Author's Note: This story is based on the scenario from Pokémon Gold/Silver.
For those of you
who haven't had a chance to play this game, I'll give you a little TR history.
Apparently Team Rocket was broken up 3 years ago (by guess who? The little
man from
Red/Blue/Yellow). Giovanni goes off on his own- Lord only knows where- to
train and the team
members are abandoned. If you recall, when you beat Giovanni in Viridian City
on the video
game, he says something about how, "Team Rocket is no more... I hope we meet
again" then he
disappears, along with the Rockets. So I guess that's what this is! Anyway,
no one can break up
Team Rocket (duh) and several of them still stuck together and worked kind of
like an
underground, building Team Rocket up again in hopes that Gio would come back.
Now they've
got enough members and are ready to start their empire...
Chess-Part 1
by Jayhawkfan13
James
They say there's a certain magnitude around Team Rocket. Once a Rocket,
always a Rocket, a
the saying goes. No matter what happens- whether you get fired, or quit,
you're never quite away
from the team. A part of it stays with you forever. And eventually you'll
find yourself back at their
doorstop, by choice or by force, to stay for good.
My name is James, and I, like so many other unsuspecting teens, was pulled
into the crime ring
of Team Rocket. Once and never again, I had sworn to myself those three
fateful years ago.
And yet, here I was.
I surveyed the slum-like area that Team Rocket had been forced to establish
it's new empire in.
The building itself was in shambles, but that was to be expected. The old
"Gym Leader" disguise
was no longer an option, and they had to be cautious.
I pulled up the collar of my coat, hoping that if I made myself as scarce
as possible that maybe
I would be overlooked. It was a pitiful hope, but I hung onto it
nevertheless. Digging my hands
into my pockets, I ran a finger over the letter that had been delivered to
the local Pokémon
Center for me. I'd read it over a thousand times, and the words were
imprinted in my mind.
"To Whom it May Concern,
Calling all ex-Rockets! You are required to attend a meeting that shall
take place on
January 17, 2003, 8:00 PM; at 1225 Darktree Lane, Ecruteak City. Those who
fail to show shall
be sorry... Mr. Thilar."
Why had I come here in the first place? Curiosity? For lack of a better
thing to do? Because of
the idle threat, "those who fail to show will be sorry"? Or was I actually
interested in rejoining?
Even I didn't know what had possessed me to come back to this damn
organization.
And yet, here I was.
I ducked under the awning and entered the crumbling building, unknowing of
how big a decision
that would end up being.
My name is James, and I'm just a pawn in the ultimate scheme of things.
Jessie
They call me a lot of things. I was and still am Jessie, for the most part,
but because of my job
I've had to be many different things, too. Sometimes I'm under my alias',
Terri or Kit. Once I was
even Kali Zealor, Italian crack smuggler. I've been called, "The Disguise
Queen" and "Detective
Mastermind." Some even call me a bitch. I get that a lot.
But today I was just plain Jessie, ex-Rocket looking to make it rich.
Arrogant, vain and moody
were some of my finer characteristics, not that those were hard to act out.
All-in-all I thought this
was my best case yet, and my easiest.
Welcome to the world of an undercover detective. My mission: to find out
who the leaders of
Team Rocket's new "force" were, what their strengths were, and how to stop
them before they
got out of hand. Simple, right? That's what I thought.
I pulled my jacket up tighter around my thin body. It was the dead of
winter, and here I was in a
paper-thin dress with a skirt that barely reached half-way between my knee
and ass. By all rights
I should have been in a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt, relaxing by the
fireplace in my cabin and
waiting for my next mission.
But someone as qualified as myself has learned to suck it up and deal with
it; I could only pray
they had some kind of heater in the condemned building I was about to enter.
I walked through the narrow door, my breath blowing out in white smoke in
front of me. No
heater. I'd live. Down a hallway, around a corner, and past a rat-infested
chamber, I finally
reached the waiting room. What a sight met my eyes.
Shady figures of all shapes and sizes lounged around in the big room,
smoking and gossiping
about the Lord only knew what. I recognized a few of them as some crack
junkies who had
managed to escape the police, and another few as drug smugglers. My hand
instinctively flew to
the concealed gun under my jacket.
Several big guys whistled in my direction; I answered with a rude gesture.
True, it wasn't the
smartest thing to do, but if I had to be my character I had to play my
character. I searched the
crowd for a familiar face. Any familiar face. I spotted a young man at the
far end of the room by
himself, reading some kind of magazine. His head was covered by a hat, and
his collar was
pulled up too high for me to recognize any facial features. Still roving the
room, ever on guard, I
noticed a blonde woman, maybe a year older than myself, chatting amiably with
a teal-haired
man. Cassidy and Butch, just my luck.
Oh well, this was no time to be choosy. I strolled over to their seats.
"It's been a while," I said coolly.
Cassidy jumped- I'd caught her off guard. "Oh!" She saw who I was. "It's
you."
"Really Cass, you get bitchier everyday."
Butch's hand roved around under his jacket. So, I wasn't the only one who
was carrying a
weapon. "Jessie, maybe you should get out of here. This isn't the time or the
place."
"Who died and made you God?" I countered. Stone cold looks were all I got.
"Fine, I'm going." I
turned, then stopped. I couldn't resist one last remark. "Oh, and Butch, a
single pistol is a lot less
conspicuous then an Uzi, and if you're a good mark it's just as deadly."
Touché.
And I wonder why I'm called a bitch so much.
James
I saw her right away. Red hair, blue eyes. It was so obvious who she was,
and she made it a
point to let everyone know exactly what she was about. Jessie was just as
gorgeous as ever, not
that that was a surprise, of course. She turned in my direction, but her eyes
passed right over
me. It seemed like my plan had worked. I was nonexistent, even to the person
I'd spent half my
life with.
I stared at the ten-year old copy of People Magazine, but I didn't read a
word of it. My thoughts
were moving too quickly. I knew that whatever was about to happen was going
to be big, but I
couldn't begin to guess how. Try as I might, my thoughts kept turning back to
my old partner and
long-time best friend. There was something different about her today, but I
couldn't quite put my
finger on what. She had a sense of authority about her, but that didn't seem
too unusual. It was
at the tip of my tongue...
"Excuse me? May I have your attention, please?"
I looked up. Cassidy had her arms raised, as did Butch. The company
immediately quieted
down.
"Our superior, Roger Thilar, is ready to begin the meeting," Cassidy began.
"Would you all
please enter the door to your left and take a seat in the board room?"
Something told me that the board room would be nothing more than a
dilapidated old ballroom
with a large table and some rickety chairs in it. I was right.
As I walked through the entrance. Butch plucked my hat off and grabbed my
jacket.
"The board room has a heater," he explained. Quietly he added. "And no one
gets out of here
without being identified. Nice try, Jimmy."
So much for inconspicuous, I thought grimly.
As luck would have it, I ended up being positioned as far away from Jessie
as possible. Her
head was turned towards the front of the room, where a 30-something man stood
waiting for
everyone to be seated.
A big man to my left elbowed me hard in the ribs. "Move over you stupid
prick; I need some
space to sit down."
I turned to tell him exactly where he could stick that idea, but thought
better of it. His neck was
thicker than my head, and I knew he wouldn't hesitate to snap me like a twig.
I moved over to the
far end of the table, pulling up a chair to sit in.
The man at the front of the room- who must have been Roger Thilar- smiled
at the group. It was
a vicious, humorless smile that reminded me of a snake. Even Giovanni hadn't
had such a nasty
smile. "Welcome, Rockets of the past, to our humble home. I apologize for the
building's
condition; I'm sure you realize that finding a worthy abode for our beloved
team was practically
impossible. We believe that before long we shall be able to change our
location to a more
comforting environment."
He was an intelligent man, like our old boss, but he used that to gain
superiority. By using the
best grammar possible he hoped to confuse them, maybe trick them into doing
something they
wouldn't normally do. I almost laughed; his little plan wouldn't work on me.
