Chapter 32:

"The Final Solution - Part 1"

Matt's fingers danced across the keyboard of his laptop as he sat in the passenger side of the black SUV. Mello was now in the driver's seat, since Matt needed more room to work on his laptop. But Alexandre's firewalls had locked him out, none of Matt's special algorithmic programs were breaking through.

"Damn it!" he said, slamming a fist against the door. "Looks like Rue is on his own now. Alex has shut me out completely. He shut me out! No one shuts out me out. My computer skills are unmatched."

Mello bit down on a chocolate bar as he watched the area outside the front windshield. The police sirens in the distance were close, very close. "Maybe he knew we were in his system and he's switched everything internal? You helped Rue out as best you could." He gasped. "Get down!"

Mello and Matt slunk in their seats, but then peaked stealthy across the dashboard, as a squad of police cars and unmarked vehicles suddenly swarmed the area, skidding their tires in front of the brewery.

A middle aged man with a hefty build, wearing glasses, got out of an black unmarked car with a younger looking man. The other barked something to the younger man, and then directed police officers to surround the building. The older man looked up the building as if to judge his options and plan strategy.

Mello recognized the commander, but he wasn't a member of the police. He was with the Kira Task Force. He was Soichiro Yagami, the former chief of the NPA, and he had complete respect from the others under his command; they followed his orders without question.

Uniformed cops began to surround the brewery, guns drawn.

"I think we better split before they notice us," Matt said. "We're not wanted criminals, but we don't want them detaining us for loitering in what's now quickly becoming a crime scene."

Mello agreed and started the car. Without any sudden moves, he drove off. Rue was truly on his own now.


Soichiro Yagami noticed the black SUV pull out of the area, but paid it little mind to it. His main focus was his son, who had been kidnapped and was being held hostage by a vicious, manipulative serial killer. And for a moment, he wondered if Beyond Birthday had any connection to Kira.

He would learn the truth here one way or another with the help of those under his command. He had been affronted command of a unit of police officers to help with what he claimed was a Kira-related event.

"Chief," Matsuda said, (Soichiro let the misstep of being called his old title slide for the moment), "we're ready to storm the building on your order. Your plan to track Beyond Birthday to his old hideaway was sheer brilliance." Matsuda turned. In the back of their unmarked car behind the caged backseat was Raven. "I'm surprised she told us what happened so easily, in not so many 'words'."

Soichiro nodded. Raven could speak, but her throat had been slashed sometime ago, scarred, and her vocal ability had been severely diminished.

With the NPA, he had tracked Light to Beyond Birthday's lair, and when the police stormed it, they found Raven, BB's ally, trapped in an electrified cage. She said that Light had tricked her, locked her in and then escaped, to who knows where—she hadn't a clue. Only that Light had been crafty.

Soichiro smiled at the thought.

She wrote down everything, a full confession, and also admitted to slicing the throats of all those people on BB's orders to get a message across to Kira. For this, she would spend the rest of her life in jail. And so would Beyond Birthday, although everyone thought the maniac had been caught before. In certain respects, BB and Light were alike—smart and crafty. But that's where it ended, Soichiro considered.

What Soichiro didn't know, however, as why Light had become so entangled in this affair? There was a lot of pieces to the puzzle Soichiro was missing, but he would ask his son for the details later.

With communication lines up with the teams, the law enforcement noose was tightening.

They would end this here and now, Soichiro vowed. One way or another, this was Beyond Birthday's last day of freedom!

"On my orders…" Siochiro began.


Alexandre received an alert on his phone. It was linked with the building's CCTV. He tapped it, and saw through a boxed camera frame, that the police had arrived outside, and were surrounding the brewery.

"They're early," he said. "However, this was enviable."

He looked at Crusade who had returned.

The other had informed Alexandre of a wrecked black corvette that belonged to Alex's hackers in an alley way and Hawkes' dead body, near the blown building next door. He had sent our his enforcer to deal with the hackers. Instead, Hawkes met her end. Hawkes had out lived her usefulness anyway.

When Crusade observed it all, he returned and blamed everything on the others. But as for the hackers, they had escaped. Alexandre was not pleased.

But Alexander wasn't convinced Crusade had told him everything.

But he didn't care, as long as his plans succeeded.

Alexandre showed Crusade the CCTV footage. "I need you to stall the police until my final solution comes to fruition with Rue and Light Yagami, Crusade. Use good judgement, at your prerogative, of course."

"Of course," Crusade said, and produced bright, perfect teeth, with a bow. "Time to have a little fun."

Crusade turned and vanished like a spectre in the night.

And Alexandre was once again left alone.


In the brewery proper, NPA officers were filing into the main areas, guns drawn.

