𝐁𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐋𝐄 𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐒

file 016 | casual conversations

Haibara smirked with amusement. "Now I'm looking forward to this." She was going to try and anticipate the cat now.

Suzume shook her head, her eyes locking onto a black car up ahead of them parked on the side of the road. "Good luck trying to figure out where he is," she murmured before frowning. "Haibara..."

The girl froze in terror at the familiar black Porsche 356 A.

Suzume stared down at the girl in concern. Porsche 356 A, a classic German car from 50 years ago. She risked a glance at their surroundings. I don't see an owner in sight, thank God. She looked back at Haibara. "Is this...?"

"Gin," the girl confirmed, making Suzume sigh.

"Probably his," she muttered. "And even if it's not, we should treat it like it is. So if his car is here, that means..." He's looking for Haibara... She pulled off her backpack and set it on the ground, reaching into the bag while Haibara watched her in confusion and curiosity. "Thank God I still carry some of these around." She pulled out a thin wire hook and pushed the bag towards Haibara. "Keep an eye on that, okay? I've got some pretty important stuff in there that I don't want stolen."

"Then why bring it?" Haibara asked as she watched Suzume use the hook to try and unlock the door of the Porsche.

"It's a toolkit of sorts," Suzume said. "It has all kinds of things for different kinds of situations. Hikaru suggested it a while back after my ear injury so I could be a little more prepared during cases or just when I'm out enjoying my day."

"Your ear?" Haibara repeated quietly before her eyes widened. "That earpiece—!"

Suzume nodded. "I was chasing after a suspect in a case I was helping on about a year ago," she explained softly, frowning at the memories. "When I caught up to him, he pulled out a screwdriver and drove it so far into my ear that it fucked up my hearing in my right ear. I became deaf in that ear as a result."

"I made that earpiece," Haibara admitted, making Suzume pause and glance at her before smiling and continuing her work.

"So you're the one Pierrot-san got it from," she murmured. "Thank you."

Haibara blinked at the sudden thanks.

Suzume grinned when she heard the door unlock. "Success!" she cheered quietly as she opened the door.

"What are you going to do?" Haibara asked.

"I'm going to try and set up a wiretap and transmitter in this car," Suzume answered. "He may find it, but I'd rather try than do nothing and be on edge even more than usual."

Haibara gasped as she looked through the car window. "Across the street..." she whispered.

Suzume looked at what the girl was talking about and her eyes widened when she saw the two familiar men in black. "Gin and Vodka," she muttered, narrowing her eyes.

The two men began to cross the street, ignoring the cars that had to stop for them. A man had even leaned out the window of his car to yell at them but was cowed by the glare Gin had given him. When they arrived at the car, the door was shut again with no sign of Suzume and Haibara. Gin paused as he looked at all of the footprints around the Porsche.

"The ground around the car sure is messed up," he muttered, narrowing his eyes.

Vodka joined his side to look at the footprints. "Maybe the passerby was looking at your car because it's rare?" he offered as an explanation.

Gin smirked. "Germany's Rainfrog. It sure became famous," he said, though he knew that wasn't the case, feeling the familiar residual Flames of a certain Sky. You couldn't try to hide it better, hm?