Chapter 5: Retribution

Misa's hand was trembling when Light ended the call. Rem placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Misa, is something wrong?" The monotone voice of the god of death seemed to be coming from far away.

"Light..." She murmured to herself. What happened Light? Did L find something? Did that bastard lock you up with nothing? I'll kill him, I'll kill them, I'll kill everyone I need to.

The cellphone slipped from her grasp, falling noiselessly onto her bed. More words came from Rem, but she couldn't understand them over the sound of her own breathing. No, no, calm down Misa. Whatever happened I can't panic, Light put his trust in me. Think things through. If L had arrested him forcefully, he'd either have said so in his call or not been allowed to make one at all. It must be some kind of voluntary confinement. If he is working with L, maybe it's some task, real or contrived, to keep him isolated for a few days. That has to be it, that's why Light called, he needs me to be Kira when L pulls something like that television stunt with Taylor.

Misa turned to the ivory shinigami and wrapped her neck in a tight hug until her breathing slowed. There was no warmth nor scent to Rem's body, but her embrace was still a comforting one. This is what I wanted, I wanted to be of use. No matter what I need to continue his- our work. He said he plans things a week in advance, and he probably writes in his note during the evening, so if this lasts for more than six days I'll need to handle his portion. "Rem, if Light hasn't called in six days, make sure I remember to start writing his share for him." Misa whispered into her ear, receiving a nod in response.

She was in Rem's arms again two days later. Each night had been worse than the last with less sleep and more nightmares. No matter how many times she woke up crying from visions of Light in a cell, her days were worse. The To-oh shoot was still going on, for a stupid commercial that no one really wanted. Rem had tried to comfort her with stories of Gelus, but, no matter how sweet, they did nothing to calm her down.

Rem was halfway through the tale of how she and Gelus first "met" (at least she claimed that was it, Misa felt like she was fabricating stories at this point), when something caught her eye on the news. A message from Kira?

"I am Kira." A robotic voice sounded. The screen had changed to a pure white field featuring his name in a decorative font.

"Understandably, many of you will doubt my claim after my long silence. I suggest those doubters tune to channel 17. If this broadcast is being aired when I requested, Terrance Whitford should be on trial currently, and the hour will be changing in five, four..."

Misa changed the channel to 17 immediately. An overweight black-haired man was walking down the center aisle away from the camera. Text on screen identified him as a foreigner accused of stabbing three people. The clock changed from 5:59 to 6:00, and, just on time, the man groaned and grasped for his chest. Misa giggled at the performance while watching the long lifespan lingering above his head. She changed the channel back.

"Until now, I have stayed silent, content with seeing the fruit of my actions. Sadly, it has come to my attention that others with less restraint have chosen to emulate me without the wisdom needed to do so." There was fury in the voice, even beneath the heavy filter.

"This message is for those who believe they can help me, especially the one who has taken my methods for their own: I will not tolerate wanton murder by anyone, especially one who would sully my own good name. When I end a life, it is with the understanding and wisdom requisite to pass judgement on another. If you truly wish to serve justice, you will obey my will and cease all killing until we are able to make contact. If you refuse this order, you are nothing more than a common murderer and will be judged as such!"

The voice paused for a bit, almost like a speaker waiting for applause. Misa leaned back and smiled. "L is pretty smart, but a terrible judge of people."

The speaker continued in a more subdued tone. "Next, I have a message for the police. I have considered them my allies since the beginning of my mission, but sadly their talents have been misspent trying to stop my crusade."

Five names appeared on screen beneath Kira's. "I implore you gentlemen: cease interfering in my quest, otherwise, for the good of humanity, I will not hesitate to end you." After the voice stopped, the image persisted for several seconds before cutting back to a flustered newscaster.

Misa leaned back. "So L wants me to reveal myself somehow trying to contact Kira, but since I already know my Light is Kira there's no reason to risk it. No, that's exactly why I need to respond! If I just stay silent, he'll deduce that we've met, which will just make him more suspicious of me and Light." Misa grabbed her pen and a notebook. Especially since receiving the death note, writing things out helped her keep her thoughts in order.

"So let's see, if I send a video agreeing to L's demands it will throw them off and buy us some time." She rested her cheek in a hand, tapping pen against paper with her other. "I could even send a bunch of fake coded messages for meeting places to lead them on for a while, but it's risky. Every message would be another chance to slip up and leave evidence, and if they catch me Light will be next for certain."

