Disclaimer:
I don't own the characters, only the evil idea that had me gloating...


Dilemma

The heist had gone according to plan, so far.

After sending a note about his target (as always), enjoying to watch a fuming Nakamori from a safe distance (as always), making preparations on site and finally performing the heist itself (as always), he was now making his escape with todays prize resting safely in his front pocket (also as always).

He didn't really expect the gem to be what he was looking for, but that did not keep him from having fun with the chase that had inevitably ensued after he had grabbed the sparkling stone.

So, now he was running through dark exhibition rooms, knowing the exact escape route by heart and having managed to put a fairly big distance between the task force and himself.

'Only a couple of rooms more and I'll be out of here,' he thought excitedly while entering another deserted hall. He was already half through the room, when he stopped dead in his tracks. Hadn't there been a faint red glow to his left just a split second ago? For a moment he was puzzled. He was pretty sure that he had checked for all laser traps when he had come here to prepare for the heist yesterday.

'Must have been my imagination. The room is as dark as before now. Oh well, better get moving again. Don't exactly wish for Nakamori to catch up now, do we?'

Just at the moment he turned to continue his escape the red gleam was back – much stronger this time. His eyes went wide with surprise when he suddenly realized just what had caused the light to reappear. As if to tease him, the moon shone brightly on one particular showcase that held a pretty big gemstone. He let out a shaky breath.

'Wow. Just wow! Somebody up there must finally have decided to do me a favor – was about time, really...'

He hadn't announced a second target for tonight, but he would be really stupid to let such a lucky chance slip. An opportunity was an opportunity. Right? Right!

'Seize the day,' he thought merrily. 'Or in this special case the jewel.'

Without further hesitation he carefully set to work. In no time he had disabled the security system of the showcase and began to remove the glass cover with practiced hands. Grinning, he congratulated himself on his flawless handiwork. Maybe there would even be time to reassemble the case after pocketing the gem. The task force wouldn't know about his little deviation from the plan until much later.

'Too sad, I won't be around to see their faces when that happens,' he thought with another grin. 'Well, can't have everything, I guess.' With that he returned his attention to the task at hand again, double-checking for possible hidden traps.

When his target finally lay in front of him – all exposed and waiting for him to grab it – he froze. Now that the moon was behind clouds and therefore the glow had subsided again, he was finally able to take a better look at the gem itself...

'Ohhh no. No way! That's... that's just not possible! Oh fate, how are you cruel...'
He squirmed, beginning to sweat ever so slightly.

'Now what?' he thought frantically. He could already hear the task force getting closer, which only left him a few seconds to decide – definitely too few seconds!

As he fought against a nervous breakdown, he became angry with himself. 'Pull yourself together, sissy! Where's your pride? Who has ever heard of a kaitou panicking during a heist? You've got a reputation to lose. And you wouldn't want to disappoint all your devoted fan-girls, would you?'

He sighed. Great, neither demanding nor joking succeeded in calming him down. And the approaching footsteps of the eager task force members weren't helping. He needed to come up with a solution very quickly – or, more precisely, right now.

'Okay, keep cool! You can do that. Breathe...' With that he slowly reached out for the gem, trying his best to ignore the terrified part of his mind that shuddered repeatedly and told him just to run.

Suddenly, everything happened at once: There was blinding bright light, loud curses from Nakamori... and then eerie silence. Everybody was staring – the task force as well as the totally startled KID.

Oh well, you have to understand. The sight was definitely something rare:
KID was standing transfixed with a hand hovering over another jewel, obviously fighting to keep his poker face. And... was there sweat on his face?

The officers exchanged uneasy looks. Something was definitely wrong. KID had never before strayed from an announcement. And never ever before had he looked as shaken as he did now. What was going on?

Inspector Nakamori was thinking along the same lines, albeit not half as polite: 'That filthy son of a ... . Trying to be sneaky, eh? I've always known you're nothing more than a lousy crook.' Only then he noticed his opponent's shaken appearance, which left him wondering. He wasn't foolish enough to assume that he and his men were giving KID the jitters. So it could only be about the gem. What was so special about it, and why did he attempt to steal it, if it had such an effect on him? Then again, he really was beginning to enjoy the kaitou's uneasiness.

Unbeknownst to the inspector, KID's inner turmoil began to subside. He even had to fight a grin as he thought that, at least, he did see the dumbfounded faces of his favorite chasers. He sobered however, when he remembered that he still had to get the jewel out of here. Since there was only one possible way to do it, he gave his trademark grin and said: "I don't know what all of you have planned for this evening, but I am out of here."

With a sudden impulse of bravery he picked up the gem, shouted a short "Bye!" and ran for it. He could only imagine the highly puzzled expressions on the officers' faces. He had not made his usual elegant departure, but now that he had two jewels in his pocket, that didn't matter anymore. There was also another thing that helped him to cheer up again. Chuckling to himself, he began to count: 'Three... two... one...'

"That goddamn bastard!" There. Nakamori was just too predictable. "What are you slow-coaches waiting for? Get him!"

Although some of the officers took off after the retreating thief, everybody knew that he had once again managed to get away. And they would wonder for a long time to come, why KID had been so different this evening.

- - - - - - - - - -

Several streets away on a rooftop Kaito was letting out a very relieved breath as he looked down at the tiny bits of the thoroughly shattered gemstone. Only now he was able to relax completely. He grinned again.

'Take that, you bastards in black!'

He was immensely proud of himself, having not only succeeded in getting his hands on the jewel before the enemy, but also having mastered one of his worst fears. He shuddered one last time as he remembered the reason for his panic attack earlier this evening:

The Pandora gem had been fish-shaped...


A/N:
This story is as finished as it can get – at least for me.
I won't add anything to it, unless I have a sudden flash of genius. Which is very improbable, since everything needed is said...
Also, writing more would mean staying distracted from my actual work in real life. Having this story up is a sin itself, considering the fact that I could have written the same amount on my thesis. -sigh-

Anyways, please review.