three men rushed down the hall. Of the three bedrooms, only one had the door closed. Vanya twisted the knob and it opened. Inside was a bed still neatly made and a dresser with toys still on top of it. Cat-like eyes glanced around the room.

"I don't see anyvone," Vanya said. He stepped inside and looked inside the closet. No clothes. Completely empty.

"Of course not," Beyond said from the hallway, "The slamming door was a diversion." He walked into the room on the other side of the hallway. Vanya and Simon followed suit. Like the other room, this one was completely neat with a made bed, a dresser, and an empty closet; the only difference was the open window.

Vanya rushed past Beyond to the window and looked down at the street below. The roads were glowing orange from the street lights. A car passed by. "They must haff jumped out," he stated.

"Again, Vanya, I become very aware of your amentia when you open your mouth."

The Rogue man blinked at his boss where Beyond was staring at him with a bored expression. "Vhat do you mean?" he asked, eyebrows wrinkling from the insult thrown at him.

"We're on the second floor," Beyond said, "If someone actually jumped out, they would be in pain. We would have heard a noise of some sort, a grunt or a bone breaking."

"They could have flown out," Simon inquired, pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose, "Then the open window could have caused the open door across the hall to slam shut. However, there is not enough wind outside to do such a thing."

"Exactly," Beyond said, smiling wickedly, "The door and the window were a diversion for the person to slip past us." His eyes darted around, smile still playing his lips, "But they haven't been able to escape, yet, have they? No..." He walked forward, one foot in front of the other and one hand outstretched to touch something he couldn't see. Closer he crept to the corner, hand still drawn out and fingers feeling the air.

His fingers hit the wall.

"Boss, I don't think there's no one here anymore," Simon said, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose, "We probably scared them off."

Slowly, Beyond took back his hand and lowered it to his side, while his red eyes continued to hold fierce to the corner. "Yes," he said after a long pause, "There's probably no one here anymore." He turned on his heel and faced his cronies. "Well boys, what we want is obviously not here. Let's continue looking, shall we?"

Not waiting for an answer or reply, B quickly stepped past the two other men and promptly left the room as if it were giving off a bad odor. Simon and Vanya quickly followed after him, shutting the door behind them as they did so. There were voices and finally the sound of the front door slamming shut.

With a rippling effect, Mello and Near reappeared in the corner, just inches from where Beyond was touching; if he had moved his head just slightly over...

Though they were still visible, Mello did not remove his hand from Near's mouth nor his arm around his torso. Inches...they had escaped death by inches. He could feel how fixed Near was against his chest, and he knew the smaller boy could feel his heart beat pound against his back. The room still felt frigid from Beyond Birthday's presence. He truly was a frightening man, and he resembled L down to the very last strand of hair; how was he able to look exactly like him?

Slowly, Mello released his grip on the albino and took a steady step forward, glad that his legs were still strong enough to help him walk without stumbling. He tiptoed toward the door but was unable to help the squeaking of the floorboards underneath his heavy boots. Near stepped toward him to follow after him, but Mello waved him off, telling him to stay back without using words. Understanding, Near nodded and stepped back toward the window.

His leather gloves slowly twisted the doorknob and opened the door with a slight squeak. With another ripple, Mello's body blended into the surroundings once again. He poked his head outside to see if the trespassers were still around.

"I think we're safe," he said, becoming solid to the eye once again, "They're gone. We need to tell L immediately what happened."

"M-M-Mello..."

Upon hearing the foreign quiver in Near's voice, Mello spun around and felt his stomach and lungs drop out of his chest. He could not move and was left immobile as he saw what he most dreaded.

Near was standing with wide eyes, making him look completely helpless and a whole new person. If he had any color, he would have been even paler. Underneath his chin was a long blade of a butcher knife that gleamed in the light. Following the handle and the hand that gripped it, Mello's eyes widened as he traced up the arm and face of Beyond Birthday.

Thin lips curved into a psychotic smile as Mello and Beyond met gazes.

