Author's Note: Thank you for reading this pet project of mine, everybody! I really do appreciate it. Also, apologies in advance for the French. I did use a translator as foreign languages is most definitely not my forteit. If you spot a mistake, please let me know. Hope you enjoy this L/Renee centric chapter.
Chapter 7 - Arrival
It had been a fast-paced morning, that was for certain. At exactly 5 am Renee had turned up at Watari's office, just as she had been instructed, with her bags in tow. Then they had about a five minute window to get outside through the side door before anybody noticed them leave. As an extra precaution, Renee wore an over-sized hooded jumper that she had never been seen in before. She had suggested L do the same, but the only response he graced her with was a blank stare. Once Watari had placed all their bags in the trunk of the car, L and Renee sat in the back seats with L in his usual perched position, whilst their guardian drove them to the nearest airport.
"When we arrive in France, you are not to call me L." She nodded, the only indication that she had heard what he had said. She was too busy looking out the window. Renee hadn't been outside Wammy's House since her last visit to her father's grave which was about a year ago now. The outside world to her was like looking through a smoke screen, obscure and distant. "The alias I'm using is Laurant, you will be Rachelle."
She scowled, turning to face him for the first time since the start of their journey. "Why can't I pick my alias?"
L stared at her, unblinking. "Watari already arranged a passport for you in that name," he stated calmly, as if her question was pointless and ridiculous, which in a way it was.
"Right..."
For a long time, the conversation died as L tapped away on a computer that was built into the vehicle itself. She wasn't too sure what he was doing, but she didn't particularly wish to interrupt him. It was L – no Laurant – who spoke first.
"I have to admit I'm curious as to what you brought with you today." Renee shifted nervously in her seat. Sensing this, Laurant smirked knowingly, pushing his thumb into his mouth. "I imagined you'd be excited to show me what you'd created."
She sighed. "I am, but I was hoping this conversation would come up once we were already in France..."
"So you could come up with some excuse to how you had managed to smuggle with us specialist equipment that would otherwise be detected by airport security?" He said nonchantly as Renee stared awestruck.
"How long have you known?" she asked, her thumbs twiddling in her lap, feeling very much like a cornered animal.
"Since I told you about it."
She audibly groaned, causing Watari to glance at the pair through the rear view mirror. "So you did intend for me to finish it..."
L nodded, more to himself than Renee. "Yes. I knew you would not abuse it and would only use it for my benefit." His arrogance at this point did not even bother her, because he was not wrong in his assumption.
Renee took a moment to analyse the boy next to her. His face looked paler to her somehow, but that may have been due to the fact his eyes looked darker with a lack of sleep. His thumb hung from his mouth as he absentmindedly chewed on the skin there, his other hand tapping on the computer imbedded in front of him. His eyes were focusing on nothing in particular, but instead concentrating on the streams of information riddling through his mind. She could almost see what he thought, it was that intense.
Before she even knew what she was doing, her foot was in her mouth. "Do you ever stop working?"
L paused the tapping on the computer in front of him, genuinely considering her question. "I have found myself working more and more as of late. It seems police agencies around the world have started to learn my name."
"Your alias, you mean," she scoffed, turning her head to look out the window once again. She didn't see the small smile that appeared in the corner of L's mouth.
The rest of their car journey was silent, L busy working whilst Renee watched the world pass by. Once at the airport, Watari took out their suitcases, allowing the young girl to wheel her own whilst their mentor took care of what little L brought. They found that Renee's device worked perfectly, hiding the gadgets they didn't wish to declare on her person. In fact, they got through security with no trouble at all. When she had a moment, she tossed L an arrogant smile who seemingly paid no attention to it whatsoever.
They were quickly boarded onto the plane, seated in first class with just L, Watari and Renee together. L had specifically asked for privacy, no doubt so they could discuss the case and their plans for catching the killer. The young girl had to remember that this was a murder case, not a vacation.
"I was wandering if you had any ideas on how to catch the killer, Rachelle," L asked suddenly. For a moment, Renee didn't realise he was even speaking to her, having forgotten her alias. L stared at her with his intense gaze, causing her to jump with realisation.
