Tokyo Tower

"Killed? Impossible..." Sera tried to stay cool but felt she didn't really manage to do it. "What was the reason to kill her then? I'm pretty curious to know..."
"That's none of your business."
"Well, there must be some reason. Some other than just receiving my e-mails that has nothing special in them."
"You keep spitting nonsense even though you know I won't believe a word of it."
"Of course. Can you expect something else from me?"

Vermouth wanted to kill the girl. Right now. But she managed to contain herself and smile. The girl looked pretty shaken even though she'd tried to hide her feelings. "How disappointing. I expected something better from Akai's sibling."

"Sorry to disappoint you," the girl spat.

Vermouth raised her eyebrows. "Since Kir's dead, there's no reason not to tell me what you wanted. You're not hurting anything."

Sera pondered about her choices. That 'man' was too far to be attacked and at the same time too close for Sera to dodge the bullet. Besides she wasn't in the best condition to do it anyways.

"Can't you just give up?" She sighed. "I won't tell anything, you know it."
"Give up? Don't make me laugh. You know far too much to be left alive."
"Kill me then. I don't care. After all... if Kir is also dead there is no way I could find out anything else. I can ask her in after life. I'm sure there isn't anyone who tries to kill us."
"You are pretty talkative now."
"What else I could do?" Sera shrugged. She tried to make the 'man' in front of her even more annoyed and take even one step closer. The she could hit the pistol away... But then she saw another opportunity...

-- -- --
Jodie had finally gotten to the parking hall. Sonoko and Ran had finally let her go. She sighed deeply. That Sera girl was probably far away already.
-- -- --

Sera's keys fell to the concrete floor. The high pitched sound echoed nicely in the parking hall.

"Sorry... My leg hurts a bit. Makes me dizzy sometimes." Sera apologized. She really felt dizzy.
"You are lying."
"No, I'm telling the truth. I got shot at the Tower two days ago. You probably already knew it. And because of those wounds you are still standing there." Sera tried her best to buy some time. "Please, notice it, Jodie..."

-- -- --
"What was that sound?" Jodie looked around in the hall. She noticed two figures from a distance. Sera and some man whose face she couldn't see because he was standing his back towards the door where Jodie was. "What are they doing? Talking?" Then she noticed why Sera seemed slightly scared. She was pointed with a pistol. Jodie started to approach those two.
-- -- --

"Your time is up." Sera stated suddenly as she picked up her keys.
"What do you mean with that?"
"Nothing else but what I mean. Your time is up. Make your decision or fly."

Vermouth caught sight of a familiar figure walking toward them. Agent Starling. So the FBI didn't give up and leave Tokyo after all.

"Miss, is everything all right?" Agent Starling called, adjusting her glasses.

Stepping back against a dark car behind her, Vermouth opened its door and slid in. "We will continue this conversation another time," she said softly, fishing out a key and putting it in the ignition.

"I look forward to it." The girl smirked, sticking her hands in her pockets.

The FBI agent was much closer than Vermouth liked. Slamming the car door closed, she backed out quickly and took off. She adjusted her rear view mirror to watch as Agent Starling caught up to the girl Next time you won't be so flippant, my dear. You'll wish you told me everything today.

When the dark car had gone Sera sighed a bit. But the situation wasn't over yet.

"Say... Do you have a contact in the organization?" She asked.
"Well, kind of..." Jodie admitted. She wasn't going to tell who it was. Not even though the girl in front of her resembled Akai.
"It's Kir, isn't it? When is the last time you got any information from her?"

Jodie frowned. How that girl knew that much?
"Well, you don't need to answer. That man just... claimed she is dead." Sera continued. "I thought you might wanna know..."
"What did he want? That man? I saw he was threatening you with a gun."
"Just some information I can't give to anyone..." The girl climbed on her motorbike and started the engine. "Well, bye now. thank you for your help"

Kir . . . dead? Jodie numbly climbed into her own car and followed Sera, making sure to keep a few cars between the girl and herself. Part of her rejoiced; Kir had killed Akai after all. But the rational, FBI agent side of her despaired. How could they take down the Black Organization now?

