Against popular belief, the Inspector's daughter wasn't an idiot.

You don't spend most your life with someone, only to not notice them once they change their clothes. A lifetime of knowing someone leads to knowing their quirks— The way they smile, the little twitches of each gesture they make. The way their voice cracks when they're scared or in pain, and even further along the line, the way they smell. If KID didn't want Aoko to recognise his identity, perhaps asking her to prop him up instead of allowing and instructing her on the last few locks wasn't the best idea.

The final confirmation, however was the crack in the pronunciation of her name, and the weight of his frame that had collapsed onto her body. Panic coursed through her veins, hands quick to move him off her so she could breathe.

"Geez! What the—" The boy didn't even flinch.The door in front of them clicked into motion as her hands pushed at his back, frantic in her attempt to wake him. "Hey— What's wrong? Get a hold of yourself!" Fingers tried to push past clothes to find the wound and whatever tricks he may have in wait for her before a sickeningly calm voice blanketed the room.

"Wonderful… I've always believed that you would be able to open this door, KID." Blue eyes search for the source of the voice, falling upon the smug smirk of the Chief Priest. "For a long time, this door lay shut, unable to be opened by anyone." Elegant footsteps are taken forward towards them, though the Priest's tone changes to one Aoko can only relate to as sinister.

"Ch-Chief Priest Niwano Yasuyo…!? B-But why-!?"

"I shall tell you before you visit Hades. You need not take any souvenirs, right? Grab those two!" Rising onto her feet only made it easier for the smiling henchman to pick her up, arms and legs raised just above the ground. Capturing her wasn't her concern, however, as she watched the last henchman pick up the injured thief with little-to-no care at all— Aoko's heart lurching and forcing her to kick her feet in anger. "I thought if you opened this door, the chamber would be filled with sleeping gas, but…" Aoko can hear the Chief Priest breathe pretentiously, "Looks like there will be no need for that."

"Let us go, now!" Demands from Aoko fall on deaf ears, her feet struggling against the man holding her legs. There's no magic trick that can pull KID out of that pain-induced coma, nor is there any stopping the Priest from rattling on about the reasons why she's put them both in this situation. Aoko had to rely on herself alone, mind frantically flying through options of what she could do to free herself.

… Of course! Frisking KID earlier in attempts to help him did give her an advantage.

Kicking her leg out aggressively, she used the push of her weight to give her arm leverage to reach into her collar, not giving herself even a moment to think before she took out the card gun in her shirt and shot at the person holding her legs. The unexpected recoil throws her hand back behind her, fingers accidentally pulling the trigger of the card gun once more to keep it in her grip. There were no bullets that were released from this gun, of course. Simply two sharp cards filtering out anaesthesia, embedded in both the wall and the man's shoulder. The effects are surprisingly quick, Aoko landing on the floor with a small thud once the man holding her arms falls asleep. This, of course, alerted the person holding KID, dropping him just as Aoko hurriedly shoots the wall next to the man's head.

The final man collapses beside KID, just as the Priest is about to finish her monologue about her 'righteous duty'. Aoko finally decides she can breathe, legs shaking as she rises to her feet. There's no time to check on the incapacitated KID on the floor, fingers trembling in their grip of his gun. Her steps are quiet, controlled as she approaches the Chief Priest. Lips pursed in a menacing line. As the Chief Priest leans to pick up the scroll, Aoko takes it first with her free hand, gun pressing up against the back of the Priest's skull.

"Eeeh? Is that what this scroll says? That's why you were using KID, so you could get your hands on it?" The scroll is already so worn, it's a surprise it didn't crumble into dust once Aoko's fingers touched it.

"Kaitou KID!?"

"No, I'm Aoko." She doesn't smile, her eyelids lowering in slight annoyance. She thought it'd be obvious that KID, who is obviously injured, is the incapacitated one on the floor right now. You can't disguise pain like that. Or was it the Chief Priest's fool's hope, given that entire monologue of believing 'only KID would be able to open this door'? Anyone who knew their left and right could open it…

Desperation drips from the Priest's lips, head twisting towards her unconscious henchman, calling to them not unlike Aoko had called to KID earlier. Those cards KID had loaded into his gun seemed to have a long-lasting effect, however, each member dozing like a child napping after a long day. An invisible fishing hook tugs Aoko's lips into a pleased smirk, gun still aimed at the culprit's head. "KID's cards are kind of magical, I guess! They're sleeping like babies."

