The tranquility of night. On the shipping docks, next to the sea, a receiving area for the world's cargo to flow into the international city of Tokyo.

"Yuriko-kun?" the woman called out. "Yuriko-kun, it's all right! You can come on out! We want to help you!"

She had read the target's file. Yuriko Amane, age 18. At age fourteen her friends had invited her to a college party, where she was introduced to heroin. She became a regular user, forking over her allowance to a local dealer every Friday, until that quickly became no longer enough to support her habit. She turned to odd jobs like babysitting her best friend's two little brothers, but that wasn't enough either, especially as she began using more frequently. She soon turned to pawning off her personal possessions, and then to stealing.

Her ill-tempered father caught her stealing from him one day, and he proceeded to beat her until she passed out. However, desperate for her daily fix she had no choice but to continue to steal from him, and more beatings followed, until one day, when she was 15, he finally had enough and he locked her in her room with no food, water, or basic hygiene needs. On the second day she tore down the wall and escaped. She ran far away from home, having sex with random strangers to obtain money for food and drugs. On the streets she met a middle-aged man who initially treated her very kindly, gave her a place to stay, and treated her almost like a princess. She fell captive to his charms and became his lover.

However, over time he progressively became more and more abusive to her, and he forced her back into prostitution, but this time he kept most of the profits. Eventually she came to fear for her life, and one mid-afternoon while he was passed out after a night of heavy drinking she strangled him in his sleep and fled again, working once more as a prostitute under the professional name "Snow Lotus".

Finally she quit prostitution and came to work instead as a drug smuggler. This job initially paid much better, until her mysterious employers began underpaying her and threatening to kill her if she tried to quit.

Three months ago, she was given a suitcase full of heroin. Instead of completing her assigned route, however, she ran with the suitcase, its monetary value being in excess of 500,000,000 yen (or about 5 million USD).

Her mysterious employers, it so happened, were the Men in Black, the agents of the Black Organisation. And they did not tolerate traitors.

"Yuriko-kun?" Hidemi called out again.

She heard footsteps. She turned around and saw a teenage girl, the target.

What she didn't expect, however, was that the target was visibly pregnant.

Hidemi paused; though she already felt horrible about leading this poor girl to her execution, having her unborn child die with her made this Black Crow feel even worse.

"…I know you," Yuriko said. "You're that famous reporter, Mizunashi Rena."

"You're confused, Yuriko-kun," Hidemi said. "I'm a social worker, and I'm here to help you. We'll give you and your baby and place to stay. We'll help you break free from your drug addiction. You'll be able to get a real job and support yourself and your child. Please, step into the light so I can see you better."

The girl hesitantly complied. Hidemi swallowed hard, trying to not break her composure.

And then it was over. The distinct sound of a silenced gun rippled through the air, and a bullet pierced Yuriko's heart.

She lost her balance, and Hidemi rushed to catch her. She held the dying girl in her arms.

"I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry," Hidemi whispered, trying to hold back a tear. A half minute passed and then Yuriko was dead.

"Excellent work, as usual, Kir." Gin stepped into the spotlight, a silenced rifle in hand.

Black Organisation agent Hidemi Hondou, AKA "Kir", stood upright to face her colleague. She grinned. "It's my pleasure to help exterminate vermin wherever they hide. Any more traitors need sniping tonight?"

"No, that's all for now," Gin said. "Get some rest, you've got a big mission coming up soon."

The long silver-haired man calmly lit a cigarette and walked away.

Scene Transition

The young skull-faced man ascended the stairs to Hidemi's apartment, where the young woman was leaning against the railing, a shaken look on her face.

"You wanted to see me?"

Hidemi looked at Yoshiteru Nichimura, and at she knew that she was free to let down her mask. He was someone who she could trust, someone who she could confide her true feelings with and, in a happier time long gone, something more than that.

She completely broke down sobbing and fell into his arms. "I…I can't take this anymore," she said. "Please, I want out. I can't stand to kill people with a smile any longer."

"Shhh," her former boyfriend said, wrapping his arms around her.

They both were silent for a good half minute, content to remain in each other's arms. Finally Hidemi took a step back, her professional composure restored and that brief moment of intimacy officially over.

"Unless I'm taken out of this assignment, I'm formally resigning from the CIA," she said. "Ryan can find himself another mole. I know what you're thinking, that what I do is for the greater good, perhaps for the salvation of humanity. But that doesn't make it any easier. And I refuse to take part in it any more. Either you find another mission for me, or I'm done."

