The Miraculous Magic

Welcome to the show (2/2)

[Evening of the heist – 150th floor of the Babylonian Skyscraper]

"Is everything ready?" asked Jirokichi the man next to him.

"Yes, sir." The man nodded. "Not even mouse can get here."

Jirokichi frown and looked at the monitor. They were in the main monitoring room. The walls were filled with monitors, and each was showing up to 6 cameras. The camera system covered everything from 140th floor till the top while ignoring everything else.

"Isn't it insignificant? Monitoring only top ten floors?" asked Ai with Conan next to her.

"No worries, this center monitors only the top, but it can be switched to see other floors as well. Every ten floors have their own security room."

"I see, this way even if one control room is breached the others can take its place," commented it, Conan.

Jirokichi laughed. "Just come you, pesky thieves, I don't mind adding one more to my biography!"

Conan's corner of mouth twitched. He is still fame-driven, that old man.

"Want to check the place once more?" asked Ai. Conan nodded, and so they went to see the exhibit hall once more.

The security room was located on the 150th floor to provide quicker access to the exhibit hall with the various arts. After all, this floor was like a museum, with the lower floors functioning as lecture halls, dance floors or big rooms for conferences. Quite a big part of the building was a luxurious hotel offering anything from mini-golf, hot springs, many bars and even whole floors dedicated to the parks, botanical gardens and small aqua park.

Conan's face was showing his inner thoughts as he was listening to Ai's quite sarcastic comments about this place. The slow walk to the room took them 2 minutes and 24 seconds. 'So, for Kid, it will be less than 10 seconds if he will go from the security room.' Conan carefully examined every person there but found nothing suspicious. He took the map of the floor, checking all the possible entrances. The walls of the skyscraper were made of mostly of reinforced glass all the way from 140th floor to protect the museum part. The three elevators were facing the wall of the exhibition room that had no door. From there it would take about 15 seconds of running to the nearest door. Conan didn't think Kid will use elevators to get here or out, as they stopped on the ground floor and they won't start running till one hour after the midnight.

"Ladies toilets are clear," informed Ai exiting it.

"This one too."

Toilets were located in the corner and provided the nearest hiding place since other rooms for staff were closed. Then they both checked the stairs leading to the rooftop, but the entrance was closed too. Just in case, Edogawa examined the nearest area around it to make sure there is no device but found nothing.

"If there is no way to get here, it means..." Ai started her sentence the Conan finished it.

"Yeah, Kid is already here, disguised as someone."

They returned to control room. There were guards, Jirokichi, and his secretary. No one was doing anything suspicious. It was still one hour until the promised time.

'Who is Kid? And who is Joker?' Conan asked himself, pondering. Little he did know Joker is on the move thru the ventilation system.

"So tight!" he gasped as he barely fit in. Despite showing pain in the face, his eyes were sparkling with excitement. "Just you wait, you Kaitou Brat! I'll get the treasure before you!" He looked at the number next to him. It was a code number for the ventilation part. "Yosh, I'm getting close."

Joker had no need for a map as he had an outstanding memory. He could memorize an entire map in mere seconds, being able to recall any detail he wanted. It sure was useful in this tight situation.

[Five minutes until midnight]

Conan and Ai were watching the monitors. The boy was a bit nervous. No one in the room made any move. Is Kid going for a blackout? Will he come from the roof? Even the entrance to the roof was monitored from here, not to mention that for a full hour the helicopters were making rounds, constantly watching the top of the building.

Something was strange. He had to overlook something. In his head, he was recalling blueprints for each floor. Despite his previous patrolling thru lower five floors, he found nothing suspicious. Just for the sake of his own suspicion, he checked the size of a ventilation system. But it was just like Jirokichi said, only up to 12 years old child could fit in.

"I'm going to the toilet," mumbled yawning Ai.

"Okay," replied thinking Conan, barely paying her any attention.

The blonde girl walked the corridor in a leisurely manner. She turned into ladies restrooms. She had no chance to notice a figure standing just a few meters away. It was Kid.

'Guess, luck is on my side too.' He looked at his watch. It was just 60 seconds until the midnight. He glanced back at two cabin room... or three to speak the truth. The third one was hidden behind paper wall painted just like a real wall. To make the illusion real lights were weakened.

Anyone who would walk here would see just a restroom with a worse light. Everyone would check the cabins, but not the wall, believing it's solid.

Ten seconds until the midnight.

"Hey, Ai..." Conan looked next to him, but Ai hasn't returned yet.

Nine seconds until the midnight.

'Right, she went to the restroom...'

Eight seconds.

Conan felt a big bang in his head, as the sudden thought pierced his brain.

Seven seconds.

'Yosh, almost there,' grinned Joker in his heart as he arrived just beneath the pedestal.

Six seconds.

Kaitou Kid smiled.

Five seconds.

'If I remember correctly...' Conan looked behind himself. No one paid him attention as their eyes were glued to monitors.

Four seconds.

'... the restroom on the 146th floor had...'

Three seconds.

'... three cabins in men section...'

Ai was washing her hands.

Two seconds.

'... so why this one... had two?' His eyes widely opened.

One second.

Two phantom thieves made big grin. 'It's a showtime,' they thought inside of their hearts in unison.