She pauses, but only so she can take another deep breath to cool down the adrenaline still pumping through her system. "You lured KID to a fake Kannon Statue. You had KID and I fall into a pit and brought us to this labyrinth and locked us in. You disguised the door of the safe as a way out, and wanted KID to open it so he could find the scroll… But, what a pity!" Giving a slightly sadistic smile, she lets go of the scroll's end, letting it roll out to reveal the crumbs left of a very lucky bug's meal. "Bugs have made a meal out of the scroll, there's nothing left to read! But I guess even that's treasure for a Chief Priest that doesn't know her left from her right…"

The stampede of footsteps is what causes Aoko to pause in her mocking demeanour, eyes leaving to look at the door behind them. Had the task force found them already? Hakuba-kun was a genius! Even if KID wasn't really in the position to leave… She'd deal with that the minute her father entered the door.

"This is the end, KID! You'll never make it out!" The laughter from the priest made Aoko slouch her shoulders in defeat, shooting the rest of the cards at the top of the walls, hoping it'd do something. To her luck, the walls were fake, popping out the moment their attachments were attacked, Aoko giving the woman a pout.

"I'm Aoko! Are you blind?" A slam against the door behind them interrupted the tension in the air, the Chief Inspector's voice bellowing out for his daughter's location through the room. Jolting from her spot, she lowers the gun— "Tou-san! I'm okay! KID saved me—"

"K-KID! It was all that damn KID's doing!" The wailing from the Priest only served to frustrate Aoko as she moves closer to the thief, as if protecting him from both the task force and the Priest's cries. "When I returned here, I found KID trespassing… I tried to catch him with the help of the Arizato Juuken people but failed…" So that's what they were called, "And he stole… Th-The priceless treasure in this safe!"

"Tou-san, that's not true! Chief Priest—" Her father already seemed to believe the other's story, until Aoko's phone beeped as indication that something had been stopped. Pulling out her phone as Hakuba reached her side to check on her, the screen lit up with a finished recording. "Ah…? My phone was recording?"

"Could I see that?" The phone is passed to Hakuba the moment he asks. The sickening calm tones of the Priest sounding off through Aoko's phone are hard not to recognise, the Priest receiving an accusatory smug glance from the young detective. "Looks like the Chief Priest has a long explanation to give to the police, I'd say."

"To think, you really managed to find out where KID was… We should probably arrest him while we can." The Inspector grumbles, only to find his daughter with her arms around KID, lifting him up off the ground with little-to-no struggle. "Aoko… We can get him. You can put him down."

"Tou-san, we can't. We can't arrest KID. He's hurt, and he saved my life." Steps are taken away from her father's approaching figure, bringing the thief closer to her chest. Disbelief is written across Ginzo's face, mouth opening and closing as he tries to figure out how to respond, like a fish out of water. "He landed on the glass when we fell because he was protecting me from the impact. It's not right to arrest someone who might not even live to see the hearing!" It's not her words that stop Ginzo from approaching, but the hot tears that begin to well in her eyes and streak her cheeks. Clapping a hand on the Inspector's shoulder, Hakuba approaches Aoko instead, leaning in closer to keep the conversation private.

"Hakuba-kun, we aren't arresting him. It's not right."

"… I agree. Follow my lead."

Hakuba gives Aoko a firm nod, turning to address the rest of the task force. Aoko's phone is handed to the floundering Ginzo, a serious gaze thrown his way. Aoko is far too headstrong like her father, even if Hakuba wanted to arrest the criminal in this way, he knew she'd take all chances to stop him. "I will escort Nakamori-san and KID to the hospital. He can be arrested once he's in a stable condition." As he speaks, his hand is placed on the small of Aoko's back, pushing her and KID through the crowd of task force members. Ginzo grimaces in defeat with a nod, a shout to his command to let them through and arrest the main cause of this entire case. Hushed whispers were still traded between the two in case of lingering ears.

"I'm not taking him to a hospital, Hakuba-kun. I'm not allowing you to arrest him when he's in this state, even when he recovers."

"I know. I'm organising a ride for you to be escorted to a private doctor, and then home."

"And KID?"

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it."

"… Thank you, Hakuba-kun. I owe you big time." She smiles, Hakuba's car pulling up once they're outside. Aoko receives a final nod and a small smile back, the back door of the car opened for her to get in. There's no time wasted as she gently lays KID down in the backseat of the car, sitting beside him and resting his head on her lap. Hakuba closes the door for her, settling down in the front seat and instructing Baaya on where to go.

A couple of motions are clicked into place, and the car finally starts pulling away from the temple. As they leave, blue eyes capture sight of the Chief Priest in handcuffs being escorted into a police car, a satisfied smile crossing Aoko's lips in triumph. Justice on one side had already been delivered, Aoko's only concern now being quick enough to ensure that KID didn't die from this endeavour they had been deceived into taking part in.

Through the mirror, Hakuba watches Aoko in silence, making note of the way her fingers subconsciously comb through the thief's hair. A thought passes him as to whether she's aware of the thief's identity, given how protective she seems to be over him regardless of her daily professed hatred. Soon enough, that thought is pushed away and lost to the sound of the car's engine, a knowing smile on the detective's lips.

Of course, she does. She's not an idiot.