Disclaimer: Still applies from chapter 1.

Short chapter this time. Next one is twice as long and is finished! Yaay! I'll put it up a week from now. I am working on chapter seven now, but am only halfway through the book ;; which means pretty soon that chaps are gonna have to be broken in half or something…

Thanks everyone for reviewing!

5

[66-67]

They quickly retrieved the Sunflowers that Conan discovered from the roof of the building and carried it to the airport lounge. The picture was placed on top of a desk surrounded by tools used for reparation. Kouji, Natsumi, and Ishimine situated themselves around the desk.

"These were all the tools we could assemble from the airport."

"To get the proper chemicals we'd have to go back to the studio…"

Kouji responded with a "It's fine" to Natsumi and Ishimine's words before pulling goggles over his face and equipping his gloves.

"For now I'm just going to see if there aren't any scratches on the painting. Let's start."

"Ok" Natsumi nodded from next to him. A little ways off to the side, Kumiko and Keiko stood looking on at the Sunflowers with worried faces.

"It'd be nice if it were just only a little bit dirty…"

"If there's even a single scratch, we can say good-bye to our dreams of exhibiting it."

Just then two police detectives entered the room shouting "Nakamori-keibu!"

"Please look at this. As you said we could see KID from the roof's security camera."

"Here's a picture. It seems he passed directly over here about an hour and fifteen minutes beforehand."

The picture showed KID's form flying through the sky carrying the canvas in his hands.

"At this point he still had the Sunflowers…"

Kogoro, who had walked up next to Nakamori-keibu nodded, "I see."

"So then, why did KID leave the Sunflowers on top of that building?

"Well, that's…."

Nakamori looked at a loss for words to reply. Resting against the counter by the window, Charlie replied in his stead. "It was probably so he could successfully make his escape."

"The second Sunflowers is not only heavy, but big. It would create too much wind-resistance for him to escape with while using his hang glider."

Standing next to him, Jirokichi nodded at Charlie's theory.

"When things cooled off a bit he most likely intended to come back to retrieve it. But then he was spotted by this little guy…"

Both Jirokichi and Charlie looked over at Conan, who was sitting on the window counter.

"I didn't find it by myself. Shinichi-niisan said he saw KID put it there when he was chasing him."

"And, where is that boy detective now?"

[68-69]

Charlie asked with a contemplative expression on his face.

"For him to never be here when KID shows up, it's as if that boy himself is the Kaitou KID-"

"I don't think that's possible."

Ran, who was standing next to Conan, spoke up as she pulled out her cell-phone and began pressing buttons. From next to Ran, Sonoko peeked over her shoulder to look at the cell phones screen.

"She's right. There's a record of her speaking with Kudou-kun over the phone one hour and fifteen minutes beforehand. This is the exact same time as that picture you showed us was taken."

Conan was inwardly bothered.

Just great. It's now official that I made a trip to the States….

At Charlie's silence, Kogoro turned his nose up, dissatisfied.

"Putting the ridiculous talk aside, the problem here is figuring out why KID passed by through this airport in the first place."

"That's true….He was making his escaped by his hang glider, so there was no need for him to go out of his way to pass by here where we all are."

Nakamori said, speaking his thoughts aloud as he folded his arms. Again, Charlie opened his mouth at this.

"Wasn't he just curious how the plane that he himself blew up turned out? It's not uncommon for homicidal fiends to innocently return to the scene of their crime after all."

"Th-that's…."

To have it put so cruelly, Ran frowned as Sonoko glared daggers at the man. "Hold on a moment there, you!"

"Don't you put KID-sama in the same group as murderers!"

Sonoko shouted menacingly. But Charlie just looked down at her in disapproval.

"Open your eyes! You yourself were almost killed by that guy!"

Sonoko was taken at a loss for words at that. Ran and Conan had clouded expressions on their faces.

"I must admit that it's hard for me as well to acknowledge that KID would go so far as to crash a plane…"

Nakamori said, his shoulders dropping. Jirokichi also looked down with disappointment in his eyes. At that moment, Kouji, who had been examining the Sunflower spoke up, "Sorry for the wait."

"As most of it just seems to be sullied by the smoke, there will be no need for the painting to undergo extensive repairs."

"Oh! Is that right?"

Jirokichi ran up to Kouji and put both hands on his shoulders in a gesture of appreciation.

"Looks like we got off with just the skins on our back with this. It's all thanks to everyone's hard work! Prepare yourselves, things are going to get busy from here on out!"

Now knowing that the Sunflower was not seriously damaged, Ishimine, Kumiko, and Keiko all smiled happily as Natsumi embraced Keiko, overwhelmed with joy.

"Still it's a good thing we were able to find it so quickly."

