A/N: This chapter just happened. I hope you like.
41
Naoto laid a dish down on one of the buffet tables and headed back in order to get a tray of champagne glasses. The cream of Japan's cultural influencers was about to gather at the wake thus it was genuine champagne being served.
She spied both Vermouth and Pisco from the corner of her eye as she left and when she turned her head, their target as well. Nomiguchi Shigehiko was masterfully but nervously dodging questions from the reporters that surrounded him like vultures but his fate was sealed already.
42
Naoto was thankful for the mask and wig she was wearing as a waitress that if she ever needed to approach the kids again, they couldn't recognize her. As it stood, as soon as she spotted the two children that did not belong, she approached them. And she did notice the brunette girl starting to panic well before the woman even touched her.
"What's wrong, ojou-chan?" Naoto asked Haibara Ai gently. "Did you stray from your tousan and kaasan?"
Go away from here… It isn't safe for you… They already know you are trying to approach them again… Run away, little red riding-hood… The black crows are searching for you…
"Ah, ah…"
"Yup! We're searching for them!" Edogawa Conan smiled and tugged the silent girl away. "Let's go, Hana-chan!"
Naoto watched them go but turned away then. It wouldn't be good if Haibara would detect her 'scent'.
43
The darkness fell. Naoto kept her eyes open even in the dark.
There was a flash from a camera… but Naoto could see it had not been aimed at the slideshow but at the amorous couple in each other's embrace. And she knew that Pisco had been captured on that film as well.
Chandelier fell. The target was dead.
44
The police took everyone bearing a purple handkerchief into questioning. As Naoto was of the waitstaff, she was free to go… and check on Sherry.
Haibara Ai was unconscious in the wine cellar. Naoto dug through her pockets for the floppy disk that she needed to check according to Pisco's instructions.
It was frustrating… Naoto was codenamed already, yet she was delegated to do tasks others couldn't do or weren't bothered to.
Thankfully the girl kept sleeping on while Naoto did a check on the disk with Pisco's mini-laptop. While a redundant task since Naoto knew it to be a mere game, she still did it so she wouldn't need to lie. It was her policy. Lie as few times as possible so you won't get caught with them.
45
The task done, Naoto slipped away and locked the door from the outside. The benefits of being one of the staff: you got keys to all relevant places. She headed back to the hall where the wake had been held. The police were investigating but the waitstaff had been given permission to take the food away as it had not played any part in the assassination.
The interrogations were still going.
Gin's Porsche parked outside… just before a yellow Beetle.
Naoto frowned Why had they arrived again? She didn't remember… Oh well… things went along the canon for once so she shouldn't need to worry.
46
Pisco wanted Madeira to come with him. The interrogations were over. Vermouth had slipped away already. Sherry was going to be back at the storeroom and apparently, she had a helper somewhere nearby so backup was necessary. Since the backup had managed to take Gin and Vodka by surprise.
The old man wanted witnesses for managing to capture Sherry. Naoto snorted at the thought and made her way back to the storeroom. On the way she checked the latest news stories from her phone. The incriminating photograph about the assassination was already on the queue to tomorrow's entertainment headlines.
Her phone pinged with new orders. Pisco was to go. Either she or Gin was to do it. Well, that Naoto would gladly leave for the silver haired man. Maybe…
"Pisco…" Naoto spoke when she stepped into the storeroom. The door wasn't locked anymore. Pisco was standing in front of the fireplace inside which was a figure dressed in overalls. Naoto looked around discreetly and spotted a set of children's clothes hidden underneath one of the wine shelves. Not good…
"Ah, Madeira. Just in time to see a miracle." There was some steam rising from the figure and Sherry twitched. She was starting to convulse and writhe in pain. Naoto frowned but instead of approaching, she picked her bag inside which she had an additional disguise, an extra gun and a case of APTX. Discreetly, she kneeled next to the shelf and scooped the clothes beneath it into her bag. The mini-laptop on the table was collected as well. Sherry's scream of pain as she shrunk back to a child distracted Pisco appropriately.
"Splendid!" The man complimented. "You were still a baby back then, so I guess you don't remember me, but… I was a close friend of your parents who were scientists… They told me a lot about the drug they were developing. But who'd guess that you'd develop it to this extent? But this is an order… Don't think badly of me, Shiho-chan…"
Kami… why was he so dramatic… Naoto shouldered her bag just when Conan decided speak up through the speaker attached to the inside of one of the alcohol crates. When had he slipped in?
