As Misa played the recording from her conversation with Higuchi, a small spark of proudness bubbled inside me. Innocent, annoying Misa is growing into successful spy right before my eyes.
"And so, based on what he said, Higuchi is Kira!" Misa beamed with pride and satisfaction.
Matsuda gaped like the idiot he was. "Now we not only know Kira's identity, but all those deaths that were worrying the chief are gonna stop!" Jeez he had a way to be irritating while stating the obvious.
As the others discussed Misa's discover with each other, I watched with an amused smile playing on my lips. Hey, this is kinda nice. We're all agreeing for once. Then again, I think I spoke too soon.
"Misa!" Light hissed with frustration as she explained how she got Higuchi to confess. "You idiot! Didn't I tell you to deny all that?!"
Why deny it if it's true? I wanted to say, but I bit my tongue. For someone so innocent, Light seemed extremely defensive and dead set on not having any more suspicion thrown on the both of them. Is that because he believed Misa was the second Kira? Did he get his old memories back?
"B-But now we know Higuchi is Kira, right?" Again, we already knew that, but of course I couldn't say anything. Was there anything I could say? I was dying to talk. "What's the problem? Can't we just catch him?"
"I suppose this is what you would call a victory, right Matsuda?" L commented in a mumble, taking a delectable sweet from Watari's cart.
"Misa, I wish it were that simple." Standing up from the chair, I walked toward the group. "We still don't know exactly how he kills his victims so, again, we need physical proof."
The blonde puffed her cheeks in frustration. "Why does this have to be so hard?" she whined. I rolled my eyes and stood next to L.
"Before we move to arrest Higuchi," L spoke up, placing his circular desserts in a pattern on the table, "we're going to find out how he kills people." With the flick of his fingers, one sweet slid across the tabletop, hitting another, and that one hit the other one. Almost like a domino effect. Or shuffle board.
"And if the criminals stop dying," Light added, "we'll be able to figure it out. Unless we come up with another idea. Isn't that right?"
L grabbed another dessert from the cart and held it in front of his face, deeply staring at it in thought. "Yes. At any rate, even if we do arrest Higuchi, we're not going to do it until we're certain that criminals have stopped dying." Slowly he lowered the fruity sweet. "Let me think about this for a moment."
The detective summoned Wedy for an update on the security. Turns out, she was only able to easily enter the homes of five of the men, but Midou, Namikawa, and Higuchi had very high tech systems, especially Higuchi. Hmm, wonder why.
L then ordered the installation of microphones, trackers, and cameras in all his cars, which was a lot.
Suddenly the topic took a little turn. "Light, I'm sorry to keep coming back to this topic- I'll just get right to the point… Do you remember? Killing anyone, I mean?"
My eyes widened the same time Light's did.
"Are you still going on about that?! Look, I'm not Kira! How many times do I-"
"Just answer the question Light," I interrupted rather impatiently. I wasn't rude. It was more like I can't wait to hear what you're going to say.
Light's intense glare shifted between me and L before he spoke, his voice as cold as ice. "No, I don't remember."
"Misa, what about you?"
The blonde stepped up defiantly. "I don't remember. How could I 'cause I'm not Kira!"
Licking the sticky dessert that remained on his fingers, L angled his head to talk to Light in a serious manner. "Look Light, please listen to what I'm about to say. I'd like you to thoroughly analyze my current theory." By now he had the attention of all the members who stood stock-still as he spoke. "This could determine the way we end up catching Kira."
Akari and I shared glances, but our faces didn't falter. Things were solemn at the moment.
"Light Yagami used to be Kira. Kira's power somehow passed onto another person. Light Yagami now has no memory of ever being Kira. I need your analysis based on these assumptions. You think you can do that for me?"
To me it was obvious he was playing the brunet, curious as to what he might say. We both knew Light used to be Kira. With all the coincidences, and the conversation I heard Misa having with a supposed Shinigami… it was clear what had happened. L only wanted to get Light's opinion on it.
"Yeah, I'll give it a try."
