Heya !
Oh, that scene with Kid among the bills was thrilling, I was glad they kept it, it was so mysterious : ) (well, they couldn't make everything fake, eh ? ^^;). Pity it doesn't look as classy when it's written on the paper than on the screen : )
Soooo, time to see what the Kid imagined to counter that imposter... he's due to have some idea under his white hat ! ; )
o.O.o
Boogum : Thank you ! And yea, I wouldn't want to irritate someone like the Kaitou Kid... That imposter may think it is fun right now but he may change his mind once our favourite Thief finds him ~
emmahoshi : Well, as long as you appreciate my story, I don't mind if you look at the trailer or not to be honest xD But yea, have fun finding who is who, just like the movie, it won't be revealed before a while ! : ) Oww well, I think Conan is pretty much frustrated and he thought he'd be able to retrieve that painting by keeping an eye on Kaito but it didn't work since he didn't leave the room... He wouldn't have any clue as to where to start his search... (and it was the same in he movie). Ah, I'll give more explanations about those 10 billions in this chapter ; ) But yea, I'll also do something else with 10 billions than trying to retrieve a painting and not batting an eye if I lose all that money... We'll never understand the rich people... ^^;
TheDarkKunoichi : Haha, don't worry : ) I said I was going to try to write something that would fit the trailer and, if you remember, there's that scene in the Lake Rock Museum where Conan seems absolutely lost as to who he's facing, thinking the Kid betrayed them all. Since I plan to get there, no chance for our detective to find the truth ; ) But he had to think about the imposter, this was an absolute evidence, with the Kid so OoC in that case. So you'll have more of this frustrated Conan and teasing Kaito, don't worry ; )
estelle : Oh, right into my objective then, thank you :D
Chapter 6 : Notes flying
When that imposter showed up and started to break the surveillance screens, Kaito decided it was too risky to show his true identity to stop him. Okay, he would have been able to stop the fake Thief but the man had at least one accomplice, the one among the samurais, and he wouldn't be able to defend the other "Sunflowers" against him once everyone would have understood there never had been any Kudô since the beginning.
So the teen decided to use another way and jumped at the opportunity : when his fingers brushed the canvas just before the criminal pushed him away, he had been able to put a tiny emitter on it.
The Kid was now back in the meeting room with everyone, listening through his hidden earplug at everything that was happening around the fifth "Sunflowers", waiting for it to be hidden somewhere he could retrieve it and hoping to get more information about the duo he was facing.
And indeed, after some noises that had everything to do with a flight in the air and then a walk in a busy street, meaning the man had probably changed his clothes and found a way to quickly disguise the canvas, the sounds faded away and there were only some footsteps left. The man was inside a building, the artwork's final destination was probably near.
"- It's me." The criminal finally said, after he dialled some number on his phone. "As planned, I'm in the Touto Plaza Hotel, room 1432..."
Kaito, wanting to hear the other side of the conversation, turned the volume up, all ears.
"-... "The last super" painting on the wall?" The other voice was saying, a male's, quite deep. But none that the indigo-eyed teen knew.
"- Yea ?
- You can peel it off, just hide the "Sunflowers" under it, we'll keep it there as a backup for the moment.
- Ok, I'll do this. What's next, Boss ?
- We wait. I have a reservation for that room for a week, time to see what happens. But I'm quite sure that, with such a blow, that old man's exhibition will be cancelled, just as planned !" The Boss said with a small laugh. "Once it's confirmed, we'll organize our little walk to Suzuki's vault to at last get what I really want ! The fifth will just be a bonus, it will look great near of the second on my wall...
- Do as you please, as long as I'm paid, I'm with you !
- Thanks for the hard work by the way... I'll call you back once I got more news.
- Noted."
The call ended and, after a few noises indicating the man was hiding the painting, there was nothing left to be heard in Kaito's earplug.
Keeping a straight face for whoever was looking at him - he knew at least a certain little guy was, the teen frowned in his mind. He had been hoping to heard that third man's name since it seemed he was the mastermind but no luck on that matter.
As to the rest, the discussion had been more than interesting. He knew where the painting was. And the place was supposed to stay empty for a while, time for them to steal the second "Sunflowers"...
