A/N: I'm done. I'm so done with this chapter. This is the longest one I've written this far. I'm sure of it!
Oh, and I broke my own word. Shugo appears in this one. I guess you all are happy now. I just realized that I can't leave all my plans for him to the Leap because if he doesn't appear here this chapter doesn't work. I mean really, when you read this try to imagine what it might sound without the part with Shugo... But Tsukiko doesn't meet him or hear about him. Shugo is sneaky like that.
I think I won't babble more, just let you read. And I'm planning on change Tsukiko's way of addressing people. She is becoming closer with Ran for example. And taking distance form Sonoko. And something like that. And Conan is becoming closer to her too so he's starting to call her just 'Tsukiko' when it's just two of them instead of 'Okiya'.
But read. Read!
Chapter 60.
Tsukiko took a sip from her drink while looking around in the Café Poirot. It was a nice Friday evening in June and people were bustling about outside the cafeteria. There were some people inside too but not many. It was nearing the closing time.
With a sigh, Mai flopped down on the seat opposite the girl.
"The days are getting busier and busier." The class president announced. Apparently she could afford a break now that Tsukiko was about the only customer there. "At least it feels like so."
Tsukiko chuckled and placed her glass on the table. "I can believe that. It certainly seemed busy three hours ago. How do you even get to do all the homework?"
"I manage." The brunette shrugged. "I have time during weekend after work and I do a lot during breaks at school."
"…Have your parents left you alone?"
"It seems so. I need to keep my guard up though. While no one has called school, I still need to be vary. It's entirely possible that they've hired some detective…" At this, Mai glared the ceiling of the café before shifting to glance at Amuro who was counting the register. The dyed blonde man looked up, like feeling the eyes on him, and waved then cheerily at the girls. "…to track me down. Or then they haven't even noticed my disappearance."
Tsukiko glanced at Amuro too. The man was back counting but probably listening to them attentively.
"I take you've warned him about the possibility of someone contacting him to get our current location."
"I kinda had to… The same went with Mouri-san and I even asked Ran-senpai to mention in to Kudou-senpai next time they spoke. One can never be too careful."
"Geez, that makes it sound like you're escaping some evil syndicate, not your parents." The former blonde cringed at the choice of words but it couldn't be helped.
"The Miyoshi Corporation is evil enough…" Came the mumbled reply. Tsukiko arched her eyebrows at that but when it was clear Mai wasn't going to elaborate it, she decided to just file it away for later use.
"Here." Azusa appeared from the kitchen and placed pieces of cheesecake in front of the two girls. "They're on the house."
"Thank you, Azusa-san." Tsukiko smiled. "Do join us if you can."
"Soon. Let's get Amuro-san to sit with us too." The young woman told her and went to wipe the tables. Mai just nodded and dug into her cake piece.
"This is a wonderful place to work. Never mind the long hours on weekends and after school, the atmosphere is great and I get free cake by the end of the day." The bespectacled girl stated.
"Really?" Tsukiko blinked.
"Yes. Master is nice like that. When the customers are gone, we get one cake or muffin or drink of our own choice for free. It feels good. I mean, we have to watch the whole day customers eating great food and desserts but can't eat ourselves…"
"I get it. I believe I'd be hard pressed to survive it too."
"Ne, Tsukiko-chan… Do you have any plans for weekend by the way?" Mai asked then.
"Actually I have." Tsukiko grinned. "Ran-senpai invited me to join her, Suzuki-san, Mouri-tantei and the kids at an Aegis Destroyer. She won tickets."
"Aegis?!" The class president slash waitress gasped. "You aren't serious!"
"I am. We're going tomorrow."
"I'm so jealous! I've never been on anything like that… You've got into all sorts of places lately. I guess being friends with Suzuki has its perks…"
"What are you talking about?" The former blonde glared while tying her hair on a high ponytail.
"Come on, Tsukiko-chan… You've gone to all these Kaitou Kid heists thanks to her and even onboard Bell Tree Express. I'd never get into anything like that and I've known her longer."
"But you don't like her and you show quite openly your hostility towards her." Tsukiko pointed out. "Besides… It isn't that glorious. I got thrown out of that airship if you remember…"
"True." Mai had to admit the other girl had a point. "But I'm still so jealous… It's like you've made all the right connections ever since you arrived and then get into awesome places…"
"And in danger…" The dimensionally lost girl muttered. At that the brunette got an idea.
"That's right… You are such a trouble magnet." Mai grinned.
Tsukiko frowned. She didn't like where this was going. She knew Mai wasn't going to persuade her to give up her pass to Aegis but it didn't stop the class president teasing her.
"And…" The black haired girl prompted on the brunette with clear apprehensive tone in her voice.
"Just think about all those places you've been to… and all the times you've gotten into hospital… Are you sure you should go on a warship?"
A quick glance around and Tsukiko just knew Amuro and Azusa were listening into the conversation.
"What are you talking about? I haven't been into hospital that many times…"
"But you have. I've been talking with Suzuki and Ran-senpai… and I found many things. First, you were in a hospital right before you came to Teitan, reasons unknown. Then, you managed to hurt your wrist doing something and later hurt your wrist even worse when you punched a culprit of some murder case with it… Second, you got mugged and then shot by some terrorist at Touto Tower. Third, you fall down the stairs and almost burn to death because of some case you were investigating in Nagano. Oh, and of course there is when you got thrown out of an airship which should've resulted your death if it wasn't for Kaitou Kid." Mai drew a breath. "Do I need to continue? You are a trouble magnet just like Conan-kun is a death magnet."
"N-… None of those were my fault!" Tsukiko exclaimed. "And why do you think Edogawa-kun is a death magnet?
"Oh, please… Everyone at MPD knows about it. Be it with Mouri-san, or Ran-senpai and Suzuki, or with his kid-friends plus Agasa-san… Where ever he goes, a murder happens. If not a murder, then something else equally bad. I've got experience." The heiress of Miyoshi Corporation sighed. "Murder during a school play, bus-jacking, bank robbery, hostage situation at department store… Or how about all those dangerous situations you've gotten into. Conan-kun has been present every time, hasn't he?"
"Uh… well…" Tsukiko had to think back a bit. She really didn't feel like admitting the points right. "I guess… But it really isn't his fault!"
"Then how… Nevermind. Tell me instead about your first hospitalization."
Oh, now she was fishing for information. Again.
"Do I have to answer?"
"You can answer like this or then we can do the same with liquor. I still have that nice bottle of Bourbon left." The class president grinned. Thankfully their relationship had been repaired. They could even joke about the matter now.
"Shh, Mai-san, there're adults present." Tsukiko shushed.
"Just tell me, Tsukiko-chan. You've told no one before, right?"
"I'm also curious. Were you hurt badly, Tsukiko-san?" Azusa took a seat on Tsukiko's right with a cheesecake piece of her own. Amuro joined the girls too but on Tsukiko's left. The girl sighed. There was no way of escaping now. Not with three interrogators.
"Being hospitalized thrice in a span of a couple of months… That's really something Tsukiko-san." Amuro smiled. "I bet there's a story behind each time."
"They aren't really anything special…" Oh, your psychological tricks won't work on me, Bourbon… "But I can tell what I recall. Which one you want to hear first about?"
"How about your latest one? Down the stairs." Azusa smiled tentatively. "It doesn't sound as bad as being shot…"
"Hmm… True but that's the one where I lost consciousness…" Tsukiko mused. "Well, the premise was this: we had a murder scene which was a dying message at the same time. The victim had been locked in to starve and the culprit hadn't seen the message before. He had only heard of it with other three suspects one of which was killed later… So a police officer went to the first crime scene and I went with him. We solved the message but at the same time the murderer came to burn the place down so the message could be erased. The officer was hit on the head while I, while escaping, was tripped down the stairs. Both unconscious, the bad guy lit up the place and we were saved only by other officer who was following us."
"That… That was the Red Wall case right?" Mai asked.
"Yeah. Apart from getting hospitalized, I actually liked solving that case. I managed to solve the message and later when we had to get more evidence, we managed to trick the culprit into revealing himself." Tsukiko smiled.
"How about the Touto Tower then? Conan-kun was with you, right? And Ran-san?" The class president asked then.
"I don't remember much about it actually. But… we were apprehending a culprit of the Tanabata serial murders… We got the guy but then… There was some other guy disguised as a police officer who got to us then. We figured he wasn't the real one and tried to corner him when he retaliated. Ran-senpai got knocked out. I was badly injured too while the bad guy was playing around with Edogawa-kun, making the boy run around while just missing the shot and throwing him around… I tried to make him stop but then… The guy was dead. Some terrorists had showed up in a helicopter equipped with a machine gun. I went inside then and lost sight of things… But the next thing I knew bullets were raining inside, shattering the glasses and I got shot too." At this the black-haired girl lifted her shirt a bit to show the scarred but healed bullet wound on her side. "That's it really."
