Yusaku kneeling on the ground, was gasping for breath. The intense pain made it nearly impossible for him to breathe.
In the instant Toru's attention shifted slightly, Yusaku suddenly pulled something from his crotch that looked like a hand grenade.
Gritting his teeth, he was just about to press the switch—
"Whoosh."
A muffled gunshot echoed from a silencer. A 9mm bullet pierced straight through his hand.
Yusaku let out a painful groan, instinctively clutching the wound with his other hand. The grenade-like object rolled onto the ground at Toru's feet.
"Woo... woo!"
Seeing his father shot, Conan's eyes widened as tears streamed uncontrollably. His gagged mouth emitted muffled whimpers.
Toru squatted down and picked up the grenade.
"It's probably a specially made tear gas grenade. Looks like you weren't completely unprepared."
This was clearly a handmade item, not mass-produced.
If Toru had to guess, this grenade was likely crafted by Dr. Agasa.
Using tear gas in such a small room would be a mutually destructive tactic. Yusaku and the others didn't have gas masks, either. This must have been his final move to turn the tide.
Toru tossed over a hemostatic bandage. It was standard equipment carried by American police officers.
Yusaku was stunned, not understanding why Toru would hand him a hemostatic bandage. But he quickly bit it open with his teeth, tore the packaging, and pressed it against his wound.
Judging by how skillfully he handled it, he'd likely received considerable training in America.
After stopping the bleeding, Yusaku had no time to catch his breath when a dark shadow suddenly loomed over him. In the next moment, pain exploded in his neck and he completely lost consciousness.
Toru had knocked him out at just the right moment. Calmly, he walked back to Conan.
Facing Conan's furious and wide-eyed gaze, he delivered a swift chop to the neck. Conan couldn't resist the force and passed out.
Having taken care of everything, Toru raised his pistol and pointed it at the only one still standing—Kudo Yukiko.
At that moment, Yukiko's face was deathly pale.
Her beautiful face, which still looked like that of a woman in her twenties, was filled with fear and pain.
But she didn't scream or cry like a typical woman. Instead, she bravely held back her tears.
She wiped the corners of her eyes, looked at Yusaku and Conan, and softly said, "You didn't kill us and left only me standing. Is there something you want me to do?"
Toru pulled up a chair and sat down. He casually placed the pistol aside, as if certain that Yukiko couldn't possibly resist him.
With his gloved hand, he peeled an orange, placed a segment into his mouth, chewed slowly, and smiled.
"Ms. Yukiko really is sharp. As expected of a star who captivated Japan in her twenties."
Yukiko didn't respond to the flattery. She gritted her teeth and said, "Just tell me what you want. If I cooperate, will you let my family go?"
Toru thought for a moment, then said, "Perhaps."
After a short pause, he smiled and asked, "Ms. Yukiko, let me ask you a question. What do you think is the value of the drug that shrinks Kudo Shinichi?"
"Immeasurable."
"Exactly. Even phrases like 'worth a city' or 'worth a thousand gold' can't do it justice. It's a truly priceless treasure."
"Who wouldn't be tempted by something like that?"
Toru's words made Yukiko's heart skip a beat.
"You... want to betray the Organization?"
"No, no. How could I possibly betray the Organization? It's just that very few people within the Organization know about the true effects of the drug. I could easily reduce that number even further."
Toru grinned as he spoke.
Yukiko's expression shifted. She immediately realized what he meant. Was he planning to eliminate the insiders who knew about the drug and keep the secret for himself?
As expected of someone from a transnational crime syndicate, these kinds of thoughts weren't surprising.
But this also gave Yukiko a sliver of hope.
If fewer people knew about Shinichi's condition, their family might still have a chance to escape all of this.
"Kudo Shinichi is a very important subject. I don't want to kill him. I could lock him away in a research institute for life, but I'm someone who values talent."
"Your whole family is considered talented. If you work for me, I can spare your lives. As long as you don't betray me, you can live peacefully."
