Soji stared out into the lights of the London night. They scintillated beautifully in the dark night, and a slow rain now fell to the earth. Soji had refused a cab, and Rebecca had already left. Even in the night Soji wanted to get to Ryuza as soon as possible, but it was night, and she needed to sleep. The airport offered her accommodations, and she gratefully accepted.
[Elsewhere in London]
Ryuza passed back and forth nervously on the second story of the London town house he had received from the queen. The helicopter pilot should have called to tell that they were fine and safe. The fact that he didn’t worried Ryuza beyond all. He had dealt with Near by simply refusing to talk to him about it. Now it was night, and there was little to do but wait.
A silver old-fashioned phone rang loudly in the room, and Ryuza nearly jumped when he heard it. It must be Soji! Ryuza thought and quickly picked up the phone. Expecting Soji’s voice, Ryuza waited in quiet anticipation. The words that came from the phone shattered him.
“You will pay for killing Master Xero,” the voice said coldly.
“Who are you?” Ryuza asked angrily, but at the same time, fear exploded within him. Could Soji be there? Could she be hurt? What has happened? How did they get my number? I thought all the members of Xero’s gang were taken into custody.
“Hahahahahahahahahah you’re girl-friend has already paid the ultimate price, and soon it will be your turn Ryuza. For betraying and killing Master Xero, you will pay,” the voice laughed manically.
“Who are you?” Ryuza asked terror in his voice now, but the phone was dead. Ryuza stared out into the rain terrified of what had happened. He could not stop shaking. Xero, Ryuza thought, this should have ended long ago.
Time made a lurch backwards to the Wammy Hose. It was before Soji had come, but Near and Mello were already going at who would succeed L. It was Ryuza’s first day at the new school, but he was ten. Everyone there was thought to be highly intelligent, and Ryuza had felt honored to be accepted, but something about the House frightened him.
“Hey, you’re the new kid right?” a voice asked. Ryuza would later learn this to be Mello’s. He turned and faced the blond-haired boy. He had a chocolate bar in one hand and a book in the other. He took a bite of the chocolate and began talking again, “you’re the one that everyone is talking about. Ryuza right? I’m Mello. If you mess with me, I’ll beat you up. I don’t care if you are one year younger than me.”
“I don’t fear you,” Ryuza retorted, “you are too girly looking.”
Mello nearly choked out his chocolate.
“What did you just say?” Mello asked getting ready to lift Ryuza straight off the ground.
“Quit it!” an angry voice ordered.
“Xyler,” Mello said looking over at the boy. He had silver hair and blue eyes and looked to be much older than either of them. He wore a white shirt that buttoned at the collar, but the sleeves were cut right before they went half way down his arm making a short sleeved shirt.
The boy named Xyler grabbed Mello by the rosary beads around his neck and pulled him away. Mello swore but walked away cursing Xyler and who knows what else.
“Thanks,” Ryuza managed to get out, “I’m Ryuza. Mello said your name is Xyler right?”
“Ya I’m Xyler or Xero whichever. I’m one of the older students here. You can’t let Mello bully you like that. He is the terror of the House if you ask me. I’m going to be graduating from the House in three semesters, so in that time, you need to get stronger, Ryuza,” Xyler answered.
“Xero doesn’t sound like a real name, I’ll go with Xyler.”
“Suit yourself.”
“Are you working to succeed L?” Ryuza asked as they walked down the hall of the House.
“Naw. I think Near will do that. You’ll learn about him later. I’m just here to get an education and move on. I want to go into law,” Xyler answered.
“So where were you from?” Ryuza asked.
“Nowhere and everywhere,” Xyler answered, “I had no real home until I came here. My parents were killed before I can remember and I was raised by pastors, go figure.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Ryuza couldn’t find the words that he wanted to say to this Xyler.
“It’s no problem,” Xyler smiled, “What about you?”
“I took this test, and they asked me to come here,” Ryuza replied, “my mother back home is ill though, and my father is dead. My mom wanted me to come here. We’re poor.”
“Well there is safety here and food. Do you miss your mom?”
“A lot.”
“Don’t worry. Just study for her, so when you graduate, you can be the best of the best for her. Well here we are your room. You replaced a guy that graduated at the lowest of his class. Try to not walk in his shoes ok? Tomorrow, classes start, but keep in touch ok?” Xyler laughed.
