Disclaimer: must we say it again? I think u get it by now. We don't own Case Closed/ Detective Conan.
Chapter 5: A New Assignment
Tess stood there in the doorway of her office staring at her computer trying to figure out which file went missing. She stood there trying to think which file could've been deleted. She shrugged it off and finally went downstairs. Jade, seemed very interested in her book so Tess left her alone. Ai must've been in the lab retesting the pill cases like Tess had asked and Conan, where was he?
Tess looked around the house till she came to the kitchen. There sat Conan and her mother playing cards. She smiled as she watched the two play cards. Then the phone started to ring next to her. She looked over as her mother and Conan looked up. Tess answered it.
"Hello? Oh hi Chief, what can I do for you? Alright we'll be there soon. Yes Ai is coming as well she's now part of the team. Alright sir, see you soon." Tess hung up the phone.
"What is it?" Conan asked. Tess sighed as she walked to him.
"Chief just called with another assignment for us." Tess answered as she looked around walking towards the basement door.
"Shall I still prepare dinner for you dear?" Tess's mother asked. Tess shook her head.
"No, just order out tonight." Tess answered as she opened the door pulling something off of the hanger.
"What is that?"Conan asked. Tess turned around tossing a jacket to Conan.
"A jacket what else? It's going to be raining all day." She answered. Tess picked up another jacket a light blue wind breaker. She walked into the living room tossing it over Jade.
"Thank you." Jade said taking the jacket off of her head. She then blinked a few times looking at Tess as she made her way up the stairs. "Where are we going today?" she asked. Tess came to a halt looking at her.
"We're going to the station. Chief has another assignment for us." Tess answered. Conan walked into sight, slipping on the jacket.
"Is it related to the cases?" Conan asked. Tess looked down at him from the stair case shrugging her shoulders.
"I don't know. We'll find out when we get there." Tess turned back around when she blinked and turned back around. She looked at Conan and pointed in the direction of the kitchen. "Conan, can you get a jacket for Ai. I forgot she was here." She said. Conan nodded his head as he went to the kitchen and ended up in a conversation with Tess's mother. Jade stood up following Tess up stairs.
They entered Tess's office. Tess turned to the right towards her closest opening it. She looked around for something. She then pulled out a gun holster that wrapped around her waist. She then searched through the different jackets for her leather one, which seemed to be her favorite.
"What do you think Mr Johnson has planned for us?" Jade asked. Tess glanced at her and shrugged her shoulders.
"I don't know. Knowing him, he would just tell us to find a desk, have a seat, and do paper work." Tess answered.
Jade nodded her head, "Ah"
Ai sat in her lab staring at the purple liquid. She didn't know why they were here and what they were after. She pondered about it but came up with nothing. She didn't know Tess very well but she knew Tess would stop at nothing to find these guys. She knew that just by her looks. And Jimmy would be caught in the middle of it. Something she knew that couldn't happen. She was going to keep this a secret to protect him like he promised her and vise-versa.
Someone knocked on the lab door. Ai looked over and called out: "Come in!" In entered Conan. Ai turned back to the testing tube with the purple liquid. She tried to hide it from him. Soon she found a spot.
"So did you get the results?" Conan asked as he walked towards her.
"It's the same as last time Kudo. Nothing has changed. Its not the Black Organization that is doing these murders."Ai told him.
Conan handed her the jacket, "Then who else do you think is behind this?" he asked her. Ai took the jacket and slipped it on.
"I don't know Kudo. I may be a genius, but I don't know everything." Ai answered.
"Are you guys ready?" came a voice. Conan turned and Ai looked over his shoulder to see Tess and Jade standing there. "Let's go."
They all exited the house running to the garage that held Tess's convertible. Tess opened the door, pushing it upward as everyone got into the car. Tess got into the driver seat as she put up the roof. When Conan got into the car he quickly buckled up and then advised Ai to do that same. They took off into the rain driving toward the station.
Tess reached down in between her seat and Jade's searching for her cell phone. Tess glanced down to see it wasn't there. She mouthed a swear as she looked at the street continuing forward.
