Chapter 8:

"The Other"

Light Yagami slowly began to regain consciousness. Whatever or whoever hit him on the back of the head had knocked him out cold.

The last thing he remembered was having a fight with Benjamin Lakes, the shredding of skin and the spattering of blood, and then Lakes collapsing to the floor after a fatal heart attack. Light still wondered if Cameron Cross had silenced his friend before he revealed any secrets.

Things appeared foggy. Was it a case of short term memory? Benjamin Lakes had told him something important, but Light couldn't remember what. Light knew there was a sense of urgency, and he pressed his thoughts deeply, but every time he did his felt a sharp pain, his head hurt, and its cause-and-effect—a headache.

He cringed from the pain, gritting his teeth, and then calmed himself, clearing his mind. Whenever he got headaches after too much studying, he found it helpful to silence his thoughts. It took the pressure off and he was able to settle down. But he wished he had some aspirin.

He tried to open his eyes, but he found that he was blind. No, rather he was blindfolded. And he felt he was strapped down to some kind of table. His arms were in an L-shape above him and bound across the wrists with what felt like leather straps. He pulled at them to no avail. His legs felt like they overhung the main table and in twitching his toes he felt metal, his ankles bound. It felt like some sort of medical table, and if he wagered a guess, for woman giving birth. He felt completely exposed.

"Hey! What's going on? Release me!" He listened to the silence around him for a few moments. There was the slight sound of air circulation going through vents, but nothing else. And the obvious smell of bleach. And now that be noticed it, it began to burn his nose. "Hello?"

"Do not fret, Light Yagami…" came a whisper of a voice from his right side. Light turned his head sharply—feeling the breath of the individual in his ear. "Are you familiar with Robert Oppenheimer, the man who created the Atom Bomb?"

How could Light forget? How could any person of Japanese descent forget?

Two atomic bombs over the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki respectively, between August 6th and 9th, in 1945, killing between 129,000 and 226,000 people, most of whom were civilians. Such use, ended the war, and Japan surrendered.

"And do you know what Oppenheimer later said after he witnessed its use?" the voice said, without Light answering, as if reading his mind—knowing Light was calling his history. "'Now I Am Become Death, the Destroyer of Worlds'. It's from an old Hindu text about a Prince who is willing to do anything to save his people. His faith, saving his soul, if he commits himself."

"It's an obscure religious story," Light replied. "But Oppenheimer was right to quote it." There was the sound of shifting position. Light turned his head to the left. "Who are you? Where am I? And why do you have me strapped to this table? What are you going to do?"

"So many questions," said the mysterious voice from farther away. "But everything you'll need to know will come to pass once it's time for you to embrace your destiny."

"My destiny?" Light struggled fiercely, but he couldn't break free of the straps. "Let me go! Tell me who you are? Is it you, Cameron Cross? Is this one of your sick jokes? Are you going to torture me? Do you want Misa so bad that you're willing to remove me from the picture?"

There was a moment of sadistic laughter. "The people on this yacht mean nothing to me. It's you that has brought me here. I followed you all the way from Japan. I stowed away on the transport boat that brought you and Misa Amane to the CROSSBOUND, then I secretly snuck overboard as Cross's second had your attention as he welcomed you aboard." Light's mysterious captor returned closer and Light felt his breath on his left ear once more, as he said, "And I'm here to help you despite your transgressions. I believe in your cause."

Light had no clue what this person was talking about. "You're here to help me? And what have I done wrong? What is this 'cause' you believe in?"

The individual sighed deeply. "You're useless in this condition," he said.

There was a moment of silence, then shuffling, and all of a sudden, something was put in Light's mouth, and wrapped around his head and snapped secure—some sort of ball strap.

Now Light was blind and mute. Light tried to talk, but all he could make were incoherent noises.

"What was that? What am I going to do to you? Trust me, you're going to want this, after what I do to you, and you'll thank me for it. I can't have you screaming and alerting everyone." Light struggled, but after a slap to the face, he stopped. "Settle down, this won't hurt. Well, it might a little, but that depends on how 'long' it will take to restore your true self."

