--------------Chapter 12: Nagi's Hidden Colors--------------

Kazuha looked at Nagi in the corner of her eyes. "Something's not right about this guy," she thought to herself. She was wearing a baseball cap that covered her eyes, while Nagi was giving directions to where they were heading.

Shinichi jumped off the ground as Heiji grabbed a flashlight. They threw on their coats, following Ran out the door.

"Hey Ran!" shouted Shinichi, "Where are you going?!"

"I think she's on the right track," said Heiji, running alongside him. He pointed to a set of fresh footprints alongside them, not made by Ran. "These same shoe prints were found outside the window."

Shinichi made a serious smile and nodded. "Is there anywhere down here she would go?" he called back to Ran.

"No, unless.." thinking that, something triggered in her mind. "Meet me at Agasa's house." Ran quickly cut through an alley way, "Kazuha, why did you have to go alone?" She kept going as she ran back to the building from where she had wounded herself a couple of nights back.

Nagi glanced at Kazuha. He then looked away, seeing that she was looking at him. He cleared his throat. "I-uh, never wanted to hurt anyone."

Kazuha looked away. "Let's just get there fast," she muttered.

Shinichi and Heiji stopped, having approached the alley that Ran went down. They turned to each other.

"Should she really be going by herself?" Shinichi wondered out loud.

"I don't know... But it IS possible that Kazuha went to Agasa's house..." Heiji replied.

"Yeah... Well. We should go there anyway. If anything happens, I'm sure the Professor can help us."

Heiji closed his eyes and made a small laugh. "Oh, and to think, if you were Conan she would let you follow her anyway."

Shinichi's eyes flashed open. "Ah, you're right! Conan's supposed to be at Agasa's house! If she goes there without us..."

They exchanged a look, before taking off towards the Professor's house.

Ran stopped, looking up at the house she saw that all of the lights were off. She rubbed the back of her head. "But why would Kazuha come here?" she said, looking around. She walked up the steps, "Hm?" She noticed the front door was slightly open. "Uh, hello?" she quietly said, opening the door slowly.

Meanwhile, Kazuha had gotten out of the taxi with Nagi. He pointed up the building that was in front of them. "That is where he was last, Ms. Toyama." Kazuha didn't even reply, she walked into the abandoned building by climbing into a open window.

The boys approached the Professor's house. They knocked on the door, and over came Ai. She looked up to the boys and made a little smile. "How much time has it been so far?"

Shinichi glanced at Heiji. Heiji looked to his watch. "About 34 hours."

Ai raised an eyebrow, "Wow. So I've surpassed myself... All right, come in." She stepped aside and the boys walked in.

"What brings you here?" she asked, walking across the room and sitting in a chair. "No wait," she glanced at them slyly, "Did you tell them that Conan-kun was here? And now you need to make up some excuse to get out of it?"

"No no, not yet. Ha ha ha..." Shinichi nervously laughed, sitting on the couch.

"But that might be what we'll have to do," continued Heiji, looking behind him out the window. "Ran and Kazuha ran off. We don't know where to."

"Wow, and you left them alone? How uncharacteristic of you..." said Ai quietly, picking up a cup of tea and taking a sip.

Walking into the building, Ran took out her cellphone for light. She heard nothing but herself breathing. "Hello?" she quietly said.

Kazuha was already on the fifth floor of the building, "Do you know which floor, Nagi?" After a moment, no answer. "Hey, I said-" she looked behind her, he wasn't there.

Ran was already making her way up the stairs to the third floor.

The boys looked at each other again, exchanging a worried glance. Shinichi got up and went down the stairs, leaving Heiji awkwardly alone with Ai.

Heiji sat down and looked to her, unsure of what to say. "So... umm... what kind of tea is that?..."

"What's it matter? I have none left anyway," she said, setting the empty cup down and reaching for a newspaper.

Heiji rested his head in his hand and stared back outside.

Downstairs, Shinichi passed by the Professor. "Ah, Shinichi-kun, is there something you need?" he asked, noticing his look.

"Where are my extra tracking glasses? This may not work, but it's possible..." Shinichi replied, searching around.

Walking upstairs, Ran heard a soft laughter coming from behind her. She turned around, suddenly being punched in the stomach. Her eyes widened as she fell onto her knees, being carried by a figure up the stairs.

"Damn it, Nagi!" Kazuha whispered loudly. Without looking, she just continued heading up, she then heard coughing. "Ah, Mouri Kogoro?" she said, turning the corner.

"They're right over here, Shinichi," said Agasa, reaching into a drawer and pulling them out.

"Oh thanks, Professor!" He put them on and pressed a button. "Ah, so I was right..." He rushed back upstairs and across the living room. He ran by Heiji, calling out, "Come on! Follow me!" Heiji gladly stood up and left.

They darted down street after street, until they finally arrived at a large abandoned building. Shinichi leaned onto a wall, catching his breath. "She's in there," he managed to wheeze out.

"Who? Kazuha?" asked Heiji, looking up at the building.

"Unless she's wearing Ran's clothes, I don't know." Shinichi pushed himself back into a standing position, wiping the sweat off his brow. "But just to be safe, let's go find out."

A determined look entered Heiji's face as he nodded, starting off towards the door.

