Chapter 12:

"Legal Problems"

Beyond Birthday, alias Rue Ryuzaki, was charged with a slew of offences in Japan. He was remanded to jail to await his day in court.

He said the police had the wrong man. He claimed his innocence and that there was no way he could be charged without a real name, but Beyond Birthday would not give it nor could anyone find out what it truly was. Rue Ryuzaki was as close as it came. So, they used it. He was held without bail under guard until the NPA could figure out what to do with him.

The Americans wanted him extradited to Los Angeles, California to face trial there. And for his crimes, and if found guilty—which pressingly he would—BB would get the death penalty.

But Light knew there would be a major unforeseen development.

L had presided over BB's capture and he was asked to provide written testimony. But the real L was dead. Only the Kira Task Force knew this for a fact. The ICPO and other law enforcement agencies assumed L was alive and was still on the Kira Case in Japan.

Since Light had taken on the role of L, he was now on the hot seat for that deposition, but he had no knowledge of what took place in the Los Angeles in the BB Murder Case other than what was in police reports from third parties. L had been the brains of BB's capture and all his data was gone, wiped out when Watari erased the computer systems just before his death.

Watari, L and Naomi Misora knew the inner depths of the BB Murder case, but every one of them were dead. And, of course, Beyond Birthday himself. But BB would not incriminate himself.

Light knew he was in trouble.

If he could not provide a new witness testimony, insight and details about the case, and an arrest record, the case against BB would be thrown out of court, and even his position as L would be jeopardy. People would wonder about L himself.

Light had been told to take a vacation after the ordeal with BB on the roof of the hospital. His father had next to demanded it, but a District Attorney in Los Angeles was now hounding him/L to help build a case against BB, and there was no time to waste. Light wanted to kill Beyond Birthday, but it would look bad if he did it after his capture. It would scream he was Kira.

L was a recluse and only a few had seen L's face, that included those on the Kira Task Force, so Light had, at the very least, that veneer to work with. But for how long?

Again, he was up a creek without a paddle.

He ordered Misa to not even attempt to write down Rue Ryuzaki in the Death Note just in case it was really Beyond Birthday's real name. Light asked Ryuk, but the Shinigami refused to tell him.

Light gathered "Rue" was BB's first name because "A" had called him that and they were both from Wammy House, the orphanage owned and operated by Watari.

Vacation vouchers and brochures littered the coffee table in Light's apartment, but Light had no time for them. Misa had brought them home when he announced he was, at the time, in the mood for a vacation. Misa had been so excited, she went straight out on a shopping spree and bought new beachwear. Mogi, her Manager, and bodyguard, went with her. When she returned, Light had to drop the bad news that the vacation had been postponed, more like cancelled, after a D.A. from Los Angeles had contacted L for a deposition on the BB Murder Case.

Misa was very unhappy and she wanted to kill Beyond Birthday right then and there. With her Shinigami Eyes, she could—if she had a picture. BB's name would appear above his head and she would also see his lifespan. But there was a media blackout and that was because of Kira. The police didn't want Kira to get Beyond Birthday before his day in court.

Light researched what information he could on the Los Angeles BB Murders, but without an insider guide to L's notes and case logs, he had nothing to work with. Nothing he wrote for the D.A. would sound legitimate or match the evidence, and Beyond Birthday would know it, who now had obtained legal council.

Light leaned back in his chair frustrated. His computer station was filled with research materials on the BB Murder Case.

He had been actually looking forward to some sort of a vacation after his father mentioned it. Kira's killings' were tedious. He could still carry them out, but at a pace where he could relax and enjoy some time off away from worrying about the task force. The events with Beyond Birthday had, indeed, taken a toil. And he needed a recharge. But now he had had this deposition to write and the anxiety was killing him. So much was at stake.

Light took a breath and put it aside.

Moments later, there was a knock at his apartment door. He heard a couple of voices, stood, and opened the door. The members of the Kira Task Force had arrived and were ready for another session of information exchange and gathering about Kira's on-goings.

They filed in. The task force had met twice in the last week since BB was caught, but they hadn't really got any work done. It was mostly talk about Beyond Birthday and his exploits.

His father had attempted to get what he could about the Los Angels BB Murders through his contacts, but there was little in police files other than standard and vague dispositions by cops. The investigation had mainly been conducted in secret due to the nature of the case. And L had placed a media blackout on it, so that was no help either.