Kumiko said, putting a hand to her chest in relief. "Yeah," Keiko agreed, nodding and petting Natsumi's head.

"If it had stayed out in that hot weather for too long with the ultra-violet rays and the heat then there'dbe no way we would've gotten off so lucky."

[70-71]

"Well done, little guy! And that's why you're the KID Killer!"

Jirokichi let out a great laugh as Conan smiled bitterly.

Even though I keep telling them it's not me….

###

That night, the Sunflowers was carried to and put inside Jirokichi's underground safe, equipped with a strict security system. Beyond the safe's circular door the painting was put inside a reinforced case and belts were used to secure it to the ground.

"Created by combining the forces of the legendary craftsman, Kimizukichi Emon's brains with the Suzuki household's fortune, I dubbed this gigantic safe: 'The New Iron Tanuki'! The painting will be safe if we leave it here!"

Jirokichi said this full of pride while standing in front of the Sunflower, but Sonoko, standing to the right of Conan and Ran, interrupted.

"But KID's broken in to the 'Iron Tanuki' before, right….?"

"No fear, for I have already finished renewing and improving it. Isn't that right, Lupin?"

The dog, Lupin, barked and wagged his tail in reply from where he stood by his master's side.

Jirokichi exited the safe and began working on the panel next to the door. With a few beeps, the words "Settings Complete" popped up on the monitor.

"Alright, confirm that everyone has left the safe."

"Ok."

Sonoko, Ran, and Conan -who had a hand on Lupin's collar- left the safe. As they did, Jirokichi's bodyguard, Godou Zengo peeked inside. He checked left and right before quietly smiling.

"It's fine, sir. Nobody is inside."

"Got it. New Iron Tanuki, commencing start-up!"

The start button pressed, the door to the safe slowly began to close.

###

The next morning found Conan sitting on the sofa of the Mouri Detective Agency watching the news while Kogoro was reading the sports section in the newspaper at his desk.

Jirokichi's private jet making an emergency landing was featured as the top story on the news program.

"According to the Metropolitan Police Department and the Department of Foreign Affairs, there were traces of an explosive being set to the outer door of the cargo hold. They are now looking for the man in charge of loading the cargo, who has now gone missing."

"It seems the owners of the other Sunflowers are reluctant to loan the paintings out…"

Kogoro muttered, looking up from the newspaper. Ran opened the door to the agency and entered.

"Huh? Dad, you haven't left yet?"

[72-73]

"Yeah, well, the main race doesn't start 'til after lunch and all."

As the news of the plane was finished, Kogoro used the remote to turn off the TV. Conan looked unamused at Kogoro.

C'mon, did you have any intention of going at all?

"Da-a-d. If that's the case then you should at least attend the morning session together with everyone at the strategy meeting."

"It's not that big of a deal to require a detective of my caliber is it?"

Ran gave him a helpless look and set some envelopes on his desk.

"Here, the mail's here."

"Hm? What's this, a letter?"

Korgoro grinned looking at the letter addressed to him, "Is this one of those fan letters by any chance?"

Ran sighed before turning to Conan.

"Conan-kun. Sonoko also invited us as well. Would you like to go?"

"I want to, but I already promised everyone that I'd go with them to see the art museum today."

"I see….well I guess it can't be helped then."

Ran sat down on the sofa opposite to Conan, "Also…" she started with a clouded expression.

"Has Shinichi contacted you recently?"

"No, not yet."

Conan shook his head. Ran lowered hers in disappointment.

"If he was going on a trip to America, he should've told me at least….He hasn't contacted me at all since he was chasing KID…."

Ran….

But Conan couldn't find any words to call out with to the depressed Ran right in front of his eyes. Well, in the first place it was KID, disguised as Shinichi, who appeared before Jirokichi at the auction hall and snuck onto the private jet-.

Just as Conan was searching for words, the door was burst open by Genta, Mitsuhiko, and Ayumi, "Cona-a-n!" they called.

"We came to pick you up!"

"Let's go, Conan-kun."

"Hurry! Hurry!"

"Ah, okay" Conan said getting up from the sofa and heading towards the door.

"Professor! Conan's here!"

"Haibara-saaan! It looks like he'll be ready to go quickly!"

Genta and Mitsuhiko called to Professor Agasa and Haibara, who were waiting outside. They went down the stairs.

"I'll be going then."

[74-75]

Conan looked back at Ran from the doorway. The smile was already back on her face.

"Take care okay? See you later."

She waved cheerfully at Conan's back. Conan closed the door and went downstairs. "Ran!" Kogoro barked right at that moment, having opened the letter.

"What dad?"

"Contact the police immediately!"

"Huh?"

"It's KID! Inside the envelope you gave me was a KID card!"

