"Hello, Boss?""Sorry, I need to take some time off. I won't be able to work at the agency for now.""It's hard to say how long.""Ah, are you willing to hold the job for me?""I'd really appreciate that!""Okay. I'll let you know when I'm ready to return."
Inside a white Mazda RX-7, Toru Amuro ended his call with Hayashi Yoshiki.
He had just received orders from Rum—the mission details weren't clear yet, but it was said to be a major operation. His first task was to contact Gin.
So, reluctantly, Amuro had called Yoshiki to take time off.
This kind of thing happened often. As a member of the Organization's intelligence team, Amuro was always being pulled off civilian jobs for deep-cover missions. When he returned, his post was usually long gone.
But he hadn't expected Hayashi Yoshiki to voluntarily keep the position open for him.
That gesture genuinely made him happy—he'd enjoyed his time working at the detective agency.
The RX-7 rolled into a small, discreet bar he hadn't known about before.
Toru Amuro pushed the door open with sharp eyes.
Vodka, leaning against the bar, turned to look.
Inside were familiar faces: Gin, Vodka, Chianti, Cohen, Irish, Calvados...
"Rum told me to meet with you. What exactly do you need me for?"
Toru didn't bother with small talk. He made his way directly to the seat next to Gin.
"There's an annoying group opposing us. You've heard about them."
"Of course. I heard Vodka got hit by one of their snipers."
Amuro glanced at Vodka, who scoffed in reply.
Gin didn't acknowledge it. He slid a photograph across the table.
"Rum located one of their bases. Your job is to impersonate this man and infiltrate them."
"Impersonate this guy...?"
Toru picked up the photo.
It was a middle-aged man with piercing, icy eyes. Even through the picture, he radiated a cold, intimidating aura. Clearly the type that would be hard to impersonate without raising suspicion.
"So that's where I come in."
A sultry, mature voice chimed in.
Calvados perked up instantly.
Turning, Toru Amuro saw her—Vermouth, glamorous as ever, lighting a slender lady's cigarette.
"Gin's team will handle the real guy. After that, you take his place and go in. It's dangerous."
"Then I need more detailed intelligence," Amuro replied calmly, eyes still on the photo."If I don't know this guy's habits and speech patterns, I won't last a day inside."
Gin's voice was flat and steely.
Even the Boss was paying attention to this mission. Gin would allow no mistakes.
When Gin had reported the sniper note—the one containing the name Karasuma Renya—the Boss had flown into a rare, genuine rage. The directive that followed was simple: "Wipe them out."
The target organization was relatively new. Though it didn't yet rival the Black Organization in power, its ambitions were dangerous—it operated from the shadows, chasing legends and specializing in high-stakes jewel theft.
Worse yet, they were allegedly the hidden hand behind a global assassin platform.
But it didn't matter.
The Organization would crush anyone who stood in its way.
After hanging up with Toru Amuro, Hayashi Yoshiki couldn't help but reflect.
Is the Organization moving again?
Toru rarely took time off without notice. His absence, combined with Gin's recent silence, suggested something big was brewing.
In the bar, Gin, who was coordinating personnel for an infiltration operation, felt his phone buzz.
As always—he read messages immediately.
Cointreau: "No new tasks for me lately?"
Cointreau's getting itchy again? Do you want to go kill someone for fun?
If it had been any other time, Gin would've thrown him a list of names just to keep him busy.
"Not recently, just do as you please—"
He held the backspace key and erased the message.
That wording was far too casual. Cointreau might think the Organization was getting lax.
"I don't have time to assign you anything right now. Go kill someone for fun."
He pocketed the phone.
Beside him, Vermouth raised an eyebrow.
She'd noticed him hesitating—and holding the backspace key. There were only a few people who could make Gin carefully reconsider his tone.
Who was that message for...?
Though she claimed to be discreet, Vermouth had a deep curiosity about other people's secrets.
On the other end, Yoshiki saw the reply and nodded slightly.
As for Gin's wording—go find someone to kill—Yoshiki ignored it.
He was used to this tone.
Still, his information pipeline inside the Organization was too limited. Relying on guesses and deductions alone was insufficient.
It's time to plant someone in their intelligence unit... or flip someone already inside.
Toru Amuro came to mind.
He was a strong candidate for persuasion—but this wouldn't be as simple as walking up and declaring, "I know you're undercover. I'm red too." A more subtle approach would be required.
Then his thoughts turned to Vermouth.
Though they had no direct connection, she had one fatal weakness: Kudō Shinichi and Ran. If Yoshiki could exploit that… there might be an opening.
But nothing could be taken for granted.
The Kyōsuke Fudō incident had taught him that.
(Vermouth.) -Picture attached