Chapter 10: Team
"Kira's hostages?"
"What is this?"
The men gape at the TV screen while L and E studied the screen. They had put all their focus on the screen as they listened carefully to the reporter.
"Four days ago our program director here at Sakura TV received four tapes. After a thorough examination there could be no doubt that they were from Kira himself."
Slowly at the same exact time L and E made their way to the two single couches and sat down in their usual position in front of the TV while Aizawa, Ukita and Matsuda crowded around the TV and continued to watch the screen with the two young detectives.
"The first tape we received contained a prediction regarding the time of deaths of two suspected criminals who'd recently been arrested and as predicted at the exact time that Kira had specified both men died suddenly of heart attacks yesterday."
L's eyes flickered towards E. She noticed a pair of eyes on her so she turned her head to the side to look at L. The two young detectives stared at one another for a brief moment before turning their heads back towards the TV screen and continue listening to the reporter.
"Kira has instructed us to air this second tape today at exactly five fifty-nine PM and we do intend to comply with his demands. This tape should offer proof of his powers by predicting yet another death. Beyond that we understand that it contains a message to all the people of the world from Kira."
"This has to be another fake, don't you think?" Ukita asked in alarm as he continued to watch the screen with wide eyes.
"I doubt it." Matsuda answered, his voice getting quieter as he went on. "I'm pretty sure even Sakura TV wouldn't stoop that low."
"And now the video." the reporter said.
The screen changed to a white background and in the centre of the screen the word 'Kira' was written in the same style as L's Old English style.
"I am Kira." a voice masked in a deep voice said.
L analysed the screen. Fuzzy machine, garbled voice and handwritten letters. Obviously recorded on a home video camera. Gothic font of the same type I used when I did that broadcast. Is that out of rivalry? Or is that all he could come up with? Either way this is just too childish. Is that on purpose?
"If this video is being aired on exactly April eighteenth at exactly five fifty-nine PM as I requested then the time now is five fifty-nine, forty-seven, forty-eight, forty-nine. Please change the channel to Taiyo TV. The news anchor Mr. Kazuhiko Hibima should die of a heart attack at exactly six o'clock."
"Change it." L ordered. Watari obeyed his orders and changed the channel. On the screen there was a man slouched in his chair, dead.
"How could he!" Ukita cried out, outraged by the sight in front of him.
"Change the channel back." L commanded. "And I need you to bring us another TV Watari. No, make it two."
"Yes." Watari answered as he left the room in a hurry.
Kira continued in his synthetic voice, "I will present you with another victim. My next target is NHN TV commentator Mr. Seiji Komaizumi who's scheduled to appear in a live broadcast. He too has dared to defy Kira."
"Ryuzaki?" Matsuda murmured, awaiting L's next orders.
"Change it to channel twenty-four." L instructed. Matsuda pressed the button on the remote and the image changed. There laid another dead man, slouched in his seat. L said in a soft voice. "Please change it back."
"Now that you've seen proof of my powers you should have no trouble believing that I am Kira."
Kira said that he was going to send a message to the people of the world.
L eyes widened in realisation when he understood Kira's plans, "Stop this broadcast! We can't let him finish!" L blurted out. E flinched at his tone. That was unexpected. She turned her head and watched him. L eyes were glued to the screen as he watched the screen with a critical expression. E knew at this moment this was the detective L, not the man that had been annoying her in the past week.
"Get Sakura TV on the line!" Matsuda exclaimed as he ran over to the phone that was set on a nearby table.
Aizawa immediately began calling the station and sighed in frustration, "It's no good. I'm trying but none of my contacts at the station have their phones on."
Matsuda added, the phone pressed to his ear, "And nobody is picking up at reception either."
"Damn it!" Ukita shouted as he ran over to the exit.
"Ukita!"
E slowly turned around from her seat to watch Ukita storm towards the door, "I'll stop this broadcast myself if that's what it takes." he ran out of the room and slammed the door behind him.
E held onto the back of the seat as she continued to stare at the door Ukita had just ran out from. L tore his eyes away from the TV screen to look at E and saw her staring at the door in thought. He wondered what she was thinking about at that moment.
"People of the world please listen to me. The last thing I want to do is kill the innocent. I hate evil and love justice. I've always thought of the police as allies, not as enemies."
E turned around to face the TV once again when she heard Kira speak. She listened to Kira's words silently when she heard, "Damn you Kira." E turned her gaze on L and saw he had his thumbnail in between his teeth, frustrated by his inability to do anything.
