Two whole days had passed when I received a text from an unknown number, giving me the address of another hotel - different from the last one I'd visited - and a time.
Today, 10:00
Please make sure to be on time.
Staring at it through half lidded eyes, I'd barely comprehended the message when I read it. I was still practically asleep. He'd texted me at eight in the morning. At that point, I still had my head buried in the pillow, drool and all. Does he really expect me to be up and at it by that time? Ha. Unlikely.
When I finally came to and realised this message had been sent by my new detective buddy, I scrambled out of bed and quickly began flinging clothes out of my wardrobe, searching for something suitable. I'd be meeting new people today, meaning I'd have to pin myself up for yet another first impression. I'll admit, first impressions were rather trivial in the grand scheme of things, but I worried about what I looked like regardless. I'm only human.
After a good few minutes of rummaging, I began to question why my fashion sense was so radical. God, I really needed to grow out of my edgy teenage phase, and fast!
With time against me and my patience wearing dangerously thin, I decided that another black pair of jeans and a navy blouse would do for today. I need to go shopping and get myself some more practical clothing. There's no way I'm walking into Kira headquarters wearing a low cut shirt and ripped shorts. Not a chance.
Hauling ass to the bathroom, I plonked my clothes down on the bed as I passed it and picked up my phone. Turning on the light as I entered the bathroom, my first instinct was to look in the mirror and assess the night's damage. Let's see... Blemished face. Dead fish eyes. Bedhead. Nope, that won't do.
Phone back in hand, I dialled Chris and placed my phone one the side by the sink, putting it on speaker mode. The man in question picked up after a few dial tones and began chortling almost instantly. "Jesus Christ. You're up early for a change. What happened? Armageddon?"
"No." I grumbled, angrily pulling through my tangled hair with a brush. "I'm meeting the task force today at ten."
Chris made a surprised sound. "Really? He messaged you?"
"Yeah, about an hour ago." I answered simply.
There was a brief pause until Chris spoke again. "What's his number?"
I guffawed, likely shocking my associate with the strange sound.
"Oh yeah, like it'd be that easy, Chris!" I mocked, shaking my head. "It's an unknown number. I haven't tried to find out, but it's probably also untraceable. L's far from an idiot and I doubt he trusts me yet; he wouldn't just hand me his number on a silver platter. In fact, I wouldn't put it past him to have more than one phone number."
"Hey, it doesn't hurt to ask." Chris argued, his voice taking on a defensive tone. "I just wanted to know in case I ever have to call him up for you. Seriously, do you know how many contacts I went through to find this guy?"
"I'm sure you exercised the entire phonebook, Chris. I appreciate your efforts." I muttered halfheartedly, smearing a layer of creamy foundation across my ashen face. This response didn't seem to please Chris and he stubbornly kept his silence.
"What?" I asked, perturbed by his refusal to speak.
"I'm waiting."
Holding back a sigh, I perked up and smiled to myself in the mirror as though Chris could actually see me.
"Thank you, sweetie. You're the best detective ever and I love you more than the Die Hard movies." I said in a singsong voice, pursing my lips out as I applied a fruity lip balm to cover the cracks.
"Please, I already know I'm the best detective ever. You don't need to tell me that." He replied with a haughty scoff. "Also, stop using that voice. It doesn't suit you; kinda makes me cringe. Anyways, you need a lift?"
I considered it for a moment, seeing as the new hotel was considerably further than the last one, but decided against it. I needed the exercise, and Chris always chose to listen to crappy sixties songs in the car; they irritated me. I don't want to meet the task force with a huge scowl on my face. That expression doesn't say 'friendly work associate'. That says 'angry hormonal teen with a motive to kill'. I don't want to scar them by showing my true colours.
Not yet, anyway.
"Thanks, but I'll manage. If I get a move on, I can walk it and still be there on time." I told him, glancing towards the clock. "On that note, I'm gonna hang up now. Standby soldier."
"Hey!" Chris snapped before I could hang up the call. "Don't forget to chat me up today. Remember that I want on to this task force as well."
"Don't worry, I won't forget. If you're lucky, I might ask L if you can attend today's meeting. I've already given a bravado about your dedication to work as it is and besides, he has dirt on you."
"Okay, that's fine." There was a pause. "Wait, what?!"
Like I'd just told the greatest punchline in all history, I began to chuckle at the growing concern in Chris' voice. If I was a decent human being, I would've told him that I was in the same boat and he had nothing to worry about.
Sadly for him, I was not a decent human being.
"Well, I'll see you later!" I said with a grin, abruptly ending the call and cutting off Chris' loud, unintelligible blabber.
Shoving my phone into my pocket, I smirked at the thought of Chris's ceaseless panic at being snooped on behind his back. He hated invasions of privacy, more so than I, so this was probably a personal Hell for him. I'm such a sadist.
