AN: Apparently my work is internationally acclaimed! How lovely, I generally reply to anyone who reviews, but since you guys were anonymous, i'll do that here :P.
In regards to the charming El (Very clever name dear) thank you for the lovely criticism, I intend to keep the story going, and I think the word you're looking for is something like "engrossing" or "enthralling", either way thanks mate :)
For Inari. Thank you very much for the review, I'm glad you've found enjoyment in my writing, and it's cool to know my work is getting such wide spread coverage lol XD Chile is not a place i've been myself, though I might be going to europe some time next year; regardless of where I end up I hope to continue the story when I get time :P
And finally to the fabulous "Guest", thank you for the compliment, I would have updated a little earlier were I not concerned, about my mortality, and my employability :P I wish I had, because I actually know what i'm doing for the next bit of the story at least, but the fact that I have to study, is the main contributor to my lack of publishing, outside of losing interest, or not having any good ideas. Also fuck 2016.
I will try to continue, scouts honour :)
Thank you to everyone else who has favourited my work, I would send you a thanks, but literally (and this is true surprisingly) I've gotten so many favourites I can't get to all of you, but if you have any questions or whatever, send me a message, or put down a review.
Also My story is cannonly off by about a year just so we're clear. These events would have occurred in 2003, not 2004. :)
And as a final side note I really wish Death parade had come out in 2011 lol, I would have written this story very differently, I think ;). If you haven't seen the series, I suggest it highly. It's produced by the same studio that made the deathnote anime, and there's a fun little easter egg in there.
Now i've gone on long enough, enjoy your story!
Chapter 12: The Clock Starts Ticking
"What do you mean these deaths were different?!" Asked Mr Yagami, in puzzlement, as he talked to his colleague.
As the man on the other line explained, L looked over the details on his laptop, in concentration.
On the outside these could just be normal instances of men panicking in their last moments.
However…
L bit his thumb.
They already knew that Kira could control the time of death, and given his strange method of killing, it wasn't out of the question that he could also control the actions of a person before death.
'Am I willing to believe that something like that is possible.' Considered L.
If this were true it could make matters...complicated.
"Chief." Said L
"Yes?" Asked Soichiro, pausing his phone call.
"We can't release details of these men's deaths to the media. As far as they are concerned, these are just heart attacks." Stated L.
"I have reason to believe that Kira was performing some kind of test using these criminals. If that's the case, we'd only be giving him the results if this information is leaked to the public."
'Experimenting?' Thought Mr Yagami in Horror, before nodding.
"I understand." He said.
…
By the next morning, Rose had completely exhausted the stationary resources of the internet café; making frequent trips throughout the night, to the front desk to steal their printer paper.
She now had at least fifty letters, detailing the events in which the FBI agents were going to die in great detail; mentioning the envelope, the number of agents, and the man who would die first.
It was still a long shot that they'd pay any attention to her warnings, but Rosemary hoped that the large amount of information would dissuade them from treating it like some kind of prank.
Regardless, all of the letters mentioned that if they wished to talk with her further, they should meet her on either the 30th of December, or the 2nd of January, at a café called the "Orange Cloud" at 12pm.
She knew that Raye died just after christmas so that would give them time to find her immediately afterwards, if they connected the prediction to their deaths, or if they got it too late, they'd still have a chance to meet her within a relatively short amount of time.
Rosey frowned.
Of course in the worst case scenario, they wouldn't believe her, AND the agents would die.
Rose shook her head.
'Stay positive.' She thought.
This was only step one after all.
She packed her many letters into a black leather bag, she'd "borrowed" from the storage unit, and began her walk out into the cool city.
Yesterday had been one of those days where she didn't need any sleep at all, which was useful. She'd gotten a lot done in the past twelve hours.
"Gaudette, Gaudette, Christus est natus." Sang Rose as she glanced, at all the christmas decorations.
It looked like Japan really digged the season.
She wasn't even sure why she sang anymore, it was just a thing that would come and go.
Lord knows she wasn't good at it.
"Tempus adest gratiæ, Hoc quod optabamus." Rosemary continued to hum, her favourite Christmas song.
She was planning on leaving the bag on the front desk.
As much as she'd like to talk to the task force members one on one, she didn't think she had any real information, that would convince them right now.