Walking slowly toward her own car, she dialed James's number. When he answered, she told him everything.

"I'll check with her CIA handlers and see if they've heard anything from her. Remember, Jodie, that man may have lied," Black said. "Keep following Sera."

"Yes sir." Jodie hung up and focused on the small motorcycle.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The doctor pronounced Kir well enough to start gun practice again and a few minutes later, she was shooting at paper targets with her new rifle. After spending an entire round, Kir removed her goggles and ear mufflers; she sensed the presence of someone behind her and turned around. Vermouth stood outside the practice room, smirking as she held a rubber mask in her hand.

When the older woman entered, Kir nodded curtly. "Can I help you with something?"

"I'm just seeing how good your aim is." Vermouth nodded toward the paper target, which had bullet holes littering its head and heart area. "I see it's the same as always."

Sera drove around without any special direction and pondered her situation. It was possible that 'man' had lied but it was also possible that he hadn't. Anyways, Sera was now in the dead end.
She sighed and was turning to the street that led to her hotel when she saw a familiar figure nearby, walking his back towards her. She adjusted her motorbikes speed tot he man's walking pace.

"Subaru-san! This is a surprise!"

Jodie recognized the man as the one who'd stopped her in the department store from going after the man who looked like Akai. How does he know Sera?

The two conversed for a while and Jodie noticed that Sera's body language looked more relaxed than before. She wished she could hear the conversation, but the noise of traffic muffled their voices.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I think I might have the armory adjust the sighting; it keeps wanting to pull to the left." Kir nodded at the mask in Vermouth's hand. "Just get back from a mission?"

"In a way." Vermouth slipped the mask in her coat pocket. "Well, don't stop training on my account. Go on." She put on goggles and ear protectors.

Kir nodded, replaced her protective equipment, and reloaded her rifle before shooting at a new target.

"Oh, it was Sera-san, wasn't it?" Okiya asked. Sera smirked.
"Are you that bad with names or are you just pretending?"
"Both. Have you got any problems lately?"
"Nah, nothing special..." Sera lied. "But it seems I'm in a dead end right now..."
"Really? Tell me more."
"It's nothing. I'm not gonna give up."
"So stubborn, just like your brother."
"I'm pretty used to hear that." Sera smiled. "Are you in hurry?"
"Kind of."
"I'll be going then. It was nice to see you anyways."
"Sera, you should stay at your hotel for a while. Just for your own safety." Okiya said before the girl drove away.

"I know. But that's against my nature. I just can't sit still when soemthing happens around me..."

Kir finished firing and brought the target forward. Both women took off their ear protectors and goggles to examine the bullet holes. "It definitely pulls to the left," Kir said, taking the target off and putting a new one in its place. What does Vermouth want from me? She never loiters unless it's a good reason.

"Kir," Vermouth said softly, "I know the girl who looks like Akai contacted you."

Forcing herself not to react, Kir put the goggles and ear protectors in their appropriate spots. "Is she the one who sent those crazy e-mails earlier? I thought it was some obsessed fan."

"What connection do you have with her, Kir? You've always deleted those kind of e-mails, not replied to them." Vermouth leaned closer, her blue eyes calculating.

The geeks must have talked to her. Kir refused to look away. "When they sound desperate, I respond. Otherwise, they may escalate into something worse to get my attention. I've dealt with stalkers before. It's nothing new. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to clean this and get it to the armory."

The older woman smirked. "You sure you're not . . ." She knocked on the wall.

That question again. "Is this some sort of riddle? Like one of those American 'Knock-Knock' jokes?" Kir shrugged. "I don't know what you're talking about."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jodie watched Sera drive away from the man in the direction of the hotel. As she followed her, she tried to get a better glance at the stranger, but he turned his back to her just as she was about to see his face. Why do I keep seeing him? And why does he keep intriguing me?

Sera was almost at the hotel when she noticed a voice of a car engine. She took a look at the side mirror of her motorbike and saw a car which had about the same speed than she had. When she looked closer she noticed who was driving it: that FBI agent Jodie.

