Five days passed when I returned to work, the agent who had been on me had left after the third day, probably being reassigned after reporting that I was doing nothing suspicious. Since I was able to relax, I had gone out into the Underworld to gather information from those a few who owed me favours. It was easy work for I was well known within the Underworld, not only as an agent, but also an informer and at times, I would bail others out of trouble. I had connections to every mafia, yakuza, triad, street gang, underground societies and the like in every single country. Much like how L was connected to every police force, FBI, CIA and the like in the world above ground, I was connected to the world's Underworld. I didn't find much though in my search through my connections, but I did get a few clues from word and mouth.
When I returned to work, I had actually felt more refreshed for it had been some time that I was able to freely head to the Underworld without letting anyone know I was with the Police Force. When I entered the office, I was greeted by a decrease in man power and let out a hum at that before sitting in my chair, slipping my coat and satchel off. When Matsuda saw me, he immediately brightened and proceeded to tell me what I had missed during my absence. I was told about the odd deaths that occurred with six inmates; where three of them did something they had never seen before as well as L's suspicions that Kira was experimenting on them. Unknown to Matsuda or anyone else though, I already knew about these deaths and had come up with those speculations myself, but I allowed Matsuda to continue on until the chief came in, cutting himself off. The chief took a look at me, probably to see if I had over worked myself or not before nodding his head in greeting. I nodded my head back, lightly tipping my fedora down, hiding my face from view as Watari's eyes looked over at me. I looked over at him from the corner of my eye, tipping my head to the side a bit as everyone got to their seats and mouthed 'thank you' to him only to have him nod in response.
The rest of the day went by without much happening, Matsuda mainly talked with me to see what I could come up with after viewing the deaths and what had been written. For some reason though, my mind wasn't set on that task, instead I was more focused on the report coming in from a shuttle to Space Land. Reading it, I frowned at the information that was coming in, letting out a deep hum while typing this information to my tablet, gaining a virtual copy of the information as well as the audio that the bus and station recorded. My brows deepened while Matsuda talked, though his words were passing over me.
"Matsuda, I'll need you to excuse me for a moment." I told my friend quietly, though my eyes were trained on the screens in front of me, "I need to speak with someone right now." I said, while noticing everyone starting to pack up for the night since they were going nowhere on the case, "We'll catch up tomorrow okay?" I asked with a soft smile, watching as he grinned back at me and nodded his head.
"Yeah, for sure Shika, I'll tell you everything else tomorrow." He told me as he got himself ready to head off. Once he was gone, I let out a sigh, leaning back in my chair and ran a hand through my loose bangs, shaking my head at how much energy that guy had.
Hearing a quiet chuckle, I looked over at Watari and slipped my fedora off my head, shaking my hair out a bit as I twirled the laptop around for him to see. Seeing as no one was around anymore, not even the chief, I felt more assured to bringing this up without the chief being around to hear. Watari stood up from his chair and walked over to me, seeing that I wasn't going to be leaving until I talked with him a bit. He stood next to my desk, looking down at my screen while I brought up the reports that I had been looking through.
"This just came in earlier today; it involves a shuttle to Space Land, a hijacker and the hijacker's coincident death." I told him with a frown, "From what the reports are saying there were seven witnesses, eight if you include the driver; already on the bus when this happened. Six were interviewed, including the driver that makes seven. The hijacker had apparently started hallucinating, not uncommon for drug addicts, but the fact that when he demanded to get off, he got ran over by a car going at high speed." I stated while going through the data, "I know it doesn't seem like much, just random coincidence, but the fact that not every passenger was there brings up my own suspicions. Plus, while I was looking through those who had been interviewed, I noticed one name of interest; Light Yagami." I mused while my eyes narrowed at the find.
"Do you believe this is relevant to the case?" Watari asked me, probably wondering why I didn't bring this up with the chief. I pursed my lips at his question while holding out a disk for him to take, closing my laptop with a light snap.
