Keitaro's been avoiding me for the past few days…I wonder if I did something,
Kai thought to himself as he walked through the train station. His phone rang and he glanced down and scowled at the number shown before answering,
"what do you want Ryuzaki?"
"Keitaro's been kidnapped."
Kai froze, "what?"
"Keitaro was kidnapped by a member of the Yakuza who goes by the name 'Kitsune'. He is wanted in several countries; he found out that Mello is my informant and took Keitaro hostage."
Kai swore, "we have to do something!"
"Mello is already on his way."
"Where are they?"
"Do not interfere Kai, you will only make the situation more hazardous."
"I'm not just going to wait and do nothing!"
"You will only succeed in threatening Keitaro's life as well as your own if you do anything."
Kai hung up the phone and let out a long string of expletives, causing several people to turn and glare at him which he responded to by calmly flipping them off.
Mello sped through the streets of Tokyo following the signal to Keitaro's location, pushing his motorcycle to its limit.
I have to hurry, if I don't get there soon Kitsune will kill him. Couldn't we have made this thing go any faster?
Keitaro sat tied to a chair his face pale with fear while Kitsune paced in front of him, gun in hand.
Kitsune looked at his watch, "maybe your friend doesn't care enough about you after all. He's not willing to come save you; he'd rather save his own skin."
I wish that were true, Keitaro thought to himself.
Kitsune cocked his gun, "well, it looks like you're useless now, kiss this world goodbye kid."
Just as Kitsune took aim Mello burst through the door on his motorcycle and shot the gun out of his hand. Kitsune swore and Mello cut through the ropes, grabbed Keitaro, and raced out. Kitsune grabbed another gun and raced after them on his own motorcycle.
I just have to get Keitaro out of here alive, Mello thought to himself as he swerved around traffic.
Kitsune picked up speed and shot at Mello. Mello swore and turned into an alley. Matt's voice came over the speakers in his helmet, 'what's going on?'
"I got Keitaro but we're being chased and shot at, I need backup."
'I'm on it. I've got your location, we'll be there soon. I'll keep in contact, if anything changes let me know.'
"Right."
Mello turned onto another road and sped up.
Dang…Kitsune's still on my tail, I've gotta get rid of him.
Just as he thought that, one of Kitsune's bullets hit his back tire and he swerved.
Mello swore, I have to keep control, I can't stop.
'What happened?'
"He hit one of my tires but I've got it under control."
'We're coming as fast as we can.'
Kitsune shot again and hit Mello's other tire.
Mello let out a string of curse words; I guess I have no choice.
"Keitaro, when I say to you need to jump off alright?"
"Ok."
'What?'
Mello ignored Matt, slowed down, and turned onto a deserted street.
"Alright…jump!"
Keitaro jumped off and immediately after Mello crashed into a brick wall.
"Mello!"
'Mello? …Mello come in…Mihael!'
Mello didn't move or respond. Keitaro tried to stand and run over but soon realized his leg was broken and fell back down. Kitsune pulled up, got off his motorcycle, and walked towards them, laughing cruelly. Keitaro glared at him as Mello pulled himself out from under the wreckage.
"You know…you almost made it. How tragic for you to be so close…and to have it ripped out from under you."
Mello pushed himself up, "shut up!"
"You were so close…but now I get to kill you…and the kid too."
"Leave Keitaro out of this, your problem is with me."
"Now, you know as well as I do I can't leave any witnesses."
"Look, do whatever the heck you want with me but leave the kid alone!"
Kitsune aimed his gun at Keitaro, "you know I could just shoot him right now…and you wouldn't be able to do anything about it."
"I said leave him out of this!"
"You don't think I'm being nice? If I'm going to kill both of you anyway…wouldn't it be better for him to die first? Or do you think maybe he'd rather watch you die?"
Mello pulled out his gun and Kitsune shot it out of his hand, "aren't you having fun playing this game?"
Police sirens went off nearby and Kitsune swore.
"Whether you shoot us or not Kitsune you will be arrested. You waited too long, they're almost here now."
Kitsune glared at Mello and shot him twice in the chest, "that oughtta shut you up…now for the kid."
Kitsune turned to Keitaro and shot him and ran to his motorcycle.
Matsuda pulled up in a police cruiser, jumped out, and shot Kitsune in the leg before he could reach his motorcycle. Then he pulled out his phone and called the hospital while Aizawa ran over and arrested Kitsune and Mogi went to check on Keitaro and Mello.
Kai ran over just as the ambulance pulled up and swore when he saw the EMTs put Keitaro on a stretcher.
I have to see Keitaro's face…I have to see his lifespan, have to make sure he'll be alright.
Kai tried to run over but as he passed Zoe she grabbed him and held him back.
"Let me go!"
Zoe didn't say anything but kept her hold on him as they watched the EMTs load Keitaro and Mello into an ambulance and speed off. Zoe let go and Kai swore and glared at Kitsune in the back of the police cruiser. Kitsune made eye contact with Kai and smiled an insane, evil grin.
Yeah, you can smile now, but I've seen your face and now I know your name. You're as good as dead Hotaru Matsumoto.
Kai paced restlessly in the waiting room.
"Kai, you're going to wear a rut into the floor…not to mention you're making me dizzy. Why don't you sit down?" Zoe asked.
Kai sighed heavily, "I can't just sit and wait."
"There's not much more that you can do."
Kai sighed again and rubbed his temples, "I'm gonna go get some air," he said and walked outside.
L stood to follow but Zoe put a hand on his shoulder, "I think he just needs to be left alone for now."
Matt walked over to L and Zoe and sighed, "Mello's dead, he died in the ambulance on the way to the hospital."
Zoe stood and hugged Matt, "I'm so sorry Mail."
Kai walked over to a spot away from cameras and people and took out his earring.
If there was ever a time for me to use this…
He pulled the piece he had hidden out, pricked his finger, and wrote in his blood:
Hotaru Matsumoto
Dies of a heart attack 40 seconds after his arrest
is announced on the television.
Kai threw the piece in a puddle of water and watched it dissolve. Then he put his earring back in and walked back into the hospital waiting room.
As he walked back in a doctor entered the room, "are you the family of Keitaro Yagami?"
They all nodded and the doctor sighed, "I'm very sorry, we did everything we could but he didn't make it."
Kai stared blankly at him, Keitaro's dead? This…this isn't possible…this can't be happening.
The doctor left the room and a cold emptiness came over Kai and he nearly collapsed. L and Zoe caught him and sat him in a nearby chair.
"I think he's in shock," Zoe said worriedly.
"No…no I'll be fine," Kai said quietly.
I can't believe it…he's gone.