Chapter 101: Wolf Den

"We didn't have breakfast so we should eat and at least we'll be there. Going to the counter would be best, so we aren't stuck in a booth and can appear together or separate."

Kaito nodded. The counter was right up front by the door. He went back the way he had come, putting his hand in his pocket and taking out a wallet that was actually his and had a small amount of cash in. He faked counting it as he walked in, his eyes darting up and over the scenery as if he was trying not to bump into anything while he did. Not that many people. It was dark, low lamps, some calming foreign music playing over the speakers. He saw what he was looking for and sat down, looking up at the banner above the counter where the menu was. "What are you going to get?" What are we going to do?

"I think I see what I want but you two order first," Chikage replied as she sat with Saguru between them. Better to eat over here than risk anything. If she made a move first, that would show some of her hand at least.

Kaito was hungry so he actually ordered a sandwich and juice, looking at his brother as he sat. Even just having his back to everyone was setting him on edge so, while he was waiting, he turned to them as if he were bored, looking at his mom for some instruction.

Saguru was curious about the choice of disguise, knowing that the woman who had that face would either have disguised herself further or made sure people knew she was there. He supposed it was for their benefit.

Chikage would really have preferred doing this without the boys, or maybe just Kaito. She turned to look at them and saw Kaito was facing them on the stool. She smiled and shook her head. "You just can't sit facing the counter, can you? We finish eating and see what the next step is."

"I am." The waitress had set his order down while they had been looking around and he bit into the sandwich, not really wanting to eat it but he didn't want to stand out either- not that he wasn't, being the only one eating anyway. "And I'm bored," he added just to throw her comment off.

Chikage stood, turning to appear to wave the boys past her and locked eyes with the one they were meeting. The waitress was standing right there so she had to cover for that. "Look who's here. Let's go talk to her first, then we'll leave." She walked over to where she was sitting at a booth. "Hey, can we join you?"

Vermouth smiled but to the world it was Kudo Yukiko they were seeing. She got up with a smile, her eyes glowing just like her old friend's, the voice matching. "Hi. It's been a while. Of course you can join me. I'm sorry. I'm a bit claustrophobic." She smiled a little more. "I can't sit on the inside."

Chikage didn't like that at all. It was exactly what she'd wanted to avoid. "Of course." She moved just a touch faster to make sure the boys didn't try to themselves, seeing Saguru already attempting it.

Kaito shivered. He'd never really seen that she could do exactly what he could- maybe even better, but he wouldn't admit that. Then his mom jumped in the seat so he grabbed the other one. Chris would be across from Saguru but at least he could run if he needed to, and Kaito didn't see the table posing much of a barrier in his case. He really wished there had been another way, but he preferred his relatively safer sitting position with one leg up to a comfortable one. "Hey," Kaito said in greeting, his smile edged since he was against the wall and there was no one behind them to see it.

Saguru sat next to Kaito and studied her closely. If he had not been so close to Kudo Yukiko for two weeks he would not have known the difference at all. It was more in the attitude and forced happiness than appearance, which he could not see any real discernible flaw in.

Vermouth tipped her head at the boy looking at her. "Saguru-kun. You look better than when I saw you last. I heard what happened to you. I hope you're feeling okay now."

"Improving. Thank you for your concern." Saguru felt his stomach twist as he spoke but it was nothing that he would not have said to the real one or any person who had said that to him.

"That's great." Vermouth put one hand on the table, turning her head inward so her voice would travel that way. The other customers were upfront and the few that were on her side, the closest was a few seats over and the man was chatting with a woman. "You know, as much as the few of you get in my way, maybe the world will just take you out one of theses days. It would solve a lot of problems." She turned to Chikage, keeping her voice Yukiko's. "And you aren't allowed to die."

Chikage smiled as though they were just chatting but dropped her voice as she put her chin on the back of her hand. "I have my family to protect first." 'And neither will leave this Earth before me.'

Vermouth smiled pleasantly. "Of course not. I would hope that never happened." She looked at the other two. Kaito-kun she was a big threat to her, though having Chikage so close, she received most of her attention. "You know, even if you weren't a liability, which you are, Saguru-kun is someone who has contact with us. He can't live. They have his name and they know I've come into contact with him so there are two choices open to him." Vermouth stared back at Saguru-kun. "He could be an asset."

Kaito growled in the back of his throat, leaning back and throwing an arm over his brother. Let them try. He wasn't going anywhere.

Saguru met her gaze. "Hakuba Damashi may have been in contact with you, but I had no knowledge or contact aside from you personally, nor have I actually seen your face as I could not see prior to now."

