TO THE READER: It is recommended that you read "A Birthday Surprise from the Black Organization" before reading this story. The full context of this story cannot be garnered without it, and if you read the Birthday Surprise arc after reading this it won't be nearly as good a read.
24 Hours Ago...
After having been subjected to a strip search, a metal detector, and a background check Rum made his way to the visitation room. He was at Louisiana State Penitentiary, one of America's most infamous maximum security prisons.
"Alright, miss Yamaguchi," the guard said in English. "Your brother should be arriving shortly."
"Yes, thank you," Rum said. "She" sat down at the table.
A few seconds later Vodka emerged, clad in a prison uniform.
"Onee-sama," he said. "What are you doing here?"
"It's okay," Rum said in Japanese. "We can talk in Japanese. The guard doesn't understand it otherwise he would've addressed me in that language."
"Big sis?" Vodka asked in Japanese. "What's going on?"
Rum grinned. "I hate to break it to you, but I am not your sister."
"B-belmot?" Vodka asked.
"Rum. You don't notice the glass eye?"
Vodka was silent for several seconds. "Why are you here?"
"Because you failed the Organization," Rum said. "You have been captured, and as such it is in the Organization's best interests to have you killed. You are of no use to them in here. Only in death can you serve them once more."
"I don't understand," Vodka said.
"Oh, you will," Rum said. "In the meantime, I am sorry to say that this will hurt."
Vodka suddenly clutched his chest and fell over backwards. Guards flooded the room, one of them shouting something about a medic. It was then clear that visiting time was over.
It doesn't matter anyway, Rum thought. No hospital can save him. No hospital was able to save Moonshine and Ale either...
OPENING:
(Ai Wa Te Saguri Kurayami No Naka De by ZARD, in the key of A Minor)
Ai wa te saguri kurayami no naka de
Odoru it's gonna be a great night, yeah!
(As the end draws near the war's fallout results in tougher and tougher cases! To save Ran's life, will I have to join the Men in Black? Perceiving the one and only truth! With the body of a child and the mind of an adult, my name is...Meitantei Conan!)
Yoake wo highway
Kono omoi to be your slave
Oh tonight and every night you'd be mine
Meutsuri ki ni naru koi no kakehiki
Ai wa te saguri kurayami no naka de
Odoru it's gonna be a great night, yeah!
Ai wa ki magure beat ni dakare
Mitsumete in your eyes
Ai wa maboroshi kurayami no naka de
Odoru it's gonna be a great night, yeah!
Ai wa furuete beat ni dakare
Kono mama in your eyes, oh yeah!
Black Gambit: Part One!
Present
"Gah! Who are you?! What do you want?!"
Rum stared at the startled old man in raggedy clothes; it simply would not do for this obvious squatter to be at this place right now. He could simply kill the man, but...
That'd just be another crime scene to deal with, he thought.
So instead he pulled ¥4000 out of his wallet and handed it to the old man. "Go buy yourself a nice meal or something. Now get out of here."
Without saying another word the old man accepted the money and ran away.
Rum looked around; this underground parking lot had been abandoned since its related shopping mall had been closed down 6 years ago. It was the perfect place for a meeting. For him only one question remained: who was his contact?
He heard footsteps coming from behind him. They were getting closer. Rum turned around; after a few seconds he could make out who it was.
"Hello Mr. NOC," Rum said.
"You've got no proof of that and you never will," Bourbon said with a confident grin. "Anyway, the Council wants to know if you've succeeded in extracting Vodka and silencing Ale and Moonshine."
"It's done," Rum said. "I've already dispatched an agent to dig up Vodka's body and bring it back to Japan."
"Good work then," Bourbon said. He then turned around and walked away.
"Your day will come soon, you spy," Rum said coldly and without emotion.
"Yeah, yeah," Bourbon said dismissively without turning around or stopping.
After he was out of earshot Bourbon dialed Yoko Okino, the new Boss of the Black Organization since Korn's death 2 weeks ago.
"So how did it go?" Yoko asked.
"He says that he did as ordered regarding Vodka, Ale, and Moonshine," Bourbon said.
"I see," Yoko said. "By the way, Tooru-chan..."
"Yeah, I'll be right over," Bourbon said. "What part do you want done today?"
"The left calf," Yoko said. "And please go buy some barbecue sauce on the way if you can find it."
Scene Transition
"Shinichi!"
Hearing Ran's voice Shinichi ran through the fog. He reached the fog's clearing, where Ran was waiting. He ran towards her but then suddenly Shiho Miyano appeared. She stretched out her arms and stood firmly in place as to block Shinichi's access to Ran.
"Get out of my way," Shinichi said.
"No," Shiho said.
"I SAID, GET THE *expletive* OUT OF MY WAY!" Shinichi barked.
There was suddenly a knife in his hand. He lunged at Shiho.
"YOU DID THIS TO ME!" he screamed. "EVERYTHING IS ALL YOUR FAULT! GO AWAY! JUST DIE ALREADY!"
Whenever he reached Shiho she disappeared. As she disappeared she uttered a single sentence: "Please don't hate me."
The knife in his hand was bloody, somehow. Shinichi dropped the knife and took a step backwards.
"...R-Ran?" Shinichi called out, having finally reached her and not knowing what else to say.
Ran turned around and looked at him, a blank look on her face. "Who are you? Where is Shinichi?"
"W-What are you talking about?" Shinichi asked, starting to feel scared. "Ran, it's me! Shinichi!"
"I don't recognize you," Ran said blankly.
"W-what...?" Shinichi said, finding it hard to breathe suddenly.
"I've got a mirror," Ran said. "Here, I'll let you see what you look like."
She handed him the mirror. He looked at his reflection. Staring back at him was Gin's face.
Shinichi screamed and dropped the mirror. It shattered. He turned around and ran away as fast as his legs could take him. He was whimpering like a scared little boy as he ran. Appropriately then he reverted back to Conan.
The ground beneath him disappeared and he began to fall into the pitch blackness below...
Scene Transition
Conan woke up with a gasp, a bead of sweat on his face.
