Downfall of the Syndicate: Chapter 14

[Kiel95 86]

I'm sorry! i forgot to cut this one short, and i just couldn't find a place that i wanted to cut it really... anyways, there is one part... but it was too late to do that... anyways, please enjoy... the next chap has a lil bit o romance (i think) lol we'll see once i write it!

The plane to Hawaii was finally landing after its long flight, and Keiko didn’t get a wink of sleep.

As soon as they landed, everyone stretched before leaving the plane, not wanting to leave a bad impression on their fans who awaited them.

Immediately as the first actor stepped off the plane, they were greeting by a wave of cheers from fans.

Finally, when they had made it past the crowds, they stepped outside to wait for a cab to take them to the hotel whey were to stay at.

Keiko and Leah were away from the others, chatting away, when Keiko heard something that made her heart flutter, but her face flush at the same time.

“Shinichi,” called out a feminine voice. “Come on, your parents are waiting for us!:

“Geez Ran, I’m coming already, cool off,” yelled a guy in return.

Both Leah and Keiko were glancing at them.

“What language are they speaking?” wondered Leah aloud.

“Japanese,” muttered Keiko.

Leah blinked in surprise. “How’d you know?”

“I’m from Japan.”

“Really? So, what’d they say?”

Keiko’s mouth as dry. “The girl was telling him to hurry up since his parents are waiting. And he was saying that he was coming.”

“Wow. He looks so familiar, I wonder who he is. I feel like maybe I’ve seen him in the papers or something.”

“Shinichi Kudo. Yuusaku and Yukiko Kudo’s one and only son. Previously a famous high school detective in Japan, now on the police force and dating his childhood friend Ran.”

Leah looked at her in surprise. “You sure know a lot.”

She smiled bitterly. “I would, considering he’s the guy I told you about.”

Leah’s mouth hung agape.

Keiko sighed and pushed Leah’s mouth shut.

“Go talk to them,” urged Leah.

Keiko’s eyes hardened.

“Didn’t I tell you that they think I’m dead? There’s a reason I don’t want to meet them. Also, they shouldn’t recognize me, so as long as you say nothing, they never will. Understand?” she asked coldly.

Leah nodded her head.~Tacticalwolf~

Then Keiko said with her false cheeriness and trademark fake smile, “Good, now let’s get going, the cab is here.”

When they had settled down, they went to the hotel’s restaurant to eat with the rest of the crew and actors/actresses.

The director called over to them as soon as they entered the room. “Keiko, Leah, come here. There are some people I would like you to meet.”

The two girls changed their course and walked over to him, and Keiko’s heart leapt to her throat and she struggled to put on a smile.

“This is Yuusaku Kudo, Yukiko Kudo, their son, Shinichi Kudo, and his girlfriend, Ran Mouri,” introduced the director.

“Nice to meet you,” the two girls smiled.

Shinichi was staring intently at Keiko, making her want to throw out a sarcastic comment, asking if he liked what he was looking at. She was saved when Ran subtly stepped on his foot to divert his attention.

He winced ever so slightly and it was hard for Keiko not to smile.

“Anyways,” the director continued, “they’re going to be on and off set at will sp please welcome them warmly.”

The two girls nodded their heads and sat down at the table.

Now that Shinichi had stopped staring at Keiko, Leah took over his position and stared at her for him.

At some point, Shinichi and Ran were talking in Japanese. Ran was having a hard time understanding the quickly spoken English.

“Sorry about this,” said Shinichi in English.

“It’s fine,” the director replied with a smile.

All of a sudden Ran wasn’t talking about the movie anymore. It was easy to tell since her whole body language changed. She was asking why Shinichi was always staring at Keiko, and she was getting angry.

Shinichi was trying to tell her that she looked familiar to someone else he knew, but Ran didn’t believe him.

Then Keiko spoke up in Japanese with a slightly deeper voice, “Don’t worry Mouri-san, I have no interest in your boyfriend.” She smiled with her fake happy smile, trying to reassure the girl that she wouldn’t try anything.

Everyone stared at her in shock.

“What? Am I not allowed to speak my native language?” she asked, pretending to be confused.

“N-no, we just didn’t know that you knew Japanese,” admitted Shinichi.

“Ah, well it’s not a well-known fact,” she replied.

“Oh,” was all he muttered in reply.