"I know that. They don't care. Trust me. We've had a little... altercation over it. I don't keep all my secrets from my colleagues. That wouldn't be nice." Though the boss did know more than most. "I'm just stating facts at this very second." She looked back at Chikage. "As for all the danger, I think I've figured out how to handle it myself. I just needed you here, with me. Brave of you to walk into the den of a monster." She looked around at all of them. "Did any of you eat the food from here?"

Kaito frowned, not sure what she was getting at. The sandwich had been in a wrapper and couldn't have been poisoned. There was one way she could have come in here and just tainted everything. He'd call her bluff on this one.

Vermouth smiled a little more. "It's good, isn't it?" As if she couldn't see that they'd gotten something. "I ate before you showed up." Chikage now had her attention elsewhere for a few seconds and Vermouth took the opportunity to get a thin needle out of the lining on the side of her pants without much motion. Her hand had been on her leg for a while. It only took a second to reach over and stab Chikage with it.

Chikage saw the motion but she was too close. She tried to move further away when it hit her in the side, just behind where her arm was. It was her own fault for sitting forward. She felt herself start to go numb right away. "Kaito, get 'im out of here."

Kaito got up on the seat, grabbing his brother's arm.

"Leave now and that synthetic venom in your system will kill you and, in the time you have left, all you'd do would be have your brother watch you die." Vermouth wasn't blind. Kaito-kun had been the one who had gotten the food. He had even faced her.

Kaito froze for a moment, looking at her but scooting his brother out - of - the - seat, taking a few steps back from the table. "Like you could have done that."

Bourbon got up from his seat where he'd been acting out this overly dramatic play. She had even talked him into makeup and a wig. She had asked for him to help with this he hadn't saw much purpose in it. He was only there to back her up, by her own wording, and he hadn't been told what was going on or who these people were. He pointed a gun at the two that had gotten up. Checkmate. "Or you meet death even faster."

Kaito was caught in between the gun and going back into the seat. What?! He turned but all the others in the place were looking at them with interest, nothing close to fear. He looked back at Chris and growled. "It was a set up."

"Of course it was. I come in disguise and you think I'm hiding from something. It puts you at ease and gives me the advantage." Vermouth could finally discard the disguise. "Ah that was so boring." She smirked over at Chikage who would barely be clinging to consciousness now. "Nice try though."

Chikage was doing all she could to remain awake. There was one shot but with everyone here on her side instead of civilians, would it still work?

Kaito looked around. The exits were blocked. The gun pointed at him he could handle but not at the same time he was breaking out and trying to grab Saguru along with him. He couldn't get in his pockets for the smoke bombs, not unless he was willing to take the risk of being shot. If he was... Maybe he wouldn't get shot but with that look in the man's eyes and Chris's as well, they'd rather have someone die than escape. He was torn, torn more so because he had his brother to protect and his mom looked as out of it as he'd ever seen her.

"Now don't move," Vermouth partially purred, nodding her head to a few people behind the kids. They had their instructions. They'd feel her vengeance themselves if they messed up.

Kaito turned. The man with the gun hadn't moved and two more were coming at them from behind, likely to drug them. He looked back over at his mom and then the exits. If the gun were closer he could knock it away. Taking a step, even though they were told not to move, he went closer to his brother.

Saguru looked over at their mom who appeared close to passing out. He had meant for it to be in an emergency and this clearly met that. He had to hope that there was nothing further that would interact. He felt Kaito move close to him and heard a soft hiss from somewhere. Sliding his hand against the pocket, he palmed the item before shifting toward Kaito and brushing his hand with his. "Our mother."

Kaito closed his hand around the thin cylinder. He let his fingers go over it and identify it. If he moved he'd be shot. He knew that. He didn't think he'd be killed or they would have killed them all to begin with. His brother would be wide open though and he couldn't leave him like that. He couldn't leave his mother at their mercy either though. Was it better to try and get all of them or was it better to try and escape with just the two of them? That had a higher chance of success but... Saguru had given it to him and he had to trust his brother would be safe. Kaito darted back towards the table to try and get their mom.

Saguru hoped he would not regret the decision. Kaito, he would admit, was faster and better able to reach her. He knew they would not reach the door, however, there was a window and they needed cover as they were far too open. He had intended to test this first before having Kaito use them and had only brought them because of who they were meeting. In a way, it was better that everyone else in the place was against them or he would have never used it. The man facing them, who had a gun on them, was clearly the greater threat. As soon as Kaito moved, so did he.

