Sorry for the wait, I have been busy this week and my internet in my house decided to crash. I am so sorry it's so late. Also it is so long! This is episodes 498 and 499.

The rest of the morning was spent in restlessness. I remained composed, although I just knew it was the calm before the storm, and I couldn't wait to get the plan underway. I had to remain relaxed because no one else was. All of this waiting was stupid. Both parties knew the organization was going to attack. Dragging it out was such a pain.

I wasn't the only one. The other FBI agents were noticeably more nervous and skittish. Jodie was especially high strung, only relaxing when James forced her to take a nap. The boy was the one exception.

He stayed near me most of the time, ready to come up with a backup plan if they decided to attack, however he was completely unworried about the situation. No not worried, ready was the more correct term. His sharp blue eyes darted around in an attempt of spotting something that signaled their attack, but his body language was not stressed in the slightest. I guess it helped since we knew the whole plan. The main thing both of us were worried about was how far the organization would go. They could easily just wipe this hospital and its staff off the earth without blinking. That is probably why both of us were so alert.

We were standing in the lobby with Jodie, around lunchtime, when we heard sirens. Jodie turned to the windows.

"A fire?"

I feel a trickle of unease settle in my stomach uncomfortably. That was too much of a coincidence, wasn't it? Maybe I am just overthinking things.

"James Black-san?"

I turn toward the reception desk, where a nurse was talking to a delivery man.

"There is no patient by that name here."

"No it isn't for a patient, but an attendant."

Jodie walks forward to deal with it, and I narrow my eyes. This is too suspicious. On the day of the organization's supposed attack on us, a package is delivered for our boss? There was no way that wasn't a trap. I wasn't sure until I heard who it was from.

"It is from a man named Kusadu Rikumichi. He sent him flowers."

Well if that wasn't a blatant threat I don't know what is. Using their dead operative's name to give our boss a present? It is like they are grinning and saying we know where you are, and are coming soon. Arrogant bastards. Jodie takes the flowers from the man and rushes out to the parking lot, only stopping to talk to another agent for two seconds. The boy and I glance at each other and follow. We arrive just to see James pull the pot out of the wrapping.

"Columbine, or Odamaki in Japan I believe. They sent this to me?"

"Yes, they sent them using the name of the operative that shot himself last night. There is no doubt. As a precaution we acted as security guards and are checking all luggage into the hospital. We even checked delivery packages."

James looked down at the seemingly innocent flower in his hands.

"Why send this to me though? Columbine is a flower that grows in Colorado."

I look hard at the bluish flowers. There had to be an alternative meaning. The boy spoke up seriously.

"Obtain without failure."

We all looked down at him. He was giving the flowers a mild glare.

"It is the language of that flower. It also means clear victory."

Ho, so now they were taunting us, trying to provoke us into probably moving Mizunashi Rena.

"It is a declaration of war, isn't it?"

They both looked at me and I smirked. They were coming. All the waiting around was over. We could man the battle stations, so to speak. Not that we technically needed to, but we had to make it believable.

Suddenly our attention was drawn to several cars pulling into the parking lot at once. That wasn't odd, considering we heard the fire engines earlier, but with this hospital? Did they have something to do with it?

"Meier here!"

One of the agents we had checking all the people coming into the hospital radioed into James. He flipped open his radio.

"What's going on?"

The man answered frantically.

"So many ill patients and others are flooding the hospital. I can't check them all."

Ah, so that's how it is. They plan to overwhelm us with numbers, storming the front gate of our fort, and with our small army there was no way we could hold out. The man continued.

"The ones coming in are claiming there were three accidents in the area."

James asked incredulously.

"Three accidents at once?"

"Yes, food poisoning, a disturbing smell, and a fire."

James hung up the phone.

"Is this their doing?"

"While it would be easy to time an odor and a fire, how could they time food poisoning? The symptoms vary person to person."

"Perhaps they used a drug that emulates food poisoning, and the odor and fire were done deliberately without casualties so the victims would have to come here, and after excluding those with surface injuries such as burns and cuts, it is hard to tell who is faking stomach pain, eyes, and throat."

"In other words they can pretend to be victims of the accident and infiltrate the hospital with large numbers and quickly. "

"Their goal will be to find Mizunashi Rena's room."

"If they search in waves they can find her very quickly."

