The conference was hosted at a local courthouse. Its size was considerably large; however, when the event manager informed Suzuki Jirokichi about the freelance journalists, reporters and their respective cameramen who have infiltrated the courthouse, Jirokichi wondered whether he had underestimated the amount of interest a couple of statements regarding tonight's events would garner. Of course, he had expected to receive arrivals from 'uninvited' guests after the publicity stunt from his PR team. Although, he did not expect them to arrive in hordes. . .
"Do we have enough seats?" he asked one of the event managers, who seemed to be at a loss as much as Jirokichi; overwhelmed at the sudden increase of guests (although in contrast Jirokichi, himself, felt incredibly pleased).
"No – we'll need to have them take the floor; there's no other place left," the event manager answered, and from his reply Jirokichi knew the man must have worked under him for quite some time to not even be considering turning the reporters away.
"How's the preparation coming?"
"Ah, almost done. We should be able to continue as planned. And before I forget here–" the event manager passed him the script of his speech, having been approved by the officers, who were standing further back after having invited themselves into his conference and demanded to have look at tonight's programme, including the script of his speech. Seemingly the updates he had tasked his PR team to post on social media had not escaped the prying eyes of the police as Jirokichi had wanted. But no mind, it wasn't as though, he hadn't expected it.
Since the phone call he had received from one of the high ranking official, who had gone out his way to give him a censored version of the things he was 'allowed' to talk about in front of the media. Jirokichi had arranged several meetings with his legal team to discuss his legal and personal rights, as well as the extent of power, police authorities could exercise on him at the night of his conference.
Trying to intimidate him into submission was a gutsy move, but unfortunately for them, Jirokichi wasn't a man to cower in front of a forceful version of the law. Police-Anxiety be damned.
From the beginning Jirokichi knew he would not be getting the standard of press that he desired as long as the police interfered. Their hesitation had been hindering the progress of the investigation. Ever since Evening Newsround released an exclusive footage of Kid on the night of the heist, their news ratings had skyrocketed by the millions.
And now bureaucrats from Police Headquarters had the jitters that any distribution of the video could be interfering with the investigation, especially once found out that the exclusive footage was, in fact, a copy from one of their important source materials (that had somehow gotten in the hands of the press).
Now, with a certain footage confiscated after its first and only broadcast, the inspectors on the case were directed to withhold any progress from media outlets.
However, with every citizen of Tokyo frequently switching on their preferred new channel for an update about the investigation, the damage had been done. Every media outlet was milking the case for what it was worth. Since then, they had been blowing every minor detail from the case out of proportion, revisiting earlier narratives by cross referencing conspiracy theories that suddenly flooded the social media sites under #NotKid. After an independent newspaper company produced an article from an established psychologist, claiming to have analysed Kid's behaviour on the evening of the heist and wrote an extensive list of evidence indicating his involvement with the case.
Naturally, Jirokichi had pulled a few strings to invite this psychologist here on this very stage.
With the expert's extensive analysis of Kid and a copy of the aforementioned exclusive footage (that Jirokichi had fought tooth and nail to acquire, mind you), it was finally possible to condemn Kid publicly with a piling list of criminal charges that his personal investigation team had complied. Thanks to the son of the Superintendent General, Saguru Hakuba, who spend a good portion of his time installing the surveillance cameras with another member of the Secret Task Force, who Jirokichi couldn't remember from the top of his head. . .
However – now, with compelling evidence forced into the eyes of the public, every member flooding statement under the #NotKid banner will be forced to acknowledge reality.
Jirokichi couldn't ask for a better situation. The prospect of being able to tear the entire Kid fan base apart was a definite marker that spelt the end for Kid.
Because what was Kid without his support group anyway?
A mere magician who is unable to access the stage. And without a stage, there would be no more heists. No more spectacular shows. His grandiose acts of magic would be regarded as no more than simple thievery.
Once forced to relinquish his showmanship, Kid's mask will be forced to drop, and every citizen of this nation will be forced to view him as he had always been – a miserable crook, who was addicted to the chase; hooked on the exhilarating thrill of being moments away from being caught as he followed his impulsive desire to rob jewelleries of his fancy.
