Wataru Takagi was slowly piecing the evidence together... But one question remained unanswered: How?
The people around Tohto Tower dispersed within the hour, and the media started to pack up the cameras, headed to the next story. A couple passed where Takagi was standing, saying,
"That boy sure was something! To be able to defuse a bomb when you're only seven? Amazing..."
"He did have the police officer telling him what to do though..."
No... Takagi thought. Conan-kun was always one step ahead of my directions. He knew all along what to do. So, why did he have me read him the instructions? Why didn't he just tell me he knew how?
Because I wouldn't believe him. Who would? A seven-year-old diffusing a bomb? If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes I would've never believed it either. Did he know that? Did he know if I didn't see it I wouldn't believe?
Where is Conan-kun, anyway? Takagi looked around. Cars, busses, people, police officers...
Conan-kun!
Takagi heard a little girl's voice. He turned quickly, noticing Agasa-hakase's bright yellow Beetle. Ayumi jumped out.
"Conan-kun!" She cried and hugged the boy tightly.
"Conan-kun!" Two boys, Mitsuhiko and Genta, yelled. They were half-relieved because Conan was alive, but also half-angry because, yet again, Conan was hugging Ayumi.
And then a girl, looking no older than the others, emerged from the vehicle. "Edogawa-kun?" She spoke calmly, but with purpose, and the four others turned to her.
"Yeah?" The boy known as "Conan Edogawa" answered.
"Come here for a second."
As the boy started for the girl known as "Ai Haibara," Mitsuhiko called to them: Ah! You're doing it again! You're going to talk about confusing stuff again!"
Just in time Agasa-hakase answered, "Now, now, let's not yell. I know! How about the thing you've all been waiting for: a quiz!"
The three children moaned, but in the end were stumped by his clever question. However, that was the last thing on the other two's minds.
"Kudo-kun, I know you must've done something stupid in from of Takagi-keiji. Spit it out."
"I didn't do anything too bad..."
"Diffusing a bomb?"
"I didn't want to die in there, you know!"
"What if he figured out your identity?!" She whispered harshly.
"It's OK. I-" Just then he remembered. Crap...
"What?" The girl demanded.
Takagi had been quickly making his way to the boy (he wasn't sure what to call him), when he saw the what had happened.
There's a definite separation between the kids behind Agasa-hakase and the ones answering his quiz, he observed. In more ways then one. Is it possible that the doctor and other girl know something too? He slowly walked to the two whispering, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible... Of course, it failed. When he crossed the 50 meter range, the range he could almost hear their conversation, they both turned.
Crap... He thought. He searched for an excuse.
"Ahhh, Conan-kun," it felt strange to call the boy when he was questioning his identity,"the, uh, headquarters needs your statement..."
Immediately, both demeanors changed.
"OK!" "Conan" called. Almost unrealistically childlike. He ran to Takagi's side. Takagi caught a silent look from the other child, saying something indecipherable to anyone but the recipient. She then turned, and joined the other children.
"Hey, Takagi-keiji... Don't you need my statement?" A voice beside him forced him back to reality.
"Oh, yeah, uh..."
"You don't need my statement." It was a fact.
Takagi looked into the face of a boy who had the body of a child, and the mind of an adult. "You're right. I don't." They waited in silence. Takagi finally couldn't hold the question in any longer. "Who are you? And, if you're who I think you are, how and-and why?"
The boy looked away, his expression conflicted. "I can't tell you."
"Why?"
The boy known as Conan Edogawa looked right into Takagi's eyes.
"Because I can't put any more people in danger than I already have."
