Your budding memories tangled with the inevitable thorns.

"Young Master," Nose raised high in the air, Baaya sniffed. Long, slender fingers tapping against the soft rubber of the steering wheel, her half lidded eye moved towards the end of its socket, glancing out the window into the moonlit street where Hakuba hovered, just a the corner way from the passenger's seat. His straight back leaned against the car's door as he gazed upward, swirls of dark blue with grey clouds swam in front of his vision whilst he laughed soft and quiet into his phone, strings of words escaped his lips then, buzzing through the evening air into Baaya's ear. "Would you hurry up?"

Hakuba held his hand up and turned towards the opposite direction, stepping away from the road onto the leaf covered sidewalk, fresh polished shoes crunching beneath lushly jaded leaves on muddy ground.

Baaya sighed, shook her head the bit and turned the radio on, heavy voices droning in the enclosed space and with a swift flick of her finger she shut it back off, noticing with mild surprise, the crooked angle of her rear-view mirrors. With furrowed brows she readjusted them and pushed a loose strands away from forehead under her hat as she stared at her reflection, sinking back into her seat.

Waiting.

Waiting.

Waiting.

Wait-

Baaya huffed, immensely glad at hearing the familiar click of the passenger door. "Took you long enough."

Hakuba chuckled and pulled his seatbelt on. "I needed to verify the arrangement for today. It's a bit different than we planned. But," He grinned quick and sharp. "Nothing I can't handle."

Baaya hummed and finally swirled her keys, the motor roared, vibrating against her legs whilst she drove passed traffic lights and road signs, eyes mainly kept on the road ahead when she asked, "Did she agree to your plans, as well?"

Hakuba's smile was tiny, barely there at the corners. "No. Not yet, but she will soon."

"Oh?" Baaya rose a brow, meeting his eyes for split for a second. "You so sound sure."

"I don't need to spend more time on that, really. As long as I focus on Kaitou Kid, Aoko-san will always be indirectly involved. It's like catching two birds with one stone."

Baaya's brow rose higher. "And this means?"

"Aoko-san plays a vital part, yes, but is momentarily not my highest priority." He laughed quietly, the small smile gaining on length as it drew against the tips of his lips, gazing at the glowing scenery from the side window, bright lights illuminating the shadows of the night. "I'll meet her at the heist anyway."

Baaya blinked before stealing a glance at him. "And you know that because-?"

Hakuba smirked. "I've heard her best friend say it, and-" He smiled slow and secretive, swallowing the rest of the sentence behind his scheming façade. It was a matter of time after all. A matter of time until this will be finished. Once and for all.

"I see." Was all Baaya said, not rising her voice again during the drive.

Where did I put it? Conan looked around the room, dismantled his futon again, peeking under scattered books across the floor, pushed his nose deep against the carpet as he squinted through the little gap below his closet. Just where did I put it?

Shifty fingers rummaged through numerous drawers, fiddling with clothes and fuddling with his bags. At last, he rubbed his neck, shoulders sagging over an air of futility as he glanced at the room once more. Guess, I'll just need to go without my badge.

"COOOONAAAAN-KUUUUN!"

He flinched, shrill voices piercing his eardrums and hampering his head for the nth time. Conan drove his fingers through his hair as he sighed into the quietness of the room before shouting a hurried reply and got up, tiny feet padding on the hard wooden floor. He stretched his arm wide out to reach the door handle, half-heartedly noticing the increasing volume of their screams.

"Conan-kuuun!" He heard Ayumi shout, but thankfully not as louder as before. "Hurry up! We can't wait."

"Yeah!" Mitsuhiko agreed, and Conan suppress a vision of him pumping a fist up high among the other two. "We don't have time forever!"

"What if," Genta took in an exaggeratedly loud, deep breath before shouting from the top of his lungs: "Sonoko-neechan suddenly changes her mind?!"

"YEAH!" Mitsuhiko and Ayumi screamed together, roaring an echo of: "WHAT IF SHE SUDDENLY CHANGES HER MIND?!"

"I'm definitely going to change my mind, if you don't stop barking any time now." Sonoko chimed in, brows twitching as she leaned against the blue painted door frame, muttering under her breath. "I can't believe I'm actually doing this."

"But it's really kind of you," Ran said, zipping her jacket close. "Inviting us all with you, I mean."

"I remember inviting you with me, not them." Sonoko sighed and abruptly lowered her head, slowly intertwining her fingers over her chest with tears brimming at the corners of their socket as she acted out a dramatic scene, saying: "How is Kid supposed to notice me, now? He'll mistake me for a wretched babysitter. Tell me Ran, how am I going to attract him with my charming beauty when he won't even look at my direction?"

"You're exaggerating." Ran smiled and pulled her hair out from her jacket, before putting her hands on her hips. "Besides, don't you have Makoto-san?"

"I would've had him, if he'd ever bothered to call. . ."

Ran frowned before trailing off. "Are starting on this again-"

"COOOONAAAAN-KUUUUN!"

"Yes, yes, I'm coming!" Conan shouted back, opening up the door and faced his enraged mob of friends and walked straight pass them to grab his jacket from the couch, apologies already dripping from his lips.

