Heya !
Time to see how our fight Heiji vs Saijô ended... Who won in the end ? Heiji ? Neither ? :p
o.O.o
emmahoshi : Yea, I tried not to use it but 3rd person PoV is sometimes really needed. I could have it all told to Heiji and use his PoV afterwards but I feel it would be too "heavy", those bunch of explanations, just like a long monolog... Ah, well, sorry about global warming (xD), but they weren't really friend, right ? Tanioka is being blackmailed here. he did his work, so he goes back home, while Saijô leaves for whatever evil deed he has in mind :p I do also lock my car when I get in but that's not most of people here. And cars with an auto-lock system often lock after the car starts running so it would have been ope for Conan : ) Uh, of course Saijô is mad... he was before, he's still now :p As to the guessing game, you won this time ; ) Let's see how Heiji reacts to it xD As to your other questions... Answer in this chapter and the ending note ; )
Chapter 9 : Unwanted rescuer
Third person PoV
Barely leaving Tanioka's doorstep, Conan dialled the number the Superintendent gave to him.
He hesitated a second to take his voice changer but finally decided to play the "I'm a kid and I'm afraid " card.
"- Ayanokoji speaking.
- Ayanokiji-keibu ? This is Edogawa Conan-kun, I need your help ! ..."
It took the boy a little while to convince him, even more to have the officer pick him up where he was - he had walked away during that phone call not to imply Tanioka yet - and they had finally been heading towards the place the Superintendent pointed out to him.
They were now both into the deserted gymnasium, the small detective pretty tense, the officer still wondering if all of this was just a gigantic prank.
But those metallic noises they started to hear when they reached the second floor proved the place wasn't as much abandoned as one wanted them to believe. There was someone, for sure, even if the noises stopped almost as soon as they heard them.
The policeman and the azure-eyed child looked at each other a second, before rushing in the direction they last heard that strange sound.
Ayanokoji tried all the doors, Conan on his heels, to finally reach what was, without a doubt, the one they were looking for.
That, they knew for sure when a certain dark-skinned Osakan fell into the policeman's arms after a "Ya !" filled with what was at least displeasure to see him.
"- Hattori !" The boy yelled, his eyes widening when he saw his friend was passing out, sweating and panting heavily.
But the teen didn't even hear him.
o.O.o
Heiji PoV
Not again.
Not again waking up after passing out. And if it wasn't enough, nausea and a strange stiffness around my chest were adding up to the usual symptoms... Great.
Only improvement was that I felt someone had put something soft under my head. A cloth maybe ?
But... Since I was starting to wake up, did it mean...
I suddenly opened my eyes in the hope I wouldn't wake up in the Other World.
But unless Kudô had also screwed up pretty badly, I was back to Kyoto.
Alive.
"- Awake ?" My friend asked as he bent on me when he saw my eyes open.
"- Yea..."
I wanted to push on my elbow - the good one - to sit but a large hand against my chest prevented me to do it.
"- Don't move yet..."
Turning my head to that new voice, I couldn't stop myself from sighing. Yea, that hadn't been my imagination, this guy was here also. The man didn't notice - or perhaps totally ignored - my lack of enthusiasm at his face and spoke again.
"- ... We don't know at what kind of dosage you've been exposed to, I gave you some of his antidote but I'd prefer to wait for medical assistance.
- Antidote ? " I repeated, before coughing, feeling my throat was sore and didn't really want to obey me. "I thought he said ... He didn' have any ?
- He lied then. " The policeman concisely observed, before Kudô decided to add some information to his too concise answer.
"- I saw a kodachi like the one he used last time near his hand... So when I saw you weren't badly hurt but you seemed to have trouble breathing, I guessed he used the same trick than last time...
- We couldn't find anything to help here but that man was too cocky to risk dying if he mishandled his own blade... I was convinced we could find the antidote somewhere.
- And Ayanokoji-keibu found some when we searched his car, he had parked it on the first floor..."
I looked at my best friend with startle. The fact I was alive was probably just pure luck. Pure luck and... Crap, I was going to own my life to that damn cop... It was a pain to admit it but... No more choice than to acknowledge the man could be handy... And not that much of a pain in the ass...