Light was scared. Was he going to be killed, not knowing the face of his attacker?

He was reminded of the time he was captured by Yoma Yuta, Jasper Yuta's father—otherwise known as 'The Child Butcher of Japan'—and thought he was going to die, hacked to pieces like the dozen other kids the man had sadistically killed, until his father and the NPA SAT (National Police Force, Special Assault Team) rescued him in the nick of time.

"Now, here is what's going to happen," Light's captor said. "I'm going to give you something and you're going to grip it tightly. Don't let go, or all this will be for nothing. You'll want to scream, but that's what the ball is for in your mouth. Your mind will be hit with hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of lost memories. It may feel like your head is about to split open. But it should only last a few moments. Afterwards, you'll feel like you've been through the fight of your life. And shortly after, your thoughts will re-order themselves, and you'll remember everything. You may not know what I'm talking about, but you soon will, and you'll thank me. Okay, here we go."

Light felt something placed in his left hand and his captor closed Light's hand into a fist.

And then, it happened—

Hundreds, then thousands of images, flooded back into his head—forgotten memories. They stabbed at his consciousness, each one feeling like a sharp needle to his brain.

His body arched and he felt himself withering in pain as a result, but the straps kept him down.

His brain was indeed re-ordering itself, putting the pieces of his lost memories back into their proper slots—everything, from the first day he picked up the Death Note at his school, to the moment he said 'Get Rid Of It' in his prison cell in the lower bowels of the Kira Task Force Building, where L monitored him day and night. Adding to those memories without knowledge of the Death Note, where he wanted to help the task force to catch Kira. And to the latest memory where he encountered a Shinigami from the future who gave him secret information for Kira's future. Unfortunately then, he had to relinquish his memories and return to the Kira Task Force, so he could again fool L into believe he was not Kira.

He collapsed down, his breathing heavy.

Ow! That hurt, a lot!

"There, that wasn't so bad, now was it?" The individual reached behind Light's head and unsnapped the ball strap and carefully pulled it out of Light's mouth. Light felt the sides of his mouth dripping with saliva and his jaw was soar after clenching so hard. Indeed, throughout the entire ordeal, he had been screaming, but the 'tool' used to hold it in helped muffle the sound. "Are you back to your old self?"

"Release me, now," Light demanded, albeit calmly.

The individual chuckled and did so, removing the leather straps around his ankles first, then Light's wrists. Light sat up, his legs fall over the edge of the table, after being released from metal attachments—attached to the table. He removed the blindfold—finally looking upon the face of his so-called captor, now ally. And he was surprised to see a familiar face.

The individual was Japanese, but he had spoken to Light in perfect English without a noticeable accent. He was tall, about 6 feet, with a thin build, and blond-whitish hair.

"I know you," Light said, trying to recall where he had see the person's face. It took a moment, but then he remembered. He rubbed the ache around his wrists from the leather straps, feeling the scrap of the Death Note in his left hand. "Your face, it's the same in a picture we found in a secret room built by Ken Kuzushi at my family's cabin in Hokkaido-Jozankei Forest—T.K."

The other smirked. "I represent a group of people with a vested interest in your well-being, Light Yagami."

Light's clear mind immediately thought of only one group. "The Savant Society," he said. "Yes, I've heard of them. But I have no interest in sharing my power. Kira works alone."

Light then looked around. He was in a sizeable room with tools and devices hanging throughout. It didn't take a genius to figure out this was the 'Room' he had been wondering about that he thought was a maintenance closest. It was filled with wall-to-wall BDSM gear—it was some sort of 'sex dungeon'. He was sitting on the main feature of the room, a strap-down table. The room smelled of bleach.

"So, Cameron Cross has a secret 'sex' room onboard the CROSSBOUND," Light said with a smirk. "I think I understand why he wanted to 'buy' Misa now."