"You don't need to say anything," Yoshiteru said. "I understand. In fact, the timing of your decision couldn't be more perfect."

"Huh?"

"Agent Hondou, in your capacity as a non-official cover within the Black Organisation we have one final mission for you. Should you choose to accept, and should we succeed, you'll be able to discard the codename Kir for good, and we will have achieved a major victory against the Men in Black. For the purpose of this mission Elena-san, the FBI and even the Japanese Public Security Bureau have agreed to lend us their full cooperation and assistance."

"I'm in. Tell me more."

Opening

(Escape by Ling Tosite Sigure)

One day I'll decipher the truth behind this elaborate deception

One day I'll find the shining door that leads to the outside

The hidden eyes of this world which have been watching me for so long

Have no idea that now I stare back, more determined than ever to escape!

(Trying new things is refreshing to the soul! Who is Rum? Who is the man behind the mask? That's the question everyone wants answered! But like an animal backed into a corner, Rum isn't afraid to bare his fangs! Perceiving the one and only truth! With the body of a child but the mind of an adult...my name is Detective Conan!)

For years now I've tried everything to stifle my long-standing suspicions

My gut feeling that something was fundamentally wrong with the world

I convinced myself I that I was imagining it, laughing nervously as I talked

I played it straight, lived my life, and drank deeply of all this world had to offer

But I can't take it anymore, I don't know who and what is real anymore

I need to clear my head, to splash cold water on my face, but is the water real?

One day I'll make sense of the inconsistencies that pop up around me

One day I'll piece together this incoherent puzzle which is the truth

One day I'll decipher the truth behind this elaborate deception

One day I'll find the shining door that leads to the outside

The hidden eyes of this world which have been watching me for so long

Have no idea that now I stare back, more determined than ever to escape!

Midnight Pursuit of a Black Specter

"Look, a deer!"

"Huh? I don't see anything!"

"It's right there! You can't…? Oh."

As part of what had become a monthly tradition in this past year, Dr. Agasa was taking the Detective Boys camping. This would be the first trip that included Nancy, though Ran had been a part of such trips before. She had been present during the last trip, which took place shortly before her death.

The Professor's classic yellow Volkswagen Beetle only had five seats in total, three in the back and two in the front. Some level of seat-sharing had already been necessary ever since Haibara began joining them on these trips (and due to Genta's obesity); with Nancy onboard, it was even more crowded.

Genta sat in the front passenger seat. In the back Mitsuhiko and Haibara shared a seat, Nancy and Conan shared a seat, and Ayumi had the left seat to herself.

Mitsuhiko was blushing profusely as Haibara's head leaned against his shoulder, fast asleep.

Nancy looked out the window and gazed out at the lush countryside. "This brings back fond memories. You remember that trip to Saitama ten years back?"

"Yeah," Conan said. "The Professor's rental car was so small we had to share a seat, just like we're doing now. And we looked the same then as we do now, your braids and my glasses aside."

"We were a lot less smart then, though," Nancy pointed out. "And these guys weren't with us then."

"Well, they weren't even alive back then, Haibara excluded," Conan said.

"Plus, I looked a lot different back then," Dr. Agasa chimed in.

Mitsuhiko looked at Haibara and then the Professor. "Did Haibara-san stay up late last night?"

"That she did," Dr. Agasa said. "She streamed Shoudou on Notflix and binge-watched the entire first season."

"Ah, that's the new sports drama starring Higo-san, right?" Ayumi said. "Ai-chan's been telling me how much she really wanted to watch that."

"Yeah," Dr. Agasa said. "The protagonist is named 'Ryosuke Hida' I think, a teenage football (soccer) player who aspires to play for a team called Large Osaka."

How original, Conan thought with a deadpan look.

"Go for it, go for it," Haibara mumbled in her sleep. "Aijou koso ga shoudou."

"Also, she played football for nearly five hours yesterday, so in between those two things she's got to be exhausted," Dr. Agasa said.

"Doesn't that show also have Yoko-chan star as the protagonist's girlfriend?" Nancy pointed out.

"Yoko-chan?" Ayumi said. "You've also met Yoko Okino, Nancy?"

"Once or twice," Nancy said.

"Hey, professor, is that true?" Conan asked. "About Yoko-san being in that show, I mean."

"Uh, yeah," Dr. Agasa said. "Last night I was vacuuming in the living room and I saw a scene with Yoko-san and Higo-san talking."

