Ladies and gentlemen! I humbly welcome you to the next chapter of this story.

This chapter I'll show you what happened with our two abandoned detectives, while KID was playing with Conan. Afterwards you'll get to see how they intend to investigate on the BO. I hope you're in for a nice surprise.

Phew, I had to actually stop and wonder in a few spots, so it took me a bit longer than I expected it to. By the way – I'll try to update next week, but around Thursday/Friday I'll be leaving on a two week trip and I won't be able to do it during it. Just wanted to notify you that there might be a longer pause this time. Sorry about that ^^"

And now for my favorite part~ I really do love to respond to the reviews :D

Boogum – I'm glad you think so~ It's so nice to hear you enjoyed it so much~

Kensy Echo – you are most welcome Kensy Echo-san :D I just don't like it when it gets boring~ And it seems that now we will have a handful… But I don't want to spoil too much~ Yep – he is healthy xD And he cares a lot about all of those guys… Probably more than it is good for him ;) I'm glad you think that I managed it fine ;) I had some fun at the end :D

Dark Calamity of Princess – I can tell you that I want a meeting like that myself and I do hope I can manage it, but sadly only after Kaito finally gives in to his detectives xD So.. a few more chapters ;) I'm always glad to answer reviews, so no need to thank me :D I wouldn't say that it is because he feels in dept – that would be rather forced. It rather occurred to him that Kaito is worth helping and befriending to say it short ;) He sure doesn't intend to tell them that xD But you have to admit that it is getting more awkward to deny it, since it is getting more and more obvious xD

DaLantis – I'm very glad you liked it so much~ I was wondering how much KID could know about the whole detective work and what could pose a problem, since in few episodes and movies he made remarkable deductions himself ;)

Mists – Ah so many praises~ Thank you :D I'm glad you liked it and yes – Hattori does intend to get back at Kaito for that xD

Loyal DC Fan – Well this time I think you're overestimating KID~ He did say in chapter 5 that he is not stalking his detectives more than he has to. In the series he met with DB around 3 times I believe? And he didn't see how Conan acts around them when there is danger. It is possible for him to know that they end up in dangerous situations from time to time and knows for a fact that Shinichi tends to act reckless when he spots a crime going on. As for his involvement with BO… How would he know that? Only in this chapter he made a connection between Sherry and Ai, before that he could figure that it was just a case – like many others and Conan didn't know what it was about. He didn't pry in it all that much.

JarayZ – Well you managed just in time~ And I thank you that you have :D Yep~ You guessed right – our favorite danger magnet was in a mall next to the park xD Oh he is sorry he couldn't see it~ Oh my – seems I didn't write it clear enough ^^" I didn't mean people in general, but only those who know about BO existence. You know – other Organizations, major criminals, politicians and other people who deal with the underground. I know people in general don't get any fear from seeing a guy in a dark coat xD I'm glad you liked my view on this ;) And as for the app… I think KID has a lot of toys that could bring him a fortune xD Especially if we consider what he steals ;)

So without further delay…

Please enjoy and review! :)


Chapter 19: Seeking out darkness


*I can't play with you guys anymore
So go home. You won't find me anyway.
To take the tape off use some salicylic alcohol
(or any other strong alcohol).
You might want add some while washing off the makeup.
Unless the guy wants to stay a bit paler that is xD
See ya at school*

Hakuba frowned as he was looking at the screen of his phone. It wasn't like Kuroba to tell them how to undo his prank. The detective recalled what the magician told him at school not long ago. He would be safe, if he didn't have to take care of others, was it? He looked back in the direction they came from. Most likely there was danger Kuroba decided to take care of alone and he didn't wish for their help. Hakuba didn't like the idea of leaving him alone with this, but since they didn't know what to look for, there was no point to come back and walk right into any danger that might be there. He moved his gaze to the angry Osakan. They both did look rather characteristic right now and there was no way they would be able to hide without getting attention. He sighed heavily. It seemed that the best course of action they could take was to call it a day and return home. He rubbed his temples. He only had to somehow convince that bloody idiot to it...


