CHAPTER SEVEN
"Charm"

Tigressa snorted angrily, it wasn't a good look for the woman, in Light's opinion, but he got a perverse pleasure from thwarting her machinations, and considering what the pair of herself and Riki had done to him over the last couple of hours to try to make him talk only fuelled the fire he felt. When he got his hands on the Death Note and found out their real names, they were dead.

Light's arms were stretched above his head now and his legs were out straight. They were tied tight and he felt like he was on some sort of rack. Light also had a ball gag in his mouth. A towel was draped over his lower mid-section, but it didn't absolve the indignity he felt.

It was obvious Light's stubbornness was new to both of them.

Tigressa towered over him. "You're not one to yield easily, Detective. I don't know if you really are as loyal as you say, or you're just being exceptionally stubborn. We normally use methods that implore to get the greatest and fastest results. However, you've surprised me." She patted Light's face, almost with admiration. "But if you insist on proceeding, I won't disappoint you."

Light shook his head, unable to respond with the ball gag. His body and hair were saturated in sweat and his skin was beet red from all the exertion. His heart beat fast. If he wasn't careful, he would suffer cardiac arrest and it would all over for Kira's plans.

Tigressa continued. "You still refuse to answer any of my questions. Normally, I would send you back for re-evaluation, but you're more exceptional than any one else I've questioned. You're my first, for lack of a better word, failure. And the Master of this facility, my boss, dislikes failure."

Light saw an opening to get out of his predicament.

Light tried to mouth something, but he couldn't annunciate the words. Tigressa removed the ball gag and Light took a few deep breaths, then he quickly said, "I'm a member of the Kira Task Force. Your Master must want to know what I know about our investigation. Let me see him. Then you can tell him that you made me talk, but the information is for his ears only."

Tigressa eyed him with contempt. "No one tell me what to do in my den," she said. "No one has ever exited my chambers the same as when they left. And you will break, Detective! If this information is so valuable, then you will tell me first."

Light awoke groggily. It had felt like forever. The last thing he remembered was Tigressa used some sort of taser device on him, jabbing it into his side, and delivering a massive shock to his nervous system, which summarily caused him to black out.

He opened his eyes slowly, a brightness hitting them, stinging them, and despite what he remembered, what he had gone through inside Tigressa's private sanctum, he felt no pain at the moment. Nothing really hurt, except for his pride. Then he turned his head and found that his right arm was attached to an IV drip with a pump machine. It was probably morphine.

He looked around and found himself in a large, luxurious bedroom chamber filled with purples and lavenders, definitely a woman's bedroom, adored with frescos of beautiful landscapes, with seductive furniture, and an on-suite bathroom. He lay in a heart-shaped bed under a light pink thin silk sheet that was the centre piece to the whole bedroom ensemble. He imagined there was more, but this was all he could see, the doors at the end of the room were closed. And, he wore what looked like light pink pyjamas.

He rolled to get out of bed, but found himself unable to. He pulled off the covers and found that his right ankle was shackled to the bottom of the bed, so he wouldn't escape.

He signed deeply, and resigned himself to his circumstances for the moment, and he leaned back, resting his head on a soft silk pillow provided. He recapped everything that he recently happened and knew it had all been surreal. But one thing he did know was he had not divulged anything about the NPA. However, his little bargaining at the end may have just saved his life.

The fact that he was a member of the Kira Task Force was golden information.

Despite everything, he now had interesting information about this Dragon Sect and some of its hierarchy. But now his goal was to find out more about Mistress Tigressa. Very little was known about the Dragon Sect. This was Light's chance to prove to criminals everywhere that even though they can scurry around in the shadows, they won't be able to hide from Kira.

He smelled the air, he could smell a sweet fragrance. But he couldn't identify it. Suddenly, the doors opened that lead into Tigressa's outer sanctum, and it was the lady herself.

The doors lead to an adjacent room, a living quarters. But he couldn't see much beyond her supple, ample frame. She had discarded the flowery Kimono and was now dressed in a dark purple tight fitting dress with a silver dragon wrapping itself around her figure. Her hair was braided, falling across her left exposed shoulder, and she wore with a necklace that lay over her buxom breasts with the Japanese kanji for Hope. To Light, she had the air of a goddess.

Was this casual attire? He found it agreeable. But he could not forgive her for what she and Riki had done to him. He sat up as best he could despite being shackled to the bed.

She smiled, a reflection of a good indication of her mood.

"Good evening, Detective Yagami," she said sweetly, closing the doors behind her. She went to the bed and sat down on its edge. "You look well rested. You've been asleep for eighteen hours. How do you feel? And please—" she put up a hand "—before you shout and demand to be released, just know that what happened was just a part of my job."

"Your job?" Light said. "You—you…" He couldn't fathom the words. There was no point in reciting the things that this woman and her pet had did to him. Even he felt disgusted by the images that formed in his mind. He folded his arms. "You disgraced me!"

Tigressa seemed to regret her actions and placed a hand on his left leg in a compassionate manner. Light shook her off and moved away. She pulled her hand back. She looked the IV line and then detached it from his hand. "I apologize for Riki biting you, but you didn't give us much of a choice. We had to begin using pure pain to get what we wanted, and yet…"

"And how did your Master take it?" Light said. "I mean, when you told him I didn't break?"

