Decisions
We make them every day, consciously and unconsciously, even with every breath, we take; decisions. Some can be said to be right, some are wrong; good or bad. But it's not always that easy, because there are grey areas. A decision that is right and good for one person can be bad and evil for another. With some decisions, we also decide about the life of another, rarely, but nevertheless too often. Now is the time to make a decision that is a matter of life and death.
There are two types of people. One lives like in a big cotton wool cloud, which shields you from evil; with children, this is often the case. The second type has sometimes forgotten to love and forget the memory of the feeling of being protected and loved; or never got to know it.
But both guys have a big problem. The first guy puts his own life above that of
or is firmly convinced not to die and plunge into an already lost struggle that does not take prisoners, while the second type is unaware of the value of a human life and strides recklessly and confidently through the world, is not afraid of death and, should he enter, would even welcome him.
Making such decisions about life and death requires either a lot of courage or a great longing for death.
The letter had been inserted in the morning, it had not come with the post office, but had been delivered personally, that one could easily conclude from the fact that neither address nor sender address was on it.
Shinichi was just about to have breakfast with Shiho when there was a knock. Shinichi answered the door in anticipation of Ran, but he found only this unmarked letter.
"Who's it from?"
Shiho asked as the detective entered the kitchen again. The man in question shrugged his shoulders.
"There's neither a return address nor a return address on it. "
"Maybe one of your groupies?"
"Haha. Very funny. "
"I forgot. "You'd rather run after Ran than jump over your shadow and tell Ran how you feel about her!"
"Once you're in love. It's not that easy. "
"If you say so. "
Shiho pulled out a dagger from under her skirt and handed it to Shinichi with the handle.
"Then we'd better take care of a riddle that's easier to solve. Open the letter!"
"All right, but you know you can't take him to school?"
Shinichi used the dagger as a letter opener, while quietly wondering how Shiho had been able to hide the dagger under her skirt, but then pushed the thought aside and took the letter. He was bleaching. Shiho stepped behind him in alarm.
The letter said it was written by a computer:
To Shinichi Kudo and Sherry,
I didn't expect you to be alive, but that's the case, so I paid a visit to your little girlfriend, the daughter of this dickhead detective. If you want her back in one piece, I'll trade her for another: Ran against Sherry. Since 10 p. m. at the harbour. If you bring the FBI, she'll die a painful death, so think twice before you plan your next move.
Gin
For a short moment they both remain silent, then Shinichi hurls the letter away from him and curses, then he runs up and down in anger and drives himself through his hair.
Shiho lets him have a moment before she grabs his arm and straightens him:
"Calm down! If you act carelessly now, we can blow our brains out. You need to think logically now and leave the emotional part out of it if you want Ran back alive. One thing you can believe me, because if gin says her death will be agonizingly understated. "
"How am I supposed to stay calm if Gin has Ran? "Not everyone's as emotionless as you are!"
"At least I don't let my emotions guide me and I don't make a mistake. Gin wants you to panic. It's his way of breaking people. It's much smarter to break a person physically than to try physically. If you let him have his way, her death is only a matter of time. So come down and listen to my suggestion!"
Shinichi takes a deep breath and then sits down next to the ex-organization member and asks:
"So what's your genius plan?"
"Can you ride a motorcycle?"
Shinichi nods in confusion
"Well, then it's pretty clear what we're doing. Tonight we'll take my motorcycle to the harbour. We swap me for Ran, so you both survive. I'll get you out of here as soon as I can. Don't look back. You'd better go to Rye. "
"Rye?"
"Oh, yeah, I forgot. I mean Shuichi Akai. If nothing comes up, he's at the Riverday tonight. "
"Wait, I'm not quite up for it. Why would Akai be there?"
"Because he's there every other Friday of the month. Then La Floer is here. Stupid name, but she can sing fantastically. "
"I didn't know Akai liked something like that. How do you know where he'll be?"
Shiho sighed
"I introduced her to him then. Could we please get back to the topical issue now? Thank you!"
"Gin will kill you if I leave you behind! We need another plan!"
"There is no other plan. It's either me or Ran. She deserves to live!"
"But, but, but. "
Shinichi desperately looked for another way. He didn't want Shiho to die because of Ran, but he wanted to save Ran, even more, Ran to finally tell her that he loved her.
It was discouraging.
Shinichi made one last attempt
"We could call the FBI! "You say we're safe with Schuichi, why don't we ask him for help?"
"He's a good agent and shooter, but he hates gin. We'd run the risk of him shooting gin and killing Ran. Is that what you want?"
"No!"
Shiho grabbed her bag and explained:
"I'm gonna go buy some new clothes and guns. I'll pick you up tonight. "
At 9 pm Shiho picked up Shinichi on her motorbike. In the meantime she had changed her clothes - black laced boots, jeans, tank top, and long black coat and armed - two desert hails, two poisoned daggers, a pocket knife, and a shotgun.
