Walls Came Tumbling Down

Mello had slept fretfully during the night, unsettled by the pain and the unfamiliar environment. But at least he now knew why his mind was so slow. He'd questioned a nurse, who'd come in to help him use the toilet in the night. He'd told Mello that his pain-killers had a morphine base. Mello requested that he be taken off it, but the nurse had explained that was a conversation for the doctor. Mello had managed a bit of sleep after that, but he still felt exhausted now. Nevertheless, and with a lot of effort and grim determination, Mello was sitting up in bed. His outlook already felt a little improved.

"Good morning." Hal arrived alone for the morning visiting session. Mello awarded her a wan smile. "How are you feeling today?"

"Morning." He held a pen weakly in his hand. He hadn't written a word on the pad in front of him. "Have I scared Deontic away for good?"

Hal sat down and inhaled. Her shoulders rose and fell. "You did lay into her the other day. Play nicely with the other children and you might make more friends." She opened her carrier bag and extracted five Cadbury's Bourneville chocolate bars. "Are you on solids now?"

"Yes." Mello replied, brightening. He dropped the pen and slowly reached for them. His shattered ribs protested any sudden movements. Hal took pity on him and brought them to his side. "You are a very wonderful woman. Thank you." He received a chocolate bar and made to unwrap it with his teeth. Hal took it off him and returned it with the foil folded back. He watched as she took out a couple of magazines and a Suduko puzzle book. He gave her a beatific smile. "I'm ready to hear about when Mail got his present."

"Are you now?" Hal poured him a fresh glass of water, while she was up, then resumed her seat. "The mission was successful. Stephen said that the first shop had no idea what he was talking about, and the girl behind the counter looked at him like he was a freak. He said that was particularly galling, because she was sitting on a stool shaped like a three foot dildo."

Mello choked a laugh. He immediately froze with pain and grit his teeth. Hal winced, but there was little she could do about it. Mello caught his breath and willed himself to relax. He gruffly replied, "Sounds like something out of a sick version of 'Alice in Wonderland'."

"The second shop was out of stock, but said that they could get some in. Stephen had just got out of the door, when another customer came running after him. The conversation had been overheard and this man represented a hardcore S&M group, based in Ealing, West London. Stephen politely declined the invitation, but this individual didn't want to take no for an answer. He followed him for several yards up the street, trying to find out if Stephen was a dominant or a submissive. What made this even worse is that the man spoke with a thick, foreign accent, which made it difficult to catch what he was saying the first time." She smiled at Mello's Puckish smirk. "Stephen finally shook him off by stopping two patrolling constables and saying that he would like to report an harassment. The man took off like a shot. Stephen thanked the officers and walked about a mile in a circle, before finding another hardcore sex shop." She paused.

Mello bit his lip. "Oh no. What happened?"

"He entered the shop. The slave contracts were right there on a shelf. He took two, paid for them and left without incident."

Mello grinned. "I bet he loves me." He relaxed further, now that he knew Hal wasn't going to make him laugh again. "And Mail?"

"Your husband became possibly the only person in history to be overjoyed at being informed that he is now a slave." Hal wrinkled her forehead. "Each to their own, within the law." She didn't share Gevanni's observation that Matt had been like Gollum with his Precious. "He's apparently been working on it, though he's using a plain piece of paper, with much crossings out, so not to ruin the original before he's ready."

Mello glanced guiltily at the empty pad on his lap. "I'm finding it hard to think straight."

"Surely a perennial problem?" She rolled her eyes as Mello frowned. "Play on the word 'straight'?"

"Ha ha?" Mello took another bite from his chocolate and let his head loll back to savour it. Even this effort was nearly too much for him. "Would you please thank Stephen on my behalf? I will repay his service, when I am back on my feet." He carefully lowered his hand onto the bed. "And would you please also extend my apologies to my over-sensitive foster sister, Deontic? Tell her that I'm a first degree asshole and I feel utterly wretched about what I said to her." He swallowed the chocolate melting on his tongue. "What did I say to her?"

Hal frowned. "You practically accused her of plotting to murder Matt, and working to her own political agenda."

Mello took a bigger chunk of chocolate this time, to make it worth the effort of getting his hand all of the way up to his mouth. He spoke raggedly around it. "I think I'm now well enough for a full apprisal of the political agendas at play here. Who took Mail? Who's keeping him there and why? And what are all of the conflicting intentions regarding his future? Because I doubt that there is an accord."

"Remind me to check that my current generation of children are being taught never to speak with their mouths full." Hal replied. "Because the previous lot apparently weren't."

Mello stared at her, his eyes piercing. With half of the chocolate still dangling between his teeth, he said, "Stalling for time."

