Hi everyone! I don't really have much to say this time so... enjoy my story and thank you to all of my readers, reviewers, favoriters, and followers!

Time Line:

Sat: Kidnapping

Sun: Everyone searching and Ran calling Shinichi; mind games and hunger starts; Satou, Shiratori, and Chiba question the men in jail,

Mon: DB go back to school; officers Question the man who tells them of first kitten; Takagi stabbed

Tues: Hattori arrives; PRESENT

Wed:

Thurs:

Fri:

Sat: Date Takagi is supposed to be found dead

Takagi held back a sigh as he allowed his head to roll back. He was so hungry. He wasn't as tired as he had been, the exhaustion from the previous nights giving him a deep, dreamless sleep. He'd been too weak to dream. He felt too weak to do anything really. Not that there was much to do in the nearly empty room. The terror that he had felt had given way to a monotonous and constant boredom. Conan seemed to still by attempting to plan an escape, but the officer's tired mind had given up on it. Given up on anything other than solving the mystery of Conan, not that the boy was giving him much to work with that day. Sure the child was hiding his brilliance less and less, but Takagi already knew that the boy was a genius. He needed something more, something to take his mind off of the vision of Kitten forcing their way into his mind.

Grasping at straws in attempt to rid himself of the vision, the officer blurted out the first thing that came to his mind, Satou. He wondered what their friends and the other officers were doing now. He wondered if they even knew who kidnapped them.

"What do you think is happening out there." He nodded absently towards the door of their confinement, knowing the question wasn't very clear, but also knowing that Conan would understand.

"They're probably all really worried. Especially Satou-keiji and Ran- Ra- Ran-neechan." The officer's eyebrows raised at the boy's near slip, but chose not to mention it for fear of him clamming up and leaving the two in the suffocating silence.

"I hope they're doing okay. They really must be worried sick." Conan nodded silently in reply, his expression suddenly too grave for a child of his age. His thoughts centered on the girl. She's already cried too much over me. Takgi, noting the boy's distressed look, hastily spoke to try and direct the conversation away from the girls.

"I bet the Detective Boys are plenty worried too." Conan lost his sullen air, snorting in amusement before replying.

"Yeah, they're probably getting in everyone's hair."

"Well, there are probably a lot of people searching. I bet nearly every officer in Japan has a lookout for us. As well as several private detectives. You certainly make a lot of powerful friends." Takagi froze as he spoke, suddenly worried that he had said something the boy wouldn't take lightly. To his relief Conan simply rolled his eyes.

"You have no idea." A moment later his face fell again. "Not that that matters considering how few leads they probably have. We completely disappear when we're on a case, kidnapped by a group that no one knows exists. The culprit could be anyone, we could be anywhere. Who knows what they did with all our stuff. They probably don't even know exactly when we disappeared."

Takagi nodded in a dejected agreement. For a moment he thought longingly of his notebook, nestled who knows where. Writing stuff down always helped him think, and he could use it. He could also have shown Conan his notes on some of the group's recent crimes. He knew it probably wouldn't have led to much, but he could hold onto the hopes that it would have helped the child with a breakthrough. He wondered where the book was now.

Takagi's head shot into the air as the door opened, his gaze flowing up the steps despite how he knew precisely what he would see. The sight may not have anything special,but the smell certainly was. The cutting, spicy smell of curry wafted to the prisoners, increasing the already prominent hunger pangs. Takagi cast a nervous glace at Conan, seeing the boy's eyes locked on their dinner. The officer didn't know if it was the child's favorite food, but it was certainly one of the things Agasa and Ran made for him most often. Conan seemed to especially relish Ran's curry, though that was hardly surprising knowing what a good cook the teen was. Now the boy's attention was locked on the heaping plates sending such delectable smells throughout the room.

Takagi wanted to whisper to the boy, Don't worry, it's probably not half as good as Ran's. But a slight tearing at the wound in his side reminded the officer that he was not welcome to speak in Lion's presence.

However, the man seemed distracted by something, that or he was trying a different approach. Usually the instigator of the mental games, Lion chose to ignore them. Instead he spoke immediately once he got to the foot of the stairs.

"I'm sure I enjoy our little power struggle, mental battles even more than you do. However, we wouldn't want you favorite meal to get cold."

"It doesn't matter, cause I'm not eating it anyway."

"Now, now Kitten, there is no need to go hungry for such an idiotic reason."

"If I'm so idiotic then you probably don't want me, you might as well just let me go."

Lion smiled patronizingly at the child, as though chuckling at the attempt, though even Tabby would have known that the child wasn't being serious. "I'm sorry I can't do that. I know that you aren't really stupid, despite how well you act it. Why don't we cut the act?"

