FreeWeirdGal: Already PM'd with you, so nyah. XD I think I might check out a LA BB Case fic this weekend.
Fiare: You're welcome, and excellent. *smirk* There's lots to come, a big handful of plottys I have in mind for Collide I'm very enthusiastic about. (All fans of this story, check out Fiare's DN fic. It's so good!)
Shadow Fox 2013: I'm updating as fast as I can on this, haha! One to a few days, tops. Whenever I have the energy, brain power, and motivation, I continue to write and flesh out this very complicated plot. Your excitement is greatly appreciated though! :D
As for pairings, there will definitely be one, maybe two or more. Two choices of one very possible pairing comes way later. I can't exactly say what pairing(s) yet, because first of all, it's unclear. It's too soon to tell. The main pairing could go one way or the other, for example. It's really up to how this story goes—how the characters interact and how I'll end up writing up all the intense and dramatic and scary stuff I'm planning for this. There's just so much! Secondly, I'd be giving away big spoilers if I do share who I have in mind to end up in for the main relationship. Sooo, you'll just have to read and find out!
Insane Shadow Pancake: I don't like him either, so no worries about him. The new awesome OC will see that Bill gets arrested, and Sim Mari's going to try as hard as she can to make sure AU Light doesn't go insane. I can reveal that much without spoiling! ;)
Andrah Addicty: Hi there. Thanks, and enjoy the drama that's yet to come!
My wonderful and awesome readers; I do love you all, so I'd like you to understand. I really, really don't wish to give away much detail about what I have planned ahead of time. Definitely not anything specific. The suspense buildup would get kinda ruined, I believe. I may have an idea how you'll respond to certain things that eventually will happen but I still want them. ;) All your feedback is a bit of fuel to my brain power, when I keep you all on the edge of your seats. I'm also reacting to each chapter about the same way you guys and gals do, as I write them.
Everything I'd love to happen might not happen as I exactly visualize it would be another reason why I shouldn't give away anything. All characters I write have minds of their own. This story I'm creating, similar as to how I go about writing my other stories, sort of has this life of its own, and I'd like to keep the realism fluid. I'd like this to feel real, believable. I'd like to feel the emotions as I write them out...
This next chapter I'm predicting will likely be done and uploaded on Saturday or Sunday, depending on how busy I'll be at my bookshop. I'm hardly online at all on Fridays because of work and then tabletop meetup! My mom and I go see our hilarious friends and play tabletop games, in which is how I term board games, since there's tile, card, and dice games I like playing too. Since I've got a simulation of myself in this story, you'll know about some of my favorite ones very soon! XD
Chapter 9: Selective Evasion, Selective Information
Aizawa left the room, and kept his exit very casual so he wouldn't cause Mari to worry. She already had herself, her friends, and family to be afraid for. There was no need, at least not now, to mention anything to her about the violent redneck Light had talked to on his phone.
He made sure to close the door behind him as he recalled from memory on what that number was to the police station. Before that, he had looked up in the yellow pages on the internet for the names of the husband and wife that lived in somewhere in Prince Frederick, Maryland—William (Bill) and Marge Hayes. Now that he had this information, he could contact the state police and confidently ask about them first, before asking if there had been any missing persons reports concerning Mari.
This new case was just insane! He couldn't believe what the possibilities and reasoning the chief, Light, and Aizawa were facing, in addition to there being no luck at all in trying to reach someone who was close to Mari. It tugged hard at his heartstrings to think of her suffering further because a group of terrorists or whatever were holding her family and friends somewhere.
For her sake, he was determined to track down these awful people and put a stop to their crimes as soon as possible. No person deserves to be hurt and separated from their loved ones like this. Nobody.
The sound of the door opening caused him to break away from his thoughts to see Dr. Suki coming out into the hall. She regarded him with a very brief faint smile, but they both knew she was just as concerned and sad for Mari as Aizawa was.
