Indication

Started: 12/29/2008 12:18:33 PM

Chapter 4: The Findings

Story Quote: When Kaito walked in; the first thing he noticed was the evil eight-year-old glaring at him.

A/N: I know I hadn't originally made it for the week after Christmas but I decided I might as well. Plus I couldn't think of a good excuse for Ran not to show up even this late in the day. (This will make sense one you read the first 300 words or so.)

Thank You WolfDaughter!!! I thank you very much for not being afraid to edit my story. I never would have caught that at instead of ate and I knewthat rapid wasn't the right word but I just couldn't think of it! You'll be glad to know that I fixed those. (I think. Well, I'd hope so if you bothered to point them out, anyways.)

Onto The Story!!!

Kaito walked along the side of the young detective in silence. The sun had begun to set and its fiery aftermath still illuminated the ground before them. Their shadows; behind them. Kaito glanced over at the boy who strode along with him. He was staring at his feet as he walked. Ever since Kaito had given him the hug in the parlor the boy had refused to look him in the eye. Kaito sighed and stuffed his hands in his pockets. Had he embarrassed the boy that badly when he set of the smoke bomb? Or maybe when he got the people in the parlor to start clapping? Great work, Kaito! You try to do something nice for the kid and end up humiliating him! He whacked himself on the forehead with an open palm.

"Thank you," whispered Conan faintly with his head still lowered.

"For hitting myself on the forehead? Sure, no problem. Whatever makes you feel better," replied Kaito happily. So was he off the hook? Did Conan forgive him?

"Wha-" started Conan before he raised his head to look at Kaito and the cherry-red spot on his brow. Kaito gave him a wide grin and he saw a red line appear on the boy's cheeks before he once again ducked his head. Is he embarrassed that he had to say thank you or because he said thanks for me hitting myself?

"I was just joking and you're welcome. Sorry, it didn't quite go as planned. It was too bad Ran-chan didn't show up, too."

"M-maybe she got too busy."

"I suppose that could happen. You said she had errands to run, right? Maybe there was really long line. It is the week after Christmas, after all."

The boy didn't reply and they kept on walking without a word. Gah! Why was the atmosphere so tense?! Kaito scratched the back of his head and as a result messed up his already chaotic hair.

"So, what do you plan on doing tomorrow?" he asked trying to make conversation.

"Tomorrow?"

"Yeah, ya know, like the day after today? Do you think you'd give me a chance to redeem myself?"

"I-I guess if you really want to-" started Conan.

"Great!" Kaito exclaimed. "So, where to? A theme park? A restaurant? A museum?"

"How about an aquarium? I know a good one not too far from here," suggested Conan. Kaito froze up at the thought. All those fish…those horrible, scaly, bug-eyed, monsters.

"O-other than an aquarium."

Conan looked at him questioningly. "What's wrong with the aquarium?"

Kaito scratched the nape of his neck nervously. "W-well it's just that there's a lot of fish…"

"Yeah? That's kind of the point of an aquarium, after all."

"Th-that's just it!" he squeaked. Those horrifying things!

Conan smiled a genuine smile at him. "Are you afraid of fish?"

"Of course not!" Kaito defended but the look Conan sent him told the thief he wasn't buying it. "'Kay, maybe a little…" Another look. "Okay! Maybe a lot!"

The detective closed his eyes and chuckled.

"That's a nice change," noted Kaito.

"What is?"

"To see you smile! And laugh at that!" Kaito twittered happily. He just couldn't help it; he wrapped his arms around the boy once again.

"He-Hey! That's really not necessary!" cried Conan though he did nothing to try and free himself. A fact that did not go by unnoticed by the thief.

"Well, you don't seem to be opposing too much, there! I say you like it and you know I'm right!" Kaito laughed and released the boy. "I'm sorry, Tantei-kun. Just can't help myself. You're so easy to tease!"

Conan turned a very nice shade of ruby and ducked his head again. "I-its not that…"

"Aw, whatever. I'm happy if you're happy. No explanation needed."

"But you don't know anything about me," Conan protested.

"Then, why don't we learn a bit about each other? Do you remember that game in the hospital?"

Something flashed across the boy's face. "Yes, I do."

"Good, would you like to start then?"

Conan nodded and a determined expression set into his features. "What is your favorite color?"

"White… blue is a close second. Do you have lots of friends?"

"Yeah, do you have any special skills?"

"Hey! That wasn't much of an answer!" Kaito complained.

"But it was an answer."

"Kaito huffed," Fine…I'm pretty good at magic tricks. I'm okay with electronics, too. I tinker a lot. Who's your best friend?" Kaito narrowed his eyes. What was he getting at? These weren't your general 'easy answer' questions. Was there a hidden meaning?

"My next door neighbor. Sherlock Holmes or Arsène Lupin?"

"Huh? What a strange question! " Very strange indeed. "Lupin, hands down." Where was he leading with this? "Who's your neighbor?"

Conan took no time before answering," Agasa-hagase." And asking, "Do you know who the Kaito Kid is?"