"I'll quit acting stupid if you do." Lion quirked an eyebrow and Takagi winced. Conan had been lippy lately, his frustration and exhaustion breaking down whatever walls stopped the attitude from going through the childish mask. The officer winced at the thoughts of the repercussions of "Sweet little Conan-kun" saying something like that to Ran. The boy wouldn't live another day. Lion didn't look too happy about it either, though for the moment he was able to keep calm. Takagi had to wonder how much longer that would remain true.

"You may want to hold your tongue, Kitten." The boy smirked slightly.

"Cat's got my tongue?" A bright flash of light showed as Lion pulled out his blade.

"That could be arranged. I advise that in the future you think of what position you are in before you speak." The cell was silent for a moment before Conan whispered, his statement coming out nearly as a question.

"You wouldn't do that. You don't want a Kitten who can't meow." Lion smirked.

"Perhaps, but he doesn't need a tongue." The felon jerked his head to the officer still sitting on the bed. "In fact, if I remember correctly it was something of an annoyance the other day."

Conan glanced back to the officer, the bandages from when he'd spoken the other day seemed to pop out at him. The child glared at Lion, but wisely said nothing to aggravate the man. Lion waited a moment to see if the boy would speak, then when it seemed he would not the man smirked and continued. "Nothing to add, Kitten? Perhaps you're hungry?"

"I'm not going to beg you for dinner. It doesn't matter what it is, or what you say."

Lion straightened to his full height, his eyes traveling for a moment across the small room. Takagi and Conan watched him silently. Suddenly Takagi found himself looking the psychopath in the eye. Lion smirk deepened slightly, and Takagi felt a shudder rack through his body.

"That's so sad Kitten, I had no clue how selfish you are." Both Conan and Takagi tensed, but Lion didn't seem to take notice. "Your poor friend here, he's so hungry. Such a strong, noble officer, he must have told you that he was fine but I know otherwise. Think of how you yourself feel, he is even worse. After all, you both have had the same amount of food, but he's so much older than you. He needs so much more. The man must be starving. I know, I have seen so many go hungry in this very room, sometimes even to the point of death. Speaking of death, he doesn't have much time left. It is so sad that you cannot put your pride aside to make his last days slightly more comfortable."

Lion paused for a moment to gauge the boy's reaction, and he was not disappointed. Conan looked back to Takagi, his eyes wide and worried. The boy bit his lip in thought as the promise of receiving food finally seemed superior to the condition of having to beg. Takagi tried to shake his head and signal to the boy not to do it, but he could see that all it would take was another push. He knew Lion could see it too.

"You want to make the man suffer as he counts the days to his death. Perhaps it won't be so hard to train you after all if you could do that to a friend. The man will die hungry knowing he was starved on his last days by you, someone he was trying so hard to protect."

"Please..." A low, nearly silent voice mumbled. "Please will you give us our dinner?"

Lion's smirk widened to a Cheshire grin. "What was that? I'm afraid I didn't hear you, you'll have to speak up."

Conan looked up to the man with hatred in his eye, his words forced out through clenched teeth. "Please. Please give us our food."

"Give us our food what?"

Conan grit his teeth audibly, his very body exuding disgust. "Please give us our food... Lion-sama."

Lion's grin widened even still, somehow looking overjoyed and smug at the same time. "Of course, Kitten. All you had to do was ask."

Conan growled at the man, a noise far too like Lion's for Takagi's taste, but Lion paid no mind, instead leaning down to unlock the small food gate. Conan waited as the man passed the food through the small opening, but when he turned around with the food in hand, Takagi saw Kitten in the boy's place. The man forced himself not to shudder as the vision of Kitten flitted back to Conan. Every time Lion won, every time Conan would give in, Kitten became more and more of a reality. And Takagi was unintentionally pushing the boy to this fate. By simply being there he made Conan more susceptible to Lion's tricks, made him more Kitten. The man's breathing intensified slightly. If Conan were lose and become this man's apprentice, it would all be his fault. The officer was the one Conan was getting the food for. Takagi was making Conan become Kitten, it was going to be all his- NO!

Takagi finally met Conan's eyes. He saw the hate the boy had for their captor, the despise he felt at following the man's orders, and most importantly the determined resolution that the man would never have him. One look into those eye calmed the officer. He was getting tired, seeing things. His hunger and weakness was clouding his judgment. Despite not being happy that Conan had given in, the food was a welcome arrival.

Conan laid the the two trays on the bed before climbing up himself. "Itadakimasu." The child mumbled quietly, almost sarcastically, before actually eating. The officer smiled at that, though he supposed this was as grateful he had ever been to receive food. Silently he added his own cheer to Conan's, then he too began to eat.

The room was deadly silent as the two ate, both so focused on the nourishment that they didn't dare say anything. It would cut into eating time. Meanwhile Lion simply stood watching the two with a self-satisfied smirk adorning his face.

All too soon the plates were bare, the two captives felt both disappointment that the food was gone and relief as strength began to once again flow through their limbs and nourishment went to their brains. Once they were finished they put all of the dishes on one tray as they had the first night, though they were not foolish enough to attempt hiding their utensils. Conan stood and started towards the door, Lion still looking on with that smirk.