And the Thief had now enough intel to understand why their target suddenly changed from the second Van Gogh's painting to the fifth. They had probably learnt, through their mole's info, that the security in the Lake Rock Observatory would be too high and that it would be easier to steal it in the Suzuki's mansion. That attack on the fifth was just a diversion, a plan to discourage the owners to lend their "Sunflowers" and to cancel the exhibition. And that was a success... Even if the artwork was retrieved, since Jirokichi and his team let that theft happen just in front of their eyes, the owners wouldn't trust him anymore. Unless... If Kaito found a way to make the old man look good, it could work ! If he was the only one able to help and succeeded to get the "Sunflowers" back, it was sure that Jirokichi would ask him to convince the others as a thank !
Kaito grinned when the idea popped in his head. Yes, he just knew what he'd ask. It would a little sacrifice from the old man but... Maa, it would barely be a bucket of water among his ocean...
He took his phone out. It was time for Jii-chan to do some errands for him !
o.O.o
The museum's director was now sitting on a chair near the bed of the room 1432 of the Touto Plaza Hotel, passing nervously his handkerchief on his sweaty forehead.
"- Uhh... Do you really think it will work ?" He asked through the small earplug he had in his ears, his nervous eyes on the men who were coming back and forth with duralumin cases and emptying them on the bed.
"- it's not like we have any other choice..." Nakamori's voice sighed on the other side. "We can't take any risk if we want to retrieve your painting so we have to follow Kid's demands... It's almost time, please refrain from talking to us from now on, we can't have the Kid know we're here.
- O...Ok..." The man stuttered, taking his bottle of water to sooth his dry throat with a few gulps.
o.O.o
"- Be ready, gents !" Nakamori declared after his discussion with the director.
The inspector was with Charlie, Kogoro, Conan, Jirokichi and a few persons from the staff in the room dedicated to security and surveillance of the hotel.
And, to the boy's lack of understanding, "Kudô" was there too. He had thought he'd leave at the first occasion but, except for a short pause to the bathroom, probably to clean his vest since his left sleeve wasn't stained anymore when he came back, he stayed the whole time with them.
"How the hell is he supposed to bring that painting here when he didn't move even an inch away from the group ?" He was grumbling in his mind.
"- Are all the exits secured ?" Charlie asked once again when he looked at the policeman.
"- Yea, I got everyone's confirmation, we even have the emergency exits and employees entrances covered. The roof is too, of course. We're ready." Nakamori confirmed with a nod.
"- I just hope for you Kid wasn't in here first..." Kogoro pointed out, his arms crossed against in chest.
"Bingo, Occhan..." The small detective sourly smirked with a glimpse at the teen on his side.
"- Even if he's here, we'll stop him from getting out of that hotel." The officer confirmed with a shrug. "With all those cameras, we'll be able to spot him easily !"
Conan looked up at the many monitors. There were indeed at least 20 cameras in the hotel, for the security of the customers. And the police had added some in more remote places : the roof, some hallways that only the staff used... And of course, in the room 1432, where at least six cameras where filming.
"- Still, why do we have to get the money out..." The moustached detective was wondering as he stepped towards the screens. "Wouldn't it be easier to let them in the cases to transport them ? Oi, brat, what do you think you're doing !" He suddenly spurted as, since he was blocking his view on the monitors, Conan tried to push his legs a bit to squeeze in front of him.
"- But I want to see..." The boy complained with a childish pout on his face.
"- There's nothing for you, brat." Kogoro stated as he glared at him. "Just be quiet !
- Haaai..."
The small detective was backing off with disappointment, annoyed not to be able to watch out for any sign from the Kid's plan, when two arms caught him from behind.
"- If you want to see the monitors, you can do it from here." The fake Kudô proposed as he sat him on a chair in front of a computer, before clicking to open the videos. "Here.
- ... Thank you, that's so nice of you" Conan said with a glare at the imposter.
"- Would be a waste not to use your observation skills, Kid-killer..." The thief retorted with a smirk before quickly going back with the others in front of the main monitors.
