Chapter 2
"Say, Haibara, does the name Martini mean anything to you?" The shrunken detective Kudo Shinichi now known as Edogawa Conan asked the aforementioned girl quietly as they walked to school. He had been thinking about the strange woman since he met her the day before. He was certain she was responsible for the man's death but unfortunately, his death had been ruled a suicide.
"Where did you hear that?!" Haibara Ai former member of the black organization, Sherry or Miyano Shiho, whispered harshly back at him. Conan's eyes flashed at her in understanding. "I thought so." He murmured. "Oi! Answer me, Kudo-kun!" Haibara demanded. Conan winced at her tone before recounting the story.
"That was very idiotic." The scientist stated afterwards. "I know." Conan groaned in response. "Now can you tell me who she is?" Haibara gave him a withering look. "Martini was recruited by the organization approximately ten years ago she was trained by various members but mostly by Vermouth and Gin which is how she got her codename, a private joke of Vermouth's, incidentally she became a ranked member five years ago and she was rising through the ranks at a scary pace. I do not know how high she is now but I'd guess she'd be on par with Vermouth."
Conan paled 'That high?' He thought in slight horror. "Do you know her real name?" He asked. Haibara shook her head. "No, I only know she wasn't born into the organization unlike many other members." "Ne, what are you talking about?" Ayumi asked, interrupting his thoughts. "Nothing. Let's hurry and get to school before we're late." Haibara answered. Conan forced all thoughts of the black organization out his head so he could put his childish façade back up effectively. "Yeah let's go!" He yelled before running ahead. Unaware of the turmoil to come.
Martini's face was blank as she read the email she just received from the boss detailing her next mission. "Chardonnay is getting insubordinate. Clean it up." She read aloud quietly. Martini had completed many different types of missions so cleaning up was nothing new to her but 'cleaning up' a member that was higher ranking than her meant she would get the spot that was about to be vacated.
After so long Martini was going to be on equal standing with Gin and Vermouth. She could barely keep the grin off her face. Chardonnay, the man she had to 'clean up', was a well known, high ranking operative also famous in the organization as one of the boss' advisors. He had quite a lot of political power as well. He was currently running for governor but too bad he wouldn't live to see the elections.
Martini knew not to question the person behind the order and she didn't dare ask what Chardonnay had done to incur the death warrant from the boss. "Roger." Was all she sent in response. The female clad in black fluidly and quickly closed down her computer and grabbed her pistol on the way out the small apartment.
Martini let the grin stretch across her face as she slid in behind the wheel of her silver Chevrolet corvette. Her black hair whipped around her face as she peeled out of the parking lot. An almost feral glint was in her eyes as she thought of how much freedom she'll get with the new position more than likely she'll get an audience with the boss and she'll be given the private information on all the lower-ranking members.
Martini hummed in thought, when she gets Chardonnay's rank the only ones higher than her would be Rum, the boss' right hand man, and the boss. There aren't that many agents on Vermouth and Gin's level either so she'll have info on approximately ninety-eight percent of the syndicate. With her plan, that amount is more than enough.
Martini's thoughts turned to the type of mission she was going to do. A clean up is typically the code for missions where one has to kill someone, be it member, contact, or someone totally unrelated to the organization, and then rid the victim's life of proof of the organization. The one who receives the mission is given the spot that was previously held by the victim and is allowed to keep anything of the victim's that they want and choose the method of death and the cover up, as long as it won't lead back to the organization. The reason for most of the 'clean up' missions are betraying the organization or simply knowing too much, but the boss is a very cautious person so many times there isn't a real reason for the execution.
Martini pulled to a stop in front a large department store only a few blocks away from the address the boss had sent. Martini strolled into the public bathroom and a college student with plain brown hair pulled into a ponytail and tired looking green eyes walked out hoisting a backpack over her shoulder.
Martini hummed quietly as she left the store and turned in the direction of Chardonnay's house. No one would suspect that she was about to commit murder, much less being a member of a powerful criminal organization that spanned across the country. To the rest of the world she appeared to be a struggling young adult, living off coffee and instant ramen, but, that was just an act. Martini didn't necessarily hate being able to slip into a different role a different life, so easily it did come in handy, but she despised not being able to tell what was her real self and what was the façade she wore.
Once Martini arrived at her destination. She picked the lock and slipped in the modest house easily. Chardonnay was at work but would be back in several hours, Martini reminded herself as she searched through each room taking the expensive things and putting them in her bag. Her plan was to make this look like a random burglary that got interrupted and the burglar shoots Chardonnay in surprise. It was a plan that would make his death seem normal and the police wouldn't be searching among Chardonnay's contacts and enemies.
She eventually made her way to the study after finding nothing incriminating in the other rooms. She had long since taken off the disguise but she pulled her hair into a loose ponytail as she sat calmly in the fancy leather chair behind the large oak desk. "Really, you made such an amateur mistake, Chardonnay." Martini said snidely, a sneer on her face as she booted up the sleek computer.
