Chapter 10: For Another
"Hattori-kun." Takagi didn't even think about it. He wrapped his arms around the teen, doing his best to shield him from the others so that the boy could have some privacy. Almost absently, his hand went to Hattori's shoulder and stroked his back, trying his best to give him comfort.
Kaito was still, a hand knotted into his hair tight enough that it was hurting him. He couldn't move at the moment- was shocked he was even breathing. Other people in pain... was just something that was a no in his book- and Kudo, no matter what age, was in body of a child. A girl or a kid? That made it even worse. He eyes remained out of focus, staring somewhere at the forearm he was using to cling to his hair. If he moved... he knew he was going to be sick. He'd mind was already filling his senses with the scents and sounds of charred flesh. Yep, definitely going to be sick.
Saguru wasn't sure what to do. The hot-blooded, tough-talking teen had turned into Takagi-keiji's hold and was crying. Kuroba... who had taken repeated pain and pressure on his injuries, was clutching his hair and looked pale and green at the same time... much like Hattori-kun had before he buried his face in the officer's shirt. This one must have been even worse than the previous ones but, how, he was unsure he wanted to know. He hurried to the kitchen and retrieved a few plastic bags he'd come across while cooking. Returning he silently placed one near each of the other teens. Hoping that he and Takagi-keiji would not need some themselves.
Okay, Kaito was and had been fine showing his pain in front of them, because he had to- there had been no choice. Throwing up he was not going to do for an audience and he knew already what a shaking mess he would be without what he'd eaten to give him energy- let alone how much the very act of letting it out was going to hurt. He'd been here before- once. He knew where the rooms were. Getting up on unsteady feet Kaito ran as fast as he could to the bathroom.
Takagi rested his head near Hattori's, letting the boy have his time. He didn't need to know what had happened. It was bad and, considering he watched Kuroba leave the room, it could wait.
Heiji wasn't sure what he was going to do. He had to say something. But what? The only things going through his mind were the two people that he was being forced to choose between. Kudo... Kazuha..."Kudo... Kazuha... Kudo... Kazuha..."
Saguru was too far away to understand the words but he could tell Hattori-kun had begun to say something.
"Hattori-kun, you need to calm down." Takagi hugged him a little closer. "What happened? You don't need to tell me unless you want to."
"Kudo... or Kazuha... I have... ta choose... who gets..." Heiji started coughing... choking off the words he didn't even want to say... but with time running out he had to get it out...
"Who gets what?" Takagi's mind automatically went to the worse possible scenario. He didn't even notice his hands had moved to Hattori's arms and he was helping support the teen while still moving them to help calm him down. Then it surprised him that he did notice. What did it matter? "Hattori-kun, what is it? Can I help?"
"Br... bran... branding..."
Takagi frowned, still supporting Hattori. "Branding?"
Saguru had yet to understand Hattori-kun but when Takagi-keiji said the word 'branding' he felt his blood run cold. "Takagi-keiji... what was he saying at first? I was unable to catch his words from here."
Takagi held Hattori tighter for a moment while he looked over at Hakuba. "Um... K-Conan-kun and- I mean, or Kazuha-san. I-" Takagi looked down at the teen. "I guess he has to choose which one of them gets-" He didn't finish the sentence, knowing Hakuba-kun would understand.
"So... if Hattori-kun does not... do that... to Toyama-san than he will do it to Conan-kun..." Saguru had to sit now as well. That kind of choice was... no wonder Kuroba and Hattori-kun had reacted like that. He recalled the girl that had come with the Mouri's and, in all honesty, rescued them from the island they had been on for the Koushien. She and Hattori-kun had seemed close, even with the yelling. To have to do that to someone you care about or let someone else do it... to a child. Saguru sighed and shook his head.
"Doesn't... have to... be her." Kaito came in the room after letting himself be sick and feeling like an idiot for walking out. He leaned against the wall, still shaking but thinking. He had things that could make him look like her... but there was no way to fake skin this manner- at least- not that he knew. Even dead flesh didn't react the same way as living. To bleed or burn... it had to be real as far as he knew. He was going to ask Hakuba if he knew anything this time... because maybe he did... and maybe he didn't. "Wouldn't... be the... first scar... I had." Kaito looked over at Hattori, letting him know of his offer. In all likelihood he'd pass out, and that didn't seem like such a bad thing.
"Kuroba, you took the last one. There is no way you could stand that. What were the actual requirements... perhaps we could..."
"Better... I can't... stand it. Guy... didn't say... I couldn't... pass out. Besides... same... requirements. We... don't have... long." Kaito looked over at Hakuba. "I've got... nothing. If you... do. Please... share."
"How... could I... I..." Heiji had yet to be able to move, remaining where he was and wishing he could do something... anything... to stop shaking.
Kaito looked over at him, still not moving. He was starting to feel better but he wasn't going to let them doubt him when he couldn't walk straight. "I can't... play both... parts. Hattori-kun... it's your... choice. I'm serious. I don't... care." He had scars from bullets that had come too close for comfort. He didn't mind a few more. It was almost to the point where he couldn't take off his shirt anyway.
"I'd rather... why cou'n't... be me... Why others...?"
Saguru shook his head. That could answer a lot of questions. He continued thinking of possible alternatives.
"'Cause it... is hurting... you... Hattori-kun." Kaito smiled, his eyes falling half-way closed. "And… trust me. You're... always... gonna be... wishing it... were only... you. Because... it's easy... that way." Kaito looked down near the floor, content with his decisions and now waiting on the choices of the others.
Saguru looked over at Kuroba and could not believe it. These two seemed intent on continuing to injure themselves. "I will not let you. We fooled him once... I am sure we can come up with something. Did he say where it had to be... or what?"
"Back," Kaito said as he looked up. "Initials. Nothing... I have... can stand... up to... heat. Even fake... skin, if... it could... is going... to move... differently… then real." His eyes grew intent and he stared at Hakuba. "Dead skin... will act... just as... different. Unless..." Kaito wrinkled his nose. "It's fresh. Even... then, it would... be hard... to fake." Kaito took in more air but his lung wouldn't expand enough without causing him pain to speak in full sentences. He let the air back out. "Needs it... taped again. Show... both of... them. And... wants to... see it... happen. No... cuts... or we..." Kaito shook his head. They couldn't really find time to make the scene look real with digital equipment on such a short time schedule. "Make up... won't work... here.
Saguru sighed. That was difficult. He could have come up with a few alternatives to an arm or something... but burning initials... initials... HH... that...
"Hakuba-kun..." Kaito looked down again, swallowing. "I don't... know if... me passing... out is... such a... good idea... either. Might... not count." His eyes were pained, looking back up at the blond who was as intently thinking about a way out of this as he had. "If... you're quiet. I can-" Kaito couldn't face him. He looked back down at the floor, his eyes half closed so he wouldn't see his expression. "I can... make you... look like... her..."
"Honestly... I was just thinking the same thing. If we used the actual initials, Hattori Heiji... HH... then I doubt it will be a problem. You have both taken a great deal of pain... allow me to take this one."
"Hakuba." Kaito looked at the blond. The other two in the room weren't watching him and he hoped this would work. He mouthed 'hold your breath'.
Saguru met Kuroba's eye. He did not like that there were doing this again but was not sure what else to do. He glanced over at the two of them, Hattori-kun still shaking and Takagi-keiji doing his best to comfort the teen. He recalled the looks they both had last time... how Hattori-kun seemed to think the entire thing had been a dream. It would be worse this time. He closed his eyes before looking back at Kuroba, shaking his head. Mouthing back 'No.' He waved his hand, trying to get Takagi-keiji's attention while holding a finger to his lips.
"Fine, detective." Kaito was at the table, the adrenaline of what he was about to do giving him the energy he needed. "But you best be fast on your feet." Before the other two could do more than blink, Kaito had grabbed his phone back and slipped it somewhere for safekeeping. "Hattori-kun..." He tapped the boy's shoulder. "You... won't have... to do... anything. And Conan... -kun will be... just fine." Kaito smiled, nodding over towards Hakuba. "We've... got a... plan again."
