I was sat in the middle of the main room watching as my toy trains went around on the circle train tracks I had set up, when Anthony called to me.

"Near, Mello is here with a gun pointed at Hope's head. What should we do?" No, not Hope. My mind screamed before I shut it up.

"Let him in." I said calm as Anthony opened the door. I had my back to it and didn't turn around. Anthony and Stephan brought out there own guns and pointed them at Mello. "Mello welcome." I said calmly.
"Drop your weapon." said Anthony. There was silence and then I said..

"Everyone please put away your guns. Having a shoot out here would achieve nothing." Plus I don't want anything else to happen to Hope, I added in my mind.

"Sir, with all due respect Mello is the one that killed our partners." Said Stephan sounding a little shaken up.

"Please don't make me say it again. Remember our primary objective is still too catch Kira. Killing Mello right now will do nothing to benefit our investigation."

"Alright." Said Anthony as he and Stephan lowered their guns. 

"It seems things have been going exactly as you planned Near."

"Yes, I take it that you have already heard about the second L from Linda. I've pretty much figured out who Kira is and it's mostly to do with everything you've done." Mello then pulled out his gun and pointed it at me while both Anthony and Stephan pulled put there guns and aimed them at Mello.

"Shut up, Near." He shouted. "I'm not just a tool for you to use in order to solve your puzzles you know."

"Mello, if you really want to shoot me then go ahead and do it." There was silence and I heard the clicking of Mello's gun.

"Stop!" Someone shouted. Hope. I turned my head too look over my shoulder slightly to see what was happening. Hope had a red towel on her head like she had just got out of the shower. She was stood in between the end of Mello's gun and me. She was protecting me again. She also hand a hand on Mello's arm, he looked calm and I noticed that he had a huge scar down the side of his face. He clearly didn't get away from the huge explosion without getting hurt. "Mello, you don't want to do this. If you shot Near the others will shot you and then that is both if you dead just like Kira wants. With you two gone no one can stop him and he has won. Is that what you want?" Her voice was gentle and soothing. I felt a pang of jealous that she was talking to him so gently instead of me. Mello put down his gun and so did the others.

"You have a good point, but anyway I am only here for one thing. I came to take back that photograph you have."

"Of course." I said digging around in my shirt, then holding it up for him to see. "I got it from the orphanage. There was only one and no copies have been made. I've already gone ahead and dealt with everyone that knows your face both inside and outside Wammy's house and told them to keep quiet." I threw the photo at him which he caught with ease. "I'm not 100 percent certain but you shouldn't be able to be killed by the notebook. Is that the one business you have with me Mello?"

"Near." His voice was quiet and full of hate. I waited in silence for him to say something else. "Let's got one thing straight, I have no intension of working together with you on this case."

"Yes, I know."

"At the same time, I can't just take my photo and leave. That wouldn't be right so I'll settle my debt." This shocked me and I looked to the side so that I could just see part of his face. "The killer notebook belongs to a Shinagami, who ever touches it is able to see a God of Death."

"That's crazy who would believe something like that?"

"I would. I believe him completely. What good would it do for him to tell an outrageous lie like that? Even if he had something to gain he could at least come up with a more believable story. So these God's of Death must be real. Not to mention that we know God's exist because of Hope's existence."

"The notebook I obtained belonged to a god, perhaps even Kira himself. Also some of the rules inside are actually fake. That's all I can tell you for now." Then he turned and started leaving but stopped at the door.  "Near."

"Mello." I replied as I heard him take what sounded like a wrapped bit of chocolate out if his coat pocket and I reached up to started playing with a piece of my hair.

"Which of us is gonna reach Kira first I wonder." I smiled slightly to myself.

"The race is on." I said.

"We're both heading towards the same destination. I'll be waiting for you."

"Right." I said slowly as he continued to walk out, the door opened and then closed behind him and he was gone...

