You Don't Know Jack

by RedLightsRedFights

There is another detective that is well-known in the world besides L: Jack, the faceless Cyber Detective that uses technology and immaculate hacking skills to undo criminals and expose them to the police. Though outwardly sarcastic and humorous, Jack carries a dark past that haunts her almost as much as the Shinigami, Nox. (WARNING: This story touches on sensitive subjects. LxOC)

2. Not What I Was Expecting

Jack

A day had passed since I gave L my card. I was laying on my futon, music pumping through my headphones. I had rented out a small apartment under one of my fake identities, Nina Forner. It was one-room with a bathroom only large enough for one person to stand in and the tub was so small I had to fold myself in half to sit in it, but it was ideal for me. There was no hotel receptionist to see me every day, and it was considered an Air BnB so the only other people around were tourists, which helped me fit in.

I saw Nox leaning on the far wall out of the corner of my eye. He looked like he was trying to get my attention but I ignored him. I focused on the lyrics of my music, letting the ebb and flow of the instruments carry me.

Convincing L to let me help him would be crucial, not only for the thrill of the case itself, but finding that Death Note and destroying it. I had a feeling he would want me around him considering what I knew—let alone my skills with tech. I was surprised he didn't call me shortly after I gave him the code's key. However, I had a sneaking suspicion of what was taking him so long.

Nox was now looming over me. He waved a boney hand at my face, looking irritable. I sighed and moved one of my headphones off my ear.

"What?" I snapped. Once again, when the two of us spoke, we stuck to English.

Nox rolled his eyes. "You can't just keep ignoring me. I'm bored to tears over here."

"Sounds like a personal problem." I beamed at him.

Nox scowled. "I don't understand you. What the hell is making you try so hard? What do you care if someone in a country far from yours is causing trouble?"

"He's killing people all over the world, in case you didn't notice. When you gave me this notebook, you told me you wanted me to make a difference," I murmured, fixating my gaze on the ceiling. "Well, here's what I'm doing."

"I kinda meant for you to kill people, not go out of your way to save 'em."

"I'm not a death god, Nox."

"Well, maybe I can help."

I let my gaze fall back onto his good eye. "You? Help? Since when?"

"I helped you when I gave you that notebook."

"You let me know that someone tried to kill me and failed miserably, leaving you bored."

"My point is..." Nox went on with an irritated exhale, "if you'd like, I can grant you the power to see other Death Note owners."

I raised a brow. "Excuse me?"

"You see..." Nox crouched down at my side, grinning widely. "Shinigami have the power to give the humans that carry their Death Notes the power of their sight. The Shinigami Eyes. With those, you can see anyone's name and their remaining lifespan over their heads—as long as you can see the majority of their face. The trick is, if you happen to see another Death Note owner's face, nothing will show up. You'll instantly be able to pick Kira out of a crowd."

I sat up, staring at him. "And you just now tell me this?"

"It seems like a waste to offer it to someone who isn't killing," Nox said. "You realize that Shinigami usually wait up to 39 days before showing up to a human? And that's after the human's used the notebook at least once."

"You showed up to me the moment you gave me the notebook," I said. "Why?"

"Because the first human I put my hopes on was a moron," Nox said. "Now do you want the Shinigami Eyes or not?"

"What does it cost?" I asked.

Nox shrugged. "Half of your remaining lifespan."

I snorted. "Oh, is that all?" I flopped back down on the futon, popping my headphone back over my ear.

I saw Nox mouthing to me and gesturing angrily, but I ignored him. I didn't understand Nox's motivations, but I wasn't about to make a deal with a god of death. I knew he wasn't going to hurt me—he'd had plenty of opportunities and warned me he could kill me and take back his notebook whenever he wanted, but he never did. It was like he was waiting for something.

There was a sudden buzzing in my pocket. I grinned and sat up, taking the headphone off my ear again.

"Is it him?" Nox asked. His skeletal expression went from angry to curious; he always seemed interested in what I was going to do next.

I grinned. "Show time," I said.

With a flick of my wrist, I flipped open the phone and brought it to my ear.

"All work and no play... how does the rest go?" I answered in English.

There was a brief pause, and then a smooth male voice responded to me. "Makes Jack a dull girl, apparently. I had my suspicions."

"Did you?" I teased. "Was it some Sherlockian way you deduced that I was lacking in the dangly-bits department?"

"...How mature of you."

