"So… You're telling me… You've been Kudou and have been using me…", Kogoro said as he tried to calm himself down before he turned to everyone in the room.
Conan and everyone in the room told Kogoro, Sonoko, and Eri, and anyone who didn't know the full story the whole truth, and needless to say, Kogoro was furious.
"Occhan-".
"Shut up.", Kogoro growled, and Conan found himself silent from the angry tone that he had never heard the man use before.
"You… all of you… mocked me and my daughter, used us both, for your stupid needs… and you couldn't even be a man about it and come clean.", Kogoro eyed everyone but he directed his speech at Conan.
Conan remained silent and Agasa tried to defend him, "he was trying to protect you-".
"DON'T TELL ME THAT SHIT! I USED TO BE A COP AND WE SAID THAT WHENEVER WE FAILED!", Kogoro spat before he turned to Masumi, "And you, you stupid kid who tried to use my girl to get to that brat, I'll have a proper word with you when I'm done.".
Masumi shrunk in her place at Kogoro's words and turned to Sonoko, wanting to explain why she did this, but Sonoko replied coldly, "When this is over, I never want to see your face again…".
At the strong firm tone she had heard from, Masumi lowered her head, avoiding everyone's looks, but she looked up once she felt Amuro's arm around her, pulling her close to support her.
"Kogoro-", Yusaku started.
"And you two! This is also all your fault! If you had raised that boy properly! None of this would've happened!", Kogoro spat angrily.
"I'll save my daughter with Eri and Sonoko… Since we are the only people who truly cared about her, while you all are just a bunch of liars who were having fun making fools out of us!", Kogoro spat as he pulled Eri with him and turned to leave the Kudo Manor, Sonoko following silently behind.
"You'll get her killed.", Mary finally spoke up, and her words made Kogoro turn at her.
"What did you say?!", He cried.
"You heard me, your pride and pain will get your daughter killed. You won't be able to do anything alone and neither will we. That won't help your daughter.", Mary explained, "I don't know your daughter much, but I'm a mother of three, and I know how a mother feels. And your daughter is my daughter's best friend, to the point that my daughter forgot many times about her real mission of getting me, her mother, the antidote, and spent most of her time with you daughter and Suzuki.".
"I can confirm that, since I had orders to kill her, but since I want to take the Organization down, I gave her the poison knowing that she will survive. I've read Sherry's papers about how a certain gene can cause the shrinking, and since she did, there was a chance Sera would to.", Vermouth explained, "A risk, but I had no choice since they want us to end our enemies with this poison.".
Seeing that Kogoro still doesn't understand why Vermouth cares, she continued, "Your daughter saved my life two years ago while I was disguised as a serial killer. She did not just save my life, she changed my whole perspective, and Shinichi was with her too. They're the ones who gave me hope of the existence of good people in this world, after all the shit I've been through.".
"I assure you, because of them, when this is all over, I'll help the agents here take them down, and I'll hand myself over.", Vermouth said before she nodded at Jodie, who narrowed her eyes at her before she looked at Kogoro.
"Your daughter was my student while I was undercover. She and Sonoko were my favorite students anyways.", Jodie said.
"She's an admirable person, and I befriended her as Subaru.", Shuichi explained.
"I befriended her during my time as Amuro Tooru.", Rei said.
"I don't know her well, but I'm doing this for Masumi and Shuichi.", Shukichi added.
"I've grown fond of her despite the short time I've knew her.", Hidemi said.
"She's my friend, and my former crush before I fell for Haruka.", Eisuke said.
"Neechan's my friend too.", Heiji said.
"And mine.", Kazuha added.
"Ran and Sonoko are my first and best friends. I know you hate me now, but that won't stop me from saving Ran.", Masumi said, directing her stern determined speech to Sonoko before Kogoro.
"She's like the daughter I never had, I watched her grow with Shinichi.", Agasa said.
"She's like our own daughter.", Yukiko spoke for herself and Yusaku, ignoring Kogoro's looks of anger, "If you think anyone in this room was happy for one second about you being used or lying to Ran, then you're wrong.".
"You think all of this will stop me from leaving?", Kogoro scoffed at the scene.
"You're not going anywhere.", Haibara spoke up as she stepped ahead of everyone, an angry look on her face.
"And who's going to stop me? You? A stupid shady kid?", Kogoro spat.
"I'm not a kid!", Haibara cried, almost losing her temper, "My name is Miyano Shiho, a former 18-year-old scientist at the Black Organization. And I've lost my sister to freaks before, I'm NOT going to lose another sister to other freaks! By any means! So, whether you all like it or not, I'm in this team and we'll keep on working to save Ran!".
"Occhan…", Conan finally spoke up, "You're right. I wasn't a man about coming forward with the truth to you and Ran. It wasn't just about fear and worry over you, but it's because of my pride as a detective… And later on, my fear increased when I saw what the Organization could do.".
"I didn't think about anything I've done, nor about the consequences, so I understand where you're coming from.".
"But don't even think for a second that I don't care about Ran, you can ask Hattori and Haibara how many times I used a stupid temporary antidote just to be with her! You can ask them how I felt conflicted when I would see her cry for me or because of me and I couldn't do anything!".
