Chapter 6: Line of Fire

A few days later …

Mishca was headed back to headquarters after her lunch break. She needed a break from everyone there, morale was definitely not high and it seemed so stuffy that it was hard to breathe. Even though it was lightly snowing, she decided to walk there instead of grabbing a taxi - she had gone to a cute café that was about a 30 min walk away from HQ – she knew she took too much time to go there, but she didn't care, damn it, she needed a break from these people.

Hopefully the extra time to herself and the fresh air would give her a few moments to practice Japanese characters in her head… she didn't think not being able to read Japanese would be an issue, it was easy enough for her to understand and to speak, but she never had the time to sit down and study the Japanese characters. She was angry with herself that she did not find the time, even angrier when she recalled Tatum calling her one of the greatest detectives… a great detective would not be this ill equipped for an investigation, she thought. She tried to push the irritation aside, but failed.

She was still a good fifteen minutes away from HQ when her phone rang, looking at the cellphone she saw that it was a private number. Curious, she answered.

"Yes?"

– she did not expect the robotic voice that came next

"Forgive the intrusion, but there is an urgent matter I must discuss with you … This is L"

She stopped in her tracks, L… was calling her? She couldn't believe it, a wave of panic crossed her face, minimal interaction through a computer was just fine… but this... this was too close… he shouldn't be calling her… wait, why the hell is he calling her? She thought, and whispered the only thing she could muster in her muddled head..

"… and how do I know you are… you've given me nothing to go on, for all I know you could be KIRA with a nifty voice distorter"

She could hear a faint release of air from the receiver; she had gathered he was amused by her response.

"Very good – yet another reason why we must speak"

"If you truly are L, I'm sure you are aware how dangerous contacting any of us directly is for you – for your sake, please make it quick."

She waited for what seemed like forever for him to continue…

"You will be receiving a call soon from the FBI telling you that your work here is complete and not to return to HQ…."

Thank god, Mishca thought. 'Maybe I can get out of here before things get even worse.'

"…what I ask, is that you consider remaining on the task force of your own accord."

All relief that washed over her seconds before was gone. She was quiet as she walked slowly towards a bench near a store. She sat, paying careful mind to what and who was around her. L, was asking her specifically, to stay. What a way to stay anonymous Mishca, way to go, she scolded herself in her mind.

"…. I will take your silence as careful consideration. Please come to a decision on my request quickly, and if you decide to stay, please get back to HQ as quickly as possible."

The phone clicked signaling to her that he hung up. She slowly removed her phone from her ear.

'What would it look like, if I refused to go back to HQ? Why does the FBI want to pull out of this investigation?'

Her head was spinning with questions – she needed answers, and she needed them now. She sprang up and began walking towards HQ, mind racing. 'L asked me specifically to stay on the task force… damn it, he must have heard everything I've been saying. Who was I kidding, he's L, of course he's going to hear everything… uughhhh…. Does that mean he values my deductions? Or does he know… no, that's impossible.. he must want to utilize my deduction capabilities, but why? I haven't came to any conclusions that he hasn't come to himself, I'm useless… ugghhh!' She was so caught up in her own thoughts that she didn't hear her cellphone ring again.

She finally reached HQ and rushed to the conference room. Upon entering she saw Tatum in a shouting match with a few Japanese police members, their faces were red and most were waving their arms around.

"You FBI, I knew you weren't here to help! Have you been probing us too all along? Huh?"

Mishca ran over to break up the fight, "STOP! Real professional guys, get off his back!"

"I don't want to hear anything from you, you're one of them! For all I know you were probing us all as well!"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Uh.. uh… guys.." they could hear Matsuda in the background trying to get their attention, but it was no use, until finally…

"THAT IS ENOUGH!" A loud robotic voice came over the speakers. The room fell to silence and the police members who were in Tatum's face backed away.

"Tatum and Mishca were not involved in the FBI probe…"

"YEAH!" Tatum shouted at the police force, "If we were, don't you think we'd be one of the 12 that died! We're still here, geniuses!"

