A pretty face can hide an evil mind

Well, I finally managed to find the time to write and upload the new chapter. Things have been crazy around here. My exam period crept up on me and kindly surprised me with over 8 exams, this after finishing my most recent training and after handing in the final results of my project. All in all, I’m going absolutely mental with the insane amount of stress we were put under.

I have finally managed to pick a topic for one of my written projects though. The education I’ll be receiving upon passing for my current one has several different courses to follow. I plan on focussing mainly on Internationally Organized Crime. It’s always been a favoured topic of mine. Regardless of criminals breaking the law we all have to live with one way or another, I for one do find it highly respectable how they manage to endure constant pressure and such. Just the fact alone that their very existence was denied for a very long time while the signs were more than a little obvious amazes me. I know, odd for someone who wishes to be a detective to actually respect a criminal organization, but still, to respect a (possible) opponent is to take them seriously I suppose.

Also, most of my time has been spent on my side-project. Believe it or not but I’m actually writing a book! This story will revolve around the relationship between a young and famous musician and your average fanboy. And why yes, it is in fact a yaoi story. Perhaps I’ll fill you guys in on some more details later on, maybe even add a little excerpt or something. Feel free to ask if interested, if not, no biggie.

Further more, as you may have already read in one of my previous notes, I’ve been writing several scenes for this fic in advance. I’ll attempt to write full chapters in advance as soon as I have the time. This way at least I’ll have steady updates rather than this flaky behaviour due to my ever changing time-tables.

And finally, can someone tell I’m finally starting to see the difference between ‘then’ and ‘than’? A dear friend of mine pointed out this repeated error. Proof that constructive criticism really works. I started writing in order to get a better grasp on this language after all. Do inform me if I make more grammatical mistakes and such! I can’t improve when I don’t receive feedback on what I’m doing wrong after all!

Well, onto the latest chapter!

:"The expectations and disappointments of a certain detective":

“This would be the list of the FBI-agents that were found dead a few hours ago. All received a file containing the information about said agents within Japan. Also, each individual died within 5 hours. Their estimated times of death can be found below their personal information.”

“Did you double-check the estimates?”

“Yes, I found them to be quite accurate. I’ve already made the necessary adjustments.”

“Thank you Watari.”

“Will that be all L?”

“Yes, please do remember to call me Ryuuzaki from now on.”

“Certainly Ryuuzaki.”

With that being said, the elderly man took his leave. How many years had it been? L noted the rigid way the man carried himself. Watari had grown old. He remembered when the man had been much younger, he certainly hadn’t been blessed with such grey hair at birth after all. No, it had been a rich dark brown that had finished it’s transition into whitish grey not all that long ago.

He also recalled Watari used to wear stern looking navy blue suits, somewhere along the way he had switched to a slightly more moderate black. To maintain his regal impression on others he supposed. The vibrant colorations somewhat lost their appeal without the dark contrast, black on the other hand appeared to make more of an impression.

The slight limp had been a quite recent development though, more than likely the early signs of arthritis. The elderly man’s movements had been smooth once, like a well oiled machine. There was no denying that Watari wasn’t in top form though, had he been any other man the slight limping would have been vastly more noticeable. His old companion still had many years left to give, but regardless of Watari’s willingness and L’s apprehension to the man’s possible replacement they would need to discuss this matter in the near future. An event he was most definitely not looking forward to.

During one of their more recent cases Watari’s slightly less than perfect response time almost cost them their lives. Mental chronometry had never really been a topic which spiked L’s interest, yet it was a liability that could one day become an actual threat. Being able to directly respond to signs of aggression was one of the first things Watari had taught him when he was just a mere boy. There was no doubt in his mind however that Watari had noticed these minor shortcomings.

L would have approached the topic a lot sooner hadn’t it been for his sour mood. Even though his previous case had been solved, the end-results were not to his satisfaction. It was mere logic to consider a criminal as someone else’s responsibility after safely delivering them alongside of the hard-earned evidence. After a long and tiresome legal procedure the convicted 37 year old father of three little girls was given a reduced sentence of 10 years in prison. He should have been given 20 years at the very least.

Having grown up in an orphanage, he had heard quite a few horrific tales throughout his childhood. Physical abuse, neglect, desertion, molestation. It had been such stories which eventually sparked his interest in detective work. Child-abuse cases had been the first of many varieties of crime he stared down on a daily basis. Even though he was famed for his peculiar manner of selecting the cases on which he wished to work, children came first. Perhaps it was solely because of his experience with so many other children while growing up or possibly because of a personal trauma which involved his own family – which he doubted whereas he couldn’t remember anything about them having been too young at the time – but these cases would forever hold an interest for him.

Those three little girls for example would more than likely never be able to live a normal life. Starting from birth their father had terrorized the little ones into doing his bidding. If you’ve been told that ‘God wished it so’ one too many times, you’d actually start believing it. Their self-appointed dictator of a father controlled their each and every thought, made every decision, decided who they would be seeing, who they could or couldn’t be friends with. Imagine living a life where your every action is directed towards pleasing a certain individual. It was nothing more than slavery wrapped in a deluding little bow known as ‘parenting’.