Jirokichi will stop at nothing to reveal the true face of Kid to every citizens of this country. Here, at this conference.
Once the clock struck, and the event managers signalled him the O.K. Jirokichi stepped into the barrage of flashing lights. His was gait erect and composed as anyone would expect of a man accumulating a fortune. Self-assured with a strange certainty that this time he would not be sabotaged.
When Ginzō had been summoned at Chaki-Keishi's office, he did not expect his superior to invite him in the late evening hours. He sat through the stifling silence as an intern prepared a cup of tea for the two of them. A cup that Ginzō was sure he would not get a chance to drink based on the harsh furrow of his superior's brows as he pulled up a recorded broadcast of Suzuki's conference on the small portable monitor that he had placed on the coffee table once the intern had left.
"I am sure you haven't had a look at this, had you?" he muttered as he played the clip at a particular point, knowing that his officer had spent a considerable amount of time gathering testimonial statements to the point of having neglected his own personal time of leisure and shut eye.
Ginzō strained his gaze at the smokescreen the monitor showed. From the nature of the grey puff of clouds, he could already tell it was one of Kid's smoke bombs. "Wait, hasn't this video been confiscated? How did the old man get his hands on this?" A familiar burst of irritation hit him. "Don't tell me those reporters managed to sneak into the surveillance room again!?"
"No," came the quick response from Chaki-Keishi, halting his officer's burst of anger before it could escalate into another maniacal fit, and this time, the superior officer couldn't blame him, having had a fit himself once he had to send several officers to escort a group of reporters out of the building who had somehow infiltrated the Surveillance Room with the surprising stealth of cockroaches. . .
"This video is a part of the evidence Hakuba's surveillance system had captured. I'm not sure how Suzuki had managed to get his hands on it yet, but that's not the problem. Focus on this."
Chaki-Keishi replayed that particular part and once more in slow motion when Ginzō could not detect anything. This time, behind the welling smoke, the inspector could recognise the silhouette of a person. The replayed part lasted only for a fraction of seconds but to Ginzō whose facial recognition features in his mind still worked perfectly well, the identity of the person was quite clear.
"Impossible," Ginzō breathed but the blatant evidence in front of him was disprovable. That was unless it had not been manipulated–
"No. That's the original footage. Untouched and unedited," Chaki-Keishi informed him, having spent long enough with Ginzō to recognise the unspoken questions in his mind that his mouth couldn't convey.
Ginzō rewound the video again, shocking his system with another dosage of questionable truths, his mind grappling with what it saw. Behind the smoke, the moving silhouette was definitely his neighbour of ten years. In his arms was his injured daughter limp in his grasp.
Ginzō didn't need to see her face to recognise her coils of brown hair, her favourite navy jacket and the sneakers she liked to wear out to death. And whilst he knew she was injured during the heist; knew it was Kaito who carried her out, he had never fathomed to see his nemesis to appear at the same spot Kaito's familiar silhouette disappeared under the smoke; never expected it to be Kid who wafted his bulletproof cape over the fragile form of his daughter as ceaseless shots penetrated through the speakers.
"From your reaction I presume you had no idea, just like I suspected." Chaki-Keishi affirmed as he placed an arrest warrant on the table, wrapped inside a clear plastic wallet. "Don't hold it against me, but I will need to remove you from the Task Force. At least until the investigation ended."
As Chaki-Keishi had expected it to come as a shock, he quieted down, leaving enough silence for the inspector to run the facts through his head one more time and come to terms with the consensus brought down by his superiors.
However, instead of focusing on the decision at hand, Ginzō pushed it out of his mind and replayed the video clip one more time when another thought plagued him.
"Has this been streamed on live TV for everyone to see?" Ginzō asked, still drilling holes into the footage.
Chaki-Keishi didn't answer right away, staring at the dark beverage inside his teacup as though he needed more time to find the right words to express the matter without complicating it any further.
"No," he said at last. "We were lucky that Suzuki was sensible enough to only stream the appearance of Kid. But I won't deny that the damage has been done; especially since the psychologist he hired put on quite the show as he hyped up his idea that Snake and Kid had a fall-out as shown by the shoot-out."
