"Ranran is so lucky." Takuma groaned, telling his girlfriend Reina, who is sitting at her school desk next to him in classroom 1-A.

"Why? She had to investigate Ryo going missing with Shinichi and make several trips to "Rising Sun Dome" Stadium for 4 days. Also, Ranran had to wake up an hour earlier than the usual time she does before heading to school."

"Even so, they are not fans of Red Illumination. Imagine every interview they ask the staff members about the band we are fans of, I can't imagine the juicy tidbit on what they do as child celebrities. At least they don't have to bore themselves in class like we are now. I wish I can join them." Takuma groaned, pretending to be dramatic while leaving his head on the table to rest.

Reina chuckled, "That's true. But let's not forget that they also risked their identities from being publicized by the press. They didn't want to take this case for the first time due to Ranran's identity being in jeopardy. Even if you wanted to, you can't, because the kidnapper saw you."

Takuma nodded, "Yeah, that's true. I guess being a detective is not as glamorous as it seems in the movies."

"It's definitely not, I mean look at all of the crap Ranran had to deal with?" Reina agreed. "But it's admirable that they took the case despite the risks. They could've turned down all of the collateral we had offered them."

"Agreed," Takuma said. "The way she handles certain morals are far better than daydreaming like those two girls."

Takuma's eyes were directed at the two classmates at the back to their right row, where Ran and Sonoko were busy whispering among themselves, giving him and Reina the suspicious look. "Why are they giving us odd looks?" Reina wondered.

"Ran is now beginning to suspect that Ranran is 'The Fox'," Takuma whispered.

"What?!" Reina exclaimed in a low tone, surprised. "How did she come up with that?"

"Ranran told me the other day that she was having a hard time getting the cops to listen to her to rescue me, the way she commanded them gave Ran the impression that she could be the legendary child detective 'The Fox'. And she saw the way Ran looked at her."

Reina grows worried by her boyfriend's revelation, "If they ever find evidence that she is in fact The Fox, that meant they might blackmail Ranran just to get Shinichi back."

Takuma nodded, "I know. That's why we have to make sure to keep this information to ourselves and not let anyone else know about it. We don't want to put Ranran in any more danger than she already is. And as for Shinichi...I used to hate him, but nowadays I had grown to understand the torment he had to deal with those two. If Shinichi leaves the association because of this, it will devastate him, and I don't want that for him after the hell he had to put up with."

"Is Shinichi aware of this?"

"He is," Takuma replied. "He told me not to tell anyone while he come up with something. He ain't happy after hearing that nonsense about The Snake attempting to marry Michio of to Adeline the other day."

Reina nodded, "Good. We can trust Shinichi to handle this. Though I can't imagine how traumatising it is that Ranran's identity is almost exposed to The Snake. It's a lucky thing she is a girl, at least even if she was exposed, she can't marry The Snake's daughter."

"Not really, I heard from Ranran that the country she lived in, a female can marry other girl, so when I told Shinichi about it, he grew more livid than ever to get rid of Ran out of the association to prevent such situation," Takuma sighed, "I can't wait for the day Ran leaves them alone. She is as equally worst as Junko. I used to think Ranran's selfish behaviour was bad, but then seeing those two make me think her selfishness is at the bottom 3."

"Me too, she never ruin anyone's happiness unless it brings harm to others," Reina placed a comforting hand on Takuma's shoulder. "Let's just focus on finishing this school day, so you can support them in any way we can later after another meeting."

Meanwhile, Ran and Sonoko were commenting on the Red Illumination case. "Ran, that bloody girl is lucky to be with Shinichi for 4 days in a row!"

"Right?" Ran sighed wistfully. "She could've been using this opportunity to get closer to Shinichi."

"Which reminds me of one thing," Sonoko turn to Ran, "About your suspicions that Ranran could've been The Fox, is it true?"

"I could be wrong, so you don't have to take it seriously." Ran clarified, blushing a little.

Sonoko raised an eyebrow, "But if you think about it, it would make total sense. No? And if that is the case," Sonoko pondered about it, "That meant she brazenly lied to everyone! That it was true Ranran is in fact The Fox!"

