Met with curious glances from hotel guests and staff members who had seen the images and captions on the large screens earlier at the city, the adults were whispering among themselves when they lay eyes on the 6-year-old Mouri Ran and Suzuki Sonoko, entering the hotel of Mayfair at Brampton Hotel.

"Is that the two girls who duped those boys into attacking that poor child?"

As Ran and Sonoko made their way through the hotel, the curious glances and hushed whispers from the adults around them did not go unnoticed. The weight of the public exposure and the judgmental eyes added to the tension in the air, fueling their determination to expose Kudo Ranran as The Fox.

Some guests and staff members recognized them from the images on the screens earlier, connecting them to the disruptive behaviour and harassment displayed in those images.

"Isn't that the duo who caused such a commotion earlier?" one woman whispered to her companion, her eyebrows raised in curiosity.

"Yes, I heard they bullied the poor child by sending a boy over to attack her," her friend replied, shaking her head in disbelief.

Ran and Sonoko exchanged a glance, their expressions hardening as they heard the snippets of conversation around them. They knew that their actions had garnered attention and that their reputation was now under scrutiny.

"Looks like we're the talk of the hotel," Sonoko muttered, her jaw clenched.

Ran nodded, her gaze determined. "Let them talk. We're not here to confront Ranran and Shinichi and make things right. Our job is to find evidence that proves Ranran is The Fox in Japan."

As Ran and Sonoko continued to navigate through the hotel, the whispers and stares from the adults served as a constant reminder of the challenge they were facing. Despite the judgment and scepticism around them, their determination remained unshaken. They were resolute in their mission to expose Ranran as The Fox.

"But how do we make sure which is their hotel room?" Sonoko wonder, "Also, we arrived kinda late, don't you think?"

"If it wasn't for that stupid elevator back in the hotel we were in earlier having stalled us for several hours, we wouldn't have been late to come all the way here!" Ran hissed lowly at that thought. "First, we need to find which hotel room are they in, then, I recalled asking around one of our classmates in school that their class trip will end tomorrow night-time here, so hopefully, if we can pinpoint their activities for tomorrow, we will sneak into either Ranran and Shinichi's hotel room, then run through their belongings to find evidence."

Sonoko nodded in agreement, her determination matching Ran's. "Right, we'll need to gather information about their plans for tomorrow. Once we know where they'll be, we can use that opportunity to search their hotel room and find the evidence we need."

As they continued to walk through the hotel, Ran and Sonoko discreetly eavesdropped on conversations and observed the activities of the guests and staff members. They were on the lookout for any hints or mentions of Ranran and Shinichi's plans for the next day.

After a while, Sonoko's eyes lit up as she overheard a group of adults talking nearby in American English.

"Children are becoming smarter nowadays, huh?"

"Right? I mean I was shocked to see two 6-year-old children in that NASA event earlier who happened to be hired by Professor Shibuya, asking about who could've made Professor Shibuya vanish into thin air after attempting to save his missing friend, Professor Hoga. I didn't think our former colleague's life would be extremely bad not long after he resigned."

"Not to mention, he was harassed according to one of them like for....a year after quitting our company? Especially after moving to Japan."

Ran and Sonoko exchanged a quick glance, "Neh, isn't that the eagle case Tantei Association was working on before you quit?" Sonoko suddenly remembered.

"Yeah, but I don't recall that was the actual events that took place," Ran frowned over the wrong details the adults were spouting, "Professor Shibuya wasn't searching for Professor Hoga who went missing, they hired the association to search for his missing stolen eagle. Professor Hoga only went missing an hour after me, Junko and Emiko paid him a visit. How did they get the details wrong?"

"Whatever it is, that ain't true." Sonoko decided.

It wasn't until they spotted a signboard outside a room within the lobby, that they realized what those adults meant.

"A NASA event here....." Ran muttered.

Ran and Sonoko quickly approached the signboard, which displayed the schedule of events taking place at the hotel tonight, which suddenly made sense to Ran as the dots finally connected in her head, "Ah, now this made sense. I was wondering why the details were off, only Ranran could've simply made up a lie to investigate this eagle case with Shinichi."