"So, FBI keeps keeping and eye on me. Hard to say are they worried or suspicious..." She mumbled and drove into the parking hall of her hotel.

Jodie followed Sera as she parked her motorcycle in the hotel's parking lot, then called Black. "She's back at the hotel."

"Good. I rented the room next to hers, so we should be able to keep an eye on her in case anything happens," Black replied. "The front desk is holding a room key for you."

"I'll be there in a few moments." Jodie flipped her phone shut.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Vermouth laughed. "A Knock-knock joke? In a way." She opened the door of the practicing room and turned in the doorway. "I haven't told Gin my suspicions yet, but I might if anything else happens."

Kir didn't acknowledge the threat, but as the older B.O. agent walked away, she hoped that Sera-san would keep a low profile for several months, if not years.

Sera collapsed on her bed. She was absolutely tired even though it was only 3pm.

"What should I do now?" She mumbled to her pillow. "My investigation is in a dead end and I can't try to call ti that Kir." If she is still alive she'll surely be dead after that call...

"And what is this uneasy feeling I have around Subaru-san. He..." I know I can trust in him but something feels off its place...

"Maybe I should put some ice to my investigations and wait a bit. Besides I have school tomorrow..."

Jodie checked into the hotel and received her key, then walked to her hotel room. Everything seemed quiet. I wonder how long we can keep this up. Unlocking the door, she automatically searched the place to make sure no one was hiding in the room. All clear.

She set her purse down on the desk and sighed. All she had to do was wait.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kir cleaned the rifle and then took it down to the armory to get fixed. Glancing at her watch, she was surprised that it was 3 pm. Have I been practicing that long? Her stomach rumbled, and she sighed. Time for lunch.

As she walked back toward her room, she heard Gin and Vermouth talking. "And how did the girl react?" Gin asked.

"She was stunned, although she tried to hide it. There is definitely something going between her and Kir," Vermouth replied.

Crap. Kir paused to listen, pressing herself against a wall.

"Keep an eye on the girl. I'll keep an eye on Kir. If I sense the stench of a traitor on Kir, she will be eliminated," Gin said. Kir imagined his shark-like smile at the thought of eliminating her and shuddered.

((should we go forward for some days, maybe a week? Sera is going to keep low profile and I think nothing is going to happen then...))

Ordinary school life... Sera didn't know anything more boring. She sighed as she walked to school and cursed why she couldn't use her motorbike to go there. Her right leg wasn't fully healed and she didn't really care to walk long ways...

"Sera-chan!" She heard suddenly behind her. It was Sonoko.
"Hi, Sonoko-chan! How are you?"
"Fine, fine. And you? You seem a bit down right now..."
"I'm absolutely fine, just a bit tired..." Sera smiled a bit.
"I see. How about all your investigations? Have you found out anything interesting yet?"
"I have to take a break from them 'cause they are in the dead end right now."
"Ha! If you'd be a Deduction Queen like me it wouldn't be a problem."
"Maybe so..."

((Sure.))

Kir glanced at the calendar hanging on her wall as she typed in her work e-mail password. Nothing unusual had occurred over the last week, and she was grateful. Clicking into her inbox, she deleted a bunch of spam messages and an announcement about a co-worker getting married. Sometimes I wish I had a normal life. One that I wouldn't have to worry about getting killed.

Her bullet wounds were healing slowly; she still felt stiff in the morning, but the pain was decreasing to a more manageable level.

Since she had time, she decided to do a little research on Sera-san. While the B.O. had undoubtedly done so already, she wanted to find out on her own.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ran giggled. "It's always amazing when Sonoko-chan becomes the Deduction Queen. She solves the cases coolly and she's always right."

"Yep, and Ran-chan can protect me with her karate!" Sonoko made chopping sounds with her hands. "The Deduction Queen and the Karate Queen!"

"Heh," Sera smiled. I'm glad that they're so carefree.

They sat on their seats in the class. Sera sighed deeply when she took a look out from the window. It was going to be a lond day. Just like the other days had been during that week.