Ran hesitated for a moment before admitting, "I honestly don't know, Sonoko. There's just something about her. The way she handled the police and her detective skills, it just seemed like it could be her. But I don't have any concrete evidence, so it's just a hunch."

Sonoko nodded, "Well if it is true, this changes everything. The Fox is a legend in the detective world, and to think that she's been right under our noses this whole time. We can use this to get Shinichi to leave Tantei Association."

Ran frowned, "But we can't just go around accusing people without evidence. And even if she is The Fox, we might end up actually murdering her if that is the case. And Shinichi will never forgive us. He already hates the fact that I am still in the association."

Sonoko sighed, "I know, I know. It's just frustrating, you know? We've been trying to get Shinichi to leave for so long, but he's so stubborn. And it's not just about Ranran, it's about his safety too. He's always getting himself into dangerous situations."

Ran nodded, "I understand. But we can't force him to leave because he still believed in her lies."

"Right," Sonoko agreed reluctantly. "But we can still keep an eye on Ranran. If there's even a small chance that she's The Fox, we need to be prepared."

Ran sighed, "I guess you're right. We can't take any chances." She glanced over at Reina, who was still engrossed in conversation with Takuma. "But we have to be careful. We don't want to make any false accusations or jump to conclusions about her friends. We need to gather more evidence and make sure we're absolutely sure before we do anything. I don't want to be humiliated by her again, we looked like utter fools before her."

Sonoko nodded in agreement, "I agree, I had enough of her manipulation. We'll gather evidence and investigate discreetly. We won't do anything rash or reckless. By the time we do, Shinichi would finally leave with us."

Ran smiled gratefully, "Thank you, Sonoko. I knew I could count on you."

The two girls returned their attention to their school work, but their thoughts continued to wander to the possibility of Ranran being The Fox. They knew they had to tread carefully, but the temptation to solve this mystery was too great to ignore. They just hoped that they wouldn't regret their actions in the end.

But as the two were unaware, there were bugs planted at their desks.

The bugs were planted by an unknown individual who had been monitoring their conversation in a luxurious-looking car. They had heard everything, from Ran's suspicions about Ranran to Sonoko's plans to use that information to get Shinichi to leave the Tantei Association.

"You heard what they just said!?" This mysterious individual spoke over the phone, watching the small tv attached behind the driver's seat.

"I heard it loud and clear, alright!? So this is what Ranran had to put up with!? Those ill-minded simpletons going about trash-talking her like that!? Ugh, they are 6, and still acting like a 3-year-old." The individual's voice was filled with anger and disgust.

"To be honest, I don't even recall us behaving like that at that age. Especially Ranran when she was 3," The voice on the other end of the line replied, "We can't let those two continuously do this to her. We have to protect Ranran at all costs," the voice continued.

The mysterious individual scowled, "I know that. But how? Teitan Elementary school isn't covered under any of our families' territory. Also, do you think Ranran will be happy if she finds out we are here?"

The person on the other end of the phone replied, "We wait for the day opportunity arrives. Don't do anything rash yet, this ain't Edgewood Academy."

The individual nodded, "I know. We need to gather more information and make sure we have all the facts before we act. But honestly, speaking those idiots cackle about Ranran make me feel sick."

"I understand your frustration, but we have to be cautious. We don't want to cause any unnecessary trouble or put Ranran in danger. The last thing we want is all of the hard work she had done for us to go down the drain."

The mysterious individual took a deep breath and tried to calm down. "You're right. I'll be patient and wait for the right moment to act. But we have to make sure that Ranran is safe and that those two don't cause any more trouble."

The person on the other end of the phone agreed, "Don't worry about it. We'll keep an eye on the situation and let you know if anything else comes up. I will of course leave those two a warning, regarding her activities as 'The Fox. Anyway, you too stay safe."

The mysterious individual ended the call and leaned back in their seat, watching the school from a distance. They knew they had to be careful and patient, but they couldn't just sit back and do nothing. They would do whatever it takes to protect Ranran and make sure that those who had wronged her would pay the price.

"Once an Edgewood student, always an Edgewood..."

..................