Saguru shook his head as Kuroba went and informed the broken detective... as if he needed more on his mind.
Heiji rolled his head... still too shaken to move much. "Ar'- ar' ya... sure? He said... both... had ta... be... an' 'is... 'arder. I can't... an'... my han'... 'e'll see... no way..."
Saguru looked up and reached for the bag he had put the hand in. It still looked the same, no extra damage. "Kuroba will use this when he is doing it. I can grab some bandages from the First Aid kit and wrap it, just like you would if you had had to treat it." Saguru turned and hurried out of the room, glad that Hattori-kun's rambling had caught something that they might have missed.
Kaito smiled, all warmth and laughter, and so much more Kid then he'd shown before. "Hey... Hattori-kun. The… video. Can't... chance you'll... be in... it. Don't wanna... have this... happen for... real... so stay... here. I promise... right after... he asks... for the... site... I'll bring... you the... phone." Nothing was wrong. Kaito wasn't about to make himself sick for probably the rest of his life. No one was really getting hurt, sure. And his face showed only that- pure, confident, reassurance. "Best if... Takagi-keiji... waits with... you. Shouldn't take... long." Kaito had a few things he'd been messing with in his pockets. He'd have to use the kitchen first. "Okay?"
"Ya... betta... know... wha' yer... doin'... fer Kudo..."
"It's me. I... always know... what I'm doing." Kaito grinned, showing a lot of teeth, as he went into the kitchen. Hakuba was using the counter to work on and Kaito went next to the stove, put a few items on there, enough to heat them up. They'd keep a warming temperature and his lighter would do the rest. "Hakuba-kun," Kaito said in a low voice. "I only... have my... lock picks. It'll... take a..." Kaito swallowed, refusing to be sick again. "You know... six times..." He never looked up, never away from the stove. "Can you... do that?"
"Kuroba, how many times do you think cooks are burned, especially when they start young? A stove, a hot pan when you miss with the pot holder, splattered grease..." Saguru never turned from his work, but hoped his answer got the message across.
"This isn't... an accident. This is... me... purposely... hurting you. And it's..." Kaito trailed off without thinking about it. "Gonna hurt... longer. You... won't be... able to... pull away..."
Saguru turned and extended the bandaged hand to Kuroba. "At least I trust the one doing it...Can the same be said of Conan-kun and the man that would be doing it to him?"
"You shouldn't... trust me. I'm... a liar. Hattori-kun..." Kaito smiled over his shoulder at Hakuba and grabbed the hand. "I made... him think... we're pulling... some trick. Don't... tell him... we aren't."
"In a way... we are. We are 'tricking' this guy into thinking you are Hattori-kun and I am Toyama-san. That is a trick enough to pull off. As for the... change... what do you have in mind... for me?" Saguru waited for the answer, grateful that no one would ever find out it was him.
Kaito almost laughed. Even without it, he was sure his smile was wide enough. "I've got... clothes. But you... need to be... turned at... an angle... cause even... with them... you're a... guy. I have... to pose you." Kaito put a hand up near the detective's collar and ran a finger down to just below where his shoulder blades would meet in the middle. "I'm gonna cut... the shirt... so you... can't tell."
"Just do it quickly... and please ensure that you change me back as soon as you can..." Saguru felt a shiver at what was going to happen but reminded himself that the young lady was nowhere near and he would be in a much better position to handle it then Conan-kun.
The stove got them hot fast enough and Kaito shoved several of them into a dishtowel before taking it up by the sides and carrying it. "Hurry, they will... cool, and... we don't... have the... time." Kaito was out of the kitchen with a smile on his face, waving to the other two as if he were off to see a movie he'd been waiting for. "Be right... back." He grabbed the door, not waiting for Hakuba because he wouldn't have done it before, and started dressing himself as he went down the stairs, saving the hand for when he was done with Hakuba.
Saguru sighed and followed, giving a nod to Takagi-keiji as Hattori-kun had either turned his head back or the officer had done it and was holding the teen tightly, the slight quivers making it appear he was crying again. Takagi-keiji merely returned the nod before pulling the boy closer, letting him know he would not let him leave. Saguru shut the door and headed down the stairs to meet up with Kuroba.
Kaito had thought this was going to happen again and ignored putting them to sleep altogether. There was no inside entrance and the only people who could possibly hear there were on the street. Kaito took out a sheet of paper and, in the girliest writing he could manage, wrote 'play in progress. Sorry about the noise' with a little heart added on the end. He tapped it to the door and held it open while Hakuba went in, closing and locking it behind him.
Saguru read the note as he passed. 'Really... so that is how he will explain the female screams...' He turned when he reached the area by the desk. "I keep saying this to myself... but I must stop being surprised by you."
"I'm about... to play... two roles... right in... your ear. You'd better... not react." Kaito grinned. "That doesn't... mean you... can't after." Kaito waved his hand in front of him, snapping his fingers and getting ready to really work. In seconds he had Hakuba in a long skirt to hide his legs and a fluffy yellow winter top, hair an exact duplicate of Kazuha's. The only thing he didn't touch were his eyes. Kaito was sure the man hadn't seen Kazuha that close and, really, he wasn't going to put contacts in for him when he couldn't see him. "I need... you to... turn and... kneel. Look... like you're... grabbing... the desk... and use... it as... support." They couldn't position the camera hanging above them, so they were going to have to put it on a shelf.
Saguru thought back to what both he and the man knew of Toyama-san. "I met her once, and I heard Hattori-kun say she could fight back. If your fingers are suppose to be broken, perhaps you ought to appear to... surprise me... like you set the camera up while my back was turned and… then do it."
"Hakuba-kun... I have... a question... for you. If you... were kidnapped... and it was... Aoko and me... and she... had to... be hurt..." Kaito started to grow angry, his eyes slitting, "to help... you. Do you... think I'd... have... to force... her?"
"What? Why would you be asked for me...and I doubt you would let her even if you were...you would find a way around it." Saguru wondered how the three of them related to this.
"You know... Kazuha-chan... and Hattori-kun." Kaito held up a finger. "One difference... between... them and... us. Hattori-kun... cares about... Conan-kun. I-" Kaito stopped. "If it... were you... and Aoko... like it is... with Conan-kun... and Kazuha... do you... think Aoko... would say... no?"
Saguru paused and his eyes widened. 'Would she... she and Ran-san are quite close and Hattori-kun and Conan-kun are the same way... so knowing that such a close friend could be hurt...' "I see..." Saguru turned and knelt by the desk, holding the edge. "Tell me if this will be adequate... and... I shall try but... be sure that, if you need too... you keep me from moving too much."
"I'm... probably gonna...push you... down. So... your back is straight. Don't... let go... of the... desk." Kaito walked over and pushed his finger just to the left of Hakuba's spine and just below his shoulder blade. "I'm gonna... do one... and the... other right... below it. It shouldn't... hurt as... much here... to move... after."
"Why do I find that your knowledge of that has a reason behind it that I am not sure I would like to know?" Saguru tightened his grip on the desk and nodded. "Proceed when ready."
Kaito nodded, forgoing the shelf and getting a few boxes before bringing them closer so that they were at a little more than 45-degree angle to Hakuba. He zoomed in a bit where he would be, making sure that the camera wasn't too far. This was going to be tricky after it started. "Turn to... me at the... next thing I... say and look... upset when... you do. Think of... dead puppies... or something." Kaito fixed up the hand after the camera was set up and hit record. A few sobs came through his throat and he made sure he wasn't too close or the mic would pick up the distance. "H-heiji?"
Saguru turned and, instead of the dead puppies, he simple allowed his mind to think of everything that the man had insisted that Hattori-kun do... what he had done based on Hattori-kun's descriptions of the earlier calls. Conan-kun was hurt, physically, emotionally now, and based on the last call, he would see this too. He ignored everything in him that told him to reason it out and remain calm. He thought of the girl that this was supposed to be and the child that... if this failed… He took a breath, feeling himself begin to tremble, and looked over his shoulder as soon as Kuroba said 'Heiji', leaving his mouth open as though he had just said it.
