Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note nor any of the characters contained therein.
Summary: L is almost 17, investigating a serial murder case near Toronto University. Undercover as a student prodigy, L will have to find a balance between education, investigation, and (ye gods) a social life. Rated T for language/nudity/gore. Some spoilers for Death Note: Another Note.
#~~~~~~~~~~#~~~~~~~~~~#~~~~~~~~~~#~~~~~~~~~~#
When I talk
I want
to be
definitive.
But nothing I say
defines.
I broke the clock
thinking
how
it never skips around;
how
it always connects;
but I could not bear
it,
unrelenting,
the electric clock.
– excerpt from "Discrepancies", Diane Wakoski
#~~~~~~~~~~#~~~~~~~~~~#~~~~~~~~~~#~~~~~~~~~~#
The Worst Feeling Ever
Chapter 14: Wake
The squawking was audible from across the room as he entered. Please, please don't pass the phone to me, he thought, draping his jacket over the back of a chair and walking past the kitchen.
"Of course not. Well, he's in the next room, actually." Watari sighed. "No, I won't be putting him on. I . . . And it's exactly pronouncements like that that will keep me from doing so. Quite. I am keeping you informed. Yes, that is my intention. I know. It's – well, the sooner the better, really, but I understand that it will take you some time to complete. I have a bad feeling about it as well, Maha, but we must investigate it like anything else, and you know we cannot entrust the results to outsiders. Yes. I will. Do be careful not to telegraph this to the children – you know how sensitive they can be. Of course. I know. Goodnight, love."
He felt Watari's eyes turn his way and fought against meeting them.
"Don't pretend you didn't hear all of that." The older man's warm tone washed toward him.
"Well, I missed the start, and Roger's words were a bit rough to make out despite his having shouted them all in your ear." Aleister turned a wry smile toward Watari. "But I have to ask: 'Maha'?"
Watari chuckled. "I'm afraid I must swear you to secrecy on that, Aleister. What I will tell you is that, as a part of a decades-old joke he and I shared, I took to calling him "MahaRoger,' hence Maha. I trust you'll keep this to yourself?"
He found himself pinching the bridge of his nose, eyes squeezed shut. "Given the atrociousness of the pun, I'll endeavor to keep it from myself as well."
"Excellent. How did it go at the hotel?"
"Well enough. I set up a visual message for Beyond that I'm reasonably sure only he will suss out. Hopefully it won't be disrupted by the hotel staff."
"Good. While I do hope that your assessment is correct, we should proceed as though Beyond has been . . . captured. Quite possibly by this murderer." Watari was unable to completely conceal his sour expression.
"I understand all that. I just want to leave open the possibility that he's alright, that he's . . ." Not dead yet, Aleister thought. He didn't believe that Beyond had ditched him outright, but even if he had, Aleister knew him well enough to know that he would have found some way to gloat about it if that was the case. It was Beyond's silence, not his absence, that troubled Aleister. He hoped that laying the unwrapped Billot Logs end-to-end on the night table, pointing toward the phone where the "W" on the 9 key was hidden by a small blot of cream would be enough to let Beyond know where he was and who to call. It's rude enough, Aleister thought. He'll get it if he sees it.
"Hmm . . ."
"What is it?" Aleister walked into Watari's room, noting that the man was now squinting at some text on his computer monitor.
"Just received an encoded message from L. It seems he was being followed earlier today, but he's more interested in whether a . . . sewer opening behind the cafeteria appears in the plans for its construction."
"Well, you have a copy of that here somewhere, I'd expect. Let's just have a look then."
"Actually," Watari looked over his shoulder, lids so low on his eyes it was hard to tell if they were open, "we have the full campus map and the blueprints for every building, but no copies of the plans for the utilities."
Aleister felt his mouth drop open. "Well, why the bloody hell not?"
Watari sighed. "It takes some time to procure such plans, particularly the outdated ones which are not digitally stored, from officials who are . . . unused to working quickly. I'm afraid I don't have any favors I can call in from the local government, and since we are not operating in an official capacity under the umbrella of L, it will raise suspicions to request too much information from them, particularly when –"
"Pose as one of Coil's men. He's probably got all that information already, so just say they need another copy because the last one was destroyed, or something to that effect."