That sounds out of character for the organization. They would be discovered that way. It is far too careless of a tactic to act openly suspicious. Not to mention more numbers meant more flies could be caught in our net.

"No, if they are sending numbers in large waves like that and making them act so suspiciously, they are giving us a chance to apprehend some of them. These are not the types to take such risks."

Jodie glanced toward the doors of the hospital.

"Then this uproar…"

I nodded.

"Has a different meaning."

I couldn't tell what it was though. It was probably a distraction to us, making us focus our forces on the front of the hospital and they might sneak in a different way, or of course there is the possibility they are giving us more targets to protect, spreading us thin. The boy interrupts our thinking.

"Hey, did you hear something just then?"

I glance down at him. He looks slightly panicked. How could you hear something with all the sirens and commotion going on?

"From the flower pot."

Ah, his head was closer to the flowerpot then our ears were.

"What's worse, it is getting louder."

If I concentrated just on the general area, I could now hear a faint ticking noise. James held the pot up to his ear.

"Now that you mention it, there is…"

I ordered sharply.

"Put it on the ground and step away."

James followed my request and I knelt next to the unassuming potted plant. Yes, the ticking was now getting louder. Did that mean they wanted us to discover whatever was in this pot? I hope it isn't what I think it is, however if it is, I doubt it has a motion trigger, considering Jodie just ran across the parking lot with it. I might as well bite the bullet and try to see what it is.

I feel around the dirt on the surface first. I couldn't feel or see anything out of the ordinary. I wrinkle my nose slightly in annoyance as I carefully pull the plant up and out of the pot; the stem was in the way. Now without the plant in the way it was easier to sift my fingers through the dirt, and I felt something square shaped. I tensed and slowly, carefully pulled the object out of the dirt.

It was definitely a bomb, with a timer, set to go off in thirty minutes. That was strange in itself. Why would they give us a bomb that we could easily find? Not only could we find, but with plenty of time to deal with the threat? Was it to make us drop our guard? Or perhaps to thin our ranks by making our agents leave the hospital to take the bomb somewhere else safely to explode? Either way, bombs and hospitals don't mix.

"A bomb?"

"You didn't even check inside the pot?"

"Sorry, we thought they were only flowers."

I could kind of understand Jodie's thinking.

"A bomb like this can only take out a few agents. If a bomb drew the attention of the Japanese police it would make for searching for Mizunashi Rena more difficult. They could gain nothing from this. That's what you thought right?"

"At any rate we have to get rid of the bomb."

I studied the explosive carefully. It was well made.

"It is armed with multiple traps, so disarming it would take too long. The best and safest option would be to take it to an unoccupied area and make it explode there. If the timer is correct we have thirty two minutes and fourteen seconds before the bomb goes off."

"Then forgive me, but it is up to you Akai-kun."

Hmm, me leaving the front lines to do a trivial task such as this wasn't the best idea. I had to make sure Mizunashi Rena got away safely and oversee things here. Jodie seemed to realize this too.

"No Shu, you stay here. There is a garbage dumb seven kilos from here. I will go by car."

"You can take my car then."

Suddenly a new voice spoke up.

"You sure you will make it?"

I turn and grinned inwardly at the appearance of Andre Camel. Perfect. If he goes and drives, he can show off his driving skill and raise his chances of being the driver to take Mizunashi Rena. His timing couldn't be better; in fact it was a bit too perfect. Out of the corner of my eye I spy the boy slip his phone into his back pocket. Did he just call him over for him to take on this job? Thinking ahead, as always.

"The main roads are backed up with traffic due to the three accidents. Making it in thirty minutes is questionable. Well that is unless you have a navigator like me that knows the area. Then it is a different story."

Jodie narrowed her eyes at him.

"Hey you what are you doing away from your post?"

"I came to report since my post is nearby. I figured it was easier to approach you all directly."

James interrupted their argument.

"There is no time to waste. You two get that bomb out of here."

They both nodded. Before Camel left he made eye contact with me and I nodded slightly. Jodie will probably insist on driving, because she obviously doesn't trust the guy, but he needed to show her and James that he had unparalleled skill in driving. Do whatever you have to do. He seemed to get the message and gave me a discreet thumb up. I narrow my eyes as they sprinted toward James's car.

"It still bothers me."

James looked at me strange.

"You mean Camel?"

No he is the least of my concerns. I share my thoughts on the bomb.

