So, I was looking back at this story and realized I left out a whole chapter T.T I am so sorry! Here's the chapter! Also, I've started to work on the updated versions of this story, Game On, and L'amour Pur. They should be posted sometime in the next month or so


The day after Near spoke to the imposter L, the ball began to roll. He was stacking dice after dice when L called Mason again. Mason put the phone on speaker and an unscrambled voice filtered through.

"N, I'm sure you are aware of the situation. I need you to do me a favor. Can you notify the airlines, police, and military not to take any action yet?" The voice was young, masculine, and arrogant, though at the moment, it sounded impatient. Clearly, the owner of the voice did not like having little to no control over a situation. When he heard the voice, Near hated it.

Rester snorted. "What's he thinking? I didn't realize he was this unreliable."

Near thought to himself as he adjusted a die. Rester needs to keep in mind this L lacks the funds the original had. Of course he will be a little more unreliable. Out loud, he agreed, "Alright, L. Agreed. We'll keep the plane in sight and satellite in the area as live video feed."

As a last thought, he added sarcastically, "If there's anything else you need, don't hesitate to let us know."

L hung up and Near continued making his dice tower. The more he thought about this L, the more suspicious he became of him. His position seemed almost too convenient-

"Near, the plane has just landed in the desert and Soichiro Yagami has gotten off." Rester informed him, tearing him from his thoughts.

He turned to look at the monitor when a door opened up from underground.

"He's going underground?!" Rester exclaimed.

Near smiled, amused. "Well, well, isn't that interesting?"

There's no doubt about it: Mello is behind this. He must have considered the possibility of us watching from the satellites and planned accordingly. I do have to give them that: he certainly thinks of everything. Near silently praised his rival in his head.

He touched the phone sitting in front of him and smirked loftily. "L, do you have a plan? You can't seriously think handing the notebook over to someone you don't know is a good idea, can you?"

L didn't respond and Near's smirk widened. "Well, it seems like you are stumped, huh, L?"

A few minutes later, Soichiro reappeared with Sayu in tow, his jacket over her shoulders. A man wearing a mask ran to a helicopter.

Mason said, "Our intel says that's his only mode of transportation."

Near looked at the monitors showing the man getting into the helicopter. Something didn't seem right about it. If Mello had thought so far ahead as to get an underground facility, surely he must have two types of transportation? "So that means we know for certain that the notebook has been exchanged."

He frowned in disapproval. Surely L has a plan to get the notebook back? I may have been condescending earlier, but my question was not asked in jest. If he doesn't do anything to attempt to get the notebook back, either he's too complacent or simply incompetent.

"Be careful; we still don't know what they're planning to do at this point. N, I need you to maintain surveillance of that helicopter until it lands. Don't lost sight of it no matter what."

Near watched the monitors. "You seem to think that's an easy task. Nevertheless, we'll do what we can."

It was an easy task, at least for Near, but he didn't want L to think he was totally willing to do what was asked of him. Suddenly, a movement in one of the monitors caught Near's eye.

"I'm sorry, but we've been tricked."

The ground opened up once more and a missile loomed into sight. Near blinked, his eyes widening a centimeter. He was impressed, both with the missile and Mello's strategy. Next time he saw the blond he would have to tell him he actually tricked Near. Mello truly thought of everything...

"There's no way we'll be able to track that with the radar." He said impassively. He wondered how much L was sweating now.

Near considered the probability the notebook was actually in the missile. It was nearly a hundred percent and besides that, it was the most logical choice. Why put such a valuable item in a traceable helicopter?

The missile launched into the sky and Near turned back to his dice city. The building in the left could be a little higher...

"The missile's been launched!" Gevanni declared.

Near didn't say anything. He knew when he was beaten. The helicopter was suddenly obliterated.

"Near, the helicopter-" He looked back at the monitor. The missile it is.

"I thought so."

Gevanni glowered at the screens. "Damn! That means we can't track it! We've lost the signal; it could be anywhere by now!"

The surveillance room was silent as Gevanni, Rester, Mason, Near, and another agent, Halle, regarded the screens. Near stared at the United States. He continued to build his version of New York City, holding a die in his hand.

It won't be difficult to retrieve the missile when it lands in a deserted area. Whoever laid out the flight plan accordingly should be getting his hands on the notebook any moment now. When he does, I have a good idea of what he'll do next. He reached out to put his die on top of a tower and accidentally knocked it over.

Beside him, Mason groaned and collapsed onto his back. More dice fell and so did the agents. Ill Ratt held a gun up to his head, the rest just died of heart attacks. It was only Near, Rester, Gevanni, and Halle left. He didn't move from his chair, his expression stern. He hugged both knees to his chest with one arm and reached over to contact L.

"L." He didn't bother with the voice scrambler. It didn't make a difference.

"Yes?"

"...He got us."

"Got you?" L sounded puzzled.

"Yes. The majority of the SPK have just been killed by the notebook. L, you were the one to hand over the notebook without a fight; you and your people were totally helpless." He let his tone take an accusing edge.

L heard it. "N, are you saying that if you were in command, you wouldn't have handed it over?"

Yes. That girl means nothing to me. You must stay objective in investigations, even if it means innocent lives are lost. At least they died for a worthy cause: justice. "No. Considering their preparations, it would have been impossible to avoid this. There's really no point to this quarreling. I propose we work together and share information we have both gathered. For starters, I should admit that I have a very good idea who the culprit behind this would be."

L gasped quietly on the other end. He continued, "I suspect the person who arranged the kidnapping and the trade is someone who goes by the name 'Mello.'"

"'Mello?' Who's he?" L repeated, curiosity evident in his voice.

"I don't have his photograph and I don't know his real name. All I know about him is that four years ago he was living at an orphanage located in Winchester, England known as 'Wammy's House.' I believe Mello is playing a game with me. He wants to see which of us will take down Kira first: the final challenge. That is all I am willing to disclose of the matter. Until you need me again, L." Near hung up and started his dice tower from scratch.

He grew bored with the tower and turned to look at his remaining agents. Gevanni and Rester were talking quietly amongst themselves in a corner. Halle was sitting nearby, looking quite shaken. He rolled his chair over to her.

"Are you feeling alright, Halle? I understand what has just transpired is a bite shocking." He started to say. He didn't want what few resources he had left to have to quit because of PTSD.

"I-I'm fine, but, I'm just wondering...why me? Why wasn't I or Gevanni or Rester killed?" She looked up at him, her hands shaking.

"I don't know. Perhaps he only wanted to cripple our investigation just enough. He only wants his victory to be fair." Near answered honestly before rolling back to the dice tower.

Well, that was a partial lie. I know why he kept Lidner alive and that is because she is a woman. Had there been another woman here, then her chances of survival would be diminished significantly. Sooner or later, he plans on confronting me, or at least, blackmail one of my agents and who is better to overpower than a woman? As for Rester and Gevanni, I may have to ask him that myself...When I get the chance.