"Let's get started," Light told everyone. "Refreshments are on the kitchen bar as usual, tea and sweets, and there are a few menus on the coffee table to order-in later. Misa and Mogi are at a movie shoot, they won't be home until later tonight. So, we can get down to work."

"I'm surprised with your attitude, Light," Matsuda said, first at the kitchen bar. "After the events with BB, you seem in good spirits. Not able to take a vacation must have bummed you out, though." He collected some items: sweets and ready-made tea, and sat down on the couch, allowing the others to take their turn. He didn't wait to dive in.

Light shrugged. "Easy come, easy go," he said with a shrug. "Besides, I can take one later."

Soichiro Yagami had immediately sat down in an easy-chair when he came in. "I insist you take one, Light," he said miffed. "If you had bothered to visit the NPA's departmental physiatrist like you were supposed to after your ordeal, I would've thought you'd be ordered to take some time off due to the nature of the circumstances with BB. I'm surprised with the new Chief of the NPA. And ass your father, I would have thought my advise would've been enough. I'm disappointed."

"Dad, let's not get into this now. We have too much work to do. With the BB Case now under wraps, Kira is our main priority. Kira is still killing criminals at an alarming rate. We need to focus on Kira Case right now." Light sighed. "Besides, L got another urgent email from a Los Angeles' District Attorney's in California asking for L's deposition again on events that transpired in the Los Angeles BB Murder Case. He wants L's detail accounts of events so he can put together a stronger case against Beyond Birthday. But I have no insight into what truly went on other than L hunted BB down. Beyond Birthday engaged in a bizarre series of murders not unlike what happened in 'the Samurai' killings here. Psychopaths enjoy repetition." Light put up his hands before his father said anything. "I know, I know…I'll do what I can. And hope for the best."

"You know who could provide more information?" Ide said, "BB, himself. You'll going to have to get access to speak with him and make him talk, but he's watched 24/7 in that new maximum security prison he was just transported to a couple of days ago."

"Beyond Birthday knows L is dead," Aizawa said, sitting next down next to Matsuda, with a cup of coffee. He took a sip. "But why would he incriminate himself? Without L, he knows he can't be charged again with any crime that happened in Los Angeles. America has that Double Jeopardy law that prevents a person being charged twice for the same crime despite BB faking his death. It's a bizarre situation, but it works in his favour. L was the prime witness. He'll walk. The NPA can charge him for crimes in Japan, but with his new crackajack lawyer, even that may be difficult. BB is already accusing us of police brutality and harassment, saying he is innocent."

"Unless Kira gets to him first," Matsuda put in, mouth partially full. He sipped his tea and gulped. Everyone looked at him. "But without a real name Kira can't kill BB—can he? There's a media blackout, and BB's keeping his real name a secret. Wammy House administrators don't even have a record of it. He erased all records of himself, too. The only thing we have on him is and old sketch of what BB used to look like as a child. He looks completely different now."

"Here's a question," Aizawa said. "If Kira has an old photograph of someone and their name, but they have been in have a horrible disfigurement accident, (like Beyond Birthday, severely burned by fire), would the Death Note still work?"

Light's brow rose. That was an intriguing question, he thought.

"Just a thought," Aizawa finished. He took another sip of coffee. "We have a current physical profile of Beyond Birthday as he looks right now. We have his particulars: height, weight, hair colour, eye colour, and a report of the accident where he burned more then sixty percent of his body. A preliminary medical examination also gave us an indication that he's also had multiple musculoskeletal surgeries with implants, along with muscle reconstruction, and the alike."

"He looks completely different from when L first captured him," Ide added.

"So, taking that into account, the sketch we have of BB from Wammy House is sorely out-of-date. We're trying to get an up-to-date picture with computer facial technology. But this is where Kira is doing a severe injustice to us. All new criminal profiles are being sealed and classified, so the media can't get their hands on them. And when BB was arrested, and before he was taken out of the elevator and into a squad car, a mask was placed over his face to prevent hospital cameras or anyone with a cell phone taking his picture, and posting them on the internet."

Ide sat on a bar stool with a plate of goodies. "Come to think of it," he said, "Beyond Birthday is like some evil super villain who alters his appearance, or has to because of some horrible disfigurement, to hide from authorities, then engages in megalomaniacal behaviour with aspirations of world domination, taunting a wannabe hero behind a new facade."

"I think you've been watching too many spy movies, Ide," Aizawa said.

