The Truth that Remained a Mystery

Disclaimer: I in no way, shape or form own or operate Detective Conan or any of its characters

Thanks again for the reviews guys! Yes, I'm trying to slowly add more and more action to the story each chapter.

"I said I would explain everything later! Now lets go." Conan shouted as he took Ran's hand and made his way down the stairs. They both ran quickly down the street where Doctor Agasa was waiting for them in his car. When everyone was in the car Conan gave instructions to head to Osaka, where Heiji was waiting for them.

Chapter Three: No More Tears

"Yes sir, they . . . They got away . . ." One of the organization members said on his phone as he pulled himself out of the dumpster.

"You do know the punishment for failure? Do you not?" A familiar voice questioned over the phone.

"No! No! Please, give me one last chance! Please!" The man shouted over the phone, but to no avail. He fell to the ground with a single hole in the back of his head. A man with long blond hair stood behind him with a gun raised to where the man's head was just a few seconds ago. The dead mans partner also suffered the same fate; one bullet to the back of the head.

(Note: I have no clue how long a road trip from Tokyo to Osaka would last, so I'm just gonna pretend)

A lonely old red Beetle was the only car on that country road that night. It was very dark on that street, only the car's headlights could be seen. The trees that lined the road were swaying back and forth gently, It was only slightly windy. The old beetle drove considerably fast down this road, Dr. Agasa knew that if someone were following them, they probably wouldn't be able to see them anyways. So, at that time, getting off of that road as quickly as possible seemed like a good idea.

"Hey Doc! Don't you think you're driving a bit fast?" Conan shouted, holding down his seat belt for dear life.

"Well Conan-kun, I think I saw one of those organization members in the parking lot at the gas station." Dr. Agasa explained. "And besides . . ."

Dr Agasa turned his head back to the road quickly. There was large black truck set up right in the middle of the road; it was impossible to see it before it was too late. The car's back end lifted up in the air as some of the front of it was dented in.

"Is everyone all right?" Conan shouted while rubbing his head.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Both Ai and Ran shouted in unison. Conan looked over at Dr. Agasa, who was lying flat against the steering wheel. He was unconscious. Conan got out of the car and looked around for a minute or two while Ran and Ai tried to wake up Doctor Agasa. Conan knew it was a set up, and after a few moments of observation Conan rushed back inside and into the drivers seat.

"Haibara! You steer, I'll do the pedals! Ran! Get Doc. in the back!" Conan ordered frantically.

"Why? What's going on?" Ran yelled. As soon as she was done yelling a bullet flew through the back window and straight past her head.

"That's what!" Conan yelled back as he pressed down on the gas with his hands.

Two cars were following them now, as they went around the truck and down the street. Ran was sitting on the floor in the back with Doctor Agasa lying unconscious next to her. Conan was on his hands and knees below the driver's seat controlling the gas. Ai was standing in the driver's seat trying to steer the car.

As the two cars followed, Ai shot back at them with the pistol that she had managed to grab before they made their escape. The men behind them returned the fire ten fold. Once the bullets had stopped Ai looked down at her shoulder. There was a small bullet implanted in the back of it. Pain began to devour her as she swerved the steering wheel back and forth. Both Ran and the still unconscious Dr Agasa were tossed from one side of the car to the other. Thankfully Conan reached up with one of his hands to steady the car as he used his feet to push on the gas.

The two cars that were following them slowly gained on them as more bullets wised past through the back window. Out of what must have been pure adrenaline and desperation, Ai leaned out the window and fired the last bullet she had. Suddenly one of the cars behind her swerved and crashed into one of the ditches on the side of the road. Ai had managed to hit the tire of that car. There was still another car behind her though, and just as many bullets flying past. Ai had no bullets left and the crash from earlier was beginning to take it's toll on the car. The old beetle began to slow down, making the gap in between it and the other car much smaller.

"We have one last chance." Conan said as he put the car in cruise control and picked up his soccer ball-making belt. He adjusted his shoes and stood in the front passenger's seat facing the back of the car. He blew up a soccer ball to normal size and placed it at his feet. Once every thing was lined up he kicked the ball straight out of the back window, through the windshield of the other car, and into the face of the driver. The second car swerved into the large ditch on the side of the road.

They stopped the car and finally woke up Doctor Agasa. They bandaged up Ai's arm and the long road trip resumed.

"Ma'am! We just got a message from one of the men that were tailing Sherry!" A man in a black suit said.

"And?" Vermouth questioned as she sat at her desk.

"Well . . . they . . . they lost them, but they do know that they are going to Osaka." The man explained.

"Excellent, round everybody up and send them there! We won't even give them a chance to escape from us." Vermouth ordered menacingly.

"So Gin, do you plan on going to Osaka with them?" Vermouth questioned as she turned her chair around.

"No, I have a much better plan that I think you will like." Gin answered with a large smile on his face.

It was already midnight and the car ride continued.

'I swear, Ran can sleep through anything.' Conan thought to himself as he watched her, while she laid motionlessly on the seat beside him with her head rested gently on his leg.

"How much longer until we're there Doc?" Conan asked while looking at his watch.

"Only another hour Conan-kun." Dr Agasa replied while yawning.

Ran's eyes opened slowly. She could have sworn she was resting beside Shinichi, but after rubbing her eyes, she knew it was only Conan.

"Hey, Haibara. Did you bring all of the info for the antidote?" Conan asked, not knowing that Ran had woken up.