"For the record, you sound kind of cute," I added. "So, Ryu, are we playing?"

"I admit, your assistance was useful in the past," the man I knew to be L replied. I was actually impressed he wasn't using a voice distorter.

"You're welcome, by the way," I said. "That BB guy was a treat."

"Why are you in Japan?" L queried.

"You weren't the only one who noticed that early kill of Kira's here, and that criminal's info only being broadcast in Japan," I said. "Come on, now, Ryu, you know me better than that."

"I suppose so. But why this case?"

"Seriously, this easily is the biggest case of our lives. Bigger than BB." I propped one leg on the other's knee, pointing my toes to the ceiling.

"You've never been in it for the fame," L pointed out.

"Of course not, it's the challenge," I replied. "Now come on, Ryu. Let's get this show on the road. By the way, I'm proposing we officially switch Kira's name to Moriarty. Come on, you know it's perfect."

"You're going on about Sherlock Holmes again?" L sighed.

"Maybe," I said with a grin. "Then again, now that I think of it, this guy isn't quite up to Moriarty standards yet. Gotta wait until he starts screwing around with you personally, since you're the Sherlock here."

"You're in the Air BnB near the Komagome station, correct?" L said, ignoring my rant altogether.

I nearly laughed. Part of my decision in staying so close to the station was because it was too obvious. That, and I didn't want to go far to meet L's messengers. Ah, sloth, my true deadly sin. L must have tracked my phone. It was easy enough to do without calling one these days with how cell phones had GPS. Of course, I was more than capable of disabling that feature on my phone, and L knew it.

"I must say, part of me didn't expect you to let me find you," he said.

I shrugged despite him not being able to see the motion. "I want to help, Ryu. This is a pretty intense situation. So, is there a car waiting for me outside?"

"Watari. He will bring you to me. You'll have a few moments to pack."

"How polite of you," I said.

L had already hung up the phone.

I gathered my things with a speed granted by both excitement and anxiety. I knew why L had tracked me down, despite not being sure if he would be able to. He was someone of calculation and care. He could not have someone knowing what I knew out and about with Kira on the loose. Even if I would never divulge that information willingly, he could not risk it slipping from me should I be forced to tell; not that I would break easily. To be honest, after the past three years, I didn't know what would make me shatter. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger: a cliche and lyrics to a song I didn't really care for, but the words held weight to me.

In any case, meeting L and working with him was key, but I was saying goodbye to my freedom for a while.

"What's going on?" Nox asked as I shoved my clothes back into my suitcase.

"L sent me a ride," I told him. "So I won't be able to talk to you easily from here on. Try not to be an annoyance."

Nox scowled. "You should really show me some more respect, you know."

I shoved my small bag of bathroom essentials in the suitcase and grinned cheekily up at the Shinigami. "You should really earn it."

Nox huffed and shoved his hands into the pockets of his long coat. "I don't know why I put up with you."

"Likewise," I shot back as I zipped the suitcase shut.

I grabbed my satchel that held my laptop and other valuable belongings and slung it across my torso. I then gripped the suitcase and rolled it across the room. After shoving my feet into my runners, I stepped outside, locked the door behind me, and headed out of the building. Nox floated sullenly after me.

An elderly man with a thick white mustache bowed and took off his hat as I approached him just outside. He seemed surprised by my appearance, blinking for a moment with a slightly dropped jaw, but he swiftly recovered, smiling at me.

"I assume you are the one who contacted Ryuzaki," he said in English. Ryuzaki was L's alias, or Ryu as I liked to call him. "What may I call you?"

Of course he had to know I was Jack, but perhaps it would be best to stick to an alias as well.

"Nina," I said. "Nina Forner."

"Thank you, Miss Forner," the man said. "I am Watari. Let me assist you with your things."

I doubted that was his real name. The guy gave off a strangely familiar air to me—he acted and moved like my grandfather did. Of course, my grandfather died when I was very little, but all the same, I felt a twang of nostalgia go off in the back of my head.

Watari popped the trunk to the sleek black car and hauled my suitcase inside as I set my satchel next to it. Once it was closed and my things were secure, Watari opened the back door for me. The seats were leather and the interior of the car was toasty.

"Are these seats heated?" I asked Watari as he got into the driver's seat.

"Yes," he answered as he pulled onto the street. "Do you have any preference for the radio?"

I shook my head, pointing at my headphones. "Got it covered, but thanks."

