End Transmission

AN: thank the lovely Dlvvanzor (FFN) for betaing this chapter for me!

Suggested Listening: Angry Johnny by Poe; Ihmisten edessä by Jenni Vartiainen (last portion written mostly to this. yes I do know a rough translation of what the song means, and no it has nothing to do with this chapter lol)

Chapter Nine: Scream

They had been given that night to pack their things as they would leave the next day; Mr. Wammy had told them to pack whatever they would need for a while as it wasn't certain how long they would be gone.

And that, in Matt's mind, had set off warning bells. Any case with L generally didn't take that long.

He had told Mello as much and the blond agreed, the only one they couldn't talk to was Near, who would have been an idiot to come to their room that night, especially with Mr. Wammy and possibly L on the prowl.

Everything they couldn't live without they decided to keep on their persons; that way if things turned out badly they could just up and run. There was no guarantee that anything was wrong, just a feeling and too many things connecting for Matt to be at ease.

And paranoia spread easily.

.

.

That morning, Matt watched as Mello paced the length of their room, worry etched into his features. He almost regretted telling his friend the night before. But it wouldn't have been right to keep it from him.

"Matt, what if-"

"Mello, stop. You're making yourself crazy. Thinking of ways for things to go wrong isn't going to stop them from going wrong, should something come up. If it isn't actually to help with choosing his successor then we'll deal with it as we go along." He stared at the blond who seemed trapped in his gaze and, with a sigh, went back to his game.

He doubted he would be able to play much of them on the trip.

He heard the soft mutters begin but reframed from saying anything. If Mello wanted to pray who was Matt to tell him to stop? If it comforted him and made him stop acting crazy then all the better.

A sharp knock on the door made him pause. Mello had looked up from the rosary that was clenched in his fingers; deftly he shoved it back under his shirt and straightened up. Matt watched him stride across the room and wrench open the door with the wildest look of excitement Matt had seen.

He couldn't believe Mello had managed to shove his worry away that quickly.

"Good morning. Are the both of you ready to leave?" Mr. Wammy asked kindly, though there was still something off with him. Mello nodded enthusiastically and ran to get his bags though, as his eyes briefly locked with Matt, the redhead saw his expression waver.

Matt stuffed his game into his pocket and dragged on his jacket before he grabbed his things and waited while Mello fumbled with his own jacket, looking a picture of an overexcited chocoholic.

When he was done, Matt followed the blond out of the room and they both followed Mr. Wammy. Matt ignored the curious stares- or the envious glares- of those who had already found out. If only they knew the entire story they might not be so unhappy with them.

Near inclined his head ever so slightly when he spotted them. So slightly, in fact, that Matt doubted he would have noticed had he not spent the last few days with the boy. "I wish that brat didn't have to come!" Mello snarled harshly as he glared at Near. It was laughable really, how much of an act Mello's aggression towards Near had become.

Matt just hoped that no one else could see through it.

Mr. Wammy ushered them through the doors and Matt couldn't help the feeling that he was walking out those doors for the last time. He wasn't sad per say, more like anxious. Near went around the other side of the car, the left side, to get in as Mello had pulled open the door closet to himself and had gotten inside.

Mr. Wammy gave him a smile and nodded for him to follow while he placed their luggage in the trunk, where it could be locked in. Matt hoped everything was just the product of a paranoia-induced environment and nothing more.

If not, he was glad he had a few of his games on him as he would probably never see that luggage again.

He sat next to Mello and shut the door, keeping it unlocked. As they put their seatbelts on, Mr. Wammy, as he started the car, pressed the lock button and all the doors simultaneously locked.

He and Mello exchanged a glance and he knew Mello was even more anxious than before. It was hard not to be in that situation, though Matt knew that keeping a level head was key. Mr. Wammy left the privacy window down and Matt wished he wouldn't; then they might be able to relax just a bit, and perhaps even plan.

Instead he turned a game on, though his gaze was locked to the world outside the tinted car windows, not that anyone would have been able to tell through his goggles. He watched the trees as they passed by as tall blurred shapes.

He wondered if they would even stay in England. Mr. Wammy hadn't really told them anything other than they would be traveling to L. It was the lack of information that continued to bother him.

