Chapter 4

"Kaitou KID!"

Kaito smirked at Hattori's enraged shout, easily falling into the role of the charming performer. The Task Force was frozen in shocked awe, Hattori and Aoko were spitting mad, and Hakuba was staring at him with calculating eyes. Shinichi, his detective, was watching him, amused, and Kaito preened at his attention. "Inspector Hattori, I thank you for such a warm welcome, even though it was completely unnecessary." He held the sapphire up to the dim, waning moonlight streaming in through the skylight. "You even brought me some new friends to play with! I'm flattered, really."

Heiji growled. "We'll get you this time, KID!"

"Don't you have any new lines? That one's getting a bit old," Kaito quipped. Hattori was practically foaming at the mouth as he lunged at Kaito, Kazuha at his heels. Kaito's smirk grew. Now.

With the press of a button hidden in his outstretched hands, Kaito blew up the spotlights and the skylight. Glass tumbled down, hitting the exact area Heiji and Kazuha had vacated seconds before. The minor explosion triggered a rocket that he'd prepared earlier and, through a wire, connected to his cape. It was child's lay to disconnect his cape and cover himself in a huge, black cloth as his cape went out the skylight. In the dim light, it looked like Kaitou KID was escaping with his prize.

While researching this museum's blueprints so he could perform his heist, Kaito made a very interesting discovery. The man who had designed this particular display room had wanted there to be easy access to the roof in order to clean the outside of the skylight. So, he had created a secret door behind the display case that led to stairs for the roof. Kaito locked eyes with his blue eyed detective as he fled and gave him a flirty wink. Why not? It felt appropriate and the way the teen's face flushed, bright enough to be seen in the dark, was cute. As Kaito closed the secret door behind him, he heard Hattori yell, "To your police cars! KID is escaping on his hang glider!"

Kaito snickered. "Oh, you'll wish that's how I'm escaping tonight, you two-bit inspector… I should probably stop talking to myself."

"That's probably a good idea," a dry but amused voice said. Kaito whirled around, gun in hand. There was no sign of the woman he had heard, only shadows. There was nothing there.

"And now I'm hearing things…" he muttered before racing up the stairs. He was exiting the building when the secret door opened below. Kaito shivered with excitement. Was this his Great Detective, working his way up so he could confront Kaito on the roof? He'd go easy on him at first, just because of his leg, but the moment the detective showed how capable he was even when injured would be the moment the real fun began.

The roof was a broken limb waiting to happen, with two tall air conditioning units and the shattered skylight between it. Kaito scaled one of the units to watch the police cars speeding away from the museum. He made a face. "Idiots…" Honestly, did no one notice the cape crumpled on the ground a block away? Well, maybe a fan would find it. He had several to spare.

He heard the sound of many guns cocking behind him and Kaito smoothed out his poker face as he turned. There were 3 Ghouls on both sides of the air conditioner, with their gray, flaky skin and red, bulging eyes. In front of Kaito stood Snake, a Wraith. Wraiths had back eye-whites, razor claws, and jaws that could unhinge like a snake. Seven guns were pointed at him and Snake sneered. "Kaitou KID. It appears that you've fallen into our trap."

"What trap? All you did was sneak up behind me." Kaito casually put his hands in his pockets and suddenly grabbed his gun. There was no way he'd get out of this without shooting someone this time. His stomach turned in disgust. "Tsk-tsk. And you have the nerve you call yourself assassins."

Snake's eye twitched. "Impudent brat," he growled from under his pedo-stache.

"I don't think you're using that word incorrectly." Out of the corner of his eye, Kaito noticed a figure sneaking around the back of the second air conditioning unit. Great, another one.

"Give us the Mermaid's Tear, KID, and we'll let you live."

"Your constant sniping at me seems to suggest otherwise," Kaito said, but revealed the jewel anyway. "So, this is one of the gems you're looking for? It doesn't look like much…"

"KID!" A familiar voice screeched from below.

Snake glared as his finger brushed the trigger. "Give us the jewel or you're dead, Mage!"