'Not like Lawliet will mean much to them.' She thought.
Besides she had to try and find Raye, and warn him. If the police ignored her predictions alla Cassandra, then the least she could do would be try to convince Raye, to keep his real name to himself no matter what.
As she entered the building, she decided she'd hang around long enough to make sure they took in the evidence at least.
She didn't write all those letters for them to throw them out, without reading them.
Rose dumped the black handbag on the front desk, and went back and leaned against a window.
The secretary at the desk looked confused, as he looked up and suddenly noticed the bag.
Looking around he saw no one to claim it, so he looked inside and found the many letters, labeled 'Kira Case'.
With wide eyes the man head into the back, yelling to some other officer.
'I guess it's good he knew English.' Thought Rose, just now realising the flaw in her plan.
Well there wasn't much she could do now, she decided as she headed out the door.
"Gaudette, Gaudette, Christus..." she hummed, as she boarded a bus to Light's town.
Leaning back into one of the seats, Rose closed her eyes.
Yesterday's efforts were catching up to her; it wouldn't hurt to have a little rest.
Meanwhile in the back of the Police station the investigation team, was sorting through yet more mail.
Aizawa sighed.
He'd been working with the research team, to sift through mountains, of kira enquiries.
It was barely noon, and they'd only just started to make any real headway with the claims.
The majority, as expected were useless. Just dumb teenagers, and paranoid housewives, who didn't know anything that wasn't on the News.
'But still we can't chance anything.' Resigned Aizawa, as he placed yet another Kira claim, in the "Irrelevant " pile of letters.
Suddenly someone burst through the door.
"Sir! Sir!" Yelled the receptionist, clutching a handbag. "You have to look at this."
"What is it?" Asked Mogi, taking the bag.
"I think it's more Kira enquiries." Said the receptionist, uncertainly.
"Someone left it on the front desk, but I didn't see who." He admitted sheepishly, as he rubbed the back of his head.
Aizawa raised his eyebrows.
"What do you mean you didn't see who? What were you doing?" He asked in disbelief.
The receptionist, raised his hands.
"Nothing, I swear; I just looked at my desk, and it was there all of a sudden, honestly."
"Well I guess it's not that important." Said Mogi, as he opened up the contents of the bag.
It contained a large amount of letters for the Kira investigation, as well as a wallet, some car keys, and some mascara.
"Well whoever left it, probably didn't mean to leave the bag." Said Aizawa, as he looked over the wallet ID.
"Do you think, you can call this 'Mayu Tsukino' person? Have them pick this up" he asked the receptionist.
He nodded, and took back the bag, and the rest of the contents; leaving the letters.
Mogi opened one up.
It said that in the next few days, a large group of FBI agents would die.
But this seemed different, to the other claims they'd seen today.
It was heavily detailed, listing times, and specific places to meet, but no names, or house addresses.
It was very suspicious.
"What do you make of this?" Asked Mogi, as he, looked over the letter.
"It's strange I'll give it that." Said another officer, as they each read one, of the many copies of the letter.
"Strange maybe, but preposterous." Claimed Ide.
"You really think so?" Asked Aizawa, maybe it was just his gut, but he had a feeling, this didn't feel right.
"Of course." Said Ide "There are no FBI agents in Japan, on the Kira case, and even if there were, Kira wouldn't be able to track all their names in the time, this letter's given."
Mogi nodded.
"You've got a point, if that were the case we'd know about it; and it's one thing to get information from the news, but Kira would have to work that much harder to get FBI names."
"So what do we do with these then?" Asked Aizawa, who was beginning to see their point.
"Should we tell the chief?"
Ide shook his head.
"Why bother? This is probably some prank, I mean it's elaborate, but the facts just don't add up." He insisted.
'He has a good point.' Thought Aizawa, as he placed his copy of the letter into the "irrelevant" pile.
But why did he still have a gut feeling?
…
Raye penber had been watching Light Yagami for a few days now.
He wasn't sure why now. Raye understood that in such an unusual case they didn't have many leads, but this was ridiculous.
Light Yagami had proven himself to be nothing but a model student over, and over again.
'It's just a job.' Thought Raye with a sigh.
