Death Files

MATT'S POV

I look disdainfully at the cadaver on the autopsy table in front of me. Sigh.

Just because I didn't leave Wammy's in a temper and actually finished medical school made me the one who had to dissect all the dead bodies. It's not that I mind the blood or anything, it's just that every time I cut open the stomach and write down what they ate, I get hungry.

Mmm. McNuggets and fries. Looks like I'll be getting fast food on the way back to that grimy one-star hotel room Mello rented for us.

Mello.

Of course, while I'm here dreaming of McNuggets, Mello's off on another one of his wild, alien-wrath-invoking adventures. No matter how many times Skinner lectures him, he'll never learn. I think today's mis-adventure involves trying to prove that kira is really just a cover-up for the "fact" that governments worldwide were giving prisoners and corrupt businessmen an alien virus that causes heart attacks.

And that is why I'm stuck here dissecting a dead congressman, in secret in the dead of night.

My stomach growls lowly, a dull ache in the pit of my stomach. When was the last time I ate? I'd had no lunch or dinner, and I couldn't remember if I'd eaten breakfast or not.

Thanks to Mello, once again.

No, I can't complain, no matter how crazy Mello seems. If it weren't for Mello, I'd be dead. I was supposed to be the thirteenth FBI agent on the kira case investigation in Japan. But at just that time, Mello put in a complaint to Skinner that the X files were being under-funded and under-staffed, so to shut him up, Skinner let him pick a partner in infamy. And Mello chose me.

Supernatural mass murderer or alien virus, Mello saved me from being unlucky number thirteen.

I wrap and dress the dead body, having learned no more from this body than the last fifteen. I slip off my orange tinted goggles, so as to see better in the dimly lit halls of the SPK headquarters where the bodies of the kira victims were being held. Without the orange lenses obscuring my vision, what little light there is appears blue.

I slip quietly out into the hall. My expert hacking and monitoring skills had gotten me into this place, and hopefully they could get me out. I reach into my pocket and grab the handheld monitor stashed there. On the way in, I had placed mini-cameras in all the halls, so I can know where all the guards are. The tricky part is going to be keeping out of view of the SPK cameras. I turn on the monitor with a beep that I hope no one heard. Hallway one: clear. Luckily, the cameras were the swivel kind, so it would be relatively easy to stay in its blind spot. Go right when it's looking right, stay under it when it's looking straight, go right some more when it's looking left, then run like hell when it's coming back around. Avoiding cameras and guards of course.

So I did just that, and once out of view of that camera, I flatten myself against the wall, and look down the hall to the right for more cameras. Only one, but it's coming back around. I'll have to move fast if I—

"Hey!"

I hear a voice to the left of me. Crap! How could I have been so stupid?! I forgot to look both ways! My head snaps to the right. A young man, about thirty, with black hair and a black suit stood in the middle of the hall way, pointing a flashlight at me. He lifted a walkie-talkie to his mouth.

"Code orange! Get some backup down here!"

He begins to run towards me, reaching for his belt. A gun? Everything begins to run together in my mind as panic takes hold. The camera's almost on me; there isn't even enough time to put on my goggles! I'm done for, I'm seen, I'm caught on camera!

I run for the exit, even though I know it will be locked. I whip out my cell phone as I go and speed-dial Mello's number. It rings once, seeming to take an eternity as I pound on the door.

"Mello." He answers. Thank god.

"Mells! It's me! They've got me! I've been see—" I cry, and then stop mid word as I feel the menacing cold touch of a gun beneath my chin.

MELLO'S POV

"Matt?" I pull my red mustang over to the side of the highway. My question is answered by silence.

"Matt! Answer me, Damnit!"

More silence. The dial tone kicks in. Shit! I snap my cell phone shut and pound the dashboard a few times with my black gloved fist. What should I do? The SPK has obviously got Matt. Why did I have to send Matt to the SPK?! How did he get caught?! He'd been in that building loads of times, and he'd never been caught before! This is my fault! He said he'd been seen…if "kira" kills him, I'll never forgive myself.

