...the Aichi police are still baffled on how the suspect committed suicide under their watch. They still haven't found any traces of poisons or drugs in her system. Few theories indicated a possible heart attack or stroke. Although, the woman seems to be in good health-

-On other news, Kaito Kid has struck again! He-

Conan grumbled, shutting off the TV.

It had been three days since the bullet train incident.

The police lost any traces of Gin and Vodka as if they disappeared into thin air. However, the "prime suspect", the business woman (he never get the chance to learn her name) had committed suicide under their custody. At which her death has baffled everyone, including the police.

Just as the news stated, the officers didn't find any traces of chemical or drugs inside or on her corpse. Plus the lack of physical trauma upon her body indicated that she wasn't in any physical danger.

Overall, she was healthy, so her sudden death was unexpected.

But he knew she was poisoned, and he knows who was responsible.

"...The new poison the organization developed...heh...you can't find any signs of poison on the body with the stuff…"

Gin sneered down at him. "So long, detective."

A corner of his lips turn downward into a scowl at that memory.

No doubt that those bastards must have poisoned her with the same drug that had shrunk him. But why? Was she that much of a threat? Or was it just to tied in all the loose end? Was it worth sneaking inside the enemy territory to kill her? Unless...their people have already infiltrated the police force?

Which is why he couldn't risk calling Megure, at least not yet ...but if only he can examine the body for himself or take a look inside her cell. But, no sane officer would allow a child that kind of access, not even for some school report. (If they actually believe that obvious lie).

Conan huffs out in frustration before returning to his book on his laps. Ran brought him a copy of Detective Samonji series, a murder-mystery written by Shinmei Nintaro. It's somewhat decent, enough to pass the time.

Today was just a quiet afternoon. There haven't been any cases (at least there aren't any good ones) and all homework has been done. Ran went out for something. While her old man's sitting quietly at his desk...who has been twirling with a block of wood in his hand for the past hour. Mouri-san has been quieter ever since the bullet train incident.

But then again, anyone who would act a little different after facing death. Except for himself, of course. (Thanks to his good ol dad for taking him to see all the dead people).

Conan nearly jumped out of his skin as Otchan's gray-blue eyes shifted toward him. He said nothing as he stared down at him with an unreadable expression, making Conan feel a little uncomfortable.

Knock. Knock.

Conan let out a sigh of relief. Good, a customer to distract Otchan.

Kogoro set his block aside before answering the door.

At the door, Kogoro frowned as he stared down at the face of a glasses-wearing, middle-age woman. She greeted him with a smile. His eyes slanted in suspicious, and his nose detected a familiar scent of a perfume.

"Hello, my name is Fumiyo Edogawa!" She bowed. "And I'm here for my baby boy, Conan Edogawa-chan!"

...she got to be kidding me.

Kogoro quickly put his tall frame to blocked the doorway, preventing the woman from peeking inside or trying to sneak inside. Meanwhile, Conan quickly hid himself as soon as he heard the woman proclaimed to be his mother. He carefully listening in on the adults.

"So you're his mother?" Kogoro crossed his arms, looking skeptic. "The same woman who didn't bother to call or made any form of contact with her [baby boy]?"

The woman quickly bowed her head, appearing to look guilty, "I'm so sorry about that! But I'm sure the good Professor Agasa-san has already explain the situation to you?"

"...that old quack didn't tell me anything." Kogoro replied coolly.

"Ah, you see, my husband got into an accident overseas and had to be hospitalized. And to make matters worse, there was an urgent business that needs my attention, so I couldn't get the chance to contact you!" She bowed down. "I apologize for any inconvenience!"

Kogoro forced himself not to roll his eyes at her act.

"I don't give a shit for excuses. It shouldn't have been hard for you to make a single phone-call and give five minute of your time. Instead, I haven't heard anything from either of Conan's parents for weeks now!"

He loomed over the woman, "In fact, we didn't even get any photograph of his parents...so how do I know if you're actually Conan's mother?"

Fumiyo recoiled slightly by the tall man's intimidating presence, but quickly retained her cool. She reached inside her purse.

"That wouldn't be a problem." Fumiyo pulled out papers, a passport, and a photo.

"Here are Conan-chan's birth certificate, passport, and a photo of him...as the cutest baby in the world!." Fumiyo giggled to herself.

Kogoro raised an eyebrow at her before taking a look at the photo, seeing a younger version of the woman and a baby that could be Conan...this photo seem familiar.

