Ch 16: What We Never Tell

Vermouth and Bourbon walked slowly to the parking lot and sat in the car. After Vermouth passed Aoko and giving an assuring smile, Amuro connected the dots.

Once they were inside her silver car, he flashed a glare at his partner and spoke with half eyes. "You're one of the KID partners" She turned the key and the engine sound began.

She raised a mischievous smile, retracting herself from the wheel. "Oh~ what makes you think so?" her face was serious, a dash of doubt she shot out at him. "I don't have time to be a triple agent~"

His glare said it well.

There's no way that he'll buy it.

"You're such an idiot sometimes" he crossed his arms. "You figured my cover three months ago, I admitted it and I hope you will do the same"

She arched her eyebrow, "How am I supposed to admit to anything without evidence? You can't accuse me when I can be innocent~ you are a detective, aren't you? You should know better"

'I hate you'

He signed heavily and closed his eyes, "evidence is too long to discuss here. Besides, there is a chance your car is bugged" he only heard silence. "I never tried to deny because I was stupid to bluntly trust you"

She let out a dry laugh, "Is that so~" after she saw his serious face, she ceased and resumed her formal stance and let out a tired sign. "Well, I am flattered! It's nice to see us trusting each other after eighteen years of living face to face under the same roof~"

"Barou, it was fifteen years. I haven't seen your face since our murder~" She only laughed. He raised a modest grin, "anyway, it just work. The only reason I'm still putting up with you only because I trust no one else to protect my kid"

"I'm only going to say this one last time, Rei-kun" Her determined eyes spoke with a gleam of anger, struggling for containment. "HE'S MY SON TOO!" she said with half eyes then broke into a less serious glare once he smiled. "Anyway, I care about him enough to trust the man who looked after him and raised him as his own child" she paused, "You were really attached to him" you still are~

"I practically died worrying until he turned four months old, watching his face filled with tiredness and pain did the trick!" he said with a grin plastered on his face, 'I got worried when he wasn't getting well' he smiled, 'At first, I considered it nothing more than a mission. Raise the kid, teach him our ways, and then hand him back. Done. Each on his way" She remained silent as he spoke, he shifted his movements into one that said that he was no longer comfortable. He softened his tone, speaking more like he used to do like Jeff's father. "Watching him grow during that month made my heart race. Before I knew it, I enjoyed having him around, when I looked at his small face when he laughed and smiled, it made me love him more"

I no longer viewed him as a mission and really cared for him

He hummed, "God, I can't count how many times I got worried to death every time he got sick! I wonder if that's what being a parent means!"

"I can't count how many times I felt my heart stopped either~" she laughed. "Panicking and worrying are signs of loving people. And he was adorable, I should watch those videos again~" He blinked, "What? You didn't think I didn't record such important memories, did you?" he froze, mind elsewhere, "Babies are beautiful pure creatures, after all, even a heart like mine won't resist one~" she finally spoke with her eyes closed, a smile drawn across her face. She opened her eyes and a gleam of pain was revealed to the man beside her. "I can't even describe how attached I am to him. You probably realized that from the first day" having a child, how could I not be attached to that little thing after I held him in my arms and saw his innocent cute face? "When I feel sad about not being able to tell him, I watch those videos and remember all the joy and fun we had" After 18 years and it still feels like yesterday he was still in a bundle. I'm beside him, always watching over him in secrecy, but I can never tell him how much I love him. "I can't even hug him!"

It didn't surprise him at all to hear those words escaping her mouth. "Who said cold-blooded killers don't care for their own?" she shrugged, he grinned. "I suppose that's why he chose you for the mission..." He said, "the boss knew you had a soft spot for children" You could never have one. With the kind of life we live, raising children is impossible. Any mistake we make, they will pay the price first.

'That kid, he is my boy. No matter what I tell myself, I felt that from the moment I laid eyes on him' after all those years, she didn't think he'd actually be born. The boy she would never have. Destiny was fair, for once. Made him come from someone else. 'No matter who's blood runs through his veins, he is my boy'

She heard a smile form on his face. "It's okay to say it, you know. No one ever said we should make our hearts stones with our families just because we are crows. Be true to yourself, Vermouth"

She changed the subject, typical Vermouth. "That KID better be careful and not get my kid killed!"

