Chapter 10:
Soichiro thought he had everything planned out. He'd figured out how to sneak into the orphanage. From there, it was just a matter of finding an orphan and getting them to tell him where Sayu was. Needless to say, Soichiro felt very pleased with himself. He'd already staked the places out and figured out that dinner was the best time. All the teachers would have already left and the children would all be in the dining room. The few remaining adults would also be eating or supervising the meal.
Soichiro snuck into the building. As he expected, the hallways were quiet. He then ran into a problem he did not expect. He had absolutely no idea how this building was laid out. "This shouldn't change the plan any, I just have to find a kid and get them to take me to Sayu," Soichiro said.
"Who are you?" a young voice asked.
Soichiro turned around seeing a little girl no older than four or five. "I'm looking for Sayu, can you show me to her room?"
"I don't know anyone by that name, and a guest should talk to Roger first," the little girl declared.
"There's no need for that," Soichiro said quickly.
"But you aren't supposed to be here," she replied.
"Roger said it was okay," Soichiro replied, thinking quickly.
"If he had you'd have a guide," the girl insisted. "I should go get someone older." Soichiro was stumped. A girl so young shouldn't be so sharp. The girl was already down the hall before Soichiro realized that she was going for help. He took off after her.
Suddenly a door opened and another child stepped out into the hall. Soichiro didn't have time to stop before he ran into the boy. Two emotionless black eyes stared at him from a head of white hair, and Soichiro felt very nervous. 'What is with the children in this place?' he wondered. No child should have such an absent look in his eyes.
"Near, we have a guest," the little girl said.
"So I see. Go find Roger and tell him," Near commanded. Once the girl was out of sight, Near turned to the grown up. "A Japanese adult who breaks into here… you must be related to the new girl," Near said once he was sure the girl was gone.
"You know where Sayu is. Show me," Soichiro said, thinking that not all was lost yet.
"No," the boy said.
Soichiro blinked. "Do you know who I am?" he asked. "I'm…"
"Kira, yes I know. But you won't kill me because you don't have my name and you need a name and face to kill," Near said.
"I want to make the exchange!" Soichiro suddenly announced to no one in particular.
"Talking to yourself is a sign of losing your sanity," Near commented.
"Who said I was talking to myself, Nate River?" Soichiro asked.
Near stared. He had no clue how Kira got his name. "Regardless, you won't kill me because I know where you children are."
"I can make you tell me," Soichiro said, pulling out the Death Note.
"Leave him alone, Father," Light said, suddenly appearing on the scene.
"Light, I've come to take you home," Soichiro said, turning to his son. Then he noticed the messy black haired man next to his son. "L Lawliet, you're L," he said.
L's eyes widened and he looked at Near. "He said something about making the exchange and then was able to know our names without being told. But since he just now figured out you're L, I've concluded that he needs to see us to know our names," Near supplied.
"Indeed," L muttered.
"Son, come with me," Soichiro begged.
"No, I don't think I will," Light said.
"Come with me, or I'll kill them," Soichiro threatened, getting desperate.
"So that Notebook is his weapon?" Near asked.
"So it would seem," L replied.
"Shut up!" Soichiro screamed, grabbing a pen out of his pocket.
L stiffened and then Light moved. "No!" Light shouted, diving forward and sending the notebook out of his father's hands and flying.
"No!" Soichiro screamed again, going for the notebook, but L was suddenly there, blocking him. Soichiro pulled his gun out.
"Stop right there," a voice said followed by the click of a safety. Watari. "Put down the gun."
Soichiro lowered the gun and L handcuffed him. "We need a place to secure him until the police get here," L said.
"I'll take him to Roger's office," Watari said.
"Keep your face hidden. He seems to be able to find out our names from looking at our faces," L warned. Watari found that extremely hard to believe, but L was never one to lie so he kept his face hidden.
When Kira was out of sight, L said, "Ok you two. You can come out now." Matt and Mello stepped out. L then made his way over to the notebook that both Near and Light were looking at. He held out his hand and they handed it over so he could look at it with Matt and Mello peering over his shoulder. "These are the names of the victims," L noted.
"There are rules on the inside cover," Light told L.
"This can't be real," L said incredulously after reading the rules.
"Why not?" a voice asked. Near, Light, and L all looked to the sound and stared.
"What are you?" L asked.
"Who?" Mello asked.
"I'm Ryuk, the Shinigami," the thing said.
"A god of death," L said.
"Who's a god of death?" Mello asked.
"Why can't they see you?" Near asked.
"You see this thing too?" Mello asked, now getting annoyed. Matt was just watching it all in confusion.
"They haven't touched the Death Note," Ryuk said.
"Here," L said, handing the notebook over.
Mello and Matt grabbed the notebook and, "Wow, there really is something there!" Matt exclaimed.
"It seems to have substance," Mello said, poking.
"Will you stop that? It's annoying," Ryuk said.
"So, this Death Note, is it yours?" Light asked.
"Well right now it belongs to whoever picked it up first," Ryuk said.
There was silence and when no one came forward L asked, "Who picked it up first?"
Near and Light looked at each other, and then shrugged. "Don't know," they said.
Everyone looked at Ryuk who just said, "Don't look at me. I've never heard of that happening before."
"So what are we going to do with it?" Matt asked.
"Perhaps we can destroy it," L suggested. "Matt, may I borrow your lighter?" When Matt handed the lighter over L set the notebook on fire or at least tried to.
"It doesn't seem to be flammable," Near noted.
"We can all see that," Mello said.
"No fighting, you two," L intervened. After thinking, L continued, "We could study it or we could lock it up in a secure location."
Watching all of this, Ryuk started laughing. "You people are interesting. I think I'll just watch you for a while," he said, and then flew away.
L looked at where Ryuk had been. "I should plan what I'm going to tell Interpol," L muttered.
At this point Roger and Watari walked up. "L, the police are here and they have Kira in custody. They want to talk to all involved," Roger said. L nodded and led the way to be questioned.
After Interpol got the report there was much to talk about. At first, they didn't believe that the Death Note was real and L had reluctantly given it over so they could test it. The Death Note and all the rules proved true. Then there was the question of what to do with it. No one country wanted another to have the Death Note, so it was decided to have the Death Note looked up under a guard that was created from a collaboration of all the countries. The Kira case was given highest security ratings and the details classified. The public was told that Kira was caught but nothing about how he killed. And in Winchester, England a man named Quillsh Wammy wondered how his one young ward became two wards, or was it more?