Batman/Detective Conan crossover 55-56

Other Chapters,

http://www.comicvine.com/forums/fan-fic/8/batmandc-chapters/617654/#1

The Detective Prince

Chapter 55

Double Hit

It was a bright morning. Very few clouds could be seen drifting throughout the sky. The sound of an ice cream truck could be heard in the near distance as they crossed the street. She looked down at him after they arrived to the other side, a look of concern coming upon her face.

"Conan is everything ok," Ran asked. "You're not your usual talkative self this morning."

"I'm fine," Conan assured. "Just a little tired is all."

"How late were you up for?"

"Just until eleven." Conan replied looking up at her.

"What were you still doing up at that time of hour?" Ran asked.

"Just a lot of thinking," Conan answered. "I couldn't sleep."

"You must have a lot on your mind," Ran said. "Would you like to talk about it?"

"It's nothing really, I'm fine now."

"Are you sure?"

Conan nodded in response. They continued to pave their way, looking forward to see the apartment complex just up ahead.

"You've been up in his room a lot, I was wondering if Dick stays there as well."

"No, he's staying at his own apartment about a mile up."

"I wonder why that is."

"It probably has something to do with space." Conan said. "That's the only thing I could think of."

"I'm bound to agree with you." Ran said as they approached the front entrance.

They stepped inside to be greeted by the air conditioning which circulated throughout the lobby. Conan took the lead as they walked toward the elevator. They made their way up, heading down the hall to the right side. They came to a stop once reaching the door to his room.

"Do you think he's inside?" Ran asked.

"Where else would he be?" Conan said while giving the door two solid knocks.

The two of them stood in silence, watching as the door slowly cracked open in the following moments.

"Oh, hey Ran."

"It's not just me," Ran said pulling Conan to her side. "Conan came along as well."

"Glad to see you stopped by." Tim smilingly said while slightly closing the gap.

"Uh.. aren't you going to invite us in?" Conan asked.

"About that," Tim said with a pause. "I'm kind of in the middle of something."

"In the middle of what?" Conan asked.

"I'll tell you what," Tim said looking down at him. "Give me an hour, I'll be done by then."

He tried closing the door only to have Ran spring her hand forward to keep him from doing so.

"Hold it right there."

"Ran, I don't have time for this." Tim said keeping a firm grip.

"What's wrong," Ran said trying to peak into the room. "Is there some girl in there with you?"

"I can assure you there is no one in here but me," Tim stated. "I have something I really need to get done."

"Can you at least give me Sonoko's phone," Ran asked. "She been yapping about getting it back all morning."

"I may have misplaced it, but I'll find it as soon as I'm done here," Tim said. "I promise I won't be long, I'll even bring it to your house if you prefer."

She gazed at him for awhile longer, finally lowering her hand from the door.

"I'll be waiting."

"Thanks, I really appreciate this." Tim said before stepping back with the close of the door.

This left them standing in the quietness of the hall for a second time. Ran turned to walk with Conan following at her side.

"Why didn't he let us in," Conan thought. "Something must have happened last night, but what?"

It wasn't until after noon that he finally arrived at the office, dragging himself along as he made his way through the hallway. He was still half asleep, dropping his left hand up against the the wall to take a moments rest. Without realizing he found his eyes closed, listening to the sound of someone walking from behind. He reopened his eyes, turning to see Miwako had come to a stop at his side.

"I've been trying to reach you all morning," Miwako said noticing his lingering posture. "You look exhausted, how long were you up last night?"

"I was looking over something involving a case I'm working," Wataru said. "I don't recall what time I fell asleep, some time after two I believe."

"How about lunch," Miwako suggested. "You look like you could use a little something to get the day started."

He took a few moments to think about it, nodding his head.

"What time were you thinking?"

"How does one thirty sound?"

"That works for me," Wataru said giving his watch a look. "Where would you like to go?"

"I'll leave that up to you." Miwako replied.

The two of them turned at the sound of someone coming to a stop from behind.

"Takagi, Sato," Ninzaburo said joining the two. "Megure would like to have a word with the both of you in his office."

"What about?" Miwako asked.

"He didn't say."

They looked to one another, wondering just what it was he wanted to speak to them about.

"It sounded important," Ninzaburo added. "I'd head over there right away."

He walked back into the direction he had come, leaving the two of them standing alone. Wataru lead the way as they made their way to his office, arriving within the next minute. He gave the door a knock before taking a step to the side.

"Come on in." Juzo said from the other side.

Miwako was the first of the two to enter the room. He sat at the desk with his hands rested out in front of him.

"Would you like me to shut the door?" Miwako asked.

"That won't be necessary," Juzo said. "This won't take long."

"We're listening."

"I'd like to start with the explosion of that car that took place near the fire station," Juzo said. "Did you ever find out the name of the victim?"

"Maru Hou," Miwako replied. "They were able to confirm this through his dental records."

"That leads into my next question," Juzo continued. "Do we know what his occupation was?"

Miwako nodded.

"He was a part time security guard at a cemetery," Miwako informed. "Usually working the night shifts."

"Do we know what he was doing up at that fire station?"

"No, but I can look into it."

"That would be great."

"I'll get on it right away." Miwako said.

"Let me know what you find out."

She left the room from there.

"How do you feel Takagi?"

"Tired."

"Good work last night," Juzo complimented. "You handled yourself quite well."

"When do we plan to exploit everything we've learned?" Wataru asked.

"Not until we know who their business partners are," Juzo replied. "That way we can try and lock down this whole operation."

"What did you want to see me about?"

"These recent killings have picked up some media heat, which has lead to a lot of outsiders coming in," Juzo informed. "They're holding a press conference right where the last murder occurred, I'd like for you to be there on our departments behalf."