"Are near-death situations haunting you or something?" Amuro chuckled mirthlessly. Tsukiko could see the gears turning in his head while he processed this information. He was probably thinking whether she knew it had been the Organization at the Tower or if she had just censored the story for the other two females at the company.
"According to Mai-san… Yes." The girl shrugged.
"Come on, Tsukiko-chan… When I hear about those things now I start to think if Conan-kun's personal Shinigami is actually haunting you." Mai shuddered. "Don't tell me the first time in a hospital was as bad…" She winced at the possibility.
"Well…" The former blonde looked away. "I-got-hit-by-a-car-and-was-in-a-coma-for-five-months?"
A stunned silence followed the sentence.
"You what?" Mai's voice was dangerously quiet.
"Yeah… I was on my way to meet with Niisan who was about to move to a new address. Address that I didn't know at the time by the way. In any case I was crossing the street when suddenly two cars came around the corner without slowing at all. I was hit by the latter car, a Dodge Viper, and I hear it was some passerby who called the ambulance later. At the time there was no one around…" Tsukiko paused. She had never met the woman who'd found her. She'd never gotten to thank her properly. "Well, I got taken to a hospital in Haido where I was for five months or so until I woke up."
"When did you wake up then? I'm trying to get some clear timeline since you came to school on the 16th of April."
"It was around… 9th or 10th… I'm not sure since I woke at midnight."
"Wasn't anyone worried about you?" Amuro asked then. "If you were in a coma for five months or so..."
"Oh, people were worried I'm sure. Not people close to me though. Niisan and I didn't keep contact that often and since he changed both phone number and address I couldn't contact him. The woman who found me moved away a bit before I woke up, or so I hear… and I didn't have any identification with me either so my parents couldn't be contacted." Tsukiko shrugged.
"That's so sad… Didn't anyone visit you then?" Azusa asked sympathetically.
"Well, that woman did for a while and then she practically dumped the responsibility to Jodie-san who was at the hospital at the time… Or that's what I've heard." The former blonde frowned in thought. That's pretty much how Subaru had described the situation when she'd asked him. Jodie still didn't really feel like talking about the events of the hospital.
"And that's how she ended up taking you in, right?" Mai confirmed.
"Pretty much, yeah… But I better go now. I got to wake up early tomorrow and I haven't done any of my homework yet." Tsukiko stood up to leave. "It was great to talk with you all though."
"Going to your brother's place then?" Amuro questioned casually.
"Yeah. It's closer to Detective Agency."
"With the rate you are spending your time there, you could as well move in…" Mai snorted.
"Well… I'll only do that if it's okay to both him and the owners of the house. Bye."
"Be careful at Aegis!"
"Have fun!"
"You better tell me everything then, okay?" Amuro, Azusa and Mai respectively told Tsukiko before she exited the cafeteria.
"Who wants to bet she'll end up in a hospital for some reason or other?" Mai sighed dejectively.
"I hope it won't be anything bad then." Azusa smiled a bit nervously. "The accidents she's had this far sound awful…"
"Yeah… And…" Mai blinked, realizing something suddenly. "When she was in the hospital after Tanabata she… She lied to me!"
"Lied? How so?" Amuro frowned. The other girl's mere presence at the Tower was raising alarm in his head. But he couldn't be sure and couldn't afford concentrating on many things to investigate at the same time…
"She talked as if she hadn't been at the Tower and practically fished information from me about how the whole thing was handled publicly."
"To be fair, Mai-san… You kind of dig for information all the time too…" The detective pointed out.
"… Yeah." The brunette slumped in her seat. "I guess we got to clean up here before closing."
"Yes, we have a lot to do." Azusa promptly got on her feet and took the empty plates of cheesecake with her to the kitchen.
Tsukiko flopped on the sofa and took her new toy from her bag. It was Mantendo TX-eye, newest game console from the Mantendo Company. While she couldn't have her cellphone with her, she could still do whatever needed with the console. Internet connection, camera, even draw on it.
"I can't wait…" The girl grinned, before taking a picture of herself with it.
Next morning, she was reading news from the TX-eye and absently listening to the kids talking about a suspicious boat being found at Maizuru Harbor. That is, until Sonoko interrupted them.
"Hey, brats! Move up, don't leave a gap in the line!" The rich girl told the children. Tsukiko just rolled her eye from her place behind them. The DB moved on, Tsukiko after them and then Ran turned to tell Kogoro to do so too.
"Come on, otou-san! You're the adult here, you're supposed to be watching the kids!"
"Oh, shut up." The snoring sleuth muttered while folding his newspaper he'd been reading. "I'm only here because you said somebody needed to come with you."
"But it's so rare to get a chance to go aboard an Aegis Destroyer!" Ran gushed. "Getting tickets for one is ten times harder than for other ships!"
"If only you used that luck with horses!" Kogoro muttered, earning an annoyed glared from his daughter.
"Saa, Mai-san was very jealous when she heard I got to come with you. And she was worried too…" Tsukiko mused while glancing at the bright blue sky above them. It was pretty. Ominously so…
"Worried? Why?" Sonoko frowned.
"Well, considering how I've gotten into trouble about every time I go somewhere with you guys… It's quite understandable, isn't it?"
"Yeah… I guess." The Suzuki heiress shrugged. "Nee, Ran, what is an Aegis Destroyer anyways?"
"Umm…" Apparently the lucky winner didn't know either.
"Aegis Destroyers are warships fitted with a weapons system developed by the US Navy!" And it was Mitsuhiko who answered. Yay! No need to hear Conan's 'I learnt it from TV' –excuse for now.
"They're really strong warships!" Genta added.
"Yes!"
"That's a pretty simple description." Sonoko remarked. "Are you even interested in warships Ayumi-chan?"
"No." The young girl shook her head. "But I love the sea, and we did win the tickets."
"That's right!" Ran agreed. "It's once in a lifetime experience. So just forget about horses for now, otou-san!" The last sentence was said a bit louder, ensuring that Kogoro heard it. While the napping drunkard muttered his affirmative, Tsukiko noted Conan exiting the line to 'go to the toilet'.
"Satellite phone for a little kid? Isn't that… Well, never mind…" A dismissive hand waved from behind a lap top. "You've made all sorts of gadgets already for him so what one more is going to do…"
"You are surprisingly relaxed about this matter, Midorikawa-san…" Ai placed a tea cup on a saucer while glancing at the teenager sitting on the sofa next to her.
"Ah, but Ai-chan… I can't really do anything about the matter now, can I?" Shugo grinned. "If Hakase wants to make those gadgets to the chibi-annoyance, he can. The brat has proved to be surprisingly responsible with them."
"Is that so…" The girl muttered before taking another sip from her tea.
"The science convention was great though. So much new inventions and such on display. I can't wait to get cracking their codes."
"You seem pretty excited."
"Of course!" The boy laughed. "Computers are my passion. I can do anything with them and learning new is never a bad idea."
"Ah, Shugo-kun, it seems Conan-kun wants to talk with you." Agasa called from the window.
"Pass the phone then hakase." Shugo grinned, the expression remaining when he got the phone too. "Yo, chibi-tantei."
"Konnichiwa, Shugo-niichan."
"What can I do for you today, chibi?" While Shugo had known all along about Conan-is-Shinichi matter, he'd managed to cover it up surprisingly easily. The detective-kid had no idea. And thus he could tease the boy mercilessly while the boy couldn't retaliate.
"I was actually asking how your plans are going…"
"My plans? I don't have any right now. Everything is either finished or then still on a drawing board. How so?"
"I was thinking about the code you were going to use soon…"
"Ooh, my super-hacking code that's still in process? Like I said it's still in process, the security around certain files have increased lately…" Not that they were much a challenge for Shugo yet. But he had to pretend… "But I see what I can do. Why? Do you think it'll be needed?"
"Possibly." Conan muttered.
"A bad feeling then… Alright, but on one condition."
"What is it?" The kid was annoyed now. Ho ho ho, so amusing.
"Don't pout, it doesn't suit you." Shugo berated the boy playfully before turning serious again. "That Tsukiko-girl… She's with you, right?" Of course she was, Shugo had seent he Moon-file about the movie.
"Yeah…"
"Then… Keep an eye on her, okay? She has a knack for trouble."
"Shugo-niichan, do you know each other?"
"You could say so…" Shugo put the laptop aside and walked to the window of the hotel room. "I definitely know her and she knows me… But she doesn't know of me so don't go mentioning my name, okay?" The sky outside was bright. Only a couple of clouds were hanging around and moving in the slight breeze.
"Umm… Okay then…" The faux-child stated quite lamely.