"'is...'kay... Kazuha... hadda... get... ya' on... camra..." He walked over toward Hakuba, his body actually trembling at what he was about to do. Kid or Kaito... he didn't hurt people. It was wrong. Kaito knelt, making sure not to block the camera as he took his box cutter and cut the top half of the shirt open while the thumb - and supposedly only working finger - on his other hand held the cuff. The cutter was sharp and the shirt ripped easily. By keeping his teeth bared, Kaito could keep his mouth open without notice and he let out a terrified, if not embarrassed little yep as the shirt was cut. For himself his eyes slanted closed a little more than they had been. With shaking hands he took one of his tools... and the lighter. It was harder to keep it steady then he would have liked, but the tool was still warm and it wasn't long before the flame made it just as hot as it was before. "K-kazuha..." Kaito swallowed, not sure if it was real or staged fear. "Ya... ready?"
Saguru knew he could not speak out loud so he took deep breath... letting his body tremble by tightening the hold on the desk... and nodded, turning his head a bit to the side so the long hair could hide his mouth.
Kaito watched Hakuba move, playing along with him. "Ye-eahh." He made the last part of the word into a cry. Taking the tool from the thumb that had been holding it while he heated it; he kept his own fingers on the cooler part. He'd only heated about two inches of it but those two inches were going to hurt. With his right arm he grabbed Hakuba with his elbow, angling him towards the camera. His knee came up and his pressed his body close to him to hold the detective better in case he tried to move. Pushing over the side of the shirt he almost dropped the tool right there and called it quits. But he couldn't. There were tears in his eyes that he hadn't realized he'd been shedding... real tears. "G-gomen." Kaito pushed the piece of hot metal to Hakuba's skin, turning his head to the side as he screamed out in Kazuha's voice to mask any noise that Hakuba may have made- the pain real but in a whole new kind of way.
Saguru bit his lip... hard... but he managed to keep the actual scream in his throat and the female one that Kuroba provided was loud enough that he was sure it drowned him out. He jerked on reflex but figured Toyama-san would have as well.
Kaito was panting, not only from using all his air while he was injured but from the mix of hidden and performed emotions that were wreaking havoc on him. He put the tool back in the thumb, fighting with the lighter when it wouldn't light. After a few seconds of nearly freaking out, it did, and he warmed the tool again. Moving his body to a different rhythm then he was really breathing, he spoke for Kazuha. If this wasn't good, he was going to get Tantei-kun hurt, not only instead of, but too. "H-heiji... i-it h-ur-rts." He closed his eyes, the flame still doing his job. "I 'no... I 'no..." Kaito swallowed, bracing himself again as he put the lighter down. "'m... ready." Now for the second line of the first H and there were still so many to go. Kami help him if he could stop his own emotions from coming through. He pressed the tool down again... then screamed through his bared teething instead of looking away.
Saguru knew he had to try to keep still but his body was reacting to the pain each time. Jerking and twitching. He was grateful for Kuroba keeping him still because he was worried about turning too much and blowing the deception. Bowing his head between each one and glancing over toward the camera through half closed eyes at one point, wanting to let Conan-kun at least know that he... or to him... she... was not going to give up. 'Stay strong Conan-kun... We are here for you... All of us...'
The charade seemed endless. Kaito almost got used to being Hattori and Kazuha. One reacted to the other in his mind, sometimes without him intending to act. He looked down at Hakuba's back as he reheated the tool for the fifth time. The first H was done and second one needed two more. He'd noticed the detective trying to hold in pants of breath and started masking the one's the detective needed to take as whines. Then he was on to the last mark, the angry red things already a striking difference to Hakuba's pale skin. For the last time he put the heated metal to his flesh, Kaito already well past the point he could mentally handle this.
Saguru felt the last one touch his skin...knowing that it was the last he took the last of his strength and resolve and poured it into keeping quiet. He had tears in his eyes and down his cheeks... those he could not have faked. He had stopped turning to look over his shoulder to keep the tears hidden from the camera. 'Conan-kun does not need to see this.' As soon as he felt the thing Kuroba had been using pull away, his grip slackened and he felt himself fall... no longer able to kneel... he had to sit at least.
Kaito backed up before Hakuba could touch him, afraid to hurt him more. An arm went, shaking and unsteady but there, as he dropped the tool and made sure Hakuba wouldn't fall over. He helped him until Hakuba had a good hold on gravity again. "...s-'ay... h-here... I-I gotta... get... 'a camera..." Kaito got up, his legs shaking, and went over to the camera before turning it off. In an instant everything that was Hattori was gone, including the makeup, and he was himself again. Without asking, Kaito got onto Hakuba's computer. He was no technological idiot. He'd known how to crack several firewalls before he'd even taken up Kid's mantle. He plugged the camera in, uploading the video to a slightly different URL and naming it in code. Code meaning a bunch of random letters and numbers he happened to punch in.
"Ku... Kuroba... I do not... regret this... ssss... so do not... blame yourself. If cha... changing me back... wi-will take too long... go... get the phone to him... before... he calls." Saguru doubted he could go up the stairs and not let on to the others what had happened so soon. He had only been burned... not had his side injured twice. Small wonder Kuroba could maintain his facade at the comparatively small things. He squeezed his eyes shut and could not stop the last bit of water from dripping out.
Kaito looked over at Hakuba, eyes dull. "Non-sense, Tantei-san... I'm not... giving your... shirt back." Was that Kid's voice? "This shirt..." Kaito took the cutter and tore it all the way through so Hakuba could easily remove it, though the room was cold. "Is nothing." Kaito snapped, a quick flash grenade replacing his pants. He took out the lotion he had earlier, bending over. "Tantei-san... I'm going to... put the cream... on the burn. It will... only hurt... a moment." Kaito waited a few seconds before doing just that, hearing the detective wince at the contact. The phone seemed to ring right after and Kaito picked it up, falling in the role immediately. "...'ello? H-Hattori...H-Heiji... speaking."
"Ah, Hattori-san. Time is up, do you have it? If not," the man grinned. The child had been watching him since he'd hung up with the teen earlier.
"H-hai." Kaito returned to the computer, giving out the gibberish. He covered the mouthpiece when he was done, already walking to the stairs. "I'll be... right back... Tantei-san."
Saguru paled when the phone rang. He looked up at Kuroba... calling him Tantei-san. Well, he realized... he himself had been using Kuroba since the last time so... another surprise that should not have surprised him but had. He had had his back to Kuroba and the camera but with the teen over near the stair he couldn't see him. Saguru lifted his head and motioned to the lip he had bit to keep quiet... he could taste some blood and hoped that Kuroba could bring a piece of ice down. Mouthpiece covered or not, Saguru did not want to risk talking.
Kaito nodded, seeing the detective bleeding. That would be easy to fix. He ran up the stairs, taking two at a time to get there before the man spoke again. He smiled to Hattori when he walked in, bowing and offering the phone like he would a rose. The teen took it possessively. Kaito smiled more, going to the kitchen and grabbing the roll of paper towels and the ice cube tray itself so they wouldn't melt. He went back down the stairs just as fast, not interested in the phone call. Slightly out of breath, he smiled at Hakuba and placed the items in front of him. "I'll be... right back." Then Kaito was gone again, around the corner of the building where he let himself be violently ill once more. When that was done, he was still left heaving as his memories refused to stop replaying themselves. Pushing himself up on weak limbs Kaito started back, a hand catching the wall when everything started to spin. The next thing he knew his world went black.
"- that I'm surprised that you would choose the boy's safety over your girlfriend's."
Heiji wished he knew how they had pulled it off but... thinking of Kazuha... "She's brave... an' she ain'... my girlfriend." He hoped they had made it that way... he might call him on it if they hadn't.
The man laughed. "Very well, Hattori-san. She is not your girlfriend." The man kept grinning though. The young and foolish. He liked that thought. "I haven't harmed the child and I do not intend to as long as I see no foul play." The man had the video up, waiting eagerly to watch it.
"Le' me...hear 'im..." 'Maybe I can at least distract 'im...so he doesn't see what they did.' He glanced at Takagi-keiji and then down... wanting... needing... help to get through this, in case he collapsed again... but not sure how to ask the officer when he had already been so helpful through all of this.