Watari raised his eyebrows. "You don't think Coil will know immediately who would make such a request when he hears of it?"
"Of course he will. I'd say he'll be overjoyed at the prospect of tagging onto our 'secret' investigation. He'll want to let us solve it and then swoop in and take credit – that's what he does. So he'll definitely let the information reach us."
A wry smile appeared on Watari's face. "You've gotten quite bold, Aleister. For a moment there, you reminded me of L."
Aleister's eyes flicked away. "I'm not sure that's quite the compliment you intended, but thanks just the same."
"What he said to you, regarding your aptitude . . . don't take it to heart."
"Whether I take it to heart or to mind, I must take it, regardless." Aleister exhaled sharply. "I know I'm meant to be a substitute or surrogate or successor, but . . . I have to do what's right from my own perspective. I won't pretend to do it from anyone else's."
"And that is all I have ever hoped for from you. I don't expect any of you to be a literal copy of L, and I regret ever using that term."
Swallowing, Aleister nodded once. "Should we get to it, then?"
"Yes. I'll contact the Planning Commission at Toronto City Hall. It's nearly five, but I may be able to sweet talk someone into expediting our request."
"Don't forget to be monstrously condescending. Otherwise they won't believe you're with Coil."
Watari chuckled. "I think a fair few of his men have to be anything but condescending to make up for Coil's predispositions."
Aleister smirked. "Poor lads. I wonder how many we'd be able to get to switch to our side."
"Not many, I'd wager. Coil tends to buy loyalty with blackmail."
"Well. How loathsome."
"Take a look at the latest police reports in your queue before you start scanning through the camera feeds. Once I'm done with phone calls, I'll start supper."
"Right." Aleister walked around to his room and sat down in front of his computer, ready to see what new details Watari had poached from the Toronto police department's data files. Working with the older man had a comfortable structure to it, one that made Aleister feel more free to think things through. He wondered if L felt similarly or if he chafed at the routine the way Beyond certainly would. Aleister felt a fresh surge of anger at the thought of someone possibly harming Beyond, or worse. Opening a file, he focused this energy on parsing the information that lay before him, fitting it into what was known, and trying to grasp the implications. He didn't care who won, he didn't care who was right – at this point, he only cared who survived.
#~~~~~~~~~~#~~~~~~~~~~#~~~~~~~~~~#~~~~~~~~~~#
"I do not know if this information is of any relevance to you or not, but I felt it was better to pass it on just in case."
"Well, I appreciate your letting me know. I'll make sure the rest of the department gets your description of this guy. Have you observed anything else?"
"Hm. Not an observation so much as . . . an inference. Serial killers often like to leave messages of some kind, either in actual notes or by leaving their victims in specific positions or locations, among other things. I am beginning to wonder if the body parts that are dropped are more or less important than the remainder of the bodies that have not been found."
"Uh . . . how do you mean?"
"Without knowing who the victims are, it is difficult to determine why the killer has targeted them, but . . . it is possible that part of his intention was to rob them of their identities."
"I don't think it's even in question that the killer intended to rob these people of their identities, and their individuality, whether he intends for the parts to form a whole or not."
"I suppose. How he targets them, why he chooses these people, specifically . . . these things are important, though his message may not be buried within these choices. It seems abhorrent, but he may be choosing people at random. If that's the case –"
"Look, I appreciate your call, and your information, but I can't get into this kind of conjecture with you. If you notice anything else, call me back. Have a good evening, Mr. Penn."
L scowled at the phone. He did not like it when others hung up on him. I can hardly guide the police investigation if they won't even listen to me, he thought. Dismissing again the thought of announcing his presence as L before it had fully formed, he sucked reflexively on a watermelon lollipop, tongue gripping and circling the sugary sphere relentlessly within his mouth. He was still debating over whether to bring the attention of the police to the "sewer" entrance behind the cafeteria – he'd decided against it for now, if only to see if it was being used by someone before the police trampled all over the surrounding area. As long as I do not compromise my identity and am not seen deliberately leaving clues for the man following me, I may be able to get clues to the police indirectly by leading him to them. Assuming, of course, he does not arrest me in the process.
