Chapter 33
Fish Chum
"Ya-hoooo!" his mother screamed. It was a childish wail unbefitting of a woman of forty-one. The sports car she had rented, a Chevrolet Corvette, raced down the relatively empty roads adjacent to the Pacific Ocean as she screamed in delight. The open-top vehicle did nothing to prevent the lashing winds from whipping around their faces. In the turbulent disaster that he called his mother, Shinichi grasped the top of his head to prevent his hair from flying about.
"Will you slow down!" he shouted through the roar of the engines.
"Why?" she grins at the girls behind her. Ran clutched tightly to her seatbelt, biting her lower lip, looking as if she might faint. Shiho sat with arms folded, regarding the situation with the amused smirk he dreaded. "Shall I go faster?"
"No."
"Yes."
Ran gawked at Shiho, who shrugged. Yukiko laughed as she stepped on the pedal. It was accompanied by a loud roar, and the vehicle accelerated towards the vague destination his mother had told them about. Why were they there? There was no explanation for the woman's impulsive plans. Nevertheless, his mother had arrived at the appropriate time. He grimaced as he remembered the morning events.
"To date, we have questioned several key members of the organization," Akai summarized. They were in the Kudou Mansion. The library, once stacked with books, was relocated into boxes to make space for high-end equipment brought by FBI agents. The room was adorned with whiteboards pinned with photographs and plans. Electronic equipment and computers covered the shelves that buzzed and beeped as they operated. Several operators were on hand, dealing with incoming calls and sightings.
His living space had now been converted into an FBI headquarters. Here, Shinichi spent most of his time discussing the various operations occurring on different levels. A multi-faucet meeting was now taking place. The subject is to be discussed in detail. A bait-and-switch mission.
As the meeting came to a start, mutters filled the room. The agents were seated in plastic chairs, men and women alike. While their superiors discussed, some typed, while others wrote in their notebooks.
Akai Shuichi and Jodie-sensei led the charge. The procession was clearly observed by James Black, seated by the side. "Agent Andre Camel," Akai explained, "has already acquired the equipment necessary for the upcoming situation and will instruct the agents assigned to patrol the pier tomorrow. Do note that the training details will be sent to your phones. I expect this information to be treated with confidence. Am I clear?"
"Yes."
"Cool kid," Jodie-sensei called Shinichi over to the spotlight. Gazing at the lines and photographs cluttering the front whiteboard, he stood poised, arms folded. They'd been discussing this for days. In this deadly game of cat and mouse, several scenarios were played out. Shiho occasionally assisted in their plans— suggesting something he would never allow her to undertake.
"Our goal is to capture them," Shinichi announced to the agents.
As soon as he spoke, they looked at him with the same fascination they gave strange animals. Despite the revelation of his and Shiho's identities, their child forms were still met with shocked looks.
"We will place agents on the wharf, deploy snipers and special forces inside the abandoned warehouse in this general area," he motions to the map. "Communications would be handled by our IO operators stationed far from the site."
"Agents will be divided up into pairs, and no one is to act alone," he points to a marker on the map showing the general route they should follow. "I am aware that they will be difficult to apprehend, but—"
While circling the area, he smirked. "The containers scattered around the area provide adequate cover for—" He gestures to the photographs on the whiteboard. The explosives were clearly displayed and, as he spoke—were in the process of being installed.
There was a series of murmurs. Taking Shiho's words to heart, Shinichi states, "We cannot underestimate them. If we are to defeat them, we must use everything at our disposal."
"Now that we've got the bait...we've lured them out. What should we do next?" one of the agents asked. He was a young man who was skeptical of the plan. Shinichi could see it in his cocky grin. "Simple, actually," Shinichi eyed the agent.
He continued. The agent who posed the question before grew still in shock. A grim expression replaced his smirk.
Shinichi glanced briefly at the auburn-haired scientist standing nearby. She was accompanied by his childhood friend—who did not want to be left out again. While the plan they outlined was discussed, Ran appeared confused and concerned.
Further questions and arguments followed before the roles were assigned to the agents. The meeting ends.
Later, Shinichi finds themselves in his father's study. Pressure grows as Akai Shuichi displays the blueprint on the table. Having scrutinized the document, Shinichi turned his attention to the occupants around him.
