A/N: I apologize for the extended absence. I almost forgot about this. Well, here it goes...

Chapter 5

"Come Misa, I have been expecting you."

The man looked much younger than Misa had imagined. He was tall in his stature, his grey hair was perfectly combed, and his face was calm and distant. If one did not know any better, they would not be able to guess his son was just brutally murdered. He turned his face back to the view outside the window. The world from above looked little and meaningless.

Misa walked over and took a seat quietly.

"I started out on the streets," Jun started, still looking out the large window. The sky was beautiful, not a single cloud in sight for miles afar. The sun was shining brightly and the warmth was magnificent. "I built this empire with my own two hands. This was to be lasting legacy."

Jun turned around and looked at Misa. "I hear you and my son were close. I do not need details, I just need answers."

"Mr. Larson, sir," Misa finally spoke. "Of course, any way I can help."

Jun walked forward and took a seat behind his long desk. He motioned his bodyguards to leave them alone. With some reluctance, they both left the room. "Of all the things in this world I have, Loki was most precious. He was to carry this legacy of mine." He fumbled in his desk drawers and pulled out a brown folder. He put it on the desk and then slowly opened it.

"He was never perfect," he continued. "He was careless."

Jun Larson opened the file and pulled out a picture. It was a picture of Misa and Loki together at that cafe in downtown Yokohama. Misa was surprised, and that was a rarity in itself.

"You went to see him the day before he was found dead in his apartment. From what I see, it didn't appear to be a conjugal visit." Jun's face went from empty to stern. He was clearly suspicious. "I don't know who you are to him and honestly I do not care for one of his whores, but you need to tell me what you gave him that day."

Misa studied his face thoroughly, looking for any other emotion other than determination. She couldn't. She now knew that her good looks would not aid her here. After a moment or two, she finally spoke.

"I am aware that you are grieving, Mr. Larson," she spoke very sympathetically. "Loki was someone very dear to me. That day, I had called him because I needed his help. You see, Mr. Larson, for the past couple of months, there has been a strange man stalking me. He was obsessed. I wanted him to leave me alone, and Loki agreed to help me."

Misa sat telling her lies, masked beneath her innocence and genuine demeanor. Rem stood invisible besides her, watching the whole spectacle unravel.

"Misa," Rem spoke. "I don't think he is buying your story."

"Misa," Jun spoke while standing up. "No one is that innocent. I don't know what you were up to, but I will find out."

"Mr. Larson," she replied. "You're right. No one is that innocent." Misa stood up. "Your son was no exception."

Misa turned around and headed for the door with a smile on her face. She had cast her line and her prize had just taken the bait. Nothing could make her happier.

"Ryuk, you're back," Light said happily. "Please tell me you have good news for me. I could use some good news right now."

Light was anxiously pacing about in the park in the middle of the night. His room no longer felt safe. It had been invaded by Misa's alien and evil aura. The shinigami emerged from the shadows with his usual grin on his haunting face.

"I did what you asked me," Ryuk replied.

"And what happened?" Light eagerly asked.

"The King said no."

Light's heart sunk deep down into his stomach. He never felt so hopeless in his life, which was shocking since he was never an emotional guy.

"But the King will come down," Ryuk quietly added. Ryuk watched as Light's face lit up with happiness. "I can't believe that he actually was convinced. The King never cares for the matters of humans or shinigami." Ryuk studied Light carefully and for the first time, his grin disappeared. "What did you write him?"

"It doesn't matter anymore," Light replied. "Come Ryuk, we have much to do."

"No Light," Ryuk spoke sternly for the very first time. "It's time to come out of the darkness. No more games, for either of us. The King is coming in a couple of days, and whatever you're planning, I will no longer play along."

"Ryuk," Light whispered. "This is not a game anymore, it's a battle between life and death. Kira played games, but Light survives." Light moved closer to Ryuk, his eyes filled with compassion and determination. "I know you don't care for my life, but Misa is a problem for both of us. You may not listen to what I have to say, but you will believe the King, and he will see it for himself."

"This was never my problem," Ryuk spoke. "I just stayed for the show."

"If it's a show you want, Ryuk," Light enticed, "then let me give you show."

Ryuk sighed and followed Light back to his home, not entirely convinced.

The chief looked very worn out. The past couple weeks appeared to have taken its toll on him now. He was very tired. He fumbled through the stack of files on his desk. The clock besides him began to chime. It was 1 o'clock in the dead of the night. He was exhausted and knew that he had to go home, but he couldn't. Something felt very strange. He had this gnawing feeling in his gut as though he was missing some vital of the case, blind to what was staring him point blank. He looked at the picture in his hand. It was a picture that Mr. Jun Larson of the Larson Group had sent him. He had mentioned to the chief that his son, Loki, had been acting a bit strange a couple of days following his death. He had been spotted meeting this woman, who he was told was a famous model named Misa, at a cafe in downtown Yokohama. At first Chief Yagami did not make much of it, dismissing it as another one of his "lady friends," but earlier that night something else caught his eye. Almost invisible to the naked eye, and barely noticeable, there was a blurred silhouette besides Misa in the picture. In the other snaps of the same setting but different angles, it was the same case. This worried him.

L had disappeared off the face of the planet the night of the murder's broadcast. He knew that there was something that must have shaken the young genius, but he dared not question; for he knew that L had a very good reason to. However, that put the chief in a very tight dilemma. He had no way of contacting him and update him on his latest find.

He knew that L had asked him and his officers to back out of the case and let him investigate on his own, but it was too late. Chief Yagami was already too involved. There was no backing out now.

"I'm still playing this game," he muttered under his breath as he turned off the lights and left his office for home.

A/N: Thank you for reading. It gives me much encouragement. Please Review. I love feedback.