Chapter 26

Two days passed rather uneventfully as I paced my room. I was growing restless for what is to come. Did I plan it out right? Will everything go according to plan? When will Rem visit again? He knows what to look for but he awaits my orders. When it gets right down to the main part of the plan I know I'll be alone here unless they drag me off as well which I don't see that happening. Continuing to pace I fold my hands at my back mulling over all that has happened and what has yet to come. I just couldn't help it something is bothering me and I can't seem to figure out what it is. Before long I walk downstairs and glance at the others in the room. "I'm going for a walk." I say before walking out of the building not caring if they would have any objections. I need to move around, I need to be out and about. I can't stay in there for a second longer.

*Light*

"Are... You going to go after her?" Ryuzaki asks after we watch Kiara walk out. Shaking my head I sigh before turning back to the computer.

"No, she looked like she needed to go out alone. She probably feels caged in here. Besides if she wanted me to go with her she would have asked."

"I see, and I have to agree with you. Maybe staying here for so long has finally gotten under her skin."

As quite some time passes Kiara still hasn't returned. It seems it was only I that was feeling a bit anxious about this fact. Where could she have gone? What could she be doing? Is this part of her plan? "With having the suspicion that Higuchi is Kira, we still don't know how he kills." I mention as the thought of Higuchi pops into my mind.

"Yes, before we arrest Higuchi. I want to find out how he kills people." He flicks one of his cookies on the desk to hit one of the other two cookies as he is thinking. Turning in my seat I watch him.

"With Yotsuba holding off on killing anyone for a month that could make that difficult so we'd have to rely on his front. The killing of criminals. But he wouldn't do that in the open. So we can't simply tail him so we'd have to figure out another idea right?"

He picks up a piece of cake and holds it in front of his face. "Yes, at any rate, if we do arrest Higuchi, we aren't going to do it until we know for certain how he kills." Setting down his cake I watch him just stare at his screen. "Let me think about this for a moment." Clicking onto his computer a high-pitched beep sounds. "Weddy."

"Yeah." Her screen comes up as she speaks.

"An update on the current situation please."

"Everything is going smoothly. We should be able to track 70% of their movements by using our cameras inside the office building."

"What about outside the office?"

"That's not going to be possible with just Watari and me."

"What if you focus solely on Higuchi?"

"Higuchi? I've only been able to enter the houses of 5 of the men so far but, Midou, Namikawa, and Higuchi all have super high-tech security systems. Especially Higuchi. He recently constructed a dampening room that shuts out electronic waves. It took me two days just to break into the place."

"This guy sure does sound suspicious. But then again, everything Kiara has told me has yet to be wrong." Matsuda comments.

"Alright, then begin installing microphones, trackers, and cameras. But not in the house. Instead, just put them in every car."

"What? After getting this far?" Ryuzaki eats another cookie as he listens to Weddy. "Do you know how difficult it is to break into someone's house? Besides, do you have any idea how many cars this guy has?"

"Yes, he has six." He says as he picks up a doughnut from the tray.

"Fine then, I just have to install them in all of his cars. Right?"

"Yes, thank you." Ryuzaki answers closing the communication with Weddy. After eating the doughnut, he begins licking his fingers. He then picks up a piece of chocolate and looks at it. "Light... I'm sorry to keep coming back to this topic. I'll just get right to the point."

"What is it?"

"Does she remember... Killing anyone I mean?" He asks as he looks over at me.

"Huh?" I stand looking at him surprised. "Are you still going on about that? Look she's not Kira. How many times do we.."

"Just answer the question… Well, does she remember?"

"No, she doesn't."

"Misa, what about you?" I turn having just realized that Misa and Mogi had returned.

"I don't remember, how could I? Because I'm not Kira!" She answers him taking another step up to him. As he eats his chocolate.

"Look Light. Please listen to what I'm about to say. I'd like you to thoroughly analyze my current theory. This could determine the way which we capture Kira." I just look at him curiously as to what he is going to say. "Kira Lake used to be Kira. Kira's power has somehow passed onto another person. Kira Lake now has no memory of ever being Kira. I need your analysis based on these assumptions. Do you think you can do that for me?"

