I'd have updated this earlier, but my Wi-Fi suddenly stopped and wouldn't start up again. It was the worst experience of my life, I had no idea what to do. Obviously not go outside or socialize, that's just crazy talk.

Enjoy the chapter!

Weston Clark's P.O.V.

There was something seriously fishy going on around here. I seemed to be the only one besides that old guy who ever left the tower. Not even the doctor ever went outside. And when the old guy did go out, he always covered his face as if he were hiding from some shady government agency.

Just what exactly did Lawrence do? The way everyone acts so secretive means that it's either illegal, or highly classified. Naturally, I had to investigate.

I made a plan; I would start at the bottom floor and search every room thoroughly. Then, I'd move upward to each floor one at a time until I got to the top. When I was certain no one would miss me, I put my scheme into action.

It didn't take long for me to find out that a good number of the doors were locked. This wouldn't do. I had to find a master key or something. The two people most likely to have one would be Lawrence or the old guy. Lawrence is never apart from Ellie, and he weirdly never seems sleep, so that's a no-go. It'll have to be the old guy. I'll follow him until he goes to sleep, then-

Oh, wait…

Ellie is the lady of the house. She'd probably just give one to me if I asked.

Yeah, that'd definitely be easier. I put a pin in the old guy plan just in case, then walked over to the staircase. Fifteen flights of stairs is an awful climb, but it's better than having to take an elevator. Elevators are Satan's nostrils…

When I had stopped wheezing from my climb to the fifteenth floor, I heard people talking from Ellie's medical room. It sounded important and secretive, so obviously, I decided to listen in.

"Anon, come in, are you awake?" Lawrence's voice called

A scrambled voice sounded from one of the speakers, "Yes, I am."

"Good. Now, listen very carefully, but do not speak. Ryuk is in the room with you."

This time it was Ellie's voice, "He's sitting on the night stand."

Were they playing D&D? How dare they start a campaign without me!

Lawrence said, "Get up, and move about as if you're preparing to leave. When you are ready, walk out the front of the hotel and turn left. Follow the street until we tell you to stop. Do not take any turns."

Then there was a click, like a button being pressed, and the conversation changed. It sounded like Lawrence and Ellie were suddenly in the middle of a game of chess. Yori commented, "Wow, Ellie, you're really getting good at this. I never would have thought of that."

"Yes, that was a very clever move, I am impressed," Lawrence mumbled, "Is the shinigami still following him?"

Shinigami… What's a shinigami? Was that Japanese for something? Maybe it was a monster in the game of D&D they might be playing. But then if they were playing D&D, then why are they playing chess now as if they were waiting for something? Plus, they sound too serious and secretive for it to be just a game. It's probably something more along the lines of a government code name. Was Lawrence a spy? If so that would be damn awesome and I'd chew Ellie's ear out for not telling me.

"Yeah, he's still there," Ellie answered Lawrence, "He's practically hovering on top of poor Mr. Yagami."

Mr. Yagami? Wasn't that the middle-aged man that hangs around here for whatever reason? When did he come into the conversation, I thought it was someone named Anon getting followed. Unless… Oh, of course! Anon must be Mr. Yagami's secret-agent code name. This was getting good.

There was another click and the conversation changed again, "Anon," Lawrence said, "ahead of you is a fruit stand. Go there and buy two dozen apples."

Apples? What the hell did apples have to do with anything? Was that code too, or did they just send a secret agent out to buy groceries?

I heard the scrambled voice over Ellie's speaker system again, "Hello, I would like two dozen apples please."

A new, not-scrambled voice came out of the speakers this time. It sounded like a woman, "Of course, one moment please."

"Funny how she didn't react to his attire," Yori commented, "he probably looks really weird hidden under that helmet and cloak."

Ellie laughed, "Yeah, probably."

"That apple just floated, right there, look," Yori pointed out, seemingly unsurprised at the oddity of his statement.

"Yep," Ellie confirmed, "Ryuk just stole an apple from the stand. He's gonna have a field day when he finds out all two-dozen are for him. Lucky little shinigami."

Someone slurped. I can only assume it was Lawrence, he always had tea or coffee with him and he had a clear disregard for table manners. He spoke, "Good, now go somewhere private where you won't be seen. When you're sure you're alone, clear your throat."

I heard a click again and it was back to chess, "Queen takes rook," Ellie said, "Checkmate!" She sounded proud of herself.

Yori sounded awestruck, "Wow, you actually did it… You beat L at chess."

"Hm… It would appear I have been defeated," I heard Lawrence's cool, calculating voice assess the situation. "I'd say you've earned some sort of prize. What would you like? I have a delicious slice of cake here if you want some."

"Well," Ellie's tone was triumphant and almost gloating, "I'll have to think about what sort of a reward this merits, won't I? But first, a kiss for the victor."

"As you wish," He said back to her.

Yori pretended to be disgusted, "Ew, get a room, guys."

"We have one," Ellie retorted back, "You're in it."

"Would you like me to leave you two alone?"

"I assure you, that won't be necessary," Lawrence said calmly. "Perhaps later, though."

"You two disgust me," Yori joked.

"Oh?" Ellie teased, "In that case... Get over here, you sexy detective, you."

Ah, so Lawrence was a detective. He must be damn good at his job to have this much dough come out of it. Maybe he was some sort of special cases consultant. If that's the case, what were they working on now?

The scrambled voice cleared their throat, "Ahem."

There was another click. "Are you certain that you are alone?" Lawrence asked, "Cough once for yes, twice for no."

The voice coughed once.

"Good. Now, when I whistle twice, repeat the words I say exactly. When I whistle again, stop repeating them. Is that clear?"

The voice coughed again.

Lawrence whistled two short bursts, then said, "Hello, Ryuk."

The voice repeated, "Hello, Ryuk"

I heard a scratching noise. It sounded like someone was writing something.

Lawrence waited a moment, then continued, "Yes, I can. Here, have an apple."

More scratches.

The voice continued repeating what he said, "I know you couldn't care less about Kira and his cause. So, I've come to offer you a deal. Bring me a page ripped from each of the other shinigami's notebooks, and I'll give you two dozen apples for each one, plus another two dozen every week for a year afterwards if you don't tell anyone about this."

That sounded sketchy. Maybe Lawrence was a detective-slash-mob-boss in his spare time.

There was more writing.

"It doesn't matter what I want with them. It would cost you nothing, and earn you all the apples you could want. Do we have a deal?"

More scratching, but this time it was short.

"Good. Start by placing a page from your own death note in my hand, and you can have the rest of this bag. I'll be back in two days for the next ones."

Lawrence whistled twice again, signaling for the voice to stop repeating him, "Okay, now that you have the page, tuck it safely away in your wallet, and give Ryuk the bag of apples. Good, now walk away and take a cab. Make sure no one follows you when you return. We'll keep watch to ensure no other shinigami see you."

There was another click and Yori breathed a heavy sigh of relief, "That was intense. Glad it worked."

"Yes, this operation was hazardous," Lawrence said calmly, "If Ryuk had rejected our offer and gone to tell Kira, we'd be in danger of discovery. We also would never again have the opportunity to approach Kira without incredible risk. It is fortunate this went so well."

Suddenly the door opened, making me fall to the ground into the room. Everyone stopped and looked at me.

Oh, shit…