CHAPTER 39:
"Morph's Fury"
"I'm telling you both offers are off the table!"
It was the second time Clavis had to tell L that he had no inclination to take Morph's offer, both Morph's initial and alternative. L agreed about the first, but he told Clavis to consider the second option. Or, at least, keep an open mind.
"I will not sacrifice one million lives to that ego-maniac to bring my family back to life," Clavis reiterated, "nor the other. I won't kill, I've told you that! We've had this conversion already when I first told you about Morph's offer."
"Pity," L said, non-chalet. He crouched in a chair in his usual manner. "Then it appears we have to do this the old fashion way. But let's review…"
The New Kira Task Force were all gathered in the RV, ACT, save one of their members. Near was monitoring communications for any updated information 'S' provided, sitting at a computer console with a pair of headphones on, typing away at correspondence with 'S' through a personalized message service.
Most recently, 'S', their Special Operative, had observed a meeting between Light Yagami and his family at the Tsuku-Yoki Tower using some high-tech equipment. He spied on them from a building near by with a viewfinder that could look through the penthouse tinted window panes.
L was about to begin a debrief when he saw Near wasn't coming over. He was more engrossed in something else, twirling his hair in a finger. Everyone had idiocracies or nervous ticks—that was Nate's. And the way he sat, with one leg up and bent. One more step, and he'd have both legs folded up while sitting. But L had told him about that, to be mindful of how he sat, as it would look too much like a fetus, a weak position. How he sat now was progress.
Near finished up what he was doing, and said, "Understood, keep in touch," and ended the converse.
He turned, and brought his chair over. L thanked him for joining them, later he could fill everyone in.
ACT was a large RV, but with so many people in it presently, it seemed small. But they dealt with the seating arrangements as best they could. Matsuda and Aizawa sat next to one another on a two-seater couch, which Castra sat in a leather seat, while Clavis sat on the arm of it. Raye Penber and Jasper Yuta were also present, standing.
L cleared his throat. "Now, before I begin, I wish to make an apology to Matsuda, in using his connection with the Yagami's to further my plan to rattle our target. While it seemed to have worked beautifully, according to information our Special Operative has given to us, who is monitoring our target as we speak, I feel abusing certain associations is crossing a fine line. On the other hand, and I'm not condoning it; certain methods are necessary to get results."
"Not much of an apology," Aizawa remarked. And Matsuda folded his arms across his chest in a huff.
L looked at them both. "Well, quite. But I give it. Second, I wish to thank Raye and Jasper for their efforts in infiltrating Tsuku-Yoki Tower. I was shocked to hear what occurred with Demetre Draycott. While it was no fault of our own, I'm afraid we may have given our hand away and exposed ourselves to reprisal. Draycott and Yagami have been friends since childhood, and knowing Light Yagami, he'll no doubt wish to retaliate for what happened."
"It was that kid, Hiro; the bullet bounced off the Shinigami's bone club weapon and it hit Draycott in the eye," Jasper said. "It was just a freak accident. That Hiro kid is proficient in weapons. He's someone to look out for."
"I'm just glad neither of you were hurt," L said. "When Clavis gave us the idea and the technology to engage in that stunt, I had reservations. But it was a risk that needed to be taken. Little did I know, Draycott, or his alias, Tréy Cottré, had called the real Lucky Dragon Industries to confirm our business meeting, and knew it was faked. If I knew that, I would've called off the infiltration. However, that said, we managed to gather some value Intel from the encounter. Mainly, Draycott, himself is in possession of a Death Note, and is a handler of his own Shinigami, much like Misa Amane had been as the Second Kira. That also being said, this puts us in a dangerous spot. This is one of the Shinigami that attacked Wammy House. One Shinigami is bad enough, but two with such aggressive and destructive tendencies under the command of two sociopaths who share the same ideology is very worrisome."
"What's stopping Light Yagami or Demetre Draycott from killing us with the Death Note?" This came from Raye Penber. "They have our names, and it would be easy for them to eliminate us."
