Chapter eight
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ooOO-OOoo


Heiji finally got some free time between two fights and had just finished to take a refreshing shower. Being a well-known prodigy in the kendo world, he was challenged a lot by rookies who thought they could get the best of him. He gladly proved them wrong. Aside from that, some other fighter, who were more on his level, had given him some good battles. And then there was Okita Soshi. Of course he was attending the camp as well and Heiji was vibrating with excitement because he would face him tomorrow. This time Heiji would pay him back for the little scar behind his ear, remembering him of the unsatisfying encounter with the Kudou-lookalike.

Rubbing his hair dry with a fluffy towel he'd snitched from Kazuha earlier, he checked his phone for messages. One from his Mom, informing him that he'd forgotten his towels - well, he'd taken care of that already. One from Kazuha, reminding him to watch Ran's fighting practices this afternoon, and some spam he deleted immediately. Next, he scrolled through his news-app and was swamped with blinking news-tickers, live broadcasts, interviews and picture galleries. All revolving around a challenge to Kaitou KID and a kidnapped teenager. He called up the video the kidnappers had delivered to the press and did a double-take.

Heiji cursed. The guy looked an awful lot like Shinichi. With a few swift swipes of his fingers he speed dialed his friend's number. The free line signal beeped once, and then went straight to voicemail. Not a good sign. At all.

"Really Kudou? Don't tell me ya got caught up in somethin' nasty again. Ya can't be serious!"

The clash with the Black Organization had left some deep wounds on all involved (some visible, some not) and himself with a broken arm, a sprained ankle and a helluva rehab training. Did Shinichi have some bold letters written on his forehead, reading 'I like trouble!'?

Without thinking twice about it, Heiji grabbed his bag and stuffed everything in it he had unpacked. With a short text message he told Kazuha that he wouldn't make it this afternoon and was off to the train station.

ooOO-OOoo

Traditional Japanese lunch and a cup of earl grey tea went very well together. At least in Hakuba Saguru's opinion. Sipping it carefully out of a china cup, he reread today's newspaper. He made a habit reading it at least twice. Once in the morning, where he mostly scanned the headlines and studied the important articles, and for a second time after lunch, so he wouldn't miss anything written in the smaller sections. Sure, he could read all of it on his phone as well, but he liked the peaceful feeling just a printed medium could give you. He would check the news online later to be up to date. It was the only disadvantage his beloved newspaper had. The news weren't really - well, new.

While turning over the pages carefully, he thought about Kuroba and Kudou. He still tried to understand why his fellow detective recently spent so much time with his classmate. Yes, he got the 'we are old friends and are just having a good time' excuse but still, his gut feeling told him that there was more to it. Of course, he'd noticed that Kudou had attended KID's last heist he himself hadn't been able to, so he was sure that something must have happened there. But what? The report Nakamori had let him have a look at was just the usual. KID got the jewel, task force messed up, KID escaped. Nothing out of the norm. It was truly unsettling, especially because he always had seen Kudou as one of the few who could keep up with his own deduction skills. It was almost unthinkable that he didn't see the clues pointing to KID's private identity, but nevertheless he plotted something with Kuroba, Hakuba was sure of it and he wanted to know what was going on!

His discreet ringtone got his attention and he reached for his phone, greeting the caller after checking the ID. "Yes, Baaya?"

Her voice was somewhat anxious. "Bocchama, did you see the news?"

"Of course I did," Hakuba frowned. Baaya knew that he kept up with what was going on in the world.

"No, I mean right now!"

He went over to the TV and turned it on, selecting his favorite news channel and gaped.

"I have to hang up," he said curtly, distracted by what he saw on the screen. How the bloody hell did someone manage to kidnap Kuroba of all people? The Kaitou KID himself! This wasn't looking good at all and despite of wanting to catch the thief, Hakuba didn't wish anything ill to happen to Kuroba.

He took up his phone again, opened his contacts and selected the name 'Nakamori Ginzo'.

ooOO-OOoo

Yukiko had also seen what happened when her favorite soap she liked to watch while cleaning was interrupted by the breaking news. Her initial reaction had been to shout out her husband's name and call her son's phone, just to be connected to his voicemail. The wrenching feeling in her stomach almost made her sick. She had seen Shinichi just a couple of hours ago, so it couldn't be him right? Right?

Unconsciously, she dialed his number repeatedly via speed dial until a warm hand took the phone from her shaking fingers.

