Shards of a Gem
A pair of dreamy hazel eyes stared vacantly out the train’s window. Ah yes, the magician thought to himself, another glamorous day in the life of Kaito Kuro . . .
Except he wasn’t him anymore was he. The id in his pocket read Kevin Branson, born in the good old US of A. He had picked the name pretty much at random. Okay, not entirely. Bran did mean raven. It had been funny at the time.
Kevin’s father was American, his mother Japanese. Both had been killed in a tragic accident of course. It was easier than trying to maintain a slew of fictitious relatives. He even had a genuine college degree. The Internet was such a wonderful thing.
All in all, the former kaitou presented the perfect picture of a young man who wasn’t quite sure what he wanted to do with his life. Which was honestly how Kaito felt. The magician was at somewhat of a loose end.
He didn’t have to work. The money from several patents, under various names, was more than sufficient for him to live modestly. But, Kaito was bored, and that was something the magician had never handled well. He tended to do things he regretted later, like booby-trapping tantei-kun’s bedroom.
Mentally, Kaito reviewed his marketable skills. Well, he was a master thief. That was out. The young man had no intention of stealing for a living. It was probably also a bad idea to become a magician. He wanted to avoid attention, not attract it. The disguised figure wracked his brain. What other skills did he possess? Somehow, he couldn’t see himself asking someone if they wanted fries with that.
The young man barely noticed when the train entered a tunnel. When they came out was another matter. Kaito was on his feet before the sound of the scream fully registered. One of the other passengers was sprawled out on the floor. The magician could tell at a glance he wasn’t getting back up. He had seen enough dead bodies to recognize the scene for what it was.
Kaito was not at all pleased. For one, the presence of a victim meant there was also a murderer. This was something he objected to on both a personal and professional basis. Second, wasn’t stumbling over dead bodies Kudo’s gig. He hoped this didn’t become a habit.
The police arrived shortly thereafter. Kaito watched them silently as they went about there business. He had given his statement. After that, the cops had pretty much ignored the ex-thief. Not only had he been a good distance away, he hadn’t even known the victim. So far as the officers were concerned, he wasn’t a suspect.
Their main focus seemed to be on the victim’s girlfriend, Sarah. She was crying, but the master of disguise knew full well they could be crocodile tears. He could see why the police suspected her. The girl had motive, and opportunity. The pair had gotten into a huge fight the day before; the dead man had been cheating on her.
Sarah sniffed; her eyes were red. “I didn’t do it,” she insisted. The older cop didn’t look convinced.
The muscles around Kaito’s eyes tightened faintly as he noticed something. His intelligent gaze swept the scene, putting the other pieces together. The victim had been killed when a poisoned dart struck him in the arm. Due to the darkness in the tunnel, the cops had assumed that the killer was in close proximity to him.
This wasn’t the case. The magician knew who had done it, and how. Sarah was innocent. Stay out of it, the more pragmatic side of his brain urged. Don’t draw attention to yourself, let the police handle it.
Except the police didn’t see. He couldn’t just stand there. Kaito had to do something. “Excuse me,” he interrupted politely. His voice did not have a noticeable foreign accent. That had taken a bit of practice. It was worth it though.
The older one shot him an irritated look. “What is it?”
“She didn’t do it,” the magician pointed to another man. “He did.”
The indicated figure went white, then red. “That is ridiculous,” he protested. “Peter was my friend.”
The older detective was inclined to agree, but his partner insisted they hear the young man out.
“Look at the beads on his armlet,” Kaito instructed. “They glow in the dark.” The dart had struck a bare inch above them. “From where he was sitting, that guy had a clear shot,” the magician pointed out.
“Oh yeah,” the other turned belligerent. “I suppose I threw the dart at him.”
Kaito remained calm. “You used a blow gun, which you immediately disposed of.” His eyes moved upwards. “Odd that the window is open, considering how cold it is.”
The man was silent for a moment; he knew he was caught. “He deserved it,” the murderer hissed at last. “Perfect Peter, the best at everything. Me, I’m only second place, nothing special,” venom dripped from his words.
Sarah looked shocked. “How could you?”
“Oh please,” he spat. “You thought the same as everyone else. You choose him,” not me, the final words were left unspoken.
Fingers clenched into a fist as the former thief resisted the urge to deck the man. “So you killed him and tried to frame her. What would that have done for you?” He let his scorn leak into his voice.
“What are you, stupid?” the killer asked. “I would have been number one. Everyone would have known what happened to Peter and Sarah.”
Kaito had heard enough. This man was willing to destroy two lives, just to better his own. He felt sick. The magician turned to walk away, only to be stopped by the younger cop.
“You’re very observant,” the detective praised. He looked about five years older than Kaito.
The magician shrugged. “It was nothing.”
“It wasn’t nothing,” blue eyes watched the younger man carefully. “Have you ever considered becoming a cop Kevin?”
The phantom thief almost laughed in his face. That was the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard, him, a police officer? “Not really,” he grinned. “I have this problem with authority. Besides,” his gaze strayed to where the emts were taking the body away.
The cop’s eyes softened. “I understand. Still,” he added. “There are other ways to help people in law enforcement.”
In spite of his feelings, Kaito looked thoughtful as the officer walked away. Helping people, now that had serious appeal. A career as a police officer wasn’t for him, but maybe, a private detective. For one instant the Kaitou Kid’s trademark grin flashed across his features. It was time to get to work.
