Takuma dashed forward and began to lift the heavy drapes. "Professor Shibuya? Are you awake?" he grunted.

Michio and Junko hurried across and helped him haul the curtains aside when they looked down on the body of Professor Shibuya Jirou, his anguished face was pale, his skin the colour of death. A trickle of blood ran down one cheek from a cut on his domed skull. Suddenly he stirred. His eyes blinked open and he groaned.

The children gasped in surprise and relief as Professor Shibuya regained consciousness. "Professor Shibuya! Are you okay?" Emiko asked, her voice filled with concern.

The professor blinked, trying to focus on the children hovering over him. "Wha... What happened?" he muttered, clearly disoriented.

"We found you unconscious under the curtains," Ranran explained gently, kneeling beside him. "Do you remember anything?"

Professor Shibuya winced as he touched the cut on his head. "I... I can't recall much."

"He is alive!" Shinichi turned to the group. "Can any of you find some water?" he asked urgently "He's still alive."

"I will do it!" Junko volunteered.

As Junko sprinted from the room, the other children lifted the wounded professor into his chair. His eyes gradually focused on them, his mouth sagged open, and he lifted a hand to his forehead. Emiko meanwhile dug in her pocket for tissues.

"What happened, Professor Shibuya?" Michio wanted to know.

The old man cast a dazed look around the room."I was working," he began. "Then I heard a sound, and then somebody hit me on the head."He pressed a tissue against the cut to stem the flow of blood.

"Did you see who attacked you?" Takuma asked, his eyes scanning the room for any signs of the culprit.

The professor shook his head quickly. "It all happened so quickly," he murmured nervously.

"Sir, are you aware that the other parts of your house had been ransacked?" Ranran questioned the elderly man.

"No, I've no idea," Jirou groaned.

"Do you have any idea why would somebody knock you out and search your house?" demanded Shinichi.

"I don't know."

"Maybe it was the same person who stole the eagle?"Ran wondered aloud.

"It wouldn't be possible," The old man shrugged and he sounded irritated."My eagle is stolen, why would they come back?" He tried to stand up but fell back into the chair.

Then Ranran remembered something.

Earlier when they were downstairs, although the state of the living room and the rest of them were dusty, they were no evidence of ransacking. "Professor, you have a rough suspicion as to who is likely to have done this to you, huh?" she demanded suspiciously,

"What are you talking about?!" He was wincing in pain.

"The living room and the other rooms below were untouched, yet, every single room upstairs was ransacked. That meant whoever this person knows you hid whatever they are searching up there, right?!" Ranran confronts him.

The professor glared at her "Stop pestering me with all these questions," he complained. Suddenly, a familiar voice boomed from the doorway.

"What are you children doing here?"

Everyone spun round to find Sergeant Genzo and two uniformed officers striding into the study. The sergeant's hair seemed sprinkled with even more grey than the last they'd seen him.

The professor jabbed an accusing finger at them."I thought I told you I didn't want the police coming here!"

"Neither of us even have the time to even call the police when we got here, Professor Shibuya, "Ranran frowned at him disapprovingly.

Sergeant Genzo raised an eyebrow, "About that, one of your neighbours rang us, sir. He reported hearing screams."He stared at the old man. "I assume you are the owner of this house?"

"He's Professor Shibuya Jirou," Michio told the sergeant.

"He's a professor the specialize in birds," Takuma added.

"He asked us to help him to settle his dilemma," Shinichi explained.

The sergeant stood in the centre of the room, surveying the damage." And what exactly is the dilemma?" he asked.

"One of my stuffed birds is stolen," croaked the professor, "It's not a big deal, really."

"You said it was stolen, "Ran contradicted him hotly.

"And it is quite expensive." Emiko reminded him.

"What kind of bird was it?" demanded Sergeant Genzo, his hands planted on his hips.

"It was an American bald eagle, Emiko, show him the sketch art about the bird," Ranran instructed Emiko, and then she held up the sketch she'd made.

The sergeant glanced at it curiously "Was it valuable, Professor Shibuya?"