"I'm sure you're all curious as to why we- that is to say, myself and my
wonderful cohorts Butch
and Cassidy- have called you here," he continued. "You see, my friends, we
have been building
Team Rocket from the ground up. It has taken a lot of hard work and patience,
but we're finally
ready to begin anew! With your help I will be able to get Team Rocket the
world power it so richly
deserves!"
Someone I didn't recognize spoke up. "Just what are you saying, Mr. Thilar?"
"What am I saying?" Roger asked rhetorically. "Young man, I am proposing
that we reunite this
beautiful team for world conquest! That all of you come back to begin a new
Rocket era!"
"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard."
It came out before I could stop myself. All eyes were on me in an instant.
Jessie's face read
recognition and surprise, as did many others.
'Yes, folks, the lenient James just contradicted a powerful leader,' I
thought dryly.
"Mr. Rosewood, do you have something you would like to say?" Roger asked.
"Only that this is insane," I stated.
"Go on. Please explain," he urged.
"What you're saying is absolute bullshit. This team was disbanded three
years ago, and I was
under the impression that Giovanni had no intention of re-opening it."
"And Giovanni didn't re-open it," Butch muttered irritably.
"He must have had a damn good reason to end his life's work, so why would
you want to start it
all over again?" I questioned.
I had gotten through to the group. More than half of them nodded in
agreement. Jessie's face
read nothing but mild amusement.
"Giovanni disbanded the team because he believed there was no passion left
in it's members.
But this will prove that wrong and show him Team Rocket's still worth it,"
Roger explained.
"Then where is he?" I argued. "Where is this boss who disappeared three
years ago without a
trace?"
Roger must have predicted this. He had an answer for everything, it seemed.
"He won't be
convinced until we come together and begin our new conquest."
"Oh, I take it you've spoken to him then. I guess you told him about your
little plan to bring back
people with their own lives to totally screw with their worlds and tell
them to just-" I
began.
"I have not spoken to Giovanni in years, but I was a very close friend of
his and I believe that
he would back me up on this-" Roger interrupted.
I was on a roll and he was not about to stop me. "May I finish?!"
Someone smothered a giggle. It was Jessie.
"Ms. Smitt, do you have an opinion too?" Roger asked tensely. I was getting
to him.
Jessie shrugged. "I don't really care either way."
Hm.
Roger straightened his tie. "Yes, yes... you were saying, Mr. Rosewood?"
"You can't just call us all in and expect us to drop our lives and come
running back to this team.
You may find this hard to believe, seeing as how you worship this place
religiously, but some of
us didn't like it that much anyway. All it ever did for me was make it a hell
of a lot harder to get a
job, must less get into a college.
"Now I'm finally doing something good for a change, and you just expect
me to throw
that away and become a wanted criminal again?"
Roger's teeth glinted in a deadly smile. "I don't expect anything. I know
for a fact that each and
every one of you will embrace our renewed empire with open arms- whether you
like it or not."
"What's that supposed to mean?" someone asked.
"You mean you don't remember the contract?" Roger wondered innocently. "Ah,
I shouldn't
have expected you to. It was a while ago."
"Cut the crap and tell us what the hell you're talking about," Jessie said
sharply.
Nice, Jess. You're making as great a first impression as I am.
Roger pulled out a legal-looking document. "Look familiar? It's the
contract you first signed
when you joined Team Rocket. Ring a bell?"
It did, but I couldn't figure out what he was getting at.
"If you recall, the contract clearly states that 'You are in service of
this team until your contract
is destroyed.' When the team disbanded we all assumed Giovanni had torn them
up or burned
them. One day I was searching some abandoned rooms at Viridian Gym and
stumbled across
these." Roger slapped the paper for emphasis. "This is even further proof
that Giovanni had
every intention of coming back, or passing the title on to someone else." He
looked right at me.
"Not only that, Mr. Rosewood, but it also means that I own you and your life
as long as this
document exists."
"Then get rid of it, because I don't want any part of this," I informed him.
"You don't have that choice. Until our good boss returns I have full
control of these papers. And
I'm not tearing any of them up," Roger explained. He rolled the contract back
up. "Am I
understood?"
A murmur of protest rippled through the room.
"I don't think they're too happy about that," Jessie commented dryly.
"It's not their choice, is it?" Cassidy snapped. "And it isn't yours
either, so shut up."
"Oh, I'm hurt," Jessie said sarcastically.
Roger leaned over next to Butch and Cassidy. He whispered something I
couldn't hear; luckily, I
can read lips.
"Watch how I work these assholes," were his exact words. Roger turned back
to the arguing
group. "My friends! Please, calm down! I cannot keep you all here if you
really want to leave. But
think about what you would be leaving! We have what Giovanni did not! Perfect
timing! The
police are lazy- they think we are gone for good-" why did Jessie bristle at
that comment?-"We
have the moment of surprise and the cleverness to pull it off! What's more,
we have experience!
All of you are veteran Rockets, and you know what you're doing. Think about
it, my friends!
Riches and power beyond your imagination! Worldwide fear and respect! The
time is right and
the time is now! Who's with me?"
The cheer shook the building. Even Jessie whistled her appreciation for the
speech.
It really was ingenious. Roger mentioned their greatest motives: money,
power, fear and respect.
"Every" Rocket's dream.
I looked up. Roger had his eyes on me, teeth glinting in a venomous smirk.
He mouthed the
word, "Your move."
"It's not over yet," I retorted.
Just because he'd captured the first pawn didn't mean he'd win the game.
Jessie
My mind turned over the meeting's events as Roger calmed everyone down and started to finish up.
Roger was a criminal mastermind, and a smooth-talker to boot. I'd have to watch him- he might be one of the trickiest enemies I'd ever had. No matter. I could handle him.
James, now... I needed to talk to him later. Whatever had happened over the last three years must have been big. Damn, had he matured!
"...this meeting is over. You may exit out the door you came in. We will meet back here tomorrow at noon. Thank you for your time," Roger dismissed us, then turned and disappeared into a back room.
Butch and Cassidy got everyone into something of a line and we proceeded to the door. There was still one thing bothering me. It involved my safety on this mission. As I came up to Butch, I said casually. "I guess you did a background check on everyone."
Butch's eyes narrowed. "Why do you ask?"
"Oh, you know. Some of these people might be serial killers or something. Can't trust anyone these days," I commented.
"Nah, we didn't bother," Butch shrugged. "Roger figured if we didn't check if they hurt someone we could honestly say we didn't know anything... but why the hell am I telling you this? Get going."
I strolled off, but I'd gotten what I needed. No background check meant they didn't know I was a detective. I was safe- for now.
I pushed my way through the crowd of people, trying to get a little breathing space. I felt him on my left before he spoke.
"You're overacting."
James' voice was so low I hardly heard it. I tried to look only mildly interested at what he had said. Glancing at him slightly, I greeted him like nothing more than an old friend.
"And what does that mean?" I wondered.
"Later," James' lips barely moved as he spoke. "The walls have ears and lip-reading eyes."
He shoved a piece of paper in my hand, then walked off. I slipped the note into my pocket and waited for a safer place to read it.
So, James didn't trust anyone either. Smart. But if that was true, then why did he come to me? And what did he mean by "you're overacting"?
Once outside of the building I walked the block to my hotel. I decided I was safe inside my hotel room and grabbed the note James had given me.
"We need to talk tonight. 10 PM at the local McDonalds- James."
Instead of clearing things up, it only made them more confusing. Did he just want to catch up? Didn't seem likely. He could be a detective too... no, too far-fetched.
My heart caught in my throat. Could he be working for Roger? What if the fight was staged? Did he know who I was? Suddenly even my best friend couldn't be trusted. I had no way of knowing if this was an ambush.
"No," I thought aloud. "It can't be."
James was the only person I'd ever been able to get close too. I had friends at work, of course, but no one who really knew me. Even my ex-boyfriends didn't know as much about me as James. True, he had changed, but all the time I'd known him he'd been honest and loyal. He wouldn't do that to me- would he?
As a safety precaution I slipped a gun into my coat, then checked my wristwatch. 9:45, time to go. It only took a couple minutes to get to the McDonalds James had mentioned; before long I was there. I opened the door cautiously, looking around.
