Shinichi/Conan teases Heiji and Kaitou in this about their relationship (or lack there of) with Kazuha and Aoko. That's because, let's face it…Heiji and Kaitou sort of know something is there, but haven't quite figured it out. Shinichi, on the other hand, admits that he loves Ran.
There are a lot of manga chapters and anime episodes to recall, but I don't really remember any other episode where Haibara actually speaks to Kid except for one instance (by the end of episode 396; manga chapter 478).
I use a lot of abbreviations and shortening of words with apostrophes when Heiji talks…the reason for that is I'm trying to capture his Osaka accent.
Japanese used:
"-kun" – A suffix used typically for addressing boys (though, it's occasionally used for girls) that are typically younger or the same age as the speaker.
"Keibu" – Means "officer/inspector", used when talking about police inspectors (like Megure and Nakamori)
"Neechan" – Means "big sister"…but the way Heiji uses the word is pretty much for other girls (Kazuha not included)
A "shinai" is a bamboo sword made for Kendo
Chapter 3
When Kaitou woke up, there was sun streaming through the windows. For a moment, he couldn't figure out where he was. After all, the ceiling wasn't familiar, and he certainly couldn't recall falling asleep on a couch. It was the ache in his shoulder that reminded him.
Kaitou flinched. Right…the heist, the sniper, running from some 'guys in black' with Kudou, trudging through the sewers…
He vaguely remembered a car ride, but after that, it was blank. I must have passed out. I think I remember being helped through the door to a circular house, with Kudou shouting at me not to fall asleep…but then, nothing.
Kaitou rubbed his head with his right arm, then blinked when he felt the bandage. A small grin formed on his face. He kept his word, at least. I'm not in a hospital, yet my injuries seem to have been taken care of. I guess the bump on my head wasn't as bad as either of us must have thought if I'm awake…
His arm was a little painful, his knee throbbed now and then, and he felt a tad feverish, but otherwise, he appeared to be in one piece.
Kaitou glanced over to the side and blinked.
There was a low table between the couch he sat on and another one…but that's not what caught his attention. It was the two detectives sound asleep on the other side that did.
There were papers with various sketches and circled words that scattered the table along with maps that were also marked. In fact, there didn't seem to be a clear space on the table to see the wood on the top under all the paper.
Slumped over the table was one Conan Edogawa, aka Shinichi Kudou, fast asleep. His glasses had been removed or taken off, and there was a blanket over his shoulders.
Next to him with his back against the couch and slumped slightly with his head down in slumber was a high school detective that Kaitou had only met a couple times before, though he knew of the guy. Heiji Hattori. He, too, had a blanket over his front.
Obviously, someone had covered them when they fell asleep. Kaitou noticed a similar type of blanket over himself, and figured it must have been the old man named Agasa that he faintly remembered.
Speak of the devil, a slightly elderly voice spoke up from nearby. "I see you're awake. Shinichi told me everything last night. You don't have to fear being here."
Kaitou glanced around and finally saw the old man come into view. "You're…that scientist guy, Agasa, right?"
"Yep." Agasa fixed the blankets over Conan and Heiji, then stepped back. "I can't believe these two, falling asleep in positions like that…I woke up this morning and they were sound asleep over the table!"
Kaitou chuckled, then coughed a couple of times.
"When one of them wakes up, I'll go fill the antibiotic prescription for you. Araide-sensei left it to decrease the risk of infection. I'll bring some tea over for now. Can you sit up?"
Kaitou nodded and slowly sat up, then moved so he could lean back against the couch rather than the pillow.
Agasa returned a couple minutes later with a cup of tea, and handed it to Kaitou. "You can just put it on the ground when you're done…I wouldn't touch anything on the table if I were you, either."
"What were they doing?" Kaitou wondered aloud as he stared at the contents of the table.
Now that he had a better look, there were more than just pages of words…there were also pages of numbers and what was probably coded messages, as well as corresponding codes on the maps.
Agasa hesitated, then finally replied, "Hunting, I suppose you can call it. Normally, I wouldn't say a word to anyone, but you seem involved, now…Shinichi will probably explain it when he wakes up."
Kaitou glanced at the shrunken detective in question. Sleeping like that, he looks far too innocent for the one that's always trying to put me to sleep or knock me to kingdom come with a super-powered soccer ball…
"Though, I was surprised! When Shinichi told me that you knew who he really was, I nearly didn't believe it."
"Who were the guys that tried to kill me last night? Do you know?" Kaitou wasn't the patient type, and he didn't want to wait for the little detective to wake up before he found out.
It wasn't Agasa that responded, but the little girl that Kaitou had always found quite creepy. He had only met her a couple of times, but she frankly freaked the hell out of him.
