3:23 a.m.

“Finally!” Mikami breathed as an ambulance pulled into the area.

The paramedics rushed out with all different kinds of equipment to care for Mello. I.V.s machines, and a rolling stretcher were placed on various part of Mello’s body. Beeping, humming, frantically trying to stable his fragile life.

“Holy….” One of the men said looking around. He pulled out a crackling one way. “The boy is at an entire wreck zone.” Inaudible sounds came from the other end. “O.K. We have the boy.” More noise, “we just need to get some kind of name from his companions.” Silence. “No, he doesn’t have any papers on him.”

Another man tagged Charles walked up to the two dumbfounded young men. Near was hiding behind them. Claiming he didn’t want to be seen.

“Do you know this boy?” Charles inquired.

“Umm. Yeah.” They said simultaneously.

“One at a time, please.” He said. “Who is he?”

“Nil Bret.” Matt said smoothly. Fake names came easy to him. “And he is 18 years old.” Matt loved lieing about Mello's youthful looks. Held him feel 'bigger' in some twisted way.

“Where does he live?”

“With me and my family.” Mikami interjected. Near snickered at the thought of Mello living in Mikami's expensive home. For some reason all he could see was Mello dressed in victorian clothes blaming the maids for everything. Funny!

“You had better come with us anyway.” Charles said. “You could all use a look at.”

Near push on his adopted father’s back, “Sirens.” He mumbled.

“Alright.” Mikami tolled the man following him to his car.

As they passed a still burning fire, Near threw all of Mello’s I.D. in it watching as they completely burned away. His vision caught what was missing from Mello’s person.

“Nathan!” Mikami called but Near had already dived behind one of the many car parts that scattered the spot. He returned with a tarnished, yet miraculously intact rosary.

“I couldn’t leave it.” Near muttered sitting beside Matt in the back of the damaged car. He stroked the stones as though it were Mello's hand.

“Please start.” Mikami murmured turning the key. It sputtered and started. “Yes. Now.” Mikami pulled on his G.P.S system giving it the directions to the hospital.

“Now I see why Mello still depends on this thing.” Matt said rubbing the blackened stone beads. “Even though he’s not a good Catholic at all, he still holds this thing very close to him. And if he’s not wearing it he’s got it near by.”

“I believe ‘that thing’ is called a rosary.” Near said giving Matt a silent glare. “Have respect. I think it helped us somehow.”

“Well, I’m not what he is.” Matt whined. “I don’t see why I should be anything than I am!” He turned away, his face slightly pink with embarrassment and anger.

Near nodded slightly. Neither he nor Matt had any idea why Mello even tried keeping his religious views. He defied every law with gusto, not considering his actions or their consequences. Or if he did, he didn’t care. As for them though, they weren’t Catholic at all. He didn’t have a faith of any kind at all and Matt was…what was Matt? It didn’t matter. Anyway, understanding the fallen Catholic was as hard as trying to look through a rock. It was best left alone.

Thoughts like this continued to run through all their minds as they followed the ambulance and screeching sirens to the very place they might get some answers.

In the ambulance, Mello’s one good eye ever so slightly opened; revealing a look of pure wonder and confusion as he surveyed his surroundings. It then closed again. It closed but his mind did not. It spun with thoughts of what had just happened. The cars, the fire, the burning of his own flesh from the surge of the opposite cars explosion and the dumb knowledge of hands…voices, begging him to continue to fight.

‘God…’ He thought, ‘Help me.’

2:03 a.m.

Moans and screams echoed in his ears as he found one of the cars. Mikami was pulling Near out of the back seat of his damaged automobile. Blood ran from a graze on his cheek, other wise they both looked alright.

“The damn driver was a scout.” He reported, “He didn’t think you were here.”

They left Near, who was still weak, by the car to search for the blond. They really didn’t know weather all this had been foolish or right.

Mikami didn’t see Near slowly get up and hobble to the older car. It seemed too quiet to him. And they were wasting time looking by the car that had blown up. The people in that would be dead or dieing. Not that he cared. He knew Mello hadn't been in that car. He reached the smoldering car. It was thrown on an odd angle from the motorcycle under it.

