stalking_horse | (Attn: Kaito)

[He's nodding, and ... being pretty tentative - see what of this makes sense, gets shot down, etc.; after all, Kaito actually has more information than he does.]

Hm. As far as I could tell, whoever they are, they don't exist to an unnerving extent - it's hard to do much research without risking flagging myself, but the home that you led the police to during Blue Birthday belonged to someone that was suspected of things, but certainly not capable of anything international; as far as I know, he hasn't been heard from since - I think they're keeping hands in other organizations in some places. Nakamori-keibu's noticed something's up, and I think some of the more experienced task force members, but nobody is stupid enough to talk about it with the situation in its current state; I don't think anyone but maybe Nakamori has a real guess how bad, but the ones that have a clue know it's bad enough to play stupid.
Outside of their appearances around you, they seem to exist in negative space as far as investigation goes - unless you're unlucky enough to directly run into them, it's the void of explanation and evidence that sticks out; normal mafia groups don't work like that - they rely too much on territories and intimidation value to be total phantoms.

The only guess I've had on the gem is that it must fall in the same special category of logic and reason as Koizumi - there are gems that change colors and show reactions in different lighting, but for most of them, they react to moonlight the same as artificial light. Distinctive, but not special enough to kill for. It also did seem like most of the more major heists and ones they showed up at were stones with legends about curses and strange histories..and for people like them to be so lethal about it, they must think there's a solid reason to trust whatever this one's supposed to do.

They're not a normal mafia group, like you said. Honestly, I don't even like to consider them as just another mafia group-- it's more than that. Their goals reach a lot farther than just drug deals and selling weapons. They always tie up their loose ends; if you become involved and they let you live, there is a reason for it. And most likely, they don't plan on letting you live for long after that reason is fulfilled. But it seems like they're mostly concentrating on experimenting with life and death. Or to be more specific, ways on how to cheat death.

... Which is where the Pandora Gem comes in. Supposedly, if the information on it is correct, it has the power to grant immortality. Now, you can see why they would be interested in something like that given what their goals are. There are a few specific ways to be able to spot the jewel. One: It will turn red under the full moon. Two: There is another jewel inside of it.

[He actually grimaces a little at hearing what it does; of all the things that should NEVER be in hands like that...]

....[sigh] No, they're not... there isn't any recorded precedent for anything like them.

And there's no way in Hell they should be allowed anywhere near that.

Hmn. About all I know about them is that they exist, and some theories about how a group like that would have to function - probably not many of them that know much at all, likely prone to manipulating other organizations given a chance, and that the more visible ones probably don't know very much. Do you have much else to go on?

I have names-- code names, actually. I think there are different divisions in the organization, or at least everyone is off doing their own thing. The higher up ones tend to have names involving an alcohol theme. Gin, Vermouth, Vodka, Bourbon-- things like that.

There's also Snake, who I've met before. He's actually the first contact I had with the group. Guessing by his name, I don't think he's too high on the ladder.

Mostly decentralized structure... handful of individual operatives or small groups, if there's limited contact between them and they're focused on their own work, then even if one part is compromised, the whole is less at risk; it'd be more like the way resistance cells in totalitarian regime function, or some spy agencies, than normal organized crime behavior.
Ah - would there be any descriptions of any of them, or ideas what sorts of affairs they'd be involved in? [No, he's not stupid enough to chase them, but spotting one of them when they don't know he'd recognize them could be useful...]

They left too many witnesses alive after Red Tear for him to be anything but expendable, whether he realizes it or not...and he walked out of that leaving too many witnesses to be trusted with much. Also, he shows up in some international databases. As dangerous as he is, by the standards of a group like that, he doesn't seem to be the sharpest tack in the box.

Vermouth is a woman, and she was one of my dad's apprentices when it came to disguises. So, pretty much the only people who would be able to beat her in that regard would the other apprentice and, naturally, my self. I don't know too much about the others...

Yeah, I figured that. The more important you are, the more careful you are to tie up any loose ends. If anything, I bet he wanted to find the jewel so rise up in the ranks.

[...There's a slight blip in his expression and an eyebrow raise at the mention of Vermouth and her ties to Toichi as a couple other things kinda go "click/confirmed".]

Well, if anything, the way he's going about it, even if he gets his hands on it he'll have demonstrated that he's too sloppy to be trusted anywhere higher.

... Would it sound crazy if I said I think someone else is dodging them too?

[ On the inside he's going, oh Conan was right to be worried. But his expression isn't changing on his face. ]

What do you mean?

Well, Kudo Yusaku was both involved in the Kid case and close with your father; I think it's highly likely he knew your father was Kid, and probably at least knew something was suspicious about his death ... and I'm not sure on the circumstances, but Kudo Shinichi has obviously gone into hiding badly - as if he's avoiding someone where he expects any clear confirmation of his status and location would be lethal. I thought it was unusual; it would have to be some kind of organized group larger than one or two people to justify being that paranoid, and wiping himself off the face of the Earth would be a bit extreme for most normal mafia groups, so I had been wondering.
Conan mentioned that Shinichi had said that one of Toichi's apprentices bothered him - he said he didn't know any more than that, and I thought it was odd, considering he would've rather young at the time; it occurred to me that if one of your father's apprentices had seemed suspicious, it probably wasn't a coincidence. If Shinichi knows about Vermouth, then he knows about them, which would mean that they're the people he's hiding from.

[ Yeeeah... he would... definitely have to tell Conan all of this later. ]

That could be true. You detectives do like to stick your heads in messy things, don't you?

[ A pause. ]

I'll ask Conan if he knows anything at all about Shinichi. He trusts me way more than he does you.

If you're doing it right, it's part of the job.

[.........Considering how things went?] That's not very hard, right now.

Considering what he has to deal with on a regular basis, he's pretty paranoid... I guess that's what happens when a little kid sees so much death.

[Slow nod] Probably for the better, really; it'll keep him alive.
I know I didn't help matters any.

Just give it time. It took him a long time to trust me.

True enough. I still feel rotten about it; I lost my temper at an eight year old. [Yes, the sniping at a kid like that thing did bother him once he calmed down. Oh it's going to be special when he finds out.]

That's really not that hard to do. Kids are pretty annoying.

(Attn: Kaito)

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