He looked around; it was still dark. Kogoro was fast asleep and snoring from the other side of the room. Conan could hear the sound of the clock ticking.
He sighed. He had been having that same dream every night for the past 2 weeks.
What happened was fairly straightforward; 2 weeks ago, he was contacted by the Boss of the Black Organization, who told him that he knew Shinichi and Conan were the same person and that he must turn over Sherry to the Organization if he wanted himself and Ran to live. In the end, Shinichi turned against Haibara and was on the verge of handing her over to the Organization; it was only Vermouth's timely intervention and sacrifice that caused the Boss's death and kept his secret safe without him having to kill the shrunken biochemist.
Because of what he almost did then, Conan was now unable to get a good night's rest. Even during the day he had to deal with recurring bouts of depression. He knew that if he tried to go back to sleep now he would just relive that dream. That absolutely horrible dream.
I need to take a walk, he thought.
His leg not yet having been healed he used his crutches to stand and made his way outside without waking anybody up. From there he walked across the dark street, still in his pajamas. He made his way to the Kudo Residence.
Home, he thought.
Indeed; while the Mouri Residence was the place he had gotten used to returning to at the end of each day, he could never really consider it a safe place where he could be himself. Like people out in public did, at the Mouri Residence he had to put on a socially acceptable mask for those around him. He constantly had to act in a way consistent with 8 year old Conan Edogawa, not his actual 18 year old self.
Maintaining this facade 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year...he sighed. This place is the only place that I can truly call home. So...home sweet home then.
He was about to ring the doorbell but then he realized that he could not reach it so he knocked on the door instead.
Surprisingly, it only took about 5 seconds for Subaru Okiya, AKA Shuichi Akai, to flip the light switch and answer the door. He was holding a glass of Baker's Mark Bourbon Whiskey in his hand.
"Why were you sitting in the dark?" Conan asked, deducing that Subaru had been sitting in the living room.
"I was on my tablet device surfing the internet," Subaru said.
"Alcohol and the internet tend to make a poor combination," Conan scolded.
"Well, it's not like I really use social media websites anyway," Subaru said. "Please, come on in. Couldn't sleep?"
Conan stepped inside. Subaru closed the door.
"It's that dream," Conan said.
"You're still having it?" Subaru asked. "After 2 weeks?"
"Yeah," Conan admitted. "It's always the same thing. I come within inches of stabbing Shiho because she's standing between me and Ran. Then I get to Ran, but because of what I've done she doesn't recognize me."
"I'm guessing that you want some of those pills then," Subaru said.
Conan sighed. "Yeah. Please give me one. They'll help me sleep, right?"
Subaru smiled. "Of course. But before I do that I just have one question for you: is it the right thing to do?"
"Idiot, why wouldn't it be?" Conan retorted.
"Well, aren't the nightmares a form of penance?" Subaru asked.
"Penance?" Conan asked, puzzled.
"I live right next to that house," Subaru said. "Miyano-kun is depressed almost all the time. Her only consolation was being able to talk to her parents and the knowledge that she had a brother. Yet she's only been able to call her parents once and Satoshi hasn't been in contact with her either since then."
"That doesn't make any sense!" Conan protested. "I'm what to her exactly? Just that boy she has a crush on, right? Shouldn't the joy from the knowledge that her brother and parents are still alive far outweigh the pain she felt from my betrayal?!"
"Why are you mad at her?" Subaru asked. "She's going to react in whatever way is natural to her, right? Perhaps she doesn't really trust that the people she contacted were actually her brother and parents?"
That is a possibility, Conan thought, ashamed.
"I'm no psychologist but if you ask me, you're frustrated that she hasn't gotten over your betrayal because you cannot know peace until she does. Deflecting some of the blame over to her helps you minimize what you've done. I'm sure that you've also been having the same conversation with yourself over and over again, trying to convince yourself that you had a good reason for what you did."
"Ran would've died had I not acted!" Conan declared. "Or at least that's what I thought at the time!"
"And that what...just made it okay for you to send Miyano-kun to her death?" Subaru asked, more in the manner of a teacher than an angry person. He took another sip of his drink. "What right have you to demand that Miyano-kun die for Mouri-kun?"
Conan was about to react angrily but he stopped himself. So he said nothing.
"You aren't really angry," Subaru said. "Rather, you're scared. You're lashing out in self-defense like a cornered beast does. But instead of the pursuer being an outside enemy your enemy is yourself and anyone who would look past all your pitiable excuses, look you in the eye and tell you that what you did was wrong. On some level you were hoping for me to tell you that what you did was okay. But I'm not going to lie to you. You should be smart enough to see past obvious lies like that anyway, Kudo-kun. A true detective always pursues the truth, no matter the cost of knowing. Right?"
Conan sighed. "How can you say all this?"
"I caused the death of her sister, remember?" Subaru pointed out. "And as of two weeks ago I am responsible for another person losing his sister. A boy about your age. Your real age, that is."
"Eisuke," Conan surmised.
"Indeed."
"Just why did you do it though?" Conan asked. "Why did you show up to Gin's capture as your real self?"
"I wanted to gloat in front of him and taunt him after his capture," Subaru/Shuichi said. "I wanted that cold-hearted b****rd to know that at long last we've beaten him, and that he would face my justice for killing Akemi...!"
He was clenching his hand so much that he accidentally shattered the glass he was holding.
"Uh, sorry," Subaru said sheepishly. "I'll clean that up right away."
"And now Gin's dead," Conan called out to Subaru, who had retreated to the kitchen to grab a broom.
"Be rest assured I won't be cheated out of my revenge so easily," Subaru said cryptically after returning with the broom.
Huh? Conan thought.
"Nothing," Subaru said. "You'll find out what I mean one day. So, about the pill..."
"Uh, never mind that," Conan said. "Like you said, it would be totally inappropriate for me to get over what happened before she did. What I did...I had absolutely no right to demand that she give up her life for Ran's. I should've found another way and now I'll have to face the consequences of my choice."
"Okay then, it's been nice chatting with you," Subaru said.
With that Conan left and headed back to the Mouri Residence.
Subaru peered around.
"I know you're back there," he said. "Honestly, Miyano-kun, you would make a terrible spy."
