End Games

Chapter 21: Checkmate II

She watched the seconds tick on her watch. As she did so, she imagined all the things that could be happening to Light right at that instant. The wait was killing her. She needed to do something. Without giving it another thought, she got out of her car and walked toward headquarters. The main entrance door was open, and the security system was disabled, just as Light had predicted. She didn't know the layout of the place or where to go, so she first checked the room that was straight ahead. She poked her head in the door and looked inside.
Light and Mikami were huddled, struggling to hold L down on a chair. L held his ground as he leaned against his chair, ready to kick the first person to come at him. Mikami made the bold move and flung himself at L, receiving a powerful kick to the face. He recovered quickly from the blow and threw himself at L once more, while Light did the same. L squirmed as much as he could and climbed over the two men, but not before finding himself attached to Light once more. He looked at his wrist and saw that they had managed to cuff him with the chain. Mikami stepped back, nursing a bloody nose while Light looked at L triumphantly.
"You're coming with us now, detective." Said Light.
L knew that if he left headquarters, it would all be over for him. He needed to buy time until the rest of the KIT forces came down. He could do it, after all, Light was certain that he had just killed all of them and would not be expecting it. Light began tugging on the chain, but not in the direction of the main door. Instead, he was going in the direction of the stairs.
"Where are we going?" Asked L, refusing to move.
"To get Misa. We are not leaving her here to testify against me." Said Light. "Besides, she's Kira and she just killed all of task force, it makes sense that she would have escaped." He added with a smirk. "That is what my father will conclude when he returns. We have to make it look believable, don't you agree?" He asked with feigned innocence. "Let's go."
L still refused to move, not liking this.
"Exactly what do you plan to do with Misa?" he asked.
Light thought for a moment as a twisted idea formed in his mind.
"You know, Lawliet, you are going to be in for a treat these 23 days. As punishment for making things so difficult for me, you will get to watch as I take everything from you, so I hope you don't mind losing Misa, your bastard, and your life." He said, thinking of ways to make L's last days as miserable as possible. "Maybe it's a good thing you gave yourself 23 days. That way I can have some fun with you before you die."
Just outside the main investigation room, another pair of ears listened intently. Kiyomi frowned as she heard what Light said. She didn't like the fact that Misa was still a part of his plans. If it were up to her, she would have killed Misa already.
L tensed up, but his face remained unchanged. Light decided to probe a little deeper.
"Oh yes, you will get to watch as I take your precious Misa for myself night after night. I'll screw her well until you're nothing but a sad, pathetic memory in her mind. She'll come back to me, you'll see."
"Misa would never allow that." Said L, giving him a cold expression.
Light laughed derisively.
"Oh and you think I'm going to ASK for her permission? I have leverage. Once you're dead, I'll be the only one who can truly protect her from the police. She'll be blamed for everything that's happened today so she'll have no other choice but to accept me. Also...you won't be alive to see this, but I'm thinking your kid might make a perfect successor to Kira."
"I wouldn't entertain that idea if I were you. It will never happen." Said L.
"Ha! Misa will do anything for that little bastard child, even submit to my will if it guarantees its safety. It's just such a shame that you won't be alive to see it all unfold...just imagine it, me, Misa, and your bastard, ruling the new world. Mikami will be there too, of course." Said Light, acknowledging Mikami, who beamed at the recognition.
L hated Light so much at that moment. He was strongly considering attacking him, even if it meant getting beat down by Mikami. It would be worth it just for the satisfaction of wiping that smirk off of Light's face.
Meanwhile, Kiyomi had heard enough. She leaned against the wall by the main investigation room, covering her mouth to muffle her sobs. If she hadn't just heard Light say those things, she wouldn't have believed it in a million years.
'Light wants to build the new world...with Misa?! And that baby?!' She repeated to herself, outraged and feeling sick to her stomach. 'I...I gave him everything...what about me?!' She thought as hot tears stung her eyes. She just couldn't accept the fact that after all she'd done for Light, he would not even make room for her in his life, and that at the end of the day, it would be that ungrateful bitch Misa the one who would be by his side. She refused. She would not allow that.
'Over my dead body will that slut take what's rightfully mine' She thought as she angrily wiped her eyes free of tears. She pulled out a pocket knife from her purse. With that, she walked down the hall and took the emergency stairs up. Kiyomi would search every floor, every room, every nook and crevice of that building until she found Misa...