Watari nodded. "I do not believe we ever had the pleasure to greet each other the last time Ryuzaki worked with you."

"Yeah, makes things complicated when we both have an aversion to people." I propped my elbow on the door and stared out the window, watching the buildings blur by. "So you're the one that always works with him, huh?"

"Ryuzaki and I have worked together for some time, yes," Watari responded. "Considering you match the description of the young woman who gave the officers the card for Ryuzaki, I would say you work alone."

I glanced at Nox, who had awkwardly shoved himself into the seat next to mine. His knees were almost to his chest. It nearly made me laugh, for I knew he could just fly behind us. He was just so lazy that he preferred this discomfort to putting out the effort of using his wings.

"I think I count," the Shinigami said. "You wouldn't be so interested in this case if it wasn't for me."

I winked at him before facing forward again. "For the most part, yes," I told Watari. "But for some projects—such as this one—I feel like it would be better for critical thinkers to think together. The faster one comes up with a vaccine, the more lives it saves."

"Understandable," Watari said. "I do say, I am curious about something."

"That being?" I perked a brow at the old man as he took us onto the highway.

"Did you know Ryuzaki from before?"

Watari's eyes fixated on mine in the rear view mirror. I leaned back in my seat and away from the window.

"You want to know how I know," I stated rather than asked.

Watari didn't reply. He was silent, waiting.

"There is always a way to find information if one digs deep enough," I said. "They don't call me the Cyber Detective for nothing." I winked.

"Even though certain things are never put into a single computer?" Watari asked softly.

I shrugged and looked out the window with a smile. "I'm not saying it was easy."

"I see," Watari said. His voice remained calm and polite. "Well, from what I've heard, you will be a valuable asset to the team. Tell me something, Miss Forner... have you been to London?"

Ah. I knew where this was going. I shrugged again. "I have." My smile stretched. "I'm a big fan of Sir Arthur Conan O'Doyle. Had to go see Baker Street for myself."

"Sherlock Holmes?" Watari seemed a bit closed off in that moment. His tone was still polite, but it held something odd... something akin to stone. "I'm a fan myself. Who is your favorite character?"

"Heh, strange enough, Moriarty," I said. "I like Sherlock, but something has to be said for that touch of chaos to intelligence. Too bad he's a psychopath."

We drove through Tokyo for some time before finally arriving at a rather fancy hotel. It was about 12 stories tall, silver in color with mirrored windows all around. Watari pulled up near the front entrance where a valet was waiting. He opened my door for me and helped me with my bags again. The valet driver took the car away as Watari and I headed inside.

"Fancy," I murmured once we were inside the lobby.

The floor was made up of brown and gold tile. My boots sent satisfying clacks as I walked across it. To my left was a restaurant—most likely where they served breakfast in the morning too. There were tables with deep red cloths laid over them accompanied by four chairs apiece. To my right was the receptionists desk. It was long and had three people stationed behind it. They must get a lot of customers and were well ready to always be prepared. The scent in here was nice too; it was crisp and clean like the whole building was new.

L's room was on the eleventh floor. Watari and I had a slightly awkward elevator ride up to it. I found myself glancing at the older man a few times, waiting for him to speak to me, but he remained silent. I had music still going in my right ear, so I wasn't entirely bothered, but still... It made it even more apparent that I was being escorted as a prisoner at this point.

That was the problem with contacting L, especially with this particular case. The last time I worked with him was from before I knew about the existence of Death Notes. It was before I met Nox. I had gotten too curious about the mysterious detective. I realized that the two of us locked in a competition of sorts during the Detective Wars case. Neither of us knew who the other was. All we had were our aliases: L and Jack. Every time we interacted, which was always by written word or email, we would try to pry more information from each other.

In the end, I won, and now—knowing what I know—I was a very valuable piece in this game. L wouldn't want me in Japan unless I was at his side; it was safer that way.

We finally reached L's room. Watari knocked twice before swiping the key card and opening the door.

It was a suite, of course. There was a small entry hall for people to take off their shoes and place any coats or umbrellas up.

"I will take your things to your room, Miss Forner," Watari said. "You can go to meet Ryuzaki and get some refreshments."

"Right," I replied, taking off my satchel and handing it over to him. "Thanks, Watari."

Watari bowed and slipped out of the entry hall. I took off my shoes and hoodie, hanging the latter on the coat rack. I elected to leave my beanie on and kept my iPod with me, never once taking off my headphones.