I shake my head. It's no use second guessing myself. I'm wasting valuable time. I hold my head between my hands, trying to block out the noises of the road so I can think. I need a plan. A damn good one, and fast. Matt's alive and he needs my help.

Wait. He is alive, right? What if he's not?! Why did he hang up?! What if he uncovered the truth, and they killed him?! What if—

No! I won't think like that. He is alive, and he needs me. I have to stay calm. This is the SPK we're talking about here. No matter how many of my alien-conspiracy-theories he's discredited, Near wouldn't kill someone just for trespassing. He'd want to know who they are, why they're there, what they were doing. He'd take Matt in for "questioning." There is still a good probability that Matt is still alive. In which case...I have to call Near. I can't let Matt be blamed and questioned and possibly tortured, depending on what he found out, when it's my fault he was there to begin with. I pick up my cell phone from its spot on the passenger seat—Matt's usual seat—flipped it open and selected the number marked 'SPK' from the address book. It rings four times, and a low male voice answers.

"Rester speaking."

"This is Mello. Get me Near."

"Near is currently otherwise occupied."

I grit my teeth. Is he hoping I'll give up that easily? Doesn't he know anything from our past encounters?

"I have information about your situation. Get me Near. Now." I spit out.

"One moment please."

I hear a slight rustling, the sound of a phone changing hands or an earphone being put on.

"Greetings, Mello." Near's cool, feminine voice floats through the line.

"Near." I reply harshly.

"Well, what do you want? I haven't all day."

I bite my tongue to keep from sending him a seething response.

"You captured someone earlier. A young man, age of 20, red hair, green eyes."

"Do you know something about him?"

"He's with me."

"Oh?"

"I sent him to the SPK on my business, and my business alone. He isn't a spy. He was merely gathering information."

"Are you still working on that ridiculous virus theory? I cant see what that would have to do with me."

"You have the 'kira' bodies."

"I see."

"Does that mean you'll let him go?"

"I'm afraid not."

"Why, if my work is so ridiculous?"

"How do I know you're not lying?"

"Why would I protect a kira spy?!"

"You could be being controlled."

"I'm not being controlled! Let him go!"

"No."

"You inhuman little twit!"

Near makes a strange snuffling noise. A chuckle, perhaps?

"Inhuman? You may be halfway right about that." There's a click and a buzz, then the dial tone kicks in again. I slam my fist in to the middle of the steering wheel. The horn of the red mustang beeps slightly. Ugh! That little brat! He can't hold Matt hostage! My eyes fog over with rage, and I'm too distracted to think clearly. I pull out onto the highway, going about 20 mph faster than the speed limit permits. After about three miles of weaving in and out between slower, more law abiding cars, I notice the trademark red and blue lights of a cop car up ahead. I couldn't get caught speeding this fast or I could get kicked out of the FBI for reckless endangerment, and that was the last thing I needed if I was going to save Matt. I slow to a reasonable speed a few hundred meters from the cop, and as I drive by, he eyes me warily. This clear thought leads the way for several others, and a few questions. Where am I going? What am I going to do? How am I going to save Matt? Near had sounded so suspicious on the phone. Obviously Matt knew something important or Near would have let him go! And that weird laugh at the end of the call…I get the strange feeling he's trying to tell me something…

MATT'S POV

My stomach growls loudly, and I squirm uncomfortably. I am tied to a wall, both arms stretched wide, with ropes attaching my wrists to wooden pegs that support most of my weight. My legs are tied together and bound to another peg, securely. I can't move. The ropes binding me are very tight and I can barely feel my hands and feet, but I suppose that's my fault for kicking the man who caught me as he tried to tie me up. In the back of my mind, I wonder vaguely if they're ever going to feed me, but I quickly push the thought aside. I have bigger fish to fry.

Firstly, Near is glowing.

Yes, you heard correctly.

Near is, quite literally glowing.