He turned his face, focused on the road, "Let's go to the usual restaurant and discuss the evidence there"

"Hmmm, fine, I will humor you only because I don't feel like eating at home" She turned the key and drove out.

"No need for the proof, Rei-kun, I admit. I'm 1311. Who we know as Nina"

Furuya was surprised to hear a code. "Why a code? You didn't mention one... Didn't the thieves only go by fake names?"

"I lied~" she grinned, "I only recorded what we faked. They knew from the start~"

Furuya clapped himself, "You had us played..."

"Of course~ I wouldn't rot my boys or get them killed. Besides, every KID has a code, we keep them to ourselves. Our codes are taken from the File number, 1412. Our son is the only one to have it as is, though. We can't use our names when we have spies around, can we~"

"You mean_?" and she confirmed, he laughed, "All that rubbish 'no partner knows who the other is'... well, I complement your ability to lie with a straight face to the boss~" he grinned, "And, they trust you? Despite knowing who you really are?" she nodded.

"My acts precede me~"

"... Do they see you like family? No wonder~ Well, it's nice to see you three getting along~"

Dave and Yusaku took the stairs without anyone spotting them. They sat on the roof. Looking through his binoculars standing by the edge, Yusaku spoke with a calm assuring voice. "They left. Do you plan to chase them?"

Dave shook his head, "Leave them, there is nothing to chase them for. I'm sure we can find them if something comes up"

"What about the boy? Are you really going to tell them?"

"I don't see a reason not to" he shifted his back to the wall behind him, extending his hands behind his head. "They are his parents after all. The look on their faces proved they meant him no ill will. Besides, they had all the time in the world to hurt him when he was small and defenseless" Yusaku nodded, " I'm only curious to know the lives they lived. Who they replaced"

Yusaku turned away from the edge and looked at him with confused eyes. "What do you mean?"

"The masks they wore around him. I know she'd never kill a baby's parents with a cold heart. But someone else did. They must have been real careful that 1412 never realized their masks all his life" Dave silenced himself. He signed and raised his sight above to the moving clouds. "Finding out would hurt him, that's why they haven't told him since Kaito rescued him. I don't know if I should trust the kid or not, being a member born inside the syndicate and all, but the kid never truly showed any ill thoughts. If there was anything he showed, it was the total opposite"

Yusaku approached and sat to Dave's left, "he'll probably think that they lied to him. Pretending and all of that will do more than just break him" he turned his gaze away, 'I hope he sees they truly love him'

Dave signed again, "He's out of the ER now. The drug should take around an hour until it wears off, he should be able to wake by then"

"Escape plan?"

Dave shook his head, "The FBI wants to interrogate him. They probably haven't figured out who he is yet and even if they did, being a Kaitou is enough to have him behind bars now"

"You mean, being a syndicate member is enough to have him behind bars," he said with a smile. "No proof will get his name cleared" Dave hummed, "it's better to contact his partners before the FBI gets the chance to blast a bullet in the 1412's head"

"They won't kill him before interrogating him. The amount of information they expect to get form him will overcome their hatred for the ravens" he rested his hands down, "the girl is waiting in the hallway. It's the only place without cameras. I asked her to let the partners come, said she was way ahead of us"

"When will they come?"

"Not clear yet. 1311 is infiltrating and 1211 is looking after an injured partner. He can't manage a rescue plan alone. We will have to wait until 1311 can assist. It will take around two hours for him to finish his mission" he looked at the clear sky, focusing on other things pressing on his mind. '1311 is the only one who is always infiltrating...'

Yusaku turned his face back ahead of him, "then we should do this" Dave turned to him, curious about his friend serious face. "It's our turn to help the partners. I'm sure we can pull it off. There are no members around now, KIDnapping him won't be hard for us, pun intended~" Dave raised a smile to the reference. Yusaku got up and offered his hand.

"It's showtime~," they both said and grinned.

Aoko walked the hallway for the tenth time, mapping it and counting the tiles. "Thirty-two..." she gasped, thinking of something to do. She held her jacket over her crossed arms, walking impatiently with slow steps. 'Taku, Aoko has to get him out. Geez, 1311 what in the world are you doing? Ditch him and come here, the police will ruin everything!'

