Chapter 16
It had begun early in December, prisoners dying by the hundreds in prisons all over the world, all apparently of heart attacks. The news was full of people trying to understand what was happening, everything from mass suicides to mass illnesses were being suggested. None of course making any sense. People had begun to call the person responsible for these deaths "Kira", and calling him an instrument of God punishing the wicked. Others considered him a dangerous nut that had to be stopped. Christine was in the latter group. Although there was a small satisfaction in knowing people who had committed heinous crimes were no longer sucking up the oxygen, she also knew it was wrong for one person to do such a thing. If indeed it was one person, no one knew. She also knew one other thing, L was completely intrigued.
L went over the information again and again. This was something he had never seen before and was having difficulty understanding. Someone had the ability to kill hundreds of people at all corners of the world; causing them to have heart attacks all within minutes of each other. How was this possible? And yet it was staring him in the face. His thumb was at his lips, his wide eyes scouring each screen for something he could have missed. But there was nothing. As wrong as all this was, he couldn't help feeling fascinated and exhilarated in a way he hadn't been in a long time. This was something that he was going to jump into on his own; no police department had called and requested his help. He knew solving this was way above the heads of any regular police department on their own, but he would most likely need to work with one on this case. From what he could discern, similar deaths had happened in Japan first, before they had spread across the globe. This led him to believe the one or however many there were, was in Japan; this so called "Kira". He touched the intercom for Watari.
"Watari I'm going to need you to make arrangements to go to Japan as soon as possible. There is to be an ICPO meeting in 2 days regarding the Kira case, I need to present my ideas to them at this meeting."
"Of course L. We can leave first thing in the morning." L released the button and sat back. This was not going to be easy, he knew that. Not only did he have to find who was doing this, but also he had to find HOW they were doing it. How can you possibly kill that many people at once and have them all have heart attacks? He knew the only way to get a handle on this killer was to draw them out. He had an idea on how to do that, and he knew it certainly wouldn't meet with police department approval. He didn't care. A lot of what he did was not on their agendas. He knew he'd probably have to work with the police eventually, but he wasn't working with them yet. He contacted someone who could put what he wanted into place, then sat back and thought more about what he would do. It would be something he had never done before, but Kira was a criminal like no other. He would have to use means he never had before if he were to catch him. He stood up and walked to the large window in his office and looked out at the yard. As usual there were children playing out there, bundled up against the cold. He turned away from the window when he heard knocking at the door.
Christine had seen Watari go past her as she stood in her office door, watching the kids go to dinner. He had seemed preoccupied so she asked if something was wrong. He had said no, but he had to get things ready and L's plane gassed up as they were going to Japan in the morning, and he hurried past her. Christine sighed dejectedly. If he were going to Japan tomorrow on a case he certainly wouldn't be back before Christmas. Well she'd just have to give it to him before he left. She finished up her day in her office, went to her apartment to retrieve the book, and then went to see L.
After hearing him tell her to come in, Christine opened the door to see L at the window, staring out into the yard. She closed the door and walked over to him, sensing he was deep in thought. She placed the box with the book in it on his desk and then touched his arm. He turned and looked at her, a small smile on his face.
"I must commend your timing. I was just thinking of calling you." He said.
"Really? Is something wrong?" she asked him.
"Do I only call you when there is something wrong? What does that say about our relationship?"
"No, of course not. I was just wondering, you don't quite seem yourself. And Watari said you were leaving in the morning…"
"No, nothing is wrong. I am considering some actions to use to draw this Kira out into the open, and they are a bit different from what I have done before."
"Oh I see. What are you going to do, extol the virtues of Kira and tell him he's got to stop before he puts you out of business?"
"Careful, you may become a Kira supporter with thinking like that." He said smiling finally. Christine punched his shoulder and growled at him.
"Oh fine, insult me as I try to think of the most outrageous thing you could do!" she walked away from him to the desk and picked up the box. "And I came bearing gifts!!!" she added holding up the box. He turned to face her as she held the box out to him. His smile got bigger and he looked like a child on Christmas morning.