The shade of his window was drawn, as he kept it now that the police were tailing him. Correction, he thought; not the police – just Maulty. Once he'd recognized the officer, who'd followed him to the cafeteria but not inside, it became quite clear what L was facing. Which was to say, not much. The man was following L only when he was off-duty, and Watari had been able to confirm that Maulty had reduced his hours lately and had not been instructed by anyone on the force to follow L. Personal vendetta or hunch, however one characterized the pursuit, it meant that Maulty's views were not supported by the police. L didn't really mind being followed by him in public – he felt that having an additional observer, even one who was intent on blaming him for things he had not done, could help close the case. The more attentive eyes we have focused on campus activity, L thought, the more likely we will be to find the critical piece of evidence that will solve this case and stop the murderer. He hadn't bothered telling Devall that he'd recognized Maulty – it was enough that his description of a tall man with dark hair and eyes and a craggy face with permanent five-o'clock shadow would match Maulty well enough for his superior to speak to him about his activities, possibly advising him to continue them with more discretion.
Sighing, L stood and stretched. He didn't want to give the police any information substantive enough to give Coil a leg up in the investigation, since anything the police learned would certainly be relayed to him, but he did want to try and "shake the tree" for more knowledge, using conjecture to dislodge facts. Not to mention that he'd wanted to test whether Devall was actually willing to converse with his alias Ezekiel Penn about the case. Clearly, he dislikes being interrupted, which I can understand, L thought, though his intentions in catching this criminal seem genuine. His file indicates that he has been strongly motivated to solve past cases and protect others, to the point that he has put himself in danger and neglected his own personal relationships. Yet if he feels any bitterness over his injuries or his divorce, he conceals it well. The three commendations he's received are impressive, but it is more telling that he seems to treat his fellow officers, particularly those beneath him, with respect.
Walking over to drop his spent lollipop stick in the trash, L then got into the single whip Tai Chi form and resumed the exercise session he'd interrupted to call the Detective. Stretching his arms out and moving them slowly, shifting his weight from one foot to the next, he considered the possibility that Devall knew something that Coil did not. It feels as though I am missing something important, he thought, something beyond what is apparent from the clues I currently possess. I need more. Crouching low, L turned, dipping one arm toward the floor, determined to find his balance and follow through.
#~~~~~~~~~~#~~~~~~~~~~#~~~~~~~~~~#~~~~~~~~~~#
He tabbed through each image mechanically, not seeing the beauty of waving red, orange, and yellow leaves half-lit by streetlamp, or the mosaic of their fallen brethren covering the ground. He did not notice the implicit hush of empty walkways lined in stone, the leaning shadows of public wastebins, the darkened eyes of every building staring sightlessly back. He looked for motion. He looked for aberrance. He looked for a singular thing that would bring all else into focus, illuminating the truth. Just one clue, he thought.
Ignored noise filled his room in the otherwise silent building, colored light strobing out from the box just beyond his wriggling toes. L was certain that he and the RA were the only two people occupying the dorm during the Thanksgiving weekend. He was glad that he had stocked up on snacks in advance, since the cafeteria was now closed, as were most area restaurants. As he contemplated going out in the morning to see if any bakeries were open for last-minute purchases, the anticipated music began, and L slid to the floor to crouch in front of the TV, waiting.
"As we reported yesterday, hometown hero and hockey player . . ."
L rolled his eyes, unable to resist also rolling onto his back, spine curved like the blade of a rocking chair, before returning to his prior position. He drummed his fingers on his knees, glancing at the pile of clothing in the corner. I am going to have to do laundry again, he thought; how annoying.
"I've just been told we have breaking news on the Missing Parts case. We're – what's that, Jim? We're switching to the broadcast n—"
The screen went black, a familiar white icon appearing mid-frame.