"Only to me." The professor gave an exasperated sigh."Sentimental value."

"That doesn't explain why someone would come into your house and turn it upside down, "Sergeant Genzo growled, "And what happened to your head? Did someone assault you?"

"It was just a bump," the old man snapped."I'm feeling much better."

"No, you didn't, we found you unconscious behind the curtain." Ranran pointed out.

Sergeant Genzo narrowed his eyes, clearly not buying the professor's nonchalant response. "You were found unconscious with a head injury, and your house has been ransacked. This is a serious matter, Professor Shibuya."

The professor shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "I really can't remember much," he insisted, "but it's probably just some random burglar who broke in."

"Random burglar?" Ranran's voice was laced with scepticism. "It seems too coincidental that someone would break in and ransack only the rooms where you had valuable possessions hidden. Mainly a stuffed eagle."

The sergeant nodded in agreement. "She's got a point there, Professor. It seems more targeted than random.

"Professor Shibuya, "Michio called, "do you know anyone who owns a black motorbike?"

The professor shot him a guarded look."Why?"

Ranran's eyes widened as soon as she reads Shibuya's expression, indicating to her that he is lying. "Just as soon as we arrived through two cabs, we saw someone speeding away on one, "Shinichi told him, "but we couldn't see his face."

Sergeant Genzo called an order to one of his men who hurried from the room. "Sent a couple of men to patrol their car around the area to keep an eye on it. If іt was stolen, it might have been left nearby."He turned to the professor and studied the old man's face. "I'll have to take a statement from you, sir."

Professor Shibuya later became agitated. "Is that really necessary?" He lifted a hand and waved around the room. "I'm sure nothing has been stolen," he snorted."In fact, I'll swear to it!"

And without warning, a short, terrified scream split the silence from somewhere downstairs. Moments later, strange screeching noises and more screams were heard. Michio spun around in alarm.

"That was Junko!" he yelled. He led the way through the door and raced for the stairs.

"Majima, wait up!"Ranran ran down the steps, wondering what was it that Junko saw, and so did Shinichi and Takuma out of curiosity.

He pounded down the staircase, with the rest hot on his heels. The other policeman had been told to keep watch on Professor Shibuya and the other children, Ran and Emiko, stayed with him.

The screams were coming from the back of the house and Michio plunged into the shadowy corridor.

Earlier, they sent Junko to fetch a glass of water. So she must have gone downstairs in search of the kitchen. The professor had looked pale and anxious, and she wondered who had come to this rambling house and attacked him.

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

Not long ago, Fuyuko Junko was rushing to the kitchen till she got lost.

It was times like this that she detested old mansions. She liked new houses with lots of glass and open space, like Shinichi's place she would see through photos on his smartphone. She moved cautiously along the eerie corridor, opening one door after another until she finally entered another mysterious passageway.

She wandered through a maze of rooms, unaware of Sergeant Genzo's arrival. At last, she discovered a darkened dining room, lit only by moonlight slanting through a window. She shuddered and hurried across to a door in the corner.

Well, she told herself, the kitchen had to be close to the dining room.

She opened the door, stepped inside and felt around for the light switch. She flicked it on and froze.

Something was wrong!

Blinding spotlights beamed down on her. Seconds later, the air was fled with urgent beating flapping sounds.

Junko looked up and screamed. This was when she realized at that moment, she was in a huge glass aviary! The bright lights had woken the dozens of birds inside. The air was filled with a rush of wings as they swooped and dived in panic. The secretary of Tantei Association shrieked in terror as the screeching birds descended on her. Wild wings brushed against her skin.

Sharp beaks pierced the air near her face. She waved her arms desperately trying to protect her eyes.

Junko's heart raced, and she felt a surge of panic. She had unwittingly stumbled into a room filled with dozens of frantic birds, and they were all reacting to the sudden intrusion of light and movement. The glass aviary had become a chaotic frenzy of flapping wings and screeching.

Her screams were drowned by furious squawks as birds of every size and colour wheeled and circled around her she sank to her knees, covering her head with her arms, crying for help.

