Chapter Text
It was late afternoon. The sky slowly turned from bright blue into an azure and on the horizon appeared a soft shade of yellow. It was about time for the sun to set and say goodbye to the day, cooling down the earth and letting the moon reign over the sky.
However the sun still gave no remorse, thrashing down its fever to the overheated earth, turning it too into a fireball this summer. The high temperatures and the humid air was enough pressure for anyone to escape into a climatic room, chugging down an entire ice cold bottle of water in one go.
Or after a long day of work, they would jump into a cold bath or shower, relaxing from the harshness of the sun. Washing away the sweat and dirt from the day. Nothing was better than that.
No one would go outside without a reason today, stepping underneath this deadly gaze of the sun on this day. At least no one with common sense. Even the kids would retreat to the shades due to this suffering heat. Playing outside only if it involved a water fight with water pistols.
Not for a certain someone though.
The bell of a small konbini store rang when a small figure stepped out of the store. Under one arm was a soccer ball. Dirt and grass patches covering the white ball. It was enough evidence to show to anyone he had played a game today.
In his right hand he held a freshly bought water bottle. It cooled his hand and he thought about pressing it against his forehead. It would probably feel great, the heat had been killing him. He was already excited for the cold shower later.
However, he wanted to hydrate much more, and so he opened the bottle as he slowly walked past the show-windows of the stores of Tokyo. Without a second guess he chucked down the water, drinking so fast that he spilled a bit and it was slowly flowing down his chin to his neck, wetting his shirt.
“It had been three months since he had gone missing, multiple fans are still hysterical, asking themselves if he found what he had been searching for and would never make a comeback ever again.”
The small figure took a sudden halt when he heard the news lady through one of the show windows. Standing in front of a TV store, he was perfectly able to watch the broadcast on the advertised TVs.
With his head still tilted upwards due to drinking the water, he looked down at the lowest TV, seeing the woman point at a photo behind her, talking about the events from three months ago. Telling the story of his vanish.
The detective paused and pulled down his half empty bottle. With a “Ts” he turned again and walked forward, closing the bottle as he went. The lady turned into background noise, which slowly decreased in volume the further he went. He on the other hand slowly increased his walking speed.
It had been three months and there was no sign of light from him. He just vanished, on the spot.
Conan, holding his soccerball tighter, wasn’t even bothered. Quite the opposite. Should the other do however he pleased. Just vanishing from one second to the other. Who even cares. Only those crazy fans he left behind. Fans of a thief, a criminal.
Even in this merciless heat he continued to speed up his steps, a tumult in his stomach keeping him pushing forward.
As the news lady proclaimed, the theory of this thief finding what he was searching for wasn’t that odd. Considering he was gone ever since that heist night. But it was so obviously wrong. Simply because he hadn’t left with any gem or treasure. His prize was left behind. Who would search for something but then not take it? Sounds stupid.
First Conan thought the other was just sick or something, nothing new that he was gone for two or three weeks or so. As if this idiot would ever just vanish without a grand show or something.
Or without telling him. His so-called ‘Favorite Detective’.
But obviously this thief didn’t care, it was all just a game. A fun game of cat and mouse, of tag, of chase.
So when it comes to Conan, he didn’t mind him vanishing. Not at all. Should he do however he please, this stupid thief. Not that he cared about him much either.
“Maybe, he died? Perhaps the police shot him and tried to pull it under the rug?” He overheard two young female teenage students talking with each other. Conan didn’t look at them, stared at the floor as he unintentionally eavesdropped the two fans.
“What!? You think they would do that?”
The small detective almost chuckled. As if that thief would just die. As if! He was like a cockroach, no matter what, he was not dying, nor was he leaving you alone. Like a pest he would be in between your walls, eating the infiltration and annoying the hell out of you.
Him dying was out of the question.
“I wouldn’t see that as impossible, what if the police-” The voices dimmed once more as the small detective sped up more. His breath got heavier as his steps got faster and faster.
If the police shot him, Conan would know. There was no way they would keep it hidden. Not that he had asked Takagi about it or anything. Besides, Nakamori was furious, making multiple TV appearances and screaming out to the world for the thief to return, that he wasn’t done till the other was behind bars.
But this wasn’t something which bothered the young detective. It wasn’t even his area. This was theft, not murder. Nothing he cared about. Nothing he was giving a second thought. Nothing he would-
“Hey boy!” Suddenly he was pulled on the neck hem of his shirt. In shock he let his soccer ball fall, which rolled onto the streets, being instantly driven over by a car speeding by, honking angrily about Conan’s lack of intention. All the car left behind was the flattened ball.
