A Year of Jubilee [The Death Note Fanfic]

Chapter 52

"Took you a while to connect the dots, huh," said Mello casually. "Funny that you didn't figure it out when I first sent you surveillance of Misa's apartment. How do you think cameras got put in there in the first place?"

Jubilee ignored the jab at her deduction skills. She leapt to her feet, still staring down at the letter on her screen. "You can't be in Japan!" she cried.

"False," returned Mello simply.

She pointed a finger at the screen accusingly. "What are you, fifteen? You can't travel overseas alone. And I know you're not the type to get a guardian to accompany you."

"I'm fourteen," Mello answered calmly. "But unlike certain tiny twerps who shall go unnamed, I can pass for at least sixteen. And honestly, how hard do you think it would be for me to get my hands on a forged passport?"

Only fourteen? Jubilee felt her sense of reason slipping as concern overwhelmed her. "That's illegal," she said helplessly.

"Yeah, we've been through that already, J."

"It's not safe," she cried. "Why would you bring yourself right into Kira's territory? I thought you and Near were supposed to be helping remotely—"

"That twerp can stay behind a shut door if he wants," Mello cut her off, his tone sharp. "But I'm not him, and I work differently."

Anger welled up in Jubilee. "You think this is all just some kind of game you're playing against him? There are lives on the line here, kid. Your life is on the line."

"I am not just some kid." Mello's voice had become cold. "If you knew me, and you knew Near, then you'd know that he's the one who treats everything like a game. I'm the one who's willing to take the case seriously enough to actively put my life on the line—like Ryuzaki did."

Jubilee stopped short at that, the irony of the situation hitting her like a ton of bricks. Only two days ago she had thrown all caution to the wind herself when she wrote in the Death Note. Still, she knew that Mello's motives were different from what hers had been. "Not a game, then," she acquiesced softly. "But a contest. You're trying to prove that you're better than Near."

There was a moment of silence as she sensed Mello's irritation slowly turning into anger.

"What if something happens to you?" she continued quickly. "How will you prove anything if Kira kills you?"

"He won't kill me," Mello bit out. "Or at the very least, if he does, then I'll be taking him down with me."

"You can't just treat your life like some chess piece!"

"Like you care."

"I do care!" she exploded. "Kira already tried to kill L—no, he did kill him. He'll try to do the same to you, if he finds out about you."

"Then I won't let him find out. Simple."

Jubilee clenched her hands helplessly. This was the same arrogance that L had had in the beginning, only worse. Mello not only didn't take into account the likelihood of dying, but he didn't even care if he died. Guiltily she realized that how she felt now was how L must have felt, after she had written in the Death Note. She sank back down onto her knees in frustration.

The boy on the other end of the line let out an irritated huff, like he could hear her thoughts. "You're not my mother, J," he sighed, though his tone wasn't cruel. "So why keep worrying like you are?"

Jubilee unclenched her fists. "Someone's got to," she said quietly.

"You don't even know me."

"Does that make your life of any less value?" she shot back.