THIS STORY IS PART 2 TO "MANIPULATION"
Too much has happened so we can't provide a summery of it. I'm sorry. It needs to be read before this one can be picked up or it will feel very strange and previous events will not be explained.

Previously In Minipulation:
Blood Betrayal

"You were worried about me sitting alone in the hall-... us here?" Saguru took a deep breath. "Let me shower first. Hattori said there were other clothes for us." He rose, leaving the phone on the bed and tipping his head to the room before heading into the bathroom.

"I'm not stopping you stinky," Kaito said with a wave of his hand. "I showered already. Phone rings, I'll get you."

Saguru shook his head, not willing to put it past the other teen to do just that. After he showered he was pleased that the clothes were close enough to the type he typically wore. He straightened them out once more before he walked out and looked over at Kuroba.

"I'm coming with you, you know," Kaito said neutrally. He sat up and ran a hand through his hair with a grin. "I don't have to be there but I can come with."

Saguru nodded. "I assumed you would." He shot a glance toward Nakamori-keibu, wondering if her would try to stop them from leaving again.

Nakamori looked over at the two trying to vamoose again on their own. Aoko was here though and he needed to look after her first and foremost right now. He met Chikage's eyes and tipped his head a bit. Her son, her choice. Not like they weren't getting good at disappearing now-a-days anyway.

Chikage nodded. "I need to stretch my legs as well. I may as well go with you two." She stood and headed over to the other two.

"I feel like I'm five, again." Kaito looked over at his mom. If there was one person, no matter what, that he couldn't fight though, it was her. Even Aoko he could get back at. His mom- never.

"At least I won't make you hold my hand when you cross the street," Chikage said with a smile as she followed Hakuba-kun out the door to the hallway.

Kaito sighed and followed after her. If Hakuba spoke up he had a reason to fight back on her- it wasn't like he was sticking around and bug the guy, just make sure something actually worked out this time... and he was the one who went making all those assumptions, even as right as he thought they were. If something went wrong he had to at least be nearby to call the guy an ass and do what he did best- make someone smile.

Saguru arrived at his father's office to hear his father had returned but had ordered that he not be disturbed until he finished an important meeting and that they could wait downstairs. "I can wait out here." Saguru turned to the other two. "It is your choice if you wish to remain here or wait elsewhere."

"What do you want?" Kaito looked at him. He really didn't care what he did and Hakuba had to feel far stronger one way or the other than he did. "Your pick. And no thinking on it. What do you want?"

Saguru took a deep breath. "I would like to speak to him on my own first, without him feeling like there is an audience. If you would wait downstairs I can have you paged when I come out."

"'Kay, don't keep us waiting unless you have to." Kaito winked to him, waving Hakuba off. "You'd better catch him before he runs off again."

Saguru shook his head. "Answering you with just one statement will come as a negative answer to one or the other. I will not leave you waiting and I will talk to him." He turned and opened the door.

Chikage watched Hakuba-kun leave than looked over at her son. "Coming?"

"Course not," Kaito said with a smile. "I'll call you." He tapped his foot, waiting. Hakuba needed a head start.

Chikage just smiled and waved as she left to make her way back downstairs. She could ask around about the plans for the next night.

…

"You've been stressing all weekend. I thought you finished up and covered your trail?"

"'Course I did," Kazehiko said in disgust. "It ain't that, so much as I acted after, ya know, for us. Don't know how, but plans went awry. I'm missin' someone and I needs you to find them. If the cops got 'im, great. If not, I gotta deal with this."

"No word on my side about that but if some were taken out by the others there's a chance that there's some unidentified body somewhere. Police can't be everywhere. That's why some people get away."

"Nah, I didn't fix that- didn't think I needed ta." Kazehiko took a picture out of his pocket of the kid and slid it over. "Anonymous calls work well. Saw this kid abduct someone- saw blood. Reason enough to put a report out."

Hakuba Damashi reached down and picked up the picture of a young boy with bleached hair. "Yes, information like this would have us put out a BOLO." He looked up. "Any reason to be worried about the abductee?"

"No." Kazuhiko tapped the desk where the picture had been. "Friend of the family." He heard someone knocking at the door and shut up, whispering. "Expecting more company?"

"I said I was not to be disturbed." Damashi called out, waving for the other man to move out of the way.

Saguru took a deep breath and pushed open the door, entering and closing it.

"You know better than to disturb me. What do you mean by this intrusion?" Damashi crossed his arms and stared, not sure what surprised him more, that his son had deliberately entered without his permission or that he had a ridiculous white pigeon on his shoulder.

Kazuhiko turned away from the kid, not afraid of letting him see him but to hid his grin from the other two. So, they had some type of connection. Why the hell should that matter to him? This was the kid he thought he'd spilled the most to, the other man hadn't been focusing on his words. He'd like to test a few things out- After he saw what this was about and how deep the connection ran. Better to hold more chips then less.

"People have been attempting to reach you as of Friday morning and I myself have placed several calls to you both here and at home yet you never returned them or contacted the other parties." Saguru paused for a breath. He had hoped to avoid an audience however perhaps his father would be forced to explain himself in front of this other man. Saguru glanced over at the man with short blond hair. Although it was not very neat, the light blue hoodie the man wore with his jeans would explain that. He turned back to his father.

Damashi did not move. "A lot of people try to reach me and I can only deal with so many. If this is not an emergency it can wait. As you are here and not in a rush, it must not be. Wait at home and we can discuss this when I return."

"I waited all night by the phone for you to return my calls. I will do what I choose to now rather than listen to everything you-"

'Home.' Boy was his kid. Great, what were the odds? Something he could- wait. He'd been after the kid but so had that little brat he was with. The boy was missing... who's to say he hadn't accidentally taken out one of those they were only trying to scare? Didn't know how well that would fly with the old man but- Oh... perfect. Taki supposedly kills this kid, is on the run somewhere, and old Hakuba here would have prefect reason to take some action. Ah... what fun. And here he thought this would take forever to sort out, what with all those turning pacifist around him. The world ran on brains and power. You don't have anything to hold over people, they'll walk all over you. This kid was the key to starting their takeover- both inside and outside their own ranks. With the boy completely focused elsewhere, Kazehiko moved fast. The kid's wrist was right in front of him, he grabbed it, taking his other hand and slamming the kid's head into the desk, watching him fall to the floor and going with him just in case he got his senses back to fast. He was grinning. What a perfect plan. Looking back up at the old guy he tipped his head to the side of the desk he was on. "Comm'er."

"What the hell?" Damashi walked around and looked down at the two of them. "What's this about?"

"Yer lookin' at one of the people who watched my little party. Saw him just a few hours ago. Didn't know he was yours." Kazuhiko was still grinning though. "We're missin' that kid. He got a little carried away- killed this guy on accident. I'm sure you'll find a gun on him when ya come across him. We see that those assholes ain't as pretty as they preach, and we get you a great reason to run to the top- politically. I see a win-win-" And what the fuck was that white thing flying at him. He'd seen the bird but barely when the kid had come in. Now the damn thing was in his face. He grabbed at it, finally catching hold and hitting the damn thing into the floor until he knew it couldn't get at him again, chucking it across the room. "The fuck, kid. Got attack birds?" He got his grin back though and looked up at the old man. "I come in the way I come out. You get to find the kid just outside. I think it's perfect."

"No way he was supposed to be involved in any of your cases. Kept him away from them just to be sure. Damn kid's too honest." Damashi thought a moment. "Not a bad plan except he came in the front and most of the station knows him and knows he's here. I cannot risk my own position. If you can slip out with him and make sure he's far enough away that I can't be implicated… He's busted murderers even if the person has an alibi and he ain't the only one. I don't want you near here. Get somewhere else... and if you want to make it believable that it was an 'accident' you should make sure to restrain and injure for a bit before you actually kill him. They can tell things like that and as I or really, the rest of Tokyo, would no doubt want to know what monsters they are, the more pain was proven inflicted the worse that killer seems to be."

