Shiho wasn't sure how she had gotten through the next day.
It had felt like she had experienced everything through a dull fog. Her sense of time was all over the place. Some hours she couldn't remember at all, others had passed excruciatingly slowly. Her own movements felt stiff, almost foreign. She couldn't keep any food down and at night she lay awake, unable to fall asleep until the exhaustion overpowered her. It only offered her a short reprieve as the memories immediately jerked her awake. She was unable to suppress his screams, the sight of his face twisted in pain, his eyes begging her to spare him. It suffocated her.
After a few hours of rolling from one side to the other she gave up and got dressed. It was futile anyway, she wouldn't find sleep anytime soon. She was just wasting her time - time she could use more effectively.
It was 4 a.m. when she entered the deserted lab.
The only thing that kept her from falling apart completely was her determination to gain information from his death so that it wouldn't be completely senseless. Even if he hadn't shrunk, there must be something in his system she could use. She had already started several experiments the day before and after checking on their progress, she focused on the ones that seemed the most promising.
For some it might seem strange why she still wanted to work on the antidote. If everything went according to her sister's plan, they would escape the organisation tomorrow. In that case she could leave that wretched work behind, once and for all.
However, it didn't mean that the research would come to a stop. On the contrary, it might even take longer without her present which would cost even more innocent people their lives. Shiho was certain that the organisation would continue testing the poison on humans until they had a working antidote. Even if she wouldn't be here to witness it, she would still feel responsible for every victim and she didn't want to have that added guilt on her conscience.
And then there was still the boy, the reason for their tireless work that required so many sacrifices. She couldn't make sense of him or his behaviour and it remained a mystery why the organisation went to such great lengths for him. But no matter who he was, whether he was an innocent civilian or someone with ties to the organisation, she still felt responsible for him. It was her poison that had shrunk him and he relied on her and her team for a slim chance to get his former life back. He had expressed hope for a future in which he survived the whole ordeal and she desperately wanted to help him achieve that.
For the last week he had been a daily presence in the laboratory. He had been surprisingly kind to her and their conversations had been a welcome change. Under different circumstances she felt like they might have been friends. It didn't matter anymore since if her attempt to escape was to be successful they would probably never see each other again. Still, she felt like she owed it to him to try everything.
This meant she had approximately 30 hours left to work on the antidote. The time pressure and her remorse fueled her exhausted body. When she finally found a possible lead, she latched on to it. She would be successful, she had to be to save whatever was left of her broken soul.
Shinichi was spending this morning in his father's office. He enjoyed the peace he had in here. Not only did he have access to files on previous operations which gave him a better understanding of the organisation's modus operandi, but it also gave him a break from the never-ending glances. He hadn't expected the other organisation members to take this long to get used to his presence. It bothered him more than he would like to admit as it made him feel like he didn't belong. He could only hope that his life as Conan would soon be over and that he would be able to earn his place in the organisation, this time as Shinichi.
He had finally retrieved his phone from his father. The amount of missed calls had surprised him a bit. He had always been different from his peers, more guarded, more intelligent and easily annoyed by others, therefore he had never had many friends. Ran's calls were understandable, Sonoko's as well, but he hadn't expected his other classmates to reach out to him. Then there were also a few call from the school, potential new clients and even Inspector Megure. He was curious which new cases the inspector had for him, as he usually only called him when he needed help on especially difficult cases.
An unexpected wave of longing went through him. He missed his old life more than he thought he would. It didn't change his mind, he still wanted to join his parents empire. He had chosen this path early on and he had spent his life preparing for this moment. Sure, it had started differently than expected, but then again, getting shrunk was not something he would have ever imagined to be possible. Despite that, he was determined to make the most out of this experience. And as soon as he had his body back, he would become a proper member of the organisation.
Still, a part of him longed for the life of an almost normal high schooler - hanging out with Ran, playing football, getting bored at school, solving cases. Originally he had only started this hobby out of morbid interest and to get inspiration, but over time he started to enjoy it. He didn't want to let go of it completely. Which meant that his mother had been right, he needed to be more careful with his identity. The glasses he now wore gave him a bit of security. According to his father everyone in the organisation was deeply loyal, but he didn't feel comfortable to put his life in the hands of so many people he barely knew. Loyalty can be fickle.
