Failure (A Death Note/L Love Story)

Chapter 4

I looked from the map up to the sign above our heads. "I thought you knew how to read Japanese," L commented. He had given me the map since he was eating an ice cream cone, which wasn't a good thing.

I frowned, "I'm not good at reading it."

"It was taught to you when you were fifteen until you were seventeen."

I froze, "Um... I never did good in the class."

He put his hand out to me and I gave him the map. "We aren't too far from the hotel. Only a block, actually. Let's hurry. I want enough time to consult with the police before the program airs." He started walking off without me. I hated when he did that.

I caught up to him quickly, "Don't you think you're going about this all too fast? I know we've read over the reports a dozen times, but this seems like something that's too risky. You didn't even let the police get a choice about this!"

"Criminals are still dying rapidly. None of the police trust me very much. If I did give them a choice, they would have doubted me. I have to seem sure of myself," he explained.

"So, you're not sure that this is going to work?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"I'm seventy-two-percent sure. There is a twenty-eight-percent chance that L won't die at all during the broadcasting, or that Kira will realize this is just a scam. I do not believe that is the case, though. Kira would do anything to get rid of L, assuming that he knows who L is. I expect him to be smarter than to believe it, but seeing it as an easy opportunity, he will kill L," he stated. We reached the hotel and checked in quickly before going to his room. I had a separate one, but I wanted to watch the broadcast on Sakura TV with him.

I was setting up the laptop when L's phone rang. "Yes.... I understand," he said into it. He hung up and turned to me. "Watari has informed me that it's about to air. Please, turn on the TV to the right channel." I pressed the button and entered the channel number. Sakura TV came on right as a blue message scrolled by with writing that I did not understand.

A news reporter said, "We'd like to apologize for the interruption. As of now, we're bringing you a live world-wide broadcast from the ICPO."

"I'm nervous," I told him, fixing the mic.

"Everything will be fine," L assured me.

"We now take you live to the ICPO," announced the voiceover.

A man with a tag saying "Lind L. Tailor" appeared on the screen. I swallowed hard. "I head up an international police task force which includes all member nations. I am Lind L. Tailor, otherwise known as L. Criminals around the world are being murdered by a serial killer. I consider this crime to be the most atrocious act of murder in history. I will not rest until the person or persons responsible are brought to justice. Kira, I will hunt you down, I will find you." There was a pause, letting all of that sink in for the viewers. "Kira, I've got a pretty good idea what your motivation might be, and I can guess what you hope to achieve. However, what you're doing right now is evil."

Tailor smiled, something everyone knows L would do. It was mocking and smug. If Kira was watching, we knew that would do it for him. He waited, as did everyone who was watching. What would happen to Lind L. Tailor?

He moaned and gasped for breath, clutching his chest. "I can't believe it," L said. I gasped.

"We have to get this off of the report to something else! No one needs to see this!" I yelled, watching the man suffer in agony.

"Please calm down, H. You're letting your emotions get the best of you. We both knew this would happen," he stated.

"Knowing it would happen and seeing it happen are two completely different things!" I argued. It was too late. Tailor's head smacked the table, and I knew his heart had stopped. Lind L. Tailor had died of a heart attack. He was carried off the set by two guards who had been standing there the whole time. "The mic and laptop are ready when you are," I said quietly, getting up from the seat. L sat where I had been and pressed the keyboard buttons fast, making his calligraphic "L" appear and mic turn on.

L said, stunned, "I can't believe it. I tested it just in case, but I never thought it would actually happen." He was such a liar, but it was for the good of the case. "Kira, it seems you can kill people without having to be there in person. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't just witnessed it.

"Listen to me, Kira: if you did indeed kill Lind L. Tailor, the man you just saw die on television, I should tell you he was an inmate whose execution was scheduled for today. That was not me. The police arrested him in absolute secrecy, so you wouldn't have heard about it on TV or through the Internet. It appears not even you have access to information about these types of criminals. But I assure you, L is real. I do exist. Now, try to kill me!"

L stood up quickly, bringing the mic with him, and covered my mouth just in time before I screamed, "No! What are you doing?!" It came out muffled, and the mic didn't pick it up.

He egged Kira on, "What's wrong? Hurry up! Come on, right now! Kill me! What are you going to do? Go on! Kill me! What's the matter? Can't you do it?" I'll do it if he doesn't! I shouted in my head. L smiled, "Well, Kira, it seems that you can't kill me after all. So there are some people you can't kill. You've given me a useful hint. Let me return the favor. I'll tell you something I think you'll find interesting.

"Although this was announced as a world-wide broadcast, the truth is, we are only broadcasting in the Kanto region of Japan. I had planned to broadcast this message around the world until we found you, but it looks like that won't be necessary. I now know where you are.

"The police treated your first killing as an unrelated incident, when in actuality, the first of your victims was a suspect in Shinjuku. Of all the criminals who initially died of heart attacks, this one's crime was by far the least serious. Furthermore, this crime was only ever reported inside Japan. I used that information to deduce this much: you are in Japan, and your first victim was little more than an experiment, which means you haven't been killing for very long.

"We decided to broadcast to the Kanto first because of its large population, and luckily, we found you. To be completely honest with you, I never expected things to go this well, but it won't be too long now before I am able to sentence you to death.

"Naturally, I am very interested in how you are able to commit these murders without being present, but I don't mind waiting a bit longer. You can answer all of my questions when I catch you. Let's meet again soon, Kira." He walked over and shut the laptop off while slamming down the mic, breaking it. I stepped back.

"Kira... I will hunt you down wherever you're hiding, and I will eliminate you. I am justice!" L declared. He walked past me to his bedroom, taking a few files with him, and closed the door.

I stood there, shocked. I knew better than to disturb L, but.... I stormed over and banged on the door, "What the hell was that, L?! You didn't tell me you'd do something like this! You could have died!"

"I could not tell you my plans because I knew your reaction would be this. You wouldn't let me do what is necessary for this case," he told me through the door.

"I can't protect you if I don't know when you're going to egg a criminal on like that!" I retorted.

"Risking my life is part of the job and could be yours one day. When or if that day comes, you'll understand the lengths you're willing to go. Now, please, leave me be. I must get to work," he said. I frowned. He didn't have to remind me.

I sighed, "Alright, fine. I'll be in my room. Call if you need anything." I waited, but there was no response. I turned on my heel and bolted out of the room.

I couldn't be that mad at him, unfortunately. He had no idea that things like that would typically make me angry. I wondered if he had, would he have told me? I wanted to think that he would have, but I wasn't sure. He had said it was because it was necessary. I begged to differ.

If he was going to capture Kira, he was going to have to be more careful. I knew that wasn't going to happen unless someone was there to keep an eye on him. I didn't care what L said. He needed my help. He needed me to protect him. L wasn't going to get rid of me that easily. I was staying as long as he was in Japan.