Kaito shook his head. "Snake, Snake…you never learn. When do I ever do as you say?" He threw down a few pellets and smoke covered his grinning figure. Several shots rang as Kaito jumped off the unit. He switched off the safety on his own pistol and turned the corner of the machine to see…3 dead Ghouls. A shiver of fear swept through him. He wasn't alone. Kaito hoped that it was the police or the Kudo detective or else he was in a load of trouble. As the thief crept forward, another shot pierced the night, followed by a scream. Kaito saw Snake dive off the roof, leaving Kaito alone with at least 2 of his henchmen and a mystery shooter. Joy.

The door of the roof burst open and Kaito hid in the shadows before Aoko could spot him. Her eyes widened, horrified, when she saw the bodies. "KID…what…?"

"It wasn't KID." A woman appeared from nowhere, literally nowhere with shadows clinging to her trench coat. Fear struck Kaito's heart as she leveled a gun to Aoko's head. "You have one chance, Phantom Thief. It ether of you attack me, she dies. If you try to call for help, she dies. It you don't give the Mermaid's Tear, then I will blow this building to pieces."

It was the woman from earlier, from the café. She looked no different from then except for the white mask covering her hell-eyes. And her voice…it was the one that he had heard on the stairs. How long has she been watching him?

He carefully stepped from his hiding place, his hands near his eyes and holding the sapphire. She could have the jewel for all he cared; it was only a method of drawing out Snake. No one needed to die over it. He eyed the bodies of Snake's lackeys, no doubt killed by this woman. Well, no one else anyway.

"That's close enough. Throw it over."

Aoko trembled with rage and the clouds swirled in response, but even she wasn't stupid enough to attack with a gun pointed at her. Especially if it was loaded with silver. Kaito tossed the gem over and the shadow woman caught it without taking her eyes off Aoko, rightfully deeming her as the more dangerous foe. A smug smirk lifted her lips. "Good choice," she said as she stepped back once, twice, and then she was completely consumed by the shadows, melting into them like they were water and not just a product of the lack of light.

Kaito and Aoko eye each other carefully. A bead of sweat trickled down his forehead. This was not good; people were dead, some mysterious Demon of a species he'd never seen had the gem, and now he was alone with a very pissed off Aoko. Kaito tried to sneak away, but flinched as the wind picked up in speed. The Banshee was done screwing around.

"Don't even try it, thief," Aoko growled as she stalked towards him, minding the destroyed skylight. In a single moment, two things happened; Aoko came within five feet of Kaito and a gun glinted off the streetlight behind her.

Compared to other Demons, Banshees have extremely bad hearing because their main power is screaming loud enough to break eardrums. But as Kaito rushed forward and pushed her to the side, nothing could miss the thunderous cracks from a gun. Breath-shattering pain erupted in Kaito's stomach and shoulder as the bullets pierced him. Kaito barely stayed standing, but managed to grab his gun and fire blindly in the general direction of Snake's henchmen. He staggered and turned to Aoko, who was staring at him in shock and…betrayal? Belatedly, Kaito realized that his hat had blown off, leaving his face covered by only his monocle. Her face looked wreaked, her eyes shining with unshed tears and her mouth wrenched open in a silent cry. She reached out for him and Kaito stepped back.

Into open air.

Time didn't slow like how people describe falling in books. Colors rushed pasted him as Kaito fell through the skylight. He could do nothing but fall until he crashed to the ground.

Something crack and Kaito screamed in pain. Blood blossomed on his white suit and something was sticking out. That's going to be a bitch to clean, Kaito thought hazily. He breathed in harsh, shallow pants that made his chest hurt even more.

Glass crunched. Kaito tried to move his head, but his neck screamed at the attempt. Black spots danced before his eyes as blue hovered over him—big, blue eyes like a firework in July, framed with delicate eyelashes like feather dusters or something even more amazing. Kaito couldn't really think well right now, so he just focused on the eyes. There was concern, and worry, and the tiniest hint of what Kaito thought was guilt—

Then everything went black.