CHAPTER 20:
"Light Is Kidnapped"

Light entered his penthouse apartment on the top floor of Tsuku-Toki Tower. There was a private door on the far side of his office and the only way to gain access was with a digital code to a computerized wall panel.

Flourished with exquisite furnishings, he felt like royalty whenever he entered his regal home.

In reality, he was on top of the world in business, and he was Kira, so he deserved to live and bask in a life of luxury. He now had more as Shinto Izanagi than he ever did as Light Yagami. And he did not regret anything.

A lounge was the first thing seen when he stepped inside with a large bay window to his left, tinted so no one could see in. He liked his privacy. A bedroom resided just a little ways to his right, and there were a box wall of televisions on another wall—four widescreen's—all of which were on to news stations but on mute. In addition, he had all the amenities of a would-be wealth bachelor. And yet, he was not alone.

His cellphone suddenly rang and he signed annoyed. It was late at night and all he wanted was to pour himself a light drink and slip into bed with a beautiful lady. She was waiting for him in the bedroom.

He answered the phone, the display name said Aveeno Tant. She was one of his special operatives, and one of the first he had challenged with his new found power Alpha Guard Death Note. She had been a former bodyguard for a celebrity who recently died in a car accident, because he was driving too fast.

Light needed good people at his side, and she fit the bill. So, he challenged her, and manipulated her into playing his game with the mouthguard. Well, it was more like he threatened her with a physical challenge, and he told her that the mouthguard was to protect their teeth. He lied of course. And once she placed it in, and she accepted his challenge, and he pulled a gun on her, and threatened to kill her, if she conceded in lieu of her life—which now belonged to Light now anyway. However, she was paid well.

And much like what happened with Matsuda, she became his unwitting servant. Matsuda and Aizawa had been sent on their way after they had awoken from their induced slumber none the wiser of what took place. And told a bunch of lies to disguise why both of them had fainted. Demetre took care of that.

He said, "Yes?"

Aveeno replied, "We found her!"

"Excellent! Secure her, I'll be there shortly."

He ended the call.

Morph assured him that the space-time continuum after Light had been reborn would exhibit no abnormalities, that he had sealed the rip they came through when they escaped from Quindecim. But a few things were happening that that Morph was attempting to rectify that fell in the face to what he had assured. He was off doing that right now.

But this had not been a mistake, Morph had told him. It was by design, explaining such. And when Light was told that she had crossed back over, he was absolutely thrilled.

And Light wanted her with him for his glorious rise to power.

However…

Just then, there came a sweet sounding voice from the bedroom. She must have heard his voice when he answered the call. "Light, sweetheart, come to me, my Sweet Prince."

With all that had transpired, "Sweet Prince" was his significant other's cute nickname for him. She awaited in the bedroom, and no doubt was prepared for his arrival. She never went out without a bodyguard. And she knew everything about him, except for his resurrection. And she knew about his past in being a detective.

He lied to her, much like Hiro, how he built a new persona to hide from the Yuzaka, because of his role in Terrance Claw's death. The Yukaza had a large bounty on Light's head for his role in the destruction of the Dragon Sect. If it was learned he was actually Shinto Izanagi now, he would be immediately targeted.

She lay beneath a large, king-size bed, adorned with red silk sheets. It wasn't his favourite colour, but he accepted it, because she loved it, and he loved her. The bedroom had a regal decor and consisted of rich furnishings.

He smiled, and sat down on the edge of the bed, as Asumi Satou, edged her to his side.

She had been spared death like Hiro when Light had quickly wrote: "Now!" in his Death Note when he killed Nazareth, Terrance Claw's enforcer, before he would have broken both their necks. Instead, Nazareth was the one who had died instantly.

She was the Mistress to a Torture Den who later admitted she wanted to leave for a brighter future. So, Light helped her, and Hiro, because he felt some sort of kinship to do so. He was Kira, but he was also a police detective at the time, and he had fallen for Asumi. It was an instant attraction. And later, when he emerged as Shinto Izanagi, after faking his own death, he brought her into the fold as his intimate other.

But she still had no clue about the Death Note.

He cupped her chin with a hand and then planted a kiss to her supple lips. Then: "Forgive me for this, my dear Asumi, but I must go. I have an urgent matter that needs my immediate attention."