Giving myself one last look over in the mirror, I decided I was decent and began to haul ass once more.
I stood in front of L's room door once again, hesitant to go in. Déjà vu much.
Questions ran through my head, ones that I couldn't answer myself. What if they don't like me? What if I embarrass myself? What if I don't live up to their expectation? I mean, I'm an agent from the States and we're often glamourised as being these superhuman geniuses who can solve any crime without even breaking a sweat (yeah, we have Mission Impossible to thank for that). I definitely do not live up to that ludicrous image; not even remotely close. From past experiences, I'm well aware that I come across as being incapable of having such a gnarly career, mainly because of how many times I've been told how young I look or how unprofessional my demeanour is. Yeah, not exactly the most flattering statements to hear when you're trying to do a serious job.
The more I pondered on these petty thoughts (and they were petty), the more the nerves ate away at me. Eventually, I found myself curled up in a ball on the floor like a child. I'd never been to school but I'm pretty sure this is what sitting outside the Principal's office felt like.
With a grunt, I loudly bashed my head against the wall seveal times, emitting a loud bang that likely carried into the next room - not that I took any notice at the time. The sharp pain that resonated around my cranium was enough to shake off my initial nerves and convince me to get a hold of myself.
I could do this. L, the head of the investigation, had already welcomed me onto the case. I doubt anyone would question his judgement - and if they did, they were clearly stupid. The other members shouldn't care who I was or where I was from. We're all here to do one thing and that's to catch Kira. That's all there is - and all there ever will be - to it.
A newfound confidence flooding through me, I pushed myself to my feet and straightened out my clothes, my face brightening. Looking towards the hotel door I'd been curled up against, I extended my hand to knock politely on the door. Before I could however, the door was opened and a dark haired man poked his head out, eyeing me curiously.
"Are you alright out here, Miss? We heard banging." The man asked, face full of concern.
Ah. My bad.
Laughing to ease the awkward tension, I replied, "Yeah, I'm fine. I just tripped."
I tripped? Really, that's the best I could think of? Even I don't believe that lie and I'm the one who told it.
"Oh. Alright then." He said cheerily as a smile crossed his features, becoming much more buoyant as he spoke. "Say, aren't you the girl who's supposed to be joining the task force today? Because if you are-"
Before he could finish, the guy - whose name I was yet to learn - was abruptly cut off as a middle aged man grabbed the other's shoulder and whispered (not so quietly) into his ear.
"Quiet, Matsuda! You don't know this woman, you can't be telling just anyone about the investigation."
Not wanting the situation to escalate (and also partly because I was offended at already being distrusted), I coughed loudly, disrupting the pair.
"I don't mean to interrupt but you don't have to worry about me. I am, in fact, the new member of the task force." I told them, watching relief flood their features. "Actually, I was just about to knock on the door before I tripped and this lovely gentleman came to check on me.
I flashed a sweet smile towards the younger of the two who I could now assume was called Matsuda - from what I heard. Matsuda visibly blushed and went a little dreamy-eyed before forcing himself back to reality. Holding back a chuckle, I looked back towards the older man.
"So," I drawled, pursing my lips. "Am I going to be allowed in?"
I motioned to the room and the pair exchanged looks. From the way their faces hardened, I could tell they were in agreement. Looking me over one more time, the pair stepped back into the room and allowed entry. Nodding my head as a sign of thanks, I followed them inside the familiar suite and through to the adjoining room. My eyes then took in the scene before me:
There were seven figures in the room in total, myself excluded. All were grown men - which put me on guard. As soon as I entered, all eyes in the room turned to face my form and stared at me as though I was an unexploded bomb. Trying not to appear put off, I smiled brightly and bowed as a sigh of greeting.
"Hello everyone! I apologise for being late. I got held up." I told the group as I straightened myself, nervously running a hand through the ends my hair.
"Oh, we know. We heard the banging." A familiar voice said snidely, earning a nasty look from me.
As I stared, I could feel the corner of my eye twitch but I refused to snap at him. What an ass.
"Funny story, actually. I tripped, you see." I lied, chuckling bitterly at my own false story.
The detective didn't look up at me as he took a good sip of the coffee beside him before placing it back down and heaping cubes of sugar into it, making the liquid appear somewhat thick and lumpy. I shook my head as I watched him go about flavouring his beverage to his taste. Now, I have nothing against people with a sweet tooth but this was ridiculous. For being the worlds greatest detective (aka one of the most intelligent people on the planet), you'd think he'd be a little more concerned about his health.
"You tripped six times?" He replied, raising his brows.
I narrowed my eyes, seething. Snarky son of a bitch, aren't we?
