Disclaimer: I do not own Detective Conan or Magic Kaito.

Shinichi smiles to himself when he hears the audible click from the handcuff's release. With a gentle rub to his sore wrists and tired arms the detective pushes himself to his feet.

Snake never came to visit his captive again after their initial meeting. Instead a man dressed in black appeared periodically at the door, usually alone although sometimes he'd show up with a partner.

And that was how the detective spent most of his confinement: watching his guard(s) come and go like clockwork, always ignoring his questions and comments when he tried to pry for answers as to his location and other things. It seemed Snake ordered them to stay quiet but that didn't prevent Shinichi from getting an occasional grumble or muttered snide remark for his efforts. Occasionally he'd even get more than a glimpse beyond the door to his cell to the dark hallway beyond.

For the majority of his stay though, Shinichi was left to his own devices and thoughts. Although if there is one benefit to being locked in a room, by yourself, for hours on end it is that you have plenty of time to think. His gaze drifts, almost involuntarily, to the photos still scattered at his feet. Wordlessly he shuffles them into a neat pile and picks them up, hiding them away safely before turning his attention to the rest of the room.

With the guards popping in every so often, it made his already difficult escape attempt even harder. At least Shinichi had had time to observe his surroundings and find out what it had to offer in terms of aid. Which, regrettably, wasn't much but the detective had worked with less before.

As most abandoned buildings tended to go there was an abundant amount of debris littering the floor, most of which were the discarded boxes he had seen when he first woke up. They didn't seem to hold much promise as they were rather old and covered with water-stained blotches. There was even the faint scent of mold when he opened one. Well, they could be used as a distraction if needed but they wouldn't do much as an actual weapon, he mused to himself.

To top it off there were no windows or visible air vents either so that limited his options even farther for an alternate escape route. Then there were the pipes but even with the sound of water dripping he had yet to spot a drain that had the possibility of leading to the outside.

It seems the pile of empty paint cans and the tarp that covered them were his best bet.

Stuffing the handcuffs into his jeans, Shinichi moved to the tarp and pulled it aside. As he lifted a few of the cans he noted that they were rather light, the paint having been used or dried up a long time ago. Well that would make them easier to kick.

One of the pros to returning to his original body was that Shinichi had his normal kicking strength back. He didn't have to depend on a pair of improved shoes, much to the Professor's disappointment. Not that Shinichi didn't give the adult sized power kick shoes a try. He did—and the Professor's new birdbath had paid the price.

Carefully he moved four of the cans over to the entrance of the cell, two at a time. Once they were in place, he turned his attention to the door in question and ran his hands over the cold metal. It was dented and rust stained in several places and the hinges still looked in good shape.

He grabbed for the door knob, giving it a careful turn and a tug but to no avail. Of course it would be locked. Even if the guards left him unattended for long periods they would naturally take precautions to make sure he couldn't escape. Snake was covering all his bases with this one. Turning his attention to the lock instead, he studied it closely and removed his pick.

It took longer than he wanted, but the lock soon gave way under his ministrations and standing straight he grabbed the knob of the door again. Here he hesitated.

Shinichi had timed the guards rounds as they came and went, noting that the men never stayed long. On top of that, the time between their visits was lengthy—longer than was sensible to leave him unattended. They probably figured he'd never risk trying to escape. Not only did they out number him, but they had weapons and always made sure his handcuffs were still secure every visit.

But, if Shinichi had timed it correctly, he should have several minutes before the guard came to check up on him. There was also the slim chance that they were still outside too.

Taking a deep breath Shinichi pulls the door open, wincing at the whine of protest from the hinges, and hazards a quick glance through the crack. He is relieved, and only a touch wary, to find the hallway beyond is empty. Maybe he won't need these paint cans after all.

He drags the door open the rest of the way but before he has a chance to step over the threshold, another sound echoed through the corridor. One that made his blood run cold as he listened.

A gunshot.

The detective was instantly filled with dread. Was he too late? Cursing under his breath Shinichi bolted from the room and down the hall.

In another part of the warehouse, Hakuba's body tensed at the sound of the gunfire. It sounded close but he couldn't be certain with the all echoes; echoes that seemed exceptionally loud in the previously calm night air. While the plan originally involved the magician finding Snake and drawing the enemies attention away from Hakuba, the detective did not recall it including at least eight gun shots.

Damn that Kuroba! They were barely five minutes into their plan and there was already a ruckus; even after he specifically warned him not to do anything rash too!