"Ranran, good news!"

Shinichi rushed over to Ranran with excitement, "Genzo called, and they were able to get a caller who tipped them where Desmond has been hiding out! You were right, Desmond never flee the country, since he hadn't gotten his ransom yet!"

"Nice!" Ranran jumped up from her seat, before urging him to say, "Where is the hotel?"

"He wouldn't say anything, but he mentioned that he will share photos of the scenes with us."

"Neat!"

Ranran pulled out her phone and began typing a message to Genzo, "Thanks for the update. Can you ask the caller to send the photos to me? I'll analyze them and see if I can find any clues."

Shinichi grinned, "Looks like we're one step closer to catching Desmond. Let's get to work!"

Ranran nodded, her eyes focused on her phone as she waited for a response from Genzo. She couldn't wait to see the photos and start piecing together the puzzle of Desmond's whereabouts.

To her surprise, the photos arrived early.

At first, Shinichi observed Ranran's curious expression while analyzing the photos on her smartphone, but then, she turn white and grew horrified in a split second while her hand holding onto the phone trembled.

"Ranran, what's wrong? Did they finally find Ryo there?" Shinichi asked, noticing her sudden change in demeanour.

Ranran handed him the phone, her voice trembling as she spoke, "Look at this, Shinichi. It's a dark-looking bedroom in some shoddy-looking hotel bedroom, with tons of photos attached to the wall. But it's too dark to see their face clearly. But do you see the clothes? Does this look familiar to you?"

Shinichi's eyes widened in shock as he examined the photo more closely. "This is...isn't this the hoodie Takuma bought yesterday, is it not?"

Ranran nodded, her eyes still filled with fear. "School just ended not long ago, right?"

Shinichi took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart. "Ranran, call Takuma now, hurry!"

Ranran quickly dialled Takuma's number, her hands shaking as she held the phone to her ear. Many rings later, the call wasn't picked up.

Shinichi took the phone from Ranran and tried calling Takuma himself, but the result was the same - no answer. "We need to find him, Ranran. We have to head to Teitan Elementary and check if he's there."

Ranran nodded, her expression grim. "Let's go."

The two of them quickly headed out of the Tantei Association building. As they headed out of the Tantei Association building, Ranran couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching them. She glanced around but didn't see anything out of the ordinary. Maybe it was just her imagination, she thought.

But unknown to her, there were indeed eyes on them. The mysterious individual who had been monitoring Ran and Sonoko's conversation earlier was now following them from a distance. They were determined to protect Ranran from any harm, but they knew they had to be cautious and not reveal their presence just yet. They continued to follow them, staying hidden in the shadows as Ranran and Shinichi made their way towards the school.

.................

Meanwhile, with all of the chaos that is heading the way to Teitan Elementary school, classes in school have recently ended, so kids of all grades were pouring out of the school, eager to leave to enjoy their day away from homework.

Even so, members of the Tantei Association were notified through the group chat, so Ran, Sonoko and Reina were acting like headless chickens, struggling to find Takuma across the school building.

The moment they read the message, they immediately rush out in a frantic search. Not long ago, Takuma was supposed to hold one meeting in his American Football club before heading to Tantei Association.

And naturally, his girlfriend grew frantic upon hearing this and immediately orders the girls around, "Moriko, you go search at the gymnasium. Sonoko, you head to the courtyard. And Mouri, you inspect every single classroom. Don't skip them, alright!?"

"What about you!?" Ran exclaimed.

"I need to notify the school staff and teachers to lock down the school to narrow down the search. I swear if Takuma is missing, I am going to kill that bastard who took him!" Reina lost her mind at this point.

Ran searched through the classroom one by one, calling out Takuma's name. She checked under desks, in closets, and behind bookshelves, but he was nowhere to be found. As she searched, she began to feel a sense of panic rising within her. What if something had happened to Takuma?

"Ooi, you idiot! Where the hell are you!?"

Sonoko scoured the school courtyard, looking for any signs of Takuma. She checked behind trees and bushes, under benches, and even in the nearby school garden. She asked other students if they had seen him, but no one had any information. As time passed, Sonoko's worry grew more apparent on her face. She couldn't imagine what could have happened to Takuma.