There was no way anyone really suspected this kid, it was just routine obviously.
Raye looked across the street to make sure Light Yagami entered his house, before jotting down his observations for the day.
'Only two more days of this.' Thought Raye, as he began walking back to his hotel room.
He was just walking past the all night bus station, when he was suddenly shoved to the ground.
'What I?! I didn't even see anyone! Am I being attacked?!' Thought Raye frantically, before he looked up to see a woman in blue frantically talking to him.
'But I can't hear her.' Wondered Raye.
Could she not speak?
"Ma'am," Raye assumed english would be better, since she looked western.
"Ma'am calm down". He said sitting up, and gently pushing her off his lap.
Rosemary took a deep breath.
'God I must look like a totel psycho.' Thought Rose.
But she'd acted quickly when she saw him. She'd been asleep for almost five hours, and it was already three by the time her bus pulled into the town again.
She'd been sure that she'd miss him today.
"Miss what's wrong? Do you understand me? Do you need help." Raye continued to ask in English, as the woman appeared to calm down.
Rosey nodded, before reaching for her notebook.
'I need to talk to you about Light Yagami.' She wrote.
Raye stiffened.
Was she an agent? No they would have told him in advance.
Then was there more to this Yagami kid than he thought?
Raye looked around cautiously.
"How do you know that name?" He whispered harshly.
Rose expected this.
'That doesn't matter. I know your name is Raye penber, and you're engaged to Naomi Misora.' She wrote before handing him the note.
'How could she possibly know that!?' Questioned Raye. This woman could be dangerous.
He looked her over. She was overweight, but that didn't necessarily mean she was defenseless.
Raye stiffened.
"What do you want?" He demanded, quietly.
'Hear me out.' Wrote Rosemary.
Raye glared at her in suspicion.
'Soon, you'll go on a bus whilst following Light. There'll be an incident involving a hijacker.' She continued.
Raye rose an eyebrow.
Was this woman for real?
How could she know that? Did she think she was some kind of psychic?
'Whatever you do, you cannot reveal your name on that bus.' She finished, before looking up at him in worry.
Why was she worried?
Raye sighed.
"Look miss, under no circumstances would I ever reveal my identity." He paused.
"Even if I somehow did get caught in a hijacking, so you have nothing to worry about." He said, handing back her notebook.
Rosie, rapidly shook her head no, before scribbling down again.
'No! You don't understand, Light Yagami is Kira, and if he sees your name he'll kill you!. If you absolutely must talk to him, at least use a fake ID or something.' She insisted.
Light Yagami, Kira? Was this woman mad? Raye himself, could vouch for the kid's innocence at this point.
"Are you crazy? There's no way, that boy's a killer; I haven't seen him so much as go round a friend's house this week, let alone commit a murder!" Raye yelled, raising his voice for a moment.
"And what makes you so sure anyway!? And how exactly do you know about Misora?! What are you, some kind of crazy conspiracy theorist?" Accused Raye, as he began losing his temper with this strange woman.
Rose flinched slightly, dropping her notebook.
What did she do?
She wondered this as she kneeled on the floor, with her notebook.
Rosemary began writing again.
"What are you gonna say this time huh!?" Asked Raye.
'Please promise to not tell anyone your name.' she wrote, staring at him pleadingly.
Raye blinked at the woman in front of him.
She was clearly scared, uncertain, and yet she seemed motivated by something.
Did she truly believe he was going to die?
'Maybe I should get her medical help.' reasoned Raye, feeling slightly guilty, at his lack of control just then.
This woman didn't seem malicious, and he'd been trained to see through deception.
Whatever this woman believed was happening, she believed in it completely.
Sighing, Raye kneeled down next to her.
It wouldn't hurt to give into her delusions a little.
"Miss, I promise to not reveal my name to anyone, whilst investigating Light Yagami." He said, placing a hand over his chest for emphasis.
Then Rose did something unexpected.
She wrapped her arms around him, and hugged him.
Raye froze.
Was there something wet on his shoulder? Was she crying?
Sure enough, when Rosemary pulled away, her eyes were red, and puffy.
But she was smiling.
Rosemary mouthed the words 'Thank You', and Raye smiled back in response.
He was sure she just needed some help.