"The Black Organization…an underground syndicate that deals in just about any crime you can think of. If Kudou-kun hadn't helped you, you'd be dead right now."
And, as usual, she was just as charming as the last time he had met her. Kaitou was sure that thought reflected on his face despite his attempts not to let it as he stared at the girl that had emerged from a doorway.
"Oh! I made some extra tea for you, Ai-kun. Some breakfast, too…" Agasa started.
Haibara yawned and nodded. "I only came up because of that." She paused as she headed past the couch, then turned and smirked at Kaitou. "I suppose I should thank you. Kudou-kun might, too. If you hadn't taken that formula…it might have taken a long time for us to come across it."
"Yea, about that…he was pretty shocked, and you seem to know what it is, too. He said it was a poison…" Kaitou started.
"Oh? You haven't figured it out? I thought you were smart. Though, I have to wonder about your intelligence when you so willingly walked into a trap."
Kaitou shot her a half-moon glare. Yup, just as charming…
"How do you think Kudou-kun got like he is? Magic?"
Kaitou shrugged, then regretted the movement and rubbed his shoulder with a grimace.
"Don't move your arm too much…Kudou-kun already risked a lot calling that doctor over here. Pulling your stitches would be bad."
"Thanks, I think…" Kaitou grumbled.
Haibara just smirked at him, then walked away to go to the kitchen.
Kaitou leaned back on the couch. So…that formula was the poison that shrunk Kudou, huh…?
Agasa walked with Haibara, asking how things were coming along, and receiving a positive answer in response.
"Slowly, but I'm getting there."
Was what Kaitou heard before the two rounded the bend into the kitchen unit.
Kaitou sighed and sipped at the tea. "That…is one damn creepy little girl."
To his surprise, there was a chuckle from across the table.
"That doesn't even begin to describe her personality."
Kaitou nearly jumped, then looked over and saw that both detectives were stirring.
Conan was the one that had spoken as he blinked sleep from his eyes and stretched.
Heiji groaned next to him. "Remind me notta fall asleep in this position again, Kudou."
Conan grinned cheekily, then turned to his friend and said, "Don't fall asleep in that position again."
Heiji gave him a tired glare.
Kaitou burst into laughter. "And here I thought you had no sense of humor!"
"Sure I do…it's just as dry as sandpaper," Conan responded as he moved the blanket that covered him aside and glanced down at the table.
"I can contest to that…" Heiji stretched in an attempt to get limber again after sleeping in an uncomfortable position.
"Am I going to find out what exactly is being used as the table sheet?" Kaitou questioned.
"Maybe…you seem to be a target now, too…" Conan sighed.
Agasa came back into the room with two more cups of tea, and a couple bowls of cereal on a tray. A moment later, Haibara walked by and went back through the door she had come out of without a word.
"So, this is how you survived on your own with your dismal cooking skills, huh, hakase?" Conan snickered, but accepted one of the bowls and cups.
"Hmph…"
Heiji chuckled and took one as well with a 'thanks'.
Kaitou didn't feel very hungry, but he was still grateful that he received porridge instead of cereal.
"I didn't make it, so don't worry," Agasa stated with a chuckle.
"Ah…thanks. I'm not that hungry, though…"
"Eat," Conan all but demanded. "You'll be on antibiotics later, and you have to eat to recover. Your body is weak from the injuries and fever."
Kaitou blinked and placed a hand to his forehead. "Ah…that'd explain the chills…"
"That comes from running around in a sewer, I'd imagine…" Heiji placed his now empty bowl down.
Conan stared at the Osakan detective a moment with a boggled look, then just shook his head and muttered something about bottomless pits.
Heiji gave him a 'who, me?' look, then moved a couple papers on the table to get to work again.
"So, am I going to be let in on the big secret, or what?" Kaitou broke the silence again. He was irked at being ordered around by the shrunken detective, but did as he was told and started to eat, since there was a ring of truth in the words.
Heiji and Conan exchanged a look, then both sighed.
Agasa left to go fill the antibiotic prescription for Kaitou now that Conan and Heiji were awake and could handle it if Kaitou's fever got worse or the wound opened up again.
"Alright. But, you've got to spill the details on your end, too. Also…" Conan was interrupted by Kaitou.
"Deal. However, don't tell me to stay out of it afterwards just cause Kid was targeted. If those guys are working with Snake, then they could also be responsible for my father's death. I want to see them brought down."
Heiji shrugged. "Sounds logical ta me, Kudou. I vote 'in' for him. We're gonna tell the FBI what we've discovered, anyway…"
"Yea, I guess so…it's all moving towards a showdown…" Conan frowned slightly.
Kaitou nodded eagerly. "It concerns me, too, so you can't leave me out. You know who I am, and I know who you are…we have a common enemy, so we can join up!"
