Disclaimer: I don't own any characters from Detective Conan or Magic Kaito.

If you haven't already read in my profile, I'm thinking of doing a CCS fic, so if any of you like that, keep watching, I hope my CCS fic will be much better. I was really ticked off that people with dubbed names get so many reviews. I don't even think of reading a story with dubbed names. I'm sorry, but it really pisses me off to think that they would change the names. Anyways, this update may take a while since I'm going to watch the eighth movie of Detective Conan and I'll probably update during the weekend.

Masked Memories

By: mysteriousangelgirl

Chapter 4: A Rescue Plan

Ran was having a hard time sleeping. The floor was hard, the ground was damp and Ran's head was pounding. Finally, after many hours of restless tossing and turning, Ran gave up and sat up. As she took in her surroundings clearly this time, she saw that the room was actually bigger than she first thought. Getting up to stretch her legs, she kept a hand on the wall and felt the damp wall as she circled the room. As she came upon the steel door, she pulled and pushed, proving that the door would not budge at all. Just as she turned around to look for some other way out of the room, the door creaked as it opened. On alert, Ran leaped around in a karate stance.

What she saw first was a gun, so she backed away as the man dressed in black moved into the room.

"I see that you've woke up." He grinned, revealing a row of gleaming white teeth.

"Yeah, no duh." Ran kept her position.

"Touche...." The man laughed.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing. Just that having such a young girl here......because of someone you can't even remember, that's really funny."

"What....what are you talking about?"

"You really don't remember.....the only reason you're here is because....." the man straightened the position of the gun he was holding, "there is a certain somebody that we would like get rid of and currently, the most important person to him is you, and that's the only way to get him to do what we want him to do."

"You're using me to threaten him?" Ran's arms dropped to her sides, and she fell back against the stone wall.

"Don't look so crest-fallen. You don't even remember him."

"But....but that's not right. You can't do this even if I couldn't remember him.....it's not fair for him." Ran looked at the man.

The man only stared back at her with cold eyes. He watched for minute, and Ran tensed, as if the man could see right through her. Then the man walked out of the room, slamming the thick door behind him.

Ran looked wearily at the door. If only I could remember, then maybe I could think of a way to get out of here......Ran buried her head in her arms and began to cry. She felt sorry that she was being used to threaten someone. She felt sorry for her parents and causing them to worry. But most of all, she felt sorry that man that she couldn't remember. She knew they had a special connection, but she just couldn't remember.

At the same time, Shinichi was lying on the floor of his house. He had a bump on his head, from where he had knocked himself unconscious yesterday after slamming the phone down and banging his head against the wall about 20 times. As the sun came up, Shinichi stirred, and slowly returned to the world of the alive. He groaned as he tried to focus. He stood up, swaying a bit, and then caught his balance. He wandered to the kitchen for some breakfast. As he was eating breakfast, the thought of what the man had said to him.

"Good. Now I want you to find the guy who used to play as Kid the Phantom thief."

"What?"

"We know you know who he is."

"You're going to kill him."

"Maybe."

"And once I do these things for you, that only I, with the connections, can do, you'll kill me too."

The man laughed. "You could join us."

"Never."

"Alright then, but you just follow my orders and do whatever you're told to do."

Shinichi sighed. I can't let Ran get hurt, but I can't do this to Kuroba. I've got to find a way to talk to him......Shinichi shook his head as he quietly finished his breakfast. Grabbing his keys, cell phone and wallet from the drawer of his table, he walked out of his house and out to his sports car. As Shinichi started the car, he looked back at the house next door, Hagase's house. The professor had been a friend to him since he was little and over the years, they became closer friends than even Yusaku and Hagase were. Now, as Shinichi pulled out of the small street, he glanced back at that home right next to his house, the place where, he as Conan had once called home.

Things were going really well for Kuroba Kaito. After marrying Nakamori Aoko and retiring from his job as Kid, the Phantom Thief, he had settled with Aoko in a small apartment at the edge of the city Tokyo. For work, he started a magic show business with Jii and Aoko as his helpers. They were pretty well known around their area and were often asked to come perform. From birthday parties to formal shows, Kaito and Aoko led a fairly happy life.

