I do not own Death Note
Chapter 41 Performance
"Namikawa is calling Higuchi," Light informed, hanging up the phone, focusing on the screen in front of us. Matsuda was currently speaking with an interviewer on Sakura TV, his voice vaguely resembling that of a chipmunk, I noted dryly, remembering to ask L about it later. "Higuchi should try to call Misa in a few minutes, trying to get Matsuda's real name."
L nodded, surprisingly not drowning in sweets for once, but indulging in fruit that actually contained nutrients required for life. He fiddled with the peel, staring at the multiple screens. A few minutes later, as Light predicted, Misa's phone rang. Misa ended the call immediately. Watari's voice issued from a speaker.
"Ryuzaki, Mogi is in position in front of Yoshida productions. He's just received a call from Higuchi."
"Yes, it's time for phase two," L agreed. The call was brought up, Mogi and Higuchi's voices coming across.
"Mochi, where's Misa?"
"Oh, Higuchi-san, it's a pleasure to hear from you…"
My stomach was in knots, as Mogi gave the prewritten excuse; Misa was on vacation. She wouldn't be answering her phone. I vaguely wondered if I was going to be sick. There were so many ways this could go wrong. It all depended on our ability to get into Higuchi's head and plan his reactions to work to our advantage. This was where Light and I excelled, but still…
I remembered vague whisperings around the station when I had first started. Mentions of operations gone wrong due to an unpredictable moves or actions. Hostages lost, innocents murdered…all because of an assumption based on patterns. Humans by nature were things of habit, but there were instances where the behaved erratically; in ways that couldn't have been foreseen.
That was the fault with other people, I mused. They believed themselves to be the most complex individual, full of thoughts and emotions that others were simply unable to understand. Yet they were surprised when others displayed this same idea. Surprised when all their preconceived notions of a person were tossed out of a window only to shatter, falling into a new shape previously hidden.
Humans were predictable. But that's what made them dangerous. Who was to say when they would stop behaving predictably?
"This is almost going exactly how I planned. It's almost scary," Light thought a loud, uncannily matching my own thoughts.
"You shouldn't be scared, Light. You should be happy," L said blandly.
"I agree with Light," I said. "This makes me feel nervous."
"You would feel nervous about the situation regardless. Perhaps you should attempt to feel more confident in you and Light's own abilities."
I snorted. "Unlikely. Besides, this plan hardly has room for error. Even people like Higuchi are capable of surprising us."
"It is that I find unlikely."
I shrugged. L was simply proving my own thoughts correct. He believed Higuchi incapable of profound or complex thoughts and emotions.
Watari spoke again.
"I'm patching you in to Higuchi's conversation with the president of Yoshida productions."
"He's not even pretending to hide what he's asking about now, is he? Stupid Higuchi!" Misa giggled as Higuchi demanded outright for 'Taro Matsui's' real name.
"If he's acting like that, it's proof he's beginning to panic," L observed.
"Maybe we don't need to worry," I conceded in disbelief as Higuchi listened to the instructions to getting 'Matsui's' file, without an ounce of suspicion.
It was Wedy's voice that came through this time.
"I see Higuchi. He's only carrying a single bag. I'm in pursuit."
So Higuchi was leaving.
"Everything's still going according to plan," Light said in wonder.
"Yes," L agreed quietly.
The screens displaying Matsuda's interview switched to a commercial; one of Misa's surprisingly. Matsuda would be thrilled when he watched the tape of this. I couldn't help but wince as Misa pouted at the camera, a sickening color of red painted across her lips.
L stared at it in distaste for a few seconds, before somehow deciding he should imitate the onscreen atrocity while using a banana as a prop. I couldn't decide if it was cute or disturbing. Misa seemed to be lingering on disturbing as she shot L an extremely freaked out look. Light seemed caught in between like I was, though he replaced cute with amusing.
"Ryuzaki, the commercial's almost over," Light informed him awkwardly.
"Is that so?" L deadpanned. "Light please put Higuchi's car on audio channel one, and Sakura TV on channel two." Light complied, tapping a few keys.
"As expected, Higuchi's watching every minute of this from his car," Light said smugly.
Higuchi was speaking to himself now. It was vaguely reminiscent of when Misa was-
"Rem, what do you think?"