Sure enough, there he was. The same old James sitting in the corner. He looked over and smiled. With one hand on my gun I made my way over to his table.
James gestured for me to sit down. When I hesitated, he smiled dryly. "Roger's not going to burst out of the back door, and I'm not going to shoot you either."
"When did you get ESP?" I asked, holding back a laugh and taking a seat across from him. "What's this all about anyway?"
James got right to the point. "Why are you really here?"
"I missed you too," I said sarcastically. "I guess I'm here outta curiosity- the promise of money is pretty nice also."
"Bullshit. What are you, a cop or something?"
I weighed my options. I could play dumb, and get interrogated all night, or I could tell him the truth and maybe get an ally out of this. I took the second one. "Try undercover detective."
"Ah, well, they're so completely different-"
"I liked you better as an ass-kissing wuss," I teased.
For the first time that day James' smile had humor in it. "Yeah, you and every other Rocket on this damn team."
"That was quite a speech today. Even Roger was having trouble," I complimented. "I didn't know you had the balls to say that."
"'Balls' are something you get when- uh, nevermind," he stopped short. "So tell me about your little CIA work. What got you into the law?"
I wanted to know why he had stopped mid-sentence, but let it slide for the moment. "It's actually kind of funny. I was caught shop-lifting three weeks after the team break-up. I ended up having to spend a little time, but got out on probation for the last two months of it. I made friends with my officer, and he recognized some potential. He gave me a chance to clean up my act by getting me a job at the local police station. One thing led to another and before I could blink I was an undercover detective for the Goldenrod police force." I paused to prepare my next question. "There's my little story- now what about you?"
"It's better if you don't know," he advised. "If you did you'd have to arrest me or something."
I raised an eyebrow. "James, you could easily rat me out to Roger, raise points for yourself and get me killed. You actually think that I would send you to prison? Besides that, you're my best friend. You know me better than that. C'mon... what's the story?"
James sighed. "I'm not proud of it... but here goes nothing. After the team got disbanded I tried getting a job, but no one would hire me. I guess my record was worse than I thought. Then I tried to get accepted into a college, but they wouldn't even let me take the practice tests. Things were getting rough- I had no money, no job, and nothing but a backpack full of clothes and my Pokémon.
"One day I stumbled upon an add in the newspaper that told about someone who could help you clear your record and start over. I decided to try my luck- after all, things couldn't get much worse than they were right then. The guy ended up being a computer hacking genius who could literally delete everything off your personal record and create a new one for you. I was desperate, so I took the offer."
"Oh my God, James," I breathed. "That's a huge offense."
"Don't I know it," he muttered.
"What does it say now?" I wondered.
"My birth and early childhood are about the same. I got sent to Pokémon Tech where they excepted me, graduated from the school and currently have no criminal offenses. Total bullshit, of course, but no one would know any better. The guy was so good that he even added my name to the list of graduates on the Pokétech computers. You're probably the only person who could remember that all being fake."
When he stayed silent, I urged him to go on. "There has to be more than that."
"Unfortunately, there is," he said. "All that work was pricey- and I didn't have any money. He understood my problem, so he hooked me up with some of his friends. His 'friends' were drug smugglers."
"You didn't."
"I had no choice. I was in too deep to get out now. I managed to get accepted into a small college within the next week, and got a job soon after. My job paid for apartment rent, but not for my other fees, like tuition and the little crime. For a while I was leading a double life- college kid by day, personal assistant to a smuggling leader by night. That's where my 'don't trust anyone' attitude came from. I also learned how to lip read, and the 'balls' came with the package too.
"I worked like a dog and aced the final exams in my Freshman year. The next year they gave me an actual scholarship. By the end of my Sophomore year I had paid back all the money I owed, and was finally out of crime for good. I thought, anyway. But here I am, halfway through my Junior year, and this stupid team calls me back to fuck my life up even more." James looked up. "Still so sure you don't want to turn me in?"
"Compared to you I had it easy. But at least your trying to turn everything around," I told him. "What's your major?"
He shrugged. "Law. I'm not sure what in law, though."
"After all that shit you did?"
"I figure I should try to give some back, you know? Stop the real assholes who don't care what they do to people," he said. His eyes flashed anger. "People like Roger."
"What do you have against him?" I wondered. "Sure, he's a cocky jackass, but you really hate this guy."
"I vowed I would never turn back to this stuff. I thought that maybe- crazy as it sounds- that I, James, could actually do something right for once. Get out of the crime ring that is my life. But this is me we're talking about. Sooner or later I'm bound to get screwed over again. Roger just happens to be the one who did it this time." There was a bitterness in his voice that I'd never heard before. James stood to go. "Thanks for coming out here. It's good to know I've got a friend in all this shit."
I stood up with him. As he turned, I grabbed his arm. "Hey James... you wanna come back to my hotel room for a while?"
He opened his mouth, then stopped. Finally he answered. "I better not. With both of us against him Roger might think we were planning something."
"Aren't we?"
He didn't have an answer for that.
"Oh, come on. I've got some champagne and we can order-up. I'm not about to touch any of the greasy shit they serve here." Without waiting for an answer I pulled him towards the door. He sighed in resignation, then followed.
Just like old times, I thought with a smile.
James
I took the drink Jessie offered, looking around at her room. It was nice- but compared to my low-rate motel, anything was nice.
"Do you mind if I throw on something a little more comfortable? This dress really isn't me," Jessie said more as a statement then a question.
"Go ahead," I conceded.
Was she trying to tempt me? Good Lord, the woman was beautiful enough. Now I was in her apartment, under stress, and she was about to put on something comfortable??
A couple minutes later Jessie was in a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt. She must have seen my relieved look, because she said, "You didn't really think I was gonna come out in lingerie, did you?"
I couldn't help but laugh.
She poured a glass of champagne for herself and took a seat across from me. I stifled a yawn. Jessie looked in my direction. "You can't actually be tired."
"Well, it is midnight," I reminded her.
Jessie glanced at her watch. "God, I didn't know it was that late. But you shouldn't be tired, not after working the late shift..." she saw my look. "Nevermind."
"If it's all the same to you I'd prefer not to talk about it," I said a little tensely. "Those're two years of hell I'd like to forget."
"Hm," was all she said.
I remembered something. "You know, back in the restaurant, you never actually said if you'd turn me in or not."
She thought for a moment. "Well now, that depends."
"Depends? On what?" I questioned, starting to wonder if telling her the truth had been such a good idea.
Jessie laughed. "Relax James, I'm not going to ask you to sell your soul to me or anything. I just want to make a little deal."
I tried to count how many steps it would take me to reach the door. "Deal?"
"Exactly. Now, usually I work alone, but this case is pretty big, even for me. You yourself said you wanted to get into law. I'm giving both of us a chance to get what we need."
I shot her an odd look. What was she getting at? "I'm listening."
"I could use your help. The fact is there's too many involved, and I can only be in so many places at once. An ally, someone I can trust, would be perfect," Jessie began. "That ally is you. You're the only person in this hellhole I know won't rat me out; number one because I've got that little piece of blackmail, and number two you're my closest friend. Now, if you could just keep your ears open, remember even the tiniest bit of information, and keep those beautiful lip-reading eyes on Roger, I'd be eternally grateful. Who knows? Maybe I can win you a spot on our detective squad."
I understood why Jessie made such a great detective. She always kept her eye on what was important- at this moment it was completing her case. Also, she knew she couldn't do it alone, so she made it sound as if I'd be getting something out of the deal too. The only thing I was getting was her silence. But with the kind of things I've done, that's plenty to get.
Besides, I never could resist Jessie.
"So, do you agree? Partners again?" Jessie asked expectantly.
I smiled. "As if I could ever say no." We clinked champagne glasses regally, downing our cups in one gulp. "You know, you didn't have to wait to ask me this. You could have said it in the McDonalds."
"And miss seeing your face when I told you I was changing? Never."
~
It was the next day. Noon had come faster than I'd expected, and I was forced to go back to the condemned building where I had fought last night. At least there was one good thing coming out of this meeting- I'd get to see Jessie again.
She waved me over the minute I got into the waiting room.
"Do you think we should be standing together like this?" I wondered quietly.
