12

The next day was kind of a let down for Light. He was expecting his dad to stop by the headquarters, after talking to his superior in the police station.

They were getting strong evidence that the new Kira is from a company named Yotsuba, and has traced a few more people whose deaths has somehow affected the company's stock to rise.

His dad arrived later than expected, looking a bit troubled.

Light could only watch as his father explain to his colleagues that he had resigned from the task force, and asked them to make a decision if they wanted to stay on the case. Apparently, this new Kira has taken on to more corrupt means and has bribed the politicians to stop investigating on the case and they will be spared. With the pressure from the higher ups to either stop the investigation or get fired, Souichiro Yagami as well as Touta Mogi has turned in their resignation to work on the Kira case.

Matsuda, who was easily influenced anyway, also decided to resign. Unfortunately, Aizawa, who was somewhat a bit torn between continuing the investigation choosing what was best for his family, finally got a clear resolve to quit the Kira case because he got sick of L's secretive and manipulative attitude.

The sudden decrease in the team was taken really hard by everyone, who looked remorseful that they were not able to convince Aizawa to stay. They continued the rest of the day keeping to themselves, with morale obviously low.

"You shouldn't have done that, L" Light said firmly when they were in their private room. "Why do you keep testing people's character like that? You really hurt his pride"

"He could have stayed if he wanted to, Raito-kun" L reminded him.

"Yeah, but it really is a bit insulting to realise you are still being tested like that. His circumstances were already very troublesome from the start, and he has sacrificed so much", Light went on. "The least you can do is assure him that he would be financially stable even without his job"

"What is done is done, Raito-kun" L said with finality.

"I really liked his morals you know", Light admitted. "He was having such a hard decision because he was considering his family situation. My dad, he just decided on his own, without even thinking of Mom's or even my feelings"

L looked at the teen, who was actually taking this seriously.

"You know he hasn't been at the house even before this. My mom might get a divorce"

L hugged him immediately, and comforted him.

"I realise how that might have affected Aizawa, Light. And I regret it" he confessed. "I will try to remind Yagami-san to visit home once in a while. Do you want to talk to your mom?"

"Y-yeah…"

L handed him his cellphone and Light took it with care. He pressed his mom's phone number and waited.

"Hey mom", Light said as soon as he heard the other end. "Yeah, I miss you too…..I can't go home right now but don't worry about me. I'm being well taken cared of…..Dad's with me…..how is Sayu?..."

L gave him some privacy and went to the other side of the room, thinking of how the new developments might affect the case. He really needed manpower right now. They are very short and admittedly it was Aizawa who was very capable in his job and did at least half of the work. It might be a good idea to have someone not from the police force to help them out. Someone professional. Maybe that would lighten the load of other people as well. For instance, Souichiro Yagami.

L approached Light when he noticed that the conversation was nearing its end.

"Thank you for letting me speak to them, L" Light looked a little better now. "They were starting to worry about me…and I don't want to put my mom in additional stress…"

"It's okay, Raito-kun. I wish I could have suggested this sooner." L assured. "I now understand how Yagami-san might not be the best bringer of news after all."

"Can I sleep early today?" Light asked. "I have been a little exhausted lately"

"You don't have to ask, Raito-kun" L said as he kissed him on the forehead. "Good night"

Light quickly fell asleep as L was lost in thought once again. If someone from Yotsuba was actually killing innocent people they really need to expedite this case. They need someone who can infiltrate the security cameras, and know what was happening on the inside. He checked his contacts, and started dialling. He just hoped that these two would be available for the case.

….

The following days were spent on finding out everything they can on the Yotsuba group. They needed to check the background of each of the employees there, starting from the directors, the executive officers to the people taking administrative position, who might be involved or might know something that has happening recently.

Fortunately everyone felt motivated to do their best today, including Matsuda who has expressed his interest on doing more of what he is asked for. Light reminded him later in the day that his comment with Matsuda to just bring him another coffee was a bit harsh, and could potentially influence Matsuda to do something rash, but L brushed it off for now. He knew he has Matsuda under control, keeping him with menial tasks such as Misa guard duty and small errands to keep him occupied. What was the worse that could happen?

More importantly, he introduced two new members of the team, who gladly said that they would help. Wedy, who was good at hacking and infiltrating security networks, and Aiber, one of the best con men that L knows. That restored the team's morale. Light, despite his increasing instances of being ill and needing to go to the bathroom, was feeling pumped and could not contain his excitement by wishing everyone to work hard together. L was a bit torn with letting Light continue on with the case at first, because he was worried that it was compromising his health somehow, but seeing him so happy like this, he didn't have the heart to stop him.

