Light sat at his desk and took out two items. The first was his favorite fountain pen. Its smooth surface felt just right between Light's fingers. He loved writing names with this pen. It was the pen fit for a god, of course he would use to it carry out his godly duties.

He opened the notebook to a new blank page and hovered his writing utensil above its surface. Light really didn't like the idea of doing this. Dr. Takimura didn't even investigate Kira, in fact he was actually the one to make the police pull their support from the task force. He was an innocent person. But killing him was crucial to the case. Without a hostage the kidnappers won't have any bargaining chip. Ending this one life will save so many others.

Light wrote the name in neat letters, both in English and in kanji. He didn't want to spell anything wrong. After forty seconds Light finally closed the notebook. He would have to wait to see what the kidnappers would do next.

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Mello grinned cockily and bit off a piece of chocolate. Everything was going according to plan. He'd kidnapped the head police officer, got him to spill everything he knew, and soon enough he would have the notebook too.

I'll get you, Near. I'll be the one who wins.....

Ever since the day that he left Wammy's House, Mello had been looking for a way to get back at Near. Mello had wanted to be the successor to L, he'd wanted it more than anything in the whole world. But L had not chosen a successor at the time of his death. Their choice was to work together or not work at all.

Of course, Mello took the more rebellious option

At the fiery age of fourteen Mello stormed out of that manor. He joined the American mafia almost three years later. These guys respected him. They took whatever order came to them. Mello loved this power. And soon he'd have Near dancing in the palm of his hand too.

"Boss!" One of the men who was standing guard rushed into the dimly lit parlor, "Takimura is dead! He somehow hung himself with his tie!"

"You idiot! What are we supposed to do with a dead hostage!" Ross fumed, his abnormally large muscles looking more ready to strike by the second.

"No, this will work." Mello interrupted, "We're going to kidnap Soichiro Yagami's daughter, Sayu Yagami. Takimura said that Yagami was the highest in ranking of all the cops on the task force. This'll work. This'll work just fine."

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"We still haven't found any leads on the deputy director or the kidnappers." Aizawa said and typed more information in his computer, "Things are getting pretty weird. They should have contacted us by now with further demands."

"The director of the FBI has offered to help us rescue Takimura." Chief Yagami added, "One of their agents, Larry Conners, paid me a visit yesterday. His credentials check out perfectly. I'm pretty sure we'll be able to trust them."

Light nodded and kept staring at the computer screen in front of him. Takimura should be dead by now. Why haven't the kidnappers called and told them?

Almost as if it was on cue, Chief Yagami's cell phone rang. Aizawa got to work by immediately tracing the call. Everyone else in the task force put their headphones on to listen in.

"Look, about trading the director for the notebook, the deal has been cancelled. Takimura is dead." A sharp voice announced from the other end of the telephone.

"You bastards!" Chief Yagami shouted, "What did you do?"

"It's only cancelled regarding the director," The voice continued, "The new deal is this: The notebook for Sayu Yagami and the girl named Temari."

Matsuda gasped, "They've got Temari and Sayu!"

"Seeing that you're the director of the police, it would be stupid to ask you not to call the cops. But you better handle this on your own. No backup. If I see the police making any big movements I will not hesitate to kill your daughter and her friend just as easily as we killed the director, I'll even send you a photo of Takimura's corpse to prove I mean business. I'll contact you tomorrow." The person on the other end of the phone hung up, leaving the task force speechless.

Ryuk laughed, "Looks like things are getting interesting again."

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"It's okay, Sayu." Temari said quietly and stroked the older girl's hair, "We'll get out of here. I promise. Your father and the rest of the task force will come get us. For now you just have to sleep and wait."

"I'm so scared!" Sayu sobbed, "I don't want to die!"

Temari started to braid Sayu's dark brown hair, "You won't. I'm a member of the task force. I promise that you're not going to die."

That's how the next several hours went. Temari quietly fiddled with Sayu's hair as the hysteric girl pleaded for her life. Temari had already told her that it was useless, the kidnappers weren't going to listen no matter she said. But there was no calming Sayu's panic. She kept screaming until at last she exhausted herself into a deep sleep.