Kazuha squinted her eyes, managing to see a dark figure sitting down in a corner. "Mouri-sensei?" She walked slowly towards the man and knelt down.

He grabbed her shoulders and squeezed tightly. "Get out of here," he said.

Kazuha jumped smiling. "It's you!" she whispered.

He tightened his grasp, "Get, out."

She heard the chains that clinged together as he moved around. "O-out?"

Quickly but carefully, Heiji and Shinichi entered the building. Heiji turned on his flashlight, looking around the shattered wreck of a place that it was. Shinichi turned on his glasses' nightvision, peering around, trying to find where the elevators, stairs, and emergency exits were.

"It doesn't look like there's anyone here, Kudou..." started Heiji.

"Nah, there's still someone here... And more than one." Shinichi was kneeling on the floor, observing some light puddles by the entrance. "Unless Ran came in and out often, there's no way the snow melting off her shoes could have created this much water." He peered to the elevator. "Come on, let's try the second floor."

Heiji agreed, as the two walked up to the elevator and entered it.

For Kazuha, it was too dark to see. She merely fooled around with the chains that were connected to Kogoro's wrists. "You're getting out of here, sensei," she said with a smile.

"Kazuha!" Nagi said, trying to catch his breath, "Ran's here!"

Kazuha quickly got up, bringing attention to Kogoro. She smiled. "She is? Where is she?"

Nagi walked towards Kazuha. She looked around and behind him. Nagi smirked, shoving her up against the wall nearest to him. "Yeah, she is."

Kazuha struggled, trying to get away. "Y-You.." Nagi slid his hands up her neck, almost strangling her.

As Shinichi went to hit the button for the second floor, a sudden pain crossed his chest. "Oh no! Not now!" he thought. He tripped, his hand accidentally hitting the button for the fifth floor instead.

"Are you all right? KUDOU!" Heiji shouted, bending down to pick Shinichi up.

As the elevator started rising, Shinichi found himself feeling better again. He looked down to his body, touching his hands to his chest. "Huh? Was it a fluke?"

Heiji shrugged, "I guess so." He looked up to the light on top of the elevator, already passing the third floor. "Uhh, Kudou? What button did you press?"

Shinichi looked up, "Eh? I don't even know, actually."

Pushing Nagi back, Kazuha shoved her feet into his lower stomach, causing him to fall. She, herself, fell to her knees, holding her neck and trying to catch her breath. "Where is Ran?..." she demanded.

Nagi got up, wiping the dirt off of the corner of his mouth, "Hm, why should I tell you?" He began to walk towards her, "Soon as you and Kogoro are gone, I will have Ran all to myself." He snickered.

The elevator dinged, and the door opened wide. This semi-dark floor had only meager lighting, coming from the open windows. Heiji and Shinichi went to step out, but upon hearing voices, immediately pushed themselves against the wall. Shinichi silently peered around the room, not finding Ran anywhere yet.

Nagi pulled Kazuha by the hair, picking her up. "This will go by quickly."

Kazuha closed her eyes in pain from the grasp he had on her. She looked up at him, then slid her leg underneath him to make him fall. Still having his hand caught up in her pony tail, he pulled her with him. "Why you!-" Kazuha quickly got up, she froze. Feeling the dagger go into her leg, she screamed in pain. Nagi continued digging it into her leg.

Kogoro yelled, "Stop it!"

Kazuha pushed Nagi away, leaving the dagger in her leg. She fell to the floor, holding it, breathing heavily. "Just tell me.." she looked up at him, "Just tell me where she is!"

Suddenly, realizing it was Kazuha's scream, Heiji darted off. He dived onto Nagi, pushing him to the ground hard. "YOU TRICKED US! YOU TRICKED US ALL!" He held him down, turning over to Kazuha, hearing little whimpers. "Kazuha! Are you okay?!"

Shinichi, however, ran into the stairwell. He saw her on the tracking glasses. He knew it. She was so close...

Kazuha had her head to the ground, holding her leg. Looking up at Heiji, she got up by her knees, "Heiji, get out of here." She fell on her face, back to the ground. Her leg was bleeding seriously. She winced in pain as she looked at it.

Ran, on the other hand was already waking up. She looked around. She slowly got up, rubbing her head. She took a step forward and fell. Her vision was blurry. "Wha..?" she rubbed her eyes. She extended her arms out, reaching for walls that were around her. She was in a enclosed spot. "I must be in the elevator..." she thought, sliding her back against the door and holding the sides of her head. "My head, it hurts."

"Don't worry, Kazuha, I've got him down." Heiji pushed Nagi's arms down, not letting him lift them at all. "Can you walk? Get out of here if you can at all! Take the elevator, it's right behind that wall by Ku-" Heiji looked over, but his flashlight was on the ground, shining at nothing in particular. "Kudou? Are you there?.." He waited for a moment but heard silence. "Well, there's still an elevator over there..." He stared into the corner with an angry look. "Damnit, Kudou, where did you go?!"

As Shinichi reached the next floor, he glanced around. "But she's right here! How do I not see her?!" He turned around and looked to another elevator, next to the stairwell. He blinked, then ran towards it. He pressed the button to try and open it.

--------------End Chapter 12--------------