"Why not? We've got plenty to catch up on," Jessie said cheerfully.
Silly me. Jessie was back in character; I wouldn't be able to get much conversation out of her until we were alone again. That was okay, though, because I had plenty to think about as it was. The atmosphere in the room was different today, I noticed. Tense anticipation was the general feeling- I wondered if something was happening. I glanced over at Jessie to tell her my thoughts, but remembered she wasn't the same person she'd been last night. I only meant to look her way for a second, but my eyes held. Today she was back in her tight dress look. Though it gave her a somewhat slutty appeal, she still had that aura of charm, intelligence, and authority about her that I loved so much. Jessie caught my look. "What's with you?"
"I just never realized how beautiful you are." Oh shit. I hadn't meant to say that out loud.
A flash of surprise, then Jessie had that same cocky smirk pasted on her face. "Easy, slick. We haven't talked in three years."
Smooth, James. Real smooth. I wondered if you could see my face glowing red from across the room.
I didn't have time to worry about that because Butch and Cassidy appeared out of nowhere and quieted everyone down. Once that was done, Cassidy made a quick announcement:
"Mr. Thilar has found a better place for you to stay for the time being. We will be going to Mahogany Town to stay for a while. The address you will be staying at is 1478 Birch Street. Go home, pack, and meet us in Mahogany Town in three hours. We'll see you there." Then they were gone.
"That's it?" I questioned. "I thought this was supposed to be a fucking meeting!"
No answer. Jessie had already moved with the crowd towards the door. Well, that was fine. I needed to get back to my motel, pack, check out and still get to Mahogany Town. I hoped there was a bus or something- it was at least thirty miles to the next city.
~
And here I was, 1478 Birch Street. The building in front of me didn't look like a headquarters for a 4-H club, much less Team Rocket. In fact, it was more like a Pokémart!
I was just about to check the address for the fifth time, when suddenly Roger was in front of me. Where he had come from only God knew, but I figured he was either here to kill me or bribe me. My second thought wasn't completely wrong. "Mr. Rosewood, I've been waiting for you."
"Lucky me," I grumbled.
"Would you like to come with me for a moment," he said.
"Actually, no."
"It wasn't a question, it was a statement," he smirked. I hated that smirk. "Follow me. You need me to show you the entrance to our little hideout as it is."
I couldn't argue with that, so I reluctantly trotted after the middle-aged man and into the Pokémart-like building.
I viewed my surroundings. "This does look like a Pokémart!"
"You're not far from the truth, my clever friend. This is a store run by an older couple. Though not as well-stocked as a Pokémart, it serves as a good place for the local trainers to buy items. It also makes a wonderful place for the team to stay for a while," Roger told me.
"I don't see what makes it so great. There's barely enough room in here to fit half of them."
Roger chuckled. It was almost as deadly as his smile. "That's where you're wrong James- do you mind if I call you James."
"Yes."
"That wasn't a question either," he growled. Roger pointed to a poster on the wall of all the gym leaders in Johto. "You see that?" Without waiting for an answer, he strode over to the simple-looking picture and rapped a hand on the photo of Jasmine. To my surprise, a shelf swung outward, revealing a hidden staircase leading downwards. "Before the elderly couple took over here, it was a part of the mafia crime ring."
"I don't even want to know what you did with poor couple," I muttered under my breath.
"Oh, they're quite safe, actually," he assured me. As he entered the staircase, his teeth glinted dangerously. "They're meeting their maker as we speak."
I shuddered involuntarily. My hunch had been right- this wasn't a man to be messed with. Even as I questioned my own judgment, I found myself following him down the winding stairs and into an underground hallway.
"I wouldn't think such an old building would be in this good of shape," I commented.
"The old owners kept it up, and we recently came in and re-decorated-"
"That wasn't a question," I said smugly.
Roger looked at me like he was going to pull out a 9-Millimeter and kill me right there, but thought better of it. "Come with me. I want to talk to you for a moment."
Your move, Thilar.
He walked down the corridor until we reached a set of mahogany doors. Roger pulled out a set of keys and unlocked them, then led me inside. He took a seat behind a desk, then gestured for me to sit down in the chair in front of him. Not having a better option, I did as I was told.
"I have a few things I would like to ask you, James," he began.
Play it cool. Not like you did back in Ecruteak. "Go for it."
"First of all, when was the last time you spoke to Jessie? I mean, before we all met yesterday," he wondered.
This was leading up to something, I could tell. "The day the team broke up. Why?"
"You seemed to be on close terms last night, though. She even invited you into her apartment," he remarked.
"What are you talking about?" I asked nervously.
"It's funny, don't you think? I happened to be staying in the same hotel Jessie was. Two doors down, actually. I thought I heard your voice, so I took a look and sure enough, there you were. Ironic, isn't it?"
"So, we needed to catch up on a few things. Big deal."
"A few things? You had to have been in there for an hour and a half, at least," he argued.
"What were you doing? Spying on us?" I countered.
Roger looked down as if to straighten his jacket. "I take it upon myself to look out for my team members- make sure they aren't doing anything uncalled for. You know what I mean?"
"What are you getting at?" I asked warily.
"I demand to know what you were so engrossed in back there! What is it now, James? A plot, a scheme, to kill me? I know you can't stand the sight of me, and there was something funny about her yesterday..." he smiled his nastiest. "I'm sure it wasn't your idea, of course. Jessie pulled you in to something, didn't she? Come now, all you have to do is tell me what she's planning, and I'll take care of the rest. Maybe even make you my partner."
I did the last thing Roger expected me to do. I laughed. "You are one of the most paranoid men I've ever met. Did it ever cross your mind that maybe we were just talking like old friends, watching a little Jay Leno, and having a drink? Not everyone is as twisted as you, you know."
"Jay Leno?" he snapped. Roger jerked his hand out, as if to hit me, then pulled away slowly. "No, I suppose I am a little tense. It's not easy, all this work. I hope you can forgive me."
"It's like it never happened."
Roger stood. He led me out the door and back down the long hall. Soon we came to another set of stairs leading downward. Once at the bottom Roger handed me a key with the number 122 on it. "Here's your room key. Since we have enough room everyone will be staying here. Down the hall and to the left, I believe." He started to go, then stopped. Turning, he shot me daggers. "Oh, and James. If you ever get it in your head to start something, you should know that rarely anything escapes my eye. You'd have to be a fucking detective to get by me."
"Point taken, Roger- you don't mind if I call you Roger."
His smile dropped. Awkwardly he backed up the staircase and out of sight.
He'd caught a couple pawns today. But I just snagged a Bishop.
~
Either fate plays odd tricks on people, or Roger was trying to start something, because "coincidentally" Jessie's room was right next to mine. Roger held a short meeting that night, to explain what was going on, and I met up with her right away.
"Room 121," she said. "What do you think? God trying to pull us together or something?"
I didn't respond. There really wasn't anything I could say to that without sounding like an idiot. Oh, wait, I'd already done that today.
This meeting room was amazingly different then our little "board room" back in Ecruteak. Obviously made for these purposes, there were several rows of chairs and a stage, complete with podium, at the front. Like a Presidential office, only sleazier.
Soon Roger appeared on the stage, clearing his throat continuously. He coughed twice, then said in as raspy a voice as possible. "My apologies, my Rocket allies, but I've come down with something and am not fit to speak to you tonight." Bullshit. What was he trying to pull? "Therefore, I will have a friend of mine say what needs to be said." Three fake coughs, then, "I'm sorry, but I really need to get some rest. Here to give you a briefing is my colleague and- oddly enough- Pokémon friend, Meowth."
Jessie and I passed a look of equal surprise to each other. Meowth was involved in this?? That only brought on more questions. Why had Roger faked a cold? Did he not want to be around after the news was said? That seemed likely, I guessed. And what the hell was Meowth doing around Roger?
The cat Pokémon trotted daintily out onto the stage. He lifted himself onto the podium, tapping the microphone a couple times to make sure it was on. It was impossible to tell what was going through his head- even after all these years I still couldn't figure out that cat.