"Good luck," Nox told me. He was leaning near the doorway. "And don't forget to be careful with what you reveal."

I waved him off and stuck my tongue out at him. He only laughed. With a sigh, I left the entry hall and went into the living room.

It was spacious, to say the least. Directly ahead of me was a table with a couch and some chairs positioned around it. To the left was a hall where I saw Watari disappearing down; it led toward the bedrooms, no doubt. To the right was a dining area with a wall of windows behind it and a kitchen attached to the right of that.

I hadn't stayed in a room this fancy in a very long time.

From the kitchen, carrying a small bowl of ice cream, was a lanky young man that probably would have been tall if he stood up straight. He couldn't have been much older than myself, if not resting at my exact age. His hair was black and wild, his skin was pale as snow, and dark circles hugged the bottoms of his gray eyes. He wore a long-sleeved white shirt and jeans. The clothes hung loosely on him, as if they were a size too large. His feet were bare, his toes curled into the carpet as he paused at the sight of me.

"Not what I was expecting," I admitted to him.

L's eyes darted over me once. The motion was deliberate and calculated. He held his bowl of ice cream a bit awkwardly, his fingers gripping the rim of the bowl from above like a pale spider. His spoon was in his other hand, held by his thumb and fore finger as if he were about to conduct a symphony.

"Likewise," L replied.

With that, he padded across the room to the table and chairs. His movements were fluid and swift. He delicately placed the bowl of ice cream down and perched on one of the chairs, his toes gripping the edge of the seat like bird talons, his knees up by his chest. With deft precision, he collected some ice cream on his spoon and delivered it to his lips.

"Come, sit," he said, gesturing to the chairs and couch around him.

I took the couch, laying across it with my feet closer to L so I could look at him without craning my head around.

"Did you want some?" L gestured to his ice cream.

"Maybe later," I said with a grin. "I just ate."

L shrugged and took another spoonful of chocolate syrup-drowned vanilla dairy goodness. For a moment the only sounds were that of L's spoon grazing the side of his bowl and the music in my right ear. Of course, the detective couldn't hear that part.

"What do you already know about the Kira case?" L finally asked me.

"Probably similar things to you," I said, "considering I was led to Japan the same as you were. Kira only kills criminals, he doesn't need to be present to kill someone, and he's somewhere in the Kanto region. Thanks for narrowing that down, Bee-Tee-Dubs."

"Bee-Tee-Dubs?" L echoed dryly.

"BTW: By The Way. Bee-Tee-Dubs. I keep hip with the kids, Ryu."

L shook his head. "Anything else?"

"Well, I think that whoever Kira is, he isn't very old," I said, folding my hands in front of me and laying them on my stomach. "Like I said, he only kills criminals. He killed Lind L. Tailor mere moments after you had him accuse Kira of being evil. It's someone who's playing at being some noble symbol of justice—a vigilante of sorts. Forgive the cliche, but he's assigned himself as judge, jury, and executioner. Someone with a little more world wisdom—which typically comes from age—doesn't seem like the type to be doing this. It's someone with a big ego and someone who hates to lose and not get their way. Sure, some older adults are that way, but it seems more likely to be someone younger. Maybe even a teenager."

L took another bite of ice cream. His dark eyes only darted my way once before he refocused on his dairy treat. "Very astute of you," he noted.

"I like to think so," I agreed with a sly grin.

"Do you know anything else?" L prodded.

I knew this was his way of testing me. He wanted to see just how much value I was going to add to this case. I was tempted to tell him off for it. I didn't have a one up on the killer during the last case we did together like I did on this one. This time, I knew about Death Notes and I had Nox. Last time it was just my wits alone.

"Well," I said, glancing over at the Shinigami in question. Nox was sitting in the chair across from L on the other short end of the table. He was leaned back, one leg over the armrest, his head propped in a bony hand. I had to be careful about what I said next. "All the people Kira has killed have something in common beyond just being criminals."

L looked at me now, a brow perked. "Oh?"

I nodded. "Their names and faces have all been advertised in the media. Be it television, the papers, internet, all of them were made public and their crimes known. Some die in prison, others as they walk out of the courtroom after managing to get off with just probation. But every single one of them is known by the general public. The one that caught my interest the most was the one that died while holding hostages. You know the one, I'm sure—the one that was only broadcast here in Japan: the Shinjuku Killer."