"Hm. Can do that. Better that he was seen though. Easier to blame it on the kid. Nice place to wait for him, what with him havin' ta come see the hard workin' dad. Not like you had any idea someone grabbed him before he made it to ya. Be right outside. Gimme a few minutes and draw out anyone'a comes askin'." He moved the kid under him a bit, pinching his arm to see if he was awake.

Saguru had a headache but that was nothing compared to what his heart felt... what was left of it. He recognized the voice, the same one that had shot him outside the Agency, and his own father. They were discussing his death so calmly. 'How- how could he? I never suspected this.' He felt the guy move him and let his body remain lax, but while he could ignore the pinch he had to fight the tears as he realized his own father was not only a dirty cop but he did not seem to care that this man was going to take him outside and kill him. 'You will not get away with this. Kuroba and the others knew I was coming to speak with you. They knew I came in. They will find you out.'

Kazehiko picked the kid up, stuffing a cloth into his mouth. He was up but not moving. That was fine. He grabbed the boy up by the arms, looking at the kid's dad with a smile. Everyone could be bought. Power was everything. Too bad the kid never learned. He dragged him over to the door, opening it and looking out. Good, no one there. Trip to the bathroom and this looks like a great premeditated murder on Taki's part. Had to gag the kid but five minutes and he'd have more wounds than strands of hair. It had been ages since he'd had the chance to off someone like this- it was all long distance now. He shifted the kid. The bathroom was right down there. No one could stop him.

Damashi quickly left his office and ran toward the elevator. He wanted no question that he was around others. Go down and maybe join a few officers in the break room. He hit the button and looked back once, grinning at the empty area. "Lose a liability and gain all the sympathy I want and I don't have to pay for either." He chuckled as he stepped into the empty elevator car. "Now for my alibi."

Kaito didn't want Hakuba to know he'd been spying but he came out way too fast. Looking around the corner, Kaito's eyes widened. What in the hell? Why-... he looked close. Gun. The guy was armed. Hakuba was totally out of it by the looks of things. Kaito could have shouted, there were other cops there... but he'd gone to see his dad. What had happened? Either way, his hand shook at his side. What was he supposed to do? He didn't understand- but he did get that Hakuba was in danger and he needed help NOW. Then Hakuba's dad- he'd seen him once or twice in passing- sprinted past him and Kaito hid in the shadows. From his hiding space he heard the words- so contradicting his own father's. He had to- later, he'd fix that later. Problem now. His mind automatically told him everything he didn't want to know but he shut it out, his body was reacting on a different plane, falling into anther mindset that had nothing to do with Kid. His only thoughts, Get- Hakuba- NOW.

Taking the kid he made his way to the bathroom. If anyone was in there, well, they'd just have to join the kid. He couldn't do with witnesses right now. Place had a small bathroom and it was deserted anyway.

Saguru shook his head, trying to clear it. This man was going to kill him, without a doubt. He had to fight back somehow, do something so the others would know. He had caught sight of the dove Kuroba had sent to him as he was moved, the crumpled heap told him enough. She must have tried to stop the man again and paid the price. When they entered the bathroom Saguru brought a hand up and tried to scratch at the man. Face or hand, he did not care, if he could injure the man and retain some skin or blood under his nail...

He dropped the kid on the floor, hitting his head against the tiles again to stop his stupid struggling. Kazehiko knew better that to let the guy touch him. Wasn't as good a hit as he got in the other room but with the first even a weaker hit would have the same effect. He grinned down, getting up and going over to lock the door only to see some other kid there- and with a gun pointed right at him.

Kaito still had Takagi-keiji's gun... he hadn't given it back. He couldn't let this happen either. He could feel how fast his breathing was, how rapid his heart rate, but there wasn't time to think. He knew- the gun, Hakuba out, it was easy to know. Kaito had to look away as he pulled the trigger, knowing his aim with a real gun was just as good as his cards- even better because bullets were faster.

The fucking kid shot him. That was all he could think. He could see, but that was quickly gone too. Everything- gone.

Kaito felt his arms shaking for real now. The shot was so loud... and he looked... and there was so much blood. He closed his eyes, taking a few quick breaths. The world went all spinny for a while. He dropped his hands, the gun hanging from one of them, his main focus Hakuba, though he was having problems putting one foot in front of the other. He couldn't do it so he stayed on the floor, returning the gun to its hiding place and moving with his hands and knees instead. "Hey," Kaito said, feeling his body swayed when he got over Hakuba. He tried to turn the detective's face away so he wouldn't look, his hand shaky as hell. "You're alive, right? You're okay?"

Was he? He had no real idea now. Darkness had begun coming and coming since he had landed on the floor. He was fighting but he was certain that was Kuroba. He had heard the gunshot and that had stopped him cold. He felt numb, unsure if he had been hit or not. He winced when his head was moved.

Kaito tapped the side of his face, using his fingers to trail along his cheek and get the gag out. Then he went to shaking his shoulder. "Hey, I know what happened. You have to get up. I don't know if it's safe. Takagi didn't have a silencer- the whole place would of heard that. Get up." He couldn't let someone else grab them, however far this conspiracy went. He had to get them out and Kaito knew that he was just barely more conscious than Hakuba. He couldn't do anything for him. "Please. If we stay here, and the wrong people find us, we'll die."

Saguru took a deep breath, more of a gasp. He blinked a couple times and rolled on his side, keeping his head still as much as he wanted to shake it and clear it, it would only cause the room to spin. "Co-mon." He reached out for Kuroba's arm and pushed himself up. No good. His vision blurred either from the blows or the tears or both. "Your dove... she..."

"Hakuba, please, I'll worry about her later." Kaito had tried to get to his own feet. Damn, one of them needed their balance. He just couldn't pull it off though so, if he was falling, might as well fall in a direction. Hakuba had grabbed his arm and he used it as a tie to him, dragging the detective back out the door before he could see. He didn't care about empty halls or not and he did see anyone. He needed an empty room... any really as long as they were a good distance away.

"He already... She must have... attacked him." Saguru squeezed Kuroba's arm. "Second door... from the end... on the left... Office has access... to a fire escape."

"Thanks." Even better. Out of the building, far away. She... "She protected you. Tha-at's what she was supposed to do. Don't worry about it." There were tears in his eyes though and he fumbled trying to get on his phone, get to the door, and drag the detective with him. His body said all of that was too much and he felt himself let Hakuba go and fall to his knees, coughing and gasping for breath. What the hell was wrong with him?

"Kuroba?" Saguru dropped to one knee beside him and, as unsteady as he still was, he was improving. He looked up. The door was not too far. He slid his left arm under Kuroba's right and draped it over the back of his neck, grabbing the phone in his right and lifted. "I am not... leaving you... behind this time." He made his way to the officer and opened it, closing it behind them. He put Kuroba down behind the desk and knelt in front of him. "Kuroba... Kuroba, breathe."

Kaito was still having trouble not choking on the air and ow that had hurt and they needed to leave- to get out- they couldn't stay. Looking at Hakuba, he shook his head, the world moving with him and he had to keep his hand on the ground. He tried to get up- everything moving in such wrong ways- but they had to leave. And what happened to his phone? His eyes darted around, looking for it. "Mom, I gotta... gotta call my mom. It's bad. We gotta go." Feeling half-drunk, or maybe just drunk completely, Kaito wasn't sure, he'd never been there yet, he tried to pull Hakuba up with him. "They'll find us. We." He coughed some more, feeling like he was hyperventilating. Breath right, damn it. And world, stop moving so much- And not out of your orbit or anything, just so I can walk.

Saguru held up the phone. "I have it... right here. If you try... going out that window... and down the fire escape... in your present condition... they will hear you... just by your breathing. Calm down." Saguru leaned forward and wrapped his arms around Kuroba. "It is not the best... but try to... match your breaths... to mine." He took a slow breath, trying to keep the shake out of it. Push it away... everything else was unimportant. Calming Kuroba down to escape came first. It had never been this hard before but he let the air out and repeated it.

