Chapter 9

Reborn

October 30, 2010; Washington, D.C.; SPK Headquarters

"Ideal, may I come in?"

The woman looked up from unpacking her clothes, "Of course Near. Come in."

The door opened slowly and the boy carefully made his way inside. He sat on the floor by the woman's bed and watched her silently. Llana stopped unpacking and sighed, looking down at him, "I never thought it would come to me having to leave."

"I don't think anyone did."

She looked down at the ring on her finger and chuckled softly, "I miss him already."

"I found myself wondering if…" the boy started.

"If L approved?" Llana tried. Near nodded, as did she, 'He did. If anything, he commissioned Matsuda for the job."

"He's a good man." Near said, He had done a background check on the cop, and he was indeed a very good person. But he wouldn't tell the woman about the check.

Llana smiled and started her unpacking again, "He is, extremely so. He could never do anything wrong by me."

"I'm glad he didn't stop you from coming." Near said as he pulled on the hem of his white shirt.

The woman sat next to him on the floor, "You need me here more than they do and for reasons beyond this case. Besides, working so close to Kira without being able to point him out is making me sick."

The young genius twirled his white hair between his fingers, "You know who it is?"

"I have the same theory as L if that's what you're asking."

Near continued to play with his hair and Llana smiled, grabbing a silver briefcase she had brought with her and placing it on the floor next to her little brother. "It's all in there."

The boy smiled his quirky little smile that reminded her so much of L, "Shall we begin then?"

"Whenever you're ready."

"It's all here, every moment of confinement, every recorded conversation, every personal entry."

Near ran his hands over the many disks and papers, as if it was all L's last will and testament. "Have you gone through any of it?"

"Never had the time or the chance, I practically stole it from the Task Force. Light thinks he destroyed it."

"We'll let him think that."

"Near?"

The young boy looked up at the man who entered the room. He had short, wispy black hair and big dark eyes. He seemed very quiet and stern.

"Of course, Gevanni." Near started, "I apologize, it seems as though I have yet to introduce Ideal to you all."

Llana held out her hand, "It's a pleasure to meet you…um…"

"Stephen, Miss Ideal, Stephen Gevanni."

The woman smiled sweetly at him as she took back her hand, "Please call me Llana."

Near cleared his throat, "I'll introduce her to the rest of the team later. But for now please alert them of her presence."

"Yes sir."

The boy sighed as he turned back to the stack and piles of papers and tapes, and disks. He looked to the woman next to him from the corner of his eye, "Do you have any data on him?"

"It was all burned under L's instructions."

Near nodded, "I see. No need in keeping record if you were still alive to give the record yourself."

Llana nodded also, "When we finish these they are to be burned also, along with everything that has to do with this case when it's over."

"Understood." The boy pushed the first tape into the player and pressed play.

"Hello Light. How are you doing today?"

The image of Light huddled over on the floor of the cell actually still broke Llana's heart, and the sound of L's voice broke it even more. Light looked up at the camera on the wall, "Tell me Ryuzaki, what's happening?"

"Criminals have stopped dying. I haven't been informed of any Kira movement."

Llana bit her lip, "These videos will be contradicting, and almost everything L said was a lie."

"So the criminals were still dying." Near stated, he fiddled with his hair, "I see."

"Will you confess today Light?"

"I have nothing to confess to."

"There is no use in you denying me Light. You are Kira."

"I am not! I'm not Kira!"

A sigh crackled over the speakers in the tape, "Very well." And it ended.

Near started to stack the die that were scattered across the desk but stopped when he heard a sniffle, "Llana?"

"I'm fine Near. Just didn't think such a short video would be so hard to watch." She smiled at him through her tears. "Shall we continue?"

"Yes, please."

October 31, 2010; Los Angeles, California; Sofitel Luxury Hotel

"Matsuda!"

"Daddy, is Uncle Aizawa on his man time again? Mommy says he's on his man time when he yells at you."

"Layla! Sweetheart you can't repeat what mommy says!" Llana said, panicked, on her end of the line.

Matsuda chuckled, "He might be sweetheart."

"Ok daddy." Children were heard calling for the girl and she giggled happily, "I have to go now!"

"Happy Halloween Layla." Matsuda said.

"We love you Layla." The woman said to her daughter.

"Happy Halloween! Love you too!" then the line clicked.

"MATSUDA!"

Llana chuckled, "Sounds like Aizawa is really angry."

"Yeah, he's been calling me for the last five minutes, we're going to a church for L's birthday today."

Llana sighed. "Leave a gift for me."

"Way ahead of you." The man said, looking down at the rose shaped chocolate. "I miss you."

"I miss you too. You should call more often. Don't tell me Light banned you from calling me." The woman said, half playfully.

"He wouldn't do that." There was a moment of silence, "I love you."

"I love you too Touta. You have no idea."

"I might."

There was rustling then Llana's giggle, "I have to go, Near just woke up. Remember Touta, you can't tell anyone where I am."

"I won't. I promise."

"Goodbye."

"Bye."

Aizawa rolled his eyes as he entered the hall, Soichiro, Mogi, Yuki, and Ide behind him, "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah."

Light glared at his computer screen once the others had left. He was glaring at the pictures of three individuals he was itching to kill. But the three almost seemed immortal.

"Ideal, Near, and Mello, my new opponents. Hm, seems like you even defy me from the grave L." Light spoke to himself.

It became almost freezing cold in the room and Light paid it no mind, "Even if I beat them, who's to say that there aren't more."

He thought through everything in his head, L's child could even be a threat, even though she was only four. He could kill her, but he wasn't sure if the name he had was real, and Misa would object no matter what.

"Light?"

"What is it Misa?"

"I was just wondering where everybody was." The blond walked deeper into the dimly lit room and wrapped her arms around his neck from behind, "If they're truly gone then…"

"It's L's birthday today Misa." He said, brushing her off, surprisingly gentle.

Even though it was the day of his dead enemy's birthday, Light couldn't hide that he had enough feelings to respect the day.

Misa stepped back, "Oh. Light, is Llana really never coming back?"

He glared at her, "Why do you care Misa?"

"I just. Well…she was nice to me. And Yuki…I don't think she likes me very much."

Light stood and turned off the computers, walking past Misa and leaving her in the dark as he turned off the lights, "I don't care." The young man traveled all the way to the top of the building, going out onto the roof and scowling at the bright L.A. sun.

"The sun shines for you on this day L, I'll give you that much." He looked out over the city and shoved his hands in his pockets, "Happy Birthday."