Disclaimer : Death Note isn't mine. I'm sure you've known it.
Warning : Gender bend. AR. Violence.
L wasn't even listened to the voices of police officers that roam at the scene. The corpse was taken by ambulance to an autopsy, only left lines of white tape that look like silhouette of the corpse in that place.
She wasn't interested on their speculation. Now she doesn't need to guess who the monster that had killed a woman in cold blood.
She already had the answer to that question.
She tilted her hat a bit. She didn't know why she could be in this place. She remembered, while she calmed herself, that she decided to go out with Watari. When the old man went to the bakery to buy a cake for L, the woman detective out of the car and walked aimlessly with her mind filled by two cases that made her get a headache.
Speaking of headaches, it became worse this morning.
She awoke with pain in the head, like her head was torn apart, and plus extreme nausea. It felt like she had the worse hangover.
But, she didn't drunk last night.
Leave aside that not important question, back to the main issue.
She glanced at the scene. After she saw the recent murders, she became so convinced of her notion, but she also have a little hesitant. The killings this time has nothing to do with each other, in contrast to the case of Wara Ningyo. The names of the victims are very common, doesn't have a similarity or others that make sameness between the victims. Status was different. All of these murders look like ordinary serial killer, not as murder that be done by 'him'. However, the way this murder, as well as the absence of traces at the crime scene and too few clues, very similar to his modus operandi.
She sighed quietly, if not because her hat she may have ruffled her hair. It really makes it frustrating, and she hated it. This case, and the Kira case.
Her legs led her went back to the car, when she saw Watari out of the bakery while carrying a lot of shopping bags. Fuck with the cases, her first priority now pay attention to her 'sweet children' that waiting to satisfy her stomach.
She wasn't aware that a pair of blood red eyes stared at her, followed by a full enjoyment sly grin tugged his lips.
CHAPTER 05
MOVEMENT
"Hey, Ryuuzaki." Light called, while his eyes still glued to the monitor in front of him.
L turned to him, the chair rotate by her movement.
Light's fingers were busy clicking the mouse. "Though you have no motivation, can you come here for a second?" he asked.
She didn't say anything, just pulled her chair closer to Light's chair.
"Look at this closely." Light pointed to the monitor. "Isn't it unbalanced? And this one is at sudden growth."
Silently, L stared at what he pointed, her eyes slowly widened, before grinning. "Yes... Yagami-kun..." she muttered, while biting her finger.
Light smiled at L's pleasure. "What do you think? Has some motivation come out?"
L's grin getting wider, she leaned to Light's shoulder for a closer look at monitor. "If this is connected to Kira, then Kira's real intention is not necessarily to punish criminals but something else…"
Light paused. "Yeah. He might be killing crooks and pretending that's of moral sanctions, but perhaps he is doing it for his benefit."
L bit her thumb. "Once Yagami-kun mentioned about how adults would use the power for their own gain, and this might be the case." L tapped her fingers. "But supposing that once Kira and the second Kira were both active at once, it's possible that this Kira is not the one who's been punishing criminals." She then smiled defiantly. "It's impressive, the way you dug this one up."
"Yes." Light replied, ignoring Matsuda who said, "I helped him a lot too, Ryuuzaki."
"It's all thanks to this program that allows me to access any data of the police, public offices and the secret services across the world." Light said further. "Honestly, I didn't have a clue where to start, so I went back to the very beginning… to verify the theory that Kira is here in Japan. Considering that out of all the criminals Kira killed the majority of them were Japanese, I was convinced that Kira obtained the information about those criminals from the Japanese media. And I presumed that there would've been some deaths that were caused by heart attacks but were not associated with Kira."
Light's deft fingers furiously typed on keyboard. "And so, I traced back all the deaths caused by heart attacks, including non-criminals. If it was not for this program, it would've taken ages."
L's nodded to respond at Light's explanation.
"Actually, I intend to scan the recent five months and then look into each detail. But then I came to notice these particular three. If it was only a couple, I might have taken them for a coincidence, but not three." A diagram appeared on the screen. "Roppei Tamiya, the manager of the developmental planning department of Maruseki Corp. Koji Aoi, the vice-director of the system integration division of Aoi Agency. Takeyoshi Moriya, the ex-chairman of the Yotsuba Group. All three of them were once posted at an important position in a company that's maor enough to represent Japan, and they all dies of heart attacks. So next I went digging around those three companies, Maruseki, Aoi, and Yotsuba." He pointed at the chart that appeared below the diagram. "The price of Yotsuba's share is rising steadly while Maruseki's and Aoi's are dropping down."