With still a bottle of water in hand, he was shortly put down by the men who had caught him and prevented him from turning into a flat pancake. Just now the detective realized he almost rushed through a red light.
Perfect, now because he was being stuck in thoughts he has to endure this embarrassment. The guy will tell him how kids should be careful and all that. Once more being reduced to this prison he was stuck in. With holding back a sigh he turned around, already ready to get a telling-off from the guy.
“You should be more careful boy,” a more calm, soft but also a bit lecturing old voice came from the man. The little detective looked up, gazing over the man.
The guy was in his early 60s, wore a dark gray, almost black, suit in this awful heat, and wore a fedora hat. Conan could barely make out the shade of some round glasses, hiding underneath the hat. A white mustache covered the bottom of his face. His hair was shoulder length. He was barely able to make out the face of the other.
“I am sorry O-jii-san,” he apologized, using his best child voice, even though inside he was filled with annoyance. Annoyance from not paying attention, annoyance from being stuck like this and being lectured like a little kid.
Ha. Kid.
How can this thief annoy him without even being here.
It was as if his absence opened up a space in the little detective's mind, reserved just for him. Maybe this was his plan, to infiltrate Conan’s mind and mess with him more than usual. That is why he left without saying anything. This must be his last trick.
“Oh,” he heard the elderly man let out as he also seemed to muster the young boy. “I have been searching for you.”
These words were nothing what the little detective had expected and so he opened his mouth slightly in shock and uncertainty. All annoyance was gone in a whip as his brain was now overcircling.
Why would this random guy search him?!
Sure, if he was Shinichi, this was no problem. People constantly were looking for him. Either asking for help in a private manner, or fans, who wanted some autographs, or, which was mostly the case, the press who wanted to ask him about his solved cases. The high school detective had been quite often in the news.
However, right now he was just a random lousy child, who was coming back from a playdate with his friends. Not a well-known detective.
Which obviously alarmed him.
Yes, there were a few people who knew about his identity, but none looked remotely close to this old man. Unless his mother decided to put another prank on him and disguise herself as someone else.
Instantly he put his hands behind his back, activating his wristwatch to shoot a tranquilizer needle at the man if he decided to become dangerous.
Was he from the black organization? No. The suit was dark, but not black.
Perhaps the man was searching for his own child, or more like grandchild, and has poor eyesight. Mistaking Conan for someone else.
In any way, he would play innocent.
“Searching for me?” He put on his best child-act. “You must be wrong, I am just a child.” He smiled brightly.
The people next to him, also waiting for the greenlight, started walking. It seems that the traffic light has changed. Conan was debating between fleeing or staying. Fleeing because of danger but staying because of curiosity.
What did this man want from him?
The guy shook his head, disagreeing with what he had just said. “No, I am not mistaken.” His voice remained calm. It wasn’t as if he was threatening the detective.
“I want you to search someone for me,” he answered, looking around. “Maybe we should disguise this somewhere more private.”
Searching for someone? So this was detective work, but once more, Conan was Conan, not Shinichi. This man should not ask a kid about such work. And talking somewhere private makes it seem more ominous.
Was it maybe about the sleeping Kogoro. The man could be asking for help in a private manner. Conan lived with this old geezer, perhaps this old man knew about this too.
But asking to speak somewhere private?
“I am just a child,” he remained in his play, playing unknown. “If you search someone, the police-”
“I can’t ask the police for this,” the man interrupted him and immediately apologized for it. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt, my nerves are just getting me, little detective-san.”
Little detective-san?
The people next to them stopped walking, and the traffic lights went red again. Conan’s grin on his wrist tightened. Should he knock this guy out? Or maybe it was better to figure out where he got to know about his secret? So perhaps should he play along for a bit?
If it got too risky he can still use his tranquilizer watch and call Akai or the FBI about this. They could investigate further about who this man was.
“Who are you searching for?” He then asked, still remaining in his child act. “Is it one of my classmates?” Playing innocent, unknown.
“No, no,” the man gave back, shaking his head. “I am searching for,” his voice turned into a whisper as he leaned down, Conan was barely able to hear the next words.
“Kaito Kid.”
“Kaito Kid?!” He raised an eyebrow, slightly softening the hold on his watch. So this was just another Kid fan? But this still didn’t solve the question why he thought Conan was a detective. Maybe this man thinks he could help, because Conan was indeed known to be the Kid Killer. A fan might ask him for help then.