Rose grabbed her notebook, and turned to walk away, as Raye was wiping gravel off of his knees.
"Hey wait!" He yelled, wanting to call a doctor for her.
But she was already gone it seemed.
'But how?' Wondered Raye.
It was impossible for her to have left his line of sight that quickly.
And yet it was like, she'd never been there.
…
"Look at this, Ryuk." Said Light.
"The results of yesterday's little test have already been downloaded onto my Dad's computer. And these results are just as I expected."
Light smirked.
"The Death note definetly will work for what I have in mind." He said as he explained the limitations of the Death Note.
"That's very clever Light, but what's your endgame?" Asked Ryuk.
Light smirked.
"Well Ryuk, you'll just have to wait and see". He said, as he started to phone his friend.
…
Raye sighed as he entered his hotel room.
He'd almost think he'd imagined the whole encounter, what with the way she suddenly disappeared.
'But she had to have been there.' Surmised Raye, he felt her arms around him, her tears on his shoulder.
It was too real.
"How was your day today Raye?" Asked Naomi with a smile.
Raye smiled back.
"The usual, not much going on in high schoo.l" He said, chuckling slightly.
Whatever had happened wasn't important.
…
Rosemary was staying in a luxurious pent suite tonight.
In terms of price, it would be over £1000, give or take to spend one night there, so it wasn't booked often.
'At least there's an advantage to being dead.' Thought Rose, as she looked over the indoor hot tub she'd just helped herself to.
Her morals were slipping it seemed.
When she was alive she never would have dreamed, about doing something like this.
'Still, I need to actually stay somewhere habitable, if I want to keep feeling human' She surmised.
'I might as well pick somewhere nice, now that i'm broke.'
Rose couldn't seem to sleep outside, as easily as before.
Not since she'd come back.
Rosemary lay back on the luxurious mattress.
She'd only be here for the night anyway.
She had a job to do tomorrow.
Rosie couldn't do much more to guarantee, the lives of the FBI agents at this point. Their death was only a couple of days away at the most, and based off of Raye's reaction, more force wouldn't convince anyone if it hadn't already.
Rosemary frowned.
'I hope he'll be alright.' She thought sadly.
She shook her head, and turned on the TV.
Rose had other things to focus on.
Tomorrow she was going to try and find L.
She didn't think she'd be very successful, but she knew he was staying in a hotel in Tokyo, and if she could meet him before the death of the FBI agents, then it could only improve things.
So she was going to browse as many hotels as possible, to try and find him.
…
"So what's the plan again?" Asked Ryuk.
"You mean you don't know?" Asked Light, raising an eyebrow. "Didn't you see me write it?"
"Nah, I want to be surprised." Said Ryuk, with a grin.
Light smirked slightly.
"In that case, just wait and see." He said, as his date arrived.
They both chatted excitedly, for a few minutes before boarding the bus together.
Raye following close behind them.
He'd already decided in advance that this would be his last day observing the boy.
There was no real reason to suspect him.
'After today I finish my investigation.' He thought, happily.
Soon he could go back to focussing on his wedding.
The journey went smoothly at first, before it was suddenly jacked by a criminal.
Raye's eyes widened,remembering the strange girl's warning.
This couldn't be, it had to be a coincidence, an unlucky guess.
But Raye didn't have time to consider, wherever it was true or not, everyone's life was in danger.
Light Yagami was thinking of grabbing the gun out of his hand.
If he didn't act now, he could do something stupid.
…
'Nothing.' Sighed Rose, as she lay on another hotel bed.
This one significantly less luxurious, than her last.
Rosemary was now exhausted.
She'd searched every room of about five hotels.
Her speed aiding her greatly.
But he wasn't anywhere to be found.
Rosemary, had suspected that she wouldn't find him straight away, but she wasn't sure she could motivate herself to search through anymore hotels.
'I didn't even know I could get so exhausted' thought Rose.
She had thought he would have stayed in one of the more luxurious hotels, but maybe he'd only started doing that after he began meeting up with the task force.
Taking a shower before slipping underneath the covers, Rosemary couldn't quite bring herself to sleep, despite her exhaustion.
If she had somehow failed, then by this time next week, Raye, and the other FBI agents would be dead.
