"What is taking them so long? It's 12am already!"

Shinichi checked his watch while observing Michio's shadow still remaining sitting under the bus stop in front of Atsuko gallery. Was Adeline fooling around with them? If so, he wouldn't be surprised given her manipulative nature of duping boys into falling for her.

Hiding behind the bush based behind the bus stop was a decision Shinichi made as time ticked by. No room for errors in tonight's stakeout this time. As each second passes by, Michio grew anxious. It felt like the slowest day of his life.

All of a sudden, a loud notification alerted one of the boys' phones.

Realising it was Michio's smartphone, he scooped to see the text message he received. His gasp reached Shinichi's ears, indicating to the apprentice that it must be Adeline.

Remaining in his position, Michio quietly forwarded the message to Shinichi, who received a soft notification. Opening the text message, Adeline instructed Michio to enter the Atsuko gallery alone. Otherwise, no deal and the girls would be killed. In Shinichi's expertise, it was a no-brainer trap meant for Michio to be ambushed where no one could see them. It was a fortunate thing Ranran narrowly escaped with the others, caused that meant they had the upper hand now.

The purpose for Adeline for luring Michio here was that she assumed the Tantei association had no idea about the members' escape thanks to their kidnapping, let alone, having stolen the Rajah ruby. Kidnapping Michio would benefit them in exchange for the ruby Ranran and the rest had stolen from them. Though the word stolen isn't really a proper word to describe this, since the ruby belonged to neither party in Shinichi's opinion.

Even so, neither of the kids was completely in the safe zone.

Though the two boys can leave quietly without entering the building, there is a possibility that The Snake could've stationed his men surrounding the gallery from the outside to ensure Michio enters the building. And neither Michio nor Shinichi could see any of them from the top to the bottom of several blocks of the building as they surveyed in silence.

"Shinichi, did Takuma and Junko not manage to contact Genzo?" Michio asked in a low voice.

"No, they are still attempting. The only good news that came was that Ranran and the rest managed to secure a runway to land the aeroplane," Shinichi growled, feeling impatient. When will Genzo's men come over?!

"Neh Shinichi, is it advisable if I entered the gallery on my own?"

"No, it's not," Shinichi shakes his head, "If you do, that would be giving The Snake the advantage to switch you for the ruby."

"But then if we head back, does this mean we will no longer have the opportunity to capture him anymore?"

"Michio, are you considering-"

"If that is truly the case, I should rush over." Deciding time was running out, Michio jumped out of his seat.

"Michio, no! Bad idea!" Shinichi hissed.

"Why not!? I have a gun! I can handle her!" Michio refute.

"Yeah, but she has more experience using a gun! And only have days of experience! The only one who had more experience is Ranran, but she is still on a plane!" Remembering the day Shinichi recklessly ran into an illegal drug lab that took place in a mall when Ranran told him not to, he adds, "I think we should leave-"

Suddenly, without warning, the door in front of Atsuko gallery opened on its own, left ajar while it reveals the light as if it was inviting Michio.

Before Shinichi could convince him not to, Michio responded in a haste, "I suggest you wait outside if I don't return back alive, call for help!"

Hastily, Michio rushed over and left Shinichi waiting outside much to his protests. Michio knew this was a bad idea, but missing out on this opportunity would mean they may no longer be able to throw The Snake in prison for good should they let it slip past their fingers.

Edging into the shadows around the front door, he push the door a little out of curiosity before it swung wider. He froze, listening for any sounds, the gallery was completely silent.

Adeline is definitely in there, no doubt about it. Michio thought.

Shinichi who remained outside moved a little forward to the back of the bus stop, peering a little to see the door a lot open.

The Snake's daughter texted Michio to meet up in the gallery... does this mean Enomoto Mitsuo, the owner of Atsuko Gallery is in cahoots with The Snake!?

Shinichi observed Michio ease through the door, careful not to make a sound. Before he realizes it, he could no longer see Michio.

Before Shinichi could call out to Michio to not enter any further, a voice call out to him from the back.

....

