Really sorry for not updating for so long T T Haven't had the heart to update with school being all dominating… but back with another chapter, so please enjoy.

Theditor(chap 8): Haha Thanks ^^

Purpalz Miner (chap 8): Sorry for not updating for a long time, I guess I didn't meet up with expectations heh heh.

Annimo 2009(chap 1): Oh thanks! Glad you like it! Don't worry your review is fine^^

LLL (chap 8): Lots of predictions! Well yes it is Shinichi but I won't say anything about Conan yet. For the rest I guess it's just 'read to find out'! The Kaito part is intriguing though, I might consider.

Hshh (chap 8): Glad you think it's good^^ Thanks for reading~

Estelle (chap 8): haha glad you're excited! Thanks for reading!

XXX

"W-what?!" Hattori shouted, eyes wide with disbelief. "What do ya mean, Kudo's not here?!"

"H-Hattori-kun," Agasa Hakase backed up in surprise at his reaction. "What are you talking about?"' This can't be!' Hattori balled his hands into fists. Was that note just a prank? It can't be!

"A-ah no I just…" Hattori turned his back to Hakase and ran, mind whirling in frustration and disappointment. 'Kudo, where are you?! '

"Hattori-kun?" Agasa called out, but Hattori was already too far away to hear. After he ran a little distance, he slowed to a stop panting and sweating, brows furrowed in concentration. Did I get something wrong? He looked out towards the distance. 'Did I miss anything? He grabbed his head in his hands and shook it back and forth. Think! He started a slow walk, hands now stuffed in his pockets, and he turned his cap forward. Lessee… what there anything strange? A cat yawned, lumbering beside Hattori. 'Ah, now that I think about it,' Hattori perked up. 'It referred to the doc as 'my scientist friend'. If the note was written so that even if that lousy detective saw, he wouldn't suspect, then he could've just written 'Agasa Hakase', he had no need to write scientist…' Suddenly feeling he's getting somewhere, Hattori's eyes brightened and a small smile lifted the corners of his mouth. 'So if I assume Kudo hid a message in there, then 'scientist' would be one of the clues. What else…oh, the serial murders! Hattori stopped, concentrating hard. The cat left him behind. He could've just written any ol' murder, but he specifically used serial murders. A sudden spark zipped through Hattori and he gasped in realization. Wait…I remember this! What is it? He growled low in frustration and pressed down onto his cap. What is it…?!

Xxx

"Heiji! Where'd ya go, ya ahou?" Kazuha exclaimed, standing up and marching over to him, pulling on his face. "We were worried sick! Ya just disappeared like ya needed to go to the bathroom!"

"Ahou! Again with the bathroom?" Hattori swatted Kazuha's hands away, an extremely annoyed look on his face. "I just suddenly thoughta something, so I just went out to…carry it out!" Heiji flipped off his cap.

"Oh? What was it?" Kazuha demanded, hissing. "Ya didn't even tell me! So it's gotta be you went and visited your girlfriend Nanako!"

"I told you, there's nobody named Nanako that I like! Why're you so insistent on the bathroom and Nanako?" Hattori shook his head in exasperation.

"Um, you guys…" Ran sweat-dropped. "Why don't you finish breakfast first?"

"Breakfast? Ah I got some on the way back already." Hattori replied while fending off Kazuha.

"What? What'd ya get?" Kazuha asked. "I thought you didn't have any money."

"I bought a rice ball, why do you care?" Hattori bonked Kazuha on the head.

"But I thought you hated rice balls, being all sticky and gross?" Kazuha narrowed her eyes at Heiji, clearly suspicious.

"AHHH, you're so annoying!" Hattori grinded both his fists into Kazuha's head, causing Kazuha to shriek. Ran stared at Hattori, knowing that something was off about the detective of the west. 'He's hiding something.' Ran thought. 'Maybe it has something to do about that paper on the floor this morning…' A thought suddenly occurred to Ran, and her eyes widened. 'Maybe…Maybe that paper…' Ran shook her head. 'What're the chances of that being true? He wouldn't just suddenly contact him…'

"Ah, and nee-chan." Hattori said, walking over to Ran. "I've got something to ask ya, so let's meet up later." He whispered, making sure Occhan and Kazuha didn't hear. "It's real important."

"Ah, ok." Ran nodded, curiosity spiked up. Hattori then stood up, and with Kazuha trailing after him, firing questions, he walked out of the room.

"What was that about?" Occhan muttered, reaching for a can of beer.

"O.t.o.u.s.a.n." Ran warned, glaring at her father. Occhan withdrew his hand with a pale face, and grinned sheepishly.

"Not in the morning! Jeez, there should be your figurines on the market called 'Beerbies". Ran drank the rest of her milk, and stood up sighing.

"What? Beerbies?" Occhan cried in disbelief, staring after Ran as she, also, walked out of the room. "That's absolutely repulsive! It should definitely be called 'Mouri Kogorou, Best Detective of All Time Figurine."

"Hai hai Otou-san." Ran smiled, holding in a laugh. After she left, Occhan just sat there, gazing longingly at the case of beers.

Xxx

I don't know if I built more on the plot OO Well so Shinichi is not at the professor's house, so where is he..? Hattori seems to know something but he's not telling. But he's going to ask Ran something…

SO I hope you liked this, will update soon. Thanks for reading!