"Hello, hello," Beyond said with a hint of a British accent as a way to taunt.

The blond just stared, petrified at seeing Near being held at knife point by someone as Beyond Birthday. The window, Beyond must have jumped through the window. That was the only explanation.

"What's the matter?" Beyond asked, continuing to smile like a maniac, "Cat got your tongue?"

"Let him go," Mello demanded, narrowing his eyes while his heart continued to beat unsteadily.

Beyond's smile widened, showing off his canines. "I don't think so. However, I'm going to let you go scathe free. You just need to send a message to L for me."

"You don't know what I'm afraid of," Mello said, keeping his voice calm and steady.

"I don't need my powers to strike fear. I can tell you are afraid just by my presence." Beyond's long fingers cupped Near's face; the boy was visibly trembling. "Even in young Near here, whom was once so stoic and unemotional, is so clouded by fear that he is unable to use his own telekinesis to push me away. If he is unable to hold me back, what makes you think you can?"

Mello's fist gripped tighter.

"You may be the 'bad-ass' of your group, but when it comes right down to it, you're just in second place."

"Let. Him. Go," Mello hiss through gritted teeth.

Beyond looked amused. "Tell me, are you going to turn invisible and run away, or do something drastic and stupid as always?"

Mello pulled back his fist and ran at Beyond. His anger and rage was red hot, and he knew he was making a stupid mistake, but he had to act. Near opened his mouth to yell, but he was silenced by Beyond's hand. The killer lifted his foot and slammed it into Mello's chest. Air dispelled from his lungs and he fell back on the floor.

"You're not the one I want to kill," Beyond said, stepping forward and dragging Near with him, "So I'm leaving you with your life. You can thank me later."

Mello swallowed painfully, but lifted himself off the floor. "I'm not...going to let you...just take him!" Again, he charged with a punch aimed at Beyond. Beyond side-stepped and kicked Mello in the ribs, slamming him against the wall.

"Now you're just annoying me," he said, bitterly.

"Tch!" Mello glared up at him, and immediately wished he hadn't. Beyond's eyes were staring at him, and they looked much different from before. Like L's eyes, the red color of his irises seemed to have bled into the sclera, and his corneas were black. Ice draped over him, freezing his insides.

"I said I was not going to kill you," Beyond said, "But you've been annoying me for the last time."

Mello heard the sound of wood being scraped, and the wooden floorboard beneath him was starting to splinter in some places. Chewing through the floor, worm-like creatures a foot long with teeth began to crawl toward him. He crawled away but met the wall. They came towards him quicker until one latched onto his leg, piercing its circle of teeth through the vinyl of his pants and ripping at his skin.

"Ah!" he cried out. More worms attacked his legs. He saw blood begin to leak through his wounds. 'It's not real,' he kept telling himself, 'None of this is real. It's all an illusion.'

But illusion or not, it was still painful. His brain was being manipulated. Blood was creating a puddle on the ground. He reached out and grabbed one of the worms that was attacking his thighs, but it twisted and attacked his wrist. Mello threw it across the room and threw another, but they came squirming back with speed.

He glared up at Beyond, gritting his teeth not to cry out in pain as the unreal monsters began to tear at his bare arms. "You're silly illusions aren't going to scare me," he hissed.

"Really? They seem to be doing a fine job now."

"Nng!" Near's head was pulled back by his hair and was forced to look into Beyond's demonic eyes.

"And as for you..."

Near's eyes dulled. His body grew limp and fell against Beyond, then he was thrown onto the psychopath's shoulder.

"Don't you dare!" Mello screamed, trying to rise on his knees but the leeches with teeth suddenly latched onto his neck. He pulled them away, but the blood kept flowing. It was warm and dribbled down his chest.

'It's not real. It's not real. It's not real.'

Carrying Near on his shoulder, Beyond left without a word, leaving Mello with his illusionary torture. The blond slammed his boot down on one of the leeches, but after being flattened, it just came after him once more.