"Help! Somebody, help me!" Junko screamed at the top of her lungs, hoping that her friends or anyone would hear her cries.

Suddenly, Junko felt herself being lifted. Someone had scooped her up and carried her to safety. The door had slammed shut behind them, the frenzied birds were gone, and Michio's voice was the only sound she heard.

"What were you doing in there instead of getting a glass of water?! Mou!" he wanted to know.

She leaned her head against his shoulder her heart still racing madly. "I was looking for the kitchen so I could get a glass of water for the professor!" she sobbed. "And then I was in that horrible place with all those crazy birds!"

"It was just an aviary, of all the rooms you could've walked in, you have to end up at a place where the thing you feared the most all gathered in one place!" Michio teased as he set her down gently on her feet.

"Don't be so cruel!" Her fists pounded his chest."Just because I couldn't see the birds, you shouldn't be making fun of me!"

Michio chuckled softly, trying to ease her anxiety. "I'm sorry, Junko. I didn't mean to scare you. But you have to admit, it's quite a funny situation."

"Funny? It was terrifying!" Junko protested, still feeling shaken from the ordeal.

"You're right, I shouldn't have teased you," Michio said, his tone sincere now. "But you're safe now, and that's what matters. Let's go back to the others, and I'll get you that glass of water from the kitchen."

Junko nodded, wiping away her tears. She felt grateful for Michio's timely intervention. As they walked back to the group, she clung to his arm, feeling comforted by his presence.

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

Though this comforting presence was short-lived, when the other children got word of it, they were being sympathetic.

"AH HA HA HA HA!" Ranran and the others erupted into laughter over Junko's misadventure in the glass aviary. They couldn't help but find humour in the situation, imagining her surrounded by a frenzy of birds and her terrified reactions.

"I'm sorry, Junko," Ranran managed to say between fits of laughter, "but it's just so funny how you stumbled into a room full of birds!"

"It's like a scene from a comedy movie!" Emiko added, trying to suppress her giggles.

"What are the odds, seriously!? Of all the rooms you have to enter, it had to be an Aviary!" Even Takuma was losing it at that thought.

"Not to mention, with all of the 150 birds!" Ran pointed out with tears in her eyes, her earlier foul mood is replaced by this amusing incident.

"Actually, I am certain he was lying, it was more than 150 birds!" Junko pouted and crossed her arms. "Well, I'm glad you all find it so amusing," she said with mock annoyance, though a small smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "But let's see how you would react if you were suddenly surrounded by dozens of flapping, screeching birds!"

"Okay, okay, we get it," Emiko said, trying to stifle her laughter. "It must have been scary for you, but at least that ordeal is over for now."

"Indeed," Shinichi said, trying to sound serious but failing to hide a smirk. "Let's be more careful as we continue our investigation. No more unexpected encounters with birds, I hope."

"But you know, I think we can finally conclude over one thing," Ranran gave a knowing look.

"Eh?" All eyes were on her.

"That Junko has ​ornithophobia.''

"What's that?" Ran demanded.

"A fear of birds," The founder of Tantei Association grinned and led the others back upstairs.

"That ain't true!" Junko blasted out bashfully.

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

As the laughter died down, the children refocused on the case at hand. They discussed their findings so far and shared information about the stolen eagle and the burglary at Professor Shibuya's mansion.

An hour later Sergeant Genzo finally finished taking Professor Shibuya s statement and got to his feet."If you think of anything else we should know, please give us a call."

The children wished him goodnight to the old man and promised to be in touch. They walked down the stairs with the sergeant.

"Michio, I don't like you being involved in this case, "Sergeant Genzo began firmly.

"But, Sergeant, it's just an ordinary robbery," Michio protested.

Sergeant Genzo shook his head. "I have a feeling this is not just an ordinary robbery, Michio. There's something more to it, and I don't want you and your friends getting into any more danger."

"Is it?" Ranran was doubtful for a moment.