She reached down and placed a hand on his crotch, then began to rub. "Are you sure?" Light groaned, his eyes fluttered with seductive pleasure. "You have a very secret life now, hiding from the Yukaza. I was hoping—"

The word 'hide' triggered revulsion in him and he pulled her hand away. Deep down, he may have been hiding. But every time he was reminded of that fact, it angered him. Kira did not hide. He was biding his time.

He had squeezed her hand too hard and Asumi cupped her wrist when he released her. She then shuffled away from him, as if he was some sort of abusive monster.

"Forgive me, I didn't mean to hurt you. Alas, I wish I could stay and play with you, but I need to go."

She huffed, then tossed a pillow at him. He caught it just before it struck his face. He was unmasked.

The move made the silk sheets drop, exposing her voluptuous breasts. He had made love to her many times, but things were getting repetitive. He wanted something more, but he was unwilling to engage in the kind of "foreplay" she gave him when at the Yukaza den, when she went by the alias: Tigressa, to protect herself from Kira. It was unbecoming and uncouth for such a powerful man to engage in submission behaviour.

"You treat me like a child sometimes, like sort of plaything, only coming to me when you want something," she said.

He put down the pillow. Her words were not exactly untrue.

"Because of my new life, I can't do much of what I once did," he said honestly. "I am trapped, much like you. And I must wear a mask whenever I go out, to play to my persona as Shinto Izanagi—the man who had acid thrown in his face by a rival. If I could, I would dance the waltz with you."

Asumi cocked her head curiously and her eyes looked over Light's face as if trying to read something deep within.

Light had a genuine smile on his face. He did love her.

She smiled softly. Her mind appeared to be at ease with the smile. She inched back to him.

She said, "You know, despite everything that has happened, I'm glad it happened in that way, because we found each other amidst the darkness of this world. I was starting to believe I would die in that horrid place created by the Yukaza. But I wish Kira was still making his vast judgements. This world is rotten and needs order again."

Light's smiled turned crooked. "People say Kira is merely resting. I think he is just biding his time for his return. Have you ever heard of the folklore story of Rip Van Winkle?" She shook her head. "Rip Van Winkle is a story by an American author that follows an American colonial villager who falls asleep in the mountains and wakes up 20 years later having missed the American Revolution. He returns to his village and recognizes no one. This, I believe, is what Kira is doing. Waiting for his deeds to be forgotten until those who desire for his return wish him to reawaken."

"Funny, if I didn't know better, I would say you admire Kira. You and Kira have a similar way of thinking."

Light smirked. "Perhaps," he said. Then kissed her on the lips again and got to his feet. "I shall only be a few hours. Amuse yourself, but don't amuse yourself too much."

She threw another pillow at him playfully, and he straightened his tie with a smile, and buttoned his dress jacket.

He then retrieved his mask from his office, returned, and entered a private elevator in his penthouse, that lead to the underground parking garage of the building.

Here, his personal chauffeur awaited him, who he had been alerted previously. The man was dressed all in black with a traditional hat. He opened the door for Shinto Izanagi, wearing his red mask, then shut the door to a non-descript, dark coloured luxury Sedan. Taking his limo to where he wished to go would be too presumptuous and would attract unwanted attention. He wanted to arrive at his destination without reserve.

In all the years he was with the National Police Agenda, and years of age to do so, Light never once took the time to get his driver's license. He was always driven or chauffeured around. It was the one thing he regretted most in his life and when he returned, he would ask Demetre to give him some private lessons.
His chauffeur got into the driver's seat and Light gave him directions.

His driver reversed the car out of the parking spot, and was about to drive forward, when he stopped, as a bright high-beam light, suddenly blinded the course ahead. It was a single light, so it was not a car, Light observed. If he were to guess, it belonged to a motorcycle.

The chauffeur honked the horn, but the rider of the motorcycle merely rivved his bike in response, as if in challenge.

"The audacity," his chauffeur remarked. "I'm sorry, sir. Whoever this person is, he may have followed another car in, for whatever reason. I will have a word with Security when we get back. I will handle this. But," he then said as an afterthought, "I don't recall seeing a motorcycle down here as I waited. He may have been hidden."

Light snorted behind his mask. "Be quick about it," he ordered annoyed. "I have a pressing engagement."