SoaGSoaGSoaG
All right, another one down
Please tell me your thoughts
Reviews=Extra Motivation
Except he wasn’t him anymore was he. The id in his pocket read Kevin Branson, born in the good old US of A. He had picked the name pretty much at random. Okay, not entirely. Bran did mean raven. It had been funny at the time.
Kevin’s father was American, his mother Japanese. Both had been killed in a tragic accident of course. It was easier than trying to maintain a slew of fictitious relatives. He even had a genuine college degree. The Internet was such a wonderful thing.
All in all, the former kaitou presented the perfect picture of a young man who wasn’t quite sure what he wanted to do with his life. Which was honestly how Kaito felt. The magician was at somewhat of a loose end.
He didn’t have to work. The money from several patents, under various names, was more than sufficient for him to live modestly. But, Kaito was bored, and that was something the magician had never handled well. He tended to do things he regretted later, like booby-trapping tantei-kun’s bedroom.
Mentally, Kaito reviewed his marketable skills. Well, he was a master thief. That was out. The young man had no intention of stealing for a living. It was probably also a bad idea to become a magician. He wanted to avoid attention, not attract it. The disguised figure wracked his brain. What other skills did he possess? Somehow, he couldn’t see himself asking someone if they wanted fries with that.
The young man barely noticed when the train entered a tunnel. When they came out was another matter. Kaito was on his feet before the sound of the scream fully registered. One of the other passengers was sprawled out on the floor. The magician could tell at a glance he wasn’t getting back up. He had seen enough dead bodies to recognize the scene for what it was.
Kaito was not at all pleased. For one, the presence of a victim meant there was also a murderer. This was something he objected to on both a personal and professional basis. Second, wasn’t stumbling over dead bodies Kudo’s gig. He hoped this didn’t become a habit.
The police arrived shortly thereafter. Kaito watched them silently as they went about there business. He had given his statement. After that, the cops had pretty much ignored the ex-thief. Not only had he been a good distance away, he hadn’t even known the victim. So far as the officers were concerned, he wasn’t a suspect.
Their main focus seemed to be on the victim’s girlfriend, Sarah. She was crying, but the master of disguise knew full well they could be crocodile tears. He could see why the police suspected her. The girl had motive, and opportunity. The pair had gotten into a huge fight the day before; the dead man had been cheating on her.
Sarah sniffed; her eyes were red. “I didn’t do it,” she insisted. The older cop didn’t look convinced.
The muscles around Kaito’s eyes tightened faintly as he noticed something. His intelligent gaze swept the scene, putting the other pieces together. The victim had been killed when a poisoned dart struck him in the arm. Due to the darkness in the tunnel, the cops had assumed that the killer was in close proximity to him.
This wasn’t the case. The magician knew who had done it, and how. Sarah was innocent. Stay out of it, the more pragmatic side of his brain urged. Don’t draw attention to yourself, let the police handle it.
Except the police didn’t see. He couldn’t just stand there. Kaito had to do something. “Excuse me,” he interrupted politely. His voice did not have a noticeable foreign accent. That had taken a bit of practice. It was worth it though.
The older one shot him an irritated look. “What is it?”
“She didn’t do it,” the magician pointed to another man. “He did.”
The indicated figure went white, then red. “That is ridiculous,” he protested. “Peter was my friend.”
The older detective was inclined to agree, but his partner insisted they hear the young man out.
“Look at the beads on his armlet,” Kaito instructed. “They glow in the dark.” The dart had struck a bare inch above them. “From where he was sitting, that guy had a clear shot,” the magician pointed out.
“Oh yeah,” the other turned belligerent. “I suppose I threw the dart at him.”
Kaito remained calm. “You used a blow gun, which you immediately disposed of.” His eyes moved upwards. “Odd that the window is open, considering how cold it is.”
The man was silent for a moment; he knew he was caught. “He deserved it,” the murderer hissed at last. “Perfect Peter, the best at everything. Me, I’m only second place, nothing special,” venom dripped from his words.
Sarah looked shocked. “How could you?”
“Oh please,” he spat. “You thought the same as everyone else. You choose him,” not me, the final words were left unspoken.
Fingers clenched into a fist as the former thief resisted the urge to deck the man. “So you killed him and tried to frame her. What would that have done for you?” He let his scorn leak into his voice.
“What are you, stupid?” the killer asked. “I would have been number one. Everyone would have known what happened to Peter and Sarah.”
Kaito had heard enough. This man was willing to destroy two lives, just to better his own. He felt sick. The magician turned to walk away, only to be stopped by the younger cop.
“You’re very observant,” the detective praised. He looked about five years older than Kaito.
The magician shrugged. “It was nothing.”
“It wasn’t nothing,” blue eyes watched the younger man carefully. “Have you ever considered becoming a cop Kevin?”
The phantom thief almost laughed in his face. That was the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard, him, a police officer? “Not really,” he grinned. “I have this problem with authority. Besides,” his gaze strayed to where the emts were taking the body away.
The cop’s eyes softened. “I understand. Still,” he added. “There are other ways to help people in law enforcement.”
In spite of his feelings, Kaito looked thoughtful as the officer walked away. Helping people, now that had serious appeal. A career as a police officer wasn’t for him, but maybe, a private detective. For one instant the Kaitou Kid’s trademark grin flashed across his features. It was time to get to work.
SoaGSoaGSoaG
All right, another one down
Please tell me your thoughts
Reviews=Extra Motivation