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Beika Town, an abandoned warehouse.
Under dim lighting, Steven leaned against a pillar, smoking leisurely as he waited for Miyano Akemi.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Footsteps approached.
"You're here?" Steven said, blowing out a smoke ring as he sized her up.
Long hair flowed down her back like a black waterfall, parted neatly to the right. Her delicate face was framed by striking blue eyes that drooped slightly at the corners. She wore a beige dress, flesh-toned tights, and red high heels.
Conclusion reached.
Definitely a beauty.
But Steven hadn't asked her here to expand his harem.
"If I'm not mistaken, you're a member of the organization," Miyano Akemi said calmly. "So tell me. Why did you want to see me?"
Very few people in the organization knew Miyano Shiho's code name.
The moment Steven spoke it at the bank, Akemi had already guessed who he was.
A notorious criminal being recruited by the Black Organization was hardly surprising.
After all, on official records, it was an international terrorist group.
"Straight to the point. I like that."
Steven crushed out his cigarette.
"I want to talk to you about Miyano Shiho. Or rather, Sherry. Interested?"
"What's there to talk about?" Akemi frowned, clearly resistant.
"Once the ten-billion-yen armored car robbery is complete, the organization agreed to let me and Shiho go free. That was the deal."
"Don't tell me they're going back on it now?"
Naive. Far too naive.
A genius scientist like Miyano Shiho was priceless. Not just to the Black Organization, but to any country in the world.
Trading her freedom for ten billion yen was obviously impossible.
If the organization really played fair, Akemi wouldn't have become such an enduring heartbreak for so many Conan fans.
"Do you really think the organization will honor that deal?"
"Whether you succeed or not, your life ends there. And I'm the one assigned to send you on your way."
Steven laid his cards on the table, showing maximum sincerity.
He dared to do so because he trusted Gin.
Sure, Gin was a villain in the story, but he treated his subordinates reasonably well. Since he promised not to monitor this mission, he'd keep his word and wait in a bar for the outcome.
Besides, Steven already had a plan to pull a switch at the critical moment.
"Why are you telling me all this?" Akemi asked, eyes sharp.
She wasn't as simple as she looked.
When she'd negotiated with the organization, she'd already sensed how it would end. But for Shiho's sake, she had no choice but to gamble.
Steven exposing everything so bluntly caught her completely off guard.
Didn't he worry about being discovered and hunted down?
"No point beating around the bush," Steven said. "I'm no saint. I'm telling you the truth because I want to take you and Sherry out of the organization alive."
"The condition is simple. When I need you in the future, the two of you help me. No questions asked."
His real target had always been Miyano Shiho.
Akemi was just a bonus.
If she hadn't been useful, he wouldn't have cared whether she lived or died.
"You know the consequences of betraying the organization," Akemi said after a pause. "Aren't you afraid of endless pursuit once this gets exposed?"
As long as Shiho could leave safely, Akemi was willing to accept any condition, even death.
But she didn't fully trust Steven yet.
The organization's reach was terrifying. No traitor ever escaped being erased.
For someone they'd just met, Steven was betting his life far too boldly. It was suspicious.
"Afraid? Afraid my ass," Steven snorted. "That bunch of small fry never scared me."
"Besides, I've always been loyal to myself. How can that be betrayal?"
Steven joined the organization for money and to find someone to take the blame when needed.
Building an empire under Gin, following someone else forever?
Give me a break.
Trailing behind others, you're destined to stay a lackey.
Taking Shiho away, waiting for the right moment, and starting his own operation. That was real ambition.
"All right," Akemi said at last. "I'll trust you."
"What do I do next?"
After a moment of thought, Miyano Akemi decided to take the gamble.
Either way, she was dead.
She might as well go all in.
"Do exactly what you originally planned. Once you get the one billion yen from the armored truck, hide it properly, then come meet me at the agreed warehouse."
"As for the rest, I'll handle it my way."
Steven spoke with deliberate vagueness.
In the original storyline, Four-Eyes Conan uncovered the truth behind the billion-yen robbery and used a tracking device to locate Miyano Akemi.
But Steven had no intention of telling Akemi any of that. On the contrary, she could be useful.
"I'll stick to the plan," she said.
"Pleasure working with you."
"Success guaranteed."
…
The next day.
Steven sprawled lazily across the sofa, watching a tape of a certain kind of Island Nation "action romance" film. He claimed he was studying technique, all so he could do some "research" with Vermouth later that night.
"Impressive. So that's where Teacher Ozawa learned her unstoppable spinning move?"
"This one's not bad. Shoulder the rifle, huh."
"Harder. Faster. Put some force into it."
"…"
Ring ring ring…
The sudden phone call cut off his running commentary.
"Damn it, what a buzzkill."
Grumbling, Steven got up and picked up the landline.
"Hello? Who's this?"
"…"
No response.
Seriously?
Calling someone and not saying a word. Was this some kind of prank?
"You mute or something? If you don't talk, I'm hanging up."
"Is Chris at home?"
Yukiko.
Just as Steven was about to hang up, a familiar voice came through the receiver.
Of all times to call. Talk about adding fuel to the fire.
Truth was, Steven had no idea where Vermouth had gone. She'd been gone since morning.
Elite members of the Organization were like ghosts. You saw them when you saw them, and you didn't when you didn't. He was used to it by now.
"I called her phone. It's off," Yukiko said.
"Do you know when she'll be back?"
Yukiko had already made up her mind to ask Vermouth for help. She wanted that videotape back as soon as possible, even if it meant swallowing her anger.
"How would I know? She's got legs of her own. She might not come back today at all."
"What do you want her for?"
Out of the corner of his eye, Steven kept glancing at the TV, where the show had reached its most intense moment.
If Vermouth were home, it'd be perfect to practice together.
"It's nothing."
"Uh… then what will it take for you to hand over that tape so I can destroy it?"
After hesitating, Yukiko finally revealed her true purpose.
As long as that tape existed, she couldn't relax for a single day.
"So it's just about that?"
A sly smile flickered across Steven's lips.
"It's not like I can't give it to you. Come over right now and help me practice the fight scenes from the show. If you perform well, I'll hand over the tape with both hands."
"....."