It's blinding to see and I have to squint. Looking at him, his true form really is beautiful. Silver light radiates from him, making LED lights look like dying candles. He floats a few inches from the floor, his lithe form flowing through the air as he moves. The only things that remain the same are his eyes, deep inky black.

Secondly, he just got off the phone with Mello.

I run what I heard of their conversation through my head. Near's answers weren't very clear, but I extrapolate what I can. I'm relatively certain they were talking about me. Mello was probably demanding my immediate release or something along those lines. He'll never learn that Near just doesn't comply.

What interests me the most is the last thing Near—or rather, the glowing figure—said. For all I knew, they were talking about kira being an alien, but that secretive little laugh…it's much more likely Mello tried to insult Near by saying he wasn't even human.

Ah, Mello.

You have no idea how close you really are.

A sharp pain in my stomach brings me back to the present. I still don't remember how long it's been since I last ate. I've got to get out of here before I pass out from hunger.

Mello always knew there was something odd about Near. Whereas L had sweets, Mello had chocolate, and I had my ever beloved cinnamon cigarettes, Near had nothing. He never ate, never slept, and his voice was high and musical, unlike any human's. Looking back on it, I wonder how Mello with his crazy theories never guessed that Near was from another world.

Perhaps that was it. As an energy being, did Near need any sustenance at all? Even though he's an alien, he doesn't seem the type to starve a prisoner on purpose. He may have simply forgot. But knowing the reason why Near was going to slowly kill me doesn't really help me at all.

I wonder if Near comes in peace.

I breathe in through my nose and let it go through my mouth. They hadn't gagged me, and I was glad for that. Did that mean I was free to talk? Or was it a trick, and they would kill me if I did?

Oh well. I might as well. I'll die from hunger if I don't.

"Um…Near?" I began cautiously. The being floated gracefully a bit, and decided not to kill me.

He looks over at me and waits for me to continue.

"I'm hungry. And I might have to use the bathroom soon."

Near pauses, hovers, and motions to a young-ish blonde woman in the corner. She walks over to him apprehensively. She gasped in pain as Near touched her forehead with one long, wispy finger. When he drew away she nodded once then leaves the room.

I receive no answer to my implied question.

Near goes back to stacking matches into impossibly tall towers.

Perhaps he is trying to kill me.

I scout the room for cameras, but I know it will be to no avail. Even if I manage to escape these ropes, there's no way I can escape Near.

I wonder what Mello is doing. With Near's obvious refusal to let me go, he'll be all alone again.

This is so unfair. Why did Near even take off his "skin" in front of me anyway? If he hadn't, I wouldn't know any more than I did when I came here. Now Mello's going to be alone again. Before I came to the X files I wouldn't have cared, but now we've been through enough together to at least call ourselves friends. I never got to write a will, but if I had, Mello would be in it.

Well, Near obviously isn't going to supply any food. Hopefully he'll let me use the bathroom soon. But until then, what else to do than sleep? I let my chin drop to my chest, and clear my mind. I drift slowly into the blackness of dreams.

…

I jolt my head up, shocked by the sudden searing pain in my head. My eyes fly open and I see Near's glowing liquid figure in front of me, one finger still held up where he had touched my temple.

There. Now we can communicate better.

An echo-ey feminine voice resounded in my head. I look wide-eyed at the dark eyed alien in front of me.

Was he talking to me? In my head? It would make sense…as an energy being he has no lungs or voice box, so it must be painful to try to talk, and earlier, when he touched the blonde woman, she reacted as if he had spoken…

You are correct. You really are quite brilliant for your kind. I woke you to inform you that your food has arrived. We probed your mind and chose what would satisfy you.

I panic for a moment. Near can read my thoughts?! He'll know about Mello!

Don't worry. Mello called to tell me he was the one behind your break-in. I would have known anyway. Now eat.

The blonde woman gives Near a bag of food.

McNuggets and Fries.

Food has never tasted better.