Michio meanwhile surveyed the long exhibition area. A dim light showed from somewhere in the centre. Rows of iron columns marched into the distance, throwing shadows across the wooden floor when he moved forward, the soles of his sneakers squeaked on the polished timbers.

With a gun in his right hand, Michio is in defence mode. If anyone pounced on him, so be it. He has a gun. Out of the blue, a voice called to him. "So distrustful of me, you even brought a gun with you?"

A chill traced his spine. "Adeline?" he asked.

A figure stepped out from behind a column. No longer innocent in appearances, she appeared in strawberry blonde instead of a brunette colored he saw earlier, shoulder-length hair with a beautiful-looking face and a simple elegant dress. Glinting jaded green eyes, that is the true face of Adeline, standing elegantly despite her slightly muscled frame, it ain't as obvious as Junko's gorilla-like arms.

"I thought it was safer to wait in here," Adeline explained. "Come closer so I can see you."

With a gun cocked towards her head, Michio huffed, "And if I don't?"

"You don't have a choice, Majima, for no one is to disobey me. Fu fu."

A shoe scraped on the floor behind him. He spun round to face a man holding a gun, a man whose face was covered by a green reptile-skin mask before confiscating the gun from the boy. "I will take that."

Other men emerged from behind the columns. One of them had white hair and Michio guessed he was the gallery owner, Mr Enomoto Mitsuo, who later reached for a switch, bathing the gallery with spotlights.

"A real gun....it looks like you really can't be underestimated," The Snake's rusty-like voice frowned at the 10-year-old before urging one of his men to take away the gun. "How did you find out Adeline was my daughter? I told a specific few people about it, that not even the cops are aware?"

Recalling what the founder and apprentice had rehearsed, Michio replied while blinking, due to the intense spotlight shining straight towards his face, "It was merely a guess just based on your daughter's name alone."

"Huh? My name? You mean Adeline?" The puzzled little girl before him pointed to herself.

"Actually, I wasn't sure if the spelling of your name was spelt A-d-e-l-i-n-e or A-d-e-l-i-n-d, but I grew curious about the meaning behind the name. Imagine to my surprise when the one spelt 'Adelind' had a result popped up, where its abbreviated form in English origin meant "noble serpent. And there were not many criminals we made an arrest on had any name associated closely to The Snake, besides you."

The girl gasped at Michio's confrontation, "I admit that I never had good luck when it came to girls, so as soon as the result appeared, just out of precaution, I staged the 2nd date and realized I was spot on that you were in fact The Snake's daughter when you were more eager to leave in a haste after I mentioned that the cops had no idea about it." With Michio in character as rehearsed earlier, he paced the way Shinichi would, ignoring the guns pointed at him, "Unfortunately, what I didn't bother to tell you was that I notified the cops in advance as soon as you all planned the girls' kidnapping. So if anything happens to my friends you're going to be in even worse trouble. So if I were you, I would suggest you drop your gun."

Adeline was shaking at Majima Michio's deduction...so was her deduction about him wrong earlier? That this was the real Michio all along before her?

The snake ignored his threat. "Very clever of you. Unfortunately, you were not smart enough to realise that your friends have escaped by hijacking my damn plane! So has that German police inspector: And the Rajah's Ruby is also missing, all thanks to your schemes!"

Michio laughed in a mocking tone. "Well, that is good. Though I did not expect one of my members to be truthful when she bragged about having flown a plane before. Oh yeah, I've got even more disappointing news for you, Snake-san," he taunted. "You can forget the thought of exchanging me as a hostage for The Rajah's Ruby since it is nothing but a fake that is meant to scam insurance companies."

Though no one is certain whether the ruby is a sham or not, Ranran specifically texted them through emojis to lie to The Snake should he be there, and Michio has no idea why.

The Snake shook his head. "You're wrong, that Rajah's Ruby is very real."

"Eh?"

"You don't need to know how we were able to obtain the real deal, but all you need to know is that all of the plans we had scheme wasn't for nought just to lure you here."

While Michio was busy staring at The Snake, Shinichi, Junko and Takuma had crept through the open front door. "I swear to God, had you been any louder, Takuma, we could've been caught by The Snake and his men." Shinichi spat in a low tone at the two kids, who earlier rushed over to him with paintball guns when the two arrived.

