Good Day!
As I was re-reading the story, I noticed a few grammar mistakes and few errors in the names. I figured that it might confuse all you readers, so I edited the chapters again.
I know that the story is taking a slow time for updates but please be patient. I have the story planned out already but I'm having a hard time finding time to write. I promise the cases are going exciting!. Thank You ~(*o*)~
FAN FICTION
Into the Black Organization
Chapter 4
Dangerous Game
The next day, early in the morning, Hattori came to the office. He seemed prepared to go for a trip than a case. He was carrying with him a big back pack with a big hobo that seems to carry his sleeping equipment. I couldn't help but laugh. He stared blankly at me as I continue to laugh it off. "Are you finished laughing?" he interrupted me. "Oh yeah… I think I'm finished." I said smiling back at him. I couldn't believe it. It has been ages since I last laughed like this. It actually feels refreshing. Recently, seeing Ran no longer makes me all giddy and excited like some teenage boy in love with a girl. Anyway, it is going to be a long day. I think a laugh here and there would help me sane. At that time I didn't know that a smile could be so costly that I'll regret it so dearly. If I knew what I know then… I would probably just stopped caring for that person then I wouldn't feel so miserable right now.
"Anyway, Hattori…" I ushered him to sit beside the dining table upstairs. "…about that information I asked. Did you get it?" "Yeah, it was difficult since I only had a few hours to get it. I'm not sure if it is in it. I just took all the things I think will be related to it. I hope it is enough." he said as he handed me an envelope full of newspaper clippings, news from the internet and more. I looked through all of it. It wasn't enough. "Not enough?" he asked while staring at me. "Yeah… with just this it is not going to be anywhere near enough." He looked dejected as I said that but I know that this is just the beginning. He won't give up just yet. "Yosh… let's dig in some more info!" Hattori exclaimed. "Chotto… before that there is more I need to tell you." I said. "What is it?" he asked.
"Hattori, yesterday someone paid me a visit… as Shinichi Kudo." He stared silently waiting for what I will say next. "It is Vermouth."
"WHHAATT?" he shouted. "What does she want? Are you hurt anywhere?" he said while checking my body for injuries and such.
"No, I'm fine. But she gave me a proposal… and it is something I cannot refuse." I can only count the different ways I wanted to tell him but none of that matters now. I trust Hattori… with my life. "…and I plan to accept it." I said.
"What was the proposal? And why can't you refuse? ... You know that you're getting too close right? You might just get your death wish signed by the devil himself." he said seriously.
"She wanted me to solve a case for the Black Organization."
"That's just plain stupid! It has to be a trap? Can't you see? She must be luring you out in the open then shoot you point blank!" he said angrily. "Besides… they have capable people to solve and clean up cases for them. They have that Amuro guy remember!"
"Calm down you idiot!" I said. Unfortunately he is still fuming with anger. I can understand him. It is not like I have not thought about this but I have to take this offer no matter what. "I know that already. I have thought about it the same way you are telling me right now! I know that this may be a trap and that I am stupid but I told you already, I can't say no" I replied.
"What do you mean? Did she threaten to tell Ran? Or reveal your identity to the public? Did she finally tell Gin and that he is after you?"
"The answer to all of that is no. She didn't tell but someone else seemed to have gotten a hold of that information… that I am Shinichi Kudo" Hattori was shocked. "If it isn't Gin or Vodka… then it must mean…" "Yes, you are right in what you are thinking. That Person" I can only stare at the pale-faced Hattori as he heard what I said.
"This is bad! I can't allow you to step into this trap! This is just plain crazy" he shouted.
"Calm down baka!" I said nonchalantly.
"How can I calm down? I trust you with my life and you trust me with yours. How can I let you march into your own death without stopping your silliness? Are you out of your mind? Did your shrinking actually affect your brain?" he continued.
"I told you, I cannot say no!" I shouted back. I took a deep breath and… "He wants to play a game. A very dangerous game…"
"If you knew it then…" I interrupted him "Yes I know that it is dangerous. I just it is! I didn't want to participate in this game of a charade he's planning but… That person has my parents." I said.
"Ahahahaha… Your parents? Now that's impossible right? I mean your parents… your dad is a great mystery novel/ detective and your mom even outwits Vermouth…. How can that be?" he said.