"What do you want me to say?" Wataru asked.

"Not too much, but enough."

"When is this being held?"

"It starts in twenty minutes," Juzo replied. "So I'd head down there now."

"Right away."

"Let me know how things go when you get back."

Wataru nodded his head, heading for the door to make his way out.

"Looks like I'll be late for lunch."

There was much on his mind, deciding to take the stairs instead of the elevator like he had done most other days. He arrived down into the lobby shortly after. The sound of something bubbling from his side grabbed his attention, looking to see a fish tank up against the far wall.

"Don't recall that being there, it must have got imported some time this morning."

He made his way out the door, hearing the sound of someone whistle from behind after only taking a couple steps. He turned around to find him standing with his back pressed up to the side of the wall.

"Wasn't expecting to see you here."

"And I was under the impression you wouldn't be more than an hour," Conan said looking down at his watch. "It's well past two now."

"Didn't know it would take that long." Tim admitted.

"What were you doing in there anyway?"

"Cleaning up from this mornings unexpected episode."

"What happened this morning?"

"The meeting we were expecting to take place tonight was rescheduled for this morning," Tim replied. "I tried calling but you didn't answer, which can be expected given the time it was."

"Sorry I wasn't able to be there," Conan said. "So what were you able to find out?"

"More than we were expecting," Tim said. "Not only did we find another of Brutho's stocking facilities, but we also know where they've been importing half of their weaponry from."

"And where might that be?"

"It seems the Outworlders have a deal going with LexCorp."

"Can't say I'm too surprised at this point," Conan said. "First ROTI, and now this."

"You're telling me."

"But that still doesn't explain why you didn't let us in earlier."

"I still had some cleaning up to do."

"Cleaning.. what kind of cleaning?"

"After splitting with Nightwing and the others a small incident occurred," Tim replied. "To make a long story short I found myself wounded, barely making it back to the apartment under my own strength."

"What happened when you got back?"

"I had lost a lot of blood, and by the time I got my hands on the first aid I fell unconscious," Tim informed. "Luckily Nightwing came to check on me after I didn't respond to any of his calls."

"So you spent these past few hours cleaning up blood?"

"That's pretty much it in a nut shell." Tim confirmed. "After getting my wound sewed up I went straight to work on cleaning everything up."

He pushed away from the wall, walking up to him after doing so.

"Not bad," Conan stated. "And here I thought you were going to come up with another one of your stories."

He reached into his pocket, only taking him a few seconds to pull it out.

"I had planned on giving it to her myself," Tim said handing him the phone. "But since you're here I'll let you take it with you."

"You don't want to come along?"

"Still rather tired, I just plan taking it easy for the rest of the day," Tim said. "On another note, how come Ran didn't come along?"

"You lucked out," Conan said. "She got caught up with something on TV."

"That would explain why she didn't call."

He secured the phone into his pocket, taking only a few steps before looking back at him.

"When should I expect to see you again?"

"Probably some time tomorrow," Tim replied. "Unless something comes up of course, I'll let you know if that's the case."

"Gotcha."

The city conference had taken longer than he had expected, not arriving back to the police station until after four. He could hear all of the commotion going on before entering through the front door, walking in to find a new group of criminals being checked in. He looked from side to side in attempt to find her, having no such luck.

"I see you're finally back," Juzo said coming to his side. "So how did everything go?"

"The press had lots of questions, as did many others," Wataru replied. "It was crowded just like I thought it would be."

"So what did you say when asked about the recent murders?"

"I didn't say anything," Wataru informed. "Matsumoto was there as well, he did all of the talking."

"And here I thought he was out of town on business."

"Have you seen Sato around by any chance," Wataru asked. "I was supposed to meet with her a couple hours ago."

"Sorry to say, but you just missed her," Juzo said. "She took off no longer than ten minutes ago."

"Any idea where to?"

"I didn't ask, but what I can tell you is she left in a hurry."

"I wonder why that is." Wataru thought.

"I'll be in my office if you need me." Juzo said before leaving his side.

He took this time to pull out his phone, immediately calling her after doing so. It rang and rang, no one answering from the other line.

"Looks like we'll have to reschedule."

The sky darkened as the day progressed, a margin of damp clouds drifted in from the south side. A cold chill past through the city as the night neared, making for a gloomy ending to the day. The next morning brought a light shower, the sound of the rain touching down to the outside wall being what awoke him. He rolled out of bed after laying for over two extra minutes. He then got dressed before heading into the bathroom.

"Yet another Monday, and another week of school," Conan thought to himself. "How I've been looking forward to this."

He exited the bathroom after brushing his teeth and washing his face. It was quiet all throughout. He looked into the office on his way down the stairwell to find that no one was inside.

"I guess that makes me the last one out."

He made his way down to find his friends waiting for him at the left side of the sidewalk.

"I told you he would be out in under five minutes." Genta stated.

"That was a first." Mitsuhiko said.

"What are you guys talking about?" Conan asked out of curiosity.

"He said you wouldn't be out for another ten minutes," Genta replied. "And I said you would be out in under five."

"So, it's one of those things."

"Conan, did Agasa tell you about Space Inc?" Ayumi asked.

"What's Space Inc?"

"He hasn't given us the full details," Mitsuhiko replied. "But he said he'll bring us along when it opens up in the next week or so."

"When did you guys stop over at his house?"

"This morning when we went to see if Haibara wanted to walk to school with us," Mitsuhiko answered. "Turns out she had already left before we got there."

"And that's when we came here to see if you were still home." Genta added.

"Anyone know what we're going to be doing in class?" Ayumi asked as the group began walking.

"We have an upcoming test a week from now," Mitsuhiko reminded. "So I'd assume we'll probably be doing a lot of review and note taking."

