The pitch-black vertical tunnel was just about the right size for an adult.
Since they got here through the stairs, after both of them used flashlights to illuminate the ground, they roughly estimated that the entire "well" was about the height of one floor.
Fortunately, there was a moderately thick vertical iron pipe in the middle. The three of them slid down quickly along the pipe and arrived inside the well.
After reaching the bottom of the well, Conan noticed a square tunnel close to the second-floor wall. A gust of cold wind blew through, indicating to the three of them that this was the ventilation area.
Because the height of this horizontal tunnel was very low, an adult could only move forward by crouching, so Conan took the lead with a flashlight.
The distance of the tunnel was short, and they quickly reached the end. They also understood why the gangsters had sealed the windows but hadn't paid much attention to this obvious thing.
Because on the wall at the end, there was only one rectangular window with an iron bar welded in the middle, making it a dead end.
"No, we can't break it at all!" Ryōsuke and Hattori Heiji exerted their strength together but found that the iron railing didn't budge at all.
"It seems like this is the back of the building." Since this window was close to the horizon, Conan could easily see the outside situation.
The abandoned dried leaves covered the ground, and weeds grew rampant.
However, just when Ryōsuke was feeling somewhat discouraged, Hattori Heiji noticed that the end of the middle railing was slightly different from the other railings. It was more severely corroded and couldn't even maintain an upright posture.
Now all three of them were excited. Although this rusty and slightly bent pillar was only half rotten, it was the brightest hope in their hearts!
Because that was their escape route!
If they broke this thing, although an adult couldn't get out of this space, Conan, who was the size of a kid, it would absolutely be no problem for him.
If an ordinary child got out, they might end up in a remote mountain or a place with abandoned buildings, running a long way to find a place to make an emergency call. They would still worry about accidents. But Conan didn't have any problems at all!
He had the mind of an adult, could calmly assess the surrounding environment, and he even had an earpiece-style telephone. Even if he couldn't find a public telephone booth, he could find a place with a signal to make a call.
"Hurry! Find the key or something else!" Ryōsuke urged excitedly. "We're racing against time now!"
"You suddenly seem to have become very proactive," Hattori Heiji said with a smile while being urged by Ryōsuke, as he took out the keys from his body.
"After all, with you two, I see hope!" Ryōsuke took the keys and started cutting. His hands were constantly moving, and he said, "You have no idea how desperate I was at the beginning, but when I saw the possibility of escaping in both of you, even if it's just a glimmer of hope, I want to fight for it. My wife and unborn child are waiting for me!"
"And seeing you two younger guys working hard, I feel that I can't give up either. Considering your age, I should do the same!"
"By the way, how old are you, Ryōsuke-san? You seem quite young," Conan, who was idle because the space could only accommodate two people cutting, couldn't help but ask after hearing Ryōsuke's words.
"Just turned twenty."
"You became a father at just twenty?" Even Hattori Heiji was surprised this time.
Ryōsuke smiled and said, "Although I don't have the personal experience of being a father yet, having a complete family for the first time is precious to me."
"Huh? What about your parents?" Conan asked in surprise.
"My parents passed away shortly after I was born due to an accident while they were on a business trip, so I was raised by my grandfather."
Thinking about his grandfather, Ryōsuke couldn't help but laugh helplessly and said, "He was born in the Showa era and has a very stubborn personality. When I told him that my girlfriend was pregnant, he was furious and said things like 'As a student, how could you do such a thing?' He even said that there was no reason to help someone who was about to become a father."
"So, He severed ties with you?" Conan asked.
"Well... you could say that..." Ryōsuke nodded.
"You've had it tough." Hattori Heiji sighed. "After we get out this time, make peace with your grandfather."
"That's for sure." Ryōsuke nodded. "When the time comes, considering the face of his great-grandson, he will forgive me!"
In this way, the three of them held the keys and embarked on the escape mission, bit by bit, "turning an iron rod into a needle" in the dark tunnel.
........
While Conan and the others were trying to find a way to save themselves, Senichi and the others were also busy during this night.
The ticket stub was found under the scrutiny of everyone and, along with the red button suspected to have been pulled off the clown's body, was sent to the forensics department for fingerprint extraction.
Although the current technology is still quite behind, fingerprint databases have been established despite the chaotic timeline jumps.
Although it is not yet perfect, most of the collected fingerprints are from previous criminals and active investigators. While the comparison speed is slow and there are various issues, it is still a channel for quickly identifying criminals.
Of course, there may be individuals without criminal records, which would complicate the situation. Fortunately, that was not the case this time.
However, after comparing the fingerprints entered into the database, an extraordinary person unexpectedly emerged. Many of the officers present felt that it would have been better not to find the owner of the fingerprints than the current situation.
"Hey, hey, hey, this isn't a joke!"
Seeing the information of the person in front of them, the officers present were unusually serious.
Ueno Hirayama, male, forty-three years old, was once an outstanding graduate of Kokuei University and had been groomed as a reserve military officer for the security force.
However, due to a conflict with his superiors over institutional issues, he was later expelled.
He then joined a mercenary group and became active in various battlefields. He returned to the country three years ago and quickly became a dangerous class A terrorist due to his radical methods and statements.
But they never expected that a simple kidnapping case would be connected to a wanted terrorist!
This was troublesome. Even if they fell into the hands of kidnappers, they would most likely demand a ransom. Although the stakes were high, there was at least some security until the money was handed over.
However, falling into the hands of a terrorist meant that the hostages could be ruthlessly shot without mercy. The level of danger skyrocketed.
Looking at the suspect's background, even Senichi found it difficult. This guy was clearly a seasoned veteran of the battlefield, making it extremely challenging to rescue the hostages.
It could be said that the chances of the hostages surviving plummeted several levels in an instant!
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