"Dammit!" he cursed aloud. The worms, the bite marks, and the blood was not real, but his brain thought it was. At this rate, the worms would chew away his skin. He pushed the button on his belt buckle once.

Now all he could do was put up with this until help came. Hopefully, he would not go insane in the meantime.


I watched from my lawn chair as Sayu swam laps around the pool. Mom and Dad were arguing and did not want us, particularly Sayu, to hear. This was only our third day here, but Sachiko had enough and wanted to go home; we all did, but it wasn't safe right now.

I watched as one guy swam up behind my sister, cornering her into the pool's wall as he flirted with her. My brotherly instincts flared, and I almost dared to walk over there, but she seemed to have it under control.

"I do not speak-a vely gewd Engrish," she said very slowly to him.

It was a nice trick, if I do say so myself. Apparently this boy's turn-off was women who could not speak his own language because he waved her off and swam towards the other end. The truth was my sister spoke English quite well and fluent, as I was the one who tutored her.

My baby sister's young, fourteen-year-old body being ogled at by teenagers was not the only reason why I was accompanying her at the pool. I needed to level my head. Mello and Near did not return last night. Matt and L both tried to get in touch with them, but they were disconnected. I dug out my watch from the bundle of clothes and towels beside me. A little past one. I was getting worried. They should be in Japan by now. Why weren't they calling us?

"Onii-san."

Sayu's wet hair matted to her neck, face, and shoulders. Her pink swim suit was covered up by a towel, and she was shielding her eyes from the sun behind me.

"Why don't you swim with me?"

I smiled at her but shook my head. "No, I'm just going to sit here."

"I think some girls would like to see you get wet." Her eyes looked over to a group of girls sitting a few chairs down from me. They giggled when I looked over at them.

"I'm not in the mood to swim right now," I said, looking back at my sister.

She didn't comment to me. Instead she looked up at the hotel, blinking blindly in the sun. "You know what Mom and Dad are fighting about, don't you?"

"What makes you say that?"

"Because when you know something and someone asks you about it, you answer in a question to avoid answering."

I pulled my legs up and she sat at the foot of my lawn chair. The shadow of the hotel allowed her to put her hands down. "Why are we here, Onii-san? There's no way Dad could afford all this."

My sister caught on things quickly. It seemed to run in the family. Yet, she was still 'the baby'. I was the one she went to for most answers because Mom and Dad thought it would be better for Sayu if she knew nothing. Of course, I wasn't going to tell her the entire story.

"Dad got some threats from a Yakuza member he booked," I answered, "He was their hit-man and because Dad is the one who made the arrest, they threatened him. So, the department is paying for all of this until things get straightened out. Don't get too comfortable, we'll be back in Japan soon enough."

She frowned at me. "That's not good."

"We'll be okay."

"Light-kun," I heard someone shout to me.

The sound of the person sounded like Matt. My assumption was correct when I noticed him walking briskly toward me. Was it really such a good idea to approach me in front of my sister? No, which meant something had come up.

"Who's that?" Sayu asked.

"He was an exchange student at my school. We ran into each other." My answer was bland and obvious, so much that it had to be believable.

"What's going on?" I asked him in English.

"I need your help on something," he said, "I'm lost on what to do. I'm nowhere near where I need to be."

I frowned. "I'll help you. Sayu, tell Mom and Dad I'll be back later."

"I'll come with you," she said, standing up with me.

"No," I said, "You either stay here or go to the hotel room. Dad has enough on his plate not to be worrying about you."

"Fine," she grumbled bitterly and threw her towel over her shoulder, "I remember when you were actually a cool brother. Now you're just mean and secretive."

I ignored her comment because I knew too well she was right. I looked back over to Matt, who was still watching my sister's little behind pass through the hotel doors. When he looked back to me, my eyes automatically narrowed in the same overprotective older bother way.

"You guys look alike," he said, rubbing his neck.

"So what's going on with Mello and Near? They haven't returned, have they?"

