The simple fact that you are reading these notes, means that you can be almost ninety-eight percent certain that I am no longer alive. In the event of
my death, these notes are to be passed on to my successors. No exceptions. I do hope that you do not expect these notes to be publishable
material,because I am a detective, not an author.... Ah, but where are my manners? My name is......yes....I think that given the circumstances, to
mention my name should be acceptable. I am called Nate River, but most know me, simply, as Near. Successor to the century's greatest detective
known as L. I must say, that i never expected to become the successor one day. I was one of many children assembled form the four corners of the
world, and placed in one of many orphanages designed
to create, a second L. For security reasons of course, I will not let slip the whereabouts of this establishment, officially called "Watari's Institute for
gifted Children". We knew it as Wammy's house, But i assure you that nothing in that statement will help you. We were nothing but prototypes,
designed to fail, in fact, it was expected of us. We were backups. no..........it
was more like we were the backups for the backups. Our task was to support L in ways, other than filling out complicated paper work and directing funds in
circles around the globe so that it couldn't be tracked back to us. No. Those tasks were for the children, smarter than the average man of course,but that
did not excel. However smart, these children did not possess the deductive skill necessary to make it through to the next level, where we were. We
knew. them as the inferiors. Harsh? Why would u say so? In the Wammy's house, that was all that mattered, Intelligence and skill. Those who did not
posses enough of these qualities were sent away. But I'm straying of topic here aren't I? My apologies, but in all fairness I do recall warning you that .
these notes are just that, notes, written by me on a spur of the moment. I figured those who came after me needed some kind of script or letter form
me documenting my journy. Returning to the subject. Our task at the Wammy's house was to be L's support beam. In other words, we were
instructed to solve cases to difficult for the common man, but not yet worthy enough for L's time.......or maybe they were, and L just found little or no
interest in them. he always operated like that, L. He would only solve cases that he had a personal interest in, witch is why we were needed in the first
place. Someone wanting to figure out L's true identity would have little to go on besides the cases that he solved. Lets say this person is a fairly
intuitive individual. If he went over the cases closely enough, if he looked hard enough, he would find a very distinct pattern entwined there. This
would give key insight to the kind of person that L really was. Unacceptable, since there were very few people in the world quite like L. So exist we
did. Working from the Wammy's house, we solved cases form all over the world under a false L's flag. We spoke through a computer to replicate the
synthetic voice that L used. But all that still wasn't enough. since L was such an odd individual, we had to do more than speak like L, we had to think,
eat and even sit like him too. We were given sweets in the hopes that it would some how influence our minds to act a little more like him. We were
told to sit like him in the hopes that it would channel our thoughts the way his were. But after many problems with this program, Watari concluded
that these positions and actons were sutible only to L, and that to try forcing them on his possible successors.....no, pupils at that time, would be
wasted effort. Instead he told us to pick something that would help us relax, a position, an object or an action. Something that was second hand
nature to us. Something that we could do without thinking about it. Some of us chose positions,like sitting with their legs tucked under them. Others
chose actions. And others still, objects. Like video games, chocolate, and toys.... And the outcome was successful. we improved on such a vast scale
that two of us were even considered to be actual successors to L.................. but.......... I'm skipping ahead aren't I? I suppose I need to begin, at the
beginning.