"I'm sure you all don't think that for a minute," the sergeant shot the little girl a knowing look "Once there's been any violence, I'm afraid, you have to drop the case and leave it to us. I don't want you or your friends putting yourselves in danger. Especially after that last case you were involved in."

Ranran, Shinichi, and the rest of the children exchanged glances. The sergeant was referring to their previous case, 'The Last Laugh', whereby Ranran almost died when the killer detonated the bomb, with the intention of letting her burn to death.

"We understand your concern, Sergeant," Shinichi said respectfully. "But Professor Shibuya hired us, we can't say no. Also, it is just a missing stuffed bird we are sent to look for."

"Exactly, it is just a stuffed eagle. How hard can it be?"Takuma pleaded.

"And so was the man on the motorbike," Sergeant Genzo countered gruffly, opening the door of his car and lowering himself into the seat. "I know you want to be in this business, but that's a decision. Drop the case!"

The police car disappeared down the drive, and the members of Tantei association trudged toward the runt gate in silence. After a while, Ranran glanced back at the house"The professor's definitely got something to hide." she stated.

Michio nodded in agreement. "I agree. The professor seemed evasive when we asked him about the burglary and the stolen eagle."

"I totally agree, I can even bet that if we were not closely associated with the police, the cops would've simply bought Professor Shibuya's lies." Emiko folded her arms as she glances from the back, "There got to be something in that eagle he ain't sharing with us."

"I wonder why he didn't want the police involved in the first place," Junko pondered aloud. "Could it be that he's hiding something?"

"It's possible," Takuma chimed in. "Maybe he knows more about the stolen eagle than he's letting on."

"I wonder what is inside that eagle that he had to keep his mouth shut at all cost, that he couldn't even tell us?"Shinichi mused. "I got the feeling that he's not telling us the truth about anything. I can even bet that he likely knew who is the burglar."

"There must be something special about it worth stealing in the bird," Ran added.

"Like when he swore that nothing had been stolen, "Takuma snorted. "I mean, how could he have known that? He hadn't even had a chance to even glance around his room to check and see if anything was missing, and he was so certain about it."

"Which means that whatever was valuable had already been stolen, he didn't even need to look because he knew all along, "Shinichi continued his thought.

"Or likely, it hadn't been stolen yet," Ranran snapped her fingers. "Perhaps Professor Shibuya has taken out that thing he had concealed within the eagle and hid it somewhere else in the house, where nobody would find it. Then maybe, he purposely wanted the burglar to be seen with one of us when the robbers followed him, in a way, it would trick those robbers into thinking that the said item is in the eagle this whole time when it ain't."

"That would mean he knew the bugler's real identity," Shinichi nodded in agreement, "Along with the man on the motorbike, I read his expression when the question was asked whether he knew him. You should've seen the look of his face, it was clear cut he knew all along."

"It is clear cut, he is lying."Michio folded his arm, "But why?"

Junko shuddered. "I don't like this case at all. First of all, Professor Shibuya Jirou is weird, his house is weird, his birds are weird, and everything about him is weird! Can't we find another mystery to solve?"

"No Junko, we can't," Emiko shook her head, "This case has thrown us far too many questions that needed answering. We can't turn back now and we deserve those answers handed in to us. And Professor Shibuya is going to answer all of this to us, whether he likes it or not!"

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

When they reached the street they glanced around. The street lamps cast pools of light on the deserted roadway Dense bushes and trees overhung the high fences on both sides of the road, shrouding them in shadows.

Michio flicked open his wallet and peeled off some money for Ran and Shinichi. "It's too late to wait out here for a bus," he explained. "I'm going to call two taxis."

It was another ten minutes before the two taxis arrived. Michio, Junko, Ranran and Takuma piled into the first cab, while Emiko, Shinichi and Ran rode in the second. Ranran just stared out at the gloomy gardens as the cab sped down the hill. "I wonder why someone Professor Shibuya Jirou want to live all by themselves in such a spooky house," Emiko speculated.

