Suzuki Jirokichi had challenged Kid to another heist, another game. Like always, Conan had been invited, since he was the so called 'Kid Killer'.

It was enjoyable, having a reputation for being the kid who could outwit Kid. The adults would actually listen to him for once, even if they headed Kogoro's words more often. Plus, Conan enjoyed chasing kid, feeling adrenaline pulse through his veins as he traversed whichever building they were in, pushing the thief to his wits end. It was nice to get a break from the homisides.

While Sonoko's uncle was busy gloating about the intricate traps he's set up to catch the thief dressed in white, Conan snuck out the room. No one noticed, not even Ran. Being a teenager in a child's body, hiding his intelligence, hiding from a criminal organisation, had improved his stealth significantly.

Conan knew his target: one of the guards, posted alone at one of entrances of the building. He made his way there, confidently strolling past members of the Kid task force, and stood before the man, a slight smile stretching across his face.

He glanced up at the taller figure. "Kid"

The thief smirked. "How did you know it was me, Tantei-kun?"

Conan didn't answer. He couldn't. He didn't have a good reason, a clever deduction for why he knew the guard was Kid, he'd just recognised his eyes. He noticed the bright blue irises and hidden expression he'd come to associate with the thief.

Conan couldn't tell him that. It was embarrassing. Even though they's met multiple times, even though Kid knew his identity, Conan couldn't tell Kid he'd recognised him though his eyes alone. That would be like admitting to the thief how much space he took up in his mind.

"You've already stolen the jewel, haven't you?" He said instead.

A small blue gem appeared between Kid's gloved fingers. Conan didn't know where he'd kept it, it had seemingly appeared out of thin air, due to incredible slight of hand.

Kid causally tossed it upwards. "Bingo!"

Conan tried to jump up, seize the gem between his hands, but the thief was too quick and he was too short. Kid caught the gem with such care and precision that, despite his seemingly reckless handling, Conan was willing to bet a large amount of money on the jewel being completely unscathed. After all Kid had never damaged any thing he stole.

Kid sighed, stepping outside the doorway into the cold night air; Conan followed him. He watched the thief hold the gem up in the air, up to the moonlight. He'd always done it, at every heist. Conan didn't know the exact reason why but he knew it had something to do with a certain gem that the thief was looking for.

This time something was different. Something was wrong.

Conan didn't feel the weight of the jewel being pressed into his hands, didn't hear the thief declare his defect tell him that he should give the gem back to the task force.

He just saw Kid's face halt, lose all emotion. While nothing was displayed in his expression, the fact that the thief hadn't covered it up with a smirk or a grin suggested that something significant had just happened.

Maybe he'd found what he was looking for.

"I'm sorry, Tantei-kun, I've got to-"

A bullet hit Kid square in the chest. He wheezed, stumbled slightly, but there was no blood, no wound. That was good. He'd been wearing a bullet proof vest.

That didn't make them safe. A bullet to the head could still kill Kid, Conan wasn't wearing any protection, and getting inside a Kid heist, armed, was no easy feat.

These people were dangerous.

Using a hang-glider during a shootout wasn't a wise idea, if a bullet hit the large easy to hit fabric, you'd fall out the sky, but they had to risk it. They'd face certain death otherwise.

Kid slammed a small spherical object into the ground and suddenly they were surrounded by smoke. He wrapped his arms around Conan, held him close to his chest, before opening his hang-glider. Letting his wings fly.

Blinded by the smoke, Conan focused his scenes on the rymthumic beating of Kid's heart, except it wasn't rymthic. It was erratic. Kid's heart was pulsing, pumping oxygen round his body at breakneck speed; he was trembling too. Kid might have been able to hide emotions on his face but he couldn't do the same for his body.

Conan could feel Kid's body against his. It trembled. He didn't know whether it was due to fear or excitement or both, probably both. From what he could tell the thief had achieved his goal. From what he could tell they were in serious danger.

Something in the corner of his eye caught Conan's attention. A sniper ready to shoot. A sniper aiming at Kid's head. A sniper from a large criminal organisation, a skilled sniper. He couldn't let kid get shot.

"What are you doing!" Kid yelled as Conan wiggled forwards, bringing their faces closer together, "Do you want to fall!"

Conan knew that Kid knew what he was trying to do, that the thief was trying to stop him, to pull him back. He wouldn't let that happen.

A bullet pierced Conan's skull.

—

A bullet pierced Tantei's skull. A bullet pierced Kaito's arm. A bullet pierced the hang glider.

They were falling. Plummeting downwards, towards the earth. Getting faster by the moment. At least the hang full of bullet holes was slowing their decent, if only by a little.

They crashed into leaves, into trees, into bushes.

When he slammed into the ground, Kaito heard a crack. He'd probably broken some ribs, if they hadn't already shattered when he'd taken a bullet to the chest.

Kaito's arm had been shot, blood was staining his suit, his cape. He wasn't sure whether the bullet was still inside the wound. It probably was, but he didn't care to find out.

Nothing hurt, not yet.

Kaito's injury wasn't the only thing staining his outfit crimson. Tantei had been shot in the head. The detective wasn't moving, wasn't breathing.

The snipers would come after them, they'd want to make sure of the kill.

Kaito would never have thought that he had the strength, not after being shot and falling twenty feet, to heave Kaito Kid's hang glider off him, to crawl to his feet.

Dragging Tantei up with him, cradling the detective close to his chest, Kaito stumbled around, eyes scanning, searching for somewhere they could hide.

The detective was getting colder by the minute.

They'd ended up seeking refuge in a small muddy cave, cramped and small with a hard to see entrance; perfect for hiding. It let in a small amount of moonlight, just enough to see. Kaito slowed his breathing when he heard footsteps, Tantei didn't need to.

Kaito wouldn't be able to live with himself if he let Tantei stay dead die.

He only had one option left.

With trembling hands, Kaito pushed open the detective's jaw and placed Pandora on the shrunken teenager's tongue.

The last thing Kaito saw before he succumbed to exhaustion was a pair of teenage blue eyes staring back at him, glowing crimson in the moonlight.