Walls Came Tumbling Down

"Because what you're telling me is fucking bullshit, Hal!" Mello roared. "Shall I tell you what's really going on here?" He glared at her. "It's a fucking power struggle at the Institution. That's what it is! And I'm no-one's pawn in that! I'm..." He stopped as the door opened and Deontic crept in. "These had better not have been your orders, Dee."

Deontic paused, just inside the door. "What?"

"I want my husband here. Failing that, I want to speak to him. Hal is telling me that she doesn't have the authority to make that call. My cell phone is missing. I appear to have a media station here, which shows the television and the radio, but the communications sector is down for repair." Mello narrowed his eyes. "Are you fucking with me?"

Deontic's colour flushed and she exchanged a glance with Hal, before hurriedly sitting down. Perched on the very edge of her seat, she grimaced at Mello. "Fenian's disappeared off the face of the planet."

"Good for him. Why can't I speak with my husband? And think very carefully about your answer."

"And Century has taken off with all of the evidence and reports from this case."

Mello gave an exasperated sound. "Why the fuck do I care? I'm not a piece to be moved in Near's games. He is orchestrating this, isn't he?" The monitors showed Mello's stress in an increased heartbeat and high blood pressure. "Mail is non-negotiable. You get him back, right now. I'm not playing here. This is going to get very serious, very quickly."

Hal rolled her eyes. "If this was up to me, Matt would be handed over to the civil authorities, then we'd see where your ranting and threats get you, Mello."

Mello lay back against the pillow, appearing utterly spent. He closed his eyes. "You do that."

Hal frowned, unable to ascertain whether that was another threat. "Meaning?"

"He'd be fucking safer there." Mello muttered. He opened his eyes and reached towards the jug, though he had no hope of pouring himself a drink from that angle. Hal stood and poured one for him, casting a withering look down at him, as she did so. She held the glass, while Mello sipped from it. "Thank you."

She acknowledged his thanks with a nod. "You ought to be concentrating on getting yourself well again. Not kicking off over issues that we have in hand. Do you honestly think that anyone means Matt harm?"

Mello grit his teeth. "You can guarantee his safety? Have you not looked at that Institution's history? I swear, on everything that I hold dear, if he is killed, I will personally take down everyone associated with that hole."

"How is this helping your case?" Hal hissed. "You're driving me up the wall, Mello."

Deontic had been sitting, stoically silent, with her hands clasped together on her knee. She spoke up now. "We want to look at the evidence as a committee. If Matt is dangerous enough to attempt to kill you, then he is a danger to us all. You're afraid that we'll execute Matt, which is frankly insulting and wrong, but the rest of us are afraid for our own lives too. Would you put a killer out there, free to take out who he likes, without fear of the law? May I remind you of what Mark Twain said..."

"Bullshit, Dee."

"It's not!" Deontic replied, shrill. "Why are yours and Matt's lives more important than mine and Luigi's and Linda's?" She bowed her head. "And why are discussions about the Institution happening here? It's hardly a secure location."

Mello quietly answered, "I just want my husband here. I haven't the fucking energy for all of this crap. You're all forcing me into a position where I can't even heal in peace."

"Yes, you can!" Deontic gasped. "You've got Hal body-guarding you, you bloody idiot!" She was close to tears. "And you have me acting as your ambassador. I've hired Chrissie! For crying out loud! Lauren refuses to leave Matt's side. Chrissie is arguing Matt's side. We're doing our best for you and all you do is complain; and all he does is refuse to co-operate. Why are we even bothering?"

"Where's the enemy?" Mello asked, wide-eyed.

Hal snorted, "A second ago, you were telling me that you feared for Matt's life. Now you're asking me where the enemy is. Is there a chance that you might be paranoid, Mello?"

Mello blinked rapidly, "As long as there are people stopping me having a conversation with my husband, then there are enemies. Who is stopping that conversation taking place? Who is my enemy?"

Deontic bit her lip. "The conversation will take place. Matt is in with his psychologist right now. After that, I promise you that a call will take place."

"What?" Mello lightly punched the mattress beneath him. He couldn't manage much more than that. "I was supposed to be with him when he saw her. For fuck's sake, this is Mail! You don't just..." He let the words go, too tired to continue. His eyes closed.

Hal waited for him to continue speaking. When he didn't, she gently added, "Then he shot you."

Mello whispered. "That wasn't him. You weren't there. I'm not in denial."

Deontic swallowed. "But Century has run off with all of the evidence. That is what I was trying to say." She winced. "I know that we have the majority of the eye-witnesses here, but those were testimonies gathered before this. They are untainted by retrospective reasoning. Plus with Fenian disappearing, we've lost Kiana too. If we're having a committee, then Fenian and Century both need to be there. This is what I'm trying to say."

Mello turned his head away, fighting sleep. "This is nothing to do with trials and justice. It's about other people's agendas rushing into the void of a fucked up situation."

"Then trust me." Deontic countered. "When have I ever been anything but an advocate of justice? Trust me to deal with this, please."

Mello wrinkled up his nose. "I'll trust myself."

Deontic stood, yanking up her handbag, as she headed for the door. Hal leaned over the prone Slav, "You are being a bitch. Just for the record."

Mello didn't reply.