"It's Near!"

The N in fancy script lit up the computer monitors in front of the task force. Temari yawned as she put on her headset. It was four in the morning and she had gotten an average of two hours of sleep during the week. She wasn't used to constant all-nighters like the rest of the task force.

"L, I thought you should know that we caught Mello."

Temari perked up and listened closely. They caught him? She was sure that he had died in the fire at the mafia hideout.

"But he escaped soon afterwards."

The rest of the task force groaned

"He didn't really escape, did he?" Light questioned, "You let him get away."

"No." Near responded insistently, "We tried to restrain him but he was too quick. However, we were able to interrogate him. Mello mention that there was some sort of shinigami attached to the notebook. Have you been able to confirm the existence of such a creature?"

Ryuk stepped up from the back of the room and stood close to Light

"Yes." Light answered, "We can confirm that shinigami do exist."

"I would like to ask the shinigami a few questions."

Ryuk grumbled, "Forget it. I'm not up for that." Temari chuckled quietly and tossed him an apple.

"The thing that is bothering me the most is those rules in the notebook." Near continued, "I have reason to believe that one of them is fake."

A fake rule? Temari bit her lip as she thought it over. There was no doubt that the notebook could cause heart attacks and that the user could control their victim to a certain extent, so the entire first page checked out. It was just the rules in the back. The 13 day rule and the one that stated the notebook couldn't be destroyed without consequences.

"L, which rule do you think is the fake? I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on the matter."

Light covered his hand over the microphone to his headset, "Tema, I think I should hear your opinion on his one too. Which rule do you think is fake?"

"The thirteen day rule." Temari answered, "If Kira had written a false rule in the notebook, it would most likely be that one. He could use that rule to prove his innocence if he was under surveillance."

Light nodded, "I was thinking the same thing." He uncovered the microphone, "By a process of elimination, the obvious choice would be the one stating, 'The owner of a notebook will die if they don't write a new name in every 13 days'
I think that would be the one most likely to be false."

"I thought you might say so. I have reached the same conclusion myself."

"Shinigami!" Light commanded, "You know the rules of notebook quite well. Are any of them fake?"

"No." Ryuk replied, "They are all real."

"I think I'm beginning to get a picture. In other words, Kira is there in the room and he is making the Shinigami lie on his behalf." Temari could almost hear the smirk spreading across Near's face.

The girl looked around the room. There was no way that any member of the task force could be Kira. They were all good police officers, committed to their families and fighting Kira to the very end. The only person that Temari could even slightly suspect was Light.

Temari didn't want to believe it was Light. He had always been so nice to her and Saya. But then again, Ryuzaki had always heavily suspected him. And Ryuzaki was hardly ever wrong. No, he couldn't be. She refused to believe it. Kira wasn't in the task force.

"Oh and L, before Mello escaped he told me the answer to a question I have had for a very long time." Near said, "When L was alive he had told us that while working on the Kira investigation he met a girl that he gave the letter U to. L said that U was very important to him and he wanted Mello and I to meet her when the case was over. Mello informed us that U was now working with the Japanese Task Force? If U is there at the moment, may I speak to her?"

"U?" Light asked confusedly, "We don't have anyone that goes by U here."

Temari stepped up to where the older boy was sitting, "He's talking about me. Before he died, L gave me the letter U."

Light clicked pressed a few buttons, "I understand. Your headset is now set up with the main microphone system. You can talk with Near if you wish."

The girl nodded, "Hello Near. This is U speaking."

"U." Near said slowly, savoring the letter on his tongue, "It's nice to talk to you. Now, if I may ask, how long have you been working for the task force?"

"Since I was twelve. Almost four years."

"Interesting." Near paused, "U, can you tell me your opinion on the second L? Are you close to him like you were with the original L?"

She took a deep breath, "I respect the second L. He and I are close friends and coworkers but I wouldn't say that we are anything more."

"Now, was there ever a point where the original L suspected the second L of being Kira?"

Temari froze, unable to say anything. She wanted to tell Near the truth, but she didn't want to feel like she was betraying Light either. If she did tell Near that would mean that a whole new investigation would be opened up on Light again. She could barely deal with that the first time, going through it again would put unbearable strain on her mental health.

"You don't have to answer me now." Near said, "And that goes for the rest of you on the task force. If you've been listening to our conversations so far and have any intention of helping my investigation in taking down Kira, then call the number I'm about to give you. Day or night, I will answer. The choice is up to you."

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The president of the United States rested his head in his hands and sighed. Making the Kira announcement today wasn't easy but needed to be done. He hoped that wherever Kira was that he was be satisfied.

The cell phone sitting next to him rang. He answered it and hoped that it wasn't another damn reporter.

"Hello?"

"This is Kira."

"I-Is this a joke?" The president stuttered.

"If you want a proof, I can read out a list of people I'm going to punish tomorrow." Kira answered "That way you can check it and make your final decision afterwards. Mr. President, I'm very grateful that you and your country have sympathized with me but I'm afraid even that much isn't enough. The SPK is still trying to catch me despite your recent announcement. I want you to stop them immediately and formally disband them.

