Interlude: New Beginnings

Years ago, the world had suffered.

She remembered watching it on the telly and reading updates on the newspaper. She remembered sneaking around during night just to eavesdrop on Roger’s office, listening for updates about it. She was nearly caught, hiding away to avoid his prying eyes, settling back in her room as she relayed the information in her head. Roger never revealed anything, and she hated it.

A – formerly known as Heather in the Wammy’s – attempted to figure her own speculations. But it was difficult. The media didn’t help, details were sketchy and there was no one else willing to find out with her. This frustrated the young woman, who spent tireless nights thinking and wondering, writing the details on a paper and connecting the dots.

She wished Linda was there to investigate with her, but the blonde was working on other projects – projects involving art, and she didn’t want to trouble her friend. She spied, snooped, pried through folders and was caught one day – making her fear for her own reputation, her chances of topping the list once more, now that three students in the Wammy’s had gone away – the Top Three themselves. Their departure caused a shift in the charts, and she had nearly secured the top spot.

“Young lady,” he had scolded, “You have no right to come here without permission and look through these case-sensitive files!”

“What do you expect me to do – sit back and relax while the Kira case unfolds?” she was nearly yelling at this point, “I thought we were groomed to succeed L? If so, then why are we just cooped up inside instead of doing anything to help?”

It took Roger some time to answer this question.

“This case has cost us vital losses, Heather. We can’t afford to lose anyone from here.”

She stayed silent after that. Roger let her leave without even a single punishment, which was rather odd. He disliked the children – hatred was too strong a term – always putting punishments here and there, even for breaking the smallest rule.

For a while, she gave up on even trying to get a lead and focused on her studies. She topped the tests and came out as number one, but no one else seemed to care anymore, which satisfied and infuriated her at the same time.

Satisfied because if no one cared, she could easily win her way to the top.

Infuriated because why did they lose interest?

How could it matter so little to those who used to compete and push?

Perhaps it was this little trait of hers – her determination and sense of justice – that prompted him to select Heather as a trial for an experiment. Were the alumnae – the graduates of Wammy – really successful? Did they teach them right?

So, he offered this to her a year later, just as she was about to turn eighteen.

Surprisingly, she agreed to this. They had arrangements made. She had a home, got her airplane tickets – straight to Tokyo – and applied for citizenship. Someone would be waiting for her at the airport, and that someone would be her guide. So she got up on that day, did not shed tears, shook his hand with her luggage by her side and bade goodbye to the place where she grew up.

Other children watched. Teens looked on in interest. Linda came, gave her a tight hug, and forced something into her hands before rushing back inside. At that, her heart sank. Was she really going to leave Linda like how…?

No, she thought. This was for the better good. Linda could handle herself.

She thanked him and went inside the car, driven away.

Roger wondered if he had made the right choice in sending her away, but shook the thought off and ushered back the children inside.

Heather – no, A – travelled. She went from England to Japan, from Winchester to Tokyo. Upon arrival, she stumbled across the man who would guide her, the man with an infectious smile and radiant kind of energy. She wondered if coffee was in his blood.

A became curious about him. whenever she would ask about his past investigations, he would craftily dodge them and instead talk about something else. The snoopy woman came back and she pressed, urged for him to tell her until one day, the six words that left his mouth left her shocked, in awe, and caused her to see him in a totally different light.

“I was in the Kira case.”

He didn’t tell her the details, simply saying that it was the roughest phase of his life. Somehow, seeing the light go out of his eyes and look years older when he recalled those times was enough for her to believe that indeed, it was. She usually relied on facts, cold data and reliable information.

Somehow, his words were able to convince her.

She didn’t ask for more information.

So years later, when he called and told them that the victims all died of a heart attack, she understood the tension in his voice. In that moment, she felt undeniably vulnerable.

“It’s not possible,” Peters argued, after seeing both of his teammates in an anxious state. He was well-aware of A’s background and had an idea of Touta’s past experience. “He doesn’t kill like that. Remember when the killings would be daily, people dropping dead left and right? Now, it’s a weekly thing. So I wouldn’t stress on it if I were you. Besides,” he added this with an ounce of hesitance, “If this was Kira, L would have contacted us weeks ago with a warning.”

L.

Neither of the two noticed Touta’s fists ball up under the table.

“He’s right.” Touta sounded relieved, but the tense note in his voice was still there, “It was something else. Not a Kira thing – never will be. But I want you two to realize something.”

Green and blue eyes met his brown ones.

“If ever the Kira case – or any other case – happens, and puts your lives in danger. Don’t be stupid and jump into it, thinking you can solve it, no matter how great you may be. I’m just going to ask you for this simple thing.”

And he spoke with words he should had taken years ago.

“Put yourselves first. Your job doesn’t define you; it doesn’t dictate your morals. If you feel safer away from that investigation, then so be it. Drop for a few weeks. Explain your case briefly. They’ll understand and won’t hold anything. Understand?”

Both of them nodded.

It was one of the rare times where they had Touta speak to them in such a manner.

“Touta–”

“The Kira case cost me a lot.” He looked away. “I’m not going to let you experience the same loss. And I’m sure as hell not going to endure that same pain again.”

The remaining words hung in the air.

I’m not going to lose both of you.