Hello. I know I haven't been writing in quite some time and now that I am again, I figured I should at least provide some explanation for my hiatus. Particularly in regards to this story. First, after I updated with chapter 10, I had learned that I had been accepted to grad school. Since then, I've been swamped with work, school and other life problems that I didn't have time for writing. Second, I wasn't sure where I was going with this story anymore and I didn't want to force anything which was compounded the longer I wasn't writing.

However, as I was finishing my final semester and stress was getting to me, I started writing again as I needed to stop looking at and reading Linguistics materials for my sanity's sake. Plus, I somehow managed to get my roommate to start watching Detective Conan, which helped me find interest and inspiration for this story again. We have dubbed the show as "Short Problems" whenever we want to watch it. Trust me, there's a good reason for that.

Anyway, the point is that I'm no longer in grad school and now have time to write as well as the motivation to continue. I would also like to thank everyone who has been following and reviewing this story. I'm honestly a little surprised by how many people have been following this story and have continued to do so through my hiatus. Therefore, I will try my best to finish this story for those of you who have been patient with me.

As for the previous chapter, I glad people liked it as it wasn't my intention to write it from Hattori's perspective. Originally, it was going to be Conan's viewpoint as usual, but as I thought it over, it made more sense to have Hattori's thoughts as he is still new to interacting with Kid. Plus, I wanted more interaction between Hattori and Hakuba as they are such great foils for each other. It's a shame that Hakuba shows up so rarely in DC as it would interesting to see his interactions with Conan and Hattori some more.

Also, I'd like to issue a spoiler warning to anyone who hasn't seen the most recent Detective Conan episodes, particularly episode 942 or haven't read up to chapter 1008 of the manga. Otherwise, this is a long chapter, so I apologize for the length, but I hope you enjoy it!

Kudos to anyone who gets the chapter title reference.

Chapter 12: They're Just Standing Around and Talking. That's All They Ever Do.

Amuro was in deep thought as he went about his shift at the Café Poirot. The assignment given to him by Rum was both intriguing and bothersome. Investigating the high school detective Kudo Shinichi was proving to be a challenge; an interesting one, but a pain nevertheless. He understood why this assignment was so important, though.

According to Gin, Kudo Shinichi was the first human victim of the new APTX 4869 drug, the untraceable compound that the Organization has begun to use to commit murders. However, his body was never found. So a search was conducted to confirm his death. While it was confirmed that he was indeed dead, it was Sherry who provided the confirmation. Complicating the matter was the recent rumors of the high school detective appearing in Kyoto, despite the fact that the blogger retracted her statement.

Considering this, there was a distinct possibility that Kudo Shinichi was still alive, and the higher ups are aware of that fact.

Personally, Amuro wasn't sure how that was possible. But that didn't matter. What mattered was that someone saw the Organization and survived. If Kudo Shinichi is alive, then the Organization was going to do whatever they can to get rid of him. However, they couldn't make a move until they were sure he survived. If they made moves against Kudo's friends and family without confirmation, they could be bringing unnecessary attention to themselves.

Hence, Amuro's current assignment.

Personally, Amuro was determined to find this high school detective. He was sure the kid was investigating the Organization on his own if he was alive. If he is alive, then there was a good chance that the kid had made some discoveries about the Organization. Perhaps some discoveries he, himself, had yet to make. Plus, he wouldn't be surprised if he and Sherry had been working together ever since their disappearance. Thinking about it, there was also a possibility that Sherry was still alive after the Bell Tree Express. A slim one, but still a chance. And if she did, Kudo Shinichi was the key to finding her.

Luckily for him, he was already in the perfect position to collect information on the missing detective.

He's aware of the Mouris' connection to the Kudos. And then there was Edogawa Conan, who he was sure knew at least something about the situation. However, he knew better than to confront the boy. Despite being only seven years old, the boy has proven to be far more intelligent than most adults. Furthermore, he's certain it's been Conan that's been puppeteering Kogoro on cases. The boy was resourceful and not afraid to use whatever or whoever was at his disposal.

Speaking of the boy, he was quite curious as to what he was currently up to. Kogoro had complained about the intrusion of the Osakan high school detective. Considering the last time the dark-skinned detective was in Beika, he wouldn't be surprised if the two were caught up in some case. In fact, he distinctly remembered seeing Conan, the Osakan and a foreign-looking teenager walking up to Mouri's office earlier. And not too long ago, he saw Megure-keibu go up there as well, only to come back down alone. Something was going on, he could feel it. He wondered just what type of case the boy got himself into this time.

Curious, he had been thinking about how to get in on the case as he was restocking in the back. He could just be blunt about it, but Conan would probably get defensive if it was important and he's not sure how that would be received by the Osakan. Plus, he wasn't sure how the other teenager among them would react either.

Continuing his scheming, he started a bit when he heard the bell at the door and the voice of the very person he was contemplating.

"Seriously. Just what is so important on that phone of yours?" Conan's question sounded more than a little annoyed, and if he was hearing right, almost a little bitter. Odd.

A small laugh was his answer, followed by a clearly amused, "Nothing you need to worry that curious little head of yours, Tantei-kun."

Amuro swore he could feel Conan's glare from here, "You're the last person who should ever say that." Another laugh could be heard as the glare clearly intensified.

Equal parts surprised and curious, Amuro stopped his restocking and headed towards the main room. He knew it took a lot for Conan to get riled up, but whoever was with him clearly managed it with little effort. Just who could shake that kid's composure so easily?

When he opened the door, he had to catch himself from doing or saying anything that might cause a scene. Was Kudo Shinichi really standing there in broad daylight?! But who else could it be? The young man had to be the missing detective. That or he just had one hell of an uncanny resemblance to the detective. Plus, he was with Conan. If he remembered right, Conan often said that Shinichi-niichan was the one who told him random things that helped him on cases.

Still trying to process what he was seeing, he almost missed the somewhat tense (and amusing) conversation the two were having.

"I still don't understand why you're so angry with me."

He could see Conan's eyebrow twitching from here, "Because you were withholding information."

"None of which pertained to that case of yours," the Kudo look-alike reminded.

Conan scowled, "It was important."

"Not to the case."

Conan stared hard at the older boy, "If you had told us, then Heiji-niichan and Hakuba-niichan wouldn't-"

"I can assure you that, regardless of whether or not you knew prior, something similar would have happened so long as you kept poking your nose into it," the kid stated with confidence.

Getting more annoyed by the second, Conan pressed, "You could have warned us!"

"I did. Twice."

"Those weren't warnings!"

"I told you to leave the case alone. That should have been more than enough warning."

