Disclaimer: Characters from DC belong to their respective owners. I only own Ron, Masako, and Bourbon. Maybe a few more officers too. ^^
Note: Conversations in .... mean that it is in English, as the characters normally speak Japanese.
Chapter 8: Interrogation
Morning was question time. It was morning.
Conan woke up stiffly from the sofa. I never knew sleeping on the sofa gave you such big aches in the back. He groaned as he stretched. Next time, I'll stick to the bed. He walked around the room a few times to get the blood moving. He glanced at the broken window. Masako had done a good job of cleaning it up. There wasn't even a speck of glass on the floor. He saw that she must have put a piece of cardboard in front of the broken window since there was a brown thing where the glass used to be. He looked around and saw that Ran had snuggled up next to him and that Sonoko had fallen asleep on the floor by the coffee table. Masako wasn't in the room, probably went back to her room. Smart girl...... There was a person missing, though. Jodie Saintemillion. Now where did that lady go? Ahh, forget her. She's always disappearing anyways. He checked his watch. 7:00. Not bad, but considering that I went to sleep at like 6 last night, it wouldn't make a difference. He sighed. But, jeez, I'm real hungry. Very weird how missing one meal makes your stomach go crazy. He wandered to the kitchen and looked for something to eat. He finally settled on toast and was waiting for it to pop out of the toaster when he heard the kitchen door open. He was sitting on the stool by the sink, where the toaster was plugged in, so his back was to the door. Having his sense still on alert, Conan whipped around to look at the person in the doorway. It was Jodie.
Jodie looked surprised as she raised both hands. "Oh, dear. I didn't mean to scare you, Cool Guy. I was just checking to make sure you were alright."
"Why would you do that?"
"Hey, well, it's my job. Besides, you're very important to our investigation of the Black Organization. We wouldn't want to lose such a precious source of information." Jodie leaned on the counter beside him.
"So I'm only a source of information?" Conan glared at the smile on Jodie's face.
"Oh, no. Well, maybe to us you are, but I know that to Mouri-san, you're much more, right, Cool Guy?" She smirked. Then her expression became serious. "I am known to kid around a lot, but this time, I assure, I'm serious. Until Bourbon is firmly secured behind bars, you're not safe."
"Did Shuichi already take him away yesterday?"
"Yes, but there's still the trial which may not be for another two weeks, and..."
"Wait, shouldn't you be watching over Ran and them? I mean, I can take of myself," Conan saw the disapproving look Jodie's face, "at least better than they can," he finished.
"Well, you are known to do stupid things in situations, so I don't know about that, but when you were asleep, I called in another officer. He's watching them now." Jodie flipped back her long blonde hair. It was hard to believe that ten years ago, she had such short hair.
Conan blinked as the toaster went 'diinnnggg' and his toast popped out. He grabbed a plate from the cabinet above him, and put the toast on it. "Let's go back there, okay?"
Jodie nodded. "By the way, the questioning is today afternoon."
"I know."
"And your gang is arriving in about an hour or so."
"I know."
"Fine."
There was a pause. "You do know that Bourbon was Ron?"
Jodie nodded. "We were wondering why we had reports that he had died during the winter in a car crash, and yet he was still alive. The FBI suspected that since Bourbon had escaped from Japan, he was likely to go to America, as he is an American. The headquarters thought he was disguising as Ron so Shuichi and I were sent here to watch you guys. At first we thought he would strike right away, if he was Bourbon, but for some reason, he decided to wait ten years. We got the right man, but I don't understand why he waited. You'll have your chance to ask him today at the interrogation."
"Maybe he wanted to kill me when I was more 'Shinichi' like. I mean, ten years after Conan would mean that I'm Shinichi again, except back to where I started ten years ago." He sighed. "Does that make any sense?"
"Perfect."
"Okay."
"On more thing, how exactly did you guys catch Bourbon? He's not that stupid."
