Chapter 12: L's Shadow
There was an impossible amount of security outside the Interpol headquarters. Everyone in the city knew there was a meeting going on, because civilians were denied going closer than one-hundred feet from the building. This was to deter attempts at attacks and other things, because if Interpol fell, so too did the world's primary international criminal information source.
Light and L were sitting on a bench opposite the building, watching people circumvent the area. It was clear that most of the city understood what went on when Interpol was having a meeting.
"Is it always like this?" Light asked, watching the security force shoo some guy away.
"From what I can remember, yes." L replied. "They take guarding Interpol's representatives seriously. Ever since about forty years ago, when someone tried to set a bomb in the building, it's been security levels like this."
Light glanced over at his companion. "Well then, how are we supposed to find Watari? No offense, but looking like that, they're going to think you're a terrorist or something."
"You think I look like a terrorist?" L asked, his head tilted. He sounded genuinely curious, and slightly hurt.
Light sighed. "No. But that's because I know you, L. People who don't…"
"What do I look like, then?" L interrupted.
"A panda." Light said immediately. "Now, like I asked before, how are we going to…?"
"A panda? Really?" L mused to himself. He could understand where people found the comparison, but still… Sensing Light's annoyance, he smiled, saying, "Don't worry. I know how we can find him easily. There is a special way out of the building that he would always leave through, when it was still Mr. Wammy." Light blinked, and L sighed. "Don't act like you didn't know his name, Light. Anyway, it was one of the things to be passed on to the next L and Watari, so they would continue to use it. We can be sure to find him there as soon as the meeting has ended. But we'll have to move quickly."
Light rolled his eyes. "I assume it's inside the guarded zone?"
"Of course. But it is behind the building, and will hopefully only have a guard or two." L said, uncharacteristically optimistic. "If we cut through the wooded area behind the building, we should be able to get there without being spotted."
They waited for a long time. Nothing seemed to change, and Light finally leaned over to L and whispered, "How long are these meetings?"
"They can last hours." L replied. "That security guard is staring at us oddly."
"Of course he is. We've been sitting here for over two hours, staring at the Interpol building." Light pointed out. "What do we do about it?"
L blinked, then said innocently, "We are in France. Public displays of affection are common. We could be sitting here together because…" Light beat him to the end of the sentence, wrapping an arm around L's shoulders and tugging him close. L smiled, leaning his head on Light's shoulder, waving at the security guard who immediately began ignoring them. "Even security will leave people alone who appear to be lovers." L said, amused. "We have done nothing threatening, after all."
"Should I pretend to propose or something, Lawli?" Light asked, teasing.
"Light! Don't call me that!" L scowled.
The security guard glanced back, and started coming towards them. When he was near enough, he stopped and asked, "Can I ask what you two are doing here?"
L started to say something, but Light tightened the arm around his shoulders and said, "My boyfriend wants to be a detective, and I brought him so that he could see how security works around Interpol's headquarters." His French was flawless, and L could see that the guard appeared convinced. "We'll leave when the meeting is over."
The security guard nodded, and L noted disapprovingly that Light's ability to lie and lie well was still perfectly intact. After the guard had walked away, he glanced up at Light. "I worry about your ability to lie to people."
"Hypocrite, if I remember correctly." Light said. "You lie just as much as I do."
L nodded, leaning against Light. "I know." They continued watching the building, seeing that a trickle of people was finally beginning to come out, surrounded by security personnel. L watched carefully, murmuring, "Hopefully security will be so busy seeing to the safety of the representatives, they won't notice us."
Light got up, following L as the detective strolled normally in the direction of the street that led away from the building, darting sideways into the trees at the last minute. He led Light through the woods, and the building itself soon faded from sight completely.
"Do you know where you're going?" Light asked, tripping over a tree root and cursing under his breath. "If I had known we were going hiking, I'd have brought my boots."
"This doesn't even count as a forest, Light. Just a particularly thick group of trees. Of course I know where we're going." L replied. "I waited in the car often enough. With my laptop, obviously, so I wasn't bored, but I did come and simply wait for Watari a few times." He reached back, grabbing Light's arm and steering him towards clearer ground. "It will be easier to walk over here. In any case, where the car was parked was actually quite a distance from Interpol's headquarters itself, accessible through an underground passage on the inside of the building."
