Options system in my brain: Detective Conan

Toru Amuro arrived at the agreed-upon drop-off point with Vodka.

Then, the soft cushion covered with gems adhered to the inside of the trash bin lid, used for disposing of bottles and cans next to the vending machine.

After completing this task, Toru Amuro left the area.

Immediately afterward, he sent a message to Vodka, informing him that the items had been secured.

He then hid in a spot where he would remain unnoticed, carefully observing the vending machines.

The area wasn't very crowded, but every now and then, passersby stopped to purchase drinks.

However, with Toru Amuro's experienced eye, he could easily distinguish if someone was genuinely there to buy a drink or had other motives.

---

About five minutes later, a young man wearing a hoodie caught Toru Amuro's attention.

The man approached the vending machine, lingered for a moment, then inserted coins and bought a can of coffee.

After drinking the coffee, he threw the can into the nearby trash bin.

Toru Amuro noticed the young man subtly reaching into the bin while discarding the can.

Then, with determined precision, the man retrieved the soft cushion that had been attached to the lid of the trash bin.

---

'I didn't come to pick it up in person.'

Toru Amuro murmured internally.

After confirming that the peripheral personnel had taken the gems, he turned and left.

---

Now that Vodka and the others had been dismissed, and the truth about Yuya Kazami's murder had been uncovered, Toru Amuro no longer needed to return to the Tokyo International Exhibition Center.

When the police from the First Investigative Division and the Bomb Disposal Unit arrived at the scene, Toru Amuro had no concerns about following up on the bombing case.

Moreover, the two detectives, Conan and Sera Masumi, were still there.

---

Toru Amuro kept a close watch on the mobile phone he used as a member of the organization.

However, he received no contact from Vodka.

This struck Toru Amuro as odd.

---

He wasn't worried that the person who retrieved the gem wasn't affiliated with the organization.

As a key undercover member who had spent years infiltrating the organization, Toru Amuro could identify the young man as peripheral personnel at a glance.

'Vodka should have received the gem by now. So why hasn't he contacted me?'

A premonition began to settle uneasily in Amuro's mind.

---

Twenty minutes after the peripheral member retrieved the gem, Toru Amuro could no longer hold back. He pulled out his phone and called Vodka.

Vodka answered promptly.

---

A familiar voice came through the line:

"Hey, Bourbon, what's up?"

"Since you haven't contacted me for so long, I'm assuming you've secured the gem, right?"

Facing Vodka's knowing tone, Toru Amuro's voice was a bit cold.

"Yes."

Toru Amuro heard Vodka's slightly amused tone on the other end of the call.

Even without seeing him, Toru could imagine Vodka's broad face wearing a grin.

---

"What's wrong? Is there a problem?"

"The boss was right, Bourbon. You're quite anxious to know our reaction after we obtained the gem."

---

Hearing Vodka mention Gin, Toru Amuro's heart suddenly sank.

Normally, after retrieving the gem, Vodka would promptly report to Gin.

But this time, Gin's inexplicable suspicions, paired with probing comments about Amuro's reaction, seemed highly unusual.

---

"After all, it's something very valuable. Wouldn't it be troublesome if someone else took it?"

Toru Amuro responded.

"I don't think so."

"Why not?"

"Because this gem is fake. There wouldn't be any consequences even if someone else took it."

---

Vodka's response came with a chuckle.

Toru Amuro froze in place.

---

He had initially assumed Vodka meant that only they knew the transaction location, making it impossible for others to take the gem.

But he hadn't expected Vodka to flatly declare that the gem itself was fake, rendering its theft inconsequential.

---

For a brief moment, Toru Amuro was stunned.

He had anticipated that the organization would eventually discover the gem's falsity.

But he assumed this would happen only after the gem was returned to the organization for verification.

---

Now, however, the gem had just been handed over to Vodka.

How could Vodka so quickly determine that the gem was fake?

'Neither Vodka nor Korn have the capability to authenticate gemstones.'

'Even Kaitou Kid couldn't immediately identify the fake. So how did those two figure it out so quickly?'

---

Toru Amuro quickly regained his composure and began analyzing the situation.

Soon, he realized Gin must have instructed Vodka, using this as a means to test him.

---

With a hint of iciness in his voice, Amuro replied coldly:

"Are you kidding me?"

"This gem was verified by Tsukino Takashi. How could it possibly be fake?"

---

"Bourbon, are you telling the truth? Did Tsukino Takashi really confirm that this gem is real?"

Toru Amuro listened to Vodka's questioning tone.

"Yes."

"The earlier broadcast claiming the gem was fake was sent by Kaitou Kid."

"Shortly afterward, Tsukino Takashi confirmed that the broadcast was false and that this gem has always been genuine."

"You're free to investigate this yourself."

---

Perhaps Toru Amuro's extremely confident tone caught Vodka off guard.

Toru heard a brief silence from Vodka after his last words.

And within that silence, Toru Amuro grew more certain of his suspicions.

'As expected, he doesn't know whether the gem is real or fake. This is all Gin testing me.'

---

From Toru Amuro's perspective, Gin had always been deeply suspicious.

Even after Amuro had proven his "innocence" multiple times, Gin had never entirely dispelled his doubts about him.

---

Immediately after, Toru Amuro heard unexpected words:

"However, Kaitou Kid seems to think there's more to the truth."

---

"What?"

Toru Amuro paused abruptly.

"What do you mean?"

"Bourbon, these are the exact words from the boss——

'Did you really not know, or did you already know this gem was fake and deliberately hand it over to the organization to fulfill your commission?'"

---

Vodka's words made Toru Amuro's heart pound violently.

"Just now, Korn and I saw with our own eyes that Kaitou Kid escaped from Arena B."

"And in his hand, he held a gem almost identical to the one you gave us."

---

(End of the Chapter)