Hi! Thanks for the keeps following my translation ^^

Today is kinda chaotic for me so I'm sorry for updating kinda late (tho it's still Saturday here, hahaha) and I've not reread this and thus I apologize in advance for my scrambling grammar X_X

So, without any further ado, here's the next chapter!

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Words count: 3,125

Rate: T

Warning: typo(s), grammar error(s), possibly OOC, alternate timeline, chara(s) death, possible BL/shonen-ai, some OCs to support the story (as figurants)

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Disclaimer :

Detective Conan and Magic Kaito fully belong to Aoyama Gosho

This story belong to reiei

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Now, let the story begins…

o.O.O.o.o.O.O.o

Chapter 7

- 7th Sin –

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[Kaito's POV]

"Kudo-kun hadn't come back since yesterday afternoon."

Since I heard that sentence, I have really bad feelings. I can tell that my heart is beating faster, anxious. Shinichi has never disappeared without a trace, if he thought he won't come home that night, he'll at least gave me a message of something. But I don't even know that he didn't come home last night.

I check my cell phone again, hoping that I some miss emails or messages from Shinichi, but there's really no message from him. I try again, searching in my memory for any sign from Shinichi that I might overlook, but the result is nil. Nothing's changed in the house, even the number of sandwiches – dinner's leftover as well as my breakfast menu – is the same. I should've realized that Shinichi hasn't come home that night, and yea, I should start looking for him now.

"Is Shinichi in the middle of some case?" I ask the police who seem like have just pocketing his phone.

"No, we have just finished a kidnapping case yesterday and only need to finish its report now. That's why it's strange that he's missing like this."

I frown yet again. Why is he missing even though he's handling no ongoing case? Did he witness some crimes and come running to solve it just like that, without even calling the police? No, he won't make the mistake – I've heard it from Yukiko-san – twice. So, why is he missing? Wait, don't tell me–

"–he found something strange in the report and went to investigate," I said, still holding the police's gaze.

Apparently he needs few moments to understand what I mean.

"Yes, I think that's possible," he said finally, "still, he should've told us–"

"Yeah, except there's something bad happened and he's in no condition to call anybody. Can you tell me about that case you've solved?" I cut him impatiently.

That police detective stare at me with displeased expression, "We cannot discuss about the case with civilians."

After a long time unpracticed, I slam down my poker-face. I stare at him calmly, hiding my impatient that urge me to just get out of here and begin sweeping every nook cranny of the city looking for him.

"Oh, come on. You must know well about my past, don't you? Even if you refuse to give me the details about your case I'll just stole it from the station," I said half threatening, with a polite smile keep plastered on my face.

"Your past is all the more reason why I refuse to share information with you. After all you might misuse that information, or you might even be the one behind all of this mess," he stares in distrust.

I snort. "Well, I'm sorry but, in all honesty, your assumption sound really foolish. I've live with Shinichi for months. And if I, say, plan to do something bad, there's no way that one detective might overlook it," I said while flapping my hand airily as if to dismiss the stupid argument.

That police detective who's higher than me by some mere centimeters glares at me. He knows what I was saying is right, but he doesn't want to acknowledge it.

"So, what is your decision, Mr. Detective? Don't be wasting time when Shinichi's life might be in danger," I stare at his eyes, demanding some answer.

That man clucked his tongue in annoyance before turning back and said, "Follow me."

I can't help but smile victoriously when I heard that.

"Kawahara-san, I'm sorry but it seems I won't be coming to work today," I said as I hurriedly follow the detective out. I can see Kawahara-san nods, his expression is a mix of confusion, worry and understanding.

"Be careful, Kuroba-kun," he said as I step out of the bar. I just give a nod back.

Riding Shiratori-san's car, we go to the Beika Police Headquarter right away. Without wasting any time, I ask them to let me see Shinichi's report. And so here I am, in front of Shinichi's desk. His report is nearly finished, it presents the case's details neatly. Very Shinichi-like, if you ask me.

As Shiratori-san explained inside the car, there're 3 victims in this case, all Nachi Takahiro's children, a quite famous businessman. The first kidnapping case happened when Nachi's third daughter was going home from school. As usual, she's picked up by family's private driver, but they're ambushed midway by stranger and later, Shibata-san, the driver, was found locked in the trunk after being sedated unconscious by the kidnapper. In place of the daughter was a demand letter from the kidnapper and a parsley leaf, which assumed to be stuck in the suspect's clothes and then so left in there.

The second kidnapping happened because Nachi-san didn't grant the kidnapper's demand not to contact the police, or so it said by a letter placed in the second daughter's locker room in her ballet studio, with a sage leaf slipped below. Even the first daughter didn't slip pass the kidnapper clutches. She who's always locking herself in her painting studio in the campus found missing with a ransom letter glued to her unfinished painting.

"Have you solved the leaves' meaning?"

"The police decided that those leaves were unrelated to the kidnapping case and only accidentally get in the crime scene, seeing as there are many trees there."