"I arrested Mail." Hal waited, but there was no explosion. Mello just gave a minute nod and waited for her to go on. "But he didn't resist arrest. The agreed, signed and ratified Resolution is keeping him in there." She reached into her inside jacket pocket and pulled out a folded sheet of A4 paper. "I've taken to carrying it around, as I'm being called on it about once an hour. Your official copy has been posted to your PO Box address by the way."

"Thank you." Mello sucked in another quarter of his chocolate.

Hal proffered the Resolution. "Have you memorised this or do you need to read it?"

Mello's eyes felt heavy. "Read me the articles relevant to mine and Mail's situation."

"There are general clauses early on which apply, basically saying that Matt isn't going to be discriminated against with regards to his gender, nationality, race etc." She glanced at Mello, but he indicated with a flicker of his eyes for her to go on. "All of that is taken as read. Article 16 covers my duty of care towards you. You've asked me if you can be transferred to Wammy's House infirmary. 16i grants you this as a right of sanctuary. I was looking into doing it anyway, but this says that I can't refuse you." She read aloud, verbatim, "'i, The Wammy's House shall be designated a sanctuary for all alumni. No alumni seeking help may be turned away or detained; all feuds between alumni must be disregarded within this neutral territory. Exception may only be made if the premises and its residents are endangered by said alumni.'"

"Who's there?" Mello was on his last square of chocolate. He contrived to keep it hidden inside his mouth, as he asked. "Who's there who I need to be neutral with?"

"Currently I believe that only Luigi is in residence. But if you return, then I'll be with you, so Luigi can go home, if he so wishes."

Mello nodded. "Fenian gone home?"

Hal hesitated. "We assume so."

"But wherever he is, it's not Wammy's?"

"No." Hal consulted her print-out again. "But if he was to also claim sanctuary while you're there, he's equally entitled, and this says that you will behave like little angels there." She didn't even look at him. "Article 21 is about healthcare. It's supposed to be world-class, but the ink isn't dry on this yet. It's Madeleine and some excellent facilities, with many top consultants on stand-by through L's contacts. Hurry up and assign me the budget and world-class will follow."

Mello sighed. "Just take what you need. You shouldn't be haggling over money with what that place brings in. As long as you keep the kids out, I'll consider it world-class."

"Article 22 says that I've got to arrange for a psychiatric evaluation of you."

"No, it doesn't." Mello replied, with his eyes closed. "It drops the children in it, but keeps the alumni well out. We just get the free healthcare on the line above."

Hal frowned, looking across at him. "So you do have this memorised."

"Nope. Just the parts I thought might come back to bite me in the ass." Mello opened his eyes. "And Mail is too old for article 30."

Hal's gaze dropped to that. It protected the children from sexual exploitation and abuse. "Hilarious, Mello." She took a deep breath. "Mail's circumstances are outlined in article 32." She waited while Mello raised his head and paid full attention. "He cannot be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Given who it is, that will probably come as a disappointment, but we'll let you off the slave contract."

Mello didn't look impressed. "Read."

"Sorry." Hal flashed her palm at him. "I misjudged the mood and I apologise."

"Fine. Just read."

"He can't be incarcerated in state penal institutions, only Watari cells. Which is where he is right now." She swallowed. "I'll read the next as it's written, 'No person under the age of 18 should be imprisoned, unless as a last resort and then only for the shortest possible period of time.'" She met and held Mello's gaze. There was neither warmth nor give in his eyes. They were as hard as diamonds. She looked for compassion or compromise and found none.

Mello blinked first, which was a measure of his exhaustion. He spoke with biting precision. "It doesn't apply. Mail is 21."

"You know precisely why I read it out." Hal countered. "And it is going to become relevant to someone very quickly. We both know that Chrissie fought tooth and nail for that clause. She is representing Neuron too."

"Conflict of interests. She can't stand for both Mail and Neuron, as one is obviously going to be used to set a precedent for the other."

Hal nodded. "Regardless of who represents them, that's going to happen anyway."

There was no trace of tiredness in Mello's demeanour now. He gave the impression that he could spring into action at any moment. Only a dullness in his usually bright eyes betrayed him. "Is that the angle here? Use Mail to create the precedents, then get Neuron through by following them?" Mello watched her like a hawk. Hal shook her head. Mello pressed on. "Abducting Mail in order to get Neuron off a charge of abducting Mail."

"They are both in there on charges related to first degree murder. Attempted murder in Mail's case. Whoever gets tried first sets the precedent, because it is the first. Chrissie has prepared for both; or she's in the process of preparing. Matt's dragging his feet on giving a full statement on his own case, let alone being interviewed about Neuron's."

Mello held her gaze again for several long moments. Then he nodded. "Read on to the end. Then we'll discuss it."