Seeing that the door is left wide open, they were able to take a peek and notice from afar that Ranran and Shinichi are busy mingling with the other guests there. It seemed that Ranran and Shinichi had indeed taken advantage of the NASA event as a cover for their own investigation into the Eagle case.

"Well, well, it looks like they've been busy," Sonoko commented, her lips curling into a smirk. "Using the NASA event as a smokescreen while they dig into that eagle case."

This gives Mouri Ran an idea, "You know, those two are in that event now, right?"

Sonoko grinned, catching Ran's line of thought. "Oh, I see where you're going with this. We can use this opportunity to gather evidence from their hotel room while they're occupied at the event."

Ran nodded a determined glint in her eyes. "Exactly. While they're distracted, we can slip into their hotel room, search for any clues or evidence related to The Fox, and finally expose Ranran."

As they continued to observe from a distance, they saw Ranran and Shinichi engaging with other attendees at the event, clearly absorbed in their own investigation. "So, we just need to figure out which hotel room they're staying in," Sonoko mused, scanning the area for any potential clues.

"But how are we going to do so?" Ran crossed her arms while in deep thought, "There is no way the receptionist is going to tell us such details."

Then Sonoko hit a lightbulb moment, "Neh Ran, you still have your contact number for that Fuyuko Junko, right?"

"Oh right!" Ran's eyes lit up as she realized what Sonoko was getting at. "She is a member of Tantei Association as well. I am certain Ranran, Shinichi and Takuma must have told them in case anything happens to them."

She quickly took out her phone and scrolled through her contacts until she found Fuyuko Junko's number. Without wasting any time, she dialled the number and waited anxiously for a response.

"Come on, Fuyuko, please answer," Ran muttered under her breath.

After a few rings, the call was picked up, and a voice came through the other end, "Hello?"

"Fuyuko, it's me, Mouri Ran," Ran whispered into the phone, trying to keep her voice steady. "I need a favour."

"It's 9 am here, you called me while I am in class. Ah, sorry Sensei."

Sonoko and Ran exchanged glances, realizing that they had interrupted Fuyuko during her class. "We're really sorry to disturb you during class, Junko, but this is urgent. I apologize since it is 8 pm here, and we need some information. Could you help us?"

"Hang on a minute, Sensei, I may need to take this call first, may I leave now?" Fuyuko's voice sounded muffled for a moment before she responded, "Alright, I stepped out of the classroom. What do you need, Ran-chan?"

"We're in a bit of a situation here, and we need to find out which hotel room Kudo Ranran and Kudo Shinichi are staying in. Can you help us with that?"

There was a brief pause on the other end of the line before Junko spoke again, "What's going on, Ran?"

"We can't explain right now, but it's important," Ran replied urgently. "Please, if you can help us with this, it would mean-"

"Wait a minute, you didn't ask me about which hotel they are in....in other words, you found the hotel Shinichi and the others are in, didn't you!?"

Ran's heart skipped a beat as Fuyuko seemed to have guessed their situation. She exchanged a quick glance with Sonoko, both of them realizing that their intentions might not be as secret as they had hoped.

"Ran-san, have you lost your mind!? How did you manage to locate which hotel are they in!? Wait, you know what? Scratch that." Junko pinched her nose bridge as she rambled over the phone, pushing her glasses up, "Does Ranran and Shinichi knows you are around?! Cause if they do, they won't go easy on you. Especially Takuma, you know he is very riled up after learning what you did to Ranran."

"No, they don't know we're here. We've been keeping a low profile. But we have reasons to believe that they might be involved in something... suspicious." Ran quickly reassured Fuyuko.

"If this is about telling you where Ranran and Shinichi's hotel room are, I can't." Junko reminded them, "Mouri-san, you are no longer a member of the association, and the two are out on an investigation. If I said a word, the worst might come after me. And you know Ranran's level of scheming is very top-notch."

Ran's heart sank as Junko's reminder hit her. She had forgotten that she was no longer officially part of the Tantei Association, and the rules and boundaries had shifted.

"Junko-"

"Ran-san, I know you had bad blood with Shinichi, and as much as I want to since I can relate to your situation similarly with myself and Michio, let alone, would be more than willing to help you, I can't simply tell you where their hotel rooms are unless you have proper justifications."

Ran clenched her fist in frustration, understanding Junko's position.