"Nothing, there are no assurances of our survival," L said matter-of-factly. "We can be expected to be killed at anytime." He put up a finger to stop an immediate rebuttal. "However, I don't believe that will happen. Or, Light Yagami, and Demetre Draycott, will see a swarm of our friends storm the Tsuku-Yoki Tower, and flood the media, exposing him, and his operation, telling the world of his Grand Agenda…He'll have all of Wammy House to content with. And I think, he knows this. They would avenge us. Attacking Wammy House was foolish. If he hadn't, then maybe things will not be as they are. But, if I hadn't seen the stock market ticker with Tsuku-Yoki scroll across the bottom of the screen, and deciphered its hidden meaning, Light Yagami may, also, still be elusive to us.
"But that's in the past, and we have formed a brand new Kira Task Force to combat him. Unfortunately, Intel is all we can do at the moment. If we move against Light Yagami now, we could risk an all out media frenzy, and that would be bad for us. Unlike last time with Light Yagami, we are now up against an entire corporation and its crackerjack lawyers, in addition to the Death Notes. Not to mention a supernatural mischievous being that has the power to wipe us out in a snap. Even if we did expose him, Tsuku-Yoki's lawyers would eat us alive, even if we expose his the story about acid being thrown in his face as being a fraud.
"Shinto Izanagi is a real name and the CEO of the Tsuku-Yoki Corporation, this is officially established in public records. But his real face has never been seen and no one has come forward to say they had ever seen his real face. Anyone could play the part and be behind that red mask as it also masks his true voice. He claims the acid affected his voice cords and he needs a voice box in the mask to project his voice, reverberating it."
"Well, I know a few people," Jasper said. "I can get some acid and do it for real. This thing seems to be common and happening more and more in the UK lately."
L gave him a hard stare, and Jasper cast his eyes aside. "Hey, I was just kidding," Jasper apologized.
"Would anyone else like to add anything to the briefing or have we covered pretty much everything?"
Near spoke up. "You've all read the dossier I prepared on the Tsuku-Yoki Corporation and Shinto Izanagi, I assume? So, I don't believe I have to go through the companies beginnings."
Everyone nodded.
"Good, and that's why it's called a briefing, because being brief means being brief." Near gave a look to L.
"Subtle, Near," L said. "But it seems to sum it up."
"Looks like someone needs a nap," Jasper remarked. "You're cranky, Near."
Near snorted short, then rolled back to his computer console without another word.
L smiled. "Anyway, reading the brief, Near gives a nice short overlay of the rise of Shinto Izanagi, roughly the same time as Light Yagami made his miraculous return to the living. While his company seemingly popped up over night, I am impressed in how he managed to do it, and through legal channels. Near already looked through the company's taxes and margins and everything is on the up-and-up. Light Yagami used his own money as a start-up, buying stocks, bonds, and the like, and eventually began part, then owner of several companies, under his new alias. Thanks to Menace's Intel, we know that Morph went back into the past and gave future information to Light Yagami to make stock selections, and which ones would perform with the best gains, for future endeavours, then hiding those earnings in offshore accounts. When Light died, Near went through Light's personal finances, but found no such holdings. He hid it well in numbered accounts. When Light Yagami was resurrected, he retrieved his earnings."
Just then, the door to one of the sleeping quarters opened up, and Matt stood on the other side in a loose muscle shirt and white boxers. He yawned.
"Speaking of hiding…get plenty of rest, sleeping beauty?" Raye joked.
"Stuff it, you're no Raye of Sunshine to look at first thing, Penber. I prefer something a lot more easy on the eyes, like a lovely lady at my side, one with a great big—"
"Bust!"
Everyone looked at Near.
"Damn, the transmission cut out," Near said, seemingly oblivious to the others, and to the conversion they were having, lowering the headphones that were plugged into the computer console he sat next to. He lowered them. Then saw everyone looking at him. He returned their stares. "What?"
"I'm glad we can agree on something, Nate," Matt said with a smile, scratching his butt.