"Well Kitten, did you enjoy your meal?"

The boy shrugged slightly before putting up a smirk of his own. "My favorite meal? Wow you must have really been getting desperate. What was gonna be next, ice cream?"

Takagi's eyes widened slightly, maybe they should have held out for another day.

Lion simply smirked even more as he knelt by the door to retrieve the trays. Conan set the trays on the floor, prodding them with his foot so that he could stay well away from the man. The memory of being grabbed that first night was still fresh in his mind. Lion chucked.

"Don't fool yourself Kitten. If I truly wished to grab you as I did the force day I would not have to resort to trickery. You would have no choice if I told you to come to me."

"Perhaps, but I'd still fight you every step. And I will never, ever stop."

"We shall see." Lion rose, taking the plates in hand as he started up the stairs. "Make sure to rest up, you have some important guests coming to meet you tomorrow. Perhaps one more than I had planned on coming." He said the last bit nearly under his breath, irritation clearly showing through. Conan and Takagi shared a look, but Lion paid them no mind and simply continued up the stairs.

As per usual the two detectives waited until the man had left completely before speaking.

"It doesn't seem like he wants those 'visitors, to come tomorrow, at least not one of them." Takagi began speculatively.

"Almost like it wasn't his choice, like he was commanded to, but who could be a more powerful cat than the lion? Could it be that they are a branch of an even bigger group?" For a moment Conan's mind was flooded with the names of various liqueurs, from Gin to Sherry to Vermouth. Could it be- no. Their were so different, the Cats were so sloppy. If this was the work, then Takagi would already be dead, and so would that officer who stopped their car. No loose ends. The Cats definitely weren't part of the B.O.

Conan had a feeling that they weren't a part of any other groups either. Lion seemed like someone who wanted to be in total control. Conan couldn't see him kowtowing to some Master of all the Animals they called Noah or Doolittle or something. Conan smiled slightly at the thought of various animal based criminal groups. The Cats could get away with it because of the play on words with copy cats, but other animals, no. Run, its the Fish! No, it just didn't make as much sense. It wasn't as intimidating. (Somewhere in a cleverly hid room behind a painting, one Kuroba Kaito shuddered as though someone had voiced one of his greatest fears.)

Conan knew they were working alone, and Takagi felt it as well. A gut instinct told them so. But then, who could this unwanted visitor be? Who were the welcome ones? Takagi sighed, asking these questions to themselves wasn't going to do much good when they had no clues to base any ideas off of. After a moment Conan seemed to give up as well.

"I guess we'll see who they are tomorrow."

"Yeah," The officer agreed. Silence reighned once more until Conan spoke again.

"Ran's curry is much better than that."

"I thought that would be the case... Do you really think he would have brought us ice cream next time?" Conan smiled slightly but didn't answer, his mind already on other things.

"I suppose it's good that we got some strength back. Both physically and mentally. Starving ourselves stupid wasn't going to do anything. Even if I hated having to get the food we should put it to good use." Takagi nodded, though internally he was screaming at the boy. Good use? Like what, sitting any trying to figure out how to escape just like we have been doing for the past few days? There isn't anything we CAN do to put the food to good use. But he said none of that, instead his mind going back to the subtle slip the boy had yet to realize he made. What happened to Ran-neechan?

On a lonely stretch of highway all was silent save for the steady roar of a speeding motorcycle. The bike was pure black, as were the cloths of its rider. Long platinum blonde hair flowed from the pitch black helmet, and beneath the shadow of the visor, ruby red lips smiled. So, it seems Silver Bullet-kun has gotten himself in yet another situation. They would meet once again. Not tonight, the mysterious woman had a job to do tonight, but nothing would stop her from seeing the boy tomorrow.

She smirked softly as she recalled her conversation with the man known as Lion. The fool was really convinced that the boy was his, and that he would become the man's perfect apprentice. How little he knew. The boy he was playing with as though he was a simple kitten was in truth a dangerous wild cat that even the king of the jungle should fear. The child was a saber toothed tiger in disguise.

A low chuckling sounded, though it was drowned out by the roar of her cycle. The man would figure it out soon enough. She had said that she would acknowledge the this "Kitten" was Lion's, which meant she was not to take him or aid him in escape. She could break her word on that, but she could also stick to it. She had no doubt that the boy could and would break from Lion's hold on his own, and it just may be interesting to see what he did. But it would be interesting to see the boy's face as she helped him out of one of the sticky situations he so often got himself into. To help the boy or to watch him as he helped himself, which would be better. A grin shown beneath the visors dark window, she knew exactly what she would do.

You didn't expect me to tell you what she decided, did you? After all, A secret makes a woman, woman.

Before anyone asks: No, they would have not gotten ice cream the next day.