"Greetings and salutations, my friends in Toronto, and happy Thanksgiving a day in advance! It is I, your humble servant, Eraldo Coil. I wanted to inform you all of an unfortunate wrinkle in the current investigation of the Missing Parts case. Oh, we have the murderer dead to rights and will be closing in on him soon, but it seems that a certain unwelcome interloper has been . . . confusing the situation. This dilettante's bumbling has resulted in some unforeseen delays in concluding this case, which is unforgivable, of course. I would like nothing better than to expose this person for the disrupter he is, but luckily enough, the police have already targeted him and will be putting him out of everyone's misery. There is no excuse for incompetence, even amongst the drastically inexperienced. I only hope that this ignorant charlatan will not give the Toronto Butcher any more advantages. Speaking of whom . . . I know who you are now, little man, and I know why you're doing all of this. You are wrong to make others suffer for the sins of your forebears. If you want to be shown any leniency, you must stop what you are doing immediately and turn yourself in. Whatever you may think of me, you must realize that nothing you do now will change the past. You are running out of time. If you wait until we catch you, it will be far too late. Thank you again to the people of Toronto, and be assured that we will all have something more to be thankful for soon. Adieu!"
Mouth still open, the flush was starting to fade from his cheeks when a strange sound began to bubble from L's throat. The newswoman had moved on to yammer about something else as L rolled onto his back again, bent legs in the air like a gassed bug, still giggling. After a few moments, a buzzing noise caught his attention, and he rolled onto his side, catching his breath as he reached under his bed to grasp the phone.
"I fail to see what is so funny –"
"Oh, it isn't, grandfather, not precisely, although . . . it's certainly interesting that he's chosen to take potshots at me during one of his immensely important announcements, don't you think?" Grin still twisting his face, L looked up into the corner at one of the cameras, eyes flashing.
"He knows you're here. I take full responsibility for that – requesting the plans for the campus utilities may have been what tipped him off, and I apologize. If what he says about the police is true –"
"It isn't." L muted the TV. "He is exaggerating the police's interest in the hope that we will panic. We already know that only Maulty has 'targeted' me, and without the support of the others. It is even possible that Coil himself asked him to follow me, though that seems less likely. This, along with Coil's obvious insults, was clearly intended to get a reaction from me. We must resist. He has been aware of my presence for some time – it is a 78% likelihood that he knew I was in Toronto within a week of my moving in. The only reason he is revealing it now is because he is desperate for help. By attempting to spur me into action, he is hoping that I will unearth some information that he can use."
"Well, you're going to have to be more careful going forward, I'm afraid. Now that –"
"On the contrary. I fully intend to play along."
"Don't be foolish. Your intellect may outstrip his, but he is much more experienced and has shown himself to be quite capable of ruthlessness."
"You worry too much." L toyed with his lip. "This will backfire on him. Did you notice his tone change after his tirade at me? It seems that he is personally involved with the Butcher – despite the fact that he said so, I believe that he does know who he is. Coil has unintentionally given us an important clue."
"L, please."
"Listen to me," L said firmly. "I need you to go back through our records of Coil's old cases. I have no doubt, based on what he said and his tone as he said it, that the Butcher is connected to a past case Coil worked on. We must find this connection quickly and get to the murderer before he does."
"I can get Coil's case information for you, but you cannot throw all caution to the wind! I understand that you'd like nothing better than to rub his failings in his face –"
"Of course I would. But that is not the point. By trying to unbalance me, he has shown that he himself is unbalanced. Playing along with him will make him overconfident, more so than usual, and I will gain the advantage over him as a result. The Butcher's actions are likely linked to a mistake Coil made, something that caused someone else pain. I understand the need for preparedness – I'm not going to run out the door into some pathetic attempt of his to entrap me. Once I have sufficient information, I will make my move. The sooner I can find the connection between Coil and the Butcher, the sooner we can stop the murders. Please send me the encrypted files as quickly as possible."
After a moment of silence, Watari sighed. "I'll send them along shortly. I should not have to tell you this, but showing Coil up is not your priority. Also, given the possible circumstances with regard to Beyond . . ."
"I'm well aware of that. We cannot be certain where B is however, or who he is working with."
"Are you suggesting –"
"It is possible that he is with Coil, despite the fact that B loathes him more than he does me. That would make things more interesting, not to mention better for his health, since it would be less likely that the spleen that was dropped was his. The DNA results are still pending, I take it?"