Her phone rang, she looked at the caller. "It's about freak'n time!" she yelled fiercely at the caller, "Where are you now, 1311?"

"The second street, I am coming after I make all of the preparation for a grand escape," the male monotone said with excitement. "Make it double~"

"Yeah, that will so work!"

"Don't say that! I am a Kaitou, we will get 1412 out before they know it~" she heard Aoko sign in reassignment, "Oh come on, I mean it. Don't worry, he'll be okay"

"You told Aoko... the boss spoke with you? He allowed us to take him? It could be a trap, you know..."

1311 denied it. "He's really worried about the kid. After all, if anything happens to him, he won't get the gem. Besides, he'll order us to get him back in a month, we'll have to keep him down and make sure he rests well until then. He's a Kaitou, escaping is easy, you should know..."

"Yeah, he had a good teacher~" she laughed, "Well hurry and come here, Aoko will try to stall or something. Maybe Aoko will disguise as a nurse and keep things at bay, Aoko's not good though, so Aoko will choose a simple face and pray God that Aoko doesn't get discovered!" after she heard a laugh from the partner, they both hung up. Aoko felt someone behind her and played being surprised once a hand rested on her right shoulder, she was calm behind her shocked eyes and turned with a strong worried poker face to the person.

The person raised a smile, "I thought you couldn't use those" she turned.

'Oh bummer, it's just Kudo-san. Oh well, Aoko will count that as training~' She raised a small smile, balancing her firm poker face and spoke with a slightly surprised tone. "Use what?" her wide innocent eyes stared at him, 'yeah, it's best to play dumb. It's hard to get past this guy!'

He raised a smile, "Never mind" he took three steps, passing her yet stopped as she landed a questioning strong arm on his shoulder. An evil aura emitting from the young girl.

"Aoko doesn't like that attitude. Explain your point before Aoko does stupid things" her voice was serious enough to be a terrorist's. Her eyes were steady full of determination.

He blinked, surprised at the sudden change in her character. 'Darn! Poker face, Yusaku. Poker face!'

"Aoko is still waiting. Keep in mind that Aoko is a very capable opponent"

He swallowed.

Someone laughed at them and both turned to see Dave struggling to keep a serious face. "Girl, you really are scary" she huffed at his calm tone. "I take it Hakuba-kun was right about you. Yusaku, I would heed her warning, even Kaito had trouble with her"

'Are you serious?' He exhaled, "Fine, no need to be violent, Nakamori-kun"

Her eyes met his with a cold gleam. "Aoko is still waiting"

"If I am going to explain it, I expect honest answers"

"Depends on the question" She huffed.

He raised a small smile, "earlier you told us you couldn't use masks"

She glared with half eyes, and he felt a shiver run down his spine. "With former KID partners, Aoko is an amateur with masks. Aoko will only ruin your plan. Fooling the FBI won't be easy but Aoko can still manage a trick or two on her own, working with anyone will make Aoko sloppier than she already is!" Dave laughed, " Aoko didn't have time to learn more from Kaito. It wouldn't be as good as Yukiko-san's either. Satisfied now?"

Yusaku stared at her. She was unaffected. '... she looks like she's saying the truth...'

'Then again, if she's as good as the others, there's no way I could tell if she is lying. Cursed poker faces! Toichi why did you make things hard for everyone?'

He finally nodded, "We're planning an escape for 1412 before the FBI gets the chance to interrogate him. I thought I should let you know, we want to help. As payback for what your partners did for us"

She was surprised to hear that coming from him. "1311 is on the way, thanks, but he will handle it alone"

Dave stepped closer with a serious thoughtful face. "I advice you not too. Fooling the FBI is not an easy task and two people aren't enough for it" she stared at him, "I know you will help him, you won't sit back and let him do all the hard work alone. But you can't pull this off alone, Nakamori-kun"

She raised one eyebrow, "Is that so? You were doing it alone too. Besides, who do you take us for? 1311 and 1211 have been working with Kaito for around three years now. They can manage more than just your everyday average escape. And Aoko will help too. So, three against two, who has the advantage now, Dave-san?"

