Hi there!

I am so sorry for the long time since the last update. I'm already slow to update stories I write, but translation is even harder, so it doesn't help… But here's a new chapter! Of course I have no idea when the next one will be ready, but at least we're not to the extra long chapters yet… Even if it won't be long before we arrive to it, and translation will then be even longer, except if I cut it into more chapters, which I may do or you will wait way to much. Tell me what option you like better, to keep the initial chapters or to have more to have the end of the story faster?

Anyway, thanks a lot to everyone who let reviews, fav and follows, it helped me to, well, both remember this translation and have the motivation to continue it ;)

Enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 11 : New plan

Kogoro joined his daughter near the police cars. She was waiting, torn between hope and worry while Ai, next to her, seemed to pay no mind, as usual. But it was only on the outside, and she grew interested and concerned when Kogoro approached them.

"He wasn't there."

There was silence for a moment, finally broken by Ran.

"Wh-What do you mean he wasn't there?"

"It's the place he's been brought to, we're sure of it. It seems like he escaped before we arrived. But he's nowhere to be found and still didn't come to us. So he probably got caught again by the criminals before they fled."

"Do you have any clue do pursue them?" Asked Ai.

"None!" Answered Kogoro. "Do you really think they'd let a word telling us the next place they're moving to? The things they left behind only tells us Conan was indeed there, but that's all."

"What a shame. The quicker we find him, the better. What about the investigation they charged you of? Is it over?"

"Almost, why?" The sleuth wondered.

"Because you'll need it to convince the kidnappers not to harm Edogawa-kun despite us trying to find them."

Ran froze and Kogoro's face twitched upon hearing that, after a slight surprise that a little girl could think about it. But well, that little girl was weird, he already knew it. He knew all of this meant trouble, and could only wait for the abductors to contact him, so he could try to reason them not to harm Conan more than he already was. But sadly, his chances of succeed were low, both because of what the police had done and because the child himself tried to escape on his own, which they probably didn't appreciate either.

Kogoro swore mentally. That brat! Such an accident prone! But his little friend was right, they better find him quickly...

The night was already there. On Kogoro and the police's side, still no sign of the culprits. On Conan's side, still not the beginning of an idea to get away from here. At least, his current kidnapper was nicer than the others, because he let him drink, but also eat! It has been really appreciated, especially since he didn't eat for a whole day. Sure, it wasn't a magical cure nor a get away route, but it still helped a lot.

But still, time passed. People were going to bed, the policemen probably had finished their researches around, so the streets were probably pretty empty by now. It was the perfect time to come and take back a hostage you let go. Of course, Conan still didn't have any idea to prevent that, nothing that worked at least. Which was really a serious problem, because he was pretty sure that once his former kidnappers got their hands on him again, he wouldn't be able to escape any more. They were already pretty cautious before he ran off, what was it going to be now... Also, they were probably not very happy with both his escape attempt and the fact that the police almost caught them. After they'd finish to punish him for all that, he probably would be too injured to do anything.

He quickly had the confirmation he was right on that point.

Indeed, the thought has barely crossed his mind that someone knocked on the door. The man went to open while Conan was racking his brain for something, anything, to get out of this, because if the newcomers were his kidnappers, he was so done for.

His time was out, along with his luck: it was indeed them, he didn't need to wait long to be sure about that. Indeed, Midori's first move was to rush inside as soon as the door let her to go kick Conan in the stomach. The child tried to bring his legs toward him to protect himself as a reaction but Midori hadn't put her feet away and she put more weight on him before removing her foot, deliberately shooting his chin by doing so, which made Conan's head hit the beam he was tied to. Kuro and Shiro arrived at this moment, followed by the man who had watched him, who couldn't help but comment:

"Well, what a charming meeting!"

"Charming my ass! This brat got away right when the cops were coming! I'll teach him, you'll see!"

"Oï, not in my house, okay? I don't want you to mess up my living room, and blood isn't easy to clean!"

"Relax, Midori isn't using a knife right?"

"Yeah, but she doesn't need one if she keeps smacking his head on the beam like this, so stop!"

Conan opened partially his eyes. The pain in his stomach went away a bit, but Midori still had kicked pretty hard! He was glad to see she had stepped away from him to speak to the others, even if she was still close enough to hit him again if she wanted to. But Kuro passed before her and crouched in front of Conan.

"We can't stay here anyway, it's too close to our last place. The less time we spend here, the better it is!"

While he talked, he took out a handkerchief and soaked it with something Conan easily recognized thanks to the smell but also because it was written on the bottle: chloroform. The child barely tried to dodge the hand coming toward his face to press the handkerchief against his mouth and his consciousness quickly faded away.

We was awakened by a ray of light. He didn't regain consciousness, he really awoke, from sleep. He was able to sleep! For a whole night! It really did well on his illness, he really needed it with his almost sleepless last night, and that night along with his unconsciousness from earlier, or rather yesterday, made it for his previous lack of sleep. His throat didn't ache that much, which made two good news! Which was really good to take, because he knew that it wasn't going to last for long.