"Yes – these things take time, as you know. Roger has made it a priority, of course. You'll know the moment I hear back from him."
"Good. Has there been any response to the 'message' at the hotel?"
"No. I don't believe that we can draw any conclusions from that, however."
"Agreed. When I have received your files, I will review them all and compare the details to everything we know about the current case. I will determine the optimal approach before proceeding."
"Do keep me in the loop." Watari's tone was dry. "I would prefer not to be the last to know the details of your plan."
"I will."
"How do you intend to convince Coil that you are panicking?"
"Oh, I won't do anything drastic." L snagged a Passion Flakie from the stash under his desk, lifting it by the corner of its pink plastic wrapping with thumb and forefinger. "It will help if you could contact the Toronto Historical Board and the ROM in a similar manner to the way you contacted the Planning Commission, yet with enough differences that we seem to be concealing our actions. This will distract him, make him think we're off the mark. Also, even if he truly believes that he has seen through my cover, rather than simply being aware that I am somewhere in the area, I will not draw undue attention to myself. My behavior must seem plausibly fearful without being obvious – behaving too fearfully would not only confirm my identity to him, it would also make it clear that I am acting and therefore trying to deceive him. Therefore, I will not be calling Detective Devall again to relay any more misleading information, for example. Perhaps a slight reduction in my social interactions, certain body language alterations –"
"Don't overdo it. Your interaction is suspiciously minimal as it is."
L frowned. "I see you have been speaking with A."
"I would not need any observations other than my own to make such an assessment." Watari sounded bemused. "I am simply cautioning you not to overplay it."
"I am perfectly capable of subtlety."
"Of course."
"I will contact you again once I have read through the reports you send me."
"I would like to recommend that you carry your cellphone with you from now on," Watari hastened to add. "Leaving it hidden is not strictly necessary, but expedited communication could well prove to be."
"Had I been carrying it when the police apprehended me, it could have been confiscated. Despite the security measures you installed, they could have drawn some . . . misleading conclusions about my having an untraceable phone with a coded contact list and a self-destruct feature." L sighed. "However, I do understand your point regarding communication, and I will endeavor to keep it with me."
"Good. Get some rest."
"I need to keep watch. Perhaps I will rest tomorrow, during the day. Goodnight."
L turned off the phone and stowed it away. There were precautions he was willing to take – many of them potentially unnecessary, like refusing to say the name "Watari" even in his own room for fear that someone beyond a wall or door or window might hear it – but he felt reluctant to take his cellphone with him. Though he valued rapid communication, he preferred to be in control of it. He did not want Watari to activate his phone remotely while he was in the middle of something when he could be observed. His previous conclusion was that such interruption would reduce the degree of his on-campus immersion, but L supposed that it really boiled down to his not wanting to be interrupted. I may have to set more of my preferences aside in order to protect myself, he thought. It could be worse. At least Watari is not nagging me to wear a hat and coat when I go out.
Staring at the images on his monitor with renewed eagerness, L's mind churned. Coil has tipped his hand to me, he thought. He likely thinks that knowing the Butcher gives him an advantage, but I will turn it to my own, whether he is working with Beyond or not.
#~~~~~~~~~~#~~~~~~~~~~#~~~~~~~~~~#~~~~~~~~~~#
Author's Note: I've mentioned that Watari and Roger are a couple in my incarnations of them, haven't I? Well, I'm mentioning it now. I'm not writing a lemon for them, however, in case you were worried or got your hopes up. It was fun to have Coil taunt L, heh heh, though he didn't go the extra step of daring L to kill him.
Thank you very much to everyone who voted in my poll! I really appreciate your giving me feedback and suggestions on how to deal with my T vs. M rating dilemma. The poll is closed now, and with an 89% lead, the winning choice is to change the rating to M. I will be doing that concurrent with the posting of the first chapter that includes M-rated content (probably number 16). For those of you who would rather not read anything graphic, you may skip that chapter – I will try to make sure that any plot points brought up within it are at least referenced later.
And as ever, thanks for reading!