CHAPTER 37:
"Light Yagami...Alive!"

It took about an hour or so for Demetre to calm Light down through all the shouting, cursing, and ranting.

L now knew Light was actually Shinto Izanagi, but Demetre reasoned that there was nothing L would do about it. So, he knew, but it didn't matter. There was nothing he could charge Light with. And to claim Light had a supernatural notebook that could kill would be laughable in the courts. The only thing he could be questioned on was his identity and why he changed his name, now the CEO of a large company. Also, the fake story of acid thrown in his face.

Demetre warned Light not to become self-destructive, not to repeat the same mistakes like he did with Near.

L and Near could taunt Light all they wanted, but they would not be able to stop the Grand Agenda. And it was much more than worldwide trade and commence. The weaponized Death Notes were a large factor in the agenda.

Thank god, he had both Takada and Asumi to help bring Light down from his fit this time. The last time Light had a fit was in his office and Demetre was alone in calming him. There was definitely strength in numbers. Light was ever becoming mentally unstable, and more so than Demetre ever remembered. Maybe the Death Note did have an underline influence on a person's psyche that if left unchecked caused self-destructive behaviour, he wondered.

But Light was his friend and he would be there for him for the bad and the good. That's what friends did.

For the first time in his life, Demetre felt like he needed to drown his own worries with a nice drink. He didn't drink, it was against his beliefs, but he needed something to calm in his own nerves down.

Ritchie Hayward, Light's personal bodyguard, and now new driver, had taken Asumi to Demetre's own place, a condo off the entertainment district in Kabukicho, Shinjuku, and now he had to clean up the mess left by Raye Penber and Jasper Yuta, alone, as Light and Takada became more acquainted up in his office. Once the penthouse was cleaned up, after Geist had destroyed the bed, Takada would be living there with Light.

Dr. Lovecraft had left already, having other things to do.

Kabukicho was a lively place, but it was safe. Asumi would be living with him now, now that their relationship was out in the open, and she wanted to move in as quickly as possible.

Light didn't have a problem with it, since he now had and loved Takada.

Demetre scratched his head and sighed as he looked around the destroyed Board Room. It looked like a bomb went off and most of the damage had been done by Geist while attacking Jasper Yuta.

Geist was with him, acting almost rueful, repentant. "I'm sorry, Demmy. This is my fault."

"Yes, it is." Demetre didn't mince words. "But the last thing I need right now is a sympathetic god of death." The irony was humorous. Those who engaged in death had no sympathy. "It's done, and my eye sight has been restored. Dr. Lovecraft's and Hiro's memories have been erased of the event as well." He left the Board Room and locked the doors. "Right now, I need to get out of here and clear my head. I'm getting a claustrophobic in this building, and I need some fresh air to refocus. I'm going to take a walk outside. You're welcome to join me, or fly—your choice."

"I'll come with you." Geist still sounded rueful.

Disguised as Honda, Geist followed Demetre, as they left Tsuku-Yoki Tower, informing Security that they were going for a walk. Demetre used the revolving doors as Honda used the side door as was too big to fit. And the moment Demetre stepped out into the busy street, he looked up into the sky; he shielded his eyes from the bright sun. Every once in a while, it was good for the mind and body to get some natural light to recharge the batteries.

Just then, he heard a voice calling him from the distance.

At first, as the sun was so bright, his vision was blinded to the one calling him.

He blinked several times to clear it and was shocked at who it was. Coming down the sidewalk was Light's family: Sachiko Yagami, mother, and his sister, Sayu.

Of all the people to suddenly meet here?

He had kept in touch with them since Light's official passing, but something told him this was a purposed visit. Why would they be all the way out here? They were at least an hour from home and probably took the subway here.

He had mentioned off-handedly that he worked for The Tsuku-Yoki Corporation in a financial capacity. He had majored in Business Finance in university, so it was believable. But they later found out when they saw him on television during a media interview with Shinto Izanagi last year that he was the CEO's right hand man.