"No, the bomb. They were gracious enough to include a visible timer, and then made it so we would notice it by making it get louder."

The boy spoke up, clearly just as worried as I was.

"Also, isn't it strange they gave us more than thirty minutes? It's as if they wanted the FBI to take it somewhere else."

James asked.

"Then what was it for? What are they trying to do?"

The three incidents, the bombs… this is like looking at an unfinished puzzle. The pieces are here and coming together, but we don't know how. It seems like I am not the only one either. The boy also looks stumped, which makes me feel a little better, although it would have been better if he knew as well.

In any case, we should probably go help with crowd control. I noticed the boy follow me as I walk in through the front doors.

It was mass chaos, shouting and pushing and selfish people. It was quickly turning into a mob. I look around trying to distinguish what to do first when I felt a tug on my sleeve.

"Hey, there are a lot of deliverymen."

I look around and I see them, holding packages and dispersed in the crowd. I nodded.

"Yeah, there are a lot."

I quickly made my way to one, making it look like an accident as I bump into him, making him drop his cargo. I apologized quickly, bending down to pick up the package when I see a flash of a small blue sports coat on my right. We both saw the senders name at the same time. Kusada Rikumichi.

Did that mean all these packages were from the organization and had bombs? Was that the purpose of the first bomb, to make us suspicious of the other packages that came from Kusada Rikumichi and assume they also had bombs? What if they didn't want her back in the first place and just wanted to raze the hospital to the ground?

"What do you think Boya?"

He had to be having the same deductions as me, and I was curious of his opinion. His eyes glinted fiercely.

"I'm not sure yet. We don't have enough clues. If I had to take a guess, they are trying to scare us into moving her somewhere else."

Ah, that was something I hadn't considered. Yes, bombing the place would be too flashy, but the threat of it was real enough.

"You go ahead and tell James what we found. I am going to try and see if our hunch is true."

He nodded and scampered back outside. I quickly found out a patient that had been delivered to and walked to their room. I knocked and entered politely.

"Sorry, I am from security. Did you get a strange gift?"

This had to be treated with tact. If the patients got wind that they had gotten bombs as gift, there would be even more mass panic then there already was.

"Yes this."

"Is it from someone named Kusada?"

"Yeah, but I don't know anyone of that name."

"Then allow me."

I dig into the innocent fruit basket, moving aside things until I found what I was looking for. As I thought, another bomb. I frowned as I held it up. You crows sure are being extra troublesome today.

"What is that thing?"

I smiled politely, lying smoothly.

"Ah, this is just a listening device. They use it for the rising remittance fraud method."

I left with a quiet 'excuse me' and quickly walked outside. This mystery was getting more and more puzzling. The boy's eyes met mine and I held up the small box.

"Another bomb?"

Ah Jodie is back and considering her face, the disposing of the bomb was successful.

"So there really are bombs in all those gifts."

I nod, and estimate roughly.

"Yeah one plastic explosive can blow up one room. But if all go off at once…"

Yeah we are in deep trouble if that happens. That means the entire hospital is going to the ground. It is a possibility, however I doubt that is their real plan. As the boy said, this could just be a bluff, a threat to make us consider moving her. Not that I am complaining. That isn't essential for the boy's plan, but it does cut down a lot of extra planning.

"We are lucky it is set at five, giving us four hours. If we remove the fuses, they shouldn't explode. With the final delivery, we have around sixty packages."

"That must be why they wanted to flood the hospital with patients. Delivering so many packages at once would be too conspicuous and attract too much attention, but by having the deliverymen show up during the mass panic we wouldn't expect them to be giving bombs to the patients."

I zone out a little as they speak of other things. What could be the big picture? If the organization's thinking is this simple we would have caught them ages ago. No, we are more than likely dealing with Gin. What could be his real motive? I blink back into concentration as James spoke up again.

"At any rate there, are only four hours left. Have our agents scour every room and retrieve those packages and retrieve the bombs."

The rest of the agents dispersed. James remarked.

"They sure are relentless with this. I thought they were only coming to retrieve Mizunashi Rena."

I don't have anything for sure, but as far as I know that is their plan. However it wouldn't hurt to share my other deductions as well.

"Yeah, it never occurred to me they planned to dispose of her from the beginning to seal her mouth for good. Right Boya?"

I glance down at him. He agreed, but I could tell it was halfhearted. I could practically see the gears spinning in his head, trying to anticipate the enemies' movements. I beckon slightly and we step away from James. I knelt down to his level.