"I heard that," Ginzō admitted, having heard titbits on the radio as he drove to his superior's office. "Apparently the shooting began the moment Kid refused to cooperate with the Snake any longer, desiring to keep the gem to himself and going as far resorting to use my daughter as a meat-shield."
Chaki-Keishi was more momentarily stunned at the ease his office talked about the matter that greatly impacted his daughter in such a disturbing manner; and Ginzō found himself perplexed at his superior silence. He couldn't have believed what that faux psychologist waffled on National live TV, could he?
Ginzō rewound the video one more, clearly pointing at the silhouette running down the hallway through the smoke, and from the layout of the building and signposts on the walls, the inspector could already infer that Kid was heading towards the staircase, leading to either the second floor or the roof.
"Whilst I admit the trajectory of the bullets is impossible to see on this video, he is clearly protecting my daughter, no?"
"Now what makes you say that?" Chaki-Keishi asked, gazing at the video yet again. "The cape of his suit his braced in front of him, isn't it? he is clearly protecting the front of his body from the approaching bullets fired on him. Had he been protecting your daughter wouldn't he be running away from the bullets instead?"
"And leave his back exposed? With all due respect, I doubt Kid is wearing a bulletproof vest." On the video Ginzō pointed at the suit Kid wore. As barely visible as it was, in his twenty years as inspector who had spent more than eight of those studying Kid's mode of operation, he knew when the thief was trying to save his own hide. "That cape is the only bulletproof thing he has. That's why he is desperately trying to cover the front of his body with it."
"So according to you, he is protecting your daughter by charging right into the firing field? Nakamori-Keibu, can you hear yourself speak?" Chaki-Keishi was beyond flabbergasted at the strange take on Ginzō's logic, and the superior wondered whether it was this error on in his officer's judgment and assessment skills that brought on this long history of Kid's unapprehend reign.
"Of course, I can. It makes sense. Had Kid worn a bulletproof vest, he would be running away from the bullets, no? there would be no need to be covering my daughter with his cape, especially since Snake had already seen her. But he did; and that's because he does not have bulletproof vest. He was left without a choice but to run straight into Snake."
When Chaki-Keishi was still disturbed at his deduction, Ginzō wondered what the matter was his superior who couldn't see through the situation at hand.
"Someone as cowardly as Kid, who runs away at every confrontation with the police is suddenly charging right ahead at a field of bullets? By using a meat-shield? I'm sorry but this does not make sense. Kid has always valued the safety of his spectators, regardless of whether said spectator is my own daughter. He is not the type to be doing this." Ginzō adhered to his opinion, even as the furrowed expression on his superior's expression twitched into scowl.
"Perhaps, it does not make sense to you, Nakamori-Keibu. But surely that's because you've been failing to see Kid for the criminal that he is. Whilst I agree that Kid had shown consistency to his approach to thievery. It would be foolish to assume he could never step outside the standard he had set up for himself." Chaki-Keishi reprimanded. "Now, I agree that is, indeed, an unusual sight. However, to negate the possibility that the psychologist is correct based on mere assumption is not exactly professional Nakamori-Keibu. I have reasons to believe your personal feelings are swaying your judgements."
"Do you believe that because I'm now a person of interest in this case? If that's the case, then let me share this with you." Ginzō asked, unperturbed by this sudden turn of distrust. "Recently I have been informed that magicians prepare themselves for their demonstrations. It's reasonable to assume that they know their stage like the back of their hand. So, tell me, Chaki-Keishi, how come Kid came on his heist ill-prepared?"
It was now that his superior officer was interested, and from the keen expression on his face, Ginzō figured that he must be zealous to find more evidence on his daughter's childhood friend that either added to his innocence status or criminal charge. But this time, Ginzō couldn't exactly offer evidence to either when now he was questioning the innocence of the young man, himself.
"If Kid and Snake had collaborated on this event, why would Kid willingly allow himself to be in danger by not preparing adequately? Well, of course, you can infer that he was pretending to be vulnerable, but to what end? brazenly establish his innocence after having us witness his cruelty that's now causing him to face the possibility of losing his precious fan club? Taking these consequences into consideration, I highly doubt he was working together with Snake."
