CHAPTER 45:
"Dead Man Walking"
"So, I think that's the best course of action to take," L said. He finished up a briefing on the Kira Case and on a related issue. "Best to keep on top of things so it doesn't bite us on the rear later," L said. "You never know, one wrong slip-up, and our whole world can come crashing down."
"And when Light and Misa are finished, I'll let Light in on what we found with his phone," Soichiro Yagami said.
Just then, L's computer beeped and a W appeared. "Yes, Watari? What is it?" L inquired.
"I believe there may be trouble in paradise," the old man said. The camera in the spare room popped up on L's computer and the live footage showed Misa hitting Light like a woman who had just found out that her husband was cheating on her.
"Ow, ow, ow! Misa! Stop hitting me! I'm sorry!"
Light was chained to the wall, and he couldn't get away from Misa's beating.
"I think someone should get in there," Watari then said. "I don't think that's part of the scene."
The task force reacted quickly and Matsuda ran to the elevator, Soichiro Yagami followed suit, taking it to the Residential Level.
A moment later, they burst into the spare room. L watched on CCTV.
Matsuda pulled Misa off Light, but she struggled fiercely against him. He then locked his arms under hers, holding her back. But her legs continued to thrash about as if they had a mind of their own, trying to kick Light. At one point hitting Soichiro Yagami.
Soichiro Yagami protected his son. Light, seen folded in on himself, his hands protecting his head, begged for them to get Misa away from him. The sound was a little muffled, but L could make out Light repeatedly apologizing for something.
L still had some popcorn left and he grabbed the bag. He started eating it.
It felt like he was getting back to a really good movie, save all the built-up drama, and came in directly at the climax. And he bet, Light hadn't.
L told himself he would later review the CCTV footage and see what transpired to cause Misa to assault Light. For Misa to get this mad, however, it must have been really bad. Super bad! Monumental bad!
"Son, what happened?" he asked. "Are you okay?"
Light clenched his teeth, hissed out in pain. Zooming in with the camera, L saw Light was bleeding in areas where Misa's nails had scratched and gouged his skin, like a wild animal attacking an enemy.
"I'll tell you what happened!" Misa shouted, her teeth gnashing, still struggling against Matsuda. Matsuda was a strong looking guy and he could probably hold himself own in a fight, but against Misa? Nothing worse than a woman scorn. "Your son is a god-damned two-timer!"
Then the real vulgarity began.
x x x
Later that evening, Light sat at his station in the epicentre. He had his chair turned away from the rest of the task force members, his face buried in his computer. He heard quiet whispers and others snickering behind his back.
He felt completely and totally embarrassed after what had occurred. He was back chained to Ryuzaki, but at that moment, he felt like asking Ryuzaki to chain him in some dark hole and then to shoot him to put him out of his misery.
He took a deep breath, sighed, and then rotated his chair to face them. It was like facing his peers at school, ready to be mocked.
"Okay, let's get out all out in the open," he said, wanting it over with. "Make fun of me. I know you reviewed the CCTV."
"Now why would we do that to a fellow task force member?" L said kindly, almost sympathetically. "And frankly, I don't think it's a laughing matter. People make mistakes all the time. It's not like you meant it when you called out an old girlfriend's name why another one pleasured you…"
L smiled thinly, then he snickered.
The rest of the task force suddenly burst out in rapturous laughter.
"Oh my god! Dad? Even you?"
"Sorry son, but you're on your own here," Soichiro Yagami said, chuckling.
Light slapped his hands over his face, put his head down, and let out a long frustrated groan. At that moment, he wished that Kira would kill him.
"May I offer you some sound advise, Light?"
Light looked up at Ryuzaki through his fingers. "Like where to put the gun in my mouth for maximum wounding effect?" he said morbidly.
"I don't think this warrants suicide," L said. "Although you may feel like dying after what I suggest you need to do to make it up to Misa. Self-incrimination is the worse than the actual act. But we all make mistakes. All men make likeminded errors, don't we, guys?"
His father cleared his throat. "Yes, we do," he said. "And I could tell you a few stories about your mother and I."
"We don't need a history lesson, Mr. Yagami. If we don't learn from our mistakes, then we are doomed to repeat them. Time to learn from your mistake, Light." L typed, then turned the computer screen. On the screen was the website for Victoria's Secret. "How deep is your wallet, Light? Woman love gifts. They say, chocolates and flowers are the way to a woman's heart. But I think this situation needs something more personal."
"You want me to buy Misa some sexy lingerie? Seriously?"
"And in your case, Light…you may need to take out a bank loan for this mistake. Misa is the kind of woman who takes things to heart. We all know her affection for you. However that happened, that's yet to be explained. But when she left, after Matsuda dragged her out into the hall, kicking and screaming, she was so furious, I believe she was grumbling something under her breath to the point of cutting something off of you while your slept?"
Light gulped, then crossed one leg over the other.
"Son, get shopping," his father directed. "I'll even let you borrow my credit card."
x x x
For the next few hours, and into the early morning, everything else was put on hold.
The rest of the task force had gone to bed, even Ryuzaki. For a Night Owl, that was unusual for him. But the building security cameras were active and all internet use was monitored, so Light was thoroughly tracked. He was chained to a ring attached in the wall and a makeshift futon was set on the floor, so when he wanted to rest he could.
The world as a whole was forgotten, even the Kira Case.
He had not seen Misa all night, which was a very good thing. And he didn't want to see her until he could figure out how to fix what he had done. He didn't want to spend the rest of his life as a eunuch. Although, in truth, medically, he would be urinating into a bag with a catheter for the rest of his life if Misa did cut something off in anger.
He thought about ordering a year's supply of tea infused with high doses of caffeine to keep him awake if he didn't find anything and ask to be locked in solitary confinement until he did.
He didn't mean to call out Takada's name. Her face just sudden came to mind and her name on his lips.
Light thought of nothing else but getting Misa a present. He hunted websites, searched through directories, and wondered what would best 'I'm sorry' gift to give her. And it had to be something special.
Misa was interested in mainly gothic type clothes, mostly leather and thongs. And yet, getting her clothes felt like it would be a waste of time. A woman knew what they liked, and a man buying clothes for them was like asking for trouble. They could find fault with anything. Especially if they were mad. And Misa was extremely mad! And he didn't even know her measurements.
L said flowers and chocolates was a way to a woman's heart and he thought about ordering some. But then thought against it. Because those where the kinds of gifts one gave to another on White Day, not for an apology. Sexy lingerie was another idea. But then he thought he needed something even better, something from his heart, and something that said he profusely apologized.
Women were strange. Anything could set them off into a tangent and anything could set off their affections into overdrive.
Women were an enigma. At least, to him.
He put his hands to his face. He didn't know what to do.
"Oh my god, I'm a dead man walking!"
Just then, it hit him. He knew what to give Misa.
And hopefully, it would become his saving grace!
To be continued...