"I guess he enjoys his own privacy, Emiko, "Shinichi replied. "Anyhow I didn't want to wait around in case that man on the motorbike returned."

"Don't say things like that guys," Ran shuddered"You're giving me the creeps!"

Ran would have been even more frightened had she known that someone was near the closed cafe below her father's detective agency, awaiting her return. The stranger kept to the shadows as Ran stepped out of the taxi and waved goodbye to Emiko and Shinichi.

Ran hurried toward home. When she heard footsteps behind her, she swung round and gasp "Rokuro! What are you doing here?"

Meanwhile, "Hey, whose wallet is this?" Emiko held up to show Shinichi while they rode the cab.

Shinichi examined the wallet Emiko was holding up. "Let me see," he said, taking the wallet from her. Before he opened the wallet, he groaned, "It's Ran's wallet."

Emiko's eyes widened. "And you know this because?"

"I know it when I see it anywhere," Shinichi inspected it before deciding, "Emiko, you return the wallet to her tomorrow."

"Hah!? Why not you?"

"We are no longer friends, I couldn't be bothered to return to her the wallet." Shinichi rolled his eyes at that thought. "Her keys to the apartment above her Tousan's detective office ain't in the wallet, right?"

"Unfortunate, it is," Emiko confirmed, flipping through the contents of the wallet. "But at her Tousan is at home, right?"

"No, he is off work," Shinichi replied, "Probably won't be returning till 3 am according to her."

"And you mentioned the other day that her parents had split up, so she would probably be locked outside to sleep till 3 am...." Emiko sighed.

"No issues, she knows where her mother lives. She can go there if she was locked out." Shinichi scoffed.

"I can't believe you would be that insensitive towards a 6-year-old." Emiko crossed her arms at him in disapproval.

"I'm not being insensitive," Shinichi defended himself, "I'm just stating the facts. She can go to her mother's place if she needs to."

Emiko shook her head. "Shinichi, I know that you had bad blood with Ran, but you didn't need to be that callous." Shinichi said nothing, but Emiko chided him, "I know you are still mad at her because of that video with Mamiko and Sonoko, but it ain't fair to use that grudge to leave her out sleeping in the streets, she is still a child like you."

"A child?" Shinichi sneered at that thought, "The things she did to Ranran if only you knew....."

Emiko sighed, realizing that Shinichi's grudge against Ran ran deep. "Was it a big deal? When they discourage you?"

"There were other things besides that, but the last straw is what they did to Ranran....."

For some reason, the way he put it sounded oddly cryptic, "In what way did they do her wrong....?"

Shinichi's expression grew serious, "You won't know till tomorrow."

Emiko looked puzzled by Shinichi's cryptic response. "What do you mean? Why can't you tell me now?" she asked.

"I am giving Mouri a chance to reflect," Shinichi replied, "If she doesn't, tomorrow is her end game."

Emiko furrowed her brow, trying to make sense of Shinichi's words. "Her end game? What do you mean by that?"

"You will see, Emiko. You will see." The artist is still puzzled by the detective apprentice's stance on things, before he said, "Hand me Ran's wallet."

"Eh?"

"I will return it to her myself."

Emiko hesitated for a moment but ultimately handed Shinichi the wallet. She could sense that there was something more to his words and actions, but she didn't press him further. Instead, she decided to trust his judgment and let him handle the situation.

"Alright, here you go," Emiko said, giving the wallet to Shinichi.

He nodded, slipping the wallet into his jacket pocket. "Thanks, Emiko. I'll see you tomorrow at our usual meeting spot."

Emiko nodded back, still feeling curious but respecting Shinichi's decision to handle things on his own. "Take care, Shinichi."

"I know," Shinichi replied with a small smile. "You too."

With that, Shinichi headed off on his own, leaving Emiko to take the taxi back home. She couldn't help but wonder what was going to happen tomorrow and why Shinichi seemed so cryptic about it.

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

"Tadaima," (I am home.)

Emiko kicked off her shoes at the front door and darted inside. The apartment was in darkness.