"Like I'd just drop the case. You know me better than that."

"You're right, I do know you better than that. Why do you think I'm sticking around? Someone has to curb those impulse control issues of yours and those two upstairs sure aren't going to be doing it."

Amuro had to hold back a laugh. Conan's gaping mouth at that comment was quite the sight.

Glaring hard at the older male, Conan bit out, "I don't have impulse control issues."

"Right, my bad. You have obsessive curiosity and impulse control issues."

"No, I don't! I'm a detective. I need to question things and figure them out to help people. When has that ever been a problem?"

"Do you want me to answer that chronologically or alphabetically?"

Amuro was struggling to hold in his laughter now. Kudo Shinichi or not, whoever this kid was, he clearly had Conan pegged to a tee. The boy's curiosity, as useful and important it was, often led him and his friends into trouble. If Conan ever saw or heard something that needed to be solved, he jumped straight into it.

Practically growling now, Conan grumbled, "If you're just going to be difficult, then why don't you just leave. We don't need your help with this case."

"One, that's a lie and you know it. You've already asked for my help, before that happened. Not to mention, you've asked for my help several times in the past. Two, like I said, someone has to keep an eye on you. I know the type of trouble you manage to get yourself and others into. And this case of yours is blaring warning signs at full volume. And three, I made a promise to Dad that I'd look out for you. Think of me what you will, but I always keep my promises, Tantei-kun."

Dad? Amuro's mirth cooled down as he processed the young man's statement. Is he talking about Kudo Yusaku or someone else?

Conan wasn't backing down, "Just because Dad told you to watch me doesn't mean you need to all the time. I've been doing just fine on my own and I don't need you babysitting me, Niisan."

Niisan?! Was this Kudo look-alike Conan's brother? Conan has an older brother? Amuro stared at the bickering pair with ill-concealed shock. In all his research on the boy, he never came across this information. Then again, he hadn't uncovered much about the boy's family. At best, he had heard Ran-san mention Conan's mother once. Actually, now that he thought about it, didn't he hear from Ran-san that Conan's mother had recently visited? That's right! She and Sonoko-san were in here the other day talking about Conan's mother and how she also met… Amuro could have slapped himself for his stupidity. Now he remembers. They were talking about the fact that Conan had an older brother and how he looked just like… just like Kudo Shinichi.

Seriously? There's having a resemblance and then there's down right identical.

Now that the Kudo look-alike had been identified, he took a closer look at the young man. It really was uncanny how similar the two looked. Unfortunately, haven't met the detective in person, he wasn't able to really tell just how different the two were. The only real difference he was able to glean from his limited information was a difference in hair and clothing styles. But that was just appearances. He'd have to observe this older brother of Conan's to have a better understanding of the two. Plus, there was still no guarantee that this wasn't Kudo Shinichi. There was a possibility that he and Conan had concocted this persona for the detective to protect him from the Organization. Just like Akai.

He was pulled out of his thoughts when he heard the older Edogawa sigh deeply.

"Look, I know better than anyone that you can take care of yourself, Tantei-kun. But would it kill you to take my advice for once? Believe it or not, I'm not trying to be difficult. But there's a fine line between the inquisitiveness needed as a detective and that shameless curiosity of yours that gets you into trouble."

The tone was an odd mix of exasperation, weariness and understanding. It was clear that this was a recurring conversation between the two. But from the sound of it, the older Edogawa brother was speaking from experience. Maybe this kid was Kudo Shinichi. He's sure that if the detective was still alive, then he'd be more wary of his surroundings after his run-ins with the Organization.

Apparently, Conan picked up on that fact as well since the boy blinked in surprise, his anger fading a bit.

Mimicking the older boy's sigh, Conan conceded, still annoyed, "Fine. You've made your point. I'll back off." Amuro had to hide a smirk hearing the unspoken for now. "As much as I hate to admit it, you're right. We're wasting time arguing, time we don't have. We need to focus, especially now that Heiji-niichan and Hakuba-niichan have been kicked off the case."

Just how serious is this case? And the Osakan detective and the other one were kicked off the case? Why? What has Conan stumbled into this time?

Speaking up, Amuro kept his voice light and cheerful, "Sounds like you're on a complicated case, eh, Conan-kun?"

He had to admit, Conan's startled expression was priceless. Apparently, the boy had been so focused on his conversation with his 'brother' that he wasn't paying attention to his surroundings. Interesting. Speaking of interesting, the older one looked surprised, but merely turned his attention towards the barista in a calm manner. Something told him that this kid knew he was there the second he had stepped out of the back room. Perhaps even before then.

"A-Amuro-san! I didn't see you there," Conan greeted nervously.

"Sorry, sorry. I was in the back restocking when I overheard you talking about a case, and I couldn't help myself," Amuro said, making sure to sound bashful. Conan may know his secret, but he wasn't about to blow his cover, especially in front of an unknown element. Speaking of which, he turned to the older 'Edogawa', smiling, "You must be Conan-kun's older brother. I heard about you from Ran-san."

The older boy blinked in surprise before politely smiling, "Ah, that's me," He stretched out his hand, "Edogawa Toshiro, it's nice to meet you…"

Shaking his hand, the undercover agent answered, "Amuro Tooru. I work here part-time and I'm Mouri Kogoro's apprentice."

"Is that so? Then you must be a pretty good detective yourself, Amuro-san," Toshiro praised, followed by another polite smile.

Amuro didn't know what to make of that comment. It sounded completely honest and genuine; there was nothing strange or off about it. He hid a frown at the thought. He got the distinct impression that this guy, whoever he was, was going to be difficult to read. Just like someone else I know.

He shook off the feeling for now. He still had his mission from Rum and what better way to continue his investigation then by hanging out with the 'Edogawa brothers'.

Amuro laughed good-naturedly, "I still got a ways to go before I'm at Mouri-sensei's level. I need to sharpen my skills if I'm ever going to be as good as the Sleeping Kogoro." Unfortunately, the elder Edogawa made no indication whether or not he knew about his little brother's involvement regarding that. Either he didn't know or he was a better actor than his brother. Presently, he wasn't certain which it was, though he suspected it was the latter.

"I'm sure you're quite the detective, Amuro-san. But it's admirable that you're actively working to improve your skills. I'm sure you'll be at Mouri-san's level in no time."

Once again, the polite praise sounded and felt completely genuine. He resisted the urge to narrow his eyes in suspicion. However, he still couldn't get a read on the elder 'Edogawa'. Just who was this guy?