With nowhere to turn to, it was time to drop the bombshell, "I suspect Ranran is the Fox, Junko." Mouri Ran reveals this to her.

There was a moment of stunned silence on the other end of the line. Fuyuko's voice was laced with disbelief as she responded, "What...? Ranran? The Fox? The infamous child detective who vanished in Japan!?"

"Yes," Ran explained urgently.

"Woah, hold on a minute, I need to gather my thoughts about this." Fuyuko's voice sounded a bit distant as she processed the shocking revelation. "Ran-san, as much as Ranran is a child Tantei, and I think all of us could agree she is intelligent and cunning to the bone, when did your suspicions come about?"

"Since our fourth major case," Ran could feel the weight of the situation bearing down on her as she replied, "The way she was calling out the shots to the cops when Takuma was chasing after one of the kidnappers at that time....even a 6-year-old like me is unable to get my parents to listen to me at times, yet she is able to get the cops to listen to her...does this not make you think she isn't an amateur?"

"That's certainly suspicious, but it's a big leap to assume she's The Fox solely based on that." Fuyuko's voice remained serious as she processed the information.

"There were also other things that made me think otherwise," Ran tries to reason with the secretary of Tantei Association, "The way she managed to predict some of our moves, her uncanny knowledge of cases, her ability to manipulate situations... It's too much to ignore."

There was a brief pause on the other end before Fuyuko sighed, "What are you planning to do if I do tell you where their hotel room is?"

"Confront her with the evidence, and get Shinichi to quit his Tantei apprenticeship under her," Ran replied.

"Ran-san, are you not afraid that Shinichi will hate you for it?"

Ran's voice held a mixture of determination and concern as she replied, "I'm more afraid of what might happen if we let this continue. If Ranran is truly The Fox and we let her operate unchecked, the consequences could be devastating. Shinichi may be angry at first, but I believe he'll come to understand the truth and make the right choice."

"Ran-chan-"

"One may say this is under jealousy, but aside from that, I don't think Shinichi should continue his apprenticeship as a Tantei, especially under Ranran of all the kids," Ran argued.

"But Mouri, when you left, Shinichi seems very happy, especially whenever he is with Ranran."

Ran's heart clenched at Fuyuko's words. She understood the weight of what Fuyuko was implying – that her absence had brought relief to Shinichi's life. However, she couldn't let that deter her from her current course of action.

"Also, The Fox had put away many criminals on the news. Did it not occur to you that should you do try to expose her, those criminals she put away may try to oust her?"

"Of course, I did," Ran's expression hardened as she responded, "But it ain't as though I am going to put it on the newspaper and tell everyone. I just need to scare her to get Shinichi to quit, that is all."

"Shinichi already hates you for doing all those things to Ranran, especially for the past 2 months. If he loses his apprenticeship, you think he would accept your friendship with open arms, Ran-chan?!"

"Doing what's right is more important than being liked. Shinichi is smart, and I believe he'll eventually accept the truth, even if it takes time."

Fuyuko sighed on the other end. "I understand your concerns, Ran-san. But you're walking on a thin line here. Exposing someone like Ranran, especially if she truly is The Fox, is a dangerous game. And if you're wrong, the consequences could be dire. And it won't just be you, Sonoko is with you now, is she not?"

Ran's grip on the phone tightened as she absorbed Fuyuko's words. The weight of her decisions was heavy, and the risks were undeniable. She exchanged a glance with Sonoko, who had been listening intently to the conversation.

"I know the risks, Junko," Ran replied, her voice firm. "But we can't let fear stop us from doing what's right. The safety of Shinichi is at stake, and we can't afford to turn a blind eye."

Junko sighed, clearly torn. "Alright, Shinichi's hotel room is 1205 at the Mayfair at Brampton Hotel, on the 6th floor. Ranran's however is in a penthouse."

Ran's heart raced as she processed the information. "Wait, Ranran ended up in a penthouse again!? How did that happen!? And why Shinichi ended up in a hotel room!?"

"I think from what I overheard the last time we spoke, the hotel they were in, Ranran mentioned before that the same contact of hers who own this hotel of the same name as the one on the island is connected, so again, she got the privilege to end up in a penthouse. While Mr Miki paid for the hotel rooms, she is the only one who ended up there."