L gave me a small nod of acknowledgment as he took another spoon of ice cream.

I pressed on when he waited. "He didn't die until his face and name were advertised. Then, bam. He has a heart attack and the hostages are saved. I think Kira needs those pieces of information to kill."

Nox grunted. I knew he was irritated with me. I hadn't given away the existence of Death Notes outright, but I had confirmed a piece of how they worked. Of course, I had used facts and bits of knowledge that L had access to in order to point it out. Nox couldn't do shit about that.

"Once again, Jack, very astute," L said after swallowing his ice cream and licking chocolate syrup from his lips. "I have come to similar conclusions. This is helpful, I won't have to worry about getting you up to speed. So, as you realize, using aliases during this case is imperative."

His eyes were locked onto mine at that point.

I raised my right hand. "Scouts honor," I said.

L let out a tiny breath that was barely audible. He started scraping his spoon along the bottom of his bowl for scraps of remaining ice cream. "I feel that it may only be fair if I knew something more about you."

"My natural hair color is blonde."

"And here you had me fooled that it was blue." L's gaze was unamused. "You know what I mean."

I laughed softly. "Come on now, Ryu. With how this case is working? Not likely. Tell you what, we catch Kira and I'll tell you everything you'd ever want to know." I winked at him. "Even my astrology and zodiac sign."

L directed his attention back to his empty ice cream bowl, tapping the spoon against its rim.

"You're the first person besides Watari that I have shown my face to in a long time, with knowing who I really am," L said. "I hope you understand what weight that holds. This case..."

"It's a tricky one, I know," I assured him. "I'm having plenty of firsts too, Ryu. I was hoping to stick behind a monitor for most of this."

"I will most likely require you speak to the officers at some point," L said. "The Japanese police force have been quite helpful in this case so far."

"I suppose so," I said, folding my hands behind my head.

L raised a brow at my tone. "What do you mean by that?"

"Well, I'm a naturally curious person, Ryu," I reminded him. "I wanted to get as much information as I could about this case before diving fully in. So... I did some... research."

L gently set his bowl and spoon on the table. He then perched his hands on his knees. Once again, the image of pale spiders struck me.

"You got into the police records?" he accused, his tone too light.

Breaking the law was something L didn't appreciate. The problem was, with how I did things and with my particular set of talents, breaking the law was sometimes necessary to get things done. I didn't have time to ask for permission to see things I needed to see. I didn't have time to wait for arrest warrants or any of that crap. I did not work for the police. I did not abide by their rules because frankly, in some cases, those rules were downright stupid.

Of course, there were some cases that L saw the need to bend the laws in his favor. He would always either look the other way or decide to ignore certain rules if it meant serving the greater good—if it meant keeping people safe and catching the culprit. So hopefully, he would tap his foot to the beat of my song on this one.

"It's not like I caused any harm," I said with a shrug. "No viruses or deleting of files or stealing of funds. I went in, took a look around, and left. I didn't even make any copies, aren't you proud of me?"

My grin didn't even make L blink.

"Those records and files are classified," he said.

"Yeah, well, not classified enough. I got in pretty easily and it's obvious that someone else is too," I said. "You told the police of your suspicions of Kira being a student because of when the times the deaths were taking place. It made sense; we came to similar conclusions, as we've discussed. But right after that, the times of the deaths changed. You can't tell me that's coincidence."

L's eyes darted down to his hands while his toes rubbed themselves as if to keep warm. He worried the folds of his jeans with his fingers.

"Yes, Kira most likely has eyes inside the police," L admitted. "But I have not yet informed the officers of my suspicions."

"Smart move." I nodded. "If you did, it would put Kira on the defense. So what did you do?"

He had to have done something—I knew L too well by now. He was a man of lethal efficiency. He planned out his actions swiftly and accurately with nary a rock unturned for potential risks or mistakes. Once he had a strategy, he did not wait or second guess himself. He executed it without batting an eye. So when he saw plain evidence that Kira was getting information from the police, surely he had a counter. Possibly even had one ready before the fact, in case the issue ever rose.

"Twelve FBI agents from the US have come to Japan to investigate the officers and their families," L said. "The police are not aware of their presence for obvious reasons."

I grinned at him. "That's the Ryu I know. All right, so they're doing their investigations now?"

"They will be done by the 27th," L said. "So far... there have been no abnormal reports."