Kogoro showed her the card in his hand that had a KID mark on it.

"Hurry and call them!"

"Got it!"

Ran rushed out of the office to the third floor as Kogoro unfolded the piece of paper that was folded into fourths and had come with the KID card.

"'Tonight I will come for La Berceuse's left (the first copy)' ….dammit!"

"That KID, so you still haven't given up-!"

###

Around the perimeter of the Suzuki's mansion several guards in black were positioned, enforcing a strict security system.

There was a long table in the center of the room used for the strategy meeting. Jirokichi was standing in front of a large monitor that was installed at the end of the room.

"As you all are aware, those who are in possession of the other Sunflowers have become a little adverse to the idea of lending them out. In order to get back the trust that we have lost, I've decided to install an anti-KID security system into Lake Rock. Last night, in accord with Miss Natsumi's proposal, we've already decided to adopt her plan to camouflage security cameras in the midst of some decorative sunflowers."

Gotou sitting at a desk to the side of the monitor, typed on his computer. He brought up the layout of the Lake Rock Museum. The museum was built into an underground cave and had seven observatories to it. Connecting the observatories was a winding hallway lined with sunflowers.

"If you have any more ideas, please feel free to offer them. Of course, expense is no concern."

"Yes, sir," Kumiko nodded strongly at his words.

"It is our duty to make this exhibition a success. We will compile our ideas and present them to you shortly."

"Understood, I'm counting on you all. Charlie, will you cooperate as well?"

Charlie, who had his hand resting on a chair straightened his position, "Of course" he said.

"Though he is called a Phantom Thief, he is a murder who will go to any lengths to accomplish his goal…..No, he is a terrorist."

[76-77]

Sonoko slammed her hands onto the table and stood up. Her actions surprised Lupin, who had been lying down at her feet, and he curled his tail under himself in fear.

"And what the hell do you know!? We don't even know for sure that it was KID-sama who caused that plane accident!"

Though being glared at by Sonoko, Charlie merely put on a strict expression and pushed up his glasses with his finger.

"In that case, tell me, other than KID, who –and for what reason- fixed that bomb to the plane?"

"…"

Galled, Sonoko bit her lip. From behind her came the sound of the door opening.

A bodyguard dressed in black came in. "What is it?" Jirokichi asked with a frown.

"Excuse me, but there is an emergency call from Inspector Nakamori. He says that he needs to speak with you, Jirokichi-sama…."

"Put him on. What's going on?"

The curators still sitting at the table looked on at Jirokichi in concern. Charlie also looked at Jirokichi with a frown. From behind the curators Jirokichi was responding on the phone with affirmative grunts.

"Understood. I highly doubt that the Iron Tanuki has been broken into, but for the time being I will promptly go to check it. "

After saying that he hung up before turning to face the curators.

"Everyone, sorry but the meeting must be put on hold."

"What's going on?" "What happened?"

The group tensed up as Sonoko asked, "It couldn't be….KID-sama is it?"

"It is. It seems he has sent a new message to Mouri's place. "

The group looked up in astonishment "!"

"And, what was in the message?"

At Charlie's question, Jirokichi nodded and slowly lifted his head.

"All that was written was, 'Tonight I will come for the La Berceuse's left (the first copy).'"

Hearing the message, Natsumi looked on in shock.

"It can't be…."

"Is he referring to the left of his 'triptych'?"

At Kouji's words, Kumiko's eyes widened in surprise.

"In that case, the first reproduction would be…."

Kouji nodded quietly.

"Just in case, I'm going to check whether the Sunflowers in the basement safe is still there or not. Everyone please wait here for the time being."

[78]

Just as Jirokichi was about to leave the room, Kumiko called out to him, "Consult!"

"If it's as the message says, then KID's aim is not the Sunflower that is kept here."

Jirokichi and Sonoko both raised their eyebrows at her statement "!?"

"'La Berceus's left- the first copy - that can only be the fifth Sunflowers. And the fifth Sunflowers, as you know, is currently in Japan."

"Curse him, that KID….So this time he's after a different Sunflowers! Gotou!"

Clenching his teeth, Jirokichi turned to the desk beside the monitor.

"Contact Inspector Nakamori immediately! Kid's next target is the fifth Sunflowers. The place is Sompo Japan Nipponkoa Museum of Art!"

That is a real museum btw, and it really does have the Sunflowers exhibiting at the moment. If you go to their homepage it says, "In cooperation with Movie Production of Detective Conan Sunflowers of Inferno" lol.

Soooo, any guesses on who it actually was who tried to blow up the plane? Any ideas why KID is doing all this? What do you think of Charlie – the terrorist-hating American? Lol

Share your thoughts and impressions!