"That's right, Amuro-san is a great detective. He's Kogoro-ojisan's top apprentice and helps him catch the bad guys," Conan said cheerfully, joining the conversation.

Looking down at the boy, he noticed Conan watching them with a torn expression. He looked annoyed, worried and amused all at once. What's with that expression? The boy had been clearly annoyed before they had come into the cafe and he almost always sported an annoyed look anyways.

But that didn't explain the worried look.

Why was Conan worried about the two of them talking? Maybe this Edogawa Toshiro really is Kudo Shinichi and Conan is worried he'll out him. But if that was the case, he doubted Conan would be that careless. There was still a possibility, but it would be nothing short of foolish for Kudo Shinichi to be pretending to be someone else with his own face. Especially if he had access to the disguise skills that turned Akai Shuichi into Okiya Subaru. No, while he wouldn't completely dismiss the possibility, it made more sense that this kid wasn't the missing high school detective.

But still, their appearance, the two could be twins. However, Kudo Shinichi was an only child. And unless one of the Kudos' had an affair, there shouldn't be a Kudo look-alike running around. Then again, now that I think about it, Conan looks a lot like Kudo as well. If Toshiro isn't the Kudo kid, maybe they are all related. It would explain Conan's relationship with the Kudos.

But if that's not what Conan is worried about, then what was it?

Maybe he's concerned that his brother would pick up his identity. Being Conan's older brother, he'd be surprised if he wasn't highly intelligent like his little brother. Plus, it seemed that Toshiro was more observant that Conan. Or at least less prone to being distracted, if their earlier argument was anything to go by. Regardless, even though he trusted Conan to keep his identity a secret, there was a chance that Toshiro could figure it out. Especially if the older brother knew about his little brother's involvement with the Organization.

Actually, now that he thought about it, that would be an understandable reason for Toshiro to show up now. If his family got wind of any of the trouble Conan managed to get himself into, surely his family would be concerned. However, it's a wonder that they seemingly hadn't been until now. Then again, based on the earlier conversation, it sounded like Conan had a knack for getting into trouble before the Organization. Maybe they were so used to the boy getting himself into trouble that it takes a specific brand of trouble to get them worried. Thinking about it, that actually was a viable reason, considering the type of trouble the boy gets himself in. Apparently the boys' father had the right idea in having Toshiro watch over Conan.

However, none of this explained why the boy would be amused, though.

So lost in his thoughts, he missed the quick questioning look Toshiro sent Conan who responded with an uneasy, but amused smirk. The elder Edogawa's confused expression instantly turn into one of realization then annoyed before being replaced by the polite, calm exterior. Nor did he realize he was spacing out until he heard a voice calling his name.

"Um, Amuro-san. Excuse me, Amuro-san."

"Huh?" Looking back at the pair, he blinked. Both Edogawas were staring at him with an expectant look. It was eerie how the brothers shared the same expression, though Conan seemed more agitated while Toshiro remained calm and polite. They were arguing a second ago. Now they're on the same page? The hell?

Toshiro asked, "I was wondering, since you work here, if you have any suggestions? The others know what they want, but I'm curious as to what you have to offer."

Amuro had to blink at the statement. Had it come from anyone else, he would have taken it as a veiled jab or a challenge leveled at him. However, he was still not able to glean anything other than the calm, polite nature this teen was showing. It was unnerving that he couldn't pick up anything else from the teen. Doesn't this guy give anything away?

Realizing he'd have to think about that later, he offered the recommended favorites of the cafe. As he described the various drinks and dishes, he noticed Conan had relaxed as the conversation continued; the boy providing some suggestions of his own. It was subtle, but whatever Conan had been worried about regarding the two of them, apparently it was no longer an issue. That or Conan finally reined in his emotions to hide it. Clearly the older one is a lot better at managing his emotions than the younger one. Perhaps it comes from experience.

As Toshiro came to a decision and placed their order, Amuro focused back on his initial question, "So, about that case you're on, Conan-kun."

"W-what are you talking about, Amuro-san?" Conan asked, nervously. Amuro raised an amused eyebrow. So Conan-kun doesn't want to tell me, huh?

Smiling, Amuro answered cheerfully, "The one where that Osakan detective and the other one with you, who I'm assuming is a detective as well, got kicked off the case. The one your brother seems so adamant about keeping you out of trouble."

Both Edogawa brothers gave him the same exact annoyed, unimpressed expression. Okay, now that's just creepy.

"Ah, that," Toshiro started, "Let's just say Tantei-kun here got in over his head." Again. Amuro felt the corner of mouth twitch upward at the unspoken sigh.

"I did not!" However, Toshiro leveled that annoyed, unimpressed look at his brother. One minute they're fighting, the next agreeing and then back to fighting. These two really just went at their own pace, didn't they?

Failing to hold in a small chuckle, Amuro suggested, "Maybe you could use some extra help. Or perhaps you need a different perspective."

The brothers glanced at each other, the look it their eyes changing so rapidly Amuro was having trouble keeping up. He had to admit; it was equally remarkable and disconcerting that they were having a silent conversation right in front of him. Moreover, it was a little awkward considering it was obviously about him. Strangely enough, he had the distinct impression that he was being critically analyzed and evaluated to see if he was suited for the job. Now that's just rude.

Surprisingly, after a few seconds, Toshiro let out a sigh, "Alright then. I will defer to your judgement, Tantei-kun." Amuro wasn't sure that was an entirely good thing to hear.

When he looked down at the boy, he was startled by a decidedly unnerving grin looking up at him. Swallowing down a rising sense of uneasiness, he smiled back at the boy. Maybe I shouldn't have asked.

-00000-

He was right. He shouldn't have asked.

Then again, it was probably a good thing I did. I mean, seriously, Conan?

He had to agree with the boy's older brother. In the short time he had known this highly intelligent and resourceful boy, he didn't think he's ever met someone so trouble-prone than Conan. And not just some small trivial trouble that may be expected from his age and situation. No, this was a kid that came across murders and kidnappings on the daily while clearly being involved with dangerous secret crime organizations on the side.

Speaking of which, somehow, this kid, his Osakan friend and the British detective had stumbled into what is shaping into another secret crime ring that's planning against the National Diet. He had to admit; he was impressed.

But this was bad, very bad. With so little to go off of and a clear threat looming over them, they really didn't have a whole lot of time to figure this out before this group decided to move forward with whatever their end goal was. Are they just a bunch of terrorists or is there something else going on? Luckily for him, he can work the investigation on multiple fronts. Something told him that was ultimately the reason Conan let him in on the case.

