Stalemate (A Death Note Story)

Chapter Four: Face to Face

Anxiety and nervousness seemed to go through Nemo's body. As she turned the knob on the door, and the sudden click signaling that the door was opened, her nervousness suddenly washed away. Nemo and the chief were the first to enter. There, standing before them, was the only and only L.

Nemo, for some reason, didn't seem surprised.

"I am L." He said. The dark-haired man didn't seem to smile.

"I am Yagami, of the NPA." Soichiro said, taking out his badge.

The others did the same, taking out their badges.

"I am Nemo Kimura, and I-"

"Bang." L pointed his fingers into a gun towards the group.

Nemo felt somewhat offended that she didn't get to finish her introduction, but she was overall confused.

"If I were Kira, you'd all be dead." L said. "Kira needs a face and a name to commit murder, but I'm pretty sure you've already figured that out, haven't you?"

"Smart-ass, much," Nemo whispered to Aizawa. He simply chuckled.

"That's enough small talk for now. Please turn off all cell phones, handhelds, and any other communication devices, and leave them on the table right there." L gestured to the checkered table next to the group.

"What? You think we're gonna use our cellphones to leak information?" Aizawa yelled, offended.

"It's fine, Aizawa. Do as he says." Mr. Yagami said, putting his phone down.

Nemo sighed, putting her phone down, and silencing it.

"No, I just find them distracting." L sat down. "I can't stand it when people's cell phones are ringing while I'm trying to talk."

"I guess, I could understand that," Nemo muttered, taking a seat next to L.

He sat in a very peculiar way, his feet on the chair with his knees up to his chest.

Nemo raised her eyebrow. Everyone's eyes seemed to be drawn to L, as he poured himself a cup of tea.

"So, Mr. L," Nemo began.

"I'm gonna have to stop you there, it's Ryuzaki, for now just to be safe." L continued to stir his tea, while Nemo appeared to get agitated.

"Ok, Ryuzaki-" Nemo was interrupted, yet again, this time by Matsuda.

"So, if we know that Kira needs a name and face to kill, then why don't we block all names from the faces of criminals in the media?" Matsuda said.

"Then we'd be putting the general public at risk."

"Wait, why the general public?" Nemo asked.

"Kira is childish and he hates losing." L stopped stirring his tea.

"What do you mean?" Mr. Yagami asked.

"Well, I am also childish and hate to lose." L took a sip of his tea.

"Like, when Kira didn't hesitate to kill your proxy, Lind L. Taylor. He saw that as a threat to his whole operation." Nemo thought out loud, resting her head on her chin.

L turned over to her. "Exactly, and then, when I said that he was in the Kanto region, he started killing people within Japan, as if he were saying 'what are you gonna do about it?'"

"We should look for another way we can use the media to draw him out." L turned back to the rest of the group.

"But, how?"