Hattori was furious. He was prepared to get pranked, especially after the guy himself warned him about it. He could deal with all those small annoyances. He didn't like them and showed it well enough, but in the end all the teasing was somewhat fun. Especially when there were some children around to distract that damned magician. They probably should consider dragging the guy somewhere with lots of them next time.

Dealing with Kuroba was also frustrating for another reason. In one moment it seemed they were getting comfortable and natural with each other, for the magician to just back out in the next second. Hattori was sure that all Kaito needed was a few more pushes to give in and stop acting like that. And it would be a lot easier, if Hakuba decided to actually help finally, instead of just watching and accepting everything that happened. The Osakan was pretty sure that could be part of the reason why the magician was feeling free to doing anything that popped out of his crazy head.

Heiji sighed. It was freaking hard to breathe like this and he had no idea where did Kuroba run off to. He looked towards the way they ran through. Most probably he just lured them away from there and ran back. He took out his handkerchief to clear his nose. Before he could start walking back, Hakuba grabbed his arm to get his attention. Hattori threw him a tired look and mumbled a question.

The Brit sighed lightly and spoke calmly "I think it would be best if we just leave it and return. I might have an idea how to free you from this outfit without tearing off your skin. But unfortunately I don't have what I need for it with me."

Heiji frowned. If Kuroba masked his getaway, he probably didn't want to be found, so most likely they wouldn't. With irritation he recalled how convincing his disguises were. He growled in annoyance. He didn't want to give up just like that. What point was there in it all if he did? He wanted to smack this magician's head hard, so hopefully that would help the idiot understand that he couldn't just do everything he pleased. And he'd be damned if he was going to act accordingly to the thief's wishes!

Saguru sighed heavily "Listen. I know you want to get back at him right now, but the fact is that you can't. We won't find him right now if he doesn't want us to and running around aimlessly won't do us any good."

Hattori narrowed his eyes and mumbled accusingly. The Brit irritated him more than that crazy monkey did. All he ever did was to take the easy way and simply accept what was going on around him. And what was worse was that he expected everybody else to act the same. Just like they had all the time in the world to just fool around.

Hakuba grimaced "You are aware that I have no idea what you're saying, right?" He sighed again, seeing that the Osakan was ready to burst "I won't even try to make you do anything. So you have two choices right now. Either come with me and get out of this outfit, or run around some more. Alone. Because I am not interested in making a fool of myself anymore. Hattori... I still don't know what you're trying to say, except for the fact that you're mad. But I can't help you with that." The mime-looking teen growled some more, but the ex-blonde just rolled his eyes and dialed a number "Baaya? Do you think you could drive us home? Yes... I'm afraid Kuroba decided to escape again, leaving us looking... rather eye catching. Thank you." He explained to her where to find them and disconnected, focusing again on his fellow detective who seemed to have calmed down a bit "So, have you decided?" He received an unpleased grumble he identified as acceptance "Good, our ride should be here in about 7 minutes."

It took Baaya 6 minutes and 43,09 seconds to arrive. Hattori was still grumpy as they left the park and for a long time he kept looking through the window, hoping to spot the annoying magician.


Fortunately, Kuroba's instructions on how to undo the mime disguise were true and soon Heiji was free to talk and annoy Hakuba, as he was trying to figure out a way to get their hair back to normal colors. The Brit wondered absently, if it was a good idea to free his fellow detective's mouth before he managed to find the right formula. It started when Hattori noticed him place the bug they found on the Osakan detective in a lead box.

"Oi, you're gathering them?" He asked, being very surprised and not pleased with it.

"And what do you expect me to do with them, Hattori-kun? I could either destroy them, give them back or store them and in my free time try to find a way to trace back the signal or at least a way to jam it, without locking in a lead box." He stated, locking the cover.

The dark-skinned teen hummed at that, understanding the reasoning "Any luck with that?"

"I'm afraid I'm not that skilled with electronics and I do have very little time anyway. If you want to try your luck, be my guest." He said, sitting himself down next to a desk with his chemical devices.

"I wouldn't know where to start. I'd probably need some equipment for it. I'll give it some thought later. But it seems you have a lot of them." Heiji continued taking a peak into the box.

"You do know that when you have it open, he can probably hear us?" He mumbled with slight annoyance without sparing a look at his guest "There are a few microphone bugs in there."