"I mean Genzo said the men would arrive within 10 minutes from now, so it was necessary to alert you," Takuma responded in seriousness, "I was surprised that Michio rushed here on his own. I could've assumed it was you." Noticing a girl among them, Takuma pointed at the Snake's daughter to ask Shinichi, "Is that her? Adeline?"

It was then, Junko caught her first glimpse of Adeline, The Snake, his men, plus Michio. Including the gallery owner, whom they are now more certain than ever is working alongside The Snake, given his body posture seemed relaxed. The snake's men had circled around Michio surrounding him. Adeline was beside her father her eyes gleaming with triumph.

"So that's what she looks like!" Junko whispered to the two boys.

There's something ambiguous about her beauty, which is why jealousy consumes any girl who meets before her. And Junko was one of those girls who feels that.

"Man, Junko. I am sorry to say this, but you are screwed."Takuma whispered sympathetically, as he pats his hand on her shoulder, and that is when Junko seethed with fury while Shinichi is giving Takuma the 'Are you serious' look.

"Majima Michio," The Snake gloated, "Considering your options are now limited, though we may be on opposing sides of the law, I can also see that you are beyond talented to be working as a detective."

Sweating a little, Michio confronted, "What is your point?"

"You have two options: Either die as a detective or join forces with me. With my daughter's beauty and your brains, won't our empire be beautiful?"

The three children stared in horror upon hearing that, as the first thing that came out of the apprentice was, "So this is why Ranran never showed herself as The Fox, let alone, the founder of Tantei Association! Criminals might coerce her to work for them!" he muttered.

Of course, why did Shinichi not think of that? Ranran was extraordinarily talented, beyond him if he were, to be honest. He always finds it strange why Ranran never revealed herself, since child detectives are rare to the public, and the fame that would've come with it would favour her more.

But with talent came issues of being exploited, mainly by ambitious criminals like The Snake, where intelligence is a commodity for him. Now that he knows...it also made much more sense why Ranran wanted Mouri out of the association out of safety concerns. After hearing this, he decided he will go all the extreme to remove Mouri since Ranran's safety is in a violitile state.

Junko meanwhile was living her worst nightmare, forcing Michio to be with Adeline!? Or else death!? "Don't you dare," she breathed. "Don't even think about it!"

Over her dead body! Swinging around on the two boys with each hand on their shoulder, she demanded before shaking them profusely in a low tone, "Don't just stand there! Do something," she hissed, "Both of you!"

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

With the unfolding chaos taking place in Atsuko Gallery, the same was about to befall Kudo Ranran as well.

Having hunched over the controls, Ranran was staring down at the long ribbon of lights that marked the airport runway. A bright beacon pierced the sky from the control tower Instructions were streaming in over her headset. "Wind 180 at four, temperature 38, altimeter 3032, ILS approach runway 26Lin use, landing runway 26L and 26R, frequency 118.3..."

Beside her, Emiko was also instructed to put on the co-pilot's headset. She dabbed sweat from her forehead with a tissue as she listened to the bewildering jargon that came out of Kudo Ranran's red lips.

It didn't help that Ran and Inspector Schmidt sat like statues in the back seat, feeling helpless at the current situation since their lives are on the line thanks to a six-year-old girl! There was nothing they could do, except brace themselves for the landing.

Ranran was steadily throttling back and the plane's speed dropped. The aircraft's nose dipped lower and Emiko watched spellbound as the altimeter needles spun backwards faster and faster, with the plane close to touching the ground. Suddenly the voice from the airport tower shouted a warning. In the background, emergency sirens wailed.

"Too low, you're too low! I say again, you are too low... do you read me, do you read me?"

"Ranran!"

In a tense moment, while the three of them screamed, Kudo Ranran calmly hauled the control wheel back against her body and desperately throttled up the engine. The engine screamed as the nose tilted up and the plane fought for height.

