Chapter Ten:
"There Are Worse Ways To Die"
"Hey Light, look—" The Shinigami pointed to under the metal steps Light had come down.
Light gasped in shock, handcuffed to the steps was Astuko. Light looked at the cuffs. Every officer had two sets of handcuffs just in case. The set being used on Astuko must have been the U.S. Marshal's first or secondary set, the other set Light had in his pocket. Had she purposely dropped them at his feet? Why?
He hadn't noticed her when he came down because he was more focused on his surroundings, and the supposed location of Icarus. The convicted felon was no where to be seen.
Light ran to Astuko and bent down. She was unconscious with a nasty cut to her head. He checked her pulse, she was still alive. Blood was coming from a wound just above her right eyebrow. Slapping her gently on the side of the face, he brought her around.
"Astuko, wake up. Speak to me." He cupped her mouth as her eyes flung open startled. He put a finger to his own mouth to quiet her.
She seemed to immediately relax when she saw him. "What happened?"
"The federal prisoner…" she said, when Light released his hand from her mouth. "I don't know how it happened, but he escaped his handcuffs. I think the U.S. Marshal is working with him. He appeared to have this blank look in his eyes when I saw him like he was under some kind of a spell. I'm not sure."
Under a spell, the Death Note, Light thought. Icarus must have commanded the Marshal to release him.
"I was called over by the U.S. Marshal and then Icarus threatened me with the Marshal's gun," Astuko said. "He then ordered me to handcuff you to your seat or he said he would take hostages. If I did that, Icarus told me things would remain civil. But I didn't.
Instead, I secretly took your gun while you were sleeping hoping I could even the odds. Icarus then demanded I bring him down here. I also want to tell you that I kissed you on the lips while you slept. I thought it would be a last goodbye."
"A last goodbye? In case, you didn't come back?" Light was angry. "That was stupid." He immediately took it back. "I'm sorry. You were only looking out for the passengers. But Icarus could have killed you." Light sighed heavily. "Never mind that. Where's Icarus now?"
"I don't know," she said. She hissed after touching her wound with her free hand and saw the blood. "Ow!"
"Don't touch it," Light said. The wound was still fresh. It had only been done recently, and she may have been knocked unconscious as a result. "It's superficial, nothing serious."
"Tell that to that to my headache," she replied. "Light, I'm sorry I stole you gun."
"We'll talk about that later," Light answered. "Here," and he gave her his baton. She took it. She looked at it questioningly. "I don't have to time to explain. Just use it for protection if Icarus returns."
"Stealing an officer's gun is a serious offence," suddenly came a voice. "You can go to jail for that. But I'm sure he'll forgive you. He looks the forgiving type."
Light looked up, and saw Icarus with two guns, one was the U.S. Marshal's and other was his Beretta M9.
Immediately, Light knew Icarus was a creative thinker. He was right handed. His Beretta M9 was designed for someone who was left handed, the safety release was on the right side of the handle. For right handers, the release was on the left side. This also told Light, Icarus's brain was left-hemisphere-dominant. Creative people had more of a tendency for crafter thinking while left-handed people were more scientific. It was just an observation. Ninety percent of the world's population was right-handed.
Icarus pointed the Marshal's gun. "When trying to steal a gun and hoping to use it, you might want to check to see if the gun is even loaded with a magazine, Miss Flight Attendant. Otherwise, oops, no ammo!" He showed the empty magazine chamber to Light's Beretta M9, it was empty. Light had not kept it loaded on the plane for safety reasons, he was glad he did.
Icarus tossed the gun away. It bounced and clanged somewhere down the storage compartment.
"The bitch was resisting, so I had to do that," Icarus gestured to Astuko's head. "I don't like hitting women, but she had it coming. She tried to knee me in the nuts!"
"Too bad she missed," Light said back.
Angered, Light slowly ventured out in the open, universally raising his hands. Light stood on his feet, as Icarus stepped back with gun aimed at Light.
Icarus looked Light up and down and smiled. He said, "Tall, aren't you? Trying to be a hero? A knight trying rescuing the Damsel in Distress? How cliche can you get? And you're entitled to the reward of sex after you defeated the villain, not before. Someone's going to have to pay for that cracked mirror."