"Seriously!? She is too spoiled!" Ran exasperated before thanking Junko, "Thank you, Junko. We really appreciate your help."

"Just promise me that you'll be careful, Ran-san. This situation....if Ranran is truly The Fox, you are all going to suffer a fate worst than hell."

"We will be careful, Junko. And thank you again."

With the newfound information in hand, Ran hung up the phone and turned to Sonoko. "We have their hotel room numbers. Ranran is in the penthouse, and Shinichi is in room 1205 on the 6th floor."

Sonoko's eyes lit up with a mixture of excitement and determination. "Now that we have the location, we need to move quickly. We'll stick around the event a bit longer to avoid suspicion and then head to the hotel."

Ran nodded in agreement. "Let's keep a close eye on them for a while, just in case."

As they continued to watch Ranran and Shinichi at the event, a sense of urgency filled the air. They knew that their confrontation with Ranran was imminent, and they needed to gather as much evidence as possible before making their move.

After some time, Ran and Sonoko discreetly slipped away from the event and headed towards the Mayfair at Brampton Hotel. The excitement and tension in the air were palpable as they made their way to the hotel, their minds racing with thoughts of their upcoming mission.

Upon arriving at the hotel, they approached the reception desk to inquire about Shinichi's room. With a bit of charm and persuasion, they managed to obtain a keycard for room 1205. Now armed with access to Shinichi's room, they headed towards the 6th floor. That wasn't an issue.

But getting access to the penthouse where Ranran was is another problem.

If the two are teenagers, masquerading as hotel staff would've been a piece of cake to sneak in.  But they are merely 6-year-old kids.

Ran and Sonoko stood outside the elevator with the room number in mind, they knew that time was of the essence, and they needed to act swiftly to execute their plan.

Even so, waiting for the elevator was proving to be a bit difficult, especially when the guests coming in and out of the hotel recognized them as their faces were plastered across the city as the ones who 'bullied' a child.

The two girls exchanged nervous glances as they waited for the elevator, fully aware of the attention they were drawing due to their recent notoriety. And although they muted their smartphones, the influx of messages kept on coming.

Since the association's 4th major case, the messages hadn't stopped coming to them for over 2 months. Even as Sonoko and Ran changed their numbers, even blocking did little to stop the sender. Never a day goes by that they had either photos of them in different locations, messages that tell Mouri to quit Tantei Association, or that Sonoko is told to behave and distances themselves from Kudo Ranran and Kudo Shinichi.

When Shinichi informed them that they shouldn't look into that suspicion regarding Ranran as The Fox by revealing the identity of the sender could've been Ranran's second family, a.k.a her friends from Edgewood Academy, the two girls didn't look into it at first and the messages stopped. But then, when they decided to look into the matter today, the messages returned.

"Seriously, Ranran's friends from Edgewood Academy," Sonoko gritted her teeth, "Don't they ever need to go to school!?"

Ran clenched her fist in frustration, her face a mix of annoyance and determination. "It's beyond infuriating. How do they even have the time to do this? And why are they so obsessed with us?"

"I know that Shinichi said they are very overprotective over Ranran even though she ended up moving to Japan, but seriously!? We are in New York City!" Sonoko grumbled.

"It's like they have nothing better to do than harass us from across the world. This whole situation is getting out of hand."Ran nodded in agreement, her frustration mirroring Sonoko's.

"We ain't harassing Ranran! We just need to look into the truth." Sonoko reasoned to no one in particular.

"Let's focus on the task at hand," Ran said firmly, her voice a quiet but resolute reminder to Sonoko. "We're here to gather evidence and expose the truth. Whatever Ranran's friends are doing, we can't let it distract us from our mission."

While waiting, Sonoko nodded in agreement, taking a deep breath to steady herself. "Have you figured out a way how are we two 6-years-old going to break into Ranran's penthouse?"

"I do, let's set out some sort of commotion that would distract the staff and guests. While they're busy dealing with that, we slip into the penthouse unnoticed." Ran suggest.

"But the doors are usually locked, right?" Sonoko recalled, "The last time we checked into a penthouse at some hotel during one of my family holidays, the doors are shut."

"It would be good if the hotel receptionist handed us over the keys to the penthouse earlier, like Shinichi's hotel keycard when we lied and claimed that we were part of the class 1-A class trip." Ran frowned. "Why won't they grant us the keys to the penthouse?"