Kaito's first reaction was to run. There was no way they could stay here. But he did try to calm down. Shh. No one knew where they were right now. No one knew what happened- save one and he wasn't breathing anymore. Okay, shhh. He had to swallow as much as he did breath, knowing he'd be sick and trying to hold that off for now. He held out his still shaky hand and patted Hakuba's arm with it. "Better. I need my phone. Now." He tried to keep his voice quiet, only just holding back his own hysteria.

Saguru passed him the phone, mind going to the tasks at hand. Notify Kuroba-san so she could leave. Make their way out and away. See that his fa-... Saguru stopped. He would wait until they were all away from the station.

Kaito had his mom set on speed dial and if he hadn't, he never would have gotten through. He waited what felt like way too long for her to pick up.

Chikage smiled and excused herself, stepping away to answer her phone. "What are you up to now?"

Kaito felt a bit of the hysteria come back out because this was his mother and- and he needed her. "Help." Yeah, that felt like a good first word. "Are- are you close still?"

Chikage outwardly remained calm and relaxed but her insides twisted. Kaito never asked for help... not that way. Something was really wrong and something told her not to react until she knew what. "I'm no further than I said I would be. Where are you?"

"No idea," Kaito said honestly. He'd lost track of his orientation ages ago. "I need a distraction- fireworks, tsh- ah- anything." He tried taking a few more deep breaths again. "And you need to call- the police- our police. And- and you need to come get us." Kaito felt tears form in his eyes when he said that. He didn't know why he was so scared but he knew, for once, he couldn't get out of this. It was too hard right now and there were too many things that were just so wrong and- and- and he needed his mom.

Saguru touched Kuroba's shoulder and leaned close so the phone could pick him up. "Kuroba-san, send any attention to the north side of the building, however, indoors, then leave. Circle to the alley on the west side and come up the fire escape. Please, do not ask questions. I will take care of the next call while we wait for you."

"Kaito, tell him I'll be there soon to pick the both of you up so stay together, OK?" Chikage dropped her voice slightly. "Kaito, I won't take long. I love you."

Kaito smiled, his breath still catching. "You too, mom. Careful. Please. I gotta go. See ya when you come." He shut the phone. The door, it had to be locked. First thing though. He turned and just wrapped his arms around Hakuba. "Kami, I'm being such- such a baby all of a sudden. But you need to know you're not going anywhere. I'm sorry. I didn't know. I'm gonna write up those papers- anyway I have to. Like it or not you have one sorry ass of a father who's not your father anymore- never was- but you've got one hell of a brother."

Saguru choked, not so much from the embrace but the words that went with it. "I was closer... I never knew... no idea... I heard enough..." He released the next breaths in short gasps and wrapped his arms around Kuroba. "He told him what- what to do to me... how to make it look... while I was laying right there..."

Kaito could feel his arms shaking, could only imagine Hakuba's pain. Even freaking Kid had got him at first. He could never understand how his father could have done that to his family- couldn't understand later how he could let it take him away from them too. Hakuba's had had- He'd heard enough himself. "Forget him. He's not worth your time. I swear it, mom won't mind at all. I didn't mean it for any pretty words. I'm- we're gonna make you my brother. Even if we didn't, you're family, you always were." He was still shaking and he couldn't even tell if Hakuba was too, but he just wanted them both to stop feeling so sad and sacred. "If I have to, I'll prove it, every waking second of my life until you believe me. Forget that bastard, my mom isn't coming for just me. You're not alone.

Saguru nodded and took a breath. "Phone. I need to call..." He started to draw back.

Kaito let up a little. The door. They needed to lock it. "Call your mom in a little bit. We have to be quiet." He was more or less standing now, and he felt so sick. The swallowed back on that and tapped Hakuba on the head as he let go all the way. "Get down. I'm getting the lock."

"I intended on calling... Nakamori-keibu." Saguru sunk back to a kneeling position. "He needs to know."

Kaito sorted out laugh. "Kinda what I meant when I talked to my mom." He looked back towards the door and shook his head. "If you're quick. I want is to try and- stay quiet as we can, until we know what's going on at least. Long conversation's for when we get the hell out of here." He held the phone up for Hakuba to take it. "'kay?"

"Of course." Saguru reached for the phone swinging from Kuroba's hand, unless it was that his hand was shaking that much. He dialed the number by heart, glad he had left the phone on the bed and hoped that Nakamori-keibu had retrieved it.

Kaito smiled, going as best as he could to lock the door. He leaned against the wall after to both pull himself together and give Hakuba some space. With a hand up and covering an eye, he took a few more breaths. Even after, he just couldn't get himself back. Something was just- off. But if he could walk, for now, it would be fine. He looked over at Hakuba and watched. Kami, stop being such a child. He needs you.

Nakamori almost missed the light come on his phone that was laying on the bed. He'd been against the wall, watching the others, but at most Aoko was quiet and the runt that ran around crime scenes was talking quietly with Mouri's daughter every now and then. He went over to the phone, looking at the others in the room, and backing off near the door to answer it. He didn't recognize the number. "Hello. Nakamori speaking."

"Na-Nakamori-keibu." Saguru needed to take a breath again. He could not allow the emotion to keep him from this. He would find a place after they were safe.

"What's wrong?" Whatever tone he had, changed when he heard the kid. It became demanding in a 'you-listen-to me-right-now-and-follow-my-orders' kind of way with that same amount of sympathy he would have held to anyone. It was a cop's tone. He didn't know what was wrong but to hell if he ever heard Hakuba-kun stutter without good reason, especially over something as easy as his name.

"I came to the station... to talk to my father. He was with someone... I failed to recognize. It was Vulture... My father is dirty..."

Nakamori didn't get what he was talking about but he went back in the room, motioning for Aoko to get up, trying to be as quiet as he could. 'Station' was the only word he needed to hear but the damned woman from earlier, Kudo's wife, had left and he didn't want to leave these kids alone. He needed to hang up with Hakuba though and call this in, something he couldn't do. He'd had a solution to that. "What happened?" If he was with someone, someone that obviously made the kid think his father was one of the bad ones, the kid had to have been there. What happened to the others? "Are you safe? Still there? Is anyone hurt?"

"Vulture, the man who... shot me yesterday... He was talking with my father... when I walked in. I was speaking to my father... when the other man... knocked me into the desk. I came to enough... to hear the two of them... discussing..." Saguru swallowed. It was still difficult to believe. "My death. My father told him... what he wanted. I was gagged and taken to a bathroom... I do not know what happened after... where my father is... or if he is the only one. Kuroba brought me out of the bathroom... and is with me. He is shaking too. We are in the empty office... by the fire escape... same floor as my... father's office. Kuroba-san is on her way... via the fire escape. We need to get away from here... and my father needs to be found."

"Don't worry. He will be." Nakamori was sure of it and while Aoko was still getting up and taking her time for some reason. He went over to her and bent down. "I'll have to call you back" He was gonna use the phone but he wanted a way to contact her if he needed and she was taking too long. "Listen. Stay together. I'll have this number now." His phone would anyway. "Don't you dare go doing anything stupid. I'll be there as soon as I can. Need to call this in." He held the mouthpiece covered, turning to Aoko but keeping the phone so he could still hear the kid. "Aoko, I've got to go. No matter what I don't want you opening this door for anyone you don't know and trust. If anything happens I need you to call me. Understand?"

Aoko nodded. "OK, Tousan" Something was wrong. This wasn't the same way he had asked her to stay with Kazuha-chan. "I'll lock it right after you leave."

"Do not say anything... about the others there... and make certain you trust them."

"Kid, don't preach to the choir. I'll call you back when I'm through." Nakamori was up and going for the door. His car had a siren; he'd just never had any use for it besides chasing Kid. Now he was glad for it and glad he was probably one of the best street racers out there because of it. "I'm hanging up with you now - Aoko, door - and you make sure you do your damned best to stay safe."

Saguru nodded into the phone before speaking. "One of us... will pick up."

Aoko stayed right behind her father and as soon as he was through she closed it and slid the chain into place. "Be safe."