"Thanks, Conan-kun…" It was one of the rare times Shugo used the boy's 'name'. If the kid was surprised by that, he didn't voice it. "Oh! And Agasa-hakase had something to tell you. I'll give the phone back to him."
The phone was passed to the inventor who began telling a quiz for Conan to relay to the rest of the DB. Shugo opened the balcony door and stepped outside. The breeze played on his face and his lightly gelled-back hair.
"Stay safe… Tsukiko."
Conan made it back to the rest of his group and told the quiz to the kids. It was… awful. The quiz that is. Tsukiko even cringed once hearing it.
"Am I correct in guessing that the quizzes used to be better?" The girl asked Ran and Sonoko when the kids run off to the security check. It was time to board the ship.
"You could say so…" Ran smiled and they followed the three eager children.
"Please open any hand luggage you may have so it can be checked, and place it in front of one of the inspectors." Came the instructions. Tsukiko placed a hand on her waist bag. It didn't have much. Just her wallet with identification (she had no idea where Yamato had gotten them from for her), her TX-eye, sketchpad and some pens plus a small waterproof flashlight. In any case she placed the bag on the table for the inspection.
"Also, mobile phones are not allowed aboard, so we will hold onto them for you here." And Tsukiko got through the inspection! Her TX-eye wasn't confiscated either!
Hotaka. That was the name of the ship they were boarding. Tsukiko looked at it. It was quite handsome indeed…
"But ships are considered female… Does that mean all the countries are relaying on woman power to defend their coasts?" The girl mused as they made their way up the stairs on the deck. All the visitors were then guided to the presentation room slash cafeteria slash whatever-it-happened-to-be while the engines were started and the Aegis Destroyer Hotaka left the harbor.
"Thank you for joining us on these public exercises aboard an Aegis Destroyer." And the commentary began. "My name is Inoue, and I'll be your guide today. It's a pleasure to be here."
The Lieutenant bowed and people clapped. Tsukiko took out her TX-eye on decided to take some pictures on the pamphlet in front of her. The paper slip wouldn't fit in her bag anyways…
"I'll start by explaining the details for today's sailing experience. First, please take a look at the map on the monitor. You're free to look around the section marked in red. However, please avoid going into any other corridors and rooms. You'll find further details on the pamphlets in front of you."
Tsukiko continued taking pictures while Ran and Sonoko sitting next to her read their pamphlets on conventional manner.
"Next, I'll talk about the schedule for today…" Yep, the introduction speech went pretty much past their ears. Tsukiko took pictures, Ran wondered the time, Mitsuhiko lent her his watch and about every single one of their group listened as the boy explained how the radio clock worked. Except Kogoro who was sleeping.
"Incidentally, that one sets itself at 5:00 AM and 5:00 PM."
"Plot point, plot point…" Tsukiko hummed in her mind.
"Where do the signals come from?" Ayumi asked.
"Uh, well…" Since Mitsuhiko doesn't have the answer, it's Conan's turn to shine.
"Around here, it'd probably be the transmitter in Fukushima." The glasses-kid told.
"Really?"
"You sure know a lot, don't you, Conan-kun?" It's actually a pity that Ran doesn't know the kid's real identity. Her praises of Conan's intellect were quite… Tsukiko couldn't help but facepalm. Mentally of course.
"O-Oh, I heard about it from Shinichi-niichan…"
"Can I facedesk?" Tsukiko grumbled.
"Only if you let me do it first." Kage sighed, rubbing their temples. "You know the TV excuse would've probably worked better on this case."
"True… Who talks about radio transmitters to seven-year-old kid? It's more likely to have seen a document or in the news about the subject. Not that a normal kid remembers such thing."
Right then some strange noise happened. Everyone in the room became alarmed. Kogoro woke up.
"Please calm down. There's no need to worry. The sound you just heard was made by our pumping system letting in a large amount of sea water." Inoue explained.
"And the system chopping off the hand of Lieutenant Sasaura." Kage stated while Tsukiko had no restraint to face palm as Kogoro remained standing and looking extremely stupid. Thankfully the man eventually sat down. What an embarrassment… Although, the sleeping detective pretty much had only one purpose in this movie and that was comic relief… Well, there were the shiny calling cards that'd eventually save Ran's life but otherwise his job was pretty much being ridiculous. Though wasn't it always?
The visitors made their way to the CIC. The anti-air combat drill was about to begin. Tsukiko made her way to the edge of the group and leaned against the wall there. She had surprisingly good view on the monitors from there, not that she understood anything about them. Kage did though and using the eyes of the high schooler, they made notes of everything going on. Any knowledge was important.
"This is the heart of an Aegis Destroyer, the CIC." Inoue explained. Commands were given and readings announced as the target was spotted and the men prepared to retaliate. Not that they were any good actors. When the Mouri's commented on it, Tsukiko just chuckled, moving quickly to stand next to them without taking her eyes off the scene in front of her.
"They are soldiers, not actors. If a real situation were to happen, then we'd get the quick commands and hinted distress in their voice. As this is just a drill, we should enjoy it as it is. It means we are safe, right?"
"True." Ran smiled.
"Huh, it's just images on a screen…?" Kogoro muttered.
"Even just watching a screen in here is impressive." Inoue told them. "This is Aegis Destroyer's most confidential room – it's the first time civilians have been allowed to be here."
"And the first and possibly only chance the spy – X – has to get the info he wants…" Kage noted.
The two practice drill targets were shot down. Soundlessly. Tsukiko assumed that in real situation they'd be able to hear the targets explode since water carried the sound so well. Wait a second, didn't that happen with the fake target then? Damn, she didn't remember.
They were about to leave when…
"There's sonar response! Nationality unknown!" One marine told the room. And now the real thing began. Kage grinned mentally.
"Finally."
The CIC contacted the Captain Tateishi who was at the brig.
"Target Alpha is ignoring communications and is headed towards us!"
"I wonder how they made that shipwreck move straight at this ship. The route couldn't be have been that well known beforehand despite them knowing it had been changed…" Tsukiko frowned. She listened to the information that was being relayed from one man to another. Announcements flying across the room. It was quite intense. But all the other visitors just thought it as a second part of the show.
"Inoue-san?" The girl spoke quietly, making their guide glance at her. He was about to speak but Tsukiko just arched her eyebrows and gave a meaningful look.
"Is this part of the drill?"
The man understood and just shook his head seeing as it would be most likely futile to lie to the girl.
"No, it isn't."
Tsukiko nodded slowly, before turning back to look at the monitors with a frown on her face and arms crossed on her chest.
"I see."
The captain arrived.
"Prepare for anti-submarine combat. Red Alert!" The man told. And the spectators were impressed.
"Aye, sir!" Inoue… barked? Wasn't there any other appropriate verb to describe the statement? Tsukiko didn't know.
"Check for data regarding if any nearby submarines changed course." The Captain instructed. Ran, Sonoko and Kogoro whispered next to the bespectacled girl but she paid no heed on them. What was the captain's decision right now was much more interesting.
"All hands, prepare for an ambush!"
"But captain… If we do that, we might start a war!" Talk about drama. Well, if she had believed the situation to be a show, she might've thought like that. But Tsukiko didn't. She knew this was a decoy target but she also knew that the marines didn't know it. The danger was real for them. And it still would be when the presence of the spy X was confirmed on the ship.
"Start the engines full speed! Engines full speed! Engines full speed!" Echoed all around the ship. The speed increased and the ship tilted slightly when they turned to the right. And it was felt at the top much more than on the lower levels. Probably why X didn't feel the tilt.
More orders were given and in no time anti-submarine light torpedo was ready. And then it was launched. It was a pity that they were up in the CIC because they really couldn't see anything from there. Tsukiko would've liked to watch the torpedo to dive into the water and glide underwater to its designed target. But in the other hand it was good they all were there. No reason for people to panic. The situation would be over anyways and if they were to know the actual danger they had been in… Then the whole day would be ruined.
"Shockwave incoming!"
"The ship will shake slightly." Inoue told them. "Make sure to keep an eye on your children!"
And they swayed. Tsukiko dropped into a crouch to keep her balance. Kogoro wasn't as lucky. The girl's eye strayed on a lone child nearby though. Yuuki.
"Hey, you alright?" The girl hopped a bit closed to the boy, keeping on his level. Yuuki looked up before nodding shyly.
"Yeah…" The boy whispered before sliding on the floor. Tsukiko steadied him and helped the young boy to sit on the ground.
"Okay then. Tell me if you need anything. Water, seasickness medicine, a hug… I've got it all." She smiled. Yuuki nodded again before closing his eyes.
"What's that? A submarine?" Captain Tateishi asked. Everyone's eyes were glued on the screen where the shipwreck was shown.
"No, that's not it…" A marine replied.