Keiko quickly finished her food and excused herself, Leah, hurrying after her.

“Sheesh, just tell them who you are,” she sighed exasperated.

“No, you don’t know about my past. I can’t do that.”

“Then tell me of your past!”~Tacticalwolf~

“Can I really trust you though?”

“Of course!” she said, obviously hurt.

“Ok, let me tell you a little, though I can’t disclose all of it.”

“Ok, I’m listening.”

“I’m not an actual actress. It’s my career here in America, but it’s not my first choice. My first 18 years of life were devoted to something else.”

“And that is..?”

Keiko took a deep breath. “The creation of a poison.”

Her eyes widened, knowing her friend was completely serious and wasn’t lying. “Poison?”

“And he was a test subject. Let’s just say things didn’t go well from then on.”

Leah was silent. Before she could say anything else, a scream emanated from across the room and towards the restrooms.

All heads whipped around.

Both Keiko, Shinichi, and Yuusaku hurried to the origin.

“Leah!” Keiko called back, “Don’t let anyone leave! Also, call the police!”

Leah nodded her head and she did exactly as she was told, unable to think for herself in the stressful moment.

Keiko, Shinichi, and Yuusaku arrived on scene to find a dead body sprawled across the bathroom floor, its guts strewn across the floor in a bloody manner.

Ran saw it for only a brief second and screamed, fainting and falling into Yukiko’s arms.

“Keiko, you shouldn’t see this,” Shinichi said as he turned to her. He was surprised to see no shock or fear in her eyes. She wasn’t all smiles like before anymore.

“I’ll be fine. I’ve seen worse in horror films.”

“You might contaminate the crime scene.”

“I’m not the one about to put my foot in some stray blood drops.”~Tacticalwolf~

Shinichi looked down and quickly stepped away from the blood.

Keiko smirked.

Shinichi stared at her.

“You really do seem familiar.”

She smiled again. “Sorry, this really is my first time meeting you.”

“Well, I need to work, so please leave.”

With a sigh and the wave of her hand she turned towards the door and said, “Yes, yes, I’ll go check up on your girlfriend, just don’t miss that piece of sharp metal that has lodged itself into the well beside your left elbow. You don’t want to cut yourself and contaminate the crime scene and possibly part of the murder weapon.”

Keiko walked over to Yukiko and Ran, Ran who hadn’t yet woken up.

“How is she?” asked Keiko.

“She’s just fine,” replied Yukiko. She seemed to have something on her mind.

They were in a quiet area away from the others for Ran, and it was perfect for Yukiko to ask the question she had been dying to ask.

“You’re Haibara-san aren’t you?”

Keiko swallowed.

Yukiko continued.

“You can’t fool me. Even if you can fool my detective husband and son, you can’t trick me. I’m a make-up artist. In truth you aren’t wearing much make-up, and your whole face is the same. The only difference is your hair, the make-up, and your personality, but any great actress like yourself can change that. I used to be one, I know what it takes.”

Keiko sighed and sat down beside Yukiko.

“Ok, yes, I’m her. Please though, say nothing. I’ve been trying to leave my past behind, and having someone find out who I am does not help.”

“I understand, but… now that I know…” Yukiko trailed off.

Keiko raised an eyebrow.

“Go shopping with me.”

She was slightly taken aback, not expecting such an answer.

“I guess, but can you please keep everything a secret from those two detectives. I would like to stay dead.”

“I know.”

“Also, I’ll probably be avoiding your son.”

“All to be expected.”

“You know why don’t you?”

“You love him. You want him to be with Ran.”

“Yeah, I don’t think I should be allowed to try to take him away from her again. Just being here will distract him since he thinks I look familiar. Just imagine what would happen if he actually knew who I was.”~Tacticalwolf~

“I know. Don’t worry. I can keep your secret.”

Keiko sighed in relief. “Thank you.”

Yukiko nodded her head slightly.

Then Keiko left Yukiko to tend to Ran and went back on set to talk to people as they waited for the murder to be solved.

After a long period of waiting, the murderer was finally caught. They were all glad it was over and wished that they could just go to bed and get some sleep.

Keiko slipped out to avoid having to talk to Shinichi, and Leah hurried after her, running to catch up.

Panting she gasped, “Slow… down… Keiko!”