Moriko made her way to the school gymnasium, scanning the kids walking past her and calling out, "Takuma! Where are you!?"

She checked the locker room and even the storage closets, but he was nowhere to be seen. Reina tried to stay calm, but the thought of Takuma being kidnapped by Desmond made her feel uneasy. She knew they had to find him soon.

.................

Soon, the association's two eldest children: Majima Michio and Fuyuko Junko received the text from Shinichi and Ran. Almost immediately upon receiving the message that Takuma is targeted, they both split ways and rush to search for Takuma.

As Majima and Fuyuko continued their search for Takuma, they couldn't help but feel a growing sense of unease. They had searched every corner of the school, but there was no sign of him. Even in the club that Takuma was supposed to be in, his fellow members mentioned he was late.

Before they know it, the rest of them regrouped with Ran, Sonoko, and Moriko. Even Emijo who join it late arrived. "Found Takuma?" Moriko demanded.

Majima and Fuyuko shook their heads, and Ran's expression turned even more worried. "This doesn't look good," she said, biting her lip. "We have to keep looking."

Sonoko suggested, "Maybe we should check outside of the school grounds? He might have left the building."

Ran nodded, "That's a good idea. Let's split up and search the surrounding areas."

The group quickly split into pairs, each taking a different direction to search. Ranran and Shinichi headed towards the park across the street, while Reina and Moriko went towards the shopping district. Emiko and Ran searched the back alleys behind the school, and Majima and Fuyuko checked the nearby train station.

As they searched, their worries grew. What if something terrible had happened to Takuma? They knew they had to find him soon.

After a few tense minutes, Ranran's phone rang, and she quickly answered. "Hello?"

"Ranran, it's me."

"Takuma!?" She stopped herself, and so did her partner, "What the hell are you!? Why are you not at school?!"

"Quiet down," he whispered quietly.

"Why!?"

"The bouncer Desmond," replied Takuma, peering out from one of the buildings, "He was watching me from outside the school while I was heading my way to a meeting."

"Wait, but we are out of the school compound-"

"Yes Ranran, I am following him now secretly."

The big man with the scar was standing in the shadows of some other alleyway, his black tee shirt and jeans merging with the shadows. "You can't be serious, right?!" yelled Shinichi as he snatch Ranran's phone to talk to him, "Do you know how reckless it is now!?"

"I know, Shinichi, but I had to follow him. He might lead me to where Desmond is hiding Ryo," Takuma winced at the yelling of the apprentice while replying in a low voice.

"Shinichi," Snatching back her phone, she orders the apprentice, "Call the police immediately!"Ranran shouted.

"I am on it!"Shinichi went dialling the number from his phone in a heartbeat.

"Tell me where are you now?! We're on our way to you." Ranran urged her friend to reveal the location.

"Shinkansen Loading Bay. And from the looks of it, looks like he is planning to leave on a truck! Talk to you later!" Takuma then raced across the alleyway to head there.

"Takuma, wait up! Get back here!"Ranran barked over the phone, "Damn it, he is leaving! Shinichi," Her head whipped to her partner, "Is Shinkansen Loading Bay far?"

"No, it is a five-minute walk."

"Let's reduce it to one by running!" Ranran was in hot pursuit, though he too noticed she was limping while running

"Ranran!Careful! Ah, my leg, wait up!"Shinichi warned Ranran as he too went out to chase after her, "He might have a gun!''

The rest of the group quickly followed suit through the group call, running as fast as they could towards the Shinkansen Loading Bay. The fear and adrenaline pumping through their veins made it feel like time was standing still, and yet they arrived in what felt like seconds.

"Are both of your legs alright? You both seem to be running stiffly," Michio can't help but point at the Kudo children's legs.

"Let's not waste anytime about our leg, and go look for Takuma, alright?" Shinichi dismisses the eldest boy, before leading them to where Takuma is.

As they approached the loading bay, they saw Takuma in the distance, trying to keep a low profile and hiding behind crates. On the other side, they saw the truck Takuma had mentioned, with a man who seemed to be Desmond in the driver's seat.