Light slid off the medical table. He went to another table and picked up an item. He knew what it was and it vibrated when he pushed a button. Misa had one of these and a few of others items of the sort. It wasn't uncommon for women to have these days. He turned off the device and dropped it back on the table. It was one of the milder versions about. There were even more severe toys hanging on the walls.

"No one goes to this much effort for a single use," he said suspiciously. "I wonder how many women Cross has brought here. And from the strong smell of bleach, he went to great lengths to hide something—murder, perhaps." Light turned back to T.K. "You came here for me, why? From what little I know about the Savant Society, they shouldn't care about what I do."

T.K. came around the table. "Oh, but you're wrong, Yagami. The Society cares a great deal about you. In fact, they care so much, that they want to take away you power permanently. You see, you, in enacting 'justice' to criminals, have created a unstable situation, that could expose the Society, and they want it to stop. At first, they wanted to eliminate you, but then someone asked for mercy on your behalf—claiming there was still good in you. Or, so I've heard."

Light laughed. "Someone wants to save me? I'm afraid that's impossible. I've already given my heart and soul to my cause. I will eliminate crime and evil from the human world. And I will become the god of the new world. Nothing—and no one—will stop me."

T.K. reached behind him, and out from a back pocket, he took out what looked like a piece of paper with a piece torn from the corner. Light recognized what it was immediately.

"No one is indispensable, Yagami." T.K. said seriously. "I'm the owner of a Death Note. And I have been for a number of years, so I know the ins-and-outs of its usage much like you. I can write your name down at any time and have you killed. I restored your memories, despite also knowing your history."

Light bit his lower lip. If T.K. knew the fate of his brother, he would probably use the Death Note in revenge. He had to lie. "Your brother was using my family's cabin as a home-away-from-home, before he vacated the place. He must have forgotten to take your picture with him. We only discovered it by accident. That's why I recognized you just now."

T.K. seemed to accept Light's lie. "You were important to him. But he liked to dress up in questionable clothes. We tried to get him help, but he was unreachable. I left home, but I was made aware of most of it through other channels. Unfortunately, our parents died, and he was sent to live with an aunt."

If only you knew the truth, Light thought. "Tell me, how did you obtain a Death Note?"

"I found it, a notebook, just laying on the ground," T.K. explained. "I read the inside cover, thought it was a joke, and put it back down. But then picked it back up again." Light recalled his own similar experience. "Days later, a Shinigami appeared to me, and explained everything. I tried out the book, but all my killings were blamed on Kira."

Just then, the door was kicked in, and Cameron Cross stood at the threshold. He held a gun in his hand. At first, he pointed it at Light, then at T.K., and said, "Who the hell are you?"—he was surprised to see someone else in the room—then he turned it back to Light.

Valerie was with Cross. "You're the owner of a Death Note," she said with wonder to T.K. "I can feel your connection." T.K. winked at Valerie, as if telling her she was correct.

Cross pointed the gun back to T.K. "Did you kill my friend?"

But without giving T.K. a chance to answer—although the question was obviously rhetorical, seeing the evidence in T.K.'s hand—Cameron Cross fired, and shot T.K. in the head. He was dead before he hit the ground.

Light couldn't believe the turn of events.

But now, Light had his memories back permanently. With the scrap of the Death Note still in hand, he was now the new owner of T.K.'s Death Note and its Shinigami—whatever it looked like.

Cross turned back to Light, as Valerie went over and picked up the paper of the Death Note. She noticed a piece missing and turned to Light. "Do you have this piece?"

Light turned and opened his hand, exposing the piece.

"So, you memories have returned," Cross said. "Hand it over!"

"It will do you no good," Light said. "With him dead, ownership immediately transferred to me. Even if you take this piece away, I will still keep my memories. And I gather you are also a owner of a Death Note. How annoying that I keep finding out I'm not so unique after all. When I found the Death Note, I thought I was the only one with its power. Now I find out there's an entire assemblage of people with the same. And he," —Light thumbed to T.K.— "wanted to recruit me. But I will not be so easily swayed from my path. For I am Kira, the one and only!"

