Updated on 26/7/2019 for spelling mistakes which I usually never notice or keep finding more \(-_-)/ I swear something is wrong with this site :O
I added to the dialogs and fixed possible plot-holes.
Ch 9: The Third Kaitou KID
(Part 2)
Inside the BO boss' office, the six were eyes and ears, eager to hear their partner's name. The boss went on, introducing the returned killer, who stepped from the darkness into their gaze. Gin snorted. "The police already met him, two years ago, although as an ally and as have you. He was on a distant mission since you last saw him, and recently, returned"
"You gotta be kidding me! Him! Our recruit!" Chianti grunted and turned to the Boss, "He'll only get in the way! I don't like working with that pair!" The boss did not respond, she preferred to work with Gin and Korn the most, which was no surprise. Vermouth was the person who abandoned her brother to die, and this man here was her partner. She hated anyone who had anything to do with her.
"Bourbon is a capable person, Chianti." His voice was firm, "he carries every mission in full accuracy. I can count on no one better than him" Chianti could smell Gin's disgust to hear that. "And he has been successful with his missions for two decades" he paused when she rolled her eyes away, "Vermouth has what it takes, skills and experience included, together they are an unstoppable team" with his point taken across, he furthered, "don't forget that without Vermouth, none of you can do disguises or blend unnoticed. We work in the shadows"
"I believe he made it clear," a second voice said from behind the chair. 'They are needed more than you' the unspoken words flew in the air. Their weight pressing on Chianti's nerves.
'Rum you…!' she bit her lip. "Disguises, infiltration… so what? Snipers are as needed as them. I don't need your opinion to know my work is also necessary" She shouted at Rum, defending her pride as a capable sniper.
"Enough, both of you" they backed away, "I don't want you to start a feud with each other! You must cooperate so we can regain control once again. Is that clear?"
"Yes, boss"
Both blonds said nothing, the boss to speak in their stead. There was no need to say anything after being absent for a long time. Bourbon's missions were difficult and needed time.
Vodka kept his silence, Gin glared the blond. He knew there was something fishy about him, trust was not a chance. Not with the issues they were dealing with now. He still hated him yet didn't get in his way. He didn't want to let his hatred for nosy detectives to get in the way of their work. Bourbon was on their side, his mission was to get close to the sleeping Kogoro. It was all staged, thought of, and carried accurately.
'The likes of him disgust me' Chianti grit her teeth. 'I'll never trust her or her partner!'
Vermouth raised a grin, Bourbon grinned back. Finally, someone she could work with without any limits. Someone who she didn't mind being herself around.
"Vermouth will be spying in Tokyo's headquarters soon to figure out where their remaining spies are," Rum said, all attention on him, "Bourbon will hack their systems and files to back her up. Your turn, Gin is to watch the new members, Vodka will assist you" Gin nodded with his silent glare. Rum turned to the Snipers, "you two will snip out the ones Vermouth tells you to kill. You'll be in the nearby building, a clear shot. We get only one chance. Make it quick, don't get noticed"
"Fine"
"Bourbon will tell you where to find the ones to kill" Vermouth continued, eyes fixed on Chianti's. "Simple task. I trust you're more than capable for it" the woman twitched an eyebrow, Vermouth grinned.
"Stick to the plan" Rum added, the six nodded to their tasks. Rum kept his eyes locked in theirs as he spoke. "Any questions?" they shook their heads.
"Good. This is our plan for next weeks gathering. I expect you to stick by it and with each other" they nodded, "Whoever gets cornered, the others will help him out. Do whatever you find necessary, I don't want any of you caught or killed. You are aware that you are the closest to me, the amount of information you possess is what the law is after"
"And we cannot risk losing any more members" Rum added with a dry voice. "We do not mind losing anyone new, it's the ones who served the syndicate who are important to us, like you six. The others are just backup"
"And those backups, what do we do about them?" Chianti crossed her arms, shooting glares at Rum.
"Twenty-three members, I trust you to keep your eyes on them, guide them well. And remember, any rat that surfaces from them, should be killed on the spot" his gaze watched their faces, "Every person who was considered a rat before, should be watched"
"Like Kir?" Chianti said, 'she's not even here among us'
"Especially Kir!" The boss' answer set her thoughts in stones. He didn't trust her. "Whether or not she is loyal, I want your eyes pilled. We are up against the silver bullets, we must win this war" They nodded despite lacking trust in Bourbon (excluding Vermouth who trusted him). However orders were orders, so they had to bare him until they succeed against the police and the FBI. Gin and Chianti wanted Vermouth on that list too, a free pass to kill her would quench their thirst for her bloodshed.
The boss, behind his unturned desk, had more information to pass. So far, he had been watching their expressions from the camera above their heads. They knew the one on the chair was just a dummy, but they knew he would never come out in the open, even in his own lair. "About the silver bullet, the third KID" as if on cue, a group of men in grey entered. "These five are in charge of him. Tonight he will join us" the blonds weren't happy with that. "He will only take his orders from Gin, anyone else cannot try" it was as though his threat was carried towards the blonds, but everyone was just too pissed to notice it.
"And you, Snake, are also not allowed to try"
"Not a step near the boy"
Snake snorted. "Fine"
The KID stood outside beside the door on its right away from their sight (though the door was closed), with Yusaku beside him without being noticed. The syndicate knew KID was waiting outside (and watching him through the monitors), yet was ignorant of his current friend who was wearing a mirror around his body to not be seen. Lucky for them that the corridors were engulfed in darkness, making Yusaku's cover perfect.
The pieces clicked.
The reason why the boy came in without anyone rushing to stop him, finally made sense. They were expecting him. Why he was cooperating with them when he was supposed to be hunting them down?
'No. He's not betraying us. Why did he bring me with him?' the novelist observed the dark hall. 'What he is up to' The kaitou kept his silence, staring at the floor tiles with more boredom in his eyes than Yusaku has ever seen on anyone aside from Kaito.
1412 turned his gaze to the door, everything they were saying was heard clear as day. He turned back to the tile he had his focus on, patience wasn't his thing.
'Infiltration?' no, it would be too obvious. 'Distraction?' maybe. But there was more to that.
As far as Yusaku knew, infiltration was 1311's missions, cover-ups weren't KID's missions since those were the partner's… that only led him to the remaining possible reason.
'Distraction' definitely that was 1412's plan. 'No wonder 1311 is going to scold him~'
The boy remained silent, aware of what his hiding acquaintance was thinking of. He remained standing, waiting for the boss to finish his meeting. His back was glued to the wall (for support, Yusaku knew the pain was there, despite the Kaitou not showing any and standing idly as if nothing was wrong). He moved his gaze to the wall. Bored to death, Yusaku mused.
KID knew Anokata wouldn't lay his guard down. He opposed them before, and he might (will) do it again. Snake would always keep eyes on him, even if the boss told him to stay away. Everyone was aware of that, Snake signed himself to watch over him for the past years. He would trust no one else to keep the weapon under observation.
The boy's face only displayed his boredom, impatience wasn't far from showing on his pale face. But the blank face was also proof of concealing every ounce of his emotions. His pain included. 'This boy is indeed a KID!' such talents were not wasted, Kuroba was wise in his decision. Yusaku was sure the poker face was pure talent, as he was sure the boy didn't take any painkillers, and in such conditions, he was perfectly hiding everything well.
The original 1412 would be proud. 'Proud, indeed!'
1412 rolled his eyes away with a silent sigh, he stayed glued to the spot his feet were standing on, covered in the shadows of their surroundings. Perhaps he was truly growing bored of waiting for the meeting to end. Their thoughts were cut when a man came out from the boss' office and turned towards him with heavy confident heard steps. Yusaku recognized him with ease, who could forget that face anyway? The man was a lunatic whom no one could ever forget.