But as for the certificate and passport...on first glance, they seem legitimate, in fact, they look perfect. Which is a problem, it looked too perfect, and, speaking from his past experiences, he knows a forgery when he sees one.

Conan highly doubt that woman can fool the old grump. There is no way that Otchan will let the woman take him!

"...well, this looked legit. Look like you are his mother."

Conan did a double-take, nearly fall flat on his face.

WHAT?!

Fumiyo felt herself relax. Good, he brought it. "I'm glad yo-" But was cut off when Kogoro fanned the papers at her face.

"Is what I would say if I was an idiot who believes in the word of a liar."

She grew flabbergasted, "Wha?! How dare you! Give me back my son or I-"

"Or you'll do what? Call the police? Good idea, I would like to see you try to explain these forgery." Kogoro sneered, "And they definitely would want to know why you never attempt to make a single phone call to keep in touch on your precious son. And want to know where the hell you have been."

Way the go, Old man!

Conan smirked, seeing the woman turning pale.

"Besides, even if they believe this forgery. They wouldn't believe you."

"W-Why is that?!" She protested.

"Simple, they already know who his real parents are."

Fumiyo grew surprised. "H-His real parents?"

"Yes, I'm sure you've heard of them. They are pretty famous around here." Kogoro tapped his chin mindfully, "There is a reclusive, talentless writer with a shitty taste in women. And his wife is an annoying OLD hag who was a former actress."

Suddenly, Conan felt a powerful yet strangely familiar tension in the air. Hell, his instincts are screaming at him to run, hide, and pray!

The imposter stained out her words. "Is. That. So."

"Oh, yes. I mean, I guess that bum has no choice but to settle for someone who is willing to look pass her haggard appearance." Kogoro sneered, seeing her hands curled tightly into fists. Good.

"And that desperate woman would do anything for attention and to be on TV. Even doing those anti-aging cream commercial, playing as the [Before], a wrinkly OLD prune while her YOUNGER and more beautiful counterpart be the [After]."

Conan slowly backed away to the corner of the room in fear as he sensed such powerful murderous aura.

"YOU BAAAAAAASTARD!"

Everybody stopped when they heard the scream. Hell, the entire neighborhood heard it.

"What was that?!"

"Was that a banshee?!"

"A shriek of the Grim Reaper?!"

"A monster?!"

Ran flinched as she felt tingling in her ear-drum. That sounded very close. Wait, did it came from...

"I think it is coming from Mouri-san's agency!" cried from one of Cafe Poirot's customers.

Dad!

Ran ran up to her father's agency, she could hear muffled shouting through the door.

She threw the door open, ready for anything. "Dad! Are you okay?!"

"Ah, Ran. Welcome home."

Kogoro greeted her so casually while holding down an angry woman who is screaming death threats and kicking him against his desk. But Kogoro remained unfazed, not even when she hit his legs with the heel of her feet.

Ran saw Conan unharmed and dazed as he is nursing his aching ears. She sighed in relief to see nobody was hurt. But what the hell is going on here?! And why is that woman angry with her dad?!

"Ran, could you close the door and the windows, please?" Kogoro asked. "Dear god, this woman has quite a mouth."

He is not in the mood to deal with upset parents who will come after him if any of their kids learned few 'adult words'.

Ran quickly closed the door and shut the windows. Soon as the office is secured and the woman finally stops yelling resulted from her throat turning sore. Ran finally asked what was on her mind.

"So dad...who is this? And why is she angry at you?!"

"She is Conan's mother."

Ran gave him a blank look before her eyes widened in realization. Fumiyo gulped in fear as Ran loomed over her, cracking her knuckles menacingly.

"Who are you?! Are you one of them?!"

"I already told you, she is his mother."

Fumiyo glared over her shoulder at the detective. What is his deal? First, he said that she wasn't, and now he said that she is?!

Ran and Conan stared at Kogoro.

"B-but dad, you know who Conan's real mom is. And this woman is-"

Fumiyo yelps in slight pain when Kogoro dug his sharp nails into her face and gave it a rough tug. There was a loud ripping sound, Kogoro held a mask in his hand, revealing a young, beautiful woman. Conan and Ran were surprised to see the face of the former actress, a beautiful talented woman with a thousand faces, and a lovely wife of the famous mystery-novelist, and a youthful mother of the High School Detective, Yukiko Kudo.

"Mom?!"

"Shinichi's mom?!"