I deflated a little. "Of course not," I murmured. "But listen, Ryu. It is very difficult to hack into a system and leave without even a single trace—even for someone like me. It takes a lot of time and practice—skill too. When I was poking around the systems, I didn't see any sign of 'forced entry' so to speak."

"So you're saying they have easy access," L said.

"Easy enough," I replied. "To the point where maybe they can guess a password without having to rely on a hack. Or they're better at hacking than I am, but let's not talk of impossibilities here."

L let out a long breath and nodded. "I understand. Do you think, if you had the chance, that you could prove who had been in their systems? Even if they did guess a password?"

"Depends," I said. "If I could get my hands on the suspect's actual computer, assuming that it was the same one they used to get into the police records, I could try and find evidence of those files being on their system. Even if someone deletes files, there is always a way to recover them. They'd have to take out the hard drive or wipe it completely to make it to where I couldn't find them. But that would make the computer like it was brand new and that would be suspicious in its own right."

"So you would need physical access to their computer," L confirmed.

I nodded.

L bit his thumbnail. "If we can just narrow it down to a few suspects..."

"And have me poke around their personal computers without a warrant?" I inquired, raising my brows at him. "How scandalous of you, Ryu."

L got to his feet, collecting his bowl. "Kira is a mass murderer at this point," L said. "We cannot take chances or wait... We need to act deliberately if we mean to catch him."

"Now you're speaking my language," I called after him as he headed to the kitchen.

L placed his bowl in the sink after rinsing it off and headed back toward me. I wondered how tall he would be if he didn't slouch all the time.

"Now, Nina, was it? Nina Forner is what you're going by?" he asked.

"Yup," I said. "I have a fake passport for it and everything. Canadian, you see. From lovely Victoria Island."

L nodded. "Well, Nina, you do realize that for the time being, it would be best if you remained in the hotel room. There will always be food and refreshments. Your room has its own bathroom, and there are plenty of things to entertain you while we aren't working on the case." He gestured to the television and sound system. "If for any reason you find the urge to leave the hotel room, you will come to me first, and depending on what it is you want, we will either send Watari to gather it, or he will accompany you on your outing."

I bounced my eyebrows at him. "What's wrong, you don't trust me?" I asked.

"I do not trust Kira," L corrected. "Granted, there is very little chance that he would ever realize that you would be a value to him, but we will keep what you know and the fact that you know it to ourselves for now. That includes telling the police."

I saluted him. "Aye, sir."

L bit his thumbnail again, looking me over. "Please do not make this an issue, Nina. I would rather we didn't come to be at odds with one another while working such a delicate case. But understand I will go to great lengths in the name of safety."

His gaze was hard and it arrested my own with deadly promise. I already knew I was giving away my freedom by coming here. Again, L would bend some laws if it served his purpose in catching his enemy.

"I mean, I've got a 3DS to kill time," I said with a shrug.

L continued to stare at me.

"Sheesh, what do you want, a solemn swear?" I asked him. "Don't we need a Bible for me to put my right hand on? Or is it my left and I raise my right hand?"

"Nina."

"And do we have to call each other by those names in here?" I folded my arms. "It's not like Kira is around to hear us, L."

L's mouth twitched a little. It seemed like he was sucking on his cheek or biting his tongue.

"When it's just us and Watari, I suppose there is no harm," he admitted. "But never outside this room or even if the room's door or windows are open."

"So secretive."

"You're the same way, aren't you?"

"The name Jack doesn't resonate with as many people as the name L does," I told him.

"You still haven't convinced me about you behaving."

"Behaving?" I echoed. "You make it sound like I'm a child. I'm fairly certain I'm your age."

"I am childish, despite my age," L said. "Now, Jack, do I have you word? You'll follow my rules?"

"Yes, okay, fine, there are you happy?" I threw my hands up in exasperation.

L looked me over and then he actually grunted with what sounded like amusement. "It really is just like our old messages."

"You know, instant messenger is a lot better now than it was three years ago," I informed him. "We could fire it up for old time's sake."

"We're in the same suite."

"What if I wake up in the middle of the night and want some water?"

"Then you'll get up and go get it."

"But what if it's dark and spoopy?"

"...Spoopy?" L looked like I had forced him to pick up a jellyfish with his bare hands.

"You really have to get hip with the kids, L." I laughed.

L perched himself on his chair again. "Perhaps you should get comfortable in your room," he suggested. "Of course, not too comfortable. We move hotels every third night."