"The boss agreed to your demand," his voice was firm. 1412 knew everything, he was talking to him directly. It pissed Snake off when the boy didn't show anything on his face. None of the members had the luxury to meet their boss up close. 1412 didn't see the face, but he was in front of the real person. "As long as you cooperate with us" Snake added, contained anger struggling to pour out.
'And here he goes again, adding rules on his own'
'Demand?' Yusaku mused. What it could be? Why was the syndicate the only one to cover that demand?
Snake's serious echoing voice continued, "Your job is to spy on your partners and the police" of course the syndicate would have its benefits. "Multitasking is your thing, after all" he grinned, "Bourbon will be with you on the missions, but, you should know that I will always have people keeping their eyes on you" consider it a warning
There was a moment of silence, a sort of doubtful spark growing between the two. 'They hate each other' Figures. 'Snake never trusts the members who dare oppose them,' that boy did, he was still alive and able to return to the organization again.
"You'll head to them in five hours" he walked three steps away with two other men who joined him. "But remember boy," he said as he was leaving, without even turning his gaze on him. "If you go against us again or side with those weaklings, I'll do worse than what I did last time" he left laughing. His mischievous laugh made a shiver run down KID's skin.
'And I'm sure the boss will have your head if you try~'
Yusaku was listening to everything they were saying. 'He's so going to have another problem' his mind trailed for a moment, 'and very soon'
1412 kept his calm face. He knew what he was in, yet he couldn't wane his obligation as a Kaitou KID. The door on the other end was silent since Snake stepped out of it, they were listening to their conversation. 'I wonder if Snake ever listens to the boss'
Said door opened, and the six killers emerged from it. They passed the kaitou without a word. One after the other, heading to their tasks. Chianti and Korn paid no attention to him, while Gin tossed a glance that looked like a nod that said: 'you're in my team, so watch it, boy' the thief didn't break the connection until the silver-haired man was ahead. Vermouth glared him but he didn't flinch.
"I'm looking forward to working with you, KID-kun~" Bourbon raised a grin, then continued down the corridor, disappearing behind the rest.
KID lived to his reputation. Vermouth assured the boy didn't make a sound. 'A phantom indeed'
The door beside him didn't order him to enter, so he guessed his visit was over for the day. Rum didn't leave the room, standing beside the chair for no apparent reason.
1412 glanced at the speaker in front of him in the middle of the corridor. 'Why use dummies in his office when he can just speak through the speakers…' almost every corridor had a few. Calling them when they were needed. He could see the shine from the cameras too.
As everyone was out of his sight, 1412 went towards his car, which he parked outside the syndicate's lair. With a glance around to make sure no one was around, he pretended to put some things on the driver's seat, but in reality, he was keeping the door open so Yusaku could enter. That done, 1412 drove away. It was really in their fortune that the entire place was dark. He kept reminding himself of the man unseen beside him. 'No time to crack now' he kept his poker face up, feeling the slight tremble in his left hand as he took the left turn. He stopped the car a mile away and checked it for wires and bugs. When he found none; he spoke. "Coste clear, Kudo-san," he said and silenced himself, turning the car back on and heading towards district 2.
Yusaku took off his disguise, "KID-kun, I thought you were smarter than that. Working for them? You should know better than that! They'll only use you"
The boy turned for a quick moment, then turned back ahead. "To answer your first question," he began, formally, as if it was so easy. "It's simple! Since I'm so special to them and the offer to join them will always stand, I will take advantage of that. I'll pretend to be on their side, give them wrong info while I give my team the information we need to stop their plans. It's not that we need to spy in, but I need to keep them distracted from my partners a bit for them to recover" so it was a distraction. "As long as I'm on their side, they won't pay attention to my partners or the law parties. I'll be the one using them, not the other way around"
Yusaku stared at the boy (who kept his gaze on the road and did not turn when he spoke), his face was forever Kaito's. Eventually, he came to understand what the whole situation was. The boy was a Kuroba look-alike, no mask was present from the first place. 1412 didn't hide his face in front of the Ravens. Yusaku decided to find out the reason. "They are murderers, experts in their field, 1412. Trust me, you can't be a puppeteer. You're the puppet here, no matter your skills, you are outnumbered and down on experience"
1412 kept his eyes straight, "maybe. I can still manage"
"What did Snake mean?" he paused for a second when the boy didn't answer. "What did he do before?" the face turned to him, the light polls hit it for a moment. The fringe was almost meeting his green eyes, the rest of his hair reached his neck, the color was exactly like Kaito's. If they had the same eye color, they would be twins. Yusaku was positive the boy hadn't shown his face to anyone (Aside to him and the BO) before.
1412 rolled his eyes away, aware that Yusaku was noting his appearance. "So you heard it from the original 1412" there came a nod. "Then, you also know that Snake is responsible for obtaining Pandora, to return it to the boss. No need to test my knowledge, Kudo-san, I'm aware of their full goals and more. As for what he did before, it's a long story that I don't intend to share"
Yusaku kept a fixed glare, "you youngsters are indeed foolish"
1412 glared him, "I wasn't KID back then. You can't blame my lack of knowledge or getting caught"
"You knew nothing about them?"
1412 nodded, "All I was until that day was just a normal teenager, only here to visit my relatives" their eyes locked their gaze for a moment, "that is the plain truth, as it is, unchanged" the novelist didn't doubt his words, "I didn't help them, so, I suppose the word getting disciplined will silence your curiosity" he paused, "at least for now"
Yusaku sunk in his thought. 'Disciplined?' Snake tortured him. Merely thinking of that kept him silent for most of the time. 1412 reached Yusaku's home and told him not to mention what he heard in the syndicate's lair. "I only brought you so you could see the returned partner and hear what their plan is. Just be careful. As for the law, if they find out about my cooperation, I want them to believe that I'm on the syndicate's side"
"There are other ways for their reaction to be real. Even so, that won't be enough to fool the crows"
"Don't overestimate them, they always fall for our tricks" 1412 didn't grin, "Only my partners wouldn't fall for it, sadly for me"
"Do as you like, though you'll end up killed by both the law and the syndicate. Remember, you are playing with fire that way. They shot you before; you might not make it if it happens again" the kaitou didn't add a word. Yusaku knew about his current injuries, "I too, am capable of doing the mask. As you also know, I was a partner too. You can't lie to a liar, 1412-kun"
"I really hate that phrase" he muttered under his breathe. "Wouldn't hurt to try," 1412 grinned, "right?"
Yusaku grinned. "Be careful. You heard his warning" nothing came from the boy, as if no words could change his mind. "The partner who was present by the mountain, did he know what you were up to?"
1412 shook his head, "he probably thought I was watching 1311's back, not sure. I can interrogate him later~" there was silence on Kudo's end, "I'm sure there will be a chance for you to meet him, or at least to know his code" the street light were bright enough to see everything. 1412's character wasn't easy to decipher, but the boy didn't try to hide his face or his behavior.
"What a shame~" he got out of the car and closed the door. "Just be careful, young thief" and he walked inside.
KID looked at the steering wheel, thinking of Yusaku's words before leaving. He saw the shadow moving behind the thin curtains and raised a grin. It immediately dropped when his focus returned to Yusaku's words. 'I already know that, but I'm out of options and time is running out' He turned the key and drove away. He knew the person standing behind the window was the doctor, as the physical appearance itself wasn't female and thus couldn't be Yukiko (or Conan, who was too small compared to the size). He didn't like the man, he was just too fishy and suspicious. His perfect poker face and skills were just too irritating.
