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

Chapter 22

(Ash's view)

It was getting late, the moon was slowly starting to light up the dark city, the stars were coming out, the clouds were dancing around the bright crescent. A dark shadow hissed quickly between the cars, looking at the abandoned garages. So, this was where it was. This was where Gin had killed Akemi. And now he was holding Sherry here. 

Brennevin looked closely at the surroundings. Anger crept up her veins, how disgusting did Gin have to be? She swallowed her anger and spotted a window. Deftly, she slipped through and landed on her feet. Quietly, she turned once in a circle. It was pretty quiet. Too quiet. Brennevin ducked and crept around the corner. There was a faint glow. Was that gin? Slowly, she strode forward, when suddenly she stopped. 

"Who's here?" asked Gin, and seconds later a bullet shot past Ash. "Are you stupid!!! It's me, Brennevin!" she threw back angrily. Gin stepped closer and hissed. "What are you doing here! Get out of here!" he snapped at her. Unimpressed, Ash stared at him. "I'm here because I was sent. I'm supposed to make sure you don't start any shoots," she blapped back. Gin didn't believe a word she said. Instead, he chewed on his cigarette. "Where is she?", Ash wanted to know, pulling down his mask. "Back there," Gin grinned, pointing behind him with his thumb. Brennevin strolled past him, her disdain growing. The agent stopped in front of a chair. There she sat, weak and trembling, tied to the backrest. 

Briefly the girl hesitated, then strode forward to her. "Why don't you kill me...it doesn't make sense...Gin," Ai gasped. Slowly, she looked up and realized it wasn't Gin, but someone else. "You...?" she stuttered, "Sherry?" wondered Ash. Only now did she notice all the burns on her body. Had Gin done all that! "What did you do to her?" hissed Ash softly. Gin only grinned wider. "I thought I'd get some information out of her, but...she'd rather keep quiet. Don't worry...this is just the beginning. I will," Gin turned to Ai Haibara, "give you a white clear rose...and then we will dye it red. With our blood," he chuckled. Ash took a step backwards. "You're just disgusting," Ash remarked pointedly. Gin narrowed his eyes. 

"Shut up. You're only here because someone else wanted you to be. Not me. I don't trust you one bit," he threw back, annoyed. "Maybe you're just a...NOC...a dirty rat," he whispered. Ash immediately roared. "What do you think you're doing?", Ash grabbed Gin's hand. 

"You think I'm as dirty as Dubonnet? I'll work my ass off! Don't you dare call me a rat!" she shouted. Before Gin could say anything back, a noise rang out. Immediately, Gin pulled out his pistol. The two of them crept toward the gate. 

There was someone there! Was it the police? Or...was it maybe that boy? Conan? Was he here to free Ai? Brennevin stood to the left and Gin to the right of the gate. Silence reigned for a moment, had the two of them made a mistake? A breath later, several pistol bullets riddled the gate and clattered on the ground. Ash instinctively ducked away. What the hell was happening? All at once, the shooting stopped. 

"Ha! They think they hit us!" hissed Gin, standing in front of the gate.

Then it happened.

There was a crash.

An engine howled.

Then a Mercedes broke through the gate and roared through the garage. Gin jumped aside at the last moment. The car just missed him by a hair, thundering into the nearest wall. Immediately, the man rolled up, aimed his gun at the car, but paused. The two agents surrounded the car, but no one was in sight. 

"What the...?" cursed Gin. "TAKE THAT!" a screech rang out as a bright flash of light shot through the area. It was a soccer. With full force, it hit Gin, who smacked into the wall like a missile. At the same moment Ash turned around, just in time, because she managed to dodge a thick fist. A man with slightly longer hair missed her. "Where from?!" gasped Ash. Had that been a distraction? The man didn't stop attacking Brennevin, so she jumped over him and tried to hit his neck. But the guy in the green suit was quick, turning and digging his fist into the pit of her stomach. 