"Yeah.. I'll give it a try." I answer him reluctantly. What the hell is he getting at?

"Kira Lake used to be Kira. Kira's power has somehow passed onto another person. Was that because Kira Lake wanted it to happen? Or was there someone else in control of her lurking in the background who gave her the power? Was it that person who passed Kira's power to someone else?" Damn, he's good. Closing my eyes I think about what he had just said before looking at him again.

"Given your premise, It would be her will."

"Yes, of course. If there was a third party able to bestow or transfer Kira's power and they didn't want their method to be discovered, it makes no sense they would wait until after she was captured to transfer from her to the next Kira. If we believe this is the work of some being watching us from above then we'd have to accept they are impossible to catch. Not to mention I'd already be dead. Or at the very least I'm made to be a fool eternally dancing in the palm of someone's hand." Is that what Kiara is actually doing? Looking at it that way it would make sense why she hasn't just killed him already. "It's highly unlikely that such a being exists." He falls silent for a second before looking at me again. "Thank you, Light. I can now say I feel 99% better."

There was a beep followed by a flash on Ryuzaki's computer with Watari's insignia coming on screen. "Ryuzaki." He finally looks away from me and clicks on his microphone.

"Yes, Watari, what is it?"

"There is a girl here claiming to be Miss Lake's cousin. She won't tell me how she knew where to find this place. She just keeps saying she needs to speak with the task force members."

"Her cousin?" I ask feeling true shock taking hold.

"It's possible Aizawa at the police station told her where to come." Dad says before we hear the doors opening. Turning I nearly gasp seeing her. Unnaturally long blond hair that almost looked white, sky blue eyes. Her skin was paler than Kiara's but not unhealthily so. She was taller than Kiara and was wearing a white long sleeve shirt beneath a red tank top. She was wearing a gene skirt that goes to her mid-thigh but white tights beneath it that led down to ungodly bright red shoes. This girl… She's completely the opposite of Kiara.

"Who are you?" Ryuzaki asks having turned in his chair to look at her.

"That's not important." She spoke her voice echoed in the room yet was stern as if she felt she held authority over everyone.

"Then at least give me your name." He persists. Was he challenging her?! If this girl really is Kiara's cousin then wouldn't that mean she.. isn't human either?

"I'm Aphrodite Damphire." She gives somewhat a bow to him before standing straight and brushing her blond hair from her eyes. "I am here about my cousin."

"She isn't here right now.."

"I know" She cuts him off now looking at the rest of us.

"On my search for her I seen her being thrown into the trunk of a red car and taken off with." she stated plainly as if it was an everyday occurrence... What is it with these people?! She watches her cousin get abducted and she doesn't even look the least bit worried?! Gasps followed her words. Ryuzaki just seemed to turn around in his chair and begin pulling things up onto the big screen. Images of six cars until he finally enlarges the red one.

"Is this what the car looked like?" Soundlessly she walks up behind him standing next to me looking up at the screen.

"Yes, that is exactly what it looks like."

"I see, thank you for telling us. Misa will show you up to Kira's floor." He speaks without looking back.

"I will what?" Misa asks rather loudly.

"Just do it Misa, you know arguing with him won't get you anywhere." I glance over at her as I speak. She sighs dramatically.

"Fine, let's go, Aphrodite." Hearing Misa go to the elevator then the sound of the door closing Ryuzaki finally turns back around.

"We will create a situation where Higuchi will not be able to pass on his power to anyone else. We will have him show us how he kills."

"So what are you going to do?" I decide to ask so I know his full thoughts concerning Kiara.

"I'm going to trick Higuchi using Sakura TV."

"Like a hidden camera show!" Matsuda says happily.

"We will use the Kira special that Demigawa airs every week. We will book a three-hour time slot. It will be announced that Kira's identity will be revealed at the end of this special."

"Would anyone actually buy that though?" Matsuda asks skeptically. "This is Sakura TV after all, for all we know Higuchi might not actually watch that program."