He was going to piece the puzzle and see the bigger picture. People like Dave could either have been taught by Kuroba Toichi or by Vermouth. He could always find out from 1311 since he knew more about the organization and who that woman taught the skills to. Those lucky ones were a handful, barely five if not less, with Bourbon, Rum, and the boss included.
'I'll figure you out, wait and see' he had the skills to pluck out information from the syndicate's files. Then, of course, there was the chance that Dave was a partner of the late KID. That would make sense as to how Yusaku knew him and why he trusted him. Kaito always told him of their plans.
He kept his eyes on the road, there was nothing from his partners so far. But he knew it was too good to be true. Scolding and imprisonment were on the way.
"Tousan, that kid is signing his own death sentence or what?" Conan asked as the doctor closed the curtains, they were the only ones still in the room.
"So it seems" Yusaku stated the obvious with a calm face, "1412 is as hasty as Kaito-kun"
"How did it go?" Dave went to the point, the device was still in his ear. 'You put the tracker?' his eyes said.
There came a nod, "It's as you heard" Yusaku eyed him as one of his glasses shown brightly. "The kid got himself in deep trouble, and his partners don't want that sort of thing to happen. His condition doesn't allow him to be moving about"
"I'm sure they were watching him as we were. They wouldn't leave him unsupervised, especially with those wounds" Conan said. Dave sat down after placing three cups of coffee on the table facing the couches. "His plan is obvious, he won't fool them"
"Perhaps. But, it so seems, that as long as he is under their wings and eyes, they don't mind"
Conan furred his brows, "there are other ways to keep their eyes on him. They expect him to lie, that'll only get him killed"
Yusaku walked forward and sat facing the doctor, next to his son. "You're right. But as I said, as we heard, he is special and important to them. They won't kill him until they get what they want"
"He managed to hide his pain well. But he'll feel it eventually"
Conan nodded. The squeak from the upper floor's door took his entire attention as his cue to return to his room. 'Kāsan will kill me' he rushed up. When the door shut, the two continued their conversation.
"We just need to keep an eye on him" Yusaku's voice was sharp and firm. He knew what he had to do. "Injured doves shouldn't be left alone~"
"Of course! Partners are partners!" he smiled, "About today, when will the police- FBI come? You two took your time in coming back. It's almost ten" it was already too dark outside.
Yusaku laughed, "The lair was far and the meeting lasted an hour" He paused, "Unfortunately, the boy didn't let me know the location of the hideout" Dave nodded, finally ready to answer the question. "At eleven," He said with a calm detective-like voice, "Are you ready to expose yourself? You stayed up for three consecutive days, can you manage such a situation with a firm character?"
"Most likely" he laughed, "Of course I can. Look at me, I'm still in one piece, I can manage another two hours!" Yusaku gave him a doubtful grin, "Alright, I'm worried. To be honest, I don't know what their reaction will be. I hid it well since you came to me. All I care about now is Kaito's safety"
"Of course! You've been stuck beside him since we brought him here. I doubt you ever took a break!" Dave didn't waver. "My friend, I can always know the true expression, so don't bother hiding it" The latter grinned. "Now, let's concentrate on how we'll bring this up"
"That's where your turn comes up" he flashed a grin, "I will improvise, from there~"
"Magicians" Yusaku mumbled to himself, completing the act with a hand covering his face.
"You'll get used to it, my friend~"
1412 continued driving until he reached a hotel in the Ekoda city. It was past midnight. He glanced at the tall building, it had twelve stories with glazed balconies. It was no five-star hotel, but it was good to keep himself low for now, from the police and Kudo Yusaku at least. He already had nothing to hide from the crows; they knew where he stayed and what he did most of his time.
If ever he had to, he could always move again. They'd find him in less than two hours and show up in front of him with another cold mischievous grin. He'd only sigh, give up on moving and head to his room. He'd pretend they weren't there, pretend they didn't have cameras all around, in his room, watching him and following him everywhere he went.
The ignoring part worked fine with Gin, who didn't mind since they had to keep their cover low, but Snake was a different story. He wanted nothing more than to torment him.
1412 turned the car off and leaned his head on the wheel, 'this is getting pointless' he saw Vodka ahead, sticking his attention on a newspaper, seated in the lobby. Gin would be too flashy with his appearance, Vodka was a more subtle substitute. 1412 stayed in his car, fished out his KID device and saw his partners had him on open track, which didn't surprise him. He was going to get a lot of scolding for what he did, but he could worry about it in the morning when he goes back to the hideout.
It was a pleasant thing to see the expression on 1311's face when he saw him there. Although the disguised partner kept his cover low, 1412 knew what each look meant. 1311 could replace anyone, anytime, and anywhere.
He sighed, 1311 gave him the 'You're in big trouble' look when they passed him. He raised a grin, carrying on the expected speech he will soon receive. "I leave you for one hour and you go putting your nose in dangerous situations!" he said in 1311's voice. He had to admit that he felt it creep under his skin already. He tried to constantly remember that 1311 was the protective parent in the group.
At least his partners had the kindness not to bug his car. But since he was still on the open track, according to his device, so the best thing to do was to get into the hotel before they'd think he was planning something else. Idea granted, he turned the car back on and went to park it on the spot reserved for his room number.
He took his stuff out from the car and went towards the elevator. He ignored the stares he was receiving from Vodka, who mumbled something into a device he secretly kept on him. 1412 pressed the button and went inside the elevator, directly to his apartment without saying a word. At the 5th floor, the double doors opened and he strode out to the only rented room on that floor, since the second was for storage and supplies. He was lucky for that since no one would try to enter from there to his room and their only entrance must be the front door, which he had a camera above from inside (and sensor) connected to his phone and personal laptop.
He slid the key inside the keyhole and slowly turned it, trying to hear any sounds from inside. As the door opened, he went at a slow pace and looked around. As nothing seemed moved, he walked in with his face down. At least 1311 wasn't waiting in front of the door with folded arms and a dead glare on his face.
'Lucky me~'
Of course, Snake could be there, standing in the darkness like a horror movie killer. But, luckily, that had stopped for a while. The boy stopped getting heart attacks or being taken by surprise since those antics usually happened on a daily basis.
He sat down in his desk chair and took off his jacket and his black shirt. He wasn't surprised to see the bandages were soaked, but he ushered in more pain as he removed them. 'I moved way too much...' he straightened himself and reached the drawer, slowly picking up a needle and a thread. He strode to the kitchen with slow steps, picked up a pot and purred water in it to boil. That done and ready at the appropriate temperature, he placed the items to purify them.
He waited for them to cool down, then returned to his room and began to close his wounds, without the use of painkillers. 1311 was going to scold him for not seeking their help. But he had no intention of letting them know that the wounds opened for the third time. Sutures were difficult and painful when done on one's self and by one's self, but it was all he could do now. The hideout was streets away (with the needed proper equipment), and his partners where there. He couldn't make it to the door, lay low to the car or drive with his consciousness diminishing. He had to count on himself and pray to God none of his partners would show up.
Within ten minutes of struggling with shaking hands, he finished stitching as neatly as he could and put the red sheets inside the black nylon bag that he had prepared. He'll postpone throwing it in the trashcan after getting some rest, 'and sleep' those were a priority.
He was dead tired.
With his remaining strength, he wrapped the new clean bandages around his wounds and arms. 'Why did Snake have to shoot so many bullets?' and he still had to go back to them soon. He barely had time to rest, the trip back to Beika would take another hour, which left him with only three hours to rest.
He ushered in more pain when he tried to lie down on his bed. 'Today was a rough day!' He closed his eyes, merely trying to think of anything aside from the pain. He had already removed all traces and evidence of his injuries (although the syndicate knew Snake tried to kill him again and got him seriously wounded). He only had to dispose of the bag containing the blood-soaked sheets, which could wait. No one was going to barge in and he never had any visitors coming over to worry about.
