Chapter 23: Plan
"So…Light you have a whole plan then?" Miya wondered as he prepared himself to make another call to Namikawa, one of the now seven remaining members of the Yotsuba group. He barely looked to her as he answered.
"Yeah, if all goes as planned, we'll have Kira captured in no time," Light said confidently.
"Unless of course Kira's powers transfer, in which case we'll be dealing with a whole new Kira," L reminded as Light dialed. Miya really hoped that wasn't the case, because the investigation would never end. Light didn't even seem to hear him as the phone rang.
"It's L," he said once the man answered. The phone call was on speaker over the computer, and everyone leaned in to listen. "Before I go on, are you by yourself?"
"No," Namikawa answered simply.
"Then just act like it's a normal call again."
"No, I don't think there's any need for that," Namikawa continued. "One of the people here with me was just expressing his suspicions about your last phone call." Miya's eyes widened as he paused, speaking to the others with him, before continuing. "L," he started. "Mido and Shimora are here as well. I'm reasonably certain that neither of them are Kira. In fact, they seem fed up with him at this point. I'll speak for them and say they'll choose to stand back and watch your face off with Kira, like I plan to."
"Hmm, that's fine," L said after a moment of thought. Miya put her hands on his shoulders as the conversations continued. She found that now that the team knew they were together, she had the constant urge to just kiss him every moment of every day. She resisted, however, as she knew L wasn't entirely comfortable with displaying affection to the team. She couldn't avoid the occasional touch though.
"Tonight I'm gonna catch Kira," Light continued seriously. "But I'll need a favor from you."
"Hmm? Then it's the end for Higuchi," Namikawa said.
"What?" Light questioned without thinking. "You know it's him?"
"Ha! So even the great L can be tricked!" Namikawa scoffed. "Based on your reaction I'm now one hundred percent certain that Higuchi is Kira." L and Miya gave Light glances, silently scolding him for being so careless. Misa didn't even seem to notice.
"Namikawa is pretty smart huh?" the model said. "But then, I always thought he was from looking at his face. I guess this proves it!"
"No, that was just because Light messed up," L said. Miya knew he was pissed that Light was making L seem so careless. Ryuzaki would have never fallen for that trick so easily.
"I'm baiting Higuchi with a staged TV special tonight on Sakura TV," Light continued, ignoring L's comment. "A few minutes into the program, I want you to contact Higuchi, tell him to tune in. Do that for me, and I won't go after you or any of the other five. As for the others, if they try to do anything, make sure to stop them."
"I understand," Namikawa said simply before hanging up.
"Wow Light, you're so smart," Misa gushed, walking up to him. Miya rolled her eyes and wondered how this would all play out.
"Do you think this plan will work?" Miya wondered as she lay down beside L. She was sporting a flirty silk mini dress instead of the usual flannels, and the great detective found himself a tad distracted.
"Hard to say," L answered finally. "It seems well thought out but there's not a one hundred percent guarantee."
"Well, I hope we catch him," Miya said, pulling herself overtop of L. "I know it's all part of the job but I find the meetings with the Yotsuba group really boring." She leaned her face down to his and kissed him, sliding her hands under his shirt. He pulled his face away and gently held her back by her shoulders.
"What are you doing?" he wondered.
"I'm undressing you," she answered obviously with a slight laugh. "Don't worry. I'll let you return the favor." She leaned back toward him, but L dodged her lips.
"What is wrong with you?" she laughed.
"Miya as…tempting as the offer is," he said slowly, eyeing her outfit. "We can't do this in your condition."
"My…condition?" Miya repeated, looking confused.
"You're pregnant," he reminded. Miya looked at him for a moment before bursting out laughing.
"I do not see the joke," he said seriously.
"L, we can have sex," she informed him after her laughing subsided.
"We…can?" L finally said. "But isn't that dangerous? For the baby?" Miya chuckled and shook her head.
"No, I promise it's perfectly safe."
"Oh…" L said.
"You know, you're really lucky they didn't have a section about pregnancy and childbirth on the university exam. You're pretty clueless."