"A fishing boat?" Another guessed. "A shipwreck?"
"Is that…" The only female officer on board, Fujii, muttered but no one heard.
"No risk of explosion detected. It's a shipwreck drifting with the tide."
"Cease use of anti-submarine weapons!"
"Now returning to the route planned for the public exercises."
Tsukiko let out a sigh of relief. The first excitement was over now. She stood up a bit carefully and brushed dust from her pants.
"Is it over?" Kogoro asked.
"Yes, that's the end of the anti-air and anti-submarine combat training." Inoue told them as if it all had been planned from the beginning. Everyone began applauding. Even Tsukiko clapped a couple of times before they all were led down stairs and out to the deck.
Tsukiko put on the life jacket. Gaudy orange thing but who cared what it looked like. It was meant to save your life, not to make on the catwalks.
"That's right… Ran's life jacket will be sliced up when she falls. And a broken life jacket is useless because it won't stay on you in the tides…" The girl thought when stepping outside and following her group. The DB were running around excitedly. Conan went to talk with Yuuki and his 'father' but was soon dragged back. And then they managed to rope Fujii into a picture with them. But not after Kogoro trying and failing to charm her.
"Edogawa-kun..." Tsukiko began once the photo was taken and the boy had questioned Fujii. "Shall we go and see what's on the other side?"
Conan blinked before smiling widely. "Sure thing, Tsukiko-neechan."
The pair made their way to the entrance where Conan stepped into the shadow of the doorway and Tsukiko remained outside. She took out her TX-eye and began taking pictures of her surrounding while ensuring that at least one of the other visitors made it into the picture. She was keeping a watch and collecting data at the same time while Conan was making a call.
Shugo drank from his mug of strong black coffee while Agasa and Ai were enjoying their tea.
"By the way, Ai-kun, Shugo-kun…" Agasa began. Shugo hummed noncommittally as response and sipped more coffee.
"What is it?" Ai asked, placing her tea cup on the saucer.
"I wonder if the kids liked the riddle I gave them earlier."
"They'd like it as long as the answer wasn't number four, his back, right?"
"But of course it was." Shugo grinned just when the telephone on the table rang. Agasa picked it.
"Hai, moshi, moshi… Oh, it's you, Conan-kun. Yeah… You sent a photo to Ai-kun's phone?" At this the girl took her phone to check for messages. "Got it, I'll check it right away. By the way, did some kind of case happen?"
"What photo is it?" Shugo leaned closer to the girl to see the picture. It was a female SDF officer. "Interesting. Can I check on her then?" The teen grinned.
"Be my quest." Ai shrugged.
"Yay! Finally something to do!" The boy took his laptop from under the table and opened it. With a stretch of his fingers, the tapping filled the air in the hotel room while Shinichi-… ahem, Conan hung up on Agasa when the man went to ask about his quiz.
"I take they didn't like it then." Shugo remarked. The professor could only sigh.
"How did you know?" Conan asked when they made their way back to the group to hear about the 'eyes of the Aegis'.
"Know what?" Tsukiko smirked.
"That I was about to make a call."
"Oh, please… It was obvious. The way you were questioning that SDF member… You were curious about her and needed someone to check the info about her. I have to admit… the cooking excuse was horrible."
"Very."
"This radar could even be called the eyes of the Aegis." Inoue told the visitors. "You wouldn't know just by looking at it, but this radar can cover over 400 km, and identify over 200 objects at once."
The audience awed. Conan in the other hand noted how two of the Hotaka staff were checking the area he'd called from to Agasa.
"The Aegis System is only given to countries trusted by the US, who developed it." Their guide continued as they made their way back inside. "And we, Japan, were the first country it was aware of. Now, my next topic is the helicopter stationed at the stern: the SH-60K."
Conan and Ran went to look for a toilet while Tsukiko continued along with the group, idly chatting with Sonoko. There wasn't much she could do while waiting for the cops to arrive.
"I wonder if Takuya will be with them…" The girl mused.
And so… It was time for the helicopter demonstration. When Conan and Ran's conversation with Yuuki was over, Tsukiko knelt by the glasses kid.
"I don't know what has happened but I know you have something to do with this, tantei-chan." The girl told the boy while cleaning her glasses on the hem of her shirt.
"What are you talking about, Tsukiko-neechan?" The boy smiled nervously.
"Helicopter demonstration… There was nothing about it in the pamphlet that held the program of this day. It does mention the helicopter but nothing about the demonstration. Considering how we were told to keep an eye on time so we won't miss anything... surely they'd have told us about this too." She shrugged. "So what has happened? Can you tell?"
"Not right now…" Conan whispered. "Maybe later when there's less people."
"Okay…" Tsukiko placed her glasses back on her face and stood up. She seemed to be doing that a lot. Crouching/kneeling down, talking a bit and then standing up again. The girl sighed and put her hands into her pockets. Waiting time… And from the end of the queue one couldn't really see much about the demonstration. But the helicopter left successfully anyways.
"A human arm at Aegis?" Shugo blinked. "Seriously?"
"To think something like that happened on that Aegis Destroyer…" Agasa stated gravely.
"I was surprised too, to be honest." Conan stated while the transmission crackled.
"There's a lot of noise. What is going on?" Ai asked.
"Oh, I'm in hiding to my satellite transmissions don't get traced." The detective kid replied.
"You know, I could've made it so it won't be traced…" Shugo mused.
"So, what about that SDF lady?"
"I did some search…" Shugo began, tapping some keys on the keyboard. "Which was too easy and boring by the way…" He added. "But I didn't find anything. None of these ladies here match the picture. I could of course go and hack my way into some other personnel files and do a basic face search but I don't have good enough equipment with me…" The equipment meaning his trusty laptop he'd had when coming to DC-World. This laptop was new one, bought in here but couldn't handle any bigger codes without additional memory and power.
"Don't go doing anything illegal, Midorikawa, you hear me."
"Who? Me? Oh no… Since when have I done anything out of bounds?" Shugo asked in faint innocence.
"How about all the time?" Ai deadpanned.
"And chibi-tantei… what ever happened to calling me 'Shugo-niichan'?"
"Gack!"
The food was good. And while Tsukiko didn't care about curry – Seriously, curry again!? – she ate it all. The fresh and brisk sea air made anybody hungry. And then tired.
"I better make sure I won't fall asleep suddenly. It wouldn't be nice…" The girl mused while digging in. Next to her Sonoko was teasing Ran again about Shinichi and made the girl go and call him. So naturally Conan had to use the excuse 'toilet' again to go and answer to the incoming call. Tsukiko sighed. So predictable…
"So Agasa somehow connected Shinichi's phone number with Conan's wrist watch… Interesting. I wonder how all that stuff manages to fit in. Satellite phone, stun gun, USB-wire, flashlight… We'll maybe the flash light is taken away for now or something…"
"I think I'm off now. I'd like to look around on my own pace." Tsukiko finished her meal and got up the return her tray on a side table. She slipped on quiet corridors and made her way outside again but this time on a deck she hadn't visited yet. And bingo. There was Conan eavesdropping the investigation going on. Sasaura's phone had been found.
Tsukiko flattened herself against the wall as close as she could be to the police officers without being spotted. For her dismay it seemed that Takuya wasn't present. What a pity. He'd definitely solve this case fairly easily once he had all the facts on the table.
The girl noticed Conan trying to go closer to see the phone when they both spotted Fujii – the fake SDF member – to peek from the other side. Conan immediately dashed after her while Tsukiko had to duck behind the corner until Kogoro had turned away again. Damn…
When she got to the other side she remained hiding on the corridor while Conan followed Fujii to the Captain's room. After a while Tsukiko could hear and see the small remote speaker slide underneath the door and then Captain Tateishi's and Conan's voices talking. Fujii left the room soon after, Tsukiko snapping a picture of her in process.
It took only a couple of minutes before the footsteps hurried back and a gun clicked. Tsukiko watched Fujii open the door and roll in. She completely missed the speaker. Thankfully.
"Download is complete." Ai told Shugo and Agasa while they were driving on a high way to Kyoto.
"What did Shinichi send this time?" Agasa asked.
"It seems…" Shugo took a look… "I need to crack it first." He sighed dejectedly.
"Who knows… But since it's from Kudou-kun, I suppose he wants us to investigate it." The shrunken scientist stated.
"Oh, we've arrived to Kyoto." Agasa noted.
"Can't I just start get cracking?" Shugo pouted from the back seat.
"Soon. Midorikawa-kun" Ai told the boy.
Two of marines burst into the Captains room, the Captain Tateishi following soon after with much slower pace. And of course the police men plus Kogoro had been with the Captain to they followed them in too. Pity Tsukiko couldn't hear them properly. Though… Conan would soon make his move.