Hattori shot him an annoyed gaze and shut the box loudly "They would need a power source to be active all this time, you know… It's not like they will work endlessly."

Heiji could agree with Kuroba that the guy was irritating with his constant calm. He sighed. They would spend some time together in the near future, so he probably could try and get more friendly with the Brit. That or most likely he would shred him to bits after a day.

"So... your specialty is chemistry?"

"I'm more into medical and biological science, but as you can clearly see I can manage this as well."

"Alright... You into any sports?"

Hakuba sighed, taking his eyes from a microscope "Hattori-kun, as I would in any other circumstance appreciate a chat like this, I am trying to concentrate at the moment. So unless you don't mind the color you're currently dyed with, I'd be happy if you let me work. In silence preferably."

Heiji made a face, but reluctantly had to agree with him "Ok, can I help you somehow?"

The Brit returned to his work and replied with a calm voice "No, thank you. If you want to, I could tutor you after I finish, so you could learn it and provide me help next time. Now if that is all, I'd like to get back to work."

Exactly that swaggering act was what irked Hattori the most in Hakuba. The Osakan left his fellow detective to find something to amuse himself with.


It took unnecessary long for Hakuba to figure out that this time the dye had to be removed with water mixed with lemon juice. The situation felt a bit awkward when the teens managed to get their hair return to normal, as neither of them knew how to start a casual conversation with each other. It seemed that the magician would be a good topic, but in fact it wasn't the best choice without Kudo around to stop them in time.

"So... guess it would be best to hang around playgrounds or such with him."

Hakuba raised an eyebrow "You seriously want him to stay focused on his magic all the time? I'd prefer to have him calmed down, so it would be possible to just talk."

Hattori shot him an annoyed gaze "Can't say I've seen that works. He seems to be constantly focused on his antics anyway. At least near kids he tones them down."

"Well, he is like that only because you encourage him. I must say he is abnormally active with you around." Saguru sighed tiredly just from recalling the day.

"I ain't gonna stay still and let him have his fun with me like that. And at the very least, it is better to keep him amused, so he doesn't try to run away and stays around longer." Heiji pointed out.

Hakuba smirked at that "Yes... We both saw just recently how well that worked."

"Yeah, because you boring him to death worked miracles for the last... Two years, was it? I just see how much he loves to stay around you from his own will. You're too slow. This way it will take forever before you reach him."

The Brit paled at that slightly and clenched his teeth. He clearly wasn't happy with having his struggle with Kaito pointed out like that.

The Osakan rolled his eyes "You just have to get a grip of yourself, decide on what you actually want and focus on achieving it. Letting him do as he pleases only makes him feel impunity, so he doesn't feel the need to change anything in his behavior."

Hakuba huffed "I have already told you numerous times that I have tried that and it didn't take me any closer to him. If anything, it seemed to only push him away. And I do believe that I have bigger understanding for him than you do. You've known him for only a few days." Hearing Hattori snort at that made the blonde annoyed "More so, if you have forgotten already, we want to make him to calm down, not get more agitated."

Heiji growled in annoyance as the stubborn Brit didn't even try to listen to him. "You mean fall asleep? Because that is the only thing you can achieve. That or you either let him pull your nose or you fuss over every little detail. Neither of us is so stupid to hurt the other, you know." He pointed out, grimacing. "And maybe you've been longer around him, but it seems I do know him, or how to provoke him to do what we need him to far better. You, on the other hand have no idea how to reach him." He huffed, tucking his hands in his pockets "I think you're the one who should start listening to me. Not the other way around." He added with a self-satisfactory smirk.

Both glared at each other, with Heiji showing a stubborn stare and Saguru an angered and hurt one. Eventually the Osakan turned away.

"I don't wanna hurt your feelings or something, so don't take it to personally, but consider it, alright? Thanks for your help with the costume and dye. I'll leave you now."

"Yes… That might be best…" Hakuba mumbled, trying his best not to sound too sour.

And so Hattori left the manor and its householder. He directed his steps towards Kuroba's household, figuring that at some point the magician would return there. He put some thought and research over the Phantom Lady issue and figured that the other detectives were most probably acting too secure around her.


