Hi people! Thank you everyone who favorited , alerted, and especially who reviewed. I always get excited when I see new reviews from my readers!

I don't really know if this is at all realistic; a lot of this is kind of based off of the chapter about the man who killed Satou's father because he was going to confess after the time limit was up. I really don't know what would happen if something along these lines happened in real life, but just remember your suspension of disbelief.

Without futher ado, on to the story! Please enjoy.

Disclaimer: self-explanatory.

Satou sighed as she drove to the police station, for once even obeying the speed limit. She hadn't gotten any sleep last night, any dreams she had were nightmares riddled with a terror filled Takagi. She shook her head to rid herself of the image as she drove into the parking lot of the police station. She would find them. She wouldn't let another man she loved die, not now not ever. Getting out of the car she headed strait for Megure's desk, breezing past Yumi so that she wouldn't be caught under the traffic officer's sympathetic gaze. She needed results not sympathy. She didn't think she could handle sympathy. Business, now that she could handle. With that in mind she kept up a strictly serious face as she marched directly to the inspector.

A few others arrived at the desk at the same time as her, but Megure made them wait the excruciating few moments it took for everyone on the case to arrive. There were several officers surrounding the desk by the time he finally began to speak.

"Concerning the case of Conan-kun and Takagi-kun's kidnapping, our biggest current lead other than the sighting of the felon's car is Takagi-kun's notebook which points out the possibility of an organized criminal group which replicate the crimes of uncaught serial killers. Due to several articles of evidence found at the criminal's house, it is extremely plausible that should this group exist, this man would be a member of it. We are to proceed with much of this investigation as if we were certain of the authenticity of this group, and I will refer to it as if it were fact. However, I would like to remind everyone to remain skeptical. We don't know that the group really exists. Now, since we have determined this man to be a member of the group we believe we know the case he was replicating when he kidnapped Takagi-kun. We believe that..." Satou ignored the man as he summarized the case for the others. She knew the details far too well. They only had a week at most, and had nearly no leads.

Even if they did somehow confirm that this group existed, they still had to find Takagi. She knew Megure was being smart by not totally confirming the existence of the group, but she had a hard time doubting Takagi's notes. It seemed he was so serious about it. He'd taken such care I his notes. But... he had been wrong before. She found her eyes drifting to a window, looking out to the depth beyond where somewhere her love was hidden. Wherever he was now he would know if his theories were right or not. She wished he was here now more than ever, both for his help with the case and the knowledge that he was safe. Paying attention to the inspector for a moment she sighed. She also wished that Megure would stop going over the case, and tell them what he was actually planning to do about it. Finally the man seemed to get there.

"Now, there have been instances in the past where criminals will confess once the time limit for arresting them is up. Several such individuals have found their crimes replicated by this group. Because we did not know about them, we naturally assumed that the original killers had struck again. Some we have arrested, others had good enough lawyers and alibis to escape prison, though they remained suspects and many are being monitored. These people are our biggest leads. Though they are likely innocent of the recent murders, they may know something or have seen something that will help us find the group and therefore Takagi-kun and Conan-kun.

"I have some people going over old case files and comparing them with both the cases in Takagi-kun's notebook and any recent unsolved murders. While they compile a list I have called the prison which now holds those who confessed for crimes years ago and the crimes were replicated. I have set up times for some of you to go and question them. Because we have no other cases currently I'm sending the best I have. Satou-kun, Shiratori-kun, Taka- er I mean Chiba-kun, you three will go down. You can go now, everyone else follow me."

Satou turned swiftly as they were dismissed, not wanting to catch anyone's eye. Megure's slip said it all. She too kept on looking over her shoulder, wanting to talk with Takagi-keiji. She continuously opened her mouth to discus the case with him, only to remember the case was ABOUT him. It just felt so wrong to be dealing with such a serious case without him. She expected him to walk around the corner, nearly spilling his coffee as someone bumped into him. She expected to look up and see him staring at her, a low blush filling his cheeks. She expected- the officer gasped as a hand landed on her shoulder, her heart thumping as she pictured her love's serious yet somehow adorable face somehow being there. But she only felt disappointment as she met Chiba's eyes instead.

"Ah, sorry Satou-san, but can I ride with you? My roommate took my car today." The female officer nodded, trying not to show the disappointment that it was him and not Takagi. He smiled at her softly, as if he saw it but understood.

"C'mon then," He said, determination alight in his eyes. "Lets get my friend back!" Satou smiled softly at the man's determination, speaking for the first time that day.

"Yes, we won't stop until he's back with us." The two then headed down to the prison, meeting Shiratori there. Because of the time span that seemed to separate the group's crimes, and the scarce number of people who chose to confess after the time span was up there weren't many people they had to speak to, only three in the jail. Yet if one truly considered the odds, it was impressive that there was even that many. It seemed as if the group tended to favor the killers who had confessed. If it was for a scapegoat or some entirely other reason, she didn't know. She would have to try and find out.