The Kira Task Force members remained near the entrance, a safe distance from any gunplay or violence, since they weren't armed. Soichiro Yagami and the others were civilians and were not allowed to carry, despite trained. This was one of the stipulations from the new chief of the NPA. It was the police that would handle the apprehension, and if need be, the take down of Beyond Birthday.

"Stay sharp, everyone," came Soichiro's voice in the radios each carried. "If you encounter hostiles, your safety is paramount," he added. "You have authority to protect and serve, yourself."

Six uniformed officers ventured into the darkened areas of the brewery, flashlights on, guns ready. They were at full alert, and they all acknowledged with their call signs—except for one.

Siochiro said, "U-Six, acknowledge," he waited, then repeated, "U-Six, acknowledge!"

Aizawa stood next to him and they exchanged a glance. "Maybe's he's in a dead zone?" Aizawa said.

Then the radio crackled and a voice came on, "…Six, here…Recep…poor in…area," and he told Soichiro where he was searching. Aizawa brought up a semantics of the area on a computer tablet. "No hostiles encoun…" The transmission crackled. "Hey, you! Identity yourself!"

There was a bloodcurdling scream from the radio, the officer's hand must have been gripping it tightly when he was attacked. The transmission was on an open channel and could be heard by everyone. Then silence and nothing. The line was quiet, none of the other officers wish to tie it up.

"U-Six, report in!" Soichiro demanded.

Just then, weapons fire was heard with multiple shots, and shouts. There was a quick succession, with crackled, attempted over-laying of voices on the radio about a strangely dressed man engaging them—simultaneously—and then there was complete silence.

Soichiro called for reports, but none of the officers answered—except for a strange voice. "Greetings…Do I have the pleasure of speaking with former chief of police Soichiro Yagami?"

Soichiro looked at Aizawa dumbfounded. Aizawa gave a signal with his hand to the others outside the front double doors, a silent call for back-up. But before anyone was able to enter, an invisible force slammed the double doors shut with a loud bang trapping Soichiro and Aizawa inside, alone. Aizawa ran back and banged on the doors, and tried to open them, but even without a lock attached, they wouldn't budge. It was like they were held closed by an invisible grip. He looked back and shook his head.

Soichiro looked at the held radio. He wasn't sure what to say. "Am I addressing Beyond Birthday?"

There was a laugh, but not from the radio—it was from all around them, echoing. It was eerie, like they were experience a paranormal event. The pair swivelled 360 degrees, as if to follow the laugh, or to identify a location. But it seemed to come from everywhere.

"Au contraire, mon fraire," the male voice replied, through the radio.

Soichiro looked to Aizawa, not understanding.

"He said no," Aizawa translated. "I took a little French in college. According to what information we obtained on Beyond Birthday from the mental institution he was sent to after the events in Los Angeles, the guy can speak several languages fluently."

"You are correct, Shuichi Aizawa," came the male voice from the radio. Soichiro and Aizawa looked at each other in confusion. The radio wasn't transmitting when Aizawa said that.

Then came the sound of echoing footfalls from a darkened area of the brewery proper. The ground was covered in dust and debris from the building, unoccupied for years, unkempt, used by the homeless and squatters. And a strange looking man came into view, his body covered in tattoos. He had fiery red hair, fair skin, and dark eye-liner. He wore grey, baggy pants, dark boots, and a vest, exposing taunt muscles, with other additives that added to an ensemble that appeared to be put together with purpose. "No need to be frightened, gentleman," the individual smiled with bright, white teeth, extending his gloved hands. "I won't harm you. Well, not without reason. But why, for heaven's sake, should I fear you." He laughed.

"What did you do to my officers?" Soichiro growled with anger.

"I'm afraid they've become collateral damage," he said, softly burping, placing a closed hand over his mouth. "Pardon me." He smiled again. "You may call me Crusade. I wasn't going to reveal myself…" He shrugged. "But things are getting a little, let's say, stagnate. And I'm bored. My employer is playing with his toys at the moment and there is little for me to do, so I'm here to temporarily detain you."

"Are you working for Beyond Birthday? Are you a Shinigami?" Soichiro asked straightly.

Crusade laughed boisterously. "As detectives, you should know, the fun is in the mystery," he said.

"You said: 'Toys'," Aizawa remarked. "We followed our team member here. Is Light Yagami not the only one Beyond Birthday is 'playing with'? Who else is Beyond Birthday victimizing here?"

Crusade laughed again. "You are aware of his profile, so I need not have to tell you the depth of its depravity. However, as the saying goes, I'm afraid you're barking up the wrong tree, gentlemen."

"Then tell us what the hell is going on?" Soichiro demanded adamantly. "I want my son back!"

Just then, a phone rang. Crusade reached into his vest. "Excuse me for a moment, I have a call," he said. He took out a flip phone, seemed to look at the call display, hesitated, then answered it. "You have the worse timing, what is it? I was right in the middle of…" He paused. Crusade frowned. "Once again, you have rotten timing. But okay." He ended the call and returned the phone to his vest. "Change of plans. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to cut our introduction short. Something has come up and some unforeseen issues have arisen. My associate needs me to implement the final solution to a problem."

