CHAPTER 15:
"Enter Matsuda and Aizawa"

"Please hold!" Demetre quickly muted the call.

"What a weird sounding voice, sounds fake," Hiro said, stating the obvious.

Light sat up, he was no longer in the mood for a massage. "Hiro, would please excuse us? We can continue the massage later. And believe me, I'm going to need it."

Demetre's face gave the impression he may need one, as well, after this.

"Of course, sir." Hiro nodded, and then left without question.

Light ventured over to his desk. He gave Demetre an unsettled, anxious look. "It can't be," he said, glancing down at the phone. About a dozen things raced through Light's mind, the possibilities. What if this was truly L's voice? But then he thought, it couldn't be, because L never used the Death Note. He put a finger to his lips, a signal for Demetre to continue the call with Light quietly listening in.

Demetre took a deep breath, then reinstated the call. "Bonjour, Monsieur," he said. "Forgive the pause, communications error. My name is Tréy Cottré, I am Mr. Izanagi's, consolateur, and can speak on his behalf. If you had called to speak with him, pardonne-moi, he is not here. To whom can I say I am speaking with?"

"Then you are in need of our services, correct?" said the voice cheerily, as if responding to only the communications error. "Alors vous avez besoin de nos services, correct, monsieur?" He repeated in French, but then added "sir".

Demetre gave the phone a narrowed gaze. The way this person spoke to him, and in French, sounded both condescending and rubbed Demetre the wrong way. "How did you get this number? What is your name?"

"I believe you already know who I am," said the voice with a coy tone. "My name is Lucky, that's Lucky with a capital L. And I wish to speak with Mr. Shinto Izanagi. Isn't he there? You have me on Conference Mode, and I can hear two sets of breathing from this end. Don't be shy, Mr. Izanagi. I wish to be invited to speak with you, as your name pertains. You gave birth to the Tsuku-Yomi Corporation from next to nothing. Looking back, it took you nearly five years to build up enough capital, then you began to buy up businesses all around the globe. And now you have become a company that is widely regarded as fundamental to engage with in order for high-tech products to be distributed. Your reputation is golden. This is why I wish to do business with you. It would be enlightening…"

Light slammed the button of the phone to mute the call. "Jesus, Demetre!"

"Take it easy, Light. It can't be L. I'm sure of it. It's just someone playing with us. There are weirdos everywhere. I'll have someone trace the call."

"But whom? He sounds just like L. And why would he use a synthesizer?"

"Chill, Light. I know about Lucky Dragon Industries, and I have already opened up a dialogue with its affiliate to generate a partnership. Its owner is a bit eccentric, even crazy. His name is Kounna Aiueo. Translated, it actually means Lucky Lucky. But I've never actually spoken to him before. Perhaps this is his method of communication?"

Light put a hand to his head, feeling a bit embarrassed. "Oh," he then said. "Yes, I forgot."

Light recalled Kounna Aiueo's online profile. He looked like a chubby Buddha and he always had a smile on his face. The man also thought he was blessed by the gods, hence his name.

"Tell him, we'll be happy to set up an appointment," Light said. "But I want the call traced, if possible afterwards. And just for measures, I want to get the Shinigami to do something just to make sure. No mistakes this time."

He explained what he wanted done and his instructions actually shocked Demetre.

Light took out a small black ball from a drawer in his desk. It was a Shinigami Probable Ob. He then placed a hand over it and thought about what or whom he wished to summon. Ryuk answered.

He relayed his instructions to Ryuk quickly. Every Shinigami had a Probably Orb in their arsenal, along with their Death Notes, and Geist allowed Light to borrow his for communication purposes. Ryuk had one, so, if a call needed to be made, while the Shinigami were elsewhere performing assigned tasks, they could speak.

Ryuk looked shocked at the instructions, his image manifesting on the surface of the ball. "Okay Light, but we're going not to kill for you, just know that," Ryuk stated. "We won't sacrifice our lives for you!"

"I wouldn't wish that upon you. Rem was foolish, I know you two are smarter."

Ryuk chuckled, then ended the call.

Light put the Probable Orb away.

Demetre still looked stunned. "Really? Why? That seems awfully cruel even for you?"

"It is a necessary to prevent disruption."

Demetre took a moment, then reconnected the call. "Once again, forgive the interruption," he said. "As I said, Mr. Izanagi isn't here, but I believe an arrangement can be made for a bargaining agreement. A representative will—"

"No!" Kounna Aiueo said adamantly. "I would like to meet with Shinto Izanagi personally. I am aware of his issues with face-to-face contact, but I am willing to overlook his hiding if he wishes to do business with me."

Light's eyebrows rose. "Hiding?" he mouthed. Demetre shrugged. Light nodded, and pointed at the phone. Demetre cocked his head, as if to be sure what Light was proposing. Light nodded again.