I froze.
He was speaking as if someone else was in the car.
Someone we couldn't see.
Someone that could have been watching me as I looked into the mirror.
My gaze flickered to Misa, taking in her tight jaw set and stance; the tightening around her eyes. Shit. I found myself regretting I hadn't told L about the incident with Misa now. There had been no proof she simply hadn't been talking to herself, but I had dismissed it. When was I going to learn to follow through on things like this?
"Rem? There's no one else in the car, right?" Light asked. "It's impossible for someone to be hiding without us knowing. He isn't on a cellphone, could it be a hidden radio?"
"No." L bit the banana more viciously than usual, the only sign of displeasure. "There aren't any radios or devices. Only the bugs, cameras and tracking beacons Wedy installed. I have no doubt she did a thorough job."
"Is he talking to himself?" Light pressed, the unplanned flaw upsetting him to no end.
"This isn't sounding very good," Misa muttered. My eyes shot to hers, her own gaze dropped immediately.
"They'll still go there," L assured, taking Misa's sentence to mean she was nervous for the plan. I noticed L switched 'he' with 'they,' showing he in fact did believe in an invisible being tagging along with Higuchi.
Higuchi continued to speak with Rem, coming to a decision to kill everyone he had called.
"WHAT? No way he's gonna kill me!" Misa said worriedly.
"It's alright. He's talking about doing that after he has killed Matsuda. There'd be no point to killing anyone else until he has completed that aspect first," L said in an attempt of comfort. Misa blanched, but seemed to understand now was not a time to demand reassurance from Light.
"That's not exactly calming, Ryuzaki," I muttered, my own anxiousness escaping in a burst of sarcasm.
"THERE'S NO WAY HE CAN BE TALKING TO HIMSELF!" Light said frustration nearly palpable. "But who's he talking too?" Light growled through gritted teeth.
"If he's talking with someone right now, it could be…" L trailed off.
"A shinigami." The words escaped from me without thinking.
L eyes widened, surprised. He nodded solemnly at me. "Perhaps."
"He's arrived at Yoshida productions," Light informed.
L turned reluctantly from me. "The show's about to begin," L muttered.
Mogi's hushed voice came through, his words slightly distorted by the distance and equipment.
"We're in position and ready to take him down. We move on your command."
"Right," L answered.
I didn't like this. I didn't like this. It was overwhelming; the urge to move. I couldn't do this. I couldn't sit back focused on only one part of this whole production; supposedly overseeing it. Sitting here was maddening. There were all the moving parts. People. Teams. Routes. Vehicles. And here I was, still. In the middle. The eye of the hurricane so to speak.
"He's not doing anything. He's just made a note of his name before leaving. He's not going to kill him here?" Light asked.
"Ryuzaki, would you like us to make the capture now?"
"Negative. We still don't know how he kills. Perhaps he's planning to do something once he's back in the car," L suggested.
"It's weird," Light said. "You'd think he'd be desperate to try and kill Matsuda this very second, but he's calm."
"Maybe he's waiting for Matsuda to reveal his identity and kill him just before. Or maybe he's already tried," I added.
"Strange. If all he needed was the name, he'd have taken the personnel file with him, but he simply returned it after making a note," L mused.
"DAMN! HE DIDN'T DIE!"
Higuchi looked livid, though fear was also easily seen on his expression.
"What's he talking about?" Light asked, no longer frustrated, but purely angry. "He said, 'he didn't die.'"
"He already attempted to kill Matsuda. Was writing his down all he needed to do?" L asked quickly.
Things were beginning to move faster. Words, thoughts, movements. We were being pushed to the climax of our scene. The heroes were fast approaching the dastardly villain intent on punishing him for his crimes. The stage was set. The setting beginning to change. The actors were about to move.
"What do we do now? Should we just continue watching him? What if he can cause a death just by imagining it?" Light speculated wildly, utterly lost for the first time in his life. L stared back at L, unable to answer him. Light's gaze shifted to me, looking for some solution. I couldn't offer him anything. "He's making a phone call again," Light said, though his voice sounded strangled.
"It's probably Misa," L said, relived to have an answer to this question.
Misa had retreated to the couch, and the ring coming from her pocket proved L correct. She immediately disconnected.
