Chapter 9:
"Infiltration"
Light dreamt. In his dream, he saw the image of a man who looked like L with devilishly red eyes that stared back at him from an abyss. Light didn't believe in Hell, nor Heaven for that matter, but this man, this imposter, gazed at him, and in a crouching position just like L, wearing the same pedestrian attire as L, jeans and a long sleeve white shirt, who mocked him.
When he awoke, he softly moaned. But when he opened his eyes, he wasn't in his bedroom, he was in an isolated hospital bed, surrounded by white walls and a glass door. He heard muffled voices. He turned his head slightly, and saw his father out in the hallway speaking with a doctor. Raising his left arm, he saw that he was hooked to an IV, and his head hurt.
He winced and felt his head. He felt a bandage.
His father appeared to see his movement and opened the sliding glass door with the doctor in tow. "Light, how do you feel, son?" his father asked with a sympathetic smile. The doctor stood beside him, but then checked Light's vitals on a standing monitor.
Light blinked. "What happened?" He tried to raise his head and then hissed in pain. A momentarily feeling of vertigo hit him and the room began to spin. His eyes fluttered.
"Don't make any sudden movements, Light," his father said. "You hit your head hard on the edge of your computer desk when your body recoiled after those two shots came through the window. Luckily, you took my advise and decided to start wearing a light kevlar vest."
He didn't remember a thing. Light blinked again, then looked at the doctor. "You were shot twice, Detective Yagami," the physician told him. "However, you have a nasty head wound. I would like for you to stay in the hospital for a couple of days for observation."
"If thats you recommendation," Light said casually, "but I have work to do."
His father's eyes narrowed angrily and his face tightened. "Forget about work right now, Light. You were nearly killed. The NPA has authorized installing bulletproof windows in your apartment and a guard will stand outside your room for the entire duration you're here for your protection. We've put out an APB for BB. He's tried to murder you twice. Why? We don't know yet."
Light frowned. He didn't like being babied. And to put a police officer outside his hospital room gave the impression that he was some sort of criminal with fear of being a flight risk. The doctor excused himself.
"How can you do that, Dad?" Light said. "We don't even know what BB looks like. He can be anyone, with an endless and elaborate array of disguises. For all we know that Interpol liaison…was BB in disguise. Who knows what his skills in the art of deception comprises of? His profile from the Los Angeles Murders her him a master of disguise."
"Now you're just being paranoid, son," Soichiro said. "Still, we did complete a thorough background check with Interpol, Auric Lafayette is genuine. Similarly, we managed to obtain a warrant with help with MI6 information pretending to the real identity of BB and a Notice for his arrest has been sent out. Wammy House Orphanage was helpful, but they didn't have any photos on hand that we could use. One of the teachers who still teaches there worked with a sketch artist and now we have a composite drawing of what he may have looked like a few years back—about five or six. The teacher did provide us with a name. Unfortunately, it turns out it wasn't Beyond Birthday's real name. He gave the Registry a fake name and no one questioned it. When it comes to his appearance, between you and me, BB looks just like L."
"That's not possible, Dad," Light said. "I've seen him, or rather someone who claims to be him, when Misa and I were kidnapped by BB. He has a lithe body frame—" Light chided himself. "Shit!" he muttered under his breath. He deliberately kept his initial encounter with Beyond Birthday to himself because it was a direct challenge to Kira. BB had introduced himself.
His father looked shocked and slack-jawed. "Light? What do you mean?"
Light sighed. "I didn't want you to worry, Dad," he said. "But some weeks back, Misa and I were kidnapped by BB, or someone claiming to be Beyond Birthday and his gang, a long haired woman, and a large, muscular black man. They interrogated me for information—about police procedures." Light lied. "They were looking for—someone," he said elusively. "I think they were looking for information about Kira, as well, and knew I worked on the task force."
"Light!" Soichiro's voiced rose. "Why didn't you tell me this? This now makes three times Beyond Birthday has assailed you. You have betrayed my trust."
"I'm sorry, Dad, but nothing happened, and I didn't want to worry you."
"That is not the point!" Soichiro shouted.
Light actually jumped and then he felt his head. "Ow!"
