CRIMINAL
Disclaimer: All Pokemon characters are copyrighted by Nintendo. No permission has been given to use their names. Exceptions: The characters of Team Rocket agents Billy, Annie, Reuben, Wyatt, Hollie, and Joanna are my creations. The song "Criminal" is copyrighted by Fiona Apple. No permission has been given to use the lyrics. P.S.- Despite the mention of it in this story, to the best of my knowledge there is no branch of Team Rocket that wears red uniforms. Likewise, there is no such thing as the Mega Balls described in the story (at least I don't believe there is).

Criminal
By Allan North
Chapter One - The Split-Up

Jessie and James waited nervously outside the boss's office. It certainly hadn't been the first time they had been called in to see him, but this time there was an ominous feeling in the air, as if something very bad was about to happen. At least, that's the way that Jessie felt. James stood in the hall, staring at the wall across from him and absentmindedly twirling that ever-present rose between his fingers. Jessie looked at him and wondered how he could not feel the tension in the air. Thoughts ran through her mind as she looked at him, thoughts of how much she cared about him, even if he was a bit of a fool at times. She looked down at the slowly turning rose loosely held in his limp hand, and idly wondered to herself if James ever managed to get a rose with thorns still attached.

Shaking off her thoughts, Jessie shifted her view from James to Meowth, who as always had a look of casual indifference on his face. He sat on the floor and leaned against the wall, banging a paddle ball back and forth. How could these two just stand around as if they were waiting for a bus? Was she the only full of tension and a very bad feeling of apprehension?

Giovanni's door suddenly opened, and they heard the familiar commanding voice call them in. Jessie held her head high despite her nervousness and walked in, followed by James, and finally by Meowth, who yawned as he considered bringing the paddle ball in with him. He thought better of it at the last moment, and set it down quietly in the hallway.

The trio approached the desk where Giovanni sat glaring at them. His eyes darted from Jessie to James to Meowth as he sized them up. After what seemed an eternity, he barked to them, "Report."

Jessie and James looked at their boss, confused. "Report?" Jessie repeated. "Report on what?"

Giovanni scowled at them. "On your mission, stupid. What is your progress toward getting that Pikachu?"

Jessie couldn't help but notice that although James was remaining silent, he didn't seem quite as nervous as he usually was around the boss. How he pulled that one off she would never know. Though she tried not to let her tough girl exterior crack in the least, she knew that she was shaking like a leaf in the wind inside. "Um, well…. " she began. "No progress as of yet, sir, except that we've been tracking it very closely."

Giovanni was not pleased. His hand clenched into a fist as he glared at them.

"Uh… But… But I'm sure we'll be able to catch him very soon." Jessie finished, trying her best to sound hopeful. She looked over to James and Meowth for support. "Isn't that right, guys?" she asked, trying not to sound desperate.

"Oh, sure…" Meowth said. "Real soon"

James nodded silently.

Giovanni looked at them again with ice in his stare. "I see." he stated in an angry tone of voice. "Gee, boss, no progress yet, but we've been watching it closely" he mimicked. "Do you really think I care if you've been watching it? I'm not paying you to watch it, I'm paying you to catch it!" He said, not bothering to conceal his rage.

Jessie could only look back at Giovanni humbly. "We're trying our best, sir..." she began.

"Oh, are you?" Giovanni said angrily. "Do you two realize that you are the only team to not bring me anything new in months? Butch and Cassidy brought me a flock of 20 Spearows just last week. Wyatt and Hollie brought me 15 Kakunas- quite an accomplishment I might add- that will grow into wonderful Beedrills. Even Reuben and Joanna, new as they are, managed to catch 5 Persians for me." Meowth growled slightly at the mention of his evolved form. Giovanni ignored him. "But what do I have from you three?" he continued. "The assurance that you're following Pikachu closely." He looked at them, shooting daggers through the air.

Jessie shot a look over at James, who was still yet to say a word. He was looking more nervous, but was still not daring to say anything. This wasn't like him, even around the boss. What was going on? She looked at him with desperation in her eyes. Why wasn't he saying anything? He seemed to notice that she was looking at him, and looked over at her for the first time since they had entered the office. His eyes held a sad look, and Jessie noticed it, if only for a second. James' mouth started to open, but Giovanni's voice broke what ever thought was in his head and he turned back toward the boss.

"I don't think the problem is in either one of you." Giovanni said, placing his hands together in front of him. "I think it's in the team of you two. There have been reports about you two... and I can tell from those reports that you two are not functioning to Team Rocket standards for field agents."

Jessie's mouth dropped open. She was sure she knew what was coming. She started to breathe quickly, wanting only to bolt out of the office before her worst fear could be confirmed.

"Therefore," Giovanni continued, "I'm splitting up this team. You two will go with different partners, and neither of you are to go near that Pikachu again."

Jessie's mouth dropped open. "But- but sir.... please... James and I have been a team for so long..."

Giovanni's anger finally boiled over. "A team that doesn't function is not a team!" he roared. "You two will meet up with your new partners tomorrow. Jessie, you will be teamed with a new agent named Billy. James, you will be teamed with an agent named Annie."

Meowth was still in shock from the announcement. "What about me?" he asked.

"You will stay here." Giovanni stated.

For a moment, Meowth was happy. Was he going back to his old life as Giovanni's favorite? "I am?" he asked with a smile.

"Yes." Giovanni replied. "My Persians need someone to play with." Giovanni grinned coldly as Meowth's smile dropped.

Jessie was still trying to cope with the news. She looked at James, who had dropped his rose and was just looking sadly at the ground, not bothering to retrieve the flower. She decided to try a pleading tactic. "Sir?" she asked humbly.

"What?" Giovanni replied, annoyed that they were still here asking him questions.

"What if we were to catch Pikachu in a week? Could we stay together then?"

"No!" Giovanni snapped. "You two were reassigned. Butch and Cassidy will be taking over the pursuit of Pikachu, and neither of you two are going to step in and screw it up!"

"But..." Jessie began.

"That is final, Jessica." Giovanni stated.

James lifted his head and looked at Giovanni desperately. "Sir..."

"No. Don't even bother asking. Just get out. All of you." Giovanni said, and started to read a paper on his desk.

For a moment, they were all too stunned to move. Giovanni looked up from his paper. "Why are you still here?" he snapped. "You have been dismissed. Get out!"

Jessie, James, and Meowth turned to leave slowly. James retrieved his rose, a tear forming in the corner of his eyes as he picked it up and quickly walked out. Jessie followed him, unable to believe that James had left without her. Meowth followed Jessie angrily, stomping out of the office.