Light was driving the car back to headquarters when a ringing almost distracted him from the road. Glancing at his vibrating cell phone, he noted his father's name on the caller id, and decided to wait until arriving to talk to him. Two blocks later, the headquarter building loomed before him, and he calmly pressed the answering button on his cell as he walked in.

'Light, where are you?'

'I'm entering headquarter's as we speak. What happened?'

'Nothing. Yamagata returned home at the usual time, watched an anime while he ate his dinner and then proceeded to complete his homework before going to bed, where he is still asleep.'

By this time, Light had entered the main room of operations, where Shoichiro Yagami, Matsuda and Aizawa were all sitting in front of many computer screens showing live images of their suspects. Chuckling inwardly at the futility of it all, Light walked over with a serious, intent mask on his face. The three policemen turned to face him, and you can tell the toll this had taken on them with only a glance. His father's hair had turned gray during the first year of the investigation, and had mostly fallen during the second. His bald head was bowed, clothes covering what seemed a skeletal mass of bones and skin, wrinkled face still burning with purpose, yet it was a tired flame now, about to be extinguished.

'The method is wrong, Light. We cannot simply observe every high school student who was under investigation by the FBI, and hope that Kira would slip up and reveal himself.'

True, but you idiots cannot come up with a better idea, so you will follow this circular road until I figure out what to do with you.

'It is the only clue we have, father. There were no useful connections between Yotsuba and the police force, only minor cases of corrupt policemen without any family members who are in the right age. None of the other members of Yotsuba knew how Higuchi had come to possess the Death Note, and subsequent surveillance confirmed it. The only hint we have is with the original investigation of the family members of the police force.'

I need to keep them occupied while I figure out how to get myself out of this. I cannot execute them now that the information of the Death Note has been revealed, regardless of it not being tested for confirmation. Besides, I cannot be the sole member of the investigation team who survives, and there may be a list of the people involved somewhere in the police department that the team has not been informed about, under L's orders. I need to find a way to isolate us, despite L's orders.

'Light, don't you think we have to ask other agencies for help? With more people, investigations could go deeper, and maybe they can see something that we have missed-'

Light turned to Matsuda. He had always been the most enthusiastic, most helpless and most willing to absolve Kira of the sins attributed to him. He was the stereotypical mass follower, and yet he was in the remaining task force. The irony made Kira smile inside.

'We cannot do that under any circumstances, Matsuda-san. The FBI agents that Kira killed have been hidden from the public eye. The Chief himself called the previous L, removing all hope of further collaboration on the Kira case. They were the finest, Matsuda-san. We cannot risk more damage with other police forces, who may aid us in other cases. No, Kira must be caught by this task force alone. There can be no help form the outside.'

Besides, I cannot afford to have even more people learn about the Death Note. Damn you, L! I must do something, and quickly, before the situation is taken out of my hands.

Aizawa remained silent. He had always been the most doubting of Light, too independent to be manipulated easily, and the evidence that L had compiled was convincing enough to cause lingering doubts to remain in his mind, even after all that had happened. He was a small thorn that had to be dealt with, eventually.

Nobody said anything, so Light told them to go home and get some rest, he will maintain surveillance on the suspects. After they left, he made himself comfortable on one of the couches by the window, pretending to rest for a short while as he stared outside.

Japan had really changed since the day Kira was born. People had a newfound security in there faces, a confidence in their safety and that of the people they care about. They had finally become afraid of the consequences of sin, knowing that one day they will feel the constricting fist of justice squeeze their hearts, that there was no escape from judgment; you cannot escape Kira.

It's better this way, though. As I suspected, only a tiny minority in the population feel the active urge to sin and commit crimes, while the vast majority simply wish to live in peace. After all, what is there to fear when you know you have done nothing wrong?

'

'Say, Light. How long do you think you can keep up this farce? You can't keep pretending to be stupid forever, or they will catch on to it.'

Ryuk must be getting bored, talking despite knowing that I won't answer. Still, he'll have to put up with it. I'm too much fun to kill, and his presence may come in useful if I need to do the eye trade as an emergency.

'I mean, you can't keep giving useless ideas and not make them suspicious. Why don't you just kill them? Ages ago, a person in your position would have either killed them by now or else tortured them into keeping silent for the rest of their lives, I really don't understand why you don't-'

Ryuk stopped talked when he noticed a change in Light. His eyes were narrowed and gleaming, and that arrogant half-smile was back in his mouth.

It looks like Light got an idea.

*************

'Are you sure of this?'

The luggage had already been loaded, and the clear blue sky overhead assured them of a safe flight. The only thing preventing Near from departing immediately was the reticence of his caretaker to let him go.

'Yes, for god's sake. It's been a year already. If the current L is too incompetent to catch Kira, then I will be there to either help him or do it myself.'

The other servants stood at attention, awaiting the decision reached after their senior's final attempt to dissuade their master. They were not distressed at this leaving; Near had never been less than just, but he did not inspire anything more than respect.

'Don't you think the risks are too great?'

The young man raised his head, staring at his caretaker with cold, hard eyes. His silver hair fell over his ears, framing a clean, childish face. Almost angelic, thought the caretaker, except for the eyes.

'I owe it to him, and to myself. I will go.'

The old man stared sadly as his charge was driven away to the airport. From the instant he had seen Near's expression, he knew he couldn't dissuade him. He just hoped Near knew what he was doing.