"I should shoot you right here!" Cross threatened.

Light looked at the gun. He couldn't see it clearly, but he concluded it was a Colt. An average weapon for an American. The clip housed about a dozen rounds. But from the clumsy way Cameron Cross was gripping it, he had never used it. And, of course, the safety was still on.

Light defiantly turned his back, in front of him was a shelving unit with the BDSM equipment. A plan was quickly formed. "You're not going to kill me, Cross," he said discerningly. "I'm too valuable to the grand scheme of things. The Savant Society want me, that means you can't kill me. It would cause too much trouble with your heads if I'm found dead. L would investigate and your little secret here would be exposed. You and your family would be finished."

Light glanced in a small mirror on the wall and saw Cameron Cross seething. He had Cross cornered. There was silence. He could sense Cameron's disgruntlement and even his disgust.

Light knew he had the unwitting ability to manipulate people, to use their secrets against them.

Light picked up an item off a table, keeping it close.

"Maybe," Cross said, "but I can wound you just the same."

Light quickly shifted his weight and threw the item at Cameron Cross. Light sent it with such force that it acted like a projectile and knocked the gun out of Cross's hand. With Cross distracted, even bewildered, Light reacted quickly, and lunged across the room, and delivered a right cross to Cameron's face, followed by a left hook, which sent the man to the floor.

Light felt his hands. Punching Cross hurt, but it was satisfying. His most recent training at the police academy had helped. He couldn't be a police officer yet, but he could still train and learn the ropes, thanks to father's influence—as former Chief.

Valerie approached him. He pointed a stern finger at her. "Halt!" he ordered. "Don't even attempt to defend him. I know what you are, and know you are forbidden to help him." Valerie stopped in her tracks. "You attempt to harm me, you know the consequences."

"How did you know?" Valerie said.

"Intuitive reasoning," Light answered. "And you've been trying to seduce me ever since I've come on board with those pheromones you release. And you almost had me, but I smelled it when Misa was trying to seduce me in her sleep. I didn't know it then, but I know it now. I smelled the pheromones twice, once when we first met, and the second during dinner with Cross. So, I knew it wasn't her, it was you. When I slapped Misa, your control over her ended. A person is completely exposed in their sleep."

Valerie smiled. "Very good, Light Yagami," he said. "Normally I can control any man with my pheromones, they are puddy in my hands. Cross has not been the first human I've been joined with. But you're not like other human males. There is something different about you."

"That's what some people say," Light said. "I'm much stronger than I look. Although, that doesn't decry me from being known as a lady killer in both high school and university." Light smirked.

Cross groaned, rubbing his chin as he sat on the floor in a corner. "Valerie, I order you to kill, Light Yagami! The Savant Society be damned!"

"You know I can't, Cross," Valerie replied. She then handed the discarded piece of the Death Note to Light Yagami, for which Light folded it it and slipped it into his pants pocket. She went to stand next to him. Cameron's eyes widened in disbelief. "I believe its time our contract ends, Cameron Cross. We had a lot of fun, but all good things must come to an end."

Light put up a finger. "I have a better idea," he said. "Strap him to the table." With a hidden strength, the Shinigami did just that despite Cross's struggle and protest. And when the four leather straps were firmly in place, Cross's legs up high and separated, Light said, "They say, what goes around, comes around. I assume, you and your cohort, Benjamin Lakes have had a quite a bit of excitement in this room. How many women have you brought here, raped, and then murdered, to hide the evidence?"

Cameron struggled against the bindings and swore. "You're a dead man, Yagami. The Savant Society will hunt you down and kill you. There's no place where you will be safe!"

Light smiled with a devilish grin. "I find people like you abhorrent," he said with disgust. "But there is a lesson to be learned here. I could just simply kill you using the Death Note, however, that would be too easy. You need to understand that you can't just kill people without a price. I kill criminals to save the world. But you are different bred of vile evil."

