Cloak and Dagger

Chapter 10

"Neechan? What do you make of this?" Near asks, laying a few pieces of paper in front of me. Both boys have taken to calling me big sister over the past few days - confining myself to mine and their floors will do such things to young ones.

I scan the pages quickly, brows furrowed. It's more or less a spreadsheet, including names, crimes, convictions and 'Other Pertinent Details'.

"These are, of course, chronologically arranged." Near says. "The spread goes back over the past one-hundred-and-twenty hours. I want you to look at the deceased's crimes. They have, of course, followed the regular time patterns previously set by Kira."

Trafficking; murder; exploitation; kidnapping; kidnapping and sexual abuse; exploitation; trafficking and abuse of a minor; child pornography; exploitation; drug trafficking; kidnapping; abuse of a minor; murder; exploitation; murder; sexual assault and armed assault; armed robbery; murder; drug trafficking; murder; armed assault; murder; sexual abuse and murder; abuse of a minor and domestic abuse; kidnapping; child abuse; murder and kidnapping; exploitation; kidnapping; sexual abuse - I shake my head, feeling ill.

"Neechan, please keep looking."

Kidnapping; sexual abuse and murder; drug trafficking; abuse; armed assault; armed robbery; sexual assault; murder; drug trafficking; murder; murder; abuse; armed robbery; assault; exploitation; extortion; possession of illegal firearms; murder; domestic abuse -

I stop.

"You see it?" Near asks. "The killings of criminals related to kidnapping, trafficking and sexual abuse have become much less frequent over the last ninety hours, approximately. Now, would you please look at the 'Other Pertinent Details' column, with particular focus on the last ninety hours?"

I drag my finger down the first thirty rows. Several phrases are written between quotation marks - messages from Kira.

From Light.

'Give her back', the first of the ninety reads.

'Goddess', the eleventh says.

'I want her back', reads the twenty-fourth.

'The Goddess must be returned', the thirty-second demands.

'I know where she is', claims the forty-third row. I place a hand on my mouth, swallowing the rising bile.

'Give her to me', is the demand on the fifty-ninth row.

'I know where she is', the sixty-fifth repeats.

What's in row seventy-two almost breaks my constitution.

'L has her'.

Row seventy-nine: 'L took her from me'.

Row eighty-five: 'I will take her back'.

Row eighty-seven: 'I love her'.

Row ninety: 'If she is harmed, I will kill you'.

"Oh God." I breathe.

"I wanted you to see it yourself, rather than merely being told." Near murmurs, placing his hand over mine. "I'm sorry. We will see to it that he doesn't hurt you, Neechan."

I pull the small, white-haired boy into my lap and hug him tightly. Near lays his head on my left shoulder and lifts his arms to play with my hair. He slowly braids my fringe, arranging it right against my hairline to reveal my entire face.

"Neechan, you're crying!" 

Mello loudly announces his arrival to the room. He crosses the room in a heartbeat, scanning the papers in front of me. He curses under his breath.