Author's note: Well it's a bit shorter then the other chapters, but I think it's probably one of the most action packed/suspenseful, so in that sense it evens out. Hope ya like it!
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After L had exited the shop, the crowd of fake reporters closed up after him, hiding him from view of anyone in the shop. L went directly to a white van that was waiting for him. The back doors swung open for him and within a second he was hidden inside.
"How are we doing?" L asked the crew inside as he removed his mask.
"Perfect Ryuuzaki!" That eager response had come from Matsuda. Also in the van was the chief, and the rest of the investigation team. Lining both walls of the van were TV screens, one for each camera placed in the bakery. They were of high quality, and broadcast in color.
"All we can do now is watch." L didn't bother to get into one of the several chairs that had been packed into the large van. He instead crouched on the floor in his usual fashion. He fixated his eyes on the screens before him.
"Now we will see what Raito-kun does. If the gunman dies, Light Yagami is Kira. In fact, if any of the people in the shop die, Light is Kira. But we will have to hope he decides quickly, because if we don't send the police in soon, Raito-kun will start to grow aware of the true situation around him. And once we send in the police, the chances of Raito-kun showing us the method will become close to zero." Matsuda looked over L's shoulder as the young detective observed Light Yagami from several different angles, and then the gunman and Misa.
For a few moments, it seemed as if nothing was happening. Light stayed on the floor, close to their original table. The gunman continued to hold Misa. Misa looked very scared, and a part of L felt guilty. Mostly for the young teenage couple in the corner. They had no idea what was going on.
He told himself that it was for the good of the world. That stopping Kira was worth the discomfort of a few innocents. Still…he couldn't help but be sorry a little. At least no one's lives were in danger. The gunman had only one bullet in his gun and he had been instructed to fire it when first entering the shop. Now the gun was empty so there could be no reckless accidents.
L fixated his gaze on Light Yagami. He waited for the young student to make some sort of move. Any move at all. He waited for even the slightest change; even inhaling more deeply would have sufficed. L shifted the camera angle, trying to get a good look at Light's face. Once he had what he wanted, he fixed his eyes on the younger boy again.
Light had that look on. That look that meant he was thinking very hard about something.
Well, that's not odd. He's in a tense situation, his girlfriend whom he claims he does not care for is being held hostage. He would naturally be trying to think his way out of the situation, given the chance that my rescue should come too late.
L was getting impatient however. They were running out of time before the police would have to be sent in. L knew he had to drive Light to act. He reached forward, grabbing one of the several microphones off of the computer counsel.
"Mr.Gunder," L said into the piece. "Please take notice that I am no longer there. I'd like you to get very upset about this fact and threaten to kill Misa-san. Make it as realistic as you can without hurting her." Mr.Gunder, a professional actor that L had hired was very talented. And he seemed to have no qualms being killed by Kira. He knew the entire plot, and L's plan. He actually seemed almost honored to have the chance to have his life end in such a glorious way. He said something about boosting his reputation after death. Especially if he were killed by someone as famous as the great Kira.
Mr.Gunder observed the room and his surroundings nervously as if he could feel the noose tightening around his neck. As if he knew the police were coming any second. But when his eyes fell on the empty cuff chained to Light's wrist, he flew into an utter panic.
"Where the hell's the freak with the mask!" He screamed. The gunman looked around the shop frantically, but obviously didn't find L. "Where is he? Someone tell me where he went right now!" He shoved the gun roughly into Misa's neck, causing the poor girl to let out another shriek of terror. "NOW! Or this bitch's brains will be all over the ceiling!" The gunman was squeezing Misa tightly now, causing the girl great discomfort. She squirmed in his grasp, small whimpers escaping her lips.
"Y…you're hurting m-!"
"Shut up! All of you listen! I'll kill you all! Everyone here will die! That freak with the mask! Where is he? One of you helped him sneak out! Shit! Shit! The cops're comin'!" The gunman appeared as if he were on the very edge now. His eyes wild, he pressed the barrel of the gun deeper into Misa's skin.
L watched Light very closely. The young boy was sweating now, looking truly panicked. What would he do?
"…Kill him Raito-kun. Save Misa-san…" The rest of the team stared at L with unsettled expressions, but no one dared say a word. Light wasn't making a move.
"Someone tell me where he went!" Misa was crying now.
"He went out the door!" She cried. "I saw him! I saw him go out the door!" The gunman was actually able to make his face pale as if with dread. Then, in a flurry of what appeared to be sudden rage, he turned and struck Misa across her face. She let out a small cry as Light, L and the investigation team let out gasps of surprise.
"Ryuuzaki! Call that man off of MisaMisa!" Matsuda cried.