Conan took a deep breath before he said, "Let us all work together for Ran's sake. And when this is all over, it's up to Ran decide if she wants to deal with us, with me particularly, or not…".
Sonoko looked at Conan, no, at Shinichi, at her best friend whom she often cursed about leaving her other best friend and wondering where the hell he was, and why he would leave Ran like this.
But now, listening to their words, and looking at the different people in the room made Sonoko realize how dangerous the situation was, and how it was understandable for Shinichi to do what he did.
There was no correct answer in his situation. Whatever solution he was going to pick, people were going to get hurt, one way or another.
"Anata, we have to keep working together, they can be trusted, for they care about Ran truly.", Eri finally spoke up.
Kogoro turned to her in disbelief, "Eri!".
"They care about her not for Conan, nor you, nor me, they don't have a reason to care about her actually. They just spent some time with her, and they cared about her since then, even the government secret agents… hell, even a criminal like Vermouth… That doesn't mean they're trying to prove or ask Ran for forgiveness indirectly, it means they truly care and will do anything for her.", Eri voiced her thoughts with an emotional voice before she spoke sternly to Kogoro, "So I'm asking you, for the sake of our daughter, let us shut down all of those arguments and work together to save her, with Kyogoku-san.".
Kogoro stared at Eri before he sighed, "Fine… Just for Ran…".
Kogoro then turned everyone and said angrily, "But I don't want to see any of you again when this is over.", He then looked down at Conan, directing his anger towards him, "Especially you.".
Conan said nothing at Kogoro's words and simply nodded.
'Ran comes first… and then comes everything else…', was all what Conan thought of.
"I'm surprised you're still standing here with a house full of agents.", Jodie directed her words at Vermouth, but she didn't look at her, but the woman knew the speech was directed towards her.
"For Ran's sake, and I would've done the same for Shinichi.", Vermouth said as she glanced at Jodie, "As I said, I'll hand myself over when the Organization is taken down.".
"Whatever made you change?", Jodie asked out of curiosity.
"Let's just say… that this whole situation made me realize what a horrible person I'm. I guess you don't feel the impact of your actions until you see someone else do it to someone you care about.", Vermouth sighed, "Surely I hadn't participated in such thing like Bloodsport, but you know what the Organization had done…".
Jodie stared at her silently. This woman was her father's killer and all she felt towards her was loathe and hate, and she could care less about what others would say to defend her, in fact, she wouldn't be surprised if Eri decided to become her lawyer in the future as a way of thanking her for her help.
But now Jodie was finding Vermouth to be interesting and from what she heard from Yukiko about their days together, she wanted to know more about that woman.
Whatever made someone like her become what she is today?
"My grandfather is Karasuma Renya. And my father defected from the Organization and escaped with an American woman. He found out, and tasked agents to kill them both. I was only four then.", Vermouth mumbled, "He always told me they were police officers, since they wore their outfits when they did this… I didn't find out the truth except years ago, and I was conflicted between defecting and not… because what can one woman do?".
"And then your boyfriend came… and then came Cool Guy, and I then I thought that there was a chance for the Organization to be taken down.".
"Why are you telling me this?", Jodie asked with a raised eyebrow.
"You were staring at me strangely, so I thought you were wondering whatever made me what I am.", Vermouth pointed out before she turned to face Jodie, "Like I said, I'm starting to feel regret from my actions now. But no regret or apology will bring your father back, so I'll understand and won't mind if when everything is over, you shoot me.".
"Not happening.", Jodie replied instantly, "I always thought death is the best option for you, but seeing as you're starting to feel regret from your actions, the better option is for you to live in prison with all of your regret, suffering from it as possible, until, if possible, you make amends with yourself.".
Vermouth raised an eyebrow at Jodie's answer before she smiled sadly, "Well, I do deserve that.".
Jodie turned once she felt a hand on her shoulder, and she saw Shuichi smiling at her before he said, "I'm proud of you.".
"I only did the right thing.", Jodie nodded back at him with a smile.
Masumi noticed that she was still holding onto Rei and let go off him with a blush on her face, "Sorry.".
Rei slightly smirked, "Don't be.", He then looked a bit concerned, "Are you okay?".
"Yeah… I'm just glad all the truth is out, even if I may never see Sonoko and Ran again.", Masumi mumbled before she looked at her mother, "I didn't expect you to support me…".
"I know their friendship is important to you, so I had to do something.", Mary smiled at her daughter before she turned to Haibara and couldn't help but say, "But you were very brave, stepping up like that.".
"I had to. All this arguing is just a waste of time…", Haibara said solemnly, "I lost Akemi… I don't want to lose Ran too.".
Rei and Shuichi's face became grim at the reminder of the girl they both failed to save while Mary had guilt, knowing she failed to save one of her nieces.
"I'm sorry-".
"Don't be… The Organization was moving us a lot so you couldn't find us… The agents who knew about our relationship would brag about this, so Akemi and I understood…", Haibara interrupted Mary before she smiled weakly, "At least you're here now…".
"I am… and I'm not going anywhere.", Mary assured Haibara.
"So… What now?", Kogoro mumbled, refusing to look anyone in the eye.
"Now, we continue our investigations.", Conan replied.