Dr. Suki closed the door before walking away. It would be safe to assume there were other patients she watched over. Aizawa knew he couldn't put much thought or concern about it, for he had to call the Maryland police and put a stop to the bastard who hit his spouse.
Aizawa drew out a sigh as he dialed the number to the MPD and waited for someone to answer. He didn't have to wait long at all as a female voice replied, "Deputy Pallantine." This was a firm and attentive voice. This had to be a voice of experience. From the tone of her voice, Aizawa assumed she was probably in her mid-twenties, the same age range he was in.
In English, he chose to be direct. "I'm calling to report an attack at the home of William and Marge Hayes, along Main Street in Prince Frederick. Mr. Hayes may still be threatening and attacking his wife as I speak."
The response was both careful and immediate. "I see. Please hold while I send out someone to the Hayes residence." She seemed like a very focused American police officer, someone who had the potential to be very helpful to answer to Aizawa's inquiries concerning Mari.
"Yes, of course,"he told Pallantine.
Again, Aizawa didn't have to wait long until Pallantine returned. "Thank you for your concern, sir. Did you see Mr. Hayes attacking his spouse?"
"No. A colleague of mine had been talking to him on the phone when he heard him hit Marge Hayes very hard."
She replied, "Hmn, well this is not the first time he has harmed her. May I ask who's calling, and why your colleague could not make this call?" There was a courtesy to her voice, but also a subtle note of suspicion Aizawa had detected.
I wonder who else this asshole harmed. "Certainly. My name is Shuichi Aizawa of the National Police Agency, in Tokyo, Japan. My colleague is technically the chief's son, and he is with a young woman from the state of Maryland. He had been trying to contact a family friend of hers but Mr. Hayes had responded instead. Ma'am, if I may have your full cooperation, I'd like to ask you something about Mr. Hayes in particular."
Pallantine took a moment to register this before she became a bit defensive. "Aizawa, correct? I'd like to know what this is about, before I could answer any of your questions. What business does foreign law enforcement have to do with this man?"
Fair enough, he thought. He was willing to cooperate at least this much. "This concerns a woman by the name of Mari Markham. We currently have her under our protection. She and her family live not far from Prince Frederick. My friend in particular had asked Mr. Hayes if he knew of Mr. Jim Bolman, a family friend of Mari's."
There were a handful of names listed in Mari's phone contacts, and Jim Bolman had been the last person Light had been trying to reach.
"Jim Bolman... I'm going to check our records for that name."
Aizawa relaxed, but by only a hair. "That would be very much appreciated, Deputy Pallantine."
"Oh no trouble at all, Aizawa," Pallantine said, "If there is anyone associated with Bill Hayes, we would have that in our files... Do you believe Hayes had anything to do with harming this Mari Markham, or her family?"
"I might," Aizawa admitted. "That is what I'd like to ask you about. Do you know if he has any history in terrorism, or any sort of organized crime?"
"Wait. Terrorism?" Pallantine seemed slightly alarmed there. "Hayes has never been involved in anything that serious."
Aizawa tensed. "Not at all?"
"No. Never," she confirmed. "I'm absolutely sure of that. He's a heavy drinker, and former drug addict. It's too much of an overestimation to suspect him of anything that requires such intellect. Hayes is more along average, uncouth trailer trash over terrorist."
"I see." But why the hell would that man have Mari's friend's number? I don't get it. I don't even believe she'd be friends with anyone like him. Something did not match up at all, and it did not feel right. "In that case, he can't be involved concerning the Markham family and their friends we're not able to call. From what you told me, he wouldn't fit the profile."
In the background, he heard faint click-clacks of what had to be Deputy Pallantine typing on a computer keyboard. "I understand your concern for this woman, sir, but it's a bit of a stretch to assume there are terrorists or organized crime involved. What police branch did you say you were from again?"