Realizing that her cover was blown, Haibara emerged from behind the corner and made a run for it. She ran out the front door and headed back to the professor's house.
Subaru smiled. He had left that back window open on purpose. How will you respond, Miyano-kun? he thought.
As soon as he was sure Haibara was gone he turned serious. He then received a call from Andre Camel.
"You're on your way with the package now, right?" Subaru/Shuichi asked.
"Yeah," Andre confirmed. "You've prepared a second freezer, right?"
"I had it installed 6 hours ago," Subaru said.
"I'll be there soon then," Andre said. "But I just felt like I should let you know: my car's giving me some trouble right now and I'm stuck on the shoulder of the road trying to see what's wrong with it. Is it okay for that thing to be exposed to regular temperatures for this long?"
"It should be fine as long as you get the car working again quickly," Subaru said. "Goodbye."
Subaru sighed. He walked down into the basement. He opened the door to the freezer and looked down at the contents.
"Soon," he vowed.
Then he closed the freezer and walked back up the basement stairs.
"Despite the despondent pleas of the huddled masses holding in our weary arms the bodies of those we have loved, by divine decree access to the Tree of Life has been and shall remain sealed off," Subaru said to himself out loud. "With nowhere else to turn and with hearts hardened against the heavens which have abandoned us to our present state of hopelessness we have pledged ourselves to the wisdom of the serpent and we sow his teeth so that new life may spring forth, no matter the cost."
The Next Day
"RAAAAN!" Kogoro demanded. "What happened to all the beer in the fridge?!"
Conan sighed and got up.
"I threw it out!" Ran answered. "You need to stay sober for your big date with Oka-san!"
"It's not a date," Kogoro protested, blushing. "We're just discussing the details of one of her client cases over dinner."
Is that why you rented a ¥30,000 tuxedo? Conan thought with a deadpan look, entering the bathroom to brush his teeth.
Scene Transition
"Ah, Conan!"
Conan saw Mitsuhiko, Ayumi, and Genta huddled around Mitsuhiko's phone watching a video.
It's probably another dancing cat video, he thought. "What are you guys watching this time?"
"It's Satoru Domon!" Mitsuhiko said.
"That's the guy who was in charge of that video game company, right?" Ayumi asked.
"No," Mitsuhiko said. "Conan, do you want to come watch Satoru Domon speaking live or not?"
"Who?" Conan asked.
"Huuuh?! You don't know?!" Mitsuhiko exclaimed.
Should I? Conan asked himself. He tried to think. Domon...Domon...Yasuteru...
"He's some politician, right?" Conan asked.
"Some politician?" Mitsuhiko repeated in disbelief. "He's a leading figure of the Liberal Democratic Party and the Speaker of the House of Councillors! You know, the upper house of the National Diet!"
I know what the House of Councillors is," Conan said, annoyed. "He's facing a scandal for an affair that happened 20 years ago, right?"
"Yeah," Mitsuhiko said. "Anyway, right now he's speaking live announcing a new bipartisan election spending transparency bill. Honestly, Conan, you need to be more mindful of our nation's politics! It's the duty of every Japanese citizen to be informed of the issues that face our nation!"
Nerd, Conan thought with a deadpan look.
"What's this?"
Mitsuhiko turned his head to see Haibara standing beside him.
"Ah, Haibara-san!" Mitsuhiko said, blushing. "I didn't see you get here!"
"Satoru Domon, huh?" Haibara said, reading the headline on the screen. "That man has no business serving in the Japanese Government."
"Wait, you know who he is?" Mitsuhiko asked.
"Indeed," Haibara said. "He has been a politician for 30 years. Prior to being Speaker of the House of Councillors he served as the President of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly, which is the city's prefectural parliament. Throughout his career he has made a name for himself as a critic of American military bases on Japanese soil and his support for closer ties with China, as well as his many angry speeches demanding that Russia return Karafuto and the Kuril Islands to Japan. He is a Pan-Asianist and he has made some racist comments about white people. There is some speculation that he is trying to become Prime Minister, though he is widely unpopular across Japan so I don't find it likely. Frankly I am amazed that he has managed to hold onto his seat in the House of Councillors. I'm half-white so I certainly voted for the other guy."
Mitsuhiko looked at her funny. "Haibara-san, you voted in an election? How?"
Haibara, realizing her slip-up, chuckled nervously. "Uh, I mean, my older sister voted against him. Anyways, I heard that his son was going to run for Representative but whenever news of his father's affair 20 years ago became publicly known he dropped out of the race. That's a shame, because he was actually popular unlike his father. I hear he even rescued several people in the aftermath of the Tohoku Earthquake."
"Oh yeah, that reminds me," Genta said. "We never found that lady who saved us from that fire in Gunma, huh?"
"Just be careful," Haibara said cryptically. "Our heroes are rarely the kind of people who we think they are."
Ayumi looked at her cheap kid watch and gasped."We have to get going right now if we don't want to be late!"
Mitsuhiko, Genta, and Ayumi hurried on ahead, leaving Conan and Haibara alone.
"I was wondering if you've seen Satoshi," Haibara said. "I even visited Masumi Sera's place but it's empty now."
"No, I haven't," Conan answered. "I was hoping that he could get me in touch with your parents but I haven't seen him either. Perhaps Masumi Sera moved elsewhere?"
"Be sure to ask Ran when you get home," Haibara said.
"What's with the change?" Conan asked. "For the past two weeks you wouldn't even look me in the eye, much less talk to me."
"The past is in the past," Haibara said. "I understand why you had to do it and after some contemplating I've realized that were our roles reversed and were it Akemi's life on the line I would do the same thing in a heartbeat. So...let's just put that behind us and look towards the future. Oh, and everything that I said while locked in that room...just forget that I said it, please. All of it."
"Are you sure that you're no longer upset about what happened?" Conan asked.
"Yeah, I'm sure," Haibara said. "2 weeks of moping around is plenty long enough."
Yes! Conan thought happily. He could tell that today would be a great day, even if he did have to sit through children's classes surrounded by nasty 7/8/9 years olds and eat a fake food school lunch.