"- Thanks." I finally said, looking straight at Ayanokoji.
"- Don't mention it." He answered, shortly also, with a little nod.
"- How did ya found me ?
- Ask your little friend..." The officer pointed out as he gave a side look at the boy near him, a wide grin on his face.
My friend struck again, I should have known it before even asking the question. As I said earlier, having a detective as a pal is... useful. Really.
"- Thanks." I whispered as I closed my eyes again, too tired to keep them open.
We would talk about that later, not in front of Ayanokoji, clearly.
o.O.o
I probably - well, surely - passed out again since, when I opened my eyes, I had left that dance studio and was in a less fancy place. Hospital, without a doubt.
A gentle daylight was passing through the windows, landing on a corner on the room, where my best friend was sleeping on a chair, a blanket around him. He did look like a little boy like this, I'd have to point it out to him, I knew he'd love it. Wouldn't he ?
I quickly checked myself, to just see a perfusion in my arm and feeling some bandage around my waist and my left elbow. Nothing new under the sun then. And nothing to stop me from sitting, damn, I was so bored already to lie down.
The grunt that move got out of me was feeble but enough to wake up Kudô, who looked at me with a scolding look.
"- Sorry..." I apologized with a small smile. "Didn' want ta wake ya up.
- That look on my face isn't because you woke me up, it's because you're trying to move.
- Hey, come on, I'm not made o' sugar..."
The small detective didn't even argue as he got on his feet and sat near of my bed.
"- But what happened to you isn't insignificant either. Black widow's venom... Where the hell did he find that..." My friend ranted with a low voice before looking back at me. "Never mind... Just rest for now.
- Only if ya tell me how ya found me."
I knew bargaining was the best way to deal with Kudô when he tried to babysit me. Ok, he was older by a few months and was perhaps a tiny bit more thoughtful than I was, but that was annoying. I wasn't a kid. But he was... at least physically.
"- Deal."
I settled back in my pillows like an obedient child and waited for him to tell me his story.
o.O.o
"- So, fer the moment, only ya an' me know the truth about the Superintendent General Tanioka ?
- Yup. I managed to avoid telling it to Ayanokoji-keibu, I don't know how long it'll last though..."
"- Telling me what ?"
I rolled my eyes when I recognized the inspector's voice. The man didn't even knock and barged in, before closing the door behind him.
"- That's funny how you always end in the hospital on the cases I see you working on..." He observed since he didn't get any answer to his question, looking around him with a frown. "Do you have some kind of subscription in Osaka's ER ? They must see you quite often...
- Haha..." I retorted with a glare from my pillow.
"- So, now that you two are awake, could I have some answers ? Especially from you, boya..."
I looked at Kudô, knowing he wanted to hide for the moment the Superintendent's role in that case but we nevertheless had to do something...
"- I think ya also thought about the theory o' a mole among the police - let's say Ogi-keiji - helpin' Saijô ta escape ?"
The man nodded, not really looking surprised at my deduction, so I spoke again.
"- Well, we went ta see Ogi-keiji an' thanks ta him, found the hideout o' the group who lead that operation. We got the exact place an' we got pictures o' it.
- You should have immediately given this information to the police..."
I exchanged a look with my best friend, trying hard not to sigh at the irony of what he was scolding me for.
"- Well, I was on my way ta do that but, as ya saw, it got busy... Would ya happen ta have a map o' Kyoto ? I'll show ya where it is."
The man took his phone out and gave it to me a minute later, the screen showing a navigation software.
"- Ok, that's around here. That pack o' abandoned houses is connected. We went there around midday. Thirty minutes later, the guards switched. It is probably a routine, so I'd advise ya ta strike at this moment."
Okay, that part was totally made up. But I knew we'd need some extra time if we wanted ta save Tanioka's son. I nevertheless avoided Kudô's probably surprised look, not wanting to be destabilized by him.
"- Noted." The policeman said as he looked at the screen to see the location I was pointing at.
"- Just ta be sure, could ya tell us if there has been any leak ta any one about the fact Saijô's been sent back ta jail an' that I'm alive?
- It hasn't been announced to the public yet... What's your point ?
