Detective Conan FF: ♤The Poisoned Trio♤ (English)

Chapter 18 Dubonnet the NOC II

Thanks for the poster, Anime_fan_girl1412!

Minoru was getting impatient, normally Bourbon should have passed on information several minutes ago, but this was not the case. Tense, the man stood up and looked out the window. What was going on? He would have preferred to come along, but...Minoru sighed, sadly contemplating his missing arm. 

Images flashed in his mind. Blood...splinters...screams...they would burn themselves into his memory forever. Quickly he shook his head. He didn't know why he was so tense. Maybe it was because his gut was telling him worse. "What the hell is going on? Ash...Nick..." he muttered worriedly. Suddenly, the landline phone started ringing. It was inopportune, so Minoru declined. After a few seconds, the phone started trilling again. 

Minoru looked at the receiver in annoyance, he couldn't do it now! Energetically, he picked up the receiver. "Hello," the man replied, trying to remain calm. At first, all he heard was a metallic hiss. "Hello? Who is this? Talk to me!" said Chardonnay. His patience thread was beginning to snap. "Talk to me!" he shouted, upset. Then he heard it. A vague laugh. This voice...he knew it...Once before he had heard this mysterious voice laughing. 

"Chardonnay, so we hear each other again," the static made the voice sound indefinable. Whoever this person was, he was determined to remain anonymous. "Tell me, why shouldn't I hang up right now and end this pointless conversation?", Minoru gritted his teeth. "I can give you several reasons, Chardonnay...But...I still want to have my fun, after all," laughed the anonymous caller. 

"You tell me, Chardonnay...do you remember? Do you remember my question?" the voice wanted to know. "I can repeat the question I asked you back then...Chardonnay, do you want to be a part of the plan?" the person laughed.

When this question reached Minoru's head, he suddenly felt dizzy. Weakly, he dropped the phone and stumbled back. Memories danced into his mind. The question repeated itself over and over in his ears. Like an echo that came closer and closer. It became so loud that he tried to press his hand on his ear. 

He saw it clearly. The hand...the...pill...The photo of Ash...and...Nick...

He didn't know then...

Tell me, Chardonnay, do you want to be a part of the plan?

 "No, stop it! Stop it!" shouted Minoru. He fell to his knees and tried in vain to avoid the manipulation. Is this what you want? Do you want chardonnay? "No...no...", he didn't want to...he just wanted to...protect the two of them.

Slowly the roaring disappeared, and his lungs filled with oxygen again. Uncertainly, he stood up and took a breath. Cautiously, he squinted at the receiver, but the caller had long since hung up.

♠♠♠

Cautiously, Nick opened his eyes. Strangely, he felt no pain, neither warm, oozing blood nor anything else. Was he already dead? No, he was still staring into the angry, partly shocked face of Ash. The gun was a few inches from his head. Now he tracked the hellish sharp pain in his ear, the shot had been very loud. A soft beeping settled in his head. Relieved, he slid to his knees. 

"You didn't...kill me..." gasped Nick, grinning. Ash took a step back and hesitated. She didn't know how to respond herself. "You...you...," Ash searched for words. "I'll take you to Gin myself...that's worse than a quick death by another mile," she hissed. Suddenly, Bourbon got out of the BMW. "Have you two lost your minds!!!" he roared. Furious, he grabbed Dubonnet's collar. "Who do you think you are, anyway? We're not wasting any more time-" but before Rei could say anything, Nick shoved him against the open car door and slammed his fist into his face. Seconds later, he jumped over the door and grabbed Ash's hand.