Death Note - Anomaly

Namikawa is looking out the window of his office, watching the crowd of people below almost dispassionately. From his view, they all look to be the same, a giant entity moving to and fro like the tide. They are synchronized, and the pattern seems almost perfect. But, of course, there is an anomaly. There are always anomalies. This time, the pattern is broken up by a single person, ant-like from Namikawa's view, who seems to be set apart from the others, and not just because of his red hair. The man watches with something almost like interest as the ant below enters his office building.

Moments later, the phone rings, and Namikawa finds that he has been expecting it.

"Hello, Namikawa speaking."

"Mr. Namikawa, there's a boy here requesting to see you. He doesn't seem to have an appointment."

"What does he look like?"

"He has red hair, appears to be in his mid-teens. He seems to be a foreigner." A pause. There are muffled voices as the secretary and the visitor converse. Then, "He also says that he is here to speak to you about Higuchi, sir."

Namikawa is surprised, and he is glad that no one else can see his surprise. He considers his options, and finally decides that anyone that knows about the Higuchi incident is no ordinary guest. There really is no telling how much the boy knew, and it would be more of a risk to turn him away than see him. "Send him up."

"Yes, sir."

The businessman relaxes into his chair in an almost-act of comfort and power. This is Namikawa's territory, and he decides that he will not be driven to anxiety so easily by just a mere boy (if the secretary was correct).

The door opens, and it is indeed a boy that steps into the room. The first thing Namikawa notices is his hair, a natural red. The second thing is how ridiculous his outfit is. The teen wears a striped shirt and a fur-lined jacket over it, complete with a pair of orange goggles that rests snugly on his head.

The boy whistles softly in appreciation as he surveys the room, impressed by the grandeur of it, though he does not seem to be in the least bit intimidated.

From appearances, Namikawa guesses that the boy speaks English, and, of course, Namikawa knows how to speak the language. However, he does not, and, instead, asks, in Japanese, "Who are you?"

He receives a smile in answer from the redhead. "I'm Matt. And you must be Namikawa." The reply is said without hesitation in flawless Japanese (with even the obviously foreign name pronounced the Japanese way). It is so flawless, in fact, that Namikawa almost wonders if this boy--Matt--is actually from Japan. (But, no, he isn't, Namikawa reminds himself, his name and his posture and his clothes and the way he doesn't refer to me with an honorific are all not Japanese.)

"Yes, I am Namikawa. I heard that you are here to talk to me about the Higuchi incident from a few weeks back."

"Ah, yes, I am. More specifically, I'm here to talk about Kira." He seems about to say more but stops and looks around the room again. Unexpectedly, he asks, "May I sit down?"

Namikawa gestures to the couches on the side but does not leave his desk.

Matt settles into the sofa comfortably, as if he was familiar with it. The way he has regarded everything, from the office to even Namikawa himself, has been impersonal, almost like he is merely visiting an old friend or acquaintance.

"Anyway, Namikawa," he begins, "I'm here to ask you about some specifics of the Higuchi incident." He pauses for a moment before continuing with, "Higuchi was Kira." Another pause. "Or, more accurately, Higuchi was a fake Kira."

Namikawa finds that this is the second time he has been surprised by this boy. "If you already know that much, what is it that you want to ask?"

"What did Higuchi use to kill?"

He does not respond at first, and when he finally speaks, the question is left unanswered, "What will you do once you know?"

"We'll use it to take down Kira, of course."

If it had been anyone else who had spoken that statement, Namikawa would have laughed. But, for this boy, for Matt, he does not. The redhead does not speak of it as if it was a goal. He spoke of it as if it was a promise. So, Namikawa does not laugh. Instead, he tells him what he knows without any further prompting, "I wasn't there myself, but eyewitnesses say that Higuchi was found with a notebook, apparently labeled the 'Death Note' when he was apprehended." The idea of a notebook being used to kill sounded like a convenient fairy tale to Namikawa, but it really was the only thing he knew.

"So, a death note, huh?" The boy does not laugh and call it stupid. The boy does not dismiss it as crazy. He merely sits there for a moment, thinking.

Then, without warning, he stands up. "This is great information. We're now so much closer to catching Kira than before." He smiles and says a quick, "Thanks," as he heads towards the door.

"It isn't a fact. It's just a rumor," Namikawa points out.

"Doesn't matter. All rumors have at least some truth in them, and any little information helps."

"You might die, you know."

Matt's hands, which were just about to twist the doorknob, stops at that. With his back turned, slowly, he says, "Namikawa, it's only a possibility. It isn't definite."

And, suddenly, Namikawa realizes that the boy knew. He knew that it was not a possibility for the businessman. He knew that, for Namikawa, it would happen, without a doubt.

Namikawa knows too much.

Kira cannot afford to let him live.

(And, this is the third time he has been surprised by the boy.)

After a tense silence, Matt turns around, his green eyes meeting Namikawa's dark ones. "We will defeat Kira." Again, it is not said as a goal. It is said as a promise.

"Your sacrifice will not be in vain."

Without another word, the boy leaves.