7:30

"Conan Kun! Time to wake up!" The sweet, kind voice of the love of his life woke him from his dreamless slumber. Usually he was the one that got up the earliest but today was unusual.

Shinichi opened his eyes slowly but steadily. He looked around his tidy, neatly organized room as his eyes adjusted to the light. When he tried to get up, his movements were constrained by his blankets.

He tilted his head to the desk holding his lamp. The book he was reading was closed, and unbookmarked much to his dismay. Dust covered the desk except for a small head like area.

I must have fallen asleep while reading. And Ran probably picked me up and tucked me in. Shinichi was a bit bashful from the idea of Ran touching him but he smiled anyway. He was grateful for the affection and charity.

Then again it had its drawbacks. "C'mon…" Shinichi spun and twisted his boyish body in an attempt to escape his straightjacket like prison. He ended up falling off the bed hitting his head on the floor.

"Hey brat! Get down here while the breakfast is warm! If you don't I'll eat it all you mooch!"

He wasn't kidding. Kogoro was more childish and immature then Shinichi could ever pretend to be. I'm the reason you're famous old man. If anything, your mooching off me and Ran.

Shinichi got dressed quickly, putting on his miniature blue suit and glasses. He ran excitedly down the stairs and into the living room. Ran was busy frying some eggs and bacon, while Kogoro did what Kogoro did best, drink and take up space.

Ran turned to Shinichi smiling with the trademark sparkle in her eyes. "Ohayo, Conan kun! Did you have sweet dreams?"

Maybe of you. Shinichi smiled, feeling a mixture of guilt and pride of the silent retort.

"Ohayo, Ran Nee-Chan! Were you the one who tucked me in?" Shinichi questioned, already knowing the answer.

"Of course, Conan Kun. You know you shouldn't read till you fall asleep. It's bad for you neck."

Shinichi blushed, rubbing the back of his neck, closing his eyes in embarrassment. The truth was, most of the books given out to his class were dull, uninspired or stupid. And since Shinichi had to keep up the mask of a normal seven year old boy, he didn't really have any chances to keep his brain from turning to mush.

So, he had walked down to the library, and begged the librarian to let him borrow a collection of Sherlock Holmes stories, plus a copy of No Longer Human. The librarian was aghast when she heard the last one and had tried to refuse, saying that it wasn't appropriate for someone his age. But Shinichi had long since mastered the art of the "puppy dog eyes" and managed to weaken her resolve.

"Hey why didn't you tuck me in?" Kogoro whined.

Because you're a grown man. Ran was less cruel but more to the point. "You were up all night trying to win Yoko tickets. Our phone bill is going to be enormous!"

Kogoro flinched and quickly shut his mouth. "Jeez…" Conan couldn't make out the rest of his mumbling.

"Alright! Breakfast is done!"

Shinichi and Kogoro excitedly raced to make their plates. Ran was a great cook, and Shinichi was starving.

Kogoro immediately pushed Conan out of the way, a gargantuan immature grin on his face.

"Breakfast!" Kogoro roared.

"Hey! Not fair!" Shinichi couldn't even reach the counter, having to get on his tip toes and wave his hands up in the air comically in a vain attempt to reach it.

As Kogoro filled his plate, Ran immediately chopped his neck, catching his falling plate with his other hand.

"Hey! Don't rush you two!"

Shinichi and Kogoro both jerked back in fear. Ran may have been a nurturing caregiver to both "Conan" and her father, but they both knew about Ran's fury too well to continue. It kept them both from killing each other and was probably one of the few things they had in common.

"I'm sorry Nee-Chan." Shinichi apologized, part out of guilt and part out of using the puppy eye trick he used on the librarian.

Ran's features softened. "It's okay Conan-Kun. Here." Ran gave him Kogoro's plate.

"Thanks Nee-Chan!" Conan walked smiled and walked to the table, only to have Kogoro noogie him while Ran was cleaning up.

"That was revenge for earlier!"

Conan sighed. Great. Today is starting off spectacular.

8:10

"Nee-Chan you didn't have to…" Conan blushed as Ran handed him his bento box.

"No, Conan-Kun! It's my pleasure." You deserve it after all. They both walked outside the agency with Sonoko waiting in front and with the Detective boys slowly walking to meet Conan.

Conan ran off, his face beat red and a smile on his face.

Ran wished she had that level of excitement, not knowing that sometimes she did match it blow for blow. "Have fun at school, Conan-Kun!" Ran waved him off.

Sonoko chuckled. "When are you going to make Shinichi's lunch?"