The man laid a finger on his own lips, to signal to the detective to stay quiet.
“Please, let’s talk about this somewhere else,” once more he looked around hastily.
“I don’t think I can help, the police are already searching for him and they are working day and night for this, there aren't many leading points anyway” Conan was confused.
Even if he was Shinichi right now, there wasn't any more information about his disappearance than the police already had. And sure he might help the police if they ask him, even if he rather solved a murder case, but this was nothing for a random Kid fan.
“But I may be able to give you some more information than the police have,” the man gave back.
“How?”
The guy looked left and right, uncertain and careful about someone listening to them, which only raised Conan’s suspicion. In the end, he leaned down again and whispered.
“Because I am his assistant.”
The shock made the detective let go of his wristwatch. Dropping his child act. Many questions were answered. Who this guy was and how he got to know who he was. However, it also opened plenty of other questions.
Why does Kid’s closest companion not know where the thief was?!
Okay, back to the beginning, this at least now makes sense, why he asked Conan about this. Kid knew about his secret Identity and so must his apprentice. Due to their cat and mouse game, the thief knew what Conan was capable of and so must this man too.
Making him come here, asking for help.
“This really isn’t the best place to talk, we should go somewhere more private.”
And for once the shrunken detective did agree. This was not a matter they should discuss on the open street.
___
He would have lied, if he hadn’t had some precautious thoughts as he stepped into the back seat of a black car with tinted windows. Especially because of his height he was barely able to look outside and could not see where they were heading. Only when he leaned forward to see through the front window.
However, if this was truly Kid’s apprentice, Conan was sure he would bring him to a discrete place, maybe even the lion's deed. So remembering his way there would kind of break Kid’s and his gentlemen's agreement of trying to figure out the thief’s identity.
But this was also a case where he had to search for the other. So, some measurements were to be made one way or another.
In any way, looking at the back head of his assistant, Conan was kind of surprised how old the man was, while still working for the young thief. Perhaps he was the apprentice of the former Kaito Kid. The detective wouldn’t ask, nor would he try speculating anything, though.
Another question entered his mind. Why did he even accept to help with the search? Sure, tied to his main reasons were his curiosity, why the thief had vanished without even telling his apprentice. Where the heck this idiot was and so on.
Nevertheless it was still Kid, he didn’t owe him anything, nor did he care about him in any way or another. He was just this stupid thief. There was no reason he needed to search for him. Even after being asked for help.
However, his curiosity was just too strong, and well, gaining some information the police didn’t have was also something he was interested in.
The car came to a halt, making the detective get out of his mind as he realized they had arrived at whatever place they wanted to be at. While Conan looked outside, seeing the front of a bar of some sort, the old man got out of the car and opened the door.
“Please,” he gestured outside, so the detective would get out.
This apprentice was very different from how Conan had imagined him to be. The detective knew from a former heist, Kid had at least one assistant of some sort. However an old man, with manners this thief never would have, was nothing he had thought about. More like another young rebel-like figure.
The small detective jumped out of the car, looking around. There weren’t many people walking around. To be exact Conan could only spot another man turning at a corner and vanishing into an alley. However he didn’t know if it was because this area wasn’t busy at these times or if it was the sun’s fault, which still radiated heat even if it was almost down. The sky had started to turn into an even darker azur.
When he jumped out, the assistant closed the door behind him and locked the car, before walking to the entrance of the bar and opening it. Once more he gestured to Conan to go inside.
“Please come in,” he gave back and slowly the detective did as told.
Inside it was completely empty, expected from a locked bar. The interior was more earthly themed, being in different shades of brown. There was a pool table to his right and on the wall behind were some cues hanging. One especially pretty in particular. It must bring a special one.
Then behind the pool table was a bar with plenty of alcohol on the shelves behind it. On the bar’s left there were some tables and chairs for guests to sit on.
This bar felt awfully familiar, until Conan realized this was the ‘Blue Parrot’. He once solved a case here. There was a group of office workers and the manager had been killed by one of them. Back then he came here after that old geezer was called to solve some mysteries. A young bartender woman had seen some confusing things at the bar. In the end, it was a murder case.
So was Kid’s apprentice the owner of this bar? No, no, perhaps he was another employee and used this place as a safe place to bring Conan here to not reveal the true lion's deed. So he could have remembered the way here if he wanted to.
Well it doesn’t matter, he now knows this is the ‘Blue Parrot’, so he actually knows the way here.
