File 14: Target
Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.
-Foundation, Isaac Asimov
A dark, non-descript car sat in the shadow of a large building, protected from the early afternoon sunshine. Seated inside the car with the front windows rolled down, Vodka watched the entrance of a hospital. Shifting, he drew out a pack of cigarettes and lit one. Vodka took a long drag, shifting restlessly in the non air-conditioned car from the unseasonably warm air.
Earning odd stares for his long black trench coat in the warm weather, Vodka's 'brother', Gin walked toward the vehicle. He was carrying a couple of bottles of cold water. Gin climbed in the passenger side door and fished out his own pack of cigarettes. Absentmindedly, he lit the cigarette and looked off in the direction Vodka was looking.
Vodka turned to Gin and smirked knowingly, "Aniki…he arrived with the girl and then left after she did. Do you think he's talking to that guy after she leaves?"
Coolly, Gin answered, "The agent in the building says that is what they do. Makes things a little easier for us if no one expects him at a certain time after the visit."
Vodka nodded in return. He started up the car and moved into traffic, since they had completed surveillance for the day.
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It was a bright and sunny afternoon, only a few days after the exchange between Gin and Vodka. Shinichi stepped off the bus in the Tokyo Central Hospital District and was reduced to squinting from the reflective glare of the buildings. He moved with down the sidewalk quickly. He could hear Ran behind him, berating him for not waiting for her.
I do want to, but it's not a good idea to spend too much time outside, he thought. I just can't believe I promised Mouri-san that I'd escort Ran here everyday she wants to go. Then he wants me to stay after to talk about case on Conan and himself! Escorting her should be done both ways. I wonder if I can make him understand that. …He does seem more…what's a good word for it? …Intelligent? Thoughtful? Logical? Yeah, logical sounds about right. He's not jumping to conclusions so easily. Thank goodness for that mercy.
Ran and Shinichi walked into the hospital together, as they did a couple times a week for the past two weeks. The desk nurse, who knew them very well by now, waved them through and put their names down in the registrar. They headed up to the floor Kogoro was on, knowing where it was very well by now.
They were greeted upon entry to the room with a, "Hi, Ran," and a "Boy." Shinichi glared a little bit at Kogoro as Kogoro returned the favor.
"Daaaaad…Shinichiiiiiiii…can you two act anymore childish. You do this every time we come to visit," Ran groaned with exasperation.
Shinichi put a hand on her shoulder, "Its okay, Ran. That's just how we like to greet each other. We don't mean anything by it." Shinichi threw a meaningful look at Kogoro to which Kogoro agreed, "He's right about that."
Ran pulled a chair up to the hospital bed and sat down. Then she proceeded to tell her father about the mundane things that had happened since her last visit. Shinichi walked over to the window where he stared out at nothing, waiting for Ran and her father to finish talking.
Shinichi snapped out of his unfocused staring when he heard Ran say, "Bye, dad." Ran came up to Shinichi and gave him a quick hug. Kogoro gave Shinichi a suspicious look but did not say anything as Ran left the room.
Ran knew that her father wanted updates on the case about Conan and how she was doing. She only knew the second piece of information because she had cornered Shinichi and 'persuaded' him to tell via her fist to a brick wall.
Shinichi sat in the chair that Ran had formerly occupied, waiting for the day's 'after Ran leaves' talk. Instead, this time, Kogoro waved him off.
"Kudo, I do want to talk to you but if things haven't changed from our last discussion, you can go. "Besides," he said, indicating the pretty young nurse, "I think its time for another complete checkup."
Heh, Shinichi thought, I'm sure you need one. He shook his head, "No, change. But if there is I'll let you know." I might be able to go back on the same bus with Ran if I hurry! Shinichi mentally cheered.
Kogoro shifted a little bit uncomfortably as the nurse came over to help him into the wheelchair. "I wasn't thinking earlier but it'd probably be a better idea if you escorted Ran to and from the hospital, not just to." Shinichi stood frozen on the threshold, almost unable to believe that he was hearing Kogoro echo what he had been thinking earlier that day.
Noticing that the teenager had stopped, Kogoro snapped, "What are you waiting for, boy? Go!"