"Uh surprise!" Yukiko smiled sheepishly.

Kogoro finally released her, Yukiko yelped as she rubbed her sore wrists.

"Geez, if you knew who I was, did you have to be rough with a delicate flower like me!"

Kogoro snorted, "Oh please, there is nothing delicate about you." Yukiko pouted.

"But how did you know it was me?!"

"First of all, I know that Conan Edogawa is a secret identity, therefore there was no way you could have known of Conan's existence. The only way you got the name was from either me, Ran, or that mad professor."

"W-wait! You knew?!" Yukiko exclaimed. She thought only Ran and Agasa-san knew the truth.

"I take it that, the professor told you and your husband everything...but it seems he didn't know that I knew as well."

Ran facepalmed herself. Neither she nor Conan ever told the professor about her dad figuring out Conan's true identity on that same night. It had completely slipped their mind. With the kidnapping case happening and all.

"We….forgot to tell him." Conan rubbed on the back of his head sheepishly.

Yukiko face-faulted. "You forgot?!"

"A lot has happened! It just slip our minds!"

Yukiko pouted, she frowned at Kogoro. "So how did you know my real identity?! What if I was one of the people who turned my precious son into a cute toddler?!"

"I'm six-years old! I'm not a toddler!" Conan protested. But both adults ignored him.

Kogoro pulls out two fingers. "There are two key points. First, the photo." He pulled out the photo of young "Fumiyo" and baby "Conan". "This is actually a copy of Shinichi's actual baby photo. You just edited yourself out and put in this Fumiyo's persona."

Yukiko gasped in surprise, "How did you know that?"

"You and Eri are best friends, and two love sharing baby pictures together. I recognized this photo and knew the baby in this photo was Shinichi, not Conan."

"But since Conan is Shinichi, so they don't look that much different as babies." Ran concluded. Kogoro nodded, leaving Yukiko impress.

"I have to say, Mouri-san, I didn't think you remember that kind of stuff."

Kogoro didn't commented on that, given how he was in the past.

"Now, my second evidence...was you." He pointed at Yukiko. She pointed at herself in surprise. "Me?!"

"You give yourself away, the way how you talked about Conan reminded me of you normally talked about your son."

He didn't include the part that he recognized the brand of perfume she usually wore, and among other things that he can't explain.

Yukiko whined, sounding so pitiful like a child than a grown adult, "I can't believe, my love for my son, give myself away! I'm a disgrace to my craft and my teacher!" She sighed so dramatically with a wave of her hand.

Then she was struck with realization. "..wait a minute...if you knew from the beginning...THEN YOU WERE INSULTING ME ON PURPOSE DIDN'T YOU?!"

Kogoro gave her a wide shit-eating, smug smirk. "Yes, and it was hilarious….." He leaned closer to whisper. "Hag."

"Yousonofabi-!"

She stopped when someone was knocking on the door.

Kogoro snickered, moving away form the infuriated woman. "I better answered that before everyone thought I was being mauled by some beast."

"You are a mean bastard!"

Kogoro just laugh. Ran facepalmed herself. "Geez, dad."

He answered the door and found Azusa Enomoto, an employee of the Cafe Poirot, looking worry.

"I-Is everything alright? What was that commotion?! It sounds like a wild animal attack!"

Kogoro forced himself not to laugh as he knew Yukiko is fuming silently behind him. He explained a pigeon flew inside and his client has panic attacks because of her severe feather allergy and a childhood trauma related to birds.

"But don't worry, Ran has managed to calm her down."

Azusa was relieved. "I'm glad nothing bad has happen."

Kogoro apologized again for the noise, and then he spotted someone standing with the crowd at the bottom of the stairs. He stared down at a tall, brutish-looking man in a trench-coat.

"Hey, Brute man, may I have a word with you." The Brute felt a tremble down his back as he stood under Kogoro's unwavering glare.

Yukiko was hugging her son, whining about how awful she was treated by the mean-ass detective. Ran couldn't help but feels something is off. She saw her dad returns.

"Hey, Dad...why was she pretending to be someone else if she knew about Conan? And why didn't she approached me?" Ran felt something is amiss. "It would've been easier if she had asked Agasa-hakase to called me and Conan over to avoid all this."

"I was wondering about that myself. Fortunately, she and her idiots will tell us the truth."

Ran frowned in confusion. "Her idiots? What idiots?"

Then they heard someone knocking on the door. "Those idiots. You fuckers can come in!"

