Scroll 5 { See You Again }

I hailed a passing yellow taxi in no time and was soon on my way to Northspring hotel. I leaned against the window, watching everything run by from the inside of the speeding cab. I was busy zoning out when I heard the familiar beeping sound coming from my pocket.

I answered my ringing cellphone.

"...Hello?" I said in a sheepish voice.

"Miss Hope!! Where are you? It's five minutes before meeting time!!"

"Ah, I'm on--"

"ARE YOU HURT?! WHERE ARE YOU?!? I'LL COME OVER RIGHT NOW!!"

"No, I'm fine--"

"Should I call the Police?? Or would the ambulance be better?!"

"Feath--"

"Oh, I DO Hope you're alright Miss Hope!!! I'm so worri--"

I hung up calmly, my phone snapping up and swallowing down her nagging voice.

I can't be bothered with her worry for my non-existent injuries. These kind of situations always bore me out of my mind. She can worry for all I care... Just as long as she doesn't complain to me about it. My head ached just thinking about it.

... Just to play it safe, I turned off my phone.

"Northspring Hotel's just up ahead, m'am. This is the place, right?" The taxi driver looked over his shoulder to confirm.

I nodded silently, before looking out of the window again. We were nearing a tall fancy pale yellow building that had several expensive cars parked at the bottom. A five-star hotel that normally wealthy businessmen would stay over at on business trips. Heh, L does have good taste. I'll give him that.

The driver drove up front to the entrance of the forty-story building and stopped right in front of it. I pulled out a few dollar notes and handed them over. Grabbing the handle, I pushed it down and exited the cab.

Just when I was about to take my first step inside, I was ambushed.


By none other than my own assistant.


My very loud, very frantic, very blond assistant.


"LAAAAAAYYYYY-DEEEEE HOOOOOPE!!!!" She squealed, pouncing on me like a predator attacking it's prey.

I struggled to hold still with her weight on me, but it was rather difficult to do so with her arms wrapped tightly around my neck, cutting off my air supply.

"I was soooo worried!" She cried, squeezing tighter. My hands flew up to her arms, in attempt to loosen the grip around me. "I thought something happened when the phone line cut off!! Worst still, when I tried to call you again, I couldn't get through!! I was soo, soo, soooo worried for you!"


".............. Air." I managed to choke out in a small voice, turning blue.


It took awhile for it to get through her brain but when she realized what I meant, she gasped and immediately released her death grip on my neck.

I started to cough and breathe heavily while rubbing my neck, with an annoyed, pained expression on my face. Of all places... my neck...

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!!" She began to apologize profusely, bowing down in front of me.

I shook my head, still rubbing my sore neck, but regained to my emotionless state. "It's fine." I told her dryly. "Don't say anymore."

'If I've known earlier, I would've answered her call to save me from strangulation.' I thought regretfully, entering the hotel. I felt eyes on me and instantly knew that we must've caused quite a scene. Luckily, no one mistaken Feather's actions for attempted murder. Sometimes, it's hard to believe that she's exactly 22 years of age.

Then, I got dragged into the elevator.

"Room 206 should be on the 20th floor," Feather stated, jabbing the yellow button with her manicured fingernail.

I looked on calmly with my usual face, leaning in the corner of the life as we started to move up.

A weird, annoying jazz tune started to play randomly and I blinked. Elevator music was so weird. Somehow, it just reminded me of cheap musicians attempting to form a band and failing badly.

The worst thing was, Feather was humming happily to it, rocking back and forth to the deformed melody.

I immediately forced myself to ignore the sight, glancing over to the wall next to me as if it was the most interesting thing in the world.

"Ding Dong!"

Thank God. I never I thought would be so glad to get out of that lift.

"That was a nice song, wasn't it, Miss Hope?" Feather skipped along beside me while I took long strides to hide my annoyance.

"Mmm." I grunted in response, half-heartedly.

We soon reached the room door with the number "206" plated in gold on it. I rubbed my fingertips against the hard golden material, wondering if it was real. It wouldn't be much of a surprise for such a expensive hotel to have gold plated numbers on each door though. Then again, what morons would just stick on valuable gold on the outside of his doors?

"What is the time now?" I asked, my eyes still on the gold numbers.

"Ermmm..." Feather glanced at her wrist watch. "Exactly 5:59!"


"Hmmm."


I removed my hand from the door, and my arm dropped to my side lifelessly. I stared on with boredom.