"Oh, right. Erm..." She thought for a moment. Herself and L hadn't exactly discussed in any more detail any possible suspects. Surely that was more pressing?
"Well... in order to catch the culprit, maybe we should be narrowing down possible suspects?" Uncertainty laced her statement, creating a question by mistake.
"If you wish," L seemed bored in his response, making Renee think that he had already orchestrated a plan in his head.
She sighed, not wanting to let him win this time. She grabbed the case file from L's bag, opening it and refreshing her mind of its contents. She had already deciphered that the culprit was male. The balance of probability suggested that a male was much more likely to choose female victims. L had reluctantly agreed with this observation, but chose to disregard it without evidence. Renee also deciphered that the culprit had to be in a state of mind which allowed this person to murder innocent children and plant clues on the scene, declaring to the world that he was there and would continue killing, as if baiting them. The person was thorough as they left no finger prints at any of the crime scenes, probably even wearing heavy gloves... So, somewhat intelligent then? At least a semblance of common sense anyway.
Renee groaned, running her hands through her hair. She really did wonder how L did it. He could come up with a culprit with the slightest hint of a clue, whereas she felt like she wasn't getting anywhere near close enough to even a list of possible suspects.
She dared a glance in his direction out of the corner of her eye, knowing he was waiting patiently for her brainstorm to finish... she bet he knew exactly what her next question would be as well, smug idiot. "So, what's this plan you've already come up with then?"
"What makes you think I've come up with a plan at all?" He asked, his usual stoic expression not able to hide the hint of satisfaction in his voice.
"Because you're you, and you asked me here for a reason, right?" L's distinctive rare smirk appeared for a millisecond. If Renee hadn't been watching him, she'd have missed it.
"I had hoped that you would share your thoughts on catching the culprit. It's why I asked you first," He said bluntly, leaving her a bit dumbfounded.
How was she supposed to know? She wasn't the detective. Unless... this was one of his tests? Oh god, it was, wasn't it? Right, she needed to think and quickly. How do you catch a killer who targets little girls between the age of eight and twelve? Well... she supposed the best way would be to catch him doing it, right? That way, there'd be eyewitness testimony. Plus if the people doing the apprehending wore one of her microscopic cameras, they'd have video evidence too. So they needed bait then.
That's when it all clicked into place for her. She could be the bait! She was of the right age and everything!
"L! I have an idea!" She squealed happily.
L tried to hide the fact he didn't know exactly what she was going to suggest, him having planned for her to do so from the beginning. It was the only reason she was on the case in the first place.
"Oh?" He said simply, his hand travelling towards the colourful lollipop Watari had left for him.
"I'll play bait!" L would have been sad that his successor was so easily manipulated, if it wasn't for the fact that was exactly what he needed from her. He knew, in any other circumstance with any other person, she would not have fallen for it so easily. However, the fact that it was him manipulating her meant that she had swallowed it all with no resistance what so ever.
"You do realise this will be dangerous," Honestly, he wanted to bypass the formalities. She'd do it anyway, but he felt he should at least give her the option to revoke her plan.
When L had first told Watari of his plan, he was a little resigned to the idea. They were all like Watari's children after all, and Renee was the offspring of one of his most successful students. The thought of losing another so soon most likely bothered him. But only the case mattered to L and Renee was their best possible chance to catch the killer red-handed.
"Yes, I know... but if it stops other children from getting hurt, then I have to do it," she said bravely, almost pumping her chest out to show how strong she could be. It didn't matter that her heart was hammering a million times faster in her chest. She hid her fear well.
L shoved his thumb further in his mouth, pretending to contemplate the situation. "I suppose you're right. The catching of this criminal should be our upmost priority, and using you as bait would provide the perfect situation for us to catch our killer."
She smiled happily, unable to hide her smugness as L agreed with her plan. She was so elated that she almost forgot the fact that she had just placed herself in a life threatening situation.