She was going farther past Aizawa's hopes and expectations in terms of cooperation. Was she also still suspicious of him? In spite of how unsettling this call was starting to become, Aizawa forced himself to remain calm and polite. "Ma'am, let me explain something to you. All I'm at liberty to say here, on her behalf, is this. Mari Markham had been brutally attacked, and then kidnapped from where she was. She hasn't stated her address yet, but I know she mentioned Southern Maryland. This might have happened without you knowing it. She has no memory of being attacked, and we cannot get any of her family or friends on the phone."
Aizawa may have sounded a little bitter towards the end, but he really couldn't afford to care. It's been one very stressful afternoon, and all he wanted was some solid, straightforward answers to go on about what was happening to her loved ones. Was that really too much to ask for?
He took a moment to collect himself, before continuing. "Do you believe me now, Deputy Pallantine? I'm who I say I am, and some very terrible people could still be out there. A number of innocent lives could be at stake, and we both know none of this be should taken lightly."
The click-clacking came to a complete stop, and for a moment the line was silent. Pallantine's persistent and very skeptical tone changed to something a bit softer, and more understanding. "All right. Aizawa, I want to believe you. You seem very genuine and dedicated to catching the people responsible for harming Ms. Markham. Your courtesy call about Hayes further proves it, but something still doesn't add up.
"I finished looking for the information you requested, but there seem to be no records of a Jim Bolman. Not even as an alias. No criminal or phone records connect this man to Hayes at all."
This stumped and irritated Aizawa a great deal. Shit! Whoever these people are, they're good at not leaving any trace. Too good. "Are there at least any missing person reports with the last name of Markham? I have her phone, and the list of names whose numbers are either not available or claimed to be wrong numbers. Could you do a background check for me too, if I give you these numbers?"
"I can help you further if you send me a photo of Ms. Markham, through your phone. I'll need some type of I.D. of her to go on."
Aizawa considered, and believed that this woman was an overall straight up no-nonsense person, and someone with a strong sense of justice. Just like himself. He may not have liked how she pressed him for information, but he greatly appreciated how she had gone out of her way tell him more about William Hayes.
From what she said, combined with what Light said, this man was definitely not a suspect. Light and Chief Yagami had come to a dead end. Light may have done some good to save Marge Hayes from being further assaulted, but these people most likely didn't know Mari at all.
Aizawa had made a bold move and took matters into his own hands a little, but he was sure the chief would understand, once he would put Pallantine through to him. A little outside help from the law near Mari's neighborhood wouldn't hurt. If was any hostile group, or more than one, who were still over there, it'd be quicker to have them catch these guys. It would take too long to hire anyone from the force here in Japan to organize a team to send overseas to find them.
"The chief, Soichiro Yagami, is in charge of this case. I'll have to put you through to him about that. We don't wish to endanger our witness in any way."
"I understand that," complied Pallantine. "I understand that very well. May I speak to Chief Yagami? Is he available?"
"Kleenex, please. For later," Marianne said to Dr. Suki. No matter what was going to happen next, she knew that she would end up crying over everything.
As she felt Mr. Yagami's hand on top of one of hers, she didn't let any emotions surface. All the tears were spent for now, gone, and would not come back for a while as she was starting to feel a little worn out from all that recent stress. She let herself relax in posture, but could not bear to look at them at this moment.
As if the guilt wasn't bearing down on her enough, what Mr. Yagami had confirmed on her being in this world for a while was just turning the knife. Of course there was no way to contact anyone she knew.
As the doctor had done before, she used a very kind, understanding, and soothing voice. "I'll see about finding you some. Be back shortly."
Marianne listened to Dr. Suki leaving as she felt unable to hold her head erect right now. For what felt like a long and quiet minute, no one felt like saying anything.
It was Mr. Yagami who broke the silence with his concern. "We want to believe the people listen on your phone are those you trust, Mari. We need to know; are you certain that the people listed on your phone are family friends?"