So that was it! But how did he put the two together? He didn't--No, couldn't-- know enough about him to put those together! And it wasn't like he could have recognized him. He'd never need Kid! Then again. There was always the photos or the news that could have given him away. But if there had been enough to recognize him by; wouldn't Aoko or Nakamori-keibu have noticed and locked him up by now?

"Why do you cringe every time someone asks if you're a kid?" he countered.

"It's my turn to ask and your turn to answer."

"I know," he stated bluntly. Conan glared at him but he merely smirked back. In that moment of silence the phrase: I'll admit it when you do passed between them unspoken. That was when Kaito noticed where they now stood. "We're here!" he exclaimed and plastered a smile on his face. Conan sent him another look, this time saying this is far from over, before he headed towards the agency's double doors. "Hey, Tantei-kun."

Conan turned. "Yeah?"

"Don't forget what I promised today. I keep my promises. And feel free to call for any thing. Even if it's just to talk. I'll be more than happy if you would."

Conan quickly turned away and nodded. "I'll keep that in mind."

"I'd be much obliged. Don't forget to think of a place!"

"Aw, but I was so set on the aquarium!"

Kaito shivered. "W-well, if you rea-"

Conan laughed. "Joking, joking. See you tomorrow." He waved and and walked into the building.

"Joking…haha, funny," Kaito muttered before continuing along the road with horrific could-be images of tomorrow.

It was probably around eight o'clock before Kaito had been roused from his thoughts. It wasn't one of those nice realizations, either. No, it was one of those smack-into-a-wall kind. Well, smack-into-a-big-man kind. The elderly man took Kaito out with pure force. The magician caughed as he hit the asphalt of the road. The man stood in front of him with both hands on his knees. He looked about ready to keel over.

"I'm sorry!" wheezed the man. "My invention seemed to have escaped me! You haven't, by any chance, seen an umbrella with feet running around here, have you?"

Kaito shook his head and rose up to his knees. "Excuse me, did you just say an umbrella with feet?"

"Hmn? Oh, yes. It's an bright purple umbrella with animatronic legs! It also has a GPS tracking system in it. Would come in very handy if you lost it, huh? You would be able to track it and then have it come home to you without you needing to go out searching for it in the rain!"

"That sounds very useful!" Kaito said with as much enthusiasm as he could.

The man's chest swelled at Kaito's compliment. "It is isn't it?" But then he deflated and looked down the road past Kaito. "Unfortuantely, it keeps running away and I can't find the problem with it to save my life!" He huffed at the empty street before turning back to Kaito. "Agasa Hiroshi, pleased to meet you."

"Kuroba Kaito, likewise." Kaito rose to his feet so he could properly shake the man's hand. Agasa? "Agasa? Agasa-hagase?"

The man arched an eyebrow at him. "Yes, most people call me that."

Kaito turned to look behind him. But he was nowhere near Conan-kun's home. Maybe this guy just had the same name? But what were the chances of that? How many people in the Beika district of Japan had the same last name, Agasa, and are refferred to as 'professor'? Did Conan just say that to confuse him? Kaito looked at the plaque that held the professor's address information and then looked at the plaque beside it.

Kudo Shinichi?

Kaito turned back to Agasa-hagase who was now adjusting the antena to, what looked to be, a giant remote. A red dot was faintly flashing on the screen before the entire thing went blank.

"And there went the GPS tracker!" he bellowed before throwing the device on the ground. With a sigh he crossed his arms. "Guess I'll have to start from scratch." He turned to Kaito and his eyes went wide. "Look ou-!"

But Kaito didn't get the chance to hear his warning as a great pain erupted throughout the back of of his head and the sound of wind whistled past his ears as he was forced to the ground once again. He groaned and as an impulse, reached back to rub the pressure on his head. He was surprised when he felt the cool feel of metal.

"Quick! Don't let it go!" shouted Agasa-hagase.

As fast as was humanly possible; Kaito grasped the metal foot of the walking umbrella and secured it in both of his arms. Much to Kaito's surprise; it fought back. He tired to hold it tighter but all he managed to do was get smacked in the face. Before things got too out of hand Agasa managed to get a strange ring around it. Within moments it became as lifeless as a normal umbrella in Kaito's arms.

"Wow, for such a small gadget, it sure packs a punch," Kaito said as he rubbed his sore cheek.

"Oh, I'm sorry about that. These sort of things seem to take on a mind of their own. Why don't you come inside? I've got some ice you can put on that cheek and some apple cider I've been heating up."

Kaito thought about it for a moment. "Ya know what? I think I'll take you up on that offer, doc."

"Splendid!" the elderly man said as he pointed to his home. One of the walls seemed like it was recently repaired. Kaito laughed at what possible disasters the professor could have possibly made to cause the side of his house to blow up.

When Kaito walked in; the first thing he noticed was the evil eight-year-old glaring at him. Her icy blue eyes scanning him as if looking for a murder weapon he was concealing.

"Kuroba Kaito." She stated coldly.

"Um, yeah?" he began. "Nice to meet you, ma'am." He tipped an invisble hat to her.

"That gentleman act won't work on me," she corrected and crossed her arms.

"Too, bad. Here I was thinking I might win you over. Oh, well. There's always next time," Kaito tried.