The most important task for now was to keep the sudden disappearance of Shinichi Kudo concealed. If the news were to spread, they could reach the wrong ears and eyes. He used his time to text everyone who could possibly look for him about his temporary absence. Megure had been a bit disgruntled, but he had accepted his flimsy excuse. Shinichi had even offered to check his emails more often in case Megure needed urgent help. It could never hurt to have an inspector owe you a favour.
Assuring Ran that he was alright had been more difficult. She refused to accept his texts and insisted that he should call her, so she could hear his voice and convince herself it was truly him. He regretted having told her about his cases so often as she must have picked up some of his deductive abilities. She certainly couldn't have learned anything from that incompetent father of hers.
He was still debating how he could convince Ran that it was truly him when his father entered the room. He recognised him even behind the mask and the long cloak.
"I didn't expect to meet you here. I was told you were in the lab."
"I was there, but Sherry won't be in until later and without her it's a bit boring. The others don't see me as a human." He couldn't fault the other scientist for their approach. His shrinking was a scientific miracle and if he were in their place, he would probably treat him the same. Though it didn't mean that he had to feel comfortable in their presence.
Yusaku placed his mask on the table. "Where is she?"
"Out with her sister, shopping I think." He had heard the others talk about it with blatant envy, clearly irritated that they had to work instead of getting a short break.
His father looked pensive. "Didn't they already meet up a week ago? Gin is getting too lenient."
"I think she deserves a little rest. She and the others have been working tirelessly." Usually Shinichi didn't tend to pity others. But she was his best hope to get his body back and he had noticed how miserable she had looked the last two days. He had recognised the expression on her face from former cases and with the new direction of the research he could make an educated guess as to what had happened. A small break wouldn't hurt anyone. It might take her mind off of things for a few hours which in turn could make her more productive.
"And? How are they coming along?"
"They are still trying to find out why the poison malfunctioned. But they managed to shrink a mouse and they have started to test the poison on humans." Shinichi had of course read the file on the first test subject, which had felt strange. Physically they were very similar, but one had died and the other shrunk. It made him truly realise how close he had come to actually dying. It had also piqued his curiosity further. What was the difference between them?
"Good." Yusaku sat down behind his desk. "I should probably remind them not to do too many human tests. It'll attract too much attention."
"So there is a limit to how far you are willing to go for me." Shinichi joked which made his father roll his eyes.
"I won't risk decades of work just because you've been careless."
For others it might seem harsh, but Shinichi wasn't too surprised. He could understand the reasoning. "What if there is no antidote?" When he had first seen how slow the progress was, he had started to consider this possibility. He wasn't too keen to experience everything again, but he had always been pragmatic. He wanted to be prepared for every eventuality. "Would I still have to wait until I'm 18 to join the organisation if I have to grow up a second time?"
"Let's hope we don't have to find out, okay?"
"Sure." His father obviously didn't want to talk about it further. For a moment Shinichi considered that his almost-death might have affected him more than he let on. "Say, you don't happen to have a voice changer?"
He had seen the organisation's inventory during his tour around the headquarters with Vermouth and Gin. It was a large array of different weapons and technical equipment the organisation had at their disposal. Most were bought, but he had seen some devices that were created by members of the organisation. After he had seen the work of their scientific team, he wasn't surprised to find out that the organisation created their own weapons too. To his surprise, his father answered in the affirmative and promised to get it to him as fast as possible. It would help him tremendously to appease Ran.
They continued to talk for a while and Shinichi tried to get more information about current operations from his father, but like always he remained guarded with what and how much he shared. Half an hour later they were interrupted by a phone call.
"Yes?" A few seconds passed and Shinichi noticed the change in his father's face - his features turned cold and calculated in an instance. "What do you mean you lost her?"
The voice was too quiet for him to understand what the person was saying, but Shinichi believed he still recognised Gin.
"Go there and search the premises. Obtain the footage from the surveillance camera. We need to get her back." Shinichi had never seen his father like this.
"What happened?" Shinichi asked as soon as the phone call ended
"Sherry and her sister have disappeared."
Well, fuck.
In the end it had been easier than expected.
Shiho had put on her favourite clothes in the morning. Her handbag was small and only had the usual in it as she hadn't dared to take any of her other belongings with her. It was easy to leave her life behind, she had nothing that couldn't be replaced - except for the USB-Stick with all information on the apoptoxin she had taped to the inside of her bra. Luckily the organisation's searches weren't that thorough yet.