Conan confirmed just that, "So, Amuro-san, we need you to work with Kogoro-ojisan and the police on the case while Heiji-niichan and Hakuba-niichan work on it from the outside." He didn't miss the look the boy gave telling him to use his other ins as a means for information.

Amuro agreed. It was smart. Now that the two detectives had been kicked off the case (being framed for murder, really?), it wouldn't be a stretch that Megure-keibu would go to Mouri-san for help. However, since Conan was the real Sleeping Kogoro, that complicated matters. Especially since that, even though his prints weren't found on the murder weapon, there was a good chance that Conan would be barred from the case as well. Which left him to not only help Mouri-san through the case, but he was essentially to be a spy for the detectives. The irony was not lost on him.

However, that left…

"What are you and your brother going to do then, Conan-kun?" He was honestly curious about that. He knew that Conan was more than capable of getting around the police and, despite still not getting a read on him, he had a sneaking suspicion that his brother was just as skill in that area. Perhaps even more so.

Conan sat and thought for a moment before answering, "First, we're going to see if we can still get in on the case. Neither my nor Niisan's prints were on the murder weapon, but since I'm close to Heiji-niichan and Hakuba-niichan and Megure-keibu isn't used to my brother being around, it's more likely that we'll be banned from the investigation as well. If that happens, we'll help Heiji-niichan and Hakuba-niichan work on the case from the outside. Plus, Niisan and I have some other contacts that might be helpful."

Amuro had to try really hard not to frown at the mention of other contacts. No doubt Conan meant his FBI friends. Personally, he didn't think they needed them, nor did he want their help. These people were targeting Japan's leaders, so it should be up to the Japanese police to take them down. They didn't need outsiders' help.

Though he had to wonder who Toshiro's contacts were. Considering the fact that it was him who did the translating in the first place, it wouldn't be impossible that the elder Edogawa had more contacts than Conan. Perhaps even in Interpol. That was honestly a terrifying thought to consider. Either way, he wasn't sure he wanted to know who the older brother had up his sleeve.

On that front, he mentioned, "You sure know a lot of languages, Toshiro-kun. That's incredible coming from someone so young." And it was, the guy knew more languages than he did, and he suspected that he knew even more than that. It was strange, really strange.

Toshiro looked up from his phone (Again with the phone? Conan had a point. What was he doing on it?) and gave him a small surprised look before answering. "Oh, that," he shrugged, "I grew up trilingual. And until Conan was born, we moved around a lot for my dad's job. So I wound up picking up languages that way."

"You grew up trilingual?" Amuro commented, missing the three identical looks of surprise.

Toshiro nodded, "Yeah, our mom's Japanese and our dad is half. So despite spending most of my early childhood in France, Mom made sure I knew Japanese growing up. She did the same for Conan when they were living in America. I also learned English from an early age as well because Dad wanted me to."

Amuro just blinked at him. That was a lot of information to unpack just now. Conan and his brother weren't 100% Japanese. Toshiro grew up in France, perhaps never in Japan. Conan had lived in America (Maybe that explained Conan's FBI friends), but apparently not with Toshiro? Toshiro's father wanted him to learn English from an early age, because?. Plus, Toshiro had mentioned he wound up moving a lot for his father's job. What's with this family?

Surprisingly, he didn't have to ask anything just yet as the British detective, Hakuba, asked, "You weren't with Conan-kun in America?"

"No, I was only ever there to visit occasionally," Toshiro admitted, "By the time Conan was born, I had gotten so used to moving around with Dad, that it was just easier for me to go with him. We stayed in America until Conan was a little older, then Dad's job needed him somewhere else. So I went with him. Good thing too, since Dad doesn't really take good care of himself when he's on his own."

Well, that explained the weird relationship between the Edogawa brothers. From what he observed, they were simultaneously close and distant with each other. Like they knew a lot about each other, but no entirely, making their dynamic a little dysfunctional. Given Conan's irritation around his brother, he wondered if Conan was bitter that his brother chose to be with his dad over him.

Actually, that explained why he seemed to go to his Shinichi-niichan instead of his brother. If the Kudo kid had spent more time or at least paid more attention to the boy than his brother, then it made sense that he'd ask help from Shinichi-niichan over his brother. Hence, never hearing about his brother before now. However, it seemed that Toshiro was aware of this or at the very least, kept tabs on his little brother while he was gone. Amuro knew Toshiro was familiar with at least some of what Conan got up to and knew that he was an incredibly smart kid. It was all in that nickname he called him by: Tantei-kun. It was extremely fitting in his personal opinion. He did wonder about Toshiro's relationship with the high school detective, though; if that was the case.

But…

"But if you were with your dad, why is Conan-kun here now?"

"Mom got into a bad accident a while ago and couldn't take care of him. Dad's work had become really demanding at the same time and I was still in high school, so we couldn't take care of him either. So he was sent here with some distant relatives of ours. But they were going through some trouble themselves, and long story short, Conan wound up with Mouri-san."

"But your mother is better now, correct?" Amuro asked, wondering why Conan would still be here in that case.

At this Toshiro laughed while Conan looked annoyed again, "That's because someone didn't want to leave."

"Well you and Dad are almost never around and Mom's busy with her job," Conan retorted before pouting, "Besides it's more fun helping Kogoro-ojisan with cases!"

Toshiro raised an amused eyebrow, "You seriously have a questionable idea of fun."

"You of all people shouldn't be saying that, Niisan," Conan glared.

As the bickering continued, Amuro just watched what was proving to be a new source of entertainment for him. He had to hand it to Toshiro; he knew exactly how to rile up his little brother. Apparently, despite not being around his little brother all that much, he had a pretty good handle on how the boy thought and operated. Was he that good of a people reader, then? The thought was a little unnerving.

-00000-

As they finished up their planning, Amuro stopped and considered the situation. Conan was a formidable force to be reckoned with and had more resources than Amuro thought possible. Hattori Heiji, he knew, was an incredible young detective, if not somewhat carefree, but still had an impressive track record. Hakuba Saguru seemed like a decent detective; highly intelligent and had a drive to find the truth. However, he got a feeling that this might be the first time he had gone up against something this big. Amuro, himself, he knew had plenty of experience with this and a number of assets he could use to help if it got dangerous.

That left Edogawa Toshiro, who he honestly wasn't certain about. He suspected with his own interaction with the older Edogawa (and secretly watching him during the planning) that he was a highly perceptive young man with a brilliant mind of his own. However, he was infuriatingly hard to read which meant he was either that genuine of a character or was that skilled in hiding his true thoughts and feelings. Regardless, if he was going to describe Edogawa Toshiro as anything, he'd say he's a wildcard. One which may or may not help them.