Ran blushed. "Sonoko! How many times do I have to have to tell you not to do that!"

"Okay. If you don't like Shinichi, I know a couple guys who have a crush on-"

Ran waved her hands and blushed even harder. "No-no-no thanks, I'm good!"

Sonoko laughed even harder. "Yeah, you'd probably scare them away." Sonoko made a chop in the air, receiving a sigh from Ran in response. Thankfully Sonoko stopped teasing her, for at least a moment as they walked to school.

"So how come you packed the brat's lunch? Didn't you tell he likes to pretend to be an adult all the time?"

"You're just like dad Sonoko. You really shouldn't underestimate him. I caught him reading a Osamu Dazai book yesterday."

Sonoko was less than impressed. "Like he can read Kanji. He was probably using it to hide his gum and boogers."

Ran sighed. Conan did like to act more like a grown up then a kid. It sometimes worried her, because he often got himself in trouble…

Then again, it was probably something that was unique to Conan. He was surprisingly mature and independent for his age, often cleaning up after himself, cooking his own meals, even helping with Dad's cases. Distant or not, he really is related to Shinichi.

But he was still a child. He needed to be protected at all costs. Good thing the elementary school was so close to the high school. Ran couldn't imagine her dad, getting out to help him. They fought like Cats and Dogs.

Sonoko interrupted her friends recollecting. "Ran, look!"

Ran turned to face where Sonoko was pointing. In the park was a huge mass of young women, getting autographs from a plain looking man with long black silky hair surrounded by bodyguards.

"Who's he?"

Sonoko looked astounded that Ran didn't have inkling of whoever that man was supposed to be. "That's Daisuke Ito! He's the handsomest bachelor in all of Japan! How do you not know him, his father's the governor of Tokyo!"

Ran sighed a bit bemused at her friend's obsession with every "pretty" boy she saw. She really wished she had just one crush, like her and Shin-

Suddenly someone bumped into her. Ran turned around to apologize but froze.

Standing behind her was a man in a grey oddly patterned trenchcoat, his face heavily bandaged, and wearing a wooden kasa. Ran reflexively went into a stance, but all he did was briefly stop and tip his circular aviators at the girls before walking off.

"Jeez, what's that freaks deal?"

Ran didn't reply yet. He's walking towards dad's office. She had a bad feeling about him. Ran went to follow but Sonoko grabbed her by the hand.

"C'mon, Ran! I want to meet my new boyfriend!" She looked quite confident in her wooing abilities. Then again, she always looked confident

"Sonoko…" Ran was dragged off by her to stand at the wait at the back of the line. It seemed to stretch on for miles, all the way from the center of the park to the end of the street. Ran sighed and went along with her friend. She seemed really excited and Ran didn't really want to ruin it for her. Surely the line couldn't take that long.

15 minutes later…

Ran checked her phone, and gasped.

"We're going to be late!" Ran grabbed Sonoko by the collar and dragged her kicking and screaming towards the school, apologizing for pushing away the rancorous mob of young women the whole time.

She was unaware that someone was watching them.

9:20

As his ever so punctual daughter practically carried her ever so perpetually lovelorn friend to school, Kogoro was busy enjoying his alone time.

His desk was covered in empty beer bottles, crumpled newspapers, unread fan letters, discarded candy wrappers and other junk that Ran would certainly make him clean up once she got home. His cheap microwaved Miso soup was stained all over his cheap blue suit and nicely trimmed mustache, giving him the look of a little kid eating sloppily.

Kogoro laughed to himself. Here he was finally away from Ran and the snot nosed brat and able to do anything he wanted. He had cancelled all his appointments, and put out a sign on the door saying that the agency was closed. He decided to open the drawer and put in his favorite CD, just to make everything perfect.

KNOCK KNOCK

"Huh?" Kogoro groaned. Either Ran or god forbid Conan had returned or someone was stupid enough not to read the sign. Maybe if I ignore it they'll go away…

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

"Hey, can't you read the sign, we're closed!"

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

"Hey cut it out! Didn't you hear me, I said we're closed! If you don't go away I'll call the cops!" There was ten seconds of silence and Kogoro thought he had got the message.

KNOCK KNOCK RING KNOCK KNOCK RING

Kogoro growled, his face twisted in fury. He picked up his pants and put them on, his pace quickening with every knock and ring of the doorbell. It seemed to get faster and faster, pissing Kogoro off more and more.

"Damnit, it better not be you Conan!" He walked to the door, opened it and froze.