In the past few minutes L and E listened to Kira's words while Aizawa and Matsuda continued to try and contact a member of staff from Sakura TV but with little success. Watari and Marilyn entered the room with two televisions and set them in front of the two detectives. Once Watari and Marilyn set up the TVs in the room Marilyn left the room while Watari stayed behind. E glanced at the three screens in front of her in a fast pace but froze when she saw Ukita outside Sakura TV. He pulled out his gun from his jacket and pointed the weapon at the glass door when suddenly Ukita froze, his knees buckled and he collapsed onto the ground.
"Kira." E murmured. L heard E speak and he turned his head to the side to look at her and saw she had her eyes glued to the TV screen. L turned his attention on the screen E had been staring at and saw Ukita laying on the concrete floor.
"Aizawa! Look!" Matsuda exclaimed when he saw Ukita laying on the ground. Aizawa shot his head towards the TV screen and gasps at the sight.
"As you can see someone has collapsed just outside the door. Again we're coming to you live from the Sakura TV building."
"Ukita... Damn it! Kira did this!"
Aizawa stood completely still as he stared at the TV screen with wide, teary eyes. After a few seconds he frowned deeply, giving the screen a dark look before dashing towards the door, before he had the chance to leave L said in a harsh tone, "Mr. Aizawa. Where are you going?"
Aizawa stopped in his tracks and answered, "Where do you think? I've got to go there!"
"You can't. Please think about this rationally."
"What?" Aizawa yelled. "You want me to just sit here and watch TV?"
Aizawa reminded L of E at that moment. E had once said those words.
L said, "If this truly is the work of Kira you'll just meet the same fate if you go there."
Aizawa spun his body to face L and said in the same tone he's been using in the past minute, "You told us that Kira couldn't kill without a name. So how could this happen?"
"The aliases and fake police IDs were worthless. What are we going to do L? You don't think Kira has all our names already, do you?" Matsuda asked in an overly worried tone.
"That's a definite possibility." L admitted. Matsuda stiffened. "However, if that's the case you think it would be easier for him to kill off the entire task force before making a move. Initially I deduced that Kira needed both a name and a face to kill but from what we've just seen I'd say it's not entirely impossible that Kira can kill with only a face. All I know for sure is that Kira is either in that TV station or he's somewhere close by. In a place where he can watch everyone who enters the building." he said, his voice getting quieter as he went on. "Perhaps he's in the-"
Aizawa cut in, interrupting L, "If Kira is in the area then isn't that why we should get down there?"
"For all we know he could have just placed surveillance cameras in the area. If we rushed down there unprepared all of us would be killed-" L suddenly stopped speaking when Aizawa grasp L's shoulder.
E turned her head to look at the men and watched the scene with wide, curious eyes.
Aizawa's grip tightened as he yelled, "Wasn't it you who said we would have to risk our lives to catch Kira?"
"I meant what I said, but risking my life to catch Kira and doing something that I know it would cost me my life are two entirely different things."
In the corner of Aizawa's eye he noticed a pair of dull eyes watching him. He tore his eyes from L to look at E. He growled at her. Aizawa despised the way E looked right now. She looked like a curious little child as if all of this wasn't happening right now.
Aizawa lost his cool and yelled at her, "What about you?! You love to go out in your disguises to solve your cases!" he let go of L's shoulder and storm towards E. "Go and stop Kira!"
E sat in her seat and continued to look at Aizawa with her child-like eyes. That pissed him off even more. Without thinking Aizawa snatched E's injured arm and tug her out off her seat. E whimpered softly at the slight pain in her arm. "Well, go on then. Stop Kira!"
"Aizawa!" L said in a harsh tone when he noticed E's discomfort. L stood up from his seat and grasp Aizawa's arm, making him let go of E's injured arm. Aizawa turned to look L with a scowl but his eyes widened a little in surprise when he noticed L was shaking, "Please control yourself. We've lost Ukita. I understand you want to go there but if something was to happen to you as well..." L trailed off, his voice laced with regret.
Aizawa and Matsuda stared at L in shock while E watched him with interest. L climbed back into his seat and sat in his usual position. E followed his example and sat back down on the couch. Aizawa backed away slowly while Matsuda went back and continued to try and contact someone from Sakura TV.