“Mello?” He said in his monotone mumble. He stood on his toes to get a better look inside of a blown out window. He could feel the burnt feathers from Mello's coat as well as bit's of metal, bone and blood.

His call was answered by an agonized groan. His eyes went wide for a brief moment, then relaxed into shear pain. Not his own but at the sight before him.

There lay Mello, sprawled face down over the front and back seats. His cloths ripped and smoldering, the scent of burning leather and flesh was unbearable. Near desperately called the other’s attention before he dug into the smoldering opening attempting his friends rescue.

His white tux was singeing as he pulled at Mello’s thick belt. He overlooked his own increasing discomfort as the hot metal around him burned his arms and back. All he wanted was to get his companion out of there.

At last, Matt and Mikami reached his side assisting Near in his unpleasant task.

When they got him out and laid him face up on the ground, all of them couldn’t help looking away for a second. The damage done to the young German was horrific.

His once beautiful face was now half marred by appallingly burned flesh. His left eye, now lash and brow less was closed shut, blood leaking from its corners. The damage didn’t stop at his face. The combination of welded leather and tissue continued down his body stopping at his scarred middle. The cut in his abdomen had re-opened bleeding fluently all over again. Bruises and cuts of all kinds covered his other half. And they weren’t sure but it looked like his right shoulder was dislocated.

“We have got to get help for him.” Near said suddenly with more emotion than usual “I’m feeling tens time more constructed than he is I’m sure.”

“What do we do about the cops?” Matt took off his goggles wiping his glazed eyes. He hung them around his neck out of his way. “We call them its bye, bye for us all.”

“Not necessarily.” Mikami muttered “If we just request an ambulance from a certain clinic and not call 911 then were good. Mello gets treatments with out the hassle of being treated at the jail. See?”

“I see.” Near toned back “Calling the local clinic will be 95% safer than any other options.”

“Yeah. We can’t take care of him ourselves. He’ll need some proper medical attention for wounds this bad.” Matt’s voice was husky with mixed emotions. His shaggy red hair covered his eyes as he fell into deep concentration.

An awkward silence passed between them as they contemplated their plan.

“Better call soon.” Near said holding Mello’s hand in his own. He could feel Mel’s weak pulse and his breath was coming in deep gasps. he was trying to live. “If he smothers on the smoke he inhaled it will be too late for anything.”

“O.K., Near. We get it.” Matt bitterly snapped, wrenching out his cell phone and walking a few feet from the den of the blaze.

“Never mind him.” Mikami pulled his coat off and fastened it around the injured half of the malled boy’s face and body. “He’s just full of emotions is all. I’ll bet his head is swimming with different thoughts and concerns.”

“I may be terrible with emotions but I think I can understand what he feels at times like these.” Near looked at the frustrated Italian teen, who was trying to give the ambulance their location. He was walking in circles, one of his nervous habits, chewing an unlit cigarette. When his cell lost the signal he started yelling in his native language shaking his phone and gritting his teeth in anger.

Nears eyes became slits as he contemplated Matt’s stupidity level. He knew better since the red head had ranked third at the school for geniuses. And he could have gone higher if he had really worked at it. He was smart enough to even surpass both he and Mello but his negligent nature put it all on hold. Conclusion: Matt would never grow up. He didn’t want to become the next L. So he gave 75% of himself to games, the rest was divided among the rest. Stupid.

His gaze strayed back to the hurt male. It was then the albino realized something besides the side of his face missing.

11:59 p.m.

‘What!?’ Mello pulled his mic. down and pushed it some under his helmet. “Matt! Where the hell are they going!?”

“Like I know, Genius!” Matt called to him. “As the ever famous line goes: ‘I’ve got a bad feeling about this.’” It was followed by a deep chuckle.

“Stop jackin’ around!” Mello seethed “We’ll follow them but ditch the girl. I see two extra cars on either side of the road. More than ones gonna go to the med. center tonight.”