"Kami-sama, if I survive this flight, and I mean it...I will ruin that five-year-old child's life in exchange for my artist dream!" Emiko could be heard swearing out loud while Ran closed her eyes, and her body is thrown back against the seat. Beside her Inspector Schmidt took a deep breath as the cabin rose to a steep angle.

"I hope you keep your word, Emiko," As the plane climbed steadily, Ranran banked it in a gentle turn.

"Romeo Alfa Foxtrot Echo," Came the breathless voice from the tower, "I will talk you down, I say again, I will talk you down. Acknowledge, over."

"Roger and thanks," Ranran responded cheerily.

"How is it that for someone who has flown a freaking plane, it is so unstable now when we are about to land!?" Ran has had it with the she-demon. Being with her was a like a rollercoaster-screw it, more like a plane ride from hell!

"Well, to be honest, the lessons I had only taken place during day time, so I only know how to land when the sky is bright," she added, as Edgewood academy's aviation lessons exclude children between the ages of 3-12 to participate in night-time due to concerns of poor visibility.

"You can't be serious!" Ran blasted in fear while screaming in peril, "We are all going to die!"

"Not really, more like you are the only one who is about to die of high blood pressure," The founder's words irritated Ran once more.

Ranran then lined up the plane for another approach. This time the calm voice of the air traffic controller instructed her what to do."Confirm your heading, altitude and airspeed." At last, under the controller's guidance, he is now satisfied Ranran would land safely. "Steady... steady."

But when the wheels touched the ground the aircraft bounced once and wobbled, its nose swinging from side to side, which led Ranran to struggle to control it. It sped down the strip as she throttled back and steered with her feet.

"Good work, kid," the controller told her, "Just follow the truck with the red light..."

The truck led them across the taxiway toward a hanger and a man with beacons showed them where to park. "Oh mein goodness, to zink the 6-year-old is able to fly ze plane!" Werner expresses upon sighing of relief that they made it out alive.

By the time Ranran cut the engine and opened the door, she could see a surprised Sergeant Genzo peering up at her.

Upon having managed to receive the call from Junko, when they announced Ranran had escaped by hijacking a plane, he refused to believe it! Sure, he knew Ranran had experience driving trucks and cars from God knows where, and escaping from kidnapping attempts as well, but a plane is something!

It wasn't until someone from an airport contacted him through the office that he realized it was evident: Kudo Ranran is in fact flying a plane!

"If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't have believed it! A six-year-old flying a freaking plane of all things!" he gasped. He reached up and shook Ranran's hand, "Who taught you to fly? Your father?"

"Well, that is a story for another time," Ranran grinned. Then she asked, "Did you send the men over to the bus stop outside Atsuko Gallery per request?"

Sergeant Genzo's face clouded with worry. "That's just it," he announced. "We were all over the place when we learn about the kidnapping, we were under manpower and struggling to contact any of them to gather there right now!"

"Oh for God's sake!" Ranran cursed before deciding it was time she leads the charge, once more being reminded why she became The Fox in the first place: The cops here are incompetent!

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

With Junko acting lovesick and mad at the possibility that Michio might be married off to Adeline thanks to The Snake's threats, and Takuma becoming dizzy thanks to her intense shake, Shinichi has to make a quick decision. And fast.

To both of their surprise, Shinichi handed some ordinary folded glasses from his pocket before handing the specs to them, then instructing them to put this on.

Junko who is already wearing one went baffled over how this was going to work before she decided to remove her gown and wore the one Shinichi handed her. To her and Takuma's surprise, upon putting it on, their surroundings look green.

Observing the white-haired man standing next to the panel switches, he told the two children before he put on his, "All of us when I count to 3, shoot the panel switches till it short circuits. Takuma," Shinichi calmly tells him despite the tense situation, "As soon as it turns dark, shout out loud and tell Michio to follow your voice. Junko, "He turned to the spectacle girl, "Stick to the plan and kidnap Adeline. It's the only way to get to The Snake. Alright?"

Earning everyone's nod, he counted down before everyone aimed their guns at the panel, firing shots that later led Atsuko Gallery into darkness. "What the hell man!?" The gallery owner could be heard yelling in confusion.

"Michio!" Takuma yelled, "Follow my voice and come this way!"