A sadness washed over Watari as he overheard the conversation. He could see that the young girl cared for L, so much so that she was willing to sacrifice herself for him. This would be her downfall. L would never put anybody before the case, therefore he was completely oblivious to the girl's affections towards him. Perhaps she was too. Perhaps she'd convinced herself over the years of being seperated from him that she didn't need him, that she never had... but that was Renee's biggest flaw. She had always and would always rely on someone. She could never be alone.
Perhaps, one day, if L could learn to accept her... They could complete one another, and quench the loneliness they both share. After all, he wouldn't be around forever. L would need somebody to take care of him when he was gone. Renee would do a better job than anybody.
The thought returned Watari's smile.
Once arriving at the hotel they would reside in for the duration of the visit, Watari exited the vehicle and moved to prepare the luggage. Unable to hide her excitement, Renee dashed into the building. She'd never been abroad before and just hearing people speaking in a foreign language made her esctatic, despite not understanding what they were saying.
Languages were something that Renee should have spent more time learning, but had never been important to her. Growing up, the thought of leaving England was distant and she was never quite able to comprehend it.
The hotel was beautifully extravagant with expensive artwork covering the walls and elegant statues greeted them at the entrance. Evidently, L was prepared to spare no expense in order to solve this case comfortably and safely. Well, safe for him anyway.
Watari was following them in with their luggage, but of course somebody was there to assist them as was always the case in these swanky places. L was walking behind Watari, his hands in his pockets. As if knowing they would arrive, a woman in uniform walked up to her and smiled, key in hand.
"Bonjour! Je doit votre clé," she said, pushing the key towards the confused girl. Sensing this, L stepped forward.
"Excuse-moi, elle ne parle pas français." He faked a smile, taking the key from the woman. "Merci."
She nodded and left, having been instructed to do so before hand. L quickly passed the key to Watari, who balanced in on top of the luggage he was already carrying, before ascending the grand staircase to the elevator on the floor above. Their elevator led them straight to the penthouse, L's personal preference for a room.
Renee looked around the grand hotel with large eyes. It seemed wealth and riches, no matter what, could still surprise her.
"You don't speak French," L stated, disrupting her thoughts. Realising it wasn't a question, she shrugged.
"I never felt the need to learn."
L continued walking, predicting correctly that she would follow. "As my successor, you'll be travelling across the world. It is wise to be able to speak the language of any place you may end up."
Without realising it, L had just given her more incentive not to learn. "How many languages can you speak?" she asked innocently, diverting the topic onto himself.
"Currently... ten." Renee would never stop being surprised by this boy, apparently. "I wish to increase this number of course, but time has been eluding me," he finished, a small breathy sigh leaving his mouth. L's actual frustration at only being able to speak ten languages fluently genuinely amused her and she started giggling at him.
L had never been laughed at before. This was a new experience for him, that was for certain. He'd never considered himself to be amusing, nor did he believe he had done anything to garner that reaction. "May I ask what it is you are finding so amusing?"
The despondance in his voice just made her laugh more. Finally taking a moment to breath as they both entered the elevator, Renee wiped the wetness from her eyes. "I just think what you did was cute."
L's face scrunched up at the foreign word, not quite able to comprehend why somebody would speak it to him. It wasn't even worth an analysis. She was obviously just being strange again... No, she was being childish...
But at the same time, a warm feeling washed over him.
He would not think too deeply about this. After this case, the likelihood of him seeing her again was less than ten percent - for once, an honest percentage. Risking a glance in her direction, L was greeted with her watching him with a innocent, happy smile. She seemed positively elated to be able to assist him in this case, despite gambling with her own life. No, that was wrong. He was gambling with her life. He was the one that had manipulated her into doing this.
No, he needed to stop. Focusing on the case itself was his top priority and him and Watari had a lot of preparation to perform in order to keep Renee safe. He may be gambling, but L never took the losing odds. Renee would live, and the culprit would be caught. He calculated no other outcome.
Translation: "Bonjour! Je doit votre clé" - Hello! I have your key."
"Excuse-moi, elle ne parle pas français" - Excuse me, she doesn't speak French.
"Merci" - Thank you
