"So, your radar failed you?"
Upon returning to Beika City, Tsuneo had listened to the account of how Ki'ichiro Numabuchi had managed to get so close without Haibara sensing a thing.
"A man who couldn't even make the cut as a peripheral assassin probably doesn't even qualify for your 'sensor' list," the repairman said, shaking his head.
Moreover, Numabuchi had spun a web of lies just for a chance to see the fireflies one last time. It wasn't impossible that the murderous intent—the "darkness" Haibara usually detected—had simply ebbed away in those final moments of nostalgia.
"In any case, whether this change in your ability is a good or a bad thing... it's hard to say," Haibara mused. Suddenly, she felt a heavy hand press down on her head, bringing her to a halt.
"What is it?" Dr. Agasa asked, confused as to why the repairman had suddenly stopped right in front of the door.
Tsuneo opened his phone's inbox and tilted the screen so the other two could see.
Barely ten seconds ago, he had received an anonymous text message. It was short and to the point: A woman has planted wiretaps in Dr. Agasa's house and Tsuneo's apartment.
"Akemi is still inside. What do we do?" Dr. Agasa immediately lowered his voice to a frantic whisper, glancing through the French windows where he could see Akemi moving about the living room.
"The person likely took advantage of the time Akemi-neechan was out to sneak in and do the job," Haibara whispered, her mind racing.
In truth, they had been preparing for this day for a long time. Vermouth was currently lurking nearby, investigating everything related to Shinichi Kudo. Naturally, a neighbor like Dr. Agasa and an anomaly like Tsuneo were high-priority targets for surveillance.
"Good evening!"
Tsuneo answered a call from Hiroki. The young AI greeted the group with a calm, digital cheer.
"Hiroki, do you know who installed the wiretaps?" the Doctor asked, his mind already racing through legal protocols. Should they call the police? Discovering a wiretap was a perfectly normal reason for a citizen to involve the authorities, wasn't it?
"Yes. She installed five bugs here in your house, and another two over at Tsuneo's apartment."
"But don't worry—I've already intercepted the signal. You can speak freely; she won't hear a word of your actual conversation," Hiroki said, providing the group with an immediate sense of security.
With Noah's Ark on their side, it didn't matter how many bugs she planted. Even if she had installed high-definition cameras, the AI could replace the live feed with a looped, doctored image without her ever noticing.
"Has the woman said anything to herself?" Tsuneo asked as he unlocked the front door, speaking into the phone. Once a connection like this was established, it was no longer a question of who was listening to whom.
"She seems convinced that Conan Edogawa's true identity is Shinichi Kudo," Hiroki reported. "However, she hasn't mentioned a word of this to Gin or the others during her calls. She appears to have her own agenda; the rest of the Organization is completely in the dark regarding her current activities."
It seemed Hiroki truly had been monitoring Vermouth's every move, day and night.
At the moment, mobile technology was still in its relative infancy. In a few more years, when every phone had a built-in camera and a constant connection to the internet, Noah's Ark would become even more formidable.
"What about the 'Boss'?" Tsuneo asked, his curiosity piqued.
"He does send out emails to direct operations, but I haven't made a move against him yet. I've simply locked onto his location for now."
"On the other hand, I've finished investigating that other group you mentioned—the 'Zoo.' I have the details on them now," Hiroki said, referring to the mysterious organization that employed various assassins in their hunt for a legendary gem.
According to Hiroki, the leader was nothing more than an aging, wealthy man clutching at straws. The so-called "Jewel of Destiny"—Pandora—was merely a desperate vision of his own immortality.
"Send that information over to Kaito," Tsuneo said with a nod.
Even knowing his home was currently a minefield of listening devices, the repairman felt no fear. Against the digital godhood of Noah's Ark, a mere "Witch" was hardly a threat.
"Also, regarding those lists you gave me... I did find some anomalies," Hiroki continued.
"Honestly, I'm starting to wonder who the real villain pulling the strings is..." Dr. Agasa muttered, feeling a cold sweat.
Hiroki had reached a point where he could probably find out what color underwear the Boss was wearing if he wanted to. Everyone was becoming transparent to him.
"This is exactly why humanity has such conflicting views on the development of AI," Haibara commented. She had already pulled Akemi aside to explain the wiretap situation and was now looking back at the boys.
"He died today?!"
Tsuneo's voice rose a few decibels. He had previously given Hiroki a copy of his client list and call logs to cross-reference.
"Yes. Though, I don't think you're 'cursed' or anything like that. According to the police report, it was a perfectly standard accident," Hiroki said, showing his lack of superstition.
"Send me the address of the accident. I'll go check it out tonight," Tsuneo said.
It might not be a curse, but whether or not the "gears of fate" were turning was another story. Beika City was, after all, a land steeped in sin.
"OK. You can wear your earpiece later so we can stay in real-time communication," Hiroki said, his tone sounding genuinely excited. It seemed he was looking forward to acting as the "eyes in the sky" for the Dark Knight.
"Hiroki, have you been in contact with your father lately?" the Doctor asked, seizing a gap in the conversation. Yusaku had previously told them that Tadaaki Kashimura was Hiroki's biological father, but the man had vanished shortly after the big software launch event.
"Yes. Schindler has sent people across the globe to find him, but I'm protecting him," Hiroki replied.
The Doctor nodded, satisfied.
"Are we really not going to find the bugs and take them out?" Akemi asked, a lingering sense of dread in her voice.
She had only been out of the house for less than two hours that afternoon. To think someone had just waltzed in and bugged her home while she was gone... it was terrifying. She was only thankful she hadn't spent the afternoon talking to herself; she had mostly just been watching TV.
"There's no need. I'll provide her with all the 'correct' information she needs," Hiroki said with a digital chuckle.
Cutting off a signal was amateur work. True mastery lay in falsification—creating a perfectly identical acoustic environment that told whatever story you wanted the listener to hear.
"Sakiko, give me another bowl of rice!"
"Coming right up!"
"Me too!"
Inside a darkened apartment elsewhere in the city, the "Witch" sat at her desk, her brow furrowed as she listened to the voices in her earpiece.
She had been listening for two hours.
The sisters living in the Doctor's house seemed perfectly ordinary. As for the matter of Shinichi Kudo, it was clear they were in the loop. There was no longer any doubt: his current name was Conan Edogawa.
Then there was the other person who intrigued her—the repairman, Mr. Tsuneo.
She hadn't managed to glean anything about a secret identity yet, but his appetite was certainly impressive. There was something about his silhouette that felt naggingly familiar to her.
"That annoying man," Vermouth muttered, her head beginning to ache as she thought about her cover. She frequently had to visit Dr. Araide's stepmother to maintain her persona as a "kind soul," and the charade was starting to wear on her.
"Those sisters... was I overthinking things?"
She stared at the surveillance photos on her desk for a long time, silent.
They didn't look anything alike, and the content of the wiretaps painted them as nothing more than average citizens.
She paid no attention to her own mobile phone sitting on the desk beside her. Its indicator light was pulsing with a very faint, almost imperceptible green glow.
It had to be said—Vermouth had a very bad habit of talking to herself.
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