Two people entered...

"Agasa-hakase? And...the Night Baron?!" Ran exclaimed, recognizing the porcelain white mask with a creepy face. She remembered his illustration on Shinichi's dad's novel series.

"...Dad?!" Conan exclaimed. The Night Baron perked up.

"Hohoho, how do you know it's me~?"

"Only a dork like you would dress up as one of his characters from his own book." Conan said in deadpan.

Night Baron's shoulders went slump. "Oh come now, there is nothing wrong with a little cosplay." He pulled off his mask, revealing Yusaku Kudo, the famous novelist, and Shinichi's pain-in-the-ass father.

"And you shouldn't talk, I remembered how often you love dressing up as Sherlock Holmes." A sly smirk. "We have an entire album of it~"

"W-well, that's different! Sherlock Holmes is cool! And will always be cool!"

"Whatever you say, my lil closet-cosplayer~"

"Don't lump me with the likes of you!"

Yukiko giggled, watching her precious boys arguing.

Kogoro cleared his throat loudly. "So, mind explaining to me why you dressed as the Night Baron, the idiot professor as your brute thug, and your hag wife-"

"Fuck you!"

"-as some suspicious woman pretending to be Conan's mother?"

He towered over the writer, a bit menacingly. "If I didn't know better, it seems you were trying to kidnap Conan Edogawa?"

Yusaku sweated a bit. "Well…"

One explanation and revealing the entire kidnapping plot/deduction test later, Conan wasn't happy.

In fact, he is quite tick!

"You jerks! You were planning to scare me half to death by pretending to be the [Bastards in Black], and put me in mortal peril just to test my detective skills?!" Conan huffed angrily.

Ran was just as upset. It has been a few days since the bullet trains incident, and just being so close to death and losing Shinichi for the second time was the most nerve-wracking, and emotionally draining experience. So she didn't appreciate their little prank.

"You know, we almost died during the bullet train bombing thanks to the same men responsible for Shinichi's condition." Ran have Agasa a cold glare. "I'm sure I already mention THAT to you."

Agasa promptly bowed his head in guilt.

"It...slips my mind when I went along with this. I-I'm sorry, Ran-kun." Agasa bowed.

Apparently, Yukiko didn't know as she turned pale as a ghost. Her beautiful daughter-in-law almost died?! And she almost lost her son for the second time?!

She grabbed Ran and Conan in her bone-crushing hug, slowly suffocating them.

"Oh, my precious baby boy and my future daughter-in-law, I'm so sorry!" Yukiko apologized as she cried out fat, ugly tears, each drop splattered all over them in a sloppy mess.

"Ack! Mom!" Conan protested. Sure, he was mad, but doesn't mean he wants his own mother to slobbering all over him with tears while slowly suffocating him between two set of boobs ...between Ran's lovely boobs and his mom-OH GOD, HE IS PRESSING AGAINST HIS MOTHER'S BREASTS! GROSS!

Ran felt awkward in the middle of this mess, with Shinichi's mom crying in front of her and Conan getting squished between them. And trying hard not to freak out or think about how Conan fit nicely between her breasts.

Unfortunately, Kogoro noticed and wasn't happy. Conan sensed a killer intent chilling down his spines.

Once Yukiko calm down, Yusaku explained the purpose behind his motive.

"We need to test your deductive ability and see if you can live long enough relied only on your wit." Yusaku said. "However, I didn't anticipate Mouri-san to sniffed us out so easily."

"Well, it's because he already knew Shin-chan's true identity."

"...regardless even if I knew it or not, I will not believe so easily unless I have solid proof." Kogoro grumbled. "I will not give Conan away so easily, if it means the police will get involved, then so be it."

Conan was surprised at the man's protective nature. He is kinda touched. Ran was proud of her dad, she knew he secretly cared for Conan/Shinichi.

"I'm happy that my son is in capable hands." Yusaku felt a sense of relief, while he trust Shinichi's judgement and self-preservation instinct; but as a father, he is glad that he has people to watch over him.

He turned to Ran. "I want to say thank you for taking him in. I know he can be a handful."

"Hey, I'm not a child!...on the inside." The former sixteen-years-old grumbled to himself as his parents and Agasa laughed full heartedly.

"But you guys are still jerks!"

"But as capable as they may be, that doesn't mean you three will be safe for long."

Yusaku grew serious, any humor mirth left his face. And finally asked an important question that plagued him. "These criminals, do you know who they are? Or even know where they are?"

