"She'll be fine. Before long... you'll be calling me brother-in-law."
The moment she heard those words, Shiho's hands trembled so violently she nearly yanked Augier's tie toward herself.
She forced herself to calm down.
'Could something have happened during the two months I haven't seen my sister?
No... that can't be right.
Wasn't my sister involved with that FBI agent? How could she possibly have anything to do with Augier?'
"What do you mean by that? My sister doesn't even know you."
"She will soon enough."
Ritsu smiled as he leaned closer.
"The only reason I convinced the Organization to spare her life was to lure out that irritating FBI agent."
Looking directly into her eyes, he asked with a smile,
"You didn't seriously think participating in the development of APTX-4869 would be enough to clear Miyano Akemi of her crimes, did you?"
"She's the one responsible for bringing that troublesome man into the Organization. And he even killed one of the Operatives Division's most promising members."
He deliberately paused before tilting his head with a grin.
"Oh, that's right. You and Macallan were pretty close, weren't you?"
"Then shouldn't you hate your sister instead? She was the one who let the rat inside. So in a way, she indirectly caused—"
"Shut up!!"
Shiho shoved Augier away with all her strength.
"I refuse to continue developing APTX-4869! And I will never participate in your inhumane human experiments!"
"So..."
Ritsu narrowed his eyes.
"You're planning to defy the Organization's orders? You don't want to live anymore?"
"That's right."
Shiho met his gaze head-on.
"I don't want to live anymore. Is that the answer you wanted?"
It was.
That was exactly the answer Ritsu had been waiting for.
By revealing that Akemi wasn't being kept alive because Shiho served as the lead researcher, he had successfully pushed Shiho toward rejecting any further work on APTX-4869.
Only then could he ensure that no one in the Organization would ever learn Conan's true identity, or uncover the plan he'd spent so long preparing.
"Tch."
The moment she heard that click of his tongue, Shiho knew resisting the Organization would end badly.
She allowed Augier to drag her out of the Kudo residence. Allowed him to shove her into the back seat of the car.
She didn't resist.
She had already accepted death.
She had already caused one person's death. She couldn't continue selfishly clinging to life any longer.
At least her sister now possessed a new kind of value to the Organization.
For the time being, Akemi wouldn't be executed.
Those without value were discarded.
That was the Organization she belonged to.
"Mr. Augier...?"
The driver glanced nervously into the rearview mirror.
"What should I do?"
"Drive back to the research institute."
Without changing expression, Ritsu pulled out his phone. His fingers flew rapidly across the screen. Only after finishing the message and pressing send did he stop.
Moments later, a reply arrived.
He silently held the phone in front of Shiho. His voice was ice-cold.
"I'll ask you one last time. Are you sure?"
The screen displayed a single message.
[Take her to the gas chamber. Make sure it's done cleanly.]
"Yes."
Shiho answered without hesitation. "I don't want to keep making mistakes anymore."
"Very well. I'll grant your wish."
The lower-ranking driver swallowed hard. His palms had become slick with sweat as he gripped the steering wheel.
He understood exactly what those words meant.
Someone... was going to die tonight.
.
.
.
.
.
Silence filled the car.
Ritsu turned his head toward the window without saying another word. His tightly pressed lips betrayed none of what he was thinking.
Shiho had nothing left to say either.
Rather than chatting with the two men in the car, she preferred to quietly watch the scenery pass outside.
Soon...
She would return to where her nightmare had begun.
To meet death.
Once that happened, she would never see such ordinary scenery again.
The car slowly pulled into Meisen Biopharmaceutical Co.
Ritsu stepped out with both hands in his pockets. Then slammed the car door shut with a powerful kick. His mood was obviously terrible.
Shiho imitated him, stuffing her own hands into the pockets of her white lab coat.
With an expression that practically screamed you owe me millions of yen, she walked toward the research facility.
"Come here."
"..."
She had originally planned to brew herself one last warm cup of coffee before dying. She hadn't expected this man to be so merciless.
'Merciless? Why would I even think that?
