Chapter 4: Research
Huge stacks of paper were placed on the floor in front of Near. "These are all registered departures from England in the last 10 days" Gevanni told him. "Good. It will take months, but every single one of these MUST be followed up. There is no need to confront them directly, we just have to find suspects" Near instructed. "Very well, I will order the 500 we have at our disposal" Rester said. "So you failed in doubling their numbers, then?" Near asked. "I'm afraid so. The English police didn't want to risk any others" Rester replied. "That's fine, 500 will be enough" Near told him. "We will investigate 500 at a time, and after a week of investigating each person, they will either be cleared or investigated further, depending on their behaviour. Eventually, we'll find Kira this way" Near said, almost smirking.
2 weeks later
David was walking to a corner store to buy himself lunch. A man in a business suit entered the store behind him. David bought a coffee, newspapers and a hot dog, and went outside. The shop had a few tables and chairs for their customers, and David sat down by one of them, drinking coffee while reading. The suited man sat down by the other table, also reading the news. "I see. He might be following me. Does that mean that I'm a suspect? No. That's impossible. But L has perhaps realised I was only temporarily in Britain. I guess that means I have to start making evidence against the Black Ink Company" David though, skimming through the pages while eating his hot dog. "I have to test if he's actually following me first. So I'll go the long way home to see if he keeps following me" David planned. He folded the newspaper together and put it in his pocket, then heading for the closest bus stop. Sure enough, the man went after him and entered the same bus. On the first stop, David stood up, and went towards the exit. His stalker stood up as well, along with a few more people. David then simply sat on a seat on the other side, appearing to be interested in a poster. The man sat back down on his seat as the others left the bus. Two stops later, David got off the bus, and so did his stalker. "It's confirmed, he's definitely following me. But that doesn't mean I'm a Kira suspect He might be a molester. However, I have to be on the safe side, so I'll just act naturally" David thought as he headed towards the Rubik complex, the blocks where his apartment was. He went inside and the man passed by.
The man walked a few blocks further and entered a hotel. He took the elevator to floor 6 and went to his room. He opened a laptop, and sent an email. Seconds later, a video chat window appeared. It displayed a large black L. "I followed the target to some extent" he told L. "Good. Is there any need for suspicion?" the computerised voice asked. "He did seem to check if he was being tailed, but I don't think of him as suspicious. I can understand that he doesn't want to be followed" the police agent said. "I agree, but I will not mark him as free of suspicion. I still think that some of the others we have found are more suspicious. There are still at least 100 worthy of suspicion of the possible people, and we are not even half in tailing all of them. Keep tracking him for the rest of the week" L instructed. "Very well, L" the agent said, closing his laptop.
Near was having a tiring time, always getting reports of the ones being investigated. "Rester, did you organise another 50 people from the FBI and CIA to investigate the suspects?" He asked, stacking dominoes. "Yes, they have begun investigating. No further suspicious acts have been reported" Rester replied. "Good. Once we have found all the suspects, we will tail them all separately, and close out even more of them. In the end, we will be left with only Kira".
Days past, Near finding nothing interesting, and David acting completely normal. But then, Near discovered something interesting. "Other people than criminals died by sudden heart attacks this Week" Near thought. "They were people who had criticised or opposed Black Ink Lawyer Company. Then either Kira is a very selfish and not very bright individual who discovered the notebook in Britain the day they had a conference there, which will fit perfectly with the past situations and events, or Kira is trying to make me believe that, which indicates that Kira is one of those who have been investigated in the United States this week, trying to rid themselves off suspicion. Either way, Kira is probably in the USA" he concluded mentally."Rester, Gevanni, send all agents under our command to USA to investigate Black Ink Lawyer Company and those previously tailed there. Kira is among them!" Near ordered. "Yes, Near" they replied, and began sending emails. "What will you do next, Trick-Kira?" he wondered.
David played another audio tape in. "This is Kira speaking. Thank you for the bucks I got for my last job. This tape will contain the location for where to put the envelope with the victims list and money. It is a pleasure to work with you. Remember that I am on the side of law and justice, and I will support you with my powers. You will become a lawful and powerful company beyond measure once I eliminate your enemies. Consider yourselves glad I chose you". He then went to the post office and sent the package. "So you are trying to make L believe that one of them is Kira, while the company themselves thinks that Kira is only their ally. You're deceiving all of them" Sanjo said, chuckling. "Exactly" David whispered. "Once L begins investigating them, he'll have nothing to go on since none of them are Kira. There is no way he'll find me like this" David continued with satisfaction. David had the sensation of being watched all of a sudden. He looked behind himself to see his stalker, but that didn't calm him. "Sanjo" he whispered. "Are there more people following me?" he asked the Shinigami. Sanjo looked behind David, and there was 3 people looking in his direction. "I don't have to tell you" Sanjo said. "So that's a yes, then?" David asked. "Ahem… Yeah" the death god admitted. "Well, L, it turns out my Black Ink trap didn't trick you completely. You know that Kira is one of those whom you have already followed in the US, and I'm certain that's not only me, or, it is in fact the most suspicious at the moment, the Black Ink Company. You are trying to investigate all possibilities simultaneously, but that only gives me room to act against you. You may have seen through my plans, but you are not taking away my opportunities and my plan can continue on perfectly" David thought, continuing towards his apartment.