Demetre then said, "I will contact you when a meeting can be arranged, Mr. Aiueo. I will be in touch." After the complementary good-byes, the call ended. Demetre then gave Light a concerned glance. "Are you sure about this, Light? The less exposure for you is better especially in your situation. Your mask and fake acid story won't fool people forever. You managed to convince people that the shock of the acid attack turned your hair white, but eventually someone will wish to verify your story. You don't have to see him?"

"No one calls me a coward, especially a fat, blowhard like Kounna Aiueo. Set up a meeting. And I can't hide anymore, Demetre. L is dead. He is never coming back. And Near, the SPK, and even the ex-Kira Task Force members have no inkling about us. If they did, then they would've already begun investigating me, but there has been nothing of the sort. I chose Tsuku-Yoki (Night God) because it would be the last remnant of the name Yagami I'd keep. It turns out my name has been very lucky for me. Shinto Izanagi needs to come out of hiding, so to speak."

Demetre nodded, and picked up his tablet that was on Light's desk. He went to the calendar, and conferred a date and time.
Light pressed a button on this phone. There was a moment's pause before the secretary answered the call. "Please tell Hiro that he can come back in now."

"Sir, there are some people out here who wish to see you," she then said. Light gave a curious glance at the phone, he had no appointments or had any requests that he knew of. "Two police men," she finished.

He gave Demetre a look, muted the call, then went to his computer. He brought up the surveillance system camera to the outer office. He had access to every camera in the building. The front desk on the main floor should have informed him that they were here and wished to see him before they got to the penthouse. Why hadn't they? Police these days, all they have to do is flash their badges, and the whole world falls to their whims. Security was probably told to not inform him of their arrival.

He told Demetre to fire the guard who let them pass without following protocol when able.

He saw Hiro there, standing, obviously waiting to come back in. He also saw his well-dressed, beautiful secretary, sitting at her desk in the posh office, a women whom Demetre hired because her resume fit the bill of their needs. It hadn't escaped his notice either that he liked her on an intimate level.

He also saw two men in trench coats and his eyes widened. "What he devil are they doing here?"

Demetre stood next to Light, saw the CCTV. "Aren't they two of your former Kira Task Force members?"

Light frowned. "Yes, they are. Touta Matsuda and Shuichi Aizawa," he said unpleasantly. "I knew I should have killed them when I had the chance! One of the very first things when I got the Death Note back!"

"Do we let them in?"

Light gave a hardened introspective inward stare at nothing in particular. Hatred filled him, it swelled inside his entire being at the man who literally murdered him and destroyed everything Light had built up as Kira—Touta Matsuda. The most naive and the most gullible one of the Kira Task Force had ended Kira's reign, shooting him. Those shots heard within the warehouse on the pier still echoed in his mind, the scars still present on Light's body.

But he calmed himself. He had to keep his cool. And suddenly, a plan sprung up. "No, we must greet them properly," Light said with a broad smirk. "If we deny them, then it will appear we have something to hide."

Light laughed, almost sadistically. Once again, the concept of hiding had come up. First the phone call and now this surprise visit from the NPA, and by two of his former Kira Task Force colleagues. The irony was almost amusing.

He looked at his mask, put a hand over its face. He was not hiding, merely biding his time for Kira 2.0. And no one was going to prevent his Grand Agenda: The Resurrection of Kira, from coming to fruition.

"Why do you think they would be here?" Demetre wondered.

"Unsure, but the Tsuku-Yoki Corporation is one-hundred percent legitimate. There is no reason for the NPA to come here. And if they try anything, our lawyers would eat them alive!"

"Your decision, Light? Do we risk it?"

Light sat down in his high back chair behind his desk. His naked back touched the leather. He then took his mask in hand and looked at it as if he were reenacting a scene from a Shakespearean play. "Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him."

"Hamlet, Scene 5, Scene 1," Demetre said, "but only partial."

Light smirked. "Make them wait while we attend to ourselves. We can't greet them in this state. Matsuda and Aiwaza believe I'm dead. Let's introduce them to Shinto Izanagi and Tréy Cottré of the Tsuku-Yoki Corporation. They've never met you, but let us keep up appearances."

"Laissez les moutons entrer dans la tanière des loups" Demetre spoke. "Let the sheep enter the wolves den."

Light asked that the detectives wait a few minutes before they could be properly greeted when he unmated the call. He kept the CCTV up on his computer and the audio turned up, as they changed.

On the computer, audio was heard of Hiro telling Matsuda and Aizawa that his superior's had just completed a self-defensive session, and once ready, they would be allowed in. So, they would have to wait in the outer office. The two detectives didn't have a problem with it and were offered coffee to wait.