"Hm? Where is Kudo-kun?" Sonoko suddenly thought aloud.
"I'm not sure. He made a call this morning and told he is with..." Ran lowered her voice a bit. "...FBI. They are doing some research about Tokyo Tower incident..."
"Really?" Sera joined to the conversation. "What kind of research?"
"I don't know. He didn't tell me."

Black handed Kudo a stack of compiled information that the FBI had gleamed from the book Sera had given them. "Kir passed this along to us via the tower. We believe it's a list of potential targets that the B.O. is targeting. We also found this code." He pointed down at the bottom of the first page. "Can you solve it for us?"

Kudo scanned the documents quickly and nodded. "I just need a pencil and a pad of paper."

One of the FBI agents handed the requested items to the boy and Kudo nodded his thanks, then sat down and began working through the code.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kir frowned as she scrolled through several pages. There wasn't a lot about Sera-san, although she discovered that her last name was Masumi. Apparently the girl had been living in America for a little while before returning to Japan.

America. She wondered how Eisuke-chan was doing, if he was making good grades and hanging out with friends. I'm glad he gets to live a fairly normal life. Kir clicked through the websites and found a picture of Sera-san smiling proudly in a Jeet Kune Do tournament.

"I don't know why but today's classes were really boring." Sera stated when the bell finally rang, ending the school day.
"I must agree with you. I don't know what had happened. When I was here at the previous time the lessons were much more interesting." A voice said behind her. Sera spun around. The person she saw sitting behind her... she wasn't sure did she see a boy or girl. After that person wasn't wearing a school uniform.
"Excuse me, who are you?" Sera asked.
"My name is Eisuke Hondo." The person said. The name told he was a boy but his appearance was very girlish.
"Sera-chan, this is Eisuke. He was on our class for a short time before he went to America to study more." Ran explained. Sera nodded. Something in the boys appearance was bothering her and it seemd the boy was thinking the same.
"Yeah, he came for two weeks back to Japan because he missed us." Sonoko added.
"That's no true, Sonoko-san! We have a holiday right now and I decided to come to meet you. It has been a while." Eisuke denied. Sera smirked a bit. It seemed Sonoko really liked teasing the boy.

The were on their way from school when Sonoko asked where Eisuke was staying.
"At Haido Hotel. It's pretty nice place." The boy answered.
"Oh, I'm staying there too." Sera mentioned.
"Really?"

Sonoko and Ran went to their direction when Sera and Eisuke headed to another.
"Say..." Sera started when the two other girls were enough far. "Are you somehow related to Rena Mizunashi?"
"Eh? What do you mean?" Eisuke was surprised.
"Nothing... You just happen to resemble her."
"I see... Actually I wanted to ask a similar question from you. Are you related to a FBI agent named Akai?"

Sera stopped. Was he one of the organization too? No, he was far too naïve for being one.
"I mean. You really resemble him. Although I have seen him only once." The boy tried to explain.
"I see." Sera smirked. There was no doubt about it. That Eisuke was somehow related to the FBI and to Kir. "I think we should speed up a bit. It might rain at any moment." It was a lie. But right now she wanted to get to the hotel asap. If the organization would regonize her or the boy... or both... it wouldn't be a good thing at all.

Kudo flipped another page; the code had been simple enough with the name "Rena" being the key to solving it. When he finished transcribing the message, he called Black over.

The older man took the pad from him and adjusted his glasses.

"B.O. MAY BE ONTO ME. WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PASS INFO FOR A WHILE. BOURBON VERY NEAR. BE CAREFUL WHOM YOU TRUST."

Black sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Thank you, Kudo-kun."

"You're welcome." Kudo hesitated. "What are you going to do with the potential targets?"

"Agents are watching them right now. I haven't decided how to contact the local authorities; it would seem strange to have foreigners warn them." Black shrugged.

"I could do that for you," Kudo offered. "They'll listen to me."

"Thank you. But be careful; we don't want the B.O. suspect that they have a leak."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kir sighed, looking out one of her windows as she thought about what she had learned about Masumi-san.

One: She was a self-proclaimed high school detective.

Two: She was an expert in Jeet Kune Do.

Three: She lived in America for several years before returning to Japan.