He didn't know for how long they had been traveling but the trees had morphed into buildings and the blades of grass into stone walkways and wandering people. And a place for Mr. Wammy to stop and get something at the gas station, something he had forgotten before apparently.

Which incidentally worked in their favor.

"Mr. Wammy, I have to go to the bathroom, I'll be right back." The aging man eyed him for a moment before he smiled and nodded.

"That's fine, just hurry back. You will have lunch as soon as I am finished here. I am afraid it will be a traveling lunch as we do have a schedule to keep." Matt felt just a little wearier at those words.

"Matt, I'm coming, too. Near, stay here, I want a few moments without you there to irritate me," Mello snapped at the younger boy.

"I will not. I have to relieve myself as well," Near stated bluntly. Mello scoffed.

"What eleven-year-old says 'relieve myself'? Damn freak!"

Matt smiled a little as they bickered all the way to the restrooms, as the barbs were more in fun now than anything. What had once been heated was now said in hidden amusement between them.

The second they were inside the three of them fell into silence as Mello quickly checked the stalls and they moved over to the sinks to talk. It was safer to be away from the door where it was easier to be overheard.

"I believe that if we stay with him we will be in a dire situation sooner rather than later," Near told them, his fingers curled around a piece of his hair. He shifted in his standing and Matt had to wonder if his hip was bothering him.

"Definitely," Mello muttered in return. Matt nodded, as words were not necessary. "We should leave now while he's still in there-" they all froze as the door began to open and Matt darted into one of the stalls and quickly closed the door in a quiet manner.

It would look just a bit suspicious for all of them to be standing around the sinks.

"Matt, hurry up! I'm tired of standing with this freak!" Mello growled and Matt knew for certain that it was Mr. Wammy who had come inside. He frowned. The man had to have known they would be up to something, otherwise he would have waited for them to return to the car, L's successors or not.

He flushed the toilet and took the appropriate amount of time before opening the door and walking in his usual casual way to the sinks where he washed his hands. He supposed it was a good idea as simply touching anything in a bathroom lead to unwanted germs.

"Come along boys," Mr. Wammy told them as he led them from the restroom. The mustached old man had a smile on his face, though Matt was certain he'd never seen him smile quite that much before. It was like it was forced, or he was trying to disarm them or something.

He probably was, Matt decided.

"Your lunches are already waiting for you in the car. I also took the liberty of opening your drinks for you." Cup holders were now visible, open soda cans sitting innocently next to prepackaged sandwiches; ones that it appeared had been bought from the store.

Matt knew for certain that something had been done to the drinks, and it wouldn't have taken a genius to figure it out, either. They wouldn't have been opened otherwise. The problem was what.

Matt had never been good with identifying poisons and such in class but knew that whatever was in there probably wouldn't kill them. He hoped. Matt stayed silent even as Mello hummed his thanks and Near inclined his head. He even managed to not so much as glance when Mello tore into his sandwich and took a heaping bite.

It wasn't the sandwich that was drugged...

The car started with a small lurch and Near accidently spilled the soda he had just picked up, and Matt didn't fail to notice the slight change of Mr. Wammys expression from the rear-view-mirror.

"Near, you clumsy twit! You got soda on me!" Mello snarled, and only then did Matt make any movements outside of his game he had brought back out. He gently took hold of Mello's thin wrist before he could strike Near, not that Mello actually would have; it was just all part of their not-so-carefully crafted image.

There was no doubt in Matt's mind now, from the look Mr. Wammy had inadvertently given, that someone knew about what they had uncovered. But Mr. Wammy might not know they had figured out they weren't safe, so it was best to keep appearances.

"Near, you can have half of mine. I wouldn't have drunk all of it anyway," he said whilst pretending to take a sip of his soda. Mello stared, open mouthed at him, and then his gaze flipped back and forth between himself and Near.

"What the hell Matt? Don't share your drink with him he doesn't deserve it!" the blond hissed and attempted to yank his arm back from Matt's grasp, to no avail. Matt leaned across Mello's lap and handed the soda to Near, who held it carefully.

"Give that back, sheep!" Mello lunged and there was a soft sigh from the front of the car before the privacy window was rolled up to leave them in quiet.