"But she knows, right?" Conan asked, practically whispering by this point. "I mean, I've told her that other thing…about Yoko-san."

"Yeah, she's aware of that," Dr. Agasa said. "Despite that, she's still a fan of Yoko-san because Higo-san likes her music. She's decided never to meet with Yoko-san again though, knowing how dangerous that person now is. I guess she's decided to be a fan from afar."

Recently, Conan and his allies had learned the truth about Yoko Okino: upon the recent death of the former Boss, the young singer had taken his place as the new Boss of the Black Organisation, making her the single most dangerous living person that Shinichi/Conan had personally met.

From time to time Kogoro had a case which involved Yoko, or he co-starred with her on television commercials and the likes. Conan naturally was with Kogoro during these encounters with Yoko, but at the time he had no idea what an evil person she was. Fortunately, ever since he found out her identity, neither Kogoro nor Conan had any encounters with her, and he sincerely hoped that they never would again.

It was already awkward enough on Saturday nights whenever Kogoro was glued to the TV screen cheering on Yoko loudly and excitedly. In another encounter with her as Conan, how would he act the exact same around the woman as he did before he knew her black secret?

"Ah, professor, is that the camp site?" Genta asked.

"Indeed it is."

"At last!"

"Haibara-san, wake up! We're here!"

Scene Transition

"…Done!"

The tent had been assembled. The Professor, meanwhile, was preparing their dinner.

"Ooh, are you grilling eel by any chance, Professor?" Genta asked.

Dr. Agasa chuckled. "No, this is barbecued ribs. I got this recipe from my friend in America."

"What kind of wood are you using to smoke that?" Conan asked.

"Mesquite," Dr. Agasa answered. "I'm going to add honey, along with a few secret ingredients. This meal will take something like two hours to prepare, so you children should go pl…"

"Mmm, what a nice smoky aroma."

Standing behind the Professor was…

"H-Higo-san!" Conan said. "What are you doing here?"

"We're doing some filming for the latest episode," Ryusuke Higo said. "You've heard about my new show, right?"

"Ah, we were talking about that on the way here!" Mitsuhiko said. "Haibara-san watched the entire first season last night!"

Higo wasn't wearing his soccer uniform, but rather sweatpants and a light jacket. He looked at the little girl with 90s hair. "I remember you. We met during at that Italian restaurant, right? A real shame what happened then. Though it still inspires me how you confronted that bad guy."

Haibara was rendered speechless, and she was blushing so hard about a third of her face was red.

"I…I…" she stammered, not knowing what to say to her idol.

"Ah, and I remember you too, Conan-kun," Higo said. "Are things going well for you?"

Conan nodded. "You said you came here to film the latest episode of your show?"

"That's right," Higo said. "There are some technical difficulties that need resolving, so I've got maybe half an hour before I have to go back."

"H-h-how about a game of football (soccer)?!" Haibara blurted out as loud as she could, still blushing.

"Huh?" Higo said.

"I've been practicing hard!" Haibara declared, embarrassed. "So how about it? It'd mean a lot to me."

Higo chuckled. "Alright. All of you against me. Sound good?"

Scene Transition

And so, the content of Haibara's most frequent daydream, playing football with Ryusuke Higo, came true, albeit not on a peer, professional level. Not yet, anyway.

Due to his large size and, as a result, his low stamina, Genta was the obvious choice for a goalie.

It goes without saying that the six-to-one ratio wasn't enough. Higo still mopped the floor with them, until the scoring was 0-5.

The six detective boys huddled together.

"I've got a plan," Conan said. "It's obvious that we aren't going to win, but at least we can score one goal. So listen up…"

They broke the huddle and took their positions.

Haibara aggressively ran at the ball while Nancy and Mitsuhiko moved to block Higo. They managed to keep the ball out of Higo's grasp for a few seconds, allowing Conan to get into position. Then Haibara kicked it to him.

He bent down, activated his power-enhancing kick shoes, and hit the ball so hard that it went flying into the goal on the other side of the field. Higo was forced to hit the floor really fast to avoid being hit in the face by the ball. Sure enough it was a goal for the Detective Boys.

"Dang, kid," Higo said. "What kind of a kick was that? I've never seen anything like it."

Conan chuckled. "I've been practicing too."

"Nonsense," Higo said. "I don't care how much you practice: no eight year old boy can do what you just did. What's your secret?"

