Chapter 1
For the past thirty minutes Jessie had been rubbing up against a rough surface. Finally, the ropes fettering her hands were eroded through. She flung them off, then took her gag and untied it. "Ugh! I can hear myself speak," she said with utter joy. She got up from where she was sitting and wiped herself down. She could hardly see anything in such darkness, but she managed to get to the door. She placed her ear upon it to listen from behind. She didn’t hear a sound. No one seemed to be there. She thought for a while on how to break out. This would be difficult. She waited.
Jessie went through misery in this room. It was extremely dark that she had difficulty endeavoring not to fall asleep. Even with her eyes opened, it seemed as though they were closed. She dosed off a few dozen times. But what was most irritating was that she could not grasp time, if it was night or day. Plus she was also hungry and weak.
Jessie began to fill her head with all the disparaging thoughts of this whole tribulation. She wondered what they were planing to do with her. It was surprising that they had not tortured her, yet. They’re probably waiting for something major. Or maybe, she’s just bait so they can capture James. She wondered where he was. Was he abandoning her? Maybe he was too scared to help her. She wished this were not the case. She could not help feeling doubt. As she sunk deeper into misery, she heard footsteps outside the door. She jolted up. She had to act quickly. It was her chance to escape. She shook her head as if to fling the atrocious thoughts away. James would never desert me! She approached the door and knocked on it. "Hello?"
"What do you want?"
"Uh…I-I…I have to use the bathroom," said she, thinking of nothing else better to say.
"I’m not allowed to let you out." "Aww come on—I really have to go—I’ve been in here forever," she pleaded. Then in one of her sweet sounding voices she said, "please, I will only be but a second—I swear."
The Rocket felt slightly sorry for her and not knowing as to why she was confined disallowed him from having any prejudice against her. He also had no idea how long she had been cooped up in that box, but he knew it was more than likely a long time. "Well…just for a second."
"Thanks."
He unlocked the door and let her out. She was lead to the bathroom. As she went in, she smiled flirtatiously at him. He smiled back enthralled by her beauty, not realizing she was so before.
Inside, she looked around for something, anything she could use as a weapon; however, she saw her reflection in the mirror first. She could not believe how horrible she looked. Her uniform was a bit dirty, her hair spray had given up on her, and her make-up was all but gone. Being vain as she is made her in truth see herself in an exaggerated sense. She really did not look as bad as she thought. Her only failing was that she appeared tired with the bags forming under her eyes. She attempted to fix her hair by smoothing it down. Then she washed her face in the sink. Afterwards, she realized that she indeed had to use the bathroom and then did so.
After washing her hands, she continued to look for a weapon. There was nothing around but a bucket with a mop. It would have to do. She wondered for a second of how she would use it. She really didn’t want to hurt the Rocket who was patiently waiting for her. But what choice did she have. He would not assist her in escaping. It’s the only way. She went to the door and cracked it ever so slightly. His back was toward her. This was good.
She took a deep breath. And holding the mop up over her shoulders, she came running out of the bathroom and bopped him with it. He staggered to the ground, but he was not knocked out. She wished he were, so that she would not have had to knock him a couple times more. She put the mop back into the bathroom. When she came out, she grabbed his gun and some other weapons, plus his clearance card. She took him by the arms and dragged him back to her cell. She put him in there and locked it, then scurried away in attempts to find her exit.
Ash had a great sleep; he woke up feeling revitalized from the day before. He looked to his right where Brock was sleeping, but he wasn’t there. He’s probably making breakfast for all of us. Ash hopped from the bed, and after getting dressed he went out of his room. He almost bumped into Misty, seeing as they were heading in the same direction.
"Uh…sorry," said Ash.
"Uh…g’morning," Misty said groggily. She didn’t look so good. She had bags under her eyes from lack of sleep and her hair was messy from all the tossing and turning.
"Are you okay?" he asked, "you look horrible." Ash knew that he shouldn’t have said that; she was sure to yell at him.
However, instead of responding in an annoyed way, she just told him that she did not get enough sleep. He was surprised and wondered why she reacted thus. He hoped that she wasn’t bothered with them because they had befriended James. But he could not think much of this anyway. He was hungry and almost downstairs, by the time he finished his thought.
The smell of pancakes and maple syrup filled the room. Ash ran to the table as Brock place a plate before him. Misty followed suit and they ate heartily. (Despite everything, she had not lost her appetite and was very hungry ((this gave animation to her already sleepy appearance)).) Brock stood by in joy: he loves it when people appreciate his cooking.
As Ash was stuffing his face with a huge morsel, he asked: "where’s James?"