"You were taking so long." The trio gushed, voice full of unsuppressed excitement and anticipation as they rumbled on and on, brightening up and waving their hands with starry expressions of what was yet to come.

Ran smiled at the scene, somewhat ignoring Sonoko and her melodramatic speech about growing old without having tasted a sip of sweet love.

"Don't worry Sonoko." Ran said at last, after waiting for Sonoko to finish her moaning. "I'm sure you won't have to buy a house full of cats to replace a lover."

"That's easy for you to say," Sonoko sniffed and held the door open for the kids to walk out. "You have already guaranteed your position of as wife- Oh,I mean, his wife."

Ran pushed her out the door. "I told you not to start on this again!"

The door close behind them with a loud thud. Seconds ticked by before Mori peeped his head over his desk. Once he was convinced the coast was clear- that nobody would come back to take up a some random forgotten object- he dived for the remote control laying on the table and fumbled with the buttons before switching his favourite show on, silently praying he made it miraculously on time.

His brows twitched when he saw the credit scrolled up and sighed with heavy shoulders dropping down whilst he flopped down on his chair, aimlessly he flipped through the various channels. Flipping, flipping, flipping until- Aha! He grinned, sharp and cunning. Something worthy of watch.

Mori hummed, and leaned back on his chair. Listening to newsflash which in fact turned out to be the usual. His brows sank further. There was a missing cat, some people died, a rise in traffic, new type of fashion-blah, blah, blah, blah. Annoyed, Mori threw the remote control down and crossed his arms. This, wasn't how he imagined his free day to be like.

He was fiddling with his lighter when the narrator's voice lowered several vocal ranges. The previous person was replaced by a much older man who went on and on about a sudden frequency of heist across Japan and- what was that? Mori's brows rose. It was not done by Kid?

He turned up the volume and straightened up. He listened to the baritone voice in deep concentration, depicting that the man described by the narrator called himself 'Snake'. Apparently, a witness heard him call himself that during a pick off. Mori canted his head. He must be an amateur.

The detective squinted his eyes at the picture they put on screen- his next target, they named it. Mori crossed his arms and closed his eyes, feeling a familiar ripple driving through the back of his head. He was sure to have seen that picture before, but where?

He rubbed his chin with his thumb and pointer finger, vaguely wondering when he has gotten so forgetful when- Aha! He snapped his fingers. Kid planned to steal the same item today. He nodded his head in approved appraisal for himself when the narrator agreed with his thoughts.

They'll be competing. Mori thought then, about who is the better thief between the two. He laughed. Happy about his smart deduction. Why else would they steal the same item on the same day?

He chuckled before he turned off the television and stretched. Too bad I'm not into this stuff. He snickered. The police would've caught him long ago, if I had been on the case.

"Not everybody can have my brilliance. Ha Ha Ha!" He laughed then, brash and boisterous until a light bulb shone above his head and he grinned, crookedly. "Maybe I should help them a little..."

Unravel the unwavering truth that deceives this world. . .

"Aoko, we will be fine." Keiko rolled her hazel eyes when they stoppedon the sidewalk again. "How many times do I said that until you'll believe me?"

"Until my heart stops beating so loud." Aoko sighed and kneeled beside her bag, near stones and debris. "I'm just checking whether we have everything we need."

"You have been 'checking' every minute since we left your house."

Sapphire orbs rolled in perfect motion in their socket, chestnut coloured hair fell forwards, cascaded passed her face onto her slender shoulders. Aoko rummaged through her bag, mumbling under her breath, "My collapsible baton...the stunt gun...torches..."

"Really, we haven't even reach the tube stationyet. Aoko, I still see your house from here." She pointed at the towering apartment buildings that hovered above the trees and walls of newly build houses. A bit annoyed that her friend was ignoring her. "Aoko!"

"...Some old handcuffs...the good old pepper spray...oh, and your Taser..."

"Are you even listening to me?" Keiko placed her hands on her hips, bowed down to her. "Hey, AOKO!"

"...Water...some biscuits and- hey! I wasn't finished!" Aoko reached out for her bag, Keiko held away with both hands.

"No, you've been ignoring me. Why should I do you a favour for?" Keiko perched the glasses back on that Aoko flew askew with her still reaching hands. Keiko stepped away and turned her back towards Aoko as she closed the backpack.

"Don't exaggerated, Keiko. This was only my second time. Besides," Aoko gave her a pointed a stare. "We only just left my house."

"This could even be you fiftieth. I don't care." She threw her hands up, bag flopping to the floor with a crash as Aoko failed to catch. "I just don't want to be late for the heist. What if it's startsnow?"

Aoko threw her a look, placed the bag on her shoulder and stood up. "It's starts in an hour. We've plenty of time."

"And what if-"

Aoko blew strands of loose hair away from her face. "We have plenty of time. Calm down."

"Just know if anything goes wrong, I'll blame you." Keiko muttered and walked away, with an annoyed Aoko right behind her.

"Be my guest."

