Chapter Seven:

"Scandalous Behaviour"

Matsuda opened his eyes. He gave a little stretch in his seat and yawned. Suddenly, he felt the urge to urinate. He reached up and used the seat in front of him for support to stand. He looked behind him and noticed Light was gone. He wondered where he had gone?

Stepping out into the aisle, he made his way to the front of the First Class section. He knew the washroom was next to the service station. He hurried, feeling the urge rising. But when he got to the washroom and reached for the door, he saw the slot was already pushed forward; OCCUPIED.

Damn!

Of all the times for someone else to be using it—

"Oh, my, god!" He suddenly heard a voice.

"Yes, oh my god, yes!" He then heard another voice cry out, more feminine.

His eyes widened. The first voice sounded somewhat familiar, but the second voice…not so much.

Then he realized where Light could be and chuckled to himself. Matsuda had been there, and sometimes, even his voice sounded a little different when he relieving himself and the relief that came after.

It happens, Matsuda thought. A regular doze of dietary fibre would helps Light. He'd mention that to him later. Right now, he needed to find another washroom. Maybe Second Class?

As he walked down an aisle, he noticed the U.S. Federal Marshal he saw earlier sitting in his seat with his eyes closed. The prisoner was doing the same next to the window, his head leaning against it. The felon looked young and in his early twenties. He was handsome. Matsuda saw the tattoo of a red feathery wing on the side of the felon's neck. Matsuda didn't care for tattoos and wondered why anyone would want to permanently mark their body with ink? It just didn't make sense to him.
Matsuda glanced down where the felon sat and saw that his left arm was cuffed to the arm of the chair, trapping him there. At least he was secure as the Marshal slept. Matsuda wondered who the young man was and what he had done and why he was being extradited to Japan?

Well, he was off duty and it is none of Matsuda's business.

It was said curiosity killed the cat. Matsuda was only on the prowl for one person—Kira.

Kira had murdered L and Watari and Matsuda knew there would probably be a lot more deaths soon, so he had to be vigilant with the rest of the Kira Task Force. Eventually, Kira's luck would run out. And if it wasn't the task force that brought him to justice, it would be someone else—in the future.

Matsuda walked forward and came to the next service station. He must have been tired because when he reached out for what he thought was the washroom door he realized he had reached for another door.

He was spotted by a male flight attendant sitting in a chair. He stood up. "Can I help you, sir?"

"I'm looking for a washroom, the one in First Class is occupied," Matsuda said.

The male attendant seemed to straighten up as if in was suddenly in the presence of royalty. "I'm sorry to hear that, sir." His voice was quiet in respect for the sleeping passengers. "Please, use this one. You were reaching for the wrong door next to it. That door leads to a staircase to the lower cargo compartment."

"Really? I always wondered where the luggage goes on a plane. I mean, sorry, stupid question."

"It's not a stupid question at all, sir," the attendant replied. "This plane's compartment is big enough for both passenger luggage and much larger cargo. Boarding was delayed because we were awaiting final lockdown of a special piece of cargo. A sports car is being transported back with us in receipt to a wealthy buyer. That's why this passenger plane is a little larger than normal."

"That's exciting!" Matsuda said with a smile. "Any chance I can see it? I'm a car guy."

The male attendant smiled. "I'm sorry, sir. That section is off-limits to only staff." He put hand to his mouth, partially cupping it. "What I can tell you is it's worth over $200,000 American dollars."

Matsuda gasped. "$200,000?" he said, his voice elevated.

"Sir, please keep your voice down. You'll disturb the other passengers."

Matsuda put a hand to his mouth and apologized. Matsuda then used the washroom.

After Matsuda finished, the attendant was still standing outside at his station. Matsuda was smiled at and then was thanked with courtesy for using JAL Airlines. It was the standard way of greeting and speaking to every passenger, very friendly.

Matsuda then made his way back to First Class and noticed the First Class washroom was still occupied. Poor Light, it must have been something he ate.

"Oh, Christ! I can't hold it!" Matsuda heard Light's voice again and inadvertently chuckled. Don't strain yourself, Light, and just let it go, he thought, with a chuckle. He went back to his seat.

Fifteen minutes later, Light and Astuko dressed. They were a little sweaty.

Light's heart was beating so fast that he felt like he was going to have a heart attack, but it knew it was just the excitement and the thrill of what had just happened. He hoped no one had heard them. And he had almost slipped up and released inside her. He just managed to pull out in time. Nothing worse than finding out one day he had a long lost child from a one-night stand.

Astuko opened the door and peaked out.

She made sure the coast was clear and then they both exited. She brushed her hands down her uniform to iron out any wrinkles. Light straightened his tie and tucked his shirt into his pants.

Astuko pointed down at Light's crotch, and said, "Light, your 'wild side' is showing." She chuckled softly.

Light looked down and zipped up. He smiled at her giddily. He felt as if a huge weight had been lift from his shoulders. He had let loose and felt so free. Coming back from L's funeral he had begun to tense up. He thought beating the great detective would ease his worries and he could relax, but for some reason it only added more stress because now he had to be concerned with the Kira Task Force's opinion of him. A few of them had already suspected him of being Kira, he had to put those thoughts to bed ASAP.

Light needed this release. He knew the feeling wouldn't last and the endorphins would subside, but he enjoyed it while he could, and he was glad he had done it. Sex on a plane. That was a first.

Astuko looked in a mirror at the service station and checked her hair. It appeared fine. Light also gave a passing glance and checked his own appearance and fixed a few stray hairs.

"I have to get back to work now, I was on my break," she said.

Light felt a pang of regret, his eyes widened. "You used your entire break? Well, that's not fair. Forgive me, but I may have to monopolize more of your time later."