Against the wall, Jodie-sensei stood with her arms crossed. She had bags under her eyes due to the long days she spent hunting down stray members of the organization. The woman yawned, and an older man handed her a cup of coffee. James Black, the FBI's head of operations, twirled his white mustache as he viewed the plans through his glasses. He did not intervene. There is mounting tension—caused by an irate Shinichi, a stoic Akai Shuichi, and a stubborn Miyano Shiho.
Standing with her hands on the table, Shiho stared at the layout, her lips full of words he didn't want to hear.
"Absolutely not," Akai responded immediately. The agent's lips were set in a thin line, and his eyes were stern.
"Why not?" Shiho's obstinate nature showed through as the discussions continued.
"It's extremely risky, that's why," Shinichi replied on Akai's behalf. Blue eyes meet green, and she jabs a finger at part of the map.
"Everything about this is dangerous," she glares at them both.
"Ai-chan, " Ran tried to persuade the hard-headed girl, but she remained resistant. Shinichi and Akai exchanged glances. The man looked like he was about to explode but instead reached out to pinch his nose.
"We can talk about this later," he motions back at the map, pointing to the location of the operation. "Let's focus on the plan for now."
They turned to James Black, who opened the small black bag he carried. Taking out a black apparatus that resembled an EpiPen?
"NTX 120," James places it on the table. It was an unassuming device, but he handled it with care.
"We'll use it against them."
"What exactly is it?" Shinichi asked.
"A work in progress, but—if our plans go smoothly, I expect it to yield...our desired results."
"A deal breaker," Akai confirmed, and James nodded in agreement.
"What if it fails?" Jodie-san brings to mind the possibilities. Shinichi studies the device again and returns to his plan, which relies on the very fabric of deception and the bait drug that Shiho created.
Discussions resumed. Although Shiho and Akai conversed robotically, they worked surprisingly well together. Shinichi had not inquired as to what transpired between them, but it would seem that the differences that so frequently emerged before have since subsided. There was a soft argument taking place, where they shot down options and told him that there were different methods that could be employed. Attempts at formulating the plan ended in a stalemate following Shiho's absurd suggestion. Heavy pressure descends on the room again as shrunken scientists, detectives, and FBI agents disagree with each other.
"Now, now," Ran tried to placate Shiho. The raven-haired girl gave Shinichi a warning glance as he folded his arm in indignation. This stubborn idiot!
"Why do you insist on it?"
"Because I am the only one who can do this, Kudou," she stated. The woman was adamant in her approach, and she would not budge.
"You have done your part. Now let the FBI handle it," Akai declared.
"By using a double disguised as me?" she asked, "You are sending her to her death."
"Shiho, they are trained to deal with it," Shinichi began, but she shook her head vehemently.
"You underestimate their capabilities. They won't be fooled with a mask. You have no idea what you're up against."
"Shiho!"
"Kudou."
"Ok," James stepped in. Practicing calm, he addressed the situation. "What are we up against?" he asked. The girl grows silent. She looks at them with a bitter smirk. Ran noticed and approached Shiho, grabbing her shoulder in a protective stance.
"Shinichi, could you just listen to her for a moment," Ran pleaded. "Ai-chan has a valid point."
"This has nothing to do with you!" he snapped at the raven-haired girl, who flinched. The auburn-haired girl was indignant, folding her arms in displeasure as she glared at him.
Taking in a deep breath, he faced them. "Look, this is non-negotiable."
"I'm not asking for permission."
Glaring at her in disbelief, he clenched his fist, resting it by his sides, shaking his head again. Despite his concerns, he knew that Shiho was right. The black organization was accurate in predicting her behavior. The incident with Pisco came to mind—Gin had discerned her actions so easily after finding a strand of her hair in his Porsche.
Smoking a cigar, Akai studied her carefully.
"I hope," he commented. "That this isn't another one of your…martyr tendencies."
She snorted.
"Guys," Jodie-sensei attempted. The discord in the study grew.
Her resolve was unwavering, as was his insistence on not letting her go.
"My, my," a voice breaks through the tension. The doors to the study were flung open, and the newcomer entered. Shinichi was startled at the woman who arrived like a storm.