"No! We've got a reaction from Raito-kun, he seems to be-!" But L didn't need to finish. Light had abruptly gotten to his feet and seemingly without thinking at all, he charged. L gaped. It was a stupid move! He didn't think either Kira or Light would have done something so life threatening!
The gunman, caught completely off guard, was tackled by the younger student. With a hard thump of a body meeting a body, the man released Misa, but managed to hold onto the gun as he collapsed to the linoleum floor. With a crash the older man found himself on his back, the very vexed looking student on top of him.
"Light!" Misa shrieked.
Light grabbed the man's collar with one hand, and then slugged the man with his other. The actor let out a grunt, but did not retaliate. Light pulled his fist back a second time, and then creamed the man in the face again.
L stared at the screens wide-eyed. Light was…beating the gunman! It had been an emotional response. There had been little to no planning in Light's actions at all. It seemed as if he had worked entirely on impulse. L knew that Kira never would have done such a thing. L had put the killer in much tighter situations then this, and Kira had always managed to think his way out ingeniously.
"This is unexpected," L said as he continued to watch. Matsuda was cringing now as the poor actor had his face beaten in. Blood coated Light's knuckles. Misa was crying in a corner, and the young couple cowered. For a brief and fleeting moment, L felt his heart lift. This meant that Light was almost certainly not Kira! He was so overcome with joy that for just a brief moment, he stopped thinking. But that was not L's way, and almost immediately, his brain corrected his heart.
But wait…L thought suddenly. Light has never shown much interest in Misa before. In fact, he seemed to have viewed her as a sort of annoyance. He had made it very clear to everyone on this team, including myself that he had no interest in her and was only humoring the poor girl. So then…why would he get this emotional over her? If he does not love her, would he act this way? What if it had been a stranger being held at gunpoint? Would Light have acted the same way? Something was fishy.
Light suddenly stopped beating the man. L scooted closer to the screen as Light's gaze shifted to the gun. He suddenly lashed out, grabbing it. L's eyes widened with utter shock as Light lifted the gun, pointing it at the gunman's forehead.
The gunman, still acting, began begging for his life in a very convincing manner. L reminded himself to give him a huge bonus if he survived the next five minutes. Light's expression was cold, and he seemed angrier then ever. L was glued to the screen.
"I never thought Raito-kun would-!" Light pulled the trigger.
Click. Since there were no bullets in the gun, all that occurred was the soft clicking sound of metal meeting metal. Everyone froze. Everyone in the store froze in shock at there being no bullets in the gun and everyone on the team froze, wondering if…
"We've been found out." L said it calmly, and with an air of admiration, almost as if this was the best thing that could have happened. Light turned his gaze directly to the camera and he glared into it with an enraged expression in his eyes.
"Ryuuzaki! I'm going to kill you!" The team stared at L, obviously wondering what to do now. L's lips shifted, and then ever so slowly, curved upward. Before the team could say that L was crazy, the young detective was smiling.
"Raito-kun is very bright, isn't he." It was not a question, but a statement. L's tones were fond, and the others had to wonder if L even seemed to realize just how mad Light really was. "He must have figured it out when Mr.Gunder realized I was missing. Raito-kun never would have charged the man unless he was sure he had no bullets in his gun. He wouldn't have tested such a theory on Misa's life. He knew there was no danger. He was very angry with me, and used his situation to take out his anger on the actor. Extraordinary!"
The rest of the team gaped. L didn't seem upset at all. In fact, he seemed, happy! The pale skinned skeleton before them was smiling. But, as soon as they noticed the smile, it vanished into a look of misery. Utter and complete gloom took over L's features before their very eyes. They watched the detective sighed with heavy and suddenly sagging shoulders.
"Of course…this raises my suspicions by three percent…" It saddened L greatly. But Light's actions were very Kira-like. He demonstrated that he had the necessary stomach for violence. He also demonstrated that he had the skill and the will to manipulate people even when he himself was in a tight situation. And, he had used the entire thing to his advantage at the end, to make a point to L. Raito-kun had the utter need to show L that he was smart, perhaps smarter then L. He was challenging him. He was trying to prove that he was better, and that he would not lose. It wasn't looking good.
Especially since Light had been aware of the trick for a bit of time. Instead of standing up and announcing it to call it all off in a calm and untraumatic way for Misa, he had decided to cause a scene. He decided to demonstrate the fact that he had power.
L's good mood was completely gone now. Light's little emotional outburst had been little more then an act. He may have indeed been very angry, but not at the gunman. He had instead planned and channeled his anger in a way that bordered a trick of his own. What was more, was that Light probably knew that an emotional and stupid reaction would have lowered his chances of being Kira in L's mind. Therefore, he had done just that in hopes of making himself look more innocent. It was all a ruse. Just like the robbery.
Looking paler and sicklier then ever, L faced the team.
"Well…let's go pick them up."