Chapter twelve:
Mello watches with Roger while A checks the dart for fingerprints.
"I still don't understand why I can't even hold it for a little bit. Don't you need me? I could probably tell a lot more about it if I could get a good look at it. Even just once." Roger complains making Mello want to roll his eyes.
"We already explained it to you. We are not doing this again." Mello grumbles and he feels validated as even A lets out a slight grumble of agreement to that.
"Fine." Roger seems to let it go at least for now which makes Mello sigh in relief.
"There we go. Something." A suddenly says and the other two take a look spotting that it is a finger print that isn't complete though it is there. "Alright. I'll lift it from this thing and we'll send it to someone who can look in a database."
Roger is about to suggest that he can take it only to get a glare from Mello so he shuts up.
A leaves the room and Mello is about to follow only for Roger to ask him to wait.
Mello turns back to look to Roger who glances around before moving closer to the blonde.
"I want to suggest a partnership." Roger explains to Mello. "You're a human like me. Surely you can see the damage that they'll cause after this. We catch whoever is doing this so it won't end with a bunch of human deaths. However if this drug is used right then we can take out the biggest threats to the human race. Without anyone else getting hurt."
Mello hisses and narrows his eyes at Roger which quiets his talking. "You know. I am starting to feel like we don't actually need you. I just want you to know that if we so desire then we can drop this partnership with you then disappear." He stands before Roger with his eyes still glaring despite the shocked look from Roger. "Then what would you do?! Tell your little friends that you know about Near?! Then what!? Admit that you don't know where he went!? We also have Matt. He is recovered enough that he can check us for any of your trackers you might try to put on us before we leave. Any sign of any signal will let us know of any tracker. You know his ability with technology. I heard about the little job you got him to do for the orphanage for a little extra allowance money. Such as double checking any background checks for anyone that even wants to try to enter the orphanage. Such as when you were looking for another teacher for another subject that was being added for us to be able to learn. So finding a tracker will be nothing for him. My point is that you keep trying to use this to benefit you to just wipe them out and all of this other behaviour and we'll cut you out of this. Then you'll never see us again. You make this process a lot more convenient than without you. We can do this on our own without you if we have to." He turns away being able to tell that he really struck Roger with his words so he doubts that there will be too much of a problem after this.
Roger doesn't follow immediately instead taking a few moments before he finally joins Mello and A as the other gets the fingerprint lifted.
A gets it all set to be sent off to be examined closely. He makes sure to keep the dart out of Rogers grabbing abilities. "Think you can deal with him on your own? I will run this to the place."
"Go ahead." Mello waves it off and A is gone just like that.
"Do you want to go check on Matt? We could go do that." Roger suggests and Mello gives him a slightly disappointed look.
"I am not showing you where Matt is getting treated. I know what would happen if I do. Just like you don't fully trust us we don't fully trust you. And I am much too smart to fall for any of your little tricks to try to get me to show you something. You can pretend to be friendly all you want however remember that I can see right through you." Mello turns away as Roger looks a little disappointed.
Roger wanders away and Mello pretends to not notice then follows him quietly.
He hangs back by a corner that the older man goes around. He hears the footsteps stop and keeps pressed to the wall not daring to peek around.
Roger sounds to be typing something on a phone before going quiet for a few moments. "Hey. Its me." He pauses to listen and Mello clenches his hands starting to get angry, that Roger might be planning an attack while they are trying to solve this case for both human and nonhuman wellbeing. "No. I can't provide a location on the vampire prince." His words do surprise Mello a little at hearing it. "I've been trying to get my hands on any sample of the drug that can drug them. However I am not allowed close enough to even sneak a sample." He pauses to listen again before letting out a sigh. "I know. This is a dangerous game. However we both understand how dangerous whoever is doing this is going about it. Have you been able to find anyone who is using the kind of dart look I texted to you? Sorry I couldn't get a picture. Would have been too obvious." He pauses for another moment and Mello, who didn't notice Roger texting someone while watching A, is finding this conversation to be quite interesting.
Mello might need to talk to Matt about a way to bug Rogers phone to listen to both sides of the next conversation.
