Author's Note: The end of the beginning is near.

Disclaimer: I do not own Detective Conan. How many times should I mention this?

The Moment Where Everything Was Lost

Part I: The Eclipse

"Everything in this world is relative, my dear Watson."

Sherlock Holmes (The Dying Detective)

Chapter XXX: The Day of the Eclipse

Until the wide stretch of the horizon revealed the sun's first rays of light, I could see nothing but an endless field of snow, continuing to cover everything as far my eyes could reach.

It has been three days since Kaito vanished, and as of now, our goal to infiltrate the South Intelligence Headquarters has started. The six of us, Haibara, Akai, Jodie, Heiji, and Hakuba, arrived a few hours ago. We were dropped on a small village near the sea connecting the ice islands with the ocean. Everything was prepared beforehand by the FBI. Just when we thought that things couldn't get worse, some unfortunate news came upon Haibara and me.

"There's going to be an eclipse visible here?" I was surprised when Haibara told me. "Yeah, I heard from the residents when we arrived. You do know what this means, Kudo-kun."

"I know, Vermouth's prediction."

The two of us were alone in a small dining room from where they were staying. The place was small but enough to fit all of us. The others were sleeping after the long trip, but Haibara and I had things to clear out. "Kudo-kun, are we going to go through this?"

"Yeah, we have no choice."

"Life's full of alternatives, Kudo-kun."

"But, it's sad that we don't have the freedom to choose one," I replied.

Haibara remained silent for a while. She was intrepidly staring at me with her nonchalant eyes. Despite having her old body, she entirely didn't feel different. It was still her and no one else. "I'll guide all of you tomorrow to the headquarters. The security there isn't as guarded as the West Imperial Stronghold, but since the organization's expecting us, they're waiting there."

"I know," I replied, taking a sip of coffee. An awkward silence came in between us afterwards. We used to always have this kind of silences but today were different. A heavy pressing resistance kept on pounding my chest. Maybe it was because of the coming trials or maybe it was because of Haibara.

"Are you nervous, Haibara?"

She didn't reply, but she held out her right hand took my left hand in her grasp. I didn't move. I didn't know what was happening until she leaned forward and kissed me. The table we were seated beside was circular and small, so the distance wasn't a problem. I didn't do anything to break the kiss, but I also didn't kiss me. It was all her. She was like that for a few minutes until she pulled back.

"Don't get me wrong, Kudo-kun," she whispered.

She walked out of the kitchen and left me looking for words.

The day passed fast. The setting of the sun became an unintentional timer to our journey. Everyone was becoming tense. Before anything would go to a start, we gathered once more to discuss things. "We'll we using an abandoned mine shaft near the place. It's connected to the air vent systems of the headquarters. They're expecting us there, but they want us to reach them," Haibara explained.

"So, we're going into a trap? I have no problem with this stakeout since they're obvious doing something bad, but that's not logical to do," Hakuba complained. "Don't worry, we have everything figured out," I assured him. "That wasn't part of the plan that you told us yesterday."

"Don't worry, just follow the orders that I gave you."

The sky was filled with clouds, scattered all throughout the heavens. It covered the sun up to the point of secluding the place with little light. The FBI arranged that we were to use a truck disguised as deliverer of supplies.

The ride there was smooth and fine. We were sitting safely inside the truck, waiting for the signal of the driver. Small holes gave us tiny specs of light just to reassure us that we're moving. The atmosphere was tense. Although Hakuba and Shuuichi looked perfectly calm, the others were looking hectic. Haibara was calm, but the rapid fidgeting of her leg told that she was nervous. It was dark, but I could see Heiji clutching on his charm that Kauzha gave. Jodie, on the other hand, kept biting her nail.

Everyone was, in some way, unnerved by all of these. I was feeling nauseous for some reason. We've faced them before, but this time, it felt different. The way their boss said that we'd lose was unsettling. It was as if her words were absolute and final. It seemed like she was the truth itself.

The tires screeched suddenly, causing the truck to stop and for us to tumble sidewards. "Are we here already?" Heiji asked. "Impossible, it will take us more or less an hour more to reach the intelligence headquarters," Haibara said. Hakuba was about to reply, but a shot went through our side of the truck, piercing all the way through the other. We acted fast.

"Don't duck. Go to the side of the entrance and stand facing the steel wall," Akai instructed. An array of shots pierced through the inside of the truck one by one. All of the shots were coming from the right side only. "I'll open the door, and as fast as you can, go to the back side of this right wall and duck," Akai instructed.

Without costing us a second to spare, Akai pulled off the door, and we all jumped to what we thought was firm land or snow perhaps.

The sight set it into our eyes the next moments, but we were too late. The entrance was directly faced beside a cliff. All of us jumped at the same time, and also in that moment, we came dumfounded at the deep snowy trench that faced us. Everything happened lightning fast. I closed my eyes and let the sharp streak of wind splash onto my face. I could still hear gunshots and small screams, but the sound of falling filled my ears.

It was cold, like tiny needles slowly piercing deep into my skin. The sensation was gripping my consciousness, but slowly, everything was drifting off to a blur. Eventually, darkness took my sight.

I came to seeing Haibara's face on top of me. My ears and neck were freezing. I couldn't move my hands or legs. It was too cold for me to actually feel it. Pain, it was the only thing registering on my mind. "Kudo-kun, don't move," Haibara said.

