Chapter 4
Joe's POV
As an ATAC agent I have seen plenty of things and have a whole list of thing that are creepy, freaky, and outright terrifying, and as much as I hate to admit it, I have to say that that Conan kid goes pretty near the top.
Seriously, Frank and I planed that we would investigate and privately tell the police our suspicions. But when we got to the crime scene, we saw where the body was and the kid went strait for it. When me and Frank got there, what we saw wasn't pretty, and Conan was looking at it, x-raying it would probably be a better term, with a blank face absorbing every detail. Normally kids run away from things like that, but not this kid. I tried to get him away from there, but when I did his four friends Genta, Mitsuhiko, Ayumi, and Haibara stopped me saying that I shouldn't mess with "Conan-kun's investigation". And then when the investigation went underway. The victim died from a certain type of poison and all suspects were in the area and without alibis. It seemed like it was going to be a long and complicated case.
That's when Creepy Conan and his crew stepped in. It started when Conan mentioned how he and his friends encountered one of the suspects earlier as she was walking by with some groceries by knocking her down with a soccer ball, together him and his four friends were able to remember exactly what her groceries had been. Among the groceries had been two types of cleaners that as Conan 'innocently' pointed out if mixed could create the exact type of poison use to kill the victim. When faced with this evidence the woman broke down and confessed. In short the case was solved in record time, thanks to those kids.
"What was that all about?" I asked Ran. Me and Frank finally had her and Sonoko alone after everything was cleared up, and the kids had left for a game of soccer.
She looked confused "What's what about?"
"That kid, don't you think that was freaky. I mean, the way he examined the body, how he remembered those details. And what kind of kid knows how to make deadly poisons from cleaners."
"Oh that," she said. "I guess you could call that normal for him." She thought a moment, "I guess I'm just used to it, I know Shinichi taught him some tricks on how to be a detective. He's just always been like that. But he's a really sweet kid when you get to know him."
"Like I said," explained Sonoko, "he's a detective geek."
The girls turned to leave but as they did I noticed Ran was deep in thought.
Frank and I exchanged glances as they left. We were both thinking the same thing, 'That kid was NOT normal.' ____________________________________________________________
After the scene at the park Frank and I when to the apartment that ATAC got for us to live in while we are investigating.
Frank, ever the egghead started to make a plan of action, "The first thing we need to do is talk to other people who know Shinichi. Like contacting his parents, maybe talk to that Hattori guy to see if he's really his best-friend. We should also look into all the cases he's worked on, see if there are any that jump out at us."
That's my brother, all work, no play. "Ran said he first vanished at that Tropical Land place. Maybe we could check it out." I said hopefully. 'Maybe I could also try some rides.'
Frank shot me a look that said he could see right through my plan and that it wouldn't work. "We should also interview Conan, since he's a relative he might remember something." Frank continued
I shook my head, "oooh no, not happening, that kid gives me the creeps."
Frank chose that moment to try to be funny, "aw is my baby brother afraid of a eight year old."
"You can't tell me you weren't the least bit freaked at how he was able to help solve that case. The kid has a mind like a steel trap. And his eyes… he wasn't even the least bit afraid of that corpse. Children are not supposed to be able to look a dead person in the eyes and not flinch."
"It was weird but," Frank shrugged, "the kid lives with Mr. Mouri, from what I gathered he tags along on a lot of cases, most of which are murders, so he's probably seen worse. As for his brains, well maybe he a genius or something. And if he can remember all those details he may remember something that will help us find Shinichi. But we should be careful around him we don't want him to find out we're from ATAC."
"By 'we' I hope you mean 'you', because I think I'll keep my distance thank you very much." I said seriously.
Frank tried to be funny again, "Okay, well guess I understand. After all if I had to pick who was more mature between you and Conan, I'd pick the kid."
I sure hope my brother wasn't planning to seek a career as a comedian.
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Haibara's POV
"AAAH- CHOO!!!"
I was waiting for Kudo-kun to get over his sneezing fit before I interrogated him. The three real children had already gone home and I had a lot of questions. Starting with-
"Who were those two boys, the ones that came with you to the crime scene?"
Kudo-kun sniffed, "I know that they are brothers, and their names are Hardy Frank and Hardy Joe, and they are exchange students from America. But as to just who they are, I'm not sure. When Ran introduced them to me she said they were clients for a case, but when Occhan asked she said that they were friends. What I do know is that they're hiding something." He sniffed again pathetically.
I shot him a disapproving glance. "Maybe Kojima-kun was correct in stating that you are getting sick."
"Genta? Right? That'll be a first." He muttered.
I decided to get back on topic, "I don't think those boys are dangerous, however you should be more careful around them, I'm quite sure they noticed how very unlike a child you were today."
He looked sheepish, "Yeah I noticed. Actually I think I scared pretty bad them. Or at least that blond one seemed pretty freaked."
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In the Hardy's apartment,
"Aah-choo!"
"Joe you had better not be catching a foreign disease."
"Shaddup"
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"I over heard them talking about some kind of case, but they avoided the question when I asked." Continued Kudo-kun.
"And I am right to assume you will be snooping to find out exactly what this case is, correct?" I stated.
"Exactly," he shrugged. "But don't worry I'll try to act more childlike when I'm around them."
"Just be careful, they don't seem like bad people, but they are oddly perceptive, especially that dark haired one, he also knew about the poison."
Kudo-kun cracked a smile, "well it seems even you can get crushes."
I felt my cheeks redden, "Don't be an idiot. He is clearly intelligent, but he is nowhere close to my level."
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At the Hardy's apartment,
"Aah-choo!"
"Ha, now who's the germ machine, eh Frank."
"Grow up Joe."
End Chapter 4
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A/N no this is not going to be a HaibaraxFrank fic, I just couldn't resist putting that in there because the two are kinda alike. Also you are not reading this correctly if you haven't figured out that I am a huge fan of the sneeze gag.