Heiji didn't manage to reach his destination when his phone started buzzing, announcing an incoming call. He smiled, seeing his friend's number, wondering if he could tease him a bit, or should show him some sympathy. He decided on a friendly tone for start, hiding his own irritation for the Brit.

"Hey Kudo, how was your day?"

The boy responded with hints of amusement in his tone "It turned out surprising. I didn't expect you guys to lose KID."

That surprised Hattori. "Huh? How did you know? Did he..?"

Shinichi chuckled, cutting in. "Yeah, he came to see me. But before I talk about it, tell me what happened at your end."

Heiji grimaced, since he didn't really intend to tell his friend about it "Well… I've been teasing with him a little, when suddenly he taped my mouth, put me in some costume and started running. I had no idea why. During the chase he called somebody and disappeared soon after he finished. I wanted to return to where we started, but that Brit ahou stopped me…" He added with an annoyed growl.

Conan sighed irritatedly. "Hattori, did you get into another fight with Hakuba-kun? Damn it, I don't have time for this. Can't I leave you two alone for one day?

Heiji growled to the phone. "He annoys me with just letting the guy do anything he pleases. He has no idea how to handle him, I tell you. He's acting so slow and secure that I want to strangle him. We won't make any progress his way and he just doesn't listen to me."

"Hattori… Must I really remind you that it's thanks to him that we even have a shot with Kuroba-kun? Let me finish." He added as he heard the Osakan trying to cut in. "I don't mean just finding him, which was partially luck. He worked hard with him for a long time now and I don't believe his input is inappreciable. Most probably your taunts work on him like you want them to only because Hakuba-kun is there to console him and allow him to feel secure enough. I doubt he is doing it fully on purpose, but haven't you noticed that he tends to stay closer to him while interacting with you? Kuroba-kun trusts Hakuba-kun, because he has proven to care for him. I'm not saying that what you're doing is wrong, but try and see the bigger picture here, maybe? It would be great if you guys could just stop trying to prove who is more right and start working together." He finished with a tired huff.

The Osakan fell silent, feeling abashed with what his friend told him. Finally he cleared his throat, deciding to change the topic. "So… What did KID want from you? He came just to annoy you?"

This clearly annoyed Kudo. "Hattori… I want you to apologize to Hakuba-kun and get over it. Are we clear?"

Heiji growled in annoyance and ruffled his hair, and it reminded him again that he lost his cap to the damned magician "Alright, I'll try… fine?"

Shinichi sighed heavily. He really didn't want to focus on that now "Glad to hear it. Anyway, as for KID, I also thought first that his goal was to annoy me. He even used my face. Again." He added with a hint of irritation leaking through his tone, but dropped it with a huff "That was until I noticed him concealing me and the kids and later I spotted Gin. And KID stopped me from following him. It seems that something was going on in the park, because he kept us from going there. But I'm sure now, Hattori… He knows about them. Too bad he left before I got the chance to question him. But I guess I can do it next time…"

The teen stopped in his tracks with eyes wide open from shock "Whoa! You've stumbled on them? But he didn't spot you?" He asked with worry and continued with thoughtfulness. "And was it Ekoda Park, by any chance? That would explain Kuroba's acting… We were there when he started acting weird."

"Yeah, that was the one. And thanks to KID, I doubt he noticed us, so don't worry. Anyway, because of the kids I didn't get a chance to investigate what was Organization up to there, so I'm headed to the mall now. I might have to get a hold on the security footage though…" He added grimly.

Hattori clicked with his tongue "Might be tricky… Maybe the FBI could help with that?"

"I don't know those who are in Japan at the moment and unless there is no other choice, I'd rather have it stay that way. No idea if they might have a rat in their ranks. Jodie-sensei, Camel-san and others won't be back before the summer break ends. If they can manage to return at all…" A thought about Akai passed his mind, but since the guy was still in hiding, he discarded it. "Seems we're alone on this one. I'm thinking whether to tell Hakuba-kun… Now that I think about it, it's possible that the police might have at least one record. It should be easy for him to get a hold on it…"

"I could always try and get a hold on the police record…" He offered and frowned "Anyway, why would they have it? Something more happened there?"

