(Mello P.O.V)

I stepped through the empty hall in front of me, my leather boots making a tapping sound each time. I could hear my own steps mix into the hall along with the distant music at the end. I hadn't contacted them yet.

I wanted everything to be a surprise.

I clutched the sack in my hand tightly, feeling every last drop of sanity leak into it. How I'd managed to get this past airport security was an accomplishment for the ages. And it only further swelled my egotistical mind.

It scares me to this day how far I had gone off the deep end. How far I allowed my sanity and humanity to deplete to a point of being extinct. But I knew… I knew…

No… what I'd done wasn't right. How could I have ever thought it was?

But, at the time, right and wrong did not have an existence in my mind.

The music got louder and louder, my heart speeding faster and faster. If this didn't get me to high ranks… nothing would.

Save for my 'option two.' But that could wait.

I finally entered the room, seeing every face I had just a week or so prior. Rod Ross himself sat on the couch, a whore on each side of him. The room smelled of cheap drugs and something else I couldn't recognize. However, my mind was on other things.

Ross finally noticed me, and smiled. "Well, if it isn't my favourite blonde! Tell me, were you successful, or was my other offer too much to turn away from?"

The other men laughed, but it died down when they heard me giggling under my breath. The whole room went silent when I flat out broke down laughing along with them. The only thing was, this wasn't my laughter. It was… warped and shaken. It made my body shiver and twitch as I looked at them all. As I've said before… my sanity had been lessened and lessened during my time in Germany.

Still… the effect made the men in the room cringe in fear.

I finally stopped my laughter, but continued to smile at them all. I lifted my sack now.

"Gotch'a a present, Capo. Here." I threw it towards him, landing on the table. "Open it."

The sack had landed with a thump, but also made sort of a squishing sound. Ross had taken his time in opening the mouth of the sack, but once the rope holding it together came off… the room no longer had its cheery vibe.

Many of the men backed away from the sack. Some vomited from the sight. I guess I expected as much since the contents that lay inside were less than pleasant. What had I cared though? To me, this was nothing.

Ross backed away from the table, but I wouldn't have him becoming a pussy on me. So, I stepped onto the table, strode my way over to the sack, and kicked out the severed head onto the ground. My father's head… bloodied and mangled to a point of unrecognition. I can't remember when I had severed it. But I remembered what it looked like. I suppose when I had cut it off, it was due to my anger and hatred for the man.

Still… the fact that I'd actually done it, disturbed me greatly later on in my life.

I looked Ross right in the face now. "You know, I have to admit, he was a difficult find," 'Not!' "But I couldn't disappoint my Capo, now could I." I kept up my twisted, yet inviting, smile as I climbed into Ross' lap. The whores that had been beside him were long gone now. Too disgusted by the sight of my completed mission.

I slid my hands behind his neck and leaned in close to whisper. "So, I killed my own father." He stilled once I'd admitted this fact. His eyes no longer had a hunger for me, but rather… a fear.

I kept the feign attachment to him now. I was smart enough to realize by now that Ross was the go-to guy here, and if I played along and acted like his pet, I could get whatever I wished. I had already lost my sanity by now, so why not? Besides, I would still have him work for my 'attention', not that he wanted it right now. But I knew exactly how I would get my way around this place.

Ross would be waiting on me hand and foot before the year ended.

I felt a familiar hand on my waist once again. "Armin Keehl was your father? This explains how fucked up you are. Still, if you're willing to kill even your own flesh and blood, just to become my second…" his expression softened now, and his eyes grew hungry once again. "How could I refuse?"

I leaned in once again to nuzzle him in affection. "Thank you, Capo. But do remember one thing…"

"What's that?"

I clicked my blade and it appeared before his neck. My expression changed to pure, undisturbed, wrath. "Don't… fucking… cross me." I made a knick under his chin, no bigger than a pin prick. "Got it?"

Ross was back to fear once more. "Understood."

I clicked the blade back to its resting place and left his lap. "Good. Now, since I'm your consigliere, I expect your men to follow my orders as much as they would yours. I want Kira's head, Ross. And I'm more than capable of chopping a few more before I get to his."

The man now stood up from his seat. "You all heard the blonde! You listen to him now, got it!"

They all agreed. Well, those that weren't cowering or vomiting did. But I suppose the others had no choice in the matter.

I decided to test it. "Then someone get me some chocolate! Right goddamn now!"

"Yes, Mello." One of the burlier men said hastily, grabbing his coat and rushing out the door.

I looked at Snyder and the few who were behind him. "You all gather intel of Kira. I want to know more about where he's striking, who else has been looking into the case, and who his latest victims are. Don't fuck this up!"

Snyder looked back at the other men behind him, then agreed. "Yes, Mello."

Once I'd given two or three more orders, and the men had departed in their respective areas, I took a seat beside Ross. He didn't hesitate to pull me in closer to him, but one death glare was enough for him to not go any further.

"You take to the leader roll quite well, Mello. I see my faith in you was not wasted…"

"Shut up." I interrupted. "I still need to know more about Kira. After that, then you can celebrate."

"Hopefully with you. But even then, I suppose I could wait a bit longer."

I rolled my eyes. "I've given a lot to you already, Capo. One being your own life. I believe there's a lot you have to do before getting anywhere near my attention."

He chuckled a bit. "Too true." He looked down at the severed head now. "So what do I do with that?"

I rose from my seat. "I don't give a shit. Now where can I take a nap? I haven't slept in days."

"How 'bout in my room?"

I rolled my eyes so hard that my eyelids even fluttered. "Ever the charmer, aren't you?"

A grin spread across his face. "Well worth the try, but I know by now not to cross you. So, until I can get a room set up for you, you may use my own. No promises on privacy, though."

I scoffed. "Forget it. I think I'll just deal with insomnia."