Takagi didn't know how but the other two seemed to pull off miracles. He put a hand on Hattori's shoulder when he noticed how worried the teen looked. He moved so he was sitting beside him instead of in front of him, shifting his arm so Hattori could lean on him with his good side. Maybe Kuroba wasn't so bad. If they kept taking care of the phone calls... maybe they could get through this... have time to find out where Kudo was and track this guy down.
"I don't see why not, but don't keep me waiting." The man put the phone down, the child staring hard at it as if it had answers he was looking for.
"Hattori," Conan broke in, because he had to know. "... you didn't..."
Heiji leaned over toward the officer. This was so hard. "Just... don'... pay it... any 'tention... I don'... wan' ya... ta watch... OK? Jus'... ignore it... wha'ever ya do."
Conan let out a sigh that turned into a laugh. "Look who you're talking to."
"Do... do ya best..."
Must be pretty bad if he's telling me not to watch it. Maybe a few times, he could pull it off, but with the way the man repeatedly watched it, he doubted he would miss a second of it. That didn't mean he couldn't lie. "I always do."
Heiji closed his eyes and more weight went on Takagi-keiji. 'Yeah right... "I always do"... I know he saw the last one... at least a few times... This guy either repeatedly watches it or... forces Kudo to... DAMN!' "Good."
"Now, Hattori-san, you've kept me long enough." The man took the phone back, setting up the computer so the child could watch as well. "I will call in an half an hour then." He cut the line.
"NO... WAIT! Not again... I... Takagi-keiji... I think he's... making Kudo... watch this one too. If it's real enough... it means it'll look like I... Kudo's gonna think I really... at least... he's not gonna be..."
"There's nothing we can do, and it's better than it really happening, right?" Takagi's arm tightened around Hattori's. "Think of how much worse it would be if it was real. I'm sure at least Kazuha-san is better off and it was that or nothing."
"We ain'... tellin' them... either her or Neechan." Heiji glanced back at the door. "I wonder... where Kuroba... an' Hakuba... are."
Takagi patted his arm. "Of course we're not. We don't really want to make the situation worse." He was glad Hattori was finally seeing that now. "As for those two, I don't know. It seemed Kuroba-kun came up the stairs... so they can't be that far."
Heiji thought about where he had punched Kuroba. "I have an... idea of where Kuroba an' Hakuba... have been doing this. Let's go check... downstairs... alley entrance... ta a cellar." Heiji went to stand, a bit shaky but better than he had been before, knowing this task was complete.
"Sure," Takagi got up, offering Hattori his hand. "We'll make sure these phone calls stop and bring Kudo-kun back, safe and sound."
"Thanks." He took the hand and, after steadying himself, started for the stairs.
Saguru had seen Kuroba's lock picks nearby and realized what he had used. Knowing he'd need them back, he reached over... still very warm but not too hot. He gathered them up and, not knowing where to put them until Kuroba came back, he slipped them into the top draw of the desk. Hearing voices from outside, he shut the draw quickly. "Kuroba..." His voice shaky but he took a deep breath and called out again. "Kuroba?"
Takagi paused as they turned the corner into the ally, making him stop. It sounded like someone was talking. The he realized it must have just been the other two. "Guess you right, Hattori-kun. How did you know they'd be here?"
Heiji looked down and mumbled. "Kuroba... brought me here when... when I was told ta... hurt someone else. I figured he'd continue ta use it... No one heard 'im when I was... punchin' 'im..." Heiji tapered off, not enjoying relieving that task.
Takagi felt a stab of emotional pain when he looked at Hattori's expression but then his own feeling was gone and he tapped Hattori lightly on the shoulder. "Come on then, let's go get them. We have to figure out how to get Kudo-kun back."
"Hai." Hattori went forward to the door before stopping. He wasn't sure he could deal with it... If anything... he'd just see, over and over, how he missed his target and hurt Kuroba. "Here... down there... not sure I..."
Takagi smiled, opening the door. The light was on down there and he went down that stairs first, turning to make sure that Hattori was following him. "It's fine, Hattori-kun. The light's even on."
Saguru heard the voice clearly now and it was not Kuroba. "Ta-Takagi-keiji?" 'I'm glad I hid Kuroba's lock picks but...' As much as he did not want the officer or Hattori-kun, who was no doubt with him, he had been unable to figure out how to get the stuff on his face off, just smearing it on the top. 'Where is Kuroba?' He saw Takagi-keiji and then Hattori-kun, who looked very nervous and even apprehensive about coming down. Hattori-kun locked eyes with him and when Saguru nodded to him he felt the hair of the wig move on his bare back. 'No...the wig!' Saguru reached up to remove it but Hattori-kun was already backing back up the stairs. 'Nice... that was not what I wished to happen.'
Heiji stopped on the last step where he could see the entire room. 'Kazuha... no... no...' He started back up the steps before Takagi-keiji or the other person spoke. "NO... I... I can't see it... I don't want to see it. I... I'll wait up there..." Heiji turned and hurried back out the door pressing himself to the wall opposite the entrance. 'Kazuha... that had to have Hakuba... or my imagination... let it have been my imagination...' He shook his head a few times and leaned his left side against the wall facing further down the alley... and he spotted a hand on the ground at the corner. 'What is...?' Heiji walked slowly toward it and when he got close enough he realized that it was Kuroba. "Kuroba?" Heiji knelt beside the other teen and placed a hand on his shoulder. 'Was he attacked... or did he pass out... what did they do to pull this off?' "Kuroba... Kuroba... Oi... KUROBA!"
Takagi was not only baffled as to why Kazuha was here- which she wasn't. He could clearly see it was a boy that looked like Kazuha. He had to guess it was something to do with the trick. He had no idea why Hattori had run out of there so fast though. It was like the teen has seen a ghost. Takagi would be after him in a minute... First deal with the mismatched sight in front of him. "Hakuba-kun or Kuroba-kun?"
Saguru looked down, pulling the wig off. "Kuroba played the part of Hattori-kun... I took on Toyama-san. I had not expected you two to come down... I was waiting for Kuroba to come back and help remove the rest of this... disguise." Saguru motioned to the remains of the stuff on his face and the top. "I had not realized the wig was still on. I think it shocked him. He likely thought for a moment I was her... I apologize for that."
He wasn't waking. Heiji moved around beside him and began checking for any injuries that might be indicative of an attack. Bump on the head, defensive wounds such as skin under his fingernails or hair clenched in his fist... anything. He rolled the teen on his side carefully, making sure to support the side he'd punched... was it really just earlier that day? He continued checking the teen... hoping that his earlier blow had not been worse than they thought.
"It's not your fault, but you're right, he probably thought you were her," Takagi sighed. "You guys seemed to have pulled it off though." Takagi brought his hand up and laughed a little. "You really shouldn't... do things halfway. We better find Hattori-kun before he runs off too far and let him know what happened."
"Ah... Takagi-keiji? Would you... pass me that shirt first? I would rather not step out in public like..." Saguru motioned to the top. "This."
Takagi picked up the article, handing it over. "Why aren't you wearing a shirt? It's not winter but it's cold enough down here."
"I... could not... put it on at first..."
The way Hakuba was pausing made him nervous the same why Hattori did when he started. "Why not?"
"I do not want Hattori-kun to know yet..." Saguru pulled himself to his feet, wincing a bit but recovering once he was upright. "Would you... assist me? It still... stings a bit... when I move."
"You're not really...?" But Takagi didn't need an answer to that. He knew it as sure as he knew the sun was in the sky. He held out his hand to Hakuba, not really sure if he should be reprimanding him or not. It felt like he shouldn't but someone, somewhere, did something wrong. "Sure." No, they couldn't tell Hattori. First they needed to calm him down, then, when he was settled, they would. "Let's go."
Saguru was grateful for the help and nodded to the officer. Saguru let the officer go up first, certain that he would be more able to calm the emotionally fragile teen then he would.
Hattori continued to try to find something that would explain the teen over on this end of the alley. The door back to the cellar was back toward the street. He would have no reason to come over here.