She sighed when they had finally entered the room leading to the interrogation room. A large two-way mirror showed a small room with only a table. At the table sat a handcuffed man. Bordering on elderly, the man sat glaring resentfully at the table top, clearly angry though whether his anger was directed at the questioning or his arrest in general was uncertain. The woman grimaced at the sight of the man. She recognized him alright. The guy was, in her opinion, a lunatic. A serial killer who targeted short haired women, killing them by stabbing a knife through a large hooped earring held over their heart, after confessing once he knew he was in the clear, he actually wrote a book about his crimes. He was interviewed, spoke at events, and even tried to get his story made into a movie. Luckily no one wanted to make it. It was embarrassing for the officers. Other than the murders he had a completely clean record. Not even a speeding ticket. Thus they were powerless to do anything. When a crime fitting exactly into his M.O, many at the precinct were overjoyed with the chance to finally shut the guy up. Though looking back on it, it seemed strange for him to commit such a similar crime when everyone knew he was the culprit from the past cases. Oh well, now wasn't the time to question past decisions, it was time to gain information so that they could make better ones in the future.

The woman officer didn't look away from the man as Shiratori spoke to the warden supervising their interrogation. It wasn't until the senior officer turned to her and Chiba that she began to pay attention to him.

"Chiba-kun and I will question him. Satou-san, I want you to watch from here and monitor everything." Satou opened her mouth to protest, only to be stopped when Shiratori rose his hand.

"I know you want to be in here, but I'm afraid that you look too much like one of his old victims for him to take you seriously. It would only hinder us. You've spent a lot of time with Takagi-kun, I want you to take notes like he usually does. Don't worry, you'll question the others."

Silently fuming but recognizing the logic in his reasoning, the female officer nodded and resigned herself to waiting as the other two went into the room to question the man. Opening a police notebook, she prepared to take note, trying hard not to picture Takagi doing the same.

Satou sighed as the second criminal was escorted out. They'd been there for hours and the only thing they'd been able to determine was that these two men had no clue about the group. After hours of questioning the first man, who claimed he was just eating dinner having done nothing wrong at all when suddenly he'd been arrested, and finally determining that he was telling the truth about being clueless they'd moved on to the second man.

He was a bit.. tamer than the first. He'd confessed secretly to the police, refusing to make a big deal of it with the media, but desiring to confess all of the same. All three of the officers questioned him, but they couldn't escape the end result. He hadn't had anything strange happen to him recently either. According to him, life was normal until the police suddenly arrived at his house, and he'd been unclear for a long time why exactly he was arrested in the first place. The third man would come in any moment, but all three officers feared that this questioning would simply yield the same results.

Satou held back a sigh. Earlier she felt such hope, but now it all seemed so useless. The third man would come in any moment, and everything would be the same as it had the past two times. She leaned back in her chair, trying to recall what she knew about the next man. He was kind of in the middle of the two. His confession had leaked into the media, but he hadn't made a big deal of it as the first had. Everyone knew of his crimes, but again his record since then was clear. Yet another murderer, this man had no rhyme nor reason for his victims, only his murder method was the same. He would lay the victims on the bottom of a bunk bed, then cut away each of the post holding the upper bed in the air, which would either crush the victims or cut off their air supply. She shuddered at the though of the crushed bodies, though she'd never seen any of them. The original crimes had been years ago, and it'd been her day off when the replicate had occurred. Shiratori and Chiba had been there though. Suddenly she narrowed her eyes, an idea striking her.

"Maybe you two shouldn't be in here." She suggested, addressing the two officers accompanying her. The two simply stared at her in disbelief. "I wasn't there when you arrested him, he may be more open to speaking with me, because I didn't really arrest him." Chiba nodded, seeming impressed with her reasoning, while Shiratori looked like he'd bitten into a lemon. Eventually though, they both agreed, and she was the only one in the room when the final criminal, Takumi Sadao, entered.

The man, now fairly elderly though by no means weak, settled down in the chair at the other end of the table. Sitting still as the warden uncuffed one of his hands only to reattach the metal to the table. He glared up at her as the other man left the room, resentment and confusion on his face. Satou bit back a sigh, that was exactly how the other two had looked. Oh well, she opened her mouth to speak, only to be cut off.

"I didn't do it, not this time!"

"Sir, I-"

"If you're hear just to question me some more and have me confess, you're just wasting your time cause I really didn't do it."

"I reali-"

"You can just leave now if you're just going to accuse me. I'm not saying anything. There isn't anything to say! In fact I don't care what you came to talk to me about, you can just-"

"It could prove you innocence!" The woman eventually shouted, effectively shutting the man up.

"... what?" He nearly whispered.