"Perhaps it is best to do nothing then, rather than risking your life." Something was off in Rem's voice. She had lowered herself to eye level with Misa.

"No! Light put his trust in me, I need to make him proud! If we can beat L then there will be nothing standing in the way of our happiness!" Misa stabbed the paper with her pen. "We just need his name, then we can make the perfect world together." His name, that's all I need then we can move on. Even if I set meeting locations in a message, there's no way L himself would show up, not that I could tell it was him even if he did. He isn't a ghost, he must have come from somewhere. Someone has to know his name!

She threw the papers aside and hugged her knees to her chest in frustration. I wish this was just for us and not the world. I wish we could just stop, or go to wherever he's holed up and kill everyone in the way of our happiness. I wish Kira wasn't justice.

Then, a dark smile played across her lips. Rem saw the shadow of Light Yagami in it. "Kira is justice, but I'm not Kira." Misa whispered.

Light stared at the computer screen, bored. L had asked him to profile Kira on his own so they could compare their analysis. It was meaningless, Light already knew L's profile of him fairly well from his father's early case files, and he was sure L knew he knew. That left him tediously pretending to analyze the data before he got to write up his own version of the report.

Does L think I'm so fragile I can't write a profile calling Kira a serial killer? Even if I spent the entire thing praising Kira it wouldn't prove anything other than my profiling skills. We both know this is a waste so why couldn't he at least come up with something interesting.

At least that monotony would soon be at an end. Sakura TV had received a package from the second Kira, and the task-force was assembling to examine its contents. Misa sent a response just like I'd hoped. That alone won't be enough to throw L off though, hopefully she knew to plant some false leads. Even with only the seven of us, L will insist on investigating every possible trail that she leaves. It'll only be a matter of time before I'll be free again.

L continued to examine the manila folder while they waited for the others. It seemed fairly generic, aside from "To Kira" written on the front in large lettering. Matsuda was still recounting its arrival (apparently an ex-con carried it right into the station before collapsing of a heart attack) when Mogi finally arrived.

"Now that we're all here, let's see what our suspect sent us." L carefully opened the envelope, appearing uncomfortable in the latex gloves. Inside was a nesting-doll set of letters, bags, and boxes all around a small cardboard box. Every piece was sequentially placed in an evidence bag along with the material inside it.

She had a criminal deliver it, so she probably had others fill it with as much evidence as possible. Even if she did mess up and leave some trace of herself on it, it's going to take forensics months to get through all of this. Light crossed his arms as he looked over L's shoulders.

Inside the last box was a small tape. Watari had already set up the necessary equipment to play it on the hotel TV as well as record it so they could send the real tape to forensics as well. A white background identical to their message appeared with the same lettering in the center, but now there was a line drawn through it.

After a few moments, a distorted bass voice began speaking. "I am not Kira." Light carefully watched L's reflection out of the corner of his eye.

"First, I have a message for the true Kira: Before all else I must tell you how much I admire you. Your desire for justice is an inspiration to us all, as is your noble soul and pure heart." Light grit his teeth, Misa should be smarter than to throw on too much flattery.

"Those qualities will be your downfall." The voice began speaking faster, fire in its tone. "Your message has revealed to me that you lack the courage to do what is necessary, you lack the courage to truly change the world. The truth is, you are weak!" Light couldn't stop himself from gasping in unison with the detectives. "A new world cannot be created without true sacrifices. I can see now that I will need to shoulder the weight of those sins you are too soft to take upon yourself! Judge me as you wish, but I will not shy from what needs to be done."

"My second message is to the Japanese government, especially the police. If any of my demands are refused, including the airing of this tape the day it is received, I will kill nine people. Three will be elected officials of the country of Japan. Three will be non-elected government employees of varying agencies. Three will be chosen specifically from the NPA." By now the voice was almost screaming it seemed like.

"He's a maniac." Soichiro murmured to himself.

"Firstly, I demand all investigation by official police agencies into Kira's executions cease immediately. Secondly, I demand the detective known as L reveal his identity alongside a live appearance at Sakura TV. You have one week from the airing of this tape to fulfill these demands."

The voice paused for a bit and seemed to calm. "If you are part of any of these groups and your superiors refuse to see reason, I suggest you resign. And lastly, to you, L," The voice indulged itself with a dramatic pause. "I suggest you make your peace with whatever god you believe in, they won't save you."

Author's Note:

Probably the most enjoyable part of writing this has been trying to emulate the canonical battles of wits. I hope I've managed to do a decent job with my own gambits as the plot continues to get more complicated.