This gave Sonoko the idea, "Neh Ran, why don't we go to Shinichi's hotel room first."

"Eh? Why?"

The elevator doors opened, and they stepped inside. Ran pressed the button for the twelfth floor, where room 1205 was located. "During the camping incident at that, remember Shinichi was so overly worried about Ranran's safety, that I remembered he had a spare keycard made to enter the penthouse. I think if we head into his hotel room now, he should have a spare keycard among his belongings."

Ran's eyes lit up as she realized the potential of Sonoko's idea. "That's a brilliant plan, Sonoko! If we can find that spare keycard in Shinichi's room, we won't have to worry about breaking into the penthouse."

As the elevator doors opened on the twelfth floor, Ran and Sonoko exchanged a determined look before stepping out. They quickly made their way down the hallway, following the room numbers until they reached room 1205.

"Here we are," Ran whispered, her heart racing.

Sonoko took a deep breath, her excitement and determination are evident. "Let's do this, Ran."

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

The room was dimly lit, and they quickly began their search, scouring the area for any evidence that could expose Kudo Ranran as The Fox. Drawers were discreetly opened, papers were rifled through, and every corner of the room was meticulously examined.

Time seemed to blur as they searched, their senses heightened, and adrenaline coursing through their veins. They were determined to find something, anything, that could shed light on the truth.

Unbeknownst to them, there were cameras set up in Shinichi's hotel room that were connected to his phone. Shinichi had set them up as a precaution, expecting that his own former friends would be searching his room. As he watched the live feed on his phone, he was also busy texting the other children, Reina and Takuma.

"There are here, wait until they ransack my bag, then take action on them."

That is right, Shinichi wasn't a no-brainer.

He did have that foresight of this occurring since their bad blood has taken them this far. Having requested Takuma to intentionally take a selfie while attaching their hotel location was one of those calculative steps to lure those two simpletons over to trap them. The next phase was to have Ranran's two friends, Reina and Takuma, hide somewhere in his room before ambushing them.

The two others were aware of Shinichi's plans with the Edgewood children, and they are scheming behind Ranran's back to ensure those two girls will end up being held accountable. Just that since Shinichi and Ranran were too busy investigating the NASA event in the lobby, it only seems plausible for Shinichi to send Reina and Takuma over.

As Ran and Sonoko continued their search in Shinichi's room, they remained unaware of the unfolding situation. Their focus was solely on finding evidence that could expose Ranran as The Fox. Every moment felt tense, and the weight of their mission hung heavily in the air.

After meticulously going through the various items in the room, Ran's heart sank as they still couldn't find anything substantial. "Sonoko, it's been a while, and why we still haven't found the keycard yet?"

Sonoko's jaws clenched at her own frustration. "Good question, aaaah! Damn that Tantei Geek."

Ran's frustration mirrored Sonoko's, and she let out a frustrated sigh. "We can't give up now. We need to keep searching."

Then Ran decided, "Ok, this is taking too long, Sonoko, I will search the bedroom, you continue your search around the living room. Cause Shinichi may come back any minute."

Sonoko nodded in agreement, her determination unwavering. "Got it, Ran. Let's split up and cover more ground. We need to find that keycard before Shinichi returns."

As Ran headed towards the bedroom, Sonoko continued her search in the living room area. She began to carefully examine the shelves, looking through books, papers, and any other possible hiding spots. Her heart raced with each passing moment, knowing that time was of the essence.

Meanwhile, Ran entered the dimly lit bedroom and began to search through the drawers and surfaces. She checked under the bed and even glanced inside the closet, her eyes scanning every inch of the room. The tension in the air was palpable as she desperately hoped to find the keycard that could potentially unlock the truth.

Unbeknownst to her, the clothes cabinet behind her opened silently.

Ran continued her search, unaware of the subtle movement behind her. Her focus was entirely on finding the keycard and any other evidence that could help expose Ranran's true identity as The Fox. She reached out to open another drawer when she suddenly felt a presence behind her.

Instinctively, she turned around, only to be met with a taser baton.

Ran's vision blurred as the electric shock coursed through her body. Her muscles tensed involuntarily, and her limbs felt heavy and unresponsive. The taser baton had taken her by surprise, leaving her disoriented and vulnerable.

