"An odd place to meet a contact," Haibara murmured to him, stepping closer to him as they approached one of the bridges. The shogun's bridge was still lined with attendants and admirers, but the common bridges were bustling. Haibara squeezed his forearm as they crossed over the ponds, both of them watching the shogun's procession to the temple.
The man in the black suit followed after the attendants leisurely, smiling congenially at the crowd.
He had a relic pistol in a shoulder holster and a phaser at his side.
"I didn't get to choose," he said back, soft as he could.
With so many people and only one man in black visible, there was no way to tell where the other two were. And he had only Haibara.
He immediately regretted the thought, but the sentiment was still there.
This was a terrible place to meet a contact.
"And our only clue is 'to know is to see'?" Haibara asked, tipping her head down as they passed by the guards standing post at the entrance to the festival grounds. People dressed in kimono of every lurid color swarmed around the nature displays and the rope fencing that marked off the archery ranges.
"To know not with the eyes but with the mind," Shinichi concluded. "My only thought would be the attendants. We know who watches the rest."
"And we can waste the days we have left finding no one," Haibara said, scanning the grounds as the drums started and the main event began.
Ritual drums hushed the crowd and the procession to the archery ranges started. Three men and three women in ceremonial outfits carried their bows to the stationary targets, acknowledging the crowd briefly before turning to the shogun's stage and bowing.
One of the women caught his eye, raising her head and brushing her ponytail out of her face.
Kazuha.
"What's she doing here?" Haibara asked, noticing her at the same time he did.
"Hattori said they'd been summoned. He didn't say what for." Shinichi watched Kazuha take her stance in her lane, raising her bow high to the awe of the crowd around them.
She straightened her back, gripped the bow, and raised it over her head as she turned to face the target. She brought it down fully extended and the arrow was even with her mouth. She released it, letting the bow spin in her hand, and the arrow struck true in the center of the target.
The crowd cheered for her.
She did it three more times, each striking the center of her target.
And at the end, she was led to the shogun's stage. Two of the male archers who also struck all bulls-eyes lined up next to her and one of the shogun's attendants tied white cloths around their left arms. The shogun said something to them, but the crowd was too dense and loud to hear it.
"Another hostage, but this one kept in the public eye," Haibara concluded.
They were directed to the stage next to the shogun's, sunk slightly lower but perfectly visible all around. Kazuha kept her eyes forward as they were seated, keeping her hands folded on her lap.
He couldn't see Hattori, but he had to be near. He wouldn't leave Kazuha alone in this cesspit.
"I assume you're who I'm looking for."
Haibara's hand tightened on his arm, fingers digging in hard enough to bruise. Shinichi turned to look at the man, a tawny-haired man in a blue and white kimono patterned in clovers. He had a relic watch cradled in his palm, the aged bronze cover snapped closed. He tucked it away and stared at them, eyes narrow and mouth turned down.
"You're who we're to meet?" Shinichi asked, angling himself in front of Haibara.
"I'm to take you to the best view." He led them away, cutting through the crowd. An elderly couple stood together near end of the roped track for the archery. They parted as the man led them to the red braided rope, creating a gap right at the end of the track.
"And we wait," Haibara said, glancing around them.
"Not for long," the man said.
And the drums sounded.
And they only grew louder.
Shinichi turned to watch the crowd' reaction, sensing the excitement in the air. The crowd was chanting, quietly under the sound of the drums, but when the drums stopped, the crowd grew louder.
"KID! KID! KID!"
"The shogun's pet thief?" he hissed, narrow eyes on the man who led them here.
The man said nothing, staring him down until Shinichi looked away.
"He won't help us." Haibara tugged at his arm. "We should leave now before we're found."
"Leave. I won't stop you." The man shifted, tucking his hands into his sleeves and turning to the start of the track expectantly.
Shinichi looked back. At the start of the track, KID was seated on the reddest mare Shinichi had ever seen. It towered over the crowd, frothing at the mouth with fanged teeth. He appeared unconcerned with the rabid animal, waving congenially even as the attendants ran back.
"That's one of the shogun's war horses. You can tell by the mods," Haibara observed. She wasn't pulling him away yet, possibly having second thoughts but more likely seeing that Shinichi wasn't going to be moved.
They would have been sent here for a reason.
If KID could help them...
KID's procession wound its way down the track, KID waving at the spectators who cried out even louder at his acknowledgment. KID passed them, not even glancing down before they finished the procession and KID kicked the mare into a gallop back to the beginning of the course.