"I hate taking notes." Genta muttered.

He kept to himself for most of the walk there, listening on as his friends continued to chat. They arrived into the school yard shortly after, the four of them heading straight for the entrance.

"I wonder what Space Inc is all about," Conan thought to himself. "I'm also curious to know how long Agasa has known about it."

He bumped into several other students on his way to class, the halls being just as crowded as any other regular day. They arrived into class to find that most everyone was already seated, the four of them quickly doing the same. Everyone pulled out their supplies for the day, all ready to begin before the bell rang. Not even four minutes into class he could see her looking his way. He did the same in return only to have her focus her attention back to the front of the room.

"I wonder what that was about," Conan thought. "Is there something I did?"

It rested to the back of his mind through the remainder of class, occasionally looking her way. Sumiko opened up one of the windows at about noon to help bring in some fresh air to help cool the hot room. He didn't take very many notes from the slide show they watched, being one of the first to pack up as the end of the school day neared.

"Just a few more minutes, and then we're home free."

He tapped his pencil to the side of his desk, resting it onto the side of his ear after hearing the sound of the bell ring. He dropped down from his seat, making his way out of the room along with everyone else.

"Be safe, and don't forget to study." Sumiko said on their way out.

"We won't." Ayumi said assuringly.

He came to a stop after arriving into the hall, looking around in attempt at finding her. He didn't have to search long, turning just in time to see her step up to his left side.

"We need to talk."

"I figured that much," Conan said. "So what exactly is it you want to dicuss?"

"Aren't you two coming?" Genta called out as he continued walking.

"Do you have anything planned for the rest of the day?" Ai asked.

"Not that I know of." Conan replied.

"Good, then that means you can come over," Ai said as she turned to walk. "We'll talk there."

He waited for a couple seconds longer, closely following behind his friends.

"I wonder what she could possibly want to talk to me about?"

This kept him on edge the whole way there. The others went their separate ways after a couple blocks of walking, leaving just the two of them. He turned to face her, waiting to hear what she had to say. She didn't respond, simply keeping her sights set forward as they walked. He continued to follow her step for step, the two taking another turn which brought them within view of the house.

"Where were you yesterday morning?" Ai finally spoke as they approached the gate.

"Yesterday morning?"

"From 3:00 to 6:00 A.M?" Ai specified.

"Asleep of course," Conan replied. "Why do you ask?"

She didn't answer, opening the gate for the two of them to enter. Everything was becoming more confusing by the second. He didn't know what to think, becoming a little concerned as they made their way in through the front door. He closed the door once in, looking over to see Ai standing in the center of the room.

"Take off your bag."

He raised a brow, tossing it to the side in compliance with what was instructed of him.

"Haibara, what is this about?"

"Now.." Ai said taking a few steps toward him. "Remove your shirt."

His eyes widened, reacting with a step back of his own.

"My shirt?"

"Was I not clear," Ai asked taking yet another step forward. "The sooner we get this over with, the sooner you can leave."

"Get this over with?"

The sun rested behind a group of clouds, helping to keep the mild temperature they were experiencing. He walked alongside the road, looking to the sky with his hands comfortly rested into the depths of his pocket. He turned at the sound of someone running up to his side, finding a warming smile upon her face.

"Where are you going in such a hurry," Ran asked after coming to a stop. "You're usually one of the last to leave the school."

"Homework will do that to you once in awhile."

"Still cleaning up that gasoline spill from yesterday?"

"Gasoline spill," Tim thought. "What is she talking about?"

"Conan told me all about it," Ran continued. "Having something resting in the carpet like that can be dangerous."

"Can't believe that's what he came up with," Tim thought. "I'll have to hand him ten points for creativity."

"What were you doing with gasoline in your room anyway?"

"Long story."

"How about coming over after you finish your homework," Ran asked. "We could have another go at a few of those games."

"I thought you would be tired of losing at this point," Tim teasingly said. "Considering me and your father bested you and Conan three to one in that last set."

"That wasn't my fault." Ran said with the turn of her head.

"So are you implying it was Conan's?"

"Of course not," Ran said. "We just had a little bad luck, that's all."

"On another note, why did you leave school so soon," Tim asked. "Don't you have practice today?"

"Not until Wednesday," Ran replied. "They're using the training area to set up a small book shop, which will be there for the next two days."

"Guess that leaves you with a little extra time, have anything planned?"

"No, but I'll probably use that extra time for any unfinished assignments."

"Sounds like a good idea."

"Well I have to make a stop at the store before I head home," Ran said before turning back. "Try and be over if you can."

"Will do."

He watched as she skipped off into the opposite direction, removing his hands from his pockets as he made his way across the street. There was much running through his mind as he walked, arriving at the front of the apartment building to find him standing up against a light pole nearby.

"How'd school go?"

"Pretty solid day." Tim said heading his way. "What are you doing here?"

"Came to discuss details regarding the most recent death." Dick replied as he pushed up from the pole.

"What do you have?"

"The explosion of that car was triggered by a wire which was connected to the driver side door," Dick informed. "The thing is the car didn't explode until seconds after he took a seat."

"What do you think it means?"

"It's just like you and Conan predicted," Dick stated. "Whoever is behind this is sending us a warning for something, foreshadowing a hidden message."

"Now I get it," Tim said. "The bomb that was connected to the car was timer based."

"And Now we need to figure out what its relevance is to the next planned attack."

"Do we know the exact time it took for the bomb to go off after the wire was sprung?"

He shook his head from side to side in response.

"Sorry, but no."

"Then we need to head back down there," Tim said. "There could be a surveillance camera or two that could have gotten a shot of when it all happened."

"Why do we need to know how long it took for the explosion to occur?"