But that was all they knew. No doubt, if this was a purposed visit, they had come to see him personally.

Sayu was first to greet him, actually racing over to hug him, wrapping her arms around his waist. He was as tall as Light, over six feet, and Sayu only came to his chin. He had known the Yagami's for most of his life, being Light's best friend since childhood ever since his family moved from the United States of America.

"Nice to see you, Sayu, and you, Mrs. Yagami," he said cordially. "What brings you all the way out here?"

He felt a moment of panic, this visit was highly unorthodox. But maybe, all they wanted to do was see him, as friends normally do. To chat, or reminisce, as both Light, officially, and his father, Soichiro Yagami, were dead. He was the only one with any connection to them and a last bastion to when their family was whole.

"My, you've grown since the last time I've seen you, Sayu," he said.

"Demmy, it's nice to see you," Sachiko Yagami said with a smile. "How have you been? Busy, I would think with your job here." Sayu went back to her mother to stand next to her. Sachiko looked up Tsuku-Yoki Tower.

"Just fine," he said, as she looked back at him.

Sayu put her hands on her hips in a satirical manner. "It isn't Demetre anymore, Mom, it's Tréy Cottré, right?" she said. "Demmy changed his name because of all that crazy Savant Society business, right?"

He nodded. They knew some of the details of that affair, but nothing regarding the Death Note's. "But for you, it's Demmy," he said, winking. "I changed it, so that crazy lunatic wouldn't find me."

The crazy lunatic he referred to was a man named Zune. He was a member of the Savant Society, and a man who taught Light a lot when he was first going through the ropes to become a police officer, also an NPA cop.

Zune was also the man who brutally tortured him for breaking laws of the Savant Society, being a member and one of the main enforcers. After the Savant Society was taken down and the League of Darkness destroyed, somehow, Zune had survived, fleeing, and he vowed one day to evoke revenge upon Demetre for destroying his life.

But it was only a half-truth. He actually changed his name, unofficially, to Tréy Cottré to help Light.

"I'm glad you two can keep a secret like that, or I would be in big trouble." He smiled. "Now, what brings the both of you all the way out here? You've travelled quite a distance to see me, or do you have some other agenda?"

All of sudden, Sachiko looked anxious. Then Sayu looked at her, and said, "Should we tell him?"

"That's why we came all the way out here," her mother said. "A phone call just would not do. When they told us, I just couldn't keep it a secret, it wasn't fair. As you being his best friend, Demetre, I thought you ought to know, at least."

Sachiko riffled through her pulse on her right side and produced a folded up piece of paper, giving it to him. He looked at it curiously, then unfolded it.

He took mental step back. The print out, the colour photo, was of Light, with hIs head turned slightly as if in profile, his mouth open, as if he were talking to someone just off view, and there was a backdrop of a warehouse. It wasn't an old photo either, or doctored, because it showed Light as he looked like now with white hair. He figured it must have been taken by someone who was at the warehouse when Light was kidnapped by Matt.

"Oh my god! Where did you get this?"

"You sound disappointed, Demetre," Sachiko Yagami said. "Light is alive! They weren't lying when they told us. I was told he was hiding out somewhere here in Japan, and he faked his death, and changed his identity to hide from the Yukaza, for his role in some leader's death. To protect us."

"The sacrifice he made for us is awesome!" Sayu said. "My big brother is truly selfless, a true hero!"

"But he never told me about that case, neither did his father," Sachiko went on. "Police confidentiality, I suppose. This picture was taken by an informant of one of the people who are looking for him. They say they need to speak to him about information he may have that might help others. I'm so excited, Demetre! Light, my son, is alive!"

He had to pry. "Who gave this to you? Who are 'they'?"

Sachiko had to think for a moment. "His name is L, something? I don't remember it."

"Louis Lawliet, Nate Rivers…They came with Matsuda and Aizawa to our cottage, and gave us this picture, and told us Light was alive," Sayu put in. "A weird pair, kind of wimpy looking."

"Sayu," her mother chided her. "Never judge a person by their looks. You should know better than that."