"Agree on what?"
"Clueless," Matt said. "Anyway, how long was I out?"
"Nearly a day since Menace rescued you," L answered.
"You were unconscious even before that," Jasper chimed in. "They must have really put you through the ringer? What the hell did they do to you? You were tossing and turning in bed, off and on, muttering under your breath."
"Look, if you knew what that little shit put me through, you'd probably want to die. That dude Riki is a bonafided pervert! He should be locked up in a mental institution and zapped. What do they call it: Conversion Therapy?"
"That's illegal," L commented. "And if he is like that, mentally disturbed, then there has to be a reason. Homosexuality is not a crime. Nate, can you get me information on this Riki person?"
"His real name is Hiro," Jasper added; Raye confirmed. "That's what Draycott called him."
Nate typed away on the computer in front of him with keywords and persons of interests related to Light Yagami. One match came up on the NPA database with "Riki" as its source and included a link to a report Light Yagami filed himself when he was with the NPA, while also splitting his time with the original Kira Task Force. It was the "Yukaza Incident", where Light was kidnapped, and taken to an underground Yukaza lair, where he met, and later, supposedly killed the leader of the Dragon Sect, Terrance Claw, in self-defence. Yagami rescued two people from Claw's enforcer Nazareth, who had a sudden cardiac event, for which he contributed to an unexplained cause. He rescued a woman whom he referred to as Tigressa and an older boy named Riki. Current locations were unknown.
"Oh, I know where he is," Matt said, after the file was recited by Near. "He's a cohort in Yagami's little scheme, and he told me something that is not in that report. How he enjoyed torturing people in that underground lair in some sort of sex den. He was the Prime Assistant to his Mistress, this Tigressa. I get the feeling he may have tortured Yagami in a similar way he did me. What a god damn sicko!"
L got up from his chair and then waved Matt back through the sleeping quarters. "I need to know everything, Mail, every detail," he said, calling Matt by his real name. "What you experienced may be tantamount to the case."
"Hell no! No way I'm telling you that."
"Why?" Castra finally spoke up. "Afraid to reveal you may have like it?"
Matt growled under his breath. "Ok, who the hell are these two? I saw them, but you were speaking L."
"Their names are Clavis and Castra, and they're helping us on this case against Light Yagami," L said.
Matt smiled, looking Castra over. He brow rose. "Well, why didn't I notice you before, foxy momma?" Clavis stirred beside her. "I've always been attracted to erotic types. You look like an Amazon princess. Care to hold my staff of power?"
Clavis jumped to his feet and pushed Matt back, quite forcefully. Matt stumbled back across the RV by the momentum and back into the sleeping quarters on the bed. L stood in front of Clavis when he looked like he about to go after him, putting his hands up towards Clavis. Castra stood up. She had never seen Clavis that jealous before.
"Better teach your Wammy brethren some manners, L, or what Hiro did to him, will be nothing to what I will do to him!" Clavis clenched a fist in the air, his teeth clenched together.
"I'll have a talk with him. Matt can be a bit of a womanizer. Sorry, Castra, Clavis."
They accepted L's proxy apology.
All of a sudden, ACT rocked violently, and the RV moved, as it began to topple over from a massive impact, sending everyone in a spiral, end over end. When the RV crashed down, it did so with such impact that everyone came down without mercy, including everything that wasn't bolted down.
L faired better than most. His crouch allowed him to somersault safely while everyone else fell wildly.
When it was over, L remained crouched, much like a frog on a lilly pad, and observed the damage, or as best he could with the lights off. The only light was natural light and it came from the main door with a window that was now on the ceiling. He was thankful, whatever had done this, had not tipped the RV the other way, or everyone would be trapped.
He heard a few moans. "Roll call," L demanded. "Whose conscious?"
Only Clavis and Castra answered, who were no worse for ware.