Scene Transition
"...It's been two weeks."
"Indeed it has," Ryan Jackson, age 48, said to his subordinate. "How far have you gotten?"
"I've written 29 entries, working backwards," Yoshiteru Nichimura, age 29, said to his boss.
"That's it?"
"It's harder than you might think," Yoshiteru said. "I have to write it all by hand in exactly her handwriting style, using word and grammar choices unique to her. I also have to fact check and research her last few months extensively to make sure that everything written matches up with reality perfectly. And I'm working 10 hours a day at this."
"I understand," Ryan said. "But still, we need six months worth. Nearly one month won't cut it. Is there anything I can do to help speed the process along?"
"I don't really see how you could help," Yoshiteru said. "I'm the only person who knew her well enough to pull this off. Oh, there is one thing. Have you come up with a passable method of delivery?"
"I know of a person," Ryan said. "Whenever the Organization recruits him..."
"Are you talking about that boy?" Yoshiteru asked. "Why?"
"That boy has incredible deductive abilities," Ryan said. "And I learned 12 hours ago that the Organization has hit an obstacle. An obstacle that they need a detective to overcome. They'll find a way to make him cooperate. And when that happens, we'll approach him with our plan."
"...I see," Yoshiteru said. "In that case I'd better get back to work. Thanks for lunch."
With that he got out of the car and headed inside his apartment complex.
Ryan sat inside his car. Ethan, he thought, your sacrifice won't be in vain. We'll get her back.
Scene Transition
"I wonder which episode to the Professor has picked out?" Genta said excitedly as they left their final class for the day.
"Huh?" Conan said.
"The Professor invited us to his house to watch some really old Kamen Yaiba," Ayumi said. "Do you want to come, Conan-kun?"
Uh, I have a lot of homework to catch up on," Conan lied. "I can't afford for my grades to drop any lower." I really don't want to sit through that, he thought.
"But Conan, you're at the top of the class!" Mitsuhiko exclaimed. "You've been at the top of the class since you arrived at Teitan Primary School! And also, didn't you tell us earlier that you had finished all your assignments for this week AND next week?"
Heh, Conan thought with a deadpan look. I did say that out loud, didn't I?
Haibara smirked, finding amusement in the thought of Kudo-kun having to sit through a Kamen Yaiba marathon.
Scene Transition
"Where am I?!"
The man gazed at his surroundings frantically. He was in a laboratory surrounded by doctors and a woman dressed in all black. He was lying on a medical bed wearing restraints on his wrists and ankles.
"What is the last thing you remember?" The woman asked him.
"Huh?"
"The last thing you remember," the woman said. "Do you remember the fireflies? Do you remember the rope around your neck?"
"...Yeah. I remember the fireflies. There was no rope around my neck. Not yet. Where am I?"
"That's not important, Numabuchi-san."
"HUH?! How do you know my name?"
"That's also not important. What is important is that we're offering you your freedom."
"What?"
"Indeed. There's just one thing that we need you to do for us first."
"You're with THEM, aren't you?!"
"Certainly we are," the woman said with a smile. "We need your services one last time."
"You're not gonna experiment on me!"
"No, that's not what we have in mind."
"...Then what is it you want with me?"
The woman chuckled. "What is it that you do best?"
The man's eyes widened with a painful realization.
"Oh yes, Numabuchi-san. You know what it is. The sooner you do it, the sooner you'll be free."
"...Who do you want dead?"
"Wait, there's a certain way I want it done. Listen carefully..."
Scene Transition
"So you're staying at that professor's house again?"
"Yeah," Conan said. "He borrowed some really old episodes of Kamen Yaiba for us to watch."
"Geez, you kids and your dumb superheroes," Kogoro said with disdain. "Well, be back before 9:00 PM. When you get home you can ask Ran to heat you up some leftovers. I'll be at my dat...er, appointment with Eri so I won't be back until late tonight."
"Okay, bye." With that Conan hung up. He sighed.
3 hours of Yaiba, he lamented.
The microwave dinged. The Professor put on some oven mitts and set the heated dish on the kitchen table. Conan walked into the living room. He noticed that the Professor had installed a VCR next to the TV. Several videotapes piled on the floor.
Mitsuhiko, Ayumi, and Genta just stood there, staring at the videotapes with a blank look on their faces.
"Conan," Mitsuhiko said, "do you know what these black rectangular things are?"
Conan chuckled out loud. "Mitsuhiko, Ayumi, Genta, those are called VHS tapes. They used to be commonplace in the 1980s and the 1990s, long before you guys were born. You see, what you do is put one inside the VCR and..."
"What's a VCR?" Genta asked.
"Do you see that box-like thing that the Professor hooked up to the TV?" Conan pointed out. "That's a VCR, and believe it or not it's actually very easy to use. Watch me."
He picked up a Kamen Yaiba videotape and tried to gently push it into the VCR. But it wouldn't go in.
"Hm, seems there's already something in there," Conan said. He pushed Stop twice and out came a videotape labeled...
"Kaito Kid's Challenge: Treasure Hunt," Conan read out loud. "Hey, professor!"
The professor rushed into the room. "Yes?"
"Professor, where did you get this VCR?" Conan asked, his facial expression and voice very serious.
"I got it from your..er, Shinichi's house," Dr. Agasa answered. "I figured nobody would mind and I was going to return it after tonight. I would've used my old VCR but I couldn't find it."
This must've been sent to dad by the original Kaito Kid many years ago, Conan thought.
"Conan, let's watch the Kaito Kid video!" Mitsuhiko said.
"Huh?" Conan said. "But what about your...?"
"This sounds even more exciting than Kamen Yaiba!" Ayumi interrupted excitedly.
"Yeah, Conan!" Genta said. "It is buried treasure, after all!"
"Alright then," Conan said. He put the video in the VCR. He turned the TV screen on.
To his surprise...
"Huh? This is a just an old movie!" Genta said.
"Oh, I recognize that movie!" Dr. Agasa said. "It came out in the mid to late 70s. It's called Voyage of the Blue Dragon."
"Voyage of the Blue Dragon?" Conan repeated.
