Author's Note: Thanks for all the reviews! I believe that I've already answered all of them, but if I haven't, I'm sorry! I'm going to try to make the plot much more complicated and mess with your minds a bit (hehe…) but nothing's decided yet. So...enjoy!
P.S. I decided to leave Chianti and Korn out of the helicopter because since Gin doesn't appear to want to kill Irish right now, it'd be kind of useless to bring snipers. Just a notice. They still have guns, just no rifles.
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"Hakase, don't you try to sneak off your diet again," Ai said, hands on her hips. Hakase looked away, somewhat embarrassed at the tone used towards a child directed at him. The two had just returned from the grocery store, laden with bags of all sizes, which they were painstakingly hauling towards Hakase's house.
"I…" Hakase frowned and stopped before he could finish his sentence. "What's a helicopter doing here at this time?"
Ai shrugged. "I don't believe there was a Kid heist, so it can't be that. It's nothing of importance, Hakase. I think you're diet is of much more importance than a random helicopter flying through the night."
Hakase sighed. "Right-o, Ai-kun (A/N: For some reason, Hakase usually says "Ai-kun" instead of "Ai-chan", which is why I used it here.) My diet. Good for me."
Ai bit back a smile. "Yes, Hakase, a diet is good for you."
The two unlocked the door and let themselves, along with the groceries, in. There was a sharp click of a lock and the lights turned on inside. Through the windows, it was possible to vaguely see the shadows of two people moving around inside, one child and one adult, along with grocery bags.
It wasn't too long after than when there was a sound outside which neither of the two inside heard. It was the sound of something falling and glass shattering.
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It's ok...Shinichi's taking care of it…
Are you sure?
Yes. He told me, Shinichi wouldn't lie, not to me, not about something so serious…
Do you know that? Are you just kidding yourself? Every single time he comes, you leave him for half a second and he disappears for another 3 months, with only a phone call every few weeks or so. Are you sure about this?
Wait. Why am I talking to myself?
Ran opened her eyes weakly. Shinichi had been here, she had heard his voice, his voice telling her that it would be all right, not to move, that he would take care of it. Where was he now?
She got up and looked around. "Shinichi?" she called. "Where are you?" Her footsteps sounded extraordinarily loud. There was a crunch and she stepped on a piece of glass by mistake. Ran immediately took a step back, the glass had just reminded her of something, no, someone. Someone who was now missing.
"CONAN!"
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"Bingo!" Ayumi-chan peeped out from behind a 1000 Riddles book. "Wow, Mitsuhiko-kun, you got it perfectly right!"
"Of course! My inferences are always great," Mitsuhiko said, puffing up his chest. Genta looked at him from behind a bowl of braised eel, not particularly interested in whatever they were talking about. The Detective Boys, not including Conan and Ai, were meeting at Genta's house, at which they were presented by the infamous braised eel that Genta adored so much. Ayumi and Mitsuhiko were finished and were passing time by guessing riddles while Genta was on his fifth bowl of braised eel.
"Mmm, full," Genta said as he ate the last speck of eel. "That was delicious."
"Genta-kun? Ayumi-chan? Mitsuhiko-kun? Do any of you know an Edogawa-kun?" Genta's mother called.
"Edogawa...we have a friend called Conan who's last name is Edogawa!" Mitsuhiko replied.
"They're talking about something that happened to him, is that him?" Genta's mother pointed at the TV screen.
The Detective Boys ran to the TV. "That's him!" Genta declared almost immediately. "What happened?" Ayumi asked fearfully.
Genta's mother frowned. "There was some business at Tokyo Tower tonight, the culprit for the recent series of mahjong-murders was uncovered, around 6 policemen were supposedly knocked out and one impersonated by an outside person. The person who impersonated a certain police officer escaped, and apparently your friend seems to have disappeared, perhaps with him."
Ayumi's eyes widened. "Conan-kun!"
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"WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU GOTTEN YOURSELF INTO THIS TIME, KUDO? WE WERE GOING TO VISIT THAT RESTAURANT! YOU AHOU!" Heiji yelled at the TV screen.
"Heiji? Are you ok?" Kazuha looked in at an interesting scene.
Heiji was standing up, looking as if he wanted to use his kendo moves on the TV screen. The TV remote lay forgotten on the floor, along with Heiji's phone, which was constantly repeating the same message: "Unable to reach recipient. Unable to reach recipient. Please try again at another time."
"What's wrong with Kudo?" Kazuha asked, laying the heavy dishes she was carrying on a nearby table. "Hey, isn't that Conan-kun? What's wrong?"
Heiji was breathing heavily. Damn it, Kudo. I tell you to come to Osaka, and you break your promise? Who in the world gets kidnapped by somebody who was impersonating a police officer for no reason and not for ransom? Heiji was on the edge of a mental breakdown. Roughly, he seized his cap and a coat. "Kazuha, tell my dad that I'm going to Tokyo. No delays. Ok? Thanks." With that, he closed the door and walked out.
"Heiji!"
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One circular ice cube...and a bottle of my favorite brand...Maker's Mark… Subaru Okiya fussed around the kitchen that had once belonged to the famous Kudo Shinichi.
Okiya had always wondered about this fact. In fact, he had done plenty of research regarding Kudo Shinichi and was rather surprised that the successful "Detective of the East" had disappeared so suddenly. He had had his suspicions...perhaps there would soon be a chance to see if his theories were correct.
Okiya's cellphone rang. "Hello? Yes, this is he. Cases regarding Detective Kogoro Mouri? Mmm… ok… sure…"
Okiya hung up and returned to the wine, this time, however, with an odd smile on his face.
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"Hmm…Jii, don't you think that I should put out another Kid notice?" Kaito Kuroba asked the older man eagerly.
"Kaito-san, do you have another specific jewel in mind?" Konosuke Jii sighed as he listened to the younger rave about Kid.
"Perhaps. But before we discuss, shall we have a look at tonight's news? For all we know, there has been a new jewel discovered that has something to do with Pandora." Kaito shrugged and turned on the TV.
"...we come here to the guardians of the missing Edogawa Conan," a newswoman was saying into a mike. "This is one of the guardians, the famous detective Mouri Kogoro and his daughter Mouri Ran. Both, along with Edogawa Conan, have made the newspapers before, whether it be from solving cases or self-defense awards. Mouri-san, do you have anything to say about the disappearance of Edogawa Conan?"
Kogoro cleared his throat. "I will do all that is in my power to save Edogawa Conan…"
Kaito forgot the rest. He was clenching the seat so tightly that his knuckles were white. Somebody had dared to kidnap Edogawa Conan, his detective?
"Jii, forget the heist. I'm not doing it, at least not now. I want to research the case on this kid, and on a few other people," Kaito nodded towards the picture of Conan which was showing on the screen.
"But...Kaito-san…"
"I've heard enough, Jii! I need some time to think!" Kaito shouted. "Just, please, just research him, what he's done, when he came to the Detective Agency, everything. And don't forget about what's happened before he came. Also research Mouri Kogoro, Mouri Ran, and Kudo Shinichi. I think they may be connected."
"But, how?"
"Jii, I need to think!" Kaito's poker face was shattering, not that it mattered too much in front of a trusted ally like Jii. "Just...just give me an hour or two. Please do the research for me."
"As you wish, Kaito-san."
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Author's Note: Due to a flaw that was thankfully spotted by one of my reviewers (thanks Vaguefuture for pointing it out! It would've been somewhat difficult to write around), I edited the first chapter and changed my original plan. All characters, or rather most, since Genta's mom isn't going to get involved, will be in some way involved in the story at some point. Please review!