“You and your freaky second sight!” Matt started slowing his bike down. "Sorry ride stpos here!" He saw her eyes holed a question in them. He felt sorry for haveing to get rid of her.“Bye! Bye! Baby!” He hollered pushing Sharmaine off into some thick grass. He then tried to look to make sure she was safe but.

“MATT!” His own name brought him back into focus. It had been heard not only over the head phones but openly too. He had wasted too much time with the chick. Back to business. Into the fray, right? That’s what being a street man was. Especially if your Mello’s friend.

He saw Mello’s head turn toward him. He could have sworn the punk’s eye’s glowed, another piece of proof that he was more feline than human. Even through the heavy visor those frightening blue orbs could catch the best or worst of any situations. As well as freack the crap out of you!

Everything about Mello was, in a way, scary. The way his eyes would penetrate you to your very soul. That mind that never rested. The hands that could caress and kill. In one stroke no doubt. Nothing was ever the same from day to day. You were either treated very kindly or even more roughly. His name was Mello, but he was so obviously bad.

Matt shivered. Just thinking about it all made him feel weak. He stared ahead at the front bike. Mello’s honey, gold locks stuck out of the bottom of the dark helmet and looked like fire under a deep pot blowing in the wind. The feathered coat looked like some kind of demonic shadow flailing behind him. Yes, he was definitely a demon’s spawn.

But….Don’t bad things happen to bad people? Usually. Maybe. "Oh, man." Matt tried his beast to not think of it. Even though he felt it was right.

Mello was waiting for the sign that he wanted. Mikami had a lot of enemies and if they got wind of any recent action, every mob boss knew about both raids by now, they would try to sever his most valuable ally through elimination.

“I can’t allow this to happen to them.” He said to Matt over the intercom.

“Can’t let what? What to happen? Melloooo!” He helplessly managed before Mello’s bike surged forward. Closing the distance between his own bike and the car, the two new cars seem to hesitate. Holding back, and yet menacingly inching up.

“Easy. Easy.” Mello whispered to himself edging the bike back. He threw his brakes on, slapping the front of the car behind him. Using the force to allow himself to hit the windshield. Glass broke ripping his coat, as he penetrated his goal. "Shit!" He yelped ripping his coat more away trying to free his back.

The mystified driver hollered curses swerving the vehicle. Thanks to his position he couldn’t avoid the skidding that resulted from his attacker’s motor cycle being pressed under the car. Faced with his worst nightmare.He waved at the other car for them to shoot. It was the policy in his gang that if the plan was in jeopardy even gang members were sacrifices.

It wasn’t easy, but Matt could see the wave as he fought to stay as close to the fight as humanly possible without getting himself killed.

“Mel! Mel!” He yelled into the small microphone. “They’ve got a signal going!”

A hand let him know he got the message. But fell fast as bullets flew through out the air.

“Oh yeah?” Matt mumbled blowing smoke from his cigarette. “Two can play this game.” He pulled a hidden compartment out. He loved this bike. It could accommodate two small long range guns. Which he now pulled out, releasing his handle bars. Matt had the best ballance in the mafia. For him. This was child's play.

He opened fire on both cars. Blasting where ever he could hit them. He only saw shadows moving in the already crippled car. Meaning Mello was inside taking care of one problem. So he steadied his bike and resumed fire on the other obstruction.

The scene was incredible at best. One car was madly swerving, sparks flying from its bottom where the bike was. Mello's coat was flying from the front of the broken window. It seemed to scream 'I'm in death's hold'. Shells from different fire arms zoomed from all directions.

Then it changed when one of Matt’s ammunition hit the second car’s motor just right. Causing the entire section of the road to become a see of flames. New cars were so vulnerable with their big gas tanks. The other must have been older, since it hadn’t been affected by the rain of oppression laid on it’s
re-painted exterior.

It looked like a mini a-bomb had gone off. Either side of the road burned in the explosion. Grass and dirt flew threw the air spreading the fire. Both Cars were buried by the smoke and molten stuff.