However, they now had some semblance of a game plan. It wasn't much, but it was a start at least.

As he bent down to grab the now empty tray, he secretly slipped a bug under the coffee table. He knew that they were holding back information. Between Conan and Toshiro's conversation and the lingering tense atmosphere, he knew there was still something they were keeping quiet about. He wasn't that surprised by it. He expected this much from Conan, though. He was still very much a terrifying man. Which is why he made sure the boy didn't see it when he planted his bug. Him and his brother. He didn't trust that older Edogawa just yet.

After exchanging phone numbers, he bid his farewell and left the office. As soon as the door was shut, he placed the headphone into his ear. Walking away, he kept special attention to the conversation.

"... thin' we can trust 'im?"

"Yes, if…," there was a quick pause, "if Niisan and I can't get in on the case, then we'll need him to keep us informed."

"If we can't, I have a couple ideas how to get around the police. I'm sure you do as well, Tantei-kun."

"Yeah, I have a few ideas myself, but I rather not resort to them unless I have to. Especially now that Amuro-san is helping." No doubt the boy meant his FBI friends.

"So Hattori-kun and I should wait until we know for sure you two can get in or not."

"Yeah, that's the plan for now. Especially since you and Hattori-san could be targeted if you don't back off for now." Damn it, Toshiro must be moving away from his bug as his voice was getting slightly fainter as he spoke. He's the one I'm most curious about right now.

"I agree. The last thing we need is you two getting yourselves into more trouble."

A faint snort was heard. "That's funny coming from you, Tantei-kun."

"Oh shut it, will you!"

"Easy, it's just an observation. We have a game plan now, or at least part of one, so we should start looking for leads outside of the investigation in a bit." Shit, it was getting harder to hear Toshiro's voice. "But for now…"

Amuro's phone went off just then. Cursing, Amuro brought his phone to his other ear without looking at the caller ID.

"Hello. Amuro, speaking." He gave his standard greeting.

"Amuro-san!" Amuro froze in his tracks, eyes wide. He could hear Toshiro's voice, loud and clear. In both ears.

"I think you forgot something, unless this bug isn't yours. Which if it isn't, that's a little problematic for us, don't you think?" He could hear the accusation in that cheerful, but calm voice.

"I… I…" Amuro really didn't know how to respond. He didn't expect his bug to be found so soon. He knew Conan would probably find it later, but not immediately by his older brother!

"Oh I understand. Tantei-kun likes to keep stuff from me too. But there are better ways to get that information, Amuro-san. And I think you know that."

Amuro was cursing the heavens now. He knew there was more to the older brother than what he was showing, but dammit, just how perceptive was this guy? He made sure neither the brothers nor the detectives saw the bug. Which meant Toshiro was watching for it. It took a bit of effort to ignore the cold chill that ran down his spine at the realization.

"I mean," Toshiro continued on in that calm, cheerful tone, "I understand being a detective requires gathering information, but you wouldn't want anyone to get the wrong impression, right?"

The chill came back full force at what the older Edogawa was implying. Just how much did he know? How much has he guessed? He doubted that Conan would tell him, he practically admitted that by saying Conan kept stuff from him. Which meant Toshiro figured it out himself, in the short amount of time they met. Perceptive was not the word to describe this guy. He had glean almost nothing from Toshiro, but the guy had figured him out, at least to a degree, in just one meeting. What the hell was this guy?

Toshiro just carried on as if they were having a pleasant conversation, "But don't worry, I won't say anything. You are Conan's friend and an asset to the team. I wouldn't want anything bad to happen if someone got the wrong impression."

He didn't want to admit it, but he felt a small bout of relief at those words. Toshiro was going to keep his secret, just like Conan. Maybe I should recruit this Edogawa.

"Actually, I plan to stay out of the way for the most part. I'm just here to make sure Tantei-kun doesn't get himself into too much trouble. Believe me, it can actually get worse than this. But I'm sure you've figured that out by now, right, Amuro-san?"

Gods, it was like this guy could read his mind. And if he was reading it right, Toshiro did know about the Organization, but wasn't going to get involved unless he had to in order to protect Conan. Well I at least know where his priorities lie now.

Fighting a growing headache at the onslaught of veiled information he was receiving, Amuro was struggling to keep up with that calm, cheerful voice, "And because of that, you should understand my need to keep him from getting hurt. As much of a pain he can be, he's still my little brother. He gives me heart attacks enough as it is. Hopefully, you can help me with that seeing as you're more experienced than the other two. You understand those types of dangers, don't you, Amuro-san?"

And there's the threat. Conan gets hurt and I'm coming after you. It's not the first time he's been threatened, far from it. And it wasn't the first time he's been threatened with a cheerful voice. However, he did feel the weight of it. It wasn't just a threat; it was a promise. He's starting to see where Conan got his intensity and that devious little mind of his.

"Anyway, I hope you won't hold it against me if I dispose of this bug. I know how expensive they can be, but I rather be safe than sorry," The cheerful, calm voice was becoming more and more absurd for how this conversation was going, "But I am looking forward to working with you, Amuro-san. You seem like a good guy and a great detective. Until then, we're counting on you, Amuro-san!"

Amuro knew exactly what was coming as soon as the call ended and made to remove the headphone from his ear. Unfortunately, he was not quick enough and his ear was graced with the loud, screeching noise of the bug being destroyed.

Rubbing his ear and staring at the headphone in his palm, he thought about everything he learned today; from the case to Edogawa Toshiro. The older Edogawa was terrifying. In a way, he felt like he was looking in a mirror. Amuro Tooru was a cheerful, mysterious, smart detective with more to him than met the eye. He also reminded him of Akai's cover, Okiya Subaru: modest, polite and at times, menacing. He had to hold in a shudder of the two of them being reflected in this one person. Furthermore, he knew that didn't go anywhere near the full depth of this guy's character.

He had thought Conan was an intriguing mystery. His brother was a whole other type of mystery.

But he did notice the similarities. The intelligence; the wariness; the manipulation; the vindictive nature.

If there was one thing he was absolutely sure of, it was this:

Those two were definitely brothers.

-00000-

Conan was trying hold in his laughter. He really was.

But… Damn, Kid.

He knew Kid was not afraid to play dirty. Nor was the thief prone to pull his punches, unless he needed to.

But if he was going to describe Kid right now at this very moment, there was really only one way to describe him.

He was an evil bastard.

Privately, he had Kid to thank for not blowing their cover as soon as Amuro left. He was going to address Kid how he normally did, but caught Kid's eye at the last second. Kid had merely lifted a finger to his lips, but that was all he needed to know that Amuro had planted a bug.