His father breathed out a heavy grunt. "I can't be here right now. I'm disappointed in you, Light. What you've done is reprehensible and totally irresponsible and could have jeopardized the rest of the task force. We've already lost L, and I don't want to lose you. You're not only a valuable member of the task force, you're also my son. I'll come back when I've cooled off."
His father quickly left the room, and without even realizing it after opening he sliding glass door, brought it back with a heavy bang which made Light flinch, with a little guilt. Then, seconds later, he saw, and was surprised, to see his sister and his mother come to the door, momentarily looking back—probably at his father stormed off. Sayu opened the sliding glass door.
Sayu's face beamed happy and she held a helium Get Well balloon attached to a string in one hand and a book in the other, and his mother, just behind Sayu, smiled at him with tearful relief. This had been the second time they had been informed there had been an attack on his life. The first was the explosion in his apartment that he came out of unharmed thanks to some quick thinking on his part, but this second attempt was closer than imaginable.
"Oh, Light," his mother immediately began, "I really wish you hadn't followed your father's career choice sometimes. You're going to give me a heart attack with all these close calls on your life."
Light smiled sincerely. "I'm fine, Mom," he said. "Just a little bump on the head I'm told."
"You shouldn't cast it aside so casually or one day will be your last."
"Mom, Light's fine," came Sayu to his defence. She smiled and gave him the balloon. The ballon was self-explanatory, but then she handed him a book. "Found it at the Gift Shop in the hospital lobby. Thought you'd like something to read since you'll be here for a couple of days."
Light read the cover. "Locked-Room Mysteries, (For Those Who Enjoy The Impossible)", he said. His brow rose with intrigue.
"Thought you'd like something more interesting to read since I know Crossword Puzzles or Sudoku aren't your thing," she said. "There are a bunch of different stories in there. I'm not sure what a Locked-Room Mystery is though, other than a mystery that seemingly can't solved."
"That's essentially correct, Sayu," Light answered back. "The basic premise of a Locked-Room Mystery is a Who-Done-It theme. A murder has taken place inside a locked room. A person (or reader) must decipher clues fromf what the author describes to solve the crime."
"A lot like the Kira Case you and Dad are working on," she indicated.
Light cocked his head. "An interesting hypotheses, Sayu," he mused. "Not quite sure it's the same, but it's very similar in approach. No one knows how Kira kills. The method is present, the 'name' of the killer is known (despite his identity not), and how Kira is able to kill a person (by heart attack) remains a mystery. Similar to how a person dies with a cause in a locked room. The Kira Case is slightly different because it has one fact not known to the general public."
"What is it?" Sayu asked.
"Sorry, that's classified, I'm afraid," Light said lightly. "If I told you, I'd have to kill you."
"That's not funny, Light," his mother chastised him.
"Sorry, Mom—just kidding," she said back. "Your deductive reason is astute, Sayu. You'd make a great detective!"
Sayu smiled. "Nah, two in the same family is enough," she said modestly.
After visiting hours were over, and he was finally alone in his hospital room (his father left still angry, but had settle down a little), Light took some time to rest and think about recent events. BB had to be found and brought to justice. If he wanted revenge against Kira for killing L, then it was only a matter of time before he succeeded. Still, that didn't mean Light had to hide.
"Hey Light, whatcha thinkin' about?" asked Ryuk, who now stood at his bedside. The Shinigami was officially attached to Misa, but Misa had instructed him to remain with Light. She couldn't visit him, fearing her presence would bring too much unwanted attention to the hospital, possibly inhabit his recovery. She had to settle for a phone call which displeased her.
"I can't talk, Ryuk," he muttered quietly from the side of his mouth, "we're in a quasi-public forum."
The god of death's jokeresque smile was somewhat unnerving to Light at the moment, like the Shinigami was enjoying what was happening to Light—everything was entertainment to Ryuk. After L's funeral, Light promised Ryuk would not be bored. He regretted saying that now.
But Light had no idea that a villain from L's past would come after him. After L's death, Light was bored again. It was said, be careful what you wish for. But Light had not actually murdered L, it had been Rem. But details didn't matter. It was all under the guise of Kira and Beyond Birthday knew this. He wanted revenge for the death of his mentor no matter what.