"Three years isn't enough to become escape experts. With all respect to your friends' talents and abilities, we are very much capable on our own, needless to add, we have twenty years of experience in the Kaitou field. At least, if we use tricks, they won't think the syndicate planed it and will allow the police to understand he is Kaito's friend. Eventually, we have to consider, he just a syndicate puppet in their eyes"

"Aoko sees you share their thoughts too" Aoko shot him a violent fierce glare. "For the last freaking time, 1412 is not a syndicate member. He never was and never will be. Aoko can't bluntly prove it, but Aoko met the kid outside the heists a couple of times when Kaito was teaching us basic tricks and skills. He isn't bad and Kaito trusting him is enough for Aoko to trust him too. Believe in Kaito's decisions at least, Kaito knows what he's doing" she turned aiming to enter the room. "We are getting him out without help from anyone. Accepting help will only embarrass them "

Dave gasped, "Feel free to do so. We will gladly lend a hand, though. Kaitous' helping each other out is not the least insulting to anyone's talents. I hope you and your friends see that. We thieves should stick by each other"

"Maybe..." She didn't turn, she changed her destination and headed to the restrooms to apply a mask. Once she was done, she saw Dave waiting by the sinks. "What?"

"That's not bad at all, your mask is very convincing..." he observed from his place. "Impressive. For an amateur"

"When Aoko said amateur, Aoko meant not so good. It's nowhere near Kaito's skills or yours"

"Can you change your voice?" he asked.

She showed a small device and placed it on her nurse uniform disguising it as a button like the rest. "Aoko doesn't need that kind of talent, Kaito doesn't allow Aoko to help anyway~ So this better stay a secret or this will be the end of Aoko's assisting days"

He nodded with a gentle smile. With a poof of smoke, to her surprise, a familiar doctor appeared after the smokescreen faded. He raised a smile, "Then let's get on with this. You and I will be the distraction while Yusaku watches through the cameras" with careful observation, she saw a device inside his ear, too small to spot if she didn't intend to find it. "Your friends can concentrate better like that. Our opponents are witted people after all"

She gasped and accepted his offer to help. "Kaito is so gonna kill Aoko for this. Acting on her own is something and accepting help is something else!" she mumbled under her breathe and he laughed. "Well, at least he won't kill Aoko when he gets his memories back. Now, Operation KID Rescue begin!" he raised a mental smile to her enthusiasm. She raised her right arm, uncovering a wristwatch. She pressed the side button and spoke carefully, "Aoko here, we're going in to distract while you plan the rest"

A voice answered back, "We? Is 1211 already with you?"

"No, external help, 1311" Dave chuckled behind his calm face. "1211 isn't here yet?"

"He'll arrive in ten minutes, pretend to do an examination or whatever, I see them gathered from my cameras in front of his room, they are preparing to enter... There is an un-welcomed guest among them, I suggest you be very careful, Nakamori-chan. Oh and since you are helping, hmm, let's call you… 1413. We don't want anyone to think you're part of us doves~"

"Oh, Aoko's very own code, too bad it's a cover-up code~" she chuckled, "Okay, don't worry, Aoko will have all under control and won't blow her cover" the beep stopped and she covered her wrist again. "Aoko will pretend to be a newcomer, it's the only way to explain everyone's mis-recognition~" He raised an eyebrow. "Aoko planned to do something since we reached the hospital, so Aoko went and registered this face to work as a new nurse here. 1311, Aoko borrowed your nurse face~"

"Thanks for consulting me~"

"You're welcome~"

"W_ when did you have the time for that?"

"Oh please~ Aoko is Kaito's wife, Aoko can escape~" She chuckled, "once you rushed after the two BO guys, Aoko did her share of the backup. And FYI, Aoko knew that you were disguised as tousan. You were pretty convincing, but you can't trick Aoko because she is his daughter"

"And there was no way that he'd come in such a short time" 1311 added, bored.

The disguised doctor and nurse turned to see a person cladded in black; black cap and jogging clothes. "I prepared everything, we will get him out once you achieve a little distraction, while I tamper with the cameras and display footage of earlier hours"

"Arigatou 1211~," Aoko said with her fingers in a victory sign and closed eyes. "Ne, Dave-san, let's go~" he nodded and they left.