Today was a magic show day. Kaito was packing the stuff into the back of his car when his cell phone rang. Digging the phone out of his pocket, Kaito answered the call, taking note that the caller was one of his detective friends.

"What's up, Kudo?"

"Kuroba, I need to talk to you."

"What for? I thought everything was going really smoothly.......is-"

"Look, really, it's urgent. Meet me at the restaurant around the block from the train station in three minutes."

And with that, Shinichi hung up. Kaito stared his cell for a moment, taking in the information that his friend had just given him. Noting the urgency in the detective's voice and the sudden end to his call, Kaito assumed it was something important, which might take a while, so he called up Aoko and Jii, who were already at the studio setting up for an early morning performance. After telling them that he wouldn't be able to make it and asking Jii to substitute for him, he hung up and pulled into a parking spot at the back of the restaurant. He locked his doors and walked around to the front of the restaurant. As he entered, he spotted his friend by the counter, talking to the waiter.

"Hey, Ku-" Kaito began, but was cut off as Shinichi silenced him with a shake of his head.

"Hey, Kanato, what's up?" Kaito said, just loud enough for anyone around them to hear.

"Yo," Shinichi nodded at the waiter and the man wandered off to help another customer. Shinichi grabbed Kaito's arm and led him out the back door of the restaurant. Instead of getting in Kaito's blue sports car, Shinichi pointed to the red sports car that he drove. As Kaito and Shinichi got in, Kaito noticed that there was a bug on Shinichi's rearview mirror. As he pointed it out to Shinichi, he flicked it off the mirror. Shinichi sighed as he started the car.

"Look, they're still alive."

"What?"

"Make your voice different, I don't know how many bugs there are in this car."

"Oh, are you being stalked, or watched?" Kaito answered, changing his voice so that no one could tell it was him.

"Not exactly.....they got someone hostage so I have to either turn Kid in, or watch the girl I love die....."

Kaito's eyes grew big.

"Holy shit."

"Yeah, but I can't do this......" Shinichi turned a sharp corner, throwing Kaito against the window.

"Kudo, this......we can pull if off. We did before, we can do it again."

"Not while I'm being watched."

"What do they want you do?"

"They're still after the Kid."

"I thought he retired," Kaito said, using a different way of saying it to prevent anyone listening from understanding.

"Yeah well, they know he's still out there somewhere......"

Kaito sighed. He swore under his breath. Then he looked at Shinichi. "I could go save the girl first."

"That would be suicide."

"Wouldn't you do the same?"

"They're going to kill her whether I go for her or not. They're no way I can make it out without dying."

"Kudo, you-"

"Look, man, I can't do anything anymore. They must have tightened everything up after that failure in Japan. I can't do this. And I don't know what you could do either......"

"Have you talked to.......H?" Kaito purposely left out Hattori's name to prevent any important info from leaking out. To anyone listening, Kaito and H would only be friends of Kudo Shinichi, not the other famous detective, Hattori Heiji and the retired Kid, Kuroba Kaito.

"No.....I'm planning on calling him right now."

"I'll do it."

"Where should I go?"

"Uhhh.....to the place." Kaito replied, punching in some numbers.

Shinichi nodded as he made a u-turn and almost crashed into a telephone pole, but managed to get out of the way. As Shinichi floored the accelerator, Heiji picked up and Kaito managed to warn him of everything all within in one breath. Heiji understood that he's now 'H' and Kaito was now 'hey you'.

As Kaito and Heiji arranged a meeting spot at their 'place', Shinichi was lost in his own thoughts. Shinichi felt guilty. He felt sad. He felt almost every emotion except happiness. Just then, Kaito hung up, telling Shinichi that 'H' would be at the spot in about five minutes. With this, Shinichi snapped out of his swirl of thoughts and turned off the freeway.

