The Curse of Light Yagami

Take Two - Chapter 22

His father's body disappeared, and Light's childhood home and the tons of waste vanished in a wisp of smoke. Light floated in the blackened void; there was no sound or light, and nothing could reach him. Even Light's head felt empty, as if nothing could enter this endless space. Then everything hit him all at once: noise, light, thoughts and people. He stood in a large room with rows and rows of people shouting over each other. In front was a man hidden underneath a black coat and hat, and a laptop was sitting before him. On the laptop screen was L's symbol. Was this Interpol?

"I, Chief Sorichiro Yagami, is here to announce that we have arrested Kira," his father said. The room erupted in noise as they shouted question after question. Who is Kira? How do they kill? How did they get their power? Is it transferable?

"What Chief Yagami meant is we've arrested a suspect. We can't be certain he is Kira or how he kills, but we have a strong suspicion we have the right person," L said. The atmosphere shifted as everyone fell silent.

"We should execute him," One said. Light looked around the room but couldn't tell where it came from; there were so many people. Others cheered in agreement.

"We cannot execute the suspect until we are confident we have the right person," L said. Wait, what? L didn't just sentence him to death, but his father had said L and Interpol were on the same page about killing him. Light knew there was some peer pressure, but he'd assumed it was from L or the Interpol on his father and the task force, not the other way around. Light didn't know how he thought of this.

"Where is the suspect being detained?" a different agent said.

"In NPA holding cells waiting to be transferred," his father said. His voice sounded so emotionless, like he wasn't talking about executing his son.

"Then he isn't in your custody, L," the first agent said. "In this meeting, we must decide what shall happen to the suspect. Further investigation to find evidence he is Kira, or we execute him and end the terror he has on the world."

Light saw where this was going; all agencies at this meeting would vote for his execution when L stood on the side of true justice. And they did. Each agency, from the FBI to MI6, voted to kill him, and L was powerless to stop it.

Everything shifted, the Interpol faded, and Light found himself in a hotel room with L huddled over his computer. L looked older; the bags underneath his eyes had darkened, and his skin looked sickly and thin. Light approached the detective, peering over his shoulder. Light was shocked to see himself restrained in the chair, waiting for his lethal injection. In Japan, criminals on death row were usually killed by hanging; however, in Light's case, Interpol decided he would die from lethal injection.

"Everything is prepared, L," the prison warden said. God, Light hated that man; he'd loved taunting him during his brief imprisonment.

"Any visitors?" L said. Light looked at him. Did he expect floods of people to come to see him die? Was the public even told when he was getting executed outside his arrest being leaked and the police making a statement after he died?

"One. A Takada," the warden said. Wait, someone was there. "They don't want Yagmai to know they are here."

"We will proceed with the execution. Send the nurse in," L said. Light watched as the nurse approached him and explained what would happen.

"Light Yagami. You have been sentenced to death for your crimes of mass murder under the name of Kira. No new criminals have died, which proves that you are guilty. Do you have any last words?" L said. Light felt a chill run down his spine; there was something worse hearing those haunting words in L's actual voice.