True, for once he does have a point. "We will get Namikawa to call him and say, this is bad. Turn on your TV. That should be enough to get him watching. Higuchi will buy it once he realizes the special guest on TV is someone who knows his secret."

"Oh! I get it! So we will be using Aiber then! He'll reveal that he was a spy all along!"

"No, I'm afraid you are incorrect." Ryuzaki says as he picks up a pastry. "We will not be using Aiber." He then shoves the sweet into his mouth and starts eating it before speaking with his mouth full. "Whoever appears on the show has to be someone who Higuchi believes he will be able to kill. In other words, it has to be someone whose name he could look up easily." he finishes looking back at Matsuda causing all of us to look at him as well.

"But we are never going to find someone like that! Are we?" He holds his hands out at his sides completely oblivious to what Ryuzaki was getting at. I couldn't help it. I had to say it.

"You are the only one who can do it."

"Matsuda" Dad says causing Matsuda to look at him. Raising my hand to my chin I look towards the computers.

"Higuchi probably believes you were listening in on their meeting and overheard their plans to kill people. It would make sense Misa's manager who he thought was dead is the one revealing his secret." as I said this I hear Matsuda make an uneasy sound.

"That's right." Ryuzaki comments causing my attention to fall on him as he holds up another pastry. "We'll have Sakura TV use a voice filter and frosted glass to protect your identity. Higuchi will probably realize from the announcement and silhouette that it's the manager Taro Matsui, and just to make sure we will have the studio mess up and accidentally reveal your face from behind the frosted glass. Until the show ends the announcer will keep saying that at the end of the announcement he will reveal the full name and age who is acting as Kira."

"Higuchi will feel cornered. He will have no choice but have to find the manager's name as soon as possible. We can anticipate what actions he'll take with this."

"We will witness his killing method, after that, we arrest him and find Kiara. There is one potential problem with this plan. If Higuchi can kill simply by looking at someone's face. Just like the second Kira." He pinches the rabbit pastry crushing it. "Matsuda will die." Causing Matsuda to make a worried noise.

"But considering the fact, that you're still alive and how he's pursuing Kiara, I doubt that's the case."

"At any rate, we are going to do this only if we can't find Kiara by then. We should take two or three days. At that time Matsuda will have to decide if he wants to go through with this plan." There is a pause before I watch Matsuda gather his composure again and takes a few steps towards Ryuzaki.

"I don't need two or three days to decide. I want to do this. This is the only way to catch him and save Kiara if he hasn't hurt her already."

Silence followed Matsuda's statement causing me to look down. Could Higuchi have already hurt her? I mean, he can't kill her with the death note at least that's what she told Rem. There is no telling if she was lying and I hadn't had the courage to test it. What if she had been lying and I tested out her statement which resulted in her death? I couldn't afford to lose her. Can we really afford to wait two or three days? That question I believed was the one that was hanging on everyone's mind right now.

Over the past three days, we've been watching the cameras installed in his cars. Ryuzaki reluctantly had told everyone that we couldn't afford to tail him any other way otherwise our other plan would fail. But there was still no sign of Kiara. If he has done anything to her I will figure out the most painful way for him to ever die. "Light." Ryuzaki said, his voice abnormally quiet. "It's time. Make the call." Yes, it was time everyone had already taken their positions so right now it was only Watari, Ryuzaki, and myself with Misa on her floor and Aphrodite on Kiara's. Surprisingly she hadn't even argued about being confined there. She's only ever just sat on the couch as if waiting patiently for her cousin to come back. Nodding to Ryuzaki I go over to the phone and dial Namikawa's number. It rings twice before he answers.

"Namikawa speaking." He says calmly as ever.

"It's L before I go on, are you by yourself?" He makes a sound as if verbally stating that he isn't alone. "Then just act like it's a normal call again."

"I don't think there is any need for that. One of the people here was just expressing his suspicions about your last phone call."

"Who is that on the line, Namikawa."

