Where is she?

Chapter 3: Computers and Voices

     Luna sat at her computer for hours. She wiggled the mouse, pressed F5 and a bunch of other tricks she knew, but the blank screen with the calligraphy L continued to mock her. She then proceeded to press all of the keys on the keyboard. Still nothing.

     She was begginging to get irritated and started banging on the keys. Nope. Not a thing.

     "What the heck!?" She yelled in exasperation. "Work!"

      A synthetic voice answered her. "Hello. Sorry for the wait."

     Luna almost fell out of her chair in surprise. The computer... talked? No, that wasn't it. There was someone on the other side of that screen. Someone had hacked into her computer.

     "Let me start by introducing myself. I am L."

     Luna almost fell out of chair in shock. She had heard some of the FBI agents talk about him. They called him the Century's Greatest Detective. Hear someone pass themselves off as L, well, this was a bit strange.

     "Ms. Luna, I would like your help on something. Will you agree?" L got right down to business.

     "Can I ask what it is first?" Luna spoke into the microphone installed in her computer.

    "Of course. I'm sure you've heard of the murders happening around the Portland, Maine area?"

     "Yes, actually, I've been assigned to investigate them." Luna answered.

     "I know. I need you to be presistant in catching the criminal, and with your premission, I would like to collaborate with you."

     Hearing the greastest detective ask her permission to help with a crime was a... Well, overwhelming.

    "Of course. Please, I'd love you help. Honestly, my partner and I have gotten nowhere." Luna confessed.

     Luna could almost see him nodding. It was a while before he replied, "I see. Then I will meet you tomorrow at noon? We will meet at the Shoyo cafe." And before Luna could agree, L clicked off, leaving no evidence of thier conversation. This showed he was a very through man.

     Luna twirled around in her chair a couple times, trying to get rid of the crushing stress she felt.

     She then peeled of her black jeans and crawled between the comforter on her bed. Just as she was falling into a light sleep, her phone rang.

     "Ugh!" Luna floundered around for her phone. Her fingers brushed against it and she snatched it up.

     "Hello?" She answered in a daze.

     "Luna?" Roman's sweet voice sounded on the other end. "Look, I'm sorry about this evening. I just... Well..." He struggled to find the right words.

     "Roman, I know what you're trying to say. Things are complicated and maybe after we've solved this case, we can try. But someone wants to meet with us tomorrow."

     "Who?" Roman asked.

     "You'll see. Meet me at my apartment at seven tomorrow." She said.

      "Okay. Bye." He said as he hung up. Luna then collapsed, falling asleep again.

     The next day, Roman was knocking on Luna's door at seven exactly. She was already dressed in her favorite light blue dress.

     She flung open the door to find Roman standing there, lookind akward.

     "Ready?" Luna asked refusing to succumb to the akward atmosphere.

     "Yeah." Roman said.

     Together, they walked to Roman's car in silence. It killed Luna to see how screwed up things had become.

     In the car, the painful silence continued. Anger rose in Luna's throat. It was true, she did like Roman as more than a friend. Maybe it was time to confess.

     "Roman?" She began. Roman side-glanced at her. "I'm tired of the akwardness. I... Well... I think I might like you too." She confessed.

     "Really? Then, Luna, will you go out with me?" Roman asked as his cheeks flared red.

     "Yes." She answered.

      By the time they arrived at Shoyo cafe, the two had talked as much as they before, if not, more.

     "So we're supposed to meet another detective? Do you even know what he looks like?" Roman asked when they were inside.

     "Not exactly. No one knows what he looks like." Luna said, glancing around.

     "What's his name?"

     "I don't know his actually name. Only his alias." She said.

     "Oh? What is that?"

     "L."

     "Luna! L is just a myth in the detective world! He doesn't exist." Luna flinched at Roman's words.

     Suddenly, her phone buzzed. She took it out and saw it was a text from an unknown number: I am in the very back left. Please hurry, we have much to discuss. -L

     "Apparently, he's here." Luna said and led Roman to the back.

     At the table indicated, there was a man, about Luna and Roman's age, crouching on his seat. He had messy black hair and his bulging eyes had dark circles under them. Luna noticed he wasn't wear shoes. With his pants and his long sleeve white T-shirt.

    He was happily lapping away at coffee as Luna and Roman sat down.

    He smiled at them as he spoke, "Hello, Luna and Roman. Please, call me Ryuzaki."