She pulled me to small place covered by a big rock on top of another. "Where are the others?"

"I don't know. Kudo-kun, we lost already," Haibara said, tearing up. "Don't say that. The fight hasn't started yet," I forced myself to say it out. "It's over. They were expecting us, and we fell right in. I knew this would happen. Why am I so stupid? Now, the others are lost. We all fell into the trench but rolled into different parts."

"It's not your fault. Even if none of you come, I would come here by myself."

I rubbed my eyes and saw that far above us was a cliff from where we fell down. It was high up. I was wondering how we survived a fall like that. "Contact the others. They all have the Detective Boys receiver."

"I tried, Kudo-kun. We can't reach anyone."

I slowly lifted my back and tried to sit up. My hands were still frozen, but I could now feel my back. "Haibara, we are not giving up," I stood up and faced the stone behind us. As strong as I could, I speared my left arm on the stone wall. The pain woke my fingers, but it left me writhing in agony. "Kudo-kun!" She ran towards me and looked at my arm. I ignored here and hammered my right arm this time. The pain was even more intense the second time.

I could now move my ten fingers, but I saw drops of blood forming from when my bare skin got scratched by the stone. I was about to ram my arm again when Haibara stopped me by wrapping her arms around me. "Kudo-kun, stop it," she leaned her head on my back. Despite the thick layers of the jacket, I could feel her crying.

I turned my head towards her and saw her teary eyes staring at me. I let out a sigh and fell into the shade of the rock. "Why are like this all of a sudden?"

"I'm sorry, Kudo-kun. I guess it's best to come clean already."

"What is it?"

"Sad to say, I seem to have grown an attraction to you," Haibara said. "Since when?" I asked. "Since the bus hijacking incident."

"I'm sorry, Haibara, but you know I don't feel that way towards you," I tried to avoid eye contact. "I know, Kudo-kun. You don't have to worry. I won't feel anything," she gave off a faint smile. "Anyway, let's try and find them. Walking is our only solution."

"Let me help you walk," she grabbed my left arm and wrapped it around her neck. She supported my back and walked with me, into the long snowy fields. There was no way to go but forward.

The path was shifting from narrow to a wider path. We could see the edges of the trench above us, but the way up was too steep. We could fall down if we tried. Walking through the barren remnants of stones and ice was our only way. It went on for about thirty minutes until we came across a metal shaft of some sort behind a big boulder that seemed to fall down before.

The small shaft was enough for each of us to go in, and having no lead as to where we were, we went in, in search of escape.

"Haibara, where is this?"

"I don't know, but it can't be the headquarters. We're still far from it, but we have no choice, do we?"

"Wait, I can see a light. Let's keep quiet."

We kept our voices and the occasional tatter of the shaft. As we went closer, I heard a faint voice resounding in the metal walls of the shaft.

"They're dead? I doubt that, Gin," it was Vermouth. There was no doubt about it. It was Vermouth's voice. I thought she died, but here she is. I moved in closer to get a view from the hole.

Vermouth was tied to a chair with Gin in front of her.

"They are dead. See how foolish you are. You sacrificed your position to save them, yet in the end, they still failed."

"I didn't save them, Gin. You know very well that I must do it. You're sick of all these things too. Don't beat around the bush with your stubbornness. I know you want to escape."

"Fool! I don't need to escape. I'm not a captive. Unlike you, I like it here. Here, I could have all the fun I want," he said in menacing tone. "You disgust me."

"You still have a chance, Vermouth. You don't want to end up like a certain scientist from years ago," he laughed at her, but she remained stricken in silence. "You know me, Vermouth. I can smell, traitors." Our hearts skipped a beat at his remarks. I was sure that he felt our presence. Haibara froze in fear behind me. She was having her tantrums once more. She clutched her chest and closed her eyes.

We were stuck here whether we liked it or not. Moving would only confirm our presence. Gin's steps were echoing in the vent and louder it gets as his step came an inch closer to ours. Heartbeats pulsing were becoming heard even at this moment.

Where are we? And why is Gin here?

One step at a time, from one tap it went nearer and nearer, until it came to a halt and a shadow traveled through the horizontal line holes of the cage cover of the shaft. I heard a tweak from the rusted screws and a clang afterwards. It opened revealing a pair of eyes full of hatred and the desire to kill. We were trapped, in no way capable of trying to escape.

"Sherry, it's nice to see you once more," Gin slithered his tongue through his lips, setting of a hint of lust and enticement and what was feasted in front of him.

"Lost for words? Well good," he took out a gun and pointed at us.

A flash of light was the last thing I saw and came after it was the scent of gunpowder. Haibara fell into my arms, still and lifeless.

Author's Note: Stay tuned. I promised a double chapter, and I will give it, just not on the same day. Where's the thrill if I release it too soon? The next chapter comes out on Wednesday so press the alert button and wait. Please, give reviews everyone. I want you to compare my writing from chapter 1 with my writing in the previous chapters. It would really help me. And by the way, if you're wondering why Haibara's conclusion seemed to fast, I planned it to be that way. Don't worry, I need it to be like that for something so don't fret.

Coming Soon: Chapter 31: The Day of the Eclipse II