As Ran collapsed to the floor, her mind raced to make sense of what had just happened. She struggled to regain control of her body, her vision slowly blurring before passing out to see a furious Reina, holding the taser baton, standing over her. Reina's expression was a mix of anger and triumph, her eyes fixed on Ran's unconscious form.

"I told you," Reina sneered, a sense of satisfaction evident in her voice. "I will not let you hurt Ranran ever again."

Meanwhile, in the living room area, Sonoko was still engrossed in her search, her determination unwavering. She continued to scour the room, her mind focused solely on finding the keycard. However, time was slipping away, and the possibility of Shinichi's return was a constant concern.

Just as she was about to check under a stack of papers on the table, she felt a huge blow struck behind her head as well.

Sonoko's vision blurred, and her body went limp as the force of the blow overwhelmed her. Her thoughts swirled in confusion as she fought to stay conscious, but her efforts were in vain. The room seemed to spin around her, and she collapsed onto the floor, her consciousness fading to see the boy in a hoodie and cap, holding a taser baton as well.

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

"Nice job, Takuma," Reina said, followed by a soft chuckle.

"Thanks, Rei-chan," Takuma replied.

With Takuma's help dragging the two unconscious 6-year-old girls to the living room of Shinichi's hotel room, the two girls lay limp, their faces etched with a sense of disorientation and confusion as their memories were slowly being erased.

"I can't believe we had to resort to this. It's a mess." Takuma let out a sigh, his expression a mix of annoyance and resignation.

"It had to be done, Takuma. Still, they had it easier compared to Ranran." Reina thinks.

"Eh?"

"Cause if you think about it, Ranran had to deal the hell those two morons here for the past 2 months, every waking hour," Reina pointed at the two unconscious girls before her boyfriend, "And all they are getting is nothing but be put in a deep sleep."

"That is true," Takuma nodded in agreement, a faint smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. "Especially when they were manipulating Shinichi to quit his dream as a Tantei, constantly guilt-tripping....argh, just nothing but bad news written all over their mouths."

Reina crouched down beside the unconscious girls, her gaze fixed on their faces. "Shinichi wants us to take them to see those 'Edgewood kids', Ranran's friends from her old school. How are we going to bring them out unconscious without drawing suspicion?"

Recalling the laundry cart parked outside the hallway of Shinichi's hotel room, Takuma suggest, "Do you think we can put the two in there?"

Reina's eyes lit up with realization as she considered Takuma's suggestion. "That might just work. It's a hotel, after all, and guests wouldn't think twice about a laundry cart being moved around. We can easily wheel them out of here without raising suspicion."

"The problem is, if any of the hotel staff saw us pushing the cart, what are we going to do about it?" Takuma grew a bit puzzled at that.

"It should be fine," Reina reassured, "Shinichi mentioned that this entire hotel is under one of Ranran's clients, so if we were seen doing anything suspicious, no one is going to stop us."

"Man, it's good to have friends in high places," Takuma whistled in response.

Reina and Takuma carefully lifted the unconscious girls and placed them in the laundry cart. Once they were settled, they covered them with a pile of towels and linens, ensuring that they were hidden from view. The cart was large enough to accommodate their small forms without drawing too much attention.

With a final glance at their work, Reina nodded in satisfaction. "Alright, let's wheel them out of here. We need to get them to the meeting point with the Edgewood kids as soon as possible."

Takuma positioned himself at the front of the cart, ready to push it, while Reina walked alongside, guiding him. They moved with purpose and confidence, their actions appearing casual and inconspicuous to any onlookers.

Back in the hidden room, the Edgewood group continued to monitor the situation through the CCTV footage, watching as all of this unfold. "Shinichi is one cunning apprentice," Ellis mused, a smirk playing on his lips.

"He learns from the best after all," Samantha leaned forward, her eyes glinting mischievously. "Ranran really taught him well."

"I am a bit surprised that her two friends Reina and Takuma knew how to use the taser baton, and they are only 6." Tiffany nodded in agreement.

"Ranran taught them way back before she and Shinichi opened Tantei Association, back then that sociopath Ishibashi Mamiko had come up with all sorts of sadistic ways of hurting Moriko, Reina's relative, so the only solution at that time was a mosquito racket to fight back." Nicolas narrates.

