Chapter 32

Near watched out of L's window as Mello drove away. He had been trying to ignore the fact that Matt was meeting with Mello again. He knew Matt was giving Mello information, but that didn't bother him. In a way he felt it meant they were all working together, as L wanted. He looked around the apartment he was practically living in these days. Everything looked the same as it always had, as if L were going to walk in at any moment. He allowed his mind this time to replay moments of himself and the others in here working on cases with L, which after hours of work would suddenly turn into a sleepover party. He missed those times so much, it was the only times he felt he was part of something, the relationship between them all had been precious to him, although he never let anyone know that. He knew Mello and he had problems, but underlying it all had been a friendship and common goals. Now, he felt more alone than he ever had. Working with Matt on this was constantly tinged with the sadness of knowing why they were doing it, and the strain Matt probably felt being put in the middle. He had succeeded in the past couple of years of removing the emotion behind it all, but sometimes it snuck in. Like now, as he watched Matt and Mello together. He wasn't jealous romantically, he just missed the companionship.

He started from his thoughts as the door opened and Matt walked in. Near could tell right away something was wrong. Usually after one of their meetings Matt would come back happy, and in spite of the smile he flashed at Near, it didn't reach his eyes. He watched Matt sit at the table where there were piles of papers and begin the pick thru them. He walked over to Matt and sat next to him.

"How's Mello?" he asked the redhead. Matt shrugged and didn't look away from the papers in his hands.

"Oh he's just dandy" Matt answered and the sarcasm wasn't wasted on Near. He thought a moment and wondered if he should pursue it or let it go. He chose to pursue.

He realized there could only be one thing that could be happening.

"He's leaving town isn't he?" he asked and watched as Matt struggled with how to answer. Matt looked at him and Near could see the pain unhidden by the goggles.

"He's got to, to get to Kira…"

"Before I do, I know. I'm sorry, Matt. Would you rather not work with me anymore, follow Mello?" Matt shook his head furiously.

"No, no I have to help get this information together. And don't worry, I'm not holding anything back to help Mello get it first, I wouldn't do that."

"I would never think you would, Matt. I know you're keeping him updated on what we're doing and that's fine. I'm sorry if you feel you're in the middle in all of this."

"If I am it's not from anything you've done, Near. So don't worry about it. Have the reports come in from the contacts in the Japanese Police force?"

"I've received some transcripts and statements from some of the police that were on scene on October 28th, the last noted police action regarding Kira. Apparently L had radioed the police and told them he was about to close in on a Kira suspect and to stay away. However, according to one of the cops that was there, following orders from one Shuichi Aizawa they ended up going there anyway and were instrumental in stopping the suspect who was trying to get away." Near stood up and walked back towards the bank of computers on L's desk and picked up a piece of paper.

"This is where things get strange. This same officer remembers the suspect, one Kyosuke Higuchi, talking about a notebook that kills." Matt stared at Near and stood up, not wanting to believe what he just heard.

"A notebook that kills? Are you serious? What was this cop drinking?" Near smiled and shook his head.

"He's telling the truth, he wasn't the only one who heard this. Apparently Higuchi said if you write someone's name in this notebook, they die." Their minds were on the same subject. If this is what killed L, how could he have known L's name? Does it have to be your real name or just a name you're known by?

"Near, do you really believe this is possible?" Near answered by going to the computer, hitting a few buttons and in a few moments L's face was on the screen.

""I am not going to tell you boys what I have found, or what he is using or even who he is as it is something you need to find out on your own to finish this case. There are things involved that you will not believe nor understand unless you discover it yourselves. I know it must seem frustrating to you but I have no doubt that you three, by working together, will put everything in order and be able to do what I have not and bring Kira down." Near stopped the message. Matt walked over to the computer and stared at L's face incredulously.

"Is this what you meant by that, L? Something that we would not believe or understand…?"

"I believe he was right in not just coming right out and telling us it was a killer notebook responsible for this. This is almost three years ago, you know where we were at that time, not only would we not have believed it, we would have completely disregarded it as some kind of trick L was trying to pull on us like he used to do. But after everything we've discovered, this is the only thing that makes sense. Having a notebook like this means that Kira can write anyone's name anywhere at any time and he can be sitting in the privacy of his own home. How could anyone catch him or know what he was doing. This is the perfect mass murder weapon."

"But where would he get something like this, Near? You can't just walk into a stationery store and ask for a notebook that kills…."

"And that is what I'm working on right now as well, where could this come from, how could this possibly exist. But first I have to figure out how Higuchi got his hands on it, I do not believe that he is the one and only Kira. He appears to have been into it simply for personal gain, Kira is not that way. At least not obviously." He looked back at the computer, gazed at L for a few moments and then closed down the video.

