"Team Rocket... took Misty... needs help," Ash muttered.
"Misty's gone? Team Rocket did this to you? How?"
"Misty..." I whirled around and pulled at the handle. It wouldn't budge! We were locked inside! I bit my lip nervously. Giovanni had me trapped like a rat and he didn't even know it yet!
Suddenly I felt the handle twisting. I jumped backwards in shock. Well, if he didn't know before, he was going to find out now. There was nowhere for me to run or hide. I just stood there as stiff as a board hoping that maybe, if I didn't move, he wouldn't notice me.
The door squeaked open slowly and a shadowy figure stood in the doorway.
"Dese claws come in handy don't dey, James?" Meowth grinned.
"Meowth! What about..." I gasped.
"Who? Da guards? It was a false alarm," Meowth smirked.
"Good. Now let's make our getaway!" I suggested.
"But what'll we do wit da two stiffs over dere?" Meowth nodded toward Ash and Brock.
"Hmm... Ash! Brock, can you move?" Nothing. "Ash? Brock?"
"I... can't," Ash replied.
"You can't give up! I came back because of what you told me about friendship."
"Actually dat was da other twerp."
"Oh. Well, anyway, Ash, you have to help her."
"She doesn't need... me."
"All right. Fine. If you want to stay here and rot, go right ahead. Be my guest. If you don't care enough to save her... it's out of my hands. I'm going to get Jess and get out of here."
After taking one last glance back at them, I turned toward the door with Meowth.
"Wait," Ash whispered weakly. I peered at him over my shoulder curiously. "I'm going."
"Are you sure you can?"
"I don't care."
"Then if you're coming, let's go. We have to hurry. Who knows what Giovanni could do to them?" Ash placed a hand on the wall to steady himself them slowly got to his feet. I stretched out my hand to aid him. Ash took it gratefully.
"Thanks."
"I'm coming too," Brock responded.
"Hurry!" I yelled. Ash lifted Brock up and we all silently fled the small prison. Don't worry, Jess. I'm on my way.
"Listen for them, guys! They could be anywhere! Call out if you hear anything, but keep your voices down! The Boss' men could be lurking around every corner," I warned. All of them nodded in agreement. We tiptoed down the hall, our backs pressed against the wall trying as hard as possible to be silent.
"Don't talk back to me!" Giovanni screamed.
"Why should I respect you? Just because you belong to Team Rocket? Well, if there's one thing I've learned is that you can't hide behind Team Rocket all your life! You need to move on! This doesn't mean a thing!" a female snapped. She sounded... familiar.
"You're trying my patience. Just as James did. You don't want James' fate, do you, Jessie?” I felt as if I had heard this conversation before.
"As long as it gets me away from you!" Then a loud slap reached my ears and a body thumping against the floor. It... it was Jessie! How dare he…how dare he hit her!
"Jessie..." I fumed. My anger could no longer be contained and with clenched fists I motioned toward the room. Brock held me back with a shaky arm.
"Don't... not yet. Wait," he said simply.
"I'm not going to just sit around and let her be abused like this!" I snapped. I shoved him aside roughly and stormed inside angrily. "Giovanni!"
"James?" Jessie gasped.
"What?! How did you...?" Giovanni stuttered.
"James!" Misty cried with joy. Jessie rushed into my arms gratefully.
"James, how did you...?" Once she realized that we were in a tight embrace, she quickly pulled away.
"It's all right, Jessica. We're together now. I've missed you so much," I comforted.
"Y-you did?"
"Of course. Especially after this... I was afraid I might lose you."
"You were?"
"Yes." She smiled and following a moment of slight hesitation, she leaped into my arms and squeezed me tightly. I winced in pain from the pressure from my bullet wound. She immediately released me and peered in concern at my injury.
"What happened? Who did this?" she demanded.
"I did," Giovanni answered.