Today must be a closed day because usually at these times some guests should already be here.
They both walked towards the bar and while Conan climbed on one of the high chairs, the assistant walked behind the bar.
“Would you like something to drink? Juice? Coffee?”
“An iced coffee please,” Conan asked as the man leaned down to grab something below the bar. It was a can of cold coffee. There must be a fridge under the bar. Seconds later he had a tall glass of iced coffee in front of him with three big ice cubes inside.
Yes after this hot day he truly needed something ice cold. Especially since he had gulped down that water bottle in almost one go, but still needed more to drink in order to cool down.
Next, the assistant once more lowered himself to grab something out of a cupboard in front of him. Multiple papers, documents, plans and a tablet.
“This is Bocchama’s personal tablet where he reads the news, but also researches gems and gets floorplans. Most importantly he makes his notes here. How and where he wants to strike next,” the man explained. With ‘Bocchama’ he probably meant the thief.
However, before he gave Conan the tablet he paused. While the detective could not see his eyes, still hidden behind the fedora hat, he felt the look. The other was dead serious.
“Those are very discrete pieces of information, I am trusting you with them.”
Conan realized he truly was the last resort the man had. The past weeks he must have searched for the thief on his own and couldn’t find him. So he was the last hope. It must have taken him a lot to ask him for his help.
So how could he put him down now? Even if it was just a stupid thief he would be searching. Sure, solving murder cases was more interesting, but first and foremost he was a detective, who helped out.
Even if that wasn’t always the case back when he was Shinichi, where he could pretty much choose whatever case he wanted.
“I get it, we will just try to find Kid,” with this he offered his hand to take the tablet. With some hesitation the assistant gave him the device.
And so he decided to work.
On the documents were more floorplants, certain characters like the owner of certain gems and well some notes for his assistant. But also drawings of devices, something you cannot buy anywhere, however needed for certain magic tricks. The thief must have come up with these inventions.
Perhaps he gives them his assistant to build, since they were also on paper, while his own research is on his tablet. However the descriptions and drawing of the device, inside and out were surprisingly detailed. The thief must know exactly what he wanted.
Then when looking at his tablet, everything was well organized, however the notes themselves were quite short and Conan raised his eyebrow as he took a sip of his coffee. It seemed the thief never needed much to write down to sort his mind. However for the detective this was quite difficult.
Still he started to sort every gem to every heist he had done in the past and which ones were on the list of future heists. Some future heists were more, some less planned out, so he put them in order of most to least detailed. The more detailed the more likely the gem would be his next target.
However- “I have not heard of the next three gems here being stolen, were there any instances I had missed?” Perhaps Kid started to steal without being in his white suit and was doing heists on his own. If that was the case, they could look into those gems.
His assistant shook his head as he cleaned some glasses. “No, none.” Conan turned back to the papers.
Well, then he would need to focus on the heist he vanished. Maybe there were a few hints of why he left or if something went wrong. But if something went wrong, Kid would have had a second or third or more plans. Every time he looked into a planned heist, there were multiple plans about every part. Just in case something got off.
It started a curiosity inside Conan, wanting to know how many plans and what his original plan was when they met on heists. Maybe the other had started preparing more just for the detective. At least that is what Conan hoped for, making his life the most difficult.
However, he promised the assistant to only look into the things important to Kid's disappearance. And so, he did not look into those files.
The gem he stole, or wanted to steal, on the day he had vanished, was the deepest and biggest white moonstone in the world. The “Distant Night”. It truly looked pretty and on the nodes it said it shined bright under the moonlight. It looked very similar to a moon.
Well, perfect for the “Thief under the Moonlight”.
Conan rolled his eyes, obviously he would be going after that one.
In any case, the “Distant Night” was actually owned by a French billionaire, who lent the gem to a Japanese high fashion company, which was in truth a daughter company of his own. Ten years ago his industry went overseas to Japan, expanding their locations. So this entire thing was a PR-stunt to get more rich people to buy expensive clothes.
There were also articles about where the “Distant Night” was from and where said French billionaire bought it, however, for now this was uninteresting and so Conan focused more on how the thief had planned the heist.
It wasn’t an extravagant heist. Unlike the Moonwalk or the Teleporting act the thief had done. Perhaps it was not as big due to the small room the gem was located in. There was also no audience. Only the police officers guarding the gem. Nor was the gem located in a particularly hard to crack vault.
Conan tried to imagine the plan written on the papers.
So, Kid and his assistant would disguise themselves as police officers, going so far as picking two in particular.