Standing slightly left of the doorway was a monster. He was dressed in a grey trench coat that covered his entire body. But that wasn't what freaked Kogoro out.

His face from the nose down was covered in gauze, giving him the look of some kind of villain. Kogoro screamed and tried to slam the door shut, but the monster grabbed the edge before it completely closed, his gloved hand being inches away from being crushed.

The man sighed. I get trying to slam the door but why did you scream? What're you a little girl?

Kogoro was too afraid to retort. But the man laughed and got to the point. "Relax old man! I'm just here to talk about a matter of business."

He made it sound like it was no more important than discussing the weather. Kogoro frowned and scrunched his eyebrows, suspious of the man's calm mood. "What do you mean?"

"May I come in? People may think I'm robbing you. Or sneaking in to have a affair."

Kogoro finally admitted the man in. Rude or not, he didn't want anyone taking pictures and making up rumors about him.

The man walked around the house for a bit. He seemed to be restless, pacing back and forth from the living room, to the kitchen, to Kogoro's office.

Kogoro was getting impatient. How long was he going to drag this out? His attention kept being dirverted out of boredom. He was about to say something until the man sighed again and pressed his glasses to the bridge of his nose. "The police won't believe me. I guess if you're not a teenage savant or in your case some sort of drunken savant, they don't care what a Private Eye discovers out of curiosity."

Kogoro gave a skeptical look. "If the police don't believe you what makes you think, I'll believe you?"

"Because your famous. Maybe not for long but people somehow seem to respect you. If you make a fuss-"

"HEY! I'm getting sick and tired of the jabs! I'm famous because I'm a great detective, not because I'm some sort of shyster!"

"Oh, really? Well, let's put that to the test. What do ya notice about me in forty seconds or less?"

Kogoro was taken aback. "What?"

"Hmm, if you're not up to the task then I guess I'll call this my victory." He started to walk out but Kogoro grabbed his arm. The threat to his ego was clearly more dangerous to him than any gun or knife ever would.

"Okay buster you're on! Let's see… You obviously have some sort of injury to the lower half of your face judging by your bandages. You are a young man… Uh… You have horrible fashion sense?"

Kogoro drew a blank for the last seconds. The man chuckled.

"Well that's certainly more than I'd thought you'd get! Gotta give you credit there… Okay, my turn now. You're a drinker, a slob, a divorcee, a family man with two kids, one a young women another a little boy. You're cocky, lazy, arrogant, and a bit of a lecher."

The man smiled at the glassy look in Kogoro's eyes. "Did I miss anything?"

"How did you…" Kogoro snarled, a vein popping in his head. "How the hell did you know all that! That was just luck!"

The man tilted his head and rested it on his hand. "Really? So it's all true? Well I can tell you how I know that its all true. Let's start with the obvious ones."

"I can tell you're a divorcee due to the lack of pictures of your wife when your daughter is older and the tan line on your finger. Of course this could mean that your wife is dead but that would mean she died when your your daughter was young and then the line wouldn't be so faded, because you'd wear it all the time. You could've remarried or be in a relationship but..."

"I can tell you're a slob due to the state of your desk and clothes. However the rest of the house is clean meaning that someone else takes great care of it. Your a drinker due to the smell of cheap booze in your breath and the mountains of alcohol at your desk." The man inclined his brow. I can tell you're a lecher cause while I was glancing around your office you gazed at a woman who was bent over in the street. Plus the magazines hidden in the-"

"Okay! Enough I get it do you ever shut up?"

The man laughed even louder. "Relax, old man i'm just busting your balls! While you may have been a bit of a disappointment I sense a kindred spirit. After all anybody who could have a nice mustache deserves to be at least that much."

"I may come back later to ask your daughter some questions about that missing cutie Kudo but right now I have to move my stuff in at my apartment." He reached into his pocket and gave Kogoro his card. He saluted Kogoro and left.

What the hell just happened? Kogoro groaned. It sounded like he was moving in to Beika. He wasn't looking forward to seeing him again.

Wait.

He was stopped in his train of thought by something he said. It didn't sound right to him. Did he say Kudo was missing?

10:11

On most day's the Tokyo Metropolitan Police was packed like a can of Sardines, filled with constant noise from the rushing patrolmen, emergency calls from people reporting a crime, the typing of reports on outdated machinery and ornery suspects arguing and fighting for their innocence or guilt. The only thing they share was how numerable they were. That was the rule of big cities, especially living inside one of the largest cities on earth.

