Chapter 174: Besieged on All Sides
At the Beika Grand Hotel, Natsukawa pried open the door of a white sedan.
The back seat and trunk of the car were crammed with metal briefcases.
"You little schemer, still trying to pull one over on me?"
Natsukawa opened a metal briefcase and confirmed that it contained crisp, brand-new 10,000 yen bills.
There were ten briefcases in total, each containing 100 million yen, totaling one billion yen.
This was why Miyano Akemi had come to the Beika Grand Hotel.
Natsukawa knew, of course, that she wouldn't obediently hand over the one billion yen, which was why he had Frank observe where Miyano Akemi lingered the longest.
"Now it's time to watch the show."
The white sedan sped out of the Beika Grand Hotel parking lot. Without Miyano Akemi's knowledge, Natsukawa had already transferred the one billion yen.
As for Miyano Akemi,
Tequila certainly wouldn't go to meet her, but Natsukawa would.
"Damn, should we just pocket this money?" Frank, slurping instant ramen, stared wide-eyed when he saw Natsukawa open the briefcase, drool falling onto the floor along with the noodles.
Natsukawa quickly moved the briefcase to avoid it getting dirty.
"This is the key to gaining Gin's complete trust. Don't even think about it. It's just a measly one billion yen. Just ask the IRS—information about Shirakawa Pharmaceuticals is definitely worth more than that."
After all, this was the Organization's research base in Japan. Its value was self-evident. Even if you dismantled it and sold the equipment, it would be worth more than five billion yen!
That's right, research equipment was that expensive, especially in this era, where the technology was both immature and extremely costly.
This was also why Sherry's research expenses were so high.
Gin invested at least five billion yen in Shirakawa Pharmaceuticals every month, not even counting other miscellaneous labor costs.
"Hehe, how about we take just one case? We can tell Gin that Miyano Akemi hid it?"
"Get lost! (ノ｀Д)ノ"
"Alright, alright!"
Natsukawa gave Frank a disdainful look. "Eat less instant ramen. Look at your frizzy hair—it's probably a side effect of eating too much of that stuff. The more instant ramen you eat, the curlier your hair gets."
Frank didn't care. Natsukawa had no idea about the pleasure of eating instant ramen.
The enticing aroma, the chewy texture, the satisfying bite, and the occasional sip of broth—Japanese instant ramen was so delicious.
Compared to those trashy instant noodles back in New York, Japanese ramen was definitely the best!
"Okay, enough talk. I need to hurry and find Conan."
After getting a tracking device receiver from Frank, Natsukawa fired up the GT-R and headed toward Conan's location.
Conan was moving in a certain direction.
It seemed he was on his way to Tokyo Bay.
"Yuya should have set off by now. The actors are all assembled. Now we just have to see how things develop."
Natsukawa's plan was to hand Miyano Akemi over to the Japanese Public Security Bureau.
He didn't intend to take her under his wing.
This woman was notoriously unreliable—she'd betrayed the Organization and put her sister in danger. He was afraid of suffering the same fate.
Moreover, if he took her in, his identity as Twilight would inevitably be exposed over time. Currently, only Frank knew his true identity, and he didn't want anyone else to know this secret.
If he took her in, he wouldn't imprison her. If she had the chance to meet Akai Shuichi, she might expose him.
It was better to hand her over to the Public Security Bureau.
This would ensure her safety and prevent her from running away. If the Public Security Bureau caught her, they would definitely "protect" her—the kind of protection that prevented her from contacting others, leaving the house, or living a normal life.
Natsukawa didn't care what kind of treatment Miyano Akemi endured, as long as her life was saved. This was simply to prevent Sherry from becoming completely alone.
The setting sun at dusk made the quiet warehouse district appear even more desolate.
The weeds along the roadside and the numerous damaged warehouse roofs indicated that this area had been neglected for a long time.
Due to the economic recession, import and export businesses had suffered a severe blow, and Area Four was further impacted—
A red sedan screeched to a halt on the roadside.
Miyano Akemi loaded her pistol in the car and then took out a photo of her younger sister.
This must have been the happiest time for her sister, even though she was still under the Organization's surveillance. At least she had some freedom.
This photo was taken when her sister was studying in America. Her sister's smile in the photo was radiant, a stark contrast to how she looked now.
When she saw her sister that day, although Shiho was also very happy, the fatigue in her eyes was very obvious, and her fingers were rough from years of handling experimental materials.
An eighteen-year-old girl should be in the prime of her youth, still studying in school, enjoying the best years of her life.
Her sister hadn't even had a boyfriend yet.
Anyone who approached Shiho was ruthlessly eliminated by Gin, leaving her with no friends.