1211 glanced at the fake doctor, one blue eye showing from under his hair and cap. 'Looks like we got some digging to do about that guy...'

Once Dave felt the sensation of being watched, he turned. 1211 was nowhere in sight. 'Humph, I guess I did underestimate them...' He carefully scanned the girl walking beside him, holding a clipboard between her arms to her heart. Her face was indeed in full character and she seemed to be quite capable of maintaining a perfect poker face. Her steps were calm and confident, walking like she was always working here. Shortly they passed a doctor and she greeted him.

"Oh, it's nice to see you're doing well, Kanna-san" and she smiled back at him. "You've been placed to watch the patient in room 14. Visiting hours will soon begin and there are some police officers who want to question him... Please refrain from giving any information"

"I will, you can count on me," she said with a calm face and a cheerful nurse-like smile. "Patient confidentiality, don't worry. Dr. Mark and I will make sure he gets some rest"

"Wouldn't it be better to cancel visiting hours for him? I'm sure he is in no condition to be doing anything aside sleeping." Dave interrupted the nurse with Dr. Mark's voice.

"That would be best," said another doctor as he approached them. Aoko seemed to tense up. Dave ignored the slight tremble in her calm smile and turned to face the doctor as he was facing them in a few steps.

"Dr. Jake, you finished already?" the man nodded, "I suppose you're right, it is best to not allow anyone there."

"Then it's decided," Kanna said determinedly. "I will drug him so he can get proper rest" The three doctors agreed and she excused herself to see her patient. "... Dr. Mark?"

"I will be with you right away, just give me a second" She nodded and entered room 14.

Mark turned to the two doctors and spoke with a more serious tone. "There was a murder attempt earlier, was the culprit caught?"

The brown-haired doctor with light green eyes shook his head. Possibly in his thirties, calm, cheerful and nice. "The culprit was shot in the heart, the police went to check but the sniper was already gone. They didn't find any lead or evidence..." Aron said and turned to the white-haired doctor named Jake. Jake's glassy blue eyes listened to his colleague with full interest. "You were the one who closed the wounds, where did the bullet hit?"

"Miraculously, it didn't hit his heart, one millimeter and he would have died on the spot!" Jake said, his calm voice sounded a little dead to Dave. The face screamed cold-blooded, but his fellow doctor who had been working with him for ten years couldn't see the cold aura him. For people who knew too well about the shadows of the world, Dave was sure Jake worked for the syndicate. "The officers were transporting the corpse to the morgue, but the ambulance taking it was snipped at and there's no sign of the body... Even the blood in the room and the bullet are gone..."

'I'm sure that you had a hand in that...'

Aron's eyes widen in shock, "How did they even get here? We had five security men watching and guarding!"

"I don't know... the police is still investigating. The culprit entered from the window, I don't know how he climbed two stories without anyone seeing him in broad daylight! Someone should have seen the black figure climbing the walls, it just doesn't add up"

"And his face didn't show up on the cameras, he acted too careful for someone who came in such an arrogant way" Aron added.

"It's a shame he died, I was looking forward to seeing the people who tortured that boy... I wanted to knock some sense into him" He glanced at his watch, it was getting late. 'Seven-thirty... still no sign of the partners, I better inform the boss. Either way, the boy needs medical attention and shouldn't be moved anytime soon...'

Mark's eyes widen behind his perfect still poker face. 'Tortured?' That does explain a lot about the wounds on 1412's wrists and body. The syndicate didn't want to hurt him. 'So yet again, Snake acted on his own...' He watched the two discussing the details of the incident, as his mind traveled around the possibilities. 'He couldn't have died so easily, I've been trying to nail him for years. Maybe that was an impostor? Or perhaps he staged his death to escape the syndicate? He knew they wanted to kill him... He's been a loose end for years'

After years of knowing Gin, he played it too well. He probably followed him and wanted to kill him all along. 'If he's the one behind Snake corpse's disappearance then he'd know if it's fake or not, and I honestly doubt he wouldn't shoot him again just for safety precautions'. One bullet to the head was all it took. It was Gin's favorite method.

