Chapter 2: Los Angeles (Day One)
The jet Reid had been talking about was actually quite small. Only eleven or twelve people really would have been able to ride comfortably in it. There were two tables folder out on either side and a booth around each one. Behind the booth, towards the back of the plane, a row of seats spread across each wall. We gathered around the two tables and discussed the case.
"If you look at it, all three victims were treated in the same manner. The wounds are all identical at least," Morgan started.
"Yeah, you're right," Reid added, "All three were shot nine times. That in and of itself would be plenty to consider a signature, but look at the areas they were shot. Twice in the right arm, three times in the left, once in the right foot, once in each shoulder, and once in the right hand."
"That certainly is specific," Gideon remarked.
"Agent Kayne, do you have any ideas?" Hotch asked.
"Huh, what? Oh, um… these wounds… A pattern like this wouldn't develop out of nowhere. The… killer was careful with them," I said. I picked up a picture of the left arm of one of the girls, "Look at the rings around the wounds. That's gunpowder residue. The killer held the gun right up against her skin."
"Yeah, you're right," Morgan said, "but look closer. There's another mark around each wound." He pulled the picture I had been studying closer to him and pointed out a darker, thinner ring around one of the wounds.
"It almost looks like… a line from a permanent marker," Hotch guessed.
"Well, based on how exact all the wounds are, I wouldn't be surprised if the killer drew rings where he would have to shoot. He wants to be exact," I said.
"Now we need to find out why," Gideon said. The others fell back in their seats or got up to sit somewhere else. I walked to a seat in the back of the jet and stared out a window. Memories were rushing back to me as I flew closer and closer to Los Angeles.
I remembered the first time I came to Los Angeles. L had been convinced he knew who had murdered those people. I offered to go and make sure it was him. We both hoped we were wrong, but we knew he had run away to America. Plus, this whole situation practically screamed "Come and get me, L!" and "Look what you've done, Kai!" We knew B had killed them. No, more than killed. He had beaten and tortured them before he killed them. He had used them. He had tried to create an unsolvable case for us. He had almost killed himself. And all because of me. The pain I had felt seven years ago when that case ended came flooding back. The pain I had felt four years ago when he died came back as well. I felt tears well, but I did not let them flow. I could not let the others see me cry. Not now when all we were doing was heading to Los Angeles.
"Hey, Ali, what are you thinking about?" Reid asked suddenly.
"Wha-! Oh, it's you," I said. He had startled me. Man was I on edge today. I think I need more whiskey. "Nothing. I just… I don't know. I just kinda stare off a lot. Some if my friends used to say it sacred them, hehe."
"You looked like you were in a trance or something," Morgan cut in. "You looked upset, too. Are you alright? You're not worried about the unsub's victimology are you?"
"Unsub?" I asked. My English is horrible but I'm pretty damn sure that's not a word.
"Sorry, Ali, we almost have our own language," Reid said. "It's actually pretty simple though."
"Reid, you find quantum physics simple," Morgan laughed.
"Well, that's not really…" Reid replied.
"But… quantum physics are simple," I cut in. Reid and Morgan looked at me, shocked. "What?" I asked.
"You think that's simple?" Morgan asked.
"Um, yes?"
"What school did you go to?" Morgan asked rhetorically.
"I-I didn't really go to school, actually. Well, not publicly anyway." I tried to explain.
"You went to a private school?" Reid asked.
"No, not exactly. I went to school at Whammy's House, the orphanage I grew up in."
"Orphanage? It's been awhile since I heard someone say that," JJ said. Morgan whipped around.
"When did you get here?" he asked.
"About half an hour ago when we all boarded the plain," JJ said and smirked. "Anyway. Did you really grow up in a foster- um, orphanage? Quite a few of our unsubs, unknown subjects, meaning the killers, were raised in orphanages, or foster homes," JJ explained.
"R-really? I mean, I heard horror stories, but I had a great childhood, I guess. Well, maybe not, but the two caretakers in Whammy's House were always nice. Well, one was, but he was my grandfather, kind of. The other, Roger, yelled at me a lot, but only because I never really behaved…" I said.
"Trouble maker, huh?" Morgan laughed.
"Yeah, I liked to pull pranks on Roger. His face used to get so red!" I started laughing as I remembered all the pranks I pulled. "Watari, the other caretaker, always laughed at me jokes."
"You said he was 'kind of' your grandfather?" asked Reid.
"Yeah. We weren't actually related, but he always acted like my grandfather and called me his granddaughter."
"Like he adopted you?" Morgan asked.
"Well, I guess so. But I still lived in that orphanage… but he did live there so… Anyway, my grandfather taught me everything I know, at least, everything that would be taught in a school. He tried to send me to school but that never worked out too well. Besides, I have… um, no, I was, what did he always say… gifted! He said I was a gifted child."
"Didn't schools around you have gifted programs?" JJ asked.
"They did, but they weren't exactly right for me."
"Wait I'm confused…" Reid started but then JJ and Morgan both started laughing.
"Great job, Ali!" Morgan laughed, "You confused the great Dr. Spencer Reid. Someone get this girl a prize!" JJ started laughing harder but Reid frowned.
