Cloak and Dagger

Chapter 24

"Hey, Touta-san." I smile as the young man enters the main room of the building. My smile falters as I see the exhaustion in his eyes. "Still no luck?"

"No. If anybody knows anything, they're too scared to reveal it." Touta says, sitting down at the computer console. I rub his shoulder comfortingly. He leans on the desk, rubbing his forehead.

"Have you - no, how could you have?"

"Have I what, Touta-san?" I probe gently. He glances up at me briefly before returning his eyes to the vacant computer screen.

"Have you seen the faces he makes?" he asks, voice soft. "The way he looks at people when he knows he's overpowering them?"

I flinch, fingers automatically clenching in the fabric of his suit. Touta sighs, reaching up to pat my hand. I pull back, shivering slightly.

"That night." I whisper. "He... made such faces on that night."

"So focused on the power it gave him that he didn't give a damn about the woman he was with - fuck." Touta curses. "Ellen-chan, I can't forget the way he watched us die. He didn't - he didn't smile, or cry, or anything. He just watched. I mean, if he'd smiled, maybe I could understand how he worked, but treating people like nothing more than variables? Obstacles to be overcome?! That's not... That's not human."

"That's how psychopaths work, Touta-san." I explain sadly. "They can't form emotional connections, or understand the full value of human interaction. At least, not without being taught. They don't see the world the way we do, and Light is the worst case of it."

"But don't psychopaths have moral compasses or honour, at least?!" Touta exclaims, slamming his hands down on the desk. "I mean, for the love of God, didn't he always talk about his principles and morals?! How could he just, just... How could he write the names of the people who care about him for execution, and just watch it without caring at all?"

"Anyone's moral compass can be corrupted, Touta-san. Especially by power."

Touta stares up at me for a moment, but then lets out a heavy sigh. He props his head up on his hands once more, fingers curling in his hair. I reach out and pat his shoulder again.

"More than kinda pissed that we're reduced to this." Touta mutters. "Searching the streets like we're just common bondsmen or something."

"We'll find them. They can't go too far." I remind him. "They definitely can't cross any borders."

"I know, but they don't have to. That's the problem."

"Hey. Justice always pulls through." I promise him.

"Neechan's right."

I look up, eyes wide. Mello wheels Matt into the room, much like I did when we were pretending he couldn't walk. I dart across the room and grab the smaller boy's shoulders.

"Madoka! Sweetie, are you okay?!" I ask frantically.

"I'm fine." 

"You're sure?"

"Yes I'm sure."

"Positive?"

"Oh my God, calm down!" Matt laughs, swatting my hands away. "I'm fine. I promise. No complications with the surgery or anything. They wouldn't have let me out if I wasn't in good shape."

"That won't stop me from worrying about you!" I exclaim. "I mean, if I had just listened to Ryuu, if I'd handed the operation over -"

"Someone else would've wound up like this." Matt tells me. "And you would've worried over them instead. I'm just glad you and I were both strong enough to keep from telling Teru anything."