Depraved and Deprived

Hush little baby

It was dark and still in Wammy's House. Everything was shut up for the night.
The children dreamed; the adults dozed less soundly, but they slept.
The darkened hallways were empty expect for the classical paintings and huge curtained windows.

Nothing could be heard as a tall, slumped-over shadow padded on bare feet down the hall.
His white shirt was just like; L's his jeans matched the other's as well.
However, there was a big difference: his were spotted with blood.

His black hair, so like L's, wild and unruly, had matted blood in it.
His eyes gleamed red.
He slipped into Matt's room, quickly and soundlessly opening the door with long, cool fingers.

Matt slept deeply in his bed, the crisp sheets cool on his skin, his red hair brushing his forehead as he sucked his thumb.
Beyond slipped to Matt's bedside with all the grace of a stalking cat.
He stared down for a few seconds as if considering something.

Before the young boy could awaken, he pressed a soaked rag over his nose and mouth.
The sleep he had been in became a drugged one as Matt rolled his head to one side, still and so young in the moonlight streaming in form his window.

Beyond picked Matt up almost tenderly holding his small from tightly to his chest.
"You're my ticket to revenge, little pretty one."
Beyond stroked Matt's hair.
"It's like blood…" He mused.

He slowly opened the door, shifting Matt to his hip.
He peered into the hall.
All was still.
Beyond kicked the door shut with one bare foot then walked slowly down the halls again, smooth as a shadow and cold as death.

Matt murmured something in his sleep but didn't wake.
"You are such a lovely child…" Beyond whispered, his voice soft as a first kiss.
He clutched his prize tighter.

"Dear Matt…I am taking you to something better…."
Beyond slipped right out the gates of Wammy's House without anyone seeing him.
The night was black as his hair and twice as windy and wild.
The street was still and abandoned. He walked quickly, looking for a car that would work for now.
He spied a small late model black car that looked suitable.

Even if Beyond looked just like L, he was not him and had picked up quite a few skills the other never had, such as stealing cars, making bombs from household things or picking pockets.

It was the car theft skill he was putting to use now as he lay Matt down on the hood spread over it for a moment as he slid a master key into the door.
He laid down on the seat, pulled off the plastic covering over the control panel and began to yank then connect wires together.

In half a minute he had it running.
Moving deftly, Beyond pulled the passenger side door open and laid Matt down on the seat.
He drove carefully down the pre-dawn streets going exactly the speed limit.
He abandoned the car after a few miles and found another, repeating this twice.

After an hour he was back at his safe house—an old rusted-out warehouse he had chosen to use for this night to get his cover firmly in place with the boy before they moved on.
He tenderly placed Matt on the pile of blankets he had arranged before then sat in a chair crouched and waiting, a laptop on his knees, long fingers typing softly.

The hours pass slowly until a false dawn of sorts lightens the sky.
Matt's eyes flutter open.
He knows something is wrong from the moment he awakens but he doesn't make a sound.

Beyond understands—why cry for help when you've never had a cry answered before?
Why pray when you knew from a very young age that no one cares?
"He…llo?" Matt whispers.
"Hello Matt-kun." Beyond leans over and places one cool white finger on Matt's lips.
"You know who I am…our paths have crossed before."
"I am L and I have chosen you to be my heir."

Matt stares into the face exactly like L's, his eyes roving over it, looking for some idea of what to say.
"My goggles…" he says softly.
"I…I need my goggles…" He casts his eyes down.
"Later… for now, sleep again." Beyond watches Matt as carefully as the boy watches him.
I don't want to have to kill you…but I will
"I don't know if I can…"

He presses the boy down on the blankets then leans over close.
"Hush little baby…don't say a word…"
His lips are inches from Matt's ear.
"Papa's going buy you…a mocking bird…"
Matt's eyes slide shut, his face relaxing, not knowing whose blood-stained hands he has fallen into.
He rolls over and curls his hand over Beyond's.
"Thank you L…you have a nice voice…"

"And if that mocking bird wont sing…papa's gonna buy you a diamond ring."
He clasps the boy's hand tightly.
Matt smiles sweetly and shyly.

"Why me…?" He's about to fall asleep.
"You where number three and didn't even try." Beyond strokes his hair.
"I could see you becoming something wonderful.
"Now sleep you don't want to get bags like me…"
"I wouldn't mind being like you in any way…" Matt is still after that.

Beyond watches him sleep for a few minutes then goes back to his laptop.
After all, it's hard work figuring out who you wish to kill next.

Mello clenched his fists, his eyes shut tight, lips open in a perfect "O" screaming his lungs out.
"Near, that's my pencil!"
"Is not," Near muttered.
"Is so!" Mello yanks it from Near's hand.

Near glowered, then his face went blank as Roger walked over.
"Young master Mello and Near, come with me."
They follow him, puzzled, into his office.

Sitting there was L, eating a huge slab of angel food cake.
He looked at them solemnly, no smile as he had given them before on the rare times they had met him.
"Matt is gone." L says this softly but it breaks the world in two.
"What?" Mello asks shocked that something would dare hurt something of his.
"He was stolen in the night." L presses a thumb to his lips.

"Taken by someone with knowledge of this place and how to break into it."
"He didn't fight; he must have been drugged in his sleep."
L pauses.
"There is an eighty percent chance it was someone who was once here.
"There is only one person who was here once who has gone...off and would do this."

"Beyond."
"Who is that?" Mello demands
L rubbed his side as if remembering an old, old wound.
"He was once my heir…he went mad."
L turned to them.

"He enjoys slow, painful deaths.
"He once took a blowtorch …to a young man…flayed his skin from his bones."
L fiddled with his plate.
"He nailed a woman on a cross, broke her legs, and from what I can tell watched her die.
"I am also very sure he is a cannibal."

Mello swayed lightly, feeling like he would lose his breakfast and ten chocolate bars.
"This monster has Matt?" he screamed, his blue eyes wide with anger.
Near just pressed into Mello's side.

"Why aren't you doing something?" he said, lowering his voice a little.
L's black eyes pinned him.
"Who says I'm not?"