"It's a classic," Dr. Agasa said. "The setting is the end of WWII. It's about the crew of a Japanese aircraft carrier called the Blue Dragon. Whenever the Japanese government surrenders to Allied forces, the Blue Dragon refuses to surrender and it begins a journey to the shores of California so that it can attack San Francisco and restart the Pacific War."
Conan suddenly pushed Stop twice again to eject and he grabbed the VHS tape. He looked at the bottom side of the tape; the label had been cut very precisely with a knife. "Hey, Professor, can you fetch me a screwdriver?"
"Uh, sure," Dr. Agasa said, leaving the room.
Is it what I think it is? Conan thought.
"Hey, Conan, what are you doing?" Mitsuhiko asked.
"The outside of a VHS Tape doesn't serve much of a purpose except to protect what's inside," Conan said. "If my dad...er, Mr. Yusaku Kudo received this tape from the original Kaito Kid as some kind of challenge, then there's no logical reason to believe that he would have received it until after their rivalry began. That dates the sending of this tape to after this technology had become obsolete. There must be a reason why, and I think I know what it is."
Dr. Agasa returned with the screwdriver. Conan placed the VHS Tape on the ground backwards and began removing the five screws that kept it together. He then pushed the release lever on the top and removed the cover, revealing the reel and film. He pulled back on a mechanism at the bottom of the tape, which allowed him to turn the reels and let the film come out. He looked carefully at the film...
"It's just as I thought, then," Conan muttered.
"Conan, we're confused," Ayumi said. "What's going on with the VS tape?"
"Sections have been cut out and the film was then taped back together," Conan said. "That is, parts of the movie have been removed. This is, I suspect, where that magician's game is supposed to begin. Professor, can I see your laptop?"
"Sure," Dr. Agasa said. "But why?"
"This movie has two versions," Conan said. "First, there is the original version. Then, there is Kaito Kid's edited version. We're going to watch both at the same time and compare so that we can figure out what clues he left us."
Scene Transition
He stepped out of the rental car and into the dimly lit, damp parking garage. He began to walk towards the elevator. He pushed the button and waited. He felt goosebumps all over his body; his armpits felt itchy and the top of his head felt strangely numb.
Am I really doing this? He asked himself. How will she...? How many years has it been? Can we really just start up where we left? We've both changed so much...how can things be like they were before? This is a bad idea...I should just walk away.
The elevator door opened. Eri was standing there.
He was so startled that he took a step backwards. Well..do I walk away at this point, when she is standing right in front of me?
"Uh, Eri," Kogoro said awkwardly. "Shouldn't you be...waiting at the restaurant by now?"
"I left the case files in my car," Eri said. "We can't discuss my client without them, right?"
"Uh, right," Kogoro said lamely.
He stood there and waited for Eri to retrieve the case files. Then she came back. The elevator door had closed by this point so he pushed the button again and it reopened. They both stepped inside and Kogoro selected the fifth floor. The elevator door closed, trapping him inside with his estranged wife.
It was really hot all of the sudden; he readjusted his tie.
Eri looked at him funny. "Is everything alright? You look like you've just seen a ghost."
"No, uh, it's nothing," Kogoro said. "Don't worry about it."
What I just said, Kogoro pondered. Am I trying to assure her that nothing will happen tonight? That's what my gut's telling me, right? Just discuss the case and walk away like normal. But...is there any time left for procrastination? How many years must this go on? How many years must be wasted? I've got one life to live...so does Eri. Neither one of us is all that young any more. Ran is already grown and she'll be going to college soon; she grew up in a single-parent household. It's too late for her now, I suppose. Then again...if she commutes from home to college, she could have a few more years living here, her last chance to live in a home with both her mother and father. Even if she does leave home when she starts college, there's still several months in between then and now. She will never get another chance like this; if I do not act tonight, then when will I?
Kogoro and Eri sat down at the table.
"You look good," Kogoro said, hoping to put her in a good mood before he began. And in all fairness, he did think that she looked good.
"Thanks," Eri said, taking a sip of her water.
"Now, about your client," Kogoro said, knowing that he'd need to settle this work-related business before he could get on with what he really wanted to say tonight...
Scene Transition
At last the credits rolled. Conan looked at his watch; the original version of the movie was 2 hours and 14 minutes long, not counting the credits. The edited version was 2 hours and 9 minutes long. There were 7 scenes omitted from the edited version. On paper Conan had recorded the times within the original version when each omitted scene happened.
So, uh, what now?" Genta asked.
"Now we lay review the 7 omitted scenes to lay out Kaito Kid's message," Conan said.
"You know, I've been wondering," Mitsuhiko said. "Where's Ai-chan?"
They all looked at him funny.
"Also, don't ever tell her that I called her that," Mitsuhiko said. "Maybe you can tell her after 20 years have passed, maybe."
"She didn't want to watch the movie so she's in the basement working on the cur...er, playing on the internet," Dr. Agasa said.
"Anyway, what was the first omitted scene?" Conan quizzed.
"Ooh, I know!" Ayumi said. "It was the title card, right?"
"And what was the second omitted scene?" Conan asked.
"That was the scene with the plane landing on a runway in Tokyo, right?" Mitsuhiko said. "It was shocking to see a view of the city from above after it had been bombed!"
"Very good," Conan said. "This sets the parameters of the challenge."
"I don't understand," Genta said.
"The title card shows the name of the movie," Conan said. "What was it again?"
"Voyage of the Blue Dragon," Dr. Agasa said.
"Blue Dragon," Conan said. "Does that remind you of anything?"
He could tell that they were all stumped.
"Seiryu." After having spoken that one word, Haibara entered the room. "What's going on in here?"
"Ah, Haibara," Conan said. "We're trying to crack Kaito Kid's message."
"Message?"
Conan explained the situation to Haibara.
"Wait," Mitsuhiko said after Conan's explanation to Haibara was over. "Seiryu. Isn't that name from...?"
"The Kirin's Horn Case," Conan said. "The four statues, remember? Seiryu is a mythological blue dragon who represents the season of spring and the direction of east. He is the eastern guardian of the city of Osaka."
"Osaka?" Genta said. "But that means..."