"It's L" I hear him say and another gasps before he speaks again. "L, Midou and Shimura are here as well. I am reasonably certain that neither of them are Kira. In fact, they seem fed up with him at this point. I'll speak for them and say they choose to stand back and watch your face off with Kira like I plan to." Pulling the phone from my ear I place it against my shoulder closing my eyes. Before looking over to Ryuzaki.

"That's fine." He says as he works on his slice of cake. Giving him a nod I put the phone back up to my ear.

"Tonight I'm going to catch Kira. But, I'll need a favor from you."

"Hmm... Then it's the end for Higuchi."

"What? Then you know that it's him?"

"Ha! So then even the great L can be tricked. Based on your reaction I am now 100% certain that Higuchi is Kira." Damn his pompous attitude.

"I'm baiting Higuchi with a staged TV special tonight. Sakura TV. A few minutes into the program I want you to contact Higuchi. Tell him to tune in. Do that for me and I won't go after you or any of the other five. As for the others Kida, Takahashi, or Ooi if they try to do anything make sure to stop them."

"Alright, I understand." he says before hanging up.

Having the broadcast playing we watch it until Ryuzaki's computer beeps. "Ryuzaki, Mogi is in position in front of Yoshida Productions. He's just received a call from Higuchi."

"Yes, it's time for phase two." Ryuzaki says calmly as I look at him. Kiara! Please be safe. "Everything's as planned." The screen then switches to the image of two cell phones.

"Mogi!"

"Where's Misa."

"Oh! Mr. Higuchi, pleasure to hear from you. I'm sorry but Misa Misa is taking a much needed vacation right now. She should be back by oh! Tomorrow morning though! You can reach her then!"

"I'm asking you where she is now!"

"Oh, that's private information. She's requested that no one know where she is. I'm very sorry, I'll have her contact you tomorrow, first thing!"

"Do you know if Misa's previous manager was a former entertainer at some point?"

"Come again?"

"I'm talking about Taro Matsui!"

"Oh! I was only recently hired so I don't know much about him. If you need some information I could let you talk to someone from the office… I just remembered everyone's in Okinawa at the moment! But you could try calling the president though."

"This is going exactly as I had planned. It's almost scary." Is this how she feels all the time with everything she has done up until now?

"You shouldn't be scared Light, you should be happy."

"I'm patching you into Higuchi's call with the president of Yoshida productions." Watari says before the screen changes again to show two phones.

"This is Higuchi from Yotsuba. That manager's name isn't Taro Matsui is it?"

"No, it wasn't if I recall."

"If he's acting like this it means he is beginning to panic." Ryuzaki comments with his eyes glued to the screen.

"Then what was his real name!"

"I think it was Yamata. No, wait, Yamashita, and his first name was… Sorry I can't remember."

"Don't screw with me! Why the hell can't you remember the names of the people you hire?!"

"Alright. No need for that kind of language. I've got his personnel file back in the office."

"Go back there and get it."

"You've got to be kidding me. Give me a break. We are on our first company vacation in two years! But, if you want to know that badly I'll give you the pin code for the office lock. You can go in yourself and look it up. How's that? The personnel files are in the desk at the back to the left. You'll find them filed in the bottom drawer they should all be sorted alphabetically. But I'm pretty sure it was Yamashita."

"This means he has two hours to get from his house then to Yoshida Productions. He's probably thinking right about now that it won't be that hard to do it if he avoids very much traffic." I say watching the screen click off.

"Yes, it will push him to go there. To get Matsuda's name."

Ryuzaki's computer beeps a short time later. "I see Higuchi. He's only carrying a single bag but I had heard the one part of the car that isn't covered. I heard the trunk before he got into the car. I'm in pursuit."

"Everything is still going according to plan." I say watching the trackers of both Higuchi and Weddy on the screen. I was now leaning forward on the desk with a hand on the chair next to me. She had heard the trunk so that means he has Kiara with him.

"Yes." Ryuzaki responds quietly as if he was thinking the same thing.

(I know it seems like I just randomly threw in a character to have this chapter make sense. However, I do have plans for Aphrodite. Her reasons and story will become apparent.)