Back inside the main investigation room, Light continued to taunt L.
"What's the matter, L? You're not so talkative anymore. Is something wrong?" He asked, feigning concern. L could not recall a time in which he loathed Light more than he loathed him now.
'Where are Matsuda and the others when you need them?' Thought L, counting the seconds in his head. It had been just over 20 minutes since they had left. L wondered what was taking them so long.
"You look like you want to say something, L." Said Light with a sickening smile. He came up close to L's face, irritating him. "If you have something to say...say it"
L bit his tongue and clenched his jaw, giving the brunette an unamused look. He wasn't going to give Light the satisfaction of getting a rise out of him. Light frowned and turned back toward the stairs, this time forcing L to move.
"Fine, don't say anything. Let's go see Misa, shall we? Maybe she and I will have a quickie in her apartment-"
Just as the words left Light's mouth, L grounded himself and yanked back on the chain roughly.
"I do have something to say. I've been meaning to ask you something for a long time, Kira." He said suddenly. Light was curious.
"Yes?"
"What happened to Naomi Misora?" Asked L firmly. He could already guess what became of his ex-girlfriend. That she was dead was almost an absolute certainty, but he needed to burn more time.
...Somewhere on the second floor of HQ...
Kiyomi had just finished checking the second floor but no Misa. Just as she was about to enter the emergency staircase to go up to the third floor, she heard careful steps coming down the main staircase. She stood still, listening. She heard an unmistakable female voice whispering and hid her blade behind her back.
"I'm fine, Rem, just go ahead. Come back when you know what's happening with the others..."
Kiyomi walked toward the main staircase and stopped. She looked up and her eyes shone as they fell upon her target.
"Misa" She said with disgust. Misa froze at the top of the stairs.
"Takada" The blonde responded with equal displeasure. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"I'm here with Light, of course." She said smugly.
"Good for you." Said Misa with a fake smile. She quickly dropped the smile and continued to walk down the stairs. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have somewhere important to be and I don't have time for you."
Just as Misa was about to pass by, Kiyomi intercepted her path, causing Misa to glare daggers at her.
"Excuse me."
Kiyomi eyed Misa from top to bottom and began to chuckle maliciously.
"What's so funny?"
"Misa, you've gotten fat" Said Kiyomi, patting Misa's stomach. Misa moved back, not liking the touch. She was outraged as no one had ever told her that in her life.
"I'm not fat, I'm pregnant, something which you will never be since Light doesn't want anyone other than himself." Misa quipped back. "...bitch" She muttered, attempting to walk around Kiyomi. The dark haired woman stuck her arm out, not letting Misa through.
"Takada, let me through or I will-"
"Or you'll what?! What will you do, Misa?" Asked Kiyomi, flashing the knife at Misa. Fear quickly replaced Misa's look of contempt and she protected her womb with both her hands.
"Wow, hey now, let's not get too serious here, Kiyomi." Misa said nervously. "If this is about Light, you can keep him. Seriously, I don't care."
"Don't lie to me you two-faced slut! I bet you've been trying to seduce Light all this time and that's why he wants you to be with him!"
"What?! Are you fucking crazy? I want nothing to do with Light! I hate him! Please, keep him! I wish you two the best. Seriously!"
"Liar! You're a whore Misa Amane, and you ruined EVERYTHING I had with Light. Do you understand that?!" Yelled Kiyomi, waving the knife violently at Misa.
...In the main investigation room...
Light was caught off-guard by L's question. 'Naomi Misora...that's the woman that figured out that I could kill with more than just heart attacks...' Remembered Light.
"Was she important to you?" He asked, genuinely curious. L did not respond.
"She was, wasn't she?" Taunted Light. "Well, if you really want to know what happened. I'll tell you."
L was half-curious and half-worried by what he was about to hear. Though he was long over her, Naomi had been a very important person in his life. She'd taught him to open up to the idea of love and she was also an incredibly sharp detective. He would always hold her memory in high esteem. In his heart he only hoped that whatever end she met was swift and painless.
"When I met her, I was going to see my father at the police station. I saw her there talking to the receptionists, trying to get in contact with you. If I recall she was a pretty Japanese woman, with long black hair, doe-like eyes, a nice ass, good tits. Very easy on the eyes, really."
L was not amused by Light's commentary.