Shinichi scooted out of the door very quickly, compelled by Kogoro's words. He could hear the nurse talking to Kogoro in a voice that was clear at first and then faded away, "Today we are going to do a full check- up and if all is progressing as it should we'll start you on a regime of physical therapy. The therapy is designed to stop your muscles from atrophying. But it is also designed not to pu...ny…"
Shinichi signed out on the guest registrar and hurried down the steps. He was in time to see the bus back to Beika take in its passengers, including Ran, and leave. Silently cursing his luck, he decided to walk around the area until the next bus, which, fortunately for him, would come in about half an hour. Crossing the street, he casually strolled along thinking about nothing in particular. He was simply enjoying the nice weather, not even really paying attention to his surrounding…which was almost unlike the high school detective.
Shinichi sighed and thought, It is nice to get out of the house. Keeping a low profile sucks. I probably shouldn't come here as much as I have but I promised Ran's dad I would come with her.
For a few blocks, Shinichi walked along in his contemplative haze. Finally, he refocused on his surroundings and noticed that he had moved into an area that was in the midst of redevelopment. He looked at the reflective glass of a complete but not opened office building, only to end up nearly doing a double take. Shinichi forcefully stopped himself from whipping around for a good look. Instead, he tried to casually look at the reflection in the window.
It cast the cold, predatory grin of a person he wished he had never met. The reflection of Gin looked straight into the eyes of his own reflection. Shinichi started a little and tried to slowly walk yet quickly away. He whipped around a corner onto an empty street. Breaking into a run, he quickly shot past two alleys before turning into the third. Slowing down to a jog, he moved behind a dumpster. Noting a conveniently sized indention hidden in the shadows of the building, he placed himself into it.
He squeezed himself into the space trying to make himself as small as possible, as if trying to become one with the wall. His breaths came in quick and shallow gulps. He swallowed and forced himself to take slow deep breaths.
Wouldn't do to pass out, he thought. I swear…my heartbeat must be echoing up and down the alley.
Despite his slow deep breaths, Shinichi could hardly hear anything beyond his pounding heart.
Shinichi froze, holding his breath, when he heard two sets of heavy footsteps echo for a moment up and down the alley, only daring to breathe again when the footsteps had past. Shinichi continued to stand in the niche for over ten minutes, not moving because of the fear he felt. After another ten minutes of silence, only punctuated by the occasional car driving by, did he shifted from his spot and made his way cautiously down the alley.
Shinichi looked in the direction he had heard the footsteps go and saw no one. Looking in the other direction, he noticed the reason why he had only heard a few vehicles pass. There was a construction barricade set up, allowing only construction vehicles to use the road.
Even through his adrenaline-filled body, he realized that he must have missed the barricade in his panic to get away from Gin and Vodka. Shinichi whipped around as he heard some low voices carry softly down the empty road. Just thirty feet away, Gin and Vodka rounded the corner, coming back the way they originally came.
For a long moment, they stared at each other. Gin broke the stalemate by smirking and pulling out his gun. Shinichi gasped, drawing back into the alley just as the gun was fired. Pieces of brick pelted him as the bullet hit the wall.
Shinichi was running down the alley as fast as he could. Gin and Vodka ran hard to catch up, both firing at Shinichi as they came to the entrance of the alley. Thought the shots went astray, Shinichi instinctively ducked which caused him to slow his pace. Unfortunately, this allowed Gin and Vodka to close the gap.
Shinichi took a moment to look back and nearly tripped when he realized that they were not as far away as they thought. I'd better lead them away from other people, Shinichi thought, his mental voice sounding a little tired.
He continued to run as he headed deeper into the construction and redevelopment. The only people in the area were construction personnel and non of them working near by.
Shinichi ducked and yelped at the same time as a bullet ricocheted off the corrugated steel wall a few feet from his head. Turning at a corner, he ran in a full out sprint, breathing heavily from the physical exertion. He slipped behind a concrete wall, he paused to catch his breath.
Trying to silence his heavy breathing, he thought, I think…I think I've got them far enough from other people, so they don't hurt any innocent bystanders.
Suddenly, his breath hitched in his chest and he was unable to refrain from a couple of wheezing coughs. Panicking, he thought, What if that's what they wanted? What if they wanted to get me away from people so their wouldn't be any witnesses? DAMNIT! It I'd stayed where there were people they would have to back off! They can kill me with no problem now!
