Heiji's words got the crowd excited.
They had witnessed two great thieves being played, and they had seen the genius detective's skills. It was worth the price of admission.
"Cough, cough, cough!"
After leaving the stage, Heiji had a violent coughing fit.
"Heiji, you're really sick. You should go home," Kazuha said, her face full of concern.
"Uncle, Kaitou Kid and the Night Baron aren't coming anyway. Let Heiji go home."
Now that Heiji had announced their relationship, Sonoko didn't hide her concern.
"Big Brother Heiji, are you really sick? Does your head hurt? Or are you just pretending?" Conan suddenly asked.
"Conan! How can you say that?" Ran scolded angrily.
Kazuha glared at Conan, clearly upset.
"What do you mean by that, you little brat?" Sonoko snapped.
"I was just kidding! I won't do it again!"
Conan quickly waved his hands and apologized.
Jirokichi Suzuki nodded. "Heiji, my boy, leave the rest to me. As long as we follow your plan, Kid and the Baron won't stand a chance."
"In that case, I'll leave it to you, Uncle."
Heiji didn't argue. He let Kazuha and Sonoko support him as he left.
"Ran, you're already here. Come over to my house," Sonoko invited before getting in the car.
Ran glanced at Kogoro Mouri and Conan, then nodded. "Dad, Conan, I'm going to Sonoko's. You two head home."
With that, she ran to the limo and got in.
Conan, the jealous king, was annoyed.
In the car, Heiji closed his eyes. A few drops of cold sweat were on his forehead.
Kazuha looked worried, placing Heiji's head in her lap. "Heiji, do you want to see a doctor?"
"I'll have our family doctor come over right now."
Sonoko picked up her phone, but Heiji grabbed her hand.
"It's fine. I just need to sleep."
Heiji sighed. Did I overdo the act?
Sonoko reluctantly put her phone down, holding his hand tightly.
Ran sat to the side, feeling the awkward tension.
Back at the Suzuki house, Heiji went straight to bed.
"Alright, you two go. I'll be fine after I sleep."
The two girls looked at each other, nodded, and left the room.
His phone suddenly rang.
"Hello...!"
His voice was weak and tired.
The other end of the line was silent for a moment.
"Are you okay?"
After a moment, a cool, clear voice asked.
Ai?
Heiji was surprised. "Ai?"
"Mhm." The reply was short.
Heiji smiled. "Don't worry, I'm fine."
"Remember to take your medicine and get some rest. Don't worry about the 'Sunflowers'. Professor Agasa is calling me, I have to go."
The dial tone left Heiji speechless.
"Ai, who were you talking to? I didn't call you," Professor Agasa said, confused.
"I misheard."
Ai put the phone down, her cool eyes filled with worry. His voice was so low... he sounded like he was in a lot of pain.
"Professor Agasa, I'm staying at Haibara Mi's house tonight."
By the time the professor reacted, Ai was already out the door. He shook his head, completely baffled.
Heiji turned off his phone and lay quietly.
Pretending to be sick was part of the plan. The Night Baron's appearance today was also part of it.
Of course, the Night Baron who appeared today was the "Intelligent Doll."
It had his abilities, but he had to control it. It simply "vanished" at the corner, so of course Conan and Miwako couldn't find it.
His final words to Kid and the Baron were also part of the strategy, though others mistook it for a challenge.
Since he couldn't be in two places at once, he had to pretend to be sick.
If he was at the scene, he couldn't appear as the Night Baron. The "Intelligent Doll" had too many limitations and might be exposed.
But if he was "sick in bed," the doll could work perfectly.
The Chusei Art Museum was brightly lit, the night sky illuminated as if it were day.
Police were on the roof and surrounding the building.
Conan was still inside, eating a hamburger, gritting his teeth.
Damn it. Why did Ran have to go with them? They're a couple. What's she doing there?
He bit into the burger angrily.
"Damn it! Kaitou Kid, Night Baron, hurry up and show yourselves!" Kogoro Mouri grumbled.
[Heh. Even if they did, you wouldn't catch them, Uncle.]
Suddenly, Conan's eyes lit up. Ran is at the Suzuki house! I can use her to check on Hattori!
BEEEEEP!
Suddenly, the museum's alarms blared.
"The Night Baron! It's the Night Baron!"
On the roof, a mysterious figure stood, his blood-red cape fluttering.
He wore a blood-red tuxedo and a pale white mask, looking down on the crowd like a king.
[The Night Baron?]
Conan's face changed. He immediately dialed Ran's number.
"Hello, Ran Mouri speaking."
"Ran! Go check Heiji's room right now! See if he's still there!"
"Conan? Heiji is sleeping in the next room."
"Just go look, quick!" Conan's voice was urgent.
"Conan, Big Brother Heiji is sick. You can't play pranks on him," Ran scolded.
Conan was about to explode. "Ran! I just wanted to apologize to him! Please go to his room!"
"That's a good boy. But you can apologize tomorrow. We can't wake him up," Ran said.
Conan was frantic.
"Ran, just go check on him! He might have a high fever!"
His shout was so loud that Kazuha and Sonoko heard him.
"A high fever?"
They were instantly worried and ran to the next room.
Soon...
"Seriously, Conan! You're always lying! Heiji doesn't have a fever, he's sleeping just fine."
Ran's annoyed voice came through the phone.
"Ran, are you saying Big Brother Heiji is in the bed?" Conan asked, stunned.
"Duh, you little brat! I'm warning you, if you keep this up, I'll skin you alive!" Sonoko's angry roar came through.
Heiji's weak voice could be heard in the background.
Conan silently hung up. He looked at the Night Baron on the roof and smiled bitterly.
Looks like I was wrong all along. How could Hattori be the Night Baron?
"Congratulations, Host, on completing the second task of the chain mission."
No one could see the sly smile under the Night Baron's mask.
"Good. The show is just beginning."
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