"I know that is why I checked. I called them and no one answered. I called at different time intervals to re-check again and again but still no answer. I called the hotel they are staying and even the publishing company that my dad is tied up. They haven't… no, No One has since them since last week." I said.
"Now you calm down Kudo! You might be stepping into a psychological trap they have prepared for you. I mean… she talked to you yesterday, how much accurate information can you get at that point? Even I got incomplete information since you called me last night. What's the difference with this?" he said trying to calm my panicking self.
"You don't understand! I know because this came after I called you last night." I showed him my phone. I asked him to play a video and there it was my parents tied up with ropes. Vermouth was also there making sure that she isn't playing the role of my mother or someone else for that matter. In the video, Vermouth repeatedly tried to grab my parents' face as if trying to reveal that there was no mask. It truly was terrible. And finally my dad said on the video… "Son, don't mind me and Yukiko… we'll be fin…" and the video was cut off. Hattori can't believe what he just saw. He knew himself that those were not fakes… those were my real parents. He clenched his fists in anger and looked at me. "So what is the case?" he asked.
"I don't know the full details yet. I have to meet up with Vermouth this weekend, but I know this involves the serial murders happening now. And for that I want you to focus on him." I said pointing at the picture on my phone. It was the picture I took from the ones Detective Takagi dropped the previous night. It was the photo of Kogoro-occhan dead client Sawara on a country club in Osaka. But the one I'm interested in is the man a few feet behind him, accidentally captured on camera. It was vague since he must have been moving when the shot was taken but I am positive that it is the ex-Politician Fujioka Asuma. The police seems to have not noticed yet but that is definitely him. I have to have Hattori investigate before the police comes to realize about this. Hattori agreed. He will be working on the investigation here at the office and can pull out files kept by Kogoro-oochan. Well of course, I'm the one who gave him permission to do so. I, on the other hand, will go and meet Vermouth. I sincerely hope that everything will work out well.
In exactly one week, I left the office in Hattori's care to meet Vermouth. It was 12:00 noon. I was supposed to meet Vermouth at Café Colombo at 1:00 p.m. but as I enter the cafe, I saw several police undercover. Well, they are not perfectly hidden since I can spot them immediately. I tried to see who they are targeting and to my horror it is none other than Vermouth herself. She was sitting on the table near the window. If anything could get any worse… it is this. I don't know want the police to be involved but if I don't see Vermouth and get the full case my parents would be in so much more danger. Tsk… what am I going to do? I tried to get as close as I can to the undercover policemen and see if I can get a hold of what is happening. There were two just a few steps to my right. They are standing behind the pillar near the entrance of the cafe. I decided to move to the pillar behind them so that they can't see me.
"This is #2 and # 4 on the first floor. Target is at still sitting by the café, over."
"All right, just stay put, we don't want to alarm our suspect. She is very crafty. Just stay calm and don't do anything rash, over" that was definitely Inspector Megure. Chotto suspect? Vermouth is suspected of something? Since this is the first division it must mean murder. How can the elusive Vermouth be suspected of anything. This is no good. If she's get arrested, though I highly doubt it, the information that I'll need from her will be gone. I have to think fast.
"All right, there seems to be less people around her now. Slowly walk to her and prepare to disarm her if there are any weapons. Over" No, the instructions are sent. I have to make them think that she is not a suspect. Tsk, well here goes nothing! And with that I ran to Vermouth cheerfully exclaiming to the world! "Oka-san! Oka-san!" I screamed over and over and hugged her tightly. That is really humiliating. She better act her way through this. I told myself while blushing in her arms. Vermouth smiled and said "I've been waiting for you Conan my baby boy. Did you miss mommy so much?" she said as she lifted my blushing face and kissed my cheeks. Immediately the police stopped moving and were confused. I saw from the corner of my eye Inspector Megure and Sato-san talking with each other confused of what is happening. I'm sorry Inspector Megure.
"That was wise thinking Cool Guy!" Vermouth said as she sat me beside her. She smirked and felt delighted. "I thought you'd never come to my rescue." She smirked while patting my head.
"I didn't save or rescue you. I'm doing this because I need something from you." I said angrily.
"My, my, don't look at your mommy like that. They might realize that it was all acting."
"You really are enjoying this are you?" I asked.
"Of course! I don't get a chance to have Cool Guy call me oka-san every day!" she replied.
"I know you have an escape plan, why didn't you just escape and besides… you're suspected of killing someone. That is uncalled for. I thought the Black Organization never gets caught." I said mockingly.