"Hattori-kun," Takagi closed the cellar door behind him, looking around "Hattori-kun! It wasn't Kazuha-san! Where'd you go?"
"Kuroba!"
Takagi heard Hattori's voice before he saw him- and he sounded scared. He didn't want to rush Hakuba though and leaving him there was out of the question. Hattori's voice had definitely come from his left. Takagi nodded his head in the direction and started moving, not letting himself pull the other teen for fear him might hurt him.
Saguru hurried beside the officer. He had heard Hattori-kun call out to Kuroba and was worried about what was happening.
Takagi stopped around the corner, seeing Hattori and the other missing teen, the latter clearly unconscious and on the ground. "What happened?"
Heiji turned quickly, not having heard them approach at all. "Ta... Takagi-keiji... I don' know... saw a hand... 'round the corner... came to see what it was... he was out cold... I can't find signs of a struggle..."
"Kuroba... that is why he left so quickly- Idiot's pride. Takagi-keiji... do you think... that you would be able... to get him up to the apartment?" Saguru turned slightly but remained facing Hattori-kun, who had apparently been checking Kuroba thoroughly for injuries and had found none.
Takagi nodded, going on the other side of the teen so he'd be able to pick him up. The boy was strangely lighter than he'd been predicting but that could have been because he'd been helping- and in some cases hinder- Hattori all day and, while they were both around the same age, Hattori looked like he could take on someone twice his size and Kuroba looked like he'd be taken down in under a second. Takagi tried not to but he knew he'd be hurting the boy just by moving when he carried him- when he got no pained response from that, he was a kind of worried. "I've got him."
Saguru nodded and touched Hattori-kun on the shoulder. "We can lay him down upstairs... the last few acting parts have drained him... likely as much as you. Come on." Saguru held out his right hand to Hattori-kun's left, palm up, hoping to disguise why he was not using his left. When the other teen took it without question and stood, he was relieved. He did his best to keep Hattori-kun in front of him as they led the way back upstairs, Saguru opening the door for the others and shutting it behind them, keeping his back to the door the whole time.
Takagi went into the bedrooms. Ran was over at Sonoko's, so her room would be fine. He laid the teen down, being as gentle as he could. For all the boy reacted to he could have just thrown him down- not that he would have ever done that. Takagi left the light on in the room in case the teen reacted anything like Hattori did and went back to join the others in the main room.
Saguru remained where he was, not wanting the Osakan to realize that what might have caused Kuroba to pass out was the result of having to fulfill the task that had been asked of him. Hattori-kun was pacing back and forth and at least appeared to be better off physically then he had been. "Kuroba has likely tired himself out… nothing more. I heard no sounds from the alley save you two so I am certain he was not attacked." Seeing Takagi-keiji had returned, he addressed him but nodded his head in the direction of Hattori-kun. "Was there any sign that Kuroba was attacked rather than simply passing out as a result of the… stresses thus far?"
Takagi hadn't really looked the boy over but he'd been in Division One long enough that he could answer that question honestly. "No. It would have been obvious if there were. Kuroba-kun's a bit on the small side but I'm sure he could have fought off anyone if there were. You or the two of us would have heard something." The only reason someone would have to do that was if they wanted to rob him... and really... a teenager wasn't the first place that criminals would go.
Saguru turned back to Hattori-kun. "There. Now would you calm down? We need to use the time we have to figure out who this is and where he might be holding Conan-kun and Kudo-kun. You had mentioned something about one of the suspects from a case... a Robert Taylor. Was it just seeing the picture that made him stand out to you?"
Hattori thought back to the man and felt a chill. "He could have killed Kazuha... She, Neechan, Mouri-han... were also there. He was murderin' those 'e blamed for the death of the woman he loved... She had hung herself after he left to return to America. Somethin' he said after we confronted him... how he didn' care who got hurt as long as he got back at those responsible... when it was really a mistake on his part... and now... when this guy said... about the last... demand... tha' he would do it to a child... even more so... Doesn' care who gets hurt... just wants revenge of some kind..."
Takagi, whether it was because it was Kudo or not, thought back to all those people who would have died if the bombs had been set off... just for the revenge of one person- one death that was the result of a mistake by the killer themself. How did that equal to the amount of others that he was willing to kill? "That's... actually pretty common. I'm sure you've seen it too." Takagi lowered his eyes. Killers were killers. Some stopped when they got their revenge, some didn't. "Not killing... but I guess if something happened to... someone I cared about, I don't think I would care what I had to do to help her. Kind of like you." Takagi looked back up at Hattori. "I think revenge is just another, very twisted way, of caring."
"NOT WHEN THAT INVOLVES TAKING IT OUT ON THOSE THAT HAD NOTHIN' TA DO WITH IT IN THE FIRST PLACE! KAZUHA... hangin' like a puppet... I've seen it sure... we've gone through it before... the Koushien where we were be trapped on the island... then the bombs on all our wrists... not yours but ours... that guy didn't care if he killed us all just to clear his name... Yeah... I've seen it... I jus' want it ta stop seeming ta target us!"
'Bombs on whose wrists? I do not recall that... but it might just upset him further to inquire about it at the moment.' Saguru glanced toward Takagi-keiji and raised a questioning eyebrow.
Takagi raised his hands in complacency. "I know, Hattori-kun. I didn't say that I wanted anything like this to happen. And I know... it shouldn't be happening to you guys." It wasn't much, but he had seen what seemed to be people going out of their way to get at some of the younger detectives. Most of the time though, and besides that once, Hattori seemed perfectly capable of wrapping himself up in cases that he wasn't a part of. "Calm down. I didn't mean anything by it."
"I know ya didn'... I just need... I have NOTHIN' ta go on... Kudo couldn' tell me anythin' with the guy right there... an' who knows wha' he's had ta go through before the calls... it just... We've had each other's back for a while now... I still feel like I'm failin' 'im." Heiji walked over to his earlier seat and dropped into it. Reaching over, he grabbed the bag that held Kudo's discarded wardrobe and began pulling item out one at a time, turning them over in his hands repeatedly before replacing it with a different one.
"Hattori-kun, you're not failing anyone. There's just nothing for us to work with but loose clues... You've done a lot. We're not any closer to finding him, but he's not any closer to hurting him either."
"But how much longer can we dodge it...? what's he gonna to ask next...? Who else'll 'e make me choose between...? Each time I think it can' be worse... He... he just comes up with something else. Maybe... at the next call... I should just..." Heiji flipped up Kudo's wristwatch and snapped it shut again, clenching it in his fist... "offer myself in exchange..." not sure if he whispered the words loud enough for the others to hear and not caring either way.
Takagi was right next to Hattori, but even so, he almost missed the words. "Not a chance." He sat down next to Hattori and put his hand firmly on the boy's shoulder. "Then this guy will have you instead and we wouldn't have gotten anywhere. Do you think Kudo-kun would react any differently than you have? I haven't really spent much time with him but I doubt he would. What we're going to do is find this guy, somehow, and get him back. No trades." Takagi shook Hattori slightly to get his attention. "Understand? No going behind my back on this one. We get him back and we keep you. There's no negotiation. Right now we're doing it only because we have to. I'm not going to trade you for him, or let you do it."
"But... how bad off is he... an' even so... at least he'd be able ta... tell you who... why... I could take a whole lot more then he could in the meantime an' ya know it..."
"Hattori-kun," Takagi said quietly. "That's assuming he's doing this just to physically hurt you. By what-... it doesn't look like he is. And if Kudo-kun had the chance, or we do, to do what you've been doing while we find the guy. Don't you think we're going to take it?"
"I don' want ya ta..." Heiji continued flipping the watch around in his hand. With Kuroba... Kid... out cold in the next room, he was the only one that knew about the watch. He could use it... it would have to be Takagi-keiji... he'd have to get by the other by force and... even though he'd pinned him before he knew that he had restrained himself then. He leaned forward and slipped the watch on... just in case. "...I don' want 'im... or anyone... gettin'... why is this one so much harder!" Heiji slammed his fists onto his lap, shaking.