But Light didn't think Ide was far off with that theory. BB obviously wanted to hide from the authorities and change his appearance dramatically, except for a few burn scars so not too completely bury himself his past. Hiding those burn scars would be next to impossible, however, without major surgery, hence all those disguises. BB was like he was an actor playing a role.

"Kind of like Kira," Matsuda put in. Light snapped his attention to him. "Kira is similar to Beyond Birthday, only Kira is using the Death Note to push his agenda. BB uses other tactics. But we'e going to stop Kira, now that we know Kira's secret. And then L will be avenged. And maybe in finally putting BB away for good for his crimes will restore L's reputation."

"Exactly," Light agreed. He was the last at the kitchen bar to serve himself, second to his father, whom he took a cup of tea and plate of snacks. Light poured a mug of tea for himself and took it to the computer station. "We'll catch Kira, or die trying," he concluded.

He smiled at his father who smiled back.

His father sighed. "Look, Light…I'm sorry for being miserable. In this profession, I suppose, taking time off is a luxury, especially in this age of Kira, but we all need to get away."

"Don't worry about me, Dad," Light replied. "I'm young, but you've already had a heart attack. Let's all take it a little bit easy tonight, but hammer out what we know of what Kira has been up to this past week. We've all been on his tail, so let's show our work."

Everyone enjoyed the peep talk and the energy seemed to heighten after that.

Just then, there was a knock on his apartment door again. Light wondered if Misa and Mogi were back earlier than expected due to some unforeseeable circumstance. Then he thought, why would either of them knock when Misa had a key? He went to the door, looked through the peephole, then opened it. On the other side was a middle-age man with a brown envelope.

"Are you Detective Light Yagami?" the messenger inquired.

"Yes, I am," Light answered back.

The man handed Light the envelope. "You've been served; have a nice day." The man then left.

Light stared at the envelope as he slowly closed the door, then turned to the others. He was dumbstruck. Served? It was a legal term. He opened the envelope.

His mouth dropped in shock. "I'm—being sued," Light said, dumbstruck, "by Beyond Birthday!"

Light's father jumped to his feet. He took the envelope from Light's hand. He eyed over the legal papers. Light knew his father was the best council to ask about legal issues, once the Chief of the NPA. Internal Affairs always smoothed things out. After this, they'll surely get involved.

"That bastard is personally suing me for a litany of things," Light said.

"That lawyer of his doesn't waste any time," Ide said.

"But he attacked you, and tried to murder you twice, Light," Aizawa said. "And there were witnesses on the roof, who saw him hanging you over the edge—so make that three times. He was even wearing a police uniform and impersonating an officer is a crime."

Soichiro read further. "He's claiming Self Defence, that Light was the one who provoked and attacked him, and he denies any attempt to kill Light, stating no evidence." He read on, a second page with more details. "And, after an examination of the police uniform, they found he had rented it from a Costume Store and claims he was wearing it to a Birthday Party for a friend of all things. He claims that everything is a case of mistaken identity. Oh, this guy is full of it!" He turned to Light. "Don't worry, son, this won't fly. Our lawyers will crush him."

There were times his father was summoned to testify in court against someone claiming similar things against arresting officers, but Light never thought this would ever happen to him.

"I'm calling the union," his father said.

"Sir, you can't," Matsuda said. "You keep saying to me to stop calling you Chief, now…well."

"Oh, crap!" Aizawa quickly chimed in. "We're not police officers anymore, not officially. The Kira Task Force is its own separate entity. The moment we entered this unit, we lost a lot of privileges. I'm not sure the Police Union will help us out with a lawyer or even legal fees."

Light put a hand to his face with dismay.

"You don't need it," Ide said. "You said L left each of you a dowry just in case you lost your job. The Chief of the NPA gives the task force a small budget, but he manages it through means of his own. However, anything else is up to us—including lawyer fees."

Light's mood brightened.

"I know a good lawyer, Light," Aizawa said. "I'll call him now and explain the situation. He's a bit expensive, but he's very good." He turned and went to make the call with his cell.

"Well, think of it this way, Light," Matsuda then said, a little more cheerily than Light might have thought possible, "you'll be able to see Beyond Birthday now with legal representation."

Light's eyes widened. Matsuda was right. And he smiled inwardly.

I'm going to kill you Beyond Birthday, one way or beyond another, Light thought.

To be continued...