"Ah! It's the SDF lady!" The boy exclaimed, making his entrance. Tsukiko took it as her cue and walked to the door of the room.
"You're wandering around again?!" Kogoro shouted, going to pick the boy up. Meanwhile Tsukiko took the speaker from the floor.
"Tantei-chan. I thought I said we're going to stay on the limited area?" The girl told, stepping into the room too.
"But Tsukiko-neechan… You told me it's very rare for an SDF lady to be aboard on Aegis Destroyer, right?" Conan played right along.
"That's true but…" And Kogoro grabbed both her and Conan from the scruffs of their necks.
"That's enough from you…"
"He's right!" Umm… what was that Coast Guard name again? Kurata? "Are female SDF officers even allowed to be aboard an Aegis Destroyer?"
"There are recent plans that allow female SDF officers aboard Aegis Destroyers too. So she's here to guide civilians around…" Okay, who was that guy? Vice-captain? He did have three stripes on the sleeve while the captain had four. But seriously, they're repeating their words after already repeating.
"I see. That explains it." Megure agreed.
"Huh? But didn't she say she was here to cook?" Tsukiko asked then.
"That's right."
And then Kogoro went to state that they'd have no choice but suspect Fujii, Tateishi and the vice-captain guy of being Sasaura's murderer.
"Murderer?" Tsukiko blinked. "Something like that has happened too? I thought the floating shipwreck and helicopter demonstration were the only surprises we'd face here? But that does explain why Megure-keibu, Takagi-keiji and Satou-keiji are here."
"Wait a moment. We'll cooperate as much as we can." Tateishi told them.
"Captain." Fujii said. "Since things turned out this way, maybe we should tell them." After the captain nodded in defeat, she went to introduce herself. "I'm a member of Intelligence Security Command.
"The one that directly reports to the Ministry of Defence?" Kurata asked.
"Yes. Our job is to manage the SDF's information and to keep track of missing SDF members."
"But why is an Intelligence Security Comman member on this Aegis Destroyer?" Megure went to ask next.
"Oh! It's because of the suspicious boat found this morning, isn't it?" Kurata realized.
"We think it might be a spy from a certain country." Said… Someone. Certain country… Heh.
"There was an antenna for wireless communication, as well as bombs planted to blow it up." Kurata told.
"You sure know a lot about it." Megure pointed out.
"I was the one that found that suspicious boat. That's why I was put on this investigation." Umm, nope. You asked to participate because you saw Sasaura to fall to his death…
"Since the suspicious boat was found near Maizuru Harbour, where this Aegis Destroyer was anchored, we believe a spy might be onboard." Fujii explained.
"A spy?"
"Yes. In our investigations, we named him 'X'." The unnamed guy told them.
"What is the spy's goal?"
"We believe he is trying to obtain classified intel on Aegis Destroyers." Fujii informed.
"Intel?" Kogoro repeated.
"What would happen if that intel was leaked out?" Takagi asked.
"Isn't that obvious?" Tsukiko questioned. "Japan would lose the trust of United States since they're the one that gifted the Aegis system to us."
"Yes. And more importantly if the routes of the Aegis Destroyers leak out, Japan's line of defense would be known to everybody. We'd be defenseless to military aggression form other countries." Fujii told.
"In other words, it would cause national crisis." Tateishi concluded. The statement shocked everyone. Even Tsukiko. Some exact details weren't that clear anymore.
"Something that the Organization is doing but more discreetly… Imagine if they were behind this…"
"I really rather not."
"Can I presume then that the victim, Sasaura-san, knew about the spy?" Megure asked then.
"Yes."
"He knew about it because of his job."
"His job?" According to that nameless guy's reaction, he'd said too much. "What was Sasaura-san's job?" Megure asked.
"As a Lieutenant, he was part of management, right?" Kurata tried to confirm.
"Lt. Sasaura was the Director of Intelligence for the Wakasa JMSDF base."
"Director of Intelligence?"
"His duty was to safeguard information on Aegis Destroyers."
"And so he was murdered by X, who wanted to stead that information." Kogoro came to the completely logical yet untrue conclusion.
"So whoever took the data card from Sasaura-san's phone is X." Takagi told what he got from the statement. But Conan and Tsukiko noticed the way Fujii was looking at the ground and keeping silent about the data card she'd taken. Some techno people came in to process what had been going on with the Captain's computer and Tsukiko took her opportunity to leave.
"Tantei-chan, do you want to continue playing our game? You almost got the last guy but then slipped here." The girl asked the boy.
"Okay, Tsukiko-neechan!" Conan placed a listening device on Kogoro's sleeve.
"Game? Playing a game? What were you thinking? Get out of here." Kogoro showed Tsukiko out of the room and dropped Conan on the floor.
"Hai!" The two chorused before jogging away.
"So… shall we play the game then?"
"What game?" Conan asked once they were on the public areas again. Tsukiko had made the boy tell her everything he'd heard a found out about the X and Sasaura's arm.
"It's called Find the Spy. I've got here pictures of all the visitors onboard. So we gotta eliminate them one on one. The idea earlier was that I'd given you a picture and you had to go and find the correct person. But then you got sidetracked like the child you are…" The girl grinned.
"Well, maybe later then." Conan's eye twitched. "I need to go and call Hattori now."
"Okay… See ya soon."
"Hello, Chibi-tantei!" Shugo grinned to the phone.
"Midorikawa?! What are you doing with Hattori's phone?" In his surprise, Conan didn't even address the mentioned parties properly. Something which Shugo gleefully pointed out.
"That's not the right way to address your favorite niichan, Chibi-tantei." The computer geek pouted. "But to answer your question… I nicked it as soon as it rang. Hei-chan is arguing with Kazu-chan right now. Lovers' spat you know… I hear Kazu-chan wouldn't really believe that Ai-chan used to be a scientist. In any case they're outside the car right now."
"They met up with you guys then?"
"Duh, obviously."
"Did you find out anything about the red substance that Hattori found?"
"That's Heiji-niichan for you, Chibi-tantei. And yes, Ai-chan processed it. In a car, may I add. It was quite cool in my opinion. She says it's TBT. Some special paint used in ships, for anti-fouling or sumthin'…"
"Ship paint? Can you check if that paint is form this Aegis Destroyer?"
"Hotaka? Sure, I'll ask Ai-chan to do it." Shugo relayed the 'order' to the scientist girl before going back to the conversation. "By the way, Hei-chan asked me to tell you about the ocean currents. There hasn't been any current that could've brought Sasaura-san's body from Maizuru Harbour to Wakasa Bay."
"So how'd the body end up in Wakasa bay?" Conan wondered aloud.
"If I were to guess… I'd say it came half and went half…" Shugo shrugged. "But you are the detective here… err, there. Hei-chan is here."
"You aren't making any sense, Shugo-niichan…" The kid dead panned at the other end of the line. "How about the data I sent?"
"I'm making no sense? Brilliant." The data genius was grinning again. "About the data… It was the time for you to ask about it." He pulled his laptop closer. "I was surprised that my computer could handle these security encrypting…. Maybe I should get a new computer?"
"Just tell me."
"Chibi-tantei is annoyed~! The data is about Aegis Destroyers. There are some records also showing that it was copied from a certain company's cloud."
"By cloud, you mean a service to store data on the Internet?"
"That's right. If we get to crack the ID and password… that is if my computer doesn't decide to resign himself from the contract… we should be able to get the original data from that cloud."
A silence followed the information. Shugo waited patiently for the little detective get his thoughts in order.
"Midorikawa, please use Sasaura-san's ID to access the data on the cloud and send it to the captain's room."
"That I can do! It should take only five minutes. Just wait for the results!"
"I'm waiting, bye."
"Bye!" Shugo flipped the phone shut and opened the window. "Hey, lover-boy, you can get your phone back now!"
In a utility closet, Tsukiko eavesdropped with Conan the investigation conversations. It was nothing new to her but it was great to hear the police and rest to piece together the few pieces that had been scattered around. If only the last ones were found… Though finding X was a bit more important than finding the murderer. Well, they were thinking X was the murderer so probably there was nothing wrong with their conclusions this far…
"Takegawa? Sasaura's accomplice? That guy spotted in Kyoto?" The girl thought.
"Quick, we need to go and connect TX-eye on the wires now. I want to see the process of these guys tracking down this guy!" Kage put in.
"Seriously? You can do that?" Red Moon blinked.
"Someone of us has to. And that's me. Let's go before it's too late."
"Kudou, I'm going to go and see if I can find out anything else." Tsukiko got on her feet and dusted her pants. Sitting on the floor didn't really make your clothing any better.
"Okay, be careful. The spy is still on the move."
"I know, tantei-chan." Tsukiko left the closet and didn't even notice, Conan's eye twitch at the name.