Tossing, and turning for about an hour, she finally managed to get to sleep.
…
As Raye wandered home, he couldn't help but think about that girl.
'A bus jacking where I'm forced to reveal myself. It seems too closely linked to be a coincidence.' considered Raye.
But he'd already been tailing Light Yagami for weeks.
There was nothing remotely suspicious, about him.
'There's no way, she knew it would happen. Bus jackings happen around towns all the time.' He reasoned to himself, as he entered his hotel room.
Besides he was leaving soon anyway.
…
L was looking over the suicide note he'd received.
'Kira what are you trying to tell me.' He wondered.
Suddenly his laptop beeped.
"L." Said Watari.
"Hm?" Asked L, eyes not moving from the note, in his hand.
"There's been another victim. This one left what appears to be a suicide note." Stated Watari.
'So it seems, he's acted again.' Thought L.
"I see. Thank you Watari, please, send it to me." Requested L, turning to his screen, as Watari sent him an image, of the latest note.
"Gods of Death." he read out loud, in consideration.
"L, do you know..."
"Gods of Death..."
'Is he seriously, trying to tell us that Gods of Death exist?' Pondered L, as he narrowed his eyes in thought.
Or was the message incomplete?
"Watari. Tell the police to monitor prison populations closely for the next few days." Said L, biting his thumb.
"Kira may use other suicide notes, to communicate with us."
"Understood." Said Watari
…
'Urgh, I don't want to move.' Thought Rose as she lay in bed, the next morning.
Usually her energy replenished itself quickly, but it seems going through 3000 hotel rooms, had really drained her.
'Do I really want to keep looking for L?' She wondered to herself.
At this rate, she'd just collapse even if she did find him.
But it wasn't like she really had a good way of finding him.
The taskforce wouldn't become more organised until after the FBI incident, and if she HAD succeeded in preventing the FBI agents deaths, it could take her even longer to contact L.
'If only I had his phone number or something.' Thought Rosie in frustration.
She could literally bring him down with one word, if they so much as looked at each other.
Rosemary sighed.
What even would happen, when they looked at each other?
When she was younger she'd been on 'Team Light' because he was good looking.
Rose scoffed.
His good looks, didn't really make up, for his dull as fuck interests, did they?
But would she like L any better?
Rose had spent most of her time, reading Light fanfiction. She couldn't even remember what she thought of L back then.
They were a similar age now.
'Doubt he ever worried about unemployment, or student debt though.' Thought Rose, with a roll of her eyes.
She wasn't sure they'd get along much better, to be honest.
L was an idiot. He was broken, in an incredibly flawed way, and Rose wasn't sure he would ever, consider his ignorance a possibility.
Rosie stayed still for a moment, before dragging herself, out of bed with a groan.
Rosemary then, slowly but surely, got dressed.
"Well, I have to do something for the next week." She said reluctantly, before leaving for her next hotel hunt.
'This week is gonna suck.' Thought Rosemary, as she headed across the street to the Golden Lily hotel.
…
"This place is crawling with humans. Are you gonna do it here? It's already been a week?" Asked Ryuk, as he entered the underground with Light.
"Yeah." Said Light, looking around "Pretty soon, all my hard work is going to come together."
"He's here." He said, noticing Raye Pember.
"Right on time, as expected." He grinned, as he walked behind him
"Mr. Raye Penber. Turn around and you are dead." Light whispered quietly.
"I am Kira."
Raye stiffened.
'Where have I heard that voice?'
…
'Urgh I never want to see a high end hotel room again.' Thought Rose, as she lay face down on her bed.
She had deliberately chosen a place that was cheaper. It was unique, but cozy. It was an older place, with a western design to it. The bed was suspended, and supported on an iron frame, to give it an authentic feel, and the wardrobe, and desk though worn, were western too.
She'd lost count of all the hotels she'd gone through; not including the times she backtracked to make sure he hadn't gone to any she'd already checked.
If L had gone to any of the ones she'd seen, then Rosie, had the worst timing on the planet.
'Wouldn't be the first time.' She thought, as she wistfully remembered Light's first victim.
Turning over onto her back, she glanced at the clock across the room.
She'd soon know if she'd managed to save the agents.
Rosemary sat up.