Once the computer to the login screen Martini hummed quietly and removed the top drawer on a hunch. Blindly feeling underneath the desk in the cavity created she grinned in triumph as she pulled a yellow sticky note off the wooden underside. "Chård0nn3y" She snorted with a mixture of amusement and disbelief. His password is so simple?" She didn't believe that someone as close to the boss as Chardonnay would be so stupid and her theory was confirmed when she typed the code in and it failed.
"Now then, where would I hide my password if I were Chardonnay?" Martini said in a mocking voice as she stood and walked to the bookcase. Running her fingers along the spines of the books, she hummed quietly until she found what she was looking for. "Found you." She giggled as she pulled out a book, a silver gleam revealed hidden behind it.
Martini then pulled out all the other books around the first one and dropped them on the floor. She tapped her lip in thought as she stared at the small metal door, it was obviously a safe, but it had a more unconventional locking system. There was a small keyboard and a screen instead of the usual combination lock. In a bout of inspiration she typed in the code she found earlier in the desk.
Martini stood in silence as the mini-computer processed the password. Suddenly there was a light flashing and her grin turned dangerous as the words registered in her brain: "Correct Password". "You, sir, are a fool among fools." She huffed a laugh referring to the owner of the safe. Martini's leather gloved hands glided over the safe, pulling it open in an instant. "Jackpot." She whispered, her eyes gleaming, as she removed the stack of files and the roll of money.
"Ooh, were you planning on fleeing?" She asked the man that had just come to the door of the study. Chardonnay didn't answer and Martini turned around to face him, her pistol trained on his head. In a quick burst of speed she moved the gun and shot his leg, then his gut, then she aimed for his forehead. "See you on the other side." She gave him a feral grin.
Martini quickly dumped Chardonnay's files, the money and his computer in her bag before she broke the window and jumped out. She removed her bloodied clothes and put earlier disguise back on before sneaking out the back hedge and joining the throngs of people.
As she walked back to her car Martini's mailed the boss: "Completed". Was all she had to send. The boss would want a full detailed report later but it was imperative to report the success or failure of a mission as soon as it is completed or compromised. Martini put her phone away and a light frown came over her face. She hated the fact that she didn't regret killing a member of the organization. She hated that she felt a sense of justice when she saw the dead bodies belonging to an operative. A sick sense of justice. And for a moment she wondered if the organization really had succeeded in brainwashing her all those years ago. The only thing that kept Martini sane was the plan. Yes, the plan she'd been thinking of ever since she first saw those sickening black clad monsters.
Martini sat in her desk reviewing the files she had obtained from Chardonnay's safe. It looked as if he had been gathering evidence against the organization and was planning to use it to get out or turn himself in and bring the organization down with him. Martini felt a slight twinge of empathy, Chardonnay had a good plan and enough proof to put all the members away for life but his poor acting got him killed.
Martini opened yet another file and found what she had been searching for, the personal information on all the lesser-ranking operatives. It was all there. The codenames, for those who had, the real names, first and last, age, a photo, address and phone number. It even listed any surviving family members. A feral grin broke across her face as she took a red marker and coloured over Chardonnay's name, before moving her hand to the photo and slashed an 'X' across his face.
Martini nearly jumped out her skin when her computer dinged, signalling a new email. She hurriedly opened it once seeing it was from That person. "Your plan was risky. Check the damage and clean it up." It was short and to the point as always, but it got the message across just fine. The boss was being the overly cautious person he was notorious for being. Martini sighed at the thought that she would have to return to the crime scene, in disguise of course. In addition, unlike last time she would have to interact with the officers. She would have to pretend to be someone close to Chardonnay and if necessary, would have to draw suspicion on herself, more like the person that would have the benefit of becoming her disguise. Alternatively, she could just disguise as an officer but on second thought that wouldn't be fun.
A devious smirk fixed on her face as the inklings of a plan started forming. Martini hummed quietly. "That could work." She mumbled. "But then again…" She trailed off, toying with various ideas. She pursed her lips in thought, her leg bouncing up and down almost automatically. She couldn't pose as any of Chardonnay's relatives, she'd be found out almost immediately even with her acting skills, she couldn't be a co-worker since everything they do is kept on record and someone would notice her role being where they shouldn't be. So that left someone who knew Chardonnay but not his friends or co-workers. Now what kind of person would have that role? A lover, maybe? No Chardonnay was known as being unapproachable so that wouldn't work. Maybe a maid, or a gardener? Except his garden was a mess, all overgrown and full of weeds so that would cause questions that she wouldn't be able to answer. So a maid it was.
Now then, it would be easier if she just applied slight makeup to change the shape of her face instead of changing her age drastically. Martini went through the process of creating a disguise, what the face should look like, the hair, eyes, skin tone, nationality and personality. She was rather adept at changing her voice, but nothing drastic. After going through some voice exercises she finally found the soft husky tone and slight accent she thought suited her new look. 'Nimei Amaya', a young woman maybe in her mid-twenties with dull blonde hair and brown eyes, looked back from the mirror instead of the black haired, blue eyed reflection Martini was used to.
After removing the disguise and methodically packing it away Martini eyed the list of organization members. "So," She grinned. "Which of you will be the opening act?"