10: Dangerous

Everyone was frozen in fear. The Kaitou 1412 Task Force, Edogawa Conan, Hakuba Sagaru, and Nakamori Ginzo.

"I was expecting that thief", Snake said calmly, his grip tightening on his gun. "Because he's not here, I guess I'll settle for this beautiful young lady." The gun barrel brushed against dark brown hair. "Let my daughter go!" The inspector yelled. Aoko's blue eyes latched onto Ginzo's in terror.

Conan cursed, if he acted now he'd more than likely blow his cover and get the girl killed. She looked so much like Ran… the resemblance was so close that he couldn't see anyone other than his childhood friend. "Kuso!" He cursed under his breath. Their hands were tied. At this point what they really needed was a miracle.

One moment there was only darkness, and then there was white.

The rippling of KID's cape was the only warning the black clad man got before the thief's card gun was pressed to his temple. Snake froze.

KID's expression was wrong, so wrong. In place of his lunatic grin and mischievous air, the magician's face was blank, betraying nothing, and his eyes burned with ice-cold fire. "I would suggest you let Nakamori-san go, Snake. At this range even my toy can kill." He said. For all his tone betrayed, the magician could have been talking about the weather.

Snake smiled cruelly, "you don't kill people, never have. I don't think you'd really shoot me."

KID's face broke into a hideous grin, not that Snake could see, but it made everyone else shudder. "Don't misunderstand my intentions", the white-clad thief said, "you have set upon me the grievance of one stolen life. I know the cost of a life, and the weight it holds in weave of reality. Thanks to you. Now here I stand in what could be considered a stale-mate, but… all I find myself doing is weighing your life with hers." KID shifted minutely; moonlight glinting off his monocle and pearly teeth. "Stand down and turn yourself in, because… your life weighs less."

Snake growled, tightening his grip on Aoko's throat. "I'll take her with me!"

BANG!

Snake didn't even have time to pull the trigger. When it comes to reflexes, KID is among the best. The assassin's lips were parted in shock, his eyes wide, but already empty in instant death. He crumpled in a heap of black cloth, leaving Nakamori Aoko to cough and stumble into the safety of her father's arms.

The thief looked down at his long-time foe and sighed, "Congratulations fiend, you've brought me to your level, now we are both murderers. I suppose I flew too close to the sun and was burned to ashy black." His card gun was slipped back into his jacket and KID stepped onto the edge of the building's roof. None of his rivals made a move to stop him.

As the panic from the earlier hostage situation calmed, Kuroba Kaito, in dark non-descript clothes and a baseball cap leaned against the side of a building. He gazed back at the ambulance in which they were treating Aoko and the others for shock. She's alive he reassured himself, and Snake is gone.

"I thought the 'returning to the crime scene' was just a cliché." Said a faux high-pitched voice. Kaito looked down, unsurprised to find Conan looking up at him. He didn't reply. Conan's face grew serious, "with the entire task force as well as Hakuba-san as witnesses, this can only be ruled as an act of defense. No charges will be taken up against you for your actions tonight."

Kaito's laugh was borderline hysterical and he was wracked by tremors, "I still just killed a man", he said, "I don't regret it because it saved A- Nakamori-san, but what I do regret is that man escaping what I had planned." Conan frowned. "I wanted justice", Kaito growled, "he deserved, for his crimes, the full punishment of the law, but he escaped that! Worse! He made me his accomplice!" He spat in disgust.

Conan looked down; in a way it made sense to him. "So, is justice all you wanted? Is Phantom Thief 1412 just going to vanish now?"

Kaito regained his composure, "I would love to, but I can't. There are more of them out there, men like Snake, and I also have to find… deal with that one other thing. " Drawing up his determination, the magician turned to leave, "your stuck with me for a while longer tantei-kun." Conan watched morosely as the other disappeared into the night. I'm sorry. The shrunken detective thought after him.