She reached the shopping centre without a problem. Akemi was already standing in front of it and waved when she saw her. Her cheeks were red, Shiho didn't know if it was due to the cold or her nervousness. When she was close enough, Akemi wrapped her arms tightly around her and whispered into her ear to trust her.
"I'm happy you were able to take a break from work," she said louder.
"Me too."
This time they were followed by four organisation members. Shiho wondered how they were supposed to escape their watchful eyes, but Akemi apparently had a plan. They made small talk while Akemi dragged her to different shops, made her try on a few pieces and got them a smoothie. Everything appeared to be normal and Shiho got increasingly nervous. She didn't have much time left.
"Let's go there next." Akemi pointed towards a smaller store located at the end of the floor. They browsed through the clothing racks until Akmi found something for both of them. "Try this on." Her tone left no room for protest.
Shiho sighed, grabbed the dress and entered the surprisingly spacious changing room. She placed the hanger on the hook and closed the door behind her, when a hand covered her mouth, muffling her scream. A body pressed against her back and she felt the person's breath against her ear.
"Don't make a sound. I am from the FBI," a woman whispered. The words were barely audible through the throbbing of her heart.
Her eyes widened in shock. What was the FBI doing here? Were they arresting her? No, that didn't make sense. They must be part of Akemi's plan. But how had she gotten in contact with them? Her mind was racing. "Can I remove my hand?", the woman asked, her voice low enough to not be picked up by the recording device from the organisation.
Shiho nodded. The woman did as she had asked and Shiho turned around to properly look at her. For a moment Shiho thought she was looking into the mirror the woman was blocking with her body. Same haircut, same colour, same build - but the longer she looked, the more differences she noticed. The nose was too big, the eyes too close together, the lips a bit bigger.
They kept quiet as the woman reached into a pocket and produced a piece of paper she held in front of her face.
We need to quickly exchange our clothes. Be careful with the wiretap.
It felt strange to trust someone she had never met, especially someone from the other side of the law, but after everything she had been through, she was ready to take the risk. She didn't have much to lose. She had just slipped out of her trousers, when she heard Akemi's voice from the other changing room.
"Are you getting the dress? Mine didn't fit properly." Conversation to cover up any suspicious sounds, clever.
"Mine did, but it's not my style." She pointed towards the wiretap still attached to the inside of her pullover. The woman made an 'OK' gesture with her hand and motioned for Shiho to take the garment off.
"Oh well, maybe we have more luck in the next store."
"Which one do you have in mind?" Shiho was beginning to put on the other woman's clothes
"There is this new store on the second floor, I'm sure we'll find something there."
They had finished switching their clothes apart from their underwear and shoes. Shiho stared at the other woman, unsure what to do now. The woman held a finger in front of her lips, signalling her to stay quiet. With her other hand she grabbed something small from her bag and pressed a button.
Shiho's mouth fell open when she heard her own voice coming out of the loudspeaker.
"Are you ready?" Her voice asked. It was surreal. She briefly wondered how they had done it.
"Yes," Akemi answered.
The woman handed her a woolly hat and another note.
Wait here.
She grabbed the dress Shiho had brought to try on and slipped out of the changing room.
Shiho listened with bated breath as she listened to her own voice and Akemi's that got progressively quieter. Even when they were no longer audible, she didn't dare to move. She wasn't sure how much time had passed, when she heard a knock on the door.
"Shiho?"
"Yes?"
"It's safe. You can come out."
Shiho remembered the woolly hat in her hand and put it on, hiding her hair completely underneath it. Only then did she open the door of the changing stall. Akemi stood in front of her. She also wore a cap and a different outfit, but it was undeniably her sister. Behind her stood a tall man with a knit cap and long, black hair and suddenly it all made sense.
It was Dai Moroboshi, her sister's ex-boyfriend that had exploited her caring nature to infiltrate the organisation, the one that almost got her killed. She hated him for what he did to her sister, but in this moment she couldn't help herself; she felt grateful. Despite everything he had returned and he had helped them. It didn't redeem his actions, but it showed that maybe he wasn't a complete -
"We don't have much time," he said, interrupting her thoughts. He looked at neither of them as his eyes scanned the area. "Follow me."
Apparently the hadn't faked his stoic personality during his time in the organisation. They followed him through a door marked for 'staff only' which led them to a small staircase that brought them directly to the underground parking.
They got into a car with blacked-out windows. Only when they were several streets away from the shopping centre and Dai said that no one was following them did Shiho allow herself to relax into her seat. For the first time in her life she was free.