"Recent events show that it is highly possible that the recent murder was done by someone other than the original, you. If you help us it is possible that we could find the actual culprits."

He looked at her dubiously. "Really? And you honestly don't think I did it.. this time?"

"I really want to catch the people who really did do it, for various reasons. If it's not you then we have a different criminal to worry about and I will catch him!" The last words were spoken in nearly a growl, and the man looked startled for a moment before smiling broadly.

"The girl's got spunk! Now, you really think you can get me outta here?"

"If we can find who really did it. If you answer my questions it would help."

"Fire away!"

"In the days before your arrest had you noticed anything strange?"

"Not that I can think of, but you're gonna have to be more specific."

"Had anyone come to you recently asking for information about your past crimes?"

"No I don't think s- wait! Maybe... maybe..."

"What?"

"Its been so long... my memory's failing me but... perhaps a month before I was arrested. Someone came to me saying they were from a magazine. Can't remember what it was, in fact I don't think I even recognized the title. At the time I just figured it was some kinda newfangled one. Anyway the reporter came and interviewed me asking for details about... the murders... They promised to send me an edition when it was printed. Strange... I never did get it..."

The old man was so entwined in his thoughts that he failed to notice the widening eyes and heavy breathing of the woman across from him. Her mind was whirling, was this finally a lead?

"Can you tell me anything else about the reporter?" She asked, hating the small desperation one could hear in her voice. The man, though old, had perfect hearing and recognized the sound for what it was: A lover receiving hope.

"Well then, seems like this is pretty close to home. What? Did whoever he was go after your boyfriend?"

Miwako's fists balled at the man's words. The next time she spoke, her voice was steady and her eyes like steel.

"Just answer the questions." The man chuckled knowingly, but answered none the less.

"If I remember right, he had pretty long hair for a guy. I remember thinking it looked really silky, thought he was a girl at first. It was really light, almost white even though he was a pretty young guy. And there was something else really strange... what was it... Oh! It looked like his nose had been broken then didn't set right. It made his whole face look mushed kinda. I might be able to recognize him if I saw him again. I don't think I ever caught his name though."

"Anything else you can remember?"

"No, nothing."

She nodded. " Okay then-"

Suddenly the door burst opened. "Satou-san," Shiratori began in a commanding voice. " We have to go! The detective kids found another body."

"Detective Boys" She automatically corrected, before she fully comprehended what the man said. "We have to go? What about this case?"

"Megure-keibu says we have to put in on hold. Come on, we have to get there before any evidence is lost. I don't think we can get anything more here either. Thank you for your time." He turned to the older man as he said that, and Satou rose to her feet. She thanked the man as well and followed Shiratori out.

"What about this? We finally had a lead and we're just going to go?"

"You know as well as I do that he probably told you everything he knew. We have other business now."

"But what about THIS business? What about Takagi-kun?"

"Do you think Takagi-san would be happy knowing you were going to walk away from a crime scene where we can find a murderer before he strikes again, just to try and follow leads that so far lead nowhere?"

"No." She knew he would want him to help in the investigation, but she also knew something else. "But do you think that it were me out there, Takagi-kun would stop for anything to help me?"

The elder officer had nothing to say to that, only opening and closing his moth in shock. Chiba was the one who eventually stepped up to talk.

"If he knew that the choice was between doing nothing trying to save you, or helping someone during a case unrelated to your disappearance, he would go where he could do the most good. He would hate it and think of you the entire time, but he would go to the case."

It was Satou's turn to be silent. "You're right." She breathed, and followed then, determined to do her best at the case they were going to, because that's what he would do.

Despite her resolution, she wouldn't leave the scene for hours. The relatively simple crime took much longer to solve without Conan's helpful hints. Now that she thought about it Conan had been at nearly every case they'd encountered for months. That is, practically every case other than the ones Takagi thought were done by the strange group. Everyone certainly felt his absence tonight. Strangely, Kogoro never turned into the 'sleeping sleuth', though he later blamed it on being worried about Conan. As it was they didn't finish the case until late that night. So late that Megure told them just to leave their reports and go home. They would continue the investigation tomorrow. Satou wanted to protest. She didn't want to stop investigating only to go home for another sleepless, nightmare filled night. But she said nothing. She knew she was treading thin ice already with how close she was to both Conan and Takagi. She had to listen to orders if she wanted to stay. And she had to stay, no matter what. That sentiment was like a mantra playing in her mind as she drove home. She had to stay, no matter what. She had to stay no matter what. She had to stay!

Little contest like thing! The interviewer the man talked about was indeed a Cat, if anyone can guess his codename I'll send you a super sneak peek of next chapter early! Not the whole chapter of course, just like a commercial. There are clues about his name when they talk about him, and I don't really expect this to be too hard. In fact it may just be whoever reads this first but, shrugs, oh well. Also, the prize is only for the FIRST person who discovers his identity. So good luck to all!