A new sense of urgency fell over him but he ignored his rising concern and turned his attention back to the door, focusing his gaze on the old lock. Just like Kuroba, Hakuba also had a job to do and that involved locating Kudou before things got too far out of hand. Although, judging from the noise earlier, he might even be late in that regard.

Since the magician had planned on going in through the front gate like the idiotic daredevil he was, the detective chose a back door approach—or in this case, side door.

During their planning the pair had managed to acquire an old copy of the buildings blue prints. Or, more specifically, Kaito had. How? Hakuba did not know and elected not to ask because he wasn't sure if he wanted to know. The brunette had assured him that it wasn't a hundred percent illegal. (Was there such a thing? It was either illegal or not.)

In any case, if his memory was correct—and it was rarely wrong—the entrance should lead to an old loading dock where a set of stairs was located; one that lead down to the basement. Kaito was certain that the basement is where Snake was holding Kudou. When Hakuba questioned his surety Kaito said he had a hunch; a very reliable hunch.

As the lock finally gave way Hakuba grabbed the handle and leaned against the door. It opened with a protesting squeal, making him grit his teeth but he didn't stop until there was a gap big enough for him to slip through. Here he waited with bated breath for any signs revealing that the sound had alerted someone nearby. After twenty seconds of silence the detective felt assured that he had escaped notice and squeezed the rest of the way through, wedging a block of concrete between the door and its frame.

With his exit secured Hakuba turned his attention to the room and made his way towards the back, stopping in front of the second door that concealed the stairs. Jiggling the handle he was pleased to find that this one was unlocked and quickly pulled it open. Removing the flashlight from his coat, he clicked it on and start down the steps, moving as silent and swift as he could in the almost darkness.

Upon reaching the bottom level the detective passed through yet another entrance and was greeted with corridor. This one was rather long and lined with several more rooms that undoubtedly branched off into the maze that made up the lower levels. Amber eyes narrowed, lips pursed in frustration as he waved the flashlight up and down the hall, scanning for any signs of someone having been there. Kudou was very likely in one of these rooms but did he have enough time to check them all? It was a daunting prospect considering the ones that still had their doors were likely locked.

Going over his internal clock the blonde figured he had about twenty minutes left before the Inspector showed up on the scene and he had to find both Kudou and Kuroba before then.

A feat that was beginning to look impossible.

Once he managed to calm down from his initial panic, Shinichi started to move with purpose rather than blindly running his way through the warehouse. He walked swiftly, but silently, one hand pressed to the wall as he moved. The building was surprisingly quiet. The occasional echo from the chain of gunshots he had been using for a guide has been silent for a while now and that concerned the brunette.

Shinichi had a good idea of who the target was and the thought gave the detective mixed feelings. Half of him was secretly glad that KID had came for him. The other half was scolding the magician for sticking his neck out so unnecessarily. From experience he knew KID could handle himself but that didn't stop the concern that blossomed in his gut. It didn't help either, that he had been the one to foolishly get kidnapped and guilt tickled the corners of his thoughts.

Focus! He scolded himself with a grimace and peered around the corner. Ahead of him was another long hallway, littered with open doors. Focus on finding Pandora and then you can search for the thief.

As he skimmed his surroundings the detective noted a dim light filtering through one of the entrances. With his guard still in the wind Shinichi paused, squinting to see if he could make out any of the men in black lingering nearby.

Were they all chasing after KID?

After about a minute of silence and no signs of any people, Shinichi darted as fast as he dared towards the doorway, dropping onto one knee as he glanced inside the room. Like the majority of the building it was empty save for a single light overhead and random furniture, scattered chunks of concrete and dilapidated boxes. A table with chairs stood in the center, leaning heavily to one side and on top rested a black briefcase. But what caught his attention was the watch and phone sitting beside it; his watch and phone.

Standing up he ran into the room and snatched up the mobile, flipping it open. A black screen stared back at him and he sighed. Of course it would be dead. Snapping it closed he slid it into his back pocket and picked up the watch. Checking it over he was pleased to discover that everything was in working order and that the needle was still inside. Perfect. Now he isn't completely defenseless.

Slipping the watch back around his wrist Shinichi finally turned to the briefcase, running fingertips lightly over the black leather. Gingerly he lifted the case noting the slight weight to it.