Mishca glared at Tatum "That's quite enough Tatum, drop it. L is trying to say something" Her mind was reeling, so she was right. L did have the police force investigated… but why did he use the FBI… he could have used a different organization. She could only deduce that he wanted to see how her and Tatum handled themselves if word did get out. 'I wonder what L would think, once he realizes I'm not FBI?'

"… I think that is enough for today, L." Chief Yagami spoke up, "I think it wise for everyone here to spend a night with their families, away from all of this."

"… Indeed, very well then. Please meet back here tomorrow at the normal time.." The computer screen went black, it was hard to hear his true meaning through the robotic voice, but Mishca could tell he was none too pleased.

Team members starting piling out of the room, most giving Mishca and Tatum harsh glares and some swore at them out of anger.

At the hotel …

"So, I guess we're headed back to the states now, like you wanted Mishca." Tatum said as they entered the hotel lobby.

"… no. I'm truly stuck now Tatum, I'm not going anywhere."

"What do you mean? The FBI director wants us back, the FBI is through with this investigation."

"Well, then I guess I will see you whenever the case is over."

"Will you please let me in on what you are talking about?"

She sighed as she reached the elevator doors, and pressed the up button. "I'm not one of you Tatum, I don't have the same constraints that you do."

The doors slid open and they entered the elevator, thankfully, no one else was occupying it. "Even so, everyone thinks you are, so you have to come back."

The elevator reached her floor and the stepped out and she reached for the door key in her purse.

"No – that won't be happening…" She slid the key card into the slot in the door and walked into her room, Tatum following closely behind.

Tatum looked at her confused.

"I received a call this morning, letting me know that the FBI was pulling us out"

"Yea, so did I"

"I doubt you received the call from the same person as I did." She said as she sat in a chair and removed her shoes.

"Huh?"

"L has asked me to stay on the case Tatum. I won't be returning to the States just yet."

Tatum looked at her with his mouth dropped and eyes wide. "L… contacted… you?" "Holy cow that is so cool! You must have really impressed him!"

Mishca placed her shoes near the door and got up to start a pot of coffee. "Impressed? Doubtful – I expect that's not an easy feat. And how is any of this 'cool'?"

"Yeah. Well it sort of is, I mean, L, greatest detective in the world contacts you… hey, do you think he knows you used to be the 4th greatest?"

She was about to pour the water into the coffee machine but paused at his question, and cringed at his use of the phrase 'used to be' – she didn't like that. "I don't think so.. but, that will surely change if I continue working on this case. It is bound to come to the surface at some point."

"Didn't you say it was too dangerous to even come here, and now you are staying? How does that make any sense anyway?"

"Don't you see? … L has obviously heard all of my deductions and thoughts so far on this case, everything that I've done up to this point shows that I am determined to catch KIRA at any cost, how would it look to him, if I were to all of a sudden up and leave just because I was told to?"

"Like you were following your orders"

"Mm. Not quite." She poured the water into the machine and pressed the on button.

"He, and anyone else for that matter, can see how interested I am in this case. There's no way he would look at it as me just following orders. It would look suspicious if I didn't put up a fight, if I didn't want to stay… I would surely be next on his list to investigate."

"I don't follow your train of thought on that one Mishca, how do you know he'd think that?"

"Because it's what I would think. If I just up and leave, it would look like I'm hiding something – why would someone so interested in the case and so eager to solve it, just leave?" She shook her head "it doesn't look good for me, whether I stay or leave. At least if I stay, I have some control over what information he gets on me."

The coffee finished brewing and she poured two cups. She walked towards the sitting area

"In order to completely protect what I know, I have to put myself in the line of fire. I know it makes no sense to you, but it's what needs to be done."

She handed Tatum his cup. Before she could even sit down she saw a huge grin on Tatum's face.

"Hey Mishca… do you think there's any way I could stay too?"

She raised an eyebrow, "What happened to following orders? If you stay you will surely lose your position with the FBI."

"… I don't care. If we solve it, they'll want me back anyway – and there's no way I'm leaving you here by yourself."

….

Next Chapter L meets everyone! YAAYY!

And I'm sorry if there is any OOC-ness, This is my first FF so I'm sure there will be a lot. I'll do my best but L is a tough one to write!

Glad you guys like it so far! I'm super excited about where this story is going….