Conan then paid attention to where he was, and would probably have made a face if a piece of tape on his mouth didn't prevent him to. The room had some similarities to the one his kidnappers stayed in last time, especially in the fact that one of them was indeed there. It was Midori. Conan tried to turn his head to check if anyone else was here, out of view, but has the answer before he finished thanks to a kick in the ribs that sent him in the air and against Midori, who reacted as herself, which means with a hit with her elbow to push him away. As he thought, his luck from the night was already gone, since the kick got him near his gunshot wound on his ribs and Midori's hit on his injured shoulder. He knew that it wasn't going to stay calm for very long, but, not that much!

The one who had kicked him was Shiro. He advanced on Conan, decided like if he wanted to continue kicking him, which made Conan curl up defensively despite the pain, noting that of course he had his hands and ankles tied up, along with tape around his torso to prevent him from bringing his hands in front of him. It was the worst scenario possible to escape, with more restrains and being now in the same room as his captors, but he did expect that.

Unlike what he feared, Shiro didn't hit him again. He simply pushed Conan away with a new kick like if he was moving aside an object in the middle of the way, and did the same with Midori, without the kick, to have access to the laptop she was on.

"Go away."

"Wow, calm down!" She said while stepping next to him, obviously surprised and offended. "What's happening?"

"The brat is awake, it's time to get to step two!"

Oh no, thought Conan. He had the bad feeling it was going to turn out like after his first awakening with his captors, but worse. He already had several new injuries since the one to his shoulder…

But it didn't tell him where Kuro was. He didn't have to think long before a door on the other side of the room opened to reveal Kuro. Conan noticed thanks to the path he took to join them that Shiro was probably entering too when he kicked Conan the first time. The child tried to sit as he could and finally took a good look around to find something, anything, to escape, but nothing came to mind, and there wasn't much in the room to help, not to mention the hit he just received and his other injuries were hurting, he was tied up and he wouldn't be able to do much nor go very far with all his kidnappers next to him.

Kuro gave him an odd look when he arrived to them, but when Conan noticed it and turned his head to see it better, he had already turned toward his accomplices before he could really catch his expression.

"What's the plan now? We do the video again? We should ask the detective if he's finished on his side too."

"Don't worry, I was thinking about it! We'll also have to show him and the police that they really shouldn't have tried to catch us…"

Shiro turned toward his hostage and took a nasty and threatening voice.

"… And show him too that he should have behaved!"

Conan met the man's eyes, promising him incoming suffering, answering with a glare saying he still hadn't given up yet. Even if he couldn't escape right now and weren't able to before his kidnappers came back to him, he would still try whenever he had an opportunity to.

Shiro was the first to break eye contact. He took the smartphone he used to record the first video and got up. Midori simply went to the wall to lean against it, in a position where she could clearly see everything without disturbing anyone or risk being disturbed, her smile showing her envy to see the show. Kuro sighed discretely and took the phone Shiro was giving him.

Conan frowned upon seeing this. Something was strange about Kuro, but he couldn't put his finger on it. Since he woke up, he seemed a bit odd, like if something was bothering him.

He didn't really have the time to ponder more about it.

Shiro closed the distance between them, grabbed him by his collar and sent him toward the other side of the room, in an unoccupied space. He followed by walk while putting on a balaclava like the first time and taking out his weapon. He then nodded to Kuro to tell him to get ready. He then put Conan straight without gentleness and waved to Kuro, who began the recording before waving back.

"Well! Let's make some revisions, right? I'm going to repeat the rules. You, do what you are asked to and don't try to find us, okay? On our side, we'll keep the brat in a decent shape. As you, once again, didn't respect your part, it's time for a new show. I hope for you and him that it's the last one, the consequences could easily overtake our will and be really regretful for him, is that clear enough?"

While speaking, he pushed his gun's barrel on Conan's temple to illustrate his threats. The child didn't dare to move, his wound didn't allow him to fight off and the last scene like this had taught him that it was no use, even without any injury. What's more, it was more than stupid to move while he was next to Shiro, who has a gun pointed at his head with a finger on the trigger that he could press by accident.

Then, there was one good and one bad news.

The good one was that Shiro put the gun away, which, really, could only be better for his survival and physical integrity.

The bad one was that he then pushed Conan backward with all his strength, which was more than enough to make the child violently hit the wall. It knocked all the air out of his lungs and he slumped to the floor, unable to do anything to prevent the harsh landing. Before he could catch his breath and try to straighten up, Shiro was already on him. He kicked him in the stomach even harder than Midori last night, and kicked again in his chest, and again… Several strong kicks followed, letting Conan in a curled up position that he didn't even remember taking, and he would have been surprised to have the strength and time to move like this if he could. But his mind was busy trying to ignore the pain and taking air into his lungs again. Shiro crouched to throw Conan in his back, toward the camera and began hitting again, with both his feet and hands this time. Conan was half unconscious when he finally stopped and turned toward the phone.

"I am impatient to hear your findings detective Mouri. But let me give you an advice: don't be late."

Kuro took this as the sign to stop the recording while Shiro removed the balaclava and began talking with his accomplices. But Conan wasn't paying attention anymore, his mind slowly slipping into unconsciousness, only way out of the pain pulsating in his whole body.

Finished and posted on the 05.11.2019 (French date)