MELLO'S POV

I press the end button on my cell phone and snap it shut. I step out of the warm car and into the icy wind of a December night. My dark red suede coat ruffles slightly. I turn my face into the wind to keep my hair out of my eyes and look around my dismal surroundings.

Yup. This is the place.

A boxy tin sided building stands on a junked up hill. It's two stories tall, and the ground surrounding it is littered with empty cardboard boxes with their labels marked out, and a few bald tires. Most of the windows are broken.

And it's all mine.

I smile to myself and shut the car door. My red boots crunch on the frozen ground.

This is my secret.

No one knows about this place, not even Matt. Definitely not the FBI.

I cross the threshold into the building. It's exactly how I left it. My boots scuff on the concrete floor. I turn on the lights and they flicker on dully, buzzing. It's still very dark, as a cloud has covered the moon outside. It's better that it's dark anyway.

You see, over the years I've spent with the FBI (and even some before then) I've amounted quite an arsenal. I've got every gun they make, and I'm proud to say it. Of course, if you look in the records, there are only two guns licensed to a Mello Keehl, and one is the one supplied by the FBI.

I have a bit of a reputation in the underworld. The two faced FBI agent who walks the path of the devil. It's all great exaggeration of course, (I'm a Catholic), but I am still proud of my title. I have hundreds of false ID's, birth certificates, and after I did some research, I even made a few military documents stating that I just returned from Iraq.

Google me sometime. Thomas Nichols, age 25. Austin Abignale, age 22. Frank Montague, age 27. You get the picture.

And all of my illegal deeds were done here in this building.

I hear a motor outside, and a car door slams. I grit my teeth, hoping I had made the right decision in letting people come here. I venture back out into the chill to greet my guests.

"Hey! Look! It's Mello!" One of the young men walks up to me, squinting. "Is it just this wack lighting or did something happen to your face? It's all melted-like."

It's been a while since I last saw these guys, and now I remember why. They have the annoying trait of pointing out the obvious. But then, I guess most people would respond this way to my scar if they didn't know how I got it. Working for the bomb squad had it's risks.

"Hey, Chester, my man!" I say, reverting back into my speech from a few years ago, when I last saw these guys. They knew me as Mello Reed, the drug dealer. I sold them some drugs a while ago, so I figure they must have lost quite a few brain cells by now. Who better to hire for a suicidal rescue mission?

"Oh, my face? It's nothin', just got caught in a meth lab explosion 'few months back." I tell the half truth. Little do they know I was there with the police.

"Riiight on." The other two men follow Chester and I into my hideout.

"What is this place?" the shortest of the three, Markus, asks.

"What place? This place doesn't exist!"

"Ohh, it's a secret place? I gotcha."

"Yea-up! Okay, here's why I called yous here." I lower my voice dramatically. "We's on a secret mission. You know the government?"

"Yeah?" the three reply in unison.

"And my rival, Near?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, I took up tobacco sellin' a while back, and with all this 'no smokin' shiz, Near kidnapped my best client to do 'clinical research tests' on 'im! An' we all know what that means, don't we?"

"Aliens!" they yell. I feel like I'm talking to three year olds.

"Shh…" I put my finger to my lips. "It's a secret, remember? So, ya gonna break 'im out with me?"

"We're in, boss!" Chester punches his fist in the air. The other two nod yes.

I walk over to the nearest gun case and snap it open. I hand out three AK-47s, one per person. I unsnap the next two cases and give each of them a handgun and a Tazer. For a last resort, I give them a few knives.

"Whoaaaa…" They marvel, examining their weapons. I resist the sudden urge to smack my forehead. Hard. How will these brain-dead dip-shits ever save Matt?

"Okay men! Let's move out!" I punch the air, then wave to my other car, a rusty VW bus. They pile inside and chatter excitedly.

And thus, our ominous escapade begins!

MATT'S POV

I hungrily lick the last of the crumbs from my fingers, grateful for the food. For someone being held against my will, they've been surprisingly hospitable…well, aside from being roped to a wall. But anyway.