He really shouldn't have been surprised by that. Despite knowing Amuro was really one of the good guys, that did not stop the guy's insistent need to find out more. Especially concerning him: both Conan and Shinichi. He had noticed Amuro asking about his true self. That was unsettling. He wasn't sure if it was just curiosity or he had been ordered by the Organization to find out. He had to begrudgingly admit that his dad's plan to have Kid pretend to be his older brother was a good idea. Either way, it was sure to trip up any Organization member, who wasn't Vermouth, regarding Conan's identity.

Regardless, he had quickly kept up with the conversation as normal after that. Silent encouragement from Kid had the other two join in, though mindful of the extra set of ears listening in.

As much as he hated to admit it, Kid once again impressed him with his insane voice manipulation. He knew Kid could mimic any voice he pleased. He also knew that Kid could project his voice, manipulating his vocal cords and the acoustics of a room to carry his voice so it sounded like he was somewhere he was not. But the level of control he demonstrated just now was amazing. Not only had Kid made his voice sound fainter right where he was sitting, but the gradual way he allow his voice to grow fainter and fainter, like he was actually walking away, when he was really walking closer, was unnerving.

Damn thief and his stupid acting skills. He seriously doubted his mother, hell even Vermouth, was capable of that perfect voice control and manipulation.

He did wish he had seen Amuro's face when he had answered his phone, though. He was sure Kid gave Amuro a heart attack with his little stunt. And if that didn't do it, he was sure the veiled information Kid was hinting at made the undercover agent sweat, if just a little.

Granted, he knew Kid was going to kill him, slowly, for not mentioning Amuro before they had gone downstairs. He had yet to inform Kid that he wasn't one of the bad guys despite the whole fiasco on the Bell Tree Express. So when Amuro was lost in thought (no doubt wondering why Edogawa Toshiro looked just like Kudo Shinichi), Kid had sent him what was clearly a What the hell look. Thankfully, Kid got the message when he had sent him that uneasy smirk. He was surprised how quickly Kid put the pieces together though.

Kid had dropped the now destroyed bug on the table and returned to his seat with a very pointed look thrown in his direction.

Okay, Kid was still pissed at him. He just smiled at the thief, who gave him an eye roll before returning to his phone.

"Seriously? Just what the hell are you doing on your phone?" Conan asked bluntly, really not expecting an answer.

So he was surprised when Kid spoke up, "Presently? Keeping your bases covered, Tantei-kun."

"My bases?" Conan gaped.

Throwing him an annoyed and amused look, Kid explained, "I don't need to be a detective or have my prior knowledge to know that guy is dangerous. Even if he is a good guy like you say, I wouldn't put it past him to snoop around areas where he shouldn't. Areas like asking some questions on the case about the fingerprints found on the murder weapon."

Shit, he forgot about that. He had been thrown so off balanced since Himura showed up, that when Amuro had popped up, he was so worried about Amuro snooping into other areas, he totally forgot about the record of his fingerprints being found on the weapon. If Amuro heard about that…

"Don't worry," Kid said calmly, "I'm having Kudo-san contact Megure-keibu to keep that information classified unless absolutely necessary. Since you're supposed to be in America right now, your alibi should hold up with your parents."

Conan was relieved, impressed and annoyed all at once. As usual, the stupid thief was two steps ahead of everyone else.

"So, wha' were ya doin' on yer phone before then?" Hattori asked. Kid sent him an exasperated look. Right, if Kid was covering Conan's bases now, he was probably covering his own beforehand.

"Anyway, we should be thinking about our initial plan and backups while we're at it. Ideally, I'd like Tantei-kun and me to still be in on the investigation. I'm not sure how much the police might miss and I don't trust that Amuro guy to be fully truthful in his reports to us. Plus, I'd rather keep an eye on him."

Conan agreed with this. As much as he trusted the police, he knew that there was a chance they missed something. Amuro was another problem all together. He had allowed Amuro in on the case solely because he knew Amuro would go looking on his own if he didn't. Plus, he being an undercover agent gave them quite a few different advantages as well. But that didn't mean he wanted Amuro in on his secret just yet.

"Why are you so concerned about Amuro-san?" Habuka asked, "Despite the bug, he seems like he could be a valuable asset."

Conan internally winced. Right, he forgot to mention him during his brief explanation to Hakuba about the Organization.

Kid let out a groan of annoyance and Conan couldn't stop his smirk at that.

"What?" Hakuba asked, very confused now.

Conan sighed, though couldn't quite remove the smirk on his face, "Let's just say that Amuro-san is ultimately a good guy, but he is still very dangerous and not to be taken lightly."

"So why are you so annoyed by him?" Hakuba threw his question at Kid.

Sporting a grimace, "Let's just say that, thanks to Tantei-kun here, I got an up-close and personal experience of just how dangerous that guy can be."

"That wouldn't happen to involve that C4 thing you two were mentioning earlier, would it?" Hakuba gave both of them disapproving looks. Conan's innocent smile and Kid's groan were more than enough confirmation.

"Wait," Hattori jumped in, "That's how you guys did that?! You just said Kid disguised as her. Not that he had to escape from C4!"

"And being held at gunpoint," Kid chimed in.

Hakuba practically squawked, "Gunpoint?! What on earth were you doing?!"

"Nothing," Kid said, nudging his head at Conan, "If you want to blame someone for that whole trainwreck, blame Tantei-kun here. He blackmailed me into it."

Conan glared at Kid, but the amused smirk ruined the angry look, "Who else could I ask? You were the only escape artist on the train."

"Wow, look at that, Tantei-kun fancies himself a comedian. Who knew you had a sense of humor?"

"I've always had a sense of humor. It's just that your sense of humor sucks, Niisan."

Kid covered his heart, "You wound me so, Tantei-kun."

"Wait, back up," Hakuba barked. Conan and Kid stopped their bickering to turn to the British sleuth, who was massaging his head. "You're telling me that you," he pointed at Conan, "blackmailed him," pointing to Kid, "into a situation that had him at gunpoint and possibly blown up by C4?"

"And you people call me the criminal," Kid muttered under his breath.

Conan narrowed his eyes at the thief, "You kidnapped me and dragged me all the way to Singapore!"

"You did WHAT!" Hakuba's outburst was ignored.

"You were fine. I brought you back, didn't I?" Kid defended, "Besides, you kick those hellish soccer balls at me all the time."

"So?"

"They're strong enough to dent steel," Kid deadpanned.

"You tased me!"