"Kaa-chan?!"
A woman with bright blue eyes and chestnut brown hair clapped her hands at the procession. Her face was adorned with the usual cheeky smile. Shinichi did not appreciate it and was aware that it would lead to uncertain circumstances—which he had experienced several times during his childhood.
"Imagine my surprise when I find my house converted into a base of operations," she began. "And my delight when I find my son surrounded by many beautiful people!"
"What are you doing here?" he snapped.
"Shin-chan," her smile had disappeared, replaced with the glare he had come to expect from her, "I haven't heard from you despite your promise to call."
Not giving him the chance to answer, she grabbed him and then Shiho. Signaling to Ran, she dragged them out. "We're leaving," she announced.
"Wait! Akai-san! Jodie-sensei! Stop her!"
The agents stayed in the background, not wanting to get involved. James Black—lurking by the doorway, the old geezer snapping photos of Yukiko—apparently a big fan of the retired actress. Escaping the woman was a futile attempt. Before they knew it, they were riding in the convertible, speeding across the streets and down the open ocean roads, heading toward a destination Shinichi could only guess. His parents had returned from America—and his mother was still a nuisance.
Soon after, they pulled up at Kajitsu Aquarium. The building came into sight, confirming his suspicions, and he could only grumble as his mother exited the vehicle while humming. As Ran got off the ride, she looked like she was about to vomit.
"Are you alright?" Shinichi asked her. Ran glanced at him briefly before looking away. He frowned, perplexed by her behavior.
"Now, can anyone guess why I've brought you here?" Yukiko's voice contained the childish glee he loathed.
"Tou-chan, whose new book is set in an aquarium, was invited by Kajitsu's company president to do a talk show," Shinichi recalls something the professor said weeks ago.
"So, that was Hakase's project," Shiho murmured. The professor had been somewhat secretive and obnoxious when asked about it. "It's a surprise," he had told them.
"Yes, Shin-chan, your father and Hakase are working together! It's our job to support them!"
"You pulled us away from an important meeting for this," he snapped.
A sly expression spread across his mother's lips as she offered him a secretive smile that gave no indication of what she intended. "Shin-chan, you should not question your mother."
He sighed as the woman grabbed the girls and pulled them toward the circular building's entrance. Following them, Shinichi glowered, hands in his pockets. Although his mother's appearance had been jarring, he was grateful that she had interrupted the discussion before. Ran was strangely sullen, and the auburn-haired scientist was rebuffing his mother's advances.
Idiot.
She was determined. And Shinichi hated it—resented her willingness to throw herself into the operation. However, Shiho was right. His heart ached when he realized she was the only chance for success. Still, Shinichi wasn't happy with her decision. Raking his fingers through his messy black hair, he sighed in exasperation.
"Shin-chan, what got you so flustered?" His mother whispered in his ear. His spine tingled uncomfortably, and he jumped before staring witheringly at the woman. "You shouldn't do that," he snapped. She sniggered. He raised an eyebrow in response to her mischievous grin.
"What?"
"I heard about your change of heart," she teased as he groaned. Playfully, she poked his cheeks. "Is it true that my little boy has chosen the mysterious scientist over his beautiful childhood friend?"
"Kaa-chan!"
Putting her hand on his shoulder, she directs his attention toward the girls walking ahead. A raven-haired beauty and a shrunken scientist were mesmerized by the sharks and fishes swimming freely in the large tank.
The area was rather large, and many children and families mingled. The dimly lit room was filled with soft classical music. Aside from the stunning displays, the surrounding tanks were filled with different types of sea life. There were also fish figurines hanging from the ceiling and informational charts displayed in front of the tanks.
Kajitsu Aquarium was exactly how he remembered it to be. The aquarium's centerpiece dominated his childhood. A whale shark that was caught more than twenty years ago. It now occupies a central tank within the enclosure.
"She liked you, didn't she?" Yukiko continued as he frowned in annoyance. "Take this as a lesson, Shin-chan~ Mother always knows best. Ooo, I'm so excited for Yu-chan to know about this!"
Upon releasing him, the woman bounded forward toward the girls. Shinichi rubs his temples as he feels the onset of a headache. Grumbling as his mother waved at him from afar. Shiho's smirk deepened as he walked closer.