Vermouth had her hand in back of her and pulled out a very small gun of her own. The rounds wouldn't do much damage but she wasn't looking to kill them. Kaito-kun, as irrational as the boy was, ran towards them. As long as she didn't aim for his head or heart, he'd live. Of course the boy wanted to make that hard as something started to billow around him, likely as a weak smokescreen, while she fired. As if she couldn't predict movement. Chikage was her next target. She'd shoot all of them a few times, just to make sure they wouldn't be moving.

Bourbon noticed the boy move, something that would have made any other assassin shoot. He wasn't any assassin. A few of the others aimed though and he reacted as a searing light came from whatever it was in the teen's hand. With his forearm over his eyes, he smiled. Who was Vermouth playing with? "Don't move!" he instructed the others, aiming low. As distracting as that was and as much as he couldn't see, the boy's own eyelids wouldn't have protected him from the same blindness.

Kaito winced, getting the pen and injecting his mom with whatever was in it, likely adrenaline or something to fight off whatever Chris had used. They couldn't wait the while for it to get to her though and he grabbed her hand, trying to pull her up and hearing at least three other quite shots in quick secession. He couldn't see where they were coming from with the smoke. There might have been more but something was bothering his hearing and he was only worried about getting them out.

Chikage blinked her eyes. Whatever that had been, she felt a rush of energy flow though her at the same time as pain did. A flash of light worried her more. Her boys were in danger. She ignored the how and lashed out with her leg, kicking out beside her while holding the hand in hers tightly and going toward it. She felt slower than usual still but if one was here, the other was alone and she had to get them both OUT!

The result was not entirely unexpected though he had known to close his eyes. As temporary as it was, he had a slight advantage of having experienced it already. He moved toward the chair just behind where they had been sitting, lifting it at the same time shots came from behind him and an explosion came from the direction of the kitchen. He was able to feel the heat but refrained from yelling and giving himself away to those near him.

Vermouth clenched her teeth shut, a hand going around her ribs while she took another few shots at where they had been. If they died it would be their own fault. "I wasn't trying to kill you!" She waved her hand at the room in general, the smoke not as far spread as the space. "Don't move from the exits!"

Bourbon had moved forward where the kid had been standing but he was gone. He smiled to himself, spreading his fingers out to his side and closing his eyes. Whoever these people were, they were pretty interesting. Since his sight was compromised he'd wait. The smoke would be a telling sign of their exit when the breeze was let in, the noise from somewhere in the back also compromising most of the senses but for touch.

Mom was fast. Kaito didn't know what to expect from what Saguru had given him but his first reaction was to get back to his brother. Sometime during the smoke and the noise and worry, he'd lost the distance of the table and where his brother was- though probably wasn't there still unless he'd been shot... And that made him want to go back there all the more and, in the few seconds he hesitated, his mom took over.

Chikage felt a bullet graze her arm but was thankful she wasn't hit again after that. Kaito stopped though and that wasn't going to work. She tightened her grip and moved. The smoke and explosion were helping to cover them, but making it harder to find Saguru. He'd know the door was blocked but if he was hit or held, they'd announce it, just to stop them. She was down off the table, pulling Kaito with her toward the exits, the window, or the door past it, leaving a couple more smoke bombs behind.

Kaito felt his mom pull him too far. They didn't have Saguru. If she pulled him much farther without him, he wasn't going to go.

A few more little explosions told Bourbon the direction that they were going. He opened his eyes back up and walked towards the door himself. It wasn't worth being in all this chaos and they were going to end up out there anyway. Vermouth had picked some very entertaining targets.

Saguru was holding the chair still and heard the pops he recognized from heists. He hurried toward the sound though he could not reach out, unsure of who he would touch first and knowing he was not going to be used against them if he reached someone else.

Kaito turned his head as his mom pulled him. Footsteps. They were heavy too. He was on edge for all of a few seconds until he was sure the presence wasn't a threat. He sighed, slowing down enough to reach out and grab his brother. He was not losing him.

Saguru tensed when he felt himself grabbed but a half second later, he recognized it. How many times now had he felt this particular hold? He tossed the chair as best he could behind them and, closing his eyes, took one last chance with the light, knowing the smoke would disperse it but also serve to confuse the origin. The risk would be worth it as he relied on Kaito to lead.

Chikage saw the smoke brighten but didn't know what caused it. Kaito all but stopped and she was relieved, guessing and hoping she was right. She pulled Kaito with her, knowing they had to get out of here as fast as they could. They'd taken too much time and the door was by the kitchen. If the fire had spread there it would be too dangerous. She made for where the large window was at the front of the diner, not far from them. They could head left, away from everything and the escaping smoke would draw spectators and fire and rescue as well as police.

