Chapter 165: A Win-Win Situation
The Next Morning
The sun shone brightly, and the ice and snow began to melt.
Withered trees seemed to come back to life, and a peaceful scene unfolded across the mountain.
Natsukawa was already accustomed to such sights, watching calmly as Tanaka Kikue and Sukama were taken away by the police.
Hamano Toshiya was already dead.
His lungs had been punctured and he hadn't received timely treatment—he'd had no chance of survival.
"Natsukawa-san, we really owe you a lot this time. Otherwise the criminals would have escaped."
Inspector Megure thanked him repeatedly. If they had escaped, with Japan's current surveillance and identification systems, whether they went abroad or moved to another city, there would have been virtually no chance of successful capture.
"It's not a big deal. Actually, it's also thanks to Kaitou Kid, and Conan-kun helped a lot too."
Inspector Megure took Natsukawa's modesty at face value.
What help could Conan, a mere child, possibly provide?
As for Kid, he was now at the top of the Metropolitan Police Department's wanted list—could he really be a good person?
In the end, it was all thanks to Natsukawa. The man that Instructor Yor has taken a liking to is indeed extraordinary.
"Natsukawa-san is too modest. No wonder Instructor Yor chose you. So humble, gentle, handsome, and with a strong sense of justice. If I were a young woman, I'd be completely smitten."
Conan rolled his eyes behind Inspector Megure's back.
Seriously! Inspector Megure is such a brownnoser!
Conan hadn't considered that when he was Shinichi Kudo, Inspector Megure had treated him the exact same way.
That's why he'd always thought Inspector Megure was a genuinely nice guy.
Now, seeing Inspector Megure praising someone else with the same enthusiasm, he felt a pang of jealousy, suddenly realizing that the inspector's flattery was so well-practiced—he probably used it on everyone.
Natsukawa chatted with Inspector Megure for a while longer, then said his goodbyes.
Inspector Megure nodded, indicating that a formal statement wasn't necessary, and watched as Natsukawa and his companions departed.
After bidding farewell to the enthusiastic Inspector Megure, Natsukawa drove everyone home.
At the Suzuki residence, Natsukawa lingered for a few seconds.
The high walls of the Suzuki family estate and the row of mansions behind it were quite a sight—a testament to true wealth.
However, seeing the Suzuki family's villa complex, Natsukawa couldn't help but think of the kidnapping plan he'd discussed with Gin, wondering if it had even begun yet.
To confirm the situation, Natsukawa returned to Hakuho Pharmaceuticals that evening.
Besides the Lupin kidnapping plan, Sherry's request to meet with Miyano Akemi also needed to be addressed.
He found himself in the lounge area, where he spotted Vodka playing Tetris on a sofa.
"Vodka, how's the kidnapping plan progressing?"
After some small talk, at Natsukawa's enthusiastic invitation, Vodka joined him at the base's bar.
Vodka's mouth was like a sieve when he was drinking—perfect for gathering information.
After half an hour of drinks and conversation, he learned about the Organization's current situation.
Gin was reportedly in a meeting with the Boss, and both Rum and Vermouth were present—seemingly related to the plan Natsukawa had proposed.
After several rounds of drinks and dishes, Vodka began to complain. "The members of the Organization are all useless! Even extortion and kidnapping require Aniki to handle things personally. I really feel sorry for him. Someone like him should be commanding from the rear, not getting his hands dirty."
Heh, the lazy ones in the Organization have all been eliminated by Gin, the stupid ones only know how to follow orders, the smart ones only know how to scheme for power, and the diligent ones are basically undercover agents. If Gin hadn't been so hands-on, the Organization would probably have been thoroughly infiltrated by the police and FBI long ago.
Who can be blamed? Only you, Vodka, are trustworthy!
Of course, Natsukawa wouldn't voice his true thoughts.
Instead, he echoed sympathetically, expressing shared frustration. "Didn't they say Baileys and Bourbon would help? Don't they want to? What are those two busy with?"
"It's not that..."
Vodka patted his beer belly, then adjusted his sunglasses and pointed to his prominent dark circles. "They've lost weight from working so hard, and now they have bags under their eyes."
Natsukawa remained silent, getting to the point. "I received word that Suzuki Jirokichi is planning to buy an expensive collar for his dog. Perhaps we can act after he purchases it—that way we can get both the ransom and a valuable collar."
This information had been accidentally revealed by Sonoko on their way back to Tokyo today.
Gin's indecisiveness was affecting Natsukawa's plans.
This news came at the perfect time—like adding fuel to the fire. Gin might even rush things forward in a moment of greed.