The boy continued laying out deductions, distracting Pisco and at the same time himself as he was completely focused on the man. Naoto briskly approached Haibara and scooped her up within the overalls.
"Shh…" She shushed the girl who was about to protest. Bracing the child against her with one hand, Naoto approached Pisco. With her free hand, she drew her gun from the holster at the small of her back, hidden by her waitress waistcoat and pointed it at the back of the man's head.
"Pisco, shut up." She declared, interrupting the deduction just before the speaker was found and thus preventing Conan from stepping out from his hiding place. The gun clicked.
"Madeira… What are you…"
"Orders are orders. You have outlived your usefulness and blundered the worst way. Ver and I were just meant to be backups… but instead she had to bail you out from the interrogation. And now I have to clean up after you." Madeira spoke, the gun held steady against Pisco's forehead. "You've been stealing money for the past decade from the organization and now you're ending up on the front page with you aiming at the ceiling with a gun in full view…"
"But I found Sherry! You saw her shrinking as well!"
"Sherry? She has already escaped. I'm only cleaning up here."
Bang!
The man fell to the ground, dead. His lit cigarette dropped to the puddle of Spiritus beneath their feet. The flames spread around the storeroom and Naoto swept out of there, not looking back whether or not Conan followed her.
47
There was a ladies' bathroom quite the ways away from the storeroom and available through a detour that ensured Naoto didn't run to the cops. Once there, she set Haibara sit down at one of the stalls. Then she called Gin. The girl in front of her watched her actions blearily with pain-glazed eyes.
"Sherry has escaped. Apparently, she got out with her associate before Pisco and arrived… Yeah, I took care of him. Idiot managed to set the place in fire so police are on their way… I'm currently hiding and changing into my backup disguise, making my own way back as agreed… Tch, hung up on me…"
Naoto pocketed her phone and put her bag on the ground.
"Let's get you out of those overalls and get some emergency first-aid in place, okay?" She said, crouching in front of the girl and thus placing herself below her.
"Who're… you?" Haibara asked tiredly.
"Madeira. Not telling anything else though. Can't have you tracking me down accidentally. Or your acquaintance for that matter."
"You were that waiter… who talked with us…"
"Yeah. Didn't think you'd recognize me. I tried to use as bland and forgettable face as possible. You, in the other hand is way too unforgettable. No wonder Pisco caught you. Did you know, it wasn't only because Gin found a strand of your hair from inside his car and then the tracker that he even prewarned us about your possible presence." Naoto kept talking lowly while bandaging the girl's wounds. "Dunno why you would approach his car though… Or even get inside… Are you suicidal or something?"
"Or something…"
"There, done." Naoto tied the last knot and then helped the girl back into her clothes. "Anything special you need before I let your knight in shining armor spirit you away from here?"
"The disk…"
"The game?"
"In the pocket of the overalls…"
"Sentimental much?"
"A bit…" The girl quirked a rueful smile.
"Me too." Naoto slipped the disk to Haibara's coat pocket and then pushed her boots to the girl's feet. Shouldering her bag, she stood up. "Wait here…"
"Where would I go?"
"Dunno. To the stairway to Heaven?" The woman went to the door and opened it. Conan took a startled step back. "Second last stall oh, gallant knight."
The chibi detective was frozen for a moment before darting past her. Naoto, instead of leaving the toilet, waited until the boy was inside the stall and then slipped herself to the first stall in order to change the disguise like she'd originally intended.
48
She was choking. There were hands on her throat. She tried to grab and scratch at them but he was too strong. Irish…
Naoto had known. She had known that when she decided to step in and save Haibara and shoot Pisco that Irish's ire would be at her, not at Gin. But even she didn't anticipate a reaction like this.
The edges of her vision were darkening. She wasn't getting enough air…
"Oi, what are you doing?"
Calvados?
Irish was wrenched away by the other man and Naoto was pulled away.
"Madeira, are you alright? Say something." Female voice. She didn't recognize it.
Naoto coughed and drew a greedy gulp of air. A pair of arms wrapped around her and lifted her up. Naoto's legs felt weak but she gratefully leant against the – frankly ample – chest behind her back and tilted her head against the shoulder conveniently there. Her throat was bruised but leaning her head back against the support provided by the shoulder helped her to breathe better. She faintly heard Calvados and apparently Vodka too holding Irish back and pulling him out of the room before blinking blearily up at the woman supporting her.