I don't need to lie about this part. I don't even want to. But I just can't tell you they're supposed to be from a parallel universe. "Yes. I don't know everyone on there. Some are people only my dad knows. He does not have a cell phone, and sometimes he asks me to call one of them using it. They can't be bad people. I know he wouldn't ask me to add a new contact who isn't someone he trusts as a friend..." She slowly shook her head and told a lie she was already regretting while saying it. "I don't understand why you can't reach any of them. What's going on?"
"The numbers we've tried halfway through are either unavailable, or wrong numbers," Light explained. His tone sounded so apologetic, but there was a strength there too. She could sense that he wasn't going to give up, no matter what—and she did need that, to a certain extent. "The people we've spoken to haven't said anything about knowing you, or your parents."
Marianne closed her eyes. She wasn't all that surprised to hear this, but it still hurt. It still depressed her. Her family and those close to them were going to worry, and there was nothing she could do to help calm them. She didn't want them worrying, but that was beyond anything anyone in Death Note Earth could do."That's crazy... Some of those numbers I've called before in the past, successfully. There hasn't been a need to call all of them, but I'd never doubt my parents. They wouldn't have given me phone numbers of strangers."
"You're sure?" Her heart felt yet another heavy and silent pang of guilt to see him so concerned and determined. He was thinking and behaving like someone of true justice, not from the warped mind of a serial killer.
"Yes. What else can I tell you here?" she asked Light, in spite of how wrong she knew felt it was in lying to his face about this. With each lie, little by little, she was digging herself a hole, building a great burden she felt she had not choice but to bear, as she lifted her head and looked at him in the eyes. She hardened her voice and knew this next part wasn't a lie. "This has never happened to me before, or to my parents. Ever. I haven't lost those memories, and I don't know who would do this." In that way, she really was being honest about that—she really had no idea who, if it were a person, would hurt her and dump her somewhere for Light to see. She had been trying hard not to think deeply about it, for she was sure that wouldn't help anyone much. She'd only begin to feel scared and more paranoid.
There came a question in which she did not want to ask, but had to anyway. She felt it was necessary. "Could everyone I know back home be in danger?"
She turned her head to look at Light's dad as he spoke. There was so much I feel so terrible about this to see in his eyes, all over his face. "We can't be certain, but this is a possibility we can't rule out."
Marianne reminded herself again that if she didn't know what to say or do, then she wouldn't do anything. She did just that, and looked away. It felt as if her heart had skipped a few beats. What if they really are in danger...? No, I can't think about that! They have to be okay, right? They're just back in my world. I can't think about it. Things are bad enough as they are!
"Do you have any photos of your parents, or anyone in your contacts?" Light asked. He didn't hesitate there. They both must have seen the flash fear on her own face. Light, she was certain, didn't want her to go into panicking mode all over again. It only made sense, and for a while she's believed that he was still innocent.
Marianne also didn't want anything bad happening to anyone she cared about, back in her world. It wouldn't be a bad idea to show them what she had of her family, just in case! "On my red phone, there are some videos. My mom is on at least one of them, and my dad's on another."
She heard Mr. Yagami lean forward a little. "May we see them?"
Yeah. I think I'd better show them, just in case either Mom or Dad, or both... God, I hope it's just me. Please, please let it be just me.
In order to help them believe her, it would be necessary to show them the videos she recorded. Marianne nodded curtly to Mr. Yagami, then turned to where her phone was; just behind her brown and green plaid leather purse. She pulled the one end of the cord out that connected to her headphones, and lightly pressed the power button below the touch screen of her old red Verizon phone. It was still on, but the phone battery had drained a bit. Damn it, one of my phone charger plugs are still in my canvas bag... According to the phone clock, it was a quarter after five P.M. here.
Oh, hold on! If I'm ever going to get in touch with L, now's the time! Marianne mentally smacked herself. She had been so startled and worried about her loved ones that she almost completely forgot! "Wait. Before I do that, I have to ask—do either of you know of any world famous detectives who are able to solve really hard cases? Because I sort of remember reading this one news article or two about one. Maybe he could help us?"