"A dog collar?" Vodka scoffed. "What's a dog collar worth? Even though it's just a dog we're kidnapping, we still need to plan carefully. After all, it's the Suzuki family—one wrong move could lead to disaster."
Gin placed great importance on the Suzuki family. The Organization wasn't afraid of spies and agents from various countries, but it feared local powerhouses like the Suzuki conglomerate.
This operation absolutely couldn't expose the Organization's existence. Otherwise, Suzuki Jirokichi's wrath and massive bounty would overwhelm them.
They weren't afraid of official infiltration from various nations, but they feared the suicide attacks of dark web bounty hunters—madmen who were ruthless and fearless of death.
As the saying goes: the bold fear the reckless, the reckless fear the ruthless, the ruthless fear the desperate, and the desperate fear those with nothing to lose.
The same principle applied—the Organization was bold, but it also feared those with nothing to lose.
"It's said that the dog collar is inlaid with two sapphires and one emerald, making it incredibly valuable—definitely worth more than several bank robberies."
Natsukawa used bank robberies as a unit of measurement, making the description very vivid. Vodka immediately understood.
"???"
Vodka's head filled with confusion.
Is this a dog collar? These are precious gems!
Suzuki Jirokichi, that dog-obsessed tycoon, is indeed arrogant. It's only right that we rob him.
"Is the source reliable?" Vodka tried to remain calm, his eyes burning as he stared intently at Natsukawa.
"Of course." Natsukawa nodded, holding up his right hand in a gesture. "Dog collar plus dog—we can get at least this much!"
"Five billion yen?"
"Yes, at minimum. It depends on the situation. Fortune favors the bold—if we demand more, even doubling the profit isn't impossible."
Vodka gulped down the rest of his drink, his heart pounding with excitement.
This one deal would guarantee profits for at least a few months, maybe even half a year!
Plus, with the Miyano Industries just acquired by Pisco, I could at least have a carefree quarter of paid leave.
With such a long vacation, I might finally be able to finish that Tetris game that's been occupying me for so long.
"I'll go back and report this to Aniki immediately. The Lupin kidnapping plan must be put on the agenda!"
Natsukawa nodded and drove Vodka back to Hakuho Pharmaceuticals.
It wasn't even midnight yet, and given Vodka's condition, drunk driving and speeding might get him stopped by Officer Miyamoto Yumi soon.
He wasn't worried about Vodka going to jail, but he was afraid that Vodka, in a drunken stupor, might pull out a gun and kill Miyamoto Yumi.
Back at Hakuho Pharmaceuticals, Vodka went to report their earlier discussion.
Making money, making money, making money—this is crucial for Vodka. He needs a break!
No, it's crucial for Gin too. He needs results!
Natsukawa headed to Sherry's research lab.
"Your meeting with your sister has been arranged. How about tomorrow?"
Arriving at the lab, Natsukawa didn't waste time with pleasantries and went straight to the point.
"Really?" Sherry's smile was stiff. Having spent so much time in the Organization's research lab, she'd almost forgotten how to smile naturally.
It seems Tequila is easier to deal with than Vodka. If I had approached Vodka about this, I might have been refused.
The reason she wanted to meet her sister was that she sensed something was wrong with Akemi's upcoming mission, so she needed to give her some of the Organization's research data—this was crucial to protecting her sister's life.
Inside the research room, the two chatted casually about their meeting with Miyano Akemi the next day.
A camera in the corner flashed red continuously.
Monitoring Room
Two people were watching Natsukawa and Sherry's conversation.
All the Organization's surveillance cameras were equipped with audio recording, and Gin and Vodka clearly heard their conversation.
"Aniki, it seems Tequila didn't report this. He overstepped his authority."
Vodka's face darkened slightly. He and Tequila were just drinking buddies, while his true loyalty lay with his brother. Therefore, he didn't hesitate to criticize Tequila at this moment.
Gin trusted Vodka precisely because of this unwavering loyalty.
"This is a minor matter, and we do need to reassure Miyano Akemi so she can focus on planning the robbery. The plan has reached a critical stage—we can't afford any mistakes."
He watched for a few more moments and realized they were just discussing meeting details, so he wasn't interested in listening further.
Gin turned off the monitor and looked down at the files on the table. "Have you finished collecting all the information on Suzuki Jirokichi?"
Vodka nodded vigorously with a smile. "I've investigated everything as you instructed, Aniki. I've found out his schedule for the next week and his daily routine.
By the way, our operative obtained a position as a servant in the Suzuki household yesterday and started working at the residence today.