"At least that's better than 'Chibi-tantei'…"The boy thought when the door closed.
Kage was standing on one corridor with a door of electricity cabinet open. There was no one around as they flipped out a small blade that had been stored at the back of the waist band of their pants. Tsukiko couldn't help but wonder when it had been hidden. Kage unwrapped a couple of wires and connected them with a USB cable with an unwrapped end. Couple of rounds of electricity tape around and it would hold. They plugged in the USB then and after a couple of clicks, they were in. Various camera footages were flitting around the two screens and Kage had to push some of them aside to find the correct one. The one of Ponto Town park where Takegawa was about to burn some docs.
To another window, they opened the view to the security cameras at CIC. Conan was taking the signal flag from the case right now.
"I suppose I need to go and save him soon, right?" Kage hummed absently. They clicked the camera footage, taking screen shots on it and trying to get a better look on the document that were about to burn soon.
"I suppose so… But not too soon. He needs to call Heiji first…"
"But then you're going to go and save him from those abdominations."
"The DB? You really hate them, do you?"
"Yes, I do." This time the no-gendered teen spoke aloud and disconnected the TX-eye. They already had all needed pictures nicely in folders. "They are annoying. Let's go."
"You wouldn't mind giving up the control then? Otherwise I just might let you handle them."
"Urgh, no." And Kage had slipped out. Tsukiko took a stumbling step before fully regaining the control of her body again.
"A bit of warning would be nice next time…"
"Hai, hai…"
Treasure hunt. That's where Tsukiko found Conan. In no time the girl had been roped into the game and found one of the hidden items, a little cell phone charm shaped like a small bottle. It even had a label that read…
"'Rye'? You gotta be kidding me…" She sweatdropped but announced to Sonoko, Ran and DB that she had the item. A little after that Ayumi found the third item. Then, Fujii came in, to talk with Conan.
"Kid… Can I ask you something?"
When Conan and Fujii walked to the side, Tsukiko found herself nearby as the boy's mental support.
"You did a great job back then." Fujii told the kid.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Please, Conan… Playing dumb won't work with her. The woman narrowed her eyes just a fraction.
"Just who are you?"
Seeing that he couldn't squirm away, the shrunken detective changed his tactics from evasive to offensive.
"Just what kind of data can only be obtained on this ship? Is it data about situations like what would happen if submarine suddenly attacks?"
Fujii was taken aback.
"How do you know about…"
"Just like getting that arm to an autopsy by organizing a demonstration of helicopter leaving… We visitors weren't supposed to realize the anti-submarine combat drill to be a real deal too… Edogawa-kun and I did though." Tsukiko straightened from her half-crouch where she'd been looking for the next treasure from beneath the counter.
"That's what I thought…" Conan stated.
"Do you mean X sent us the shipwreck to get this data?" The female officer crossed her arms. A defensive gesture.
"Where can the data be accessed?" The bespectacled boy countered the question.
"In the CIC we were just in and in the captain's quarters."
Conan grimaced at the information and Tsukiko frowned. This was bad… very bad.
"During the training, the captain came to the CIC because of the sudden emergency." Conan began.
"No one was in the corridors of private quarters either because of the emergency." Tsukiko added.
"Meaning there was nobody in the captain's quarters at the time." The kid continued.
"Perfect window for the spy the get the data." And the girl concluded.
"So that's when X went into the captain's quarters and stole the data!" Fujii realized.
"Then X is that person!" Conan gasped and ran away.
"Edogawa-kun, matte!" Tsukiko went to reach the boy but missed. She dashed after the kid when he was already around the corner.
"Hold on!" Fujii ran after the two teens.
Conan ran through the corridors, dodging the quests, Tsukiko and Fujii after him.
"Wait, you two!" The 'captain' shouted after them.
"Captain Fujii! Takekawa entered Osaka!" The savior came in the form of… who was that guy again? MP read in his sleeve…
Conan slipped behind the man while Tsukiko skidded to stop so she wouldn't crash on him. Damn, she was on Fujii's side now. No chance getting away now.
"Osaka?"
"Yes, at Yodabashi Station."
Conan continued his way outside, to help Yuuki, while Tsukiko was dragged along with Fujii and the other guy. To be interrogated of her knowledge probably or then to ensure she won't go and cause panic among the civilians…
Shugo took a nap. Let the detectives handle this case for now. He's act next if something were to happen to Tsukiko.
She waited quietly and nicely at some sort of meeting room. No one had talked to her yet. Maybe she was kept there just to ensure the non-panicking civilians… Tsukiko sighed. She was bored. Playing with TX-eye wasn't that entertaining either right now. So much was going on outside.
Eventually Conan and Yuuki were brought in. The two boys sat on the next table from Tsukiko while three adults stood in front of them, listening to the story of the two of them.
"He told me that his father vanished Maizuru Harbor before departure, and he boarded the ship with the man he didn't know." Conan explained.
"He said that he'd kill otou-san if I didn't do what he said." Yuuki whispered.
"The man who wasn't with us in the CIC during the training, right?" Fujii confirmed and the boy nodded. "He had to be stealing the training data from the captain's quarters. Which means he's X."
"Do you remember his face?" Satou asked the young boy gently.
"Yes…" Yuuki admitted, obviously scared of what would happen to his father.
"Will you help us?"
"I will!" Conan told the adults in the room. "I remember his face!"
"Then come with us to look at the surveillance camera footage in the CIC." The MP guy told the detective kid.
"Okay!"
"Let's go."
Fujii's face at Conan's child act was quite entertaining. Tsukiko smiled faintly.
"Let's go, little boy." Oh, how cold and professional she was acting. As if he hadn't just realized the X's plan and blown the man's cover.
"I think I'll be going now too…" Tsukiko stated, getting up from her seat. "Ran-senpai, Suzuki-san and the kids must be worried of my whereabouts…"
"Fine. You can leave as long as you won't tell them anything." Kurata told the girl.
"Hai."
"And report to us if you happen to see anything suspicious." Fujii added.
"Hai, hai…" She waved a dismissive hand. "Hey, Yuuki-kun, if you want to you can play with my TX-eye while waiting. I'm sure these guys will catch the spy eventually."
"I don't know…" The boy looked down.
"Okay, I'll leave this here anyways if you change your mind. Keep good care of it, won't you?" Tsukiko winked as she placed the device on the table in front of the boy. The real reason was that she didn't want it to get wet. Not even by accident. After all there was a lot of information Kage needed.
"H-Hai…"
"Edogawa-kun, make sure to keep an eye on the time. We don't want you to miss anything, right?" The girl grinned and left the room then.
"Okay...?" Conan agreed with slight puzzlement.
"We apologize but we have to stop the treasure hunt on the deck. We continue it in the cafeteria, so please head back inside." Some marine's voice announced and echoed in the speaker system. Kage ignored it and headed to out of bounds area. They had a plan. A risky one. One that they had said nothing of to Tsukiko.
"…But I'll be fine. I know I will so long as Kudou remembers the watch Mouri has." After clipping on the life jacket, they retreated into the shared mindscape of them, Tsukiko and Red Moon where the young girl was sleeping and Red Moon going through some mental data she'd filched from Kage. Bloody thief.
"Don't worry, No-gender. I'll make sure she won't wake up until we are safe." The female told without looking up from the data. "By the way… Do you think we should decorate this place somehow? It's so plain and white at the moment."
"I like it like this. No unnecessary distractions. Besides we see enough of the world with colors and distractions… so why should we have them here? We only sleep and think and process information here."
"I guess you're right then…" Red Moon sighed. "How do you plan explaining your actions to Tsukiko when she finally wakes up, all wet and cold and tired?"
"She'll understand." Kage shrugged.
"…" The black-clad woman frowned. "I hope you're not forgetting that she is the most original one of us. You and I both are just extensions, splits. We aren't equal."
"I know. But she doesn't. And while she has the power to absorb us back to herself, her mental strength isn't enough to handle the amount of information stored in both of us. She isn't genius like those detectives."
"You eavesdropped my conversation with Koizumi."
"You aren't the only one to steal information from others. I just get it directly from the source while you just snatch it away. That witch Koizumi… She is scared of what will become of us if something happens to any of us." Kage muttered.
"The Power of number Three… It's quite vexatious." Red Moon sighed. "It would be so much easier if we were to have separate bodies… While this is quite handy disguise, I'd like to do research sometimes on the pace I want to, without the limitations of school hours and stuff Tsukiko wants to do. And I really don't care of knowing when you send out the killing order."
"Oh, trust me, the feeling is mutual. Your flashy shows are much too much for me. Not to mention all that flirting and attention."
It took a while but the spy and Yuuki appeared eventually. They were hiding and the spy was threatening the boy. Discreetly. The man told Yuuki that the boy would meet his father if he stayed quiet. In the other words, if Yuuki didn't, then he'd never meet his father again.