L stared blankly at the carpet with his dead eyes as E continued to watch him with interest. Suddenly she reached her hand forward and pressed her index finger on his knee. L perked up and tilt his head to the side to look at E, "You're shaking." she stated as she removed her finger. E looked at him in the eye and asked. "Why?"
"Because of tonight's events."
"Because of Ukita?"
L nodded.
"You're really upset that Ukita died?" E asked, genuinely interested.
"Yes. Aren't you?"
E didn't comment.
Suddenly L and E heard a loud crash from the television. They shot their heads towards the TV screen and saw a van smashed into the Sakura TV building.
"A vehicle has just driven through the front doors of the station!" the reporter announced.
"Well, that's one way to get into the building without being seen by Kira." L commented.
"But who would...?"
"We're still outside Sakura TV. As you can see a police car has just arrived." the reporter informed the public.
"So we're not alone." Matsuda said in astonishment. "There are still other officers out there who are willing to stand up to Kira."
"Mr. Aizawa. You know Deputy Director Kitamura's cell phone number, right?" L asked. Aizawa nodded in response. L instructed Aizawa to contact Deputy Director Kitamura. Aizawa followed his orders and he handed his cell phone to L.
"This is L. There's something I need you to do for me. There may be police officers who would see this broadcast and feel moved to take action in the name of justice. If you don't take control of this situation quickly there will be a disaster."
The cell phone in L's hand suddenly disappeared. L stared at his empty palm for a moment in confusion. He turned his head and saw E had the cell phone in her hand. She pressed the speaker (so she could also listen to their discussion) and she handed the phone back to L.
"But technically we are not supposed to be involved in this case. Huh?"
"Two police officers have just collapsed on the sidewalk. I think we may be in danger. We're moving away from the scene."
Everyone in the room heard a sigh from the phone, "I understand L. I see your point now. Tell me what I should do."
Right after Deputy Director Kitamura said those words Watari's cell phone began to vibrate in his breast pocket. He fished out his phone and checked the I.D caller. Watari informed L and E, "It's Detective Superintendent Yagami."
As soon as E heard Soichiro's name she snapped her head towards Watari and she heard L say, "Call him back immediately and give me the phone."
"I need to speak with Ryuzaki!"
"Yes it's me. Mr. Yagami, so you're the one driving the police van." E jumped out off her seat and pressed her cheek against L's so she could hear Soichiro's reply. L forgot the situation for a split second because of E actions. He was slightly surprised.
"I couldn't just sit and watch. I've confiscated all of the tapes. I'm bringing them to you."
"What about your condition? Are you alright?" E asked. L looked at her.
"I'm feeling just fine Toshiko. To be honest with you I don't think I've ever felt more alive. So what do you think I should do now? I'd say going up the front would be too dangerous but I could always use the police van again."
"Please hold the line for a second." L requested and he began speaking to Kitamura from the other line. "Deputy Director Kitamura it was Chief Yagami who just drove into the building. Are your preparations complete?"
"It's done as you requested."
L switched phones, "Mr. Yagami. Listen carefully. In exactly five minutes I want you to come out from the front entrance."
"You want me to exit through the front entrance?"
"Yes, we promise you will get out safely." E promised. Soichiro agreed to do it.
L ended both calls while E removed her cheek from L's and sat back down in her original seat. L's cheek felt cold after E left. L touched his cheek with the palm of his hand.
E noticed, "I apologise."
L looked at her, "Why are you apologising?"
"For pressing my cheek against yours. I apologise if that made you uncomfortable."
"It's alright. I wanted you to listen to the conversation."
"Thank you."
L lifted his eyebrow, "Why are you thanking me?"
"For stopping Aizawa."
L remembered their earlier disagreement they had with Aizawa. L said, "I think Aizawa owns you an apology."
Aizawa heard (L made sure he did) and he turned his head to look at the two detectives. He frowned but otherwise apologised, "I'm sorry for my behaviour earlier on. I was upset."
"We understand." L said and he looked over at E. She was staring at the carpet, thinking.
Twenty minutes had passed since Soichiro walked out of Sakura TV and drove back to the hotel. Since then it's been very quiet. L concluded Kira had decided to stop because he wasn't able to murder the policemen outside Sakura TV because they were in protective gear.
The door creaked open and walked through the door was Watari, carrying Soichiro by the shoulder.
Matsuda turned around and exclaimed happily when he saw his Chief, "Chief!"
"Welcome back Chief." Aizawa added.