L put a finger to her lips. "Then Yagami-kun searched for any kind of death realted to those companies…"
Light nodded. "Uh-huh, and look..." Other long diagrams appeared. "Look how many I found. Thirteen convenient losses for Yotsuba over the recent three months, barely a couple of those death were profitable for other companies point of view. All of those deaths were accidental or by illness, except for those three heart attacks and one suicide. And this week another two were punished by Kira for bribery."
"It was also around three months ago that I imprisoned Yagami-kun and the killing stopped temporarily, then started again… something smells fishy..." L replied, unconsciously move closer to Light.
"... right..." Light replied, felt a little nervous when he realized the distance between himself and L is very close. "What do you think?" he asked, tried to act normal. "For me, I can only see it as Kira's backing Yotsuba."
L tilted her head a bit. "But if that's true, then..."
They stared at each other. "Kira can kill more than just heart attacks!" they said together.
Yotsuba meeting between the top brass held back. They sat around a pentagon-shaped table in a conference room that they used to discuss confidential matters.
The voice of one that attended the meeting echoed. "It's just amazing how the decisions we make in this room come true immediately." He said, amazed. "What we started last week, making Kira punish them for bribery, was an excellent idea."
"Yes, it's becoming rather amusing, the way we get away without anyone even dreaming of suspecting us."
"That's because the eight of us cleverly chose deaths that were indirectly beneficial to us. We had our losses too, we even killed our own people."
"If only we could waste all of the big shots from our rival firms, imagine how easy that would be."
Low laughter was heard.
"Both Yotsuba's profits and shares are rising steadily and unobtrusively." Hatori said, a little nervous.
"Yes, everything is going accordingly to our calculations." Ooi added, coldly.
Hatori waved his hand. "But there's one that I've been wondering. About those three heart attacks…" He looked down to the document he held. "I thought we decided on two deaths by illness and one by accident."
A brown-haired man nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Kida, you're in charge of inquiring into that. What did you find?" he asked.
Kida shrugged. "What's the big deal about them?" he said quietly. He then took a document. "First, about the death by an accident that should happen to Tamiya. He likes driving at high speed on weekend's evenings, so to make it look casual we decided for him to 'crash his own car while driving along the coast line'. But at the designated time, he was not at home, but secretly in Italy with his mistress. If we didn't specify 'his own car' and the 'coastal line', he probably would've died in Italy by an accident, but our request had those impossible factors specified."
Ooi folded his arms across his chest. "In other words, if there are impossibilities in our request, Kira will just kill them with heart attacks, like Mido suggested?"
"See? I told you last week that we should just ask for 'a death by accident'. That way they'll just go and get involved in an accident sooner or later and die." Higuchi chimes.
Mido glanced at his partner. "Regarding 'death from an illness' request also failed because we specified the illness as 'cancer' and date of death… a healthy person can't suddenly die of a cancer."
"Yes, but if we just ask 'death by an illness', the result is definitely 'one day they'll get sick sooner or later and die eventually." Is that it?"
"Well, only three failures in three months, and we had learned our lesson. Don't worry." Said a long black-haired man. This statement greeted by nods from the others. "Moreover, the police have their hands full with those criminals dying and a civilian would never be able to trace back to us." He added quietly. "Anyway, the police… we've already got them under our control."
"It's sure so suspicious." Aizawa said, after read the print data. "All those people who were in the way of Yotsuba Group died…"
Matsuda added, "Those big companies do those things, get rid of people by faking accidents, or poisoning them to make them sick then get rid of them…"
Aizawa raised an eyebrow. "About which era are you talking about? The companies these day never do such things."
"But, the Yotsuba does." L bit her thumb. "The problem is, whether it is related to Kira or not?"
Aizawa stared at L, frown on his face. "Ryuuzaki, you think Kira's behind all this?"