"Hm. Alright. Could be a new hunter or a handmade thing. We'll keep searching. Who knows what other valuable information they will have." Roger hums after listening for a few moments. "Again no I cannot give a location right now. I want to complete this investigation before I reveal what I know about the prince. If we take him out we could probably cause massive panic in the vampire community. That we could use to be able to strike. Just, after this investigation is concluded though mainly during the investigation, want to gather any information I might be able to get out of them before I do anything about the target on him." He pauses for another moment. "Alright I will talk to you later." He agrees to which Mello quietly sneaks off ducking into a room to not get spotted. "Hm. Wonder where Mello went off to." He is heard down the hall. "Maybe we could talk human to human and I could get some information that he knows off of him."
Mello clenches his teeth in the darkness of the room and manages to stay quiet even as Roger walks past him. He is going to make sure that Roger isn't alone then he is going to be talking to Matt and Near. He doesn't doubt that they'll want to know about things. He quickly texts BB quietly knowing that the other is still in the building or at least in the area.
"Oh. Its you." BB's unimpressed voice is heard probably talking to Roger.
"Mosquito." Roger greets coldly and BB tells him 'Whatever.'. "Did you see what way Mello went?"
"I know where he went. He texted me. He said he was going to go see Matt. Guess I am stuck babysitting you." BB snorts clearly unimpressed though at least going along with Mello's request. He clearly trusts Mello in that there is something important Near has to know, over anything Roger might try.
"I don't need a babysitter." Roger huffs and BB lets out a warning hiss.
"When you still want to be an enemy towards us while trying to at least help stop this dangerous behaviour of one of your own then to us you need a damn babysitter. If you were wanting to be more friendly to us then maybe you could be alone. We are just not taking any chances of you trying to set up a trap for us."
Roger huffs though doesn't push it further and Mello almost chuckles though doesn't.
Mello doesn't want to be found here.
"Come on. Near got me to go buy you some human food. Be grateful that he is willing to be nice enough to get this for you instead of making you do it." BB tells the old man.
"It's probably stolen." Roger snorts and BB sighs.
"It is not. But go ahead and don't eat it. Doesn't matter to me." BB tells Roger and the two walk away with no promises that Roger won't be eating however Mello guesses that the other might.
Mello sneaks out once the two are elsewhere in the building. He hurries to get to the clinic and he arrives to find Matt is awake giving Near some love filled eyes. He clears his throat causing the two to turn to him. "I miss something?"
"I did it! I told him!" Matt yips happily still keeping it in english. "Total accident but I did it!"
Mello can't help a slight hurt at knowing that Near is clearly now with Matt. He is a little disappointed however he is still happy for his friend. "That's great! Looks like it went well." He mentions coming to stand next to Near and Matt with the red head still on the bed.
Matt hums happily with his wolf tail wagging.
"Sorry to ruin the good mood though there is something important we need to talk about." Mello quickly has both of their attentions as they change from happy and in love to serious. He explains to them what he had overheard and suggest bugging Roger's phone.
Near lets out a hum at this. "Well for now we can be sure that Roger is at least willing to still help catch the culprit. However I do agree with that we should monitor Rogers phone activity."
"Just get me a laptop, mine preferably, in here and I'll get it done no problem." Matt hums looking a little proud of himself on that. "It'll be a piece of cake."
"I'll go get it." Near promises before speedily dashing out of there.
Mello is now alone with Matt. He offers the other a smile. "You know. After this whole thing is done I want to go with you guys to wherever you guys will be hiding next." He mentions meeting Matt's eyes that turn to him. "I know I would be strange to your little hidden world. Being a human and all that. I just would like to go along with you guys. It's been a lot better to be a part of you guys than being in that orphanage ever was. Besides I can't leave out my best friend." He smiles a little more and Matt smiles back.
"I'm sure Near won't have a problem with that. Besides you'd probably get harassed by Roger or other hunters for information until you'd leave anyways. Might as well save you the trouble." Matt mentions and the two friends chuckle at it.
"That is another reason." Mello agrees in the midst of his chuckle. He is glad that even though he came to find that Matt claimed Near before he could fully figure out his own thing, he actually still wants to be close with Matt. He doesn't hold anything against the other.
Near soon returns with a laptop and charger so Matt gets to work from his hospital bed.