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Annals of Fear II	By : DeathNoteFangirl Category: Death Note > Yaoi-Male/Male > Mello/Matt Views: 5803 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note and I do not make any money from these writings

Chapter List
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The kitchen's central worktop was strewn with the remaining contents of Fenian's bag, rescued from the priest hole floor by Mello.     They were lit by two industrial sized candles that Lauren had found under the sink.   There wasn't much, as he had most of the items with him.    Mello checked the size of the helmet and put it back down.   Kiana picked it up again and stared at it in her hands. Mello glanced at her, but didn't comment.    Matt and Hal returned from the Land Rover.   Matt dropped some ropes onto the table. "That's all there was."

Mello nodded. "You might as well give me my own helmet back, Mail. You're not coming with me."

Before he could retort, Lauren uttered a strangled shriek.   They all looked at her, then followed her stare to the window.   Valerie was right outside.   Mello glared at Lauren.   She misunderstood.   "She startled me!"

"She's here."   Mello hissed.

"Sorry!" Lauren gestured helplessness.   "I'll get her back to the institution as soon as transport is possible."

Hal had opened the back door to let her staff member into the manor house.   Valerie gushed out,   "I've got a message from Deontic and some supplies."   She extracted the letter from her pocket.   Century was nearer, but Mello still managed to get there first and take it.   He moved to a candle and skim-read it before starting properly again from the top.   Century, Matt and Lauren all sidled over to read it around him.   "I've got wind-up torches and candles here, but most of the stuff is on the bike.   It can give someone a lift back, if you need it.   Deontic is staying down there.   Are all of your vehicles down too?   Every battery in the town is dead.   The hospital's generator has gone down too."   She suddenly had everyone's attention.   "It's pretty chaotic.   Deontic has given me another letter to give to the civil authorities, in case they want to enlist Watari's help.   I'm only to give it out if anarchy ensues."   She risked a glance around the room and spotted Kiana.   "Oh! You're here.   I thought it was strange that you weren't with Fenian."

Kiana shuddered. Her head bowed lower and her shoulders hunched.   Hal quietly informed Valerie, "Fenian's missing right now."

Valerie started. "No! We've just seen him.   He told us that he's going back to the chalets."

Century's hand fell from his mouth.   His lollipop stick was in it.   The candy head smashed on the edge of the table.    Mello and Matt exchanged glances.   Lauren and Hal just looked relieved.   Kiana's head shot up.   They saw the tears dry on her eyelashes. They saw the relief bolt across her expression.   They saw her dark eyes flash with outrage.   She snarled, "What?"

"He was down by the river."   Valerie grimaced. "We were up on the road, so it was too difficult to get down there.   He pointed towards the chalets and started walking in that direction."

"I'll kill him."   Kiana threw the helmet down so hard that it bounced.   "I'll fucking kick his arse from here to Donegal and back again.   With my bare hands, I'll wring his fucking neck!"   Her temper just kept expanding.   "He's deliberately left me here with them?"   She demanded angrily, her hand jabbing the air before Mello and Matt.   "The people he's fucking had me fucking over this night!"   She cast furious glances everywhere. Her mouth pursed to a tiny slit. "Fucking had it with him." Her hands were bunched to fists.   "Fucking had it."

Century swallowed. "He wouldn't do that. It's..."

Kiana turned on him. "He fucking already did!   And more than fucking once tonight." She shook her head. "He brought me here, when I told him that it was too overwhelming!   He had me guarding Mello, when the kid was so devastated that his grandmother came to intervene!"   She seethed, turning away from Mello's startled gaze.   Then back again. "Don't look at me like that, Mello!   How the fuck could I have shot you?   I was picking up your feelings!   All I wanted to do was get you to safety and give you a big, fucking hug. But no!   That toerag had me fucking keeping you bound."   She stared at the doorway. "And the reason that the bottle isn't working, in keeping the phenomena under control, is that it's Samhain.   It will be until sunset tomorrow.   And the fairy stone is uncapped.   The goddess Mebh, known in Britain as Mab, will be able to help you there."

An uneasy silence followed.   Kiana just stood there, fists tightly clenched, staring at the ceiling.    Valerie coughed, "I can get you a lift back. There's a bit of a walk to it, but the rest will be a ride on a bike-trailer.   Shouldn't take long downhill."   She looked at Mello, who was watching Kiana with enormous eyes.   He looked spooked.   Valerie grimaced, "Deontic suggested that one of the gentlemen could accompany us, so that they can get the provisions too."