A few hours later I was sat with Hope in the main room playing with some cards. Hope was drawing at the table while I was sat on the floor and Anthony was at the computer.

"So the fake rule." She said breaking the silence. "It must be the one about the owner being killed in 13 days of he doesn't write a name down."

"What makes you say that?" Said Anthony.

"Well, if the rule is fake then it must be working in the favour of Kira, though it could of course just be a little joke that the Shinigami set up but I think that is very unlikely. If Kira is in fact the second L like we suspect then he would be able to prove his innocence in no more than 13 days. All he would have to do is be contained for more than 13 days and if he is still alive at the end of it, the police would clear him of all suspicion that he was Kira, as they wouldn't have even thought about one of the rules being fake."

"I agree. The 13 day rule must be the fake." I said. "Please make a connection to the second L." Anthony nodded then set one up. "Hello L this is Near. We managed to catch Mello, though he escaped just after."

"No, you let him go didn't you?"

"No, we tried to stop him but he was too quick. We did managed to interrogate him a little first though. He said that the death nite belongs to a Shinigami. Are you able to confirm the existence of such a creature?"

"Yes, there are real. The reason I didn't tell you before is because I was sure you wouldn't believe." Yeah right, I thought. He didn't tell me to stall my investigation.

"I would like to ask the Shinigami a few questions. I have reason to believe that one of the rules is fake. Which do you think is the fake, L I'm interested in what you think?"

"Well, by process of alimentation it has to be the one stating the writer will die if they don't write another name down in 13 days."

"Yes, I thought you might say that. I have come to the same conclusion."  

"Shinagami, you know the rules of the notebook well. Tell is are any of them fake?" I smiled. It would of course make perfect sense for Kira to have a God of death with him at all times.

"I see you have a Shinigami there with you?"

"Yes."

"It that so. I believe I am beginning to get the picture. In other words Kira is in that room and he is having the Shinigami lie on his behave." There was a long silence on the other end. I had to get him to slip. To say something that only Kira would know or want. "If there is a problem I suggest we settle it this way. I volunteer to write Mello's real name in the notebook." Hope's head whipped around and she looked at me both scared and worried. She did care about me, more than she did Mello? "Of course it means he will die, if I also die 13 days later well then I guess Kira wins. Either way it is a sacrifice I am willing to make.  Testing the 13 day rule can only benefit the Kira investigation. I am willing to put my life on the end to help us solve the case, not only this but there are others who are just as capable of solving this as I am." I looked at Hope who was almost looking like she was going to cry. I pained me to see her looking so upset so I had to look away.

"Could you please wait for a moment? We need to discuss your suggestion." Then the other end went silent.

"Near." Hope said.

"Hope it is fine. They will most likely reject the idea."

"I don't care what they might do I don't like you throwing you life around like that."

"If it solves the case then it is worth it."

"Solving the case and killing you and Mello in the process. You think that is they way to go about this?"

"Hope, it's okay."

"It's okay for you maybe, but what about the people you leave behind. You won't care because your dead but what about the people around you. The people that need you here.  You think that I will be able to finish this case on my own because let me tell you I can't."

"Of course you can Hope, you are as smart as I am. You remembered that you were offered the option to become L successor." Tears spilled from her eyes.

"Sometimes it isn't just about being smart you know, there is much more to the world than that." She said quietly and then she ran out if the room wiping her eyes as she left. I didn't move but felt sad and unhappy. I had really upset her, I didn't mean to. I didn't even think she would get so upset.

"Near, we have talked it over and we can't allow you to use the notebook no matter what." Said the second L.

"Very well, I thought you might say that." I said trying ti nit yet my emotions show in my voice. "Just one more question before I leave. This is for the Japanese police. Was there ever a point were the second L was suspected of being the Kira, even if it was then dropped later? If you have been listening to our conversation till now and have any intentions of helping my investigation and taking down Kira, then call the number I am about to give you. Day or night I will answer, the choice is up to you." Then the connection was lost and the scene went black.