"That's why Kaito Kid inserted the second hint," Conan said. "The aerial view of..."
"Ah, I get it!" Mitsuhiko declared. "East Tokyo!"
"You got it," Conan said. "There is no place with the official name 'East Tokyo'. What Kaito Kid most likely means is that the search for whatever we're looking for is somewhere in the 24 historical Special Wards of Tokyo."
(Author's note: in reality Tokyo only has 23 Special Wards, but it is assumed here that Beika City, the primary setting for the Detective Conan franchise, is a Special Ward of Tokyo instead of a separate city. This theory is supported by the fact that the local police of Detective Conan serve under the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department.)
"But that doesn't tell us much," Dr. Agasa said. "That's still a huge area to search, and we already knew that most of Kaito Kid's heists are in Tokyo."
"Still, it's a start," Conan said. "How about the third omitted scene?"
"That was the scene where the Captain's wife Fumiyo was taking a train ride through the countryside, right?" Dr. Agasa asked.
"Yup," Conan said. "There are two notable things about this scene: first of all, it involves a train. Secondly, it does not take place in Tokyo, where our search is confined to. That the scene takes place outside of the search parameters is meant to show that the train's location within the movie is irrelevant. The train itself is what matters. The third hint is simply, therefore, trains."
"Hold up," Haibara said. "If it's a place in eastern Tokyo known for its trains, then there's only one possible..."
"Shinjuku Station," Conan confirmed. "It is currently the world's busiest train station, with literally millions of people using it every day. That's three hints in and we've already pinpointed the search to Shinjuku Station."
"That seems off to me, somehow," Dr. Agasa said.
"Off?" Conan asked. "How so?"
"Well, Shinjuku Station is extremely crowded," Dr. Agasa said. "If the Kaito Kid hid something and expected Yusaku Kudo to find it, why would he hide it somewhere with so many people? Wouldn't that just increase the likelihood of somebody finding it and ruining the riddle?"
He has a point, Conan thought. That doesn't sound like something the Kaito Kid would do. The station...Shinjuku is famous for it.
"Perhaps the Kaito Kid pointed out Shinjuku Station just to point out Shinjuku?" Conan suggested.
He looked down at the piece of paper he had written on. "And the fourth hint is...the scene that takes place in Washington D.C."
"The capital of the United States?" Dr. Agasa said.
"The keyword must be capital, then," Conan said.
"Hold on!" Mitsuhiko said. "Tokyo is already the capital of Japan! Isn't that hint a little redundant?"
"Not really," Conan said. "As a hint, it's not referring to a capital city, seeing as how Tokyo has already been established as the location of whatever we're searching for. Rather, it's probably referring to a capital building. That is, a building where the government meets."
"Wait a second!" Genta said. "That must mean the building where the National Diet meets, rights?"
"Wrong," Haibara said. "That building is in Chiyoda, not Shinjuku. Well, given that the Imperial Palace is also in Chiyoda it can't be that either."
"You guys are all forgetting something," Conan said. "The second hint is Tokyo. The fourth hint is capital. We could look at it as being the capital which is located in Tokyo, or..."
He paused for a few seconds. There was no reply, which indicated they were all stumped. Conan sighed.
"The capital of Tokyo!" Conan said. "The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building!"
"...Oh!" Mitsuhiko said, now understanding what Conan was getting at. "So we now know the building to search!"
"Not so fast," Agasa said. "Conan, aren't there more hints?"
"Oh yeah," Conan said. He looked down at his paper. "The fifth omitted scene is..."
"Ooh! I know!" Ayumi said. "It's the scene where those generals are sitting in a room discussing how to find the Blue Dragon!"
"And what do you guys think is the hint here?" Conan asked.
"Meeting, session," Haibara said. "A person in the Tokyo Metropolitan Government who holds meetings. A politician."
"A member of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly," Conan said. "This is...we're looking for a person!"
"What's the sixth omitted scene?" Dr. Agasa asked.
"It was that scary scene!" Ayumi said. "The one where the captain shot the crew member who tried to start a mutiny."
Conan gasped. Don't tell me...! he thought.
"Hey!" Haibara exclaimed, finally realising the situation. "Surely the message doesn't mean to say that...!"
"A member of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly is guilty of murder," Conan confirmed. "This is what the original Kaito Kid was trying to tell Yusaku Kudo. Wait here, guys; I need to make a phone call."
Scene Transition
Eisuke Hondou stepped outside of the airport. At last, he was on Japanese soil again.
What am I going to do now? he thought.
After hearing about the death of his sister, he was given a week off from training. He figured that he would spend some time by himself, get over it and then go back to CIA University (which is located in Virginia). Oddly enough, however, that wasn't the case. After one week passed he returned to training but it was like suddenly his daily routine was totally meaningless. He was constantly wondering to himself what the heck he was still doing there. His sister was dead; so was his father. Even if he joined the CIA he'd only be surrounded by a bunch of strangers.
Finally, after having lost all motivation, he dropped out. Now here he was, back in Japan. What was he going to do now? Re-enroll in Teitan High School, perhaps? Graduate and then go to a normal college? Perhaps the college that Ran Mouri would attend? He really didn't know what he'd do.
Except for one thing, that is.
That's right, he thought. I'm going to find him and talk to him in person. He is going to tell me exactly what happened to my sister, even if I have to force that information out of him. Conan Edogawa...no, Shinichi Kudo...I'm going to pay you a visit real soon!
Scene Transition
Conan re-entered the living room.
"I was just on the phone with Yusaku Kudo," Conan said. "He got the tape from the Kaito Kid 13 years ago. Apparently he had been unable to solve it."
"So we need to figure out who the members of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly 13 years ago were."
"That part shouldn't be too difficult," Haibara said. "However, I just did an internet search and it turns out that at any given time the assembly has 127 members."
"A hundred and twenty seven?!" Dr. Agasa exclaimed. "How are we going to narrow that down?"
Conan sighed. "I guess we're just going to have to review the seventh omitted scene."
"Ooh, I know this one!" Genta said. "It was that scene where the Blue Dragon was surrounded by American navy boats. The captain of the Blue Dragon pointed a gun to his head and shot himself." He shuddered at the thought.