"This whole thing is about time and numbers," Tim replied. "That's how the culprit has been communicating to us from the beginning."

"I'll see what I can find," Dick said. "You plan on coming along?"

"I already have enough on my hands, Katina Sugo has returned to Japan, checking into a hotel in Osaka just this morning," Tim informed. "Which means I should be on the look out for Deadshot."

"Why is she in Osaka?"

"On business," Tim replied. "I've been keeping tabs on her activity since arriving here."

"When do you plan on going down there?"

"In the next few day perhaps," Tim said giving it some thought. "I'll probably give Heiji a call before I go, there's something he might be able to help me with."

"I'll go look into that request of yours, who knows how much time we have left before this guy strikes again."

"Thanks Dick," Tim said. "Let me know what you find."

"Sue thing."

With that he made his way in past the sliding doors. He took a seat at the desk once arriving into the room. He clicked on the power to the computer, sitting back as he waited for it to load. His phone rang in the next few minutes, pulling it from his side to see who it was.

"Don't have time to chat with Sonoko, I have enough on my agenda as it is."

Nearly an hour passed as he went through all the clues left behind, trying to piece everything together. He looked away from the computer at the sound of someone knocking from the other side of the door. He stood up from where he sat, making his way over.

"What are you doing here." Tim asked after opening the door.

"We need to talk," Conan replied. "Can I come in, this time?"

He stepped to the side, allowing for him to walk in. He closed the door before following after him.

"How come you didn't tell me you stopped by Agasa's after getting injured?"

"How did you know about that?"

"A trail of your blood was left behind upon the stairs," Conan replied. "Haibara tested your blood that next morning."

"And?"

"Turns out you and I have the same blood type," Conan informed. "She mistook your blood for being mine, she even knew what part of the body the blood came from."

"Is that so?"

"That's why she gave my upper body a look, to check for any severe cuts," Conan said. "She's probably just as suspicious of me as she is of you at this point."

"What did you say to her when confronted about it?"

"The truth, I told her I wasn't there that morning," Conan replied. "Like I said before, I'm done lying to those closest to me."

"I understand."

"She's closing in on you," Conan continued. "At this point you only have two options."

He jumped up to the end of the bed to have a seat, looking directly into his eyes after doing so.

"Either you sit back and wait for her to figure it out, or you can simply tell her yourself," Conan said. "So, what's it going to be?"

To Be Continued

The Detective Prince

Chapter 56

Big Strike

He looked away, not responding to the question. Conan watched as he made his way out onto the balcony, deciding to join him a short time later. The two of them stood there, staring into the far distance. The sky darkened by the minute.

"So, what do you plan to do?"

"I don't know," Tim replied. "I really don't."

"Will you at least think about it?"

"I already have for the past week," Tim stated. "Some decisions don't come easy, especially when there's multiple factors to weigh in."

Things fell silent between them. He looked down at his watch after another couple minutes past, resting his hands into his pockets to help keep warm from the chilling breeze.

"It's almost seven," Conan said turning away from the railing. "I better get going."

"Would you like me to accompany you on the way there?"

"I'll manage."

He closed the door on his way out, leaning slightly forward as he made his way through the hall.

"Maybe he's right, maybe it's better she doesn't know," Conan thought. "But that doesn't mean she won't find out."

The thick clouds that filled the sky began to drift away as the night progressed, paving the way for the moons welcoming light. Everything was quiet in the room, throughout the whole house for that matter. It ticked past twelve, signaling the arrival of a new day. The coolness of the night air creeped in, finding its way under the sheets. It didn't take long for a response, opening her eyes at the sudden change in temperature.

"I don't recall leaving the window open."

She rolled out of bed, yawning as she made her way through the darkness. She closed the window once reaching it, rubbing her arms with a shiver. She then turned back for the bed, immediately feeling herself forced up against the wall with a hand falling across her lips. Her eyes widened, watching as the dark figure moved in closer.

"Don't be alarmed, I'm only here to talk."

He released his grip on her, taking a step back as she switched on a night light which sat atop her dresser. She smiled after seeing who it was, having a seat at the end of her bed with the cross of her legs.

"To what do I owe the honor?"

"I'm looking for Kaitou Kid, it's important that I have a word with him."

"And what makes you think I know of his whereabouts?"

"I'm not here to play games with you Koizumi," Red Robin declare. "One way or another, you're going to tell me where he is."

"Great, first he sneaks into my room, and now he's giving me orders," Akako said looking away. "What's next?"

"I'm not his enemy, and I'm most certainly not here to fight with you," Red Robin said. "All I want to do is clarify something."

"What's in it for me?"

"A pat on the shoulder after I clear his name," Red Robin replied. "Now where can I find him?"

"Don't know."

"Not the answer I was looking for."

"Sorry," Akako apologized. "But I haven't seen him for the past two days."

"Any idea where he might be?"

"Out of town," Akako replied. "He frequently goes on trips from time to time."

He looked into her eyes, not completely sold on whether to believe her or not. She looked down toward her arms, rubbing them for a second time.

"So, how did you know where to find me?"

She looked up to find that he was gone, glimpsing over to see her window swaying back and forth from the soft breeze. She uncrossed her legs, making her way back over to close it.

"No one just drops in unannounced and leaves like that," Akako thought to herself. "He hasn't seen the last of me."

The next morning began at a fast pace. Many came in and out of his office through the first few hours of him arriving.

"Megure, there's someone else here to see you." Ninzaburo said walking into the room.

"Anyone that I know?"

He nodded.

"It's that Grayson kid," Ninzaburo informed. "He said he has something important to tell you in regards to the killings that have been taking place."

"Send him on in."

"Right away."

He left the room from there, giving him a moments rest from all of the commotion. It didn't take long for him to make his way in, closing the door to help block out all of the sounds.