"I will have Watari purchase a book and be an expert in the area by tomorrow," L said as Miya ran her fingers through his shaggy hair.
"You know, I don't doubt you on that," she laughed before bringing her face to his for a third time. He kissed her back easily now, no longer hesitant as he slid his arms around her.
"Mom?" Miya said the next morning once she had dragged herself out of bed and gotten dressed.
"Yes, what is it sweetie?"
"I was hoping you could watch Noah later today? I have to work late and I know I won't be able to pick him up from the day care on time."
"I suppose," her mother sighed. "Work, huh?"
"Yes," Miya defended. It was true. The plan was to be carried out today and the last thing she wanted was to worry about Noah while they were bringing down Kira. "I'll drop him off later, okay?"
"Okay, see you then," her mother said before hanging up. Miya sighed. She still hadn't gotten around to telling her mother the news, and it was not something she wanted to do anytime soon.
"Wow, I am totally running late!" Miya said, hurrying into her parent's home with Noah. She hadn't been able to leave headquarters right when she'd wanted, as Noah was talking L's ear off, and as she pulled the small child to her parent's living room to see Matsuda's announcement pop up on Sakura TV, she cursed. "Damn, I gotta go."
"Oh, why are you watching this dear?" her mother asked her father, looking to see the usually gossipy station on the screen. Miya just had to pause to look, hearing Matsuda's disguise voice.
"Yes!" he said in the funniest squeaky tone Miya had ever heard. "I've got a lot of evidence to prove it too…"
"See, they're talking about Kira!" her father said enthusiastically overtop of the television. Miya tried to ignore him to listen.
"The man who died was Mr. H. Mr. H wanted to leave the meetings and was killed by Kira because of that." Suddenly the screen fell, revealing Matsuda, who was covering his head with his arms. "Uh…oh!" he fumbled, looking to the screen as the crowd of television crew members rushed to cover him up again.
"Well, that sucks…" her father said as Miya resisted the urge to laugh. Matsuda was actually pulling off the fake mishap fairly well, and she was thankful to see he was still alive, which meant Kira couldn't kill him with just a look.
"Sweetheart, you can go," her mother said. Miya nodded and rushed toward the door.
"Tell my new daddy I said hi!" Noah giggled excitedly.
"What?" Miya's mother questioned, looking to Miya. "He adopted him already?"
"Well, he's going to," Miya said, reaching for the knob.
"Yeah, and I'm gonna be a big broda!" Noah added, clapping his hands. Miya froze. Damn…that was unexpected. She turned to face her mother, who had wide eyes.
"Tell me he's joking…" she said slowly. "You're pregnant?"
"Um…"
"Miya!" Her mother said loudly, stepping over to her. "Did you learn nothing the first time?"
"I know," Miya groaned, her hand on the door. "But it's different with Hideki. Mom I really need to-"
"Two babies before you're twenty?" her mother said, shaking her head. "And not even married! Two different fathers! Miya, what are you thinking?!"
"Wow, that was discreet," Miya said. "Why not just use the word 'slut'?"
"Because Noah is around," her mother whispered. Miya's eyes widened.
"I'm outta here," she said. "I'll be back later. Enjoy your last day with Noah because he is definitely not coming back after this." Her mother made to speak, but Miya flung the door open and stepped out of the house, ending that conversation.
Miya reached the highly secured building in tears. How could her mother talk to her that way? This wasn't like the first time. She was older, living on her own, had a boyfriend that loved her and was actually stepping up to do his job as a father. Miya was certain her mother didn't like L, but she would have to get over it. Miya wasn't planning on speaking to her for a while anyway, so she should have plenty of time to do just that.
She wiped her tears before stepping through the door, going through the number of entrance requirements and identification steps. She hoped her eyes didn't look too puffy, as the last thing she wanted was to make things about her when they were in the middle of an intense plan.