"No, and it's much worse than that. L wants to see you right away."


"A distress signal came from Mello's belt," L's said as his fingers were tapping away at the keys, "It came from the old Headquarters."

"How are we supposed to get to Japan?" I asked, "It would take hours to get there. By that time, something could have already happened? And what about Near?" Matt and I both raced up to L's room. I did not even bother changing and had just put on a large white shirt.

"I'm working on that already," he answered, not bothering to look at me, "There was no distress signal from Near, but I can't find his location. I've received Mello's but Near's is lost. And Watari is working on a way for us to get to Japan very quickly."

"How--"

"Master Ryuuzaki," came the calm voice of Watari as he glided into the room, "I've contacted someone who can take you to Japan. He will be arriving here any minute from Tokyo."

A confused look crossed my features. "Tokyo...?"

Then, before my eyes could blink, there was a man standing in front of me; he appeared to have materialized from air, surprising me and making my stomach drop with shock. I actually stumbled back a few steps. The man was in a jacket and tie and was Japanese. He looked around at all of us, and that was when I realized he looked familiar.

"You!" I said, perhaps raising my voice more than necessary, "I know you." He looked at me. "You work with my dad at the police department. You're..." I scratched around in my skull for a name to match his face. "Matsuda! Tota Matsuda."

Matsuda blinked at me. "Yagami-kun?"

"I'm glad that you guys are acquainted with each other, but I'm afraid that time is not of the essence." L stood up from his chair and walked over to us. "Matsuda, how many people can you safely teleport to Japan?"

"Eh..." Matsuda scratched the back of his neck, "I've only done two people at the same time so far. I've never been asked to go higher than that."

"Will you be able to move three including yourself?"

"Yes, I think so."

"Good. Light-kun, Matt, come here." We both approached the two. "We need you to take us to Tokyo, Japan at the corner of Keysier avenue. Do you know where that is?"

He firmly nodded his head. "I know that place very well. There's a lot of misdemeanor crimes happening there that keeps the police busy.

"You will take Light-kun, Matt, and myself to that location. Then you will leave immediately. Understand?"

Matsuda's mouth open and he looked a bit intrigued at the severity of the situation he was unaware of, but nodded without asking anything. "I've never teleported so many people before, though. It could take a few more seconds."

"Just try what you can." I looked back and forth between L and Matsuda. I suspected that Matsuda must also work for the same company or organization as L, but did that make him his officer job a cover up then? It seemed the most likely.

"Just grab onto my jacket," he said, holding out his arms, "And don't let go until your feet touch solid ground or I could drop you in the ocean."

"What would happen if we fell into the ocean?" I asked in a slightly panicked voice.

"We won't need to worry about that if you don't let go," answered L wittily. He then took a fist full of Tota Matsuda's sleeve. Matt and I grabbed the flaps of his jacket.

"And Watari," L said to the older man in the tuxedo, "If Light-kun's family happens to be looking for him. Tell them his friend Ryuuzaki took him out for a spin."

"Yes sir."

"All right," Matsuda said, "I'd advise closing your eyes; some get sick if they don't."

Knowing that I was prone to getting motion sickness, I closed my eyes tightly and gripped Matsuda's jacket in a firm grip, most likely causing creases to appear. I didn't know what teleporting felt like, and I definitely did not want to fall off and lose everyone.

"Okay, here I go."

In a split second, my spine felt as if it had melted. It felt like I was drifting away, or falling, at a very high speed, faster than light! I think I was standing still but the surroundings around me were spinning wildly, but I couldn't be sure since my eyelids were tightly closed. I couldn't feel L, Matt, or Matsuda; just the piece of cloth I held tightly in my grip. Panic arose in me; did I perhaps accidentally rip the piece I was holding and I was falling away? Could they know that they lost me?

My knees suddenly buckled when something hard hit the bottom of my soles. I opened my eyes and put out my hands to catch myself on the concrete before I face planted into it.

"Are you okay, Light-kun?" I heard L ask.