"Ah-hem... Roger has asked me t'tell you about dese arrangements, so listen up. I'm only gonna say it once." Immediate silence. "First of all, dis isn't just a little hideout- Roger an' some of his scientist friends are gonna rig up a radio signal dat makes Pokémon go nuts. While everyone's under panic, dey're gonna send some guys in ta infiltrate the radio station in Goldenrod. Once dere we'll have control of da radio messages dat go out through Johto. Maybe den we can get ahold of da bo- Giovanni." I smuggled a laugh. Giovanni would always be "da boss" to Meowth.
"Secondly, because of dis undercover work, no one is allowed outside da building. Da outer entrance has been locked from inside, and only Roger has da key. He expects ya to cooperate while dis is going on."
"You mean we can't leave this place until Thilar says so?" someone shouted.
Meowth gulped, nodding nervously.
The reaction was just what Roger had predicted- loud and angry. I didn't see a single person in that room who wasn't enraged at the thought. I wasn't too happy either. I got his plan now; Roger didn't want to have to face this, so he sent up Meowth to do the work. These men were all dangerous, and not strangers to violence; if they got angry enough they just might kill someone. No doubt Roger would have been that someone.
"Meowth might be in trouble," Jessie hissed in my ear. "Let's get out of here and take him with us while this is still trying to sink in."
I nodded; wordlessly we inched our way along the wall to where Meowth was standing. He was now off the podium, trying to figure out his best way of escape.
"Hey!" Jessie whispered loudly. "Cat!"
Meowth looked in our direction. Recognition and surprise traced his face. I was getting those looks a lot lately.
"Come with us before a fight breaks out," Jessie advised.
Meowth hesitated, looking between us and the double doors on the far side of the room that led to private (aka Roger's) quarters.
"Do you wanna save your ass or not?" I snapped. "Get over here! We can stay in Jess' room til they calm down!"
Surprised by my sudden outburst, Meowth followed us dumbly back down the wall and out the door that led to our "dorms." Once we were safely in Jessie's room we started questioning our old Pokémon friend.
"What are you doing here?" I asked.
"About da same ting you are," he replied smoothly. "Tryin' ta save my neck in dis group of crackhead fuck-ups."
"What he means is," Jessie began, "why are you hanging out with Roger?"
"Cuz I ain't got nowhere else ta go. After da team broke up I was pretty much screwed. I hung out around da gym cuz I didn't have nothin' bettah. Den Roger came along sayin' he wanted ta build da team back up- said he was a friend of da boss' or somethin'. I didn't have nothin' else, so I came along for da ride. I guess youse could say we're friends now," he explained.
"He put you up there knowing you could get killed," I pointed out. "Some friend."
"Yeah, well, I kinda got a duty ta him, ya know? He saved my ass before, I oughta save his once," Meowth glanced at the clock. "Damn, I bettah go. Roger figgered I be back soon."
"All right," Jessie consented. "Maybe we'll see you later?"
There was utter sorrow in the cat's eyes as he turned to us. It was only there for a second- I thought maybe I'd imagined it- but it was still there. "Yaa, sure. Hey, tanks for helpin' me back dere- if I can evah return da favor I will."
I was about to say something, but he was already gone.
"He knows more than he acts like he does," Jessie said after a moment. "I'm sure of it."
"And did you see the way he looked at us?" I asked, taking a seat on her bed. "It was... weird. I'm starting to get a bad feeling about this, Jess. First Roger, now this."
"Roger?" Jessie was next to me in an instant. "What about him?"
I quickly told her about our confrontation earlier that day. "He has a hunch; I don't think it's anymore than a hunch, but still..." I trailed off.
"You think I should call my superior and tell him where we are?" Jessie wondered.
I shook my head no. "The phone lines could be tapped, and it's not like we're in danger at the moment. If things get worse, than maybe. Just wait a while."
"Right, tapped. I almost forgot about that," she agreed.
I stood up, ready to leave. "I should go. If we keep holding these meetings people might start to wonder what's going on."
She seemed about ready to object, but waved a hand at the door. "Okay, that's fine. I need to get some sleep as it is. Let's lay low for a couple of days- I'll sneak around, see what I can find. Try to keep your eyes open. If something really important happens, talk to me. Otherwise, we should probably stay apart and greet each other like nothing more than friends who have little to nothing in common anymore. Got that?"
I couldn't resist a little bit of teasing. I saluted smartly. "Aye aye, El Capitan!"
Jessie threw a pillow at me as I slid out the door, her laughs ringing in my ears. It was good to smile again. Through all this, one of the only things that would keep us going would be a little laughter now and then.
~
Things went by calmly enough for a couple days. The Rockets had settled down after a while- the thought of money was stronger than their need for freedom, I guess. Roger rarely ever made an appearance, though I saw Butch and Cassidy roaming the halls a lot, and there hadn't been any meetings either. It was a little too quiet for me- something was definitely going on.
One day, about three days since we'd first arrived in Mahogany Town, I was walking down the halls trying to get a little exercise when I heard Butch and Cassidy talking behind a closed door. Remembering my spying duties, and being naturally nosy, I leaned closer to the door to hear what they were talking about.
"Don't you think Roger's acting kinda weird?" Butch wondered. "He's been really quiet for a while, and he hasn't even talked to us that much."
"That's just because he's thinking about his next move," Cassidy explained like it all made perfect sense. "You know- about his new plans."
"Oh, you mean the-" Butch never finished his sentence. I could only guess that Cassidy had slapped a hand over his mouth.
"Shut up! What if someone hears you?"
"Like who?"
"Anyone! If so much as one word of this gets out there our asses will be toast! Have you been yapping about this?"
"No, of course not. I know better than to mention it when we're not in private!"
"Don't say anything when we're alone, either! You never know who might be listening through the cracks in the door."
I decided this would be a good time to make my escape. I'd learned enough; now I needed to talk to Jessie.
Down the hall, down a flight of stairs, straight and then a left. I knew my way around this building way too well. I rapped sharply on Jessie's door. In seconds it was opened.
"Yes-" she saw that it was me. "James?"
"Let me in."
She did as I said. I made sure the door was locked tightly, then turned back to Jessie. "Something is going on."
I explained my spying job in the hallway. She nodded, her face etched in thought. After a minute or so, she decided, "I'm going to call the chief. If things are getting so secret that Butch and Cassidy are afraid to even talk in private, it must be bad."
"But the phone lines-"
"I'm willing to take that risk if I can still get out of this alive," she said. There was no use changing her mind now; besides, I thought it was the best idea too.
Jessie walked over to the phone. She picked it up, but stopped. She frowned, then pushed several keys. She hung it up, then picked it back up. Finally, she hung it up again, her eyes reading panic and fear. I knew what it was before she even said it. "The line's dead."
"That's it, then," I said blankly. "We're totally and completely alone in this."Jessie
My mind turned over the meeting's events as Roger calmed everyone down and started to finish up.
Roger was a criminal mastermind, and a smooth-talker to boot. I'd have to watch him- he might be one of the trickiest enemies I'd ever had. No matter. I could handle him.
James, now... I needed to talk to him later. Whatever had happened over the last three years must have been big. Damn, had he matured!
"...this meeting is over. You may exit out the door you came in. We will meet back here tomorrow at noon. Thank you for your time," Roger dismissed us, then turned and disappeared into a back room.
Butch and Cassidy got everyone into something of a line and we proceeded to the door. There was still one thing bothering me. It involved my safety on this mission. As I came up to Butch, I said casually. "I guess you did a background check on everyone."
Butch's eyes narrowed. "Why do you ask?"
"Oh, you know. Some of these people might be serial killers or something. Can't trust anyone these days," I commented.
"Nah, we didn't bother," Butch shrugged. "Roger figured if we didn't check if they hurt someone we could honestly say we didn't know anything... but why the hell am I telling you this? Get going."
I strolled off, but I'd gotten what I needed. No background check meant they didn't know I was a detective. I was safe- for now.
I pushed my way through the crowd of people, trying to get a little breathing space. I felt him on my left before he spoke.
"You're overacting."
James' voice was so low I hardly heard it. I tried to look only mildly interested at what he had said. Glancing at him slightly, I greeted him like nothing more than an old friend.