Kaito felt his mother stop and when she did he grabbed his brother and put him between them to make sure he wasn't going to lose him.

Chikage pulled Saguru close and touched Kaito's hand, folding his fingers and directing his aim. 'Take it out.'

Kaito nodded though he didn't need his mom to instruct him. She was safe and out of the way and he hit the pressure switch on the card gun to make it greater, knowing he'd need to get more compressed air and then thinking it was stupid to be thinking that at a time like this. He fired at where he thought the center of the glass was, where it would be weakest, then fired around it so the glass would shatter far enough for them to escape out of, the sound of glass reminding him just how dangerous getting out of a broken window was.

Vermouth heard the sounds of breaking glass and looked over in the direction, coughing a little on the smoke they were throwing around. "You'll only make it worse!"

Saguru started to turn but Chikage held him. Not this time. She went through the shattered window, adding a bit more smoke silently,

Kaito saw or felt his mother leave. He urged his brother forward, afraid they'd get rushed, swiping the barrel of the card gun against the ledge so he wouldn't cut his leg open and pushing him out.

Saguru felt himself half pulled, half pushed out the window. He maintained a hold on Kaito, drawing him out too. A few blinks of his eyes and his sight was returning again. He was simply grateful the others had not been blinded the same way the rest of the diner had... aside from Sharon Vinyard.

Bourbon saw the trio exit, leaning against the wall so any of those following after them wouldn't bowl him over in the process. He smiled. What a united family. Talented too. He'd have to find out their names, after he settled his own business.

Kaito was out the window and with them. They couldn't go back the way they came because the door was in that direction so he dashed off with his mom in the opposite. They could circle back and they needed to get away from this place before any of those he could hear bustling around found the exit too.

Saguru held Kaito's arm tightly though, with their mother holding his other with the same strength, he could not reach it. Kaito had begun eating now 19 minutes ago and he did not believe they should wait any longer "Kaito, left inside pocket. Swallow it, but DO- NOT- Inhale it."

Kaito didn't know what Saguru had in his pocket but he reached in, tripping a little. He reached into his pocket again, trying to find what he was asked to. Why did he carry so much on him? Kaito figured that the pocket watch wasn't what he wanted and came out with a pill bottle. "This?" He panted a little from running but he wasn't going to stop.

Saguru blinked once more and glanced over. "Drink it. Fast."

Kaito nodded, holding his breath as he took the cap off, finding it hard to get his brother to let go of him for a second to do it. Whatever was it was grainy and tasted terrible. He coughed on it. "What in the world is this? Nasty."

"Activated Carbon."

"Well it's nasty." Kaito put the top back on and gave it to his brother.

"Better than the alternative. You are going to a hospital. Both of you change in the car. I do not care what or whom you choose to look like but this is an emergency."

Kaito swallowed. He'd been thinking the same thing. "We can't. If she comes back, we'll be more vulnerable in a hospital bed."

"No less than if you collapse or worse. She said it would kill you and I am not allowing that to happen." Saguru pulled him toward the backseat of the car. "Do not think I will not sedate you if I must. Now, disguise yourselves well. Once we arrive, you can change me."

Kaito shook his head, a smile there. "We'd need an expert and we'd be going to your doctor then, right? If not they'd need our names and information." He held himself close where he was injured, knowing she'd gotten his leg too. It was making it painful to walk but it wasn't overly bothering him... which was strange. If anything he just felt like his whole body hurt so just his leg wasn't really bothering him. "Are we doing that? Because if not I'd rather risk seeing if the little detective can't pull something off. I'm not going to leave us vulnerable again."

Saguru pushed him into the back seat. Looking at him so closely he swallowed. There was no time. "Just trust me on this. Stay calm and leave it to me." He was not going to say it out loud, not right now. "ER can start treatment now and no one else is qualified. They have what you need already and can give it to you." If Asano-sensei was there that would be preferable but he was not waiting or going out of his way. Keys hanging in front of him caused him to look up and grab them.

Chikage nodded and climbed in the back with Kaito. She saw what he must have and knew Kaito was fading. The door shut and she heard him get in the front as she checked Kaito's injuries, trying to stop the blood flow.

Whatever. Saguru knew what he was doing and he let him. Was he hurt too? It was so chaotic in there but- that could wait too. They needed to leave. He heard the door open and close, seeing his mom. She had to have gotten the worst of that since she had been trapped and the closest too the gun. As much as he wanted to check her though, he just laid his head back. He wouldn't be able to help her and it was better not to know.

