The Test Subject : A Detective Conan Fanfiction

26 Operation Save Sophie

Let's go back in time again. This chapter starts a little after Sophie awoke in the last chapter.

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Kaito's POV

Peeking through the BO's vent cover, I saw Snake. He was alone in a lab, preparing something. On the table, a container over a small flame, a needle and hammer, and a ton of a blue crystal's tiny remains. In his gloved hands a red gem was slightly glowing.

It didn't take long to figure out what happened. Snake had smashed the Blue Lover's Diamond to peaces. What am I going to tell Nakamori? Eh, that's not too important now.

Snake held the gem above the flame, and as the moon light hit the gem, drops of water began to fall into the container. So the legend was true... Drink that and your immortal... incredible!!

Another man came in the door. "Is the APTX 4869 ready for testing?"

"Not yet, Vodka. I'll do that now." APTX 4869? What's that?

"Well hurry up. Gin is growing impatient."

Vodka left the room and Snake carefully placed the Pandora on the table. The container was now full, and next to it Snake placed a cup of normal water. He turned around to do something in the cupboards when a brilliant idea struck me.

Quietly, I lowered out of the vents and switched the drinks. I finished just before Snake looked over again. He took the "normal water" and placed it next to a small pill on the cart behind him. Vodka came back and wheeled them away.

I followed.

He entered a gray room. The testing chamber. Inside, a man with silver hair was talking to someone chained to the wall - Sophie. Her glasses where on a table in the corner next to her other belongings.

  "What am I doing? You'll soon see."  he sneered at her. 

She tried to push him away, but was too weak to do anything. Vodka opened her mouth for him and the man force feed her the pill and drink.

The pair left the room and watched from a window. What happened next, I will never understand.

Sophie started shrieking in pain. She tried desperately to break free, clawing at the walls and herself. Tears streamed down her face as she begged for the pain to stop. The chains made a soft klinking sound as they fell from her much smaller wrists. She just lay there, gasped for breath, in her now 8-year-old body.

She looked a lot different younger.

She was still a grade taller than her age and had the same thin body build. Her zits were now gone; those adorable freckles from years ago bridged across her nose. Her hair color had changed from the dirty-blonde to a lighter tone, almost golden. It straightened out a ton, too. Only the slightest curl at the tips remained, which hung around her waist. I couldn't see it now due to her closed eyes, but when I later saw her, I would see her eyes had shifted to a more green color, with hits of blue. I didn't know eyes could even change color!

The man came back in, reloading his gun as he went.

"Before you go, one question. You seem to know a lot about Shinichi's 'disappearance.' Tell me, is there a cure?"

The little girl slowly shook her head. "I... I can't underst..." What? Why is she speaking English suddenly? How can she not understand Japanese? She's so fluent!

"No cure? You better not be lying. Well, I guess your time is up now. Don't worry, you won't be alone in death. Shinichi will be joining you shortly..." He pointed the gun at her head. Ok, now!

I let one of my smoke bombs drop. It blew up, and the man turned to see what happened. He and Vodka started yelling at each other. Leaving no time to waist, I applied the gas mask I always carry, and grabbed Sophie and her things. She looked at me with dull eyes and a face that seemed ready to accept death.

"It will be ok." I whispered to her. She smiled softly, as if to say 'I'll believe you.'

She snuggled into my chest, breath still trembling. Her limp body lay in my arms, as I walked past the now sleeping Vodka and whats-his-name.

No alarms went off. No other agents came. At least, not until I was on a near by roof, about to take off. In the distance, someone yelled they found two agents knocked out. The lock down started. It was pointless. Thinking no one would find me, I turned to glide away.

A single pair of footsteps stepped out of the shadows. Hiding Sophie from view, I turned to face whoever had followed me.

That girl. That same girl who stole the Pandora from me. That same girl who worked with Akako. That same girl who kidnapped Sophie.

The glare on a new set of glasses prevented me from seeing her eyes. Her lips curled into a confident smile. She held up a gun in one hand, pointing at me. She didn't show it, but I could sense her struggle.

"Never taken a life before?"

Her smile turned into the smallest of frowns.

"Just answer me this... who are you?"

The gun dropped to her side. She looked the other way.

"Don't feel like chatting? Fine by me." I tipped my hat, and activated the hand glider. "See you around."

I jumped, and flew into the night sky. A single gun shot sounded. I looked back and saw her watching me, gun pointed to the heavens. Moments later, a few agents rushed onto the scene. I could hear them cursing at me, but didn't care.

The girl was smiling again. A smile that was longing for something. In her hands was a small gift I had left behind.

A red rose.