"And what does that mean?" I wondered.
"Later," James' lips barely moved as he spoke. "The walls have ears and lip-reading eyes."
He shoved a piece of paper in my hand, then walked off. I slipped the note into my pocket and waited for a safer place to read it.
So, James didn't trust anyone either. Smart. But if that was true, then why did he come to me? And what did he mean by "you're overacting"?
Once outside of the building I walked the block to my hotel. I decided I was safe inside my hotel room and grabbed the note James had given me.
"We need to talk tonight. 10 PM at the local McDonalds- James."
Instead of clearing things up, it only made them more confusing. Did he just want to catch up? Didn't seem likely. He could be a detective too... no, too far-fetched.
My heart caught in my throat. Could he be working for Roger? What if the fight was staged? Did he know who I was? Suddenly even my best friend couldn't be trusted. I had no way of knowing if this was an ambush.
"No," I thought aloud. "It can't be."
James was the only person I'd ever been able to get close too. I had friends at work, of course, but no one who really knew me. Even my ex-boyfriends didn't know as much about me as James. True, he had changed, but all the time I'd known him he'd been honest and loyal. He wouldn't do that to me- would he?
As a safety precaution I slipped a gun into my coat, then checked my wristwatch. 9:45, time to go. It only took a couple minutes to get to the McDonalds James had mentioned; before long I was there. I opened the door cautiously, looking around.
Sure enough, there he was. The same old James sitting in the corner. He looked over and smiled. With one hand on my gun I made my way over to his table.
James gestured for me to sit down. When I hesitated, he smiled dryly. "Roger's not going to burst out of the back door, and I'm not going to shoot you either."
"When did you get ESP?" I asked, holding back a laugh and taking a seat across from him. "What's this all about anyway?"
James got right to the point. "Why are you really here?"
"I missed you too," I said sarcastically. "I guess I'm here outta curiosity- the promise of money is pretty nice also."
"Bullshit. What are you, a cop or something?"
I weighed my options. I could play dumb, and get interrogated all night, or I could tell him the truth and maybe get an ally out of this. I took the second one. "Try undercover detective."
"Ah, well, they're so completely different-"
"I liked you better as an ass-kissing wuss," I teased.
For the first time that day James' smile had humor in it. "Yeah, you and every other Rocket on this damn team."
"That was quite a speech today. Even Roger was having trouble," I complimented. "I didn't know you had the balls to say that."
"'Balls' are something you get when- uh, nevermind," he stopped short. "So tell me about your little CIA work. What got you into the law?"
I wanted to know why he had stopped mid-sentence, but let it slide for the moment. "It's actually kind of funny. I was caught shop-lifting three weeks after the team break-up. I ended up having to spend a little time, but got out on probation for the last two months of it. I made friends with my officer, and he recognized some potential. He gave me a chance to clean up my act by getting me a job at the local police station. One thing led to another and before I could blink I was an undercover detective for the Goldenrod police force." I paused to prepare my next question. "There's my little story- now what about you?"
"It's better if you don't know," he advised. "If you did you'd have to arrest me or something."
I raised an eyebrow. "James, you could easily rat me out to Roger, raise points for yourself and get me killed. You actually think that I would send you to prison? Besides that, you're my best friend. You know me better than that. C'mon... what's the story?"
James sighed. "I'm not proud of it... but here goes nothing. After the team got disbanded I tried getting a job, but no one would hire me. I guess my record was worse than I thought. Then I tried to get accepted into a college, but they wouldn't even let me take the practice tests. Things were getting rough- I had no money, no job, and nothing but a backpack full of clothes and my Pokémon.
"One day I stumbled upon an add in the newspaper that told about someone who could help you clear your record and start over. I decided to try my luck- after all, things couldn't get much worse than they were right then. The guy ended up being a computer hacking genius who could literally delete everything off your personal record and create a new one for you. I was desperate, so I took the offer."
"Oh my God, James," I breathed. "That's a huge offense."
"Don't I know it," he muttered.
"What does it say now?" I wondered.
"My birth and early childhood are about the same. I got sent to Pokémon Tech where they excepted me, graduated from the school and currently have no criminal offenses. Total bullshit, of course, but no one would know any better. The guy was so good that he even added my name to the list of graduates on the Pokétech computers. You're probably the only person who could remember that all being fake."
When he stayed silent, I urged him to go on. "There has to be more than that."
"Unfortunately, there is," he said. "All that work was pricey- and I didn't have any money. He understood my problem, so he hooked me up with some of his friends. His 'friends' were drug smugglers."
"You didn't."
"I had no choice. I was in too deep to get out now. I managed to get accepted into a small college within the next week, and got a job soon after. My job paid for apartment rent, but not for my other fees, like tuition and the little crime. For a while I was leading a double life- college kid by day, personal assistant to a smuggling leader by night. That's where my 'don't trust anyone' attitude came from. I also learned how to lip read, and the 'balls' came with the package too.
"I worked like a dog and aced the final exams in my Freshman year. The next year they gave me an actual scholarship. By the end of my Sophomore year I had paid back all the money I owed, and was finally out of crime for good. I thought, anyway. But here I am, halfway through my Junior year, and this stupid team calls me back to fuck my life up even more." James looked up. "Still so sure you don't want to turn me in?"
"Compared to you I had it easy. But at least your trying to turn everything around," I told him. "What's your major?"
He shrugged. "Law. I'm not sure what in law, though."
"After all that shit you did?"
"I figure I should try to give some back, you know? Stop the real assholes who don't care what they do to people," he said. His eyes flashed anger. "People like Roger."
"What do you have against him?" I wondered. "Sure, he's a cocky jackass, but you really hate this guy."
"I vowed I would never turn back to this stuff. I thought that maybe- crazy as it sounds- that I, James, could actually do something right for once. Get out of the crime ring that is my life. But this is me we're talking about. Sooner or later I'm bound to get screwed over again. Roger just happens to be the one who did it this time." There was a bitterness in his voice that I'd never heard before. James stood to go. "Thanks for coming out here. It's good to know I've got a friend in all this shit."
I stood up with him. As he turned, I grabbed his arm. "Hey James... you wanna come back to my hotel room for a while?"
He opened his mouth, then stopped. Finally he answered. "I better not. With both of us against him Roger might think we were planning something."
"Aren't we?"
He didn't have an answer for that.
"Oh, come on. I've got some champagne and we can order-up. I'm not about to touch any of the greasy shit they serve here." Without waiting for an answer I pulled him towards the door. He sighed in resignation, then followed.
Just like old times, I thought with a smile.
James
I took the drink Jessie offered, looking around at her room. It was nice- but compared to my low-rate motel, anything was nice.
"Do you mind if I throw on something a little more comfortable? This dress really isn't me," Jessie said more as a statement then a question.
"Go ahead," I conceded.
Was she trying to tempt me? Good Lord, the woman was beautiful enough. Now I was in her apartment, under stress, and she was about to put on something comfortable??
A couple minutes later Jessie was in a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt. She must have seen my relieved look, because she said, "You didn't really think I was gonna come out in lingerie, did you?"
I couldn't help but laugh.
She poured a glass of champagne for herself and took a seat across from me. I stifled a yawn. Jessie looked in my direction. "You can't actually be tired."
"Well, it is midnight," I reminded her.
Jessie glanced at her watch. "God, I didn't know it was that late. But you shouldn't be tired, not after working the late shift..." she saw my look. "Nevermind."
"If it's all the same to you I'd prefer not to talk about it," I said a little tensely. "Those're two years of hell I'd like to forget."
"Hm," was all she said.
I remembered something. "You know, back in the restaurant, you never actually said if you'd turn me in or not."
She thought for a moment. "Well now, that depends."
"Depends? On what?" I questioned, starting to wonder if telling her the truth had been such a good idea.
Jessie laughed. "Relax James, I'm not going to ask you to sell your soul to me or anything. I just want to make a little deal."
I tried to count how many steps it would take me to reach the door. "Deal?"
"Exactly. Now, usually I work alone, but this case is pretty big, even for me. You yourself said you wanted to get into law. I'm giving both of us a chance to get what we need."