Matt slammed his own brakes to avoid the mess. 'What happened to everyone?' He couldn’t see what was happening through the smoke. So he hopped off his bike and ran into the haze. 'Some one's gotta be alive?' He pushed his helmet off to try to keep the smoke out of his eyes.

Even from her place in the grass Sharmaine could see the explosion. Her eyes widened at the thought that the boy's could be hurt. What about Nathan? Was he alright? She watched for a little bit wondering what to do. She descided to go there. She wasn't that far. Maybe she could help some how. She started for the sceen.

When she got there twenty minuets later. She saw Nathan sitting with the blond man on the ground. He looked so upset. He seemed to be talking to her uncle.
She looked a little away when she heard the red head start to screem curses into the air. Or was that his phone? She pulled her's out and dialed 911.

Then she walked away and dialed her parent to get her fussing at. And to get them to take her home. Nathan was alright. And fro some strange reason she couldn't help but smile to herself as her parent's screemed on the other line.

10:22 p.m.

“YO! MIKA!!!!!” A voice boomed from the open doorway. “Where’s the little guy?”

Then the red head saw the scene before him. “What the fu-mn!” A gloved hand covered his mouth stopping his profanity.

“Get out.” Mello said pushing Matt and himself out of their way. “We’ll follow behind you.” He seemed to know what was happening without any explanations. Well, he was number one after all. Number one to people who cared.

Mikami gave the boys a quick smile that said his thanks before running past into the dark.

“I just wanted to know what was wrong with Near.” Matt said flatly when Mello took his hand away. They could here the doors slam open and closed.

“Lets just follow to find out.” Mello said already at his bike. Both motors flew to life. Light illuminated Matt's figure in the door giving him an unusual look for the people who crowded the entry hall.

Matt turned back to the people who's were staring at him like he was something vile. “What!?” He practically shouted, “You didn’t think Near had any friends? You people are really screwed up.”

A girl with strawberry blond hair stepped forward. “Will you tell us if he’s O.K.?” She looked worried. "I haven't known him till tonight. But, if it weren't for me he wouldn't be in pain."

Matt gave his best smile. “I will. Just wait alright?”

The girl nodded her response, then looked him in the face. “Take me with you.”

Matt’s face got red. “O-O.K.!” The sound of crackling interrupted him. He slipped a pair of headphones over his ears and pulled down the microphone. “Yah?”

“Will you hurry up!?” Mello’s voice hissed over the intercom. “I already cant see the house. What are you doing!?”

“I’m coming!” Matt said grabbing Sharmaine’s hand and dragging her to his bike. “I’m coming now!” He stated before he turned his cycles motor and speed down the street.

“Here!” He called to Sharmaine handing her a black and red stripped helmet. He could feel her struggle to put it on. “Tighten the straps!” He said reaching back and tugging the long cords. After a pause of this she stopped moving.

“You better hang on if you’ve never ridden before!” Matt said.

“Hang on to what?” her voice was shaking slightly.

“Onto me!” He yelled. He barely got it out when her arms wrapped around his waist. So tight he thought he might break. He didn’t comment though, he just continued driving. 'Oh, well.' He thought. 'I've got a good lookin' gall for Near to see at the hospital.... I wounder if he will share her?'

He looked around the vacant road.‘Why are the streets so quiet?’ he mussed. ‘This is always a busy part of town.’

Having caught up with the rest, they drove in silence down the roadways for another half hour. Before stopping at an intersection to tell were they were.

In Mikami’s car the driver was trying to tell the frantic man that the hospital wasn’t as far as they thought if they followed the main road. But, the man was in a panic and demanded the driver’s co-operation in the ‘right’ way.

“But, sir, the road we usually take is not safe now!” The driver again insisted, more firmly than last time. “If you care for the young master, you will focus and collaborate.”

Mikami sat back in his seat. Bending his head down, closing his eyes to force commonsense back to himself. When he opened his eyes again they shone with a soft confident radiance. “Alright. Take your way. As long as it takes Near to help.” He held Near in his arms and gave the panting boy a tight squeeze.

“Very good, sir!” The butler eyed the roads ahead, and seeing his master giving his attentions to the weird boy, turned down a very dark road.

