Murder Broods

Murder Broods:

Chapter two: Solitary Crow

The Next Day:

"Have you figured anything out from the hacker ID yet?" Haibara leaned closed to Conan as they walked, the day sky bright blue and cloudless; class long since ended.

"No." Conan withdrew his cell from his pocket, the ID burned into his brain after an all-nighter of combing it for clues -- but none of the list of known hackers Jodie sent in the text connected. He yawned, his gut growled but churned all appetite away. "I'm not certain this is an ID."

"Huh? But...." Haibara froze, her heart jumping in her chest, the feeling of dark, suffocating shadows closing in on her. One of them was nearby. She grabbed Conan's arm, her eyes searching their surroundings until glaring straight ahead.

"Haibara...." Conan focused on her, the sudden fear and tight hold on his arm familiar signals that Haibara sensed a Syndicate member. He followed her glare, his muscles tensing, his heart thumping in his chest; he steadied his body for action, he braced himself, yet ----

"Conan!" Ran turned and greeted him, Sonoko beside her talking to an unknown female in a Teitan high school uniform. "Haibara-san's with you? That's nice." Ran smiled then turned back to Sonoko and the unknown female; the unnamed female ran her fingers through her jet black hair, the uneven strands glossy and straight. A strand fell into her eyes which she pulled back.

"What are you doing here, Ran-nechan?" Conan smiled, his heart pounding as he watched the unknown female, his gut clenched -- he glanced back a Haibara who hid behind him, blocking circulation to his arm with her grip. A member of the syndicate was near ---

'It couldn't...don't tell me....'

"We're giving Hakami-san here a tour of Tokyo, she just transferred from overseas." Sonoko grinned and pushed the unknown female forward. "Hakami-san, these two are Conan-kun and Haibara-san."

Hakami bowed in greeting, her eyes widening at the fright on Haibara's face, and narrowing at Conan's glare. the greenish black tint glinting from her eyes returned the stare; her glower vanished with a sudden smile as she turned back to Sonoko and Ran.

"Where to first? Ran-san, Sonoko-san?"

"How 'bout Shibuya? That's where all the best stores are. Or Toto tower?"

"Is it possible to see the whole city from Toto tower? Let's go there -- I want to see how much there is to explore." Hakami grinned as Sonoko nodded and led her and Ran toward the tower.

Conan watched the group walk away, his teeth clenched -- he started to follow them, but Haibara ran in the other direction. He chased after her; catching up he pulled her onto an empty sidestreet, his eyes and ears keen to anything unusual.

"Let me go! You know what this means, don't you? They know...they...." Haibara tried to pull away from Conan, her heart thumping loudly in her chest and ears; the boy detective held Haibara's arm until she settled enough not to run.

"Hakami is one of them then. You're sure?"

"Yes. The scent they give off -- I sensed it all over her. And her eyes -- her glare...." Haibara trembled, but breathed deeply pressed against a building wall. "I have to leave, I can't put you in danger, they...."

"I don't think Hakami was sent to find you." Conan's shadowed eyes glared at the cement sidewalk; his fists clenched and glistening with sweat. "They'd have gone straight for you if anyone other than Vermouth know who you were."

"Then why...."

"Hakami befriended Ran...either the syndicate's after me or her father...." The stale wind breezed coldly by, bringing silence until a vehicle drove by and disappeared around the corner. "Most likely they're after Mouri-ojisan."

"Kudo...."

"I need to go back to the agency -- even if it is a trap. This new member might be around just to spy on ojisan --- either way I need to check on him. While you...go to Agasa's, tell him what's happened, but don't do anything rash. I'll get in contact with Jodie, if I can."

0

Night descended, the sudden darkness of the starless sky gleaming black as a crow's wing; above the streetlights a solitary crow flew -- glided to a windowsill.

The window opened and the winged creature hopped into the room then flew to a stand holding one dish of water and one dish of dead insects. It ate, a ring blinking around its leg; the glow of a computer screen highlighted its black feathers.

"Fortunato, Fortunato." The roller-chair in front of the CPU turned, and the shadowed face surrounded by blonde hair cropped short peered at the crow, crooning that name. The figure's finger stroked the crow's beak; the glow for the computer flashed, the pale face unshadowed up to the eyes. The slender face of a female, lips thin in a smile at the crow.
"My dear Fortunato, where would you go without me? My lovely Fortunato...." The blonde turned back to the screen, her chuckle roused the bird which flapped his wings then settled. "Now...seems Troy hasn't found the horse yet....heh."

She turned back to the crow, and stroke his beak again; smirking she stood, picked papers from her printer, then left the room. The TV flashed the news headlines, the mysterious disappearances; The blonde kept the volume muted until the image of a newly constructed building showed.

"....fully computerized structure opens to the public next week. With an already high tenant list...."

The blonde listened to the announcer until the next topic -- with a laugh and grin she switched off the TV.

"Interesting...such a bold move...." She glanced at the paper in her hand, an invite to a special convention, posted to a blog frequented by hackers. The time next week at the grand opening of the structure on the news. "What game will those crows play, hm? Fortunato?"

The bird flew out the window, the breeze hiding the moon behind clouds and rustling the trees. It glided and the blonde watched in shadow.