Someone like him... A devil like him... How could he possibly understand something as human as compassion?
He probably lost the ability to empathize long ago. Nothing more than a weapon wearing human skin.'
The abandoned gas chamber creaked open. There wasn't a single light inside. The air carried the pungent smell of rust. The dampness made her stomach churn.
Instinctively, Shiho hesitated before stepping inside.
The man standing behind her, however, showed no trace of gentlemanly restraint. With a forceful shove, he sent her stumbling into the room.
She nearly fell.
Ritsu didn't close the door immediately. Instead, he walked inside and quietly surveyed the room.
Only after a long while did he smile.
"So... Ready to die in a place like this? Do you not have any friends?"
"Hm?"
Since she was going to die anyway, Shiho figured a few extra words wouldn't matter.
A faint smile crossed her lips.
"You've got quite a bit of free time. Chatting with someone who's about to die."
"What?"
She looked at him mockingly.
"Do you want to die too?"
"I just think it's a pity."
Ritsu smiled. "You won't get to see me marry your sister."
Shiho gave a dismissive laugh.
"Using cheese to lure out a mouse. I know how people in the Organization operate."
"You'd never actually lay a hand on my sister. Pretending to marry her just to bait someone, what's there to be proud of?"
For once, Ritsu found himself speechless. He hadn't expected Shiho to see through it so quickly.
Or perhaps, she simply understood the male members of the Organization all too well.
One thing they all had in common, when it came to romance, they rarely resorted to outright force. Nor did they enjoy coercing women.
"...Heh. Still talking tough even when you're about to die. No wonder Gin and Vodka don't like you. I don't like being liked by them either."
"Thank you very much."
The corner of Ritsu's mouth lifted.
"Suddenly... I think I'm starting to like you. So I've decided to reward you with something."
"Interested?"
Shiho frowned and instinctively took a step backward.
She had always felt that something about Augier's mental state was...
Unstable.
Just like what had happened aboard the ferry leaving Mermaid Island.
This man was insane.
So insane, that no one could ever truly understand him.
Ritsu slowly extended his right hand. Resting in his palm was a familiar red-and-white capsule.
The moment Shiho saw it, she understood what he meant by reward.
"...That's certainly one way to reward someone."
"Isn't it?"
Ritsu smiled.
"I wonder... what's it like to commit suicide with the very drug you created?"
He pried open the fist she had unconsciously clenched. Then placed the capsule into her palm. Smiling all the while.
"After you die... Mind writing me a review?"
'Psychopath.'
Shiho cursed silently.
Yet...
She accepted this method of dying. Rather than choking to death inside this room, a swift death by poison sounded far preferable.
Augier was right.
To her...
This truly was a reward.
A reward meant only for her.
Ritsu's gaze drifted to the shoulder he'd bruised moments earlier. Turning his back, he walked toward the exit.
Before closing the door, he discreetly glanced toward one particular spot inside the room.
The only escape route he had prepared.
'Shiho... If it's you, you'll find it. This is the best way for you to escape the Organization ...and bring an end to the APTX-4869 project.'
'As for your sister... the moment you disappear from this gas chamber, the final step of my plan can begin.'
He pulled out his phone.
After deleting the fabricated message he'd shown Shiho earlier, he sent another email to one of the contacts he communicated with most frequently.
[Augier: Sherry will die tonight.]
A reply came almost immediately.
[Vermouth: What a day worth celebrating. I've already received the item.]
[Augier: Allow me to satisfy my curiosity. Who are you planning to use that drug on?]
[Vermouth: A secret makes a woman, woman.]
Seeing that response, Ritsu frowned.
'...That's exactly the kind of answer she'd give. I shouldn't have asked.'
He headed upstairs.
Looking at the lower-ranking personnel guarding the entrance, he gave his orders.
"Without my permission, no one is to enter. I'll come inspect the place tomorrow."
"Yes, Mr. Augier!"
"Stay alert. If anything goes wrong... you won't even have time to leave your last words."
"...Yes, sir!"