"I swore Riki to secrecy. The Master doesn't know I failed. I used the taser on you to render you unconscious because I knew that you would not break. Like I said, you surprise me. Judging by appearance alone, I thought my methods would work. But only someone with a strong will could defy me in every way possible. Riki bandaged you up and we brought you here to my personal quarters. Your physical injuries should heal. And I believe you've had enough morphine."

Light sighed softly. And his heart began to beat with a more rapid pace. She did remind him of Takada. He stared at her. He looked into her hazel eyes, the same colour as his own, and suddenly became memorized. And he had an idea. "You're a gorgeous woman, Ms. Tigressa," he said. "You may have broken me after all."

Tigressa brow rose. "Stockholm Syndrome?" she said.

Light blinked and with a thumb and forefinger, rubbed his eyes. But inside, he was smiling. If he could get close to this woman, maybe he could use his charms on her and break her. Persuade her to reveal the secrets of the Dragon Sect. And then, once he got his watch back with the piece of the Death Note, kill her, and escape this hellhole. "Maybe I just need a little more rest," he said, falling back down into the bed. He looked back at her. "Either its the morphine talking or I'm seeing you in a whole new light." He smiled at her, one that would charm any woman. "What is your name, if I may ask—your real name? You don't have to tell me, if you're worried…"

"Asumi. Mistress Tigressa is my alias for Kira's sake."

Light produced a thin smile, but frowned inside—no last name. "Ah, such pretty name. And Riki, is that also an alias?" She nodded. "The NPA know the Yukaza use aliases to hide from Kira. Every criminal does these days."

"We're already aware of that. Kira is the main reason we took our operations underground. This is a vast underground complex—a city, in fact—connecting every part to Japan's dark underbelly. The Dragon Sect is ruled by my Master. He operates drug cartels, gambling dens, and everything in between—all from down here. The raid you were plucked from, where your comrades were killed, was revealed to us long before it was to take place, so we had time to prepare—an informant gave us the information a head of time. I failed with you, but I lied to my Master and told him that you had talked. Normally, you would be killed, but he wishes to met you informally, and then wishes you and I to dine with him later on tonight."

Light was shocked. "The Master wants to meet me?"
This was fantastic news, better than Light could have ever hoped. It was just too bad he didn't have the Shinigami Eyes, he would be able to see the Master's name floating above his head with his lifespan—as Kira. But he was on his own, and without Ryuk, too. Misa owned Ryuk's Death Note. Light could only see him. And no one knew where Light was at the moment, so he had to play things close to the chest.

"Very well, but I have one request—my watch," Light said. "It has sentimental value. My father gave it to me after I graduated high school." In truth, it had the piece of the Death Note inside, and he needed it to kill the Master.

"I will inquire about it," Asumi said. "I was informed all your personal effects were taken when you were arrived. New attire will be afforded to you. You must be presented to the Master with an ounce of grace. I will have Riki assist—"

"No!" Light said. "Please keep him away from me."

"I understand. But please, don't hold a grudge against him. He was kidnapped when he was child and brought into the fold against his will and forced into the trade, even before I rose to the rank of Mistress of this den, whom I replaced another. I saw Riki, even took pity on him, and gave him a role at my side, seeing how badly others were treating him. I, at least, treat him like human being. His actions are of necessity. You must forgive him."

So Riki was a victim? Light was annoyed and upset. His revenge on the kid squashed. Kira was born to protect the weak and the innocent. Originally, he thought the teen was the son of one of the elite, but now the truth was revealed. But further analysis would have to be done whether or not Riki deserved a second chance, despite his prior actions—even due to victimhood.

Light nodded. "By the way, what is that pleasant aroma?"

"My perfume, Apricot," she said, leaning over the bed. Her voluminous breasts presented themselves before Light and the closer she came the more he felt he was beginning to lose touch of his own senses. Was she trying to seduce him? He knew sometimes women would use pheromones to lure men like Sirens. "It's intoxicating, isn't it?"

Light blinked several times, trying to clear his mind. She pulled back. But her beauty was beyond comparison. And for just a moment, he saw Asumi looking back at him. He squeezed his left hand and felt a sharp pain of his nails digging into his palm which made him wince. The pain brought him back to his right sense of mind.

I need to charm her, not the other way around…

Light exposed his ankle. "If I'm going to meet the Master of this facility, would you mind unchaining me? I promise, I'm not going to run away. In fact, I would like to offer my services as a member of the NPA Information Bureau, if the Master will have me?"

Asumi looked dumbfounded. "Are you saying you are willing to leave the NPA, even the Kira Task Force, turn you back on them, and come work with the Yukaza?"

He wanted to infiltrate the Yukaza like he had planned before KF4's death. And this gave him the perfect opportunity. If he could convince the Master he could be trusted—he had the merit to become one of them with his computer skills, that wouldn't be a problem, his police profile could attest to that—he could gather names, and punish them all as Kira.

He wanted to meet the Master now and play to his ego, this had become a personal game between them. Like L versus Kira, it was now Kira versus the Master, leader of the Dragon Sect.

Tigressa blinked. "Are you serious? You want to stay?" She shook her head. "No…No…I need to tell you something for me. The Master is…when he gets his claws into you, you're his for life. He's fed more than a few people to his pet Komodo Dragon that resides in his private Arboretum Gardens. It wanders where it pleases and it only obeys him."

Light's gaze narrowed. "Why are you telling me this? I thought you were loyal to your Master?"

Asumi stood up, her back turned to him. Light eyed her with suspicion. She turned back, tears in her eyes. "Because I want to leave this place. And I need you to rescue me from it!"

To be continued...