The standoff dragged on.
Then, without warning, Alhaitham withdrew his weapon, turned his back on the gun still aimed at him, and walked calmly toward the sofa.
Seeing his reaction, Gin also lost interest. He lowered his gun.
Alhaitham sat down on the sofa and said flatly,
"Speak. Since you don't plan to kill me, what exactly do you want?"
"And how do you know we don't plan to kill you?"
Alhaitham picked up the book on the coffee table and resumed reading.
"If you really wanted me dead, there would've been a bomb waiting when I opened the door. I don't believe acquiring explosives would be difficult for you."
Gin let out a cold laugh.
"Let's hope your next choice is just as smart."
"Then spare me the nonsense," Alhaitham replied without looking up.
"State your purpose directly."
Seeing Gin remain silent, Vodka hurriedly stepped in.
"Ahem. We're here to invite you to join our organization. Of course, you're free to refuse—but the consequences…"
He let out a deliberately menacing chuckle.
Alhaitham paid no attention to the threat hidden in those words. In truth, he had already anticipated much of what was happening now—one could even say that part of the situation had unfolded exactly as he intended.
After all, while the Black Organization often looked laughably incompetent in the anime—where it seemed like only Gin was doing any real work and everyone else was either useless or a traitor—in reality, a multinational underground organization that could survive for years despite infiltrators across multiple countries was bound to have genuine strength and confidence.
Conan had crossed paths with the organization countless times without being exposed or killed thanks to his protagonist's plot armor—but the Traveler would not necessarily be so lucky. The main objective was to balance the power between the red and black factions. Contact with the Black Organization was inevitable, making it both necessary and practical to understand—or even infiltrate—them in advance. That way, any future actions could be anticipated and countered.
Still, Alhaitham hadn't expected Gin to move this fast. Less than three days, and they were already knocking on his door. He'd assumed they would observe him for a while longer.
When Vodka finished speaking, Alhaitham answered simply:
"Fine."
"…Huh?"
This time, it was Vodka who was caught off guard. In his experience, recruits were usually reluctant at first—refusing several times, sometimes even threatening to call the police. Naturally, after a few "warnings," they always fell in line.
But agreeing this easily?
Something felt off.
"You're not planning to agree first and report us later, are you?" Vodka asked suspiciously.
"Don't be stupid," Alhaitham replied coolly.
"You never gave me the option to refuse in the first place. I'm just skipping the pointless probing phase to save time."
He then raised a hand and pointed toward the door.
"Since the discussion is over and I've agreed, you may leave—unless there's something else."
Seeing Alhaitham treat his boss with such casual disregard, Vodka bristled.
"You—"
Gin, however, showed no anger. He stared at Alhaitham's figure on the sofa for a moment, then turned and walked out.
Before leaving, he spoke without looking back:
"Don't go out tomorrow. Someone will pick you up at eight in the morning and take you to the organization's base."
Vodka immediately followed after him, saying nothing more.
Inside the Porsche 356A, Vodka drove while glancing nervously at Gin.
"Boss, don't you think he agreed a little too easily? Could this be a trap? And how is he that good in a fight?"
Gin lit a cigarette, took a drag, then exhaled while gazing out the window.
"It shouldn't be a problem. The organization has already checked his background."
"Alhaitham. Outstanding graduate from a university in Country Y. After graduation, he worked at a private research institute. We contacted that institute under the name White Dove Pharmaceuticals. For now, he'll remain in Japan as an exchange scholar."
"As for why he's so skilled—Country Y has plenty of civilian armed groups and foreign mercenaries. Conflicts are frequent, especially around the border rainforests. Our investigation shows he spent time there. If he didn't have real ability, he wouldn't have come back in one piece."
Gin paused, a hint of excitement creeping into his voice.
"Of course, if he really is a rat, that's fine too. That just means we can enjoy playing with him."
As if imagining something exhilarating, an unmistakable killing intent began to seep from Gin.
Seeing this, Vodka wisely kept his mouth shut and focused on driving.
The next day, right on time, a car arrived at the Beika Hotel to pick up Alhaitham.
The ride passed in silence. Driver and passenger exchanged no words as they once again arrived at White Dove Pharmaceuticals.
This time, they didn't enter through the main entrance. Instead, the car circled around the facility and stopped at a concealed side door. After verification, the driver opened the door, led Alhaitham to Gin, and left without a word.
Seeing him arrive, Gin wasted no time. Turning around, he said curtly,
"Follow me."
The two walked through an empty corridor beneath glaring fluorescent lights. Their shadows stretched across the floor as footsteps echoed back from the far end, creating an oppressive, almost chilling atmosphere.
Alhaitham, however, paid it no mind. Hands tucked into his coat pockets, he followed Gin at an unhurried pace, as relaxed as if strolling through a park. His footsteps never once faltered.
Gin stopped in front of a door, completed the verification, and entered a laboratory.
Alhaitham followed—and immediately saw someone waiting inside.
It was Miyano Shiho, whom he had encountered just the day before.
"This is one of the organization's researchers," Gin said briefly.
"Codename: Sherry."
Then he suddenly turned, locking eyes with Alhaitham.
"You two should've met yesterday. Did you talk about anything?"
At Gin's question, Sherry's breathing hitched. Her hand clenched into a fist inside her lab coat pocket. She was afraid Alhaitham might mention the warning she had given him. Even if Gin wouldn't punish her for it, she didn't want to risk losing what little opportunity she still had to see her sister.
Alhaitham's expression remained unchanged.
"We didn't talk about much. Just a brief greeting. I didn't expect her to be part of the organization."
Gin observed him for a moment. Seeing no reaction, he let the matter drop.
"The organization uses alcohol names as codenames. Only those with codenames are considered core members. Whether you receive one will depend on your performance—and the boss's judgment."
He stepped aside.
"Next, Sherry will draw your blood to collect data and grant you additional access within this facility."
Alhaitham raised no objections. He extended his left arm for convenience as Gin watched closely from the side.
The procedure was swift. Sherry barely spoke, uttering only a few short instructions when necessary.
Once everything was done, Gin led Alhaitham to another laboratory.
"This will be your lab from now on," Gin said coldly.
"What you research and what you need—submit requests in advance. I hope you'll produce some results soon. Otherwise…"