"I remember I told her that I knew you, and could get her in contact with you. She was cautious at first. We talked for a while, and I must admit that she was a really smart woman. Smart women are such a turn on, don't you think?...Anyway, she'd managed to figure out a lot about me, so much so that I almost made the trade for the Shinigami Eyes just to learn her real name. That's how nervous she made me! That and the fact that she had a nice mouth and I could think of a few things that she could do with that mouth, but I digress. I told her I would recommend her for the Kira Task Force. She believed it and gave me her real name. And then she went off somewhere to kill herself in such a way that her body would never be found...it's a shame really. I should have fucked her first-"
Light's words were cut short by the detective's fist swiftly colliding with his face. Having heard enough, L threw himself at Light, knocking him down to the floor. He punched the brunette repeatedly , unleashing his anger, as Light called for Mikami to 'do something.' Immediately, Mikami grabbed L roughly and flung him off of Light and back against his desk.
"I'm going to kill you with my bare hands!" Yelled Light as he stood up and attacked L. Light wrestled teh detective down on the desk as Mikami attempted to get a hold of L's legs.
Light was about to punch the daylights out of L when the door at the top of the stairs flung open and through it ran Misa, screaming, with a wild-eyed Kiyomi following right after. Misa half-ran, half-stumbled down stairs as Kiyomi followed after her, swiping at her with a small blade.
The three men froze.
"Misa!" said L.
"Kiyomi!" Said Light.
"What are you doing here? I told you to stay-" yelled Light and L in unison before realizing what they were doing.
Light released L roughly and turned toward his girlfriend. Misa crawled awkwardly away from Kiyomi who was now focused on Light. She was trying to avoid putting pressure on her hurt and bloody hand, which L noticed.
"Kiyomi, I told you to stay in the car! Why are-"
"Shut up! Don't you talk to me! You betrayed me!" She cried. "You...you traded me, Light, for THAT!" She yelled, throwing her knife at Misa haphazardly, missing her completely. Light was completely unprepared for this. He stood there utterly outraged by her accusation.
'What is she talking about?! I gave her more time and attention than I ever gave Misa. Why are women like this?!' Thought Light, frustrated.
"I heard what you said!" She said, choking back a sob. She pointed at Misa and turned to the Mikami.
"Kill her, Mikami! Kill her! Kill Misa Amane, she doesn't deserve to live!"
Light panicked slightly. If Misa was killed, Rem would retaliate by killing him. He could not let that happen. Mikami turned to Light for approval. Light shook his head to say "no", a gesture which threw Kiyomi into a fit of hysterics over his unwillingness to kill Misa. Everyone looked on as she yelled a list of insults at Light. Once she had tired herself to the point where she was out of breath, Kiyomi stopped crying. She just stayed there, getting a hold of herself. Light was as still as a statue, in shock. The phrase "hell has no fury like a woman scorned" played over and over in his mind.
'This is getting out hand. I need to regain control of the situation fast.' Thought Light, still looking dumbfounded.
Kiyomi wiped her face and marched toward Mikami who looked genuinely afraid of her. He took a step back but she quickly closed the gap between them. She reached him and without warning, she swiped at his eyes with her long finger nails, scratching his cornea. Mikami yelled in pain, and fell doubled over onto the floor. Without batting an eyelash, Kiyomi extracted the death note from his hands. Light snapped out of his trance and ran to stop her, dragging L a few feet. Misa screamed as she saw Kiyomi throwing the notebook down on the floor and scribbling what she could only guess was her name on the notebook.
"KIYOMI NO!" Yelled Light, yanking L further along with him. Kiyomi threw the pen on the floor next to Mikami who was still rolling around from the injury she inflicted on his eyes.
"If you don't have the balls to kill her, then I will." She said bitterly. She stood up and threw the notebook at Light as she marched past him and toward Misa.
"I hope you and your bastard burn in hell." Spat Kiyomi, walking by the distraught Misa. The mother-to-be cradled her head in her hands, and shut her eyes closed, letting the sobs come as the end drew near. Light went pale as he dropped the death note with Misa's name on it. How could this have happened? His whole plan was going so well up until this point. Now Misa was going to die, which meant that Rem was going to kill him, and L was going to die, and everyone else was already dead. The only survivor was Mikami, and even he was going to be caught soon and executed. Light did the only thing he could do in his situation. He laughed at it all.
"We're going to die... everyone... is going to die." He kept repeating as his laughter grew. "Misa, L, taskforce... Mikami... everyone... dead!"