"Uh... shouldn't we go in now?" Feather asked, throwing me a weird look.

I simply shook my head wordlessly and resumed my staring contest with the door.

"..."


Seconds passed.


The only sound that could be heard was the impatient fidgeting of my assistant, who looked quite anxious.


"..........."


"Ermm.... Miss Hope?" she finally perked up nervously in a tiny voice.

"Yes?" I asked, my eyes still glued onto the door, as if I was in a trance.

"Should we...."

"Not yet."

"Oh. Okay."


"............................."


"BEEP BEEP BEEP" the sharp alarm that sounded every hour from Feather's wrist watch cried.


6:00pm. Sharp.


I mentally said to myself, recalling the words on the email I had received the day before.


I then raised my hand to knock on the thick wooden door.


xXx


"Was it really necessary for me to return before 6?" L asks, with a chocolate chip cookie in between his teeth. He was squatting, or what he considered sitting, up on a plastic chair in front of the computer filled with complex information, jumbo cookie bag in one hand.

He nibbled on his cookie thoughtfully, gazing back at Watari who was putting on his usual disguise. Slipping on his mask, he looked back at L.

"Yes. Didn't I tell you, already?" Watari said, popping on his hat onto his mass of neatly-combed gray hair.

"Tell me what?" L popped the whole cookie into his mouth, chewing it slowly, savoring the crunchy biscuit.

He stuck his hand back into the huge bag and felt around for another one.

"Oh, I thought I did." Watari said, a little surprised. "It must've slipped my mind! My, how could I forget... I think my age is really starting to catch up with me after all these years..."

The old gentleman turned to face L as he adjusted his coat. "It so happened that I've discovered the perfect ally to help assist us in the Kira case. I've invited her over at precisely 6pm this afternoon."

L stopped munching abruptly.

He stared at Watari through his black eyes, and slowly put the bag of cookies down on the floor.

He swallowed his last bite and said in a firm voice,


"No."


"Why not?" Watari asks, surprised at L's instant disagreement. "I know you have your pride and reputation to think of, but I don't see what's the harm in taking in another detective or two?"

L wiped the brown crumbs off the sides of his mouth with his sleeve before speaking.

"It's not just that," L said, putting both of his hands onto his knees. "Surely you have not forgotten how dangerous of a mission this is? She could be easily killed. Also, I feel uneasy showing my true face around people. That especially applies to strangers who we have not even spoke to face to face in our life."

"Of course I haven't forgotten about the possibility of danger," Watari retorts, turning a bit defensive. "I wouldn't be so careless to forget about such an important thing. I'm not that senile."


"Then...?" L picked up the porcelain mug on the desk behind him and took a sip of his sugar-filled coffee.


"She's willing to risk her life."


The black-haired boy lowered the mug from his lips at Watari's sentence. He raised the mug again to take a big gulp of the sugary caffeine.

"She said she was willing to put her life on the line if it meant taking Kira down. I think she's serious. No... I know she's serious. I have a gut feeling about this one, L. We can trust her. I assure you."


CHOMP CHOMP CHOMP.


The loud, obnoxious sound of munching cream crackers filled the air.


"L!" Watari sighed, shooting him a pleading look. "I know that you don't like to do things against your will, but please. It's for your own good. I'm begging you."


"You always worry too much, Watari." L commented lightly, rolling his eyes to the side. "I'll be okay without any extra help. That's what I'm used to and that's what I always do."


"Well, maybe it's time for something new, then." the old man offered in the best persuading voice he could muster.


"..... Nah."


Watari sighed again. Honestly, sometimes L was so difficult and sturbbon.


"All right, then. " He mutters in defeat. "But at least meet the girl. I've already invited her over and she should be over any minute now. Who knows, perhaps you might have a change of mind then."


Before L could reply, three loud knocks echoed through the room. The two turned their attention to the front door.


"That must be her now," Watari said, turning his back. "I'll go greet her."


"Do what you want." L mutters, trying to stick his tongue inside the now empty bag of cookies to devour the remaining of the crumbs.


"Who is it?" Watari asks loudly just behind the door.


"Kira." the person on the other side says in a soft, but clear voice.

Shifting the lock to open, Watari turns the handle and pulls the door open.


L looked up curiously from the cookie bag only to set his eyes on a strangely familiar emotionless girl waltzing into the room, her onxy eyes looking dazed and dead, her midnight hair flowing behind her with every step she took.


Suddenly, L had a feeling that this wasn't such a good idea...