Temari continued to twist and braid the hair around her fingers. The constant and steady movements seemed to help her think. She wasn't about to make an escape plan. For one, she didn't know the building at all. Second, she didn't even think they were still in Japan. The men here spoke English and had American accents. All Temari remembered was walking home from college with Sayu, blacking out, and waking up in this filthy jail cell.

The only thing left was the task force. They would come to get them out. There was no doubt in Temari's mind that Chief Yagami would make the trade. She and Sayu would be set free in exchange for the Death Note. As much as she didn't like that the notebook would be in the hands of the enemy, Sayu's life was more important. Temari just hoped that the task force would come soon. It was obvious that Sayu's good mental health could not be sustained in here for much longer.

"Thank God she finally shut up." A blonde man walked into their cell area, a bar of chocolate between his teeth. Mello, she remembered. When she first woke up she had seen him. The other men referred to him as Mello.

Mello pulled up a chair and sat directly in front of the metal bars separating them. He smirked and bit off another piece of chocolate, "So, Sayu's little friend, I haven't heard you plea for your life once. If you're thinking that your lack of struggling will earn you special treatment; you're wrong."

Temari shook her head, "That's not at all what I was thinking. I don't beg and plead for my life simply because I have nothing to live for."

"Nothing to live for?" Mello snorted, "Dumb kid. You have plenty of things to live for. It's stupid and selfish to say that you would just throw it all away."

"You don't know who I have lost." Temari said slowly, "You don't know a thing about me, Mello."

"That's it!" The blonde man pulled out a pistol and aimed at Sayu's sleeping form, "One more word and I'll shoot her."

Temari positioned herself so she was covering Sayu, protecting her with her very life, "I know you're after the notebook."

Mello fired two shots. One missed the pair entirely, the other grazed Temari's cheek, leaving a trail of blood streaming down her face.

"You will get the notebook." Temari said calmly despite the crimson patches on her face and neck, "Chief Yagami will go through with the trade and you will get the item you desire. But not for long. We will come back and we will come prepared. And when that does happen, you will not survive."

Mello went to fire the gun again but discovered that he was out of bullets. He swore and threw the now useless weapon on the ground.

"You little smartass." He mumbled and kicked the gun, "Not even worth the trouble."

"Ryuzaki-I mean L-Told me some things about you, Mello." Temari called after the man who was slowly walking out of the room.

Mello stopped in his tracks, "What did you say?"

"L said that you and Near were his successors." She continued, "I got a letter too. My letter is U."

"You're U?" He went back to the cell, pressing his palms against the bars, "L told us that he met a girl named U while working on the Kira investigation. He said that U was the missing piece. U would determine who would be his official successor." Mello looked the girl up and down, "Maybe you're not so useless after all. You know, I could keep you around for a while."

Temari stood up so she was facing Mello at eye level, "But what about the deal? You told Chief Yagami that you would trade Sayu and I for the notebook."

"I'll just shorten the deal by one person." Mello shrugged, "Any father would pick his own daughter over a coworker he barely knows."

"What if I don't agree to stay here?"

"I'll kill Sayu right in front of her father's eyes."

Temari nodded, knowing that without a doubt Mello would do exactly as he said, "If that's the case, I agree. But only on three conditions: I get food, a room with a lock, and none of the other men here can touch me without my permission."

Mello chuckled, "Wow princess, you're used to luxury, aren't you? I'll agree to your conditions as long as you go along with mine. You are to find Near for me. He has something that I would like back. If news of our agreement leaks to the task force I will find you and kill you. As long as your mouth stays shut you will stay alive."

"It's a deal."

Temari shook hands with the slightly older man, his eyes sparkling with anticipation. "I'm looking forward to working with you, U."

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anyway i fUCKING LOVE MELLO

that is all i have to say for today

QOTD: least favorite death note character?

i personally didn't like rem.  idk i just didn't connect with her.