"What's up with you anyway?" Keiko asked, rounding the corner, almost crashing against another pedestrian before crossing the road. Artificial light illuminated the side of Keiko's face before a red glow striped over them from a passing car. "You've been on edge since yesterday. Are you scared?"

"Not really." Aoko squinted through the powered headlights, seizing Keiko's loose sleeve with her forefinger and thumb as she subtly guided her friend away from sidewalk. "This way is quicker."

"Are you sure?" Keiko's eyes wandered off, staring at the grease and reeking sacks strewn across the empty walkway, noticing with a shudder the eerie silence surrounding them, sighting dark strained walls and marshy ground along with it. "I don't think that's a good idea."

Aoko hummed carelessly and walked in. Keiko looked around once more before deciding to catch up to her best friend. "I swear if something happens-"

Aoko laughed then, bright and loud with pink scattered across her cheeks. Keiko jumped before blinking at her in wonder, still not used to Aoko's sudden mood swings. Keiko waited until the laughter muffle to some extent before asking what was wrong with her.

"You worry too much." Was all Aoko with unhidden happiness. Keiko gave her an uneasily stare, not liking at all the way Aoko's eyes seemed to shine brighter.

"See that?" Aoko suddenly pointed out. Keiko squinted her eyes through the dark, seeing vague figures moving, no- Keiko squinted harder- they were dancing, far off the end veiled by the evening fog. Keiko adjusted her glasses and turned to Aoko for clarification.

Aoko's smile widen. "They're shadow dancers. Their gym is right over there. You can see them from the window."

Keiko gazed at her confused, before a sign of understanding cross her features. "Ah, Kaito-kun showed you, didn't he?"

"Last Christmas." Aoko breathed out, still clearly in remembrance and Keiko smiled, interlinked their arms and whispered out a quiet: "Tell me about it" that set Aoko avalanching emotions free and occupied them in the meantime.

Keiko just hoped it was enough to distract her.

Kaito looked around the room one more time. The dancing people on the top floor, swaying in the light of the chandelier above them, sliver rays adorning them as they turned and twirled in rhythm to the music fluttering from wall to wall, room to room. Kaito's eyes lingered at the rich champagne rowed at the corner of the room, there were under-aged drinks and water were shoved at the far end, adjacent to the buffet casted at side in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows- his planned escape route.

He walked down the stairs into the foyer of the second floor where the lounge was, dimmed of smoke and burning tar. The brunette scrunched his nose and opened up several windows.

"Don't like the smell, kid?" Kaito turned around, meeting an older man sitting on a couch right underneath the shadows, hunched over his chair with a cigar in his mouth and an empty flask of alcohol in grasp. "You'll get used to it. Just stick 'round long enough."

"I think I'll pass." Kaito was about to go, eyes lidded in boredom and hands stuffed in his pocket, when a body blocked the door, manicured fingers held onto to three wineglasses and a bottle of something in the other as she leaned down. Flocks of long maroon strands fell over, brushing her skin as the woman sized him up.

"A bit young, but you will do." Her lips curled, glancing at the other men. "You agree?"

The man at the corner snorted. "Just gimme my drink."

The lady tasked, wading a slender finger at him. "You drank too much already. This is for the guests."

Kaito rose an unbelievable brow. "You're working here?"

The lady looked at him for a moment and then laughed, hazel eyes twinkling from direct artificial light. "No no no, I'm," She leaned forward, whispering in his ear 'undercover' before leaning back and saying out loud. "That's right! I'm an entertainer."

Kaito caught on and stepped back from the door, letting her walked further in to the room and close the door behind her as she exchanged sharp looks with the other man.

"We're clean. No camera, devices or anything." The men stood up and threw the bottle in the bin, perfectly sober much to Kaito's surprise. "I've checked."

The woman nodded and turned to the younger abruptly, her smile widening with each word that passed her lips. "You're the elite weapon aren't you? Tanaka-chan told me much about you. Though, I didn't believe her when she said you were kid, but- look at you!" She started turning Kaito from all side, despite the glasses in her hands, inspecting him from all sides despite his protests.

"Stop it. That's embarrassing even for me." The man scratched his messy blond hair, sharply cut. "The name's Hondo by the way, and that's Reika. We'll be working together."

"New orders?" Kaito stared at them. "From who?"

"Headquarters. Chaki-Keishi was concerned. Apparently, you didn't seemed to be on your best condition." He pointed at the dark circles beneath Kaito's eyes. "Do you even sleep, kid?"

The brunette's eye twitched, ignoring his remark. "It's Kaito."

"Kid." The man emphasised with a shrug and a pointed smirk the brunette wanted to punch out. "You're a kid. At least ten years younger than me, too."

Kaito grumbled, turned around, ready to walk out the door and put everything that happened in the last five-minutes behind closed doors forever, when the steady sound of clinking shoes and chinking glass reverberated inside the room. The woman sat the items at a table and rummaged though her handbag, fishing out a thin file from it. "Don't mind this fool. Rather, I hope you're aware of the current situation."

Kaito's eyes landed on her, unimpressed. "Current situation?"