This is nice and all, I think towards the glowing Near, but why are you keeping me here?

Near remains silent. I suspect he's thinking. If he can do that.

I suppose I am at liberty to tell you. From my time among your kind, I have grown sympathetic towards your race. His "thoughts" seemed weary, but they grew sharper as he continued. But don't think you can weasel your way out of your fate.

And what would that be, exactly?

You are a DNA donor.

Uh…what?

As you have seen, my race is a race of energy beings. We live off of unique rays put out by our sun. In fact, I live off rays stored in containment units. If it weren't for these, I'd die.

So why do you need me?

Our sun is dying. We have another planet to evacuate to, but the sun is different. We hope to achieve corporeal bodies by fusing our DNA with the DNA of humans. By doing this we will no longer need our sun to survive. I needed six people to have enough DNA to spread evenly between every person on my planet. The kira investigation proved very helpful. Rester, Lidner, and Giovanni have volunteered themselves for the greater good, along with two of the Japanese task force who were unlucky enough to have seen my true form. I was hoping kira could become the final donor, but then you came along.

And how does one…'become a donor'?

We sedate you, so it's a painless process.

Process?

We…it's hard to explain. We have developed a way to break down the human body into DNA.

And how many of you are there?

Many millions.

And why should I help you? I say, even though I have already made up my mind on the whole matter.

Because you have no choice.

~MELLO'S POV~

"Okay men, here's the deal. I ain't gonna tell you to be stealthy. This is a break-in rescue. Shoot any cameras you see, Taze any people. Unless they're our guy. Don't Taze him. Got it?"

"I guess, boss."

"Well, let's go then."

I lead the way, heading straight for the front door. I've attached a helmet and gas mask to my head, so even if I'm caught on camera they cant prove it was me. Hopefully I won't lose my job for this. Retrieving a captured comrade shouldn't get me terminated, but there's really no getting away from the rest—arsenal, forgery, identity theft…damn. I should go to confession once this is all over.

If I live.

Motioning to the others to stay back, I stash my gun in my jacket. (FBI habit. The other guys are too stoned to notice anyway.) I crack my knuckles, and shrug once to loosen my shoulders. I push off from the ground with my right foot, and arc into the air, coming down on my hands, using my elbows as springs. I swivel, aiming my left leg towards the glass doors, and push off again with my hands…perfect. The door shatters into a million deadly pieces that land around me as I touch down lightly inside the door.

Capoiera. I learned it from the master. And isn't it grand for making an entrance? I bow to the security cameras, and the shrill wail of the SPK's break-in alarms gets my adrenaline flowing. I can do this. I'll take that sucker down!

The "three stooges" gawk at me in admiration as I turn back to them.

"Well?" I ask, "Are you coming or what?"

They nod and follow me inside. We don't sneak. We don't hide. Near knew I was coming, and now the little fuck won't know what hit him!

MATT'S POV

And Near? One last question about this…DNA donor thing.

Yes?

Will I…die? Near closes his eyes.

Yes.

I bite my lip. I want to help them. Aliens! I could help the whole human race by doing this! If humanity saves these creatures, then how better to begin interplanetary relations?

Before a silence can fully penetrate the room, a keening wail shatters through the air. The break-in alarm! Near moves so fast I can't even see him, and he reappears beside the control panel of the many televisions in the room. The screens flash from the gothic N to the security footage from the lobby and front hallways. One of the four men on screen motions to the other three to go on ahead, and once they're off shooting the hall cameras, he pulls out a gun. I smile to myself.

Mello.

His voice floats through the TV speakers, distorted by the gas mask he wears.

"It's like hide and seek, Near. So come out and play, but you better hide fast, because I'm coming to get you!"

He's snapped. Oh god, Mello's finally snapped. There is a click as Mello cocks the gun, and he waves to the camera before pulling the trigger. All the other cameras in the vicinity have been destroyed by the other guys that were with Mello, so there's no way to know where he is now.