Hal ground her teeth, pensively skimming through the remaining articles, before reading them aloud, "Article 32.1c: None shall be imprisoned without possibility of release and should be deemed innocent until proven guilty." She looked up, but Mello was impassively listening and gave nothing away. Hal went on, "Article 32.1d: Every person deprived of liberty shall be treated with humanity and respect for the inherent dignity of the human person, and in a manner which takes into account the needs of persons of his or her age. In particular, every child deprived of liberty shall be separated from adults unless it is considered in the child's best interest not to do so and shall have the right to maintain contact with his or her peers through correspondence and visits, save in exceptional circumstances."

"Neuron legally cannot be anywhere near Mail."

"He's in a totally different wing." Hal considered explaining the whole lay-out of the building, but Mello gestured for her to carry on. "Article 32.1e: Every person deprived of liberty should have the right to prompt access to legal and other appropriate assistance, as well as the right to challenge the legality of the deprivation of his or her liberty before the Board of Directors, excepting those members unable to form an independent and impartial authority, and to a prompt decision on any such action. And finally, article 32.1f: Rehabilitation and education should be paramount for those incarcerated in L's cells." She watched Mello nod and let his head drop back against the pillow that was propped behind him. "Well?"

"I would like to challenge the legality of the deprivation of Mail's liberty before the Board of Directors." Mello stared up at the ceiling. "The premise being that no-one has officially levied any charge against him. His 'victim' isn't prosecuting. It cannot be a police prosecution, as it's been conceptually established that the police have no jurisdiction in this court. Therefore the onus must be upon the Board of Directors to charge him. That meeting has not taken place. No motion has been raised. No views have been canvassed and no votes collated and counted. Mail and I cast against. That leaves only the remaining Board members, who really should think very, very carefully before deciding if they really want to be the name beside that motion."

"Finished?" Hal asked, as he finally drew breath.

"Yes."

"I raised the motion when I arrested him. You were unconscious and everyone else voted to let it happen, including Matt."

Mello scowled. "Mail actually said 'yes'?"

"Not verbally, but he presented himself both here and at the other end for incarceration, and he got into the damned helicopter." Hal sighed.

"Right." Mello's eyes narrowed. "So you basically said, in whatever words, shall I arrest him? And everyone agreed that you should, including my husband's non-verbal communication."

"Yes."

Mello smiled, "Then back to my original point. I would like to challenge the legality of the deprivation of Mail's liberty before the Board of Directors." He began again the difficult task of raising his chocolate bearing hand to his mouth. "That was just the arrest, not the broader spectrum."

Hal bowed her head. "Mello."

"If you could please arrange for a laptop, with webcam and audio enabled, to be brought in, then I will defend this challenge myself. I would also be intrigued to note who will prosecute it, if they don't wish to let him go so easily."

"You know damn well that it will be Near." Hal snapped. "And if you fail, I'm not saying that you will, but if you do, it will be awkward as Hell." She glared at him, but Mello just stared stonily back. "And it will delay the actual trial."

"How's this proposed," his tone dropped into scathing proportions, "trial," and returned to normal, "actually happening?"

Hal forced a frustrated smile, "That is the million dollar question of the hour. Because you spent a year arguing about the darned wording of the thing, without once putting in the infrastructure to support it. I know why. It's because an infrastructure would mean that Neuron could finally get his trial. Whereas waiting for ratification could allow for yet further delays. Sorry, Mello, but that just bit you too."

Mello slowly blinked. "Right. So." He nibbled on a corner of his chocolate. "Ok. So we can't do this over the internet, because that's too easily corrupted. People could be passing e-mails or chatting away in messenger, making a mockery of an open and fair trial. No. Everyone gets recalled from wherever they've slunk away to and we sit in a room somewhere. Mail's in the dock. Chrissie thinks she's defending. Near prosecutes. An attempt is going to be made to subpoena me for testimony. That's half the Board out for a start. Arguably Fenian, Deontic and Century should also be witnesses, as they were privy to the circumstantial environment which led up to the incident. This leaves Salvo, Linda and Luigi as judge and jury. I will, of course, immediately make a plea that Salvo cannot hold that position, while his wife is the defending lawyer. That is too open to judgment bias. Luigi and Linda." Mello bit into his chocolate. "Ok. Bring it on. Arrange it for tomorrow and can you get me Luigi on the 'phone to start please? I wish to speak with him."

Hal grit her teeth. "I'm just the messenger here. I don't have this jurisdiction."

Mello chewed a whole square of chocolate in one go. "Yes you do. You're Watari."

"You are not using my 'phone to threaten Luigi."

Mello nodded. "I would like to claim sanctuary, at Wammy's House, with immediate effect, under article 16.1 of the Resolution, please, Watari."