Higuchi was panicking. That much was clear. He seemed to be attempting to resign himself to something. His erratic breathing fell silent.
"Rem. Let's make the deal."
The words were foreboding. A twist in the script. A Faustian deal tossed in. A contact with the dark force he had summoned. I distantly wondered what he was trading. A soul? Our production hardly seemed cliché enough to allow it to be so unoriginal.
"A deal? Who is this Rem person he keeps talking to? Could it really be that Kira's power really comes from another world or being?" Light asked.
"I sincerely hope that is not the case," L said in response, but not denying it.
Wedy's voice sounded from the speakers, as Higuchi slowed down, flashing lights and a siren behind him.
"This is bad. Higuchi's been pulled over by a traffic cop. I'll have to pass them and leave the pursuit to Aiber's team."
Higuchi began rummaging through his bag, a cop asking for his driver's license, before gunning it and tearing off.
It switched to Mogi's voice.
"Higuchi ditched the cop, he's driving away!"
A pause. A sound of crunching metal barely audible from Higuchi's car.
"The motorcycle cop just rear ended a truck. He's dead."
"He's dead?" Light asked leaping to his feet. "By accident?"
"This is very bad…" L said to himself, deep in thought.
"Rem….a deal," Light and I whispered to ourselves.
A shinigami. A Faustian deal. A cop. Dead. No identification. No name. He didn't need a name.
HIGUCHI DOESN'T NEED A NAME!
"He doesn't need a name," I said quickly looking at L who seemed to have reached the same conclusion.
L leaned forward, hitting the microphone letting everyone on in the field listen in. "It's too dangerous to allow further action by Higuchi! Let's bring him in! I believe he has the same power as the second Kira. He is able to kill just by looking at someone's face. Please keep this in mind when you move to arrest him!" The words poured from his mouth at a feverish pace, final unfettered emotion leaking through. "Watari, connect me to the director of the NPA."
"What are you doing?" I asked.
"Asking the police to ignore Higuchi. If they're not warned, we may have a bloodbath on our hands."
"Alright, Dad," Light said through another microphone. "During the next commercial break, take measure seven. Higuchi appears to be heading towards Sakura TV."
Measure seven…I sighed in relief. The station was going to be evacuated with the exception of Dad, Aiber and Wedy. I was still worried for Dad, but far less than I had been for Matsuda. Dad wouldn't have his face showing.
"So then, Rei. Light. Shall we join the fun as well?" L asked, standing to his full height for a change.
"Definitely," I grinned.
"Yeah…"
L nodded and reached inside his desk, pulling something out and heading towards the office chair Misa was in. It wasn't until after Misa was already chained in, did I realize L was restraining her. He added four more chains; catering to his paranoia I was sure.
"I'm sorry to do this Misa, but I'm going to have to be sure you'll be restrained for a while," L said in a very unapologetic voice.
"What?" Misa shrieked, but L was already pulling Light to the elevator. Misa sent me a pleading look. I shrugged helplessly and ran after the pair.
"Where are we going?" I asked.
"The roof," he answered smoothly.
I blinked at him. "The roof?"
"Yes."
"…please don't tell me we're using one of the helicopters."
"Rei is as astute as ever."
"I didn't realize you could pilot a helicopter. That's impressive," Light complimented as we flew through the air, L surprisingly enough (or not) flying the contraption rather than Watari.
"Well you can figure it out with intuition," L admitted. Watari chuckled from his position near the runners, where he stood at the ready; rifle poised for action.
"Ryuzaki, you have a habit of saying very unreassuring things during very stressful times," I said, though I actually wasn't bothered. I was trying not to stare too openly at the city below me. It was beautiful. Tokyo at night simply belonged up in the sky with Milky Way. The lights painted the most beautiful picture, highlighted by reds and oranges of the traffic below, occasionally dotted with the blues of sirens.
"Higuchi's no longer heading toward Sakura TV. He's going the wrong way," Light announced watching Higuchi on the tracking map. Light had gotten the other pilot seat, while I sat behind the two of them, closer to Watari, but also tucked out of sight. Something I'm sure they all planned.