"With those people who died by heart attacks, I think it's possible. Though don't take me for granted, my verdicts are apt to turn wrong…" L said.
Silence burst shortly.
"How about Kira hiring Yotsuba, by feeding the company some dough?" Aizawa asked suddenly, with a really serious face.
"It's impossible." L replied firmly, without any expressions.
"Why?"
L put a straight face. "Because if that's the case, that means some company has managed to find Kira before myself. And that's plain impossible."
Aizawa and Matsuda fell (anime-style). "You've just said something about your verdicts tending turn out wrong, and now…" Aizawa glared at L with a strange face and eyes. "I don't get you…"
"I was just a little cranky."
Everyone, even Light who sat beside L, stare suspiciously toward the famous detective.
L's expression didn't change. "Besides, Kira won't cooperate with others just because someone found out his identity. If that's the case, he is more likely to just kill that person. Therefore it's better off assuming that Kira is a member of Yotsuba Group, or a member of Yotsuba possesses Kira's ability."
"But, that's just means Kira offered himself to Yotsuba, right?" asked Aizawa. "Or maybe... he needed funds for some expenses for whatever plan he has…" he added, not sure.
"But that makes Kira cheap and uncool. That's not groovy at all." Matsuda butted.
Veins stick out on Aizawa's head. "Matsuda, so you reckon Kira is cool and groovy, huh?" he barked, made Matsuda retreat.
"Ah... no, I didn't... I mean... sorry!" Matsuda stuttered in panic.
Aizawa fix his seat, try to calm himself. "Well, Kira is either behind this or not. And either way we need to investigate this case…" Both his brows furrowed. "It won't be easy to probe such major company like this one."
"Watari knows much about the financial circles and has a few good contacts in that line of business." L butted, got the attention. "But if it had to do with Kira, letting Watari investigate on his own will be a reckless thing to do." She continued.
Light turned to L, confused. "Who is Watari, Ryuuzaki?"
L pointed to the computer monitor. "That voice there that occasionally talked to you, Yagami-kun, as the fake L."
"Ah well, that." Light muttered, understand.
A rustle sound heard from the speakers, followed by a call to L's false name.
"Ryuuzaki..."
L turned to the monitor. "What is it, Watari?"
"If you want to investigate the Yotsuba directly, I think you can do it yourself."
Everyone - except L - gasped.
"What do you mean, Watari?" L asked, biting her finger.
"There's an invitation from Yotsuba to Danuve."
Aizawa and Light suddenly stood up in surprise. "Danuve? THE Danuve?" Aizawa said.
Light's eyes widened. "Danuve... the famous female detective that's in two levels after L?" he asked, surprised. "For what?"
Matsuda glanced at Light and Aizawa with a puzzled face.
L's silent for a moment, her hands gripped the mic. "Explain."
"They invited Danuve to Yotsuba's anniversary party, which held in five days." Watari paused for a moment. "But apparently, they want to talk about 'business', too."
Both L puckered her brows seriously. She bit her thumb, indicating that she was thinking.
"All right." L said, after a while. "Tell them that Danuve accept their invitation."
Light, Aizawa and Matsuda simultaneously turned to L.
"Got it, Ryuuzaki." Watari said, before server their contact.
The woman detective sighed quietly, she poured tea into her cup, and drink it after adding some sugar box.
Light looked at L seriously. "L, are you..."
L glanced at Light, before her eyes back to the monitor. "Yes, I'm Danuve."
Aizawa and Matsuda's eyes rounded. "Really?" they both exclaimed.
L didn't show any expressions. "Right, and that's all that I can say. Also, please keep it a secret."
He hummed without words, spread jam onto the bread with his knife - that used for a homicide days ago - that has been washed clean. The music play from a stereo that's used by a gang that hung around near the place. Sunlight creep in from a small vent, dimly illuminating a young man who sat hunched on a chair with his limp body bound by chains.
Blood flowed from the side of the hostage's head and neck, dripping slowly into a dirty concrete floor. He didn't care, and kept busy applying his favorite jam over the bread that's his lunch.
A low moan from the man got his attention. He stopped his activity, observing his hostage in the silence of darkness, he saw a pair of bruised eyelids opened slightly.
The man grimace in extreme pain and also because the blinding sunlight.
