Barcrow's: Codename K9

Chapter thirty nine - Keep in touch

'Oh, I get it! You're ~throwing me out just 'cause I'm black!' The drunkard shouted in his face.

'No sir. I don't care what colour you are, I don't care what you are, or how old, but if you're going to be causing commotion here, I'm going to have to escort you out.' Conan tried to keep calm and take the man by the arm.

'Racist!' The man pulled his arm away and punched him in the face.

'Ow!' He muttered under his breath, as his hand automatically pulled up to where he was hit. 'Sorry.' He whispered and hit the guy's temple, knocking him out.

The commotion had caught the attention of quite a few people around him, including Zack and Ellie's, as they made their way through the crowd.

'Hey! Need any help?' Kal rushed over, also dressed in the company's guards uniform, a blue tuxedo with a red bow tie.

'Yeah, thanks. What would I do without you?'

'Hmm, let's see, I think by now you'd be dead.' He smiled cheekily and took the man's legs.

They carried him away.

'So,' Zack started awkwardly, 'Is he the one who.. is officially your legal guardian?'

Weird choice of words. Ellie nodded looking to the door.

'Don't you wanna go talk to him?'

'Umum. I thought about it but no. At first, I thought it was cool, all this secret agent stuff, but now i realise how scary it really is. I don't want a life full of blood and sorrow. If He sees me I'd have to stay.'

'Oh man. If he finds out you're here- if you really are his sister. Wait! So Ben's-! Oh man.'

'Sorry.' She apologized, not quite knowing what for, it just seemed appropriate.

Zack shook his head. 'You didn't know. No one ever knows what they're getting into until they're there.' He forced a smile. 'See anything you'd like?'

'I don't feel all that hungry actually.' She looked away.

'Ice cream?' He had a worried look on his face.

Ellie sighed. 'Ok.'

Zack led the way to an ice cream stand without saying another word.

While they stood in line, he started searching his pockets for loose change. 'So what flavor?'

'Um...' Ellie peeked forward '...I've never even heard of all these flavours.'

'Seriously?' He was genuinely surprised. Looking forward, at the stall, he decided, 'I think I'll have Cookie dough this time.'

'I'll have...' It's hard to choose if I don't know what they're like. '... Stra- that one.' She pointed, realising she had no idea how to pronounce it.

'Stracciatella? Ok.'

'Oh! I can pay for myself!'

'Don't. Who knows what kinda situations you'll get yourself into next.'

There was a hint of familiar mockingness in his voice that, while she found it annoying, made her feel more comfortable.

'I won't be here to rescue you while I'm training.'

'Okay, first of all-'

'And what flavours would you two like?'

'One Cookie dough and one Stracciatella please.'

They got their ice cream and Zack paid.

'You were saying?' He walked, licking the cold dessert.

'This is yummy.'

He snickered and said, 'Let's find somewhere to sit.'

They sat by the edge of a fountain, the sound of the running water created a nice atmosphere.

'I already told you what I found, or rather, didn't find out about where you're from. Do you have some sort of plan B? I mean, you'll have to find a place to stay once Hinata gets back.'

'Yeah... Celeste actually did some research for me on that and found a family that's looking to adopt someone like me, plus, if I keep an eye out for strange things in the area I'll get some extra pay. Apparently they lack spies in that area.'

'Sounds nice.' He bit the cone. 'Do ya get paid for being there?'

'No, it's more like, they take care of me, like feed me, and I let them.'

'What if they aren't nice people?'

'Well you're optimistic, aren't you?' She shrugged. 'Now that I know you and the others here I've got somewhere to come back to if I run away.'

'Now that you mention it, tell me every tiny detail about when you stayed with K9. I want to have a good comeback for when he finds out where you are.'

'You think he'll find out?'

'Sooner or later. Once he types his real surname into the company's browser, for whatever reason, you'll be the second to come up, and I'll bet he'll click on it.'

'Ok... He called himself Ralph and...'

*

'Keep in touch.' Zack told her as he walked away down the corridor.

'I will.' She knocked on the door.

Abi's face had a cheeky grin on it as she opened the door.

'What's going on?' Ellie asked cautiously.

'Oh~, no~ting. Nothing at all...'

She took her shoes off and after taking her phone out, gave the bag back to Debi. She looks all better now. That's good.

Celeste looked up from her phone.

'What's going on?' She asked again. Nothing seems out of place and if that isn't a bad sign, I don't know what is.

'Don't!' Abi whispered loudly.

But Celeste didn't care. 'They repacked your bag.'

For a second she looked surprised, then she smiled. 'And what did you pack?'

'Ah, not much.' Abi's smile grew wider.

'Why in carnation did you have so many cans of baked beans?' Tina asked in a way that made it sound like she was offended by the fact.

'I don't know. I wasn't the one who packed.'

'Wgat?!' Abi tried to drink but ended up coughing.

'You ok?' Celeste asked, raising an eyebrow.

She nodded but kept coughing.

'Can I see what you guys packed?'

'Sure.' Tina came closer to watch her reaction.

Most of the stuff she had had before was still there, some beans were missing though. Now all her new clothes were neatly folded and packed, she got a new, pink toothbrush and a mini toothpaste. A square shaped something that looked almost like a pencil case had also been packed.

'What's this?' She asked.

'Don't worry about that yet. We just put together a few... essentials for girls. I mean you are around that age...'

'Ok.' Ellie put it back in her bag without a second thought.

'We also got you going away presents.' Debi held out a sketchbook and a small pencil case (this time it really was a pencil case).

'Thank you.' Ellie said, not quite knowing what else to say.

Celeste tossed her a mini Swiss army knife, Tina gave her the necklace she'd lended her to wear. A blue teardrop shaped glass pendant on a silver chain.

'I hope you like it.' Abi handed her a folded up piece of clothing, which turned out to be a (pyjama) tiger onesie.

'I love it.' Ellie told her. 'Thank you. It's not even my birthday.'

'Oh yeah! You've gotta tell me when your birthday is!' Abi almost demanded.

'About that...'