"And you blew up the motorcycle I was on."

As the two argued about the various things they had done to each other in the past, Hattori and Hakuba watched in amusement and alarm respectively. Hattori was fascinated by the exchange while Hakuba was horrified by what the two had done to each other. As they watched on, both of them had the same thought, but for very different reasons: And they are two of the smartest men in Japan.

At some point, the argument went from what they had done to each other, to which of the two of them did the stupider stunt.

"You literally jumped off a skyscraper to get the jump on me."

"You've jumped out of a moving plane. Three times!"

"Hey, the first time was to make sure you all landed safely. And the second time was an airship."

"Still a moving vehicle in the air."

"Well, if you recall, I had to because someone got himself thrown out."

When it seemingly came to a stalemate, Hattori decided to jump in, "So wha' 'bout da third time?"

There was a pause before Kid answered, "Technically, I didn't jump out of that one."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Conan asked, a little bemused. When Kid didn't answer, he thought about it. It was during the whole Sunflowers disaster. He had assumed that Kid had secured the painting then jumped out of the plane before the explosion. If that wasn't the case and Kid said he technically didn't jump out of the plane, then…

Conan whipped his head back towards the thief, eyes wide. Damn thief just sat there calmly as if it wasn't a problem.

Narrowing his eyes at the thief, Conan lowered his voice, "Where were you when the explosion happened?"

There was a pause before Kid smiled cheekily, "The cargo hold."

Conan stared at the thief long and hard. Kid was in the cargo hold when the explosion happened. Which meant he was right, he did not jump out of the plane. Instead, he had been ejected out by the air pressure while the plane started losing altitude. Plus, the cargo hold was in front of the plane, meaning when Kid went flying, he would have had to dodge the engines and wings. While he was pretending to be him. Now he knows why Sonoko was so freaked out after the landing. She probably saw Kid as him flying out of the cargo hold.

Conan was quiet for a long time until he sighed, "You're insane." Kid just smiled proudly.

"So instead of jumpin' out of a plane, ya were essentially ejected out of one," Hattori asked torn between amazement and horror. Kudo's bad enough, but this guy…

Kid thought for a moment, not really fazed by any of this, "Well, I did managed to grab the side of the cargo hold. I was able to aim better towards the Sunflowers thanks to that."

Hattori blinked, "I agree with Kudo. Yer insane."

Conan looked at the silent Brit. Poor guy looked like his brain stopped working at all the information of the various stunts the two of them did. He honestly felt a little sorry for the guy.

Hakuba managed to pull himself together, only to shoot a nasty look in Kid's direction, "I remember hearing about that whole Sunflowers fiasco. I was wondering what the bloody hell you were thinking."

"Hey, I was trying to help."

"I know," the Brit practically growled.

"Well, if you think that's bad, you should hear how-"

"Enough!" the Brit exclaimed, holding his head, "Enough. I don't want to hear anymore how two of the smartest people in the country keep getting themselves into such stupid and dangerous situations."

"Is that supposed to be a compliment?" Kid baited. Hakuba sent him a death glare.

Hattori laughed, "Ya two really do manage ta get inta ridiculous situations, don't ya?" Hattori's laughter abruptly stopped when he felt a chill go up his spine. Looking up, he was met with the eerie sight of both Kid and Conan giving him the same pointed, unimpressed look of annoyance. That's really creepy.

Worse, the two retorted in the same exact deadpanned, "You're one to talk." Hattori felt the heat rise to his face as the jab hit home.

"I see," Hakuba started smugly, "So I'm the only one who as yet to act so foolishly and recklessly."

Conan and Hattori glared at the Brit. This prick.

"I wouldn't be so smug, Tantei-san," Kid smirked, "That just means you're the liability amongst us."

"Excuse me!" Hakuba gaped in indignation. Hattori was struggling to keep his laughter in check while Conan stared at the thief in surprise.

Kid leveled his unimpressed look at the Brit, "You're the only one here that hasn't been involved in something like this before. I know you have quite the extensive reputation in England and have solved a number of hard cases. However, still most, if not all, of your biggest cases were concluded with police support," the thief pointed at Conan, "Tantei-kun here deals with murderers and kidnappers of the far more despicable and repugnant variety, without the police, every other Friday. And he usually drags this one," the thief jabbed at Hattori, "with him. Then, of course, I don't have police support whatsoever. While I have used the police in my favor in the past, I know when I can and cannot rely on them."

Conan had to admit; Kid had a point. In an extremely convoluted way, the three of them were well-equipped to deal with this case. They all had experience in dealing with dangerous criminals without the police backing them up. If this was Hakuba's first time dealing with something of this magnitude, Kid was right; Hakuba could be a liability. Plus, it didn't help that, in a completely bizarre fashion, the three of them were well aware of each others' strengths and weaknesses. Kid might have a grasp of Hakuba's capabilities, but Conan and Hattori had worked with the Brit very little before this. That type of unknown element would make it difficult to properly gauge Hakuba's responses to certain situations, making planning a bit problematic.

Despite his thoughts, Conan had to hold back his own laughter. Hakuba was making quite the impressive imitation of a gaping fish right now.

Hakuba regained control of himself and made to defend himself when Kid raised a hand.

"This isn't a reflection of your detective skills, Tantei-san," Kid said calmly, "I of all people know that you're a brilliant detective and you have thrown a wrench into my plans more times than I care to admit." Conan could have sworn he saw a small smug smirk accompanied by faint blush on Hakuba's face at Kid's praise. "However, this time, you don't have the police backing you if something goes wrong. What would happen if the bad guys got the drop on you while you were investigating? Tantei-han knows kendo and Tantei-kun has that watch and those hellish shoes of his. Believe or not, but I do know how to defend myself if I get into that type of situation. That just leaves you. Do you even know how to defend yourself if you get into trouble?"

This time, the red hue on Hakuba's face was far more noticeable, though it was from a mix of embarrassment and displeasure.

"I know how to defend myself. Thank you very much."

Kid just raised an eyebrow, "Let me guess. You know the basics of self-defense, some judo and that's about it."

Kid clearly hit the nail on the head when Hakuba turned his head away angrily. Well, at least he's not completely helpless.

"I also know how to use a gun," Hakuba mumbled bitterly.

Kid narrowed his eyes, "And when's the last time you had to use those skills to save yourself or someone else?"

The drawn out pause was their answer.