He saw his 'prey' looked up slowly. Grin appeared on his lips as the man's eyes wide with shock and full of fear.
"You...!" The man shouted, or at least tried to, because his voice sounded very low and hoarse. His throat was dry and sore.
Blood red eyes stared in amuse toward his hostage who were rebelling, trying to escape, while he bit his bread.
The man slumped again, his breath heavy with fatigue and pain, his eyes full of resentment toward the one that watched him in this darkness.
"Take it easy, bro." He grinned, watched the man still revolting - even though it's in vain. "Haben Sie keine Eile an nichts – don't rush into anything – ain't you the one that said it to me?"
The man's chest rising and falling rapidly. "So, you're still alive. My suspicion is right. You're the one that committed that murders!" he yelled, panting.
He put a fake surprised face. "Ow... is that so?" he asked, feigning surprise. "I wonder why didn't you report me to the police." He added sarcastically.
The man didn't answer.
Sly smile tugged at the predator's lips. "Oh... I forget. They won't believe anything that you say because in the reality I had..." His red eyes glinted. "...died?"
The man snarled.
He chuckled softly, before became a loud laugh. He shook his head slowly, like a tired mother who watched her naughty child. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Dawn... you really unbelievable."
The man's eyes widened, his mouth gaping, half stood up in shock - though partially successful because he's still bound on a chair. "How did you-?"
His hand supporting his head, his smile turned into a seductive cunning smirk. "I'm the devil, remember?" He tapped his index finger to his own temple.
"Bastard..." The man cursed, furiously.
He waved his hand. "Sorry, but I don't know who my parents are, so I don't know if I'm an illegitimate child or not."
"Why are you doing this?" The man asked, angrily.
He tilted his head, an innocent expression on his face. "Why?" he said, before laughing out. "Kyahahaha! Why, did you say? Did your brain become rusty because your stupid modeling, or ARE you really stupid?" He shook his head, his hands covered his face. "Dawn... Dawn... you're such an idiot."
The man who's called 'Dawn' felt his cheeks heat up, either because of shame or anger.
Bloodshot eyes glared sharply through between his fingers. He walked up approach the terrified man. His hand was playing with his knife. "There's no 'why' when killing people." He hissed cruelly, with his body leaned toward Dawn.
He then straightened up again. "Oh... but, wait. I now remember that what I did this time there is the word 'why'." He then smiled brightly. "But, don't worry about it." His smile was very quickly turned into a cruel grin. The knife that he held stabbed in the man's chest, scratch the skin and the meat until the ribs showing a little. He snorted as a painfully scream coming out of Dawn's mouth.
"Seriously, you're screaming like a pig being slaughtered." He snorts disappointed. He then grabbed Dawn's brown hair. "It's not even worth the pain that you'd caused to 'her'." He growled, angry.
Dawn gasped, wanted to say something, but his voice didn't come out.
"Oh, don't think I didn't know." He hissed as he plugs the knife deeper and deeper, made his hostage screamed in more pain. "I know you're mixed something in my drink repeatedly, so that you can drive me to engage in your scheme."
His eyes widened a bit when Dawn spit to his cheek.
"So, you want me to apologize to you? Is it?" Dawn chuckled. "Don't make me laugh! You think a monster like you deserve forgiveness, Back Up?"
His laughter stopped when he saw a pair of red eyes stared empty at him. He knew the meaning of that look. He had seen it once eight years ago, the quiet gaze of beast.
The hand that holding a bloody knife was shook so badly, but a few moments later reduced and finally calmed down. The other hand combed his jet black hair. Flash wistfully back to that narrowed blank look, however that look's still very far from 'harmless'.
"You know..." He started, his voice sounded cold. "Actually, your life is still long, and I can make it to zero easily if I want to, but..." Growl like a wolf heard. "...fortunately for you, I can't kill you right now."
Dawn sighed quietly, relieved to hear that.
"Even so..." He continued. He then tilted his face, looked so arrogantly towards his prey. A cunning cruel smile showed on his face. "That doesn't mean we can not play."
The man's eyes widened in horror.
"Don't worry, you'll never get bored."
No one knows what happened in there. That scream hadn't even heard by anyone, muffled by the loudness of the deafened Underground songs.
.
To Be Continue…
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