The room was dead silent before L spoke again, his voice suddenly filling the room with adrenaline and suspense. "Light Yagami used to be Kira. Kira's power somehow passed onto another person. Was that because Light Yagami wanted it to happen? Or was there someone else in control of Light, lurking in the background, who gave him the power? Was it that person who passed Light's power to someone else?"
As Light thought it over, my mind was left to wander as well. Then I came to another guess… Wait, that person who passed Light's power to someone else… What if that person wasn't a 'person' but instead a… a Shinigami? Wait, hold on- What if it's the same Shinigami Misa was talking to in the bathroom?
Getting use to the silence, I jumped a mile high when Light's low voice spoke again. "Given your premise, it would be my will." I expected to hear more, but he stopped. That was it?
L's stare at the boy was icy. "Yes, of course. If there is a third party with the ability to bestow or transfer Kira's power, and they didn't want their method to be discovered, it makes no sense that they would wait so long to transfer it from you to the next Kira. If we believe that this was the work of some being watching us from above then we'd have to accept that they are impossible to catch, not to mention I'd already be dead. Or at the very least I'm being made to be a fool by eternally dancing in the palm of someone's hand."
He was about to say something else, but he stopped there. That's when I decided I couldn't take it anymore. I had to say something, even if L was leading Light on. "What if that being is real?" I blurted out, pursing my lips. "What if that being was able to switch Kira's powers all the time, but it only did it when Light told it to?"
The brunet across from me hummed, turning to peer doubtfully at me. "Why would a supernatural being want to listen to a human?" he asked. Legit question, I'll give him that.
I shrugged. "Maybe it was bored." Whatever I said triggered something in him because his eyes flashed, but his composure didn't falter.
"She does have a point," L chimed in, his back facing us. "Even if Light Yagami was Kira… Kira's power can only be transferred by the will of the person who possesses it… Thank you Light. I can now say that I feel 99% better."
Pff, yeah 99% more sure that Light was Kira.
"We'll create a situation where Higuchi is not able to pass his power onto someone else. We'll have him show us how he kills."
"Then we can arrest him," Akari finished, "and wrap this godforsaken case up."
I inwardly sighed, carefully studying Light as he relaxed. If only it was that easy.
October 28th (Eight days until L's scheduled death)
We were ready. Tonight was the night we would catch Higuchi.
Matsuda was transported to Sakura TV and, in a flash, was on air, talking with the host about Kira's true identity. Both were concealed behind screens, only their shadows visible to the screen.
Suddenly the cue was given to have the screen "accidentally" fall over, revealing Matsuda's face to everyone watching. If Namikawa followed the procedure we discussed, he would have called Higuchi and that jerk would be watching.
Everything was easily being set into motion. But we all knew this night wouldn't be easy to end.
By now Higuchi should be realizing who Matsuda is. And Namikawa should be explaining to Higuchi just what was said to. Mr. Yagami was with Demegawa at Sakura TV making sure it was all going according to plan.
L's screen beeped- it was Watari informing L that Mogi was in position at Yoshida Productions. Of course Higuchi was calling Mogi for Misa, who had her phone turned off. He kept asking about information on Matsuda, but Mogi revealed nothing. Once Higuchi gets desperate enough he'll go to Yoshida Productions for the info: right where Mogi and Aiber were waiting for him.
"This is going exactly as I planned," Light stated as he watched the monitor patiently. The two of us stood by L's chair while Akari was on the other side of Light. "It's almost scary."
"You shouldn't be scared, Light," L replied, "you should be happy."
As Watari patched us into Higuchi's call with the President of Yoshida Productions it was obvious to see the man wasn't hiding what he was after anymore. Thus proving how panicked and desperate he was.
Finally, extremely frustrated and frantic, Higuchi hopped in his red sports car and zoomed down the street, not bothering to go the speed limit. On cue, Wedy trailed after him on her motorcycle.
Throughout Higuchi's drive, he watched the whole TV broadcast from his car. Inside he must have been angry and furious, violent and agitated.
Suddenly his voice on audio picked up. "Rem, what do you think?" I perked my head up and dashed toward the main screen to hear better. Rem? There's no one else in the car? He's talking to no one…
Or he's talking to a Shinigami.
