Chapter 2: Promise

Haibara was reading an old newspaper article, clutching it tightly in her hands as tears formed in her eyes. She immediately wiped her face and tucked the article away when she heard a knock on her door.

"Haibara?" Conan quietly said as he opened the door. Sighing, he sat on the edge of the bed. "You're really bad at pretending to sleep, you know that?"

"What do you want?" She said, still lying beneath the covers.

"I know Eisuke should know the truth." Conan took in a breath. "I remember what he said before left, and…"

'I want to become a CIA agent, just like my father and sister! After that I'll expose every bad person's deeds! And with my sister, I'll bring down that bad organization…'

"I don't want to give him any false hope." He sternly said as Haibara sat up.

"And? What are we going to do now?" Haibara asked in a monotonous tone. Conan tilted his head to the side with pleading eyes, making her sigh. "Okay, I'll think about playing along. In the meantime, shouldn't you be heading home? It's getting kind of late."

Conan looked at his watch. "I can just tell Ran we're having a sleepover."

"Just go home to your girlfriend, at least be honest for once." Haibara spat out, making Conan flinch and feel a pang of guilt.

He gulped, not daring to say anything and simply left.

Haibara remembered her time in the organization, how no one would explain why they killed her sister, to be shut out of the truth and controlled by others. 'I wonder if you're hiding things from me as well...' She thought as she looked out the window, with a perfect view of the Kudo residence that sheltered their suspicious neighbor. She climbed back into bed, eventually falling asleep.

"Conan-kun, breakfast is ready!"

The shrunken detective woke up the next morning, letting out a big yawn.

"Geez, you left your clothes scattered everywhere." Ran scolded as she began to clean up the mess.

"Sorry, Ran-neechan."

"A handkerchief?" She thought out loud as she pulled out the fabric sticking out of the pant pocket, with a smirk laced across her lips. "Could it belong to a crush? It has a girl's name on it, after all. Let's see… Mari? But I thought for sure you like Ai-chan!"

Conan choked on air when he heard the accusation. "Wha?! It's just a lost item I was planning on returning. And it's not Mari, it's pronounced Mary." He corrected.

"Mary? Why does that name sound so familiar, like Sera-san..."

"Sera-san?" Conan asked curiously.

"Well, whenever I see Sera-san's back figure, I hear the sound of rippling waves... as if some magic were at work… It's a similar feeling when I hear this name."

'Waves, magic…' Conan eyes widened. "Sorry Ran-neechan, I should probably return that right away!" He quickly grabbed the small cloth, running out of his bedroom to change.

"Ah, Conan-kun!" Ran put her hands on her hips. "Geez, what's with him?"

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Conan stopped to catch his breath, having just ran all the way to Sera's hotel room. He knocked on the door, clutching the handkerchief in his pocket.

"Conan-kun!" Sera said excitedly. "Come in." She gestured him to enter. "You're here alone today, right?"

'You're a wizard, right?'

Conan smiled, looking up at Sera as she closed the door. "It's you isn't it, Masumi Sera? The girl from ten years ago…"

Amuro panted with sweat streaming down his face and heat rising. He was tired, but didn't dare stop. He was almost there, almost there… Amuro sighed as the finished, reaching for his water bottle. He was at the gym, using the heavy bags.

"Yo, Amuro!" His gym buddy called out, raising his fists. "Wanna take a swing in the ring?"

Amuro smiled. "No, I think that's it for me today." He said as packed his things.

"Oh, well… I'll see you tomorrow!" His friend happily waved.

Amuro kept walking, waving his hand without turning back.

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After taking a quick shower, he started his car, letting a little smirk out. It seemed so crazy. He thought about the new information he uncovered all but a few days ago.

'Kudo Yusaku… A mystery author married to retired actress, Fujimine Yukiko. It looks like they have one child, Kudo Shinichi…'

Amuro stopped reading. 'Where did I hear that name? A famous teenage detective, but it wasn't from the newspapers. No, somewhere in the organization… I'm sure of it.' His eyes widened with realization, quickly checking some old files. When he was tracking down the traitor Sherry, he had access to the list of victims of the drug she was developing. The same one Elena and Atsushi…

Kudo Shinichi, Status: DECEASED

The man who lent Okiya Subaru his house was the father of a victim of the organization. A coincidence? Not a chance in hell. Perhaps Yusaku was helping take down the organization? They did kill his son after all. Does this mean Subaru-san really was an FBI agent? So many questions encircled his mind, but there was something above all else that definitely caught his eye. He stared at a picture of Kudo Shinichi.