"Excuse me, have you seen Conan-kun?" Ran made her appearance. "He is the boy with glasses who was with me."
"No, we haven't seen him." X smiled after his glasses flashed dangerously.
"Is that so? You haven't seen him either, Yuuki-kun?"
"Yuuki was with me, so I doubt he saw him. Lost kids are a bother, huh?"
"Isn't that right." Ran smiled. "See you later, Yuuki-kun." After waving a goodbye to the boy, the karate champion turned to leave. "Geez, he's always disappearing… Oh, I forgot to tell you but this place is off-limits!"
"Really? Then we'll head back in once Yuuki's seasickness is over." It's easy to blame kids, isn't it? Especially when one is too scared to object. Kage frowned. Like Tsukiko(and Red Moon), they hated people who took children as hostages.
"Oneechan, save me! This man is a spy!" Yuuki took running towards Ran.
"Yuuki! Do you really think you can do that?" X growled.
"What is it, Yuuki-kun?" Ran asked in confusion. "Are you okay?"
"Excuse us. We kept playing spies so I guess it got to his head…"
"That's not it! This man isn't my father!" Brave, brave Yuuki-kun…
"Not your father…" Ran repeated. Kage took that as their cue to step out.
"That's right. I was with both Yuuki and Conan moments earlier. We were with the SDF people here. Conan is still with them, trying to find him…" The non-gendered teen nodded towards the spy. "… from the live camera feeds since he deleted the recordings from the server room."
"He really isn't your father then…" The karate champion narrowed her eyes.
"No, he's not!" Yuuki shook his head. "Save me oneechans!"
"Enough, Yuuki." X took a step closer, dropping his bag.
"Yuuki-kun, come here!" Ran told the boy and he did so. When he was behind Ran and Kage, spy spoke again.
"Stupid woman. If you'd minded our own business, you wouldn't have to die!"
"So you really are a spy."
"I am… But it's too late for you to have regrets." And Ran attacked him. She kicked, flipped in the air, landed on the railing, jumped up and kicked again, sending the man flying.
"Yuuki-kun, Tsukiko-chan, call everybody!"
"OK!" Yuuki turned to run away.
"Brat. I won't let him go!" The spy charged at Ran with a knife he'd hidden in his belt. Kage flipped out their own one. Thankfully the boy was well gone now.
"And I won't let you touch him…" They growled but didn't interfere with the fight going on before them. Ran's life jacket was sliced at, breaking the clasps in the front. Kicks and hit were exchanged, Ran sent X flying and the man responded by hitting her with the rope curled on the deck and then slicing open her life jacket from the side, rendering it even more useless. She countered with a hit on the bastards face but was then pushed overboard due the rope that caused her to go off-balance.
"You bastard!" Kage roared before charging at the man. They managed to swipe at the spy's face, drawing blood. X went to strike at them but Kage swiftly dodged. They kicked the enemy's chest before jumping on the railing and then jumping down from the said railing, to the depths of the ocean.
The water was cold. That much Kage realized. They sank good three meters before the life jacket pulled them to the surface again. They could see Ran further away and set to swim to her immediately. Two people were better than one to be spotted and at least they had now one intact life jacket instead of Ran having none.
They reached the longhaired girl who was semi-conscious and grabbed her chin so her mouth remained above the surface. And slowly the non-gendered teen began swimming to the direction of Hotaka despite the ship's much greater speed. Anything to make the rescuing easier.
"I just wish Kudou will keep an eye on his watch…" Kage thought.
The spy was caught. Suspicious voice mail was found from Takegawa when the man was arrested. Oh, and Heiji got shot when saving Kazuha's life.
"I just hope you haven't gone and done something stupid now, Tsukiko… Not you nor either of your alter egos. Because that's what they fundamentally are, aren't they?" Shugo mused while reclining on the backseat of Agasa's Beetle. "I guess all I can do now is to wait…"
"Ano…" Yuuki approached the DB and Sonoko in the cafeteria.
"What is it?" Sonoko asked.
"Where is the two neechans who were with you?"
"You mean Ran and Tsukiko-chan?"
"Now that you mention in, where is Ran-oneesan?" Ayumi wondered.
"She's still looking for Conan-kun." Sonoko replied. This answer shocked and worried immensely Yuuki.
Agasa called to Conan outside the car so Shugo wouldn't hear. Not that the boy was even remotely interested in the case anymore. He needed a find to help Tsukiko. It was more than obvious that something had happened to her. After all he'd seen it in the Moon files.
"I need a way to contact him without alerting the people of Chibi-tantei's watch-phone…"
Conan solved the case and Kurata's guilt was brought on surface. While he hadn't directly killed Lieutenant Sasaura, he'd still interfered with the investigation. And so he was arrested. But right when Conan was about to sigh in relief, Sonoko, the Detective Boys and Yuuki came to the room. Ran was still missing and so was Tsukiko. And then Satou came in with the news from the statement the spy made during the interrogation. That he'd pushed one young lady to the ocean and another had jumped after the first one. That the both of them were around high school age and quite proficient in fighting. This alarmed everyone in the room par Kogoro who was still sleeping.
Kage was tired. They'd kept swimming and holding Ran on surface the best they could. The longhaired karate champion was awake now too and tried her best to help but the waves were tall and current was strong. Kage wasn't even sure if the direction they were going to was the right one. While there was the trail of waved Hotaka left behind, it was almost impossible to see it from where they were. Even the sun wasn't much help as it slowly moved but was still right above their heads.
"I-I'm sorry, Tsukiko…" Ran whispered.
"…Me too. I could've interfered earlier." Kage replied whilst their consciousness was slipping. Dammit, not now… They glanced at Ran before doing something brave and stupid. They took off the life jacket and fastened it on the other girl.
"Ts-Tsukiko-chan?"
"You're stronger one of us. And if anyone realizes it on the ship, they should be able to find us with that watch… So you need to stay above water no matter what…" Kage was so tired… The water was cold. Their muscles were sore. The ship was nowhere to be seen. They just wanted to… rest…
"T-Tsukiko! Tsukiko-chan!" Ran just barely caught her friend when they went limp. "No, Tsukiko-chan, stay awake! Please!" They dipped underwater when a waved crashed over them. But Ran still hold onto the body of the younger girl. The karate champion spluttered when she regained her breath and tears welled in her eyes. "Shi-, Shin… SHINICHI!"
Shugo opened his eyes and sat up at the back seat of the Beetle. It was the time. He was sure of it. The computer geek climbed on the front seat and plugged his laptop on the extra battery he'd brought with him. He couldn't afford running out of power right now. If only he knew what to hack into. Stupid Private Eye of the seas… Too tight security protocols… Even he couldn't get in without direct link. Wait a minute…
"Eye…?" Shugo repeated his earlier thoughts. "That's right, Tsukiko has her TX-eye that she gave to Yuuki. If only I'd get Chibi-tantei to plug it in Hotaka. After all my skills would be helpful in locating Ran-chan and Tsukiko…"
The long fingers flew on the keyboard as the boy dived into the cyberspace to find the correct internet signal coming from the TX-eye. It should be easy. After all he doubted there'd be very many of them around the area were Hotaka was sailing.
"Found ya~!"
The helicopter was sent into the air and the approximate area for the location of Ran and Tsukiko was calculated. Sonoko was crying. So were the children. Conan was determined and worried. Everyone was calling the names of the girls – but especially Ran – through the speaker on the chopper.
When sunset and calling off the search by then mentioned, Sonoko shouted for the marines to continue the search despite the sunset.
Breep breep breep…
"W-What's that sound?" Fujii gasped. The people gathered in the CIC looked around until the located the source of the noise. It was coming from Yuuki.
Breep breep breep…
"Yuuki-kun, what is that?" Mitsuhiko asked.
"I… I don't know." The boy tug into the pocket of his quilted vest and found the TX-eye. "The oneechan with glasses gave this to me…"
"Tsukiko did?" Conan hurried to Yuuki and the other boy gave the game console to detective. The faux child opened the lid and immediately a picture of number 5 colored green on black surface appeared.
"Hello, Chibi-tantei. It's Midori-go here." A distorted voice spoke, like through several voice changers.
"What do you want, there's no time-."
"What's the time?" Midori-go replied. "Almost five right? I can help you."
"Keep an eye on the time… That's what Tsukiko told me too…" The bespectacled kid thought with a frown.
"Wait a minute… 'Midori-go'?" Fujii interrupted. "The hacker that has been bothering us for five years before disappearing underground two years ago."
"Yup, that's me. But we can't dilly-dally now. Quick, Chibi-tantei. Plug me into Hotaka. I can help you and you know it."
Without much thought Conan ran the game console to the screens were an USB was given to him.