Nakamori did what he didn't ever remember doing in his life, he called the superintendent as he got to his car, going over everyone's heads. There wasn't time and he told the story that he'd gotten from the kid, making sure that there was no way that the man was going anywhere. There'd be people on him from the superintendent's office in seconds. Now he just had to get there for the kid.

Kaito looked over at Hakuba from his position near the door. He decided to stay. He still had the gun, and if he needed to, this was the best place to be. He tried to smile but couldn't really do it. "I told you, that guy isn't your father." Maybe this time he did get it up to 'smile' worthy. "The guy you just hung up with I'm betting would go through hell to get you- or me- and not because he's a cop. He's more like your dad than that guy, and if you call him that again, I'm gonna make you regret it." Okay, maybe he was grinned a bit more now but it didn't reach his eye. "Sparkles in your hair and makeup that will never come off sound like a good way to do that."

Saguru swallowed and looked over to meet Kuroba's eye. "So what do I call him? It has always been that as a reference or sir when I addressed him." Saguru looked away. He could not dwell on him, at the very least, not until they were safe. Using the form he was use to helped keep the reality away. For how much longer he was not sure.

Chikage smiled as she climbed the stairs outside the building with ease, grace and silence. 'Like riding a bike.' Reaching the window and glimpsing the two boys she unlocked and opened the window, slipping into the room.

"Hakuba," Kaito mutter as he closed his eyes. "You're such an idiot, anyone ever tell you that? Sure, by blood the guy might be your dad." Kaito heard and watched his mom enter, keeping Hakuba's focus on him. "But he's no different than he was before. He was never out to help you, right? I've never seen him and I've been around you loads. A name and blood mean nothing here. Me," Kaito tipped his head towards her. "And my mom, now we're a different story, and I know you didn't have words like 'family' to put to us before."

Saguru shook his head, catching Kuroba's motion and looking behind him to see Kuroba-san there. He should not have been surprised that he had not heard her enter, considering neither of them had managed to unlock the window. "That must run in the family-" Saguru paused and could only hope that the same would not hold true for him and the man that had attempted to have him murdered.

She swept forward. "OK, let's go. You're both coming with me." She patted Hakuba-kun on the shoulder and looked toward the other, a soft smile on her face. "Let's not make this long. We should head outside now."

"I know." Kaito looked at the door, still careful, and went over towards them, still not steady. He waved them off towards the window though because Hakuba needed her more than he did right now. That didn't stop him looking back up at the detective with a smile. "If it does run in the family, you'll get the hang of it sooner or later. Can't say you'll ever be as good as me, everyone is different based on how they grew up with and I was taught by the best." Stupid detective. Kaito shook his head as little as he could so he could stay on his feet as he headed towards them "Even so, we are who we choose to be. You know that. Don't forget it."

She supported Hakuba-kun and started to move when he stopped and looked back.

"Come on. You were as shaky as me and I am not leaving you behind. I told you that already." Saguru reached out his hand toward Kuroba and refused to move.

Kaito walked forward and took his hand, a smile there. He squeezed for a second, 'I've got your back too', before taking another step forward. "Come on then, slow poke. Any slower and the dinos will catch back up." Hakuba needed him, and maybe Kaito though- at the moment- falling off the side of the railing by accident wasn't the best idea.

She guided the two boys out onto the fire escape and carefully down, catching, holding or steadying when needed but they seemed determined to get the other away and when they reached the bottom Chikage pulled Kaito to her in a brief hug.

Kaito felt and enjoyed his mom's arms around him. He smiled to her, just happy for everything right now. Safe. Now please... stay safe. He leaned up and kissed her on the cheek, dragging Hakuba forward. "You're other son too. Made him a promise, I'm keeping it. We've got a new member in the family." He smiled to her, a tad more like his own than the others had been. 'You didn't catch me, Hakuba. It seems I caught you- and I'm not letting go.'

Saguru bowed his head slightly when Kuroba pulled him forward. Kuroba-san was not aware of any of what had happened so how could she simply-... He felt her hug him and looked over at Kuroba before putting his free arm slowly around her.

Kaito saw Hakuba look over at him and smiled. That was more than he could have hoped from mister repression, and he was glad. He was also very out of it and didn't know what was happening, inside or out. All he knew was he wanted to get somewhere safe. Where that was, given everything that happened, he didn't really know.

Chikage pulled back slightly and looked at them. "OK, what happened and why did you have to slip out the window?" All she knew was shortly after the phone call she had seen the man someone addressed as 'Hakuba-san' and she took that combined with Kaito's statement to mean the man had either brushed the boy off or was downright rude. A small commotion followed next but she had to set about making the distraction and had left before hearing what had happened. Whatever was bothering them to need to use the fire escape to get away and be acting like this must have been much worse than a simple fight.

"Same thing that keeps happen," Kaito spoke, having to blink a lot and holding back on being sick still. "Someone tried killing a detective." He was still not steady, half the time not even sure of what he was doing, but he put his hand on Hakuba's shoulder and shook him a little with a smile. "But- over and done with." He looked over at his mom, pushing Hakuba a bit more, this time so he couldn't see his face. His mom and him shared the same skill. He mouthed 'his dad' and then just shook his head. Afterwards Kaito shook Hakuba a bit more so he didn't think something was up, smile back on his face. "Man, all you have needed rescuing now. You're wearing even me out- and don't you dare apologize," he added as an afterthought, thinking that the detective might, for some stupid reason, do that.

Saguru closed his mouth and sighed as Kuroba finished his sentence. He had intended to do just that as well as thank him. Kuroba had saved his life. Suddenly he realized he was going to be sick. He backed up slightly and took a step toward the side of the building behind a dumpster, waving to the others to stay where they were.

Chikage couldn't believe it. She knew she had read it right but still. He had been downstairs and couldn't have been up there at the same time. It didn't make sense. When the young man in question stepped away and waved them off to step behind a dumpster she turned to her son by birth. "Tell me how when I saw him just seconds after I got off the phone with you."

Kaito closed his eyes and looked away, swallowing hard. "You really have to do that right now, don't you?" They were still like, right there, so he had to keep a look out in case, but with everything so swirly and his stomach was starting to cramp. He leaned against the building and followed it, sitting down. Only when he thought he could talk without being sick too did he answer her. "Earlier, there was a man, and that kid that we brought with us. Hattori got scared up pretty good and that officer that was at our house was in the hospital. I guess his dad must of known him or something. It wasn't until he'd gotten on the phone and talked to Nakamori-ojisan that I even knew who the guy had been." Kaito closed his eyes and head his head against the wall for a moment before watching again. "Last thing I heard his dad say was he needed an alibi, so there's no reading that the wrong way. I grabbed up Hakuba from the other guy, but I didn't do it in a quiet or non-attention-grabbing way, and I don't know how else was working with them. So we have to be careful right now."

Chikage shook her head slowly in disbelief but she knew better than to doubt Kaito. "Here," she pulled out a handkerchief and passed it to him. "We can leave as soon as possible, but we won't get far if he's like this."

Saguru was fighting to have the strength to brace himself upright. He tried to focus, knowing that he had to distance himself from his fa-... From that man. He would have preferred lasting until he was somewhere else, or at least been able to move further from them as he had obviously affected Kuroba. He took a shaky breath, trying to calm himself down.

Kaito looked at Hakuba and passed the cloth back. "He knows he's got a friend he'll never get ride of. What he needs is a parent."

Chikage took the cloth back and glanced at Hakuba. "You know I'll be there but shouldn't we call his mom too? At least let her know?"

"I don't know her number, and right now, I think it would be better if he talked to her. He'll call her on his own- I accidentally brought it up inside. Wait until he can." Kaito smiled. "She's not really in Japan and I don't know her. I think it would be kinda weird if she got a call from me."

Damashi cursed. 'The stupid idiot. Shooting without a silencer. Now I really don't know what's going on. He just had to get involved and unless I play this right I get exposed. DAMN IT.' He pressed up against the back of the building and wiped his forehead. 'He'd better of delivered enough blows it shows that it started after I left.'