"Ryuzaki. Toshiko. I apologise for taking matters into my own hands." L stood up from the couch and walked over to Soichiro while E stayed seated on the couch, facing the TV screen. Soichiro continued, "I have to admit I got a little bit carried away. Here." he handed a brown paper bag to L. "These are all of the tapes and an envelope. Everything Kira sent to the station is in here."
L took them and said gratefully, "I can't thank you enough."
"I think I better rest for a minute."
Watari helped Soichiro to the couch. E turned her head slightly and watched them. After Watari helped Soichiro lay down on the couch E stood up and walked over to Soichiro. She watched over him. Soichiro stared at her curiously. E crouched down and pulled out a lollipop from her pocket and unwrapped it, placing it in her mouth.
E looked at Soichiro with the lollipop bulging in her right cheek and said, "I would offer you a lollipop but I'm afraid in your condition this won't be appropriate. I'll have Marilyn prepare you green tea and soup."
"Oh no. I can't-"
"I'll contact Marilyn right away." E stood upright and fished out her cell phone and dialled Marilyn's number.
L and Aizawa watched the scene between Soichiro and E. Aizawa thought it was strange of E to act friendly towards someone. What was she up too? L has noticed E has been very kind to Soichiro for some odd reason since she visited him at the hospital. Why is she only nice to him? E ended the call and returned to her seat.
L tore his eyes away from them and looked inside the bag. He pulled out the envelope and noticed they were sent from Osaka. The postmark is from Osaka.But Kira can control his victims before they die, so he could have delivered it from Osaka without going there himself.
L turned around and handed the bag over to Aizawa, "Mr. Aizawa. Can you please take this to the crime lab right away?"
"I still have a couple of friends down there. I'll make sure they go over every inch of this."
"That's good, please do so. While you're doing that I'm going to watch these tapes to see if they can tell us anything."
"I will also be watching these tapes." E stated from the couch. L turned his eyes to look at her. She had her head facing the TV screen.
"Very well."
"I'm surprised you want to watch these tapes with me." L commented as he put the first tape in the TV.
"Finally something interesting is happening."
"I see."
L and E were the only ones in the living room. Earlier Aizawa and Matsuda helped carry Soichiro to a room for the night for him to rest. After they helped their Chief the men left the hotel to go to the crime lab to get the envelope examined. The living room was pitch black, the only light in the room was the brightness from the television screen. The two young detectives planned to listen to all of Kira's tapes tonight.
L sat down on the couch next to E and he looked at her with a stern expression, "Before we begin I must know if you're going to stay and cooperate with me on the Kira investigation. If not, I will not allow you to watch these-"
"I understand." E interrupted. "By asking to watch these tapes it's clear I will cooperate on this case with you."
"Why the change of heart?"
"Tonight's events were interesting."
L didn't comment. E leaned forward and pressed the button from the remote control to start the tape.
"Shall we begin?"
In the past hour L and E have been examining the tapes in silence, letting the bright screen shine in their faces as they listened to every word Kira had to say. At the moment they were listening to tape number four.
"I want the police official and L to appear on TV to make a public announcement that you plan to cooperate with Kira."
E glance away from the screen to look at L and stated, "You're going to die."
"Only if I agree to appear on television."
"But you won't."
L nodded.
"Do you have a plan?"
"Not yet."
"I will help you."
L tore his eyes from the screen to look at E, he was surprised by her words, "You're going to help me?"
E nodded, "We're a team."
A few hours ago E was planning to leave the Kira investigation, now she's volunteering to help him. L couldn't help but think E might be bipolar.
"I realise I was being difficult during my time working on this case but that was because I didn't want to work on this case, now I do. Things are going to change now. I will cooperate with you and help you catch Kira."
Silent fell between the two detectives as L considered her words. He was pleased E was going to start cooperating on the Kira investigation, but he couldn't help but wonder why the change of heart. L had a feeling it was because of tonight's events.
"I'm glad you're going to start cooperating with me but why the change of heart?" L asked as he looked at her in the eye. He noticed her bags under her eyes were dark. When he first met E her eyes were slightly dark but now her eyes nearly matched his. L wondered how much sleep she's been getting lately.
"Truth is we lost Ukita tonight and Mr. Yagami hasn't recovered from his heart attack. In total you have three people working on the Kira investigation. You need all the help you can get and with me working on the team it's like having fifty-six people working with you."
