"What do we do?"
Six men sat huddled in a row, clutching their heads and stealing glances at one another. For a long moment, they wavered, unsure if they should even attempt to stop the Dark Knight from passing.
Watching him walk toward their boss felt like a betrayal of their "brotherhood," didn't it?
"Maybe... maybe we should just rush him to put on a show?" one of them suggested tentatively.
"No weapons, though. We just run at him, take a hit, and call it a day. At least it'll look like we tried."
"Are you looking for a death wish?" the man who had first sold out the information hissed. "Do you have any idea what it feels like to have your bones wrenched clean out of your skin while you're still breathing?"
He'd had the misfortune of standing on the outskirts of the crowd during the Terashima Group incident. That day, they had hauled away van after van of bodies; not a single person had looked human anymore. The sheer, visceral brutality of the scene had made even a seasoned street veteran like him tremble to his core.
The young lookout for the Terashima Group had been so traumatized he'd spent the whole time huddled on the ground, shivering. He looked like he'd lost his mind.
It didn't take a genius to figure out that the kid had probably pressed his face against the glass to see what was happening inside.
"But..." another member murmured, worried about the fallout. "Won't the gang settle the score with us once this is all over?"
"Then what? The six of us against him?"
The six of them stared at each other, eyes wide with indecision.
Bang!
Ikumi Koshimizu had been watching their little debate when the sudden crack of a gunshot snapped her attention forward.
It was a strange situation. She was a woman standing right there, completely exposed, yet from beginning to end, it hadn't even occurred to these thugs to take her hostage. They were too paralyzed to think of her as a target.
Dozens of meters away, shots continued to ring out in rapid succession.
Ikumi wasn't the only one watching; the six gang members were glued to the sight as well.
"See? See! I told you the rumors about him dodging bullets were true!" one whispered urgently. "That night at the Terashima bar, the gunfire never stopped, and yet here he is."
The figure in black moved like a flickering phantom, weaving through the hail of lead unleashed by the two bosses.
In truth, while his skill was undeniable, the psychological atmosphere played a massive role. When fear settles into the bones, even the best marksman loses their cool. Most people don't think logically in the heat of a fight; they just panic and charge.
"Call the police!"
Seeing that the gunfire had finally ceased, the six men reached for their phones. They started doing the only thing they could do to save themselves.
The Dark Knight was known to be far more lenient toward those who confessed and surrendered to the law.
"Are you certain the police will raid their headquarters tonight?" Ikumi Koshimizu asked, tucking her camera away as she followed behind Tsuneo.
This "commission" had gone almost too smoothly.
"They're keeping an eye on me," Tsuneo replied, though by "they," he meant the police force.
The pressure from the hospitals was becoming too much to ignore...
"I didn't expect those six to be that terrified," Ikumi admitted. It was her first time truly witnessing the weight of his reputation.
"They're just seasoned street-rats," Tsuneo said, pulling on his helmet and mounting the motorcycle—a "confiscated" asset from the night's work.
Small gangs like this fell apart easily. For the meager pittance they earned every month, no one was actually willing to throw their life away.
"What are you looking at? I paid your repair fees. Is a lift too much to ask?" Ikumi smiled, hopping onto the back seat. When she noticed he didn't start the engine and was instead staring at her, she gave him a playful look.
Her own car had been blown up back at the Sunset Manor; she had likely taken a taxi to get here.
"I don't have a spare helmet..." Tsuneo muttered. It wasn't that he didn't want to take her; it was just that they were practically begging to be pulled over.
"Drive!" Ikumi commanded, ignoring the safety concern.
"I still have to stop by Haido," the "Repairman" noted, mentioning he had some other business to attend to.
"Can I film it...?"
"You didn't come home last night?"
Conan, who was staying over at Professor Agasa's, was in the middle of breakfast when he saw the Repairman walk through the door. After a quick scan of Tsuneo's disheveled state, he posed the question with a raised eyebrow.
"My, it seems that former medical examiner is quite the charmer," Ai Haibara added, holding her rice bowl and smiling thinly.
Out all night. Time to confess.
Professor Agasa and Akemi shared a knowing smile.
"Sigh." Tsuneo pulled off his mask, slumped onto the sofa, and rubbed his temples with a heavy groan.
"What happened?" Conan glanced at the food.
Usually, this guy would have sprinted over to eat! Something was wrong. Very wrong.
"Detectives," Tsuneo lamented, glancing at Conan, "are truly troublesome creatures."
"On that, I agree," Ai nodded immediately.
People with an overactive sense of curiosity tended to meet very swift ends in movies.
"You two..." Conan started, his defense weak.
"It was going perfectly," Tsuneo shook his head, "right up until we ran into the patrol officers."
"Don't tell me she got caught," Agasa said, looking concerned. They all knew that if Ikumi had called Tsuneo out, it was for "dangerous business." If her identity was compromised, she'd have to go into hiding.
"Let's just see what the news says," Tsuneo said, clicking on the television.
As he expected, the morning news was already all over the incident.
"According to the latest reports, it appears the Dark Knight has a new accomplice. The individual, also dressed in black, was seen carrying a professional camera."
"Confirmed to be a woman, the two were spotted last night fleeing on a motorcycle..."
Agasa and the others watched the broadcast, then exchanged glances, speechless.
These two had actually led the police on a high-speed chase all night...
"I told her not to film, but she insisted. And she wouldn't even wear a helmet!" Tsuneo grumbled, his voice full of exhaustion.
What was the point of "evidence" if you're getting chased by the cops? Besides, riding without a helmet was just plain dangerous.
"And here I thought..." Conan's thoughts had been running along the same lines as Ai's.
He'd assumed the Repairman had had a "romantic" night. He hadn't expected it to be a "life-threatening" one.
That Afternoon.
Haido Department Store.
"Ran, what do you think of this one?" Sonoko asked, holding up a bright orange sweater.
"Isn't this supposed to be a gift for Mr. Kyogoku? Isn't the pattern a bit... too cute?" Ran looked at the green design knitted into the front.
Conan and Tsuneo stood off to the side, watching the two women browse.
Tsuneo had originally only intended to drop the "Great Detective" off, but he'd somehow ended up roped into the excursion. The young miss of the Suzuki Corporation had declared she was treating everyone to dinner later, so there was no escape.
"She's planning to buy a hand-knitted sweater and pretend she made it herself, isn't she?" Conan whispered, having seen right through Sonoko's plan.
"Looks like it," Tsuneo nodded, having finally caught up on some sleep.
Then again, Kogoro Mouri had preferred to stay in the parking lot alone rather than come up and deal with the shopping.
"What a coincidence, Ran!"
As the two best friends were debating the merits of the sweater, a woman in a long trench coat and dark sunglasses strolled past the shop entrance and offered a casual wave.
Tsuneo: "..."
Conan: "..."
Why was the Dark Knight's "accomplice" suddenly showing up here?
"Miss Koshimizu?" Ran remembered the detective lady well.
"Hey, hey..." Conan muttered, leaning toward Tsuneo. "You don't think she planted a tracking device on you, do you?"
Given that she wasn't carrying any shopping bags, she definitely hadn't come here for the sales.
"I'm starting to suspect that myself..." Tsuneo replied.
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