We probably need to execute our plan as soon as possible, otherwise I'm afraid our operative will be exposed. I think we need to strike quickly with the Suzuki family!"
Vodka paused, as if remembering something unpleasant. "However, Bourbon won't be in Tokyo for a few more days. Will that affect the plan?"
"No, he's just there to provide cover for our personnel. It doesn't mean he's particularly essential. If things get difficult, you can step in."
Gin glanced at the files. Suzuki Jirokichi's security force was decent, but the personnel were all rather ordinary. They might be able to stop common criminals, but for them—it was child's play.
"Arrange for Baileys to infiltrate in disguise. She'll cooperate with the operative to take away that dog named Lupin.
Oh, and remember to have her eliminate the operative as well, to avoid unnecessary complications."
Vodka nodded to show he understood. The operative was just a peripheral member of the Organization, an expendable resource. Using them and then disposing of them was standard operating procedure.
"However, what about Baileys..."
Vodka was somewhat annoyed. Baileys was Vermouth's subordinate—he couldn't order her around. She ignored him completely and was very arrogant.
"I've already spoken to Vermouth. Baileys will follow orders."
Gin quickly outlined the entire plan, which was also the purpose of his recent meetings. He already knew about the dog collar. The purpose of today's meetings between various branches, besides status reports, was to finalize a specific timeline and procedure for this operation.
The peripheral member, disguised as a servant, would familiarize themselves with the layout and provide backup.
Baileys would disguise herself as Ayako Suzuki and infiltrate the Suzuki residence.
Chianti and Korn would be responsible for reconnaissance and establishing sniper positions outside the Suzuki estate to prevent exposure and facilitate the subsequent retreat.
Although Bourbon hadn't arrived yet, Gin had already assigned him a task—to disguise himself as a taxi driver to extract Baileys.
As for Gin and Vodka, they would naturally be stationed at the base and responsible for the extortion.
Vodka was the person Gin knew best and trusted most, and he preferred to keep him nearby as an assistant.
The Following Afternoon - Coffee Shop Near Teito Bank
"You only have half an hour."
After saying this, Natsukawa walked to a nearby sofa and sat down.
Gin had given Sherry half an hour. After that, she had to return to the laboratory.
Yes, Natsukawa had later reported this to Gin.
After all, getting permission for Sherry to leave required informing Gin.
Gin hadn't asked why, and had directly informed Natsukawa that he'd arranged a meeting place for Sherry and Miyano Akemi, specifying that Sherry's leave was only for half an hour.
Natsukawa knew this was Gin's warning. While Gin hadn't said anything openly, he was still slightly displeased that Natsukawa had agreed to Sherry's request without asking first.
However, in Gin's eyes, Tequila was now considered an excellent operative, so he still gave him face.
Natsukawa sat not far away reading the newspaper, making no attempt to eavesdrop on the sisters' conversation or install any listening devices.
Compared to their sisterly talk, the stories of the Sleeping Kogoro solving cases were far more entertaining.
The Tokyo Daily was practically a column for Kogoro Mouri these days, with daily reports about him—solving cases here, catching cheating spouses there—he was having quite the time.
That Conan kid is really dedicated!
Just last night, the two Grim Reapers had solved another murder case.
Business is booming.
The two sisters talked for a long time, even exceeding the half-hour limit, until Natsukawa impatiently approached. Only then did Sherry and Miyano Akemi reluctantly part.
"Oneechan, you must contact me after the mission! If anything happens to you, I'll no longer conduct research for the Organization."
Sherry's words were actually directed at Natsukawa, and the meaning was crystal clear.
The mission can proceed, but my sister must be safe—otherwise the Organization will have to deal with me.
Natsukawa couldn't bear to witness the sisterly affection any longer and quickly left with Sherry.
He didn't care about Sherry's ultimatum.
He'd already prepared the location and floor plans of Hakuho Pharmaceuticals, and he would hand the documents over to the IRS once Miyano Akemi's operation began.
Anyway, Gin would burn Hakuho Pharmaceuticals to destroy evidence after Sherry escaped, giving Natsukawa an opportunity to exploit the situation.
He would create a timing difference—the IRS would learn about Hakuho Pharmaceuticals first, and then while the IRS and Japanese authorities argued about jurisdiction and their respective interests, Gin would probably have already burned down the facility.
Then he would report back to the IRS that the target had been destroyed, and the Organization wouldn't conduct an internal investigation because the research base had been discovered. The Tequila persona wouldn't be suspected.
A win-win situation.
(End of Chapter)
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