Nakamori pulled out his phone, pulling up. He wasn't the only cop that had come and he saw other cars, other cars that weren't from this station. Crap. It wasn't until he thought that that he noticed how fucked up this was. Cops going after other cops. He shook his head, taking out his phone and calling back the last incoming number.

His mom could be the most annoying persistent person in the world, snooping into everything she wanted. Seeing her just standing there when Hakuba had to feel Kami knows how awful and had no parents to come help him- well, his mom frankly ticked him off. He took the cloth back from her, standing up on unsteady feet. Who cared? He'd be sitting back down anyway. Whatever was wrong with him he hoped it would go away. He went toward Hakuba, swallowing for a second and calming his stomach the best he could before going over and patting the guy on the shoulder, handing the cloth over. "Here. Wipe your face."

Saguru raised his head slightly and held out his hand at the same time he heard a ring tone from his pocket. He grabbed the phone and hit the button but sighed and passed it to Kuroba. "You take it."

'Can't be...' He listened after the ring tone and heard a voice he wasn't suppose to hear again.

"Sure. My phone anyway." Kaito hit the answer button and put it to his ear. "The one and only Kuroba Kaito speaking- bringer of the sunny days and the color orange, how can I help you?"

Nakamori let out a gruff laugh at the person answering the phone. Hakuba-kun said he was somewhere nearby though he'd heard nothing of Chikage. The boy kidding around like that did lighten is spirits a bit though. "Where are you?"

"South by South, take a left at the third street and if you pass go you've gone too far." Kaito couldn't help it and his own antic made him smile. "Around back," he said after a few seconds.

"Good. Stay there." He hung up the phone, shaking his head and going around back. Stupid kid- kids. He didn't know what they were doing or what had happened, but both were involved. However different he thought the two were, that line was long gone by now.

Kaito heard the line disconnect and pocketed the phone with a smile. "Feeling better?"

'Not really... but I will be.' "Some." Saguru took a few breaths and straightened. He had to move, Kuroba would be far too stubborn to accept help if he thought he needed it. "Which way is... Nakamori-keibu coming from?"

"No idea. He took a wrong turn at albacurky," Kaito said, smiling a little more. "I didn't ask. I guess whichever way he wants."

"How is it that it does not... surprise me that you can... reference 'Looney Toons'. Although it is... properly pronounced 'Albuquer-." Saguru suddenly felt he was being watched and looked around to see nothing.

Hakuba reacting that way had Kaito immediately tense. He stayed perfectly still, looking around. "Go by my mom." He kept his words quiet but his tone dead-set.

'He's moving toward the woman... hmmmm.' Damashi drew his gun and sighted. He didn't care which one he hit and this gun was fitted with a silencer. He sent off three quick shots, letting one hit the wall in the opposite direction at the wall and two at leg height.

"Kuroba-san!" Saguru hurried the rest of the way to her only to feel a sharp pain but he ignored it in favor or reaching the woman who had jerked and hissed in pain.

Kaito saw the direction and that was all he needed. His mom knew what danger looked like, she'd be able to protect Hakuba. He flashed around the corner at the person who he thought would be there, his own gun at the ready. He did what he had the last time- didn't give the guy time to think. He shot himself, his own gun a lot louder that the other bullets had been.

Nakamori heard the gunshots and that did it. His rushed walking was now a run towards the noise, not having more than a basic direction but knowing where to head for.

'The other boy has a gun of his own. Glad I aimed this way or I'd be dead. He's at the other end of the alley now… and the woman's moving him toward me.'

Chikage cursed when Kaito took off for the corner but she knew she couldn't reach him. When Hakuba-kun reached her she pulled him to the other side of her and hurried toward the other end of the passage, using force to stop his protests as he tried to head back. Just as they reached the corner she heard a gunshot. Heard one. 'Kaito...' She turned to look behind her, hoping he was OK.

When Kuroba-san had grabbed him and begun moving him to the opposite end of the alley he tried to go back. This time, however, her grip seemed firmer and steadier. He could not halt her or turn and head back. Hearing a full gunshot he managed to turn at the same time Kuroba-san had. She kept her hand on his chest pushing him further back. "Kuro-" He felt a hand rest on his shoulder but before he could turn he heard the last thing he wanted right now.

"Hello son." He swung his gun, delivering a glancing blow. He couldn't carry but he could control someone that was not quite unconscious. "No sense killing you now but I can't let you walk away. Best I can do is set us up as a double kidnapping. To bad they made an example of you before I escaped." He started back toward a door to the next building.

Kaito saw his mistake, though the gunshot would draw attention. The guy was playing him. Nakamori had to have called the cops but he was not going to let some guy get away with dragging Hakuba off again, this time in front of him. Kid was not one to be messed with and he had all his stuff now, plus a new and very deadly toy. Illusion was the trick. He grabbed his card gun, hiding out of sight as if he'd continued on. He quickly attached a speaker to a card and shot it off and past them, embedding into the wall. Bringing the small mic up to his mouth, he spoke, several different deep voices, talking about a gunshot and that one of them saw an officer head back there. He was not going to give the guy a chance to play dumb and say he'd only just arrived or something. Run now, I'm right here, right in front of you. 'We'll get you', trailed his thoughts. He grinned. You really shouldn't have messed with him by my mom. Then Kid did what he was great at, disappearing as he slipped into a window and made his way to the other side somewhere he couldn't be watched. Please, just stall him.

Chikage saw Kaito continue on but that didn't make sense... until she heard the voices behind her and turned. She turned and saw a man she had heard addressed as 'Hakuba-san' by other officers with one hand holding a gun and the other on the side of Hakuba-kun's neck while the teen not only looked further out of it but he was on one knee. "What do you think you're doing to him?" She wished she hadn't made her earlier distraction so big. She hadn't known why and had used both of her things in sequence.

Damashi whipped around but didn't see anyone... yet. He heard others responding. 'How did they see me?' His arm lowed and he realized the boy had fallen. He adjusted his grip when the woman turned and called out to him. "Sorry ma'am. You're in the wrong place at the wrong time." He pulled hard to keep his son there for a second before he fired at the woman and, while he was surprised she had dodged the bullet, he reached behind him and opened the door. Firing off another, he grabbed the collar of the kid's shirt and backed into the doorway, forcing the disoriented teen to follow or choke himself, ignoring the woman's words and just trying to hit her as all his plans were shot.

Kaito didn't bother with doors. Why should he? There was a window right in front of him and there were enough cops running all over the place. He wasn't going to waste time so he just broke through it, falling with the broken glass. He heard the gunshots and went to see his mom- he had a place then. Forgoing the door and using the fight as a distraction, he used his elbow and broke one of the further windows in, slipping in the place as silently as he could.

Nakamori had no idea what was going on but he could tell the sounds of a silencer when he heard them. He ran but barely saw the person in the doorway and Chikage far too out in the open and getting fired at. "Get down!" He ran at her to try and move her- push her out of the way- anything. The kid had already lost his father, and Nakamori had no plans on dying- he wasn't going to let her just sit there in the open.

Chikage heard him yell and realized she had to stop dodging so effortlessly so she dropped down and to the side. "Hakuba-kun!" She had to redirect his attention. She wasn't the one in danger, he was.

'Damn it.' Damashi yanked hard, drawing a cough as he pulled them both through and slammed the door shut, shoving the deadbolt in place. He turned to see him panting on the floor. He emptied the last two from his silenced gun at the boy's arms, drawing nothing more than a hiss each. "That's one thing you learned. You should have either stayed out of our business or died. I suppose I can fix that myself." He knelt down beside the bleeding form.

Nakamori saw the door close and went for it, turning the knob and shaking it, not getting anything. "Chikage, go get back up!" He didn't have time and there were a bunch of the main office's force here. He turned the handle, putting his full weight into it, to try and knock the door in.

Chikage stood. Knowing that it was up to Kaito, Ginzo-kun and whoever else she could find. "I will." She turned but called back. "That man is only Hakuba-kun's father by blood, that doesn't give him the right to spill it."