"Oi, Hattori-kun!" Takagi shook him again, trying to divert the teen's attention from where ever it had stayed. "What's harder?"
"I... everythin' 'bout this case. We usu'ly have somethin' by now... as it is... we just keep gettin' more thrown at us... but don' git no closer ta the guy behin' it."
"We're at a standstill, yeah, but it's better than falling behind." Takagi smiled. "Better to stop him then let him keeping acting as he wants. And Hattori-kun," Takagi's voice dropped some more in volume as he thought. "I- I don't' think I'd be able to stop myself from helping you any more than Kudo-kun."
Heiji looked over at the officer... shocked and... he wasn't sure. "Wha'... but... ya wouldn' 'afta... 'im yeah but..."
"Don't worry, Hattori-kun, it won't have to come to that. I don't know how... but you said it before, there's a way. There's always a way. We'll find it. This guy is going to mess up or we're going to find something soon."
"They always slip up..." Heiji gave a small laugh. "I just hope he does soon... 'm not sure how much more..." Heiji gathered the bag to him and stood. "I'll be right back."
"Ah, wait!" Takagi stood up, drawing his hand back and looking at the teen. Hattori had the phone. If he left now, the teen would be on his own- nothing to hold him to returning. Takagi sat again, smiling. "Don't be too long."
Heiji nodded and headed toward the bathroom. He shut and locked the door and, feeling really strange, sorted through Kudo's stuff for anything he could make use of himself.
Saguru watched as Hattori-kun left for the bathroom with the bag he'd been clinging to... Conan-kun's things. Well... with him gone. "Takagi-keiji, I had wanted to ask earlier but Hattori-kun seemed too agitated to go over it. What did he mean by bombs strapped to their wrists? He seemed like he was indicating myself but I only recall the Koushien. Would you fill me in on what he was referring to?"
Takagi looked at the other teen, now that he had time to focus his attention elsewhere. "I didn't end up seeing you but Hattori-kun had mentioned your name. I remember writing it down somewhere but I don't really know how you were involved. There was that incident with... ah, sorry, I forgot the man's name. It was at Tropical Land and he'd been using detectives to solve a case he'd been blamed for." Takagi made a motion to his own wrist but he didn't know why. "There were bombs in watches that everyone had, the detectives and the people they came with. We got rid of them all but I don't really know what happened with you. I figured someone else would find you and make sure it was disposed of."
Saguru shook his head. "I was never involved in a case such as that...let alone having a bomb strapped to my wrist. Were both Conan-kun and Kudo-kun involved or just one of them?"
"Um," Takagi wasn't sure how to answer that but he never did hear Kudo's name mentioned. "Just Mouri-san- and Conan-kun followed him, Hattori-kun, and you, that I know of. How- how were you not a part of that?" Even Takagi had been up and running around at the time because of the murder. "We were a little busy at the station trying to deal with Division Two after that man was killed, and Kid was involved so it meant a lot of running in circles for us." Takagi didn't know why he laughed. Maybe because someone in Division Two had given him the number to an ex-girlfriend of theirs when he'd tried to link the accidentally shooting to Kid. The odds that they had been run separately had looked so slim...
"I recall hearing about that ridiculous notion. I know Nakamori-keibu was throwing fits about it, however I was not even in the country at that time." Saguru folded his arms, wincing at the slight pull over his left shoulder and quickly dropped his left arm. He ought to put more cream on it but Kuroba was out cold and he was unsure he could reach it himself.
"I don't see why Hattori-kun would lie about it." Takagi was looking at the teen obviously still in pain and something inside the officer called out to that. "I don't' see why you would either though. Maybe there was a mistake somewhere. Anyway, do you need me to help you with anything? You can just ask."
"Well... Kuroba had used some... cream or something... on the... on my back. I believe a reapplication may be needed... it should be in the bag I brought up from the cellar."
"I'll look." Takagi went over to the bag the boy had carried…why hadn't he taken it from him… and didn't need to dig through much to find the cream. He walked back over to where the teenager was standing next to the door and motioned him away, turning the knob. "I'm going to tell Hattori-kun what happened when he gets out but I don't think him walking in at the wrong time will be good." Takagi said it with a smile but he wasn't feeling very happy. He couldn't say Hakuba, or Kuroba, were in the right, but having Hattori do it would have been bad too. Either way he wasn't happy with the outcome. He couldn't change it- but he wasn't happy. Takagi walked out. "Close the door and I'll put it on. You don't need to take off your shirt."
Saguru nodded but still felt a bit awkward. Granted the stairway landing was three floors up but if anyone came up toward the Agency on the second... oh well... at least Kuroba had removed the skirt. He followed the officer and pulled the door closed, remaining facing it. "Left side... up near the shoulder blade." He closed his eyes. "It stung a bit... so do not worry about hurting me... it felt better after."
Takagi nodded then spoke since he didn't think the teen could see him. "Okay... I'm sure there's something to put on it in that First Aid kit... but I'm going to wait until after we- ah, I - tell Hattori-kun. Okay?" Takagi bent his knees and put one arm under the teen's shirt and waiting until he was touching near the collar and it was off the boys' back, sticking close to the right side until he lifted it up, bunching it near his own wrist. The burn looked bad, but all burns did. He was sure it had to be hurting more than Hakuba was letting on. Takagi hadn't really been thinking ahead and took the cap off the lotion with his mouth, dropping it on the floor. "I'm gonna put it on now. Sorry if I hurt you."
"At least I have something to put on it... to treat it. I can take comfort in that." Saguru took a breath but could not stop the hiss as the cool lotion came in contact with the still stinging marks.
Takagi winced himself, practically feeling the teen's pain. "There should be something around the house for pain. I'm sure we could find something if we looked. It might help." Takagi slowly lowered the boy's shirt so it wouldn't stick to the lotion before he'd pulled it down. Takagi opened the door, letting the younger boy go in first. "Better be prepared though. I'm not really sure how Hattori-kun is going to take it."
"How I'm gonna take what?" Heiji asked as he came back into the room to see Takagi-keiji and Hakuba coming in from the stairwell.
Saguru glanced back at Takagi-keiji and raised his right hand, palm up in a half shrug, leaving the left down so as to minimize the motion of the shirt on that side.
"Sit down Hattori-kun, you too Hakuba-kun." Takagi waited until he passed before closing the door and taking a seat himself.
Saguru nodded and went to where he had been sitting, a bit wary of what the other teen's reaction would be but understanding Takagi-keiji's desire to not keep it from him lest he come across it on his own. They needed him to trust them.
Heiji looked back and forth between the two and stepped over to the table but didn't sit. "What happened? I know he didn't call me so what..."
"Hattori-kun, please." Takagi smiled, offering his hand in a welcoming gesture next to himself. "Sit. If you don't want to though, I'm not going to make you. I just have something that I should tell you and I don't really feel like looking up the whole time."
Heiji gulped. This was bad... it had to be. He reached out and allowed himself to be lowered to the seat next to Takagi-keiji. "OK... wha'... wha' 'appened?"
"Well... Hakuba-kun and Kuroba-kun managed to fake the last thing before, that this the man asked you to do. And, they did. They faked this one too, but the only thing they managed to change was who did what. Hakuba-kun and Kuroba-kun... couldn't fake what they actually did, just who did it and who got hurt. Hakuba-kun's hurt right now so..." He wanted to add be gentle on the end in case the usually more fired-up teen went the way of anger instead of depression. He found himself secretly wishing that he would. Hattori... just wasn't... Hattori. "I- we thought you should know."
Heiji was shocked. "Ya can't mean that... If Hakuba's hurt now then... that..." Heiji looked over at Hakuba who was sitting rather stiffly and, now that he thought about, had remained still and off to the side since... "AHOU! WHY IN THE... WHAT WERE YA THINKIN'!" Heiji started to stand... he had to know. "THAT GUY SAID EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS S'POSSE TA BE... TELL ME YA DON'..."
"Hattori-kun," Takagi stood with him. "They didn't do things any differently than you've been doing- though they have managed to change the outcome. No matter-" Takagi clenched one of his hands into a fist. "No matter how much I don't like it, Hakuba-kun seems just as willing to help, and yes, I-" saw it. "They did what he asked." One hand went up to Hattori's shoulder, his other still not managing to lose its tight grip on itself.