Xyler closed the door and Ryuza was left to himself. He liked this Xyler. He liked this Xyler a lot.
In later time, Xyler would begin to show a big brother relationship to Ryuza. He would help with homework teach him games. He became the older brother that Ryuza never had. They shared secrets and things. Soon Xyler kicked his roommate out and invited Ryuza. The roommate didn’t care. He was graduating that year.
At the beginning of Christmas, test scores for the final semester were posted. Near had the highest in the school. Next came Mello and a boy named Matt.
“All Near ever does is study. I head he has no social life what so ever. He even looks down on Mello
Sorry I didn't post more or the story yesterday, but I was being an emo and listening to "I'm an Emo Kid" while watching Amnivill Horror. So here is the next part of the story.
“Dam,” Soji swore. The Russian boy could run, and run he did.
As Soji chased after the fear gripped child, her foot got stuck in a hole, and she fell on it. Hearing the sound of breaking bone, the boy stopped and looked back at her.
“Boy!” Soji begged, “Please! Help! I can’t get up!”
The boy walked back throwing fearful looks at the Isica as he made his way back to Soji. Soji sat up and grabbed her ankle. The boy helped Soji to her feet, but she couldn’t walk without his help. The boy constantly threw terrorized looks at Isica as they walked.
“Where exactly are we going?” Soji asked as she hobbled.
“Is that thing going to follow us Angel?”
“Her name is Isica and yes she is going to follow. She is mine. Only you and I can see her, so don’t try to show her to anyone else.”
“Why?”
“Because she’s a shinigami,” Soji said simply. There was no way to explain shinigami especially to a fearful child who could bolt at any second and leaver her.
“What is that?”
“I guess you could call it a pet.”
“Oh….Isica is scary.”
“You’re telling me.”
“So Angel, why do you need to get to London? Couldn’t you just fly there?”
“I made a mistake and now I can’t,” Soji lied, “Where are we going?”
“My house. Mama and Dad will want to know about you. Maybe they can help you get to London.”
“Thanks kid.”
“My name is Mathew,” the kid said.
Soji had to stop herself from saying she already knew. It would make things even more awkward.
“Um Angel?”
“I told you to call me Soji.”
“Um ok Soji you never answered why you have to get to London.”
“I have a friend who is in trouble there.”
“So when you get to London, you’ll help your friend and then go back to heaven.”
“I’m not sure, but my friend might die if I don’t get there in time.”
“Then he’d be with you…”
“I’m not a real angel. I’m just a really unlucky human that was shoved out of a helicopter. Isica saved me. And since you couldn’t see her at the time it looked like I was floating,” Soji replied.
“So how do you know your friend might die?”
“I work for a group of people that I think will kill him.”
“Soji, is it wise to tell all this to a child?” Isica asked.
The boy nearly screamed, but Soji grabbed his shoulder and held his mouth.
“Please don’t scream,” Soji soothed.
The boy relaxed, and Soji took her hand away.
“Isica, I trust this boy. That is all.”
“Trust no you were merely telling him the truth because you knew no one would believe him,” Isica retorted.
“Soji-angel how soon is your friend supposed to die?”
“In little over a week.”
“Then let’s hurry and get to my house!” Mathew answered.
Mathew began to run nearly dragging the injured Soji with him. It took more time than was anticipated, but before dark, the two made it to the boy’s house. It was more of a mansion that a house. It seemed to rise very suddenly from the ground and stared down at all its surroundings. As the sun set, the lights of each room began to glow and shimmer. A woman was waiting outside. She looked to be in near tears.
“Mathew! Thank God you came home! I was so worried! Please don’t do it again!” the woman said reaching out to Matt.
The boy left Soji standing on the porch to come into the arms of his beautiful red headed mother. Grabbing one of the large polls that seemed to grow from the house, Soji adjusted herself with one hand on the poll and the other still clinging to the Death Note.
“Mama, I just went to see the angel. She fell right out of the sky like a real angel too. She says that she is just an unlucky person who fell out of a helicopter, but I think that is her cover as an angel. Her name is Soji, and she needs our help Mama. Her friend in London is in danger.”
The woman looked up and studied the green-haired girl clinging to a black book in front of her. Deciding that the girl could not be a raider in disguise, the woman came closer to Soji. Soji’s shinigami eyes caught her name just as she entered the light of the porch.