There was a pause, then Hal murmured. "I'll come to get the provisions."

"Ok."

Matt placed his hand onto Mello's back.   "One moment." He said, looking at Kiana. He spoke coldly. The tone was almost a threat. "Could you rewind to the bit about Mello's grandmother?"

Kiana gritted her teeth, "She actually came.   Before, when I mentioned her, it was because I got an impression of her from touching Mello.   I can usually work out the guardian spirits that way. We've all got one."   She turned to face him. "This time, his grandmother materialised. Twice.   When I parked up, I had the gun to hand.   I swear I wasn't going to use it, but she apparently didn't know that. She was there."   She softened slightly, looking into Mello's eyes.   "If Matt hadn't arrived, then I'd have probably given in and untied you.   But..."   Her vision flickered towards Century, then back to Mello.    "Oh! I don't know! I don't even know why I was involved!"   She had her hands on her hips.   "I got scared. I ran off. I had you in my sight and I had the gun.   I wasn't about to shoot. It was self-defence, in case one of you came after me.    Mello, your grandmother materialised in front of me and..." She shuddered in memory.   Fury revived her. She hissed out, "And that was his fucking fault too!"

Mello nodded, looking stunned, then focused on the letter again.   They could all tell that he wasn't really reading it.   Valerie waited for someone to speak.   When they didn't, she did. "Daf's waiting out there on his own.   I've already been ages. Should Hal and I...?"

"Wait."   Mello rasped.   He wasn't even close to tears, but he did appear shell-shocked.   Beside him, Matt was icily still.   His sidewards stare was fixed in suspicion on Kiana.    The others were all watching Mello, but he took an age to answer.   Kiana was glaring at the wall.   She still looked like she wanted to punch someone.   Mello swallowed.   "Valerie.   You have stitches on your face. On behalf of my husband, may I apologise for your injury and inconvenience."

"Sorry." Matt echoed.   As soon as Mello mentioned the stitches, he had had Matt's attention. But the redhead watched him with a blankly impassive expression.   It was impossible to gauge his thoughts from his body language.   "It wasn't personal." Valerie just appeared embarrassed and a little scared.

Tension tinged the atmosphere.   Century pointed to the letter.   "What's she written at the bottom?"

Mello moved his thumb. He read aloud, "'It's starting down here too.'"   He glanced at Matt. "Guapo, what's this 95 dB?"

"Infra-sound reading."   Matt replied, icily.    Mello shifted to put his arm around him.   "Sounds too low for the human consciousness to register.   They've been proven to induce feelings of unease and paranoia.   Commonly associated with anything from feelings of being watched through to actual hallucinations."

Century stared.   He gasped out, "It's not real?"

Matt shrugged. "The electro-magnetic force is also too high.   It would have a similar effect."

Kiana looked aghast.   "Oh! Fuck off!"

Mello tightened his grip around Matt.   He said, swiftly, "Just because one person is right, it doesn't mean that the other is wrong."   He straightened.   "We should let Valerie get off.   How many passengers can you take?"

"One more."

Kiana started striding across the kitchen. "I'm going, even if I have to walk back."

"Kiana, wait."   Mello spoke in a voice used to command.   She stopped, near to Valerie, looking back at him in sheer exasperation.   "I'm not stopping you leaving, I just need a question answered first."   Her eyes narrowed, but she waited. "You said that I need to petition the goddess Mab. Do you have the contact details of a witch to help me do that?"   Beside him, Matt frowned.

Kiana scowled,   "I don't have to be here to do that."

Mello nodded, looking straight at her.   "It's been Hell for you," he flashed an apologetic smile, "in a place like this, seeing things that we can't see.   I'm sorry for that."   He watched Kiana's faint look of incredulity.   "I forgive you for what you did to me in the Land Rover.   But I'm walking blind here and you can see.   I know you're scared."    He let the sentiment hang.

Century stared, appraisingly, at the Slav, "Why would...?"