"It's his shoes," Mitsuhiko said.

"His…shoes?" Higo asked.

Conan sighed. "Higo-san, the Professor made me these special shoes that enhance the power of my kicks."

Higo chuckled. "I must admit, I wouldn't believe you if I didn't just witness it for myself. That Professor of yours is one cool guy, that's for sure."

Haibara had gone to the other side of the field and grabbed the ball. She was on her way back whenever…

"Ah, Higo-kun! There you are! I've been looking all over for you!"

Haibara forgot all about the ball and dropped it right then and there.

"Ah, it's Yoko-chan!" Ayumi said excitedly. "You two are here on another date?"

"What? No!" Yoko said with a nervous chuckle. "We're here to film."

"You too?" Genta asked.

"Oh wait, Nancy did say that Yoko-san was in Higo-san's show," Mitsuhiko said. "You play his girlfriend, right?"

"Oh, so you too are dating!" Genta said.

"No, Genta, it's all pretend," Mitsuhiko said.

"Anyway, the issue's been resolved," Yoko said to Higo. "Where were you?"

Higo looked at his watch. "Dang! It's really been that long? Sorry, I guess I lost track of the time playing football with these kids."

He turned to the Detective Boys. "Well, it's been fun, but we've got a scene to shoot."

He walked over to Haibara and ruffled her hair affectionately. "You did good, kid. I'm impressed. Maybe one day you really will be in the big leagues, if you keep at it." Then he walked off with Yoko.

Conan could tell something was wrong by the simple fact that Haibara wasn't ecstatic. He walked over to her.

As Yoko was walking away, she stopped for a moment.

"That girl," she muttered. She turned around and stared at Haibara. It was almost like a glare, really.

Sherry and The Boss made eye contact, which remained unbroken for a solid fifteen seconds. Haibara contemplated running, but Conan put his hand on her shoulder, which calmed her down and allowed the shrunken biochemist to maintain her gaze. She felt like it was a death game: if she lost her nerve, her hunters would be onto her secret identity, and despite her best efforts she'd be dead before the end of the day.

"Yo, what's up?" Higo asked.

"…It's nothing," Yoko said, and the two of them headed back to the filming location.

As soon as they were a good distance away…

"I know what you're thinking," Conan said. "But if you ran just now, whatever suspicions that woman has about you would've been confirmed in an instant. Yoko-san has seen your face several times before now, and you're still alive and well, so your secret must still be safe. Act natural and she'll be less likely to suspect you."

"But how do I do that around the people who want me dead?" she asked.

"By refusing to be afraid of them," Conan said. "The best thing you can do towards that end is to be able to have a casual conversation with Ayumi-chan while those people are watching you."

"Are you crazy?!" Haibara exploded. "If I know they're watching me but I continue to associate with these children, I'll be putting them in Gin's crosshairs! Do you really want that?"

"I'll be frank," Conan said. "Your tendency to run away like a coward in their presence is perhaps your greatest weakness. They've exploited that before, and they'll do it again one day if you don't find a way to deal with your fears."

"Uh, I'd like to know what you two are talking about," Mitsuhiko said.

"Me too," Ayumi said.

"It's nothing," Conan said.

They didn't look convinced.

"Hey, do you guys want to watch Higo-san film up close?" Nancy asked.

Haibara had a panicky look on her face over Nancy's sudden proposal, and she was about to protest loudly when…

"Yeah, that sounds like a great idea!" Conan said. "What do you guys think?"

"Do you really think they'll let us?" Mitsuhiko asked excitedly.

"If we're quiet, sure," Nancy said.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Genta asked. "Come on, let's go!"

Nancy whispered in Haibara's ear, "You should come with us."

Mitsuhiko, Ayumi, Genta, and Nancy went on ahead, leaving Conan and Haibara alone.

"Why did she…?" Haibara began.

"Because you were acting funny just now, right in front of Yoko-san," Conan said. "Ran wants your identity to be safe as much as I do, and I guess she believes the best way to ensure this is for you to watch them film and act like a normal kid around Yoko-san, to compensate for earlier. Plus, she's sure you'd enjoy watching Higo-san up close as he plays his character and says his lines."

"It's a wonder you survived this long, with all the risks you take," Haibara said. "Thanks but no thanks. I can't enjoy myself with one of the Men in Black around, so I'm going back to the campsite. Have fun, and take care that Yoko-san doesn't recognise you as her agent Cognac."

