By the time we got to the police station, I had kept protesting. I kept trying to convince them I wasn't the criminal. I even tried to speak English! But they were indifferent. I don't blame them though. They were just doing their duty, and to be honest, I would have done the same.
I couldn't believe I was so similar to this woman either! As if we were twins! What a coincidence... It's unbelievable cops would arrest an innocent person just because they have similar facial features. You could call it a comedy.
At last, they locked me in a cell and my interrogation was scheduled for four o'clock. I had to get out of there but didn't know how. There wasn't any tool that could help me break the bars like in some movies I've seen. I could have used the marker instead but my things had been taken. Unintentionally, I started moving my legs. It felt like I was lifting something heavy. It was a piece of the floor that had come off. As if I had found an opening. I was relieved, thinking I had found a way to escape.
I slowly descended, crawling until I reached a transparent plastic spot. Like a tube. I could see from above a large hall, with a huge crowd, little lighting, tables next to each other and a large projection screen. Out of curiosity, I decided to listen to their conversation.
"There have been fifty-two cases this week. All of them are caused by heart attacks. They were criminals who were either wanted by the police or had already been arrested. I think it's safe to assume there are many more deaths that we haven't been told about." a man with glasses said.
"Then at a rough estimate the total may exceed a hundred deaths." another one said.
"They were all going to be executed anyway. Why should we be interested?"
"You idiot! Whether someone's a criminal or on death row, if you kill them then you've committed murder!" the man with glasses answered.
"But it has not been confirmed yet if it is indeed a murder."
"The death of a hundred people, all from heart attacks, cannot be a mere coincidence! Of course they were murdered! Unless they were all heart patients... Perhaps."
"Seriously, do you really believe someone can kill that many in such a short amount of time?"
One by one expressed their opinions. Some were even shouting.
"We believe this is a well-executed assassination plot by some large organization."
"Large organization? Then surely the FBI must be involved in this case!"
"Please do not cause such discomposure! Firstly we have to clarify the fact if these are actual murders or if it is just a coincidence."
"Yes, but according to the medical examiners, they all passed away from heart attacks of unknown causes."
There was a fuss in the hall. Everyone was declaring their opinions while others argued with each other.
"Looks like we have no choice but to ask for L's help"
They all started whispering to each other.
"L is a detective whose name and whereabouts are completely unknown. We aren't even aware of his face. However, he always solves every case he takes on. He has solved countless unexplained cases all over the world. The majority call him the best detective in the world.
"Doesn't L only take cases which are interesting to him?"
"Indeed! Besides, there is no way to contact him."
"He'll probably contact us through the Internet."
"Yeah, right! As if I would ever listen to someone's orders through a computer!"
Then a man in a black coat and a hat covering his face appeared. Everyone fell silent once they noticed him.
"L has started investigating the case," he announced.
"He's Watari. He's the only person who can easily contact L. No one knows his true identity either" the man who had first mentioned L said.
"L will start speaking right now," Watari said and opened a laptop whose screen had the drawn letter L. There was a strange timbre of voice as if someone had edited it through a computer.
"To all the people of ICPO... I am L. This case ranges in difficulty levels I have never seen before. It is an inhumane crime of mass murder! In order to solve this particular case, I would like the full cooperation of ICPO at this conference. Or better... All secret agents around the world. I would also specifically like the cooperation of the Japanese police."
"Why the Japanese one?" someone interrupted him.
"Whether a group of people is responsible for these murders, or whether one person is responsible, the possibility of residing in Japan is extremely high. Even if they're not Japanese they're just as likely to be based in Japan." L answered.
"How did you come to that conclusion?" someone else asked.
"I will be able to reveal it to you in a direct confrontation with the perpetrator. In any case, I would like the headquarters of this affair to be located in Japan."
I wanted to listen to their convention some more but I thought I should go back to my cell, lest any policeman passes by and see am gone.
About half an hour passed and I finally found out the real killer had been arrested. For another reason of course, but I was relieved. The cops took me out of the cage and apologized. They seemed so humiliated and so ashamed, I couldn't help but feel sorry for them. As they returned my belongings, they said how ashamed they felt an innocent and a minor at that, had been arrested and such a mistake had never been made before.
"Please, don't apologize. It absolutely makes sense to me, since I look a lot like her. There's no misunderstanding."
"What can we do for compensation?" one of them asked.
"But I told you I forgive you. No need to do anything."
He insisted and the other policemen tried to make him understand I accepted their apology.
"Fine then..." I said in the end. "If you insist, then yes. There is something you can do for me: To help catch Kira."
They looked at me as if I had come from Mars. Apparently, they didn't expect to hear something like that.
"Well... Never mind. Just pretend we accepted."
"No, am serious. I would like to work with you."
"Yeah, but... Um..."
"My name is Marina," I told them assuming they wanted to know my name.
"Well, Marina, I don't think you should get involved. It's a police job. Besides, it might be too dangerous. What will your parents say?"
I wish I could tell them my parents don't know where I am, and that I came from the year 2016 to solve a ten-year-old case, but of course, I couldn't. Not only because the marker would lose its power, but also because I would be thought of as insane.
"I... don't know what my parents think of that but—"
Then someone called them to go to a research room of advanced cases.
"Excuse us, miss. We have to go," one of them said.
I was about to follow them when I noticed something blue glowing at the end of the corridor. It was a small television that its screen wrote: «Announcement! We are interrupting our program to bring you this message» A reporter appeared on the screen.
"We apologize for the sudden interruption of the program. An FBI message will be broadcast live worldwide right now."
Another man appeared in front of the camera.
"I am the only person who can control the entire police force worldwide, Lind L. Taylor. This serial killing of crimes is unacceptable and must not be allowed to go unpunished. I guarantee you I will find the key to this case, known as Kira. Listen, Kira. I can imagine why you kill, but what you do is evil!"
I didn't even realize how many minutes had passed when he suddenly started moaning, clutching his chest with both hands and fell unconscious on the desk he was sitting on. It was obvious he had died of a heart attack! At that time two men came to pick him up. My stomach got tightened. My first case hadn't even started yet but I felt the tension in the atmosphere. The letter L appeared on the screen.
"Unbelievable..." L was heard saying.
"I thought it might be true so I tried it but... Kira, you really can kill people without even moving! I couldn't believe it until I saw it with my own eyes! Listen carefully, Kira: If you're indeed responsible for Lind Taylor's murder, I tell you he was actually a criminal planned to be executed today at this particular time! His arrest was top secret and was not revealed anywhere. But apparently, you don't have access to such criminals either. But I, the real L, am still alive. So, dare to kill me! Do it!"
I couldn't move out of astonishment.
Are you out of your mind?! Don't provoke him, stop!I thought.
"Go on, kill me! Man up and kill me!" he kept talking in a sarcastic tone.
"What's wrong? Can't you do it? Heh... Apparently, there're certain people you can't kill. Thanks for the tip... As a reward I'll tell you this: I had them announce that this message would be broadcast worldwide, but it's actually only broadcasting in Tokyo. We planned to broadcast this message from region to region of the country at different times, but it seems that was not necessary.
»Now I know you're located in Tokyo. It was a trivial piece of information and thus was dismissed by the police, but the first of your assassinations was in the Shinjuku area. Of all the criminals who have died of heart attacks, this one, in particular, has committed the least serious crimes. In addition, this particular event was only broadcasted in Japan. This trivial information was enough for me to know you're in Japan. Kira... Looks like it won't be long before you're sentenced to death. Am pretty curious to know your real motives behind all this... I won't know until I catch you. I'll find you no matter what! I am justice!"