She rushed into headquarters to see L in front of the computer, along with Light, and Misa standing nearby in front of a large screen that looked like a maze. It had Higuchi's name marked in red in one area, and Weddy's name marked in green not too far away. Miya recognized it instantly as a tracker to keep track of their positions, and she jogged over to see what was up.
"So what's he gonna do?" Misa was wondering, looking to the screen.
"What did I miss?" Miya asked breathlessly.
"Everything's gone according to plan," L informed her, turning in his chair. "He has attempted to call Misa as well as spoken to Mogi and the president of Yoshida Productions in an attempt to find out Matsuda's real name. We've been listening and it's clear he's panicking. He should be on his way out now to get the personnel files from Yoshida." L looked at Miya for a moment curiously. "Are you alright?" he added.
"I'm fine," Miya said quickly, thankfully being interrupted by Weddy's voice over the computer intercom.
"I see Higuchi," she said, the sound of her motorcycle engine in the background. "I'm in pursuit." Miya looked to the screen to see Weddy's name following Higuchi's.
"Everything's still going according to plan," Light noted.
"Yes," L agreed.
"Then let's hope it works," Miya added, anxious to refocus her thoughts on work and the plan unfolding before them.
"What an awful time for commercial breaks," Miya complained when yet another commercial in the middle of the broadcast came on. It just seemed inconvenient that during the middle of their chase Sakura TV had to play commercials. L was holding a banana and watching casually as if nothing was wrong. It was then that Miya looked to the screen to see what was being advertised.
"Cosme Misa," a seductive voice was saying as a giggling image of Misa came on the screen. "A devilish charm. An angel's glitter." Misa licked her lips on screen, and Miya glanced over at L with an amused expression on her face, as the whole commercial was kind of stupid, only to see that he was licking his lips too! Her mouth fell open a little as the voice continued. "Misa's new line of lipstick. Just for you." L then bit the banana peel and pulled it with his teeth as Light, Miya, and Misa stood around awkwardly.
"Uh, Ryuzaki," Light said slowly. "The commercial's almost over."
"Oh is that so?" L mumbled. Miya placed her hands on her hips.
"Yes Ryuzaki," she snapped as Matsuda's silhouette appeared on the screen again. "And unless you were planning on buying that lipstick I demand to know why you were licking your lips like that!" She crossed her arms as L looked back at her with unblinking eyes and she glared at him. He cracked the slightest smile, and Miya rolled her eyes and attempted to focus on what Matsuda was going on about.
"But if I give you any more details, I'm afraid the people who were there that night would realize which one of them is Kira, so I think I'd better leave it at that for now."
"Of course," Sakura's interviewer agreed. "Please take your time to tell us all the details of your ordeal to find Kira."
"Please put Higuchi's car on audio channel one and Sakura TV on channel two," L asked. The channels then changed as he directed and the group was now faced with an image of Higuchi in his car, watching the broadcast as he drove along.
"As expected, Higuchi's watching every minute of this from his car," Light pointed out.
"Seriously though why would you lick your lips like that?" Miya was still going on. This was not a good day for her and that was just one more thing to pluck her nerves. L turned back to her.
"Miya, rest assured you're lips are much more-"
"Lick-able?" Miya interrupted with a grin.
"I was going to say your lips are much more beautiful than Misa's but sure, whatever term works best for you."
"Hey!" Misa snapped, crossing her arms. Miya, however, looked satisfied with his compliment to her and insult to the model, so she focused her attention back on the broadcast.
"After I started investigating him," Matsuda was saying. "I found that there are two things Kira has to have in order to kill someone. There are rumors on TV and the internet as to what those two things might be, but I know the truth! But Kira only knows one of those two things about me, so that means I should be safe." Higuchi was looking panicked on the screen, and his next statement threw everyone off.
"Rem, what do you think?"
"Rem?" Light repeated. "Who's that? There's no one else in that car right? It's impossible for someone to be hiding without us knowing. He isn't using his cell phone. Could it be a hidden radio?" Miya was searching the screen for an indication of who he might be talking with, but there was nothing.
