Behind the Scope

Chapter 17: Case Closed

"Why are you here?" Lily asked Kenji warily, her eyes looked sharply at him.

"What's with that unwelcome attitude? Is this how you greet an old friend?" Kenji asked back, looking unpleasant.

"Answer me. Why are you here?" the kyudoka pressed, ignoring Kenji's question. Conan stood silently behind her, observing the situation carefully.

"Oh, fine. You're so unfriendly," Kenji sighed. "I'm here because today's your birthday. Of course I should congratulate you, shouldn't I?"

"Liar," Lily immediately accused him. "You never care about my birthday. You never come to congratulate me. Why don't you tell me the truth?"

"Oh, but I really intend to do that now, Lily. Congratulation on your birthday," Kenji smirked.

"That isn't all, is it? What exactly do you want?"

"What's this? Not even a simple thanks?"

"I don't need a congratulation on my fake birthday," Lily retorted. "Stop trying to change the topic. What do you want?"

"Geez, you're so boring... fine, frankly, I'm here to pick you up," Kenji answered.

"Pick me up for what?"

"I want to take you with me, to begin a new life. You can't stay here forever with all of this mess."

"You're planning to run away with me?"

"Correct," Kenji nodded, then he glanced at a boy behind Lily, "but it seems we have a problem here. That boy knows too much."

"You're not going to touch him," Lily said sternly.

"Then you'll be the one who touches him, Lily," Kenji replied lightly. "I know you've told him everything about us. I overheard a bit of your conversation with him. You can't escape like this, Lily. That boy could endanger you. Don't you want to have freedom?"

"Of course I want freedom."

"Then kill him with your arrow."

Conan tensed. He immediately prepared to shoot his tranquilizer dart. He paid attention to Lily and Kenji; he did not know if Lily was on his side or not and if the kyudoka turned out to be on Kenji's side, then the detective should shoot her.

"I'm done killing people, Takenaka-san," Lily replied.

"Right. Of course you have trauma after I killed your uncle," Kenji sighed. "No problem. I'll kill him."

"I told you before, didn't I? You're not going to touch him," Lily stated, and hearing that was enough for Conan to sigh in relief. Now he knew that Lily was on his side. He only needed to think about Kenji.

"What's wrong with you? You said you wanted freedom. I'm trying to give you freedom here!" Kenji argued, looking unhappy with the kyudoka's reply.

"No, you're not. I'm not going to spend my life as another person again, I won't spend my life as your slave, just like what Uncle Yuudai had done to me. I won't make the same mistake, Takenaka-san," Lily replied firmly.

"You're not yourself, Lily. I'm not trying to make you my slave! I only want to save you!"

"Will you please stop these lies? How can I trust you, Takenaka-san, when you still have to hunt Kaitou Kid? You're going to drag me into your murder plan," Lily chuckled sardonically. "Though I have to ask you, why did you shoot him? Are you that afraid of him only because he has seen you once?"

"Because he knows too much even though we only met once. He's a threat to us, Lily. I'm doing this for you too."

"No, you're digging your own grave," Lily stated. "Enough of this talk. I'm not going with you and I won't let you kill Conan-kun." The kyudoka stood firmly in front of Conan with her bow and arrow pointed at Kenji. Meanwhile, now Conan was sure there would be no more talk, no more negotiation, and no more information. The detective was ready to shoot his tranquilizer dart and took his chance when Kenji was not paying attention to him, only to realize soon that his effort was to no avail. The dart failed to hit Kenji when the man suddenly moved, evading it unconsciously. Then he took out his gun, pointing it at Lily.