"Ah, so you're implying that Kid is a victim of the heist, and in part innocent of the tragedy that befell?" Chaki-Keishi asked, his expression increasingly twisting into a grimace. "Honestly, it's shameful enough that the explosives have not been noticed by your team. But to be cowering behind the theory of Kid's inadequate preparation, and assume that the thief, himself, hasn't noticed it, is reaching too far, no?"
"Not at all." Ginzō said, bearing the thoughts that had weighted on his mind ever since he first recognised his neighbour's face on the video, and whist he was still frazzled by the possibility, one thing remained clear to him. "If Kid is Kaito as you presume then it's all the more worth noticing it – because it was Kaito, who expressed that theory to me."
At this Chaki-Keishi could not hide his bewilderment.
"It does not make sense, does it?" Ginzō said, on the verge to reveal the same thoughts that had spun his mind ever since he first came home from the heist and he laid under his bedsheets, thinking about the heist and the traces of his mistakes hours tick tocked away. But the inspector held himself back, and only revealed what he thought was necessary. "And do you know what's truly troubling about this case is? The more I think about it, the more I find myself questioning whether Kid had intended for us to come to his conclusion."
"Stop." Chaki-Keishi pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to gather his bearings, grappling with the information his officer shared along with its implication. "Do you really think a single person could have thought this far-ahead to establish their own innocence?"
"I'm not sure. But now that you've shown me this video, I can't help but ask myself whether the person I have been interacting with this entire time has been Kaito, or simply Kid pretending to be Kaito all along."
When Chaki-Keishi took another moment to mull it over, Ginzō briefly closed his eyes. He had known what the consequences would be once he voiced the doubts he harboured in his chest. He had spent enough time in the force to know when a case was being build against him, and his superior had called the shots since his neighbour Chikage had been found dressed in Kid's suit. Although now, Ginzō could say with confidence that another arrest warrant would be laying on the desk by tomorrow morning; one for himself and his daughter, who had seemingly spent a considerable time with Kaito on the night of the heist.
Whilst, the extent of her involvement was still unknown, the father figure in Ginzō still hoped that her appearance was nothing other than coincidental.
Although his gut instinct told him otherwise.
Reluctantly, Ginzō placed his badge on the desk. He would have preferred to uncover the truth for himself, but given the state of the matter, he had no choice but to trust his colleagues to retrace the events of the heist to extract the truth from the frazzled pieces of Kid's and Snake's plan.
Chaki-Keishi glanced at the badge, puzzled. "What are doing?"
Ginzō blinked at his superior. Quite sure that the latter had bluntly kicked him off the force moments prior. "I'm on a suspended leave from now on, aren't I?"
"Not at all. I'm actually planning to transfer to another case – a case that is still somewhat related to the heist." Chaki-Keishi admitted as he pushed Kaito's arrest warrant across the table for his officer to take a closer look (which he did), as well as another file.
Ginzō was surprised to find that it was a case report from the Secret Task Force.
"According to this, Kaito had assigned to be the decoy for the heist."
"Meaning?" Ginzō asked as he skimmed and scanned through the pages, only glancing up when Chaki-Keishi released sigh, heavier than the last.
"They are claiming that Kaito pretended to be Kid undercover through the entire duration of the heist."
No way.
"Yes," Chaki-Keishi nodded, reaffirming his statement when his officer started at him in disbelief.
"Then the video clip–"
"Maybe, you're on to something," the superintendent said as he placed another report on the table. "To be honest, I still have my qualms regarding this. However, I cannot deny that you pointed to the same evidence and conclusion as Reika did. I'm not sure how much you were involved in their farce, but it rubs me the wrong way to think that anyone – much less a teenage kid could have thought this far-ahead."
Wait.
"Doesn't that mean—"
"Yes, I'm giving you to the choice to transfer to the Secret Task Force." Chaki-Keishi said. "Once there, you will need to investigate the full extent of Kaito's involvement in the heist, the reason why his mother and your daughter were targeted, and whether any of those three have had – or still have – a connection to Kid. However, investigating this won't be easy. Especially since you're a person of interested, and thus investigated too. I'm afraid that your colleagues might even be withholding information from you or hold you in contempt."