"What do you think?"

Conan narrowed his eyes, chin in hand.

"I don't think they would want to turn this into a terrorist attack. It would attract attention from a lot of law agencies, local, national, and international, as well make it more difficult for them to move in Japan in the future. Blowing up the hospital cannot be their goal."

He looked at me, and it is a stark difference in his eyes then his usual childishness. Urgency lent him intelligence as he asked.

"If you were in their shoes, what would you do?"

I paused thinking quickly. The sooner we figure this out the sooner we can counterattack.

"Try to find Mizunashi Rena's room. That would be their main goal."

He grimaced.

"How though?"

I glance up at the hospital.

"I think we still have some time to think about it."

I stand straight again and we rejoin James by the van. It would be easier for us to obtain info if we are by the conduit.

"What Mizunashi Rena is on TV?"

I pause, eyes widening. No that can't be right can it?

"Yes, it is on the television in the lobby and in their rooms. She seems to be in a hospital bed wearing hospital clothes."

Wait, did they already get her? No that can't be right we had been watching all the entrances… until we left to go find the bombs. Shoot. But there is no way they could have found her that quickly. We can't call up to the room so our first instinct would be to run up to check on her…

And all of our agents had bombs, given to us from the organization on their person.

"In any case, go up there and check on her."

"Yes we thought as much and are on our way."

It would be so easy to slip a transmitter into the complicated wiring of a bomb. The first one didn't have one and of course I was careless and assumed the others wouldn't. I see, how clever.

I look to the boy and see he is scowling. He figured it out as well. Even though this works in our favor, we still have to act the part. After all, getting Mizunashi Rena moved is part of the plan, and fighting with the organization at the hospital in an all-out gun fight is the last option we want, however if we don't disclose the information we can't get the ball rolling on moving her in the first place.

The boy is the first to react, ordering James.

"Get this message out to the block leaders. Stay away from Mizunashi Rena's room."

I sigh.

"I suppose it is already too late."

"Too late? You mean they have her?"

I glanced up toward the fourth floor.

"Why don't we go check it out?"

James ran in first, followed by the boy, but he stopped, coming back.

"You think we can use the bombs Akai-san?"

I blinked in surprise. What did he mean?

"How so Boya?"

He glanced around making sure that none of the other agents was nearby.

"They won't let Agent Camel go free right? They will try to kill him. Can we use one of the bombs to cover his escape?"

I smirk. This is why I loved having this kid around.

"Brilliant idea. I will inform Camel."

His face fell again into irritation.

"What's wrong Boya?"

He seemed upset, more than he should be if he was acting. It was like he was generally frustrated that they found out Mizunashi Rena's location, which doesn't make sense since that is what we wanted them to do. He looked up at me and smiled faintly.

"Don't mind me. I am just angry I couldn't predict what they would do. I guess it is a good training exercise, and I know it is staged, but I still feel like I should try to fight back."

This boy was using this as a simulation, a learning experience on how the organization thinks. I doubt he has a lot of source material to go on, considering this organization is like catching ghosts. He is using this so he can fight them in the future. He is correct in that aspect. If Mizunashi Rena was actually an operative and our goal wasn't to send her back but to keep her, this would have been considered a failure on our part. We are playing by their rules as of right now, and the probability of them succeeding in their goal is high.

How far does this kid plan ahead? Does he have his retirement plans already in place?

"All right, we should probably go catch up to James."

We quickly caught up to the boss and made the well versed trek to Mizunashi Rena's room to see a bunch of confused agents.

"You've been played."

I called out. They turned to look at me, expecting a reason as to why the woman was still 'comatose' in her bed.

"We are toys in their hands, just as they planned."

"We got played?"

I feel almost bad for the look of absolute horror that crosses Jodie's face. The boy spoke up quietly.

"That clip you saw was from an old interview she gave following an explosion where she was injured, after they doctored the clothing and background. I saw the original one so there is no doubt."

Jodie looked confused.

"What was the point of airing that video?"

The boy explained sternly. I suppose he is making this a learning experience for them too.

"To make you FBI agents come here. They knew you wouldn't use cellphones or wireless in the hospital to contact each other."

Jodie was now getting frustrated.

"That's why I am asking why they wanted us here?"

I spoke up.