"I don't know. Masako sort of scared him a bit when she said she had called the police, but then he knocked her out. Then.. Shuichi showed up and he shot Bourbon's leg or something. I'm not sure, it happened too fast." Conan shrugged. "Why?"
"Nah, just that it's sort of odd that he was caught so easily. But then you said about Shuichi shooting his leg, and I got it."
"What's up with his leg?"
"That's his weakness. He's got a bad left leg. That's why he can never to do the killing himself, just the planning of the organization, because he can't fight. His leg has this disorder or something. I didn't read the whole file; you can check it out later."
"Then how come he was able to knock out Takashiki?" Conan asked as he took a bite out of his toast.
Jodie shrugged. "Lucky hit?"
Conan looked at the American FBI agent with half-moon eyes and snorted.
"Well, he does have strong arms, just not legs."
"Whatever, let's go back now."
"Okay, about time to talk to your girlfriend, ne, Cool Guy?"
Conan glared, but nodded.
They went back to the living room in silence.
~7:10am, at the airport~
"Come on, everyone, hurry up. We have to get to the interrogation in time." Heiji was pushing everyone to hurry and get in line for customs. Why do people make us go through this process when Dad could just whip out an inspector's badge? Heiji shook his head. I don't think that would work either, but still, why such a long process?
Finally, after about an hour, everyone was through customs and had their luggage. Hattori Heizo stood behind Heiji with a map. He was studying the map, trying to get an idea of the city. Toyama Kazuha, now his wife, was off to his right, trying to get the pulling strap of her of her rolling suitcase to work properly. To his left, Kudo Yukiko and Yusaku were admiring the sight outside of the glass windows. Next to them were the Detective Boys, Ayumi, Genta, Mitsuhiko and Ai. They were all grown up and mature. Well, except Ai. She was just standing there, will a look of dissatisfaction on her face. They each had a small suitcase and nothing else. Hagase was behind them, probably telling them a 'cold' joke again. He didn't look like he had aged at all, still looking like the 52-year old professor he had been ten years ago. There were a few officers, not uniformed, too. The only ones he recognized were Officer Megure, Satou, Takagi, and Shiratori from the Beika Department and only Otaki from Osaka. Kazuha's father didn't come along because he had another case to look into.
It took another half an hour to get everyone in the squad cars that Megure and Heizo had called from the police department in California. Megure, Satou, Takagi and Shiratori took a car. Ayumi, Genta, Mitsuhiko, Ai and Hagase got in the next one. Heiji, Kazuha, Heizo and Otaki got in the next. Yukiko and Yusaku rented a motorcycle and followed behind them all.
When the entire group finally arrived at Masako's house, it was already 8 o' clock. Masako got Ran, Sonoko, and Conan in her car and left for the police station. The group from Japan, dropped off most of their bags in the living room, piled back into the cars and followed behind the brown-haired girl's car. Jodie and the other officer she had summoned followed in their own car.
~8:30am, at the police station~
"We were just going to begin the interrogation. He'll be in the room, and you guys," the officer pointed to the entire group in the waiting room, "will stay here, so make yourselves comfortable. We'll have a speaker on so you'll hear everything. See this glass?" He pointed to the glass separating the waiting room from the conference room, "you'll watch through here, and he can see you too. Also, if you want to say anything, just say it because the speakers are two way. Okay, everyone?"
Everyone nodded. The officer left after nodding to Heizo and went down the hallway and turned a corner.
There were three rows of sofas against the wall and a rectangular table in the middle. One of the sofas faced the glass wall, the other two were lined up perpendicular to it. Hagase, Ai and the Detective Boys took the left sofa. Yukiko, Yusaku, and the police from the Tokyo department took the right sofa. Conan, Ran, Masako, Heizo, Heiji, Otaki, and Sonoko took the one facing the glass wall.
At last, the officer came back with Bourbon, handcuffed and three officers behind him. They led him into the conference room and did some formal introduction before sitting down and turning on the speakers.
"What is your full name?"
"Bourbon."
The interrogator sighed. "I mean your real name."