“Yes, very good, sir, indeed” He mumbled to himself.

9:30 p.m.

Near looked at his watch, “9:30 already.” He had put on his white tuxedo, waiting for the bell to ring, indicating the people coming. He was really fealing tired, but had oppted to not nap. Near was cranky when he got woken from his 'Time of Bliss!'

Someone was knocking, snapping him out of his thoughts. He gave his response and Mikami walked in. “I just want to point out.” He said sitting on the edge of the bed. “You have to act like you’ve never meet Outa before.”

He gazed intently at Near waiting. Near closed his eyes and shook his head. “I see.” He said, “If we were to act friendly, it could damage his reputation through suspicion.”

Mikami’s red eyes widened. “Well… yes.” He said. “I keep underestimating your intelligence.”

Near didn’t answer immediately. He sat by a coffee table and started to build with dice. “Don’t ever underestimate me.” His voice was cold, devoid of emotion. “Mello did. And not long after I surpassed him.” His fingers delicately picked up a dice and just as gently put it to rest on the top of a growing model of the base/house. "I shall surpass all."

“I’m sorry they couldn’t come.” Mikami sounded genuine, but Near paid it no mind. “I heard on the line that they’ve been out hunting.” Near’s hand froze in place; then continued its previous action.

“Hunting?” he said. Then the bell rang. "We can talk about it later."
Mikami got up and left to greet the guest.

Near sat for a moment staring at the mostly finish model. ‘Yes, I won’t finish it.’ He thought, ‘If I’m not there its not complete.’ He lifted his hand up over it. ‘If I’m not there to help them it will crumble and they will be killed.’ In one sweep his hand, the model collapsed into the table top, the small ivory cubes scattered all over the table and ringing as they hit the stone floor. Near completed this sad moment when he rested his head among the damage. Not crying, just starring, not wanting to go to the frivolity down stairs.

“Nathan!” came some distant voice. “Nathan! Come down!” It didn’t sound like Mikami. It sounded more like a girl. Now Near really didn’t want to come down. But, slowly got up and shuffled his way to the door.

“It’s just up the stares to the left.” He heard Mikami say, as he came down the stairs. He looked back to the mentioned room, it was his. Turning back around he collided with another body causing a great tumult as they both fell down the remaining flight.

“WOW!” the voice said. Oh great. It’s the girl. “Hahahahahaha!!!! That was so much fun!” Well at least she wasn’t mad or scared. He gave her that much credit.

“Sorry.” He said offering her his hand. He didn’t realize he hadn’t gotten up himself.

“Oh! Don’t be!” The girl said taking his hand a little disoriented. “I was looking for-Whoa!” She said before she fell on top of him.

They lay there a moment him looking into her large bright green eyes; as she in turn stared into his bottomless black orbs.

‘Wow.’ She thought to herself. ‘Those eyes. Do they ever end? I’ve never seen anything so alluring and yet… so frightening.’

Near shifted under her and chocked. “P-Please get off of me.” He stated giving her a firm push. When she was off he sat up and started coughing violently.

“Oh my gosh!” The girls gasped. “Uncle! Uncle Mikami! Come quick! Something’s wrong!”

Mikami ran in followed by a couple of people who must have been the girls parents.

“Near! What’s wrong?” He turned to the girl. “Sharmaine, what happened to him?” His voice was so pitiful. Near straight away crawled into his tight embrace, trying to settle down, his chest was burning for some kind of relies.

Mikami picked him up and brought him to the couch in the next room. He laid him down and started checking his vitals. “Pulse is fine …heart’s normal … "Relax Near.” He tried to sound calm as Near buck forward with the force of his chest. ‘Dammit! What can I do with these people here?’

“M-Mi-.” Near stopped short. Something was burning his throat now. One hand on his chest one on his neck he felt faint from all the pain. His head was swimming with confusion, ‘Why wasn’t Mikami doing anything? If he wanted him, he better help.’

“I’m sorry every one I’ve got to take him to a hospital.” He scooped Near into his arms and ran for the door. He was barely in the entry hall when the doors burst in.