L and I exchanged looks, his blank one overpowering my worried one. Taking a deep breath, I calmed myself enough to listen to Higuchi. "Do you think I'll get to Yoshida Productions only to find his file isn't there?"
Light frowned at the screen in thought. "Is he talking to himself?"
"If this guy was smart," Higuchi continued, "he would destroy everything that connects him with his real name before he appeared on TV. And don't you think it's a little too reckless for Yoshida Productions to just let me into their offices unsupervised? Hmm, maybe not. If there was a robbery they'd figure out right away who did it since I know where the key is."
"This isn't sounding very good," Misa commented in a worried tone.
"He'll still go there," L assured. "Don't you worry."
"Even if he does have a file at Yoshida, it could be just another alias. Damn it! I wouldn't put it past this guy to do something like that. No wonder he's confident."
Akari chuckled. "Yeah, like Matsuda could come up with something like this." She paused. "No offense."
"Yeah," the crazed man went on, as if someone had said something to him, "I already know that much myself. But just to be on the safe side, I should also kill the people I contacted at Yoshida Productions- that includes the president, Misa, and that manager of hers."
"Plot twist!" Akari muttered, unable to hold back. I tried to send her a glare, but I ended up laughing along instead.
Misa didn't think any of this was funny, though. "What? No way, he's gonna kill me?"
"We won't let that happen," I stepped in, squeezing her shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry, if he tries anything, we'll take him down. You're safe." Her body relaxed a bit and she smiled gratefully at me. I almost felt sorry that we were going to put her in prison someday.
"Besides," L added, "he's talking about doing that after he's killed Matsuda. There'd be no point in killing the rest of you until he's gotten rid of the main threat."
"Oh yeah," Higuchi suddenly said as if he'd made an epiphany. "Rem, I didn't think you were so smart." Seriously, who's Rem? The Shinigami? "Then I'll make them all erase their call histories before they die."
This whole conversation with no one disturbed Light. With nothing he could actually do, he stood up quickly and growled at the screen. "There's no way he just be talking to himself. But who's Rem? Who is he talking to?!"
"If he's talking with someone right now, then it could be-"
"a Shinigami." L and I announced together in perfect synchronization. We had totally planned that beforehand... totally... It was either my imagination or Misa slightly tensed up beside me at the words.
"No!" Higuchi replied. "I'd end up being ruined if I did that! Even if I forgot the notebook, this guy says he has concrete evidence to back him up. If he points out Yotsuba's recent growth on the air, no one would ever doubt his claims. They'd believe whatever he said. That means whoever he says is Kira will be marked as Kira. If he didn't have proof and I got rid of the evidence by returning the notebook, my life would be over. I wouldn't get promoted, I wouldn't even be able to stay with Yotsuba."
"There it is again!" I exclaimed, clenching my fist. L and Light turned slightly to listen to my explanation. "He says 'notebook.' That's gotta be connected to his way of killing, right? It's not the first time we've heard the word."
L hummed in thought, chair squeaking as he spun back around toward the screen. Light's gaze lingered on me, our eyes meeting to stare blankly at each other. What is he thinking?
Finally he arrived at Yoshida Productions. The show was about to begin.
We watched him infiltrate the building, enter the passcode, and take slow steps in the file room. Down the row he went until he stopped at one of the desks to open the very bottom drawer.
Frantically, with loud and uneven breaths, he searched through the cluster of folders. As we watched, he retrieved a file and flipped it open, reading the name on the paper. In the room, our breaths became almost non-existent, our presence invisible to one another. The only thing our minds focused on was Higuchi's next move.
And boy was it a puzzle.
From his bag he pulled out… a notebook. Just that. A simple, black notebook. Opening it carefully, he took out a pen and copied down the name from the file. His grin widened with satisfaction as he finished. Then, returning the file and closing the drawer, triumphantly marched out of the room.
"He's not doing it!" Light exclaimed, baffled. "He just made a note of his name before leaving so he's not gonna kill him here?" We were all confused, wondering what was happening.
Mogi and Aiber were forced to stay hidden - nothing happened. We still don't know how he kills. "Perhaps he's planning to do something when he's back in the car," L assumed.