The boy's place was just a hidden part of the park that they had made their safe meeting spot. Unless you knew where it was exactly, you wouldn't be able to find among the bushes. Shinichi and Kaito made their way silently into the bushes. Heiji was waiting there with his helmet in his left hand. He waved as Shinichi and Kaito approached with low faces. Heiji didn't seem any happier. Kaito had managed to fill him in on the details while they were driving.

"Umm, Ku........Kanato, you okay?" Heiji asked in a low whisper.

"H, I'm fine.......well, actually maybe not....."

"Hey," Heiji said, pulling on Kaito's sleeve, "think of something....."

"I do have something. I just don't know if it'll work. Besides, it'll involve the girls.....but I'm not sure they'll want to be a part of this....." Kaito frowned. "But it may be the only way."

"The girls should be fine. If they knew what was up for risk, they would say yes without hesitation." Heiji nodded, as Shinichi eyed him. "Ku.....man, I'm serious."

Shinichi just sighed. "There's no time left. Spill it, man."

As Kaito explained his story, he saw both Heiji and Shinichi raise their eyebrows. That was risky plan, but it might just do the job. Besides, they didn't have any time to decide yes or no. They just had to wish for the best of luck.

The three boys separated after the discussion of the where and when and bits of the details. Shinichi sent Kaito back to the restaurant where his car was parked and promised to keep in touch with them all.

As Shinichi walked up to his house, he suddenly felt very hopeful. Maybe we could outwit them again......since we were able to come up with a plan last time, maybe, just maybe, with a bit more to the plan now, we'll actually get it work........

Shinichi smiled as he locked his front door. So this is was hope feels like.....Usually I'm so confident on my cases, I don't need hope after failure.....Shinichi sighed as he checked to make sure his house was free of bugs or traps of whatever.....and then he hobbled upstairs for bed. He ignored all the messages on his phone, knowing they would all be cases or fans, and just as Shinichi was falling asleep, his cell phone, which he had placed on the table beside the bed, rang.

Shinichi groaned as he picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Do you have the Kid yet?"

Shinichi sat up, wide awake now. Shit, how did they get my cell number?

"I take your silence as a no."

Shinichi grit his teeth.

"You better not make us wait."

Shinichi picked his phone extension and dialed Heiji's number.

"We don't like to wait for people, you know."

Shinichi prayed that Heiji would pick up.

"It makes us mad."

Shinichi smiled as Heiji picked up with a low growl.

Shinichi cleared his throat. "You that these things take time.....I can't just go get the Kid and come back. It's been years and I can't just find him out of no where."

"You have your connections. Do your work."

On the other line, he heard Heiji draw a small, sharp breath.

"Connections don't get us everything...."

The man laughed. "Are you trying to ask for time?"

Shinichi could hear Heiji busily working on the computer. Probably trying to help me trace the location of the caller........Hattori can do a ton of things with his police connections...

"Maybe. Just don't call me okay? They might get suspicious if you call me."

The man laughed again. "You are like us.....

Shinichi frowned.

The man seemed to sense this. "Just find the Kid."

"Don't touch Ran."

Shinichi swore he could 'hear' the smirk. "She's in perfect condition, I promised you."

Shinichi was about to say, Like your promises ever mean anything, but the man just said, "Get it done," and hung up.

Heiji coughed as Shinichi closed his cell phone and set it back on the table.

"You can talk now, Hattori. Did you get anything?"

"I managed to get it half way traced. All I know is that it was from a cell phone and it's around the train station somewhere. Even so, we can't be sure that's where they're keeping your girl.....so......" Heiji typed away on his computer.

"Hattori, thanks, guess I should have tried tracing earlier...."

"Hey everyone panics," Heiji scrolled down the page. "Hey, I got something!"

"What? Really?"

"The cell phone itself expired about two months ago, so I don't how he was using it.......anyways, we'll get some sleep for the rescue tomorrow, okay?"

Shinichi agreed and the two detective friends hung up for some rest.

Morning soon arrived.

-to be continued-

School's been hard lately and I've kind of upset and ticked off about all the 'case closed' things..........Well, I updated my profile, but besides that, there's not much to say.....Hope you enjoy, and please review!