Emiko wondered whether her mother was still at the office or out having dinner with one of her boyfriends. She shrugged, her mind returning to an idea she'd had in the lift. "Yes, I will," she told herself.

When she opened her bedroom door a furry shape flew across the room and into her arms.

"Ні, you miss me, Sota?" she greeted her Balinese cat as she flicked on the light she dumped her bag on the bed and riled the cat's fur. "Poor fuzzy, it must be so boring being my cat..." she whispered. "Do you want to see what I drew today?"

She pulled out the sketches from her bag and the cat purred. Then she held up her sketch of the bald eagle she'd drawn at the library. The cat took one look at the enormous bird and dived under her bed.

Emiko shook her head. "Mou, how can a cat be afraid of a bird?" she giggled.

As Emiko chuckled at her cat's reaction, she couldn't help but feel a sense of comfort in her room. Sota was always there for her, providing companionship and solace during both good and difficult times. She stroked his fur gently, grateful for his presence.

With the laughter fading, Emiko's thoughts drifted back to the events of the day. The mystery surrounding the stolen eagle and the strange incidents at Professor Shibuya's mansion had taken up most of her attention. But there was also the unresolved tension between Shinichi and Ran, which seemed to weigh heavily on her mind.

"What in the world is going on?" she muttered to herself.

Feeling restless, Emiko decided to take a walk on her apartment's balcony. She pushed open the glass doors and stepped outside, letting the cool evening air embrace her. The city lights twinkled in the distance, and she could hear the faint sounds of traffic below.

Leaning against the railing, Emiko stared up at the starry sky, lost in her thoughts. She wondered if there was a way to bridge the gap between her friends and help them find common ground. As an artist, she often relied on her creativity to solve problems, but this situation seemed beyond the realm of art.

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

High in a building that towered over the city, the mysterious man in a reptilian-like mask had called an emergency meeting. It was attended by a group of the most dangerous criminals wanted by the police

The mysterious man in a reptilian mask sat behind a silver screen so nobody could see his face, and spoke to them through a special microphone that disguised his voice. As he speaks, everybody listened carefully and nobody dared interrupt. They all knew the penalty for failure.

"Welcome, esteemed associates," The man's disguised voice echoed through the dimly lit room. "I have called this meeting because there has been an unexpected development in our plans."

The criminals leaned forward, eager to hear what their enigmatic leader had to say.

"Which news would you all like to hear first? The good news or the bad news?"

The room fell silent for a moment as the criminals exchanged curious glances. They were used to working in secrecy, but even for them, this level of mystery was unusual. After a brief pause, a particularly audacious member of the group spoke up, "Let's hear the bad news first."

"Very well. The bad news is that our plan to steal the valuable American bald eagle from Professor Shibuya Jirou has hit a snag. Since the man that we sent to pay the professor a visit had made matters worse."

The criminals shifted uncomfortably in their seats, exchanging nervous glances. The audacious member who had spoken earlier seemed to regret his suggestion.

"And what happened exactly?" another criminal asked cautiously.

The mysterious man leaned forward slightly, his voice low and menacing. "The man we sent to search Professor Shibuya's house...apparently when I told him to keep it 'low profile', that idea didn't seem to register in his head, since he ended up attracting the attention of the police."

Gasps and murmurs filled the room as the criminals realized the severity of the situation. Attracting the attention of the police was the last thing they wanted, as it jeopardized not only their current operation but also their entire criminal enterprise.

"Do any of you want to ask what I did to him later on?"

The room fell into an uneasy silence, and none of the criminals dared to speak up. They knew that questioning the enigmatic leader could lead to dire consequences.

The mysterious man in the reptilian mask continued, "I have arranged for him to take a 'permanent holiday'. His motorbike has been disposed of as well." The Snake's distorted voice rose to a fever pitch of anger, "It's one thing to fail, but it's another to be cocky about it and didn't heed my words. After this incident, I hope all of you remember that cockiness doesn't pay."

A ripple of fear passed through the men in the room as the criminals shifted uncomfortably, feeling a chill run down their spines. They knew they were dealing with a ruthless and dangerous leader, and they couldn't afford to make any mistakes.