- I wouldn' want them ta be suspicious, that guy may have known where their HQ were so if they thought he could have said anythin' compromisin', they could be packin' right now. Lucky it's not the case.
- Yes. I'll be heading to the Police Station then, we need to arrest those criminals as soon as possible. I want to find you two right here when I'll be coming back this afternoon, there are still some things missing in your story.
- Haiiii..." Kudô answered with his best - absolutely fake - obedient tone.
"- Laters then." I said with a reassuring smile to, before displaying a serious face the second he closed the door behind him.
"- Nice idea that "you should attack around half past midday" thingy...
- Thanks. We're goin' ta get busy, we need that extra time..." I explained, getting up to fetch my things before my best friend put his hand on my stomach to push me back on the bed.
"- Some things can be done from here. The longest we stay here, the less suspicious they'll be. And don't forget that IV, I'd prefer you to stay with it as long as possible, you're too heavy for me to carry you around if you pass out once again...
- Yes, Okan... Ok, first step, the Superintendent ?
- Nah. If we want them to accept his demand to free or see his son, we have to convince them Saijô got you. So let's call them first."
My best friend got his bowtie out but I quickly took it from his hands.
"- Ya suck at Kansai-ben, I'll do the talkin' " I grinned.
o.O.o
"- Ok, Saijô is "on stand-by" so now, time fer Tanioka ta enter the stage? Want ta call them an' pose as him or want ta try somethin' with the real one ?
- We'll need the real one. And his car.
- Think we can trust him ?
- I think he has been pretty shocked to throw you at Saijô, so just remind him once or twice how awful it was and he'll eat in your hand.
- Ya're scary sometimes, ya know..." I grinned at my friend, a bit worried but nevertheless amused by his ideas.
Thirty minutes later, the guy was entering my hospital room and, just as Kudô said, his head was low and he was barely able to look at me.
His eyes stopped a second on my IV and the bandage around my arm, his head disappearing even lower, if it was possible, between his shoulders.
"- I can' express how much I'm sorry, Hattori-kun... How are ya doin' ?
- Oh, I'm f... Ouch !"
I threw a dark glare at my best friend, rubbing the arm he just pinched. Ok, ok, forget the 'I'm fine', play the victim. I so hated doing that.
"- I'm better, thank ya. Still have ta stay here a little while though, apparently."
That at least wasn't a lie. The doctor came right after Ayanokoji left, telling me how lucky I had been to know such a fine - and well equipped in terms of anti-venom - policeman. Most of the poison had been neutralized by what he gave me and the IV was more there as a safety measure, there shouldn't be any risk left. I had thought I was going to be freed from it a minute later but then he insisted on how important it was for me to keep it at least 12 hours. 12 damn hours. NEVER.
"- I'm sorry ta hear that...
- Then help me. I think K... Conan-kun explained ya a bit what we wanted ta do ?
- Yea, but it's..."
I could see the man was hesitating, of course he would. His career was as good as dead but there was still his son. And, even if our plan shouldn't put his life at risk, we were going to put him in danger.
"- There's no turning back, Superintendent General Tanioka. I already gave the information about the hideout to Ayanokoji-keibu...
- I know, he asked me ta allow him ta organize this operation...
- An' ?" I wondered, a bit afraid to discover the man had lost the small courage he managed to gather to give my location to Kudô.
"- He's goin' ta lead the operation an' I allowed him ta use every resource necessary."
I smiled at the news, though feeling a bit guilty to have had doubt about him. The men who indirectly helped killing Oyaji were going to be arrested as well. This day was probably going to turn to be better than its beginning announced.
"- So now, what's left is ta save yer son." I said, while my partner held his phone to him.
"- Ok.
- Remember what I told you ?"
The policeman nodded at Kudô's question before taking the phone and pushing the speaker button.
"- Let's do this."
o.O.o
"- It's Tanioka.
- ... I think we told you not to call at that number.
- I did everythin' ya told me ta. An' I'm still not seein' my son back home. What else do ya want ?!
- We don't know yet but no way we'd just let you go... or your son.
