Intrusion

Light closed his laptop and took out his cell phone. It rang several times before L picked up on the other line. Typically enough. He knows how impatient I can be.

"L. How nice of you to have answered at all," he said, his voice laden with sarcasm.

The voice that answered was unfamiliar. "It's Matt, actually. How may I help you?"

Light frowned. "Where's L?"

"Out. May I take a message?"

Light blinked. Who is this guy, anyways? L had mentioned his apprentices before, but it still took Light a few minutes to match the name with a profile. The hacker. The third wheel.

"What do you mean, out?"

"Out," Matt said shortly. "Could we get on with this please? I've got my game paused, but I'm at level seven and I don't want to lose it."

"Tell me where L is, then."

"I don't know."

"Why doesn't he have his phone on him?"

"He changed phones and gave me this one." There was a crash. It sounded as if a door was being knocked off its hinges, followed by a man's shouts. "Look, I have to go. Mello's back."

Click.

The doorbell rang.

Sayu sighed and got up off the couch. "I've got it, Mom," she shouted, then headed out to the door. If it's Misa, I'm going to slam the door in her face. Really! I've been home four days, and she's called me five times and come around twice. I mean, it's pathetic.

She opened the door and stopped, gaping.

"Ryuzaki?"

Light pulled up the collar of his coat and stepped out into the rain, shivering as cold drops dripped down his neck.

Out? L never goes out. What's he up to? Three more victims. All of them had been either suspected of or convicted for crimes varying from robbery to murder. Two had died of heart attacks, one in an accident. L's right in this. It does look a whole lot like the Kira case.

"Yagami!" someone shouted. "Yagami-san. Wait a moment."

Light turned. "Yes, Mikami-san? What so you want?"

Even in the rain, Teru Mikami was perfectly groomed, his longish dark hair neatly combed. His gray eyes, behind his square black glasses, were earnest and open. "I got the files you wanted, Yagami-san." He proffered a manila envelope.

Light took it. "Thank you very much, Mikami," he said, turning the envelope over in his hand. "You're very efficient."

Mikami shrugged. "Thank you. It's the least I can do." He hesitated, pushing his glasses back up onto his nose as they slid down. "I do have a question, Yagami-san…if it's not too forward…."

Light shook his head. "No, not at all. As long as we can get out of the rain."

"Certainly." They moved into the shelter of the bus station waiting area. "I happened to notice that most of them had to do with clients of mine."

"Yes."

"Or, more accurately, the people my clients pay me to bring to justice."

"Yes."

"So, my question is, why? If criminals are dying in some sort of killing spree, why should we do anything? Maybe it's a good thing."

Light shook his head. "I know, Mikami-san. I feel the same way sometimes. Still, a murderer is a murderer. Whatever his reasons."

Mikami nodded. "I thought you'd say that. Well." He stood up. "I wish you the best of luck in this case of yours. I'm sure that this killer will not remain hidden for long."

Light smiled, showing all of his very white teeth.

"Oh, he won't, Mikami-san," he said, thinking of L and his persistence on the Higuchi/KIRA case. "He won't."

A/N: H'lo peoples So here's chapter 5, which is, yes, another placeholder with hints of what's to come. The action/romance/interaction between characters is coming up, so don't get bored.