"Jade can you do me a favor?" Tess asked. Jade nodded her head as she looked at her.
"Yes what is it?" Jade asked.
"Can you search for my cell phone in between our seats?" Tess asked. Jade didn't answer she just did it. She stuck her hands in between the seats searching for an oval shaped flip-phone. She found nothing but CD cases. Jade looked forward as she reached for the glove box. Tess glanced at her and spoke up.
"It wouldn't be in there." Tess quickly said as she entered the station's parking lot. Jade looked at her as she leaned back into her seat.
"Are you sure?" Jade asked. Tess nodded her head as she pulled her keys out.
"Yeah I'm sure." Tess answered as she exited the car running to the station. Jade and Ai followed but Conan hesitated. He looked at the glove box.
What's in there that Tess doesn't want Jade to see? Conan asked himself. He decided not to look now but to catch up with the others.
When they entered Jake was sitting at his desk writing. His hand was tangled in his brown hair. He looked up to see them. He quickly stood up and walked to them.
"Where were you?" Jake asked Tess. Tess blinked as she walked to her desk taking everyone's jackets hanging it over her chair at her desk that was next to Jake's.
"What do you mean?" Tess asked.
"I've been trying to get a hold of you on your cell phone and who is that?" Jake asked as he looked at Ai.
"My name is Haibara but call me Ai." Ai answered his question.
"Oh so you must be new on the team. You must be the chemist." Jake said. Ai nodded her head. Jake leaned toward Tess. "Are you sure about these kids Tess?" Jake whispered. Tess rolled her eyes.
"Jake, you're just jealous because their smarter then you." Tess said to him. Jade nearly started to laugh when she heard Tess's remark. But that was soon done with when the group walked up the stairs towards Mr. Johnson's office. Tess opened the door to see he was on the phone again. Conan and Ai took seats on the two chairs. Tess, Jake, and Jade stood behind them as Mr Johnson continued to talk.
"Yes sir. My people are on their way to your house. Don't worry everything will be fine, two of them will be armed. Sir I'm telling you, you'll be protected with them don't worry. Yes sir I know, yes. Alright sir I'll send my people over there soon. Goodbye." Mr Johnson hung up the phone shaking his head. "I have an a" Mr Johnson stopped when he looked at Ai. "You must be Ai the chemist."
"Yes I am." Ai said almost rolling her eyes. Mr Johnson reached over the desk to shake her hand.
"It's nice to meet you, I'm Mr Johnson, the chief around here." He said to her. Ai just crossed her arms. Mr Johnson shrugged his shoulders as he pulled his hand away. "Alright."
"What's the assignment Chief?" Tess asked. Mr Johnson nearly laughed.
"You're always in a rush Tess." He said to her.
"Can you blame me sir?" Tess asked. Mr Johnson shook his head.
"No I guess not." He answered.
"May we please know what the assignment is?" Jade asked. Mr Johnson nodded his head as he folded his hands.
"All of you are going on a new assignment." Mr Johnson said. Tess nearly snapped.
"What! What about the" Mr Johnson held up his hand stopping Tess.
"I understand about that Tess." Mr Johnson said.
"What about this assignment? What are we going to be doing?" Conan asked. Mr Johnson looked at him.
"You are going to be protecting Maxwell Jones the Third." Mr Johnson told them.
"Isn't that the guy who was supposed to go up against Julia Haggard?" Jake asked.
"Yes he was. Now, he's on a scare and he thinks he's going to be next in line with these murders. So he called us up for protection. So I decided to send you guys out there to protect him." Mr Johnson explained.
"Including me?" Ai asked. Mr Johnson nodded his head.
"Yes. We may need you out there in case you guys don't complete this assignment." Mr Johnson said to her. "Now, Mr. Jones lives in Upstate New York."
"But sir! That's more then 2 hours away from here." Jake said.
"I know that Jake." Mr Johnson said.
"Then why don't we have him come down here and stay in Tess's house?" Jake asked. Tess suddenly slapped the back of Jake's head.
"What are you crazy! My mother would flip if I took a full grown man back to my house! And plus, I don't have anymore room!" Tess shouted at him. Again, Jade nearly laughed because of Tess.
