The shot that resonated from Snake's gun still startled Kaito out of his sleep even a month later. He could barely believe he made it out of the confrontation without serious injuries when his mother had barely escaped with her life intact.
Kaito knew better than to chalk up his current state of wellbeing as his own infallibility, especially when his mother's abilities were arguably on par with his own. Her stealth, in particular, was incomparable to none (other than possibly his father). To think that her skills and perception rusted during her years of inactivity would be a misjudgement at best.
However, for Chikage to be caught off guard was a strange matter, indeed. And frankly, it didn't sit well with him. Surely there must have been something that took her by surprise, otherwise an explosive device – attached to the case or not – would have been noticed by her.
Kaito didn't like to steer his mind to that direction, partly because it didn't make much sense, and the possibility of it happening was ludicrous at best. But, if he were to think it through, the only logical conclusion could be that either the explosive device had, indeed, escaped his mother's notice or the Phantom Lady had, in fact, chosen not to react even after having noticed the device up close. However, for what reason that might be he genuinely couldn't fathom.
Getting caught up in schemes that were conducted to harm Kid directly wasn't on the thief's job description. Even more so if it involved exposing third parties such as his spectators to danger.
Rather that particular trait of carelessness was a former trait the Phantom Lady possessed, which also the cause of her exploitation on the eve of his parents first meeting. Having been forced to engage in heists that exposed her to danger on several occasions after unsolicited clients had dragged her name into operations with falsified statements of notice that she had typically used to warn the victims of her heist beforehand.
However, this time their enemy wasn't a bunch of unsolicited clients that took advantage of the Phantom Lady's reputation. Instead, it was another corrupted figure who worked for a criminal syndicate in the pursuit of bringing about Kid's death.
Kaito had made sure to tell his mother just as much before she had taken on the suit of his father so many nights ago. The reason why she had chosen to go along with a dangerous scheme of someone else's choosing, he knew not despite his standing as her son.
The brunet only knew that if his mother had not been enhanced with critical thinking, quick judgement and thorough preparation skills by her previous profession – light injuries and stich-able cuts would not have been the only harm she had gotten. Although, it stumped him how his mother had the foresight to customise Kid's suit as fire-resistant. . .
Forget, the bulletproof vest she donned, the fact that his mother had prepared for the event beforehand let Kaito deduce that his mother had, somehow, suspected that matters would diverge so far out of control.
Kaito glanced at his mother, still asleep on the hospital bed. Not for the first time he wondered whether she had known things would pan out this way ever since she stepped out of the airplane.
But if so, what gave her the idea?
No matter how much he thought about it, the answers eluded him, seemingly non-existent within the shadows of his mind. Even as he stayed up well into the night, thinking about it until the morning rays flitted through his window, Kaito only met the hollowness of his thoughts and came to face with own inability to understand his own mother.
To think that matters eluded him thus far was a bitter pill to swallow. Especially, when the cause of his confusion lay right in front of him. And not for the first time, Kaito wished he knew what his mother had kept secret and had witnessed what she had seen to form a course of action corresponding to it.
However, a wish only another meaningless plea; one that Kaito had no time for.
"There's nothing new about Kid, Kaachan," he said, feeling a bit odd talking to his mother as a comatose patient even as the nurses had reassured that it was good to practice. Although, no notable damages were shown on her MRI scans, the doctors speculated that his mother was only rendered unconscious from the shock. Whilst, they were baffled as to why she had not wakened yet, they had thankfully not made any moves to forcefully wake her.
"The news-stations keep rehashing the same information. Obviously, no surprise there since they are keeping the case under tight wraps. But I guess, it's kind of a blessing, right?" Kaito smiled almost instinctively. Although he noticed that his attempt at a cherry conversion failed the moment his voice slipped out of his mouth, rough and groggy from sleep.
It was not surprising that Kaito had fallen asleep at his mother's bedside. Since the last heist he had suffered from insomnia. These hospital visits were the only place he felt relaxed enough to get some shut eye after having exhausted his brain power whenever else. It was only within these four walls he felt his mind grow numb, stumped by the limits of his own understanding, where he could only grasp at the few thoughts that wandered into his mind, when at home they would usually be wreaking havoc instead.
(Although, it still perplexed him how a brief closing of his eyes transformed few minutes of rest into a full-blown nap when he slept until the early afternoon hours.)
Kaito heaved a sigh when he glanced at his mother, "Jii-chan also consulted a lawyer. He said that most of the evidence is circumstantial so there's nothing much to worry about as long as we can disprove it. So, there's nothing to worry about."
Other than the slight twitch of an eyebrow, Chikage didn't move. Figures, Kaito thought, knowing how stubborn his mother could get. She was never into the reassurances from others and rather preferred solving any discrepancies herself. However, Kaito knew this wouldn't be the case this time. Not with her temporarily bedridden with multiple officers hovering around her hospital room on the watch. But no matter, Kaito already resolved to fix this. He spent the last months figuring it out and now he had a plan. As unreliable as his plans had proven to be, Kaito knew there wasn't any other alternative.
