This chapter was written in a rainstorm. Gaaaah. I risked getting the computer struck by lightning.

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN DETECTIVE SCHOOL Q.

Chapter 4: The Rescue

Class Q arrived at the second floor of the building. Since they were still in the vents, they didn't really know if anyone was still in the hallways they were going to…

Shizuko pushed herself forward and peeked through the grilled opening of the vent.

Squinting, she said, "All clear…"
Meg sighed. "This is getting complicated…"

Shizuko pushed the vent open, causing Meg to tumble out, landing on her bottom.

"Ow," she muttered.

"Sorry, Meg," said Shizuko, embarrassed.

Kyu, who had just stepped out of the vent, immediately looked worried. "You okay, Meg?"
"Yes, I'm fine," said Meg as Kyu helped her up.

Ryuu stepped out of the vent next, followed by Kazuma and Kinta.

We're on the second floor. According to the video feeds, Anubis is on the third floor.

Ryuu looked at his classmates. Can I leave them?

They all looked distracted at the moment, debating their next move.

Ryuu took out the cell phone he carried in his pocket and turned it off.

I don't want them to find me.

While they weren't looking, he snuck off quietly towards a nearby staircase.

Kyu looked up from Kazuma's computer. "Ryuu, what do you think? Ryuu?"

Everyone else turned around, expecting an answer from the enigmatic genius.

"Ryuu?"

He was gone.

"Where'd he go?" asked Kazuma.

Kinta growled. "That guy just goes off without telling us, I can't believe it…"

"I'm sure he had a good reason, he never does something without a purpose," said Meg.

Shizuko frowned.

"Maybe I can try reaching him on his cell phone," said Meg, taking out her mobile phone.

Shizuko shook her head. "You won't reach him that way. He already went off without telling us, and he probably turned off his phone."

Kyu sighed. "What are we going to do?"

Shizuko sighed, as well. "Maybe we can focus on finding Yuki and Hayato, first. Then, we can go look for him. There's no way we can let Pluto take three DDS students at once."

She looked up at them. "I'm sure Ryuu can take care of himself for the meantime."

I hope, she added as an afterthought.

Yuki and Hayato were inside one of the rooms on the second floor.

"Can't you do something to get us out of here, Hayato?" asked Yuki.

"I can't, for the thousandth time, because my magic doesn't do escapes. All it does is pulling rabbits from hats and makes birds appear from nowhere," muttered Hayato.

"Can't it get us out of these ropes?" asked Yuki, gesturing to the cords that now bound her wrists.

Hayato sighed. "I'm already working on mine, woman. The knots are tight."

Hayato continued to fiddle with his bindings. "I think…I've almost…"

The ropes slipped from his wrists. "Got it!"

As he stood up to cheer his own victory, however, he forgot about the cord tied around his ankles. He fell right on top of Yuki.

"Nice going, loser," muttered Yuki. "Your legs are bound, too."

"Hey, my ankles were probably so numb that I couldn't even feel the rope around them," Hayato complained.

"Yeah, whatever, just get off me," said Yuki.

"Hmph. You're the one not doing anything," muttered Hayato as he worked on the ropes over his ankles.

"What makes you think I'm not doing anything? I've been sending out a distress signal to DDS since we got here," she snarled in his ear.

"Why didn't you tell me, then? I could have just taken my time on these ropes without worrying."

"Because I don't really want Class Q to out do us again."
"Like we've got a choice. Why'd you send out the signal in the first place?"
"In case of emergency."

Hayato shook his head. "You're such a walking contradiction, Yuki."
He had gotten free of his bindings.

"Oh great, now you're free. Help me," said Yuki, holding out her rope-bound wrists.

Hayato rolled his eyes. "Oh, NOW you need my help."
"Just do it."
"I won't until you say the magic word."

"Oh, like, what, 'abracadabra'?" Yuki said sarcastically.

Hayato frowned. "Don't mock my magic, Yukihira Sakurako," he said, using her full name.

"All right already! PLEASE," she said desperately.

"That's better," said Hayato, carefully reaching down and working on her cords.

As he did so, they heard crashing sound from behind the door of the room they were in.

"What's that?" asked Yuki, distracted.

The door suddenly burst open.

Kinta came into the room, grinning. "Well, isn't this sweet?"
Hayato flushed. "I'm just getting her free."

Kyu stepped in. "Hey, you guys!"
Meg burst into the room. "Hey, Mr. Nanami and the rest of Class A are here!"
Yuki was surprised. "They came for us?"
"Yeah, so let's go!" said Mr. Nanami, strolling into the room.

"Wait, one of our classmates is still missing," said Kyu.

Mr. Nanami frowned. "Well, at least we've found all of class A. I'll get the rest of these guys back to DDS so that Mr. Dan knows they're safe. I'll be back for you, Class Q."

Yuki looked annoyed. "But we're fine! We can stay with them!"

Mr. Nanami shook his head. "Mr. Dan's orders. As soon as one class is complete, they have to get back to DDS for protection. Since class Q still has one member missing in action, they have to find him and THEN they get out."

The rest of class A sighed. "All right," said Shishido. "I'll drive back to DDS."

Mr. Nanami tossed him the keys. "Fine. You'd better be at DDS. I'll be calling Mr. Dan to check on you."

Shishido nodded and sped off with the rest of his classmates.

"I have to go, too. I have to look for Mr. Hongou," said Nanami, rushing off.

"We have to find Ryu," Kyu said. "Meg, you can come with me. Kinta, Kazuma, the two of you can go together."

"What about Shizuko?" asked Meg.

"I'll be fine," Shizuko answered. "I can handle anything."
Kyu nodded. "All right, then. Let's go."

They set off in different directions.

Shizuko began her way to the next floor. I can't believe Ryuu would go off without telling us, she thought, slightly annoyed.

Hearing a bunch of raised voices, she instinctively pressed herself to the wall.

Where the heck are you, Ryuu?

Meanwhile, Ryuu was stalking along the mazelike corridors of the third floor.

Anubis, where the heck are you? he thought grudgingly. He wasn't looking forward to their meeting.

He spotted a half-open door. Hn.

He entered. Almost at once, the coat-clad figure of Anubis turned around, dramatically.

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