"Very funny, Morgan," he said. Now I was the one confused.
"Reid here is the smartest one on this team," JJ explained, "but if you understand quantum physics, I think he might have a run for his money." Now Reid was laughing too. I started a bit as well. It was hard for me not to laugh when these three looked so happy.
After a while we all stopped laughing and JJ went on the explain some vocabulary the BAU used often. She'd already explained "unsub" and went on to explain "victimology" is common traits found in the victims, "M.O." stands, basically, for the unsub's killing method, and "signature" is anything the unsub does that isn't part of killing the victim.
JJ explained all this and I nodded in understanding, but I barely paid attention to her. My mind was distracted. Los Angeles was troubling me, but I had come to realize something else. As I thought about the case, I realized the bullet wounds' meaning. Or at least, I thought of a possible meaning. And I hope, no prayed, I was wrong. Six months ago I had seen those exact same wounds. I remembered that day more clearly than I remembered yesterday.
Nine times. Nine times I had shot that bastard. Each bullet had pierced then exact same places the victims had been shot. Growing up, I had always believed coincidences were just excuses people used to explain things they didn't want to believe. I wasn't about to shrug this off. Whoever was doing this had to have been there that day.
I hadn't forgotten the race of the victims either. All three girls looked just like I had six months ago. My hair had been shorter then, and I didn't wear bangs. All three girls had short hair with no bangs. Pictures of the girls before their deaths showed different hair lengths and styles. Whoever did this was targeting me. I knew it. But why? And who was it?
I thought about who was there that day. Mello, Matt, Near, and those three officers that followed Near around, they had all been there. Light had brought along the task force as well. Was there anyone else? I can't believe any of those guys would want to target me like this.
Should I call Mello, or Near? No, I said I could do this on my own. I've been leaning on them, and Matt, for the past four years. I need to stand for myself. God dammit, Light! You died six months ago! Why are you still doing this to me? I shot you nine times, why can't you just die already? Stop haunting me!
As I thought that, a black shadow flew through the clouds. To anyone else it might have looked like a bird. No, to almost everyone else in the world, there would have been no shadow. As for the people on this plane, only I saw it. Hotch was looking out in the same direction, JJ and Reid were at least facing that side of the plane, but they wouldn't have seen it. That shadow belonged to Ryuk. Or maybe that shadow was Ryuk.
He certainly picked a good time to show up. Ryuk is a Shinigami, and god of death. He's the one who gave Light Yagami, a.k.a. Kira, his Death Note. In other words, Ryuk gave Light his means to become Kira. I don't blame Ryuk, though. Actually, I consider him a friend. It wasn't Ryuk's fault Light turned out to be psychotic.
Ryuk does resemble something from humanity's worst nightmares, however, so I thought it seemed fitting that he showed himself when I was feeling haunted. Though I know seeing him will only bring on more painful memories, I felt somehow comforted to know he was still around. I couldn't go to Near, Mello, or even Matt. They would jump at the chance to help me and I didn't think I'd be able to face that. But Ryuk doesn't help anyone. Not unless he sees some fun in it. He wouldn't help me with anything, but if I asked him to just stick around, he wouldn't disagree. And right now, more than anything, I want someone familiar around me.
And sure enough, when the plane touched down in Los Angeles, Ryuk was waiting on the runway, smiling and waving like an idiot. I couldn't help but smile, just a bit, and look up at him.
"What'cha looking at?" Reid asked, making me almost jump out of my skin.
" I saw a hawk," I lied.
"A hawk? I don't see anything,"
"It flew off behind those buildings," I said and pointed out towards some tall buildings.
"Alright then, I guess. Well, anyway, c'mon, we don't want to be late," Reid muttered. He walked after Hotch and the others. A large, black shadow flew over them. Ryuk came down and walked beside me.
"Edgy today, Kaishi?" he asked. He chuckled, a sound that would make a child cry in fear, and continued, "But that's not your name anymore, is it? No, you left that behind. You left everything behind, didn't you?" he chuckled again. On second thought, maybe I would regret having him around.
Waiting for us outside the runway were two black SUVs. Hotch, JJ, and Morgan got in one, Gideon, Reid, and I climbed in the other. Gideon followed Hotch to the local police station. Once inside I noticed immediately the change in air temperature. Considering it was July, I shouldn't have been surprised at the heat radiating off the pavement and the chill blowing from the building's air conditioners. This first thing Ryuk noticed was a painting of a bowl of apples hanging above the chief's desk.
The second thing I noticed were the officers eager welcome for us. The officers all started talking and asking question at once. JJ rushed forward to calm the officers and ask where the chief was. A younger woman told us he was interviewing a suspect. JJ asked is we could speak to him and the woman lead us into a back room. As soon as the chief saw us he practically jumped up from the table he sat at and ran from the room.
"You're here! You're actually here!" he cried.
Morgan nudged me arm and said, "Consider yourself lucky. More often than not we have problems getting invited for cases. This guy is something else."
