2 - Casing

Back was better lit then the make-shift gym they'd set up in the basement. I could actually see down the whole hallway, which was nice for my eyes, but did nothing for my cover. There wasn't exactly an advantage of subtlety walking down a bright corridor. Not much to do about it though, unless I was going to leave.

As bright as it may have been, the hall still wasn't exactly cheery. It had a sickly, yellow glow to it on account of the incandescent bulbs that were strung along the ceiling. No pokemon lighting the way here. Along the left wall were a few doors, the right side being solid.

I figured there was no point in sneaking around. The badge in my coat would do all the talking if need be, so I went to the first door and knocked. It opened immediately to a chap in his shirt sleeves and his suspenders hanging from the waist of his trousers. He had on a black tie with a silver stripe straight down the middle.

"Can I help you?" he asked.

"I want to talk to Oberon," I said.

He hesitated. "She doesn't really take visitors."

I flashed my badge. "She'll talk to me."

He opened his mouth like a magikarp blubbering out of water and slid his suspenders over his shoulders.

"Let me get my coat," he said.

The door shut and I heard some shuffling around before it opened again with the fellow in a raggedy, brown coat and I hid my surprise as a mighyena followed him out. The foreign pokemon and Felix sniffed each other briefly before striped-tie boy led us to the end of the hall, knocked on the last door and called, "Gretta!"

"Yeah, Rudy, what do you want?" came an irritated voice from the other side of the door.

"There's a cop here. Says he wants to talk to you."

"Ok, let him in."

That bit intrigued me. I figured this dame was playing some sort of game because we kept hearing the strangest rumours out of this place. She either had nothing to hide or she was expecting me, if she was letting me in that fast. I thanked the fellow, Rudy, and let myself in.

Gretta Oberon, still wearing her black blouse and skirt, with the purple belt and lipstick, was seated at a sturdy wooded table in the middle of the room. A lone incandescent bulb hung above her, but it was getting a lot of help from the row of them around the mirror on the wall to my left. It looked like the sort of counter where an actress does her make-up. To my right, against the wall, was a sofa, and straight across from me was a bookshelf. Miss Oberon had a book in her hands and what looked like a cup of tea still steaming on the table in front of her. The umbreon was curled up on the sofa, but perked up as soon as we stepped in.

"What can I do for you, officer?" she asked.

"Detective," I said. "McPherson."

"Cup of tea?" she asked. "I have an electric kettle, so I could have some hot water for you in a couple minutes."

"I'll pass," I said. "This is quite the joint you got here. You the owner?"

"Take a seat, detective," she offered, gesturing to one of the chairs at the table.

I declined and said I hoped that I wouldn't be too long. I repeated my last question.

She took a sip of the tea and pulled back sharply from it. "Oh, still hot," she explained, putting the tea back down and pursing her lips. As she said, "Not the owner, no," she squinted a bit, like I'd offered a challenge.

She went on, "We rent the basement here for our pokemon training gymnasium. It's something that's started to catch on in other places, so we thought we might set one up here. So far, I'd say it's been well received."

"Where'd you get the pokeballs?"

"They're made in Kanto. There's a company called Silph that developed them from apricorns. They're quite convenient. You might try one yourself for your houndour."

"Felix is well trained," I informed her.

"I'm sure he is. But the thing about pokeballs is that they're quick and inexpensive pokemon storage. Anyone can carry a whole team."

"And do you carry a whole team?"

She smiled, a bit too condescendingly for my taste.

"No. Galileo is the only partner I need." She gestured to the sofa where the umbreon was still watching us closely.

I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong with all of this. I'd be a hypocrite if I said I didn't trust a gang of people all carrying around dark pokemon in an underground battling club, but hell, I wouldn't trust me either. I'd had Felix since he hatched, so I knew exactly how to handle him. It appeared that Miss Oberon was the same way with Galileo, but that Rudy chap didn't look like he knew a crunch from a feint attack, so I didn't trust him.

"Can anyone challenge you?" I questioned.

"Are you looking for a fight?" Oberon said, looking at me slyly.

I ignored that and continued, "Does it cost anything?"

"There's a nominal fee to challenge the gym leader, which is me."

"I trust you've got a business license for that."

"I surely do, but I'm not going to show it to you."

Fair enough. She didn't have to. I wanted to ask about an import permit for the pokeballs as well, but I figured that get me about as far.

"Thanks for the chat," I said and turned around and went out the way I'd come.