Kid sighed, "Look I'm not trying to kick you off the case or anything. I know you can be just as stubborn as Tantei-kun when you want to be." There was an odd, pointed look in his eyes that further proved to Conan that these two knew each other outside of detective and thief. "I'm just asking that when it comes down to it, you need to trust us when we tell you to do something. Unfortunately, we are the experts in this area and when we tell you to run or back off, we aren't doing it because we think you can't help; we're trying to save your life."

Conan could hear the heavy statement underneath Kid's words: I need you to trust me.

Conan knew that he could trust his life to the thief; hell, he's done that several times. But Hakuba might not, or if he was reading it right, Hakuba might be afraid to trust the thief; not because Hakuba couldn't trust the thief's abilities, but he didn't want to put the thief in anymore danger. It was a similar feeling he got from Hattori at times.

Clearly, Conan wasn't the only one who got the hidden message as Hakuba laughed bitterly, "I see. So you mean I need to trust you of all people with my life?"

"Ideally, yes," Kid said with a sardonic smile, "But I actually meant most likely Tantei-han here."

Hattori, who had been watching the exchange with an odd, reserved expression, blinked in surprise at the statement, "Huh?"

All three detectives look at Kid with curiosity, waiting for an explanation.

With a smirk, Kid answered, "Well, I'll have my hands full keeping Tantei-kun out of trouble. So that leaves Tantei-han to keep an eye on you. Surprisingly, out of the two of you, he's the more responsible one and the one least likely to get himself into trouble, despite the impressive number of hospital visits. I'm sure he can keep you in-line."

Conan felt his eyebrow twitch in anger, but stopped himself from arguing. They already had this argument, and while he knew it was going to come up again, he was not in the mood to fight with the thief on it.

He had to laugh at the hilarity of Kid's statement, though.

Meanwhile, Hattori looked like he was going to have a seizure from holding in his laughter. Though, Hattori was secretly pleased by Kid's praise and understanding that he does try to keep his friends in one piece.

If Hakuba had been indignant before, he was pissed now.

"Excuse me! But I don't need this hot-headed Osakan to be my babysitter!"

Kid just shrugged, though the somewhat evil-looking smirk ruined the look of nonchalance, "Sorry, but in case you forgot, Tantei-han is your partner for this case. And like I said, he has more experience with these types of cases than you and is, therefore, your senior in that regard. So, it would make sense that you defer to his judgment on the matter, don't you agree, Tantei-san?"

If looks could kill, Kid would be six feet under, nine times over. Conan didn't know that Hakuba could get that angry. As usual, Kid brings out the best side of everybody.

Unfortunately, Kid was once again correct and there really wasn't anything Hakuba could do about it. He really loves to be five steps ahead of everyone, doesn't he?

So with a fuming British detective practically sulking on the couch, they quickly finalized their, admittedly, rough plan. Everything was accounted for, at least to the degree they could, except for…

"What 'bout dat Himura guy?" Hattori asked tentatively. That conversation definitely had not been forgotten.

Once again, all heads turned to the thief, though this time with a heavy mix of trepidation and concern.

A small, hollow smile graced Kid's lips as he simply stated, "You leave Himura to me."

A chill ran down all their spines at that declaration. It was still unnerving to hear Kid like that. Fortunately, the tense atmosphere was broken by the sound of a phone ringing.

Much to the detectives surprise, as soon as Kid looked at the caller ID, his expression switched to extreme annoyance and answered the call.

"Do I even want to know how you got this number?" Kid asked, very, very annoyed.

The detectives just blinked at the heavy, emotional whiplash of Kid's attitude change. The guy really could change moods at the drop of a hat.

Kid was pinching the bridge of his nose when he bit out, "Just get to the point of why you called me."

Apparently that was the wrong thing to ask as Kid's eyes went wide slightly as he breathed out an exasperated sigh, "You can't be serious."

Clearly whoever was on the other end was serious as Kid looked skyward and started muttering curses under his breath.

"Fine, fine. You've made your point. You win," Kid conceded as he listened to the caller before rolling his eyes, "Yes, I'll make the arrangements. Yes, it will be up to your standards."

Another pause and Kid let out a farewell through gritted teeth, "Yes, I'll see you soon, then. Goodbye."

As soon as the ended, Kid lowered his head into his hands and mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like "damn witch".

Realizing who was on the other end of the call, Conan couldn't stop the growing smirk on his face.

"Say, Kid, was that-"

"Shut it," Kid threw one of the most nasty looks he ever gave the boy. Conan's eyes just lit up evilly.

Unfortunately, Conan wasn't the only one who picked up on who the caller was. Hattori, with a growing smirk of his own, started, "That wouldn't happened to be-"

"Finish that sentence, Tantei-han, and so help me, I will call Toyama-san right now as you and declare your eternal love for Ooka-san." Hattori paled at the threat and snapped his mouth shut.

Before Conan could retort, Kid turned to him with menacing, innocent smile, "And Ran-chan has been so despondent with how Shinichi-kun still hasn't been around despite being official now. Maybe I should do something about that, eh, Tantei-kun?"

Conan's glare could have set fires, "Don't you dare." He received what could only be described as a threatening smile in return.

Confused, Hakuba asked, "What are you talking about? Who was that?"

"No one you need to concern yourself with, Tantei-san," Kid said cheerily with a heavy threat laced in his words. Conan and Hattori snorted, but didn't dare say anything, knowing Kid's threat was very real.

"Anyway," Kid said in that same cheerful, threatening voice, "I now have an engagement to prepare for now, so I must bid you detectives adieu." As he waved cheerfully at the door, Conan and Hattori didn't miss the threat in his eyes. Say anything and I will ruin you. As hilarious of a situation it was, neither of them were stupid enough to risk Kid's wrath.

There was a long pause after Kid left, until:

"So," Hakuba started, "Do I want to know what that was about?"

Hattori sniggered and Conan smirked.

"Trust me, Hakuba," Hattori struggled with his laughter, "Ya really do."

I'd just like to say this chapter took an absurdly long time to write. I think I scratched five different versions until I finally settled for this.

That being said, let it be known that Amuro is an infuriatingly difficult character to write, so I apologize if he seems at all out of character. I actually hadn't initially planned to have him the story, or at least so soon, but when I was writing the last chapter it only made sense that Amuro would question Edogawa Toshiro's existence.

Plus, I wanted someone who wasn't in the know to observe Conan and Kid's interaction as brothers to show how much their normal conversation really do sound and look like bickering brothers.

Anyway, I do apologize for the length and how dialogue heavy this chapter was. I do promise that the next one will be more plot heavy.

Until then: Thank you to everyone still following this story. Your support means so much!

Cheers!

~ AkiLynn

Disclaimer - I do not own Detective Conan or Magic Kaito