Chapter 35

*Aphrodite*

Standing over Kira's bed in the Task Force Headquarters. L and his -Followers- had tracked her the way Matsuda had suggested but, it seems they had arrived too late. The warehouse was full of dead men and at first, even I thought Kira's life was taken. It seems she had suffered a traumatic event that I had initially passed off as just another fun evening. I can only think she used too much energy to even run that far directly after training. Or, she could have been forced into a situation where she tried to use her energy in another way. I hate it when there is absolutely nothing happening. It's too boring when things are going too smoothly. Mom always said I had a sadistic side to me because my father's blood runs through my veins. The criminals were definitely a death note killing. I just can't seem to figure out what could have happened to put Kira in this state if she didn't use any other energy beyond running.

Moving my gaze from her I look to the monitors L had Watari set up. Her vitals were low but not low enough to be of any true alarm anymore. L had even placed a breathing mask over her face and the air pump was currently working away. Thanks to his quick thinking her air levels had raised, but she was still pale. Far too pale. I found my fists clenching before I forced them to relax. What kind of second am I if she can turn up in this state of being. Closing my eyes I exhaled a breath relaxing myself. Allowing my energy to hum through me and concentrate it towards my eyes. I almost didn't want to see it but I knew I must. It may tell me what had happened.

Opening my eyes I look back to my cousin, relaxing my eyes further the room became blurry. The only clear thing in my gaze was the sight of her. The brilliant blue aura inherited by her mother was dim. Almost as if it had never been exercised before. The fact her training took so much out of her could have resulted in this but I never thought it would have lowered to this degree. Taking in another breath I push a little more of my energy so I may see her own. The blazing blue roared like fire in front of my very eyes. It was even more erratic than it had been the first time I had seen her when she had been brought in unconscious after being abducted by Higuchi. What was curious though. There was no longer a black webbed within. Where there had been only specks of blue before was now nothing but. "Tell me what happened." I muttered lowering my gaze so I may view her fully. Nothing but a searing blue except… "There's a gap."

"What do you mean by a gap?" L's voice came up from behind me as he too moved to her bed. This isn't our world. I had decided the first time my cousin and I met that there was no need to hide ourselves. If something ever did happen from the knowledge of us we could always leave. L though never struck me as human. I guess the true reason why I followed Kira here was so I may see for myself as to what he truly was. Even now his bluish-grey aura confounds me. Usually, Aura was a solid color with possible strips of different. Also when focused on you can view the different auras of their life throughout their vitals. But what I focus on is their main aura it helps to pluck humans from immortals. Aura's do not mix colors to make a completely different one. Neither color being more prominent than the other so it was difficult to read.

"Her heart aura should cast brightly, almost brighter than the rest. But, there is just, nothing there as if…it was stopped or taken. I've never seen anything like it." Shaking my head I realize he was watching me. Not once before now had I shown any emotion towards anyone except for the slip of enjoyment for something actually happening. The gap shows something happened to her but I already knew that from the state of being she is in. It didn't tell me what happened as I had hoped. "Have you found Light?" I question, knowing even though she wouldn't tell me anything beyond how they love each other. That is what Kira would want to know right now.

"There was a set of ropes found at the scene as if someone had been bound with a bag over their head. My guess is they either moved him before she got there or released him once they knew they had who they wanted. Although with all of them dead of heart attacks there can no longer be any mistake. Kiara is Kira."

"I recognize those faces though." I muttered. Whoever did this knew Kira would take the fall and they didn't even care. Having L's attention again I finally look away from my cousin. "My cousin has had me watching the news and paying attention to possible Kira prey. Their faces.." I look back towards the monitors as if double-checking her stats hadn't changed. "They were all online. Notoriously known criminals. Assaults, theft, near murders. When you think about it, they were fast becoming prime Kira food." I find myself smirking seeing L flinch from my peripheral vision. So, he doesn't like humans being spoken of like the very meats they consume. Pity. "The articles never stated they were prone to having weapons though. But, following their attacks it was obvious they were escalating. So being killed by Kira himself... Was inevitable, and their deaths fit the main time frame Kira uses." I finally look back towards L before turning my back to my cousin completely. "Too bad they didn't keel over sooner. We need to find Light. When she wakes she will want to see him."

It was obvious he agreed for he slowly turned and followed me out to the elevator. Yes, I implanted another reason for those men dying. And with how L reacts where Kira is concerned there wasn't much doubt he would latch onto any reason that would mean my cousin isn't Kira. The ride downstairs was silent as he seemed to slouch with his hands in his jean pockets. His dark eyes trained on the shiny metal door of the elevator. Moving my own gaze to the elevator doors, I found myself cursing Kira for sending me to HQ rather than taking me with her.

*L*

Aphrodite did have a point. The killings matched Kira's M.O. there was no more reason to suspect Kiara now than normal. She was after Light and even sent her cousin to us to inform us of what was happening so we could possibly provide backup. Kira wouldn't need to do that. Kira would have let Light die rather than deal with the situation of trying to rescue him. No, I had mentioned Kiara being Kira mainly to get to her cousin. See if there was something she wasn't telling us. She had only placed her barriers back up and spoke logically. Much like Kiara herself does. It is possible that what both of them are hiding could in fact lead us to Kira but there is the possibility they are trying to keep us from knowing as much as possible about them. As if hiding their own existence. When the elevator doors opened I stepped out to find the task force members huddled in a circle one head standing out more than the rest. Light.