Today was quiet. The few calls they had received that had been handled quickly and discreetly

Detective Megure never though he would wish that Kogoro was still on the force. He was great detective and he would always respect that about him. However his newly found brilliance in solving crimes that had them stumped, had made him famous and had gone to his head. Though he was happy to call Kogoro his friend he didn't like his arrogance or ego.

He would have preferred Shinichi Kudo even more but when he asked Kudo-san about his only child's whereabouts, he was told he had gone abroad to solve a case and it was really perplexing.

That's a new one, Kudo being unable to solve a case? The kid was smarter then they could ever be, a real up and comer. Though some detectives were understandably annoyed and thought of him as a callow upstart, he would have been proud to see him become a detective.

Though… He wondered if even Kudo could have solved these ones.

The start of it was the presses fault. The press is a police officer's greatest enemy, along with lawyers and bureaucracy. A grieving mother had reported that her daughter had gone missing and when they couldn't find any leads she reported it to the newspapers.

The Vultures started digging and found something juicy for the tabloids and infuriating for the police.

Over forty female Korean migrants had disappeared in Tokyo over the last five years, all of them between twelve and twenty seven. Of course the cops looked for the kids but he and they were certain that the teenagers and adults had either moved or ran away. There was nothing that could be done if people didn't want to be found.

But that didn't stop the press from making it into a fiasco. They started printing tales about sex rings, that the Yakuza had kidnapped them, that native Japanese were next. They started connected other missing girls to their fictional problem and Megure could imagine how well business was going. While thankfully it didn't get as bad as It could have, the fallout was quite high. Uyoku Dantai and immigrants had clashed while protesting. It took fifty cops to drag them away from each other.

But that was just small potatoes, a waste of time and police resources. They had more pressing issues to deal with. For starters there was the "Suicide Club."

It was nickname for a group of ninety nine people who had committed suicide in the past six month's. They had no shared history, no shared gender, no shared age, nothing. The ways they had committed suicide varied as well. If they didn't share one thing it wouldn't have been even noticed.

All had an eye crossed out with an X drawn, painted, sometimes even carved near or on the victim. They had missed it at first, thinking it was just graffiti until they had started seeing later cases.

They had no clue what was going on. It wasn't for Kogoro connecting the cases to each other (how that man could solve any case sitting down and with his eyes clothes was mystery) they would know nothing. They still knew nothing. They had tons of theories but for naught.

"Inspector! Inspector!"

Takagi came rushing into his office, before tripping and busting his nose on his desk. "Are you alright!?"

He groaned and answered the worried detective, giving him a dopey grin.

"We have a tip on a Yakuza gun trafficking nest. T-t-their requesting all available men. Ow..."

Megure beamed and laughed heartilly. Finally something that didn't require a supercomputer to solve! Just some good old fashioned police work.

"Get up Takagi! Your with Sato. Let's move!"

Takagi sprang up and rushed out the door with him.

11: 30

They were all at lunch now. Ai too.

She wasn't convinced it was a threat.

That was for the best. He had told Haibara the jist of what he found but that's about it. He had said to wait until they were walking home to give the group the pretense of an invite so he and Shinichi could talk about it privately.. Though it was a distinct probability that either Ai would tell him anyway or he'd figure out something was wrong.

He had woke up early. The only reason he had done was because he was working on a invention that had taken days of his time and Ai insisted that he get some sleep. When he glanced out the window, he noticed that Shinichi's door was open.

Shinichi didn't tell him about any visits and even then it was never this late. Someone had clearly broken into Shinichi's house. Agasa put on his underwear, and kimono, grabbed a flashlight and ran out the house screaming, somehow not waking up Ai.

For an adult she sure slept like a baby.

Even with the flashlight, Agasa kept tripping and making a lot of noise. That would've have been enough to scare any burglers but he was still cautious. He made into his friend's house more silently then before, his heart being swallowed inside his chest.

What he saw inside the house worried and confused his elderly brain as he tried to make sense of it all.

The Eye Graffiti…

The dead Cat…

The stolen photo's.

And what worried him worst of all.

A letter he had found, challenging Shinichi to stop him from killing.

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FINALLY! DAMNNNN this took forever! This was an editing nightmare, so much shit to put in, so much shit to remove, getting the character's right, procrastinating, having a short mental breakdown, everything that could go wrong, DID go wrong.

Anyway, so this is DC fic but with a few twists…

First i'm combining genres. Some Noir, Some classic Detective ingredients, some J Horror and other genres I don't have time to mention.

Don't worry next update will be one of my ongoing stories yoy can count on it! Can't wait for TPOLM can you?

Me either.

(;

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