Detective Yoko - The White Dove 『Detective Conan』

Chapter 101 - Flames

   Yoko was in Inspector Sato's car. He had been warned that Takagi had disappeared, and Conan had managed to find a clue about the mysterious thief. But still nothing for the arsonist.
   The policewoman had left the group of children in the car on her way to a restaurant. Genta sighed at the food he couldn't reach.
   -What do we do now? asked the former schoolgirl.
   Ai grabbed a book containing a map of Tokyo.
   -Since there's nothing to do, I'm going to look at where the various fires took place. With a map, maybe we can guess where the next one will be...
   -Not a bad idea...
   The young girl with her hair tied back turned her head towards Conan as he discreetly got out of the car.
   He's serious...
   She said nothing and concentrated on locating the previous fires, as dictated by Mitsuhiko.

   Once they were surrounded, everyone tried to guess what they represented, but it was still too vague.
   -I can't believe we can't ask Conan... sighed the former schoolgirl.
   -Why can't we? asked Genta.
   -He's gone into the restaurant with Sato.
   -We're getting used to it! That's our speciality! sighed Mitsuhiko.
   -For all we know, he's even eating something... chicken kebabs or chops... grumbled the bulk of the group.
   No, that's you, Genta... always eating...
   -Genta-kun, all you ever think about is eating meat... mocked his friend.
   -If you think you're a carnivore, you're going to die young! Enriched Ai.
   -Ah, now that I think about it, the gentleman I saw was talking about a nice carnivore. remembers the girl with the headband.
   Pretty "Carnivore"... Hey?

    Ai understood quite quickly what her friend meant, as well as having guessed where the next traffic light was. She got out of the car and asked the former schoolgirl to look after the children.
   I'm not a baby-sitter...
   No sooner had she said this to herself than Ayumi spotted the arsonist. She told her friends.
   -We have to follow him! exclaimed Genta.
   -Doesn't that bother you? Mitsuhiko asked her friend.
   -Oe! We should stay here! signalled Yoko.
   She wasn't listened to and the children got out of the vehicle.
   The idiots!
   She was forced to go with them.

   After several minutes, they reached a street where Mitsuhiko decided to call Conan's badge. He also explained the situation, giving their location. Genta described the arsonist's every move.
   Shouldn't we call the fire brigade?
   When the children hung up, the fire had started.
   Why do I have a bad feeling about this?

   Several minutes had passed without the slightest trace of Conan. The two boys tried to agree on how long to wait, but he couldn't see anything.
   -Can you see better now, kids?
   A light shone on them. Yoko turned abruptly and stood in front of the children. Facing them was the arsonist.
   That's not good...
   The girl in glasses ordered her friends to flee. They listened without question.
   I've still got this bad feeling...
   The former high school student was uncomfortable about the fire.
   What would Conan do if he had such a feeling... even more so if he didn't have anything to base it on?

   After looking at the criminal and the children, she moved towards the burning warehouse and threw herself into it. If there was really nothing there, she could go straight out. The girl looked around the room and found Takagi handcuffed to a grate, gun in hand. He finally put his pistol away
   It's true that... He doesn't want to break the handcuffs...
   -Let me help you, Takagi-keiji!
   -Yoko-chan?! What are you doing here?!
   -Don't try to understand!
   Yoko jumped so that she was clutching the fence and stuck her feet against the wall. The bars heated by the flames surprised her but she quickly ignored this detail, concentrating on freeing the policeman who was also pulling on the bars.
   -Come on!
   After a few minutes, the grate finally gave way, giving access to a broken window.
   The former schoolgirl started coughing because of the smoke.
   -Yoko-chan, go out first!
   -The injured man first! Don't worry about me!
   Faced with the child's serious face, he could only agree. Once outside, he helped her out. Now the two of them had to return to the alley leading to the warehouse.

   -Yoko-chan! Ayumi shouted with tears in her eyes.
   Sato was also shouting Takagi's name, in the same voice as the girl.
   -Yes? said the girl concerned, going over to the group of children.
   -Why did you go into the flames? shouted Conan.
   The state of the girl's outfit left no doubt as to what she had done.
   -Well... I had a bad feeling and I wanted to check... Takagi-keiji was blocked after all... Don't complain! At least I'm alive!
   -You're unconscious to do that... sighed the kid with glasses.
   His sister was about to say something but ended up falling over. The firemen, already on the scene, were able to take care of her quickly. Both her and Takagi.