"What is this?" he asked taking the box and beginning to unwrap it.
"Well I was going to give it to you for your birthday and you weren't here, and now I fear you won't be back from Japan before Christmas and I wanted to make sure you at least saw this first." He finished opening the box and reached in and pulled out the book. It was covered in blue fabric with a big white L on the front.
"Considering your constant ensemble I thought those might be your favorite colors." She said grinning. He ignored her comment and opened the book. The first page was the picture she had obviously taken the day he was eating the ice cream. Looking completely surprised with the spoon poised and his mouth full. He couldn't help but laugh. He flipped through the pages reading the stories, the captions under other pictures. He laughed again at the picture of Watari looking ever so stoic holding one of his deserts on a tray, and the crazy faces the boys made in their pictures. He looked at Christine, a question in his eyes.
"I thought you needed something to remind you that your world has more than the bleakness you seem to face all the time. And that there is so much more to you than that desk and computer. L is a person, not just a title. Merry early Christmas L."
"Thank you," he said running his hands over the cover of the book, "I have never received anything so personal before." She reached up and took his face in both of her hands.
"I think it's because people are so busy thinking of you as L the detective that L the man gets lost. I think you do that as well. I like them both, but I'm a bit more partial to the man than the detective!" she reached up and kissed him.
"You do know how dangerous this book is." He cautioned afterwards.
"Absolutely. It's been under lock and key as I put it together. And I'm sure you have places to hide it here…not that anyone could get in here anyway."
"Ah, that reminds me." He said and walked into the bedroom for a moment and returned with something in his hand. He took one of hers and placed a set of keys into it. She looked at the keys and then at him and then at the keys again. She grinned and batted her eyes at him.
"Keys? Oh darling this is so sudden, I'll run down and pack!!" L looked positively horrified at first until she started laughing.
"Seriously, what are these keys to?" she asked finally.
"To the door. I have a feeling I will be gone a long time on this one and it may become necessary for you to come in here while I am away. I may need to send information here that I may need for you to get. Also, when I am away, I send a code to this computer at the same time every day. I am the only one with that code. If it does not get this code, it will begin a countdown. At the end of that countdown if I have not rebooted it, it will assume I am dead and send the message here, and to Roger's phone. If I am injured or unable to make the proper code, Watari has a code of his own which will still the countdown until I am able to send my code. I have set it so that it will also send the coded message to your phone as well. If that happens you will need to come in here to see the actual message Roger is the only other person who has keys and I would prefer you in here over him."
He smiled and then stopped smiling when he saw the reaction in her face that his words had brought.
"Am I supposed to say thank you to that, L? I suppose it's an honor that you trust me this much, but the thing about the computer, that's just creepy." He laughed.
"Well, the chances of you getting that message are quite remote. But I do have to make sure everything is in place just in case. The boys will need help if something should happen to me, and I do not believe Roger would be in a position to do that properly." Christine turned away from him and stared out of the window.
"L, I don't really want to discuss the possibility of losing my best friend and lover right now. I know that it's a possibility every time you walk out of here, but it doesn't mean I like thinking about it. And why this time are you giving me the keys and information?"
"Only because I remembered this time. I have meant to several times, but I seem to always leave in a hurry without seeing you before I go. It would have happened again this time if you had not visited. It appears that Kira needs a name in order to kill. I know for certain he does not know my name; no one does, so I am safe and will continue to be so. This is only precautionary. Do not worry." Christine took a deep breath and turned around to face him and grinned.
"I'm not worried, you're L, so there is nothing to worry about. But if you do get injured somehow, will you send for me as your personal physician? " L shook his head and his expression became very serious.
"You're involvement with me can never be known. Watari is completely in disguise when he does things for me, so no one can trace him to me. It would be very dangerous for him and the same would apply to you. If I am injured Watari has things in place to insure my security and well being." Christine nodded her understanding and he smiled, grateful she did understand and did not argue. Then he thought of something else.
"I should have the boys up here, I want to thank them for their contributions to the book." He started to press the intercom and she stopped him.
"He's busy enough getting your act together, I'll go get the boys. It'll give me a chance to put these away as well. I'll be right back."