They had taken the same action as L when the RV began to tip and rolled with it. Perhaps, because from Quindecim, they had some sort of training when it came to such things, L thought. Definitely Clavis, once a powerful warrior who fought in The Great Death Note War that Menace had told them all about. When he was telling everyone about it, Clavis left for the story, because he didn't want to hear about it. It was like most war vets. They had lived through it, why would they want to re-live it again through story?
Unfortunately, the rest were out cold. They were all checked for vital signs, and everyone was alive. Although their injuries were yet to be determined.
"What the hell happened?" Clavis wondered. "What in world could have done such a thing?"
L looked up at the door. "If Wammy House is any indication, my conjecture would be Shinigami. They found us. Quick, boost me up to the door. We need to get out of here before another strike."
L balanced on Clavis's shoulders to the door and opened it. He swung it fully open and looked out.
At first, he thought he was seeing Menace standing several meters from the RV, but he wasn't sure. Then, he realized it—it was the infamous Morph he had heard so much about. However, he wasn't wearing white. Instead, his body was engulfed in fiery red. And not just his clothes, but his skin, hair, and his eyes seemed to jettison out with flame.
"Um, Clavis, I really think you and Castra need to get out here, and on the double," L said, and then he moved away from the door, but still on top of the RV. L looked down, and saw Clavis was shouldering Castra up through the door.
L helped her up, before Morph self-generated and launched a blast of cosmic energy from his hands.
As it soared towards him, L looked upon it in total disbelief. It was a large ball of red and orange flame with a cosmic tale. It belonged in something from a manga or a science-fiction TV program like Dr. Who—not in real life.
But neither did the Death Note.
He pushed Castra away from it, away from him, in the opposite direction—which forced both of them to fall off the back behind the RV, as ACT rocked from the impact, the ball of flame hitting the side, now top, skimming off the surface, hitting the back of the warehouse, blasting a hole through it.
L landed like a cat, Castra was not as graceful.
Then came the quick slice and dice of metal in the side of the RV as Clavis made a hole for himself to exit with, using his katana, joining them—out of the line of fire from Morph. Clavis was wearing a full body black body suit now, his other clothes discarded for battle gear.
Being a cosmic being like Morph, Clavis must have just willed the change, L thought.
Clavis then somersaulted to the back end of the RV and peered around it. He saw Morph, then looked back at L.
"Is it Morph?" L asked, helping Castra to her feet. She had landed poorly, but she was okay.
"Yes, and it looks like he's really pissed off," Clavis replied. "I've never seen him like that, even when we've fought."
"CLAVIS! Where is my brother? Tell me! He's ruined everything! Light Yagami will never trust me now!"
An energy blast hit the underbelly of the RV, shifting it back. L, Clavis, and Castra moved with the RV, or rather it moved them.
Just then, Menace appeared in the wink of an eye beside them. "My brother has gone insane!" he quickly said.
"You think?" this came from Clavis. "He's blaming you for something, what is it? Let me guess, visiting Demetre Draycott, and telling him everything. When you told us that you going to do that, we told you it was unwise."
Menace shrugged his shoulders. "Yes, most likely," he said. "I was present when Morph offered the deal to Clavis, hidden from sight. That's how you two got to the Mojave Desert, with my help. He may have sensed me, that I was listening in, I knew I would interfere in his plans. I knew something drastic had to be done."
"Oh, I would say this is a pretty drastic reaction to your decision, Menace," L remarked.
Menace said, "Let me talk to him, calm him down. This happened once before, when he used his power to kill a lot of Shinigami in revenge for our parents being killed. A great deal of The Brigade of Life got caught up in the blast, too. In the Human World, much like yourself Clavis, Morph can generate power a thousand times greater than a thousand ton megaton bomb, enough destructive energy to blow a hole in the universe, opening up multiple dimensions. This world, as it stands, would cease to exist if he did. His acts caused the downfall of the war on our side. Now you know why he chooses to carry the last essence of our kind inside him. It is a form of self-repentance."
"The odds look grim, Menace," L voiced. "Anything you can do to equalize the playing field would be helpful."
To be continued...