Walking up to him I take note of how pale he was, much like Kiara but not quite. Mr. Yagami was looking at his wrists which were sporting profound bruises from being bound. "I could hear them where they had me. They kept talking about lookouts keeping an eye out for Kira. Then when word came that she had made it I was rushed out at gunpoint. It was only then I heard her voice. Since she didn't have Kira's killing power she was trying to stall and get me out. As if she was waiting for something. She bartered with them to let me go. I was then walked off the premises with the warning that I was going to be shot if I went back for her. So I tried to find a phone since mine was confiscated to get a hold of someone from here. When it looked like I couldn't get my hands on a phone I rushed here." He explained to all the relieved faces around him.

"Light, you should know, Kiara is upstairs hooked onto life support. We now have her stats at non-life-threatening levels but she is unresponsive." I told him as I walk back to my chair. Everything he said was believable but then again between him and Kiara, nothing is ever too abnormal. Could Light have killed those criminals to save Kiara? It's not absolutely unthinkable. He would do anything to save Kiara but, if Light really is Kira then why not just dispose of those criminals before things got so far? That's right, he would need the notebook. But, from the time of deaths to where Light could make it to wherever he had stashed a death note doesn't match up. He would have had to kill them before ever leaving the premises. Being held at gunpoint would give him no opportunity to... Let's say pull out a notebook and write down names he possibly doesn't even know. Even Aphrodite, Kiara's cousin, could only make out their faces as being familiar. She seems too much like Kiara to not match names with faces. For her to not exactly remember would mean she didn't hold much interest in them. But she could remember the basics of the news articles. It is possible even if Light knew of these criminals that he couldn't remember their names.

Turning around in my seat I was about to confront Light or even Aphrodite as to if they could even know the names of the criminals but they along with Mr. Yagami were no longer there. Must have gone up to check on Kiara. I told myself turning back in my chair to face my computer. Flicking on the camera into Kiara's room I take note of how Aphrodite and Mr. Yagami were hovering around Kiara's bed, whereas Light. Was knelt at her side, cupping her hand with his. A glimmer on the screen showed a tear rolling from his cheek. He was scared and saddened about Kiara's state. Being as close as he is to her it would prove that he would take it harder than any of us. Yet, if he cares so much for her, why would he cheat on her with Amane? Their personalities were polar opposites. Maybe Kiara was just too, serious all the time. Or could he not be cheating at all. Finding only friendship with Amane. If that was true there would have been no reason for him to tell her a lie about Kiara still being mad and distant from him. Just as there would be no reason for him to purposefully wait until Kiara was sleeping to call Amane. Maybe, he cares more for Kiara than for Amane?

At this time, however, I should be focused on the question of what happened to Kiara and the Kira investigation. Matters of Light's and Kiara's relationship should not concern me, let alone take my focus away from the important tasks at hand. -Kiara, will never be mine.- That is what the look Light usually has in his eyes when the three of us are around each other. He will never let her go. I should count my losses and get over her. Shaking my head I try to rid myself of these thoughts. Focus. Still, a part of me couldn't quite understand what had happened. If Light and Misa were captured because the criminals themselves thought Kiara had Kira's power, it begs for the question. How did they know about Kiara or even how did they come to that conclusion in the first place? Everything about Amane and Kiara's detainment was kept from the public. The only ones to know about Amane was the Yotsuba group. I couldn't see them speaking about their spokesperson to criminals like that or even the general public. It would ruin their image even then, we had said nothing about Kiara's detainment. I feel this situation cannot go ignored.

"Mogi." I speak without even glancing away from the cameras. "Matsuda, you as well."

"Uhh, yeah.." Matsuda speaks before walking up behind me with Mogi. Finally turning around in my seat I look from one to another.

"Matsuda with your feelings about Kiara, I think you would be the best one for this task. As for Mogi, I would like him to help you out just to make sure no mistakes are made."

"W. What are you talking about Ryuzaki?" Matsuda questions raising his right hand behind his head and giving a nervous laugh.

"In the future, I may not be exactly working with you on this case. For reasons that will become clear to you in the future. I think this should be kept away from Light and the others.." I decided to add that in. If what happened to Kiara really does have as many questions as to what really had happened. I can only conclude that Light had something to do with this. "I wish for the both of you to investigate the situation that had brought Kiara here in such a condition. Do not let Light or even Mr. Yagami know your findings. Even if I am not working with the task force at some point I would still like continuous updates about what you find."

"I understand but... Why not tell Light and the Chief?"

"Because there is a strong possibility that Light was involved more than what he is claiming. If Yagami finds out we will have yet another problem on our hands such as when Kiara was detained or when he had stressed himself enough over Light being a suspect and causing himself to have another heart attack. Therefore it would be in Yagami's best interest to be kept in the dark for now."

(This is not the end of the story guys, so stay tuned)