"Back on track people!" Mr Johnson shouted at them. "You guys better get going if you want to make it there by 5 o'clock today." He added. Conan looked up at the clock to see it read 2:15.
"Sir, how long is the trip?" Conan asked.
"Almost 4 hours." Mr. Johnson answered him. "Jake, I need you to bring your gun this time around."
"Chief, you know I don't think to use that thing." Jake explained to him. Ai crossed her arms as she turned to look at him.
"Suck it up. You're an adult, stop acting like a baby." Ai said to him. Jake glared at her.
"Ai has a point Jake. I'm only 16 and I use a gun." Tess said to him. Jake pouted.
"Sir, I don't mind using a gun if Jake doesn't want to." Jade said. Everyone looked at her. Jade seemed to be like one of those people who hated guns and used their fists to solve things. So this came to be a complete shocker to them all.
"Alright Jade. Jake give her your gun and bullets." Mr Johnson said. Jake nodded his head. He unclipped the holster that held his gun and handed it to Jade, including the bullets.
"Look at that. A man who doesn't like to use a gun but he carries one with him." Ai pointed out. Jake felt like hitting her but she was just a kid and he could get in trouble for hitting her.
"Thank you Jake." Jade said clipping the holster around her waist.
"Alright guys. Let's go if we want to get there at 5 o'clock." Tess said as she opened the door for everyone. She was the last one to exit. Mr Johnson leaned back in his chair.
"I wonder if I made a mistake about putting Tess on this assignment." he said to himself. "No. She'll make sure he survives. After all, she is the best on my team."
Jake took his car and followed Tess to her house since his house was on the way to Upstate New York anyway. Tess, Jade, Conan, and Ai packed there things. Tess told her mother she might not be back in a while and she freaked out. She told Tess over and over again to wear a bulletproof vest. Tess kept on saying "I know mom." As she left the house. They all quickly loaded there things since it was now pouring out. They all jumped into the car and left with Jake behind them.
After they stopped at Jake's house they all got onto the highway heading towards Upstate New York. Jade and Ai fell asleep on the way there leaving Tess and Conan awake for the rest of the ride. They didn't say anything to each other since it was just them and there really wasn't anything to talk about. Conan was still stuck in between his emotions for either Rachel or Tess. And Tess was still slightly depressed from his silence to her answer last night. So that stopped them from talking.
Before they left the station, Tess has asked for a new cell phone to talk with her since she couldn't find hers. But they also gave Conan, Ai, and Jade one so they all could keep in contact with one another in case they get split up some how. Tess's new cell phone started to ring. She answered it.
"Hello? What Jake? Yes I'm going the right way. Man. You ask a lot of questions, no. NO! Goodbye!" Tess hung up the phone placing it back next to her.
"What did he want?" Conan asked breaking the silence between them.
"Nothing. Just Jake being Jake." Tess answered. "Do you want to listen to some music?"
"Sure." Conan answered. Tess turned on the radio to 107.9 Kiss 108. her favorite station. The song that was playing was Linkin Park "Numb." She turned it down so that it wouldn't wake up either Ai or Jade. Again Tess and Conan fell silent. The only thing that kept the place slightly loud was the radio.
After 3 hours they all finally arrived at Maxwell's house. It wasn't a house. More like a mansion! Tess and Conan woke up Jade and Ai as they parked in the back. On the back porch with an umbrella was a man. He was slightly tall and a nice built. He had brown eyes and soft brown hair. He was dressed in just normal jeans and a t-shirt. Jake, Tess, Conan, Ai, and Jade grabbed their things and ran up the porch. The man smiled.
"You must be the team that Mr Johnson sent me." He said.
"Yes and you must be Maxwell Jones the third." Jake said.
"I am. Please, come on in and have a bite to eat. I'm sure that long drive here wore you guys out." Maxwell led them into the mansion. "You can put your bags on the floor by the backdoor. Someone will come by and pick them up."
"Alright." They said placing their bags onto the floor. They followed Maxwell into the living room. There they sat down onto the couches. Conan, Ai, and Jade sat onto the couch. Tess leaned up against it with her head turned to see Maxwell and Jake stood next to her.