After all, they knew how vicious The Snake could be. "Go on, ask me, what is the good news."

The criminals hesitated for a moment, but eventually, one of them gathered the courage to speak up, "What's the good news?"

The Snake's tone shifted, becoming slightly more composed. "The good news is...Professor Shibuya Jirou did not honour his agreement with us," he said cryptically.

The room fell into an anticipatory silence as the criminals tried to decipher the meaning behind The Snake's words. They knew that any agreement with a man like The Snake would involve the other party to comply with it, whether it was willingly or not.

"Sir, how is this a good thing?" one criminal asked, trying to make sense of the situation.

The Snake leaned back in his chair, his reptilian mask giving off an eerie gleam in the dimly lit room. "You see," he began, "Professor Shibuya was supposed to hand over the valuable American bald eagle to us willingly. But it seems he had other plans when he decided to employ our old nemesis, Tantei Association."

Gasps filled the room once again as the criminals realized the implications of The Snake's revelation. Tantei Association, the group of child detectives who had thwarted their plans in the past, was now involved in the case. This meant that their operation had become even riskier and more complicated.

"What? Are you serious?" one of the criminals exclaimed, disbelief evident in his voice.

"Positive," The Snake replied, his voice dripping with displeasure. "Professor Shibuya hired those meddling kids to investigate the theft of the eagle. And as you all know, they have a habit of poking their noses where they don't belong."

The room grew tense, and the criminals exchanged worried glances. Tantei Association was known for its tenacity and sharp investigative skills. If anyone could uncover their criminal activities and expose their identities, it was these young detectives.

"Which is why, despite the unexpected turn of events, we have an advantage that nobody else possesses. They are merely a bunch of elementary school-going children, while we have been criminals for over 1 year or decade's worth of experience. It shouldn't be any issues, unlike the last time we attempted to smuggle that white tiger." The Snake continued. "We will now take steps to ensure that Professor Shibuya does, and this time, I have drawn up a plan that will bring our project to a successful finish."

The men nodded, relief on their faces. But it was short-lived.

"Even so, I am certain one of the children isn't-" The Snake paused in silence.

"One of the children isn't what, sir...?" a criminal asked, his voice filled with uncertainty.

"Isn't what?" another criminal added, eager to understand The Snake's cryptic statement.

The Snake paused for a moment, letting the tension in the room build. Then, he leaned in closer and spoke in a hushed tone, "One of the children isn't what they seem to be. There's something about them that I can't put my finger on."

The criminals exchanged perplexed glances, unsure of what The Snake was implying. "What are you saying, sir?" a criminal asked, seeking clarification.

"I have been observing them closely, monitoring their activities. And there's something about one of them that doesn't fit the profile of an ordinary child detective. I felt like....one of them felt vaguely familiar." The Snake explained, his voice dripping with suspicion.

The room fell into an uneasy silence as the criminals absorbed The Snake's revelation. They knew that The Snake's instincts were often uncannily accurate, and if he felt that something was amiss with one of the children from Tantei Association, they needed to take it seriously.

"Sir, what do you mean- have you met one of them in your past before?"

The Snake remained enigmatic, his eyes hidden behind the reptilian mask. "I just have a hunch," he replied cryptically. "I had a nagging suspicion I knew one of them before."

"Are you sure you didn't mistook any of them as the friend of your daughter, Adeline?" One of them suggests.

The Snake's eyes narrowed behind the reptilian mask, and a flicker of recognition seemed to pass through his eyes. "Adeline..." he muttered to himself, lost in thought for a moment, "Could it be a friend of hers in the past?"

"Wait, what do you mean by that?" another criminal asked, picking up on The Snake's momentary lapse.

The enigmatic leader shook his head as if to dismiss the thought. "It's nothing," he replied curtly. "Just a passing resemblance, perhaps. I could be wrong."