Voices shouted in anger at men colliding with each other. "Get the boy!"

But before that could happen, shots were fired left and right and that resulted in the rest cowering for their lives, despite the fact that they had a gun of their own. A mix of paintball bullets and real ones made it all so confusing than ever and feeling the pain of every bullet and paintball inflicted on their exposed flesh, especially their necks.

The Snake wasn't spared, and Adeline was no different than her father, mostly shot with paintballs all over her face by some shooter. Reeling in from all of the pain, she brought her gun out to shoot, but she had no clue where the shots were coming from. Junko who is already pissed off with Adeline was close to grabbing the serpent after targeting her face, but then, when Michio finally manages to get to the rest of the members, she knew she had to bring him to safety is far more important than her grudge over the serpent girl.

I will do the worst to you someday, today so happens to be your lucky day! Junko declared to herself secretly.

By the time the lights blazed on again, Shinichi had already reached the front door with everyone, as he tumbled out into the street, the other three leaping after him.

They tore into the centre of the street, shouting and waving for help. Figures appeared in the doorway of the gallery, but nobody followed them. Then they saw why.

A police car had just rounded a corner and was screeching to a halt. A uniformed officer jumped out, blinding them with his torch.

"Hey! Stop!" he called. "Where do you think you're going?"

Shinichi rushed up and grabbed his sleeve. "Call Sergeant Genzo now!" he screamed."We shot several men with real guns and paintball guns, they can't get away now!"

And by the time more patrol cars arrived, Ranran and the rest of the girls who rushed over to Atsuko Gallery were deserted. It seems like The Snake had slipped away down the back alley along with Adeline and all his men. Enomoto Mitsuo, a.k.a gallery owner, was found hiding in the basement and did not put up a fight.

As two uniformed policemen led him away, he was howling with despair. "I'm innocent! It was The Snake, he forced me into this against my will!" he protested.

"Save it for the judge," Sergeant Genzo barked, watching him go. "You should've known better than to trust him.

With the chaos that had unfolded, Shinichi approached one of the parked police cars, relieve to find Ranran having hopped out to say, "Oh good, I was shocked when I heard there was a shootout in the gallery. I guess you handle it well."

Dusting her clothes, Ran and Emiko soon followed. It was then Takuma became far too excited to fill in everything she was they were missing out, "Oh Ranran, you had no idea what Shinichi did was epic! First what he did was tell all of us to shoot the control panel-"

"Woah, you are saying what Shinichi did was cool?" Emiko cuts in, feeling bewildered before revealing, "How can it be any cooler than when Ranran flew a plane?!"

"Hey, I haven't finished the story yet!" The athlete frowned.

While Emiko and Takuma bicker over whose experience was cooler as Ran tried to play mediator, Ranran and Shinichi were left on their own. The first thing Ranran asked was, "Where are Michio and Junko?"

"Over there," He directed Ranran's eyes from afar, the two could see Genzo seemingly scolding Michio and Junko, while Mr Werner too is having a hard time attempting to appease Genzo, "He didn't sound happy when he learn what we did to raid the gallery. Since they are the two eldest children, he now thinks they are setting a bad example by letting us get away with the things we did."

With a long pause, Ranran guessed, "He found out about the real guns, did he?"

"Yup, and he confiscated all of them."

Choked by this reality, Shinichi was stunned to see Ranran having a depressed expression as if the world has ended for her. "Nooooo...I don't get to use those guns anymore!" she moaned to herself in self-pity, "I had big plans to use those guns!"

"It's for our own good, Ranran! It is called 'child endangerment' if the guns remained with us!" Shinichi told her off, annoyed that she was more focused on wanting to delight herself using those dangerous weapons instead of worrying about other people's safety.

Then again, this is the Kudo Ranran he knows. Unpredictable most of the time. Like this Ruby case. Which reminds him, "Neh Ranran."

"Hmph?" Ranran perked her head up.

"The ruby you mentioned on the video call earlier, what was that about?" He found himself asking before adding, "Also, what was with you using emojis suddenly out of the blue!? You could've just said out what needed to be said."