"Not if I can help it."

"Ouch, what did I do? I don't even know your name!"

Agasa-hagase returned just as Kaito finished his sentence. "Oh, dear me. I forgot to introduce you two. Kuroba-san, this is Haibara-kun. Haibara-kun, this is Kuroba-san."

"It's still nice to meet you." He re-tipped the invisible hat to her. "Even if you don't like me."

"Who are you really?" she demanded.

Kaito took a moment to comprehend this. "What do you mean?" he asked when he came up with nothing.

"You know exactly what I mean!" she hissed.

She didn't mean Kid did she? How could she? Unless… "Are you Conan-kun friend?" That woudld be the only thing that explained it.

"So what if I am?"

"That's the only possible explanation I can come up with! He's been asking me strange questions all day!"

"You're a friend of Conan-kun's?" asked Agasa-hagase with astonishment.

"Yeah… I'm the one that saved him in the park-"

"What was your motive?" spat Haibara.

"Motive? What motive? I picked him up. What was I supposed to do? Leave him there to die?!"

Her eyes softened at his response. "I must have had the wrong person. Please excuse my behavior." She gave him a short and polite bow.

What's with these kids?! Are they all bipolar?!

She exchanged glances with the professor before departing down the hall. Agasa-hagase turned back to him with a forced smile on his face. Whatever that glance between them meant couldn't have been too good. "So why don't you have some cider, Kuroba-san?"

"Kaito, please. Actually, if you don't mind, could I use your bathroom?"

"Of course. Just go down the hall and it's the first door on the right."

Kaito thanked him and departed down the corridor but to his dismay, there was a light under the specified door indicating it's being used. With a sigh he leaned his back against the wall. How long could this take? He began to drum his fingers on the wall and glanced around. There was a computer with its screen glowing in the room beside him. He took a glance at the bathrrom door and without a word slipped into the room. It was cluttered with all sorts of books and gadgets. Mainly just cluttered in various spaces all around the room. The bookshelf, however, was in perfect condition. Kaito went for it.

The first thing he noticed was the large amount of 'Chemical Study' books there were. Seeing as this was an inventor's house, though, it didn't surprise him too greatly. He reached up and brought one of the books down. Within it was a beige folder. Kaito peered through the open door to check that the bathroom light was still on before opening it and scanning over it's contents. The words that sunk in as he did so were:

APTX 4869

Trials 1-8 unchanged

Trail 9 abnormalities

Kudo Shincihi

Shrinking effect

Burning sensation

Edogawa Conan

Syndicate

Experimental antidote

--

Kaito slapped the folder shut as he heard the toliet flush. As fast as he could he stashed the folder into his sweatshirt and raced from the room as soundlessly as he could before the door opened. Agasa-hagase was waiting for him in the kitchen. "Ah, Kaito-san! Are you ready for your cider?"

"Sorry, doc, but I'm afraid I've got to go. Besides, I think it would ease up some of the tension in the atmosphere. Thank you for your generosity and I hope we meet again."

He gave a low bow (making sure the folder wasn't noticable) before leaving the awe-struck professor behind. He raced out the door and down the street. He ran as hard as his cold-constricted muscles would allow and for as long as he could before he settled on a bench outside of the Beika National History Museum. He sat there for several minutes and watched as his breath fogged over his head and then disappeared. Once his breath returned to him and his heart slowed to a regular rhythm he took out the folder and began to read.

"August 16th,

Day one of the experimental trials for lab rats 1-9. Gin has ordered new experimental poison to be perfected by the end of the month. Each rat will be given a different experimental poison. Rat 1 will be given poison sample1 with a dosage of 3mg to start. Greater dosage may be needed. Rat 2 will be given…"

Haibara Ai closed the door to the bathroom just in time to hear the front door slam shut in unison. Calmly, she walked out to see Agasa-hagase holding two steaming cups of apple cider in each hand. "Did our guest leave?"

He looked at her and gave a nervous smile. "I guess he felt unwelcome. I don't know what in the world gave him that idea."

Haibara couldn't help but smirk to herself. "Perhaps he's just not very sociable."

She could swear she heard Agasa-hagase mutter under his breath, "You're one to talk…" But decided to ignore it and walk back to her room. The moment she entered she could tell something was wrong. She eyes darted across every square inch of it until her eyes landed upon the open book of 'Chemical Study' and the folder missing from within its text-filled pages. Without hesitation she ran back to the living room and flung open the front door.

Gone. Perfect.

She scowled and slammed the door shut with all her might.

"What's the matter, Ai-kun?"

"Call Kudo. We've got an issue."

A/N: Hey, my spell check stopped working so I'm asking all the readers if you'd point out any misspelled words, PLEASE!!! (Please, use the sentence it was in too. It helps when I'm trying to find where it is.)

Ending Song Time!!!

(Side note: I think this song would have gone better with the last chapter but I'm using it now anyways.) (I swear the next chapter's ending song will be the correct one!!!)

"What made me behave that way?

Using words I'd never say,

I can only think it must be love,

Anyway, It's looking like a beautiful day"

Artist: Elbow Song: One Day Like This

Please, Read & Review!!!