"Yes," She tossed her hair back and sat down, crossing her legs as she flipped through the sheets. "We'll be dealing with multiples offenders tonight." Kaito's eyes sharpened on her, not missing at all how her eyes held a dicey glow for a second. "I assume you're keeping up with the news?"

Kaito shrugged. "Somewhat."

"Good. Then I'm sure you heard about this man." She held out an A4 size portrait of a man. Scruffy looking, Kaito noted, with untrimmed beard and old fashioned hat, familiar at that even.

"Who's that?" He asked anyway, already knowing the answer.

"We don't know for sure yet, but according to a witness his name is 'Snake'."

"A witness?" Kaito rose a brow, a bit sceptical. "What witness?"

Reika folded the paper, tucking it back into the wallet. "No need to know that, boy. Fact is, he'll be here tonight, probably not alone." She hesitated before declaring, "He might be working with Kid."

Kaito snorted. "Kid works alone."

"I wouldn't be so sure." Hondo folded his arms, cigar still loitering on tips of his lips as he glanced at Reika as if to dare her. "It's common knowledge Kaito has got an accomplice. So, why couldn't it be this 'Snake'?"

Quiz question, Kaito recognized and hid a smirked, folded his arms above his head, wandered off to the couch and flopped down. "They are going for the same objects. It would be stupid otherwise."

The blond smiled. "See?" He turned towards a frowning Reika. "Even this kid thinks so."

"It might be a diversion- something to trick fools like you." She huffed at Hondo's and Kaito's raised brows before exclaiming rather loudly. "They might have other goals in mind-!"

"Goals like what?" Hondo challenged. "Killing Suzuki?"

"That was an example." Reika spit out, slamming the file shut. "The point I made was that money might be involved. Many change under the influence of money, after all. Kaitou Kid may be no different."

Hondo snorted and put his sunglasses on, levelling a stare at her. "Lady, you got proof?"

Reika rose a brow. "Do you got proof?"

"Don't need proof. My deductions are merely hypothetical."

"Well, mine are then too." She flipped her hair back and smirked.

He stared at her for sometime, before glancing at Kaito. "You're with me, aren't you?"

The brunette shrugged. "Only if you stop calling me kid."

"But Kaito sounds like Kaitou. People will get the wrong idea."

"So does kid."

"Then I'll call you 'Boy'. How about that?"

"That's it!" They turned around to face Reika. "We can use that!"

Hondo crossed his arms. "No, we can not."

"We can." Reika gushed, excitement bubbling from her voice. "Boy can play the decoy-"

"He's a kid and ill at that." The man in shades shook his head. "He must not get involved too much."

"He belongs to the police force."

"Yeah, temporary."

"Why you're so scared?" The woman gave him a pointed look with furrowed brows. "You never used to be. In fact-"

"I don't want him to die." Hondo cut in, standing in the centre of the room with a presence that got Kaito shivering, yet Reika pressed on, seemingly unaffected by Hondo's dark vibe.

"We'll protect him."

"From a gunshot?" He laughed incredulous. "How're you going to manage that?"

"We're just-"

"Listen. I'm not sacrificing this guy," He pointed at Kaito as he spoke with such clarity. "To elicit some fool that is going to show his face up, anyway."

"Actually," Kaito grinned widely. "This might not be such a bad idea."

"Do you even know what you're talking about?" Hondo's eyes landed on him, somehow managing to burn Kaito's skin. The younger shifted on the couch, forcing himself to stay calm as the Hondo spoke up again. "This isn't some game anymore."

Kaito rolled his eyes, internally churning his queasiness into fine powder as he dismissed the elder with an intense glare. "If this is really important as you say, shouldn't you then come out clean, then?"

There was a surprised silence before Reika's laughter filled it in. "You sure are interesting, Boy. Tell me, what makes you say that?"

"You're undercover, aren't you?" Kaito drawled, silently adding, a bad one at that, in his mind before concentrating on the present again. "And you don't belong to the second division either. So, who're you're working for? It can't be the police."

"Sharp little boy, sharp, I must say." Reika clapped nearing him in little graceful strike before was Kaito caught in a blur of movement. He dodged, barely escaping the heel of her shoe. Her lips curled up again. "He has good reflexes, probably is flexible too. Do you want me to test him further?" She glanced back at her companion.

"No, he already met the success criteria." Kaito gazed back at Hondo, seeing the other male scribbling away on some paper. "I'll forward it on to Chaki-Keishi."

Kaito frowned at the exchanged and raised himself from the floor, adrenaline still rushing through him as he eyed the lady. "I'll take I was right, then."

"Yes, you were, Boy." Reika smiled. "We're the reinforcement, if things go wrong."

Kaito made a face, masking the uneasy ripple in his stomach. "Only two people? No offence but I don't think you'll be enough."

"Four." Hondo lowered his shades, staring him right in the eye. "We're four. But you're included if I were to like you proposition. So," He crushed the cigarette's bud inside an ashtray and eyed the younger standing across the room. "What's your plan?"