Within seconds he fell to his knees, laughing and repeating that they were all going to die.
"Everyone! We're going to die...we're going to DIE!" He said frantically in between fits of laughter.
Misa was weeping uncontrollably on the floor. L took advantage of Light's breakdown to get closer to her. He knelt down with her.
"Misa, you're not going to die" he whispered.
Thanks to Takada his ruse only had about 20 more seconds before it came tumbling down. Misa looked at him confused. He took her hand and guided it to touch something inside his shirt. She felt the notebooks, still strapped to his body. The real ones. Misa took a moment to process everything and then she cried some more but out of relief.
Still holding her hand, L touched it gently, noticing that it was cut and bloodied. He tenderly ran a finger over it before turning it over and kissing her hand. Misa watched him as he slowly placed it down on her lap. Only 10 more seconds before Light realized the death notes were fake. L caressed Misa's damp cheek and whispered in her ear.
"I need a favor from you." He said and he looked at the death note that was on the floor next to Light. She followed his gaze to the death note. She sniffed and nodded, understanding what he wanted.
"L!" Light cried. "I fucking hate you!" He yelled, sitting up and fixing him with a murderous look. L gently pushed Misa aside as Light crawled toward him. He moved back and stood up as Light did the same. L stepped back and the crazed brunette followed until he caught up and grabbed L by the throat. L kicked him painfully in the stomach but Light did not care, he was too far gone.
"I'm going to kill you! I refuse to die before you!" Said the brunette through gritted teeth. He hit L's head on the desk just as he did with Watari. Misa screamed but Light did not even notice. Then the double doors at the top of the stairs bust open and in came the rest of the Kira Investigation team.
'About damn time!' Thought L, slightly dazed from the blow to his head. He'd never been more relieved to see those guys.
"What the hell is going on here?!" Yelled Matsuda. "Ryuzaki! Light! Misa!"
"That's Teru Mikami!" Said Aizawa, pointing his gun at Mikami. "Arrest him!" He yelled. Matsuda, Ukita, and Mogi moved in to subdue Mikami. Aizawa then turned his attention to Light and L. "Light, step away from him!"
Light looked as though he were seeing ghosts. He was still holding on to L with shaky hands as he looked around him, with disbelieving eyes. 'But...they're DEAD! I killed them!' He thought with frantic confusion. Yet, he too was alive. Rem did not kill him, which meant that Misa did not die either. Light saw that Misa was also still alive and well. He looked utterly confused.
"But how?!" He yelped. "How are you all still alive?!" He asked. "I killed you!"
Then he heard Ryuk's bone chilling laugh somewhere over his head. Light looked up and saw both he and Rem, floating above. Ryuk looked positively mischevious. 'What's so funny to him?' Thought the brunette.
"Light, it looks like you're in quite the pickle" Said Ryuk, chuckling.
"What is happening?! This isn't possible unless..." Light looked pointedly at L. "you! You did something!"
L smiled. "I was never a fan of safes. They're usually not so safe." He said.
Light looked perplexed. And then it dawned on him. Light removed his hands from L's neck and touched his torso. Over L's shirt he could feel something that felt very much like a notebook. His face dropped as he realized then that he had been made a fool. This whole time he'd been dancing right in the palm of L's hands.
Light's eyes were as wide as ever, as the truth hit him like a bag of bricks. "Those notebooks were fake...both of them..." He said breathlessly.
He looked around at all the investigators who looked as equally shocked as he was.
"Light...why?" Asked Matsuda as he shook his head, incredulous. The young cop had a look of pure denial and disappointment written on his face.
Light turned to look at the other investigators and saw the same expressions mixed with pain, anger, confusion, and disgust. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Light panicked and backed himself up against the desk, shaking his head in denial. The room was completely silent as all eyes were on him. This was almost surreal, and everything looked to him as though it were happening in slow motion. Light could hear the erratic pounding of his own heart going 90 miles per hour as the fear gripped him. At that moment, he felt like he was going to be sick and throw up all over himself.
"No..." He managed to say feebly. "This isn't happening...this isn't real." He repeated, his eyes darting wildly from person to person. Mogi sighed and stepped forward with a pair of handcuffs to replace the ones he currently shared with L. Light freaked out.
"STOP IT! This isn't real. This is a setup! It's a fucking setup!" He yelled. He pointed at Misa and said "It was all her! Misa is responsible for all this! Not me...not me!"