"We need to stop that truck," Ranran said determinedly, "But we can't risk Takuma's safety."

"Leave it to me," Shinichi said as he pulled out the stun baton that Agasa gave him. "I'll create a distraction, and you guys go after the truck."

"No way," Ran spoke up, "You'll be putting yourself in danger."

But before that could happen, a loud beeping noise and the rumble of an engine forced the children to stop over what they are doing. A truck loaded a backed of a huge container cut across their path as it backed through the main road. The air was thick with fumes.

They skirted around it and then froze.

Before they know it, the loading bay was empty, and the man with the scar was gone.

Suddenly, Shinichi let out a loud gasp, "Look!"

They all turned to see Takuma's rondesu bag lying on the ground with his cap, abandoned. Reina rushed over to it, her heart pounding in her chest. She quickly searched through it, but all of his belongings were still there, including his phone.

"His smartphone is in the bag! So is his cap!"

"Neh Ranran, what does this mean?" Moriko asked, her eyes scanning the area for any signs of Takuma or the man with the scar.

"Don't tell me...." Ranran and the rest of the children turn to the main road, seeing the truck leaving them from afar.

It was when they know...Takuma is kidnapped for real, "TAKUMAAAAA!!!!!!!" Reina's cry echoed through the loading bay.

They all felt a sense of dread wash over them as they realized the gravity of the situation.

....................

"But Sergeant Genzo, it happened so fast" explained Michio, gripping his smartphone in one hand and wiping sweat from his forehead with the other, as the others head back to the main HQ, while Moriko, Reina and Sonoko were sent back home for safety reasons. "One minute Takuma was right in front of us, then the next they'd both disappeared! Ranran and Shinichi already yell at him not to go after him, but he did!"

"I knew something like this would happen," the sergeant blasted him. "I'll get their descriptions broadcast to all our patrols. Thanks to the whole lot of you, Michio, I now need to locate four people!"

Michio put on a brave front. "You don't think that Desmond would be stupid enough to hurt Takuma, do you?"

"I didn't think Takuma would be stupid enough to go chasing him all by himself" Sergeant Soo grunted. And I don't want you doing anything stupid either!"

"Don't worry about us, Sergeant Genzo," Michio tried to pacify him. "I will make sure Ranran and the rest are off the case--one hundred percent!"

Aloud click in his ear was Sergeant Genzo's reply.

Meanwhile, a lot of questions were running through Shinichi's mind.

What made Desmond or Elijah decide to go after Takuma? Did they have a switch in target?

If they did, he could think the reason why Desmond did so is probably that Ryo isn't with them right now. But then how is kidnapping Takuma going to benefit them in any shape or form? Takuma isn't from a loaded family, while Ryo is from Red Illumination, a band unit worth millions in US currency dollars.

Another thing that strikes odd to the apprentice, was how did Desmond know where their main association HQ are based? Let alone, knew where did Takuma study in?

Shinichi pondered about the photos taken in the hotel room by Desmond, there were photos of their HQ and Teitan Elementary school where Takuma is the target. In their business cards Emiko designed for them, Ranran had specifically instructed her to leave out the address of either HQ, only the phone numbers. The address will only be sent to the potential client in secrecy through LINE if the client fulfils the requirements for a potential investigation. The purpose of this was to prevent the media from making a ruckus of their personal lives.

And to ensure the client never reveals the location, Ranran even made them sign a form that mention should the contract be breached, there would be legal consequences.

So there was no way in hell that even if Desmond were to search their official site, he would know where they study or where their HQ was based.

As Shinichi mulled over these questions, he decided one thing is clear: There must be someone on the inside feeding information to Desmond. It was the only explanation for how they could have known so much about their operations and targets.

And the suspect he had in mind, he is certain Ranran knew that they and the mastermind of the kidnapper, are the same person.

...........

Takuma had seen Desmond step out from the loading bay, a look of alarm spreading across his scarred face.

He'd heard Ranran's yelling in a form of a warning behind him just before the container truck had got between them. Takuma had no choice but to chase after him when Desmond was in the driver's seat of the truck. He knew his friends would follow as soon as they could.