"But it seems that Shinichi thought otherwise."

"What do you mean?"

"If he really thinks that those were unrelated to the case then he won't write it in his report, right?"

I can feel their sharp gaze on me but I ignore it and continue my explanation.

"Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme… They're 4 famous herbal names in Old English and it's said that they can repel demons. There are even songs and famous phrases based on them."

"But there are only 3 kidnapping cases and 3 leaves…," Shiratori added with sour face, seems knowing where all of this are heading to, "Don't tell me there is fourth kidnapping case…"

"Most likely. And I think Shinichi also thought the same, that's why he go."

"But we've already caught the kidnapper!" that middle aged police seems restless, "Abe Yoshiki, 35 years old. He's a heavy drinker who has just lost his job. He's often loitering near Nachi's residence and thought that he'll get lots of money kidnapping his daughter. He'd even admitted it."

"How can he know when and where his victim was?" I listen to his explanation while keep using Shinichi's computer, searching for additional data which made Shinichi make his move.

"He was doing some stakeout from some days ago."

Finally I find what I want in Shinichi's browser's history. "Shiratori-san, please take a look at this," I said interrupting his explanation about the kidnapper admission.

He looks displeased to be interrupted but he still closing in to the monitor, reading article displayed there.

"Nachi Takahiro's Scandalous Affair?" he read the title aloud with an eyebrow raised.

I just nod briefly, "This is an article from years ago, and seems like this is not his first or his last. If we assume not all of this affair is a bluff, then it's possible for him to have other children from his affairs."

"And you think that this child of his might be subject of our last kidnapping case?" he asked with tone that clearly imply his doubt.

"Yes, its possibility is not 0%."

He stares at the monitor for a moment, weighing his options.

"I'll try to interrogate Abe again," he said finally.

"Aa, please do," I stand up from Shinichi's chair, "Thank you for letting me see Shinichi's report."

"Where are you going?" he asks ignoring my gratitude and staring at me with suspicion.

"Looking for Shinichi, of course. You arrest the kidnapper right after granting his ransom, don't you? Then I doubt he has anything to do with Shinichi's disappearance."

I hurriedly step away to get out of the HQ, but I stopped in the front door because some idea just popped inside my head, "Can you find Shinichi's location though his phone's GPS?" I stared straight at Shiratori-san, some other officers who heard my question stared at agape at me but I ignore them. What I do not expect is some answer that can be heard from somewhere beside me.

"Kudo-kun's last GPS signal detected in area 51 the night before, but now it's undetectable. It's may be possible that his phone is dead or even broken," said a female police who brings a clipboard where she reads that data from.

"Can you tell me its location?" I ask as I, obviously, don't know where 'area 51' is.

The female officer – whom I remember her coming with Shinichi and the group at last bar outing – makes some eye contact with Shiratori-san, asking for permission, then she finally says my much needed address as she got a nod from Shiratori-san who has the higher rank.

"I'll send some officers to investigate the area. Don't do anything reckless before we got there," said Shiratori-san.

I just give him a nod before dashing to said location. I'm not a part of the police forces so obviously I don't need to wait for their order to move out, and they can't stop me anyway.

Shinichi hadn't come back since yesterday lunch time. That means he'd been missing for about 24 hours. His last phone signal detected last night. I don't even know whether he'd still be there or not. With the perpetrator – of course I assume there's other perpetrator involved beside that Abe person – still unclear, thus limit predictable move.

I can't stay optimistic and assume that Shinichi have found out who the culprit was and was snooping around to find a chance to arrest the culprit, because if that's what happened then there's no excuse for him to go missing for about a whole day without informing at least his division. And the worst assumption is he's dead. No, Shinichi's not that weak. I doubt he'll die that easily. All I need to focus now is to find him, A.S.A.P, and that thought make my leg run faster.

Apparently that address refers to an abandoned warehouse complex. Many separated buildings – that was used to store all kind of things – clearly neglected and rust away with time. Really a suitable place for a criminal to hide. I carefully step ahead, avoiding open platform and choose to sneak in thought shadow of the buildings. That's when I saw a car driving away from the northernmost warehouse. That glossy car seems really stand out in this rusty place.

'Bingo', I smirk as I saw the speeding car. I let the car drive past me before I quickly go to where that car has come out from.

That northernmost warehouse doesn't look any different with the other buildings. Peeled wall paint, rusting steels, dusty broken windows. The difference is some silhouettes of men that can be seen lying inside.

"Shin!" I unintentionally shout quite loud when I recognize the handcuffed man with some dried blood stained his shirt as the person that I seek.

He lowly groans, seems like bearing pain as he tried to lift his head to where my voice comes from.

"…Kuroba?" his pain lidded eyes seems widen as he recognize my face. I ignore his respond, breaking in though the window, and cross that nearly empty room quickly. Asking 'are you okay?' seems inappropriate in a situation like this, seeing as how clearly his injuries are, so of course he's not fine. I'm just relived to find him alive.

