Sorry for the vanishing act I performed last week! In return for waiting for me to get off my butt, there will be a special treat/drabble/fic, as soon as I figure out what to write for it. Ugh, sorry to say this as well, but another vanishing act is taking place this weekend. My life finally caught up to me, and isn't letting go any time soon.

This chapter is about what happened while Light was locked up in his first cell, and in L's cell as well (did that rhyme!?). Thanks to Shinku Anrui and deathnoteno1fan-codegeasslover for helping me decide what to write! Arigato!

Disclaimer: Death Note rocks, but will never be mine. Well, it isn't yet... heh heh heh...

Behind the Mirror

The disappearances had started two years ago. At first, only one or two people had gone missing, hardly enough to alert the police. Run-aways were common in Tokyo and hardly ever looked into. Only when the the amount of people had escalated to twenty-eight, then fifty, and finally sixty-three that the police had finally looked into it. There seemed to be no motive, ransom was never asked for, nor were any corpses ever found, though the rate of disappearances was alarming. The people seemingly vanished into the vast city, never again to be seen or heard of. Even after a year of searching, following suspected abductors and even potential abductees, the police force could not catch a trace of the culprit. That was when it had been decided to hand the case over to L.

Now it was two years after taking the case, those years consisting of agonizing scrutiny, in which every detail was twisted and bent for any clue. After two years of being left mercilessly in the dark, L had found his breakthrough.

The date when this breakthrough had first shown itself was, ironically, the 2nd anniversary of the case itself. L might have even missed this clue, if not for Watari's dogged perseverance to find something, anything, for him to work with.

Apparently, a scientist working for Black Sun, a leading corporation in the development of medicine, had been arrested by the police. Caught vandalizing public property, he was handcuffed and brought to the nearest police station. The scientist was highly intoxicated at the time, and believing the arrest was caused by the research being done in Dark Sun's labs, he proceeded to loudly inform the entire police station why there was no problem. This also involved him informing them of why he wasn't a part of said non-existent problem, and what and where the problem might possibly be, if it was real. By this time L, monitoring the entire process through security cameras, had anonymously alerted the rest of the police force.

After that, things couldn't have gone any worse, or any better. Apparently, Dark Sun had already ben alerted to the danger one of their labs was in, and burned everything that could possibly incriminate the higher-ups, as L had expected them too. No evidence remained to provide even a nodule of information to work with. All the test subjects had been evacuated from their holding cells before the fire. The blaze had also compromised the structural integrity of the building. With the building as weak as it was, and the main damage belonging to the researchers department, only a select few were allowed to search there. Even less were allowed to search in the labyrinth of cells below the department. Only one detail, a rather large one, had saved L from the impending doom of no leads, and facing the constricted security of Dark Sun's labs. That was a person, found in a cell by one of the searchers. The reason he hadn't been evacuated as well wasn't apparent at the time, but L would find out, one way or another.

It was now that L was observing that person from behind a one-way mirror in one of his many confinement rooms. What an opportunity, to talk to one of the people who he was now certain were being torn from their families and experimented on. L doubted that this boy, a teenager by the looks of it, had any clue of his life before the abduction. If he had, then he most certainly would have be worried about his family, parents, girlfriend, or any outside relations. However, the teenager's countenance suggested nothing but puzzled acceptance. L hadn't been looking at just the boy's face the entire time that he had been watching, but he was sure that there hadn't been any signs of such. This boy had amnesia.

The theory was confirmed when the boy walked up to the mirror and began studying his reflection. It seemed as if he had never seen his own face before. L doubted that was the truth, as this teenager had most likely seen his visage many times, but had forgotten everything. Perhaps when the abduction had commenced, a blow to the head had wiped his memories? Then again, Dark Sun could have purposefully wiped them. That the organization had found a way of deceiving the mind was alarming, but impossible to tell from this one person. If only there had been more evidence, in order to study them separately and confirm these nagging suspicions!

L decided to at least try confirming them. A microphone was planted in the room, and although he had never used it before, now would be an excellent time. The first question would have to be the boy's name, as it would be useful information for finding any relations. If the boy even knew his name.

"I am sure you are wondering where you are. You are not in the laboratory. I will be asking questions, and you are to answer them by shaking or nodding your head. Do you know your name?"

The boy seemed to freeze for a moment, before slowly nodding his head. That was unexpected. Did he really know his name, or was it an implanted memory from Dark Sun? Other options were possible too, such as naming himself for lack of something better. Damn, just more theories after more theories. He needed solid facts, not these lingering questions. No, even more than that, he needed sugar.

Realizing that he had remained quiet for a considerable length of time, L decidedly advanced to the next question. Sugar could wait.

"Do you know the year you were born?"

This time there was a definite shake of the head. The name could have any number of reasons, but L wasn't surprised that he didn't know this. Finally, something conclusive. The last question made his amnesia theory much more likely than before, almost a 50% increase. This next question would have to decide wether he did remember, didn't, or had implanted memories. Although any implanted memories could be incomplete, and therefore this inquiry would result as inconclusive. Again. At least, it was worth a try.

"Do you know what year it is?"

The boy frowned slightly, then slowly shook his head. That was interesting. This boy showed no sign of emotion when asked personal questions, but showed distress when asked a simple question? L was now more sure of the state of this boy's memories. If there were implanted ones, then they would not have been completed yet, as Dark Sun did not seem the type of organization to make such an elementary error. The boy's memory was sure to be wiped, not lost from trauma. If trauma was the cause of the memory loss, there would be residual feelings or memories remaining, in the same way the knowledge of speech remained. He needed to observe this person more closely, not only to prove his theories correct, but to gather information about Dark Sun.

The only thing that worried L now was how observe. If he were to introduce himself, would his captive even know who L was? No, there was only two percent chance he would. Maybe fifteen, since Dark Shard was involved. Still too a small chance to risk.

Perhaps he could introduce himself as someone else and become a friend, someone to depend on? That would be a dangerous way to observe, but if L could get that much closer to this youth's psyche...

No, if Ryuuzaki could get closer. This could be a suitable strategy to employ, for now.

"Watari, please open the door to the captive's chamber. Prepare the task-force room, and my quarters for him."

"Your quarters? L, what are you planning, letting him sleep in the same room as you? That is entirely too dangerous!"

"Watari, I have decided this as my course of action. Please prepare the specified rooms."

"L, I'm not sure you know what you're getting yourself into."

"I do. Prepare the rooms."

I do know what I am getting myself into. It may be slightly dangerous, but at least the chances are known, and the calculations are made. I know the chances, and the risks.

L had no clue.

As for the first part where it L believes the test subjects were evacuated... he's been misinformed, he just doesn't know it yet. I wonder if Light will tell him, hate him for the massacre, or what? Hmmm, tough question.

Oh, and a creepy thing happened while writing this. I was sitting at my desk, stumped at what to write for a certain part. Sleep had not been my friend that night, or the nights before, and it really wasn't helping the writing process, nor the black marks underneath my eyes. Also, it was a weekend, so my appearance was understandably atrocious. So, I got up to go to the kitchen for something to eat, and chose some pocky. Passing a mirror on the way back to the computer, it was then I realized: "Oh my god. I'm turning into L." Twas a very freaky moment, and I doubt I'll be getting much more sleep thinking about that incident.

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