"What do you mean we're not arresting him tonight?!"

Lorelai slammed her hands on the table, nearly spilling her father's tea.

"I mean precisely that," L stated as he nimbly caught the cup before any of the contents could escape.

"Kai will likely not arrive until after midnight and as you can see," he gestured to the half-asleep task force, "we are not in the optimal state to arrest him."

He set the cup back where it was before and resumed his thinking position, "if we wait until tomorrow and act as though we haven't found anything, judging from his recklessness tonight, he is 15% more likely to slip up within the next few hours and give us more solid evidence against him."

"Where did you get this video anyway?" Matsuda asked as he pressed closer to the monitor as though doing so would make things clearer for his sleep-deprived eyes.

"Ah…that's not important, Matsuda-san," Lorelai stated, hoping he was too tired to press further. As luck would have it, he was. L glanced at his daughter as if to say 'you're going to have to tell him anyway'. Lorelai decidedly ignored him.

Kai arrived at headquarters well after midnight, a bit surprised to see that L had actually allowed everyone else to fall asleep while he continued working. He headed to his room while Mono and Ryuk stayed behind—Mono transfixed by the shiny monitors and Ryuk hoping to find something entertaining. Minutes later, Ryuk and Mono entered Kai's room, both very clearly amused by something.

"What?" Kai asked, quirking an eyebrow.

Ryuk laughed, 'don't get too comfortable, Kai.'

Kai scowled, "what do you mean by that?"

'Did you know that L knows Shinigami like apples?' Ryuk laughed again.

"What kind of question is—what did you do?!"

Ryuk only laughed harder and Mono joined in.

"What did you idiotic Shinigami do?"

Kai glared at them.

'I wouldn't be so quick to insult, kid. We didn't do anything—you really ought to be more careful,' Mono said, snickering.

"What are you talking about?"

'That depends, what are you willing to pay for the information?' Mono asked, grinning disturbingly.

Kai rolled his eyes, "what do you want?"

Mono rifled through Kai's things before apparently having found something to satisfy his desire for shiny things to distract him.

"Alright, you found something; now what the heck did you find out?"

Mono reclined in the air and played with the trinket, 'apparently that L guy has a video of Ryuk and me gambling in that hideout of yours.'

Kai's eyes widened and he swore.

If he has a video of that then I'm definitely going to be arrested. I suppose that explains why the rest of the task force is sleeping, but if he didn't arrest me on sight then the video probably isn't too incriminating. If I left before tomorrow it would look way too suspicious…but I don't have anyone to act as Kira when I'm arrested. Unless…Kai looked at Mono and Ryuk.

"Hey, Mono, you like my watch and earring right?"

He held up his wrist, letting the expensive watch catch the light. Mono's eyes widened and he reached for it.

Kai pulled his arm back, "not yet. You want this, you're gonna have to work for it. Same goes for the earring."

He moved away as Mono reached for that as well.

Mono frowned, 'ugh, fine, kid. What do you want me to do?'

"I'm going to be arrested tomorrow; I need you to act as Kira while I'm in confinement."

'Yeah, yeah, I hear ya, act as Kira, sure, whatever; now give me the shiny!'

Kai rolled his eyes and removed his watch and earring.

Ryuk gave Mono an exasperated look, 'you give up too easily.'

Kai snickered, "hey, Ryuk. I'll bet you a whole orchard of apples that L will figure out it's you and Mono if you both act as Kira."

'What? You gotta be kidding, there's no way he'd figure that out! And where is this orchard anyway?'

"Tell you what; when I get out I'll show you—but that means the two of you have to make a convincing Kira."

'Alright, fine, I get it. We're Kira and then I get my apples.'

Kai smirked and reclined on his bed.