"Based on his route, I'm guessing he's heading to the Yotsuba main office," L said. I could only hear him because of the thick headset's we were all wearing. The blades of the chopper blocked out all other sound.
"He's probably looking for footage with Matsuda's face on it," I suggested.
"Come in Wedy. Have you erased absolutely anything relating to Matsuda at the Yotsuba headquarters?" L demanded.
"Yeah. Why? Is he heading there now? Isn't that convenient; that should give me enough time to get and set up with Yagami-san and Aiber at the ambush."
We hovered in the city as Higuchi tore through the streets and searched for tapes with Matsuda's face on it.
"He's moving again," I informed Light. Light nodded and radioed in to Dad.
The chase continued. Higuchi finally went to Sakura TV. However, the ambush failed. Dad was shot in the process and Higuchi escaped, now aware he was being arrested.
"This is bad," Light cursed.
"This leaves us no choice. We'll have to move in and apprehend him," L decided. "Watari, are you ready?"
"Yes," the elder man answered.
L delicately reached down and pulled up a gun, offering it. "Light, I think you should take this for self defense. This is Kira we're after."
"No thanks," Light declined. "Firearms aren't allowed in Japan."
"You know I'm sure your father would say the exact same thing. Rei?"
I looked at the gun hesitantly, and took it. If it was an issue of stopping Kira from killing anyone, I would want the gun. I wrapped my hands around it, but held it away from me, pointed at the floor, like a snake that would bite me.
"We have a visual," Light said, and we flew above the red car as it speeded up a ramp onto a suspiciously empty highway. Higuchi screeched to a stop when he reached a blockade of police cars.
"What's happening? I thought we told the police not to get involved with this," Watari recalled.
"The only one who would do this," Light trailed off in awe.
"Yes, you're right," L agreed.
"Aizawa," I said with a smile.
Higuchi desperately tried to reverse, but L brought down the helicopter trapping him. He attempted to squeeze past, but Watari shot out his tires. We could see Higuchi's face now. He brought out a gun, pressing it to his temple, terror evident in his expression. The gun flew from his hand from another expertly aimed bullet.
"It's over," Light said as the car was swarmed by police men.
"It's over," L conceded.
There was such an air of finality in which they said this, as if any moment the lights would dim and the current would fall. But it didn't feel that way. It wasn't over. I could feel it. I gripped the gun tighter.
Screams issued from the men.
"MONSTER!"
Far from over.
There were conversations. L issuing orders. A notebook brought up. L took it. Staring in surprise. Murmuring to himself in triumph.
My eyes fell upon the notebook. I felt the urge to rip it from his hands. To burn it. Before it was-
"Ryuzaki let me see!"
-too late.
Light touched the notebook, pulling it from L's hands.
He screamed.
I saw white as steel pierced my skull. It hurt. Why did it hurt? I blinked blearily, pain subsiding. We were both panting, though I had managed not to scream. Had the pain come from Light?
Light spoke, but I didn't hear the words. Just the tone. Dangerous. Deadly. It felt like Kira. Light was focused on Higuchi; staring. I tried to use the opportunity to take the notebook. To get far away from Light.
I grabbed it, but when I pulled he wrenched it away from me, a silent snarl on his face. I stared back terrified. Not Light. Not Light. Not Light. This wasn't Light. There was blood in his eyes. Anger. Poison.
"HIGUCHI'S DEAD!"
I stared at Kira.
And the curtain fell.
~Author's Note~
I'm so dramatic. The title comes from many things. The return of Light's performance as Kira. The fact the operation is referred to a show a few times in the episode. That it ties in with innocent! Light's handcuffing to Light in Intermission. And so I could use all the fun theater references.
I've often heard that twins can feel each the other's pain. I couldn't resist.
Thanks for all the reviews!
littlecookiefan: Lol. Nice rambling XD
AlbinoButterfly: That would be telling now wouldn't it? And it's kinda a moot point because you just read all the answers… And someone else in Canada shattered that hope for me…
SexyMuffinCupcake *COUGH*AMBER*COUGH*: Hi. I love you. Please don't say desu at me tomorrow.
A fan of course: I'm loving the energy! Thanks so much. PS. I love that song. FANART WOULD ROCK!
Clarice: Yes. But that would be simple. And I love making my job harder by complicating things DX