I shot her an odd look. What was she getting at? "I'm listening."
"I could use your help. The fact is there's too many involved, and I can only be in so many places at once. An ally, someone I can trust, would be perfect," Jessie began. "That ally is you. You're the only person in this hellhole I know won't rat me out; number one because I've got that little piece of blackmail, and number two you're my closest friend. Now, if you could just keep your ears open, remember even the tiniest bit of information, and keep those beautiful lip-reading eyes on Roger, I'd be eternally grateful. Who knows? Maybe I can win you a spot on our detective squad."
I understood why Jessie made such a great detective. She always kept her eye on what was important- at this moment it was completing her case. Also, she knew she couldn't do it alone, so she made it sound as if I'd be getting something out of the deal too. The only thing I was getting was her silence. But with the kind of things I've done, that's plenty to get.
Besides, I never could resist Jessie.
"So, do you agree? Partners again?" Jessie asked expectantly.
I smiled. "As if I could ever say no." We clinked champagne glasses regally, downing our cups in one gulp. "You know, you didn't have to wait to ask me this. You could have said it in the McDonalds."
"And miss seeing your face when I told you I was changing? Never."
~
It was the next day. Noon had come faster than I'd expected, and I was forced to go back to the condemned building where I had fought last night. At least there was one good thing coming out of this meeting- I'd get to see Jessie again.
She waved me over the minute I got into the waiting room.
"Do you think we should be standing together like this?" I wondered quietly.
"Why not? We've got plenty to catch up on," Jessie said cheerfully.
Silly me. Jessie was back in character; I wouldn't be able to get much conversation out of her until we were alone again. That was okay, though, because I had plenty to think about as it was. The atmosphere in the room was different today, I noticed. Tense anticipation was the general feeling- I wondered if something was happening. I glanced over at Jessie to tell her my thoughts, but remembered she wasn't the same person she'd been last night. I only meant to look her way for a second, but my eyes held. Today she was back in her tight dress look. Though it gave her a somewhat slutty appeal, she still had that aura of charm, intelligence, and authority about her that I loved so much. Jessie caught my look. "What's with you?"
"I just never realized how beautiful you are." Oh shit. I hadn't meant to say that out loud.
A flash of surprise, then Jessie had that same cocky smirk pasted on her face. "Easy, slick. We haven't talked in three years."
Smooth, James. Real smooth. I wondered if you could see my face glowing red from across the room.
I didn't have time to worry about that because Butch and Cassidy appeared out of nowhere and quieted everyone down. Once that was done, Cassidy made a quick announcement:
"Mr. Thilar has found a better place for you to stay for the time being. We will be going to Mahogany Town to stay for a while. The address you will be staying at is 1478 Birch Street. Go home, pack, and meet us in Mahogany Town in three hours. We'll see you there." Then they were gone.
"That's it?" I questioned. "I thought this was supposed to be a fucking meeting!"
No answer. Jessie had already moved with the crowd towards the door. Well, that was fine. I needed to get back to my motel, pack, check out and still get to Mahogany Town. I hoped there was a bus or something- it was at least thirty miles to the next city.
~
And here I was, 1478 Birch Street. The building in front of me didn't look like a headquarters for a 4-H club, much less Team Rocket. In fact, it was more like a Pokémart!
I was just about to check the address for the fifth time, when suddenly Roger was in front of me. Where he had come from only God knew, but I figured he was either here to kill me or bribe me. My second thought wasn't completely wrong. "Mr. Rosewood, I've been waiting for you."
"Lucky me," I grumbled.
"Would you like to come with me for a moment," he said.
"Actually, no."
"It wasn't a question, it was a statement," he smirked. I hated that smirk. "Follow me. You need me to show you the entrance to our little hideout as it is."
I couldn't argue with that, so I reluctantly trotted after the middle-aged man and into the Pokémart-like building.
I viewed my surroundings. "This does look like a Pokémart!"
"You're not far from the truth, my clever friend. This is a store run by an older couple. Though not as well-stocked as a Pokémart, it serves as a good place for the local trainers to buy items. It also makes a wonderful place for the team to stay for a while," Roger told me.
"I don't see what makes it so great. There's barely enough room in here to fit half of them."
Roger chuckled. It was almost as deadly as his smile. "That's where you're wrong James- do you mind if I call you James."
"Yes."
"That wasn't a question either," he growled. Roger pointed to a poster on the wall of all the gym leaders in Johto. "You see that?" Without waiting for an answer, he strode over to the simple-looking picture and rapped a hand on the photo of Jasmine. To my surprise, a shelf swung outward, revealing a hidden staircase leading downwards. "Before the elderly couple took over here, it was a part of the mafia crime ring."
"I don't even want to know what you did with poor couple," I muttered under my breath.
"Oh, they're quite safe, actually," he assured me. As he entered the staircase, his teeth glinted dangerously. "They're meeting their maker as we speak."
I shuddered involuntarily. My hunch had been right- this wasn't a man to be messed with. Even as I questioned my own judgment, I found myself following him down the winding stairs and into an underground hallway.
"I wouldn't think such an old building would be in this good of shape," I commented.
"The old owners kept it up, and we recently came in and re-decorated-"
"That wasn't a question," I said smugly.
Roger looked at me like he was going to pull out a 9-Millimeter and kill me right there, but thought better of it. "Come with me. I want to talk to you for a moment."
Your move, Thilar.
He walked down the corridor until we reached a set of mahogany doors. Roger pulled out a set of keys and unlocked them, then led me inside. He took a seat behind a desk, then gestured for me to sit down in the chair in front of him. Not having a better option, I did as I was told.
"I have a few things I would like to ask you, James," he began.
Play it cool. Not like you did back in Ecruteak. "Go for it."
"First of all, when was the last time you spoke to Jessie? I mean, before we all met yesterday," he wondered.
This was leading up to something, I could tell. "The day the team broke up. Why?"
"You seemed to be on close terms last night, though. She even invited you into her apartment," he remarked.
"What are you talking about?" I asked nervously.
"It's funny, don't you think? I happened to be staying in the same hotel Jessie was. Two doors down, actually. I thought I heard your voice, so I took a look and sure enough, there you were. Ironic, isn't it?"
"So, we needed to catch up on a few things. Big deal."
"A few things? You had to have been in there for an hour and a half, at least," he argued.
"What were you doing? Spying on us?" I countered.
Roger looked down as if to straighten his jacket. "I take it upon myself to look out for my team members- make sure they aren't doing anything uncalled for. You know what I mean?"
"What are you getting at?" I asked warily.
"I demand to know what you were so engrossed in back there! What is it now, James? A plot, a scheme, to kill me? I know you can't stand the sight of me, and there was something funny about her yesterday..." he smiled his nastiest. "I'm sure it wasn't your idea, of course. Jessie pulled you in to something, didn't she? Come now, all you have to do is tell me what she's planning, and I'll take care of the rest. Maybe even make you my partner."
I did the last thing Roger expected me to do. I laughed. "You are one of the most paranoid men I've ever met. Did it ever cross your mind that maybe we were just talking like old friends, watching a little Jay Leno, and having a drink? Not everyone is as twisted as you, you know."
"Jay Leno?" he snapped. Roger jerked his hand out, as if to hit me, then pulled away slowly. "No, I suppose I am a little tense. It's not easy, all this work. I hope you can forgive me."
"It's like it never happened."
Roger stood. He led me out the door and back down the long hall. Soon we came to another set of stairs leading downward. Once at the bottom Roger handed me a key with the number 122 on it. "Here's your room key. Since we have enough room everyone will be staying here. Down the hall and to the left, I believe." He started to go, then stopped. Turning, he shot me daggers. "Oh, and James. If you ever get it in your head to start something, you should know that rarely anything escapes my eye. You'd have to be a fucking detective to get by me."
"Point taken, Roger- you don't mind if I call you Roger."
His smile dropped. Awkwardly he backed up the staircase and out of sight.
He'd caught a couple pawns today. But I just snagged a Bishop.
~
Either fate plays odd tricks on people, or Roger was trying to start something, because "coincidentally" Jessie's room was right next to mine. Roger held a short meeting that night, to explain what was going on, and I met up with her right away.