"Oh really?! I think it is you, Light, or should I say, Kira?!' She responded, imitating the way he had wrongfully accused her two months before.
"Shut up! You set me up and you know it! Arrest her!" Yelled Light, unsteadily.
"Oh a setup is it?" She said coyly. "Well, then I guess I should tell them about how you tried to kill everyone here with THIS death note!" She declared, holding up the notebook open for everyone to see, just as he'd done to her. 'Payback's a bitch isn't it, Light?' She thought as she looked at her bewildered ex-boyfriend. The KIT members looked on, surprised.
"Luckily, this is a fake death note, and that's why we're all still alive. As you can see, my name was written on it as well, so clearly, I'm not Kira!" She yelled at Light. L simply stood back and watched Misa take her well-earned revenge on Light. He was proud of her in a way, as she proved to the rest of task force that she was not, in fact, Kira.
"Here you go." She said as she passed the death note with everyone's names to L. "If you don't believe me, L can tell you everything. He saw it happen" She said, addressing the others. They all turned to the detective and he nodded, confirming her story.
"Thank you" He said to Misa, giving her a small smile. She returned his smile. The detective turned to Light, casting a serious look on him.
"I believe there is still another false death note missing. Light, where is it?" L asked.
"GO TO HELL!" Light screamed as he started to cry. "Fuck all of you..." He said, defeated.
Mogi placed cuffs on his hands and searched him, finding the missing death note copy tucked inside his jacket. It was all over for him.
"Ryuk! You betrayed me!" He yelled. "You knew they were fake!"
The Shinigami laughed. "Sorry, I couldn't help myself hehe."
Light shrieked curses at the Shinigami, who only laughed harder.
Everyone else was in complete silence, exchanging confused looks and wondering who Light was screaming at.
"Sh-should we do something?" Asked Matsuda, giving the brunette before him a look of pity. Aizawa shook his head to indicate that it was no use.
Finally Light calmed down and the rest of the KIT stood together, coming to terms with the current situation. Arresting one of their own was as hard as they'd imagined.
"Ryuk, just kill me." Light requested, lifelessly.
Ryuk was quiet for a moment. The KIT members frowned, still wondering who 'Ryuk' was.
'He's speaking with a Shinigami" Said L plainly, before they had even asked. At L's words, the KIT members went on high alert, looking around for the Shinigami, though the only ones in the room who could see Ryuk were L, Light, Mikami, and of course, Rem.
"Are you sure about that Light?" Asked Ryuk.
"Yes. I want to die. Kill me." He answered.
Ryuk chuckled and took out his death note. L saw this.
"Stop!" He ordered the Shinigami. Ryuk did as much and looked at L expectantly.
"Don't kill him." L commanded.
"And why not?"
"I will give you a thousand apples if you don't kill him."
"Oooh!"
Ryuk's eyes lit up at L's proposition. Now that Light was captured there was no way he could give him that bag of apples he'd promised him. This was an excellent opportunity. However, as good as L's deal was, Ryuk was greedy and wanted to milk it some more.
"Two thousand apples!" Said the Shinigami.
"One thousand five-hundred apples" Said L sternly. He didn't really care for the number of apples, but something told him that this Shinigami would appreciate haggling. Ryuk struck him as a Shinigami who liked deals and L was determined to get his respect. Ryuk thought about it, impressed that L could even get that many apples.
"Fine. That many apples, and they all have to be red. No green ones. Got it?" Said the Shinigami.
L pretended to think about it, then nodded in agreement.
Done!" Said Ryuk happily, closing his notebook. "You know, you're not too bad" He told L.
"Ryuk!" Cried Light, angry that the Shinigami had just made a deal with his nemesis.
L turned to Light and bit his thumb, thinking. Light had another thing coming to him if he thought he could get off that easily with a quick death. L would make sure that Light felt the full weight of the law at his back. Dying was not an option for him. Not until he'd paid the just price for his crimes. Takada would also have to be detained. While she was not a murderer by strict definition, she still committed a pre-meditated assault against Misa that would have resulted in her death. Not to mention that she was a key witness in the case and a Kira conspirator. L looked around and saw that pretty much every Kira except for Misa was in handcuffs. Unfortunately, She was still the second Kira and he had to arrest her until the trial date. He walked toward her and she looked at him adoringly. She assumed that he wanted to kiss her, so she leaned in, only to be surprised when she felt L slap the other end of his hand cuffs on her wrist.