InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "im my own nightmare!"

Near (blank_puzzle) wrote,
@ 2008-02-13 22:32:00

o17.
Two days later, the street CCTV cameras that Near's team had hijacked picked up a the Kira mob that was gathering momentum and speed as it approached Near's building. Gevanni, who was on the monitors at the time, alerted Hal and Rester. Near was irritated, but not surprised, to see them coming; he smacked over his card house in annoyance and quickly lifted the inter-building phone, and called Mello's room to let him know what was happening. They were going to need to put their plan into action sooner rather than later, it would seem.

"Mello?"

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burnt_chocolate
2008-02-13 11:19 pm UTC (link)

Mello was in his room at the moment, freshly clothed, brushed and blow-dried from the shower and just now contemplating getting down to the surveillance room and reuniting with Near when the phone on his night stand rang.

Immediately, Mello knew that something important had happened, and he had a myriad of possibilities and their liklihood in-mind when he picked up the phone. Near's voice sounded annoyed- which immediately eliminated a handful of options.

"What's going on, Near?" His voice was all business now, ready for whatever it was they were being faced with now.

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	blank_puzzle 2008-02-14 12:41 am UTC (link)
	"It's happening," Near said simply; a cursory glance out the window should tell Mello the rest. "Change into your things and stay were you are, I'm going to ask Matt to bring Matsuda down now, and we'll be leaving in five minutes. Wait another two minutes, and then exit by the route arranged, all right?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

burnt_chocolate
2008-02-14 06:21 am UTC (link)

Mello understood immediately what was happening.

"Alright. I'll meet up with you again at the location we agreed upon..." This was all business, and Mello didn't wait for a confirmation before hanging up the phone, frowning slightly to himself as he went for the riot gear he'd packed away in his closet. He'd felt the barest urge for a moment there to wish Near 'good luck' in his escape... but that was completely unnecessary, and was ruled out immediately.

Still, the sentiment lingered as Mello strapped his riot gear into place, casting a regretful look towards the last three bars of chocolate on his night stand as it became regretfully apparent that they would not be making the journey with him.

[ooc:feel free to contact Mattems and have him drag Matsuda down now : 3]

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blank_puzzle
2008-02-14 06:43 am UTC (link)

As soon as Mello disconnected, Near dialled for Matt.

"'Lo?" Matt sounded confused by the contact this way, but it was faster than going up to fetch him.

"The building is about to be attacked," Near said calmly. "Please bring Mr. Matsuda downstairs immediately so that we can outfit you both for evacuation."

There was a slight thud as Matt's boots hit the floor. "Right. Yeah. Okay. We'll be right there," Matt said hastily, and hung up.

Two minutes later, Matt appeared downstairs with a confused looking Matsuda; Gevanni and Rester assisted them with their gear, and a few moments later, they were ready to move out.

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burnt_chocolate
2008-02-14 09:22 am UTC (link)

As the final touch to his riot gear, Mello tugged his helmet into place and flipped down the visor, moving out of his room and towards the stairwell that led to Near's surveillance room. He could hear the commotion of the riot through the walls of the building, distant and rolling like thunder...

He listened, intently, for the sounds that would indicate Near's exit, fully intending to make use of the surveillance cameras to make certain that Near, the SPK, Matt and Matsuda were out of sight and a safe enough distance away that he could make his own escape more cleanly. Two minutes was a good suggestion, and Mello intended to oblige... but certainty was better than estimation, where possible.

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blank_puzzle
2008-02-15 01:29 am UTC (link)

As soon as everyone was suited up, the group made their way out the front door and into the crowd. Matsuda had been handcuffed to Rester, of course, to ensure that he didn't "accidentally" go missing, but as soon as they got outside, it was difficult for everyone else to stay together. As they tried to move through the crowd, Near suddenly found himself separated from the others. There was a rendezvous point, of course, but it was a block over where the vehicles were in lockup and Near didn't exactly relish the thought of having to make his way over there alone in the middle of an angry mob of Kira supporters...