Could it be...? Carefully placing the briefcase back on the table he snapped open the latches and raised the lid. The inside was lined with some kind of soft fabric and in the center was a bundle of cloth. Holding it in the palm of his hand, he flipped the edges of the fabric aside revealing a rather large and familiar looking diamond nestled beneath.

"Pheonix Tear."

Before he had the chance to ponder why the stone had been left out in the open like this, the sound of footsteps echoed from the hall beyond the entrance. Shinichi turned around just as a man in black appeared, a gun hanging loosely in one hand and a pack of smokes in the other.

It was the guard that had stood watch outside the detective's cell.

The two stared at each other with matching expressions of shock. The man was faster in shaking off his surprise, however, and he lifted the weapon, leveling the barrel firmly at Shinichi.

"Hey! What are you doing here!?" The voice was gruff, the new cigarette he had been putting into his mouth dropping to the floor alongside the pack.

Fingers closing around the gem, Shinichi deftly slipped it into his pocket and held up both of his hands. He watched as dark eyes glanced towards the open briefcase behind him and the man's expression grew even darker.

"Back up." He growled and waved the gun, motioning for the detective to move. Silently Shinichi obliged, stepping around back behind the table. The man stopped in front of the briefcase taking a second to look inside. A small curse escaped him and he glared at the other male once more.

"Where is the jewel?" He snapped.

"What jewel?" Shinichi said, managing to look unconcerned.

"You know damn well what jewel." The man spat back.

"You mean the one you murdered some innocent lady to steal." He replied coolly.

Another growl from the guard. "Don't get smart with me boy."

"Why did you take it?" Shinichi asked instead, eyes drifting from the weapon to the door over the man's shoulder where a brief shift of movement had drawn his attention. His gaze sharpened for a second before he looked back to the criminal.

"None of your business. Now hand it over." There was a click from the weapon. "Or would you rather I force it from you."

"Okay. Okay." Shinichi said slowly, and lowered a hand towards his pocket. However, as soon as it was within range of the table he changed direction and grabbed the edge of the wobbly furniture. He then lifted it onto two legs, thrusting the table towards the man, and sending the briefcase flying.

When the thief jumped back to avoid getting hit Shinichi turned and scooped his shoe under a small piece of concrete nearby. He waited until they were facing him once more then launched the concrete, sending it flying into the mans stomach with a well aimed kick. With a pained grunt the criminal slumped forward, struggling for breath and curling in on himself, one arm wrapped around his mid-section.

Shinichi dropped his leg and moved quickly over to the man, snatching up the gun and clicked the safety on before throwing it into a far corner of the room. He then crouched down to pick up the piece of concrete and turned his gaze to the door.

Before he could straighten up though the fallen guard suddenly lifted his head and lunged at the detective. Shinichi, hearing the movement, dodged to the side but the guard was quicker, not wasting the advantage the surprise had given him. The man landed on top of the brunette as they hit the ground together, large fingers grasping at his neck and pulling the collar of his shirt in search of a hold.

"You bastard." He wheezed.

The concrete bounced away, forgotten, as Shinichi's hands closed around the man's wrists in an attempt to prevent himself from being choked. As the two grappled on the floor the shadow from before had started to move, leaving the doorway and entering the room. Noticing the movement from the corner of his eye Shinichi's body tensed. But rather than going for Shinichi, in an attempt to help his comrade, it instead struck the already wounded man on the upper back with a piece of broken pipe.

… wait, what?

The detective watched pain flash across his attacker's face and his grip loosened. Immediately Shinichi brought his elbow up, landing a solid hit against the man's nose who let out a soft groan as he slumped again. Rolling the now unconscious and rather heavy thief off of him with a shove, Shinichi looked up at the new arrival who stood over him, one arm extended in his direction.

He eyed the offered hand skeptically and the man, upon realizing the reason for the hesitation, quickly removed his hat to reveal a familiar weave of blonde hair and amber eyes.

"It is me, Kudo."

Shinichi made a noise of surprise in his throat, "H-Hakuba?!"

Hakuba smiled and extended his hand again, Shinichi accepted it without hesitation this time. Once he was back on two feet the brunette straightened his clothes as Hakuba knelt down and pulled pair of handcuffs from his jacket. Shinichi watched as the English detective began the process of handcuffing the unconcios man at their feet. "What are you doing here?"

Hakuba pulled on the cuffs to make sure they was secure as his eyes flicked up to the detective, "Is that how you thank someone who saved you?"

Shinichi rolled his eyes and smiled. "Thank you, Hakuba."

