More than anything, Vermouth wanted to take advantage of Bacardi's defection.
And while she was at it—
She would erase that little scourge, Sherry, once and for all.
As long as that woman lived, she would always be a threat to her.
Only in death would there be peace.
Painful memories flickered through Vermouth's mind.
She had once believed that, by staying at Bacardi's side, those memories would fade.
But now—
They surged back, sharp and unrelenting.
She couldn't afford to wait any longer.
The cigarette between her fingers burned down to the filter. She let it fall onto the hood of Gin's car—
Then, with the red sole of her black high-heeled shoe, she ground it out.
Without another word, the Porsche 356A pulled to a stop.
Outside, the Black Dove Pharmaceutical Factory loomed in the rain.
As soon as the car halted, a group of black-clad operatives rushed out from the building.
They formed two perfect lines, umbrellas raised in synchronization.
Vermouth stepped out of the car.
She didn't need to look up.
She didn't need to shield herself from the downpour.
She simply walked forward.
Not a single drop of rain touched her.
The presence she carried was overwhelming.
None of the operatives dared to lift their heads. None dared to look her in the eye.
Gin and Vodka, however, remained inside the car.
Watching Vermouth disappear into the factory, Vodka couldn't suppress his unease.
"Brother… are we really letting Vermouth handle Bacardi?"
No one in the organization was a fool—especially not those with codenames.
Vodka understood perfectly well that if this matter was left to Vermouth,
With her ruthless and utterly biased methods—
He and Gin would be the first ones caught in the crossfire.
But Gin's expression remained unreadable.
He casually reached for the car's lighter, lit a cigarette, and exhaled a slow stream of smoke.
"The boss didn't even tell her the truth about Bacardi's betrayal."
"So there's nothing to worry about."
"Once she learns everything… she'll come back to us on her own."
Vodka still looked unconvinced.
"But the Nihon sector—our territory—are we really just handing it over to her?"
Gin chuckled.
A deep, chilling sound.
His beast-like eyes narrowed, sharp as a viper's.
"What's wrong with letting her lure Bacardi out for us?"
Vodka's tension finally eased at his older brother's confidence.
But in the very next second—
A piercing alarm blared through the factory.
The sound was shrill.
Urgent.
Gin and Vodka's expressions shifted instantly.
This alarm—
It had been disabled for years.
But it rang at this moment!
Without hesitation, they grabbed their weapons and bolted out of the car.
Storming into the Black Dove Pharmaceutical Factory, they rushed up the stairs.
Within moments, they reached the third floor—
Outside Sherry's room.
And what they saw made Vodka's breath hitch.
The factory personnel—
All kneeling in a row.
Inside the room, only Vermouth remained, standing deathly still.
Her face was as cold as ice.
And as for Sherry—
Gone.
Vanished.
Not a single trace of her remained.
A living, breathing person—
As if she had evaporated into thin air.
Vermouth folded her arms, her eyes dark and lethal.
"Gin," she spoke icily. "Where is she?"
"You assigned someone to guard Sherry. Where are they now?"
Gin's gaze shifted to the bald factory supervisor.
The man's body trembled uncontrollably, sweat dripping from his forehead.
"S-she was just here!"
"I stopped her at the staircase and brought her back to this room."
"We locked the door… stood guard outside… we never left!"
Gin's voice was low and sharp.
"Time."
The supervisor gulped.
"Ten minutes ago! I saw her just ten minutes ago!"
Without another word, Gin snatched the intercom from the man's belt and issued an immediate order:
"All first-level and second-level operatives, mobilize immediately!"
"Target: Codename Sherry."
"Identifying characteristics: short brown hair, approximately 1.67 meters tall, mixed-race features."
"Whoever captures her alive will be promoted three ranks."
"If she cannot be retrieved—"
His voice turned merciless.
"Kill on sight."
"The reward remains the same."
Ten minutes later, the rain pounded relentlessly against the earth.
Without a car, a girl couldn't have gotten far.
Gin still couldn't fathom how Sherry had vanished from that room.
But—
He knew how to fix it.
As long as they recaptured her, everything would be fine.
If they failed—
Then he had failed in his duty.
Vermouth had just stepped off the plane.
This had happened before she had even taken full control of the Nihon jurisdiction.
No matter what, Gin couldn't afford to shift the blame.
And so, the moment he gave the order—
Shadows burst out from the Black Dove Pharmaceutical Factory like ink spilling into water.
Hundreds of operatives scattered into the storm, searching for the missing girl.
Back inside the factory, some of the codenamed operatives took a moment to inspect Shiho's room.
Calling it a room was generous.
It was nothing more than a prison.
Everything—walls, furniture, fixtures—was made of cold, unyielding steel, bolted permanently into place.
An iron wardrobe contained nothing but neatly hung white lab coats.
An iron desk, stacked with reference manuals and research documents, stood untouched.
An iron bed, barely more than a slab, held a single thin quilt.
The walls were painted a dull, oppressive lead blue.
There were no posters. No decorations. Nothing to signify a person had ever lived there.
The only connection to the outside world was a single, grimy window—
But it looked out onto a cluster of abandoned factories, devoid of life.
And worse—
The window had been welded shut from the outside.
Vodka gave it a solid shove.
Not even a creak.
Besides the window and the iron door, the only other opening to the outside was a small ceiling exhaust fan.
Vodka tilted his head up.
30cm by 30cm.
Barely large enough for a rat.
Not to mention, the ceiling itself was nearly three meters high.
With all the furniture bolted down, it was impossible for an ordinary person to even reach it.
Gin's cold gaze flicked toward the exhaust fan.
Firmly installed. No signs of tampering.
He dismissed it immediately.
Sherry had been here just ten minutes ago.
Four bodyguards and a supervisor had been stationed outside the door.
The windows had been sealed.
There were no hiding places.
And yet—
She had vanished.
A living, breathing person—
Gone.
Interesting.
Gin's voice cut through the room.
"Control room. Now."
Without another word, he turned on his heel and strode toward the surveillance control center, the others following closely behind.
Vermouth lagged slightly, her sharp green eyes flickering toward the exhaust fan.
Something about it…
Felt off.
She couldn't be sure.
After all—
It was just as likely that Gin himself had hidden Sherry away and was putting on an elaborate show.
Meanwhile, inside the ventilation system—
Shiho—no, Haibara—pressed against the metal duct, her breath shallow.
She had barely escaped.
Just one second slower—
And she would have been caught.
Her heart pounded wildly in her chest.
She turned, her bright eyes locking onto the kid beside her.
Akashi.
If he hadn't come today—
She wouldn't have made it out alive.
Akashi's voice was a quiet whisper, edged with urgency.
"Now's not the time to relax."
"Shiho—pass me the c*ck."