Scene Transition

The two of them walked along the hiking trail, leaves floating gently in the breeze. They stepped onto a wooden bridge erected over a gently flowing creek.

"I'm not sure if I'm cut out to be a professional football player," he said.

"B-but, to play for Large Osaka is all you've ever wanted to do!" she protested.

"I know, but now that I'm in, it's like everything's different," he said. "I never have time for anything else anymore. It's just practice, practice, practice all the time. I had to call in sick just so we could meet like this."

"What? You skipped practice?!" she said.

"Look, we haven't seen each other in like three weeks," he said. "Is being a star athlete worth everything that I'm missing? Being with you, with my old friends. I'm even starting to miss my brothers and sisters now. I just…I don't know what to do."

She put her hand on his shoulder. "Hey, if you're not happy playing for Large Osaka…then you have my permission to quit. Don't remain in a miserable situation just to avoid disappointing other people. If you just want to go home, I won't hold that against you. But think very carefully before you make a decision: this is your lifelong dream we're talking about. I don't want to be something that holds you back from that."

She walked away, leaving him alone to make his decision. He leaned against the railing of the small wooden bridge and sighed.

"AAAANNNDD CUUUUTTTT!"

The camera stopped rolling.

"Oh man, that was rich!" the producer said. "The viewers are gonna eat this up! Our ratings are gonna go through the roof, I tell ya! The roof! Ooh, it just makes me giddy thinking about all the money we're gonna rake in for this one! Yeah!"

"Finally," Yoko said.

It had been their seventeenth take.

"So, there any more scenes to shoot here?" Higo asked.

"Yeah, one more," the producer, 51 year old Donpei Mizumoto, said. "Hey Mutsuki, you got all that, right?"

Mutsuki Inaba, age 32, the camera operator, nodded. "Yeah, it's all here on the camera."

A man, 33 year old Asao Motoyama, the script supervisor, was returning from the bathroom.

"Uh oh," a woman, 26 year old Kusako Oryo, the make-up artist, said. "Yoko-san, your hair's starting to look a bit messy. Here, let me fix it for you."

"So uh, tell me about this next scene," Higo said.

"Actually, this scene is for the next episode, but me and Donpei-san figured it'd be a waste to come back here a second time when we could just go ahead and shoot the scene now," Asao said.

"So what happens?" Yoko asked.

"Oh, you're gonna like this," Asao said. "Ryosuke Hida and Yuko Akino meet at this same place, and he tells her he's gonna keep on playing for Large Osaka. Not wanting to be a distraction for his budding career, she breaks up with him."

"Of course, it'd be strange if you two had the exact same outfits on a different day," Kusako said.

"Understood," Ryusuke said. "If you'll hand me my costume I'll go change in a bathroom."

"I trust you know where it is?" Mutsuki asked.

Ryusuke nodded.

And so he, Yoko, and Kusako headed for the bathroom facility to change costumes.
"Aaaah, so this is what filming's like!" Ayumi said excitedly.

"We are so lucky!" Mitsuhiko said. "I'm gonna start watching this show, if only to see what these two scenes look like on TV!"

"This is kind of boring," Genta said. "I wonder if the Professor's done with those ribs yet. I'm heading back."

"Yeah, me too," Nancy said.

"Hey, Nancy," Conan said. "If you're going back to the campsite, could you keep an eye on you-know-who?"

Nancy nodded.

Scene Transition

Genta and Nancy returned to the campsite.

"Huh? The two of you are back already?" Dr. Agasa said. "Well, I guess that means more company for Ai-kun."

"Where is she, by the way?" Nancy asked.

"Uh, in the tent, I think," the Professor answered.

Nancy entered the tent, but Haibara wasn't in there. Rather, she was behind the tent, staring out at the woods.

"Uh, hey," Nancy said. "What are you doing?"

"I'm thinking," Haibara said.

"About what?"

"About whether or not I should call that man."
"That man?" Nancy asked.

"Shuichi Akai."

Nancy/Ran thought back. She met Shuichi Akai on several occasions. In New York two years ago, on the sidewalk one snowy night..."Why?"

"The Boss of that Organisation saw my face. She took a good look at me, for several seconds. I think she knows. If that's the case, then I don't have a lot of time. They're going to send someone after me. I can't trust any adult, not even the Professor. Rum might kill him and assume his identity so as to get close to me before piercing my temple with a bullet."