"Century." Mello moved to place a hand onto Century's arm.   "I'd rather be sending Mail, but that would be a little awkward with Valerie as the other passenger."   He started walking, his grip tightening on Century's arm.   The Welshman briefly pulled back, then walked with him.   They were only heading towards Hal and Valerie.   His best chance of a bodyguard was right there. "Valerie, if your driver would be so kind as to go via the hospital, Century has been complaining of chest pains."

"No!" Century began.

Mello interrupted, "You're better now?"

"I..." Century started.

It was Kiana who cut him off this time. "You are asking me to stay here?   With all this fucking shit..."

Mello's smile was charming, "I would be very grateful, ma'am."    He patted Century's arm and left him stranded by Hal.   Mello began to pace back towards Matt.   "Century, you're walking on thin ice and you know it.   Take the life-line." He reached Matt and wrapped his arms around him.   "Watari got it wrong.   Desperately wrong.   The system treated us all the same and, by same, I mean the same as L.   It also assumed that L was the best person for any job.   He wasn't.   Near isn't. I'm not. Mail isn't.   And you," Mello glanced back.   Kiana was right at the backdoor now, but she wasn't stepping outside.   Century was staring back with a white face, "are not."   He smiled at the teenager.   "I wanted to take the leadership, because I am a leader of men." Mello's peripheral vision took in Hal, Valerie, Lauren and Kiana.   They were all blankly surveying him, though Lauren gave a little nod of encouragement.   Mello inclined his head.   "I do not claim to be a leader of women.   How can a mere man be that?" There was a discernible relaxing of shoulders. Hal gave an ironic laugh, which caused Valerie to smile.   Kiana actually turned back from the door, looking trapped.   "Which is why I'd rather Kiana guided us; while Century receives the medical attention that he has been so sorely needing."

"We have a defibrillator." Valerie countered.

"Let's hope that it's never needed." Mello continued smiling.   Century's head was bowed. His fists clenched.   "Century, you are a brilliant academic.   If you are released from hospital, with your mind at rest, then you would really shine returning to your files and finding out about this subterranean world that Fenian found for us."

"My computer..."   Century sighed.

"You have books." Mello interrupted. "I saw them.   You were wrong about the Grail. But you were right about there being something down there."   He paused, watching Century carefully.   "Clever.   Really fucking clever.   You got one over on me.   Now please go and bask in that glory, while leaving Mail and me to grub in the mire.   We need the information that only your amazing mind can unearth for us."

Century moved, irritably, "It's my fucking case."

Mello erupted.   Eyes flashing, voice raised to a bellow, "Ok! Fucking take it!   What are you going to fucking do anyway?"   He stomped forward, one hand pulling Matt after him.   Century dashed out of the way, around the far side of the table, but Mello wasn't even heading towards him.   Mello snarled, "But I'm taking Lauren. Kiana was leaving anyway.   Valerie is a civilian and shouldn't be here.   So good luck with Hal for personnel."   He paused by the passageway. "If she stays."   His head turned and his gaze focused upon the teenager.   "I'll send someone for your body."    He gestured for Lauren to join them, then strode towards the backdoor.   Kiana pressed herself against the wall to let them pass.    Mello, Matt and Lauren marched out of the door.     Kiana hurried after them, but she stopped at her Land Rover.    The other three continued to the yew tree and stopped.

Inside the kitchen, Century sagged.   His breath emerged as sharp panting.   He placed his hands on the worktop and leaned over them, shielding his face beneath curtains of black hair.    Hal and Valerie exchanged looks.   They waited.   Century didn't say a word.   Eventually Hal spoke in a low voice to Valerie, "I don't think Matt will be a problem with Mello around. It might be better for you to go with them."    She smiled at Century, as he looked up.   "I'll stay with you."   As Valerie scurried out, Hal stepped forward to join Century at the worktop.   The door to the dining room lay blackly open behind him.   Hal jumped, startled, as she had a good look through it.

"What?" Century asked, scared.

Hal's initial words failed, "... watching us."   She gave a short cough and tried again. "It looked like the outline of a man on the..."   But she got no further, before Century grabbed her hand and took them running towards the back door.    They were all still out there.   Kiana and Valerie by the Land Rover.   Mello, Matt and Lauren beneath the yew tree.   The wind hit them, chill.   Century stared at Mello, defeat, anger, disappointment and surrender colliding in his eyes.    Mello just smiled.
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Annals of Fear II