The Kiss of Death

Chapter 2 -Suspicions and recordings

Alex’s/Max’s pov.

L had texted me once I was reported in on the whole bus thing and he told me to go see Mr. Yagami about joining the task force, well more like I was to help Watari out. Just as my luck had it Watari was standing at the front desk and I walk over casually before stopping a few steps from the old man. “Mr. Miller you’re later than I thought.” Watari says when he noticed me and I sigh before shrugging my shoulders. The cop next to him looks me over before looking at Watari.  “He doesn’t speak Japanese very well.” The cop says and I remember his name, Mogi I think it was. “Sorry about that. I speak it just fine but I was in a little bit of shock after what happened. First bus ride in Japan and that happens kind of shocking all things considering. So Watari why am I here exactly I was never really told. I was ordered to come to the station and talk to Mr. Yagami.” I say before taking off my hat and shaking out my hair before putting it back on. I could tell the officers here weren’t used to an American talking so fluently in their language or to talk so casually with a person like that. “Follow me.” Watari says and I follow him along with that man, Mogi and another man who I didn’t know his name.

When we got to where we were going the four other people pause to look up at me and I look around the large room that must have had a lot of people in it until now. I notice a computer set up and L was talking but judging from how quiet the room got L gave a sigh. “Watari are you and Max there?” L asks making the men in the room look at me and I shake my head once again. “Why send me here exactly L?” I ask as I walk over to the computer and pick up the small web cam playing with it a little to annoy the detective I was working with. “Put that down Max we have work to do. I’ll answer your questions later.” L snaps and I chuckle as I put the web cam upside-down and give the others a smirk. “L what is the meaning of this?” A man asks and the other gather behind him including the two who walked behind me here. “Max is an American cop who was working the Kira case. I asked him to consult me on this as we worked together.” L says and I roll my eyes as I turn away from the cops to look around. I wasn’t a cop per say seeing as how I was underage, I couldn’t join until after my eighteenth birthday. “I’m considered a detective in training L. I’m not officially a cop yet seeing as how I am underage still.” I say before taking off my hat and stuffing it into the messenger bag I had on me.  I finally look at the cops and give them all a crocked smile.

“I thought you couldn’t speak Japanese?” One of them asks and I chuckle a little. “Officially I’m only here to assist L so if I had run in with the local law enforcement I was told to act like I couldn’t speak the language well. But I have a feeling the six of us will be working together for a while right?” I say and L laughs. “Max do behave as you work with them.” L says before the line was cut and I scowl a little at the computer. ‘Jerk, I‘m the one that is doing your dirty work and this is how you treat me. I have other cases to be working on.’ I think. “So Max how old are you?” Mogi asks as he looks me over making me sigh as everyone was looking at me. “I’m seventeen.” I say before grabbing my brother’s book out of my bag and reading it a little. “That’s a great author to bad he stopped writing wonder why that is?” Mogi says and I pause in what I was doing. I put on a blank face and hold the book up a little more. “He died, not long after his fourteenth birthday. Sad really I love his book and was looking forward to reading the next one.” I say as I try to play indifferent. Max had the whole series written before his death and I planned on giving his publisher the next book for Christmas to have it out on our birthday. “How do you know that?” Yagami asks from his seat and I give a sigh as I close the book and place it in my lap.

“It was on the news. I read on some web site that his twin who was the only servitor of the accident that killed him was finally going to let out the rest of his work. No one knows if his twin was a boy or a girl that information was kept hidden and he wrote under a pen name anyways.” I say before I start to read again as they got back to work. When the day was over I went with Watari back to the hotel and give a sigh as I walk over to my normal perch and throw my jacket over the back of the chair. “You should use a fake name as well Max.” L orders and I chuckle lightly before glancing over at the detective who was looking me over now. “I am. Do you really think a teenager like me would come work in Japan like this without a fake name?” I say making L sigh. “You mean your name isn’t really Max?” L ask as he looks me over slowly as if thinking he could find a clue of some kind. I sigh and roll my eyes. “I’m used to being called Max, I have been for a long time. But if and when I trust you I will maybe tell you my real name. Who knows?” I say before standing to head to my room. “Where are you going?” Watari asks as he looks me over and I pause. “To bed. I’ve been up for almost three days now. I think I deserve a nap. Seeing as how I have been doing your dirty work L.” I say before glancing at L who nods his head at me. Once I was alone in my room I close and lock the door before pulling a file out of my bag. “I’ll find you I promise I will.” I say as I look down at the picture of a small girl who looked to be almost nine years old. She went missing a few weeks ago. I felt my heart break as I look into her smiling face and tears start to fall. I never cried on a case before now and I felt so upset and mad that a person could take her like that leaving her parents to worry and fear for the worst. I hadn’t cried like this since I was fourteen when my family died. Why was I feeling so helpless? Why was I braking down now? Why was this happening to me right this moment? Why was I acting like such a girl at this one moment when almost all my life I have acted as a boy?