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burnt_chocolate
2008-02-15 03:02 am UTC (link)

Mello immediately noticed the push of the crowd against Near and his group and the way that it separated them... or, in particular, the way that it separated Near from the SPK. The rioters were becoming too chaotic outside, and Mello had no doubt that as soon as they realized that there was a SWAT member separated from the rest of his unit, they would set on him like dogs and, in all likelihood, remove his helmet if they truly intended to expose the faces of infidels to Kira for judgment.

"Dammit--" Mello turned away from the cameras and headed for the back door, figuring that he could get around to Near more quickly if he headed around from the right.

The moment he opened the door to the outside, the sound of Kira's crowds shouting was so loud that it was overwhelming, and he could hear at least one helicopter going up above. The money had distracted them towards the front of the building, so Mello was not missed or noticed as he slipped around the side and looked out over the crowd, searching for Near where he had last seen him on the surveillance screens.

Near hadn't budged. Which would be bad, if Mello didn't get him out soon, the crowd would eventually take notice and--

Mello rushed over to Near, keeping his eyes on the lapping edges of the crowd and hoping that he'd be able to get Near and get out without being noticed.

"-Near!"

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blank_puzzle
2008-02-15 03:27 am UTC (link)

Near had started to panic ever so slightly by the time Mello reached him. Crowds made Near uncomfortable at the best of times, let alone when they were out for his blood. He knew where he needed to get to, but pushing against a crowd was hard for anyone, especially someone of his size.

"Mello--"

Near was hugely relieved as he caught slight of Mello in the crowd; distinctive, even in the uniform.

"We need to get out of here. Now."

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burnt_chocolate
2008-02-15 03:55 am UTC (link)

Mello pushed through to Near and grabbed him by the shoulder, as if to form a life line with the smaller boy and keep him close while he looked around at the crowd, searching for a suitable way out and around to where the cars should be kept in lock-up.

"I know that-" Mello snapped, not because he was mad at Near or annoyed with his statement of the truth but because he was pretty on-edge over their situation right now. "...Come on." Mello put his hand on Near's shoulder and steered him along through the thinnest parts of the crowd that he could manage, muscling through and figuring that, if only out of necessity, it was easier to shield Near and get through the throng of people than it was to try and do this alongside him and have Near vulnerable to attacks from larger, stronger people.

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blank_puzzle
2008-02-15 04:07 am UTC (link)

Near let Mello pull him through the crowd, grateful for the backup, and, truth be told, familiarity. It was easier with two people, and it didn't take them long to navigate through the worst of the crowd to where it thinned out to onlookers and stragglers grasping for the remainder of the money.

"...Thank you, Mello. I... would have had more difficulty doing this alone," Near admitted as soon as they had got far enough from the crowd to be able to speak at normal volume again.

[[I just realized I forgot to detail Near authorizing the money drop, so we'll have to assume it happened between tags. MY BAD; I FAIL. :$ Sorry. D:]]

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burnt_chocolate
2008-02-15 05:44 am UTC (link)

Mello kept his eyes on the people around them, wary of any possible attacks even though, with every step they took, they were getting further and further away from the frenzy of falling money and bodies. That had seemed like a rather extreme plan to Mello when Near first proposed it... but it had certainly proven effective. Rioters didn't even pay attention to possible police when there was so much money tumbling down around them.

Mello finally looked down at Near, acknowledging his words for the first time and, actually, rather glad that the shield on his helmet concealed his expression from Near.

"You're lucky that I kept an eye on you over the surveillance cameras... the worst thing you could have done was stand still, you know." Mello removed his arm from around Near's shoulders and moved ahead of him, making way for the garage where the cars were being kept with the complete confidence that Near would follow.

[[no problem! Mello mentioned it in one of his posts, so it's cool. : 3]]

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blank_puzzle
2008-02-15 05:52 am UTC (link)

Near did follow.

"I wasn't standing still...! At least, I wasn't intending to; I was trying to move, but it's not exactly easy when you're you're trying to go the wrong way through a crowd of several hundred people, you're half their size and you're wearing... this," Near groused, gesturing at the bulky riot gear.

Spending almost all of his life in cotton or linen pyjamas meant that Near was accustomed to being comfortable in his clothing with unrestricted movement. The bullet-proof riot gear was nearly heavy as Near himself, as well as uncomfortable, and worse still, it kept him from being able to move about in his usual fashion.

