Chapter 19 It's Finally Time

L's PoV****************************************************

"What!?" Chief Yagami still tried to see the 'goodness' in his son, L reflected. His faith in his family was admirable, if misplaced. "Ryuzaki…You want us to prepare for the arrest of my son?"

"Yes," L monotoned. Should he put more whipped cream on his cake? "Unless another suspect appears out of nowhere, Light is the only person who fits the profile. We will arrest him and put him isolation while we search for this…Death Note." He gestured at the killer notebook. "If the killings continue, then Light will be released with little to no suspicion. However, if the killings stop…"

"Then Light's Kira." Matsuda sighed.

L nodded. Yes, his cake definitely needed more whipped cream. Suddenly, the computer in front of him beeped and Watari's 'W' appeared on screen.

"L," Watari said. "There is a phone call for you, from one Sayu Yagami."

His eyes widened. Sayu…? "Send it through."

The sound of sobs and gasping breaths filled the room. "R-Ryuzaki…?" Chief Yagami tried to speak, but L shooed him away.

"Sayu-chan? What's wrong?"

"Y-You once s-said that you work with my dad …Does that mean you are also trying to catch Kira?"

"Yes… Why are you asking?"

"I-I was looking for some paper in Light's desk…a-and I found this weird notebook…" L's blood ran cold. It couldn't be… "Inside, there's all the names of Kira's victims. I wouldn't think anything of it, but…some of the names are written in future tense, like he was expecting the deaths to happen!"

L's breath quickened. This was bad, very, very bad. "Sayu, you need to tell me where you are. We can protect you, but we need your location."

"I-I'm in an alley a few blocks away from my house—" A burst of static cut the connection and cold dread settled in his stomach.

"Sayu? Sayu!"

Sayu's PoV************************************************

Sayu dropped her phone as she heard a familiar cackle of Light's Shinigami. She took a deep breath. She could do this. L's coming at any moment. She could do this.

Light and Ryuk rounded the corner and saw her. Light looked frantic, barely hidden by a thin veil of composer. "Sayu! I finally found you! Mom's been worried sick!" He tried to approach her. Sayu backed away. "Sayu, stop playing around. We have to go home."

"No."

"Sayu, knock it off!"

Light tried to get closer to her, but Sayu screamed, "Get away from me!"

His brow creased. "Sayu…"

"Get away from me, Kira." A few tears leaked down her cheeks. She was shaking.

"I'm not—"

"Don't think I'm stupid Light!" Sayu yelled. "I'm not stupid! I know who you are! …Nothing but a common murderer," Like she was one to talk. But at least she had the guts to admit it.

Light dropped his head and gave a strained chuckle. That seemed to break the dam and he threw back his head, laughter echoing off the alley walls. "I've imagined getting found out many times…but I never thought that it would be you who found out first, Sayu."

He peered at her with half-crazed eyes. "That's right…I am Kira. And what can you do? Kill me right here?"

Sayu bit her tongue. He was monologuing? Seriously?

"Hear this," he continued. "I'm not only Kira, but I am also…god of the new world. Kira has become law in the world we know live. He's the one who's maintaining order. I have become justice, the only hope for mankind. Kill me? Is that really the right thing to do, Sayu? Since Kira's appearance, wars have stopped and global crime rates have been reduced substantially. But…it's not enough! This world is still rotten…with too many rotten people.

"Somebody has to do this! And when I first got that notebook all those months ago, I knew I had to do it. No…I was the only one who could!

"I understood that killing people was a crime… There is no other way; the world has to be fixed! A purpose given to me!" Light stopped and stared at Sayu earnestly. "No…us! Sayu, help me. Together, we could create the perfect world. People would revere us, love us—"

"That's your problem, Light." Sayu said quietly. "Fatal flaw, really. You think too highly of yourself. You think that everyone will love you, and maybe they will…but I won't. I will always be against you."

Suddenly, bright light filled the alley from behind Light.

"This is the police! Light Yagami, come out with your hands up! Any sudden movements and we will fire!"