"Why of course this is to make the game more thrilling." she countered. Just as she said that Inspector Megure and Sato-san came over and asked if they could invite Vermouth and me to the station, of course under the pretense of asking information since I am there, plus since I called her oka-san, things got complicated for them. Vermouth acted innocently of course, but she agreed to come but we will come in her car. So from the cafe we followed a convoy of at least two police cars to the station.
In the car, Vermouth planned out our family story. I was actually impressed. No wonder she was a great actress. We tried to get the story as plain as possible so that there will be no complications. Shortly after planning our family story she told me to open the compartment in front of me. The mood got serious and I know she'll be talking about the case the B.O. wants me to solve.
"Pick up that folder over there." she said. I was actually dumbfounded as I took a folder with Kamen Yaiba photo on it. "Isn't is great? It's practically screaming child and I want Kamen Yaiba. Hahaha" she continued. I stared at her angrily.
"What is this Vermouth? Are playing games with me?" I said.
"Yes, after all we are playing a game with That Person. But of course, it's not the folder cover. Open it and you'll see what you need to see. Keep it with you at all times or else, things will not go smoothly for you." she said sarcastically. As I opened the folder I was shocked to see a police report.
"Did you steal this?" I asked.
"Well, to begin with the organization has been taking police reports that may very well point to us. You can say that this is just one of the many. Besides, this is a cold case that the police or even your father Yusaku Kudo cannot solve." she said.
"What? Even my father?" I said in disbelief. I can't believe that my father cannot solve a case. He has been able to solve all the cases he has handled. Cold sweat came dripping down from my head. I guess I am in more trouble than I thought.
"Don't look so devastated Cool Guy. This game wouldn't be fun if you give up immediately. Besides you know that there is more at stake to this than you parents life ne?" she said amusingly.
"Give up? Huh? You think I will give up? You've got to be kidding me?" I said mockingly. "So what exactly in this cold case you would like me to look into? You don't plan me to solve the entire case do you? This is a case from 10 years ago. And the locations of these cases are far scattered in Japan for me to move around on my own." I said.
"You don't have to worry. The organization only wants you to locate this." She showed a photo of a black gem like usb and a small black case. She showed another photo of the black case and its contents. I was shocked of what I saw.
"These are…" I said.
"You're right these are APTX 4869 samples. That person agrees to give you one of these if you locate the items we need and of course we will release your parents as well. Isn't that quite generous of him?" she said.
"What are the contents of the USB that the organization wants it returned? NOC?" I asked.
"Need not to know. Knowing more can kill you Cool Guy. Just do what you are told and you may live to hunt us for another day. Remember, you parents' lives are not the only ones at stake here. It includes your very own life." she said as she continuously drove to the station. "I hope you have not forgotten what will happen to you when you fail this mission… you will become That Person's very own pet. And I assure you, you wouldn't want that. Once you've been inside the organization there will be no way out!" she continued. I understand very well what she meant. I haven't told Hattori about this yet, but just like what Vermouth said knowing too much may be fatal. Hattori not knowing this consequence will lessen his involvement in the case. If anything goes wrong… he will not follow me or look for me and that will be the best. I do not know if I can make out of this alive but for the sake of my parents and the people around me… I have to try. For the first time in my life, I am not confident if I can deduce this case correctly but I am a detective… I have to try.
Vermouth smiled as she saw the determined look in my eyes. She is enjoying every moment to this. "Keep that folder hidden inside your bag. You wouldn't want to have the police take it back. There is no other copy of that except for the one with Yusaku Kudo. Unfortunately that too is in the hands of the organization." She said as we near the station. She parked the car near the exit of the station. "Its show time Cool Guy!" she said after applying a tiny bit of lipstick on her lips. We stepped out of the car and we're escorted by the police inside. Before entering the interrogation room, they asked Detective Sato to take me to the other room while they interview Vermouth. When I heard this, I cling to Vermouth's legs as a child would to his mother.
"Conan-kun, it's only going to take a short time. We only want to ask questions to your mother." Sato-san said as she pats my head. I shook my head and clung harder.
"Conan-kun, you don't have to worry. Mommy is only going to be inside for a short while. Then we will go Tropical Land like I promised." Vermouth kissed me on my forehead and followed Inspector Megure into the interrogation room. Meanwhile, I was taken to another room to be interrogated by Sato-san and Takagi.