"Room 121," she said. "What do you think? God trying to pull us together or something?"
I didn't respond. There really wasn't anything I could say to that without sounding like an idiot. Oh, wait, I'd already done that today.
This meeting room was amazingly different then our little "board room" back in Ecruteak. Obviously made for these purposes, there were several rows of chairs and a stage, complete with podium, at the front. Like a Presidential office, only sleazier.
Soon Roger appeared on the stage, clearing his throat continuously. He coughed twice, then said in as raspy a voice as possible. "My apologies, my Rocket allies, but I've come down with something and am not fit to speak to you tonight." Bullshit. What was he trying to pull? "Therefore, I will have a friend of mine say what needs to be said." Three fake coughs, then, "I'm sorry, but I really need to get some rest. Here to give you a briefing is my colleague and- oddly enough- Pokémon friend, Meowth."
Jessie and I passed a look of equal surprise to each other. Meowth was involved in this?? That only brought on more questions. Why had Roger faked a cold? Did he not want to be around after the news was said? That seemed likely, I guessed. And what the hell was Meowth doing around Roger?
The cat Pokémon trotted daintily out onto the stage. He lifted himself onto the podium, tapping the microphone a couple times to make sure it was on. It was impossible to tell what was going through his head- even after all these years I still couldn't figure out that cat.
"Ah-hem... Roger has asked me t'tell you about dese arrangements, so listen up. I'm only gonna say it once." Immediate silence. "First of all, dis isn't just a little hideout- Roger an' some of his scientist friends are gonna rig up a radio signal dat makes Pokémon go nuts. While everyone's under panic, dey're gonna send some guys in ta infiltrate the radio station in Goldenrod. Once dere we'll have control of da radio messages dat go out through Johto. Maybe den we can get ahold of da bo- Giovanni." I smuggled a laugh. Giovanni would always be "da boss" to Meowth.
"Secondly, because of dis undercover work, no one is allowed outside da building. Da outer entrance has been locked from inside, and only Roger has da key. He expects ya to cooperate while dis is going on."
"You mean we can't leave this place until Thilar says so?" someone shouted.
Meowth gulped, nodding nervously.
The reaction was just what Roger had predicted- loud and angry. I didn't see a single person in that room who wasn't enraged at the thought. I wasn't too happy either. I got his plan now; Roger didn't want to have to face this, so he sent up Meowth to do the work. These men were all dangerous, and not strangers to violence; if they got angry enough they just might kill someone. No doubt Roger would have been that someone.
"Meowth might be in trouble," Jessie hissed in my ear. "Let's get out of here and take him with us while this is still trying to sink in."
I nodded; wordlessly we inched our way along the wall to where Meowth was standing. He was now off the podium, trying to figure out his best way of escape.
"Hey!" Jessie whispered loudly. "Cat!"
Meowth looked in our direction. Recognition and surprise traced his face. I was getting those looks a lot lately.
"Come with us before a fight breaks out," Jessie advised.
Meowth hesitated, looking between us and the double doors on the far side of the room that led to private (aka Roger's) quarters.
"Do you wanna save your ass or not?" I snapped. "Get over here! We can stay in Jess' room til they calm down!"
Surprised by my sudden outburst, Meowth followed us dumbly back down the wall and out the door that led to our "dorms." Once we were safely in Jessie's room we started questioning our old Pokémon friend.
"What are you doing here?" I asked.
"About da same ting you are," he replied smoothly. "Tryin' ta save my neck in dis group of crackhead fuck-ups."
"What he means is," Jessie began, "why are you hanging out with Roger?"
"Cuz I ain't got nowhere else ta go. After da team broke up I was pretty much screwed. I hung out around da gym cuz I didn't have nothin' bettah. Den Roger came along sayin' he wanted ta build da team back up- said he was a friend of da boss' or somethin'. I didn't have nothin' else, so I came along for da ride. I guess youse could say we're friends now," he explained.
"He put you up there knowing you could get killed," I pointed out. "Some friend."
"Yeah, well, I kinda got a duty ta him, ya know? He saved my ass before, I oughta save his once," Meowth glanced at the clock. "Damn, I bettah go. Roger figgered I be back soon."
"All right," Jessie consented. "Maybe we'll see you later?"
There was utter sorrow in the cat's eyes as he turned to us. It was only there for a second- I thought maybe I'd imagined it- but it was still there. "Yaa, sure. Hey, tanks for helpin' me back dere- if I can evah return da favor I will."
I was about to say something, but he was already gone.
"He knows more than he acts like he does," Jessie said after a moment. "I'm sure of it."
"And did you see the way he looked at us?" I asked, taking a seat on her bed. "It was... weird. I'm starting to get a bad feeling about this, Jess. First Roger, now this."
"Roger?" Jessie was next to me in an instant. "What about him?"
I quickly told her about our confrontation earlier that day. "He has a hunch; I don't think it's anymore than a hunch, but still..." I trailed off.
"You think I should call my superior and tell him where we are?" Jessie wondered.
I shook my head no. "The phone lines could be tapped, and it's not like we're in danger at the moment. If things get worse, than maybe. Just wait a while."
"Right, tapped. I almost forgot about that," she agreed.
I stood up, ready to leave. "I should go. If we keep holding these meetings people might start to wonder what's going on."
She seemed about ready to object, but waved a hand at the door. "Okay, that's fine. I need to get some sleep as it is. Let's lay low for a couple of days- I'll sneak around, see what I can find. Try to keep your eyes open. If something really important happens, talk to me. Otherwise, we should probably stay apart and greet each other like nothing more than friends who have little to nothing in common anymore. Got that?"
I couldn't resist a little bit of teasing. I saluted smartly. "Aye aye, El Capitan!"
Jessie threw a pillow at me as I slid out the door, her laughs ringing in my ears. It was good to smile again. Through all this, one of the only things that would keep us going would be a little laughter now and then.
~
Things went by calmly enough for a couple days. The Rockets had settled down after a while- the thought of money was stronger than their need for freedom, I guess. Roger rarely ever made an appearance, though I saw Butch and Cassidy roaming the halls a lot, and there hadn't been any meetings either. It was a little too quiet for me- something was definitely going on.
One day, about three days since we'd first arrived in Mahogany Town, I was walking down the halls trying to get a little exercise when I heard Butch and Cassidy talking behind a closed door. Remembering my spying duties, and being naturally nosy, I leaned closer to the door to hear what they were talking about.
"Don't you think Roger's acting kinda weird?" Butch wondered. "He's been really quiet for a while, and he hasn't even talked to us that much."
"That's just because he's thinking about his next move," Cassidy explained like it all made perfect sense. "You know- about his new plans."
"Oh, you mean the-" Butch never finished his sentence. I could only guess that Cassidy had slapped a hand over his mouth.
"Shut up! What if someone hears you?"
"Like who?"
"Anyone! If so much as one word of this gets out there our asses will be toast! Have you been yapping about this?"
"No, of course not. I know better than to mention it when we're not in private!"
"Don't say anything when we're alone, either! You never know who might be listening through the cracks in the door."
I decided this would be a good time to make my escape. I'd learned enough; now I needed to talk to Jessie.
Down the hall, down a flight of stairs, straight and then a left. I knew my way around this building way too well. I rapped sharply on Jessie's door. In seconds it was opened.
"Yes-" she saw that it was me. "James?"
"Let me in."
She did as I said. I made sure the door was locked tightly, then turned back to Jessie. "Something is going on."
I explained my spying job in the hallway. She nodded, her face etched in thought. After a minute or so, she decided, "I'm going to call the chief. If things are getting so secret that Butch and Cassidy are afraid to even talk in private, it must be bad."
"But the phone lines-"
"I'm willing to take that risk if I can still get out of this alive," she said. There was no use changing her mind now; besides, I thought it was the best idea too.
Jessie walked over to the phone. She picked it up, but stopped. She frowned, then pushed several keys. She hung it up, then picked it back up. Finally, she hung it up again, her eyes reading panic and fear. I knew what it was before she even said it. "The line's dead."
"That's it, then," I said blankly. "We're totally and completely alone in this."