"Calm down Yukiko, look closely - it's not Shinichi."

She forced herself to look at the video again and studied the bound boy more closely. Yusaku was right. She blamed the panic for deceiving her eyes. Now, she could see the slightly different facial bone structure and the longer, unruly hair, but it didn't make it any better because she knew this boy as well. Her voice wasn't more than an appalled whisper.

"Kaito!"

Turning to Yusaku, she saw that he was already on the phone himself.

"Megure-keibu,... Yes, I just saw it on the news. Can you give us more details? We know the boy. He is a friend of Shinichi's. Kuroba Kaito... Of course, I understand. Have you seen our son by any chance? Hmm... Thank you, Keibu. Goodbye."

He pocketed his phone again. "Apparently, the media didn't bother to inform the police before airing the video, so they know nothing more than we do. He asked me to come to the Ekoda Police Department, because we know Kuroba-kun. They are trying to get a hold on the owner of the jewel and try to convince him to give it to KID voluntary. He thinks someone who has a personal connection with one of the hostages could be helpful. Nakamori-keibu is on his way as well of course."

"This damn pack of journalists! They always just think about their front-page splash," Yukiko raged, calming her raising temper with a few deep breaths. "Nothing about Shinichi?"

"No. Actually, he hasn't seen him for some time now and was wondering himself about the absence of dropping bodies left and right. Not that he was complaining." The small smirk just lasted for a second on the writers lips. He grabbed his jacket. "So, I'll be going right now. Shinichi wanted to meet Kuroba-kun this morning, so he sure has heard about his kidnapping. I suppose I will run into him sooner or later while I'm with the police. He will call you back the moment he sees that you tried to reach him."

Yukiko looked at him with a concerned expression and he kissed her on the forehead after hugging her tightly. "Try not to worry too much. Our son did mature a lot, and we will do anything to help Kuroba-kun. And I will keep Shinichi safe, I promise."

She nodded and let go of him reluctantly. She didn't like that Shinichi was involved at all, but knew that there was no chance getting him off the case. Not when a friend's life was at stake. But this time she would make sure that nothing happened to him, whether he liked it or not. "We, Yusaku. We will keep him safe."

ooOO-OOoo

Nakamori Ginzo was known for a lot of things. Being speechless was none of them. But right now, he was exactly that while his brain in vain tried to process what he'd heard just now. Pictures of a cheerful Kaito - the boy he knew since forever, turned into the smirking thief. The same boy who went to school with his daughter every day and who had become sort of a son for him. It felt so wrong!

'You've known it all along - admit it!' A treacherous voice in his head whispered, but still Ginzo searched for excuses, for another explanation, because he didn't want it to be true. Kaito - a criminal?

'He's a magician. He is talented and very athletic. He fits the profile.' Except for his age. Kaito was way too young to be the thief Ginzo had chased for so long. But if Toichi really had been the first KID…

' KID vanished after his death. Connect the dots, fool! Admit it already!'

He tore at his hair. He had gone over these facts over and over again. Of course he had seen the connection to Toichi's death and he had suspected Kaito at one point, but the boy had been standing next to him when KID appeared. True - KID had seemed a bit off, but it had been enough for Ginzo to dismiss all allegations against Kaito. Because he'd wanted it that way. He'd pushed the facts aside and buried them deep in his sub consciousness. Kaito wasn't KID. Period!

But he was. And now he was in trouble, could lose his life.

Ginzo had to ask himself if it would have been better to arrest Kaito when he'd learned about the snipers, if he could have prevented this situation.

Blame.

He would never be able to forgive himself if something happened to Kaito - it would be his fault.

'Aoko.'

She was so attached to the boy. He wasn't sure how she would take the truth about his nightly activities, but it sure would destroy her if she lost him. If only for her sake, he had to help with everything he had, but it was more. He wanted to save Kaito, and at this point he didn't care about what he had done as KID. He was just Kaito, the son of his late best friend. He owed it to him - Toichi would have done the same for Aoko.

A phone rang and it took him a moment to realize that it was his own. He gritted his teeth when he saw who was calling, but picked up nonetheless, fully aware again of the two other people in the room, who were waiting for his reaction. Phone first, then them.

"Hakuba-kun, come to the PD - now!" he snarled and hung up before the boy had a chance to get a word out.

"Okay," he said, turning his attention to Kudo and Kounsuke. "Let's get Kaito-kun back!"