- Come on, I can' just do this anymore... I even gave ya that kid ! Even when I knew what could happen ta him, even if he wasn' any older than my own son... Kami only knows what ya did ta him ! No, this is too much, just... Just at least let me see Takeo, it's been two weeks already !"
I was surprised to hear the man's emotion in his voice. Even if I had wanted to resent him, I don't think I would have been able to... The man was just a classical blackmail victim. Trying to save the one he cared about but not wanting to throw away everything he was. That was the nasty thing in a well-organized blackmail. Always start with tiny things. Pointless missions, without too much guilt. And then increase the level of commitment. I didn't think the Tanioka from two weeks ago would have called them to sell me to Saijô. But it had been almost an evidence to today's Tanioka. Yea, once again if needed, a proof the guys in front of us weren't amateurs.
There had been a short silence on the phone, the man probably consulted someone else, with an higher rank, before speaking again.
"- Ok to see him. Ten minutes, no more. Let's say three p.m. .
- I'd be suspicious If I left at this hour... Can' we do this durin' luch ? Half past twelve fer example ? Time fer me ta go wherever ya want ta do this meetin' ?
- ... Ok. Here are the coordinates..."
Kudô noted the numbers the criminal enounced on his little notebook and looked back at us when the conversation ended.
"- Ok, and now, time to organize that meeting..."
o.O.o
Half past twelve had been coming fast. Too fast. We had been preparing what we could from my hospital room, with the help of a really motivated Tanioka. The man was smart and quick to come with ideas, he probably was excellent to his job, it was really a waste he decided to listen to those criminals instead of trying to face them.
But I'm not sure I wouldn't have done the same than him if someone I loved had been in danger so I couldn't really judge him.
Thinking of "loved ones" had reminded me I said we would come back to Osaka in the morning but that clearly wasn't going to happen so I sent a text to Okan, telling her we were alright and we'd be late. I knew it was going to have her worried but I preferred to add that this information should stay within the ones under our roof.
I had after switched off my phone to focus on the operation, starting by me sneaking out of the hospital. Ok, Tanioka had found three men to help him but we didn't know how many they'd be on the other side and being young could help not to look too suspicious, so I needed to also be there. Well, those were my arguments, but I think the man agreed more by guilt than convinced by my logic.
Well, we were now on a dock, waiting for the men to arrive.
The superintendent was the only person visible. Two of his men were snipers, hidden on the top of some nearby containers, and the last man was hiding in his car, ready to seize any occasion. Kudô and I were hiding a bit further, the car would have to pass in front of us to reach the meeting point.
And there it was, a few minutes after half past twelve.
A quick look at the car told us there were at least three men and that apparently Tanioka's son was here, information I gave immediately to the other policemen through the earplug they gave me.
"- Let's go..." Kudô ordered after I finished my report.
Still hiding behind a container, we came the closest we could of the scene, close enough to be able to listen to them.
"- Takeo ! " was saying Tanioka when the three men went down the car and his son finally appeared.
"- Tou-san !" The teen spurted as he rushed to hug his father.
I was a bit surprised to see his hands weren't tied but, well, a closer look at his "nannies" solved that mystery quite quickly : I could see guns at their belts, they weren't even hiding them.
"- As you said, we think it's time for this to stop, Tanioka..."
One of the men, their boss probably, announced with a grin, his hand getting closer to his weapon.
I tensed, feeling that augured nothing good and indeed...
"- So we thought about ending our cooperation."
The first bullet shot hit the Superintendent in the arm as he pushed his son on the floor and then, a noisy mayhem followed.
My best friend and I could only witness the scene, seeing how fast it started. And ended.
The three criminals were on the floor, wounded at different levels of seriousness, but still breathing from what I saw as I passed them.
I looked at the officer, concerned about his wound but the man was already getting up, holding his son against him despite his bloody arm. Tanioka had been ready to go to any length to save his child. Not unlike a certain Superintendent General...
After one last sad smile, I turned to Kudô to ruffle his hair with a grin of enthusiasm.
"- Time ta give ya back ta yer Nee-chan, boya."
And here is the end of... this chapter ! (what did you think ? :p). But clearly not of that story, we're barely half way... See you Wednesday for more of 'Tiger' ; )