It's been SUCH a long time...oh, gosh, more than a month...sorry 'bout that. Got REALLY caught up with...everything...

To say that the six weren't frustrated was a downright, out-of-mind lie, as they sat down dejectedly, worriedly yet angrily in the cold, metal cafe chairs. As the waitress dutifully set their cups of tea and hot chocolate (for one certain blonde-haired detective...), they all just stared at each other hopefully, waiting for good news to miraculously trail out of someone's mouth. Finally, Ran sighed.

"Nothing," she murmured. "Nothing at all..." Kazuha and Aoko all just pushed the delicacy of the cakes and pies around, not willing to eat when something so dire was happening. Hattori let a curse slip out before just continously stirring his tea around, not really caring as it sloshed out and dribbled onto the grey table.

"Nothin' ova here, either," Hattori muttered.

"I think we should tell the police, now," Aoko meekly resigned her post. In Ran's eyes, they could see the turmoil as it sloshed around like Hattori's tea. Ran's lips tightened into a grimace, and she replied,

"Hai...I think independently searching is getting us nowhere." She set down her fork. "We should tell." Hattori opened his mouth in protest, then closed it. It opened again, and closed. He knew, it if was going to become that, then they would all have to know...his secret. Kudo's secret. One that could get them killed. He wasn't about to let the whole country of Japan just become targets of some stupid syndicate for one person.

"Heiji, if ya need ta tell us somethin', tell us NOW," Kazuha ordered firmly, narrowing her eyes. Heji slumped. Kazuha, with her quick eyes, wasn't one to miss it.

"I'd...need ta tell tha whole story, then..."

"Hattori-kun! Just the man!" The plump inspector with his orange suit opened his arms invitingly. "We need your smart brains on this. Where's Kudo-kun?" He looked around eagerly for the detective, but disappointingly shifted his gaze back when he realized the great detective wasn't anywhere near. Hattori lowered his gaze to the red tiles on the floor.

All the other teens also lowered their gazes. "Okay...then...how about Conan-kun? We haven't seen him in a long time!" This time, only Hattori remained silent and devoid of emotion. Kaito was close-second, though.

"Ah, Conan-kun!" Takagi and Sato-keiji made their way through the dozens of desks at the mention of the chibi detective behind the huge glasses. "Where's he? Don't tell me he's with the Shonen Tantei again... they've probably gotten into a lot of trouble with their Hakase."

"Iie, he's still in America," Ran gave a small smile. "And I have yet to hear from him..." Hattori shuddered at the though of the detective having his face smashed by her foot.

"D-Don't worry, he's probably just still adjusting," Hattori rushed to cover up his friend's unfortunate situation.

"Well, again, what about Kudo-kun?"

"See...tha's tha reason we need ya police," Hattori muttered. "Kudo's missing."

Megure-keibu frowned. "Do you know where he is?"

"I don't know where, but I know who," Hattori replied. Ran narrowed her eyes at him, and Hattori knew he should've talked to the inspector in private without the girls breathing down on his neck every time.

"Hattori-kun! Are you saying that you didn't tell me something?" Ran balled up her fists. "I want to find Shinichi too! You can't do that!" Hattori sighed. This was exactly why he didn't want to leak that much. Ran.

"Tha's what I'm gonna tell ya guys." Hattori shifted his gaze onto the brunette. "So, keibu, ya mind if ya bring your police force with ya to Kudo's mansion?"

"All the people you need is here," Aoko informed a grim Hattori. He gazed around at the millling people in Kudo's basement, all struggling to find a chair.

There was Ran and her parents, Kogoro just smoking a cigarette and Eri busily rapping away on her laptop. Ran was confusedly staring at the crowd of people, obviously still in shock after Shinichi's abduction. She seemed lost in thought, and worried. Kogoro looked ready to fall alseep, and Eri was straightening her glasses. Hattori tried to maintain an invisible status towards Ran's eyes, fearing that one look at his eyes would unravel the thread that was the mystery of her boyfriend. Hattori hated that Ran was suffering, but soon it would be all out, so he tried his best to push away the guilt.

There was Kazuha just sitting patiently in the corner with Aoko, Kaito and Hakuba. The four seemed as confused as Ra, because they though that they knew everything. Yet this~ Hattori wasn't even sure Kaito, or KID, as Hattori liked to dryly mock, could firgure out. Aoko seemed to still be making herself comfortable, after running around with Kaito trying to find all the needed people. Hattori still had that resentment towards the blonde detective, therefore not too keen on looking over at the group of teens.

Next to them was basically almost all of the Homicide Unit. There were almost the whole division, with the exception of the few who were on cases. Megure-keibu sat silently with his orange arms folded, taking in the situation before his eyes. Next to him sat Sato, chatting quietly with a beet red Takagi, often stealing glances at the inspector who was known to her almost as a second father.

Proud, tall, but silent, sat inspector Shiratori like a lone wolf. His cold gaze swept constantly across the room, and Hattori shudddered when the target of his gaze was suddenly him. He felt like the guy had something to do with the organization, but, he willed his mouth shut, unwilling to find out the consequences.

There were so many police forces in the room Hattori felt no need to identify each and one of them

Hidden deep in the shadows, at the very back, sat the FBI. They did not speak and did not converse. Hattori took note of that, but when Jodie Saintemillion waved and winked at him, Hattori was relieved to find out that, yes, they were actually human and those were not just mannequins.

"Oi, brat, start to talk or else I'm getting out!" Kogoro annoyingly complained with impatience.

Taking a shuddering breath, he started.

Well...everyone...Happy Valentines Day? And to those who are out there marrying, asking someone out...good luck! And to those who haven't yet...WHAT ARE YA WAITIN' FOR? HURRY UP!

Okay, that's no excuse for the late update...