Those words made Nakamori try harder. Of course it didn't. Who the hell would think it would?

Yui stepped onto the sidewalk of a station after hearing about a dirty cop. She looked back at Kansuke. She was about to ask him what he felt about the lack of further contact when a gunshot rang out.

Kansuke was up and ready to move when he heard the noise. He could be fast but he wasn't fast enough to chase down an aslant. "Go." He could organize the others. Half of the cops there looked like they were running around without their heads.

Yui had crouched but nodded, heading down the alley, following voices and footsteps. She came across a woman who immediately waved to her.

Damashi grabbed his son and held him up by the neck. "I guess I can do what he did, killing the one that I will claim killed him."

Saguru was already short of breath when he felt the hands around his throat. He weakly reached up to pull the hands away but he was tired and looked his fathe-... No, Kuroba was right. He wasn't. His hands slipped from the man holding him as he blacked out with one question that this time would not be answered. 'Why?'

Even inside, Kaito could hear the noises. The panting, the harsh words, the noise of the gun, all lead him to where he wanted. He thought as he went, already knowing his immediate reaction was to bring the man down and gas was not fast enough. A thought hit him as he moved. Kid- with the power to kill, was no thief... he was the world's greatest assassin. And he would use those skills now. The upset stomach went away, the dizziness was gone. He came on a sight that he just couldn't stand to see. Hakuba was out, not moving, and the other guy was there, standing over him and the reason behind it. No thought went into the action. He drew the gun in a fluid motion, never leaving the shadows, and shot twice- one at the man's head, the other where the human heart would be if this man had one.

Yui heard the sound of a double gunshot. "Damn. We don't even know if he's near the door or not."

Nakamori shook his head. "That was close." He nodded to the new woman. He didn't know here but there weren't many people to trust. "Hold the knob so I can hit it harder."

"Forget that..." She pulled her weapon, having felt on the last hit where it was catching. She emptied her clip and hoped it was enough. "Let's try it now."

Kaito heard the shots, some breaking through the door, but he had no time to worry about that. Hakuba wasn't breathing. He'd done it in practice but this was the first time he actually had to do something like this- He didn't care. He moved over him, trying to breath for the detective. The bleeding had to be taken care of, but later. If there was no oxygen to the brain for too long, stopping the bleeding would be pointless. It was almost methodical how he went about it, but he knew he was doing everything right. Come on, Hakuba.

Nakamori took the handle after she'd warped the bolt and broke the door in, going for his gun in his coat only- Kaito-kun? It took him a few milliseconds to analysis the scene and he went to the downed man, shaking his head. There wasn't even any point in check him- he was good and dead. He looked up, but there was no point in stopping Kaito-kun either. He couldn't see the boy's face but he'd somehow gotten here first, knew how to take care of the situation, and he wasn't going to damn Hakuba-kun by trying to take over. "Stand down," he ordered the woman behind him, as off the clock and in a different division as he was. She didn't know Kaito-kun and he needed his orders followed. "Call an ambulance."

Yui recognized both boys from before and that meant the man had to have been the father to one of them. She called in the ambulance then called Kansuke, not wanting to leave the scene.

"Chikage!" Nakamori called as he stood. Kaito-kun was doing right, but he needed to be taken out of here. Hakuba needed help and he needed to get them both out of this room.

'I won't ask how he knew I was here.' Chikage hurried the rest of the way, breaking from the man that she had more or less allowed to restrain her. "Ginzo-kun... is he?" She looked and didn't bother hiding her shock.

"Get your son." Hakuba-kun was still out of it, as far as he could tell, and he needed Kaito-kun to move. "Come on. Let me see him. I'll help him."

"Kaito. Come on... let him try."

Kaito looked up, eyes dark. He moved Hakuba back, time ticking. He could care less about the exact time on a normal basis, but now the seconds were costing and he couldn't ignore them. He swallowed back on his fear- he couldn't let it control him. Hakuba needed to wake up. There was a spark there, and old anger, and it moved through the new calm like fresh water. "Idiot!" He shouted at the detective. "What the hell was that not leaving me this time? Wake up!" He wasn't going to give up. He knew he was doing it just as well as the Inspector could. If Hakuba died, it would be on his hands.

Nakamori put a hand on Kaito-kun's shoulder. "Move. Now. Or I make you. You don't have to do this."

Kaito had to move the man's hand to continue, looking up for just a moment. "No." That was all he said and all he could say. When he came back up for more air, and Hakuba moved just the tiniest bit on his own, drawing in air, all that tension left him. He felt the fatigue come over him just as fast, having to replace it with that same steadfast certainty that he had last time. He took off his shirt without thinking, drawing out his box cutter. Hakuba was bleeding and he needed to stop that too now.

Chikage reached forward toward her son but stopped part way and moved to in front of Ginzo-kun. "Let him do this. Just be ready when he's done."

"Stupid kid shouldn't have to," Nakamori said back quietly. "You know this is gonna mess with his head." Anyone's. The fact that it was Kaito-kun all the more so. He took in the room and it's original three occupants. "Hakuba-kun, was he conscious when he was brought in here? I couldn't tell."

"Yes. He looked disoriented, more so than before. I have to think he was hit again. He was choking when... that," She motioned with her hand, "Dragged him in. I was looking him right in the eyes."

Nakamori nodded. Kaito-kun was wrapping up Hakuba's arms. The Inspector had seen he was bleeding but Kaito-kun seemed to intent on what he was doing- and doing it very well for his age, but he had a question and a request. He held out his hand. "Where'd you get it and give me the gun." This... thing was the right word, had his hanging out and obvious. It had obviously not been moved since he had fallen. The only other option was there was another gun and only one other person who could be holding it.

Kaito grabbed the gun out of his pants where he'd put it and handed it over as he reached over Hakuba and fixed up the other wrap, setting it up like Hattori's had been, pressure under the wrapping to stop the bleeding. "It was Takagi-keiji's. He dropped it, I picked it up. Forgot to give it back."

Nakamori put the gun inside his coat, tipping his head to the woman as another man he didn't know, and looked like he was hurt himself, came up behind her. "Go tell the ambulance where to come."

Kansuke looked at the scene in front of him and tipped his head. "You're faster than me. I'll only slow you down. Listen to him." He looked at the other inspector, regarding him the dignity of someone he didn't know but wouldn't underestimate.

Yui looked at him and nodded than glanced over at the boy who had preformed mouth to mouth and was now binding the others injuries. "I see why Conan-kun is friends with these two. Knowledge beyond their years." She hurried out and toward the sidewalk to wave down the ambulance.

Kansuke leaned on the crutch and looked in. "Kid, you know you're gonna catch your death the minute you step outside. Best you go in the ambulance with him then too, I guess. Warm in there at least and you'll get a ride. You're going with these two, too, right? Guess there's no room for me." He waved his good hand with a smile and stepped out. "No reason to be in there then. I'm going to go wait outside. We'll send the medics in." He didn't know them, but this was something he would have to be stupid for intruding on, so he backed out of the room.

Nakamori shook his head. Who the hell was that and what the hell was he talking about? He looked back at the other two as Kaito-kun finished. The boy didn't meet his eyes, too focused on looking at Hakuba-kun. "He won't wake up because you're staring at him. You helped him, back off and give him some room now."

"No," Kaito said, far more quietly than he had the first time. He was breathing- but if it happened again... Hattori took practically all he had to deal with- to help. He didn't know what he could do for any effects this would have had on Hakuba. He was his friend, but he was nothing like Tantei-kun and he needed Hakuba to wake up- to know that he could get better. Everyone... Every. Single. One of his 'friends' was getting hurt, and he hadn't been able to do more that prevent things from going further- he couldn't stop the damage. He could so easily be too late one of these times- maybe he was too late now. He shook Hakuba's shoulder. How much damage had he not been able to stop that he couldn't see? Just- wake up. "Hey. Hakuba. It's me. Wake up." He shook him a bit harder. "Wake up. I hear there's a shortage of tea. If you don't get up now, your snotty little butt won't get any every again."