"What?"
"Nothing," was her reply.
"I know what you're going to say," he states as she shrugs.
"Don't worry, Kudou," she teased, "Everyone has their weaknesses."
"What weakness?"
His mother screamed in excitement as soon as the words left his mouth.
"Shin-chan! Shin-chan!" Placing a pink dolphin hat on top of his head, she gushed, taking pictures with her phone. "You look so cuteeee~!"
"Kaa-chan!" he wanted to take it off, but the woman persisted, and he was left with arms folded with a scowl as she continued to snap photos.
"You're point?" Shiho said minutes later, as he grumbled, keeping up with his mother, who was now speaking animatedly with Ran.
"She is not my weakness."
"Ara, is that so?"
"Shiho…"
They strolled further in, and they eventually reached their destination. While sitting on the stairs, they watched the procession. His father and the professor performed an interesting magic show on the raised stage. His father's imagined character, the night baron—inspired the professor's secret invention.
"Yu-chan!" his mother received a few glances from those around her. Shinichi felt the need to hide his face out of secondhand embarrassment.
"How did he do that?" Ran watched as the professor's robot disappeared in a puff of smoke.
"Right, right," Yukiko said as the two women gushed about the show. Shiho looked at the professor's invention with a tight-lipped smile. "Figures it'll be something worthless again."
"Give him a break. He's trying."
"I said it was worthless, not that it wasn't entertaining," she offered.
"Well, it is certainly not worth burning down the kitchen for," he recalls the fires and burnt appliances he had seen.
"Another fire, and we may burn to crisps before the operation even begins," Shiho remarks. "He will be doing the organization a huge favor if you ask me."
Her sense of humor was morbid as usual, and he gave her a sour look. "You can't be serious," he murmured, and she chuckled dryly in response. He noticed her stern expression. She was resolute. His mother's impromptu trip to the aquarium not abating the plan in her mind.
"None of that changes anything," she whispered as he leaned against the railing, gazing at his father's performance.
Her fingers tightened around the metal railing they were resting on, and he became concerned. The anxiety formed, the almost crushing feeling that arises every time he thinks about it—about the coming mission. About her resolve.
"There," he uttered. "There has to be another way."
She gave him a wry smile.
"Shiho."
"I have to do this."
He hesitates, unsure of how to reply.
"Why are you so stubborn?" he asked before being interrupted by a cheeky Yukiko and a tight-lipped Ran. His mother grabbed them both and pushed them along.
"Ice cream," Yukiko said as Shinichi objected.
"Kaa-chan," he groaned. "Stop interfering with a conversation. I'm—"
The woman stopped him, "Nothing will come of this."
He was surprised by the sudden change in her tone. Ran grabs Shiho and leads her away. Like always, his mother meddles in matters that don't concern her.
"What is the point in backing her rash decision?" he asked as Yukiko flicked his forehead.
"Shin-chan," she said. "Sometimes you need to let a girl do what she has to do," Yukiko's words carried a subtle message that made him hesitate.
"What are you trying to say."
"You need to trust her too."
"I do!" he argued, and his mother flicked him again.
And all he could do was frown at her knowing smile.
Silently, he stuffed his hands into his pockets and sighed.
"Come on, let's get some ice cream before your face gets longer than it needs to be."
"Fine, fine, stop pushing me, old lady," he mumbled before being slapped on the back of the head hard. Mother and son stared indignantly at each other as they walked forward.
They arrived at the store and found Ran assisting an elderly man. He was wearing a rather expensive brown business suit and walked with a limp on his left leg. A leather hat adorned his balding head, and he slouched slightly. His refined manner befitted a gentleman.
"Are you alright?" Ran picks up the man's walking stick from the black marbled floors and supports him.
"I'm fine, thank you," he replied, his blue eyes peeking through wrinkles. Shiho watched him incredulously from behind Ran.
"Would you like me to accompany you to the receptionist?"
"These old bones can handle it," replied the man, "but thank you, Angel."
The compliment made Ran beam. As she let go, the man staggered. Moving forward slowly. At this sight, Shinichi froze.
"Shin-chan?" Yukiko asked.