Light looked surprised as he looked to his dad for an answer. As Marianne looked to him to, easily showing concern, she saw him looking at her in careful concern. "I wouldn't know anyone like that. Who would this detective be?"
"He's known as L," Marianne explained. "I heard he normally doesn't show his face to anyone, and keeps his true identity secret, and I read about him tracking down this serial killer known as Beyond Birthday."
Truthfully, she was referring to a light novel that was supposed to have taken place before the Death Note manga series, called Death Note: Another Note, The Los Angeles BB Murder Cases. She never got to read that yet, but remembered seeing the advertisement page for it towards the back of more than one Death Note volume, and reading a bit about it on the Death Note Wiki site.
Marianne bit the inside of her lower lip in nervousness as she started to recall on the information she read about it. Oh shit, I hope I don't ever meet BB.
She heard total bewilderment in Light's voice as he said, "Beyond Birthday? That's a bizarre alias if I ever heard one."
Marianne looked to him as she continued, "He was this really, really nasty guy. Very violent and insane...and I don't think I'll want to mention any gruesome details. FBI agent, Naomi..." Augh, what was-is her last name...? "Naomi Misora? I think that's her name. She worked alongside L and the L.A.P.D. to catch him."
In knowing the most about Naomi and her fiancée, Raye Penber, being both minor characters in the Death Note manga, Marianne found it a bit strange that she had struggled a bit to remember her name, when she could easily remember Raye Penber.
Light gave her a really strange look. Marianne wasn't all that surprised, even as she easily faked it. Of course he doesn't know about L. He's never heard of him or met him. Duh. And now that I have the notebook, Naomi just might live to marry Raye...
She looked to his dad, who was thinking hard to recall ever hearing anything about L. "I'll have a look into that later," he said.
"Good," Marianne said. "I'm sure there must be one on the force that knows how to get in contact with L. I think we're going to need all the help we can get."
Just as she finished that sentence, she noticed the door opening, Aizawa poking his head into the room. "Chief? Could I talk to you for a minute?" He looked very serious.
Uh oh. Wonder what's happening. Please, Mom, Dad. Allan. Bob. Brianna. Ruby. Jim... Please, God. Keep them safe and where they should be... I shouldn't let myself be paranoid about them, but I sure freaking am anyway. I'm in some deep, DEEP trouble... Again, if anyone else I know is in this world, then I'll find out about it. Right?
Right, Marianne answered herself. She would have to focus on what was going on around her, and keep it together-stick to the plan to spill out all secrets and worries she kept to L, once the opportunity would present herself.
Mr. Yagami stood up, and looked to them. "Mari, you'll have to show those videos of your family to Light while I go see what this is about."
She nodded to him. "Yes. I'll do that." There was no need to delay that any longer, for she had mentioned L. She did what had to be done. From there, if planned right, she could go see him sometime soon.
Aizawa opened the door all the way and moved aside as Dr. Suki had returned, carrying what looked like an unopened tissue box. She handed it to Marianne. "I have some errands to attend to," she said. "Other patients, you know. I'll see you again later."
"See you later then," Marianne replied.
"I see you're feeling a bit better. That's great."
Yeah...but it's not gonna last. Marianne managed to put on a partial smile for her. "Yeah, somewhat better..."
"Well, I must go. Goodbye—and remember. Take the pills only if you need to, every four hours."
"Got it."
"Goodbye, Light-san."
"Dr. Suki, thank you for everything," he replied. He sounded grateful to her.
I wonder how those two know each other. Was he a former patient, or...?
Light and Marianne watched as she said her farewells to Aizawa and Mr. Yagami before closing the door behind her.
She managed to look brave and confident for him. In continuing to focus on here and now, she would know what to do. "All-righty then. Video time," Marianne said, as soon as it was just the both of them. She wasn't nervous or scared as she once was of him of what must have been at least a few hours ago. Light wasn't paying any attention to the Death Note, and that was very good. As long as he stays focused away from it, he won't be thinking about experimenting with it.