Chikage stepped beside her son and placed her arms around him from the side. "Come here." She pulled him close to her. "You did great. He was already really out of it so maybe he just needs some time to anchor himself again."

Kaito grabbed his mother's sleeve, leaning against her for a moment. Then he let go and tugged her closer to Hakuba. "Don't- freaking- ignore me this time. I know you're my mom- I know you care- his can't be here... please." Kaito felt his grip on reality slipping but he refused to let it. Stupid detective going and thinking he was dead for passing out. The fight was a hard one though- and he was definitely going to be sick now, when he had the chance. Without thinking, and still waiting for his mom to do something, he patted the detective on the forehead. "I can't always be the strong one, but for now, I guess I can manage. Just wake up so I know you're here."

'I am. It just hurts...' He felt a hand on his forehead and decided a little more pain was nothing. Kuroba needed him. He shifted his head a little toward the touch when he felt another on the side of his face.

"No sooner said than done. He must hear us or at least felt you." She held her hand toward herself for a moment. "He's crying too."

"Gezz Hakuba," Kaito said lightly with a smile. "You can cry if you want. Guess you can't really move though." He scratched the side of his head with a finger before moving, sliding out of his mother's hold, half on his side so he was half sitting and half laying and hugged Hakuba the same way his mom had him. "You can be upset, anyone would be. It's not cowardice to show it, it's weakness to try and hide it- so stop it already, baka."

Saguru smiled briefly and tried to turn his head, wincing but nodding. His breath caught but then he stopped and just leaned as much toward Kuroba as he could and let the tears flow freely. He had been handed over to be murdered only for the same man to shoot him three times and then strangle him.

If he was tired, and Hakuba was right there, why not let his eyes close? He still didn't know why he was tired, but his head hurt and if got the sickness to go away, all the better. Just had to make sure he was... up... when they... took Hakuba. His- his mom... oh yeah. "Stay," he ordered both of them. "With him- I wake up- and you're not- I swear I'll start getting you guys too. Sparkly... hair... and all..."

Nakamori felt his lip twitch up in a smile, but only for a second. He put his hand on Hakuba-kun's shoulder. "Kid I'm not going anywhere. Not before, not now. The ambulance will be here soon." He looked down at Kaito-kun, not knowing how more messed up the kid could get. Three times now, three different cases, and Kaito-kun was right in the middle of all of them. He went to meet Chikage's eyes. "Where did he get all these scars? There's no way they're new." He'd never see Kaito-kun without a shirt on, not like the others or before. The boy was marked up, all different, and none of them from the last few days. He wanted to how and why.

Chikage closed her eyes for a moment and gave a shake of her head. "I would guess, like Toichi sometimes, attempting new tricks that didn't quite work. Kaito has been following in his footsteps as you well know." She ghosted her hand over the two boys, Hakuba-kun still with fresh tears falling but she wasn't sure if he was listening to them or not.

Nakamori nodded. He could see the kid, without his dad to tell him he was a fool, trying things out of he league. He hadn't really seen the boy perform anything big, but there was one thing his friend and the boy did not share, Toichi knew where to draw the line. With Kaito-kun, the line either moved where he wanted it too or it wasn't there at all. He looked back down at Hakuba-kun, shaking his head slightly. Poor kid. Nakamori tightened his hold on the boy's shoulder as a reassurance. "Hurts, Hakuba-kun. I know." But if there's one thing you can't stop it's life from happening. All you can do it move with the blows. For some, life is easy. For others, you get shit like this. "While you're in Japan, even after you leave, you're mine- gotta have a guardian after all. First order of business, you are going at staying at the hospital, the local one. There are good people there and I'm gonna be there to make sure of you. Any help they say you need, you're getting. End of story." He wasn't sure if the kid was up, knew he had to be a bit disoriented, but he should be there enough to hear him.

Chikage smiled. "Kaito already called him a part of the family. I just hope that word-" Chikage looked up when she heard footsteps outside. Her eyes hardened and see shifted to face the door, extending an arm between whoever was coming and the two boys. No one was coming near these boys if she didn't want them to.

Yui led the men bringing the stretcher toward where she had left the others, seeing Kansuke outside the door. She hoped he wasn't there to tell them they were too late.

Kansuke grabbed Yui aside when she showed up with a wave of his fingers. He wanted to know what had happened inside, and he'd grab too much attention, not to mention that the boy needed an ambulance and they needed to sort things out. If it weren't for all the TV broadcasts he wouldn't have even known the other division inspector. What were they doing here and what had happened- and what did people not want to share? Yui was good at these kinds of things and he whispered that he wanted to know as much when she came over and he waved the techs inside.

He and his partner went through the door that the man waved them only to slow at the look he received from the two people that were not on the ground.

Nakamori looked at the medics as they came in. He was wary, but he'd also dealt with the local hospital more than once and he had enough faith in them. "Chikage, you have to move Kaito-kun." He was on the wrong side and the place wasn't that big. He stood up himself and moved back, seeing the equally wary look in her eye. His voice took on a different tone, one he'd only had to use with her once, years ago. "Hakuba-kun needs real medical attention. Move you're son and let them do their job." He could grab the boy after and they could follow, but right now they were just in the way.

He waited as the woman eyed him once more before leaning down and wrapping her arms around one of the boys. 'So the other one is the one we're here for.' He moved forward slightly as she started to pull that teen from the other. "Can either of you tell me what happened?"

Nakamori nodded. He could tell easily enough from the wounds, but he had to assume the rest. "Hakuba Saguru," he said as he nodded to the kid. "He should have hospital records somewhere. He just got out for a burn on his back so be careful." And he made that sound more like a threat than a demand. "Two bullets wounds I could see, his arms." He had no idea where exactly the kid had been hit or what damage had been done. He did remember Chikage's words though, when she had assumed he already knew. "Been hit in the head a few times. Now get him the hell out of here and get him some help. Do whatever you need to - whatever," he stressed, but if there was someone he really didn't feel like yelling at, it was the guys about to help the kid.

Chikage left setting the medics straight to Ginzo-kun as she moved behind Kaito and slid her arms along his to ease them away from Hakuba-kun and toward her. "Come on, Kaito. They need to get to Hakuba-kun."

Kaito closed his eyes and swallowed. When had he-? He didn't shake his head, knowing better, but he did feel the numbness that came with sleep on him as he fidgeted, trying to get to his feet. He had a horrible headache, but he needed to do something- and fast. And he couldn't get to his feet because of his mom and his own stupid balance as the world tried to right itself from the sudden movement. He didn't trust himself to speak yet, knowing he was going to be sick sooner or later, so he just shook his head, putting his hand on her leg since it was easiest. Hm. Where'd he leave that stupid car? How did he get here again, did he have it? Kaito couldn't remember, but he was fine with a cab. He needed to get up and he needed to do it now. He hoped his mom could understand whatever mixed signals he was giving her as that.

Chikage pulled him enough away that one of the medics got beside Hakuba-kun and began checking him. "Kaito?" She tried to see his face but it was difficult at this angle so she just supported him as best she could. "You sure you can stand?" she asked quietly.

Kaito heard the words, though everything was still a bit black and fuzzy. He had no doubt about the answer though. "Yeah-" He swallowed. Okay, he could talk, he just had to be careful. "Don't let him think I left- don't leave him." He went into his pockets before he came out with the stolen phone. "I accidentally found this, but you can return it for me- I keep forgetting. Maybe hold onto it for a bit longer so I can call you." His mom may have had his second phone's number, because he may have called her with it, but right now he couldn't remember something so stupid and he really had been forgetting to turn the other phone in. Kill two birds with- ah, bad analogy. He handed it to her though and got himself standing- with her help. Okay now, he came here with his mom- he hadn't taken the car. Taxi it was then.

He knelt down and nodded. 'Two GSWs, one to each arm- already wrapped, good move. Multiple blows to the head...' He pulled out a pen light and lifted the left eyelid, shining the light in. "Hakuba-kun, are you able to move?" The response to the light was slow in both eyes but relatively even. "Get that over here and lower it. We need to move him now." He moved over to the teen's head and slipped his arms underneath his shoulders. 'Why does that name sound familiar?'