Light needed a different venue. The sounds of the hustle and bustle of the hospital was distracting him from thinking clearly. Not to mention the recirculated air. He needed to go outside and breath deeply and restore some of his fresh oxygen reserves. The human brain functioned much more efficiently with a proper supply of naturalistic oxygen.
He decided to get out of bed. His IV had been taken out and he was on proper foods, but he wasn't particularly hungry. Hospital food spoiled the plaint and in his opinion tasted like cardboard. The moment he got home, he would raid the fridge for some proper food.
Getting to his feet, he opened the sliding door, and then walked to the nurses' station, that centred a lobby area. "Excuse me," he said to a cute young nurse sitting down at a computer station. "Would it be okay if I walked around and got some exercise?"
She smiled at him, almost flirtatiously, and said, "A little exercise is always healthy, Detective Yagami, but not too much, you came in with a nasty concussion. But it will give an opportunity to change your bed sheets."
"Then it works out for both of us," he said back, smiling kindly. Light realized something he had forgotten, the police officer that was assigned to him as protection. He sighed mentally. How was he supposed to talk to Ryuk alone with this guy around?
"Where are you going, Detective Yagami?"
"For a walk," Light said, a little curtly. "Do you really need to follow me?"
"I do, sir, as per the Chief of NPA; his orders," the uniformed officer informed him. "It's for your protection."
"Indeed," Light said. If only the man could see what Light saw, the Shinigami that lumbered behind him. He wouldn't think he'd need protection. He turned to walk down the hall. He would visit the washroom, lock the door, and then talk with Ryuk there. It was a plan.
"Huh?" Ryuk suddenly voice, then the god of death chuckled at something. "Oh…"
Light couldn't ask the Shinigami what was so humorous and the Shinigami, despite only Light being able to see and hear him, didn't provide him with any hints. Whatever it was, it was likely nothing of concern. Ryuk probably just saw something of interest in the hospital lobby and it made him laugh. Ryuk being here was a rare occasion, and there are so many people whom he could see with lifespans and names of different variances.
Light strolled down the hall and saw the overhead sign to the washroom, but the light was on and that mean it was occupied. They were in a hallway obscured from the nurses' station and from public view. The uniformed officer stood near him, Ryuk was on Light's opposite side. Light noticed something about the Shinigami, he was looking directly at the uniformed officer. Light turned and saw, briefly, the uniform officer's eyes were focused upward, then looked away.
The uniformed officer then looked at Light, his face masked slightly in darkness from the shadows of the corridor lights under a cap. And for a moment, something glowered red.
"Detective Yagami, may I suggest somewhere else, sir," he said, as he suddenly put a hand to his gun holster. No one else saw the action as they were alone in the corridor. "Somewhere more private so we can talk privately. You don't wish to cause an incident. You wouldn't want anyone to know the infamous Kira is here, would you?"
Light gulped, as the officer smiled wickedly. And something about his face seemed off. The uniformed officer put a hand to his cheek and fixed an imperfection, like part of a disguise. Was this an assassin? Was it Beyond Birthday? He had already tried twice to kill Light.
"Let's go to the roof, Yagami," the fake officer said. "We can be alone."
"Are you going to kill me, BB?"
BB smiled. "You're quick to the whip, Yagami," he said. "Let's talk and see what happens. Recent events have made me question certain philosophies of mine. You still killed L and you'll pay for that, but I need some information from you. And this is the perfect opportunity. Now go."
Light looked at Ryuk and frowned. The Shinigami obviously knew who the man was before he did and didn't say anything for the sheer entertainment value of it. BB escorted Light to a push bar door and marched Light up a couple of flight of stairs to a roof access. BB stuck a block of wood he found just outside the door to prop the door open, probably left by others who used the roof to smoke. Light could see cigarette butts on the gravel roof flooring. It was a large flat roof top with a square helipad for emergency aircraft at the far end.
There was a gust of wind and Light's head bandage flew off. He stood facing the criminal known as Beyond Birthday dressed in a police officer uniform, now banishing a hand gun at him, and aimed to kill.
To be continued...