Bourbon smirked. "I'll tell you that later."
"Fine, next question is how old are you now?"
"Thirty-two."
"Okay, are you married or single?"
"You'll find out."
The interrogator sighed again. "Okay, fine, next question is......."
The interrogator rattled off many boring questions about the organization, how they operate, how they target, how they....kill? The interrogator, finally got to the question that Conan wanted answered.
"How did you become part of the organization?"
Bourbon was smiling the entire before, and once the question was asked, his smile faded to a cold frown. He was silent for a while. Everyone thought that he had refused to answer that question because the answer could be used against him. Finally, after about 2 minutes of silence, he spoke softly, but hatefully.
"I did not want to become part of the organization, I was forced to join. Gin, I understand you all to know who he is, had done some illegal business with my father's company. My father died mysteriously and I was still pretty young, but I was curious. I wanted to find out why he died, how he died, and who killed him. I started investigating and soon found out stuff about this organization that I wasn't supposed to know about. Then one day, I was walking home from work, the blonde man drove up to me, pointed a gun at me, and told me to get in the car. I thought about running, but decided against it, because there was no one around to see this, and I couldn't get far enough even if I tried. So I got in the car. I didn't know what to expect. Just as sat down, something hit me on the head and I blacked out. Next thing I knew, I was tied up, in a wine cellar. He had shot my leg, which you all know, is my weakness. I couldn't do anything.
"Gin told me that I had two choices. One, join them and live. Second, don't join and die. He said that they had been watching me for some time and they think my skills are pretty high. I used to write mystery novels, but I never got them published. I just wanted to right, so I knew many ways to kill people. Still, I didn't know what to choose and they gave me 24 hours. I was deciding that I would rather die than do something that killed my father and would probably kill hundreds of innocent people, but....."
"But what?" Conan asked.
Bourbon looked at the boy. "But he threatened to kill my girlfriend, Kudo."
Conan's eyes grew big. He looked away.
"Yes, he threatened to kill my girlfriend if I didn't join, but either way, she'd still be in danger. I finally gave up and agreed, but they had to keep my girlfriend out of this."
"But they didn't," Conan said, as he looked up again, eyes dark with anger.
"Correct, they didn't. A month after I joined, and my leg wound healed, I started doing the double life thing. I'd live like a normal man dating this cute and sweet girlfriend and then I'd also be the head of a small portion of the organization. I would tell the agents who to kill, how to kill them, where to kill and all that dirty stuff. When I'd had gotten used to this stuff and not leaking anything, my girlfriend was killed. I know that I'm not the reason she was killed, but they said they would leave her out this!!!!"
"Was your girlfriend Miyano Akemi?" Conan asked quietly.
Everyone's eyes grew big, including Bourbon's.
"You know her?" Bourbon had a sad glint in his eyes.
"I saw her die."
Bourbon gasped. "You WHAT???????? Why didn't you save her? She could have been alive now; she-"
"He couldn't, Bourbon."
"What?" Bourbon looked at the red-haired girl who spoke. He gasped again. "Sherry!"
"Haibara, not Sherry."
"Sherry, what do you mean?"
"Haibara, and what I mean is that Kudo could not save my sister. She was dying by the time he got there."
"But he could have called the-"
"The police, the ambulance? He was lucky to even here her say her last words. Gin makes sure no trace is left behind. My sister's death wouldn't be a different case." Haibara's tone was suddenly very cold.
"What did...did she say?"
"'I don't want to be used anymore.'" Conan and Haibara said in unison.
Conan looked over at Haibara, who just looked at the wall across from her.
Bourbon sighed. "I knew they were using her for something, but I didn't know what. I just really wish that I had made the right decision that time...."
"Then why did you still come and try to kill me?" Conan asked, his blue eyes piercing and sad. "And get the apotoxin?"
"I....don't know.....I just, the gun just....I guess it's the cold blood that still flows in my veins. The apotoxin, well I came to get that so it could be destroyed, but seems like I didn't need to go through the trouble." Bourbon looked over at Conan through the glass. "You're smart, Kudo. Don't do the wrong thing like I did."