Hal sighed in exasperation and turned away. "Alright." She turned back, with the palm of one hand bouncing off the up-stretched fingertips of the other. "Time out. Time out now. No more games. You're being a douche."

"How am I?" Mello asked. "I followed the letter of the Resolution."

"And if that's what you're going to press for, then I'm duty-bound to carry out your requests, but you're being a child, Mello."

Injured pride radiated from the Slav. "I'm pursuing my available options to get my husband returned, as he was taken without my permission." His eyes locked onto hers. "And I'm not laughing, Hal. It's fucking excruciating lying here and I want Mail with me."

"At all costs?" Hal glared. "Article 16.1 also says that if any alumni breaks neutrality, then I'm within my rights to take them down. Don't put us in that situation, Mello. You're always pushing and pushing against the boundaries of our friendship and just trusting that I'll support you in anything. That's not how it works. If you think that I'm going to stand by and let you bully Luigi into doing your will, you really have misjudged me."

"Just like you're misjudging me right now." Mello pouted.

"Am I?" Hal blazed. "Am I really?" She stared at him and he didn't reply. He ate his chocolate. "You know as well as I do that you won't even have to threaten Luigi. You're just going to look at him and he'll go to pieces."

Mello nodded. "I'd further like to raise a motion that Luigi is not emotionally competent to sit on a jury of his peers."

Hal's hand went to her forehead. The other stayed resting on her hip. She seethed. "You leave me speechless sometimes. The bare-faced audacity of the things you come out with. It is childish, Mello. It's not taking into consideration the needs of anyone but yourself and Matt."

"You honestly think that Luigi is competent to be either judge or jury here?" Mello gaped. "We can say with certainty what his verdict will be before a scrap of evidence has been given. He'll acquit Mail, because he'd be too scared not to."

Hal sat down, bent forward, with her elbows on her knees. "You really have dropped me into this from a great height." She shook her head. "I should have stayed with Near. It's like being kindergarten mistress to a horde of over-grown, psychopathic..." She sighed and shut up.

Mello stared straight ahead and didn't reply. The listlessness was showing again, in every sinew of him. When he finished eating the chocolate in his mouth, he didn't attempt to raise the rest of the bar for more. The silence lay heavily, like an iron curtain, between them. Hal sat with her head in her hands. Mello's eyes became downcast.

Several long minutes passed before Hal spoke again. "Where are we going with this then, Mello? What do you want me to do?"

Mello swallowed and looked up at her. "I argued all of that on morphine." It sounded like a plea.

"What?"

He gave a tiny shake of his head and didn't reply.

Hal stared at the floor again. A few seconds passed in sluggish tension. She surveyed him. "I'm asking. Time out is over. As Watari, I'm asking you, a Letter, to tell me what is required here." She watched him close his eyes. "Or do you want me to just go and let you sleep, and think it over?"

Mello turned his head away. Hal was on the verge of berating him for yet more immaturity, but when the sob came out of him, it was loud and took her by surprise. She initially froze, on high alert, for a nano-second, then she hurried over. Mello couldn't move fast enough to stifle his upset. He couldn't even turn to hide his face in the pillow. The tears fell in great droplets, hot and ugly. He wasn't faking this for sympathy. It was too raw and the humiliation of it caused yet more.

"Hey, Mello." Hal leaned over the bed, with one knee up on it for support. She wrapped her arms around his head. "It's ok, let it out."

His words emerged jagged and strangled with grief. "They took the bottle out. They knew what it would do to me, but they didn't care." He gasped, breaking so hard that she half-suspected that the whole mess was active again and the witch bottle was out from under the tree. "I saw Hell. I saw what Hell was going to be like. I..."

"It wasn't real. We haven't established that it was real. We can arrange for a priest to come by, if that will help."

"Then Mail shot me. My Mail! Something got into him and I thought I was going to die." It was difficult to decipher his words now, as the sobs punctuated them so fiercely. He had dropped the chocolate onto the quilt. His arm was wrapped tightly around the place where his ribs were broken. It hurt too much to cry this hard, but he couldn't stop. Hal held him and stroked his hair. There was little else that she could do or say. "Now they've taken him! All I've got left. I want him here so badly. I want Mail."

Hal found that she was shedding a tear in sympathy. It had been a long few days for them all. "I know, Mello." She tried to keep the quiver from her tone. "We're doing our best."

"It hurts. It really hurts. I want my baby. I want him. Here." His words gave way to inaudibility. His vital signs were sending the monitoring equipment haywire. A nurse rushed in and surveyed the scene, but Hal waved her away again. Hal held him until there was nothing left in him to cry out; then stayed there, as he lay, perfectly still and spent.