"BUT... I DON' WAN' MORE PEOPLE DRAGGED INTA THIS!" Heiji wanted to pull away from the officer but he couldn't seem to fight him. "THAT... that won' ever go away... will it..." Heiji looked between the two but knew that Takagi-keiji would be the more logical judge... He had to have seen it to confirm it with such certainty. "Or... could it... fade..."
"I- I'm pretty sure it would fade." He wasn't going to lie about it to Hattori so he told what he knew. "There's a lot of things out there now, you know, for burn victims. It might... take a while... and I don't know if he could get it to go away completely... but I'm sure that, given time, it won't be that noticeable. This... isn't really my strongest issue, but I'm pretty sure I'm right."
Heiji dropped his head. Burn victims... ironic as it was... it did apply. But that would be skin grafting... which would be just as painful... if not more so. "Hakuba... ya ahou... but... arigatou. I...I owe all a ya more then I could ever-"
"Hattori-kun... do not say that. We are doing this together... for Conan-kun and Kudo-kun... nothing is owed to anyone... except I am sure you owe this man a few things of which I doubt anyone here would stop you or report you for." Saguru gave a small nod before looking at the officer.
"Eh?" Takagi pointed to himself with his free hand and looked at both the teens, waving his hand in front of his face. "He doesn't owe me anything. I haven't even been able to help at all."
Saguru shook his head. "If it were not for you then, pray, tell me what Hattori-kun would have done after the first call... the second... or any thereafter? And do not forget about what he was just saying..."
"He would have-" Takagi didn't even have to guess. Hattori would have run off, trying to take care of the calls on his own. And he would have been hurt. That wasn't to say that Hakuba wasn't hurt now but it would have been worse- and he would have been alone- and who knows how far he would have gone by now... "But... I could have been anyone. I'm sure I'm not the only person who would have stopped him."
"However, you were the one there... and think about it... even between the three of us... who has actually kept him from doing anything without needing to knock him out?"
"Don't say it like that." Takagi's hand on Hattori's shoulder tightened a little. "I just didn't want him to run off without thinking. And," Takagi turned to Hattori, smiling. "It was always your choice. It wasn't like I was going to force you to do anything- well, anything on your own."
"So ya realized I'm still standin' here... but... Hakuba... is actually right." Heiji shook his head. "Kudo's had a tougher time keeping me in one place... regardless... of the... circumstances..." Heiji glanced at Takagi-keiji and offered a small shrug.
"Well... I'm not really planning on stopping you... maybe." Takagi smiled, letting the boy go. "I just thought you should know what happened and Kuroba-kun couldn't speak up for it." He thought about that for minute and looked at the closed door. "If he stays out much longer we should probably take him to a hospital. I don't really know what's wrong with him."
Saguru raised his right hand a bit. "Kuroba has always been... against others being hurt... I believe he put so much into taking on... Hattori-kun's role... as well as voicing both parts... the strain was too much. Let him rest a while longer. If you wish I shall go in and keep an eye on him. If I see any changes I shall inform you and we can take him to the hospital, not that he will approve if he does awaken there." With that, Saguru stood, gave a small bow and headed to the room that Takagi-keiji had placed Kuroba in.
Takagi watched him go. That was fine. He'd watch his friend and in the meantime Hattori would have time to relax. "Hattori-kun, I'm sorry. I know you don't like involving others... but I don't want to see you get hurt anymore than them... and I don't know what would have happened to you if you'd done that... or hadn't been able to do it." Takagi's eyes settled on Hattori's. "And that scares me."
Heiji looked over at the officer. "I..." His momentary adrenaline rush fading, he sighed and went to sit... forgetting he had tried to get at Hakuba and was no longer where he had been.
"Hattori!" Takagi grabbed the teen's arm before he could fall over backwards. "What are you doing? Is something wrong? Are you okay?"
"Just... I guess I ain'... I didn' realize I moved over that much... thanks. One sec I'm fine next I just ain' got the energy ta..." Heiji shook his head. "I wonder if he planned fer this ta happen..."
"Probably. This or worse. I don't think I'd want to see the Hattori-kun who had taken all those phone calls by himself." Takagi smiled, but his words were serious. "I know... you don't like it that others are being hurt, but you can't stop that. You were saying it was better you than Kudo-kun, because he'd be the only one hurt. Well, it's better us then just you, because we can too. I can too. Just ask. I'll help you."
Heiji looked over once more at Takagi-keiji. "In all honesty... as much as I don't wanna think 'bout it... I am worried about the next call. They haven't just been escalating... I had ta hurt myself... then someone else... I was s'posse ta break my hand... then br...brand... Kazuha... the next thing..." Heiji tapered off.
Takagi wasn't sure where Hattori's logic was going but he didn't really care. "Don't worry Hattori-kun, we'll take care of it. In all honesty, I'm kind of glad Kuroba-kun is out. He kept hiding things. I promise, this time we'll get through it together."
'Unless it is me... at least with Kuroba out cold... he won't be able ta listen in... if worse comes ta worse anyway.' Heiji brushed his hand over the watch and thought about what he had grabbed of Kudo's. 'At least they can track me now... even after the fact.' "I hope he can rest too... that's two in a row they've done fer me... but I still don't wanna think what Kudo must be goin' through... still thinkin' they were both me..."
"Kudo-kun can live with a little heartache until we find him and set him straight. It's you I'm worried about..." Takagi wished he could make Hattori see that his own pain was nothing to make light of. He'd hoped that, somehow, seeing Hakuba take on the same thing would bring to light their feelings towards him being hurt... but that didn't seem to be happening. "No matter what, you have to tell me what he asks. I'll do my best to try and find a solution to it with you."
"Yeah... I just hope we can find one... 'specially if he keeps that deadline 'a his..."
The man had always given them time, just not much of it. "I know." Takagi sighed, letting himself relax while he could. "At least he isn't giving us less each time."
"Not that it would have helped... even if I could have... we couldn't have gotten ta Kazuha in the half hour... let alone do... that... He didn't care... I told him she was too far away... He didn't care... said he had what he needed ta do it ta Kudo... I think... he's waitin' fer me ta fail..."
That made all too much sense. If Hattori failed because he couldn't complete something in the time limit, not because he couldn't do it, that would give the man an excuse to hurt Kudo and still make it Hattori's fault... and that would hurt the teen more than anything. "Well then. We just have to make sure that we can do it. I don't know... if Sato-san will... believe anything I say, but I can try and get help if we need it."
"Ar' ya sure... ya wan' ta involve her? I don' wan' Kazuha or Neechan ta know... an' I'm glad Mouri-han is still downstairs... he ain'... I mean..."
Takagi smiled. "Sato-san knows how to take care of herself and she can always find a way out of things when I get myself in trouble. But that's only if I have to, otherwise... I don't even want to risk turning my phone on." Takagi laughed but he had meant it.
"I know wha' that's like... Kudo's usu'ly that way too." Heiji couldn't help the laugh at a memory that the earlier call had brought up.
Takagi liked that sound. It was even better than seeing Hattori smile. For a second, he looked authentically happy... then the phone rang.
Heiji's laugh caught in his throat and turned into a gasp and a coughing fit. He pulled it out and fumbled for a moment, finally hitting the button but still trying to get his breathing under control and stop the coughing that sounded like a sob.
"Hello, Hattori-san. Nice to hear you too." The man smiled, a new glint in his eyes. "I do think you've lied about all those denials, and girlfriend or not, I don't really care much. I got what I wanted and more. I didn't think I'd get to see you cry just yet. I was waiting for that but this works even better. Might I ask how your girlfriend is taking things?"
Heiji tried to get his breathing under control but then decided to use it... if only to convince him it had been real. "If ya... mean... Ka-Kazuha... she... I doubt... I'll... be able... ta face her... again... or that... she'd... let me... since... it was... done... fer 'im..." Heiji took a shaky breath. "He's still... ya didn'... do it... ta 'im... right?"