"Yeah, there was this small theft case. And guess what – since 'Shinichi' was present, he decided to solve it. That was intriguing to watch…" He said with a chuckle.

"What? He can act as a detective too?" The vision surprised and amused Hattori "Huh… so how did he do? Guess he was lucky it was a theft… Did he solve it?"

"I'll tell you about it later. I'd rather focus on the other matter now." He sighed "I think I'll call Hakuba-kun. I might need him for this when you're not around anyway. He might also help me push Kuroba-kun later, if we don't find anything, so I need him to know what is going on…"

Heiji grimaced, he didn't feel like meeting with the Brit right now, but he wasn't going to leave his friend in a moment like this. He felt bad enough that he couldn't be there always to help him when needed "It's your call. But I guess I could hang around a bit longer, in case you need me. We're not having any tests this week, so it should be fine."

"Thanks, it might be helpful, we'll see how it goes. So you coming?"

Hattori grinned "You don't even need to ask. Just tell me where and I'll get there as soon as I can."


Hakuba wasn't very willing to meet up with Kudo when he called. He changed his mind after hearing that it was something connected to the Organization Shinichi was dealing with. And that it somehow explained Kuroba's weird behavior from earlier. Kudo didn't tell him any details, since he preferred to talk in person about it. Hakuba's heart was beating hard with anticipation when he drove to the mall. He knew that things could start getting dangerous from now on, but at the same time, this would lead them closer to the truth. And also to helping Kuroba. And Saguru had enough of standing still in one spot all this time.

He wanted to call the boy once he got out of the car, but before he managed to, he noticed him talking to a security guard inside. So instead he walked into the mall, making sure the shrunken detective could spot him and he sat himself nearby. Much to his displeasure, before Shinichi finished his conversation, Hakuba saw Hattori enter the mall and was now approaching him. He wasn't looking forward to talking with the Osakan, who gave him such a painful blow with his words just a while ago. He gave the other teen a nod to acknowledge his presence, hoping that he wouldn't try and start a conversation. Regretfully the hope turned out to be unfulfilled.

When Heiji got near, he offered him a sheepish smile "Hey… Listen Hakuba-kun, I'm sorry for what I said back there. I was mad and it was load of crap. It would be great if you could just forget about it…" Saguru could easily tell from Hattori's expression that he was feeling extremely awkward.

He smiled sadly and shook his head slowly "There is no need for you to apologize. I do believe that at least some of what you said might have some truth in it… I did consider before that it might be my personality that is pushing Kuroba away." He added grimly, averting his gaze.

Hattori rolled his eyes "Come on, don't give me that. You know that this guy feels comfortable around you, it's clear that he likes you. I'm more than sure that he does see you as a friend already. He just might not admit it, because of this whole secretive act he's holding." He grimaced and also looked away "It irks me so much that we can't break through it… I just want to be done with it and get to the real problem at hand." He tucked his hands in his pockets, looking back at the Brit. "So I'm sorry if I might snap at you sometimes… I really don't mean it…"

Hakuba moved his gaze back to his fellow detective, to determine if he meant what he was saying. He surely didn't expect to hear words like that. That made him recall how Kuroba was acting around him, what he told him a couple of times when they were alone and how he tended to get near Saguru, when things were getting out of hand. It really did look that the magician trusted him to some extent and felt somewhat comfortable around him. And that meant that his hard work wasn't in vain. His smile turned into a more relieved one.

"Thank you Hattori-kun. I think I needed to hear that. And I must say, I understand your irritation. So no need to worry about it too much."

"Great. Do me a favor and don't tell Kudo what happened at the fish market, alright?" He asked with a sheepish laugh and froze as he heard a voice from behind him.

"And what happened at the fish market?" Conan asked with curiosity in his voice, glad that both teens seemed to have buried the hatchet without his help.

Hakuba chuckled, slightly amused "Nothing of any importance. Kuroba simply proved that it is not a good idea to provoke him too much. Anyway, care to elaborate on what you told me through the phone?"

Shinichi's amusement dropped significantly and he gave a nod. "Sure, but let's go to the park first. I'd like to see the place where he spotted them."

