Case Closed Fan Fiction ❯ When Pandora's Box Is Opened ❯ Speak Of The Devil ( Chapter 75 )

Chapter Seventy-five

Speak Of The Devil

“What happened?” Yuusaku asked, walking into the first division main office. “You called me, Sato-keiji...”

“I was robbed,” Sato said, looking stuck between anger and fear. “Guy with long silver hair and a black car. He got away, but...”

“Are you all right?” Yuusaku asked, concerned.

“I'm not the one healing from a broken arm,” she said with a triumphant smirk. “But more importantly, he got into my computer. I had copies of some of the files that Hakuba-kun had sent me... including computerized copies of the files you gave him. They have your name on them. If he saw them...”

“Oh, Kami,” Yuusaku muttered. “If they find out that I'm involved... they might have questions about Shinichi... surely they'll realize that I'm involved because of him...” then he realized.

“If they did see my name, it won't exactly be hard for them to find where I live,” he said quietly. “They searched our house when Shinichi vanished. If they come back... Yukiko's still there, and so's...” “Shinichi and Kaito...”

“Then let's move now,” Megure growled.

“I got a new car on insurance payments,” Sato said. “I hope you don't mind unorthodox driving...”

“Have you met my wife?” Yuusaku asked, pulling out his mobile as they ran to the car park. “Yukiko... where are you?”

“Yuusaku... they're here!”

“What?!” Yuusaku yelped. “You mean the Black Organization?”

“Yes...”

“A black car? Two men?” “The man Sato described was Gin, if it's him and Vodka...”

“I think so, I can't see, oh Kami... but what if he's-?”

“Listen, lock the doors and windows, get hidden, help is coming...”

“No, wait... they're not coming in... they've just stopped in the street...”

“Call over to Agasa-Hakase's, warn him, then try and call Shinichi, if they see him... We're coming...”

“All right, be careful...”

“Floor it,” Yuusaku demanded. “They're already there...”

“I just hope he's there...”

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Shinichi dove down, pushing Ran down as Vodka fired back at Jodie. She rolled to avoid it, firing at him and Gin, forcing them to shelter behind the car.

“Keep your head down,” he whispered. “Try and get to the house, not Agasa-Hakase's...” he grunted in pain as another spasm hit him.

Jodie had the advantage of surprise over Gin and Vodka, and was a demonstrably sharper shot than Vodka, but they outnumbered her- and she had no cover. She winced as a shot scraped past her left arm.

Shinichi realized too late that Gin had another gun. He fired at Jodie, hitting her in the knee. She dropped with a shriek of pain as the two men in black stepped out from behind the car to finish her.

Bang

This shot wasn't silenced. It cracked into Gin's hand, knocking the next gun away, and the next shots hit his body. Shots began raining down on Vodka too, but they weren't from Jodie.

Someone was sniping at them from an unknown source.

“Aniki!” Vodka cried, pushing his injured associate into the car and trying to source the shots. Unable to, he jumped into the car, made a screeching handbrake turn, and began to bear down on Shinichi, Ran and Jodie.

“Ran, run!” Shinichi yelled, trying to push himself to his feet.

“No way!” she cried angrily, trying to pull him with her.

Another car suddenly screeched down the other end of the street, zooming around the injured Jodie and heading straight for the black car in deadly chicken. It was a large, sturdy 4x4, and the black car swerved before they hit, forcing it to go around its injured targets. The 4x4 made a similar hairpin turn, and Shinichi got a look at the driver.

“Get after them, Andre!” Jodie cried. The FBI agent nodded and chased after the black car, which was now in full flight in response to the bigger FBI car and the approaching sirens.

Ran supported Shinichi, as he tried to pull himself up against the wall. The sirens peaked, and they transpired to be from a red car that came shooting along the street. It halted by the house and Yuusaku, Megure and Sato climbed out.

“Shinichi!” Yuusaku yelled, running over to help Ran support his son as Aoko and Yukiko appeared out of the Kudo house, heading for Jodie.

“What on earth happened?” Megure said in shock.

“Ran into `em... they were already coming for the house...” Shinichi grunted, clutching his chest. “Andre... FBI... drove `em away...”

“He's running out of time!” Ran cried desperately. “We have to get him inside...”

“Are they gone?” Agasa said, hurrying out of his house to help Yuusaku lift Shinichi as Jodie limped inside the Kudo house, leaning on Megure and Sato. Yukiko had disappeared into the house, presumably searching out her hospital-sized first aid kit, as had Aoko. “Ai-kun! They've left! How's Hattori-kun?”

“Smokin',” Kazuha's voice faintly called. It might have been louder, but to Shinichi everything was fading out, his vision blacking out more and more with each wave of pain. He didn't think about who might see, only that he couldn't resist the pain, the fire, the darkness...

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“What the hell is actually going on?” Jodie asked, limping into the house, following Ran, who was following Yuusaku and Agasa, carrying Shinichi. For some reason, the guy was clutching at his heart, even though his wounds were in his right shoulder and ankle. He was sweating heavily- wait, was that steam coming off of him? How high was his fever?