Much as he appreciated the disguise and additional protection of the uniform, he would be very relieved when they got to the rendezvous point and he could change out it... and if Mello was going to be uncomfortable about Near stripping off in front of him, well, that was his problem. Near did owe him for what he'd just done, and they both knew it, but he would find a way to pay him back at a more suitable hour in the future, preferably when Near was more comfortable and they were less in danger than now.

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burnt_chocolate
2008-02-15 06:18 am UTC (link)

Mello cast a look over his shoulder at Near, taking stock of his vaguely uneasy way of walking with all of those bulky pads on his body. He heaved a sigh and hung back so that Near wouldn't have to rush to keep up with him, even though Mello himself was a great deal more comfortable with wearing and moving around in all kinds of clothes... whether they covered more or less of his body than usual.

"It's all over now anyway." He frowned, tilting his head slightly in a gesture that asked Near to walk alongside him. "We both got out of there just fine, we just have to make sure that we continue to get out of here."

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blank_puzzle
2008-02-15 05:32 pm UTC (link)

"Agreed," Near sighed, shuffling over to him awkwardly and trying to match his pace. "We're nearly there, I think," he added, aware that was really the least of it; they were going to be stuck alone together until they got to the new base. Rester and the others had presumably proceeded to their designated lockup as soon as they'd realized that Near was with Mello going to his, and they would just have to meet at the specified location.

Still, it probably wouldn't be too bad. For all their bitching, he and Mello had somehow managed to find a balance where they could always pull it together when they needed to, when the work needed them to.

They could manage a little longer, right?

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burnt_chocolate
2008-02-15 11:29 pm UTC (link)

Truth be told, Mello was thinking along the very same lines in an inner dialogue with himself, eyes focused sternly ahead as they made way towards the building where the ambulance he'd arranged for would be parked in lockup. Mello was hoping, privately, that there was something fitting for Near to wear on board the ambulance aside from maybe a patient's hospital smock... and God did he hope so, because he could already tell that Near was going to wriggle out of those clothes the second he had the chance.

Even though he was sure that they both knew it, Mello felt a certain need to vocalize things in this eerie silence, with the shouting and helicopter sounds of Kira's hoard not terribly far off in the distance.

"It'll be different flirting without an audience, won't it?" The joke was much too deadpan from the tenseness of their situation, much too frank... but Near pulled that tone on him often enough while joking, and Mello felt that the effort at least was admirable.

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blank_puzzle
2008-02-16 01:38 am UTC (link)

Near appreciated Mello's efforts; he could handle the distraction, and didn't have a very strongly developed sense of what was and wasn't appropriate and when.

"It might," Near said calmly, "but I hope you're not going to take advantage of the opportunity for privacy to demand I pay you back for saving my life with something... kinky." He gave Mello a little grin which he probably couldn't see under the helmet visor, but he figured he would probably get the idea just the same.

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burnt_chocolate
2008-02-16 02:00 am UTC (link)

"Psh-" Mello shot a look at Near, as if he could really see him through the visor anyhow- "The dreams you have about me at night are not a good indication of what I'm actually gonna' do with you, Near."

This couldn't be a more inappropriate situation for this, but it helped lower the stress of this situation well enough. Mello glanced ahead and saw a group of people with signs rounding a corner, and the second he saw the word 'Kira' scrawled in fat permanent marker across the poster board Mello grabbed Near and dragged him behind part of the facade of the nearest building, pinning Near's back against his chest and steering them both as far back into the alley as he could manage.

"Shh shh shh-"

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blank_puzzle
2008-02-16 03:05 am UTC (link)

Near froze as Mello grabbed him, snarky response dying on his lips as he clamped them shut as per Mello's instruction-- not that he had needed it.

He kept absolutely still, waiting until he was sure the stragglers had passed by before letting out a long shaky breath. That had been... quite alarming, and much as he was grateful for Mello's continued intervention and protection, he thought another joke was called for.

"...You know, Mello, if you wanted an excuse to grab at me, you really didn't have to wait until we were in a life or death situation..."

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burnt_chocolate
2008-02-16 03:36 am UTC (link)

It was entirely because of their situation right now, but... Mello had been all-business and completely on edge when the stragglers passed by, and Near's comments seemed so laughably out-of-place now that he could barely believe it.