His chauffeur left the Sedan, then proceeded to walk ahead. He had his hand up to his face to block the bright light. "What is the meaning of this? Shut off the light and identify yourself immediately—"

Shots rang out, from what sounded like an AK-47, and Light quickly ducked down behind the seat. The shots were directed at his chauffeur, and he knew before he ducked down, that the man was dead before he hit the ground.

The motorcycle and rider came to the side of the Sedan, then the rider of the bike pulled open the rear door. He was wearing all black and a helmet. His entire identity masked.

"Mr. Shinto Izanagi, you're coming with me!" He reached in with a black gloved hand.

Light kicked the other's hand away. "The hell I am!" There was a gun hidden under the back seat and Light went for it. A person gun was concealed in its holster under his arm within his suit jacket, but it was too clumsy to get at.

But the moment he brought the gun to bare, the motorcycle rider already had a hand gun in hand. The AK-47 strapped across his back. No, it wasn't gun. It was a dart pistol. And he fired it at Light, striking him in the upper chest.

Light gasped, the serum was so powerful that it began to take effect almost immediately. The gun fell out of his hand as he dropped back to the seat, his body limp. The motorcycle rider than grabbed him and began to haul him out of the car.

Light fell unconscious.

x x x

Light caught a waft of tobacco smoke as he slowly regained consciousness. He moaned, his mind foggy. Then he snapped his eyes open when events of his kidnapping came flooding back.

He looked around. He was in a room without windows with wooden walls and floors. If he had to wager a guess, a warehouse of some sort, and this was a storage room. And by judging by the stacked crates, he was right.

The mysterious motorcyclist murdered his chauffeur and he wondered how long it would take for anyone to learn what had happened? Employees of Tsuku-Yoki Tower would no double notice the carnage and report it to Demetre/Tréy Cottré, and an immediate investigation would be launched with the police. Or, if Demetre was smart, he would handle it internally, which Light assumed would be his friend's best and safest bet.

The place he found himself in reminded him of the storage depot where he was taken when kidnapped by the Yukaza after the failed attempt to coo Yukaza forces at an abandoned theatre when he was with the NPA, where he was asked to work surveillance. That was when he learned a valuable lesson of: be careful who you trust, as two NPA cops took him hostage, and when he found himself face-to-face with Terrance Claw of the Dragon Sect.

What if the Yukaza had learned his identity and they brought him here to kill him?

Then, he realized, they had no idea who he really was behind the red mask. Those who had been closest to Light Yagami thought he was dead, but some within the Yukaza were still out for blood. Not knowing he had officially died. The Yukaza were notorious for efficiency, and without seeing a body, nothing was discounted.

He was tied to a chair that was bolted to the middle of the floor in the room.

He felt a little chilled. His jacket had been removed and he felt his clothes were a little loose on him. He looked down and saw that his tie was on the floor and the first three buttons to his dress shirt were undone. His belt was one hole looser than it he normally liked it tightened too. His shoes and socks were removed and also lay with his other stuff on the floor. He was barefoot, which may account for why he felt chilly.

And then there was his zipper, which was open.

Whoever had kidnapped him had disarmed him of anything that could be used as a weapon, including the small baton he normally wore strapped to on his inner left thigh, that if need be, he could rip his pants open and grab it, telescope it open, and use it as a deadly weapon. He had been trained with escrima sticks and bo-sticks when he took his police foundations self-defence coursed, and his trainer said that a police officer should always have a secondary weapon, be it a gun or something else. Since that day, he decided to keep a baton with him at all times.

Just then, he heard a door swing open from behind him. Light couldn't see who it was, with his chair facing a blank wall and away, but when the person came into view, the young man looked strange. Oddly dressed and he was smoking a cigarette.

The man, perhaps a few years younger than Light, wore gloves, with an open white parka-like jacket with a feather-neck line, had ruffled brown hair, and wore white-trim goggles that were red-tinged. Underneath the jacket, he wore a red and black, striped shirt. He also wore dark blue pants and black military styled boots.

The young man puffed his cigarette, then smiled. "Hello, and welcome to my humble abode, Mr. Izanagi," he said.

Whoever this man was, Light vowed to kill him when he got the chance. The indignity of being kidnapped and stripped searched was more than he could bare.

To be continued...