"Mello, don't strangle him!" Matt said loudly and when the window didn't come back down he figured Mr. Wammy wasn't listening, at least not for the moment. He released Mello's wrist and removed himself from his position of being draped over his friend's lap.

"He probably got annoyed with all your yelling," he commented at Mello with a smile. Mello merely smirked and looked pleased with himself, until the situation came back full force and he scowled.

"I think it's a sleeping drug, any other suggestions?" he asked quietly. They were all silent for a moment before seemingly deciding on Matt's theory.

Near began to search, almost silently, through the compartments for what Matt thought was a place to dump the reminder of the sodas. "Near," he called softly. And just in case Mr. Wammy was listening, pointed to the spot on the floor where he had accidently spilled his own soda.

It had already seeped into the mat but there was still a dark spot in plain view.

"If they don't look too closely it will appear to just be yours," he continued in no more than a whisper. Near nodded and slowly emptied the entirety of the can onto the spot and placed it by his own empty one.

Mello made to do the same and when it was almost completely empty Matt stopped him. Mello looked at him questioningly. "You never finish all of your soda. It will look odd if you do so now." The blond's eyes widened fractionally and Matt was given a large smile in return.

"What do we do now? We can't just jump out of the car, even if we wanted to. The damn doors are locked." he hissed dangerously as he set the mostly empty can in his own cup holder.

That was the question of the day, wasn't it?

And yet Matt knew there was really only one option. An option that none of them liked.

"We wait," he muttered. Mello shot him a look of incredulity for a moment, and even Near had looked up, before the blonde's shoulders had slumped in defeat. There was no need to voice anything more. They had no other choice.

They had no idea of knowing how quick the drug was supposed to take before they were expected to be asleep, but Mello had suggested it was probably slow acting as it would end up keeping them asleep longer as well as not alarm them during the process.

He was probably correct.

Near was the first to pretend, slumping against the door, robot dangling from his grip, as his immune system was weak and the drugs would have affected him first; or so the albino had said.

A while later Mello had curled up against the redheads side with his eyes closed. Matt had stayed watchful for a short amount of time later before leaning into Mello in such a way that he was being propped up by him.

Matt hoped the three of them could pull off being drugged.

Mello's soft breaths, though Matt knew he had not actually fallen asleep, were enough to relax him. At least until the privacy window was rolled down again. It wasn't a loud sound by any means. But in the absolute silence of the car it was like nails on a chalkboard.

There was a long moment of utter silence before a very faint dialing sound. "The three of them are asleep. I will be arriving there soon." There was no more to the conversation, if it could have even be called that, before the telltale snap suggested the phone had been shut.

Mello felt stiff against him, tense, and he could feel the blond's pulse speed up. Matt knew his own probably wasn't much better.

He couldn't accurately tell the passage of time, had no way of knowing how long they'd been in there prior to their first stop, so when the car was finally pulled to a stop it felt as though they had been traveling for days.

Near's door was opened first and the albino was instantly scooped up into Mr. Wammy's arms and taken somewhere. He felt Mello flinch against him as the door was slammed shut and they could hear the footsteps as they circled the car and stopped at Matt's door.

Matt made sure he was limp in Mr. Wammy's arms as he was pulled from the car, Mello crumpling to the seat without his body to keep him in place. It must have looked natural as Mr. Wammy didn't spend another second there and instead continued on.

With his goggles Matt was able to keep his eyes open a small bit to watch the surroundings. They were in an area with what looked like mostly run-down or out of business places. His heart sank. Just what in the world was planned for them?

He was carried up a set of stairs and brought into a room and placed harshly on the dirty floor beside Near. Well more like dropped, but he didn't cry out despite his shoulder smarting something awful.

When the footsteps retreated he opened his eyes to see Near gazing at him with something akin to pain in his eyes. He must have hit his hip on the floor. They stayed quiet though and quickly shut their eyes the moment the footsteps returned and Mello was dropped to the floor.

There was the soft sound of something being popped open and suddenly Matt felt the sensation of something being poured on him, though whatever it was his jacket did a good job of keeping it from seeping through.

It was odorless and his brain couldn't supply an answer as to what it was.

Matt knew that it was probably being dumped over Mello and Near as well, and despite the nagging thought in the corner of his mind telling him he should know what this was, he just couldn't grasp it.