"Doesn't that seem the least little bit overkill?" Light asked. L had been right. It was easier to walk. There was a natural trail here.
L glanced back at him, his dark eyes unreadable. "Nothing was too much when it came to Watari's and my safety. Think about it, Light. If someone had managed to attack or kill Watari, supposedly L's only link to Interpol, what would happen then? Not to mention that Watari was practically my father. If he was going to put himself in danger for me, I was going to do everything I could to ensure his safety."
Light sighed almost inaudibly, grabbing L's hand and squeezing it in a silent apology. L got it, and smiled faintly. "We're almost there."
A small clearing came into view, where a car was parked at the end of a single, smooth dirt road. It was L's familiar black car, the one that had so impressed all those university students years ago. L stopped just outside the clearing, scanning the area. There was a single guard standing beside the car. No one else was in sight.
Suddenly, part of the ground seemed to shake, and a trapdoor opened out of the ground. A man in a black hat and trenchcoat stepped up out of it, nodding to the guard and walking towards the car.
"Wait!" L called, dragging Light with him as he stepped out. The guard immediately reached for his gun, but didn't draw it. Watari stopped, turning to look at them even though they couldn't see his face.
"What do you want?" the guard demanded. "You're not authorized to be in this area!"
"Please," Light said, directing his words to Watari. "We need to speak to L."
Watari stared at them, before his voice came from beneath the hat and high collar. "That's impossible. L speaks to no one in person."
"Then we won't speak to L." L said, leaving Light to gape at him in confusion. "We would like to speak to Near."
There was dead silence for a full ten seconds, before Watari asked, "How do you know him?" L glanced at Light. Both of them thought back to the time they had known the white-headed boy. Both wondered briefly how he would look, grown up. And both thought of their connection to him.
He was my protégé.
I tried to kill him.
L frowned. "You wouldn't believe us if we told you. Let us speak to him. I… I'm ninety-nine percent certain he'll recognize us."
Watari stared at them another minute, then sighed and told them to get in the car. It was only after they were trundling down the dirt road, back towards the main road, that L dared to pipe up and ask, "Are you Roger?" Roger would have recognized me…
He reached up and pulled his hat off, revealing a young man with sandy-colored hair and green eyes. "You really do know more than you tell. Roger passed away two years ago. My name is…" He paused. "You're not Kira, are you?"
Light scowled, as the too-familiar accusation struck a nerve. L was quick to respond, "No, we're friends of Near's. We have information for him about the current Kiras."
The young man sighed. "All right. My name is Carter. Carter Mason. Do you know about Wammy's House, then?" When they nodded, he frowned. "You seem very in the thick of this. I can't believe no one's ever mentioned you. Anyway, I went there as a school for the gifted, not an orphan. After I left, I joined the FBI for a few years, before agreeing to be Watari after Roger died. Near called me because I was a former Wammy's kid. I'm not sure why I trust you, telling you all this… It's probably because…" He glanced back at them for a second, before looking back at the road. "Probably because you know Near, and because you in particular remind me of him. I usually have good intuition with that sort of thing." He gestured vaguely at L. "I'll let you know when we get there. Near's staying in a hotel nearby."
L looked over at Light, grinning. Light couldn't help but think that the expression looked surprisingly devious on him. L wrapped his arms around his knees and said, "Near will definitely recognize us. He's not one to forget that easily." Wary of saying too much in front of Carter, they lapsed into silence, certain this time that their plan would work. As the hotel came into view, they knew that Near was there, waiting for them.
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Shorter chapter this time! Sorry. There's only so much I can do with breaking into Interpol. Please excuse all silliness; I was in a weird mood writing this chapter. By the way, Carter really isn't important... Just to let everyone know... I repeat, it's been SEVENTEEN YEARS.
Doesn't L seem like the type of person to have a secret passage in and out of Interpol? :)
And now, finally… (drumroll) NEAR!! A thirty-five-year-old Near. Heaven help us. This should be entertaining. And so, concluding the first part of what was going to be one chapter…
Hugs!
Li
PS: Since so many people got the train thing right, I'm doing something nice for all of you, and putting two chapters up! Luv!
