To Kir, Bourbon—the blood-stained Wolf—represented the Organization just as much as Gin did; he was a specific kind of living icon for them. Kir had once investigated the executive's background. He began his career as a versatile, reliable handyman, and his sheer efficiency soon earned him a role as a personal assistant to the top brass. From there, his superior physicality and ruthless mindset secured his promotion to executive rank. He eventually forged ties even with the Lupin gang, single-handedly managing the Organization's military arm. He became a figure of pure dread: the executioner of traitors who had allegedly claimed the lives of countless undercover agents.
Suspicions of betrayal had occasionally touched Bourbon himself. Countless individuals, fueled by spite and envy, spread false information about him, and the internal cycle of defamation never truly stopped. However, his overwhelming track record and a sadistic streak that belied his appearance reduced those accusations to mere rumors. Bourbon had hunted Kir's own father, Ethan Hondo, until he had no choice but to take his own life to shield her. Her father, his limbs savaged like prey in a predator's claws, surely realized there was no escape. Yet, Bourbon's very cruelty had paved the way for Kir to embed herself within the Organization and plot its downfall. She swore to herself she would see it through.
The Raiha Pass incident was a godsend for Kir. Faking Shuichi Akai's death would restore her credibility while keeping him alive. The plan—one that surprised even Akai with its elegance—proceeded flawlessly. On Gin's direct order, she shot Akai in the head, detonating the thin packet of theatrical blood hidden on his forehead exactly as planned. Edogawa Conan's scheme had worked.
But a shadow loomed over the victory.
"Thank you for your hard work, Kir."
"!!!... So you were here, Bourbon."
He descended from the darkness behind her with a weightless, predatory grace. Long, sharp claws tipped his fingers, and his movements mimicked a wild beast. Only his blonde hair stood out against the night. The man gazed at Kir, who was splattered with blood, his dark, murky eyes twisting with malicious delight.
"I saw your performance myself. 'That Person' will surely be pleased to see Shuichi Akai finally gone."
The heartless monster smirked. Kir recalled what she had overheard in the hospital: that Edogawa Conan held some leverage over him. She couldn't fathom it. How could anyone control "The Wolf"—a cold, sadistic killer? Shoving down the cold sweat prickling her spine, Kir turned to face him with forced composure.
"Fine... this heavy collar is no longer necessary, then. I've done my job."
"Gin, is there a problem?"
The Wolf requested instructions via the communicator. Gin replied with a voice laced with satisfaction and spite.
『No. Heh, what a pathetic end for Shuichi Akai. To be taken out by a woman like that.』
Kir internally scoffed at Gin's insult. Let him underestimate her. That arrogance would be the opening the CIA needed to strike their exposed throats. The power to the collar cut out. She removed the heavy device and tossed it into her motorcycle's storage. She wanted to crush it under her heel, but she couldn't afford to leave evidence. She suppressed a sigh and stretched her neck.
In that moment, Bourbon suddenly strode toward Akai's body. He looked down at the corpse, appearing deep in thought for a moment. He leaned down, his lips brushing Akai's ear as if whispering sweet nothings to a lover. The voice, emerging from a face so delicate it was cruel, could have been a farewell—or something far more sinister.
"If another chance arises, I'll let you meet Miyano Akemi and Scotch."
"───!!"
Kir froze. Had he realized? Did he know the death was a hollow act? Her heart hammered against her ribs. If exposed, she was dead. She would be torn apart by those claws, left a mutilated shell like her father. She met the Wolf's cold, unyielding gaze.
"Something wrong?"
"No... I was just considering how to dispose of the body."
"I see. Sorry to interrupt."
Kir suppressed the tremor in her fingers, her face a mask of indifference. She still had to finish the job. Until the body was gone, the secret wasn't safe. Akai, playing dead, could still be exposed.
As if answering her silent prayer, Bourbon spun on his heel and fired a grappling hook into a branch above the cliff.
"Well, I'm heading back. It's late. Finish the 'corpse' and get out of here."
"Understood."
"One more thing."
Bourbon turned back, his eyes narrowing playfully. He smiled with the practiced air of a trickster. He pressed a finger to his lips, asking for silence. With the innocent look of a mischievous child, he left Kir with one final, devastating parting gift.
"I'll keep what happened today locked in my heart. ...Rest easy, won't you?"
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