“Oh, Leah, sorry, but I don’t want to see him. If I did wish to see him, I would’ve gone back to Japan.” Keiko stopped walking and gave Leah time to catch her breath.

“I really can’t believe that you didn’t want to see him, but I’ll let it slide this time. Anyways, don’t run away all the time, just avoid him inconspicuously.”

“Ok, ok, I won’t run off, but don’t make me talk to him. My personality will change.”

“Back to the way it normally was?”

“Yes.”

“But he can’t get it from just that can he?”

“For one thing he’s a detective, another, my personality isn’t exactly normal or common, so guessing who I am and the time I became famous in America, it all fits into the plot of who I really am.”

“O-oh,” she stammered, not having thought that her friend was that much different. Yet when she heard the words come from Keiko’s lips, she could feel sadness, unhappiness, and truth all in her words. Of course there was more laden into her words than those three emotions, but those were the main ones. Grief attached itself to it as well, but was less dominant and so less noticed.

They stood in silence for a bit before Keiko asked, “Want to walk along the beach? Filming doesn’t start till later tonight, we still have time.”

Leah smiled, “Sure.”

Silently they walked along the empty beach, thankful for the silence.~Tacticalwolf~

Keiko was deep in thought, the past kept popping up in her head, and she tried to push it back into the recesses of her mind but to no avail. Eventually she gave in trying to fight it.

All of a sudden she noticed that Leah was shaking her.

“Keiko, hey, Keiko, come on, we should head back.”

Quickly she came back to reality and said, “Sure, let’s get going.”~Tacticalwolf~

As they neared the set, the staff came running towards them.

“Where were you guys?” everyone one asked unhappily.

“What’s going on? Filming doesn’t start for another hour,” replied Leah.

“You can’t just disappear! You guys are actresses! We thought you were kidnapped!”

“I sent a text message to me manager.”

Leah turned to her manager who pulled out her phone and said, “Oh, you did.” She was extremely embarrassed.

Everyone finally let a sigh of relief slip through.

“Oh yeah,” said one staff member, “that Shinichi Kudo guy, his parents and girlfriend left. He’s waiting in Ms. Keiko’s dressing room.”

Keiko tensed. “Please inform him that I don’t have time to see him.”

“Oh, ok,” the staff member muttered as he hurried off to relay the message.

She turned and headed on set and the staff member she sent off came running back.

“He says it’s important.”

“Ask him what it’s about please. If it’s important enough then I’ll talk to him myself.”

“Ok,” she said, hurrying off once again.

When the man returned he said, “He said something about clearing up something.”

She sighed. “Anyways, I’ll go talk to him. Thanks for the help.”

Turning on her heel, she headed towards her dressing room where he awaited.~Tacticalwolf~

The door was open a crack. Through it she could see and hear Shinichi on the phone.

“Dad, I’m sorry. I know, I was going to propose to Ran today.”

Shiho’s heart froze and she couldn’t open the door.

[Scar Akai 65]

... Best fanfic ever read and better than the previous chapter. Just wondering why you chose those names.

[Kiel95 86]

uhh well... i chose Leah since well... while i was writing this chapter i was talking to my friend leah

and Shizuma Keiko... well.. i just suck at choosing japanese names, so i jump to random conan episodes and take names and combine them, trying to make them sound good

[Shinichi Kodou 12]

yeah! i've always told myself the name Shizuma Keiko was familiar.. its a mixture of two names then... btw when i write a story where a new character is introduced i google japanese surnames online they have some cute awsome names for u to use

[Kiel95 86]

sweet! thanx!

[J3nny 22]

Awesome fic!

[Kiel95 86]

thank you!

[Scar Akai 65]

Guessing that 15 will be the last chapter

[Kiel95 86]

nope... i think that 16 or 17 will be, but i have to finish writing it to decide! (i suck at predicting when a story will end)

[Scar Akai 65]

Enen though its your own story

[Kiel95 86]

hehe, truthfully i never plan ahead ^-^ because if i come up with a good improvision it may change the ending of he story, so i just gooooo with the floooooooow

[Scar Akai 65]

Hmmm... Btw, thanks for posting it before I sleep last night

[Kiel95 86]

yep ^-^ anyways, i havent' gotten very far in the next chapter, i'm only a few sentences in... so i don't know when i'll post next... anyways, i'll try to get this don quickly ^-^ (or at least as quick as possible still writing it well...)