"It's best not to let Kanna-san know about this, it's her first day here after all" Aron finally said with a considerate voice, as he shifted his glasses back in place, and both men sustained with a silent nod. He glanced through the window to the thief's room, the twenty-six-year-old Kanna Yuuta was going her job. Simply minding her own business and making sure that the young man wasn't in pain. After injecting a shot of morphine into the thin plastic tube connected to Jeff's right arm, she gently shifted the blonde strand that fell on her face and shoved it behind her right ear.

She carefully carried out her work. She was wearing a glove anyway, so there was no need to worry about fingerprints. What concerned her the most, as Dave probably knew too well, was her friend's safety. Sure the girl acted like he was only a patient and that she never met him before, but deep down, her physical movements acted with immense care and consideration. Everything she did had an opposite and equal reaction, eventually, she was worried. At least after giving him the drugs, she knew that he wouldn't wake or be startled to find himself in the hospital. So far, she only worried about the possibility of him realizing his deal was broken, which means Kaito will die.

She only hoped she will be able to explain everything to him without him going back to be the little prisoner. 'Aoko probably has to tell 1311 that she knows about her being Jeff's mom... But Aoko doesn't get it, Aoko doesn't get it at all!' she signed mentally and retracted the needle from the narrow tube.

At times like these, she was grateful she learned such things. 1311 taught them how to handle such situation, as a person who filled in for many nursed and doctors (especially as Dr. Araide), he could handle operations in their top conditions. Major conditions, however, demanded hospital care, and it was easy to get in when you could disguise as anyone and approve their entry. Same old same old, shot in an accident or had an accident, anyone would believe it if more than two people backed the story up. Especially if the injured partner was brought by police officers.

'Well, being a Kaitou has its benefits~'

The door opened and Dr. Mark entered with steady calm steps. He stood to 1412's right and carefully observed the monitor. Kanna continued her work and waited for him to finish his. Mark noticed that the bandages were purposely covering the patient's eyes, and he didn't expect anything otherwise. The clipboard enlisted only a number instead of a name, even the syndicate would be careful with his identity.

Before he joined Kanna earlier, Dr. Aron spoke deliberately about his annoyance. He didn't like what was happening with the boy and without realizing the fake Mark, he gave information that helped Dave connect certain pieces together.

Three years ago, 'Jeff' and his parents were abducted from their home, tortured for an entire week. To every doctor in this hospital (and Jeff), the parents were brutally murdered. The man (Snake) enjoyed torturing them before finally setting them on fire in front of their sixteen-year-old son, forcing him to watch while keeping him restrained with steel thin wires and chains.

The murder scene was an old abandoned factory of four stories, featuring large glass façades. Its location was only two streets away from Ekoda high school. The same street 1412 always avoided and took the long turn to reach his apartment.

In the end, Kaito and Jeff didn't live far from each other. And evidently, it was Jeff who chose the small distance to keep himself from people to grieve alone. During the past year of his stay in that hotel (although he disappeared for seven long months), he never brought any visitors until his classmate Mark visited him on the day the deal was made.

It took seconds for Dave to realize the act, despite the cameras being tampered with, the switch was still obvious to trained eyes. it was also easy to realize who Mark was, in the end, he didn't hurt the kid and helped him through his breakdown.

Mark was Bourbon.

Aoko and her friends, the Kaitou KID partners, considered 1412 part of the family. Much to be certain, they understood his situation and didn't they to force him to do anything. Although the boy remained in comas for half of the three years, they still acted like he came back from a vacation and treated him the same way that they always did. Every encounter with Snake would leave him beaten to death with multiple serious injuries. He'd traumatizing him on the way by reminding him of how he murdered his parents.

Snake knew the teen didn't surpass his grand torture methods and took it upon himself to always rub it in when they crossed paths. Much to Kaito's annoyance, he tried his very best not to hunt the killer down and shred him to pieces.

'Jeff was given that name because he was in the witness protection program...' he sighed in his heart, 'Although he keeps acting on his own'

It was clear what 1412's intentions were and whose side he was on.

Aoko was right.

1412 was never a crow.

He would never be a crow.