The chief introduced himself as Joseph Tanner and asked that we call him Joe. He then went on to explain the details he had gathered about the case. Basically he spent twenty minutes saying he had nothing. Also, while he was talking, Ryuk had the sudden urge to dance the Macarena behind him. It took all I had not to burst out laughing. Just imagine Pennywise the clown dancing the polka with Darth Vader and you'll know what I went through. And again, I was the only one who could see him.
After Joe finished Hotch set up a white-erase board and drew three columns. He wrote victimology over one, M.O. over another, and signature over the last one. By the time he had the board set up the sun had set and Reid began nodding off. Realizing how late it was, Hotch told us all to head to our hotel.
"We get a hotel?" I asked JJ.
"Of course. Where did you think we'd sleep?" she said.
"Guess I really never thought about it. Will we be sharing rooms?"
"Yeah. Usually Reid and Gideon share a room, Hotch and Morgan share, and I have a room to myself, but you can stay with me, if you want to that is."
"Oh, can I? I'd really rather not be alone right now."
"Are you alright?"
"Y-yeah. I just… well, I don't exactly have the best memories of Los Angeles, I guess."
"I can fix that," JJ smirked, "Why don't you and I hit the town tonight?"
"Can we do that?"
"Sure. Once Hotch says we can go to the hotel we're basically of the clock. C'mon, let's have some fun."
"O-okay," I said and followed JJ out onto the streets of Los Angeles. She lead me to a small bar near the station. When we got there JJ pulled the barrette from my hair and the bun fell apart.
"You're Asian, Ali. Show it off," she laughed. I smiled and shook out my hair. It fell just past my shoulders and had a slight wave. "You're so lucky, you know that?" JJ asked, laughing again.
"Not really. My hair can't hold a curl or anything like that. It's too heavy. I'd much rather have hair like yours. It's such a beautiful shade of blonde."
"Everyone says that! But if I don't wash it well enough you'd think I never showered."
"Really? But it looks so shiny!"
"Not anywhere near as shiny as yours!" JJ insisted. Then we both started laughing. By now we were sitting at the bar and the bartender walked up.
"Can I get you ladies anything?" he asked.
"Does a martini sound good?" JJ asked me.
"Sure," I said and the bartender mixed two for us. While we were there plenty of guys tried to pick us up, but JJ always sent them away, usually by embarrassing them in any number of ways. More than once she managed to convince men I was her daughter and insisted she was being harassed by a pedophile. I just laughed and played along, well, at least until I got thirsty and grabbed for my martini. That made the men flush as they realized they had been played.
After about an hour JJ asked if I was ready to go to the hotel. I yawned and agreed. Once we got to our room JJ asked if I wanted some coffee. I asked for a caramel latte and she left the room. As soon as she was gone Ryuk passed through a wall beside the bed I sat on.
"I thought she'd never leaved!" he said, "Are you alone now? You can talk right? It's no fun dancing when no one applauds!" He face was twisted into an exasperated frown which resembled the kind of look Satan would make if he were told to burn an animal rescue center. I burst out laughing and applauded..
"I can talk now, Ryuk," I assured him.
"Well then thank goodness, Kaishi. I was worried I might die of boredom!"
"You can't die. You're a god."
"I can die. Rem di—Ah, no. I um… mean," Ryuk stuttered.
"Ryuk, are you worried about upsetting me?" I smirked.
"Wouldn't you like to know!" he snapped and stuck out his tongue at me.
"Actually I really don't care."
"I don't like you, Kaishi," he muttered.
"Don't call me that anymore. My name's Alycia Kayne now."
"I won't remember that!"
"Yes you will! Kaime Shinse died six months ago. At least, as far as I'm concerned she did."
"Youch. Can you really just… kill yourself like that?"
"Hey, don't go acting like I'm suicidal or anything. Alycia Kayne's not about to die. Not like that."
"Then why do you sound like she will?"
"You've seen the case we're on right? You can't tell me those girls don't look like Kaime Shinse."
"Well I guess… wait! Are you going to start calling yourself like that?"
"I've changed, Ryuk. You must have noticed that by now."
"Yeah, I guess I did."
"And now someone is trying to kill Kaime Shinse again."
"Yeah, but who?"
"It's someone we know. He was in that warehouse that day, he had to have been."
"How do you know?"
"Those bullet wounds. Each victim was shot in exactly the same places were I shot Light. But I can't see anyone there doing this. Unless I'm forgetting someone."
"Well there was that guy. Toru? No, Tera."
"Teru! Mikami Teru! I completely forgot about him! But didn't he die?"
"Guess not."
"You're a damn Shinigami, a god of freakin' death. Don't you think you should know things like that?"
"Guess not," Ryuk said and laughed his childhood shattering laugh. I shook my head and lied down on the bed. Well, now I know who the killer is. I think I did pretty damn good for my first case. But still, how the hell am I going to explain this to the others without having to explain I shot this guy's idol nine times and those nine wounds just so happen to be were the victims were being shot? I couldn't think of anything. Mikami is obviously looking for me though. Maybe if I went out alone I could run into him. Or maybe that would be stupid. The door to my room suddenly flew open and JJ walked in with a coffee in each hand. Mikami, you can wait till tomorrow.