"What are you doing here, Kuroba?" he asks me as I finished unlocking his cuff, which of course was a child play with my reputation and experience as Kaitou KID.

"That's my line, what are you doing missing for a whole day and taken as a hostage all beaten up? You made me worried! Aren't you the one going around saying that it's bad not coming home without telling anybody?" I yell at him. I tried to make my voice come out as normal as I can and neutralize my chaotic emotions – worry, angry, relief – but I don't know whether it is working or not.

Shinichi rubs at his wrist, trying to soothe the sore away as the handcuff was biting to his skin. He mumbles some apology with gaze all over but me, but I think he's sincere. I just huff heavy sigh.

"So, how come you get captured? Don't tell me you recklessly follow them while trying to figure out who's the fourth victim?"

This time Shinichi's stare straight at me, surprised and confused. Well, he seems surprised that I know about his case. Or maybe because my assumption's right? That expression of his quickly fades away as he throws his gaze across the room, where a child can be seen cowered in fear between dusty boxes.

"Nachi Takahiro's son from one of his affair. He's forcefully taken away from his mother when he was just a baby and placed in an orphanage by his birth father," for a moment there he throw a cold glance at Nachi Takahiro who's lying somewhere further inside with hand and ankle tied up, his bruises seems a lot more worse compared to Shinichi's.

'Then why is than innocent child get involved in this mess?' I thought.

And as I reading my thoughts, Shinichi continues his explanation. "The culprit of this kidnapping case is… the family private driver whose true identity is older brother of that child's mother," Shinichi staggering away to the crying child's side, "His sister died two years ago because she's depressed after being separated from her child, and since then the brother started to searching for the man who was responsible for his sister's death as well as looking for his long lost nephew. The kidnapping case of the other 3 Nachi-san's daughter was only a decoy to make him go to the orphanage where he left his son was. And of course, Shibata Hirofumi was already waiting for him there when he arrived."

"Sounds like a crime that have been planned for years, huh…"

"Aa. He invites somebody who can be his partner-in-crime as well as diversion without telling him his identity, which proofed easy with some money bribe. Those leaves he left at the crime scene was his sign, as if he wanted to repel demon from them, which in his eyes, Nachi-san was the demon."

The 4 years old boy curl tighter when he sees Shinichi approaches him. He doesn't stop struggling as the detective hold him up. Ah, must be hurt being kicked and punched in that state, even by children. That child is scared, it's normal for him to wailing that hard. And apparently Shinichi understood as he doesn't show any of his pain. I was about to help him when his voice stopped me.

"Kuroba, please untie Nachi-san. We have to hurry and get out of here before he comes back," he said as he glances at me, his hands still busy holding the struggling child.

I just give him a nod and approach the older man. Fortunately I always bring my pocket knife so I don't need to untie the knots that tied him up.

"Are you always this reckless, Shin? Why can't we even reach you thought the phone?"

"Ha? Oh, sorry, I forgot that my phone is still in silent mode, I even turned off the vibration, so I kinda don't know that I got some miscalls."

I throw the detective a deadpan glace as if saying 'are you kidding me?!', and he just give me sheepish smile as an apology. And that's when I caught some shadow lurking behind the door, and something shining under the sun that now leans more to the west. Remembering the sun coordinate and the angle where that flashes of light coming from, the target is…

"Shin, watch out!"

Fortunately Shinichi ducked right at the last moment. He slide back to hide behind the boxes right when the bullet's being fired. Nachi's body that I propped up trembles seeing the man's face, he starts to mumble something incoherent because of the growing fear. I try hard to pull him to hide behind other boxes.

"Who the hell are you?!" he forcibly open the warehouse door and point his gun at me who fails to hide in time. "I plan to go back and take the boy away before finished you guys off, and here I found another rat trying to free that demon," that man stares hard at me, "Stay away from that demon! What are you saving him for, huh?!"

"Give it up, Shibata Hirofumi-san! If you stop now this case will only be charged as an attempt of murder!" Shinichi said loud and clear. It seems he decided to show himself after he persuaded the boy to hide. Unfortunately, I don't think he can persuade this man that has already taken by hatred.

And sure enough, the man burst out laughing instead. He walks closer with gun still pointed at us alternately.

"For me finishing that damn demon is more important! If only he doesn't exist, my sister won't die! Why are you siding with that scumbag that uses his money and power to tempt women to his bed! That's absurd! You, stay away from him!"

His gunpoint moves at me. I was about to buy time by granting his command when Nachi grabs at my arm hard thus I can't draw away from him. I try not to click my tongue in annoyance at his cowardice.

"He got nothing to do with this–"

"Shut up!"

Shinichi's argue is cut off as that man – who's growing more and more furious as time ticks by – shout.

"If he's defending that demon, then he's the same as that demon!"

Uh – oh, this is getting worse.

With one swift move, he cocked the pistol safety and pulls the trigger.

" –KAITO!"

Dor.

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To Be Continued

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