Chapter 190: Rainy Night in Agasa 2-chome
Please! I only asked Ran to go—you insisted on coming along, okay?
Conan muttered internally. He'd thought Mouri-san could handle it, but reality proved that the great detective could only shine after falling asleep.
This really confirmed what Inspector Megure had said yesterday at the Kurokawa residence when he'd used a tranquilizer dart to knock out Mouri-san.
He remembered Inspector Megure's exact words: "Finally here, Sleeping Kogoro!"
Now Inspector Megure was starting to believe that the sleeping Mouri-san was the key to solving cases.
How unreliable must he be normally to leave such an impression on Inspector Megure!
However, speaking of today's garden party, it had indeed been quite enjoyable.
The riddle provided by Teiji Moriya was quite valuable for deductive reasoning. If it hadn't been for Kobayashi-sensei telling the Momotaro story yesterday, he might not have made the connection so quickly.
"Teiji Moriya's garden party? I knew Conan was learning a lot from Mouri-san. Now he can even solve mysteries in front of famous detectives. That's really impressive."
Natsukawa patted Conan's head. "No wonder Anya said Conan left school early today. Turns out he went to a renowned architect's garden party."
"Hmph, that brat is such a nuisance. I should have known better than to bring him along."
Kogoro Mouri was still somewhat irritated. Conan had stolen his thunder as a famous detective at the party.
He'd been "about" to figure out the answer, but Conan had blurted it out first, claiming the teacher had just told the story yesterday, and that's how he'd connected the dots.
Damn Conan, damn Kobayashi-sensei!
o(￣︶￣)o
Conan proudly lifted his chin and glanced sideways at Mouri-san.
Mouri-san had no grace whatsoever. If it hadn't been for him, Mouri-san would have been completely humiliated.
Conan knew from his expression that he was quite pleased with himself.
He really wanted to say, "Mouri-san, are you just here for decoration?"
Sure enough, without me, Mouri-san is nothing.
It was good to humble him today—otherwise, his constant arrogance would inevitably lead to trouble.
"Dad—" Ran glanced at her father helplessly. "If it hadn't been for Conan, that mystery probably wouldn't have been solved yet. Speaking of which, Conan really helped Dad save face."
However, Kogoro Mouri didn't appreciate it. Ignoring his daughter's commentary, he started the car again, heading toward the parking lot.
The first floor of the Mouri residence was rented to Café Poirot, so there was no space to park downstairs. They had to use a nearby parking lot.
"So it was Conan who solved the mystery? He's really amazing. Spending time with Mouri-san really does make you smarter." Natsukawa patted Conan's head again, chatted with Ran for a few more minutes, then turned and left.
"The obsessive-compulsive, bomb-obsessed Moriya Teiji has appeared. What does that mean?"
A slight smile suddenly appeared on Natsukawa's lips. This meant explosions were imminent, and it also meant he could acquire a batch of high-quality plastic explosives.
Plastic explosives, after proper preparation, could be mass-produced into compact charges.
A small number of plastic explosives had limited destructive power, but their sheer quantity made them incredibly effective.
The plot didn't mention the exact amount stolen, but considering how many buildings Moriya Teiji destroyed, the quantity shouldn't be insignificant.
Natsukawa had a batch of grenades, but he couldn't accumulate their destructive potential like with plastic explosives. Now, while Moriya was busy stealing, he could empty Japan's munitions depot.
A munitions depot was a munitions depot—it must store considerable quantities of explosives. This was an excellent opportunity to add powerful tools to his modest arsenal.
He could then pin the theft on Moriya Teiji. Wouldn't that be perfect?
He might even be able to sell some to Gin. That guy also suffered from insufficient firepower syndrome. He'd heard Vodka mention several times while drinking that his aniki was very interested in weapons. Plus, with suddenly receiving so much money, he'd definitely be willing to make a deal.
As for the excuse, he could claim a yakuza organization wanted to sell them. They should accept that.
After all, he'd previously told Vodka he'd found a way to purchase grenades, so this excuse could still work and should be believable.
"Anya, what are you doing?"
Natsukawa, who'd returned home, went to his daughter's door and knocked. He found Anya scribbling something.
The old father nodded with satisfaction and went to check.
However, Anya wasn't doing homework—there was a regular notebook on the table, not a workbook.
"What plan?" Natsukawa asked.
Anya had closed the notebook too quickly, and with her arm blocking the view, Natsukawa hadn't seen it clearly, only managing to catch the first few characters: "Plan to..."
"Anya is writing in her diary. It's a secret, and I can't tell Father."
Anya's expression was tense, and cold sweat beaded on her forehead. Fortunately, she'd been quick—otherwise her father would have seen the "Plan to Block the Brown-Haired Girl."
This absolutely couldn't be seen by her father, or she wouldn't be able to explain how she knew about this girl.
"I told you to do your homework, and you're writing in your diary instead?"
Natsukawa felt a vein throbbing in his forehead. Were elementary school students these days so difficult to manage?
"Father, please leave. I'll definitely finish my homework today, don't worry."