The criminals exchanged puzzled glances, unsure of what to make of The Snake's cryptic response. They knew better than to pry too much into his personal matters, but they couldn't help but be intrigued by the possibility that one of the child detectives might have a connection to their mysterious leader.

"Anyway, I am going to take some extra precautions with those children should they try to do anything funny with our operation." The Snake let the information sink into his men, and when he spoke again a sinister smile had entered his voice.

"While I have a certain affection for their precious little association, this is one time when neither member must not be allowed to ruin our plans. I want to see their little club completely eliminated. A tragic accident of some kind would be ideal, something that can't be traced back to us. Whoever succeeds in that mission will earn a special bonus from me personally. Have I made myself clear...?"

The room fell silent once again, but this time, it was filled with a sense of dread. The criminals knew that The Snake's special bonus was not to be taken lightly, and they also understood the gravity of the task at hand. Eliminating the members of Tantei Association was no easy feat, considering their resourcefulness and determination.

"Yes, sir," one of the criminals replied, his voice trembling slightly. "We understand."

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

The next day, as the Tantei Association gathered again, they could sense a different energy in the air.

But before that, it was all light-heartedness as Ranran beamed at the main HQ next to Michio's mother's boutique, "You finally caught the salmon trout you owed me, Hikari Takuma!"

Takuma grinned and held up a plastic bag containing a beautifully caught salmon trout. "Of course, I did! It took a lot of patience and skill, but I managed to get one just for you, Ranran."

"I was beginning to think you had forgotten about it after the events of our first major case." Ranran dramatically pouted her red lips, "Such a shame at that time while you were out fishing, you just happened to stumble upon a lying jailbird at that time."

Takuma chuckled, remembering the incident Ranran was referring to. During one of their previous cases, while Takuma had been out fishing as a form of relaxation, he accidentally stumbled upon a criminal who was on the run from the police, who at first convince Takuma that he was forcefully dragged into committing a crime for The Snake, which Ranran later discovered the jailbird lied and was thrown in prison later on.

"I promise I didn't forget about the salmon trout, Ranran," Takuma said with a playful glint in his eyes. "And besides, giving you the fish is cheaper than the fee you demanded, right?"

Ranran rolled her eyes but couldn't help but smile. "I suppose you're right," she conceded. "But thanks for the fish. I can't wait for my mother to cook it for dinner tonight!"

Takuma had been fishing earlier this morning and he stowed his rods in the corner while Junko went straight to the table. "Morning guys, a little excited about what Sergeant Genzo had to announce?"

"Very." Ranran beamed.

"Woah, nice fish you got there," Junko adjusted her glasses to see the fish Takuma held.

"Thanks," Takuma replied, a hint of pride in his voice. "It was a bit of a challenge, but I'm glad I caught it."

Emiko who had arrived earlier than the rest of them, couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. She had overheard Shinichi talking to himself the previous night, and his cryptic words still lingered in her mind. She wondered what he meant by giving Ran's wallet back to her and what he had planned for tomorrow.

"Hey, Emiko, you okay?" Junko's voice brought her back to the present.

Emiko forced a smile and nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just lost in thought for a moment."

Then, the secretary glanced up a moment later when to her surprise, Mouri Ran strode in and was puzzled by the red-eyed like look on her friend's face. As if she cried earlier for a long time.

"Ran, are you okay?" Emiko asked, concern evident in her voice.

Ran forced a smile, trying to hide her emotional turmoil. "Yeah, I'm fine," she replied, her voice sounding a little strained. "Just had a rough morning, that's all."

Though through Emiko's observation, it didn't seem to be the case. Even the gaze Ranran was giving Mouri Ran...it was a cold look. And as soon as Shinichi arrived, upon entering the association, Emiko could tell Shinichi was glaring at Ran, his walking distance was clearly quite farther from her than he usually does.

Without greeting her, he tells Ranran to take a seat before he sit right next to her.

As the children settled down, the tension in the room was palpable. Something was amiss, and Emiko couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. She exchanged a worried glance with Michio and the others, who seemed to notice this as well.

Someway or another, there knew something is about to change. And it is about to get ugly.