"Who is going to collect those two girls anyway?" Ellis and Veronica who had been sitting in front turned their chairs to the other children of Edgewood.

"I am," Tiffany raised her hand, "I've met those two before last year when those two idiot buffoons stormed into Christopher's death memorial, they were kind enough to bring over a slice of birthday cake from a party they were holding next door at that hotel we were in back then to Ranran, who was pushed down by that brute."

"Alright then," Ellis and the others nodded approvingly at Tiffany's willingness to take on the responsibility. "Just make sure to be discreet and efficient. We don't want any unnecessary attention or complications."

"Don't worry, I've got it under control. Also, I am no stranger to doing dark deeds." Tiffany gave a confident nod in response.

"Excellent," Ellis replied. "And remember, keep your communication encrypted and avoid any traces. We don't want anyone tracing this back to us."

Tiffany understood the gravity of the situation and the importance of maintaining their secrecy. "I'll ensure everything is handled properly."

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

As Reina and Takuma continued to wheel the laundry cart down the hallway, they moved with a purposeful stride, blending in seamlessly with the hotel environment. The sounds of the hotel guests and staff going about their business masked their actions, ensuring that their movements remained inconspicuous.

The journey to the designated meeting point was relatively uneventful. Reina and Takuma expertly navigated the cart through the hallways, avoiding any potential obstacles or interactions that could raise suspicion. They moved quickly but without drawing attention, their determination unwavering.

"Where are we supposed to meet them?" Reina asked her boyfriend.

"Carpark," Takuma answered.

Finally, they arrived at the predetermined location where the other Edgewood children were waiting. Tiffany stepped forward, her gaze fixed on the unconscious forms within the cart. "Are they okay?"

Reina nodded, her voice calm and assured. "They're just unconscious. We made sure they won't remember anything, and they won't wake up until we decide it's safe."

Reina and Takuma brought the laundry cart to a stop, and Tiffany immediately moved forward to inspect the contents. She peered inside and confirmed that Ran and Sonoko were safely hidden under the towels and linens. Satisfied with the arrangement, she turned to Reina and Takuma.

"Good work," Tiffany whispered to them in Japanese with her British accent, her voice low but filled with gratitude. "You've done Ranran a great service today."

"These two are a lot to handle," Reina nodded a mixture of determination and exhaustion in her eyes. "I just want to remind you, the girl in the long brown hair, Mouri Ran, has raw strength in martial arts despite being 6 years old, so I will be cautious if I were you."

"Noted. We'll make sure to take the necessary precautions. Thank you for looking out for us."Tiffany's expression turned serious as she processed Reina's warning.

"Will you be able to make them remorseful for the things those two had done to Ranran? Cause if you guys can't...by the time we fly back to Japan, I am worried they will cause more chaos to Ranran." Takuma sternly stared at the laundry bag, as two adult men came out of the limousine to lift the two unconscious girls.

"You will leave that to us," Tiffany's gaze hardened as the two passed out children, "They are going to regret messing with her," her determination unwavering.

As the two men carefully lifted Ran and Sonoko, placing them into the limousine, Tiffany exchanged a glance with Ranran's two friends, "By the way, since you treated Ranran well, I have some rewards for the both of you. Guys," Tiffany ordered one of the men, "Could you gift them the things we bought earlier?"

The man nodded in response to Tiffany's request and retrieved a couple of gift bags from the limousine. He handed them to Reina and Takuma with a polite smile. Inside the bags were several items, though different despite being high quality.

For Takuma, he was amazed to be gifted an expensive branded cap with a box of limited edition Nike shoes signed by his favourite American Football Athlete.

"No way!" Takuma was in awe while in expected the goods before turning to Tiffany, "Is this really signed by Tom Brady!?"

Tiffany smirked at Takuma's reaction, enjoying his surprise and excitement. "Of course it is. We like to make sure our mutual friends are well taken care of."

Takuma's eyes gleamed with gratitude as he held the signed Nike shoes and cap in his hands. "Thank you so much! This is unbelievable!"

Reina's gift was equally impressive – luxurious designer shoes that she had admired during their shopping earlier, along with a delicate necklace adorned with a small, sparkling diamond pendant.