Anya patted her chest confidently, as if to say, "Leave it to me."
Even little girls had their secrets, so Natsukawa didn't press further and could only leave somewhat deflated.
Watching the door close again, his head throbbed slightly. Managing a child was more difficult than any espionage mission.
The night rain continued, and everyone wore raincoats or carried umbrellas.
A black figure leaped into the magnificent Moriya estate—it was Natsukawa.
As a top designer in the industry, the Moriya residence was Teiji Moriya's masterpiece.
The entire estate, from the entrance to the front garden, then to the rear courtyard, perfectly adhered to symmetrical aesthetics.
Even the servants inside were all twins.
It was clear that Moriya Teiji's obsession had reached near-madness.
So the reason he hadn't married yet was probably because men and women could only achieve yin-yang balance, not true symmetry.
"He's not home?"
In this urgent situation, Franky hadn't had time to investigate Moriya Teiji's schedule, and Natsukawa didn't know if Moriya was home before arriving.
However, whether he was home or not wouldn't affect his ability to install surveillance devices.
Moriya Teiji had just learned the security codes to the Touto Gunpowder Storehouse today, so Natsukawa wasn't worried about him acting immediately. At least he could plan ahead.
This kind of obsessive person was meticulous in his work. His absence tonight was likely because he was preparing to steal what he needed from the storehouse or scouting the location.
After all, this was a munitions depot with certain security measures—it couldn't be accessed with just the codes.
The most important factor was the security personnel. He needed to figure out the guards' patrol patterns and shift changes.
Besides, it was also possible he'd set fire to the Kurokawa residence.
The Kurokawa estate was one of Moriya Teiji's early works and would be the first building destroyed in the movie.
It was worth mentioning that the building wouldn't be destroyed by a bomb, but by arson.
However, this possibility was very slim. With the heavy rain tonight and the Kurokawa residence being within the Beika area, the chance of a fire was extremely low.
Even gasoline might not ignite properly. It would be better to wait until after stealing the explosives before detonating it.
Natsukawa installed surveillance devices in the Moriya estate's living room, study, and exhibition hall—places Moriya Teiji frequented.
Today's work wasn't difficult. Once the installation was complete, the mission was finished.
Franky, however, was quite busy.
He had to monitor both Teiji Moriya and watch for any little girls appearing at his doorstep. He probably wouldn't get a good night's sleep for the next few days.
Natsukawa wasn't leaving all the work to Franky either. Besides preparing to intercept and seize control of the munitions storehouse, he also needed to maintain appearances with Gin, keeping him away from Sherry for the next few days.
Wait, speaking of which, Amuro Tooru should already know about the Tequila situation. Two days had passed—why hadn't he come to meet yet?
This puzzled Natsukawa.
He'd inquired about Jodie's situation during his lengthy phone conversation with Yor, and Jodie had reportedly been extremely busy these past few days.
This was likely due to the Organization matter.
If that was the case, she and Amuro Tooru must have met. Had Jodie not told Amuro Tooru about the Tequila persona?
Unsure what the FBI was plotting, Natsukawa could only remain passive.
"Any news from the CIA? Two days have passed, and they haven't taken any action yet?"
Natsukawa thought for a moment, then called Franky to inquire. This matter concerned Sherry, and no mistakes could be tolerated.
"No, I heard from CIA contacts that the Japanese FBI seems to have their own ideas and says they need to consider it for a few more days. They say they won't give an answer until tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" Natsukawa narrowed his eyes.
Could Miyano Akemi have revealed something?
She'd been detained by the FBI for two days now. She might have leaked some information.
However, Miyano Akemi didn't know the address of Shirakage Pharmaceuticals. What could she have revealed that would cause the FBI to delay for two days?
He began pondering what information Miyano Akemi might have obtained from Sherry.
After a moment, Natsukawa's eyes lit up as he noticed a problem.
He seemed to have always chosen Beika as the meeting place for Miyano Akemi and Sherry.
Vodka had also mentioned this when assigning him the task, always choosing either a café in Beika or Haido.
Apparently, they'd met at least ten times over the past two years.
They'd even met once at Café Poirot, though Conan hadn't been there then.
"In that case, perhaps the FBI has figured it out. They've determined the Organization's research facility is somewhere between Beika and Haido.
Following this reasoning, the FBI made the CIA wait for two days because they were searching for clues about the research base.
So... Amuro Tooru and Jodie haven't met yet?"
After this simple deduction, Natsukawa arrived at two conclusions:
The FBI might have already narrowed down the research facility to Beika or Haido and was making arrangements.
Jodie was too busy with the investigation to meet Amuro Tooru, so Amuro didn't know he might be an undercover agent.
Of course, if the FBI leadership was somewhat ruthless, they might not have informed Amuro Tooru about Tequila at all.
After all, information revealed in a certain film suggested that FBI higher-ups didn't particularly trust Amuro Tooru.
After summarizing, Natsukawa breathed a sigh of relief but also felt lingering anxiety.
The FBI's response to the CIA was that they'd give an answer tomorrow, meaning Jodie had two days to investigate.