"Oh good," I sighed as I got to my feet. "I don't like staying still anyway."

"Once you've settled, come back out here, there are some notes I want to go over with you," L called after me.

I waved my hand without looking back to show I understood.

Once in my room with the door closed firmly behind me, I set to unpacking some of my things. My room was pretty nice, just like the rest of this hotel suite. It bore a queen sized bed with elegant white sheets and a whole array of pillows. It wasn't like most hotels where they only gave out two and one had to ask for more. I made a note to myself to make a fort later.

The carpet was a soft beige and it felt like a cloud beneath my socked feet. There was a bedside table on either side of the bed, each decked out with a touch sensor lamp. There was a vanity across from the foot of the bed, allowing my to catch a glimpse of myself in its large mirror. On the right side of the room was a dresser and to the left was a desk and my private bathroom. I could spy a sink-in tub inside.

Nox went and sat on my bed, leaning forward on his knees.

"He's... actually just like you described," the Shinigami said.

I shrugged and spoke back in a low tone. "I wasn't expecting him to be so young to be honest."

"He has a certain charm about him, doesn't he?" Nox noted. "But just remember what you can and cannot discuss, Jack."

"I know," I assured him as I took my suitcase over to the dresser and sat down to take out some of my clothes. "But that doesn't mean I can't help." I met the Shinigami's eyes. "What exactly will you do once L knows it's a Death Note causing this?"

Nox chuckled. "You think he'll figure it out? Or are you going to tell him?"

"I can't tell him, you said that much," I muttered irritably. "But I will make sure he finds out one way or another. He has to—we have to stop this."

"He doesn't need to know the cause to stop this," Nox said. "Once you find Kira, you can kill him and his Shinigami will take his notebook and leave."

"Will they?" I pressed. "You didn't leave when Victor died."

"I... am a unique case."

"Nox, you can see other Shinigami right?" I asked.

"Of course."

"Will you tell me if you see one?"

Nox laughed. "I like you, Jack, but I can't just cheat. If you want to see Kira, you'll have to make my deal. I'm not helping you on this."

I huffed. Perhaps Nox wouldn't outright tell me. But if I could caught him acting odd around someone, perhaps that would be my tip off.

"Fine," I grumbled. "But what was that about me killing him? I told you, I'm not killing anyone, Nox."

"How else will you stop him?" Nox cocked his head to the side, his strange shock of white hair flickering slightly.

"L will arrest him and put him away. We'll destroy the Death Note. Look, just answer me this..." I paused with my unpacking, shoving one of the drawers close. "Say L found out about the Death Note on his own. Then what? Would you kill him?"

Nox sighed and shook his head. "I suppose not. Some Shinigami don't care about letting their humans show the Death Note to anyone they please, but I'm not one of them. I'm barely putting up with you not using the Death Note. It's a waste."

"So you'll kill me if I outright tell him. But not if he finds out on his own?"

"I guess that sums it up."

I ran my hands over my face. "You're making this way more complicated than it needs to be. If other Shinigami are okay with their humans telling others about the Death Note, why aren't you?" I whispered.

"Because most other humans don't want to go spouting off the information about the Death Notes," Nox said. "You're trying to get another one destroyed."

"Is that so bad?"

"It's bad for what I'm trying to do."

"Yeah, you've still neglected to talk to me about that." I finished with the clothes, electing to leave some of them packed since we would be moving hotels. I got to my feet and snatched my bathroom essentials bag and moved headed for my private restroom."If you want to stop me from destroying that Death Note, you might as well kill me, Nox."

Nox growled under his breath. "Well, what you're doing might help too."

I got the sudden urge to grab the soap dish and chuck it at him. "You make no sense."

Nox shrugged. "You don't make any sense to me either. But here we are, stuck at this impasse."

I set out all my bathroom goods and then faced the Shinigami. "I understand your rules, as ridiculous as they are. You just need to understand my intentions."

"I do," Nox said. "Just don't make me kill you Jack. Like I said, I like you." His grin nearly reached his ears.

I waved him off and went back into my room. I figured I'd spent a little too much time in here, so I swiftly changed into some pajamas (after making sure Nox wasn't looking) and then headed back into the living room.

This was where it would begin. The first real step toward ending this madness that was the Death Notes. I knew I had a slim chance of doing this without L, and maybe with me here, he wouldn't do anything to get himself killed while trying to solve this impossible case.