He winked. He wasn't acting himself, almost uncharacteristically. He knew he was letting his guard down and he shouldn't, but it felt good to let loose a little. There were no threats to him on the plane.

He didn't know what it was with Astuko, but she brought out a side of him that he didn't know he had. He was definitely going to call her after he landed and take her up on her offer at the jazz club; give it a week.

"Thank you," he said.

Astuko tilted her head. "For…"

Light immediately chided himself. He sounded like some sort of teenager losing his virginity to an experienced woman.

Astuko brought Light forward, cupped his face with her hands, out of sight to the passengers, and smiled. "I enjoyed it, Light," she said. "When we first met, I could sense you were tense. I saw it in your body language. I'm only a flight attendant part-time. I have another job as a masseuse, so I can read people. I'm glad I can ease some of your boredom, even if it's only for a little while."

Light withheld a frown. Her words hurt.

He was bored before he picked up the Death Note.

Light let the comment slide. He smiled. He cupped her face with a hand. "Perish the thought, Astuko," he said. "I would never be bored with you."

"That's sweet, Light," she replied. "I hope we can get together after the flight. I would really like to take you to that jazz club I mentioned. It's a really hip club. I'm sure you'll enjoy it."

"I'm looking forward to it," he said.

"I have to get back to work now, we'll see each other later."

He smiled, and then watched her leave to enter the next section, and continued her duties. Being on the night shift, she probably had a lot of duties to perform and he felt a little guilty for taking her whole break.

He shook his head. Why was he feeling guilty for something like this? He was Kira. He had killed hundreds of people using the Death Note and hadn't batten an eye.
It's said a good woman can change a man. He couldn't explain what had had happened, and why he had allowed himself to indulge in such rapturous passion. It confused him. It was like Astuko had reached into his chest and touched his heart, even manipulated him; controlled him to submit to her will. Then again, that was sometimes the power of women had on men. Hormonal attraction was an addictive drug.

But he knew he couldn't get involved with Astuko, nor let her change him, or even influence what he was trying to do—change the world for the better. I will make the world a better place. Without a doubt, Kira is justice. Sacrifices must be made. And I must make the greatest ones of all.

He would have to break the commitment he made to Astuko. What had be been he thinking agreeing to date with her in the first place? But that was it, he hadn't been thinking. HIs mind had been clouded with wild primal thoughts. Astuko had caused a breakdown in his inhabitations and that was dangerous.

He did that once when L challenged him live on television and Light murdered his imposter. It cost him dearly. L then learned Kira was in the Kanto Region of Japan.

Light took a seat. He exhaled deeply. He put a hand to his face and sat in disbelief. Again, he couldn't believe that it had actually let that happened, regret filled his mind. It was something out of a romance novel and it went completely against everything he should be. It was also the kind of thing that could destroy his profession career, the things scandals were made of.

"Light," his father whispered to him directly across the aisle. Light started. His father wasn't sitting in the same seat he had been when Light left. No, it wasn't his father. It was him. He had dropped down in a seat two rows from his own without realizing it, a fault of his inability to focus right now. "You spent an awful lot of time in the bathroom. Are you feeling okay, son? Any air sickness?"

Light turned and faked a smile. "Maybe Dad, but I'll be okay," he answered, lying, touching his stomach. "Maybe something I ate." Although, he was feeling bit queasy after his sudden revelation.

His father said, "I was awake when the flight attendant brought your that meal, but I didn't say anything. Quite a spread, and I was jealous. You don't have to admit it, but I know young attraction when I see it. I was the same way with your mother. I couldn't help myself with her. I fell head over heels in love with her at first sight and then married her a year later."

Light smiled thinly. He didn't know that about his father, and he knew how he felt.

"Now that you're old enough, I'll tell you some stories later how I stole your mother from her then boyfriend while in college," his father said.

Light's mouth dropped. "You did what? Theft is a crime, you know."

His father stifled a laugh, but he did smile. "There's a lot you don't know about your father, Light. Life, police, and family—they're all me. We have to sit down one day have a conversion."

"As long as it's not 'the talk', then sure."

"Oh, I'm sure I don't need to have 'the talk' with you, Light. Right?"

Light swallowed and he momentarily looked away.

Soichiro cleared his throat. "That flight attendant really likes you, son," his father went on. "But I trust you'll do the right thing. Don't do something you might regret later on. I've done some bad things I truly regretted in my younger years. Some I wish to could forget."

Light wanted to know more, but he let it go for now.

Light nodded. "Trust me, Dad. I wouldn't dream of it," he lied.

His father smiled. "Now, get some sleep," he said. "It's almost four in the morning."

"Right, I'm feeling a little tired." He yawned, but it fake. He could sleep later.

Light moved back to his own seat. He saw Matsuda asleep in the window seat in his own row one from Light's. Light dropped down. He had to focus now. He had to get down to business. Namely, investigate Icarus. The name evoked the Greek Legend, but he wondered if it meant something else? Criminals these days used pseudonyms to hide from Kira. It could be as simple as that.

He didn't want to rise any red flags with any law bureaus searching about "Icarus" on police databases even though he had access, it was none of his business. He didn't want anyone to know he was requesting information on an American federal prisoner without a good reason. And he didn't have one other than wanting to know his real name.

The last thing he wanted was the FBI on his back again.

I don't need to go that route, he thought. Instead, he used his cell phone with an encrypted WIP and an untraceable DSL. He had devised a special chip that he inserted into his phone and it masked access to certain online websites, it caused his phone to "go dark" now. No one could trace him.

Once done, he accessed the website "Kira's Underground", and texted a contact he had befriended. His contact could get almost anything on the Dark Web, including police files from reliable sources.

After giving his contact all pertinent information about Icarus, he waited.

He momentarily closed his eyes, it would take time for his contact to get the information he wanted.

To be continued...