Demetre felt sick to his stomach. L had been in direct contact with Light's family and told them he was alive. When Light heard about this, he feared he would not be able to calm him down. He would throw a large mental fit.

For an intelligent guy, Light had a short fuze. But most narcissistic sociopaths do when they are directly challenged.

A few moments passed of awkward silence as Demetre held the print out, looking at it blankly. He wondered what he would do or say to Light if he ever found out. For the first time that he could remember, he was shocked speechless.

Then Honda/Geist broke the tension. He stepped forward looking like a gentle giant, and leaned over, extending his hand to Sayu. "Hello, Ms. Sayu Yagami," he said with a smile. "I've heard so much about you from Mr. Tréy Cottré, I mean Demetre. I know his secret, too. I'm his personal assistant." They shook hands. "You can call me Honda."

Demetre noticed Geist purposely exchanged his role as bodyguard for assistant.

"You have a soft-hand shake, Mr. Honda," Sayu said, when it ended. "And you remind me of someone who used to work with my brother on some of his cases, Mogi. He was a big, broad, muscle guy like you, with a kind heart."

Demetre withheld a smile. If only Sayu knew that she was shaking hands with a god of death, she'd freak out.

Sayu looked down, Demetre noticed, and said, "Interesting belt buckle. My brother had one similar to that, but he said he threw it out when he was moving out of the house. He said he didn't need it anymore."

Both Demetre and Geist looked down at Geist's belt buckle. It was silver in a figure eight design.

"Yes, very interesting," Honda remarked back, a little taken aback. "But I don't remember where I picked it up."

Now with his mind fully awake, the shock of the picture overcome, for which he handed back to Light's mother, he said, "Since you're here, would you like a tour of the building? I can't take you everywhere, however. Most places are restricted to the public, but being the position I'm in, I believe I can bend the rules a little for friends."

"Can we see him? I would like to meet him," Sayu asked. "Shinto Izanagi? The Man in the Red Mask, some call him."

One of many pen-names people had coined about Light on the internet, Demetre thought. "I'm afraid not, he's very busy," he said. "And he'll be in personal conference all day with others up on the penthouse floor, his office area."

"Aww, but I'm studying to be a lawyer, and maybe he'll need someone like me in the future?"

Demetre produced a thin smile, the irony not lost. "Maybe," he said. "But you'll have to get really good."

"I'm already at the top of my class," Sayu said. "Just like brother was in all of his classes."

"High intelligence runs in the family," Demetre casually remarked. "I hope you do really well."

The tour lasted for about an hour, and when they were back in the lobby, Sayu looked unsatisfied. She had asked about a black swipe box in one of the elevators, and Demetre told her a special keycard took the elevator to the penthouse, and also accessed Izanagi's outer office. Only Shinto Izanagi and himself had one. Even the secretary had to be escorted up by a security guard with a similar card, but with limited access; no access to Izanagi's office.

Sayu pouted, she didn't want to go. "I really want to meet him, Shinto Izanagi. He sounds so fascinating from the bios I'm read online. What a success story and so quickly; no one ever heard of him six years ago, and it's like he just came out of nowhere, born from nothing. The Tsuku-Yoki Corporation is an amalgamation of many other businesses, operating in trade and commence, making it one of the largest business conglomerates in the world. And it doesn't even sell anything. Well, that's not true. It sells trade for a profit. Shinto Izanagi is a genius!"

"Yes, he is an extremely intelligent man," Demetre agreed.

"Well, I think it's time we start heading home," Sachiko Yagami said. "It's going to take us twice as long with all the evening traffic, and the subway will be packed."

"Nonsense, I'm not busy, I'll drive you both home. My car is in the underground."

"That would be nice, Demetre…" Sachiko Yagami began. "Sayu! Come back here! Where are you going?"

Demetre turned, and saw Sayu heading back towards the elevator in a jog.

"When she has her mind set to something, very little can change it," Sachiko added. "She's at that age. Impulsive and a bit selfish, just like Light used to be before he hunkered down in his studies. Sayu! Stop!"