"Oh, he went outside," Brock said, flipping a pancake.
"Did he get a chance to taste these delicious pancakes? It would be a tragedy if he didn’t."
"Yeah, but he didn’t eat much."
"So sad," Ash said, "these are so good that I could never dream of not eating them all." And with that, he handed Brock his plate. "More please."
"You’re finished already?" Brock asked turning around from the skillet. "How could you have eaten a stack of six so quickly?" Brock was so surprised, that Ash could have sworn he saw his eyes open.
Misty only ate half of what was on her plate. She offered the rest to Ash and he took it graciously. She went back up stairs to wash up. Brock and Ash were still at the table eating when she was done.
Outside in the back of the loft, James was target practicing. He had lined up cans across an unfinished fence a few yards away. He had last hit seventeen out of twenty (he did this six times before with similar results). He knew he had to do better if he wanted to succeed when going up against Team Rocket. I have to be at my best. Jessie is counting on me. Definitely tomorrow night…Jess. He went over to the fence and placed the cans back on it again. When he came back to where he was before, he loaded his gun. He held it up to aim, feeling the pain in his arms. It hurt to hold up a gun, especially since his muscles had to be tense when aiming. But he did it anyway and fired five times. They were all knocked down. He aimed again when he heard a twig snap behind him, and turned around quizzically.
"G’morning," said Misty.
James responded warmly. He went over to the makeshift table that accommodated his guns. He decided that he wanted to test out his laser weapons.
"How are you feeling?"
"Better than before," he lied; knowing his body ached badly. But he didn’t care; he needed to be there for his friends and admitting to his pain would prompt these children’s much obliged, yet very inconvenient concern, which would delay his objective further. He put down his gun and took up another one; unsure of which one he wanted to use.
Misty looked at him oddly. How can he be so indifferent with those weapons? They freaked her out and she shuttered at the thought of them being used.
"Are you cold?"
"No," she said, "I just don’t like guns."
"Well…if you’re going to come with me to Team Rocket Headquarters, you’re going to have to protect yourself…and back up Ash and Brock."
There was something in the way he said Ash that made her blush. Aside from that, she knew that she would have to use a gun if she were going to help. She was just hoping that something miraculous would happen to makes things better again so she wouldn’t have to.
"Here," said he, giving her the gun he had just used. "You’re going to have to get used to how it feels so you can aim precisely."
She looked at him hesitantly.
"I know I seems as though I’m trying to corrupt you," said he with a giggle, "but if you do want to help, you should be able to protect yourself."
But that is just it…I don’t want to help.
She smiled noticing he was obviously uncomfortable giving her a weapon. She took the gun and her hand slumped immediately. "Gosh, it’s so heavy."
"You’ll get used to the weight," said he. James looked on the table at the different guns spread out. He picked up one of the high-tech rifles and loaded a battery pack in it. He went back over to where he was standing when he was targeting. He held up the gun with two hands—trying to ignore the pain—aimed and fired. He knocked down nine, but was aiming for ten. On his last shot, his muscles ached terribly and he couldn’t hold the rifle properly.
Misty saw sweat upon his brow and asked if he was okay. He told her that he was fine and that the heat was bothering him. She could tell it was more than that. He had been struggling to hold up the gun and he slightly grimaced.
She went over to him and stood by his side. She pointed the gun up, amateur style, at the targets and fired. She missed of course. James grinned at the lack of proficiency.
"Let me help you," he said. He instructed her on how to hold the gun with two hands and how to aim either with one eye closed or both opened. He held her arm steady with one hand and her hand with he other. She fired and hit a can.
"Cool!" she exclaimed. She was surprised by her own enthusiasm, and so was he.
He let her shoot on her own. She only missed one can.
"Wow," said James, "looks like you might be a natural."
Misty laughed. She couldn’t help but feel pleased with herself. "No, I couldn’t be," she said modestly.
"Couldn’t be what?" asked Ash as he and Brock approached them.
"She hit all but one target," said James, "she’s very good. Almost as good as Jessie was her first try."
An odd feeling came over everyone. This was not something to be proud of, but for now they had to become good shots or else.
"That’s…pretty good," Brock said with an obvious ambivalence.
"Yeah," Ash said, then he added, "I bet you I can do better."
What is it with this boy? He is so competitive that it’s asinine. Misty looked at him sarcastically; "I doubt that."
Jessie was making her way through the maze. She could not figure out where she was. She initially was going to escape on her own, then come back for Meowth later when she got James. But seeing as she couldn’t find her way out, she decided to poke around for him.