"Don't think I was fooled, I knew someone was shadowing me until a few days ago. No doubt the other agents are shadowing the families of everyone here as well." I rolled my eyes at him while standing up as he took the disk with a small hum, "Anyways, I have the audio of the calls, the surveillance of the bus as well as the written and recorded account by the witnesses. Considering the son of the chief here was involved and no doubt your FBI agent... well you know what I'm getting at." I shrugged as I packed my satchel and slipped on my coat while grabbing my fedora, resting it on my head before heading out, the eyes of Watari watching my every motion until I was gone from his sight.
Days passed since I brought up the bus incident to Watari and there was one thing that I was certain of at that moment, we were going to lose everyone or at least 75 percent of what was left anyway. It was New Years Eve, just a little over one month since Kira appeared to the world. Four days ago the twelve FBI agents that had been in Japan to see where the leak was in the police force had been killed. I was once again tapping my fingers on the desk, my eyes fixated on my screen, but they were not focused on it. My mind was going over more thoughts than I wished to have on that day. Not only were the men on the police force on edge with the knowledge that Kira could easily to them, but there had been rumours that the executive chief was going to cut us off and strip the Kira case out of fear.
My tapping became firmer while I pursed my lips, an old habit of mine from when I was a child and my teeth automatically started chewing on my bottom lip in thought. My teeth digging deep into the flesh of my lips as my eyes narrowed dangerously at my screen, I soon tasted the familiar metallic copper blood which flooded from my abused lips. Swiping my tongue over the fresh wound, I mentally cursed as I lapped up the blood to stop if from bleeding anymore. The news of the twelve FBI agents had startled everyone in the office and they had been tense ever since. The Chief held a meeting that afternoon, bringing everyone together as he brought the topic up, surprisingly with ease and calm, one that no doubt came from talking with his family. With my focus on the Chief, I felt my eyes narrow in suspicion in what he was going to bring up to the others.
"Kira kills all those who oppose him, even if they aren't criminals." Chief Yagami started off once everyone was seated, "We might be killed by Kira. Think of your lives, your families, your friends." He continued on, looking everyone in the eyes as he spoke, "Anyone who wants out of this case... please resign. There will be no consequences for resigning. I promise." He told everyone, letting everyone think on his offer, "Only those who have the conviction to fight Kira, despite what I've said, should stay." With that, he chief closed his eyes waiting for everyone to make their decision.
Letting out a small stream of air, I sat back in my chair, crossing my arms over my chest as I watched my co-workers. I already knew I would be staying with the investigation; after all it was in my blood to keep going on a case, especially one like this. At the end of the day, when the Chief opened his eyes again, he was greeted by the sight of six of us still around. There was Matsuda, who had come over to me earlier after the Chief's proclamation and asked for my opinion to help his own decision; Kanzo Mogi, a quiet but efficient worker; Hirokazu Ukita, a very emotional and quick tempered detective with a strong sense for justice; Hideki Ide; a very serious, quick tempered detective whom on more than one occasion, I have gotten into arguments with; Shuichi Aizawa, another serious worker, but one who was more level headed and could see reason; and myself.
I was sitting at the back with my arms crossed over my chest, with a single eyebrow raised with a slight mocking nature. Despite the fact that I was in one of my rare skirts, one that came down to my calves in a dark brown material and was wearing one of my more 'feminine' shirts; a purple off the shoulder, three quarter length sleeved, form fitting shirts and black one-inch boots, I did create a confident and imposing stature, despite the fedora blocking sight from my face. I watched the chief's face carefully, watching how it sagged a bit from the lack of people who decided to stay, but also with relief seeing that we were willing to risk our lives for the case like this.
"Only six left, huh?" he mused quietly, "Including me, seven." He then looked down a bit as he continued speaking, "No, I should be glad there are seven whole people who are willing to risk their lives to fight evil." The Chief admitted, almost gratefully as my eyes flickered over to Watari.
"I trust you; who have such a strong sense of justice." L said through the speakers as I held back a snort, but rolled my eyes none the less instead, I wouldn't draw attention to myself just yet.
"Wait a minute," Aizawa said turning to Watari, "Just now, L said he trusted us, but I don't trust L." He stated and I couldn't help but shake my head a bit.
