Approximately an hour after Near had departed Beyond's room the door cracked open. Bare feet padded onto the plush cream carpet the lined the long hall. The raven stopped and glanced over his shoulder before darting for the front door.
"What did I say? Not fit to be your successor. He bolts on the first chance the gets." A smug monotonous voice carried over a hunched shoulder.
A humming sound could be heard coming from the detective. "Where's the folder you gave him? It contained the ticket and the money, correct?"
Near scoffed quietly. "Of course it did. I even fed him false emotion about caring for our niece."
L drawled on his letters slightly. "Then… why is he going to the mailbox?"
"Probably to wait for the taxi that I had called." Near matter-of-factly sneered.
Flipping to the exterior cameras L followed Beyond. The previous murderer stretched and opened the mailbox, sifting through its contents as he padded back up to the menacing manor. Seeming disappointed, he dropped he mail on the golden oak table that neared the double doors of the entrance. He then wandered into the kitchen and grabbed a jar of jam, opening the container and sticking his fingers into it. He then proceeded to the library while closing the top of his jam. Grabbed a couple of books off the shelves.
A knock on the door startled the young man into dropping everything. He timidly approached the door before slowly opening it. "There he is. The driver, just in case he got cold feet and worried about not making it to the airport in time."
L watched the camera feed and smirked as the door closed and both men went in separate directions. Beyond returned to the library, picking up his items and grabbing several others. A sketchbook and pencils. With great care he balanced all of the items back to his room before shutting the door behind him.
"Well. He broke my rule of no food in the rooms… However, either, he doesn't trust you or knows this was a set up." L lifted a single strawberry from a nearby plate, holding it in between his index finger and thumb as he inspected the fruit with narrowed eyes. "Or… the NPA is ready to receive their L doppelgänger."
"They think you're dead. It would be wiser to send me, they know me and know that I represent L." Near quickly quipped.
L continued the watch the camera feeds in Beyond's room. The successor had sat himself back onto his bed, haunched over the sketch pad while occasionally stopping to enjoy some jam.
Sayu triumphantly smirked once her trail of hacking led back to the F.B.I. "Got you. Aliased as "Beyond Birthday." Her nose crinkled as she read the file. "You can't be serious…" Her eyes fell onto a photo taken of Beyond while incarcerated. Her eyes then drifted up to the painting. "They can't be the same guy…" Her eyes dropped back to the photo. A menacing snarl accompanied by cold eyes and a cruel glare. Floating her eyes back up to the portrait. A careless smile, sincere stare with an endearing gaze. "Same profile though… Misa… What did you say that guy's name was again?"
"I called him B, because he liked it more, but he said his name was Beyond." A voice called from the other room.
"Uh… Huh… Hello, what's this now?" Following deeper in to the files, Sayu found herself in the U.N's sealed case resolutions. She smirked deviously as she tore open the file like a child on Christmas morning; thankful for her lessons in computers spent with Light and detective L. Her eyes widened when a video file opened. Her eyes darted around the room before plugging in her headphones.
-x-
A judge sat on a high pillar with four figures in front of him. A court room coated in deep woods and iron accents. A seal of the United Nations behind him. "How do you plea, Marshall Lawliet?"
Another camera feed cut to the screen, it focused on a young man, both wrists handcuffed to each other, bound by a single chain that connected to the adjoining ankle cuffs. A scarlet stare narrowed in thought. "I am guilty."
A man standing next to the inmate, that Sayu quickly recognized as L, hung his head and sighed. The other ravened man continued. "I am guilty of brutality slaying two adults and a child. I carry the guilt of that temporary loss in judgement daily. I am guilty of escaping a maximum facility. Consequently, I am guilty of eluding the authorities. But, I am not guilty of the kidnapping of Misa Amane." A smug smile crossed his plush lips. "She came willingly and knowingly of my identity. Whether she believed me or not, was entirely up to her."
An elderly man stood behind the chained man and smiled proudly as he continued. "I am guilty of many things. But, I refuse the carry the guilt of a crime I did not commit. I will not feel guilt for pulling her away from the ledge of a bridge. I will not feel sorry for smiling every time her eyes lit up when she saw something new; and I abstain from feeling remorse when she was able to be removed from treacherous waters while I was pulled under. Your grace. I served my time for the crimes I have committed, save for two. Escaping and eluding. I was not harbored nor aided. This was my choice. Not hers."
Sayu gasped when she realized the current case was not for the bound man. Rather, a resolution of whether to bring Misa to justice. Her eyes snapped back to the court judge.
"Very well. Lawrence Lawliet. Your testimony." Sayu could feel the pit of her stomach drop. 'He isn't dead?'
L cleared his throat and straightened his back, standing awkwardly in a tight suit and dress shoes. "It is my professional opinion, that Misa Amane is no threat to society. She just has horrid taste in men. A victim of situations rather than a perpetrator of terrorism. I have relinquished custody of Marshall from the United States by orders of Her Majesty; the remainder of his sentence will be spent working for the crown. Two individuals who had met by fate should not be condemned to share it. Misa Amane is guilty only of ignorance."
Sayu's computer went dark as it made several loud sounds. She groaned loudly and placed her hand on her headphones to removed them before a computer generated voice scrambler caught her attention. "Unwise course of action. What interest do you have in these matters?"
Cautiously peering around the room before quietly responding into her microphone. "Who is this?"
"That's no concern of yours." The voice deadpanned.
"It very well is if you're going to have access to my computer." She quipped in annoyance.
"Regardless. I have calculated a seventy-three precent likelihood of Misa Amane being in serious danger. Especially if this video were to be released to the public, it would increase to approximately ninety-eight percent. The world must believe that Beyond Birthday was convicted and executed. Do not allow Misa to watch the news for the next forty-eight hours. Or, if you prefer this matter to be settled permanently, make sure she does."
Feeling anger rise from inside her chest she shouted. "Who the hell do you think you are?!"
"I am L."
Scowling heavily, Sayu growled out. "Prove it. Who was Kira? It was never released."
"Raito Yagami. He was the first Kira. Misa Amane was the second. With a lack of information or proof she could never be convicted. Alas, any keyboard jockey could release this information. What I can tell you, is that he often would talk in his sleep, he suffered terribly from nightmares. He hated sugar or cream in his coffee and refused to be viewed by anyone until he's had his morning shower. He oddly smelled of strawberries and vanilla, a feminine scent, yet somehow it fit him. And on the day he thought be dead, he wept while smiling. He wasn't a god. He was a scared boy with a powerful notebook, one not of this world. Does that satisfy your discontent?"
Sayu sat silent with a lump in her throat and tears threatening to spill over; before the voice continued. "Misa is of great importance to me. Should she, or her child, come to any harm, I have reason to believe that the loose collar on Beyond will break. Within the next twenty-four hours, you will receive three airline tickets. Their destination is London. Make your choice. If you choose to show her the news, of "Beyond's sentence" reply to the email, nothing needs to be said, a simple blank email will suffice. If not, I will send a black sedan with the license plate of "01282013" . Do not enter any vehicle that does not have this plate number. I will be awaiting your response."
The connection was severed and Sayu's computer quickly shut down and remained unresponsive. Misa came around the corner with a small smile. "Who were you talking to?"
Sayu opened her mouth to respond when he phone lit up with an incoming email from a private sender. There, she stared at the cellular device that was laid to rest next to the remote, to the television that she knew was already set to the news channel. "An old friend. He game me quite a bit to think about."