So the three of them walked there. For a while Hakuba and Hattori argued about the exact place, while Conan simply ignored them in favor of looking around. As he feared, he couldn't spot anything significant, which meant that either KID knew something he didn't, or that he simply by chance noticed Them. But that was a question for later, as for now he simply wanted to talk to the two teens in private, without fear of being overheard. By the time he finished his inspection, they had already agreed on one spot and even the route Kaito chose to lead them. The boy cleared his throat.

"So, I guess you recall all that I've told you up until now about Those guys, right?" He asked towards Saguru, who gave him a nod to confirm "Right, basically like I said, I know only about a few members. Most are working undercover and you wouldn't say that they are criminals. The guy I saw today is called Gin. He's rather recognizable, tall with long, pale hair. I haven't seen him wearing anything besides a black trench coat and a hat. He's usually accompanied by Vodka, a large bulky guy who dresses the same way. They're the guys who put me in this state. I had a few run in's with them and they are rather the type to shoot you and not bother asking questions. From what I know, they are high ranking in the Organization, so my guess would be that anything they were up to in the mall was probably big. This is why I need to know what it was. But we can't just start asking questions blindly. No need to pull attention to us, or we might end up dead. I thought about security cameras. They most probably were caught on film, it shouldn't be very hard to spot them, since they look rather characteristic. With some luck we might be able to recreate their whole route in the mall, or at least a part of it. There was a theft case at the time and some Division 2 officers came. Most probably they took the footage from the jewelers area as evidence. It would be great if you could get a hold on a copy, or at least see it through and see if you can spot where they came from. At the very least on their way back they passed nearby and I'm fairly sure it was in its range. Needless to say, you need to be careful not to get anyone's attention that you're interested in it."

"That is rather clear." Hakuba agreed with a serious voice "It shouldn't be much problem. My father supports my interest in theft cases, so he shouldn't ask any questions if I asked to view this particular one. It might be easier, if you gave me some details of it though. But more importantly, it is rather obvious that we should look through other camera footages. I saw you talk to the security guard. I understand you have an idea how to acquire it? If the thief was caught, I'd doubt that the police would be interested in all of the records, besides the one close to the shop."

Conan bit the inside of his cheek and threw a glance at his friend, for reassurance that he was doing the right thing. Here came the tricky part. He told the Brit more than necessary about those guys, so he wouldn't object too much, but still he had no idea how he would react to a semi-legal idea. Alright… it wasn't even in the slightest legal. But then again he was trying to befriend an internationally wanted thief and he did already conceal some evidence for his sake, so odds were good. He started guardedly.

"Well I did try to ask the guard to show me how his work looks and maybe take me to the security room. But that failed. I'd rather not wait too long since either Them or KID might want to get to the CDs. And like you said, we can't really ask the police to get it for us and not cause any questions, so I guess I'll have to try and get them myself."

"So basically you intend to sneak into the room and steal the records?" Hakuba asked to clarify, without a hint of accusation in his voice.

"I'd rather say borrow them. But basically… yeah." He answered, offering a dry smile.

Saguru closed his eyes and sighed heavily. He understood the reasoning and the need behind it and he couldn't find any other way to acquire the records in such a short time in more legal way. But it was still hard to swallow for him. The other detectives didn't try to rush him, wondering how he would answer. It didn't take long before his shoulders dropped and he opened his eyes.

"It does seem the best way. So do you have more detailed plan on how do we do it?" His voice sounded slightly defeated, but not unfavorable to the idea.

The boy blinked a few times. "Not a 'we', I'm going in alone. It will be easier-"

"Like hell you are." Hattori cut in, shooting his friend a flat stare "No way I'm leaving you alone with this. And don't even try to argue." He warned him, seeing Conan open his mouth to protest.

Hakuba smiled softly, easily agreeing with the Osakan "You cannot possibly believe we would let you go in alone. Especially after pointing out how dangerous it is. So best let's just review the plan. At least my experience with the heists should come in handy here."

"It's very nice of you guys, but I intend to wait in the ventilation shaft for the guard shift to change. And my body is a whole lot smaller. Plus one person will be harder to spot than two teens with a kid."

Heiji rolled his eyes "Come on, we're not larger than Kuroba-kun and from what I know, he's a regular in places like that, so I don't think it should be that much of a problem."