But the problem was he ain't Kudo Ranran.

"Help!" Takuma gasped, the air forced from his lungs as the man's massive arm tightened its grip upon leaving the driver seat of the truck.

Takuma struggled wildly but Desmond had him pinned. The big man's arm jerked hard against his neck and Takuma's feet left the ground. He could feel the pressure on his ribs and his neck seemed ready to snap.

"You've caused me enough trouble, kid, "The American hissed in his ear in English, "Now you and I are going to have a nice little talk!"

The moment before he even realized it, an anonymous black car rolled up to the curb and Desmond opened the rear door with his free hand, while another man who came out of the car, went up to climb the truck and drove off, distracting the children while Takuma was bundled into the back seat of the black car. 

He caught a fleeting glimpse of the driver's head and patchy red-dyed hair before he was pushed roughly to the floor. Desmond then slid in after him and snapped an order.

The door slammed and the engine was gunned. Takuma was face down on the floor, Desmond's black boots pressing hard against him. When Takuma tried to wriggle free, Desmond's boots pushed down harder on his ribs.

With a sickening squeal of tires, the earshot forward and weaved into the traffic.

...........

As Ran and Michio packed away the disguise Sonoko had brought for them to infiltrate the Red Illumination's hotel rooms, Ran muttered, "I don't think we'll be needing these anymore."

Michio looked at her grimly and said, "We can't leave it here forever, after four days of use." He then announced to the rest of the group, "Guys, Ran and I are going to return the clothes to Sonoko, and then we'll come straight back. Behave yourselves while we're gone, okay?"

As Michio looked across to where Ranran was sitting at the big table, he noticed that she looked dejected and defeated. It was the first time he see her behave that way, normally, she is stoic as she is.

Then again, Takuma is Ranran's friend after all, so it's no surprise why she is behaving this way now. Cause it was the other members, Ranran could not be bothered.

"Ranran, it's not your fault Takuma was kidnapped, "Shinichi tried to console her, "We're all in this together."

"Shinichi is right, Ranran," Michio said, "You did not order him to go after the kidnapper. If it was, that would've been reckless and irresponsible."

"If only he'd waited!" Ranran said fiercely, "Why didn't he wait!?"

Ran said nothing, but then she sees Junko looking up from her files from her seat. "If only you'd called Sergeant Genzo a lot earlier," she told the red lip girl bitterly, "The only reason why Takuma even did this in the first place, is that he was eager to have this case solved." She shrugged nonchalantly, "He should've been patient. There'll be plenty more cases to handle for us at the association after all."

The way Junko said it, it sounded insensitive.

But then much to Ran's surprise, The founder shot Junko a curious look, "Hah, what are you talking about? At one point was he impatient? I already told him not to, because I know who the mastermind is."

"Wait what!? This whole time!?"Junko dropped her files in surprise, and so did everyone.

Meanwhile, Emiko scooped out her smartphone and took a deep breath and punched in the number outside the hallway of the association. She had to tell Shiro what had just happened. He might know what to do. But a voicemail told her that the subscriber was unavailable. Emiko's heart lurched. Where could he be?

Shiro....where are you now.....?

"Wait, you figured out who is the mastermind/mole?" Emiko asked, her voice filled with disbelief.

The founder nodded, a small smile playing at the corners of her lips. "Yes, I do," she confirmed. 

"So why didn't you say anything this whole time?" Ran demanded, looking a little angry at Ranran's unpredictable behaviour, "Because of you! Takuma is-"

"Ranran had her reasons, alright?" Shinichi snapped at her as he defended his partner-in-crime, his voice soon turned calm and measured. "It's just that neither of us foresees this kidnapping at all."

"The only thing we are lacking now is evidence, thanks to this kidnapping, I am going to bet that it is about to lead us straight to the mastermind." Ranran muses in thought.

While Ran and Michio hurried out with the bags of clothes, unsure what to think of Ranran, just then, Emiko stalked back in and fell into her chair. "Did I miss something?" she asked seeing Junko's stunned expression.

"No," Junko scoffed. "Except Ranran had figured out who is the mastermind."