"You were just looking for them right? The toys they scattered around the hospital. Where are they now?"

The agents pulled them out of various pockets.

"If you are talking about the bombs we have them here. I was about to go to another room so I kept them."

Finally the realization dawned on them and they gasped in shock.

"Don't tell me inside…"

I nodded. The boy continued.

"Yes, in those toys, were some troubling gifts."

Jodie glanced between me and James.

"Transmitters. You mean they put transmitters on every bomb?"

I close my eyes in apparent depression of them finding their target's location and confirm Jodie's suspicions. James picked it up.

"Yes, they sent those bombs in order to find the location of Mizunashi Rena's room. The flower pot was to hint they would be attacking with bombs. With the TV segment they were able to get us to rush here while we were hurrying to collect the bombs they sent."

"So the organization…"

"Is probably watching us and making their next move smiling."

"So what now?"

We all looked to James to give the order, the only logical one left. He closed his eyes, resigned.

"After this, there is no reason to stay. It is time to go with the last resort I spoke of this morning. We will separate into three cars and escape in the confusion. Whichever agent is the bait will draw them away as far as possible. As for who will ride in each car, talk to Jodie-kun."

"Hey."

Conan piped up and I see him give me a quick glance.

"Why don't we put her in an old beetle my friend drives? We can lay her down in the back seat. Those bad guys will probably think you will put her in a bigger vehicle on a stretcher. They would never guess this."

Woah, what is he doing? We can't involve civilians. They could become targets for the organization.

"That's probably true."

Jodie agreed, but I could tell she didn't like this plan either.

"Let me give him a call then."

He pulls out his phone. No I have to stop…oh I see. This is the chance he spoke of for me to get my fingerprints on the phone. He knew how I felt about innocent civilians getting involved in such a dangerous scheme and is using that to our advantage. It wouldn't be out of place for me to take the boy's phone from him. Not only that, this idea he proposed isn't so different from our original plan, and it would be easy for me to claim inspiration and use it as a segway as I tell the other agents the real plan.

The glue was still on my fingertips, after I had reapplied it several times. His acting is superb, as in his acting of a normal child. He was excitedly pointing out a plan, trying to show off for the adults, acting a lot dumber then he actually is. This could land him a low blow though. We were just starting to see his strategic advantage, and in proposing this plan lands him back at square one where we lose faith in his cognitive abilities. It could limit his involvement in future plans. However, I doubt it would take long for him to get back in their good graces. It must be humiliating, to sometimes act a whole lot dumber than one actually is, just to make sure a plan succeeds.

"I am sure he will come quickly."

Right hand I mentally tell myself as I reach over, across my body, and pulling the cellphone out of his grip. He looks up at me with surprise. I act accordingly, as I would in a normal situation.

"No matter how smart you are, this isn't an option. This is a job for the FBI."

He looks dejected. I flip the phone close, making sure to press my fingers hard against the surface. I feel kind of bad, because both of us know it isn't true. He is the mastermind, and I am treating him like a child, even though I promised I wouldn't do so again. I don't miss how the entire FBI watches as I slowly hand the device back to the child, eyes drawn to it.

"We can't let others get involved, can we?"

"But—"

"Leave the rest to us."

I feel like an actor on a stage, where the two of us are putting on a small skit for the other agents. I had to do everything in the right order and in a certain way, even though we hadn't rehearsed, we pulled it off. He finally backed down, placing his phone back in his jacket pocket, but I don't miss the small smirk on his lips. Perfect. One more step in our grand plan.

"All right let's destroy the transmitters in the bombs then."

Ah, this is my turn. It was up to me to convince the other agents to get Mizunashi Rena and Camel in a car together, alone. The boy cannot do anything now, because of his fake scheme to involve civilians.

"No, do so after you hear me out."

"What is it Akai-kun?"

I couldn't help myself. I needed to give the boy credit for something. It isn't fair that he is the unsung hero, always moving in the shadows and doesn't get anything to credit as his own.

"After hearing what this boy said, it hit me, a clever plan that will allow us to escape with Mizunashi Rena and blind them."

Up to this point, we have been playing right into the black organization's hands. They had launched a successful attack, managing to get their main goal. It was high time we turned the tables on them. From here on out, it will be our moves that dictate what they do. They will dance to our tune, and hopefully not pull any surprises. The plan is now officially going into motion and it won't stop until I fake my death. It was time to counterattack.