"But I'm the only person involved on the case with a connection to all three suspects as well as comprehensive knowledge on Kid." Ginzō concluded when his position dawned to him. It wasn't as though he was suddenly acquitted of doubt. Rather – "You need me to assist you with any knowledge that I have."
Chaki-Keishi's stern expression, Ginzō realised that his thought process was right on the mark. If he were to take up the offer on the transfer then anything he said from this point onward would only continue to indict not only himself, but potentially his daughter as well as the Kuroba residence.
"I would have to think about it." Ginzō said, knowing that his superior must have been thinking that if his officer were a hundred percent innocent, he would have had every intension to absolve himself right away by cooperating fully with the Secret Task Force. However, with several lives burdened on his shoulders, Ginzō didn't feel comfortable making any hasty decision – at least not until he had put his thoughts together first.
As much as it's troubling to think that someone could have thought this far ahead. At this point Ginzō would hate it even more if any decision he would make from this moment onwards would be a part of Kid's calculations as well.
This chapter turned out to the very dialogue heavy, and I'm not sure whether I did the conversation justice. Since I have been trying to write from Nakamori and Chaki's perspective who do not know that Kaito is Kid, they are trying to make heads and tails out of the situation.
To clear up any confusion:
1. Suzuki Jirokichi believes Kid's true criminal side is finally showing. According to Jirokichi, Kid worked together with Snake and therefore knew about the explosion. He thinks that Kid betrayed Snake which resulted into the shoot-out where Aoko got injured. The psychologist fed into this narrative, claiming that Kid intentionally ran into the direction of the bullets, despite carrying Aoko in front of him and thus used her as a meat-shield to protect himself from Snake (because apparently Kid is a deranged criminal like that).
2. In contrast Nakamori believes that Kaito/Kid ran towards the exit (direction of the bullets aka. heading towards Snake) so Kaito/Kid could get himself and Aoko out of harms away. The only bullet proof thing he has was the cape from his Kid suit which meant he could only protect the front of his body where he carried Aoko (since he couldn't piggy-back carry her due to her injury).
Regarding these statements:
"The more I think about it, the more I find myself questioning whether Kid had intended for us to come to his conclusion."
And,
"Do you really think a single person could have thought this far-ahead to establish their own innocence?"
Nakamori is piecing together that Kid should have been prepared in his heist, like every magician is – meaning, he should have known, or at least found out about the explosives, and taken the necessary steps to dispose them. And if that's impossible, he should have notified the police about it, and retracted the heist from happening.
However, Kid did not.
For Chaki-Keishi this shows that Kid has changed and that he does not care about his spectator. His awareness of the explosives and his lack of action to call off the heist implies that he is complicit, and possibly working together with Snake, much like Suzuki believes.
However, to Nakamori, Kid's lack of notification about the explosives shows that he had no idea. This is hard to understand for Chaki-Keishi because Kid has record for avoiding and escaping police traps. Hence, much like the traps, Kid should have noticed the explosive devices, and called off the heist).
Now this is the tricky part.
It is because Kaito said in ch.5 that magicians know their stage like the back of their hand, Nakamori is convinced that Kid did not know about the explosives because he showed up in the heist 'ill-prepared'.
However, if the Kaito from ch.5 is Kid in disguise – then it was Kid, who announced to Nakamori that every magician should be prepared. Hence, Kid's lack of preparation is essentially tricking Nakamori into believing that Kid's lack of preparation means that he is not involved with Snake as he did not know about the explosives, and therefore innocent.
Thus, Nakamori finds himself questioning whether Kid had intended for them to come to the conclusion that he is 'innocent'. Because technically, Kid could still be involved with Snake and have known about the explosion, and only pretend to be innocent just because he was apparently 'ill-prepared'.
Therefore now, Nakamori is conflicted to view Kid as innocent or complicit.
And he is contemplating whether Kid had thought this far-ahead to establish his own innocent ever since ch.5 (where he was pretending to Kaito). This makes Nakamori uneasy because from this perspective, everything seems to be going according to Kid's scheme, which essentially unsettling Nakamori even more.
These are the premises the most chapters are founded and built upon from this chapter onwards, so I wanted to make sure I fleshed them out as clearly as I could so everyone is at the same page. To be honest it was quite difficult to write all this information in a dialogue without making it sound so contrived xD