CHAPTER 55:
"The Kill That Started It All"
You can try, Light, but you can't kill me by writing my name in a Death Note…
Light was unaware of Demetre's trick, writing his own name in his Death Note with an infinity loop. The time clock ran, but then stopped, and reset itself just before the forty-seconds was up. It prevented anyone in killing him with the Death Note, because only the first entry in a Death Note was valid. Any others were voided. He later learned it was some sort of 'Infinity Rule', but rarely used by Shinigami. It was devised by the Shinigami King to stop errors in judgment that could cause catastrophic mistakes. Demetre had designed his own a version of it.
Demetre shook his head in disbelief. "Light, what happened to you? You were always so philanthropic, so kind, so reverent towards others?"
"I didn't change, the world did," Light answered sagely, his arms extended outward in god-like fashion. "The world is a rotten place. I was given the power to heal it from humanity's poison. Once I realized the Death Note's potential, it became my avarice. And I began to use it to build a beautiful world, one where only hard working, good people live."
Light smirked, continued: "I was going to ask you both to join me, but not after this betrayal. You stole two of my most precious memories from me—my best friend and the love of my life. Both of which now are spoiled like the world. If I ever wished that the Death Note could make be forget something, it would be you two. I'll kill you both for your treachery! Nobody screws with Kira!"
I was right. Light is hurting inside. And he's using the Death Note in an attempt to heal his pain. He thinks of he can eliminate all evil in the world, then he can finally feel happy. And I just made things worse.
Demetre wished he had kept his gun. And yet, he feared he wouldn't hesitate to use it against Light. "You're insane!" he said.
Light chuckled, lowering his arms. "Name calling, how boorish," he said. "I thought you better than that, Demetre."
Demetre felt Dana's hands on his back and he knew she was frightened. He had to end this quickly, get what he wanted, and then leave. The Kira Task Force, and L, were waiting for this to be over and an explanation forthcoming for why. But he had no intention of telling them.
"Why did you kill my grandfather?" Demetre demanded finally. "He was a kind and gentle soul."
"Remind me," Light said. "I don't seem to recall his name."
Demetre told him.
Light seemed to think for a moment, his eyes closing. Then they flung open. "Ah yes, now I remember. The accused embezzler who turned out to be innocent. The police should have done a better job in investigating before showing his profile on television for Kira to see. He was killed along with a purse snatcher, I believe, in a trick pulled on L using a mini-TV planted in a potato chip bag."
Demetre was not surprised Light would admit to killing his grandfather. In fact, there would be no reason not to admit to it. But then he blinked perplexed. "You…what? What sane person would even do that? Why would you hide a mini-TV in a potato chip bag?"
Light opened his mouth to say something, then closed it. He seemed to think for a moment. "You know what, I don't really know," he said with a shrug. "I bought the potato chips, opened the bag, put the mini-TV inside, sealed it back up, and waited. It was before L planted cameras throughout my house. I had planned to use the mini-TV to keep up-to-date with the news when I was out of the house taking the chip bag out at some point, but then I forgot about it. It was a bit of risk, however. But since I'm the only one in my family that enjoys bland tasting potato chips, I figured no one would touch them. And I was right."
"And how exactly did you use it?" Demetre was actually curious. "With L watching you on surveillance?"
"I pretended to study in my room. I wrote mathematical equations with my right hand and wrote down names in the open potato chip with my left. As you know, I'm ambidextrous. Did I mention I also had a piece of the Death Note taped to the inside of the bag?"
Demetre was both disgusted with the premeditation of the crime, but impressed with the brilliance of it to fool L.
Light then frowned. "But it in the end, it was all for naught," he said. "My mother was collecting garbage the next morning and I had thrown the empty bag with the mini-TV inside in my waste disposal bin in my room, so I couldn't take it out of the bag. It was an expensive trick. That mini-TV cost me four-hundred bucks!"
Demetre became enraged. "Was four-hundred bucks all my grandfather's life worth to you?"
"Kira mainly kills high-profile criminals," Light replied. "While your grandfather's death was a mistake, and a misdemeanour crime, it resulted in a lesson being delivered: there no crime too small that escapes Kira's judgment."
"You son-of-a-bitch!" Demetre cursed. "I thought you could be redeemed, but you can burn in Hell now, Light!"