Soft splashing sounds, of the liquid hitting the wood floor they were on Matt supposed, and then the footsteps retreated again, after they had paused by the doorway and a soft click echoed throughout the room. He listened as the sounds made their way down to the ground floor and after a short while the car roared quietly to life and drove off... or at least he assumed drove off as the engine sound had gotten quieter, but not that of having been turned off.

He immediately opened his eyes and sat up to Mello attempting to wipe something off his face and neck with an irritated sigh; probably whatever had been poured all over them. Near simply sat there, his shirt and pants battered with the liquid.

That was when the odd smell of smoke hit him. He stood up and went to the only window in the room, and at first he couldn't see anything, but then the faint, flickering orange glow and trail of liquid splotches down the steps had him inhale sharply.

"The building is on fire," he managed to croak out.

"What?" Mello shouted, and he came running to the window, nearly shoving Matt out of the way. Matt couldn't blame him, he was shocked too. Though he wasn't sure why, really.

Matt looked back to Near only to find him gone; he turned fully around and found the albino at the door attempting to open it to no avail. They had been locked in. Left to burn.

"Move, Near," Matt told the younger boy, who complied with a noticeable limp. The door was indeed locked, as Matt tried it, but it was an old door with an even older lock. Or maybe they weren't old so much as just very worn.

He braced a foot on the door and tugged. He heard the creaking but it wasn't enough, he didn't have enough strength-

Mello wrapped his arms around him and Matt knew that somehow, it would be enough. He tried again, on the count of an unspoken one, two, three, and time seemed to slow for an incredibly long amount of time, and just as Matt was certain they'd have to find another way and turned the handle to let go, it gave way and he and Mello were flung backwards.

He crashed hard into Mello, though he was sure it was worse for the blond who had taken the brunt of the fall, and watched as the doorknob clattered in the other direction and the door moved. They had busted the lock in the process.

Near pulled the door open and a soft veil of smoke greeted them. Matt scrambled to his feet and rushed into the hallway to find the stairs. The stairs were filled with the smoke, though it held an even more acrid smell to it that he'd thought.

He turned to look at Mello and Near and knew, just like he should have, that what was on their clothes had to be some sort of accelerant for the flames. They had been meant to burn to death, become charred corpses, and left unidentifiable by any means.

They already didn't have records, as L's heirs couldn't exist, but L obviously didn't want the police to look too heavily into children's deaths either. Though why they didn't just kill them and bury them at Wammy's...

Well perhaps for the same reason. If their bodies had been discovered on the grounds, perhaps not even L's influence would have been enough to keep away the trouble or rumors.

They looked at each other for an instant before they were tugging at their clothing, feeling at the pieces that were affected. Matt tossed his jacket into the corner, it being the only thing on him soaked. The fabric of it had been resilient enough to keep it from seeping through to the shirt underneath. Near had put on no sort of jacket beforehand, having not owned one, and so his shirt was removed though he refused to take of his pants which held splotches of the liquid on it. Matt wasn't about to argue.

Mello had gotten rid of his sweatshirt, with a soft grin that suggested he was satisfied he was alright with the clothing underneath. Matt could just see Near's expression change to something indignant, probably at the fact he was the only one of them shirtless. That's what he got for not wearing a jacket...

Matt's goggle-covered eyes scanned the room, as well as picturing the height of the window from the ground and mentally calculating the distance. They couldn't jump from the second floor, as it was too high up, and there was no fire escape to use by the window. Their only hope was the stairs- it was either jump to their possible deaths, sit and wait to burn, or try to escape. And as Matt looked at them, he knew they also understood the options.

It was the last one by unspoken agreement.

He heard Mello muttering softly and touching the spot he knew the rosary to be hidden under. He took the blond's free hand as he gently pushed Near towards the door. If they didn't hurry they wouldn't be able to go even if they wanted to.

He let go of Mello as he ushered them down the smoke-filled stairs- the only problem, the bottom few steps had already caught fire. His heart was pounding in his chest, his throat burning with the effort of just breathing, but still he searched hopelessly through the white.

There was the glow of orange almost everywhere.

Almost everywhere.

Off to right side, for whatever reason, perhaps the flames not having reached some sort of metal obstruction or something partially resistant to flame, was clear of orange. Matt hoped it meant there was no fire.