The siren wails fitfully before ceasing suddenly. The TVs flicker, along with the lights, then everything goes abruptly black. A thrum from above grows louder with every second, finally loud enough to rattle my teeth.

It's time to go.

Oh god, oh god, oh god. I don't want to do this anymore! I want to go home! Mello! The X files will be shut down, and he'll be arrested for breaking and entering, and vandalism! I'm the only one who can bail him out!

But I have to go. I can't, won't let an entire race die because I'm chicken!

Not that I have a choice.

I must be on the top floor, because the roof opens above us, and the wind whips my hair back painfully. Near cuts my bonds and I fall to the floor. The ship lands on the top of the building, and a hatch opens at the bottom of it. Light pours from inside the vessel.

A bang is barely audible above the thrum, and before Near even looks over, the blonde woman and the other two humans are unconscious on the floor. Mello follows his henchmen into the room, entering last. Protecting his own ass, like always.

"Near!!" he barks.

"Mello, he's an alien, he's over there—ack!!" Near's eyes narrow, and he shoves his fingers into my temple. I wince in pain and double over. Mello pulls out his gun and fires five times into the energy being, but the bullets pass right through him and land melted on the floor. He pulls out another gun and fires at the ship, doing nothing more than wasting ammo. He rips off his mask since there are no cameras online to see him. He fires again, and then a look of revelation crosses his features, which were already distorted with rage.

MELLO'S POV

Ah, what a day. My partner gets kidnapped by my rival, and now said rival is an alien. Energy being from the looks of things. What else could melt bullets meant to take down elephants?

I should've known.

But what do I do? we've Tazered the humans, but how on earth do you kill an energy being?

Wait…Tazer? A Tazer is electricity. Enough electricity to, say, interrupt the energy flow of an energy being? I've got one shot at this, and he'll either die or get more powerful.

I pull out my Tazer.

"Mello, no! you have to let them take me! I have to save them!" Matt yells, but I don't care. Save them? So he's being noble?

"Tough shit." I grit out. Ah, after so many years, I might be able to finally beat this guy—er, thing. I think. I narrow my eyes…

And fire.

The Tazer hits the being in the chest. An unearthly caterwauling fills the air, and Near's glow grows brighter and brighter until he melts. Melts. His form elongates, pooling and dripping onto the floor until all that remains of him is a sparkly puddle.

"No!" Matt yells. I grab him by the hand and pull him up from the floor. We have to get out of here before the cameras come back online! The hatch of the ship begins to close, and the thrum fades little by little as it vanishes. I stop at the door and look back.

"Guys!" I bark. I can't believe them. They just stand there with their mouths literally wide open, watching the ship.

"Whoooaaa…" they chorus.

Face, meet hand. It's lovely to make your acquaintance.

"Oi! Dumb, dumber, and dumbass! Get your asses out of there!"

"Right, boss!" Chester and the others run to catch up. We run down the stairs and pile into the van. I laugh hysterically. I did it! I saved Matt!

And now, I'm N because I was in line behind Near! All I have to do is catch kira, and I'll be L!

"Hey boss?" Chester begins.

"Hmmm?"

"You're not really a drug dealer, are you?"

I throw my arm around him. "Chester my man, maybe you aren't as stupid as you look."

He guffaws a few times and gives Markus a thumbs-up. I roll my eyes. Or not.

"Matt?"

He looks up at me through red eyes.

"Will you be my Watari?"

"Awwww…" the three say in unison.

"Such a cute couple…" Chester croons.

I smack him.

Maybe today wasn't such a bad day after all.

END NOTES:

So basically, I fused Mello with Mulder and Matt with Scully. And yes, I had to make The Lone Gunmen into druggies. XD

So? Should I make a sequel? I know there are only about five people in the world who like Mello, Matt, and the X files, but review! Now. PRESS THE PRETTY GREEN BUTTON.

And if you flame me I will laugh. So don't bother.

Inspired by the music of Linkin Park, the X files CD, and the movie Cocoon. And Death Note and the X files. Duh.