"Wait what!?" Emiko jolted back, "Who!?"

"No clue, she wouldn't say," At that moment, Junko's mobile phone began to shrill. "That'll be Okasan," she groaned and answered the call in a bored voice. "Yes, mom?"

Seconds later she was on her feet, her eyes wild with excitement.

"Kyo-san!" she gasped into the phone. As she listened, her voice dropped to a strangled whisper."Yes," the others heard her say, "Takuma wears a cap..."

Emiko meanwhile rushed to Junko's side and gripped her arm.

"Yes," Junko said into the phone, "we'll come straight over to the hotel now..."

She looked at her friends and shuddered as she killed the call.

"Bad news, Takuma's cap has just been delivered to Kyo's room at the hotel," she told them."With a note from the kidnapper that says if Ryo's ransom isn't paid by tonight, we'll never see Takuma again..."

"Drop everything we are about to do now and head to the hotel!"Ranran ordered as she was already on her feet.

"Ooi, Ranran! Matte!"Shinichi called for her to wait as he ran after her.

"Mou! Wait up guys!"Emiko and Junko ran after them.

..................

There are three occasions where Takuma is drenched in sweat severely.

The 1st occasion is when Takuma plays American Football, no matter the season, even if it was Spring or winter, he always sweats profusely during the game. The physical exertion and the heavy protective gear that he has to wear while playing the sport contribute to his sweating. It is also a physically demanding sport that requires a lot of running, tackling, and throwing.

The 2nd occasion is during the summer. The hot and humid weather in Japan during the summer months can make anyone sweat, and Takuma is no exception. The high temperatures and high humidity can cause him to sweat even when he is not doing anything physically demanding. This can be uncomfortable, and although he is a boy who is used to sweating, it sucks being sticky and gross while doing nothing. In a way, he and Ranran both hate summer.

And nothing, truly nothing could prepare him for the 3rd occasion that lead him to be drenched in sweat and aching with pain. Wedged onto the floor, unable to see where they were going, he'd been powerless to do anything in the back seat of the car. Every bump had the little boy's body bouncing and shaking until his bones felt ready to snap. Even breathing had become almost impossible. The air was thick with dust and fumes. Whenever he'd choked or coughed, Desmond's boots would dig even deeper into his ribs.

Right now, he could use taken a shower and changed into fresh clothes, but he knew that was impossible.

Then the car rocked and scraped over rough stones and skidded to a halt. Desmond had taken his cap and given it to the driver with some whispered instructions.

"Okay, kid, this is the end of the line," Desmond had growled. Keeping one huge hand clamped over Takuma's eyes, he hauled him up from the floor and dragged him from the car. As soon as they were out, the car sped away and a dangerous silence settled around them.

Takuma had taken a deep breath, ready to scream, but Desmond had twisted an arm behind his back. "Don't even think about calling for help, kid. Nobody's going to save you now..."

Takuma was pulled across a roadway, his heels kicking against rough cobbles. A door groaned open. They entered a building of some kind, and Elijah dragged him down a long flight of wooden stairs. As they descended the stairs, the air grew cooler and damper, and Takuma's sweat began to chill on his skin. His heart was pounding in his chest, and he could feel his breath coming in short gasps. He had no idea where they were or what was going to happen to him. All he knew was that he was in serious trouble and that he needed to find a way to escape.

Finally, they reached the bottom of the stairs, and Takuma was dragged into a large, dimly lit room. The walls were made of rough-hewn stone, and the air was thick with the smell of damp earth and mould. There were no windows, and the only light came from a single bare bulb hanging from the ceiling.

Desmond shoved him roughly onto the ground, and Takuma landed hard on his hands and knees. He looked up to see the big man glaring down at him, a cruel smile on his face.

"What do you want from me?!" Takuma demanded in English, which he owed Ranran's teachings since she is from the U.K while trying to keep his voice steady.

Desmond's smile widened. "Oh, nothing, just remained here and do nothing. You are worth the value of this stint. Once all of this is over, that is when your life ends."

Takuma's heart sank. He had a feeling this was coming.

 Somewhere in the distance, Takuma could hear water sloshing against the stone.