"No, there aren't any radios or other devices," L confirmed as he took a bite of his banana. "Only the box cameras and tracking beacons that Weddy placed. I have no doubt that she did a thorough job."
"Great, that means we're dealing with a potentially crazy man with an imaginary friend," Miya grumbled. "Though Misa kind of acted like she was talking to someone who wasn't there when she was in confinement…" she was thinking out loud in a very soft voice at this point, but she was certain L heard her. She wanted him to. He glanced back up at her with a slight nod as Higuchi continued.
"Do you think I'll get to Yoshida productions only to find his file isn't there?" he was saying.
"Is he talking to himself?" Light pondered.
"If this guy was smart he would destroy everything that connects him to his real name before he appeared on TV," Higuchi continued to ramble out loud to seemingly no one. "And don't you think it's just a little too reckless for Yoshida productions to just let me into their office unsupervised? Maybe not. If there was a robbery they'd figure out right away who did it since I know where the key is."
"This isn't sounding very good," Misa pointed out in a worried tone.
"He wouldn't just change his route now," Miya said. "He's got no other option but to go to Yoshida."
"He'll still go there," L confirmed. "Don't you worry."
"Even if he does have a file in Yoshida, it could be just another alias," Higuchi said before getting angry. "Damn it! I wouldn't put it past this guy to do something like that. No wonder he's confident."
"Alright, there's only one hour left until the big announcement!" Sakura TV broadcasted. Miya glanced to that screen to see that cursed lipstick commercial come on again, but thankfully L seemed be focused now on Higuchi's conversation with his invisible friend. She made an annoyed face at Misa's image licking her lips before turning back to listen.
"Yeah, I already know that much myself," Higuchi replied to no one. "But just to be on the safe side I should also kill the people I contacted at Yoshida Productions. That includes the president, Misa, and that manager of hers." Miya gasped slightly and looked to the blonde, who now looked scared.
"What?! No way!" Misa said with worry. "He's gonna kill me?"
"It's alright, don't worry," L reassured her. "He's talking about doing that after he's killed Matsuda. There'd be no point in killing the rest of you until he's gotten rid of the main threat."
"That's true," Light agreed. "But still…"
"Oh yeah!" Higuchi continued. "Rem, I didn't think you were so smart. Then I'll make them all erase their call histories before they die." Miya furrowed her eyebrows. This guy was not just talking to something invisible, he was taking advice from it.
"There's no way he can just be talking to himself, but who's Rem?" Light said rather loudly as he stood up in frustration. "Who is he talking to?!"
"If he's talking to someone right now," L said as he peeled another banana. "It could be...a Shinigami." Miya looked at him suddenly. He had just stated his opinion the other night that Shinigami couldn't be real, and yet there he was suggesting it. Miya figured she must have gotten through to him somehow. All her thoughts were scattered, however, as she observed her boyfriend taking a huge bite of his banana, chomping down on it as if it was the last banana on the planet.
"Wow, I was actually going to ask if I could have a bite but apparently not…" Miya trailed off. L reached back and handed her the small uneaten portion of his banana.
"By all means, take the rest," he offered. Miya took it gladly and put it in her mouth, realizing instantly why he had been eating it like that. Those damn bananas were delicious!
"No! I'd end up being ruined if I did that!" Higuchi was going on. "Even if I forgot the notebook this guy says he has concrete evidence to back it up! If he points out Yotsuba's recent growth on the air, no one would ever doubt his claims! They'd believe whatever he said. That means whoever he says is Kira will be marked as Kira! Even if he didn't have proof and I got rid of the evidence by returning the notebook, my life would be over. I wouldn't get promoted. I wouldn't even be able to stay with Yotsuba!"
"Geez, and to think Yotsuba wouldn't want a murderer in their company," Miya said sarcastically. This guy was so annoying, and Matsuda's suggestion on the TV to just turn himself in seemed reasonable. She knew that wouldn't happen, however, and so she prepared herself for action as Higuchi climbed from his car.
"He's arrived at Yoshida productions," Light stated obviously.
