As the Task Force prepared to fly to Los Angeles for the exchange, Light felt the walls closing in. Near , watching from his skyscraper of monitors, already suspected the "New L" was a fraud."Tell me, L," Near ’s voice was monotone, "is your priority the notebook or the girl? Because Kira would only care about the book."
: Near contacts Light (as L) to offer the SPK's assistance, though he privately views the situation as a test of Light's true identity. Death Note Episode 28
To the world, Light was the brilliant detective leading the hunt for Kira . To himself, he was a god whose throne was being chipped away by a "child" playing with toys and a "thug" with a chocolate bar. The Calculated Risk As the Task Force prepared to fly to
Light Yagami stood in the dim light of the Task Force headquarters, his face a mask of calm leadership, but his mind was a storm of calculations. Across the world, Near’s voice crackled through the speakers, sharp and clinical. The news was out: Sayu was gone. To the world, Light was the brilliant detective