"Yeah." Ai said coolly. "I brought all of the needed ingredients, two discs with all of the information on it, all of the equipment and books, and five of those trial antidotes that you used a few months ago."

"Antidote? Conan-kun! Tell me what the hell is going on here!" Ran snapped, which caught Conan off guard.

"I said I would tell you later Ran-neechan." Conan replied, sounding a little annoyed.

"No! You're going to tell me right now! I just saw an 8-year-old boy shoot someone in the back of the neck with a wristwatch, and kick a soccer ball hard enough to break somebody's jaw. And, the same little kid drive a car with one of his friends. Not to mention some strange guys broke into my house today, and I am being taken across the country by car! I think I deserve an explanation!" Ran screamed at him.

"Maybe . . . Maybe you're right Ran . . ." Conan replied softly.

"Ran? Don't you mean Ran-neechan? You should at least show your elders a little respect when you're kidnapping them!" Ran shouted.

"Hey Doc? Wouldn't now be a good time for a pit stop?" Conan pleaded, not really paying attention to what Ran had just said.

"Yeah, there's a truck stop up here and a park nearby, we'll stop there." Dr Agasa replied, trying to stay out of Ran and Conan's argument.

They parked the car in the far back of the parking lot just incase anyone recognized it. Dr Agasa and Ai made their way to the restrooms, while Conan directed Ran to an open field that seemed to be unoccupied. It was a clear night; there were no clouds in view. The stars could be seen perfectly. It would have been perfect if Shinichi had been in his normal body . . . "If" being the key word.

"I've . . . I've been lying to you all of this time Ran . . ." Conan began with his face turning red and his body temperature raising.

"So?" Ran questioned impatiently and she taped her foot on the ground.

"My . . ." Conan slowly took off his glasses. "My real name isn't Edogowa Conan . . . It's . . . It's Kudo . . . Kudo Shinichi."

"That . . . That can't be true, I saw you and Shinichi together . . . Twice!" Ran replied slowly, trying it to prove it to herself more than to Conan.

"The first time wasn't me; it was Kid . . . Who owed me a favor. The second time was really me, but Ai posed as Conan to try and help me keep it a secret . . ." Conan explained, sounding extremely depressed.

"But . . . But you were with me that one time . . . When Shi . . Shinichi called . . . " Ran stated, now starting to realize the truth.

"That wasn't really me either." Conan turned the voice on his bow tie to match his real voice. "That was Doctor Agasa using this."

"No . . . That doesn't happen! It just doesn't! People don't just suddenly turn into little kids!" Ran shouted. Tears began to flow out of her eyes and down her face. She dropped to her hands and knees and looked straight at the ground, not even looking at Conan who was standing right over her.

"Ran . . ." Conan put his hand on Ran's chin and forced her to look into his eyes. "No more tears . . . Let me explain everything that happened, but promise me one thing . . . No more tears . . . I've said it before, and I'll say it again . . . It kills me to see you cry . . ."

Ran couldn't say anything at all, she was in shock. All she could do was nod at the little boy's request.

"Remember that day at Tropical Land?" Ran nodded again. "Well, that's when the whole thing started. After the murder on the roller coaster, when we were walking out of the park was when I saw one of those suspicious looking men in black. I decided to follow him and see what he was up to. Apparently he was making illegal smuggling dealings with someone. He was a member of some kind of secret crime organization. Anyways, while I was watching what was going on, I was jumped by one of his buddies . . . After the guy hit me with a pipe . . . They force fed me some kind of poison . . . It was supposed to kill me . . . But . . . Well, you see what happened."

"Why?" Ran began to cry again and turned her head away. "Why did you keep it a secret from me? Why . . . didn't you just tell me? Did you enjoy watching me cry? Did you enjoy watching me . . . worry about you?"

"Ran . . . It's not like that. I would never do that to you. I didn't tell you because I didn't want to put you in danger. The way this organization works is they kill anyone who knows about them. I . . . I just didn't want to put you in any danger . . ." Conan replied.

"Well a lot of good that did Shinichi!" Ran yelled, still in tears. "I . . . I guess . . . you already know how I feel huh?" Ran's crying became much worse now. "But you just thought it was funny, the way I feel about you. You just think this is some kind of game don't you?"

"No Ran! I . . . I wanted to tell you this in my real body . . . But I guess it wasn't meant to be. Every time I'm about to tell you . . . I get side tracked by something." Ran looked into Shinichi's eyes again with her tears becoming less fierce. "I . . . I lo . . . I love you Ran! I've loved you forever, ever since we were kids. You're the reason why I stayed in Japan and let my parents leave without me. It was torture to me to know how you felt this last year and a half and not be able to tell you in return. You're my whole reason for living, and for trying to get the antidote to change me back. I wanted to tell you that one night at the restaurant, but I started to change back after I solved that stupid mystery . . ." Conan stared into Ran's eyes. She began to cry again.

". . . I . . I'm sorry Ran . . . I didn't mean to make you cry . . . Just forget everything I said . . ." Conan said, now looking at the ground.

"Oh shut up Shinichi! I . . . I love you to, but you probably know that by now . . ." Ran scolded as she grabbed Conan and hugged him tightly. Conan returned the hug, which was something he didn't normally do.

After the long hug had stopped Ran and Conan met back up with Dr. Agasa and Ai. They returned to their car to finish their long journey to Osaka.