Detective Conan FF: ♤The Poisoned Trio♤ (English)

Chapter 12

Dubonnet stared out at the water as a man dressed in black with dark curls stepped up to him. "Nick," the FSB agent greeted him quietly. Still looking straight ahead, Dubonnet sighed. "What was so important that needed to be discussed now?" he hissed back, annoyed. The curly-haired man was silent for a moment. "The FSB has a suspicion that the black organization is planning something," he replied. Nick rolled his eyes.

"The black organization is always planning something. Why would it be special this time?" threw Nick back. The curly-haired man turned to him. "They are planning a certain drug. With it, the organization can turn people into zombies. This drug...it clouds the mind," the FSB agent explained. "So, they want to control the world?", skeptically Nick looked at the curly-haired man. The latter shook his head. "We suspect they can use it to kill people more easily...or force them to do something. Your mission is to learn more about it," the curly-head prompted him. Nick bit his cheek. How the hell was he going to do that?

Briefly befriend Gin and be best buddies?

Then he'd spill the beans right away, definitely. Nick shook his head. Gin would rather shove the gun in his back than trust him. "I'll try," Dubonnet returned. The FSB agent nodded in satisfaction. Alex watched him with amusement. 

"What is it? What are you looking at?" grumbled Nick, running a hand through his hair. His buddy grinned. "Oh nothing, I just remembered something," he laughed. What an idiot. Why exactly do I have to work with him? "Remember when we shared a room? Or when you and I had our first real mission? Those were good times," Dobrow sighed, his green-yellow eyes staring out at the water. "Yeah, I remember that," Nick replied. 

And you still bug me to this day.

"What about it?" repeated Nick's question. "I always thought it was funny how badly we got along...but at the same time so well," Alex commented. "I'd like to punch you in the face right now too," this time Nick grinned. "Ha! I believe that," Alex laughed, punching Dubonnet in the shoulder. "I've got to get going again. See that you get some information, will you?", the FSB agent said goodbye and looked at the water one last time.

Then he stepped away without another word. Nick stared furiously into the distance, wondering how he was going to get information. How the heck am I supposed to do that? How exactly does he think he's going to do that? Nick stared furiously into the distance, wondering how to get information. Actually, there was only one way. He had to get hold of information about Vermouth. As much as he didn't want to.

♠♠♠

The sun began to hide behind the clouds as Ash made her way back to her quarters. In her hand, she still held the envelope, but her thoughts were still circling around the mysterious man. Who had that been? She could have sworn she had seen the guy more than once...but...nothing came to mind. Now she noticed the envelope again.

Curious, she opened the white envelope. A completely black sheet was inside. Confused, the girl stared at the piece of paper. "Is this a silly joke from Bourbon?" she asked herself. Or...was this some kind of security measure? She stopped and lifted the piece of paper high into the sun, but still, she didn't spot any writing. Lemon juice, perhaps? Ash looked around, that would be a little embarrassing, going to buy a lemon to decipher the leaf...but....

With a sigh, she entered the supermarket and bought a lemon. On the street, she squeezed the juice onto the sheet of paper and waited. Again, nothing happened. "I'll stuff you in the nearest trash can in a minute!" she hissed and entered the trio's headquarters. "You're back?" wondered Minoru, who was calmly wiping down the display cases.

"I can't get this stupid letter decoded!" she immediately threw at him and dropped into the chair. She threw the black note on the coffee table. "You do know that you threw the note on the pot?", Minoru said calmly and sat down with her. "Yes, Grandpa. I know-" she immediately jumped up. Of course! Warmth! She put the letter on the table and placed the pot on it. Through the warmth, a word stood out. Sherry.

"Huh?" the two stared at the name. "Shio Miyano," Minoru whispered, pondering, what did that mean? Sherry was long dead, after all. Or...wasn't she? Did this message come from Gin?

"We should pay a visit to the organization.''

"I think Gin found Sherry."

♠♠♠

Darkness.

It literally stuck to her.

Pain climbed up her legs.

Where was she? What had happened? Her head was pounding as if she had been run over with a roller. Carefully the girl tried to open her eyes, but only darkness greeted her. Slowly her eyes got used to the surroundings, it seemed as if she was in a warehouse. Boxes were piled on top of each other, ropes, chains, tools lay unsorted on the dusty floor. Only through a few cracks and slits, the moonlight shone through and gave the girl a chance to look around.

She didn't hear a single sound in the camp, no one was moving, nothing seemed to be here. Ai tried to stir, but only now did she realize that her hands and legs were tied. She was sitting on a chair; her mouth was covered by tape. What was she supposed to do!? Memories came flooding back like a lightning bolt. Gin had found her and grabbed her. It was only a matter of time before the black organization had enough evidence. And if this should be the case, Shinichi would also be in danger.

Not only him...but everyone else around them as well. Inwardly, Ai hoped that Kudo was smart enough to come up with a plan. After another few minutes of silence, Haibara felt sick. She couldn't just sit anymore while perhaps the organization pursued Conan. Suddenly, a door opened somewhere.

Ai froze.

Who was that? Was it....Gin? She heard soft breathing, the heavy footsteps crunching on the floor. Now someone was standing behind her. "Sherry," the person whispered softly. Tenderly, the person ran his fingertips over her shoulder. Sweat ran down Ai's eyes, would he kill her right now? The man stood in front of her and waited. What was Gin doing there?

With his black hat and coat, he blended into the darkness. A cigarette was visible, glowing. Ai dared not breathe. Gin bent down, now his face was right in front of hers. "Fascinating...I never thought you'd lead Shio around our noses..." he gasped. His tiny pupils eyed her disdainfully.

"That I would meet you in the body of a child...again...apparently Pisco was right then," he spat out the words. Ai widened her eyes. Pisco? Back then, he had almost killed Ai in the hotel. He had immediately understood that the apotoxin had shrunk her, not killed her.

"Tell me something Sherry," Gin hissed, playing with the lit cigarette in his hand. "How can you be so fucking disgusting and betray us?" he wanted to know. Slowly, he pulled the tape from her mouth. "Tell me, Sherry, did you really think you could just betray us and disappear?" the man insisted threateningly. Ai didn't dare speak, fear literally paralyzed her.

"Don't tell me now. We have time. A lot of time," and with those words he touched her skin with the cigarette, causing Ai to cry out in pain.