This little game was driving the bespectacled child mad. How could that Thief be with them, looking so calm, when he was supposed to retrieve ten billions yens in barely five minutes ? Why didn't he ask for the money to be put on an overseas bank account? It would have been so much easier than hard cash... And why the hell was he helping him ? Was he so confident in his plan he didn't think he could do anything against it ?!
"- ... The heck is that ?! Why are the medias here ? We should be the only ones to know about this deal !" Nakamori suddenly spurted, interrupting the boy's thoughts, when one of his agents warned him through his earplug. "Put a channel in !" He asked to one of the operator, and indeed, the info channel they were watching was already showing a reporter at the bottom of the building, commenting about the incoming Kid's heist.
"- Does he want to use the crowd to escape in the confusion ?" Kogoro proposed with a frown.
"- Well, if he's the one who called them, no use to change anything in the plan..." Charlie pointed out.
"- Agree with that..." Jirokichi confirmed with a nod.
"- Two more minutes then..." Nakamori announced as he looked at his watch. "Everyone, evacuate the area !"
o.O.o
In the hotel room, everyone left to stay on standby around, except for the director.
"- It's really hot here... Could I at least open the window ?" The man asked, clearly at Nakamori's attention since he was the only one who could hear him.
"- Please stand it a bit longer, we're not going to make it easier for the Kid if he plans to come through the window...
"- Right..." The director agreed before settling back into his chair, sweating more than ever.
o.O.o
On his side, Conan was focused on the screen. He could indeed see the museum's director seemed to sweat a lot, passing his handkerchief on his face like every minute.
But with such a pressure on his shoulders, that sounded quite natural.
No, what he was looking for, his eyes searching every pixel of each of the six cameras, was the trick the Kid had left somewhere. There had to be one, that was his modus operandi after all.
His eyes fell on the image of the middle, the one the director was on, and he half jumped on his chair.
"Something has changed... But what ?!"
Unable to find what for a second, the boy tensed with frustration, before his eyes laid on the plastic bottle.
"The hell?! Something is already happening, he's using a damn remote system, he won't need to move a finger out of the security room !" Conan swore, understanding the fact the fake Kudô was standing here was just a lure for him to focus on him instead of what was happening in the hotel room.
Barely having a glimpse at the Thief and spotting the faint smile on his lips, Conan jumped off his seat and rushed to the door.
"Crap !"
o.O.o
"- Come on, faster... !" The bespectacled detective was praying as he stood in front of the elevator.
"- Kid Killer !" Charlie called, having dashed after the boy when he heard the door open and noticed the child was missing. "What happened ?
- I don't know..." The boy answered as he jumped into the elevator that at least arrived, the blond-haired on his heels. "I think the pressure in the room has risen greatly, since the director's bottle's water level has risen...
- But why ...?
- As I said, I don't know... But I bet it's the Kid and leaving it like that means we're going straight to our defeat..."
A few dozen of seconds later, they were facing the room 1432 and the NYPD agent was inserting the master key he grabbed before leaving the security room and turning the knob.
"- I can't open it !
- Crap, the air pressure is pushing it from the inside..." Conan realized, before frowning as he wondered why the Thief would use such an elaborate trick to lock the door. Unless...
Looking at his watch and clenching his teeth, the boy knew he'd have pretty soon his answer, since only five seconds were remaining.
"- Damn Thief !" Charlie was ranting as he slammed his shoulder against the door in a desperate attempt to open it.
The small detective's countdown reached zero and at that exact moment, both could hear some small explosions and the noise of some glass being broken.
"- Come on, will you open, damn door ?!" The blond-haired agent swore once again before throwing himself at the door once again. "It moved ! " He exclaimed, before maintaining pressure on the door, pushing on his feet to open it with difficulty.
And suddenly, there was no resistance left and the policeman and the boy were welcomed by a bunch of notes thrown at their face by a strong wind.
Fighting that gale to come in, Conan could only gape at what he was seeing.
The director was grabbing firmly the bed, an astonished expression on his face. Notes were swirling everywhere in the room, though most had already been sucked up outside : small explosives had broken the window and the air difference forced everything that was into the room out.
The child could barely see the outside but, when he finally noticed a white shape at the window, there was little doubt as to what it was. Who it was.
"- Kid !" He yelled with anger.