"I'm going to the restroom!" He made an excuse and left without a second thought. Although the man was still hobbling, something was different. He was no longer slouching, and instead of limping on the left, he was now limping on the right. A mistake that was made on purpose.
The man walked through the crowd, and Shinichi followed him. Occasionally stopping by the tanks and sometimes leaning against a wall. Keeping his act up, the man appeared to be an unassuming senior enjoying a leisurely trip through the aquarium. At some point, he moved—quickly, down a corridor, toward the backrooms. Shinichi went after him, adjusting his spectacles.
He entered through the "staff only" doors. A loud hum came from the aquarium pumps as the old man disappeared down the dim corridors. Water ran through the pipes with a faint hiss—and emerging from it was white steam. Shinichi threads carefully, senses heightened. He heard a door close, and he rushed forward. There was nothing at the end, and Shinichi spun around. A janitor's closet caught his attention. Dread gripped his stomach, the heavy feeling he experienced whenever something wasn't right. It jabbed at him like a thousand needles, forcing him to swallow the nagging fear.
He did not want to be right.
He whipped around when he was just about to unlatch the doors. Shinichi was not alone. The figure behind bore a menacing aura— of blood lust—of a predator finding its prey. Ash-gray eyes greeted him, widening in surprise as boy and man regarded each other.
"Conan-kun?"
"Amuro-san?"
Shiho was amused as she watched Ran attempt to control Yukiko Kudou. Even though the woman was about forty years old, she still behaved like a fifteen-year-old. Easily excitable, she squealed as the whale shark swam by.
It was impressive, to say the least. The 30-year-old shark christened the aquarium's pride and joy—floated leisurely across the pristine waters, almost lazily. A school of sardines swirled around the aquarium staff, who was cleaning the central tank while feeding the creatures in it. A feeding frenzy followed, followed by oohs and ahhs. Shinichi's mother shrieked and waved excitedly as the divers waved back.
"Yukiko-san!" Ran attempted to peel the woman away but to no avail. She ended up joining Shiho by the side, shaking her head. "It's a fruitless effort," Shiho commented.
"I'm beginning to see that," Ran muttered disgruntledly. They exchanged glances and laughed. Despite the circumstances, the situation was quite humorous. The horrified look on Shinichi's face, when his mother appeared was priceless. His inability to handle the woman was entertaining.
"Isn't it amazing," Ran said as they observed the sharks in the tank.
Dimmed-down lights combined with a faint blue glow emanating from the giant aquarium created a relaxing ambiance. Children and adults alike watched, enraptured by the magical scene before them. Ran placed her hands flat on the thick glass. "Whale sharks are said to live well into their 130th year," Ran states as the almost 10-meter-long creature swam past.
"Trapped in a tight, enclosed space, doomed to entertain at least three generations of brats forever," Shiho replied cynically, hands behind her back.
"At least it's healthy," Ran grumbled, "Ai-chan, do you really have to say that?"
Shiho watched as the shark circled the tank again. Reality was cruel; it was trapped in a bubble, unable to escape. Though it was fed daily and had all its needs met, it was still a frog in a well. Living a life of luxury, unseeing, and unable to experience the freedom of the open ocean.
Nevertheless, there were worse things outside, and at least in here—it was safe.
"Ignorance is bliss, is it?" Shiho mused, only to find the raven-haired girl staring pensively at the creature. Ran turned away before looking to the ground with downcast eyes.
As the plan for the operation unfolded, the girl was often by her side. Providing support whenever she could. It was the reason Shiho became aware of it. Ran's worry. The concern in her kind blue eyes and, more importantly, the sad smile that adorns her lips whenever she looks at Shiho—and Shinichi.
There is a slight sting to it. She couldn't help but feel responsible for taking away the life Ran was supposed to have.
With the sudden change in mood, they descended into silence. Shiho followed the girl as they strolled through the aquarium. Eventually, she found herself swamped by a mob of people, and though she tried to keep up—the girl was moving too fast. Ran disappeared for just a moment, the crowd seemingly devouring her. Once again, her sister's image overlapped with Ran's, and she became alarmed.
Akemi—please…don't…go.