Compared to herself, who grew up as an ordinary person, her sister's life was far more tragic.
"This must be it?"
Miyano Akemi walked to the warehouse door and stared at the address sign for a long time.
Because no one had maintained it, the address sign was covered in dust, and only the upper half of "4-04" could be vaguely seen.
The warehouse was eerily quiet, save for the clatter of her high heels on the floor.
Reaching the center, Miyano Akemi checked the time on her phone: 6:20 PM.
She had arrived early, but knowing the Organization's nature, Tequila would surely arrive soon as well.
So, where was Tequila?
"Tequila! I know you're here, come out right now!" Miyano Akemi looked around, her shout echoing through the empty warehouse.
After a long while, Miyano Akemi's expression darkened. She had called out at least ten times since entering the warehouse, but there was no response.
Her watch showed 6:30 PM.
The agreed time had arrived, but Tequila hadn't appeared.
Miyano Akemi took out her phone from her inner pocket and dialed Tequila's number.
After a long pause, the call connected.
Miyano Akemi spoke harshly, her voice cutting, "Where are you? I've arrived at the agreed location."
"Arrived? So fast. There's a bit of traffic here. Wait for me a moment—I'll be there soon."
The call was disconnected.
Miyano Akemi clearly sensed something was wrong.
Something was off. What did Tequila mean? There was no way there would be traffic on the road to Tokyo Bay at this hour. Did he think she came by bus?
And he would definitely be in the warehouse area beforehand. He must be observing her from somewhere.
Miyano Akemi climbed the creaking steel stairs to the second floor of the warehouse, checking outside through the window.
"Nothing?"
She walked around the warehouse perimeter, but apart from her red car, she didn't see anyone.
Suddenly, Miyano Akemi stopped.
She noticed a black sedan slowly pulling up about a hundred meters from the warehouse, passing through the container alleyway toward the back entrance.
"They're here?"
The black car certainly fit the Organization's style.
After the black car stopped, a man got out of the passenger seat.
"Two people?" Miyano Akemi frowned. After waiting a while, the person in the driver's seat didn't get out—only the man in the passenger seat approached the warehouse.
"This isn't Tequila!"
Her eyes narrowed slightly, and she picked up her phone, somewhat conflicted, to call Tequila and confirm.
However, just as she picked up her phone to dial, she noticed that another car had stopped where she had just parked.
It was a taxi.
Wait—isn't that the same license plate? Wasn't that the car that took her to the Beika Grand Hotel?
In an instant, Miyano Akemi's mind went completely blank.
A trap!?
At this moment, she had completely given up on the idea of doing business with Tequila. The appearance of this car was too suspicious, and the person who got out of the black car wasn't Tequila either. She now suspected that she had been betrayed by Tequila.
This guy definitely wanted to do something.
As for what he wanted to do, she couldn't guess yet, but she was certain it wasn't anything good!
The high heels clicked ominously on the rusty steel stairs, making her even more panicked.
She had to leave now. Staying any longer would be suicide.
However, upon reaching the door, Miyano Akemi realized that the front door faced directly toward where she had parked her car. Although there was still a fifty-meter distance, the sides were completely open, and she would be spotted the moment she stepped out.
The back door was slightly better, but the man there looked more like an assassin from the Organization, and his reason for being there was obvious—to kill her.
Tequila wasn't there. Instead, an unfamiliar member of the Organization had come. She knew the reason without even thinking.
No wonder they had been preventing her from meeting her sister. Gin had probably already planned to kill her back then.
As she approached the front door, Miyano Akemi retreated step by step.
Now she was caught in a dilemma, danger on both sides.
The taxi driver in front might also be a member of the Organization.
So she had been under the Organization's tight surveillance all along?
No wonder Tequila hung up the phone without caring about the whereabouts of the one billion yen. He already knew she had hidden the stolen money in the Beika Grand Hotel parking lot.
Feeling that she had deduced the truth, Miyano Akemi broke out in a cold sweat.
Only then did she remember she still had her pistol. She frantically pulled it out and pointed it shakily at the front door.
After holding it for two seconds, she realized there was another assassin at the back door.
She then swung the pistol toward the back door.
Miyano Akemi: There are people at both the front and back doors. I only have one pistol, which seems insufficient.
"Is this the place?"
A childish voice whispered, but although the voice sounded like a child's, Miyano Akemi didn't believe it.
The Organization's Vermouth had the ability to disguise her voice. Did they really need to use Vermouth to kill her?
That woman had never been friendly to her and her sister.
The Organization definitely didn't intend to leave her alive this time.
Miyano Akemi's last hope was shattered, and she ran up to the second floor.
The second floor was safer than the first. At least she wouldn't be attacked from both sides.
(End of Chapter)
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