"The show's about to begin," L added, setting the mood for drama. They watched the screen as Higuchi entered the room through a code and headed over to the specified drawer, finding the file he needed. "Now Kira," L said in a low voice that Miya was certain only she could hear. "How do you kill? Show me…" Higuchi then pulled out a thin black notebook on the screen.
"We're in position and ready to take him down," Mogi's voice whispered through the computer. "We'll move on your command."
"Right," L replied as Higuchi jotted down the name on the file and proceeded to put it away and head for the door.
"He's not doing it!" Light yelled with frustration. "He just made a note of his name before leaving. So he's not gonna kill him here?"
"Ryuzaki, do you want us to apprehend him?" Mogi asked.
"Negative," L said officially. "We still don't know how he kills. Perhaps he's planning to do something once he's back in the car...Let's see camera one again." The view switched from an overhead of the red car to the inside, where Higuchi was sitting.
"It's weird," Light observed. "You'd think he'd be desperate to kill Matsuda this very second but he's calm."
"It is strange," L agreed. "If all he needed was the name then he should have simply taken the personnel file with him. But he just put it back in its drawer after taking the note." Matsuda was still going on with the Sakura broadcast, but all eyes were on Higuchi now.
"Damn! He didn't die!!!" the man yelled after a moment.
"What?" Miya asked, confused.
"What's he talking about?" Light wondered. "He said, 'he didn't die'…"
"Did he already try to kill Matsuda?" L asked aloud. "Was writing his name down all he had to do or was…" He trailed off, and Miya knew his head was spinning with thoughts, which she was fairly certain now involved the possibility of Shinigami.
"What do we do now?" Light asked. "Should we just continue watching what he's doing? What if he can cause a death by just imagining it?" L was still lost in thought and wasn't answering him.
"Agh! I don't have any time!" Higuchi yelled with frustration as the Sakura announcement drew closer to the close. He whipped out his cell phone and began pressing the numbers.
"He's making a phone call," Light pointed out. Miya couldn't help but think he was full of obvious statements today.
"It's probably Misa again," L said calmly. Sure enough, Misa's phone went off in a cheerful jingle that didn't quite fit the situation.
"Yup," the blonde confirmed, shutting her phone off. Higuchi looked lost on screen for a moment after throwing his cell phone in anger, when finally he spoke.
"Rem, let's make the deal," he said simply.
"The deal?" Light repeated. "Who is this Rem person he keeps talking to? Could it really be that Kira's power comes from another world or some being?"
"I really don't want to think that's the case," L said. Miya rubbed his shoulders. She could tell the idea of Shinigami was difficult for him, especially since it meant leaving behind all the rules that govern the natural world.
"Then what is this Rem?" Light wondered.
"A Shinigami?" L questioned again. "Whatever it is, we need to keep watching him. We'll learn nothing if we take him now. We may still be able to find out how he kills." Higuchi then broke out into a grin that made Miya shudder.
"It's like something big just happened to him…" Miya observed. Something had changed, the question was what? Higuchi then raced off in his car, and that was when voices started flooding the room.
"We're heading after him," Mogi's voice informed.
"This is bad," Weddy's voice added a few moments later. "Higuchi's been pulled over by a traffic cop. I'm gonna have to pass him and leave the pursuit to Aiber's team."
"Switch all screens to Higuchi's car!" L demanded. They watched as he dug for his license casually before jotting something down and taking off.
"Higuchi ditched the cop! He's driving away!" Mogi reported. After a few moments, Mogi's voice came in again. "Looks like the cop just rear ended that truck! He's dead!"
"He's dead?" Light repeated. "By accident?"
"This is very bad," L mumbled.
"You can say that again…" Miya muttered.
"Rem...a deal…" Light was saying, obviously stuck on what that could be.
"Everyone!" L commanded. "It's too dangerous to allow further action by Higuchi! Let's bring him in! I believe he has the same powers as the second Kira. He is able to kill just by looking at someone's face. Please keep this in mind when you move in to arrest him." Miya took a deep breath. Things sure were getting intense.