Charlie turned at him at that cry and, looking at the same direction than the child was, he got his gun out with a focused face.
Seeing both his opponents and the forbidden weapon, the Thief just maliciously grinned at them before vanishing into thin air.
"- That damn Thief !" Charlie growled again, shooting a few bullets in his direction but, when he saw his prey had escaped, he lowered his gun under Conan's reproving look.
That weapon had nothing to do on Japan soil in the hand of a foreigner, even if he was a police officer in his country. And he used it so quickly and just against a thief... His methods were too rash...
o.O.o
"- Is everyone ok ?" A panting Shinichi asked as he came into the room and looked with a very convincing surprise at the mess around him. "I saw you on the video cameras...
- Yea, I think..." The NYPD agent answered after looking at the boy near his feet. "But that thief escaped...
- And there's no sign of the painting..." Conan added with a piercing look at the teen in disguise.
"- But he always keeps his word, right ? It should be somewhere around..." Kaito pointed out with a straight face.
Feeling this could be a hint, the small detective looked around him, trying to spot anything that could lead him to the painting. But the room was such a mess... Even one of the paintings on the wall seemed to have been damaged by that depressurization.
He came closer with a frown, having spotted something strange under the broken canvas, before his eyes widened.
"- Charlie-san, there's something behind that frame above the bed !" He yelled, bringing a faint smile on "Kudô" 's lips when he saw he was pointing at "The Last Supper", that painting from Leonardo da Vinci.
"- What the hell you two were thinking !" Nakamori raged as he came into the room, Kogoro and Jirokichi on his heels. "You messed up the whole thing !
- Charlie, where's the Kid ?!" The old Suzuki asked with urge. "And the fifth "Sunflowers"?!
- I'm sorry, the Kid escaped..." The blond haired deplored as he shook his head. "But we have the "Sunflowers", it's safe." He concluded as he finished ripping the canvas of the "Last supper", revealing the artwork they were looking for. "As to the money...
- Don't worry, it's fine !" Jirokichi reassured him with a smile when he saw the man's disappointed face. "What are a few notes compared to such a treasure ! No, now, what's important, it's to have a press conference !
- Ehh ?" Nakamori wondered as he turned to look at him
o.O.o
As planned, barely half an hour later, Jirokichi was facing a horde of reporters in front of the Touto Plaza Hotel. The old man was posing near of the recently retrieved "Sunflowers" with a proud smile.
"- Any comment about that new victory against the Kid ?
- Ah ! There's nothing to fear from such a Thief ! I think I have proven to the owners of the "Sunflowers" among the world that they can be at ease !" The bald man concluded with a laugh while the cameras flashed at him and the painting.
A bit further, in the lobby, Conan was looking at the scene with a mildly convinced face.
What was that mess... Since when the Kid organized such a show to bring back one of his loots ? And why again a painting when his whole carrier was dedicated with big jewels ?
He turned at the fake Kudô who was just near him, also looking at the press conference, and, seeing there weren't any close witnesses, he finally dared to ask.
"- What's that mess about, Kid ?!
- That's-a-secret- !" The teen answered as he winked with a malicious face.
"- Stop that crap or you'll end with a needle between the eyes..." The small detective growled as he took his watch and opened it to point it at the Thief.
"- Oi, oi, you did retrieve that artwork so why such an aggressiveness towards me ?" Kaito asked with a fake outraged expression.
"- Because you blew up a plane ? Sent ten billions yen through a window ?
- That, I can explain... a bit."
The small detective threw him a flat glare before his expression softened, almost pleading.
"- What's into you, Kid ? I'm behaving for the sake of what happened in the past but... Everything I'm witnessing for a few days are just at the opposite of your beliefs... Are those things really you... ? You've been hurt, I know it, I saw your sleeve... There's someone else, right ?
-This is my fight, Tantei-kun. I'm big enough to deal with it, I don't need a tiny noisy detective to meddle in it." The teen answered with a firm expression. Reduced or not, a child had nothing to do in a fight with armed men and he was not going to imply him.
"- If you keep endangering people, I can't stay out of it." The child firmly declared, his eyes in the Thief's.
"- Don't worry, just keep behaving, I'm on it."