Regardless, a kaitou should always expect things to happen and be prepared. Leaving evidence of his injuries and double life was out of the question. That aside, he never liked the pain to be displayed on his face. As simple as that. 1311 was right, "Kaito and I really are tremendously alike~" his voice barely came out.
His mind showed him 1311 pressing complains, "And they never put the masks aside"
'Thank God, 1311 didn't say that in front of them when he got me out' that would be a catastrophe if the Kudos and Dr. Dave managed to learn anything about him. His face had been a mask since he became a KID, and for so long, he forgot what his real expressions felt like. And again, for so long, he wanted to keep his private life private.
He couldn't remove his focus from the pain, his sight began to blur. Few more minutes passed and he was feeling weaker with each minute. As hard as he tried to remain conscious, it was only making him more tired. 'I can't use painkillers' he reminded himself. He was on his own, too much could happen if he wasn't conscious or able to do something.
His sight dozed off more and he lost focus on his surroundings. Heavy headaches pierced from all sides, '1311 is so gonna kill me' he allowed a small smile to show on his face, 'always worrying' his sight doubled and he passed out amid the darkness.
Behind the balcony door, there came a creek. Two figures went in, dressed in black with hats shadowing their faces. "He passed out," said one of them as he got closer. "But he's still breathing"
"That's good at least," The other stepped closer, watching the unconscious face. "How's his wound, Dave?"
"It's not closing," the latter regretted as his concern was displayed on his face. One thing Yusaku knew by hard, was that if Dave ever showed his fear than it was something even he couldn't handle. Which meant that the young Kaitou was in for it. "It's been closed too many times that it's not holding. He already bled way too much… We'll need help_" they heard a sound by the window. Quickly, they disappeared and watched the figures in silence, ready to interfere if they meant trouble.
The window slid up, and a person peered in. "1412?" He called. Kudo and Yusaku knew that was a good thing, the boy would be in safe hands since those were his partners. They weren't really expecting the ravens to come through the window, but caution would never kill.
The partner saw the boy on the bed, not carrying a single move. That worried him enough. He ran swiftly to him, checking the wounds. The blood was wetting them and the stitches tore their way out. "1211, come fast" the other person stepped inside, he helped him to hold the boy carefully. "Get the car, I'll get him down," he stared at the window, it was too high and he couldn't go down from there or from the balcony, not with 1412 in his arms. And gliding away with an injured boy was also out of the question. "1211, we'll need a blackout long enough to pass out from the elevator and into the parking"
Said partner obeyed the order, carrying everything as told. He cut off the power, 1311 moved fast and carefully inside the elevator with the boy in his arms, then he strode out from the main hotel's doors just before the power went back on.
"That was close" the other mumbled, catching his breath. They reached the car and the taller partner placed 1412 down gently in the back. 1211 drove, 1311 sat in the back beside their leader.
"Drive fast, avoid bumps, we don't have time to waste" 1412 was breathing hard, sweat was covering his face. "Don't give up" 1311 muttered, wiping a piece of fabric along the pale face. It truly worried him that he didn't wake, for all he knew, anyone could have entered the room and 1412 wouldn't have been able to do a thing. "I'm not letting him stay alone in such situations ever again!"
"Good luck with that" 1211 said without turning, "It's hard to lock these kids anywhere!" figures, being able to pick locks weren't in their favor. "You can't see 1314 going out even!"
"Lucky for us that 1412 is too much of a legal person then~ He won't escape without saying he will~"
"Blame his parents," it came out randomly, but 1311 glared him anyway. "I-I didn't mean it like that…"
"No, you're right… they should have taught him to watch out for himself" the tone was void, regret evident in it.
"His father did, but 1412 never uses his skills to protect himself. You know that..."
"That's why I need to pound some sense into him"
Yusaku and Dave watched them going far from the parking lot. At least they could help the boy somehow, yet they couldn't leave him with them just like that. Even if they were his partners, they weren't real doctors and that worried Dave to the max. Somehow, they had to follow and assure his safety. 'Good thing that we have a tracker on the boy', Dave was wise after all to think of it.
"I told you it'll come in handy" the doctor teased.
When there was around a mile difference, Yusaku got his car out and they followed the signal. Whatever devices those kaitous used, bugs never worked properly. Trackers were an exception, in specific areas, but other than that, they were useless.
Wherever the partners were heading, it was a remote place. Probably that was why signals stopped working, or, maybe the jamming devices did.
Into the forest, the partner's car went, careful enough not to be noticed by the by-passers. Finally, after around a quarter of an hour, it stopped as it reached an underground passage behind trees, covered in plants between two tall trees.
Kaitous and ravens preferred the darkness to cover their tracks.
One partner went down, touched a rock, which revealed a hidden lock. The partner entered a complex code and the pathway slid open. The partner got back in the car and they drove inside. The Spies watched in silence and as the coast was clear, then snuck in before the passage closed.
Apparently, it was a thief's thing to use binoculars to see what codes were entered on security devices. Dave lived up to the task, Yusaku didn't expect otherwise.
From Dave's deductions, the code was complex and hard to decipher. The coding itself wasn't any language or alphabet they knew. It also functioned on an eye scan as the person entered the code; that made it utterly impossible for anyone else to enter using the code. If the two were even caught by the scan, their cover would be blown.
The pathway door itself was made from large heavy stones, the only way aside from the code, was to blow it up.
Around twelve meters from the entrance, a sort of walls lined up in a row ahead. Another code and a secret door opened, they went inside followed by the two hiding. After crossing one room, they turned right and there was a recovery room. The partner went in and placed the boy down on one of the four beds; while the other connected a breathing tube and other medications he inserted through 1412's arm.
"I infused the painkiller," said 1211 turned to his partner. "You're good to start"
"Good, I'll close his wounds. Just bind him so I can work properly" 1311 cut out the damaged part where the stitches were and began to connect new ones. Both aware that the boy might swing between worlds, they were cautious not to lose him. After some time, they finished. 1412's vitals were improving and he was okay. His friends sought to remain by his side.
1211 connected a blood bag and sat down, "You said that the syndicate is expecting his arrival in two hours?" he bid worried. "We lost too much time already. He can't go anywhere"
"Since it can't be helped, I'll cover for him. You stay here beside him. If they realize his absence, they'll come for him, again. And to be honest, he's in trouble way over his head already"
"Acting on his own again, just like stubborn Kaito bocchama!"
"Don't let his calm face get the best of you; if he wants to go somewhere, no one can hold him back" They sat down for a moment.
"Drug him," a voice said in their ears.
The short man looked surprised, "But I can't..!"
"That's an order," the voice replied as his friend stood confused and shocked. "He won't stay put any other way. Injured partners should remain down, it's that what you two always say?"
"Very well then"
"I won't argue that, 1413~" 1311 face light with rebellion. "I love it when you kids listen to me, for once"
1211 laughed, "Young master has to abide by that too~" he muttered, infusing the drug. Then he turned to his partner. "About Aoko-kun," their voices were heard better, "why didn't you take her home when you got 1412?"
"Nakamori-keibu wouldn't let me take his daughter anywhere. I think he hates me..." That conversation could be heard by the two hiding somewhere in the room.
