"WHAT?!?" Chieko sat up in bed on a Thursday. Only a week had passed since the strange turn in personality of both suspects, and Ryuzaki had already approached her on the thought of releasing both Misa and Light with simply careful watch.

"That's an AWFUL IDEA. We have to find another way! There's something we're missing, and those two are the keys!" She expressed her dislike in the idea often and detailed with colorful language. "And with Raye Penber, I'm getting somewhere with the passengers! Light just may have been on the bus with him!"

"I know that in your own investigation, you're progressing quite fast, but until you find something to connect our investigation with your own, they are separate." Ryuzaki informed her over the phone.

"They are connected! Kira killed the bus hijacker!" She growled. "You're all so stupid, you don't realize it! Every person that dies nowadays could have been murdered just to keep you guessing!" She let out her anger on her hair as she attacked it with her brush.
She waited for a moment, and spoke to see if Ryuzaki was still listening. He was, of course, but something Watari said took him by surprise.

"I need you to get back here as fast as you can." He spoke calmly, but Chieko saw right through it. He was nervous and afraid.

"Kira is back, and has killed again."

~*~

Kira.

Chieko wiped the sweat from her brow and ran a shaky hand through her caramel hair before racing for her bag on the kitchen countertop and slamming her dorm room closed.

First he kills my father, and now he holds the world hostage.

Her eyes narrowed as she walked faster; weaving in between the variety of humans.

Humans are bad, there's truth in that, but what about the blind followers? They've done nothing to deserve fear.

Chieko was not one to trust taxi cabs. Especially after a certain case back in Australia involving the killing of fourteen people by one taxi cab driver.
Though the walk would be longer, she was in public, and believed she was safer there.

Half an hour later, she made it to the hotel room, and was let in by Mogi; whose face held concern and fear. Predictable from a colleague of Mr. Yagami.
"So I have heard you already set a plan into motion?" She grumbled when setting her eyes on the crouched figure of Ryuzaki on the couch.

"Yes. Chief Yagami is driving Misa and Light to their execution, but he will pull over and decide to take both his son and his own life." He explained, offering the detective a strawberry, which she politely accepted knowing her stomach was growling with hunger. "Of course, there'll be blanks in the gun as no one will be injured....."

"..Physically." Ryuzaki cracked a smile as Chieko laughed at the after thought.

"Good plan. If Light is Kira in disguise he won't die so easily. Bad when it comes to my theory: that the power of Kira can be given up and received by another." Ryuzaki's eyes widened at this, and for the first time since night, he teared his gaze from the television.
She never ceased to keep him on his toes.  A trait not many people had in this century. One minute she would be biting her lip in nervous uncertainty with herself, the next she would grin and jest with confidence of a model or actor.

"Do you have any evidence?"

"Like I said; it's a theory-in-progress. All I have are guesstimate as to what the power of Kira is." She shrugged her shoulders. When Ryuzaki asked her to elaborate on this topic, Mogi grew interested as well, and stood closer to Chieko.

Throughout the long

She shrugged. "All in saying it's a possibility that this 'power' can be transferred. So, in a way, what if Light gave up the power of Kira? If he still had his specific memories of being Kira, his demeanor would not have changed from what we've seen for the past forty-seven days. Same with Misa. Their entire body language shifted as if it were on a dime."

"On physical actions of our only two suspects, you based your theory on nothing else as substantial?"

"There have been far more theories made with less knowledge." She shrugged, but though she dismissed herself, Light could not ignore how true Chieko's words were.

"We'll talk about that at a later date." He set the issue aside and glanced at the screen as Chief Yagami pulled underneath a bridge and pulled out a gun.

"Dad?! What- no! Don't shoot!!" Light pleaded.
Did Chieko hear correctly? Pleading from Light Yagami?

"Now I will admit, that is out of character for light." Ryuzaki agreed quietly.

"HA! I TOLD YOU SO!"

~*~

"Wait- it was all a test?" Light asked once settled into a cushioned loveseat; a pale color still clinging onto his skin.

"Yes. Genius over here thought that if you were Kira, you would've killed your father to save your skin." Chieko jabbed her thumb beside her to the detective. At the sight of her, Light relaxed slightly and allowed a smile to make its way onto his lips.
She sat poignantly in the seat across from him; a blue turtleneck and dark jeans as her apparel and caramel hair tied in a half-bun upon her head. She twirled a strand around her finger thoughtfully as she stared at him with dark-colored eyes.

"Oh, well-"

"It was an entirely wrong way to go about the situation. I would've interrogated you or perhaps made you believe that there was no way around being killed, because you definitely had options to persuade your father." The smile on Light's face faded quickly and looked at Chieko in a new way. Not the one he fell for,

One in which he recognized her drive to catch Kira.

"I admit, my plan was not foolproof," Ryuzaki stated, "but it was the best I could come up with."

"And you didn't ask for my opinion??" She scoffed.

After assuring Light that he was cleared of suspicion, it was pointed out that he and Misa were still to be under surveillance; meaning Matsuda would become Misa's manager- to her disapproval, but nothing could be done.

"Light, you and I will also be chained together 24/7 starting early tomorrow morning. I just wished to give you an early notice." Ryuzaki jangled the handcuffs held together by a length of twenty foot stainless steel chains. Raising an eyebrow, Chieko watched a Light stubbornly dejected the idea.

"What!? I thought I was cleared of suspicion!"

"Don't get your panties in a bunch." Chieko groaned and rolled her eyes. "This is a precaution. There's a possibility my idea that Kira's power can be passed is correct, therefore, you had a plan to obtain the power once we, the task force, got it writhing our possession."

"What?......you're saying......that Kira's killing power, is something material?" Light was astounded; how could he not think of the possibility? Turning to Ryuzaki, there was a strange look in the man's eyes. One that took a moment for Light to recognize, but once he did, a log had been placed in the hearth and flame of hatred towards Ryuzaki.

"I think this is a good stopping point for today." Ryuzaki finally spoke; breaking the pregnant silence in the room. "Rest is needed. And I think the Yagamis and Misa could do with a shower."

"And whose fault is it that they smell so bad?" Chieko asked jokingly while placing her chin in her hand and smirking at the man next to her.

"Body odor; that's who to blame." He replied briskly, as if he didn't get what she was questioning.

~*~

It was just becoming dusk outside the hotel window when each of the Kira Task Force bid ado, and headed off their separate ways home.
The dimming light from outside painting the wallpaper a cold grey with soft yellow glisten to it. The furniture sat in silence as particles of dust and such were exposed in the rays of dying light.
No false light from a television.
No tapping of fingers upon keyboards.

"It seems to be growing quite late." Chieko observed, setting down her cup of coffee. "I better hurry back before nightfall."
She fluidly made her way to the door, and smiled at Watari who held out her purse and coat.

"Wait."

Hearing the voice sent shivers down Chieko's spine; still unsure if they were positive or negative shivers.
She turned, having to push her caramel hair from her vision to look upon the crouched man. He sat, thumb lightly pressed to his lips.

"It's dangerous for you to keep up acting as a college student. With this 'new Kira', let's not take any chances. You will drop out of TO-OH."

"So what am I to do for living space?" She snorted. Like hell she was going to break her cover. She like to look at the situation just as Sherlock Holmes would:

No backing out. No fear. Sure there was a chance of danger, but that's the thrill of the chase.

"You can move hotel-to-hotel with me and Watari." He suggested. And she smiled at the thought.

"I guess it's settled then."