Light blinked. Cracked mirror? Then it came back to him. But the mirror had not been cracked in the First Class washroom because of what he and Astuko had done. Light had smashed it out of anger because Ryuk was being truculent. But how did Icarus know about that?
Icarus gave Light a thumbs up. "Congrats on giving the heave to this ho! I wouldn't mind a little of that action myself. I've been feeling a little pent up for weeks being in police custody. She looks yummy."
"Shut up!" said Light with contempt.
Icarus smirked. "A little sensitive that know you banged her booty, huh?" He laughed. "I want to thank you, Officer Yagami. I'm as good as free now and all I have to do is surrender peacefully. After this shit storm is discovered, my lawyers are going to have a field day and with you. How scandalous: an up-and-coming officer of the Japanese police force and a flight attendant get down and dirty in the bathroom of a passenger airplane. Not to mention your actions may have inadvertently caused the demise of a United States Federal Marshal. The devil is in the details, they say. I was on my way to testify against a crime boss of a large Japanese mafia syndicate, but that's not going to happen now. There is going to be a monumental investigation into what happened here and the time limit for me to speak up will be marked with delays, and may eventually run out. And without me, I hear all the evidence against the crime boss is purely circumstantial. I'm the Prosecutors crown witness. Without me, the entire case collapses. But you, Yagami, on the other hand, will suffer more. Someone will have to take the fall for this. Your career will be ruined, the bitch will be fired, and I'll be home to the races. What do you say to that?"
Light fumed. Icarus seemed to have it all planned out. "What do you want me to say?"
"True. What can you do? I've got you dead to rights. Hands up, more." Light followed instructions. The barrel of Icarus's gun was aimed at Light's chest. He was standing only six feet away. "I knew from the get-go, you were a cop. All cops are arrogant. I can tell. I've been around people like you all my life. But never in a million years did I except to find another 'user' here. Nice to meet you." He looked at Ryuk. "I never caught your name?"
Light gave Ryuk a sideways glance as Icarus addressed him. The Shinigami stood beside him, hunched over due to the low ceiling, looking clownish in masochist, leather bindings.
"Ryuk," the Shinigami answered. "And Icarus is not your real name."
Icarus smiled. "Of course it's not," he said. "And as a Shinigami, you know it. You can see it above my head." He put a finger to his lips. "But keep it a secret, we don't want Light Bright to know."
Light sneered. In middle school, someone used to call him "Light Bright" to tease him based off a children's toy because he was so smart. He didn't like it.
Ryuk chuckled short. "Light Bright, good one!"
"Don't you dare, Ryuk!" Light chided. "Or no more applies!"
Ryuk immediately shut his mouth.
"Light, w-what's going on?" asked Astuko. "Who are you talking to? Who is Ryuk?"
Light looked back at Astuko. She was the only one out of the loop. He wasn't sure how to explain.
His arrogance thought it would have been easier if Icarus had just killed her. But then his heart thought: She's innocent in all this, a victim. She doesn't deserve what's happening to her.
This is why he didn't want to get anymore involved with her. It only created problems and a moral dilemma that he didn't need right now.
With his hands in the air, Light said, "Allow me to talk to her, Icarus. It will save us a lot of grief later on."
Icarus thought for a moment, then said, "Sure, have at it, hero. But be quick. There's a lot we have to talk about, and our time is short."
Light nodded. Indeed, they did have a lot to talk about, he Death Note being of top priority.
Light went to the steps and crouched down beside her. "Astuko, I'm sorry you're involved in all this," he said. "Something's happening that doesn't involve you."
"Light, please. What's going on?"
Light looked into Astuko's eyes. They glinted with a reflection of artificial light as tears began to fill the lower reservoir. He felt a pang of regret in what he had to do, but it needed to be done. Instead of explaining things to her, he gave her a swift chop to the back of her neck to knock her out. He caught her and laid her head down gently, her arm hanging above her lipless body still handcuffed to the metal step. He checked her pulse again, she was alive. He dreaded having to explain this to her later—depending on what he was forced to do.