"I believe I'm very close to being at the point where I can take my case to someone who can help us."

"Who do you think would believe this besides us?" Matt asked him.

"I believe if I put all of the information you and I have gathered and take it to the FBI they would help me." Matt thought a moment.

"That makes sense. They suddenly lost so many agents at one time and it was obviously Kira that did it. They would want to be the first to get their hands on this information AND that notebook." Near nodded his agreement.

"However, if we are right and this thing does exist, it will need to be destroyed. No one needs to be tempted with that kind of power."

"No wonder L couldn't prove anything. Unless he found his suspect with his hands on that notebook, or could prove he was the one writing in it…"

"Well if it was his suspect a simple handwriting test would prove it. According to the police officer the notebook was passed over to someone in a helicopter and then it took off. I can only assume it was L in that helicopter. I would think the first thing he would do would be to compare handwriting…" Near began.

"Unless there's more than one notebook," Matt jumped in, "If L had a suspect in mind and couldn't prove it was them, and you know L would have had them on 24 hour surveillance, then someone else must have had the book while he was being watched, or he was hiding his and letting someone else use the other one if there was more than one. The one L had must have been the second one with someone else's handwriting in it."

"This all makes so much more sense now, the realities of how this Kira has accomplished what he has is clear now. After all of this time, why hasn't the Japanese Task Force found more information, do you think?" Matt thought for a moment and then turned and stared at Near.

"Because Kira has something to do with the police department and he's blocking the investigation somehow. That would explain how he got to L.."

"But L never shows his face, he never physically gets involved it was always only Watari." Near said shaking his head.

"But what if he did this time, Near? What if he felt he had to for the sake of this case? If he felt he had to physically be in contact with his suspect this time?" Near's eyes narrowed as he looked back at the computer.

"Then that was the first and last time L was ever wrong." He snapped and walked towards the door, "I'm going down to talk to Dr. Thompson. We have to plan on how we're going to contact the FBI and exactly what to do. We'll need help with putting a meeting like that together so they don't think I'm a lunatic." Matt smirked.

"Why shouldn't they, I do." Near looked at him questioningly and then Matt started laughing his infectious laugh. Near grinned back at him and then left the apartment.

Christine listened to everything that Near had to report before she said anything. This entire thing seemed absolutely unbelievable, but it was the only thing that made sense. Even if L had shown his face inadvertently to Kira, how would Kira get his name? No one knew his name, unless it was sufficient to simply write L.

"Now we need to contact the FBI and get them involved," she said, "You believe we need their power to get to Kira." Near nodded.

"I believe that I have amassed enough proof over the past few years to present to them to make them realize that there is something wrong with the Japanese Police Force and that they will never capture Kira. And we already know that their L is not real."

Chrisrtine nodded and walked over to Near, putting her hands on his shoulders.

"You have truly lived up to L's expectations, Near – you both have. I am amazed at what you've been able to accomplish with nothing to go on. I have to admit I'm hard pressed to believe in a killer notebook, but I swear it's the only thing that makes sense. What do you need me to do?"

"I need for you to do the original contacting for me. If you would call as a representative of Whammy's, which you are, and let them know what we are and that this is where L came from. Tell them that we have invaluable information for them, that L is dead and the Japanese Police Force is pretending. That will get their attention and they will set up an appointment which Matt and I will attend with our proof and our theories. Hopefully they will give us some help in this matter. With everyone thinking that L is still alive, I cannot utilize his contacts without making things worse."

Christine nodded wishing she could just wrap her arms around him as she used to do when he was younger, but Near's body language made it clear it would not be appreciated at this moment. She resigned herself to just patting his shoulders and then let go. She gazed into the determined eyes of the young man before her, those eyes reminding her so much of L's as he grew older. She couldn't love those boys any more if she had given birth to them herself, and she was worried sick over where they would be going next. But she also knew that was where they had to go, no choice in the matter.

"Alright, I will get on it in the morning and let you know what they say." Near nodded and turned to leave.

"I am confident we will do this, Dr. Thompson. Justice will be done for L and all the others Kira has murdered."

"I know you will, Near. I have no doubt in that at all. Thank you." He smiled back and left her.

She walked into her bedroom and pulled out the book she had made for L which she kept on the table by her bed. She flipped through it for what must have been the millionth time, marveling at how young and innocent the boys looked and it hadn't been that long ago. Their faces unmarred by grief and stress, only fun loving and silly. She turned to the picture of L and outlined his face with her fingers.

"They're going to finish this for you, L I'm certain of it. They are brilliant, you trained them well, and out of love for you they will not let him get away. This will be over soon." She closed the book and put it back on the table.

"Now to work out what I'm going to say to the FBI." She thought and went to her desk and sat down to do so.