After peaking around to see if anyone was coming, she turned a corner. She passed by a little passage, on her way to look into a lab nearby, but then she heard footsteps. They were coming her way. She backed up and decided to hide in the passage. It was nicely shadowed so she would not be seen.
Two rockets in lab coats were walking by. She backed up further in to the passage. She leaned against something that protruded. Frightened as to what it might be, she turned around slowly, to see who or what it was. She could see nothing in the dark. She felt the thing that stuck out. It was long going across on the wall or door. She felt around more. She thought that perhaps this might be a secret room or an exit or something. Then she felt a card slot. She took from her pocket the clearance card she had taken from one of the Rockets. She placed it in the slot and a green light flashed. She pushed on the protruding object and opened the door slowly and peaked in.
It was an empty, dark, metallic room. She pushed the door all the way open and looked around. At her right, she noticed another card slot but there was no door. She went over to it and placed the card in. She pushed against the wall (maybe it might open) and it did open up but to an another passageway. She walked in the darkness and proceeded forth, keeping close to the wall and feeling against it. There was light coming from afar. When she came to it, she realized that it opened up by an angle. She looked on to see a huge lab area. She could hear someone talking, but faintly. There were a lot of huge machines and many cages filled with sick pokémon. Perhaps Meowth is around here somewhere. She walked behind a few machines to hide herself from whom ever was there, as she came in closer to the voice.
"What are you talking about ‘he wants it sooner’?" asked a familiar voice.
Jessie peaked out from behind one of the machines.
"These things take time, you know," Cassidy said, speaking on a cell phone. "Well he’ll just have to wait *pause* I’m not upset *pause* you shouldn’t be one to talk *pause* giggle* I know…but when are we going to attack? *pause* The sooner the better—Giovanni just can’t find out about this. *pause* We can’t take chances. *long pause, then almost faintly* I know…I love you, too." She hung up the phone.
Jessie wished it were a videophone so she could see whom Cassidy was talking to. Regardless, she had her suspicions that it was Butch. Jessie couldn’t believe they were plotting against Giovanni. She became immensely angry. She felt for the gun she had at her side. She could kill Cassidy this instant. But she thought better of it. She had to figure out what they are plotting, how she, James, and Meowth are apart of it and if she could stop them or at least inform Giovanni. But how would she go about telling the boss. He already thinks she’s a traitor. If she even comes near him or any other Rockets guarding him, she is sure to be shot.
She had to pace herself. She needed to figure out what Butch and Cassidy’s scheme is first. She waited. Cassidy got up from her desk, stretched and walked away. Jessie listened as the sound of her footsteps slowly dwindling. She heard a door close and lock; the last of the footsteps were gone.
Jessie leaped out of her hiding place, proceeding straight to the desk. There was a computer, a microscope; a few disks scattered about with scraps of paper, a notepad, and two big vials of liquid. She picked up the notepad and read what was written. It was a report of the effects of a serum on pokémon. A drug that makes pokémon stronger? What are they trying to do with them? Win pokémon battles? Maybe they want to make them stronger than the boss’s pokémon. She looked on the computer monitor and saw two silhouettes of a cat type pokémon. Meowth? They wouldn’t. One was labeled "before" and the other "after." The before picture was normal but the after picture was bigger and read "fifty percent higher energy level." "No way!" she exclaimed. She looked at the notepad to read all that she could. Then she looked up at the vials. The blue one was labeled "Sterol C17" and the green one was labeled "Antigen C17." On the notepad, it said that the antigen was used on the pokémon who got sick from the sterol (muscle enhancer) as an antidote. If they used this stuff on you, Meowth… Don’t worry, I’ll help you. What if they used this on other pokémon? Giovanni’s pokémon will have a terrible disadvantage. She looked on the table for some syringes. She would take the antigen but it would be onerous to carry, plus she had to use it and couldn’t just make the pokémon drink it. Non were there, so she looked in the desk. She found several. She took off the caps, released the air inside and stuck them in the stop of the vial, pulling out the antidote. When she was finished with all seven syringes, she placed them in a case she found in the desk, and attached it, on to her skirt.
She proceeded to the cages, to check if Meowth were amongst the pokémon. However, she heard footsteps approaching. She took the notepad, and stole away behind the machines.
Cassidy was coming in. Jessie went back through where she came and was out of the lab shortly, and in the hallway she had come upon before.
Giovanni called Butch into his office. He was very angry that James had not showed up yet. Butch tried to explain that he was probably licking his wounds and would be along shortly, but the boss did not care for explanations.