"There's a lot going on here today," Dick said. "Even outside of the station for that matter."

"That's what happens when you have a loose serial killer," Juzo stated. "So what do you have for me?"

"I actually had a question."

"Which is?"

"All of the officers that were killed by the culprit, what was their relation," Dick asked. "Did any of them know each other, attend the same school perhaps?"

"That's a really good question," Juzo said giving it some thought. "I'll have Shiratori look into that."

"If we're able to tie up some of these loose ends we may be one step closer to finding who this guy is."

"Is there anything else you need to know?"

"That will do for now," Dick replied. "But I'll be back if the situation calls for it."

"I'll be here."

The light finally turned red after nearly a minute of waiting, allowing for him to cross over to the other side. He checked the time on his watch after making it over. It was twenty three after four, picking up the pace as he approached the forest. He made his way down to the base shortly after, walking in to find him sitting in front of the computer.

"Shinichi," Tim said turning to face him. "What are you doing here?"

He pulled up the other chair, taking a seat at his side at the side of him.

"Do you have something I can write with?" Conan asked.

".. Sure."

He reached over to his left, handing him a pen along with a book.

"That gives you something to write on." Tim said.

Conan pulled out a crumpled piece of paper from within his pocket, immediately jotting something down. He looked on from over his shoulder, wondering just what it was he was writing. He placed it onto the desk once finished.

"2wo birdS 0ne STONE, at dawns end," Tim read. "Mind telling me what that means?"

"It's what was written on the note left behind at the most recent crime scene," Conan replied. "I've been going over multiple scenarios on what it could all mean, but I thought it would be nice to have your input as well."

He gave the message a harder look, taking all elements into account.

"After reading the message for a first time I only got one thing out of it," Conan said. "Almost as if it was pointing to two people, and a certain time."

"You mean two more possible hits?"

Conan nodded.

"But then I realized just how obvious that would be," Conan said. "There's defiantly a deeper meaning to it."

"What if we switched the 2wo and the 0ne, and then took the S from the end of bird," Tim said. "We could then add that capital S to the end of STONE."

"Which would then read '0ne bird 2wo STONES, at dawns end'," Conan said. "But what could it mean in those terms?"

"Think about it," Tim said. "What if the first part of the message is referring to a person, with the second part alluding to two different locations?"

"Hmm, you do make a point," Conan said. "But that still doesn't explain the use of the combined numbers and letters."

"Not to mention the last part of the message," Tim added. "At dawns end... what could it possibly mean?"

"There's one last thing I forgot to tell you."

"Which is?"

"There was a small portion of sugar found in the plastic bag along with the note," Conan informed. "A cup to be exact."

"Sugar," Tim questioned. "What could the culprit be trying to communicate to us?"

"Your guess is good as mine," Conan said. "I still haven't been able to wrap my finger around that one."

The two sat in silence for the next minute, thinking of any other possible combinations in which to sort the numbers and words. The door slid open a short time later, causing the two of them to look over.

"It's quiet in here," Dick said after entering. "Hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"No, you're fine," Conan said. "Just working up a possible meaning to the latest note left behind."

"Hey Tim, were you able to hack back into the Echo 2118 network again?"

"Sure did," Tim replied. "Looks like Brutho and his acquaintance Amaquel have their next scheduled meeting planned for this Thursday."

"Where at?" Conan asked.

"Down in Osaka," Tim replied. "I already called Heiji about the matter, we're supposed to meet when I get there."

"Did he agree to help?" Dick asked.

"He didn't answer his phone," Tim replied. "But I left him a message, so I'm positive he'll get back to me whenever he gets the chance."

"What about you," Conan asked. "What have you been doing all day?"

"Just got back from the police station," Dick replied. "Had a little talk with Megure."

"About what?"

"I wanted to know if any of the victims had anything else in common besides working for the police force," Dick replied. "What I was able to find online was pretty limited."

"There will always be a few road blocks here and there." Conan said.

"Isn't Ms. Sugo supposed to be in Osaka as well," Dick asked. "Looks like you'll have your hands full."

"No need to tell me," Tim said. "But it's nothing that I can't handle."

"When do you plan on going?" Conan asked.

"After school tomorrow, which reminds me," Tim said looking toward Dick. "Could you call the school and get me excused, I'll only miss one day."

"No problem."

He dropped down from the chair after checking the time on his watch.

"Four is fast approaching, and I still have some homework to get to," Conan said making his way to the door. "Thanks for your input, and make sure to call if you happen to discover anything."

"Will do." Tim said.

He left from there, with the door sliding shut moments after. He walked over to the wall from behind, leaning back while looking to the ceiling.

"I did a little extra looking into that whole LexCorp deal."

"And what were you able to find?" Tim asked while clicking down to the computer mouse.

"Nothing," Dick replied. "Luthor must be really under wraps with this stuff."

"That is if he knows about it."

"What are you implying?"

"There's always the possibility that someone else within the company is orchestrating everything," Tim replied. "I'm not saying that's the case or what I believe, it's just something to think about."

"Can't argue with you there," Dick said. "I'll keep that in mind when I begin searching again."

He arrived back at the detective agency after a good thirty minute walk, deciding to stop by the office before heading up stairs. He walked in to find Kogoro sitting at the desk, surprised to see all the lights were off.

"What are you doing in the dark?" Conan asked reaching for the switch.

"The electricity went out over an hour ago." Kogoro informed.

He pushed the switch up which confirmed this, looking back at him after doing so.

"Is Ran here?"

"She left a short time before the lights went out," Kogoro replied. "She took her bag with her to some after school meet, so I wouldn't expect her to be back any time soon."

"What meet," Conan thought. "She never said anything about that."