The detective opened the notes about those two men.
One being Officer Ueda, the other Officer Koga. Both unknown enough to slip past everyone, but not new enough for someone to get suspicious.
The gem’s room was also on the 20th floor of the company's building. Open for only special guests to enter and see the “Distant Night”, even cleaning staff was not allowed inside without security. Usually, only bodyguards would take care of the place. However with Kid’s heist note, police would attend and squeeze themselves inside this tight room as well.
Conan took the Heistnote into his hands, spinning it between his index and middle finger. It was the prototype to the one currently in the police’s hands. But the detective knew it was identical, having seen the real one on the news a few months earlier.
It was a typical Kaito Kid card, nothing outstanding, pretty much the same as usual. The Kid drawing, the lettering, everything the same. Nothing out of the order. Not even a special riddle. Conan put it back onto the table.
Now it was important to read how the heist was planned. The detective made notes and sorted the plan from beginning to end.
First Kid would take care of the two officers, calling them and pretending to be Nakamori. It was as simple as telling them just to not go to the heist place and take a free day instead, to steal their identity. With their prepared disguises they would easily walk into the building and get into the room the gem was located at.
Officer Koga, was the identity his assistant took. And he would be standing next to the windows as Kid would be disguising as Officer Ueda. An Officer who was supposed to stand right next to the gem. How Kid got that information, Conan didn’t know, perhaps he hacked himself into Nakamori’s personal computer or something.
In any way, while his assistant would secretly prepare the window and a secret self imploding puppet, Kid would take care of the podium where the gem was in.
It was a simple white podium with one of the newest and best locks, as well as a scale built inside, so if the stone was lifted, it would ring an alarm. Still, even if it had the best lock, Conan saw the thief crack the hardest vault, he can get through anything if he set his eye on something.
Almost like a magpie, taking whatever is shining and glittering.
In any case, while standing in front of the vitrine, he would crack the lock, which was perfectly on the height of his hands if they were on his back. So the thief would crack this great lock, while not even looking at it.
Poser.
When open, he would wait for an unnoticed moment and would put a one sided mirror inside, which only would reflect on one side and on the other was see-through. It would seem as if the gem was inside until the mirror was flipped. The mirror was held up by the glass of the showcase, so no weight was added and the scale would not make the alarm go off.
Then it was only a matter of waiting till the time of his show.
This part was fairly easy, Kid would throw some smoke pearls on the ground and make it seem as if he appeared, they would run through the room, searching for the thief, while he would flip the mirror in the podium to make the weight on the scale and the alarm go off. As well as hide the gem underneath.
Seconds later, his assistant would make the window explode, making it seem as if the thief had jumped outside. Then he would throw the self inflating puppet outside, making it seem as if he was fleeing.
Nakamori and the other policemen would then chase him, after seeing the gem, hidden behind the mirror, was not there anymore. Leaving him and his assistant alone, Kid could simply steal the gem.
There was also a plan on how to clean up, so no hints were left behind.
It was a simple and truly not risky plan at all. The small detective was sure he would have easily seen behind all this. But Nakamori probably wouldn’t.
“And this is how the heist went? Were there any problems?” Conan asked the assistant.
“Besides Bocchama's sudden disappearance, no.” The man took a sip of his own coffee.
“When did he disappear? Right after you two went different ways after the heists? Or the day or week after?” Conan asked.
“Right then and there.”
“What?” The detective was confused, raising an eyebrow.
After another sip, the other clarified. “I walked to the podium to take care of the mirror and everything as Bocchama checked the gem, we even talked and then suddenly he stopped, so I turned around and left was only the gem on the ground.”
“Any smoke bombs used?”
“No, the room was just empty and Bocchama was gone,” he answered.
“Wasn’t there a sound of a mechanism or anything?” Conan asked further.
“No, but I have the tapes if you wanna listen and make sure.”
“Tapes?”
The assistant once more leaned down to grab something from a cupboard, giving it to the small detective. This time it was a simple recorder. “We use earpieces to communicate with each other and just in case we put them on record.”
What was this ‘just in case’?
Conan decided not to ask.
“The earpieces are also locateable, giving up a signal similar to your devices which you can track with your glasses.” The comment made the detective correct his glasses. This time less confused, the thief had stolen his devices in Singapore, so surly he inspected them and looked how they worked. Besides, he had also used them in front of Kid.
So perhaps he wanted to make similar devices.
“I believe you tried already locating Kid’s earpiece.” Conan asked as he took the recorder.