"Well," Kaito stepped closer, shuffling his hands inside his pockets again and smirked. "That depends on the amount of resources you have available." When Hondo motioned for him to continue, Kaito grinned, the lines easily made out from the fabric. "I draw that 'Snake' guy out for you. If," The last consonant wavers in the air, breathed out faint and feeble from Kaito's lips for a second or two before he resumed much more determined, "He chooses to shoot me down, it's certain that they aren't partners in crime."

"How?" Reika whispered, eyes glittering with something Kaito couldn't recognised. "How you're going to manage that?"

"Easy," Kaito's grin widened and ignored the way Hondo's disapproving glare burned his skin, summoning a dove with a quick flick of his wrist. "By playing the decoy, of course."

Truth that unravels in these hands. . .

"Boss, are you sure he'll be coming?" Snake glanced up from the rotten magazine he picked from the lobby and stared at one of his henchman- number 237, Snake noted. He was hidden behind the window, dark curtains veiling his body as he squinting through the binocular. "There are only eight policemen. Two on each side. Isn't that suspicious?"

"Nah," Snake made a vague motion of his hand and threw the magazine onto the table. "They might have resorted to a different approach. Say, is the roof open?"

"Somehow, yes, it's unguarded." 237 gazed back at Snake. "It's definitely a trap."

"Perhaps they installed video cameras up there. Something that doesn't require them to be there." 264 agreed hunched next to the door, gun raised as he glanced at them, quick and fleeting. "We shouldn't be going there."

"So you're planning on running away?" Swirls of bright red glowed through the dark as trails of smoke emitted from the cigar's bud held between Snake fingers. "Like a coward?"

"I'm merely suggesting we break in from somewhere else." 264 said, a beat of sweat gliding down the side of his face when he heard the familiar click of a gun, coal eyes turned towards the end of their socket, meeting a dim glow, bright red in the hands of Snake. His Ruger SR9, 264 realised.

"Oh, and where exactly?" The Boss said, pointing his gun at him.

264 swallowed before opening his mouth to say: "We could use the back entrance. Invading in after causing an uproar in the front half of floor one and the back of floor three."

"And the second floor?"

"Leave out, Sir. That's where most of them will be hiding from us."

Snake mulled it over, toying with his gun. "You mean to say, that Kid will be in the front of floor three during the explosion? Why is that?"

264 could feel 237 boring holes in his shoulder as if to warn him. The former breathed out, calmed his nervousness and focused. "He'll becoming from the roof. He likes the danger after all."

"And then, he'll be distracted from the explosions too- giving us a perfect opening." 264 breathed out relieved this time at Snake's words, before holding his breath again. "But, that's merely hypothetical. What if he chose to come from the front entrance? Even if he was to be distract by the explosion, it'll only last a moment. Surely, Kid will be exploiting the situation for himself."

"We have five to eight seconds to take him out." 237 said then, perching the binocular on his nose again. "Depending on his reaction time."

"We need to steal the Mother Of Pearls too. I give us ten minutes for that. Any more and we face the danger of getting arrested." He clicked the safety switch back on. "No more than twenty. Notify the others, 226."

"Yes, sir." 264 carefully opened the door for his work-fellow to walk out before closing the door, before glancing back at his Boss for a moment before resuming to guard the entrance of their Suite.

Snake leaned back and swivelled his chair to face the window, damping the pane with his smoke. This will be your last heist, Kid. He cackled. Enjoy.

"Security Cameras?" Nakamori shouted out to his fellow men buzzing around, setting up the final touches of their work. Nakamori beamed with pride. This was going to be it. Their final showdown. Final dispute. Final Face-off. Nakamori grinned. Today, I will finally win.

"Ready!" The voice barely reached his ears and with the corner of Nakamori's eyes he saw the speaker fumble with wires and ligaments, back against a board whilst his fingers connected the cables in quick succession and finally flipped the switch on, surveillance cameras flicking on all around him.

Nakamori grunted in approval and turned to the man behind him, ordering to tick the box before they left the room, wandered through the halls and inspected the next rooms. "Have the guests are arrived?" he asked mindlessly, closing the door of an empty room.

"Will be arriving shortly." The subordinate behind him answered, already ticking the box. "Check."

Nakamori nodded, folding his arms across his chest as he asked the next question. "Is everyone on position, then?"

"Point A and B are covered. C and D run into a problem." Another policemen announced as he halted in his step, facing Nakamori with heavy boxes propped nether his arms. Under Nakamori raised a brow, the young man quickly let out, "Some greenhorns took their badges with them. The officers in charge confiscated them, but don't know where to place them. They having a vote right now."

Nakamori spluttered incoherently before bursting out and ordering the younger with an ear splitting cry to tell those idiots to give the badges to him, of course.

A few steps behind the subordinate hid a smile. "Sorting out arising problems?" With the clipboard at hand, he ticked the next box. "Check."

Keiko blinked again, still not believing her eyes and waited awhile before blinking again. The image hasn't change much. "Are you sure this is the place?" She glanced at Aoko who silently nodded. "But, why is this place so unguarded? I didn't expect this."

Keiko was not satisfied at all, having spent the last 48 hours thinking on ways to smuggle her way inside, knocking out lolling police officers to go into inaccessible hallways, rooms, places, and even sacrificed sleep to unleash her excitement on her pillows and duvets. She groaned into her hands.