"Final solution?" Aizawa voiced, eyes wide. "I've heard that phrase before." He turned to Soichiro. "It was used by the Nazis during the Second World War. They knew they were losing, so they decided to eliminate as many of their Jewish prisoners as they could before fleeing. It was pure genocide!"

Soichiro let out a gasp.

Crusade cupped his hips. "Correct," he said simply. "And if Alexandre Monet's plan is successful, then there'll be nothing you can do to save his victims. Alas, this has been his plan from the very smart."

Soichiro cocked an eyebrow. "Who is Alexandre Monet?"

"He is the man you know as Auric Lafayette, or at least the man he's impersonating," Crusade revealed. "I'm telling you this because he'd quite insane. The real Auric Lafayette is dead, and if you'd like, I'll tell you where his body is. It doesn't matter to me one way or another. I've been helping Alexandre Monet from the beginning of this affair. He entertains me, but I'm afraid with all good things, it has run its course. Things are swiftly coming to an end, and he keeps dragging his feet, trying to outwit his prey."

"What do you mean?" Soichiro asked. "I don't understand. Who is this third party?"

Crusade raised a finger. "That's all I'll give you when it comes to that," he said. "Nevertheless, one piece of advise, gentleman. If you wish to get out alive, then you better do so soon. Alexandre Monet has this entire place rigged to explode with high powered grade explosives. He and Beyond Birthday have a long history, they come from the same orphanage, and he wants revenge for an old wrong."

Soichiro's eyes widened with the stunned revelation.

"As for your son's connection, let me just say: a spider can spin more then one web to catch his meals."

Soichiro produced an inaudibly, curious grunt. "I…don't understand," he said.

Crusade then gave a loose salute, not explaining his metaphor. "As your culture says: Sayōnara, and good luck!" he said. "If you manage to survive this, it will be a miracle that only Kira can muster." Crusade laughed, then vanished, his form transparently faded, but his laughter echoed for a little more.

Soichiro and Aizawa were then alone. Speechless, they looked at each other in complete awe. But they each quickly agreed what they had just experienced could wait. They called for back-up on the radio.

After the double doors were pried open, the invisible force gone, back-up was able to enter the building, and they began to spread out in every direction. But the conversion with Crusade had not been heard by anyone else but Soichiro and Aizawa. Outside, it had all been static.

Soichiro didn't tell the others what may have happened to the first wave. Eaten by some sort of unknown supernatural entity—like a Shinigami? It was unfathomable to think about. He hoped the entity was lying and the men were just dead some where, at least their families could have solace with their bodies.

But he put that on the back burner. His main focus right now was to look for those explosives. They all remained in constant contact, reported their locations, and stayed alert for hostiles. Soichiro just hoped Crusade didn't return for a second round.

Matsuda was ordered to take control of the coordination.

Soichiro and Aizawa made their way up a stairwell alone without police escort. The stairwell consisted of four flights, two floors, plus a basement level, and the roof. But they only went to the second floor, they didn't have time to explore. Oddly, they didn't find any explosives along the way.

They came to a locked, metal door. A sophisticated numbered panel with a red light was situated on the wall. It was obvious Alexandre Monet didn't want anyone entering the room that led beyond.

Aizawa tried the panel, but unless they had the correct passcode, they were denied entry.

But then, all of sudden, a green light lit up, and the door clicked. Soichiro and Aizawa gave the other a confused look. "It wasn't anything I did, I don't think?" Aizawa said.

"This could be a trap," Soichiro said. Taking hold of the handle of the door, he slowly opened it. The door was clean, no explosives. The area they entered was dark. "Aizawa, prop the door open," he added. "We don't want to be trapped in here, if we want to make a quick exit."

"Right," Aizawa said. He took off his jacket and shoved it into the door jam.

Once that was done, Soichiro took out a penlight from his jacket, gestured it around the inner sanctum, and then they carefully made their way further inside. Aizawa reached into his pocket for his phone and was about to use it for a light, when the lights suddenly switched on, as if a breaker was used.

Both were shocked at what met their eyes.

Two individuals sat in what looked like metallic chairs with helmets, but what really struck them with befuddlement was the man standing afar—a man both of them knew well. But a dead man.

L stood in his usual attire, bare-footed. He wore blue-jeans, and a white, long sleeve, loose fitting shirt, accompanying his usual frazzled black hair. His eyes also looked bagger, usually for the detective.

L looked at them, his hands in his pockets, slightly hunched over. "Greetings, gentleman," he said.

"Ryuzaki?" Soichiro shouted over, finding his voice. "You're alive!"

To be continued...