"Leave it to me," he said, knowing that underneath the thin sheaths of her eyes, his mother's gaze was trained on him, annoyed and worried.
"I'll fix this mess I started," he continued, purposely goading her on, hoping it was enough to rouse her out of her self-induced sleep and talk some common sense into him. But as expected Chikage continued to sleep, oblivious to his qualm, and for a moment he wondered whether she was, in fact, deep asleep.
It was five in the afternoon when Suzuki welcomed Ginzō into his drawing room after having requested to speak with the investigator about the progress of his case.
"Have you found the man responsible for poisoning me yet?" Suzuki asked right off the bat, once Ginzō has been seated and served a fresh cup of tea and the maid exited the drawing room. "The last I heard; the waiter is still missing."
"My apologies, but I am afraid to say that he is still. But I assure you, we are trying our utmost to track him and bring him behind bars." Ginzō said, trying his best to keep the details of the case hidden. The so-called waiter Suzuki referred to had been discovered to be an outsider who has sneaked into the personnel unit, pretending to be a waiter. All traces of him were more than difficult to find, which left the investigator in charge no other choice but to assign a profiler to the case. Currently the elder gentleman was still attempting to create an image of the perpetrator using the witness testimonies of those who have interacted with the 'waiter' during the heist.
"Bah! Lofty words," Suzuki dismissed as he sunk deeper into his armchair. "My granddaughter and her best-friend were found outside my gallery – sure, unharmed, but the mere thoughts that these criminals have done as they place at my gallery – the very gallery that I have entrusted to the police no less. Instead of protection, I've had my very life threatened as a result of your negligent manner of care. Moreover, my guests have received irrevocable harm that might have cost them their own very lives. And pray tell me, who is it, that bear this heavy responsibility under their name? I'm sure it is not yours, Nakamori Ginzō."
"I am aware of that."
"Then, tell me how you'll compensate me after having shown me such incompetency. Or do you intend to keep the information of this case to yourself?"
"I have to uphold my vows as an officer. I am afraid my duty refrains me from providing you with information more than I'm allowed to do. However, it is in my abilities to inform you that Kid's identity is still unknown. Whilst he has succeeded in accomplishing his aim by stealing the jewel, we are still unsure what his plan was in the grand scheme of things."
"You have the gall to tell me that you still haven't identified Kid as the cause of my building's demolition? Does the mere fact that he escorted my granddaughter and her best friend out of the building not prove my assumption that he had inkling about the explosions? Does it not prove that it is only right to denounce Kid as culpable on national TV?"
That was it. Ginzō realised. The reason why Suzuki was adamant to talk to him. He wanted to broadcast a charge order on Kid to incite the angered citizens of this city to track down any possible suspects of Kid.
"I'm afraid. It is not," Ginzō replied. "Whilst I agree that it is strange that Kid had relocated them personally when his mode of operation typically involved tying his victims up in toilet rooms, it is not enough to indict him. It is only another cause of suspicion for his case."
The inspector knew that his answers wouldn't satisfy Suzuki whose vendetta against Kid has grown considerably after the last heist. In fact, Ginzō had inkling that the old man would set a date for a press conference soon if the case does not progress within the next few days. As a matter of fact, Ginzō could not blame him. He had been surprised to see that the stubborn fool had managed to rein his anger and cooperate with the police despite the contempt he held for them for having erred so enormously.
It came of no surprise that Ginzō had been informed by his superior to give Suzuki the go-ahead for his press conference if he can no longer be contained within reason. However, that alone should only be a last resort since it would highly likely confound the direction of the investigation. Moreover, the instalment of such news would implicate a drastic effect on Kaito's family should his mother ever be discovered as the prime suspect of Kid's case. And with the extensiveness of Suzuki's resources, it was more than probable. The old man was more than ready to exploit every aspect of his high social standing to milk as much as information about the case as possible.
"Are you not angered?" Suzuki asked after having taken a sip from his tea. "Putting your duty as an officer aside, I've heard that your own daughter has been terribly injured in the last heist as well. As a father, I'm sure that you know more than anyone how imperative it is to lock Kid behind bars before more of such accidents can occur."
"I agree; but to accomplish that the necessary proof needs to be gathered –"
"You should feel relieved that I have taken the first steps to find that necessary proof," Suzuki interrupted. "I have scheduled a press conference with Nichiuri TV later this evening. Consider yourself blessed that I'm laying this bait for you even after your failure. Had it not been for your long-standing experience in dealing with Kid, I would have had you removed from the force about now so do not disappoint me a second time."
"Of course," Ginzō replied, having teetered on thin lines for a while now. "I swear upon the oath of I've taken as a police officer that I will not fail you." He added, knowing that with his recent track record none of his other accomplishment could summon even a fraction of the trust his badge could do at this moment. But for Suzuki it was seemingly enough as he leaned back into the confines of his armchair, his hands grabbing the armrests tightly.
"Good. I want him punished for the atrocities he has forced upon us."