This is not what I wanted.

Besides her Aoko was still nodding with an unreadable expression on her face, seemingly unaware of Keiko's deflated expectation and sullen visage. "Dad told me, he'll try a different approach- that this was it. That he'll catch Kid, but-" She shook her head, quick and swift as if to shake the matter off her. "Whatever. I'm sure he has a plan. He is prepared, he always is."

"Aoko-"

"He is."

"Aoko," Keiko tried again, motioning to the long queue in front of the entrance. "Should we try the usual?"

Aoko titled her head in both direction as if to weigh her options before grinning quick and sharp. "No. Different. I don't want my Dad to know I'm here. We need something other than the Bring-Dad-Food-Parade."

Keiko hummed, pressing herself to the wall and tried to suppress the urge of hopping up and down of like some excited fool. "So, how are we going to get in?"

Aoko canted her head. "I thought you had a plan."

"I do." Keiko grinned, eyes glittering behind her lenses as she kissed ordinariness goodbye. She opened up the rucksack and pulled out a stunt gun and her Taser C2, waving them in the air as her grin widened. "We're going in from the back."

"That's not going to work. Dad set up cameras. He's going to see us." Aoko frowned. "Maybe we could disguise ourselves as police." Aoko sighed as she saw the horrified expression on Keiko's face. "All right. Okay. Tell me why not."

Keiko pointed towards the gallery. "Are you seeing the police anywhere? We'll be standing out if we do that. We can't afford that."

Aoko's brows furrowed more. "Then, how are we going in?"

"We'll force our way in. Hold this." She pressed the stunt gun into her hand and stood up from the ground, peeking over the corner where the people stood lined up in front of the entrance. "Don't lose it, alright? Keep it on you."

Aoko stuffed it into her pocket. "I have a bad feeling about this. What if things go wrong?"

Keiko laughed, dived into her pouch and held up a blue print in triumph. "Won't happened. I came prepared."

Aoko looked on amazed. "Where did you get that from?"

"Secret~" Keiko winked, giggling a bit before pointed at the red marked circle on the print. "We can sneak in from here. It's an underground tunnel from the previous construction. Do you still remember the old museum? The gallery was build on it a few years back."

"But how do you expect us to go all the way there when we're here?" Aoko pointed at their location that was around twelfth centimetre away from their destination on the printed paper.

Keiko gave her a look. "How do you think?" When Aoko continued to look bewildered Keiko hit her with the blue print. "We sneak in there, of course. How else?"

Aoko gave her uneasy look. "I don't know about this. Maybe we should stop. Yeah," She tried to smile. "Let's just go home."

"After having come this far?" Keiko rose a brow at Aoko's sheepish turning expression. "Noway. Come on. Let's get going. The fun is only starting."

The gallery hasn't changed much. The cases still stood on the same place Suzuki moved them to daisy prior as were the jewels displayed. Saguru hummed soft and quiet and rubbed his aching nose. You didn't need to pull that hard, Saguru thought mindlessly and stole a glance at the officer escorting him.

"I'm sorry, but this are the procedures." The officer said then as though he'd heard Saguru's thought. "Our means to ensure that Kid doesn't mingle with the crowds."

The russet haired huffed and crossed his arms. Doesn't bother to tell the other that Kid has already entered. "And? Has he been sighted yet?"

"No, not yet. But we're on the look out either way." The officer grinned, excitement lingering in his voice as he continued. "With the plan we're having Kid is bound to get overwhelmed at some point. He won't expect any of this."

"I expect you to do your best job then." Saguru's voice remained neutral, if not airy. Still sore on the matter. The officer sent him an odd look but stayed quiet until they reached the control room where Nakamori immediately ambushed him and ranted the tonight's plan in such a way it left Saguru speechless for several seconds. Out of shock? Maybe.

"Bullet proof, won't you say." Nakamori grinned, completely unaware of Saguru dazed expression. "To think that Kaito-kun came up with it, you sure are impressed, aren't you?"

"Not so much," Saguru said, finally coming out of his stupor and brushed his fingers through his hair. A gesture he rarely did. "It's risky. Too risky. I don't agree with any of this."

We falling right into his trap. He wants to say. This is exactly what he wants. Let's change plans. But Saguru knew nobody would listen to him, so he sighed instead. It's up to me now to righten this mess.

A hand slapped his shoulder then, light and jolly, strangely alien. He turned and met the warm eyes of Nakamori staring at him with a hint of expertise in them. "You're too tense, Hakuba-kun. Have a little faith, will you? If things do happen to go wrong, we'll improvise it. Why do you think the police is there for?"

If Saguru was worried before he was anxious now. This was wrong, so very wrong in so many levels. Nakamori was supposed to be wild and goofy, not calm and professional. Dread piled his stomach. Just what was happening with everybody?

Stay calm. He reminded himself and breathed out slow and drawn out. I need to stay calm.

"Say, Nakamori," Saguru begun once he regained his usual demeanour. "How are you're differentiate your men from the citizens though? Have thought of that?" Saguru hoped he did.