Today was the last day.
Natsukawa glanced at the time and realized it was nearly midnight.
He looked out the car window at the street scene.
At some point, a torrential downpour had covered the city, and the streets of Beika Town were nearly deserted.
A strong premonition told Natsukawa... today was it!
Natsukawa slowed down, tapped the steering wheel thoughtfully for a moment, then turned the car around halfway home, heading toward Beika 2-chome.
If the Conan universe's plot convenience was targeting him, it would likely also target Jodie.
If Jodie could locate Shirakage Pharmaceuticals today, then today should be Sherry's escape day.
"Huh, so that means I don't need to worry about Gin interfering with Sherry's escape. After all, from the Conan universe's perspective, Sherry's successful escape is a crucial plot point, so logically, I shouldn't need to worry."
He glanced at the documents on the passenger seat and silently returned them to the drawer.
He'd save resources wherever possible. These materials were his performance targets for next month as a Special Investigator. He wouldn't have retrieved them if he wasn't worried about Gin getting in the way.
Now it seemed his concerns were unnecessary.
The torrential rain washed the streets, and the wipers methodically cleared the windshield.
As the car entered 2-chome, Natsukawa began to slow down.
Along the way, he didn't see Sherry leaning against any walls, but he did spot a figure also wearing a white coat.
The broad, stout silhouette, combined with the faint light reflecting off the umbrella, reassured Natsukawa.
It was Professor Agasa.
He remembered that the night Sherry appeared, it was Professor Agasa who'd discovered her.
If there were a system, it would definitely display this message: "Ding, Rainy Night, Agasa, 2-chome—adoption storyline triggered."
Setting aside chaotic thoughts, Natsukawa noticed Professor Agasa carrying a transparent shopping bag, probably having just finished shopping and heading home.
Natsukawa parked his car in front of him, honked, rolled down the window, and greeted him. "Professor Agasa, why are you still out so late? There are so many incidents in Beika—it's not safe for you to be walking around like this."
Professor Agasa pushed up his glasses, his tired and bloodshot eyes narrowing. After confirming the person was someone he knew, he smiled and said,
"It's Natsukawa-san—
I got so engrossed in my research that I skipped both lunch and dinner, and my stomach was growling when I finally remembered I needed to eat.
But it's raining now, and delivery service is suspended."
Professor Agasa waved his hand helplessly. "So I'll have to go to a 24-hour convenience store to buy some instant ramen myself."
"I see."
Natsukawa glanced at the still-falling rain and suggested, "How about I give Professor Agasa a ride home? It's only a few hundred meters, but it'll be faster. With rain this heavy, you might catch a cold if you get soaked."
Professor Agasa was the Sherry Trigger—the one destined to discover her.
If he accompanied him now, Sherry would definitely become his responsibility.
Of course, that wasn't the only reason. The rain was indeed heavy, and giving Professor Agasa a ride would also help strengthen their relationship.
It was a win-win situation—why not?
"Thank you, Natsukawa-san."
Professor Agasa had considered this for a while but had been too embarrassed to ask, especially since Natsukawa might not even be heading to his house.
Now that Natsukawa had offered first, he naturally had no reason to refuse.
"You're welcome. Anya often troubles Professor Agasa, so it's only right."
The over-two-hundred-pound Professor Agasa sat in the back seat, causing the car to tilt noticeably to the right.
Inside, the two chatted casually, and for the distance of a few hundred meters, Natsukawa managed to reduce the speed to nearly nothing, like an elderly person crossing the street.
The ground was slippery and visibility poor. What if he didn't slow down and couldn't brake in time, accidentally hitting Sherry?
Professor Agasa had a complaint on the tip of his tongue but held it back. Natsukawa's driving speed was slower than his walking pace.
Natsukawa glanced at the rearview mirror, knowing the professor was complaining about the slowness, but he had no choice except to continue the conversation.
"Constantly doing research like this isn't healthy. Professor Agasa, don't you plan to hire an assistant or something?
Otherwise, you'll lose track of time when researching, which is bad for your stomach in the long run.
Plus, your physique..."
He was already overweight, so he definitely had high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Now that he wasn't eating regularly, even if his mind could handle it, his body might not.
"Hahaha, there's nothing I can do about it. As for an assistant, forget it."
Professor Agasa thought of the signs of experimental damage throughout his villa and shook his head frantically.
He was afraid that if he wasn't careful, an assistant who came would get caught in an explosion.
Shinichi—well, subjecting him to a few explosions was normal. Explosions were art, after all.
Speaking of which, he'd recently taken on a commission to develop pyrotechnics that could turn explosions into fireworks. Today, he'd gotten so caught up in inspiration that he'd lost track of time.
This made hiring an assistant even more impossible.
He was large and heavy, so with his tank-like build, he could withstand explosions, but a hired assistant might not be so resilient.
Meanwhile, at an intersection a hundred meters ahead of the GT-R,
A pale, almost deathly hand gripped the corner of a wall, a small body struggling to emerge from the shadows.
[End of Chapter]
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