"So, may I have your names?" he asked as he gave each one of them a cup of water.
"My name is Conan."
"I'm Haibara, but please, call me Ai."
"Jade's my name!"
"Tess."
"And I'm Jake."
Maxwell nodded his head looking at the team. He begun to doubt them because they looked so young. He didn't understand Conan and Ai being there since they were really young. Maybe 8 or 9 even younger they looked. Tess was another one. She looked only in her early teens. Jake, he looked like in his 20's and maybe 19. Jade also looked young. She looked about the same age as Tess.
"What are you're ages?" Maxwell had to ask. Tess turned herself around handing her cup to Jade who placed it onto the coffee table in front of her.
"Just because we look young doesn't mean we're not good at what we do." Tess told him. Maxwell nodded his head.
"Excuse my rudeness." Maxwell said. "But I would feel much more comfortable if I knew your ages." He added. Tess said.
"I'm 16." Tess said as she crossed her arms. "And I have a habit of pulling the trigger on my gun too many times."
"I'm 22. And my habit is" Jake said when Tess cut him off.
"Nitpicking." Tess cut in. Jake glared at her.
"I'm 9 and I'm really good at solving murders." Conan said.
"I'm also 9 and I'm a chemist." Ai said to him.
"I'm 17 and I'm pretty much good at almost everything." Jade said. Maxwell nodded his head. He was right. They were young. He didn't know if he could trust them or not and their abilities. Maxwell stood up smiling.
"Alright. Now let me take you to your rooms." Maxwell said. They followed Maxwell up the stairs. He opened the door to the first bedroom which had only two beds. "I'm sorry girls. But two of you will have to share a bed." He said to them. Tess shrugged her shoulders.
"That doesn't bother me." Tess said.
"Same here." Jade stated. The girls walked into their room to see their bags and clothes were already laid out in the drawers. Tess blinked a few times as she stared at the drawers.
"They work quick." Tess said.
"Hey Tess." Tess turned to look at Jade who was standing by the sliding glass door that led out to a balcony. "I thought you said he was a common man." She said. Tess nodded her head.
"I thought so too."
"Well he's no common man." Ai said as she sat down onto one of the beds. She looked around to see a closet and two doors. She walked over opening on to show a bathroom big enough to fit a family of 5 in. She didn't know where the other door went to. She went to open it when the door handle was already moving. Jade and Tess quickly looked over and watched ass ht door opened to reveal Jake and Conan.
"Hey look at that! Our rooms out connected." Jake said with a smile. Tess rolled her eyes.
"Ai, if you want you can kick him." Tess said as she closed the drawers.
"No, he's not worth it." Ai said walking over to a bed and sitting down.
"You're right." Tess stated as she looked back smiling at her. Ai gave her a slight smile only big enough that she could see. Tess turned back around leaning up against the dresser.
"So, what do we do from here?" Jake asked. Tess crossed her arms as she shook her head.
"Come on Jake, you've done enough of these. You should know." Tess answered him. Jake looked at her and looked away.
"There's no need for me to be here." Ai said, "all I am is a chemist." Tess walked toward her as she sat down next to her.
"Yeah we need ya Ai."
"How so?" Ai asked.
"Well, I can't come up with a reason right now but I'll figure one out." Tess answered. Jade clapped her hands together and smiled.
"I'm hungry! Let's go downstairs and eat!" Jade shouted. They all nodded their heads.
"Yeah!" they all shouted. They headed for the door. Conan was the last one out looking back at Ai who still sat on the bed.
"Coming Ai?" he asked. Ai looked up shaking his head.
"I'll be down there in a minute." Ai said. Conan shrugged his shoulders as he shut the door behind him. Ai looked at the glass doors. She stood up opening it looking out. All she could see were woods. Nothing but trees, trees, and more trees. Sure there were a few birds here and there but mostly trees. Ai sighed. She wondered if Keina knew she was here. If Keina knew she was here helping out Tess and the others she was dead. Ai sighed again. She turned around and walked into the room shutting the glass doors behind her heading out of the room down stairs.