He saw the baton that he gave her and decided to keep it there, hiding it under Astuko's body. It wouldn't be useful against a gun. Icarus didn't know about it. And it was best to keep it that way for now.
Light returned to the open and brush off his hands. "It's done, she won't be a problem," he said. "I didn't kill her, but now we can talk freely."
"Nice job," Icarus said. "And yes, it is time to clean the air."
Light had a boost in confidence. He looked down the barrel of the gun pointed at him, but then gave Icarus a piercing stare. "I have a lot of questions."
"I bet you do. As an investigator, it's your job. Go ahead. I know a lot about you, Officer Light Yagami."
"I'll ask it out right. What do you want?" Light asked Icarus.
"Don't you want to ask me how I can see a Shinigami?"
Light folded his arms across his chest. "I don't need to ask nonsensical questions. You killed a U.S. Marshall, you'll never escape this plane. I'm not alone on board." Icarus didn't know that the rest of the Kira Task Force was unarmed. It was a buff. "Surrender, then we can discuss other things."
Icarus scratched an itch that was on his right temple with the tip of the gun. His cuffs gone used on Astuko. "I don't like that tone in your voice. How about, no?"
Light unfolded his arms. "Fine, let's try another line of questioning. Your tattoos, how did you get them?"
Icarus looked surprised. He adjusted the left side of collar of his sweatshirt with his hand, so at least one winged tattoo was exposed. It was intricately designed by a true craftsman. "You like'em? They're actually commemorative from after I battled cancer when I was twelve." He released his shirt. "You can say there's no such thing as angels, but you'd be wrong. One saved my life. I made a deal with it and it cured me. It has the ability to heal everything, including, later on gun shot wounds, and that's a huge plus in my profession."
"You're a career criminal, I've seen your dossier," Light said. And he recited off a list of the most serious offences.
Icarus looked surprised again. "So, you know about me? I'm flattered. It's nice to have a rep."
"By angel, I assume you mean Shinigami? Your god of death has the ability to heal? That's new to me, since I know them to be is nothing more than self-centred, unhelpful nuisances."
"Hey!" Ryuk protested. "I've helped you. I just did when I brought you down here. I unlocked that door."
Light ignored Ryuk. "Why did you throw your life away after you beat cancer? And give half your lifespan to a Shinigami? Even with a Shinigami, you could have done so much good with your life. Been an honest, hard working citizen of society, and performed a genuine service to humanity."
Icarus looked annoyed. "I gave up half of what should never have been mine," he said. "It's ironic, really. It was the least I could do to repay my saviour. Without her, I would be corpse rotting in the ground." He retained a firm grip on his gun. "So, what's your story? Who are you really, Officer Light Yagami? What makes you so special that you were blessed with a Death Note? My Shinigami didn't tell me."
Icarus looked above Light's head at his name again. "Your name, I can't quite place it, but I know I've heard it someplace before," he said. "Yagami is an unusual name."
Light smirked smarmy. "So many questions," he said. "We're at an impasse. You have no way out. And when the Marshal's body is found, you'll be running from a massive manhunt if you manage to escape this plane unmolested. Killing a cop is a grave offence. You'll have INTERPOL, the ICPO, and every other law enforcement body after you. You may even get L involved."
Ryuk chuckled to himself. "Good one," the Shinigami said. "Oh, but I don't think it will go that far."
Light looked at the Shinigami. "Why?"
"If only you can see what I see, Light, you'll be shocked to your very core," Ryuk said ambiguously.
What are you talking about, Ryuk? Light thought. He returned his gaze to Icarus. "I won't be answering any of your questions," he said.
Icarus eyed him. "I don't like that devilish look in your eyes, Yagami. I'm not sure if it's the reflection of some illumination down here, but your eyes seem to be glower red. It's said, if a person form a contract with a supernatural entity, they are basically possessed by at the devil. I bet you wish that I would suffer a heart attack and die right now, huh? Sorry, not going to happen."
"There are worse ways to die," exclaimed Light with a thin smile.
To be continued...