Jii spoke in a higher voice: "I don't get why! Though Nakamori-kun is not one of us yet her orders are heard when KID-kun isn't reachable"
"Yes, of course! Anyone related to our dear little thief has authority greater than ours. Though we are before them, I don't dare to say no to Kaito-kun"
"Of course you dare! You argue with him on a daily basis!" The old man laughed, concealing his real voice. "Sometimes, you act like a parent with him, and I don't understand how he lets you or why he accepts your advice to it, or the others either. You have to understand you don't need to play the parent's role here"
"Oh, but it's fun~! What would you know about it anyway? No one can top me in that. Well, Kaito-kun knew me way before you came into his life, and standing beside him means a lot to him" 1311 said with a smile. "Even the others too. Parental support is nice once in a while" he rolled his eyes away, 'none of them ever got that much. I'm just trying to fill the gap'
"I see" he read what the face was telling him, then he got up, "As long as you don't end up leading us, I'm fine with the current matters"
The latter smiled, adding a laugh, "Everyone is~ Who wouldn't like to have a little boy giving orders? Especially a funny one like ours~?"
Both KID partners were unaware of the spies, as what the latter thought, they recognize neither their voices nor their faces.
1311 got up for a moment and spoke in an unfamiliar language that Yusaku could recognize well. It was the same one used at his house when they came for 1412. As foreign as it seemed; the words were out of their understanding. A made-up language.
'They're on to us?' Dave thought as Yusaku was still, they knew nothing about the matter, yet had to be cautious. 1311 walked to the door, using a different code, he accessed another sealed room.
At the middle wall of seven meters width room, hung a large screen at the end of the monitor room. Under it, was a counter of control keys from the beginning of that wall to its end. It resembled a researcher's lab indeed_ none the least with a large system of divided keyboards and security controls_ like a security company, if not more complex. Yusaku didn't doubt that the place was built by the partners, no other way would have kept it a secret. Kaito worked with electricians to set his tricks in place for his heists, he must have picked up a few methods here and there.
'So this is their headquarters!' the two spies were stunned. It wasn't the same hideout that Toichi had, no, it was much better, larger, and improved. And wherever it was, it was entirely underground. To say it was as big as a mansion would be an understatement.
1311 typed on the section of the middle keys, and the screen went on requesting a password. Moving his fingers swiftly, the partner typed it and it was quickly accepted. Then a program opened.
And there_ to the originals' surprise_ displayed every camera in the police station as well as the syndicate's former and current lairs. In addition to other video cameras placed in specific public places, one was a hotel that they recognized, the place 1412 was at earlier.
The second was Beika's park (Snake's favorite negotiation and meeting place, awkward…) and the third had a school background (Which, they didn't recognize, maybe it was one of the youngsters' school?)
'They're watching everything'
'Nothing is secure' Yusaku mused, 'they're capable hackers too', then he saw one of the cameras was displaying footage of the secret recovery room in his basement, and from the angle; it was from Kaito's tracking device on his cloth's collar. 'No wonder they knew everything, they could have at least mentioned the camera, not just the tracker' Yusaku huffed mentally and changed his location; he had to stay far from them, in order for them not to bump into him. 'What else they know about us'
The second partner approached and sat on the other chair, his eyes weren't leaving the 32nd camera at the center of the screen. 1311 was also focused on it. "The syndicate will move soon. Will you head out now or wait until they join at the Hotel?"
"No, I will join now. I can't risk exposing the incident there. If they realize his blood, they will know that I'm a fake" After checking the other cameras, he left immediately.
"Just be careful. They expect you to be injured, so move slower" 1211 mumbled, watching the partner leaving from the camera at the entrance. So far, he was aware of his partners' location, and every step he took was displayed on a digital map and the locations they were spying on. That effectively made him the second eye on the lookout for plans and trouble; watching 1311's back.
1211 remained in that room in order to monitor the screens for an hour, in case, he might be needed for his help. Yet for the time being, the one who needed his help the most was in the other room. He kept checking on him every fifteen minutes until everything was clear, then watched the boy from at the camera they had there. Although he had closed the door, he kept the monitor slightly loud to be heard and went back to watching him through the cameras. From the syndicate to the police, all was well, and no one tried to harm the disguised 1412 in the BO, yet nothing could be assured. Everyone held the thought that they might be spied on, they knew the thieves were hacking them.
Their returned member did a good job at blocking the hackers, but 1311 was ahead of everyone. Bourbon joined the police alongside 1311, worked to stop the syndicate from killing anyone else; that's what they pretended to be doing at least. No one doubted the two, nor were they informed of the other infiltrators on the scene.
"Sending data" replied an agent as he pursued his reports. He moved to another screen and notified the CIA of his results. "We're ready to move in" and immediately, they were granted permission to enter.
"Clear..."
"Clear!"
"S32, all clear here"
"We're heading to the 4th Floor. Any suspicions, S35?"
"Negative, S51. Proceed"
"Roger that" the armed men went upstairs. No one was located. "Negative, we're pulling out!"
"Roger," said the researcher and closed his devices. "Jack from H13, no one found. Information was inaccurate."
"Inaccurate?" the inspector snapped at them, "You entered a building with inaccurate information! If there was a trap! If anyone else was caught in a crossfire!"
"Keibu, the building was evacuated years ago. But the info we received said there were men around currently, so we followed to check if they were_"
"Don't move into any place until you are absolutely positive! They weren't there, so keep looking. I don't want those people killing more innocents. Am I clear?"
"Yes, Keibu!"
The latter hung up. "Unbelievable! It's like a game" he turned to two young fellows. "Detective Amuro, agent, sorry to have kept you two waiting"
"No problem Migori-keibu. Agents Sato and Takagi finished their reports…" Amuro glanced at his partner, who took that as his cue and handed the report he was holding.
"Very good," He smiled, and then turned to the young agent, "Jeff-kun, right?" the latter nodded. "I see you are new here" there came a pause, "haven't seen you around"
"I joined recently, and this is my first mission, here," the boy said, green eyes steady. "Amuro-san and I went to Section 4, they caught three men, and they're in custody now"
'Straight to the point, huh?' he kept himself from complaining, "Perfect, we need to catch everyone" then his phone rang. "Excuse me, I have to take this" and he walked away.
The blond whispers, "Good poker face, kiddo" he teased, "At least we got one information that the fake witnesses will fool them with false information. We're going to Kogoro's soon to proceed_"
"I can't" the partner directly interrupted him, his composure was confident and unchanged.
Tooru eyed him; actually, he glared him. "Don't tell me you're backing out_"
"No, I am not," the fake said, "But they saw me before. At least the kid with the glasses did"
"Oh, you mean Conan-kun?" there came a silent nod, "Yes, that could become a problem if he sees the same face. Anyway, just disguise yourself, with your talent; you don't have to stick to one face. We already got you a new ID, we can make ten others on the spot" Amuro said grinning.
The kid said nothing for a moment, yeah no doubt that they could do that. 'But that's not the point, I can't put two disguises on for a long time...' He turned his gaze away, "All right," the inspector was approaching, done with his call.
"Sorry boys, it was Ran-kun," Migori said, "Jeff-kun, Amuro-kun, I will send you to Kogoro's office. They'll need your help the most there. There is a new case and I'm sure you can solve it"
Bourbon smiled, "All right, Megure-keibu, we'll head now if we have nothing else" The latter approved. "Goodnight" and they went outside. Amuro then said in a faint voice. "Looks like you're gonna have to stick to this face, for now, KID-kun"
"I already figured that out" he mumbled and they got inside a police car that was instructed to take them to the Mori residence. As the car reached its destination, they were greeted by a smiling Ran and a grumpy Sonoko. Edogawa was nowhere in sight. 'I'm in luck today~' Bourbon grinned, saying the same.
"Please sit down, Otōsan will be here in a few minutes. Coffee?"
"No, thanks. We're fine" The blond smiled, she smiled back then left with Sonoko to prepare something they were secretly working on.
"Hey, Jeff-kun," Bourbon said, catching the latter's attention, "What's wrong? You're distracted"
"I don't like this place" He threw a lie, voice wavering.