"What about you," Kogoro asked. "Where have you been for the past hour?"

"I was at the park hanging with my friends," Conan replied. "The wind started to pick up, so we decided to call it a day."

"What's wrong with a little wind," Kogoro questioned. "It never stopped me from doing what I enjoyed when I was your age."

"Never mind," Conan muttered while turning for the exit. "I'll be up stairs."

He took each step at a time, coming to a stop after reaching the door. He paused at the sudden flash of light from the left side of his face. He looked down the staircase to see no one was there.

"That's the second time this month," Conan thought to himself. "... Am I seeing things?"

He stood there for a few moments longer, his eyes fixated to the exit down below. He looked away with a huff, turning the knob with a push. He slid off his shoes once inside, heading over to the far corner of the room. He took a seat once there, welcoming the darkness of the room.

"Maybe I'm just a little on edge," Conan thought. "That must be what it is."

He laid his head back, closing his eyes as he slowly drifted off.

The next morning brought a clear start, getting dressed before doing anything else like he did every other morning. He reached for the switch, flipping it up and down to see the electricity was still out.

"That's one way to start the day," Conan said sliding on his bag. "Hopefully everything's up and going after school."

He left minutes later. Traffic was calm on his way to school, only the sight of a few cars driving by every minute or so.

"Almost there."

The front of the school yard was packed when he arrived. It didn't take long for him to locate his friends, looking to the right side of the field to see them waving over at him.

"Hey Conan, are you going to come with us after school?" Ayumi asked.

"Where are you guys going?" Conan asked making his way over.

"We're following Haibara," Mitsuhiko replied. "Dr. Agasa is going to tell us about the opening of Space Inc."

"That is something I've been wanting to hear about," Conan said. "You can defiantly count me in."

"I'm looking forward to it myself." Genta said.

"We have five minutes until class begins," Mitsuhiko informed. "Why don't we head in early?"

"Last one there carries everyone's bags after school." Ayumi said running off.

"Why?" Conan asked only to watch everyone else take off as well.

"I give up."

There was no one to be seen once arriving. He made his way past the entrance door, the sound of voices in the near distance being what lead his way. He stopped once reaching the cafeteria.

"I wonder what everyone is doing in here."

He took a few moments to look around, heading over to where she sat after spotting her looking over something in front of her.

"Do you always come in this early?" Tim asked having a seat across from her.

"The electricity is currently off back home," Ran informed. "So I decided to come here, at least I have some light so I can read."

"What is all of this," Tim asked looking from one table to the next. "Some kind of study hall?"

"You could say that," Ran said with the close of the book. "Are you going to be busy after school?"

"Not until after six," Tim replied. "Why do you ask?"

"I was wondering if you would like to come and check out the book stand they have set up," Ran answered. "Sonoko is coming along as well, the three of us could go together."

"But I thought that it was only for Monday and Tuesday"

"They extended it an extra day because of its success," Ran informed. "It would b nice if you would come along, besides you might find something to your liking."

He gave it a moments thought, looking at her with the tilt of his head.

"Sure, why not."

"Great," Ran said pleased with his decision. "You won't be disappointed."

Each step was more draining than the last, feeling his muscles tense up with every passing second. He sucked it up, doing his best to keep up with the others.

"I can't believe they actually went through with enforcing this."

"Pick up the pace Conan," Genta said glimpsing back at him. "We only have a couple more blocks to go."

"At this rate we'll never get there." Mitsuhiko added.

Conan rolled his eyes, continuing to carry the load as fast as he could. He caught sight of the grin upon her face as the house came into view, feeling the urge to drop from where he stood.

"Haibara is enjoying this just as much as they are."

"That will do it." Ayumi said after they came to a stop in front of the gate.

They took their bags from his possession, watching as he breathed out in relief.

"And here I thought you were in shape." Ai teased before turning to open the gate.

"Whatever." Conan mumbled.

Ai lead the way as they made their way forward. She unlocked the door which allowed for the five of them to walk in. They looked over to see him standing near the couch with a long sheet of paper in hand.

"We're here." Ayumi said grabbing his attention.

"There you are," Hiroshi said walking over to greet them. "What took you all so long, I was expecting you sooner."

"You can thank Conan for that," Genta said. "He was straggling from behind the whole way here."

"Only because I had to carry everyones bags." Conan said in his own defense.

"What's that you're looking over?" Mitsuhiko pointed.

He looked down, holding the long sheet out in front of him.

"You mean this," Hiroshi asked. "It's blue prints to a project I've been working on."

"What kind of project?" Genta asked.

"I'll let you have a look as soon as it is completed," Hiroshi replied. "Does that sound like a deal?"

He nodded in response.

"So what's this Space Inc," Conan asked switching gears. "Is it the name of the company?"

"Right you are." Hiroshi confirmed.

"So what's it about," Ayumi asked. "Are they like NASA?"

"Not completely," Hiroshi replied. "Space Inc is more about creating new and easier ways to navigate through space, whether it be through radar tracking or traveling methods."

"Sounds like fun," Mitsuhiko said in excitement. "When does it open?"

"This Friday," Hiroshi replied. "If it's ok with your parents I'd love to take you all, would you like that?"

"Of course!" They all yelled together except for Conan who lowered his shoulders.

"Not my cup of tea."

He then felt a slight nudge from his side, turning to see Ai looking at him with a smile on her face.

"You don't look so thrilled."

"I see you noticed."

"Why don't you come with us," Ai asked. "Who knows, you might learn something."

"I'll think about it."

"Who's all going to be there," Mitsuhiko asked taking a step forward. "Anyone we know or have heard of?"

"That's a really good question you pose," Hiroshi said. "I'll have to look into that."

"Who were you hoping to see?" Ai asked.

