9: No More Mister Nice Guy
The Black Organization was tired of the kaitou's tricks. They had tried to be subtle, but their game of cat and mouse had proved to be less amusing than they had first thought. It was time to teach that thief that they could do more than just bat at him with claw-less paws. They would put just enough fear in him to make him less cocky, more hesitant, and more wary.
The shoot out lasted only a couple minutes, but in that time five nameless Black Organization members were shot down, many cops were injured and two were dead. As sirens announced the approach of police reinforcements, the surviving and least injured Black Organization members fled into the shadows and the ones who were too injured joined the dead on the ground with steady hands. The Black Organizations body count now equaled nine.
The Moonlight Magician, Kaitou KID himself, had also not come away from the fight unscathed. Unable to leave while his task force had been in danger, he had also dropped into the fight using whatever tricks and traps he had on hand. Used to his antics and smoke screens, the Kaitou KID Task Force had been given a slight advantage. Many Black Organization members had been injured while blinded and many more had fled bearing deep scratches from KID's card gun. Unfortunately, white made a great target in the dark.
Ignoring the blood running down from his shoulder, the thief watched as the crows disappeared again. He didn't dare move from his position at the side of the fallen inspector. Nakamori-keibu's side was stained red, but the pressure the magician was putting on the wound had greatly slowed the blood flow. He was unconscious now, but he would make it.
KID's white gloves were sticky and wet with the thick warm blood and its scent was heavy in the air. The thief grit his teeth in anger, he didn't even feel his own wound. People had been hurt; people had been killed, at his heist. No one was supposed to get hurt, no one else was supposed to die. No more children were supposed to lose their fathers.
The magician's breathing quickened it's pace and KID realized that he was either going into shock or was having a panic attack. "Take over." He ordered a nearby cop who had avoided major injury. The man didn't argue and as his hands replaced KID's the thief stood up and instinctively found an isolated corner, struggling to keep up his poker face as he hurried to it.
The moonlight magician crouched down and covered his face with his hands, wincing as his shoulder shifted. Breath, he repeated to himself until it was finally slowed to a normal rate. He dropped his hands and stood up gracefully, the noise of the task moving to help each other until the ambulance arrived filtered back in.
The Kaitou KID Task Force, the faces of their dead came back to the front of his mind and KID felt rage well up in him again. Clenching his teeth he felt trapped and tense from the intense emotion. Lacking his usual regard for his greatest tools, KID punched the wall and heard the bones in his hand crack. The new flash of pain jerked him from his murderous anger and he was able to relax and cover his emotions with a blank façade.
Turning around, the white clad thief found himself face to face with one of the task force members. "Kaiyo-san", KID greeted somberly. The cop blinked, surprised that KID recognized him on sight. "Ah… KID…" Kaiyo said hesitantly, "I… ah… noticed you were injured… and", he gestured to a first aid kit in his hand. The thief frowned, "I am not sure I understand." Kaiyo grimaced, "well ah… w-we all agreed, th-that officially Kaitou 1412 escaped and… well, for this one you're just a kid who got caught in the crossfire." He opened the first aid kit, "so, let me help you with your injury kid."
Still frowning, KID obligingly loosened his tie and, shrugging off his white coat and blue dress shirt, sat down. "I'm still not sure I understand", the magician grumbled as Kaiyo checked over his wound. "It looks like it's just a bad graze", Kaiyo murmured, "and we're doing this because without your… intervention many more of us would probably have been k… hurt. In that regard we owe you."
The thief shook his head unconvinced, "if anything it was all of you who got caught in the crossfire of my enemies. You're the innocent victims in this altercation. As such… it's my fault that so many people are injured and that Tamaki-san and Himura-san…." Kaiyo carefully pinched the thief's injury closed even as he admonished, "we're police, we're prepared for danger and on a regular basis we're quite lucky that the worst we have to deal with is you, and really the only problems we have with you is that, professionally, you're on the other side of the law and, personally, you are infuriatingly arrogant half the time."
KID snorted, "and the other half?"
Kaiyo grinned, "you've led us to worse criminals and dropped hints, don't deny it, that have led to their arrest several times before now. Besides," his expression mellowed, "you grieve for our losses even now. You honestly do feel remorse."
The magician was silent as Kaiyo started rapping his shoulder with a bandage. "Why were you so angry KID?" Kaiyo asked softly.
KID could have purposefully deflected, but now wasn't the time. "Two men died today." He said, "Nakamori-keibu is severely injured, I just don't understand how one could be so callous as to steal something so precious as a life. I steal baubles, little knick-knacks that, while pretty, have no true value. A life, once taken, can't ever be returned nor the time that person lost. Time that would have been spent with his loved ones."
Kaiyo nodded in understanding, tying off the bandage. "And…" KID whispered, "I didn't want any- any more kids to loose their fathers." Kaiyo jerked and his eyes widened. "KID! Your saying...!" The thief stood up, "those are only the words of your 'innocent bystander'." The moonlight magician gingerly tugged his shirt and jacket into place and turned, cape swirling. "Only the words of a civilian." KID repeated.
As the thief began to walk away, Kaiyo stood up and called after him, "we don't blame you Kaitou-san. It's always been clear what your position is on the value of people. You value life more than many people I've seen, your own life is just as important remember, but I'm grateful you risked yourself to help us. You protected as many of us as you could and your actions saved Nakamori-keibu. We cops understand the risks we put ourselves in to chase criminals and you're not as big a threat as we are prepared to chase. We don't blame you for our losses."
KID paused in the doorway and his voice, though soft, was heard by everyone when he spoke over his shoulder. "You've never seen me get dangerous, I've never seen myself get dangerous. And… you may not, but I do blame myself."