"Well don't we all! Just keep focusing, we'll leave in a few minutes, if we're lucky"
"You expect me to keep looking at the ground until he comes in?"
Bourbon blinked, "of course not. I hope Mori-san comes here quick"
1311 was thinking of how to retain his disguise. He didn't like to wear his friend's face or to put him in great danger. Something was odd about Tooru, and it almost felt like he knew the person beside him was a fake. 1311 contained himself and acted more like his leader.
He was silent as he spotted the great Detective approaching. Bourbon stood with a wide smile, "Mori-san," he greeted him.
"Good to have you back, Amuro-kun"
Bourbon smiled, "Me too. I miss Japan~ Inspector Migori sent us to help. This is my new partner, Jeff-kun. He'll be on the syndicate's case too"
"Hmmm" Kogoro placed his hand in front of his mouth, watching the boy with a suspicious obvious look. Jeff cracked behind his poker face. "You're a little too young to be in the force"
"I'm twenty" to-be in a few years. "I recently graduated, Mouri-san. It's an honor to work you. I heard a lot about your cases"
Fooling the detective was child's play. Complementing his skills always threw him off gaurd. Kogoro laughed with his famous tongue-stuck-out laugh. "They were nothing!" he laughed more.
'Of course, you didn't solve them' Bourbon grinned.
"But really, where did I see you before?"
"I'm sure you met him while the police were gathered the other day," Tooru said with a vast smile, assisting his partner.
"I see" the drunk man taping his right hand into his left palm. The evil liar, 1311 thanked God for having his 'Partner' covering for him. He turned a fixed glare to Amuro, "How is it, lately?"
"As it is, never changed; same old cases. We managed to stop a handful of murder attempts, but I'm sure the organization won't stop there. How was your part going, Mori-san?"
"We finished the preparations, and that thief's case is long done and closed. I don't know whether I should be happy to be rid of him or sad for his murder"
1311's eye twitched. Amuro rapidly threw a smile, "Thieves are thieves. Nothing to grieve on, right, Jeff-kun?"
"... of course!" he glared Tooru with the look of 'that's my friend you're talking about'. Yet Kogoro noticed nothing, the poor idiot. "So they closed his case for sure?" he knew everything they wrote in the report, infiltrations were a piece of cake.
"That's what I heard. Though the other inspector, what's his name...Ah! Ginzo_ should be happy to be rid of KID, yet he seemed down. Guess because he has no one else to chase anymore"
"It's normal, he was obsessed with him. He'll be fine; he'll get over it and chase another amateur to the other side of the country" and Kogoro laughed.
'Amateur?' the nerves he had to talk about his leader like that in front of him. 'I'm getting you for this' he retained his calm gesture as they spoke few more none-important stupid things that he didn't intend to pay any attention to. Merely looking at Mori Kogoro made him feel like sleeping. So naive, so predictable, so unfitting for his job.
Kogoro took down another full glass and sat up straight, finally showing a serious face. Both agents observed carefully, listening to what he had to say. "Since you're remarkably young looking, Jeff-kun, tomorrow you'll go to Ekoda high school with Nakamori Aoko. Of course, you'll have to pick a disguise, blend in with the other students. I need you to keep an eye on the place," the boy listened with interest, "we were tipped that the syndicate is planning to do something there. They are probably after her and the detective named Hakuba Saguru" the boy nodded. "Amuro-kun, you can pretend to be a substitute teacher, Megure will have both your covers ready tonight"
"Affirmative, Mori-san" he paused, "what did the info say?"
"It's private, nothing that Megure would tell me about; I doubt that he knows about it," Mouri said focused and alarmed. "But it's big. Even if we shut the school down, it'll be big trouble and word will spread. We need to keep everything as quiet as possible. The school is still bussing about that thief's death, and their classmate's"
"Ah, yes, the boy who died in the crossfire" Bourbon furrowed his brows, "It was truly unfortunate" he could feel the boy's glare run down his spine. "Not a problem then, my partner and I will do everything we can" he smiled, 'Guess I'll have to ask what the boss what told the witnesses to say' He looked at his phone when it beeped. "Jeff-Kun, that's our cue," they stood, he turned to Kogoro. "Have a nice day, Mouri san. We'll catch up later on the rest" and they left.
They went downstairs, silent half the way. "Ne, Jeff-kun, that was a poor excuse, don't you think? I doubt any of the classmates believed that was how Kaito-kun died"
"You think they connected his death to KID?"
There came a nod, "What were the odds that two died on that day? Besides, they're both magicians, someone could have made the connection. That detective kid saw your friend's face. I'm sure of that. Even if he_ and te task force_ didn't leak anything, someone will connect both murders. No one got to see KID's body outside of Nakamori-Keibu's team. They only had a funeral done for Kaito-kun"
"... Kaito acts differently, no one will think the class clown is the gentleman thief" he didn't eye him, "Doubt anyone ever noticed" Bourbon hummed, "can you not belittle my deceased partner? I thought Japanese people held respect for the dead"
Bourbon grinned, "I can't pity him in front of Mouri-san" he paused, "Of course I won't talk ill of him in front of you, that would be rude of me, considering what you two are to each other" 1412 didn't respond.
Soon they were under the building thinking of which road to head to, however, were interrupted by a text sent to Tooru.
The young detective was reading the text with complete concentration as he neglected the boy beside him. 1311 watched with deep thoughts behind his mask. Amuro then looked up and laid the news with a serious face. "We're requested at the syndicate, immediately"
"But aren't we supposed to join the_"
Tooru directly interrupted him, reminding him to abide by the syndicate's order once ensued. "We cannot argue it, our orders were laid out. Someone else will have to cover for us. Let's go" and he walked to the black Porsche waiting for them at the other side of the street.
They got in and were rapidly eyed by the driver; his green eyes piercing in the darkness of the moonless night. The cold breeze only made his glare shiver all the way into Kid's spine. He said nothing only his usual sarcastic Grin. "Did you lure them into the trap?"
"Of course," said the confident blond. "Did you expect anything less? They'll believe everything they hear, with or without evidence. And they are already where I want them" he grinned. "All that is left is to keep them busy about the school, while we carry our mission without interruption in the 3rd station"
The Kaitou said nothing, watching in silence. He could feel Gin's eyes, watching him from the corner of his eye through the car's front mirror. 'Keep your poker face' 1311 continuously reminded himself. 'I don't like you, Gin' he smiled behind his mask. 'Besides, everything is going according to my plan~ There is no way that you will see it coming'
Gin only grinned, the cigarette held tightly between his teeth, relieved for having the boy at his control. He didn't care, in truth. It was his restricted orders, wasn't it? The boss gave him strictly that mission; he wanted everyone to be watching the boy. Gin recalled what the boss told him that evening.
"It's not because I don't trust him. But, his presence with us is very crucial. Whatever happens, I want him by our side, so try not to kill him, as you do with everyone who shows hesitation. He is bound to join us eventually; I will wait forever if I have to. Don't try to do anything. I want him to be completely loyal to us. No matter how many times he strays from us, we will always be guiding him back. He is a child eventually, one who must not be able to do anything without us"
1412 had been living on his own for a while, he could do anything. He had the talents, the skills, the wits. Full package. For some reason, the boss wouldn't give up on him. After all, the silver bullet was their important weapon.
Gin returned to reality and regained his concentration on the two boys with him. He didn't like that proud detective; he hated his guts. Tooru was nothing more than an amateur. the weapon was nothing but a child who knew nothing about the shadows of the world. Bourbon was a detective, and Gin hated those to the maximum, even if they were mere spies, 'infiltrators' as they called themselves.