Ice-blue eyes watched calmly back at her and blonde curls framed the beautiful face.
"Vermouth…?"
"There you are. Back to the present." The woman smiled and led her to one of the couches.
"Thank you…"
"You're welcome. After I heard that you'd taken out Pisco instead of Gin, I thought it prudent to come check on you. Despite your skills, you are easier target than Gin to Irish… And considering that you used to work with him, it might've been bigger betrayal to him than from others." Vermouth spoke, sitting down and having Naoto sit next to her. The arms didn't move away though.
"Aa…" Naoto agreed. Her head still felt fuzzy from the strangulation but she was regaining her bearings slowly.
"I'll see to Irish's punishment, you oversee the rest of the things here." Gin spoke then, making Naoto stiffen as she hadn't noticed the man's presence in the room.
"Go on, Gin. I'll look after little Madeira here." Vermouth dismissed the man. Door closed. They were alone.
"What did you want from me, Vermouth?" Naoto asked then. The woman was a manipulator. There was no way she'd check on her out of genuine worry. And the moment of weakness was all the opening she needed to get what she wanted.
"You were there. You saw both children at the hall." The blonde woman whispered to her ear. The arms around her waist become steel bands. "You also reported Sherry's escape and killed Pisco. Pisco had captured Sherry while she was a child but Gin met with a woman. The only way she could've gotten away with her little knight was if you helped them."
"Oh yeah…"
"I want to track her down. I won't speak of your involvement if you help me. I can speak to Anokata and have you assigned to work with me until further notice and keep you away from Irish as well."
Naoto stiffened at the mention of the man.
"Not to mention the animosity Bourbon shows you." Vermouth continued. "Don't worry, I'll protect you."
A deal with a devil. Was this it? Naoto was too weak to resist. And who knew what other blackmail Vermouth could dig out.
"Okay… I'll work with you."
49
"Here."
Haibara blinked at the pair of glasses showed to her face, then at the upper year girl who held them. She'd never met the other girl, being on different years and all, never even seen her.
"Nao-neechan sent them to you. Got forgotten or something." The girl continued. Haibara tentatively took the glasses and felt for the rims of them. These were tracking glasses. The pair Conan had lent her at Haido Hotel. Which meant that the upper year girl's 'Nao-neechan' was most likely Madeira…
"Who're you?" She asked suspiciously. The girl smiled wryly and glanced away, one hand going up to toy with her hightail
"Your records showed me as Rinako… Now I'm Yuuko." The girl replied. "Well, I got my errand done. Bye."
And she twirled around on the spot, marching away to where a boy older than her was waiting. Haibara blinked, then looked down on the glasses and frowned in thought at the wording used.
"Rinako…" There was an APTX victim named Rinako… whose death Madeira had confirmed and cleaned up after. Apparently Haido Hotel wasn't the first time the woman did some double dealings.
"Huh, Haibara-san talked with Watanuki-senpai." Mitsuhiko noticed. The rest of the DB approached and Haibara hid the glasses quickly.
"Watanuki?"
"Yes. Watanuki Yuuko-senpai. She is friends with Amemiya Shoko-senpai whose older sister is friends with oneesan." The boy replied dutifully.
"That boy with her is her older brother, Watanuki Hiroaki-san." Ayumi added, pointing at the pair heading to school gates.
"I see. Thank you." Haibara nodded.
Watanuki… April 1st… April Fools…
50
Hiro was not happy to hear about Vermouth's blackmail. Yuuko withheld judgement about the matter. Naoto just hoped she'd manage to navigate the situation to the best of her ability and emerge out of it at least relatively unscatched.
A/N: I like Irish. That's why it's a bit sad that Naoto won't be working with him anymore. She doesn't hold it against him though.
Next chapter on I'm writing regular looking chapters that are not bound by these numbers. Basically the same than what I'm doing with Shooting Star. Another change that happens it upping the rating because... It's Vermouth. Naoto can't resist no matter how bad of an idea it is so there will be some suggestive writing but no explict scenes.
Replies to Reviews:
-Iceborn Fenrir:
You're welcome, I'm glad you like this! :D
-Eternal Princezz:
Here is the next chapter! I hope you liked! 3
-Tsuki: (guest)
You're welcome. :)