Reina's expression was a mix of surprise and delight as she looked at the shoes and necklace. "Wow, these are amazing. Thank you, Tiffany."

"You're welcome," Tiffany replied with a genuine smile. "Consider it a token of our appreciation for your help and dedication to Ranran."

Reina and Takuma exchanged a glance, their gratitude evident in their eyes.

Tiffany then turned her attention back to the unconscious forms in the limousine. "We'll make sure to deal with those two and ensure they won't pose a threat to Ranran any longer."

"We trust you," Reina nodded in agreement.

Takuma's expression turned more serious as he asked, "I have one question, what should we do if they rushed over to our HQ and falsely accuse Ranran of ordering you guys to do...what you are all about to do to them?"

The athlete avoided the word 'torture'.

"Actually, your other friend Shinichi was worried about that too and asked the same question," Tiffany's expression grew more serious as she considered Takuma's question. "That video of that boy breaking into the HQ and attacking Ranran, share it across the school as soon as you all return. Anonymously."

"Eh!?' Tiffany and Reina exclaimed.

"The whole incident began because that heiress couldn't keep her mouth shut, right? Spread that to the school, tell everyone that both those girls didn't care about keeping their mouth shut, leaking the location to that boy who had a crush on one of them, which lead him to attack Ranran. With this justification, even if she falsely accuse Ranran, it would've made sense for us to do what we plan to do to them, right?" 

Reina and Takuma's eyes widened in understanding as he grasped Tiffany's plan.

"And by doing so, even if Ranran figures out we were involved, she wouldn't suspect Shinichi, you and Reina having secretly called us over to teach those two a lesson." Tiffany reasoned with them."And with their own past actions, it'll be hard for them to defend themselves without exposing their involvement."

"That's actually a brilliant idea," Reina admitted, her admiration evident in her voice.

"As expected from you guys, children of Edgewood Academy are a different breed of intelligence." Even Takuma is impressed.

As the limousine's doors were about to be closed, Tiffany offered one final piece of advice. "After 'that', when the two are released, give them a couple of weeks. If they don't revert back to their old selves, tell Shinichi to contact us."

The two nodded, absorbing Tiffany's advice and instructions. 

"Any questions?" Tiffany asked.

"Well, this one has nothing to do with what we are dealing with, but...."The two kids mused before asking in unison, "What is Ranran's favourite comedic genre when it comes to movies?"

That question obviously startled Tiffany unexpectedly.

"Ranran always joined us for movies, but I rarely see her laugh." Reina reasoned with the noble girl.

"And even if we do take her to a comedic movie, although the entire audience laughs in the cinema hall, she doesn't laugh at all," Takuma adds.

"I am sorry, why does this matter-"

"She rarely smiles, the only thing she watches is psychological tormenting movies with politics near and far. I feel like....she could do a bit better by laughing out rather than...keep cooping up in her bedroom all day gaming." Reina spoke sadly, "I roughly knew whatever happened in the U.K. made her what she is, even so....."

"....it would've been better if she laughed a bit. Rather than her usual cynical smile and stuff." Takuma groaned.

Tiffany listened to their words, and a faint understanding crossed her features. It was clear that even in their concern for Ranran's well-being, her friends had noticed her tendency to isolate herself and her reluctance to engage in lighter, more lighthearted activities. Ranran's serious demeanour and her affinity for intense movies seemed to reflect the weight she carried within her.

"Dark humour."

"Eh!?" 

Tiffany's response caught Reina and Takuma off guard. They exchanged surprised glances before turning their attention back to Tiffany, waiting for her to elaborate.

"Ranran's favourite comedic genre is dark humour," Tiffany explained with a thoughtful expression. "For example: A zombie apocalypse took place, selfish decisions were made, which mirrors what a person would likely do in real life, but it leads to hilarious outcomes."

Her words seemed to resonate with Reina and Takuma.

With those words, Tiffany signalled that it was time for them to part ways for the time being. The two unconscious girls had been secured, and the plan was set in motion. Reina and Takuma had played their crucial roles, and now it was up to the Edgewood group to ensure justice and protect Ranran from any further harm.

As they said their farewells and watched the limousine drive away, Reina and Takuma exchanged a final glance.