Conan gasped.
"What is it?" Ayumi asked Conan. "Have you figured it out?"
"...Nope," Conan said. "I haven't got a clue."
They all looked disappointed.
"Well, we can continue this tomorrow," Conan said. "I'm tired and I'd like to sleep on my own bed tonight."
Scene Transition
Conan stepped outside. Two seconds later Haibara stepped outside.
"So, who is it?" she asked, knowing that he had figured it out and didn't want kids involved in his confrontation with the culprit.
"The last hint was pretty easy," Conan said. "It was, of course, 'head'. The head is the central component of the body because it houses the brain, from which consciousness stems. This fact is reflected in some other languages, such as English, where head can also mean leader."
"Leader," Haibara said. "So what you mean is that the culprit is the President of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly."
"Yeah," Conan said.
"In that case you should know that 13 years ago Satoru Domon was head of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly," Haibara said. "13 years ago a woman named Tamako Midorikawa was murdered. She was a member of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly as well as a fierce critic of Satoru Domon. Her murder made the headlines and a lot of people suspected that Satoru Domon killed her. However, he denied it profusely and the police never found any evidence that he did it. In the end, her murder was blamed on gang violence because she had also taken a strong anti-crime stance."
"I just have one more question," Conan said. "Is there any available recording of her voice?"
"Hold on!" Haibara protested. "Surely you don't plan on...?!"
"Yeah, that's right," Conan said with a confident grin. "I'm going to make him confess everything."
"...I doubt that I'd be able to dissuade you, then," Haibara said. "Hold on a moment; the Professor has been building a power brace for someone your size. I'll go retrieve it for you now."
Scene Transition
"Did you hear Ayako's announcement?" Sonoko asked over the phone.
"Yeah," Ran said, sitting at her father's desk. "She and Yuzo are getting married in 3 weeks, right? That's so great for them!"
There was a pause.
"So," Sonoko then said. "Have you talked to your husband ever since your birthday?"
"No," Ran said, ignoring Sonoko's typical reference to Shinichi as 'your husband'. "I'm usually the one who calls him, but...I don't have the nerve to do so, after what I told him the last time I saw him."
"Oh, that?" Sonoko asked. "But didn't he tell you that same thing back in London?"
"Well, yeah, but..."
"Ran, this is perfect for you!" Sonoko said. "At long last, the two of you know how the other person feels, and it turns out that the feeling is mutual. What are you waiting for, then?"
Ran didn't know how to respond.
"What was the other thing he told you?" Sonoko reminded. "It was for you to wait on him a little longer. He was making you a promise, Ran. Whenever he comes back for good, then the two of you will be together like you both want to be."
"I've never been in a relationship before," Ran said. "I don't know what's supposed to happen next."
"You don't plan out and schedule a relationship, silly," Sonoko said.
Believe me, I've tried, she thought, referring to her failed schemes involving Makoto.
"So...what should I do then?" Ran asked.
"When the time comes, you'll know," Sonoko said. "The two of you are compatible; I know that because I've been observing you two for years. I knew that eventually you would end up together, and it turns out I was right. I guess I'm as great a love detective as I am a crime detective!"
She started laughing haughtily, in a manner extremely similar to Kogoro.
And yet you're dating someone who's totally incompatible with you, Ran thought with a deadpan look.
"Speaking of love, I hear your old man's out on a date with your mom," Sonoko said.
"Yeah," Ran said. "But they've been out on a lot of dates like this one since they separated. Nothing special has ever happened, so...I don't really want to get my hopes up. There've been several times when I really thought they would get back together and then I just ended up disappointed. Mother's not going to move back in as long as father still drinks, and he's never going to quit drinking. I should've accepted this fact by now, but..."
"Ran, do you even hear yourself?" Sonoko asked. "Don't talk like that! You have to keep on hoping until the end. If you give up on your parents, then you might as well give up on Shinichi too."
Ran was stunned.
"You know, Ran, I heard a quote once, and for the life of me I cannot remember who said it, but here it is: a man can live forty days without food, three days without water, eight minutes without air, but not one second without hope."
There was a pause.
"So," Sonoko said. "Are you going to Ayako's wedding?"
"I wouldn't miss it," Ran said. "As soon as you figure out the exact date, tell me."
"Will do," Sonoko said. "Bye." Then she hung up.
Ran sank back into the chair, deep in thought.
Hope, she mused. Whether the final outcome is good or bad is independent of one's level of hope. Hope is a coping method, something to keep us from feeling overwhelming anxiety in an uncertain situation. It can keep us mired down in a deadly place which we would otherwise escape from; it can hold us back from taking needed action. But...whenever the only possible outcome is inescapable destruction, isn't false hope better than despair? Is knowing the truth always what's best? If I had to die tomorrow...would I really want to know?
Scene Transition
"Farewell, dear. It was a truly wonderful night."
The man stepped outside of the house of the woman in the revealing red dress. He got into his car and drove off.
He arrived at his house, which was quite expensive and large. He took a wedding ring out from his pocket and reapplied it to his finger. He stepped inside his home.
"Honey, I'm home," he called out. "That meeting lasted a bit longer than I expected."
He stepped inside of his bedroom. His wife was lying there asleep in bed.
She must've been tired today, he thought.
He took a quick shower, brushed his teeth, and then lied down in bed.
"Saaatttooorrruuu..."
He got up quickly. "Who's there? Show yourself!"
He looked at his wife. She was still fast asleep.
"Wwwwhhhyy diid you muurrdeer me...?"
That voice...! he thought. It can't be! She's dead!
"Saaatttooorrruuuu...Doooommmmooonnn! My blood cries out against you!"
Satoru Domon ran to the closet and grabbed a wooden bat.
"Show yourself, you son of a b***h!" he declared.
"You muuurrderred me...whhhyyy?"
He looked under the bed. There was nobody there. He checked the closet again. There was nobody there.
Finally he ran outside the bedroom and into the hall. There was nobody there either. He started checking room by room to find the intruder.
