FBI agents were about to open the safe to confirm whether they'd been tricked. After all, there was no sign of the Four Horsemen at the supposed destination.
But the safe's metal door opened on its own.
"Back up!" The agents expected something dangerous inside. But all that spilled out were balloons—just balloons of all kinds. A false alarm, but it confirmed it. The FBI had been played.
"Move, get to Queens District!" It wasn't far, but the streets were packed with onlookers. There was no way to drive. They had to go on foot.
Fooling the FBI was part of the plan. "After tonight, the Four Horsemen will replace Kaitou. We're the greatest crew there is," Daniel said as he stood in front of a strange device.
It was a 3D camera, projecting their images onto the side of the old building like a live mural. It would look epic. The camera could show every slick pose of each Horseman.
"Let Kid come. We'll show the world the most flawless performance," Henley was fired up.
They were going to escape in front of both the FBI and Kaitou Kid. The thought alone was thrilling. If they pulled it off, they'd be unstoppable.
They always had to be the smartest in the room. Tonight, they were going to prove it. Daniel and the others could barely contain themselves. "Showtime."
The TV station was broadcasting the showdown live. "Folks, are you seeing this? Queens is packed. The Four Horsemen invited everyone to watch their duel with Kaitou Kid. Who will be the true king of New York tonight? Nobody knows what kind of magic these two master thieves will unleash. Let's wait and see."
The FBI sirens didn't dampen the crowd's excitement one bit. The agents had no choice but to push through the sea of people. "FBI, make way! Move aside, let us through!" It was a nightmare. They had to fight through the masses just to reach the lights.
Suddenly, a 3D projection shimmered across the building wall. It looked like the wall itself was alive, shifting and flowing. The Four Horsemen appeared.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to New York. Thanks for your support. Tonight, the Great Four Horsemen will give you our most perfect performance."
The crowd went wild. The flashier, the better. The more expensive, the better. They were hoping the full 200 million would be given away. These people weren't evil. Just weak-willed, easily swayed, unwilling to think, obsessed with their own gain—driven by low-level desires.
And honestly, most humans on Earth were like that. That's why they needed superheroes—to show them what was right and lead them down a better path. And tonight, that guide would be Kaitou Kid. Even if he stole things, his sense of morality was higher than anyone present.
The Horsemen, hidden inside the building, could hear the cheers. It made all the effort worth it. Once they defeated Kid tonight, they'd keep going—until the world was truly just and fair. The four of them exchanged a look and pressed the button. The show began.
Boom!
All the lights focused together—onto the rooftop, onto a circular stage, then blasted upward. The light formed a path that looked like it led straight to heaven.
"My god, is that an angel's stairway?" a reporter gasped. "Look, there it is—on the roof!"
Kaitou Kid hadn't even appeared yet, and the Horsemen had already brought the crowd to a fever pitch. The thunderous cheering matched the glowing light, all of it converging on that round platform.
"There!" an FBI agent yelled and pushed toward the spot. But the building had two entrances—east and west. The circular stage was on the east side. If they guessed wrong, they'd miss their chance. They wouldn't have time to fight back through the crowd.
The lights grew brighter. The Horsemen were about to make their entrance.
The FBI scrambled to the rooftop as fast as they could. And right then, the Four Horsemen rose onto the circular stage, lifted by a platform hidden beneath the floor.
"Got you, you bastards!" The FBI charged forward, guns drawn, ready to arrest the Four Horsemen. "Move in and arrest them!"
"Go!"
Agents stormed the stage. "Freeze! You're under arrest!"
Something felt wrong. No sounds, no movement. The agents quickly realized they'd tackled nothing but mannequins—the kind used in clothing stores. Not a single real person.
"Dammit!" Fooled again. The FBI was seething.
The real Four Horsemen appeared at the opposite end.
Cheers erupted, drowning out everything. The scene was like a carnival.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the real Four Horsemen are here! They've successfully evaded the FBI. Now their only opponent is Kaitou Kid, who still hasn't shown up!" The reporter could barely hide her excitement.
They stood on a square platform built into the rooftop. It might have once been a ventilation shaft exit. All around them, an electric crowd roared, surrounding them on all sides. Right now, this was the center of the world—and the Four Horsemen were its masters.
"Hello, New York!"
Henley, speaking for the group, declared, "Thank you, everyone! Tonight, the Four Horsemen have only one goal—to defeat Kaitou Kid."
A bold statement, no doubt.
"Four Horsemen! Robin Hood!" The crowd shouted in sync, wild with excitement.
It felt incredible. The four of them were riding the high. "Today, we stole 200 million dollars from a shady construction company accused of cutting corners."
That number sent another wave of adrenaline through the crowd. Because soon, that money would be theirs. What could be more thrilling than that?
Kaitou Kid still hadn't arrived. But the Four Horsemen couldn't stall their act waiting for him. If he didn't show, that counted as a win.
"It's a pity Kaitou Kid hasn't appeared," Merritt said. "But our performance won't wait for anyone. If there's no meeting, there'll be a goodbye. This world has many regrets, and the biggest one is always missing your chance. Looks like our dear Kaitou has no sense of timing."
"Don't worry, everyone. The show goes on."
And vanish they did—only to reappear on the highest platform. It was a towering structure supported by simple triangular frames, packed crowds beneath.
"Thank you again!" The four held hands and waved at the crowd. "Please accept our thanks."
Then they charged toward the edge of the platform. The edge extended past the rooftop. A jump meant certain death.
"Goodbye, New York."
This was the Four Horsemen's final act. Kaitou Kid still hadn't shown up.
Victory. Their faces lit up with joy. One by one, they jumped.
The audience stared, mouths agape. Before fear could even register, the Four Horsemen suddenly exploded into a storm of flying money, bills raining down under the lights.
Money—money—money. 200 million U.S. dollars. Real, tangible cash.
People lunged forward without thinking. Eyes glinted with greed and madness. Everyone reached out.
MacGee felt like he was surrounded by wild beasts. It was terrifying. These people had nothing in their eyes but money. 'Kaitou… where are you?'
But they wouldn't get the cash. Because now, it was Kaitou's turn to perform.
Boom!
The flying money turned into smoke. Everyone froze—even the Four Horsemen mid-escape were stunned.
Then came a strange sound, soft and rhythmic, like something was trying to break free. Coo… coo…
Pigeons. A torrent of pigeons burst from the smoke. There were so many they blotted out the lights. Coo coo coo coo—
People looked up. The money was gone. No—worse—it had turned into pigeons?!
The low-flying birds flapped straight into the crowd's faces. The wind from their wings stung like slaps.
Stunned silence fell across the rooftop. The vanished money chilled the mood in an instant.
And among the fluttering white wings, the Moonlight Magician finally made his entrance…