A few days earlier, at the Kudo residence, Shuichi Akai sat staring at his computer screen while communicating with James Black. He couldn't help but whisper under his breath.
"...Is this man an undercover agent?"
While scouring the FBI's list of secret operatives, Akai had uncovered the true identity of the violent criminal known as "The Wolfhound" with unexpected ease. Not long ago, an FBI agent who had managed to escape the Wolfhound's clutches reported details overheard from the criminal himself to the Japanese police, leading to his entry into the database.
The screen displayed a man with tanned skin and blond hair, his features radiating a firm sense of purpose. Below the image, a name was written: "Rei Furuya." Akai stared at the photo in a dazed, bewildered silence.
The cigarette nearly slipped from his lips; he quickly crushed it into the ashtray with an agitated movement. He looked like an entirely different person, yet the truth stood plainly before Akai's eyes. Despite the identical features, Akai found it impossible to reconcile the man in the photo with the chilling, mocking sneer of "The Wolfhound," or the sinister grin hidden behind a mask of innocence.
In the same room, young Conan Edogawa stared at the screen and nodded firmly, as if he had finally found what he was looking for.
"Just as I thought...! The alias 'Zero' comes from his real name, and it's also the code name of the organization he belongs to!"
"...Boy, what exactly are you saying..."
"He started his infiltration five years ago. If something happened, it must have been then. Mr. Akai, do you remember any incident during Bourbon's missions five years ago?"
"No. Back then, he was just a low-level lackey, assigned to superficial tasks and easily discarded. Even though they were simple assignments, they involved fraud and murder."
"Murder! I see now, that explains why he's like this!"
Conan's mind reached cold deductions, even though he remained ignorant of the specific atrocities the Wolfhound had committed in the past. Shuichi Akai, however, struggled to ignore the absurd reality before him, haunted by the memories of his own despair.
He remembered how Scotch had died instantly after the Wolfhound's claws tore through his vitals. He remembered the Wolfhound's profile, brimming with a wicked delight, and Scotch's eyes, wide with shock. He remembered those sharp claws rising in a moment where time seemed to freeze, while his own body remained paralyzed, unable to move. The image of that predatory monster, fueled by hatred and dripping with crimson blood, would never leave Akai's mind.
Nor could he forget Akemi Miyano's face, frozen in terror. He remembered the agony on her face as the claws sank into her, her limbs trembling as her life was literally torn away, and her tearful eyes pleading for help.
Her lips had moved, forming silent words: "D-a-i-k-u-n." He wondered with a burning bitterness: Why wasn't I there? Why did I run and leave her behind? Waves of self-loathing crashed over him, and he clenched his fists so hard they nearly bled. Yet, the anger continued to gnaw at his chest.
"Impossible. It makes no sense. It can't be real."
"Mr. Akai?"
Overcome by a sudden surge of fury, Akai kicked his chair and stood up. If he were an undercover agent, why did he kill Scotch? Why did he kill Akemi? Why did he butcher so many secret agents with such brutality? And how could he fail to save them despite possessing such immense power?
But he kept those questions to himself; Akai had no intention of losing his sanity. He realized better than anyone how insane and illogical this claim felt.
"Boy, what do you mean by the name 'Zero'?"
"That man suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder. The 'Bourbon' we know is just a sub-persona."
"Meaning he has a primary persona who represents the undercover agent?"
"Yes. I've already spoken with him; he introduced himself as 'Zero'."
Akai thought resentfully: A man who creates an inherent criminal persona that kills without hesitation, and can't even control it... doesn't deserve to be an undercover agent. His heart burned with suppressed hatred and boiling rage.
Akai laughed mockingly.
"Isn't it possible that the opposite is true?"
"The opposite?"
"I mean that 'The Wolfhound' is a member of the Organization who infiltrated the ranks of Public Security."
"!!! ...But, that's..."
Akai realized immediately that this was a terrible accusation, born from his own hatred trying to distort the truth. Conan looked at him with confusion, his gaze suggesting that such a flawed deduction was unlike Akai.
Struggling to ignore Conan's concern, Akai muttered bitterly.
"That man is a first-class threat. Secret agents from various countries trembled because of him, and many met their end at his hands."
"..."
"Not only that—countless people have fallen to his claws, making no distinction between the innocent and the guilty."
Conan offered no answer, but looked directly at Akai with eyes that reflected the simple truth.
"You lost someone dear to you because of Bourbon, didn't you?"
"... That man is a natural-born killer. Do not trust him, and do not open your heart to him. The Wolfhound's fundamental traits are a complete lack of human emotion."