We watched on the cameras as he casually buckled himself up, calmer than ever before. In fact, he seemed completely content at the moment. "It's weird," Light noted, "you'd think he'd be desperate to kill Matsuda this very second but he's calm."
"It is strange," L agreed. "If all he needed was the name then he simply should've taken the personnel file with him, but he just put it back in the drawer after writing the note."
Higuchi watched the broadcast on his TV intently until he suddenly exploded, causing Misa, Akari, and I to jump back in shock at the sudden tone change. "Damn, he didn't die!"
"What's he talking about?" Light wondered. "He said 'he didn't die.'"
"Did he already try and kill Matsuda?" The detective in front of me wondered.
That's when it hit me. Another great epiphany of my life slammed me like a wrecking ball. It must've hit Akari, too, because we both turned to each other to shout, "The notebook!"
The three others turned to us with confusion. Had they not caught on? I let Akari explain. "It's the notebook," she said. "It must have the power to kill if that's all he did- simply writing his name down should've killed him, but it didn't, which is why he got mad!"
"That explains why the notebook keeps popping up," I added, biting my fingernail. "That must be how Kira kills- both this Kira and the second Kira mentioned it. It can't be a coincidence."
"But how does it kill?" Light questioned, furrowing his brows in thought. "Does it send a message to-" His eyes widened slightly. "Does it send a message to the Shinigami? Both Kiras mentioned that, too, right? What if the name Kira writes in the notebook is the person he wants dead, so then the Shinigami kills that person? Could that be it?"
I bit my lip and stopped pacing back in forth to think about it. "Hmm, not a bad hypothesis, Light." Being sincere, I reached out my hand for him to high five- he did with a small smile. "It may not be much, but it's something."
Akari ran a hand through her red hair. "Okay, so if that's true, then everyone whose name is written in the notebook must be dead. That's solid evidence, right? Even if no one believes the Shinigami part, the police might see it as a hit list!"
In the middle of our conversing, Higuchi's voice stopped us in our tracks. "Rem, let's make the deal."
Light turned his head and frowned at the screen again. "The deal? Who is this Rem person he keeps talking to? Could it really be the Shinigami? And could the Shinigami really be the one killing everyone?"
"I really don't want to think that's the case," L mumbled.
"Then what is this Rem?" Light asked. We were all lost right now, not sure of anything anymore.
"Whatever it is, we need to keep watching him. We'll learn nothing if we take him now. We may still be able to find out how he kills."
Suddenly, something changed about Higuchi. His expression was more sinister, his aura more grim, his posture more arrogant. Without any notice, he slammed on the gas and sped off, Wedy, Mogi, and Aiber right on his tail.
A policeman noticed his excessive speed and rang his sirens, flashing his lights to alert Higuchi. For some reason, my stomach clenched. I didn't like where this was going.
Both vehicles stopped, and Wedy was forced to pass. The policeman got off his bike and approached the sports car's rolled down window. L switched the screens to Higuchi's car where the man was apparently searching for his license. He took one glance at the officer suspiciously and kept searching.
Wait… was he searching? It looked like he was… like he was writing something. "The notebook…" My voice came out as a whisper. Then I said louder, "The notebook! He's writing the name in the notebook! He's gonna-"
Before I could finish my sentence, Higuchi slammed on his brakes again and took off down the road. The officer jumped onto his bike and chased after the speeding car. The officer was tailing him, but it suddenly went downhill. "That motorcycle cop just rear-ended a truck: he's dead!"
Misa gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. Light widened his eyes. "He's dead?! By accident?!" Standing up, Light glanced toward me. "That's gotta be it- he's using the notebook to kill."
"But this time," Akari spoke up, her voice grim and serious, "he only needed the officer's face to kill. That can only mean one thing."
L and Akari turned to me as I froze in place, my eyes glued on the screen ahead. Higuchi has the eye power.
Oh my gosh! We're nearing the end of this suspenseful battle! Oh, but just you wait, I've got a lot more in store. By a lot I kinda mean just one really big one! Next chapter!
*squeals* I'm excited! Au revoir ~ !