"We'll head back now," was all he said as he drove off. "We'll pass by the Hotel, Kaitou KID-kun"
The latter kept his calm face. Behind it, there was trouble dancing in his eyes. He didn't clean the scene of the struggle. There was a lot of blood on the cover, and the bag no one had the chance to dispose of yet.
What if they figured he wasn't who he looked? Worst of all, the real Kaitou would be in deep trouble for slacking off the first day. He tried to retain a calm face, and it worked, as one could say when Gin only looked ahead, satisfied.
Gin drove to the hotel and parked his old fancy car at the end of the street, careful enough not to be spotted. They got down after applying a mask, expect Kid who went to the reception desk and asked for the key to his apartment.
The elevator reached his apartment and he opened the door, ready to be knocked out any minute. Yet to his surprise, the room was clean. He strode inside as calm as he could, mentally thanking 1211 for his great life-saving help, as they observed the room. Gin said nothing for a while, as he and Bourbon sat down. They discussed the plans they intend to bestow upon the remaining good officers.
"Tomorrow," Gin eyed his new ally, his cold eyes piercing like a hawk, "You'll help us find the gem that your partner hid from us. I don't care how; I know the silver bullet can always find it" nothing came from the boy, it didn't surprise them.
Gin knew as the other members knew, that he was the silver bullet too. "You're destined to be on our side, and you'll get it back for us. So I suggest that you start looking, I'm sure someone knows its location" His tone was dead and deep, it would have caused shivers to whoever was hearing it. He was careless and cold-blooded as always.
"I'm sure that boy told you where he left it. Even if it's lost in the forest, you alone can know where to look" Bourbon kept a fixed glare. It was almost like he was looking deep into his soul, 1311 didn't like it one bit. He knew 1412 the most, acting like him was easy. Even so, the boy was an open book. If he didn't want to talk, nothing in the world could force him. He was usually silent, Bourbon knew that too. "So, tomorrow, under the moonlight, you'll bring it for us" completed the detective, his eyes not leaving the teen. "And of course, make sure to come alone"
"Even if he didn't tell you, we'll give you time to find it, three days, and not any day more" Gin added, cold voice rushing past.
"The moon will guide you to it, silver bullet-kun. I suggest you start looking, we can't miss another chance; find it before the moon is no longer full"
What else could he do aside nod? Who was next on the list that they threatened to kill if he double-crossed them again? Unfortunately, the list was too long to be narrowed… too long to leave anyone behind.
"Apparently, you are unaware of its location" Bourbon gave a sigh. They stood up, confident, and strode to the door. "Then, you have until midnight, three days from now to hand it over"
"And you better not be late" with that, they left him in the darkness of his thoughts.
1311 didn't like those visitors at all. There was no chance to screw up. How was he going to find it? Kaito didn't mention a word about where he stashed it, whether or not he had it on him before his crash. 'They're probably watching me through their cameras, hidden here' he couldn't head back to the headquarters or change his disguise anymore. 'I'm sorry, silver bullet-kun; I have to wear your face a little longer' He strode to the bathroom and took a look around. His mask will need fixing soon and he couldn't make many visits to the bathroom, attracting attention to the possibility of a mask being on his face. So he decided to take his chance and applied a new one.
At the KID headquarters, 1211 was waiting for his partner to return. He got worried after another hour proceeded, he tried to call him for the tenth time, yet couldn't catch him on the KID line. The transmitters weren't receiving any signals; now he was truly concerned.
"I can track him..." he turned on the signal on the widescreen facing him. It struck him to realize that he was in the hotel, he knew something was fishy about it. Maybe they were watching him? He turned his watch on and send out a signal, and within a few minutes, he received a text on his KID device.
I'm being watched. Gin is in the apartment below
I can't leave the hotel
Just stay with 1412 until the morning
I'll handle this here until then
-1311
Konosuke got worried as he always did, bewailed what might ensue as he thought and poured the drama on the situation of 'what if' in his mind. He could neither aid 1311 nor get near him. Only one option remained for him to do at times like these. He must protect his last leader; losing him meant losing hope in stopping those killers. Either way, he couldn't let him die, the kid was family to them all.
After multiple trips to the recovery room and watching the unconscious boy, he felt sad for having him shot many times within a day. Five bullets, were they necessary?
Why was Snake so desperate? What could he possibly do about it? The KIDs were targets from the start, and someone was going to get hurt eventually. So much for the boss' orders of not hurting the boy. It never failed to amaze 1211 why the jewel thief was still in the syndicate after all the times he disobeyed the orders, and no doubt, he would still be doing it as long as he believed the bullet must die if it was not on their side.
The two figures were still lurking around tried to ditch the hideout, yet were waiting for the partner to go somewhere else. Dave followed and checked how the boy was doing, yet couldn't perform any real checkups without making things move. Every room had a camera, the recovery had one above the beds.
The partner in the other room would see something being lifted, and would eventually figure out the trick to it. All it would take to find the culprit was to use one of their heat vision glasses.
Thus, the two stood like rocks, with no other choice but to wait for him to access the codes, no other way would get them outside. No matter how good they were at hacking codes, the alarm would directly blow their cover. Thus, they waited, waited long until it was past three in the morning.
At that time, 1412 was in a safe condition. Konosuke had to leave, play 1311's turn in order to check something for the crows. Despite Kudo and Dave's opportunity to escape the KID HQ, they noticed the crucial fact. 'If we leave, and he leaves, who will stay with 1412?'
'He might get worse again'
'Nothing's certain in his condition' It never amazed Dave how he and Kudo thought alike, at least they didn't need to speak, he knew what the novelist would stay.
Consequently, from one problem to another, they stayed. Not that they minded, the boy's safety was a priority. The KID partner left, assuring the unconscious boy that he will be back in two hours (Of course the boy couldn't hear him); but he still tried it anyway. He left after keeping him under a stable condition and gave him drugs to last through the night, or at least until he returned.
He left, and they stayed; watching him closely. That was the one good thing about the former Kaitou KID partners, all partners in fact. "Partners are partners" they would protect each other, even if it meant staying on watch till the sun came up.
At least, Dave could do a proper checkup now, which gave him a bit of comfort when he decided to believe his test result, despite the fact that there was a monitor displaying 1412's vitals.
By morning, they'll have more than just bags under their eyes to worry about, but it was okay as long as 1412 lived to see the sun rising. The doctor sat on the floor, tired from standing the earlier hours.
"Dave?"
He turned with closed eyes, "Yes, Yusaku?"
"Guess we couldn't make it into exposing you~" he smiled, "It'll have to wait until the young thief is okay"
"Of course" The doctor bid, placing his hands behind his head. "I'll wait as long as it takes. I can't let a child die, now can I?" Kudo sat down. The boy was going through rough times; he was too weak to live, his face pale as the moon.
"He's lost too much blood! No matter how much we connect, it won't keep him from dying before dawn"
"We have to do our best" the hideout had a good amount of spare blood bags. All bags labeled with the code. 1412's blood type was the same as Kaito's, that surprised Dave.
After the remaining three hours had progressed, the sun came up. 1412 woke up, ushering in pain and deep headaches piercing every side of his head, as he almost immediately realized the familiar place. 'The hideout?' he tried to move but the sharp pain forced him to freeze. He saw his hands and shoulder bandaged neatly, as he also saw the wires on his chest. The annoying cold feeling in his nose easily told him that he had the nasal tube connected. He didn't like it, but he couldn't remove it without getting on 1311's angry side.
He hoped that he really was in the hideout and not the syndicate or a public hospital. For some reason, all he could remember was being at his apartment, and now he was here. The partners saw the variations on his trackers and came to help him, truly, he wanted to worry them.