Shinichi stood frozen, not knowing what to do. He unable to hear anyone approach over his labored breathing. All Shinichi could do was to try to pull his thoughts together and use what he knew to survive.
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On the fringes of the construction, one of the construction workers lifted up his head in puzzlement. He turned to his partner and signaled for him to stop working for a minute. He asked his partner, "Did'ja hear that funny sound?"
His partner looked at him in puzzlement and cocked his head listening carefully. His face paled slightly at a sound as his partner spoke up again, "There is goes again. What is it?" He looked at his partner and the question of asking if they should go check it out died on his lips. "What is it?" he asked again.
The other man shut off their equipment and walked quickly in the direction of their supervisor. He told his observant partner, "I'm pretty sure that was a gun shot. We gotta call the cops."
His partner nodded in agreement. They had worked together for ten years and had learned that they could trust each other's judgment without question.
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Meanwhile, Shinichi managed to pull himself together and then began to think about Gin and Vodka's modus operandi (1). Shinichi stole a quick glance around his concrete barrier and nearly fell back into the panic that had seized him earlier. The pair was only fifteen feet away with Vodka leading the way and Gin hanging back about five feet. They checked every nook and cranny as they walked along. Looking around quickly, his eyes fell upon a cut off piece of rebar (2). He grabbed the rebar and crouched close to the edge of the wall, waiting.
Vodka walked past the wall, his eyes looking in the opposite direction at that moment. Shinichi brought down the rebar on Vodka's black-hatted head. Vodka collapsed like a sack of potatoes.
Shinichi used the concrete wall like a starter's block and propelled himself forward in another full out sprint, not waiting to see the result of hitting Vodka. He could hear rapid running behind him. Gin did not even pause to check and see if Vodka was alive.
Shinichi threw a glance back, to see how far behind Gin was. His only other thought than trying to stay alive was, How can he be so cold? Shinichi physically paled at the murderous expression on Gin's face but did not pause or slow down. He rounded yet another corner and ran a little ways down before stopping and turning around. He moved his arm back, ready to throw the rebar.
As Gin came around the corner, Shinichi launched the rebar. The spinning bar flew with adrenaline-induced accuracy and stabbed the arm that Gin carried his gun in. The bar had too much weight to stay in Gin's arm and fell out, leaving a heavily bleeding wound. However, Gin still did not relinquish his hold on the weapon.
Shinichi started at Gin in horror and whispered, "How? He can't be human."
Gin looked straight at Shinichi, with death in his eyes, and began to move deliberately towards him. Shinichi broke out of his horrified shock and began to run again.
He ran as fast as he could push his tired body, until he spotted a dead end coming up. Shinichi looked around for a way out with growing panic. He had made the mistake of running down to what amounted to being a corridor without any unlocked doors. The possible escape routes along the partially completed buildings on either side would slow him down, making him an easy target.
In a too short of period, Shinichi reached the end of the corridor. He skidded almost to a complete halt when he saw that the corridor between the buildings went off in two directions like a 'T' intersection of a road. One way lead to a public road. Hope flared inside him. He thought, If I can make it back to where people are I might just be okay!
Shinichi moved to run that way but fell back in surprised as a bullet flew just inches in front of his nose. Shinichi turned to find Gin standing only a dozen feet from him.
Gin leveled his gun at Shinichi's head. He wore a victorious grin, completely ignoring any pain from his bleeding gun arm.
Shinichi stood up, back up against the wall, breathing heavily. Sweat trickled down his hot back relentlessly. He looked up and stared defiantly at Gin. The whole scene sent a wave of deja vu through his mind, as he half remembered one of his fevered dreams.
Gin spoke, his voice gravely from pain and lack of breath, "You've lead us on a long chase but it ends here. No one will be able to solve the murder of Shinichi Kudo!" And, as if reenacting the dream, Gin said, "Die, Detective." Shinichi watched, frozen to the ground, waiting for the bullet to rip through his body.
Unable to close his eyes even in fear, Shinichi thought, I'm so sorry, Ran. So sorry. It looks like I will be leaving you. I'm sorry.
However, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a faint movement where there should be none. Focusing behind Gin, he saw a uniformed police officer, his gun out and ready. The officer and others like him moved out quickly from the spaces he was unable to use to escape Gin and from both sides of the 'T'.
"Put down your gun. And step away from it with your hands in the air," the officer ordered.
Gin glanced left and right seeing at least four other officers had stepped out of the shadows, their guns out and pointed at him. He placed his gun on the ground, as if he intended to all along, and took a few confident steps away from the gun. He was smirking slightly as they handcuffed him and lead him away.
Shinichi slid down the wall, and slumped in relief and shock. He nodded numbly at whatever the officer kneeling beside his was saying, not really listening. He looked left at the street in time to see three police cars drive off. The middle car was escorted by the cars in front and behind. As the middle car pulled past, he made brief eye contact with Gin, who was seated in the back seat. The expression on Gin's face said 'you haven't won completely.'
Seconds after the cars had past, he heard the screeching of breaks. Snapping out of his stupor, he stood and walked sluggishly around the corner with an officer tailing him. He saw all three police cars stopped and all the officers swarming around the middle car.
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Gin smirked as he was lead away but inside he was seething. We've failed this last mission. Hmph. There's no room for failures in the organization. At least they won't find out anything from our lips. Dead men tell no tales.
The officer leading him patted him down before putting him in the patrol car with an alive but unconscious Vodka. Gin reached into his trench coat's pocket and pulled out a non-descript pill. He moved carefully to not attract the attention of the officers in the front seat. He reached into Vodka's coat and pulled out an identical pill. Gin put it into Vodka's mouth and forced him to chew it. Reflexes caused Vodka to swallow some of it.
Gin moved back to a comfortable position in his seat, took his own pill, and swallowed the bitter pill dry.
The car started forward and drove past where Shinichi sat. Looking, he made eye contact with Shinichi and gave him a look to show that he had not won, as his vision quickly began to fade to blackness.
Gurgling slightly at the pain and chemical reactions taking place in his body, Gin collapsed against the seat in front of him. The two officers looked back and saw their prisoners foaming at the mouths and not breathing. Radioing the other cars, they stopped and moved quickly to try to stop the prisoners from dying. But it was too late for the police to stop the poison from killing Gin and Vodka.
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Shinichi stood at the corner watching to police move with somewhat frantic movements.
Thinking out loud, he whispered, "What's going on?" Moving quicker now that he had thrown off his shocked stupor, he moved down the sidewalk. Shinichi completely ignored the officer who was asking him to not enter scene.
Shinichi stopped when he was about ten feet from the middle car. He could overhear the officers talking.
"They're both dead." Suicide in this one's case."
"It looks like he force fed this guy poison and then took it himself."
"Only information we're going to get about these two is from the autopsies and the kid's testimony."
Dead? Gin killed Vodka? Shinichi wondered. That's what that look he gave me meant.
Feeling a tremendous sense of relief from the elimination of a threat to his life, Shinichi nearly collapsed from relief. Turning to the officer who had followed him, he asked, "What were you asking earlier? I wasn't really listening."
The officer made a slightly disgruntled sound before he spoke, "I was asking you to stand back but you didn't seen to notice. Would you come down to the station to give a statement?"
"Yeah, sure. But could you call Inspector Megure over? He's with the Beika precinct. I've already told some about these two."
The officer looked startled but answered, "I can do that. Please come this way," he motioned toward the passenger seat of a squad car.
(1) From Latin. Literally means 'method or mode of operation.' It is used to mean the way a person does something.
(2) Rebar is long metal bars used in the construction of concrete buildings, pillars and roads to increase the strength. Is about ½ an inch thick and is reminiscent of a screw with the way the a groove threads around it.
I love that quote. I have to say, the grand scale of the Foundation Trilogy is awesome. If I am going to recommend any sci-fi book(s), I recommend them. It's surprisingly easy to read and has some revolutionary ideas with a nice hint of mystery.
I'm not entirely sure when the last chapter will go up, probably in about 2 weeks. No guarantees, though. I've been working on a timeline of events in the story. Will go up on my homepage sometime after the story is done.
Thanks to Ooshii Kurai for beta-reading this chapter.
Posted: 8-19-04