"Ran-san," she stumbled through, and the girl caught her.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Ai-chan," Ran apologized, "I got lost in my thoughts, and I—"
Shiho grabbed Ran by the shirt. The sensation soothed the racing anxiety that surfaced. "It's ok," Shiho muttered as a warm smile spread across Ran's face.
The raven-haired beauty kneels before her. "I'm not going anywhere," she assures.
Shiho clinging on tighter to her shirt.
"I'm sorry," Ran said. Again, Shiho detects the sadness that emanates from the girl.
"What's wrong, Ran-san?"
"Is it none of my business, Ai-chan?" the girl muttered hesitantly. "Am I overstepping boundaries?"
Laughing nervously, Ran stands up. Fiddling with her fingers, she considers before relenting. "I feel inadequate."
"Even though I have offered my assistance, I still feel like I am not doing enough. I won't pretend to know what is going on. Such plans are lost to me," Ran held her breath.
"In Otaru, I could only watch from the side while you stood alone. The situation was dangerous, but I was powerless to help. What can I do? How can I help? I cannot remain blind anymore, not when you guys run headlong into danger."
The girl stared at Shiho. "Even though you said—ignorance is bliss, I feel like I'm being strung along in a game I have no control over. What if anything were to happen to you...to Shinichi...to the professor?"
She gave a heavy sigh.
"I am rendered useless. Like a damsel in distress, running around like a headless chicken."
This selfless…woman. Even in a situation like this, Ran only thought about others. Not only had she accompanied Shiho to Otaru, but she had also comforted her in her darkest days.
She possessed a hidden strength. Defying circumstances and facing fears that render most people powerless. It reminded her of her first encounter with Ran when she spoke to a broken man with conviction in her eyes. "Courage is the word that gives you strength to do what's right."
The statement reveals her resolve.
It gave Shiho a reason to continue for just one more day.
"Despite everything, Ran," Shiho slips a hand into hers. The girl froze, stunned by her actions. It was the first time Shiho had taken the initiative. While it was embarrassing, she held on firmly.
"You've always been there. You might feel unimportant—but to me, you are indispensable."
Having trouble being honest, she cursed a little. Ran looked at her, a little teary-eyed.
"I apologize for what I've done to you, and I would do anything to make it right," Shiho continued.
Ran shook her head, "There's no need to be sorry."
It was in the girl's nature. Ran was always giving, and she had never once requested anything in return.
Again, the question emerges, and Shiho could not help herself.
"The reason you'll accept me is beyond my comprehension...why don't you despise me?"
The girl stopped before leading them into a secluded corridor away from prying eyes.
"I cannot lie," Ran whispered, "It does hurt. Sometimes, I can't bear to think about it."
"Then why—"
"Because I care for him," she said, "And I want him to be happy."
Shiho falls silent. Guilt festered. Ran, tightening her hold, the warmth of the raven-haired beauty seeping through. "He's happy with you," she continued. "Ai-chan, there will be no answer for this. We could sit here and wallow in guilt, in what ifs, but it'll get us nowhere."
"Ran-san?"
"I have come to care for you," she smiled brightly. "And I want you to be happy too."
Shiho took in a deep breath as the girl continued.
"But," Facing Shiho, Ran's blue eyes were alight in determination.
"I want to know," she insisted, "I want to help. Shinichi won't tell me anything. But I can't be ignorant any longer. So Ai-chan, please."
Akemi appeared briefly. A painful yet nostalgic memory was triggered. "It'll be ok."
Sighing slowly, Shiho leaned back against the wall. "I guess it doesn't matter anymore," she murmured, "You will be targeted."
"I know the consequences."
Shiho released the girl, reaching into her pockets and retrieving a capsule she kept in a tiny box. "APTX 4869," she explained as she told the girl everything with a wry smirk on her face.
Ran went silent as she listened to what had transpired. Shiho told her about the organization, its purpose, and her parents.
Combined with the new information gleaned from the thumb drive, the files littering their laboratory in America painted a dark picture of two people descending into madness.
"They were developing a miracle drug with funding from the organization," Shiho explained. Her father's character is reflected in hastily written and almost emotionless experimental notes.
In the thumb drive, a classified report with information redacted revealed only a name.
It was the only name left of a seventeen-year-old experiment. Shiho found it difficult to reconcile the contradiction between her mother's gentle voice heard in tapes Akemi left behind with her ruthless reports. It was still unclear who her parents were, and she could only surmise their motives.