As if the initial shock of a reduced sentence hadn’t stung his pride as a detective somewhat, the headlines he had happened to scan through mere days before taking on the Kira case felt like a proverbial slap in the face. That sick man whom had seemed to get away with a reduced sentence was killed by none other than Kira. The part that hurt most however, he couldn’t care less about that certain man’s life and a tiny little voice from the darker parts of his mind couldn’t help but agree. Perhaps that is why – after stomping out any form of agreement with such a sick individual – he took on this case to begin with. That convicted criminal had been his trophy and somehow Kira had managed to get away with taking what was his. He couldn’t help but feel territorial on the matter.

On the bright side however, due to the shocking nature of that certain case, it had not been revealed to the public. Specifically the case had been kept under wraps almost completely. The few details that had been leaked to the public were enough to convince them that it had been a mere case of child-abuse rather than the true severity of the matter. The man’s name and face however had not been released. Those ‘privileges’ had been given to government officials and a few police stations across the world. This had left him with two possible theories to consider. Either Kira was truly some sort of divine being or he had somehow been able to acquire this information from an inside source. Several victims later however it became clear that most – if not all – non-public cases were being tracked through the virtual network shared by the Japanese police. But of course he had found no case of external interference, which would mean that the computer used for these well covered break-ins had the proper authorization. Which on it’s own meant that this was an inside job. Adding a more recent discovery – the time schedule in which Kira seemed to operate – he was approximately 80 percent sure that their megalomaniac was a young individual. A very young individual.

No matter how young this ‘Kira’ was however, he would most certainly be brought to justice. There would be no mercy, Kira would be put down as ruthlessly and cold-hearted as he had treated criminals himself. The world leaders wouldn’t stand for anything less after all. But Kira’s inevitable fate would have to be postponed, the topic at hand took priority. He would not have possible security leaks jeopardize this case. L had already taken the necessary precautions, root out the less productive individuals and get rid of said dead-weight. Currently the man known as Yagami Soichiro – or something to that degree, he never really did interest himself in those involved with his cases impressions could and would be made afterwards – was making a statement, one that would without a doubt get rid of the less motivated members of the investigation team.

At five o’clock today those more interested in keeping their lives rather than bringing in a dangerous psychopath would simply quit. This would leave him with motivated members who were willing to risk their lives to bring down the elusive Kira. L would then be able to stop the communications concerning the Kira-case towards anyone not involved. Should the classified information continue to leak out, the number of possible suspects would be narrowed down quite effectively. At the rate he was going, Kira would be apprehended soon enough. So far this case had proven to be quite a disappointment, it had failed to live up to his expectations. Surely a mass-murderer whom possessed the capability to strike from any distance without as much as leaving behind a trace of evidence other than a corpse should have been a lot harder to pin down. Such a shame really, this case had seemed to have so much potential. At least the discovery of Kira’s murder weapon would be worth the effort, or so he hoped.

:"The musings from within the dark circles":

An old abandoned church. Such a perfect location to start a new religion – no, not a religion, a new world order. A world order where he and his chosen ones would reign supreme. He would define the meaning of justice once and for all and his precious chosen would carry out his will. He would be God. Kira, the god of Justice and punisher of the wicked.

So far their progress had been remarkable, the dark recesses of the human mind had caught onto the idea a lot sooner than he had expected. It only goaded him on, it absolutely thrilled him that there were so many potential ‘believers’ just waiting for someone to come along and lead them to better times. A time where crime would be a thing of the past. Even the sceptics and those who would seek him to pay for these so-called ‘crimes’ would eventually see it his way. He would give them no choice after all. The common man was swaying more and more in his favour after all, they had even provided him with a name.

Though the initial sting of being referred to as a ‘killer’ had been quite a blow to his pride, his perseverance had managed to erase the bad aftertaste almost entirely and give this given name a positive meaning. He was openly revered after all.

The one who had surprised him most however was young Yagami Raito. This brilliant young man with his stunning features had caught his attention a while ago. With parents eagerly ‘promoting’ their little prodigy, there was only so little time before someone with an eye for potentials acted upon these rumours. A quick dive into the boy’s records and a little investigation in the boy’s day to day activities had been more than enough to catch his interest. Not only that, during this investigation period yet another loyal follower had joined his quest. This one had quite a lot of potential as well, obviously this individual was not as brilliant as Raito-kun, but what this little lamb lacked in intelligence it made up for in loyalty. Such an eager to please personality was easily swayed after all. No, Yagami Raito was most definitely not a willing puppet. But as long as he continued to hold the strings, Yagami would move in any direction he commanded. Funny how such an intelligent young man could be ruled over so easily when playing with his emotions. It was all a matter of having the proper leverage.