Four: She was intelligent, cool-headed, and looked a lot like Akai.

When Kir thought about the intel timeline she gathered, it made sense that Masumi-san was related to Akai. The timing of her move to America coincided with Akai's attempt to join the B.O. The Americans must have wanted to keep Akai's relatives safe.

Now if only I could keep the B.O. from making the connection . . .

Sera sat on her bed. Eisuke sat opposite her.

"You don't need to lie." Sera started. "But what is your connection with FBI and Rena Mizunashi?"
"Shouldn't you tell me first who are you?" The boy said back.
"My name is Sera Masumi and I'm a detective. Right now I'm trying to find out what has happened to my brother who worked for the FBI and is said to be dead."
"I-, I see..." Eisuke stuttered. She seems to be related to agent Akai... This reminds me about my own investigation... I wonder how Hidemi-neechan is doing...
"Well?"
"Maybe I can tell you... But I have to start from the very begining."
"We have time."

And Eisuke started. He told everything that had happened during his previous time in Tokyo. Only one thing he left untold and that conserned Edogawa Conan.

"So? Mizunashi - real name Hidemi Hondo - is undercover agnet from CIA? As I thought..." Sera smirked.
"You already knew?"
"Well, I had a guess. I tried to contact her but it only caused problems to both of us." She didn't mention the possibility that the boy's sister might be dead. It was possible that she was but it was also possible that she wasn't.

Kir closed the documents she was reading with a sigh and checked her e-mails. There was nothing in the B.O. account. Signing off, she walked to the television and flipped it on to check the news. She didn't recognize the female reporter talking in front of the camera. Must be someone new since I went on "vacation."

Then the reporter interviewing a man that she recognize as one of the B.O.'s targets; he was one of the richest men in the city. Narrowing her eyes, she studied his features, memorizing the way his eyes slanted, the wrinkles at the corner of his eyes, and the squarish shape of his face. When the news story finished, she got up and retrieved some juice from her refrigerator. I hope the FBI will be able to stop the assassination, or that will be his last interview.

"I'm grateful about this information." Sera stated finally.
"Well, you are welcome. I'm just... I'm not sure should I told you anything. After all that is kind of secret information..."
"Do you know how my brother died? He was shot. Shot by Mizunashi."
"Eh? Hidemi-neechan would never...!"
"Yes, she would. In order to keep her scene up. But my brother is not dead. I know it. Even though I have no proof yet I'm sure there is somekind of trick that saved his life. And I'm sure that trick includes your sister." Sera explained. "But you do understand you nust not tell anyone about this conversation?"
"I do. I understand very well." Eisuke rose up and walked to the door. "I hope you'll find your brother."
"I hope so too."

When Eisuke had left Sera sighed a bit. "I have all pieces of this puzzle now. I just need to put them together and find the truth behind everything."

Jodie heard Sera's hotel room open and close, and footsteps approaching her room. Opening the door, she recognized the slender boy. Eisuke Hondou. What is he doing here? I thought he went to America! She waited until he was mostly down the hall before quietly slipping out and calling to him.

He turned around, surprise in his unusual eyes. "Jodie-san! What are you doing here?"

"Taking a break. My boss thought that I was getting too stressed out and told me to go on a sabbatical," Jodie replied, smiling. "What have you been up to? I haven't heard anything from you in a long time."

"Uh, good, I guess," he stammered, his eyes darting over her shoulder toward Sera's room. "My school is on a two week vacation, so I decided to revisit Japan."

"Then you must still be jet-lagged. Can I buy you something to drink in the hotel restaurant? That will help you wake up." Jodie held up her purse.

"I guess," he said, looking as though he'd rather jump into a pit full of crocodiles.

"Wonderful!" She started walking toward the elevator, chattering inanely to keep him distracted and to make other people think that she was a ditzy American.

Sera heard voices from the corridor. Right after Eisuke had left. She pressed her ear against the door and heard someone talking to him.

"A woman's voice... A little accent... They seem to know each other... Wait a minute isn't that that FBI agent's voice... They are still keeping an eye on me... I hope Eisuke won't tell anything."