Chapter 4: Not Blackmail At All
"I have learned from my research that you have...ah, yes. An expiration date, printed quite conveniently on the back of your neck, which serves to end your life and ensure that you cause no more trouble. Have you ever wondered exactly how the expiration dates work? It's quite ingenious! I believe yours is sometime today. Forgive me, I might have exaggerated in regards to 'three minutes,' but the possibility is high that your death will occur soon."
"So…I'm going to die?" I blurted, unable to reconcile myself with the thought. Fang. What's he going to do without me?
"Most likely." Ryuzaki said indifferently. "I am, however, in possession of the antidote."
For a moment I remained speechless, but managed to speak again. "Just what poison is this, anyway?"
Ryuzaki shook his head. "Now why would I tell you? Too much information clutters the mind."
"Blackmail." I breathed. "I know what this is. You're trying to blackmail me into working for you."
"I am simply trying to reach a solution agreeable to both of us, Max."
"Well, being poisoned doesn't sound very agreeable to me."
"Hm. Do you have any other ideas? Or perhaps you would like me to explain to you the details of your impending death?"
"I'm not interested in hearing an account of my death!" I snapped angrily, chills running down my spine. "Now, give me the antidote!"
"Do you agree to help me in my endeavors?" Ryuzaki asked slowly.
I was ready to murder him. He was so calm, knowing that I could die at any minute. "YES, you blackmailing jerk. Fine."
"Are you sure?" Ryuzaki questioned, one more time.
"YES. Now, where is it?" I demanded.
Ryuzaki gave me a long, crafty smile before answering.
"In your coffee."
Words cannot describe the lethal look I used to stare him down before finishing the contents of the cup.
"Hm." Ryuzaki hummed. "An opportunity for me to observe the famed eating skills of an avian mutant."
"What is this to you?" I said furiously. "Some kind of joke?"
"No…." Ryuzaki said lightly. "Simply that you might find similar company with a mass murderer."
"What in the world are you talking about?"
"Few possess epic eating skills. You and Light are among that small elite. I, sadly, have resigned myself to wolf down sweets at every opportunity. My presence in that company is at best dubious."
He was making absolutely no sense, so I ignored him. "Now, tell me what I can do so I can get out of here."
"This will require skills you are not familiar with. You are accustomed to direct combat, not to this game of lies. One misstep, and we are all dead. One of the best agents I ever had—an expert in capoeira—lost her life due to what I suspect may be cunning tactics employed by Kira."
I sighed and folded my arms. "What if you're Kira?"
"You would have been dead already." Ryuzaki said quietly. "I appreciate your paranoia. It is not unnecessary. Although I suspect Kira cannot kill you, it is unwise to make assumptions."
"So far you haven't actually said anything." I said, becoming more and more frustrated. "Are you going to ask me to 'save the world' again? Because I've already had enough of that for a lifetime."
"I am not asking you to save the world, although you may end up doing so." Ryuzaki replied. "I am simply asking you…to save your Flock. The only way you can do that…is to eliminate Kira."
"Fair enough." I said brusquely. "Now, let's get on with it."
"Before I share the details of my plan, I have something to tell you." Ryuzaki regarded me with a somewhat playful smile, which I was sure to return with a scowl.
"Call me L."