A subordinate with a clipboard tucked under his arm stepped forward, holding up one of those handy talky devices he'd always seen on the police. "We'll be using our radios through the night to communicate."

Saguru nodded a bit relieved, glad that there was still sanity left in them, that they didn't lost their minds completely. "I'll be looking around, then."

Nakamori nodded and then motioned for his subordinate to step closer, from the corner of Saguru's eyes he saw Nakamori pointing at the clipboard. "How many boxes were not ticked?"

The door closed behind he before he could hear a reply, and after a moment Saguru was entirely sure that it didn't matter. He'll be taking care of things from now on, anyway.

"Wow! look at that!" Ayumi pressed her nose closer to the glass pane, gazing at the burnished emblem of the Rubin ring. "It's so pretty!"

"This one is prettier!" Mitsuhiko shouted, pointed at a necklace two rows behind Ayumi and still plain in sight, Emerald, Conan recognised then, with a jaded silver design.

"This one is the prettiest." Genta blared over them all. "Just look at that. Isn't that awesome?"

"What is?" The two other elementary students perked up and rushed forward towards Genta with bright fascination. Conan yawned and looked around, peeking through a glass case after another as he wandered aimlessly.

"Aren't we early?" He asked then, canting his head towards Sonoko. "Almost nobody is here."

Sonoko gazed down, shifting her eyes momentarily away from the deep citrine brooch surprised before it melted away and a haughty look took over. "We're right on time. The others are being searched at the entrance before they're permitted to enter. See," She pointed at the door. "Some are already coming inside. You're lucky you came with me-" Conan tuned her out as his eyes wandered at the clients and customers that came in and toured around the main hall or walked upstairs. "Brat, are you even listening to me?"

Conan eyes snapped back to her face, noticing her knitted brows and laughed quiet and sheepishly, but thanked her nonetheless for her time. Once he was out of imminent danger he resumed his window shopping with little joy.

"Conan!" He turned and saw Ayumi waving at him frantically. "Come and see! You wont believe this!"

"Won't believe what?" He mumbled jogging towards the corner she disappeared to and found the trio huddled in a corner. He walked closer, sort of confused and mystified as to what they were staring at until glimpses of flutters of white feathers peeked between the gap of their bodies.

"It's a bird!" Genta shouted then, chest puffed out and arms crossed. "And I found it."

"A pigeon." Ayumi rectified, still in awe and reached out to touch it, pouting when the dove wavered away, distancing itself from her.

"A dove, you mean. A Java Dove." Mitsuhiko looked on, tugging Ayumi's hands away as she tried to reach for it again. "Don't. You'll scare it."

"I wonder what it's doing here." Genta neared it squatted down centimetres away from it. "Hey, did you came to watch the exhibition as well?" The dove gazed at him for a split of a second before looking away, ruffling its feather. Genta turned to his friends. "I don't think its vary talkative."

"Or maybe it just doesn't like you." Ayumi pondered before advancing forwards and stretched our a finger. "You want to hop on? I can give you a tour."

"It's an animal. It doesn't talk." Conan drawled, a bit amused at their childishness and crouched down next to Genta. "I wonder where his owner is."

"Right here." A muffled voice spoke up, Conan turned and met familiar misty, blue eyes, tousled hair, flushed cheek and a white face mask, but Conan was sure he'd never met him. "I'm glad you found Alva. I almost thought I'd lost him."

The dove, Alva, looked up as though he recognized the voice. The children watched stunned as it started to bat its wings and hopped off the ground towards the said owner, barely flying five centimetres high. "C'mere, my boy. That's right. That's good." The newcomer soothed, crouching low and stretching his arm out for the dove to rest on. "He's only about three weeks old. Barley got the hang of moving his wings." The teen explained then, patting the dove's head and grinned at the still staring kids. "I'm glad you've found him."

"That's your bird?" Genta asked sceptical and inspected the man's face. "You don't really seem able to take care of him."

Ayumi turned to him, horrified. "Genta, you don't say stuff like that."

"Yeah, apologise Genta." Mitsuhiko agreed. "That was really rude."

Genta shrugged. "He doesn't seem well- just look at his face. Didn't your mother let you stay in bed? Mine always let me when I'm ill."

The man raised an amused brow before he rose and wished his dove farewell. Their eyes widened when the dove disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"How did you do that?" Ayumi gushed, eyes bright.

The man grinned, sharp and quick. "A magician never reveals his tricks."

The colour of Mitsuhiko's face drained away as he stammered. "C-could y-you be- K-K-Kaitou-?"

"Kaitou Kid!"Genta shouted and pointed his trembling finger at him. "I found Kaito Kid!"

The elder chuckled and shook his head. "I'm just a wannabe magician." He grinned easily. "Nowhere near Kid's level. Though, I wish I'd be."

"Oh?" Conan looked at him, sharply. "You don't appear to be an amateur, though."

"What can I say? I had practice." He stuffed his hands in his pockets, grin not faltering in the least.

"You seem confident, too." Conan added then, suspicion evident in his voice that only made the male's grin widened further under the fabric.