She stopped by her apartment first and put the keys in her jewelry box on her dresser. She looked at them before she dropped them in one more time. The trust he had developed in her warmed her, but he had inadvertently scared her. She never really thought consciously of the danger he was in when he left Whammy's. But he always came back, so there was nothing to worry about. She dropped the keys in and left, heading for the boys' room.
They spent the rest of the evening in L's living room, going over the pictures, eating way too much sugar and laughing way too much. Watari had joined them as well, although his intake was mostly tea and biscuits. It was like when they were playing in the leaves, only inside. Then L decided it was past the boys' bedtimes and it was time for them to go. He told them he was heading to Japan tomorrow and would most likely be gone a while.
"You're going after Kira aren't you?" Mello asked. L nodded.
"Yes, I am. He needs to be stopped and brought to justice, as soon as possible."
"And you'll do it won't you? Promise, L he's the worst!" L reached down and messed up Mello's hair.
"Of course I promise. Have I ever let the bad guy get away?" Mello laughed and shook his head.
"Nope, never." He reached up and hugged L tightly then waited as the other two did the same. After Near and Matt had each had their hugs, they said good night to Christine and went out of the door. Watari stood and went to the door as well.
"I'll...make sure they do indeed reach their room and not get involved in something due to the high sugar intake. I'll also take this moment to say good-night and make sure all is ready for the morning."
L and Christine looked at each other as silence descended on the room, and then they laughed.
"I forgot how much energy those three have, I feel like I've run a marathon. This must be what it's like to have children. Every single day going through this isanity." She said shuddering involuntarily. L made a face.
"I fear the sugar consumption did not help matters. They don't metabolize it as I do. And if you're right about this being normal for married people with children, that's a worse crime than anything I've ever run across." Christine laughed and too a final sip of her tea and then another thought crossed her mind.
"Oh God, school tomorrow is going to be horrific! They'll never sleep all that off, if they go to sleep!"
They laughed again and then L reached over and touched her face.
"I think it is bedtime for us as well." He whispered and leaned down and kissed her. She nodded when he drew back.
"Yes, I think so too." They stood up and went into the bedroom, L shutting the door behind him.
They had made love many times, and L was always a gentle and attentive lover the more experienced he became. But Christine felt this time it was a little different; it was if he were trying to imprint every moment in his mind, in his touch. She wondered if he had been so moved by the book that it was presenting itself this way, or if he was trying to imprint this into his memory to last until he returned. In any case she certainly didn't mind, his gentle touch was even more so this time, his hands and fingers traveling her body with a slow determined ease, awaking every nerve ending she had. His kisses were gentle but determined if that made sense. He seemed to be drinking all of her in with his lips and tongue, holding her as if she'd disappear if he let go. And when he entered her, slowly and with care, the rhythm he set was slow and gentle, as if willing it to last as long as possible, until they could no longer stand the quiet pace. This time when they reached the zenith, Christine thought she could see stars and almost laughed at herself at thinking something so sappy, but it was true. And as they came down together, he held her to him until both their bodies stopped trembling. She snuggled into his arms afterwards as usual and fell asleep, promising herself to buy him more presents if this is what she got afterwards.
Hours later, she felt him move away from her and fighting sleep she opened her eyes to see him.
"I was trying not to wake you." He whispered and kissed her forehead.
"It's alright. What's the matter?" she asked.
"Nothing, it's just time to leave." He said.
"Oh so early? Really?" he nodded.
"I've got a long flight and I need to prepare for the presentation to the ICPO. You don't have to get up now. Go back to sleep."
"No, I thought I might go with you to the airport this time. Give you a proper sendoff." She said smiling. He shook his head.
"Not a good idea, Christine. I am sorry. I shall call you after my presentation to let you know how brilliant I was." He grinned, and she grinned back then leaned up and kissed him good-bye.
"How do you get that head of yours through the door?"
"Practice." He answered, kissed her forehead again and went out of the bedroom door, closing it behind him. She heard him speak to Watari about his laptop before she drifted back to sleep.