"Fine, fine…" Conan nodded. "You're in."
Kaitou grinned.
Heiji nodded. "Just…we draw the line at that. If I have to work with that Hakuba guy, I'll…"
What he said next involved aforementioned detective, human anatomy, and a very creative way to use a shinai.
Conan shook his head wryly, though he did pause to glance at Kaitou, who had suddenly burst out in uncontrollable laughter.
"Say what?!"
Though both Conan and Kaitou glared at him, Heiji's exclamation was actually right on the mark with how they felt about the situation as well.
The two had deciphered the codes and locations before they had fallen asleep, so all that was left was contacting others and setting a plan into motion in order to capture the Organization.
Of course, they'd run into trouble if not all of the members were at that location, which was why Shuuichi stayed in contact with Conan while he spied on them. Of course, he didn't contact the others in the FBI for a couple reasons…in case he was targeted again, and because they all figured he had amnesia. It was for the CIA member's safety.
Though, that was the current problem.
"Because the CIA has an agent in there that they heard returned safely as a spy, the FBI can't move freely," Conan repeated himself.
"So, basically, the FBI and CIA are tripping over each other's feet on their MO, huh? Which means that neither can act as long as they keep it up," Kaitou summed it up.
"Exactly." Conan nodded.
"So, we'll hafta fly solo, then…not sure I like not have'n backup. If we called the police on the location, those guys in black would just move, and we'd be back where we started…" Heiji mused.
"We don't necessarily have to fly solo…"
"You got a plan, Kudou?" Heiji looked at their smaller companion.
Conan nodded. "My father has connections in Interpol. They can operate freely in Japan without crossing with the FBI and CIA. They can secure the area after we've gone in."
"So, we're still busting in…" Heiji grinned.
"Of course…if a bunch of officers swarmed them…well, they don't know what they're dealing with," Conan said.
"To be honest, neither do we. The only one that's actively encountered them is you and that tiny neechan…"
"Right. So, I'll fill you in, then." Conan shrugged.
Kaitou leaned back on the couch. Heiji and Conan were seated closer to the table, on the ground, but didn't let Kaitou join them since he still had to recover.
Which was another problem.
"We'll probably be acting on this within a week…antidote or no antidote. You might have to sit out on it, Kuroba…" Conan glanced at the teen.
"Maybe I can't go inside, but…I know something I can do. If I just send a note to Nakamori-keibu about a heist and keep it quiet…yea, it's not my usual, but I play 'tag' with the Taskforce often enough."
"In other words, lead the cops to the location after we've gone in. At that point, if they run, they'll be caught by the guys look'n for Kid…" Heiji nodded.
"Can you do that with your injuries?" Conan asked.
Kaitou gave him a thumbs-up. "No problem! All I have to do is get them to chase me. Plus, we'll all be wearing bullet-proof vests for this, right?"
The two nodded. It would be suicide to go into the base of such an organization without protection and backup.
"We've got the Taskforce, and whomever tousan finds…" Conan tapped his pen against the table. "If need-be, Hattori can give his father a call…"
"Please, no…" Heiji groaned. "If I get outta this alive, he'll flay me for do'n this without tell'n him. Then again…he had fun using me as bait last time…"
Conan chuckled. "They had the situation under control last time. This time, the only one out there that's looking is Akai."
"What about the creep next door?" Kaitou jerked his thumb in said direction. "Didn't you say that we exited the sewers a block away yesterday to avoid that guy?"
"Yea…he's probably working for them, too. I told Akai not to watch for him amongst the group they're looking to be together when we go in, though."
"Why the hell not?!" Heiji exclaimed. "He's one of them, ain't he!?"
"Yea!" Kaitou agreed.
Conan looked up at them seriously. "We're playing a deadly game of chess, here. You two are aware of that, right? Well, the Organization would have two main targets outside their usual dealings at this point. The traitor, Sherry, and Akai Shuuichi. That guy's been living next door long enough that he probably gathered some Intel into the former."
Heiji's jaw dropped.
Kaitou blinked. "And, you've continued to let him stay there…?"
"Took the words outta my mouth…" Heiji agreed.
"Easiest way to keep an eye on him…watch for any movement. If what Jodie said is true, then he's mostly information gathering…though, he can certainly fight. I only saw him once, but he moved quickly back at Ikkaku rock."
Heiji and Kaitou frowned.
Conan glanced over to make sure that the door to the lab was closed. "Don't tell Haibara. She freaks out easily over this stuff. I'm sure she'll come up with some comments on what we're going to do, even."
"Don't worry…" Kaitou replied dryly, "…I have no intentions of holding a conversation with that scary girl."
Heiji snickered, but also swore to secrecy.