Sometimes though, he wanted him to just stay in their room for the whole day and rest. Especially with the appearance of Aiber, who L was suspecting was flirting with Light. He caught them a few times talking about how L caught him, which really boosted L's ego. But then there were times where they chatted about how he did his crimes, a few acting tips to look more convincing, and even how to pronounce English words better.

Light would often deny it. Perhaps he was acting a bit oblivious but L really knew what was going on. Aiber was known to flirt with both men and women, and he was rather good at it. He made it a point to interrupt they growing friendship, by taking Light on another corner of the room as soom as he felt they were getting really close to each other. He was not a fool to just dismiss those occasional pats on the shoulder, those hand gestures. He had Light first. It was childish even for L but then he could not risk it.

At some point, he had considered Light's sudden motion sickness to be a blessing in disguise, because after that Light would be too embarrassed to talk to anyone else except L, as he was conscious if his breath smelled like puke.

L was determined to solve this case as quickly as possible, because the sooner they finish this case the sooner they can dismiss people like Aiber. They were already discussing plans on how to accomplish this, but then there was one hiccup.

Matsuda.

For some reason, Light's warning came true and Matsuda had done something stupid that might compromise the case for them.

Ironically enough, L had been stressing the point on during their discussion with the task force not to do anything reckless, when Watari suddenly informed him that Matsuda has activated the distress signal from his belt.

Ugh.

"Where did it come from" L was growing more on more pissed as he asked.

"That's…I think it is from the Tokyo Headquarters of the Yotsuba Group" Watari told him.

'I guess all the plan we discussed in over an hour has been thrown off the window then', L thought.

"Please forget what I just said" L told the team as he hid his growing annoyance. "I need to come up with a new strategy."

The team was still a but confused with what has happened.

"Matsuda, you idiot" L breathed as he gripped his knee in frustration.

…

Needless to say, that night took a lot from them. It was really fortunate for Matsuda to pull through and manage to convince the Yotsuba executives that he really was just there to promote Misa to them. No one even questioned how he managed to sneak in, past the guards, and go to the exact place where that meeting was held, and the fact that it was already off business hours. Maybe they were all equally shocked.

L was able to call Matsuda to confirm if he was really in a pinch. The fact that he was able to answer the phone meant that the executives were being reasonable to him, and not just straight up arrest him for trespassing or kill him on the spot, since they got Kira on their side. They were being lenient enough to also allow Matsuda to call Misa, who luckily had returned Light's call beforehand, and they were able to listen in on the conversation.

At that point, he requested Light to ask Misa to help them convince the executives by going to the Yotsuba building and actually follow through the alibi of Matsuda, by way of a drinking party. Light, surprisingly was all for it, even when he previously expressed his discomfort in manipulating other people's feelings. Rightfully so, because it was at the heat of the moment and it is more important so save a life at that time.

Light instructed Misa to bring them to one of their previous headquarters (when they still stayed in hotels) and Wedy bugged all the security cameras there. Misa did a good job at getting her colleagues to agree to entertain a bunch of stiff acting executives on a Friday night, and that in itself was amazing. They all agreed that she was a good host as well.

The rest of the team had to think fast, and all of them had to take part. Matsuda managed to call them from the bathroom, and did this drunken act for everyone to see. He 'slipped' and was saved by Mogi with his matress, the chief threw a heavy enough sack and Aiber perfectly acted like the dead body. Wedy acted like the distressed passerby. Even Light and L had a role in it. They were the medics who had to carry Aiber's supposedly dead body to the ambulance.

In the end, no one has died, and they managed to make contact with the Yotsuba group. No thanks to Matsuda. In fact, screw that guy.

L even had to endure getting jealous with Light's interaction with Aiber on acting tips and had to remind the boy that he didn't even have a speaking role on this, and they only need to carry a dead lifeless body into the stretcher and into the ambulance.

The only thing that L did get to enjoy was that they get to keep the medic costumes that night, and L made a point to role play with Light who reluctantly agreed even though he was a bit tired, to help L 'de-stress' for the night.

The sex after that was also good, although a bit cut short because Light was indeed tired. They really should do more role play after this. Maybe when Light is not as tired.