*Flashback*

"Get away from here, both of you," Ai ordered, her steely gaze brooking no defiance.

The man in black cocked his head, eyes narrowing. "Seiryuu no Miko," he intoned. "You will come with me."

*End Flashback*

Mitsuhiko had heard Genta tell the mysterious figure to leave Ayumi alone. Only the feel of the overwhelming amount of evil chi kept the youngest Suzaku seishi from going immediately to help his friends. When he heard the stranger's orders, his eyes widened.

'Haibara-san? She's the Seiryuu no Miko?' From behind the bush, he could see as Ayumi and Genta obeyed Ai's command, running off in the opposite direction. 'Presumably to get help,' he thought. Then his attention was drawn back to the other two.

"No," Ai refused, glaring at the man.

"Seiryuu no Miko, you will come with me, or I will take you by force," he replied coldly.

"I am never going back to Them," Ai hissed, her eyes narrowing. "And nothing you say will make me change my mind."

Mitsuhiko felt the man's chi flare in anger, and by the frightened look that briefly passed over Ai's face, she could, too. As he saw the man raise his arm, Mitsuhiko acted on what could only be called instinct.

"Haibara-san!" he cried, running to her.

She turned to him, eyes wide in fright and disbelief. "Mitsuhiko-kun!" she exclaimed. He tackled her, covering her smaller frame with his own. He heard a dull 'thud,' and then his head rang in pain.

"Are you…all right?" he asked Ai, slowly lifting his head.

"Mitsuhiko…" Ai whispered, staring at him a moment before she helped him to stand up.

Their attacker started to advance on the duo. "All those who interfere will be disposed of."

"Stay back, Haibara-san!" Mitsuhiko warned, standing in front of her.

The black-clothed man rushed at him, bringing up his fist to hit Mitsuhiko aside. Something dark and vengeful flared within the youngest Suzaku seishi. 'No. I won't allow you to hurt her!'

Mitsuhiko's character glowed a deep vermillion as he felt his chi swell in an uncharacteristic display of power. A bright red light shone between the children and their attacker as the man crashed into and was thrown back.

Ai stared in awe at the barrier, then the freckled boy. 'He's a warrior of Suzaku,' she realized. 'Why…why is he protecting me?'

The man's eyes narrowed in rage, standing up from where he'd landed. "Suzaku scum!" he spat. "Why do you protect the enemy miko?"

"She's not my enemy!" Mitsuhiko retorted. "She might've been in the past, but that doesn't matter now! It doesn't matter that I'm a Suzaku seishi; I will do whatever it takes to protect her!"

"Bold words for someone about to die," sneered the man. He rushed towards them again. As the boy's concentration wavered, the barrier flickered, then disappeared. Grabbing Mitsuhiko's arm, the man snapped it, causing him to scream in pain.

"Mitsuhiko!" Ai cried.

Ran and Eisuke's heads both jerked up.

"I felt something," the brunette said, frightened.

"I did, too," Eisuke agreed.

"It was just like the time when Nuriko…" Ran trailed off, horrified. "Come on!" The two exited the apartment in a hurry.

Sonoko was walking down the street when she felt it. A sickening, gut-lurching feeling that made her feel like she wanted to crawl into bed for a month. Just then, she saw Ayumi and Genta running down the sidewalk in her direction, looking very frightened.

"Oi, where's the fire?" she asked, stopping them.

"There-there's this weird man at the park!" Genta exclaimed, pointing the way they'd came.

"He kept on asking us where the Seiryuu no Miko was, and I think he's going to hurt Ai-chan!" Ayumi cried.

Several pieces clicked together in Sonoko's dream. 'The man in the park…that little blonde girl was in Ran's dreams…the Seiryuu no Miko…' Then: 'No. Chiriko must be at the park, too!'

Spotting a phone booth nearby, Sonoko ushered the two children into it. "Call Takagi-keiji!" she ordered, quickly telling them his cell phone number and putting in a few coins for the phone. Then she took off running.

'Hang on, Chiriko!' she thought desperately.

Takagi stiffened. Something was very wrong here. His stomach cramped suddenly, nausea assaulting him.

"Takagi-kun? What's wrong?" Sato asked worriedly.

"I don't feel very well," he told her weakly. "Megure-keibu," he said to his superior, who nodded. They were pretty much done here, anyways.

"I'll accompany him," Shiratori offered. "Just to make sure he doesn't pass out or anything while driving." The others nodded, concerned looks following the duo.

Suddenly, his cell phone rang. "Takagi here," he answered somewhat weakly.

"Takagi-keiji!" Ayumi's frightened voice came over the phone. "Sonoko-neesan gave us your number. There's this man at the park, and we think he's going to hurt Ai-chan!"

Takagi's stomach clenched. 'Chiriko,' he realized. "Where?" he barked. Ayumi gave him the address and then the tanned officer hurried to his car. Silently, Shiratori slid in the seat next to him.

Heiji, Shinichi, and Kaito suddenly froze. "Oh, shit," Shinichi choked out, the pain tearing at him. Akako and Conan stared at the three in worry.

"What is it?" the sorceress inquired.

"One of us has been hurt, no da," Kaito explained, hurriedly grabbing his hat and staff.

"Will ya be able ta transport us there, 'Chiri?" Heiji asked worriedly.

"What do you think I'm trying to do, no da?" the monk retorted in annoyance. "I'll take us as close as I can."

"We're coming with," Conan declared. The Suzaku seishi exchanged glances, then nodded to the boy and Akako. They all ducked through the hat, Kaito last of all.

'I just hope we're not too late,' Shinichi prayed.

A/N: The evil Cliffie of Doom strikes again! Now I have to stop putting off my homework and actually go do the damn stuff...Don't forget to review, even if you are all upset about the Cliffies of Doom!

Preview of the next chapter: Despite the severity of the situation, Ai was quite close to sweatdropping.