“Let's get him up to his room,” Yuusaku muttered.

“Jodie-sensei, we'll patch you up in mine and Yuusaku's room...” Yukiko said. “Aoko-chan, can you get me another roll of bandages?”

“Shinichi!” Ran cried as he slumped completely at the top of the stairs, appearing to have passed out. Yuusaku and Agasa started almost running him to his room.

“Hey, what's wrong with him?” Megure asked with concern.

“Is he all right?” Sato asked.

“He will be in a minute,” Yuusaku muttered. “Just hold on... Shinichi!”

Shinichi suddenly screamed in agony, slipping entirely out of Yuusaku and Agasa's grip and collapsing on the floor in a cloud of steam.

“Kudo-kun!” Sato cried, letting go of Jodie, who leaned against Megure as Sato and Ran both knelt next to the writhing shape in the steam.

“What the hell is going on?” Jodie asked, bewildered, as the screaming grew higher, the shape changing...

“Might as well just film it and put it on TV at this stage,” Yuusaku sighed, putting a hand to his face.

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“Owww....”

“How're ya feelin', Heiji?” Kazuha asked worriedly.

“Like I jus' went through an incinerator...” Heiji rubbed his head, staring at the overlong sleeves that now draped over his hands. “Wha' happened? Kudo get out all right?”

“A couple of FBI members drove away the guys in black,” Kazuha explained. “Kudo-kun's got a couple injuries, but nothin' major, I think. So's one a' the FBI folk, who followed him inta his house ta get treatment, and, um... saw `im change.”

“What th' hell?!” Heiji groaned. “Jeez, an' he used ta get on at me fer bein' a security leak... did the bastards in black see `im?”

“No,” Kazuha said with a relieved sigh. “But they're kinda movin' inta the minority...”

“That was way too close,” Ai muttered. She was sitting across from Heiji and Kazuha, clutching a stack of child's clothes which she offered to Heiji. “And they know the Kudo house now, they'll be back...

“You get changed, an' we'll go an' see what's happenin',” Kazuha said, pushing Heiji towards the bathroom.

What was happening was that the Kudo house was turning into an infirmary. Dr Ariade was giving Jodie a lift home, having come to patch her up and apparently having not seen Kudo at all (after all, he was under the impression that Kuroba was Kudo); Kuroba was hiding and healing in a guest room, Aoko also leaving with Ariade for a lift to the hospital where her father was; and the wounded and shrunken Kudo was sleeping in his room, watched over by Ran, while his parents tried to explain to Megure and Sato what, precisely, the hell was going on.

“The important thing is that they know he's here,” Yuusaku said, “but we know that they know, and more importantly they know that we know that they know. You can continue the Escheresque nightmare as long as you like. The end result is that the FBI are planning to watch this place from now on, because we're in danger and frankly we can't really move Shinichi or send him to hospital, for multiple reasons. We just need to ask you to keep quiet about what's happened here...”

“I think I'm just going to try to forget about it,” Sato sighed, shaking her head. “If that boy wasn't bizarre enough...”

“That might be a wise move, Sato-keiji,” Yuusaku sighed.

“We're still leaning on Yamashiro to crack,” Megure said. “But frankly, we have a lot of data from his PC, we're preparing co-ordinated strikes with the FBI... I have the authority to issue search and seizure warrants, and I'm applying them to every address we've got... they know that we're down to the wire here. They're liable to be back...”

“Which is what our friends at the FBI are here for,” Yuusaku said.

“Hey,” Kazuha said, leaning into the living room.

“We heard th' sound of shit hittin' the fan, so we thought we'd come see what's up,” Heiji added. Everybody stared at the child.

“Okay, that's just further strange proof, I think,” Sato declared, standing up and shaking her head. “Anyway, some of us have shit-mopping and fan-cleaning duties to attend to...”

“But of course,” Yuusaku said courteously. “Don't let us detain you.”

“You will keep quiet about this, of course?” Yukiko said. “I mean, we're having to explain this whole mess on an almost daily basis now, not least to Shin-chan, but we don't really want to broadcast it, you know?”

“Lips are sealed, Yukiko-kun,” Megure promised. “We'll see you, then...”

“Good luck,” Yuusaku called. Kazuha started heading upstairs, looking for Ran, followed by Heiji and the still-pale Ai, who wasn't happy about going anywhere alone.

As they reached the top of the stairs, they were surprised to see Agasa-Hakase coming down from the attic.

“Hakase, what's wrong?” Ai asked.

“The sniper,” Agasa said with a frown. “The one that Jodie-sensei mentioned as shooting at Gin and Vodka, possibly the same one that was shooting at the Kid heist the other night... they were shooting from the Kudo's attic.”

“Say what?!” Heiji said in shock.

“There are fresh traces of gunpowder residue and the vantage point matches the angle from which the bullets were fired,” Agasa explained. “Plus, there are footprints on the roof. Whoever it was climbed down and left via the outside wall, possibly while everyone was busy either convalescing or exchanging stories. Whatever the case, I thought I ought to let Yuusaku-kun know.”