'The resemblance is striking…'

"My parents and Ran's went on a vacation together to the beach. There was a case my father solved. I remember Ran and I found a piece of evidence the culprit disposed of along with another girl that was there." He smirked, raising a eyebrow. "...Well?"

Sera flashed a toothy grin, scuffling Conan's hair. "It took ya long enough!"

Conan grinned as she kneeled down to his level.

"Did you come all this way to confirm this, Kudo-kun?" Her grin grew even wider with a slight in on her cheeks, finally being able to call him by his real name.

He smiled at that. "There was something I needed to return." He pulled out the handkerchief. "It belongs to the girl you're hiding, doesn't it? You can come out now…" The closet door began to open.

"Mary."

"Good morning, Amuro-san!" Ran greeted him.

"Hi, Ran-san, did you guys get any cases?" Amuro asked.

"Oh, damn!" Kogoro exclaimed, listening to his radio. Most likely from losing another horse racing bet.

"Dad hasn't gotten any cases in a while…" Ran whispered.

"Ah… where's Conan-kun?"

"Oh, he went to return something to his friend."

"I see... Hey, now that I think about it, wasn't there another famous detective in this area? Kudo something…"

"Shinichi?" Ran asked excitedly.

"Hmph, that brat used to be. Now that I'm on the scene, he's off with his tail between legs!"

"You know him? I heard some rumors that he, well…"

"Oh, those are just rumors! Shinichi's been out on a case. Although he rarely calls, he does come back once in a while." Ran said, holding a look of frustration.

Amuro's eyes widened. "Really…"

"That's Sera-san to you, don't act so friendly with me."

"And you can start calling me Masumi!" Sera grinned with a slight tint on her cheeks. "Actually, we have a favor to ask of you..." She gave pleading eyes. "We'd like to meet with that Haibara girl."

"Haibara? I don't know…"

"We have to. She's the only one who can work on an antidote for my mom!"

"So I was right… You're also victim of APTX 4869." Conan stared at Mary. "How did-"

"It doesn't matter, I have to see Miyano-san immediately." Mary narrowed her eyes at him. "I'm not asking you for permission, I'm telling you to have her meet me."

'Another victim…' He gulped. "She's feeling a little down right now. I did something really, really stupid. And I think I reminded her of her sister's death."

"...I understand." Mary sighed. "I also lost my sister." Conan looked at her in surprise as she let out a few coughs. "A long time ago, to the same illness that is taking me now..."

"Please, Kudo-kun?" Sera bent down to meet him at eye-level. "She's our only hope."

Conan nodded. "Don't worry, I'll help you guys out." He said as he left the room.

Sera grinned at her mother. "What I tell ya, things really are coming around!"

Mary coughed, crossing her arms. "We'll see."

Amuro walked by the Kudo residence. He was one of the few in the organization who knew of APTX 4869's true purpose, but up until now was not aware of how far they had come in their research. 'If that guy was fed the drug, and no body was found… It's possible, no, it has to be that the drug was successful. Edogawa Conan is really…'

"Ai-chan, we came over to play!"

His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the voice of a small child. 'Oh, it's just those kids…' Amuro sighed as he turned around, heading back home and missing sight of the strawberry-blonde who answered the door. He gave one last look at Subaru's home.

'Don't get distracted by what's in front of you and lose sight of the real prey in this hunt… You're one of the men I don't want to have as an enemy…' Amuro narrowed his eyes, shoving his hands in his pockets as he walked away.

'Hmph. It doesn't matter who you are or what happens to Akai Shuichi, now that I have that…'

"Okaa-san, you'll get better soon, right? You won't end up like my aunt? I never even got to meet her..."

Mary's eyes widened, and her face softened. "Masumi…" The mother and daughter came together in a tight embrace. "Don't worry, I'll always be there for you..."

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"I'll take down the organization, no matter what it takes."

"You mean we will, right partner?" Subaru said as he held out his hand.

Conan smirked, shaking his hand. "Of course…"

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'I have to do this. For Elena, and for him as well. I won't let their deaths be in vain...'

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'I'm working hard to become a great agent like you, Hidemi-neesan! One day, we'll be able to fight side by side, together...'

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"It's a promise."

Who is Mary's sister?! Well, I guess I didn't make it that hard to figure out…

Review? *insert puppy dog eyes*