"No one in particular, just wondering is all." Mitsuhiko replied.

"I'll see if I can get ahold of the guest list by tomorrow some time," Hiroshi said. "If you would like to see it feel free to stop by."

"I'll defiantly be here." Genta said.

He looked down at his watch to check the time, gripping onto his bag straps as he turned for the door.

"Leaving so soon?" Ai asked rolling her eyes his way.

"I'm going to go see if the electricity has been turned back on, we had a power outage yesterday which carried into today." Conan informed.

"That must not have been very fun," Ayumi said. "What did you do all night?"

"There wasn't much I could do," Conan replied after reopening the door. "I'll see you guys later, feel free to call me if you need me."

He waved to them before walking out, softly closing the door from behind. He dropped his hands to his side as he made his way past the gate, looking to the sky at the sound of something storming by. It was nothing but a jet. He took the time to watch it fly off into the distance, losing sight of it after watching it sink in between multiple clouds.

"That is one of the faster air crafts I've seen in awhile."

The halls were cleared by the time he made his way into the gym. It wasn't as crowded as he was expecting upon his arrival, taking the time to have a look around. There were multiple book shelves set up, doing his best to maneuver from one row to the next without bumping into anyone.

"I don't see either of them, I wonder if they're even here yet."

He took one last look to the left, hearing the sound of his name called from behind.

"Tim, right over here."

He turned in time to see Ran waving over as the two of them approached.

"What took you so long?"

"We were looking for you." Sonoko replied.

"I was under the impression we were meeting here."

"Never mind that," Ran said. "Did you find anything of interest?"

"Hadn't gotten around to looking at anything."

"What is your favorite genre anyway?" Sonoko asked.

"That's a really good question."

He took a few moments to give it some thought, not able to come up with an answer.

"That's something I've never really put much thought into," Tim replied. "I guess you could say I have multi interests when it comes to a given subject."

"Going with the safe pick I see," Sonoko said. "Afraid what we might say?"

"Of course not."

"That makes it easier for you to choose something," Ran said walking forward. "Come on, I think I know something you might like."

"If they have it here." Sonoko said as the two of them followed from behind.

The time continued to pass as he paced from one end of the hall to the other. He had been here for almost an hour, checking the time on his watch every few minutes.

"I've checked all of his hang out spots, I wonder where he could be," Conan thought. "Is it possible he's already at the train station?"

He finally decided to have a seat, leaning his back up against the door as he did. He stared to the opposite wall, every event of the past few days circulating through his mind. The sound of the elevator coming to a stop from down the hall could be heard. He stood up in response, watching as he made his way toward him.

"Where have you been?"

"A book fair," Tim replied. "If you want to call it that."

"Did you get anything?"

"I didn't plan on it," Tim said unlocking the door with the turn of the key. "But Ran suggested I give this book I got a read."

"At least it will get you away from the computer for awhile," Conan said. "Did you ever hear back from Heiji?"

He nodded as he opened the door, letting Conan head in first before following.

"But it was strange."

"Strange, what do you mean?" Conan asked.

"He didn't actually call me," Tim replied. "He only sent me a text."

"And what's wrong with that?"

"He never has," Tim stated. "Every time he's contacted me it's been through him calling me."

"I don't see what the big deal is," Conan said jumping up to the bed. "He probably couldn't talk at the time, so sent you a text instead."

"Maybe you're right."

"Did you text him back?"

"Yea, I let him know where we'll meet tomorrow," Tim replied. "Which happens to be at the same coffee shop he took me to last time I was there."

"What about Dick," Conan asked. "Is he going as well?"

"He already left to head down there this morning."

"What time is the meeting supposed to take place?"

"Some time after noon," Tim replied. "So we'll have plenty of time to set up."

"Sorry I can't come along," Conan said. "But feel free to contact me if there is anything I can do from here."

"I'll keep that in mind." Tim said before walking to the other end of the room.

He came to a stop once reaching the closet, kneeling down to grab a black bag which sat in the near corner.

"What's inside the bag?"

"Nothing," Tim replied after tossing it upon the desk. "It's a spare I carry around."

"What time does the train leave for Osaka?"

"In about an hour."

"Shouldn't you be down there right about now," Conan questioned. "Who knows how tight security will be today."

"I'm not to concerned about it."

"You won't be saying that when you miss the train one day."

He dropped down from the bed after another minute passed, looking over to see him place the final contents into the bag before zipping it shut.

"All done."

"I guess I'll be leaving as well."

"Anything planned for the rest of the day?"

"No, but I do have something in mind."

"And what might that be?" Tim asked out of curiosity.

"I have a couple ideas on how to reconfigure that message left behind," Conan replied. "I've been thinking about it all day."

"Good thinking," Tim said in agreement. "That should give me something to do on the train as well."

"Or you could read the book you got."

"Fair point."

"I'll touch base with you if I feel I'm onto something."

"Thanks, don't be afraid to leave a message if I don't pick up."

"Of course."

He strapped the large bag across his chest as he made his way to the door with Conan at his side. The two of them walked in silence all the way to the elevator, which remained the same all the way down to the first floor.

"So when do you think you'll be back?" Conan asked as they exited out the door.

"Some time tomorrow evening," Tim replied. "If everything goes accordingly that is."

They stopped once reaching the side of the roadway.

"I guess this is it." Tim said looking down at him.

"Have fun on your trip," Conan said before heading to the right. "And make sure you don't get yourself hurt again."

"Don't plan on that happening again." Tim thought as he turned into the opposite direction.

He casually made his way along, not arriving back to the detective agency until after a thirty minute walk. He headed straight into the office once there, coming to find there was no one there but him.

"Looks like I have the whole place to myself." Conan said as he took himself a seat onto the couch.