"If you can't trust any adult, then can you trust Akai-san?" Nancy pointed out. "What if Rum assumes his identity and takes you away in his car? You're safer with us: if this Rum tries anything, he's likely going to isolate you first."

"You don't get it, do you?" Haibara exploded. "The Men in Black don't care about civilian casualties. If they must kill everyone I care about to get to me, they'll do it. In a heartbeat. That's why I must get away now, before children are put in danger."

"Where will you go?" Nancy asked.

"The Witness Protection Program," Haibara answered. "I'll tell the FBI everything I know, and in exchange they'll help me start a new life elsewhere. They offered me this before, and I turned them down. Now it would seem that I have no choice."

"You don't know that," Nancy said. "Yoko-san may be suspicious, but for the time being that's it. They don't know what the shrinking pill does, right? If they did, they'd try to contact Conan Edogawa whenever they wanted to meet with Cognac, wouldn't they?"

"Yeah, but…"

"You do realise, I'm assuming, that if you join the Witness Protection Program you'll be forced to cut all ties with everyone you know. This second chance at life that you've managed to make for yourself, you'll have to throw that away."

"Well, maybe I can at least work alongside my parents," Haibara said. "I'm sure there's something I can do to advance their cause, and I'll be with my little brother too."

"Yes, but you hardly know those people," Nancy said. "Even though they're your family. You're with Mitsuhiko, Ayumi, Genta, and Conan on a daily basis. Besides, as it stands right now you're able to stay in contact with both. Are you willing to give that up?"

"Like I said, I have no choice," Haibara said. "I'm going to make the call now."

She began dialing the number, and Nancy grabbed Haibara's arm.

"I've got a better idea," Nancy said. "If this works, the threat to your life will pass, and you'll be able to stay where you are now. Do you trust me?"

"No," Haibara said. "I understand that you mean me no harm, but I hardly know you even after all this time."

"You're going to have to," Nancy said. "Because if you join the Witness Protection Program, then I'll follow suit."

Haibara scoffed. "Not possible."

"Oh but I know something," Nancy said. "Something that neither you nor Shinichi know. I remember the man who killed me."

"Gin."

"No, someone else."

"What?"

"I know it's hard to believe, but Gin wasn't my killer. It was someone else, someone who was dressed up to look like Gin. Definitely Organisation-related though. Methinks the FBI will want to know."

"Wait, you remember details of the night of your death?!" Haibara said.

"Yeah. I know that shouldn't be possible, but somehow it happened to me."

"…No, it isn't necessarily impossible. ELXR-0666 was developed recently, so we still know little about its full effects. It's possible that a phenomenon like what you just described may affect a small percentage of people revived by it. Anyway, you remember who your killer was?"

"Yeah."

"Tell me."
"Nope, because this little tidbit will help get me into the Witness Protection Program."

"D**n you, Mouri! This isn't your fight!"

"If you choose to run away from this, it will be. So I'll ask again: do you trust me?"

Scene Transition

The film crew was taking a break. Donpei, Kusako, Asao, Yoko, and Ryusuke sat down at a park table. Mutsuki returned from the car with a large bag. In that bag was the lunches for the six of them.

He began to take stuff out of the bag.

"Alright, let's eat!" Ryusuke said.

"Uh, who has this chopped salad with matsutake mushrooms?" Mutsuki asked.

"That'd be me," Donpei said.

He handed the plastic tray/container to Donpei.

Asao looked at his phone. "Uh, I've got to answer a missed call from a friend. I'll be back in a few minutes."

He got up and walked away.

Mutsuki handed out the other lunch items to his coworkers. Ryusuke had a club sandwich and a small bag of chips. He looked at Conan, Mitsuhiko, and Ayumi.

"You guys hungry?" he asked.

"Uh, no, the Professor's cooking for us," Mitsuhiko said.

"Oh yeah, that's right," Ryusuke recalled.

This is nice, Conan thought with a smile. That producer seems to be something of a moneygrubber, but not an outright jerk. Maybe we can have a good trip without any murders this time.

Scene Transition

"And cut."

Filming was over at last.

"So we can go home now?" Ryusuke asked.

"…Yeah," Donpei said.

"Donpei-san? Are you okay?" Yoko asked.

"Yeah, you don't look so good," Asao said.

Donpei clutched his chest, and…

He fell to the floor.

"Donpei-san!"

"Somebody quick, call an ambulance!"

"While you're at it, call the police."

"Huh? Why, Conan-kun?"

"Because…this man may have been murdered."