Within ten minutes, Light and Demetre were suitably dressed in suits and ties, like dapper businessmen. Light returned to his desk and put on his mask. Then he sat in his chair.

"Let them in, Demetre. Let us see how evolved the wolves have become?"

x x x

Demetre under his new name Tréy Cottré greeted the pair at Shinto Izanagi's office door, shook their hands cordially welcoming them to Tsuku-Yoki Tower, and then with a butler-esque hand to his midsection, pressed them inside.

"Veuillez entrer, Messieurs," he said in French. "Monsieur Shinto Izanagi will now see you."

"Did he just call me a monster?" Matsuda asked Aizawa.

"It's French, you dimwit," Aizawa said gruffly. "He called us Sir's. It must be his accent."

Demetre smiled with a tilt in his neck. "Yes, I am sorry. I will speak the native tongue from now on. Mr. Izanagi would most likely prefer Japanese anyway as it is his language of choice. I am fluent in several different languages, which probably makes me a suitable consulter for the owner of the Tsuku-Yoki Corporation with its many facets."

Both Matsuda and Aizawa looked around, surprised, at the posh looking office. It was something that only a very rich individual would possess. And yet, with its look, there was very little within, as if, only the basics one needed to operate a business, very few personal items adorned the office.

"Boy, this place sure has changed since the last time we were here," Matsuda remarked. Aizawa agreed.

"Really, how so, gentlemen?" Demetre was now speaking full Japanese to suit the company. "Forgive me, but when Mr. Izanagi purchased the building for the Tsuku-Yoki Corporation headquarters, here in Japan, he was not privy to its then interior. He allowed others to deal with the details. He approved the concept of its alterations and changes to suit his company needs. Although, we did keep the theatre on the fifteen floor. How amusing! The previous owner of the building must have been a movie watcher."

Just then, Hiro came into the office rolling a metal tray of tea and edibles. Snacks, cookies, baked cakes, and a pot of tea that smelled divine.

"Ah, thank-you, Hiro!" Demetre said. "Tea and cookies, detectives?"

Matsuda's face lit up. "Oh yes, I haven't eaten anything since early this morning," he said.

"Help yourself," Demetre said with a smile.

Aizawa declined. "Matsuda, this isn't a social call, we're here on business. Let's get down to brass tax. My name is Detective Shuichi Aizawa, and the one stuffing his face is my partner Detective Touta Matsuda."

"Should you be so forward with your real names, Detective? You never know who is listening?" Demetre said off-handedly with the smallest of smiles. "We still live in the 'Age of Kira'. They say he is only sleeping."

"Trust me, Kira is no longer a threat," Aizawa said.

"Ah, so in your line of work, you deal in absolutes to solve crimes, Detective?"

Aizawa had no response for that. Then he said, "No," he said slightly deflated. "But in a court of law, the public can be rest assured that they will no longer be harassed by a criminal when they are sentenced, and is behind bars."

"Oh, so you've caught Kira? I didn't see it on the news?"

"We caught him in secret and there is a media blackout. Once the NPA can say anything, the public will be informed. However, since Kira's mass killings have ceased, crime has, unfortunately, gone up."

It was obviously a lie, Demetre knew. Little did they know, Kira was alive. "So, things are reverting back to as they were before Kira. Pity." Demetre shook his head disappointed. "The irony isn't lost, Detective. Law enforcement wished to hunt down Kira for his killings. Contrary, Kira gave hope to the masses that someone was protecting them when the police could not. But now that he's gone, criminals are empowered again."

"You tell that to the innocent people Kira murdered!" Matsuda said with a full mouthful.

Aizawa quieted him with a hand on the shoulder. "Don't talk with your mouth full, Matsuda. Yes, it is ironic. But Kira did murder people other than criminals. But he can't do that anymore. His reign of murder has stopped."

Suddenly, the chair behind Shinto Izanagi's desk rotated, and the man himself sat within, wearing an all black suit and tie. The chair's back had been turned before both Matsuda and Aizawa entered. Shinto Izanagi had his red and black mask on. Demetre noticed from a certain angle that it made Light look like a deranged psychopath.

"Then what is the purpose of your visit, Detectives?" he asked, his voice took on a dark tone. He rested his elbows on his desk and steepled his fingers like a man who demanded answers. "I'm waiting," he then said impatiently, when neither Matsuda nor Aizawa answered quickly enough. Obviously they were a little taken aback by the sudden appearance of Tsuku-Yoki's CEO.

Suddenly, the wind seemed to release from Aizawa's sail as he gazed into Shinto Izanagi's red/black mask. It was almost like he was looking at the devil himself. The only thing missing were horns on either side of his head.

To be continued...

(Author's note: If you are enjoying this story, please review. I would like to know if people ARE enjoying it? Thanks!)