"L, we decided to put our lives on the line to capture Kira. You should know what it means to risk your life against Kira." Ide stated, though I wasn't surprised since he and Aizawa were good friends.
"Yet you always just direct us, without showing your face." Aizawa started again, this time the frustration in his voice was quite clear and I had the feeling that I would continue being on odds with the man, "I cannot work with someone like that!" he stated and silence filled the room as the chief started to speak.
"L. If you want to work with us to capture Kira, could you also come here?" the chief requested, though I knew that wouldn't happen. What would happen though; is that we would go to L and meet him, on his terms.
L was silent for a few minutes, most likely thinking over the proposition, "I just said that I trust you." L started out slowly as Watari turned the laptop around so the others could see what L had written, no doubt to keep from anyone else from finding out what L had planned. From my spot I could easily see what was being written, though I couldn't help but stiffen since it would be the first time in nine years since I had last seen him.
The message on the screen read; 'I would like to keep what happens here a secret among the nine of us.' Surprising the others as L continued to write; 'I would like to meet with you seven, whom I can trust, as soon as possible.' Then he said this; 'But first, I'd like you to leave the National Police Agency building and discuss whether you trust me or not.' After that we did just that and I grabbed my coat on the way out, for I still had a part to play until I was revealed. I shared a look with Watari as I passed him and closed my eyes, tilting my head slightly though it would go unnoticed by anyone else unless they were watching me closely, giving him my silent answer to L's request.
The seven of us were standing outside, talking about L's unexpected request. I was leaning against one of the pillars in front of the building, looking up at the sky as Ide's suspicions got the best of him. Ide brought up the idea that L would use a proxy when we met him, but I just snorted at the idea, it wasn't like him to do that, except when he was performing an experiment. The others turned to me in surprise, probably wondering what my opinion on all of this was, for I had been silent since Watari joined us, only speaking to the chief and Matsuda when they came over to me to hear what I had to say since I refused to speak out loud in the office.
"Well, what's your opinion on this then Tsukiko?" Ide snapped, his anger getting to the best of him once again as he clenched his hands into fists.
"I think you're an idiot for suspecting L of so much." I stated simple as I turned my gaze onto him in a narrow stare, "L wouldn't ask to meet us if he didn't already believe we could be trusted, besides; L doesn't ask for help unless he's truly in a pickle. I'm going back inside, if you guys think you can trust me; then come join me, for I'm going to meet L." I stated while pushing myself from the wall and walked inside with my hands stuffed into my coat pockets. When I looked back, I noticed the others following behind me and slowed my pace so the others could catch up. We would be one short from the original seven; I noticed as we walked back to the room. L then told us where he would be currently and that every few days he would be moving to a new hotel and that, that hotel room would be the investigation headquarters. We were to meet him at midnight after splitting into groups and I ended up with the chief and Matsuda since they didn't want me leaving on my own.
When we arrived at the hotel room, we met up with others who were waiting for us in the hallway, nervously fidgeting as they waited in front of the door. The chief knocked on the door and it was silent as we heard a click on the door and then silence once more until a voice told us to enter. The chief looked at us in confirmation and opened the door; the six of us stepped inside, though I made sure to be the last to enter and stood off to the side after closing the door behind me. I watched in amusement as everyone went rigid after seeing him, no doubt they were surprised for he wasn't what they thought. I heard the familiar sound of fabric rustling; no doubt he was scratching himself with his bare feet.
I looked between the guys at him and felt myself smile a bit; it was an unconscious action at seeing someone I knew; especially since he was still the same as he was nine years ago. He stood at about 5'8"-5'9" with wild, messy black hair, dark eyes with dark shadows under them and pale skin. He was very slim and was wearing blue jeans and a long sleeved white shirt, how I wished I was back in my regular clothing instead of the ones I used for this persona. I pouted a bit at that and wiggled my bare toes within my boots; I could never stand wearing socks for they were much too uncomfortable and constricting.
"I'm L." He stated and I couldn't help but snort, though I held it back and just shook my head in amusement as L rubbed the back of his head, clearly uncomfortable with the staring that the others were doing.