“Yes, but there is no signal, it must be destroyed or put off, the recordings are from my earpiece, I played them onto this recorder.” The assistant gestured to the device.
Conan inspected it, before pressing play and listening.
First there was the voice of police officers and Nakamori, challenging the thief to come out and reveal himself. Then a lot of noises at once, revealing Kid had started with his plan.
“Where is the smoke coming from!? Men go and search! We need to get him,” undoubtedly Nakamori’s voice. Then the alarm went off.
“He got the gem!” The chief officer called out before a second later glass shattered.
“The smoke is clearing! He must have jumped out of the window, men look! There he is, flying off! Going back to the patrol cars! Now!” No one was questioning how it must be impossible for anyone to jump through skyscraper’s tick glass without any further forces. Conan almost rolled his eyes once more. Stupid. How could they have missed that?
Then a lot of footsteps, until it was deadly silent.
“Who would think they are so easily tricked,” a chuckle, undoubtedly Kid. “Let’s get this gem and go, you have the explosives with you?”
“Yes, Bocchama,” his assistant answered.
“Then go get the mirror and make sure I left nothing behind, in the meantime I will check this.” A short pause, then, “Man it is always funny to play around with Nakamori-keibu,” another chuckle.
“As you wish,” the assistant answered, then Conan heard some movement.
“Now let’s see if you are-” the voice of the thief was barely a whisper and the detective couldn’t understand the last word he said. A few seconds later his assistant asked something.
“You left some smears on the glass, I will clean them fastly, we should have enough time, right, Bocchama?”
Silence.
“Bocchama?” Then he heard some sort of movement, the old man must have turned around.
“Bocchama?! Where are you?!”
Then the recording pretty much stopped after a few calls from the assistant.
“And he left nothing behind?” Conan asked. There truly was no sound, no footsteps, not even a click, nothing.
“Nothing at all.” The apprentice shook his head.
“Can you show me on the floorplan, where the thief was before he vanished?” Conan asked and pushed the document with the plan forward.
The assistant leaned over and pointed where the exploded window was. The small detective knew he often looked through the gem into the moonlight, so he must have checked it on the window.
However most importantly, there was no nook or cranny in the area. Not a single place where he could have hidden. There wasn’t even any ventilation. Nothing.
“Didn’t he jump out and fly away?”
“He did not have his glider with him that day, because he didn’t need it, nor for his plan C or D,” his assistant explained.
And he was too far away from the door, Conan would have heard in the recording if he walked towards it. However the thief could walk dead quietly. Perhaps he sneaked off.
Or there was a hidden place inside the floorplans that didn't show.
It was just impossible for someone to suddenly disappear.
Also wouldn’t he take the gem with him? Why leave it right there where he stood?
“The floorplans are great, but perhaps it would be better to be there and have the boots on the ground.” Conan put a hand on his chin, thinking. That really would be the best. Working there and researching exactly where it happened.
It was more like a mumbling to himself than anything else. However, Kid’s assistant immediately turned and started.
“If that is your wish, we should go,” he said calmly. Conan watched him walk away from the bar towards the door, as he jumped off the high chair.
“Wait, but how should we get inside? There is still security and the police,” he gave back. It would be weird for an elderly man and a kid to suddenly appear.
“This won’t be of any trouble, young detective, I will simply change into my police uniform and you are well known as the ‘Kid Killer’, I am sure Nakamori-keibu would let you inside.”
Conan followed the other and stepped outside again. Now it was dark and the moon started to rise. A beautiful night sky shone bright above them, many started waking up from their sleep. Still, it was quite warm and humid. It would take a few more hours for the earth to cool down more.
Kid’s assistant was not wrong, changing into a police uniform would make them get inside. The small detective couldn’t judge him for trespassing this time. Firstly because it was needed for research and secondly if there was a murder case, Conan would also immediately rush to the next hint, no matter what, even if he was technically illegal.
With that thought he got inside the car and sat down on the backseat as Kid’s assistant closed the door.
Well, let’s see if he will be able to figure out the trick Kid used to disappear.
___
He did not know in the slightest how he just vanished on the spot.
“I am glad you are willing to help us here, Kid Killer, I have been searching for any hints for weeks,” Nakamori stood next to the vitrine the gem was in.
The second he heard that Conan wanted to see the scene of the crime, he rushed from his department to this place, wanting to listen to what the small detective had to say. It was also surprisingly easy to get inside. As his temporary partner said. Actually it was more like a warm welcome.