"I am." There was a slight pause before he spoke up again. "How about I show you how confident I really am?" He fished out a deck of cards from his pockets, mixing and meshing it before spreading it evenly out in his hands in front of Conan. "Pick one." Conan gave him a sceptical look and the other combine the cards again before handing it over. "You can do it yourself too if you don't trust me."

The younger took the cards and mixed it himself before picking up a card and memorising it. "And now?" He asked voice full of boredom.

"Put it back in and mesh it again, if you want to."

"You know," Conan begun as he divided the deck in half and merged them together again. "This is a pretty old trick."

The man laughed. "Not for too long." He said taking the pack of cards off the younger and crushed it in his left hands completely, hiding it from view with his clenched fingers. His right index fingers tapped the back of fist three times before he opened up his hand again. Conan's eyes widened as he stared at the empty hand until he noted that it was raining cards all around him, descending like the lightest snowflake until it came to rest on the red carpet near his feet. Behind him, the trio gasped, oh-ed and ah-ed as they watched.

"Is this your card?" The man asked then, picking up a random card from the floor and held it up for him to see. Conan nodded, still trying to comprehend what how he managed to pull that off. With the flick of the man's fingers, the cards puffed away, disappearing from the floor to nowhere and for a second Conan wondered where exactly they disappeared off to.

"Are you sure you're not Kid?" Genta asked then, still astonished. "You may look weak but that just now was really awesome."

"Who are you really, mister?" Ayumi asked then. "You can't be some nobody."

"Me?" The elder turned to them, grinning slow and secretive. "I told you didn't I? I'm just a wannabe magician."

Conan snorted and muttered under his breath. By the time he gazed up, the man was already gone.

"He's so Kaito Kid. There's no-one else who could do that." He heard Ayumi say then with glinting eyes. Conan hid a smile as he saw them huddled on the floor again, almost as though they were discussing a secret.

"He's so young too." Genta supplied, smiling wide and boisterous. "Most magician on TV's are always so old and half as good."

"Hm," Mitsuhiko seemed conflicted. "But he looked so ill, shouldn't Kid be on his top condition today? After all he's planning to steal the Mother of Pearls. He might only be a wannabe magician, just as he said."

"This might be want he wants you to think." Genta huffed before gesturing widely with his hands. "It's a disguise to fool the police. Nobody will notice it's him."

"Yes," Ayumi stepped forwards and raised her finger. "He's so sneaky just like Kid."

"But we have already noticed him." Mitsuhiko protested. "I'm sure most people in here did too- his magic was that impressive."

Genta and Ayumi shared a glance before Genta spoke up. "What you're getting on about?"

Before Mitsuhiko could frustrate himself with his explanations, Conan took over, explaining rather smoothly. "Kid never brings attention to himself before his performance, the guy did though."

Ayumi mulled it over before saying that it doesn't made sense. Conan agreed. After all nobody would be foolish enough to expose their secret identity in public in front of so many people.

"I don't think he's Kid either." Conan said at last. But something wasn't right. He could feel it in his gut. Nonetheless Conan shrugged. "He might be hired to please the crowd. You know, to pump them up before the actual show begins."

The trio gave him a doubting look but ended up shrugging too. Conan didn't blame them, he could hardly believe his explanation himself.

But I'm going to find out, though. Conan thought, looking at the crowd where most likely the conjurer vanish into. The truth, that's it.

"Maybe we should keep an eye on him." Genta suggests then.

"Imagine we actually caught Kid before anyone else?" Ayumi squealed at the thought. "We'll be the best."

"The detective boys are on the move." Mitsuhiko agreed and held both of his hands high fiving the other two, completely ignoring Conan protests and objections as they ran off to the distant to fulfil their mission. Conan sighed and rubbed his temple. It's always the same thing.

"You don't even know where he is!" Was all Conan said as he sprinted after them as fast as he could. Somebody had to keep an eye on them, after all.

A daredevil shadow dances in glory. . .

Metres away, Kaito watched amused at the little kids running off and grinned. "The bait is set. We're ready to go."

"Already?" The voice on the other line seemed unsure. "I haven't been able to get a hold on her yet."

"Don't worry, Jii-chan. We can always prolong stage two." Kaito threw in easily, already punching in numbers on his other phone. "I hope you know what to do."

"Of course, I do. But-"

"Stop it Jii-chan. We'll be fine." Jii-chan hummed and Kaito took it as positive and moved to end the call, fingers hovering over the red button for a moment before held it up to his ear again. "Jii-chan?" Kaito waited, listening to the soft rustles and electrostatics. "I'm counting on you." He said anyway, knowing the other won't hear him anymore but a part of him still hoped the latter did.

He stuffed the phone in his pocket and walked up the stairs, listening to the steady beeps from his other phone. Kaito frowned. Why won't she pick up?

He quickly typed a message to Aoko and pushed the weird feelings in his chest away. I hope she doesn't do anything stupid. He bit the inside of his cheeks before shaking his head rather widely. There was no time to worry. He needed to concentrate. He glanced back, seeing the kids running nearer his whereabouts and quickly jumped up the final steps.

I can't let myself be found by them yet.