“So you helped bring my Matt back to me. I don’t know who you are, but you are welcome here,” the woman said calmly.
“My name is Seta Soji, and I thank you for your hospitality, but there is a place that I need to be right now, and I need to leave now. Do you know by chance where the nearest airport is?” Soji asked.
“Seta Soji…that name seems so familiar. Are you perhaps Japanese?”
“No, Mama she’s an angel with a pet shinigami and she needs to get to London to save a friend of hers,” the young boy chattered happily.
“An angel?” the woman asked.
“Yes Mama an angel. She needs help. Can we loan her the jet Mama?”
“Well for an angel, I guess we have to,” the woman smiled down at her young son.
“A jet?” Soji asked astounded. Was she seriously in the same place she had suspected she was? The house screamed noble people, but did they really have a jet?
“Yes I am a Russian noble woman, and I can pull some strings to get you the private jet. May I asked if m son is telling the truth?”
“Yes he is. My friend is in danger, and I need to get to him soon or he might die. I know this is rather rude to ask seeing as we just met, but may I use this jet of yours?” Soji asked bowing as much as she could while still holding onto the poll.
“You seem like a rarity around here. You trust just enough to stand on a porch, but you speak the truth no matter what. There are those that speak the truth and trust too much, and there are those that speak lies and trust no one. Both are bad for the world. For showing me something that I never thought I’d see, I will let you use the jet,” the woman said smiling softly.
“Thank you,” Soji said bowing.
“But can I ask what that book is that you cling too so heartedly?”
“It is called a Death Note, and that is all I can tell you.”
“The words Death Note were in English I believe. Say them in Russian.”
“If I do, I would have to lie to you,” Soji answered.
“Fine,” the woman said, “I knew you were pure hearted in that way. I never introduced myself. My name is Rebecca.”
“Thank you Lady Rebecca,” Soji said bowing again.
“For you, just Rebecca would be fine Seta Soji.”
“Thank you.”
Rebecca took Soji to what could only be described as a barn mixed with a jet hanger. A black hawk jet was waiting quietly.
“This is a fighter plane!” Soji had to control herself from nearly yelling.
“Yes, and it only holds two people, so I will have to take you myself. I will leave Mathew here with one of the maids while I take you,” Rebecca answered seeming pleased at Soji’s awe.
Soji looked back at Isica who shrugged and said that she wouldn’t get in a metal contraption and would rather fly there herself. Soji nodded and got in the jet. Rebecca sat in front of her and began to take the jet out of the hanger. In less than ten minutes they were flying into the night.
“We will be in London in approximately three hours,” Rebecca said into the transmitter. It only broadcast to Soji who was sitting behind here, but it could break the roar of the engine.
“I never asked because your son was there, and I know this is intruding a little….But where was the boy’s father?” Soji asked, “As we talked going to your house, he said both Mama and Dad.”
“My husband died of heart failure, killed by Kira a few months before. It was because he was in the Mafia protecting two men named Mello and Matt.”
“Mello! Matt!” Soji exclaimed nearly standing up.
“How could you possibly know them?”
“Tell me! Did Mello have a chocolate addiction? And did Matt have a smoking habit?”
“Yes they are both as you described, but how could you know them?”
“Mello and Matt were my friends back at a place called the Wammy House. I knew Mello was in the Mafia, so when you said his name, I knew instantly,” Soji explained.
“They are both dead you know,” Rebecca answered.
“I know, but they helped another boy that went to our school called Near try and take down Kira,” Soji smiled.
“Ahh Near the boy that is trying to take down Kira. Yes I have heard of him. I once saw Mello and Matt and they talked about him like he was a genius.”
“Near is really smart,” Soji laughed, “just keep it to yourself please. Oh….I’m sorry about your husband. I totally got caught in the moment when you said Mello and Matt.”
“It is alright…So tell me about this friend that you are going to save in London,” Rebecca said relaxing a bit more on the yolk.
“He is special to me,” Soji answered, “and I need to protect him.”
“Do you love him?”
“Yes very much.”
“Enough to die for him?”
“Yes if it would spare him.”
“That is good. When the time comes and you two have a wedding, let me know and I’ll come,” Rebecca laughed.
“You’ll be the first to get an invite.”