“And this is where you found the gem?” The ‘Kid-Killer’, who thinks this name was stupid, because he was not trying to kill the thief, was asking Nakamori.
“Yes, he left it near the window,” he pointed at the floor in front of the window, merely a meter away from it, “it appeared when we came back to the scene.”
The window was still broken, however for safety they put a blue cover over it, fixating it with tape. Therefore, even though it was warm outside, this high up a cold breeze would come in from time to time. However half of the rest of the glass front was still completely intact.
Before Nakamori arrived, Kid’s assistant also told him where the thief was as he disappeared, it was exactly where the chief officer told the gem was left. Which meant, the apprentice never touched the gem and left it there.
Conan looked around, trying to find any place the thief could have hid behind or vanished from, however, besides the open window and door, there was nothing. Even the ceiling was completely solid, no way he could have hidden on top.
So, the only possible way was truly the door, very simple. Or he somehow took the window anyway, climbing from this room to the neighboring room. However, when the detective checked the room left and right to this one, they all had solid windows. Unable to be opened in any way.
The door was also a problem though, because he for sure would have heard something on the recordings, even if Kid’s steps were almost soundless. There must have been something he should have heard.
In short, the detective was clueless. However, he knew a human cannot suddenly disappear, so there must be a rational reason for all this. Kid was a smart idiotic thief, perhaps he found a way outside. Conan would not lose against him. He would figure out this trick. Even if it would take hours.
“The gem, did you investigate it, if it was the real thing?” Conan asked, curious. Because maybe, if it was a fake, Kid truly retired. At least that would give a motive for his sudden disappearance. After all, he vanished while checking the gem. Perhaps it was the one he was searching for.
Even if it was weird he didn’t tell his apprentice.
“Of course we checked it, we would never risk the thief would just change it for a fake! It is the real deal!” Nakamori gave back, almost offended Conan had questioned their investigation methods.
Well, then this theory was another dead end.
The detective looked at the moonstone in the showcase. It was just a few meters away from the window. Surprisingly the stone wasn’t as sparkly or extraordinary than any other gem the thief had ever stolen. To be honest it looked rather boring.
Conan made a few steps towards it, observing it further.
It was also opaque, kind of white, and not really seethrough. It didn’t even reflect as a mirror. In short, it looked rather dull. Still it was worth millions, the detective didn’t know why.
Money was never the reason Kid had stolen gems, he was effectively searching for something. So this gem had another reason to be on his list besides being pretty. But what was it?
“Nakamori-Keibu, would it be fine if I investigate the gem from up close?” He asked the chief. Sure this was a bit much to ask, however, Conan knew, if Nakamori was desperate enough to find Kid, he would do anything the small detective would ask for.
And after a few seconds of thinking, he agreed. Pulling out a key from his inner jacket pocket.
“Okay, but only with some gloves, and under supervision,” he spoke. Opening the showcase with a key. Surprising how truly bad this gem was protected. Sure the key itself did not look like the usual, having three bits in total, which all had interesting shaped notches. But in the end it was just a simple key.
Kid’s assistant was the one who gave him white gloves, surprisingly in his size, as Nakamori lifted the glass.
Then suddenly a phone rang and everyone turned to the culprit, which was none other than the chief officer himself. He looked at the phone and mumbled. “I have to get this one.” He turned to Kid’s assistant and ordered.
“You supervise the Kid Killer, when I am back the gem will be in the vitrine again!” And with this he left the room, answering the call.
“Yes, Aoko? What is wrong at home?” Was the last thing they heard, as he left the room, leaving the two alone after closing the door behind him.
“Outside are some police officers and security, but still, they should protect this place more,” Conan raised an eyebrow. Maybe Nakamori was so desperate, he just wanted Kid to strike again, just to know he was still around.
“I believe there is not much of a need, Bocchama never went after a gem twice,” the calm voice of the assistant made sure.
“I see,” unless of course the heist failed. But Conan was unsure if Kid thinks this heist had failed or not, after all he was able to inspect the gem and then vanished. But why leave the stone here?
Gently, he took the ‘Distant Night’ in his hand, turning it and inspecting it. Truly, nothing out of the ordinary, just a gem. It was mostly white, with some blue and red sparkles. Seeming almost slightly purple. But else, looked blatantly normal. Way too much worth.
However, when the detective squinted his eyes, he could see something dark underneath, as if a black or dark red stone was inside the white purplish gem.
Well how does Kid inspect his treasures? By looking into the moonlight right?