She's very accurate...
L shook that thought off and decided to ask his other question, "You are very fond of Mr. Yagami. Why is that?"
"It's because his son is Kira. He's a good husband, father and man. I feel sorry for him."
"Well, what do you make of these?" Soichiro asked the two young detectives the next morning.
"They were definitely interesting." L answered and E continued. "If the police had said "yes" and agreed to cooperate with Kira, tape number three was supposed to be aired."
"Tape four if the answer was "no"." L added.
E had a laptop resting on her lap, typing rapidly on the keyboard as she explained, "Tape three covers the terms of cooperation. Put simply he's requesting that we broadcast the names of more criminals."
"He seems particularly interested in those who have insulted others or those who have somehow hurt or taken advantage of the weak and defenceless." L muttered in a bittersweet tone. "Of course Kira would play the role of a judge on all of this."
"Furthermore as proof that the police are willing to cooperate he wants police officials and L to appear on TV to make a public announcement that we plan to cooperate with him." E said as her pale fingers moved swiftly over the familiar keyboard.
"He needs us to reveal our faces. That way he can kill us if the police do anything suspicious. In other words he will hold our lives as insurance." L finished with a negative note.
"I see." Soichiro sighed. "So what about the content of the fourth video if we were to answer "no"."
"The wording was different but he more or less says the same thing." L answered. "Mr. Yagami, it should go without saying that the answer is "no". Please have someone take tape number four over to Sakura TV and authorize them to broadcast it."
Soichiro nodded, "Alright." he turned to face the door and left the room. Aizawa followed his Chief out the door while Matsuda stayed behind as he stood behind the two detectives. L took notice of this and turned his head to look at him. Matsuda noticed L's gaze, he looked at him and smiled brightly but his smile faded when he noticed L's facial expression. He had a look that said 'leave'.
Matsuda understood. He nodded and he walked towards the door and stepped out, closing the door behind him.
Once L and E were alone in the living room again L turned his head to look at E and asked, "What are you doing?"
"I'm researching."
"About what?"
"Kira."
"Hm..." L pressed his thumb to his lip. "Have you found anything useful?"
"I have."
"What is it?"
"I looked at the victims he used for his prediction on tape number one. Their purpose was to prove to Sakura TV staff that he is Kira. Both their names were only reported in tabloids and daytime talk shows so they weren't exactly hardened criminals. In the past Kira has traditionally avoided killing innocent people with the exception of those who were trying to catch him."
"It doesn't sound like the criminals he would normally kill."
"Exactly. It's not like him."
"Do you think this is the work of a fake Kira?"
E didn't comment.
L said, "I think it is."
E asked, "What's the probability of a fake Kira?"
L thought about it for a moment before answering, "Seventy percent."
"It would be shameful if you were killed by a fake Kira."
"I won't be killed by any Kira. Real or fake." L said, his voice stern. He then glanced up at the ceiling in thought. E knew he was making up a plan.
"What's your plan?"
"I'm going to ask Light Yagami to assist us on this investigation."
E quirked an eyebrow, inviting him to continue, "Why is that?"
"His deductive ability would be invaluable to us right now."
"Tell me the real reason L."
"I told you to address me by Ry-"
E didn't give him a chance to finish his sentence before carrying on, "Why are you going to ask Light to cooperate with you?"
L sighed softly in annoyance at being interrupted but he answered anyway, "Because by letting Light work with us we could find the Second Kira quicker."
E tilt her head to the side as she looked at him with her child-like eyes, "Is that the name you've decided to give the fake Kira?"
L nodded.
E glanced away and thought for a second before saying, "By doing that it could help Kira and the Second Kira find each other and kill you."
"I won't let that happen. There's one of them and two of us."
"But when they join forces we will be equal."
"Then we will see who's the best."
E turned her head back to look at L, "Alright. I'll allow Light to cooperate with you on this case, but I don't want Light to know E is involved in the Kira investigation."
L nodded, "I understand." he looked at her in the eye and asked. "When Light is here where will you be?"
"In one of the bedrooms, monitoring his movements. Marilyn will set up cameras around the hotel room."
"Alright. Let's start working together E."
~Author's Note~
Chapter ten which means double-digits baby! I say we celebrate! Oh, and I guess we should also celebrate L's and E's new partnership... I guess that's more important. XD
LET'S CELEBRATE WITH A JOKE!
What did the lawyer name his daughter?
Sue.