"Witness Protection Program?" Listening to that somewhat familiar term, Haibara Ai vaguely understood something.
Sure enough, on the other side of the phone, Jodie said bluntly, "I'll be direct—you've been targeted by Vermouth, haven't you?"
Haibara Ai said nothing, her heart in turmoil. The good news was that Jodie apparently had not realized the person who had gone to the basement yesterday was her. But the bad news... it seemed they had seen through her identity.
Jodie had clearly dealt with victims of the Organization before. She softened her voice.
"No need to worry. We're not your enemies. You've probably heard of the 'Witness Protection Program' in movies or novels—simply put, we help you forge a new name, history, and address, give you a brand-new identity, let you leave your original environment behind, and start life over.
"In the future, under the protection of this system, you'll have a stable income and enjoy a happy life as an ordinary person.
"Of course, once you accept the Witness Protection Program, it also means you must completely cut ties with your past life and no longer have any form of contact with any relatives or friends... But you should know very well how the Organization does things. For those friends of yours, this is actually a good thing."
As she spoke, Jodie remembered her former self. She sighed and said sympathetically, "I've told you all the pros and cons. I hope you'll make a decision as soon as possible. Also, if you don't mind... could you tell me what exactly happened at the pier last night?"
Haibara Ai came to her senses and said calmly, "I'm not too sure either, but you can ask the person wearing the knit cap—I remember he's one of your companions. What I saw wasn't actually much