Chikage took the phone and pocketed it. "I won't but you better meet us as soon as you can." She placed a quick kiss to the side of his head.

"I'll be the wind if I have to," and he meant that in a whole other sense of the word only she would understand. "I need to do something. Whatever you do, make sure he knows I didn't just leave." Kaito paused for a moment, his vision and balance much better. He looked her in the eye. "And be a mom for him. Don't let him get away with anything you wouldn't let me- that's not fair." And that was all he needed to say as he took off- running just because it felt nice to do it and the cooler wind on his face felt great. Forget cabs, he could get there faster another way.

Chikage smiled sadly. 'I'm sure you will be, especially with you using it.' She looked back over at Hakuba-kun as they moved to lift him onto the lowered stretcher then glanced over at Ginzo-kun.

Nakamori saw Kaito-kun take off but Hakuba-kun took most of his attention. Just the way the medics were talking had him scared- and if there was anything he hated it was being scared. Anything the kid needed, he'd find a way to get it to him. He'd also need to get on the phone while they were waiting at the hospital because this needed to get out and it needed to get out now. If he wasn't going with, and Hakuba-kun wasn't right there he'd be on the phone right now. But the kid was, so with that as it was, it could wait. The other one knew pretty much what happened, and he'd let someone else take care of this god-forsaken mess.

Yui watched as they lifted the boy up, having moved in and to the side when the other boy took off. Everyone dealt with things in their own way and she supposed he needed a moment to himself and she didn't blame him. She noticed a long dark area on the ground right where the teen's left leg had been. "Was he moved before? That looks like-" She heard the medic that had lifted his legs curse.

The woman from earlier speaking up and the noise made Nakamori's stomach drop but he didn't show it. The kid was still on the ground so he patted his shoulder reassuringly, if it meant anything or not he didn't care, and looked over at them. There was blood all around the room and it wasn't until when they went to move Hakuba that he noticed this particular stain. The kid had been hit again. Nakamori bared his teeth, turning to Chikage and all the shots that had been fired off when he saw her. "Were you hit too?" His voice was guff with something but he wasn't sure if it was anger or emotion.

Chikage was glad Kaito had already left before he had seen this. Hearing Ginzo-kun's question, she shook her head. "No. A few were close but that's it. Why?" She watched as the medics placed the teen on the stretcher and one of them started to cut the pant leg from the ankle to the knee. The dark material fell away to reveal the blood that had streaked and pooled between the leg itself and the pants.

"Because," Nakamori spoke, looking at the kid but no doubt his words were pointed at her. "You're the kind of person who likes to hide things, especially since Kaito-kun was right here. With Hakuba-kun hurt, you're also the kind of person to completely forget you were hurt. I saw those bullets." Only then did he turn to look at her. "I'll ask again, are you hurt?"

"Well, I did feel like something skimmed my leg and actually startled me but that's when everything started going crazy." She looked down and touched her left leg. There was a small tear in the pant leg but she didn't see any blood. "That's the closest any came."

Nakamori looked back at Hakuba-kun again. "Wanted to make sure. The devil knows I didn't get the chance to look at Kaito-kun before he took off." He had no idea where the boy had even come from. Chikage had had him though. "Was he hurt? I didn't see anything, but it was hard to tell."

"Nothing further physically. I think he needed to clear his head after all this. You know he'll find us at the hospital. Nothing will keep him away." Chikage watched as the medic just wrapped the leg tightly in a sheet and signal, both raising the stretcher together and heading out the door.

Nakamori needed no words. They brought the kid up, he went with him. He really wanted to know what had happened, how it had happened. There'd be time later, and if there wasn't, why the hell should he care when the kid was bleeding all over the place and just had- Nakamori had to take a breath. Hakuba-kun's safety had never been about it being his responsibility. He was a person, he needed help, and if the driver wasn't fast enough, he'd jump the hell out and drive the damned thing himself.

Kaito had to run a few blocks down. There was no way he wanted to be spotted with the glider so close to the station and with all the cops. He didn't know what kind of building he ended up at because he took the emergency stairs from the alley he ran down. His head was still bothering him and his energy came and went almost in waves, but it wasn't like it could stop him. Even when he got to the room, and then the air, he didn't feel... right? He knew what he was doing and why, but it was almost like he couldn't focus on it. Maybe he was still in denial or something, even though he wasn't. Hakuba had to be feeling a million times worse so he shook off trying to look into it. As long as he could move, he didn't care. The glider was a lot faster than any car as he touched down on top of the hotel. It still felt like to took way too long. The cape and gilder were gone seconds later, and he used the roof access hatch to get back down, using the elevator. He still had the cardkey, so there was no reason to knock, but he did so softy before he came in anyway. Hell, he would have been scared still and he wasn't coming to do that. He let the door click softly behind him and took a breath before walking in. Kaito went in between the bed, staring at Hattori because he had to talk to him first, the others second. Kazuha was still sleeping and wrapped around him, but he'd wake her if he had to. "Hattori, I haven't told you everything." Mostly because he wasn't ready for it, but also just because he decided not to- they all needed the rest.

Heiji had been feeling strange for awhile, much like when he was awake in the hospital before that security guard had come in. The door clicking had caused him to tense further but with Ran there no one could touch Kudo or any of them. When Aoko-san had relaxed and he saw it was Kuroba he had tried to relax but that wasn't happening, especially when he came over to him. "Wha' happened? Where-... Wai', what?"

"I wasn't part of it, really, but I was there when the other guy showed up- you had been asking- when Hakuba had gotten hurt. I didn't stick around but Takagi-keiji was hurt when I saw him. He was taken away in an ambulance. Odds are if anything happened though, I figured we would have found out." Kaito shrugged a little. "I think he's fine, but I don't know."

That made him feel sick... well, sicker. "Tha's why-... I gotta call 'im. Somethin' ain' righ'." If Takagi-keiji had been hurt by that bastard and was taken to a hospital while he was still missing it must have been bad, he was sure he wouldn't just leave him. If his bad feeling was because of him getting worse or something all because he hadn't gotten there to warn them…

Conan didn't move, his eyes though had cataloged several things and his voice was even when he spoke, seeing Hattori become far more restless than he had been even earlier. "Stay still, Hattori. If he wanted to, he could have told us that at any time." His eyes went to Kid's and the oddities he found there. "You have blood on you're hands and on your knees. Walking around like that, you must have caught attention and I don't think that's something you would have overlooked before. What happened?"

Aoko had been surprised Kaito had made it in when she was sure she had locked the door. Kaito going over to Hattori-kun was a surprise but the conversation kept her from asking where the others were. She had come up behind him when the little boy had spoken up. "Kaito. Are you hurt?"

Crap. Maybe it was because it was Tantei-kun but the blood comment had made his mind go to the other definition of the word before he looked down and saw he had actual blood on his hands. That made him snort and before he could help it he found himself laughing, putting a hand to his head and not caring what was on it- it was dry anyway. He spoke to Aoko when he had his voice back. "No, I'm not hurt." He looked down at himself. "I think." Nope, he didn't seem to be. "Nope, I'm fine."

Aoko reached forward and touched his left arm. "You still have blood on you so if it's not yours..." 'Tousan...'

Kaito took a breath and swallowed. Aoko... He could talk about most of it, but he'd be editing out stuff with her there. He would not let her know this- not about him. This wasn't about him anyways. "Hakuba had been waiting for a call from his da-ad." Kaito choked a little on the word but he needed to make this conversation understandable. "I tagged along. No idea what happened but that guy from earlier showed up. We both got away from him- you don't need to worry about him again. His dad showed up though..." Kaito had to pause. He didn't know why it was so hard to say it- he'd never had problems speaking before. He wanted them to know, so he couldn't understand why he was hesitating. "They were working together somehow," his voice was quieter when he spoke again. "I misjudged. He grabbed Hakuba before I was ready- practically killed the guy before I got to him. He's hurt, and bleeding but he's alive."