“Good shout,” Heiji muttered as Ai paled further.

“Ya look scared, Ai-chan,” Kazuha said with concern.

“I... am,” she whispered. “Absolutely terrified. But...” she sighed heavily. “I'm so... sick of running...”

“Yer really brave, ya know that?” Heiji commented. “I mean, yer evidently scared shitless a' these guys. But ya still tough it out here. Ya don't just vanish off ta America or wherever. That's real brave, an' I think Kudo appreciates it, ya know?”

“He... does?” Ai said uncertainly.

“Yeah,” Heiji said with a shrug. “He told me when ya rejected th' Witness Protection Program. He said he knows it was hard fer ya ta turn it down an' stay here, but he also knows why ya did it, an' I think he's... dunno, proud? Glad fer ya? I guess `e means it's good not ta hafta live in fear, or if ya have fear, at least ta be able ta stand up ta it. That way, it ain't gonna crush ya.”

“Yeah...” Ai said with a rare, gentle smile. “But the only reason I can do that is because... well, I couldn't do it alone.”

“Nobody can do much of anythin' alone,” Kazuha said with a shrug. “It's all right ta depend on friends, ya know? It's what we're for, after all...”

“Arigato,” Ai said quietly.

Kudo was already sitting up. His arm was in a sling, but otherwise he looked peppy enough.

“I need to go through and talk to Kuroba,” he was insisting, as Ran tried to get him to lie down again. “My ankle's fine, it's just a flesh wound, but we have to find out what he did with that diamond, we have to check it out, and we really have to find and destroy the Pandora, we are very much down to the wire here...”

“I think yer oyaji said he was goin' lookin' fer it tomorrow,” Heiji said, pulling himself up to sit on the end of Kudo's bed, legs dangling over the edge. “A pal of Kuroba's hidin' it or somethin'. Ya oughta be safe here fer a while, there's police an' FBI keepin' close watch on th' street in case the Syndicate comes back...”

“I'm glad you're all all right,” Ran said, giving Ai a hug. “They didn't see you?”

“Nah,” Heiji said, shaking his head. “All good on the shrinkin' front, problem is they'll probably wanna kill anybody in this house anyways, just fer bein' here.”

“We can handle that,” Kudo said, slipping from Ran's grasp. He winced slightly when landing on his ankle, but was otherwise fine to run off to hold war council with the teen thief.

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You're BACK, HaibaraDaiFan! :D Here's your daily action and drama fix!

Sometimes stalkers are a good thing, KageNoNeko XD

Fangirls forever, Kayla Edogawa! Ahh, squealing alone sucks DX Thank Kami for the internet ^_- I love cracking the fourth wall, personally, but this point in the fic's a little serious for that…. I did it a bit at the beginning, though… XD hm…. Well, Laura has been known to maul people on occasion… XD I think Aoko could be deadly if she switched from a mop to a sword… XD Yes, we are insane, and quite proud of it. Glad you noticed ^_-

Heiji and Kazuha deserve a little fluff in my opinion, Pretztailfan95 ^_- Wouldn't it be cool to see Will Smith kick Gin's ass? I bet he could too XD YUKIKO SHOULD NEVER HAVE TO BE SERIOUS! For that THEY SHALL PAY! XD Umm, it is a oneshot, and a pretty cracky one too… I've only seen it once ad it was clearly misquoted! My favourite personally is Chuck Norris Facts XD Oh, sorry, I thought you were asking for clarification… ^_^; Well, now it shall be ADORABLE EVIL! XD

Super-Jodie isn't the only one here to save the day, FHP2208! XD

The MIB didn't see his transformation, A Midsummer Night's Dream, but by now just about everyone else has… XD

I don't like Gin, virushunter981, as you may have guessed XD It was Jodie, she was fiddling for her gun ^_-

Wicca's not very widely known, Marie Ravenclaw, but it's growing. I don't think I'll ever use the dub names, I hate them…

Run, Shinichi! Fangirl red alert from TwilTye! XD I sent Gin to Japan, so he's not here to snipe either of us… not that I think he likes me much ATM… XD

And Gin is back out of the game, Desperatembrace! XD Bit of fluff all around, then a bit of action… ^_^

I'm IN YOUR HEAD, MimzSilver! XD

I do not claim to own any of the characters in Meitantei Conan. They are the intellectual property of Aoyama Gosho. All characters, couples and locations, if Canon, will be faithful to the manga, so if you're into fics with weird pairings like Shinichi and Heiji, the back button is at the top there. The fic may not make sense if you have not read up to chapter 698, which you can do at a site called (read between the lines) O/n/e/ma/n/g/a, but I advise you to buy the official Tankoban novels (up to volume 30 are out in English at the time of writing) so that Aoyama-sensei can afford to continue gracing us with his imagination. Now, I hope you enjoy the fic! (If you don't, please see my previous comments re the back button).