Trying to keep my anger in check, I hummed as a response - which wasn't really a yes or a no - and awkwardly stood in the middle of the room as the men continued to stare at this odd interaction between the detective and I. Before said detective could spout out another snide comment, the door to the room opened and an elderly man stepped in, carrying a box.
I frowned slightly as I took in the man's features. Something about him seemed so distinctly familiar. I just couldn't put my finger on it. Before my trail of thought could wander too far, L spoke up, grasping my attention.
"Right. Well, I suppose now is as greater time as any to introduce you all. Agent, this is Shuichi Aizawa, Kanzo Mogi, Hideki Ide, Hirokazu Ukita, you've already acquainted yourself with Touta Matsuda, and that is Soichiro Yagami - the chief of police." He said as he gestured to each of the task force members individually.
Matsuda threw me a childish wave, making me grin. The others just nodded their heads as a greeting, to which I returned.
"Oh, and that is Watari. My assistant." L continued, pointing at the male who had entered the room previously. The old man smiled at me, making him appear even more familiar to me.
Trying my darnedest not to zone out and go off into detective mode in an attempt to recall where I know this man, I smiled back.
"A pleasure." I murmured lightly as I took a seat besides Matsuda, whom I seemed the most relaxed with out of everyone here. Besides, he appeared to be the closest to my age anyway (excluding L).
"So, is Agent your real name?" Matsuda asked as I settled myself next to him. "It's a bit strange, if you don't mind me saying."
"Matsuda!" Yagami scolded, his tone sounding mildly appalled.
The man next to me visibly flinched before sighing, looking away. "Sorry, sir."
Not being able to restrain myself, I laughed, covering my mouth to muffle it. "No, it's alright. I get asked that a lot. And to answer your question - no, it isn't. I don't have a name."
All five officers looked at me wildly.
"You mean you don't have a name at all?" Aizawa asked, clearly shocked. Wordlessly, I shook my head. If it was possible, their eyes grew wider.
"So, you're basically saying that Kira can't kill you?" Ukita inquired, asking the key question, to which I nodded my head.
"I'm not willing to test the theory but it does seem that way." I clarified, watching as the task force members exchanged looks of amazement.
"Woah!" Matsuda said breathlessly as he budged closer to where I sat, a huge excitable grin on his face. "Kira can't even touch you. That's incredible! You're so lucky."
L, now apparently tired of our small talk, stood up and stepped over to the small box Watari, who handed him a handful of police badges. Oh, so will these be the new aliases?
I watched as he handed them out to their corresponding owner and each man pulled an amusing expression of bewilderment. Curious, I looked over to Matsuda's badge and saw the name printed on there didn't belong to him. Alright, so they were the new alias' then. This'll be entertaining to watch. I doubt these men have ever had to take on an alias before.
"Our names and ranks are false." Yagami said, stating the obvious.
"Why did you give us fake IDs?" Matsuda questioned, equally confused.
"As you all know, Kira requires a name and a face to kill." L informed them as he took a loud slurp of his tea. "We will confront him with that premise in mind and I think it should be obvious why."
"Yes, but of all people, the police shouldn't use fake IDs." Ukita argued, making a compelling - yet irrelevant - argument.
"Well, it's either this or plastic surgery. Your choice." I muttered with a small chuckle, more to myself than anyone.
L looked over to me, a ghost of a smile playing on his pale features. Oh so the detective does have a sense of humour. Pleased by this, I smirked back at him. Aw, look, we're bonding. How bitterly sweet.
"Enough." Yagami said chidingly to his subordinates. "What choice do we really have, given the capabilities of our enemy? As long as you're working on this case, I think we're going to need all the protection one can get. It would be foolish not to use them."
I honestly felt like clapping for the chief. At least someone had common sense in here. The others in the room seemed to agree with me, judging by the quiet murmurs and nodding of heads.
"Remember, anytime you're in a situation where you have to give out your name to a stranger, make sure to use the name from your fake ID. Understood?" L asked as he took yet another sip from his coffee, earning himself a simultaneous 'yes' from the officers. "However, do not take this lightly. Only show your ID to members of the public when it is absolutely necessary."
Once again, the group nodded, inspecting their badges more closely whilst L continued speaking. "And on that note, be careful not to take them out in the presence of other police officers. I'm sure I don't need to tell you that that would cause problems for us."
As the group conversed amongst themselves, I sat back in my seat, feeling a bit left out of this little pep talk. I obviously didn't require an ID because of the fact I wasn't a police officer. It's highly unlikely that a stranger would need to ask my name or, in an even more unlikely scenario, need to see a form of identification. Besides, even if that was the case, I brought plenty of fake ID cards that go under the name of the alias that I use in the States - Katherine Turner. From my passport to my driver's licence, I have it all written under that name.