"Thank you." There was a grin in the voice now. "The satellite connections are online. Chibi-tantei, you've got your watch right?"
"My watch? Ran has Mitsuhiko's watch." Conan realized. When Genta mentioned the Detective of the Seas, the plan was in the shrunken teen's head. "The radio watch! Ran has a radio watch! This Aegis Destroyer should be able to pick up that radio signal right?"
"And I can help by analyzing the satellite feed to pinpoint their location." Midori-go added as pictures were flying rapidly on the screen directly behind the TX-eye it had been plugged onto.
"Mitsuhiko! You said the watch was fully waterproof, right?"
"Yes!"
"The watch sends signals at 5 AM and 5 PM sharp! Captain, we don't have time. Hurry up!"
"Prepare the radio wave radar immediately!" Captain Tateishi ordered. "1 minute 40 seconds until 5 PM. Can we do it?"
"Even if you can't I can continue with the satellite feed so long as there's even a bit of daylight… My fingers are smoking…" The hacker at the end of the line commented.
"Midori-go… Why are you helping us?" Fujii asked the game console while others were running around or focusing on other screen where the radar should be.
"Well, let's say that I've taken a liking on this lot. Especially Tsukiko-chan is important to me. And when I got the information that her tracker was off Hotaka approximate location… I decided to act. This TX-eye was my way." There was a few white lies but the woman didn't need to know that.
"Start the radio wave radar!"
Tsukiko opened her eyes and spluttered immediately when she got mouth full of saltwater.
"What? Where am I?" The girl thought after spitting the water out. She noticed someone's arms around her and looked up to see Ran's face close to hers. Around them numerous golden calling cards were scattered as they'd escaped from the karate champion's pocket.
"What has happened? Why am I here?" The girl thought frantically. "Kage. Kage!" There was no response.
The next thing Tsukiko noticed that Ran was wearing a life jacket and she wasn't. And that the longhaired girl was slipping in and out of consciousness.
"Ran! Ran-senpai!" Tsukiko tried to shake the other girl awake. The grip around her waist tightened for a moment.
"T-Tsukiko…-chan?" Ran mumbled.
"Yes. You are alright, aren't you?"
"Hnh…" Dammit, she was still sleepy. Tsukiko took a look on the watch Ran had, the bespectacled girl's own having stopped working. It was almost 5 PM. "You shouldn't have… jumped after me."
"So that's what happened…"
"You're life jacket wasn't functional, you could've died." The seconds ticked on. "But if the people are searching for us, I definitely hope they realize to use this!" And Tsukiko lifted Ran's left wrist as high as she could.
"We can detect radio waves!"
"Ran is there! Lead the helicopter there!" Conan shouted.
"Lead the patrol helicopter there!" The captain repeated.
"Roger! Target coordinates are four kilometers northeast from our destroyer." The location was told. "Latitude 36°4', longitude 135°. SH, hurry towards the point."
"Roger. Heading towards the point." Was repeated from the heli. "…We'll be arriving at the search point soon… We're straight above the search point but visibility it low. Reflection of the setting sun on the waves is hindering out view. Finding someone in this kind of condition is…"
"I've got the pictures! I think this is something to look into. See those glittering things?" Midori-go called suddenly, startling many. Some had forgotten his presence. "I bet you guys in the helicopter can see them too."
Pictures of the sea appeared on couple of screens. One had a general view where the helicopter was seen and one was closer where some glittery was visible. Last one had only the glitter and some red marker to show how much it was on which areas.
"Yes. A part of the sea is strangely glittering and reflecting light from the helicopter." Came an answer, Shugo(Midori-go) having plugged himself into the speaker system too. (A/N: Bloody annoyance… )
"There!" Conan shouted. "Follow those lights! Ran should be at their source!"
"Ask the helicopter to head there as the kid said." Fujii requested the captain. "Please, Captain!"
"Follow the floating lights! We believe one of the victims is where those objects concentrate."
"Roger!" A few minutes later. "We've reached the location where the objects are concentrated. We're descending now! … There's something directly beneath us! It's clearly not one of the floating objects…"
And then the sentence they all had been waiting to hear was announced through the speaker system.
"Found them! We found the victims! We can confirm they're alive! We're starting the rescue!"
A delighted exclamations rang throughout the CIC. Some people began crying again.
"Good work. You did well. Take the girls to the hospital as soon as you pick them up." Captain told the heli.
"Roger. It seems the victims are conscious but we'll take them to the hospital just in case. The body temperatures appear to be low on both of them but the heartbeats are stable."
Conan let out a sigh of relief and looked at the grumbled calling card he'd found from his pocket. At least something useful came from them.
"Alright. I think I'll make my leave now, Chibi-tantei. Let's see when we'll meet next time." Midori-go stated when the pictures were disappearing from the screen's he'd cyberjacked. "Oh, and would you not tell Tsukiko-chan that I was involved."
"Why?" The faux child picked the TX-eye from the console.
"Because… We haven't seen for a long time and the first time she knows about me will be the first time we'll see face to face again. I'm sure you can understand."
"Yeah…"
"Besides… I bet you could've solved this on your own too… Sayonara, Chibi-tantei." And the screen went dark.
Tsukiko had a blanket on her shoulders and Ran was lying next to her on the floor of the helicopter. While the both girls were exhausted the bespectacled one (though her glasses had been safely in her bag ever since Kage had taken over) trudged her way to the cabin of the helicopter despite the protests behind her.
"Can I talk with them?" She asked the pilot.
"A-Alright." A head set was given to her and she sat on the ground.
"Hello everyone." Shushing was heard at the other send. "Ran and I are fine. A bit tired and cold but fine. Thank you for not stopping to try. We are alive and that matters, right? I bet you all caught the spy too. But if you didn't, he was pretending to be Yuuki-kun's father. I hope you'll catch him… Now I'm too tired to think anymore so I just say bye bye and go to the hospital. And thank you one more time."
Tsukiko took off the headset and went to lie on the other stretcher next to Ran.
"We are alive." She smiled.
"Yes, we are." Ran smiled back, taking the younger girl's hand in hers and squeezing it gently.
A/N: Hora! I did it! Finally!
A couple of things I gotta say now.
1. Mai and Amuro needed t hear the info from Tsukiko sooner or later so the proper cooperation between them could start and... I'm not saying!
2. Shugo knows about Ai-is-Shiho. At Leap he'll find her when she's shrunken and takes her to Agasa. But he pretends he doesn't know about Conan-is-Shinichi. That is also why I removed Heiji and Kazuha from the car. Because Shugo knows he's talking to Shinichi while actually talking to Conan. Kazuha in the other hand thought during the course of the movie that Heiji was talking with Shinichi. And Agasa has been on the phone with 'Conan' so... You understand why I had to do it.
3. Midori-go(Green 5) and Hibiki? What's going on? Midori-go is what Shugo used at first before he officially picked up the name Hibiki. Two years ago happened the switch and Fujii knows only about Midori-go because M-5 was the one to hack into the files of her workplace too. Hibiki specializes on the Organization.
4. You can decide on your own how much of the ShinRan scenes happened at the end of the movie. After all this time Ran didn't sink underneath the surface so the picked the signal up immediately.
5. Shugo's involvement. Only Moonfiles made it to our world. Moonfiles=Conan's stories with Tsukiko added. Shugo won't be on those. Until he meets with Tsukiko face to fae during some canon case. And the fans in 'our world' know about Tsukiko as much as showed from Conan's point of view during the cases.
6. ...err. Not right now. If you have ore questions, you're welcome to ask.
()
Replies to Reviews:
-A'stories10:
I see.
I'm glad you like this story that much. Comments like this make me so happy. You belong to the positive faction of DC-fans regarding the Moonfiles(mentioned in the Leap to Relatively Unknown).
Really? I'd like to read about her then. Planning to write?
-Kimmiko T:
I've updated. I'm glad you liked the previous chapter.
-ZeroRandomNumber:
I'm glad to hear that. I also like the three of them. As you can see from this chapter, they wish to be seperate though. :D
Bo boo! Wrong. Movie 18 will come eventually but not yet. Lupin Movie is also prior that.
-chibianimefan26:
You are alive!
Yes, it is. That's why Shugo appears in this one too.
Ah-ha. Sorry. Those movie cases are long gone in the timeline. I try to work with some of them in the Leap though. They match Shugo's timeline after all.
-I'maguest:
I suppose so. But I rather not call it that. It sound like an illness while Tsukiko's case more of a supernatural origin. Or pseudo-scientific like APTX(science but not possible in real life) after all she travelled through dimensions because of a giant machine!
-Zeladious:
:D
Let's sulk together then.
()
Next chapter... Comes some day. I think I'll try to write either Leap or Firefly next...