Butch sat at his desk, in his secluded room, trying to figure out where James was. He should have come by now. Maybe he was too badly beaten. Hahaha. No…even though, I have to dispose of him. He may prove to be a thorn in my side. Perhaps he’s at that damn loft. Hey! Why didn’t I think of that before?
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James and the trio, had been target practicing almost all day. Everyone was surprised at how good Misty was with a gun. James was certainly glad that she was. But Ash soon became jealous because she and Brock did very well and hit practically all of their targets, where as he missed several dozen. James tried to make him feel better by telling him that they much needed him to use his pokémon rather than a gun and that this in itself would be a big help. But the underling meaning that he is a bad shot did not fool him.
They were now sitting around, doing much of nothing because they had eaten a big dinner that Brock was so gracious to have made. Ash and Misty were at the coffee table playing cards while Brock was reclined on the couch. James was at the table polishing a favorite gun of his, deep in thought. The back and forth stroke just became mechanical and he appeared very peculiar.
The phone rang. James looked up from what he was doing. He grabbed his Rocket jacket as he got up and pulled it on as he approached the videophone, inadvertently messing his hair in the process. He anticipated this call. It was only a matter of time before they summon him, he knew. He answered it and sure enough it was Butch.
Misty, Ash, and Brock watched from a distance expecting the worst and holding their breath.
"So, James, why haven’t you come by?" asked Butch.
"What’s going on?" asked James in a panicky voice, "is Jessie and Meowth okay?"
"They’re fine," said Butch. He paused then said: "there has been a misunderstanding."
"What? What do you mean?" asked James, then with exaggerated confusion (as he was used to act) he said, "I don’t know what’s going on—I’ve been so scared to come by, worried we did something wrong!"
"Don’t worry about it," said Butch, "the boss just wants to talk to you."
James’s scared expression looked genuine. Ash, Misty, and Brock were sure he had cracked and would cower back to Team Rocket Headquarters in a heartbeat. And it had not occurred to the trio till now: James is a loyal Team Rocket member. No matter what may happen, if things are resolved James is more than likely to continue with Team Rocket. They had hoped that with all that has happened he would leave Team Rocket soon after the confrontation that was to occur. But this was not practical; and they feared the worst for him.
"Really?" said James pathetically as his voice squeaked in fear. "He’s not angry?" "No," said Butch, "come as soon as you can." He turned to hang up but then he added, "oh, and uh…come through the back entrance."
James nodded in affirmation. Butch hung up.
There was silence in the room. Then James turned around slowly with a stone cold expression of seriousness upon his face. Ash, Misty, and Brock were dumbfounded by such a transformation. Wasn’t he a blundering idiot a moment ago? Now he was grave. He pulled off his Team Rocket jacket, with great reserve, hiding his emote instincts. He combed his fingers through his hair to straighten it again, but he soon clutched his fist, wrinkling his jacket, as he looked down at it. Anger formed across his face: he gritted his teeth as his fist slowly came up near his face and a vein pulsated up from his temple. He seemed as though he was about to explode.
"Misunderstanding! My ass!"
The trio jumped by the suddenness of James’s angry outburst.
"Bastards! They think they can just play games with a bumbling idiot! Fine! We’ll play games! And they will be sorry they ever underestimated me! By the time they fine out about the real James, it will be too late!"
He flung his jacket on the floor and went into the kitchen. He sat down on the barstool, behind the counter and clutched his fist. He could not believe how little they thought of him. An insult it was, indeed. He wondered if Jessie had as little faith in him. He didn’t even want to think about it; such a thought could break his heart. He hoped and prayed his friends were okay.
His elbows lay on the counter jointly, as he had clasped his hands together over his head. If they dare harm you Jess… His anger got the best of him. His thoughts were clouded. He tried to calm himself by taking deep breaths. Perhaps I should not be so offended by their underestimation of me. It’s not like I ever showed them I was a contender. I’ve always acted the incompetent, never trying hard, always a burden to Jess…always a coward, a push over… (then grimly) hehe, even to Meowth. I can’t blame them for being ignorant to my true potential. It will be an advantage…my only advantage.
"James."
He moved with a start, not noticing that Misty had approached him.
"Sorry about that," said she.
"Don’t worry about it."
"Why are you so angry…I don’t understand," said she, "isn’t it going to be alright soon?"
"No, Misty," said James, "they think I am easy—they just want to lure me in."
"How do you know," asked Ash. He came to sit next to him. Pikachu jumped on the counter and looked James square in the eyes.
"After what happened, I doubt there could be a misunderstanding," said James as he pet pikachu on the head, "things would have been different—he wouldn’t have told me to come through the back entrance."