"Jump to the right, there's no fire!" and he hoped he wasn't telling them a lie. But still they stood still. And the flames crept higher. "Jump!" he hissed as the next step was engulfed.

Matt could make out Near's form as he hesitated, at least until Mello gave him a small push. There was a pained yelp, and Matt supposed Near had landed badly. "It's clear. Matt was correct," the albino shouted over the near-deafening roar of fire.

Near began to cough violently and Matt hoped the albino would be alright. "Go," he muttered to Mello. And Mello jumped. Matt jumped hardly a second after him. He lingered in the air for what seemed too long before his knee connected harshly with the floor and his teeth went through his lip.

He didn't have time to worry over it as the most agonized scream stilled his heart and left him gasping for breath. He watched for half a second, the brightness of the flames giving more light and heat then he was comfortable with, as Mello caught fire.

He had rolled too much after his landing and gone straight into the flames. The lingering accelerant on his face and clothes caught fire immediately. He shrieked, louder if possible, and Matt hardly recognized the pain in his knee as he was by Mello's side in an instant and dragging him from the flames that sent shivers of heat down his spine and left him sweating.

He patted at Mello to quell the flames. The ones on his face were the last to go out, but Matt was simply glad they had. He coughed, chest clenching in agony, and knew they had been in there for too long.

The flames crept along what Matt found to be stone underneath them in a line that lead towards them. The entire place would be engulfed soon. Bits of the ceiling had already flaked off and thick smoke choked the air around them.

He pulled Mello up, and despite the heavy way Mello leaned on him, the blond walked with him. He brushed against Near by accident and tugged the boy along with him, and though he couldn't see much, he followed the path away from the stairs that was free of fire.

He hoped that the stone was some sort of decorative slate placed near the door and that he wasn't leading them into a corner. He heard the screams of fire engines and the loud wail of an ambulance that he wished they didn't need.

Near grabbed onto his arm and Matt was free to search for a door. His hand jerked back as his fingers brushed against heated metal, but after probing it a bit further it was a handle. He didn't think of any possible consequences to his actions and yanked it open.

The light outside was blinding and he pushed Near foreword as Mello's legs buckled almost sending himself and the blond to the floor as he lost consciousness. He took a moment to steady himself under Mello's complete weight.

He took a tentative step down the first step, eager to reach Near who was at the third out of six. Matt tripped as Mello's weight forced him foreword too quickly.

"Matt please hurry-" Near was cut off as fire exploded around them, windows bursting from the pressure and Matt couldn't help but be thankful that Mello had dragged them down and away from the flames even as they tumbled down the steps to land in a pile on the concrete below.

He couldn't breathe correctly. He took gasping breaths as he sat up. Things were a sudden blur as shapes surrounded him- firemen, his foggy brain supplied for him. Mello was being pulled in a different direction and he fought to keep from being separated.

He was disorientated. Voices and sounds faded in and out, the only constant being the dull roar of the fire. He fingered the goggles on his face and found them to be completely cracked, the lenses barely hanging in place.

He had broken them.

It explained why he couldn't see.

In his fight to stay with Mello his eyes locked on another firefighter, the image becoming clearer the closer he got. In his arms was Near, his pale skin covered in soot and his pants no better. The only visible side of his face was bloody and covered in cuts and Matt felt sick and worried and completely overwhelmed.

He was suddenly, gently, tugged in the same direction as the unconscious blond; the emergency workers finally realizing he would not be pried from his friend's side. He lost sight of Near as he and the fireman carrying him became a blur again.

He was lifted up into what he assumed was the ambulance and a mask was forced over his mouth and he could breathe again. He took gulps of the fresh air and didn't pay any attention to the questions he was being bombarded with over the shouting of Mello's vitals.

He wouldn't have been able to answer, either.

He couldn't get his mind to stop spinning long enough to form any thoughts other than 'please let them live, please let them live.'

If he could. Matt would have screamed.

-End Scream-

AN: So now you know why it was called scream. Awesome cliffhanger right? Right? Somewhat similar to Choices though i think it is vastly different in way. Heheheh as will be the end result. Muwhahaha.

Those who've read Choices know what I am capable of doing to my characters... they are probably freaking out now. :)