DEATH NOTE
How to use it
XV
+ When the same name is written on more than two Death notes the note which is first filled in will take effect, regardless of the time of death.
+ If writing the same name on more than two Death Note is completed within a sixtieth of a second, it is regarded as simultaneous. The Death Note will not take effect and the individual written will not die.
L watched the rain fall against the window, the shimmering rivulets reflecting red lights from the winding steel river below that crawled along at a snails pace. He was glad Watari always drove. L didn't need to look behind him to feel the two sets of eyes boring into his back.
Ryuk chuckled. "You're so damn boring."
Tau nodded. "Tell me about it."
A few hours earlier
Watching Suzume on the screen made him feel a bit like a pervert. Another screen displayed the girl's family. Her father paced while her mother sat, head down with her hands clasped on her lap. L knew they must be sick with worry. But their daughter was alive, soon they'd know that themselves.
Ryuk laughed in the background as he took in the scene from over L's shoulder. "Doesn't this look familiar?" L only moved his eyes, making no indication other than that of even hearing the shinigami's comment.
Gevanni was the first to speak, rising from his chair to look over at the screen as well. Ryuk only gave him a passing glance.
"Is she a suspect?"
Near started twisting his hair in the opposite direction. "No. We just don't want her getting hurt."
The sound of the door caught everyone's attention as Mogi entered. Near turned toward him from the floor.
"Can you tell us what information you've gotten from the police?"
Mogi nodded. "Yes. It appears that he's working for an international syndicate. He just happened to stumble across the girl and her death note.
L stirred his tea. "He was unusually cooperative for a mafia man. He asked for police help, did he not?"
"He wanted to know if the police could save him from the death note." Mogi replied.
Sighing, L sipped the liquid before lowering it again. It was almost hot enough to burn his tongue. "Unfortunately we do not have that power. Anything else Mogi-san?"
"He claimed that his organization bought their death note on the black market.
Hearing that, Matsuda crossed his arms angrily. "That's…wrong. Selling death."
L nodded. "That, unfortunately, is the state of the world. These are people who market death through many means – it's not surprising a death note would be handled the same way."
Near looked through some of the assembled files, trying to find a sheet with the names of those known to be in the same syndicate Harry had been in.
"Although, that does raise an interesting question. Who would willingly sell a Death Note? It would be safer to keep it for themselves."
"Indeed." L mused. "Selling it could easily be the merchant's death sentence."
As they took a moment to watch one another they heard the scraping of a chair along the floor as Samuel stood up. His head hung and when he finally looked up he had such a look of horror and remorse on his face that it was painful to see.
"These books…people have died because of them."
"Please." L encouraged. "Speak your mind if you want."
The books skidded across the floor to rest against the chair L crouched in.
"I don't want them!" Samuel declared. "How can I hold onto them, feeling sick like this?"
Carefully leaning forward, L scooped up both books. His eyes looked over them both with interest. "I understand. We'll watch them for you."
Samuel frowned at him, seeming confused.
"Is there something wrong?" Near asked, suddenly paying close attention to the situation.
"Are you okay?" Gevanni prodded.
L forced back a knowing smile. "I'll take care of your death note, Samuel."
Samuel scratched his head. "My…death note?"
Standing up, L placed both books on his chair. "Please, go get some rest. It's been a long day."
After the agent had left the others were in stunned silence for half a minute.
"He forgot." Lidner whispered.
Near spun his chair. "That confirms it then. I gathered from L's past research that there was a way to forget about the death notes existence. If you relinquish ownership of the note your memories go with it. You most likely would get your memories back if you regained the note."
On the other side of the room Matsuda jumped off the couch, eyes wide.
"I see now! That's how he did it."
Lidner and Gevanni looked questioningly at him, not understanding. Mogi took over.
"Light fooled us into thinking he was innocent…we believed him. For a while it seemed like he knew nothing of KIRA."
Matsuda walked in circles. "So he lost his memories to absolve his guilt. And it worked!"
"Did any of you come to think he might just be a terrific actor?"
Both men looked at L. The detective however; did not return their gaze. Instead he was looking at an unoccupied space near the door.
"Hm….according to all our research a shinigami accompanies a death note holder, correct?"
Nodding excitedly, Matsuda tried to catch sight of a shinigami – despite it being impossible as he had not yet touched the death notes.
"Yes. They go together! So do you see one?"
Casually sipping his tea, L replied. "There are not enough shinigami for death notes."
"So did the one who got away have a spare?" Near wondered aloud. "Or…is it that you're not yet the real owner of that note?"
"More likely the latter. But it's still only 5."
Over his cup, L looked at the two shinigami.
"Hyuk. Hyuk." Ryuk laughed.
"Ke. Ke. Ke." Tau followed.
"Let's move on shall we?" L stated, resisting the urge to sigh heavily. A small bottle of white out in his left hand he made his way back to the chair. Putting his tea down he lifted the book on top and looked through the first few pages. "Hm. There are several female names…and the writing is very delicate. I assume this was Ayame's."
"Many of her classmates died I in a short time span." Lidner revealed. "That's why we targeted her."
Unscrewing the cap from the small white bottle, L drew something on the front of the book. Before picking up the second to do the same. "To keep them separate we will label them like so." Holding them up for all to see, the group read the kanji on each book.
"Ayame's bears the character for moon, while our unknown mans has sun written on it. Outside of these rooms the death notes will be referred to collectively as Illuminations, or Bright. Although I highly advise you not to mention them at all unless absolutely necessary."
The group gave comments of agreement. Near moved from his chair.
"It's already late, so we have one last order of business for the night. Mogi, I'd like you to bring L and I the videotapes of any camera overlooking the scene of today's incident. Gevanni – we've already informed the news stations not to air anything about this, I want you to hold them to their word. Lidner, if you don't mind I'd like you to tell the family about Ayame's death. Hearing it in the press or from a stranger on the street won't help."
"No Near." L stopped him. "I'll do it. But first…let's figure out a way to secure the death notes."
With agreements all around they set out to do just that.
Ryuk looked over at L, his permanent grin wider than usual. His dagger-like teeth glinted in the dim light.
"That woman really let you have it didn't she? Hyuk Hyuk"
Glancing over at Near he took a moment to watch the boy carefully. The young man had fallen asleep at his desk. Moving into the side bedroom he shut the door behind him. The two shinigami phased through the wall, unconcerned.
"She lost her child." L reminded them. "Of course she would be upset. It's only natural to need someone to blame."
"She sure slapped you around though!" Tau laughed at him. "I believed her when she said she'd kill you!"
Picking up an apple, the detective tossed it to Ryuk who gladly caught it. Another one landed in Tau's hands and for a moment he looked at it like it had come from another world. "And what is this?"
After seeing Ryuk enthusiastically devour the fruit he took a hesitant bite – eyes widening instantly. "This…is Heaven!"
Continuing to stare out of the window, L let his mind wander. Suzume was alive, while Ayame was dead. It could have just as easily gone the other way. How is it that a simple action – a sequence of events could lead to disaster? No. Nothing in the world was truly an accident. There was a chain of choices and situations that led up to the end result – any one having the power to change fate. If one link broke, death could be avoided. You just had to find out what each link was beforehand and sever it.
"Dumb luck. That's what life amounts to at times."
Both shinigami looked at L expectantly.
"Suzume. Your friend saved your life by trying to kill you. Life is strange like that. But now three of the death notes are accounted for."
"Three to go." Ryuk pointed out. "You sure you can do it?"
L nodded. "Of course. This is my last case after all. I have to make it good."
"You humans." Tau commented.
"Yeah." Ryuk agreed. "Just watch. It's going to get really exciting again."