"I have not. It seems I will have to keep repeating this to you every time we speak. You could just ask politely to talk to the boy and I may comply. As it is, I see no reason why not. I shall be with you shortly." The man placed the phone down, as was routine by now, next to the child, the call on speaker since the moment it had gone through. "Say your peace before I do the same."
"O... oi... ya there... ya weren'... 'urt since..."
Conan looked at the phone before shaking his head and then feeling stupid about it. "I'm fine." He just didn't trust his voice. He hadn't thought that... and even after he tried not to watch, it wasn't like he couldn't. The only thing was... something was off. Something about the video was fundamentally wrong; he just couldn't tell what it was. Seeing Hattori crying, that pain on his face, that was real and that hurt. Seeing Kazuha share the same sentiments, that hurt more. They barely knew each other and she'd only be doing it for Hattori's sake. But still... it was off. He wasn't going to bring that up though and seeing the pain inflicted was more than enough to keep his mouth shut.
"So... ya did... watch... told ya... not ta..." Heiji hated this... the guy was already suspicious and any hint he gave to Kudo might just prove it... and he couldn't risk that. Hakuba would have those scars... no matter how faint they may become someday, the rest of his life... No way would he double it and have Kudo have the same. "Just... let her... know... 'm sorry... when ya... see her..."
Conan turned his head to the side at that. "What are you talking about, Hattori? She-" Conan swallowed- hard. It helped that he knew the Osakan and it helped that he was a detective, but he didn't need that to realize what Hattori was really saying. "No!" The word was just as sharp as steel and far outshone any anger or conviction that he'd found a way to drag up so far, because Conan knew Hattori far too well. "I will not do that!" Just to make sure the guy didn't catch on, he added, "You apologize to her yourself!"
"I can'... even see... her now... if I... wanted ta... an'... ya know... she'd come... ta visit her..." 'Gomen Kudo... but what else kin I do... I have ta make it that I can't see her at all... even if I really don't think I will...' "Promise... just... so I know... she'll... 'ear it."
Conan started coughing after all that, huddling in closer to himself to stop the tight pain in his chest. He was sure he was hurt somewhere there, and bad, but it didn't matter. After a few more calming breaths he realized something. "I'd bite my own tongue before I said something stupid like that." It was a threat- and a real one. He couldn't decide whether he was hurt- how long he would live if this guy decided he wasn't worth it- but he could certainly control when he died if he were going to. He made his words as sure as he felt about that. This man would kill Hattori, there was no doubt about that, and he wasn't going let his friend trade his life for his wellbeing- and he was making that perfectly clear.
"Ku... Conan-kun! Wha' was... damn it... what's wrong... I mean it." Heiji clenched the phone. The coughs had come through loud and clear... painful by the sound of it. What had happened? Either he'd been covering them earlier, the guy had done something recently... or he was hurt earlier and he was getting worse from that even without the continued... whatever the guy had been doing.
"Sorry, me being stupid. Happens more than you think. And I... meant what I said." He'd be better in a moment, though Hattori's hinted words were more cutting than either video he'd seen. "You told me to trust you. I am. It won't get that far." Conan smiled, hoping his sentiments carried. "We always come out on top."
Heiji could hear the smile... always could... and he smiled back. "Yeah... we do... an' we will... just... stay well... 'til I git there."
"Nothing else to do around here." Then the man took the phone away and Conan turned his head to the side, wishing there was some way to stop this.
"Well, Hattori-san, I am speaking once again. If you would like to say anything further, the child can hear you, so you may."
"Just... stay strong... Conan-kun." Heiji sighed... here it came. "Wha'... wha' da ya... wan' th... this time?"
The man grinned. "I am enjoying how things are progressing so far and this time, I am giving you a choice in the matter. So it's more along the lines of what do you want. I've been playing around in my head with two things and I really can not decide so I'm allowing you to. Either take the option that causes you pain or take one that causes another. I am not giving the details of them, but they are both different, and I will do either to the child should you fail. So, which would you prefer?"
"Me."
"Very well then. I'll forget I ever thought up that other one. Now, the basics are the same and this one I really wish to see and I will not be conned. If even for a moment I think I am, both of you will be sorry." The man drew out a short bladed knife and watched it with interest. "Of the two, I actually believe the child would suffer less because of your incapacity. The process itself would be enough pain for me to enjoy without prolonging it. There is one little difference now though. I am only giving you 15 minutes because I believe any more would just give you time that you do not need. I'll keep to the 45 minutes of the child not being harmed. I want it so that every time you look in the mirror or someone on the streets asks, you think of me. I want you, Hattori-san, to cut off one of your ears. I don't care which and I'm not taking a half-way-done job. I do not care if you are one handed or not. I want it done or it's the boy."
Hattori actually wished Kuroba... Kid... had heard that... it might have been possible... but just with the remaining three of them... he had no idea how to pull that off. He doubled over, using his free hand to touch his ear. No small loss... and yet another permanent reminder of the nightmare he had yet to wake up from... because it was all too real. "Ya... ya know... how sick... how do ya... expect me... ta do that... Ain' like... I got a... a butcher knife... or somethin'... nothin'... on me... cou' do that."
"That is not my problem, Hattori-san, it is yours. I will call back in 15 minutes then." The man hung up the phone, once again satisfied with either option.
"WAI... KUSO!"
"Hattori-kun, what's the matter?" Takagi knelt down near the teen, hoping to get some confirmation to his thoughts. The words 'butcher knife' stood out sharply to him. "Does he want you... to hurt... someone?"
"Gave me the choice... another... or myself..."
"Me," Takagi said with a smile, though he lost it quickly enough. "Me or you. I... you didn't pick me. What does he want?"
"He didn' say what it was 'til I chose... the choice of me... is to... cu..."
"Hattori-kun, tell me. Maybe there's something we can do."
"I have ta... cut off one of my ears... 15 minutes... or he does it ta Kudo..." Heiji stood shakily and turned toward the kitchen.
"Ah, oh, wait!" Takagi stood up, not really sure what he was supposed to do and still floored by the information. "You can't do that!"
"I picked... that's what he said... I don' get it done and on the computer by the time he calls in 15 min..." Heiji bowed his head. "Kuroba may be good... but I doubt even he could pull that off... an'...he suspicious... said any doubts... any... he'd do it ta 'im anyway." Heiji shook his head and looked up at Takagi-keiji. "Ya got anythin'... let me know... otherwise... I gotta find a knife... fast."
Takagi grabbed Hattori's wrist, not letting go. "No way, Hattori-kun! Even... even if I did- I don't but... I'm not letting you do that to yourself. No way. Not even for Kudo-kun."
Heiji was shocked still for a moment. He just stared at the man. "But..."
"But nothing. For you to do that to yourself... No. This man is forcing you to do a lot of things but this won't be one of them. At least for Kudo-kun he can't fight back against his attacker. With you," Takagi's grip tightened. "I'm sure as anything not letting you go. This guy can and has already hurt Kudo-kun; he shouldn't have control over you."
"Kudo started coughing while I was talkin' ta 'im. I don' know wha' from... or why... but he's hurt worse than I thought... he wouldn'a let me hear him like that if he could help it... I gotta get 'im wha' I can."
"Not this time. I'm sorry Hattori-kun but I can't let you. What's happened so far... I don't like it but you're right, Kudo-kun having to go through that would have been worse. Right now I just can't see the same need. You'll be hurting yourself- bad. And, hurt or not, you can't save Kudo-kun from everything. To willingly let someone hurt themselves like this versus having someone force it on a victim is completely different and I'm am not going to let that happen."
"So you'll let that maniac do it ta 'im. I need ta..." Heiji tried to pull away again, bringing his other hand up and grabbing the officer's hand, attempting to free himself.
Takagi wasn't having any of that. Circumstances aside, Hattori was hurt and if he had to he had no trouble overpowering him alone, he just couldn't let the teen get a good hold on him. Takagi took the teen's other wrist to hold him further, lessening the chance of losing the upper hand. "No, Hattori-kun. No and no again until the world ends. I can't stop what that man does but I can stop what you do."