Toru's words sparked a strange thought in Yukiko's mind.
"You want us to join your Organization?"
Toru shook his head.
"Kudo Shinichi won't work. He's just a kid. Children don't understand compromise. They're full of prejudice and hope toward society, and they develop a pointless sense of justice."
"Even if his life was at stake, he probably wouldn't join us."
Yukiko fell silent. She had to admit, this member of the Black Organization understood her son well.
"But you're different. Especially you, Ms. Yukiko. You're an adult who's experienced society. You know how to assess the situation. You understand helplessness."
"So, you can join us. As a peripheral member, working for the Organization."
Toru continued eating the orange, clearly in no rush for an answer.
Swallowing the segment in his mouth, he smiled and said, "Although Yusaku has stopped bleeding, his life is still in danger. I suggest you make a decision quickly."
Yukiko's eyes glanced over Yusaku's unconscious figure, then shifted to Shinichi, still tied to the operating table. She sighed softly and said, "What do you want me to do?"
"It seems you've agreed, Ms. Yukiko."
Toru set down the orange peel and smiled.
"Do you know Fujiwara Toru?"
Yukiko nodded slightly. "Even in America, I've heard of the young man who recently gained fame in Japan."
"That's good. Then I don't need to waste time explaining."
"My request is simple. Get close to Fujiwara Toru. Gain information from him."
"This is your first mission, and it's non-negotiable. If you can't even complete this task, I can't guarantee your family's safety."
"Don't think about running away. The Organization's reach is beyond your imagination. No matter where your family hides, we will find you."
"And don't think about seeking help from the authorities. You know very well that if Kudo Shinichi is exposed, his fate will be even worse. That's why you came alone to rescue him, isn't it?"
Toru's cold tone didn't shake Yukiko. The elegant woman simply asked, "Why do you want me to get close to Fujiwara Toru?"
"On the surface, he's the adopted son of CIA Director Spencer. But in truth, he's a CIA agent himself, with a rather high position."
"According to the Organization's intel, he's a huge fan of your early films. You should know what it's like for a fan to meet their idol."
"Given your unique identity, Fujiwara Toru would never suspect you of being part of the Organization. That makes it easy to lower his guard."
"You're also an award-winning actress. With your skills, fooling him shouldn't be difficult. I don't care how you obtain the intel. But I'll give you a suggestion."
"Do you know how female KGB agents used to extract information? You can try that too. It's the simplest way. You may not have professional training, but your acting skills are more than enough."
Toru's words made Yukiko blush with both shame and disbelief.
Of course she understood what he meant. Wasn't he telling her to seduce him?
The idea of seducing a young man close to her son's age, especially as a married woman, made her feel even more disgusted.
Though her relationship with Yusaku had long lost its romantic spark, reduced more to familial companionship, the thought of actively cheating still made her feel indignant and ashamed.
She wanted to refuse.
But when she saw the cold eyes of the man before her, she felt as if a bucket of icy water had been dumped over her head. A chill ran down her spine. Her rage and resistance evaporated.
There was no choice.
As someone from Japan, Yukiko inexplicably recalled some manga she'd once read about married women's corruption.
She never thought such a scenario would one day become her reality.
And she wasn't being corrupted by others. She had to corrupt herself.
"Ms. Yukiko, I don't have time to waste. What's your answer? Do you accept or refuse?"
As he spoke, Toru picked up the silenced pistol.
The muzzle pointed at her, Yukiko became even calmer.
She was no naive girl. She saw things clearly.
If doing so could save Shinichi's life, she was willing.
If she refused, this man would likely kill both her and Yusaku, then send Shinichi to a research lab for the rest of his life.
That was a future Yukiko absolutely could not accept.
"It seems you've made the right choice, Ms. Yukiko. I'll be in touch. Don't even think about escaping."
"Oh, and this mission has a time limit. Don't try to drag things out."
Toru adjusted his black top hat, cutting off any thoughts she might have had, and walked out of the operating room.
(To be continued.)