She didn't think she'd saved them.
She hoped she had. Rose was actually somewhat of an optimist, but…
'Why would they have believed me?' Thought Rose, with a sad chuckle.
This time she wasn't gonna feel guilty though.
She'd done that before and it hadn't done anything.
"I did what I could." She murmured, with a lamenting smile.
If she knew where L was, or she'd been able to give more concrete evidence to Raye, then she might have felt bad, but what could she really have done?
"Only real thing i've got going for me, is that Light can't kill me." Said Rose, with a sigh.
Turning on the TV, Rosemary glanced at the clock again.
'Only a couple of hours left.' She thought.
…
Raye had opened up his laptop, and was writing names in an envelope.
But why?
'Kira needs a name and a face. What the hell can he do with just their names?' He wondered, as he began writing down the names of his colleagues.
That voice was so familiar.
'That girl.' He thought.
She'd warned him against using his real name.
Had Kira been on that bus?
"Good. Looks like you're done." Said Light into his transceiver, as Raye wrote the last name.
"Now put the transceiver, and all the papers back into the original envelope, and place them on the rack above your head. After that you're going to stay in your seat and ride the train for at least another thirty minutes. Only when you are absolutely certain, that nobody would notice you leaving without the envelope, will you get off the train. He said firmly.
Raye, put the envelope on the above rack, and sat back down.
'Why can't I remember who you are?' He wondered furiously, as the next stop came.
Just as he stepped onto the platform, he felt a pang in his chest.
"Urggh!" He groaned, grasping his shirt, as he fell to the floor.
As he looked at the train, he noticed none other, than Light Yagami holding the envelope.
His eyes widened.
'That girl was right.' He thought, as his eyes closed shut.
…
L's laptop suddenly beeped.
"L, you have a call from the director of the FBI." Said Watari.
"Thank you Watari." Said L, accepting the call.
"It's me. I've got a report in front of me right now stating that all of our agents in Japan are dead." Said the Director.
"All twelve died of heart attacks! I can only assume that Kira is behind this!" He yelled, in outrage before pausing, with a sigh.
"Look, I'm sorry, but it's already decided. We are calling off our investigation." He said, before hanging up.
Immediately afterwards Watari called again.
"L,I have chief Yagami on the line." He said, before Mr Yagami's voice broke through.
"L, I've just got off the phone with the director of the FBI." Said Soichiro, firmly.
"According to him, it seems that you arranged for the FBI to come to Japan and investigate everyone here associated with the task force."
"Yes, I did." Said L.
"Would you explain, exactly why you thought this necessary? Are we now suspects in our own investigation?" Asked Mr Yagami, angrily.
"I felt that it was necessary to uncover Kira's identity." L simply stated.
"I cannot accept that!" Yelled Mr Yagami.
"I found it unbelievable that you would spy on us. The very people working with you on this case." He finished, before slamming down the phone.
L stared at the screen biting his thumb.
He didn't have much time before Watari, messaged him again however.
"We have another victim. A note was found at the scene." He said emailing L.
L quickly glanced at all three notes.
"L, do you know...", "gods of death…"
"Love apples." He finished.
L grit his teeth in anger.
'Damn you, Kira.'
…
Mr Yagami sighed, he couldn't believe L would betray, their trust like this.
"Hear that?" Said one officer. "Well, I knew all along we couldn't trust that guy."
"More importantly, Kira killed those FBI agents, didn't he?" Said another.
"Yeah, It's obvious he'll kill anyone who gets in his way, whether they're criminals or not." Stated the first.
"So much for his sense of justice. He's a murderer." Agreed, a third officer.
Aizawa, walked in carrying yet another stack of paper, along with several other men who had been helping him sort through it.
"What's going on? Did something happen with the Kira case?" He asked noticing their expressions.
"Apparently L sent FBI agents to Japan to monitor us." Said Mr Yagami, with a solemn tone of voice.
Aizawa nearly dropped his pile.
"He did what?" He asked in shock.
"That's not half of it." Said the first officer. "Apparently they were all killed by Kira, a few hours ago."
Ide, Aizawa, and Mogi looked at each other.
They were all thinking the same thing.
'Those notes said that a group of FBI agents would die on the 27th.'