Humans or monsters? Shiho would never know.
"They were killed by Rum. The organization did not elaborate. I won't claim to know why, and the only one who knows—would never reveal his secrets," she murmured bitterly. The thumb drive that contained information about their deaths was shown to her by Shinichi. Having carefully scrutinized the report, he only shook his head when she asked about it.
"I'm not sure, but maybe…"
The boy provided no further information, once again formulating a theory only he could decipher.
"Ai-chan?"
"If it makes you feel better, Ran-san, it's not just you who is running around like a headless chicken. Only a shrunken detective with a brain bigger than a hot air balloon can comprehend the intricacies of this farce. Which, speaking of the devil, is missing...again."
The girl frowned at her statement, but the tension she carried seemed to dissipate. The bright spark back in azure blue eyes. Shiho had wanted to say something but was interrupted.
"What are you two discussing?" Yukiko interrupted them with a mischievous grin. "Were you talking about Shin-chan? Ooo, are you guys perhaps fighting over him?"
Ran and Shiho shared a glance. Their lips pressed together in a thin line.
"Can you imagine quarreling over that idiot?" Shiho asked.
"No, I'd rather date a tortoise," Ran answered.
Yukiko pauses before laughing.
"Poor Shin-chan," she quipped before walking ahead.
"Poor Shin-chan indeed," Shiho muttered as an amused grin spread across her face.
Ran chuckled and pointed to the crowd.
"I think we should probably look for him, knowing him..."
"He'll probably end up with a corpse."
They shared a look, Ran giggling at the statement. As they stroll through, looking at the various aquariums and searching for the boy, Ran stops Shiho momentarily.
"Ran-san?"
"Thank you, Ai-chan," she whispered, "For telling me."
A warm glow adorned the girl's lips as she squeezed Shiho's shoulder.
"You're welcome."
Screams interrupted the peace. Ran stepped before Shiho, shielding her as they faced the source. The raven-haired beauty gasped in horror as Yukiko rushed toward them.
It was hard to see at first, but sinking through the tank surrounded by a frenzy of fish and sharks was—the deformed shape of a human jawbone.
"What are you doing here?" Shinichi questioned.
Instead of answering, Amuro Tooru grabbed Shinichi's arm and slammed him against the wall. There was a crack in the friendly mask he usually wore.
"Amuro-san? " Shinichi winced, and the man glanced cautiously around before turning the corner and letting out a sigh of relief.
"Is she here?" he asked.
Shinichi takes a moment to collect himself.
"What are you—"
"Kudou-kun," Amuro-san cuts him off. The tanned detective was riled up. He could see it from his stance. There was something else brimming underneath. Shinichi noticed the light scratch on the man's arm in the dim light. His lips were broken, and his gray eyes were filled with concern. Amuro-san or Furuya Rei, had used Shinichi's real name. The pretense leaving, Shinichi examined the detective in front.
"I know who she is," Amuro asserts. "There is no need to hide it anymore. Again, I ask, is the girl here?"
Shinichi studied the detective before sighing.
"Yes," he answered, and Amuro's grip tightened over his shoulder.
"Go back to her."
"What is going on?"
"You've realized it, haven't you," the man smirked. The omnipresent pressure emerges again.
"Are they—" Shinichi couldn't finish. Screams interrupted their conversation. Alarmed, the boy and man rushed out of the staff corridor and into the public area. Several people were running for the exits. The staff were trying to comfort a child holding a pail and crying loudly. The boy had been partaking in the aquarium's feeding activity and was standing on a platform overlooking the main tank below.
When Shinichi reached them, he was forced to pull back due to the foul odor of fish guts and something else. It was a smell he could recognize anywhere. It stinks of—
"Death," Amuro-san seized the pail away from the boy, pulling on his gloves, and from the bucket—lodged between the fish bones and guts was the unmistakable fragment of a human thumb.
"Shinichi," the professor walks towards him with his father at his side. Still, in his performance costume, Yusaku glanced at the inspectors.
"The usual?" he asked. Shinichi could only shrug in response.
Like always, they found themselves involved—a routine, he supposes.