Light picked up one of the tools within the room off the wall hook and tossed it to Valerie. It was a ball strap. She adjusted it to fit around Cameron Cross's mouth, the ball firmly inserted into Cameron's mouth. Cameron made noises of protest, but they were ultimately muffled.

Light then reached up and took something off a table. It looked like some sort of electric cattle prod. Pressing a button, it ejected a charge from two small nodes at the top. He walked over to Cross. "I'm not normally a violent man, but there is always a exception to every rule. Still," he handed it to Valerie, "since you enjoy brutalizing women, one shall pay you in kind. This will not kill you, so it will not cost Valerie her life, but I know it will hurt, a lot. Valerie, for womankind, be my guest."

Valerie pressed a button on the device and electrified the tips. Then she pointed it down and jammed it into Cameron Cross's nether regions, and even lower down where all men were extremely vulnerable.

Cross cried out, his eyes bugled, his body withered.

The room was obviously soundproof, so no one would hear anything.

Valerie repeated the process several times, until Cross had had enough, and seemingly fainted. Valerie checked Cross's pulse to make sure he hadn't suffered a heart attack. He was just unconscious.

"What a pity," Light said. "Cross could dish it out, but he couldn't take it."

"That was strangely satisfying," Valerie said, looking at the electro prod. "He and I have a unique relationship, but he mostly used me for sex. I enjoyed it, but he was mean, and abusive."

"I can see why," Light said, gesturing around. "He is a sexomaniac and a masochist, among other things. He reminds me of someone else." Light frowned angrily, remembering Ken Kuzushi—his sibling laying dead on the floor. "And frankly, the very thought makes me ill."

Light turned to T.K., a bullet in his head, blood streaming out from the wound. He crouched down, and looked the other over. The older sibling of Ken Kuzushi had seemingly come in like a tour-du-force, but then was eliminated like a random character from a novel.

But T.K. wouldn't have been happy to know that the rest of his family was already dead.

"Sayōnara, and good riddance to your family, but thank you for the information you provided," Light said, pushing the dead T.K back like trash. "Everything will be used accordingly to benefit Kira."

Light went to get up, but fell on his backside—as the body of T.K. began to vanish like specter in the night. Along with the body, even the blood disappeared, as if it was all part of one illusion.

"What the hell!"

Valerie gasped, catching the last glimpse of the body's disappearance. "I've seen this before. Some Shinigami have the ability to project constructs taken from an human's mind, they use the touch of their Death Note to do so. The Shinigami pretends to be that person. Who did that person represent to you?"

Light recalled what Ryuk once said to him. A Shinigami cannot die, even if they are stabbed in the heart or shot in the head. Was he rescued by a god of death? But why?

"Supposedly, the brother of someone I previous encountered," Light said, standing up. Or had he assumed T.K was Ken Kuzushi's brother, a fabrication of his own imagination, whereas the Shinigami inserted pieces to make Light believe so?

"Obviously the Shinigami used this trickery to pass the Death Note on to you," Valerie said. "I told Cross that I had detected another on board earlier."

"Where is this other Shinigami? You gods of death can see one another."

But Valerie had no clue. "Hidden, even from me," she said.

Light picked up the gun that Cross dropped, checked the clip, and snapped it back in place. It would be useless against a Shinigami, but it was a weapon nonetheless.

The nipple ring he smashed would alert L and the Kira Task Force that there was trouble—it was a contingency plan that he and the task force arranged if he needed help (his other self set it off, but this "aware" side of him would never have done so), and no doubt they would want to know why. He had to find a way to get in contact with L and call off any "rescue mission". He had things he had to do here and he didn't need Ryuzuki charging in like the gallant hero. He needed to find the radio room. Maybe he could use a satellite phone to call home.

"We'll come back for Cross," Light said. "He can still be useful." Valerie agreed.

And they left.

To be continued...