The place was too dark for him to assume anything, but he recognized the lining of the four beds, the lake of curtains and the ventilator in the ceiling. He knew for sure that he wasn't tied to the bed, and he wanted to keep things that way. So he stayed still, only keeping one hand on his head. He wasn't alone, and he didn't want to attract 1311's attention if he moved. The latter was most likely testing him again, waiting to see if he was going to get up just to bind him to the bed. As usual.
This time, he wanted to be a step ahead of the overly worried parent and didn't leave any room for chance.
"Stay still, 1412" as he expected, the voice broke the silence. Surprisingly, in the disguised monotone.
'I should have known, 1311 will always have something to say no matter what I do... I'm officially making him the parent in this team'
"I'd listen if I were you"
He looked towards the direction of the sound, yet all he could see were two dark figures. One was standing by the door while the other was on the seat beside him. "Must I?"
The one on his right crossed his arms, "unless if you want to bleed out again" typical parent.
"No, sir~" he rolled his eyes away.
"Just stay down, you'll only open your wounds again" 1211 added.
"You've already been through a lot," the voice of 1311 added, then went silent. "Put talking on the side, you need to rest"
'Something feels wrong here' 1412 obeyed the order; he knew they were beside him the whole time. "Sorry" using the code meant that they had someone spying, Who was it? In here, of all places? the person must be a pro, or, they let him in. 'Maybe the syndicate is using their listening devices? Maybe 1311 is on infiltration duty today?'
1211 came closer and sat beside him on the chairs placed to his left, "Don't worry, it wasn't anything major. We weren't going to leave you like that. Just try to rest" he helped him down.
"1412, what were you thinking?" as expected, the scolding came. Both Yusaku and 1412 knew it was going to happen. It wouldn't be natural if Dave didn't act like 1311. "Why did you even go to them, and alone? Do I honestly need to remind you that you were shot, half a day ago?"
The teen looked away, "No..." He was going to get scolded sooner or later. He let himself sigh mentally and gave all his strength to answer. "I had too; I couldn't just leave them kil-"
"I know, but you have to understand, you're no good to yourself or us in your current condition" it felt like the speech was prepared, typical 1311. "Disobey again and I will do more than drug you"
1412 remained silent, they were right. Either way, he was all they had now. And at the same time, he had to help too. Kaito always risked his life for them; he could do the same. It was enough for him that he cared about them that he would risk his life for them whenever needed. He was sure that they would do the same for him.
"We don't want any more excuses, alright?" 1211 said and turned to 1311, "Stay beside him, I'll be back"
After a moment of consideration and connecting the pieces together, 1412 raised a mental smile. 'So that's how it is? Okay, I'll play along then' he turned to the fake 1211, "Where are you going, 1211?" he held in confusion, pulling a good act. "You can't leave if I don't provide the code. Do I have to always remind you of that?"
"…right, right. My bad~" he went silent. The boy was about to get up, but he quickly told him to stay still.
"I'll be fine. Besides, you can't stay here forever" he went to the door, as difficult as it was for him to walk, and he pressed the code. "When you're back, I'll access your entrance" mentally he smiled. As if he would fall for it. 'Unless you want to be stuck here forever, Kudo-san'
The disguised 1211 approved, then left. Dave was relieved, yet did not understand how the boy easily let Kudo out, without verifying if they were the real partners or the fake. 'Well, I guess he knows how hard the system is to hack' he helped the boy back to his bed.
1412 decided to give it a shot and see if 1311 was a fake too, "Say, 1311, how is Kaito-san doing?" he watched in silence.
Dave wavered to answer, mentally surprised at how the boy referred to his partner, despite them being friends and the same age. "He's fine, recovering actually. But it will take some time"
'Oh, he is a fake all right!' he nodded, 'I only refer to him as Kaito-san when strangers are around. 1311 and 1211 follow the same_ almost_ and would know our traps and ways. The real 1311 would flinch and glare me, reminding me that we are friends, a family who shouldn't let honorifics stand between us' he raised a smile, "That's good, I was worried" He looked away, well, since it's Dave, he could ask him. "When will we get him back? It's not right to leave him there"
"I-I know," Dave said. "But we gave our word. Until he is well"
1412 gave himself a mental slap, "I know, I know, but... oh, I don't know, it's not fair. What kind of friends are we to leave him there? He should be with us, not them" he paused, 'despite all your efforts, you need to understand that we are his trusted friends' the man was silent. "Partners should stick beside their partners when they are down, no matter what" he rolled his eyes away, "I guess it's my fault for agreeing from the first place"
"Would like to say so too" Dave teased, still retaining the tone. Deep down, he tried to understand 1412's point. "They have the right to protect him too"
"We only got each other" as the boy said that, Dave was taken aback. 'Good, it worked' he continued, "Kaito-san didn't leave us when we were wounded, not even the Hospital knew, he looked after all of us, up until we could stand. And, he'll be upset when he knows we left him with them while he was down. We all know how much he hates being around people who know about his double life" he paused, "We all hate that. If he wasn't with Kudo-san, there was no way that I'd agree to leave him there"
"I know" Dave looked away, "I don't know what to say! I can never eye him when I see his concern for Kaito"
"Neither can I! Kaito-san is like a son to him. Nakamori-keibu is no different, Aoko is probably worried sick about him now" 1311 shrugged, "neither of them was supposed to be left behind. And she'll get extremely angry if we say no to her father" Dave laughed, 'But she will also want what is best for him, which is to keep him with us', he fixed his eyes in 1311's. "Besides, she's targeted too, it's not safe to leave her there. The syndicate doesn't care about the others. Beating around the bush isn't their style"
"I doubt she won't be able to handle herself" and 1412 approved. Not knowing why, Dave could still clearly see how much the lad cared. "What will you do now? What will we all do?"
"We don't have a choice but to wait, we're only three against seven; our chance is limited. With Kaito-san absent, we can't face them alone, not without having anyone else going down," he said. 'Besides, I can't risk letting you discover us. Kaito already told us about your skills'
"Look who is talking," He glared. "The only person we'll lose is you if you keep straining yourself. Or do you want me to lock you up?" he teased. However, the boy only laughed.
"I can access any code, from inside and outside. I'll get out in a second, but you, on the other hand, are stuck. Now who is teasing?" he grinned, 'They should know that by now. We already told them about the complex system 1314 made'
"I hate you" Dave blathered with an eye roll, "Just rest. And, 1412, try to sleep"
"But…" yet Dave glared him, 'I can't sleep with you around…' the glare was still locked in his eyes, "All right, but please, when you need me, wake me. When 1211 comes back, the code is 2161998" and he turned, closing his eyes. Soon he was fast asleep, or so Dave thought.
Dave stood paused at the code. It was remarkably predictable, wasn't it? Why would Kaito's birthday be the code? He watched the boy sound asleep, glad for his safety for the time being. However, he was more worried about a lot of things. Just where was the other partner? Where did Yusaku go?
Dave didn't know what to do aside from keeping the code in his memory. He feared that if he accessed it when the real partner came, his cover would be blown. So much for trust.
The changes are taking their course in the next ch, separating the first and second version of both stories! It will change greatly and set the plot apart!
Try not to get confused, I fail miserably at it too xD
Note to readers, black is the only color the kaitous use. From cars to clothes to anything else along that line (except for the KID white costume, that is an exception) since it's easy to hide and blends with the dark. In the series, I'm sure you noticed most of the disguises were navy or brown with sometimes black jackets or shirts (some with printed things on them, the reference is to the teleportation episode when KID pointed his card gun on Conan's back). I don't follow that. Here, they wear black entirely, whether jacket, hoods, shoes, or pants. There nothing is on them, no other color. If they were anywhere dark, they blend in perfectly, especially with a blackout. Even their wigs are black. :p
Aside from that, 1412 prefers black ever since his life became a mess. I won't say more than that.