The walk to sector two was a quiet one, the gravity of the upcoming mission weighing down on both boys. When they finally arrived at the briefing room, the lieutenant colonel was already there waiting.

"Es lebe Deutschland!" the lieutenant colonel saluted.

"Es lebe Deutschland!" Conan and Kaito repeated, returning the salute.

Once the formalities were done, the lieutenant colonel pulled over a nearby briefcase, placing it on the table in front of the boys. Carefully, he opened the case. Inside was a single sheet of paper, printed with gilded borders.

"Konan. Kaito. Mengele has written extensively to me about how well the two of you are developing. It pleases me greatly to learn that the experimentation has yielded such delectable fruit. If what Mengele has told me is true, then I believe it is time to show Germany's enemies true fear. The target is Viscount Gort. Es lebe Deutschland!" the lieutenant colonel read.

"Did you hear that, Conan? Fuehrer called us by name!" Kaito exclaimed, jumping from excitement.

"Viscount Gort, the British field marshal?" Conan asked the lieutenant colonel, ignoring Kaito's enthusiasm.

"Correct," the lieutenant colonel replied.

"Do you know of his current whereabouts?" Conan continued.

"Reports say that he's leading a small brigade near Calais, trying to repel the German forces from Belgium."

"I see," Conan said thoughtfully. "When do we head out?"

"Tonight," the lieutenant colonel replied. "Here are two train tickets. The train should take you all the way to Brussels. Then it's up to you two to make it past the warfront into Calais and assassinated Viscount Gort." The lieutenant colonel handed Conan the two tickets.

"Understood," Conan said, giving the lieutenant colonel a salute. "Let's go, Kaito."

"Conan," the lieutenant colonel said, just before the two boys left. Conan paused and turned around. "Come back safe, okay?" the lieutenant colonel said.

"Don't go saying unnecessary things," Conan remarked coldly, turning and leaving.

"See you when we get back, Lieutenant Colonel," Kaito said, following Conan's lead.

"This is so cool! Ne, ne, bruder, look how fast we're going," Kaito chirped, restless in his seat.

"Pipe down, Kaito," Conan said, trying to contain his twin's bustling energy. Kaito settled down into the seat.

"Is it really okay that you just left without letting the Colonel know?" Kaito asked, looking across the table.

Conan shrugged. "I'm sure he'll hear about it when he wakes up." Conan turned to gaze out the window, a look of disinterest across his face. This was the first time they had been allowed to leave the research facility, but Conan wasn't particularly thrilled. At least, not as thrilled as Kaito. But then, Kaito was excited by a block of cheese. For Conan, the real world was so very dull, filled with boring people and their mundane problems. It was nothing like the craziness that happened daily back at home.

"Ne, bruder," Kaito began, pulling Conan away from the window.

"What, Kaito," Conan replied gruffly, turning to look at his twin.

"Are you still mad about before?" Kaito asked gingerly, unsure how Conan would respond.

"Before?" Conan asked, wondering what Kaito was talking about.

"Back in front of the Colonel's room," Kaito reminded.

Is he still thinking about that? Conan wondered. "I forgot all about it already," Conan said, telling the truth.

"Oh," Kaito said, sounding relieved, "I'm glad bruder isn't mad at me anymore." Kaito gave a wide grin, causing Conan to pause for a moment.

"Don't say such embarrassing things, Kaito," Conan replied, quickly turning away and looking out the window once more. Kaito's grin just widened.

"Hey, ya two kids travelin' all alone?" a voice suddenly said, drawing the two boys' attention. Can I ever get some peace and quiet? Conan thought, heading turning to see the newcomer. It was a teen, with rather dark skin, dressed in a black suit.

"Yep! It's just the two of us, me and my bruder!" Kaito replied.

"Kaito," Conan said sternly, reminding the boy not to reveal too much information.

"Oh? Watcha two doin' on dis train?" the teen asked, inviting himself to sit down next to Conan. Conan grudgingly shifted closer to the window to make room for the intrusive teen.

"We're heading to-" Kaito began before Conan cut him off.

"We're going to visit our relatives," Conan said.

"In Belgium? Dats a dangerous place right now, with da war goin' on," the teen remarked. "Why aren't cha travelin' with ya parents?"

"We don't have parents," Conan replied, perhaps a little more stoically than he intended.

"Oh," the teen said, looking sullen, "I'm sorry ta hear dat." Conan was taken aback by the teen's sincerity. Why would he be sad for someone he just met? Conan wondered silently.

"But it's okay, because bruder and I have each other!" Kaito said, wide grin across his face. Kaito, I told you not to say unnecessary things, Conan thought, feeling annoyed.

"Is dat so?" the teen asked, looking at the two boys. "I see it now. Ya two do look like brothers."

"We're twins!" Kaito said, "Though bruder is slightly older."

"Hmm?" the teen said thoughtfully, "Oh, I haven't even introduced myself yet, have I? Da name's Hattori Heiji."

"Hi! I'm Kaito, and the grumpy one over there is my bruder, Conan," Kaito introduced.

"Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Heiji," Conan said, sounding quite formal.

"Just call me Hattori," the teen said, "Mr. Heiji makes me sound like an old man."

"Okay, Hattori," Kaito said, trying the name out.

"So, where are you two coming from?" Heiji asked. Kaito was about to respond but Conan suddenly stopped him.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Heiji. But there's somewhere Kaito and I need to be right now," Conan said, pushing past Heiji and pulling Kaito out into the aisle.

"But where in a train; where could ya possibly need ta go?" Heiji asked.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Heiji," Conan said, ignoring Heiji's question. "Let's go, Kaito," Conan said, pulling Kaito away and into a different car of the train.

"What was that all about, bruder?" Kaito asked, clearly annoyed.

"That man was asking too many questions," Conan said slowly, finding a new seat and sitting down.

"Maybe he was just trying to be nice," Kaito suggested, also taking a seat.

"You don't know that. He could have been a spy for all we know," Conan retorted, "You're being too naïve, Kaito."

"And you need to learn to trust people, bruder," Kaito remarked, a frown still across his face.

Trust? How can Kaito even mention that word? There is no such thing as real trust. The only purpose of trust is to be broken. No, trust is a fantasy. In reality, there is no one worthy of trust but oneself.

I will never betray myself.

"Last stop, Brussels!" the train conductor called as the train halted to a stop in the station. Conan and Kaito both got up out of their seats and made their way to the exit. The teen from before what nowhere to be seen. Just as well, Conan thought, hoping to not run into the teen again in the future.

"This is an important mission, Kaito," Conan began, "So let's make Germany proud."

"Right, bruder!" Kaito said.

A/N: Sorry for the long delay. I got distracted with other stories. Happy reading! See you guys in chapter 4!