"Ah, that..." With her finger towards her smiling red lips, she replied, "That is something you would need to figure out during the later hours."

"Eh? What do you mean by that?" Shinichi is perplexed, not truly understanding what she was trying to say.

Amused, she urged him to lend him his ears before whispering certain of her thoughts to him. As soon as she finished, Shinichi gave her a shocked expression, "N-no way!" The two kids silently stared at the German officer from afar, who finally managed to stop Genzo's rants toward Michio and Junko. "If that is truly the case....that's right," Shinichi whipped his head at her, "But it is locked in some police car-"

"I can pry open the car now, I have my ways." But then Ranran grew a little grim, "Problem is...I need-"

"I have it," Shinichi said with impatience, "Come on, let's go to the car! If your suspicions are true, that made sense to test it out! We don't have much time left!"

Without wasting precious time, the two Kudo children left together in a hurry.

Meanwhile, the rest of the five children returned to the gallery scene earlier to search for that one item one of them had left behind while fleeing earlier, "Ooi Fuyuko, are you sure you dropped your glasses here?" Ran shouted to the other corner while Emiko, Takuma, Michio and Junko were busily surveying the area. There was forensics here as well doing their job, but the children received special permission to look for the very thing Junko can never live without.

"I definitely did!" Junko insists while frantically searching for her missing spectacles, but her vision was a blur without them. "I swore I definitely drop it somewhere while escaping from this place."

"Is it possible that the glasses could've been shattered by the shooting? Or perhaps someone could've stepped on it? It was a huge chaotic mess when Shinichi triggered the shooting, not to mention in complete darkness." Takuma checked the corner of the wall, and so far, no sign of the pair of glasses.

Ran could see the number of bullet shells in the gallery being tagged with numbers, especially the paintball bullets of various colours splattered across the wall and floor in Atsuko gallery. When Takuma shared Shinichi planned this, she was in huge disbelief.

Shinichi was someone who detested the ending of human life. For him to come up with such a scheme...is he now any different than Ranran now?

That stunt he pulled... reminded Ran of kernels being cooked in a pot, when they blow up into popcorns, they hit the transparent cover repeatedly as if it was trying to escape the extreme heat. In the same way, Shinichi trapped them in darkness, shooting them with paintball pellets and bullets, giving them no means of escape, it was as if he wanted them to be tormented in the worst way possible.

Shinichi...what is truly going on with you?

The longer Ran remained in the association, the more shook her heart felt. Each time seconds, minutes or days slip by, the more she confronted him, the more she sees layers of Shinichi she never saw before. The side where he looks bitter, distancing himself from her further.

But that didn't hurt her as much as when she sees glimpses of Shinichi giving Ranran a guilty look, as if he wronged Ranran in the worst way unimaginable, even more so with her best friend's scandal involving Sonoko and the founder.

And that hurt her little heart, she hates that he is no longer comfortable around Ran anymore, that the she-demon is having all of his attention on herself, no longer on Mouri.

"Even if that is the case, the glasses frame should've remained, right?" Emiko thinks before scouring further, "I swear there is no sign of the glasses. How is it this can go missing out of the blue?"

Is there...really no other way to get him back to me?

With Ran continuing to distract herself while trying to locate the missing glasses, she can only hope her discouraging Shinichi to continue this dream by pointing out Ranran's flaws would get him back to her. But that seems to worsen things between them.

Today, Ranran flying the plane just made her realise just how unqualified she is to compare herself to her. All she only knew was to whine unnecessarily, she knew this, and yet...when it came to admitting an apology to the she-demon, for everything they had caused, the pride in her stopped her from admitting defeat to Kudo Ranran.

Cause Mouri Ran never gives up, she tells herself this.

But how long...how long more can she continue?

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

The following day on a Saturday morning, the rest of the members found themselves wondering why on earth Ranran and Shinichi told everyone to gather at the patient ward of Kagawa Masumi, the partner of Werner Schmidt. The man that Michio and Junko mistakenly assumed was beaten up by his partner.