Shinichi had also dressed in the dark and got onto her motorbike and put on her helmet.
Almost an hour later, ¾ they arrived at the harbour but could discover neither gin nor vodka.
Shiho's cell phone rang
"Hello, little sherry!"
"Where are you?"
"No hello? Didn't you miss me at all? Don't worry, we'll change that quickly!"
"Where are you!"
"That serious today? All right. On the quay stands the silage. The key's in it. We're about three miles north in international waters. Better hurry up, if I'm bored, I'll deal with your little girlfriend, you don't want that, do you?"
Sherry laid down angrily
"We have to go to sea. Gin left us a boat. "
the two of them ran to the quay and jumped into the silage. Silage was a small motorboat.
After almost half an hour of sailing, which Sherry had used to look for blasting traps, the two discovered the yacht of gin and vodka.
Sherry grabbed her shotgun with her left.
Five minutes later they had reached their destination and stopped next to the Jilvier.
They climbed to gin and vodka. Gin held his gun to Ran's head, this sobbing quietly, but stopped and looked up hopefully when she discovered Shinichi.
Gin laughed coldly
"There you are at last! I was going to give vodka the okay to have some fun with the little one, but now you're here. Too bad!"
Sherry and Shinichi were silent. They had nothing to say.
"So quiet today?"
"There's nothing to say, you know that, gin. I'm here. Release Ran!"
"Really!? You think I'm that stupid? If we give it to you, you're gone and we don't want that! We'll put your weapons in the sea!"
Sherry sighed and then threw the daggers, shotguns and pistols into the sea.
"Vodka, search her!"
ordered gin and vodka stepped on sherry who put her legs further apart and raised her arms.
After vodka had scanned her and gave his okay that she was unarmed he stepped beside gin again.
"I'm no longer a danger now let them go!"
"You're a danger without your guns! But I'll stick to the deal, I can kill them both when I can!"
Gin shoved Ran into Shinichi's arms and aimed for Sherry
"Get out of here!"
Shinichi threw a worried look at Sherry, who replied and encouraged him to smile.
Shinich helped Ran back into the silage and drove off.
After the silage was out of earshot, Gin stepped up to Sherry and hit her with the butt of his gun. Sherry heard a quiet crack, but stopped and wiped the blood from her lips.
"You know, Sherry, I was really disappointed in you when I realized you left. I still can't figure out how you escaped. Enlighten us!"
"Didn't Vermont tell you? Ask her if you want to know!"
"I'm asking you!"
Sherry kept quiet and Gin rammed his fist into her belly. Sherry staggered back one step and cramped. Gin pushed her away, pulled out his gun and shot three times. The first bullet hit her thigh, the second her abdomen, the third her left shoulder. Sherry staggered back and held on to the railing so as not to lose balance. When she grinned, her teeth were bloodstained.
"You're slipping! Now it's my turn. "
Sherry took two quick steps forward, vodka rammed the pocket knife into his heart - which he hadn't found during her search - took his gun from him and shot twice at Gin and replied the fire. Sherry used vodka as fire protection, then emptied her magazine, then pushed vodka towards Gin. He dodged and then emptied his magazine. Two bullets missed their target, the third hit her head, the fourth near her heart. Sherry went overboard.
By this time the silage had moved away and headed back to the mainland.
Shinichi freed Ran from her shackles and took her in the arm, then he put his jacket on her.
"Is everything all right?"
Ran nodded, then the two separated from each other
"Who were these two men and why did they call them Shiho, Sherry?"
"I told you about the case where I met Shiho, didn't I? She was working with these two men when Gin Shiho's sister got out. They've been chasing her ever since and want to kill her!"
while Shinichi had said this, he had dialled Jodie's number
"Who are you calling?"
"Jodie. She works for the FBI. We need your help!"
"Hello, Cool Guy! How are you?"
"Hello, Jodie! I need your help! Gin and vodka kidnapped Ran this morning, they were gonna trade her for Shiho. We made the deal, but now they've got Shiho!"
"What! Why don´t you call me earlier? Where are you?"
"We're on our way back to port right now?"
"We are on our way. Stay where you are!"
Jodie used it to hang up and Shinichi put his cell phone away.
"Ran. I have something to tell you. I know this is the wrong time, but I've wanted to tell you this for so long, but I never dared, I. . . I. . . I love you Ran!"
Ran looked at him in astonishment, then she smiled happily and kissed him. Surprised, Shinichi replied the kiss. When the two separated from each other, Ran said:
"I love you too!"
At the harbour, they were already expected by Jodie, James and Shu. They got on the boat and James ordered Shinichi to drive them to the meeting place. During this trip, there was an almost sinister atmosphere, as well as bad forebodings. When the 5 finally arrived at the place where the Jilvier had stood before, but now the fish were romping around and the sea was dark coloured.
None of the 5 made it and they stood there in silence until Shu cursed in Russian, hurled his rifle on the wooden planks, started the engine and drove back to Tokyo.
The End?