Shinichi's expression was deadpan. "KID is a skilled escape artist and a gymnastic. You're not. And I doubt you ever tried to crawl through a place like that."

"I have." Hakuba cut in with a shrug. "I did try to catch him by surprise. Can't say it was a pleasant experience, or convenient to be honest, but not that hard as you might imagine it."

Heiji grinned at his friend, challenging him to try and oppose some more. Eventually Shinichi gave up and they reviewed the details of their plan. They regretted that they didn't have the blueprints of the building, so they could just enter the security room from the ventilation shaft and had to creep through the corridor instead. They wondered idly how did Kuroba get a hold of things like that (they didn't doubt for a moment that he have), especially for a private residence, but they didn't dwell on it too much. Later they returned to the mall, to spend the rest of the time in a café and Kudo told them about the case in detail, telling them how KID preformed on his first case. It was amusing for them and Hattori wondered if they could actually make a detective out of him. The idea of letting the crazy magician run loose on a crime scene was rejected rather fast. In meantime Hakuba called his father, who promised to have the copies of the reports and the precious camera footage delivered by the next day.


As planned, they went to the bathroom not long before the mall closing hours and hid themselves in the ventilation shaft. Conan explored it a little, silently, and found an exit leading to an inner corridor that they hoped led to the security office. Now all that was left was to wait for the security shift to come. It felt very odd for the detectives to hide themselves in a place like that. Especially regarding what they were going to do in a while. It was a good thing they had so much experience chasing KID, so they knew the best places to hide in a building, where nobody should look. It was still a pity they didn't know the ventilation layout. They decided that crawling aimlessly wouldn't be the best idea, since for one they could get lost and secondly it might be loud and take too long, since only Conan was able to move through them with some ease. Waiting like that was boring and they idly wondered how the thief amused himself in situations like this. They for most time just settled with their own thoughts or short, quiet chatter, after a guard passed.

"You guys know what..?" Hattori whispered at some point.

Conan raised an eyebrow and turned to his friend with interest "Hm?"

"Something just occurred to me… Aren't we doing the same thing as KID?"

Hakuba frowned in annoyance at the mere thought like that "What are you babbling about..? We're not-"

Heiji cut in. "I mean, he always steals and returns stuff, right?"

The shrunken detective rolled his eyes "Oh come on, we're doing it to catch those guys, it's not the same."

Saguru sighed at that "Well, but we still don't know why he is doing what he does. But I can't say that this makes me feel any better…"

The Osakan snorted "You didn't have to agree on coming…"

Shinichi wanted to bang his head against the ventilation wall, but that would've been too loud "Guys… Come on, don't start now… It is really not the best time…"

They waited a while longer, until Hakuba's watch informed them that it was 10:15 PM. They waited a guard pass their exit and went around the corner and when he did, Conan silently opened the ventilation shaft. One screw slipped from his fingers and fell down, causing the boys to freeze and listen if the sound alarmed anybody, but it didn't seem that way. With a relieved sigh, they opened the shaft and got out. They ran through the corridor, knowing that they had little time before the strolling guard returned. They heard a laugh from a room not far away and noticed a plate informing them that it was the security room. Conan slightly opened the door and shot a dart at a fat guard, who was busy with watching a movie on a laptop, instead of focusing on the monitors. It hit him without fail and the man fell asleep fast. They hastily entered the room and started searching for the right CDs, when suddenly they heard the door behind them creak.

"My, my~… Now, why nobody told me we're going to play changing roles? Should I start chasing the three new kaitous now? Might be fun~…" Asked an amused voice, they all knew too well

They turned around to see a grinning Kudo Shinichi leaning on the doorframe.


Isn't this a funny turn of events? :D

I hope you guys will forgive me this cliffy but I just couldn't help myself xD

Side note: As for FBI – I was first wondering if I should put everything in the background on hiatus, but figured that SOMETHING should have been going on there xD But as for undercover agents in BO I left them all still alive and working (only as for Bourbon Shinichi knows for sure that he is also an agent). Akai Shuichi is still living in Kudo manor as Okia Subaru and Haibara still doesn't know who he is.

See you next chapter *wicked grin*