Presumably, to update Masumi on the case, everyone crowded around the old man. Tantei Association was sitting around the bed while Inspector Schmidt was leaning against a wall inspecting the ruby he had collected from yesterday's events in his hands, as the children were updating each other's statements over what happened last night. Ranran and Shinichi surprisingly haven't arrived.

"Where are they?" Takuma wonders, waiting for them to arrive at the entrance, but no sight of the boy and girl.

"As always, Ranran probably be dead asleep while Shinichi is attempting to force her to wake up." Ran casually figures.

"Perhaps," Takuma is getting a bit bored before staring at the ruby the officer was holding, "How come Mr Werner can simply hold the ruby openly like that? I thought this is considered evidence."

"According to Genzo, Mr Werner used to take Gemmology courses during his university days." Emiko pointed out.

"Gemmo what?" Michio and the rest were perplexed by the word.

"Gemmology, it's something like identifying gemstones, especially real or fake. And he is certified, which makes him qualified to do the job." Emiko and the rest could feel the red ruby flicker beneath the light before they stare at Masumi who fell asleep for a short while, presumably due to the drug he is taking from the accident, "Masumi according to Genzo is also certified, just that after he was shot, Mr Werner is put in charge."

While waiting to kill some time, Takuma then decides to question everyone's opinion, "Guys, about the Rajah ruby, how many of you believe it is the real deal?"

"No way," Junko doubts this, "I doubt that is the real deal. Remember, no one has so far seen it in person, except in photos. The theory is that they fake all those robberies to scam insurance in the first place."

"I actually agreed with Junko," Ran nodded alongside her, "The gallery postponed the exhibition twice when we got involved. If it were real, even if we were to arrive, all of the nonsense wouldn't have happened to us."

"But if that is the case, then why did The Snake send his daughter to me? Let alone kidnap some of us? I don't think he is someone who is stupid to chase after rumours that are either true or false." Michio thinks.

"Perhaps he wanted to check whether it was a hoax or not, which is why the kidnapping and all of that started in the first place." Junko refute.

"Speaking of hoax, I was thinking about the gallery owner who was arrested yesterday," Emiko suddenly recalled, "Michio mentioned that Adeline told him to meet in the gallery and when he entered, he saw the owner. Considering that this happened, that meant the owner is in cahoots with The Snake, no? And since that is the case, wouldn't it be easier for The Snake to just ask him? He had ties with the source, the swiss company that bought the ruby."

"Takuma, what is your opinion on this?" Eyes turned to him.

"I think it's real, but somewhere along the way...something happened that it later became a fake." Takuma leans in his chair a little.

"Something? What could happen that turned the ruby into a fake?" Ran and the rest of them mumble among themselves.

Before anyone could respond, Michio's phone had shrilled. Junko stared at him, wondering if he was talking to Adeline. Then she told herself not to be too suspicious when he picked up the phone, "Hello? Eh? You are finally on the way?"

With Ranran and Shinichi on their way towards the hospital, they carried out their discussion. "Your suspicion was on point! I never would've guessed this is how the investigation would take us!" Shinichi gritted his teeth, overwhelmed with shock.

"I mean any cases involving The Snake is bound to take us on a spin! Let alone his daughter!" Ranran scoffed, before smirking, "This time with the trap we laid out last night, someone is going to have to pay."

"Oh yes, no doubt about it."

Both wearing determined expressions, the two-headed straight to Masumi's patient room, unaware someone was secretly following them from the back.

The German held the glass ruby and held it to the light,  "It looks fery real," he murmured. "But chust as I zought, it vas fake from zee fery beginning."

"You see? I told you so!" Junko and Ran gave each other a high five, while the rest were disappointed.

"And so zat's it," he said. "Zee caze is clozed. Arh ! Vat ein vaste of time."

He tossed it in the air but then to everyone's surprise, Shinichi jumped forward and caught it while Ranran entered the room, folding her arms in a frown, "Though you are not wrong, you are not completely right," The apprentice said sternly, leading everyone to stare at him.

"What are you talking about, Shinichi?" asked Junko, adjusting her glasses.

Shinichi gripped the fake ruby and paced into the centre of the room, Ranran knew it was time to disclose the trap she and Shinichi had set yesterday night.