"Sattooorrruuu...Doommoon! Whhhyyy?!" the sound followed him in every room of the house.
Finally, he returned to his bedroom and grabbed his phone to dial 110. However, it wouldn't turn on. He then grabbed his wife's phone; it wouldn't turn on either.
"Satoru Domon! I will not go unavenged!"
"W-what do you want?!" he asked, panicky. "Tamako Midorikawa! What do you want from me?"
"Why did you...murder me?!"
"You know why!" he shouted. "You threatened to expose the 5 million Yen I embezzled from my campaign funds during my failed run for governor of Tokyo Prefecture! Of course I had to kill you!"
"Thank you for your confession, Speaker-san."
With that, Conan emerged from a corner.
A...kid?! Satoru Domon thought. "Huh?"
"There's no one here but the two of us," Conan said. "I knocked your wife out with my tranquiliser gun."
"B-but the...!" Satoru Domon began.
"I placed miniature speakers all across the house," Conan said. "I used this voice-changing bowtie to emulate Tamako Midorikawa's voice, which was transmitted through the speakers. By the way, I recorded the whole conversation. I'll give you two options: either surrender to the police immediately or I will send them your recorded confession."
"Who are you?" Satoru Domon demanded.
"Conan Edogawa, a detective." As he spoke he turned on his power-enhancing kick shoes.
"Y-you...!" Satoru Domon said. "YOU STUPID KID! I'M GONNA KILL YOU!"
He charged at Conan, who then pressed the button on his belt and released an inflatable soccer ball. He kicked it, striking Satoru Domon squarely in the face and knocking him out.
"Wrong choice," Conan said.
Scene Transition
"Ran-neechan, I'm home!"
Conan stepped inside the Mouri Residency and closed the door behind him.
"Conan! It's 9:13!"
Conan looked at his watch.
Crap, he thought. That took longer than I thought.
"Uh, sorry," Conan said with a nervous chuckle. "I guess I lost track of the time watching Kamen Yaiba."
Ran sighed. "There's some soup on the stove. I'll reheat some for you. Eat, shower, and then go to bed. You've got school tomorrow and you know your bedtime is at 9."
Conan nodded.
Scene Transition
After having eaten, showered, brushed his teeth, and changed into his pajamas, Conan lied down in bed. Just when he closed his eyes he heard the sound of somebody knocking. He got up and opened the door, but nobody was there.
Then he heard the knocking sound again; he then realised that the knocking was coming from...
The window?
Conan walked over to the window and opened the door. Kaito Kid then jumped into the room, to Conan's utter shock. He actually fell over in his fright.
"Long time no see," Kaito Kid said.
"Don't do that!" Conan protested, standing up. "You almost scared me to death!"
"Sorry about that," Kaito Kid said. "I didn't want to use the front entrance. Anyways, I hear that you've solved my father's riddle."
"Huh?" Conan said. "How'd you find out about that so fast?"
"Check the news," Kaito Kid said, pulling out his phone to show Conan what he was talking about. "Word's gotten out about the anonymous tip to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department with evidence implicating Satoru Domon in the murder of Tamako Midorikawa. We do live in a world where news spreads fast, after all; especially news as big as this. Even American newspapers are in a frenzy about this story. Satoru Domon claimed that a kid in glasses confronted him, and when I heard that I knew you must've figured out my father's riddle to Yusaku Kudo."
"Uh, yeah," Conan said, not really knowing what to say.
"I suppose congratulations are in order," Kaito Kid said.
"I just have one question," Conan said, regaining his composure. "How did your father discover that Satoru Domon was Tamako Midorikawa's killer?"
"Well, it turns out that he was up on a rooftop using binoculars to scout out a local area for an upcoming heist when he witnessed Tamako Midorikawa and Satoru Domon arguing in an alley. He then saw Satoru Domon pull out a silenced gun and shoot her in the head."
"He couldn't have just sent the police an anonymous tip?" Conan asked, annoyed.
"Nah, he wanted to see if Yusaku Kudo could solve his riddle," Kaito Kid said. "It turns out that he never could."
"And with that a 13 year old murder case has been laid to rest," Conan said.
"Indeed," the Kaito Kid said. "You know, I never got to pay you back for setting me up as bait on a train car filled with explosives!"
Before Conan could react Kaito Kid pulled out a gun and pointed it at Conan's head.
Conan was stunned; he never thought that Kaito Kid would resort to violence.
"Any last words?" Kaito Kid asked, a murderous grin on his face.
Conan tried to think of a way out of this. He wasn't wearing the special shoes or the belt. His stun gun wristwatch was empty. Even if he dodged, the gunshot would alert Ran, who was currently asleep. She'd come check on Conan and then she too would be in danger.
"None?" Kaito Kid asked. "Well, that's too bad, kid."
He pulled the trigger, and out came...
Flowers?
Is there a nearby store that I've never heard of selling those? Conan thought with a deadpan look.
"See you later, sucker!" Kaito Kid shouted. He ran towards the window and jumped out. For a split second Conan actually thought that the Kid might be plunging to his doom until he saw a hang glider rise to meet the full moon.
Scene Transition
"All of the evidence suggests it," Kogoro said. "Your client is, in fact, the culprit."
Eri sighed. "Excellent work, dear, like usual."
She looked at his glass.
"You haven't taken a sip of that wine all evening," she said, surprised.
"I wanted to stay sober tonight," Kogoro said. "Because tonight...I have something very important to ask you."
To Be Continued
Ending:
(Red by BREAKERZ)
I'll never forget the moment when I realized you were gone
Your body was cold as ice in my arms, a beautiful empty shell
A burning tear streaked across my face, I could hardly breathe
They pried me away, scratch marks engraved into your flesh
I'll never forget that moment when they laid you in the ground
Walking away that day was the hardest thing I've ever had to do
I returned to my life a robot, the days coming and going like clouds
I fell into bed, begging for the day to end while dreading tomorrow
I used to think the world was black, white, and a multitude of brilliant colors
But now the only colors in my world are gray and a maddening shade of red
That man's face is burned into the back of my head, haunting my sleepless nights
I know what I have to do tonight, even if I must be no longer the man you loved