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

Chapter 13

Dubonnet strolled down the empty hallway, silently following Vodka. The man in the sunglasses led him to a room, and every single door here looked the same. If you didn't know your way around, the hideout seemed like a big maze. Curious, Nick stretched his neck when he saw a large door, which reminded him of a safe. Vodka stopped and fumbled for a card, which he placed against the door.

"What kind of room is this?", Nick casually tried to elicit. The man in front of him froze and pulled his hat lower on his face. "Some things you don't need to know, Dubonnet. You better concentrate on the next job," Vodka replied shortly applied and entered the room. The two sat down on two chairs and looked at the screen on the wall. "I've prepared something," muttered the agent, turning on the TV. Immediately, Dubonnet gasped when he recognized the person. Sherry. The girl who had created the poison for the organization. Shio Miyano. She had been the one who had designed the apotoxin.

"And what am I supposed to do with that? She's long dead, isn't she? Back on the Bell Tree Express," Dubonnet reminded Vodka. But the latter shook his head vigorously. "No. She survived, we were just led around by the nose"

"This girl is still alive...and by the looks of it...the poison didn't kill her," Vodka explained. Dubonnet sat up. Could this be true? Could it be that Sherry had survived? Now Vodka changed the picture. A little girl was visible, looking an awful lot like Shio. "Well...maybe you can already guess what I'm about to say. This little girl, known as Ai Haibara, is actually Sherry," Vodka finished his narration.

So, the apotoxin had only made Sherry shrink? How many more were there with such an effect?

"So, what do you want me to do? Grab Sherry?", Nick wanted to know, confused. "No. Gin takes care of that...let's say...the two of them have an old score to settle," Vodka replied, having to swallow. Gin? Would he be able to...keep himself under control? Not that... "Is it proven that Ai Haibara is Sherry?", skeptically Nick compared the photos.

"Right now, we are working on it. In a few hours, we should have accurate results...now we come to you," Vodka turned to Nick and put another photo on his table. "Shinichi Kudo. The boy had overheard us once. He too had gotten some of the poison. If we're right, he should be alive too," Vodka told him. "And who is suspected?" stood up Dubonnet. "Conan Edogowa. The best friend of Ai Haibara. Your mission is to spy on the boy and when the results are ready...you will capture him. Understood?", Vodka prompted him. Nick nodded.

"All right," Dubonnet grumbled, then sauntered out of the room, his gaze sliding to the large, mysterious door. Whatever was behind it, it would have to wait.

♠♠♠

Minoru and Ash were getting changed when the doorbell rang downstairs. "Not your first! You didn't forget to close the store, did you?", Ash snapped at him. Annoyed, she grabbed her jacket. "Yes, I did, as a matter of fact. It's not like I'm working either," Minoru replied, sighing as he climbed down the stairs. "Working? You keep rolling a joint with your tea Grandpa!" shouted Brennevin after him. Minoru hurried to the counter, recognizing from a distance that it was the man from a few days ago.

"Good afternoon, how can I help you?" he greeted the man. "Good afternoon, I hope I'm not bothering you with my constant visits," the client replied. Minoru shook his head. "No, not at all. What's on your mind?" said Chardonnay calmly, smiling amiably. The older man rummaged in his pocket and pulled out something. "Do you buy things too? How about this old music box?" the old man suggested as he presented the found object. Minoru examined the box and tenderly ran his fingers over the engraving.

"Hurry up!" shouted Ash from above, causing him to sigh. "Am I inappropriate right now?" the strange man looked toward the stairs. "I'd say 10,000 yen right now on the fly...about," Minoru muttered (that would be about 100 euros/dollars). The man nodded in satisfaction. "Take it for 75,000, I don't need it anymore," the customer smiled. "Very nice," Minoru put down the box and handed the money to the man.

"Goodbye," the latter said goodbye, then he was gone. "Strange fellow, if you ask me," Ash grumbled, standing by Minoru. "Looks like a piece of metal that's been rotting in the trash can for too long. 75,000 yen for that? You're a bad salesman," the girl grumbled, earning an annoyed look from Minoru. "Let me see," she said suddenly. She snatched the box from her colleague's hand. "Is there anything in it?" she asked herself. "Don't break it! Ash!", Minoru warned her. "Yes, yes Grandpa".

Suddenly she found something on the floor. It was a CD case. There was a name written on it in red pen:

Dubonnet