It was deathly fast, the cybernetic mods along its legs and spine glittering in the morning light. And KID wasn't bothering to slow down, only reining in the mare at the last moment.
KID bowed to the shogun, but with his traditional outfit it was difficult to see how genuine he was. KID fired a whistling arrow down the course as he righted himself, the blunt arrow plowed into the sand right in front of Shinichi. Their contact reached down through the barrier and grabbed the arrow, offering the shaft to Shinichi.
"You'll want this," he said, holding it between them until Shinichi took it.
KID flashed the fan next, dancing it through the air. He tossed the fan to the crowd, eager fans scrambling for it.
And then he pulled out a white ribbon, tying it around his eyes and gripping his bow and arrow when he had it knotted.
"Who would do this blindfolded?" Haibara asked, shaking her head in disbelief.
The mare stirred under KID, eyes rolling, mouth working at the bit, hooves stamping the sand.
There was a moment of stillness.
The crowd hushed.
And KID was off.
Each arrow struck hard and true, breaking the white targets. And he did it all blindfolded, riding a beast that lunged and surged unevenly as it struggled against KID's guidance. KID yanked off the blindfold after the last target, both hands grasping at the reins suddenly and pulling the mare short.
It fought him, fanged teeth striking out at everything it could reach.
And a gunshot cracked the air.
The mare stilled, blood running down its neck. KID's white clothes bloomed red, and still the crowd cheered for him.
"What's going on?" Haibara whispered frantically, KID seated in front of them and acting as if nothing had happened.
"Nothing to interfere with," the man next to Shinichi warned, "Wait."
"Escort him to me." The voice echoed over the crowd, hushing them as everyone realized the shogun had spoken.
Guards broke through the crowd, creating a path for KID to get to the stage.
The shogun stood as KID stopped at the stage. He walked over, placing a hand on KID's face, some exchange that he couldn't hear or understand. And then KID was sent away, the mare's flanks twitching with heavy breaths.
"Do you understand?" the man asked.
Shinichi didn't.
Nothing made sense.
Why would they need KID? KID, who was loyal to the shogun, who stole precious things right from under their owners, who stole people without leaving a trace.
KID who had to have taken Ran.
KID...
Who had carved a message into the shaft of the ceremonial arrow.
Shinichi deciphered it quickly, breath stuttering as he realized what it meant.
"Ran's okay."
"What?" Haibara asked.
"She's okay." He held up the arrow. "See this character? Ran's the only one who knows to use this one this way. KID wouldn't have know to write his message this way. She's okay."
Somehow KID had made her safe.
"Why?" Haibara asked, cutting to the point. "Why would KID bother?"
"Because I've been stolen from, too."
That was KID. Not KID the performer, but KID's civilian persona. Shaggy brown hair mostly hid the horrific burn covering the right side of his face, but only mostly. It looked old, but it twisted what would have been beautiful features into something bitter.
"She's quite a girl. Strong." Kid paused. "Reminds me of someone I knew once."
"I don't believe we were introduced," Shinichi said, holding the arrow tightly and reaching back to take Haibara's arm in his. He felt better once she was right at his side.
"Hakuba Kaito," KID said, hooking his arm into the tawny-haired man's. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Hakuba Suguru."
"My husband," KID said, smile pulling up half his face.
"My political hostage."
"It all depends on your viewpoint."
"As long as you're viewing it as truth."
This didn't appear to bother KID.
"I think a walk is in order," Hakuba said, leading them away from the track and the crowd cheering for the next archer.
"How can you be a political hostage?" Haibara asked.
"Who knows KID's identity?" KID asked.
"KID and the shogun," Hakuba answered.
"And if KID is removed from the picture, who suffers?" KID asked.
"The shogun," Shinichi anwered, "But wouldn't it just be easier to take KID himself?"
"Because KID nearly killed himself the last time that snake tried to take him for himself," KID said, viciousness hidden under a smile. "So he watches me, calls on me, and lets me run as free as his leash lets me go."
"And as KID's a beloved pubic figure well-connected to the shogun, if KID's true identity and activities ever came to light, that could spell the end of the shogunate." Hakuba pulled KID closer to him. "And we're quite willing to let that happen."
"So what do you need us for?" Shinichi asked.
"I've heard you need a silver bullet to kill a monster," KID said, eyes hooded as he glanced over his shoulder.
"What was that display earlier? Why shoot at you if you're so valuable?" Haibara asked.
"Theatrics. I'll be killed on his terms at any time. That was a warning." KID leaned into Hakuba. "Your girl reminds me of someone so very strongly."