"Why am I not surprised," Inspector Megure said. Having just arrived, the middle-aged inspector dressed in his customary brown suit entered the scene. The forensics team examined the place cordoned off by the police. Amidst the hectic situation, Amuro-san slipped away, citing an errand he had to attend to. The cryptic message the double agent had previously delivered served as a sinister warning, and Shinichi had to force himself to focus on the case at hand.
"It's you again," Inspector Shiratori appears behind Megure-san.
As Shinichi raised his hands in mock surrender, both men grinned ironically.
"Caught in the flesh," he quipped. Megure-san shook Yusaku's hand as the two old friends exchanged greetings. Shinichi looks at the scene again. A forensics officer lays out the contents of the steel pail on a plastic sheet, hiding them from the public's view.
Even though the area had been closed off, a few stragglers wanted to see the gruesome sight of body parts mixed into fish food. The meat has been ground into a formless chum. The parts found were barely distinguishable.
"What do you think about this, Conan-kun?" Shiratori nudges Shinichi slightly.
Standing with his hands on his chin. Brown chestnut eyes hardened as another finger was pulled from the fish chum. "I heard a kid found it?" Shiratori asked, and Shinichi nodded. It was something a child shouldn't have to go through. A heinous crime marred the little boy's fifth birthday party.
"The parts were mixed together with the feed and fed to the fishes," Shinichi muttered. Shiratori winced. The man folded his arms across his casually dressed shirt. It was an odd assortment for the usually well-dressed guy. His khaki shorts are paired with a Hawaiian blouse, sunglasses, and a white collared shirt. Shiratori-san looked more like he was dressed for a holiday than for work.
"A murder?"
"Maybe," Shinichi answered and then paused. He could hear a voice through his detective badge. Taking it, he was greeted by a shrunken scientist.
"Wait," she said before he could get a word in, "don't tell me. Let me guess."
Snorting, he narrowed his eyes.
"You've hit the jackpot?"
"Why bother asking?"
"We found a jawbone, Shin-chan!" His mother's voice rang out.
"A mandible, to be exact. It's attracting quite a crowd," Shiho continued.
"You might want to ask forensics to retrieve that, Shiratori-san," Shinichi said. The man who had been listening in agreed. And proceeded toward Megure-san, who was still talking to the professor and his father.
Alone again, he whispered into the detective badge, "Shiho, you've got to get out of here," he warned. It was followed with a sigh. "What is it this time?"
"Bourbon," Shinichi revealed, "he's here. I don't know why, but you've got to leave Shiho. Hakase will take Ran and you back. This place isn't safe."
"I'm not leaving."
He groaned. "Shiho, would you mind listening to me for once?"
"I'm not leaving Kudou Shinichi."
Her stubbornness emerged again, and there was nothing he could do to persuade her.
"It's dangerous," he still tried.
"And it isn't for you? Again, I'm not leaving."
He paused—her hidden intentions were made clear, and Shinichi couldn't help the slight smile that emerged on her lips. Idiot.
"Be careful then," he relents, "I'll be there soon, but keep an eye out for anything strange."
"The only strange thing I have encountered today is a grim reaper, Shinichi."
"Yeah, yeah," he grumbled as his mother laughed quietly in the background.
"Shiho, about the case."
"My rates aren't cheap, Shinichi."
"I'll have my parents pay you then," he quipped.
"Sure. A million dollars should suffice."
"You are shameless," he scowled, folding his arms.
"I will need you to review the staff records to determine who has been absent from work. Shiratori-san will assist you."
"Why? Is the victim confirmed to be a staff of the aquarium?"
"Most probably," Shinichi glanced over to the shredded blue cloth that had been pulled out from the pail. It carried the distinct patterns of a uniform.
"Is there anything else?" She sighed.
"Don't be alone."
"Anything else?"
"Get moving. We need the body's identity," Shinichi teased, "Come now, chop chop, get to it. Surely you can speed run this," he continued and was met with a tundra-like silence.
"Yes," she replied icily, "it's like a daily chore right now. What difference does one more make? Am I right, death magnet-kun?"
"Shiho…"
Episodes used:
Episode 247 :D
Again, I thank you all for your kind support and reviews. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'll see you in the next.