He pulled the sheet of paper from within in his pocket, laying it out across his lap as he gave it another hard look.

"2wo birdS 0ne STONE, at dawns end... its true meaning is right in front of me," Conan thought to himself. "I just can't seem to wrap my finger around what it is."

He pulled a pen from out of his pocket, sliding it to the side of his ear as he continued to think. It didn't take long for another distinct detail to come to mind.

"The zero and the two," Conan said. "Could it be these two numbers represent a whole different element?"

He sat back in comfort, holding the sheet of paper out in front of him. He was becoming tense inside, doing his best not to think about it.

"Figuring out what the culprit is trying to tell us isn't going to be as easy as I was hoping," Conan thought. "If only we knew what their motive was."

The ride there was seemingly shorter than his last trip had been. He kept himself occupied for most of the way there with the book he had gotten hours prior. He grabbed his bag from under the seat after the train came to a stop, slowly making his way out along with those in front of him. To his surprise it was still relatively light out. He checked the time on his watch which read nine after seven.

"I think I'll hold off on checking into the hotel until later," Tim said looking forward. "I'm not quite ready to ease back for the evening just yet."

He began walking once more, taking the time to observe the many structures he passed by while walking down the street. He reached his destination after a good twenty minutes passed.

"Can't believe I found it so quickly, it's not exactly one of those easiest places to find." Tim said entering the coffee shop.

He looked to the right to see several empty chairs. He made his way in that direction, having a seat once reaching a table next to the window. He slid the bag to the side once situated. Minutes passed as he sat alone in silence. He rested his hands onto the table while turning to look out the window. By this time the sun had nearly faded away in the distance.

"I wonder if he's made in progress with that coded message."

He kept his eyes glued to the sky, listening to the sound of someone taking a seat right across from him. It didn't startle him in the least, simply turning in his seat to face who had joined him.

"Kazuha," Tim surprisingly said. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to inform you that Heiji will be late for whatever it is you two had planned." Kazuha said placing her hands onto the table as well.

"How long are we talking?"

She took the time to look down at her watch before answering.

"About an hour and thirty," Kazuha replied. "I guess that leaves you stuck with me for awhile."

"Is that so?" Tim said with a smile.

"Come on," Kazuha said standing up from the chair. "There's something I want to show you, it will be so much better than sitting around here for the next hour."

"And where might that be?"

"Why ruin the surprise," Kazuha said. "Now come on, the times ticking."

He finally gave in, grabbing his bag from where it laid before following after her.

"What's with the bag?" Kazuha asked after exiting the coffee shop.

"Haven't had time to get situated yet," Tim replied. "So which way are we going?"

She responded by heading to the right.

"Guess that answers that."

The ride there was a long one, due to the late rush they were experiencing. He remained quiet for the next few minutes, tapping the back of his eat after they came upon another red light.

"This will do, I'll walk the rest of the way from here."

He stepped out of the cab, closing the door before walking off. He stuffed his hands into the warmth of his jacket after feeling a cool breeze glide by, turning left after reaching the end of the block. It was nearly eight O'clock by the time he finally reached the site, finding himself a place to stand next to a light pole.

"Glad you could make it on such short notice."

He turned to the right to see him step out from an alleyway just up ahead.

"Good to see you too," Heiji said. "So how far are we away from this place?"

"Right this way." Dick directed.

He followed him into the alleyway he had come. The moon was the only source of light giving them a clear path. The temperature continued to drop as they walked, causing him to grip the insides of his pocket.

"You ever come to this side of town?"

"Not often," Heiji replied. "Haven't been down here since three months ago when I was working a case."

"I take it this is the darker part of the city," Dick said after making their way out of the alley. "Defiantly my kind of feel."

"Can't say I'm surprised."

They took a left, heading all the way to the end of the block before finally coming to a stop.

"We're here." Dick said removing the bag that was upon his back.

"What is this place," Heiji asked looking up at the tower building. "Some kind of abandoned warehouse?"

"Not for long," Dick informed. "This place is scheduled to be knocked down in the next week."

"I see you did your homework," Heiji said. "Any idea what they'll be building in its place?"

"Not a clue." Dick replied kneeling down to zip the bag open.

He stood over him, watching as he laid several video devices out across the ground.

"Their meeting is set to take place at this very place," Dick said standing back to his feet. "We'll be ready for them."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Go around back and see if you can find any good spots where we can place some of these video cameras," Dick replied. "We'll try and cover as much ground as we can."

"Gotcha." Heiji said turning to walk.

"I'll join you soon." Dick said before attending back to the laying video devices.

He zipped up his jacket, making his way to the other side of the warehouse. There were several other structures in the near distance once arriving. There was an imposing sharp edged fence which blocked off everything else. He scoured the area as best as he could, looking for any potential spots to set the surveillance tapes.

"Nothing yet," Heiji thought. "They'd most certainly be spotted if we placed them along one of the walls, or the fence for that matter."

It was faint but, just enough to gain his attention. He came to a dead stop, listening as it happened once more. The sound of a light snap along with a low whistle.

"Is someone following me?"

Then he saw it, the door to the back of the warehouse swinging back and forth from the ever increasing wind. He breathed out in relief, continuing to walk forward. It wasn't too much longer that the odor came to his senses, something he had experienced several times over. His eyes narrowed as he slowly approached the door, pushing it to the side as he found himself lost for words.

It was dark, but the lighting from the moon above revealed it all to well. There laying next to the side of the door was a slip of paper with the number seven written upon it. His fears were confirmed after looking further into the room, seeing the body laying just a few feet away. He had only seen him once, but immediately recognized who the newest victim was.

"It can't be," Heiji said in disbelief with a step forward. "Brutho?"

To Be Continued