"I'm going to see him! I want to see him!"

Sayu pressed the elevator and it opened, then it closed, with the last image of her smiling within.

"We should go after her, or she'll disturb your boss," Sachiko said.

"No need to worry, Mrs. Yagami. She knows she can't go anywhere on the penthouse floor without a special keycard." He pat his left side, that was normally where he wore the keycard attached to a string clip on his belt. But when he felt for it, it was gone. He turned, searching his body for it. "Oh, my, god! Sayu took my keycard."

x x x

Sayu made her way up to the penthouse floor using the keycard she stole from Demetre. She knew she would get in trouble for her actions, even Demetre, or Tréy Cottré, as he was known to Shinto Izanagi, would be chided. But she just had to meet the infamous CEO. There was just something about him that drew her to him, she couldn't explain it.

When the elevator dinged, she first looked out into the hall before exiting. There was a set of frosted glass walls directly in front of her that separated the reception area or outer office, and she used the keycard to access it. She hoped there was no one working at this time of the day. When Demetre was showing them around, she noticed people were leaving for the day. Lucky for her, Shinto Izanagi's secretary had been one of them. The area was empty.

To her right, was a set of strong doors, make of a rich wood. But one of them was ajar, unlocked. She walked over and listened in to any conversion that may have been happening since Demetre said Shinto Izanagi would be in conference all day. Perhaps it was over and someone had just left and accidentally left the door insecure.

Her mind sounded a warning. She was a law student. If she got caught doing this, her career would probably be over before it began. She was breaking so many rules right now and she knew it.

She suddenly had second thoughts about the whole affair and went to leave, and she would apologize profusely to Demetre for stealing his keycard, and to her mother for being so stupid.

Just then, she stopped in her tracks when she thought she her a voice from the past. The voice laughed and then spoke again, as if responding to a joke. But it was a voice she knew that was impossible. Because she was dead. Killed in a horrible accident after she was kidnapped by a terrorist, the same terrorist that took the life of her father.

Kiyomi Takada. She knew the voice because not only had she been in a relationship with her brother in university, but she was also later became the spokesperson for the notorious mass murderer everyone called Kira.

Kira, the one who had suddenly disappeared over a year and half ago; the world reverting back to the rotten state it had once been before his coming. With some criminals, and the justice system these days, she felt a lean towards Kira's way of dishing out justice. At least with Kira, the world was becoming a safe, and respectable place again, even though it was being controlled, people's habits, their way of thinking, driven by fear of death if they did any wrong.

But in studying to be a lawyer, she had to be realistic. No magical tool could tip the world on its head to change.

L had challenged Kira, and in reading back on the war between L and Kira—philosophy lectures were dedicated to Kira for which she attended—L had also suddenly disappeared, replaced by a new challenger called himself Near.

There was something odd about the whole affair, however, that made her think. Things were missing from the overall puzzle, and for the career she wanted to enter, missing a crucial element would be a death sentence for her clients. She wanted to be a Criminal Defence attorney and defend people from unlawful prosecution.

It was funny, she had a dream once where she had defended Kira. And even with what little she knew about the over all case, and his crimes, she had made such a strong argument that it forced the jury into an acquittal. But it was her dream, and she could do and say whatever she wanted—her subconscious driving her thoughts.

Kira being innocent was one of them.

She crept back to the ajar door and heard the voice again. And knew that it was impossible. Then she heard something clanging like two glasses, and if she wasn't mistaken, she then heard her another familiar voice. And she couldn't believe it!

She yanked open the door.

"Light? Big brother? Oh my god! You are alive!"

Her brother and Kiyomi Takada stood side-by-side holding up crystal glasses of wine, and both looked absolutely stunned, bewildered, and perplexed, the moment she burst into the office.

Light, stood frozen, his eyes's widened in complete and utter shock. Then his wine glass slipped from his hand, dropped, and shattered on the floor, its contents spattering across his shoes.

"Sayu…oh, my, god!"

To be continued...