The plane took less than three hours and was in London before midnight. Rebecca asked for perdition to land at an English hanger, and they had no choice but to grant it. Once safely on the ground, Soji got off the plane and walked over to Rebecca.
“Thank you,” Soji said happily.
“Anything for a girl that my son believes to be an angel,” Rebecca replied.
First I have to get that Note away from her the pilot thought. Then I have to use it to kill her. If she tells Ryuza, he’ll go into hiding, and we’ll never be able to find him. Ok she’s just a woman, and she has already shown that she won’t use the Note. I have to get the Note away. Hmmm how should I do it to where she won’t be suspicious?
“Sam,” Soji asked looking at the pilot who seemed to be carrying on a conversation with himself.
“Hm oh, I’m sorry, but I was thinking of the best way to get back to Ryuza’s main hideout without being detected by Near,” the pilot said coolly, “oh do you want to at least refresh here ya know take a shower and eat something?”
“No I have to get to Ryuza as soon as possible,” Soji persisted. I have to get to Ryuza before…before….
“Alright,” the pilot said calmly. I can throw her out of the helicopter! Yes so that way even if she has the Note, she can’t kill me because she’ll be falling to her death. It’s perfect. I don’t even have to put my life on the line. Then the Note and the girl will be gone!
Soji went back to the front hatch and asked for the key. This time the coy pilot gave it to her. Soji pushed open the hatch into the desert like terrain again. There was nothing for miles and miles, and the currents of air whipped up the sand into mini-sand storms. Small patches of grass extended beyond some of the dunes, but other than a desert fox that scampered through the monotonous dunes.
“Where exactly are we?” Soji asked.
“The West Siberian Plane. This area was stripped of its minerals by over farming,” Samuel answered.
“Sorry, I failed Geography at the Wammy House….”
“Western Russia right before the Ural Mountains and how could the supposed fourth of the Wammy House fail Geography?”
“Hey, No one’s perfect. Mello failed economics, and Near failed Human Societies,” Soji laughed, “and Matt failed Health Science…..he refused to stop smoking hahahahah.”
“In the end I guess you all are still children,” the pilot sighed. Childish geniuses that killed not only Lord Kira but Master Xero as well, “there is the helicopter. The shortest way back to Ryuza’s base back in England is to fly west.
“Ryuza’s in England?” Soji asked as she entered the helicopter, “that is so far away! It took forever to just get here from….”
“Don’t say it Soji.”
“Sorry, but can’t we at least get a plane or something?”
“Get a plane from where? If you haven’t noticed, we’re in the middle of nowhere. Ryuza has no time to send a plane. He has to smooth things over with Near in America and the Queen back in England.”
“That Queen? Why?”
“What? Didn’t you know that he was appointed a knight by the Queen herself? She gave him all this stuff, land, a huge house, a job as chief of English secret service. Where have you been?”
“The U.S.”
“Ahhh so that is where the fourth of the Hose has been hiding out,” Sam laughed.
“Stop calling me that!” Soji said languorously.
“Alright, let’s start up this baby and get going….” the pilot said calmly.
The helicopter rose up and hovered a few hundred feet above the ground. Not smart to throw her off here. They could find her body later. I’ll fly a few thousand meters and then throw her off….
As the ostensibly endless sand flew by, Soji looked dryly out the window with the Note still tight to her chest. Half an hour passed.
“We are hitting some turbulence,” the pilot said throwing the wheel to make the helicopter fly diagonal with the bottom of the incline at the right. He was safe, but Soji wasn’t. Soji was strapped in, but the strap wasn’t enough for the incline. The buckle snapped, and Soji slid down a few feet. She managed to grab onto the beam on the base of the helicopter with one hand still on the Death Note, but the wind created by the centrifugal blades loosened her fingers.
“Sam! Help! I can’t hang on!” Soji screamed in dread.
“Good-bye Soji, fourth of the Wammy Hose, for killing Master Xero you will pay the ultimate price,” the pilot chuckled and the burst into maniacal laughter.
“You’re a Xero follower!” Soji screamed in rage, “How dare you betray Ryuza!”
“Ryuza betrayed Xero first!” the pilot yelled back.
Ryuza betrayed Xero? Does that mean that he was with them? No he had to have been a double agent. Ryza!
Soji could no longer hold on, and as the last finger let go, Soji felt tears come to her eyes. Everything melded away into those tears.
To be continued.