"Can't get your mind off of that even when we're cheating death?" Mello lowered his head and talked into Near's ear so that they weren't making so much noise, in case the crowd hadn't completely left yet. He wasn't mad at Near, and sounded amused as he spoke- "I'm doing all of the work here, aren't I? If you want it so much, you're gonna' have to do some of the touching yourself." With that, Mello let go of Near and moved to the edge of the alleyway, once again all-business as he tilted his head and carefully listened... and then peered out carefully. The coast was clear.

"Let's just get to the ambulance, alright...?"

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blank_puzzle
2008-02-16 03:46 am UTC (link)

"I was... keeping the mood light?" Near suggested, and it was mostly true.

"But you're right, we should get there as quickly as possible; I'm sure the others are worried about us --me specifically, I was meant to be with them-- and I want to let them know we're all right."

I also want out of this damned suit, he added silently, setting off with Mello again. The sooner the better, preferably.

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burnt_chocolate
2008-02-16 04:12 am UTC (link)

Mello nodded his head mutely, then stepped out of they alleyway and moved ahead with Near following behind. They weren't far off now. "When we get out of here, there will be plenty of time for you to flirt and touch and make kissy faces at me all you like, if that's what you want." Mello rounded a corner, seeing the lockup ahead and turning to gesture for Near to stay close, wanting to get to the lockup quickly but unwilling to divide from Near and leave him vulnerable.

"Come on, we'll key-in, change and get on our way. Thanks to the money diversion the streets are clear enough that we don't have to wait before we drive."

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	blank_puzzle 2008-02-16 06:15 am UTC (link)
	"Kissy faces?" Near asked, leaning against the wall and waiting for Mello to open the door. "Is that what you dream about, Mello?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

burnt_chocolate
2008-02-16 07:06 am UTC (link)

Mello pulled the heavy, padded glove off of his hand so that he could dial-in the security code for the vehicle lockup, frowning intently as he typed away carefully.

"No... when I dream, it's not of stuff like kissy faces." Mello murmured, smiling slightly underneath the cover of his riot mask as the garage doors opened and he moved inside, sighing in some hard to conceal relief at the fact that the ambulance was really there...

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blank_puzzle
2008-02-18 06:53 pm UTC (link)

As soon as the door opened, Near followed Mello inside and shut the door, hugely relieved to be off the streets and inside somewhere at least relatively safe once more. The banter with Mello had been a welcome distraction, but really, Near was happiest when he was somewhere like this-- dark, windowless and safe.

"Are you implying something, Mello?" Near asked, lifting a brow and giving him a teeny grin. He followed him over to the ambulance, breathing a sigh of relied as he unstrapped the helmet and tucked it under his arm as he leaned against the side of the vehicle, waiting for Mello to get it open.

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burnt_chocolate
2008-02-19 08:10 am UTC (link)

It was a bit hard to see in the darkness of the garage lock-up area, and the first thing Mello did was feel the wall for a switch. As soon as he found it, he began a careful check of the two-truck lockup area, touching walls and peering up at the ceilings, making certain that the security cameras were, in fact, unplugged as per his instructions... A thorough check proved that the place was clean, but when Mello turned around to volunteer this fact to Near he found the younger boy to be without his helmet already, leaning against the ambulance and looking harried, but largely unconcerned. Shock flickered across his face, then anger-

"Don't--!" ...but the point was moot, and Mello swallowed his words. They were safe, just... it was disconcerting, that Near hadn't been concerned about removing his helmet like that and, had the place not been secure, he could very well have put himself in danger just now. It gave him the brief, strange feeling that Near must trust him to protect him if anything went wrong-- but that wasn't it. He had to remember, though, that Near was used to being cared for and that Near just wasn't used to being in life or death situations like he was. Near's first instinct would probably not be to suspect betrayal, hidden explosives or other other deadly traps like that.

However...

Mello frowned, reaching up and planting his bare hand on top of Near's head, resting it on his soft white hair and fixing him with a look that was meant to be very serious and arresting but looked much more worried than he would have consciously intended. "--Be more careful, Near."