"At the same time, I want you to use the American police, the CIA, the FBI, and all other law enforcement organization that you are disposable to find out where the SPK members are currently hiding." Kira continued, "As soon as you find their base of operations, I want you to forward that information to a third party. I will give you this contact shortly. Mr. President, whether you live a long life or not is up to you. Don't forget that."

Kira hung up and almost immediately a new email appeared in the president's inbox. The email listed nothing but the post office address for a Japanese TV station called Sakura TV. The president copied this information down and called in an agent to find the location of the SPK. As much as he didn't like doing this, his life was more important to him than standing up to Kira.

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"Temari. Can I talk to you for a minute?"

The girl took off her headset and looked at the man who called her, "Uh, sure, Aizawa."

She sat next to Aizawa and Ide on the couch. Temari could already tell that Near's words were affecting the pair greatly, especially Aizawa. The girl had always respected Aizawa for his strong sense of justice and ability to put his personal feelings aside to solve the case. Ever since Near left the phone number Aizawa had been oddly quiet. He didn't scold Matsuda at all, even when he made stupid jokes instead of paying attention to the investigation.

"Getting a letter is a big deal, right?" Aizawa asked her, "When you get a letter it means that L trusts you, that you're a successor. Is that right?"

Temari agreed, "Yeah, I think so. Ryuzaki never really explained it to me like that but I'm pretty sure that's close to how it works."

"All of L and N both suspect Light as Kira. Do you suspect him too?"

"I don't know." Temari looked down at her hands, "I'm older than I was when Ryuzaki first suspected Light. It's hard, but I'm getting better letting my emotions go. I still do owe Light a lot. He was the one who helped me get back up on my feet after Ryuzaki's death. But I'm a cop now and I can't let those feelings get in the way." She loosened her fists and looked Aizawa in the eye, "The truth is I'm starting to suspect Light again. If we assume that the 13 day rule is fake, it would mean that he and Misa really weren't cleared at all."

Ide chimed in, "That's what I thought you would say. I think that withholding information like this from Near is wrong. If he's our ally he has a right to know."

"I agree completely."

"So, I'm going to give Near a call later." Aizawa said, "I just thought I should run it by you, being one of L's prodigies or something like that. But I don't want Light to know. If I come out and say that we should investigate him again I'll just end up dead. You can't tell him about this."

Temari nodded, "You can count on me. Just be sure to tell me what Near has to say afterwards."

Light opened the door and came into the room carrying two styrofoam cups and small bag. He placed one of the cups and the bag in front of Temari, "I noticed that you've been having trouble staying awake during all-nighters like this so I got you a hot chocolate and some candy, since I know you don't like coffee or tea."

"Thanks, Light." Temari said, "That was very thoughtful."

Light bought her and Saya candy whenever he had the chance. He even made sure to get their favorites (sour hard candies for Temari, Hershey kisses for Saya) every time, even though they were significantly more expensive than the other varieties. His support and small brotherly gestures seemed like the only constant in the four years she'd been in Japan.

She noticed the logo on the side of the bag said 'Pink Velvet Bakery'. A bittersweet smile twitched at the corners of her mouth. Temari hadn't seen Shikamaru in almost two and a half years. The first and only time she went back was too soon. She collapsed into tears soon after setting foot in the entrance and remembered having the worst panic attack of her life in the adjacent alleyway. Temari vowed to never go back after that.

But things were a bit different now. She had learned to control her emotions. Maybe after the case was over she would go back. That is, if the case ever ended. Once a problem was solved a new one would rise up in its place. It felt like for every step forward they were actually taking two steps back. Temari wished that Ryuzaki was still here. He'd lead them out of this.

"Guys! Turn on Sakura TV!" Matsuda burst into the room, "It's Demegawa again! And it's really really bad!"

Temari groaned. Mr. Demegawa was the Kira worshipping manager of Sakura TV. He was even the person that started Kira's Kingdom. Whatever he was up to definitely wasn't good news for the task force.

A helicopter flew around the air erratically as Demegawa talked into the news microphone, "We have finally found the location of the evil organization who is trying to catch our god Kira! We now have the building completely surrounded!"

The screen switched to a camera more at ground level, which captured the ferocity of the riot around the SPK building. Angry people punched and threw rocks at the glass windows. They smashed them open and stampeded into the first floor.

"Right now the enemy seems to be hiding somewhere inside the building." Demegawa continued, "But they won't be able to hide from us for long! Behold the power of the people! The power of justice!"

Temari shivered. Demegawa had always given her really bad vibes. He really believed with his whole heart that Kira was true justice. What a despicable man.

Light quickly set up a connection to Near, "What's going on, Near? Could it be that this is some sort of plot by Mello to finish of the SPK? No, surely it couldn't be that the SPK's security is so lax that even a normal citizen could find out where it was located."

"Light, lay off a bit." Temari whispered to him. His tone wasn't a sincere one at all, it kind of seemed like he was mocking Near or taunting him.

The brown haired man bit back a smile, Once you leave the building Misa will see your name with her shinigami eyes. I win, Near....

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i hated writing this chapter idk i just feel like it's really inconsistent

QOTD: tell me a song or lyric that reminds of light?

here's mine: headfirst slide into coopertown on a bad bet by fall out boy