L would be dead soon enough and with that roadblock out of the way the path beyond would be so much smoother. His only other risk-factor would be Raito-kun, but with the way things were going it would be a minor risk. A plan had been set in motion to corner the young man and to strategically cut off all escape routes. Yagami Raito would eventually either turn to his god for protection or die along the way. It was perfect.

“Sir, we have an update on the situation in Japan.”

Ah, his new recruit finally been able to obtain the requested information. Such a good little lamb really.

:"The eager pawns of fierce determination":

The hours had passed in what seemed to be a snail’s pace. It was almost as if 5 o’clock was an eternity away, yet as many things in life it was inevitable that the clock would eventually strike 5.

Yagami Soichiro neatly stacked the papers and placed them on the left side of his desk. He realized he was unintentionally stalling for time, the normally calm and collected man had been forced to make some serious decisions. Decisions that could eventually take shape in death if he didn’t proceed with caution. He would be leaving behind a family, he would leave his wife to raise his children without support. Yet even the severity of the possible consequences could not sway him from his initial decision. He would do his job and bring in Kira, no matter what.

Sachiko would be well taken care of should things go awry. He knew that she would be receiving large amounts of money and side benefits should he die during this investigation. His dear wife had practically raised those children on her own to begin with, with him being so devoted to his duties as an enforcer of the law. Sayu would need guidance that Sachiko was more than capable of giving. His son had practically raised himself, that child had always been so mature after all. He could cook for himself as his mother had taught him at an early age, he was well-instructed on cleaning matters in and around the house and his future career as a lawyer would provide him with the funds to live a healthy life. He knew of his son’s wishes to become a police officer yet investigations like this particular case furthered Soichiro’s determination to keep his son out of this business. He would make certain that Raito would live a life amongst books the boy seemed to love so much rather than guns and the danger that almost automatically came along with those damned devices. He and Sachiko has snubbed that initial spark of interest out at each and every bend. They had subtly replaced those works of fictional detective rubbish with law books, they were even paying for the full tuition at Touou University in advance to make absolutely sure Raito would not stray from this path. It was a hefty sum indeed, but it would be worth it in the end.

Suddenly angry with himself about dawdling while he should have been getting ready for his 5 o’clock meeting with the remaining members, Soichiro got up and locked his office on his way out. The conference room where the remaining members were to gather was pretty close to said office, a fact he had always been pleased about. One would be able to shift more work when less time was spent on getting from one location to another. While holding a steady grip on the necessary files, he looked at his watch. He was right on time, as always. Soichiro opened the heavy wooden door and was immediately met with disappointment. Out of the dozens of capable police officers originally assigned to this case, only 5 men were actually willing to risk their lives for the sake of justice?

Somehow he was embarrassed that Watari and L were present to see this downright humiliating display. The ever eager Matsuda was present of course. There was no way the young man would miss out on the opportunity of a lifetime. The reliable Aizawa was fortunately present as well, they would most definitely need his clear thinking process on this mind boggling case. The other three he was less familiar with, but if they were willing to stare down Kira himself, he doubted they were any less devoted than himself. Was this what L had been waiting for then? A tight packed unit totally committed to the cause? He guessed he would find out right now, the laptop Watari had dutifully brought with him was already boldly emitting a bright glow. L was already present and accounted for.

Yagami Soichiro locked the door behind him, for 5 o’clock had come and gone after all. There was no turning back, not from this chosen path.

:"The worries of young Yagami Raito":


For the umpteenth time Raito was mentally retracing his every step. His strategy would need to be absolutely perfect in order to minimize the risk of possibly being found out while taking in account Kira’s strenuous demands. Lind L. Tailor’s death should have been avoided, that one foolish move had given his opponents more than just a little valuable information.

His mind was going in circles. At this rate he would either drive himself crazy with worry or he’d end up making a mistake that could prove to be the final nail to his coffin. The latter made him worry even more.

The worst part was that he was completely on his own. Kira and his followers might be considered to be allies in this situation, yet Kira had already proven to be nothing more than a risk factor. Also the leverage that damned psycho had over him – which said megalomaniac eagerly reminded him of whenever he saw fit – was potentially dangerous enough to cloud his mind and cause him to make rash decisions. His own emotions could be used against him if he wasn’t careful enough.

Ryuuk was little to no help at all and Kira had clearly instructed him not to approach anyone on his own accord, otherwise the consequences would be severe. Luckily Yagami Raito had always been the type of person to thrive under pressure, he simply needed to remind himself of this fact every once in a while. Worrying would do nothing more than provide him with an unhealthy dose of stress.

Sighing loudly he turned off the lamp on his nightstand and buried himself beneath the reassuring warmth of his blankets. His conscience had been driving him up the wall for days now, funny how his sleeping habits were hardly affected at all. Was he really turning out to be that ruthless?

Not that it could be helped, someone else’s life was on the line. And he would rescue this person no matter what.

TBC