Conan picked up his solar-powered skateboard and turned to leave. Before exiting, he turned back to Akai at the door.
"Despite everything, I want to believe in him."
Faced with such pure conviction, Akai found no words to reply.
●○●○●
At the hospital, I greeted Conan-kun with a smile. He had arrived on his skateboard, flouting traffic laws, to reach Beika Yakushino Hospital. Very few buses serve this hospital, unlike Beika Central. What a contrast!
The person I utilized to bring Conan here was Yuya Kazami from Public Security. While he isn't my direct subordinate and belongs to another branch, that is a secondary matter. In the strict military-style hierarchy, he cannot disobey the orders of Rei Furuya, who holds a higher rank.
"I apologize for calling you here when you just visited yesterday."
"It's fine. Who is this?"
"This is Mr. Kazami. You could say he's... one of our subordinates?"
"Pleased to meet you. Mr. Furuya told me that you are Conan Edogawa-kun, one of our collaborators."
Conan-kun had been officially registered as a collaborator to outside agencies. This makes it easier to protect him using the power of the authorities and allows us to move immediately if his life is endangered due to his connection with "The Wolfhound."
His identification number is 4869. I faced many objections from the higher-ups regarding a "collaborator" still in elementary school, but I forced it through by arguing he was a gifted genius. It was approved at the last minute based on his record, though I received a reprimand stating that my frequent transgressions might make it impossible for them to protect me in the future.
Furuya looked pale with worry, but I believe things will go well. That was my optimistic take on the matter... and don't tell me that optimism is an ill omen!
Conan-kun seemed unconvinced about being a "collaborator" without his knowledge, and a serious expression clouded his face.
"A collaborator? ...Did I agree to something like that?"
"You were always acting like one anyway. This status makes it easier for you to move as well—isn't it a win-win?"
"That's true, but..."
When I reached out from the bed to pat the head of the grumbling Conan-kun, he snapped at me: "Don't treat me like a child!" He knows I am aware of his true identity, so he thought I was intentionally patronizing him.
Kazami cleared his throat and began reading from the file in his hands.
"We were holding Kazato on another case... but it seems information leaked. He was found dead in his cell this morning with a gunshot wound to the head."
"Is it Gin? Vermouth? Vodka? Revenge seems highly likely."
"If we stay in this hospital for too long, the Organization might think Public Security has captured the Wolfhound, which could lead to a rescue operation with many casualties. Therefore, we've reduced the personnel here to a minimum."
Since it was a headshot, Gin is the likely culprit. Usually, bullets can deflect off the skull, so it isn't a common target, but Gin's skill and brutality allow him to target the crown of the head with extreme precision—especially if the target is someone he desperately wants dead.
As I pondered this, Kazami continued discussing future plans.
"Mr. Furuya must recover his memory and return to duty before the situation worsens, even if we have to use drastic measures."
"That's... true, but what exactly will we do?"
I had discussed the details with Kazami yesterday. The plan is to try and trigger a very powerful memory. It's a harsh method, but since the current amnesia isn't the result of psychological trauma, it has a high chance of success.
"I'll have to ask you to go on a bit of a dangerous adventure. ...I want you to go with Mr. Furuya to visit Detective Matsuda's grave."
"Detective Matsuda's grave? ...Ah, he was an acquaintance of Mr. Furuya, wasn't he?"
"Yes. There's a high risk of encountering Organization members or assassins on the way. But since you were the one who defused the bomb instead of Detective Matsuda, your visit to his grave won't seem suspicious."
If I went alone, it would raise questions about why an "Organization member" was visiting a police officer's grave. If Conan-kun visits the grave and I simply accompany him, we have a perfect excuse.
"I understand. Count on me. ...By the way, where is Mr. Zero?"
"───I haven't fully grasped the details of the situation yet... but, alright."
I nudged Furuya, who was still not used to the switching process, to rise from the depths of consciousness to the surface. When he suddenly appeared, he looked stunned, but he answered Conan-kun's voice echoing within him.
Conan-kun gently took Furuya's hand, and Furuya smiled at him despite the tension and anxiety in his body.
"It feels just like a movie. An amnesiac agent whose life is targeted... huh?"
"Don't worry. You will definitely get your memory back, Mr. Furuya."
I managed a nod, projecting a sense of warmth from within. Furuya closed his eyes for a moment, clenching his fists to steel himself. When he opened them, the tension had left his body, replaced by nothing but determination and strength in his gaze.
"Alright. Let's do it. I want to see just how well I can hold my own while missing my memories."
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