"You're gonna be gone all weekend?" Conan repeated. Ran sighed.
"At the Karate Tournament. Don't you two ever listen to me?" She answered. She was packing clothes into a heavy duffle bag. Kogoro and Conan stood by, incredulous.
"I'm supposed to babysit this brat for two whole days?" Kogoro demanded.
"Hey!" Conan snapped back. It's not like I wanna spend my free time with you, old man. He thought.
"You two will be fine." She assured them "I have all your meals in the fridge. All you have to do is warm them up in the microwave. Oh!" She reached into her pocket and produced two small slips of paper. "And look! I got you both tickets to a baseball game. I thought you'd enjoy a boy's only weekend."
"Hey, right behind home plate!" Kogoro brightened looking at the tickets "Not bad!"
Ran smiled, pleased with herself. She zipped her bag and swung it over her shoulder. Conan found himself smiling. He wouldn't mind a baseball game, either. A car horn honked outside.
"That's my ride." She said "You two be good while I'm gone!"
"Well, good luck at your tournament." Kogoro said. She waved and trotted off down the stairs. The two watched her car pull away through the second floor windows. They looked sidelong at each other.
"Look here, bowtie." He said "I've got better things to do that chase you all day. Why don't you stay here and I'll find a nice young lady to take with me to this game." He straightened his tie and laughed.
Conan scowled.
"Fine, I'll just call up Ran and…" He grinned impishly. Kogoro growled at him.
"Alright, alright, I get it pipsqueak." He said. "Go get ready."
Conan smiled triumphantly and pulled his shoes onto his feet but at he was tying the laces, it broke in his hand.
"Bad luck." Kogoro said disinterestedly, looking down at him. "Just wear the other pair that Ran bought for you last week."
Conan hesitated. He didn't like going out without his gadgets. He still had his bowtie and his watch. He should be able to make-do in an emergency if he had to. After all, it was just a baseball game. They weren't going out on a case. Conan changed out his super sneakers for his other pair. Kogoro slipped into his own shoes.
They rode together in the back seat of a cab, Kogoro leaning against the door and watching the buildings fly by. Conan hadn't been to a baseball game in years. It would be fun to have an afternoon off. They pulled up in front of a busy stadium and Conan leapt out.
He was always amazed by how much bigger everything seemed from a child's eyes. The towering walls of the stadium, the jostling sea of people. He laughed in spite of himself. Kogoro appeared next to him as the cab drove off.
"Come on," He said "Let's go get our seats. First pitch in a few minutes."
They wrestled their way through the people. Unlike Ran, Kogoro did not hold Conan's hand so he often struggled to make a path and follow behind Kogoro. They stopped at the snack bar where Kogoro bought himself a beer. He sipped it as they walked, counting the sections until they found the right one. The climbed the concrete stairs and settled into their seats.
"Wow," Conan said admiringly "These are really great seats. Good job, Ran-Chan!"
"Yeah, you can see everything!" Kogoro agreed. He paused. "You know anything about baseball, kid?"
"My dad used to take me to games when I was little." Conan said nodded. Kogoro scowled. Conan realized his slip and quickly added "You know, when I was in kindergarten before I came to stay with you Kogoro-ojisan!"
The announcer began to bellow over the loudspeakers and their attentions turned to the field. It wasn't long before they were engrossed in the game, cheering and shouting . Kogoro bought several more beers and found himself in a very good mood by the sixth inning. He'd even bought Conan a sticky cotton candy from a vendor. As their team stole the lead, Kogoro and Conan leapt from their seats and cheered, waving their fists and stomping their feet. The player slid into home base.
"Oh boy," Kogoro said admiringly "What a game."
The man rose from the cloud of dust, beating his pants legs and chest. Conan lowered himself back into the uncomfortable stadium seat. Kogoro slowly followed suit, his eyes still fixed on the baseball diamond. Another man was sauntering up to bat. Without looking, Kogoro reaching into his coat and removed his wallet.
"Here," He said, waving it at Conan "Why don't you go buy us some hot dogs?"
"Sure." Conan took the wallet and leapt out of the seat. He shoved it into his pocket and began to climb the stairs back to the concession area. The sun was warm and pleasant. The baseball park brought back pleasant memories of his childhood. He reached the top of the stairs and took his place in the long queue formed at the hot dog vendor. He waited patiently, surrounded by mostly half-drunk men who rattled off statistics and gossip about the players of either team. No one seemed to notice him at all.
After almost a full fifteen minutes, it was his turn at the vendor. Barely able to reach the counter, he laid his bills down and called politely for two hot dogs. The vendor set out making them and asked him to step aside. When he did so, he bumped against the kneecap of a tall man. He looked to only be in his early twenties, maybe even late teens, but his face was sunken and slack. His eyes were deep set and rimmed by black rings. In contrast, his clothes looked new and well-cared for. He wore a cap for the opposing team. Conan took a step backwards.
"Sorry, Onii-san, excuse me." Conan bowed slightly.
"No worries, boya." The man answered pleasantly. "Are you waiting here for your father? Or your mother?"
"No," Conan answered "I am just buying some food."
"I see," the man rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Conan took another step backward from the man, feeling uncomfortable. The man's eyes followed him carefully. The vendor called out his order and Conan turned to take it from the counter. He suddenly felt the familiar tug of an adult pulling his collar and the painful weightlessness and pressure on his neck. For a moment, he was too stunned to cry out. He felt himself be pulled around a corner in a small alcove and dropped heavily on the ground.
"Hey, what's the idea!?" He shouted at the man but felt himself pushed against a wall by a second man who had been waiting in the shadows and fingers rummaging through his pockets. The man swiftly relieved him of Kogoro's wallet, his watch and anything that was hiding in his pockets.
"Nice watch, kid." The first man smirked. He slipped all his goods into his pocket, without checking them. He pushed Conan away and down to the ground. The two men towered over him. The second man, who looked much older than the first, reached down and tugged Conan to his feet by his hair. Conan cried out. The man struck him.
"Another noise out of you kid, and you'll see what happens." He growled. The first man glanced between them. Conan's face stung and pain radiated through his jaw. His ear rang loudly. The man had smacked him hard and without mercy. It obviously didn't matter to him that he was just a child.
"Let's get out of here." He said nervously "Before security comes around."
"We're taking him with us." The second man said.
"What? Why?" The first man demanded.
"This kid will make us more money than a few pickpockets at the ballgame." The second man said. He reached into his pockets and produced a roll of duct tape and a rag. He approached Conan. Conan made to bolt by the man grabbed him and easily overpowered him. He shoved the rag between Conan's teeth and taped it closed. He then taped Conan's wrists and ankles.
I can't get free, Conan thought desperately I'm too weak!
"Get the bag!" The second man growled, struggling with the writhing Conan. After a moment's hesitation, the younger man produced a duffle bag half full of their daily spoils. Conan tossed his head, doing the only thing he could think of in such a hopeless situation. His glasses flew off his face and clattered to the ground a few feet away. Then, Conan found himself shoved into the bag and zipped into hot, closed darkness.