The blonde nodded with a smile of his own, "You're welcome."

With the man securely out of the way Hakuba climbed to his feet and turned towards Shinichi. Eyes swept over his face and body, gaze lingering on the split lip. He looked a bit roughed up but otherwise unharmed. "Are you okay?" He asks.

"Yea." Shinichi nodded, wiping blood from his bottom lip gingerly—the guard had managed to land a decent hit during the earlier scuffle and succeeded in splitting his lip. "Next time don't wait so long to reveal yourself. I really thought you were one of the kidnappers."

"Yes, well, that was the idea." Hakuba held up his hat for emphasis. "Undercover. Supposedly I wouldn't stand out too much dressed like this."

"Is that right..." Shinich remarked, lips quirking into a slight smile. "I wonder whose idea that was." Hakuba didn't answer since it was more of a statement than a question. He did note though, how Shinichi's eyes ran over him in a scrutinizing manner.

Hakuba hid the knowing smile by pulling the cellphone from his pocket, tapping in a short text on the screen. He had a feeling he knew what the other detective was speculating. "I am not KID." He clarified, after a few seconds, drawing the detective's gaze back to his face. "He is in the building, however." He added as he hit send.

At the statement Shinichi started, eyes growing wide. He caught Hakuba by the shoulders, his tight grip and stern face surprising the blonde. "Do you know where?"

Hakuba frowned at the sudden shift in attitude. Shinichi's previously relaxed posture was now tense and rigid and Hakuba gave his head a slight shake. "I don't know exactly. Somewhere on the levels above. We came separately and I was to look for you while he distracted Snake."

Shinichi thoughts drifted to the gun shots he had heard earlier. Releasing the blonde he made his way to the door, moving quickly. "Come on. We need to find him."

"KID can take care of himself you know. I am sure he is fine." Hakuba offered as he followed the detective out, quickening his stride to match his companions. If it was to comfort himself or Kudo, he wasn't sure. Probably both. No. Most definitely both.

"This is different. Snake is fully intent on making sure KID dies tonight. He has something extra planned, I am sure of it." Shinichi's reply was curt. "We need to find them and now."

Hakuba stumbled as his step faltered at the words. Cursing softly under his breath the blonde hurried after Shinichi.

The two raced towards the upper floors, weaving down corridors and up stairwells, Hakuba taking the lead as he was already familiar with the building's layout. Shinichi didn't object. His mind was whirling as fast, if not faster, than his feet as previously unasked questions swirled to the surface. He was scertain that the gem in his pocket was the Pandora that Snake had been talking about: it was the most recent object to have fallen in his hands and Snake was only going after Kuroba so forcefully because he had claimed to have acquired Pandora.

While the jewel didn't look anything spectacular or special, something told him it went beyond the basic revenge tale that he had been told earlier. The stone may have started the bloodshed but there was still an unanswered question: Why? Why was he so willing to kill for it? What role did this particular gem play in the grand scheme of things?

A flash of white caught Shinichi's eye as he ran past yet another open doorway and he slid to a stop. "Wait, Hakuba!" He called bringing the blonde up short before disappearing into the room. Flipping on the light from his watch he shined it around noting the state of disarray. There was glass littering the floor from a broken light bulb and a tipped over chair. Next to the chair was the jacket he had worn earlier that morning, crumpled next to a black sack. A little farther in he found what had caught his eye originally and he stooped to pick it up, fingers digging into the white fabric.

Hakuba stood in the entrance, panting slightly from their mad dash. "What is it?"

"It is KID's hat..." Shinichi replied slowly, turning to show the familiar crisp top hat to the other detective and angled it slightly. "And it has blood on it."

A heavy silence fell over the two sleuths and Shinichi turned to give the small room another quick scan. Other than what he had seen previously there was nothing else that stood out. More importantly there was no body. Kuroba was still alive. The thought eased some of the tension from his frame but it did little in way of comfort. Even if there was no body the blood was proof—and there was no doubt in his mind that it was Kuroba's—that the thief was at least wounded in some way

Just then another crack of a gun rang out, sending chills down both spines. It was loud. Louder than the previous ones and coming from somewhere above them.

"The roof!" Hakuba called, already sprinting from the room, Shinichi hot on his heels.

Author's Notes: What what what. Why Yes. It is an update. I have always said that I have not given up on this story and it is time for me to prove it. I do not know when the next update will be but it is coming. I promise. Hopefully this chapter won't be too much of a disappointment.