The detective turned and walked to the intact part of the glass front. The assistant watched him while he made his steps. Looking outside, the moon had risen more by now, making him perfectly visible in the night sky. With a bit of hesitation he lifted the stone. Using it to look through it to the moon.
And indeed there was something inside.
“There is-” he mumbled as suddenly a harsh wind from the broken window made him stop. It was so sudden he dropped the gem and closed his eyes on reflection. The wind was so harsh and cold in fact he had to protect his face with his own arms.
“Fuck,” he cursed. Especially because the wind seemed so strong he tripped and fell forward. Didn’t help he was barely over a meter tall and any wind could push him over. So he opened one eye to catch himself on the window in front of him.
Just when he did, the texture was completely different. Opening said one eye revealed he was holding himself on a brick wall. A cold brick wall. There was a thin line of frost covering the stone, melting due to the warmth of Conan’s hand, making his thin white gloves wet.
Confused about the sudden change of wall in front of him, the small detective felt another breeze hit him. This time however, ice cold. Not just a bit cold, more icy. The breeze wasn’t harsh, more like a soft wind. However due to the freezing temperature, Conan leaned off the wall and hugged himself. To keep himself warm.
While doing so he looked down, seeing white snow on his feet, which left him even more confused.
“Snow?” he mumbled. His lips already started to feel cold. His breathing created a small cloud in front of him. The coldness was making him shiver, wearing nothing more than normal summer clothes.
Then looking around, he found himself in a very tight alley. Cold brownish brick walls in front and behind him. There were multiple trash bins around him, which finally made his next sense kick in. The smell.
And he was surprised he didn’t smell anything before, because it was awful. His surroundings smelled like foul food, mold, rats, wet fur and feces. Conan held his nose tight with his left hand. It was absolutely disgusting. The worst he had ever smelled before. The thickness of the air was intense, he could barely breathe it in.
And the detective had seen quite a bit.
Finally his last, and one of the more important senses, returned to him. Sound. Because he heard a bell ring. However, not any ordinary bell, Conan knew exactly what kind of bell. Without a second thought he stumbled towards the sound. Leaving the small and narrow alleyway behind.
While walking, more sounds entered his ears. People talking, animals screeching, carriages driving.
As he stepped out the alley, he held his arm in front of his face, getting blinded by the sudden light, even if the sky was grey. Not only the entire weather, also the daytime had changed. Behind the thick clouds, the midday sun was hidden, giving almost no warmth to the world.
But when he lifted his arm, he was even more astonished. The scene in front of him could only be a dream, or from a movie.
Standing in front of a small public market place with multiple stands, selling pickled vegetables, but mostly animals and their goods. Conan saw chicken, goose, even pigs on the street. This alone might not be too confusing. However the clothes of the people-
Suddenly a carriage rolled by in front of him. It shocked him so much, he took a step back, stepping right into something gooey.
“Ey, Squirt, watch out where ya going,” the driver with a thick British accent called him out, wearing an old fashioned black suit and even a top hat. Conan couldn’t believe his eyes.
After watching the man driving by, he saw the horses just let their feces drop onto the floor, giving Conan an idea of what he stepped into.
And indeed, when he looked down he stepped into horse dung.
“Ew,” he gave back, trying to wash it off by the sideway, just to notice it wasn’t any cleaner anyway. So he would only make it worse.
Then the last bell of the Big Ben rang. The detective looked to his right, where the sound was coming from and he could barely see the towers top through the building roofs.
“Where the heck am I,” he couldn’t believe this at all, what was happening in front of him. Looking around, seeing the European looking people around him, walking, driving carriages, it seemed as if he was on a film set for some historical drama in the center of London. Just that it smelled horrible, the weather was not what it should be and the people looked not like any actors at all.
Their clothes were dirty and wet from the snow. It was a question for Conan how they could keep themselves warm with those thin looking clothes. Only a few more noble looking citizens in carriages, seemed dressed for the weather.
And the animals looked awful, were almost in a bad shape and Conan was even scared they would be slaughtered on the street, right in front of him.
This was no historical sweet drama. This seemed like hell.
When the detective saw an abandoned paper fly towards him, he grabbed it out of the air.
It was ‘The Daily News’ newspaper. And Conan was left astonished, leaving his mouth wide open. It wasn’t only the old printing style, the Victorian fond. No, written below the big three letters ‘The Daily News’ stood very small and narrowly the place and date.
London, Wednesday, January 11, 1888
“Huh!?”