Saguru shifted the car to drive and took off. He restrained himself from looking in the mirror, knowing a glimpse of the backseat would test his resolve to drive them when they needed help. The blood on his clothes from their mother and Kaito was hard enough to ignore. He refused to allow himself to track the time it took to pull up to the hospital, only then looking back to see two unknown people in the back. Nothing major had changed about them but enough small details had been altered that they would not be recognized.

Chikage was shaking. She'd blocked hers and Kaito's gunshot wounds but they'd both lost blood and Kaito's wasn't slowing down, no matter how hard she pressed. When they stopped and Saguru came over, she looked up and he shook his head before saying to keep him laying down. She grabbed his wrist, pulling him close to tint his hair darker. "It's the best I can do right now," she said as he nodded and took off through the doors. She looked back down at Kaito. "You relax... and hang in there. I'm your mother and, rare as it is, that's an order."

Kaito let out a breath and closed his eyes for a second before looking up and smiling at her. "No worries. I don't... die that easily." He closed them again, wincing. Stupid car. If he really wanted to, he was sure he could just get up and walk in, as long as he had someone to hold onto. It would save a lot of trouble, not that his world needed to be any more distorted from either his vision problems or the fake glasses he had switched up for the hat. He was kind of happy he had already dyed his hair black. "Same here." He took his hand that wasn't wrapped around his side and grabbed onto his mom's sleeve. "You too."

Chikage smiled. "Yeah. I will." She grabbed his hand in hers. This was crazy. She led her boys into a trap... again.

"It's weird. I've never been... shot before. Not really." Kaito opened his eyes only partially, not sure why. Maybe just to know he was seeing daylight. He didn't feel cold or anything, just hurt. "Detective... all of them. I guess it... just makes things different. Different is-" He had to take a deeper breath in since he must not have been breathing the right way. It was probably just because he was laying down and talking. "Different is okay... I just need to get... better at... stopping the bad guys." He smiled to her. "We need... to talk after."

"We will. Believe me." She leaned down and squeezed his hand, pressing harder on the cloth held to one of his wounds. She heard footsteps and looked up as Saguru reached them with two stretchers. "Keep your voice different too," she whispered before sliding Kaito toward them and waving off the other.

Kaito wasn't planning on talking much anyway but cleared his throat to make sure he could. People were helping him up and it seemed a little excessive. When he was taken out he wasn't given much choice on where he went. He did see his brother though and this had been bothering him since he had started driving. His voice came out just a little bit deeper than normal. "You hurt?" He really, really wanted to know that. There was so much confusion and shots that he only really knew that he and their mom were.

Saguru shook his head and managed a small smile to alleviate his worries. He had not had the time to finish all the modifications he had started planning in Hawaii and now, seeing the injuries, he wished he had. He moved to their mother and took her arm. "You need to be tended to as well."

Kaito saw Saguru go and help mom. That was good. His eye started to close and he let himself relax now that neither of them had to watch over him. It really hurt and he felt really tired. He turned, his voice not that loud but he was sure mom would catch it. "You better get better... too. Who know what'll... happen when I get you guys... next time."

Chikage nodded and gave in to Saguru and the other people there. Saguru shook his head and the look he shot Kaito and then her said he'd understood it too. She laid down and let the people move the cloth a bit. "Don't move his. It wasn't stopping." Saguru eyes were back on her and she squeezed his hand before he moved away to the people around Kaito as they headed into the hospital. "Someone move the car for us?"

Saguru placed his hand on Kaito's side and looked at the others. He didn't care how smart he sounded or how odd it was, not if Kaito's bleeding had not slowed enough for their mother to worry. His only thought was the poison had thinned his blood, making it unable to congeal in the wound and stop the bleeding. He had already told them what he had taken and that they did not know what he had been given. The next answer was venom and a polyvalent antivenin would be the wisest move. If only it worked in time...

Kaito wasn't sure how he felt his brother's presence or that it was him touching him but he did. Maybe it was magic. He took his hand and put it on Saguru's, a light smile on his lips. He'd watched his brother die once before, he wasn't going to put him through the same thing- at least, not the same worry. "I'm just hurt... I'll get better."

"I will not allow anything else." Saguru walked to the door before speaking to the doctor, slipping a few... stretched pieces of information to insure he understood what Kaito would likely need and how urgent it was. The doctor nodded, eyeing him, before shutting the door and leaving him to sit in one of the chairs just outside the OR.