"Why? What’s there?" asked Ash. "Pika?" asked Pikachu.
"That’s where they take all their prisoners," said James to Pikachu.
Misty was fearful.
"But don’t worry about it," he said to her, "they don’t know I know about it."
"Why would you ever get involved with them?" asked Misty with frustration.
"I was ignorant of what they were about till it was too late," he said dismally. He wanted to say more about it, to explain why he liked being a Rocket: his freedom, his attachment with Jess, the fact that it was in truth his only home; but just added: "You don’t have to help me if you don’t want to. It will be dangerous. You have already done so much for me. I won’t be upset if you all decide not to come."
"No," said Brock, "you don’t stand a chance without our help."
"He’s right," said Ash, "we’re not going to desert you."
James was very glad that they wanted to help him. He needed them, indefinitely. But Misty hadn’t said anything. She seemed as though conflicting thoughts consumed her.
"Misty," said James slowly, "it is understandable if you don’t want to come—it will be dangerous."
Butch and Cassidy were hugging and kissing, obviously very proud of themselves, when they were interrupted by a call on Butch’s communicator.
"What?" he asked hoarsely.
"Jessie has escaped from her cell," said a Rocket.
"What! How did that happen?"
"Well sir, I don’t really know," he said, "I was doing my rounds when I heard someone pounding behind the door. It was one of the guards—he said he doesn’t remember what happened—he was hit repeatedly on the head and b-bleeding profusely." Little did either of them know, the guard was too embarrassed to want to remember what happened.
"Well find her!" Butch said pissed off.
"Should we inform the boss?"
"No! Giovanni hears nothing of this," Butch yelled. "Last thing I need is him breathing down on my neck at how incompetent he thinks I am." Butch turned off his communicator.
"Oh no!" Cassidy exclaimed standing over at her desk.
"What?" Butched asked annoyed.
"My notepad is gone," she said.
"So, you’ll get another one."
"You don’t understand," she said upset, "that notepad had all the info on the serum and my finding about the experiment…who could have taken it?"
"Are you sure you didn’t just misplace it?"
"I’m sure I left it here," she said looking on the desk, "I had just finished writing some more notes before you called me earlier—and look!"
"What now?" he asked even more annoyed.
"The vials…one is practically empty."
Butch looked. The antidote was indeed almost empty. He thought for a while of who could have taken these things. "That bitch!" he said. "She must have found us out!"
"You don’t think…"
"We can take no chances," he said angrily, then he turned to walk away.
"Where are you going?"
"If she gets to Giovanni, we are so screwed—duplicate as much of the drug as you can…we’ll have to alter our plans."
She nodded and went to work.
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"We have to talk," said Butch with concentrated reserve. He went back to his private room. He was very angry that he had to alter his plans, but was smart enough to know not to let his emotions get the best of him when dealing in business.
"About what?" said his conspirator.
"I’m going to need your assistance in an additional matter."
"Haven’t you asked too much of me already?"
"Not nearly close," Butch said with a sneer. "You won’t think so anyway, after I tell you my proposition."
"And what is that?"
"You’ve always wanted to own Team Rocket," he began, "well now, you just might be able to own it—a part of it, that is."
"And what part of it are you willing to give me?"
"Our genetics engineering."
"You should not make it a habit of giving away what you don’t have."
"Ha! It is but inches from my grasp."
"And how is that?"
"Giovanni is too consumed with this traitor in our midst business that he doesn’t even realize his precious Team Rocket is slipping from his fingers."
"But how?"
"As we speak, Cassidy is giving the serum to four of our most powerful pokémon. Within a day’s time they will be transmutated to five times their normal strength. By the time Giovanni finds out about anything, it will be way late for him to do anything about it."
"Then why do you need my help?"
"For caution sake…" he gave a sideways glance. "Jessie has escaped from her cell and she has found me out."
"So dispose of her."
"Easier said than done, for you see I cannot kill what I cannot get a hold of," Butch said irately, despite his best efforts. "She has been able to take the antidote that will reverse the mutation process—if she uses it against me, I will loose everything."
"So what do you want me to do about it?"
"I will need your man power," said he.
"Very well," then he thought for a while, "against a girl—I don’t see how she can be a threat?"
"It’s not her I’m worried about."
"Do you suspect she will go to Giovanni with this?"
He considered this for a while. "He won’t listen to her now that she is dubbed a traitor," said Butch, "but I have to be cautious, anyway."
"Okay…but answer me this: why decide to distract Giovanni with this traitor business by framing Jessie and James, anyway?"
Butch laughed, "I thought it was obvious."
