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

Chapter 27 Bell Tree Express 2.0 Part V

Vermouth stood at the edge of the bridge watching the Bell-Tree-Express action on the tablet and grinned. "It's getting exciting, we're getting close to the climax," she chuckled. Minoru was still pretty good at solving cases. 

Briefly, a memory flitted through her inner eye, then it too was gone. Now, however, it was time, everyone was going according to plan. With her deft fingers, she dialed the number on her cell phone. "It's all set, we're ready to go."

♠♠♠

Takagi quietly closed the door and checked one last time if everyone was asleep. Then he took a deep breath and sat down on one of the two chairs on the terrace. "The kids are finally asleep. Ran and the professor are leaving soon, too," the young policeman murmured, looking at the surrounding forest. Sato had grabbed a blanket and was drinking her coffee from the cup. "What do you think, will the organization show up here?" she asked her colleague. "I'm not sure. But I think they'll go underground for now," he replied. His gaze lingered on Sato. How beautiful she was! Her deep, warm eyes...her flawless skin. 

"What, do I have something on my face that you're staring at?" the policewoman wondered. Takagi blushed. "No, no, it's just..." he stammered. "You look very nice today," he remarked awkwardly. "Just today?" she raised her eyebrows skeptically. "What, no...of course not...eh...I just wanted to...", Takagi searched for the right words. Sato suddenly started giggling. "I was just kidding," she said with a grin. 

"Oh, well then...", Takagi grumbled and sighed in relief. That was just embarrassing. Suddenly, the policeman noticed a movement in the corner of his eye. Tense, he reached for the pistol in his pocket. "What's wrong?", Sato now also wanted to know. "There's something there. Between the trees," he whispered back. Takagi narrowed his eyes, but only vague outlines were visible. What was that? Could it be...one of the kidnappers? How had they found the children so quickly?! The two policemen sat up and surveyed the forest, but the mysterious creature had long since disappeared.

♠♠♠

Minoru didn't want to believe it. What had he just heard? Men in black had forced Sebastian to commit the murder? Could...it be...that this was all planned? From the very beginning? But why? What was the organization trying to accomplish? "The organization...they're testing us," Ash said, barely perceptibly. The Frenchman hesitated. What was going on here? "What did the men say to you? What did they look like?", Chardonnay looked into Sebastian's eyes. "I...don't really remember what they looked like. They...they had a gun in my face and told me...to kill anyone today...", the conductor whimpered out. 

"AND THAT'S WHY YOU KILLED MY BEST FRIEND?!" cried Misuzu. "I had no other choice! Don't you understand! You would have killed me!" the conductor interjected in exasperation. Chardonnay stumbled backward. "None of this makes any sense! From the front to the end!" he muttered in confusion. Brennevin didn't really seem to understand either. "Maybe that's how they want to test us," she whispered to the man. But the colleague shook his head unobtrusively. "Testing how quickly we can solve a case? Then what's the point of making it easy for us? The whole train is bought empty...something is wrong here," he replied. There was a creak. "And what are we going to do with Sebastian now?" the conductor wanted to know. 

"To jail with him!" pleaded Misuzu to the others. "What about the men?" mused Naoyuki Omura aloud. There was another creak. Minoru and Ash turned around. "That noise...," the Frenchman looked up at the ceiling. "Is something there?", Ash stood on his tiptoes and pushed against the ceiling. There was a creaking, louder this time. "It feels weird, like there's a heavy object up there," the girl wondered. 

Chardonnay carefully lifted the ceiling tile, when the next moment there was a loud crack and something dark came crashing down. "Ahhh!", startled, all the passengers jumped back a bit. "What the...?", Minoru stared into the gaping hole in the ceiling, slowly his gaze slid down. Was that...? Was that a...person? The agent carefully turned the seemingly lifeless body over and froze. "This can't...be..." gasped Ash, her eyes trembling. "Gin?" as the name crossed his lips, realization seized him and Minoru felt like choking. In front of them...lay the body...of Gin....