Conan just locked gazes with the man. He is a killer, what right does he have to talk to me like this?
As if to answer Conan's thoughts, Bourbon said, "I guess I have no right to say anything to you, Kudo, after all, I was part of the organization that destroyed your life. You can not listen to me, but I'm warning you, Kudo, life is not as easy as you think it is...."
Conan and Bourbon looked at each other for a while, before the interrogator started asking questions again. Just before Bourbon could answer, Conan said, "Who are you really?"
Bourbon paused. "My name is Gary Whiteman. I disguised as Ron Blackville because I knew that no one besides the FBI could detect that I was fake."
The interrogator cleared his throat as he read off the next questions. Bourbon, Gary, answered without hesitation.
Conan kept his gaze on the man. He said exactly what Hiroki-kun* said to me before I left the game, about life not being as easy as you think it is. I can't help but feel sorry for him, even if he helped to destroy my life....but I didn't deserve this....still, he had a life, he had family, he had a girlfriend....Conan looked away. He looked over at Ai, who was still staring at the wall, expressionless. At least the organization has been destroyed. They won't be able to hurt innocent people anymore...
Conan sighed as he leaned back, causing Heiji, sitting next to him, to glance over at him. He closed his eyes and listened to the rest of the questioning.
Two hours later, Bourbon was led back to his cell, while the group exited the police department. The officers stayed to talk to the interrogator and the other officers and everyone else filed out of the small waiting room. Conan exited first, followed by Heiji, Kazuha, Ran and Masako. Sonoko yawned and followed behind the others. Yukiko and Yusaku stayed in to listen to the police and FBI's discussion. Hagase and the Detective Boys walked over to a nearby book store and browsed around through the books.
Heiji leaned on Masako's blue sports car, Kazuha stood next to him. Ran stood next to Conan in front of the car. Sonoko lazily got into the car and waited. Masako stood by the driver's side and glanced at Conan.
Finally, it was Heiji who spoke first. "Kudo, what are you going to do now?"
Conan looked over at the tan-skinned detective. "I honestly don't know. What do you think?"
Before Heiji or anyone could answer to that, Masako cut in. "How about I drive you guys back to my house first? Everyone else will be over later and it may be easier if anyone needs to talk in private."
Conan nodded his approve and then led Ran to the backseat. He opened the door for her as she got in. He got in next to her and kept the door open for Heiji. Kazuha got in the front passenger seat as Heiji slipped in next to Conan and closed the door. Masako watched for a while before opening her door, getting in and starting the engine.
They were home in thirty minutes. Hagase and the Detective Boys arrived a few minutes after them. Ai was the first one in after Masako opened the door and walked straight over to Conan. Conan looked up from the sofa when she stopped in front of him.
"You want to talk?" he asked.
Ai barely moved her head, but he could tell that she needed to talk.
"Okay, hang on...Ran? Can I...I need to, okay, thanks." He got a approving nod from Ran and slipped off the sofa and pointed to his room.
Ai shifted her gaze from his face to the door to the room and then started down the hall for it. When she got to his room, Conan, being right behind her, opened it, waited for her to pass through and then closed it behind him. He sat down on the bed as Ai remained standing near the door.
"What's up?"
Ai hesitated. "Kudo, I think I may have the permanent antidote for APTX4869."
~to be continued~
Okay, so that was real lame and I really don't know how an interrogation goes, and I was too lazy to go find out, so don't kill me. Tell me what you think and if you know anything, email or review so I can fix it to make it better. Thanks for reading so far, and keep reviewing!! Next chapter will be more about Ran and Shinichi. I'll try to update as soon as possible, but you got to review! Thanks and I'll see you in the next chapter!
*Hiroki is from the sixth movie, The Phantom of Baker Street. That's the coolest movie!!! If you haven't seen it yet, you should, I really like it. ^_-
