Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note. If I did, it would be shounen-ai.

Author Notes: Okay, this chapter is longer. I hope you enjoy. L is kinda quiet. We'll know his thoughts soon enough. He is SO difficult to write. I'm trying to make him intelligent, but have his thoughts interspersed with random bits.

Author: Inuyasha

Title: Opportunity

Chapter 1: Precautions

L swam to consciousness slowly. This in itself warned him that something was amiss. Normally, he had trouble sleeping and would waken instantly at the slightest provocation. This was no normal sleep. He struggled against the woolen binds of darkness that threatened to pull him under. Hazily, his mind came into working order. Keeping his eyes closed and his breathing regular, he took a few moments to access his situation. He was lying on a hard, flat surface that leeched the warmth from his body. Straining his ears, he could detect the breathing pattern of one other person in the room. There was a faint rumbling in the air.

The last thing he remembered was walking down 124 street to the ice cream shop. He really enjoyed the black cherry sundae with mint leaves. He was passing the house with all those trees in the yard (red maple, maintained by a divorced woman with 3rd year twin boys who were members of the Kantou soccer league.) when he heard a loud shuffling noise behind him. He remembered that his attacker was 5'll, wearing a green jacket with a hood, had sandy brown hair, and wore black gloves that pressed a cloth over his nose. Chloroform. Smelled like fermented pineapple.

He opened his eyes and was greeted by a familiar face. "Raito-kun."

"Hello L-kun." Raito replied politely and struck.

L struggled with sluggish limbs in a futile attempt to place distance between them, but was still under the affects of the chloroform. Sure hands wrenched his arms behind him. A knee pressed against his spine with increasing pressure as he arched away. Smooth leather tightened around his wrists and his eyes widened as his legs were bent backward.

"There." Raito gave the bindings a rough tug, toppling L onto his side. He looked over the boy appreciatively. With his wrists and ankles bound together behind his back, there wasn't any leverage to work with. Helpless for the moment. He smiled softly.

L watched silently as Raito stalked through the room, bending down to pick up a paper-clip and put it in his pocket. He scanned his surroundings, analyzing the placement of all the furniture and materials with intense onyx eyes.

The walls were a dingy white in the semi-darkness. Looking around, it was obvious that the place had not been cared for within the year. The floor was covered in dust, small patches swept clean from their earlier struggle. There was a desk attached smoothly to the wall beside him and a door to the left and in front of him. There were two beds bolted to the linoleum floor to the right. The faint rumbling became softer and gradually faded. A train.

He deduced that he was inside a disused school infirmary or doctor office. The paper clip and linoleum flooring removed the possibility of an abandoned hotel or house.

A loud crack broke the newfound silence and glass tinkled against porcelain. L twisted his body, wrists chafing against the tight leather, and moved like a caterpillar on his side. Inch by inch, he finally was able to look at the other half of the room. There was a back door, left open so he could see in, where Raito clearing the floor of shards of glass. It was a small bathroom containing a sink and toilet. The medicine cabinet above the sink still held small jagged pieces of mirror in the corners. Nimble fingers swiftly pried them out.

No more weapon. Well, that was to be expected. He would have been disappointed if Raito hadn't thought of that possibility. Still, those mattresses could be manageable. Rip the fabric open, straighten the spring a bit, and use it to lift the catch on the belt he was tied with. He could just feel the coldness of the metal through his sleeve. Raito certainly was resourceful. He seemed to be doing this all on a whim. This didn't suite Kira's usual actions.

L contorted his body into movement again as he followed Raito's movements with his eyes. Raito walked past him and out of the first door to dispose of the shards. He could see what looked like a hallway past the door. Directly across from the infirmary door was another door. Squinting, he could make out the words on the wood. Gymnasium it read. So, he was in a school after all.

Raito paused as he entered and caught sight of L's eyes on him. He looked behind him and saw the sign. Turning back to L he raised his eyebrow. "Knowing where you are won't be of any use if you can't leave." He stated blandly.

The sandy haired boy reached for one of the mattresses.

There went that idea, L mused to himself.

Raito went back into the hallway, leaning the mattress against the wall beside the infirmary. He wasn't going to take any chances. He reached for the other mattress and carried it outside. Springs poked at his fingers from behind their thin covering. He would dispose of them later. Turning back, his eyes met with L's unblinking stare.

"How long are you going to keep me here Kira?" L asked.

"Twenty-three days." He answered with a polite nod and left, locking the door behind him.

L blinked at the door and vaguely wished he could chew on his thumb. What is the significance of twenty-three days?

Ryuuku cheered as they walked down the hallway of the old Hatori elementary school building. "That should give him something to think about," He said, "but you haven't written his name into the Death Note yet, have you? Do you know his name? Why haven't you told me?" He whined.

Raito scrunched up his nose in distaste. "Stop that. And no, I don't know his name yet, but he doesn't know that." He continued as they left the building and walked down the street.

"So what are you doing now? Are you just going to leave him there?" The shinigami asked.

"No." He explained in a bare whisper and smiled at a group of girls as he passed. "There are traces of me everywhere in there. Forensics would know that I had been the one to kidnap him. I'll keep him alive until I'm finished with him, hide the body, and clean up the mess. Right now, I'm going to the hardware store to buy some items to make his visit more comfortable."

Author's Notes: Better? Next chapter L ponders. Ack, his thinking process is going to kill me! I'm trying to make Raito think of all possibilities of escape and get rid of them methodically. He'll secure the infirmary better when he gets back from the store. Any oversights I make, please let me know!!! I'm not a genius like Raito and L. Feedback is very welcome!