"...their code names are Gin and Vodka. That's all I know of them. And they are ruthless and cruel, willing to kill anyone to cover their tracks." Conan thought about the dead woman and how they were willing to put hundreds of innocent people on the train in harms way to accomplish their goal.

"I've no idea where they are now."

"And the more reason to leave!" Yukiko kneeled before her son, squeezing around his shoulders.

"Please, Shin-chan, come to America with us. You don't have to worry about hiding in fear, and we can even enroll you in college!"

Yasuku nodded. "I have friends in Interpol. They can deal with these people."

Ran felt the tightness in her chest...she didn't want to Shinichi to leave, but deep inside she knew that was selfish. Shinichi would be safer with his parents living in the states. He will be out of their reach and he didn't have to live in fear anymore….and no doubt, they probably never see each other again until the awful men get arrested.

No more talking with Shinichi. No more arguing with him. No more walking with him. No more seeing his true face. No more listening to him talking about Sherlock Holmes.

But...at least Shinichi will be alive, safe, and maybe one day they will meet again.

She hoped.

"No. This is my case!" Ran was surprise when Conan turned down the offer and telling them not to get involve.

"This is my case! I will expose them and get my body back!" He argued.

Ran was ready to step in and convinced him to leave….her dad stopped her.

"This is between him and his parents." Kogoro whispered to her. "They will convinced the stubborn little turd."

The senior Kudo could easily dismiss his son's wishes for his safety. There is no way he allows his son to continue on this dangerous path. Kogoro secretly hoped he didn't need to knock the kid out if he kept protesting.

"Alright, you can stay and continue pursuing these men." Yasuka gives in, he couldn't say 'no' after seeing the determination and sheer stubbornness in his son's eyes.

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!" Everybody reeled back in surprise at Kogoro's outburst. Yusaku quickly backed away as Kogoro approached him.

"Just like that?! You are just going to let him continue with this dangerous game?!" He bellowed, snarling down at the novelist.

Yasuka nervously put his hands out between himself and the taller man.

"Hey, now. I didn't say I will desert him! We will keep an eye on him from time to time, and pull him out of danger when he is in trouble."

Kogoro hissed under his breath, rubbing his hand over his face with a long sigh. "But then it will be too late…."

He paused when Yusaku laid a gentle hand on his shoulder. He stares down at the writer's apologetic smile, seeing sympathy in his eyes.

"Shinichi isn't the type to run away…"

Yusaku leans closer, whispering. "...and you shouldn't run away from your past either."

Kogoro gave him a murderous glare. Yusaku wisely didn't push it, instead he gave him a couple of comforting pats on his shoulder. But Kogoro didn't pay attention as his mind is elsewhere.

Shinichi's parents left Japan on the same day. They provided the three a hefty paycheck for Shinichi's expenses as an emergency. The parents wished them luck on tracking the "Men in Black", and Kogoro and Ran promised to watch over their idiot son.

So the day has passed like any other day, Ran went upset to make dinner while Conan relaxed in his room. As for Kogoro...he sat alone in his office.

Yusaku's words lingered in his mind...about not running away from his past.

Then he thought about yesterday…

Kogoro was sitting in his car, lost in thought. He stirred up when someone entered his car.

"...everything was taken care of?" Kogoro asked, glancing at his friend who offered him a smile and a cup of coffee. The tired detective took it, his warm fingers brushed against the other's ice-cold hand.

"Disposing of the woman was easy, she just went down without a fight."

Kogoro sighed. "She had no choice, to begin with anyway…"

His friend let a chuckle, their breath was smooth as ice.

"...at least they will not know who had help in stopping the bomb. Takagi-kun made sure not to include you, your daughter, and your….boy in his report. Heh, it was just pure luck that he was there."

Kogoro clenched his free hand on the wheel. "...will Takagi be safe?"

Kogoro didn't finch nor he moves away when the other person leans close, the cold breath tickling his ear. "Don't worry, the pup is safe." The person nuzzled against his neck….and Kogoro laid his lips on other's icy cheek.

Kogoro pulls out the block of wood he was toying with earlier, and his carving knife. The face of the latest victim, the woman from the bullet train appears in his mind.

The brat probably didn't know her name. She didn't have any relatives or close friends, so no one will miss her nor remember her.

Except for him. Kogoro always remember the forgotten.

With that he started craving her name into the wood.