"...Yeah..." Cold, night air brushed against my face. I looked up saw a store sign in kanji, telling me that I was back in Japan and in front of a convenient store. I turned my head when I heard a belching noise and saw Matt shove his head inside a trash can.

"I told you to close your eyes," said Matsuda.

I stood on my feet and right next to L. He was looking at the old building of the headquarters he left behind. His eyes were fixed in their illusionary state, though.

"Beyond was here," he said, "We should hurry. Matsuda-san, it's time for you to go back where you were before us."

"Right!" Tota's back curved forward in a low bow, "If you need me for anything else, L, don't hesitate."

He was gone in a blink. Another air of cold chilled my legs.

"Is Mello inside?" I asked.

"This is where the signal came from," answered Matt, gaining some color in his cheeks.

We ran inside. The door was unlocked and the lights were off. Our instincts lead us up the stairs, which reminded me could have been a very stupid mistake if Beyond was hiding in the dark; but we kept running up the stairs to save Mello and Near.

"Mello?!" L cried out when he burst through the door. The colors of his eyes were still opposite from normalcy. "Mello! Near!" His voice was amplified in the living room.

"The bedrooms!" I said, already heading down the hallway. I threw open the first door, not knowing whose it was, but inside was Mello. My stomach dropped when I saw him.

He was sweating profusely and seemed to be reaching and pulling at something that I couldn't see. His face was riddled in pain. My god...

I was pushed aside by L. "Dammit!" he cursed, biting his thumb, "Beyond got to him."

This was Beyond's work? L and Matt both pushed by me and went to Mello's side. I stood in the doorway, frozen to that spot. Mello was a mime who didn't seem to be able to see L or Matt right in front of him. I could hear his thoughts...

'Get them off! Get them off!'

His eyes were blank and daze looking. L finally grabbed Mello by the chin and forced him to look up at him.

"Look into my eyes, Mello!"

The ravenhead's technique must have worked because Mello was blinking fiercely at him, seeming to resurface from his illusionary stupor. He was still wide eyed and shaking.

"Eh-L?" he stuttered.

"You're safe," L said, "What happened?"

"Beyond...here..." His chest rose and fell with each gasp of breath, "Near!...Near...gone!" He swallowed harshly, "He took...Near!"

L's jaw clenched.

"Help me with him, Light," Matt said, throwing one of Mello's arm over his shoulders. I obeyed and walked over, heaving Mello on his feet from his other side. I could feel the tremors from Mello's body shake into me. The blond was drenched in sweat and his color was the color of spoiled milk.

"Will he be okay?" I asked L.

"Yes, he's just in shock. We should leave." L's eyes were normal, but they held a ferocious glint.

"What about Near?" Matt asked.

"He's not here, so our main concern is Mello. Once he's somewhere safe, we'll search for Near."

He was right and there was nothing left for us to do until we had Mello in a safe place. Matt and I heaved him on his shaking legs and held him up. L held the door open for us, but kept in front of us in case Beyond were to show up. God, I hope he wouldn't. If he could do this to Mello and the women in the photographs, what could he do to me? Carefully we brought Mello down the stairs and outside. He was beginning to gain his strength, but we still kept a good hold on him. The crisp air outside seemed to have helped his illness.

"We should call Matsuda and take Mello back to the hotel," Matt said.

"I'm fine," Mello said.

I looked at L's back. He still had not answered Matt. "L?" I asked.

"Shh!" he hissed harshly, holding his hand out to stop us. The three of us stopped in out tracks. L was standing upright, no haunch in his back. He looked rigid.

"We're being watched."

I felt the blood in my veins chill when a high pitched laughter echoed around us. L whipped around and looked up, and we did the same. On the roof stood three figures which I could not see very well in the night sky.

"Well, well, well," came an icy voice, "It's so good to see you again, Ellie."

(A/N): Aww, darn. I forgot about . That's why there 2 chapters in this update. Sorry guys. I'm so embarrassed!