Lightning coursed across the sky in an angry crackling display of raw power followed by a thunderous boom. Light laughed boisterously with amusement. It was as if the storm responded to a demonic aura and evil sensationalism. Demetre and Dana both cupped their ears from its loud sound. Even Geist took a few steps back from Light, looking at Light as if he had come from a dimension of pure malevolence.
"I can't stand it anymore," Angel said, the Shinigami's voice permeating with disgust. "His arrogance is beyond reproach! Let me kill Light Yagami! I'll take pleasure in writing his name down. I don't like him, so do so won't kill me!"
"No!" Dana cried.
"No? No, to what?" Light questioned. "No, you don't want me to go to Hell?"
Against Dana's order, Angel stomped over to Light Yagami and touched him with her Death Note, so he could see her. Then she took him by the throat and lifted him above the ground. Light grabbed onto her arm and sucked in air as Angel began to squeeze.
"No, writing your name in the Death Note is good for you, Light Yagami!" the Shinigami said. "Now that you can see me, you'll get to see who will finally end your reign of terror in the Human World. And you will never be able harm Demetre or Dana ever!"
"Angel, no!" Geist said, pleading. "If you kill him, it will be like killing for another human now. It won't matter if you use a Death Note!"
"What?" Demetre questioned.
"We Shinigami serve a purpose: to take lives," Geist said. "We're not born to protect them. This is why we have Death Notes. Just like murder in the Human World, a kill is a kill. If you take another person's life, no matter the circumstance…you are still a killer. Even if you murder for the sake of protecting others. If Angel kills Light Yagami here, she will cease to be like Gelus did when he killed Misa Amane's stalker. This is why we did nothing about Bryant Harvey in the main lobby of this building. We watched things until you arrived, Demmy. We Shinigami mainly observe. It's our handlers who take responsibility in using the Death Note and their own actions. If we interfere to protect another even without a Death Note and it causes a life…"
"Angel, stop it! Don't kill Light!" Dana shouted. "Or you'll die and turn to dust!"
Angel continued to choke Light Yagami for a few additional moments, but then dropped him. She stepped back, as Light fell like a stone to his knees. He grabbed his throat, gasping in oxygen.
"If it wasn't for 'the rules', Light Yagami, you would be dead!" Angel declared.
"Angel…" Dana began. "Thank you."
All of sudden, Light began to laugh maniacally in between coughs. Angel took a couple of steps back in bewilderment.
"My life spared by an Angel, I'm truly blessed," Light said, with a sense of mental derangement. He continued to clench the page of the Death Note in his right hand as if his life depended on it. "The world is wrong, Demetre, and Kira is here to make it right!" He got to his feet, rubbing his throat. "You could have easily have let Bryant Harvey kill me and then all your problems would have disappeared. You already knew I killed your grandfather, so all this is merely drama. If you didn't show up at the perfect moment, I would be dead. Let that factor sink in, Demetre. I wish to thank you for your contribution to my continued well-being. You've always been a 'good' friend."
Geist reached behind his back and took out his Bone Club from its holster.
"Please let me smash his head in, Demmy," Geist begged, holding his weapon up in the air ready to being it down. "He deserves it! I don't like him. And I would not be doing it for you, I'll be doing it for myself!"
Light turned. "Try it and you'll die," he said, smirking devilishly. "Your speech to Angel was very telling. I like Demetre, its obvious."
"Geist, he's right," Demetre agreed. "Besides, I already got my answer."
Light chuckled, turning back. "Play time is over children, my brand new world is at hand," he said godly, "and you've already taken up too much of my time. Shakespeare once said, All the world is a stage, and we are merely players. I believe that. I relinquished the Death Note to lose my memories on purpose, so I could convince L that I am not Kira. A brilliant plan and it's working. Someone else currently has the power and I will find him with my own methods. I already have clues to lead me to him, who he is hidden even from me to protect me. I was once told to 'follow the money' by someone else, and I believe I have a pretty good idea where this imposter may be hiding. I'll find him and take the Death Note back! Then I'll kill L and crush anyone else who stands in my way. Maybe, I'll even eliminate the entire Kira Task Force. As the saying goes: Kill them all, and let God sort them out! But with the power of the Death Note, I'll be the one doing the sorting."
And Light laughed.
To be continued...