My attention was diverted from my thoughts once again as Watari opened the small box he had carried in with him. Straightening myself up, I leaned forward keenly, my interest peaking. Upon seeing what was in the box, I narrowed my eyes, puzzled.
He wants us to wear... Belts? That's new.
We all stood, stepping over to see the notably masculine accessories in more detail. Watari continued to speak and explained the mechanics of the belt as we listened. "Each one has a transmitter hidden in the buckle. This will allow Ryuzaki to monitor your whereabouts. If you don't mind, I'd like to request that you wear these at all times."
My mind came to screeching halt and I frowned. Hold the phone. Who's Ryuzaki?
After a brief moment of thinking and glancing around for any clarification, L caught my eye and gestured towards himself. From there, I put two and two together. Ah, Ryuzaki is L's alias! That would've been good to know earlier. Thanks a bunch, guys.
"And when you press the buckle twice like this..." Continued Watari as he demonstrated the procedure before pulling out his ringing cellphone. "My cellphone will ring, displaying your name and I'll call you back immediately, but you won't see my number displayed."
That's actually really smart! I wish my orphanage had the funding to make that. Unfortunately for us, we're practically broke because of the amount of orphaned Americans that we take in from across the States. Personally, I'd take the super belts over a bunch of whiny brats.
"In the morning, all of you - excluding Agent, of course - will go to the police station as usual. Later on in the day, we'll use this method to confirm the name of Ryuzaki's hotel and room number. Please use this for emergencies as well." Watari concluded as he handed out all the accessories.
I was passed a belt and slipped it on, thanking whatever Gods there were that I wore my jeans today; my other trouser's don't have belt loops. That would've been a tad embarrassing.
"No way! This is so cool. I feel like I'm some sort of secret agent going after Kira!" Matsuda yelled excitably as he hoisted on his belt, earning yet another scolding by his superior for being childish.
My eyes flickered over to him as he sighed out his apologies and looked down towards the floor. Poor thing. He was really having a tough time, wasn't he?
The more I listened to Matsuda, the more I realised that he was giving me serious Chis vibes. Really, he reminded me of Chris when I'd first met him at the tender age of seventeen - the time when he kept stalking me like the clingy grown man-baby he was. Even though he was undeniably a creeper, he was my best friend. Kind of like a big brother!
My eyes suddenly widened at my realisation.
Oh, crud. I still need to get him on the case, don't I? I can't believe I actually forgot about him (and the award for Most Caring Friend goes to me).
After a few mere minutes of discussion with L and about three pre-rehearsed persuasive lines later, my main man was on the case. It didn't take long. Let's face the facts - literally everyone is scared to go up against Kira so we need all the help we can get on this case, especially with brains like Matsuda's (no offence to him. He's sweet but he certainly wasn't the brightest). With permission, I slipped away from the group for one minute and went into the other room, calling Chris on my phone and waiting for him to pick up.
"Pushover hotline, where all doormats gather to be walked upon. How may I help you today?" Answered Chris in a tone so serious, it made me snort. I bet he'd been practicing that all day.
"Well, you can help me by getting your fine ass over here. You're on the case, pushover." I told him with the biggest smile on my face, eager to hear his reaction.
However, the reaction I got was one that I wasn't really expecting. There was a long, long pause, accompanied by heavy breathing. For a minute, I actually thought he had died. That is, until the sound of loud and heavy movement flooded through the receiver, followed by Chris breathless voice, "I'll be there in under twenty minutes!"
"Cool. Try not to crash, okay?" I joked, chuckling to myself, only then realising that he'd already hung up the phone in his excitement. Rolling my eyes, I headed through to the next room and rejoined the conversation.
Barely fifteen minutes had passed before a knock was heard on the hotel door. Giddiness rushing through me, I looked over as Watari answered it and allowed a figure to step inside. Lo and behold, there stood Chris. His short bangs of blonde hung gently around his face as he turned to look at me, piercing green eyes finding my own.
"Hello stranger." I drawled, smiling smugly at his reaction.
"Hey." He replied, looking around the room and its inhabitants with scarcely concealed awe.
I then realised there were many pairs of baffled eyes upon us, likely wanting an explanation for this strange man's sudden appearance. Spinning in my seat, I brightened my expression and gestured towards Chris. "Everyone, this is Christian Doyle. He's my assistant and good friend who has agreed to help on this case. Chris, this is everyone."
He bowed politely to them, much like I did, before he began to introduce himself 101. I sat back and watched contentedly, listening to Matsuda excitably rant on to my friend about how cool it must be to work as an agent and hearing my friend's equally enthusiastic replies. Looks like those two will be the best of friends - as I had anticipated. I sighed happily.
This was going to be one hell of an investigation.