"When the time comes…I'll have her and Agasa-hakase lie low with my parents, but leave the lights on so that it seems like they're still here. Once he hears that something is going on at base, he might act. And, when he acts, he'll be caught. Catching him will be easier than the others," Conan explained.
"I get it…" Heiji nodded in approval. "So, you're just about open'n the 'welcome mat' for him. But instead of hakase and the little neechan, there'll be some officers wait'n to arrest him when he goes in to kill them."
"Okay, that sounds reasonable, but why hasn't he acted yet?" Kaitou asked. "If he's truly from the Organization, and his target is that girl, why hasn't he killed the professor and then her?"
"Right now, they've been on the look-out for Akai," Conan responded. But, there was a frown on his face that spoke volumes…he didn't know, either. Why the guy hadn't acted. He could only guess that it was because the guy was a new member, and didn't do any of the dirty work yet.
"Okay, I guess that makes sense…" Kaitou agreed.
Heiji looked at Conan. "I think it's time to go over who we know works for them, then."
Conan nodded. "I don't have pictures, but I can describe three of them very well. The ones I've met are Gin, Vodka, and Vermouth. When Camel crashed, there were two others with them…with cases that he assumed contained rifles. Plus, Kir, who's on the CIA side. But, unless she has backup to help her, she has to play Devil's Advocate. If Okiya is Bourbon, then that adds another."
"So, we have five true members that would be on location, one weirdo that's living in your house, one undercover agent, and the boss…"
"Doesn't seem like a lot, but considering what they're capable of…" Kaitou trailed off. After all, it had only been one bullet that had brought him down. And if Kudou hadn't kicked the soccer ball and made me move, it would have hit my heart.
Plus, he had heard the footsteps of their pursuers once Conan revived him and pulled him along to escape them.
"Gin is a genius…and a monster. My tranquilizers don't work against him. Vodka isn't as bright, but he has the build of a gorilla. Vermouth is just as smart as Gin, and is in close contact with the boss."
"In other words, those guys follow'n her trail found the boss cause of her…" Heiji mused.
Conan nodded. "Most likely. But, those are the three I've encountered. Bourbon…he could be a detective on our level, Hattori, if he wasn't evil."
"Eh?"
"He's a genius, which can be just as dangerous. Gin has the power and strength to back up his smarts…but just having one genius is hard enough. If Gin is smart, and Bourbon is smart, then the boss must be at least up in that level."
"Well, shit…" Heiji ran a hand through his hair.
"You took the words out of my mouth, this time…" Kaitou sighed.
Conan nodded. "The two snipers…I haven't actually met them, before. Other members I've bumped into are dead. Out of the four that died, three were killed by the Organization, themselves. This isn't counting Haibara or her family, either."
"Scary guys…they'd kill their own…" Kaitou shivered…though, it might have been the remnants of fever that made him do so. At least, that's what he wanted to believe.
"So, that's why Akai took a bullet for Kir, huh?" Heiji leaned back. "Cause they'd kill her without a second thought if they knew she was still traitor to them."
"Yea."
Kaitou wasn't much for grim silence, so he started up the conversation again for them to go over the plan. "About our backup…are you sure your father can pull through for us?"
Conan nodded. "Yea. He might let me go and do this, but it'll be tough convincing my mother. After all… 'Conan' has to disappear once the antidote is finished. So, I'll need to contact them, anyway."
"And neechan, of course…" Heiji snickered.
Conan flushed a bit, then grinned at his friend. "Oh? And what about you? Shouldn't you at least tell Kazuha-san?"
Heiji turned red almost to his ears. "Wh-why would I tell that ahou!?"
Kaitou snickered.
Heiji rounded on the laughing one. "And what about you!? You're say'n that you don't have anyone with all those fangirls of yours?"
Kaitou sputtered, and felt his face heat up. "What?! She's a childhood friend! That's all!"
"Ohh…" Heiji and Conan grinned.
"I don't recall say'n anyth'n like that…" Heiji grinned.
Conan snickered, but found it a little eerie. Am I the only one getting a chill from this? All of us, the same age, with a connection to the Organization, who has a childhood friend that we happen to love?
It was more than a little creepy, when he thought of it that way.
Though, by the way Heiji and Kaitou were going at each other, it appeared that Heiji still was clueless about his own feelings for Kazuha, and Kaitou was the same with whomever he was speaking about.
Both stopped and looked over when Conan started to laugh.
"What?" Heiji demanded.
"Yea…what gives?" Kaitou raised an eyebrow.
"Oh, nothing…just…you two are such kids!" Conan chuckled.
Kaitou's eye twitched. "I really don't think you are in a position to say that…"
"That's the second time you've said some'n like that, Kudou!" Heiji looked about ready to dropkick the shrunken detective.
Conan's response was more laughter.
TO BE CONTINUED…