Ash gasped, the opponent was too strong! A shot rang out, without hesitation, Ash ducked. But the bullet grazed the man's shoulder. Gin stood up with trembling legs and aimed at the guy. "You...again...I thought you were dead," he gasped. But Gin didn't have time to think because an elbow covered his face a moment later. The man stumbled backwards, the gun falling out of his hand. A woman with blond hair and glasses threw Gin to the ground. Ash jumped up and took advantage of the opportunity, climbing on top of the man and trying to leverage him with her legs. 

"HAIBARA," another scream rang out. The boy! She had forgotten all about him. A belt buckled around her wrist, jerking her to the ground. She tasted congestion and sand. A belt tightened around Gin's hand as well, then he clattered to the ground beside Ash. "The hell!? Let go of me!" he roared. The two tried to break away, but unexpectedly, three pistols were now aimed at them. Two men and a blond woman. 

"Don't move! FBI!" the woman shouted, stepping closer. Ash looked to the little boy who was running past everyone to get to Ai. "Haibara! Haibara!" he yelled, shaking her. Startled, he looked at the poor girl. "Kudo...?....You...you came," she said softly, smiling weakly. Then her head sank. "Haibara! Don't go to sleep! It's all right!", Conan tried to wake her up. Gin glared angrily at Brennevin. "This is all your fault," he scolded. 

"Excuse me? Tell me, do you have roof damage?" grumbled Brennevin. She tried to free her hands. "Conan, do you have her?" the woman wanted to know. "Yes. But she really needs an ambulance!" replied the little master detective. "I'll call one," the man with a beard said immediately. Taking advantage of this moment, Brennevin dashed forward and knocked the three of them over. Then she grabbed the pistol and cut the belt. 

"Don't let them escape!" the boss urged the others. Jodie tried to hit Ash, but it didn't work. As Brennevin jumped through the window, her eyes fell on Sherry one last time. She didn't deserve it...did she...? Then the girl was gone, as if the darkness had swallowed her. Gin did the same to her, he threw a smoke grenade on the ground, a blink later he was gone. "What a bummer! They've escaped!" cursed Joddie. "Quick after them," Camel growled. The three FBI agents followed Gin and Ash outside.

"Conan!" several men stormed the garage. It was Inspector Megure, Takagi, Sato, and also Shiratori. All of them held their weapons loaded in their hands. "Where are the hostage takers? Where is Shinichi?" the inspector wanted to know. Conan dragged Ai on his shoulder to the entrance. "They escaped, Shinichi is trying to chase them right now," he gasped. "But Ai needs a doctor badly!" interjected Conan. Worried, he looked at his best friend. Countless burns adorned her petite skin. Gin...how could one be such a horrible monster! 

"Quick, take her to the paramedics!" said Shiratori, lifting the injured girl. Conan followed the policemen anxiously. "Are you hurt?", Takagi wanted to know. The young man scratched his head nervously. The detective shook his head. "We almost got them. Maybe Shinichi will have better luck," Sato muttered, lowering his pistol. Conan looked down at the ground. They were so close to arresting Gin. 

Then they would have had a lead. But...then...No. Ai's life is more important! They would get another chance later to destroy the black organization. "Come Conan, we should take you away from here. People will hunt you for sure," Takagi said seriously. The three followed the others outside. Countless police cars were parked in the area, the red lights filling the surroundings. A yellow Beetle was also parked not far away. 

"Conan!" a female voice shouted anxiously. It was Ran. She hugged the little tyke tightly. "I'm so glad you're okay," she said with relief. The professor and Kogoro also joined in. "Thank God everything went well," Agasa whispered. Kogoro also seemed relieved. "How is the little one?" he even wanted to know. Conan looked toward the ambulance.

"She's alive. And that's the most important thing."

♠♠♠

Brennevin stopped. "What was that all about?!" she snapped at Gin. The latter puffed for a moment. "Shut your mouth. You made me lose Sherry from my hands," he growled. Now Ash had had enough. 

"Sherry?! Sherry, Sherry, Sherry! All the time it's all about Shiho Miyano. Don't you realize you're just making a mess?", Ash tried to make the situation clear. Gin turned away. "How about you stay out of it?" he hissed. Without waiting for a reply, he spat out his cigarette and disappeared. Ash looked after him grimly. This was not going to end well.